A/N : So here we are the end. Not the longest of stories but an episode is only so long and that is what I'm trying to emulate here. I hope all of you that stuck with this story have liked it. As I said all along I really appreciate everyone that has reviewed, faved and followed this story. I enjoyed writing it and have learned a few things in the process. I've plenty of ideas for future stories. The challenge, as always, is transferring them to the page.
Disclaimer : Castle is the creation of Andrew W Marlowe, David Amann, ABC/Disney and the rest of the Castle writers. I respect what they created and it inspired me to get back into writing.
Martha breezes into Castle's loft seemingly without a care in the world and addresses the three people following her, "Well dears that was so enlightening but so exhausting. I'm off to bed. Ta Ta!"
With a wave over her shoulder she proceeds up the stairs to her bedroom, unaware of the turmoil she has left behind. Beckett is being supported on either side by Castle and Alexis as she is led into the loft in the wake of Martha. Each of them have their arms entwined with one of hers, are holding her hands and are more or less holding her up. The normally self-assured detective is wearing a look of shocked disbelief on her face as her fiancé and soon to be step daughter guide her to the couch.
"Come on Kate. Sit down over here and I'll get us a drink," says Castle in a soothing and understanding tone as she sinks onto the couch. He then moves to the liquor cabinet to get something to easy his fiancé's turmoil.
Alexis sits next to her and puts her arm around Beckett's shoulder, "Don't take Grams so seriously Kate. She's not being mean she's just being her. She loves you this is just her unique way of showing it."
"But some of the things she said and in front of all those people," Beckett whispers in shock, staring in front of herself in disbelief. A high ball glass with a very generous amount of scotch appears in her vision.
"Here, this will help," says Castle as he offers her the glass.
She takes the glass automatically, without really seeing it and takes a long gulp. She drains the glass without tasting the 25 year old single malt at all. Castle sits down next to her and gives a look to his daughter as he does so.
Alexis takes the hint and moves her arm from around Beckett's shoulder and gives her a reassuring squeeze of her upper arm, "Don't worry Kate. It won't look so bad in the morning. Speaking of which I think I'll head to bed too. Nite!" and with that she gets up and heads to the stairs.
"Goodnight Pumpkin!" calls Castle giving her a smile.
"Yeah, nite Alexis," responds Kate vaguely.
With his own glass of scotch in one hand he puts his other arm around Beckett's shoulder and pulls her into his chest.
"Don't say it Rick," warns Beckett.
"Say what?" asks Castle surprised.
"I told you so," she responds in an almost resigned tone.
Castle gives her shoulders a squeeze, "Oh I wouldn't do that to you now. That comes tomorrow."
Beckett gives a huff and moves her head from his chest to look up into his face. She sees his lips threatening to twitch into a smirk. She narrows her eye at him and then remembers exactly when she said those same words to him causing her to roll her eyes. But her own lips also twitch into an almost smile at the memory. He sees that he's almost succeeded in getting her to smile and forget the night so now he decides that some more reassurance is required. He puts his hand to the side of her face and looks into her hazel eyes.
"Kate, don't take it personally. If anything tonight goes to show is that my mother truly thinks of you as a member of the family."
"But she criticized everything I do and how I do it. She called me an amateur and said I only had a rudimentary knowledge of the human condition. All to a room of strangers," she responds desperately.
Castle wisely keeps to himself his own thoughts on Beckett's knowledge of the human condition and how that had influenced their relationship over the years. Especially as it takes two people to make a relationship. He freely admitted to himself that he had made his own contributions to how long it took them to get together. The important thing is where they were now and now was all about helping the love of his life.
"Yes and she only does that to people she really loves. It's her way. Alexis and I have had all our lives to get used to it or to be at least resigned to it. You'll learn that when you're a Castle you have to have a pretty thick skin when dealing with my mother sometimes. But she's also the best person to have in your corner and she'll do anything for family," he says stroking her cheek.
Beckett looks at the reassurance in his eyes and leans her face into his hand, "Well I better hurry up and become a Castle then so that I can get that thick skin."
As the couple look into each other's eyes they share a smile both thinking of their future together and all that they will share.
A/N : Thank you for reading :)