Epilogue

The world has a darkness no one dares to seek... it's full of cruelty and hatred. Shadows so thick, holes so deep, there would be no thought of finding your way out. Because for some. There is no way. The shadows have a mind of their own. Hungry. Searching for those too far gone. Lost in their ways and hopeless. It found Cecily Gilmore. Stole into her life and ate at her broken soul like a dark entity. Feeding off her defeat.

And she let it. Let it consume her in it's darkness while it fed her lies and false hope. It's sole purpose was meant to tare her down till all there was left was remorse. The thing the shadows live off of. Drove her to do something she didn't know was so wrong. She didn't mean it. She was just too lost. So when the time came to convict poor Cecily of kidnapping Alexander James Castle... Katherine Beckett- Castle made a decision. She knows what it's like to be a mother. To feel for another human being so deeply, and with so much love. Does she know what it's like to lose a child. Suffer as Cecily did? No. But she knows what it's like to lose a mother. It's nearly the same. And like Cecily Gilmore. Kate Beckett let in the darkness. Embraced it.

What do we do with the broken? The truly lost who only want to be found? We certainly don't put them in jail for their cruel misfortunes.

Kate sits on her their bench in the park, pondering the world and it's mysterious ways. It's motives. The sun is high in the sky. It's warmth enveloping her in it's embrace. And she smiles. Against all she knows, all she's been through. Kate smiles.

The world may try it's damnedest to bring us down. Hold us in it's harsh devastating grasp, until we feel as though we have nothing left to give. Some of us give up. To the point were we breathe our last breath and hope to the sky, whosoever up there, that the life we have been leading was worth it. That we lived it the way we were meant. Through the ups and downs. Hopefully it was filled with more happiness than sorrow. That we got handed us a fair amount of good over the bad.

But then there are those of us. Like the Castle's. Where it's not the black and white logic of the world that blinded them from the shadows of gray. They know it all too well. Have lived through many a fog to their point where the light couldn't shine through no matter how hard they tried. But they never gave up. They saw through the darkness of lost souls and anger... And stepped into the light of Innocence. It's the innocence that we try to hold onto for as long as possible. It's as though nothing can touch you there.

Her hair bounces around in chestnut brown curls. Her laughter filling their souls to the brim. Their cups runneth over. And it's those eyes, searching them out, asking for permission to live, that keeps that smile on Kate's face. The eyes of her children. Blue and Green. Their innocent hearts and untainted minds. Cherish it, she thinks. For as long as possible. And if life gets hard, Fight. Because if she's learned anything in this harsh world. There is nothing more pure than the lives she's created. It's in their smiles. How they light up her and her families life. With just the small cork of their lips. It's in their little bodies that embrace her and Rick when they need it most, or just because. It's in the moments shared, and moments past.

It's two years later, and Kate and Rick Castle, spend the day at the park with their children... The first time they have brought little Johanna Katharine Castle, to play with her older brother on the playground. He's been chattering on about it all week. Asking when can they bring Hannah to play? And it's only been in the past year and a half that he's been completely comfortable back in the park. The traumatizing event of his kidnapping will never be forgotten. But just like his parents. Xander is a fighter. He doesn't let the fear keep him from living his life.

Kate's eyes drift to the lone tree at the corner of the playground. It stands alone now. Absent of that poor broken women who fought so hard for her son who had passed away. Kate understands the woman. She had given Cecily the only thing she could to help her cope. A break. Instead of a jail sentence. Cecily was sent to a psychiatric facility to help with her depression and her slip from reality. And jail would have only torn her apart more. Perhaps even killed her. No. Kate thought she deserved that chance to live again.

An arm warps around Kate's shoulder. Bringing her back to the present. She looks beside her, seeing her Husband holding little Hannah on his lap. Bouncing her up and down on his knee. Her soft little giggles rise a warmth in her, and she can't help but reach out and caressing her daughters cheek with her finger. Rick stops bouncing their little green eyed girl, and leans into his wife's shoulder. Kissing her on the lips briefly before standing up. Hannah slides off his knees, her tiny feet hitting the ground beneath her with an almost inaudible sound.

Kate smiles so wide at the sight of Richard Castle standing with his large hand enveloping their daughters. He calls Xander over. The blue eyed boy, his hair shaggy over his forehead, bounds over, taking his other hand. The three stand with their backs to Kate. Ricks head inclines to his little ones and he's talking to them excitedly. Kate pulls out her camera. She brought it for this special occasion. And snaps a picture of her family, her heart swells to a size she didn't think was possible.

"Ready to play, Hannah?" Rick asks, crouching onto his knees in front of the mirror image of Kate.

"Are you?" Xander asks his sister, hopping in his uncontainable excitement.

Beautiful baby Hannah nods her head, biting her lip, and looking out at the other kids.

"Okay then." Rick says. He takes both her hands in his, kissing them, which makes her giggle, and then pulls Xander close. He puts Hannah's small hand into Xander's slightly bigger one. "You keep her close okay?" He tells the nearly seven year old.

Xander smiles, looking down at his baby sister, his blue eyes shining into her green. "Always."

Acknowledgments: I would first like to thank my Beta Jasperwright. And my good friend Jerryst316 for their help with parts of this story. I would also like to thank all you readers who have added me or my story to their Favorites/Alerts. And those of you who have reviewed. I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it :D I am truly Grateful.

Always