Kate searched for her keys, buried somewhere in her bag. It was her work bag, but it was such a mess now, being a mom can do that to you. She rummaged through some wipes, pacifiers, snacks, toys… there was so much stuff. Finally, she landed on her keys. Pulling them out, she smiled. She could make out the melody of her son's favorite song, transmitting through the door. It felt good to finally be home. It was early they wouldn't be expecting her. She loved surprising them like this.

She was greeted by a very loud, fairly messy home. Both her boys stopped what they were doing when the door closed behind her, frozen in the middle of the room, arms in the air. They both stared, tilting their head at the same angle. Even her almost year old daughter, seated on the blanket on the floor, managed to turn around in her direction and her blue eyes widened at the sight of her. It was good to finally be home.

It was her son who moved first. The three year old came running up to her screaming, waving his arms, "Mammaaaaa!" The boy collided with her legs, squeezing them in a tight hug; his face was squished into her thighs with his eyes closed. He had always been a momma's boy.

She smiled running her hand through his soft brown curls, "Hey monkey, I've missed you today."

The boy unglued his cheek from her leg, his big brown eyes staring into hers, "I miss too, momma." He smiled deviously, placing his small hands on her slightly rounded belly, "I miss baby alto."

Kate laughed softly, "Did you, now?"

He nodded, still smiling, "Hey, baby! It me! It Malcolm!" he yelled loudly, his mouth almost on her stomach.

"Malcolm, we use an inside voice when we're inside, okay?" she said firmly trying to contain the smile.

The toddler pouted, his eyes starting to water, and he looked at the floor, crossing his arms "But… I wantid him to he me." Kate ruffled his hair, smiling. The kid was too cute for his own good.

"He can heaR you, bud, don't worry," answered Castle from the living room, grabbing their daughter and positioning her on his hip, as he turned volume down on the stereo.

The withdrawal of the music in the loft had Malcolm's eyes widen, "No daddy, no. No!" he yelled again.

"Malcolm Alexander, what did mommy just tell you? Volume."

Mal's eyes narrowed for a moment as he stared at the floor. "Please. No stop, daddy," he added, looking up, in a whisper his parents almost couldn't hear.

Rick and Kate shared a look as they smiled and shook their heads. He was so dramatic.

"But mommy's here, Mal," he added wiggling his eyebrows in his wife's direction. Castle approached the entrance, leaning in to kiss his wife, but the girl in his arms had other plans. She squirmed in her father's grasp, trying to break loose, her arms opened wide for her mother and her little hands opening and closing rapidly. Kate smiled, gave Castle a quick peck on the lips and took their daughter from his arms, hugging her tightly.

"Hey baby girl," she cooed, tickling her tummy. The girl titled her head, giggling and squirming, before laying her head in the crook of Kate's neck, silently sucking on her pacifier. Audrey had always been the quiet one. Kate caressed the baby's cheek with the back of her finger, turning around towards her husband. She deserved a proper 'I'm happy you're home' kiss, but as their faces leaned in, she felt a small hand tugging on her dress shirt.

She broke eye contact and smiled, bending down to look her son in the eyes, "What is it monkey? What did I interrupt here?"

He smiled, all of his teeth showing and gave his father a proud look. "Me and Daddy and Drey havin' a dance pawty!" Mal answered as he moved his little 3 year old butt up and down with his hands in the air.

"A dance party, huh?" she asked as she got back up and looked at Rick who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Come momma," Mal said as he put his hand in hers and pulled her towards the living room.

Kate stopped and turned towards Rick, "Aren't we missing one?"

"Alexis doesn't live here anymore, Beckett."

Kate rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Not that I don't love Alexis, but not the one I was refering to. Didn't we get a two for one deal with this little one?" she asked, kissing the top of Audrey's blond hair and gently rubbing her back.

He laughed, "Yeah, Becca's napping. I swear, that kid could sleep through an alien invasion."

Kate looked at her watch, "Seriously? Still?" she asked a little worried.

"Well, I was a little late in the schedule today, so I had to put them down a little later than usual. She should be up soon."

Kate nodded and felt the little hand tug harder on hers. She bent down and using her free hand, picked her oldest, positioning him on her other hip. She gave him an eskimo kiss, their noses brushing, and he giggled. She turned back to her husband, "It's almost 4?"

"I know. Trust me, she'll he up in a couple of minutes. If I had woken her up, she would have been crabby all afternoon."

She nodded slowly. Malcolm gently placed his hands on his mother's cheeks and turned her face back towards him. Having a conversation was hard work with this one around. Mal looked into her eyes with all the seriousness a 3 year old can conjure, "You come now, mamma?"

Kate smiled and kissed the top of her son's nose and then kissed her daughter's forehead. She raised an eyebrow in Rick's direction and she added enthusiast, "Come on daddy, we're having a dance party!"

Kate got to the living room, and only then realised the furniture had been pushed to the sides so they'd have more room to move. She smirked; they never did anything half ways in this household. Castle went to the stereo and turned the volume back up. Mr. Blue Sky was playing.

"Yay, is a dance pawty!" exclaimed Malcolm, laughing as she twirled, both kids still in her arms. Their laughter, that was her happy song.

Kate handed over the boy to Castle, the load was getting very heavy as the four of them start moving to the beat of the music. Kate was making Audrey's arms move to the rhythm, making the baby laugh. Malcolm was in his father's arms and kept telling him to twirl. Kate smiled at the happening in her living room. This was what life was supposed to be like.

The song finished and when a slower on came on, We Are Tonight, Castle used his free hand to pull Kate's waist closer to his. The four of them huddled close, slowly moving. She smiled at her husband and crinkled her nose leaning in and finally, they kissed. As the kiss stared to deepen, Mal flew out of Castle arms, his hands landing on his mother's chest, cheekingly stating "Me kissy."

"You kissy?" asked Kate playfully.

He smiled, nodding, "Uhuh"

"You kissy?" she asked again, this time peppering him with kisses.

Soon both kids are laughing hysterically, Castle was blowing raspberries on Audrey's tummy and Kate's ticking Mal's sides. All of them had fallen back on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, catching their breaths when a cry echoed from the baby monitor.

Kate pushed herself up and leaned in to whisper in her son's ear, winking playfully, "Go tickle, daddy," Malcolm's smile widened at the words and he quickly got to his feet. She got to her hers, picked Audrey up and placed her on Castle's chest. She then grabbed the baby monitor, venturing up the stairs. Behind her, Kate could hear the sound of Castle being 'tickled' by her kids and she laughed to herself.

Once upstairs, Kate pushed slowly on the door to the girls' room. It was dark and Becca was seated in her crib, rubbing her watery eyes.

"Hi, my sweet girl," Kate said pulling her up in her arms and kissing her sweaty cheek. She went to the window and pulled the curtains open, letting the light in.

"You have a nice long nap?" she asked running her hand through the baby's damp brown hair.

Her 11 month old nodded, still rubbing her eyes, and Kate added "I bet you did."

Kate gave Rebecca a quick diaper change and carried her now incessantly babbling baby girl down to the living room. Kate nodded, actively listening to what her daughter was explaining as they glided down the stairs.

Castle was seated on the couch when she came down and he patted the empty place beside him. She smirked, placing Becca next to Drey on the floor and putting a couple of toys around them.

"Mal, daddy and I are going to sit down a while," she told her son.

"But why?" he whined.

"So you three can do a dance for us."

"But they babies," he pouted.

"That's why you're going to be the star of the performance, monkey!"

"Duhhh" he exclaims rolling his eyes and throwing his hands in the air in despair, "Momma, Becca and Drey not walk yet."

Castle smirked beside her, "Duh, momma."

She shot him a look and rolled her eyes.

"Yup. He's definitely got the Beckett eye roll."

Rick extended his arm around Kate's shoulder and she laid her head on his shoulder. They watched as Malcolm tried to explain to his sisters what to do without very much success. He started taking out his robots, and she thought, probably they'll be a part of the show.

After a short moment of observing her kids, she stated, "We really, do make cute babies."

"We do," he added kissing the top of her head.

"Castle, are we crazy?"

"Why?"

"We'll have 4 kids under 4."

"So? One for each arm."

"Castle, I'm being serious."

"So am I."

"I've been home for 25 minutes, and I'm already exhausted."


Because I was having a bad day, and I love mommy Kate. May be more, I don't know.

Hope you enjoyed.