Genre: Romance, Drama, Crime, 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: Great to get the feedback I did for the last chapter, so want to go ahead and say thank you for them! vetgirlmx (I was very pleased to see that you thought the last chapter was a good one, all of it, lol. And I'm not surprised that you forgot about them taking pictures of planes since it'd been a while since I put that in. But I'm glad to see you think it's nice that Eliza likes planes as well. And I'm not surprised that you laughed at that couple that Castle and Beckett met, since you said you thought that something like that might happen at the dinner. And the same with you wanting Beckett to have done far worse than a slap to the guy; not surprised. But yeah, they are a good looking couple I'm glad you agreed with me about that, lol. And definitely are magnets for these kinds of situations, but the fact that they haven't both been picked up together is odd you're right, they should try it out on the show… lol, probably won't though, the censors might think it's too much for the show's rating. And nice to see you can tell that they're enjoying themselves so far. And great that you can't wait to see what happens next, which you don't have to wait for anymore!), Beckett-Castle4ever (Great that you thought both halves of the chapter were good of course. And not surprised you too could see that they're going to have a good time on their vacation. I wasn't too taken aback to see that that couple made you laugh too. And the same with what you said about Martha not needing to worry about them. But glad that you enjoyed that love scene after they hung up with the girls. Really pleased to see you can't wait to see what happens next, which you don't have to do now that the chapter's up!), life's a mystery (It was nice to see you thought the last chapter was a great start to the story! And interesting you mentioned the hotelier, but that's just because I'm glad you caught he was creepy. Not surprised that you mentioned the other couple, or that you had the reaction you did to them trying to proposition Castle and Beckett, expected that from readers, lol. And really happy to see that you're looking forward to more and now you don't need to anymore!) and sammysgirl78 (Really nice to see that so far this story has your interest, especially since, as you said, you weren't sure where I was going to go after the last story and how I left things there. Not surprised to see you mentioning Martha and Alexis' concerns, but you'll get more of an answer to that as the story continues. And really glad to see you can't wait to see what I have planned next, now you don't need to wait for that actually!). So thanks for the reviews, I did love reading them and also was grateful to get them and that time was taken to send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Sunshine Sometime by Paul McCartney, the lyrical version of the song has never been released.
Shinning Into The Water
Lying down next to his wife, Castle slid his arms around her and murmured, "Love, wake up."
The sound of his voice broke into her sleep and Beckett turned over in her husband's embrace, smiling when she saw he was wide awake. "You got coffee didn't you?" she asked.
"Good morning to you too," Castle teased her, brushing some of her hair off her cheek. "And I did, it's outside on the table, do you want it?"
"I do," Beckett said. "First," she said, stopping him before he could get up. She wasn't too surprised when he kissed her before she could do so to him, but it didn't bother her as she just wanted to kiss him. Parting her lips to his tongue she let out a soft moan as he quickly explored her mouth, before moving back slightly. Stroking his cheek, she smiled as she told him, "You better go get the coffee, or we won't be going out to the island."
"Oh right," Castle said, jumping out from under the sheets in a hurry before he went out to the main room.
Lying back with a smile, Beckett watched him go and said, "I hope you didn't answer the door like that."
"No and good thing too, it was a woman," Castle told her as he came back. He paused for a moment as she wasn't trying to bother to cover her breasts as she started sitting up against her propped pillow but then continued to sit next to her, watching her eyes go down to his naked groin. "So… coffee?" he asked, holding out the mug to her.
Smiling at his question, knowing he was trying to provide a distraction, Beckett took the cup and sipped at the liquid before she watched him walk around the bed. "I want us to go to the lighthouse first," she told him as he sat under the covers next to her.
"Okay," Castle said, taking her attempt at a diversion. "But how long do I get there?"
"We'll see how it is on the island," Beckett said, looking towards the window.
"It's clear, looks like a nice day," Castle told her, having looked out as he'd been waiting for the coffee. "The sky is clear, and the wind doesn't look to be too bad. But," he continued. "I saw on my phone a warning about a storm tonight."
"Well, at least it's tonight. I'm hoping you're not intending to stay that long," Beckett said lightheartedly as she leaned against him then.
"I'm not," Castle laughed though he knew she was joking. "But let's hope we get enough time to walk around the island, some of it," he quickly said as she looked at him. "I'd love to see some wild animals, so you can get some pictures for the girls."
"So would I," Beckett said. "Now," she said as she set aside her nearly empty mug. "I need a shower."
"Me too," Castle said instantly though her statement had been more of a command to him. He scrambled to follow her, setting his empty mug next to hers as they went into the bathroom. As soon as they were inside the shower stall and the water was on, he pressed his wife's body back against the wall, seeing in her eyes as he did so that that had been exactly what she'd wanted. Realizing that, he took her lips hungrily, passionately kissing her as they held onto one another tightly.
Looking into the mirror after she had wiped away the steam covering it, Beckett smiled as her husband came up behind her, kissing at her neck and making her close her eyes in response. "Hmm, I wasn't expecting a shower like that," she told him, still smiling.
"Neither did I, but I definitely have my energy back," Castle told her, holding her covered and slightly damp body back against his. "You do too I think," he said, looking at their reflections.
"I do but let's keep it for our day out," Beckett insisted.
"Oh, alright," Castle said in mock surrender.
"But," Beckett quickly said as she turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around him. "I really enjoyed that and you should know I'm expecting you to do that again at some point today… this afternoon or later. Just as long as it's you doing it and it has the same end result."
Swallowing hard at that, Castle replied, "Me too, feel free to do that again to me whenever you want to." He had expected her to call him a pervert, but when she leaned into him he took her kiss eagerly, kissing her back as hard as he could.
After they had pulled apart, Beckett grabbed another towel and set it on the counter between the sinks for her to sit on. She watched her husband grab his razor and two bottles after sitting and waited for him to wash his face in warm water.
"Any reason why you like doing this?" Castle asked as he turned to her and she had a little pile of shaving foam ready in her hand.
"Oh, just because," Beckett said idly as she began to lather his skin. She smiled as he shot her a look and she continued with, "Because it's an intimate experience, and I can scare you with this," holding up the razor after she'd finished and cleaned her hand. "Although really, what good would it do me if I went Sweeney Todd on your throat?"
"That's true, but you brought your toy so-" Castle started to say before she hit his shoulder, making him laugh.
"Stay still," Beckett admonished him. She ran the razor over his right cheek first, cleaning it off and then going back to take off another patch of the foam from his skin. She wasn't too surprised when eventually her husband's hands came around her and she smiled as she told him, "I said it was intimate didn't I?'
As she was shaving his chin then Castle couldn't really reply, but he managed to catch her gaze and he saw her pause for a moment. He knew she wanted to kiss him, but since the area around his lips were still covered in foam he reached up to brush his fingertips along her lower lip as a kind of promise for once they were finished.
Giving him a brief smile at that, Beckett concentrated on taking the rest of the foam off his face, leaving the space above his lip for him once she'd gotten every other place she could. "One of these times you're going to let me do that," she said.
"That's alright," Castle said. "Not that I don't trust you," he said to his wife as he was rinsing off the razor. "But it might be a little hard for you to shave such a small space at that angle."
"Hmm, I'd like to comment on that but I'm ready for breakfast so I'll let it drop," Beckett said. She smiled when he glanced at her and she readjusted her towel around her body to tease him, unabashedly flashing him a peek at her breasts. She raised her eyebrows at him when he paused; razor on his skin; and told him, "Hurry, I'd like to go."
Not saying a word, Castle nodded and finished the rest quickly since he hadn't had much left to go. Washing off his face, he looked at her and saw she was getting some of his lotion on her fingers before motioning him to her. As he always did when she shaved him or else watched him he leaned against the counter in between her legs, shuddering briefly and just once as she proceeded to massage the lotion into his skin. "I should just have you do this for me."
"I can't do it every time," Beckett said in amusement since it wasn't the first time he'd said that. "But just ask and I definitely will if I have the opportunity," she said as she finished and then wrapped her arms around him tightly, bringing him closer to her as they kissed. It was rough and a little frantic as they tilted their heads back and forth repeatedly before they finally broke apart, gasping for air. "I love you," she murmured to him.
"Never get tired of hearing you say that," Castle said before he brushed his lips against hers. "I love you too though, a lot." He saw her amused smile at that before he kissed her, making it a sensuous one that time as he had the feeling she would appreciate that much better than anything too rough. He held her close until they parted and then after he helped her down he left the bathroom so they could get dressed.
Walking out of the bedroom when she'd finished Beckett was surprised to see her husband make a face for a moment before he finished tying his boots he had for the island excursion. "What's that look for?" she asked, sitting next to him as she put on her own boots she'd bought specially for the trip.
"No, I was hoping you'd still have your necklace on," Castle explained.
"I'm not going to wear that out in the woods," Beckett said, shaking her head though she had a little smile on her face. "But I was thinking of wearing it tonight to dinner again."
"That would be great," Castle said, thinking about the fact that she would likely still have the necklace on if they used the bed at all after.
"So you like me wearing that?" Beckett asked, having been watching him and not surprised to see his eyes almost glaze over. "And nothing else?"
"Absolutely nothing else," Castle said, not ashamed to admit it in the slightest. "And I forgot to tell you last night that you looked amazing."
"So did you," Beckett replied, standing up since her boots were on. She tugged on his hand and told him, "Let's go though, I really am starving like I said before."
"Sure," Castle said before they left, hand in hand after making sure their winter coats and her camera were on the table. When they reached the ballroom downstairs, they saw that breakfast was buffet style, and he then took a look at the tables as they were walking over to the beginning of the line. "Kate," he said, to get his wife's attention. "We have to sit where we did last night."
"You're kid- Mr. Hill I would assume," Beckett said, shaking her head as she picked up a plate. "Well, the table looked pretty empty, so maybe we'll have a private breakfast."
"Tomorrow we should," Castle said. "There is room service remember."
"I remember, and I have to wonder if we'll be in same state as this morning… though why am I wondering?" she asked her husband with an amused smile as they started to serve themselves.
"Beats me, maybe we like not saying for sure if we'll be… together," Castle said, looking around them and deciding not to take a chance on anyone hearing them. "So the food looks pretty nice," he said as a distraction yet again.
Not looking at him as she knew that was rhetorical, Beckett gave him a few pancakes before she said, "I wonder what they're doing right now."
"Well," Castle said as he grabbed a glass of juice with her at the end of the buffet with her. "It's nine thirty, so Julia is hopefully at school, and my mom and Eliza are doing… whatever they're doing."
"You gave her that suggested schedule," Beckett said knowingly as they sat down at their table from the night before. "So they're what? Reading?" When he didn't answer and instead looked at her in slight surprise she said, "She showed it to me."
"I knew it," Castle said, making a face. He laughed when his wife pushed him, but didn't take her hand off his arm so he only moved as far as she wanted him to go. Once he was sitting back up he said, "Yeah, reading, is it wrong of me to do that?"
"Well, she's starting to show her intelligence," Beckett mused. "And with her recognizing a few letters already… I guess it wouldn't hurt to help her start learning now. But," she said, pointing her fork with a potato on the end of it at him. "Nothing that she can't really handle learning. So no arithmetic or writing."
"I wasn't planning on having her learn to do that yet," Castle said with a nod. "But reading's always good."
"It is," Beckett said with a smile. "What else was there on that list?"
"I thought you saw it?" Castle asked his wife.
"I saw the first thing as I was in a hurry packing," Beckett said. "Oh, and thank you for not making that too long, fifteen minutes is probably as long as Eliza's attention is going to last."
"Counting, with those plastic bears we got her," Castle said. "But only for a little. After that she can do whatever she wants to with Eliza until lunch and she'll take a nap of course. And from then until they need to pick up Julia they can read again and then play an educational game together on the computer. Or a board game, whatever they want to."
"You're a great father you know," Beckett said as he turned to her to make sure that was alright. She reached over and cupped his cheek before they leaned into one another, kissing briefly since there were others around them eating their meals as well. When they had parted she said, "Oh, look who walked in," since she was facing the doorway.
"Love," Castle said, getting her attention, as he didn't need to turn his head to see. When she looked at him he fed her a strawberry from his plate, keeping his gaze on her and hoping she'd do the same so the Golds could see. He had no idea if the couple saw them; not caring if they did or didn't; and told Beckett, "We should order these for the room."
"With some honey," she said simply, smiling when Castle nearly squished the rest of the berry that was still in his hand in response. "Eat that," she told him, gesturing to it with her chin.
Castle was quick to do as she said, before he saw another couple coming over to their table. "Good morning," he said to the Maxtones.
"Morning, I hope you two had a pleasant first night," Chelsea said, sitting with her husband.
"We did," Beckett replied. "Do they always make us sit at the same table?"
"Pretty much," William said. "Though tonight with the murder mystery they'll have everyone sitting in a half circle since there'll be less people with tickets for it."
"No dancing?" Castle asked, hoping there would be as he suddenly found he wanted to do that with his wife again.
"There will be, after the meal," Chelsea replied with a nod. "A beautiful day to be out on the lake though."
"It is, I just hope I don't get sea sick," Beckett commented.
"I have medicine," Castle said quickly to her as he recalled.
"I brought some too," William said. "I've never been that great in a boat; it's why I'm glad we don't need to take the ferries home from work."
Murmuring something, though they couldn't really agree with the sentiment, Castle and Beckett were then asked about their home by Chelsea, what it was like living in a beach house full time as they continued to eat.
"It's very nice," Beckett said, smiling when her husband nodded in agreement with her.
"What happened two years ago with that hurricane though?" William asked.
"It missed the Hamptons, which was a relief," Castle said. "But we were hunkered down in the house, windows boarded up. It scared our girls, but we made sure to keep our oldest entertained."
"Eliza too, but she was a little over a year old, so she was content to watch us play some games," Beckett said in remembrance. "What about you guys? You didn't get hit by it?"
"Oh no, we were incredibly lucky," Chelsea replied. "But our building had to undergo some renovations because of a little bit of damage. Though this is a little dark to be talking about at breakfast. I've heard that you two play polo?"
"I play on a semi-pro team in town," Castle explained. "And she and I play on a co-ed team with our neighbors and friends, the Fosters."
"David Foster?" William asked. When Castle and Beckett nodded he said, "He's running for mayor isn't he?"
"He is, we're helping him campaign a little," Beckett said. "He's the better candidate and we're not just saying that because we're friends with him and his wife."
"Is it hard to play polo?" Chelsea asked, obviously not wanting to talk about politics either.
"Depends on your position," Castle said. "But you need to be a great horse rider first off. And she's that definitely."
As Beckett rolled her eyes, Chelsea smiled and said, "You like horses?"
"I've been horse crazy since I was three," Beckett said with a sigh though she was smiling as well. "You?"
"For about as long you," Chelsea said. "And I always hoped that Santa would bring me a horse, leave it in the lobby of the building I grew up in as a kid. But no luck."
"I would do the same thing as a little girl; even when I stopped believing in Santa," Beckett said, recognizing she'd found a kindred spirit in the woman with that. "But I always looked out my bedroom window to see if there was a horse out there with a gigantic bow around its neck and an English saddle ready to go on it on the sidewalk."
Castle, watching his wife as she said that, smiled to himself before he then asked the couple about their plans once they got to the island. As they talked about taking separate excursions around the island; as the Maxtones had no interest in the lighthouse; he reached over to his wife and took her hand, squeezing it gently before they listened to the wildlife the two had found out were on Michipicoten.
"Alright, here we go," the captain of the motorboat told his passengers as they pulled away from the pier next to the stone boathouse. "Keep your faces down if you don't want to get wet," he called then as a woman cried out at the sudden spray.
Sitting close to her husband in the front row that he'd commandeered for them, Beckett wanted to take pictures of their approach to the island, but she didn't want to have to clean the lens of her camera. So since she had it, she snapped a picture with her phone as fast as she could before putting it down. "I'll have to send that to the girls later that way Julia's not the last to see it," she told Castle.
"Good idea, are you okay?" he asked her, as the wind was cold on their faces.
Smiling at his concern, Beckett nodded telling him, "I'm great, it's a refreshing breeze; like at the Cliffs of Moher." She wasn't too surprised when he reached down and kissed the back of her gloved hand at the reminder of their honeymoon, and she told him, "You?"
"Doing great," Castle echoed her. He wrapped his arm around her then, watching as she took another picture of the island looming in front of them before he saw the white tower of the lighthouse. "It's beautiful," he called.
"It is," Beckett said. "I'm glad we can go inside a little," she told him as they'd found out before setting out on the boats that they could go up to the second window on the flight of stairs inside but the remainder of the lighthouse was for employees only. "Sorry you can't go in those other buildings."
"I'll do an EVP session in the lighthouse and hope I can get something," Castle said with a shrug. He looked at his wife to see her reaction then, but wasn't too surprised when she merely took yet another picture of Michipicoten. They were nearer, so he made sure his recorder was in his pocket as they came up to the small beach that was next to the lighthouse and the captain held the boat with his assistant as they disembarked. He and William Maxtone helped the third male passenger in getting the motorboat pulled up onto the shore completely so it wouldn't be taken out into the lake, the captain thanking them. Going back to his wife, he took her hand and led her over to the lighthouse as the others from their boat and the second one that had ferried resort guests over walked to the faint path near the beach.
Walking with Castle, Beckett could see he was trying to hold back his excitement but with the way he looked at his recorder; nearly tripping if she hadn't grabbed him; he was failing miserably. She took a number of pictures looking back then toward the opposite shore, their resort building rising from the woods surrounding it, and then some of the forest covering the island. "This is pretty amazing," she said, her voice low as everything was quiet except for the lapping of the water on the shore, the water surprisingly calm.
"I know, I'm glad we could make it out here," Castle said. He grinned when his wife looked at him in surprise and told her, "We'll get inside, this is a nice, romantic moment here," as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders firmly. "I'm in no hurry to leave this view before I have some ghost adventures. Think they'd let me join them on lockdown?" he asked. When she just gave him one of her looks he said, "Then you're going to have to go on these semi-lockdowns with me love."
"Which we'll do right now; let's go," Beckett said, looking at the lighthouse then and wanting to go inside badly as her camera made its presence known in her hands; though it was just a weight she was eager to take pictures as they walked to the tower and she went in first while her husband held the door open for her.
The tower was tall, and looking up at the spiral staircase, Castle said, "I really wish we could go up."
"We're lucky we're in here at all. Come on, let's look at the view and then you can do your adventure lockdown," Beckett said, heading up the stairs. She couldn't help reach out and touch the wall as they made their way up to the second window, and stopping at it she smiled at the view saying, "As lonely as this island is, the view had to have made up for it."
"It did," Castle said, watching her take a few pictures before taking one straight up. "You know what I love though?" When Beckett looked at him questioningly he told her, "The isolation, and with as big as the island is… it's like it's your own little universe."
"Universe?" Beckett asked, amusement tingeing her voice at his word choice and enthusiasm.
"Or your own private island," Castle allowed. He smiled when his wife patted his arm and then grabbed her hand before she could turn back to the window.
"Hold on," Beckett said. "You don't think that will mess up the vibe of this building?"
"What, you don't want me to?" Castle asked, since he knew she didn't believe in what she'd said.
"Do your session and let's go, I'm eager to walk around to see what we can," Beckett urged him.
"Alright," Castle said, taking his digital recorder out of his pocket. He quickly said the date and their location before he said, walking away from her, "If there's anyone who wants to talk, you can right into this red light here. We'll be able to hear you that way."
Beckett watched her husband in amusement, not sure why he insisted on using plural when he would do that but she didn't try to stop him as they were both quiet. "Can I go downstairs?" she asked him after some time had passed.
"Sure, that's her going down," Castle said into the recorder. "And now me," he said as he followed her down since he didn't see much point in staying there. At the bottom of the stairs, he said, "Is anyone here at all…"
"Are you feeling some kind of weird thing?" Beckett asked after a long pause.
"Negative energy," Castle told her. "No, not really… alright, I guess we should just go," he said with a sigh. They left then and he asked, "If you think all of this is complete bull, why did you buy me this for my birthday?"
Smiling, Beckett said, "Because it's fun to watch you talking to nothing."
"Let's go," Castle said, pocketing his recorder and reminding himself mentally to listen to it later when he was alone. He took his wife's hand then and walked with her to the faint path, reaching into the same pocket his recorder was in to make sure he had the map they'd been given before leaving the resort.
Walking around to the northern part of the island, Beckett couldn't really see many signs of wildlife, but she still had plenty to take pictures of as there were some birds at least. She was watching what she guessed was an eagle swoop down to the water before she felt Castle grab the sleeve of her coat. Turning to him, she saw what had his attention since he was looking away from the water and inland. There in between the trees she saw a male woodland caribou feeding from the ground before a few females came up behind him. She was quick to take pictures; relieved she'd muted the sounds on her camera as soon after the caribou looked their way and then trotted away. "Wow," she was finally able to say when she and Castle looked at each other.
"Did you get any pictures?" he asked her interestedly.
"A few, the girls are going to love seeing that," Beckett replied, looking at the screen of her camera.
"They will, they came out great," Castle said, looking down with her. "You're a great photographer Kate."
"Thank you, I-" she started to say before the walkie-talkie she had came to life with a crackle of static.
"Everyone come back to the boats, that snowstorm's fast approaching," the captain of their boat said. "Come back immediately before we get caught here for the night."
"Well, we got to see a pretty good part of the island, and some caribou, so I'm happy," Castle said as he and Beckett started to walk back. Since they were walking quickly he could take his wife's hand as she wasn't taking pictures and they were the first to reach the boat. "Where's the storm?" he asked the men waiting for them.
When the captain turned to the northwest and pointed, Beckett sucked in a deep breath as she saw the menacing clouds seeming to approach rapidly. She turned back to the water and said, "Will we make it back in time?"
"If everyone gets here in time," the captain said as the Maxtones and another couple reached them. "Stand with the boat you came in so we can count off easier," he told them. It took another ten minutes, but he called to the other driver of the other boat, "I have everyone."
"Me too, everyone in," the other man said.
Once the boats were heading back to the resort's pier, Castle held Beckett close to him as the wind had picked up, making her shiver slightly though he could tell she was trying to control it and the water was a little choppy as compared to their trip that morning. He glanced back every so often to watch the clouds coming closer, but it looked like they'd made it in time as they were able to get off and the workers got the boats into the boathouse before a single flake of snow fell. When he and his wife were inside the building he said, "So since we have the time now do you want to go through the conservatory?"
Looking at her watch Beckett nodded before telling him, "We have time for something else too."
"The baths?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when she shook her head once, and then said, "Why not?"
"I'd rather keep you to myself for that," Beckett said with a slight smirk on her face. "No, what I'd love to do is either skate or play on the miniature golf course."
"We couldn't do both?" Castle said.
"Let's see what we feel like after the conservatory," Beckett said with a smile. They went to the concierge who took their outer layers for them and she took Castle's hand as they went across the lobby to the ballroom. "Looks like the Maxtones were right about the seating," she said, as there were workers setting the chairs around the tables in a half circle in the same direction.
"You know, I have to admit I love that name," Castle said after he'd nodded at her comment.
"What name?" Beckett asked.
"Maxtone," Castle replied.
"You want to use it in a book," Beckett said in amusement as they entered the conservatory.
"Maybe, we'll see," Castle said as he watched her set up a shot of some orchids. "A lot better during the day," he said as he walked behind her.
"I know and you were right, better we waited to come when no one was trying to solicit us," Becket said, glancing over her shoulder at him. She smiled when he just looked at her and she turned back to the flowers in front of them, taking a picture looking up suddenly when she noticed it was snowing.
"That'll be a nice one," Castle said, looking up with her and seeing what she'd likely managed to capture. "And great we made it back."
"Though you know," Beckett said as they went down another path. "I don't think it would've been too bad staying on the island overnight. You could have done more investigating," she joked.
"One of these days I'll get a class A EVP, and what are you going to say to me then?" Castle asked her.
"You'd have to wait until that day comes," Beckett said simply. She walked ahead of him, taking more pictures of more orchids before he caught up to her. She took his hand as they rounded a path, and she looked at him saying, "Maybe we could work in both."
"Both what?" Castle asked. "Oh, skating and golf. You know it surprises me you want to play mini-golf." At her look he smiled saying, "Just because I didn't imagine you would."
"What, you expected me to let you play with Julia and Eliza by yourself?" Beckett asked since they'd taken their daughters to a course nearest their home a number of times before. "What kind of mother would I be if I did that?" she asked him.
"Also surprises me that you're pretty good," Castle said.
"Do you remember the guy I've talked about that was my friend at the Academy?" Beckett asked him. "Darnley?" When he nodded she continued saying, "We would go out sometimes, play a round at a family fun center outside the city and have a beer before racing in the go-karts. He was a nice guy," a slight smile on her face in remembrance. She looked at her husband and reminded him, "He was gay remember? Those nights out actually helped him, he didn't want people then finding out about him, so I helped them think we had some kind of thing going on."
"He's in DC you said?" Castle said as they had reached where they'd come in. When he saw the nostalgic smile on his wife's face he asked, "Would you want to go down there for a trip? Maybe see him again?"
"Maybe," Beckett said. "I would love to know how he's doing." When they stepped out into the ballroom she then said, "For now though, let's play a round and then we'll skate before heading back to our room."
The small course was off of the lobby, and Castle said to his wife, "You don't want to leave your camera with our stuff?"
"No, I'm bringing it with me," Beckett said simply. "I told Julia I'd take pictures."
"And in this case pictures of me playing," Castle said.
"I wasn't the one that smacked my golf ball into the windmill," Beckett replied with a smirk.
"Hey, that was a onetime thing," Castle told her as he opened the door to the course. "Wow, I wasn't expecting this," he said when they saw the course was decorated with natural formations and real trees as the room was a greenhouse like the conservatory. "Not a windmill in sight." He noticed the look on his wife's face, seeing a look of nostalgia there. "Still want to play?" he asked.
"Yeah, let's get the clubs," Beckett replied, shaking her memories from her mind. She followed him to the desk where a worker was reading a book to get their equipment.
"Oh, hello," the man said, looking up and seeing them. "Sorry about that, it's been pretty slow today."
"Anyone else in here now?" Castle asked after he showed the keycard that had their room number on it to the man.
"Actually you'll be on your own," the man said, handing over two putters and a blue and a green golf ball. "Enjoy," he said, handing over a scorecard next.
"We won't need that," Beckett told him, taking Castle's wrist before he could grab it. "Come on."
"It's just the two of us love," Castle said as they went to the first hole, which had a path going through a tunnel in a pine tree.
"I know, I was just remembering Darnley and I playing; we wouldn't use a card," Beckett said with a slight smile as she set her ball down. "He hated keeping score, said it ruined the fun of a game."
"Sounds like he was a nice guy," Castle said, watching her with a smile. "You're sure he was gay?"
Shooting him a look, Beckett then nodded before she hit the ball and said, "I actually let him know I knew on our first trip to that family fun center. Shocked and then scared him because he thought I was angry at him, but after he realized I wasn't judging him, he relaxed."
"Why don't you get in contact with him?" Castle asked after hitting his ball and nearly getting a hole in one.
"I wouldn't know where to start," Beckett said with a shrug. "Plus I'm sure he doesn't remember me."
"I would," Castle said. "Hard to forget someone like you."
"No need to kiss my ass Castle," Beckett told him wryly. "And you wouldn't forget me because you never went away from me long enough to."
"You're right," Castle said as they moved to the second hole once Beckett hit her ball on her second try in. He watched her take a few pictures of the tiny pond and waterfall there and stepped close to her as she set her camera aside on a bench.
"What?" Beckett asked with a slight smile as she straightened up to find him face to face with her. When he leaned down and took her lips, she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her putter fall to the ground. She felt Castle's arms around her and guessed he'd ditched his as well, though that was a fleeting thought as she was responding to her husband's lips hungry on hers as soon as she could. She was going to part her lips, but quickly pulled back and said, "Sorry, I forgot… we weren't in our room."
"Not a problem, I did too," Castle said. "Here," he said as he picked up the putters and gave her hers. "You're first."
"Well, since I already set up my shot, sure," Beckett said with a smile. She hit the ball, and she walked down to the other end while Castle set up his golf ball. She couldn't help remember when she had been playing with Darnley, smiling as her friend had been a golfer as her husband was, and she could nearly see him there hitting the ball their first time playing together.
"Damn it," Darnley muttered as his ball hit the edge, far away from the hole. "Alright, your turn."
"I don't know why you won't keep score," Beckett said, smiling at him.
"I'd be losing," Darnley pointed out. "It's been a long time since I played this type of golf."
"I can tell, but you know it's been the same for me too," Beckett replied as she hit her golf ball and managed to get close to a hole in one.
"Are you sure?" Darnley asked, going and trying to touch her back as she went to hit her ball in. But the pass was a little clumsy and when she looked at him he muttered an apology before going to his ball to hit it in.
"Let's get a drink," Beckett said, studying him then as he stood back up.
"Yeah, sounds great," Darnley told her before they went to the bar across the street.
"So," Beckett said as they went outside with their beers. "I'm wondering why you've been acting weird lately Darnley."
"I haven't been acting weird," he protested. But when she just looked at him he said, "I… I was trying…"
Looking around them, Beckett then put her hand on his arm and said, "Are you gay?" in a low voice.
Darnley looked at her with wide eyes and was about to protest when he saw her expression, it was an understanding one and he realized her hand was still on his arm. "Yeah, how did you know?" he asked her.
"More the fact you've been asking me to dinners, but in such a way the guys in our class think they're dates," Beckett said. "You've done that before. But I don't mind if it helps you out. If it does then by all means you can keep doing that."
"You don't need to," Darnley told her.
"It's not a problem," Beckett replied. "So, what do you think you're going to do when we graduate?"
Reaching over to her, Darnley squeezed her hand in silent thanks before he said in reply to her question, "I might head down to DC, but I'd like to get a little experience with the NYPD if they'll accept me."
"They will," Beckett replied. She then talked about their weapons training they'd had two days before to put her friend at ease before she suggested a race back at the go-karts.
"Okay, if we were keeping score," Castle said at the seventh hole and his wife had just gotten a hole in one. "You'd be winning by more than me."
Smiling a little as she had just been thinking of her old friend saying that, Beckett said, "You've been getting some good scores yourself. And besides, this is just for fun."
"I know," Castle said, smiling at her. He took his turn next and managed to get a hole in one as well saying, "Well, maybe we're about even."
Shaking her head, Beckett took his hand and pulled him to the next hole, taking another picture; as she'd been doing through the whole game. Each obstacle had been a part of a landscape and she knew their daughters would love seeing it, so she took as many photographs as she could before she took her turn. She stood by watching Castle take a shot and she smiled when he made it up the hill where the hole was placed in the middle and got a hole in one. "Still even?" she asked as she took her turn and it took three more tries for her to sink the ball.
"Actually, I think so," Castle told her as they went to the last hole. "Remember that weird metal obstacle?"
"I remember," Beckett said, as that had been the fifth one and where her husband had taken five shots. "Well, let's just say," she began before she hit her golf ball and sank it into the hole as it was an easier shot. "That we've had fun."
"Good idea," Castle told her after he managed a hole in one as well. "Let's go skating."
Taking his hand that he held out to her, Beckett let him set down the clubs where they'd gotten them near the entrance, the worker still there still reading his book as they were the only ones there. Going over to the concierge again, they picked up the jackets they'd worn to the island under their coats before heading to the ice rink. They were surprised to find only a few couples there, and they glanced at each other before going to get skates.
"Let me," Castle said, kneeling in front of his wife when she finished taking off her shoes on a bench.
"Rick," Beckett said warningly though there was a smile on her face as he picked up her leg so he could get the black skate on her foot.
Looking up at her, Castle had to pause seeing the expression on his wife's face and leaned up enough to reach her lips. He wasn't too surprised when she kissed him back right away; even though she hadn't wanted him to go too far with simply helping her with the skates. He felt her hand cupping his cheek and he had to struggle a little to make himself pull away from her before he finished saying, "You are hard to resist love," just as the last couple left on the rink came to the benches near them and started taking their skates off.
"Vice versa," Beckett said in English, not surprised her husband looked up at her quickly at that. "But you know we have the opportunity for a long time," she continued. She wasn't sure if he was going to stop and take her back to their room with him seemingly frozen where he was, but he then sat next to her and hurriedly threw on his skates before walking with her to the ice.
Taking her hand in his tightly as they'd opted not to wear gloves, Castle kept his wife close as they started to go around the edge of the rink. They didn't say anything to one another even when they were relatively alone; only a worker at the skates stall there; but seeing the look on her face he had to finally break the silence. "Why didn't we just go back up?"
"I don't know," Beckett said with a laugh. "I feel like doing this another day," she finally said. "Come on."
Getting their skates off seemed to take a lot longer for Castle and Beckett, but they were soon handing them back at the stall and after getting the rest of their things from the concierge they were going up to their room. Walking down the hall, they turned the corner and were surprised to find the activities director and the couple from the night before at the door to the suite two doors down from their own.
"And doing that out in the hall, you have a bedroom in there, I suggest you use it," Hill was saying, pointing at Dennis.
"Oh shut up you prick, we'll do whenever the hell we want, wherever we want," he said, shoving the man in the shoulder before he and his fiancée went back into their suite.
Not looking over at the confrontation as Castle was opening the door, Beckett dared a glance over at Hill, not surprised to see his jaw clenched before he stalked their way, pausing.
"Go into your suite if you're going to do the same!" Hill literally yelled though he wasn't looking at Castle and Beckett.
Before he could say anything; or before his wife could either; Castle watched with her as Hill stalked around the corner and said, "Well, that was unpleasant."
"Come on, we should go inside anyways," Beckett said as she went inside ahead of him. "He needs a girlfriend."
"Or boyfriend," Castle told her. When she looked at him he nodded saying, "You couldn't tell?"
"Well, then he just needs to have sex of some kind, it might make him a little less uptight," Beckett said. "But I have to wonder what they were doing that made him react in that way."
"Good question, unless he has it out for them because they were late to the dinner last night," Castle pointed out as they hung up their outer layers in the outside closet.
"Most likely," Beckett said with a slight smile on her face. "Now though…"
"Yes?" Castle asked, pretending to be clueless as to what she was hinting at. He wrapped his arms around her when she kissed him, hugging her tightly, and he let that go on for as long as it could before he was picking her up. And as she pressed quick kisses to his lips, he took her into the bedroom, not bothering with the door behind them, as it was only the two of them while he laid her down gently on the bed, following her with a passionate kiss.
"How's the book so far?" broke into Beckett's mind as she was reading. She looked up at Castle as she sat down on the couch next to her and she smiled as he didn't bother to wait for her to answer as he started to tug on the blanket wrapped around her. "It's not too bad, but I wonder if she'll be okay reading about this character's father dying," she said.
"I think Julia understands a little more about that," Castle said as he took the other half of the blanket and wrapped it around himself, leaning against her as he did. "Remember Kauai?"
"I do," Beckett said, nodding at the memory. "But that's a little different from this."
"True, but I think she could handle it and if we need to we can read that with her," Castle suggested.
"Good idea, we probably should," Beckett replied before she looked at her watch. "Okay, so I need to get changed and-" she began.
"No shower?" Castle asked her pleadingly.
"We had one," Beckett said though she knew he was only joking. "Stay here until I'm done."
"What you're not closing the door?" Castle said as he watched her walk into the bedroom.
"Not really, why would I need to hide myself changing?" Beckett asked him simply. "I just don't want you to be tempted to start over again."
"I'll behave, besides," Castle replied as he stood, setting the blanket aside before we went into the room with her. "I have to change too."
Beckett smiled before she took off her pajamas she'd changed into after their shower. She glanced at the bed as she removed her bra and couldn't help let that smile grow a little wider as she remembered their lovemaking a few hours before. She stepped into her dress half naked then, and came back to the present with the knowledge that her husband was staring at her. She was turned away from him, but could feel his gaze nearly burning her back. She didn't mind it, because she was able to tell him, "I need your help."
"Sure," Castle said; since he had been staring as his wife had thought. He went to her, zipping up the dress and he couldn't help running his hands down her back when he'd finished saying, "You look amazing in this dress."
"Are you as surprised as I am that it still fits?" Beckett asked him with a small smile.
"Not really, you know a lot of people ask if you really gave birth to Eliza," Castle pointed out to her as she turned to him. "So I don't think they're able to tell. Why the sudden doubt?"
"Not doubt, just remembering something Jenny told me after she gave birth to our godson. Unofficial godson though Ryan really tried to get us to prove we were Catholic somehow," Beckett said with a smile.
"But he's still our godson in Ryan and Jenny's eyes. But what did she say to you love?" Castle asked.
"That she was jealous of me, because I hadn't looked like I'd given birth," Beckett said. "I thought she was out of her mind, but then she started bemoaning the fact her hips were wider and she was heavier and I had to calm her down telling her Ryan loved her still and thought she was beautiful. And then I remembered my friend Susie."
"Yeah, the one who was at our wedding," Castle said. "I remember her."
"She was the first of our group of friends in high school to have a baby," Beckett said. "Does she look like she's had one… or three?"
"Not really," Castle said. "So that's different for women too."
"I think so," Beckett said, looking down at herself in her dress she'd worn in Ireland at the Adare Manor for their first dinner there. "So again, there's surprise because I've had this dress for three years now. And another surprise, you're still having that reaction," she told him, a little smirk on her face as she studied him.
"Oh, you could be wearing nothing right now and it'd be the same reaction," Castle said simply as he started to wrap his arm around her waist before she suddenly pressed her hands against his chest.
"Uh-uh love, get dressed and we need to go," Beckett told him simply. "And, we have to call our daughters before we leave. Unless you'd prefer to leave early and then call them after." She bit back her laughter when her husband quickly turned to the dresser to take out his suit for that night, and she went into the bathroom to put up her hair.
"I wish you'd have brought that comb," Castle said as she came back out and he was about to put on his tie.
"I didn't want to worry about breaking it," Beckett said simply as she went to a flat comb with only the barest curve in it that had three aquamarines on it on the dresser; a Valentine's Day gift from her husband the year after Eliza had been born. She tucked it into her hair against the back of her head, and smiled as Castle came up next to her saying, "I'll put my heels on in a second."
"Not yet, can I put on the necklace for you?" he asked.
"After this is on," Beckett said, turning to him and taking his tie. She wrapped it around his neck and made the knot, pushing it up to his neck as she said, "If you want, you can help me with my heels."
"You think if couples would help each other dress they'd stay together longer?" Castle asked, nodding once in response to that.
"I don't know, it depends on if they made it romantic while they did that," Beckett said, waiting for him to get her aquamarine necklace. She watched in the mirror as his reflection took off her pendant, and she set it down before feeling the cool silver chain of the necklace coming around her neck. She touched the lone gemstone hanging over the top of the neckline of her dress and she turned to him once it was clasped in place.
"Wait, one second," Castle told her quickly before she could do anything else. He took her hand and drew her over to the bed, getting her shoes as she sat.
"You have a fetish with my feet too," Beckett couldn't help tease him as he ran his hand underneath her right foot, holding it up.
"Not really," Castle said. "You just have delicate feet, they fascinate me sometimes. But I love getting them into the heel; another romantic experience for us," he said as he had her foot in the first one. "These are new aren't they?" he asked.
"I thought you might like the style," Beckett said as he held the ribbons attached to the back of the shoe. "Here, let me show you because I get the feeling this isn't going to be the last time you do this. Watch," she told him before she instructed him in how to cross the ribbons together to about an inch above her ankle before she tied a small knot at the back. "There, try with the other," she said as he got the other heel on her foot. She smiled at his obvious concentration and asked, "You've never put these kinds of shoes on a woman?"
"Putting on shoes wasn't something I did," Castle said.
"Ah, you took them off," Beckett said in understanding, smiling when he winced for a second. "You know, I'd be jealous," she said as he got up to sit on the bed next to her when her heel was tied in place. She was leaning back on her hands before she told him, "But I know where you want to be tonight, and you won't want to remember your past."
"Yeah, you make a great point," Castle said, leaning over and kissing her. Since his wife had lipstick on, he could only brush his lips against hers, which he did a few times before making himself stay away from her. "Again?" he asked when she looked at him and then laughed softly.
"Come on, we need to call the girls and your mom anyways," Beckett said, going to grab a tissue before they went outside to the main room where Castle got the Skype set up to call their family on his tablet. "Hi Julia, Eliza, how are you?" she asked their daughters first as they appeared in front of them, Martha behind them on the coffee table again.
"Hi Mommy! Daddy too!" Eliza cried, opening and closing her hands to them both.
"Thank you sweetheart," Castle said with a slight laugh. "You're doing good though, right?"
"We are," Julia said with a smile as she stopped her little sister's hand carefully. "We had fun today."
"Doing what?" Beckett asked.
"Well, at school it was fun and then after we played outside for a little before Gram said it was too cold for Eliza," Julia said. "Then we had hot chocolate, I gave Eliza some sips of mine."
"They're doing well," Martha said from behind as she saw Beckett's eyes going in her direction. "Everything's fine," she told her son and daughter in law, as she knew they were wondering if anything might happen to the girls while they were gone; and had told her to keep an eye out for that. "And after our hot chocolate, Eliza and I helped Julia with her homework so tonight we can watch whatever movie they pick together."
"Okay," Beckett said with a smile as her youngest daughter looked eager at that. "It sounds like you two are behaving for your gram, which we appreciate. Now, you want to know what we've been doing?"
"Yes please," Julia said immediately and excitedly. "We saw the picture you sent us."
"That was good," Eliza said quickly. "Of you and Daddy."
Smiling as he remembered taking the selfie with his wife as they'd been walking on the island, Castle said, "We went to where we took that picture, Michipicoten Island, and we looked at the lighthouse, very quickly. Then we walked around a little and saw some caribou really quickly before they left."
"Moose?" Eliza asked.
"No, they're like reindeer," Beckett replied. "They were very pretty, and we saw some birds; not many since most of them have gone south for the winter by now. But I did manage to get a picture of an eagle getting its dinner."
"How fun. Did you go over the whole island?" Julia said.
"No, we had to go back to the boats since a storm was coming up, but we managed to beat it," Castle told them. "So with the rest of the afternoon free, your mommy and I played miniature golf and then skated for a little before we took a nap."
Smiling at his description of their love making; though they had napped briefly afterwards; Beckett said in reply to their youngest's question as to if it had been fun, "Of course it was and I took some pictures of the course for you two to see. So now we're ready to go down to the mystery dinner."
"You'll know the answer already Mommy, Daddy," Julia said confidently.
"We'll see," Castle said, sharing a smile with his wife at that. "But for now we'll let you two go, so you can have dinner and get to watch that movie before going to bed. I'm not sure about calling tomorrow Mother," he told her. "The storm has been steadily getting worse, but we're staying here in the hotel so we'll call you the second we can."
"Right, stay warm then, both of you," Martha said, studying the two on the screen closely, but not able to tell if they were okay relationship wise; which she hadn't expected to, but had been hoping. "Have fun and goodnight."
"Night Mommy, Daddy, love you!" Eliza exclaimed.
"Love you Eliza," Beckett said, blowing a kiss to her to her giggle.
"I love you too sweetheart," Castle said, waving to her.
"And I love you Mommy, Daddy," Julia said, waving to them.
"We love you sweetie," Beckett told her, blowing another kiss to her to Julia's pleased smile.
"A lot Julia," Castle told her. "Goodnight you two, sleep tight."
"Sweet dreams," Beckett said to them before the girls said a last goodbye and then hung up. "Okay, let's go," she said, standing up as he turned the tablet off.
When they got to the door Castle stopped his wife and pulled her into his arms, kissing her as deeply as he could. He was pleased when there was no protest to that, and he kept it going for as long as he could until they had to breathe. "Needed to do that one time before we left," he told her.
"Hmm, I'm glad you did," Beckett said, brushing her lips against his. They shared a brief kiss before they left the room, her fingers entwined with Castle's as they headed to the elevator and he used the tissue still in his hands to wipe off her lipstick while she reapplied.