Title: Aftermath

Summary: I could tell you what happens below, but this time, I'll just let you read it. Chapter three happens later than chapter two. Obviously. But just how long is up to you, the reader. It's like a choose your own adventure fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.

Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for! Extra thanks this time, because the idea for this fic came from her!

Castle finished making Beckett's coffee and took a moment to admire his handiwork. It was the most intricate cup of caffeine he'd ever made. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he picked up the mug and headed out to Beckett's desk.

When he reached his destination he sat down in his chair and set the mug on her desk. She was engrossed in her paperwork and didn't seem to notice. Castle looked over his shoulder at Ryan and Esposito. They were staring at him, their heads cocked slightly, like curious children. He turned back to Beckett and cleared his throat and she glanced up at him. When he didn't say anything she rolled her eyes at him.

"What is it, Castle?"

"I brought you some coffee." He said with a cheshire grin.

"Thank you."

She went back to filling out the papers in front of her. Castle's smile turned into a frustrated smirk.

"Don't you want to drink it?"

"I'm not thirsty."

"Oh." He frowned, even though she couldn't see it. "Well, it's got an extra kick to it. It'll give you the energy you need to finish that stack of paperwork."

"Castle, I don't need energy. I need to concentrate."

She darted her eyes over to him quickly. He squirmed in his seat. He was about to say something when Gates stuck her head through the open door of her office.

"Detective Beckett, we have a new body."

Beckett jumped up and threw on her coat. Castle looked at the coffee cup and sighed, then stood and followed the already departing Beckett. They went past Gates and picked up the address, then headed to the elevator where Ryan and Esposito were waiting.

Six hours later Castle and Beckett were clearing the murder board. The case had been easy to solve, almost too easy. It had been a crime of passion, and the recently widowed murderer was quick to confess when the glaring evidence was presented to her. The last thing she'd said before the booking officer took her away was that at least the dirt-bag would never cheat on her again. Beckett placed some folders in a box and looked around to make sure they were alone.

"Castle?"

"Yeah?" He replied distractedly.

"How did you feel when you found out that Meredith and Gina were cheating on you?"

"What?" His tone was shocked.

"Well, you've told me all about how the marriages ended, but not how you felt."

"Oh." He pointed to the pictures still hanging up. "I didn't want to kill them, if that's what you mean."

"I figured that." She half chuckled. "But seriously, how did you feel?"

He stared at her contemplatively for several moments before he answered.

"I felt a lot of things. Hurt, sorrow, anger. But mostly, I felt betrayed." He let out a loud sigh. "And I wondered why I wasn't enough."

Beckett was glad that they'd moved the murder board to the conference room because it allowed them enough privacy for her to reach out and take his hand in hers.

"I don't know what was wrong with them, Rick. Because you are so much more than enough for me."

He smiled and lifted her hand up to kiss it lightly.

"What brought on that question?" He asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess this case. Marriage is supposed to be forever, but because this guy couldn't keep his vows he's dead, and his wife is going to prison."

"Marriage isn't all that bad." Castle said. "But I rushed into both of mine. That was my biggest mistake. I think that's why a lot of marriages fail."

"That's why I'm a one and done kind of girl." Beckett smiled up at him. "When I say I do, I'll mean it."

Castle returned her smile and started to lean towards her. She squeezed his hand and shook her head.

"What's the rule, Castle?"

"No kissing at work." He groaned out. "But I want to kiss you. Just a little one?"

He stuck out his bottom lip and she couldn't stop herself from laughing. She stepped closer and lowered her voice.

"Not at work. But you hold onto that thought for later." She grinned and lifted her eyebrows.

"Why must you tease me so?" He whispered.

"Because it's fun."

"Hey you two, sorry to interrupt, but our husband killer just lawyered up."

Castle and Beckett looked to the doorway where Ryan was standing.

"What do you mean?" Beckett asked.

"She decided she didn't want to go to prison and called her lawyer." Ryan explained. "And he's saying that we got the confession under coercion, and it isn't admissible in court."

"That's ridiculous!" Beckett exclaimed.

"I know." Ryan raised in hands in frustration. "Gates wants us to go back through the evidence and make sure that we have enough to prove it was her without using the confession."

"I'll go make us some coffee." Castle said.

He smiled at Beckett and pulled his hand from hers. Ryan came into the room to help unpack the stuff that was already in the boxes. Castle left and walked towards the break-room. When he passed Beckett's desk the now cold cup of coffee caught his eye. His hard work on the top had melted into the filmy leftover liquid. He picked it up and took it with him so he could wash it.

As he prepared the drinks he decided to try his artwork again. Beckett's was the last one he poured, then he grabbed the bottle of chocolate syrup he'd set aside earlier. He began the delicate process that had taken him weeks to master enough even to do the simple decoration he was making.

A few minutes later he was heading back to the conference room. He handed Ryan and Esposito their mugs first. Esposito grabbed Castle's wrist, halting him. The detective looked at the drawing on top of the foam in one of the remaining mugs and smiled at Castle. When Ryan saw that the other two men were staring at a cup of coffee he glanced at it and a grin spread his lips too. Castle freed his hand and turned to Beckett, who was reading one of the witness reports.

"Here you go, Beckett." He said.

She looked up and smiled gratefully before reaching for the mug. Castle held his breath as he handed it to her. Beckett closed her eyes as she brought the drink to her nose and inhaled the invigorating aroma. Then she took a long, cautious drink.

"Mmmm." She breathed out. "Did you add chocolate?" She opened her eyes and saw all three men staring at her in surprise. "What? Do I have foam on my face?"

"Uh, no." Castle stammered. "We just can't believe you guessed about the chocolate."

Ryan and Esposito quickly nodded in agreement and Beckett furrowed her brow in confusion. Then she looked down at the cup and saw what was left of the dark smears.

"Well, it's all over the top, so it was pretty easy to taste."

"That's why you're New York's finest." Castle laughed.

Beckett shook her head before going back to her reading. Castle, Ryan and Esposito shared silent looks and then sat down to do their jobs.

The next day they were working on another case. The evidence had been more than sufficient to keep the woman Castle had dubbed the Black Widow behind bars, and they'd wrapped it up after a couple of hours with the reports.

Now the foursome were headed to the morgue. Lanie had called saying she had something that would wow them. The elevator dinged and they stepped off and headed down the hall. Beckett pushed through the tall, swinging doors first.

"Okay Lanie, our minds are ready. Blow them away."

Lanie looked up from her desk and smiled before getting up and walking towards the wall of compartments that bodies were stored in while awaiting autopsies. She waved at them to follow her. Once they were all gathered around she opened the door and slid the metal slab out.

There was no body. There was only a cake. The writing spelled out Marry me?, and the dot of the question mark was a small box. Beckett was the first to react.

"What is this?" She asked.

"Most people call it a cake." Lanie quipped.

"I can see that it's a cake." Beckett retorted. "But why is there a cake in one of your body fridges that says marry me? And what does it have to do with our case?"

"It has nothing to do with the case. And the cake is here because someone is proposing."

"Who?"

"Me." Castle answered Beckett's question.

"What?" Beckett replied.

"Yeah. I tried asking you twice yesterday. But you kept ruining it."

"What are you talking about?"

"The coffee I made you. You never looked at the first cup, and the second one, well, you drank it before you saw the writing."

Beckett thought back over the previous day. Then realization hit her, widening her eyes.

"The chocolate." She said simply.

"Yep." Castle nodded. "I had written marry me on the foam."

"Oh."

"I figured I'd up the ante to something you couldn't drink."

"I see." Beckett swallowed hard.

"So?" He asked.

"So what?" She replied.

"So, will you marry me?"

Beckett looked back at the cake, then at each of her friends, then back at the man she loved.

"If I say yes, can I have some cake?"

"You can have all the cake you want." Castle answered.

"And if I say no?"

"Then you can't have any cake, because I will be eating it all as I listen to Adele songs and cry like an infantile man-child."

"Okay, then." Beckett smiled. "That cake looks really tasty. So yes. I'll marry you."

Castle laughed, wrapped her in a bear hug, and swung her around in a circle.

"I know we're at work, but -"

"Yes, you can kiss me, Castle."

He grinned as he brought his lips to hers. Lanie started crying, Esposito whistled and Ryan started laughing as he clapped. Castle broke away and picked up the box from the cake, pulled the elegantly simple ring out and slipped it on her finger. She kissed him again as single happy tear fell from her eye. Then she stepped back and picked up a knife that was lying on the table.

"Who wants cake?"

A/N - Hope you enjoyed the story! Thanks for reading. Until next time, Paige