Disclaimer: We do not own Castle.
Co-authored by HPFan1952 and JasmineBelle7. Cover art by the wonderfully talented HPFan1952.
"The Fire Eternal," she mumbled, reading the title.
"It's a metaphor- for everlasting love," he said, letting his gaze wander over her face.
-Chris D'Lacey, The Fire Eternal
Three
He straightened his tie and brushed the non-existent lint from his jacket. He had his press face on but inside his joy and excitement was overwhelming. He half expected to spontaneously combust. It was a relatively small affair, especially compared to his two previous lavish and frivolous weddings, their grandeur not managing to make up for the love that had been missing. This time their love filled any room, overpowering the senses. The press were numbered and though he was still determined to ignore them, he sculpted his features into a camera happy look. He stepped out of the back room and took his place at the front of the church, ready to face the crowd and his bride.
They read about themselves in the paper the next morning, the court case and the engagement. They got a full picture and a lengthy story.
"Is this what it is going to be like?" Kate wrinkled her nose over her steaming cup of coffee.
"It's a slow news day, look they are talking about the ducks in central park again, on the front page at that."
"Castle..."
"No...It's not going to be like this all the time. Most of the time we can make our own stories but once and a while they might snap a candid when there is no one else in town."
"I guess it comes with the package..." Kate took a big fortifying gulp.
"I'll do my best to minimize it Kate, I really will."
"I know..."
He lifted her chin with one finger, to bring her eyes to meet his own. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, just me, it's my job."
"I keep forgetting that you have a job ."
"Really?"
She shrugged getting up to rinse out her empty coffee mug. He stood up as well and came up behind her, planting a kiss at the nape of her neck. She shivered in response, and took her punishment gladly.
In the interrogation room later, Castle was the one asking questions and digging for information. Kate sat there apparently studying the suspect and twirling the shinning engagement ring around and around on her finger.
Castle dismissed the suspect and Kate followed her fiancé out. Sitting at her desk she continued to twirl the ring as she spoke. "I couldn't help but wonder if some piece of information would just pop out in there, I had that feeling. I used to always pay attention for some clue that might come out of nowhere..."
"Not following you honey."
"You know my mother's case. Sometimes other cases are related so I'm always listening and waiting for some new lead. I realised today, in there, that I didn't have to do that anymore and now I feel like there should be this hole where that expectation is missing. But there is no hole, this ring and what it stands for filled that hole..." She trailed off.
"And now you feel guilty."
He knew her so well; her heart swelled and glowed, "I don't know how I feel..."
"You've been under so much pressure for so long and now you are free Kate. Let yourself be happy and don't feel guilty about it. Don't even feel guilty for not feeling guilty."
Busted, she thought.
"You are free to do and have whatever you want."
"I want you."
He leaned forward, eyes sparkling.
A shadow loomed over the desk and Esposito spoke, "Hey, are we interrupting something."
They both glared up at their friends, "And if we say yes?" Castle muttered.
"Too bad, we need you to go check out this address."
"Fine," Kate said with reluctance, she and Castle were slowly but surely paying off the favours they owed due to the court case. She grabbed her keys and hooked a finger after Castle. "Let's go writer monkey."
The boys looked after them and Ryan asked, "So what are we going to do for the rest of the afternoon?"
"Baseball game on the big screen?" Esposito suggested with a glance at Gate's office.
"Done." They bumped fists and casually walked away.
"Soo…"
Kate pulled her attention away from where Castle stood by the door, ear glued to his phone as he spoke to his publicist about the article in the morning paper and the ground rules concerning her exposure in the media. She turned to face her friend across the autopsy table, curiosity written in the gaze staring back at her. "So…what?"
"So you two set a date yet?"
"Lanie," she quietly hissed.
"Don't you Lanie me. I'm just making sure you two are at least thinking about it," the M. E. said, pointing a sharp instrument in her direction. "You both are rather notorious for taking your sweet time." She narrowed her gaze. "And, I would prefer not being a 100 year old bride's maid."
"You called us about something you found," Kate responded trying to deflect the question with a straight forward statement of fact. Lanie stared back her arms slightly crossed, lips pursued into a look of 'I'm waiting.' Kate shifted her weight on her feet and steadfastly refused to respond. The M.E. drummed the fingers of her free hand on her opposite arm. Seconds ticked by. "We just got engaged last night, Lanie," she said, letting the rest of the answers settle in around the silence.
"Right, and there is no time like the present. Unless you would like to have matching grey hair with that white gown," Lanie started, unfolding her arms and pointing the medical tool at her a second time. She head towards the top of the table. "Weddings take time to plan," she continued, pulling back the sheet. "And, even though you two are practically a living breathing picture of happily ever after, you don't want to take forever to make it official."
"Make what official," Castle asked, coming up beside her, a hand slipping quietly around her to settle on her right hip. Kate leaned lightly against him, unable to completely hold back the smile forming across her lips or the warmth flooding her blood as she felt his thumb trace a path over the material of her cloths. She leaned a little further against him, and turned her attention to her friend as she began to outline her current findings concerning the case.