Castle and Beckett walked towards her and the finish line they had just crossed tangled round their legs and they ended up on the floor, Castle on his back and Beckett on top of him. They looked at each other, Lanie stopping and looking down at them in concern. They burst out laughing and tried to get up, which ended badly, since they were still tied together.
They fell down again, Beckett still on top of Castle and both still laughing hysterically.
Ryan and Esposito crossed the line and went over to stand beside Lanie. Beckett rolled to the side and the two of them lay on the floor, still laughing uncontrollably. They looked up at Lanie and the guys and saw that the rest of the partners from the three legged race were standing around them, watching them lie on the floor laughing.
It took them five minutes to calm down enough to talk. Taking deep breathes to try and calm herself Beckett looked at Castle and said, "Still want to join the circus?"
"Uh no thanks, don't like tigers remember." He said it seriously, or at least as seriously as he could given how much he was still shaking.
That comment set them off again. This time it took Lanie and the guys to stop the laughing, or at least quieten them down. Lanie said, in a voice that was both stern and full of happiness, "OK you two, what the hell have you been drinking that's put you in this mood?"
Beckett nearly turned to look at Castle but realised that that would be a bad idea since it was more likely to just start the laughing again.
"Aw come on Lanie, we're just laughing." Without looking at him Beckett knew that Castle was pouting.
Lanie looked at them like they were crazy, "Whatever writer boy. Just get up so they can have the next race."
Beckett looked around and realised that they were still lying on the finish line.
She looked at Castle, taking deep, even breathes, and said, "Come on Castle. We're in the way."
Castle nodded and said, "On the count of three inside foot first."
Beckett nodded and Castle counted. When he got to three they got up and this time stayed up.
Castle arm went back round Beckett shoulder and her arm back round his middle, same as for the race but this time they both held a little tighter, since they were still shaking and both her tears streaming down their faces making it difficult to see and walk. Together they walked out of the way and over to where they had been sitting before the race.
Together they sat down, thankfully not falling over again. Lanie and the boys came and joined them, the three of them giving the writer and his muse strange looks. Looking between them Esposito said, "You planning on untying yourselves anytime soon?"
The two of them looked at their still bound legs, "Um, yeah," Castle said, reaching down to pick at the knot. It was soon undone and they moved their legs apart, flexing their ankles.
As they sat back on the picnic blanket the two of them looked at the two Detectives and the M.E. The three of them were still giving them funny looks, "What?" Beckett asked, "You've seen me laugh before, so what the hell is with the funny looks?"
Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Castle was shaking again, "Castle, please don't start laughing again, you'll set me off." She turned to look at him, giving him a weaker version of her Beckett glare. It obviously worked since he stopped shaking although she could see that he was struggling. Turning away from him and back to the others she turned her glare on them.
The glare obviously was effective since Lanie soon said, "Yes we've seen you laugh before Kate. But none of us have seen you laugh so hard or so long."
Beckett shrugged her shoulders. "It's a beautiful day and I feel happy and it's his fault."
"Hey," Castle said, indigently.
They looked at each other, trying not to catch each other's eyes but failing. They quickly looked away, both feeling the laughter that was about to burst forth.