Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine.
A/N: somewhat shorter chapter, procrastination needs to end sometime.

Kate walked out of the elevator and through the morgues doors, shoving her hands into her pockets "Morning Lanie."
"Morning Girl, where's writer-boy?" Lanie said turning away from her paperwork.
"He's upstairs, making coffee. But I needed to show you something. You got time?" Kate said smiling pulling her hands out into view.
Lanie's eyes grew wide as she noticed the ring on her left ring finger. "Well if that's what I think it is, sure I've got time."

Kate chuckled nodding and walking over to one of the slabs jumping up onto it.
"Yeah, it's what you think it is. He asked this morning, well technically he spelt it in choc-chips but then he did ask."
Lanie squealed in delight pulling Kate off the slab to give her a hug, holding her extremely tightly
"Lanie...can't...breathe" Lanie released her tight grip.
"I'm so happy for you. But you need to explain this choc-chip thing, because I don't understand it." Lanie grinned thinking to herself 'I so knew this was coming, I've know it from day one.'

Kate reached back into her pocket to grab her phone; she opened the image of the pancake before handing it to Lanie. Lanie's grin grew larger, 'damn that man knows how to be so cute and romantic.' "Wow, he wrote it on a pancake." Lanie sounded excited "That's a new one."
"Yeah, I mean he spent almost 5 minutes putting choc-chips into this one huge pancake, and I didn't even have a clue, so much for being a detective huh?" Kate laughed
"Sweetie, I don't think he even expected the proposal to go that way, he probably just got it in his head as the perfect way, not that that's a bad thing, it looks like this was exactly what you would have preferred anyway, not a huge public thing, just something sweet and just for you." Lanie smirked passing the phone back to Kate.

"It was perfect Lanie; he looked so worried when he asked me almost like he thought I'd say no."Kate said softly.
"Everyone get's worried when they propose, it's a huge step." Lanie calmly replied.
"You sound like you've had experience; I didn't think you and Esposito are that serious yet." Kate bumped Lanie's shoulder with hers.
"Hey girl, don't even think of changing the subject, we need to discuss this wedding you'll be planning." Lanie smirked.
"OK, ok I'll drop it for now, but we can't plan this wedding until you answer me a question." Kate grinned trying not to laugh.
"What question?" Lanie asked confused.
"Do you think Lex and Jenny would like to be my bride's maids?" Kate smirked
"Yeah, Lex would appoint herself a bridesmaid if you didn't and Jenny would love to as well I'm guessing." Lanie looked a little deflated, that wasn't the question she'd expected.
"Ok good. Well I gotta get back up stairs." Kate said beginning to walk off, Lanie stood in the door of the morgue and watched Kate step inside "Oh by the way your my Maid of honour." Kate finished as the doors slid closed. She heard a scream of excitement and laughed.

Kate's phoned buzzed in her pocket, she knew it had to be Lanie.
'Imma smack you the next time I see you girl that was nasty.'
Kate typed a quick reply of 'Yeah, it probably was but you love me. And anyway you now know you're the maid of honour. Love you.'
Smiling as she stepped into homicide. She saw Rick sitting at her desk, talking on the phone "No, Paula you will not use this as great press for sales. How many times have I told you that my life with Kate, or Alexis or my mother is to not be used for book sales?" Kate saw anger in those gorgeous blue eyes. "Paula, you do this and you're sacked, I don't care if you have a contract for the next three years I will change publicists."..."give me a second Paula." He looked up at Kate "Would you mind if Paula came here to have a conversation with us, she needs to put together the press release."
Kate smiled and kissed his check "No problem, but you'll have to explain that argument to me when you hang up" she whispered in his ear.
"Paula that's fine, can you be here in 15 minutes?"..."Ok see you then." Rick hung up.

Kate sat in her chair as he slid his phone into his pocket. "So what did she try to do this time?"
"She wanted to give the press open invitations to our wedding, have our honeymoon recorded, and added to the DVD as a bonus feature for the people behind Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook."
"She wanted what now?" Kate sounded utterly disgusted by the idea.
"Babe, you don't need to worry, I told her; one our wedding would be a completely private event, family and friends. Once it's done we'd release a few photos, which we both approve of. Secondly, our honeymoon, would never be recorded and sold as an extra, if we make family videos that's exactly what they are family videos. And thirdly, I love you more than anything, well except for Alexis, but that's a different type of love." He added at the end to lighten the mood. He watched Kate take a deep breath and release it before she said anything.

"You know something; I don't think I've ever seen you that angry at Paula even when she suggested we have press follow us while we do our jobs." She grabbed his hand "You, Richard Castle, are the best thing that's ever happened to me, well except for Alexis that is." She smirked as she repeated his words back at him.
He moved closer to her, placing a soft kiss on her lips before pulling back and smiling. "You Katherine Beckett are gorgeous, talented and have many other positive attributes. I just need you to promise me one thing before Paula shows up." She nodded at him "you won't hurt or kill her when she mentions anything like before"
Kate smiled at him "I promise I won't do anything bad. I may however treat her like a suspect who isn't cooperating."
"That's my girl." Rick smiled at her before leaning back in to touch his nose to hers. "I love you"
"I love you too." Kate lowered her lips to his not worrying about where they were until they heard wolf whistles coming from behind them.

"Wow, I'm surprised they get any work done when they do that for a good 5 minutes ignoring everything around them." Esposito said in a stage whisper to Ryan.
"Yeah I know. It made me kinda sick." Ryan laughed at the death glare he received from Beckett.
"Javi, Kev, you think it's wise messing with me?" Kate continued to glare.
"Well Kate, we weren't the ones making out in the middle of the precinct yet again. And what exactly are you going to do about it?" Javier said smirking at her and Castle.
"Well, Mr Javier Esposito, you just remember who controls the wedding invites and has veto power over the groom's men and considering Ms Lanie Parish is the maid of honour you better behave yourself. As for you Mr Kevin Ryan, Jenny will be asked to be a bride's maid, and I assume you'd like to be with your wife." Kate said seriously, almost laughing at the confused shocked looks on their faces when they clued on to what she was talking about.

"You guys are engaged?" the boys said together.
"Yeah, we are." Rick smirked pulling his chair closer to Kate's.
"Seriously dude wow, congratulations Kate, Rick" Kev said first.
"Congrats Kate, you deserve this, Rick why didn't you tell us?" Javi said to rick before being distracted by the angry woman storming out from the elevator.
"Richard Castle, how dare you threaten to fire me?" Paula said loudly as she stomped towards Kate's desk.

"Paula, you need to calm down you are in a police station." Kate said pointedly. "If you'd like to follow us we'll go somewhere more appropriate to have this conversation." Kate stood, grabbing Ricks hand before turning to the boys "Guys if we get a case, you guys right to handle it I'm not sure how long this'll take." She saw them nod, before she opened the door to the conference room "After you Paula." Kate gripped Ricks hand for dear life. She dropped her voice to barely above a whisper "Rick, I love you."
"I love you too, come on let's get this over with."

They sat across the table from a very pissed off looking Paula.
"Rick, I understand where you're coming from, Kate's not used to the press and I realised that now I shouldn't have suggested what I did."Paula said.
"Paula, you know my private life and all that involves is never to be used for sales." Rick stated.
"I remember this from something to do with Alexis that would have helped book sales, and you lost it." Paula smirked turning to Kate "You do know that now that you're engaged you'll have to be more open to the public, we have to consider the impact on Ricks work."
Kate's face reddened with anger Rick couldn't respond, he sat there staring at Kate watching her anger bubble away.

"For your information Paula, My engagement to Rick is not now and never will be an issue with Ricks writing. Now about these stupid outlandish ideas you came up with, My Life with Rick and My Family with Rick, are out of bounds, if you come up with any other ideas like these again, keep them to yourself. Now topic you can discuss with the press without consulting me about the statements, are Rick's books, Rick's book tours and his readings and signings. Everything else Rick and I will sit down with you away from here, considering this is my place of work." Kate said angrily yet still managing to control the situation.

Ricks eyes never left Kate; he could almost see her beginning to build her defences back up, not towards him but to the idea of the public invading her world.
"Fine Kate but we need to release some sort of announcement about the engagement, which will mean you have to do some interviews, these interviews will have to include Alexis, Martha and your family." Paula said softly.
"Fine, but if any of them don't want to participate they don't have too." Kate snapped.
"I'll set everything up for this. Rick and Kate congratulations. I'll be in touch" Paula smiled softly reaching a hand out to Rick who shook it, before doing the same to Kate. Kate looked at the hand then up at Paula, before reaching out and shaking the hand.

Kate sat completely still, taking deep breaths, before placing her head down on the desk in front of her.
"Sweetie please talk to me." Rick said softly placing an arm around Kate's back.
"I can't believe she thought we'd agree to those stupid ideas." Kate mumbled into the desk.
"I know, I told her we wouldn't do it."
"Yeah, I believe you Hun, but I need time to think." Kate turned to look at him.
"OK, some time would be good; maybe we could take today off and spend some time at home. Montgomery won't mind." Rick smiled at her. She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes, seeing all the love and concern within them. She placed a hand on his cheek and nodded her head.

Three and a half weeks later they were sitting on the couch in the loft, eating burgers and sipping on milkshakes.
"Hey, why don't we talk about our wedding, start making some plans?" Rick suggested.
"Yeah, ok." Kate smiled. "Have you decided on your grooms men?"
"Of course I have, I've just gotta ask them, and put them in order." Rick said sliding closer to her and sitting back against the couch. Kate sat back and curled slightly into his side.
"You realise with your groom's men, Roys going to be Alexis' partner for the official photos and dances?" Kate smirked.
"He is the only one I'll trust with my little girl."
"She's not so little any more Rick." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "But the good thing is we know our maids and our men will get along considering you've got two relationships and Roy adores Lex."

"You realise Kate, we've planned our maids and men, but not our date or venue. We're going about this somewhat backwards." Rick nuzzled against her neck, occasionally nipping at the skin with his teeth.
"Rick, stop that's not helping me think." Kate giggles softly tilting her head slightly towards him trying to break his contact.
Rick pulled back and pouted, giving her puppy dog eyes.
"Not working honey, you're the one that wanted to talk about this now quit distracting me." Kate smiled and touched his bottom lip gently.

Rick sat up a little turning to face Kate. He stared at her while she thought, noticing the furrows on her forehead, he loved the way she looked when she did that. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down on it gently, before she turned her attention to the love of her life who was staring at her yet again.
"Don't you ever get bored of staring at me; I must have been doing things with my face that you've seen at least a thousand times." Kate asked frowning
"Yeah, you were but it's so cute" she slapped him gently "I mean gorgeous. But honestly I could spend all my time admiring you. So while you were being cu...Gorgeous did you think of a place you want to get married?" Rick said rubbing his hands along her thighs.

A blush rose in Kate's cheeks, "I was thinking maybe the little church near my Dad's house where he and mum were married." She took a deep breath looking down at the couch between them. "I mean it's just I'd like to have that connection"
"Kate, we can get married where ever you like, as long as it's meaningful and what you've always dreamt of." Rick smiled at her nervousness. "So, now that we have a place, we just need to go there and see what times they have available. Perfect time for a road trip, maybe we can stop by and see your dad while we're there."
"Yeah, I'd like that." Kate smiled leaning over to kiss him.

The kiss got heavier and more passionate; she pushed him back against the arm of the couch and straddled his legs. His hands found a comfortable place on her butt. He slipped his hands into her back pockets of her jeans drawing her hips closer to his. She moaned into his mouth, as she ran her hands down his sides, she lifted her hips and pulled his shirt from his waistband. She worked from the bottom up undoing the button slowly, as he kept distracting her. His hands slowly left the confines of her back pockets, as she moved her hips provocatively against his, causing him to groan as he grew harder. He slid his hand up under the back of her shirt and ran them up to her shoulders, allowing the shirt to ride up with his arms. She smiled against his lips, kissing her way towards his right ear; she nips at his earlobe pulling it away with her teeth. Her actions cause his hips to rise from the couch putting more pressure between them, which insights moans from both of them.

"Kate, Hun, we should move." Rick said breathlessly.
"Why?" Kate replied with a groan. "Aren't you enjoying yourself Ricky?" She rolled her hips against him harder.
"That the... thing... too much... not here...bedroom." Rick tried to say, unsuccessfully due to pleasure. "Stop...too much...want you...enjoy you...oh god." Kate smirked as he said this she knew he was close to losing himself in the pleasure she was giving him. She placed a gentle kiss on his lips before removing herself from him. She looked at him shyly and reached for his hand.