A/N This started out to be a short Christmas fic that I was going to write on Tumblr , but then it turned into this. Being in the holiday spirit , I just couldn't resist and before I knew it …. well you'll see . This is the longest fic I've ever written . I hope that it isn't so long or sappy that it becomes too boring. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not , hopefully , you'll enjoy this Castle Christmas fic full of fluff .
Disclaimer : The only thing I own is a deep love for Castle. All rights belong to A.B.C. and our wonderful creator Andrew Marlowe. Thank- you , Andrew ! I know the difference between fiction and reality . Marlowe's creation of these wonderful , loveable , perfectly flawed characters and to Stana , Nathan , Jon , Seamus , Molly, Susan , Penny Johnson Jerald , and Tamala Jones , they have breathed life into these characters and for that reason , they will always be these characters in my head , always holding a special place in my heart . So , as we approach mid- season 7 , I want to thank them as well , and to all at Castle , thank you , for bringing us their story and the best entertainment on tv., and for all their hard work and dedication for 7 years , I am eternally grateful for these years .
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
" I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Lyrics
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night .
She didn't see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peek.
She thought I was tucked
up in my bedroom fast asleep
Then I saw mommy tickle Santa Claus
underneath his beard so snowy white.
Oh
What a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
A/N
I did some research on this song as I was writing this and found the history of this song rather interesting. Here is that history.
The original recording by Jimmy Boyd , recorded on July 15th , 1952 when he was 13 years old , reached no. 1 on "The Billboard " pop singles chart in December 1952 , and on "The Cash Box " chart the following year.
The song was commissioned by " Sax Fifth Avenue " to promote the store's Christmas card for the year , which featured an original sketch by artist Perry Barlow , who drew for " The New Yorker " for many decades.
The song describes a scene where a child walks downstairs from his bedroom on Christmas Eve to see his mother kissing Santa Claus ( presumably his father in a Santa Claus costume ) under the mistletoe.
Boyd's record was condemned by the Roman Catholic Church in Boston when it was released on the grounds that it mixed kissing with Christmas , ignoring the fact that mistletoe , under which many couples kiss , is traditionally hung in many homes during the Christmas season.
Boyd was photographed meeting with the Archdiocese to explain the song After the meeting , the ban was lifted . Wikipedia.
Kate stood outside the door to the loft trying to balance her bag and the groceries she had bought for their annual Christmas Eve party.
As she fumbled with the keys , she heard Monty's peals of laughter echo through the door.
'" Yee Haw, Daddy ! Giddy up, Go ! " She smiled as she heard Rick's braying like a bucking bronco.
Too engrossed in their playing to notice her entry , she set the groceries on the floor at her feet and watched as Rick , on all fours , thrusting his legs in and out and bucking like a wild horse , complete with a 3 year old cowboy, turned a 360.
His eyes fell on her feet and he stopped as his eyes travelled from her feet up to look fully at her.
" Hey, honey. Look buddy , our beautiful mommy has returned home."
Monty slid from his dad's back and ran toward her with outstretched arms. Before she could kneel down to accept his embrace , he bowled into her knocking her slightly off balance as he tackled her.
" Mommy ! I missed you ! "
Laughing , she nuzzled her face into the side of his face. "You did ? Mommy wasn't gone very long , but It's nice to know that I was missed."
" I woke from my nap and you were gone," Monty pouted.
Sitting on the floor , she gazed into the same azure eyes as his father's and pulled him into her arms.
" I know , munchkin . But I had to go have lunch with Aunt Lanie and then had to stop at the store to buy the stuff to make cookies for our party and for Santa tonight."
Rick crossed the room to help her out of her coat and dropped a kiss to the side of her head.
" You saw Aunt Lanie ? But I love Aunt Lanie ! "
" I know you do, munchkin and Aunt Lanie loves you so much , but don't be upset because you'll see her tonight."
'" And I can stay up late and open presents with Sarah Grace and wait for Santa? "
" Now , hold on, bub. You will get to play with Sarah Grace and open a present with Sarah Grace, but only one. You have to wait until morning to open the rest. Santa does not come until you're sound asleep in your bed. He'll only be here for a few minutes to deliver your presents and then he has to leave to deliver presents to all of the other good little boys and girls."
Kate marveled at their son's intellect , no doubt due to his father's influence , since he spent more time with Rick . From day one, they had forbid anyone talk gibberish around him. They were to use only normal speaking voices around him. She wondered now, if that had been a little over the top. Maybe they shouldn't have been so overly protective of him with such a high bar of standards and stipulations .
Monty's growth and maturity levels for his age astounded her on a daily basis. Not that she minded that so much, it just seemed that he was growing up too much and too fast for his age.
She wanted him to be intelligent and he was. Even his pediatrician had been surprised when Monty surpassed every mile marker of his young life with lightning speed. She had questioned his pediatrician about this and he had explained that it was nothing to be concerned about. Children grew and progressed at their own pace. It was not a bad thing , it was all good .
Monty brought so much love, and joy into their lives , had changed their lives so drastically, but he was also, enthusiastic to experience all that life had to offer and with that came a strong zest for independence. Not that those were bad traits, they weren't. Perhaps she was just overthinking this.
Shaking herself out of her reverie, she smiled down at her son.
God, he was the spitting image of Rick. From the same azure color of his eyes, to the same dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, to the same color of hair with the same errant lock of hair that fell across his brow.
She loved these cuddling moments with Monty and there were many of them, at least, he hadn't outgrown these and there could never be too many. He was an affectionate child and she hoped that wouldn't change as he grew older.
Capturing his face between her palms, she said, " I see a face that needs lots of kisses ." and proceeded to rain kisses all over his face amongst his giggles. This was their thing and she relished every moment of it.
Rick picked up the bags beside her and carried them to the counter for her.
Easing up on her kiss attack to allow Monty a chance to catch his breath, she hugged him close and said, " I love you forever and always !"
" I love you forever and always, too, mommy Do it again mommy !"
" You like mommy's kiss attacks, do you? Well, here it comes again! I see a face that needs lots of kisses! " And the kiss attack continued.
After a few moments , Rick appeared to relieve Kate. " Hey, buddy. Why don't you help me help mommy from the floor and we give her a minute to get settled in before we continue playing again ? "
" Okay, daddy," Monty said, scrambling from Kate's lap.
Kate looked up at Rick. " Has my dad gotten here, yet ? "
" No, not yet. He called about an hour ago to say that he'd been delayed at the office and after that he has to make a couple of last minute stops , but he should be here in time for dinner."
Rick and Monty extended their hands to help her from the floor. Not that Monty would be of much help, but he loved to be included in everything and thought he was helping.
Once on her feet again, she took Monty's small hand in hers and the three of them sat on the couch with Monty scrambling back into her lap.
" What about Alexis and Martha ? The weather will be getting worse before too long."
Rick leaned in toward her smiling , and kissed her lightly on the lips. " Always , the mother hen ," he teased.
She playfully thwacked him on the shoulder. " I thought you liked the mother hen version of me."
" Like is not a strong enough word. I Love the mother hen side of you. Maybe you can play mother hen to me later tonight " He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.
She rolled her eyes at him.
Lowering her voice , she cautioned , " Shhh ! You want to be explaining our bedroom antics to our very inquisitive , perceptive 3 year old ? You'd better keep quiet ! Especially , if you want to play later on. Besides, you haven't answered my question about Alexis and Martha , yet."
" Mommy, what does antics mean? "
Good Lord ! If she didn't know for a fact that she only carried him for nine months , she'd swear that he had been six years old when he was born and now had the maturity level and perception of a nine year old.
" I'll tell you later , sweetheart , " she said dismissively.
" Well , they went out for some last minute shopping , but they should be coming back anytime ."
" Good . Now, I guess I should get busy in the kitchen if we're going to leave cookies and milk for Santa tonight ," she replied, nuzzling Monty's face again.
" Can I help , mommy ? " Monty asked
Smoothing his brow , Kate replied, "Well, why don't you keep playing cowboy with daddy until mommy gets the cookie dough made and then you can help me stir in the nuts and chocolate chips ? "
" Nuts ? " Rick queried.
Without even looking , she knew the wide- eyed , astonished look on her husband's face and just exactly where his line of thinking was.
Still not glancing up at him , she replied , " Shut Up ! Don't even! You know perfectly well the type of nuts I was referring to ."
" Yay ! " exclaimed an exuberant Monty , scrambling out of her lap , pulling his father on the floor as he went.
Thinking that playing cowboys with Rick would be a distraction for the excited 3 year old and innocent enough play , she headed into the kitchen to begin the task at hand. Besides, watching Rick play a bucking bronco was pretty amusing and kind of hot.
Kate had been so busy in the kitchen making sandwiches , dips , and snacks for the party that she had been unable to witness or supervise the play going on in the living room.
She was about to go in to get Monty's "help" with the chocolate chips and nuts in the cookie dough , when she heard Monty's voice from the other room.
" Hands behind your back ! You're going to jail for cow rustlin, mister ! "
What was that ? Was that the definitive sound of her handcuffs being clicked ?
And then she heard Rick's cry of exclamation. " Uhh , honey , can you come here for a second ? "
Oh, hell ! Yup ! It most definitely was what she thought it was.
As she came from behind the counter and surveyed the scene in front of her , she crossed her arms and asked, "How did he get hold of those ? " Yup. Monty had inherited his dad's penchant for touching things that he shouldn't.
Rick was kneeling on the floor with both of his hands cuffed behind his back.
Trying to look as innocent as a newborn babe and apologetic at the same time, he stammered ,, " Ummm, I guess I forgot to put them away this morning like you asked me to. I didn't know he had those." He tried to back peddle , but she was far from amused and she wasn't buying it.
She quirked an eyebrow at him and bit down on her bottom lip .
He did look cute and appealing and kind of sexy in that position on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back. "He wouldn't have had them if you had put them away like I asked you to. "
It wasn't the fact that Monty was playing with the cuffs , but more about the fact that Rick had not put them away when she asked him to. Monty could have gotten hold of something more dangerous . But he still should not have had her cuffs.
" We've talked about this before . "
" I know, I know and I'm really sorry . I've learned my lesson. Now, will you , please go get the key and un cuff me? "
" You'd better hope that he hasn't lost the key . Besides , you do look all cute , sexy , and appealing down there , but I think you deserve a time-out. Maybe next time you'll think twice . "
" Mommy , is daddy in trouble ? "
" Yes, baby . He kind of is. "
" But why mommy ? What did he do wrong ? "
" He didn't listen to mommy and he disobeyed mommy."
" Is daddy in time- out ? "
" Okay. Very funny ." Rick replied.
Kate knelt on the floor beside Monty and answered , " Yes, he's in time-out . So what you and I need to do right now , is leave daddy alone to think about his mistake and go finish the cookies for tonight."
Rising from the floor , she took Monty by the hand and led him into the kitchen to the protests from Rick " Aww, honey, c'mon ! "
After taking the last batch of cookies from the oven , she allowed Monty to have one cookie and sent him to his room to play while she took 2 fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies to Rick and went to set him free.
She found him pacing the room . " I brought peace offerings , " she teased .
" How do you suggest I do that with my hands cuffed behind my back ? "
" Oh , don't be mad . You deserved it ." she said , offering him a bite from her hand.
He took a bite and his lips brushed the tips of her fingers still causing a ripple of excitement soaring through her blood .
" You know , I sent Monty to his room to play so we could be inventive on ways to eat your favorite cookies while your hands are cuffed behind your back or I could just free you, " she teased , wrapping her arms around his neck.
" As much as I'd love to explore those other options with you , could you just free me now and then we can discuss it ? "
Leaning into him a little closer , she pressed a light kiss on his lips and said, " I'll go get the key."
If only it had been that easy . She looked on the dresser , the nightstands, the floor , under the bed, the closet . She even un-made the bed in her search , but no key .
Panicked , she returned to the living room . "Rick , he really did lose the key ! I can't find it anywhere in the bedroom ! Did you see him with it in here ?"
Oh, hell ! " What do you mean he lost it ? This is sooo not funny, Kate ."
" Rick ! I'm not kidding ! I really can't find the key ! I've looked all over the bedroom , even un-made the bed and the key is not in there ! Montgomery James Castle , what did you do with the key to mommy's handcuffs ? " she asked , turning to find that Monty had returned to the room and was standing behind her.
" What key , mommy ?"
" Oh, never mind . "
" Well , we have to find it ! We have company coming…, I still have things to do… " he exclaimed .
She gave him a scathing look . " Well , thank you for stating the obvious ! We wouldn't be in this mess if you would just listen and pay attention ! " she retorted .
About then , Martha and Alexis arrived and after a short version of the story , they joined the foray.
With Martha and Alexis looking for the key , also, Kate abandoned the search for a few minutes , just long enough to get Monty dressed for the party. Time was running out and they had yet to find the key.
As she was changing Monty , her dad arrived . After hearing about the missing key to the cuffs , he took an excited Monty to the living room to distract him and entertain him while the others continued the search.
Shit ! What a way to start Christmas Eve ! She'd had so many hopes for this party and had spent a lot of hours planning it to have something like this happen at this time.
Disastrous , that's what it was ! This evening was supposed to be fun and relaxing , not utter chaos ! Her plan of having everything ready and a perfect Christmas Eve was crumbling down around her.
Not to mention the humiliation Rick would have to deal with. The boys would have a field day with it. On second thought , maybe he deserved it. But , to be honest , she knew it wasn't his fault , entirely . The blink of an eye was all it took for a child to get into trouble or mischief . It was physically impossible to keep your eye on them at all times .
In Monty's room , she emptied drawers, looked under his bed, checked the built- in shelves , and basically, tore his room apart , too.
It was when she finally emptied the last toy box that she finally found the missing key.
What the hell ? When and how did it get here ?
Kate ran from the room with the key and freed Rick. She wasn't sure just whom she should be mad at , Rick for not watching Monty closely , or herself for not supervising them both and leaving Rick cuffed for so long.
Rick was rubbing his chafed wrists when she asked her dad to watch Monty while they went to get ready. Martha and Alexis were already setting refreshments and snacks out. Grabbing Rick by the hand , she pulled him into their bedroom , slamming the door shut behind them.
" I'm so sorry , honey. I…"
" Shh. Not now , okay ? I just need to get my bearings back , " she said pushing him against the door.
. "Right now, I just need you to hold me, okay? I need to calm down and this is the only way I know how. Taking deep breaths and counting to 20 just isn't working this time " , she said, wrapping her arms around his neck , burying her face into his shoulder.
Wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close, he could feel the shudder that ran down her spine. She was trembling.
He pulled back from her slightly. "Hey , it's okay. I'm okay, Monty is fine , the party will be great . It's all good." he assured her.
" I know . '" she replied , snuggling closer to him.
" You seem awfully nervous today . Are you okay ?" he asked.
" Yeah . It's just that I wanted this party to go so well and then this had to happen . It just rattled me , that's all ."
" See ? This is why we should have hired a … "
" Don't ! Just stop, okay ? I didn't want to hire a party planner . I wanted to do it myself . "
" Yeah, I get it , but you let yourself get all stressed out over it. But hey , it will be okay . Honey , that was nothing and thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it could have been . It's our family and friends and they know that we have a precocious three year old."
" I know . And I guess that I am a little stressed and am probably over- reacting a bit ."
" It's okay. It's all good and this will be a great party , I promise ."
He tilted her head up and kissed her .
Pulling back ever so slightly , just enough to get air , she lovingly caressed the side of his face . " I love you so much and I'm so sorry that I left you cuffed for so long."
" And I'm sorry for not watching Monty close enough and for allowing him to play with your cuffs when I should have listened to you in the first place. "
" You can't watch them all of the time . Eventually , you have to turn your back for an instant or blink . I'm sorry I over -reacted and when I couldn't find the key , I panicked .."
" So , I'm forgiven then ? " he asked .
" More than forgiven , " she whispered.
" Okay. Let's get changed and get this party started so that later , we can exchange our gifts to each other and have our own private celebration ," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her seductively , causing her to giggle .
" Agreed . Let's do this ! You're going to love what I got you this year , " she teased as she moved past him into the bathroom to pull her hair up into a bun and repair her make -up.
" Yeah ? Is it big ? " he asked.
Peeking at him from the bathroom door , she replied, " Not in the actual size so much , but trust me, it's big. "
" You went to " Fredericks Of Hollywood " again , didn't you ? " he asked, playfully.
" Try all you want , but I'm not dishing on this one . Besides , you love it when I go there , don't you ? "
" Yeah , but what man doesn't get excited thinking about his beautiful wife buying something sexy to wear for him. "
" Like I said , try all you want , I'm not telling . You'll have to wait until tonight to find out. What did you get me ? "
" Why would I share that , if you won't share ? "
" Okay . Fine. Guess we'll both have to wait until later. I'd rather be surprised , anyway . "
" I think I'm going to shower . Care to join me ? "
" As much as I'd love to do that , I've already got my hair up and just about through with my make-up , so, no, not this time. Besides , we have guests that will be here any minute , so hurry your ass up. "
By the time Rick was getting out of the shower , she was already dressed .
" Okay , I'm ready and I'll meet you in the living room in a few minutes , " she informed him as she daubed perfume on her pulse points.
Rick , standing behind her , lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck.
God , he was so lucky to have her in his life.
Intelligent , strong , beautiful , and a sexy temptress in their bedroom , who never shied away from showing him her sexual prowess.
She angled her head slightly , giving him more access to the side of her neck , loving the sensations his kisses always aroused in her. Allowing herself just a few moments to revel and momentarily lose herself to his intoxicating kisses , she wound her arms around his neck.
" Mmm . You smell nice . Is that the perfume I got you last year? " he inquired , in between kisses.
" Mmm hmmm . You like it ? "
" I like it more now that you're wearing it than I did when I bought it for you. So, tell me what you got me this year ,"
Snapping out of the haze that he had aroused in her, she pulled away from him . " What ? You mean this is a ploy to cajole me into telling you what your present is ? You're worse than our 3 year old son ! "
Rick tried to backpedal . " What ? No, honey. I wouldn't do that ! But you can admit that you bought my gift from ' Frederick's ' That's okay . I love when you shop for me there. "
Rising, she turned to face him . " You know what ? You can guess all you want , but I'm still not telling . And as pissed as I am over your low down , underhanded plot , you might not get it until next Christmas ! " she retorted as she headed to the door.
" Aww , C'mon, honey ," he appealed , but she had already left the room.
A few minutes after Kate had joined the others in the livingroom , the buzzer sounded and Kate answered and greeted Kevin , Jenny , and Sarah Grace . Monty was ecstatic to have Sarah Grace to play with.
Soon after they arrived , Rick joined them . He had tried to cozy up to Kate , but she was still a little pissed at him .
The Ryan's weren't going to be able to stay long because they had other family obligations to fulfill . They had to go celebrate with Kevin's family this evening , and after their own private celebration Christmas morning , they were going to Jenny 's family.
After refreshments were served , Kate went to the tree and pulled out a gift for Sarah Grace and a super hero action figure for Monty to open . Sarah Grace was pleased with the doll and Monty liked the super hero.
As they watched the children play , Rick pulled an envelope from the breast pocket of his jacket and presented it to Kevin and Jenny.
Kate had no idea what was in the envelope , but she was certain that it was a monetary gift , but it could have been Knicks tickets as well . But Knicks tickets would be more of a personal gift for Kevin only , instead of a family , so she had no idea what Rick had up his sleeve.
" What's this ? " Kevin asked.
" It's our Christmas gift to both of you. Open it. " Rick answered.
The envelope contained a Christmas card with a check inside for $25,000 .
Kevin and Jenny gaped at each other . Across the room , tears pricked Kate's eyes at the sweetness and generosity of the gift.
" Oh , hey man ! This is very generous , but we can't accept this ."
" You can and you will because if you don't accept it , then I'll deposit it into an account for Sarah Grace. Look, Kevin , I am well aware of the costs of sending a kid to college. I've watched you burn the candle at both ends trying to make ends meet and it kills me watching you struggle so . It's a gift , Kevin , not charity . Use the money wherever you need it . "
" I don't know what to say , " Jenny said.
Kate tried to tamp down the irritation she felt . Why hadn't he discussed this with her ? They normally made these decisions together . Why hadn't he told her what his plans were ? She didn't disapprove of the gift , she would have approved , if he had just talked to her about it first . This was one of the many reasons she loved him so much . His heart , his kindness , and he was so generous , but he still should have talked to her about it first .
" Just say that you'll accept it and Kevin , there is nothing more important than your family . Quit your part-time job. Your duties to the N.Y.P.D. are overwhelming at best with long hours and you're a valued homicide detective . This is what you're great at , don't short change it. In the meantime , know that we love you guys and if you ever need us , we're here for you."
Wrapping her arms around Rick's neck , Kate added , " He's right , you know . You are a valued asset to the N.Y.P.D. and we love you guys . You're irreplaceable, Kevin , and we hate watching you work yourself into the ground. Take the money , Kev. "
Kevin looked at Jenny who just shrugged.
" Jeez guys. When you put it like that , how can we refuse ? And the feelings are mutual ", Kevin replied.
Rick clapped Kevin on the shoulder and the two man hugged. Kate hugged both , Kevin and Jenny.
After the Ryan's left , Kate excused them from the family and taking him by the hand , led him to the privacy of their bedroom.
As soon as they were alone , she turned to him and slapped at his shoulder .
" Owww ! What the hell , Kate ? Are you mad at me ? "
" No , of course not ! I just slap at you for the hell of it for lack of anything better to do ," she scoffed .
" Okay . You're mad at me . Why ? "
" Since when is it okay to hide things from me ? "
" I'm not hiding anything ! "
" Oh, you're not hiding anything . Did it ever occur to you that we should discuss this first ? I thought we had decided not to keep secrets from each other anymore . That we would make decisions together . "
" We did and we do make decisions together . Where is this coming from ? "
" So , you didn't think you should at least mention the type of gifts you were giving out to the Ryan's ? "
" You're upset about the gifts ? "
" No ! I'm upset that you didn't talk to me about them . The money is a wonderful , thoughtful , sweet gesture and I would have approved if I had only known that was what you were going to do , instead of blind sighting me that way . "
" Okay , hold on a minute . We did discuss this . We talked about it several days ago . "
" I don't remember that . "
" Well, just because you don't remember it , doesn't mean we didn't . Remember when you and the boys worked that case of the young mother of two kids who had been reported missing only to discover her body near Belvedere Castle in Central Park ? "
" Yeah . That case really got to all of us , "
" It got to me , too , and I wasn't even there . That case still gives you nightmares . Well , the other night you had one of those nightmares and woke up crying for Monty . We sat up and talked and discussed Christmas gifts and what to get everyone and that's what we decided to do for Kevin and Jenny , Javier and Lanie . "
" Oh , God ! I do remember now and I'm so sorry . I love you so much ! Forgive me ? "
" I love you , too . Of course , I forgive you . I love you too much not to . "
" Thank you , " she said , moving into his arms.
He lowered his head and kissed her . "I meant what I said to them and I love them , too. "
" I know you do and they know it , too. "
" So am I forgiven about earlier ? I really didn't mean that to come off sounding like that. And I just love you so much that I can hardly keep my hands off you . With your work and my writing and taking care of Monty , and I'm not complaining , I love him so much and wouldn't take anything for the time I spend with him , it's just that we hardly have time alone anymore. "
She lovingly stroked the side of his face . " I know , babe. I know. I miss the ' us ' times , too. "
" Well , then , why don't we take your next weekend after the holidays and create some ' us time ' ? '"
" After the holidays ? Hmm, I'll have to check my schedule . What do you have in mind ? Whisking me off to some remote tropical island ? What would we do about Monty ? We can't just leave him behind."
" No, of course not. And while I would love to just whisk you away , it wouldn't be feasible to do that . We could stay right here in the city, in case of an emergency . I was thinking about getting a sitter for a week end like my mother and Alexis . I could meet you at the precinct and take you somewhere romantic for dinner , go out dancing somewhere and from there , dance you into a suite of rooms at 'The Four Seasons ' or one of the 5 star hotels here in the city . We could make love until dawn , have breakfast in bed , go for a carriage ride in Central Park , visit the museums . The next day repeat the same thing or whatever we feel like. You know . Just make the entire week- end just about us . "
" Sounds magical and something definitely worth thinking about . It's been a while since we even had a date night . We'll consider it , but , right now, we have guests arriving anytime , so can we talk about this later ? And as for not being able to keep your hands off me , I love that about you. So no matter what this evening brings , rest assured that I have big plans for those hands of yours tonight "
She giggled at the incredulous expression her implication left on his face . " Now , shut up and kiss me . "
The sound of the buzzer prevented anymore discussion or anything else and Kate and Rick left the bedroom to greet their guests.
They entered the living room as Alexis answered the door and was taking their coats.
An excited Monty scrambled from his grandpa's arms and hurtled toward Lanie and Espo. " Aunt Lanie ! I love my Aunt Lanie ! "
Giggling, Lanie leaned down to accept his hugs . " There's my little doodle bug . I love you , too. How has my favorite nephew in the whole wide world been ? " she sing songed as she lifted Monty up into her arms.
Monty's arrival had not only changed her and Rick's lives for the better , but had affected the lives of those who surrounded them .
Javi , who was mostly too macho to let the warmer side of his personality show through , now , let his macho slip just a bit when he was around the children , even though he tried not to let it show and would deny it if confronted with it .
Normally , he shied away from anything to do with children , but Sarah Grace and Monty had loosened up the hard core military man and brought out the gentler side of him . Just a fraction .
Lanie doted on Monty and he loved Lanie so much.
" Mommy , can I open my presents ? " Monty asked , tugging at the hem of her sweater .
Startled out of her thoughts , Kate looked down at her small son. Kneeling down beside him , she noticed that he was holding the gifts that Lanie and Espo had brought in for him.
" Yes, sweetheart , you may open your gifts from Aunt Lanie and Uncle Espo , but no more . After that . we are going to sing a couple of Christmas carols while Gram plays the piano and then it's off to bed for you , munchkin ."
" But mommy , I want to wait up for Santa , " Monty pouted .
" I'm sure that you do , but Santa won't come as long as you're awake . Besides, Daddy and I have already allowed you to stay up way past your bedtime , so it's off to bed for you after we sing carols. "
" Okay , Mommy " he replied , dejectedly, and walked away to open the gifts from Lanie and Javi .
" Merry Christmas , guys ! So , how's the weather out there ? " Kate asked.
" It's snowing to beat the band out there . Huge , beautiful flakes . If it continues coming down , the roads will all be iced over soon, " Lanie replied , joining Kate at the kitchen counter.
Kate glanced to see her dad sitting on the couch with Monty in his lap showing off the G. I. Joe action figure Javi had given to him and Alexis sitting next to him .
She hoped that Monty wasn't wearing her dad out . Monty could be a handful , with his dad's curiosity and was always full of questions.
Their lives had all changed dramatically for the better since she and Rick had gotten together . The first Christmas they had spent together as a couple had brought the love and joy and the spirit of the holidays back into her life.
Until a few years ago , her and her dad had put Christmas away forever . After her mom had been murdered , her dad spent lonely Christmases at his cabin on the lake , and she would volunteer to work for other officers with families so they could celebrate the holiday together.
Now , they had Monty and he was the best thing either her or Rick had ever done . There was nothing like viewing life and the joy of the holidays through the simple, sweet , child - like faith and innocence of a child . She hoped that he would carry that sense of awe and wonder and the belief in Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas for a few more years.
So, Rick and this family had helped her to finally heal . You never really get over the loss of a loved one and you never stopped missing or loving that person , but eventually , you move on.
With Castle's help , she had finally been able to arrest Senator Bracken and move into a life full of love and joy . Now , her mother's murderer was rotting away in prison . Justice had prevailed .
Jim's healing had begun after Bracken's arrest , but for him , healing had been taken in the smallest of baby steps and was a slower process . After she and Rick had married and with Monty's birth , he was well on the road back.
Alexis had been confused what to call her dad. It had started out very politely calling him " Mr. Beckett " , and now it was " Jim " , and she sought him out for his advice on her internship , which pleased Jim immensely and he was only too happy to give advice whenever she asked for it. They shared a mutual respect for each other .
" Earth to Kate . Hello ?! " Kate had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard a word of what Lanie had been saying.
" Oh . I'm sorry , Lanie . My mind wandered there for a minute. What were you saying ? "
" I was talking about how much doodle bug has grown. "
" Lanie , you saw him last week when we went shopping . "
" I know . It just seems like he's getting bigger everyday and he looks more and more like Castle , too."
" Yeah , he does . And he is growing up so much and so fast, almost too fast . I 'm not ready for my baby to grow up . I want to keep him a baby for a little while longer . "
" And he's so smart , too . "
" Yeah , a little too smart for his age . I'm not complaining, it just amazes me and his pediatrician is astounded at how young he is and how he's surpassed each mile marker of his young life with lightning speed , how he's able to use large words and put them in proper context . He's so astute and while I am so proud , sometimes , it worries me , that he's growing up too fast . I've consulted his pediatrician and he assures me that children grow and mature at their own pace and it's completely normal . Still..."
" Maybe you and Castle should have another one , " Lanie suggested .
" What ? Lanie ,,, " Kate protested .
" All I'm saying , is that marriage and motherhood look good on you , Kate , and you can't deny the fact that you two make beautiful babies . "
Taken aback , Kate replied , " Yeah ? Well maybe it would look good on you , too , if you'd give it a chance . "
" Girl , please ….. "
" No. I'm serious . You and Javi have been doing the same song and dance that Castle and I did for years . You do remember that , right ? I mean , you and the boys were our biggest cheerleaders . "
" Well , that was because it was so obvious . "
" And it isn't obvious to you now ? You're right . Rick and I love each other as much as we ever have and I've never been happier than I am right now . And we love Monty beyond life itself .. The only reason I'm bringing this up right now is because we love you both so much . We want you to have this joy and happiness for yourselves because there is nothing that can compare to this . Stop dancing around this issue and just do it , man ! Make that commitment , get married , make babies because I promise you that there is no greater joy . "
Castle's laughter brought their attention to the living room . As their gazes met across the room , he smiled and winked at her . Kate blushed and returned his gesture .
Lanie watched the affectionate exchange between Castle and Beckett and then her gaze wandered to Javi . Maybe Kate was right , but she still wasn't quite convinced that she and Javi had the same thing.
Kate placed her hand on Lanie's arm . " You , above all people know how fragile life can be. In fact , I remember a similar conversation we had in the morgue a few years ago. Do you remember ? "
" Yes, I do . I reminded you of that fact before you and Castle got together . "
" Exactly ! And you know that there are no guarantees in life Life isn't perfect and neither is marriage . Both are hard . Life is full of it's joys and triumphs , and it's ups and downs . At least , in marriage , you have someone to lean on , who will love and support you through the disappointments , and you don't have to go through it alone . It isn't rocket science , Lanie . It's not hard when you're in it with the right person .
" So , you think Javi and I should … ? But we like things the way they are between us .."
" Are you sure about that ? You and Javi love each other . All I'm saying is don't be so blinded and fearful of taking it to the next level that you miss the opportunity altogether , like we nearly did . "
" Girl , please. That was different ."
" No , it's not and you know it's not . It's the exact same thing . Just promise me that you'll think about what I've said , that's all I'm asking . Just don't wait too long."
"Why are you pushing this , Kate ? The occasional booty call works well for us . What's really up ?'
" Nothing . I just don't want you to look back on your life and wonder ' if only '. And if that ' booty ' call is so great , why not make it permanent ?"
As they joined the others in the living room , Kate stood behind Rick and loosely wound her arms around his neck . She leaned down and whispered , " Love you , " softly in his ear .
Monty had scrambled from her dad's lap to Rick's a few moments earlier and Rick had to crane his neck to look up at her .
Raising his free hand , he cupped the back of her neck and pulled her down to place a lingering kiss on her lips. " Love you , too ," he murmured against her lips.
Castle looked back at Monty . "Hey, buddy. I never heard you tell Uncle Javier and Aunt Lanie thank- you for your presents ."
Monty scrambled out of Castle's lap and approached Lanie to say his thank - you. Lanie leaned toward him and hugged him tightly . "You're very welcome , doodle bug . Love you . "
" Love you , too , Aunt Lanie. "
Javi exchanged high- fives with Monty and said , "You're welcome , little man." At the last moment , Monty threw his little arms around his neck , catching the hard core military man off guard .
Clearly surprised , and unsure what to do , he returned Monty's hug and Kate noticed how his features softened . Good job , baby . Hard core military man , my ass ! Whether you know it or not , you need this. You deserve this . she thought .
Monty sat in the floor to play with his new toys , giving Rick the opportunity to give Lanie and Javier their gifts.
Standing , he crossed to them and reached into his breast pocket , bringing out the envelopes containing their Christmas cards. He glanced to Kate who nodded her approval .
" Guys , Kate and I want you to have this as a token of our love and appreciation . We didn't know what to get you guys , so we thought this would be the better option."
Two years ago , they had started a new family tradition . Beginning in January , Kate would take her monthly salary plus whatever bonuses that she had accrued and deposit it into a money market account , and it drew interest monthly . Castle would match her monthly deposits and they would donate what was in the account , minus a few dollars to keep the account active , to local charities . Whatever amount of money was in the account by the tenth of December , was divided up equally and donated to Mount Sinai Children's Hospital , the N. Y. P. D. 's Orphan and Widow Fund , the Manhattan Homeless Shelter , The Shelter for Domestic Violence , not to mention The Soup Kitchen in the Bowery , area toy charities and food banks , and a fund for young writers that the wife of one of Rick's writer friends had started
Lanie's voice brought her out of her reverie.
" What the hell ? "
" Whoa ! Bro , are you certain about this ? "
" Absolutely certain , " Castle replied . He looked to Kate , who smiled and nodded her approval .
Lanie looked to Kate and Kate had smiled and replied , "Absolutely ! "
" Wow ! Thanks , guys . This is unexpected and impressive , " Lanie said
Martha rose and went to the Steinway and began playing Christmas carols and after a few minutes , the rest of them joined her.
After a while , Kate noticed that Monty was getting sleepy .
" C'mon , munchkin . It's way past your bedtime . Give everyone a goodnight kiss and let's get you to bed , " she said , taking Monty by the hand.
As Monty was making his rounds of goodnights and hugs , Rick joined her . It was nightly ritual that they put Monty to bed together.
" Excuse us for a few minutes while we put Monty down for bed . We won't be but a few minutes , " Castle explained.
As they rejoined the party , they found everyone at the windows looking out at the falling snow.
The snow had already drifted up to the steps of the building and the street below was covered in white.
" Wow ! I think we need to cut this party short and head back to my place , Javi , It looks like a winter wonderland out there now . If we don't leave now , we may not make it home ." Lanie stated.
" I think you may be right ." Javi agreed .
Alexis approached Rick and Kate . " Kate , I'm worried about Jim trying to get home in all of this. He's supposed to be here with us tomorrow , anyway , and if he leaves now , he may not be able to come back . Do you think we can talk him into staying the night in the upstairs guest room ? If he doesn't feel comfortable there , I could bunk with Gram and he could take my room.. "
" That is so sweet , Alexis . He probably won't cave , but I'm worried about him getting home , too. But , who knows , we'll give it our best shot . Thank- you , Alexis . "
" i'm just worried that the roads are so bad . What if he got into an accident on the way home or slipped on the ice and broke a hip or something ? He's family now . "
Javi and Lanie started toward the hall closet to get their coats.
Kate and Rick escorted them to the door and as they were turning to leave , Kate hugged Lanie and whispered , " Just think about what we talked about , okay? "
" I'll think about it , but I won't make any promises beyond that ."
" That's all I'm asking for . Call me when you get home so we'll know that you guys made it home safely . "
' Mmm hmm . Merry Christmas ! "
" You, too . Be safe . "
As soon as the door closed behind Javi and Lanie , they turned to go back to the living room , Jim rubbed his hands together and announced . " You know , I should really get going , too. It's really getting nasty out there . "
" Yeah , it is . You know , dad , we have a guest bedroom upstairs complete with it's own adjoining bath . I stayed up there once several years ago and it's really comfortable . "
" Yeah . We keep the drawer in the bathroom stocked with new toothbrushes and hygiene products . No one has used the guest room in a while , but if you stay , I can put fresh linens on the bed and clean towels out . And if you don't feel comfortable there , I can always bunk with Gram and you could take my room . My bed is super comfortable . " , Alexis stated as she moved across the room to join them.
Jim brought his hand up to lightly caress the side of her face .
" That's so sweet . You'd do that for me ? "
" Of course . You're family . " Alexis replied , smiling warmly .
" You're a remarkable young woman , Alexis and that's so sweet and I'm deeply touched . You consider me as family . I'm honored . "
" You are family , " Alexis responded .
Alexis is such a lovely young woman . Rick had almost raised her by himself , which couldn't have been easy . He both admired and commiserated with him . He knew how difficult that could be .
" Dad ? " Kate asked , bringing him out of his reverie.
" I wouldn't want to be a bother ."
" What ? How the hell could you be a bother ? Dad, you were going to come back in the morning to spend the day with us , anyway …"
" You're never a bother , Jim . You're always welcome here and that guest room is always open for you . We want you here . "
" We love you , dad . We want you here all the time. You have a very precocious , energetic , rambunctious three year old grandson , who loves his grandpa very much and he's going to come bounding in here at the crack of dawn to open his presents and he'll want you to be here . You don't want to disappoint him , do you ? "
" Okay , you've convinced me , but I don't want to take Alexis's room from her . I really appreciate the offer , but I'm sure the guest room will be fine. "
" Great ! Thanks , dad ! I'll have Rick bring you a pair of pajamas up . " Kate said , leaning in to kiss his cheek .
Alexis threaded her arm through Jim's . " Come , Jim . I'll show you to the guest room . I think you'll be very comfortable up here . And if you're not too tired , we have an excellent library up there with every genre of books and movies you can choose from , " Alexis told him as she led him to the stairs.
" Good Night , " Kate and Rick called after them.
After everyone had gone upstairs to bed , Rick and Kate had gone about the task of filling everyone's stockings.
With that behind them , Rick had gone upstairs to take Jim a clean pair of pajamas and make sure that he was comfortable.
Kate had lowered the lights so that they could both relax and enjoy the lights from the tree before they brought out more gifts for the family that they had hidden from them to put under the tree.
She went into the bedroom and fished one of Rick's gifts from it's hiding spot and placed it on the bed .
Returning to the living room , she noticed that some ornaments from the lower branches had come off during the process of distributing gifts earlier and were now lying on the floor and some of the remaining gifts were askew.
Rick was still upstairs with her dad , though she couldn't imagine it taking him this long. He had been up there for a while now . Oh , well . They were probably discussing the football games that would dominate television tomorrow.
She crossed the room to rearrange the gifts that were askew under the tree and replace the misplaced ornaments.
She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't realized that Rick had returned .
Kate stepped back to check her handiwork , and had stepped backwards right into his arms.
As he wrapped his arms around her , she smiled , once she recovered from being startled.
" Alone at last ", he whispered in her ear.
Turning in his arms , she laughed as she took in his appearance .
There he stood , still wearing the white shirt he'd worn earlier , but he had added a Santa hat , red, suspendered pants trimmed in white faux fur and a white beard. And he was holding a sprig of silk mistletoe from the Christmas arrangement on the end table .
" So , what are you now ? My own personal Santa ? "
" If the shoe fits . Is it working ? " he teased .
" You know , it might if you can fulfil one of my Christmas wishes , but that would involve using some Christmas magic ."
" Really ? That sounds intriguing . What would one of those wishes be ? I just might be up to doing some Christmas magic.. "
Smiling up at him , she answered , " Just this . " She leaned in to kiss him..
" Challenge accepted , " he replied.
He returned the kiss and then leaned slightly away from her .
" Well , how'd I do ? "
She appeared thoughtful for a moment before smiling back at him . " Mmm , I'm not sure , but I think it could use some more work . "
" That I can do. I like doing this kind of magic. "
" Me, too. Now , shut up and get busy , Santa " she teased .
He lowered his head and kissed her . " Merry Christmas , honey ."
" Merry Christmas ! " Kate replied , kissing him again .
" N-o-o-o ! Bad Santa ! Santa not 'pose to kiss my mommy ! Daddy get mad ! Mommy only kiss daddy , Monty , and grandpa . " Monty exclaimed as he barreled into the room , plowing into both of them .
Surprised, Kate slightly leaned away , but not before sliding her fingers down Rick's chest and curled them beneath one of the suspenders of his Santa pants . She pulled out on the suspender and quickly released it , causing it to pop against his chest.
" Oww ! " he exclaimed , rubbing his chest .
Kate knelt beside Monty . " It's okay , munchkin . This is just daddy playing a trick on Mommy . See? "
" Daddy ? "
Rick pulled the fake beard and Santa hat off and knelt down beside them .
" Yeah , buddy , it's me , see? It's like mommy said . I was playing a trick on her . The real Santa hasn't come , yet. "
" Munchkin, what are you doing out of bed ? "
' There's a big green mean monster under my bed. "
Kate looked up at Rick giving him a dubious look . "Seriously ? What are you letting him watch on tv and Youtube ? "
" Nothing ! It's a childhood thing . "
" Uh huh . Okay , well , Mommy is sure that you must have had a bad dream . Santa is probably on his way and you aren't asleep , yet . So, let's go with daddy to make sure that there are no monsters and get you back into bed so that the real Santa can come. "
Taking him by the hand , they led Monty back to bed .
After Rick had checked and cleared the room of all monsters , they both stayed with Monty to assure him that all was well and they would never , ever let anyone or anything hurt him .
It had taken Kate crawling onto his bed and cuddling him close and his dad making up a hilarious story of Santa's elves and Rudolph to calm Monty's fears .
Now that he was fast asleep they could quietly slip from the room . Rick leaned across Kate and pressed a light kiss to his son's head.
Kate gently kissed the boy's cheek and whispered , " Love you , munchkin ", and eased herself off the bed .
They stood near the bed watching Monty sleep for a few minutes .
" Gotta hand it to him . He has quite the imagination . "
Kate tried to stifle her laughter . " Yeah . Just like his dad,"
" Hey, don't mock . Maybe he'll grow up to be a writer . "
" I don't know , babe . Even you have to admit that he was pretty handy with my cuffs earlier . Maybe he'll become a cop. "
" Yeah . That , too . Either way , I don't think I'll be disappointed . "
" Me , either . He is pretty great the way he is and whatever he decides to become I'll support . I could never be disappointed in him . "
" Yeah , me , too . "
" He's a great kid and I'm so proud of him ."
" He's the best part of both of us , wouldn't you agree ? "
" Yes , I do . I'm just so thankful for him . "
" Yeah , me, too . I think he's asleep now and we have some private celebrating to do. C'mon , " he replied tugging on her hand .
Oh , Castle . You have no idea.
It had to be jewelry by the size of the present , Kate thought .
" Go ahead , honey . Open it . "
" Okay , " she agreed . " Here goes . "
Sliding her finger beneath the taped edges , she carefully unwrapped the silver foil paper . " Cartier " , she said and then lifted the lid on the box to reveal an elegant diamond pendant with matching drop earrings.
" It's beautiful ! Exquisite ! Thank -you , Babe. I love it . I left yours on our bed . ", she said , leaning in to give him a quick kiss .
" On our bed ? Not under the tree ? "
" Yeah , well I meant to bring it in here , but … "
' I'll go and get it. Be right back , " he said , rising from the couch.
A few minutes later , he returned to the living room wearing that dopey grin that she loved so much.
" I knew that you went to Frederick's Of Hollywood ! I love it when you shop for my gifts there ! You're going to wear it for me tonight , aren't you ? "
" Am I really so predicitable when it comes to giving you gifts ? "
" No . That was a lucky , hopeful guess . I love your gifts. You always give the most thoughtful meaningful gifts . "
" Well , I'm glad you feel that way and I hope you'll still feel that way when you open this one , " she said , handing him another gift .
" You want me to open another one tonight ? "
" Mm hmmm This one is more personal , ' she replied .
Taking the gift from her fingers , he examined it closely , shaking it . " You got me a pen set , " he guessed.
Smiling , she shook her head . " Nope. It's bigger than that . Open it . "
He unwrapped the gift and lifted the lid , revealing a stick that read positive .
" You're pregnant again ? "
" Well, it's still unconfirmed by the doctor , but that's the third one I've taken this week and they've all read positive."
He was surprised , to say the least , but he remained speechless and she began to worry .
" Look , I know that we agreed to wait another year before having another one . In September when you went on that two month book tour , Alexis was having exams , your mom was unavailable to help with Monty . "
" I remember . You had to put Monty in day care to work . He got sick with a cold and then you took it , too . I came home two days early to surprise you . "
" Yes . I was so happy to see you and I had missed you so much . "
" Knowing that you and Monty was so sick and needed me here nearly killed me . So , when I came in that night , we got so caught in the moment and forgot to use protection ."
" Yes . I hoped you would be happy about this . "
" Oh , honey , I'm ecstatic ! How can I not be ? " he asked , pulling her into his embrace . Sliding his fingers down the side of her face , he tucked two fingers under her chin and raising her head up , he leaned down and kissed her .
" It's like I said , you give the most meaningful gifts . Gifts that money can't buy. Katherine Houghton Beckett Castle , I love you so much ! "
" Love you , too . "
" This time , I hope it's a girl who looks exactly like her beautiful mother . But I'll love either one . "
" Me , too. Merry Christmas , Babe ! "
" Merry Christmas ! "
A / N I never thought this would be this long . I must learn how to write and publish shorter stories. I hope I haven't bored you all to death and this is not too sappy . All thoughts are appreciated . This will probably be a day or two after Christmas due to it's length and again , I apologize . Hope that you've all had a Merry Christmas and warmest wishes for a joyous , prosperous , Happy New Year!