Another Chance

Chapter 52

The ballroom has none of the raucous and slightly cynical air it held at the book party where Castle had been electrified by the Kate Beckett lightning bolt. It just looks magnificent. A flower arch in Kate's chosen colors has been erected where the couple will stand to take their vows. A station for the DJ has been set up for later, but now a string quartet is tuning up for Kate's procession down an aisle covered in midnight blue satin and Arabian starflower petals.

Accompanied by Alexis, who's wearing a deep blue velvet blazer over cream-colored silk trousers, Castle stands at ready in his matching blue tuxedo. Nervousness and joy cool and warm him at the same time, and he struggles to keep his hands from fidgeting and his feet still. His mother is sitting in the front row holding a mercifully calm Aletha and gazing at Castle with reassurance. He straightens at the first draw of the cellist's bow across the low and mellow strings.

Lanie is starting to come down the aisle, dressed in a simple sheath and carrying a small bouquet, matching the flowers in the arch. On Jim Beckett's arm, Kate glides behind her maid of honor. Her gown is stunning and fitted to perfection, but Castle couldn't care less about the dress. As she comes to him, his bride seems wreathed in radiance, warming his soul and heating his blood.

Jim Beckett ushers Kate to Castle's side with an expression that holds both pride and warning. He's giving his most precious thing in the world into Castle's care, and the groom best regard her as equally dear to him. Castle inclines his head in acknowledgment and understanding.

Kirby Grant, the minister of the Church of Light and Hope, clears his throat. "We are gathered here to celebrate the triumph of love. Katherine and Richard have faced trials that most of us could only begin to imagine, but they stand here today, ready to declare that their lives will be forever entwined in hope and joy.

"Hope is the gift the universe offers us all. It gives us the courage to hold on through the bad times and anticipate better things to come. Marriage is a declaration of hope; the hope that love will endure; that the partners will always find the strength to lift each other over whatever hurdles life places in their paths. I see that hope in Katherine and in Richard. It shines like a beacon, dispelling any darkness that threatens to invade their hearts. So now, listen to them as in their own words and in that hope, they make their pledges to each other." Kirby nods to Kate.

"Rick, even before I knew you, you were my port in a storm. You wrote the words I clung to when I was overwhelmed with grief and pain. You helped me find my answers, even when I denied I was looking for them. You picked me up when I fell and held me when I was terrified. You restored the hope I thought I'd lost forever. You are my lover, my friend, and the man I want by my side forever." Kate looks at Lanie who hands her a thick gold band. "This ring has no end. It is a symbol that we will be together, always." Kate pushes the wedding band onto Castle's finger.

Kirby nods at Castle. "Kate, when we met in this room, hope was something of which I had almost none. I didn't know if I'd ever write again. Worse, I didn't know if I could ever love again. You reopened doors I'd been afraid had slammed in my face forever. For you, I could write. With you, I could attack life head-on instead of waiting for the next blow to fall. You are my friend, my love, my partner, my candle in the darkness." Alexis hands him a slender band that he slides onto Kate's finger. "I want nothing more, than to be at your side, holding you in my arms and my heart, always."

Kirby smiles as the couple seals its vows with a deep kiss. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Kate and Rick Beckett-Castle."

Rick holds Aletha in his arms as he and Kate sit at a table watching Lanie and Esposito on the dance floor. Castle points at the cop. "He's throwing in every slick move he can think of, but Lanie is graceful. It's hard to think of someone who spends her days cutting up dead bodies, that way, but she really moves well."

"It's those early years of ballet," Kate offers. "Being a dancer really was her dream, just like the law was mine."

"It took a while, but you're going to follow yours, wherever it goes. Why can't Lanie? Not ballet. She'll never be twig-like enough to twirl on pointe - something I'm sure Espo appreciates. But there are other kinds of dancing where women are allowed to have boobs. Ballroom for one. She could do that, maybe get on one of those shows. Not the celebrity kind, but there are local ones. At the very least, she could enjoy herself doing what she loves, even if she still makes a living with her scalpel and her bone saw."

"I don't see Espo dancing the foxtrot or the waltz."

"Neither do I," Castle agrees, "But there's always salsa, samba, cha-cha, and I think he'd love the rumba. It's pretty much sex in a vertical position, as is the tango."

"Castle, I had no idea you were that much into ballroom dancing. It seems a little - I don't know - disciplined for you."

"At one of my boarding schools, organized formal dances were the only times we were allowed to touch a girl - at least officially. So I learned, more or less. I'm no Arthur Murray. Couldn't be; he's dead. But I understand the moves. I think Lanie would be excellent. And if Espo doesn't want to go along with it, I'm sure there'd be a line of guys eager to partner with her. She just needs something to put the thought in her head. And I know just what to do. I can take care of it before we leave on our honeymoon. Who knows? On the ship, we may be able to just rumba the night away."

"I'll have to feed Aletha somewhere in the middle of all that."

Castle leans over to whisper in her ear. "Just a short intermission. We'll never lose our rhythm or our steam."

"What's that?" Esposito asks as Lanie holds up a thick envelope with a gold seal.

"It's a certificate for Smirnov Studios - six months of free lessons. They sent it to me as some kind of promotion."

"Smirnov? Ballroom dancing? You're not going to waste your time with that when we could be gettin' down."

Lanie bobs her head back and forth. "I wouldn't be wasting it. I was watching when Smirnov won the All-Star Crystal trophy on Dance Explosion. He's incredible! And I heard he has some great dancers working for him as teachers. It could be fun. I'm going to check it out, at least. You want to come along to see the place?"

"No thanks. Castle left Ryan and me his preseason floor tickets. I'm going to watch some guys who move like men."

Lanie shrugs as her eyes darken. "Fine. I'll have the other test results you wanted sometime tomorrow afternoon. I'll call you when they're ready. So get out of here. I have work to do before I finish my shift. And you might even find something useful to do yourself."

Esposito slinks away sure he's made a bad move - a very bad move.