A/N: So hi guys! Sorry I took forever to update this. Anyway, here we are, at the end. I honestly didn't think I would make it this far when I first started this story, but you guys made it possible. This is mostly a fluffy chapter, and I am unsure of how it turned out, but here you have it. Don't worry; there's going to be a definite side sequel focused on a single character that the end of this chapter kind of foreshadows for my friend. I can also do a traditional sequel using these characters, but again, that's only if you guys really want one. I'll be writing that sometime soon, so look out for it. If you guys want me to write anything else, I am open to suggestions and will gladly write it for you guys.
I'll wrap this author's note soon so you can read the story. I dedicate this story to first my friends, whom some of the non-show characters are based on, for their continued encouragement of this story. And I dedicate it to you, my readers, for giving this story a chance and sticking through it till the end. Without you guys, this story would have died a long time ago. Until next time, my friends. :)
Epilogue
The aftermath of the events in Rome went a little like this:
Kate stayed with Castle most of the time while he was still in the hospital and then after he was released. Through the many weeks of his recovery, they grew even closer than they were before. Naturally, everyone was happy for them finally seeing what was right in front of them. Kate stayed at the loft while he was still recovering and still spent most of her time there than at her own apartment.
The Beckett family slowly started repairing themselves, getting to know each other again and catching Johanna up with what she'd missed. Johanna originally grilled Castle about his intentions towards her daughter, but they too got along well.
Rebecca moved to the United States to stay closer to her family and Lance, staying at Kate's apartment. She instantly bonded with Kate, the two quickly fitting into the roles of sister. However, she constantly argued with cousin, Holly, Kate serving as the peace keeper when they had family dinners.
Alexis was fairing okay with the occasional nightmare about her time in the warehouse. Martha was being…well Martha. As for Castle's father, he monitored his son's recovery before saying his goodbyes. He was a CIA agent after all, and he wasn't supposed to have family or relationships. He did promise that he'd see them again someday, maybe long enough to answer some questions Castle had. He asked Kate to take care of Rick for him before taking his leave.
Danny McCall, however, stayed in New York. Over the months after Jade's funeral, he and Alexis bonded. They grew close, and Danny chose to stay with her and decline the offer of a position as a CIA agent. He applied for the police academy and now worked as a cop at the 12th. That way he could be with Alexis and still use his training to help people. Castle begrudgingly approved of the relationship, mostly because Kate kept him from going all super protective dad mode. She, however, did let him grill Danny when Alexis started dating him as a compromise.
Agents Lena Baggins and Jenni Salinas eventually did go back to Boston with promises to stay in touch. They helped Kate and her team tie up all the loose ends of the case for the trial. Salinas and Castle were the ones to cheer everyone up during that time, bring a little light to the darkness.
Kate kept an eye on Ruby, the young millionaire still grieving the loss of her closest friend. Despite being super smart, she was still a kid. Ruby kept Jade's home in perfect condition, visiting it whenever she could spare the time. Sometimes Kate would join her, learning a little more about the girl who gave her life for hers.
As for Bracken…well let's just say he's going away for a long time.
It's been a week since his trial, and things have pretty much gone back to normal. Castle and Beckett were alone at the loft tonight, Martha spending the evening with some friends and Alexis in college. Castle was pouring some of her favorite wine, dinner almost done cooking. Kate was sitting on the couch, staring out the window at the skyline, lost in thought.
"What's troubling that pretty head of yours?" he asked softly, sitting down next to her and offering her a wine glass. She smiled and thanked him, taking a sip, "Nothing…"
"Must be something if it's bothering you," he pointed out, carefully placing their dinner on the coffee table. He set his own wine glass on the table before wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head, "Tell me…"
She relaxed into his embrace, toying with her wine glass. "Is this about the case?" he asked softly.
She reluctantly nodded. "It's just for so long this case has defined me, driven me. Now it's solved, and I don't know who I am without it…"
"You're who you've always been, Kate. A beautiful, smart, sexy, maddening, challenging, extraordinary detective who strives for justice," he said softly.
"I just feel…different," she said. "Because you are. You finally reached your goal, and naturally you need to figure out who you are without the case looming over your head. Once you figured that out, you find a new goal and strive for that."
She nodded, seeming to agree with what he was saying. She stayed silent for a moment, taking the time to think.
It was Castle who broke the silence. He kissed the top of her head before saying softly, "Let's eat dinner now, and then we can watch a movie or something if you want to."
She nodded and disentangled herself from his embrace. She reached for one of the plates on the coffee table and some utensils before relaxing back into the couch. She still sat next to him but gave him a little room to eat.
Dinner went by with the usual banter, Castle trying his best to make her smile and/or laugh. She agreed to the movie idea, and he let her choose this time even though it was his turn. He excused himself, saying he needed to use the bathroom.
Naturally he really didn't need to use the bathroom. Instead, he stayed in the bedroom and opened his closet. He quietly searched through the contents before finding the shoebox he needed. He had to make sure it was well hidden so she wouldn't find it since they were practically living together. He pulled out the object he needed and put it in his pocket, returning everything back to its original place.
He did go into the bathroom to flush the toilet, still keeping up the charade, and washed his hands. He took a moment to take a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. He finally exited the bathroom, slowly making his way back to Kate.
"Hey," Kate smiled when she saw him, oblivious to his nervous state. "Hey," he said, offering a smile, trying to act normal.
"You okay?" she asked. She's known him long enough to know when something was bothering him. "Yeah, fine," he said, sitting down next to her.
She eyed him suspiciously but said nothing. "What movie are we watching?" he asked, changing the subject. "The Notebook," she smiled.
He nodded and started playing the movie. Unfortunately for him, Kate had already made the popcorn, taking away a few minutes to try to further settle his nerves. Kate cuddled up next to him, placing the popcorn bowl in his lap.
They watched the movie in comfortable silence, curled up next to each other. He liked the distraction of it, but as the movie drew to a close, he grew nervous again.
"Okay, what's wrong?" Kate asked softly when the movie was over. "Nothing, what could possibly be wrong?" he said.
"Castle, something is bothering you. You get fidgety when something is bothering you. Tell me," she coaxed softly.
He paused for a moment, setting the empty popcorn bowl on the coffee table. He turned to face her, taking her hands in his.
"Kate…I forget what I was going to say…I had a speech and everything…" he said nervously. "Rick, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" she asked, picking up on his nervousness.
He took another moment to try to come up with the words before meeting her concerned eyes. He took a shaky breath before he began speaking.
"Kate…We've known each other for a while now. We've drove each other crazy and eventually fell in love. You became my best friend, and I became your partner. You made me become a better man, and for that, I am forever grateful. Despite all the odds and obstacles the universe has thrown at us, we're still here. I love you, Kate, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. So…"
He paused and pulled out the object from his pocket. He got down on one knee in front of her and held up a ring. "Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?" he finished, his hand shaking a little as he held up the ring.
Kate had definitely not expected him to propose. So that's why he seemed so nervous… After the initial shock wore off, she realized that she needed to answer him. "Yes," she said, offering him a small smile.
"Really?" he asked softly. She nodded and grinned, "Yes, I will marry you."
He grinned and slipped the ring on her finger before pulling her into a passionate kiss. She smiled and pulled back a little after a moment. "I have never seen you that nervous…"
"This was the most serious thing I've ever done in my life, so yes, I was nervous," he admitted. She kissed him again at that, smiling. "I love you," she mumbled.
"I love you, too, future Mrs. Castle," he smiled. "Who says I'm taking your name?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
"Well, I kind of assumed….you don't have to if you don't want to…" he rambled nervously.
She laughed and said, "You are so adorable when you're nervous. We'll talk about it later. Right now, I want to consummate our engagement."
"Sounds like a good plan," he smiled, getting up and pulling her up with him. "Oh and one more thing," Kate said. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"This is my new goal," she whispered. He smiled lovingly and kissed her softly. "It's mine too," he said softly before taking her hand and slowly leading her to the bedroom.
And so concludes the tale of Alexis Castle's kidnapping and the series of events that took place because of it. Some were sad and painful, like the unfortunate deaths of Jade Castillo and Jenna Rose (Audrey Beckett). Some were good and happy, like Johanna Beckett finally rejoining her family again and of course Castle and Beckett finally getting together. Both types of events marked a new beginning for all involved, a new chapter of their stories where there was one less thing to worry about.
But like most things, this peace and happiness will not last forever. There was something else brewing that is going to impact them greatly. Because we can't end the party when the real fun is about to begin…
END
