Presumptions

Chapter 16 - Epilogue

First Night Home

They are in bed having gone a couple very passionate rounds that night. Both are on their back now, fully sated, and just staring up at their ceiling. Kate starts the pillow talk.

"That was so amazing, oh how I have missed that, missed you."

Kate then proceeds to bring Rick up to speed on all that happened while he was held captive. She tells him about Wil Sorenson taking over his Kidnapping case for the FBI and how she had given an ultimatum to Wil about coming on to her.

"What is it with these men from your past, Kate? They always seem to show up and interrupt what we have. Sorenson, Demming, Josh, I am glad you're with me now!"

"Oh really, Mr. Eligible Bachelor no. 3, need I remind you of your past liaisons, Kyra Blaine, Ellie Monroe, Natalie Rose, and let's now forget your two ex-wives Meredith and Gina! And what of Sophia Turner? You never told me of her and that you did research with her. I thought I was the only one you did research with, if what you had with Sophia was truly research!", she sounds a little annoyed about his keeping the CIA agent hidden from her.

"Kate, I only did it for a short time", but he looks away not wanting her to see her eyes.

For Kate, this is a tell, and she pushes, "Really, how short a time?"

"About a year."

"A year! You call that a short time?"

"Kate, I've been with you for three going on four years. Besides I never asked Sophia to marry me, like I did with you. And for the record, she was the one who broke it off."

"I'm glad you came clean, are there any other women you've done 'research' with that I need to know about?"

"No! But Kate, we both knew that there were others in our lives when we got together."

"Okay, you're off the hook, enough of this talk about the people from our past. What counts is that we are together now and will remain together. I remind you, Studly, that I am an only child and never learned how to share. You are mine now and I will not give you up!"

"I love it when you are jealous like this. It is so hot!"

"Shut up and make love to me Rick, or lose me forever!"

"Yes ma'am!"

They go for one more round, and end it totally spent. Each falls quickly into a deep and recovering sleep afterwards. It was a great way to be welcomed back home after his harrowing kidnapping and captivity.

The Merry Month of May - Castle's Hampton Summer Home

Lanie Parish watches from the window. People are now arriving and being given programs with drinks. Guests are appreciative with the free welcoming drinks upon their arrival at the Castle Hampton Summer Home. It is the event of the year for the Hamptons.

Today is the much anticipated Beckett-Castle nuptials, an event that has the Hampton Hotels nearly all full up.

Lanie is all dressed up as she is the Maid of Honor.

"The people are starting to fill the grounds. Are you ready, Kate?"

"Almost!", Kate gives a brief pause and then asks, "How did you pull this off, when my first wedding dress got damaged in that pipe leak at the bridal shop?"

"Well, you know, I called your father and he said he had a dress you could wear."

Lanie walks into the bedroom to help Kate with the finals touches to her gown and then stops. Kate is stunning in her mother's wedding dress. Kate twirls, gorgeous in the same wedding dress that her mother had worn at her wedding many years back.

"Wow. You look like an angel."

Kate smiles, "Really, Lanie?"

"Yeah. For a second there, I wanted to marry you."

"Oh, just stop, Lanie!"

"I must say, your mother had great taste."

Just then Martha Rodgers enters dressing room of her soon to be daughter-in-law.

"Yes, she did", Martha responds upon hearing Lanie's comment, "and look at you. I believe you are the most beautiful bride I have ever had the privilege of seeing before she takes her wedding vows."

"Thank you, Martha."

"Lanie, darling, could you just give us a moment?"

"Oh, sure Martha", turning to Kate, "I'll just go tell your dad that the wedding gown has turned out perfect."

Lanie leaves.

"Thanks, Lanie", Kate says to her as she departs, then Kate turns to address her future mother-in-law, "Martha, I just wanted to thank you and Alexis for all you've done in putting all this together."

"And I want to thank you, for making my son so very happy", she holds out a box, "I brought you something. In case you didn't have something blue."

Kate takes the box from Martha and opens it. It's a pair of sapphire drop earrings, blue in color.

"Oh, Martha, wow! They're … beautiful."

"Beautiful earrings for a beautiful bride."

Kate turns to the mirror to put them on.

"They were given to me by my mother to wear on my wedding day and by her mother before. Only women of substance have worn these gems. They've been waiting, Katherine...For you."

Kate takes a second to look in the mirror from herself to Martha who is standing behind her. Kate is overwhelmed with emotions. The ear rings are simply stunning on her and they make for an awesome 'something blue' as the saying goes about wedding preparations for the bride.

"I'm so honored, Martha, thank you."

They hug. Martha takes one final look at Kate.

"Oh darling, they're exquisite on you."

The Ceremony

As Jim gives away Kate, Rick comes up to take her from Jim and lead her to the make shift altar made for this ceremony. Rick takes her hand, as they both look at each other longingly.

"Hi," she says greeting her future husband.

"Hey", Rick says in return.

They continue to smile and look at one another.

"Whenever you're ready", says the justice of the peace.

They both turn to the justice, approach closer, and then he gives them a nod. They turn and face each other once again.

"Yes, I'm ready" says Kate, as she pulls a ring from her pocket and slips it onto Rick's finger:

"The moment that I met you, my life became extraordinary. You taught me to be my best self. To look forward to tomorrow's adventures. And when I was vulnerable, you were strong. I love you, Richard Castle. And I want to live my life in the warmth of your smile and the strength of your embrace. I promise you, I will love you. I will be your friend. And your partner in crime and in life. Always."

They take a second to linger before Rick pulls her ring out of his pocket and slips it on to Kate's finger, right above her engagement ring:

"The moment we met, my life became extraordinary. You taught me more about myself than I knew there was to learn. You are the joy in my heart. You're the last person I want to see every night before I close my eyes. I love you, Katherine Beckett. And the mystery of you is the one I want to spend the rest of my life exploring. I promise to love you, to be your friend and your partner in crime and life, 'til death do us part and for the time of our lives.

She laughs softly in happiness.

"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife", announces the justice.

They don't wait any longer. They kiss and their small group of witnesses around them clap. That small group is joined by the larger wedding guests group of almost three hundred at this, the wedding of the year for the Hamptons.

At the wedding party, on the table of the Bride and Groom, Jim Beckett places a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket for the official toast. The two non-traditional best men begin the ceremony. Ryan takes the bottle from the ice bucket, as Espo produces two stemware glasses that he holds out for Ryan to fill. Once done, Espo hands the glasses to Rick and Kate, then the two Best Men fill their glasses and offer a toast to the wedding crowd.

"Ladies and Gentle, to Mr. and Mrs. Rick Castle", both man say in chorus, raising their glasses and clicking them together. The crowd responds. They all drink their champagne.

Then Castle turns to Kate, "Mrs. Castle. May I have this dance?"

He takes her to the dance floor to begin the Bride and Groom dance. The DJ puts on, "You're In My Veins", their song. They both look at the DJ giving a nod of approval.

Kate smiles at Rick as she turns once again to face him and enters into Rick's arms. They sway to the music. After a long minute Kate reaches up to whisper into Rick's ear.

"It's perfect", she tells her husband lovingly.

Rick can't keep the look of awe off his face. He just pulls her closer and they continue to dance, alone in their newlywed bliss.

The wedding celebration continue well into the evening. As the evening comes to an end, the crowd has thinned, and only the small group of family and close friends remain. They continue to do the 'party after the party'. It is well past midnight by the time Kate and Rick make it to their wedding bed. Despite the long and hectic day from the wedding celebration, and then the wedding party and after party, they manage two rounds. For Rick and Kate, their love making is as fresh and exciting as their first time. It is for them a bright future now, with a new daughter. The two realize that they have it all and will continue to have it for a life time of married bliss.

The next morning they are at the airport to leave for Paris, France, for a one week honeymoon. It would have been longer but both could not see bear being away any longer from their daughter. Lily will now get a week with her grandparents and older sister along with the assistance of their many recently designated 'aunts' and 'uncles'.

As they get ready to board from their departing Gate, they give their daughter one last hug and kiss. Enough affections to last their daughter for a week from them, or so the couple hoped.

"Okay you two, take off and do not think about any of us. This is a week just for the two of you with no one there to steal away your time together", says Martha.

"Thank you all", the couple says to their family and close friends there to see them off.

"Go, just go. We got this", says Lanie as the others nod their heads in agreement.

With that the couple boards their plane. All is well in the Caskett World.

Fin

Post Script

Jeremy Danielson is in love with Kaitlin Karnes, an ME for the Seattle PD. 'Kay-Kay', he calls her; the nickname she has had for years and one her father had given her. They had met as he had picked up a wounded cop from a crime scene that she was working. It was instant attraction. She is brunette, features similar to his old flame, but her eyes were blue, and her height just 5'8" whereas Kate had been taller by an inch. He got her number and asked her out on a date. She was a young widow, having lost her husband, by coincidence, a Seattle PD Homicide Detective, killed in the line of duty. They started dating seriously. Slept together for the first time after 3 months of dating, and after a year, moved in together.

Kaitlin was the balm that Jeremy needed to heal his broken heart. He had avoided for some time getting back into the dating game. A natural reaction to a bad breakup, but once back in the game, he pursued Kay-Kay more seriously than he had done with any past GF's.

Jeremy had been seriously considering popping the question to Kaitlin for some time now, that is how serious it had become with them. When he did propose, she said yes, immediately, and they applied for a civil ceremony and wed a month later. She did not take his name for professional reasons, but it was with a mutual agreement. So Jeremy, formerly Josh, had indeed found his one and had moved on. Life has ways of making course corrections and had done so for Jeremy!

So Jeremy begins his new life, in a new identity, and a new location. Still, he will always remember when he was Josh Davidson and the life he had lost. One day he will tell Kay-Kay of his past life and past identity. He wants to keep no secrets from her. He had consulted Witness Protection on his intended disclosure. They advise him to ensure that his new wife kept that info secret, never to be shared but by the two of them. Life for the two was now bright and the future held much promise.