Genre: Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

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 reviews I did for the last chapter so going to get to my thank yous right away! vetgirlmx (Glad that first off you thought the chapter was very nice, nice to read that! And it was nice too to see you thought they had an enjoyable day, wanted to make that apparent. And I was pleased to see you thought the horses and the cart were a good idea, I thought they would be 'cause I would try and do that myself if I was going there! I'm glad that you noticed them preparing themselves for if Julia questions herself; I figured they'd want to do that. And I'm glad that you think it'll be cool if that happens. And yeah, I figure a storm and a ferry it'll be scary for a toddler and couldn't have her get sick too, lol, would've been too much. And also I've heard of kids just falling asleep after something like that and that does help out so did that with Eliza. I wasn't surprised that you knew Brennan was going to want to meet Beckett, though he was wary of course, and I'm glad you're eager to find out how the meeting goes still! Another think that didn't surprise me was when you mentioned Alexis staying in Oxford; you'll have to see how things'll go when they get to the actual point, see how they hold up. Thanks so much for the Happy New Year, same to you again and I hope your year is a great one! Was glad to see you can't wait to see what's next and now you don't need to anymore!), Guest (It was nice to see you thought the last chapter was a great one and thought it had sweet family moments; definitely what I was aiming for. I wasn't surprised to see your wondering if they celebrate the day Beckett adopted her but I actually have them concentrating more on Mother's and Father's Day and Julia's birthday than that day. I just see them wanting to focus on her actually being their daughter though I think here and there I've had them recall when they first met her though not too much. But it's an interesting thought you had about that, made me think), TORONTOSUN (First I wanted to say that I hope your New Year celebration was a good one too, for you and all of your loved ones. And with your review of the last chapter I was glad that you liked the way the girls were getting so excited for their trip to the island and the horses. I figured with the horses at least it would make them excited, lol. And I'm so happy that you like how intense they are when they're alone. I like to write them that way so it shows that they're still in love as much as they are this far into their marriage that things haven't diminished for them with that! And it was great to read that you like the way they're so concerned with Julia and Eliza and also their future. I think they could be awesome parents on the show, but since we're obviously not getting that I'm writing it. So it was a fantastic compliment to see that in your review!) and Melissagirl (I'm happy to see that you too can tell they're enjoying the trip. And I'm not planning on writing them having a son as I can't see them in my mind in my stories having one so not going to force myself to write what I can't imagine. And you made me think of how I myself come from a family of mostly girls and actually it's pretty interesting but that's thanks to my sister and cousin, lol. But I just wanted to give you a heads up on my plans concerning that). Thanks so much for the reviews you sent to me, I loved reading them as always and appreciate the time taken to write those reviews and sending them to me!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song The Bonnie House of Airlie which is a Scottish folk song from the seventeenth century; not sure who wrote it.

Bonnie, Bonnie Day

"There it is," Martha said, squeezing her granddaughters' hands tightly. "Edinburgh Castle."

"Why are we up?" Eliza asked, looking at her grandmother questioningly.

"Do you remember when we were on Inishmore, in Ireland?" Martha asked her. When the toddler nodded she continued saying, "The fort on the cliff helped keep an eye out for anyone approaching."

"Like we could do now," Julia replied, looking behind them. "Where are we going first?" she called to her parents as they were approaching where they had stopped.

"The Mons Meg," Beckett said, looking at the map of the castle. "A cannon, so your dad should enjoy that."

"I would," Castle replied absently.

"Isn't that cheating?" Alexis asked, turning from the view of the city below to see her father reading out of their travel book.

"No I'm just taking in history," Castle said. He jumped slightly when the book was nearly snatched out of his hands and said, "No?"

"Pay attention," Beckett replied simply as she tucked the book away. "Our daughters would like to go and see the cannon."

Glancing over at them Castle was a little surprised to see that they were and he asked, "You want to see a cannon?"

"It has a name Daddy," Eliza said.

"It's special because it has that right?" Julia asked.

"It is," Castle replied after thinking for a moment. He followed his family then to the cannon, seeing the girls' surprise. "They have to be big."

"I think they might be thinking of cannons on ships," Jim said.

"Pirate ships," Julia said.

"Well now you know they're not all that small," Beckett said. "Eliza I wouldn't do that."

"That's where they put the cannon balls," Julia said, though she was joining her sister in peering into the cannon. "And they shoot them out."

"Are we going to be here for the one o'clock gun?" Alexis asked her father and stepmother.

"We'll be near," Castle said, checking his watch. He nodded and said, "Yeah we'll be near here."

"You know about that?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"I've been reading up on the UK," Alexis replied. "Since I'll be living here for a little bit. So where to next…"

Looking over where she was Castle couldn't help laughing as Eliza was trying to pick up one of the cannon balls stacked next to them and he went to her, picking her up and throwing her up in the air slightly. "I don't know if you want to try that sweetheart," he was telling her. "If they were real they'd be extremely heavy."

"Sit down Eliza," Beckett said then, kneeling as she motioned to her husband. "Julia, Alexis, if you want to join her go ahead."

"Are we posing for a comedic picture?" Alexis asked as she joined her sisters, sitting on the ground as she put her arm around Eliza.

"Not this time," Beckett said with a slight shake of her head. She told the three to smile and after taking the shot she wasn't surprised to see her father taking a picture as well. "Now," she told Eliza when the toddler had run to her. "We're going into a chapel so you need to be quiet okay?"

"Kay," Eliza replied, taking her mother's hand tightly. She looked up at the stone building the cannon was next to and got closer to Beckett, a little unsure of what was going to be inside.

"Oh it's beautiful here," Martha said softly when they were inside, wood pews leading up to a roped off altar in an alcove.

"Are you thinking of the Scottish play?" Jim said suddenly.

"No but thank you for referring to it as that," Martha replied, smiling at him. "I remind these two about that but…"

"We don't believe in superstition Gram, it's just a name," Alexis replied though she was trying to fight a smile.

"And yet you're joining your father and Kate at the vaults," Martha said.

"I would like to point out," Beckett said once they were back outside. "That I was convinced by my husband that I should indulge in his hobbies. Going underground for a good portion of the night isn't my idea of fun."

"I was wondering why you were going Katie," Jim said. He smiled when his daughter looped her arm through his and said, "Though it's not that long of a tour is it?"

"No and he has permission from the tour group to break off in front of a specific room," Beckett said, smiling as she spoke at Castle so he wouldn't think she was too annoyed as they were walking to the war museum.

"Yeah Mr. Boots' room," Julia commented. She was surprised her mother looked back, startled, and she said, "You didn't know I saw that one too?"

Sighing Beckett said, "I didn't but now you know where we're going."

"Yeah I don't want to go," Julia replied, shaking her head.

"I wanna," Eliza said, sitting on top of her father's shoulders.

"You'll be in bed by then sweetie," Beckett said easily as they reached the building where the museum was. "Come here," she said, taking her from Castle. "We'll be here when you're done."

"Have fun," he said to her, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "I mean that literally, have fun."

"We will," Beckett said, watching him go with her father and Alexis inside. "So," she said, turning to Martha and the girls. "Who wants to walk around the square?"

"I do!" Eliza said, raising her hand high.

"We all will," Martha said, going to her and taking that hand. "No?' she asked as the toddler slipped away, shaking her head.

"We'll walk behind you," Beckett said as Eliza went to her sister and held onto her coat pocket. "It makes them feel grown up," she said to her mother in law as they started to go around the square. She began to take pictures of the buildings they were passing until they came to the very tall one across from the museum. She looked at her map at Martha's question as to what it was but she shook her head. "It doesn't say."

"It's pretty though," Julia said, turning to them after she'd taken pictures of the building. She looked back at the museum and said, "Why didn't you go in Mommy?"

Beckett shrugged and said, "I was feeling a little jealous of your gram spending time with you."

"No," Eliza said, meaning she didn't believe that and starling her mother and grandmother.

"If there was ever any doubt you and Richard were her parents…" Martha said teasingly.

"We see that more and more as she gets older," Beckett replied, smiling herself. "I wanted to spend time with you two since you didn't want to go Eliza."

"Don't wanna see fights," the toddler replied as they went back to the entrance.

"I don't think there is darling," Martha told her. "But this was very nice walking around here." She watched with Beckett as the girls went over to a statue in the square, of a soldier on a horse, Julia taking a picture of it immediately.

"Daddy!" Eliza cried as she looked from the statue to the building before she took off to Castle who was coming out with Alexis and Jim.

"You guys missed us?" Castle asked with a smile as he hugged the toddler and Julia who'd run after her sister.

"How was it?" Beckett asked him as they continued.

"Not too bad," Castle said.

"There wasn't too much the girls couldn't have seen," Alexis added.

"Were there plaids?" Julia said.

"A few," Jim said. "But you can only look at those."

Giggling as she remembered the night before; after they'd flown from Dublin to Edinburgh; when they'd shopped at a store near their hotel that had various items made with plaids; Julia nodded. "I still wish I could wear my skirt Mommy," she told her mother.

"I told you Julia, once we get home you can," Beckett replied easily.

Julia pretended to pout before she laughed and followed her family over to the next building where they headed inside.

Looking around the Great Hall Julia then glanced up at the wooden beams and she smiled saying, "Is that part of the palace?"

"You mean is it from when the Scottish royalty were still here?" Alexis replied as they had paused together. At her sister's nod she said, "I think so."

"But shouldn't it start to rot?" Julia said. "'Cause I learned in science that's what happens to wood."

"They restored it," Beckett said, coming up behind them. "We told you about that back in Spain remember."

"Oh right," Julia said before walking ahead of them.

Turning to her stepmother Alexis said, "I'd like to make a bet."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "I know he'll be looking at those for a while," before she nodded to the swords on the walls.

"You don't think he'd try to take one down?" Alexis asked.

"I don't think the girls would let him," Beckett said as they continued to walk through the room after the rest of their family, the girls with Castle.

Hearing laughter behind him Castle saw that it was his wife and daughter and he asked when they were closer, "Joke?"

"No," Beckett said simply, reaching up and cupping his cheek to distract him before she went to their daughters who were looking at the fireplace at the other end of the room.

"Why Mommy?" Eliza asked as soon as she had reached them.

"Why is it so big," Julia translated for her sister.

"Because it gets cold and they didn't seal up buildings like we do now," Beckett explained.

"That's why being a princess way back in the past wasn't the best," Martha replied, having been listening to their conversation. "One reason in fact."

"I don't want to be a princess," Julia said. "But it is a pretty room," she added.

"We thought you'd like it," Castle said. As the others turned to leave he grabbed his wife and pulled her to one of the windows along the side. "Really? Pulling the swords from the walls?"

"So Alexis told you," Beckett said in amusement. "I think we know you Rick."

"Yeah… it looks like it," Castle replied. He glanced around them and then sighed saying, "For that you owe me."

"Oh not this again," Beckett said, rolling her eyes. "I owe you nothing, if you want me, show me later tonight," she told him seriously. She started to walk away before she paused and turning to him said, "Unless the spirits get us tonight," affecting the same tone of voice she had to tease him during the Sinclair case.

Castle watched her, getting an uneasy feeling with those words. Unlike the last time she'd used that tone he didn't care she was teasing him, it was what she said that bothered him. He frowned and shook his head before following her to the palace where their family was waiting for them. When he reached Beckett he grabbed her hand, squeezing it slightly before she turned to him.

A little surprised to see the expression on her husband's face so serious Beckett leaned over and kissed his cheek. She was relieved when a moment later he was smiling at her and they started to walk through the rooms behind their daughters.

Inside one room Eliza squealed at the sight of a seal above a fireplace and whispered to her family, "A horsie!"

"It's a unicorn," Julia told her. When her little sister looked disappointed she hugged her and said, "But it's close to one."

"A cousin," Alexis added, ruffling the toddler's hair.

Smiling Eliza shook her head and said, "I like horsies."

"Come on," Castle said. "We're about to head to a special room now."

"Why is it special?" Julia asked.

"You'll see," Beckett replied, looking to her father.

"We can go inside?" Jim asked in surprise. When his daughter nodded he led them all to the small room and he said to them, "This is where James VI of Scotland and the first of England was born."

"He was king of both," Julia said.

Watching the little girl as her father explained the history while they went around the room quickly Beckett told her husband who she was still with, "He did that with me."

Castle paused a moment before replying by asking, "Your mother?" At her nod he said, "She enjoyed it," as he recalled her saying eventually her mother had become interested in history.

"It was hard not to," Beckett replied, smiling. "He reads a lot of books."

"Is this where I got… born?" Eliza asked her parents suddenly, going over to them.

"Was it the same kind of room," Julia said slowly, looking at her sister.

"You're not sure?" Castle asked, amused since he knew that usually she could translate for the toddler.

"I'm kinda sure," Julia said quickly.

"Okay," Castle said. "And no Eliza you were born in a hospital room, it looked nothing like this."

"Oh," Eliza said. "Why?"

"Because they didn't have hospitals back then," Beckett answered, knowing what the question was. "So this was the best they had."

"So we're lucky?" Julia asked as they moved on.

Beckett nodded, not really trusting herself to vocalize that as she tried to push away her sudden guilt at not having given birth to her oldest. She felt Castle's hand on her shoulder and looked at him saying, "I'm okay."

"I know I was thinking the same though," Castle replied. When she nodded to him he rubbed her back gently before letting go as they moved next to the crown jewels.

When they reached some rooms with figures in dioramas they came to one with two men working in a room and Julia studied them before she let out a high pitched squeak in surprise, getting the attention of her family.

Glancing at what their daughter was looking at Castle and Beckett looked at each other and said at the same time, "It's John and Paul."

Alexis, Martha and Jim turned their heads then and soon saw what they did, figures that did in fact look like the singers.

"Is that on purpose?" Martha asked.

"I don't know," Beckett said, watching as Julia was taking a quick picture. "But it looks really close."

"Very, the one that looks like John has glasses," Castle said.

"We better keep moving," Beckett said, shaking her head as she smiled. When they'd gone through a few more dioramas they came to the jewels and she watched the girls looking at the crown closely. "I had a feeling-" she started to say.

"They'd like this room," Castle said with her. He nodded and said, "Yeah when I saw it in the book I thought to myself this is where we'd likely be spending the most time."

"It's not that big," Alexis said, having heard them.

"Remember that at the time I had no idea how big the room was," Castle replied.

"Daddy," Eliza said, coming back to them and taking his hand. "What is it?"

Looking ahead at a stone, Castle told her, "I think you need to ask your grandpapa about it."

"It's the Stone of Destiny," Jim said. "It was where the Scottish kings were crowned but Edward I of England took it and made it part of his throne."

"But it's back here," Julia said.

"They take it to Westminster when there's a coronation," Jim replied.

"Wow," Eliza breathed. She beamed up at her family as they laughed slightly at her and then went to her father so he would put her on his shoulders when they left the building.

After going to the Half Moon Battery to look at the view and then one of the gift shops the family headed to the tea rooms for their lunch, which was again tea.

"I wonder," Martha commented as they were waiting for their food to arrive. "How they never seem to get tired of tea."

"You never asked Grandad?" Castle asked his mother.

Looking thoughtful for a moment and smiling at her son recalling his grandfather's fondness for Earl Grey, Martha said, "It never came to my mind to ask. But you're right, he did love his tea."

"Grandpapa?" Eliza asked, pointing to Jim who was sitting next to her.

"No kiddo, my father," Martha replied. "I've shown you pictures of him before."

"He was an actor too," Julia reminded her.

"Shakespearean," Castle said, taking a sip of his tea.

Beckett wasn't surprised when her mother in law glanced over at him and said, "You want to tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Martha asked.

"We're going to Stratford-upon-Avon," Castle said.

"Oh well that would be wonderful for- we're going to a play?" Martha began before she suddenly cut herself off.

"We are," Beckett said. "We have another ticket for you Dad; you'll need to dress up."

"And the girls?" Alexis asked, smiling as she knew what either Beckett or her father was going to say next.

"Do you mind taking care of them?" Castle asked his daughter.

"No way," Alexis replied, seeing her sisters were looking at her closely. She smiled at them and said, "We'll have a sisters only night."

"It'll be fun," Beckett said, unsure why the two looked so somber.

"Did you… want to go to the play?" Castle asked carefully.

"No, but…" Julia said after sharing a look with her sister. "Gram isn't acting right?"

"Oh darlings," Martha said as the others looked startled and then distracted when their food was served. "We're attending the play. I wouldn't act all the way out here in the UK; it's too far from you all."

"She's right," Alexis said as her grandmother was looking at her then. "So they're just going to see the play, not see Gram act in it."

Breathing out in relief, as Julia had thought of her sister going to Oxford and Martha joining a play there hearing that, she then said, "What will we do?"

"Let's wait until we get there first," Beckett told them, putting one of the sandwiches on the tiers of her holder in front of Eliza. "For now we have lunch and then we'll go to the museum."

"To play?" the toddler asked hopefully.

"If you eat your sandwiches instead of dessert first," Castle told her.

Nodding Eliza turned her attention to her food and ate carefully as she watched the others talking about what they'd seen at the castle. She didn't talk, just listening to them and smiling as they eventually talked about the history of the castle, Jim beginning that subject and Julia and Castle encouraging him. When they'd finished she became impatient as they went to another of the gift shops, eager when they finally left for the Royal Mile.

"Calm down sweetheart," Castle said, patting her leg as Eliza was on his shoulders again. He wasn't surprised to feel she was excited, knowing that the fact she knew the museum they were going to was essentially a toy museum was part of the reason. The other he guessed was because her sister's excitement was contagious, Julia looking forward to seeing the museum too.

When they were inside Beckett took the map and said, "There's a little bit of history here but there are some games."

"Let's walk through and see what there is in order," Jim suggested. "I see toys already."

Eliza, looking ahead, saw that he was right and she nodded before she walked with her sister towards the display cases. Though she couldn't play with them she was enthralled by the old toys that she and Julia could see. She pointed at the prams and toy dogs before they came to a bicycle and their mother spoke to them.

Reading from the map Beckett then said, "It asks if you remember your first bicycle."

"You Mommy?" Julia asked, since her sister still had her first bike and she wasn't so far away from her own first tricycle to have forgotten it.

"It was a simple bike," Beckett replied. "Black if I'm remembering correctly."

"Mine was too," Castle replied.

"I think all our bikes were pretty simple," Alexis said. Once they had finished in the gallery they were walking up the stairs to the next floor where they saw different toys like vehicles, musical toys, puppets and dolls houses. She looked over at Eliza and saw that the little girl had run over to the display of trains with their father, pointing out the different colors of the models.

"That's a lot of cars," Julia was saying, standing with her grandfather as they looked at the display in front of them. She smiled and said, "Are they like the kind you used to play with?"

"Some of them," Jim replied. "Not those," he told her as he nodded to the older ones. "But these here," he said, pointing to the fifties style cars. "Your great-grandfather used to play with me with those kinds of models."

"When you were little?" Julia asked. At his nod she smiled and then looked over at Eliza who was suddenly running to the table with some cars on it, Castle running after her.

"Go ahead Julia," Jim told her as she took his hand. He let her go and watched her join her sisters at the table, pushing the models along the streets that made up the bottom of it.

"It's great that you found this place," Martha said as she, her daughter in law and Jim watched the four at the table.

"Rick did," Beckett said with a smile before she saw that Eliza was turning around to them. "We're watching sweetie," she assured her.

"Play Mommy," the toddler then said, pulling her over.

"Thanks for joining us love," Castle said as she knelt next to him. "We're having some races before we go."

"So we're just spectators?" Beckett asked in amusement as she watched Julia and Alexis pushing the cars again.

"They said I was cheating," Castle replied.

"Not cheating," Alexis said, shaking her head though she was smiling slightly. "Your arms are so long you won every time."

"I think Mommy's are too," Julia said. "I don't mean that in a mean way," she said quickly to her mother.

"I know," Beckett said with a laugh. "One more race though, there's a lot more to see." As she, Castle and Alexis looked on the girls raced each other until Eliza pushed her car so hard it flew over the edge of the table. She laughed with her stepdaughter as the toddler ran over to pick it up. "Looks like you're thinking of becoming a stunt driver," she said teasingly as they continued on.

"Gram!" Julia said excitedly before Eliza could reply to that. "Play with us here."

"Yeah Gram," Eliza said hurriedly, seeing there were glove puppets.

With Martha joining them the girls and Alexis played with the puppets before they were enticed to see the dolls houses that were in a display case. They walked around, pointing out the tiny furniture to the rest of their family, Julia and Eliza exclaiming over the working lights before Beckett told them the largest one used to have running water.

"That's so cool," Julia said.

"You guys never asked Santa for doll houses," Castle said as they came up to a zoetrope.

"What is that?" Eliza asked, forgetting what he'd said completely.

"A zoetrope, watch," Jim said before Castle or Beckett could answer.

"Watch there from the slits," Martha told them before Beckett's father started to spin it.

"The horsie moves!" Eliza gasped, seeing the cartoon like animal galloping in the toy. She squealed when it stopped and said, "Again Grandpapa!"

"Let your sister have a turn," Beckett said.

Eliza started to protest when she was suddenly swept up in her father's arms, crying out in joy before he blew on her cheek. "No Daddy, I wanna see," though her tone didn't have much protest.

"I know but look at these toy sets," Castle told her, glancing at his wife who nodded to him.

"We'll be over there," Beckett told the others who were busy with the zoetrope and didn't seem to hear her. She walked after Castle and Eliza, seeing them looking through the display cases. "Zoos," she said, looking at the toddler.

"Small zoo," Eliza replied. "I want to get a big zoo."

"Well you have one already remember," Castle reminded her.

Thinking about that Eliza nodded and then said, "I want more aminals… can I do work?"

Smiling at that, since she knew the toddler meant chores like her sister did for her allowance, Beckett replied, "We'll see when we get home."

"For now here comes everyone," Castle said. "Are we ready to go?" he asked them when they were all together again. "Besides Eliza," he added as the toddler was jumping up and down in front of him, her hand raised in the air.

Going up the stairs to the next floor Alexis suddenly burst out laughing when she saw what comprised that gallery. "Dad," she said to him. "Can you imagine if Zak had come here?"

Julia giggled and said, "He would get scared."

"Why?" Eliza asked, looking at them.

"He doesn't like dolls," Julia said.

"I think I might agree with him a bit," Jim said, looking at the dolls closely.

"It is a little disconcerting," Martha said. "We'll look out the windows at the view while you're enjoying your dolls."

"It's okay," Beckett told her daughter with a smile to Eliza. "We'll meet them over there, for now we have a lot of dolls to see."

Holding her mother's hand Eliza looked at the different dolls, engrossed by the different kinds until they stopped. "Mommy?" she asked, looking up at her in surprise.

"Look, they talk about this doll in the map," Beckett told her as they looked at a wood doll. "See her gown, what color is that?"

"Green," Eliza said, smiling.

"What about her hat?" Julia asked, with them then along with Castle and Alexis.

"White," Eliza replied. She smiled and said, "She has… brown hair Mommy, like you."

"And you too sweetie," Beckett told her, leaning down and kissing her cheek. "And your sister and daddy."

"Though mine isn't as long as hers is," Castle said, smiling as the girls both giggled. "Let's go and pick up your grandparents and see what there is next."

"After they play with the doll house," Beckett said as they game to a large one. They let Alexis take over playing with her sisters and when their parents joined them they went over to the window themselves. "I see you're enjoying yourself here," she told her husband as his hand took hers though it hesitated for a moment, knowing he wanted to wrap that arm around her waist.

"I am, you know I love toys," Castle replied, rubbing the space between her index finger and thumb with his own thumb. He glanced at the dolls before saying, "Except for some of these, the one whose eyes follow you all over."

"You've been watching a man afraid of dolls for too long," Beckett told him with a smile. "And please, please Rick I beg you do not start yelling when we're down there."

"Why?" Castle asked, surprised at that.

"We'll be underground, your voice will carry," Beckett said simply.

"I can't make any guarantees…" Castle began. "But I'll try."

Sighing Beckett said, "We'll see what happens after later tonight."

Smiling at the empty threat there Castle looked over at the girls to see they were being led over by their grandparents and big sister. "I think they finally managed to pull them away," he told his wife.

"You want to keep going?" Beckett asked the girls as they threw themselves at her once they were close. When they both cried out yes she took their hands and they headed for the staircase to go up to the next floor with their family following behind.

When she saw that the next floor held games Eliza started to let go of her mother's hand as she saw there were some that were able to be played. But she was stopped and she protested as she looked up.

"We need to stay together sweetie," Beckett told her. "You don't want to see the different games before you play them?"

Eliza started to say no before she looked at everyone around her and then said, "Kay."

"Come on," Castle said, going over to her to pick her up. "We can see some games your grandparents haven't even played."

Beckett, following with Julia, glanced at her husband at that and wondered if he thought of his father at all. She wasn't sure why she had remembered that moment on the coast of Ireland suddenly but tried to forget it as they were all looking at the different games together in the display cases though her attempt wasn't really that successful.

"Here," Castle said, looking at the marker with his grandmother's name on it. He leaned down and quickly set down the bouquet of daises and sunflowers; her favorite flowers according to his father; and then stood back up.

Taking his hand tentatively Beckett squeezed it gently as she asked him, "Okay?"

"Yeah there's a part of me that wishes she was still alive," Castle replied. "But things would have turned out differently if she was."

"You mean you wouldn't have been born?" Beckett asked him.

"Basically," Castle replied. "I get the feeling it was her death that made my father run away to join the IRA. If she had lived… who knows he might have gone to Dublin, got a job and settled down with an Irishwoman."

"They might have left your grandfather too," Beckett said, glancing at the marker next to his grandmother's.

"I don't know," Castle replied. He sighed and then looked around them saying, "I get the feeling she's at peace now." He glanced at his wife when she squeezed his hand a little tightly and said, "We should go."

"Why don't we walk around?" Beckett asked. At his nod she let go of his hand to wrap her arms around his and said, "You're not okay."

"I'm just thinking," Castle replied, shaking his head. "It's a reminder of why I spent so long searching. And I wonder why my father was fine with being a ghost essentially and I needed a family."

"He started out with a family Rick," Beckett gently reminded him, not surprised he was choosing to forget that. "And while his mother was great, his father was enough of a…"

"An abusive monster?" Castle suggested. "I know love that scared him enough but he hid his fear with excuses."

Beckett looked at him, startled, and said carefully, "So you discovered that."

"I'm well aware the idea of him turning into his father was part of his problem," Castle said. "But he could have had something with a woman, his fear in the unknown of that would make me worry but I've been in that situation before."

"If you mean us pretending to be single we got used to it quickly," Beckett replied. She was surprised when he shook his head and she asked, "Fatherhood?"

"And being married and not looking at it as something I wanted to just try out," Castle said, looking into her eyes intently. At her nod he was relieved she understood what he meant and he pulled her a little closer as they left the cemetery and soon headed down to the shore.

Beckett remained quiet as they walked along the sand until they got to some rocks that blocked the rest of the beach, not surprised when he made her sit down with him. What did startle her was when he instantly turned to her and crushed her lips with his own. But she soon understood what he was doing and she held onto him tightly as she responded as eagerly as she could. When they parted to breathe there was no shock as his lips moved to her neck, kissing her through her hair. "Rick," she said gently as he suddenly stopped, pressing against her.

At the gentle sound of her voice Castle raised his head and shook it saying, "I tell myself I should stop hating him; he was my father-"

"We've talked about this before love," Beckett said gently, cupping his face with her hands and kissing him tenderly, quickly. "When he decided his fear would overrule the fact he had a family he wasn't really your father anymore."

Sighing Castle said, "That's what I think when I find myself trying to stop being angry."

"At least you haven't let it rule your life now," Beckett pointed out as they pressed their foreheads together gently.

"I don't have time for that," Castle said, smiling slightly. "Too much to do that my father never had a chance to."

"So you're taking advantage of that?" Beckett asked, smiling a bit herself.

"As much as I can," Castle told her simply before he leaned over and kissed her again.

Wrapping her arms tightly around her husband once more Beckett responded to him enthusiastically as she was more than a little relieved to see him starting to shake off the past. They lay back on the sand together and with the brisk breeze blowing around them she goaded him to keep kissing her until their breath was short and they had to go; doing so hand in hand as they finally left the beach some time later.

Reading the last of the book Castle looked at it and said, "I think we'll see if they have books in the gift shop."

"I can get one?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Can I?" Julia said eagerly.

Smiling at the girls who were with him and Beckett at the section with books available to read Castle nodded before saying, "It would happen anyways love."

"Oh I already knew that," Beckett replied as they stood up to rejoin the others who had been walking around the rest of the gallery. "But along with the books you get you can pick one toy to share," she told them. She had half expected protests but was a little surprised when Julia looked at her to speak.

"Mommy how can we get a toy? I'm older than her," the little girl asked.

"There are options," Castle said, picking up Eliza. "We'll have to wait and see, we still have… how much left?" he asked his wife.

"One more and you realize we're not done yet," Beckett told him.

"No? Great so what's next?" Castle asked as Eliza in his arms squealed.

"Sewing," Martha said as they had reached where she, Jim and Alexis were waiting.

"Like when we were on the plane," Julia told her little sister.

Eliza immediately looked eager at that reminder and she went to her grandmother as Alexis went over with her sister to get a piece to sew.

"Should we join them?" Castle asked Beckett.

"I think they're set," she replied. "But there's nothing against watching."

"Of course," Castle said as they sat down with the girls.

Looking on Beckett listened to Martha as she told Eliza how to sew; not surprised since she was teaching Julia to sew as well. She watched as flowers soon started to appear on the kit they had until she eventually had to say, "You better stop there."

"Oh Mommy," Julia started to say with a sigh.

"I know but we'll be here all day if we don't keep going," Beckett said.

"You know you can take that with you," Castle said. He smiled when the girls looked at him he said with a slight laugh, "Did you think we would have made you leave those here?"

"I was hoping no," Julia said as she watched Martha cut off the thread on her sewing and then her sister's. "What's on the last floor?" she said eagerly as they walked together to the staircase at the end of the gallery.

"Clothes!" Eliza said, having seen down the gallery first and spotting kids with costumes on.

"We'll get there," Beckett said quickly.

"We can look at other clothes before that," Castle said to get her attention and Julia's too. "And these are the special clothes you know, since they're behind glass."

"They are," Martha said, smiling that the girls looked to her instead of their mother for confirmation of that. She held Julia's hand as they were looking at some christening dresses and she said, "I could sew something like that."

"You knew I was gonna ask?" Julia said with a smile, looking up at her.

"Of course," Martha replied. "And if you'd like I can teach you and your sister to sew costumes yourselves," she said as they looked at some dresses on display.

"Can we?" Julia asked Beckett as she walked over to them.

"Sure but Eliza," she said as she looked at her youngest.

"No Mommy, I am a big girl," the toddler said, almost tripping over her words.

"She's right darling," Martha said, going over to her and running her hand over the back of her head. "You need to grow a little more and I'll teach you like I'm teaching your sister."

Pouting Eliza was about to stamp her foot when her grandfather suddenly spoke, distracting her from what she'd been about to do.

"Your mother had the same reaction when her mom and I would tell her she needed to grow up a little more," Jim said.

Beckett gave her husband a look when he turned to her with a mock surprised expression and then said to Eliza who was looking at her questioningly, "He's right I did, so did your sister."

"So did I," Alexis said, ruffling the top of her sister's hair.

"And me," Castle replied. "So it's normal but you will get older."

"Too long Daddy," Eliza said, though she knew he was right since she was aware she was more grown up than she had been as a baby. She then giggled and went to her mother, hugging her around the waist. "Wanna dress up Mommy."

"We will," Beckett said as they then continued through the rest of the gallery.

Looking at dioramas of a Victorian street with children on it and a classroom from the 1930s, Eliza waited impatiently until they had finally reached the clothes available to dress up in. She chose a dress from the mid 19th century; knowing that because her grandfather told her; while her sister picked a dress that had wide skirts.

"It almost looks the dress the meninas wear," Julia said, turning in the aqua colored dress and giggling as the skirts hit the ones of the dress her sister wore.

"It's a little bit after that," Martha then said. "Yours is from the 1700s."

"And you both look really cute," Alexis said, taking a picture of them both while Eliza was twirling around to let her green skirt bell out.

"You almost look like the doll we saw before," Castle commented.

"Yeah?" Eliza asked. She looked down at her dress and shook her head. "No Daddy…"

"It's darker," Martha helped her.

"Yeah, dark," Eliza said.

"So what are you two going to do now?" Beckett asked, lowering her camera as she thought she had enough pictures for the moment.

"Dance?" Eliza suggested, looking at her sister.

"Sure," Julia said, laughing before they put their arms around each other and started to spin.

"No, wait," Castle said quickly as he and Jim rushed to stop them. "I think those clothes are a little too nice for dancing. Why don't we get pictures of you two sitting and then we'll let other girls try them on?"

"Okay," Julia said. She shrugged at her little sister when she sighed and told her, "You have to share."

"Kay," Eliza replied. She then joined her sister on what looked like an old fashioned couch, unable to help giggling as their parents took pictures of them and she said, "'lexis come here."

"I think you're commanded to join them kiddo," Martha said laughingly at the stern tone of the toddler's voice.

"I guess so," Alexis replied before she joined them. Since they made space for her to sit in the middle of them she did so and put her arms around them as everyone else took pictures with either a camera or a phone. When they got up she helped Eliza out of her dress and held her hand as they walked down to the gift shop which was at the entrance though Castle and Beckett had made them walk speedily through it. "Now you can look," she said to her little sister.

"Yeah," Eliza replied, looking at what she could see of the store.

With Castle and Beckett splitting up to go with their daughters to pick out a book first they helped them decide on one each before they regrouped.

"So one toy," Castle said.

"What book did she get?" Beckett asked her husband. When she saw the cover she smiled and said, "Good choice."

"Can I hear the story too?" Julia asked, seeing that it was about Paddington bear. At her mother's nod she said, "What about a game?"

"I think we all had that in mind, am I right?" Castle asked the others as they'd joined them by then.

"They have a great selection," Jim said as they walked over to where the games were.

"We don't have that one," Julia said, pointing to a box.

"Those," Castle corrected her.

"What do you think sweetie?" Beckett said to Eliza, taking the box and showing it to Eliza. "Snakes and Ladders and Ludo."

"Ludo," Eliza repeated before giggling heavily. "I wanna play it."

"So we're ready," Castle said, taking the box from his wife and the book that Julia had chosen. "Pym and the Crown Jewels?"

"It's about the castle," Julia said quickly. "And they get stolen."

"Sounds like a great book," Castle said with a nod. "I'll meet you guys once I pay."

"Come on Eliza let's take a look at the rest of the books," Martha told her youngest granddaughter, Alexis and Jim following them.

"Did you have fun sweetie?" Beckett asked, looking at Julia.

"Oh I did," Julia said. "What time is it?"

"Almost five," Beckett said when there was an announcement that the museum would be closing in ten minutes. "I think we took a while to go through everything."

Smiling Julia asked, "Were we gonna do something else today?"

"No that's it," Castle said as he reached them. "Dinner?"

"It's a little early…" Beckett replied before she trailed off as Martha was walking up to Julia.

"Hold your arms out… good," Castle's mother said as she held up a dress to her granddaughter. "Perfect what do you think?"

"It's pretty Gram," Julia said, still looking a little shocked. "Is it for me?"

"It is," Martha replied. "I bought a costume for your sister."

"It almost looks like your costume you had in your first dance competition," Jim said as Castle's mother was showing them the costume for Eliza.

"It does," Julia replied, seeing the small sailor suit looking dress. "That's what you want?"

"Yeah," Eliza replied, nodding hard, giggling.

"We'll leave after this," Beckett said as Martha went to the registers with the dresses; Julia's a blue Victorian dress. "Otherwise they're going to get a little too much."

"Thank you," Julia and Eliza suddenly said after sharing a look with each other and then turning to their parents.

"You're welcome, don't forget your gram," Castle told them.

As soon as Martha joined her family standing at the entrance she smiled as her two youngest granddaughters immediately thanked her. "You're very welcome," she told them. "So now what will we be doing?"

"Well we can eat an early dinner," Castle said, looking at his wife who inclined her head slightly.

"We can walk back to the hotel and stop to get some fish and chips," Beckett replied. She shared a smile with her husband when their oldest gasped eagerly at that and she couldn't help adding, "Since Julia wants to try that so badly."

"The only thing we need to know is if everyone wants to eat there or take it back to the hotel," Castle said.

"The hotel," Eliza said almost before he had finished speaking.

"You want to go back?" Alexis asked in surprise.

"The costumes and games," Beckett told her stepdaughter. "What do you think Julia?"

"Take it back, we can look at the castle," the little girl replied.

"Okay," Beckett said with a slight nod. When her father, mother in law and Alexis all nodded as well in agreement she smiled and said, "Okay so we're going to head back to the hotel. It seems strange though…"

"It's been a long day," Jim said as they started back down the Royal Mile the way they'd come. "And if she walked much I'm sure for Eliza it would have been too."

Beckett smiled at the sight of her daughter back on Castle's shoulders and she said, "I can't blame her for wanting to play with her toys. Is that what you're going to do the rest of the night?"

"We might go across the street to the gardens," Jim answered. "We'll see how they feel after you leave."

"There's a playground there," Castle said, turning to them as he'd heard them. "You should probably go check it out." He felt Eliza wriggling on his shoulders in excitement and then patted her leg, continuing to lead the way down the street as they walked to the fish and chip shop.