The new visitor to the chapel slips into the bench across the narrow aisle from Rick. Not wanting to interrupt the other man's contemplation, Rick only half looks up from his phone, catches a quick glimpse of gray hair, and murmurs a polite "good morning."

The man replies in kind, and for a couple of minutes it's quiet in the chapel.

Paging back through the photos as the phone gives its final gasps, he settles on the one of Ethan, bundled and sleeping in the bassinet. Nine pounds, a big boy. Castle can see his burly build all over his new son, and he can't help the smile. Still, the shape of his face is undeniably Kate, and simple genetics suggest that the boy will likely have Kate's hazel eyes. Castle wants that, wants the boy to be as much of his extraordinary mother as possible. He can't wait to watch Kate as a mom. She's been so loving toward Alexis; the ferocity she shows in caring for the ones she cares about has always taken his breath away. Rick wouldn't have had another child with anyone but Kate; and at the same time couldn't imagine not having this child with her. He wanted this for her, to have her know what it was to love another human being unconditionally from the very start. The screen fades to time out, and Castle taps it one more time to bring the picture back. If the battery's going to quit, it can quit on this image.

"I can't help but notice, you're pretty fixed on that photo. Would you tell me about it?"

Castle startles, for a moment, having forgotten in the silence that the other man was there. He smiles broadly, glad to share his good news, and holds the phone out across the aisle to show this older man his prized photo.

Making eye contact for the first time, Castle freezes, the phone dropping from his suddenly nerveless fingers into the other man's outstretched hand.

Three photos. Kate had managed to shoot three of them on her phone that day in the park, all of his retreating figure, and from a considerable distance. Photos of this man.

Castle's father sits across the aisle, maybe five feet away, studying the photo of his newborn grandson, an undeniable grin forming on at his mouth and crinkling at the corners of his eyes. No wonder Kate was so sure. With Castle in a gray wig, they could pass for brothers.

"I...uhh..." Castle had imagined it, dreamed it, rehearsed it. In his head, he was ready for this, with something appropriately weighty for the moment, or even light and funny to ease the tension. Twenty-nine best sellers, indeed. Something Martha said a few years ago comes to mind now, about making his living with words but having a hard time finding the right ones when it counts. Rick blows out a long, frustrated sigh and sinks further into his seat, casting a forlorn look at his father, who is still smiling at the image on the screen. "Words are kind of my thing, but right now, I've got nothing."

Charles lets the screen go dark this time, and shifts in his seat to face his son. "When's the last time you really slept?"

The older man's eyes are kinder than Castle imagined. And since he can't think of anything else to say at the moment, Rick simply answers him. "Kate's back and hips have been hurting a lot, she couldn't seem to stay comfortable in one position too long. Not much sleep at all the last couple of weeks, and none at all since night before last."

"Well, that's where your words went."

Castle nods, no argument to be made there.

"Richard, I will leave right now if it's what you want. I'm not here to make you uncomfortable or cause trouble."

Rick looks down, fiddling with the plastic hospital bracelet around his left wrist, and smiles a little to himself. "You know, Kate kind of liked you."

"I knew a lot about your wife before I met her. I expected to be impressed, and I was by no means disappointed. She's smart, and even more beautiful than I anticipated. The best part was how fiercely protective she was of you. That woman loves you, and I'm glad to know for myself just how much." Charles smiles again, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "As much as I'm glad to hear she found me tolerable, I was thinking more about you. About what you want."

Rick nods, considers it. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," his father replies.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why now?"

Charles turns Rick's phone over in his hands a couple of times, and unlocks the screen saver to see Ethan's picture again. "Because I've missed absolutely everything, every landmark, every first, for over 40 years. And I know it's selfish...it's absurdly presumptuous, of me, but I just didn't want to miss another one."

With that, Charles holds the phone back across the aisle. His son stands, takes it and slips it into his front pocket. This could be it. Rick could walk out right now, and chances are this would be the end of it. By the look on Charles' face, his father is afraid that's exactly what's about to happen.

Castle drags a hand through his hair, taking a long look through the exit, before turning back to Charles.

"Would you like to meet him?"