A Wonderful Life
Post 8x22. AU. Katherine Beckett's belief of the magic and wonderment that Christmas brought, had died when she'd lost her mother, nevertheless, Castle was determined to make sure they had new traditions and it was trough her children that Kate believed again. . Set in the same universe as my other Castle stories.
Hi guys! So I just rewatched ep 5x09 and I so needed to write a story in which Kate's kids make Christmas so worth for her as much as Alexis's made Rick's. Using all the kiddies in my other stories. You don't really have to read them all to understand as this could be a stand alone.
I own nothing. Except for my mistakes.
Chapter one: The Mall
She came home late. It was the day before Christmas Eve and she had finally managed to book a few days away from the office.
As she walked inside, the smell of pine and the dim light of decorations filled her senses. It was just as it had been on her first Christmas with Rick. Only now she found a whole new meaning to it. A meaning to it her children had made her discover.
Speaking of children, the house was quiet so Castle had somehow managed to get all the brood to bed. Thank goodness.
She was met instead by Wash, the family dog, the old bud was still as happy as the day the family had adopted him. "Hey buddy." She patted the dog behind the ear and moved trough the house. The kitchen island wasn't as clean as she'd hope. It was grilled chesse sandwich night. She sighed as she spotted too many dirty dishes in the sink. "What do you think you are doing?" Rick's baritone voice echoed in her head, she turned around to see him, a baby monitor in one hand and a sippy cup in the other. "I was just about to get to that but..."
"Rough night?" Rick smiled. She had to give it to him. He was home the most, caring for the kids and writing as much as he could. He'd done it with Alexis and now thieir kids, he could be a nine year old on a sugar rush sometimes, but he could also be the most patient, caring partner she could ask for.
"Yeah, I think he might be theething." Rick said as he opened the fridge.
"Joey did have the same problem when he was about that age." she commented as he held on a teething ring.
Every child was different and by now they knew it all too well.
"Let's hope it goes by as fast as his did," Rick put in. "And speaking of going, would you mind taking it to him? I'll finish here."
Kate smiled. "Sure." She leaned to kiss him softly. She heard Wash's steps behind her as she moved to the room next to the stairs.
She had a stop to make before going upstairs. She took a peek at the door. Light was on.
Kyan. He was inmmersed looking at his Tablet as she came into the room. "Hey bud, thought lights were meant to be off a while ago."
"Dad said I could have about ten more minutes." He didn't look up her first. "It's late."
"It is, that's why I thought you should be in bed already." She said with a smile as she picked up some clothes from the ground. "We have to go to the mall tomorrow, remember?"
"Alexis said she'd come." He told her, his tablet still his main focus. "Baby stuff to buy." "Baby's being loud. Dad asked for my help cause he said Nate was crying too much, I made lunch."
"Yeah, he's probably getting his first tooth, thank you for helping out bud." He made eye contact with her.
There it was, the Castle smile.
"Yeah, I didn't mind." He looked at his watch. "Can I have five more minutes?" Kate remained quiet. She had to go check on Nate, but Castle hadn't come to find her yet.
"Lights out bud," He came behind her. "I thought you had gone upstairs,"He told her.
"Can I have five more minutes?" Castle looked at Kate.
"No, sorry dude, you said ten, I gave you ten last time."
"I just said five more," Kyan and his logic. "Please?" He was using the mom card.
"No bud, dad's said that's enough, then we have to listen to him, right?"
"I guess, Jake doesn't though." He said shrugging. Kate shot Castle a look.
"Well, you are not Jake." She told him. She took the tablet away and put in on the bedside table. "And we all have to get a good night's rest to go to the mall tomorrow."
"Fine." He gave up, not too happy, but still he knew he could get in a lot of trouble.
Her son was a teengager now. 18 years old and a sophmore in High School, even if he was a year behind his demographic, he had defied all expectations and stereotypes by dealing with Cerebral Palsy and being on the Spectrum. He was now taller than Rick and had messy brown hair and blue eyes, still wore his Batman Pj's though.
"Wash," Kate instructed. the dog, who was now 8 years old laid down by the side of the bed. He would jump into the bed soon enough though.
She and Castle said their goodnights and headed upstairs. Nate was thankfully asleep inside his crib, Kate placed the ring on the bedside table, Castle had stayed behind to check on the boys and Lily.
"All is in order at the front." He told her a minute later. "Thank goodness."
"Here too." She moved to the bedroom, her nightly routine was needed for sure.
She was a mother of six and a grandmother too.
A grandmother."Ky said Alexis is comming tomorrow, I thought they were leaving for Boston to spend time with Scott's parents."
"No, they decided to make plans last minute, so she called me and said to count them in ." He clearly sounded happy, the prospect of Alexis not spending Christmas with them was something he dreaded. "It's going to be so much fun!"
Kate sighed, she was exhausted. She came out of the bathroom to find Castle typing. "Am I going to have to take it away too?" She told him.
"You almost didn't." He told her. "I saw it in your eyes."
She laughed, "He's getting better at it."
He's wiser, older."Castle said, still looking at his computer. "One day he's going to outsmart us, then we'll really be in trouble."
Kate slipped into bed next to him. She began to kiss his cheek. wouldn't look away still. "How was work?" He asked.
"Long, I'm so grateful to be home. The place was deserted. Just me and Barry against the world."
He turned to look at her.
It was working.
She began to kiss him more deeeply. "We should sleep, we have a hectic day ahead of us."she growled. "Or not."
Making out didn't last too long as a loud cry sounded off.
It's okay baby, Mommy's here." She picked Nate up. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts." She pressed him to her chest and grabbed the ring."Shh..She paced around with the baby for a minute. "What?"
"Nothing." He said adoringly. It was funny how far she'd come now. How natural being a mother came to her. She sat down again. Nate in her arms, his blue eyes sparkling as he held on to the toy. He was quiet now.
It would be a disaster if he was to wake his brothers.
"So, you finally let Barry go home? Poor kid, you work him too much."
"What?! I do not." Bless Barry and his poor asistant heart. "How is writing coming along?"
"Its not. I might need to widen my horizons..." He sounded utterly disappointed. It wasn't like they needed money or anything but she had only just gone back to work recently and he stayed home. Lily and the boys were in school half day so that only left him with Nate for most of the day, but seeing it was the Holidays.
"You should ask your mom to come and help you."
"Yes, I know. If it were for her, she'd be back living with us."Kate smiled, it had been quite a while since Martha had moved out. But she'd be of great help to Rick so he could focus writing.
"Maybe she should, for a while at least or in some level."
"Ok, I will talk to her."
The next day she woke up late. Rick had let her rest. The sound of clashing dishes and laughter filled her ears.
"Mommy! It was Lily. She hugged her, a huge smile spreading on her face. "Daddy is making pancakes!"
Ah, Rick's famous chocolate chip pancakes. She loved mornings. Specially the ones she got to enjoy her kids.
"Yes, and everyone helped in setting up the table." Rick smiled. She eyed her children, Her triple threat was glued to cartoons, all of them wearing different versions of the same NYPD shirt and black PJ pants. Nate held on to his small chewing toy in his high chair and Lily helped Castle with the batter. Kyan was making a list on her request on where they were going for the rest of the day.
She kissed each child hello, including Kyan who had almost finished his list and informed her even though it was winter he had earned an ice cream cone. "It's almost time to turn the TV off, okay?" Kate told the triplets as she brushed up their litte heads.
Kate moved to her husband's side behind the stove. "Thank you for letting me sleep in, I really needed it."
"Of course." He smiled softly as he kissed her. "You're gonna need your strength."
When you had these many little feet you had to keep them in check. "Come on kiddos, breakfast is ready."Castle said after a moment. Kyan and Lily took their respective place at the table as Castle pushed Nate's high chair between him and Beckett. He wasn't done yet. She watched as he grabbed the remote and paused the show the kiddies were watching. There was a unison groan.
"Daddy!" Jake mused. "Show's not over..."
"You come have breakfast and once you are done you can watch it." He said softly, "I''ll pause it so you don't miss anything."
"No, wanna watch it. Now." Jake pouted. Joey and Reece turned to look at Castle, they waited.
"Boys, come here for a second." Kate called the other two. Quick on their feet they moved
away. "Jake.." They didn't want to get in trouble.
"But..." Jake was her ever trouble maker, a copy of his father personality wise. And he was the one who always drove his brothers into follwing his lead. He was defiant and sassy.
"Santa won't bring you any presents Jake..." Lily said. "You're not being good."
"I am!" He said. "This is the best part!" He told Castle. "Please?"
"Jake, come over and sit down,"Kate said. "Daddy's made your favorite. Breakfast and then cartoons, okay?"
"No fair," He said, staying put. "Don't wanna eat."
"He's not getting ice cream, that's for sure." Kyan whispered. Kate smiled. She could see Castle was trying his best not to play the mad card, specially not this close to Christmas.
"Here babe, would you help me with this?" She told him softly. She held on to Nate's small mashed up baby food. "I got it."
Castle nodded. It was clear he wasn't going to win this. Not today anyway.
"Mommy... but..."
"Come on buddy, we made a deal last time remember?" The little boy nodded, biting his lip. "We said we were going to try and do better, right?" Jake was a good boy, he was smart and sweet, a leader for sure, but out of all of her kids, he was the hardest one. Even Kyan she had better control over. God bless her boys, and Ryan and Espo, they had given her the training she needed to deal with this.
"Will I still get presents?" He asked. "Santa is coming, right?"
"He is, but you know what? She said softly. "I think you need to apologize to daddy because he made an awesome breakfast, and he did it all for you." Jake glanced at Castle.
He stood up, moved his little feet over the table and hugged his dad from the waist. "Sorry."
"It's alright buddy, I just think it's nicer when we are all together, right?" Jake nodded as Castle kissed his forehead and sat him on his lap. "Now, who's ready for some syrup?"
Martha arrived just in time. She and Rick weren't dressed yet as they got to the kids first. "Hello dears."
"Mother." Rick said with a smile. "So glad you are here."
"How are you not dressed? I thought you told me to meet you here."
"Well, we did. Just had a small delay...syrup incident" He told her. Martha smiled.
"I see."
"Martha." Kate came into the hall with Nate in her arms, all dressed up for their special day out.
"Hello, well would you look at that." She gushed over the small baby's adorable onsie. "I asume everyone is ready, except for Richard of course."
"Almost." Kate smiled. "Babe, why don't you go and get ready, Alexis is meeting us there, isn't she?"
"Yes." Martha answered. "Go along Richard, we don't have all day," He rolled his eyes at her but headed upstairs to get ready, just as he did, the boys and Lily had met up with him, not the regular way as a moment later Castle had all three boys hanging from different parts of his body and Lily trailing along behind him.
Kate smiled as Castle tossed each child to the couch including a giggling Lily. "And my work here is done." They heard him say.
You didn't need to own a car in New York. Not unless you drove five kids around. Castle buckled each child, first Nate and then the triplets in their seats. Lily put on her own seatbelt as so did Kyan. Martha sat in the back with her grandchildren as they drove to the mall. Soon enough Jake had started to act out.
"Boys..." Kate warned. They didn't call them triple threat for nothing. "What's going on?"
"They are hitting each other." Kyan said. "Not safe, really not safe."
"Yes, Ky. You are right." Kate turned around took at her children. Jake wore a blue sweater and green jacket, while Recee had opted for the red sweater and same jacket and joey wore a black matching sweater. "No fighting boys, daddy's driving."
"And grandma is getting a bad headache." Martha mused.
Rick winked at Beckett as he drove.
When they got to the mall, they got to work. The triplets stroller and Nate's unfoulded and Kyan's wheelchair ready to roll.
Thank goodness for Martha. Kyan's expert hands got to work as soon as he got on the wheelchair, straping his crutches to the side. Kate buckled the boys while Castle got Nate.
"We should have a gang name." Castle commented, amused and Kate rolled her eyes at him. "Okay, everyone knows the drill here, no running and always hold on to a grownups hand. Right Jake?" He eyed the boy carefully. "Alright, let's roll."
They met up with Alexis and Scott soon enough. His almost 30 year old daugther smiled as she spotted them. Scott held on to Gracie as he walked.
"So how do we do this?" He asked Alexis.
"We could take Kyan and Lily, we don't have that much shopping to be done anyway." She told him.
"Fine, and while you are at it, take your grandmother too, I think she might go crazy with all the... excitment."
"What's the problem?" Alexis asked amused. "She did handle you."
"Try me times three." He whispered.
"Alexis dear, do you mind if I tag along?" She smiled. It was clear maybe she was a bit hung over. She was usually not this reluctant to deal with the boys.
"Of course not Grams, the more the merrier," Alexis shared a look with Rick."Let's go."
"Can we get ice cream?" Kyan asked as Scott pushed him forward.
"It's too cold for ice cream bud." Scott said.
"Dad says it's never too cold for ice cream." He told him.
"Of course he does." Scott looked at Alexis. She laughed. She held on to Lily's hand as Martha trailed behind them.
"Guess it's just us and the boys huh Castle?" Kate said as they walked along, both pushing a stroller. "Where to first?"
"Whatever the lady decides, what do you say boys?" He smiled. And her boys cheered. It was so good to have mommy home.
Yep. She'd never trade those lonely Christmas nights at work for this.
Castle kids:
Kyan: 18 (From So Are You To Me) He's Meredith and Rick's second child. He has special needs.
Lily: 7 (Canon)
Jake, Reece and Joey: 3 ( From On the count of three?) Kate and Rick's triplets. JJ Is the only one you might not recognize.
Nate: 6 months. (From Time Of Our Lives) He's the little surprise baby no one saw comming.
Sorry for the long note.