"Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"
Rick's eyes were pleading for a response, most preferably a yes. But Kate was shocked to the point that she abruptly stood up and took Rick's hand.
"No, I can't, not yet," she finally replied. Rick jolted, she had said no. "I will in time," added Kate, slowly caressing his hand.
"In time," Castle repeated, "in time." He got up off the swing and kissed Kate lightly on the cheek and linked his fingers with hers. "Until then I shall keep on loving you."
"Let's go to my place," Rick said with a slight remainder of the rejection left on his face. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, "I know! How about a long term engagement?" The serious Castle had been and gone and the witty Castle that came up with the extravagant theories was back.
"Castle, you're pushing it!" Kate replied with a smile on her face, pleased that the normal comical Castle was still there.
"Well you're making up for it later," said Castle with his childish grin still on his face. They walked hand in hand away from the swings, both of them slightly regretting Beckett's reaction.