Good morning, Rick's special day has arrived. I hope you like it. The two of us wrote it with much love and care. For those who are easily brought to tears, just a warning that you may shed some here (I say based on prior experience, haha).

Thank you for helping me, Ladydkl, in all the chapters—but especially in this one, because I think it has turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself, hehe.

The characters are not mine ...

Idea from Lizcecilia6CECIFILLION

translator: Sorry, it's taken a while longer to get ready to post this. Busy time of year. After all the depressing angst of the previous couple of chapters, it's nice to be able give you something fine and shiny to read as a holiday present. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 21

RICK'S POV

I was just as nervous as I was happy. The day had arrived, the happiest day of my life. I felt physically bad after leaving the hospital, but gradually the effects of chemo were wearing off. But at the same time, I felt as if I could sense the cancer itself progressing relentlessly in my body, causing discomfort and pain that, over time, would grow, and eventually take my life. It was up to me if I wanted this ending to be happy or not. That was why today I was about to marry the love of my life—even though she did not feel the same way about me. That was why I had decided to leave the treatment and the longer, slower, unhappier path to death that it offered me.

All our friends were there, and my mother—happy to see me happy, although I could see the sadness in her eyes after hearing my news, the sadness of knowing that her son was dying. I understood why she felt that way, and I could only imagine how losing a child must be killing her inside.

She and Kate had quickly become fast friends. At least they'd have one another when this was over. I sometimes spied them hidden away during these days, talking about the wedding, planning, exchanging ideas. I didn't eavesdrop, just saw them gesturing and talking. One day, they were sitting on the deck having tea. Kate had drawn four lines in the air to explain about her dress. That gave me peace of mind, enough to know that all my feelings for Kate were directed toward the right person. The two important women in my life understood, accepted, and began to love one another. There was no greater happiness.

In addition, there was a very bewildered Jim Beckett, who had suddenly learned that his daughter was getting married, but not to the man he expected. His face when Kate told him was quite the picture. I owed him an apology for all that, and I also needed to thank him bringing into the world and raising up the very best woman in it. I was very nervous about this conversation. But first, I had another necessary conversation with someone else to attend to.

"Hello, Mayor."

"Hey, the man of the hour!" he greeted me with a hearty hug.

The mayor was a great friend of mine. I had done security escort for him for a few months, some time ago, when he was under threat by an extremist group, and we had become close friends. I had convinced him to come to the Hamptons to perform the marriage ceremony, not that that required much arm-twisting. Now before the big moment arrived, I had a question for him.

"I have to ask you another favor."

"Ask away. Whatever you want."

"I'm hoping you can do this so that this is not...well, I'm not sure how to put it. So that it's not legally binding."

"Do this what?"

"This wedding. I know that she's only doing it out of pity—and that's good enough for me. I can live with it that way. I can live the rest of my life with her, knowing that it's that way ... but I also know that there's an expiration date to her patience with this situation. I know how important marriage is for her, and when ... well, when this is all over with, I want her to be able to start fresh, and leave this marriage behind her without consequence. I want her to be happy and be able to marry for real with the person she really wants."

"Rick ... that's thoughtful, amazingly so—but I don't think that what you're asking me to do is necessary, nor can I perform a marriage that's not a legal marriage. That's my position. Do you understand?"

"I just want her to be happy. It's the least I can do after everything she's doing for me."

"And I understand, but don't worry about it. I'll talk to her when the time comes."

"Well, thank you for everything, Mayor."

"No, thank you, Rick. You're like the brother I never had. So I know you're also a fighter, and it's not going to end the way you're thinking it might."

"For me it will. I'm done with fighting. I'm going to devote my time to being happy now. I want to enjoy every minute, today and every day I have left."

"You have to be on your toes to do that."

"Look, people think this is an easy decision, but they're completely wrong. It's not been easy. But just for once I'm putting my happiness first, being selfish."

"You're not really being selfish. What you just asked me shows that."

"Then let's get to work," I said with a wink. "Time to start?"

"Sure, let's do this. The bride has to be just about ready."

KATE'S POV

It was not like I expected, but I was still nervous, as I suppose every bride is. It was my wedding day, and I never dreamed that it would happen in this way. But I also felt I was doing the right thing, and that made me feel good, relaxed, at peace with myself, and content. I wanted to see him happy, and since I said yes, he had not stopped smiling. That was the best prize, his smile.

"Kate, you're lovely," Lanie said as she entered the room where I was looking in the mirror making the finishing touches.

"Thank you," I said blushing.

"Lanie's right, you look just divine, darling." Martha followed Lanie into the room and hugged me.

"Thank you both."

"No, darling, thank you. Today you're making my son happy, and for me this is just—"

"He makes me happy, too, in his own way."

"Maybe so, darling, but I've talked to Richard, and I know what it cost you to do this. I want you to know how much I appreciate it."

"I don't think I could've forgiven myself if I'd done anything else. Being able to make someone happy just by being with him ..."

"I thank God that at least my son had you when things went bad. Although I'm unable to understand why he has this mania for hiding everything to do with his health."

"Martha, he did it because he didn't want you to suffer ... that's why there were tears. Today, at least, we'll let that all go and smile ... for him. And now, if you'll let my father know, I'm ready."

"Wait a moment, daughter—because you're my daughter now. In spite of everything, I want this to be a proper wedding for you. You're wearing something new—your dress; something blue—your mother's earrings; something borrowed—the veil from your friend Maddy; so you need something old," and she pulled out a blue velvet box with the most beautiful necklace I ever saw. It was a solid gold braided cord with a pendant chain with teardrop diamonds, an ode to good taste and simplicity. She fastened it on me very carefully and then adjusted it to my measure. "It belonged to my grandmother, then my mother passed it on to me. Now it's your turn, Katherine, and I hope someday you can pass it to your daughter, even if she's not a direct descendant of my son. Tell her about a distant grandmother, who wishes her all the best on her wedding day."

"Good god! That is gorgeous. I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life," Lanie exclaimed, catching sight of the jewel as she stood beside me.

"Martha ... I cannot accept this. I'll give it back to you after—" I was nearly moved to tears.

"No, Richard has chosen you, and therefore this is yours, legal owner and everything," she proclaimed, raising her hands in a gesture of refusal. Lanie looked at me and assented with her eyes. This was the best gift anybody had ever given me. It was a family heirloom … and that told me that what we were doing was creating a family. Who knew what the future would bring?

When I took my father's arm to walk to the small altar that had been erected for the occasion in the garden behind Rick's Hamptons house, my mother was present in my mind. She was beside me, telling me I was doing the right thing, and that I would never regret doing so. It gave me serenity and tranquility. Every woman wants to have her mother close, especially at a time like this, her wedding day. I felt the tears at the brink of my eyelids, ready to run down my cheeks, and I bit my lip hard to keep them from pouring out. Today needed to be a happy day for the man who stood waiting for me with a smile on his face, expecting my arrival.

When there were only a few steps left, I focused on his eyes, his constant smile. And if I still had harbored any doubts ... all were erased at a stroke, because certainly my aim to make him happy was already achieved.

"You're beautiful, Kate," he said as he took my hand, and I smiled at him.

After kissing my father, I stood hand in hand with Rick. I was very nervous, but sure about what I was about to do.

The ceremony began with the mayor talking about love and the different forms of love. The love of parents, siblings, friends, and eventually the love a couple bears one another. How it started out as the love between friends, and after one trial or another, grew into something as beautiful as ours. Everyone laughed at the humor ... except the two of us, who looked at one another with the knowledge of how it really was.

"Well, do you want to say a few words?" the mayor asked us.

"I do," Rick answered, focusing his gaze on me, swallowing nervously. I interrupted, intending to save him the trouble of swallowing the bitter pill.

"Rick, you don't have to—" but he put his finger on my lips to silence my protest.

"Let me, please," he pleaded. "We're not even married yet, and she won't let me speak!" he joked, taking in all our gathered friends and family in his glance, and they laughed likewise—at these actions, so typical of us, and the comment, so typical of him. He took my hand and continued speaking, "I wanted to say first of all, thank you all for coming here. It's a rather long trip, but don't tell me it wasn't worth the effort." He indicated the splendid view with one hand, while the other held fast to me. "Now it's your turn," he continued, fixing his eyes on me. "I want to thank you, Kate, for always being there, for allowing this to happen, for making me the happiest man on earth," he spoke with great emotion. "Kate, you are the most amazing woman in the world. I knew it from the first moment they introduced us and told me that you would be my partner and my immediate supervisor. Well, actually, I knew it even better after the first time you told me off," he commented amid laughter from the audience. "I love you for many reasons, but above all for your character. I love that more every day," he said and I felt the tears begin to fall down my face. "I love seeing you get mad at me," he continued, making us all laugh, "and not letting me talk, and giving orders left and right, don't I, guys?" He emphasized his point by referring to our friends Espo and Ryan, who were nodding emphatically and barely containing their laughter. "But your smile makes the sun shine through any storm, and ever since I saw it for the first time, I've become addicted to it, and I wouldn't exchange it for anything in this world, not even for another minute of life. Thanks for everything, for being here, for making me who I am, for helping me know myself, for teaching me with your wisdom in life, for making me know what I want, and for helping me fight for it. Kate, there's still time to change your mind, if you don't want to do this. It's enough for me to know that you would do it for me," he concluded, and furtively wiped the tears that had appeared on my cheeks.

"I want to do it," I said, sure and smiling. "I have to do it. I'm not going to release you from your promise." I took in a breath of air, as people smiled and whispered. "A few years ago, when they asked me to lead a team of men, I was a bit apprehensive, but my father—and by the way, thank you, Dad—told me that I could handle it easily. And although it hasn't been quite so easy as all that, I've found I was able to do it. You boys are going to be free of me temporarily, but tread carefully—because I'll be back! And that's a threat I mean to make good on," I said glaring at the guys, who looked like they wanted the earth to swallow them whole. "You, Rick, were one of those men, and at first you constantly had me fit to be tied! You had me beside myself, always driving me crazy with your 'brilliant ideas' and your eccentricities—it just about killed me, and I constantly had to turn to Lanie for consolation. It was she who told me that once you looked past all this stuff that drove me mad, you'd see the best person I'd ever met. You're good, loving, humble, and above all, tender. I just want to ask you something: do not change, Richard Castle, please do not ever change a thing."

"Well then, if we're all clear on that," the mayor inserted. "Richard Castle, do you take Katherine Beckett to be your wife?"

"I would be a fool to say no."

"Rick, just answer a simple yes or no," said the mayor, making everyone laugh again.

"Yes, yes, I do," he proclaimed, gazing into my eyes, and I saw love—the kind of love that I always expected to see in eyes of my spouse on my wedding day. I only wished I could feel the same way for him someday. I loved him now, but in a different way than he loved. I had come to know him well in recent days, and he was a different person from what I had always imagined before all this happened. He was really an amazing man, and I'm sure if we had known each other in other circumstances, if we only had more time ... I might learn to love him the way he clearly loved me.

"Katherine Beckett, do you take Richard Castle to be your husband?"

"I ..." I swallowed hard, and my hands were shaking—but when I lifted my head and looked directly at him, I said decisively, "Yes, I do."

"Well then, by the power vested in me as Mayor of the City of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now ... I don't know what—you can do whatever you want!"

I saw how nervous Rick became, as he slowly leaned toward me, with our hands still joined. I closed my eyes to accept his kiss, but despite that, I noticed that he brought his lips to my cheek, to kiss me there. He intended to pull back, but I opened my eyes and at the last moment, I turned and sealed my lips on his. It was a special, soft kiss. His lips were warm but motionless, as he stood there in indecision. So I took the initiative and with my lips tenderly caught his lower lip. It was just a kiss, but something stirred inside me.

Before I could process it all, Rick had withdrawn from the kiss, and all our friends surrounded us to congratulate us, hug us, and be the first to hear our first words as a married couple.

TO BE CONTINUED …

Tomorrow we'll be back with a new chapter. We'll continue with the wedding, and see how the celebration goes for this couple's most special day. Thank you all for continuing to read. You are the best!

Have a good day XXOO

Twitter: tamyalways

translator: I'm sorry, folks, but this time of year is just very busy for me. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get the next chapter ready for posting. Probably sometime next week. I expect to resume a regular posting schedule in January. In the meantime, I would appreciate any feedback or comments you care to leave about the story, and I will translate them for Tamy. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your holidays.