Hey look another chapter! Now I know some of this is pulled from the wedding episode, but I tried to make it my own while at the same getting it as close to canon as possible! I hope you all enjoy and thank you so much to my beta Anna for looking over all this and reassuring that everything makes sense.

"Beckett!"

The cop's head snapped up with pure hope on her face. "Castle!" She called for him over and over again struggling to maintain what little grip she had on the cement ledge. "Castle!"

"Beckett!"

The sound of the writer's terrified voice barely made it through the loud roar of noise in her ears. How was he here? How did he know where to find her? She didn't question it. Not when her fingers were slipping from the ledge of the roof. "Castle!" No! No! No! Not like this! "Castle help!"

"Beckett hang on!"

"No!" Her left hand lost its grip completely the force throwing her arm back nearly making her lose her hold completely. Oh god! The prayer left her lips in a soft whisper as she looked helplessly at her right hand. A part of her felt like she was watching a movie in the safety of a movie theater watching the hero struggle to live. At least there she had a sense of comfort because they wouldn't kill off the main character. There was no such comfort here. She was going to die. Beckett had no more strength to try to pull herself up. There was no taking back the horrible things she said to her lover. No apologizing. No last "I love you's." How could she have let this happen? How could she have been so blinded by the need of justice to see the most wonderful thing in her life standing in front of her? Tears blurred her vision. There was nothing she could do. "Castle!"

Just as her fingers completely lost their grip, familiar large hands grasped her by the wrist. The sudden stop in her decent stopped Beckett, her momentum sending her crashing face first into the side of the building. "Shit." Beckett shot up her other arm to latch onto her lover's wrist for dear life.

"I got you, baby." And he had no intention of letting her go. He was on his knees on the edge of the roof, in risk of falling himself if either of them made the wrong move. "No, no. Don't look down. Keep your eyes on me, baby."

Beckett complied, too afraid to speak in fear that any small movement could put them both in danger. His face, his beautiful face, was laced with terror. Terror at the possibility of losing her. God, why did she hurt him again? And why did he keep coming back to save her. She sure as hell didn't deserve it.

"Listen to me, Kate. I can't pull you up on my own. So I need you to help pull yourself up, okay." Castle's muscle was already straining under the full weight of the detective.

Beckett kicked her feet against the wall using the leverage she gained to pull herself up. The trip to safety, only taking a few seconds, felt like days if not years for her. Only when she was surrounded by his arms did she feel safe. Clinging to the writer, she broke down into gut wrenching sobs, "Castle."

"Shh. Shh. I got you. I got you." He repeated the reassurance for their both their sakes as he dragged her as far away from the ledge. Holding her close as humanly possible, he brushed her face from her hair as her hand made its way to his cheek. "Jesus Christ, Kate."

Sobs tore through her, violently shaking her to the point her teeth were clanking together. She took solace in the familiar feel of his arms, his spicy amber scent, and the beautiful sound of his voice as she clenched his shirt in her fist. Before she could even open her mouth to apologize, the man she loved was ripped from her arms. "Rick!" There was Maddox with Castle on his knees and a gun pointed at his head.

"You're a parasite, Detective Beckett." Maddox sneered digging the barrel into the writer's temple. "One that needs to be eradicated."

"Please!" Beckett reached helplessly towards her partner, "Please let him go. Take-."

"Kate." Castle cut her off, his eyes calm and reassuring. The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, "It's all right. You're safe; that's all the matters."

"His life for yours." Maddox bargained, "The only way to guarantee you won't be a problem again."

"No!" Risking Maddox turning the gun on her, Beckett lunged forward until she had Castle's face in her hands. She wondered how he could remain so calm while she was reduced to relentless sobbing. There was no way she was going to let him take her place. No way that she would watch him die and have to go face Alexis and Martha to tell them his death was her fault. That if she had just listened to him in the first place then none of this would have happened. She stroked a hand down his cheek, "No you won't do this. Take me."

"Kate-."

"Take me." Beckett's gaze shot to the gunman's, "Let him go. You can kill me, take me to your employer, or whatever you want, but you have to let him go and promise never to come near him or his family. That's the deal."

"Look at me. LOOK AT ME!" Castle waited until her teary gaze met his. "Go."

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to just leave you, Rick."

"For once, please just do as I say." Castle softly begged, "I'm your partner and this is what partners do."

There was anguish in his blue eyes. Anguish for her, for his daughter, and his mother. None for himself. Richard Castle, the world's most selfless man. "I can't."

"Well," Maddox yanked the writer out of her grasp again, "Looks like he's made his choice."

The sound of the gunshot jolted Beckett awake in the early hours of the morning. Her heart was pounding like a freight train in her throat making it difficult to get a proper breath in. Pain rolled through her entire body. Beckett felt like there was something wrapped around her squeezing the life out of her. Even though somewhere deep in her brain it recognized the signs of a panic attack, Beckett started to hyperventilate while ice began to churn through her veins.

Castle.

Somehow she fought through the paralyzing fear to push herself up into a sitting position. The movement had her seeing spots. It was a better alternative to images of her nightmare. Her gaze different to the man sleeping next to her. There he was curled on his side with one hand resting under his head while the other was slightly outstretched towards her like he was touching her before her tousling threw it off. His handsome face was slack and his mouth was hanging open ever so slightly. His soft snore cut through the still silence. Safe. He was safe. They were safe. Maddox was in the wind hopefully dead in some alley leaving them in peace.

Needing to reassure herself that he was real, that she was safe, Beckett picked up his large hand in hers and pressed it to her heart, over her scar. Slowly her breathing started to even out and the pressure on her body started to subside. It was amazing how quickly he could calm her even when he was awake. Usually Castle would awake when she reassured herself this way, but considering the amount of stress they had gone through the night before doing last minute wedding things he was dead to the world. That was just fine her with her. She needed a moment to calm her breathing and collect her scattered thoughts. So, Beckett clutched Castle's hand tighter to her chest, concentrating on the familiar weight. The texture felt good through the shirt that pressed against the uneven skin. She focused on his warmth and the sound of his breathing. She focused on the fact that he was safe and whole right beside her.

"Kate?" Stirring awake, Castle shifted closer as he slowly opened his eyes. This hadn't been the first time he had awakened to find his hand under her control. Beckett had explained it to him that when she needed to feel alive, to feel safe, she needed to feel his touch. To feel him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." The word scarcely made it to the surface.

"No, you're not." Fully awake now, Castle pushed himself up to get a proper look at her in the early morning sunlight. "You're crying."

Beckett quickly wiped at her cheeks with her free hand not ready to let him go just yet. "Nightmare."

"About what?" Castle cradled her face in his hand. "About your shooting?"

"No. No." She took a calming breath and it backfired on her as she started to hyperventilate again. "Maddox he… He… you."

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay." Even with his reassurance, Beckett was diving into his arms. He didn't like the way she was trembling. It meant that this had been a bad one. So Castle gently started to rock her, "Just concentrate on breathing, baby. Match it to mind. That's good."

God she loved this man. He was so patient, kind and loving. Most men wouldn't put up with her stubbornness or having their sleep disrupted or give her the amount of chances as Castle has. He helped her through every sudden panic attack, every nightmare without one complaint no matter what time of day. "I'm sorry." Beckett pressed her face to his chest, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize." It was the same thing he told her every time. She had no control over when certain members gripped her. "Take as long as you need. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank god for that."

"Want to talk about it?" Castle softly asked once her breathing returned to normal and her grip less bruising.

"Not really."

"Okay." He rested his chin on top of her head, "Still want to get married."

"Yes." There was no hesitation in her answer.

"Good."

Beckett wasn't sure how long they stayed wrapped up in each other's arms. She was more than happy to spend the entire day just like this, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat. But they had a wedding to get to. Their wedding. The thought made her grin like an idiot.

"What are you smiling at?"

She drew away to look up at him, "Today is Saturday."

"Yes, it is."

"That means our wedding is today."

Delight filled his voice, "I believe you are correct, Detective."

"That means we're getting married." With Maddox and the horrible nightmare forgotten, Beckett shifted on to her knees so their mouths were mere inches apart. "In just a few short hours I will be Mrs. Richard Castle."

"Yes, yes you will." The writer spoke with so much pride that it brought tears to her eyes. Something caught in his throat at the thought. After all these years, through laughter and tears they finally made it. "And how do you feel about that, soon-to-be Mrs. Castle?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck brushing her lips over his, "Like the happiest woman alive."

"I love you, Kate Beckett."

"And I love you, Richard Castle. Now let's go get married."

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Kate if you don't hurry up I think Writer Boy is going to have a heart attack." From the window, Lanie could see Castle fidgeting relentlessly with his tie. The ME smiled and turned around, freezing when she saw her best friend. Beckett was simply stunning. "Oh Kate, you look like an angel."

Blushing, Beckett tucked a loose curl behind her ear, "Really?" It was a miracle that they were able to get the dress altered in time. In fact, the whole week had been just one miracle to get everything said and done.

"Of course! I want to marry you!"

"Lanie stop!" But she was laughing feeling completely happy. This hadn't been the wedding she had in mind when she was a child, but now she wouldn't have it any other way. The only thing that could have made it better was if Ryan and Esposito were here. Neither of them would come thinking the other would be here. A small twinge of sadness mixed with anger hit Beckett thinking about it. After all her actions caused the rift between the two partners.

Sensing her friend's distraction, Lanie smiled, "Your mother had some good taste, girl."

"That she did." Martha said entering the bedroom beaming. "Look at you. I believe you are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen."

"Thank you, Martha."

The redhead glanced at the ME, "Lanie, darling, could you just give us a minute?"

"Of course." Lanie hugged Beckett tight before giving her a kiss on the cheek, "I'll just get your dad on stand by."

Beckett turned her attention back to her future mother-in-law, "Martha, I want to tell you how grateful I am to you and to Alexis for…" Emotions caught in her throat, "For accepting me and for helping put this all together."

"And I want to thank you, for making my son and granddaughter so very happy." Martha fiddled with a box in her hands before offering to Beckett, "I brought you something. In case you didn't have something blue."

Curious, the bride-to-be opened the box. A pair of the most exquisite sapphire drop earrings rested inside. Words suddenly became very hard to find. Finding a mother in Martha was just as unexpected as finding a daughter in Alexis and a best friend and love of her life with Castle. "Wow."

"Well put them on, Dear." Martha followed her to the mirror to watch Beckett put them on, "They were given to me by my mother to wear on my wedding day and her mother before. I know that you wish your mother to be here and I know I am a very poor substitute, but I want to tell you that I am so proud to call you my daughter. You've been such a wonderful woman to him. A wonderful mother to Alexis. You have proven the lengths that you would go for them."

"Martha." Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. Beckett fought them to keep from ruining her makeup that Lanie spent so much time applying. How could she even reply to that? Beckett didn't know how to adequately explain that her family had saved her life. Castle was simply the best thing to happen to her life. Her life just wasn't complete without the man or his wonderful daughter and eccentric mother. There was no telling where her life would be without them. Nor did she even want to think about it.

"Here now." Martha being Martha dabbed a silk handkerchief to catch the tears before they spilled over. "The earrings look stunning, my dear. Only women of substance have worn these gems. They've been waiting, Katherine. For you."

Beckett lifted her gaze to meet Martha's in the mirror. "I'm so honored, Martha. Thank you."

"You're so very welcome, dear. Now we must get you downstairs and get you married."

"Martha." Beckett stopped her before opening the door, "You're anything but a poor substitute. I hope you know just how much I admire you. How much I love you."

"Now you've done it." Martha used the handkerchiefs to stop her own tears, "I love you, too. Now I'm going to go before we completely ruin our make up."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ready, Dad?"

Alexis' question snapped Castle out of his trance. Staring down the aisle wouldn't make Beckett appear any faster. Ready didn't even come close to it. His gaze shifted to his daughter and a beaming smile crossed his face. His little girl looked absolutely beautiful dressed in her peach colored dress with her fiery hair twisted back into a braid. It was hard to admit how grown up she looked standing there in the afternoon sun at her back. "You look so beautiful, Alexis."

The redhead smiled as she reached over to fix his gray silk tie and smooth down the labels of his suit, "And you look dashingly handsome."

He caught her hands in his, "You know that you will always be my number one girl, right?"

"I know that, Dad. I'm so happy that you found someone who loves not only you but your family and adds to the crazy instead of trying to calm it." Emotions filled her voice and Alexis had to take a moment before she ruined her nicely applied make up with tears. There had been a slight apprehension to losing her father to Beckett, but then Alexis realized that she wasn't stealing him. Unlike Gina, the detective accepted gracefully the fact that she would have a piece of her father's heart that no one would ever be able to take. Plus, Beckett had proven that she loved her like a daughter even to the point of using her own body to protect her from Grey. Kate Beckett made her father truly happy and that was enough for Alexis. "You're lucky you convinced her that marrying you was such a good idea."

"So, the reason for the shot gun wedding?" Martha verbal speculated joining her granddaughter at Castle's side. "The quicker you get that ring on the finger means she has less time to figure out what's she is getting herself into."

"Thanks for the boost of confidence, Mother." Castle softly mutter making Jeremy chuckle. He sent the young man a silent glare and the black haired boy suddenly became interested in the waves crashing into the shore. "I would never trick a woman into such a thing."

Martha beamed and kissed her son's cheek, "I'm so proud of you, Richard, for finally finding true love."

"Took me a couple tries. Really, really bad tries."

"But you never gave up," Martha squeezed his arms, "and that's what matters, my boy."

"It's time." Jeremy broke in before joining Alexis and Martha just off to the side of the writer. "Got the rings?"

Panicked, Castle started feverishly patting all his pockets in a desperate search for the pieces of metal. They had to be here somewhere. Nothing could go wrong. Everything had to be perfect. Beckett deserved perfect. His heart beat started to even out after he checked the inside breast pocket, "Yes."

"Smooth Dad."

The writer's gaze snapped to the end of the aisle where Lanie was walking towards him the same smile she wore when she knew something was coming that he didn't. That something being Beckett nine times out of ten and this time was no different. Shortly after the ME took post just to the side of where Beckett would stand, the woman in question appeared on her father's arm. Holy shit! This was actually happening. Kate freaking Beckett was just a handful of steps away wearing the most beautiful dress looking radiant and looking straight at him. Good God she was perfect! How did he get so lucky? How in the hell did he get this amazing woman to even like him, let alone fall in love with him enough to want to spent the rest of her life with him?

Someone made a noise behind him, but Castle just kept on staring as she started down the aisle towards him. His gaze flickered to Jim's face for just a moment to check the state of the man. After all he was giving his daughter away. Was he crying? Oh shit! Castle started to panic. Did Jim hate him? Castle prayed they were tears of joy because he couldn't stand the thought if Jim saw them as a mistake and that he loved his daughter more than life itself. What if Jim didn't think he was good enough for her? What- Oh they were tears of joy! Thank the lord! Oh god, she was just nearly here. Okay. Castle ship shape. Don't screw up. Nervously, he wiped his sweaty palm against his jacket struggling to rein in his scattered thoughts. A very hard task when the love of his life was about to marry him.

As they grew closer, Beckett tightened her grip on her father's arm. Not in resistance to were they were walking towards to but in an attempt to reassure him that it was all going to be okay. How could it not; when she was about to marry the man who made her life complete and who was looking at her right now like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. Beckett couldn't help but smile when Jeremy leaned over to whisper something in the writer's ear and Castle jolted slightly and closed his mouth. The smile never faded. This almost seemed too good to be true. To be here with the sea as a beautiful backdrop and with the people she loved most in the world. To be marrying Richard freaking Castle. In fact, if it wasn't for the feel of her father's hand over hers Beckett would have sworn this would have all been a dream.

"Richard." Jim stopped after the last step and held out a hand to the writer, "Take good care of her."

Castle shook the hand, "You have nothing to worry about, Jim."

The older man smiled before turning to look at his daughter. She was beaming with a smile from ear to ear reminding him so much of her mother. "I love you, Katie."

"I love you too, Dad." Beckett kissed his cheek.

It was one of the hardest things that Jim ever had to do in his life. Step aside while he let another man take his place in Beckett's life.

After handing over her flowers to Lanie, Beckett turned to face her soon-to-be husband, "Hi."

"HI!" There was a slight squeak in his voice so he cleared his throat and tried again, "Hi."

"Hi."

"You said that already."

"Did I?"

"Oh, good heavens." Martha's voice broke in through their personal cloud, "At this rate you two won't be married until after the sun goes down."

"Sorry." Beckett felt the tips of her ears burn as she casted her glance towards the minister.

"It's quite all right." The bald headed man assured, "It is your day after all. If you're ready, Katherine, you can start."

With trembling hands, Beckett took the ring from Lanie putting all her concentration on not dropping the ring before she slid it onto her partner's finger. When she looked up to find his eyes steady and full of love all of her nerves just went away. There was no reason for them because this was right. "From the moment I met you my life became extraordinary. You taught me to be my best self. To look forward to tomorrow's adventures. And when I was vulnerable, you were strong. I love you, Richard Castle." Tears filled her voice as his look shifted into awe. She was barely holding it together and seeing tears in his beautiful blue eyes wasn't helping matters. "And I want to live my life in the warmth of your smile and the strength of your embrace. I promise you, I will love you. I will be your friend and your partner in crime and in life."

Castle reached down to take her hand in his, his hands no longer sweating or trembling as he slid the thin band home on Beckett's finger. There was no attempt to clear his voice of emotions or blink back his tears before he spoke. "The moment we met, my life became extraordinary. You taught me more about myself than I knew there was to learn. You are the joy in my heart. You're the last person I want to see every night when I close my eyes. I love you, Katherine Beckett." She smiled at him through the tears and his heart melted. "And the mystery of you is the one I want to spend the rest of my life exploring. I promise to love you; to be your friend and your partner in crime and in life. Until death do us part. And for the time of our lives."

She smiled, "Always."

And Castle mirrored it with one of his own, "Always."

"By the power invested in me." The minister smiled at the couple, "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Castle didn't wait for the man to finish before he kissed his new bride, their laughter muffling together as their lips met. There was some clapping and maybe some cheering, but none of it registered. All he could focus on was the feel of his wife's arms around him. His wife. He smiled against her mouth, Castle wrapped his arm around her waist, her right hand going to his chest while the other pressed against the nape of his neck as she twisted and dipped her back.

Holding on tight, Beckett threw her head back laughing as he rained kisses all over her face. All too soon, she was back up right but didn't let him go. "I love you."

Castle pressed his face to her neck as he swayed them in a slow circle while their family cheered, "I love you so much, Kate."

"Remember there is an audience." Lanie called out finally getting the happy couple to separate even if it was a few inches.

Alexis was the first one to reach them and threw her arms around the pair, "Congratulations." She kissed her father's cheek then Beckett's, "I'm so happy for you both."

Beckett freed one of her hands to touch it to Alexis's cheek, "That means the world to me, Lexis. I love you."

Tears shined in the girl's blue eyes, "I love you too, Kate."

Soon the small party broke out the champagne starting the small celebration they had set up just on the back porch of the house. Beckett had gone back to the arch to look out at the ocean. The sun was starting to sink casting a beautiful glow on the water and waves as they crashed into the sand. She curled her left hand tracing her thumb over the underside of the two rings on her finger. She was married. She was Mrs. Richard Castle. Beckett closed her eyes on a deep breath to just take it all in. The whole week had been a whirlwind of planning that she hadn't really had the chance just to stop to let everything sink in. People might have thought her crazy for rushing to the altar, but Beckett never felt happier, more content in her life.

"Having second thoughts already?"

Beckett turned towards the sound of her husband's voice and smiled. He looked handsome in his simple black suit with his tie tugged a bit loose and the top button undone exposing the base of his throat. She had a sudden urge to lay her lips in that very spot. "You can't get rid of me now, Castle. Even if you wanted too."

"Never." Smiling, Castle joined her as he took out his phone from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He answered her question glare by pressing a button and started to play their song. "So Mrs. Castle, can I have this dance?"

Beckett waited for him to pocket the phone before sliding her hand into his, "Of course, Mr. Castle."

The writer spun her into a slow sway and an arm around her waist to hold her close as possible while he cradled their joined hands over his heart. The words of the song lifted in the air and wrapped around them creating a cocoon of peacefulness and love. The lyrics fit perfectly. This woman was in his heart, in his veins, and never did he ever want her to get her out. He wanted nothing more than to stay like this with her in his arms until the end of time. "I know this wasn't how you planned…"

"No." Beckett lifted her head from his shoulder to smile up at him, "It's perfect. Everything is perfect."

Smiling, he ran his thumb over the rings on her finger before lifting them up to his lips. Castle savored the way the tips curled to brush against his skin leaving a trail of fire in their wake. "I feel like this is all a dream. That I will wake up and find you gone."

She nuzzled his nose, "I'm not going anywhere, Castle. There is nothing in my life more important than you and our family. I lost sight of that." She still felt ashamed to admit that, "When I was hanging off that ledge all I could think about was you. I didn't care that Maddox got away. All I cared about was seeing your face again so I can take back what I said and beg you never to let me go."

"I never will." Castle vowed, "I promise you that no matter what I will come after you even if you are the one pushing me away. Always."

That simple word held so much meaning between them and branded each other's rings followed by their initials. A small reminder for them to carry with them every day.

"Mind if I have a dance with my daughter?" Jim broke in.

Castle drew away, kissed her hand one more time, and smiled at his father-in-law. "Of course. I'll go see if I can guilt a dance out of my own daughter."

Though there was no music, Jim dance with his daughter, "You look so beautiful, Katie."

A smile split across her face, "Thanks, Dad."

"When I first saw you in the dress I thought I was looking at your mother." Emotions had him stuttering for a moment, "She would be so proud of you."

Tears burned her vision, Beckett quickly blinked them away. Today was a happy day so she wouldn't be sad. "I missed her today."

"I know, Katie." Jim held her tighter, "She would have loved all of this. Loved Rick and Alexis. Would have been completely baffled by Martha but would have been completely taken away by her."

"I want her to be proud of me." Damn it. A tear slipped past her guard and Beckett rushed to wipe it away.

"She would be proud of you." Jim curled a finger under his daughter's chin and lifted until her teary gaze met hers, "She is proud of you."

"Even if I don't bring her justice?" She had come to terms with her choice of walking away from the job and her mother's case, but that didn't mean that the thought wasn't there in the back of her mind. Catching her mother's killer had been the driving force in her life for so long that Beckett was still struggling to find out who she was without it.

His eyes softened, "Kate, your mother would never want you to give up living your life for that. I know that catching whoever was responsible for killing her was the reason you became a cop and I know that by diving into the bottle that I wasn't the support system that you needed. Listen," He insisted with a sharp tone making his daughter close her mouth before she opened to interrupt. "I wasn't there for you as a father should have been for their child when they've lost their mother. It caused you so much pain and knowing that is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. Nothing I can do can make up for that lost time, but know that I am proud of the woman you are and what you have chosen to do with your life. Your mother would too, but she would want you to be happy. To live your life to the fullest and not let her death stop you from things like finding love, getting married, having kids, and doing a job that you love."

Her father's drinking had been a dark period in both their lives. Treating each other badly and seeing each other at their worst. A lot of effort was put into repairing their relationship though it never went back to what it once was. Something that Beckett figured wasn't really possible to achieve. That didn't stop them from trying. "I don't want you to be disappointed in me."

"You can never disappoint me, Katherine. Look at all that you've accomplish with your job. At how many people and families that you've helped. And that." Stopping, Jim pointed to where Castle was trying to cut in the dance between Alexis and Jeremy. Martha and Lanie were enjoying each other's company over champagne. Everyone was happy. Love shined on each face because they were a family. "You found this beautiful family. You found a man who loves you and became a mother to an outstanding young woman when she needed it most. How can you ever disappoint me?"

Not knowing what to say, she looked to the family that she had found in possibly the darkest period of her life. If not for them Beckett shuddered thinking where she would be. Mostly likely dead by the shadows she was chasing. Yes, getting justice for her mother would be something she always wanted, but her father was right. Her mother wouldn't want her to miss out on life because of her. "I should go see if I can help Castle out."

Jim released her with a smile.

Beckett could hear Alexis giving Castle a hard time as she grew closer. Castle was doing his best not to be offended by his daughter's refusal to dance. Only if he looked closer then he would see the glint of humor in her eyes. She swooped in, "So I think since it's my wedding day I should get to dance with the most handsome man here."

"Hey!" Her new husband protest.

Blushing, Jeremy sputtered a bit before relinquishing his hold on the redhead, "Umm okay. Only if it's okay with Alexis."

"That is a good answer! I sense hope in you, young one." Castle grabbed his daughter before anything could be said leaving Beckett laughing.

0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

Turning out the last light downstairs, Beckett made her way up the stairs for the night. The small wedding party had left to give the newlyweds some time alone. Something that Beckett was very grateful for. The whole week flew by in a blur leaving her very little time to process everything. The fact she was married caused a jolt. Her husband awaited her just a few feet behind the bedroom door. Mrs. Richard Castle. That wasn't something she expected when she first met the writer. Smiling, Beckett pushed opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Candles littered the room casting it in a wonderful warm glow. Castle stood in the middle, his tie loose around his neck and the button of his shirt half undone, surveying the room to check his handy work.

"Rick?"

"Kate!" He whirled around stunned momentarily again by how stunning she looked in her dress. His heart jumped straight into his throat, "Hi."

Laughing, Beckett closed the distance between them tugging on the ends of his tie, "Hi."

"Everyone gone?"

"Yes."

He skimmed his fingers over her bare shoulders, "Have I told you how amazing you look, Mrs. Castle."

"Yes." The way his fingers moved up her throat had her blood humming. "But I don't mind hearing it again."

Her voice was heavy and Castle could hear her breath quicken. He put all his concentration in resisting the urge to drag his wife to the bed and loose himself in her. Not just yet. They had all weekend. "Dance with me."

The request baffled her, "What?"

"Well, we haven't had many opportunities to dance together." Castle drew her close, "I like the way it feels when we move together."

They did it so well. There was no music this time, but their bodies molded together moving as one. Beckett slid her hands up his chest taking her time before hooking them around his neck. The way he felt, his reaction to her touch and the electricity charging between them, made it feel like their first time together. "Dancing is always most enjoyable with the right partner."

"Partners in crime." He echoed brushing his thumb over the corner of her smiling mouth.

"And in life." Content, Beckett rested her head against his chest. "For the time of our lives."

Now I guess the bad thing that happens about writing prequels to stories already written that not everything adds up which is why I will go back and change some things. Also if you have read 4am or the other stories you know that things don't go all that smooth for the Castle's for a bit, but I promise that it will be okay. I'm just trying to write to connect the points on things mentioned in 4am. Anyways please tell me what you think!