Castle and Beckett sat bickering quietly on the plane.
"Castle, that's the most ridiculous theory-"
"Yes but it'd make a good story. Your idea is so boring" he whined
"How many times do I have to tell you that it's murder not one of your books?"
"A mi-"
"I'm so sorry to interrupt but I really have to go to the bathroom" interrupted a young woman holding a fussing infant.
The two turned to the young woman and took in her appearance.
The young woman had dark brown hair that was clumped in straggled strands. Her chardonnay brown eyes were shadowed by deep bruised circular bags. Her rumpled clothing and the irate child in her arms made her appearance all the more exhausting to her observers.
"If I could just squeeze by…" she said with an apologetic face.
Beckett smacked Castle upside the head, "Castle move!"
"Oh no, you don't have to do that! Don't get up on my account" the young woman exclaimed.
Despite her protests the two bickering colleagues exited their seats.
"Nonsense, It would be our pleasure Madame," Castle flattered with a slight bow in the young woman's direction and who blushed in embarrassment and pleasure.
Beckett rolled her eyes and turned toward the young mother, "Do you want me to hold her until you get back?" she questioned and gestured towards the angry infant.
"Oh would you?" the young woman asked slightly flustered by such a considerate offer. Beckett just nodded and gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Oh thank you so much." the woman gushed in relief and handed the fusing child to Beckett as she moved out of the isle, "I promise to come right back and not run off" she joked tiredly.
The two sat back down in their seats and Beckett tickled the fussy child trying to elicit a smile but the infant girl was having none of it. Castle chuckled as Beckett bounced the baby and blew out her cheeks while crossing her eyes. The baby giggled and cooed in delight forgetting its fussy mood. The baby girl settled quickly after that, no longer fussing and quickly drifted into a light sleep.
As Beckett rocked the child Castle chuckled again.
"What?" Beckett glared.
"Nothing. I just never thought that the great Detective Beckett would be good with children."
Beckett glares "I've got a gun Castle."
"What?! It was a compliment"
"I'll have you know. I do very well with children." She said indignantly and gently caressed the child's face.
"Uh oh, is someone's biological clock ticking?" Castle teased
There was no warning for Castle as Beckett's fingers grasped and twisted his ear.
"Ow. Ow. Ow…"
The young woman returned and watched the scene with amusement. "Uh, I'm back."
The detective and pained writer turned to look at the woman sheepishly. The young woman smiled at the couple, she looked slightly more put together and relaxed than when she had left. They smiled back and got up from their seats. The baby girl began to fuss as Beckett moved to hand her back to her mother. A look of panic crossed the young mother's face.
"Would you mind if I held her awhile longer?" Beckett asked seeing the look on the young mother's face.
Relief washed over the young woman's face, "Sure. She really seems to like you. I'm sorry if she was keeping you up earlier." She said referring to her daughter's earlier vocal discontent. "She's not normally so disagreeable." The young mother rubbed her tired eyes, "It's just we've been going for twelve hours straight, changing from plane to plane and the lay over in-between. It's all starting to wear on her tolerant disposition."
"We understand and we didn't really notice." Beckett soothed. The baby snorted, a sound similar to a snore, in content and the three adults laughed.
"Thank you, she hasn't slept since we started this trip" she said, the exhaustion clear in her voice.
"We'd be willing to watch her so you can catch a few moments of shut eye." Castle offered.
The young mother smiled, "That's really sweet of you to offer but unfortunately for me, I don't seem to have the ability to sleep on planes" she sighed.
Once they were sure that the infant wasn't liable to wake up Beckett handed her back and the young mother who put the her in back in her carrier.
The plane landed and they exited. Castle went to grab their bags off the luggage carousel and Beckett was left standing beside the young woman.
"Thank you again" said the young woman "You and your husband are too kind"
Before Beckett could protest the woman's assumption, the young mother and infant disappeared into the crowd. Beckett turned to find Castle grinning his Cheshire grin.
"Castle" she said sharply in warning…
The End
Heee! I love fluffyness and fluffy flying alligators