'Hello Detective Brennan.'

'Hello Doctor Brennan. Or will it be Doctor Sabern still? Or Doctor Sabern Brennan?'

'Nope.' Lindsay shook her head as she pecked Adam's lips once more. 'You had it right the first time. Doctor Brennan.'

'My wife the doctor.' Adam grinned like a fool. 'I love how that sounds. Come on, there's a little surprise waiting for us.'

'Okay.'

Lindsay smiled at her husband, let him lead her down the aisle and straight into the house which made her raise an eyebrow. 'Shouldn't we be thanking people for coming to our wedding, getting our pictures taken now?'

'In a moment.' Adam led her into the dining room where there was a silver-dome and two places set on the mahogany table and a bottle of soft cider waiting in a bucket of ice.

'What's all this?'

'It's something I asked Shane about, he said this is usually part of a Jewish wedding since the bride and groom have to fast. I don't know about your morning but I could hardly keep coffee down, and now I feel like I could eat a whole hip of beef myself.'

As if to respond for her, Lindsay's stomach gave a huge gargle and she laughed. 'I'd say that sounds about right, my love.'

'So here we are, a whole half an hour to ourselves before we go back out to see everyone.'

'Won't they think we're consummating our marriage vows?' she teased him and Adam sent her a slow burning look that made her body respond in kind.

'All in good time my love.' He opened the cider to pour them a glass each. 'What should we toast to?'

'A long and happy life together.'

'A big family.'

'Always having each other's back.'

'For letting me have that pineapple and goat cheese pizza you claim stinks up the house,' Adam added, making Lindsay wrinkle her nose.

'For not complaining when I clip my toenails in bed,' she replied.

'For loving each other exactly as we need to.'

They kissed once more, drank, then like a true gentleman Adam pulled Lindsay's chair out for her, held her hand as she sat down. He lifted the silver dome, gestured like a magician. 'Voila.'

He lifted the dome and instantly, Lindsay was thankful for this suggestion - the hotel doing their catering had sent over a picnic lunch for them. There was chicken salad, a shredded slaw of broccoli, bok choy and green apples, na'an toasty-points and a plate of cheese and tropical fruit.

'Oh yum,' Lindsay sighed, and she dug into the chicken salad, scooping it onto her plate, adding toasty points and fruit. 'Tell Shane this was a great idea,' she said around the mouthful she'd shoveled in.

'Very great idea,' Adam agreed, going straight for the slaw and salad. He watched her dig in, and remembered the first time he'd watched her eat on a date - she was like a little chipmunk, unwittingly storing food in her cheeks then swallowing. She was eating the same way now, only now she was his wife, he thought that was a smile. 'God you're adorable Lindsay, I love you so much.'

'I love you too.'

They ate until the bowls were cleaned out, saving some of the fruit for later that night Lindsay told her husband - god that was never going to get old - and with full bellies they headed back outside. Unsurprisingly, the first people to notice were some of the youngest guests at the party; Jojo, Nessa, Devon, Nate and Max all crowded over to them like a little flock of sandpipers.

'Yea Lissy!' Nate being the baby in the group went first, and threw his chubby little arms around Lindsay's arms. 'Woo-woo! So pidy! Adam pidy too!'

'Thanks little man.' Adam crouched down, gave Nate's little tie a wiggle. 'You look pretty sharp too.'

'I fan-see,' he replied proudly, then looked at Max and Devon. 'You too!'

From across the lawn Beckett watched her colleague with the children giving them such loving and devoted attention, just as he would everyone else he met whether it was a small child or a possible witness when they were on canvas. It was what made him such a good cop, that he was able to tune out the bullshit around him and focus in on what was most important. It was why he would make a good parent when the time was right.

'Hey,' she murmured to her husband, 'wanna take a walk?'

'With you, Detective, always.'

They headed for the sandy shoreline where the bluff eased into the beach down the bay; sighing she wrapped her arm around Castle waist, gave him a squeeze which had him looking at her with curiosity.

'What's got you all cozy?' he murmured, put his arm around her shoulders to balance the hold.

'Just thinking about how well matched Lindsay and Adam are, and how great they'll be as a mama and daddy when they're ready.'

'You were very freaked out by the idea of being a mama.'

'No, I was freaked out by being pregnant,' she corrected him. 'I knew I'd always wanted to be a mother, and...'

'And?' Castle prompted her when she went quiet.

'And...God, I can't believe I'm admitting this.' Beckett gave a little laugh. 'When we first hooked up, as writer and cop I mean, there was a part of me that fell for you as a parent first before I fell the rest of the way.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, it was the case at Hallowe'en, the dead comic book artist.'

'Right the werewolf,' Castle mused and Beckett gave him a gentle elbow in the ribs.

'The comic book aritst,' she repeated, 'and you got that call that Alexis' friend was in trouble. You dropped everything, not just what we were working on, but all the goofiness and the games. You weren't Castle my tagalong, you were Daddy and that, well...that made me think there was more to you than just shenanigans and breast-gawking.'

'Shenanigans and breast gawking,' Castle replied, shaking with laughter.

'Yeah, up until then it had been a lot of bragging and 'I know a guy' type shit. That was the first time I felt like I knew the real you.'

'Kate, not that I don't love these trips down memory lane, but is there a reason you're thinking like this now?'

'Just looking at Adam and Lindsay and thinking about what they've both overcome, how they've made a life together. There is a lot that could have gone against them.'

'There is,' Castle agreed, 'same with any of the couples in our family. That's why they are so stronger. No D-words in those futures.'

'Not a one.'

'So tell me more about these musings from Hallowe'en.' Castle knew his wife, knew she was thinking about the case they'd closed just before the trip to Bermuda, knew it was his job to keep her from dwelling on it at a time like this. 'Did you fantasize about making a million babies with me that night?'

'Nah, mostly just about getting you back for that stupid story you told me. And I did that times two.'

'Yes you did.'

'I also remember going home that night and dreaming about you and Alexis and I taking a little boy trick-or-treating. Our little boy,' she added, and turned to Castle, kissed his mouth long and sweet. 'That's when the tide started turning for me without even realizing it.'

'I love you Kate.'

'I love you to, Rich.'

They embraced each other, lips meeting tenderly as their toes wriggled in the pink sand. When they broke apart, Castle rested his chin against her forehead.

'Want to head back now?'

'In a moment.'

'Okay.'

She stayed in his arms, thought about the first time they'd danced, and kissed, and made love. That had been at a wedding too, after closing a case that just didn't let its teeth go from her mind. Fortunately the man who'd become her friend, then lover, fiance and finally husband, was great at distracting her then and now.

'Okay, now time to go back. I don't wanna miss out on the cake.'

'Or the garter toss.'

'And we're back,' Beckett giggled as they returned towards the house and their family, and all the joys weddings amplified.