Anonymous asked: Hi cathey hope ur well. I was hoping u could write a quick fic! That pic that u just reblogged of Nathan on the beach, could u write a fic of that picture but with Castle and Beckett on vacation and Beckett takes that photo? Thanks!

Hi Anon! I apologize for making you wait so long for this ficlet, but I hope you like it! - Previously posted on my tumblr. Apologies for waiting to cross-post.

The Lucky One

Inspired by this photo (bunysliper tumblr slash post slash 137528289511)

Set any time after 7x06

She is so damn lucky.

It isn't a new mantra, not a new thought by any means, but sometimes she's still struck by how fortunate she is in this life. To have all of this, after everything she's been through – everything they've been through – it's… it's a lot.

And it is amazing.

As is the man lounging at her side, his face turned toward the sun, lips turned up in a peaceful arc. She can't see behind his sunglasses, but judging by his even, deep breathing, she's certain he has dozed off. Kate doesn't blame him; the weather is mild and the resort is so quiet since they're here in middle of the off-season, it's easy to let sleepy contentment win.

She won't wake him. As much as she loves to hear the rumble of his voice, loves when he makes her laugh with a keen observation of their surroundings, she also loves when he finds peace beside her. And she'll do whatever she can to preserve that tranquility for him.

Including capturing a bit of it on digital film for them to look back on later when life takes them down another twisted, bumpy road.

Her fingers curl around the slim case of her phone, opening the camera app with practiced ease. She's taken a number of photos on this trip, wanting to remember the sunsets and the crisp aqua of the sea, but she hasn't taken nearly enough of her husband by himself, though she knows he's been sneaking pictures of her the whole time.

Castle doesn't even stir at the soft shutter sound, encouraging her to frame a second shot, to capture another angle of his face, the emerging freckles on his shoulder. He's going to need more sunscreen soon, she notices; his skin has started to pinken and the last thing she wants is for him to hurt in a few hours.

She'll take care of that once she captures a few more lazy, soft shots of this man.

It's only when she takes what she's decided will be the final picture that she notices his lips twitching, and registers the curl of his fingers at her knee.

"Faker," Kate mumbles, making sure to get a photo of his blooming smile before tossing the phone onto the cushion beside her.

Her husband chuckles, flattening his palm against her thigh. "Had you going for a little while, though," he rumbles.

"And to think I was planning to reapply your sunscreen for you," she says, meeting his lean halfway, her fingertips skimming his jaw as their lips meet in quiet amusement.

Castle hums against her mouth, his thumb sliding in a delicate arc over her skin, bringing her to life with the simple touch. Kate presses closer, joining him on his chair, unabashedly eager for him to open to her, for the slide of his tongue over her lips, the tug of his hand in her hair and around her hip.

"Lucky me," he says when they part, brushing his nose over hers. Offering her lips to him once more, she can only give her head a little shake.

Without a doubt, she's the lucky one here.