A/N: Thank you to those who left kind reviews! It's been years of reposting and reworking this story, and I appreciate those who've stayed along for the long ride. Happy to say I can finally mark it complete.

"You know, I think this is the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted," Beckett said, setting her cup down.

"My secret is double chocolate. Double marshmallow. I make it for dad when he's had a particularly tough day," said Alexis.

Beckett didn't want to think about all the times Alexis must've had to make him feel better this past summer.

"What about when you've had a bad day?" she asked.

"He makes me pancakes. With the fruit smiley faces, you know?"

Beckett grinned. "I missed that about him."

"Detective Beckett, can I ask you something?"

"I think we're way past formalities at this point."

Alexis blushed.

"How did you know you were in love with my dad?"

Beckett smiled softly.

"Well, he annoyed me a lot at first."

"He was kind of an ass," Alexis said, smirking.

"A very charming ass," Beckett said, chuckling quietly. "But he made me laugh. He challenged me. He pushed me out of my comfort zone."

Alexis stayed quiet as Beckett fingered the rim of her mug, lost in thought.

"I think I started falling for him when I saw what a great father he was to you. He cares so much about you, and it made me see how sweet and kind he could be. But the moment I knew...it's hard to say." She glanced at the redhead. "You know how he brings me coffee practically every morning?"

Alexis nodded.

"It was a couple years ago, before I got shot I think, and his fingers brushed mine when he was handing me a cup and he gave me this smile I'd never seen before. Like it was one he made just for me, and I forgot to breathe. I didn't realize what it meant at the time, but I think that's when it really hit me that I was in head over heels," she finished.

The redhead blinked a couple of times and cleared her throat. "You really love him, don't you?"

Beckett nodded, her throat thick.

"I love you, too, Alexis," the detective said, "I hope you know that. Though I know I haven't been good at expressing that and—"

Beckett's interrupted by the young woman's fierce hug. Overcome, she tightened her grip around the redhead, stroking her flaming hair and murmuring nonsense as Alexis trembled.

Alexis pulled back after a moment, wiping at her face and sniffling. "Sorry, I—"

"You don't need to apologize," the detective tutted.

Alexis inhaled a breath, shuddering, and fixed her gaze on Beckett. "You didn't just leave him."

"I'm so sorry," Beckett said quietly, her heart cracking at the pain painted on the redhead's porcelain face.

"You left me to pick up the pieces," said Alexis, her voice small. Beckett stood up and embraced her.

"It won't happen again," she said fiercely.

"Promise?" the young woman asked, tears escaping down her cheek.

"Promise."

"You have a really amazing daughter," Beckett said, stepping into Castle's office later. He peeled his eyes from the computer.

"I've been told," he replied with a sleepy-like grin.

She came up behind him, slipping her hands down the front of his shirt.

"We're okay," she said, smudging a kiss on his neck. His fingers sought out her waist and gently yanked her into his lap.

"You're something else," he husked.

"That's one way to put it," she said wryly.

Castle's face creased with a frown, one of his hands coming to skim her cheek. "Don't beat yourself up."

She shuddered, her throat clogging. "You could barely stand me yesterday, and now you're comforting me."

"What can I say? I'm a complicated man."

She choked on a laugh. Craning her neck, her eyes found his computer screen. He was writing Nikki.

"I'm sorry for ruining our love story," she murmured.

"The ugly and painful parts are what make it beautiful," he assured her.

"That doesn't sound very healthy," she said.

"Are you therapizing me?" Castle asked.

"Only because I don't want you to diminish the hurt I've caused you," she said quietly, slipping out of his embrace.

"You don't need to do that," he whispered, standing up. "If we're going to move forward with this, then we can't keep living in the past. Haven't we forgiven each other?"

"No, you're right. I just can't believe so much has changed since yesterday. I feel like I'm dreaming."

Castle softened. "Not a dream," he said, bending his head to press a kiss to her mouth. She stretched up onto her toes, deepening it, her fingers running through his hair. He broke away after brushing his lips against her forehead.

"Move in with me, Kate."

"Rick."

"I'm serious. I don't want to waste anymore time, and I want to wake up every morning to you. I—"

She interrupted him with a kiss.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I want that, too," she said hoarsely.

His lips curled into a lopsided smile with his left dimple showing. Her smile.

"I love you," she said, "And your daughter."

"But you'll still be on my team for laser tag, right?"

"Oof, sorry. She already called dibs."

"Well, that's just not fair."

"You're going down."

"Not if I take back my offer."

"No take backs, Castle. You're stuck with me."

One month later

"Castle, I said no peeking!" as she led him towards the kitchen, her hands covering his eyes.

"The suspense is killing me," he said.

"Okay, okay, now you can look," she announced, gesturing towards a misshapen object wrapped in bright red paper on the counter.

"What is this?" he asked in awe.

"I wanted to get you something."

"Is this some sort of anniversary present?"

"Would you just open it?"

"Just tear into it?" he asked, his hands hovering.

"Castle!"

"Right," he said, starting to gleefully rip at the paper. Her heart jackrabbited in her chest as she waited to see his expression.

"No. Freaking. Way," he said, stunned at what was underneath.

She grinned. Totally worth all the grueling hours scouring through thrift shops.

"You got me a typewriter?" he asked, incredulous. He ran his fingers across the raised keys and skimmed the register of the vintage Underwood model.

"Every writer needs one," she replied.

"Where did you find this?" he asked, inserting a piece of paper she'd included.

"Some place near the Flatiron. The store manager knew everything there is to know about typewriters. Did you know the Underwood set the standard for all other typewriters made after 1900?"

"And it was one of the first modern typewriters to feature a backspace and tab key."

"Nerd," she cooed.

"But it turns you on, right?"

"Ask me again when you're wearing your reading glasses."

"You're such a tease."

She grinned, dropping her chin into her hand as watched him punch words onto the paper and cheerfully slide the register when he reached a new line. He looked like a boy on Christmas morning, and she was the one who'd put the smile on his face. Her heart felt full to the brim with love and warmth. She was happy. They were happy. She never thought they'd get here, but she scratched and clawed her way back to him, chipped away at the wall she'd created around his heart when she left him. There were still a few bricks to knock loose, but they were working on it together.

He slid the paper loose from its slot and folded it in half. He passed it to her.

"Can you take a look?"

"What is it?"

"The new dedication page for Nikki. I think it might need an edit."

She gave him a curious glance before unfolding the thick, cream paper.

To K.B.

Every writer needs an inspiration. And I found mine.

Will you marry me?

She lifted her gaze from the paper and found him holding out a ring. The same one she gave back to him a month ago. When you're ready.

"You...what?"

"I had to get you something, didn't I?"

A delirious grin broke across her face as she moved towards him. He met her half-way.

"You're proposing," she said breathlessly.

"How's it going so far?"

She tapped the dedication page.

"What about, 'She said yes'?"

"Yes?"

"Yes," she confirmed, letting the paper flutter to the ground as she wound her arms around him and kissed him, hard.

"She said yes!" he shouted, slipping the ring onto her finger.

Martha and Alexis peeked down from their hiding spot at the top of the stairs.

"It's about time," the older redhead said as she and Alexis came down to join them. The engaged couple laughed as the younger redhead threw her arms around the detective and Castle's mother embraced him.

Castle met Beckett's eyes over Martha's shoulder.

"Like this?" he asked.

"Exactly like this," she said.