Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own neither the show Castle nor the characters.
Big shoutout to my dear beta readers, blueorchid96, Dana Keylits and UneasyQuasar. Thank you so much for your critiques, advices, for ruining the story with logic and of course for your kindness and patience with me :) See you aboard next chapter ;)
This will not be updated on a regular basis, but I try to do as much as possible. :) Have fun with the story!
Chapter 1
"Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me? "
Castle remained on one knee and looked at his girlfriend, who opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but Kate Beckett remained silent. Her eyes, however, were opened wide in surprise. He had made the leap of faith, now it was up to her to either catch him or let him fall.
"Castle, why now? Please tell me this isn't just an elaborate plan to keep me here in New York."
Well, not exactly the answer he was hoping for, but at least it wasn't a no.
Yet.
"Kate… I worked five years to tear down your walls. I waited patiently until you realized that you had the same feelings for me that I have for you. I am not a morning person, but for you, I get up fifteen minutes earlier each and every morning to bring you a cup of coffee, just to see you smile." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I love you, Kate Beckett. I consider you family, as do Martha and Alexis. I've never let anyone this close before and neither have you. I've never wooed a woman for so long, but you are so worth it."
Beckett had a little smile on her face and a single tear ran down her cheek.
Castle wiped it away with his thumb and lingered a little longer on her skin than normal. He then took her hands in his, still kneeling, before he continued.
"And now you crawl back into the rabbit hole you were in when you obsessed about your mother's case; keeping secrets from me and shutting everyone out because you're afraid." He paused again and began to rub his thumb soothingly over the back of her palm. "You're afraid that you might have to choose between love and your job."
He saw her frown and her whole body stiffened at his declaration, but now there was no going back. He had to follow it through.
"And, I hate myself for not getting it sooner, so you had to suffer through this. Let me tell you this." He closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke again, with all the confidence he could muster. This wasn't supposed to be so difficult. "The past five years, especially the last year, were the best years of my life because you were in it. You are the love of my life, Kate. Nothing in the world could stop me from being with you. No distance could possibly be far enough to keep me from loving you. I proposed to you today because you don't have to choose. I'd give up everything I have in a heartbeat, the loft, the money, hell, even writing, because you are everything I need. If you take the job, that's absolutely fine with me. I'll go with you. If you stay in New York, that's fine with me, too. Because no matter where you are, I will be there for you." His voice broke. "Always."
That last word, Always, that forever meant so much for them, seemed to have broken the dam in Kate because the tears she had obviously tried to hold back, began to fall. She pulled Castle up and in for a long, searing, salty kiss before she hugged him tightly. He could feel his neck getting wet from her tears. And, it was as the tears began to subside that he'd heard the words he seldom allowed himself even to dream of.
"Yes, Castle. I will marry you."
Castle gently pushed her back to look into her eyes and his face broke into a huge smile.
"Really?"
She chuckled and answered with a watery voice.
"Yes, Castle. Really."
They kissed once again, but it was hard for them to keep their mouths locked onto each other with the big smiles across their faces. When they finally broke apart, her phone rang.
Murder time, fun time. She sighed, and closed her eyes.
"Oh god, why? Why me, universe?"
Castle chuckled. "Because it's totally normal for us to take our time and the universe thinks we're moving too fast. I mean, five years and already engaged? Come on!"
Castle knew that this would relieve some of the dark clouds he sensed hovering over Beckett. Murderers seemed to have a strange sense of timing. But no murder in the world could take away this moment from him. He gently took Kate's hand and slid the beautiful ring onto her finger. It looked perfect on her. He took a second to stand there, near the swings and to look in awe at his new fiancèe.
She laughed. "Stop staring, Castle. It's creepy."
He had a smug smile on his face as he crossed the short distance between them, put his arms around her waist and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Not if it's your fiancée you're staring at. But you can cuff me anytime."
She shoved him away with a smile, but didn't let go of his hands. "In your dreams."
"In my dreams, you do even more than that…" he said, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.
She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, "You have no idea!" He gulped and suddenly had to clear his throat.
She laughed, but soon became serious. "We still haven't decided if I take the job in D.C."
Castle opened his eyes wide in surprise. "We?"
Beckett nodded and bit her lower lip. "We're in this together now, Rick. My decisions are no longer just mine. You have a say in this. I want to do this with you."
Castle gazed down at the tough detective in his arms, lifted her off her feet to carry her bridal style and spun her around, which in turn made her giggle.
"What was that for?"
He gazed into her warm eyes as he stopped spinning and said with a low voice, beaming "I now stand on the other side of the hole in your wall, and I realized that you are even more amazing on the inside."
She looked at him with affection and locked her hazel eyes on his baby-blues for a few seconds. Then she winked. "You can put me down now, Castle. We can't leave the boys alone with a dead body, can we?"
He followed her suggestion, and she returned Esposito's call.
"Hey Espo, what is it?" She listened for a short while, nodded occasionally and eventually hung up.
"Come on, Castle, we got a body!" she said, already walking towards her car which was parked across the street from the playground. Castle stayed for a moment observing that she was smiling distractedly while her fingers played with the engagement ring on her finger.
Castle saw it coming but couldn't get there in time, just like at Montgomery's funeral. He could only yell, but the car had already hit Kate's body, launching her in the air. She came to rest a few feet away from the car.
A/N: Yes, I know, I am cruel, because I cut it off here, leaving you uncertain^^ but I'm also a fanboy ;) However, this fanfic will go in a different direction than what you'd probably expect, but I won't give anything away until chapter 2 ;) Be prepared :D It'll probably be a while though before I will be willing to update, because I'm still unsure whether or not I can go there where I'm currently at with what I've written for chapter 2 so far. Anyhow, I hope you liked it; It's my first fan fiction, so please bear with me :D reviews are always appreciated; I'd love to read your thoughts on this! ~Jonny
