Chapter Eight: Reverberations

Author's Note: Since chapter I've been using date and time stamps within the chapters but I find, lately, that it has been slowing me down somewhat. So I am going to stop using them, unless you, my readers think that I should continue with them after this chapter. Let me know. Swordwriter.

As the limo pulled up in front of the hotel Kate looked up into her husband's eyes and thought, We're married. I'm Mrs. Kate Castle. Castle, no, Rick has made me so very happy. I once thought that I'd never see this day but here I am, a wife and already a mother and soon to be a mother of two. Rick, my love, my husband, my one and done. She kissed him and said, "Well babe, let's get in there and get it over with so that I don't have to share you with a bunch of people any longer than I have to. We have better things to do tonight than socialize."

A huge grin spread over Castle's face. "Why, Mrs. Castle, I do believe that you want to get me in bed and work your wicked ways with me."

Kate grinned right back and was about to retort when a look of wonder spread over her face. "You called me Mrs. Castle."

Rick gazed at her. "Yes, I did. You are, you know."

Kate bit her lip. "I know, yeah, but this is the first time I've heard it out loud, referred to me. Not like the priest said it, that's expected, but…just me. I'm Mrs. Castle. Your Mrs. Castle." She turned towards Rick with a blinding smile.

He gently stroked her cheek. "Always." He gave her a soft, lingering kiss that promised so much more after the reception was done.

As hard as they had tried to keep the reception quiet, it was simply impossible. Not only because of Castle's celebrity status, but Kate was now well known too. It didn't help that the news accounts of Castle's actions on flight 1203 had been in every newspaper in the country, on every major news channel and the Internet. As they stepped out of the limo, they were caught in a sea of camera flashes. Security kept the paparazzi from actually getting in their faces but couldn't keep them out of camera range. Castle had expected this and carefully prepared Kate for it, so the paparazzi didn't get the startled looks they were hoping for. Instead they just got a happy couple laughing together.

What neither Kate nor Castle knew, was that the mayor and the police commissioner were well aware of the various threats against the couple. Since both the mayor and the commissioner were both going to be present at the reception, they used that excuse to have police snipers and SWAT team members covering all the buildings from which an attack might be mounted. A number of detectives were inside the hotel disguised as service workers. Castle had hired private security not aware of the NYPD force. They were placed throughout the venue also in cover roles except for the two at the door, checking invitations.

Kate and Castle had just enough time to sit and have a glass of sparkling cider before the rest of the wedding party arrived, the guests began arriving, and it was time to form the reception line. Kate, not being fond of fashionably late arrivals, had put on the invitations promptly after the time. The mayor and his wife were the first guests to arrive. The mayor kissed Kate, and then enveloped Castle in a bear hug. "Rick, I've known you since college. Thank God you finally got it right. This woman has made you a much better man. I've always been proud to be your friend but tonight I'm amazed at the change in you." Then he turned to Kate. "Thank you, Kate, for loving Rick. He's my oldest friend. I thought we'd lose him several times when he got in one of his moods." Kate smiled a soft, thankful smile.

"You don't have to worry about that. He's mine now and I'll never let him go there again." The commissioner and his wife were next, followed by Captain Gates and her husband. Although they weren't invited to the wedding, Gina and Paula couldn't be kept away from the reception. Business protocols precluded that. Kate still bristled when Gina came through the line with her patently false congratulations. Paula's congratulations were wistful but genuine. She loved Rick but didn't begrudge Kate because she wanted Rick to be happy, and knew that she wasn't the woman to give him that happiness.

The reception line seemed to take forever but it was finally over and they could sit down to dinner. Even for a man of Castle's vast resources, catering a meal for 150 people wasn't cheap, so the options were chicken, roast beef, fish or a vegetarian plate except for the wedding party. There Castle had splurged, and they had the option of prime rib or salmon. Kate giggled as she cut a piece of her salmon and fed it to Castle, receiving a piece of his prime rib in return. Her thoughts turned to ones that she'd been having a lot lately. When did I turn into that girl? I don't get mushy and I definitely don't giggle! Oh hell, I definitely am that girl and the change came when he asked me to marry him! Pregnancy hormones don't help! And pet names, ugh or it used to be ugh but I love it when he calls me babe or sweetheart. But he better not try anything else!

Castle grinned at her, the corner of his eyes crinkling in an adorable way. "You're thinking pretty loudly over there, sweetheart," he said. She grinned right back and said with a saucy tone, "You bet I am, babe, I'm thinking of all the things I want you to do to me in a couple of hours."

The meal was over and it was time for the wedding toast. Esposito stood and clinked a knife against his glass. When it got quiet he said, "Everybody I know, especially those of us in the 12th precinct, have been watching these two dance around each other for the last six years. In the first year we thought for sure she was going to shoot him and we'd have to hide the body. In the second year it seemed that she was warming up to him and then he left for the summer. When he came back, we were sure that she wanted to shoot him again. In the third and fourth year, though they still weren't together, the eye-sex between them got so bad that it turned some of the rest of us on." He paused until the wave of laughter died down, and the blush had faded from Kate's cheeks. "I still remember when a suspect told Kate that she wanted to make little Castle babies.

"Now that they are together they can start making Castle babies, lots of them. To Rick and Kate, forever and always." Laughter spread across the room as glasses were raised and Kate blushed again. Most of the people in the room were not aware that she and Castle had already made a little Castle baby.

It was now time to cut the cake, a magnificent four tier creation of chocolate with strawberry filling between the layers, frosted in white buttercream and decorated with hand crafted flowers and leaves. All around the top layer miniature detective badges alternated with old fashioned pens. The specially commissioned bridal couple figures were actually small statues. The faces were accurate likenesses of Kate and Rick. The newlyweds cut the cake and fed each other, refraining from smashing the cake into each other's faces. Neither of them found it humorous but rather disrespectful. The pieces of cake were distributed to all who wanted them and then it was time for tossing the bouquet and the garter. Kate gave the bouquet a vigorous toss, fully expecting Lanie to grab it, but it was deflected and caught by a laughing Alexis, much to Castle's consternation. A chorus of whistles broke out as Kate lifted her skirt for Castle to remove her garter, and who could blame the guys for whistling at that shapely leg. Castle's toss of the garter hit Esposito square in the nose, which produced a horrified look on his face and a gale of laughter at his expense.

The dancing followed with Kate melting into her husband's arms, pure joy radiating from her face. Kate danced with her father, Javi, Kevin and Mayor Weldon. Rick danced with his mother, Alexis, Lanie, Jenny and the mayor's wife. That was quite enough for both of them. As soon as the band took a break, they made their escape.

Rick carried Kate over the threshold of the bridal suite in the traditional manner, set her down and took her in his arms, claiming her mouth in a soul-searing kiss. He gently stroked her lower lip with his tongue and she opened her mouth to him, in a few moments moaning her need of more. She was almost panting as she looked at him, her lovely eyes dark with desire. "Take me to bed Rick, hurry but be careful with the buttons. I want Alexis to wear this dress, if she wants to, and if we have another daughter I want her to wear it too."

Rick slid the dress off her shoulders and held her arm as she stepped out of the skirt and removed her slip. He carefully hung the dress up then turned back to his wife. Her lingerie may have been white but that was the only thing that was virginal about it. The lacy push up bra put her breasts on display, and the panties were barely there. An old fashioned garter belt held up silk stockings. She literally took Rick's breath away.

She advanced on Rick, her eyes wide and dark and said, in a sultry voice, "You're wearing too many clothes, Mr. Castle, and you're keeping me waiting, and that's not nice." She giggled. "But then, I don't want you to be nice tonight because I intend to be very, very naughty."

She slid his coat off and draped it over a chair. As he lifted one leg to remove his shoe, Kate toed off her heels and laughing, pushed him onto the bed and pounced on him. Things got a little wild from there. Somehow his trousers managed to land on the same chair that held his coat but the rest of his clothes took off in random directions as did her lingerie. Later they would find one of her stockings hanging from the bedpost and her panties across the room.

In the early morning hours, as a satiated Kate lay in Rick's arms in the afterglow of their third time she whispered, "My God, Rick I thought I knew what making love was, especially after being with you but nothing, nothing was ever like this. I may never come down from this high."

They only got a few hours of sleep since they had promised to meet their friends and family for brunch. Kate's alarm went off. She reached out and shut it off, at the same time shaking Castle. "Come on, writer man, it's time to get up. We have to meet everyone in forty-five minutes. I'm going to shower."

Castle blinked sleepily and said, "Want me to join you?"

Kate laughed and said, "No, I need to shower to get clean and we're due to meet our friends. If you get in the shower with me, we might not make it down by dinner."

Jim Beckett, Martha Rogers and Alexis were already seated and Ryan, Jenny, Lanie and Esposito were just entering the restaurant when Kate and Rick came down the stairs. She wore a purple silk dress with a slightly flared skirt that ended just above her knees, matching heels and a single strand of pearls at her throat. There was a glow about her and a smile that could light up a room.

Castle wore gray slacks with a navy blazer and a periwinkle blue shirt that Kate had bought for him. She loved the way it enhanced his eyes. Castle's eyes were twinkling and his grin was insufferably smug. Lanie, as was her wont, got off the first sassy remark.

"Girl, if you don't wipe that 'I just got laid' look off your face, you're going to embarrass the whole room." Kate was in such a happy mood she couldn't resist a sassy comeback.

"Maybe it's because you can't hide the truth, Lanie. Besides you're just wishing you had the same look right now."

Alexis covered her ears. "Eww Mom, I don't want to think about that."

Jim Beckett mock scowled. "That's too much information for your poor old father, Katie." Martha just laughed.

The brunch was buffet style so each of them loaded their plates with whatever they wanted. Kate looked enviously at the champagne and the coffee but settled for herbal tea and orange juice. Kate sat back, savoring the last of her strawberries dipped in white chocolate. She'd eaten just enough. Just thinking about the wonderful meal she just had got her to thinking about food as it related to her pregnancy. She'd been eating much healthier than ever before and she was happy that she hadn't had any of the weird cravings she'd heard about.

Kate looked up as she heard a voice at her shoulder. A shy young woman, one of the hostesses, stood there. She spoke very hesitantly. "Please don't be angry, Mrs. Castle, but may I have your autograph? I'm a big Nikki heat fan and I know that you're the real Nikki Heat."

Kate chuckled. She remembered being a young fan girl standing in line waiting for Rick Castle to sign her book. "I'd be honored to sign something for you. What is your name?"

The girl handed her a fan magazine that had a glossy photograph of Kate in it with the caption, The Real Nikki Heat? "My name is Chelsea," the girl said. Kate signed the photo, Katherine Beckett Castle. The girl thanked Kate profusely.

Kate smiled at her and said, "My husband and I will be staying here until tomorrow. If you have a copy of any of the Heat books bring it here at 7:30 tonight. We'll autograph it for you." (She did and when she went to her book club the following week she almost had to fight to keep the book.)

When Kate and Rick returned to their rooms the morning papers had been delivered. Kate picked up the paper. She was thumbing through it and stared at an article and then called Rick. "Rick, come look at this."

Rick came over and read over her shoulder. There was a photograph of Kate and Rick entering the hotel.

Nikki Heat Weds: New York City: Although the site of the wedding itself was kept secret, not so the reception. In a glittering reception worthy of a royal wedding, the union of Detective Kate Beckett, the inspiration for Nikki Heat, and celebrity author Richard Castle was celebrated. Rumor has it that while Nikki Heat is based on Kate Beckett, Jamison Rook is based on Rick Castle. That being the case, how long are we going to have to wait for Nikki to marry Jamison? Come on, Nikki, we're waiting.

This article, for some reason, annoyed her. Why couldn't people realize that she was a real human being with normal feelings and not just the inspiration for a character, and that Rick was far more than just a celebrity writer. That she was more than his muse, or his partner; she was his world and he was her everything. It made her furious that so many people still saw him as a vacuous playboy. Did nobody read the news blurb that NYPD put out along with the photographs, that he was a sworn civilian investigator. The reality being that he was as good a detective as any on the force and better than many. She really hadn't said anything but somehow he knew. He squeezed her shoulder.

"Let it go, sweetheart, those society page hacks aren't worth worrying about nor are the opinions of the people who follow them."

She saw a second article on the same page but that one amused her as it was written in a very light tone. Nine Bachelors left. There will be tears among all the single ladies who had dreams of capturing the wealthy, very sexy Richard Castle. Sorry, ladies, a certain lady detective has already put the cuffs on her favorite writer and civilian investigator and captured not only the man but his heart as well. One of New York's top ten bachelors is off the market. Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett were married yesterday. And all we can say is, Go Kate!

Kate was chuckling by the end of the second article. She stepped back and looked Castle up and down. With a huge grin on her face she said, "Step into my private interrogation room, beloved suspect. I am going to start this interrogation with a strip search."

Castle's grin was equally large. "Of course, dear Detective, but you know that I'm also an investigator and you're subject to the same procedure."