She looks at herself in the mirror one last time, sighs as she runs her fingertips over the crow’s feet at her eyes, tugs a grey lock of hair behind her ear. She’s let her hair go grey a little while ago, still isn’t quite sure she likes it. The strands are shiny, almost silvery, and carefully treated by her hairdresser. The shimmer reminds her of fairytale characters, mythical creatures. She laughs at herself, smooths her hands down over the lines of her dress, her widened hips, the curves of her belly.
But she forgets every one of her self-critical thoughts, all her worries when she hears her cue and steps outside into the sunlight, and he’s looking at her with that same spark in his eyes, that same smitten smile as he’s always had since the moment she flashed her badge at him and he turned for her.
Castle.
It’s a sigh, her heart racing and her breath shallow with a bout of excitement she didn’t quite expect.
His hair is gray now too, but just as thick and unruly, and it’s still soft, even though greying hair often gets coarse instead. Wrinkles define his features, bring out the laugh lines, the joy he’s always carried within him, despite all the obstacles he’s had to face, before her and with her, despite problems and bouts of illness and life’s natural worries. His chest looks broad in his dark suit and she feels the urge to just slide her arms around his waist, bury her face into is sternum where she can feel his heart pounding.
Kate does just that, even though it’s not what they’d rehearsed. She doesn’t care; none of this matter when all she needs is to feel. When she’s long since learned on a long winding road to go and feel, first.
“Hey, beautiful,” he murmurs into her hair, his hands lingering on the teardrop of skin that the dress leaves naked on her back, and she sighs, inhales the scent of his skin through his shirt. “You look stunning.”
She looks up at him, trails her fingers over his heart. “So do you.”
He leans down and kisses her softly, lingers over her lips. Her knees still go weak, even after all this time.
Kate takes his hand in hers, her thumb brushing his knuckles. “You ready?”
“Always.” He winks at her and she grins, feels her nose wrinkling with it, her teeth playing against her lip. And then they turn, face the officiant.
30 years, she thinks as the officiant begins to speak. 30 years since they stood under this same arch at their Hampton’s house, embarking on their lives together. Despite the obstacles, against all odds, they fought for their happiness, and the rewards were sweeter, more incredible than she ever could’ve envisioned when she was young and her life was constant turmoil, loneliness, and emotional struggle.
They live permanently at their Hampton’s home now, but it’s never lost its magic in all the years - the calming rush of the ocean, the taste of salt in the air. The spectacular sunsets that remind her of all the beauty in the world when the days were hard, the realities of her work unimaginably heart-wrenching. The roar of the fireplace and Castle’s arms around her, strong and unwavering in his devotion.
They’ve both lost their remaining parents by now, and some days she feels the loss so keenly that it’s like being stabbed in the heart. She’s never handled grief well. But their children are with them today, lining each side of the aisle, their grandchildren too, and she smiles, feels the joyful energy radiating from these amazing people that they’ve created, whom she’s sure will change the world for the better.
And then there’s Rick - her best friend, her partner, the love of her life. His hand warm and dry against hers, his calm energy soothing as it seems to wrap her under his spell. He’s turned quieter, as they aged, calm and steady, a port in all her storms and she can’t imagine how she ever would’ve survived without him.
So today, 30 years later they speak vows, reaffirm what they’ve always known. That he belongs with her, as she belongs with him.
Partners, in crime and in life.
Always. And forever.