A/N: I am sorry for the lack of updates. After chapter 20, I was too hyped for Always (and for good reason, eh?) to write anything and after it, I was too – uh – lost in bliss to write anything. But here's the last chapter – I don't want to drag it out and make you suffer through reading meaningless stuff. Thank you for your patience, and for sticking with this. There are a few throwbacks in this chapter and I hope you catch 'em. : )

Disclaimer: I own Castle in Never-gonna-happen-land.

Chapter 21

Johanna Beckett always woke up early. To Kate, she seemed like supermom. Not only did she work as a full time lawyer, making sure that justice was served, that truth conquered all; but she also made a lovely breakfast for Jim and Kate so that their day would start out on a good note.

The best part about the breakfast wasn't the delicious waffles with the cherry sauce from Johanna's family recipe book; it wasn't the pancakes with fresh blueberries or strawberries, it wasn't the banana smoothies, nor was it the bacon and eggs, the perfectly buttered crunchy toast – nope. All those things were great, but none were greater than the beaming smile and good morning kiss that Johanna gave to her husband and daughter's foreheads.

"What's the case today, mom?" An eager, pre-law, eighteen year old Kate asked her mother.

"Oh, you know, sweetheart – putting the right people behind bars, getting the innocent out."

Jim grunted.

"What?", Kate turned to her father and asked.

Her mother answered, "It's nothing, Katie. Your dad just has a 'bad feeling' about this case. It's silly."

"My feelings are silly?", Jim asked. Kate would have thought that he was hurt, but for the smirk that he couldn't quite contain.

Johanna patted his cheek, "Of course not, Jim. They might be a little girly, but they're wonderful."

"Hey!", he huffed indignantly, causing Kate to giggle. "Turning my own daughter against me.", he looked at the two best women in his life and pouted.

Kate patted his head while still laughing and Johanna gave him a kiss on the cheek, essentially ridding him of everything but the sheepish smile now held on his face.

"Mom, how do you have the energy to be so – so – perfect? You cook us this massive breakfast, go to work, come home and cook us dinner and you always smile through it all. I get exhausted just with college."

Johanna cast a glance to her smiling husband, turned to her daughter and said, "Both of you are my source of energy. I can do what I do because I love you and your father."

Kate came over early with a bag full of supplies in one hand while she used her other hand to knock on the door. She heard the shuffling feet coming towards her and so she smiled ready to wish him a good morning. Rick yanked the bag from her and set it on the table next to the door while she got in. She was just about to comment on his eagerness when she felt herself being pushed to the door and kissed thoroughly – so thoroughly that she forgot what she'd come for as she grabbed his shirt with both her hands and kept him anchored to herself; as she felt nothing beyond dueling tongues and nipping teeth; as she gasped for breath when his mouth left hers and sought her neck and jaw instead and hurriedly, hungrily returned to her mouth again. He slowed down the kisses and after one last chaste kiss, wished her breathlessly, "Good morning, sunshine."

Her eyes were closed and she took a minute to get her throat to work, "You don't say."

He chuckled.

"What was that for?", she asked, still a little breathless from that kiss.

He held her face with his hand as his thumb caressed her cheek. He didn't answer her, couldn't answer her – what would he say? Thanks for making a commitment to my daughter and then keeping it? Thanks for showing up to cook for my family? Thanks for making my daughter so happy last week that she practically asked me to marry you? I love that you showed up? I love that you care? I love you?

But maybe he didn't need to say it, maybe she understood it from his eyes, and maybe she said as much with her eyes too. Thanks for always being there, thanks for sharing your daughter, thanks for making me a part of this. I love that you always show up. I love that you waited for me. I love the coffees that make me smile. I love you too, always.

He took a deep breath and a step back from her, "She's upstairs getting ready. What's in the bag?"

"Supplies.", she said mysteriously as she handed him her coat, took the bag and headed to the kitchen.

He hung up the coat and joined her. "Want help?"

"Mm.. No, it's my turn to cook."

He smiled. Yeah, we'll take turns. That's a good idea. "I know, but if you want help finding stuff – you know, pots and pans, I'm here."

"I know where everything is, Rick.", she said while rolling her eyes. "Detective", she said pointing to herself, "Remember?"

He smirked. "Fine, fine. Here I am, trying to be helpful, but fine – if you don't need me, I'll just sit here and do what I do best."

"Participate and annoy?"

"Har har, detective. Nope, I'm just going to stop and stare.", he said as he did indeed, stare into her eyes till she blushed and looked away to get started with cooking them a breakfast. "What are you making?"

"Hah. You can't just wait patiently, can you?", she said with a raised eyebrow.

"How long have you known me?"

"Too long.", she said. His smile dropped. "And not long enough.", she bit her lip from forming a smile that would match his.

"It will never be long enough.", he said softly.

She nodded.

They heard Alexis coming downstairs. "You're good at deflecting."

"I've had practice."

"Hmm.", he answered her and then turned to give Alexis a bear hug. "Good morning, Pumpkin."

"Morning dad, Kate!", she said happily, "You made it."

"I said I would.", Kate said with a smile.

"I know. But – you actually did.", Alexis said shyly.

Kate looked at Rick questioningly, but he just shook his head.

"What's for breakfast?", Alexis asked.

"I'm glad you asked. We have – "

"Hey now! I asked! You didn't answer me.", he pouted.

"Dad.", Alexis elbowed him. "Don't be rude."

Kate laughed. "I'm making a Johanna Beckett special.", she said with a small smile.

Alexis smiled and Rick looked shocked. "Um..", he said, unsure of what else to say. His gir- his Kate was making them a special breakfast.

"My mom used to make the best breakfast. On special days – and sometimes just out of the blue, dad and I would walk into the kitchen to the most delicious, perfect breakfast. She used to make pancakes, waffles with her special homemade cherry sauce, banana or chocolate smoothies, toast, bacon and eggs."

"Wow. Did she make it often?"

"Often enough. It always made us so happy, but somehow, it made her happier."

"You're happy.", Rick pointed out.

"I am.", she said as they stared at each other for a minute. Then she turned to the eggs, bacon and pancakes that she had going simultaneously on the stove.

A while later, after learning all about her week in the morgue and college acceptance letters, Rick took out the plates and Kate served them all breakfast.

"Oh my God.", Rick moaned.

"I know!", Alexis said after taking a bite of each. "This is delicious."

"I didn't know you cooked so well. So, so, so well."

Kate smiled indulgently.

"Kate, you have to give me the recipe to your cherry sauce.", Alexis said appreciatively.

"It's a family recipe – ", Kate started.

"Oh – ", Alexis said but Kate cut her off.

"So of course, I'll give it to you."

No sooner did she say the words than Alexis bounded off her chair and gave Kate a big, long hug which she returned. Kate could have sworn she heard a small sniff. "Thank you."

She looked over the girl's shoulder to Rick who also looked suspiciously teary eyed. "Always." He nodded and smiled.

After they were all done with breakfast Kate got up from the stool, ready to clean up but Rick and Alexis insisted that they would do the dishes. She waited for them to be done and then got up from the stool again.

"You're going?", Alexis asked with puppy dog eyes.

Kate narrowed her eyes at Rick, as if he put her up to it. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged as if saying, 'it's all her'. "Yeah, Alexis. It's your day with your dad, have a great time." She pulled Alexis in for a hug, placed a soft kiss on her forehead, much to everyone's surprise. Then she walked over to Rick, stood on her toes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. She could have laughed at his shocked expression – Alexis did. It was the first time she'd kissed him in front of anyone – the first time that she acknowledged them as them. Once the shock had abated, it looked like Castle Christmas had arrived early.

He was dying to say that he loved her – that his kid loved her too – but he'd wait. He'd wait because so much good came from waiting for so long, what's a little while longer?

Once she left and Rick and Alexis got over the whole ordeal that to some extent – seemed surreal to both of them, Rick turned and rubbed his hands together. "Prepare to have the best – day – EVER.", he said excitedly.

"Bring it on.", Alexis said with equal enthusiasm.

A little while later, Alexis watched with an amused smile as Rick ran like a little kid into each bedroom and came out with blankets and pillows. After he finally sat down for a minute to catch his breath, she said, "Dad? Aren't we a little old for blanket forts?"

"Old?", he huffed. "You might be old, but I am not. You gonna come help or what? Unless you've forgotten how to build the best fort. I guess I can do it by myself.", he said as he moved some chairs around and deliberately slowly started climbing on one of them.

"Hah. Move over, dad. I'll show you how it's done."

"That's the spirit, baby bird!", he said proudly and got off the chair.

They spent nearly an hour covering every surface with blankets and bed sheets and arranging pillows. They even made a maze inside the fortress which Rick dubbed 'The fortress of Castletude", in which, amazingly, it was probably possible to get lost. They even took it all the way to the stairs, so that if anyone would want to go upstairs, they'd have to pass the maze to get there. There were detours to the kitchen and Rick's study though. They attached fairy lights to the 'roof' with paper clips, bob pins and string so that part of the maze looked magically lit up. They set up Alexis' laptop in the 'theatre room' of the maze and got the first 'Harry Potter' movie and 'Tangled' to watch together. Rick had made popcorn – some caramel, some cheese – to eat while watching along with the tub of cookie dough ice cream which they would share.

After nearly five hours of rolling around with laughter in the blanket fort, while watching the movies, Rick excused himself to go to the bathroom while Alexis took the empty bowls to the kitchen and crawled back inside. It was taking him a little too long, so she peeked out only to be startled by a loud noise. "Dad!"

"You snooze, you lose, soldier.", Rick said as he blew on imaginary smoke coming out of his laser tag gun.

"Oh, I'm going to get you back for that.", she said as she started strapping the gear to herself while Rick ran around the fortress and into the kitchen after turning off every light on the way so that the only remaining source of illumination were the fairy lights from inside the fortress.

Another hour and a half later, during which Alexis beat Rick by a large enough margin to leave him pouting and swearing 'sweet revenge', they were back in the kitchen preparing lunch together.

"What are we making?", she asked with a smile.

It made him immeasurably happy to see her so happy and carefree – his little girl, his little princess. He wanted to lift her into his arms and cuddle her and tell her stories about Santa Claus and the tooth fairy and the hunky superhero author by day, vigilante by night – which he might've made up when she was younger and oddly resembled himself – he wanted to turn back time and raise her again and see her now; be proud all over again for the wonderful person she had turned into.

"Dad?"

"Hmm. Right – uh. We are making something completely new, that we've never tried to make before. If it goes south, we'll order in, but let's be optimistic. Are you up for it?"

"Up for a challenge? Of course!", she said happily. "What's the first recipe?", she asked while eying the marshmallows and large bottle of soda.

"Coca cola cake."

She crunched up her face in disgust. "Daaad."

"Aleeeexiiis", he mimicked, "come on, it's good. I've tried it."

"You think smorlettes are good.", she said accusingly.

"You don't?"

She made a 'duh-face'.

"Fine, fine. But this really is good. You'll love it. Besides, what happened to taking up the challenge?"

"Hmm. I guess we could try it. Okay, hand me the recipe. We'll start with the next one after putting this in the oven."

"That's the plan."

After they finished the first half of the recipe and set the cake to bake, they moved on to the next recipe. Alexis laughed as she saw her father putting his dough covered fingers all over the next sheet and sheepishly wiping it off. "Here, let me. So, the next recipe is 'Deep fried mashed potatoes'?" she said with a raised eyebrows, looking scarily like an intimidating Beckett. Huh.

"Everything tastes better fried?", he gave her a toothy smile.

She shook her head admonishingly, but had a large grin, "You'd better work all of this off, dad. Your arteries aren't getting any younger."

"Gee, thanks for putting things in perspective, lovely daughter of mine.", he said with a pout and then with a smile he said, "I'll work it off. No worries."

"Mhmm. Is there anything else?"

"Yup. The last recipe is 'Weird Spaghetti'."

"Why is it called weird?", she asked, looking wary already. He handed her the recipe and after reading all the ingredients she looked up and said, "This uses apple cider vinegar and cocoa powder. Really?"

"Yup. We're laying off the cloves though. What are you waiting for? Get started, chef."

"Oh-kay.", she said, still wary about their food. At least the fried mashed potatoes sounded relatively normal.

After laboriously cooking their way through the three recipes, and applying the coca cola frosting, they finally started to eat what surprisingly turned out to be a good late lunch.

"Wow. This isn't half-bad.", Alexis said as she finished the last fried mashed potato ball.

"Isn't half bad? It's awesome!", Rick declared.

Alexis laughed. "Okay, I concede. It's pretty awesome. Let's have the cake."

"May you never doubt the culinary wisdom that your father possesses, ever again."

"You still invented smorlettes."

"Hey. I stand by those. They're an acquired taste."

"Which only you seemed to have acquired."

He chuckled as he dished their cake which also turned out good.

After they finished their lunch, both of them sat inside the fortress, clutching their stomachs and groaning.

"Might've eaten a little too much.", Alexis said.

"No kidding. You'd give your dear old dad an artery or two, should I need in the future, right?"

"Sorry, dad, no can do. I'm already saving my liver for grams."

That made Rick chuckle and groan more.

They sat playing cards for a while and later when they could move normally again, they were fencing up the stairs and through the study – during which Rick may or may not have broken a vase which he glibly shoved to a corner before moving on.

Another round of cards was followed by a small pizza dinner – given that they actually did finish everything they cooked for lunch but for a small amount of cake they saved for Kate. They both sat exhausted on the couch after moving part of the fortress off of it.

"So, pumpkin, had a good day?"

"The best, daddy.", she said and hugged him on the couch and remained cuddled to his side.

"I'll miss this."

"Columbia is practically around the corner, dad. We can have special father daughter days just like this."

"I'll hold you to that.", he said with a sad smile.

"Likewise. Maybe next time we can have Kate join us too."

"I'm sure she'd like that."

"Yeah.", she said shortly, and then moved off him, "Dad?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"You guys are serious?"

"I – yeah. We are."

She smiled. "I'm glad. She's good for you. And me. She's good for us."

He positively beamed. "You said so last week too."

"I stand by it. I see why you love her."

"I do."

"She loves you too."

His eyes lit up. "You think so?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Well, duh."

He chuckled. Yeah. "She's supposed to be on call today, but I told her to call me in case a body dropped. Not that I'd go – just to know, you know?", he rambled.

Alexis smiled. "Uhuh. Did she call?"

"No. I guess she must be at home."

"Do you want to call her over? I can announce the winner.", she said with a smirk.

"Oooh. Just remember how much your poor old dad – who you're abandoning for college – loves you more than anything in the whole wide world."

She laughed. "Sure, dad. I always remember that.", she said seriously, and then added with a smirk, "but you're not winning by default. Besides, I have a plan. One that you may be interested in – ready to lose for even."

"I'm listening."

It was nearing eleven at night but Kate came over anyway. Truthfully she missed them both and wished that she could be there, spending the day with – with her family. So she came over to find the living room covered in blankets, but for a small amount of space on the couch and one remaining empty chair on which she sat.

"Wow. It looks like you guys had a good time.", she said with a smile.

"It's been a great day.", Rick said as he came out of the kitchen carrying cake for her. "Here."

"We cooked today.", Alexis grinned.

"Oh, what kind of cake is it?", Kate asked as she dug her fork in.

"Coca cola cake.", Rick announced with an even bigger grin. She paused with her fork midway to her mouth glaring at it and Rick in turns. "Oh, come on. It's good. Would Alexis make you eat something gross?"

"No, but you might."

Alexis giggled. "It really is good though."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Meh. You trust her more than your own partner.", he said and showed her his tongue.

Kate rolled her eyes and chewed happily. "Mmm. It's good."

"Toldja", Rick said.

"Don't gloat, dad."

"I'm never going to win again."

"You can bet on it.", Kate said while giving Alexis a high five.

Rick grumbled but his smile gave him away. He couldn't have been more delighted.

"So, what's the verdict? Who's the winner?", Kate asked after she finished her cake and set the plate down.

"The winner is…", Alexis started.

They heard a drum roll coming from Rick. He shrugged, "I have an app for that."

They both rolled their eyes.

"The winner is…"

Again he started the drum roll.

"Dad!" "Rick!", he heard simultaneously.

"What? Stop saying it from the start."

Alexis narrowed her eyes at him. "… is Kate."

"Darn.", Rick said.

"Aha!", Kate said as she rose up and hugged Alexis.

Rick pouted. "No dinner date."

"And a month's worth of paper work.", Kate announced happily.

"Oh, ouch. I know how much he hates paper work.", Alexis said with a conspiratorial smile.

Rick continued pouting but he couldn't care less. A month of paper work was a small sacrifice for this and what was coming.

Alexis said, "But that's not all. You get a prize, for winning."

"Oh – Alexis, you don't have to – ", Kate started.

" – I do. I want to. Both of us do.", she said, looking at her father.

Kate eyed Rick and her suspiciously. "Both of you do? What did you put her up to?", she asked Rick, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Hey now,", he said as he raised his hands, "it was all her idea."

"What happened to team effort?", Alexis rolled her eyes. "But, yeah – it was my idea, I brought it up, though both of us want it."

"Okay.", she said slowly. "You've got my interest piqued."

"This is your prize.", Alexis said as she handed over a blue velvet box.

Her eyes widened and she looked like someone slapped her.

Rick chuckled and looked at Alexis, "See? I told you. Hand it over.", he extended his hand to her.

"Wha - ?", Kate asked as she saw Alexis handing over five dollars.

"Sheesh.", Alexis said, shaking her head.

"I know her, Alexis.", Rick said, still ignoring the stunned, silent Beckett sitting on the chair besides the couch.

"Yeah, but I thought she'd at least wait to see it, or wait for an explanation. Ugh. Nevermind.", she finally looked over to Kate. "Umm – Kate, breathe."

She did as she was told and released a huge breath causing Rick to chuckle more till he stopped abruptly when she turned to glare at him. He stopped chuckling and smiled instead, reaching out for the box which she was holding like a lifeline.

She slapped his hand away. "Don't you dare – Richard and Alexis Castle, you tell me what this is."

Alexis was shaking with laughter next to him, and trying to conceal it, somewhat unsuccessfully.

"Kate, relax, please? Open it. It's not a ring. Not tonight.", Rick said calmly.

Her eyes widened even more making her look like a deer caught in the headlights, before taking a deep calming breath and finally opening the box. She'd try to stay calm and not punch Rick to a pulp for Alexis' sake. It wasn't a ring. It was a key.

"You didn't buy me a car, did you?", she said wearily.

He chuckled once more. "No, these are the keys to the loft."

Her head snapped up to him.

"We're not asking you to move in yet, Kate.", Alexis said, trying to help her father out.

"Ye –"

"We want you to keep that, in preparation for when that day comes.", she said.

"And it will come, Kate. Consider that a promise.", Rick added.

"You – you're – but this is as good as – ", Kate spluttered. Frankly she didn't know what to say.

Rick held her hand and looked her in the eyes. That alone did wonders to calm her down. "I – both of us", he looked at Alexis before turning back at her, "we missed you today. We kept wishing that you were here with us to enjoy the day."

"We want you around more often, Kate. We want you to be a part of this family. You already are."

Kate was always good at holding back tears – or that's what she thought anyway. How could she, right now? How could she, when she was practically being inducted into the Castle clan?

"We spoke to mother too. She called me lazy.", Rick said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kate got up from the chair and awkwardly hugged them both and placed kisses on both their foreheads. Alexis hugged her back and then moved so that Rick could get up and hold her while she tried to stop shaking and crying.

She didn't even have the words to thank them, but from Alexis' watery smile and Rick's tender one, she didn't need to. When she wiped away the last tear, Alexis asked her about work. There hadn't been a call today, but she had gone in to the precinct anyway because Gates had asked them to help Karpowski's team with a hard case which they weren't making progress on.

Finally Alexis said, "Wow, Kate. You're always dressed to kill, your wit is always razor sharp, you work almost all the time, you catch killers; put up with him", she pointed to her dad who looked mildly affronted, "and you still made time for us today. I don't know how you have the energy."

She smiled widely before toning it down and letting go of Rick so she could turn to Alexis fully. "Both of you are the source of my energy. I love you and your father.", she said before being swept into hug and kissed by Rick.

"Castle – Alexis is right here.", she said as she tried to push him away.

"She doesn't mind. Alexis, cover your eyes."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't, but I think I'll give you guys some privacy.", she said and ran up the stairs.

"Rick! You scared your daughter away."

"Shush woman! She's fine. I've waited forever to hear that. I love you too.", he said as he attacked her with another kiss – and another – and enough to make her never want to leave this family – her family.

~Fin~

A/N: Okay, so.. I like leaving it, at least in part, open ended. And frankly, I can't write smut to save my life. So I hope this fluff is good enough. Let me know? This is your last chance to review for this story, ya know. *Hint, wink* .. Haha, just kidding. It's been an awesome journey. I wanted to end Prophets with a prophecy – ish. Hope you guys enjoyed the ride.