Heartwarming / Castle (2009)

Season 1

• It's a low-key moment, but the bit in the pilot where Castle is discussing the case with Alexis and they're playing around, which ends with Castle pushing her down the hallway as she leans back against him. It's only the second time we've seen them interact, but it's an early indication of how close their relationship is.
  • Fillion and Quinn spent a lot of time working on that, trying to find something that would demonstrate exactly that. Those two hit it off right off the bat.
• In "Nanny McDead", Castle remembers when Alexis was five years old and he brought her to the park every day. And he shows a photograph of the both of them walking towards the park to Beckett. It is a very cute moment, the first time it is shown how much Richard Castle loves his daughter.

Season 2

• The ending of "Deep In Death", when Castle finally works out how to win Beckett over after he's pissed her off by opening up her mother's murder case: a heartfelt and sincere apology for opening up old wounds and betraying her trust.
• In "Inventing the Girl", Castle flirts with Rina, a young model who is clearly nursing something of a crush on him — until Alexis tells him that she's Katrina, an old babysitter who "did the ugly-duckling-became-a-swan thing and became a model". Castle comes in for a bit of teasing and a few disapproving comments when it looks like he's planning to hook up with her anyway — until at the end when he reveals he's actually been putting her back in contact with Alexis, because he was concerned that, like the model who was the victim of the week, she might not have anyone to turn to for support if she needed it:
  Castle: Color me shocked, but apparently the modelling world isn't all sexy clothes and fun parties. It occurred to me that if Jenna McBoyd had had someone looking out for her a little bit, she might still be alive today. So if Rina needs a friend, she knows she's got one.
  Martha: Oh, my son — the big softie. And don't worry, I know you have an image to protect, your secret's safe with me.
  • Also a bit of Fridge Brilliance: All the teasing stopped once Beckett revealed that Rina used to be Alexis's babysitter. They understand perfectly that it'll never happen and why.
• The scene of "When the Bough Breaks", in which the victim's husband, Teodor, meets their child for the first time. (Doubles as a Tear Jerker).
  • Particularly touching when Teodor also agrees to tell Melissa Talbot - essentially his son's 'adopted' mother - about her biological child; they have both lost their spouses, and in a sense each have lost a child, but Teodor nevertheless agrees to tell Melissa about the son she never knew she had lost.
• There's a nice bit of father/daughter bonding in "Famous Last Words", as Castle consoles Alexis over the murder of her favorite singer Hayley Blue.
  • Plus there's how Castle gets stone-cold serious as he and Alexis figure out the truth behind her murder by listening to the lyrics of her last song, "Threshold". When they confront Hayley's co-sponsor and producer, Ian Bree, about forcing himself onto her and then murdering her, Castle's tone loses its usual jovial attitude and turns ice-cold. He's likely not happy for Alexis's sake about discovering the truth, and as a loving father, he's definitely not happy about what this man did to her.
  • In "Famous Last Words", we meet Skye, the bitter, jealous, drug-addicted sister of Hayley Blue. Hayley had tried to help Sky get off the drugs just like she had, but Sky had always rejected her, partly because Skye was convinced that Hayley was still using drugs. Beckett informs her that Hayley was actually 100% clean at the time of her death. Later, Beckett and Castle check on Skye in her usual hangout, finding her apparently drugged up — but she's actually suffering withdrawal symptoms:
  Skye: He [the sleazy ex-manager for Blue Pill] gave us a signing bonus. He told us a place we could fix for cheap. ...I couldn't do it. No, Hayley didn't want me to. [holds up a crumpled heap of cash] I'm clean. She's gonna help me, right? Wherever she is? She's looking out for me, right?
  Beckett: She's already doing it.
• Alexis and Beckett get some nice moments together in "One Man's Treasure". In the B-plot, Alexis spends a day working in the dead case room as part of a school careers project. While cataloging evidence in past solved crimes, Alexis finds a photo album and becomes mildly obsessed with finding its owner. By the end of the episode she succeeds, prompting Beckett to congratulate her on her detective work.
• In "The Fifth Bullet", evidence at first shows to Castle and Beckett that Jeremy, an amnesiac who is somehow involved with the episode's murder and that they've taken a liking to, may have been the killer. But though Beckett has to send the case closed to the D.A., neither is willing to let it rest. Especially with how grief-stricken the poor guy is because he's apparently killed someone, gotten arrested and will be convicted for it, and doesn't even remember why. They continue going over what they know and talking with Jeremy's ex to figure out what was going on. It's a Brobdingnagian relief when Beckett and Castle get the real killer and prove Jeremy's innocence.
• Another one, after they find the man who killed Beckett's mother—and are forced to kill him before he can tell them who hired him. Castle goes to apologize for costing Beckett her shot at finding out who ordered the hit on her mother, and says that he's through with this exercise. Beckett tells him that he has nothing to apologize for, as he was the one that allowed them to find the actual killer in the first place, and that she doesn't want him leaving, as he makes her high-stress job easier to deal with and also that "I've kind of gotten used to you pulling my pigtails." The grade-school metaphor just made it the cutest moment ever.
  • Castle/Beckett shippers rejoiced everywhere.
  • Just the fact that Castle jumped in and provided the $100k needed to draw the hitman out, just to give Beckett the chance to find her Mom's killer. He didn't even think about it: as soon as it was clear what was needed, Castle was ready to provide whatever he could to help her.
• At the end of "The Third Man": Beckett and Castle finally go out to eat together, and she's holding onto his arm and twirling her hair in a schoolgirl way. Which Castle had noticed previously she did when she was speaking on the phone with a guy she liked and was going to have a date with.
• When Alexis catches Castle watching videos on the dominatrix website in "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice." Castle's fumbling attempts to close his laptop and explain himself are priceless.
• In "Tick, Tick, Tick..." when Beckett is being targeted by a serial killer, Castle arrives at her apartment and informs her that he is not letting her be alone. He proceeds to spend the night on her couch, just to make sure she's safe.
• And again in "...Boom", where Beckett's apartment has just gotten blown up. Ordered to go home, Beckett retorts, "I have no home!" Castle, sitting behind her, just says calmly, "Yes, you do." No argument, no long speech—just a simple statement of, "Of course you're coming home with me, how could you ever think otherwise?" Beautiful.
• "Wrapped Up In Death" has Castle tell Beckett should the curse get him, he wants her to take care of Alexis, because his daughter looks up to her. Crosses over into Funny when he also admits that it's because she has a gun and can shoot guys who get too frisky with Alexis.
• "Den of Thieves" goes a bit more into Esposito's backstory, and involves his old partner Ike Thornton. Near the end of the episode Ike has taken a bullet and while Esposito sits with him, he introduces Ike to his team:
  "This is my partner Ryan...and this is my other partner, Castle."
  • The bit where Ryan tries to follow Esposito claiming they are together "...till the wheels fall off".
  • In what doubles as both a Moment of Awesome and this, Ike Thornton stands by his old partner Esposito and watches the 'untouchable' man who had ruined his life marched through the Precinct to the applause of the whole station, dead to rights on evidence that Ike himself secured. He's then told he's free to go, and reunites with his wife and son while the team watches on. The awwww factor is perceptible.

Season 3

• At the end of "A Deadly Affair", when Castle and Beckett turn around and realize what's happened. Could also double as a Crowning Moment of Awesome.
• He's Dead, She's Dead. Martha Rogers: "Richard. Whatever mistakes I've made in my life... I raised a good man." It looks like Castle's tearing up a little after that.
  • The entire climax of "He's Dead, She's Dead": both with Castle telling Beckett his real name, and Castle comforting his mother after the loss of Chet. On the latter: when Martha dejectedly tells her son that she's got him beat on having an unbelievable day, Castle immediately realizes that she's incredibly upset and asks her what's wrong.
    Castle: You would not believe the day I had—
    Martha: Ohhhh, I think I got you beat.
    Castle: ...Mother, what's wrong? And, why are you still engaged to Uncle Chet?
    Martha: Richard... [sits down and sighs] Chet is dead.
    Castle: [stunned] ...Wh-What?
    [Martha takes Castle's wine glass and takes a drink; Castle does not argue.]
• "Punked" has a small moment during the antique gun-shooting test: the officer next to Castle is at first curt and harsh with him for hitting the wrong target (which can't be helped, given the kind of firearms they're using). But as the test goes on, the officer, instead of escalating things between himself and the novelist, suddenly pats a startled Castle on the shoulder, drops a small sandbag in front of him, and wordlessly helps him aim. It even culminates in them putting together a setup for the gun using a laser, a mount, two separate scopes, string, and a lot of duct tape. They even share a nod before firing the rigged gun. It's nice to see Castle and the minor police officer characters working together on this.
• At Castle's book release, he tells Beckett: "I meant it. You are extraordinary." The smile that lights up Beckett's face is absolutely adorable.
  • The Dedication itself, "To the extraordinary KB and all my friends at the 12th".
• The end of Anatomy of a Murder. Giving the cute couple burgers in jail because their love story was worth it, and Beckett telling Castle she'd get him out of jail.
  • Also, when reading the suspects' love letters, Castle accidentally says "I love you" to Beckett, resulting in an adorably awkward moment between them.
  • Beckett saying she'd get Castle out is made even better by the fact that earlier, Martha had called that (breaking a loved one out of jail) an act of true love and asked him if he'd do that for Gina. Plus, the look on Castle's face is priceless.
• The end of "3XK" where Castle and Beckett hold hands after Castle's near-deadly brush with the Triple Killer. It was an amazingly sweet moment to end on, especially considering how dark the storyline became.
• The closing scene from Last Call, where everyone goes off for a celebratory drink together, singing Billy Joel's "Piano Man."
  • Notable because the drink in question is a bottle of whiskey worth thousands, and Castle spent a large portion of the episode obsessing over getting his hands on a bottle. When the Mayor agrees to sell a bottle to Castle in exchange for a sizable donation to the Police Benevolence fund, Castle pulls out his checkbook, but then insists that his friends share the bottle with him.
  Montgomery: [whipping out an unseen glass] Twist my arm.
• In "Nikki Heat", one of the minor subplots involves Ryan's nerves about how to propose to Jenny, and the tension that arises between them after a misunderstanding involving part of his plan. At the end of the episode they not only make up, but he spontaneously pops the question in front of the entire precinct and she accepts, of course. It even made Beckett tear up.
  • Not just Beckett. Look carefully and you can see Esposito wiping his eyes.
  • The scene is even more adorable when you remember that Jenny's actress is Seamus Dever's real life wife.
• The end of "Poof! You're Dead". Beckett handled Castle's break up with Gina in the kindest, classiest way possible. What a sweetheart.
• The very end of "Lucky Stiff," where Castle finally figures out what Beckett would do if she won the lottery: honor the memory of her mother. So, he decides to set up a scholarship trust in her mother's name. And it is awwwwwwww-some.
  • Even better because at first it looks like she is going to be pissed because he can't stay out of her personal life, then she smiles, says thank you, and is almost moved to tears.
  • Which is a good call back to the end of season one and how far they have come together. She now knows that these impulsive intrusions aren't because he is a rich idiot but because he is a nice guy that just likes seeing people smile. It's also likely that she never gave the idea a great deal of thought since she never expected to have the ability to do something like this, and Castle knows her well enough to figure out what her secret wish was.
  • Not only that, but, though he did all the legwork to get it set up, he waited until he'd asked permission to pull the trigger. Definitely a far cry from the first season.
• In 'The Final Nail', Beckett questions why Castle trusts an old friend so much, even though all the evidence in their current case points towards the old friend. Castle talks about how when he was at boarding school, new and alone, the friend in question read a story Castle wrote about being alone. The friend published the story in the school paper, told Castle he had a great gift for writing, -something Castle hadn't heard before- and generally critiqued and advised on Castle's work. Which, given that Castle wrote his first bestseller in college, must have been a crucial time. It was a really emotionally naked moment for Castle - writing isn't just a job; it is who he is.
  • Which makes the sense of betrayal at the end all the more intense.
• Doubling as a 'Set Up' - Castle intially helps Alexis get out of going to a spa with her grandma. Later, Castle learns that there maybe a dirty bomb aboard in the city. He sends Alexis off with her grandma, with a 'It'll be good for you.' The way his benevolent face freezes when she turns away, with tears welling up in his eyes, makes it clear Alexis is the single most important thing in his life. The rest of the detectives describing how they tried to do the same with their significant others also count.
  • Indeed, kudos to both actors. You can tell Alexis is confused and angry and wants to ask (but doing so would hurt Martha's feelings). Castle wants to tell but doing so would panic Alexis and Martha. And when Alexis goes upstairs, you can tell Castle wants to say "I love you" in case this is the last time they get to see each other but that would -also- give away that something is really really wrong.
• There are quite a few of these in 'Countdown'.
  • When Castle and Beckett hug after the bomb does not go off. Also when they were locked in a freezer together.
  • Then Esposito, ex-military, emphasizes that they don't know how lucky they were. Castle looks at Beckett and says, "Yes. I do."
• The end scene of "Law and Murder": earlier in the episode, Castle has noted that Forbidden Planet, a favourite movie of his, is playing at a nearby cinema. At the end, Beckett casually mentions that she's planning on seeing it. Castle lets her believe that he's never seen it before to give Beckett the opportunity to 'educate' him about one of her favourites for a change (and, of course to accompany her in seeing it).
• The small part in the poker scene in "The Dead Pool" when Dennis Lehane tells Alex Conrad that he couldn't sit at one particular chair because said chair was where the late Stephen J. Cannell sat. As a tradition, the chair is empty for a year. Note too that one of the reasons Alex started to move to the chair is because the group set up a drink and a stack of poker chips for Stephen as if he were still coming to play. The camera also lingers conspicuously on the empty chair when Alex moves away rather than on Alex himself.
  • Another touching tribute to him. We'll miss you too, sir.
• The end of "The Dead Pool" when Castle reveals his jealousy outright to Beckett and Beckett declares that she's a "one-writer girl." The last shot of the episode is with Beckett and Castle hanging out at the precinct together. Not just any shot but they're sitting at one of the most commonly used establishing shots in the series - Beckett at her desk with her back to the camera, Castle sitting at the chair to the side. Preceded with a shot of Castle basically just staring fondly at Beckett. Mirroring and as with the poker scene above, much of the effectiveness of the scene isn't in the strict action or dialogue.
• Beckett reading the last paragraph of Royce's letter then turning to watch Castle sleep on the flight back from LA to NY. Not to mention when she changes her mind in LA and goes back out of her bedroom to find Castle after they share an electric moment only to find him gone.
• Most of the scenes in "Knockout" are of the Tear Jerker variety, but the moment when Martha grabs Castle's hands and tells him not to waste another minute holding in his feelings for Beckett is one of the sweetest, most heartfelt moment in the show's entire run.
  • Also, in a way, the ending; Montgomery cares deeply enough for Beckett to sacrifice himself to protect her, Castle cares deeply enough for Beckett to bodily carry her away from danger (and then apologise for doing so) and then, when Beckett's been shot and Castle confesses that he loves her, it looks very much like Beckett is trying to smile at him before she loses consciousness.
• Pretty much every single thing Castle does in "Knockdown", from bringing Beckett flowers after she gets kicked off her murder case to taking down the shooter with her bare hands. Fuck yeah, Richard Castle. Seriously, this episode is pretty much one scene after another of Castle proving that there's nothing he wouldn't do for Beckett.
  Beckett: I need you to do something for me.
  Castle: (automatically) Anything.
  • Also in "Knockdown," Martha telling Castle that she loves him just as much as he loves Alexis after he is nearly shot.

Season 4

• In Season 4's "Heroes & Villains", the journalist that writes and draws the "Sword of Lone Vengeance" comic decides to take the heat for the Lone Vengeance killing of the victim, believing it was his girlfriend, an officer named Hastings. When it is finally discovered who did it, the journalist and the officer leave the precinct and kiss as the elevator's door closes. Castle compares the journalist and officer with himself and Beckett (someone who earns his pay through writing and his policewoman muse whose adventures he writes about) and the detective smiles at him as he leaves.
• Castle and Alexis bonding over father-daughter movie time during "Demons", and the heartfelt advice he gives her over relationships and specifically about her and Ashley. Made of d'awwwwwwwww.
• Kate getting Castle and his mother out of the bank after the hostage situation in "Cops and Robbers". Even with Martha playing Moment Killer at the end, your heart still melts right out of your chest upon seeing the look on Beckett's face when she sees Castle face to face after the explosion.
  • Not to mention that when the police are storming the ruins of the bank, until she sees him Beckett only yells out "Castle!", making it very clear that for all the innocent people in that bank, at that particular point of time there is precisely one person who she gives a shit about. When they're reunited, well... ain't nobody else in the world. Martha has to gently remind Beckett that yes, there are people who are not Castle in that bank.
  • Martha and Castle get a nice moment when the hostages are being herded into the safety deposit box vault and there's a very real possibility (for the characters, anyway) that everyone will die:
  Castle: Mother, I find I'm no longer satisfied with the customer service at this establishment. I think we should take our business elsewhere.
  Martha: [Tearfully] I'm so sorry...
  Castle: No...
  Martha: Can you forgive me for dragging you into this —
  Castle: [Interrupting gently] It's okay, it's okay. I love you, mother.
  Martha: Right back at you, kiddo.
  • Basically, everyone but Ryan and Esposito gets a chance to act their butts off during the episode, is the idea.
    • They both at least get a CMOH though, when Beckett alerts them to the robbery. Ryan is initially reluctant to act, because their department only does homicide. The second he and Esposito learn Castle is in the Bank, both men immediately kick into action.
  • There's also Martha's conversations with the pregnant woman and the bank worker she'd been arguing with at the beginning of the episode. Castle is later able to convince the hostage takers to give the pregnant woman a more comfortable place to sit while they wait.
  • Not to mention when the hostage takers' leader is threatening Castle's life, and the absolute fury in Beckett's voice when she tells them that if they even come close, she will personally storm right in and put a bullet through his skull.
• Everything that happens between Beckett and Esposito during "Kill Shot."
  • The moment betweeen Castle and Beckett at the end, when she thanks him for letting her have the space she needed.
• In "Cuffed", Gates remarks that two of her people are missing. She's definitely warming up to Castle.
• Everything involving the dog in "An Embarrassment of Bitches".
• The last ten minutes of "The Blue Butterfly." Kate's face says everything.
• The last scene of "Linchpin". In this chapter and the previous one, Beckett has clearly felt disturbed after hearing that CIA agent Sophia Turner was the inspiration for a character in Derrick Storm's books, that Castle slept with Sophia and that the relationship between Castle and Sophia got screwed up as soon as they slept together. Castle later tells her that the character based out of Sophia actually ended up being more like Beckett, which is why he chose her as her muse. In the end, Beckett playfully bumps into Castle, showing that, perhaps, there is still hope for them.
• "Always". Holy hell.
  Castle: Beckett, what do you want?
  Beckett: You. [she kisses him] I'm so sorry, Castle. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
  Castle: What happened?
  Beckett: [The man who shot me] got away, and I didn't care. I almost died, and all I could think about was you. I just want you. [cue The Big Damn Kiss]
  • Earlier, Alexis delivers her graduation speech as her father listens:
    But just because we're leaving, and that hurts, there's some people who are so much a part of us, they'll be with us no matter what. They are our solid ground. Our north star. And the small clear voices in our hearts that will be with us...always.
    • Particularly notable because of the repetition and meaning of the word "always" in Castle and Beckett's relationship.

Season 5

• The first scene with Castle and Beckett in "After the Storm" is just utterly adorable. And then Martha comes home...
• The last scene between Castle and Alexis in "Secret's Safe with Me" in Alexis' new dorm room, when she asks her father to "do it" one last time. The "it" in question? Checking under her bed for monsters, just like he did when she was little.
  • The handshake kiss. Goddamn it. What a way to make hearts stop beating.
• Despite finding out about the identity of Beckett's secret boyfriend, Ryan keeps his mouth shut when Esposito complains about his lacklustre results in finding out the identity of Beckett's boyfriend in "Murder, He Wrote", simply because Ryan realized it would be unfair to Beckett if they stuck their noses in too deep in her personal life. D'aw!
  • Better still when you remember that in the previous episode Beckett had worried about Alexis knowing about their relationship because 'She'll tell Lanie, and Lanie will tell Esposito, who will tell Ryan, and he's the biggest gossip in the station.' Well, Ryan's found out and he hasn't even told them that he knows.
  • Also remember that he's the most rule abiding one among them. He surely knows/realizes the same thing they do - that they could very well be called up on a ethics violation if their relationship is public. So despite knowing this and despite his rule abiding nature, he'd rather see them happy and together and not suspended than follow the rules. He also probably realizes that since he found out on his own and no one knows, he can either help them or use plausible deniability to help them.
  • Extra heartwarming: in "Probable Cause", after proof starts pointing out towards Castle, Ryan decides to tell Esposito, but he also adds that he is only doing it because of the current circumstances.
• "Probable Cause", season 5's first dramatic episode since its opener, gives us a scare when Castle is pinned as the prime suspect, with overwhelming evidence pointing towards him despite his innocence. Naturally, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito know that something is wrong, but they're not alone. Gates is just as desperate as the trio in their attempt to find evidence to implicate 3XK as the real perp framing Castle. This despite the way things turned out between her and Castle in "Secret's Safe with Me" over the dolls.
  • The sheer fact that Beckett, although she is confronted with some pretty significant evidence of both, ultimately never once loses faith that Castle is neither responsible for the murder nor cheated on her with the victim. Particularly in light of the fact that a running subplot in the episodes leading up to this one has been Beckett's insecurity over Castle's previous relationships with other women and, given the evidence she's confronted with, there's not a person alive who wouldn't understand why she might choose to think the worst of him. Even Castle acknowledges this.
  • A little one: when Ryan and Esposito are starting to investigate Castle's calls, Beckett starts to tell them that they may find something, but both of them tell her they know about them, and do not make much noise about it, because they know how important it is for Beckett.
  • When Beckett considers breaking Castle out of the holding cell, Esposito warns her against it since her chances of success would be extremely small.
    Esposito: I know how you feel about the guy. I love him, too.
• Beckett's explanation for her love of the much mocked Nebula 9 in "The Final Frontier" leaves Castle (and viewers) water-y eyed. The whole episode her boyfriend, coworkers, and even the actors of her favourite short-lived sci-fi show mock and berate it, but that doesn't dissuade her from loving it.
• For much of "Swan Song" Beckett is paranoid that the unwanted documentary crew thrust upon them by City Hall might capture evidence of hers and Castle's relationship. She mostly stays in the background while the others ham it up in front of the crew—however, Castle seems to divert most of his attention in making Beckett shine (as opposed to, say, competing with Espo for the spotlight, as one would think of Castle). Eventually she grows used to their presence, which comes in handy later when she and Castle successfully convince the crew to get rid of any footage that would expose her and Castle's secret relationship, including a bail out at the end of the episode with an impromptu jam session during a private meeting with a very cross Gates.
  • Castle naturally hams it up in front of the cameras when given the chance, but that's just him being a slightly more heightened version of how he is anyway. Aside from a brief shilling of his book, however, everything he says is about how incredible Beckett is.
  • "I just want them to see what I see."
  • Having spent most of the episode competing over the cameras, both Ryan and Esposito insist that the other deserves all the credit for their role in the big break in the case.
• The end of "After Hours"; having spent the entire episode bickering, when they're reunited at the end Beckett is so relieved to see that Castle is unharmed that she runs and leaps into his arms.
  Beckett: (whispers) I thought I lost you.
  Castle: No, never, never.
• In "Secret Santa", Castle feels a bit let down because Alexis made plans for Christmas Eve with a boy (thus missing their traditional dinner), and Beckett volunteered for the Christmas shift. Beckett tells him that she does it because, ever since her mom died, that year's presents remained unopened, and neither her dad nor her felt up to celebrating, so she spends Christmas working to help other people. In the end, Alexis tells Castle that she cancelled her plans to stay with him, but he tells her that he knows traditions are not that important, and starts to leave to stay with Beckett, but when he opens the door Kate is already there, ready to spend Christmas Eve with him and his family. They then kiss softly in front of the tree.
  • Don't forget the scene where Esposito convinces Ryan that he's ready to have kids. A touching moment of support between best friends.
• Beckett's gift to Castle for Valentine's Day. It's a drawer she's cleared out for him in her apartment, evidence of how she's letting him further into her life.
• In "Under the Influence", Javier going above and beyond the call of duty in order to help Joey, a 14-year old kid who was already caught up with a man capable of and willing to murder those who have outlived their usefulness, turn away from a live of crime.
• In "Target", when Beckett hugs Castle after Alexis has been kidnapped. When Castle warns her that Gates will see her open show of affection, she answers, "I don't care."
  • For her part, Gates, despite all her problems with Castle, puts the full force of her department to find Alexis in no uncertain terms.
  Gates: You do whatever you need to do to get him back his little girl. Anything you need, Detective.
  Beckett: (sincerely) Thank you, sir.
  • Gates is shown to be at least aware that Beckett and Castle are an item when she can see Beckett holding Castle's hand from her position. Instead of confronting them about it, Gates takes the opportunity of the phone call from Agent Harris to set the subject aside via plausible deniability.
  • When Lanie tests the blood found in the back of the kidnappers' van, she gently tells Castle "It's not your baby's.", illicting a shuddered sigh of relief from Castle and a breathless "Thank God..." from Beckett.
  • Castle and Sara's parents sharing their mutual relief that the blood in the van doesn't belong to either of their daughters.
  Mrs. El-Masri: The blood in the van... It's not Sara's.
  Castle: It's not Alexis' either.
  Mr. El-Masri: (weakly smiles) Then there is still hope.
• In "Hunt" Castle's father reveals that, although absent for most of his life, he followed him and Alexis and was always proud of Castle. He also had more of an influence on Castle's life than Castle knew, once steering him towards the book that led Castle to want to write (Casino Royale) and helping Castle gain access to the CIA for his Derrick Storm research.
• The end of "Scared to Death", where we learn the #1 item on Castle's bucket list: Be with Kate. Beckett is obviously deeply touched and moved by this.
• "The Wild Rover": Jenny's pregnant!
  • Ryan calls on his partners to take down the Irishmen. Javi, the Special Forces soldier who could take them all down no sweat. Beckett, his boss and an unstoppable bitch. And Castle... Seriously? I forgot my vest...
• Castle's reaction to finding out the murder he'd thought he'd witnessed was actually staged by Beckett as a neat birthday surprise. It made him cry! And then there's the fact that Beckett and everyone—yes, including Gates—went out of their way to do this for Castle, all because he'd broken his leg skiing and had been stuck at home for two weeks, sad that he couldn't help them solve any cases.
• Castle staying with Beckett when she finds herself trapped on a pressure-triggered bomb in "Still".
  • The entire station's reaction when Castle confirms Beckett's safety.
  • Gates telling Castle and Beckett that she's fully aware of their relationship, but she had remained silent over it maintain plausible deniability. After seeing Castle & Beckett spending the entire season worried about Gates splitting them up if she found out they were now a couple due to her policies on inter-office relationships, the looks on their faces after Gates told them she'd already figured it out and wasn't bothered about it was the perfect pay-off.
• Dr. Warburg's story about why completely autonomous drones are a bad idea. A drone pilot was about to blow up a car...before he saw roses on the hood and realized the car contained a pair of newlyweds. He says the human factor is necessary because only humans can "see roses". And Warburg has a rose as his desktop background.
• Castle's proposal. It's not "Me or the job", it's "Whatever you want, I'll be there, and don't use this offer as an excuse to break up because you're scared. I love you, you love me, and we went through too much to let you walk away like this."
  • And then Beckett says yes.

Season 6

• In "Dreamworld", when Castle is infected with a mysterious toxin and has only a few hours to live, he asks Beckett's partner how she's doing at her new job. He's glad she's doing well because that means she'll be okay without him. What were potentially his last thoughts were of her.
• In "Need to Know," Castle and Beckett realize that having a long-distance relationship is proving much harder on them than they thought...and then Castle hands her the solution to their problem: a key to their new DC apartment. Drop everything he's known for years to be with the woman he loves? Doesn't even need a moment to think about it. Which just makes Beckett's firing from the FBI seconds later hurt just that much more...at least until the next episode, as shown below.
• From "Number One Fan", Ryan and Esposito are about to interview a very rich man with powerful connections, but Gates steps in, proving that for all her strict behavior, she cares deeply about her detectives.
  Ryan: Sir, this is our case!
  Gates: Yes, and it'll be your jobs if there's any blowback. I am not gonna have you two risk your careers.
  • The same man later reconnecting with his long lost daughter, who he'd been separated from for 30 years.
    • It has to be said that Castle is the one who reunited the two. In spite of everything Emma did, he was still kind to her and wanted her to enjoy her late boyfriend's birthday present either way. Richard Castle is a truly sweet man.
  • And the crowner: When Beckett is reinstated as a detective, the whole precinct rejoices, Gates with them.
  • Gates is also happy to have Castle back too, so long as he and Beckett keep their relationship professional while on the job.
• "Like Father, Like Daughter": Castle and Alexis making up after Castle was mean to her boyfriend Pi.
  • The suspect who took the blame for a murder for his brother (who was also innocent) reuniting with his family as a free man.
  • Alexis thanking Beckett for her help on the case after Beckett wondered why she didn't contact her in the first place and worried that she'd never truly be a part of Castle and Alexis' family.
• "A Murder Is Forever": Remember back in season five, when Beckett and Castle went to the Hamptons? Well, they went walking on the beach, and collected some seashells... which are now proudly displayed on the wall inside 'their territory'. Castle kept them all this time.
• Beckett and Castle taking care of the baby in 06x10. Every. Single. Scene.
  • Also, when the baby and his parents are finally reunited.
• Ryan telling Jenny, if their baby was a boy, to name him "Javier," obviously after Esposito.
  • Followed by a Funny Moment from Esposito: "You're gonna name a white Irish kid 'Javier'?"
  • When Ryan and Esposito get out of the fire, Beckett and Castle run to hug them (with a CMOF when Castle jokes about their smell), and then they lead Ryan and Espo to the ambulance where Lanie and Jenny are with newborn Sarah Grace Ryan.
  • The name of Ryan’s second child: Nicholas Javiar Ryan.
• The end of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", where Castle and Beckett finally manage to attend their prom.
  • They also find a song for their wedding: "In My Veins" by Andrew Belle. This get acknowledged when they finally get married and Castle plays the song from his phone.
    • This is itself a Call-Back to the episode "Always"; the song is heard in the background when Beckett hands Gates her badge, announces her resignation, and sits alone on the park swing in the rain realizing that her obsession over her mother's murder was less important to her than her relationship with Castle.
  • A little earlier in the same episode, we get one from the girl who much of the episode revolved around: She enters the school dance, looking more than a little nervous, until she sees the boy who had done so much to help her (he rigged special effects or maybe used his Psychic Powers to scare the girls that were bullying her, and had to work for the victim, the lead mean girl, once she figured that out). What does she do? She walks over and embraces him before they hold hands and start dancing together, showing that she really appreciated what he had done. Very sweet, especially for anyone who was something of an outcast in school themselves.
• In "Room 147", Beckett talks to Alexis, who is reluctant to move back home after her break up with Pi and is pushing herself too hard to pay for a lease she clearly cannot afford. When Alexis insists that she is correcting her own mistake, Beckett tries to convince Alexis to stop punishing herself. At the end of the episode, as Castle hugs Alexis when she tells him she wants to come home, Alexis looks at Beckett and whispers "Thank you" to her.
• In one scene from "The Way of the Ninja", Beckett is angry that Castle didn't pick her up in time to avoid meeting with a friend. When Castle asks how did it go, Beckett says that her once fabulous friend is now no longer that due to getting married. Beckett is worried that when they get married, their lives will be boring, and Castle reassures her that will never happen by putting that promise in their vows.
• In "That 70's Show", the friendship between Harold, a 1970's mob lieutenant, and Vince, his boss and the Body of the Week. It takes on a whole new dimension when Harold reveals that they were actually lovers. Harold in fact urged Vince to marry the sister of a rival mobster as being his best friend was enough for him. When Vince couldn't go through with the marriage, the sister murdered him. The episode ends with Harold dancing alone as "Last Dance" plays, saying goodbye to Vince.
• In "Veritas", when Castle is being escorted out by a recurring officer, Esposito and Ryan tell him to follow them to the elevator so they can get Castle's side of things. While it is expected by now that they would have faith and trust in Beckett and Castle, the officer complies to their request even though he doesn't have to and stands watch for them, letting them know that they had to go when Internal Affairs was leaving Gates' office.
  • More so if none of it was planned. Castle has gotten to know and work with the entire precinct for years. There are numerous small moments throughout like the giant betting pool in the Double Down or a uniformed officer that was walking by immediately returning Castro's high-five without breaking stride. Almost everyone may believe in Castle, and the officer went along with the unspoken plan.
• In "For Better or Worse", as Beckett prepares for her wedding, Martha thanks Beckett for making her son happy, and presents her with a pair of earrings, "in case you didn't have something blue." She tells Beckett that they were worn by her mother and her grandmother at their weddings.
  "Only women of substance have worn these gems. They've been waiting here, Katherine, for you."

Season 7

• When Esposito begins to notice that Ryan has been going someplace other than home after work and sees that Ryan coming to work covered in body glitter, Espo's first thought is to make sure that Ryan's marriage is alright with the implication that he's more than willing to hurt his best friend if it turns out that he's stepping out on Jenny and their daughter.
• "The Time of Our Lives" has the long awaited Caskett wedding. Complete with amazing vows.
• When Castle (apparently) travels to a parallel universe where he never met Kate, and many things are different, mostly for the worse. When the man behind the Murder Of The Week (the same case in the original universe) has Castle kidnapped, Alt!Beckett appears Just in Time, following one of Castle's suggestions, to save him, but in the end Castle takes the bullet for Alt!Beckett, and almost dies while telling her he loves her. He wakes again in the normal universe, only a few moments after he traveled to the parallel universe, and when he gets a moment with Beckett he asks her to marry her the same day. And they finally do, with an awesome sunset in the background and their families with them.
• At the beginning of "Ressurection", Alexis kisses her dad on the cheek before going to the library to study, and then kisses Beckett. This gets commented on:
  Castle: A kiss on the cheek? When did that start?
  Beckett: Just now. Yeah, I know, I'm as surprised as you are.
  Castle: Well, I don't know if I'm surprised, I mean you are pretty lovable.
• A small one in "Habeas Corpse" where we find out Castle and Beckett not only take showers together, but freaking sing and dance together while taking said showers.
  • Castle side-stepping the karaoke battling in order to preserve Kate's dignity, and because she has stage fright. Capped with, "The only audience I care about is you."
• Castle and Beckett dancing to "I Really Like You" in "Dead From New York".
• In the Season 7 finale, Castle receives a mystery novelist achievement award. His acceptance speech is all about his family and friends, and how this achievement is only possible because of them.
  • Earlier, Beckett is being grilled about her relationship with Castle, and is asked how can she expect to lead a precinct when she's been the inspiration for Nikki Heat. Beckett's answer is simple:
  "I'm proud to have been his inspiration and I am proud to be his wife!"
  • After the ceremony, Castle & Beckett sit together with friends and family, thinking about the future. And who's there as well? Tori & Captain Gates.

Season 8

• Ryan and Esposito finally making up in the "The Last Seduction" after the former nearly takes a bullet for the latter.
  Esposito: You have a pregnant wife... a daughter that's counting on you... And you nearly gave up all of that for me.
  Ryan: You have a life worth saving. (the two have a Man Hug)
• The finale. After being shot, it looks like they will die in each other's arms... but then it jumps to seven years later, with Beckett, Castle and their three kids (an elder daughter and twin boys) running around the house and having breakfast.