Chapter Twenty Eight: Epilogue

May, 2019.

Kate emerges from the en-suite to find her husband frantically digging through his dresser in a panic. It makes her smile and she takes a long moment just to drink in the sight of him, such a tall, broad, handsome drink of water in his perfectly tailored tuxedo. At just-turned forty eight there is a touch of grey creeping into the still thick mass of his hair; most prominent at his temples it gives him a distinguished air that if anything makes him sexier than ever. Something she laments when she's carefully hiding the few strands beginning to creep into her own caramel waves.

"Are you really going to tell me you still can't find your cufflinks, Castle?" she asks, crossing over to him and pushing him to the side as she efficiently takes over the searching. He huffs in annoyance but steps back and within twenty seconds, she's located the small black box he was looking for, and turning to him with a triumphant smile she grins evilly at him, waving the find smugly.

"And the Detective wins," she gloats.

He grabs the box instantly from her hand, "Shut up," he says firmly, before he tugs her into arms and kisses her soundly. "And it's 'Lieutenant' now, if you please." She grins up at him, and he notices with pride the pink blush stealing becomingly over her complexion.

"I'm so very proud of you," he says softly. "You completely aced that exam."

Beckett ducks her head a little, looks back at him after only a moment, shyly and through her eyelashes. "Only because you pushed me to do it, Rick."

Castle smiles lopsidedly. "You're more than a Detective, Kate. And I had selfish reasons," he admits. "You know I did. This promotion means less time on the streets and more time in the precinct coordinating. You might even get your own precinct now and with the kids . . ."

She smiles. "You just want me safe," she says. "I know. I don't even disagree. I mean let's face it, we thought we already had our hands full and we weren't even expecting this one here." Castle's hands drop to the gentle swell just beginning to distort her slender frame, their latest miracle. Kate, at thirty-nine, is expecting once more.

Dark blue and lively his eyes lock on hers, "I'm really too old for this, but I have to tell you once more how thrilled I am that we're doing this again." And he is, he so very much is. Their daughters are two now, one like him, one like her, the perfect matched set of toddler mischief and now this. This unexpected addition is coming and they just found out today that it's a boy. His heart is so full, so very damn full every time it goes through his mind that they'll have a son again.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks, his face cracked wide open with all that joy. His wife nods, nudges him with his box of cufflinks which he fixes into his shirt, admiring the view of his wife's shapely rear as he does so. Kate dons an expensive but slightly lower heeled shoe than she would normally choose and he smiles at that, loves these little concessions that have to be made as her body busies itself changing, enabling her to bring new life into the world.

The ache they live with everyday has tempered with time and new additions, bittersweet with every new milestone that the girls go past. But they never forget, and especially not tonight which is all about the remembering.

His phone beeps and Castle tugs it free of his jacket pocket, the car service is waiting on them downstairs.

The Plaza is a thriving, bustling hub of people when Castle and Beckett exit the town car and make their way hand-in-hand through the crowded foyer. All of the city's elite are gathering, and what was once a small fundraiser, held every year in a much less salubrious location, has become, in the four years since Richard Castle first became involved, a more high-society and somewhat celebrity-jammed occasion.

The S.I.D's Foundation gets a steadily increasing amount from the gala every year, but this year, combined as it's been with the launch of Castle's first 'serious' literature endeavor, both Castle and the Foundation are hoping for a record setting year.

Among the throng, the guests of honor miraculously go almost unnoticed. Hand in hand they make their way stealthily towards the Grand Ballroom, almost making it all the way inside before its Gina, who finally accosts them.

"Richard," she says sternly, halting her ex-husband's steps. "You're late," she adds frowning, before she turns a genuine smile on Beckett, looking her over with a keen eye the publisher says, "Kate, you look simply stunning - absolutely glowing."

Kate inclines her head and smiles, "Thanks, Gina. I'm so sorry we're a little delayed."

Gina shakes her head, "Don't mention it." She turns her attention back to her ex, "Richard, please tell me you've finally gotten a speech prepared?"

Castle nods, his face softening and Gina relaxes into a smile again. She grasps his arm at his bicep and gives it a gentle squeeze. "The book is . . . beautiful," she confesses to him. "Absolutely stunning and I just wanted to say . . ." She stops awkwardly.

"What?" Castle prompts.

"I'm so very proud of you. Truly. You've always been a talented writer, Rick. And our personal relationship aside - professionally I've always thought very highly of you. But I didn't think you had this in you, something with this depth and power to resonate with people. Something that honestly competes with the very best serious literature ever written. And I'm finding that I'm very happy to be wrong."

Castle looks stunned, and for a moment too choked up to speak. He reaches for Gina's hand and impulsively tugs her forward, kissing her gently on her cheek. "Thank you," he says warmly. "That means a lot to me."

Gina blushes a little, shrugs as if it's really nothing. "You took something so painful I cannot even imagine it, and you used that experience to tell a story that speaks of strength, hope, love and overcoming. I think you-"she turns to include Kate also, "both of you are quite remarkable."

Kate leans in and hugs the woman. "Thank you for all your support in this."

Gina smiles, "It was my pleasure. Now get your pretty behinds inside and start hosting this party. Richard, I'll make the introductions at speech-time as usual, and then I'll turn the proceedings over to you."

The beautiful blonde steps away and Castle reaches for his wife, tucks her into his side for a moment, nuzzling her hair.

"You ready?" she asks. He smiles in response, and they enter the stately ballroom together.

Inside they split up. Castle is the one who most needs to do the rounds, make all the 'Thank-you's', and be visible - especially as this is serving as the launch for his book too. Still, he keeps attention as focused on the Foundation and fundraising as he can, but it's hard after a while, he keeps being distracted by the huge cardboard cut-outs showing the cover-art for 'Unfinished' because they're quite literally everywhere.

It's a strong but simple image, two large male hands cradling a sleeping baby, that he selected with Kate several months ago. Seeing it again now though, knowing the book is about to hit stands, knowing it will share the darkest days of his own experience with the whole world - he feels a myriad of emotions jumbled up inside him. His hands clench into fists for a moment, and his eyes mist-up a little. Looking anywhere but at the image, the writer tries to calm himself, calling to mind images of Kate and how beautiful she looks tonight. After a moment he feels better, and with his head back in the game, Castle pushes himself onwards, there are so many more hands yet to shake.

"Kate!"

Beckett barely hears her name being called over the ever rising volume of animated voices all around her. Spinning on the spot, the cop finds her face cracking into a huge smile as she sees who is approaching.

"Peter," she calls out warmly, laughing as the tall, slender, dark-eyed man emerges from the milling throng and grabs her up into his surprisingly strong embrace. He lifts her clean off her feet and hugs her tightly, setting her back on her low heels with a beaming smile.

"Pete, put her down." The voice of Lillian, Peter's diminutive blonde wife comes from somewhere directly behind him.

"Hi, Kate," she says, stepping around the lanky form of her husband, and stretching up on her toes to kiss Kate on the cheek. "My don't you look glowing," she adds, before her eyes drop to her own burgeoning belly, "It's not fair you get to look so damn amazing pregnant, when us mere mortals just look like blimps."

The younger woman looks quite beautiful actually, even about to go into labor any moment as she is - a fact which Kate is quick to point out.

"Lil, you look wonderful, and you came. I can't believe you came," she gushes. "Aren't you already overdue?"

Lillian McQuade nods, "Yep, two days. Couldn't miss this though, now could we?" she replies. "The fundraiser is so important, but I mean, this is also for Rick's book, and he's been – well both of you have – so very good to Peter and me."

Kate reaches out and squeezes Lillian's hand, "We're so excited for you guys. I know this has been a long time coming, but it's going to be great."

Lil smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes and Kate can tell from the protective way the woman's free hand rests upon her swollen abdomen, that part of her wishes her baby could just stay safe inside. It's been almost three years since Peter and Lillian's daughter Sophie passed away, but only about a year and a half since they finally started to put their marriage back together. Kate knows they might not have made it at all unless Pete had met Castle the way he did, and if he'd not had the hope that they provided when their own relationship made it through.

She squeezes Lil's hand within hers a little tighter. "Everything is in place," she reminds the other woman gently, "The 24 hour monitoring, the pediatrician. I know its scary Lil, but you're doing everything that can be done. You just have to have some faith now, it'll be okay – you'll see."

Lil nods, blows out a cleansing breath and squeezes back, strokes her free hand over her belly again. Peter wraps a long arm around his wife, and meets Kate's eyes, "More things to thank that amazing husband of yours for," he says with gratitude. "We could never have afforded to have the monitoring nurse, I'm still blown away that Rick has already paid for all of it."

Kate's dark eyes are lit.

"He wanted to do it. We both did," she says. "That peace of mind was so invaluable with the twins, even knowing the chances of it happening to us again were tiny. Having the nurse there every night, being able to sleep knowing the girls were watched over. It's overprotective for sure - but it kept us both sane, and to give that gift to you guys is a joy, Peter. It really is. Now," she says, sensing a need to focus on other things, "To the matter at hand - do you guys know where it is that you're sitting?"

By the time speech time rolls around, Castle finds that he's uncharacteristically nervous. He's long-accustomed to public speaking, years of being invited to guest-lecture combined with more book-tour 'readings' than he can count have long since made it something he's mastered - but tonight it feels different. It feels personal in a way that it never has before, not even when sharing his stories with an adoring audience. And he thinks it must be because this book - like this cause, have required 'more' from him. More than he knew he had it inside to give.

"You're up," Kate whispers into his ear, as thunderous applause greets Gina's glowing introduction, and for a moment Castle just stops to look at her, stops to drink in the naked pride on her face, the happiness in her eyes. Her beauty as it ever does - stunning him. He closes the distance between them and kisses her softly, drinks from the well of her love for him before he pulls back, pushes back his chair and forces his feet to carry him to the podium at the head of the room.

He stares out at a sea of faces, but he finds his wife's, and the nerves that are assailing him begin to evaporate.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he begins. "Thank you all, most sincerely, for coming." Pausing, Castle takes a deep breath before his gaze leaves Kate's and he risks flicking it at the cover art of his novel, which stands so large beside him. And this time Castle sees not just his lost son, but his unborn one in the poignant drawing before him. He sees his daughters, all three, back when they were that small, and as gratitude fills up his soul, the words he needs begin to flow,

"Tonight, I'd like to tell you about the cause you've come to raise some funds for, and I'd like to do that by telling you about Jackson."

The End.