When she first saw him open his blue eyes, her heart was flooded with emotions: love, relief, gratitude and many more that she couldn't recognize. Happiness was by far the most prominent. It radiated from every pore of her being and her skin shone with renewed vigor.
It echoed in his features as well, creating a thick veil which crowded in around them, keeping them safe from the impending winds.
Not only was he alive, but they were together. Three years of partnership lay between them and she could feel the pressure release as it dispersed amongst the void. The sun shined down upon their blissful forms, and warmed their faces with the bright light.
This is what partnership felt like, she thought happily; not regret, not hatred. It was gratitude and love. Her initial delight began to fade, however, mixing with the confusion that clouded her lightened psyche.
Looking at the familiar graffiti-sprayed walls, her mind began to focus, skimming through the photographs of her past life, looking for a match. Without avail, she sighed, looking at her partner, eyes begging for a similar answer. The alley where her mother had died, she suddenly remembered.
Why were they here? She'd never thought to ask.
This was her hell, that much was obvious. The alley where her life had been rewritten, she thought bitterly. It felt so much different than the files. Instead of the photograph's smooth, glossy finish, the ground was covered in small, rough gravel. The scent of old paper, with curling edges, was far less vivid than the putrid stench of the ground. The colours were brighter, and the clarity frightened her.
Wasn't hell supposed to be dark? Was it even him?
He didn't deserve hell. Her partner would never harm anybody. He was always respectful to the victims, and treated everybody well, staying late at the precinct for company and paying for numerous cartons of Chinese food. He brought Kate coffee every morning and helped her to sort through her mother's murder.
He was a great role model for Alexis and always had time for her, even when he was in some other part of the world. He was never mean, even when he found out Meredith was cheating on him. He never slept with random woman just for the fun of it. He was a good person and he cared for people, especially her. He always made time for her, even when she didn't want him to.
Was this heaven? Probably not, she reasoned. If it was heaven, she would be with Castle at his beach house or the Old Haunt. Wherever they were, she sighed, all that mattered is that they were together.
She reached out for his hand, and he smiled at her, their fingers entwining, his no longer blue. His warm palm cradled hers, and she squeezed tightly as if he may disappear. The pressure was reassuring to her frazzled mind and her heart was finally able to rest.
His classic smile was bright and carefree, and she gladly beamed back.
His eyes shone with happiness, not anger nor depression. They weren't empty like in the freezer. She was here with the real Castle, the one full of life, the one who made her job fun, with a hundred conspiracy theories, the man who showed up every morning bearing her coffee and a bear claw.
His blue eyes met her hazel ones, and the look almost seemed to convey words. It contained so many years of friendship, years of adoration and an eternity of love. All the times they should have let their feelings be known. All the mistiming and brushes of hands.
That was their relationship, a combination of trust and independence, the perfect balance. Where would they go, nobody knew and nobody cared, as long as they were together.