The swing set is empty, the hard plastic seats curved into lonely smiles, swaying gently in the light breeze. Kate smiles and crosses the street, hair rustling around her shoulders as she jogs slowly toward the playground. The metal links clink lightly against one another when she sits and pulls her bag into her lap.

Wrapping her fingers tightly around the chains, she pushes off hard with her feet, swings her body over the ground in a wide arc. The wind buffets her face and she can smell the oncoming summer, can feel it in the way the midday sun bakes her skin, pulls it tightly over her working muscles. The swings were always her favorite as a kid; the feeling of complete freedom, the tiny moments of weightlessness at the apex of each arc. She'd take her time, build up height and speed, pumping her legs and arms with as much force as her little body could muster. Then, at the perfect moment, she would launch. Throw herself out into the sky and fly.

"Don't you even think about doing it, Kate Beckett. I am not in the mood for a trip to the emergency room today."

Her eyes fly open and she slows, drags her heels messily across the sandy grass. Lanie leans against the angled support of the swing set, a knowing smirk quirked across her lips.

"I wasn't going to," Kate huffs, pushing herself out of the seat.

Lanie hums disbelievingly and when she unfolds her arms Kate sees the envelope clasped in her hand. "You do know you're supposed to be over there," her friend hooks a thumb over her shoulder at the bookstore across the street, "not over here reliving your childhood, right?"

"I know. I was just -" She falters, unsure of exactly why she'd taken the detour. "I love swings." She shrugs, wraps her hand around the thick metal pole. "Always have. And these are special. Castle -"

"Is the reason I'm here," Lanie interjects, waving the envelope. Kate reaches for it but Lanie pulls back, head shaking. "Not yet. First, we're going to go over to that bookstore to get a cup of coffee."

They cross back over the street and head into the store, Lanie leading the way. She orders an iced latte for herself and then asks for Kate's usual as well. Off the questioning look Kate gives her, Lanie explains, "All part of the plan. He made me memorize your coffee order."

"Why?"

"Because he's Castle," Lanie responds, and they laugh, moving down the counter to wait for their drinks.

Lanie makes small talk with the barista while they wait and Kate takes a moment to look around, remembering the only other time she'd been to this store. You can make it out to Kate. The way his eyes had flashed with hurt before turning cold still haunts her, makes her scars itch and pull with guilt. The letter clutched in Lanie's hand catches her attention and she eyes it warily, no longer quite so eager to read this one.

They take their drinks outside and sit at one of the tiny cafe tables, the sealed envelope a silent third member of their party. Kate sips her coffee, waits for Lanie to take the lead. Her friend looks her over, eyes assessing, fingers toying with the straw sticking out of her drink.

"So, by the petrified look you're sporting, I'm assuming you've figured out what's in the letter."

Kate looks up, eyes wide. "You've read it?" Her heart sinks a little at the thought, the idea that he shared his words for her with someone else.

Lanie shakes her head and the fist around her stomach releases. "No. He gave me a vague idea when he asked me to be the one to deliver it to you but he didn't offer to let me read it and I didn't ask. This," she puts a finger on the envelope and slides it across the table toward Kate, "is for you and you alone."

She picks up the envelope and turns it over. She knows it's her imagination assigning a physical value to the emotional content but it feels heavier than the others, the weight of it making her palms clammy. Gently, she pulls the flap, the glue sticky against her fingers.

"You know when I knew for certain that Castle was in love with you?" Kate startles at the sound of Lanie's voice and the envelope tears in her jerking fingers. She checks to make sure the letter is undamaged and then looks at her friend, nods for her to continue. "It was when you came back. When he came back with you. After being shut out of your life for three full months, he still came back when you asked. That's when I knew."

"Took you that long to figure it out?" She tries to make her voice light, turn it into a joke, but the words are thick and heavy on her tongue.

"I knew he loved you long before that," Lanie says, an almost sad smile tugging on her lips. "Probably before he even did. But when he came back after -" She pauses, lets out a small sigh. Kate takes a sip of her coffee and tenses her back, tries to prepare herself. "Kate, I was with the two of you in the ambulance that day. Granted, most of my attention was focused on trying to keep you alive but I saw him. He refused to stop touching you. He tried to hold your hand but it was impossible with everything we were doing so he wrapped his fingers around your ankle instead and held on all the way to the hospital."

Lanie twirls her drink, the melting ice rattling against the sides of the plastic cup. "He was in hell, Kate. For three months. It was - It was bad." Kate nods, her eyes burning. She and Castle had talked about those months only once, late one winter night, wrapped up together in his bed. They'd whispered their confessions into the cold December air, paid their penance in soft touches and fierce kisses. Morning broke and they moved forward, lighter and stronger. Together.

"It was hard on all of us, of course," she continues, eyes locked to Kate's, "not knowing how you were, how your recovery was going. But it was definitely worse for him. Especially once Gates kicked him out of the precinct. It was really his only remaining connection to you and once it was gone, I wasn't sure we'd ever see him again. But then you came back and he followed. After everything, Kate, he followed. If that's not a man in love then I don't know what is."

Kate gives her a weak smile. "I was in love with him too, you know."

Lanie's laugh is loud and barking. The only other patron on the patio looks over at them disapprovingly and Kate waves an apology. "I knew that when you intentionally lost the bet on that counterfeiting case."

"How did you -" It clicks. "Espo."

Lanie just smiles at her and picks up her drink, taking a long sip. The tension eases and Kate picks up the envelope again, runs her thumb over the edge. Gently, she tugs the paper out, pausing to suck in a deep breath before she opens it.

"Do you want me to go?"

Without looking up, Kate shakes her head and unfolds the letter.

I've seen you in so many ways now, Kate - half-asleep, wearing only that black t-shirt you stole from me. Spread out underneath me, naked and wanting. Walking down a red carpet in a designer gown, making every other woman instantly invisible. Kicking ass and taking names in your high-heeled boots, gun and badge on your hip -but I don't think you've ever looked more gorgeous than you did the day you came to find me in this bookstore. Standing tall in that leather jacket, your hair down and curled. You were beautiful. Perfect. Alive.

I was so angry with you. Angry that you sent me away. Angry that you didn't call. Angry that you were there in front of me, ripping the scab off a barely healing wound. I wanted to walk away, to hurt you the way you had hurt me. But no matter how I tried I just couldn't get you out of my system. I sat on those swings and listened to you talk about walls and the kind of relationship you wanted to have and I knew that I would follow you anywhere, do anything in order to have the chance to be the man that got to scale that wall, have that relationship. I was still angry but the love was stronger.

I wondered for a long time if you ever would have come to me had it not been for the files I had. I still can't say for certain that I know the answer to that question. But what I do know is that it doesn't matter. The reasons why you came aren't the point. What matters is that you did and we managed to get through it. We put in the work, as you say, and got to a place that had only ever been a dream before.

I used to read fairy tales to Alexis, fantastical stories about magic and the power of true love. I occasionally wondered if I was being a bad parent, giving her unrealistic expectations of what love is because even perfect matches break up and love does not always conquer all. She would get so frustrated with me when I tried to change the story; she'd put her hands on her little hips and sigh, rolling those big blue eyes. "Tell it the right way, Daddy." I always gave in and changed it back, gave her the happy ending she wanted. Because believing in happy endings and true love and magic, I realized, is not just the providence of children. Belief in the possibility is what keeps us going, what makes the hard times bearable. It's how we overcome. Happily ever after might exist only in fairy tales but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

We've already accomplished so much, Kate. We've slayed dragons and fought ogres, saved the kingdom a hundred times over. We demolished a wall and built a palace from the remains. My armor may not be shining but my love for you is most certainly true.

Our tale has barely begun and I cannot wait to see what adventures the next chapter brings. How about you?

Kate wipes at the tear sliding down her cheek and looks up at Lanie, gives her a watery smile.

"That good, huh?"

"Yeah," she sighs, putting the letter into her bag with the others. "He's really outdoing himself with this."

"He loves you."

"I know."

Lanie pushes back from the table and stands, tossing her empty cup in a nearby trashcan. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper, holds it out for Kate. "He wanted me to give you this too. I'm sure there's some kind of Castle-y logic behind it."

Kate takes the paper and unfolds it. It's a blank deposit slip, the logo for New Amsterdam Bank and Trust printed boldly in the top left corner. "It's my next clue," she says, slipping the paper into her own pocket.

"I have to be honest, I'm a little surprised that you're going along with all of this so easily. I really expected more of a fight."

Grinning, Kate stands up and extends her arms to her friend, pulls her into a hug. "I learned a long time ago that with Castle it's sometimes easier to just let him get the crazy out of his system. Plus," she adds, stepping back, "it's fun. Thank you." She catches Lanie's eye. "For everything."

"What are best friends for?" Lanie grins as they make their way back through the bookstore. "Just one thing, though."

"Yeah?"

"I get to pick out my own bridesmaid dress."