29. Cemetery!Cuddles – Kate decides it's time for Castle to "meet" Johanna. (Requested by Doug/castle-fan-379)

*CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR VERITAS*


"Can we make a stop on the way home?" she asked him suddenly. She was listing into his side, exhausted, his arm around her all but holding her upright as they walked down the bustling sidewalk towards her cruiser. Bracken had been transferred safely, his arrest processed, and IA satisfied. For the first time, she was able to walk with her guard down, knowing that the son of a bitch behind her mother's murder and her own shooting was finally behind bars.

"Anything you need, Kate," he replied softly, and she stopped him in his tracks so that she could wind her arms around his neck and press her lips softly against his.

"I want to go see my Mom," she explained breathlessly.


Half an hour later, she was leading him by the hand, winding her way between the graves along a route long since burned into her memory, until she stopped before the one bearing her mother's name.

She released his hand as she approached, gently caressing the cold granite with the tips of her fingers. An overwhelming ache filled her. In spite of all of today's victories, her mother was still dead. Perhaps now, though, she could rest in peace?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the welcome pressure of his hands slipping around her waist from behind, gently drawing her into his chest. Letting out a puff of air, she relaxed back into his embrace, allowing his arms to hold her up as he had done for longer than he knew.

"Vincit Omnia Veritas," he murmured, his voice rumbling through his chest and into her back, a comforting vibration.

She closed her eyes to soak in the moment, and when she opened them, tears streaked down her cheeks.

"Hey, Mom. This is Castle. I'm marrying him in two weeks." Even through her exhaustion, she smiled as she spoke. How many times had she stood here and ranted about the man now holding her? Then her tears started in earnest. "The reason why we came today is... Mom, we got him. We got Bracken. I arrested him today. And it was all thanks to you. I exposed the truth that you died for, Mom. And I know... I know it doesn't bring you back. But maybe now it wasn't all in vain? It wasn't for nothing." Her voice cracked as she spoke, and as her words became sobs, Castle turned her in his arms so that she was nestled against his chest, his sapphire shirt turning navy where her tears soaked through, his arms warm and heavy and comforting, smelling of him. Of her future. Of home.

He held her as she cried herself out. Her heaving sobs subsided into just the occasional hitch of breath before he spoke, addressing the tombstone, his voice deep. She closed her eyes and allowed his voice to wash over her.

"Mrs. Beckett, I never knew you. Everything I know about you comes from stories that Kate or Jim have told me, and if you were even half the woman they described, you must have been amazing. I just wanted you to know that your daughter takes after you in every way. She is beyond incredible. She's truly remarkable, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in love with her. If you were still here with us, if you could have seen what she accomplished today, you would have been bursting with pride. She not only completed your work, but she did it in a way that honors justice – in spite of having had more than one opportunity to just end things the easy way. I'm still in awe of the fact that she's chosen me to spend the rest of her life with, and I promise you, I'm going to treasure her for the rest of my days."

Kate's face had been buried in his collar throughout his speech, hiding the blush that was creeping over her face at her fiance's words, but now she lifted up on tiptoes to kiss him again and again. Her smile was full of love when she finally pulled away, joy shining through her tears.

"Take me home, Castle."


Thoughts?