Private Eyes 3: You Know My Name

Epilogue

Now I'm rising from the ground
Rising up to you
Filled with all the strength I've found
There's nothing I can't do!
— John Newman, Love Me Again

One Month Later

It was a nice autumn day. Fall had finally arrived. The trees were all abloom in wonderful colors of oranges, browns, and reds. Dry leaves drifted and danced in the light breeze, blowing across the open grass hills and over the meandering pathways. He sat there, taking it all in, watching as couples took long, romantic strolls and young families enjoyed the season's changes. The last time he sat there it had been under difference circumstances, far dire to his current situation. He had sat at this bench and watched, with suspicious eyes, questioning everyone's presence in the park.

But all that was behind him.

It was a dawning of a new day, figuratively, and he was looking forward to the next horizon and the adventure that waited beyond.

He checked his wristwatch, noting that she was a few minutes late. Probably caught a case. He fingered the TCD-74 in his pocket, tempted to call and remind her of their lunch date, but decided to give her ten more minutes.

However, she didn't need that extra time, as he spotted her familiar form cresting the low hill, her long legs carrying her at a nice pace. He stood as she approached and her happy smile lighted up his whole world.

"Hey, Castle," she greeted, pushing up to meet his mouth for a lingering kiss.

"Remember this place?" he asked, as he grabbed her hands and pulled her down to sit down next to him on the bench.

"How could I forget?" she laughed lightly. "It all feels so cloak and dagger now."

Castle smiled, gazing at her with undisguised awe. She was so much more open and happy, freer than he'd ever seen her. It was beautiful. She caught him staring and ducked her head down, blushing slightly.

"Do you miss it?" she asked, looking uncharacteristically sheepish.

"Huh?"

"The missions, the danger, the action, the travel, all that cloak and dagger?"

"No," he answered without hesitation, glancing at her with deep affection. He had no regrets resigning his position with the CIA. Yes, he missed his friends and colleagues, but when it all came down to it, this was what he wanted, a life with her, without any outside influence keeping them apart. "I've had enough of that life. I'm looking forward to the next chapter."

"Me too," she confessed with a bashful grin.

"So, how was your morning?" he asked, after a brief pause in the conversation, where they simply enjoyed the nice weather and the pleasant company. "Missed me?"

Two weeks ago, having grown bored sitting around in their Gramercy Park apartment alone during the day, Castle had showed up at the Twelfth Precinct on the pretense of bringing his girlfriend a grande skim latte, with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla. While delivering the coffee, he'd conveniently got a good look at the murder board set up across from her desk, and within minutes they were building theory and bantering. With his helpful insights, they had managed to wrap the case up by mid-afternoon, and the next day, Beckett was asking Gates's permission to have him come in to work a case, on occasion, as an expert consult, civilian. To both their immense surprise, Captain Gates had agreed, with the stipulation that they kept the PDA to a minimum. Since then, he'd spent quite a few days helping Beckett and her team out on a handful of cases.

"I missed the coffee, yes," she teased, flashing him a mischievous look.

Castle tilted his head and feigned a pout.

Beckett pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, then simply shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, we caught a case, but it isn't that difficult," she informed him. "We should have it closed by late afternoon."

"That's good," he said.

"Yes, it is," she agreed, smiling.

He was glad she still took pride in her work, found fulfillment in bringing justice to those left behind. There had been a period of adjustment once they'd returned to life in New York when he'd feared that now that she'd found justice for her mother that she'd lose her sense of purpose, but that never manifested, much to his relief.

"And how was your morning?" Beckett asked. "Did your meeting with Black Pawn go well?"

Castle snapped out of his daze, and bobbed his head. "They loved Heat Wave," he announced, grinning with glee. "I've already signed a three book deal."

Beckett clapped her hands and cupped his face, pressing a delighted kiss to his lips. "That's great, Rick!" she enthused, the excitement for him dancing in her eyes. "I told you they'd love it."

"Yes, you did," he beamed, slipping his hand down to her knee and squeezing. He had been anxious about the meeting, considering the last time he attempted to get published, both books had bombed in sales, but now, with Kate's support behind him, he felt more confident in the ability of his words to entertain and captivate. It didn't hurt that he had extraordinary inspiration. "But I couldn't have done it without my muse."

"Castle," she hushed, rolling her eyes.

He shook his head, forever baffled at her discomfort with the title. But that was okay. He was hoping she'd accept a different title soon.

"Do you know what today is?" he asked, gearing up to broach the topic.

Confused, she stared at him with an adorably wrinkled nose. "October 11th."

"Exactly!" he enthused with a grin. "On this day, one year ago, was when we first met. It also happened to be our first date."

Beckett cocked her head and offered him a mild form of her infamous glare. "As I recall, you pretended to be my blind date, and then vanished before the real guy showed up."

"I was utterly charming. Swept you right off your feet," he asserted with a smug smirk. "Besides, bet you're glad you got me instead of that other guy."

"Without a doubt," she grinned, remembering how the real Andrew Miller had been allergic to grapes, and thus couldn't consume wine, which was a big no. "However, if you want to be technical, we actually met on October 9th."

"Huh?"

"That's the day you bumped into me at the airport," Beckett reminded him. "And slipped that flash drive into my carry-on."

He grinned, delighted with her. "You remember that!?"

"Of course, don't you?" she challenged.

"Always."

She rolled her eyes at his sly grin. "All right, babe, what's the point?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Can it, buster," she poked him in the chest. "You brought up our first meeting for a reason, why?"

Sucking in deep breath, he gathered his courage and carefully slid off the bench, mindful of his bad knee as he slipped down onto bended knee before her. Beckett knitted her eyebrows together adorably, glancing around in bafflement, before gasping when he produced the ring.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett," Castle spoke with all the emotion he felt for this woman swelling up in his chest. "Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

She started at him for a long beat, eyes wide with shock, before she bolted up from her seat on the bench, jaw dropping. "Oh my God, oh my God, you're proposing!?" she shouted.

Castle stifled a joyous laugh. Her stunned and surprised expression was so adorable. He held up the sparkling diamond ring, gazed up at the love of his life and asked her again.

"Well, sweet cheeks? What do you say? Wanna get hitched?"

Her lips pressed together in a disapproving frown at the nickname she openly despised, but secretly loved. Her eyes started to water, glistening with tears of joy, as she bobbed her head, and held out her hand.

"Yes, yes, yes! Forever and always! Yes!" Beckett declared as he slid the ring onto her finger. "Yes, I will marry you, Richard Alexander Edgar Rodgers Castle."

Castle chuckled as he rose to his feet, clutching her hand in his. "My Detective," he praised, cupping her face in his right hand as he grinned, rubbing the pad of his thumb across the beauty mark on her cheek.

Beckett smiled back, all teeth and gum, utterly happy and in love. Her eyes dropped to the ring and then skipped back up to meet his loving gaze. "My Writer," she decreed with a beaming smile that filled him with so much joy.

And then he kissed her, his heart pounding with so much excitement for the next chapter in his life, free of any obligations except to those he loved. It would be a life where he was no longer alone, but united with the woman he loved, the love of his life. His always.

The End

Author's Note: Wow. I can't believe this is it. I've spent so long with this story, these characters, in this alternative universe. It was a long journey getting here, but I like how it turned out, even taking some twists and turns I hadn't expected. Thank you to all who read, took time to comment, favorite, and cheer me on. It has all been really appreciated. It was fun. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Once again, thank you. Until next time. :)