Heya folks, so here it is - the long anticipated (mostly by me!) sequel to "The past starts tomorrow". s/7704580/1/The_bPast_b_bStarts_b_bTomorrow_b

I have a really cool idea for this story that I think (hope) will be interesting to read and rather beautiful in its conclusion. Not sure how many chapters it will be, but stick with me along the journey and let's make just a little bit o' magic!

DISCLAIMER: I am really happy to say that I do not own this and that the folks who do are bloody legends! (Such a proud little fangirl :D)

...

Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett sat together, contented in each others arms. The month was June and it was warm outside, life moved swiftly, people jostling constantly, everywhere, right outside their Manhattan window. The world was busy, constant change in technology, environment, climate keeping it on its toes. Usually the dynamic duo sitting in this particular living room of this particular loft were a part of that hustle and bustle.

But right now, for a rare moment in their busy lives, the two of them just...sat.

It had been a month since Rick was discharged (or "released" as he called it) from Mount Cinai Hospital. His stomach wound required changes only every four days now and his brain had never been sharper... or wittier, which sometimes was endearing to Kate, his fiance and oftentimes, extremely irritating.

But for now, she was content and in love and irritated only by the fact that the closeness of them was not close enough.

And when she heard his silvery voice, she still shuddered. "Are you happy?" He murmured.

Kate Beckett sighed into her fiances chest, toying with the buttons of his light blue shirt. A hint of a smile crept onto her lips as she shook her head lightly. Looking up at him with brightly sparkling eyes, full of love and devotion.

Full of happiness.

"What do you think?"

The lines that seeped outward from his eyes crinkled lightly as he gazed at her. "I think I'm the luckiest man alive and if you're not happy now then I will devote the rest of my life to making you so."

Kate's smile widened as she reached up gently to let her fingers play with the dimple on his chin. "I'm happy", she whispered.

He took her hand in his and kissed the fingers that had been tickling his chin. He sighed happily. "Me too."

Kate shifted her body closer into him. "God did good here... with us."

"God huh?"

Kate rolled her eyes, already knowing what was coming.

"So God compelled some psycho to murder three people in lieu of the way they were killed in my books, leading you to seek me out with the pretense of acquiring my insights."

"He knew I loved you when I first read "Storm Warning", it was all in the cards", Kate smiled with a furrowed brow as she sometimes did when she couldn't decide if she was serious or not.

"Hmm, so you really believe that there's a being out there that controls what happens to us?" Castle asked her cheek.

Kate inhaled a long breath. "I think there's a force out there that gives us possibilities, gives us routes and ways to go. I think we choose our own path from what's provided, but it is sort of being monitored and controlled. Lessons are learned, people make mistakes and it provides knowledge for future generations."

"Speaking of future generations, what time does Alexis finish today?" Castle checked his watch, noting sub-conciously that it was 2:37pm.

"Around five, but then she's going out for drinks with Max."

Castle's body instantly stiffened. "Who the hell's Max?" He asked with an indignant tone.

Kate shifted next to him, tilting her chin to pout at him. "The guy she's been seeing for the last couple of weeks."

Castle jumped back in his seat. "Whoa - no, no. My daughter does not "see guys". She may date, she may go out, she may have a good time, but "seeing" people implies more than just having fun."

The corner of Kate's lips curled upward into a small smirk. "Hunny, she's eighteen years old, her idea of "having fun" may be different from anything you even want to think about."

Castle's eyes bulged. "What! Oh that's it, I'm calling her..."

Kate grabbed his arm, holding him to the couch. "Rick, come on, she's a highly responsible young woman, you know she wouldn't do anything stupid."

Castle shook his head. "This is just so... not-" He groaned, flopping back on the couch.

Kate brought her hand up to tug on his collar. "Hey, look at me."

He sighed and lowered his eyes to meet hers.

Stroking his neck lightly, she spoke tenderly to him. "Do you trust me?"

He gaped at her silently. "Of course I do."

"Maxwell Durnham is nineteen years old, his mother owns a very successful catering company, his father is a banker. He has a single piercing in his left ear that he's had since age eleven and he hasn't a single blemish on his record."

Castle looked at her with a sideways smile. "You did a background check on him?"

Kate shrugged. "Alexis has the freedom and choice to make her own mistakes but she's my girl, I'm definitely not going to have a hand in encouraging them."

Castle chuckled.

Kate pinched his cheek. "What?"

He gave her a gentle squeeze. "Nothing, I just never knew God could look so hauntingly beautiful."

Kate rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, so now that we know that Alexis is safe and happy, it's time to make a start on making our happiest day possible."

"Oh right, yeah wake me up when it's August 25th OK?" Castle said lightly, leaning his head back on the couch.

She whacked him swiftly on the chest. "Seriously, we have less than three months to plan this wedding, you are not bailing out on me."

Castle sighed deeply. "I thought women liked to do all the planning when it came to these things."

"Yeah, well you have a lot more experience at "these things" than I do", Kate winked at him.

"Uh yeah, obviously not a good omen", Castle reminded her.

"Oh well, I guess I'll go taste-testing all that delicious cake tomorrow all by myself. Shame."

She tried to hold back her laughter as she saw Castle's face contort. "Well, in my experience one of the groom's primary jobs is to make sure the bride fits into her dress, so I can't just let you go pigging out on cake." He sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'd better do my part."

She cupped his chin and made a kissy face. "Oh such a good boy."

"Yup, you got one of the last ones", Castle grinned cheekily.

Kate reached up behind his head and brought his mouth to hers. "Best part is, he can also be very bad."

Castle gasped against her lips. "Detective...you wouldn't be trying to seduce me, would you?"

"Oh you bet I am Mr. Castle", Kate ran her foot seductively along his calf.

"What about our impending vows?" Castle asked with a straight face.

"I promise to love, honor and... obey", Beckett whispered breathily into his ear before darting her tongue out to lick it.

Castle looked at her hungrily. "In that case..."

He attacked her with a raw and unbridled passion. Planning to make love to his beautiful fiance as if it were their first time again.

Her cellphone however, had other plans.

Castle made a loud noise of protest as Kate rolled off him to pick it up. "Damn you phone, damn you to hell!"

Kate shushed him before answering it. "Beckett."

"Detective, I need you down here now, we've got a very messy crime scene on our hands", Gates' no-nonsense voice filtered through the phone.

"What're the stats?" Beckett asked seriously.

Castle's eyes lit up. "Body?" He mouthed.

She nodded once and the writer jumped off the couch, running to his bedroom eagerly to fetch his shoes.

"First blush, it looks like a drug deal gone wrong, ending with a young man with a bullet in his neck", Gates told the detective regretfully.

Beckett ran a hand through her hair. "Alright, location?"

By the time Gates had given Beckett the location of the crime scene, Castle was back at Beckett's side, shoes on, keys in hand, waiting with the anticipation similar to a puppy waiting to be taken for a walk.

"Alright, we'll be there soon", Beckett told her captain and then swiftly hung up before the woman could say another word.

Gates hadn't exactly been thrilled with the idea of Castle and Beckett working together and being together simultaneously, but because Castle was not actually employed by the NYPD, there really wasn't much she could do about terminating their partnership.

"Where's the body and is it bloody?" Castle asked her with a low but excited tone.

"Blood, drugs...it's a doozy Castle, your kind of crime scene", Beckett told him with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, come on then, we'd better get down there, murders do not solve themselves", Castle said as he shuffled Beckett out of the door of the loft.

Beckett shook her head at him with a lopsided grin. "You know Rick, sometimes I think you're only interested in me for my bodies."

...