I hope everyone is enjoying reading this about as much as I enjoy writing it. This is the second chapter on my second story on this site.

Let me know what you think, I find it very inspirational to know what they readers think.

Be kind.

Disclaimer: Don't own Castle or any of its bits.


"Hey there," he was smiling at her with so much love in his eyes, "how's my lovely fiancé this morning?"

Not wanting to look like she had just emptied her stomach, she had brushed her teeth and showered. Walking out of the shower, she deciding against her own clothes, opting instead for a clean T-shirt and boxers of Ricks. She sure was glad that the case had closed the day before and she was free to stay home a little while longer before heading to the precinct to do paperwork.

She was still exhausted after an emotional day and a busy night.

"I'm great," she gave him a smile that stretched into a yawn, "just a little tired."

"When do you have to head back in to work?" He sounded as if he wished she didn't have to go at all.

"Not until later," She was still smiling, glancing down at her ring. "I wonder if this will interfere with them letting us work together." Her smile faltered, Gates might kick him out.

Should she keep the engagement a secret, what was the best way to keep the status quo at work? The smell of that food is making me hungry and nauseated at the same time. How is that possible?

"Earth to Kate," he waved his hands, even the spatula, "hey, what's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" He looked somewhat concerned, but visibly relaxed as she looked in his eyes.

"I was just wondering if telling everyone about our engagement is the best idea, "she didn't know what the right course of action was, what would not make Gates fire Castle. Rick looked crestfallen at the idea of not being able to share his blissful news with everyone.

"What if you just don't tell everybody," he began, "hear me out, what if you just wore the ring but didn't mention it first hand?"

"Babe, I work with a bunch of detectives." She sighed, "they will notice straight away."

"I say let them." He sounded like he had made up his mind, he wanted everyone to know – to be able to shout it from the rooftops. "I love you Kate, and I think everyone knows that already."

His logic was flawless, so she kissed him softly and said, "you win, I just need to call my dad before I do anything else." She had her phone to her ear and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey, dad."

"Hi, Katie." His voice was a bit groggy from sleep still so he cleared his throat before he continued. "Is everything all right, did something happen?" His voice conveyed so much love.

"Yeah dad, everything is fine, and something did happen." Kate smiled to herself, knowing that she would be having a similar conversation with her father in a couple of months. Telling him life altering news, but now she stuck with the most pressing. "Rick proposed to me yesterday, I'm engaged!"

Her father was not known to wear his heart on his sleeve, "that's great Katie, congratulations." Kate knew this was as heartfelt as she would get from her father. She also knew that he really was very happy for her.

"Thanks, I'm so happy right now." Ever since her father had gotten himself clean and sober, their relationship had been great, she could confide in him, even things she sometimes didn't want to be thinking or feeling. "I wish mom was here," she simply stated.

"I know Katie, I do too," he sighed. "I love you, give my best to Rick and congratulations again."

"I love you too, dad." He hung up.

She walked back to the kitchen after her conversation with her father had ended. Rick appeared to be putting the finishing touches on his plating, he loved to make the food look either weird or very good there really was no in between.

"Hey, what did your dad say?" Rick sounded a tad bit nervous. In his haste to propose, he had forgotten to ask Jim Beckett for his daughters' hand in marriage.

"He said to tell you congratulations from him," Rick let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "He's just happy that I'm happy."

Rick smiled at that and walked over towards her and wrapped her in a tight hug, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath, smelling her shampoo. "I love you and I am ecstatic that you are happy," he breathed out the words as he exhaled. He then kissed her neck and said, "Breakfast is ready."

Suddenly, the smell of food that had woken her this morning, that had made her hurl, was now very appetizing, so she dug in.

The first thing Kate did when she reached 21st, was to go down to the morgue. She had already told Lanie about the job in DC, she had also told her about her plan to talk to Castle after work and to have her phone with her in case she would need to talk after.

"Hey girl," Lanie said with her normal sass, adding "I'm a smack you".

"What?" Kate was surprised at the greeting, her mind having been so far from the fact that she was supposed to call her yesterday.

"You tell me that you're going to talk to Castle about a huge fight," she began, "and to be ready for waterworks if things went sour, and now 15 hours later you walk in here with no …" her voice trail off when she noticed the big ring on Kate's finger.

"Is that what I think it is?" Lanie was now incredulous, "you're telling me that you got engaged and didn't call?"

"Uhm, Lanie, I was a little busy," Kate looked at her pointedly, "celebrating with my new fiancé".

Lanie had already sauntered over to see the bling up close. "This ring is something serious", Lanie breathed.

"Oh, girl," Lanie pulled her best friend into a tight hug, "congratulations, you deserve this."

"Well, thank you," she shifted her feet and looked her best friend in the eyes. "I have a question for you," Kate hesitated just a second. "We don't have a date or anything, but I was wondering if, when the time comes." Kate sighed deeply, "will you be my maid of honor?"

"You know I will," Lanie said with a genuine smile plastered across her face. "So tell me everything, how did he do it?"

Kate sat down and told Lanie the whole story like only best friends can, with giggles and gasps at just the right times.

When she reached her floor, Kate beelined straight to her desk hoping to not draw attention to herself, or her now bejeweled ring finger.

"Hey guys," Kate looked over at Espo and Ryan," do we have a new case?"

Espo turned around in his seat and looked at Kate, seemingly a little worried. "No, we would have called you if there was." Kate knew they would, but wanted to get the ball rolling. She knew she had them worried yesterday with her phone call and then storming out. So she thought that this would be a fair way to open dialogue between them.

"Are you all right?" Javier Esposito always the big brother type, making sure that no one would try and hurt her. Even when he couldn't keep the evil away, he did his best to make sure that Kate could fight it herself.

Beckett nervously pushed her hair behind her ears, "Yeah, I'm fine Espo", she wasn't used to the ring yet, and she forgot that she was supposed to be covering her hand or keeping it in her pocket.

"Wowie, that is some rock", Espo joked.

"Is that the iceberg the titanic crashed into?" Kevin added, laughing.

"Oh, right", Kate pushed her hand in her pocket and stared at her friends. "Please don't make a big deal about this at work, I don't know if they will let Ri- Castle stay if they know officially that we are together."

The boys looked at each other, smiled and then walked over and each gave her a hug. "Congratulations, Beckett." Kevin seemed genuinely happy, while Javi looked like he would like nothing more than to have a serious conversation with Rick Castle.

"Detective," a stern voice said behind her, "a word, my office."

Kate made her way past Captain Gates and into her office, "Sir?"

"I just heard from the Deputy Director of the FBI," Gates looked deep into Kates eyes, as if trying to read her thoughts. "It seems the interview went well yesterday", her tone indicating that she was not in the least bit pleased that her lead detective was interviewing for a new job behind her back.

"I gave you my highest recommendation," Gates gaze softened.

"I – ah – thank you, sir," it was all she could manage. The nausea hit her instantly, and she just managed to run out of her bosses' office and to her own trash bin before her breakfast made a reappearance.

"Hey wow," Rick had just entered the precinct, he hurried over and held her hair and rubbed her back. "What's going on?" He sounded bewildered, "are you sick?"

Gates had followed the obviously sick detective, out of her office and saw Rick standing over Kate as she threw up. As Kate got herself stable enough to sit in her chair and drink water that Ryan handed her, she again nervously pushed her hair behind her ears and put her ring on full display, now in front of her boss.

"Castle," Gates said, the concern for Kate making her appear almost nice towards Rick.

"Yes, sir?" Rick sounded distracted as he stared at Kate, he looked so worried.

"Might I suggest," she said with a wave," you take your fiancé home?"

"Oh, right," he fumbled with his words, a rare occurrence, "duh", he hit his own forehead as a sign of, 'of course that's what he should be doing'.

He grabbed Kates things and tried to get her up, but she was frozen to her seat.

Did no one else notice that the Captain had used the word fiancé. How much trouble would they be in?

Oh, screw it.

She finally let Rick help her up, knowing that she was not a good idea to stay at work after throwing up her entire breakfast.