Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

AN: I've been meaning to post this since Veritas ended. here you go :)

AN2: I needed to make a few changes in this. A silly mistake I made that you guys brought to my notice. sorry for that and thank you. 3 Chapter 3 is up, btw :)

Chapter 1

Bracken had been taken away in a police car, taken away to be sent to booking. He was finally arrested for fraud, conspiracy and murder. The Murder of Johanna Beckett.

Kate Beckett was currently holding on tight to the man who had his arms wrapped tight around her. She couldn't believe it. It still hadn't sunk in, all of this, everything that had just happened; it was all a little too overwhelming. But right now, holding on to the love of her life, breathing him in, she felt it. She felt lighter. Like the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders. And time seemed to freeze right there for her. This moment, this feeling, she didn't want it to leave. And she had nothing to worry about actually; this feeling was here to stay.

She arrested Bracken. She brought Justice to her mother. And she would have never done it without this man who was currently rubbing soft circles on her back. Everyone else, the entire team of officers who were waiting around to congratulate her, they could all go home, she didn't want to talk to anyone right now. No, she just wanted to stay here, with Castle holding her.

She didn't realize how long she'd been in his arms until he spoke.

"there's someone waiting to see you Kate"

"I don't want to talk to anyone Castle… not right now"

"No I'm pretty sure you'll want to see him"

She pulled away then to look at him, and he nodded pointedly towards the end of the block, Kate turned around and saw, Jim Beckett. Her dad. He was talking to Gates but kept looking her way. He smiled when he saw his daughter looking back at him.

Kate turned back to Castle.

"I was just going to call him. How did you..."

"I hope you don't mind… I gave him a call as soon as the arrest was made… he deserves to share this moment with you"

Kate smiled. It was beyond her how this man understood everything about her so well.

"Thank you" she whispered softly and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

By the time she turned back around to find her dad, he was shaking hands with captain Gates and then he began walking towards her. And in those few steps she took towards him, she hadn't realized when the tears began to brim at her eyes, but the minute she rested her head on her dads shoulder when he pulled her into his embrace, they rolled down her cheeks.

"We put him away dad. Forever. I finally got justice for mom"

Kate wasn't sure if her dad was crying too, but his voice sounded strained and different, and she knew he was a little too overwhelmed.

"You did Katie. I'm so proud of you." He softly kissed her head and she pulled away to wipe the tears from her face.

"I was just going to call you up and ask you to meet me" She told him.

"Well, Rick here was way ahead of you" he said to her.

Kate turned to see the man in question walking their way. He came to stand by her side, and protectively put his arm around her.

"He always is" Kate said to her dad, but with proud eyes only for her fiancé.

" ." Castle said and shook hands with Jim.

"Thank you Rick... for calling me here to let me surprise her"

"Don't mention it… it all just seemed incomplete without you being here" castle said.

"But everything's complete now. It's over" Kate said... reminding herself again, allowing the news to sink well.

"Oh but it's not." Jim suddenly said, and he looked at his watch. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm sorry dad, am I missing something here?"

Kate asked him, confused.

"Katie, let's go finish that dinner…"

It took her a moment to understand what her dad was talking about.

"The night your mom died, we were supposed to have dinner together remember? I think it's only right we celebrate tonight by completing what we came out to do that night, in memory of her…"

"Dad I think that's a brilliant idea."

"Come on then, what are you waiting for" he said.

"You two have fun tonight… I'll wait up for you okay..." Castle said to Kate.

She was about to say something, and he leaned in to kiss her goodbye, when Jim spoke again.

"Where do you think you're going Rick?"

Rick looked at him with a blank face.

"Umm... I was going home."

"Not a chance... you're having dinner with us"

Kate smiled. Rick looked at them, first at Jim then at Kate and then back at Jim.

"No, sir this is something you two should do together. I have no right to interrupt something as special as…"

"I don't want to hear another word Rick. You're having dinner with us tonight. You're a part of this family. Ever since the day you vowed to stick by my daughter's side, ever since the day you brought up Joanna's case, you've been family… Joanna would want you to celebrate with us. Please..."

Rick had a smile on his face.

"I'm honoured Jim. Thank you.."

"Come on, my car's over there" Kate said to them both and they followed behind her.

Jim sat beside Kate in the passenger seat and Rick sat behind. The restaurant they were driving to, Kate knew it all too well. But she hadn't put foot into that place ever since the day she lost her mother. Going there tonight, she wasn't sure what to feel.

She looked into the rear-view mirror as she drove, and caught Castle staring at her and he smiled. And everything was okay again. Everything will always be okay as long as he has her back, as long as he was beside her.

And in another two weeks, she would say her vows to him and commit herself fully to a life with him, too an Always with him. She realized how easy it was now, to dream of a future with him, she no longer had the worry of catching her mom's killer lacing her every thought, flying around at the back of her mind all the time and it gave her a sense of freedom that made her smile.

As they enterd the restaurant, Jim led them in, and Kate slipped her hand into Ricks.

"You okay?" he asked with that sweet calming smile.

"Yea" she said to him. But he wasn't convinced.

Jim was now talking to an old man, about the same age as him, and it was only until Kate and Rick had stepped up next to Jim that Kate recognized him. , the owner of the diner then. And he was still here holding the fort, and had managed to turn it into a posh restaurant.

"Katherine…"

"Mr. Charles, it's so good to see you!" she said to the old man, and he had this smile of awe and wonder.

He looked at Jim and said, "She looks just like her mother, Jim."

"Yea... she does"

Kate chuckled and then realized she hadn't introduced Castle to .

"This is my Fiancé, Rick..."

"Richard Castle" Mr. Charles completed for her.

"I should have known you'd know him" Kate said with a smile.

"Rick, this is , he and my mom and dad were great friends back in the day. We were frequent customers at his diner"

"Yes, and you guys still are my favourite customers, come with me and let me seat you at one of our best tables" they followed behind him.

Kate took Castle's hand again and they followed behind the two men.

He lifted it up to his lips and kissed it. And she looked at him with love.

After they were seated, Mr. Charles left them. But not before congratulating Rick and Kate on their engagement.

"Jim, Kate, dinner's on me tonight. It's the least I could do for you two, after you invited me to join you'll"

"If you insist" Kate said with a smile.

"Be careful, there's no turning back once I get used to this Rick" Jim joked.

Rick laughed and said "Who said anything about turning back?"

Just then the waiter came to their table and and Rick placed their orders. within a few minutes, the soft drinks they had ordered were placed on their table.

Jim picked up his glass and began to speak "I know it seems silly cause we're having soft drinks here, but I'd like to make a toast."

"It's not silly Jim. Go ahead" Castle re-assured him and both of them took their glasses in hand too.

"A toast to Johanna, who died for justice, and to you Kate who fought for her and won. And to both of you, that you may always live a happy married life together, cheers!"

"Cheers" they said together and took a sip. "Thanks Dad, that was... that was really sweet"

Kate said to her father and he smiled.

From then on, they ate and talked and laughed, and Jim began to tell them things about Joanna, and Kate was adding to a few stories too, giving her version of the tale. And she found herself talking so freely about her mom, she'd never been this open about her mom before and now suddenly, it was just so easy. It was no longer talk about the case, or the people she dealt with, it was about Joanna Beckett as a wife and Mother.

And even Rick could see it in her eyes, when she spoke of her mom, there was a big difference now. There wasn't that shadow of hurt anymore; there was no drive in her eyes to avenge her mother's death, now there was only love and awe, and pure respect for everything her mother stood for.

"And that's how Joanna dealt with your tantrums"

Jim had finished narrating a funny incident of when Kate was 4 years old. And honestly, with all the details that the man was able to give away, Rick could actually picture little Katherine Beckett screaming and wailing just cause her mom wouldn't buy her that new toy. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered if their daughter, if they had one, would look just as adorable as Kate did when she was born.

"What are you thinking about?" Kate asked him

"Show me pictures"

"What?"

"Of when you were younger."

"Why?" she asked with a smirk on her face, and then brought her glass to her lips to take a sip.

"I'd like to see what our kids would look like"

She almost spat out her drink.

"I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?" he began to panic.

"Yes you did" Jim nodded.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I mean..." he was stammering nervously.

"No, no, there's nothing wrong with what you just said. It just... caught me a little off guard" she admitted.

"You guys don't have all life to make kids you know" Jim Beckett mumbled softly.

"Oh my God! Dad! Did I just hear you say that?"

He took a sip from his glass to avoid his daughters glare.

She rolled her eyes with that smile on her face and said "gentlemen, can we not talk about this here, or now?"

And Rick smiled and said "Yea okay" and he called the waiter and asked him to get the bill.

What he didn't see, was the smile on Kate's lips that she was trying hard to hide ever since Castle spoke about having kids. Yup.
She wanted kids, just as badly as he did.