Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Family, Humor
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 monologue in this chapter is from William Shakespeare's play As You Like It.
A/N #2: Just a warning, there's male-male and female-female love scenes in the second half of the chapter.
A/N #3: Loved the feedback I got for the last chapter, so I'll go ahead and get my thank yous started! TORONTOSUN (I was glad to read you thought it was great writing for Castle and having Paul there) and
Mb (Great to see you thought the chapter was as you put it a wonderfully written Father's Day in Spain for everyone. And I'm glad you loved the kids were making breakfast for their dads and letting the moms have a break, lol, not having to do that for the year. I was really happy you enjoyed their day going to the museum and walking next to the river to enjoy the scenery. I'm not surprised you laughed at them trying McDonald's there too, lol, as I've said, it's fun to do once since they are different, but just once of course, lol. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! It was nice to read you thought the second half of the chapter was a beautifully written update. And it's great you love seeing they're carefree and relaxed together. I'm really pleased you love how Eliza is with her parents along with Josie's personality and how that's emerging. Interesting she's reminding you of Eliza but that doesn't surprise me, lol. I was happy reading you thought it was nice that Paul and Nancy are staying with them for the rest of the vacation. And I'm glad you like the idea since they're seeing new parts of Spain and just being themselves with their friends. You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them and appreciated 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 Abandoned Love written by Bob Dylan, the version I've taken from is sung by George Harrison on an unreleased demo.
Spanish Moon Is Rising
"Are you guys ready?" Beckett was saying to Julia and Eliza.
"I am!" the latter said eagerly, raising her hand. "I have my camera and I'm ready to take a lot of pictures!"
"Is Gram ready?" Julia asked her mom.
"She is," Beckett said, checking on Josie in her stroller in front of her. "But you?"
"Yeah, don't worry," Julia said quickly.
"Let's go," Castle called to them.
After they were all together, the group walked into the ruins of the Roman theater in the city of Mérida they were at that day. They were planning on heading around the town to the Roman ruins before going back to the pool at their hotel for the kids.
Taking pictures of the stage, Castle smiled at his mother and told her, "They still use this stage."
"How wonderful," Martha said, speaking absently as she was looking at the structure towards the back of the stage. "The columns are magnificent."
"Mother," Castle said, touching her arm.
"Yes?" Martha asked, shaking herself and turning to him.
"You can go up there," Castle replied, unable to keep from smiling at her reaction.
"I… really?" Martha said, startled.
"Go on then," Paul said, as he had heard their conversation. "Give us a bit of Shakespeare then?"
"Something from a happier play," Eliza said.
Going to her second youngest granddaughter, Martha pinched her cheek playfully before she asked the others, "Do you mind?" When they all shook their heads no, she smiled and went up onto the stage with her son's help. "Oh my," she said as she was looking out onto the seats. She heard the applause from the kids, and she bowed briefly before she began the monologue from As You Like It while the others were watching, and some others were stopping to watch her as well.
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like a snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeing the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
Applauding loudly with the others, Julia went with Eliza to the steps and when their grandmother was down from them, she and her little sister hugged her tightly. "That was awesome Gram!" she said happily.
"Oh, thank you girls," Martha said. "Do you know which one that's from?"
Looking at her little sister, to check and see if she might guess, Julia wasn't surprised when she wasn't really able to answer and she smiled before saying, "As You Like It?"
"Very good," Martha said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "I'm sure it was on the tip of your tongue kiddo."
Nodding rapidly, Eliza said, "But we could hear your voice behind us and everything."
"Good, then I haven't lost my touch," Martha said with a wide smile at her granddaughters.
"I don't think you could," Beckett said.
Squeezing her daughter in law's arm in thanks, Martha looked down at Josie and seeing the baby was staring at her she said, "What did you think darling?"
"Abab… am! Am," Josie vocalized. "Mama."
"I think that's her trying to say Gram," Julia said with a smile.
"And that she liked it," Eliza said in a rush.
"Oh, well I'm glad to hear that," Martha said in amusement. "Well," she said, looking at the others before Nancy came over to her.
"What else are we gonna do now?" Eliza asked her parents eagerly.
"Go to the next thing," Beckett answered.
"That's it?" Mari asked in surprise.
"It is," Beckett said with a smile. "There won't be too much for us to do in every place."
"You kids did say that you didn't mind," Darnley reminded them.
"We don't," the six oldest kids said at the same time.
Laughing, Nkosi said, "I think it's the pool."
"Of course, it is the pool," Joseph said firmly. "In this weather what else would it be?"
While they were walking out of the theater, Darnley went to his friend and asked, "What is it?"
"They're okay staying with the kids?" Beckett asked.
"Yeah, Trev and I asked them already," Darnley replied. He then smiled and said, "We didn't think they were but…"
When her friend shrugged Beckett smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that." She wasn't surprised when Darnley touched her arm, and she was about to speak when he was doing it before she could say a word.
"You're sure you can't tell me about dinner tonight?" Darnley asked her.
"I'm sure," Beckett replied as she and her husband had been urged by the others to choose where they'd eat that night. They were eating on their own while her father, Martha, Alexis, Louis, Bethany and Joseph were going to take the kids for their dinner at a place near their hotel. She and Castle had decided to stay at the hotel to eat, since the restaurant there looked like it was a good one. "But really does it matter that much?"
"No," Darnley said hesitantly. "Oh yeah, that reminds me, what about Alexis and Louis?" he asked as they were walking on the street again to go to the Forum.
"They're fine with it," Beckett said. "I know," she replied in amusement at his surprise. "But we let them eat out on their own in León remember?"
"That's true," Darnley said. He then smiled and said, "I guess I figured they'd want to go."
"Are you sure Nancy and I wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb?" Paul asked, walking next to them. "Thumbs I suppose," he added.
"No, but you can really do whatever you want to," Beckett told him.
"She's right, you don't need to stay with us," Castle said, reaching his wife to walk with her.
"We'll talk about it," Paul said. "But if you don't mind us with you…"
"We don't," Castle, Beckett and Darnley said at the same time before they were laughing together.
When they were left alone by the two men going to the others, Beckett took her husband's hand and said, "What do you think?"
"About?" Castle asked.
"Paul coming with us?" Beckett replied.
Smiling widely Castle commented, "That I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised if the two of them headed out on their own."
Looking ahead when her husband had gestured with his head, Beckett was soon smiling herself as she saw the singer and his wife holding hands tightly. "I wouldn't mind if they did," she said.
"Neither would I," Castle said. He could tell they were nearing the Forum and he turned to his wife asking rapidly, "What about us?"
"On our own?" Beckett replied. When her husband nodded, she said, "I'm not sure love, but hopefully we'll get at least one night before Adare."
Nodding, Castle brought the back of her hand up to his lips and he kissed it before he told her, "That's all I'd like."
Beckett was smiling again and told him, "Me too."
"Guys," Lily said teasingly to the two as she was smiling.
"Yeah, we're coming," Castle said hurriedly as they began walking around the ruins in that section. They eventually came to the Temple of Diana and he couldn't help saying, "This actually isn't for the goddess Diana." He smiled at the kids looking to him; Julia and Eliza's the first heads to snap over to him; and he continued saying, "It's supposed to be for the emperor, to worship the empire essentially."
"Is that because we're not in Rome?" Jacob asked, slightly raising his hand.
"Probably," Castle answered. "Your guess is as good as mine really, I only know that they misnamed it."
"It is pretty," Eve said. "Even though it kind of looks like it's going to topple over."
"They are preserving it, aren't they Mum?" Marie asked.
"They are," Skye said. "This city has the most preserved Roman ruins in Spain," she added. She then said to Castle teasingly, "You're not the only one who can look up factoids."
Playfully making a face, Castle said, "You're lucky we're friends."
"You're lucky I know you're joking," Skye said with a smile. She then looked over at the ruins and said, "What else did we have in mind?"
"The bridge and the aqueducts," Beckett reminded her. "Though is that it here?" she asked.
"I think it is," Julia told her mother as she was looking around. "Have we been there for that long?"
Looking at her watch, Beckett nodded and said, "I haven't been paying attention to the time. We better go."
Though leaving the Forum they were walking around the ruins and going slower than they normally would have, the group soon left the area and started walking back to the street. Since the aqueducts were the furthest from where they wanted to go, they were walking over to the Roman bridge.
Before they could get close to where they would be on that bridge, Julia rushed to her parents and asked, "Could we take pictures before we walk on it?"
"We will," Castle answered before his wife could say anything. "You don't think your mom thought of that already?"
Smiling, Julia looked at her mother and said, "Thanks!"
"You're welcome," Beckett replied before they crossed a street and stood at a railing before taking pictures. She eventually turned from the bridge and took a few of the roundabout behind them since there was a pedestal in the middle. Turning back, she said to her husband, "Should we walk?"
"I was thinking of that too," Castle said. "We need to go across town for the last thing."
"Where are we going to eat lunch?" Julia asked.
"You're hungry?" Beckett asked in amusement.
"It is later," Julia responded in a matter of fact tone.
"I noticed, we'll talk with the others," Castle said before he went with his wife to the other adults.
"What's going on?" Mari asked her friend.
"I think they're talking about seeing the very last of the ruins," Julia replied.
"Hmm, that's it?" Mari said.
"Don't forget," Kathleen said. "We have to take a siesta."
"And after is swimming and our dinner with the grandparents and your sister," Jacob said, directing the last to Julia.
"And Louis," she said with a smile. Julia then looked at her friend and said, "I think we saw a lot of cool stuff."
"I know, the Forum was really cool," Jacob said.
"Okay," Castle said, getting the kids' attention. "We have two more things to see so we're going to take a vote. Who would like to see just the aqueducts, but we'd have to take taxis since it's a little out of the way."
"What else is there?" Marie asked.
"The amphitheater and the Circus Maximus," Castle told them.
"Is that where they raced horses?" Julia asked, since she'd learned about it in school in the sixth grade. When her father nodded, she said eagerly, "I'd like to see that."
"Okay, then let's vote," Beckett said. "The aqueducts?"
"Wait, before we vote for the other two places; we were actually next to the amphitheater," Castle said.
"You mentioned that to us," David said quickly. "And we weren't sure if the kids would want to see that." He looked at the kids since they were all raising their hands and laughed before he said, "Can you forgive us?"
"Yeah, as long as we get to see them," Mari told her father with a wide smile.
"We will," Rebecca told her daughter. "We're walking?"
"We are, unless anyone's really tired?" Beckett asked.
Seeing that no one was saying anything, the adults started to lead the kids back the way they'd come until they were passing the theater and then reaching the amphitheater. Going inside it, the kids were turning around as they were staring at everything in awe while the adults were taking pictures.
"What about letting her get out to walk?" Castle asked as he had Josie's stroller.
"I don't think so," Beckett replied.
"It's not that uneven," Castle said. "Come on, she should."
Looking around at the ground, Beckett shook her head and said, "No, leave her in her… Rick," becoming angry when her husband was taking the baby out.
"Calm down," Castle said, sounding annoyed. "I won't put her down."
Beckett frowned before she said, "Sorry."
Shrugging, Castle saw the hurt in his wife's eyes and then told her, "I was going to listen to you, I just wanted to get her out of the stroller. Let her move around. Sorry about that."
"Alright," Beckett said. "But she can walk around the circus if we're allowed to."
"I should have known," Castle said with a smile. "Flat for the horses?" When his wife nodded, he asked, "Let's take her to the seats?"
"Sure," Beckett replied with a smile. "And yes, she can stand there if you hold her." She couldn't help laughing as her husband playfully bounced their baby girl on his hip, making her laugh. She followed him, pushing the stroller, over to the seats for the spectators. They only went up a few levels before they sat down, and she took some pictures of her husband and Josie before she was reaching for him and he said something she wasn't surprised was on his mind.
"You were right," Castle told her. When his wife looked at him questioningly, he nodded to the ground in front of them and said, "About her walking around there. I just wanted her to get the chance to get more experience walking."
Smiling Beckett said, "I'm not surprised. But I'm not sure if she'd be able to walk around the circus either."
"True," Castle said, looking at Josie with her then. He smiled and said, "Around the pool?"
"Probably," Beckett said in amusement. When her husband squeezed her hand, she turned her attention back to him before he was pulling her closer to him.
"Póg agus dean suas?" Castle murmured to her though he was saying 'kiss and make up' in Irish.
Beckett smiled and then said, "Díreach anseo?"
Since she'd asked him, right here, Castle said, "Yes," speaking in English.
Shaking her head, as she was smiling, Beckett said, "You better make it quick though."
Castle nodded before he leaned down and shared a kiss with her, lingering for longer than he'd told himself to. Luckily there wasn't any indication they were being watched and when they pulled apart, he said with a sigh, "I wasn't."
Beckett laughed softly, as she could see he appeared to be mad at himself but still enjoying that kiss. "I know, but it doesn't matter. We need to keep going."
Trying his best not to sigh as she was getting up, Castle followed her and then kissed the top of Josie's head. When they were back on the dirt floor of the amphitheater, he set Josie into her stroller telling his wife, "Later?"
"It'll be tonight," Beckett said quickly as she was watching to see where everyone was. "But…"
"Everyone else, I know," Castle replied when his wife had trailed off. Standing behind the stroller, he couldn't stop himself and he pulled Beckett to him, kissing her cheek before he pushed Josie and walked with his wife over to where the others were starting to gather.
"I think your parents made up," Mari said in amusement.
"Good thing," Julia said, shaking her head. "I thought I was going to have to push them to do that." She then grinned at her friend and said, "I'm glad they can't help themselves."
Mari laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand so the others wouldn't hear her, she then said, "I'm glad my parents are the same. But what about the next place?"
"You know what it is right?" Julia asked her as they were following everyone else in their group.
"Yeah, will we able to walk around where the horses raced?" Mari asked her.
"I don't know," Julia said, thinking about that for a moment. "I hope so," she told her friend, not surprised when Mari nodded in agreement. She looked at the buildings they were passing, taking pictures here and there before they were crossing the last street, they needed to reach the Circus Maximus. Her eyes went wide when she took in just how large the arena was, and she shared a stunned look with her best friend.
"It had to be this big," Skye finally was able to say.
"For the chariots," Castle said quickly. "Haven't you been to the one in Rome?"
"Quick look," Skye said. "And it looks like we can go down into it," she added, nodding to the people inside and walking along the dirt.
After they had found where they needed to pay to do that, the group walked inside and down to the arena itself where they began to walk around. Eventually the kids were running sprints though they weren't that serious about competing since their parents were telling them not to. Once they had grown hungry enough to stop the parents led them out and they walked back to their hotel before ducking into a restaurant on the same street. The kids were surprised to find that it was a sandwich shop and Julia was telling her parents that as they were sitting down together with her little sisters around a table, asking them about the choice.
"How come we came here?" Julia said.
"Were you expecting us to have Spanish?" Castle asked. "Tapas?"
"Kind of," Julia said with a smile. "I am excited to get to have these," she added quickly. "Well…"
"We understand," Beckett told her with a smile. "And we told your grandparents to take you to have pizza tonight."
"Really?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"There's a place near our hotel in the other direction," Castle explained. "And you can go to the pool too."
"Cool," Eliza said happily.
Beckett laughed softly as her husband was doing the same and she said, "But first we need to eat lunch and then swim."
"Will Josa be able to?" Julia asked as Castle was leaving them when their number had been called.
"She will," Beckett said. "Not as long as you guys but it's okay."
"Where's she gonna take her nap?" Eliza asked.
Before she could answer, Beckett was turning her attention to getting the sandwiches to who they needed to go to. When she was sure Josie was set with her chicken tenders she cut in half, she started to eat before she finally said, "We'll let her stay out with us by the pool."
Sharing a look with her sister, Julia eventually said, "So we can't be that loud."
"Don't worry," Castle told them. "You can be loud; she won't wake up."
"He's serious," Julia said, seeing her little sister looked uncertain. She smiled at her and then said, "I can't wait."
"Neither can we," Castle said in amusement before he was turning to Josie and making sure she was eating okay. With her smiling at him he cleaned her mouth before he kissed her and then returned to his food while his and Beckett's daughters started talking about their next stop when they moved on from Mérida.
Leaning against the fountain, Beckett smiled as her husband walked up to her and she said, "What?"
"Are you done?" Castle asked his wife.
Laughing softly, Beckett shook her head and said, "Don't worry, I'm not. I just wanted a break."
"That and we're filling the pool?" Castle asked.
Beckett laughed softly and she leaned into him, kissing him before she heard Martha calling to them. "Josie's up," she said as soon as she'd heard her mother in law.
"Yeah, I'm taking her first," Castle said.
"Don't run," Beckett told him rapidly as she had a feeling he was going to do that jokingly. She was a little surprised when he reached for her hand and kissed the back of it, making her smile. "Come on," she said, tugging it gently. They walked together around the shaded side of the Roman-esque style pool and she said, "This was a great choice."
"She's right," Paul said, sitting on a chair as they were passing him. "I look forward to these other hotels."
"They should live up to this one," Castle said with a smile.
"Pools?" Joseph asked as he was sitting with the singer.
"Not all but most," Castle replied. He laughed gently when the man gave him a thumbs up and he went after Beckett the rest of the way to where his mother was sitting with Josie on her lap. He was about to speak to the baby when Josie herself was suddenly exclaiming and making them all pause in surprise.
"No!" Josie said.
"Oh great," Castle said in mock exaggeration as he picked her up. "I shouldn't have mentioned that word the other day," he told her laughingly.
"I think she was going to learn it anyway," Beckett told him. She was kissing the baby gently on the cheek and told her, "Please don't use it that much."
"Mama," Josie said.
Smiling, Beckett kissed her again before she said, "Hopefully she won't."
"Mama," Josie said again, laughing when her parents kissed her cheeks at the same time.
"I'm hoping but I'm not going to be that optimistic," Castle said. When his wife just looked at him for that he said, "You remember Eliza; Alexis was the same eventually."
Smiling, as their oldest and second youngest had both taken to using the word no as they'd gotten older before they used new words they learned, Beckett said, "I do but try and keep some hope."
Castle laughed and then turned his attention to the baby before he said, "Would you like to go swimming now?"
"No," Josie said simply, staring up at her father with wide eyes.
"Apparently it's opposite day," Martha commented.
"Probably," Beckett said with a laugh. She then turned her attention to following her husband as he was stepping down into the pool. She watched Josie cry out in pleasure when her toes were the first to touch the water and she said, "Don't say it," to her husband.
"I want to though," Castle said simply.
Smiling at him, Beckett shook her head before she said, "I will, and yes, she's a water baby." She couldn't help laughing when her husband kissed her suddenly and said, "Let's take her."
"Sure," Castle said, though he was looking at their baby girl. When she smiled at him, he couldn't stop himself and hugged her tightly to him before kissing her temple. He went down the rest of the steps before he was holding her, so she was waist deep before she started to kick her leg.
"She's gonna be a swimmer," Eliza said, swimming up to them.
"Probably," Castle said.
"Are you having fun?" Beckett asked the little girl.
"Yeah, I'm so happy we came to swim," Eliza told them.
"I am too," Castle said, moving Josie to hold her so she was in the water on her back.
Smiling at her baby sister kicking at the water and flailing her arms, Julia swam the rest of the way to her sisters and their parents before she asked, "Could we go under the water?"
"I was going to suggest that," Beckett said, smiling when Josie cried out.
"Ab… ooh," the baby vocalized, reaching towards her big sister.
"I can hold her?" Julia asked, taking the baby from her father.
"Yes, but one of us will take her once we go underneath," Castle told her.
"Oh, we better go underneath now, I think we're going to have to go soon to get ready for dinner," Julia told her baby sister seriously. She laughed softly when Josie laughed while she stared at her and then spoke before they were laughing with their family.
"No," Josie said firmly. She had been serious and was smiling as her family laughed, soon joining them before she was in their mother's arms.
"Are you ready?" Beckett asked, gently brushing her hair off her forehead.
"No!" Josie exclaimed.
Beckett laughed softly again before she kissed her temple and then said, "One, two, three," as she knew Julia, Eliza and Castle were as well. They went underneath the water and opening her eyes she saw Julia and Eliza were doing the same before they stood up again. She smiled at them and said, "Good?"
Watching the two girls swim to the deep end after they had cried, "Yes!" at the same time, Castle went to his wife and said, "I guess that was enough."
"I think so," Beckett replied, looking down at Josie to make sure she was okay. "Let's head in a little deeper."
Nodding, Castle followed her to the middle of the pool, to the point where Josie was nearly chin deep. He wasn't surprised when the baby was laughing and was moving her arms before holding onto her mother's neck. He reached out to his wife's face and cupped her cheek, leaning over to murmur that he loved her in her ear.
"I love you too," Beckett replied, keeping her voice down. She looked on while he was leaning down to the baby and telling Josie that he loved her before she was laughing and reaching out to him.
After Beckett had handed him Josie, Castle held her above him and said, "Should I throw you out in the water?"
"No!" Josie said before crying out again. "Dada!"
"Okay, you're too much like your mom," Castle said jokingly as he brought her down to set on his hip. He kissed her and then asked, "How would you feel about going underneath again?"
Smiling as Josie babbled a little before she was bouncing in her husband's arms, Beckett said, "I think that's a yes."
"I agree," Castle said, nodding his head before his wife was counting down and they were going underneath the water. As before they weren't there for that long and when they came up out of it, he helped Beckett in wiping the water away from Josie's eyes. He was smiling while the baby laughed and he said, "Have I mentioned I love you ceann beag?"
"Ma… mo!" Josie said before giggling and then wrapping her arms around her father's neck.
Beckett squeezed her husband's hand on their baby's back as he was hugging her tightly, and she looked at Rebecca who was walking by them.
"What?" the lawyer asked in surprise.
"No, it's not weird we're not talking to anyone else right now?" Beckett said half-jokingly since she had realized they'd been focusing on their family instead of including their friends.
"Look at Brad and Lily," Rebecca replied.
Turning her head to look where her friend had motioned, Beckett saw they were on a chez lounge together and the chief was cuddling their daughter to his chest while Lily was running her fingers through Sophie's hair. She smiled and said, "I'm assuming it's because of tonight?"
"I think so, we've been doing the same with Dani," Rebecca replied before she got out of the water and went around to the deep end.
"Do you mind us spending time with you?" Castle asked Josie when they were alone again. He laughed softly as she was trying to put her fist into her mouth in response and he was quickly moving it away before kissing her hand repeatedly to distract her.
Watching them, Beckett was smiling at her husband before she kissed him and Josie on the cheek. She then told him they should swim with her again before he was agreeing, and they shared a kiss before they turned their attention to their youngest in the time they had left until dinner that evening.
"Bye! Have fun!" Mari was calling, the other kids echoing her.
"You too," Castle said with the other parents.
"Do you think Paul and Nancy will mind going with them?" Mary asked the others.
"I don't think so," Castle said. He saw the others; except for his wife; turn to look at him and he was about to explain what he meant when she was doing that for him.
"If they decided to go then they wanted to," Beckett said. "And it's not to help the parents but to join the others if you're thinking they decided for that reason."
"Did you mention to them that they could go on their own?" Brad asked.
"We did," Castle said that time. "But they were insistent about going with the kids for dinner."
"Are you hinting about us going to dinner?" Darnley asked in amusement.
"He's hungry," Beckett said. "But he's not doing that intentionally."
"I think we need to go though," David said as he was looking at his watch. "It's almost time for our reservation."
After they had walked to where they were going to eat, some of the women were exclaiming over the setting where their table was. It was outside and by some topiary elm trees, set with blue glasses and Roman style 'ruins' placed around the eating area.
"Is this going to be an ancient Roman menu?" Skye asked.
"No, it's just decorated…" Castle started to say before he saw their waiter coming over to them. He was wearing a Roman style costume and he glanced at his wife to find she was smiling at him. He squeezed her hand back when she did that to him and he said, "I should have looked into that."
"It doesn't matter," Beckett said with a smile. "You saw this place was good."
"It is," Castle replied, nodding his head. He then leaned over and kissed the back of her hand quickly before they turned their attention to the menus they'd been given. When they had ordered, he said to the others, "I just realized something."
"What?" Brad asked.
"Did you tell your kids about where we're going to tomorrow?" Castle said in response.
"We did," Skye said.
"So did we," Lily added.
Seeing the others nodding, Castle said, "We told ours."
"And their reaction?" Nkosi asked.
"They were eager," Beckett answered before her husband could respond. She smiled at him before telling him, "For him."
"They know the city's reputation?" Mary inquired.
"They've known because of their grandfather," Castle explained. He then smiled and said, "They want me to get a sword." He wasn't surprised when the others were laughing before he was about to ask if anyone else was interested in doing that before David was asking him about the swords.
"Are you going to buy one?" David asked.
"I thought your collection was set?" Skye queried.
"I'm allowing him one more," Beckett said. "Since we're going to Toledo now."
"Actually, I'm lucky she is," Castle said.
"You didn't think she'd let you?" Brad said in amusement.
"I didn't think before we came here," Castle replied. "So I'm happy, if you can't tell."
Laughing with the others, Beckett had to turn her attention to the waiter as he'd come back to get their orders. Once they had finished, she said, "Do you guys want to do this again?"
"The night's that bad already?" Castle said in mock disappointment to his wife. When she playfully socked his shoulder he laughed and said, "We should, but maybe just one more time?"
"We were planning on spending time with our kids," Darnley said.
"Yeah, so if it's just one more time I don't mind," Brad said with a nod.
"We'll talk about it later?" Skye suggested.
"Yes," Mary said, patting her wife's hand.
"Don't patronize me," the investigator said teasingly. Skye then said, "But I was thinking about buying something while we're in Toledo."
"I was going to ask you guys about that," Castle said rapidly. "Anyone else thinking about getting something?"
"I was," Brad said, looking at his wife.
Smiling Lily said, "You're lucky you have an office."
"So that means I can get one?" Brad asked.
"You can, but please hang it up high on the wall if you do," Lily replied.
"I was planning to already," Brad said firmly.
"I don't know," David said honestly.
"I kind of want to get a dagger," Darnley said when the others had looked over at him and Nkosi. "But that I'd put in my studio, with the displays I'm going to set up."
"So we'd all get something," Mary said.
"You're okay with Skye getting something?" Beckett asked her.
"I am," the doctor replied. "She has a sword from Germany in our office."
"I thought that one was from Spain," Castle said in surprise as he recalled the one Mary was talking about.
"No, Germany, a gift from a fellow investigator in that country," Skye replied. "We became friends and they sent it for Christmas."
"It's a beautiful sword," Castle said to the others.
Since their slices of bread and olive oil to dip them in were arriving, the others couldn't speak as they were trying those out until they had stopped chewing.
"You know that even though you couldn't test the balance?" Brad asked his friend.
"You know about that?" Beckett said before her husband could respond.
"Oh sure, he was always going on and on about that and how they should have good balance and blah, blah, blah," the chief said.
The first to laugh, Castle said when they had calmed down, "You're lucky I know you're joking."
"I am, but when we didn't have any to look out while you talked about it…" Brad told him in jest.
"I think the proctors would have been a little unhappy about swords on campus," Castle said.
At the heavy exhale of air from the chief Darnley asked, "They were tough?"
"They were," Castle replied first.
"I don't know why but they scared me," Brad said.
"They were ex-military remember?" Castle said.
"Yeah," Brad said with a sigh. He then smiled and said, "But they were nice though they were strict."
"That sounds like they were what they should be," Beckett said. She then turned her attention to her husband and asked, "What were you doing?"
"We had to run a couple times from prank setups, but we never got caught," Brad answered before his friend could say anything. He smiled and said, "Which is what we made sure we did."
"Yeah, like you all have heard from us is that we didn't want to get expelled," Castle said. "Lily?"
"What?" the chef asked in surprise.
"What do you think?" Castle said, holding up his piece of bread dipped in oil.
Smiling, Lily said, "It's good oil, but I use Spanish oil."
"And Italian, and-" Brad started to say before he was laughing as his wife was playfully punching his arm. He grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers before they started to discuss their plans for Toledo in two days since the next would be spent in travel.
"Are there any other amusement parks we're going to?" Darnley asked his friend eventually.
Beckett couldn't help smiling as she asked him, "You liked going with us?"
"I did, I can't wait to go to a Disney park with you guys; any of them."
"Hopefully it'll be Disneyland," Skye said.
"I owe you," Darnley said to his friend.
"What, you thought I'd say that?" the investigator asked with a slight smile.
"You have said that," Castle pointed out.
"I can't help it," Skye replied easily.
"I'm eager to go on the Star Wars rides," Nkosi said then.
Laughing for a moment Skye told him, "You should be."
"Have you taken the girls on all of them?" Darnley asked.
"You mean all five of ours?" Mary asked. When the carpenter nodded, she was smiling and saying, "We haven't been yet, so we'll get there eventually and see about the height restrictions."
"And amusement parks here?" Darnley said, turning to Beckett.
Smiling, she answered him saying, "One more but it's nothing like Disney." Seeing their food was coming out, Beckett pointed that out to the others and once they had their dishes they started to eat before Rebecca was suddenly laughing and they looked at her to see what was so funny.
"Sorry, I just thought of Mari telling me and David she was surprised they weren't having any Spanish food," the lawyer explained.
"Our girls mentioned that to us," Castle said.
"Eve did too," Lily added, raising her hand. "Jake didn't seem to care he was just hungry."
"Not a surprise," a few of the men said at the same time as they were looking at each other, startled.
"You were all boys too," Beckett said in amusement, cutting her salmon.
"Are you quoting me from when you interrogated me?" Castle replied. When his wife smiled before she ate her piece of fish, he felt a rush of desire that nearly left him gasping out loud for air. But he couldn't forget the others were around him and he shook himself by grabbing his goblet of wine and drinking it a little more than he'd wanted to. Turning his attention to the others he said, "It was memorable."
"What? You saying you were a boy?" David asked wryly.
"You try explaining why I stole a horse and rode it naked," Castle said in mock annoyance. He then looked over at Skye and saw that what he thought was the sound of her choking was her faking it. "Hey…" he started to say before he trailed off.
Beckett took her husband's hand and said, "In his defense he was drunk."
"I was," Castle said with a nod.
"Still, bit off putting thinking of that," Skye said in mock annoyance. "We are eating here." She paused when her wife leaned over to her and kissed her cheek, making her turn to her so they could share a kiss. They were laughing together when they parted and said, "Now we put the rest of you off your food."
"We're almost finished," Lily pointed out.
Looking around, Castle saw she was right and said, "But if you guys aren't disgusted by us kissing…"
"We're used to it," Skye, Lily and Rebecca said collectively.
The table literally erupted into laughter together before they were finishing their entrees and they started to talk about eating dessert.
"I'd like something," Skye commented. "I saw there were somethings on the menu that were Ancient Roman."
"The honey covered cheesecake?" Castle asked.
"It's a simple slice," Skye replied. "But if no one else wants anything for-" she began. When the others interrupted her to tell her they wanted to join her, she smiled and said, "We'll order all around."
Once the investigator had given that order, Nkosi said, "Is it wrong of me to say it is amusing you two were eventually together after that interrogation?" directing that to Castle and Beckett.
"Yes," the former said. When his wife playfully pinched his upper arm Castle said, "It's not, but we understand why people think that."
"He's right, it doesn't seem a relationship would start from that," Beckett said.
"Why didn't you just sleep with him?" Skye asked.
Rolling her eyes; as she was aware the investigator was kidding; Beckett said simply, "I didn't want to. You were at a point yourself where you wanted intimacy and not sex right?"
Playfully sticking her tongue out at her friend, Skye said, "Touché but I'm slipping into how I talked to you our past life."
"I knew," Beckett said, laughing as her friend rolled her eyes. They were soon getting their plates with slices of the honey covered cheesecake and she was trying it before looking at her husband.
"Think they'll give us the recipe if we ask?" Castle said to her.
Smiling Beckett said, "I don't think so." She picked up her small glass of sherry; given to them with the dessert; and took a sip before she said, "But I think this was a nice end to the evening."
With the others agreeing with his wife Castle said, "What about a nightcap?"
"This is the nightcap," Darnley said. "I'm ready to head back to bed and rest. We did a ton of walking."
"We did," Beckett said in agreement, the others murmuring the same. She looked at the others before they were suddenly starting to laugh, and she covered her face with her hands.
"I'm not sure why we're saying this to each other," Nkosi said.
"To be honest I think we all knew anyways," Mary told him.
"Then we should have a late toast," Castle said.
"Rick-" Beckett started to say with a frown.
Shaking his head Castle told them, "For tonight's dinner and for what we have left of our trip."
After they'd all tapped their glasses together and drank, Darnley nodded saying, "We're not that far into the vacation, but I'm so glad you guys don't mind us being here."
"Why would we?" Skye said first.
"She's right," Rebecca said, smiling as she knew the carpenter was talking to herself and her husband and the Davises. "We've met you several times already. I think we can say we're all friends here."
"We can," David said in agreement.
"Then salud to that," Darnley said with a wide smile. They were tapping their glasses together a second time and finishing their sherry with that sip and he said, "That's it?"
"It is," Beckett said. "But you all don't want to stay and talk some more?" She was smiling as the others were shaking their heads no and she said, "Then we should say goodnight." After they had paid for the meal they were getting up and hugging or shaking hands to say goodnight before they were walking inside the hotel. Since their rooms were at different places, they split up shortly after they entered the building, promising to meet for breakfast before their departure for Toledo. As she and her husband were heading to their room, she took his hand and squeezed it tightly, smiling when he wrapped his arm around her before she turned her thoughts to Castle and what they could do together alone in their room.