Ok so another chapter is here, I'm going to apologise now for any mistakes, I don't have a beta for this story, my friend refuses to upon the grounds of never having seen Stargate. She ignored me when I asked what that had to do with spotting where I've skipped words and letters. Maybe she'll check the next one.

I still don't own Castle although if I did the UK would be on season 3 too, and I wouldn't have to wait a year before it comes on TV.


Soon everyone is at the loft and just waiting upon the captain and one of Sam's friends, before the situation can be discussed. When Montgomery does arrive walking alongside him, holding his hand and smiling shyly, is Jenny.

Upon seeing the cute little blonde, Kevin detaches himself from Kate and walks towards her, also smiling shyly. The two hug before he leads her to the other two. Roy watches this in amazement as he sees two of his best people reduced to the age of three and happily playing upon the floor.

Castle leaves the room to get drinks and the children don't seem to notice but when Kate moves to join him, both boys are clinging onto her within moments. Admitting defeat, Kate sits down and pulls them up onto the sofa with her. By the time Castle has brought through the drinks, Kevin is asleep snuggled up beside her and the other three are looking rather sleepy.

Complying with Kate's silent request, as the two once again show their ability to communicate without words, Castle gently lifts the two girls up onto the sofa beside the others. Lanie, however, refuses to let go of him and so he ends up sitting beside Kate as the others sleep curled into them.

Silence descends, not because of the sleeping children but because none of them can actually grasp the situation, each person thinks upon their own role in this while simultaneously trying to explain everything to themselves. Eventually Kate speaks first, whispering because of the little boy on her lap. Although Castle suspects she could not bring herself to speak louder if she needed to.

"I haven't changed, I don't understand. They've became really attached, what happens if I change?"

"Chaos. I imagine you were quite the handful as a child."

A bright white light fills the room and instinctively the duo pull the young ones closer, when the light clears a man stands before them. Castle swears that he knows this man but he just cannot place him, until he realises. The man is Daniel Jackson, a friend from his childhood.

He is about to speak when he feels Kate rest her head against his shoulder, a new experience for him and so when he turns his head, he is surprised to find her slipping off into sleep.

"She's asleep, does this mean she'll change?"

"Not necessarily, Detective Esposito was awake through most of the process; it's more unconscious for a few seconds than sleep. It could be emotional from suddenly having two kids, or from fighting off whatever hit her."

Everyone sits as Daniel pulls out a notepad, he clears his throat and it becomes obvious that he will speak for a while. Rick relaxes into his situation, getting comfortable in case he himself falls asleep at some point.

"So, I'll skip straight to the artefact, Jack can do the whole what we do and why you must not tell anyone stuff. I've translated the first part of the text on the artefact, I've got notes and photo's so I can continue here, but what I've got could be helpful.

"To reveal love in all its unrecognised forms. To tie together a quilt family and bring forth the purest love to bind eternal bonds.

"This makes me think that you have a sort of family thing going on, care to confirm Rick?"

Surprised at the shortness of the speech, he hesitates slightly before speaking but he gets there.

"Well she's their boss, always telling them what to do, telling them off for misbehaving. They look up to her, that much is evident. I don't know about earlier on in their friendship."

Rick looks to Montgomery for confirmation.

"She taught them a lot, when they came they were good, she taught them how to be brilliant. It does seem to fit, their attachment to Beckett at least. They must have just attached to you out of your closeness to her. Although I have heard them jokingly refer to the pair of you as mum and dad. Usually when you're arguing."

Daniel jumps in at this point, excited at getting the meaning behind the relationships emphasised by this.

"So their three year old minds have taken the teaching, the disciplining and the following her orders and have translated that into mum. They see how close you two are and to a toddler that means dad. I get it, but what about the other two, they were nowhere near at the time?"

"It can't be coincidence that their partners are transformed in the same way they are. This thing is about love, those two couples are perfect for one another, probably soul mates. Could that be it?"

"That probably is it. I'll start on the rest of the translation but this gives us stuff to think on, maybe once it goes through its natural course everyone will be returned to normal."

Rick doesn't reply and when the room's occupants look to see why, he is fast asleep also. Roy takes this time to leave, after taking a photo and gaining a promise that more will be taken, he has things to sort out at the precinct.

His smile is almost infectious as he makes his way back to work, the image still fresh in his mind. Although they were asleep, their affections towards each other are evident. The way each boy held their girl's hand; the tiny fistful of Kate's top held firmly in Ryan's miniature hand; the soft smile upon her face as her head fits perfectly on Rick's chest, his arm holding her and the children close. To any person they look like a rather large family and they are but Roy can see the adults in them too, the usually hidden emotions. This is when he realises the aim of the artefact: To make them admit unrealised feelings.


Reviews would be lovely; it's such a buzz when you get the email with it.

I have the next few chapters written but I'm not really sure where to take this after that, I'll wait and see what you lot think but good news. I've begun writing It Takes Two again. I drafted basic chapter plans on the train today while some guy stared at me smiling in a creepy way. Next time I create a bad guy, he'll be the inspiration. Even the guy sitting opposite me was getting freaked!