"You look gorgeous!" Lanie exclaimed. They had both gone for a fitting for their dresses, as Kate's had needed to be shortened.

"You really think?" Kate asked her, staring self consciously at herself in the mirror.

"Kate, there has never been a more beautiful bride."

Kate smiled at her friend's compliments, and ran a hand over the silky white material. Her dress was had thin spaghetti straps going over her tanned shoulders. It was white with a slightly grey flower pattern that covered the straps and wound its way down to about half way down the dress. The white material that covered her breasts was bunched in an artistic way. Her dress was long enough that it dragged on the floor, and the bottom was silky material. It too was bunched, but she looked like a vision in it. On her head Kate a small silver tiara that looped in complicated rings. A long gauzy veil floated down from it, and ended an inch or so above her feet. Lanie had also insisted on putting on the jewelry that was chosen for the occasion, claiming that she wanted to see the 'finished piece'. Kate had on silver bangles, three on each arm, a silver locket was around her neck, settling in the hollow at her throat.

"Let's get you out of that, so we can check on my dress and then we'll go see if your fiancé has figured out what to do with that tux we gave him."

Kate grinned at Lanie, it had become a joke between them ever since Kate had found out that Martha still had to show Rick how to put on a tux. "Mommy's not here to help him now." She laughed. Carefully the two women slid off Kate's jewelry, tiara, veil and maneuvered her out of the dress that never seemed to end. Kate felt more at home in her jeans and T-shirt with her gun and badge. Lanie quickly tried on the icy blue dress they had chosen for her. It was a floor length gown that had shimmering sparkles on the top, the fell into triangles just past her hips. The dress was sleeveless and came with a matching choker.

"You look great, Lanie," Kate said, fastening the choker.

"Yeah, I'm a troll compared to you." Lanie complained, though she admired herself in the dress.

"No, you're not."

"Let's not argue even though we know I'm right," Lanie said with the air of a person who is making a great sacrifice.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go see if Rick has strangled himself yet." Kate said, as Lanie hung up her dress. Lanie, herself, was laughing on the inside. A few months ago if Lanie had said that, Kate would have said, "Let's hope!" And have been done with it. It was sweet that Kate had changed her mind about Rick.

Kate, noticed that Lanie was not following her, turned around and with the true air of a detective said, "If you are thinking about how a few months ago I would have wanted strangle Rick, then I don't know what I'm going to do." Lanie threw Kate a pretend scowl. How did Kate always seem to guess what she was thinking?

The two girls made their way to the back of the store where the great Richard Castle was trussed up like a Christmas turkey. The two had no idea how he did it. They could understand his difficulty with the bow tie, but with the rest? Pants, leaving underwear on, as Martha had said to tell him, a dress shirt with buttons, a jacket, really, how could one man do that to himself with simple articles of clothing? Rick's dress shirt was on backwards, half of the buttons done up, his dress pants on his head, with one arm through a pant leg, and his jacket was on one foot, the other foot had a red flip flop on it, while he wore only Bart Simpsons boxers on his lower half, apart from the foot in the jacket. The bow tie was no where to be seen, but they didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Lanie was sniggering, Kate could only stare at him in disbelief, arms crossed, eyebrows raised in the classic Kate Beckett way. Rick was staring at himself in the mirror and didn't notice his fiancé and her Maid Of Honor right away. Soon he heard Lanie's giggle, and Kate clear her throat. He turned around, a sheepish grin on his face. He looked down at himself, then at Kate, who looked amused, but also like she was waiting for an explanation. "I can explain this." He insisted.

Kate's eyebrows went higher, though Rick hadn't thought that it was possible. "Oh really?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes!" He defended himself. "They attacked me!" Lanie, still half laughing, smacked her forehead, shaking her head, her laughs getting louder.

"Where are your street clothes? We need to get back soon, you still need to drive Alexis to her party remember?" Kate asked, although her eyebrows had gone down and she was laughing silently. Rick was momentarily lost in her eyes.

"Castle." She snapped.

He giggled. Kate still called him 'Castle' rather than Rick sometimes. Old habits were hard to break, though he never called her 'Beckett.' "I must have left them in my other pants." Rick let a grin take over his face.

"Rick. They are your other pants." Kate turned to her friend. "Hunt down the clothes. I'm going to try to untangle him." Lanie cast a last look at Rick, before leaving them.

Kate sighed. "Where did you get that flip flop?" She pulled the aforementioned flip flop off his foot. Rick didn't even bother with an answer because he honestly had no idea. Kate then pulled the jacket off his leg. She pulled his pants off of his head, carefully guiding his arm out of the leg. She unbuttoned the buttons of his dress shirt, and slid it off of him. Rick Castle, the great Rick Castle, was now naked except for his Bart Simpson boxers. "Where is the bow tie?" Kate asked.

Rick looked around, and seeing no one else he turned to her. "You're asking me?"

"Yes, what did you do to your bow tie?"

Rick shrugged. "I dunno."

Lanie returned at that moment. "I do." She held out Rick's clothes, neatly folded and tied in a bundle with the bow tie.

Kate took them from Lanie and handed them to Rick. In a few moments he had changed and they were on their way out. As they parted ways, Lanie called that she would call Kate later, and Rick linked arms with Kate. She laughed as he attempted to skip down the sidewalks of New York with her hanging off his arm.

"Let's have fun!" He whined.

Kate shook her head. "I have a better idea."

"Better than skipping?" Rick was skeptical.

"I say we go home, you drive Alexis to her sleep over, and then we have the night alone because your mother is out of town until tomorrow night."

Rick thought about it. Skipping was fun, but being alone with Kate was more fun. "Fine. We'll go with your idea." He pouted. "But we have to make ice-cream sundaes!"

Kate laughed. Rick was such a child sometimes, but she needed more fun, and he was fun. "Okay, we're out of whip cream, so pick some up on your way back from dropping off Alexis."

"Yes ma'am." Rick gave her a mock salute before opening the door for her. Kate stepped in, smiling up at him. He was smiling down at her until they both heard:

"RICKY!"

Wow. Seducing the groom is a popular choice. Well, it will come later in the story. I do not own Castle, or The Simpsons who are also mentioned in this chapter. I am looking for a beta if anyone is interested. Also, ideas are much appreciated.

Kate's dress (remember to take out the spaces) http:// www. / pictures/ Cheri% 20Gown% 20Mon% 20Wedding 2002. jpg

Lanie's dress (take out spaces) http:// www. / images/D /F01-0010. JPG