Stand by Me
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: By Request. Picks up where Better Part of Valor ends. Please read that before beginning this fic. We see the changes to the lives of a number of our favorite characters, including a few weddings, and other life events. This is for Kim, AKA txgal2015, another of my loyal readers I appreciate so much.
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.
Also, we take MANY liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events from other Canon episodes to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.
Chapter 2
3:49 PM, Same Day
12th Precinct NYPD
/_/
Rick almost felt sorry for Gina, almost. She had played for the big jackpot and come up empty, and now she was facing something she hated more than anything, loss of her vaulted title and position at Black Pawn Publishing. She really was a great editor, a business manager not so much, but he felt a sense of obligation to Black Pawn, going back to Gina's sister's days, Georgie, who was now happily married in Ireland.
He called his investment attorney and had him connect on the conference line the only man he trusted, Walter Austin, his personal attorney since Paula had introduced him several years ago. A quick discussion on the background and it was a known fact that Paul Cowell, the owner of Black Pawn, was indeed shopping it for sale on the market. His attempt to hide the potential insolvency had been discovered early by a group doing due diligence, and for now, no one was going to risk buying him out. Rick asked what his top figure could be, based on his accumulated wealth, not considering any funds he had invested for the care of his mother, daughter, and the education expenses he knew were coming. He got his figure which was almost twice what he thought it would be, now, again, he wanted to talk to Kate.
She may be a girlfriend in the title, well to anyone who wasn't in the inner circle, they even attempted to live full time in one home. Currently, they split time between her apartment and the Loft, depending on Martha's touring schedule. Kate loved the woman, but a locked door was almost like a flashing invite for her, and that was one deal-breaker, she needed her privacy.
Rick had offered to build a new place, someplace for just the two of them now, and if, well when kids came, there would be plenty of room. She remembered the sweet way he tried to tell her, that he was open to an expanded family, that and the day he made her his wife.
FLASHBACK Two Weeks
They had just spent the entire weekend in the Four Seasons Hotel, not in New York, but in the Bahamas, once Bracken had been securely transferred to the Federal Prison pending all of his lawyer's legal maneuvering.
He had been so sweet, he had the shop where Alexis and Martha got their clothes to provide her with a complete wardrobe for a three-day stay, hell they even got the underwear correct, she still wondered how he did that, but it was waiting for her in the Penthouse he rented for her and him.
"When I told you, I wanted our first place to be special, I hoped you wouldn't think that I didn't want you. God, that was hard not to give in, but this, well hopefully this will be the memory you go to when you are sad. When things upset you, just know how much love is in this room, in this our first weekend together, and know no one could ever love you more."
She cried, no one had ever been so romantic with her, ever. She loved him, hell she had loved him since she read his first book from her mom, never thinking once in her life that she would be here with him. He held her gently, massaged her back, and laid her gently on the bed for the start of many hours of total bliss. She had been with men before and thought she had been pleased, but Rick showed her new heights of passion she could never have imagined.
When they had completed their first session, well multiple session she was laying with her head on his chest, listening to his heart when he said all of a sudden,
"God, Kate, I'm sorry, I'm such an ass. I never asked if you were on protection, I mean"
She reached up, pulled his head down, and kissed him gently at first, then said,
"Would it upset you if I told you I wanted kids, I mean you've already done this once before"
"Do you Kate, because if you do, nothing would please me more. I love Alexis, but she's grown, she doesn't need me anymore. I would love to see a little Kate, or a little Ricky running around a place with a yard and plenty of room for a dog, maybe even a horse if they wanted"
"You would?
"Yes, I would, the only condition is that you are my wife first. I was raised without a dad, and I never want my kid not to know who I am, no matter what. I'm committing Kate, if we have kids, we do it as Mr. and Mrs. Castle." He said, a tear forming in one eye
"Well, I guess you better hurry up and ask me to marry you because I want a baby with you more than anything. I want to see you be the remarkable Dad you were to Alexis with our kids, that is if you want them."
Rick was on his phone, which puzzled Kate, who would he be calling at such an intimate moment? She heard him say,
"Walt, Kate, and I are getting married Monday, contact the local registrar's office and provide proof they require of my birth, previous marriages, and divorces, and Kate's birth certificate. If you have any problems, call me back, I want to return to New York with my wife.
She looked up at him, "You're serious, you want to marry me just like that?" she asked with her voice cracking,
"Yes, I thought we could have a bash once we're back in New York and allow our friends to visit, but I don't want to waste another day, with you not being my wife" this time she did cry, so hard in fact she missed Rick retrieving something from his luggage, and waiting patiently on one knee,
"Kate, I talked to your Dad before we left, I have his permission, so now I have to ask, Will you marry me Katherine Houghton Beckett?" she caught her breath, she couldn't believe her eyes at such a beautiful ring, very similar to her Mom's, as Rick waited patiently, she realized she hadn't answered him,
"Yes, yes I will marry you, Richard Rogers Castle, I love you with all of my heart." He placed the ring on her tiny finger and even though it was big, it wasn't gaudy. He knew that until she was ready to announce it formally, she would need to keep the ring around her neck while at work.
They started practicing the honeymoon early, and the weekend sped by so fast. The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch, thanks to Rick's attorney and they even made their original flight back to New York. What a weekend, one she would never forget, she played with her wedding band, still having doubts from time to time what just happened. It had to be a dream, a wonderful dream that she was going to wake up from any moment.
She was dreaming of course, but her head was against her husband's chest as they flew home, she gently breathing in and out and Rick captivated by every little movement his wife made. Whoever wrote the line memories are made of these, certainly knew about life and the precious little moments we often miss.
XxX
The chimes sounded that the pilot had begun his descent into JFK, Rick hated to but he had to wake his wife to buckle her seatbelt and raise her tray table.
"Kate, sweetie, wake up beautiful, we're almost home, you have to buckle up" she stirred, opened her eyes, she was staring into his deep blue orbits as her hand immediately went to her ring finger, and felt her wedding band.
"It wasn't a dream Rick, this really happened? I mean it was a dream, but it's reality?" She inquired as he smiled his smile for her,
"Well, you left New York a Beckett, welcome home as Mrs. Castle if that answers your question, yes Kate, we're married." Rick smiled as he leaned in and kissed his wife.
"Rick, who do we tell, I mean I"
"Relax, we don't tell anyone but the family and the lawyers we will be meeting with to get your name on many legal documents." Rick smiled, his soft understanding smile,
She was still walking on air when Rick called the family meeting to tell Alexis and Martha the news, the comments shocked Kate, in a good way."
"Well, Richard, I'm glad you got off your dufus and showed this young lady how you felt, she's a catch I thought you were going to lose" Martha huffed, as she hugged Kate, Rick stood silently, knowing now his fate when Martha would intervene, asked or not
"Yeah Dad, I'm glad you didn't blow it, Welcome to the family Kate, I know we don't know each other very well, but I want to get to know everything about you, that is if"
Kate pulled the young lady into a hug, "Alexis, nothing would please me more, and I want to learn all about you, all I've got to go on is this one's opinion" she smiled,
"Well, now that Kate is Mrs. Castle there are a few changes, effective immediately. Mother, you are forbidden from entering my office, or bedroom area, EVER, for ANY REASON. You have intruded on Kate and my privacy enough; we were forced to spend nights you were at the loft at her apartment just to get the privacy we needed. IF you don't honor this, I will have a moving truck here, and you will be the newest addition to Piney Ridge Retirement Home, am I clear?"
"My word Richard you act as if my accidental interruptions were planned,"
"They were Mother, but no more, choose your life here, or in Piney Ridge, your choice but you will NOT meddle into my life with my wife again, are we clear?"
"We're clear Richard, but I really taught you better manners than to openly address issues such as this in front of the entire family," Martha whined,
"Well, sorry you feel that way, but if you had learned to mind your business when I had told you the first hundred times it wouldn't have come to this. Also, Alexis, I know you look upon Gina as your Mom, I'm very happy you do, BUT I don't want her business brought into this house or vice versa. So, if you spend time with her, no information on what's going on here, and I promise you I won't ask about things over there, OK?" He asked in a much softer tone
"Of course, Dad, you know I don't say anything, but it's good we got that out in front of Kate. As I said, I want to get to know her better, and there's plenty of room to love two moms if it grows into that" she smiled,
Kate blushed, but just reached out and hugged the young lady.
"OK, so I think that's it, Kate do you want to say anything since this is your first Castle family meeting as Mrs. Castle," Rick asked
"Only that, I know it seems fast to some, but when you love someone, why wait and I want to spend every day I have left on this earth with my husband and new family. We still have to tell my Dad, and then there's work, but things will work out." Kate said as she now had one arm around Alexis, one around Rick. Martha was still smarting from her well-deserved, and long overdue dressing down for her nosiness.
"Babe, about work, please don't be mad, but I called Bob and he gave you the rest of the week off if you want it, I mean the trial is just getting started, I thought you and I could finally check out the Hamptons, just you and me" he smiled,
"Well, did he talk to the Commissioner, and who's going"
"Yes, and Roz is acting Captain until you return, so now can you relax, we need to go see your Dad, but I think he's expecting this" Rick smiled,
"OK, let me call him and see if he'll meet us for lunch, then we can come home and get ready for the Hamptons if that's OK with you?" she asked,
"Sounds great, I'll just dump the dirty clothes into the washer so we can be ready as soon as we get back, Alexis can you do me a"
"Already heard you Dad, I'll put them in the dryer, and change the settings to cool, you'll shrink Kates, good clothes she scolded" as Kate looked at Rick and just smiled, it couldn't have gone any better for the first meeting.
XxX
A few hours later and they were in front of George's Diner, it didn't look like much but it was her Dad's favorite spot, where they met for brunch often, something that would now be including Rick. As they walked in, they couldn't miss the smile on Jim Beckett's face, he stood hugged his daughter, then pulled Rick into a bro hug and said softly so only he could hear, "Welcome to the family son," and sat down with that smile still on his face.
They talked about the light things, weather, baseball, how the Yankees were going to do until Jim finally coaxed Kate into revealing her new marital status,
"Katie, I know you're a private person, Jo, was just like that, but sometimes it's good to tell old Dad what's going on, if anything is, I mean." He laughed as he saw her face give him the tell she was holding back,
She pulled her wedding ring from the chain around her neck, and said proudly, "Well, Dad, my last name isn't Beckett anymore and Mom is probably bragging that her son-in-law is also her favorite author up there."
She smiled, then chastised him, "Rick told me he asked your permission, so don't put on like this is a surprise to you. I know people say it's quick but when it's right, Dad, I just know so be happy for us, please?"
"Oh Katie, I'm over the moon, first he got you to settle down at the job, and then helped get justice for Jo, now he's the son that I could have only hoped for, he even asked for your hand before you left. I've seen men nervous, before but he was shaking like a leaf." Jim smiled as Rick returned the smile easily.
"Well, Jim, I'm just hoping that someday some young man will think enough of the family bonds he will do the same for me when I know Alexis is going to ride off with some stranger, I'm in no hurry she's still my little girl,"
"Rick, Babe, she's not a little girl, she's a young woman about to enter college, and, well you need to brace yourself; she's already got a steady boyfriend." Kate broke the news to him gently,
"What? No, I'm the cool Dad, she would have told me, I mean I'm still the cook Dad, aren't I?" he asked for anyone in general,
"Son, let me tell you, this one, pointing to Kate, dated a boy that smelled like wet flannel mixed with cigarette smoke, why? Just to piss me off because I lost my cook dad status with her when I said no to her Harley. Well, you know she has one right, wonder how that happened, all dads lose that status Rick, it's part of life." Jim said,
Kate reached up and kissed his cheek, whispering, "We can still try for a second run if you still want to" and his eyes brightened immediately.
"So, who knows about this new development, I mean besides our family, does work know?" Jim asked as Kate's face turned to shock and horror, thinking oh my God, they're not going to let Rick work with me anymore.
"I called Bob, and he cleared it through the commissioner, the only restriction, I can't kiss my wife, or show any sign of PDA until we are at least one block from the precinct and not on official business, other than that he's fine with it," Rick said and the smile returned to Kate's face.
"Babe, when did you talk to Mr. Mayor?" she asked,
"When you were taking your shower the first night. I told him we were away for the weekend, he asked was it the cheap version of our honeymoon, since he already knew how much I loved you. I said yes, we were away for the weekend, so he told me had already warned Boyle that he knew me and I couldn't leave you alone, there was too much love in my eyes for you.
"They agreed as long as the PDA was kept out of work, I could still help you, that is if you want me to," Rick said, thinking for the first time perhaps his wife wouldn't want him around all day.
"Of course, I want you to be with me, you're the reason Bracken is going to jail, and well, I don't think I can be away from you that long, even if I can't kiss you," she said, forgetting for the moment that her Dad was present, he cleared his throat,
"Well, Katie, I see you have it as bad as I did for you mother, I'm happy, truly happy. Just do your old dad a favor, please?" he asked
"What favor Dad?" Kate asked puzzled,
"Don't hang on to a job that keeps you two from enjoying every day together, life is short, no matter how long we live, so make every moment count" Jim said, he went to pay the check but found out his son-in-law, that was going to take some getting used to, had already paid.
"Rick you can't pay every time we go somewhere, it's not right. I'm not rich, but"
"Well Jim, your daughter is, I thought you supported her for almost twenty years, it's time we paid it back" he smiled, and Jim knew he wasn't going to win that argument.
They left, promising to call soon and to make brunch a calendar item, as Kate took her husband's arm.
"I love you, Richard Castle, I don't know what the heck I was so afraid of, you've made my life, Dad's, hell all of our lives better, and we've only been married three days." She smiled,
"Were you serious about me working with you Kate? I have an idea that we need to discuss about the next book, and I'll fill you in on what's going on with Black Pawn when we get home. Have you ever considered being a muse for a bestselling writer?"
"No, can't say that I have, then again, I never thought I would be married to one either, so I'd love to hear the book idea. I know you have to work with Gina, I also know that she really raked you over the coals during your divorce, so I'm trying not to poke her eyes out every time I see her. So, let's get home I want to hear your idea, but I want you to hold me as we talk, OK? It's our safe spot, as long as I'm laying with my head against your chest or your head in my lap, nothing can bother us, nothing."
She closed her eyes, and the sweet memory of the last two weeks was over and it was back to,
Present Time
TBC