I will start by apologizing to my followers. I wish I could stop this stuff from coming out of my head but it won't
This MIGHT end up as another useless extension to My Vegas and Secrets stories. I just don't know yet.
Keeping in tune with Vegas. I plan to be more fun than the last two. I don't like the scary woods either

AS always. Marlow is the boss. He owns and operates "CASTLE" and all its characters. They belong to him.
but

I do get to read and write about them.

I get nothing but a great group of readers

Thank You

Three weeks before the wedding

Monday morning finds Rick and Kate Castle back home in their loft. The short lived stay at the warehouse "A La Grande" is over and they are so glad to return home and relax. It was a fun week for her and her husband. Eating microwave frozen dinners on their wooden door table while sitting on their metal folding chairs. Getting dressed using the milk crates with the plywood top as a dresser. And best of all sleeping on their air inflated mattress on the hard floor.

Kate is visibly much more relaxed since her old nemesis is out of the picture finally. He is gone. Not because of her investigations or other action on her part. He has done himself in. He created the self destruction himself. Of course Rick's little motion picture didn't hurt in getting this accomplished.

As soon as she gets out of bed her brain starts running a mile a minute. She has to get with Lanie to start the planning of her formal wedding now less than three weeks away. The very first thing they have to do is get the invitations made and in the mail. Then they have to get the caterer and the flowers and the DJ for the reception. Rick told her the name of a wedding planner in the Hamptons that Kate can call to handle all the arrangements. Later today she will get with Lanie, call the planner and make arrangements and also order the invitations.

After she takes her shower and dresses she is ready to head out the door. She finds her husband in his study. Feet propped up on his desk with his computer in his lap. His fingers are tapping away on the keyboard. He must have had a great idea he needs to get written before he forgets where he was heading with Nikki and Jamison

Kate stands quietly in the doorway looking in his direction. This really is the man she wanted no part of when they first met four years ago. He irritated her. He bothered her at her work. He made childish remarks. But in the end he helped her in ways no one else ever tried to do. He is that person she dreamed about. She mentioned once in a conversation with Castle that she wished she had "A man that would be there for me and I could be there for him" not realizing that Castle was wanting desperately to be that man. Now just standing here looking at him gives her that warm feeling inside. That feeling that she really enjoys. How far have these two come.

She really does hate to disturb him when he in his zone "Rick? I'm heading to work."

"Love you" he says while looking up to her face hoping to get a kiss

"Are you coming in?" Kate asks as she leans over to give him the kiss

"I plan to later. I need to write at least a few pages today. Then I'll come down to the precinct."

"OK. See you there. Love you" as she walks out of the loft

"Love you more" is his response

Kate has left their loft on her way to the station. When she gets into her cruiser her phone rings. It's the morgue

"Beckett"

She hears the voice of her best friend "Kate, can you come down here? I need to go over the results on both victims you had started on before you got sidetracked with the senator"

"OK Lanie, I'm on my way"

Beckett calls the station. Esposito answers and she tells him where she is going and that she will be in as soon as she gets the information from Lanie

When she arrives at the morgue and goes inside she finds herself face to face with Agent Mark Fallon with homeland security.

"Detective Beckett. Good to see you again"

"Agent Fallon this is a surprise. What brings you back to New York?"

"You might be working on a case that is related to an open investigation we have. We have credible intel that your victim may be related to an ongoing investigation concerning smuggling of weapons of mass destruction into the US"

"What case of mine would that be?"

"The John Doe you had in the shipping container"

"Oh yes the one that occurred about a week ago?"

"That is the one I am looking into. I just got word this morning that there is an agent from DEA gone missing down in Texas. He matches the description of your victim. Dr. Parish has requested the DNA on him."

Kate looks at Lanie "Did his fingerprints not match up on the Federal Database?"

"No. The body had decomposed enough that there were no usable prints."

Beckett is taking notes on the information that Fallon just gave her when he notices her wedding ring. Since he does not live in New York and does not follow the tabloid pages, he is unaware of the change in status for her

"Detective Beckett, I see you are sporting a wedding ring. The last time I saw you, you were dating a doctor I believe. Did you two get married?"

"No Agent Fallon. I married Rick Castle" Kate smiles just thinking about that answer

That statement brings a surprised look from the Homeland Security agent. "Really? You and Mr. Castle? I knew he was very interested in you, but I thought from the last time I was here you were dating the doctor"

"I was but sometimes life has a way of taking a different road than the one you started on"

"Yes it does. So congratulations on that. Where is he?"

"He has some writing he needed to do. He will be in later"

"Good. I am glad he will be joining in on this. He usually is very helpful in these unusual cases"

Kate's response to the compliment just given to her husband. "Yes he is"

Just moments after Kate leaves the loft, Rick's cell phone rings. Caller ID says "Blocked"

Rick looks at the screen for a moment considering who he believes is on the line. He taps the answer button. "Castle"

The man with the baritone voice at the other end speaks up "Mr. Castle"

Richard Castle somehow knew he would hear from this man again

"I see you found a solution to the problem that has been threatening Katherine Beckett's life for the last few years. You seem to have protected her without my help far better than I was able to do"

"Hello Mr. Smith I somehow knew that I would eventually hear from you"

"So Mr. Castle, I gather you did not believe I had died in that hospital?"

"No, Mr. Smith. I knew you were too well connected and could accomplish most anything you wanted. Even appearing to die"

"First Mr. Castle. I want to congratulate you for taking down a corrupt senator in a most imaginative way, I must say. Your plan was brilliant and well executed"

"Thank you but it was very much a team effort Now, I am positive that you did not reappear just to tell me what a good job we did"

"Very true Mr. Castle. There is another problem that might become an issue for you and your lovely bride."

"What might that be?" Castle asks very pointedly