Ryan and Jenny arrived around 4 in the afternoon, and they started out by toasting to Rick and Kate's engagement. Cocktails on the beach (and a Shirley Temple for Alexis, who refused even a sip of champagne, as always) was the perfect way to kick off the weekend. Jenny and Alexis were chatting about bridesmaids dresses and Rick was setting up the beach volleyball net when Ryan pulled Kate into the kitchen.

"Kate, can we talk for a second?"

"Sure, Ryan, what's up?," Kate asked worriedly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "You sound a little upset."

"Well, I just wanted to talk about… your, um, pregnancy scare? I wanted to make sure you're okay."

Kate bit her lip and looked at her feet, smoothing her peacock blue Calypso tunic and black linen shorts.

"How did you know?," she whispered, avoiding eye contact. Ryan put his hand on her shoulder.

"Castle let it slip by accident… he was just so worried abut you, you know? You're everything to him. And he and I were talking about the idea of me and Jenny having a kid."

Kate nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was pretty freaked out. I mean, our job is hard."

"Right?," Ryan said, looking slightly relived. "I want to be a good father, but I don't know how to balance being a cop and being a parent. People say it comes naturally, but I just don't know…"

"Yeah, that's what I've been thinking!," Kate exclaimed. "How do we do both, when they are equally challenging in their own ways?"

"You know what, Kate?," Ryan asked, a cute grin creeping across his face. "I think if anyone can do it, we can." He took her hand and raised their hands in the air in a bit of a fist pump.

Kate grinned. "Maybe you're right. But it's too soon for me, Rick and I aren't even married yet. You, on the other hand…."

Ryan smiled bashfully. "I think Jenny and I have to have a talk… you know she's always wanted to be a mom?"

"She deserves it," Kate said happily, swinging their hands as they walked back outside to join the party. Rick greeted them with a smile and a margarita in each hand. He handed them each a drink and took put his arm around Kate as Ryan walked over to Jenny. Ryan kissed Jenny on the cheek and put his arms around her, winking at Kate.

"So," Alexis said, tossing a volleyball at Rick. He fumbled and it almost hit him in the face, but at the last second Kate caught it. "Who wants to play beach volleyball?"

Ryan, Jenny, Kate, and Rick leapt up and ran over to the volleyball net. They played girls vs. boys until everyone was hungry for dinner, and then Rick and Ryan grilled steaks and chicken. The five of them sat on the patio, eating and joking and laughing until it got dark outside, at which point they retired to the den to watch 'Crazy, Stupid Love.'

Rick kissed Kate's hair. "You know, you're a lot hotter than Emma Stone," he whispered. Kate smiled.

"And you're almost as cute as Ryan Gosling, baby."

Castle let out a quiet mock-gasp. "Kate Beckett, I never…."

She giggled and kissed him to shut him up. "Just kidding, sweetheart."

Rick smiled and pulled her to her feet, quietly walking her out of the room. Ryan looked confused, but Castle just waved it off.

"Rick, what's going on?," Kate asked as Rick led her down the hall and out into the foyer. They sat on the stairs and Rick held both of her hands in his.

"Kate, I think I've found the perfect place to have our wedding," he said, smiling happily. Kate looked excited and intrigued.

"Where?"

"What would you say to a beachside wedding, here?"

Kate grinned, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. "Oh, Rick, that's perfect," she said, still holding his face in her hands. "We don't have to worry about booking a venue, and we can have a truly special wedding."

Rick grinned and leaned his forehead against Kate's. "Yes, we can. I can't wait for March."

Kate kissed him again. "Me neither."

xxxx

They had been back in the city for 2 weeks, and wedding planning was already well underway. This particular morning, the Castle loft was very hectic. Wedding magazines, resumes, and brochures were strewn across the kitchen table, and Kate was running late for work. She grabbed a bagel off of the kitchen counter and placed a kiss on Rick's cheek.

"I might not be home until 10, so don't wait up, okay?," she said with her mouth full.

Rick nodded. "Okay. I'll text you after my talk with the florist, and I'm meeting with 3 different caterers this afternoon. I love you."

Kate smiled and replied, "Love you too, honey," with a mouthful of bagel. She grabbed her navy blue peacoat and closed the door, running for the elevator.

"It is so stressful! I don't know how you did a cleanse the week before your wedding!," Kate exclaimed, sitting down next to Ryan three hours later with a large mug of coffee. He just chuckled and took a bite of a donut.

"Yep, it drives you crazy," he said. "Now you can feel my pain."

Kate groaned."Ughh. You sound a little too happy about this."

Esposito laughed. "This is why I'm never getting married."

Kate raised her eyebrows at him. "Better not say that in front of Lanie."

Ryan nodded in agreement and Espo glared at both of them. He grabbed a donut and walked out of the breakroom, chewing furiously. Kate just sighed and put her head on the table.

"Ahhhhhhh."

Ryan laughed once more and stood up, touching his hand to Kate's shoulder before leaving the room. She groaned once more and pulled herself up from the table, practically dragging herself to her desk.

"Focus, Kate," she whispered to herself. She flipped through the current case file on her desk and started to write a report, channeling all of her energy into doing the best work she could.

Her phone buzzed and she snatched it off her desk, opening the new text message from Rick.

Rick: Found a simple, non-fussy caterer I think you will like. Brought home some samples for you. Florist update: pink roses or more beachy flowers, like hibiscus? We worked out 2 different "floral groups" (whatever the hell those are). Anyway, we'll talk more later. Have a great day, baby.

Kate smiled and replied:

Kate: Sounds good. I'll look at the flowers later, and you have good food taste, so I think we're good. Ughhh I'm so bored here! Never though I'd say that…

Rick: Say you're sick. Your voice did sound a little raspy this morning, and I heard you cough in your sleep….

Kate: Hmm, really? ;)

Rick: Yup. Make a run for it!

Kate: LOL

Kate picked up her coat and went into Sir Gates's office. She knocked on the door timidly.

"Um, Sir?"

"Yes, Detective Beckett?"

"I'm not feeling all that well…." She said slowly. "And I'd hate to get anyone else sick."

Gates looked up from her desk and sighed. "Alright, go home and get your rest."

"Thank you, sir, "Kate said as respectfully as she could muster, leaving the office before Gates caught onto her act.

When she slipped through the front door of the loft, Rick came running like an excited puppy.

"Hey!"

He picked her up in his arms, twirling her around before placing a kiss on her lips. She laughed.

"Hey, you don't want to kiss a sick person," she joked. He waved it off.

"Nah, it's okay. I got my vaccines and shots."

They kissed for a while longer before snuggling on the couch in front of the first season on White Collar on Netflix. Kate sighed as she snuggled against Rick's chest.

"Let's just pretend the stress of planning this wedding isn't on our shoulders for the next few hours."

Rick nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry, time will fly by. We'll be saying "I do" before you know it."

Kate smiled at that idea, and then hit play. Rick was smiling too, thinking about how much he loved Kate and how he couldn't wait for the rest of their lives to start.

xxxx

Time was flying by, all right. It was the end of January, and Kate, Alexis and Lanie had an appointment at the Saks 5th Avenue Bridal Salon. Kate had already looked at a few places for a gown, but hadn't found the right one yet.

"Hello, my name is Kate Beckett, I have a 10:30 appointment," Kate said to the girl at the Bridal Salon desk, who nodded and went to get a saleslady. Kate bit her lip. She had tried to dress as nicely as possible, in a gray trenchcoat, high-heeled boots, and a sleek black silk tunic over jeans. Being more of a Nordstrom and Gap girl herself, she didn't frequent department stores like Saks on a regular basis.

"This is so exciting!," Alexis whispered to her, looking around at the racks of beautiful gowns. Her enthusiasm, like her support, was unwavering. Lanie nodded.

"Hello, I'm Tess, and I'll be your bridal consultant for today," said a pretty blonde woman in her mid-thirties, holding her hand out. Kate shook it and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Kate."

"Hello, Kate." Tess had a warm smile that Kate already liked. "And is this your bridal party?"

"Part of it," Kate said, turning to Alexis and Lanie. "This is my stepdaughter – well, almost – Alexis, and my best friend, Lanie."

Madison was away at a family gathering, so Kate had promised that if they found bridesmaids dresses, she would text Maddie pictures. Jenny was at the doctor's office with Ryan, finding out the sex of their baby. She has announced she was pregnant at Thanksgiving, and Kate had almost squeezed the life out of Ryan when she hugged him. She was so happy for them, and excited to be an aunt. Jenny had told Kate to get whatever dresses she liked, and that they would figure out alterations later. She didn't want Kate to have yet another thing to worry about, and Kate appreciated that. The Ryans were joining Rick, Kate, and Alexis for dinner that night, so she would tell Jenny about the dress shopping then.

"Great. Let me show you to a couch, and we can start talking about what kind of dress you want."

They sat down, and as a group established that it needed to be a simple, non-fussy dress, since the wedding was happening on the beach. Kate didn't want long sleeves or a high neck, but she didn't want to show too much skin either. They also vetoed layers of tulle and crystals, as well as a train.

"Okay, Kate, now that you know what you want, I'll pull some dresses for you and you can try them on in the fitting room right around the corner."

Kate nodded and turned to Alexis and Lanie. She took a deep breath.

"Okay, here goes nothing."

Alexis smiled and Lanie laughed.

"Girl, what are you so nervous about? You've tried on a few dresses already, you know how this goes."

"I know," Kate said, chewing on her bottom lip. "I just… I want to find the perfect dress, and I... I don't know. I guess I'm just nervous."

"It's okay," Alexis reassured her, placing her hand on Kate's. "You have us."

Kate smiled and stood up, slipping off her coat and walking to the dressing room. She sat down on the white satin stool in the corner of the room and waited for Tess to come with the gowns.

She tried on a Vera Wang dress with a ball gown skirt that was decidedly too poufy, an Elie Saab that was beautiful but too intricate, and a Calvin Klein that was just a bit too simple before she found one she really loved.

Kate stood in front of the large 3-way mirror, on a small platform. She took in her reflection for a moment, then turned around to face Tess, Lanie, and Alexis.

"What do you think?"

It was a J. Mendel gown that had a bit of a summery, maxidress feel. The skirt didn't pouf out, it glided down her body perfectly. It was sort of a tank dress on top, with a white lace part that stopped just under her collarbone. If you were to imagine the perfect dress to wear to a beach wedding, this was it.

"Oh, Kate," Alexis breathed, her eyes shining. "You look…. Amazing."

Lanie nodded in agreement. "You look beautiful, sweetie."

Kate blushed. "Really?"

Tess nodded too. "That dress looks perfect on you, Kate. I've seen quite a few people try on that same style in the last 2 years since we got it, and I have to say you honestly look the best."

Kate grinned. "Really?"

"I believe it," Alexis said firmly, still smiling. "You look like a goddess. Dad will love it."

Kate winked at Alexis. "We will have soo much fun torturing him until March."

Tess laughed. "I take it your fiancé is impatient?"

"Oh, he is like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush," Kate said with a laugh. "It will kill him knowing he can't see the dress until the wedding. He doesn't like to do what's he told, or wait."

Tess smiled. "Well, we usually keep the dresses here until a week before the wedding anyway. It fits you perfectly, so I don't think we need to do any alterations. However, we will need to find the right pair of shoes so we don't have to hem it. I'll go look for some now, both short and high heels."

Kate smiled. "Thanks."

She turned again to stare at herself in the mirror, smoothing the skirt of the gown. She even did a little twirl, smiling happily as her shiny brown blown-out hair spun with the skirt of her dress. Alexis and Lanie clapped, and she just grinned at them.

"I think I'm in love," she said, sitting down next to them on the couch carefully. "Don't tell Rick."

Lanie held up three fingers. "Scout's honor."

"All we need to do now is find the bridesmaids dresses!," Kate said cheerfully.

"Oh, that reminds me!," Alexis exclaimed, pulling her pink Rebecca Minkoff purse into her lap . She pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it.

"I saw there really cute and simple dresses online last night while shopping for some stuff for my dorm room. I know you like purple, so…" She trailed off and handed the paper to Kate.

The dress came in two different purples: a lilac and a darker plum color. It was a simple, satin strapless dress with a thin silver belt at the waist and a pretty bodice. Kate smiled and hugged Alexis to her side.

"These are so pretty, Alexis! They will be perfect. Maybe we can get you the lilac and Lanie, Madison, and Jenny the plum color…"

Tess came back with four or five shoe boxes in her hands. She put them down on the floor next to Kate and peered at the piece of paper.

"Those are so pretty! Sophisticated and fun. Are they the bridesmaid dresses?"

"Yes," Kate said, smiling warmly at Alexis. "Alexis found them online. We just have to figure out a way to tailor the dress for one of my bridesmaids, Jenny. She will be about 5 months pregnant by the time the wedding rolls around."

Tess waved her hand. "Easy. She can come in with you for your second dress fitting in a few weeks and we'll do the tailoring."

"Wow, thank you," Kate said, shocked. "This is great."

"My pleasure, Kate," Tess said. "Now, let's get the shoes chosen, and then you're done!"

After settling on a pair of simple white peep-toe Louboutin sling-backs, they left the store, with a second fitting for Kate with Jenny scheduled in 3 weeks. Kate, Lanie, and Alexis went out for a late lunch, and then Alexis went back to her dorm to prep for a late afternoon class, and Lanie returned to the morgue, promising Kate they would get drinks soon.

Now Kate was alone, and she just wanted to enjoy it for a while. She went to Central Park and sat on one on the benches under the eaves across from the Bethesda Fountain. The park was eerily quiet on cold, snowy days like this one, and Kate enjoyed the silence. The stared at the white blanket of snow covering the fountain and the ground around it, thinking of the wedding. Tomorrow, it would be exactly 2 months until March 9.

Kate wasn't the type of girl who made a fuss over small things, like the perfect napkin color or the style of chair people sat in. She knew Rick just wanted to make the day perfect for her, but all she really wanted for this wedding besides it to go smoothly was her mom. Johanna would have been so thrilled to see her daughter get married, and Kate wished with all her heart that her mom could be there, smiling at her from the front row. But at least she had her dad to give her away, and part of her still believed Johanna was watching, from wherever she was.

Kate had a lot of memories with her mom at the Bethesda Fountain. However, instead of dwelling on the past, she stood up and grabbed a stick from the ground under a tree near the steps. She wrote "Johanna Beckett" in the clean, pure white snow with the stick before tossing it back into the bushes.

"I love you, mom," she whispered, smiling softly at the name written in the snow. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck and turned, walking up the steps and heading home.

I hope you guys liked that ending! Review & let me know if thought it was too cheesy.

I don't know how much of the stuff about the Saks Bridal Salon is accurate, except the fact that it exists. The wedding dress I described is real, it is a J. Mendel bridal dress that I believe is from 2010. And the bridesmaids' dresses are the "Time of My Life" dress from Modcloth (Alexis's is in the lilac colorway, and the others are mulberry).