"I'll agree with that," Mary said, walking in through the open gate. "Go on grá; from the top since I missed it."
Skye bit at her lower lip for a moment until her wife was sitting next to her and after Mary had kissed her cheek she said, "Alright." She started from the top as her wife had asked and then continued from there, holding her wife's hand tightly until she had finished.
Lighten up, my heart
Leave it till the evening breeze
Give me love, your love
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Oh my I feel love for you
Spreading through my body
I remember how
We can be so loving
I feel love for you now
I feel love for you right now
Loosen up my heart
Let me have some time to be
With a love, my love
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Oh my I feel love for you
Spreading through my body
I remember how
We can be so loving
I feel love for you now
I feel love for you right now
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Sailing on a winedark open sea
Oh, I feel love for you
I feel love for you right now
I feel love for you
I feel love for you right now
We're sailing on a winedark open sea
Sailing on a winedark open sea
"You know," Skye said when the last of her singing echoed to the sky above them. "J-Julia should use that for a waltz she said she had."
Though he wanted to instantly protest that Castle held back at the sight of the tears on the investigator's cheeks. When she'd seemed to calm down with Mary's help he said, "Don't you think the lyrics are a little… adult?"
"I would point out the music is what makes the song," Skye said simply. She sniffed and then said, "You know I was looking up and thinking I am lucky."
"In what way?" Beckett asked, looking at the woman though her head was actually turned up to the sky at that moment.
"That you two made it back here with us," Skye replied, turning her head to look back down at her.
"We have many reasons to return," Beckett said with a smile. "And we'll suggest the song to Julia. But I wish…"
"Wish?" Skye asked a bit uncertainly as her friend was looking at her.
"You could sing at the competition," Beckett said. "Julia would love that."
With a smile Skye said, "That would be difficult, I'd be in front of too many people to manage."
"But if she asked would you do that?" Castle asked.
"I might," Skye said after hesitating for a moment.
"Oh," Mary said after they were quiet for a moment. "Did you tell her about tomorrow grá?"
"No, it slipped my mind," Skye replied. "Tomorrow the band's coming over around lunch, we're going to rehearse, have our meal… bore you to death."
"No you won't," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.
"It sounds nice; you might want to include swimming in there," Castle then said.
"We were thinking about that," Skye said with a smile.
"So you'll join us?" Mary asked.
"And film us?" Skye added, still smiling.
"I will," Beckett said since the investigator was talking to her. She then was about to speak when she hesitated, only continuing when Skye urged her to saying, "The fire."
"Yes, I'll be having nightmares," Skye replied with a heavy sigh. She then said, "You saw what I meant though."
"I did," Castle said quickly. "I was laying there after the water got dropped on us and saw what you meant in the flames that were left. It's… disturbing."
Turning her head to study him Beckett saw that she wasn't imagining the slight tremor in his voice and she reached over to his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Are we just going to sit outside?"
"We will," Mary said first. "Unless you hold your arm up walking around grá; you're staying out."
"I said I was okay with that," Skye replied, rolling her eyes before she then smiled a little. "I was thinking about practicing tomorrow."
"The songs? How will you do that?" Mary asked.
"The random generator?" Castle guessed.
"No, been a while since we looked at John's and Ringo's songs so I think we should start with them quickly before we head on to Paul and George," Skye answered.
"Does he have any favorites of them?" Beckett asked.
"Two of Ringo's, one of John's but again we'll tell you tomorrow," Skye said.
"I'm going to make a guess and say John's is Woman," Castle said.
"No," Skye said. She smiled when he looked startled and said, "You'll know tomorrow, I promise you."
"Skye-" Mary said in concern when her wife moved.
"I'll sit like this, I promise," the investigator replied, laying her arm on the outside of the pool.
Sighing Mary followed her before Castle and Beckett did the same, the former placing his arm outside as well before they took some time to relax in silence before the investigator was speaking again.
"That song seemed best for the moment," Skye said.
"No, it was good," Castle said first. "It seemed to fit tonight… well this moment."
When they were quiet again Mary said, "It seems so pointless."
"You get that most of the time with murder investigations," Beckett replied, not surprised the woman thought that.
"I don't know why I don't realize that for a while," Mary replied. She sighed and said, "I guess because I haven't come up against this as much as you have."
"Unfortunately, you get used to that word applying to these cases," Castle said. "Think they might try for insanity?" he directed to his wife.
"They might but it'd be difficult to prove," Beckett said. She saw that Skye was looking at her then and said, "He was lucid when we talked to him."
"That's true," Skye said.
"Also, you're forgetting the two of us," Mary said. When Castle looked to her then and said, "We both have a PhD in psychology remember."
"And you didn't notice anything?" Beckett asked, wondering why she'd forgotten that as well.
"Narcissism," Mary said first.
"She's right," Skye replied to the looks she got after that. "The fact that he wanted to join points to that. He would have been the only member not part of the flight which would have brought attention to him."
"Plus, it would have brought him attention from his cousin," Mary added. "Which is what he seems to have wanted in the end."
"I really hope he was telling us the truth about not being interested romantically in his cousin," Castle replied.
"I don't think so, if they were close enough to be brother and sister then I think it's more that," Mary told him. "And with growing up, marriage and another man that takes her away from their sibling relationship he became jealous."
"That was likely building up," Skye commented. "But this is it for the case."
"It is," Beckett said with a nod, smiling at her. "Let's hope next time we're here we won't have a case."
"And vice versa," Skye commented. "The last time I was in the Hamptons we had a case too… though that was more I was asked to join in."
"You could have walked away," Castle couldn't help saying.
"Honestly, you think I could have just left it?" Skye asked.
"Have you ever walked away from an investigation?" Beckett then said after they were all quiet thinking that over.
"Never, how could I?" Skye said. "I know what these people can go through; I've experienced it in a way myself. So, though it's always difficult that first step onto the scene… I keep going."
"Any chance you can get more time off?" Mary then asked her wife.
With a sigh Skye looked at her arm and said, "I don't need to, I'm alright."
"Then we should get to bed, I'm worried about your lack of any coughing," Mary told her.
Though the investigator pretended to grumble at that she got out of the hot tub before the others were following, drying off before they parted, going to the separate homes after saying goodnight.
"I'm not really that surprised at you," Beckett said to her husband when she heard him walking over to her.
"Oh?" Castle asked with one eyebrow slightly raised.
"That song, you honestly think Julia would pay attention to it in regard to Peter?" Beckett replied. "She sees him as a brother you know."
"Yes, and after hearing Tyler talk that scares me now," Castle replied after thinking for a moment.
Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "We're not raising him."
"That would be the difference," Castle said, nodding his head. "So," he then began.
"Stay still," Beckett replied, shaking her head as she made him rest his arm on top of her legs. She began to rub the ointment they had for his burns, two short lines across his arm that were only half an inch, and asked, "Did you take the aspirin?"
"I did but it's not really too, too painful," Castle assured her since he knew that was her unasked question. He looked on as she worked and then said, "I might be out of commission tonight."
"I am too, my face still feels singed and I'm drained," Beckett said as she finished. She stood and then told him as he followed her, "That hill was better cardio than the gym at the station."
"I'll agree with that but not as much as polo," Castle replied.
Washing her hands Beckett smiled at him and said, "You'll play once we get home."
"I know we're getting there in time," Castle said as the season was starting at the beginning of October. "I still miss it and I feel out of shape." When his wife gave him a look while she washed her hands he asked, "What?"
"I want to remind you of what we did… against that wall… last night," Beckett said as they stepped out into the bedroom.
"That's because…" Castle began.
"You almost had that didn't you," Beckett said, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice at his frustrated expression as he tried to speak but couldn't.
"I was so close," Castle replied. He then reached out with his right hand and pulled her to him before he said, "If we had the energy-"
"Yes, we'd be doing that again," Beckett finished for him, interrupting him at the same time.
Castle moved then to kiss her when there was a knock on the door downstairs and they paused before he let her go to answer it.
"Hullo," Skye said when Beckett opened the door to her. "Sorry to intrude but… I was fancying a cuppa and thought you might want to share with me."
"Come in," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised in the slightest to see the investigator was alone but didn't say anything as she and Castle sat at the table next to the kitchen while they watched her making a kettle of hot water.
"I don't know why," Skye finally said. "But I was thinking of the flight."
"I was too," Castle said, turning to his wife.
"Me too," Beckett said with a nod to him. "And I think that it's understandable."
"Well… I guess I know why I'm thinking about it," Skye replied as she took the kettle off the burner. After she had the herbs in she sat with them at the table and said, "That and my other flight."
Squeezing her friend's shoulder gently Beckett then said, "I don't blame you for it. Do you know who's going to manage to get here tomorrow?"
"So far just the rest that were in the safe house," Skye answered.
"We'll still be celebrating Pablo's memory," Castle said.
"That's true; also Harriet's and Obek's," Skye said with a slight smile. "I'd love to have another reunion of the club though; a full one I think it's past time for it."
"You're right," Beckett said. When the investigator looked at her at her tone she explained, "We can help if you need it at all."
"I'll take that into consideration," Skye said, pouring out the tea. "It's peppermint," she told the two as they were watching. "Will be good to get some sleep."
Hearing the cough the investigator gave then Castle said, "You're starting to do that too?"
"Yeah but I think we were lucky with smoke inhalation," Skye replied. "It's why I brought tea; it'll help."
"Did you…" Castle started to say before his wife squeezed his uninjured arm to get him to stop.
"I did occasionally after the first one," Skye said, knowing what he was going to ask. "But mind you I was only six years old; it was mainly chamomile." She then smiled nostalgically and said, "I was already on my way to drinking it since I grew up with my dad and father doing so. But then I'm also American so I drink coffee too… though Brits drink it of course."
"It's universal; both are," Castle commented before they were quiet as they took their first sips of the tea.
"I have to admit to you both I was more than a little startled hearing from Julia tonight," Skye eventually said as she set down her mug. "Has that ever happened before?"
"No, first time," Castle said.
"He's right but I think I might have figured out the reason why," Beckett said when the two looked at her. "The timing, she was asleep."
"You're right," Skye said after obviously thinking that over. "Which is troubling; from what she said about the dream it was fairly upsetting."
"I think it was more us being kept away from her," Castle said.
"That would do it," Skye replied, nodding her head. "I would hope she won't have any problems after tonight."
"She'll call us if she has another nightmare," Beckett said. "But I think she'll be alright. Especially now we're finished with the case."
"Wait," Castle said then. "What about her sensing what had happened to me?"
Skye glanced back and forth between the two before she then just pointed at Beckett.
"What does that mean exactly?" she asked, a little confused by the investigator's reply.
"You realize that you two have a connection too," Skye said to the couple simply.
"And that led to her sensing that," Castle said.
"It did, maybe because you were worried about him," Skye said, directing that to Beckett.
"How is that going to go when she gets older?" she couldn't help asking.
"I really don't know," Skye said honestly. "What I see as most likely happening is that connection lessening to what it was at the start."
"Why?" Castle asked in confusion after he and Beckett looked at each other.
"She might find someone she loves and will have a bond with," Skye replied. "But that's just a guess of course."
"There's a part of me that hopes that happens," Beckett said.
"Me too," Castle said with a nod.
Draining the last of her mug at that point Skye looked at her phone she'd brought with her and she said, "I need to head back."
"Did she give you a certain amount of time?" Castle asked.
"She did, she thought I might try to sleep over which is… weird," Skye replied.
"I'll take these," Castle said, stopping her from picking up the kettle and her mug.
"You should go, she might come down here to get you," Beckett said.
"Likely, goodnight then and thank you both for this," Skye said, seeming a little disconcerted. She looked up as Beckett embraced her and then hugged her back before saying, "Mary wants to take me to the Promenade and I insisted the two of you join us."
"Are you sure?" Beckett asked once they'd pulled apart.
"I am, unless you two want to spend the day together," Skye said, looking over at Castle.
"No, I'm fine with sticking around," he said quickly when his wife looked at him as well. "I really want to see you rehearse anyway, it was a lot of fun last night."
"Alright, we're going to the girls' friend's home in the morning to see them," Skye said.
"Why don't you just have them come with us," Castle commented.
"We wouldn't mind," Beckett said quickly. "They are your daughters and if we were in the Hamptons we'd be doing the same."
"I'll mention it to Mary," Skye said with a smile. "They may want to go to the same place we went to this morning."
"I don't mind," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.
"How's the walk to the Promenade?" Castle asked after he and his wife had looked at one another. "I know it's far I'm just wondering."
"About twenty minutes," Skye replied with a smile. "So, you'd be getting a workout I suppose."
"I think we'll drive," Beckett said. "We need to take back the rental anyway; since we'll have your car in San Diego."
"I'm eager for our road trip," the investigator replied with a smile. "Good night and see you in the morning."
"Goodnight," Castle and Beckett called out to the woman as she left.
"She'll be alright," Castle stated once the door was closed behind them.
"She will, Mary's likely waiting for her," Beckett said.
"You know why she came right?" Castle asked.
"It wasn't hard to tell," Beckett replied with a shrug. "We're all survivors along with her." She followed her husband over to the kitchen and then jumped up on the counter to sit next to the sink while he was cleaning the kettle and mugs. "I love how our plans to be tourists around here worked out."
"I think we were enough," Castle said, smiling up at her. When he'd finished and had dried his hands he helped her down and said, "I'm thinking about Julia now."
"So am I," Beckett replied. "But what could we do?"
"We'll be back home soon," Castle replied, not surprised to hear the frustration in her voice.
With a sigh Beckett was about to speak again before she heard her phone still upstairs beginning to ring and she rushed up with her husband to get it. "It's Patrick," she said in confusion before she looked at Castle.
"They heard about the fire," the two said at the same time.
"It's late for him," Beckett said before she then answered the phone, putting it to speaker. "Patrick?" she asked.
"Kate, oh thank god you're alright," Darnley said on the other end, obviously relieved. "You are right?"
"I am," Beckett told her friend. "You heard about what happened?"
"At the Getty? Yes of course it was on the news first thing," Darnley replied. "They got footage of you leaving with Skye and Mary from the parking structure. I was terrified since I saw your face was smudged from the fire."
"We were chasing the suspect," Castle began.
"Oh, hey Rick," Darnley said hearing his voice. "You're okay too?"
"I got a little burned on my arm but I'm fine," Castle answered, keeping his tone reassuring.
"You Kate?" Darnley then asked her.
"Just some scratches here and there," Beckett replied, holding up her hand to her husband before he could say anything. She then pulled him over to the window seat where they could sit during the rest of the conversation.
"No smoke inhalation?" Darnley asked. When the two said they were coughing some he asked, "What about Skye? And Mary too of course."
"Skye got some burns on her arm too," Castle said first.
"Mary stayed above the hill where the fire was," Beckett then finished. "They're both okay. I'm assuming you want to hear about what happened."
"I'd like to," Darnley replied. He then listened as the two told him about the case leading up to that night and he said, "So it looks like you solved this one fast."
"Not before two people got killed," Castle replied.
"I am sorry to hear that," Darnley said. "What about the others?"
"They were evacuated from the Getty when the fire started. We were the only ones injured; us and Tyler of course," Beckett answered.
"So… just for the club," Darnley said. He swore and said, "It's so great he waited for you two to start his plans. If he hadn't Skye would have had an uphill battle."
"Believe us we needed her and Mary too," Castle said.
"Okay, I need to go," Darnley said, the sound of a baby crying coming from the background. "I'll try and call you when you're back home."
"You can try before then," Beckett was quick to tell him.
"I'll let you go through San Diego without my interrupting you," Darnley said.
"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh though she was smiling at the same time. "Good night Patrick, give my love to Trevor and the kids."
"I will, give my love to yours," Darnley said. "Bye Rick, have fun with the rest of your trip."
After he'd said goodbye to the man Castle was about to speak when her phone began to ring again. "I was almost expecting Lanie," he said when he saw that it was Esposito.
"Maybe they're together," Beckett replied before she answered. "Javi?"
"Hey, just saw on the news that you two were in a fire?" Esposito asked on the other end.
Castle and Beckett looked at one another before they then told him about the case, leading up to the point when they'd left Tyler in the ambulance and it had driven off.
Whistling Esposito said, "So just for that?"
"Just for that," Castle said first.
"It was enough in his head," Beckett replied. "Actually everything."
"Are you two alright?" Esposito asked.
"Some cuts and burns but nothing serious," Beckett replied.
"Are you sure-" Esposito started to say.
"Yes, we're fine," Beckett interrupted him, reassuring him. "We're back at Skye's home now so we're being serious."
"I'm just checking, Lanie called me and asked me to talk to you," Esposito replied.
"Where is she?" Castle said. "I thought she would have called Kate by now."
"She's at a B&B up north with her boyfriend," Esposito replied. "They have one phone in the lobby and they left their phones in the city."
"Should they have done that?" Castle asked, looking at his wife.
"I told her the same thing and she hung up," Esposito said. "You can call the place, she gave me the number."
After Castle had set it down on his phone Beckett said goodbye with him to the detective before she dialed the number to the B&B. Once the person on the other end had answered she said to her husband, "I hope they're not asleep."
"Hopefully," Castle said with a nod before a moment later the doctor was answering.
"Hey Lanie," Beckett said to her.
"Oh good, Javi got to you," Lanie replied. "Are you okay?"
The conversation with her was much the same as it had been with Darnley and Esposito, even down to them reassuring Lanie that they had been relatively uninjured.
"Alright," the doctor finally said with a sigh when they'd told her about Castle's burns. "Just make sure to take care of that."
"I get the feeling that Kate will," Castle said with a smile as he glanced at her.
"I'll call you again Lanie," Beckett said since she knew it was late for her friend.
"After you're home," she replied.
"Okay," Beckett said after a moment's pause. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight you two," Lanie said. "Get some rest."
"We will, night Lanie," Castle said before the doctor hung up first. "Okay," he said with a sigh to his wife. "Ryan?"
"I think we should leave him alone, it's late and I'm not risking waking up the baby," Beckett answered.
For a moment Castle paused before he nodded and followed her to the bed, sitting down on it as she gestured to him to do so first. "I'm sure Javi will let him know we're okay. And that's alright," he said when she held his left arm so she could see it.
Nodding Beckett said, "It's Sunday tomorrow."
"We'll call her, I want to check on her and see Eliza too," Castle replied with a nod. "And once we're finished I think we should walk towards the Promenade."
Beckett shook her head and said, "Sometimes the fact you're spontaneous can get a little weird."
"You should be glad I do that sometimes," Castle said, affecting a serious mein. "If not, that would mean I'm a clone… or a robot, neither of them good."
Laughing slightly Beckett said, "I think I would have noticed."
With a brief nod Castle leaned over and cupped his wife's cheek before he leaned down and kissed her. He was careful at first before pulling away enough to be able to look into her eyes and he said, "Could we?"
"For a little," Beckett said with a smile though her heart was pounding furiously. She wasn't surprised when he grabbed her, pulling her onto his lap, before they were kissing. Though she had half expected he was going to be rough she was a little relieved when he was gentle. When they parted to breathe she murmured, "I wish…"
"I know, we missed one night," Castle said. He laughed when she playfully socked him on the shoulder and then told her, "It was necessary."
"And…" Beckett said as she slid her hand up to his shoulders to grasp his neck. "We can make up for it tomorrow."
"I'm… glad you think that," Castle said, shuddering heavily in pleasure as he could tell that she was serious.
"So are you," Beckett replied. She pressed her lips gently to his and told him, "I wonder if I can ask if we can do something tomorrow night?"
"You mentioned that earlier," Castle said, remembering that morning. He was slightly startled when she hesitated and then asked, "Am I going to regret it?"
"Shouldn't it be me that says that?" Beckett asked, looking at him in confusion. When he shrugged she tried not to laugh too hard before she said, "There's something I've wanted to try; to tell you the honest truth hearing about this from Skye and Mary made me think of it; could we try and…"
"Just say it," Castle said when she hesitated again.
"Try and pretend we've never been with another person," Beckett said, watching him.
"You know I've been tempted to try that out myself," Castle told her seriously. "Would you be able to?"
"It depends more on you," Beckett replied.
"I think so," Castle replied. "I think it'd be a lot better than my actual first time," he said. "No fumbling or horror."
"Horror?" Beckett asked, confused. They'd talked about their first times together but she'd never considered that word to describe his.
"Of the unknown and that I was going to hurt them," Castle replied. "But yeah, I think we should try it, it would change things up." He hesitated and then said, "For however long we'd stick to that."
"It doesn't need to be long," Beckett replied. She then cupped his cheek and leaned down to kiss him that time, making it deep immediately. She was concerned when he grabbed onto her tightly, for his arm, but a second later their tongues were tangling around each other frantically.
The two then became very involved then in each other and they had a hard time stopping as they couldn't stay away from each other for long. When they had finally parted and stayed that way Castle leaned down to his wife to kiss along her ear lobe before pulling back to speak.
"Should we get some sleep?" he asked her.
With a smile Beckett leaned over and then brushed her lips to his and said, "Do you want to stop?"
Castle shook his head and then leaned against her to kiss her again, deeply before they were a little out of control. He had no idea how long it took for them to calm down but finally they managed to and he sighed saying, "Now I'm feeling it."
With a nod Beckett followed him in laying down and soon after she was against his side, her cheek pressed to his shoulder. "I love you Rick," she said as she then entwined her fingers with his.
"Love you too Kate," Castle said, knowing she was checking on his left arm. He shared a kiss with her before they laid down again; that one much gentler. Stroking her shoulder and arm he said, "Night love."
"Goodnight love," Beckett replied, smiling. She closed her eyes, feeling the last of the stress from the case leaving her knowing that the next day they'd be free from the work. Trying to remember what they were going to do instead of investigating she fell asleep, knowing her husband was doing the same as they wanted to get back to their trip together.