Hi everyone. Well I am back with a new military fiction story including our beloved characters. This one specifically is close to me, because 15 years ago, I was one of the Marines in the 1st Marine Division waiting and hearing the news about the Battle of An Nasiriyah just on the outskirts. So I hope you enjoy the story and as always please leave reviews. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle series or the characters. This story is based solely on the entertainment of the readers.

Love and War in the Garden of Eden

Fort Knox, Kentucky

March 20th, 2018

The group of 18 people milled around a group of chairs near a stage as other groups of people were scattered about the area. Men and women in digital camouflage uniforms stood near by the stage. On either side of the state were two large tan colored M-1 Abrams Tanks. While everyone was waiting for the ceremony to start, a little brunette girl came up and tugged on the suit jacket of the tall man besides her. The man looked down as the girl looked up at him with sad eyes. "Daddy when is mommy going to be here?"

"She'll be here soon sweetpea." The man answered young girls question. He reached down and picked her up. "Do you miss her?"

The little girl nodded as a red headed woman on over. "Dad did she say why she is late?"

"The Senate session ran longer than she thought." The man answered as he swayed with the little girl. "But she called a few mins ago. They just landed so she'll be here in a few mins."

The red headed woman nodded as a Hispanic man similarly dressed walked up. "Why do these things always start late Castle?"

Richard Castle chuckled. "Wouldn't be a military ceremony if it started on time Esposito."

Esposito chuckled as Detective Kevin Ryan walked up. "It will be starting soon according to one of the Marines."

Castle nodded as he continued to sway with his daughter. "Thanks Ryan."

"Have you spotted people you know Castle?" Esposito asked as Ryan nodded his acknowledgment of Castle statement.

"Everyone originally from the deployment." Castle answered as he stopped swaying. His daughter wanted down so he accommodated her. He then looked up back up as she went to her older sister. "Minus a few people who couldn't make it."

Esposito nodded and patted Castle's shoulder before moving off. A second later, the five minute warning for the start of the ceremony came over the speakers as Castle looked around. Where the heck was his wife?

As everyone started to take their seats, Castle looked down the aisle and finally saw the form of his wife hurriedly walking down the aisle. He stood up. "Hey you made it."

State Senator Kate Beckett Castle nodded. "It was tight, but your friend the general was waiting for me at the airport."

Castle smiled and gave her a quick kiss as the young girl who Castle swayed came almost running down the row to her mother, who smiled and picked her up and gave her a kiss, as a voice boomed over the speakers. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats. The ceremony is about to begin."

Castle let his wife, and young daughter who was back on the ground by to take their seats and then himself sat down. The voice again came over the loudspeakers. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for attending today's ceremony. Today marks the 15th anniversary of the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Please rise as the Commanding General of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, The Commanding General of Fort Knox, and the Commanding General of Task Force Tarawa."

Everyone in the audience stood up as Castle's thoughts went back just some 15 years and four months ago to December of 2002 when their lives changed forever.

A/N: Today will be a special day for everyone. Its a 2 for 1 special. The next update will be posted sometime today. So I hope you enjoy it. In that one, we will see Castle get the call, and the team finds out about Castle's secret. Hope you enjoy.