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 lyrics in this chapter are from the song La Puerta de Alcalá sung by Ana Belén and Victor Manuel.
A/N #2: Just a warning, there's a love scene between female adult characters in the second half of the chapter, if you don't want to read, skip ahead to Castle and Beckett.
A/N #3: The title of this story is a mix of the name of a song written by Adam Duritz and Peter Slager, from the Counting Crows album Hard Candy and a lyric from the song Eviva España written by Leo Rozenstraten, the version I have taken from is sun by Manolo Escobar. The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Daniel written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, from the Elton John album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.
Heading For Spain
"Good morning sweetie," Beckett said with a smile as she saw Josie was opening her eyes.
"Wa," the baby said before she was smiling back at her mother. "Mama."
"Hold on a second," Beckett told her, going to her bag. She took out the bottle with water in it for her daughter and let her take it before she made sure she was drinking.
"Hey, is she up?" Castle asked, walking over to them.
"She is," Beckett replied, smiling at him. "Did we get cleared through?"
"We did, we're ready to go," Castle said, turning his attention to the baby. "What do you think Josie? Should we go into Spain?"
"Spa!" the baby exclaimed.
Laughing with the others, Eliza asked, "What're we going to do now," while they were walking through the Madrid Barajas Airport terminal.
"We're going to check into our hotel," Castle began. "And then get lunch and take a nap."
"Do we have to?" Marie asked.
"Yes," Mary said firmly.
"Do we need to take a siesta every day?" Julia asked her parents.
"Not really," Beckett said. "But if we get to where it's hotter then you might appreciate it."
"I still don't want to," Eliza said.
"Wait and see how things go," Castle told her calmly. He then turned his attention to going outside with their suitcases so they could get the taxis they needed since they wouldn't be getting their rental cars until they left the capital city. Once they were on their way to the Westin Palace, he looked at his wife and said, "She seems to be okay."
"She slept the entire flight," Beckett replied. "Unless you're thinking of her sleeping once we get to the hotel."
"Where is she gonna sleep?" Eliza asked from the very back of the cab, sitting with her sisters.
"With us," Beckett said. "But of course she's going with your gram tonight."
"Where exactly is she going to sleep though?" Alexis asked, smiling when Eliza squeezed her hand as she'd known her little sister had been asking about that.
"We have a bassinet in the room already," Castle answered. "Just in case she needed to stay with us."
"Mom," Julia said after they were silent, looking out on the city they were going through. "You said Lizzy's staying with Gram too."
"I did," Beckett said, looking back at her. "And you can know now, you and Mari are sharing while we're staying here."
Smiling widely, Julia said, "Thanks… is it the room next to Gram's?"
"It should be," Castle said. "Since that's the only way we're going to let you guys stay on your own."
"It won't be as big as your little suite in Mexico City though," Beckett told their second oldest gently. She was going to explain it was because they weren't staying for as long before the girl was speaking in a rush as she smiled.
"I don't care; I don't think Mari will care either," Julia was saying. "I can't wait to see."
"We will right now," Castle said as he knew they were getting closer. He was about to mention that to Eliza, who he knew likely didn't remember from their last visit to the city, when he was stopped by his wife's phone letting out its text alert. "Who is it?" he asked, becoming slightly concerned as he recalled the others.
"Skye," Beckett said as she was reading the message. "She found a place with chorizo sandwiches; she and Mary want to buy lunch for all of us so we can wake up from our nap faster."
Alexis laughed briefly before she commented, "She's eager to go around."
"She is," Beckett replied with a nod. She then texted back that they liked the idea and would pay for their sandwiches before her friend answered No deal, we're buying and we'll meet you at the lobby. She showed her husband the message and said wryly, "I'm not really surprised."
"You tried," Castle told her before he felt the car was slowing down. He focused his attention then to paying for the trip and tipping the cabbie before they were getting the suitcases out. Once he and the others had the luggage on carts with bellmen, they went inside the hotel and he smiled seeing the other families were looking around in interest.
"This is amazing," Darnley said to Beckett while she was walking next to him.
"It's old," Beckett said. "Over a hundred years old."
Nodding his head Darnley said, "It's beautiful too, I can't believe we're finally here."
"Daddy," Maddy said, walking over to him.
"Yes sweetie?" Darnley asked his daughter with a smile.
"I wanna eat," Maddy replied.
"We will soon," Darnley said in amusement. He then noticed Beckett was looking at the entrance and he followed her gaze, seeing she was watching the McDouglases walking in. "I'm surprised her dad and step-dad didn't join us."
"Still on their honeymoon," Beckett said, smiling. "But don't mention that to her."
"Wasn't about to," Darnley replied swiftly before he watched Mary going quickly by them. "Smells good," he told the investigator as she was walking up to them.
"It does, and I'm famished," Skye said with a smile. She then handed them bags saying, "I marked the bags so you have enough for your families. Are you eating in your rooms?"
"We are," Beckett said. "And thank you."
Nodding Skye said, "The only thing we ask with you guys allowing us to do that is to let us pick dinner."
"We were going to meet my dad's friends near the Plaza Mayor," Beckett reminded her.
"I'm aware what's there already," Skye said before those that had been checking them in walked back to their group.
"We have our rooms all set," Castle said once Mary was back with them. "We're just going to eat and then sleep."
"Good idea," David said. "We're going to do the same."
"What'll we do when we get up?" Eve asked.
"I think we're just going to walk around the park near us," Beckett said. "And then head to the Plaza Mayor and dinner; but we're not eating that early."
"You told us," Nkosi said.
"You told us repeatedly," Brad said jokingly. "But we don't care."
"You're just happy being here?" Castle said to his friend.
"Of course," Brad replied. "Then if we're all set we should get going."
Since no one protested, the families split up and headed to the elevators where they went in separate ones to go up to their different floors and agreeing to meet at four back in the lobby.
On the floor where the rest of their family and Fosters were going to stay, Castle and Beckett led Julia and Mari to their room first.
"Oh, wow, it's perfect!" Julia said as she and her friend went in first.
"I'm glad you don't mind the décor," Rebecca said, seeing Julia's eagerness on her own daughter's face.
"No way," Mari said rapidly. "It is perfect."
"No connecting door," David commented to Castle.
Sighing he said, "They told me they might not be able to put them into connecting rooms." Castle was about to say they could make some rules for the girls when Julia was sitting on the end of their bed and speaking.
"We'll be really careful Dad," she told him. "And we'll have our phones too, in case we have to call Gram or you."
"We can't really switch everyone around now," Beckett said gently to the two men since the others were inside their rooms by then.
"Yeah, plus I think they're really eager to stay here," David said.
"Okay, but you guys need to promise you won't leave the room or open the door to anyone outside of our group," Castle told them as they were looking eager.
"We promise," Julia said.
"Yeah, we remember what we needed to do in Mexico City," Mari added.
"Alright," Beckett said. "We'll help you two settle in and head to our rooms before we have lunch."
"Is that going to take a long time?" Julia asked her mother while she went to her suitcase her father put on the bed.
"No, we don't have that much to unpack," Beckett replied easily, smiling at her. She looked at her daughter's clothes and they started to unpack what she would need for Madrid into the closet by the entrance. Once that was set she asked, "Will you two go next door?"
"Do we have to?" Mari asked, she and her mother having unpacked by then as well.
"Well, if you stay then that's fine," Rebecca said, looking at the other parents.
"Lock the door after us," Castle told them.
Julia nodded and went to the door after the adults, Mari behind her, and they thanked their parents profusely until they said goodbye. She locked the door and then turned to her friend before they threw their arms around each other tightly. They were jumping up and down at the same time and squealing until they started to laugh. "I can't believe we got to stay on our own right away," she told her.
"Oh, I know," Mari said, following her back into the room. She went to the door behind the small table and chair in front of it, opening it and hearing the city before she smiled widely at her friend. "This is so cool."
"It is," Julia replied as they stepped out onto the tiny balcony their room had. "That's the park."
"Neat," Mari said. "I hope we do walk through it."
"Oh! I almost forgot," Julia said as something came to her. "We have to go see the Puerta de Alcala too."
"The one from the song?" Mari asked. When her friend nodded, she studied her face for a moment and said, "You're gonna ask Skye to sing right?"
"It's going to have to be Skye and Mary," Julia said firmly. She was looking out on their view before she turned to her friend and they started to laugh together. They watched the city and street below them for a while before they were drawn back inside their room when her phone was letting her know she had a text message.
"I hope you don't mind," Castle said to his wife as they had said goodnight to the rest of their family while they left their suite.
"What, that you didn't get the same room?" Beckett replied while she was taking Josie to their bedroom.
"I didn't think you would," Castle told her.
"Good guess," Beckett said with a smile at him.
Castle returned the smile before he said, "Siesta time?"
"Sasas," Josie said before her mother could speak.
Beckett laughed and then said, "That's right sweetie. Want to walk to your bed?" She wasn't surprised when the baby laughed and she then set her down on the floor, holding her hand but not helping her as she took steps until she was nearly falling. "Great job Josie," she told her, picking her up and kissing her gently.
"Your mom's right," Castle told her as he kissed their baby's cheek as well. "Just a little more practice and you'll have walking down." He paused and then said, "And next comes the running."
Beckett laughed softly at her husband's tone and she said, "For now though she needs to get to sleep."
"True," Castle replied before he kissed Josie's cheek again. He watched as his wife was tucking her into the bed they'd gotten; pressing it against Beckett's side of the bed and making sure it was low to the floor. When she stood up he took her hand, pulling her to him before they watched their baby daughter for a bit. Eventually he tugged her hand and they got ready for their nap. "I'm glad we're doing this," he said softly while they were getting onto the bed on his side.
"Me too, I hope the girls have enough rest," Beckett replied.
"We should," Castle said, sharing a kiss with her. "Night love."
"Night Rick," Beckett said, smiling at him before they were laying down. She turned onto her side, so she could hear Josie better, and was smiling again when she felt her husband spooning her. She closed her eyes, letting herself rest after their later flight to reach the country she couldn't wait to start exploring.
"Mind if I throw that out the window?" Louis asked his fiancée with a groan.
"You can't, you'll break the window," Alexis said teasingly to him while she got up from their bed to reach for her phone. She turned off the alarm and said, "We got a good amount of sleep."
"True," Louis replied, rubbing his face with his hands. He then straightened up and looked at her asking, "Well, should we get ready?"
"It's almost four," Alexis reminded him. "So that was a weird question."
"Just making sure you're awake," Louis told her with a smile. He laughed when she rolled her eyes before he was getting off the bed after her.
Going into their bathroom, Alexis started to wash her face to wake herself up more before she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn't surprised when her fiancé was asking if she was okay and she said, "I'm just thinking again that it's June, three months to the wedding."
"Nearly there," Louis said, nodding. "We're lucky we have everything ready," he added.
"I know," Alexis said with a wide smile as she recalled them getting the news their reservation for the restaurant they wanted to hold their reception in had gone through.
"And you have your dress…" Louis said slowly.
"I'm not going to tell you what it looks like," Alexis said in amusement, since he'd been trying to do that for a while.
"You can't blame me, I'd love to see you wearing it," Louis called when he was leaving the bathroom.
Smiling at her reflection when her fiancé said, "You'll look beautiful either way," Alexis couldn't help recalling going to get that dress with her mother and grandmother when they were back in the Hamptons.
"Our A-line dresses are here," the employee of the bridal shop was telling the three women behind her.
"A room all to themselves," Martha said. "Very impressive."
"We find it's a lot easier for women looking for the type of dress they want," the woman said, smiling. "I'll leave you to look for anything you might like. If you find a dress, you can lean it here on the sofa to take into the dressing rooms that are over there."
"Thank you," Alexis replied before she left and the three of them were alone. She turned to her mother and grandmother and said, "So…"
"I think we'll let you look kiddo," Martha said with a smile as she was moving to sit on the couch.
"Oh… it's going to take me a long time to look through all of this through," Alexis said.
"I'll help," Beckett said quickly, knowing her mother in law was tired after arriving later than she'd wanted to the night before. "Luckily they put them together by color," she told her daughter as they left their purses with Martha.
"I know," Alexis said. "And we're sticking with the ones in white."
Smiling Beckett told her, "I remember." She turned her attention to the rack in front of her and started to go through all of them before she soon saw a possibility and called to her daughter.
"That one's nice," Alexis said with a nod. "I like this one too."
Beckett nodded at the choice before they were returning to the dresses and going through the rest of the ones that were white and her daughter had several choices.
"They're all beautiful darling," Martha told Alexis once the two had walked over to where she was sitting and waiting for them.
"I know, it's going to take me a long time," the young woman said in mock annoyance. She and Beckett took the dresses into a dressing room and she said to her mother, "I'll be alright."
"Okay, but we're right outside if you need any help," Beckett told her oldest. She squeezed her arm before she walked out to where her mother in law was still sitting and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Just tired," Martha said. "Wrapping everything up was far harder than I thought it would be."
"But you are done," Beckett said.
Smiling Martha said, "I am, I had everything in the car so if I go back to the loft I'm there only temporarily." She then frowned for a moment and asked, "You and Richard won't sell it will you?"
"We're not planning on it," Beckett assured her. "Rick does want to leave it for us to have a place to stay when we visit the city, and for the girls if any of them go to college in the city."
"Besides Julia," Martha said.
"Besides her," Beckett said in amusement as they never forgot the offer from Julliard for her second oldest. She then said, "I hope Alexis will find something here."
"There are other stores around the island," Martha said. She then realized what day it was and how close they were to leaving for Spain and the wedding nearly right after and said, "I forget it's closer than I thought."
"It's easy to do," Beckett assured her. "You've been busy."
"Very busy," Martha said, nodding. She then smiled and said, "But I'm glad to be with my family now so I'll start focusing on what we have here."
Beckett nodded before she looked at the doorway to the dressing rooms, realizing some time had passed by then. She tried to remind herself that Alexis had had a lot of dresses and was on her own, but she couldn't shake herself thinking she needed to check on her daughter. Eventually she looked at her watch and said to her mother in law, "I think I'm going to check on her."
"I'm not surprised," Martha told her. "It has been a while."
Going to the doorway, Beckett stood inside the room past it a bit before she called, "Alexis? Are you okay?"
"Yeah," the young woman said softly.
"Do you need any help?" Beckett asked her.
"I… could you?" Alexis hesitated before continuing.
Beckett walked directly to the room her daughter had gone into before she opened the door and stepped inside. "Oh Alexis," she breathed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. "You look beautiful."
"Really?" the young woman asked as she turned to her mother.
"You do," Beckett said seriously, closing the door behind her and walking inside more. She carefully straightened the skirt before she said, "What's wrong?"
"I just felt like I was… alone," Alexis told her. "Meredith…" She tried to fight the tears in her eyes but couldn't stop a few from falling down her cheeks before she said, "It just all came back to me, my struggles with her growing up. Her not being there for me, using Dad. And this moment just got ruined because I was thinking of Louis seeing me in this dress before that."
Beckett hugged her daughter tightly and told her gently, "I'm not surprised, but let's set her aside and focus on Louis like you were before."
Shaking her head while she moved away from her mother to look at her Alexis said, "I should have asked you to stay to help me." She took her hands and said nearly tearfully, "I wish you had been my mother from the start."
Wrapping her arms around her daughter again, Beckett focused on soothing her while she rubbed her back since Alexis was crying softly. When she felt the young woman had stopped shaking, she pulled away and asked her, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just… it's a little rough," Alexis replied. "And then I'm telling myself I'm an idiot since I'm remembering you were all on your own when you were getting your first dress."
"They're different situations," Beckett said firmly. "And it upsets you, it makes sense. But I'm here now and I hope you'll let me tell you what I think about this dress," she said.
"Okay," Alexis replied with a smile through her tears.
"This suits you incredibly well and it would look amazing by the creek," Beckett said while she took her hands. "But that's my opinion so the final decision is up to you."
"I have to show Gram still," Alexis said, turning back to her reflection as she smoothed her skirt. She then smiled and said, "Thank you Mom."
"You're welcome," Beckett told her, hugging her again. "Should we show her now?"
"She's probably wondering if we decided to take a nap in here," Alexis said before they were walking together to the door.
"Oh darling," Martha breathed when she saw her granddaughter stepping out. "Alexis that is beautiful, is this the one?"
The young woman was about to answer, but her mother was leading her to the platform in front of three mirrors and she stepped onto it and looked at herself before she turned around. Alexis could see herself a lot more than in the dressing room, and she smiled before noticing her mother and grandmother to the sides of her. Turning to them she said, "You like it?"
"I do," Martha said with a firm nod of her head. She smiled at her granddaughter and said, "I'm very certain it will take Louis' breath away once he sees you. You'll be a vision in white with the blazing colors of autumn all around you."
"Thank you," Alexis whispered, touched at her words. She turned to herself again and considering her dress for a little longer she smiled and looked at the two saying, "This is the one."
"Wonderful," Martha said, clapping her hands together slightly. "And I hope you'll manage to keep it from Louis before the big day." She started to walk out of the room to get the employee, before she paused and then said, "And your father as well."
"I will," Alexis said laughingly before stepping down from the platform with Beckett's help. Something came to her and she asked her mother, "Could you hold my hair back?"
"Of course," Beckett replied, waiting for her oldest to turn back to the mirrors. She reached up and pulled back her red hair before turning to the reflection and seeing how sophisticated her daughter looked, telling her that before the young woman was smiling.
After a moment Alexis grew serious and turned back to her mother saying, "Would you do something for me? Before the wedding?"
"Anything," Beckett said, being completely serious.
"Would you do my hair?" Alexis asked.
"I'd love to," Beckett replied quickly, smiling at her oldest. They hugged again before she heard her mother in law returning with the employee and she sent Alexis back to the dressing room. She waited for the two to join her while amazing at how close she and her oldest were, loving that and the fact that it had happened so easily before smiling at the two women walking into the room.
"I don't know Josie," Castle was saying to the baby with a smile while they were sitting on the bed. "You might want to spend the night, but that bassinet is really just for naps."
"Dada," Josie said in response.
"Rick, what are you talking about?" Beckett said, coming out into the bedroom after changing for their excursion and dinner.
"I'm just seeing what she wants to do," Castle replied. "She said she wanted to stay the night in our room. I said-"
"I know," Beckett interrupted him in amusement. "I could hear you. Are you ready?"
"So is Josie," Castle replied with a smile as the baby was bouncing a little on his lap. He kissed her temple before he said, "And yes, we can go." He got up from the bed and asked, "Think we'll go on the boats again?"
"I love how you assume we're going out to the water there," Beckett said in amusement. She wasn't surprised to see her husband looked a little confused before she said, "I'm kidding, I know that we'll end up over there."
"Okay," Castle said, smiling when Josie was laughing. He kissed her again before he remembered something and told his wife, "Are we going to the-"
"We are, Dad wants them all to see it," Beckett said with a smile.
"You knew I was going to ask?" Castle said while she was getting her bag.
"I figured," Beckett said, smiling when he reached for her with his free hand. She moved to him and they were soon kissing as he placed his hand on her back to bring her closer. They were gentle; since Josie was with them; but they allowed their tongues to slide against each other a little before they slowly parted.
"Now I don't want to leave," Castle said.
Rolling her eyes and smiling, Beckett said, "We should go." She brushed her lips against his when he playfully pouted and said, "We have later; she's not staying the night."
"True," Castle said, nodding before they laughed as Josie was grabbing his chin.
Beckett gently ran her hand over the baby's hair before they were going to the door and she left first. After they were in the elevator they were going down to the lobby and she said, "I hope Martha remembered the stroller."
"She will; Eliza won't let her forget," Castle commented.
"Iss," Josie said seriously.
"We're going to see your sisters right now," Beckett assured her while she was smiling at the baby. "And we're going to the park." She laughed softly when Josie was squealing and kissed her cheek before the elevator car was stopping and they stepped out to see some of the others were there already.
"Hey, this trip is awesome," Darnley said as Beckett walked up to him.
"We've only been here for a few hours," she told him with a smile. "Sleeping."
"Still," Darnley said, watching her laugh before he hugged her with one arm.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it, wait until we start seeing everything," Beckett told him. She saw her friend was about to speak when the elevator doors opened at nearly the same time and seeing everyone else in the group stepping into the lobby she wasn't surprised when he was making a joke at their appearance.
"It looks like a tidal wave," Darnley commented.
"Close," Beckett said in amusement, glancing at him before her daughters were calling to her and Castle.
"Hey, how'd you guys sleep?" he was asking the girls as they walked over to him and Beckett.
"Really good," Eliza said happily. "I like our room."
"We're glad to hear that," Beckett replied, smiling. "What about you?" she asked Julia.
"It's a nice room," the girl replied. "We don't care it's just a room and bath."
Castle laughed briefly and then said, "Okay, and you're okay on your own without the connecting door?"
"Yeah," Julia said rapidly and simply. She then smiled and said, "Thanks for it."
"You're welcome," Beckett replied. "Do you have your room key?"
"Yep, Mari has the second one and we have them in our backpacks," Julia answered, indicating the smaller sized one she had on her back.
"Okay," Castle said, looking around. "Are we all ready to go?" he asked, glancing around at the others to see they were there.
"We are, we should hurry or we'll lose time for the park," Skye commented as they were starting to leave together to walk out to the sidewalk along the Plaza de las Cortes. She looked around at everyone before she soon found Beckett, going to her and walking next to her wordlessly before her friend was speaking.
"Is anything wrong?" Beckett asked, glancing at her as they waited to cross the street. "Do you not want to go to the gate?"
"It's not that," Skye said. "Well," she said after a moment and with a little hesitation. "It's dealing with the gate."
"Okay," Beckett said slowly as she wasn't sure what the investigator was talking about.
"Sorry, I'm thinking about it," Skye replied. "The girls asked Mary and I to sing once we get to the gate."
"And?" Beckett asked. She then smiled and asked, "Do you want me to say no to you?"
"No, I'm just wondering if we should," Skye said. "Think people would get mad?"
"Dad," Beckett said as she'd stopped herself from saying she'd only been to the country once.
"What's wrong?" Jim asked, pushing Josie over to his daughter and Skye while they were walking along the west sidewalk outside the Parque del Buen Retiro.
"Would people mind if Skye and Mary sang?" Beckett asked him, smiling at the baby.
Having to stop, as Josie was whimpering and trying to get out of her stroller, Jim got her out and once her daughter was holding her he told the women, "If you're thinking of singing the song I think you are; I don't think so. The locals might recognize you though."
"I'm willing to risk it, our daughters want us to sing it since their two big sisters told them all about it already," Skye explained with a smile.
"I would say sing it," Jim said.
Studying the man, Skye was smiling a little wider and she commented, "You do enjoy it then?"
"I do, mind if I film you? Xavi and Beatriz would love seeing it," Jim asked.
"Not at all, I look forward to meeting them by the way," Skye said.
"They're looking forward to it too," Jim then told her.
Laughing momentarily as they were drawing nearer to the northwest corner of the outside of the park, Skye asked, "You've told them about me?"
"I did," Jim answered.
"Good, good," Skye replied before she had to walk ahead of them since her daughters were calling to her.
"Mummy, we're here!" Iris said.
"I see that," Skye replied with a smile, wrapping her arm around her youngest. She saw her wife was walking up to them; holding Sophie; and she asked with a grin, "Shall we then?"
"Of course, but you need to get your phone since I'm a little busy," Mary commented, lightly bouncing the baby to her giggle.
"Should-" Brad started to say.
"No, she's fine here if she wants to stay," Mary said, seeing her wife was going onto her phone. She thought of something and asked, "She won't mind my singing will she?"
"Let me take her just in case," Brad told her.
"Shouldn't we go to the gate and have them sing?" Julia was asking her mother, standing with her family as they'd suddenly broke off into their families while they looked at the McDouglases.
"That's alright," Castle said to her first. "We're looking at it and we can go right into the park after," he added.
"And we can go to the boats?" Eliza asked hopefully since Skye and Mary were talking quietly together.
"You remember?" Alexis asked her.
"Yeah," Eliza said instantly. She then smiled widely and told her family, "I want to do it again."
"The same way?" Alexis said. She was slightly relieved when her little sister shook her head before Skye was speaking and getting their attention.
"We're ready, if you lot are," the investigator said to everyone. Skye smiled when the others were telling her and her wife they were and she said, "Okay, here we go," before touching the screen of her phone and the music began. She took the first vocals and though they'd tucked their group back towards the park more than the street she noticed some locals were stopping to watch them as they sang.
Acompaño a mi sombra por la avenida
Mis pasos se pierden entre tanta gente
Busco una puerta, una salida
Donde convivan pasado y presente
De pronto me paro, alguien me observa
Levanto la vista y me encuentro con ella
Ah! Y ahí está, yahí está
Ahí está, ahí está
Viendo pasar el tiempo, la Puerta de Alcalá
Smiling at her wife as they were waiting for her turn, Mary was going to take the male vocals and she glanced at the others. She felt Skye squeezing her hand before she needed to begin and she squeezed back, knowing her wife was wondering if she was okay. She inclined her head very slightly to the investigator just before she began to sing, trying not to take in the fact a few more people had stopped in front of them.
Una mañana fría llegó Carlos Tercero con aire insigne
Y se quitó el sombrero muy lentamente
Bajó de su caballo con voz profunda
Le dijo a su lacayo
Ahí está, la Puerta de Alcalá
Ahí está, ahí está
Viendo pasar el tiempo la Puerta de Alcalá
Beckett glanced at the gate as the doctor had finished singing and then at the girls, not surprised Julia and Eliza were watching the women closely. She then turned her attention to Josie and seeing the baby's eyes were wide, she smiled and looked back to Mary since she was singing the next verse.
Lanceros con casaca, monarcas de ortras tierras
Fanfarrones que llegan inventando la guerra
Milicias que resisten bajo el "no pasarán"
Y el sueño eterno, como viene se vá
Y ahí está, ahí está, la Puerta de Alcalá
Ahí está, ahí está
Viendo pasar el tiempo la Puerta de Alcalá
Castle was a little surprised Skye wasn't singing the male vocals, but he knew the song was likely divided evenly between the two. When the doctor had stopped, he saw her looking at Skye who playfully pouted her lips before she needed to sing the next verse, though he was surprised when they sang the second to last lyric together and Skye quickly started the verse after that.
Todos los tiranos se abrazan como hermanos
Exhibiendo a la gente sus calvas indecentes
Manadas de macantes, doscientos estudiantes
Inician la revuelta, son lost años sesenta
Y ahí está, ahí está, la Puerta de Alcalá
Ahí está, ahí está
Viendo pasar el tiempo la Puerta de Alcalá
Un travesti perdido, un guardia pendenciero
Pelos colorados, chinchetas en los cueros
Rockeros insurgents, modernos compacientes
Poetas y colgados, aires de libertad
Y ahí está, ahí está, la Puerta de Alcalá
Ahí está, ahí está
Viendo pasar el tiempo la Puerta de Alcalá
Skye began singing the last verse on her own, though she and her wife were soon singing the last two, repeated lyrics together and continuing until the song was over.
La miro de frente y me pierdo en sus ojos
Sus arcos me vigilan, su sombra me acompaña
No intento esconderme, nadie la engaña
Toda la vida pasa por su mirada
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
Miralá, miralá, miralá, miralá
La Puerta de Alcalá
As the people watching them were applauding, Skye and Mary bowed slightly to them and the former said, "Gracias, muchisimas gracias." She wasn't surprised when some in their other audience came up to them, asking for an autograph.
Beckett couldn't help smiling again at her friend getting recognized, but she had to turn to Julia when she was squeezing her hand very gently. "What's wrong?" she asked. She then said, "If you want to go, we will as soon as they're done," glancing at Skye and Mary and seeing the latter was getting requests to take pictures and autographs as well.
"No, I was wondering do you know what the song's about?" Julia said. "Besides the gate."
"I'm not sure," Beckett said. "I can translate, it talks about students and inciting revolt."
"I guessed that was there," Julia said, nodding her head. She then smiled and said, "It's a nice song."
"Catchy," Jim said with a slight smile.
Julia saw her mother reaching over and touching his arm and she asked, "I thought you liked it Grandpapa?"
"Your grandmother always pretended to hate it when I listened to it," Jim said with a slight smile. He glanced at his daughter and said, "But she did like it too."
Nodding, and understanding then why her grandfather had had that reaction, Julia hugged him tightly before she said, "I'm glad she liked it."
Jim laughed briefly and then told her, "Believe me, I am too." He kissed the top of her head before he said, "I think we can go now."
"Oh!" Julia said suddenly before she left them and hurried over to Mari. "Well?" she asked her with a wide smile.
"Well wh- oh, the gate, it's cool," the girl said in confusion before she realized what her friend was asking exactly. She was about to ask if she liked seeing it a second time as they were walking towards the park before Julia was asking her about something else.
"Want to ride in a boat with me?" the girl asked her.
"Oh… I dunno, my parents might want me and my sister to go," Mari said softly.
"Oh…" Julia said as she realized her friend was right. "Well… if they don't want to go on one with me?"
"Of course," Mari said with a smile.
"Girls," Rebecca called to them. "We're going."
Looking around them, Julia realized with a little shock that they'd stopped, and she said, "Whoops, we better go too."
"Yeah," Mari said with a laugh before they were taking each other's hands and jogging down the path their families had gone to so they could catch up with them nearer the pond and boats.
"Hames!" Xavi called out, pronouncing the man's name in the Spanish way.
"Xavi, Beatriz," Jim said with a smile to his two friends. He and Xavi hugged briefly before he was turning to the man's wife. Sharing a kiss on each cheek he said, "You and your families are doing well?"
"We are," Beatriz said first.
"And they are ready for you in Carbajales," Xavi said with a smile. He looked behind his friend and said, "All of you."
"I'll introduce you to everyone," Jim told them before leading them to where his family and the others were standing together. He started with the others first and once he had finished, he said, "You know everyone in my family already, but there is someone who wasn't here the last time we came." He took Josie from his son in law and then said, "This is Josie, my youngest grandchild."
"She is beautiful," Beatriz said first, reaching out with her hand to the baby.
"And her eyes," Xavi said.
"We get that a lot," Castle said with a nod.
Smiling Xavi commented, "You enjoy hearing it?"
"We do," Beckett answered. "Would you like to hold her?"
"I can?" Beatriz asked in surprise.
"She'll let you hold her," Beckett assured her. She watched her father handing her Josie, keeping her eyes on the baby to make sure she wouldn't fuss at the very least. She smiled seeing Josie grabbing the woman's gold bracelet and she said, "She's intrigued."
"She is," Castle said, nodding his head. He wrapped his arm around his wife and said to the older couple, "Do you know where we're going for dinner?"
"The children are hungry?" Xavi asked.
"They're getting to be," Darnley said.
"We aren't very sure where to go," Beatriz said, speaking a little absently as she was smiling at Josie who'd done so to her.
"We don't know what you might want," Xavi explained.
"Tapas," Castle said immediately. He smiled as the couple looked startled and then explained, "We talked about it already and we want to take the others to have those."
"We've never had them before," Lily said.
Remembering the woman was a chef, Xavi nodded and said, "There is a bar near here."
"How will we all be able to go?" Skye asked with a slight frown.
"We can take turns getting the food for everyone," Beatriz said. "And it is only right here."
Since the couple started to walk, the others followed them quickly and Beckett went to get her daughter from the woman. "I just want to take her over there," she explained as she was getting Josie. She wasn't surprised when the woman nodded and was about to ask how their summer was going when Beatriz was asking her about the baby which didn't really surprise her.
"Is she talking?" the woman said.
"Mama," Josie suddenly said before she verbalized a little and hugged her mother around the neck.
"I see," Beatriz said before she and Beckett were laughing for a moment.
"She's started to walk as well," Beckett was saying when they'd calmed down.
"When did she start?" Beatriz asked.
"The last day of last month," Beckett replied. "We've all been helping her getting used to it."
"What about the other baby? Sophie?" Beatriz asked before hesitating about the name as she tried to recall.
Nodding, Beckett said, "You can ask Lily about her," Beckett said. "Or Brad. I think we reached the bar."
"We have, excuse me," Beatriz said.
"They're going inside first," Castle told his wife as she walked to him at one of the outside tables. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Josie's forehead and then added, "To let the people know there are a lot of us coming in."
"Hopefully they have enough food," Mary said while they were sitting down together at tables.
"What is it?" Skye asked her wife in concern.
"Does it seem like we're getting a lot of looks right now?" Mary asked in return.
Glancing out to the plaza, Skye then noticed it and she said, "I suppose… I would imagine social media."
"Probably," David said. He saw the two women look at him and he showed them his phone saying, "People were filming you and they posted it."
"Well… I suppose we might be stopped now and then," Skye said with a little frown. "We should warn Xavi and Beatriz."
"They might have seen it," Nkosi told her.
"Maybe," Skye said though she didn't appear very happy at that news.
"They are ready for you to come in and order," Xavi said when he and his wife walked out to them. "But they hope you will go one family at a time."
"We will," Brad said. "What order are we going to go in?"
"Probably in alphabetical order," Darnley said jokingly.
"Or Roshambo it," Castle commented.
"That'll take too long," Jacob said in mock annoyance.
"Go," Skye said to Castle and Beckett.
Knowing her husband wanted to joke about them being sure, Beckett took her husband's arm and said to their family, "We remember what you wanted," before they headed inside the restaurant.
Martha was gently bouncing Josie on her lap; the baby calling for her mother; and kissed her temple saying, "They'll be right back kiddo. You don't need to worry at all." She was about to ask if she wanted to walk a little when Eliza was hurrying over to her and asking her about the plaza.
"Can we take Josa to walk with us?" the little girl was saying.
Laughing softly at how quickly her granddaughter spoke, Martha said, "I think so. As long as you promise me you'll walk with her."
"We're going to try to play after dinner," Julia said, coming over and reaching out for Josie.
"Alright, but once your parents come out with the food you'll need to stop," Martha said. When Eliza cried out, "We don't care!" she shared a smile with Jim as the kids were starting to help Josie walk around the square in front of the tables.
"I'm so glad they're not angry with us for ordering so much," Castle told his wife while they were walking out of the restaurant with a worker following them.
"Me too, luckily we're the most that are going to order at one time," Beckett said with a smile. She then looked ahead of them and saw their daughters had Josie and were walking with her. "They're not playing?" she asked her father and mother in law in surprise.
"They said they wanted to play after dinner," Bethany commented. "I just hope they will not make themselves sick."
"They shouldn't," Martha told her.
"Girls," Castle called to them. "We need to start eating a little bit." He wasn't surprised the other kids were following and said, "Your parents just went in," to Maddy and Keo.
"Tata?" the baby boy asked.
"Tata and Daddy will come back," Maddy told her little brother.
"I hope soon," Eliza said, leaning against her father's legs. "I'm hungry."
"I said we needed to start," Castle told her, handing her a calamari ring. "Be careful, it might be hot still," he said quickly while she was starting to eat it.
"It looks like it's fine," Darnley said when he and Nkosi were walking out with their food. "Hopefully this doesn't take too long," he commented as their two kids were hurrying over to them. "Here," he said, handing Keo a croqueta he had broken in half.
After the other three families had gotten their food, the group started to eat, talking with Xavi and Beatriz before they were talking about the trip. Hearing that, Eve raised her hand suddenly before her father was asking her what was wrong.
"Nothing's wrong," Eve said with a smile. "We're just wondering where we're going tomorrow; you didn't tell us." She then pretended to roll her eyes in annoyance and added, "As usual."
"We can tell you now," Beckett said before Brad could respond to that. "But first we're going to the palace."
"A palace?" Dani said eagerly.
"Exactly. We're going to walk around and then head to a mall for the rest of the day," Castle said. He tried not to laugh when the kids looked surprised and he said, "Just for the night, since we want you kids to see one."
"We thought you might want to," Brad said.
"We do," Eve said quickly.
"That's it?" Eliza asked.
Smiling, Beckett asked her, "That's not enough?"
"What else?" Eliza asked her.
Laughing softly, Beckett shook her head and said, "We're not going to say until tomorrow night. Are you finished up?"
"Yeah," Eliza replied. "We can go play now right?"
"Go ahead, but take it easy on running at first," Castle told her.
"Could we walk around first?" Julia asked, not surprised when the other kids said it was a good idea. She was pleased when they got permission from their parents and she went with them except for the four youngest to start walking around and looking at what was on the main level of the square.
Back at the tables, Castle reached over and took Josie's hand saying, "It was a good first day."
Before she could respond, Beckett was laughing when the others were agreeing and she shook her head before telling him, "It was, but we didn't finish just yet."
"Going to be a long rest of the day," Skye commented, seeing two people whispering before they were heading over to them.
Beckett took her husband's free hand, squeezing it tightly before they were watching when Skye and Mary were talking to the pair before they were taking a picture with them. She glanced back at the kids, smiling as she saw they'd begun their playing, looking as if they were going to play tag. Her attention was taken by Josie, the baby calling to her and she leaned down, kissing her gently on the lips before she and Castle were playing with their youngest while they relaxed and enjoyed their wine that warm summer evening.