As Beckett said she "believes in the everyday magic of life in … the way that I feel when I hear Coltrane", this is from his album "The Believer". These vignettes come to mind when I hear the songs as played by John Coltrane.

This song is "Do I love you because you're beautiful?" by John Coltrane. You can hear the song as played by the Coltrane quartet on YouTube.

watch?v=wjIjMKhErLU

This song is from the Rodgers and Hammerstein play "Cinderella". A version of it being sung is also on YouTube. Stuart Damon and Lesley Ann Warren sing "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" from the 1965 television version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella".

watch?v=AjhYTDti7B4

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC television. The lyrics are the property of their respective owners. No infringement is intended.

Transcriptions from seriesmonitor dot com slash castle slash transcripts slash index dot html

Prince:

Do I love you because you're beautiful?

Or are you beautiful

Because I love you?

Am I making believe I see in you

A girl to lovely to

Be really true?

Do I want you because you're wonderful?

Or are you wonderful

Because I want you?

Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream,

Or are you really as beautiful as you seem?

A/N: 5x01 After the Storm

Castle was waiting by the elevator for his partner and now girlfriend, Kate Beckett. He was smiling thinking about the weekend they just had. Not the explosions or the near death experience of Beckett's assassin or the worst of it, almost being caught 'in flagrante delicto' by his mother. He was thinking about the past couple of days and how his life changed so dramatically. Thinking about the depths of the resignation he felt after the fight they had at Beckett's apartment seemingly a lifetime ago to elation after the drenched woman at his door saying 'I just want you' and her demonstrating how much she does. Thinking about how he is finally fulfilling his dreams. His fulfilled dreams of being Kate Beckett's lover and the hopes for more.

Beckett left Captain Gates office with a slightly unhappy look, with hints of a smirk on her face. As she approached she looked at Castle and shook her head.

"No?" Castle responded. "What does she mean, no?"

"I'll have to serve out my suspension, same as Esposito."

They get onto the elevator and then Castle presses the button for the first floor.

Looking at his new girlfriend, he asks, "What are you going to do in the meantime?"

Without turning to respond, she smirks and moves her arm, saying, "Oh, I'm pretty sure I'll think of something."

Castle is startled and looks down at her hand gently grabbing his crotch, then back up at her as the doors shut.

He grabs her hand pulling her to him wrapping his arms around her.

"Castle!" Beckett whispers forcefully. "Security cameras!"

Looking up to a corner but not seeing anything, he releases her saying, "Oh. Yeah. Right."

They stay apart as the elevator slowly descends to the lobby. They wave at the desk sergeant before exiting the building. They get a few blocks away before Castle suddenly grabs Beckett pulling her into an alleyway. Wrapping his arms against her, he pulls her in for a toe curling kiss.

"You tease," Castle says after kissing her again. "You did that on purpose."

She wraps her arms around his neck. Pulling away slightly so she can see his eyes. "What?" Beckett coyly responds biting her lip.

"Grabbing me like that. In full view of the bullpen. Security cameras, my ass. You did that to get me spun up until I could find a place to have my wicked way with you."

Kissing him, she coos, "Mmhmm."

Finally someone notices them and says, "Get a room."

The pair pull away sheepishly and then looking into each other's eyes as if to say, "Your place or mine?"

Castle takes Beckett by the hand and walks out to the curb. Putting his hand up for a taxi, he finally says, "Too many redheads at the loft. We'll need to go to yours."

Cinderella:

Am I making believe I see in you

A man to perfect to

Be really true?

Do I want you because you're wonderful,

Or are you wonderful

Because I want you?

A/N: More than 7 years after the end of Season 8

Captain Katherine Beckett finally made it home to the loft she shares with her husband, Richard Castle. She sighs as she reaches the door. She hears the happy noises of her family, the crazy, madcap, delightful family she has the pleasure of being a part of. She can hear her four children, including her eldest child/husband squealing.

"Rowl," Beckett hears through the door. She can almost picture Castle chasing the three rug rats around the loft.

She pulls her key out and opens the door.

"Mommy! Mommy!" One of the three yells. "Save us! Save us from the mean monster!"

The three children run to her. Reese on one side, Jake on the other and Lily behind her mother peeking around over her brother's head.

"Rowl," Castle grunts again. His hands to his sides like claws as he approaches Beckett.

Beckett smiles at her husband and then notices the time.

"Castle," She growls back at him. "The kids should be in bed. It is well past their bedtime. And I've told you before, no chasing them around the loft so close to bedtime. They'll be awake for another hour because of the roughhousing."

Castle lowers his hands looking sheepishly at her and then the children.

Lily looks up at her mother and says, "Mommy, it's okay. We'll be good and go to bed now. Jakey and Reesey were getting sleepy watching 'Lion King' and then Daddy started acting like 'Scar'."

"He did, did he?"

"Yah, mommy," Lily answered. Her brothers nodding, too.

"Well, I'll have a discussion with your father about appropriate behavior before bedtime. But right now it's time for bed. Have you brushed? Then upstairs, the three of you. Brush well. I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in."

"Yes mommy," the three answered almost in unison.

She watched the three trudging up the stairs almost as if they were climbing to the gallows. She kept her stern demeanor until the last had passed out of sight. She turned to her husband and gave him a look.

"I'll … I'll get your leftovers ready," Castle stammered. "We made some pasta. And I'll start cleaning up."

"I'll be the baddy and make them go to bed," Kate spit out. "I'll read them only one story, Castle. And they'll be whining about that."

"Yes, babe," Castle said sheepishly.

"Don't call me 'babe' when I'm mad at you."

"Okay."

Beckett angrily turned and strode forcefully up the stairs to the kids rooms.

A short while later, Beckett came back down. Still peeved that Castle had wound up the kids so close to their bedtime.

"At least you wore the boys out, Castle," Beckett said. "They're both out. Lily, however, is still a little wound up."

"She'll be asleep soon, Beckett," Castle answered. "She's a mini you. Her little mothering instinct worries about her mother. Knowing you're home helps her go to sleep."

"About that, Castle," Beckett continued. "Why did you keep the kids up? It's way past their bedtime. You know it'll be hell in the morning getting them up and to preschool."

"You left so early in the morning you never saw the kids," Castle explained. "I thought you'd want to see them before they went to bed."

"You didn't need to do that. I'll see them tomorrow."

"Gates called," Castle responded. "She said one of yours was shot overnight. That explained why you left very early this morning. She called to tell me it may be late before you get home. I was almost ready to stop and put the little monsters to bed. I'd just thought you'd want some 'mommy' time after today."

"Oh, Rick," Kate sobbed.

Castle drew her into an embrace. He just held her while she cried into his shirt.

He carried her to the couch and sat down with her still in his arms. She continued to sob into his neck as he gently caressed her hair. He kissed her forehead while she sat in his lap.

Finally getting control of herself, she said, "Thanks, Rick."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was Carter," she started. "She had been back just 6 months after her maternity leave. She's also got a 3-year-old. Her husband is deployed in Afghanistan. Her parents live in Queens and have the kids. It was so hard to tell her parents that their daughter is dead. How do you tell a 3-year-old that is mommy isn't coming home? The newborn is never going to know its mother."

"Sorry I never met her."

"She just transferred over from the 54th," Beckett explained. "She was a 5 year veteran."

"How'd happen."

Sobbing, Beckett answered, "She responded to a silent alarm at a jewelry store over on 40th. The robbers were armed but the unis got the drop on them. Carter did everything right. She waited for backup before entering. She was wearing her Kevlar. One of the suspects got off a lucky shot. Hit her in the leg near the groin. Her femoral artery was hit. It was too high on the leg to use the tourniquet kit. The EMTs tried to stop the bleeding but they got to her too late. She lost too much blood. She died at the scene."

"I'm so sorry, Kate."

Kate sobbed into Castle's neck holding him tightly. He held her firmly while caressing her hair. The pair sat in silence for a long time.

Both:

Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream,

Or are you really as wonderful as you seem?

Prince: (spoken)

I've always dreamed it would happen like this

And now it really has! I don't ever want this night to end.

Cinderella: (spoken)

Neither do I.

Both:

Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream,

Or are you really as wonderful as you seem?

A/N: Many years later

Kate Beckett was putting on her policeman's uniform for the last time. She was retiring after serving for almost 25 years. She had put her hair up in a bun then put on her jacket and hat. She exited the bedroom of the loft and found her children and husband patiently waiting for her in the living room.

"Cool, mom!" Jake exclaimed. "You look like you're ready to take some criminals to jail."

Castle approached her and lovingly took her hand.

"Beckett, you look great." Looking at her closely he noticed something different. "You've done your hair a different way. Not the typical 'regulation' bun. Something different."

"You noticed," Beckett said as she kissed him. "But we're going to be late if we don't get moving soon."

"Okay, mom," Lily chimed in. "Let's go."

Later, after the retirement party had wound down to a small group, Castle and Beckett sat at a table, enjoying their friends and coworkers.

Beckett looked at her husband, smiling back at him. Then she noticed a smirking look on his face.

"What?" Beckett snarked. "You have an all knowing grin on your face."

"Yes, I do."

"Well?"

"Your hair," Castle answered.

"My hair?"

"Yes, your hair," Castle smirked.

"What about my hair?" Beckett asked.

"I recognize the bun," Castle said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"What about my bun?"

"It's the same as when you pulled your birthday surprise on me," Castle continued smugly.

"What about it?" Beckett asked.

His grin growing, Castle continued, "I told you I'd get you back. And I did."

"You did, did you," Beckett snarked. "How?"

"Look around you," Castle smiled.

"What? My retirement party?" Beckett asked dumbfounded.

"No, not that," Castle answered. "Look again … closer."

She looked around her and saw her children talking with various friends and extended family members. Lily sharing secrets with her big sister and Mary Grace. Jake talking with his uncles, Javi and Kevin. Reese and her father, Jim looking at something on their phones.

Thinking for a moment, then she understood. He had said that the surprise was "the greatest birthday gift of his life." She looked at her husband and smiled. Yes, he had got her back. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.

"You're right. You did give me the greatest gift of my life. Actually many gifts. Our children. A happy and loving marriage. Something I never expected even then. Although I had hoped that one day it would be this way."

Kissing her back, he replied, "And you gave me an even greater gift than that. Actually we've given each other a greater gift than that. Our time together. That is my most precious possession, Kate. The gift you've given me. And you know, nothing. Not any of the near death experiences, the missed opportunities, the struggles, none of that detracts from the gifts we've given each other. It makes them even better."

"Thank you, Castle."

"Thank YOU, Beckett."

A/N: I just watched the 100th episode, 'The Lives of Others' on my DVR and it inspired the last vignette. Also, I just saw a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" and it inspired me to do this Coltrane song. The lyrics have been on my hard drive for a while.

In some respects, as a metaphor, I can see Beckett and Castle singing this song to each other. In fact, it could be argued that most loving couples could sing this song to each other. Beckett brought it up talking to Alexis in 'Room 147' about being in 'the love haze' and thinking their partner is wonderful or beautiful.

Anyway, thanks for reading, reviewing and following!