Chapter Note: Herein the name issue has been resolved . As you may have already noted, I like to incorporate cannon in my Castle universe as much as I can. Part of that for me is to create back story for some things and sequels to others. I am sure you will pick up in here where I have done so.
The Castle characters are not mine. Their use, or the use of, or resemblance of any other characters, to any persons, living or dead, and the words and opinions they may speak are my creations just for the story.
Outside Castle noticed a karaoke machine inside a tent. He heard the sounds of music and laughter coming from it. "What is that?," he asked out loud.
"Yo bro, a karaoke machine. You know to sing along..."
"I do not know how to investigate live mysteries, only dead ones." Esposito smiled. Castle gave him a look, "Ask Alexis." was his response.
He did ask when he met Alexis outside. "It was something I saw at a wedding I was at. The guests made video tapes to the music. They were supposed to come up with a song and changes the words to talk about the couple. A few did, but most just sang a song and taped congratulations to the Bride and Groom. Two copies were made, one for the couple and one for the guest(s). Some were played during dinner and afterward. It was very moving and funny at the same time."
"Outstanding!" was Castle's reply.
The photographer was finishing up with the Bride, her father and the bridesmaids. He was the same one that Beckett and Castle met during their case at Modern Fashion Magazine. In a feat worthy of his skills at Scrabble, Castle put together a deal which made potential public relations disasters, into triumphs and in the process had money donated to two of his and Beckett's charities, i.e. The Johanna Beckett/Roy Montgomery Scholarship Fund and the Police Benevolent Society.
Beckett would have put up with inviting Paula and Gina to the wedding, but he would have none of that. It would have been very awkward with them there, because they wanted to bring photographers of their own. Good publicity for his books. But he could not invite Gina without Meredith, and he certainly did not want Meredith. Then Beckett asked Castle if some of the pictures of her in the wedding dress could be given to Modern Fashion as a thank you to Matilda King for the dress. Now with three puzzle pieces seemingly disconnect, Castle's imagination went to work. What if they allowed more then just pictures of Kate in her wedding dress. Contingent on obtaining the wedding party's permission, they could give plenty of pictures of the wedding to Modern Fashion. Some of the captions would mention him as one of Black Pawn's leading authors. Although not quite a Newsweek or Time Magazine, Modern Fashion had a wide circulation and would give enough publicity to satisfy Paula and Gina. Plus they could attend the wedding vicariously.
When Castle and Beckett told Matilda King this, she was thrilled. She would finally have Kate Beckett, model for her. She did not mind having to pay minium wage modeling fees to the wedding party, (which were then donated to the charities). In order to have the best spread in her magazine, she had her best photographer, the one Castle and Beckett met on the magazine murder case, take all the pictures and have the magazine pay for his service at the wedding. Castle thought all King would withdraw the photographer when she found out wedding dress she gave Beckett was ruined. Matilda King might have been a little disappointed, but she said that having Beckett model for her was her prime objective, she could 'Never forget those cheek bones.' King even offered to send another dress but was told that they had one already. Castle knew that King would not be disappointed when she saw the pictures of his wife in her white dress, standing on the green grass with the blue ocean and sky as a backdrop. He could hardly breathe when he saw Kate there finishing up her solo pictures.
As soon as she was finished, Kate ran over to Castle, grabbed his head, ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him. "Hey my husband." she said when they finally broke apart. "Are you ready for your close up."
"Not now since you mussed up my hair" Castle replied with a grin.
"Too bad, one of my new privileges as your wife is to mess up your hair whenever I want to." Beckett said, then said, "and another one of my new privileges is to fix and style it anyway I want," as she started to fix his hair with her hands and a comb Lanie found and brought over to her.
"Another layer to the Beckett onion. Well this will save on haircuts." Both laughed.
Lanie came over bringing Javier with her. "Girlfriend, we can take 5. The photographer wants just the boys, Alexis, and Martha for a few minutes alone. Then we will all get together for group photographs. The photography phase should be about another 45 minutes." Beckett again gave Castle a big kiss and headed upstairs with Lanie.
Castle stood in the same spot Kate had. After the first few pictures with his mother and Alexis, he lost his concentration. He saw his wife standing in the window and could not take his eyes off of her. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner she will be standing by your side, his mother said." The rest of the time Castle obeyed every command the photographer gave.
There were pictures of the Groom's party, pictures of Castle and Martha, Castle and Alexis, Castle and Jim Beckett. More pictures of Alexis and the boys, the boys and Jim Beckett, the boys and Martha. None were forgotten. The photographer was so pleased with shots that he used up all the film he had at that spot. "Mr. Castle, you and your group can take 5, I have to go to my car and get more film." With that, Castle was off to get his wife.
Kate giggled when she saw Castle. "I still feel like I am in dream."
"No, you are not dreaming, you are my wife, I your husband now and forever. One of my new privileges is to you to myself whenever we need to be. Lanie, I love you but I need a little bit more alone time with my wife. Once we finish the pictures I will not have this time with her till after the wedding."
Lanie gives a sharp look at Castle. "OK writer-boy, ..."
"Writer-man" Beckett and Castle shout in unison.
"you too are so cute when you do that. Do not go mussing up my girls hair or dress. Even though I cut up dead people, I know how to work on live ones too. I will go find Javi and have a little alone time with him, if you know what I mean." Lanie starts to giggle as she walks away mumbling, "I cut myself up sometimes."
When she is gone, the newlywed couple turns to each other, "Well Mr. Castle."
"Well Mrs. Castle, or should I say Ms. Beckett, or ... What should I say? We never finished our little discussion."
"I spoke to my father about it. He told me that he could not be prouder of me or you and whatever we call ourselves is our decision and we should not take anyone else's thoughts or feelings into account. Still, I do not want to loose the Beckett name. Would you be disappointed if I kept Beckett at work? I mean it could be confusing to all concerned there especially when you are there too. I mean they could call you all those cute nicknames you like, like 'Kitten' or 'Writer-boy' or 'Ricky'."
Castle pulled his wife into him in a bear hug, "Hey, I saved your life more then you saved mine so you know what I want, don't ever call me kitten!" With that they both started laughing. Kate finally kissed him hard then moved back.
"Seriously, what are we going to do?"
"Why don't I take the name Beckett. Yeah, then I could use another nom-de-plum, reinvent myself and become famous all over again."
Kate looked at him with all the love she could muster. "Ok sport, I do not think adding another name to your list will work. We cannot fit all the names as it is on any legal forms."
"Ok, fine." Castle looked a little disappointed. "We will just keep our names the way they are."
"No, no. I want the world to know who the love of my life is. I will use Kate Castle everywhere but work, that way there will be no mistake that I belong with you and you belong with me."
"Ok, that works for me. Still does not take care of the Beckett legacy though. What do we do about names for our 3 children." Castle smiled as Beckett rolled her eyes.
"However many children we have," Kate said forcefully, " will have a middle name of Beckett and a last name of Castle. No hyphens, just names. Deal?"
"You drive a hard bargain Mrs. Castle, deal."
A few moments later, Alexis texted her father to come down and finish the photographs. This they did. Many of the guests had gathered near the photography area. When Martha saw them coming down, hand in hand, she grabbed the mike from the band leader. "Here they are for the first time in public, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Castle." Everyone applauded loudly. Rick glared at his mother for this, nothing like this had been discussed and he thought Kate would be furious, especially after what they discussed upstairs. When he turned to Kate to start to apologize, tears were beginning to form. "I'm so sorry Kate.."
"What for, I love it! I am Mrs. Richard Castle and would not have it any other way." At least for today that is what she wanted and he could not have been more thrilled.
End Note: Thanks to everybody who takes the time to write reviews. I love them. Remember 'Reviews feed the Muse.' Keep them coming, good, bad or indifferent.
