Chapter 10

New Beginnings

(Kate's point of view)

I was sleeping on my bed when I saw someone enter the hospital room. I woke up and couldn't feel my ring or my mother's ring. I panicked and saw the man and asked him. The man looked a lot like Rick, but then that person turned and smiled at me, it was Kevin Ryan, one of my best friends. He came up to me and sat beside the bed. He smiled at me and spoke –

"Your daughter is a very naughty little one you know that, not even a few days and she pretends to cry when she can't see you. She's just like you; you know that, very commanding. And really very stubborn. And has got such a cute face!"

"Yeah well somebody has to! And well she's got that cute charm, but I think she learnt that from her Uncle Kevin."

"I'm happy for you Kate…. "He stopped and I bet I could see tears in his eyes, before I could ask he told me. "Our job is tough Kate, she reminds me of my niece you know. Before I came to the twelfth I was in Canada for a few months. My brother and his wife had a gorgeous looking daughter, a few months old only, they didn't want her said their job was dangerous and so they left her on MY doorstep when she was only 3 months old. I at first didn't know what to do, she was so small and well I never had had any experience of being a father and all, but I took her anyway, I never made her feel sad or anything and gave her whatever she wanted. I always used to go for work and come back to pick her up from the day care centre and she would give me that smile I'll be waiting for every single day.

I knew that Kevin's story was going to take a very different angle from here, but I heard his story anyway.

One day I didn't leave her in the Day care and took her with me to the station, I don't know what I was thinking taking her there but then I left her with my boss, and that same day... Anna yeah that's her name got kidnapped. When we went to look for her, we found her, but she was dead, the kidnapper had killed her and I had to kill him. That's one reason I transferred to the 12th Kate, I killed him and my niece poor Anna, was dead because of me, I as good as killed her, being an irresponsible uncle and father..."

He started crying and suddenly I figured out, Kevin Ryan always had a soft spot for kids, so that was the reason behind it, he lost one of his own.

"I didn't know if I could face my brother, but then the next day I heard that he and his wife had died in a car crash. I lost so many people. I thought I'd lose my mind but then Jenny came into my life and I transferred here, everything changed for the good, I met you, Castle and Esposito, Lanie and Montgomery, and so many other people, It changed my life, I was really happy for the first time after that incident. "

"You, Kevin Ryan will make an excellent father." I said with great confidence in my voice.

"She was only three months old Kate, and I killed her. But now when I met this little one here, I remembered Anna, and the way she looked and smiled it looks the same you know."

Just then an idea struck me and I knew he would do a perfect job of it. I said –"Kevin Ryan will you be Hannah's and Alexis's godfather? I know Rick will do the same thing by asking you but I thought it would be perfect to ask you now, so?"

"But if I mess up, I might..."

"Kev, you know that you won't mess up, then why are you getting so tensed about it?"

"I will be their godfather, but don't get yourself into trouble boss, I'm counting on you, and we're all counting on you and Castle."

"I won't Ryan, thanks for telling me this part of your life, I'm honoured."

He smiled at me and took a small photo out of his pocket and kept it beside my table and left. While he was leaving I couldn't hear it but the words he whispered sounded something like –"Take care little sister."

I picked up the photograph and saw a young boy and a small little girl in his arms. She looked very much like Kevin and had curly red hair. This was half of the photo, the other half of the photo showed a nice tall man, who must have been Ryan's brother and a little short lady with brown –ish red hair, she looked so familiar but I couldn't place it where I'd seen her before. I turned the picture and saw something written behind it, it said –

This picture was taken on:

July 17th 2003

On the right stand Marlow Ryan and his wife Josephine Marie Ryan and their daughter Anna Ryan.

There was something about the name Josephine, I'd heard it somewhere and seen her somewhere. Then it felt like someone had stabbed me on the back, I stopped breathing and looked at the photo, and then at the bedside mirror. A photo copy of Josephine Ryan was seen in the mirror. She was at my mother's funeral a few years before this photo was taken and... she was my aunt. Johanna Beckett's youngest sister, Ryan's sister –in –law. This means that Ryan and I were related? And then the little sister part tipped me, I understood everything. This was too much news for me, I got up and ran towards the door, everyone was surprised to see me, I asked where Ryan was and they pointed towards the door, and I ran, Castle sprinting right behind me. We both found Ryan standing outside waiting for a cab and I called out his name, he looked back and smiled. I ran to him and hugged him, not knowing why, but it felt right. Then he spoke –"Took you long enough to realise didn't it?"

"Ryan, why didn't you tell me? I..."

"You had too much in mind Kate, I really thought I would tell you later, turns out later didn't come when I wanted it to, So I told you now, I thought that you would figure it out when I put the picture in front of you, but then..."

"They really died?" I asked him with a lot of weight in my voice

"Yeah Beckett, they did, and little Anna, she was killed. But I think now I can finally let you know, that I'm not afraid to fall anymore, because I have a family."

We were so engrossed in our conversation that we didn't notice Esposito and Lanie join us too. Esposito asked Ryan –"We saw her hug you, what was that about bro?"

"Long story, I'll explain later. But Beckett, does this make us cousins or second cousins or what?"

"I have to do the calculation myself Kev, but I know this much that you'll always be my brother, both of you."- I said looking over at Ryan and Esposito. They both smiled and hugged me.

I turned around to see Castle give me his famous eyebrow raise, I walked towards him and put my arms around his neck and said –"You'll always be VERY special to me Mr. Castle, I hope you know that?" But then I remembered about my ring, and I turned and asked everyone –"Has anyone seen my ring, both my rings? It was supposed to be with me but..."

"As a matter of fact I have seen it." –spoke Rick, his voice very playful, I sometimes didn't like that tone, it meant he was up to some mischief.

"Richard Alexander Rogers you will give it to me right now!" I said calmly. But then I noticed he was holding only my mother's ring, and it looked brightly polished and new, but it was my mother's ring. People behind me whispered hearing Castle's middle name and I just smiled.

"I have an announcement to make. I know I didn't get a perfect chance to ask you last time as we were stuck in that warehouse, but... I thought I'd give it one more shot." I tensed up, even though I knew what was coming, I dare not speak, in front of all my friends he had the courage and I swore I could see my dad, Alexis and Martha standing a bit behind in the corridor.

"This is a miracle as I'm getting another chance, would you Katherine Beckett do the honours of being my permanent muse (I swear I would have kicked him for calling me muse but I would be ruining a very important moment.) Partner and... Wife?"

I turned around to see Lanie gasp and had tears in her eyes and was nodding, my dad just smiled and was being patted on the back by Martha and Alexis was crossing her fingers, Ryan and Esposito were standing behind Castle and were smiling as if they'd succeeded in stealing candy from a 5 year old.

I looked at Castle, now kneeling on one knee and ring held out. I nodded, words couldn't come out of my mouth but a nod changed the whole atmosphere in the Hospital. Castle came to me and put the ring on and whispered something in my ear and kissed me. That's when I heard Lanie squeal, I swear Lanie would have passed out due to the excitement. I remembered Lanie or the others never knew we were together except Alexis and Martha, and Castle had to pull up that dangerous stunt of killing himself. I broke the kiss and looked into those crystal clear blue eyes and said-"Always?"

He replied with a huge grin –"Always!"

A year later

My phone rang early in the morning and I could hear Rick groan to the phone's buzzing sound. It was Lanie; I picked up the call –"What Lanie? Okay will be there ASAP." I shut the phone and told Rick to wake up –"Come on Luke Fitzwilliam time to solve another murder! Get Up!"

"Ugh... If I'm Luke Fitzwilliam then you're Bridget Conway right?"

"Seriously Rick, just get up."

"Aw... come on, wont these guys let you sleep on a Sunday?" Just then he heard his phone and Beckett's phone ring too. They both picked it up at the same time and said simultaneously –"Castle."

"Beckett. Yup we'll be on our way in an hour." She asked Rick –"You coming?"

"Are you kidding me, hell yeah! There's been a murder!"

"Hey Castle?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you, for everything, I owe you."

"Always."

And they smiled at each other Kate headed for a shower, Castle headed to Hanna's room and woke her up, time for her to go to the day care. Things were definitely coming back to normal. And they both were glad to be with each other. Always.

A\N: Yaay Last chapter DONE, first i'd like to thank all of you who have stuck with me from the very beginning and well, thank you is all i can say! But then i'd like to thank AlexBeckett and castlelover100 for all their help, but whatever mistakes were in the chapter, were all mine, AND FINALLY The season finale was like.. WOW What the hell happened, i was crying and crying and crying, and trust me it didnt stop, and my sister actually handed me a tissue box and said "Tissue?" But it was something I wasnt expecting, atleast not Kate getting shot or anything, but if you liked this chapter, PLEASE REVIEW! Love you all.

A. R .Claire :D