A Perfect Life
Title: A Perfect Life
Author: digitaldesigner
Beta: hazel_eyes_86
Word Count: 623
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Knockout, Rise, Head Case
Pairing: Castle/Beckett
Summary: She'd always dreamed about a life with him.
Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they belong to Andrew Marlowe. Otherwise, they're mine.
She'd always dreamed about what it'd be like to share a life with him. In those dreams, they loved, worked and lived side-by-side. She knew he would give her everything she needed or wanted, but the truth was, she only wanted one thing: him.
Years went by, neither admitting their feeling for one another. And then she got shot and Castle whispered those three little words that every woman longs to hear. When she woke up after surgery, she told him she didn't remember, but she did remember; she was just scared. Scared that loving him would change everything, scared that she'd lose her friend if it didn't work out, scared he had only said he loved her on the spur of the moment.
Time went on. She recovered, they went back to solving cases. But something was different. He no longer made a joke about everything. He didn't look at every pretty woman who passed by. In fact, he didn't seem to notice them at all. The first time she noticed it, he'd said it was because Alexis was college-aged now, but even when the women were older, he didn't seem to care. And that's when the truth hit home. He didn't care because Rick Castle, the consummate bachelor had finally fallen in love--with her. Sure, he'd been married before, had plenty of girlfriends, but he'd once confided in her that he'd never truly loved any of them.
He knew she wasn't ready, though, so he didn't say anything. He simply let his actions speak for him. He was more understanding, he took her out to movies to cheer her up, he remembered her birthday and the anniversary of her mom's murder. In short, he was everything she'd ever wanted in a man.
And then one day, she realized she wasn't just ready, but that she'd let him into her heart a long time ago. She just forgot to tell him. He was the first thing she thought of in the morning and the last thing she pictured before falling asleep at night. When she had a nightmare, he was the first one she called.
When she'd finally told him how she felt, the joy in his eyes was worth more than all the money in the world. He'd kissed her softly and told her how much he adored her, how much she meant to him. "Castle, you've told me every single day since I came back after the shooting," she'd told him. "Not with words, but with your actions." She didn't think he'd ever looked so confused in his life.
The last two years had been a series of ups and downs, but the good far outweighed the bad. She and Rick had married last November. Her dad had cried as they exchanged wedding vows and were pronounced husband and wife.
"Kate," Castle called, walking into the room, "which shirt?" In his hands, he held two tiny tees. One read Daddy's Little Writer', the other 'Daddy's Little Helper'.
Their son Sam was born just last month. The moment she saw Rick hold him, she knew. She knew they were destined to be not just father and son, but the best of friends. Rick spoiled him endlessly.
She smiled and pointed to the Daddy's Little Writer one. It was pointless to tell him that Sam didn't need to be changed. Their family would be there in an hour for the first holiday dinner since he'd been born. Rick wanted everything to be perfect.
She kissed Rick before handing over their son to be changed. He may have wanted everything to be perfect, but she knew the truth: it already was. Not just this day, but their life together.
Author: digitaldesigner
Beta: hazel_eyes_86
Word Count: 623
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Knockout, Rise, Head Case
Pairing: Castle/Beckett
Summary: She'd always dreamed about a life with him.
Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they belong to Andrew Marlowe. Otherwise, they're mine.
She'd always dreamed about what it'd be like to share a life with him. In those dreams, they loved, worked and lived side-by-side. She knew he would give her everything she needed or wanted, but the truth was, she only wanted one thing: him.
Years went by, neither admitting their feeling for one another. And then she got shot and Castle whispered those three little words that every woman longs to hear. When she woke up after surgery, she told him she didn't remember, but she did remember; she was just scared. Scared that loving him would change everything, scared that she'd lose her friend if it didn't work out, scared he had only said he loved her on the spur of the moment.
Time went on. She recovered, they went back to solving cases. But something was different. He no longer made a joke about everything. He didn't look at every pretty woman who passed by. In fact, he didn't seem to notice them at all. The first time she noticed it, he'd said it was because Alexis was college-aged now, but even when the women were older, he didn't seem to care. And that's when the truth hit home. He didn't care because Rick Castle, the consummate bachelor had finally fallen in love--with her. Sure, he'd been married before, had plenty of girlfriends, but he'd once confided in her that he'd never truly loved any of them.
He knew she wasn't ready, though, so he didn't say anything. He simply let his actions speak for him. He was more understanding, he took her out to movies to cheer her up, he remembered her birthday and the anniversary of her mom's murder. In short, he was everything she'd ever wanted in a man.
And then one day, she realized she wasn't just ready, but that she'd let him into her heart a long time ago. She just forgot to tell him. He was the first thing she thought of in the morning and the last thing she pictured before falling asleep at night. When she had a nightmare, he was the first one she called.
When she'd finally told him how she felt, the joy in his eyes was worth more than all the money in the world. He'd kissed her softly and told her how much he adored her, how much she meant to him. "Castle, you've told me every single day since I came back after the shooting," she'd told him. "Not with words, but with your actions." She didn't think he'd ever looked so confused in his life.
The last two years had been a series of ups and downs, but the good far outweighed the bad. She and Rick had married last November. Her dad had cried as they exchanged wedding vows and were pronounced husband and wife.
"Kate," Castle called, walking into the room, "which shirt?" In his hands, he held two tiny tees. One read Daddy's Little Writer', the other 'Daddy's Little Helper'.
Their son Sam was born just last month. The moment she saw Rick hold him, she knew. She knew they were destined to be not just father and son, but the best of friends. Rick spoiled him endlessly.
She smiled and pointed to the Daddy's Little Writer one. It was pointless to tell him that Sam didn't need to be changed. Their family would be there in an hour for the first holiday dinner since he'd been born. Rick wanted everything to be perfect.
She kissed Rick before handing over their son to be changed. He may have wanted everything to be perfect, but she knew the truth: it already was. Not just this day, but their life together.