EPILOG

She has not moved past her entry. She is leaning back against the hard wood of her door. Her eyes are closed, and she feels a happiness covering her entire body.

There is something magical about what he has done to her. Not done TO her exactly, but for her? With her? She is not totally sure what to call it.

She, never in a million years, considered that a man…any man would bring her to this. But he has done it. He has respected her. Helped her in her job. Been a co-worker. A companion. And mostly, he has been a friend.

BUT most importantly…her protector. Her savior. A man who stepped into danger to make sure she was OK.

Never, in he adult years, has been with a man who seems to want what is best for her. Almost every time in the past, the date would seem to be pushing to get her into his bed…or hers. Whichever is closer.

She spent her time today with him for breakfast…a walk in the park then finally, having him meet her parents. This thought brings a laugh to her lips. Meeting the parents usually happens when she would be ready to move on to a deeper relationship. and she brought him to her parent's dinner tonight.

At no time did he even attempt to move them towards a more intimate evening. She recalls what his daughter said about him and the beautiful women he took to parties. They were set up by the publisher just for show and he never did anything with them. He had no interest in them, but Alexis told her that he was always home early, and he was waiting for someone special and indicated that that special woman was her.

He has actually told her that he loves her. Everything that happened today proves that.

'Am I really the woman he is waiting for?' She says for no one special to hear.

She hears cell phone ringing in the kitchen. This is when she realizes she left it home today and didn't even miss it. She looks at the screen and sees her best friend's smiling back at her. "Hey Lanie, what's up?"

"WHERE HAVE UYOU BEEN? I called you several times today and you never answered!"

"I was busy"

"Busy doing what?"

She waits a beat before answering "Rick and I spent the day together"

Now Lanie is silent for a minute "You and writer boy? …All day?"

"Well.. most of the day. He brought me home this afternoon because I had dinner plans with my mom and dad"

"And you forgot your phone, or did you just not answer?"

"I forgot it…OKAY?"

"How were your mom and dad?"

"They were great. Mom really likes Rick"

This leave Lanie silent. Again "You have already taken him to 'Meet the Parents' ? Moving right along?"

"Lanie. It's not like that…"

"Riiiiight" Kate can tell that Lanie is not buying this.

"Did you just call me to beat me up?"

"No. It started out as a call to set up girl's night, but your dance card was already full"

"I'm sorry, Lanie. Can we do it later?"

"Yes we can. But you will have to tell me everything you two did today"

"Lanie. Nothing happened. We just went for a walk"

Once more her best friend replies "Riiiiight"

They end the call and Kate finally decides to move further inside her apartment. She stops at her bed and removes her clothes, dropping them into the laundry bin. She is actually feeling a little romantic after the way today has gone. She looks for a soft, very light, silky night shirt to wear this evening. She then goes to wash her face and take off what little makeup she is wearing and try to get some sleep. Just as she begins her nightly routine her cell phone rings again. She stops in her cleansing and is hoping it is Rick, calling to wish her a good evening and tell her good night, but the caller id shows someone else. Sliding her finger across the screen to answer "Hey, is everything OK?" She listens very intently to the caller.

Her face shows the reaction to what the caller says. "Are you sure?" again a moment of silence.

Kate's breathing begins to increase as whatever is being said to her is bringing emotions to a head. "I will

call you back" she listens "I have to find out. I promise I will let you know what I find out!"

She closes the call, moves toward her living room, throwing on a long coat and slippers. The grabs her

wallet, badge, and weapon as she rushes out her front door.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Rick Castle enters his loft to find it dark and silent except for one table lamp they always leave on when the occupants are gone. He takes off his coat and hangs it in the entry cloak closet. Moving into the kitchen and the family memo pad on the refrigerator she sees a note form his daughter 'Gone to movie and spend the night with Paige'

Since his mother is on tour with a traveling company, he has the loft all to himself, He goes to his room and removes his clothes and heads to the shower. His thoughts are about one woman. A woman he has loved for years and is now in his life. He is hoping that he can keep her there. He will do anything to keep them together.

When he finishes his shower and dries his hair he wraps a robe around himself. As he walks back into the living room there is a loud pounding on his door.

"OKAY! OKAY! I'm coming. As he swings the door open, not knowing what to expect, he comes face to face with a very agitated Kate Beckett. "Hi Kate"

She storms past him and into his living space. She stops and turns around "You lied to me"

This remark takes him completely by surprise. What? No! I never lied to you! I will never lie to you"

"Are you telling me that you told me everything about your time with Sophie Turner?"

"Yes. Why?"

She moves further into his apartment before turning around. "Rick. You said you spent a lot of time in CIA training"

He nods his head yes. "I was in extensive training for over 6 months"

"What did they teach you?"

He looks into her eyes and he sees that she has her next few questions already ready.

"I was given hand to hand combat, weapons training, self- defense."

"You learned how to kill someone?"

This is beginning to worry him "There was a series of trainings on that"

"What about disarming an assailant and restraining them?"

"That too"

She walks up to his face. She is standing toe to toe. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"You could have killed him"

"Who?"

She reaches up and wraps her arms around his neck "You are the hero who saved my mother. It was you in the Santa suit"

There is along pause before he responds "I told you that I will never lie to you. How did you find out?"

"My mother knew something about you was familiar. She finally figured it out"

He is still confused

"Your after shave. It is expensive and unique. She remembered that she smelled it the night of the attack, but could not place it in her thoughts"

He face softens, and he smiles at the woman he loves. "I guess I need to change my after shave"

Kate smiles "Please don't. I want to remember the aroma of the man who saved both a mother and a daughter." She pulls him in and gives him a long deep kiss. When she pulls back "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted for you to fall in love with me. Not because of that night in a alley or you in a warehouse, but because your heart is really into it"

She gives him another kiss "Well, Mr. Castle, my heart and all the rest of me love you"

His heart jumps several beats. She lowers her hand and takes hold of his and begins walking toward the bedroom. Being afraid of jumping into this too soon, he stops her. "Kate. Are you sure about this?"

She looks him straight in the eye as she unbuttons her coat and drops it on the floor. His eyes look her up and down.

She begins to pull him once more "I came dressed for this occasion"

No more hesitation…

Time to leave these two alone