By ten, the party was in full swing. The DJ kept the song mix bright and fun, with just the right balance of country, hip-hop, dance, pop and novelty tunes to keep the dance floor crowded and the bartenders' tip jars stuffed to busting. Castle didn't think he'd ever get the imaging of the always-in-command Montgomery shakin' his groove-thing to the bouncy beat of Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie". He'd also turned a blind eye to the way his daughter was intimately pressed up against Patrick, but luckily for him he kept his hands in appropriate places. Across the dance floor, he could see Esposito - who now had his necktie around his head - also pressed up against Sloan and for a moment Castle thought he was going to try and give her mouth-to-mouth while dancing, but thankfully he remembered it was some-what a family event and instead kissed the pretty college freshman on the cheek.

As the song wound to a close, Castle staggered to the nearest chair, slumped dramatically. Across the table, Martha sat four martinis deep beside Aiden Delaney and Lanie, pleased with the state of the world in general.

'Ah, this is what it's all about, my dears,' she warbled, making Aiden cringe from her breath and Lanie giggle like a school-girl. 'The flowers, the music, the wine, it's all trappings but do you know what stays? The love. the love between family and friends and lovers and...everyone!'

'And how much love have you had tonight, Martha?' Lanie asked, all polite smiles.

'Oh, dear, counting is for beginners. I learned long ago on night such as these if you count the drinks you have, you'll wake up the next morning saying why can't I go back and cut that number in half?' She emphasized her point by karate-chopping the edge of the table, sending bottles jumping and the wax in the votive holders wobbling in a dangerous way. 'Richard!'

'Mother!'

'When did you sit down?'

Castle only grinned. 'As much fun as your having, I don't want to look after that in the morning.'

'Oh, don't worry dear, I'm going to be Chet's problem, not yours, the morning after.' Martha gave him a sloppy wink that had Castle swallowing deeper. Martha was in the dangerous Cinqo-de-Mayo zone, the red-alert, Defcon-3 cannot control-her-mouth zone and he couldn't have one slip of her tongue ruining everything for him.

Before he could give her a warning himself, Beckett toddled over on her lady heels, smiling devilishly at Castle as the hot-country tempo picked up.

'I believe you said to save you a dance for later? Well it's later now, and I'm cashing in.'

'Oh I don't do so well with a waltz, I think I'd murder your toes two-stepping.'

Impatient, Beckett rolled her eyes. 'Come on, Ricky, you're not afraid of a little action, are you?'

Castle bared his teeth at her use of "Ricky"; it was dangerously too close to calling him "kitten". But he'd never been one to back down from a challenge. Slapping his palms on his thighs, he grabbed Beckett's wrist, spun her into his arms. 'You just hang on, little lady,' he drawled in his best John Wayne.

'Oh, kinda sir,' Beckett replied, adding a twang to her voice and fluttering her lashes. 'Just you see if you can keep up.'

They spun away on the dance floor, making Lanie want to strangle them both. Were they both that blind, or just plain stubborn? Maybe it was a matter misinformation; after all, Beckett had spent most of a lonely miserable summer under the impression that Castle was still stuck on his ex-wife. She knew it wasn't the case, so maybe she needed to prod a little.

'Lanie Parish, I can see you brain working overtime, and I have just the cure.' Martha shoved a fresh martini at her new drinking buddy, the focused bleary eyes on the shapes she believed her Castle and Beckett. 'You've known that girl a long time, Lanie. Does she always move so slowly?'

'At work? Never. With men? Like you read about. I'm telling you, five bucks says all this atmosphere and wonderment will do nothing to help her, and she'll wake up tomorrow alone in her apartment.'

Martha examined her manicure. She was a gambling woman and bet on almost anything she found interest. Her son's imminent romance with the detective, especially with the festivities, was a sucker's bet, it was only a matter of time. 'Make it a hundred.'

'Fifty?'

'Done.'

R&R&Enjoy.