Lanie orders a glass of wine and turns to the boys "so, did you get anything out of him?"

"Not yet, he needed a couple more drinks in him."

"Speaking of, I think I've had one too many. I should probably cut off," Ryan raises his glass to Esposito. "Jenny's on her way."

"Lightweight." Esposito teases.

"Shut up. As I recall, you're the one who couldn't handle his drinks last time... and I haven't eaten since 10 this morning."

Esposito rolls his eyes. "What about you, chica?"

"What about me?"

"You know what. Did you figure out why mom and dad are fighting?"

"You know, it's so weird that you two call them that." She gets a questioning glare from both sides, "okay...she didn't actually say anything, per se, but..."

"But...?"

"But nothing. Those two should be making up down there, and if they aren't so help me..."


There, lying before Kate, nestled in black satin, is a 4 karat princess cut diamond setting on a simple platinum band.

"Oh my god, Castle."

"I've had an idea in mind of how this would go for a while now but it spiraled out of control faster than I thought it would. So. Here it goes..." Castle lightly grabs her left wrist and gets down on one knee.


"Okay, so let me get this straight. I got tipsy enough for Jenny to be mad at me to not learn anything from Castle and then not learn anything from you?" Ryan huffs. "You so owe me for this bro."

"Lanie.."

"They'll tell you when they're ready and because they have to come back up here to leave, there's no getting around it."

"But what if I..." Esposito continues to whisper in Lanie's ear, making the good doctor turn a rosy pink shade.

"Answer is still no. Besides it's not my secret to tell."

Ryan and Esposito make eye contact, one nauseated he had to witness that attempt and the other frustrated that he couldn't use his wiles to get the goods from his girlfriend.


"You know, I would apologize for ruining your plan, but me saying 'yes' pretty much makes up for it right?" Kate watches her ring sparkle in the dim lighting, "Castle. this is... I thought maybe you might go a little overboard and flashy, but this is just... perfect."

"Why don't we get out of here, celebrate in a more intimate setting?" Castle waggles his eyebrows.

"Lanie and the boys are still upstairs, apparently Lanie thought we needed a babysitter. Should we go up and let them know or sneak out when they aren't looking?"

"Well I did reconstruct the secret entrance to this place when I bought it, for a time such as this. We could always just wait until after we're gone to let them know we've figured everything out, that way if they come looking for us they won't find us. Plus, I want family to know first: my mother, Alexis and your father. Ooh! I should have asked his permission."

"That's very sweet Castle, but you don't need to ask my dad for my hand. I'm in charge of myself."

"I know but still. Maybe, I should ask him first and then tell him we're engaged... What if he says no?" Castle starts to pace the floor.

"Castle! Stop speculating! He won't say no. He's been rooting for us ever since you started saving my life. It will be fine... How about this: we can celebrate ourselves this weekend and then gather our family Sunday and tell our friends Monday?"

"Castle are you even listening?"

Castle whispers, "we're engaged," still zoning.

"Well, yeah. Where have you been for the last twenty minutes?"

"I just... I didn't think I'd ever get to hear those words in relation to your name."

Kate smiles a brightly and kisses the dazed look from his face, "So, this weekend?"

"Yes. We can sneak out, run back to the loft, pack a few things and leave tonight for the Hamptons?"

"Yeah because the last time we tried to have a romantic getaway there went so well."

"How about Italy?"

"Spending all that time flying to Europe and back? No. Besides, I'm on call on Sunday. It would be quicker for me to get back from the Hamptons, if i got called in, than Italy.

"Alright, Hamptons it is then. I promise, if I witness a murder I'll ignore it."

"Oh, really? You ignoring a murder? Please. That's like... that's like asking me to quit drinking coffee.

"Never gonna happen."

"Exactly."

"Okay, fine... If I see a murder I promise to call Chief Brady and let him handle it. Deal?"

"Deal." She gives him a chaste kiss.

"Shall we?" Castle holds his elbow out towards her.

Kate smiles and they start to shuffle the bookcase over and slide out into the secret tunnel, "You know I kinda feel bad for leaving... After all, Lanie was the one who pushed me to come and talk to you."

"I'm sure she'd also advise you to leave, without going upstairs, and celebrate with your new fiancé."


A few minutes later, Lanie gets a text from Kate: "We hashed it out. Talk to you on Monday. Also, don't bother looking for us downstairs, we're already gone. Don't you dare tell the boys what's going on, you know I have dirt on you... Oh and. thanks." Lanie smiles.

"Jenny's here. Goodnight." Ryan whisks off his barstool and out of the bar into the cold. "Thats-" his eyes have to be deceiving him.

"Hey, Babe. You ready?"

"Yeah, um..." Ryan does a double take. Those are his friends, how they snuck past them in the bar he doesn't know. Before he can turn away a glint catches his eye. Ryan shakes his head. He must be too tipsy because there is no way his friends got engaged under their noses, or feet, without them even having the slightest hint.


A/N: questions? comments? concerns? hope you guys didn't mind the back and forth scenes. ALSO *sorry if the horizontal lines aren't working, its being a pain for me.

Oh! and thanks again to my beta/ roommate who catches my mistakes.