Epilogue

She stands there on the back porch and looks over the bright blue ocean. And cannot think of a time when she'd ever been happier in her life.

"Hey there, Mrs. Castle!" Rick announces when he comes out to the porch as well.

"Hey yourself." She murmurs, putting her arms around him and kissing him softly.

"I've put our luggage away and checked the fridge; we should be fine for the next two weeks."

"It's wonderful that we're here again. I just love this place."

"Yeah, me too. And Kate, I really think you've got the best husband in the whole world."

"Is that so?" she asks, smiling at him happily.

"Yeah…" he sighs, grinning to himself. "I want to give you my wedding present now. Just wait a minute, I'll go get it."

"You brought it with you here?" she asks, a little surprised, wondering where he hid it in the private plane.

"No, not exactly. It was here all the time to be honest." He says, going back inside again with a smile on his lips.

Kate shakes her head and lets her eyes wander over the bright blue ocean again. She still can't quite believe that they're here again, exactly one year later. The same time, the same day (Castle insisted on it), just one year later.

Her mind wanders back to their wedding, two days ago. Exactly the same day when she showed up on his doorstep last year and their romantic relationship began (another Castle-thing).

It was just perfect, quite traditional and small, not much people, no press. He arranged everything very thoughtful and although they are both public figures by now, he tried his best to keep private things private and away from page 6.

She will always remember the feeling she had when the minister announced that they were now husband and wife. Only thinking of it brings a smile to her face immediately.

She's his wife now.

The sentence still tastes a little unfamiliar on her tongue. But so good. So good.

And when they danced at the little party afterwards, it felt as if nothing else would exist anymore. Just the two of them, swaying to the music, smiling like fools and drowning in each other's eyes. She thinks that this is what makes a wedding special – the happiness that fills your whole being, shining through your eyes and sounding through your laughing. That's what people see and hear when they look at a freshly married couple, that's what makes them want to get married, too.

She could see it in Ryan's and Jenny's eyes, remembering their special day.

And she could also see it in Lanie's and Esposito's eyes and wondered how long it would take them to do it, too.

Get married… She's married! To Richard Castle.

She still cannot quite believe it.

"Here…" Rick comes out of nowhere, ripping her from her thoughts by embracing her from behind and putting a kiss on her bare shoulder. He holds up a little box (that looks a lot like a box for a wedding ring) and takes her hand with his other hand. He puts the box inside it and she can feel him smile on her skin.

"That's your present?"

"Yeah. Turn around and open it. I want to see your face when you do." He commands softly.

And when she turns to him she is once again stunned by the depths in his eyes that seem even bluer here at the ocean. She's once again stunned by all the love that's seeping out of them, only for her. She could get lost in his eyes, regarding her so gently, almost caressing her.

"Come on, Kate. Open it." He nudges gently and she can hear the excitement in his voice.

She flips the box open and reveals a little silver key with a red ribbon around it. She looks close at the key, wondering what this could be about and lifts questioning eyes to him.

"Can you guess what it's for?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows.

"Uh… I don't know… It's not a car key. It looks like a key for an apartment or… A house maybe… Did you buy a house in New York?" she wonders.

"No, not in New York."

"Not in New York… But where… Uh…" she stutters, the thought of maybe leaving New York making her uncomfortable. She doesn't want to go away. That's why she broke up with Will all those years ago. She needs the city, wants to live there. She doesn't want to move away.

But, wait, he knows that. So what is this key for? It isn't for… It can't be for… Can it?

"Oh my God!" she exclaims when she sees the look on his face.

"I guess you like my gift then." He chuckles, kissing her on the nose.

"But how… I thought…"

"I contacted the owner about three months ago, right after you said 'Yes' to my proposal. And made him an offer he absolutely couldn't deny."

"I bet." She laughs, holding the key to her heart. "So this place is ours now?"

"Yours. But I hope you'll let me stay here, too, from time to time."

"I do." She says, smiling brightly.

How did she ever deserve this man?

He showed his love for her so often in the last year, was there for her when she didn't know what to do with her life, supported her when she got frustrated with her joblessness. That was a tough time for both of them and she could see that he was relieved when she finally admitted to using the money from the account he created when he started to write the first "Nikki Heat" book. He was never pressing her, giving her time and space to figure out what she wanted to do and always had her back when she finally decided to take responsibility of the scholarship he brought to life to honor her mom's legacy.

She doesn't earn money with that, but that's fine with her, because she finally found something worthy to do. And it was actually a lot of fun.

And now this.

Overwhelmed by her happiness little tears glister in her beautiful eyes.

"Hey, love, you ok?" he asks concerned.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Great actually." She puts the key into the box again and lays it aside in order to put her arms around him and lift on her toes to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, Rick. It means a lot to me. All of this. All what we have. Thank you."

"I thank you, Kate. For letting me love you. And for loving me back. For marrying me. It's the best gift you could give to me." He murmurs, tears forming in his eyes as well.

"So you don't want my wedding gift?" she chuckles.

"I didn't say that." he laughs.

"Then come with me."

She leads him into the house again, into their house… Wow. It's just perfect. But as hard as it is to believe, her gift is even better.

So much better.

She walks over to her carry-on luggage which Rick placed on the couch in the living room, opens her bag, and takes her purse out.

"Close your eyes, Rick." She murmurs.

He does as he is told and she takes out a little piece paper.

"Give me your hand."

He will freak out as soon as he lays eyes on it, she's sure. The excitement is rushing through her body now and she has to take a moment to catch her breath. This is going to be so freaking amazing.

"You can open your eyes now." She whispers when she placed the paper into his hand.

He slowly opens his eyes and when he sees what's there on the paper in his hand, his heart stops a beat.

Two beats. Or three. He isn't sure.

"Kate!" he exclaims. "Really? Really?"

She just nods, a little shy now, overwhelmed by the radiating smile on his face, by the joy in his eyes.

"Oh my God, Kate!" he yells, claiming her in a hug.

Finally, finally he can act on his feelings, spin her around the room, laughing, crying and kissing her senseless. He might explode with happiness and he doesn't even care.

The ultrasound image gripped tightly in his hand he puts her down again, kissing her once more.

"Since when do you know it?"

"I had a feeling since last week, but I only know it since yesterday when I was at my gynecologist."

"Ah, there you were… I should have known."

"I wanted to surprise you." She smiles. "She told me that everything is fine and that I could fly without to worry. It wasn't easy to not tell you immediately, but I wanted to tell you here."

"We're getting a baby. We're getting a baby!" he exclaims, dancing around the room.

"Yeah. In early January next year." She murmurs, placing a hand on her belly.

"BEST. PRESENT. EVER." He exclaims, laying his hand on top of hers.

A/N: I know, I know. It's incredibly sappy. But I just couldn't help it. I'm a hopeless romantic and this just felt right.

Thank you again for sticking with me and this story. It's been a great time for me.