"What're you thinking?" Eve said.
"Huh?" Julia asked, looking at the young woman who had come over to her.
"I can tell you're debating something in your head," Eve explained, sitting on the steps. "Is it how long the grownups are going to take coming out?"
"I take offense to that," Louis said jokingly, smiling at the two girls when they turned to him. "Lex and I are definitely grownups."
"I hope so," Eve commented. "You're getting married in three months."
"A little less than that," Alexis said, coming up with Eliza.
"Are you excited?" Fleur asked shyly, the rest of the kids swimming up to the shallow end.
"Very," Louis said before his fiancée could respond.
Smiling at him, Alexis said, "I am too." She then turned her attention to the kids and asked, "Are you guys too?"
"Yeah, it'll be fun to see where it's going to be," Iris said. "You said the leaves are going to change color then?"
"They should be," Alexis said with a nod. She smiled at her fiancé and told him, "Though should we send everyone back if they aren't?"
"Why not?" Louis said.
"Don't even think about it," Castle said teasingly as they were stepping out of the house. "You two are getting married."
"He just wants to make sure you guys move into your house married," Beckett said wryly.
"It's not a requirement," Castle said quickly. "But it would be nice," he told his daughter in a rush as he was waiting for her reaction to that before she was smiling and he relaxed when she spoke.
"Thanks for the choice," Alexis said teasingly. "But don't worry Dad, I know what you mean."
"Thanks," Castle replied quickly since Josie was fussing in his arms. "I think she wants to go with her sister," he said, handing the baby over to her.
"Are you sure it's okay if I do?" Alexis asked slowly, hesitatingly reaching out to her. "I am all wet."
"It's fine," Beckett said, setting her sundress that had been her cover onto one of the chairs around the pool. "She has her bathing suit on you know."
"Okay," Alexis said, smiling at her baby sister as she was doing so. She took her from their father and then kissed her cheek before telling him, "Are you ready at all for that?"
"Walking you down the aisle?" Castle asked quickly. After his daughter had nodded, he was smiling widely and told her, "Very. Luckily we're in the modern age and I'm not losing you in any way."
"It helps she's moving across the street," Darnley quipped suddenly. He smirked when the writer glared at him; knowing he didn't really mean it; and he then said, "But you realize it's the same with me." He wasn't surprised when Beckett was looking at him in complete confusion and explained saying, "I made sure I moved next door."
Beckett rolled her eyes before she told him, "It's not even close."
"Close enough," Darnley said. He laughed when she gave him a fake glare and then said, "Still glad I'm there?"
"Yes," Beckett told him firmly before she was turning her attention to Eliza who had come over to take her hand. After she had done so she said, "You want me to go with you?"
"Are you gonna swim with Josa?" the little girl replied.
"I will, but she's with your sister so I can go with you," Beckett told her firmly. She couldn't help laughing when her daughter squealed happily and then hugged her before they went into the pool. "Rick," she then said when she noticed her husband going over to the deep end. "No cannonballs."
"But-" Castle started to say in mock annoyance.
"Castle," Beckett interrupted him.
When the writer sighed in annoyance, Brad told him; as they were standing together; "You probably didn't fool her."
"Not if I didn't fool you," Castle commented.
"You're so lucky," Brad said.
Smiling for a moment Castle said, "Believe me, I realize that." He moved then to dive into the deep end; as he'd been planning; and swam under the water back to the other end of the pool before he resurfaced at his wife and Eliza.
"Hello," Beckett said as their second youngest was laughing softly at his appearance.
"Hey," Castle said. "You know it's Father's Day," he began. "I should be able to-"
"No," Beckett told him firmly.
"I-" Castle began again.
"No," Beckett repeated.
"You do know I was going to say that I was kidding," Castle told her. When she smiled, he sighed and said to Eliza, "I fell for it."
"Me too," the little girl said, nodding her head rapidly. Eliza then smiled and said, "Pick me up Daddy."
Beckett cupped her husband's cheek gently before she swam away from him and headed over to her father since she'd seen he was holding Josie. "Hey Dad," she told him with a smile, looking at the baby when she squealed seeing her.
"Take her," Jim said while he was trying to hand the baby to her.
"You should keep her," Beckett said.
"I don't think she wants that," Jim told her before his daughter was finally taking Josie.
Kissing the baby's cheek, Beckett said, "She doesn't know what day it is."
Jim laughed softly and then told her, "Don't worry, I've been spending time with the girls so it's alright." He then looked with his daughter to Alexis who had stopped next to them and said, "Are you okay?" since his oldest granddaughter looked a little serious.
"There was something I forgot to ask you since Louis and I started to plan our wedding," Alexis told him.
"You don't want me to go?" Jim asked jokingly.
Smiling, Alexis shook her head and said, "Mom and Dad would be furious with us if we uninvited you. But no, it's actually more about the reception; and it's not that we don't want you there," speaking rapidly at the end. She then said, "I'd like us to have a dance too."
"Of course," Jim said immediately. "But… it won't be after you dance with your parents will it?"
"No, since Louis doesn't have any grandparents that are alive," Alexis said. "So just while everyone else is dancing."
"I look forward to that," Jim told his granddaughter seriously. He laughed gently when she hugged him and he reciprocated before letting her go and saying, "Does your father know about this dance?"
"He does now," Castle said as he walked over to them with Eliza on his back. "And I don't care, it's actually nice. I hope any grandkids we have will do the same with us," he said to his wife.
"We'll find out in the future," Beckett said in amusement. She then turned her attention to Eliza and asked, "You stopped swimming sweetie?"
"I'm spending time with Daddy," the little girl replied with a wide smile on her face. "It's Father's Day!"
"Like mother, like daughter," Jim said, smiling at Beckett.
Nodding, she said to Eliza, "Keep swimming though, you never know if we won't have the chance to the next places we go to."
Castle laughed as Eliza was literally scrambling to get off his back and he allowed her to swim over to the youngest McDouglas girls before he turned back to his wife, startled to find they were alone. "Why?" he asked.
"They wanted to swim too," Beckett said, smiling when Josie reached up to him. She watched him kissing the top of the baby's head and said, "You're still enjoying today right?"
"A lot," Castle said, playfully widening his eyes to the baby before she was laughing at him. "As long as I'm with you and the girls then I'm good." He saw the smile playing at the corners of her lips and said, "Too cheesy?"
"It could be, but I know what you mean," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised when her husband leaned over and lightly kissed her on the lips, leading her to say when he'd pulled back, "I'm not surprised."
"The kiss or what I said?" Castle asked.
"The kiss," Beckett said, smiling at him. "But we should take her swimming too."
"I agree," Castle said, motioning to her.
"You'll help me too," Beckett said easily before she was setting Josie into the water, holding her while she was on her back. She watched the baby smiling before she suddenly kicked her legs, she and Castle flinching a little from the water before her husband was grabbing her legs.
"Too rough," Castle told her strictly.
"I think she's ready to do more," Beckett told him.
"Okay," Castle said, knowing what exactly she meant since they'd done the same for Eliza. He took her and then squatted on the bottom of the pool, his hands supporting her before he was walking around and taking her with him while she moved her arms and legs through the water. "Water baby," he said.
Smiling, since she was aware her husband was talking to her, Beckett nodded and said, "I noticed Rick."
"You'll be swimming in no time," Castle said to Josie, smiling as the baby made a laughing sound before her mouth went under the water. "Oh, careful," he told her, standing up immediately before she could swallow any. He kissed her cheek and was relieved when she seemed to be okay and then said to his wife, "Keep her swimming?"
"We should," Beckett told her husband with a smile. She then said, "But let her go on her back this time." She smiled when he nodded rapidly before Josie was grabbing at his chin before he took her hand and kissed it gently. Once he was holding her on her back she was surprised when the baby wasn't kicking and she said, "She had a long enough nap."
"She did," Castle said. "But," he added before he picked her up and held her on his hip. "I think we should go underneath with her," looking at his wife pointedly.
Smiling, Beckett nodded and said, "I was waiting for you to suggest that."
"Now?" Castle asked.
"Okay," Beckett said.
"Are you ready?" Castle said to Josie.
"Dada," the baby responded before her parents were kissing her cheeks at the same time. Her father started to speak, and Josie looked up with him with wide eyes since he was talking to her.
"You know that was another moment when you could have said yes," Castle told her.
"Dada," Josie said.
"Think she's doing that on purpose?" Castle asked his wife.
"Probably," Beckett said, smiling before she leaned over and kissed them both gently. When she pulled away from them, she said, "But for now we should swim," talking to her husband.
"I'll take her," Martha said, coming into the water. After she had her youngest on her lap while she was sitting on the top step, she kissed the side of Josie's head and told her, "I hope you're enjoying yourself."
"Am… baba," Josie said.
"I see," Martha replied, kissing the side of her head before she turned her attention to the pool as someone had found a bouncy ball and the group was playing volleyball together.
Jumping for the ball at one point in the game, Julia laughed with the others as she had literally flown over the water before she had it and she said, "At least I saved it."
"And now you get to serve it," Mari said. She laughed when her friend playfully splashed her and said, "Sorry."
"No, I know why you said that," Julia replied, beaming at her friend. She then served the volleyball and thought of something about their dinner that night which made her ask her mother, "We couldn't go riding could we?"
"I would love to, but we need to see what we can do," Beckett replied, not surprised her daughter had asked that. She squeezed her hand and then said, "But we better pay attention," as the ball was hitting the surface of the water next to them. She grabbed it and hit it over to Darnley before they were starting to play again. She couldn't help thinking of the idea of another horseback ride but tried not to focus on it and turned back to the game so she wouldn't continue to consider it while she was hitting the ball to the group on the other side of the pool.
"Are you happy Mom?" Julia asked.
"Yes," Beckett said. "I wish you hadn't suggested we should do this," she told her daughter as they were walking their horses at Paco and Constanza's field outside their farmhouse.
"What, you didn't want to?" Julia asked, smiling.
"Wisenheimer," Beckett said, smiling herself when her daughter was laughing.
"But you're okay with it right?" Julia said hurriedly.
"I am," Beckett reassured her. "If I wasn't then I wouldn't be doing this."
"But why didn't Dad come with us?" Julia said with a frown.
"He wanted to stay with Eliza since they don't have a horse for her here," Beckett reminded her.
"Lizzy did say that Dad could come with us," Julia commented.
"Yes, but your dad wanted to spend time with her so it would be fair," Beckett explained.
Julia nodded, though she couldn't help feeling bad for her father before she said, "I guess because it's Father's Day."
"He's going to have Josie with him too," Beckett told her. She smiled again when her daughter was doing the same at the realization her father would enjoy being with her little sisters.
"He loves being a dad, doesn't he?" Julia asked.
"He does," Beckett replied. "So he doesn't mind staying behind."
"I'm still going to ask him when we get back to everyone else," Julia said.
"He knows you will already," Beckett replied, smiling. "Should we ride now?"
"Yes!" Julia said eagerly, trying not to say that too loud and scare the horses. She knew her mother meant that they would gallop, and she was eager to get to do that. She waited for Beckett to start and was following her eagerly when they were soon flying across the longer part of the field. She could have done that for ages, but they were coming to the end and they had to slow down. "We can't do that again?" she asked hopefully.
"We need to get back to everyone," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised at the disappointment on her daughter's face, trying not to smile, and then said, "I'm surprised, Paul is here with us still."
Pretending to grumble, Julia smiled when her mother laughed but couldn't say anything to her as they were reaching the stable. When she got off her mare she said, "Sorry you had to leave the party."
"It is okay," Santos said with a smile. "My father is talking with the family and yours as well so I will just get them ready and meet you at the house."
"Thank you, Santos," Beckett told him, taking her daughter's hand. As they walked over to the house she said, "I'm glad you said that to him."
"I realized I should," Julia told her. "But they could have said something if they didn't want us to go."
"They could have," Beckett said.
"Oh, then I'm glad you got the stuff for them," Julia said.
"I am too," Beckett replied before she let go of her daughter's hand as they had reached the back of the farmhouse. She smiled as she watched her going to the other older kids and looked for her husband before spotting him with Darnley, Josie in his arms.
"Hey love," Castle said to her with a smile when he saw her walking up to them.
"Hey," Beckett said, taking Josie. She was a little surprised when the baby cuddled against her and was about to speak before her friend was first.
"What do you say about that with the horses?" Darnley said to Castle.
"It's a McCollough thing," he said with a smile. "And it looks like it is, but I'm not surprised."
"Has she shown interest in horses already?" Darnley asked the two.
"She has," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. They smiled at one another and the latter said, "We've taken her to the stables. Which reminds me…"
"I know, I know," Darnley said, groaning in mock annoyance and playfully stamping his foot on the ground. "You're going to make me ride."
"I won't have you do what Julia and I were doing," Beckett said, smiling at his display. She laughed when he hugged her tightly suddenly, laughing again when Josie was letting out one too. "You're scaring my daughter."
"Sorry, I'm just so happy that you won't make me do that galloping stuff," Darnley said, smiling at her.
"She might get you to eventually," Castle commented. When his wife's friend's eyes widened, he smiled and said, "If you ever get used to it."
"Oh good, if," Darnley said, breathing out heavily in exaggeration. He then said, "What about Julia?"
"I was just thinking that," Castle said with a smile. "And she's not going to ask if I had fun not going on the ride?"
"I'm surprised," Beckett said. "She did say she was going to. Leave her though."
"I was going to," Castle said quickly. "Oh, I almost forgot, Paul and Skye went back to the house together."
"They did?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"They did," Darnley said before Castle did. "They're getting some guitars."
"So they are going to perform?" Beckett asked with a smile since Skye had been debating it as they'd walked to the farm.
"A song or two," Castle said. "Eliza suggested one."
"The one her sister told her?" Beckett asked with a smile. When her husband nodded she watched Darnley head to his father in law and son before she turned to him.
"I'm having a good time," Castle told his wife before she could speak.
"You could guess?" Beckett said jokingly, moving Josie to her other hip.
"I could," Castle said, nodding his head rapidly. He then leaned over to her and kissed her gently before telling her, "I've been wanting to do that for a while now."
"So have I," Beckett said quickly. She responded to her husband's second kiss and said, "But we really need to stop now."
"I know, let's mingle?" Castle asked.
"We should," Beckett said, though she was soon smiling when they were separating to talk to the other people as they were talking to them. They were talking to a few villagers who knew them before she moved away and went to Skye and Paul who had guitar cases in hand. "Looks like you're being forced into this," she commented, waiting to see who would reply first when it was the investigator though it was no surprise to her as she started to speak.
"We're not," Skye said, setting down the case to look at the guitar.
"How is it?" Mary asked, having come over to her wife.
"Good," Skye said, watching Castle leaning over slightly to look at the acoustic inside. "That is Mary's," she told him with a smile.
"Yeah," he replied. "So…"
"I can play it," Skye reminded him. "And Paul needs mine since it's left-handed."
"I forgot you were ambidextrous," Castle commented.
"I'm not surprised," Skye replied. "But we're not performing until after dinner." She was going to say more when Constanza was ringing a cowbell and calling that the meal was ready. She walked with Beckett and said, "We already called my dad."
"I could hear the girls telling Julia about it," Beckett said. "Marie and Kath," she quickly explained.
"Good," Skye replied. She smiled and said, "He texted us; he knew about the party so he wanted us to have dinner without having to go home already."
"That was nice of him," Beckett commented. "How's he doing? And Pablo?"
"Great, they're extremely happy," Skye replied.
Beckett squeezed her arm as they had to part to go to their kids and she went straight to Eliza who was holding a dish. She helped her in getting the food she wanted from the counter and kissed the top of her head before letting her go out to the tables in the yard where they'd eat. She got her food and once she was ready, she walked with her husband; who was holding his plate and Josie; to their table and she took his plate for him so he could get their baby girl into the highchair in between them.
"Okay," Castle said once Josie was set. He kissed the top of her head and said, "I really hope you'll eat."
"She will," Beckett commented in amusement while he sat down. She set some of the extra food she'd gotten onto the small plate for Josie and tried to get her to hold the fork they had for her.
"I don't think it's going to work," Castle said as he watched her doing her best to help the baby get the fork in her hand though Josie wasn't holding it right.
"I know," Beckett said. She kissed the baby's temple and told her, "Eventually you'll learn sweetie."
"Mama," Josie said.
"Here," Beckett told her, pushing a chickpea to her. She made sure the baby was ready to eat before she was turning to her own food and after a while, she noticed the villagers that were there. "Are we eating this wrong?" she asked her father.
"It's how they eat it," Jim said with a smile, not surprised his daughter had noticed the others were having the broth with noodles first.
"Are they okay with us eating it like this," Lily said slowly.
"They are, they know it's how I eat it," Jim said, still smiling while he was eating his broth with the meats and vegetables in it. "What do you think?" he asked the chef.
Smiling, Lily said, "I like it, I could include something like this at the restaurant."
"Really?" Brad asked his wife in surprise.
"Not something exact," Lily was saying. "But I'll look into it back at home."
"Do you think you will be getting many ideas while you are here?" Beatriz asked with a smile.
"Very likely," Lily said with a smile. "I warned my staff before we left to be prepared."
"Will they be?" Darnley asked.
"I'm hoping," Lily commented before she was laughing with the others.
After the meal was over, Beckett was going into the house and to the kitchen with Nancy and she asked the woman, "Was your meal alright?"
"It was, I feel bad about making her cook more," Nancy said.
"My dad told me it's how Spanish women are," Beckett said.
"My mother was the same," Nancy commented.
"So was mine," Beckett responded before they were laughing at the same time. She was about to go back outside to help with clearing the table when the woman stopped her, and she turned to her before the singer's wife was speaking quickly.
"Paul and I had been talking about joining your vacation," Nancy explained.
"You were?" Beckett asked in surprise.
Nodding Nancy said with a smile, "He would like to continue."
"His family?" Beckett said with a slight frown.
"They can't get time off," Nancy said. "His oldest," she added quickly.
"What about Bea?" Beckett asked, looking out to the backyard.
"She's staying in London," Nancy replied. "She's with her sister Stella and I think she's going to model for her."
"She's interested?" Beckett asked.
"Just for her sister," Nancy answered.
"Hello," Paul said in a pseudo-American accent. "Having fun chatting?"
"We are," Nancy told her husband before she shared a quick kiss with him. "I was telling Kate we were talking about continuing through the country."
"Could you?" Beckett asked.
"We are," Paul replied, waiting for a while to answer that as he was smiling. "And we have hotels already. If you don't mind."
"Why would we mind?" Castle asked, having heard that. "Actually, when can we tell Julia? She'd love to know."
Paul laughed and said, "Before we perform."
"What before we perform?" Skye asked them. When the singer explained he and Nancy were joining them, she smiled and said, "The entire time? We're off until early August and then moving to White Mount before Kate and Rick's anniversary."
"That would work," Paul said, looking at his wife. "I need to start planning my next tour."
"We can't really go," Skye said hurriedly. "But if you're in California at all…"
Laughing briefly, Paul nodded and said, "That was the hope, alright, I suppose we should help with clearing up so we can tell the others."
Beckett turned to help them and when they had assisted Constanza clearing everything and cleaning up they were going to the chairs set up in the backyard as they had been moved in front of the tables in a half circle. "Now's a good time," she said to Paul she was walking next to while she carried Josie.
Turning to her, the singer smiled at the baby and playfully pinched her cheek before he let her take his hand saying, "Should I with the others here?"
"They won't mind," Beckett assured him.
"Alright then," Paul said, turning his attention to the others before he saw they were all sitting.
"Hold on," Skye said quickly as the singer came up to her. She smiled at him before turning back to the others and saying in Spanish, "He has something for our group about our trip, I hope you don't mind." When the villagers; including Xavi and Beatriz; nodded, she turned to Paul and told him, "Go ahead."
"We've spoken, Nancy and I," the singer said, looking around the group from America but looking at Julia often. "And we've worked it out so the two of us can join you for the rest of the trip until you go to London," not surprised when Julia was reacting before he had even finished speaking as she spoke rapidly.
After she had gasped Julia asked, "Are you really?"
"Really," Paul said. He laughed when she ran to him and hugged him before he said, "Then you're pleased to hear?"
"I am," Julia said before she let him go. "But you should know," she told him jokingly, looking at Skye. "We might make you sing too."
Paul laughed and squeezed her shoulder before he said, "Don't worry, I expected that and I have Skye's help too."
"Are you going to sing now?" Julia asked. When the singer nodded, she smiled and rushed over to sit in between Mari and Eva before looking at the investigator and Paul expectantly.
After the two had spoken together for a while, Beckett saw they'd decided on something as they were motioning to Mary. She smiled when Iris scrambled to get off the doctor's lap so her mother could go to the others. She looked down at Josie on her lap and kissed the top of her head before Skye was speaking.
"I hope this one is alright," the investigator told the others, checking on her wife's guitar as Paul was doing so with her own. "Again and Again and Again." Skye smiled as Julia was cheering; Mari and her own daughters joining her; and said, "Here we go," before they were starting to play while her wife was playing the music as well. When she needed to, she started to sing with Paul and Mary and they sang together though she took vocals on her own where she needed to since he'd told her to sing Denny Laine's vocals.
Ah you don't wanna be the little woman
Now you don't wanna be the little woman
I love (no, no, no, no)
I love
Ah you don't wanna stay in my school
You don't wanna be the one that's cool
You don't wanna be the little woman
I love
Julia smiled seeing Paul and Skye leaning towards each other to sing the next lyric and she couldn't help standing up to start dancing. She was beaming at Mari when she joined her rapidly before she spun her, and they were doing a little dancing here and there while listening to the singing.
You're up all night
And we could let it hang down right
I said goodbye to all my expectations
The day you walked out of my life
At the next verse, Skye looked at Paul, not surprised when he was nodding firmly to her and she almost insisted he sing with her as she sang the first and third lyrics alone before the other two were with her again though she didn't have the chance.
Winter time is a coming now
Give me a sign if you can somehow
Make it clear where you're heading for
Will I see you someday at my door
Taking it all into consideration
Love's a game I never win
I've been in very similar situations
Again and again and again
Going back to the first verse, Skye sang the first lyric on her own, Mary and Paul joining her for the rest of the verse.
Ah you don't wanna be the little woman
Now you don't wanna be the little woman
I love (no, no)
I love
Ah you don't wanna stay in my home
You just wanna be on your own
Well you don't wanna be the little woman I love
Skye called out, "Take it away," as in the song and she and Paul were playing together in the instrumental before the singer was playfully calling to her.
"We had a bit more talking than that," Paul called to her.
"Bit busy at the moment," Skye said.
"Cheeky," Paul replied.
"You know I am," Skye replied with a smile before they needed to turn their attention back to singing, that verse she was singing the first and third lyrics on her own yet again before they were all together.
Well things were fine all the summer long
Then things changed so where did we go wrong
We can run but we cannot hide
In greener grass on the other side
Taking it all into consideration
Love's a game I never win
I've been in very similar situations
Again and again and again
Again and again and again
Oh now
Again and again and again
Oh now
Again and again and again
Oh now
Again and again and again
Oh now
When they had finished, Beckett was applauding while Skye was playfully bowing along with Paul and Mary since everyone was clapping for them. She watched as the singer was speaking with the two women and after they nodded, she called, "You're on your own?"
"I'm on break," Paul said jokingly.
"Julia," Skye called to the girl.
Surprised, Julia hurriedly got up and rushed over to the women asking, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just wondering if you could dance to this next song," Skye explained.
"Which one?" Julia asked quickly.
"Soft Touch," Mary answered.
"Did Paul ask you to play that one?" Julia asked with a smile.
"He did," Skye replied. "Nancy likes the song."
"So do I," Julia said. She smiled when both Skye and Mary said at the same time, "Me too." "Do you want us to dance to this?" she asked.
"Do you have a dance?" Skye asked. When the girl nodded, she smiled and said, "If you'd like to."
"Sure," Julia replied before she went back to Mari and whispered to her for a little before she asked, "What do you think?"
"Yeah," Mari replied quickly. "Are we just going to keep dancing to the songs we made stuff up for?"
"Maybe," Julia said as they were smiling at each other. She looked over at Skye and Mary and nodded to the two before her friend was standing up.
"Over here," Skye said with a smile at the pair as they were looking at her questioningly. "Just so you have space; they don't need to watch us."
"They will still," Julia told her.
"Alright," Skye said, smiling at her and lightly pinching her cheek. "We should start before we lose the rest of the night. You're ready?"
"Ready!" the girls said at the same time before they stepped aside since the investigator was addressing the others.
"We'll have one more song before our dessert," Skye told them. "A special request from Paul," she added, playing a little on her acoustic since she had hers back and Mary was holding her own.
"From an old friend," Paul said.
"For George," Skye said before she and Mary were playing after she had counted them in.
With the opening, Julia and Mari started to dance side by side, doing the same movements together but not dancing actually with one another. They shared smiles when they could, feeling a little embarrassed showing their families it but they didn't stop as Skye was soon singing and there they moved to hold each other's hand above them as Mari was raising and turning her leg.
You're a soft touch, baby
Like a snowflake falling
My whole heart is melting
At the slight instrumental there, Julia was spinning while Mari held her hand up, almost going onto her toes though she was wearing sandals. She then hooked arms with Mari, and they were dancing together at the next verse. With the chorus they were dancing in steps that were nearly a Tango in each other other's arms.
As a warm sun rises
Into joy I'm sailing
To your soft touch, baby
Eyes that shine from depths of your soul
Fixed by their charm, take my control
Love as sweet as the ocean is wide
Caught by your waves and drawn to your side
Reaching for his wife's hand, Castle didn't take his eyes off their daughter and Mari dancing still as he entwined their fingers. He wanted to look at her for a moment but knew he needed to watch the dance since Julia would notice. But the song was continuing, and he smiled at the girls while Skye was singing again.
As a cool wind blows me
All the treetops whisper
To your soft touch baby
As a new moon rises
Those ideas of Heaven
Fall in your soft touch, baby
Singing the chorus again with her wife, Skye wasn't surprised when the girls stopped dancing, or when they were starting again at the next verse. She smiled while they sang the rest of the song, while the two kept dancing until they had finished.
Eyes that shine from depths of your soul
Fixed by their charm, take my control
Love as sweet as the ocean is wide
Caught by your waves and drawn to your side
You're a soft touch, baby
Like a snowflake falling
My whole heart is melting
As a warm sun rises
Into joy I'm sailing
To your soft touch, baby
You're a soft touch baby
Yes I love that soft touch
Mmm, that soft touch
You're a soft touch, baby
Yes I love that soft touch
After they had finished playing the song, Paul was the first to applaud before the others were doing the same loudly. Once they had stopped, he went to the women and said, "George would be proud." He then turned his attention to Julia and Mari telling them, "And he would feel the same about your dance."
"Thanks," Julia said, Mari nodding in agreement with that. They went over to the others though the older kids were soon getting up and they were starting to talk about what they would play. She was about to go after them when she heard her parents were calling to her and she turned, hurrying to them.
"You did a really great job sweetie," Beckett told her.
"Thanks," Julia replied, letting Josie take her index finger. She then said to them, "I saw you were holding hands."
"Those were really nice lyrics," Castle said, sharing a smile with his wife.
"I thought that too," Julia said. "He wrote it for Olivia." She paused and pursed her lips for a moment before saying, "For the islands he was on too."
"He did," Beckett replied with a smile. She reached over and cupped her cheek saying, "Tell me sweetie."
Smiling at her father briefly, Julia looked back at her mother before saying, "I would love that song for whoever I fall in love with."
"Your wedding?" Castle asked. He was startled when his wife and their daughter looked at him in surprise and asked, "What?"
"I'm surprised you said that," Beckett commented.
"I was too," Julia said in agreement, nodding her head.
"I might have weddings on the brain," Castle said, smiling at his wife.
"Of course," Julia said quickly, watching her parents smiling at one another. "You have 'lexis' wedding to Louis and then your anniversary. Seven years."
Looking at her daughter at that moment, Beckett asked, "Does that surprise you?"
"It doesn't surprise me," Julia said seriously. "More that it's not enough."
"I agree with you completely," Castle said immediately.
"So do I," Beckett added, smiling at her husband as he was squeezing her hand quickly. She then turned to their daughter and told her, "But we'll have more, don't worry."
"Are you excited for the rest of the trip?" Castle asked her though he knew she would want to play with the other kids.
"Oh definitely," Julia said eagerly. She was smiling as she said, "I can't believe Paul will come with us… he'll like where we go right?"
"He's leaving it up to us," Beckett said. "Now go and play before we have to head back to rest."
"I can't wait to see León," Julia said before she kissed her sister's cheek and ran off to play with her friends.
"I'm in agreement," Beckett said, smiling at her husband.
"I'm glad we came back," Castle commented. "See what we didn't before." He smiled when his wife nodded before he looked at Josie who was looking at them with her fingers in her mouth. He very gently withdrew her hand and leaned over, kissing the top of her head saying, "You're tired ceann beag?"
"I think she is," Beckett said, smiling while she was watching him.
"Take her inside?" Castle asked.
"I think I'd like to hold her," Beckett replied easily. When he nodded, she was appreciative of him wrapping his arm around her shoulders and she murmured to him, "I love you."
Smiling at her, Castle was very gently kissing her temple and he told her, "I love you too." He looked down at Josie and seeing she was asleep he leaned down to kiss the top of her head again. When he sat up straight, he said, "While I can't wait for Adare, this vacation is looking more interesting."
Trying not to laugh out loud at him emphasizing the word is and wake the baby up, Beckett shook her head and told him, "It was already." When he opened his mouth to obviously speak, she stopped him by saying, "But you're right, it will be."
Castle leaned over to her then and gently kissed her, doing so since they had the chance, everyone else was occupied and he wanted the chance. "The hotel?" he murmured to her in Irish.
"Of course," Beckett whispered in the same language as they stared into each other's eyes.
They were kissing one another but leaving it simple they were parting soon after and Beckett leaned her head on Castle's shoulder. They stayed close the rest of the night, talking to the others occasionally and watching the kids playing while they remained with their baby daughter and enjoying the remainder of the dinner party while night descended outside the farmhouse.