"Daddy?"
Castle lifted his head from his pillow, blinking blearily. Looking around, he frowned upon seeing his son standing in the doorway. "Reece? What's wrong, buddy?"
"I'm scawed," the toddler replied, tears streaming down his face. Castle frowned, trying to figure out what could have scared his two year old son into his bedroom, when the night sky lit up with lightning, only to be followed immediately with a crack of thunder. Castle turned from the window when he heard Reece whimpering, the pieces coming together.
Oh, hell. Much like his mother, it appeared that Reece was terrified of thunderstorms. However, Kate was off at 1PP that night, having gotten called in late for an important meeting. She wasn't due home for a while, which meant Castle had the loft to himself…with three rowdy children. After finally getting them to calm down from the sugar rid from their desserts (he wasn't about to admit to Kate that she was right about not giving them gummy bear sundaes. It had also taken a bribe to Alexis to keep her quiet about it, since she wouldn't stop laughing at the twins' antics the whole night) and off to bed, he'd taken the opportunity to go to bed early. But while they were asleep, a thunderstorm had apparently rolled in. Castle gestured to Reece to climb up, which the boy immediately took advantage of, huddling next to his father. Castle wrapped his arms around him, hugging him as another crack of thunder shook the loft.
"Are you scared of the thunder, Reece?" he asked, as he rubbed his son's back. Reece nodded, his tears beginning to stain Castle's shirt. "Did you know Mommy was scared of the thunder, as well?"
"Weawwy?" asked Reece, as he looked up.
Castle nodded. "She was so scared of it, in fact, that she needed some help. See, whenever thunder came to the city, Mommy would run and hide, because it scared her so bad. But one night, Mommy ended up beating thunder with help from Daddy."
"How, Daddy?"
"I became her Thunder Buddy," said Castle solemnly. "Thunder realized that when it came to scaring Mommy, it was easier to do when she was alone. But because Daddy's so awesome and brave, he stood in front of Mommy in his superhero outfit-"
"The one wif da cape, dat you wowe fow Hawwoween?" Reece giggled.
Castle glared at his son in mock annoyance. "I'll have you know, that outfit scared thunder away from Mommy," he said, as he ruffled Reece's hair. "So from then on, whenever thunder came to the city, Mommy would call me up, and we'd meet thunder head on. And it was never able to bother Mommy again."
"Wiw you be my Thundew Buddy, Daddy?" he asked, as he looked up at his father.
Castle shook his head. "Sorry, kiddo. The laws of the Thunder Buddy mean I can only be one person's Thunder Buddy. However, I am allowed to extend them for one person, for one night. So tonight, I'll be your Thunder Buddy. But tomorrow, we need to find you a Thunder Buddy." Castle looked around the bed. "Where's Mr. Quackers?"
"Wif Gwandma and Gwandpa," said Reece sadly.
Castle smiled. "Then tomorrow, we'll get Mr. Quackers from them, and I'll induct him into the sacred brotherhood of Thunder Buddies, okay?"
Reece nodded, and lay down. Castle lay back down as well, and covered them up.
"Daddy?"
Castle cracked an eye open. "Yeah, Reece?"
"Thank you fow being my Thundew Buddy tonight."
Castle smiled, and kissed his son. "Good night, Thunder Buddy."