This is just a little one shot to commemorate 9/11. I was only 15 when it happened, but it really impacted me and my life. I was saddened that it was almost swept away by all the other news stories going on today, so I thought I would remember it the best way I could. I hope you enjoy, and reflect. Thank you!

"Castle! Wake up!"

"Shhhh…"

"Castle, come on."

Rick opened an eye, and burrowed further into the pillow. "Wha timeizut?"

Beckett grimaced. "Okay, don't get mad –"

"Arg!" Castle groaned. He shook his head and flipped over.

"No, no, no, Castle. I wouldn't wake you up if it wasn't important."

Castle sighed, and rubbed a hand over his bleary eyes. He looked over his shoulder to see Beckett, already dressed, and looking miserable. "Hey," he said concerned. He sat up and rubbed her arm. "Yea, sure, whatever you need. What is it?"

Beckett sat silently looking into Castle's eyes then blurted, "I want you to come with me. I need you to come with me today."

Castle nodded. "Okay. Wherever you want." Castle looked at Beckett skeptically. "This isn't where you tell me you are late and have a doctor's appointment, is it?"

"Ugh, Castle!" Beckett shrieked. Then she whacked him with a pillow.

It was a cloudy day in New York City, and a bit of a hit wave made things feel sticky. Beckett and Castle were strolling down the sidewalks of Manhattan, the streets still clear of tourists in the September heat. "So, Detective, where are we going this early, on one of your precious few days off? You know, maybe I had special plans." Castle wiggled his eyebrows.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "The only plans you would have this early in the morning, Castle, would take place in bed."

Castle stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "And just what is the problem with that? You weren't complaining last night."

Beckett laughed, turned and looked at Castle. "Ha, got me there. Come on, Castle, we have to beat the crowds."

"Crowds?" Castle squeaked. He hustled to catch up with his girlfriend's long legs. "Where are we going? You hate crowds. And it's a Wednesday. What could possibly be going on on a – Oh." Castle cast a sidelong look at Beckett, but she was silent. Castle nodded, and accompanied the detective in her silence.

As they continued to walk, a large skyscraper came into view. The skyscraper looked almost complete from the outside. It towered over the surrounding buildings, and on top sat an antenna that brought the building to 1,776 feet. The same number as the year the American colonies declared freedom from Britain. Beckett's pace quickened, and Castle had to hoof it just to keep up with her. As they approached the tower, the crowds on the sidewalks thickened, and horns blared at daring individuals who ran across the streets. Many were wearing the uniforms of first responders, others wore black. Castle felt silly in just his jeans and plaid button-down shirt, like he was being disrespectful somehow, but Beckett wasn't in her dress blues, so maybe it was okay. Finally, Beckett and Castle arrived to the entry to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. Beckett motioned for him to wait where he stood, and she walked up to a man with a clip board. Castle watched as she showed him some identification, and the man gave her two passes. She shook the man's hand, and then walked back to Castle. She held her hand out to him, and smiled. "Come on, Castle. You're coming with me." Castle nodded, and gently took her hand.

Beckett led them through the security line and what seemed like a street maze that finally spilled out into an oasis. Small trees were growing among the stone ground, and multiple benches were filled with people. The sound of falling water grew from two incredibly large, square holes in the ground. Holes that represented the two tallest towers of the World Trade Center. Two towers brutally brought down by planes driven by terrorists who committed one of the worst atrocities ever experienced on American soil. Beckett walked with purpose towards the South pool of water. She walked to the far side, and Castle began to notice the precincts and firehouses listed of first responders that died that fateful morning of September 11, 2001. Beckett finally came to a spot, and Castle stood silently next to her.

"Jonathan Keller McLaughlin," she rasped. She cleared her throat, then looked askance at Castle. "His name was Jonathan Keller McLaughlin," she said in a stronger voice, "and he was in my Academy class." She sniffled, and Castle stroked her back. He knew better than to say anything. He had never even heard of this guy, and suddenly there they were, staring at his name etched on a monument honoring the dead.

"He was this sweet, kinda goofy guy. He was perfectly fit, but kind of a clutz, and honestly, not too bright. But, he'd taken judo as a kid and teenager. He was phenomenal at hand to hand combat. He saw that I was struggling." Kate chuckled. "Oh, gosh, I was horrible. Horrible! My ass was getting kicked right and left, and I just knew I was going to flunk out, and disappoint my mother. And then Johnny, that's what he went by, you know, Irish family, approached me and told me he would get me through the physical contact part of the Academy if I helped him with the studying and tests. It wasn't exactly a secret that I was an ace at the book stuff."

"Surprise, surprise," murmured Castle. He got a sidelong grin, but then Beckett's face grew more serious.

"We both graduated, with no problem. We worked together well, but we got assigned to different duties. We kept up somewhat, but I was just so focused, that I – " Beckett's voice hitched. Castle started to hug her, but she held her hand up to stop him. She looked him in the eye and said, "No, I need to get this out. I was so focused on the job, on finding who had killed my mom, I just didn't have time for anything, or anyone. I kept people away. And then, September 11th happened. Did you know I wasn't on duty, that day?"

Castle shook his head. "No," he said. "You never mentioned it, and I know a lot of police and fire fighters don't like to talk about that day, so I didn't ask. I didn't want to pry."

Kate laughed, shook her head. "You should have. If you had, I would have told you that I had twisted my ankle just two days before. Some loser was robbing a convenience store right as I went by, and I leapt over a trash can trying to catch him. I didn't even realize I had done anything until after I caught the guy, but man, it just hit me. I went to the hospital, and was told I was going to be on sick leave and desk duty for at least two weeks. So, the day of the September 11th, I was at home throwing myself a pity party." Beckett looked back at the names inscribed in bronze. "Johnny was on duty though, I learned later. Man, he was one of those cops that saw the good in people and just wanted to help them. He was never about catching the bad guys, it was more about helping the good guys. He actually helped the daycare workers with those kids get out of building 5. Didn't make much news, because every single one of those kids survived. But that wasn't enough, so Johnny went back. From what people have told me, he was directing the workers coming out of the towers, telling them where to go. And then the South tower fell. And he was never seen again." Beckett brushed away a loan tear that was rolling down her cheek. "He had called me the week before, just for a drink, and I didn't take the time to stop for it. I was too busy. Later, I said. We'll do it later." Beckett looked back at Castle. "His mom called me three months after the towers fell. She had found a digital journal he had kept, on his computer. She just couldn't help looking at it. And I was in it. About how he felt like I was his sister at the Academy, that he could count on me. And how he needed to talk to someone about asking his girlfriend to marry him, and he, he –" she stuttered, "he wanted to ask me if his idea was too cheesy. That was just days before he died. He died, and he didn't know if I thought his proposal idea would be cheesy."

By now, Beckett was practically sobbing. Castle was distraught. This was Detective Beckett. She didn't cry hysterically, she didn't get sentimental. But here she was, losing it in this big crowd. So he did what he would do to anyone. He bundled her up in a big hug, and squeezed, and kept squeezing. He hoped the pressure reminded her that he was there, and he kissed her on the top of her head for good measure.

"That's why I brought you here," he heard.

"What?" he asked.

Beckett leaned back, but still stood within Castle's arms. She sniffled. "That's why I brought you here. I blew Johnny off. I kept telling myself I had more time, and I didn't. And you would think I would have learned by now. With my mom, with the victims I work with, with Johnny. You would think I've learned to take life as it comes, and not wait, but it happens. And with you, God, Castle, it feels like you've always been here for me. And since you walked into my life, you have, whether I wanted you there or not."

"More often not," Castle chuckled, and got an elbow in ribs.

"I got comfortable with you," Beckett stated. "I got comfortable. I blame you. How could I not? But then with this summer, and the DC thing, we've been off."

"Beckett, Kate…" Castle sighed. But Kate kissed him, effectively shutting him up. "Castle," she said, "we've been off. We have. But I woke up this morning, and, and it is the first time I've had a day off that lined up with the commemoration. I've never been here on the anniversary. But I woke up this morning, and knew. I knew I wanted to bring you here. To tell you about Johnny. And tell you that I love you. That I'm sorry that I've had my head so screwed around, and just assumed you would always be there, because you may not be and –"

With that, Castle kissed her. It was a long, passionate kiss. The kiss caused the saddened mourners around them to smile, and to grab the hands of their loved ones. To appreciate their lives that continue, and saddened for those cut off far too early.

Castle broke off the kiss. "Kate, you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just as guilty. I worked for years to get you, and I finally did and I just, I goofed off. I kept thinking it was too good, it couldn't last. But I'm hearing you, and I think you're saying it is going to last." He leaned his forehead against hers. "Marry me, Kate. I know you said you would one day, that you wanted to wait. But please. Marry me. Make me a happy man."

Kate's smile just brightened up the cloudy day. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, Castle." She laughed out loud. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes." She touched her lips to his. "Yes. Today."

"Today?" Castle gasped. "But what about a dress, our families, the ring?"

"This is about us. It's always been about us. If we want to do the big wedding, we can later. But I think we need to do this, today, for each other."

Castle nodded. "Okay. Today. Between us, we know enough people that we can wing it."

Kate fumbed at her neck. "And as for the ring," she said. She pulled on the chain that held her mother's ring, but what she pulled out was the sparkler that Rick had given to her earlier that summer, when he had asked for forever, and she had responded with maybe later. Rick's eyes lit up, like a little kid at Christmas. "I've worn it ever since you first gave it to me," Beckett explained. "I just needed to understand that later, is now. Now, Castle. Make me your wife."

Castle whooped, and scooped Beckett off her feet. "Not like that, idiot!" Beckett hissed into his ear. Castle quickly dropped her but nothing could wipe that smile off his face. He snatched her hand up, and started to power walk towards the exit. Then he halted, and turned back to the bronze inlets. He walked up to Johnny's name, and touched it. "Thanks, Johnny," he said. "For all that you did, and continue to do." With that, he walked back to Beckett, took her hand again, and walked her towards the exit. "By the way," he said, "how bad was it? His proposal idea?"

Beckett grinned. "Typical Johnny. Cheesy, but sweet."

The couple walked away from the memorial of tragedy and sadness, but light in heart, ready to start their future that day. And up in the sky, in what is called heaven, Jonathan Keller McLaughlin smiled and wished them all the best.

That is it! Thank you again for reading!