November 24, 2017

The day after Thanksgiving and the airport is bustling with visitors flying back to their normal lives. Kate sits in the terminal with Rick and Lily, waiting for their flight to Paris. Lily is bouncing on Kate's knee while Castle absentmindedly sends emails to his publisher, humming along to the music blasting out of his headphones—Kate always warns him he will go deaf if he keeps it up.

Rick senses Kate's anxiety and gives her knee a squeeze. Lily looks back to Rick and waves to him with a smile. Rick laughs at her and leans forward to kiss her cheek. "We are going to go on an airplane," Castle tells her clearly as he points to the large jet just outside the window.

Lily turns toward the window but seems unamused and leans on her mother's chest. "I think she's confused," Kate whispers, kissing Lily's head.

Kate sighs and rubs Lily's back absentmindedly. She scans the airport. A college-aged kid staring at his phone. A older couple holding hands. A family with four boys, both parents frantically trying to keep the kids calm. Out of the corner of her eye, Kate notices a familiar figure and she does a double take. "Shit," Kate whispers as she sinks down a fraction of an inch. Lily looks at her mother in confusion.

Castle follows Kate's gaze to a tall man that he knows all too well. "Josh Davidson!" Castle shouts as he waves Josh over. Kate smacks her husband's chest.

"Cast—," Kate starts.

It's too late, Josh is already approaching them with a half grin and both hands in his pockets. He's wearing a t-shirt that says VOLUNTEER MEDIC on the front so Kate assumes he was out saving the world again.

"Katie!" he says with a wave. "Richard Castle," he adds with a nod.

"Hello," Kate says shyly.

"How are you Josh, saving the world I expect?" Rick asks, his voice lined with contempt. Kate notices Josh's eyes land on Lily and then on Castle's wedding band.

"Uh, I just flew in from Haiti," Josh responds, scratching the back of his head. Kate notices he doesn't wear a wedding ring and he looks more ragged than he had when they dated. He was still handsome, but a look in his eyes told Beckett he was lost somewhere inside of himself. She'd seen it in workaholics over the years. Beckett wonders what she would have become without Castle. Would she be just as lost and married to her job as Josh was? In a lot of ways, Josh reminded Kate of who she was trying to break free from. He was never the type of guy that was interested in settling. He never did love stability. Josh was kind, but he was never fully attentive.

"And who is this?" Josh asks, motioning to Lily, clearly changing the subject.

Kate clears her throat and Lily peeks around to see Josh. "This is our daughter, Lily," Castle says, emphasizing the our.

"She's beautiful, I'm uh, happy for you guys," he compliments. "I, have a ride waiting for me," he adds, clearly wanting to exit the situation.

"Yeah, it was nice seeing you," Kate responds.

"You too, see you Kate, Lily—Rick," Josh utters as he turns to go.

Rick starts to turn to Kate when Josh turns back around. "We all knew it would be you two in the end...she really is beautiful," Josh utters before he promptly walks away without a response.

"Bye-bye!" Lily shouts in Josh's direction. Suddenly, her wariness of Josh gone away. Lily turns to her mother and gives her a confused look.

"That was awkward," Kate says with a sigh.

"It was nice to see him," Castle retorts as a smile grows on his face.

"Castle, you can't be serious. You practically sat there, staking your claim over me. I saw you wave your wedding ring around," Kate retorts.

Castle shrugs but doesn't deny it. Kate looks at Lily and rolls her eyes at her daughter. "Men," she sighs.

Lily smiles as if she understood what her mother said. Kate laughs and tickles Lily's tummy.

Josh Davidson knew, even when they were dating, Kate kept herself guarded. At first, he thought it was because of her past. Her mother. Her career. While that was certainly apart of her wall, Josh knew now that Kate was so guarded from him because she was in love with Castle. It was always Castle. He saw their connection at the precinct. He saw it the day she got shot and Castle acted like someone mortally wounded him. Josh saw it over and over but decided not to pay attention.

Now, Josh realizes that didn't ever lose Kate, she was already found.