So this has been sitting in a folder for months now and I thought why not just post it.

I don't own anything in this story, but the caskett kids.

Thanks for reading.

A beep from her cell phone takes Kate out of the book she was currently reading spread out on the couch. Castle had just came back from part one of his two part book tour that afternoon, spending two weeks away, one week in New York then two weeks on the road again, and Beckett took the day off to spend with him. When it was time to pick up the kids, he jumped at the chance. The text from her husband read:

'Warning! This is not a drill. A debate is headed your way. Be ready for it to hit in ten minutes or less.'

For a moment, she considered texting him back wondering what their son and daughter were 'debating' about. She quickly decides against it. Kate knew Castle wouldn't be stupid enough to text and drive let alone with the children in the car, but didn't want to give him a reason to try.

Seven minutes later Beckett could hear muffled voices on the other side of the penthouse suite's front door as a key starts to turn the locks. Within two seconds, a golden brown haired little boy walks in front of an ash brown haired girl. The young boy starts taking off his Transformers backpack as he finishes his sentence that had sure to have started before the door opened.

"They're not real," throwing the backpack by the stairs on the way over to his mother; the eight year old hugs her quickly. Kate glances at her six year old daughter over the boy's shoulder. The girl was planted in place only a few steps from the open door. Her arms were crossed giving her older brother's back a death stare she recognized as a perfect copy of her own.

"Dinosaurs are real. How do you know dragons didn't go exited too?"

"Extinct." Castle corrects her as he closes the front door now standing behind her. Melanie loses her tough mask, unfolds her arms and looks up in awe at her father.

"That's what I meant." Kate bites back a smile at the scene.

"There is no proof that they were ever around." Logan informs his little sister moving away from Beckett. The boy hated hugs, claiming he was too old for them, but knew how much they meant to their mother. Especially after rough days at work so he did it and she was grateful even if they only lasted a moment.

"Well when I grow up I'm going to go explore and find their tassels."

"Fossils." Castle tells her moving into the kitchen where Logan was now climbing up onto one of the island chairs.

"Yeah these." With that, the little girl unglues herself from the stop at the front door and jogs to hug her mother tight. Unlike her brother, Melanie wasn't above hugs, not yet anyways. Kate enjoyed every minute she could.

When the older woman released her, the girl walks over to the island with her Spider-Man backpack still on. Kate follows to stand by her husband behind the island facing their children. Well one of their kids anyways. Melanie always struggles to get up on the tall chairs.

"Honey do you…" Kate starts already knowing what her daughter's answer would be.

"No, I'm fine." Logan just rolls his eyes watching the struggle while their parents stand by ready to catch her if she falls and brings the chair with her. That had happened once before and they would like it to stay at that number.

When she finally got up, she gave herself a big smile that made her dark blue eyes light up. Castle saw the chance to change the subject from dragons, before they started up again, and took it.

"What would you two think about pizza for dinner?" Rick asks and sees them both smile wide.

"Yeah," they both said a little too excited. That got a laugh out of Rick and Kate.

"But just cheese right?" Logan asks and Melanie nods in agreement sitting next to him. The pair were picky eaters, but thankfully the kids liked most of the same things.

"But of course. How could I make you guys suffer by having to pick our toppings off your pizza?" Castle smiles at them as he pulls his cell phone out and walks to the office to call the order in.

Melanie takes her backpack off and starts to place it on the chair next to her when Logan opens his mouth.

"Don't you have something Mom needs to sign?" The little girl's face falls and turns to look at her brother giving him a betrayed look as if he just gave away her favorite stuffed animal.

Kate raises an eyebrow in question at her daughter. Melanie sighs while unzipping her backpack and pulling out a paper.

"It's my turn to be hall monitor next week. You have to sign this saying that it's okay." She tells her mom as she hands over the slip defeated. Beckett starts to read it through when Logan butts in.

"I don't see why you don't want to do it. You love bossing people around and you get to be in charge." He smiles at her trying to get back on her good side, but failing horribly.

"I'm a first grader. No one is gonna listen to me. And I do not boss people around." Her voice changes from hopelessness to being annoyed. The eight year old snorts; he couldn't help himself.

"What about your little group of boys that follow you around everywhere? They do everything you say." Kate smirks at this. Her and Rick had heard countless stories from multiple sources; their kids, other parents and the girl's teacher, that this was how it went. Melanie was crowned ring leader of the little gang almost immediately.

"That's different."

"Sure it is." Logan decides to change tactics. Being nice wasn't going to work so he figured teasing was worth a shot. He knew that his little sister would love this duty if she would just try it. It was so fitting for her.

"I don't ask them to follow me, they just do." She shrugs as if there wasn't a thing in the world that would make them stop even if she wanted them to. Everyone knew the truth was she enjoyed the attention the boys gave her. Something Martha claims comes from the family's acting genes.

"They are my friends so they just listen to me." A little frown appears on her face and she looks down at the table. Logan's brown eyes soften. Apparently that wasn't the right way to go at it.

"You know what? Think of it this way. They are your back-up. They, we, have your back and if anyone bugs you. Just let us know and we will take care of them. No one will mess with you." Logan smiles hoping this gets to her. He looks over at their mother; she was far quieter than she usually would be in this type of situation. Kate stands there with a grin on her face, clearly thinking that the boy is doing a good enough job for her not to step in.

Melanie smiles, but in classic Beckett gene fashion, she can't let anymore think they saw her any other way than tough. "Thanks, but I think I can fight for myself."

"And there you go messing up the moment." Getting a laugh out of his mother and sister, Logan starts to join in.