Despite her new knowledge and self-awareness, and her resolution to talk things out with Castle, Kate found herself with little time to act. Wedding planning took over their lives and they had to completely engage to make it look authentic to their suspects. The few times she tried she found she was shot down pretty quickly. The evening after dress shopping brought about the first experience, as they were finishing their dinner and discussing wedding music.
"What would our first dance be?" She asked, trying to prompt him into discussing possibilities with her.
"I don't know Kate, what does it matter?" He spoke with mild irritation in his voice, "Let's just pick something. How about Endless Love, that's pretty standard, isn't it?" He asked, a flatness in his tone that cut her deeply. She couldn't blame him. Afterall, she knew she'd hurt him deeply.
"I guess so," She offered, "although it isn't really us."
"Kate, none of this is us and you know that. What are you trying to do here?" He asked defensively.
"I'm trying to talk to you Castle. I know I hurt you, and I know I made a mistake. If I could take it back, I would." She offered, hoping he would be receptive to her admittance.
"But you can't, Kate. Even if you could, how long would it last before you wanted to change your mind again? A relationship isn't something that just falls into place, you have to commit to it and work at it." He paused and hesitated before adding,
"You have to prioritize it and clearly, you don't. Your priorities have always been very clear." He didn't mask his anger as he moved to leave the room.
"Choose whatever song you want Kate, it doesn't make a difference anyway." He shut is bedroom door before she had a chance to respond.
The façade wedding day rapidly approached, and soon they were down to the wire. The food was catered, the cake purchased, and the dresses and tuxes ordered and altered in record time; Photographers, a DJ, flowers, they had everything in place. With the big day approaching and little else to do, the entire wedding party went out for cocktails early the evening before the ceremony. Both Reed and Moss were invited, giving Esposito and Ryan a chance to trail them. The hit men in custody had been fitted with wires, and were waiting for the call.
Castle and Beckett had acted their parts perfectly and all were confidant that they'd succeeded at making targets of themselves.
With everything in place, there was little more to do than enjoy one another's company. Rick and the boys frequented the hotel bar while Lanie, Martha and Alexis relaxed in the nearby lounge. This left Kate and her dad to themselves at a small, private table, where cappuccinos were ordered and conversation was warm.
"How you doing, Katie?" He asked her, taking her hand and squeezing it.
"I know that this has been a lot for you to deal with, especially considering that you and Rick are no longer together." He kept his voice low to ensure that their conversation was not overheard.
She nodded, returning his affectionate squeeze, "I'm becoming aware of the bigger picture and I'm definitely aware of some mistakes I've made." She spoke sadly, her voice laced with regret. Of all the cases she'd worked, it took just this one, a glimpse at what she might have had, to make her see the error in her logic.
Her father sighed, "Katie, did I ever tell you about the fight your mom and I had while we were planning our wedding?" Kate looked to her dad with interest, she knew most of their stories, but this one didn't sound familiar.
"No, really? Before the wedding?" She pressed him for details.
He laughed to himself, shaking his sugar packet before ripping it open and pouring it into his coffee.
"Your mom was a hot-head, if ever there was one. It's a trait she passed on to you." He looked up to his daughter meaningfully, earning himself an eye roll.
"The night before the wedding we exchanged gifts. She got me season tickets to the Yankee Games that year." Kate smiled, impressed by how well her mom knew her dad even back then. Baseball was the way to his heart.
"I got her a vacuum cleaner." He stated. Beckett simply raised her eyebrows, clearly unimpressed with the gesture.
"It was a really nice one, and she had this cat, was always complaining about how much he shed…So I thought it would be a thoughtful gift!" He defended himself, laughing as he thought back on the memory, on how his plan had backfired.
"All she saw was the man getting the little servant wife a tool to keep his house clean. She lost it!" He laughed as he thought back on it. Kate laughed too, "That sounds like mom, justice for all but housework for none." They laughed again.
"So how did you talk her down from it? How did you convince her to marry you anyway?"
"I made a big gesture, Katie. I let her and anyone who would listen know that I wanted her and nobody else." He eyed his daughter meaningfully before adding,
"I also offered to do all the housework for the first year." They both laughed at his final statement.
"The point is that I fought for her, Katie. I wanted her. I knew what she meant to me, and I knew that I wasn't going to find anyone better than her. She was it for me and so I fought." Kate nodded, but her father continued,
"Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you, Katie?"
"I think I do." She responded.
"Good." He said, before pulling another sugar from the container and mixing his coffee again.
Later that evening left Kate alone with the girls. They went out for cocktails; Kate, Lanie and Martha drinking a variety of mixed beverages while Alexis had a Shirley temple. Moved by her father's words, Kate finally admitted to them that she was wrong, that she was miserable, and that she didn't know how to fix it.
"Katherine, you and my son have been running circles around one another for years. He loves you like he's loved no other woman, but there's only so far a person can go before it becomes unhealthy." Martha was serious in her tone and did not take her eyes off the young detective.
"Darling, he believes that you're not invested in him and that he's reached that point of no return." She explained briskly.
Truth be told, the older woman was very much in favor of them patching things up, but needed Kate to hear the harsh truth if she would have any shot of fixing things.
Kate nodded in understanding."He has no reason to believe otherwise, I certainly didn't give him what he needed. I chose the job to guarantee some form of relationship and lost him anyway. " Both Alexis and Martha nodded their agreement, squeezing Kate's hands in sympathy now that they knew Kate was seeing the error of her ways."
"Whatever happened-happened." Lanie stated, "and we're not going to get anywhere by dwelling on it. We need a game plan now!" She offered, before placing her hands on Kate's shoulders,
"Kate Beckett." Lanie leveled her with her stare. "What is it that you want?" She asked, a slight slur in her speech due to one too many cosmos.
"I want Rick. I want a take-back. I want to choose him. I chose wrong and I want him to forgive me. I want him back. I love him, Lanie" She admitted, causing both Martha and Alexis to Smile. They'd known it, but it was nice to hear that Kate was finally verbalizing it.
"I've just got to convince him." Her statement was met by three gazes of sympathy. They all knew it would be easier said than done.
She woke up the morning of her "wedding day" with an overwhelming sense of urgency. The case would be over soon and so would her chance to get through to Castle. They knew that Reed and Moss would likely make a move just before or after the ceremony, so they had teams on standby. The minute they placed the order for a hit on Castle or Beckett the State would have all the evidence they needed. Now it was just a matter of time.
Kate rehearsed what she might say to Castle in her head again and again, but nothing seemed sufficient. She understood that Castle was hurt, he was broken by her decisions, as well as by the stupid things she'd done after when she wasn't managing her own emotions well. She needed to fix it, and she needed to show him that they were a safe bet, that she was invested. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be getting the time soon.
She'd been awakened at the crack of dawn and rushed off into hair and makeup, and now she was on the brink of going out of her mind as they focused on her nails. It's funny how one case can take you to such extremes, she'd been so worried that not being able to work with Castle. Yet here she was, ready to throw their partnership away, to deal with Gates' wrath, just have a second chance with him. Hell, truth be told, after this case, Gates owed one hell of an apology as far as Kate was concerned. She knew that her boss was under the mayor's thumb, but still, the timing was horrible and even the captain had to acknowledge that.
Now the only thing on her mind was getting a few minutes with Castle before the ceremony started. She couldn't wait any longer and needed to tell him how she felt. She needed to make him listen. Clothed in yoga pants and a button-up shirt, hair and makeup done and veil trailing down her back, she sought him out. As she made her way down the hallway to the grooms quarters of the hotel she could hear random Wingate employees yelling to her,
"Ms. Beckett, what are you doing? It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the…" She slammed the suite door in their faces, catching her breath as she gazed upon the faces of two very confused detectives and one equally lost writer.
"Castle, we need to talk." She spoke with desperation in her tone.
"I think we'll go look for that thing…" Esposito blurted.
"Yeah, the thing." Ryan agreed and the boys made themselves scarce, giving the room to Castle and Beckett.
"What is it, Kate?" He asked, concern in his voice.
She took a deep breath, Here it goes. All in.
"Castle, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I made a mistake and I am asking you to forgive me. I want to give us another try. I was wrong, Castle" She started to babble as she pleaded with him.
"Kate, I…" he hesitated, "I can't just turn it on and off, it isn't a switch."
"Castle, I love you." She blurted out, her eyes wide and watering. "Please."
"Kate, I love you too." He took her hands in his as he began to speak, "I do love you, but Beckett I don't see things changing. You're in this until you're not, and frankly I don't think I'll survive it the next time you decide you want something else."
"Castle, please give me a chance, I don't want anything else. I just want you." He placed his finger on her lips to silence her, a regretful look on his face.
"Kate, let's just get through this last case, then we can talk. Ok?" Before she could respond there was a knock at the door.
"Mr. Castle, we've got to get going." Came the voice of Miller Moss.
Castle smiled sadly at Beckett, "That's my cue." He turned away from her once again, putting space between them.
"You've got the ring for the ceremony?" He asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Lanie has it."
"Great. Esposito has yours. See you soon Beckett."
She felt a loss for words. This wasn't at all how she wanted things to go. Did he not hear me? Did he not understand just how much I care? What if I am just too late? She left the room feeling frustrated and hopeless.
Kate returned to the bridal suite, where an army of assistants were waiting to serve her. Soon her dress was on, her jewelry in place and her veil lining the sides of her face and her shoulders. She looked over herself in the mirror, once again amazed by the sight. She made a beautiful bride. Her hair was swept up softly, with romantic tendrils framing her face. This is exactly how I would want to look on the day I gave my heart to him. She thought to herself, somewhat sadly.
The knock at the door alerted her to her company, but she was surprised to find that the visitor was not her father, but captain Gates.
"Detective Beckett, all things considered, I must say you look beautiful."
Kate smiled and nodded graciously, "thank you, sir."
"Detective, I wanted to talk with you briefly if you have a minute." The captain requested.
Kate nodded, "of course, sir."
"Beckett, I owe you an apology. I owe both you and Rick an apology, but as my detective and subordinate, mainly you."
"Sir, I don't understand." Kate tried to clarify what her boss was talking about, although she was damned certain about where apologies were needed.
"When I learned about your relationship with Mr. Castle I gave you a choice, and to be completely honest, I hadn't thought it through. Had I done so, I would have realized that you, detective Beckett, just might have been the type of person who would choose their professional over their personal relationship."
"But, Sir. I'm not really…" She couldn't finish, as she was cut off again.
Gates continued, "I'm saying that I'm sorry. I am sorry that I gave you the option of working together because the fact of the matter is you would be equally compromised. What I don't want to see happen is that you lose both, Kate."
"Considering how well we work together, sir. Considering that we have the highest clearance rate in the city. Considering that we are a team, the boys, Castle and myself…" Kate hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words to express herself.
"Sir, we've saved this city countless times and have done numerous favors for the mayor." Kate began to explain.
"Don't you think that we've earned the right to work together, to have both?" Kate pleaded.
"I don't have that kind of power, Detective. I can't alter policies or make exceptions." Kate sighed in defeat and nodded her head. It didn't seem to matter anyhow, as far as she could tell she'd blown her chances with Castle.
She did not anticipate what would come next,as Gates sighed and continued speaking, "but your friend the mayor out there, he certainly can." Kate shot her head up swiftly.
"What?"
"I took the initiative to speak with mayor Weldon about your situation, and although there are specifics we must work out where field work is concerned, Mr. Castle will be allowed back in, as long as you keep your relationship out of the precinct." Gates had a smirk on her face, but it soon fell as she took in Kate's facial expression.
"Sir, it may be too late. I didn't fight hard enough. This is his last case and it is nearly over." Gates nodded, but instead of sadness she wore a look of determined resolution on her face.
"Well, nearly over isn't over. Now is it?" She spoke with a great level of authority.
"No sir, it isn't." Kate smiled.
Soon it was time to start the ceremony, and as Castle and the boys waited inside the Hotel chapel, Kate readied herself to walk down the aisle. At that moment she noticed a commotion, a group of police officers catching her attention. As the procession of the bridal party began, Kate was approached by various uniformed men, along with Captain Gates who was communicating with dispatch.
"We've got them in custody." She spoke confidently to Beckett.
"We caught them. About 5 minutes ago Alice Reed placed a call arranging for the "disappearance" of one Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett on their Honeymoon Cruise, Complements of Wingate Hotel." Kate smiled at their good fortune.
"Do the boys know?" Kate responded, still standing outside the closed doors of the chapel as the music played and the procession of Martha and her bride's maids continued.
"No, they don't." Gates answered.
"Their radios would have looked suspicious and we certainly didn't want to tip anyone off if they were going to wait until after the ceremony to make the call." the captain explained,
"that said, I see no reason to keep up this charade anymore. I can go get them and we can inform everyone of the true nature-"
"Sir, wait." Kate interjected, "If it's all the same, there's something that I want to say to Castle, and I think that there might not be a better time or place than right now."
Gates smiled knowingly and gave Kate's arm a squeeze, "Then go get him already."
Moments later the music to cue the Bride started. With a deep breath she inhaled and took her her father's arm, bright purple flowers adorning the bouquet. Before they took their first step down the aisle her father leaned in and whispered,
"Remember...Fight like hell, Katie."
Random question/Request: I'm looking for someone with knowledge of finances, accounting & economics, specifically investment portfolios, to help me with the plot of a story. If you are that person please PM me. Thanks :)