Midnight

Epilogue – The Everlasting

Ghosts.

Webster's Dictionary defined a ghost as a disembodied soul; especially: the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness.

And perhaps that was true. But, like most things in the vast universe of human knowledge and experience, only very little was known, and not all of it believed. Some called it superstition. Others called it the gospel truth. But what was it really? Was the answer somewhere in the middle?

For Kate Beckett, the word ghost referred to the man she loved, Richard Castle. He had died, rather violently, at the hands of a deranged fan. For whatever reasons, his soul was unable to move on. He had unfinished business. His ghost inhabited the loft she leased after her previous apartment had been destroyed during a stalker case.

He had started haunting her at first, but not in the traditional sense. It was little things, like moving books or messing with the television because he disliked her obsession with Nebula 9. And then he started writing a book, about her. She soon noticed her laptop was being used while she was gone. It took her some time—she was stubborn, after all—but eventually Kate admitted she was being haunted. They started to communicate. They fell in love. They made love. She thought she might be pregnant. She wasn't. He helped her grow and learn she was more than just her tragic past. And with him supporting her, Kate Beckett brought the man responsible for her mother's death to justice.

And then she was shot.

Kate saw only darkness for a long time. It consumed her, burying her in a sea of misery and despair. But then, a light appeared. A bright glowing light. Marvelous and wonderful. Uncertain and afraid, Kate went towards the light, hoping to find some peace. She soared forward, feeling rejuvenated. A warmth feeling of love and acceptance embraced her as she neared the bright light. It was extraordinary. Kate closed her eyes and smiled, feeling joy like never before.

Opening her eyes, Kate found herself surrounded by a prismatic color of light. It was beautiful and wondrous.

Was this heaven?

"Kate?"

She blinked, turning towards the sound of the voice. A humanoid form slowly began to coalesce amongst the rainbow colors. An ethereal shade of blue glowed around the figure. Gradually, features started to appear, soft and serene, and so very familiar. A face appeared, and soon the rest. It was a woman, with lovely features and a kind smile. And one Kate new well.

"Mom!" she gasped, startled and surprised. "Is that you?"

"Yes, honey, it's me," Johanna Beckett confirmed, floating over to her with the grace of an angel upon high.

Kate cried with joy, embracing her mother with a fierceness indicative of their long separation. Johanna hugged her back, surrounding her in a mother's love. After what seemed like an eternity, the two women pulled back and gazed at each other, soaking in the warmth of their reunion. It was then, surrounded by the energetic prismatic glow that the realization hit Kate.

"I'm dead," she stated. There was no question. She clearly remembered it. "Is this heaven?"

Johanna smiled. "Something like that, yes."

A frowned marred Kate's beautiful features. If this was heaven, then there was something missing. It wasn't right. She shouldn't be here. She had unfinished business. While she was overjoyed beyond belief to be reunited with her mother, someone else needed her. And she needed him.

"Over there," Johanna said with a soft smile, touching her shoulder and turning Kate towards another coalescing form.

"Castle!" Kate sobbed with joy, seeing the ruggedly handsome features of the man she loved materialize out of the prismatic energy.

Without thinking, she lurched forward, flying towards him with tremendous speed. The wind whipped around her as she soared through the rainbow light. Her chest filled with a sense of relief and gratitude as she stretched her arms out and met him at full force, hugging him tightly and ramming her mouth to his in a passionate embrace. When they pulled back, Castle blinked and stared at her in confusion. Kate reached out a reassuring hand and caressed the side of face, gasping when it felt warm under her touch.

"Kate?" he questioned, brow furrowing. "What happened?"

"I think I died," she said, gazing at him in awe, unable to stop touching him, feeling warmth beneath her fingertips. This whole place was warm, the perfect temperature, perfect and comfortable.

"Where are we?" he asked, glancing around, staring with wide eyes at the glittering prism around them. "One moment I was in the loft, waiting for you to come back from Montgomery's funeral, and then the next I was here."

Kate tenderly rubbed his side. "I don't really know, Castle," she said, pausing in her adoration of the man she loved to glance back over her shoulder. She looked at her mother, watching her float there with a loving smile on her face. "But I think this might be heaven, or something like that."

Castle pursed his lips, and his eyebrows knitted together as he thought. "If I'm here, then I guess I don't have any unfinished business left then," he asserted.

"You are correct, Rick," Johanna affirmed, floating over to join them, the blue aura around her glowing strong.

"Johanna?" Castle asked.

She nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, extending his hand.

She took it with a smile. "The pleasures all mine," she said. "You saved my daughter."

"But she's dead," Castle stated the obvious.

Johanna smiled knowingly. "There's more than one way to save someone," she explained, enigmatically.

Castle inclined his head, glancing at Kate to see if she understood. She didn't. She was as confused as he was. She clutched his hand in hers, relishing the warmth that radiated from his being. Turning to her mother, Kate opened her mouth to inquire further, but Johanna stopped her.

"You are soulmates," her mother announced. "That is why you are here together. And that was why Rick was tethered to the earthly plane of existence." Johanna smiled at them, like an angel. Then she floated away, disappearing into the prismatic colors illuminating this wondrous realm, leaving the two lovers alone.

"Soulmates," Castle echoed, arching his neck to look at her, smiling widely. "What do you think of that, Kate?"

"Well, it does explain a lot," she said with an answering grin.

"I love you, Katherine Beckett," Castle said, curling his fingers around her waist to tug her closer.

"And I love you, Richard Castle," Kate declared. "Always."

She moved up and captured his mouth in a soaring kiss, one that lit up her soul with jubilant joy and rapturous bliss. The world around them flooded with colors. Kate could feel his love, could read his thoughts. It was like their minds had become one. All that existed was their love. They really were soulmates. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the embrace.

For the first time in a long time, Kate Beckett was at peace.

THE END

*Author's Note: There you have it. I hope I did it justice. I debated going this route, but as it was what I had originally planned back when I started writing MIDNIGHT, I decided to stick with it. Caskett are forever together in everlasting love and bliss. Thank you for coming along for the ride, I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time! - Travis