Here's a challenge for you all. Do NOT skip to the end of this one! It will ruin the surprise!
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle
This one is dedicated to Sarah. You are so extraordinary and I cannot wait to see you. You are one of the best friends anyone could ever ask for, so keep your head up and know that I am always here for you whenever you need me. I love you!
The sunlight busted through the thin fabric of the curtains, threatening to wake up the couple currently cuddled up in the sheets of the large bed. Castle was the first of the pair to wake up. He knew today was the day that they would have to leave their vacation and head back to the city where murders and deadline pushing publishers awaited their return. He didn't want to go home yet. Rick just wanted to stay here in bed with Kate forever, but he knew that it was inevitable. Castle slowly pulled himself out of bed, careful not to awaken Beckett, and pulled the curtains tight, blocking out the harsh sunlight. He slid back into bed next to his partner who was facing him, still sound asleep.
Castle couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked while she slept. Kate's hair was askew all over her pillow and her face was relaxed. Her hand, still wearing the ring, was extended outwards towards Castle's place on the bed and soon lifted to find its place on his warm chest. Beckett moved into his warmth and let out a small, content sound as she felt him beside her. Castle toyed with the ring absentmindedly, twirling it around and around on Kate's slender finger.
Kate felt the movement in the ring and tightly clasped her hand into a tight fist so that her ring couldn't be removed. Sleepily, she opened her eyes and saw that it was only Castle and Beckett unclenched her fist.
"Good morning," Rick said, sweeping a lock of hair from her forehead, "I'm sorry if I startled you. You just looked so perfect and peaceful."
"No you're fine. Good morning to you too, Castle." Beckett replied, "What time is it?"
Castle lifted his head and turned sideways to glance to the clock on his left, "Just a little after eight." He crashed his head back down on the pillow and letting out a breath, "We don't have to go yet, do we? I don't want to go home. Gina will be on me to write and I do not want that." Rick said firmly.
"Relax writer boy, as long as we are on our way by noon, we will make it back at a decent hour." Kate said, bringing relief to the writer's face.
"So, detective, what do you propose we do to pass the time?" Rick said suggestively, coming closer to Kate, brushing the hair from her forehead and slipping his arm around her slender waist.
"Well I have a few things in mind." Kate answered. She leaned in and gave him a slow, sweet kiss.
Around ten, the couple emerged from their bathroom, fully clothed and showered, hair still damp. Together they went into the kitchen to get a light breakfast, knowing that they would eat some lunch before they left the house. Kate began to make some toast, plugging in the toaster and grabbing some bread from the walk in pantry. Rick grabbed a few eggs and made a small batch of scrambled eggs, mixed with some ham and basil for some added flavor.
The smell of basil floated through the kitchen. Kate closed her eyes and took in the scent of what Rick was cooking. "Oh that smells great Castle; you should make that more often." She exclaimed to the writer. He was a great cook, as long as he didn't combine it with marshmallows and chocolate.
"If you like it, I will make it for you whenever you please." Rick said, handing her a plate with eggs and dropping a kiss to her lips. Along with toast, Beckett made them coffee, which she handed to her fiancé and sat the toast on his plate. Kate knew he liked his toast with a little bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top of the butter, so she got some out of the cabinet and sat it down by his plate, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Together the couple ate their breakfast, taking in the quite sounds of a wind chime and birds singing softly in the distance. They knew that sound would soon be replaced by car horns and gun shots once they returned to the bustling city. Once Castle had finished his food, he quickly cleaned off his dishes and returned them to the cabinet along with his cinnamon. By the time Rick finished cleaning up the kitchen; Kate had begun to clean hers.
"Here, allow me, I got these. You can go make sure the house was how it was before we got here. I would help, but I don't really know where anything goes." Castle offered. Beckett replied her thanks and went about folding some blankets and making their bed back from their earlier activities.
Kate and Rick finished up at about the same time, about ten thirty, and Kate suggested that they pack up their belongings so that they wouldn't be in a rush later. On separate sides of the now made bed, the duo placed their luggage and began to fold up their dirty clothes and put them away. Kate Beckett stopped packing and slowly took of the necklace, holding her mother's ring, and silently tucked it away into a safe compartment of her suitcase. Kate realized that she didn't need it at the moment. The only ring she wanted to be wearing was her engagement ring; the ring that symbolized a new beginning for both her and Castle. And at this thought, she smiled.
That sweet, kind smile did not go unnoticed by the author, nor did the act of putting away the necklace that he knew meant so very much to the detective. But right now, she wasn't the detective obsessed with her mother's murder. No, she was the detective that now had a family of her own to come home to; the detective that had a responsibility to keep herself out of harm's way, especially the danger that that particular case, so that she could start a new chapter in her book. Castle knew that she was finally starting to end that dark, dreary chapter of her book and start a new one with him. So he finished up his packing and then took her hand, leading her outside.
Outside it was sixty-five degrees with a light wind blowing and the sun shining bright. Wordlessly they sat together in the grass against a tree and just enjoyed being by one another.
The hours passed and the couple was still outside, enjoying the feeling of the fresh outdoors. Earlier they had found a Frisbee in the garage and passed it lazily back and forth until the wind became too strong, which made Castle think of an idea. He rushed back to the garage and searched until he found it, a kite.
Kate remembered the kite from when she was around the age of seven. Her uncle had helped her make it on a windy day, such as one like this, and they flew it until the wind gave out and the kite would fly no more. She smiled at Rick when he brought it out.
"Come on; let's see how high this thing gets!" Rick said excitingly. Rick took hold of the diamond shaped kite itself while Kate unwound the string from the blue handle until a good amount worth of string was let loose.
"Okay on three I'm letting go and you hold on tight to the handle. Ready?" Castle began, getting a nod from Beckett, "One…. Two…. Three!" At that, Castle let go of the kite and it quickly sored into the air high above them. Rick ran back to Kate, who was holding tightly to the handle and picked her up from behind, around the waist, and began to run backwards with her, making more string come loose and the kite go even higher.
Kate giggled, and said to her captor, "Put me down!" Rick put her down but instantly began to tickle her sides until she was lying in the grass, rolling in laughter, but still holding onto the handle. "Rick stop it! Stop before I let the handle go and lose the kite!" Castle stopped his tickling and pulled the kite back down, winding it up and putting it on the porch. Kate was still on the ground, looking up at the passing clouds in the sky. Rick joined her, his head next to hers; laying at opposite ends so that only their heads were together. Castle turned and kissed her cheek, whispering his love into her hear softly. He looked at his phone and realized it was already 12:30.
"Kate, it's past noon. We better get going." Castle said. Kate groaned, not wanting to leave, but got up anyway. She put up the kite and Frisbee and together they made their way inside.
"Can we just get lunch somewhere on our way back? I don't really feel like cooking." Kate suggested as the grabbed her luggage and keys, exiting the house with her partner in tow. Castle agreed and began to pack up their things. Kate offered to drive first and stated that they could eat at the same diner that they had ate on the way down here, and that they could switch off driving there, all to which Rick agreed.
The drive was going well. Castle and Beckett had been on the road for about an hour, the entire time with Kate's hand intertwined with Rick's. They were driving on a fairly busy road and stopped at the red light in an intersection. Rick stole a kiss from Kate just before the light went green. She pulled away from him and went forward through the green light when suddenly she was bright lights coming from her left side view.
That was all they saw before they felt the crash, desperately holding onto one another's hand, until both of their grips were lost, along with their consciousness.
So that's that, but this is not the end! I promise! This chapter was by far my favorite to write. Review and tell me what you're thinking!