Just another little something that popped into my head. Set in the (not to distant) future.

It's a morning such as any other as Castle walks into the precinct, a coffee in each hand.

When Beckett had called that morning she said they didn't have a body so it was mostly a catch up day and among other things Ryan and Esposito were working on their fantasy basketball teams and only thought it fair they inform him.

He flashes a knowing smile at Beckett as he hands her the coffee, and she merely responds with a raised eyebrow and continues with her work.

He can hear the duo arguing over stats and trades in the background but before going over he takes his normal seat.

"Good morning Detective."

"Good morning Castle."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm still a little sore from last night and all tha-"

She cuts him off. He isn't surprised.

"From all that Just Dance? Geez Castle, it sure was nice of you to teach me how to play yesterday."

She seems a bit jumpy today and not just from their banter. Or after hours activities last night he thinks to himself with a smile. That was nothing new either.

"From how quick you caught on, I'd wager you already knew how to play."

She responds a few seconds later, "Just a natural I guess."

He squints an eye raising the opposite brow, "You ok? You seem a little-"

"I cleaned out my desk."

"Well that's good. It was starting to look a little like my room back when I was sixteen." He flourishes his hands about to prove his point, "I mean I understand you have to have snacks in there. Not only understand, but appreciate. And I know you keep an extra shirt in there to, which I guess…there was that one time I spilled coffee on you, but really do you need to keep your collection of…"

Kate reaches for her desk drawer, pulling something out and sliding across the top of her desk.

Castle shuts up immediately.

"I found that while I was cleaning. In my big file drawer, under a bunch of folders."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Oh."

"Do you know why it was in there?" her face is stuck somewhere between playful and deadly serious and for the first time in his five years shadowing her he can't really read her.

So he decides to say the truest words he can muster, "Because I want to marry you."

And it seems for a moment, like time freezes.

And even though he imagines she had to see something like this coming, she stares at him.

What he really wants to do is to remind her to breath. But the romantic in him warns against this so instead he grabs the small box, flips it open, and in one swift motion falls to a knee.

"Katherine Beckett, would you do me the honor of becoming my partner in all senses of the word…" he couldn't help the dopey grin that was no doubt spreading across his face, "and marry me?"

She finally breathes, and he's relived as she holds out her hand. Even though the look in her eyes speaks volumes, she still searches for the words.

"Yes…yes." He draws her in for a kiss followed by a tight embrace, and above the applause in the background he hears her muttering I love you's and always into his shoulder. When she pulls back, and regains a bit of composure she is left still with one question.

"How long?"

He shies away from the question. She presses on.

"Come on Rick, how long has it been there?"

He bites his lip, " You remember that case we had, with the magician?"

She remembers exactly the case, and she can't help but let her mouth gape.

"You know at the end of that case when we were leaving and we got in the elevator and you… you pulled that bouquet of flowers out of your sleeve? That's when I knew Kate. I went out and bought the ring that night. I mean, I knew we weren't ready then. But I also knew, someday we would be."

He notices the tears trickling down her cheeks and he doesn't know how long they've been there for. Even though he knows they are tears of happiness, he still doesn't like her crying.

"Thank goodness you're such a slob Kate."

Hope you enjoyed that little bit of fluff :)