OMG! Just how good was 'Hunt'!

Anyway, thanks for the reviews, I so appreciate reading them. Here's the final chapter, the epilogue. I think you may have an idea where this is going but I hope you enjoy it.

Epilogue

One Year Later

It had been the first anniversary of their relationship earlier that week and they'd planned to celebrate in style but, sadly, murder had intervened; not, of course, an uncommon occurrence but a source of annoyance none the less. Finally, though, they'd made a break through with the case and the suspect was now in custody just leaving Kate with the paperwork to complete before being able to leave for the weekend, a weekend she and Castle now planned to fill with the delayed anniversary celebrations; but Kate was nervous because she knew that what she was about to do would hurt her partner; it would only be a temporary hurt, but it still worried her.

As had become far more common recently, Castle was still at the precinct even though the case was now over and as he approached her desk, she spoke softly to him,

"Castle, can I have a word in the break room just before we leave?" and headed away, knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would be right behind her.

He had immediately detected the worry in her voice and as soon as the door was closed, he asked her what was wrong. Kate paused before finally replying,

"I know we've planned to spend the weekend together but -"

He didn't give her chance to say any more before he interrupted her in a panic,

"Kate, what's wrong? What's the problem? What's going on?"

Kate smiled gently and put a reassuring hand on his arm,

"Nothing's wrong, Castle. Just give me chance to explain, will you, before you totally freak out?"

At that, he calmed down, soothed by the smile, the gentle touch and her words.

"Okay. Sorry. Carry on," he said, pretending to zip his mouth closed, "Shutting up now."

"Thank you. I still have every intention of spending the weekend with you after all we have a lot to celebrate and I know you've got something up your sleeve that you're not telling me about."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Sorry, not talking," he hastily added as he received the familiar Beckett glare.

"Anyway, tonight I'm going back to my place and you're going to spend the night at the loft because I've got something to give you."

"Kate, you're not exactly making a lot of sense here."

He couldn't quite understand what was going on. She obviously had something on her mind and, although from the look on her face, nothing was seriously amiss, he was more than a little puzzled.

Kate took a box out of her bag. It was about the size of a book and had a red ribbon tied round it.

"Here," she said, quickly, "This is for you. Take it home, open it and I think you'll understand."

With that, she quickly checked that no-one was around, gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, walked out of the break room, picked up her coat as she passed her desk and headed to the elevator. Before Castle could even react, she was gone.

Kate hadn't been home very long when she received a text. She had no doubt that it would be from Castle and when she opened it, she let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled,

I understand.

She'd known it wouldn't take him long to figure it out.

I thought you would. I'll come round for breakfast, about 8.30?

OK. I'd better go. Looks like I've got a lot of reading to do tonight. See you tomorrow.

Kate had given Castle her diary. They'd been together a year now and they were stronger than they'd ever been. They'd had their ups and downs but had faced any issues together and with an honesty that she had always doubted she possessed. They'd talked a little about the events of the year after her shooting but had chosen more to concentrate on moving forward rather than looking back. Kate thought the time had now come to lay all her cards on the table and the best way to do that, she felt, was to simply give him the diary to read. Everything was there, her very soul laid bare and she needed him to know it all.

She also realised, however, that, knowing Castle as she did, if she was there when he read it, he'd never finish. The questions would be never ending and much of it would highly emotionally-charged. It was far better that he read it alone and, preferably, at one go, without interruption. She had tried to explain this in the note that she'd enclosed with the diary.

Hey Castle,

I think I'd better explain what this is all about because I know I won't have done a great job so far. As you know, for a long time after my shooting, I was seeing a therapist, Dr. Burke. At my first session with him, I think it took him all of about 5 seconds to realise that I'm not exactly forthcoming when it comes to talking about what's going on in my head. Hell, I don't think he needed all those certificates hanging on his wall to figure that one out! Anyway, at the end of that first session he suggested that, if I found it difficult to talk, to speak out about how I was feeling, that maybe I should try writing it down. He had one rule, I had to be completely honest and I had one rule, no-one would ever see it, not even him. I kept to his rule, everything in the diary is the honest to God truth and, until today, I've kept my rule but they say rules are there to be broken and as it was my rule, I can break it. I want you to read it, Castle. I need you to understand what was going on with me that year.

We've spent this last year proving that we can deal with honesty between us. It hasn't always been easy and sometimes I've not come out with the truth as quickly as I should have, but I've always got there in the end. Once you've read this, you'll know everything there is to know about me, Mr. Castle; there will be no more secrets.

Some of it may be hard for you to read but I think, for the most part, you'll enjoy it. I'm not the writer that you are so you'll have to forgive me if the style isn't the best, but I'm sure you'll get the idea and I'm sure by now, you'll have worked out why I needed you to go home and be alone while you read. If I'd been there, it would take you all weekend to read the damn thing because you wouldn't stop asking questions and I do believe that we may have better things to do with our time but I promise you this, I will honestly answer any and every question you have, you have my word on that.

Now go on, Castle, start reading and I'll see you tomorrow.

Yours always,

Kate

Kate couldn't settle. She'd not spent much time at her apartment recently. They seemed to spend most of their time at the loft and it was really only a matter of time before she moved there permanently. She decided that she'd have a clear out in anticipation of having to pack all her stuff. It was funny how the thought didn't scare her anymore. She was actually preparing to move in with Castle and she was completely okay with the idea.

Having filled a few boxes, she decided that maybe she'd give the place a thorough clean but after cleaning the kitchen, which didn't take long because it hadn't really been used in a while and the bathroom which was in much the same condition, she figured that it would probably be a good idea to get an early night.

She lay in bed and spent a couple of hours tossing and turning, in fact doing just about everything but sleeping. She was anxious, restless; she couldn't help constantly wondering where Castle was up to in the diary; what was he thinking about right now? Finally, at a little after one in the morning, her phone alerted her to a text. She knew who it would be. Gates had promised that she would not be called in over the weekend, so it wouldn't be about a body. It was Castle.

You awake?

I am now.

Sorry, didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep. See you tomorrow.

No, Castle, I wasn't asleep. There seems to be a big, empty space in my bed preventing me from sleeping

Want that space filling?

That would be nice.

Open your door, then.

At that, Kate leapt out of bed and sprinted to the door. She flung it open and there he was with his phone in one hand, the diary in the other and an enormous grin on his face. She threw herself at him and he managed to hold her in spite of having his hands full. She pulled him in, closed the door and kissed him long and hard. She couldn't believe how much she'd missed him this evening and wasn't afraid to show him that. When they finally broke for air, he said,

"Do I detect a possibility that you've missed me this evening, Miss Beckett?"

"Shut up, Castle! What are you doing here?"

He suddenly became more serious,

"Thank you, Kate. Thank you for trusting me. You have no idea just how much it means to me."

She looked up into his eyes to see tears beginning to fall and lifted her thumb to gently brush them away.

"You deserve to know everything, Castle and now you do."

He smiled again,

"Yes, I do but I just have one question for now; maybe a few more another time, but just one now."

Kate was curious,

"Okay, I did say I'd answer anything. What's the question?"

"Everything in there is absolutely true?"

"Yes, I've said that several times."

"Tell me," as he raised his hand and lightly caressed her cheek, "Just say it, Kate."

For a brief moment, Kate wondered what he was talking about and then it dawned. There was something that she'd repeated time and again in the diary but had yet to say to him. Could she say it now? Was she ready? She had total certainty that the answer was yes, she was ready.

"I love you, Richard Castle and I have for a very long time."

On finally hearing those words, Castle kissed her again with a new passion. His lips and hands were everywhere, reminding Kate of that stormy night one year earlier. Eventually he pulled back, looked deep into her eyes and suddenly grinned,

"Did you say something about a big, empty space in your bed? May I possibly offer my services to fill said space?"

Kate's smile lit up the room as she replied,

"Why, Mr Castle, I think, possibly, you may," and, with that, he reached down for her hand and led her towards her bedroom.

The End

Thanks for reading this. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I'm working on a new story and once I'm happy with it, I'll publish it. Hope it won't be too long.

Bye for now.