A/N: It's bittersweet that this journey has come to an end. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making February bearable and for showing so much love and support for this story. I appreciate each and every follow, favorite, review and note more than you will ever know! I'm still toying with the idea for a sequel that will follow the rest of Kate's pregnancy/birth of their baby. Until then, I heart you all!

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters used in this story.

Epilogue

Three weeks later

Castle smiles as he slips Kate's journal onto the book shelf next to the Nikki Heat series. It settles into its place as if it belonged there all along, next to the words that began it all, and a new peace blankets around him just as a freshly fallen snow would cover the grass.

He's just finished his cup of coffee when Kate steps up behind him, wrapping her arms around the broad expanse of his shoulders as she balances on her tiptoes to dust a kiss over his cheek.

Castle pouts when the fresh scent of her floods his senses because showers with her are one of his favorite things. And when he turns in the circle of her arms to wrap is own around her, she laughs a melodious sound before she wipes the pout entirely off his lips.

"Not fair, Kate. You've been insatiable the last few months and then you go and take a shower without me," he whines against her lips, huffing when she rolls her eyes at him.

"Castle, my doctor's appointment is in less than an hour. I love showering together just as much as you do, but this is one appointment I don't want to be late for."

He lets her off the hook for that because he's equally as excited about this appointment and they really should get going.

"I'll make it up to you later," she promises, winking as she slips out of his arms to grab her coat from the closet.

He'll hold her to that promise, but he has other plans for her first because after they find out the sex of their baby, there's an important stop they need to make.

Ever since he started reading her hopes for their future, Castle has made it a point to work on making each of them a reality. So many of them already are, but he has plans for the rest of the things she mentioned, starting with today.

The waiting room is surprisingly empty when they arrive at doctor's office, and Kate quietly reminds him that they're twenty minutes early because of her solo shower, which earns her another pout from her husband that she desperately wants to kiss away.

They've just sat down when Kate's name is being called and hand in hand the giddy couple makes their way into the room where their life is about to be changed once again.

It has been one thing to know they're having a baby and to guess about whether they'll be having a son or a daughter, but the reality of actually knowing is an entirely different story.

Castle keeps his fingers locked with Kate's, his thumb sweeping gently across her knuckles as the cool gel is applied to her stomach and their baby is displayed on the large screen in front of them.

A perfect little baby bounces happily on the screen, flipping and stretching inside Kate's stomach as if the life they created knows that they're watching.

And when the doctor freezes the screen, catching a glimpse between their baby's legs, Kate and Castle turn to each other wearing matching grins.

With the ultrasound pictures tucked carefully in his pocket, Castle comes around to Kate's side of the car, opening the door and helping her out into the cool March air. She frowns, glancing around her, but her question dies before she ever opens her mouth when she realizes the reason Castle has brought them here.

He leads the way as if he's been here with her a million times when in fact he never has. And she can't help but think he must have called her dad, wanting this moment to be as special as she knows it will be.

Castle keeps her close, wrapping a hand around her shoulders as they come to a stop in front of Johanna Beckett's resting place. And suddenly, Kate can't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes, the emotional weight of everything too much to keep inside.

She's having a baby with the love of her life and everything has finally fallen into place. She's never been happier, but she can't help the sadness of knowing her mother will never be able to experience any of it with her.

And yet, this is exactly what she needed, the first person she would have picked to tell the sex of their baby, and she loves Castle that much more for knowing her so well.

"Castle –"

He hears the sharp emotion in her voice, an apology forming on his tongue immediately when he thinks this might be too much for her, but she shakes her head, presses a finger to his lips.

"This is perfect. You know me so well that sometimes it almost scares me," she confesses, swiping a tear from her cheek before she pulls him into a hug.

He fishes the ultrasound pictures from his pocket, kneeling in front of the headstone with Kate and holding them out.

"I just thought that your mom should be the first to know," he smiles, squeezing her hand in support.

She sniffles, takes a deep breath and runs her hand across the granite letters of Johanna's name.

"You would have been the best grandmother, Mom. But it's okay that our son won't get to wrap you around his little finger, because he gets the best guardian angel I could have ever asked for."

Castle smiles at her words, marveling at how far she's come since he first met her. The Kate Beckett that arrested him in the middle of a party would have never talked about guardian angels, let alone admitted that she believed in them.

He gives her a minute and when she nods he helps her to her feet, returning his arm to her shoulders as they head back to the car.

She's quiet when he leads her into the loft, hand clasped tightly with her own. She lets him slide her coat from her shoulders and he hangs it in the closet before pulling her into his embrace.

"So, Mrs. Castle, it seems you were right all along."

"Do I get some sort of prize for that?" she teases, lifting her head from the wall of his chest to bat her eyelashes at him.

"What would you like your prize to be?" he asks, leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips.

"You," she breathes against his lips. "I just want you."

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