4.
Beckett took a deep breath. "You sure you don't mind," she asked Castle.
The two of them had dropped off Martha and Alexis before arriving at the cemetery.
Castle squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Are you sure you want me to come?"
Beckett squeezed his hand back, "Yeah I need you with me this time."
The two of them got out of the car and made their way over to the plot, Beckett knowing the direction by heart but Castle never having been here before.
Quietly Beckett laid the flowers she had gotten on top of the headstone.
"Hi mom," Beckett said aloud. "Happy Mother's Day." Beckett squeezed her husband's hand again, "I brought Rick with me. I thought it was time for you two to meet. I'm sorry I never brought him sooner."
"Hi Mrs. Beckett, I'm Rick Castle, I guess I'm your son-in-law. I've taken real good care of her so far and I will the rest of my life, I promise. You've got an amazing daughter, I hope you know that. I love her and I hope you know what a great mom she's been to my daughter, Alexis."
Beckett placed her head on his shoulder. "She would have loved you Castle. You're the kind of man I think she expected me to marry some day."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. You're serious but you're also fun and make me feel alive again. That one of the things I miss most, how despite how cold and closed off I got for a while, she wasn't there to see you bright that light back in my life."
"She was there Kate, she's always here. From the stories you've told me about your mom, it's how I see you with Alexis. And I'm sure that you'll be the kind of mom to our baby that your mom was to you."
"Thank you for coming with me."
"Any time."