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: As it says this is the epilogue, so we've come to the end of the story. I do have another one ready to post so if you'd like to read that it'll be posted next week!
A/N #2: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song Killer Queen written by Freddie Mercury, from the Queen album Sheer Heart Attack.
A/N #3: It was great to get feedback for the last chapter, so I'll go into my thanks you for that! Mb (Happy to see you thought the last chapter was nicely done. And I wasn't surprised you thought it was good to have everyone back together. I was really pleased to read you think Alexis and Louis are cute together, I wanted to convey them as that! And to clear up, Alexis isn't pregnant, he just put his hand on her stomach since I wanted to show he's eager for when that happens. I was glad to see you enjoyed Castle and Beckett taking advantage of Josie's nap to have as you said short but fulfilling sexy times! Great to read you thought the first half of the chapter was nicely done! You're welcome for the first half! It was nice to see that you thought the second half was wonderfully written again. And I was pleased you thought the family time at the start was sweet, funny and loving! Had to laugh at you commenting on how Castle and Beckett finished the chapter with them being loving, sexy and passion. Also glad you thought all that was dialed up past high since it's what I wanted to convey! Great you thought the second half was wonderful! And you're welcome for the second half too!) and
Guest (Hey, thanks for letting me know that you're enjoying the stories I have. And no, Alexis isn't pregnant, I guess it was misleading what I wrote, sorry about that, especially if it was Louis putting his hand on her stomach, as I said in the response above I meant it as a sign that Louis wants them to eventually be pregnant though I do have a timeline for when Alexis will be pregnant as I've planned ahead. And I'm really happy to see that you think Castle and Beckett are hot, I do my best to convey them as such because that's how I see them! You're welcome for the series and thank you for reading and enjoying and this review too since I know not everyone can work in the time to review of course, so it means a lot!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
Also thanks to those who have read this story and reviewed it, also favorited it and followed it. I appreciate it and thanks as well to those who might do any of those in the future!
A/N #4: The title of this chapter is part of the title of the song Killer Queen, information in the A/N above.
That Way Inclined
"Kate? Kate will you answer? Are you okay?" Skye was saying. She then gasped and turned to her wife saying, "We better call for help, she's panicking."
"I am not," Beckett herself said, coming out of the half of the room that was blocked from the other with a curtain. "I was making sure everything was set. We need to start, don't we?"
"You do," Mary said with a smile. She then said with a slight laugh, "You're terrible grá."
"I do my best," Skye replied. "Do you need help with your cap and veil?"
"I'll manage," Beckett said wryly since they were wearing the outfits for the Killer Queen video they were filming that morning.
"Great, we'll grab your family to let them see you," Skye said before leaving.
"I'll close the door," Mary said with another smile before she was leaving the room.
Turning to the mirror in the room, Beckett was taking the cap with the veil attached. She set it on her head, pinning it before drawing the veil over her face before she turned at the knock on the door. "Come in," she said with a smile, watching while her three youngest daughters came inside first and the two oldest were gasping.
"Mom, you look so cool!" Julia exclaimed first.
"And really pretty!" Eliza said eagerly as they walked up to her.
"Thank you, girls," Beckett told her, taking Josie from Julia though she tried to stop her. "It's alright," she told them with a smile. She then turned to her husband and said, "Good?"
"Yeah," Castle said before he turned to his father in law.
"Surprised?" Beckett asked, looking at him herself.
"A little," Jim replied, shaking himself. "You described it, but I never could see it," he explained. "You look very nice."
"Thank you," Beckett said, smiling because she knew he wasn't sure what word he could use. She handed Josie to him and watched as the girls left before she went to her husband saying, "I need to head over to get my makeup," while she put her veil back up.
Nodding, Castle said, "Then really quickly?" When she nodded, he laughed briefly before brushing his lips to hers. "Thank you love," he told her.
"Don't thank me," Beckett said. She heard someone calling to her outside the room before she said, "I better go."
"Yeah," Castle said before they kissed gently and hurried out of the room. He had to let her go on her own to get makeup before Jackie's husband was calling to him.
"Luckily we're not getting anything too heavy," Skye commented as they were sitting in chairs and getting their makeup done.
"Lipstick might be," Barry commented.
"What, you asked for it?" Skye said jokingly.
Beckett smiled when the drummer merely smiled before she said, "I like how you painted your nails." When the men nodded; Raj having painted nails too; she smiled as their makeup was being applied. She then went through the process herself and looked at Skye as soon as she was finished, about to ask the investigator what she thought when Mary was speaking first.
"Well, we're ready I think," the doctor said.
"Why are you all looking at me?" Beckett said in mock annoyance as the band all had.
"You're the civilian… as it were," Skye said with a smile. She got up and peered at her reflection for a moment before she said, "Alright, we're off."
Following the band out of the room, Beckett was startled when the investigator lingered and said, "If you ask me-"
"Not that," Skye said quickly. "I'm terrified," she said, clutching her friend's arm.
"Shouldn't you be talking about this with Mary?" Beckett asked.
"She knows and she feels the same," Skye replied. "Slightly less but she understands. Please tell me I won't make a fool of myself."
"You know you'll likely mess up here and there," Beckett pointed out.
Breathing out roughly, Skye nodded and said, "Mary's been telling me the same thing. I just hope we manage to film the entire video in the end."
"I think we will," Beckett said. "Come on, they're going to be waiting for us."
"Yeah," Skye said though she was letting Beckett push her out to the studio.
Beckett, once she was sure Mary was going to go to her wife, walked to her family and frowned for a moment went she saw her husband was speaking to their middle daughters. "What is it?" she asked once she was close enough to them, drawing her veil back down.
"They see the band," Castle commented.
"Adam Lambert is here too Mom," Julia whispered to her mother.
Turning, Beckett saw she was right, the singer standing with Brian May and Roger Taylor and Skye and Mary were walking over to them. She smiled as they both hugged the three men quickly before the rest of the band was joining them and they were greeting the three.
"Just a moment," Roger said. "You're missing someone aren't you?"
"We are," Skye said. "Kate," she called.
"I'll call you over to meet them," Beckett told her daughters with a smile before she walked to the others.
"You remember Roger and Brian," Skye said to her friend once she was with them. "But you haven't had the chance to meet Adam Lambert. Adam, this is Kate Beckett; our band photographer and our friend… should I have led with the last first?"
"It's good enough," Beckett said in amusement while she shook the singer's hand. "It's nice to meet you," she told him.
"Great to meet you," Adam replied with a nod. "I was wondering still why they asked a writer to be in the video but I'm seeing it more now."
"Are we meeting your family?" Roger asked. When the writer looked at him questioningly, he smiled and said, "Couldn't help notice your daughters…" Beckett nodded and he said quickly, "Your daughters glancing at us."
"They are," Beckett replied. "Would you mind at all; they are fans."
"That wouldn't be a problem," Brian said, looking at the director for the video. "Dex is setting a few more things up."
"Oh, I think they want to meet you," Castle said, having been watching his wife and seeing her motioning to him.
"Are you sure?" Eliza asked her father as they were walking to the others.
"I think so," Castle said with a smile before he was ushering them over. He shook the two original members of the band's hands before letting Skye introduce them.
"And these three," the investigator finished with after the three men had shaken Castle and Jim's hands. "Are Josie, Eliza and Julia."
"You're the one who's going to dance at the concert," Adam said.
"Yeah," Julia said, trying not to sound too shy. "I'm glad to meet you."
"Me too," Eliza said quickly.
"Are you planning on them being in the video?" Roger asked Skye.
"No, if that was the case our girls would be here," the investigator said, nodding to her wife. "They're here to watch their mother."
"And the rest of you," Julia said quickly. "We just want to see the video."
"So do we," Raj said before they were laughing together.
"We're ready for you all," the director said, walking up to them when they were stopping.
"Break a leg," Castle told his wife, taking her hand and squeezing it.
Smiling her thanks at him, Beckett walked after the O'Dells before Skye went to the director, speaking with him. "Are we knowing anything beforehand?" she asked Mary.
"Probably just the start," the doctor said. She looked at Beckett, and seeing the uncertainty on her face she said, "I know, but it's up to Skye," before her wife was walking up to them and speaking quickly.
"Are you two ready?" Skye asked them. When the two nodded she said, "Okay, so you're aware it starts out with fingers snapping right?"
"Yeah, you're telling us this?" Mary asked.
"I am," Skye replied. "Since apparently I'm the… choreographer or whatever. The camera will be on my fingers and pan out to the three of us and I'll start there. Kate?"
"Yes," Beckett replied, startled when Skye suddenly opened a fan with one hand and handed it to her.
"Try opening it and if it doesn't look good, Dex is going to call cut and we'll have you with it open," Skye said.
"That's it?" Beckett asked in surprise. "What else am I doing if we keep going?"
"We're going through each verse and chorus at a time," Skye said. "So we may have to refilm."
"Skye," the director called.
"Yeah," the investigator replied. Skye turned to Beckett told her, "Just block your face here and there until I'm addressing you; you'll notice."
Nodding, Beckett stood to Skye's left slightly behind her while Mary was to the investigator's right. She looked down at the fan but didn't close it, deciding to leave it open before she looked at the doctor, startled to see she was holding a guitar neck. "What happened to it?" she couldn't help asking as the rest of the guitar had a body nearly as thin as the guitar neck.
"Diet," Skye commented before they were laughing.
The three needed to stop when the director was calling for quiet and they got back into their positions before the music was starting. Skye snapped her fingers first, watching the camera and doing that until the lyrics began.
With the first lyric, the camera was on Skye's face and she stepped back twice to her wife and Beckett while she lip synced to the recording, looking at them each in turn. With the third she shared a nod with Beckett as she was fanning herself lightly and then stepped away from the two slightly, gesturing with her arm since she knew the camera above them was filming to take in the garden scene they'd decided on for the setting. She'd lip synced the fourth lyric and going into the fifth and sixth she stepped over to her wife and with the start of the seventh she brushed her fingers against her cheek before moving her index finger back and forth.
She keeps her Moet et Chandon
In her pretty cabinet
"Let them eat cake" she says
Just like Marie Antoinette
A built-in remedy
For Khrushchev and Kennedy
At anytime an invitation
You can't decline
With the beginning of the next verse, Skye had wrapped her arm around her wife, letting her left hand lay out flat before she turned to Beckett lip syncing the second lyric. On the last she turned to her wife and let her fingers rest on the strings there for a moment.
Caviar and cigarettes
Well versed in etiquette
Extraordinarily nice
"Cut!" Dex called before he stood up. "How was that?" he then asked Roger and Brian behind him.
"Good, I like how you had the fan," Roger told Beckett.
"And the guitar," Brian said to Mary.
After the two women had thanked the band members, Skye turned to them though she was soon looking at her friend who was speaking first.
"This is where I start lip syncing?" Beckett asked. When her friend nodded, she breathed out hard and said, "Okay, what're we doing now?"
"Also, are we doing this the next times we sing the chorus?" Mary asked.
"I don't think so," Skye said slowly. "I'll see how I feel. So for this, Kate hold the fan down; fan yourself or don't, we'll see how it looks of course." She paused and then said to Dex, "It's alright in the back?"
"Yeah, you three are doing marvelously," the man said, giving the rest of the band a thumbs up. "Doing alright?" he then directed to them.
"Great," Barry called first.
"Yeah, though I see why you guys weren't happy on Top of the Pops," Jackie said, shaking her head since they weren't really playing their instruments.
"You're doing a great job though," Roger said. "If I wasn't here I'd think you were playing."
"Okay," Skye said when everyone was looking at her. She turned her attention to her wife and Beckett and said, "Other than what I told you do whatever you want really, I didn't have much for the chorus. All we need to really do is look at the camera here since they might take from this one and the ones on the others behind."
"Sounds good," Beckett said first. She wasn't surprised when Skye looked at her questioningly and she merely smiled reassuringly before she waited for the investigator to tell the director they were ready. She prepared herself, glancing at her husband and smiling again when she saw he was giving her a thumbs up quickly before the director was yelling, "Action!"
Castle was watching his wife during the chorus, not surprised she held the fan down at her chest. He was relieved she seemed to be okay lip syncing and then gently bounced Josie as the baby shifted on his hip. He checked to make sure she was okay before turning his attention back to the set in front of him.
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatin
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Beckett was a little thrown when in the second part of the chorus Skye was suddenly moving, twirling the mic stand she was holding the first lyric. She raised her fan then and fluttered it a little but was careful not to block her face as for the second lyric the investigator held the stand against her chest. She couldn't see Skye's face for the last lyric, but for some reason had the feeling her friend was slightly smirking with those two words while she was holding out her left hand again and curling her fingers in a roll to her palm in a beckoning gesture.
Recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?
Beckett was a little annoyed they ended up filming the chorus again, but Barry ended up sneezing loudly just as they were finishing, and they couldn't help laughing together. When they stopped, she focused on lip syncing and making sure her arm didn't grow tired holding her fan in the same position. She was relieved when they were able to take a break and she said to Skye, "Not much movement."
"If I wanted to pirouette all over the place I'd have asked Julia to help," the investigator replied with a smile. She heard Dex calling to them and then said, "Okay there's a short instrumental here Kate; I'll be looking to Mary so I think if you did the same that would be nice; however you do it is your choice. We'll go into the next verse and there I might interact with the two of you more so just go along with what I do if possible."
Castle watched his wife nodded and for the chorus smiled seeing Skye was almost draped over her wife as she was 'playing' the guitar she held and the three in the back were as well. He watched his wife lean on Skye's shoulder, watching the guitar as well before they were moving to the verse and Julia was squeezing his hand before he leaned down for her to whisper into his ear.
"Is Mom okay?" Julia asked.
A little surprised she couldn't tell; Castle was about to mention that to her when he realized why she'd said that, and he quickly nodded. He was startled she had thought her mother was still having a problem with being in the video but knew Julia was worried that was the case. He shook himself when Skye singing was starting up again and he turned his attention to everyone to see what they would do exactly for that verse.
With the first lyric, Beckett moved away from Skye and the investigator moved away from Mary. Going into the second, Skye held up the mic and stand, curling her fingers around the mic with her left and the stand with her right. She sang the third and fourth lyrics like that before she was letting go of the stand and going over to Mary after she turned to Beckett and the writer brushed her closed fan under her chin. On the fifth lyric she was reaching to her wife and she turned her head with her first two fingers through the rest of the verse.
To avoid complications
She never kept the same address
In conversation
She spoke just like a baroness
Met a man from China
Went down to Geisha Minah
Then again incidentally
If you're that way inclined
Moving into the next verse, Beckett stepped close to Skye who was still with Mary and they all mouthed the word naturally together. At the second verse, the investigator was leaning her arm on her wife's shoulder while Becket snapped open the fan in front Skye and let the edge pass near her left cheek while the investigator was sliding her fingers across the top end of the guitar neck.
Perfume came naturally from Paris (naturally)
For cars she couldn't care less
Fastidious and precise
The group had to pause then as Skye suddenly let out a yell before she was stomping back to the rest of the band.
"Are you alright?" Dex asked after he'd called cut.
"Yeah, I mouthed the wrong word," Skye explained.
"She did," a crew member said when the director looked at him. "Both of them."
"Alright, let's take it from the top of both verses," Dex told them.
Beckett tried her best to remember what she had done for the verses and was relieved when they were able to get it set before they were stopping again. "This is going quickly again," she commented.
"It's why I asked for Dex," Skye replied with a smile. "He's a friend of Anne's; back in LA?"
"I remember her," Beckett said. "How is she?"
"Good, she's directing a short film right now… I think documentary but she's off in… Botswana," Skye said. "Do you need water or anything?"
"I'm fine," Beckett said with a smile as the investigator was talking to her. "But you know I think we should talk about the chorus."
"Just see what I do and follow; like we did before," Skye said with a brief nod. She smiled and said, "You're doing well."
"It's not as hard as I thought it was going to be," Beckett said. "So far."
"Are you ready?" Dex asked them.
"Yeah, we can go ahead and start," Skye said, looking at the rest of the band.
When the three nodded, they were getting ready to start again and once the song was playing again, they lip synced together. Skye stayed close with her wife and Beckett and they didn't do much in the way of movements as they were staying close together.
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatin
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
At the second instrumental there, Skye was walking around to the other side of Mary as she was 'playing' that, and she looked at Beckett who was coming up to her wife's left. She couldn't help playing her mic stand as if it were a guitar before she and Beckett were walking back to their original positions. Since she knew she shouldn't pass in front of Mary, she was instead going around her behind as she moved her right hand onto her shoulder, so she was holding her as she moved along to the music before she was raising the mic stand to make a circle before they stopped. "Good?" she asked the director as he came up to them.
"Beautiful," the man replied. "And thank you for not walking in front of Mary by the way."
"I had a feeling," Skye told her before she looked back at the other three members of the band.
"Don't worry," Jackie said immediately and with a smile.
"Yeah, we're fine back here," Barry said.
"We're not the performers," Raj added.
"Neither am I," Mary said jokingly. "Cowards," she added teasingly.
"Get on with it," Barry said in mock annoyance.
"Alright, alright," Skye said, pretending to toss the mic stand at them. She then turned to Beckett and said, "Same rules as before but I should warn you, something is telling me to turn towards you this time."
"I'm fairly warned," Beckett said with a smile. They then turned their attention to Dex when the director was calling for action and playback and the next verse started. She wasn't surprised when Skye was focusing on her that time at the beginning, putting her hand on her shoulder as she was fanning herself lightly. With the second lyric she was doing her best not to smile when her friend then 'walked' her fingers over her shoulder before she turned swiftly to the camera, holding onto the mic with both hands, expecting her to go over to her wife which she shortly after did.
On the third lyric, Skye leaned back towards her wife as she lip synced, and then straightened up, looking at Mary while she was doing the same with the fourth. She then reached up to her head and pretended to claw at her hair with the fifth lyric before she pressed against her wife's side lip syncing the last lyric.
Drop of a hat she's as willing as
Playful as a pussy cat
Then momentarily out of action
Temporarily out of gas
To drive you wild, wild
She's all out to get you
"Okay, you did that perfectly," Dex said when they stopped filming. "Do you want to run through the last bit of the song?"
"That would be nice," Skye replied. "Feeling a bit peckish."
"Alright," the director said with a laugh. "We'll do that now whenever you're ready."
"Okay, the second part of the chorus," Skye started to say as she turned to Beckett. "Do anything you like."
"What about the first part grá?" Mary asked her.
"The same, I thought that was a given," Skye said with a smile.
"Basically," Beckett said to reassure the investigator when she looked at her.
"Okay, then let's get started," Skye said, turning to Dex. The music played back, and they were lip syncing together both parts of the chorus. That time she was grabbing at her coat in the middle and pointing the mic stand at the third and fourth lyrics of the first part of the chorus, not realizing she was doing that. She then shook herself by turning to her wife before the very last line of the song and they were all lip syncing that a few times as they were moving around slightly since there was going to be some kind of effect added onto the video once they were finished.
She's a Killer Queen
Gunpowder, gelatin
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?
"That's a wrap," the director then called.
Breathing out hard, Beckett closed the fan and said, "Good thing, my wrist was starting to get sore."
Laughing, Skye nodded in agreement and said, "My arms from this," lightly raising the mic and stand. "But we did it," she said before looking at Brian, Rodger and Adam as they were walking up to them.
"Did they like it?" Eliza was asking her father.
"I think so," Castle replied with a smile.
"He's right," Jim then told his granddaughter as she was frowning slightly. "They're not asking them to film again," he then pointed out to her.
"Ooh, good thing," Eliza said. "What will Mommy do with the coat?"
"She has to give it back to Stella," Julia said since she'd already asked their mother that. "Too bad she couldn't keep the fan."
"I can keep the fan," Beckett said. "Stella was nice enough to let me do that," she added with a smile when her middle daughters were crying out and hurrying up to her, hugging her tightly. "I'm guessing you liked it?" she asked them as she was continuing to smile.
"I thought it was awesome," Julia said firmly. "And you looked great."
"Yeah, you looked like you were part of the band," Eliza said.
"They're right," Castle said. "It's a good thing Mother didn't see you; she'd rope you into going to the theater back at home."
"She tried already," Beckett said. She laughed softly when her husband looked at her with wide eyes and said, "I need to go change," before she was turning as she heard footsteps behind her.
"We wanted to thank you," Roger said with a smile.
"It wasn't a problem," Beckett said, shaking his hand and then Brian's.
"And we wanted to make sure we'll see you all in Madison Square Garden next month for the rehearsals?" the guitarist was asking.
"We'll be there," Julia said immediately.
"Good, then we'll see what you've got with your partners," Brian told her.
Julia nodded, surprised the muscles in her face weren't sore from how hard she was smiling. She said goodbye to the two band members with her family and sighed before saying, "I hope I do as good dancing as you did in the video Mom."
"You will," Beckett said firmly, hugging her. When they let go of each other she told her husband, "I need to change, I'll meet you in the lobby alright?"
"Where are we going now?" Eliza asked.
"You'll see," Beckett told her with a smile before she was going after Skye and Mary to the room where they'd changed. "Quick question," she said to the two women after the door was closed behind them. "Why am I changing with you?"
"Who knows?" Skye said.
"Ugh, someone opened the curtain, do we need to put it back? It weighs a ton," Mary commented.
"I'm fine changing here," Skye said first.
"I am too, and I'd like to hurry to get to lunch," Beckett said before they went to where their clothes were folded on opposite sides at the end of the room. As she was taking off her jacket she said to Skye, "Looking forward to wearing that again?"
"Very, especially since I won't have the ruddy hat," the investigator answered. Skye then laughed briefly and said, "I'm sorry you couldn't keep yours."
"I don't care, it'll be interesting to see what Stella does with it," Beckett said, removing it. She took off her trousers next and slipped on her leggings first. She then put on the shirt dress her oldest had gotten her in Paris and then turned to the two women. "Are you sure you can't come to lunch?" she asked them.
"For the last time no," Skye said in mock irritation. She smiled and said, "I'm serious, we have a scheduled flight, but I understand the sentiment." She went to her friend and hugged her tightly before saying, "Thank you so much for doing this with us."
"I was happy to," Beckett replied seriously. When they let go of each other she told her, "And if you need another favor…"
"Remember This Song's going to have a video," Skye said firmly.
Beckett nodded and then laughed when the other two women did before they gathered what they needed to take and left the room. She was disappointed they were going to be departing but couldn't help thinking of her own plans with her family as they walked to the lobby to finish their day of working on the tribute concert.
"Do you want my pickle Daddy?" Eliza asked, wrinkling her nose when she saw it wrapped with her pastrami sandwich.
"Thank you," Castle replied, taking the half. "Make sure you eat your coleslaw." He wasn't surprised when the little girl nodded and was about to eat himself when Julia was suddenly asking about the park though he wasn't surprised about that either.
"Are we going to get to walk around?" she asked.
"Of course, we need some good pictures," Jim told his granddaughter before her parents could reply.
"He's right," Beckett said in amusement when Julia and Eliza turned to her and Castle.
"Plus, Josie hasn't had the chance to see New York in the fall," Castle commented.
"We were in LA last year this time," Julia told Eliza when she opened her mouth to speak.
Stopping, Eliza obviously thought that over and then said, "I forgot, that was a year ago!" She then looked at her big sister and said, "Are you sad?"
Shrugging Julia said, "Not really, Derek isn't even in this season so it's okay."
"But you wish you were dancing," Jim told his granddaughter.
"Of course," Julia said, nodding her head. She smiled then and said, "But at least I have my dance class." They ate for a while before she said, "What are we doing after this exactly though?"
"Did you want to go to the carousel?" Castle asked with a smile.
"Kind of," Julia admitted. "But we're far aren't we?"
"A little," Beckett replied. She then turned to her father and asked, "You wanted to head back soon?"
"I did," Jim said before he looked at the girls. "It's better if we do it that way, we won't get home too late." He was startled when the girls were merely shrugging before he looked over at his daughter.
"I think they want to leave," Beckett explained.
"That way we have more time together," Castle added. "But you know you don't need to do that," he directed to the girls. When they shrugged again, he couldn't help laughing and said, "I think that's all we can say," to his wife.
"I think so," Beckett replied. They finished their lunch and she helped Josie up to let the baby stand before she kissed the side of her head. "Are you ready to walk?" she asked.
"You're gonna let her walk?" Eliza asked in surprise.
"Will you take her for a little?" Beckett responded with her own question.
"Okay," Eliza said eagerly.
"Ready?" Beckett asked her husband.
"Yeah," Castle said as he was watching Eliza taking Josie's hand.
Beckett smiled, watching the two as well, before she glanced at Julia to see she had already taken a picture of the trees around them. She went over to her as they were walking to the nearest path and said, "You don't want to head to the carousel?"
"We'll leave at two Mom," Julia told her, smiling at her. "Like Grandpapa said."
"That's only an hour though," Beckett said.
"You know it kinda sounds like you don't want to spend time with Dad," Julia said, grinning a little at her mother.
"Smart aleck," Beckett told her. "And I do but we'd like to spend time with you and your sisters you know."
"You will when you come home tomorrow," Julia replied. "And then next week too."
Sighing, Beckett said, "Okay, then we're just walking around."
"Not for an hour," Castle said, walking with Eliza and Josie.
"What're we gonna do Daddy?" the former asked.
"Dada!" Josie cried suddenly.
"Let me take her," Castle said, not surprised when Eliza nodded rapidly before he picked the baby up. He put her on his shoulders and then said, "We'll stop for a snack."
"And play with the bubbles we brought?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"Yes," Beckett said. "I get the feeling you're not going to forget about those."
"No way," Julia said quickly. She laughed with the others before they continued down the path they were on and she took pictures of the changing foliage. She wasn't sure how long they were walking, only that they were soon in a small clearing and were sitting on the blanket her grandfather had brought from where they'd eaten lunch. When she saw the apples her father was getting from the bag her mother had brought she said, "That's the snack?"
"You can tell her," Beckett said with a smile since she knew what Julia had seen at the deli they'd gotten lunch from though she was startled when Eliza was suddenly speaking laughingly to them.
"I saw what it was," the little girl said. "You got some rugelach, what kind?"
"Cinnamon and chocolate," Beckett replied. "But run around a little first okay?"
"Sure," Julia said, having gotten her bottle of bubbles from the bag.
"Wait for me!" Eliza said eagerly. She hurried to her sister and got her bottle before they were going out to the grass and starting to blow some bubbles. They did that away from the rest of their family for a while before she went back to the blanket and started to blow bubbles for Josie.
The baby was walking to her big sister, reaching out for the bubbles and laughing as they were floating above them. She then started walking away before Julia stopped in front of her and she cried out, "Ju'es!"
"Was that your name?" Eliza asked.
"It's close," Julia replied. "Try saying the l Josa, Jules."
"Ju-l," Josie started to say before she stopped.
"Jules," Eliza then told her.
"Jules," Josie said slowly.
Julia wrapped her arms around her sister once she'd set down her bubbles and held her on her hip. "Now you need to say Lizzy."
"Sa," Josie said immediately, laughing after her two sisters had started doing so. She wrapped her arms around Julia's neck and laughed when she kissed her cheek before she was back on the ground.
"Let us blow some bubbles for you Josa," Julia said.
"I will too," Eliza said.
Watching the girls, Castle squeezed his wife's hand he'd taken and told her, "They were wondering which one of them she'd be able to say the name of first."
"I know, I heard them," Beckett said. She smiled at him and then said, "But Eliza and Alexis thought she'd say Julia's first."
"It's sweet they're so close," Jim commented.
"That's Julia," Beckett told her father. "Remember she wanted a sibling."
"I think it's more than that," Castle said as his father in law was nodding. He smiled when his wife looked at him and he then said, "I don't know why but she's just close with them."
"It's the same as when she met Alexis," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded and she smiled telling him, "So it's not a surprise. Also, I get the feeling it's because it's easier for her to say her name."
"Or that," Castle said with a nod before they turned their attention back to their daughters.
"Eliza," Beckett said immediately.
"Ooh," the little girl said with a groan as she'd been starting to climb a tree. She came back down and brushed off her hands before walking to the blanket. "Am I in trouble?" Eliza asked her parents.
"No, but you need to wash your hands," Castle said, getting a bottle of water. After she'd dried her hands off, he gave her some hand sanitizer and called to Julia and Josie.
"Time for dessert?" Julia asked, cleaning her hands quickly as well.
"It is," Beckett said as she took out the container with the cookies. She let her father get one first before letting Julia and Eliza grab a cookie each. After her husband had one, she took out a cinnamon one for Josie before she got another for herself. She let the baby feed herself, smiling as Josie was after eating half of it.
"She's making a mess," Julia said jokingly.
"I know," Castle said, getting the apples out. "We forgot the fruit love," he told his wife, showing her the bag.
"We'll eat those now," Eliza said. "And then one more cookie."
"At least you're limiting yourself to one more," Jim said with a smile when the girls were given apple slices after their father had peeled them.
"Don't try to throw them in their mouths," Beckett was telling her husband sternly as she spotted him nodding to them.
"You're no fun," Castle said.
"I know, but it's a waste of food," Beckett said.
"What if I did this?" Castle asked. Before his wife could say anything, he was tossing half a slice into the air and catching it. "Just one time?" he asked her when their daughters were applauding.
"Yes," Beckett said, smiling at his tone of voice. She made Josie stop clapping her hands and brushed her lips to her forehead before giving her a small slice and turning to them herself. After they had eaten for a bit she glanced at her watch and saw it was nearly time for the others to leave before her father was speaking.
"We could wait another hou-" Jim started to say.
"No!" Julia and Eliza said at the same time, Josie squealing in reaction to her sisters.
"I guess it's a no," Castle said, finishing his second cookie. He brushed off his hands and then said, "But we want to play a little with you three."
"Okay," Eliza said eagerly. She went to her father and took his hand asking, "Could we climb a tree?"
Laughing, Castle told her, "I don't think we can sweetheart; your mom made that very clear."
Frowning for a moment, Eliza then looked up at him and said, "Could we play tag?"
"Let's play with the bubbles," Beckett said, having stood up and gone over to them.
"That way Josa can play," Julia added to her little sister.
"Okay," Eliza said as she went to get her bottle. She opened it and took out the wand, blowing on the end and letting out a stream of bubbles that Josie squealed over.
"Come on sweetie," Beckett was telling the baby when Julie blew some bubbles straight out. She followed her as she was walking after them and kissed the side of her head for a moment before straightening up. When the bubbles were gone, she took her hand and said, "Want to get some more?"
"Mama," Josie said, looking up at her. "Jules."
"I know, we have to go back to her," Beckett said with a smile. They went back to the girls and Castle and she said, "She's enjoying chasing after them." She was a little startled when her husband suddenly leaned down to her and kissed her gently before she said, "Really?"
"I couldn't help myself," Castle said seriously.
"I can see that," Beckett replied in amusement. She then cupped his cheek for a moment before they looked at their daughters to see Eliza was helping Josie holding her bubble wand and making her wave her hand to let the bubbles come out.
"Don't let her hold that by herself," Castle said. "It'll go right into her mouth."
"I won't," Eliza said firmly, taking the wand back and dipping it into the solution. She blew out some bubbles and then watched as Josie was going after them again.
"Here Dad," Julia said, handing him her bottle. She grabbed her baby sister and spun her a little as Eliza was blowing bubbles for them. When she stopped, she realized there was more than their sister could be making and looked to see her father had started.
"Stop or keep going?" Castle asked her.
"Keep going," Julia said, smiling before she playfully jogged with Josie squealing. They did that for a while before she set her down and then made her sit down on the grass.
Joining them, Beckett took Josie into her arms and kissed the side of her head, trying to get the baby to sit back down. "Sorry Julia," she said with a smile.
The girl was about to tell her mother it was okay but had to wait until after Josie had cried out her name. "It's fine Mom, I remember Lizzy was a lot like that," Julia finally said. She then said, "But she likes walking in the leaves."
"Then she's definitely your daughter Rick," Beckett said teasingly.
"You said you liked to do it too," Castle commented. He laughed when she merely smiled at him and he had to almost fight against himself to not lean over and kiss her again. Instead he turned his attention to Josie, seeing the baby had moved to sit on her mother's lap before Eliza was speaking in a rush.
"Is she gonna sleep?" the little girl asked.
"She needs to," Castle said, looking at his wife.
"I hope she won't be a problem later tonight Dad," Beckett told her father as they'd gotten up since it was after two by then.
"I don't think so," Jim said, knowing his daughter was talking about when he and Martha needed to put the baby to bed. "Remember I took care of you when you were at your most difficult."
"Just because I didn't want to sleep," Beckett said in mock annoyance.
"When was that?" Julia asked.
"When she was four," Jim replied. "Though there were a few nights when she was Josie's age it was a little harder to get her to sleep," he added. "But you know I'm only teasing your mom."
Smiling widely Julia said, "We were all the same."
"You were," Castle said, having gotten Josie set in her carrier on her stroller. "But just play with her after dinner and make sure she's tired."
"We will," Julia said with a nod. She then smiled and said, "Don't worry Mom, Dad. We're happy to go back."
"That sounds so weird," Castle said in amusement to his wife.
"We don't mind going," Julia said, frowning before she smiled at her father and hugged him tightly. They were walking to the nearest street so they could return to the loft and asked, "You're going to dress up right?"
"Right," Castle replied.
"Do you want us to take a picture before we go to the restaurant?" Beckett asked, smiling slightly.
"No," Julia said. "Just have fun."
"We will," Beckett said with a soft laugh.
"Will you play UNO?" Eliza asked.
"That we'll need to wait and see," Castle said. He shared a look with his wife before they were at the street and he was hailing a cab to get his father in law's car at the loft so they could return home to the Hamptons.
"Grandpapa?"
"Yes honey?" Jim said, glancing at his granddaughter quickly.
"Do you mind having to drive us home?" Julia asked.
"No," Jim replied with a smile. "Did you think I didn't want to?" He saw her hesitating and smiled slightly at her again saying, "It's okay."
"I thought you thought we should have stayed in the city with Mom and Dad," Julia began slowly. "Or that they should have come home with us."
Shaking his head, though he was keeping his eyes on the road, Jim said, "Oh no, I can't blame your parents for wanting to have some time alone. But you two should know you don't have to push them so much."
Glancing into the backseat at her little sisters; both asleep; Julia smiled and then said, "We can't help it."
"I know, I'm glad you want them to stay together." Jim then said, "But I'm glad they did stay."
"So am I," Julia said. "Are you still worried about Mom at all?" she asked him.
"No, she's fine now," Jim said, since his granddaughter was aware of how he'd always been concerned about Beckett. "And you don't need to worry about her either."
"I still will," Julia said.
"You're a lot like your mom," Jim told her.
"How?" Julia asked, a little confused.
"She worried about her mother too," Jim replied. "And she did worry about us but not as much as you girls have."
"Did you mind?" Julia asked.
"No," Jim said. "But I didn't want her to."
"Like Mom," Julia said, smiling at him. She looked out of the windshield and said, "I like sitting in front."
"Enjoy it while you can," Jim said.
Laughing softly; trying not to wake her sisters up; Julia asked, "I will. But Grandpapa, is the restaurant they're going to a good one?"
"It is," Jim replied. "It's been around for a while and your father seems to love it."
"Think he minds living out in the Hamptons now?" Julia asked him.
"No," Jim replied.
"Do you?" Julia then asked.
Smiling, Jim chanced a quick look at her before telling her, "Not at all, I'm very happy to be out here on the island. It's very relaxing."
"I'm glad you like the beach," Julia told him.
"Me too," Jim replied with a slight laugh, reaching over and squeezing her hand.
Julia turned her attention to the window, watching the scenery as they were heading back home. She couldn't help thinking of her parents, hoping they'd enjoy their dinner out together before she shook herself and thought about what she could do with her sisters and the rest of their family.