a question in coffee

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, in any shape or form, which you should all be grateful for. Also, I have no idea why I'm writing fluff. Enjoy the happiness while you can!

When Kate Beckett steps off the elevator that morning, she instantly knows that something is going on.

Instantly, she blames Castle. This morning, he woke her up early to tell her he wouldn't be in for the morning due to a meeting with Black Pawn. She hadn't recollected him telling her of any such meeting beforehand, but let it pass all the same. So all those staring at her now, with barely supressed half-grins and eyes glittering with knowledge, are definitely products of something that Castle's done. Even though the man isn't there, she knows it's him. What on earth could he have gone and done now?

Frowning, Kate shuffles past the group of uniforms who are whispering amongst themselves and glancing (what they think is subtly) towards her. Kate looks back over her shoulder at them, and they all instantly look away, the crowd suddenly scattering. When she looks back in front of her, Kate stops instantly.

There are twenty-six mugs of coffee on her desk.

"What the…"

She looks towards Ryan and Esposito's desks, finding the men trying and failing to look busy. There also, she notices, seem to be a lot more uniforms hanging around the place than usual.

What on earth has Castle got to do with twenty-six mugs of coffee, uniforms, and a Black Pawn meeting?

Sighing, Kate throws her coat onto the back of her chair, and reaches for one of the mugs, deciding to share the rest with the unusually large amount of uniforms habiting the precinct. After all, how could anyone expect her to drink twenty-six cups of coffee by herself? Maybe it's all a challenge set by Castle, or a sly dig about how obsessed with coffee she is.

But as she reaches for one, she stops, noticing something unusual in the coffee: In the foam. One letter has been drawn into the foam per mug. Castle has left her a message.

Even as she reads it, heart pumping furiously and a small smile beginning to lift on her face, she can't believe it. That man. That ridiculous, crazy, wonderful man.

Written in the twenty-six mugs of coffee is the most important question she thinks she's ever been asked: Kate Beckett, will you marry me?

She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment as she tries to form coherent thought. Of course he'd have to mix coffee in with a proposal. Mind you, they'd never even discussed marriage. It's been a year now since they first got together, and it was only three months ago she 'officially' moved in with him- He'd never dared even attempt to bring up the subject with her. What's with the sudden courage now?

She opens her eyes and looks up to find Ryan and Esposito watching her reaction carefully, as well as- Hang on, when did Lanie get here? – Lanie, whose eyes are shining with happiness for Kate. Oh, of course they had all known beforehand. That's why all the uniforms were here: To see the hard-edged Kate Beckett be proposed to.

"Where is he?" She asks them, her voice shaking slightly. This has all taken her by so much surprise. "Where's Castle?"

"I'm right here."

The voice comes from her right and she spins to see Castle emerging from the break room with a sheepish yet hopeful smile on his face. He hurries toward her, obviously concerned for what her reaction is, and she finds she can't move and she's glued to the spot. Even when Castle stops in front of her, the only thing she can do is stare at him, not even move towards him.

"Are you- Are you angry with me?" He asks with a scared look on his face, obviously misinterpreting her silence for anger.

"No… I…" She shakes her head, staring at in him in awe. "I'm surprised, we've never really… Discussed anything like this."

Castle shifts on the spot slightly, grinning. "Uh, well…" Castle clears his throat. "I've loved you for… Years and years now. And I've wanted to marry you for all of them. I want to be your, um, one and done. I want you to be my third time lucky." Castle clears his throat, rummaging around in his trouser pocket and as he does, Kate begins to feel the beginning of tears well up in her eyes. "So, I was thinking about it and realized: What was stopping me from asking?"

Kate finds herself laughing despite laughing the seriousness of the situation. "And then you decided to propose to me through my coffee?"

Castle grins. "Well, that bit was just a bit of fun, really."

Vaguely, Kate registers that others aren't even hiding the fact they're watching. They've gathered in a small circle around them, the pair of them in the middle. Even Gates has emerged from her office to watch, a small smile on her face for the pair of them.

"So, here goes nothing." Castle says, lowering himself onto one knee and opening a blue velvet box to reveal one of the most stunning rings Kate has ever seen in her life. "Kate Beckett, will you marry me?"

There's nothing but silence for a moment. She can hear the group around them collectively holding their breath, but she pays them no attention. All she can see is Castle: On knee in front of her, staring at her like she hung the stars and the moon single-handedly and telling her he wanted to be her one and done.

"Yes." She whispers quietly, watching as a massive smile lights up his face. "Yes, I'll marry you." She laughs in delight, and a round of applause bursts around them.

Castle giggles, and she holds her left hand out for him, his fingers trembling as he pushes the ring onto her finger. He stares at her for a moment from where he is, disbelief written all over his face, and she's fairly certain hers is wearing the same expression. But then he's upright, pulling her into his arms and kissing her so fiercely, all lips and tongue and teeth, that she feels like she might explode from everything that she's feeling.

Wolf whistles erupt like crazy, and she breaks the kiss with laughter, pressing her forehead to his. "God, I love you." She whispers, lips inches from his.

His hands tighten their grip on his waist, eyes twinkling with happiness. "I love you, too, Kate." He replies, unable to stop grinning. "I honestly didn't think you were going to say yes."

Kate laughs again, pulling away slightly as she begins to remember there are other people in this room. "Castle, you proposed to me using coffee. How on earth am I supposed to say no?"