Epilogue 1:

January 9, 2019:

Dr Jennifer Burton PHD, stood in front of the two tombstones wiping the tears from her eyes. It had been twenty years to the day since her mother was murdered in that alley on a cold January evening. Everyone involved in that murder were dead like her mother. The tombstone next to Johanna's was inscribed with two names, James Edward Beckett and Katherine Houghton Beckett. Jim had passed away from liver disease last year in spite of the fact that he hadn't taken a drink in over fifteen years.

Jennifer had never given where she would be buried much thought before. Now it troubled her thinking that there would be no one to attend her funeral. She would die the same way she chose to live – alone.

She laid the flowers on top of the two tombstones, placed a kiss on her fingertips and then reverently touched them as she rose to her feet. Jennifer walked back to the cab that had been waiting for her with its meter running. Climbing inside, she gave the driver directions back to the hotel she was staying in. She stared out the window taking in the sights and sounds of the city that had once served as her home. Twenty minutes later the cab stops in front of her hotel. She pays the driver and exits the cab. Jennifer shivered as a gust of wind roared down the street. She pulled the coat tight against her body as she shivered no longer used to the harsh New York winter.

Jennifer returned to her room and fired-up her laptop checking to make sure that her flight back to Sacramento tomorrow was still on schedule. She'd make it back just in time for the winter semester to begin. Jennifer was proud of herself. Through hard work and dedication, she was able to get her PHD in criminology in two years. An opening in the political science school opened at UC Davis just as she graduated and she was offered a job. Jennifer had to admit that she'd never have thought that she would like being a teacher, but things change. People change.

Turning on the television to kill a few minutes before she met with Lanie and her husband for dinner, Jennifer starts switching channels hoping for something to watch. The two had formed an uneasy alliance when she came back to New York for her father's funeral.

She had been the one to reach out to her former best friend, inviting Lanie and her husband to dinner with her. Jennifer was actually surprised when she accepted. Surfing through the channels she catches a glimpse of something that stops her, not sure if it was real. Backtracking with the remote, she confirms exactly what she saw. It was C-Span and they were replaying events from January 3, the official date the new the new Senate. Standing at the podium senator elect Cassandra 'Cassie' Bachman-Rodgers was ceremonially sworn into office by governor Robert Weldon. The former New York city mayor smiled as he introduced her as the newest senator from the state.

The camera panned to those there to witness the ceremony. Sitting in the front row was Martha, Alexis, her husband Ashley, and a teenage girl that she knew was Bachman's daughter from her previous marriage. Sitting at the end of the row, holding the toddler on his lap was the man that she knew as simply Castle, beaming with pride. 'Rodgers' she mentally corrected herself. He dropped the last name Castle soon after she rejected his proposal. Returning to his birth name, Rick had written a non-fiction account of the takedown of Bracken and Simmons.

He never used the real names of those that were innocent, but anyone that knew them could figure it out. Rick left out the part where her death was faked, allowing her to live in anonymity. The rest of the world still believed that Kate Beckett died in an explosion outside Carson City Nevada all those years ago. 'A murder in Washington Heights' became his best selling novel of all time, eclipsing all of the Nikki Heat novels.

She didn't realize that she was crying until a tear made its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away as she watches Rick hold up his young son look look at his 'mommy'. As much as it pained her, she couldn't begrudge Rick his shot at happiness. He certainly had it all, the successful career, wealth, a loving family, and a wife who adored him. Her mind couldn't shake the thought that it could have been her standing there with everything he has if only she'd made different choices.

X-X-X

Richard Rodgers couldn't contain the joy he felt at this moment. He was truly happy sitting here with his family as he watches his amazing wife achieve her dream. He brought Richard Alexander Rodgers junior into his arms and held him tightly as the toddler tries to squirm out of his hold. It was Cassie's idea to name the boy after Rick. He wanted to name him Cosmo himself and still referred to him as such. Cassie would always give him a mock glare when he called the boy by that name but would have to laugh whenever Rick gave her a pout in response.

Cassie was a stunningly beautiful woman that had as much money as Rick did thanks to her family. But that wasn't what attracted him to her. He'd dated supermodels and socialites in the past and nothing ever came from it. No, it was her laugh that drew him to her in the first place. The type of deep laugh that only one who is at peace with themselves can have. A calm, quiet confidence in herself without being snobbish.

They met at a charity fund raiser six months after 'the rejection' as Rick thought of it. Paula and Gina had conspired together to get him to attend. Little did he know that they had offered him up for the bachelor action. Rick mingled with the crowd when he heard her laugh for the first time. There was something mesmerizing about it and he followed the sound to see her sitting at a table full of people all laughing and having a good time.

He walked up to her table and saw her for the first time. She was as beautiful as her laugh. Her sable hair was in an elegant wrap on top of her head exposing her long neck. This was no bimbo. Rick would guess that she was nearly his age although she looked younger. Her emerald green eyes seemed to sparkle as she held everyone's attention at her table telling what he could only guess was a humorous story. The woman stopped speaking as Rick stood by the table. She looked at him and smiled. "Excuse me miss, but has anyone told you that you have a beautiful laugh, and smile?"

Cassie grinned and replied. "I've heard all types of pickup lines, but that's a first, Mr.."

"Rodgers, Rick Rodgers. Look, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you.."

Cassie arched her eyebrow as he introduced himself as Rick Rodgers. She knew exactly who he was, Richard Castle. "Rodgers, huh? Are you working undercover for the FBI or something Mr Castle?"

"Actually it's the CIA, miss.." Rick laughed as he extended his hand to the woman as the others at the table watched the two together.

"Bachman. Cassandra Bachman, but my friends call me Cassie." She extends her hand to his and he gives it a gentle shake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Cassie and to answer your question, Richard Castle was the name I took when I became a writer. My publisher thought that it sounded better than my birth name of Rodgers. I decided that it was time to be him again.. I apologize for the interruption. I'll let you get back to your friends.." He smiled as he turned and walked away from the table leaving the others there to begin teasing her.

The $5,000 a plate dinner was very well attended and supported after-school and reading programs for inner city youth. The band played as everyone enjoyed their dinners. Rick was seated at the table with the mayor and several other local dignitaries. He was more than a little surprised when he sees his mother walking up to the podium. She waited as the spot light settled on her before speaking. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for opening your hearts and your wallets to help support our future generation of leaders." She waited as the crowd applauded for themselves. "And now ladies, the main event. The bachelor auction."

Rick sat there nervously as Bob laughed at him. He was in on it too. Along with his mother, Gina and Paula. He had listened and quickly ignored their 'suggestions' that he start dating again. Now he knew he had been setup.

Martha quickly introduced the bachelors to the audience and even served as the auctioneer trying to drive up the bids. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and Rick relaxed thinking that he had dodged a bullet.

"And now for the last bachelor of the night who has graciously offered himself to some lucky lady.." Martha announces to the crowd. "Most of you know him as the best selling author Richard Castle, but around my home, he's simply Richard Rodgers, my son. Please come up here Richard." She gestures to the table where Rick is sitting and the spotlight shines on him as Bob and the others burst into laughter at the embarrassed look on his face.

Rick feigns a smile and waves to the crowd as he rises up from his seat and slowly makes his way to the stage. Martha makes an overly dramatic showing giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek. He is standing beside the podium as Martha announces to the crowd. "Ok folks, who'll start the bidding and remember to dig deep as all of the money goes to charity."

Someone in the crowd shouts one thousand, and another shouts two thousand. Soon there are shouts coming from all around the room and the bid climbs to five thousand and stalls. Martha continues to work the crowd like a real auctioneer shouting going once, going twice and just before she can say sold, a voice calls out ten thousand.

Rick recognized the voice immediately and smiled. Martha shouted sold, and asked the lucky bidder to please stand and be recognized by the crowd. Cassie stood and grinned at Rick as he smiled back at her. The crowd applauded and cheered when Cassie took an overly dramatic bow and Rick laughed, really laughed at her antics.

He walked down from the stage and directly to the table where she was sitting. The band had started playing again and the floor was slowly filling up with couples dancing. Extending his arm, she took his hand and rose up from her seat still grinning. They walked to the dance floor wordlessly and soon they were dancing with the others.

Rick her her close to him as they moved around the dance floor. He tilted his head down to whisper in her ear. "Thank you for saving me. That old bitty that had the high bid before you was looking at me like a hungry dog looks at a porterhouse steak."

"You're welcome Rick, or is it Richard?"

"Call me anything you like.."

Six months later Rick proposed to Cassie while they were in Hamptons for a weekend getaway. Rick wasn't nervous at all. He knew that she would say yes. And she did. Cassie was a kindred spirit and knew what it was like to go through failed marriages and the ordeals of raising a child by yourself. They were both mature enough to know exactly what they wanted in a life partner and each filled the other's needs. Cassie had the same child-like curiosity that he did. Both Rick and her daughter Sarah got along fabulously. Rick knew just how important it was to be accepted by the child. Alexis loved Cassie because of how happy she made him.

They were married two months later in a small private ceremony in Martha's Vineyard. Only close friends and family were invited. Lanie, her new boyfriend, Kevin and Jenny were there in attendance. Esposito was invited, but declined along with Jennifer. Rick really wasn't surprised by either.

The two both wanted a child that they created together and spent a great deal of time 'trying' to make that a reality. Her doctor warned her that a pregnancy at her age carried higher risks, but she didn't care. It took a little over a year of intense 'practicing', but they succeeded and both were thrilled. Sarah wasn't forgotten as Rick legally adopted her and changed her last name to Rodgers. Both Cassie and Sarah were thrilled that Rick wanted to assume the role of father that her own had walked away from years ago.

Life was good as Rick started another fiction series loosely based upon Jordan Shaw under the pen name of Richard Castle. His first non-fiction novel under his real name of Richard Rodgers was to be released the next week. As a former two-term state senator, Cassie was heavily involved in local politics in Scarsdale where they lived, having spent time on the city council and as head of fund raising for her political party. She left office when her husband's philandering ways finally made it to the front pages of the local papers and she was forced to accept the failure of their marriage. There was never a second thought as she resigned from office to devote her attention to her then pre-teen daughter.

She was eight months pregnant when she was approached by local party officials about running for the senate office once held by William Bracken. The former governor had appointed a replacement to finish Bracken's term and after serving one additional term, he made in known that he wasn't interested in running the re-election gauntlet again. The party sought her out because of her record as a state senator and the celebrity status of her new husband. She liked the idea of going to Washington to do more and knew that Rick would support her.

Rick was thrilled that she included him in every step of the decision making process, making sure that he was 'on-board' with her decision. She had voiced her concerns about leaving him with an infant, nearly turning down the offer on more than on occasion. Rick assured her that whatever choice she made he would back her and he had plenty of experience with raising children. He would buy a home in Arlington and she could commute. She would be able to be with her family every night that way.

She entered the primaries late, making sure that her son was in good hands with her husband. She won the nomination five months later and the real work began on the campaign trail. 'Cosmo' was now old enough to travel with them and everywhere Rick, the baby, and she appeared, her popularity rose. The final results were close, she won by one percent of the popular vote. Regardless, she won and was now standing along with all of the newly elected or re-elected senators as they took their oaths on the senate floor.

Once the session was completed, Cassie joined Rick and her family for the ceremonial swearing in ceremony held in the Old Senate Chamber. This swearing in was strictly ceremonial and she could choose whomever she wanted to perform the duty. She chose newly elected governor Bob Weldon to re-create the task as he was still one of Rick's best friends. This was the session that C-Span had replayed when Jennifer turned on the TV.

X-X-X

Dinner with Lanie and her husband was about as pleasant as one could have hoped for considering everything that had happened between the two women. The conversation was kept to safe topics and nothing about her time with the NYPD or the AG's office was discussed. Jennifer learned that Lanie's husband was a cardiologist and former friend of Josh Davidson. He talked about about how the two of them had went on several missions for Doctors Without Borders. He knew that Josh had dated her years ago though he never mentioned it at Lanie's request. He went on to tell Jennifer how Josh had met a Swiss surgeon while on one of his missions and married her a few months later. The last time he spoke to Davidson, he had moved to Zurich where he and his wife had two sons lived.

Jennifer couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy hearing that Josh had done so well for himself. She took another sip from her drink and tried to change the conversation to something else by asking Lanie about life as a married woman. She knew all about Lanie's breakup with Esposito. Jennifer knew that Javi and her were kindred spirits, unable to commit to a single person.

Jennifer talked about her life as a college professor and her new boyfriend, also a professor at the school. Lanie listened intently but knew not to ask where this relationship was going. She already knew the answer. Nowhere, just like all of the others.

Some people are destined to live their lives alone, unable to commit to another.

Jennifer/Kate, or whatever name she went by, was one of them...

She never read Rick's letter...