TWO MONTHS LATER

The couple's desire to keep things low key finally blew up.

The Monday Ledger is the beginning of what will probably be weeks of questioning. A paparazzi photograph of Castle and Beckett having dinner at Spago ended up as the headline article on page 6 with the image above the fold. Below the picture of the couple the story begins

"Castle and his Muse?"

"Word Famous author Richard Castle was spotted over the weekend having a romantic dinner with Katherine Beckett, a detective with the NYPD. Detective Beckett is the inspiration for his character, Nikki Heat. Mr. Castle began following her three years ago just after he ended his Derrick Storm series.

Although rumors have filtered thru the media since the first book came out, the couple have venomently denied any romantic involvement."

"Well so much for keeping it quiet" Beckett comments while sipping her morning coffee. She closes the paper and places it back on the counter in the loft's kitchen

"QUIET? The one thing you are not is Quiet. I mean just look at what happened last night. The sounds you made when I.…MUF…I…UG" Castle's words are cut off when Beckett stuffs a napkin in his mouth

"That is not what I meant and you know it. I mean our relationship. Keeping it out of the tabloids"

"Right. Quiet. I guess the best thing now is to just go public"

Kate looks down at the newspaper then back up to her fiancé "OK. I guess we are outed anyway. I just am not wanting to have…you know I don't want photographers following me around at work or when I am out shopping or especially at a crime scene"

"Kate since you are not going to the crime scenes much anymore that should not be an issue. Let me call Paula and have her make it official. She can do the announcement" He takes Kate's hand "OK?"

She responds with a nod of the head

Kate's Diary

Mom

The media found out about Rick and me so he has asked for his manager, Paula to prepare an official announcement about us. This way it is going to be truth and not some dreamed up lurid tale. It is going to be an engagement announcement

Since we have picked a day to have our wedding I have so much to do now. Martha is acting like a mother of the bride and helping with so much of the stuff. She is being wonderful but she is not you and I wish you were here to help. Not just to help but to be a part of the planning, and the organizing, and the wedding itself

Of course Lanie is acting every bit of my maid of honor and making lists and looking up caters and bands and picking out dresses.

A dress? Oh yeah I have to get a dress. I wish, now that I had torn a picture of a dress out of a magazine

There is so much to do. I even have a doctor's appointment for my annual check up. I get to tell her that I am getting married.

Kate Beckett is sitting in the waiting room at Drs. Vermillion and Danner Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates. Dr. Margaret Vermillion has been Kate's personal OB/GYN since she was a teenager. Her mother started going to her after her former doctor retired when Beckett was younger.

Today's appointment was already scheduled long before Beckett and Castle got together and definitely before they decided to get married but Kate is planning on giving the good doctor an exciting update concerning her life and future plans as a married woman and to discuss her future as a wife and possibility of motherhood.

While she is waiting for her appointment time, Kate is glancing through the magazines on the rack. They run the entire gamut beginning with all the issues dealing with the female and her challenges for her life starting with puberty, her teenaged years, female reproduction, maternity, and finally menopause

Kate picks up one of the periodicals discussing the growing family and what having children brings for the mother, siblings and the father. But being an only child, Kate never was around other children growing up other than playmates and school friends. She had no personal experience with 2AM feedings. Diaper changes .Ciolic high fevers coughs and visits to the pediatrician.

Her only real knowledge with parenthood or child rearing came as an observer around Castle and his daughter. Kate watched him go from being the well known playboy in public to actually a caring father in private when it came to his girl.

Kate has known full well that Rick is a very protective and responsible dad to Alexis. He has described events relating to raising Alexis from when she was just a tiny infant. Kate smiles thinking that he would most likely be very happy to do that again at some point in the future.

But come to think about it, they have not discussed children. Now she wonders if he does nor does not want more kids. That is going to be a subject of a conversation soon. Just not today

The waiting room door opens and the nurse looks out at Beckett "Kate, the doctor will see you now"

After going through all the examinations of the heart, the lungs, the ears, the eyes the breathing, and all the other less pleasant portions of a regular exam, Kate is sent to the onsite lab to draw blood and perform some other testing. After she returns to the doctor's waiting room she is escorted to the doctor's private office for the final consultation.

When the door opens the doctor enters. Once inside she closes the door and proceeds to her desk and sits down. "Well, Kate since yo said you are getting married, I have something to tell you…"

She has got into her cruiser to head back to the station. Kate is in shock. She sits in the seat looking blankly out the front window contemplating what to do She takes out her cell phone to call her fiancé. She looks at his face on her phone but decides not to call him. Yet!

Instead she decides to call her best friend. Parish answers "Hey sweetie. Finished at the doctor's already?" The best friend questions with a singing in her voice

"Yeah. UH? Lanie do you have a few minutes to spare?"

"That does not sound good Kate. What is it?"

"Not on the phone. Can I come to the morgue?"

"You come right over girl"

"I'll be there in twenty" Beckett hangs up the phone. Kate is not real sure how Castle is going to take this news. Kate is afraid that this might mean the end for them

When Beckett arrives at Lanie's office she finds Dr. Parish waiting patiently for Kate's arrival.

"Sit down girlfriend and tell me what is going on that has you thinking Castle is going to run from you"

LATER THE SAME DAY

The sound of the elevator bell brings the attention to the squad room as the Police Commissioner Patrick O'Reilly along with his assistant exits and walks briskly toward the captain's office. When Lt. Beckett sees the commissioner enter her door she stands to greet him. She is also surprised to see Rick close behind followed closely by Doctor Parish

"Commissioner! Sir, what a surprise. What brings you to my station?" Beckett asks as she looks at Rick with a question on her lips. But all she sees in Castle's eyes is happiness

"Lt. Beckett, you are the reason I am here today. We have been trying to find a suitable captain to fill this desk and I am here today to complete that task"

Beckett looks around behind the commissioner to try to determine who he is talking about. She does not see anyone else with the group that she does not already know then she notices all the officers in the entire station have gathered outside her office door.

"Lt. Beckett, may I have your badge please?" the commissioner extends his hand open palm up toward Beckett

After a moment of hesitation and some level of concern she reaches to her belt and removes her shield and places it in his hand. The Commissioner then reaches into his pocket and produces another badge with her number on it but with different letters. This badge says

"CAPTAIN"

"Katherine Beckett it is my honor to advise you that you have been promoted to the rank of Captain and to make your first assignment that you continue at this precinct as its commander." He extends his hand to hers "Congratulations Captain Beckett"

This brings applause to the entire squad. Especially Ryan and Esposito

What the group does not see is the pain in Kate's heart. The fears that have come from her earlier doctor appointment

Kate's Diary

Mom,

I got good news and bad news today.

First the good news. I got promoted. I was made captain. And I get to stay at the 12th with my partners

The other news is not good. In fact it is so bad I think I am going to loose Rick because of it….

.

Rick's Journal

Something is happening with Kate. I don't know what. She had her annual doctor's appointment this morning then after lunch we planned a surprise party for her. I schemed with the mayor and commissioner to have her promotion announcement occur at the precinct in front of all her friends and coworkers. We did it so he was not aware it was happening

She was given her new captain badge and congratulations from the department. Then while the party was still going on, I had to leave for a quick meeting at Black Pawn about the next few Nikki Heat books. They were concerned that since Kate is no longer active in the field doing investigations that the stories would not continue in their greatness.

I assured them that Kate did not have to be in the field. That during the three years that I followed her around that I did enough research to write fifty books.

When I came home to the loft there she was sitting on the couch, in the dark, crying

I sat down beside her I put my arm around her and asked what was wrong. She looked over to me and simply said:

"I'm so sorry Castle!

I'm so sorry!

I'm so sorry!"