Castle hurried to help her get the pizza and once everyone had drinks and slices on plates he went with his family to the table outside. "This is nice, it's been a while since we've had a family d- meal," he said after they'd all had a few bites.
"It has since you've been at school before this," Beckett said in agreement. "And then we were all the way out here."
"We'll have a lot of meals coming up," Alexis said.
"Yeah with Grandpapa and Gram," Julia added. She then looked over at Eliza as the others were doing, seeing her squirming on their mother's lap where she was sitting. She smiled and said, "That was fun, hearing her play those songs."
"I'm glad you saw the guitars," Castle said. "That way you could see her playing slide guitar."
"That was really awesome," Julia said seriously. "And the same seeing you surfing too Mommy."
"Thank you," Beckett said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. "You'll probably say the same about the tide pools when we get there."
"And Disneyland too," Alexis said.
"Did you go on the ride Thunder Mountain when you went?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter. At her nod she continued saying, "A fun ride?"
"Julia can ride it, so it's not too intense," Alexis replied. "Space Mountain is but these rides aren't extreme so you know."
"I figured," Castle said. "You know there are two parks there that-"
"Forgot to tell you," Skye called out through the doors that were open behind the kitchen table. "We have park hopper tickets so we can go to both so you can go into California Adventure."
"Are there good rides there?" Alexis asked.
"I told… oh you want them to hear," Skye started to say before she realized why the young woman had said that. "Yeah, for all ages. If you're looking for a bit more extreme, try Tower of Terror. Please, try it."
Sharing a look with her husband Beckett asked, "Any reason why?"
"She wants to go on with you," Hayden said with a chuckle. "Any of you. Mary's a bit afraid of it."
"Terrified more like," Skye teased her wife.
"You better believe I am," Mary said quickly. She then leaned over and kissed her wife on the cheek before saying, "Please go, Skye loves it and she usually ends up heading out on her own."
"I will," Castle said before he looked to Beckett and Alexis and saw them nodding. "I guess that's all of us."
"Great," Skye replied. She then laughed and said, "I love how you all agreed without asking what the ride was like."
"What is it like?" Beckett asked.
"You go up in an elevator and you drop," Skye said, standing up with her plate. "Ta-da," she finished with, shaking her hand in the air as her daughters and Eliza giggled.
"She's teasing you." "She's taunting us," Mary and then Beckett said.
"Taunting is too strong a word, teasing is better," Skye replied as she sat back down. "Just trust us to lead there."
"You can be our tour guide in Disneyland," Julia said quickly to her big sister.
"I don't know if I can be that much," Alexis said truthfully, smiling as Eliza cried out, "Yeah!" "I don't remember too much about the park since it's been a while since I've gone."
"Well for now," Castle said, having finished his last slice. "I think we can concentrate on the beach. Though how long do we have until you want to go?"
"Does everyone need to pack?" Skye inquired.
"We're set," Beckett said, answering for herself and Castle.
"We don't have too much to repack," Alexis said.
"The girls' clothes to travel are out," Mary replied.
"I didn't unpack a thing," Hayden said.
"Then we've got two hours," Skye said. "But this isn't a set schedule so you know," she commented as the others were coming in from the deck to bring their plates and glasses.
"We'll aim for that," Beckett asked as Julia and Eliza turned to her and Castle.
"Yeah they want to go to the pool too," Mary said, having seen the girls and smiling at their similarity to hers and Skye's twins with that.
The items from lunch washed, dried and put away, Skye put away her guitar and amp before joining everyone else at the stairs where they went down to the beach. They walked together in a group after Hayden sat on the rocks to the right of the bottom of the stairs at the gate. The adults trailed behind the girls, Alexis walking with them to watch out for them as the four looked at the line of shells in the sand.
"One thing I'm wondering about," Beckett commented as she watched Eliza holding up a shell to Kathleen. "She seems to be okay with your dad."
"Marie," Skye said, having been unable to respond to that question. "Sweetling when your grandfather picked them up did he tell them stories about his planes?"
"Oh yes, of course," Marie said with a smile on her face.
"And does Eliza enjoy planes?" Mary asked Castle and Beckett.
"She loves them," Castle answered. "I think that's our answer love," he said to his wife.
"I think you're right," Beckett said with a nod. "But he doesn't mind being a babysitter?"
"He's not much for rides," Mary said. "My father in law will go on the slower, kid rides but the rides for older kids and adults… not so much."
Nodding to that Beckett didn't have a chance to say anything else as they had reached the rocks that covered the sand and they had to help the four girls across them as the waves were once again washing over them. She was helping Julia and once they were back on the sand she squeezed the smaller hand in her own and asked, "Taking a lot of pictures?"
"Yeah I'm glad I got another card for my camera," Julia replied with a smile. She took a picture of the water and then the beach ahead of them before she said to her mother, "Grandpapa got it for me."
"We'll have to thank him," Beckett told her.
"He had a feeling with this trip and then our next one she was going to need it," Alexis said.
"Yeah and I dried the cups and utensils for it," Julia told her mother. "Oh and brushed Eliza's hair sometimes at night too."
"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said. She tried to let go of her daughter's hand so she could take more pictures but was surprised when Julia wouldn't let her go. "When we get over there to those rocks you'll want to take pictures," she told her.
"I know but now I just want to walk with you both," Julia said in response as she was holding Alexis' hand as well. When they neared the rocks that her mother had been talking about she saw the sign about the tide pools and said, "What are they going to take?"
"The animals inside," Castle said, turning back to them as Eliza had let go of his hand and had run back to his wife. "Come on," he said as Julia ran up to him at that. He led her up on the rocks and at the first pool knelt next to it with her.
"Oh Daddy look!" the little girl gasped in amazement. "Sea stars!"
"I know we picked these up when we came the first time," Castle said, smiling at her reaction.
"I can pick it up?" Julia asked enthusiastically as her mother and two sisters joined them around the pool.
"You can but don't take it out of the water remember," Beckett told her.
Nodding at that Julia reached down into the water and slid her hand underneath the sea star. She looked up at Eliza as the toddler squealed in pleasure at that and watched as their father helped her put her hand in the water too. "Careful," she told her.
Giggling Eliza rubbed her fingers over the top of the animal and smiled wider before she watched Alexis doing the same. "Can I take?" she then asked.
"Of course," Castle said, taking the sea star. He slid it onto Eliza's hand, keeping his close so he could catch it in case she dropped it. When she gasped at the feel of the underside of the legs he smiled and leaned over, kissing her temple gently before he helped her put the star down.
"Are they same?" Eliza asked her parents as they stood up, pointing to the other pools near them.
"Some of them have the same things in them but not all of them," Beckett told her.
"We're going to head over this way," Castle told them as Julia and Alexis headed past them. "That way we don't crowd you."
Waving at them, Eliza then looked down into the pool she and her mother had stopped next to and said, "That Mommy?"
"That's an anemone," Beckett replied, holding her hand back.
"Ooh, Nemo!" the toddler exclaimed. "Anemo-nemo-e," Eliza then said, giggling at her mispronunciation.
Beckett smiled at that and then leaned over sharing a kiss with her youngest before saying, "These are sea urchins."
"Urch?" Eliza tried.
"Urchin," Castle said. When Beckett looked up at him as he knelt next to them he said, "They were talking together, I thought I'd join you."
"You can touch these," Beckett then said, looking over at their daughter who was touching the top of the water with her fingertip. "But be very careful."
"I'll help her," Castle said. "Let's see if you can learn how to do it yourself."
Beckett looked on as he helped the toddler move her hand over the animal and smiled when Eliza was able to pick up the same motion once he let her go. When their daughter cried out and shook a little moving her hand away she said, "Did you like it?"
"Yeah, urch," Eliza said, turning to her father.
"Urchin," Castle said, pretending to be serious.
"Urch," Eliza repeated.
Unable to help smiling then at her mock-stubborn tone Castle couldn't help laugh for a moment and then said, "Ur."
"Ur," Eliza said before she turned her head and smiled as she felt her mother hugging her from behind.
"Chin," Castle said, stroking his chin. When the toddler reached out to him and patted it he grabbed her hand, pressing his lips to the palm briefly, making sure he made a loud smacking sound to make her laugh.
"Chin," Eliza said. "Ur-chin," she then tried. When her father nodded she squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Standing up at the same time as her husband while he was picking up their daughter, Beckett said, "Want to take her over to the edge?"
"To jump Mommy?" Eliza asked.
"No," Castle said. "Just to look, it's really amazing with the waves… hey you two got tired of the pools," he said, trailing off when he saw that Alexis and Julia where were he and Beckett had looked down at the waves the past two days.
"No she wanted to see what it looked like over here," Alexis replied as she watched her sister taking pictures. She smiled as Julia turned around and said, "She wants to know the time."
"Where's your phone?" Beckett asked, watching as Castle looked at his watch and smiling at Eliza who pretended to cover the face of it.
"I forgot it at the house," Alexis said.
"We've got an hour and fifteen minutes," Castle said. He heard someone approaching them and looking over his shoulder asked, "Time to go?"
'We can take them along the street," Mary suggested.
"I called my dad," Skye said as Castle started to open his mouth. "He's got the umbrella and will get the blankets."
Though the twins and girls protested a little in having to leave they followed their parents back to the sand and up to the street. With Julia and Marie leading the way the others watched them talking as the latter would point things out for the former to take pictures of. When they reached the beach house there was a rush to check on suitcases and to make sure everything and everyone was ready before they were going to the garage.
"You rented a car?" Castle asked as he took the car seat that Alexis had brought for Eliza from the bigger car that was parked parallel to the garage.
"I needed to," Hayden said with a smile. "You okay taking my car again?"
"Sure," Skye replied quickly. "They're taking our car again Dad," she told him. She then turned to Castle and Beckett once he'd finished with the car seat and said, "So just follow us, we'll drive straight to the hotel."
"No stops at convenience stores," Alexis asked jokingly.
"Not this time, the pool awaits," Skye said.
"My mother loves you, you know," Castle said with a smile on his face as the woman had made a gesture with her arm saying that.
"I gathered," Skye replied. "So let's be off, we'll see you."
Watching as Mary drove in the rental car out of the driveway, Beckett backed out and smiled at her husband who had volunteered to sit in between the girls in the back; Alexis in the passenger seat next to her. "I should have asked how long this would take," she said.
"I really hope we don't hit traffic," Alexis said absently, looking at the screen of her phone.
"Is that a traffic app?" Castle asked, leaning forward a little bit.
"It is," Alexis replied in the same tone. After a moment she turned to them and said, "It looks to be clear on the freeways we're going on."
At that moment they reached the 5 freeway and Beckett followed Mary onto it before they headed north to the city of Anaheim.
"This is your suite?" Castle asked as the bellman opened the door for them.
"Yep this is where we always stay," Mary said. She smiled at the shocked expressions on the faces of the writer, his wife and daughters and told them, "My friend can request this suite whenever she wants but of course in advance."
"So how did you get it this time?" Beckett asked as they stepped inside and she watched the girls following the twins to the windows directly across from the door that looked out on a rock formation that looked like a bear.
"She's coming at the end of the week, no one had a reservation scheduled now so they gave it to her for the week," Mary replied. "Want to look around the whole thing?"
"Definitely," Castle said immediately.
Smiling at that Beckett followed him following the two women to the first bedroom. When she saw the bunk bed against one wall and the regular bed against the other she asked, "The kids' room?"
"And Alexis?" Skye asked, sounding very unsure of herself.
The young woman in question walked up behind them then and said, "That's alright, probably better I do stay here."
"How will that work though?" Castle asked as the four girls slowly trickled inside and Julia and Eliza exclaimed over the bunk bed.
"Well Eliza will be sleeping with her sister in this bed," Beckett said, watching the toddler climb up onto it, beaming at her. "And that leaves three for the bunk bed."
"Girls, I think since Julia's never stayed here before she should pick which bed she wants," Mary then said.
"They can share the bed?" Castle asked.
"There's a trundle bed here," the bellman said from behind them.
"Thank you so much," Skye was quick to say as he set the five suitcases left in the room. She paid him and then said, "He's right," before going to the bed and pulling out the trundle under the bottom bed. "Voila."
"Ooh…" Eliza breathed, blushing a little when the others laughed a little at that. "My bed?"
"I think you should sleep with your sister sweetie," Beckett told her, going over to her and brushing strands of her hair off her face.
"Which bed do you want? Mommy's right, we get to come a lot so we'll have the top bed again," Kathleen said, her twin nodding next to her.
"I wanna try the top but if I don't like it we can switch," Julia said. She smiled at her friends who nodded at the same time to that and she said to the adults, "What about you?"
"My dad is in one room and we're in the third one," Skye explained. "So if they need us at night at all Alexis, we're here."
"Great," the young woman said. "I think we should unpack."
"And that means you two should check out your room," Mary told Beckett and Castle.
"She's right," the latter said, glancing out the door to the room. "The bellman's waiting."
"We'll take a quick look at the rooms," Beckett said before they went to the next one. She admired the craftsman style décor before they went into the hall, promising the others in the suite they'd be back. "It's a beautiful hotel," she said to her husband as they went down a few doors.
"Our room should be nice too," Castle said as the man ahead of them had stopped and was unlocking a door. When they stepped inside and had passed the entry he nodded saying, "It is."
Smiling at his reaction Beckett went straight to what turned out to be a balcony looking out on what she had guessed by then was the California Adventure Park, their view nearly the same as the suite's. When her husband had joined her she turned to him and said, "It's a small room."
Startled for barely a second, as he'd thought she meant that in a negative way, Castle quickly realized what she was saying and he looked back into the room as they were alone in it then. He then said, "Couch next to the bed."
"I don't know," Beckett said, trying to sound a little flippant as she went back inside. "Maybe we should get some rest; the park does open at nine."
"And they're not going to go to bed early?" Castle asked.
"They might," Beckett said, using the same tone of voice. When her husband grabbed her from behind she laughed and said, "I almost had it."
"I know you too well love," Castle said, kissing at the side of her neck through her hair.
Turning around at that Beckett cupped his face in her hands saying, "You do but maybe I can surprise you."
"Tonight? Please say tonight," Castle said earnestly.
Smiling at his switch back to English, Beckett shook her head as her response and then leaned into him as he held her close. Their kiss was gentle at first, knowing they were remembering their family and friends who would be waiting for them. But when things continued neither she nor her husband could resist and they were kissing deeply, grasping onto one another as tightly as they could until they were parting and literally gasping for air. She wanted to tease him about that night but looking into his eyes she found she couldn't do it and she sighed slightly saying, "We need to go." She then smiled and told him before he could reply, "It is Father's Day still."
"I'm hoping for some cards," Castle said as he let go of his wife. When she paused he said, "Not now when we're swimming, at dinner."
With a slight smile at that Beckett led the way over to the entry where their suitcases were, taking out their clothes they'd need in the next two days as well as their swim suits they'd packed separately. They changed together, not surprised when Castle was insistent she needed help with her bikini, and they were about to go to the door when there was a knock on it.
Sharing a glance the two went over to it, Castle opening it to reveal their daughters there on the other side.
"They wanted to see your room and I did too," Alexis said, admitting the last to them.
"There's not much to see," Castle said as he and Beckett stepped aside for them to enter. "But we have a nice view too."
"So that's not Disneyland," Julia said as they went out to the balcony after she and her sisters had glanced around the room.
"No but remember we get to go to that park," Castle said. "I have to wonder if that bear rock is a ride."
"We'll find out," Beckett said. "But for now we should head to the pool."
"Oh they're on their way down now," Alexis told them. "We stopped to pick you up."
"Alright then let's hit the pool," Castle said, grabbing Eliza and swinging her up on his shoulders to her cry.
Going down to the ground floor, Beckett glanced at Eliza looking around in awe though they'd been through the lobby already. She smiled and said, "How are you going to be tomorrow at the park sweetie."
Glancing down at her the toddler opened her mouth to speak before she closed it and then shrugged.
"I think your mom's trying to warn you there's going to be a ton of stuff to look at tomorrow," Castle said.
"You have to take pictures Mommy," Eliza said firmly.
"I will," Beckett replied with a smile as she held up her camera she was bringing with them.
"Are you going to take pictures tonight?" Alexis asked as they stepped outside to the swimming pools.
"Where are we going tonight," Castle said while they headed to where the McDouglases were.
"Skye said Downtown Disney," Julia replied. "She's gonna tell you now."
"She's right, I am," Skye said as they had reached them. "It's right here outside the hotel, some restaurants and shops. But we don't necessarily need to eat together, I was thinking since tomorrow we'll be together at the park…"
"A family dinner would be great," Beckett said, looking at her husband.
Castle quickly got what she wasn't saying and nodded telling Skye, "I think she's right but tomorrow we'll eat together."
"Probably quickly," Alexis commented.
"To go back to the rides?" Skye asked. When the young woman nodded she couldn't help laughing and said, "I see you did the same we do when we're here." She then turned her attention to Castle and Beckett and said, "There are three pools but we usually stick with the redwood because-"
"The slides," Castle and Beckett interrupted her at the same time to say. At their friend's nod the former said, "I think we will too."
Glancing at their daughters Skye could see they'd turned their attention to the slides and she said, "Julia, Marie and Kathleen will tell you about the slide if you want to know more about it."
Nodding Julia then looked up at her parents and asked, "Can I go too? If they can-"
"We were going to let you," Beckett was swift to say. "But listen to the lifeguards they have okay?"
"You didn't let me finish," Julia said teasingly. "Will you come with me the first time? To the top?"
"I can watch Eliza," Alexis said as they had all finished taking off their cover ups and putting on sunscreen by then. She picked her little sister up and pressing her cheek to hers said, "We should get used to the water before she goes on her slide."
"We'll be back," Castle said before Beckett could respond to that.
"He's going to be interesting to see tomorrow," she then said to her stepdaughter.
"I know," Alexis said laughingly, walking with her to the pool. She went over to the steps while Beckett was going after Castle and Julia and setting Eliza down on the top step she said, "Are you excited?"
"Yeah do we go like on Coney?" the toddler asked.
"It's bigger than that," Alexis said. When her sister's eyes widened in surprise she chuckled and said, "Let's watch them come down the slide."
At the top Beckett said, "Who's going to go first?" since by then the McDouglases had gone.
"I will," Castle said. "To test this out," he then added before he went to Julia and gave her a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek. "See you down there sweetheart."
"Bye Daddy," the little girl replied, laughter in her tone. "Have fun."
Watching as he went down, Beckett shook her head at his yell and said, "He's trying to make sure Eliza knows it's him."
"Her and Alexis," Julia said. She squeezed her mother's hand tightly when it was her turn to sit down at the top and she pushed herself down, crying out as the slide took her around the tall stump of a redwood until she splashed down into the pool. Giggling heavily as her father helped her up she said, "I'm okay Daddy."
"Was it fun?" Alexis asked, standing with him with Eliza on her back.
"Yeah you should go too," Julia said, reaching out to touch her little sister's cheek.
"Mommy!" Eliza then cried out as they watched her come down the slide and into the pool. She wriggled on her sister's back so much that Alexis set her into the water and she tried to swim over to Beckett.
"Almost," she said, quickly picking up the toddler and kissing her cheek. "Alexis, the slide is all yours."
"Great but first Jules and I want to see Lizzy going down her slide," the young woman replied.
Smiling at that, Eliza watched the small slide as they walked closer to it and she asked, "Do I swim down there?"
"We'll be here to catch you," Castle assured her as Beckett was heading for the stairs. "You'll love it though."
"Kay," Eliza called before her mother set her down outside of the pool.
"Tell us when you're ready to come down," Beckett said as she let Eliza walk around top of the slide on her own.
Standing at the top after another child had gone the toddler smiled when she saw her sisters and parents at the bottom in the water and she waved saying, "I wanna go."
As soon as Eliza had pushed herself down in the water Castle caught her and he and Beckett began to swim with her while their daughters went over to the slide. They let their youngest go to the other slide a number of times until they were joined by Skye and Mary and their daughters and spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool.
"This place has paellas," Alexis was saying to her family as they were outside a restaurant looking at the menu.
"Sounds good to me," Castle said. "And I think to the girls too," he commented as they went inside and the two were tugging on his hands.
Beckett didn't reply to that until they were seated at a table and she told them, "You two had a lot of exercise today you know."
"I had fun," Eliza said seriously as Alexis was trying to read the menu to her.
"And that too," Castle said before he looked at his menu. When they'd ordered their drinks and food and had gotten the former he raised his glass up and said, "To our summer together and our family vacations."
Smiling as Eliza said, "Yay," softly while they were tapping their glasses together Beckett said, "What are we going to do once we finish eating?"
"Aren't we giving Daddy his presents?" Julia asked.
"Of course you are," Castle said, laughing with the others when Beckett pretended to pinch his arm. "Or maybe not."
"I meant after that," Beckett replied simply.
"Shopping," Alexis commented, a little confused as to why she was asking.
"I remembered what Skye and Mary told us about the shops inside the park and I think we should hold off on those," Beckett told her.
"Save it for tomorrow," Alexis stated. At her stepmother's nod she glanced at the girls and said, "Sure but it's still early, so what can we look at?"
"The Lego store," Julia suddenly piped up. She smiled when her family turned to her and said, "There's one, Marie was telling me and Kathleen said so too. Daddy will want to go."
"She knows me so well," Castle said in amusement since that was true. But since he and Beckett had gotten married, he'd done some Lego sets with the girls and he found he enjoyed that far more than doing sets on his own. "But girls I think we should wait until we're back at home after this summer to see if we're finished with all the sets we still have to do at home." He was slightly startled when both girls shrugged at that and looking at Beckett he saw that she seemed to take that in stride. Their food was shortly being served, so he leaned over to his wife and whispered, "They want stuff tomorrow?"
"Alexis talked to them about that and somehow your daughter knew we told them we'd get them one thing that they picked out," Beckett said.
"And shirts? What about the ear hats?" Castle said, keeping his voice low still as she was doing the same.
"The ear hats are a given," Beckett replied. "Shirts… we'll see."
With a nod to that, he turned his attention the chicken paella that they were going to share with Alexis and after making sure Julia and Eliza were set with their food he began to eat.
Talking about the next day as Eliza had asked about Coney Island again the family spoke about what they imagined the rides would be like, Alexis not giving in to their entreaties that she tell them if they were right. When they had finished and the table was cleared the young woman reached into her bag she'd brought with them and handed cards to her sisters before she slid a gift across the table to him.
"So that was just an empty threat?" Castle teased his wife before he had to turn his attention to Eliza who was trying to climb onto his lap. He picked her up and then had Julia climb up with her.
"I'm not heavy Daddy?" she asked, watching as he opened Eliza's card first.
"Not at all," Castle said absently as he looked at the blue scribbles all over the front of the handmade card and then back inside. "I'm so happy that you're my daddy," he read as Eliza giggled and squirmed in front of him. "And I love you. Thank you sweetheart," he told the toddler before kissing the side of her head. "I love you too."
"That's the pool," Eliza explained after she turned so she and her father could share a kiss. "That's you and us," she then added, pointing to other colored scribbles.
"Perfect for summer," Castle said, kissing her again. He picked up Julia's card and read, "To my daddy… you're the best one ever and I love you so much." He smiled as he felt himself growing a little emotional as the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and he hugged her close. "I love you too Julia, so much," he murmured before sharing a kiss with her.
"Now the present!" Eliza exclaimed happily after her sister had explained the flowers she'd drawn on the paper among the horses.
"This is from them all," Beckett explained as he was tearing off the wrapping paper.
Getting the girls to help him Castle uncovered a framed photograph of himself with all three of his daughters. He recognized the picture as one they'd taken on Memorial Day that year, when they'd been ready to go to dinner as they were dressed up and on one of the benches in front of the beach house. "Fantastic," he said immediately. "An updated picture of me with my girls."
Alexis stood as he'd gestured her over, and leaning over she told him, "Love you Dad."
"Love you too kiddo," Castle told her with a smile before she kissed his cheek. He did the same to her and then the girls before leaning over to Beckett saying, "I know you took that."
"Still," Beckett said, though she was smiling. She shared a kiss with him before they got up to go and as they did so she squeezed her husband's hand that had taken hers, glad that he was obviously pleased with the way his Father's Day had gone.
"Jules," Eliza said. When her sister responded she said, "Up! Up!"
"I'm coming," Julia said with a laugh as she climbed up the ladder on the side of the bunk beds. "But remember you sleep with Alexis on the bed."
"I don't think she likes it so high," Beckett said as they'd asked the toddler about that already. She was toeing off her shoes and once they were on the floor she climbed up, joining her daughters on top of the bed as Castle walked up to the side after her.
"Hey," he said, peeking his eyes over the railing at them. He laughed when Eliza patted the top of his head in response and he said, "Julia? Night sweetheart."
Smiling at him, the little girl leaned over the side to share a kiss with him before they exchanged I love yous. She watched as Eliza did the same with him and then turned back to their mother before saying, "I love you too Mommy."
"Love you Julia, try and get some sleep okay?" Beckett said, kissing her.
"I will," the little girl replied with a nod.
"Love you too Mommy, lots," Eliza told her as she hugged her. She shared a kiss with her and said, "I will sleep too."
"I hope so," Castle said.
"I love you too Eliza," Beckett said then. She hugged both girls and then let Castle take their youngest before she went to the ladder. Down on the floor she tucked Julia in and then went with her husband to the bed. She let him tuck in Eliza and after they kissed her a final time before they slipped out into the main room of the suite with a last goodnight to them and Alexis who was stepping out from the bathroom.
"You guys can take them in," Castle said as Skye and Mary were standing outside waiting for them to finish tucking their daughters in.
"Are you heading back to your room?" Skye asked quickly. "We were going to have a glass of wine before we went to bed ourselves."
"I'd like to join you for that," Beckett said, glancing at Castle and seeing him incline his head in agreement.
"The bottle's on the table outside with glasses," Mary told them. "We'll be right out."
With a smile Beckett took Castle's hand and led him to the balcony where he poured out wine in all four glasses before joining her at the railing.
Leaning over Castle wrapped his arm around his wife's waist before they turned to the view of the park in front of them, enjoying the night's breeze as it blew around them while they waited for their friends.
Hearing the shower stopping in the bathroom, Beckett settled back against the pillows behind her, glancing at the window which was covered by gauzy curtains. She kept her gaze focused on that until she could hear her husband's voice calling her name.
"Kate? My shirt seems to have disa…" Castle started to say as he walked out to the bed. He trailed off when he saw that his shirt had ended up on his wife; unbuttoned and spread open to just reveal the curve of each breast; and he stood at the end of the bed while her head turned to him. "Love?" he asked, his voice a little strangled.
"I felt a little chilly," Beckett told him teasingly; arching her back slightly and watching his eyes take in that movement. "I hope you don't mind."
Coming back to himself rapidly Castle stepped forward so he could climb onto the bed and held himself above her telling his wife, "Not in the slightest." With that he leaned down, kissing her deeply on the lips. He felt in her response to him her desire and he shuddered before he pulled away slowly when they eventually needed to breathe. "Sit up for me," he told her.
Biting her lower lip at the husky quality of his voice, Beckett did so once he was out of her way, not surprised that he was watching the way his shirt fell against her while she moved. She reached up to his face with her hands, just barely brushing her fingers against his skin. When he leaned up and captured her lips she was there with him and swift to part her lips for his tongue that soon slipped into her mouth.
Feeling his wife's arms wrapping around him Castle groaned slightly when she pressed herself against him and somehow at the same moment he reached down with her to the bottom of his pajama shirt. They pulled it off and he looked into his wife's eyes as they parted to do that. He let his gaze travel down to her body and he said, "Can I?"
"No," Beckett replied simply before she was pulling the shirt off of her shoulders but not taking it off. There was little shock when her husband's reaction was to immediately lay her back and she held onto him by the back of his head as he brushed his lips over the tip of each breast before pulling away. Her fingers were on his cheeks again, trailing over them as he was just staring into her eyes, making her tremble a little imperceptibly at the intensity of the blue pools that were nearly black. She tried then to pull him back down to her but he wouldn't allow it, instead moving down so he could trail his lips down the very middle of her body.
As he kissed her Castle could feel the jump of her skin at the shock of his touch and he was nearly groaning as he worked his way to the mound of her sex. There he raised himself and said, "Help me," before he moved to get off the bed. He wasn't sure if she did in fact help him or just held onto him as she kissed him while he undressed himself. Since the end result was him naked he didn't really think it mattered so he was quick to follow her, lying against her with his hips pressed to hers. "I didn't think you were serious," he said to her as he watched her reach down to him to push up on him.
"I know but I think the idea of you showering was enough to make me think that yes, maybe we could," Beckett told him. "But once."
"Good," Castle replied, grunting as she was carefully curling her fingers around his erection. He tried not to hiss against her cheek as she guided him to her and he suddenly had an idea, reaching down to feel her folds with his fingertips. The slick sensation of them and her moan were enough for him and he helped her get him inside of her. Breathing out deeply as he stared at her he felt her hips rise while she put her feet on the bed to push her body up. "You remember what happened last time…" he somehow managed to say; not sure how he could speak as she was incredibly warm and wet around him. "Unless you want to make love."
"Fuck me Rick," Beckett said easily. But the next second she was moaning in pleasure as he made his first thrust and she was quick to respond as she was supposed to be the one moving in that position. However, since the first time they'd tried it doing that hadn't worked, they instead both moved and she could feel how well that was working as her extra leverage and height above the bed helped her to move faster than if she'd lain down completely. He was rough instantly and the feel of him so rigid within her was making her cry out already. She felt the friction between them and marveled as the sensation was rapid to snake its way through her throughout her entire form. She moved even faster, suddenly craving more of that, wanting to feel him giving that to her as he complied without her having to say a word.
Castle had a sense of what Beckett was going through, as he was thinking the same himself about her. But his gaze finally went down to her, seeing the expression of pleasure that was on her face. Something in him made him move and he leaned down, taking her lips with his passionately, relieved to feel her respond as he knew she was answering his unasked question with that. He thrust with her for as long as he could; letting as many minutes pass as he could without knowing how many exactly; and then he moved, pulling out of her body as she still groaned in her frustration.
"How…" Beckett began to say as her husband seemed to be hesitating a little. She let him grab her before he was pushing her back against the headboard, making her breathe a little harder in anticipation as he ran his hands over her skin that was exposed. She had her hands on the bed on either side of her body and with them there she was able to push herself up as Castle slid against her. She smiled at him as she straddled his lap and tossing her hair back over her shoulders she lowered her body on him, sighing as they were soon coupled together once more. "Rick," she moaned as he wrapped his hands around the small of her back, spanning it before she could feel his fingers entwining.
"How love," Castle said. Not putting that into a question as he knew already that she wanted exactly how he was moving, which was as rough and hard as he could do. He leaned over, taking her lips before their tongues were meeting inside his mouth. He took her back into hers before they lost control and dueled as ardently as they could. Feeling how she was matching him in pace he slid his hands from her back to her hips, holding her as she was thrusting against him. He groaned heavily as there seemed to be an unspoken competition between them until he knew he was moving as fast as possible. Moving from her lips he descended to her neck, pressing his lips against it a little frantically at first until she was reaching up to him with her free hand.
Beckett watched as her husband followed her palm, pressing his cheek into it until she found herself a little frustrated. She hadn't wanted him to do that so she decided she would have to be a little more forceful. But when she thought of how she wanted to accomplish it she found that their position was a little bit of a problem. So to fix that she pulled away from him, slipping away until he was aware of her leaving him not surprised it took him a little longer to figure it out than normal.
"What?" Castle asked her, moving to go to the middle of the bed at her touch.
"Wait," Beckett told him. She then laid back after she had brought the pillows to where they'd been before he'd made her sit up and before she could tell her husband what she wanted he was laying on top of her. "Hold on," she told him with laughter in her voice as he immediately tried to slip inside of her again. She held him by his shoulders and was relieved when he stopped. When she was sure he would remain still she cupped his face in her hands, letting her right thumb run along his lower lip gently.
"I don't know if I should be ashamed that I taught you this," Castle said before he leaned over, kissing at her fingertip.
"You didn't teach me a thing," Beckett shot back to him. She then smiled and said, "I can be devious too."
"You're doing that now love," Castle said, hearing the way he was straining with the tone of his voice.
Beckett continued to smile at that and she then wrapped her arms around his neck tightly before she spread her legs a little wider to him. That smile quickly dropped off as she felt him beginning to enter her. And when he paused for a moment with just the tip of him within her sex she tensed for a brief second until she seemed to sense that he was going to move. The way he rammed inside of her body left her grappling at him as his name left her lips on a heavy pleasure filled cry. When in the next second he was thrusting she had little time to recover and tried the best she could before starting to respond to him and quickly meeting his pace. Yet again; as before; she could feel the friction starting to send warmth from where they were joined to the rest of her body. It was slow but it soon had her moaning and trying to tighten her legs around him to bring him in her deeper.
Castle was able to tell what his wife was trying to do and he attempted to get himself further within her though it was a bit of a struggle since he was as deep as he could get. He then decided to take another route with that and with his free hand he reached underneath her, pressing on the small of her back. He tried to lift her up and after a moment to get used to that he was thrusting down and almost slamming against her clit. He watched the way Beckett reacted to that sudden explosion of pleasure; he was going through one himself since the entirety of her body responded as well; and he leaned down, kissing her hard. He groaned as she pressed back against him and he was suddenly moving them around so she was above him and he knew what was going to happen then, knowing if his body could react it would be shouting with joy as a minute later they were turning again so she was below.
It became a slight scramble between the two as they were trying to remain in the middle of the bed but continue the joy they were making each other feel. Neither had any idea how many times they switched positions but when they finally stopped Castle was sitting on his knees, Beckett's arms around him as he was taking her breasts nearly feverishly.
Stroking the back of his head Beckett tried to watch her husband as she felt the instant connection between her breasts and sex as every flick of his tongue was sending a jolt of pleasure down to the latter. She let him continue for as long as she could stand before she made him pull away. To make up for it; as there was a hint of indignation in his eyes when she looked at him; she leaned over to quickly kiss him. She crushed her lips against his and then moaned in the back of her throat as his hands were clutching at her through his shirt. She was a bit startled to realize that she was still wearing it but the thought left her mind as she suddenly broke off the kiss. "Lay me back," she whispered to him, gasping for air at the same time. "Make me come Rick."
Shuddering in joy Castle made what would be the last switch and he laid her back, letting her slide her legs around his hips though her right inched up to under his arm. He held it in place and then began to move again, thrusting rough and hard. He watched her closely, seeing in Beckett's body language and her response to his rhythm when she was getting closer. "Come for me love," he taunted her slightly. "You wanted me to make you scream didn't you? Let me make you beg for me again."
"Oh fuck Rick," Beckett gasped, more in the reaction of the rising tide of pleasure in her body she wasn't able to control. "You can't… you know I'll always want… this…" She had no clue what the final push was for her but a few seconds after she had stopped talking she broke completely. Her back arching as her husband's name was nearly ripped from her mouth; she felt the continuous waves of ecstasy that he was filling her with, making her almost whimper in response though she was still calling to him. She wasn't sure how she knew when he had joined her but the feel of his release was enough to make her nails dig into his shoulders, trying to hold him to her and trying to see if she would be pushed over the edge again. It didn't happen but that didn't matter as when she finally fell limp on the bed she was throbbing in her satiety.
A few rougher, quick thrusts and Castle was still himself, watching that he didn't put too much weight onto his wife. He was finally able to recover enough and he got off of her, rolling onto his back carefully as she was then quick to join him and lay on his chest. "My shirt," he said in slight amusement when he saw it was still on her though very low on her arms.
"I thought you might enjoy that," Beckett said with a slightly self satisfied smile, leaning over and kissing him on the lips quickly. "You always seem to be a little rougher with it."
"That's because you're an amazing lover Kate," Castle said. "It's not the shirt, trust me." He then studied her after he had put his hand under his head and told her, "But you did look… great in this."
"Help me," Beckett told him before she sat up. She smiled when he was quick to follow and then assisted her in getting the shirt off. Naked she let him wrap his arms around her before he was lying back on the bed, pressing her body close against his. She took his kiss that he gave her shortly after that, shivering in pleasure at the feel of his fingers very gently running up and down over her spine. When they'd managed to part from their sensuous kiss she shivered again though that time because the room was cool.
Castle felt the same and he reached down to grab the sheet before pulling it over them while Beckett was turning off the lights. "What time are we getting up?"
"Well the park opens at nine," Beckett told him. "We have that hour before then so we need to be up at seven if you think you can get ready in an hour."
"Yeah less than that since we need to help the girls as soon as we're done… luckily they're used to waking up that early for school," Castle said with a nod. "So you're going to Disneyland."
"Rick," Beckett said in a mock warning tone of voice. She then smiled and told him, "You can take a picture with your phone to send to Lanie and the boys. But nothing silly, I beg you."
"Damn I was going to ask you to wear one of the girls' ear hats," Castle said, snapping his fingers. When she shoved his side he laughed and then turned onto his side, bringing them face to face. "Nothing silly, I promise," he told her quickly as he knew that she wasn't going to leave him alone on the issue. He reached up and gently brushed some hair on her cheek back behind her ear then leaned down to kiss her tenderly.
When they parted Beckett whispered, "You're going on rides with me you know. But not the whole day."
"Okay," Castle said slowly.
"I want you to go with Alexis as much as you can," Beckett told him. "I think you should go on your own after we go on rides the first time."
"You can go with Julia and Eliza," Castle said.
"I'll see," Becket told him. "We'll see how things go."
With a nod Castle said, "Then I should say goodnight love."
"Night Rick," Beckett said, leaning over. She kissed him and then said, "I love you."
"Love you Kate," Castle told her seriously. He kissed her a second time but he was far rougher than before, their heads tilting back and forth before they very slowly pulled away from one another. He pressed his forehead against hers and then lay on his back, wrapping his arm around her once she settled against his side.
Beckett stayed awake for a little longer, feeling the satisfaction from their lovemaking lingering within her. She wasn't sure when Castle fell asleep but as she closed her eyes she felt him still next to her. A slight smile quirked up the corners of her lips and she soon was relaxing her body herself, nodding off for the rest she would need as well for the next day they would be spending with their family.