ScrapbookChapter SevenSuddenly Kate was thrust into the world of being a bride. Martha, Alexis and Lanie were all eager to help, and wedding plans were coming along smoothly. Rick and Kate had decided on a date three months from when Kate had said she was ready. It was now a month and a half later, and everything was in full swing. Kate was having a dress designed for her, paid for by Rick. Kate had decided not to object to that, if he wanted to buy her wedding dress, she'd let him, just so long as it stayed hidden from him until the wedding. Martha and Alexis were busy planning the wedding ceremony and the reception. Lanie was helping when she wasn't busy with her ME duties. Kate and her team continued to clear cases and work productively at the precinct, but Kate was beginning to feel a little useless. Her wedding, something, though she'd never tell Rick this, that she'd always thought about, was being planned for her, and not by her.
"Martha, can I have a word?" Kate asked one day as Martha and Alexis were busy sorting out caterers.
"Sure, kiddo. What's up?" The older woman asked.
"I feel a bit... I don't know... useless? I appreciate all that you're doing for me, but I feel as though I'm not involved in planning my own wedding. And I'd like to be." Kate said. "I want to do something, I want something that I can remember being mine, that I did."
Martha nodded. "I get that. We were just trying to make it easier for you."
"I know this is my first marriage, but I don't plan on getting married again, and I'd really like to have a hand in the planning process."
Martha grinned. "What do you want to do?"
"Well, whatever needs doing, I guess." Kate replied.
"How about you start organising tables for the reception?" Martha asked. "That's always a time consuming job, but it helps if the person doing it knows all the guests."
They'd decided on a relatively small wedding, inviting only close family and friends. No media. They hired a private photographer, and would release a small number of photos to the media, but preferred that the paparazzi not be at the wedding itself.
Kate sat down on the couch next to Martha, who handed her a guest list, and a chart of tables.
"We have about 50 people, and six tables." Martha said. "Divide them up however you'd like."
Kate nodded, and looked down at the list. She and Rick, obviously, were at the top. She jotted down their names on the table at the front, along with Martha, Alexis, her father Jim, Lanie, Ryan and his girlfriend, Esposito and Captain Montgomery. She checked their names off the list, and started divvying up the rest of the guests.
About an hour later, Kate put down her pen and surveyed her chosen seating arrangements. Occasionally she'd had to move people so they were not with people they didn't get along with, or so they were with their partner. Overall, she was satisfied with the arrangements, and if the guests weren't... well, that was their problem. They weren't the ones getting married. She and Rick were. She smiled to herself.
"Done?" Martha asked.
"Yep." Kate replied, handing the plan to Martha.
"Looks good." Martha said, after a quick scan.
Kate smiled at her future mother in law.
"You nervous at all?" Martha asked.
"Not really." Kate replied. "It's as though I know I'm making the right decision. And I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my life."
"That's the way to think about it." Martha said with a smile. "And Rick knows that too. I think he finally knows what he's been missing out on. You really are perfect for him. You create the right balance, and you complement each other brilliantly."
"Thanks, Martha." Kate said quietly.
"No problems, kiddo. Besides, you'll make a fantastic daughter in law, and a fabulous stepmom." Martha pulled Kate into a hug, and Kate reciprocated, smiling to herself.
Dress fittings happened every few weeks, up until two weeks before the wedding, when it was finally finished, and ready for Kate to get married in. Kate was admiring the dress as she stood in front of the full view mirrors, gazing at herself. Alexis, Martha and Lanie all watched on too.
"Damn, girl, that is beautiful!" Lanie exclaimed, walking around Kate in a circle to admire it from every angle.
"Lanie's right." Alexis said. "You look gorgeous. Dad is going to be speechless when he sees you."
"Well, that's what I was going for." Kate replied with a cheeky grin. She ran a hand down the fabric on the front of her dress, and gave a little sigh.
"What's wrong?" Alexis asked.
"Oh, nothing." Kate said, turning to give the girl a reassuring smile. "I just never thought I'd ever be marrying Richard Castle."
Martha gave Kate's shoulders a squeeze. "Well, I'm glad you are, dear."
"Thank you, Martha." Kate said.
"I'm glad, too." Alexis said. "You and Dad are so..." She gave a little smile, purely Alexis, "Perfect." She concluded.
Kate chuckled. "So I've been told." She looked back at the mirror. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I might change back into my normal clothes."
Alexis and Martha nodded, and left Lanie to help Kate out of the dress.
"She's right, you know." Lanie said. "Alexis, I mean. You and Castle go together so well." She smiled warmly at her friend. "Can I say 'I told you so' now?"
Kate laughed. "Sure, Lanie." She said.
"Good. I told you so." Lanie sounded particularly smug.
Kate smiled, and stepped out of her dress. She pulled on her other clothes, and then they left the store.
"How was your dress fitting?" Rick asked that night as he and Kate lay in each other's arms.
"Pretty good." Kate replied vaguely. She was tracing random patterns on one of Rick's arms.
"Just pretty good?" Rick couldn't help himself, he wanted details.
Kate looked up at him, and gave a small smile. "You're not going to get to see my dress until I walk down the aisle in two weeks."
Rick grumbled, but pressed a kiss to the top of Kate's head. "I can't wait." He mumbled.
"Nor can I." Kate replied. She leant closer, and kissed Rick gently. "Never thought I'd be marrying you." She said.
"No?"
"No." Kate confirmed. "Come on, you were this big, famous writer. Who was I? When I started reading your books, an 18 year old girl. You were this mysterious author, whose world I could lose myself in. I never dreamt I'd even meet you, let alone fall in love with you." Kate paused. "Or that you'd fall in love with me."
"You know, you walked into my laugh at the perfect time." Rick said. "Do you remember the night we met?"
"Of course."
"Here I was telling Alexis that I was bored, that I wanted someone to walk up to me and say something new." Rick grinned. "And there you were, Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD, wanting to ask some questions about a homicide. Alexis just plucked the pen from my hand and said 'That's new.' Perfect timing." Rick gave Kate a kiss. "Believe me, falling in love with you was not something I planned. But I couldn't help myself. You really were the perfect inspiration for a new character, and as I researched for Nikki Heat, it became harder and harder not to imagine her as you, and Rook as me, and wish that something would happen. In a way, I wrote the story of what I wanted from us."
"I guess you got it then." Kate murmured.
"All that, and more." Rick replied. "You've made my life amazing. Wonderful. Perfect."
Kate relaxed further into Rick's arms, and let him hold her. "You've made my life pretty good, too." She said, feigning indifference.
"Pretty good?" Rick sounded suspicious.
"Okay, better than pretty good." Kate replied. "Pretty fantastic."
"That's more like it." Rick whispered against Kate's neck.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I love you."
"I love you." Kate pulled away so she could roll over and kiss Rick properly. "Forever." She promised.
"Forever." Rick promised in return. "You are mine, and I am yours. Forever." He whispered against Kate's lips, before he claimed them again.
A/N: Well, wedding's approaching, then. Shouldn't be too much longer. Thanks for the reviews guys, I love getting feedback. I spent a while tonight trying to design a dress for Kate, but it's difficult. I'm better at visualising things than drawing them, but sometimes I need a picture drawn so I can visualise better. So I have a picture drawn. I'll post it and leave the link in the author's note in the next chapter. Thanks for reading this chapter, hope you enjoyed it.
