759. Chapter 759

After Hollander's Woods

Episode 7.23

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: The real reason I write Castle fanfic is something that happened years ago. I started watching Castle. But I don't own it. Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: You get two stories today because later today I'm off to London to see my daughter, son-in-law and new grandson. I won't be here to watch the last two season eight Castle episodes and that doesn't particularly bother me. I really hate having to say that. But, when I get back, I'll try to write an After…for the last two episodes. I sincerely doubt that I'll write anything about season nine unless SK comes back, and I'm not sure I have any canon After…stories in me for season one through seven, but I intend to watch them again. However, I'm sure we'll meet Katherine "Idaho" Beckett, the famed archeologist, Lord and Lady Castle from a steampunk 19th century and the other AU Casketts I've come up with. I do have some 40K words written on Interrogation of a Vampire, a Caskett story. I'm also writing another story set in the Farscape universe for those of you who liked those. Plus I have an idea for a sequel to Four of a Kind and Alexises in Wonderland , plus I have an idea for a science fiction Caskett story set in the universe of Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium.

So, see you in a bit.

"Are you okay, lover?" Kate asked as they got ready for bed.

"Okay? Yeah, I guess so. I mean I can't say that anything is wrong or anything, it's just…"Castle stopped to think for a moment or two. "It's just things are different and they're not."

"I'm glad you could explain it to me so succinctly and clearly." Kate teased.

"Do you remember after you arrested Bracken, when his people started agreeing to testify against him and he was finally convicted and sent to prison for life?"

"Babe, I could hardly ever forget that."

"You told me that things had changed totally because you had found your mom's killer and the thing that had driven and defined you since you were nineteen had ended. It was totally gone. And nothing had changed. You were still Detective Kate Beckett and you were still going to get up in the morning and go out and seek justice for murder victims and those left behind."

"And you feel the same now that Holtzman is dead?"

"Not really. I mean I can't compare being scared at eleven to what happened to you when your mom was murdered. It just isn't the same."

Kate shook her head. "Don't be too sure. What happened when you were a little boy obviously traumatized you. As you said, it helped to make you what you are."

"I feel like there should be some sense of closure, but there isn't. Even though Holtzman is dead, I know I'm going to get up tomorrow and go to the 12th Precinct and help you and everyone else solve crimes. And I have this sense that something should have happened and it didn't. I feel I should do something or feel something and I don't know what that should be."

Kate sat next to Castle on the bed and put her arms around him. "Think of it as inertia, Rick. Something happened to you when you were eleven that changed you. But it didn't totally define you. Even my mom's death didn't totally change me. You would have become a writer because you have a great talent for writing and you've had help and mentors along the way."

"Yeah. My biggest mentor, Damian Westlake, turned out to be a murderer."

"But he still helped you. So, maybe you would have written horror stories about zombies, or science fiction about aliens and distant planets. Maybe you even would have written murder mysteries. But you'd still be pretty much the same man you are today."

"What about us?" Castle asked. "You'd have never asked me to consult on the Tisdale murder if I wrote horror stories or science fiction. We never meet, I never fall madly in love with you and write about Nikki Heat. That makes me very different. I'm back to being the same happy go lucky playboy I was when we met. You changed me and changed me for the better. And I changed you as well. We'd be totally different people."

Kate shrugged. "Maybe, but I believe in the universe and I believe in magic. Don't you, Castle?"

Castle laughed. "Okay, you're right. No matter what could have possibly happened in our lives, we'd have ended up together."

Kate kissed him. "I just with that the universe had gotten us together a little sooner. Like when you first invited me to the Hamptons."

"I'll have a long talk with the universe and the local purveyor of magic about that. I suffered way too much because of that."

"We suffered way too much."

"We suffered way too much." Castle quickly agreed. "Not to change the subject, but have you given any thought to running for office?"

"I've thought about it and I'm kind of leaning against it. I keep running old political saws through my mind. "Politics is the art of the possible." "If you want a friend in politics, buy a dog." "His first term a politician wants to feed the world, his second term he wants to just feed his constituents and by his third term he just wants to feed himself." I'm just not sure I'd be any good at it. I can see myself as some self righteous politician sticking to my principals no matter what and never getting anything accomplished. Not much to look forward to."

"Well, whatever happens I'm behind you one hundred percent. More if need be."

"One hundred percent is fine, but now I'm interested in a smaller part of you."

"Smaller?"

She reached under his boxers. "Smaller, but getting larger."

The next evening some of the people from the 12th got together for a beer after work. Ryan, Esposito, Tory Ellis and Lanie sat in a booth, sipping their beers.

"Someone has to ask the question." Esposito said. "Do you think Beckett will run for state senate?"

Everyone looked around, hoping someone would speak first. Finally Ryan spoke. "If she does, I'll vote for her and I'll bet she'll win. She's already famous in New York. And Castle is rich and money counts for a lot in politics. Plus she's damned smart, damned tough and very photogenic."

Lanie shook her head. "I just can't imagine the 12th without Kate and Castle. It won't be the same."

Espo shrugged. "Things change. You can't stop that. I heard she aced the captain's exam. Even if she doesn't run for office, she could end up running a precinct on Staten Island in six months or a year. Or worse yet be stuck behind some desk in One PP. Man, she'd hate that."

Ryan nodded. "And remember, she's a married woman. She's mentioned to Jenny that she always wanted to be just like her mom. Including being a mom to a bunch of little Castles."

Tory giggled. "Can you imagine a beautiful little girl with blue eyes and brown hair with Castle and Beckett's brains? I mean look at how Alexis turned out."

"A gorgeous young woman with Castle's weird sense of humor and stubbornness. New York is not ready for that."

"And New York has not seen the last of Mr. and Mrs. Castle, people." Lanie said. "No matter what happens, they'll be our friends. Our best friends. And to quote Castle, "Always." She raised her beer. "So here's to Senator Beckett, or Captain Beckett or to Mommy Kate or whoever they become. Always."

The rest lifted their glasses in a toast. "Always."