Final chapter so I hope you all enjoy this and review! I know some people believed this to be too unrealistic and that it therefore ruined the story so I apologize for that but this is where I wanted this to go and in the end, this is fiction! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed on the previous chapter and well, on all the other chapters this story has included. It's been a long journey but we're finally here!
Standing, Kate stared down at the lifeless man who was lying on the floor; blood not just covering him but also soaking her destroyed white dress. Seeing the gun in his hand, she quickly kicked it away before kneeling down and grabbing the phone from his pocket; her hands shaking as she clung onto it and moved away. Approaching the door, she slowly opened it, surprised when it opened and she stepped out to find herself on an empty and yet familiar street. Staring down at the phone, she quickly dialled Rick's phone; hoping that he had it on him like normal. Bringing it up to her ear, she waited.
"Hello" his voice asked, a sob leaving her lips at the sound of him. He was safe. He was still alive. He was waiting for her at the church where she was supposed to be getting married. "Katie, thank god. Where are you? What's happened? You're not having second thoughts are you?" he asked, panic filling his voice as she shook her head and explained where she was. "Honey what's the matter?" he asked quickly, the sound of moving noticeable and she sat herself down on the pavement; tears running down her face.
"Please come and get me, I need you" she sobbed, the writer nodding as she sighed. "Don't hang up, please keep talking to me Rick" she whispered, hating herself for feeling weak. She was Detective Kate Beckett. She was strong and in control of everything. She faced murderer's everyday of her life and yet here she was, sat on the pavement in her torn and blood stained wedding dress feeling like her whole world was crumbling around her.
"Of course Katie, I won't go anywhere and I'll be there in ten minutes" he promised, putting the phone onto speaker as he climbed into Esposito's car. "You were right about Alexis; I've never seen her look so grown up. She looks so beautiful" he smiled, Kate nodding as she stared across at the empty place, trying to stop her mind focusing on the dead man in the room behind her. "Johanna looked beautiful too although Esposito won't let her go, he's still holding her now probably. Lanie keeps trying to get her off him" he smiled, Kate laughing gently as tears continued to run down her cheeks.
"He's going to be a great dad" she mumbled, the writer nodding in agreement. "Rick, I love you so much" she sobbed down the phone, hating herself more than ever. "God Rick, I don't know what I'd do without you. You're just the person who keeps me sane, who makes everything seem better" she admitted, staring down at her blood stained shoes and dress. "And now I'm a complete mess and all I want is for you to hold me, to tell me everything's going to be alright".
"I'm going to be there soon Katie but what's going on?" he asked, the detective's eyes shutting as she thought about everything. "Kate, I need to know that you're okay. Just tell me that you're in one piece" he begged; the detective sobbing as she waited for him. Hearing a car, she looked up to see Esposito's car appearing; the detective standing as Rick climbed out and ran towards her. Wrapping his arms around her, he sighed as he just kept her close; not wanting to let go. "What happened?" he whispered.
"Demming's brother, he pretended to be the chauffeur and knocked me out. He had a gun, he tried to shoot me Rick and we got in a fight and then all of a sudden the gun went off and he was bleeding and then he was dead" she sobbed, her body shaking against his as he kept her close to him before lifting her into his arms. "Rick, I look terrible" she whispered as he carried her towards the car, not knowing what to say.
"It's over Katie, that's all that matters" he sighed, opening her car door before she stood up and slid into the vehicle, shutting the door behind her. Sitting himself down on his side of the car, he sighed as she bit into her lip and stared at her ruined dress. This wasn't how she'd imagined him seeing her on their wedding day. "I still think you look beautiful" he whispered, leaning across to kiss her gently as she shut her eyes. "Look the ceremony has been postponed for two hours so we have enough time to get you cleaned up and start again".
"Rick I don't have anything else to wear, I'm a mess and there's no way I can walk down the aisle dressed in this" she sobbed, looking across at him as they began to drive.
Entering the apartment twenty minutes later, Kate watched as the writer led her towards the couch and allowed her to sit down before running off towards their bedroom; the sound of running water filling the air quickly. Reappearing, Rick sighed as he watched his fiancée lie across the couch in her dress; a small sigh leaving his lips as he approached the couch and knelt down beside her. Leaning across, the writer smiled as he quickly pressed a kiss to the detective's lips before sighing.
"Come on beautiful, let's get you out of this dress" he smiled, helping her off the couch before turning her and beginning to undo the back of the dress; sliding it off her quickly before she stepped out of it and sighed. "Let's get you in the bath and then I've got to go, Lanie's going to come so we can keep the tradition in a weird way" he smiled, kissing her lightly as he led her towards the bathroom and sighed. Helping her out of her underwear and into the bath, he sighed as she stared at him; tears continuing to run down her cheeks. "Kate, Lanie's bringing you something to wear and then we're going to get married. It's going to be perfect, don't let this man ruin the rest of our lives".
"I love you Rick" she whispered, the writer nodding as he leant across and kissed her; the sound of the door opening downstairs pulling them apart. "I don't want you to go, I want you to stay with me" she sobbed, the writer sighing as he touched her cheek.
"Just under an hour and then we'll be together forever I promise. Now I'm going to get to the church and Lanie's going to help you get ready" he sighed, standing quickly as she nodded. "I love you Kate and I promise you'll be my wife soon" he whispered, Kate nodding as he slid out of the room and disappeared. Climbing out of the tub a few moments later, she sighed as she wrapped herself in a towel and slid out of the room to find Lanie sat on their bed with a dress hanging on the door.
"You're one lucky woman" Lanie smiled, confusion covering the detective's face as Lanie approached the dress bag and unzipped it; shock covering Kate's face as she approached it. It was her dress. The exact same dress that she'd been wearing without the blood or the rips. "Right get yourself dressed, we're going to be late" the ME laughed, Kate smiling as she carried it into the ensuite and began her day again.
XOXOOXOXOXO
Smiling as she entered the church, Kate sighed at the sight of Roy Montgomery pacing up and down while Alexis waited in the corner with Johanna. Noticing her, Alexis quickly ran over and wrapped an arm around the detective; holding Johanna with her other arm as Kate kept her close for a moment.
"It's okay baby, I'm alright" Kate whispered into her ear before moving back and sighing. "Right getting married now and nothing is going to ruin that" the brunette smiled, wrapping her arm around Montgomery's before sighing and staring at the people who were stood in front of her. Watching the doors open, she observed as Lanie walked down the aisle with Johanna in her arms; Alexis quickly following before everyone stood. "Oh god, I'm getting married" she laughed, moving slowly forward with her Captain as everyone watched her. Approaching the end of the aisle, she smiled as Montgomery removed his arm from around her and slowly led her hand to Rick's; the Captain's smile growing as he watched Kate move slightly towards the writer.
"You look so beautiful" Rick whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek as Kate giggled lightly. Turning to face Rick as the man in front of them read the passages, she smiled as she watched the writer slip the ring onto her finger; Kate whispering "I do" as she continued to watch the action. Hearing Rick say "I do" she quickly slipped the ring onto his finger, laughing at the fact that they were now married before she looked up to lock eyes with him. Finding the eyes that she always got lost in when she stared into them.
"I may now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride" the man smiled, moving away slightly as the couple moved closer together; Rick's arms wrapping around Kate as she giggled lightly and kissed him. Taking hold of Kate's hand, Rick sighed as he led her down the aisle; beaming at the faces of smiling friends and relatives who were watching them. Slipping into the car that was waiting, the couple laughed before their lips found each other again and their arms tightened around each other.
"Hello Mrs Castle" he whispered onto her lips, Kate sighing at her new title before she relaxed against him. "You look so extraordinary Kate, I'm so glad Lanie was able to get the same dress. It's perfect on you" he admitted, observing the way it fitted her figure; not as well as the previous one but still decently. "Everything's perfect on you" he sighed, staring down at the engagement and wedding rings that decorated her finger.
XOOXOXOXOXOXO
Standing in Rick's arms later that evening as they celebrated their first dance as a married couple, she found herself resting her head against him and just allowing the writer to lead her around the floor. The whole reception had been perfect. Speeches had been made with Rick's cheeks burning red the whole way through his mother's speech where Martha listed every detail about how his first two marriages had been stupid and how this one was the real thing and that Kate meant more to Rick than anything in the world. The food had been perfect, everyone enjoying it; especially the pregnant ME who was now stood with Esposito; holding Johanna in her arms still. Hearing movement, she slowly looked up to see other couples joining them on the floor; one being Alexis and Ashley who were close together and whispering to each other; Alexis occasionally laughing at a comment.
"Don't give them that look, she's a young woman and he loves her" Kate sighed, looking up at the writer to see worry covering his face. "One day you're going to have to trust her when it comes to boys Rick and she's not stupid" Kate sighed, watching as Ashley spun the redhead and then wrapped his arms around her again; the two of them laughing over it. "Soon you'll be worrying about Johanna instead".
"Of course, it's my job as a protective father" he smiled, taking a kiss from her quickly before sighing. "I love you Kate".
"I love you too" she sighed, moving away from him as the song ended. Collecting her daughter from Lanie, Kate sighed as she rested the small girl on her hip, smiling when Rick joined them. "Rick, I never imagined that I'd have this and I nearly didn't" she admitted, moving away from the crowd with her husband as she continued to hold her daughter close. "You've given me everything I could ever have dreamed about and well, thank you" she sighed, kissing him again before sighing. "And thank you for coming to get me earlier".
"I'll and get you Kate, no matter what" he smiled as she nodded gently.
"Promise?" she asked gently as he leant down, his lips resting just above hers.
"Always" he whispered before taking a kiss from her.
THE END!