The minibreak with Alexis at the Hamptons house was exactly what Shane needed after the insanity of doing an autopsy on Amber van Houston and the media circus it courted. He'd actually had to come in the service entrance the day the body was released because the hell-hounds known as paparazzi were all but camping out on the front steps of the morgue. Who did that? he'd mused to Alexis and she told him of Theresa's brother in law who'd put himself through law school by being a photographer for the British tabloid Hello!

He finally confessed, too, to Alexis what he himself hadn't realized was bothering him so much about doing Amber van Houston's autopsy until he'd been to the Hamptons house with her - Amber van Houston was what Alexis herself could have very easily become if her father hadn't been so determined to raise a grounded and self-aware young woman. Just because there was family money, whether inherited or self-made as Castle's was, didn't automatically guarantee superiority, and Alexis had listen to him pour out thoughts and feelings - where they'd come from he didn't have a clue - and smiled at him, squeezed his arm in support. She reassured him that the day she was out partying like a punch-drunk test monkey would be because she'd be celebrating her own bachelorette party.

They'd eaten at The Lagoon and once again, Shane found another reason to love Alexis when she dove into her shrimp-and-oyster po-boy with abandon and wasn't embarrassed at all about the drippy spiced sauce from her sandwich running on her fingers. She'd just plunged them into the hot-water finger bowl, dried them off and kept going, occasionally picking up her fork for the fresh coleslaw. After indulging themselves at the boardwalk and winning truly ugly stuffed animals for each other, they'd indulged in a midnight skinny dip in the shallows by the boathouse, and had just barely made it into the house before their hormones took over.

By the time he returned to the city, Shane felt like a human being again. A couple nights away from work with Alexis had been just what he'd needed. And okay, it was a little depressing to remember that she'd be gone back to England in a few days, but he planned to make the most of it, particularly with the surprise he was planning for her going away.

He was just finishing cleaning his autopsy station when Ryan and Esposito swung in to pick up reports that needed to be filed before end-of-shift.

'Shane, what's happening, doc?' Ryan asked cheerfully, making Shane squint.

'You're awfully chipper, Detective. You win the lottery or something?'

'Mallory said her first word this morning,' he replied in an eager voice, which had both Esposito and Shane giving him manly hugs.

'That's awesome, dude, what'd she say?'

'Soap. Jenny was cleaning up from breakfast and she said 'remind me to add dish soap to the shopping list' and Mallory just looked up from her Cheerios and said 'soap', like she was agreeing with her mama.' Ryan sighed. 'My kids are getting too big on me. Dell's starting school soon and Mallory's already talking.'

'Alexis is scared she won't hear RJ's first words because she's leaving soon and every day we're waiting to hear if he's going to break the language barrier,' Shane offered, punching his ID code into his computer to sign out for the day, then passing Ryan and Esposito their files.

'Speaking of which, you and Lex want to come for dinner tonight? Mere's finally off bed-rest this afternoon and she wants to have some people over,' Esposito added. 'She's had a brisket slow cooking in the oven all day and she's going to finish it off on the grill.'

'Sold. I'll need some time to go home and clean up,' Shane started, but Esposito waved him off.

'Why would you leave here to go to East Twenty-Seventh and Third when you can shower at my house and save yourself at least two hours? Plus you can hang with Tessi for a few while I have a few minutes of Meredeth to myself.'

The doctor eyed him up. 'I better not hear any beds creaking.'

'God no, I just want some one-on-one time with my wife without worrying about my daughter, man,' Esposito laughed; there was no need to tell his friend his initial suspicions were bang-on. 'How rude do you think we are?'

'Not rude,' Ryan corrected, 'just very pregnant-horny.'

Shane had been to the townhouse a couple of times, but only when it was the venue for a party; he'd never visited when it was so calm. 'Calm' of course was a relative term, for when he followed Esposito inside the giant honey-brown dog raced over to them and snuffled at Shane to give him the once-over.

'Artie, knock it off, where's Tessi and Mami?' Esposito asked the dog like it was a human child, and the beast streaked upstairs. The men followed him up and found Meredeth in her maternity tunic and soft leggings in bed with Tessi, cards arranged on the bed.

'Do you have any flamingos?'

'No, 'mingos, go fish.'

Meredeth took a card from the pile, then glanced up, her round face lighting up like a sun when she saw her husband. 'Javi! You're home!'

'Daddy!' Tessi had followed her mother's gaze and scrambled off the bed to give her father a big hug hello, giggling when he boosted her onto his hip. 'I wash Mami, she an' babies be-have.'

'That's makes Daddy very happy.'

'Hi Shin,' she added with a little embarrassed blush. 'You vis'in Mami?'

'Actually, Shane and Alexis, and Aunt Katie and Uncle Rick and RJ are coming for dinner tonight,' Esposito replied, which made both his girls gasp in delight.

'Ah-Shay an' Alessis here too?'

'Not yet. Soon.'

'Tessi, come tidy up the cards, I'm going to put the brisket on the barbecue.' Meredeth went to shove herself up off the bed, then groaned. 'Oh, crap I'm huge. Javi?'

Shane watched as the detective went to help his wife to her feet, discreetly looking away when Esposito gave her a kiss, but he didn't miss seeing the tender stroke of the pregnant woman's belly. It was such a gentle contrast to the cocksure, swaggering homicide investigator that Shane gained a new level of respect for his friend, as he doubted many people ever saw that compassion and tenderness within him.

'Here, Shane.' Meredeth waddled out of the room to the linen closet and passed him a bath towel, hand towel and face cloth. 'You can use the guest bath there.'

'Shane? We daw-in soon?' Tessi asked in a hopeful voice; she was always on the lookout for more drawing buddies.

'Sure, but I need a shower first, I smell.'

'You pomis?'

'I promise.'

Forty minutes later, Shane redressed to join his hosts downstairs; he was halfway down when he heard Alexis' voice along with her parents and RJ's babbled syllables. He jogged downstairs in time to hear Castle giving Esposito grief over letting Meredeth look after dinner.

'Mere's been on bedrest for most of the day, doctor's orders, so she's soaking up the fresh air. Hi,' Shane added, greeting Alexis with quick kiss, her slow smile making him feel warm all over.

'Hi yourself. You been here long?'

'Long enough to promise Tessi I'd help her with her artwork after my shower.'

'Well, let's not disappoint her. Here, Mom.' Alexis plucked the calmed RJ from his mother's arms and into her own. She wanted as much cuddle-time with the baby as she could soak up before she left for England again. 'You go have a drink with Dad, God knows you've earned a few this week.'

'Thank you, Lex.'

'Less.'

'I'm sorry, what was that?' Castle asked, not sure if he'd heard correctly. 'RJ, what was that?'

'Less,' the little boy repeated. 'Less?'

'Oh my god.' Alexis' eyes filled up. 'RJ, are you saying my name? Are you trying to say Alexis?'

'Less.'

Beckett's laugh ended on a little sob. 'RJ, can you say Mommy?'

'Mumum.'

'What about Daddy?' Castle asked, noting that Esposito had slipped over to the living room where Tessi watched with curious blue eyes.

'Daddy.'

'Oh, my little guy!' Beckett took RJ back out of his sister's arms and held her close.

'Mumum.' RJ pointed to his teeth. 'Mumum?'

'Would you like your berries?'

'Bahs.'

'Okay, we'll go get your berries.'

As Alexis watched them head into the kitchen, she let out a shaky breath as she began to cry a little. She'd been so scared she was going to miss such an important moment in her brother's life, but apparently the universe wasn't going to let that happen. She felt Shane wrap his arm around her waist and hold her close, letting her have her big-sister moment.

'Aw, Lex, it's okay,' he murmured to her, then led her over to the couch to sit beside Esposito and Tessi; Castle followed them over and sank into an armchair. The sight of her admired fairy-princess lady in tears had Tessi concerned and she walked over to tap at Alexis' knees to get her attention.

'Alessis, what happen? Why tears?'

'RJ said his first word and it was my name,' she explained with a water smile. 'That means a lot to me.'

'That nice of him.'

Castle laughed at Tessi's sweetness. 'It was, wasn't it?'

'What my firs' word, Daddy?'

'Your first word was book, Tessi-boo,' Esposito told her. 'And before you ask, Dell's was 'handsome'.'

'That dute.' Tessi looked back at her papers and crayons box, then shoved a blank sheet across the table in Shane's direction. 'You pomis.'

He gave Alexis' temple a kiss, then knelt on the floor in a style to mimic Tessi's. 'I did promise, and I keep my word. Maybe we can spread out the crayons?'

'O-day, but we hafa tidy up when finch.'

R&R&Enjoy