Richard Castle (heatwave) wrote in freedomtownic, @ 2014-07-13 22:18:00 |
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Entry tags: | !thread, ~kate beckett, ~richard castle |
Who: Rick Castle & Kate Beckett
When: Backdated to when they got married
Where: Someplace with a few of space
What: A wedding!
Rating: Low
Status: Complete
The entire thing was so untraditional that it bordered on absurd. About the only thing she and Castle were doing “right” by the usual standards were the white dress and the tux, the insistence that he find something to do with his day to leave she and Lanie in peace because, small ceremony or not, Kate needed time to be a girl and primp with her best friend. But she’d been sad to watch Castle leave at lunchtime, painfully aware that while she had Lanie to lean on, Castle was without his family, no Ryan or Esposito for companionship. Still, she hadn’t let that thought bring her down, carefully applying makeup, directing Lanie in a way to arrange her hair that was similar enough to their first attempt in the Hamptons at this marriage thing, but enough of a departure that Kate didn’t feel like the ghost of a memory as she wandered down the hall of the atrium entrance, her mother’s dress swishing softly around her feet. Her instructions had been simple, to wait for her at the double doors with the one concession she had required for the wedding - a photographer - because she wanted this moment, the one where he got to see her in full wedding attire, to give both of them time to drink it in before Cosmo and Lanie arrived to be a officiant and a witness, respectively. “Hey stranger,” Kate called as she rounded the corner, smile bright and easy, “Fancy seeing you here.” Castle let Kate do all of the planning and directing, keeping his mouth shut and a smile on his face. It wasn't a hard task -- anything she came up with for them would be perfect. He wished that his mother were here, Alexis, too, but he was glad that Kate had Lanie. That was a nice addition to the familiar on the space station. But really, the fact that they were getting married in outer space was pretty much enough for him to not care if they were both wearing a paper bag. Luckily, he had arrived in his tux and it wasn't dirty or damaged, so he had that. What Kate was wearing, though, Castle could only guess. (He hadn't asked her specifically if she'd arrived in her wedding dress, though if he'd considered it long enough, he might realize that she had.) He turned when she spoke, and he let his eyes drink her in all the way. He swallowed, nodded, then smiled. "Wow, you look --" Any word that he could think of seemed to pale in comparison to reality. He, who usually knew what to say or what to write, was momentarily speechless. "Like I'm getting married?" Kate asked, the blush starting high on her cheeks and burning bright pink. The look Castle was giving her wasn't new per say, but the total intensity of it was enough to make her a little shy, to catch her breath in her throat even as she stepped forward to lightly press her lips to his, "I've got a little surprise for you." He slid his arms to her shoulders and down to her elbows, stepping back after the kiss to look at her from arm's length away. "A surprise? For me?" He had no idea what it could possibly be considering they weren't at home and he wasn't even familiar enough with anything here to know what he could and couldn't get. "I have a surprise for you too, actually." From their current position, it looked like they weren't anywhere special. Some portion of the ship that was largely kept away from the refugees, but Kate knew the ship well, had been allowed to explore and do largely as she liked in the beginning and that had included spending long hours wrapping her head around the situation. "Well, you kept talking about space when we were planning our wedding....." she shrugged, a shy little grin on her face as Kate turned her back to him to grasp both handles of the double doors, "....I thought under the circumstances that I could probably make that happen," she grinned, pulling the doors open to give Castle his first glimpse at the atrium. From here you could see the city spread out below them and, stretching out above it, an endless expanse of starry outer space. Castle wasn't sure what to expect, but this view of space, of so deep into space that he had never really even imagined being able to see it, wasn't on his radar. He couldn't help but gasp, just a little bit, trying not to overdo it. Inside he felt so giddy, so ready to jump up and down like a little boy, but he tried to restrain himself. Oh hell, what was the point? He gave a clap and a little hop and looked at her then out again in wonder. "That is quite possibly the best view I've had in my entire life." His reaction had really been about what Kate had expected, that gleeful, easy sort of happiness that Castle carried around in spades. It wasn’t rare that he found that little boy grin, especially since he’d arrived, but that didn’t detract from how much she loved it, “Glad you like it,” she said with a laugh, wrapping her arms around his waist and gently pressing her mouth against the hard line of his jaw. Not wanting to ruin her hair or anything, Castle tentatively ran a hand up her back and turned her to kiss her properly. He smiled the entire way through the kiss. "Now, for your surprise, if you want…" he said, and he pulled their rings out from the inside of his jacket pocket. "Look what I just happened to have on me when I showed up here." Their rings. The rings they’d spend an entire afternoon trying to decide on, lightly picking at one another about the decision to the point that the jeweler had looked a little alarmed with them. Truthfully, it had been one of the things Kate had worried and wondered about before she’d ever asked Castle to do this, but it had seemed so minor. They weren’t on Earth, so who said they had to wear rings to be married? Half the time at work Kate hadn’t worn her engagement ring and it hadn’t changed anything so she’d let it go, decided it didn’t matter and maybe someday they’d find a chance to buy a pair. “Oh…..” the word came out as little more than a whisper as she swallowed back a press of emotions, tears already welling up behind her eyes as Kate put one tentative finger against the delicate velvet box, “Of course I want them, Castle,” she said, wrinkling her nose up in some desperate attempt not to cry, “That’s the…..other than everyone being here...that’s what I wanted.” At that, his smile grew. "Well, then it's a good thing I thought to have them in hand on the way to the wedding, isn't it?" He knew that they weren't having the traditional kind of ceremony that they'd be having if they were back on Earth but between her dress and his tux and the rings he had, it would be close enough for them. Of course, all that he really needed for this was Kate. Otherwise, what would be the point? “Always prepared, like a boy scout,” she teased, gently stepping out of her heels in order to fit her body in that neat, orderly slot that felt like it was made for her. Without shoes, Kate fit perfectly under Castle’s chin, the crown of her head lightly brushing against his neck. And she closed her eyes, ignoring the view that she was sure Castle had yet to look away from to instead soak up a different moment, to center herself as they waited for Cosmo and Lanie. No, he hadn't looked away from the view, because how could he? Of course he had Kate in his arms and he loved her, and this couldn't be any more perfect, but the truth was, when had he ever really thought in his life that he'd get to see outer space like this? He knew he had a goofy smile on his face, and if anyone asked he could say it was because he was getting married, but really, and this was shhh a secret, it was all because of outer space. "Do you know if Cosmo is doing a traditional ceremony or are we winging this?" “Cosmo is…” Kate was on the verge of explaining, when the door opened to admit both Lanie and Cosmo. She had explained the generally ceremony to him, what type of things they wanted, and he wasted no time with it, heavily accented English beginning with the traditional ‘We are gatherink here today…” Castle had to focus hard to keep his eyes on Kate instead of on space outside of the window, but since they were getting married, he knew the focus had to be on her. He wanted it to be on her. It was just … outer space. But it was also Kate. He smiled at her and took her hands in his, holding them out in front of him. "Kate," he said. "I know this isn't what we planned but we'd already realized it wasn't what we planned and we were all right with that. All we ever needed was the two of us and that's what we have. I can't imagine a more perfect place or a more perfect woman to be sharing it with right now. I love you, Kate, and this is just another step in whatever adventure life has in store for us." Rick stopped for a moment and took in a deep breath. "I promise to love and cherish you, for better or worse, wherever we may end up." Well, an adventure was one way to put it. The issue with their first wedding had made it crystal clear that she cared less and less about the giant, fancy ceremony and more about the guy in front of her, of having him to spend whatever number of days they had left together. Even if they ended up back at home, if Castle had met his end in that car, Kate wanted this. “It was never about the plan, Rick,” she soothed, running her thumbs lightly along the back of his hands, “It’s always just been about you. You are the guy who worked his way in, who kept coming back, who waited until I was ready and has….” Kate paused, a slow smile and a shake of her head filling the space where she couldn’t find the words, “....you changed my life. I’m so much better with you in my corner, and that’s enough. I don’t care about a fancy ceremony, or a hundred guests or millions of dollars - just you, and building a life together.” “I love you so much, and I promise that isn’t going to stop, even when you keep me up at night with your crazy theories and typing at the keyboard, even when you yell at me for leaving my shoes out for you to trip on, or when our mutual stubborn steaks get the better of us. Good or bad, you are the guy I want around for all of it, ridiculous theories and over the top love of space included.” Castle's smile grew with each sentence she said, and by the time she was finished, he was beaming. "Well, you're stuck with me, Kate, forever." He leaned down and kissed her, slowly, letting his lips linger against hers for a long moment. He moved a hand to her back and tugged her close. "Congratulations, Mrs. Castle," he whispered as he pulled back. He fiddled in his pocket and pulled out the rings. "Just one more thing then we're official." Kate really didn’t need any prompting to stick close to him, a huge smile on her face as he kissed her and, again, at her new last name, “Oh, wow, I am a Castle now, aren’t I?” she asked, biting on her lower lip at both the name and the sight of the ring box. “Mmm, yeah, last chance to run out the door,” Kate teased, untangling a hand from his to pop the box open and slowly grasp Castle’s wedding band in her right hand. Rick picked hers up too and grinned at her. "Give me your hand, Kate," he said quietly, then reached for her and slipped her ring on over her knuckle and onto her finger. He squeezed her hand and offered his out to her. “Like I’m gonna say no,” she replied, splaying out the fingers of her left hand and giving them a slight wiggle before Castle slipped the band over her finger. And it was surreal, the familiar sight of her engagement ring now sitting on her hand with a partner, but as weird as it was, it also felt completely, totally, right. Grasping Castle’s ring tighter in her hand, Kate gave him a quick wink as the metal slipped down his finger. As soon as both their rings were on, Rick grinned and leaned in to kiss her, taking his time. "That was easy," he said, because when all was said and done it was easy -- easier at least than it seemed to be back home. “Isn’t that how it should be?” she asked, lightly resting her forehead against his once Castle broke their kiss, “No fuss, just a couple of words and a kiss,” Kate grinned, rising up on her toes to touch her mouth to his for the second time, “Love you.” "I love you too, Kate," he said. He squeezed her hand and kissed her back. "Now let's turn and enjoy the view, huh?" he joked. “Oh geez, I’m never getting you out of here, am I?” she laughed, dropping one of his hands to turn her attention towards Lanie and Cosmo to say a quick thank you for both performing the ceremony and attending as their witness. And then they were alone. Castle wrapped his arms around Kate from behind and dropped a kiss to her shoulder. "I don't think I told you yet how beautiful you look today," he whispered. “Not in words, no,” Kate said, grinning even as she tilted her head to give him a little more room, “But that stunned look did a pretty good job of sending the message. And I mean, not to brag, but I’m pretty proud that I managed to make a writer speechless, especially one who loves to talk as much as you.” Rick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you do. You can count that up there in your proudest moments if you'd like," he said. He kissed her neck, breathing her in, then turned her to kiss her properly. "Thank you," he said a moment later as he pulled back. "For all this. For -- everything." “Oh, trust me, its quite the accomplishment,” she teased, her chuckle easily turning into a sigh at the feel of his lips pressing against her neck. And she was ready when he moved to kiss her mouth, smiling brightly at him as Castle touched their mouths together, threading her fingers through his hair to keep him close, “Babe, you don’t have to thank me, I’ve wanted this for a very long time. Maybe not in space,” Kate conceded with a small grin, “But just you and me and some rings….” "And we just happen to be in space right now," he added giddily. "Which only makes it even more amazing and incredible and … well, I'll stop for now. I can't promise that tomorrow I won't wake up and jump on the bed though because really, Kate, we're in outer space and we're married. What could be better?" Kate would argue that home was better, not because she wasn’t grateful to have been given somewhere to live and a job on the ship, but because it was, well, home and she missed it. “Rick, you wake me up by jumping on the bed about space? I’m going to hurt you,” she laughed, dropping a quick kiss to his jaw, “I love you, but keep your jumping on the bed to my waking hours, yeah?” "What if it's not really really early in the morning?" he asked. "What if you're already awake and I just celebrate myself by jumping on the bed?" “If I’m already awake, you can jump on the bed, you giant man-child,” Kate laughed, winding her fingers through his, “Just don’t toss me out of it in your celebrating.” Rick grinned. "Look at us," he said. "First compromise of our marriage. Perfect." He leaned down to kiss her slowly, snaking his arms around her and pulling her close. “Oh geez,” she muttered, the words a little lost against Castle’s lips as he kissed her again. But she didn’t rush it, keeping the contact slow until he pulled away, “You are ridiculous,” Kate teased, tucking her head under his chin with a sigh. And then the silence stretched on for a while, her fingers slowly stroking across his back, “Are you just going to stay here forever, or can we go home?” Rick moved his hand down to hers and laced their fingers together. "Let's go home. We might be stuck here for a while and there's a lot of space to see but there's only one wedding night." “Oh yeah, I knew there was something else happening today,” she teased, taking a step backwards in the general direction of the door with a little tug on his hand, “Come on, Mr. Castle.” "Let's go, Mrs. Castle," Rick said, squeezing her hand and dropping a kiss on her temple before heading with her to the door. |