Hi all, apologies for the spell between chapters but creating a fair bit in this part and managing personal affairs. Write when I can, not when I want to of late. Enjoy.

A ROSE FOREVER AFTER

Dawn of January 9, 2010 was a very cold Saturday, way too cold to be out early. Getting to their destination was a matter of stepping carefully along the icy pavement to avoid slipping over.

Kate followed her father on their journey. This year he was a little slower, perhaps a little more aware he could easily slide, fall and injure himself. Nowadays, they knew their way to the correct row without pausing. There were little indicators on the way, a light tall head stone, an old oak tree to the left, a young sapling further down to their right that was growing fast. They did it together at least once a year, and she knew she took the path at least another six times year alone. The number of steps to her destination was forever in her soul. Once they were close, Kate fell in beside her father to take the final steps with him to the grave site where her mother had been laid to rest. They were the only people visiting the cemetery that morning.

Cradled in her left elbow was a bunch of simple flowers she had purchased on the way. Her father lowered his head, closed his eyes. She did the same, and thought about her late mother. It wouldn't be long. The weather hastened their rituals most anniversaries. The air was cold inhaled to her lungs and the noises of the awakening city about them were crisp in the clear morning.

"Eleven years." Her father said, breaking the long silence between them.

Kate opened her eyes and lifted her gaze to her father's face. "Mm. It's gone fast."

"Yes."

"I still miss her. Especially lately." She greatly missed not being able to introduce Rick to her mother, "A lot since I met Castle." It was a hard fact to accept that her life would be absent of conversations with her Mom about her future with her boyfriend, especially this boyfriend. If they ever were to marry, her mother wouldn't be the person who would accompany her to buy a dress.

"Every day," he agreed.

They both gazed down upon the gravestone. "Daddy?" Kate held out the flowers for him, "I bought these for you."

He gently accepted them. "Thank you, Honey." He looked over them, "These are pretty."

"The type she liked." She'd said even though she knew he what flowers his wife had liked the most.

"They are." He replied.

The chill factor of the day caused Kate to pull at her coat and tuck her red wool scarf in tighter. She tugged her beanie closer to her eyebrows. It was damn cold. The sun was breaking the horizon, causing ice crystals about them to sparkle, perhaps a message from her mother that she knew they were there. It's what she liked to think, even though she saw the same thing about the city every other morning in January. Jim laid the bunch of flowers at the head stone, pressed his fingers to his lips then touched the cold stone. This morning he kept company with sorrow, a mood that would take a few hours to leave him. She didn't believe he would ever get over the loss of his wife, particularly now. He had moved on but hadn't forgotten. Kate appreciated that as a daughter, but as an adult she wanted him to be happy with another woman to share the rest of his life with someone special. A few minutes passed by with Kate waiting for her father to finish his private memorial.

When he turned about he looked at her face. She smiled fully aware of what was coming. It always did. She could repeat it verbatim.

"She lives in you, Katie. I didn't put much in to creating you. It was all your mother's genes."

Kate momentarily bit her bottom lip, wondered whether he saw her ageing. She was getting close to being her mother's age when she had passed. This year, she responded differently. "It's funny, Castle says I'm like you. He says I'm your daughter. Mutters it under his breath at times – you're your father's daughter."

"That's nice to hear even if he is complaining."

"Something like that."

Jim looked back over his shoulder one last time at the headstone, then returned to Kate. "C'mon. Let's get out of this damn cold weather and go for breakfast."

"Coffee would be great." Kate backed up a couple of steps, bid her mother a silent farewell then stepped in beside her Dad. He held out his arm that she immediately hooked hers into. Together, they strolled back up to the pavement to the car park, not in a hurry for once in their lives.

When they could to see the car, Kate smiled, and she swore her heart skipped a beat, when she saw Rick leaning against the fender. He was rather handsome in his winter wear. He had said he'd meet them for breakfast at the café, so it was a surprise to see he was at the cemetery.

"Your fella is here." Jim commented, and kind of pointed towards Rick.

"Mm. Surprising me, no doubt. He likes to keep it interesting." She softly replied enjoying the sight of the writer who waited for them in the cold. "Look at him." She fondly murmured and briefly squeezed her Dad's arm. "He's wearing the scarf and beanie I bought him for Christmas."

Her father paused, took a second to absorb his daughter's expression, "He's a handsome man, Kate. You do tend to date the good sorts."

She snorted. Her father chuckled. "Stop teasing me, Dad."

"Well look at him," he offered, "He's tall." They continued their path.

"He's brooding," she added playfully.

"Handsome."

"Mm. He is," she agreed, "He says, ruggedly handsome. He would correct you on that."

"Gentleman." Jim suggested, a smile creeping in. "I hope."

She laughed and played along by replying, "Now you're stretching it, Daddy." She patted her gloved fingers on her Dad's hand. "You should probably stop."

"Is he scared of me?"

Her laughter was vivacious, "He's terrified of you, wonders what you think of him. He's not a lawyer."

"No, but he's a successful author."

'I know. His own imagination sets him off. His insecurities I guess."

"Then he would have been very terrified of your mother."

"Yeah." Kate smiled in amusement and reflection, "She did have that effect on my boyfriends. She would have loved him though, Dad. Would have talked books with him for hours. He's well read."

"She would have enjoyed that. She loved her books, as you do."

They closed in on the space to her father's car. Rick had brought his sedan that was parked behind her father's car. He stayed at the car, his expression evident he was very a happy to see Kate.

He commented, "He's pleased to see you. I feel you're excited"

"It's been a few days." Kate replied.

"Go on," Jim released her to Rick and she sped up her gait the final steps to him. She stopped before him, wondering how the hell he'd figured out where she was that morning. She hadn't mentioned it was the anniversary of her mother's passing. They had arranged to meet where they were to have breakfast but she had not mentioned where she would be. She hadn't brought up the anniversary at all.

"Hello," she softly greeted.

"Hello." He pushed off the car to stand right up, and raised out his left hand that held the stem of a single pink Gerbera. She smiled, accepted it and stepped to him. She wrapped her arms about his neck. He held her firmly for a little longer than usual.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Always." He rested his chin on her head for a moment.

When she stepped back, Rick and Jim greeted with a hand shake. After the usual greetings Jim inquired, "You been taking good care of my daughter?"

Kate shot him a look hearing the subtext of her father teasing her boyfriend.

"Of course, Sir," Rick politely replied with a boyish smile. "Though you do know she carries a gun."

"Yes. She can look after herself," Jim glanced at Kate, "So she tells me."

"He takes care of me." Kate confirmed as she stepped back, taking Rick's gloved hand in hers. "You found me here."

"I did," Rick said, "Because I would like to take you all for breakfast."

"So long as it's the usual place," Kate replied.

"Yes," Jim agreed, aware it was important to Kate they returned to the same venue where they once dined as a family.

"Anywhere," Castle said.

"You go with Rick, Katie. I will pick up my date and meet you there." He said as he opened the driver's door.

She nodded. They remained silent until Jim's vehicle was rolling forward. "How did you know I would be here?" She asked as they walked to Castle's sedan.

"I knew it was the anniversary. We came here Christmas day, remember, you brought me here before we made lunch," he reminded her.

She smiled, "Oh yeah. You came with me." She waited at the side of the car as Rick opened the passenger door for her. As she stepped in, he playfully yanked off her beanie. She squealed. "Castle! Give back my-"

He closed the door on her racket then hurried around to the driver's side. When he got in Kate glared at him, her hair roughed up. He handed back the beanie with a charming grin while she stared him down.

"Fuck, you're so cute when you're angry." It tumbled from his mouth before he had a chance to put the filter on. He reached out and stroked down strands of static hair. There was a definite look, then she kissed his wrist. "So bloody cute," he repeated.

"You might not think that later," she retorted.

Rick accepted that like she was joking and had a laugh, "So, does your Dad still approve of me?"

She laughed, "He thinks my Mom would have terrorized you."

"You scare me sometimes…." He teased and rubbed his palm along the left thigh of her jeans. "You're so cold." He noticed she held onto the Gerbera like it was precious cargo. She really appreciated the simplest of gestures.

"It is freezing out there." She placed the flower across her lap, pulled off her gloves and put her hands to the car heating. Dad's new girlfriend is joining us, Castle."

"Mm. I heard. That will be nice. Tough venue for her, with you."

Kate thought about that. "No. It's been more than long enough. My dad deserves to be happy and I will enjoy her company. I'm beyond the age of needing a motherly figure."

"True." He responded.

"We both need to move on," she stated. "Do you know where the café is?"

"I do," he replied as he drove out of the cemetery car park. "Alexis, as a young girl, could be quite jealous of women I met."

Kate nodded. She hadn't been around Alexis enough to have seen it. "Alexis is what sixteen?"

"Arr, yup. She's creating her own life now. She's more focused on her schooling, her interests and friends."

"You also take her out at least once a week."

"Yes. To show her how she should expect to be treated as a woman."

"That's really sweet." Kate said, "So how do you do that?"

"Open the car door for her, through the door first, generally …. Well I treat her like I do you." He shot her a glance, "I would like her to have a benchmark to work from when she is dating."

"Mm," she placed her hand over his that had found rest on her thigh. "You are in sync with women, Castle."

"I love women." He replied, perhaps a litte to gleefully. "I was raised by them, loved by them, produced one…" He laughed, because he was mostly taking the piss out of himself, "Can't catch or throw a ball but I can braid hair or hem a dress."

"You're good at picking clothes and my size."

"Because you're easy. Model size." He laughed, but he also noticed Kate didn't really react, You okay?" He asked.

"Yuss. I have the day off and I'm with you." She watched the townhouses flash by, "I don't remember her so well anymore, Castle. It gets harder. Can't picture her face, remember her voice saying my name."

"That's alright, Kate. It's normal. You can't be expected to retain all that. Do you remember all of our first date?"

She smirked, "No. I was nervous."

"Well I don't remember it all either." He lifted his hand to the steering wheel in readiness to make a left hand turn. They were close to the café they were dining at. "Make new memories, Honey. Let this morning be good. But find me a car space."

She smirked, but sat up and looked ahead in search of a place to park. She pointed. "Eight up, there's a space."

Rick pushed forward then braked beside space. He expertly maneuvered the sedan into the space. He killed the engine. "Wait here." He said and smiled. He left the car, hurried around it to open the passenger side door for Kate. She stepped out, reaching for his hand. He closed the door and stopped on the side walk when she tugged at his arm.

"Castle?"

He looked at her eyes. "What is it?"

"Thank you for finding me today." She put emphasis on her last word, glanced over his shoulder and immediately dropped his hand. "Esposito is coming," she hissed.

"What?" He spun around, saw Esposito striding along the pavement towards in the company of a brunette woman, and spun back. "Just be casual," he hissed right back at her, "Who is she?"

Kate shot a further glance over his shoulder, sighted a pretty Hispanic woman at Esposito's left side. "I have no idea. Could be a cousin."

"Cousin?" He pulled his beanie onto his head, kept his back to Esposito. Kate opened the car door and ducked her upper half into the vehicle as though she was retrieving something.

Then it happened.

Detective Esposito walked straight past Castle, deep in a discussion with the woman, and he wasn't worried about his surrounding environment. Castle stared after him in disbelief that the Detective hadn't recognized them. The moment over, Rick tapped Beckett on the backside, indicating it was save to come out. She did and gazed down the street to where her partner travelled.

"That was close," Castle commented.

"Yeah, but why on earth would he be up this part of town on a Saturday morning?" Beckett asked as they commenced their walk in the other direction to their destination.

"Who knows? He didn't notice us. He wouldn't be looking for us here either." Castle pointed, "There's your Dad."

She searched and smiled when she sighted her father approaching from the other direction with a tall brunette woman.

"She looks similar to you, Kate."

"My Mom. Dad has a particular taste. Most of his girlfriends have resembled Mom in some way." She slipped her hand into Rick's confident they wouldn't be sprung by anyone else. They walked until they were face to face with Jim and his lady friend, Lisa.