AN: The last chapter of this story. I was surprised that a few of the reviews thought that Meredith was alone and miserable. Quite the contrary, Meredith realized that she simply wasn't cut out to be anyone's wife. Some people simply aren't cut out for the compromises that marriage requires. The problem was, Rick happened to marry three of them.

October 1, 2020 (continued):

Kate turns her head to see two children, two or three years old, running towards the table where they were sitting. Rick pushes himself up from his chair and drops to his knee with open arms, whatever anger he felt moments ago gone. A boy and a girl, probably twins with curly blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes leaped into his arms as he hugged them close to him. "How are my two babies?" He cooed as he held them close to him.

The little girl gave him an annoyed look as she pushed herself out of his grasp. Standing there with her hands on her hips she replies. "I'm not a baby. I'll be three years old next month. Adam is a baby."

The little boy glares back at his sister. "That's not true and I'll be three next month too."

"You're both my babies. You always will be. Just like Alexis." Rick laughs. "Where's mommy?"

"Right here." The statuesque sable haired beauty replies. Dressed in a suit similar to the one Kate was wearing, she strode confidently up to the table where Rick took her into his arms and kissed her. Beckett could see that this woman was mature, probably closer to Rick's age than she was. Her olive skin and hazel eyes accentuated her strikingly beautiful face. She might have been an inch or so shorter than Kate but she carried herself with such self-assurance that she seemed much taller.

Kate wanted to run out of the restaurant screaming, but somehow managed to regain some composure as the woman in Castle's arms looked at her for the first time. "Aren't you going to introduce us Rick?" She asks as she extends her hand to Rick.

"I'm sorry babe. Katherine Beckett, I'd like you to meet my wife Cassandra Latham. Cassie, this Katherine Beckett."

Still to stunned to say anything, Kate simply extends her hand to the woman and gives it a polite squeeze. She tries to politely excuse herself, seeing just how wrong her assumptions were. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were having dinner with your family. I best be going."

"Nonsense. Please join us for dinner. I'm sure that you have a million questions." Cassie replies, not at all intimidated by Kate's presence as Rick flags down a waiter to request booster seats for the children.

Kate was torn. Part of her wanted to run away as fast as she could, but the detective in her wanted to know what had happened to Rick since she chose a fool's quest over her husband. Rick and Cassie exchanged a glance and he comments. "Yes Beckett, please stay."

"Thank you." Is all Kate can say as she sits down again. Rick is still kneeling down one arm around each of the children as he is making small talk with them. When they first married, Kate had always hoped that one day they would have a family of their own. She knew how much he loved children and felt that it was the only thing that he was truly proud of. Kate smiled as she remembered how excited he was when they took little Cosmo in for that night.

Cassie looks at Kate who is still deep in thought and comments. "Rick tells me that you are a successful businesswoman now..."

Pulled back from her thoughts, Kate quickly replies. "Yes, I have my own skip tracer service."

"So you're a bounty hunter?" Cassie inquires. "Sounds exciting..."

Kate feigns a smile. She wasn't sure how to react to the question. Cassie seemed sincere and not judgmental in the way she asked. "Yes. it was a way for me to take down criminals without a badge... And yes, it can exciting at times... So what do you do for a living?" Kate inquires, secretly hoping that the woman across from her was a typical trophy wife. Cassie looked as if she always had money, lots of it.

"Right now, I'm senior partner at Latham, Latham, Burke and Gould. I've worked there for the last fifteen years. Before that I worked in the DA's office in New York. My dad retired last year forcing me to take over the firm."

Kate smiled as she was sure this woman had benefitted from nepotism more than talent. She fought back the urge to make a snide comment about how it must have been nice to have daddy give you a job, when Rick chimed in as he fastened the children into their booster seats. "And soon to be a state supreme court justice."

Cassie had the decency to give Kate an embarrassed look. "That's not official. The formal announcement will not be made until next week." Wanting to change the subject, Cassie inquires. "So, what's it like for a native New Yorker living in northern California?"

Kate started to respond, but was interrupted by the waiter as he distributed menus and discussed the special of the day. They all listened politely and started looking through the menus. The last thing in the world that Beckett felt like doing at the moment was having dinner with the only man she ever truly loved and his happy family. She looked at them together as Rick teases his two giggling children and his wife gives him an mock glare for his silliness. 'This could have been your life if you hadn't given in to your demons. Now he belongs to someone else. He's moved on without you.' Kate thinks to herself as she wipes a tear from her eye. Beckett wishes that this was like 'A Christmas Carol', that she would wake up beside Rick and find that the last five years were nothing more than a horrible dream.

Cassie turns to see Kate wiping the tear away and gently inquires. "Is everything okay?"

Kate was surprised that Cassie looked genuinely concerned for her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a sad memory, that's all..." She pauses for a couple of seconds to regain her composure. "So how long have you two been married?"

"About eighteen months now. I've known Rick since I was going to Harvard Law School. He was a client of our firm since his first novel. I worked in the DA's office for a couple of years and decided to go into daddy's business. It was tough for me as the other lawyers there thought that I only got the job through nepotism. I worked hard and became a full partner after ten years..."

She pauses and takes a sip of her water. "Rick and I never dated or anything like that. In fact I was married when I met with him nearly five years ago. My ex had been a prosecutor in the DA's office for over fifteen years, in fact, that's where we met. I thought that things were going well, but then he started staying later and later at the office, sometimes not coming home at all. He always said that it was because of some case that he was working at the time. I understood what it was like to have to put in long hours on a case so I thought nothing of it. Soon came the mysterious calls at all hours of the night and hangups as soon as I would answer. As much as I tried to deny it, I just knew that he was having an affair."

"My dad suggested that I contact Rick and see if his agency could get me the answers that I so desperately needed. My first time at his agency, I never even spoke with him. Alexis was there and agreed to take my case, promising that her dad would handle it personally. A week later I received a call from Alexis telling me that they had the proof that I was looking for and that I should come in..."

"The first time I saw him in his office, I barely recognized him. He had lost weight and looked tired and haggard. He was as charming as I remembered and seemed truly upset that he was giving me the proof that my husband was cheating on me. It was if he was blaming himself for my marriage failing. Rick had done a thorough job and had pictures, voicemails and text messages that confirmed that my ex had been in an affair with this clerk in the DA's office for over a year. He apologized for giving me the news and I thanked him for the help. I didn't know at the time that his divorce was finalized just one day earlier..."

Rick sat there silently and listened to his wife tell his ex how they met. He looked at Beckett as she listened intently and knew just how awkward this must be for her. He felt no need to punish her for the past. While he certainly wouldn't thank her, everything that happened led him to where he was at this moment. All of the pain that she put him through makes him appreciate what he has now that much more. Reaching over to where she is sitting he gives Cassie's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure that Kate's not that interested in how we got together." He spoke with affection to her and she smiles at him.

"No, please continue." Beckett quickly replies, convinced that she took advantage of Rick in a vulnerable state just after his divorce was finalized.

The water stopped back to take their orders while Castle watches the two small children busy coloring in the books that Cassie brought in her purse. They were so caught up in their coloring efforts that they paid no attention to the grown-ups speaking at the table.

"As I was saying." Cassie starts to speak again. "I filed for divorce a week later. I was impressed with the timeliness and professionalism that Rick and Alexis provided and soon his agency was doing nearly all of our investigative work for us. I didn't see Rick again for nearly two years until we met at a charity fundraiser for clean water. Alexis was his date that night and she quickly abandoned him in search of someone more age appropriate... And not related to her." Kate has to laugh at her comment as that seemed so much like Alexis.

"Rick was sitting all alone at his table looking miserable and I decided to strike up a conversation. We talked about his business and how he was earning hours in the cockpit to get his instrument and multi engine rating. I then asked him if he'd like to dance and we spent the remainder of the evening on the floor. He truly is a wonderful dancer..."

"So you're a pilot?" Kate asks as she looks at Castle.

She watches as Rick is grinning like a little child as he speaks. "Yeah, I started flying lessons as a way to keep my mind off of other things..." His smile quickly fades as he remembers why he started flying as a way to forget about his loss of a wife. He catches himself slipping and the smile returns. "In the air, I felt free and totally in control of things. It became my refuge. I'd always wanted to own my own jet and of course mother and Alexis were convinced that I had lost my marbles, but eventually they gave in."

Rick was still smiling as he took a sip of his drink remembering how he had to win over Martha and Alexis. "I eventually got enough hours for my instrument and multi engine rating... I ended up getting my own jet last year. I got a very good deal on it at a government auction. It was only a couple of years old, but had lots of hours from being used to ferry drugs from Mexico. It would have cost me a fortune to completely restore it, but I knew a guy..." He grinned as he finished his statement and for a moment Kate flashed back to their very first case together, how he always seemed to 'know a guy' familiar with whatever they were working on at the time.

"So enough about me. What have you been up to besides your business?" Rick asks sincerely.

Once again Kate was thankfully interrupted by the waiter bringing out their meals. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was explain how she has had no personal life outside of her job with the exception of a handful of failed first dates. Especially after seeing how completely Rick has moved on. Kate pushes her food around her plate while she watches Rick interact with the children as they eat their food. She glances at Cassie as she stares at her husband with such affection.

They continued with their meals in near silence, only broken by the occasional comment from either Rick or Cassie to Adam or Ashley. After making a valiant effort to try and eat something, Kate surrenders taking another sip from her wine. She casually comments. "You have a beautiful family. How old are the twins?"

"They'll be three next month. And no, they are not ours biologically. In fact, they've only been with us about a year now." Cassie responds. Their father was a junior partner at our firm. He and his wife were killed in an automobile accident in upstate New York about fifteen months ago. Barry and Beatrice Sanders were a wonderful young couple. It was such a tragedy. Barry was an only child and his parents were both deceased. His wife was an orphan. As soon as we heard about it, Rick never hesitated and we started the process of adopting them. I always wanted children, but was unable to have them myself. I wanted to adopt, but my ex felt that he could never accept a child as his own unless he was the biological father... It was one of the things that drove us apart..."

Rick stops eating and takes Cassie's hand in his giving her that 'everything is going to be fine' look that he used to give Kate all those years ago. Cassie sniffs back a tear at the memory and continues to speak. "We both were so afraid of what would happen to them if they fell into the system, that we took them in and three months later became their legal guardians. Rick had their last names changed to Castle when the adoption was finalized."

Kate looks at the happy couple and comments. "I have to say that I'm surprised that you've been able to keep this out of the press. I mean, I had no clue that you were in a relationship, let alone married with children..."

Rick couldn't help but grin at her comment. "I know, right? I mean you always accused me of never being able to keep a secret..." The smile fades. "It hasn't been easy and only a few people know about us... At first it was kind of fun, almost spy like. The last thing that Cassie needs is the negative press she would get being tied to me... We have to work at it every day, but it's worth it."

Beckett realizes that Ryan and Lanie both knew and why they were so reluctant to speak about him when they met a few days earlier. "So Lanie and Kevin both know?"

Rick simply nods. "Yeah so does Esposito. He took it pretty badly when he found out, but has since came around. Of course mother and Alexis know. Bob, Cassie's partners at her firm and her best friend are the others... And now you."

"I don't understand why being with you would be a negative for your wife's career. I mean, you've been a model citizen since our very first case together. Hell, you were even commended by the NYPD for your work with them."

Castle sat there with a guilty look on his face as he debated if he should tell her the truth. He took a deep breath and looked at Cassie for reassurance before speaking. "After we went to the local media trying to draw out the person behind LockSat, the NYPD took a pretty big hit with the press. Then you were suspended for unknown reasons and left me causing the media to think that you were involved in something illegal. I had Paula working overtime trying to keep a lid on it all, but when you left the city without a word, the press ran with the story that you were a disgraced cop running away from something... It wasn't a big story at the time but the damage was done... I'm surprised that you didn't read about it."

"When Cassie's appointment to the court is announced, we're prepared for the fallout. I've hired a PR firm to help with any negative press when they find out that we're married and have children. We're sticking with the truth, that we didn't want to make our private lives public, but I'm afraid that my three failed marriages will hurt her and I'll do anything to prevent that."

Cassie gives him a reassuring look and winks. "We'll get through this honey. Trust me."

The moment was broken with the sound of Adam complaining. "Daddy! Make Ashley quit poking me!"

"Am not!" Ashley replies a little too quickly to sound innocent.

Rick can only laugh, grateful the the focus had shifted to something safe. "I think that we have two very tired children..."

"I agree." Cassie replies with a warm smile as she looks at first the two children and then at her husband. "Maybe I should take them to the hotel now... It's been a long day for them."

"Let me settle up the check and I'll go with you."

"No, stay here. I'm sure that you and Katherine have some things that you want to discuss and I'll see you later."

Rick simply nods his head, knowing that she is correct. "Okay then." Rick gets up from his seat and starts to unfasten the two from their booster seats, lifting them up into the air. Adam giggles at his turn, while Ashley gives him an annoyed look. "Give me a hug munchkins, daddy will see you two in a little while."

Cassie rises to her feet and extends her hand again to Kate. She pushes herself up from her chair as she watches Rick hugging his children. It was obvious that they adored him as much as he did them. Beckett could tell that Cassie wasn't worried about leaving her husband alone with her. It wasn't arrogance. It was simply the belief in the person that she loved. God how she wanted to hate this woman for taking away the one good thing in her life. 'But she didn't take him away. You threw him away.' Her conscience mocks her.

Giving Kate's proffered hand a gentle squeeze, Cassie comments. "It's been a pleasure to meet you Katherine. I hope that you get everything that you want from life..." 'He's mine and you can't have him' didn't need to be spoken, but was implied. Cassie looks to her two little ones and calls out to them. "Come say goodbye to Ms Katherine."

The children walk to where Kate was standing, each offering their hand. Kate kneels down and shakes their hands telling them that she was happy to meet them. Rick gives his wife a hug and a soft kiss on the lips as she tells the twins that it's past their bedtime. They run away from Beckett and back to their mother, each one clasping a hand.

"Goodbye Katherine." Cassie says as she walks out of the restaurant with the children.

Kate looks back at Rick as he watches his wife and children exit the room with a look of pride. "You really have moved on... You promised me always." Kate stage whispers to Rick as he sits back down at the table.

He contemplates what she has just said and gives her a puzzled look. "You promised me no secrets and no lies and then hours later walked out of my life with no explanation why. You promised to be my partner in all things and then you went off on your own without me. You made a lot of promises that you didn't keep." There was no emotion whatsoever in his voice.

"I was trying to protect you." Kate counters.

"No you weren't and if you were honest with yourself you'd admit that what you did was thoughtless and selfish. I told you that night that if you walked out that door that we were over."

"You always waited for me before that. You must have known that I was suspended by the NYPD and the AG's office turned me down. Why didn't you call?"

"Why didn't you? Was it pride, or were you afraid that I was serious? Your little stunt nearly cost me my relationship with Alexis. You hurt her as much as you hurt me. She believed in you. Defended you to me when I had my doubts. I was a mess after you left. I stopped eating, writing or speaking to anyone who knew you. After two weeks of no contact from you, I knew that it was over. I called my attorney and started the dissolution process."

Castle sighed and raked his fingers through his hair as he tried to remain calm. "Rita called me a week later. She said that she could tell me what happened to me those missing six weeks if I would help her take down LockSat. I agreed immediately because I wanted to know what I had done that was so bad that I asked to have the memories erased from me. Christmas day 2015 we started the take down of the entire operation with deputy director Nicholas Quinn. Rita made contact with the people who erased my memory in the CIA and they were able to release them for me. Somehow I had been recruited to work on a couple of code name only cases in South America. One of these cases had ties directly to LockSat. Classified information that normally would earn a sanction if revealed. Because of who my father and stepmother were to the agency, I was given a choice: I could remain with the agency and never see you or my family again, or I could agree to have all of my memories erased and they'd let me come home. I agreed to having my memories erased for you, Alexis and mother."

"Rick, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't. They tried to make it look like I ran away from the wedding and you believed it. And you never forgave me for it. No matter what you say, you used it against me till the end. After we took down LockSat, my life seemed to have no purpose. It was mother and Alexis who forced me into getting therapy. I saw Dr Burke two, sometimes three times a week trying to figure out why every woman that I ever loved that wasn't related to me, betrayed me in the end."

"I thought that maybe I was better off as page six Rick. He didn't need a serious relationship, only a never ending series of meaningless one night stands. I found out pretty quick that I couldn't do that anymore... It's ironic that the last person in the world that I'd ever consider taking advise from was the one who set me straight... Three years ago, Alexis had arranged for Meredith and I to have dinner while I was in LA. I asked her why she never tried to get back together with me and she told me that she wasn't a hypocrite. That she knew that I'd take her back, but things would never be the same again between us. That it was better if I moved on with someone I could trust. I thought you were the one Kate. I believed that with all of my heart..."

"Rick, I wish that I could take back the last five years, but I can't. I wish there was something that I could say that would make you forgive me. Make you love me again..."

"Kate, I never stopped loving you. I still do, but just like Kyra, I had to let you go. I couldn't let you hold me hostage until you decided that you wanted me. That happened before and look where we are... There is no Rick and Kate... You made your choices and so did I. No, it's time to say goodbye."

Kate was barely holding it together as they walked from the table and out of the restaurant. Standing there in silence, they waited as the valets brought their cars to the entrance. Castle can't help but whistle as they bring Kate's car to the entrance. "Wow, nice car."

She starts to walk to the car as Castle reaches for her, grabbing her wrist. She stops as he pulls her close to him and wraps her in his arms for the last time. He looks into her red-rimmed eyes and offers a sad smile as he gently places a soft kiss on her cheek. "Goodbye Kate. You'll always hold a place in my heart."

He releases her from his hug and she walks to her car without a word, climbs into it and disappears into the night, leaving Rick standing there. "Have a good life, Kate." He whispers to the night.

End.