AN: A proposal for the post-proposal, because I think that it was big, and intimate, and if Rick was willing to risk his heart, then it is time for Kate to dive on in.
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Kate couldn't take her eyes off the ring. A tear ran down her face. Then another.
"Kate. Please say something."
Finally, she looked up into those solemn blue eyes.
"I thought-I thought that you were breaking up with me. I thought that you were getting up so that you could walk away."
"I will never do that." Rick wiped the tears away. "Never again. I have never wanted to walk away from you."
"You would move to D.C. with me? This job-It would mean a lot of travel. It's not a good bet for relationships."
"I know. But we can work it out. We've worked through much more than a difficult schedule, Kate. We can do this, too."
Castle wiped away another tear as she kept looking at him, as if trying to read his thoughts.
"You don't look happy."
Castle laughed a little. "You haven't given me an answer yet."
"I want to know... Are you just asking me so that you won't lose me?"
"No." Castle dropped his hands. "Kate. If that's all I wanted, I would just tell you that I'm here for you. That I'll stand by you. I'd remind you that I have money and a job that I could perform from anywhere in the world. This... This is me... this is me telling you what I want for myself, and for us. This is me terrified that you might not want what I do. I've decided that time is too precious, and that you are too precious to me, to keep on playing it safe. It's time to rock the boat."
He took her hand now. His eyes, still nervous, were now warm and loving, too. "Kate. I love you, more than I have ever loved. I want you forever in my present and in my future. I want, if you do, too, to have children together. And I want you to know that, no matter what the future holds, I will be there, right at your side. I love you, Kate. So I'll ask again. Will you be my wife?"
More tears. "Yes." "Yes," Kate sobbed, this time. "I love you, too. And yes."
Castle smiled then, brighter than the sun. He lifted the ring. "May I do the honors?"
Kate sniffed, and raised her left hand. "Yes."
Kate stared at the ring as he put it on her ring finger. Castle adjusted it, then looked up, framing her face with his hands. "Oh, Kate."
Kate grinned, and stood up, pulling him into a kiss.
"I-Oh my God," Kate said, crying and laughing at once. Castle kissed her again and drew her in for a hug, rocking her back and forth.
"Kate. Thank you. I love you. God, I love you."
Kate sniffed and pulled back. She kissed him once more. "Rick, I-I was offered the job. I accepted it."
"Okay. Congratulations! You really deserve it."
"Rick.."
"We'll work it out. When do you start? When.."
"Rick..."
"It's okay, Kate. I mean it. We can start looking for a place in D.C. I'll talk to Paula..."
"Rick?"
"Hmm?"
"I accepted, but I think... I think that I'm going to call and tell them that I changed my mind."
"What? I thought..."
"Rick. This has been such a hard decision for me. I wish I hadn't kept it from you. I could really have used your advice. A few years ago, I would have jumped at this chance. But now, my...heart, i guess, keeps telling me not to go. I don't mean because of you, or just you. Leaving you was never something that I wanted, Castle. But the Precinct is my home. You, Ryan and Esposito, Lanie... you are my family. And everyone keeps telling me how great I am, but I keep thinking that a lot of my successes are because of my team. Because of how well we all work together."
"But Kate. You were amazing before I met you. You have always been great at your job."
"Thank you. But I'm better with you. In so many ways, Castle, I'm better. Does that make sense?"
Castle nodded. "I think that you can do anything. But I understand what you're saying. I'm better with you, too. But don't let that keep you back, Kate. You could try the job for a while."
"I know."
"I'm sure Gates would take you back if you changed your mind down the road."
Kate smiled. "Probably. She might even let you come back, too."
Castle laughed. "Or I could call the Mayor."
"Yeah. But you see, I think that this decision has been so hard because that life, the life that this job offers, it's not what I want anymore. Remember Jordan Shaw? She has a daughter. I asked her about that. She said that it's hard to have a family with that kind of life. She misses her husband, and her husband tucks their daughter in at night. It works for her, mostly, but it's not what I want. Not anymore. I want to know that when the day is done, I'm going home. I want to tuck my children in, with you."
"That sounds very nice. If that's what you really want."
"I think that it is. And maybe, someday, another job opportunity will come up. It's not like I have to decide to stay at the precinct forever. But for now, I think that, maybe, I just needed to know that you want this-want us-no matter what I choose. And that you really do want a life with me."
"I do."
Kate laughed. "Save that for later. A long while later, okay? We still need to work on communication."
"Agreed."
"And maybe we can get to a point where you don't feel like you have to chip away at that wall."
"Kate. I'm sorry. Maybe that wasn't the best thing for me to say."
"You weren't altogether wrong, Castle. I know that. And I'm sorry. I wasn't keeping secrets to hurt you. I really didn't mean to hurt you."
"I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry that you didn't know that I wanted forever. That I made you wonder at all. Because I always have wanted forever with you, Kate. For a very long time, now, I've wanted forever with you."
Kate smiled up at him. "Same goes. You know, I think that Gates will let me take the rest of the day off. Maybe you could come to my place? I happen to have an uneaten meal waiting in the fridge. It got a little tainted, I think, but I bet we can make it right."
"Katherine Beckett? That was downright poetic."
Kate nudged his shoulder. "Shut up."
"Make me."
Kate looked at the ring on her hand, and then up into the eyes of her future. Then she leaned in for a kiss. And made him speechless.