15 March, 2014
xxx
"Seeing you is seeing how you're making my life so complete
And knowing you will share all your joy and pain and laughter with me
God sure must like me more than I ever knew
I could never ask for more from love and life than you
Cause I'm lost in the grace of your smile
It's nothing but love"
xxx
He begs her to tell him what his gift is throughout the entire cab ride. He's tried to coax, cajole and even kiss the truth out of her already but she doesn't reveal.
"Come on Beckett. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."
"Patience, Castle."
She's enjoying making him all flustered, especially the kissing. She's not opposed to a few wandering hands either. She's not surprised when he rushes all the way to the loft and bursts in through the door banging his foot, in the process.
"Ow," He yelps in pain.
"Castle, let's look at that foot of yours. Seems pretty banged up."
"Nuh-uh. Not until the gifts."
"You first?" It's more of a request than a command and he's more than willing to start off.
"Come with me," he says, guiding her into the study and gestures her to sit. She would be lying if she said she isn't just as curious as he is. It's just that she has more reserve than him. She's seated in his usual chair; she's sitting in his work chair. They've come full circle.
Castle sits on the chair opposite and grabs a large envelope sitting on the desk. It's not very thick, an ordinary A4 envelope but there's a bright red ribbon wrapped around it that suggests it has more significance than its formal exterior. Impatience is eating away at her while he rummages for his favorite Pierre Cardin. He palms it and slides it over to secure it in her waiting hands.
"Open it," he says in a voice so soft that it's almost a whisper. "Careful, don't rip it."
She opens the envelope gingerly, to reveal a handful of papers. "Castle? What are these?"
He just gestures for her to read on. The dawn of understanding slowly flashes across her face.
"Joint ownership papers? Castle wha-"
"The loft, Kate. It's not my home now, it's ours. You belong here. I don't want you to ever be on the outside looking in. "
"Rick, I don't know what to say, I.."
"Then don't Kate, just sign them. It's your home. I don't wanna hold back; I don't want us to have any regrets. We'll be married soon and I want what's mine to be yours, ours."
She's struggling to hold back her emotions at the threshold; she doesn't want the tears to ruin the papers. With blurred vision, she signs at the bottom and wipes away the tears from her eyes. For a moment she just sits and stares in amazement at the document she's just signed and then at Castle who's still trying to assess what's going through her mind right now.
"Thank you Rick, for being my one and done," she says.
xxx
"I wanna give to you
More than a love song can give
More than a feeling like this
More than a dim light upon the path you walk
More than the words can explain
More than the falling rain
More than the sunshine across your lovely face"
xxx
"Shhh! Castle don't open your eyes," she says as she leads him to the bedroom.
"I like where this is headed, Beckett. You tease." His palms are covering his eyes but he leaves a tiny slit open because right now he couldn't care less about surprise.
She stops him just as he's about to speak again.
"Not yet, Castle, just a minute."
He shuts his eyes then, why he doesn't know, just trying somehow to form a picture in his head about what's about to happen, a sudden reverence for her wish. The moments feel like they're stretching into infinity.
But when she finally gives him permission to open his eyes, whatever his imagination could have conjured up falls short of the sight he's witnessing. She's let her hair loose from the bun, it's cascading freely over her shoulders now, her gown lies pooled behind her, just her underwear on, her creamy skin exposed. He takes in all her disrobed glory, the prominent collarbone, firm shoulders, toned calves, built muscles, the stern curve of her abdomen. He spots it immediately, above her waist, embellishing her sleek curves, just below her ribcage, just where his fingers caress her when he pulls her close- the black ink. Her skin is still a little visibly red but he takes a step closer and brushes his thumb lightly over the letters, worshipping them, the letters that have meant so much to them- 'Always'.
She's staring up at him, so very nervously, biting her lips," So you like your gift, Castle?"
"I love it," he manages to mumble. "Did you like yours?"
"Yes. Castle it was incredible."
He whispers, "I love you so much Kate."
"I love you too."
"You always know how to blow me away."
Words fail her as they stand like that, in each other's arms, neither ready to let go of the other.
xxx
"Now our dreams are comin' true
Through the good times and the bad
Yeah I'll be standing there by you
And baby, you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven"
xxx
His leg is spread out on the couch, his toe is bruised and red, swollen as it rests on her lap. She's massaging it with an ice pack, with nimble fingers while he makes jokes about slutty nurse costumes. She's wearing one of his extra-large t shirts; he still hasn't taken off his shirt and tie.
"This was definitely not how I imagined tonight ending," he says.
"Me neither but I wouldn't wish it had gone any other way."
"You think our kids will relive this night when they're older?"
"What? You mean breaking their foot and crashing on the couch?" she chuckles.
"All the other parts I mean."
"Definitely. How could they not?"
"Hey we forgot to click a picture."
"You want to click one like this?"
"Why not? The wedding jitters are gone, the curse of the wedding gift has vanished, there couldn't be a better moment to commemorate!"
She grabs his iPhone and scoots in beside him. She snuggles into his neck, her hair tangling with his. He's grinning the best that he can and peppers a kiss to the top of her head; she can't help but smile. He clicks. He's pretty confident he's going to get the picture framed because they look adorable. He wants to treasure this night forever.
She thinks back to what he asked her before. Will the legacy live on? She knows that it will. It's all written in the identical glow that they're wearing. They'll be legends for generations of lovers to come; their story will inspire so many lost individuals to live their dreams, a tale to be told of hope, love, selflessness, and courage and taking chances because when it's right, it's beyond your wildest imagination. They've taken back all that they deserved, all that they'd been denied, overcome every obstacle that life threw their way to find this one moment of supreme happiness and nothing could take it away.
Fin
xxx
Thanks to thecoolananonymouswriter for helping me bounce around theories.
Thank you to everyone else who read, reviewed, followed and favourited. I have never really eaten couture Italian food or been on a date for that matter but sometimes stories are so much better when you're imagining them. Hope you had as much fun reading as I did writing.
Well if you guessed which songs were quoted in this story, you can pat yourself on the back. In case you didn't, here's the list in chronological order:
Chapter 1
A Hard Day's Night- The Beatles
We're At The Top Of The World- The Juliana Theory
Chapter 2
Feels Like Home- Chantal Krevuziak
We Belong- Pat Benatar
Chapter 3
Only You're The One- Lifehouse
We Owned The Night- Lady Antebellum
Chapter 4
Dance Inside- The All American Rejects
Rhythm Divine- Enrique Iglesias
Chapter 5
Can You Feel The Love Tonight- Elton John
Alive- Adelitas Way
Chapter 6
Nothing But Love- Trading Yesterday
More Than A Love Song- Augustana
Heaven- Bryan Adams