A/N Since there have been some questions about Martha's response to Castle marrying a pregnant Kate, let me clarify. Three things fed into the way I portrayed her reaction. One was Martha's obvious dislike for Meredith in Always Buy Retail. She clearly thought it was a mistake for Castle to marry her. The second was Martha's reaction to Raglan's shooting in Knockdown. She hated that Castle was in the line of fire. The third is what Martha told Jim in After Hours. When Castle is in the field playing cop, Martha lives in constant fear. Much as Martha may respect Kate as a woman of substance, she also knows that all the danger Castle has been in stemmed from being with Kate. Throughout the series, Martha has been protective of her son. She still is.
Love's Gift
Chapter 25
Castle could swear that Brian Haslip has as much control over the weather as he does over flower arrangements and the choice of table settings. The humidity typical of the tail end of a New York City summer has retreated, rendering the commemorative paper fans that have been provided for guests unnecessary except to combat the occasional hot flash. Castle has been segregated from Kate for the last hour, and it seems like an hour too long. Ryan and Esposito, serving as co-best men seem to be trying to keep him distracted with remembrances of the bachelor party at the Old Haunt. Their ramblings involve what happened when the two of them did a throwback rendition of Don't Go Breaking My Heart with Ryan playing Elton John and Espo as Kiki Dee. The two men agree that they would have pulled it off better after a couple more beers.
Castle silently muses over the lack of booze that will be available at the reception. The rules allowing alcohol only in designated picnic areas eliminated the need for any explanations about why the bride would not be drinking Champagne. They also simplified matters for Jim Beckett, who as father-of-the-bride, might be expected to deliver a toast. The drinks will be served in crystal wine glasses but contain nothing more intoxicating than bubbles.
Any lack of revelry associated with the buzz-less beverages will be more than compensated for by the opulence of the food. With the usual allowances for dietary restrictions, the succulent fowls, vegetables, and freshly baked breads will invoke the celebratory atmosphere of a feast in a medieval hall. The tantalizing array of desserts will accommodate everyone from dieters sticking to fresh fruits to an M.E. desperate for empty carbs after starving herself to present the perfect silhouette in her maid-of-honor dress.
Brian did have tips for Castle as to techniques for perfecting his tie, but at the moment it is undone to allow for the passage of as much air as he can draw into his lungs. With his new-found skill, he can fasten it again right before taking his place beneath the leaves and branches of the wedding arbor.
His mother is with Lanie and Kate. Her enthusiasm for Castle's marriage has increased as she's understood that the work Kate is doing now is unlikely to put Castle in the path of a bullet and that her future grandchild will be out of the range of fire as well.
When Castle retreated with the boys, a few members of the press had already made an appearance. A group of hard-core Castle groupies was also setting up mock nuptials at a picnic area. Castle suspects that the drinks there will have anything but a sobering effect.
Morty put on six extra operatives plus support staff for the day, including a woman working with the catering staff and a show of brawn to keep unwelcome visitors at bay. As yet, Morty hasn't reported any signs of trouble, but he's assured Castle that his people are on the alert.
The social media are also buzzing with detailed analyses - almost all of them entirely spurious - comparing Castle's marriages to Meredith and Gina to his marriage to Kate. There are even feature by feature comparisons of the faces and figures of the three women. Castle pictures fans running around with tape measures. He imagines Meredith would love it and Gina might put up with it for PR purposes. Kate - even if she weren't pregnant - would avoid that kind of assault on her privacy at all costs. Most likely, the postings are just created out of whole cloth. He can't throw too many stones. In his time following Kate around, he crafted plenty of fantasies of his own. Brian comes to the door to give Castle his last exacting inspection and instructs him and the boys to take their places.
Mayor Weldon is standing at ready to perform the ceremony. Castle's two redheads are in the front row. He can't see Kate yet, but Lanie is ready to come down the aisle ahead of her. Frank Sinatra's rendition of "Always" floats over the assemblage as Lanie begins her slow walk over the white satin that covers the closely mown grass.
Castle strains to catch sight of Kate. She finally appears on the arm of Jim Beckett. Castle is sure that he's never seen a more beautiful sight in his life, as her father delivers Kate to Castle's side. Weldon unnecessarily informs the guests of the reason why they are assembled, before inviting the couple to make their vows.
Castle can hear an unaccustomed tremor in Kate's voice as she begins.
"Richard Edgar Castle, even before you knew me, I clung to the comfort of your words. They were there for me through grief and loss. They inspired me to pursue a path of seeking justice. When you became my partner and my friend, you cheered me through my pain and celebrated my victories. You were strong enough to tell me what I didn't want to hear but desperately needed to know. You were patient while I found my way. You are my support, my refuge, and my love. I want nothing more than to build a future with you at my side, always."
Lost in Kate's promise, Castle feels rather than sees her slip a ring on his finger. He's jolted when Weldon urges him to speak his answer to Kate.
"Katherine Houghton Beckett, from the moment you drew me from a meaningless circle of sycophancy, I knew my life was forever changed. You challenge me to look ever more deeply into life and perceive more truths than I imagined the world could hold. You are my light, my love, and the fulfillment of my dreams. I will cherish you, support you, and face whatever the future may bring for us, at your side, always."
Castle slides a slim band on Kate's slender finger and grasps both of her hands in his as Weldon intones his authority to pronounce them husband and wife. The applause of the crowd seems far away as Castle can feel only Kates body pressing against his and her kiss on his lips.
A shouted order from one of Morty's men for everyone to get down, penetrates Castle's haze. Members of the security squad are running toward something happening in a tree, visible at a distance. A sound Castle recognizes too well as the crack of a pistol burns through the air. A figure falls from a branch and another, taller one, jumps down after him and checks on the fallen man before running off and disappearing into a thick grove. Castle is too far away to tell for sure, but the fleeing form appears to resemble the image that briefly appeared in the glass of the freezer case when he was buying Alexis' ice cream. What he wonders is, was the mystery intruder there to kill Kate and Castle, or to keep them from being killed? And if he was there to protect them, who the hell is he?