so I've been rereading my stories and going to do at least two things. One have my fantastic beta go through them and fix the many mistakes and two make little missing scenes because I do miss this series and the relationships I created. Anyways enjoy. This snippet helps explain Nate's age change.

Beckett quietly opened her son's bedroom to peek inside. She was surprised to find Nate in his usual sprawled out position still asleep. She checked the Captain America clock near his bed to make sure she got the time right. It was just past eight in the morning on the boy's birthday and he was still dead to the world. Last year Nate couldn't even wait until the sun came up before he came bursting into their bedroom hooting and hollering at the top of his lungs that he was a big boy since he turned three. Seeing him there sleeping made Beckett wonder if her lack of attention at home was the cause for his lack of excitement. Castle had been so kind to point out on more than one occasion that the case had been the center of her attention. It had been some time since a case sucked her under.

"Still asleep?" Castle asked in a whisper from behind.

"Yeah."

Hearing the strain in his wife's face, he tugged her inside with a gleam in his eye. It was time for a little pay back. Nate's favorite way to wake them up was to run full speed, launching himself on the bed and bounce next to them until he achieved his goal of waking them. Castle looked at Beckett and watched a smile cross her face when she caught on to his plan. Together they flanked the bed and flopped down on the mattress. The force of it was enough to send Nate bouncing up a good foot or two off the bed.

"Wha…" Still half asleep, Nate settled back down on the bed in confusion.

"Wake up sleepy head," Castle chimed in bouncing lightly on the bed.

Beckett started doing the same on the other side, "It's after eight on a Saturday."

Nate rubbed the sleep form his eyes, "It is?"

"Yes," Beckett grinned, "And guess what?"

His small brow furrowed, "What?"

"It's your birthday!" Both parents said in unison.

A bit of excitement crossed his face, but not the proper amount, leaving Beckett with a heavy heart. He hadn't expected her to be here, so it meant that the celebration would be moved to when she did come home. She glanced at her husband and he did his best to reassure her that everything was going well. That this wasn't her fault.

Castle hopped off the bed, "And because it is your birthday, I think that means you can have whatever you want for breakfast?"

Nate sat up in the bed with a curious expression, "Even if I want ice cream?"

"Is it your birthday?" Castle wondered.

"Yeah."

"Then if you want ice cream, then ice cream it is!"

"Cool!"

"Anything else?" Castle was already halfway out the door.

"French toast!" Nate called out and crawled, well more falling than anything, out of the bed since his legs were still tangled in his sheets. He bounced straight back to his feet to beam at his mother, "Are you going to make French toast? Don't tell dad, but you make them so much better than anyone else in the world."

"I do?" Matching his excitement, Beckett rolled out of bed to scoop her son up into her arms. Her son began to ramble, chasing away all her nagging thoughts about how horrible a mother she was. They were still there, in the back of her mind, she just did all she could to focus on the moment.

Castle already had the ingredients out on the counter by the time his wife and son made it down. Nate nearly jumped out of his mother's arms when he spotted his father, "Mommy is going to make them?"

Castle frowned, "Are you implying that I am incapable of making French toast, Nathan Castle?"

The newly turned four year old did his best to school his features, "Umm… no you can. It's… It's…"

"I get it," Castle grumbled placing the skillet he was holding onto the counter. "I'll make some fresh OJ since I'm unworthy to make King Nathan's French toast."

Beckett picked up where her husband left off, while Nate happily climbed onto the stool. "So what do you want to do today?"

Surprise crossed the boy's face, "You don't have to go to work?"

"Nope. Today is your day, and as well as it is within the law, you can do whatever you want to."

"Careful with that, Kate." Martha warned coming down the stairs looking fabulous in her pajamas like always. "He is half Rick you know."

Beckett knew that one very well. Everyday Nate exerted some type of mannerism, trait, saying that was just like his father. It was her greatest hope that, at some point, her son would start to show some of her mannerisms. "That's why I added within the law. If I didn't then Nate would have asked to climb the Statue of Liberty."

"Aww… man," Nate pouted though his eyes twinkled with laughter, "That was on the top of my list of things to do."

"Sorry, mister."

While his grandmother and father were busy, Nate switched seats to be closer to his mother. He didn't want to be overheard. "You're really going to spend the day with me? No work?"

Beckett stopped what she was doing so she could look him in the eyes, "No work." She promised. Grey would not tarnish another special day. "Now, start making your list so we can have some fun."