Dinner was simple, just the two of them at their small apartment table, a bottle of wine between them. The excitement of the engagement still hung in the air, buzzing like static electricity, but neither of them felt rushed. There was time—time to figure out the details, time to celebrate, time to let it all sink in.
"So," Kate said, setting down her fork with a small smile. "We're not planning the whole wedding tonight, obviously, but… where do we even start?"
Trench leaned back in his chair, swirling the wine in his glass. "Well, I guess we need a guest list first."
Kate nodded. "Family, close friends…"
A name came to mind, though Trench hesitated. "Colin," he said after a moment. "I should invite Colin."
Kate tilted her head slightly. "Colin Evans? Your old friend?"
"Yeah," he said, carefully keeping his tone neutral. "We've kept in touch more this past year. It'd feel wrong not to invite him."
She smiled. "That sounds nice. I'd love to meet him."
Trench took a sip of wine, deciding not to mention that Colin had been more than just an old friend. It didn't seem relevant now, and besides, he'd only entertained the idea of asking him to be his best man for a second before dismissing it. It would have been… complicated. Instead, he turned the conversation back to the wedding party.
"You know, you could have a best woman instead of a best man," Kate said, only half-joking. "Sophia would do it."
Trench considered it, then nodded. "You know what? That's actually not a bad idea. I'll ask her tomorrow."
Kate grinned. "She'll be flattered. And probably give you a hard time about it."
"I'd be disappointed if she didn't."
They laughed, the warmth of the moment making everything feel easy, natural. For all the strangeness of their lives, for all the things lurking in the shadows of the Bureau, this was something real. Something theirs.
As the conversation meandered, Kate reached across the table and took his hand. "What about after?"
"After?"
"After the wedding. After… everything. Where do we see ourselves?"
Trench exhaled, considering it. "I've never really thought that far ahead."
"Well," she said, "I have. And I think someday, I'd like a house. Not an apartment. A real house, with a backyard. And maybe… kids?"
He squeezed her hand, something warm settling in his chest. "Yeah," he said. "I think I'd like that too."
Kate smiled, and for a moment, the future didn't seem so uncertain. They didn't have all the answers. They didn't need them yet. But they had each other. And for now, that was enough.