Genre: Romance, Family, Humor, Supernatural
Rating: M for sexual situations and language
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: The beginning of the book Treasure Island is in this book, that's definitely owned by Robert Louis Stevenson.
A/N #2: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song The Way You Look Tonight written by Dorothy Fields, the version I have taken from is sung by Fred Astaire in the movie Swing Time.
A/N #3: Loved getting the feedback for the last chapter that I did in the end, so I'll go into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really glad you thought the last chapter was good writing. And I'm happy to see you like the flashbacks that I have since I love reading those!) and
Mb (It was really nice to see you loved the first half of the chapter with Castle and Beckett going to the Alamo Square and the memories they had from that house. I'm pleased you thought Naomi and Nico are sweet, I wanted them to be, also glad you thought it was nice that Naomi is pregnant is was going to tell Nico about that surprise. And you were right, the house had a history of happy marriages and children so yep, it fits that they're going to continue that with their own family. I was happy to see you loved that the girls recognized and were happy to see the house. And I'm really glad that you thought it was good they'll be surprised with seeing the houses in person. Great you thought it was good memories and new friends made too! You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I was happy reading you thought the second half was amazing again along with sweet and passionate. And I'm not surprised you commented on them going to the wharf seeing Alcatraz again with them remembering what happened when they'd been on that island along with their past memories of the wharf too. I'm happy to see you liked them seeing the sea lions and getting their sweets at Ghirardelli too since I love doing that myself, lol. It was great you noted the flashbacks and entries from their first anniversary since I enjoyed writing them. And I was very pleased that you thought Castle and Beckett recreating their past lovemaking and putting in the passion both from the present and past was exhilarating for them since I was aiming for that. Great you thought it was beautifully written. You're welcome for sharing the second half too!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them and I'm grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #4: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song The Way You Look Tonight, information in the A/N above.
Keep That Breathless Charm
"I really don't mind love," Beckett said, slightly laughingly at the way her husband was looking at her. "I used to shop like this before we got together."
"Where?" Castle asked.
"I told you, my parents took me to the Mall of America and then to a mall outside of Stanford for my dorm things," Beckett told him. She smiled when her husband looked thoughtful at that and then turned her attention to their car which they were soon loading the trunk with what they'd bought at the stores at the outdoor mall they'd found a little north of Mill Valley. It was the morning of the twenty-fourth and she and her husband had decided to get the items they'd most need bringing their family the next weekend before going into the city and to Golden Gate Park.
"One thing," Castle asked her.
"Is it about lunch?" Beckett asked. At her husband's nod she couldn't help laughing softly again before she said, "I don't care, we can go back in."
"Good, because I really want to go," Castle said.
"Do you think it's that far from the Academy?" Beckett asked him.
"I'm getting the feeling that it isn't," Castle said. "Though of course I won't know until we get there."
Beckett nodded her head and squeezed his arm before she said, "Let's go."
Castle was quick to leave the parking lot, driving down the 101 Freeway before they got off on Blithedale, driving through the town until they reached West Oaks. He pulled up the drive way, using the opener they'd gotten for the gate from Naomi before parking in front of the garage. "Should we get or build a cover of some kind?" he asked as they were getting everything out of the trunk.
"I was thinking that," Beckett replied. "Maybe build a car port… we had one."
"The fifties, yeah, I didn't want my cars to get that damaged in the sun and rain," Castle said. "Speaking of which I'm so happy that it didn't today."
"I know," Beckett replied with a smile. She opened the door to the lean-to and once they were inside, she said, "We're just dropping everything off and making sure everything's okay."
"Sure," Castle said a little absently as he was setting the bags he had in his hand down in the kitchen on a part of the counter near the doorway to the lean-to. "Are we going to take anything out of the bags?"
"I'd like to, wouldn't you? It'd make things more orderly," Beckett said. When her husband looked at her in surprise he said, "I know you Rick."
"Very well obviously," Castle said before he was helping her in getting everything out of the trunk. Once they'd gotten all their purchases out of the bags he said, "Luckily we're coming early," since it was mostly sheets and towels.
"I thought of that too," Beckett said, since they had their tickets already with Skye's help. She then turned to him and said with a smile, "I get the feeling the girls will take a while to fall asleep that night."
"Probably," Castle said. He realized the way his wife was looking at him and frowned for a moment before he was about to ask what was going through her mind. She beat him to that though, telling him quickly and making him laugh once she'd said that.
"I want to ship my diaries back home," Beckett said. She was slightly startled at her husband's laugh, but then said, "You were expecting me to say that?"
"That and I was about to ask you what was on your mind," Castle replied. "But you answered already. And I don't mind… it would make our nights together interesting."
"I will read the ones from when I was younger to the girls," Beckett said.
"I figured you would," Castle said. "Though maybe you should let Julia read ahead on those. You know have much she loves the Dear America books."
"I probably will," Beckett said with a nod as she was smiling. "So we need to grab those and send them… tomorrow maybe," she told him.
"We can do that," Castle said quickly. He took his wife's kiss and after they parted they were walking together through the rooms to the stairs and he looked at the bedrooms they passed.
"Your mom won't mind sharing with Josie, will she?" Beckett asked him.
"No," Castle said as they had ordered a crib to be delivered the next week. It had a trundle bed she could use until she got too big and they figured out where their parents would stay while the girls had the upstairs bedrooms. "Do you think your dad would mind the guest house?" he asked as they were starting up the stairs at that point to go to their bedroom.
"Would your mom? They'd need to decide between themselves," Beckett said.
"They could take turns," Castle commented. "Since we'll have to double up if we have more guests here."
"We'll talk to them," Beckett said as they'd reached the bedroom. Her husband was grabbing the first box with her diary before he got the smaller one while her attention went to their bed.
"Okay, got them," Castle said. "You're sure that's it?" He turned to his wife and seeing that she was staring at the bed, one hand on the headboard he walked up to her quietly. "Hey," he said gently as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Okay?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking… I gave birth to our three girls right here," Beckett said, smiling slightly at him. She cursed the tear that fell from her eye then and told him, "It's emotional to think about."
Castle nodded, gently sliding his thumb over her cheek to stop the tear before he told her, "It is, I'm really glad they all kept the frame. Everyone who had the house after us."
Smiling Beckett cupped his face with her hands before they were leaning into each other and kissing. She felt her heart starting to beat faster as it was very gentle and when they parted she whispered, "I love you Rick."
"I love you Kate, promise me when we come back we'll make love here," Castle said.
"Pervert," Beckett told him with another smile.
"I'm taking that as a yes," Castle said, feeling a thrill as she was laughing. When they let go of each other he said, "I'm rethinking my idea."
"Your idea?" Beckett said in surprise.
"I want us to come back with the girls to where I proposed to you," Castle said.
Beckett opened her mouth to speak before it abruptly came to her why he'd thought of that and she smiled saying, "Julia."
"Yes, though they're all going to be with us," Castle told her. "We could walk over there but…"
"Let's wait," Beckett said with a smile. She saw her husband was about to speak and she hurriedly covered his mouth before saying, "Either the zoo or the Academy again; let them decide."
"And you don't mind going there a second time?" Castle asked though his voice was muffled by her hand.
"No," Beckett said, laughing when he kissed her palm. "And since you changed your plans, I can tell you something I thought of at breakfast," she continued with, not surprised when her husband appeared to be thinking that over. "It's about dinner tomorrow," she told him quickly before he was understandably frowning.
"You want to switch our dinner in our room back to tomorrow?" Castle asked her slowly.
"No, I want to have dinner here," Beckett replied.
"With the Dorseys and their real estate agent friend?" Castle asked. "And her spouse of course," he added in a hurry.
"I would, we could start the process and show our appreciation to Naomi and Nico," Beckett said with a brief nod.
"That would be great, but what if Naomi and Nico have everything set for their dinner?" Castle asked.
"It's why we'll call them while we're on the way," Beckett said.
"Okay," Castle said before they turned their attention to the boxes. They managed to carry them together down to the car and once they had it loaded he said, "Cooking or ordering?"
"Ordering, I'll ask them if there's a restaurant they love here," Beckett said. "That way we can go out tomorrow."
"To Chrissy Field?" Castle asked her.
"That's fine," Beckett said with a smile. "Lunch?" When he was nodding, she smiled and said, "Okay, Boudin since we might be having something else for dinner."
"Sure," Castle said before he was turning his attention to locking the lean-to door. When they were inside their car, he drove down the driveway; there being space for him to turn the car around; and while they waited for the gate to close behind them, he was listening to his wife talking to Naomi.
"Great, I'm so glad you'll do that," Beckett said at the end of her conversation. "And this is going to be casual since we of course don't have everything set up; just what you left."
Naomi laughed and said, "I know, it was what we had too until we moved. Luckily everything is useable."
"It is," Beckett said. "So we'll see you at five thirty and we'll eat at six." When she said goodbye to the woman she told her husband, "We're probably going to go to that restaurant."
"Of course, we will," Castle said as the pediatrician had told his wife she and Nico loved a Dim Sum restaurant in downtown Mill Valley. "With the girls… and our family," he corrected himself hurriedly. "Should I get some liquor to make drinks?"
"Old Fashioned?" Beckett asked.
"And for martinis if anyone wants that," Castle added with a smile.
"Maybe just some wine," Beckett said. "It'll be a workday the next day and I'm sure they'll all have to go to work."
"Inside or outside?" Castle asked as there was a table on the patio outside the house.
"Outside if it's not raining," Beckett replied with a smile.
"Great, then we're set," Castle commented.
"There's a bakery we passed coming in," Beckett said, squeezing his hand.
"Oh great, dessert," Castle said, smiling when she laughed. He had to focus on driving as they'd reached the freeway and going south they were soon on the bridge and he looked around when he could before they were in San Francisco and he took them to the parking lot closest to the Academy of Sciences. Once they were out of the car, he went straight to her and took her hand before he told her, "I'd like to be close to you."
"I'm not surprised, you were yesterday too," Beckett replied. She was entwining their fingers before she told him, "We can take our time," before she watched him looking at his watch hurriedly. She expected him to say something, but when he didn't, she had to wait as they had reached the building and her husband was buying the tickets before he was telling her why he'd done that.
"They close at five," Castle told her. "So we do have some time along with lunch. Are you taking pictures?"
"I will," Beckett said. "In case they choose coming here next time; I can pay more attention to them."
"I'm kind of hoping they'll go to the zoo," Castle said.
Waiting until they were in the building Beckett said, "Me too, but let them pick love."
"I will," Castle promised her before he handed her a map.
"Me?" Beckett asked.
"Yes," Castle replied. He was startled when she shook her head and gave it back to him saying, "I would have gone wherever you wanted to."
Beckett smiled and said, "It's okay, I want to focus on taking pictures. I'll follow you."
With the way his wife was looking at him, Castle had to take a moment to breathe out before he said, "Yeah…" He distracted himself with the map and said, "Let's start with the roof." When she nodded, he took her hand and they walked together to the nearest elevator they could take up. While they were waiting for the next car he told her, "I wanted to leave the rainforest for last."
"Even though you go down into the aquarium?" Beckett asked. She couldn't help laughing briefly when her husband nodded readily and said, "Okay. What about the African Hall?"
"After this," Castle said. They were inside the elevator then and he noticed that one of the women in the car was glancing over at him. He braced himself when the car stopped and they could step out onto the viewing platform as she stepped up to them.
"I'm so sorry to bother you," the woman said. "But are you Richard Castle."
"I am," he replied, glancing at his wife and seeing she was taking photographs already. But knowing her he was well aware she was paying close attention to what was happening next to her.
"Oh, I'm such a huge fan," the woman was gushing. "Would you mind giving me an autograph?"
Beckett tried not to roll her eyes up to the skies at the way the dirty blonde was jumping up and down as she knew the woman was doing that on purpose as her ample chest was hard to miss. She was watching out of the corner of her eye as her husband was signing the paper, turning to him as he touched her arm. She jumped slightly with him when the woman was taking the paper and asking if she could buy him a coffee. "We're going to be going to lunch soon," she said firmly then, knowing she had to step in since her husband's wedding ring had been obvious holding the paper he'd signed.
"Oh…" the woman said. "Well-"
Castle didn't give the woman a chance to respond to that and said a quick goodbye before he pulled Beckett to the opposite end of the platform. He turned to her and said in Irish, "It wasn't attractive."
"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said with a smile as he was speaking firmly. "I-" she started to say before he was suddenly kissing her intently. She was a little unsure at first; since they weren't alone; but a moment later she responded and they were continuing for a bit longer until parting. She then smiled again at her husband and said, "Anocht," telling him the word tonight.
Merely nodding his head, Castle couldn't help himself and he leaned over, brushing his lips to hers before he reluctantly let her go. He focused his attention on the view of the roof and his wife as she continued taking pictures and they walked around the platform until they'd seen every part of the view. They left by going down the stairs, holding each other's hand before they reached the next floor down and he led her to a room where they both paused just past the doorway into it.
"They added more stuff," Beckett said. "Julia will be happy when we come back."
"I know," Castle said.
Beckett was about to walk over to the first display to take a picture before her husband was suddenly gasping and saying, "Something to touch." She had to fight not to laugh at his tone and instead followed him over to the amethyst that was cut open. "I'm surprised," she said, looking on as he was touching the purple stone inside the rock.
"I know, but it's awesome," Castle replied with a smile at her.
"That's it?" Beckett asked as he'd stopped at that point. When he nodded, she laughed and took a picture of the rock before she ran her fingers along the squares the interior made. She then followed her husband around the room, taking pictures of some of the rocks though she focused more on the gems until they were leaving. "What's on the next floor?" she asked while they headed down the stairs.
"Just a theater," Castle said. "It looked like it's closed right now," he told his wife.
"Then where now?" Beckett inquired as they were walking down to the first floor.
"The African Hall and then lunch?" Castle asked his wife.
"You're in charge," Beckett said. When her husband was making a face, she grabbed his arm and squeezed it telling him, "For where we're going."
"I think I'm used to you being in charge," Castle explained before they both paused. He saw that the earthquake exhibit was still there and he said, "Want-"
"No," Beckett said immediately, not surprised when her husband was nodding. She took his hand and squeezed it saying, "I don't want to go through it again, once was enough."
"I thought the same," Castle said. "Come on, my stomach's going to be rumbling and I'll scare all the kids."
Beckett smiled before she was walking with him to the hall off the entrance. They reached a section about the evolution of humans and she took a picture of the 3.3 million-year-old child called Selam and said to her husband, "Do you know how to pronounce that?"
"Yeah, Australopithecus afarensis," Castle said, reading it off the information about the skeleton. "You don't?"
"The first name I do," Beckett replied. She then smiled and said, "We should bring them here."
"For Eliza?" Castle asked as they were moving on to the dioramas of the African Hall.
"And Julia, she was only five when we were here last," Beckett said.
"I'm sure either way we'll come back," Castle replied before they were pausing in front of the diorama of hyenas. He studied the way the habitat looked before his wife was touching his arm and they continued going through antelope, zebras and kudu. The last thing they saw was the colony of African penguins and they stood at the window for a while before one of the birds was swimming towards them.
Beckett was quick to take a shot of her husband looking through the glass at the penguin and she smiled at how that picture had come out before she watched him taking his phone out of his pocket. "Selfie?" she asked him.
"Both of us," Castle corrected her before she was stepping up to him. He managed to take a picture of them both with some of the penguins in the water in the background before saying, "I'd like to send this to them."
Looking at her watch Beckett said, "Do it before we call them; they're at the library right now."
"Right," Castle said. "No wait, I'll send the picture and tell them we're ready."
"Okay," Beckett said with a soft laugh before they were leaving the hall and walking back out to the entrance where he was getting the map from his jacket pocket. She watched him studying it and was about to ask where they'd be eating lunch when he was speaking first as he was leading her to the other side of the building.
"I'd kind of like to go to the place we ate last time," Castle told his wife.
"That's fine," Beckett replied. "We'll be going back there with the girls."
"I don't mind," Castle said quickly, smiling when she did. They walked into the Academy Café and looked at the menu before he said, "The pulled pork sounds nice."
"It does," Beckett said. When she saw the way her husband was looking at her she said, "And a side salad."
"I should get that too," Castle said, smiling again as his wife was leaning against him slightly while she laughed. They went to order their food and once they had it, they went to sit at the tables next to the aquarium. After they'd begun eating, he watched while his wife was taking a picture of some of the fish next to them and he said, "This brings back memories."
"It does," Beckett said, smiling at him. She then said, "Eliza will love it."
"I get the feeling so will Josie," Castle said. "I just hope we can get them both away from here once we finish eating."
"Julia might help," Beckett commented before taking a bite of her sandwich.
"Or she might end up staying with them," Castle pointed out.
With a brief frown, Beckett finished her bite and said, "Why are you so negative."
"I'm being realistic," Castle said simply.
"Alexis?" Beckett replied.
"Not every time," Castle said. "But once in a while."
Shaking her head, Beckett finished the last of her sandwich before she said, "She'll help us."
"Luckily," Castle agreed. They got up to throw their trash away and he said, "Aquarium?"
"Yes," Beckett said before they were waling over to what was called The Swamp. They peered down together to the albino crocodile together and she said, "Josie's eyes will go wide."
"No bets," Castle said as his wife was looking at him. He smiled when she shook her head with a smile of her own and realized something while they were walking together to the stairs down to the Aquarium. "You never told me what you wanted last night," he said to her.
"I didn't," Beckett said, speaking in Irish as well. She then smiled slightly and told him, "I can always do that tonight."
"Please," Castle breathed out.
"Pervert," Beckett said immediately in response.
"As always," Castle replied. He smiled when his wife did and they went to look at the lower viewing window to The Swamp, watching the crocodile called Claude though it was motionless. When they turned to leave, he was about to tell her how he wanted to walk through that part of the institution before she was squeezing his hand to get his attention.
"I'll tell you tonight," Beckett said.
"Okay," Castle replied in English. When his wife looked at him in surprise for how rapidly he'd spoke he explained, "I don't mind."
"Even though you lost?" Beckett asked in amusement as they were looking at some of the reptiles that were near The Swamp.
"Even though I lost," Castle said.
With how firmly her husband was speaking, Beckett looked at him from the Gila monster she'd taken a picture of. But she knew he was thinking of how it would benefit him as well and she smiled before they were continuing. Looking around the fish aquariums they were passing, unable to help thinking of their daughters before they were standing in front of the enormous Philippine Coral Reef aquarium. "Rick," she murmured to her husband.
"I know, it's time," Castle said.
"No, I miss them," Beckett whispered.
"Me too," Castle replied. When she looked at him, he leaned over and pressed his lips to her temple murmuring to her, "But we're almost done with the trip," knowing seeing their bed back in Mill Valley had brought that on.
"It's weird," Beckett said, feeling a little more recovered. "I just felt that suddenly."
"It's the fish, you know how much Julia loves them," Castle said. "Should I send the text now though?"
"Go ahead," Beckett replied with a smile as she watched him. She was a little startled when her husband grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it but smiled at him before she watched him going for his phone.
"They're ready," Castle said once he had received a response to the picture and text he'd sent to her father's phone. When his wife had grabbed her tablet from her bag, he waited for her to open it before they were seeing their family. "Hey everyone," he told them.
"Look at the fishies!" Eliza was crying out.
Laughing, Beckett said, "We're happy to see you too sweetie."
"Sorry, I'm happy to see you Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said, smiling as she looked at them then. "I saw the fish behind you."
"I'm not surprised, it's why we're standing here," Castle replied.
"How were the penguins?" Julia asked.
"Do you remember them?" Beckett said in response.
"A little bit, I still have the pictures," Julia said. "And I remember the rocks being like that. Their habitat?"
"Yes," Castle said. "And they said they missed you Julia and they want to meet you Eliza; you and Josie."
"Daddy," the little girl said with a giggle.
"I missed them too. Can we go there?" Julia asked.
"We will," Beckett said. "Since we're remembering so much being here. And we miss you girls."
"But we will stay," Castle said in a rush as Eliza's mouth was opening to speak. "Luckily it's not too much longer."
"What did you do yesterday?" Julia asked.
Castle and Beckett related what they'd been doing since their call the day before and weren't surprised when the girls insisted they keep going to tell them about that day. They finished where they were at that point and insisted the girls tell them about their days which went swiftly since it was a Saturday.
"Will you call at the same time tomorrow?" Jim asked them.
"I think we'd like to call a few hours earlier," Beckett said, looking at her husband who nodded. "At three your time."
"Cool," Julia said.
"Yeah," Eliza said. "But what about lunch."
"It won't be a problem," Beckett assured her. "So we'll let you go now since you need to get ready for dinner," she added so they could let her and Castle know their plans for the meal.
"We'll take them to the pizza parlor," Martha said. "They wanted to go to an arcade after you told them about the Musée Mécanique."
"I'm not surprised," Castle said, smiling at the girls. "Have fun playing but listen to your grandparents."
"We will," Julia and Eliza said at the same time.
Saying goodbye to their family, Castle and Beckett stayed at the large aquarium for a while longer after they'd hung up the Skype connection.
"We'll have to tell them about our plans tomorrow," Castle said. "For dinner," he added hurriedly.
"We will, they're going to want to know," Beckett said.
"They didn't ask about tonight," Castle told her.
"True, but we should tell them that at least," Beckett replied. She stopped him; as they'd started to walk; and she told him, "I want to wait to go to the tunnel."
"I thought you would, it makes more sense to wait to go once we leave the rainforest," Castle replied as they were walking again. Going through most of the aquarium section they soon reached the California Coast tank and watched the fish before his wife was taking pictures. "Get any of the anemones?" he asked her.
"I did," Beckett replied. "Did you want to go to the tidepool?"
"I do, more stuff to touch," Castle said eagerly. He smiled when his wife did as she was playfully rolling her eyes and then told her, "You?"
"I'll pass and take pictures," Beckett answered. "Will you hold things up for me?"
"I will," Castle promised before they were walking over to the pool where there were others standing and holding starfish. He picked one up once he'd put his wedding band into his pocket and stood with it so his wife could take a picture. He did the same with some others along with a sea urchin before he was washing his hands.
"Thank you," Beckett told her husband, smiling at him as she was putting his wedding band on his finger at his insistence.
"You're welcome, I enjoyed that," Castle said.
"Always have to touch," Beckett said in Irish.
Letting his gaze go over her body, Castle nodded just once and told her, "Especially when it's you."
Freezing momentarily as they were walking to leave the aquarium, Beckett looked at her husband since his voice had become a little husky. "L-later," she told her, a little annoyed at her sudden stammer.
Not saying anything, as he knew his wife wouldn't appreciate him commenting on how much he'd shaken her, Castle squeezed her hand that he was holding, and they walked together up to the main floor. "Rainforest?" he asked her.
"I'd like to," Beckett replied.
"You've been waiting for this the whole time, haven't you?" Castle asked her.
"And you haven't?" Beckett shot back.
"Touché," Castle said. When she rolled her eyes, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders before they got in line for the dome.
When they were allowed inside the muggy environment Beckett said, "I'm glad it wasn't cold enough outside for jackets."
"Still hot though," Castle said. They were looking up to the top of the dome and asked his wife, "Would you want to go to Brazil?"
"One day; not during Carnival," Beckett said easily.
"What if Paul had Skye go?" Castle said as they started to walk around the different animals on that level of the dome.
"I know," Beckett said as Skye had talked to her about Paul asking the O'Dells to think about joining him for a concert in Rio de Janeiro. "She'll probably say yes for herself," she commented as they were going up the ramp along the dome. She was still taking pictures and paused at the next level to take some of the water below them. "I keep forgetting she's been there," she said with a smile though it didn't last.
"Hey, look at the butterflies," Castle said, suddenly wanting to distract her as their friend had assisted the Centro de Inestigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos, the Brazilian equivalent to the aviation part of the NTSB. It had been her first international investigation and had unfortunately been a runway overshoot due to pilot error, TAM Flight 3054.
Giving her husband a look for trying to distract her, Beckett said, "I feel so sorry for her still," shaking her head as she was just taking in the scenery while they were standing at the railing.
"She's strong," Castle said, wanting to point out that his wife was the same for going into homicide investigations after losing her mother the way she had. But he knew she would expect him to say that, so he merely squeezed the small of her back. "But they would love her; she does speak Portuguese fluently."
Beckett pursed her lips together to try and keep from smiling but failed as she told him, "Why you thought she couldn't I don't know."
"Why she swore at me…" Castle commented.
"She didn't," Beckett said wryly as they were walking together up the ramp again. "I think she told you that you were insane."
Thinking over what he'd heard the investigator saying, Castle nodded and said, "Yeah, insano, insane. Why that though?"
"I don't know, personally I would have gone with annoying," Beckett said teasingly.
"Hey… how does that work after all these years?" Castle asked her as he was following her. "And how do you say that in Portuguese?"
At the third level Beckett watched while her husband was getting his phone and she focused on pictures at that point before he touched her arm. "What did you translate?" she asked him.
"The annoying one, but I changed it," Castle said, showing her the screen of the phone.
"Você está me perturbando?" Beckett said. "You're annoying me?" When her husband nodded, she said, "If I'd told you that eleven years ago would that have affected you." She raised her hand to him and then said, "I'm not talking about the translation; you would have figured it out."
"Thank you for insulting me and complimenting my language skills at the same time," Castle replied. He couldn't help chuckling briefly when his wife shook her head and he said, "We're missing the rainforest."
"We are," Beckett said as she was looking down at the butterfly that alit on the back of her hand. She heard a shutter sound and looked at her husband before the yellow, black and white insect was flying away. "I get the feeling you're sending that to the girls," she said as they continued up into more butterflies.
"Yes," Castle said simply. He smiled when his wife cupped his cheek for a moment before he told her, "You know we forgot to finish about Skye."
"I would go," Beckett said. "If they'd ask us to go along with them."
"You know they would, Paul would want you to take pictures again," Castle told her. "Don't say he wouldn't, he has talked about you photographing more for him."
"I know," Beckett said with a sigh.
"You wouldn't want to?" Castle asked her.
"No I would," Beckett said. "But we have so much going on I'd like to just focus on… now."
Seeing his wife taking a picture of him, Castle said, "I'm going to assume it was on my head?" When she nodded, he said, "I'm glad the girls aren't going to see that yet."
"Monday?" Beckett asked her. She laughed softly at the face he made in response before they were walking around that level. She felt the butterflies were thicker that time and she was busy taking photographs until they made their way to the elevator. "I can imagine Eliza," she said suddenly when they were in the car watching the pool of water getting closer to them.
"Trying to sneak one with us?" Castle asked.
"Either that or making sure none of them are on our clothes," Beckett replied with a smile. When her husband took her hand she said, "I'm alright, still missing them, but I have to admit I'm wondering where we'll go next."
"What about a snack?" Castle said after he'd taken a swift look at his watch.
"I'd love that," Beckett replied. They were gazing at one another, but they were soon at the aquarium level and had to hurry out. She was busy getting her camera ready as they were rounding a corner and were soon in the Amazon Flooded Forest Tunnel. She was taking pictures but remembering Julia, being awed by the fish passing around above them, before she felt her husband's hand on her back. "Should we have called them from here?" she asked him as she turned to him.
"I think she'd want to wait until we were back," Castle said slowly as he was thinking that over while he spoke. When his wife nodded, he asked, "Sit?"
"No, let's head to the store and we can leave," Beckett replied.
"What're we getting them?" Castle asked once they were on the main level and walking to the store.
"One thing," Beckett said.
"What about when we come back?" Castle asked.
"I was thinking shirts," Beckett said. "This time." When her husband nodded, she walked into the store first before they saw something at the same time.
"Would they mind their sister getting something else besides a shirt?" Castle said as they were walking over to the display.
"I doubt it," Beckett replied as she watched him picking up the plush doll of Claude. "I just hope it won't scare her in the end."
"No, her sisters will help her," Castle commented. "Especially Eliza."
Beckett couldn't help laughing, unable to forget how much their second youngest was making sure Josie was seeing and even petting Carlow. "That's true. Okay, I'll go look for a t-shirt for Josie and Julia, go and find something for Eliza."
"Alexis?" Castle asked.
"If you find one you think she'll like," Beckett said, starting to turn before her husband was grabbing her arm gently. "The logo one?" she asked him. When he nodded, she said, "Alright, you might want to get something for Louis too."
"Wedding gift?" Castle asked.
"Go," Beckett said laughingly. When he walked away, she turned to the items for babies and picked up a grey shirt that had a cartoonish t-rex with a speech bubble that read RAWR! She took it with her, looking at the other t-shirts before she picked out a blue one with a group of the African penguins on it for Julia. "What'd you find?" she asked as her husband was walking up to her.
"This but I'm not sure Eliza will like it," Castle replied, showing it to her.
Studying it, Beckett nodded and told him, "I found this one for Josie."
"She'll like they're matching," Castle said as he'd found a grey shirt with a t-rex in an astronaut's uniform.
After they had grabbed the shirts for Alexis and Louis; getting another logo one for their oldest's fiancé; Castle and Beckett left the academy and made their way across that section of the park to the Japanese Tea Garden.
"Did you want to walk through the whole thing after we finish?" Castle asked his wife as they were sitting together at the tea house.
"Not the whole thing," Beckett said.
"Save it for the girls?" Castle replied. When his wife nodded, he said, "Alright, but just a little around here; the cherry blossoms are still in bloom."
"Is that for yourself or my pictures?" Beckett asked with a smile.
Castle couldn't answer that as their tea and sweets were being served before he saw they'd also been given crackers as they'd had before. They started to eat once his wife had taken some pictures and he'd poured out tea for them. He didn't try to toast with her, instead started to drink his small cup of tea as they were looking out at the waterfall together. "How're we going to divide these?" he asked when they had finished the crackers.
Beckett's reply to that was to pick up the square of strawberry flavored Uirō and bite into half of it before she handed it to him. She had expected him to make some comment about it but watched him eating quickly. They did the same with the other two sweets and as they were finishing the tea said, "We'll walk around after this?"
"I was thinking of that and the fire hydrant at Church," Castle said. "I don't think we're too far away right now." He recalled something and asked, "Did you still want to go to the Conservatory?"
Shaking her head Beckett said, "I can do without it, maybe when we're back."
"Okay, ready?" Castle asked before they were standing and going down to the waterfall. They stayed around the entrance of the garden, climbing on the Moon Bridge before climbing down and going around it to leave. Standing on the concourse across the street from the garden he was looking around with her before shaking his head. "This way," he told her, walking past along the road to the east until they had reached nothing but grass and trees. "Somewhere here," he said.
"I remember," Beckett said, nodding her head.
Standing there for a while, Castle turned to the west before he said, "I proposed to you in that direction."
Beckett smiled and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to go now?"
"No, I'm just remembering," Castle said. He turned back to her and saw she'd left before he said, "What're you doing?"
"Skye and I left these at the first anniversary of them painting the hydrant," Beckett said, picking the daisies in the grass. "Let's go."
"I'm so lucky I got that parking," Castle said once he was standing on the sidewalk with his wife.
"I told you what May said about that," Beckett said, smiling at him. They started to walk down Church and soon found the hydrant at the corner of that and 20th where she found others had left flowers there as well. She let her husband take the daisies she'd brought with them and they laid them down around the gold painted hydrant saying, "We got them from the park too."
"Of course you did," Castle said as he was standing up straight. "And it's fitting, if the fire had gotten past this…"
Beckett nodded and took a few pictures before her hand found her husband's as it was searching for hers. They entwined their fingers and she told him, "Let's go."
Not saying anything, Castle turned back north with her and they walked together up the street before he paused and looked around.
"Where you came from?" Beckett asked him.
"Let's walk to Van Ness?" Castle said to her.
"Alright," Beckett replied, knowing they were a bit away from it. She had her camera in her hand, and they walked to the large street before they were heading north together. "Okay?" she asked him before he was stopping at 14th.
"Yeah, here, I met with the people here and we were walking," Castle said, letting go of her hand to look around.
"Rick," Beckett said, getting his attention when he was looking east eventually. She touched his arm and when he turned to her, she said, "Let's go back to the hotel."
"There's nothing else you wanted to do?" Castle asked.
"Swimming," Beckett said simply. She smiled when her husband started to and told him, "At least so we can tell the girls."
"Yeah," Castle said as they were walking back to their car on Church between 17th and 18th. "I'm surprised they'd didn't bring it up."
"I think they thought we had a lot to do," Beckett replied.
"Then we'll surprise them when we tell them," Castle commented.
Beckett laughed before she got into the car and once they were on their way, she watched the city outside until they were back at their hotel. When they were inside their room she said, "You have something on your mind."
"I'm not surprised you noticed," Castle said. "I was going to ask if you could bring your diary."
"For after swimming?" Beckett asked. When her husband nodded, she smiled and then told him, "I will, I'm surprised you don't want to hear from my diaries when I was older." She watched as he was looking up at the ceiling and said, "You're a pervert, I'll bring it." She went to get her bikini and had it out of the dresser before her husband was stepping up next to her and she looked at him before he explained why he was looking at her the way he was.
"I was going to suggest we stay here the rest of the day but…" Castle began before he was trailing off.
"Let's go swimming," Beckett replied. "Get changed."
Castle nodded before he was getting his trunks and hurrying to change while his wife was doing so in the bathroom. "I almost thought you were going to wear your one dress."
"My one dress?" Beckett asked in amusement as she took the towels they'd brought and put them into her bag. "You mean the only one you've been seeing me wearing lately?"
"I did," Castle answered. "But you do look nice."
"Come on," Beckett said laughingly before they left the room. Going to the modern tower addition of the hotel they went to the pool and once they were in the room, she saw they were on their own. "When would you want me to read?" she asked as they picked out two pool chairs next to each other.
"Whenever you want to," Castle replied. When his wife looked at him, he said, "Really I'm not going to force you."
"After we swim," Beckett said as he was looking at her questioningly. She had taken off her sundress and went to the pool where she dove in. Resurfacing she started to do laps though she had to pause as her husband was diving in as well. "You realize this is all we're doing," she told him before they could start swimming.
"It's why I'm glad you brought your diary," Castle told her. He laughed when she splashed him before they were starting to swim laps together. His wife broke off eventually to watch him swim another before he was walking up to her on the steps. "Jacuzzi?" he asked her.
"That would be nice, but I didn't want to stop swimming yet," Beckett replied before he was sitting next to her. "You're still thinking of the day we met."
"Before that," Castle replied as he watched her taking his hand. "Things improved dramatically after we ran into one another." He shifted slightly and then said, "I was thinking of Mother then."
"I know already love," Beckett replied, covering his hand holding hers with her free one. "If you're thinking of telling her…"
"I get the feeling she might know too," Castle said. "Julia remembering when her plane was shot down," he reminded her when she looked surprised. "And I'm sure if we asked Alexis she'd recall Louis then too."
"Would you want to talk to her at all?" Beckett asked him.
"I'm not sure how that would go," Castle said. "Hey Mother, I remember you used to work in a brothel and that's where you got pregnant before my father kept you as his mistress in a shoddy apartment that disintegrated in the earthquake. Killing you and making me an orphan."
"How-" Beckett started to say in surprise at his comment.
"I realized eventually who he was," Castle answered. "Hubert Corcoran," he said as he clenched his jaw for a moment. "He lived on Nob Hill, but he was killed in the earthquake. They mentioned a mistress, Deirdre O'Shea; my mother."
"When you were looking on your phone yesterday?" Beckett asked. When her husband nodded, she then asked, "No mention of you?"
"Yeah but… I'd have to show you on my phone," Castle said. "But it never mentioned me being Corcoran's illegitimate child which I'm grateful for."
"Deirdre Cassia?" Beckett asked. At her husband's nod she then told him, "I'm wondering if you remember him at all, you were almost seven when the earthquake happened," watching him carefully since she wasn't sure how he'd react.
"I have gotten a couple memories," Castle said. "Before it happened."
"You don't need to tell me," Beckett said quickly.
Shaking his head Castle said, "I'll tell you one. It was the week before the earthquake, and I was reading in the parlor of the apartment; what Mother called it."
"What did you call her?" Beckett asked.
"Ma'am," Castle answered.
"M-A-M?" Beckett said, feeling a slight sense of dread at what he'd say as the answer.
"No, the other," Castle replied. "She would give me money, since of course Corcoran gave her it and part of that was supposed to be for my upkeep." He breathed out and then said, "I was going to start school the next year but the woman my mother hired to cook for us also taught me. I don't really remember her, and I don't think we know her in this life."
"You said it was a shoddy apartment," Beckett reminded him.
"The construction," Castle explained. "Granted it was two bedrooms one bathroom the main room with the kitchen. But it collapsed in the earthquake."
Beckett nodded and said, "You really don't need to tell me," as his hand was holding hers tighter.
"I want to, it might be better if I do," Castle replied. "But I was trying to lead up to the book," he then explained. "She gave me money and there was a bookseller two blocks over by the butcher. I'd pick up food for… I think I called her Patricia but stop for a book first. Though since I wasn't seven yet I had only just started doing that in January."
"Fifteen men on a dead man's chest," Rick was reading out loud. "Yo-ho-ho and a b-b… bottle of rum in the high, old tot… totring… tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and br-o-ken at the cap…"
"Capstan," Patricia said as she leaned over to look at the book.
"Capstan bars," Rick finished. "What's that?"
"It's on a sailing ship," Patricia replied with a smile at him. "My brother would know but since he's out to sea I couldn't ask him yet."
Rick nodded and was about to speak when he heard his mother's voice from her bedroom. He closed the book quickly and stood, waiting for her to come outside into the main room.
"And how is his reading Patricia," Deidre asked.
"I need to refer to her as that because-" Castle started to say.
"I figured, keep doing that," Beckett interrupted him.
"Very well ma'am," the cook replied.
"Good, Mr. Corcoran will be here soon," Deirdre told the two. "So Richard you'll remain here and then go out to play."
"Yes ma'am," Rick said quickly.
"And you'll come back by sundown," Deirdre added. "Play at the park if you'd like."
"I will ma'am," Rick said.
"Good, now give your mother a kiss before he arrives," Deirdre replied.
After he'd kissed his mother's cheek, Rick looked at the door to the apartment and watched Patricia going to open it.
"Sir," the cook said, bobbing a quick curtsey.
Looking away as his biological father entered the apartment, Rick knew he would grab the cook's derriere in passing as he always did. Since he was so close with the woman, he hated seeing it and knew if he watched Corcoran do that again he'd do something his mother would punish him for. When he realized Patricia was next to him, he looked at her before Corcoran was saying his name.
"The boy is learning to read," Deirdre replied. "Now come, you must wish for something cool to drink. Patricia."
When his parents had disappeared into his mother's bedroom, Rick looked at his friend and said with a growl, "You shouldn't let him."
"I can't let your mother fire me," Patricia replied. "And it's more an insult to your mother you know."
"And you," Rick protested. He frowned when she shook her head and he sighed before he picked up his copy of Treasure Island saying, "I'm gonna go out."
"Good, you should," Patricia replied, hurriedly pouring out wine for the two in the bedroom they could hear laughter from. "Go on and read or play, I'll find you."
"I'll be in the park, thank you," Rick said, running before he would end up hearing more than his parents' laughter behind the closed door.