OK guys, I blame you. This started out being a fun little project to work on in my free time, but you've turned me into a woman who is slightly obsessed. Right now I have an empty house so that I can do housework uninterrupted, but am instead doing this!
Your reviews and kind words are probably giving me an ego the size of Castle's but I love it. Every time I check my email, you've given me another reason to smile. I probably look like a grinning idiot but I just can't help it!
So now I'm putting out my 4th chapter in 4 days. The good news is, you haven't had to wait long for updates. The bad news is, it will definitely be a few days after this, before any more comes out. I had all four of these chapters written before I ever posted the first chapter. And I wrote them while we were snowed in for three days last week. So now that my life has returned to normal activity, I don't have as much time as I'd like, to just sit and write. But I do have a rough copy of 5 and am working on 6 so more is certainly coming.
Anyway, I of course do not own any of these characters, because if I did, I would just hire someone to clean my house so I could spend the day writing.
Also, I'm not sure how sensitive I need to be about spoilers, so I am posting a SPOILER alert here, because some of this chapter is loosely based on some things we've learned in the last 3 or 4 episodes.
Have a great day, and enjoy.
Chapter 4
Castle's black BMW moved slowly through the streets. The steadily falling snow was adding to the already chaotic Saturday afternoon traffic.
"I hope we aren't late." Kate said as she watched the cars around them, barely moving in the stop and go traffic.
"Me too. I think we should be fine, though. We left pretty early, and we're almost there."
"I bet after they saw this weather, they really wished their date in October would have worked out."
"Yeah, but now, Jenny's brother is home from his deployment, safe and sound, and can be part of their special day."
"True, and that is more important than nice weather."
"Too bad I don't have my own lights and sirens. I mean, I am going to a cop's wedding, with a cop in my car. I believe that qualifies as official police business, right?"
"Castle, if you had lights and a siren, you would make getting a banana split, police business."
Rick looked at Beckett and tried to feign an expression of shock, but ended up laughing instead. "You're probably right. But I'd bring you one too."
"No, you can keep your banana split. I don't mind eating an occasional banana now and then. But I do not like the taste of banana mixed in things or banana flavoring or anything like that. When I was eight, I had a pretty bad case of scarlet fever and the medicine I had to take was awful. At the time, banana pudding with vanilla wafers was my favorite dessert, so my mom thought I would take the medicine better if she hid it in there. It didn't work. The medicine flavor was too strong and not only did I still hate it but that incident completely ruined all banana based foods for me."
"Yeah my mom did that too, only it was grape jelly. I couldn't eat a pb&j until college."
"Approaching destination on the right." Interrupted the voice of Ricks GPS.
"Good, looks like we aren't too late. And the church has it's own parking, wonderful! Can I drop you off at the door?"
"No, I can walk with you. Everything seems to be pretty well shoveled."
"Yes, ma'am! If that's what you want, you can come park with me anytime!" Rick teased.
"Not that kind of parking!"
Without thinking, Rick reached over and patted Kate's stocking clad knee when he replied "You're such a spoil sport!"
It was such a casual action that Kate doubted Rick even realized he'd touched her, but every inch of her knew. Fire ran from her knee to her belly, warming her entire being, in such a way that she was afraid she might begin to sweat, despite the fact that they were stepping out into such a cold blustery day.
When Castle and Beckett entered the church they were welcomed by a distinguished looking gentleman in a tux. Kate didn't have to be a detective to see that he was obviously Kevin Ryan's father. He had dark salt and pepper hair and was about 20 pounds heavier, but other than that, the resemblance was uncanny.
"Good evening! I'm Walt Ryan, Kevin's dad. I'm so glad you were able to make it." He reached out to shake their hands. "You two have to be Detective Beckett and Richard Castle. Kevin has told us so much about you."
Kate and Rick shared a warm smile.
Kate spoke first. "It's so nice to meet you too Mr. Ryan. "
"Call me Walt, please. Mr. Ryan is my father. We're so glad you guys were able to come. The weather has unfortunately delayed quite a few people and even prevented some from coming at all. In fact, if you'll excuse me, I see the last two musicians have just arrived, so we'll begin seating people pretty soon."
The elder Ryan turned and hurried over to a young woman coming in the other entrance, carrying what appeared to be a cello case.
"Can you believe how much Kevin and his dad look alike?" Castle asked quietly as they walked toward the coat room.
"From what Esposito says, the Ryan genes are quite dominate. I guess Kevin and his brother Andrew could be twins."
Rick reached out to help Kate with her coat. "May I?"
"Thank you." Kate turned and let him slip the black coat from her shoulders. As the garment descended, his fingers lightly grazed the skin of her arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. For a brief second, she recalled that morning's day dream, but forced those thoughts to stop abruptly, and then stepped away to turn and look at him. She knew that Castle would like the dress, but the look on his face blew her expectations away. His lips were parted into a slight smile, his breathing had shallowed and his pupils dilated as he took a long, slow, appreciative appraisal of her.
"Kate, you look amazing. Not that you don't always look good, but, wow!"
Kate spun slowly letting him have his fill. The royal blue cocktail dress swayed with her movements. The design of the A-line halter dress, paired with her loose up do and strappy silver heals, highlighted her long graceful features while giving due to her healthy feminine curves."Why, thank you Rick. I'd love to say it's some old thing I had in my closet, but in all honesty I happened to see it in a store front and fell in love with it!"
"It's perfect!" He almost whispered.
"There you guys are!" Lanie Parish exclaimed and she joined them in the coat room. "I was starting to wonder if you were going to get here in time." Suddenly feeling like she interrupted something, she stepped back and gave the couple a quick once over. Not noticing anything particularly strange, she continued. "Girl, you were right! That dress is smokin! I can't believe you almost didn't get it! How do I look?"
Lanie stepped back another step and struck pose. Her hair was elegant, her shimmery eggplant purple dress fit perfectly, and a beautiful white gold and amethyst necklace circled her neck. But it wasn't any of these things that caught Castle and Beckett's attention. Upon Lanie's left hand was a very new and very beautiful diamond ring.
"He finally proposed?" Kate almost squealed and she rushed into her best friend's arms. "Congratulations!"
Castle also gave Lanie a hug. "Congratulations! Esposito, is getting one helluva good woman!"
Kate, grabbed her friend's newly adorned hand to examine the engagement ring. "So... details, woman! When? Where? What did he say?"
"Well, as you both know, Javier is one of Kevin's groomsmen, so we went to the rehearsal and dinner last night. And the dinner was at this really nice little restaurant a couple blocks from here called the Whitman. Anyway, our group had the entire upper level of this place, which had all the tables and an antique bar and a fire place and everything. Well it also had a balcony that overlooks the back garden area. So after dinner we took some wine and went out there to watch the snow and see the view, and before I know it, that man is down on one knee, in the snow, holding out a red velvet ring box. He said 'Lanie, if someone would have asked me a year ago who my partner was, my only answer would have been Ryan. We've been together through so much. He knows me almost as well as I know myself. We've lived together and we've almost died together. He's strong when I'm weak. When we're in the field we're two halves of a whole unit. And before I got to know you, I didn't think I could have that strong of a bond with anyone else, not even the woman I'd marry. But you've proved me wrong. I didn't know I wasn't whole, until you. You are the other half of my heart, my soul, my mind, of me. Without you, living and dying don't make much of a difference. And you don't know me ALMOST as well as I know myself; you know me BETTER than I know myself.' And then he opened the box and said, "Lanie Parish, will you be my partner? In life, in love, in everything, for the rest of our lives?' Let me tell you, I could not stop crying to answer. I just had to nod my head and kiss him, cuz I was a hot mess!"
"Well done, Esposito." Castle said with pride. "Where is my man? He needs to be congratulated too."
"Oh he's with the rest of the groomsmen. Which reminds me. Can I sit with you guys?"
The sound of string instruments floated in to them. "Of course, and we better do that now!"
After the parents and grandparents had been seated, Jenny's brother Doug, in his Marine dress uniform, followed by Javier, Andrew, and finally Kevin, in crisp black tuxedos entered from a door on the side of the sanctuary and stood in front of the pastor.
The string quartet finished their piece and the pianist began another. Just as the the quartet joined the piano, the doors in back opened. Three woman, one of whom looked about five minutes away from giving birth, began the bridal procession. Kate looked at the program to confirm that two were Jenny's sisters and one, her sister in law. Next a young girl whose mahogany curls were being held back with a rhinestone tiara, began walking down the long aisle. She then wondered if she were ever to marry, who would stand up for her?
Castle leaned over Kate's shoulder and whispered in her ear "Getting any ideas?"
Fortunately, she was spared from answering, thanks to the appearance of the bride. Everyone stood and turned to see the future Mrs. Ryan, escorted by her father, make her way toward her waiting groom. Jenny absolutely glowed, and the smile on her face could only be surpassed by the one on Kevin's, as he watched her approach.
"Dearly beloved..." the minister began. But Kate never heard another word, for she was deep in thought, or perhaps daydream, picturing what this day would be like for her if she were ever to marry the one man who'd managed to make her smile like that. And if that man had any indication of her thoughts, he never let on, but instead sat quietly next to her, as he watched his good friend become a married man.