Jim Beckett's Wedding Toast
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: Can't I just say I don't own any of this just once and be done with it? No? Okay. Rating: K Time: At Caskett's wedding.
"Katie, you know that I'm here for two people, myself and your mom. She would have been so happy today, as am I." Jim had to stop to wipe away a tear. "You all know what happened to Katie's mom and what happened to Katie. I had to watch my beautiful daughter, who had been so full of life, joy and happiness turn into a desperately unhappy woman whose only solace in life, whose only goal in life, was to convict killers. For ten years Katie was the saddest person I knew. Sometimes I thought my heart would break seeing the little girl I loved so much living in such misery. Every once in a while she'd meet someone and I'd think she'd finally come out of her shell. Each time I was wrong and I almost gave up that Katie would ever find any happiness in her life"
Jim looked at each and every person at the wedding reception before his gaze settled on Rick. "But she did meet someone. She met her favorite author and he helped her solve a case. Rick, I'm afraid she wasn't very complimentary to you at the start."
There was a short whispered conversation between Rick and Kate.
"But then, when I'd meet my Katie, she'd start talking about Castle: His crazy theories that would drive her mad, the odd, seemingly meaningless, things in a case that he'd pick up on that would be the solution to the case, and the funny things that Castle said to her. I actually would see her laugh. I watched and I worried about the two of them. I could always tell how the relationship was going by how Katie felt. But Katie was starting to be the woman she had been before her mother was murdered. Rick Castle made her happy. And he made me happy, as well." Jim chuckled. "Although when I Googled you, Rick, I wasn't at all sure you were right for my Katie. Was I ever wrong."
"I can't tell you how happy I was when Rick and Katie became a couple and I had never seen Katie so happy as the day she brought Rick to see me to tell me that they were getting married."
"Today I look at my daughter and see the woman she was meant to be, filled with joy, love of life and the knowledge that her future will be filled with happiness with the man she loves. So, a toast, to Richard Castle, for the rest of my life I will thank you for giving me back my daughter. I will love you both…Always."