Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for violence, language and sexual situations

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Didn't think I'd get reviews for the last chapter so was great to get what I did and I want to go ahead and get to my thank yous for that! vetgirlmx (Lol, I wasn't surprised to see your guess about Skye; you'll see soon if you're right of course. And I was glad that you enjoyed this shorter chapter too and that it's making you want to see that you want to see what'll happen next. And now you don't need to wait anymore for the next chapter!) and MaineCastle (Really pleased to see you want to read more and now you can of course!). Thanks so much for the reviews, really appreciate the time taken to write them and send them to me and of course I loved reading them!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Fire and Rain by James Taylor, from his album Sweet Baby James.

On The Telephone Line

Typing the last sentence in the e-mail that he was writing, Castle heard the sound of laughter coming in through the open window and he smiled. He quickly sent the message and then headed out without checking to make sure it had gone. Going outside and to the pool he paused just inside the gate as he watched his wife with their youngest, smiling again as she was helping her swim around. "Looks like you two are having fun without me," he called out to them.

"Hi Daddy!" Eliza said eagerly, waving her hand.

"Are you going to join us?" Beckett asked, looking back at him.

"Now that I finished, of course," Castle said, taking off his robe before he went around to the deep end and jumped in.

Beckett smiled and shook her head as Eliza was squealing in joy at the sight of him diving. "You're a show off you know," she told her husband when he made it back to them.

"I do what I can," Castle replied, taking Eliza from her. He kissed her cheek and said, "So how has she been doing?" he asked.

"I swim Daddy," Eliza answered before her mother could speak.

"I saw a little bit of it," Castle replied. "Want to keep swimming?"

"Yes," Eliza said firmly.

Beckett sat down on the top step of the pool, watching as Castle then took over with helping their daughter practice swimming, kicking and moving her legs. She cupped her face with her hands, smiling as she watched the two. She had to amaze at how much Eliza had grown since her third birthday two months before but was distracted from her thoughts when the toddler was calling out to her. "What is it sweetie?" she asked.
"I hafta take a nap?" Eliza asked her.

"You do but we did let you go swimming you know," Beckett said as Castle set their youngest on the step next to her. She wrapped her arms around her and kissed her damp cheek saying, "But we will go swimming with Julia once we come back home okay?"

"Kay, can I go more?" Eliza asked.

"You can jump off from the side," Beckett said.

"She didn't do that before?" Castle asked in surprise as he went to the side of the pool as his wife took Eliza over there.

"She wanted to wait for you," Beckett told him with a smile.

"Oh thanks," Castle said as he waited for Eliza to jump into the water. As soon as she had he picked her up and he lifted her up above him, kissing her cheek as he then set her down onto the side again. "One more time," he told her.

Leaping off the side, Eliza felt her father picking her up as soon as the water came together above her head and she wrapped her arms around his neck before she looked up at her mother. "Do you jump Mommy?" she asked her.

"Not here," Beckett said simply.

Eliza looked at her father questioningly before she followed his gaze to watch as her mother went around to the deep end, diving into the water. She asked, "Can I do that?"

"Not yet," Castle said, kissing her temple as they watched Beckett swimming up to them. "When you're a little older and can swim better."

"Kay," Eliza said with a sigh. "That was good Mommy," she said firmly when Beckett stood in front of them.

"Thank you sweetie," she replied with a smile. "And I think we've had enough swimming-" she started to say. When the toddler groaned in protest she hurried to continue, "For now. We'll swim when Julia gets home I said."

"Oh," Eliza said before she giggled shyly as her father tickled her neck. She looked up at him and said, "You too?"

"We'll all go swimming," Castle replied as he turned to walk with Beckett to the steps. "Even Macca."

Leaning over to see where the Wolfhound was sitting on the edge of the pool, watching them, Eliza shook her head and said, "No."

"He might," Castle said. When Eliza repeated the word he said, "He could."

"Rick," Beckett said, trying to scold him but too much laughter in her voice to make it sound at all threatening. She started to dry herself off as he was doing the same with Eliza and after wrapping her towel around herself she quickly took their youngest, waiting for him to finish himself.

Yawning Eliza said, "Do I sleep all night?"

"No, just an hour and a half," Beckett replied, leading the way to the house once she saw her husband had finished.

"Too long Mommy," Eliza sighed though she was leaning her cheek against her mother's shoulder.

"I know but you'll feel better after," Beckett said once they were in the house and going up the stairs.

"That and you'll be able to stay awake to swim with your sister later," Castle added, walking behind his wife.

Eliza smiled at that and then let her mother set her down on her bed so she could change her. She sighed as Castle leaned over to share a kiss with her and mumbled, "Night Daddy."

"Night sweetheart," Castle replied. "We'll see you when you get up."

Nodding, Eliza then turned her attention to her mother and wrapped her arms around her neck saying, "Night too Mommy."

"Night sweetie," Beckett replied, sharing a kiss with her before she helped her lay back on the bed. "Sweet dreams and we'll wake you up before we go to see your sister's class."

Smiling at that, Eliza wanted to squirm in her happiness but she was too tired and before her mother had even finished tucking the sheet around her she was asleep.

Closing the door behind them and watching Macca lay down in front of it, Castle said, "Sun wore her out."

"That and school," Beckett said with a smile. "Come on," she said as he had started to go down the stairs.

"We…" Castle started to say in protest, having wanted to swim alone with her for just a few minutes before they came back to the house. But he stopped when he realized she was heading for their room. And with the look in her eye he found that he couldn't resist, following her willingly as they went down the hall.


Hearing the water being turned off, Beckett wiped it away from her eyes and looked at her husband with a smile saying, "You enjoy that too much."

"I'm not sure what you're expecting when you let me do this with you," Castle was quick to say as he looked down at his erection. He then quickly looked back up to watch the last rivulets of water run down his wife's skin and he reached up, gently brushing through some of the lines they made. "Or did you really, seriously just want to take a bath together?" he said as he moved to get on his knees like she was.

Beckett merely smiled at that and she leaned over while wrapping her arms around his neck. Their lips met quickly after so she knew her husband had been leaning in to kiss her too. That thought was soon chased away from her mind as she hurried to part her lips for his tongue. But after submitting for a moment she carefully worked hers back inside his mouth. That led to a rough duel and it took some time before they stopped, neither one of them winning and neither caring as they listened to the water calm down after they'd caused it to slosh around a little in their movements. She looked at her husband then and cupped his cheeks before brushing her lips to his. She was about to speak, to tell him to lay her back and take her, when he lifted her and made her cry out slightly in her surprise before setting her on the ledge behind the back of the tub.

"Sorry, just… wanted to do this," Castle said, pausing to make sure she wasn't going to kill him for doing that.

Seeing the hesitation in his eyes, Beckett smiled and then leaned over, kissing him firmly but briefly on the lips before she said, "What did you have in mind with this?" She thought he was going to make love to her there but when he made her part her legs she knew instantly from his touch what he had in mind and she sucked in a deep breath of air as he lowered his head to her breasts.

Very carefully, Castle brushed his lips over both mounds, feeling her body rigid in the way she held herself. He moved to sit up straight and said, "You don't want me to?"

"How far?" Beckett asked instead of answering.

"Until I make you scream," Castle said simply. When she bit at her lower lip he couldn't resist and leaned over, kissing her deeply before slowly parting when they absolutely had to breathe. "Good?"

"Yes," Beckett said, unable to say no as she was already feeling how he would do that. She tilted her head back as he was nuzzling her neck and she breathed out heavily when he started to carefully suck at her pulse. When he began to nibble at the skin there her hands flew up to the back of his head, holding him in place as securely as she could as the feel of him was making her flesh throb in immediate reaction.

When he felt he'd spent enough time there, Castle moved down to the hollow of her throat, kissing around her pendant. Sliding his lips down further he tried not to shoot straight to her breasts before he pulled back to lean up and kiss her briefly. Feeling her holding onto the back of his head still he shuddered as her nails gently raked his scalp and he couldn't help the groan that left his lips at that. He then went down to her mounds again and kissed his way around them before slowly, carefully flicking his tongue out to her right nipple. When she arched her back at that he asked, "Good?"

Beckett didn't bother to respond to that, instead she brought him back down to her breast, looking on as he quickly took the taut nub with his mouth. She closed her eyes tightly as he immediately began to suckle at her and she stroked his hair while the warmth of his mouth added to what he'd begun to make her feel already. She leaned back against the wall as he continued and soon went to her other breast. After he'd been there for a while she was shocked into glancing down at him again when he pulled away. With her looking on he went down her abdomen and the trail of his lips had a very swift effect on her, making her shift to try and withstand him before he reached her mound.

Glancing up at her, Castle pressed his lips against her skin before he had to move as she slid back to give him better access. "You changed your mind," he told her teasingly.

"Hurry," Beckett said simply, not wanting to reply to his teasing as she was too frustrated with him moving away to speak.

Castle would have grinned at that if he'd known his wife wouldn't have gotten annoyed and instead he leaned down, pressing his lips along her clit before getting to her folds. He did that for two purposes, one because he wanted to and second because he needed to make sure that she was aroused. And the second his lips brushed against them he felt them becoming damp, making him shudder inwardly before he carefully slipped his tongue inside of her. He started to mimic a thrusting motion with it, groaning heavily he could feel her instantly moving in response. He groaned as he glanced up at her, seeing her hands were pressing down on the ledge on either side of her, able to tell she was using that for leverage. He then reached up with his hand and brought it into play with his mouth, lightly stroking her clit with the tip of his thumb and waiting to see how she would react.

For a moment Beckett lost her rhythm before she realized she had and then started to try and regain it as her husband's fingers had stopped moving. "Rick… please," she groaned heavily, frustrated again. She was a little startled when he didn't react to that vocally or physically before she felt his hands on her hips, starting to move her as she'd been doing. She would have smiled at that had he not gone back to stroking her at the apex of her legs and instead she was throwing back her head, crying out his name once as he kept touching her until he slowly moved away from her.

Before his wife could protest that Castle was moving around so his mouth and hand were switched. Going back to pleasuring her he felt her regain her pace she'd paused in when he'd moved and he tried to glance down at his fingers, trying to see if he could reach her g-spot. But since he couldn't see he could feel and he searched as he felt her suddenly start to press her hips up in the air. At that he suddenly backed away so he could sit next to her, kissing her neck and shoulders as she had her head tilted back. "Keep going?" he asked.

"Fuck Rick if you stop I'll strangle you," Beckett groaned heavily as he wasn't stopping. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly before she suddenly felt his fingers brushing against something once, twice and a third time more directly before she broke. She cried out his name, and kept on doing it as her orgasm hit her, while she held onto him however she could as he held her with one arm, letting her ride out her climax using him as support. She had no idea when she stopped but finally she did and sighed in pleasure as they moved slowly together until her body was still. Biting her lower lip as she looked at her husband, she then leaned over and kissed him as hard as she possibly could. Letting that go on for a little longer she was soon pulling away and going down on her knees, grasping his erection in her hand as he groaned in response.

Castle moved slightly in response to her after she had grabbed him and then looked down as she seemed to very quickly take him into her mouth. She proceeded to bob up and down and he was trying not to fall back on the wall as the pleasure was instant and almost hit him hard. He breathed heavily as he used one hand to hold himself sitting up and then the other he brought down to her, reaching for the back of her head. He very carefully started to stroke her wet hair, breathing in and out harder than before as she was starting to change her rhythm.

Beckett could soon feel that her husband was starting to follow her in the caresses of her head and she had to wonder if he realized he was doing that. She didn't mind it, in fact if she'd been pressed by him she would have admitted to Castle that she was more than a little aroused. The sensation was gentle and he was making shivers run down her head, straight to her sex. She had to try and ignore the sensation though and she struggled slightly to continue. Finally after more time had passed she could tell that her husband was getting closer to his peak, with the way he was shifting in front of her an indication of that. She looked up at him then to see the reaction he would have when she brought her right hand into play, trying not to start laughing as he nearly dug his fingers into her scalp.

Mumbling an apology that he wasn't sure was in English; thinking the Irish might have slipped out because of their intimacy; Castle could only withstand her fondling him for a few seconds. There was a part of him that thought he should likely be alarmed at that but with the way he could feel Beckett holding onto his thigh he didn't think she'd support that idea. So he lost himself to the intense rush of sensation she had elicited within him and he was groaning her name repeatedly, trying not to move too much. He had no idea how long it took, either seconds or minutes of heart pounding fire in his body until he was starting to slow down. And when he finally stopped completely he leaned back, looking down at his wife. But when he focused on her his eyes were wide as she was kissing his length. "What-" he started to say.

"Shh," Beckett said simply. She pressed her lips against him here and there a few more times before she slipped down a bit lower; something she hadn't done before but had tempted her since she had wondered what his reaction would be. The immediate jerk of his hips made her smile as she moved to sit up with him but that soon dropped off her face as her husband was pulling her into his arms. She kissed him back as he was hungry against her lips and she stroked the back of his head as their tongues were outright clashing inside of her mouth. When they had finally parted and she could breathe, she cupped her husband's cheeks and whispered, "Come on."

Castle had no problem in doing exactly that, following her out of the tub and then to the bedroom where they discarded their towels they'd used to dry off on the floor. He stopped her from getting onto the bed and kissed her, making it more sensuous than rough and he kept that up for as long as possible until they needed to breathe. "I adore you Kate," he whispered against her lips.

"Hurry," Beckett said, unable to take his tone and the way his hands had suddenly cupped her ass, pulling her against him. Once he was on the bed; taking her with him with his left hand on the small of her back; she straddled his lap and used her right hand to take his semi erect member. They were kissing passionately by then and at the same time she started to work on him, doing everything she had learned after so many years of being his lover to arouse him again. It took a little bit of time, since she'd just brought him to the edge, and also she was distracted in her efforts by his mouth going for her neck and breasts.

Though he knew his wife wanted him, Castle couldn't stop himself when he went down to her chest. He counted himself lucky when she didn't stop him but not as much when her hand stilled around him. Yet he knew doing everything he was to her; fondling and then carefully sucking at her; would help her get him fully prepared. And when he went back to her lips the first stroke of her hand around him made him jerk against her hard as he felt he was fully aroused. "Love…" he breathed to her, looking up at her as she raised herself above him, never letting him go.

"I adore you too Rick," Beckett told him with a slight smirk before she lowered herself. She gasped as he held onto her hips while he was entering her and she closed her eyes tightly until they were finally fully pressed against one another. "God love," she said, leaning against him a little.

Stroking her hair, Castle turned his head to the side and kissed at her temple a few times before she suddenly sat up and put her hands on his shoulders. He wanted to ask her how exactly she wanted him but he got his answer without having to say a word when she carefully rolled her hips. He slid his hands to the small of her back, clutching her there tightly as he watched her do that a few more times. And when she started to rock back and forth he held her against him in response as they moved together. He followed her lead and very soon reached the pace she had set and after they'd looked down in between one another to watch themselves for a moment he put his fingers under her chin. Raising it slightly, he kissed her deeply but was slow to slip his tongue into her mouth and was pleased when she responded in the same fashion.

Her hands sliding up the back of Castle's head, Beckett slowly pulled away after they'd been kissing for a while. She pressed her forehead to his and murmured against his lips before they were kissing again. It was a quick one, a brief peck of their lips before she tilted her head back for him and sucked in a deep breath of air as she could feel her husband lightly nibbling against her skin. He worked a path down to her pulse and she moaned softly in joy at the sensation of him starting to suck at her. She stroked his hair and eventually raked her nails down enough to reach his scalp before he tilted his head up towards hers. She kissed his lips before moving away and doing the same to his jaw, going in a line until she got to his ear. She paused before she could do anything there and pulled back so she could sit up straight as she moved up and down on him, sighing deeply as she could feel his hands going over her back. His fingers left a trail after them, an echo of his touch that added to what she already felt. She leaned down and pressed her lips against the shell of his ear and murmured into it, "Touch me Rick." She would have smiled at his immediate reaction; jerking back before he stared at her; but they were still moving together and she followed his hand gently pushing her back before his other slipped down in between them carefully.

Looking up at his wife, Castle made sure he saw her first reaction to his fingers brushing against her clit and he also felt it. She shook against him, making him groan as their hips slammed together for an instant. They went immediately back to their original, slow rhythm and he started in earnest pleasuring her manually, loving the way she arched her back against him. He didn't know what had pushed him to do it exactly but he leaned close to Beckett and whispered against her lips, "Show me how you want me to touch… touch you."

Having no real choice then, Beckett stopped moving and she glanced at her husband, relieved when he didn't protest that. She reached down to cover his fingers with her own and she murmured, "Like this… gently…"

When he followed her guide he watched her closely, loving the expressions on her face, arousal and then biting her lower lip. He stroked her face with his other hand and leaned into her at the same time she did, both of them kissing each other deeply. She was still guiding him and he allowed it until he carefully moved her hand away. They began to move together again, slowly and carefully so his hand between them wouldn't be crushed. He leaned down slightly and began kissing around her neck and collarbone before he pulled back and reached up to run his hand over her hair. "You're too beautiful… too fucking stunning," he found himself breathing to her before he could realize what he was telling her.

"Then why do you want to be with… with… oh god Rick…" Beckett murmured before he moved his hand away and grasped her by the ass, making her move a little harder before slowing her down. She allowed him to do that before she continued saying, "You still want me," she told him, their heads pressed so close together that their lips and breath brushed against each other.

"That's why I do…" Castle said before breathing deeply. "Because you are… all of that and more…" he rambled before he kissed her hard. It was in sharp contrast against the slow, steady pace their bodies were going and he shuddered heavily in pleasure before he was moving away from her. He stared into her eyes and he could see that she was getting closer to her edge as they didn't move or do much else than thrust against one another. Time seemed to keep going on and they kept a relatively steady pace, slowing a bit before they went back to the faster speed until he couldn't take it anymore before kissing her, feeling his self control starting to slip away from him.

Her fingers going through her husband's hair Beckett responded to his kiss as he was being very rough, their tongues meeting and mating until they had to shortly breathe. She became a little torn, wanting to focus on the feel of their bodies moving together gently, leisurely, and wanting to crush her lips to his again. But her body soon won out and she started to angle her hips downward, trying to make her clit brush against him. It took her a few times before she managed that and once she had she cried out as she ended up taking him further inside of her. Her nails dug into his head and she couldn't stop herself from moving faster until a near scream of her husband's name ripped from her throat. She felt him suddenly start to match her chaotic rhythm and knew that he had climaxed as well. Hers felt intense though they'd been moving so slowly and she closed her eyes tightly as her body was moving without her controlling it. She wasn't sure when she started to slow down but she was and sighed deeply as she held her husband tightly against her, feeling him rocking against her until he shuddered and with a groan, leaned into her hard. "Hmm, thank you love," she murmured to him when she heard him panting heavily as he pressed his cheek to her shoulder.

"Thank you… why?" Castle asked. He then quickly added, "I'm saying it because that was amazing, both this and the bath."

Smiling at that Beckett said, "The same for me." She kissed him before they were quiet, regaining their strength again for a few minutes. Finally though she pulled away from him and lay down on her pillow, smiling again as he was quick to follow her, lying on his side next to her before he started to stroke her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Do you remember the last time we were like this?" she asked him.

"Last month?" Castle asked. When she nodded he said, "Yep, of course I do." And with that he leaned down to kiss her passionately, feeling her instantly responding before he lay down and held her tightly to him. "That was a great weekend," he commented. "I was going to say that we should do that again but we'll have our anniversary."

"We will," Beckett replied. As he held her tightly to him she couldn't help letting her mind go back to that weekend the month before, when she and Castle had gone to the bed and breakfast near Shirley. Her father; who had been a little depressed around the middle of April missing her mother she knew; had asked if he could spend time with the girls on his own. It had been Castle's idea for them to go to the B&B and for the weekend since that hadn't been the first time they'd done that for her father; though the last time nearly two years before when they'd gone to Atlantic City. She smiled as she turned onto her side and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, recalling vividly when they'd been shown to their room as her husband started to stroke her hair.


As soon as he had locked the door behind them, Castle tossed their room key on the table next to the door before he was nearly rushing to his wife, gathering her into his arms.

Beckett wanted to speak but he virtually crushed her lips under his and cut off any chance she might have had to do so. But she eventually pulled back and said, "Two weeks Rick."

"I know," Castle said before he picked her up and carried her around to the bed before he laid her down; trying very hard not to just throw her down. She came back up and as soon as she had he was kissing her while she reached down to his shirt. His hands were on her blouse a second after that and their kiss turned into multiple ones as they couldn't seem to stay away from one another for long. But finally they were nearly tearing away the coverings on the bed before he sank into her body. He paused for a moment to caress her naked form as much as he possibly could until finally he began to move.

Beckett cried out in pleasure as he started out fucking her instantly and she closed her eyes as tightly as she could as she tried to match his rhythm. She begged him to continue while she stroked his hair and shoulders, feeling him deeply within her as he soon raised her hips up against him.

The room was soon quiet except for the sound of the lovemaking going on on top of the bed and it continued for a good deal of time before Beckett was breaking, moaning his name as loud as she could repeatedly. Castle was quick to join her, calling her name as well in his pleasure until they were coming down from their high. A few more thrusts and they stopped completely at the same time, nearly collapsing on the bed in exhaustion.

Unsure how long they took to regain their energy, Beckett felt her husband shaking slightly before she pulled away from him and said, "Lay down Rick."

Pulling away, Castle started to cough and then said as she was getting up, "I'm fine love, seriously."

"Not with that cough still," Beckett said, coming out from the bathroom putting on the robe that the bed and breakfast offered. She leaned over the bed and brushed her lips against his, going out to the wet bar, picking up the kettle of tea she'd requested be in the room when they arrived.

Castle lay back on the bed with a sigh when his wife had disappeared from his sight and he glanced up at the ceiling. For two weeks he and Beckett had been juggling caring for their daughters who'd come down at the same time with colds making the rounds through their school. It had been no surprise that she had caught one from them and he had caught it last taking care of her. He had taken the longest to shake his cold, as a stubborn cough hadn't left him. He had it still by then but he was better than he'd been before that weekend though he had been frustrated sexually; unable to be intimate with his wife for the two weeks they'd been struggling with their illness. "Thank you love," he said, sitting up quickly when she came back to him carrying two mugs. "You take care of me," he told her, raising his mug in her direction.

Smirking Beckett set down her mug on the nightstand next to him before tugging the tie of her robe off and tossing it behind her, managing to reach the top of the dresser. She got onto the bed and pushed the mug up to his lips so he'd take another sip. Once he had she set it next to her own cup and then kissed him deeply, tasting the spearmint tea inside of his mouth. "Hmm I find myself hungry for you love," she told him, flicking her tongue out to his lower lip.

"Me too," Castle said as he'd been able to taste that at some point she'd taken a sip of her tea. He brought her over to him and kissed her deeply before making her straddle him. "So we're good until dinner?" he asked as she was stroking him, making him grunt in pleasure at the touch of her hand.

Smiling at that, Beckett kissed him hard and pulled away, about to speak before she heard something outside. Looking out at the same time as her husband through the window next to the other side of the bed, she smiled again and said, "I wouldn't plan on doing anything today."

"Except this," Castle said, running his hands up her sides very slowly.

Humming in pleasure and closing her eyes to savor the sensation of his hands sliding up, Beckett nodded and then looked at him. Their eyes met and locked for a second, before Castle was leaning up and taking her lips. They were soon beginning to make love, going far slower than before, and enjoying every second of it as they proceeded to set in motion their weekend alone as they wanted to spend it; together.


"So we're still going swimming right?" Castle was asking his wife as he was kneeling in front of her, helping her put on her boots.

"We are, why?" Beckett asked him.

"No just checking, it's only fair for Julia you know," Castle said. He finished with her shoes and he then moved to slide his hands along the sides of her blouse before he reached her face.

"You're remembering that weekend still aren't you? Pervert," Beckett said teasingly, smiling widely at him.

"You can't blame me," Castle protested as he joined her in standing. When she merely smiled at him and started to walk away he rushed to her and grabbed her hand, turning her around to pull her into his arms. He crushed his lips against hers and was relieved when she responded though that also let him know that he was right in what he had been thinking; she'd been thinking of their weekend as well. "We'll have to do that again," he told her when they parted to breathe.

"Again, we'll have Adare Manor," Beckett reminded him. She then smiled and closed the gap between them, starting to kiss him again. But before they could get into that too much, she felt someone running into her and they parted before she heard a giggle. "Good morning sweetie," she said with another smile as she looked down at their youngest.

"Hi, go to dance?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"We were going to get you right now," Castle said, leaning down to swoop her up in his arms. He tossed her up in the air to her loud squeal of pleasure before kissing her cheek. "All we need to do this brush your hair and then we can go."

"Mommy?" Eliza asked as her parents left the bedroom together then.

"I will," Beckett said, knowing that was to ask if she'd brush her hair. When they reached the toddler's bedroom she got Eliza's brush and then had her sit on her knees on the bed before starting to comb through the dark brown locks. "Alright, since it's still warm, you can wear your sundress."

Clapping her hands as Castle came over to them with the dress, Eliza waited eagerly as her mother changed her until she was dressed, running to the mirror leaning against the wall and spinning. "Do I look like Jules?" she asked, turning to her parents.

"Pretty close," Castle said, carrying the toddler's sandals while Beckett picked her up. He leaned over to share a kiss with their daughter before they went down to the entry, Macca following.

"Can Macca go too?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"He can't go inside sweetie, you remember," Beckett said, watching her husband put the sandals onto their daughter's feet. "But we'll go on a walk tomorrow okay?"

"Kay," Eliza said before she was set onto the ground and she reached up, holding her parents' hands. They headed out to the street and then walked back to the school with her being swung out every once in a while by her parents.

When they reached the dance studio they saw that the class was practicing the Jive again and they hurried to sit next to Mari as Ms. Grey was having Julia and Peter practice with two other pairs.

"Good, good," the teacher said, stopping the music. "You two have a great grasp of that flick after and Julia, Peter; you're getting better at the swing."

"It's fun to do Ms. Grey," Julia said, her partner nodding next to her.

"Alright, let's start from the top and then I'll go to each of your pairings, give you any pointers I see you need," the teacher said before she played a Chuck Berry song.

Leaning against Castle and watching the way Julia and Peter started up their kicks and flicks, Beckett smiled since they were smiling at each other, mouthing out their counting of steps instead of saying it. She watched Ms. Grey go to them first and she murmured, "They might be one of the two she picks in September."

"Likely," Castle said, unable to help the pride in his tone as he could tell the teacher was pointing out their pointing of their toes.

Nodding when Ms. Grey moved on, Julia said laughingly and a little breathlessly to her partner, "I always forget that with all the steps."

"Me too," Peter said with a nod. "Ready to go again?"

"Yeah, I'll count," Julia said. She listened to the music, waiting for the lyric where she could start and then said, "Three, two, one…"

The rest of the class had Ms. Grey talking to each pair until she finished and after she had them go to change before putting away some items she'd used during the lesson.

"Mommy, Daddy," Julia said, coming out to them. "What do you think?"

"You might be going to that competition," Castle said quickly.

Her cheeks flushing a little, Julia shook her head and said, "No, the Jive we did just now."

"Oh that, that was great, I'd give it a ten," Castle said.

"No," Eliza said firmly.

"Yeah, I'd give it a nine, you weren't perfect, but you were good," Mari replied.

"Thanks, I didn't think it was perfect," Julia said, smiling at her friend. She looked at her father and seeing the slightly startled expression on his face she laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "Sorry Daddy but I don't want you to say it was perfect," she told him.

"Well I thought it was," Castle said, smiling then when he felt her kissing his cheek. "Thanks sweetheart."

"It was good," Beckett said as Julia came over to her then to hug her. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, can you come over Mari?" Julia asked.

"Dunno, I have to ask when we get home," the little girl said as they left with Eliza in between them, walking with Castle and Beckett behind. When they shortly after reached her home, Mari rushed down to her front door as the others waited on the sidewalk.

"I don't think she can," Castle commented as they saw David was talking with his daughter in the doorway before he slightly shook his head.

"Sorry Julia," Mari said, coming back to them. "My mommy's friend is coming today for dinner; I have to stay to help watch Dani."

"That's okay, at least we got to play at recess," Julia assured her.

"Maybe next week you can come," Beckett replied.

"I'll ask," Mari replied. She hugged Julia and said, "You danced great."

"You did a great job at dodge ball," Julia replied, smiling. She then waved goodbye to her friend, watching her go back to her house. As they were going, she felt her little sister taking her hand and looking down at her, smiled as Eliza looked a little upset. "It's okay," she assured her.

"I will play with you Jules," Eliza told her sister.

Giggling softly, Julia hugged her quickly and said, "I know and I can't wait. How was swimming before?"

"You know?" Eliza asked, her eyes wide.

"Well… yeah, your hair's wet," Julia pointed out, since it was still a little damp.

"Fun, I jump in and Daddy helped," Eliza explained.

"Great, we can go as soon as we get in right?" Julia was asking as they had reached the driveway and were walking up to the front door.

"Yes but first, bathing suits," Castle said. "Or in my case, trunks."

"You better be wearing trunks," Beckett said, not surprised when the girls giggled at her tone. She took the girls by the hand then and led them inside once he'd opened the door, taking them upstairs once Macca had greeted them eagerly.

Changing with Eliza as their mother helped her put on her one piece, Julia said, "Can we swim in Europe?"

"We could but where I'm not sure exactly," Beckett replied, setting Eliza down. "I'll be right back out you two."

"Why does Mommy go?" Eliza asked, taking Julia's hand.

"Just 'cause," the little girl replied with a little shrug of her shoulders.

"Mainly because she doesn't want to leave you two alone," Castle said, coming in then.

"Mommy does that with you," Eliza then said, going quickly over to him.

"You're too smart sweetie," Beckett said, coming out then. "Let's go," she said to her husband as she took Julia's hand.

Going down to the pool, Castle had to wait to dive back into the water as Beckett had him help her make sure both their daughters had on sunscreen. And after putting some on himself and then helping his wife before she helped him, he was waved away by her. "You know me too well," he said with a laugh before he leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"I can tell you want to go," Beckett told him teasingly, watching him go over to the deep end. "Want to go watch?" she asked the girls.

"Can we wait to go in?" Julia asked, not surprised when her sister next to her nodded.

"Sure," Beckett replied, making a quick check of Eliza's vest before they went to stand on the edge above the steps.

Knowing that his family was watching him Castle quickly jumped in and when the water washed over him he resurfaced. He smiled as he swam back down to them as the two were cheering and he said, "Do you two remember when your grandpapa was here, taking care of you?"

"Yeah, why?" Julia asked as he picked up Eliza who was holding her arms up to him.

"You swam right?" Castle asked.

Julia smiled at that as she went down to the second step and then jumped into the water carefully. Getting onto her back to look at her parents who remained standing as Eliza patted the surface of the water she said, "We did a lot with him. Swimming-"
"Art!" Eliza cried. "Playing and games, lots of games."

"It was fun, I hope he can do that again," Julia said.

"We'll see but I'm sure he will want to," Beckett said, squeezing Castle's arm as the little girl came back to them.

"Let's go under," Julia said in a rush.

"Want to?" Castle asked Eliza, who nodded eagerly. "Okay, then on three. One, two, three…"

As they ducked down underneath the water, Julia couldn't help remember her grandfather's visit and she smiled widely at the memory as she looked at the others, waving to them before they resurfaced.


"Okay," Jim said, turning to his granddaughters once their parents' car had disappeared from sight. "Want to come up to my room so I can unpack a little."

"Yeah," Julia and Eliza said at the same time, taking his hands. She giggled as Macca barked shortly and jumped around them before she glanced up at him. She frowned a little when she saw that he wasn't really smiling and she glanced at her little sister before biting back what she wanted to say.

As he was unpacking some of the shirts and other items in his small suitcase, Jim kept an eye on Julia and Eliza who were on the other side of the bed watching him. "What's wrong? Do you two miss your mom and dad?" he asked, troubled that was the case.

"No but… are you sad Grandpapa?" Julia asked softly.

Looking over at them with a startled expression on his face, Jim started to open his mouth to speak but then paused as he couldn't lie to them. "I am… a little, but I'm okay," he told the two.

"Oh Grandpapa," Julia said, going over to the other side in a hurry and throwing her arms around his neck.

When Eliza joined them, Jim hugged them both tightly and said with a brief smile, "I was thinking of your grandmama and thought you two would cheer me up."

"Did we yet?" Julia asked.

"Please say yes Grandpapa," Eliza hastily said.

"You have," Jim told them seriously. He then smiled a little and said, "I think getting the chance to play with you two will really help."

"Then let's play now… no!" Julia said before she interrupted herself with a gasp. "Let's swim!"

"Can we?" Eliza asked eagerly hearing that.

With a laugh, Jim agreed and got them changed before he did so too and picked his granddaughters up in Julia's room where they'd waited for him. Down at the pool he carried Eliza in and watched with her as the little girl swam to the half way point of the pool. "Want to go with her?" he asked.

"No, down…" Eliza said, leaning over in his hold and splashing at the water with both of her hands.

Laughing then, Jim smiled when Eliza giggled and he had to admit to himself that his idea of spending time with both girls had been a great one. He then called Julia over to them and once she was standing with them he ducked under with them until the water covered their heads.

"I can't wait for us to do a lot more stuff," Julia said happily when they'd stood with the water dripping over them. She paused and said, "You think Mommy and Daddy are having fun?"

"Most likely," Jim replied with a smile. "Do you miss them?"

"Yeah but it's good they're alone you know," Julia replied. "So they stay in love."

"It is, you're very smart," Jim said as he held Eliza while she practiced her swimming.

"Well they don't fight too much so kissing a lot has to help," Julia said. "'Cause if they didn't they'd fight a lot."

"I think having you around to make sure they stay in love is a help too," Jim said, going over to the side as Eliza had asked if she could jump in.

"Thanks," Julia replied. She watched him put her little sister out on the edge and she then said, "Can I jump too?"

"Don't dive in okay," Jim said, picking her up then.

"I don't know how to do that yet; Daddy and Mommy are teaching me," Julia assured him. She hugged him as he set her down on the edge for her to sit there and she smiled as she felt Eliza joining her in that and together they told him they loved him. She then added, "Can't wait to get to do more with you!" before she and her little sister stood up, eager to begin their weekend of cheering up their grandfather even more.