Hi everyone, so this is the last chapter for "The Past Starts Tomorrow". It's actually been harder and more emotional to write than I thought it would be. I think it's because I started the story with ideas but no real solid storyline so I myself didn't know the ending until I conjured it up this morning. I do actually wish myself that it didn't have to end, but my rehearsals for "Chicago" are winding up now and I'm finding less and less time to write fanfics :-( Don't worry though, this is not the last you'll hear of me, I still have these dreams and crazy little thoughts once in a while, so look out for some more fics in the next little while.

Thank you again, all you amazing bunch that have subscribed to this and fav'd and everything, you are all superstars for life!

I hope you enjoy the conclusion to what has been a pretty intense story :-)

Peace and love,

Renee.

...

For the second time in two days, Castle was raced to Mount Sinai hospital in the back of an ambulance, flashing amber lights and blasting sirens of warning that told everybody else on the streets to get out of the way.

"Come on Rick, I need you, please don't leave me, not now", Beckett was pleading with his unconscious body.

They'd put a vacuum dressing on his wound, which was one of the most gruesome things Beckett had ever witnessed; and she'd witnessed a lot of gruesome things.

The vac was sucking out an endless stream of gunk from Castle's wound, supposedly ridding the infection from it. Beckett could only watch from a short distance away as her lover fought for his life.

Despite the stubborn, unaccommodating New York drivers of the mid-afternoon traffic, the ambulance arrived at the hospital in good time.

"Straight through to theatre one", one of the six surgeons that greeted them at the E.R, ordered. Thankfully, Dr. Davidson was not among them.

"Ma'am, this is as far as you can go", one of them told her.

Beckett kicked the floor as he rushed away, trailing the cart that carried the love of her life. She put her head in her hands and hiccuped as sobs took over her. Her head was still spinning from being unconscious herself a few minutes ago. For a moment, she considered pretending to faint, just so she could get nearer to the action, but she thought better of it. If Castle woke up, she didn't want to cause him unnecessary concern - When he woke up.

So instead she found a chair close by and sat down, wrapping her arms around herself. Her arms weren't the ones she craved though, the ones she needed at that moment. She needed arms that were dependable, strong and loving. She needed Rick.

That wasn't possible at this particular moment, so she called upon the next best thing.

Alexis's phone rang only once before being picked up by the girl. "Kate! Thank God", she cried out in relief.

"Hi pumpkin", Beckett choked out.

Alexis's deep and concentrated breathing could be heard over the line. "Kate, what's wrong?" She asked, trying to prepare herself for the worst.

Beckett closed her eyes briefly, willing her voice not to give out on her. "I'm at the hospital...Your dad's been taken into theatre. He passed out, we're not sure why. Um, Straker he uh, he tried to kill us, very nearly succeeded too. Only he didn't count on your Dad being so stubborn", Beckett tried to laugh.

She heard Alexis sniff.

Beckett shook her head. "He saved my life...again. He really has got to stop trying to do that."

"I used to agree with that Kate, but not anymore. I understand why Dad has to keep saving you. You saved him the day you met him, you became a part of him. So now, if you die, a big hunk of him dies with you."

Beckett pursed her lips, trying to hold back a sob.

"And with me too", Alexis told her on a whimper.

That was it, Beckett lost it right then. "I love you Alexis", she sobbed into the phone.

The teenagers heart lit up. "Tell you what. How about you and Dad just don't put yourselves in life-threatning situations anymore?"

Beckett chuckled through her haze of tears. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Me and Gram will be there soon", Alexis told her.

"You know what, he could be in theatre for a while, there's no point us just sitting around here in this depressing place. The doctors have our numbers, and I have something we can do to occupy ourselves", Beckett said.

There was a small silence on the other end as Alexis waited for Beckett to elaborate. "What is that?" She asked finally.

Beckett smiled softy. "Just a little job that I need your help with. Meet me at my apartment in half an hour, OK?"

...

Beckett met Alexis and Martha at her apartment thirty minutes later, as agreed. The women shared a sort of group hug. "So what's this job you want us to do?" Alexis asked her. She normally had complete faith in the detective, but in this instant she wondered if Beckett was either trying to distract or humor her, or if the woman had actually just lost the plot.

"Come in and see... mind all the boxes", Beckett warned with a sly smile.

"Kate...are you moving?" Alexis asked with with a picture forming in her head. A picture she hoped was correct.

"Yes, which is why I needed your help. Just a few quick questions: How big is your dad's bookcase, which of these books does he have already, and which of these paintings do you think would look best hanging up in the loft?"

Alexis jumped with a yelp and rushed over to Beckett, enveloping her in a bone-crushing embrace.

Beckett beamed as she reciprocated the hug. "Yay Kate, you're already part of the family, but this just cements it", Alexis told her happily. "Ooh and we can have mojito nights when I'm twenty-one."

Beckett looked at her sternly. "Ah, no kid of mine is going to be taught to drink me under the table."

Alexis laughed and nudged Beckett in the ribs. "You're so lucky that you got stuck with a step-daughter like me then."

Martha interjected. "What's with this "step" stuff, you two are clearly mother and daughter now, look at you."

Beckett looked at Alexis seriously. "Legally, I could apply for adoption."

"Even though my biological mom is still alive?" Alexis asked, sounding excited but slightly pessimistic.

Beckett nodded. "Do you... want to be my daughter?"

Alexis gave her a sideways smile. "I am already. You're all the things to me that a mom should be. I trust you and I depend on you and I love you", Alexis told her sincerely.

Beckett gave her a watery smile before wrapping her arms around the girl again. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Over in the corner of the room, Martha began bawling. "Well, you've turned the waterworks on. Turns out I'm a sap for happy endings", Martha shrugged.

"It won't be a happy ending until we get our boy home", Beckett reminded Martha with a half smile.

Alexis inhaled slowly. "It'll be different until then, and it'll be hard, and if it should happen that he doesn't come home at all then we won't ever get over it", Alexis looked at Beckett, re-voicing the words the detective had said to her when she asked her about Beckett's mother's death two weeks ago.

"But it won't be unhappy... because we'll have each other. And somehow we'll get through."

Beckett nodded softly before grabbing the girl for yet another hug. "Yes we will."

...

The ladies spent the next couple of hours sorting through Beckett's belongings, deciding which ones she should sell and which ones she should take with her to her new home. To their home.

Beckett and Alexis were sitting on the floor in Beckett's bedroom, occupied by different tasks.

"Ooh, cute dress", Alexis said, holding up a strapless printed chiffon prom dress.

"You wanna borrow?" Beckett asked.

"Oh my gosh, you would actually let me wear this? I just realized how awesome having a mom who's the same size as me is going to be", she rushed over and kissed Beckett on the cheek. "Thank you, can I try it on?" She asked, excitedly.

Beckett giggled. "Of course you can, go ahead."

Alexis skipped out of the room, happily.

Behind her, Martha's voice sounded all of a sudden. "She's going to break your heart, you know."

Beckett's smile fell. "What do you mean?"

"You love her and when you love people, your heart is theirs to break. One day, she's going to leave us all behind to find her own life. She'll have a family of her own and we'll become a distant memory."

Beckett frowned. "That's not what happened to you and Rick, he's in his forties and you're still living together."

Martha chuckled. "Yes well, I can only hope Alexis has more luck maritally than my son did. At least she would never walk out on her kid."

Beckett smiled briefly before turning around to sort through photographs.

Martha sighed dramatically. "My only grandchild, all grown up and prepared to fly."

Beckett bit her lip, suppressing a smirk; she could see where this was going.

Without turning around, she shrugged discretely. "Well, who knows, maybe your days as a grandmother aren't over yet. I'm still young and Rick and I... well, you probably don't want to hear any more than that", Beckett did smirk this time.

Martha was suddenly kneeling in front of Beckett. "I can extricate him from the picture. I'm an actress, I do it all the time when I have to pretend to be besotted with someone I truthfully can't stand."

Beckett raised an eyebrow. "Alright...Well, let's just say, they're so right when they say life gets better after forty. And he...", Beckett giggled breathlessly. "His reputation doesn't even do him justice."

Martha had her mouth half open and was staring fixed into space. "OK, turns out my compartmentalizing brain wasn't quite ready. But hey... go Richard", she winked at Beckett and chuckled awkwardly.

Beckett pursed her lips. "Hey Martha, I know it's usually the other way around, I mean typically, the guy asks the girl's parents permission to date her, but considering how you and Rick are so close, I thought asking you for your blessing would be pertinent."

Martha looked at Beckett with a soft expression. "My darling, you've been dating this whole family for years. Sometimes you've left us waiting alone at the restaurant, other times the dates have been ones to never be forgotten. But I think we both know that you and Rick are way past dating." She took Beckett's hands into her own. "Dating is a time when people figure out if they love the person or if they're just in it for a bit of fun. You know and I know that you, my dear are in it for the long haul. We, all of us, are in love with you. And it may be presumptuous of me to say, but I believe you feel the same."

Beckett nodded with a smile. "I do."

Martha smiled a warm smile right back. "And so I give you my blessing to date my son. I give you my blessing to do all the things that young people in love may do; don't worry, I'm under no allusions here", Martha added with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Beckett blushed.

"I give you my blessing to marry and live life together happily, and without anger and deceit and secrets, and if you can promise a marriage to him like that, then I give you a thousand blessings and more", Martha told her, taking a small bow.

Beckett grinned, the woman was over-the-top, but at the same time, irresistible.

Martha patted her on the arm and began to walk away, before she was out of Beckett's earshot, she muttered "And I give you my blessing you make me some grandbabies, a lot of grandbabies... A troop of 'em!"

Beckett shook her head to herself with a smirk and resumed her task. She found a photograph of her mother and her, taken on Beckett's eighteenth birthday. Johanna was wrapping a necklace around her daughter's neck.

Beckett smiled at the wonderfully touching memory. Johanna's mother had given Johanna the necklace when she turned eighteen, and her mother had done the same. It had been a time-honored tradition, going back five generations.

Beckett thought about Martha's wishes, and how they resembled her own. One day she did hope to have a child, or children of her own. Well, not just of her own, of hers and Castle's. Looking at the photo now, she could see herself in twenty years, presenting her own daughter with the family heirloom. Then her thoughts turned dark. What if she never made it to her daughter's eighteenth birthday? What if the world really was going to end? The earth, and all those living on it were constantly on a tipping scale. What if gravity ceased to be in the next twenty years, or volcanos erupted and melted the earth, or floods wiped out every human and creature?

Thinking about the future was a futile business, Beckett knew all too well that things never turned out how one envisioned they would.

In any case, she might end up producing an army of boys, which she imagined would please their father, but it wouldn't quite be conducive to her family tradition.

Beckett grinned, realizing she didn't have to wait for the uncertain future to reveal its plan for her day by day. She had a girl already. She had a daughter. A read-headed beauty that would look so beautiful with this gold and garnet necklace around her delicate, porcelain neck.

Excitedly, Beckett crossed her bedroom and searched in her drawers for the piece of antique jewelry. At last she found it, tangled up with a silver bracelet and three bobby pins. Untangling it gently, she held it up in front of herself, admiring its charm. So much history was in this necklace, so much of her life and her family.

Of course, the deal wasn't sealed with Castle yet, or with Alexis, but somehow Beckett felt no hesitation in doing what she was about to do with an historic piece of family heritage.

She held the past in her hands, and also the future.

Beckett walked calmly and confidently to the bathroom where Alexis was trying on her chiffon dress. She knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey Alexis, how you getting on in there?"

"Oh it's perfect Kate, are you sure you don't mind me wearing it?" She muffled voice of Alexis came through the door.

"No, it's yours babe. Hey, when you get out, I have something else for you."

She heard Alexis's strangled laugh. "It's not my birthday, Kate."

"I know but this is kind of...momentous, and besides it should have been given to you at your last birthday."

The bathroom door swung open, and Alexis walked out, looking gorgeous. "Now you've got me intrigued, Miss Beckett."

"Oh wow Alexis...stunning. You're a knockout, kid", Beckett beamed, proudly.

Alexis looked at Beckett, almost amused at how emotional the usually tough exterior type detective, was. "So, don't leave me hanging here Kate, what have you got for me?" Alexis joked.

Beckett shook tears from her eyes. "Right. Alexis, this is a family heirloom that has been passed down on my mother's side from daughter to daughter on their eighteenth birthday, for five generations."

"Oh my goodness, Kate it's gorgeous", Alexis gasped.

"It's very fragile and very special, so I would only give it to a daughter that I know I can trust." Beckett held out the necklace to the young woman. "That's you, Alexis."

Alexis took a step back, as if afraid to taint the sacred piece of jewelry. "Oh Kate, it's so beautiful, but, you know, I'm not biologically your- I mean shouldn't you wait until you have your own daughter, like, one you actually give birth to?" The teen bowed her head.

Beckett swallowed and put a gentle finger out to lift Alexis's chin.

"You know pumpkin, I've realized that life is so...fickle and undeterminable. I used to dream about my mom walking me up the aisle at my wedding." Beckett shook her head sadly. "My mom never even made it to my twenty-first birthday." She took Alexis hands in her own, placing the necklace in the teenager's palm. "I can't promise you that I will be around forever, but what I can promise you is that while I am here, I will be protecting you and loving you with every fiber of my body."

Alexis felt a tear roll down her face. "Can you help me put it on...Mom?"

Beckett smiled a smile wider than the state of Texas and nodded. "Of course." She felt a sense of wonderment in herself as she clasped the necklace around the girl's neck. Two weeks ago, she could have sworn Alexis only had bad things to say about her. She pondered how true it was that it was never too late to be surprised.

"It goes great with the dress", Beckett grinned a her, running a loving hand down the girl's red braid.

"Yeah", Alexis smiled back.

At that moment, Alexis's cellphone rang in her jeans pocket that were lying on the bathroom floor. The teen scrambled to pick it up. "Hello", she answered quickly.

"Miss Castle, your dad is out of surgery", a man's voice greeted her.

Alexis swallowed. "Is he...How is he?"

"He's still in recovery, still waking up."

"So, he's going to wake up then?" Alexis prodded.

There was a silence before the man answered. "We can't determine that at this point. Do you have people who can come with you?"

"Yes, I have my Grandmother and my Mom", Alexis answered.

"OK, well he may take a while to get responding but I'd suggest you get down here as soon as possible...In case any decisions need to be made."

"What kind of decisions?" Alexis asked tentatively.

"Please just be here", the voice replied.

"We're on our way", Alexis told him shakily.

...

In her haste to get to the hospital, Alexis didn't even bother changing out of Beckett's flowing purple and white-gold dress. It swayed left and right as she ran down the corridor of Mount Sinai, Beckett and Martha were trailing her, rather out of breath.

"Ale-Alexis just hold on a moment", Beckett panted as she ran behind the teen.

"Sorry Kate I'm just... you know, anxious", Alexis told her, halting in her stride for a moment.

Martha came up behind them, clutching her side. "Oh, darling, I was about to alert the beach patrol to send out the warning for hurricane Alexis."

Alexis bowed her head. "I'm sorry Gram I'm just so worried about him, it's kind of starting to sink in, the fact that he could be..."

Beckett nodded and took her girl's face in her hands. "I know babe", she stroked her hair.

"Detective Beckett!" An authoritative male voice called out behind her.

"Oh Doctor Turner!" Beckett answered back, relieved to be greeted with a familiar face.

"Come with me please, all of you", the neurologist instructed them stoically.

The three females shared a nervous glance before following the Doc to his office.

Once there, Beckett motioned for Martha and Alexis to sit in the two available chairs. She stood behind the latter, resting her hands on the girl's shoulders.

"Doctor, if something is wrong please tell us what it is", Martha requested, looking anxious.

Dr. Turner looked at the three women gravely. "Mr. Rodgers is awake and...somewhat coherent."

The women let out a sigh of relief. "Well that's a good thing. He's alive and he's not catatonic, that's better than the worst case scenario at least", Alexis said hopefully.

Dr. Turner nodded. "Yes, but...I'm afraid Mr. Castle seems to have no recollection whatsoever of who he is."

...

Beckett, Martha and Alexis were taken to Castle's room. His condition had finally warranted him his own private suite. Not exactly the way anyone would have wanted such a concession.

The Harry Nilsson song "Remember", was playing out of a hospital-issued radio and Castle was laying back in his hospital bed looking as high as a kite.

"Heeey Doc, you're back!" Castle called out, several decibels higher than he need have.

Alexis glanced at Dr. Turner. "When you said he's lost his memory are you sure you didn't mean his mind?" She asked him with a concerned tone.

"Helloooo" Castle turned his attention to the three women. "Who are you? Oh, let me guess... Matron, nurse, candy-striper", Castle grinned, pointing at Martha, Beckett and Alexis respectively.

They all shifted uncomfortably.

"Mr. Rodgers, this is your family", Dr. Turner told him in a soft professional way.

Castle's face illuminated. "Ah!" He then frowned. "Whoa wait, which one of yous is my dad?"

Martha took a brave step forward. "Richard, I'm your mother, Martha. That's Kate, your partner, and Alexis...she's your daughter."

Castle grinned. "I have a daughter...me? Ooh and nice dress by the way." He clapped his hands together, before his attention turned to Beckett and he gave her the eye. "Hey hows about a little sugar for the walking wounded over here, doll-face?"

Dr. Turner looked at them apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's the drugs."

"I love this song, man! What a great song!" Castle closed his eyes and lay back in his bed, singing along to it.

Beckett's brow furrowed. "He knows the lyrics, how is that possible?"

"That's where the semantic and episodic memories co-interject", Dr. Turner explained, as if Beckett would understand why that mattered.

"Do we have to be here right now?" Alexis asked Beckett, the girl was obviously feeling traumatized, and with good reason.

Beckett was just as shellshocked about the whole thing. "No, there's no reason to be. We'll come back when he's a little more lucid. Is that alright, Doctor Turner?"

Dr. Turner nodded once. "Uh, of course, he'll be in good hands with us here, but for his benefit and yours, let's just see that there isn't anything he needs to know from you before you leave."

He turned to Castle, his voice raised slightly over the music. "Do you have any questions for your family, Mr. Rodgers?" Dr. Turner asked him with what sounded like a hint of urgency.

Castle blinked a couple of times. "Uh, yeah, actually I do have a question." He motioned with his head for Beckett to come over to him.

Beckett stared at him hesitantly for a moment, before moving slowly to his side.

He reached down and managed to grab her hand without her realizing. He looked deep into her eyes with such intensity that Beckett actually sighed aloud.

His eyes remaining fixed to hers, Castle asked his one question.

"I've been sitting here killing time, running numbers in my head. Now, I believe I've brought you eighty-nine coffees to date. But today, considering I'm in hospital and all and not really able to move, and I did just save your life... again. I was wondering if maybe you could get me one?" He looked up at her barely containing his smirk.

Beckett let out a noise of relief, disbelief and pure anger. She shook her head "You bastard!" She half-shouted at him, tugging her hand away.

She looked around at all of the medical staff, who were all looking on with amused expressions; they had all been in on this terrible gag.

"I'm sorry, when he woke up from the op, he was back to being his charming and imaginative self", Doctor Turner shrugged. "He asked us all to go along with this, convinced us his family would all be deeply amused by it in the end...meanwhile, look at your poor daughter. She's eighteen, legally she can sue me you know."

Alexis was red in the face, standing with her grandmother, both looking deeply upset.

"Oh pumpkin, I'm sorry, come here", Castle extended his arms to his daughter.

Alexis came near to him, not decided if she wanted to kiss him or kick him. She looked at Beckett. "Mom, you want to kill him or shall I? I'm sure we can get away with it together."

Castle's eyes popped. "Mom?"

Beckett looked at him dumbly. "Yeah, Alexis is our first. Why, we've got four more at home", Beckett gasped "You mean you don't remember the quadruplets?"

Castle swallowed as his face became overcast with confusion. That is until Beckett and Alexis started trying to hide their guffaws behind their hands.

"Oh, very funny", Castle regarded them with a sneer.

"Actually though Dad, Kate and I have decided that she should become a joint guardian", Alexis told him in a tone that said he really didn't have a say in the matter.

"Seriously?" Castle asked, looking delighted.

The two women nodded, smiling affectionately at each other.

Castle grinned. "Well that's wonderful news. So, you obviously agree that I create great kids then Kate. And just so you know I'm not totally adverse to the idea of making more", he winked at Beckett who gritted her teeth and turned away so he couldn't see that she was blushing. "It's just, you know... the thought of four babies crying, scared the hell out of me."

"Serves you right, you great lummox", Martha hollered over to him.

"Mother", Castle held open his arms for Martha, who shifted hesitantly on the spot, not really sure if she wanted to let him off the hook that easily.

"Oh come on, I'll buy you all whatever you want", Castle grinned at his three women.

Beckett and Alexis looked at each other rolling their eyes. But Martha took the opportunity to do a little greasing. "New Condo in the south of France wouldn't be turned down", she blurted out, readily.

"Pushing it", Castle told her with a slight glare.

Beckett shook her head. "OK Rick, so let me get this straight, because it's really important that this is clear, particularly for me. The last forty-one years, you remember all of it?"

"More or less, bits at the beginning and some places in the middle are a little bit hazy but I'll attribute that to being too young and drinking too much scotch, respectively."

"So when did the last twenty years come back to you?"

Castle exhaled deeply. "Right before or right after we both nearly drowned to death this afternoon."

"So you remember that then?"

"Yes", Castle nodded. "Being locked in an army-issued torture chamber is not something one forgets in a hurry."

Beckett bit her lip. "So you remember the last two weeks?"

Stardust seemed to land in Castle's eyes as he stared adoringly up at Beckett. "The last two weeks are the highlights of it all."

Beckett tried not to smile. She needed to still be angry at him for the cruel joke he'd played on her and his mother and daughter. She must not forgive him yet, she must not smile...

"OK, just one more thing", Beckett glanced quickly toward Dr. Turner. "If I were to mention the name Bob Armand...Would it be familiar to you in a way that might be personal or sensitive to you?"

Castle swallowed and he looked up at Doctor Turner. "The good doctor thought you might have questions about that, which might have required an immediate answer." He smiled a half smile. "Yes, I was one of the first witnesses at Bob Armand's murder scene. Doctor Turner here performed a very quick and specific type of treatment to reel it out of my subconscious, no more than two hours ago."

"Treatment?" Beckett asked dubiously.

Dr. Turner cleared his throat. "Ah, hypnotherapy is not technically and scientifically proven to be a legitimate form of psychological analyzation. But I trust that everyone in this room will have no problem remaining discrete."

Beckett nodded slowly and directed her next question at Castle. "OK...So how are you coping with the information now? What do you plan to do about it?"

Castle shrugged. "Well you know, I'd suppressed the image all those years ago because it was just so horrible and traumatic. I'd never seen death before! But now my days almost aren't worthwhile if I don't see a dead body, so I'm feeling OK about it. I mean the only part I really am bothered by is that I could have told you about it on the first day we met, if I hadn't have been keeping the memory locked away", the writer's face showed regret.

Beckett smirked. "Why, so I could have resented you for digging into my mom's murder even sooner?"

Castle raised an eyebrow at her. "Touche, detective."

"Oh, come now Rick, I thought we'd moved way past titles long ago", Beckett grinned slyly.

"Aw, but I had a great one to try out on you", Castle wined, flopping back in his bed.

"If you say lady or deputy warden or anything else that's suggestive, I..." Beckett stomped her foot. Well, what would she do? Probably just become embarrassingly turned on... Which was wrong on so many levels right now.

Not least of which was the fact that his daughter was standing less than five feet away from them, and was looking extremely eager to get out of there.

Castle chuckled meekly. "Sorry pumpkin, I know a slightly shrewd and lewd sense of humor is not exactly appealing when it's your dad."

Alexis couldn't hold back the smile that overtook her face. Her dad knew her again, knew all of her childhood dreams, knew all of her little-girl mishaps and self-deprications. He knew that when her mother left, she cried every night for six months. He knew that when Timothy Alcott had broken her heart in seventh grade, that she and her dad had invested themselves fully in the notion that rocky-road ice cream was the best solution to their problems; and until Alexis almost threw up on the living room floor; it was. He could recall the hundreds of times she'd piggy-backed on his shoulders, and the countless days they'd spent at the little playground on the corner together. He knew the craftsmanship of building a "perfect" smorelette (at least in his opinion), and the sacredness of their moments together when he wasn't "RICHARD CASTLE: NOVELIST EXTRAORDINAIRE!" When he was simply: Dad. But the most important thing her father knew was that he loved her and vice-versa.

"Yeah, well no kidding...I'll take my reparations for the emotional distress you caused me in... items from the new teen vogue catalogue", Alexis told him with a sideways smile.

Castle laughed. "Done."

"Well, now that I know you're OK, and still your juvenile old self, I think it's time to get back to my job that I actually haven't attended for more than half a day since I began", Alexis rolled her eyes and leaned down to give her beloved dad, a kiss on the cheek.

Castle shook his head. "I know my memory is back to full capacity, but I still can't wrap my head around my baby girl out in the workforce, a triton of the literary profession."

Alexis smiled. "I knew when you came back to us, you'd be pretty proud of me."

"I can barely contain my delight, my dear girl", Castle beamed up at her.

Alexis chuckled and turned to face Beckett and Martha. "See you later, love you both", she smiled at them and gave both women a hug.

"Love you too Lex", Beckett smiled warmly back at her.

"Actually pumpkin, stick around for just a moment will you?" Castle requested of her. Castle surveyed the room. "In fact, I want you all to be here to witness this."

"O-K, is it going to be quick?" Alexis asked, one foot already out the door.

"Yes, uh I may get an urgent call and if that happens, I will have to leave" Dr. Turner reminded Castle.

"Well, that all depends on my muse here", Castle said, looking mysteriously over to Beckett.

Her eyes narrowed and she spoke in a sugary voice. "Oh hunny, I haven't heard you call me that since the last time I kicked your ass for saying it."

"Now just hold on there, my dear, for there is a reason I use that term specifically, and please believe that it is a term of endearment."

Beckett pursed her lips. "Alright Castle, what do you want to know?"

Castle raised an eyebrow at her. "I still don't want you to call me that."

Beckett shrugged. "What do you want me to call you then? Believe me, I've got plenty of suggestions."

Castle tilted his head. "Well I am still rather partial to Rick. As for formal introductions that may require a fuller greeting, I think, "My husband, Richard", has a somewhat regal quality to it."

The room and all its occupants fell into a coma.

Beckett gaped for longer than was conversationally acceptable. "What are- are you saying...are you asking what I think you're asking?"

Castle's playful look dissipated from his face to transform into one of pure love and heartfelt promise. "To quote the great John Keats from his letters to his long-time romantic pen pal, Fanny Brawne: "I have met with women whom I really think would like to be married to a poem, and to be given away by a novel." The mystery novelist smiled warmly up at his lover. "Not you. I've dedicated three books to you, and unlike any woman I've become accustomed to; you've never been swayed purely by my words."

Beckett swallowed hard. "Gotta say you're doing a pretty good job right now, changing that tradition."

Castle reached out for her hand that she had withdrew from him earlier. "Preceding that, he told her "I love you more in that I believe you have liked me for my own sake and for nothing else." Kate, you've seen my faults, my fears, you've known me at my most entranced and at my most desperate. You now know my past, a past filled with terrible secrets that no other woman is privy to and yet, here you are, prepared still, to love me." Castle eyes watered. "I have no more allusions left to hide behind. Though pity the everyman who believes he can pull the wool over the eyes of you, Katherine Beckett."

Beckett laughed on a sigh. "You know... a week after he wrote that letter, dated July 8th 1819, Keats wrote another to his former neighbor which included this sentiment: "You say you perhaps might have made me better:" You did that with every line of your books that I immersed myself in completely. "You would then have made me worse:" You did that too, when you started probing into my mother's murder. "Now you could quite effect a cure: What fee my sweet Physician would I not give you to do so?" You cured me Rick, from a disease that only you could save me from. You alone were the only one who had the power to break me of that curse, to help banish this thing that would have otherwise consumed me." Beckett stroked his hand with her thumb, gently. "And now you save my life every moment we're together."

Castle shook his head slowly, in amazement. "Poetry be the language of love and to mine ears delight, she speaks it fluently."

Beckett tilted her head to the side. "More Keats?"

Castle smiled. "Castle."

Beckett nodded, tears teetering the brim of her nose.

Castle inhaled as he took in the wondrous creature in front of him. Suddenly he was very nervous. "So, ah Kate... I know my regular works aren't usually as cryptic and certainly aren't as poetic as this so I won't be surprised if the meaning of my words have been lost on you." He gave her a smile that set his face alight. "So, returning to what I promised would be "just one last question", which I believe I said to you about twelve centuries ago..."

Beckett laughed and sniffed back the latest enemy tear drop, in her battle with her own emotions.

"And I'd hate to think that I was leaving you with any misconceptions here, because I want us to be open and honest with each other...always", Castle told her so sincerely, Beckett sobbed aloud.

"So, to you, I pose this "one question"... Katherine Beckett." He paused for effect.

A nurse came into the room and touched Dr. Turner on the shoulder. "Doctor, your four-fifteen is here." Dr. Turner waved her away frantically. "In a minute."

Castle didn't notice the distraction. He didn't notice anything but his Kate.

"I really would like to marry you...Do you think you might kinda wanna marry me?"

Beckett chuckled. "I think Keats may have overshadowed you a little."

Castle clenched his teeth. "Yeah, that just occurred to me."

Dr. Turner and the other hospital staff were transfixed to the exchange.

Martha and Alexis were puddles at this point, only refraining from melting into the floor, by holding each other up.

Beckett sniffed away as many tears as she could, but too many were determined to cascade down over her face.

Slowly, a grin crept over Castle's features. Beckett couldn't help it, she grinned right along and let the tears fall freely. Through her tears of joy, relief and love so pure, plain and simple; she answered thus:

"Yes."

THE END