Still The One

A/N: Inspired by Still The One, by Orleans. Lyrics are included throughout. I hope you enjoy!

Leave it to Alexis to have the grandest wedding Kate had maybe ever seen. She shouldn't have been surprised; she knew the girl came by it honestly. But despite the grandeur and elegance, through a combination of up-lighting, casual dining, and loud music, she seemed to have also found the perfect balance with fun.

Guests, clad in their best evening wear, were drinking and swaying to the music as servers wove in and out to offer flutes of Rosé. A photo booth in the corner encouraged guests to be silly and create their own memories with wigs, props, and signs, the printouts of which proudly announced, "Alexis and Jonah, 11.3.2018." (Kate had already snuck in twice: once with just her and Lily, and once with Lily and Castle both. She'd wait until she was a little more drunk before bringing him into the booth alone, for her third time. She really wanted to kiss him with that fake Santa beard on.)

The night was proving to be one of the most fun times she'd had in months, if not years. Life with a toddler was hard. This was made further evident by the cranky whines Lily began to let out, close to eight o'clock. Martha, her literal savior as of late, swooped in to take the squirmy toddler just before she started screaming.

"Let me take her home," Martha cooed, and cradled the little girl to her body. Lily whimpered and set her head sleepily on Martha's shoulder, and then shoved her tiny hand into Martha's hair.

"No, it's okay, I can do it," Kate said, and tried to take Lily back. But Lily wouldn't budge.

Martha looked at someone over Kate's shoulder, and nodded to them before directing her attention back to Kate. "No, really. I've got her. I'm tired anyway. I'll just take her back to the loft and she can sleep with me in the guest room." She rubbed Lily's back soothingly. "How does that sound, my darling girl?" she murmured down to the girl, and Lily nodded.

She was absolutely Gram's number one fan.

Kate bit her lip. She hadn't known Alexis as long as Martha had, obviously. It felt wrong to stay longer than her. But Martha was getting older, and despite her insistence on keeping her lifestyle, she'd been up with Alexis since dawn this morning getting ready. She truly was tired, Kate could tell.

"Okay. But please, call me if you need anything, alright?" Kate said, and kissed Martha on the cheek. "Goodnight baby," she murmured against the top of Lily's head, and gave her a kiss too. "Will you take her to say goodbye to Rick?"

Martha nodded, and made eyes at someone, again, over Kate's shoulder. Suddenly Castle was beside her, and giving a very loud, very intoxicated, "Thank you!" to his mother. He then blew a sweet little raspberry on Lily's cheek, causing the previously grumpy girl to erupt into giggles.

"Goodnight my little princess," he cooed, and kissed Lily all over her face. She reached out to hug him goodbye, and then Martha was sweeping the girl back toward their table to gather her things.

Kate watched until they were gone from the ballroom before turning to Castle. "Are you sure she'll be alright?"

Castle nodded, eyes heavy-lidded with exhaustion and alcohol. "Oh yeah. She took Alexis all the time for me."

"But she's…" Kate didn't dare say the words older now to Castle's face. He was still very much protective (and defensive) when it came to his mother.

"Nevermind that," Castle said, and put his finger to Kate's lips, silencing her. "Come dance with me."

Kate quirked an eyebrow. The song was just ending. "To what?"

He grinned so hard his eyes narrowed to fine slits. It was her favorite of all of his smiles. "You'll see. I made a request." He took her hand and dragged her, heavily, out to the dance floor.

She looked over at the DJ who was smiling broadly at her. Clearly, Castle had made some kind of arrangement. Perhaps it was no coincidence that Martha had volunteered to take Lily.

He pulled her close, spinning them around, just as the opening notes to one of her favorite songs started playing up. She smiled so hard her face hurt, and she giggled into his shoulder.

The upbeat, poppy notes of Still The One, by Orleans played loudly in the ballroom: You're still the one I wanna talk to in bed. Still the one that turns my head. We're still having fun and you're still the one.

"Castle," Kate whispered into his neck. "This is so–"

But then he spun her around and she was laughing. It felt like their living room routine, when he'd wanted to compete against Ryan and Esposito. He was a planet and she was a moon in his orbit, spinning and twisting, dancing to the music.

"I mean it," he said into her hair as he pulled her back briefly against his chest. She was panting, both with the thrill of the dance but the joy of being like this with him, too. It had been so long since they'd had so much fun.

You're still the one that makes me laugh. Still the one that's my better half. We're still having fun and you're still the one.

He spun her around again, and now they had the whole crowd watching. She locked eyes with her husband, hair falling loose from its bun. He seemed to be glowing in the low light, like he was burning brightly from within.

God, she loved him so much.

His hands were strong in hers when he pulled her back in, leading the way. She snuck in a quick kiss, and his hand clenched harder around her hip.

Changing, our love is going gold. Even though we grow old, it grows new.

Alexis and her guests were in on it now, swinging around and enjoying the merriment. It made Kate feel better, not to be the center of attention. But she still was, in a way. Castle only had eyes for her.

You are still the one that makes me shout. Still the one that I dream about. We're still having fun and you're still the one.

"I love you, you know," she murmured into his ear as the song came to a close. He dipped her down, unexpectedly, causing a rush of giggles to pour out of her like overflowing soda fizz.

"I know," he murmured back, and righted her again. They finished out strong, but Kate was dizzy and lightheaded from it all. When the song tailed off, she dragged him by his hand back to their table. He plopped down heavily but happily into his chair, and Kate sidled right onto his lap. She didn't care who saw.

She kissed her husband, tongue seeking entrance into his, for the whole wedding to see.

When she pulled away, he was looking up at her with a kind of stupor on his face. "See?" he said. "We're not too old to have fun."

Kate shook her head. "No. Definitely not." She pressed another soft kiss to his forehead. "We'll have to thank Martha for taking Lily."

"Mmm."

"Because we're not done," she murmured down against his skin. He wrapped his arms tightly around her body.

"You wanna…?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kate bit her bottom lip. "After a few more songs, yeah. It's good we're already in a hotel, huh?"

Castle laughed, and moved to stand. Kate rose, allowing him the room. "Better get started!" he called out, and dragged her back out to the dance floor.