Christmas 2015

It takes Castle a while to find his place in the waking world, soothed almost back to dreams by the warmth of the extra blankets that have found a home in their bed for the winter months and the thin-mooned light that keeps watch over the city. He turns towards Kate's side of the bed to catch a glimpse of their alarm clock, expecting to find her soundly sleeping, but is instead greeted by empty sheets, the heat of her body still pressed to their ivory threads. Now he knows what had awoken him; even in sleep he could feel her absence, the dip of their mattress and the delicate pad of her feet against the floorboards, his heart always longing to be beside hers.

In the six weeks since their baby girl had been born, their beautiful Elizabeth with eyes an emerald mirror of her Mama's, they had fallen into a routine that neither could remember living without. The sleepless nights feeling a little easier when they were balanced between the both of them, their years of partnership a rehearsal for parenthood.
But, tonight, something is telling Castle to go in search of Kate; to share in the too early hours of their daughter's first Christmas, to treasure every possible second of holiday magic.

His feet stall as he catches sight of her, breath hitched with love as he soaks in every detail of the scene playing out beautifully before his eyes; his darling Kate, body cuddled comfortably into the sofa and blankets strewn haphazardly across her legs, hair a messy tumble of golden curls that are illuminated by the fairy lights that twinkle from their place on the Christmas tree that was decorated with their family and friends not half a day ago, lips curved into a smile as she speaks softly to the little girl in her arms.

He doesn't join them straight away, waits on the sidelines for just a while longer, allowing himself the simple pleasure of watching all that their life together has become; in that moment feeling more like a fairy tale than reality, a wonderful place where anything was possible and the promise of their own happily ever after thrummed within his very soul. Cherishing the secret hours that would soon become memories, collecting each second as if they were stories he had written; saving them to look back over when they are both old and grey, smiling as he takes Kate's hand in his own and feeling all over again the joys of Christmas time.

He listens to the whispered conversation that passes between his wife and their daughter, Kate's words a lullaby of their Christmases past. He had missed the beginning of her story telling, but was soon caught up, finding her thoughts cast back to 2012, to their first Christmas as a couple, the worry that had turned into joy, and the gift that Kate had left against his kiss stained lips.

"It seems silly now," spoke Kate, Castle utterly enchanted as he watches from the doorway leading out of his study, quiet so as not to disturb them, "that your Daddy had made me so nervous. I had never loved anyone that much before, and it made me a little scared to speak. You'll know how that feels one day, when you're all grown up and the most beautiful girl in the world, you'll meet someone so wonderful that it's almost too much. But don't be afraid, Lizzie, never let yourself be too scared to love. Be like your Daddy, be brave and courageous with your heart, experience the world with love as your guiding force."

Castle knows that it's not possible for him to love Kate anymore than he already does; his heart beats for her and his lungs breathe for her, every cell of his being belongs to her completely, and yet, listening to her telling the story of their life together feels like falling in love all over again. Beautiful beyond words; beyond explanation.

"Then there was the Christmas when Daddy proposed to me," continues Kate, capturing Castle back from his wandering thoughts, "Your big sister was home from her first year of college, and Grandma was teasing her about the boy she had met whilst studying for exams in the library, and Grandpa Jim was so happy to be a part of a real family Christmas again. And your Daddy, he had the greatest of surprises planned for me. I still remember exactly what he said, I love you, Katherine Beckett, and I would be honoured to spend the rest of my life as not only your best friend and your partner, but as your husband. Oh, baby girl, it was the most perfect moment of my entire life."

Castle couldn't help but smile with her at the memory, although, his mind was filled not with his own words, but rather those that had followed; hearing Kate say yes to his proposal, that had felt more spectacular than he could have ever imagined.

"And last year I got to surprise your Daddy, to say thank you for the years of wonder that he had given me. That was the night that brought us to you, even if it took a while longer than we had thought it would, you are our little Christmas miracle."

He can't stay away any longer, needs them both so much closer, aches to hold Kate in his arms and watch as her stories flutter peacefully into Lizzie's dreams.

"Merry Christmas," he exhales, voice almost shy as he walks to where they are sat, a winter wonderland of decorations lining his path.

"Merry Christmas," replies Kate, smile infectiously bright and fingers reaching out to take his hand in her own, drawing him down so that she is wrapped tightly in his embrace, nuzzling herself into the spaces made perfectly to fit. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long," he says, both knowing that he isn't quite telling the true, their first kiss of Christmas Day telling each other that neither would have wanted it to be any other way.

It isn't until Castle feels her yawn for the fifth time in as many minutes that he realises how much time has passed, minutes running into hours as the world around them had dissipated and all that they had known was the press of each other's body and the soft murmurs of their finally sleeping baby, content to just be in the glittering happiness of their little family.

"Shall we go to bed?" he asks, lips so close that they dance with warmth against the shell of her ear.

"Soon," she answers, words tender with the hazy memory of sleep, "let's just stay a little while longer."

"Okay," he replies, knowing that she'll be asleep almost before he has finished speaking, leaning ever closer to the safety of his arms.

It is a start to their Christmas better than dreams; the gift of a perfect moment of love.

End.

I would like to offer my most sincere apologies for how long it has taken me to finish this story.
It seems a little silly to be posting a Christmas fic in July, but I finally had the time to write the ending how I wanted it to be. I hope that the timing hasn't put you off too much.

If you have a spare second, I would love to know what you thought?

Thank you very much for reading,
Katie xx