Good morning everybody! I hope you're all doing well!

So I hope you guys like this chapter as much, if not better. It's a bit heavier than the last pages of fluff, but I think it works. I've been wanting to write this chapter since chapter 8, way back when, and it has been pushed back several times. I'm glad it did though, because now I feel like the timing is right.

So without further ado, I still don't own anything, and happy reading!

Chapter 25

It was a beautiful Sunday in May. The window was open and there was even a bird on the ledge right outside. It was pigeon, but hell it's New York City, what else would it be?

Rick held Kate in his naked arms and watched his beauty sleep.

Today was going to be a big day. She didn't know it yet, but it was. If all went well, she'd let him tear down a couple more walls and advance their relationship a little farther.

He kissed her head before creeping out of bed to get dressed and fix breakfast for two out of three of his favorite women. Today would be the first Mother's Day without Alexis home. It was bittersweet. He wasn't her mom, but her mom was almost never there, so many years it had been just the two of them, and then recently his mother too. When Alexis was little, they still made a big thing out of the day, even joking that he was her "Man-mom", but as she grew older, it just kinda faded into another day. And Martha had never been much into the holiday either, stating that if Hallmark needed to remind him to appreciate her, not to bother, but she still never turned away the homemade breakfast or bouquet of flowers that he routinely gave her.

But this year, Alexis' absence wasn't the only new element for their holiday. He had Kate now, and he knew instinctively this would be a hard day for her. He didn't want to take any of the importance of the day from her, but he did hope to take some of the pain away. To make this a day of celebrating life, not mourning it.

Thirty minutes later, armed with a tray loaded with banana chocolate chip waffles, sausage, OJ, coffee, and a vase of lilies, Rick headed to his mother's room, knocked on the door and waited. When Martha told him to come in, he did, placed the tray across her lap, wished her a Happy Mother's Day with a kiss, and waited for her to open the gift that he had in his back pocket. Martha loved the charm bracelet that he and Alexis had picked out several weeks earlier for her! She immediately put in on and then shooed him out the door. After all, according to her, she looked frightful and that just wouldn't do. Then she thanked him for everything and told him she'd see him in a couple hours!

Rick chuckled. Some people might have been offended if their mothers were that abrupt with them, especially on Mother's Day, but that was just Martha Rogers, and he loved her and all her quirks.

Back down to the kitchen, Castle loaded another tray with hot plates of food, cups of coffee and a vase of purple and white tulips. He headed back up the stairs again, but his time to his own room.

After quietly closing the door behind him with his foot, Rick called to Kate who turned over and moaned, but didn't open her eyes.

"Katie, Honey, wake up. I've got breakfast for you."

Between Rick's voice and the scent of fresh coffee, Kate woke up enough to focus on the man in front of her.

"Breakfast in bed and flowers? What's the occasion?" Kate scooted up against the headboard, allowing him to places the tray over her lap.

"It's Mother's Day."

Kate's eyes snapped to Rick. A look of pain flashed over her features before she could conceal them.

"Shouldn't you be doing this for Martha? I'm not a mom."

Rick walked around the bed and crawled in next to her, taking her hand in his. "My mother is taken care of. She has her food, flowers and gift, and now we'll be lucky to see her before noon. But the reason I'm doing this for you is three fold. You deserve this more than half of the women out there walking around claiming to be moms and not living up to the title. For one, you may not be Alexis' biological mother, but in so many ways over the last few months, you've slowly started playing a motherly role in her life, and we're all delighted in. She looks up to you so much. She told me herself that when she couldn't come home for the weekend, she was more disappointed in missing being here with you, than not seeing Meredith. I think it was hard to admit it, but I understand why she feels that way. Second, I know this day has to be hard for you. I know how much you miss your mom, and I want to help you celebrate her life. How she taught you to cook, and watched soap operas with you when you were sick, and quietly instilled your sense of justice and fighting for the underdog. I may have never met Johanna Beckett, but in some ways, through you, I feel like I knew her, and I know she was an amazing woman, because I know you and you are an amazing woman."

Kate squeezed Rick hand tightly. Two rogue tears escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"And the third reason reason I wanted to do this for you today, was... well I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds here, but was because of Hope."

A pained gasp, escaped from Kate's throat. This wasn't exactly how he'd hoped this would go, but there was no turning back now, so he continued.

"I know you never even got to meet her, and that you carry a lot of pain and guilt concerning her, but she's another life worth celebrating. She may never have lived outside of you, but her memory lives on in you and in your heart. Not only did she save your life, she helped to make you the woman are today. And for that she's in my heart too."

Kate put the table on the night stand and flew into Rick's arms. She had no words. She didn't even have tears. She just clung to him. The dark clouds of her life so often tainted her judgment, making her feel so responsible for things that were out of her control, that she often felt too guilty to look for the silver linings. Yet this man had such an amazing ability to make her open her eyes and see them. Outside of the anniversary of her mother's death, Mother's Day was often the hardest day of the year for her. This year she'd been so happy with her life that she didn't even remember that the dreaded day was approaching, and now that it was here, it was still bittersweet, but not nearly as awful as the years before. How did he manage to do that?

Rick held Kate for a while, not sure if he should say anything else or not. Eventually she sat back and looked him in the eyes. "Thank you Rick. I don't know how you do it, but you make my life so much better, just by being you. This is definitely the best Mother's Day I've had since my mom..."

Kate didn't finish her sentence, but she didn't need to. He knew.

"Rick, every year I go to the cemetery, to put flowers on my mom's grave. I've never taken anyone with me, not even my Dad. But I don't want to go alone anymore. Will you come with me today?"

"You know I will."

"Thank you, again. For everything."

Rick planted a kiss in her hair and held her. The silence they shared wasn't heavy anymore, but almost comforting, like a favorite blanket. Minutes ticked by before Kate moved again. "So what delicious treats did you bring me this morning?"

She brought the tray back to her lap again and they shared the now somewhat cold, but delicious breakfast. While they ate, they shared happy stories about their moms and growing up. It was refreshing.

XXXXXXXXXXX

It was late in the afternoon by the time Kate and Rick arrived at the cemetery. After parking, they walked hand in up and down hilly paths and across the meticulously manicured lawn, to a shady area with several granite headstones. Even though it was hardly the happiest place on earth, it was undeniable a very beautiful location.

Kate hugged a bouquet of assorted flowers and colors, tightly to her chest, as they approached the stone that bared the Beckett name. When they were only a few paces away, she let go of Rick's hand and continued to her mother's grave. Sensing her need for privacy, Rick hung back and watched.

For a couple of minutes, Kate just stood in front of the grave. Her back was to Rick so he couldn't see that her eyes were closed, or the tears slipping down her face. But he could see the slight movement of her shoulders and hear the stifled sobs.

He wanted to take the hurt from her, wanted to wrap his arms around her and take her pain onto himself, but he knew he couldn't. She had to work through these emotions on her own. She knew he was there if she needed him.

When Kate knelt down to place the flowers, she stayed there a few more minutes, before standing up and returning to Rick.

There was a stone bench a few yards away, and in unspoken agreement, they went to it and sat down.

Castle wrapped an arm around Kate's shoulder, and she leaned into him.

"This is never easy, but it isn't as hard as it used to be. Having you with me, makes it more... bearable."

"I'm glad I could help."

"Sometimes I'm afraid I'm losing the memories of my mom. So much time has passed. It gets harder to remember the sound of her voice, or remember what she looked like. So when you told me this morning that you feel like you know her through me; I can't even begin to tell you how that makes me feel. It may be the nicest thing anyone has ever told me."

Rick shifted a bit so that he could look Kate in the eyes when her spoke to her.

"Kate, I want to give you something. I saw it the other day when I was shopping for my mom's gift, and when I saw it, I thought of you."

He reached into his pocket and removed something, but Kate couldn't tell what it was.

"I wanted to give this to you this morning, but it didn't feel like the right time. I hope you don't mind me giving it to you here and now though."

She looked down again to see if she could see what he was holding. Her breath caught in her throat. It looked like a jeweler's ring box.

Rick saw her face and squeezed her hand. "Don't look so scared. It's not what you think it is."

She began to breathe again. Relief swept over her, but surprisingly there was a hint of disappointment there too. She quickly pushed it aside and tried to focus on what Rick was saying to her.

"... so, I hope that you'll accept this and wear it." Rick opened the velvet box to reveal a platinum band. It wasn't an engagement ring, and it didn't look like one. There were no diamonds or stones, but it was still gorgeous.

Kate reached out and removed the ring from the box, studying the gift. It was three delicate platinum strips braided loosely at the top, and tighter toward the bottom, merging into one solid band. It was delicate but strong, very befitting of it's new owner.

"When I saw this, I thought of how much it was like you. The three strands are representative of you, your mom and Hope, intertwined to make one strong, unique, beautiful ring."

She was speechless as she looked from the ring to Rick and back to the ring again. That's when she noticed the engraving... "Never lose Hope."

Again tears filled her eyes, but these were different than any other tears she ever shed. Kate slid the band onto the ring finger of her right hand, and held it up for Rick to see. He looked relived.

Kate wanted to say something to him to let him know how much this meant to her; to tell him how wonderful he was and how he'd changed her life for the better. But everything that came to mind came up lacking. So her heart took over her mouth and did what her head couldn't.

"I love you!" she stated.

Had any strangers seen the exchange, they probably would have laughed from the matching looks of shock that temporarily paralyzed both Kate and Rick. But the shock didn't last and gave way to giant glowing smiles.

"I love you too, Kate. I have for a long time."

"I know. You show me every day." Kate leaned in to Rick and captured his lips with her own. He brought his hands up to her jaw and held her face in his hands. The kiss was long and slow and deep.

"Tell me again Kate." He said against her lips.

Happily she complied. " I love you Rick. I love you so much."