A/N: I woke up with this picture in my head, and the words had to come out. It serves no purpose other than answering my muse.
Eric Vaughn stood off to the side, sipping from a flute of champagne. He always tried to attend any fund raiser for literacy campaigns, and especially ones that could benefit libraries. Thus, he found himself here in New York, looking dapper in his custom made tuxedo as he watched the movers and shakers enjoying themselves.
He hadn't been in New York in a while. The last time he was here for more than a day, he had almost been poisoned and shot. Then when the mastermind behind the attempts turned out to be someone close to him, someone he trusted, well, he closed himself off for a bit. The only positive of that time was meeting Detective Kate Beckett, the smart and beautiful cop who protected him during that time. He had realized she had a boyfriend, but he couldn't help himself; he had flirted with her the whole time. He remembered telling the boyfriend that she was extraordinary. Then he had left New York, and had only come back when it was absolutely necessary, and he never stayed for long.
But this fund raiser had brought him back in New York. And almost as if his thoughts had conjured her into existence, he could swear he just saw Kate Beckett. Her hair was shorter than it had been, but he'd never forget that face. Yes, it was she. But what was she doing here, at a one thousand dollar a plate fund raiser? Did she leave the force and go into private security? He was about to walk over to her and ask when he saw her face light up as she waved at someone. Then he saw her smile, and saw the person she was waving at – her boyfriend, the author Richard Castle. Castle hurried to her side, kissed her on the cheek, and then Vaughn saw the reason for the smile and the wave – he was wearing a wedding ring. And so was Kate. So they had married! He vaguely remembered hearing something about Castle going missing on their wedding day, but he didn't realize they had tied the knot at some other time. And then he noticed the two of them clasping hands over her abdomen and the small bump; Kate was pregnant. He sipped the last of the alcohol, deposited the flute on the tray of a passing waiter, and walked out of the room and out of the party. How did that old Frank Sinatra song go? Ah yes; he remembered now. Eric Vaughn had a great life; but it occurred to him that maybe he did have a few regrets.
Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption