Kate clutched the letter she had written for him, the one she didn't send, because he was here, well rather, on his way here, back to her. She was wearing her best dress, to come greet her author at the dock. She had watched everyday in the newspapers to make sure his ship was safe, unlike hers had been. She still had nightmares about that night, and despite her mother's facade, she knew that the older woman did as well, but what survivors didn't. Recently she was awoken in the early hours of the morning by dreaming of her fiance's ship going down, with him aboard it, saving a woman and her child, by sacrificing himself, as her father had done. And now here she stands on the dock, with the members of other families, awaiting the arrival of their loved ones.
She was now seventeen weeks along, and unless you knew her, no one would ever guess that she was with a child. Lanie had her suspicions, considering Kate's wardrobe change, slightly. Kate was only worried that Rick would notice the difference before she even had the chance to tell him, he always knew her, she still felt that sometimes he knew her better than she knew herself. She couldn't wait to see his reaction to the confession. She could barely contain her excitement, the woman beside her couldn't either.
Johanna held her daughter's hand as they stood in wait for the people that would be welcomed to the free country. The older woman's hand had started becoming numb as the younger one clutched it like a lifeline, leaving a not so pleasant tingling sensation trailing up her fingers, through her veins, past her wrist, and further up her arm. Johanna was more than happy to finally see Richard again, and his mother, Martha, she was quite the actress. Martha and Johanna had formed a bond as Rick and Kate began to grow closer together over the years, it only took them four years to finally admit their feelings for the other, both Martha and Johanna had seen the relationship from the start, back when Kate wouldn't be caught dead with a "ladies man" as Richard Rodgers, or now more known to the public as Richard Castle, his pseudonym, despite the obvious attraction to the older man. The mothers would exchange the stories that they would hear from their children about the "annoying striving writer" or "gorgeous daughter of a lawyer". Rick, thankfully, never gave up on Kate. He knew she was the one, he had told his mother on more than one occasion. Since the couple announced their engagement, the mothers had already started planning a perfect wedding.
The mother and daughter stood for what felt like an eternity before the doors opened and people began to slowly file out. Kate began to bounce, her height already giving her an advantage, to look for her fiance through the swarm of people leaving to find their family or a place to go. Finally she saw him, his eyes were scanning, looking for her.
"Rick!" She called. He turned, only searching for a moment when his gaze finally landed on hers and their eyes locked. She didn't even feel the hand of her mother being pulled from her tight grasp as she lunged forward, everyone seemed to vanish. She dodged people as she ran, her sights set on him and only him. The only anchor to the rest of the world around her was the letter she still clutched in her hand. He had his bags at his feet and moving quickly toward her. Their bodies collided in a much more graceful way than anyone could have imagined. Her arms wrapping around his waist, his around her shoulders. She needed to feel him hold her close, she would have time to kiss him later, but she needed the familiarity and comfort of his chin resting on the crown of her head and his arms keeping her safe from the outside world. Time and people didn't take any notice to the reunited couple, all but two mothers, who stood in awe of the young lovers. They had been holding each other for long enough for their to be a clear path, as more and more people had left.
"Hey Blue Eyes." She whispered as she pulled back, but not yet detangling her arms from around his middle, and looked up into his ocean blue eyes.
"Hello Love." He muttered, his soft blue gaze not once leaving her green, as he lowered himself to her, their noses brushing. Her eyes slid closed of their own accord, her mind and body missing this, him being close. "I missed you." It was a whisper against her lips, before he finally kissed her, slowly, not deepening more than necessary, as both their mothers were still watching.
"I missed you too." She lets escape between kisses. After hearing a loud cough, more than likely from her mother. Kate pulled her face up, to rest her forehead against his. "This is for you." She pulled one arm from around his waist and showed him the letter. He reached out to pluck it from her grasp, but before he could she jerked it away. "No reading until I say so. Agree, or no letter." She bargained with him.
"Agreed." He promised as she handed him the envelope. Pulling her arms from around his waist, she reached for his hand. He looked down, a small smile and took her small, almost fragile hand into his larger one. He pulled her body to his, not wanting to be separated as they were finally back together. She tucked her head beside his shoulder as they took their first steps back to their awaiting family.
"I have some exciting news for you." She sighed happily into him.