The Gift

Disclaimer: I still don't own it, and they're way more evil than me

AN: Set around Christmas 2014. No spoilers, but speculates that Castle & Beckett have married by that point.

For CB because she makes the words sound right. And for Ariane, aka seeker15 for her birthday.

Kate has already warned him that Ryan might not like this, that he and Jenny will say that it is too much. But he is doing it anyway. For them, for Sarah Grace, and really he's doing it for himself. They've always been family and he'd set this up like a year ago, without a second thought, right after his little adopted niece was born. It was intended to be a first birthday gift, but since he caught wind of what Ryan was going through, well, he'd had to break down and tell his wife about what was now his Christmas gift to the Ryans.

It had resulted in a slightly uncomfortable conversation with Kate, but he generally had thought about it at the time as something she needed to know. It was the sort of shifting he did without a second thought for most of his life, but now they were married, and yes okay even though they weren't when he started this, he should have mentioned it. Not she was upset with him, actually she loved it – she just wasn't sure how the younger man would take the idea.

Her fingers skim along his shoulder as he fiddles with the envelope in his hands. "People are starting to miss you out there," she says into his ear.

"I know, Kate, and I'm coming. I just need to figure out how I am going to do this."

He leans back in his office chair and sighs. He knows how he has to do this, the thing he might have to say to explain how much this means to him, but his wife doesn't. She probably should, but he isn't sure he can get the words out more than once. No, it's the timing of the thing that he's stressing over right now.

"Does it have to be tonight?" Kate asks, and he smiles because they are doing that mind reading thing more than ever these days and he loves it.

"The sooner the better, don't you think? I mean the point of the whole thing is to -"

"Mmm, yeah I can see that. Well, we'll just sit them down and chat, then. Just do it. Your mother and Alexis are too wrapped up in playing hostess to their friends. Lanie and Espo are off finding mistletoe or something, and no one else will notice.

He makes a face at the thought of he Detective and the ME sneaking around the party and doing...things.

Kate laughs. "You'll get over it. We can steal their hiding place later. Now, come play Santa Castle."

A laugh breaks out of him at that. "Santa Castle?"

She grins at him. "Perfect role for you," she says, offering him a hand up.

"You questioning my level of personal fitness, Beckett?" he asks as he follows her out, crowding in close as she leads him back to the party.

"If I did, would you offer a demonstration to the contrary?" his wife murmurs back.

"Believe it."

They find the Ryans sitting together, watching while Alexis, apparently taking a break from being the social butterfly with her grandmother, entertains Sarah Grace. They seat themselves next to the couple, and Castle thanks whatever force decided to make it easy on him to at least get them alone.

"Hey, guys," Ryan says. "Fantastic party."

"The decorations are lovely," Jenny adds.

Kate smiles. "That's mostly Rick," she says, and he wonders if she slipped into using his first name for the other woman's benefit. "He has a flair for Christmas," she adds.

Castle shrugs, glancing around the loft. "Oh, that's not entirely true. I mean, the flair yes. I go for big and bright - no surprise. But Kate definitely has an eye for the subtleties. It's never been better or more fun, and mostly because of her."

He can see the blush on Kate's cheeks before she ducks her head down. But her hair is shorter now, doesn't quite hide her smile like she means for it to. Good, because he means it. His wife's influence makes everything better, and not just recently, either. She should know that, he thinks. He'll have to get in the habit of saying that more often.

"You guys make the cutest newlyweds," Ryan teases.

"That's not true," Kate fires back, apparently having recovered herself. "we're at least tied with you guys, and you're going on your third anniversary."

Jenny laughs even harder than her husband, but Castle notices that neither of them deny it.

"So, guys. We uh, wanted to talk to you," Castle starts, taking a deep breath as he tries to find a way to begin.

Kate squeezes his hand, then cuts in, "We have a Christmas present for you," she says, clear and direct, and so very Kate Beckett that he doesn't think he's ever been more grateful for her. She may not be certain of how this is going to turn out, but she's backing him up the whole way. God, he loves her. Even more for the simple moments like these.

"We do," he agrees simply, handing over the envelope without fanfare. This is not that kind of gift.

"Hey, come on you didn't have to do that, we did the thing at the station already," Ryan says, but he's looking at the envelope with curiosity.

He doesn't have words. He's a damn writer, but his mother is right, he never seems to have the right words when it matters. Later, he has something to say for later, when the real fight might come, but he's not really planned for the small talk, the pleasantries side of things. He has no game tonight.

It's Kate who intervenes again, reaching out to catch Ryan's wrist. "Something special. Just...open it," she says, and her voice is gentle, coaxing.

Ryan looks skeptically at both of them, and then over at Jenny, who shrugs. So he opens it and stares at the paper in his hands. "I, guys this is - no. I can't, we can't..."

The paper goes slack in his hands and he gives it up to Jenny when she reaches for it, even as Castle starts to gather his words.

"Ryan, listen -"

Jenny cuts him off. "This is a 529, that's a college fund."

Kate nods. "For Sarah Grace," she confirms the obvious conclusion for them.

"Guys, Rick, listen we appreciate the thought and all, but -"

Castle puts up a hand for quiet. "I know, I get where you're coming from. You're her father. I get that, trust me." He slides his eyes meaningfully over to where both of their daughters play. "I know you think this is just me throwing money around, but I'm a father too." He takes a deep breath. "I know you feel like it's your job to do it all for her and it will be. But there is so much more coming than just this, than money. She needs you. You. And you work crazy hours as it is. Let this one thing be taken off of your plate."

He can see the struggle of it on Ryan's face. But still the man is shaking his head. So he decides that he has to go for broke. "Kevin, look at me," when the younger man does, he goes on, "you pulled my wife off of a damned roof, do you understand? Before we had a chance to be anything, she could have died. And there are nights to this day where I wake up, and she's not there. In the bathroom, something. But she's not there, and for a minute I expect to be back at that night with you guys at my door and -"

"Rick," Kate cuts in, and she sounds wrecked. He swallows, reaching for her so that she'll let him finish, let him get it out. "I have my family because of you. I have this life because of you. And there is nothing, no amount of money or anything else that I could give you that would ever, ever repay you for that. And you keep doing it every day, a fact which I know because I am there with you guys. It will never be enough."

Ryan stares back at him. "I just did what I could. Anyone would," He objects. "We're like family. All of us."

Castle nods. "Exactly. And this? This I can do. It might not be the same, but you have given me time with the person I love most so the least I can do is return the favor. A few extra Sunday dinners and afternoons in the park with your family. From one father to another. It's what I can do, for family."

There is a long moment where Castle swears they are all on the brink of tears. Jenny for sure is sniffling, and he is fairly sure Kate too. He knows that the truth in his words must have struck deep, but it was important. Important for them all to understand. And now that it's been said, he waits.

And then Ryan nods once, holds out his hand to shake. "Thanks, Rick. Both of you," he says, sliding his eyes to Kate.

She reaches out to hug them both, starting with a slightly stunned Jenny. Castle slips her arm around his wife's waist and follows suit, turning it into a slightly awkward group hug. "No thanks necessary. Ever."

Ryan shrugs. "Then Merry Christmas," he offers.

There is a chorus of agreement, and then Kate leans in to murmur in his ear, "Santa Castle."