"The travel book?" Beckett asked her husband as she watched him walking over to her.

"Yeah," Castle said simply. "You wanted me to tell you, didn't you?"

"I did," Beckett said while he walked around the bed and climbed onto his side. She looked on while he flipped through the pages and she said with a smile, "I thought you might talk about this."

Castle nodded and then said, "It just came to mind."

"They always seem to do that," Beckett said, shaking her head as she was smiling at him. She squeezed his hand gently and said, "Tell me, I really want to know."

"Like it says here it was May 27, 1937 and we already talked about the ages all the girls were," Castle began. "But I was thirty-eight and you were thirty-seven."

"Still young," Beckett commented.

"Yeah," Castle said. "And I could have said this to the girls I know but…"

"It gets more adult at the end?" Beckett asked him.

"Yeah but not why I didn't tell them," Castle replied. "I wanted to share it with you first."

Beckett smiled and told him, "So we were there, I'm assuming the day before they let the cars on it?"

"The day before and Julia and Eliza were in roller skates," Castle told her.

"Oh," Beckett laughed softly. "I forgot they allowed them to do that."

"Yeah, so should I get into more detail?" Castle asked her. When his wife just looked at him he smiled and then told her everything he remembered and could easily relive as he spoke about what he'd seen in his mind.

"Ma can we go yet?" Elizabeth asked her.

"Not yet but they're finishing up the ceremonies at the other end soon," Kate assured her daughter. "Rick, your hat," she told her husband.

"Alright," he said with a sigh though he quickly put on his fedora. "All ready?" he asked Julia who held his hand.

"I am Da," Julia said with a smile as she practiced with her skate. "You don't have to hold onto me."

"No but…" Rick began, smiling back at her.

"You can't see her at all can you?" Beckett asked.

"No," Castle replied. "I bet I'd only be able to see her at ten, nearly eleven years old. But I get enough of a look at them I know it's them; except for our youngest."

"Of course," Beckett said with a smile. "But you can see Alexis, can't you?"

"Yeah," Castle replied with a firm nod. He then said, "Should I keep going?"

"Go ahead," Beckett told him with a nod.

"Okay, so finally they finished the ceremonies at the front and people were let on," Castle began. "But we were at the back for some reason though finally we started to walk or in Julia's and Eliza's cases; rolled."

"How beautiful," Kate commented as she and her husband walked hand in hand together.

"It is," Rick said, looking at her from the orange red towers. "Warm?"

"You know I am," Kate said as she held her hat to her head. "I just don't want to lose this; I'm very fond of it."

"I know," Rick said, smiling at her.

Giving him a look at his admiration for her outfit Kate said, "And how are our girls?"

"They're fine," Rick said, turning to look ahead of them at the four. "All spiffed up and crossing the Bay."

Kate laughed and then lowered her arm so she could put her hand on the shoulder of their youngest. "Are you enjoying things?" she asked the girl.

"I am Ma," she replied, smiling. She laughed as her sister skated back to her and said, "I want to do that Ma."

"Not yet," Rick told her. "When you get old enough you'll be roaring through town."

"Come on," Elizabeth told her sister before she skated slow enough to allow her to run next to her.

"I hope they're all waiting for us on the other side," Rick said once they were alone.

"Of course," Kate said. "Ma's set on getting us to dinner."

"I just hope they all don't mind staying over the night," Rick said to his wife.

"Ma!" Julia called before Alexandra was doing the same.

"What is it girls?" Beckett asked, going to where they were stopped.

"Can we look down at the water?" Julia asked, pointing to the railing.

"We can," Rick said, picking up first Elizabeth and then Julia as the two youngest girls climbed over the curb that divided the road from the side.

"Mind your skates girls," Kate said after Rick had helped her step over the curb herself.

"Ma look, the city!" Alexandra said, pointing it out to her.

"Beautiful," Rick commented as they looked out on San Francisco.

"What's that?" Julia asked, pointing at the building under the other end of the bridge.

"Fort Point," Rick replied. "I think they're going to leave it here."

"And we're left, come on everyone we have a surprise at the end," Kate said, not surprised when the girls immediately started to ask what that was. She and her husband managed to get them to continue until they were finally in San Francisco. "Are we going to be able to walk back love?" she asked her husband.

"We will," Rick said with a nod. "And there's your surprise girls," he said, putting Alexandra down.

"Grandma!" all four girls cried out.

Though she wanted to remind the two with skates they had shoes to change into Kate couldn't hold them back and she smiled as they all hugged their grandmother before going to their aunts and uncle.

"I imagine you had quite a walk," Rose said as she came over to her sister and embraced her tightly.

"You should be a fashion designer," Kate told her teasingly as she was straightening the red, blue and white striped sash that went with her dark blue collared dress.

"Just an admirer, you look smashing darling," Rose told her twin with a smile. "Girls look smashing too. Now, we're all ready to go and lucky us Ma has some sweet potatoes."

"Then we should go back," Kate said before going to the girls who were with their Uncle Patrick.

"You look aces Kate," he said once he saw her approaching.

"My sister agrees," she replied, smiling slightly. "Girls," she directed to Julia and Elizabeth. "Shoes," she continued simply.

With a sigh the two switched their skates for their Mary Janes, taking their younger sisters' hands as they began to walk back to Marin County with their family.

When they reached the halfway point, Johanna stopped them all and said, "You'll forgive me."

"It's alright Ma," Rose said

"It's quite a walk," Kate agreed with her. "Your youngest grandchildren couldn't make it."

"Then I'll volunteer we'll carry them," Patrick said. "Since you both did the same."

"If they want you to," Kate said.

"How are we all getting to your home?" Rose asked her sister.

"Oh, we can walk," Kate replied. She smiled when she saw her sister was rolling her eyes and then told her, "We brought the Lizzie."

"Should have known. Is that husband of yours ever going to get rid of it?" Rose asked.

"Not if he can help it," Kate said.

"I prefer the '32," Patrick commented.

"So do we," Kate replied. "But the Lizzie is special to us both."

Rose smiled at her sister as her husband looked confused but then went over to Rick as they were starting to walk once again. "He never fixed the scratches, did he?" she asked.

"No," Kate said softly. "I don't want him to."

"That sounds like you," Beckett said interrupting her husband for a moment. "And how did you know what we'd been talking about?"

"I can hear, and I wasn't that far from you guys," Castle said simply. He wrapped his arm around his wife then and said, "Not bad though."

"Walking over the bridge? No but I'm surprised our kids weren't exhausted when we got back to Marin County," Beckett said. "Right?"

"Just Alexis and our youngest but we got to our car," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised to see the questioning expression on his wife's face and then told her, "A Ford Model B, 1932. Blue with white wheels."

"Nice but we could afford it?" Beckett asked him.

"I think I got a job… no, remember how I told you I wrote? From that," Castle said. "We were getting through everything alright."
"Good to hear, now, pick up from when we got to the cars, who drove what?" Beckett asked.

Laughing slightly Castle said, "Alright," before he continued his story from where she asked him to.

"So you'll get on to the home," Rick told his sister in law and brother in law. "How's your mother?"

"Alright, touring the apple but she wants to come home," Mary herself replied. "But she'll be back soon."

"Wonder why she wanted to go," Rick said as he watched their Ford head back to the road.

"She had to, you know she needs to see Mary's aunt," Kate said. "Come on love, let's get home."

Nodding Rick followed her to the car and they got inside together before he drove them back to Mill Valley. But before they could get to the town itself he stopped in Sausalito.

"What's the hold up?" Kate asked him.

"A surprise, for today," Rick told her. He stopped; near the bay; at a bakery and they got out together. "For the bridge and all of us."

Kate followed him inside, wondering what exactly he had ordered for them before he was speaking to the man behind the counter.

"Mr. O'Donovan," the baker said. "Mrs. O'Donovan," he added to Kate.

"How are you all?" Rick asked him.

"Good, how was the bridge?" the baker asked.

"Magnificent," Rick answered. "Should deliver to the city now."

Laughing, as he was bringing over a box to them, the baker told them, "I've been thinking, will love not taking that blasted ferry. Here's your pineapple and raspberry Neapolitan."

"It's the cat's pajamas Michel," Rick said, nodding at the swirl pattern on the top of the dessert that he'd asked for, the same color as the bridge. "You do a fantastic job." He paid for it and then left with his wife telling her, "We're not the only ones getting those."
"I'm not surprised," Kate told him as she took the box on her lap once she was sitting in the car. They went the rest of the way home and found their daughters in the front playing with their dogs. "Alright, I suppose I'll have to change," she said once they stepped out of the car.

"Why?" Rick asked.

Shooting a smile at her husband; as she knew he liked her dress; Kate said, "I'll be helping with the roast."

"Ma's already taking care of that," Rose said, coming back to them as the girls had run over to their parents once the car was in the garage.

"Oh… Patrick?" Kate started to say in protest before she realized he wasn't there.

"In with Ma," Rose said, gesturing with her head. "Wants to learn that roast the best he can, but he's stuck with peeling those potatoes."

"Stay Ma," the youngest of the girls said, holding onto her mother's hand tightly.

"Alright," Kate said slowly. "But I can't run around, your da wants me to stay in this dress."

"We know Ma, we want to play with Mutt and Charlie," Elizabeth told her.

"I can throw," Kate said in mock exasperation to her husband as he was looking at her. She pulled off her blue gloves and walked with them fully to the backyard before she took off her red hat. "Mind holding those?" she asked Mary.

"I'll take them inside," the woman told her with a smile.

"Alright, go on first Alexandra," Kate told her daughter with a smile.

For some time, the family was throwing the stick their two Boston Terriers would play with around to them before the canines brought it back. When Johanna called them in Rick and Kate helped the girls wash up before they set their dining room table.

Gathered around it and beginning to eat Rick commented, "Big day for the city."

"And Marin County," Patrick pointed out. "Just imagine no ferry unless you want to."

"Hmm, for the tourists," Rose commented with a smile. "And the children."

"That would be nice for them," Mary said. "But I would prefer the bridge."

"Are you going to drive along it?" Julia asked her aunt.

"Perhaps," Rose answered instead. "I think we would like to see all of you."

"We want to see you too," Alexandra told them with a smile.

"Will they be goin' to school tomorrow?" Johanna asked her daughter.

"Of course," Kate replied.

"Yes, how did they manage to go to the bridge?" Patrick asked.

"Their school understood the history of today," Rick answered. "So they're very lucky."

"I have to write a report," Julia told everyone. "On what I think of the bridge."

"You'll do a grand job of it," Johanna told her granddaughter.

"I'll do my best," Julia said, nodding her head.

"Just don't let your da write it for you," Rose said jokingly.

Rolling his eyes Rick then said, "Her ma would never let me."

"And I would know because I'll read it for her when she's finished," Kate continued for him. She then said, "What will you do for the rest of the day," directing that to their family who'd come from San Francisco.

"I would like to continue walking," Patrick said.

"Through the city," Mary added.

"That would be nice," Rick said. "Would we all have to go?"

"We're taking the girls," Rose said.

"Are you taking them to the soda fountain?" Kate asked. At her sister's wide smile, she sighed heavily and said, "I suppose it's alright but you'll only get them a soda, shake or frost."

"And they'll split," Rick said.

Rose; realizing they had dessert for after dinner; nodded and smiled at them saying, "Will we be having a cold supper?"

"Sandwiches," Rick replied.

"Alright, then how does that sound to you girls?" Rose asked the four who were sitting together on one side of the table.

When they immediately answered at the same time the adults all began to laugh together, and they calmed down the girls so they could finish their roast and mashed sweet potatoes and they could go.

"Our family just left us all alone?" Beckett asked her husband with a wry smile on her face.

"It looks like it," Castle said. "And this is where it becomes more adult."

"I'm an adult and I think I can handle it," Beckett replied.

"Okay," Castle said. "We said goodbye to them once they were ready to go and then hurried back into the house and up to our room."

"Nothing new about that," Beckett told him with a smile.

"Not at all," Castle said, returning her smile before he went back to the memory.

Gasping as her husband was biting at her neck Kate quickly stopped him and told him, "If they see that…"

"I know," Rick said with a heavy sigh, pulling away from her. He finally turned back to the door and closed and locked it though they were alone by then in the house. As he turned back to his wife he saw she was beginning to unbutton her dress and he breathed out heavily before going over to her.

"Can I help you love?" Kate asked him.

"You're doing a wonderful job right now," Rick answered, his voice husky.

Kate glanced down at her husband and saw the slight bulge at the front of his trousers before she reached down to it. As she gently raked her nails over the front of him she listened to his hiss of pleasure before she said, "They won't take very long."

"Then we should hurry," Rick told her before he reached for her buttons, trying his best not to take any of them after him before he then leaned down and pressed his lips around her brassier.

Tempted to tell her husband he wasn't hurrying Kate found she couldn't do it as soon he was helping her out of the dress shortly after. Her under clothing followed and she was left naked to help Rick out of his clothes. Once he had joined her completely bare they fell onto the bed before she stopped him. "Do you-" she began.

"I do, hold on," Rick said, reaching over to his nightstand. He pulled out a condom and then had her help him with it as they began to kiss deeply at the same time until he was ready.

"You know I wondered about that when you said I told you I didn't want any more kids after our fourth," Beckett said in amusement, unable to help interrupting her husband.

"Yeah, well that was our only option you know," Castle replied.

"Probably not very fun for either of us," Beckett told him.

"No but it's either that or I try and pull out," Castle told her. "And if we'd tried that we'd have ended up with at least two more."

Laughing slightly Beckett said, "Which is sort of a cautionary tale for us too."

"You know there are other methods," Castle pointed out.

"There are," Beckett replied. "But I think we have the best way right now."

"You being pregnant?" Castle asked her. He laughed a bit when she rolled her eyes and he leaned over, kissing her gently on the lips. He started to pull away from her but couldn't move too far before he was leaning back into her. He kissed her harder then, not surprised to feel her responding to him shortly after. They tangled their tongues together for a while before he pulled back and then stayed enough away to speak. "There's more to this than us making love," he said.

"Alright," Beckett replied as they moved away enough for her to lean against his side again.

"Okay, so we got the condom on me when I realized something," Castle began.

"You want to do that? What if you don't have another-" Kate said in slight frustration to her husband.

"I do," Rick said. "Just… we have enough time and I want to wait a little longer." When she looked at him pointedly he sighed and said, "I just want to; I haven't in… ages."

Kate didn't take much time to decide how she should respond to his request, but she took a moment before she replied telling him, "Alright but I'll be first."

"O-" Rick began to say before she was turning him around onto his back. He watched her, swearing heavily as she was running her fingers deliberately over his erection before it was bared to her. He sat up before she could move again, and he kissed her as hard as he could before they wrapped their arms around each other.

Once they were parted Kate brushed her lips repeatedly over her husband's and then made him lay down fully before she leaned down to his chest. She could feel Rick tensing up as she pressed kisses over him until she was down at his erection. The second she was there she didn't waste very much time, knowing what her husband wanted to do much more was after they pleasured each other. And she wanted the chance to feel him doing the same to her, so she went a little faster over his length until finally he was climaxing, making him yell out her name repeatedly until she felt him relaxing on the bed.

"You're going to kill me Kate," Rick said as his wife moved over to lay next to him, looking down at him.

"I wouldn't, who would do all of that for me?" she asked him. Kate began to laugh softly as he turned her onto her back and held him tightly before he kissed at her neck.

Traveling down his wife's body Rick went everywhere he could until he was at her breasts. He nuzzled at both mounds reverently while she moaned deeply in response before he moved lower. His lips traveled over her abdomen until he was at her sex and as soon as he was he began to pleasure her. He loved the way her body writhed underneath him, and she called out his name every so often. But what he wanted most he very quickly had it as he was able to taste her desire for him. And when he pushed her over the edge he had it even more until she was still below him and he smiled as he pulled away to lay next to her and take her in his arms.

"Hmm, how long do you think it'll take?" Kate asked him as she pressed her chest up against his hand that was cupping her breast.

"Do you want me to start now?" Rick asked her in response.

Kate's response was to take his hand and place it at her clit, sighing as he began to stroke at her still swollen nub. She let him do that for just a little longer before she stopped him and turned so she was looking at him and they could kiss. After they slowly parted she was going to lean into him again when he stopped her and asked her a question she knew he'd been holding back; likely painfully; until he had the chance to speak.

"Mind if you touch?" Rick said simply.

"If you keep your paws on me," Kate replied. When he shuddered she leaned over, kissing him deeply, until she moved away. As he began to rub her clit she reached for his length to curl her hand around it. They pleasured one another for a while until she made him stop and said, "We don't have time."

Breathing out hard Rick nodded and then said, "What would you like," his voice wavering when she let go of him. He wasn't surprised when she didn't reply to him, merely hauled him on top of her. He carefully slipped within her; as he knew from so many years married that she didn't want to wait by the way she held onto him. Once they were coupled he then began to move, loving the way she moaned out loud before he stopped.

"Wait, wait, you forgot-" Beckett said.

"You interrupted me," Castle said with a smile. "I stopped then and after letting you know why I had we hurried with the second condom and then started up again. Couldn't you have kept track of when you were ovulating?"

"I have no idea," Beckett said honestly. "When would I have looked up if you could do that in the thirties? So, we made love…"

"Essentially how we do now," Castle replied with a nod. "But when we finished you were on top," he added, not surprised when she smiled at him.

Her heavy breath hitting his damp shoulder Rick asked his wife, "Are you… are you with me?" stammering slightly as he was breathless himself.

"Are you?" Kate asked.

"Yes," Rick said simply before she was leaning down to him and then kissing him deeply. He was swift to respond to her and they held one another tightly before he slowly moved back saying, "I need to take this off."

"Please," Kate replied, getting off him. She watched him go over to their bathroom and she smiled before lying on her back. When her husband very quickly came out to her she said, "We need to get dressed."

Going over to the door Rick said, "It's quiet."

"You can't know when they'll be back you sap," Kate replied as she got off the bed. When her husband came to her she allowed him to grab her before she smirked and then told him, "You can."

"Thank you," Rick said, kissing her as hard as he possibly could before they were pressing against one another close. When they stopped; with her making them do so; he followed her to her clothes she'd laid neatly out before he squeezed her hand tightly and left her quickly.

Kate was a little taken aback but didn't say anything until he came out with a washcloth. She smiled at him and watched him begin to sponge off her body, gasping when he began to rub the cloth in circles around her nipples and then clit. She wanted to tell him to make love to her again when he stopped and stepped away. She followed him into their bathroom and as soon as they were there she grabbed a second washcloth before cleaning him.

Rick was hissing heavily when his wife began to concentrate on his member and he couldn't stop his erection from manifesting. "They-" he began before she was suddenly pulling him back to their bed.

"We made love again," Beckett stated.

"To put it more succinctly we fucked, hard," Castle said. "Not exactly a quickie but close," he told her.

"Did we remember any protection?" Beckett asked him.

"No," Castle replied.

"And we didn't have five kids?" Beckett asked.

"No," Castle said. "Though I'm surprised too. I'm guessing you weren't at the prime…" He thought that over and then said, "I don't know how to finish that."

"Better you don't," Beckett said though she was smiling. "Did we realize we forgot to cover you up?"

Castle couldn't help shudder in pleasure at her wording and he took a moment to answer her before he said, "We did, took a while which was surprising since you could feel me filling you up," watching as she bit her lower lip for a moment.

"Rick, you… we forgot," Kate told her husband.

Swearing Rick pulled away from her and saw that she was right, making him bury his face into his hands as he groaned out, "I'm sorry."

"No," Kate stated, sitting up to be closer to him. She took his hands off and kissed him gently saying, "We must be more careful and hope I won't be finding out we have another on the way." She smiled when Rick nodded, and they kissed again before she let him off the bed to clean each other off again and get dressed once more before they were going out and down to the kitchen.

"The-" Rick began to say before their telephone rang. He exchanged a look with his wife before he picked up the receiver saying, "O'Donovan residence."

"It's me," Patrick replied. "We're down at the soda fountain; you haven't started on supper, have you?"

"No, are we meeting there?" Rick asked, looking at Kate who was watching him.

"Not here, over at the place where they have the fresh tortillas," Patrick said. "You know the place."

"We do, we'll see you down at the fountain," Rick said before his brother in law hung up.

"I wouldn't put it past them to pay the bills," Kate commented.

"Well the girls have lunch for themselves tomorrow," Rick said. "Shall we?"

"Yes," Kate said with a smile before she looked around for her hat and gloves. She soon had them in hand and the hat on her head before she looped her arm through Rick's and they headed out to downtown Mill Valley.

"Anything after we left?" Beckett asked her husband.

"Not really," Castle replied. "Unless you want to know about that night when we got back to our room."

"We made love again?" Beckett said.

Shaking his head Castle said, "No, so I better tell you."

"I think you should," Beckett said with a smile before he began to speak.

"What are you thinking love?" Kate asked her husband with a smile as she saw he'd remained at the door.

"I shouldn't have forgotten-" Rick began.

"Stop being a sap Rick," Kate told him firmly, going over to him. She took his hands and squeezed them tightly saying, "We've been lucky until now. And as for now come."

At her firm tone Rick found he couldn't say no to her and allowed her to pull him over to the bathroom. He reached for her before she could begin unbuttoning her dress and he did it for her. Before he could get it off her she was grabbing for the buttons on his vest and he allowed her to get that tossed aside before he held her close.

Kate smiled at her husband before they began to kiss deeply and sensuously for some time. But finally she knew they needed to get to the tub and she made him stop so she could pull off her dress. She was surprised when he undressed at the same time as her but appreciated it as he was able to start filling the white porcelain with warm water. She followed him inside once it was ready and leaning back against him she said, "If we have another I wouldn't mind."

"Oh?" Rick asked, placing his hands on her stomach firmly.

"Hmm, I wouldn't, another little one to run around," Kate replied.

"I would love that too but after seeing what you go through I hope I haven't done that to you again," Rick told her seriously.

"We'll see," Kate replied simply before she turned her head. "For now, we'll be more careful. Do you have any more?"

"Yes, but not many," Rick replied. "I can get more."

"Please do," Kate told him firmly. She laughed softly as he brushed his hands over her sides; that always tickled her; and reached back to stop him before she said, "Would you like to."

"Not right now, family's all here and we'll have to make sure they get back to the city," Rick said. "But if I could I would."

"Too bad," Kate replied. They sat for a little longer and she then murmured, "Should we go?"

"I suppose," Rick sighed, letting her go so she could get out first. He followed her, and they dried each other off and dressed as well before going to the bed. "What will you do tomorrow?" he asked her as he watched her remove her robe on her side of their bed.

"I don't know, I suppose buy some from the grocer's," Kate said. "We finished the roast."

"I had another idea," Rick told her.

"Oh?" Kate asked with a smile.

"Would you like to go over to the city with them? We'll go over in the Lizzie and take a look at the club," Rick said as they got into their bed at the same time before he watched her and waited for her to respond.

"We can," Kate replied. "Ma will be here with the sedan if the girls need her. Alright… what if we have lunch in Chinatown?"

"I'd prefer if we went over to the Square," Rick said. "Brad told me there's been a lot going on over there."

"Alright," Kate said. She then wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him before they parted for air. As he went to her neck she told him, "Careful, you might exhaust your supply."

Laughing; and knowing his wife had meant that to happen; Rick pulled back and said, "Should we just get to bed?"

"Yes," Kate told him simply before kissing his cheek. They laid down and she went to him, pressing her cheek to his shoulder telling him, "It's been ages since we went to the hotel Rick."

"I know," he said quickly, knowing which one she meant. Rick then smiled and said, "If your ma will stay again we can go next week."

"You'll find a room?" Kate asked her with a smile.

"I will," Rick said reassuringly. He kissed her forehead and then said, "I'll have an ample supply by then."

"Sap," Kate told him with a laugh before she raised her head enough so they could kiss. It was short and when she was lying down again she told him, "I love you."

"I love you Kate," Rick replied before they kissed one more time.

"And that's all I can see," Castle told his wife.

"It's sweet," Beckett said. "A nice romance."

"Yeah, there aren't any more crimes that I can see," Castle replied. He then smiled and said, "But I don't think we needed that."

"And we won't need them here for the next few months," Beckett said. "We have them in our books of course. But I never wrote with you?"

"I think you might have after… maybe during the war effort," Rick replied. "And I get vague ideas of things past that memory I just had now but I never fought."

"Of course not; your knee," Beckett said. "Wait, if it was a past life why was your knee injured too?"

"It was," Castle said simply, not surprised she was trying to find a way to explain both their memories as a dream though she was essentially seeing the same.

"Alright," Beckett said with a slight sigh.

"Try and remember something," Castle said suddenly. When she just looked at him he told her, "Anything."

Sighing Beckett looked at the fireplace across from their bed for a while before she said, "On Eliza's birthday later that year we went to the city and got her an easel… she was a painter."

"She was, I think really good," Castle said, nodding his head. "And not just an easel, brushes and-"

"Paints and charcoals," Beckett said. "Plus a private teacher."

"Yeah, we… did what we could for them," Castle added. He watched with a smile as his wife yawned and he said, "You should get some rest."

"You too," Beckett replied. When he nodded she leaned over and kissed him on the lips before he held her close and kissed her the second time. Before they slowly parted she murmured against his lips, "Beidh mé gur mhaith leat go luath," telling him she would want him soon.

"Is gá dom duit i gcónaí," Castle replied, telling her he needed her always.

"Gcónaí," Beckett said, repeating the word always. She let him pull her close before they were kissing hungrily, grasping at one another as tight as they could until finally they parted and just looked at each other.

Castle didn't say anything; instead he lowered his hand to her abdomen where he pressed it gently to the side before he spoke. "This… I think I know how many we've had at most in the past; not just that life," he told her carefully.

"I do too," Beckett said. When her husband looked at her in surprise she sighed and told him, "I just…"

"No that's alright, you can just let me know if I've got this right," Castle said quickly as he could tell she was becoming uncomfortable and he didn't want her to be. "Eight," he said. "That's not including Julia."

"So… nine… I…" Beckett began to say before she nodded once. "But this time."

"Oh no, two is enough," Castle said quickly. "But I'm still going to wish Alexis could have been ours."

"Me too," Beckett said softly, feeling a little weird about that but knowing her stepdaughter did feel the same in a way. "Let's get some sleep love," she then said to draw his attention back to them wanting to get some sleep.

Nodding Castle followed her in moving to lie down but he didn't do so fully, instead reaching for her pajama shirt and lifting it over her abdomen. He leaned down and began to kiss at it gently, hoping that the baby might start kicking.

Laughing softly Beckett placed her fingers a little above her navel, indicating to her husband where their baby was. When he raced there she said, "She might have been waiting to see if we were going to move her too much."

"Maybe," Castle said, smiling widely before he gently kissed at the skin where he'd felt the baby kicking. He then moved away enough so he could say, "We're getting some rest tonight little one. And I promise your mom won't be running around for work until after you're born. We're getting ready to have you here with us." He looked up at his wife and told her, "I can't wait."

"Neither can I," Beckett said with a smile. She was going to say more but he moved up to her and she shared a deep kiss with him before they exchanged two more very quick ones. "But we do have some things to look forward to."

"I remember," Castle said quickly, lying next to her and wrapping his arm around her as she pressed against his side. "The ball coming up first on Valentine's Day."

"Hmm, which we'll spend with the kids," Beckett replied. She then said, "But why is the school having a teacher conference day? They know what holiday it is."

"I asked David and he said that was the best they could schedule it," Castle told her. "Some of the teachers are going to be gone for a big conference in Chicago; they're representing the school; so they had the day that day."

"Did any other parents protest?" Beckett asked.

"David said they got some calls but when they were told it was the best they could do that seemed to quiet them down," Castle answered as he covered them both. "Though I get the feeling it was the fact that they're representing the school that did it."

"That might help," Beckett said with a soft laugh. "And then there's Julia's birthday."

"That'll be great," Castle told her quickly.

With a smile Beckett nodded and then told him, "And after is our Spring Break."

"I cannot wait for that," Castle replied. "But Kate-"

"Shh," Beckett said with a smile. "I know you're worried about me, but we went to the city when I was almost eight and a half months. This time I'll be just barely eight."

"I love you," Castle said suddenly and seriously, looking at her.

With a tender smile Beckett replied, "I love you too." They kissed and after they parted she told him, "But I'll be careful."

"Part of why I love you," Castle said. He laughed softly with his wife and they kissed once more before they settled down to sleep.

Feeling the warmth around them Beckett was soon relaxing in her husband's arms, asleep swiftly as she gave into her fatigue as she was dreaming of what her husband had told her that night and reliving it vividly to her enjoyment.

Cutting through the water Castle found what he was looking for when a boat suddenly appeared in front of him. "Kate!" he yelled as he saw something wrapped in plastic. A second later he saw the person holding it was Coupe and he tried to climb out onto the boat when the body; knowing it was his wife; splashed into the water.

Leaping in Castle just managed to grasp his wife's arm when she slipped through his fingers. "Kate!" he yelled as loudly as he could before he ducked underneath to go after her. But once he could see her through the dark water he knew he couldn't get to her, still reaching for her and seeing her swallowed up by the darkness to his absolute horror.

"Rick," a voice cut through to him then. "Rick come back to me."

"Kate?" Castle breathed out heavily. "Please…"

"Come on Rick, wake up," Beckett said in concern as she was shaking her husband's shoulder firmly. When his eyes opened, and she saw the look of terror in his blue pools, she said, "It's me, I'm alright."

Pushing himself up Castle grabbed his wife as tightly as he could before he said, "That dream again."

"I had a feeling," Beckett said gently as she caressed the back of his head. She felt him shaking and for a moment thought he was trembling when she realized that he was crying quietly. "Rick," she breathed out, pulling away from him so she could look at him. She saw the tears on his cheeks and gently thumbed them away as she felt some of her own spill onto her face in reaction to him. "It was bad?"

"You were carrying our baby there too," Castle said, calming down so he could speak. He leaned over and did his best to brush away her tears with his lips before he murmured to her, "You were… both gone."

At the heavy shake in his voice Beckett embraced him tightly and kissed around the side of his face a little wildly at first before she told him, "I'm here Rick, we both are." She grabbed his hand and placed it down on her abdomen though the baby wasn't moving. "You-" she began to say.

"No, I have to tell you," Castle said. "It was Coupe and… he looked just like he did when he was holding you. That's why I offered myself; I was seeing Rizzio again… You weren't conscious, but I told you he was aiming for the baby and I never got that out of my mind. And it happened again."

"I know love, but I won't be working again for a long time," Beckett reassured him. She placed his other hand on her abdomen and said, "And I will make sure our little one is born safe."

"I'll do what I can too," Castle said earnestly. When his wife slightly smiled he couldn't help himself and leaned down kissing her tenderly on the lips before they parted slowly. He was going to speak when he couldn't stop himself and he leaned down to her, kissing her a little harder. When they slowly parted a longer time later he was startled when she told him to turn on the lights. "Kate we-" he said worriedly.

"It's alright," Beckett interrupted him with a smile. She then took off her shirt and pulled for the bottom of his. "I was dreaming of us Rick," she told him once he helped her get his shirt off. She pressed her breasts against his chest and then licked at the lobe of his ear once before murmuring into it, "And I want to feel you now, I shouldn't have made us wait."

"You still… need… rest…" Castle tried to say as she kissed him hungrily and quickly. "Kate," he let out in a heavy groan as he grabbed her to hold her tightly to him. They kissed passionately that time and he carefully laid her on her back before he pulled away and said, "You saw what I meant?"

"Hmm, I did, you were on top of me, fucking me so hard I was screaming," Beckett began. "Good thing we were alone. And then I was on you trying to take you so deep in me you wouldn't be able to move." She felt him begin to shudder before she whispered to him, "Éirí de thalamh acu mo chuid éadaigh leannán."

Shaking, as hearing her say 'take off my clothes lover' was as good in Irish as in English, Castle kissed her as hard as he possibly could instead of doing what she'd asked. But finally, he got a hold of himself and told her, "Lig dom a ghlacadh tú crua mo bandia."

Her breathing speeding up at her husband asking her to let him take her hard, ending with the phrase my goddess, Beckett found she couldn't speak as her husband removed her pants and panties together and she stopped him. "We don't need protection, but the door would be nice," she said as he looked startled.

"Right," Castle said, starting to get up.

"Wait," Beckett told him, reaching for the waistband of his pants. "Take those off."

"You're lucky the door's closed," Castle said teasingly before he took off the pants and his boxers. He knew his wife wanted to watch him and he wasn't surprised when she was leaning on the headboard as he turned from locking the door. "I'd call you perverted but I'm glad you enjoy the view."

"As long as you enjoy this one," Beckett replied, moving so he would be able to see her.

"I love it," Castle told her seriously before he went to her and kissed her as hard as he could. He was on his knees on the mattress but didn't want to move until his wife was pulling back slightly and bringing her on top of him. Getting her command with that he entered her rapidly as she was telling him to hurry. With her begging him to fuck her he was driving into her as hard as he could and completely forgetting what he had seen in his nightmare.

Beckett, driven by pleasure to tell her husband what he was making her feel the best she could, soon was holding onto him before he moved around so she was on top of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck while she bounced the best she could on him. She was poised to fall over the edge when she stopped suddenly and then brought him down to her breasts.

"I love you Kate," Castle couldn't help breathing out as he went down to her chest hungrily. He proceeded to suck at her nipples a little wildly, feeling his wife cry his name as she shifted around on him repeatedly before she began to rock against him. "Kate," he said, his voice strangled as she sped up very quickly.

"I love you too Rick!" Beckett managed to cry out before she was climaxing herself, her nails scraping over his husband's back as he followed her a second later. They called one another's names until she stopped first, leaning against him before she sighed and was about to speak when she realized he was whispering. "Rick?" she asked him, looking down at him.

Though he was at first saying her name Castle was compelled to tell her with a slight groan, "Do you know how much you mean to me?"

"Do you know how much you mean to me?" Beckett replied, looking seriously at him. "I was terrified when Coupe took you, if I could have run after you both he wouldn't have gotten far."

"I know," Castle said, having her get off him carefully before he had her lay down and joined her, covering them both. "That's why I had you yelling in my mind to wait until he was thinking he could get away to spring my trap on him."

"Trap?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"My leg," Castle replied. "I tripped him."

"I taught you well," Beckett said, still smiling. When her husband pulled her closer to him she then said, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thank you," Castle began. "And it's not just you but the girls; this one."

Smiling as her husband gently placed his hand on her abdomen Beckett simply kissed him as they held on tightly to each other.

"You really did dream of us while everyone was downtown didn't you?" Castle asked once they'd parted as they pressed tightly against one another for warmth though they were pleasantly so.

"I did, you don't mind I started that do you?" Beckett asked, looking at him.

"No, I don't," Castle replied simply. "I wanted it too."

"Will you be alright sleeping?" Beckett asked after she had kissed him gently.

"Yes, you?" Castle asked quickly.

"Yes," Beckett replied. "Goodnight my love."

"Goodnight love," Castle told her, leaning down so he could kiss her deeply. They lingered, ending up kissing another three times before they stopped and relaxed on the bed again with him holding her as close as he could before she closed her eyes and he followed her a second later.

The two began to sleep then, taking the chance to rest after the nightmare and their lovemaking. But luckily what stuck with the two was the aftermath of their furious intimacy. The feel of their bodies throbbing together satisfied them and made them want much more of one another even as they found their repose together, dreaming of the other while they slept through the rest of the night peacefully and deeply.