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: It was great to get feedback for the last two chapters, so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! Guest (I was happy to see you thought that the story was good reading the chapter before the last one!),

Guest (With the last chapter it was great you're enjoying the story still; you're welcome for the chapter!),

Mb (It was really nice that you thought the chapter was a really good update. I wasn't surprised you enjoying Alexis being there for lunch with everyone. I wanted to do something different so I'm glad I did! Not surprised either that you enjoyed the fact that Alexis was able to help them with the case. And yeah, I figured her information would be a good way to go down another route for the investigation. I wasn't surprised that you were wondering if there would be another murder and questioning that though I saw you read the next chapter, lol, had your answers there. And don't worry, I know people can be busy I'm just glad you're okay! And you're welcome for sharing the chapter!) and

Mb (Was really pleased seeing you thought the last chapter was a fantastic update. I think you misread what I put but that's okay, lol, since it makes the story more interesting. I'm glad you didn't mind that! No surprised you're thinking that there are more and more twists in the case as you said, along with questions. I'm so glad I've stumped you with the case, lol, it's what I aim for! You're welcome for sharing that chapter too!).

Thanks so much for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter are two lyrics from the song I Don't Know by Paul McCartney, from his album Egypt Station.

You're Fine, Love Of Mine

"Oh good, there's the garage," Julia said to Mari.

"Your parents are late," she replied.

"Yeah, I kind of hope that means they solved the case," Julia said.

"Kind of?" Mari asked.

"It usually takes them three days… or two and a half…" Julia said slowly as she was thinking that over.

"What?" Mari said in slight concern.

Shaking her head, Julia said, "It's nothing."

"Julia?" Mari asked as her friend was visibly relaxing after tensing up.

"Oh, they're here," Julia said to distract her friend while the dogs were barking at her father calling out to them. She smiled as Eliza ran out to the hallway and Josie was squealing, following them after she had grabbed Mari's hand to pull her after her.

"Hey, you're here," Castle said when he saw Julia.

"I am," she replied. "But I only stayed so I could say bye to you in person," Julia then explained.

"And let us tell you what time we'll pick you up," Beckett added.

"Oh yeah, that too," Julia said, beaming at her mother.

Shaking her head, Beckett pulled her second oldest to her and hugged her tightly saying, "Are you okay?" though she had been intending to ask how her day at school had gone.

"Yes, I'm just tired after dance class," Julia said. When her mother gently pushed her back so she could look at her she quickly told her, "Tap."

"I see," Beckett replied, though she knew there was something else going on with her daughter. She let her go fully and told her, "You know the usual."

"Yep, behave, listen to David and Rebecca and don't make a mess," Julia said. "But doesn't that go with behaving?"

"That way you know it's important," Castle commented.

Julia laughed softly before she hugged her father quickly and then said, "How long can I stay?"

"Until eight," Castle said. "Tell your parents, Mari, that I'll come to the sliding door to pick her up."

"Sure," the girl said with a nod.

"Homework?" Beckett asked her daughter.

Nodding rapidly Julia said, "All finished. We can go."

"Go," Beckett said, smiling while her daughter hugged her and Castle rapidly.

Saying goodbye to her family, once she'd squeezed Josie's hand in passing, Julia left with Mari out the door to the backyard and they hurried down the steps before she looped her arm through her friend's. "What time are your parents going to have dinner?" she asked her once they reached the sand.

"Probably at six, as usual," Mari replied. "Why?"

"What should we do?" Julia asked.

"Well…" Mari started to say slowly.

"What?" Julia asked.

"Want to play Twister?" Mari said.

"Sure," Julia said. "But your parents will let us?" she asked to remind her friend the last time they'd played there had been some bruises on their arms and legs.

"I guess I have to ask," Mari said, making a face. She was about to ask her friend what she wanted to do when Julia was speaking rapidly as they were nearing her backyard.

"Want to just listen to music in your room?" she asked.

"I'd kind of like to do something," Mari replied. "Oh!"

"What?" Julia asked, stopping as her friend did suddenly.

"I have a puzzle I wanted to start," Mari said. "Would you mind?"

"No," Julia replied simply.

"Are you sure?" Mari said again.

"I told you I don't," Julia replied in mock exasperation though she was a little since her friend seemed to forget she didn't mind puzzles.

"Oh good, you'll love it," Mari said eagerly before they walked together up to the sliding door. She knocked on it before her mother was opening the door and she said, "Hi Mom."

"Hey honey," Rebecca told her daughter. "Your parents got back?" she asked Julia.

Nodding, the girl said, "Not too long after I was changed."

"Speaking of which," Rebecca said, looking at her daughter.

"I'm going right now Mom," Mari said.

"Can I stay here?" Julia asked her friend.

"Yeah, my puzzle is on the dining room table," Mari told her before she hurried over to the stairs.

"How were your parents?" Rebecca asked.

"Good," Julia said. "They didn't solve their case though," she added.

"I had a feeling," Rebecca replied. "Are they going to head over to the B&B still?"

"I didn't ask them," Julia said. "But I think they will since they have their room." She went with Rebecca to the kitchen and asked, "You didn't want to go?"

"We can't, David has to work of course," Rebecca replied.

"Hi," Dani said.

"Hey," Julia said, smiling at her friend's little sister.

"Where is Eliza?" Dani asked.

"She's back at home, she had homework so she couldn't really play today," Julia said.

"Maybe tomorrow honey," Rebecca told her daughter gently. "I'm making you guys a snack, just some veggies. Mari was talking about a puzzle?"

"Yeah, we decided to do that," Julia said.

"She's been itching to start it for a while now," Rebecca said, smiling.

"She couldn't?" Julia asked in surprise.

"She didn't want to," Rebecca said.

Julia was about to speak when she heard the heavy footsteps of her friend and she went over to the bottom of the staircase before telling her, "I was talking with your mom," in case Mari wondered why she wasn't in the dining room.

"Oh, okay," Mari said. "Mom-"

"Go, I'll bring your snack out to you," Rebecca said.

Following Mari to the room, Julia said, "Your sister wanted to play with Lizzy."

"Of course she did," the girl said with a smile. "But maybe tomorrow."

"That's what your mom said," Julia said before she paused as she saw the puzzle box. "Oh cool!" she exclaimed as she saw the picture it was. "Where did you get this?"

"At the toy store," Mari said. "I've been wanting to do it with you but never got the chance until now."

"Let's start," Julia said before she let Mari roll open the felt to hold what they were able to do of the puzzle. "I was going to say," she said as she waited for her friend to open the box. "That it should be easy, but I don't know now."

"I know," Mari said, dumping the pieces on the table. "But the corners?"

"Maybe," Julia said, and they started to get the corners and edges of the Sgt. Pepper's album cover. They worked quietly for a little until Rebecca was coming inside with Dani and commenting on their seriousness with a smile.

"It's so quiet I thought you two had gotten into a fight," the lawyer said to them.

"No, we're just focusing on the puzzle Mom," Mari replied with a smile. "We have almost all the edges I think."

"Yeah, there are a lot of pieces," Julia commented. "This might take a while," she told her friend.

"Yeah, but it's okay, that way we can work on this for a while," Mari told her, not surprised when her friend nodded.

"I was about to ask you Julia," Rebecca said after she'd gotten the two to stop and take a break to eat the veggies she'd cut and drink juice she'd poured for them as well. "How're you and Peter doing?"

"A lot better," Julia said. She was startled when her friend snorted and looked at her in surprise and questioningly.

"You and Peter are ready," Mari insisted. "And you tap really well. Your Jive is good, the same with the other dances you're going to do!"

"I think she won't be sure until it's the concert," Rebecca told her daughter gently.

Mari pursed her lips for a moment, before she paused and then said, "Sorry, but I watched and you'll do really well. You are gonna practice and everything at the place-"

"Madison Square Garden," Julia interrupted.

"There," Mari said, nodding rapidly. "That'll help right?"

"I really hope so," Julia said. "I told you who's going to be there."

"Yeah but… who cares? Paul and Ringo will be there too, and you'll be able to talk to them and see them," Mari said.

Julia couldn't help beginning to laugh at how fast her friend was speaking and she said when she'd calmed down, "I know, and I'm sure Skye will help out too."

"And the rest of her band," Rebecca said.

"Their band," Julia said with a smile.

"Hello? Anyone home?" David called in the distance suddenly before the dogs started to bark.

"Daddy!" Dani cried before she was running out of the room.

"Ruby!" Rebecca called out before running after her daughter in response.

Laughing with her friend, Julia asked her once they had calmed down, "You're not going to go see him?"

"Do you care if I do?" Mari asked.

Shaking her head, Julia smiled at her friend leaving quickly before she turned to the side of the room. 'Who are you?' she said in her mind as the young man she'd seen at her home had been there, seeming to wait.

My name is Adam, the spirit said.

'Are you the person my parents are trying to solve the murder of?' Julia asked, since it wasn't hard to notice the blood spread across the young man's shirt.

Yes, he replied. I've been trying to speak to your mother, but she's been unable to see me.

'I'm not surprised, she's not that good with her abilities,' Julia explained. 'Is there something you wanted them to know? Do you know who killed you?'

Shaking his head, Dalton then said, I was walking and I turned at a call. But everything happened so fast that I don't remember whose voice it was or now where I was.

Thinking about that for a moment Julia said, 'Your death was too fast, so you're not going to remember much. Do you want to continue?'

I can't, Dalton replied. I see where I need to go but… something keeps me from that.

'You need to find out who it is,' Julia said with a nod. 'Do you see two women near you?'

Yes, they've kept me from you, until now, Dalton said.

'They're my grandmother and great-grandmother,' Julia explained. 'But stay with them okay? I'll know when my parents find out who it is and then I can help you.' She was relieved when the spirit nodded before he was disappearing, and she felt a little more relaxed. Turning her attention to the Fosters as they were walking into the room, she stood up and was about to greet the mayor when he was speaking to her jokingly.

"I almost didn't believe Mari when she said you were here," David was saying.

Smiling at him Julia said, "I stayed behind so you could say hi to everyone."

"Oh, you know you don't have to worry about that," David said. "But thank you. How're your parents?"

"Good, they're not finished with their case though," Julia said.

"I hadn't heard from Brad yet so I guessed," David replied with a nod. He then turned his attention to his oldest and said, "You're all set with the puzzle?"

"Huh?" Mari asked.

"Starting it," David explained.

"Oh, well yeah," Mari replied. "Can we go back to it?"

"Go ahead, we'll start dinner soon and call you when it's time," Rebecca answered.

"Thank you!" Mari said before turning her attention to her friend. She sat next to her again and said, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Julia asked, though she wondered if her friend could sense anything from the spirit she'd spoken to.

"It feels… different in here," Mari said slowly.

"Oh?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, what happened?" Mari asked, turning to her friend immediately.

Julia thought for a moment about how she could deny it, but finally she sighed and explained what had happened.

"But… how did you know that he was the victim in your parents' case?" Mari asked in confusion.

"I didn't want to tell you," Julia said hesitatingly.

"Now you need to," Mari said.

"But…" Julia started to say.

"No, you don't have to worry," Mari said firmly. "I won't get scared."

With the tone of her friend's voice, Julia knew she wasn't going to be able to keep it from her and she put two edge pieces together before she began. "He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, buttoned up. He had a tie, but it was flipped up over his shoulder, I think it's what happened when he fell. He had no jacket, but I get the feeling he was relaxed when he was shot."

"How do you know that?" Mari asked, her eyes wide.

"Here on his chest, and his shirt," Julia began with. "Was a bullet hole and there was blood all around him." She grew concerned when Mari's hands covered her mouth and she said, "I shouldn't have told you."

"No," Mari said quickly. "I just… was surprised," she said, trying not to sound too upset. "Is he…"

"Not okay, he told me he's stuck here because…" Julia said.

"What's wrong?" Mari asked in concern.

"No, I thought he needs to know who killed him, but I just realized he wants to talk to his sister," Julia said.

"Who is she?" Mari asked.

Shaking her head Julia said, "I can't ask him, Grandmama is keeping him from seeing me. Oh, your sister is coming over, that's why."

Mari nodded, but instead of looking at the doorway, she hugged Julia tightly before turning her attention to her sister.

Julia was startled at the hug, but more because she felt a lot better after it and she hurried to shake herself before she said with a smile, "Are you going to play with us Dani?"

Shaking her head, the toddler said, "Mommy said to get you."

"Get us? But she knows we're doing the puzzle," Mari said. She wrinkled her nose at her friend when Julia snorted in trying to suppress her laughter and then said, "How come we have to go to the kitchen?"

"Pizzas!" Dani cried.

"Oh, the personal pizzas," Mari said to her friend. "I asked if they'd make that and luckily they agreed."

"Toppings?" Julia asked. When her friend nodded, she got up from the table and followed the sisters to the kitchen where David was cutting some cherry tomatoes and calling to her and Mari.

"I decided you were right," the mayor said to his oldest. "And we're going to make our own pizzas."

"Dani said, I can't wait," Mari replied eagerly.

"You're first Julia," Rebecca said, motioning them over. "Since you're the guest tonight."

"Cool," Julia said, knowing there was no use in arguing. She went around the island and said, "We forgot to tell them Mari."

"Tell them what?" the girl asked. "Oh!" she exclaimed as it hit her suddenly when Julia just stared at her. "We did. Rick said that he'll come to pick Julia up here at the sliding door at eight."

"I had a feeling," David said. "That he'd come at eight anyway."

"Would you want to stay the night on Saturday?" Julia suddenly asked her friend, sprinkling ham onto her pizza.

"Sure," Mari said with a smile. She turned to her parents and opened her mouth to speak before Rebecca was doing so before her.

"Yes you can," the lawyer told her oldest. "But Rick and Kate need to say it's okay."

"I'll ask them tonight and tell you tomorrow," Julia promised Mari. She laughed softly as her friend came around the island and wrapped her arms around her in an embrace. "Hopefully they'll say yes," she said.

"I'm sure they will," David said. "You haven't had a sleepover for almost a week." He couldn't help chuckling at the way his daughter made a face at him and then said, "Sorry, but it's true."

"So you changed your minds?" Mari asked.

"No," Rebecca said, looking at her husband. "Your dad is just joking. Now have you heard from Skye at all lately?"

"Yeah," Julia replied. "She calls once in a while. Did my mom tell you about her taking pictures at the rehearsal?"

"She did," Rebecca replied.

"How's she feeling about that?" David asked.

"I think okay," Julia said. "There's going to be a lot of celebrities and I know she wants to get good pictures of them."

"Who're you excited to see?" David said as Mari was switching places with Julia and starting to cover her pizza.

"I guess Paul and Ringo," Julia said, smiling as the mayor laughed.

"I should have said besides Paul," David told her.

"Um… I really want to see Adam and Queen again," Julia said after thinking for a moment. "But everyone will be cool to meet."

"Does your sister still like Taylor Swift?" Rebecca asked her.

"Yep, she's excited to get to go and see her," Julia said since she knew the singer would be there as well. "But really excited to meet John Legend."

"Not a surprise," David commented.

"I'm getting the feeling Skye will be very calm once we get there," Rebecca said.

"She will, I mean she's met John Legend and Green Day," Julia said. "Oh, David Grohl too, 'cause of the Grammys and everything. But she's just hoping everything works out." She hesitated for a moment and then said, "And that people won't be annoyed she's singing so much."

"Didn't they say she was going to be the master of ceremonies?" Mari asked her.

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding. "Already so people should know before they watch."

"I don't think you need to worry about her too much," Rebecca said. She saw the two had finished their pizzas and said, "Go ahead back to your puzzle; we'll call you once dinner is ready."

Going back into the dining room, Mari said, "Do you have your phone?"

"Why?" Julia asked, nodding her head. She then realized the answer and she gasped in pleasure saying, "You want to listen to music now? Please tell me we can play Queen."

"You can," Mari replied before she watched with a smile as Julia was grabbing at her phone and going on it. She smiled when Bohemian Rhapsody started to play before they turned their attention back to the puzzle and doing their best to get the edges together. She wasn't sure how much time passed before Rebecca was coming up to the doorway and getting their attention before she spoke while they looked up at her.

"It's time for dinner girls," Rebecca said with a smile. "How's it going?"

"Really good," Julia said. "We managed to get the edge of the picture done."

"Are we going to play after?" Mari asked her mother.

"Yes, but you can leave the puzzle there for now," Rebecca replied. She waited for the girls to leave the room past her and followed them over to the kitchen table.

"It looks really good," Julia said. "Did you make those chips?"

"We did," David said. "Sweet potatoes."

Sitting with the Fosters at the table Julia smiled as Rebecca let her and Mari cut their pizzas into slices themselves. She couldn't help missing home for a second, wondering what her own family was doing. But while Mari was telling her parents about her classes, she shook that away and focused on hearing about how the rest of her friend's day had gone before Study Hall they'd shared at the end of the school day.

"Was Jules supposed to run?" Eliza asked her parents.

"Not really, but they wouldn't have heard us," Beckett commented in amusement as they'd watched the two girls rushing out of the house. "And you need to finish your homework sweetie."

"Okay," Eliza said after pursing her lips for a moment.

"Here," Martha said, giving Josie to her daughter in law. "She's nearly fallen out of my arms."

"Mama," Josie said while Beckett held her on her hip.

"I see you sweetie," she told her baby girl, kissing her temple. "And I missed you."

"Mas," Josie said.

"I'm sure that means she missed us too," Castle told his wife as he stepped up to them.

"I think so," Beckett replied with a smile before she was kissing Josie again. She then gave her to Castle and told him, "I'm going to check on Eliza."

"Yeah," he replied absently as Josie had immediately grabbed his nose while she giggled.

Beckett smiled again watching them, and she reached over to cup his cheek with her hand before she went into the family room. "What did she need to do?" she asked her father as Martha had gone down to the kitchen.

"Math and grammar," Jim told her. "And she's almost finished with math now I think."

"I'm finished," Eliza said with a smile. She gave her worksheet to her grandfather to check and then turned her attention to her last one. She tried to work through it quickly as the rest of her family was coming in and talking quietly together before she finished and said, "All done!"

"Let me check," Castle said.

"Come here sweetie," Beckett said.

Hurrying into her mother's arm; since she was holding Josie on her lap; she shared a kiss with her asking, "What about 'lexis?"

"We told her," Martha said when her daughter in law was looking at herself and Jim.

"They're right Eliza," Beckett told her. "She's going to be late, and Louis probably will be too."

"What about tomorrow?" Eliza asked as she sat on the couch next to her mother.

"We'll see," Beckett said.

"But we are going to the B&B after your dance class," Castle reminded her.

"That's why 'lexis and Louis should come," Eliza said brightly.

Laughing, Beckett wrapped her arm around her shoulders and hugged her before she said, "You'll have to ask her tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah," Eliza replied. She then looked outside and asked, "Can we go out?"

"What did you want to do?" Castle asked her.

"Did she do alright with her homework?" Beckett said. When her husband nodded, she looked at their daughter and told her, "Put your papers away and we'll head out."

"I'll get my jacket!" Eliza said happily.

"Are you taking Josie outside?" Martha asked.

"Just Eliza, and not for that long," Beckett said.

"Are you still planning on making dinner?" Castle asked his father in law.

"I was going to start right now," Jim said with a nod. "Are you okay taking Josie?"

"I am, we'll join you so Josie won't be very jealous of Eliza," Martha said.

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly and gave the baby to her saying, "I think she'll be fine." She then turned her attention to helping Eliza with her jacket and said, "We're not going out for that long sweetie."

"No?" Eliza asked.

"No, we can't," Beckett told her firmly as she put her knit hat on her head. "But we'll be there for a little."

"And you never told us what you wanted to do," Castle commented.

"I wanna fly my kite!" Eliza said eagerly.

"Let's see how the wind is," Castle said when Beckett looked at him.

"Okay," Eliza said eagerly, hopping from foot to foot as she watched her parents getting their coats on.

"We can go," Beckett said, looking at the little girl and taking her hand.

Going to the door to the backyard, Castle waved with his wife and their second youngest at the three in the kitchen before they stepped outside. He wasn't surprised when Eliza was staggering back at the wind and he said, "Too much, we have to go back in."

"Aw," Eliza said in disappointment.

"Sorry sweetie, we didn't know the wind had picked up," Beckett said ushering her into the house.

"What happened?" Martha asked, having come down the hall when she'd heard them walking back in.

"It's windy," Castle said. "Too windy and if we let you go out Eliza you're going to end up in Oz."

"It's not that windy Daddy," Eliza said, putting her hands on her hips. She laughed when her father did and gasped suddenly as something fell to the floor in front of her. "My tooth!" she said eagerly.

"Let me get a bag for you," Martha said with a smile.

"Tell Grandpapa!" Eliza said happily. When Martha had left, her baby sister with their mother, she said to their parents, "The tooth fairy will come right?"

"She will," Beckett promised with a smile. "Are you okay?"

Moving her tongue to the space where her lower incisor had been, Eliza said, "Is it bleeding?"

"Move your tongue," Castle said, reaching for her and picking her up to her cry of surprise. "She's good," he told his wife.

"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said as Martha was coming back out. "Put it in the bag sweetie," she told Eliza.

Nodding, once her father had set her down, the little girl took the plastic bag before she was putting her tooth inside and she said, "I hope I get fifty cents."

"You will," Castle said, though he already had planned to give her two dollars. He couldn't help feeling a little saddened at the reminder of her growing up but shook it as he said, "You should take that to your room."

"Put it on your nightstand," Beckett said as Eliza left them once her coat and hat were off. "And don't run!"

"Mama," Josie said. "Hug."

"Hold on sweetie," Beckett told the baby with a smile. She made sure Josie was okay holding onto Macca's fur and got her coat off before letting her husband take it. Once he was gone, she picked the baby up and held her above her for a moment before kissing her cheek. "What's wrong?" she asked Martha, looking at her mother in law.

"Are you finished with the case at all?" Castle's mother asked.

Breathing out, Beckett shook her head and said, "No, I'm wondering about being able to finish in time for the dance class."

"You'll still be going won't you?" Martha said.

Beckett only had a moment to nod before she turned to Castle as he was walking up to them. She was a little startled when her husband went past the little hall where they were standing and went after him in time to hear him calling up the stairs to Eliza who was starting down.

"Don't fall down the stairs," Castle said up to her. "You're going to end up knocking out another tooth."

"No I won't," Eliza said, rushing into her father's arms. She laughed as he picked her up and she hugged him tightly before saying, "I have to tell Jules and 'lexis."

"You can tell Julia when she's back home," Castle said before he stopped himself as his wife was shaking her head at him furiously. He remembered she'd be getting into bed by eight, so he then told her, "Do you mind if we tell her?"

"No," Eliza said. "But 'lexis?"

"We'll tell her tomorrow," Beckett said as Castle set their second youngest down. "Can you watch her?" she asked Eliza.

"Okay," the little girl said, going to her baby sister and taking her hand.

"Don't run," Beckett said quickly while she watched Eliza hurrying down the hall with Josie and the dogs in tow.

"I won't!" Eliza called back.

"Fast!" Josie said.

"She said another word!" Eliza exclaimed before she was laughing with the rest of their family as they started to laugh. She hugged her tightly and then thought of something before she said, "Could I take her upstairs to see Carlow?"

Beckett was about to say no outright when her husband was taking her hand and squeezing it firmly.

"Go ahead, but you need to take the stairs slowly," Castle then said. When he saw his wife was looking at him he told her, "She'll be careful, you know that."

"Yes, but what exactly are we going to do?" Beckett asked him.

"Then I'll follow you," Castle said quickly before he walked after her to the stairs where their two youngest were nearly to the halfway point.

"How's she doing?" Beckett asked as Eliza looked back at her.

"Good," the little girl replied before she looked back ahead of them.

"We're going to join you Eliza," Castle said once the two were at the top of the stairs.

"I know," the little girl said in confusion. "Why?" Eliza asked when they were reaching the top of the stairs.

"We want to spend time with you," Castle said quickly.

"No, why did you say? I know already," Eliza said.

"Go get Carlow before dinner's ready," Beckett told her.

"Okay," Eliza said, letting Josie go with their parents before she was rushing down the hall to her room.

"Lees!" Josie cried.

"Come here," Castle said, scooping the baby up. He put her on his hip and did his best to soothe her though she still began crying.

"Josa," Eliza said in surprise as she walked out into the hall. "You shouldn't cry, I'm right here."

"Ba… oh!" Josie verbalized.

"Carlow," Eliza corrected her.

"Car," Josie said as her father set her down.

"Yeah, come on," Eliza said. "I'll put him on your shoulder."

"Yes," Josie said happily.

"Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said before she and her sister could disappear in her room. "You don't have to come with us."

"We do," Beckett said firmly before they were heading inside with her.

"Can I put Carlow on her shoulder?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"Go ahead," Castle said.

Eliza was beaming at her little sister, and she got her bearded dragon off her shoulder before placing him on Josie's. It wasn't the first time she had done it, so once the lizard was set, she took her hand and pulled her over to doors of her closet which were mirrors. "He's nice," she said to her little sister as Josie was smiling at her reflection.

"No," Josie said, turning to her sister to smile at her.

Beckett couldn't help her brief laugh at how serious the baby had been, and she calmed herself down rapidly before she said, "What are you going to do now though?"

"I have to put him away don't I?" Eliza asked. When her parents both nodded, she sighed and told Josie, "Sorry, but Carlow needs to get warm again." She took the lizard and then set him back in his terrarium before closing the door. "I was going to play with Carlow until we had to go eat," she told their parents as she followed Josie to the bed after she'd washed her hands. She watched as the baby reached up to their mother and was soon on her lap as Beckett was speaking.

"There's isn't that much time left really," she said, kissing the top of Josie's head.

"Should I tell you about school?" Eliza asked.

"Why don't you wait until we eat dinner?" Castle asked her. "We don't have that much to talk about ourselves."

"Oh," Eliza said, realizing her father was right. "You can't say about the case?"

"No," Beckett said, smiling since Josie was laughing while she tickled her side gently. "But we…"

Eliza was startled when her mother trailed off before she turned her attention to the doorway as she could hear footsteps.

"Dinner's ready," Martha said with a smile at the four in the room when they were staring at her.

"Already?" Eliza asked in disappointment.

"Now you're not hungry?" Martha asked her granddaughter teasingly and with a smile.

"I am, but I was…" Eliza started to say before making a face. "I wasn't doing anything."

"We'll play with you after dinner," Beckett promised her.

"Okay," Eliza said eagerly.

"Let's go," Castle told her before they were leaving the room after his mother. "I'm starving too." He went to Eliza and took her hand before asking her, "Are you going to be okay eating?"

"Yes," the little girl said, looking up at her father in confusion. "Oh," Eliza said in realization. She smiled at him and pushed her tongue against the gap in her teeth before she said, "I will, the soup is gonna go right through."

Castle couldn't help laughing before he said, "Don't try to pour it into that gap."

"I won't," Eliza said seriously before they reached the kitchen. "Do I need to set the table?" she asked her grandfather.

"That would be a big help," Jim said from the stove where he was making French fries.

Nodding, Eliza hurried to wash her hands, smiling at her little sister and Martha who had joined her at the sink and not noticing her parents had remained behind them.

"What's wrong?" Castle asked his wife.

Sighing, Beckett shook her head and told him, "Something is wrong, but I can't really put my finger on it."

"With Julia?" Castle asked. When his wife looked at him, he said, "I could tell before she left."

"I didn't want to ask her," Beckett said. "She seemed fine."

"She did," Castle said.

"Say it Rick, I know you want to," Beckett told him with a sigh. She was startled when her husband's lips were pressing to her temple and she told him, "It's something with the case but… how much she can know…"

"We'll talk to her when she's back," Castle said. "Actually, she'll likely want to know about the case today."

Nodding, since she knew he was right, Beckett turned to him and said, "When you pick her up ask her okay?"

"Sure, but we'll both talk with her once she's here," Castle said. He felt better when his wife nodded firmly, and they shared a quick kiss before his mother was calling out to him concerning their dinner.

"Are you going to have wine at all?" Martha said.

"I'll pour some Mother," Castle said. He turned to his wife and leaned down to her, brushing his lips to hers before he said, "Déanfaidh mé níos fear níos déanaí," telling her he would do better later.

"Tá súil agam," Beckett said, which meant 'I'm hoping.' She wasn't surprised when her husband was taking her hand to kiss the back of it, and she squeezed it before she turned her attention to the dinner table. Her mother in law had already set Josie there so she was taking the sippy cup her father had filled for her. She let her take the cup before she leaned down and kissed the top of her head before asking Eliza, "Do you have your drink?"

"Yep, Grandpapa gave me juice," the little girl said before she was hugging her mother tightly.

"Thank you, sweetie, but sit down," Beckett told her while she guided her to her chair.

"Are you okay Mommy?" Eliza asked her, taking her hand.

"I am sweetie," Beckett said.

"Jules is okay," Eliza said after looking to her right down the hall. "But I guess she has…"

"Mama… ga…" Josie said, looking to the hall as well.

"Josa," Eliza said, getting up and going to her baby sister. She took her hand and pulled it gently so she was turning to look at her. "Drink your juice too," she told her.

"Is she okay?" Castle asked the little girl as he walked over with the wine glasses for his wife and mother.

"She is now," Eliza said. "I was gonna say that Jules has something to tell you I think."

"Who are you seeing right now kiddo?" Martha asked her.

"Grandmama," Eliza said hesitantly.

"It's okay," Jim said quickly though he couldn't help glancing down the hall.

"Is she still there?" Castle asked.

"No," Eliza replied, shaking her head. "She just wanted me to tell you that Mommy."

"Okay," Beckett said. "Thank you. But you need to eat so you won't be going to bed too late," she added.

Eliza nodded before she got back onto her seat, and she picked up her spoon to start with her soup. She ate for a little before her father was getting her attention and she smiled asking, "Do you want me tell you about school?" She wasn't surprised when her parents and grandparents were telling her yes and Josie did too, her face stern. She couldn't start for a while as they were all laughing together, even the baby, and it took them a bit to stop.

When Eliza began telling them about her day, Beckett was pleased to see both she and Josie were alright. She smiled when she noticed her second youngest's speech had a little whistle in it with her missing tooth. She thought Eliza wasn't noticing it, but eventually the little girl was stopping every so often before she began to frown. She was about to ask her if she was okay when Eliza was speaking first and in a little obvious annoyance.

"Am I whistling?" the little girl asked.

"Some," Castle said. He was surprised when she groaned loudly and then said, "What's wrong?"

"I'm gonna sound stupid when I talk in class," Eliza replied.

"They'll understand why you're making that sound," Jim said gently to her.

"Think so?" Eliza asked him. She smiled when he nodded and then said, "The sandwiches are good Grandpapa."

"They are," Castle said in agreement. "And thank you for taking dinner tonight."

"You two aren't really relaxing though," Martha said.

"We will once we clean up from dinner," Beckett told her.

"I can take care of it," Jim said.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "You already cleaned up from making dinner Dad. We're fine cleaning the plates." She expected her father to argue with that, but Eliza got his attention and she glanced at her husband. After they had finished eating, she and Castle washed the dishes, utensils and glasses while their parents took the girls to the family room.

"How're you doing now?" Castle asked his wife after they'd been washing for a while and were nearly finished.

"Okay, since Julia didn't come back I'm sure she's okay," Beckett replied. "But we were going to leave it until she came back home," she reminded him.

"True," Castle replied. "And we have the girls."

"We do," Beckett said.

"I wonder what they're doing right now?" Castle asked sine after she'd spoken they could hear their daughters laughing together.

"Something," Beckett said absently. She felt her husband lightly nudge her with his elbow and she smiled at him saying quickly, "I was trying to get some cheese off the plate."

"Oh," Castle said quickly. "I was worried for a second."

Nodding, Beckett turned off the faucet and said, "We can go and see now." She couldn't help smiling as her husband was hurrying to dry his hands off. When they had finished, they walked together down the hall before they could see inside the family room. "What are you doing?" she asked Eliza as the two girls looked over at her.

"Just playing catch," the little girl said.

"You probably should have grabbed the toy back," Castle commented in amusement because there were several toys scattered around where Josie was standing.

"Yeah but it's a lot more fun this way," Eliza said.

"You've been talking to Julia too much," Castle said jokingly.

"Dada!" Josie cried, toddling over to him.

"Oof, come here," Castle replied as he was grabbing her after she had reached him. He picked her up and threw her above him a little to her squeal of joy, kissing her cheek once he had her on his hip. "What're we playing now?" he asked his wife.

"I don't know," Beckett said.

Eliza was putting away the toys she'd been throwing to Josie when she realized the room was quiet. She looked at her family and saw them looking at her before she asked, "What?"

"We need to know what we're going to do now," Beckett told her daughter with a smile.

"Can we play UNO? Josa too?" Eliza asked after she'd put the last toy away.

"We can," Beckett said. "You know your sister needs to go to bed soon right?"

"That's okay," Eliza said. "As long as we get to play."

"Are you two joining us?" Castle asked.

"I will," Martha said in response.

After her father had nodded as well, Beckett went to get the game and they gathered around the coffee table. She shuffled first and looked at Eliza on her knees on the floor next to her and she said, "What're you doing?"

"Waiting," Eliza replied.

"How was your sister in dance class?" Beckett asked.

"Really good," Eliza said earnestly. "And she loved getting to tap again."

"They're becoming a regular Astaire and Rodgers," Martha commented, picking up her first card.

"We told her that," Jim said as he saw his daughter was about to speak. He smiled when Eliza did at him before he said, "Everyone had fun," before Beckett was replying.

"So Josie wanted to dance too?" she asked with a smile.

"She got away from me," Martha said before Jim could speak. "And ran to Julia, holding onto her."

"Ms. Grey finished the class," Eliza said with a smile.

"There wasn't that much left anyway," Jim added.

"Okay Josie," Castle was saying as his wife had finished dealing the cards. He had the baby on his lap and kissed the side of her head before saying, "Which card should we pick?"

"Blue," Josie said.

"I would love to," Castle told her in a feigned serious tone of voice. "But we're trying to play a green card."

"Blue!" Josie repeated a little louder.

"Okay, okay," Castle said before he set down a green card.

Beckett smiled as Eliza was giggling and looked over at her husband so see Josie was snuggling against him before she played her card. Though she was having fun and was thinking of when she and Castle needed to put Josie to bed, she couldn't help thinking of Julia and what she was doing with the Fosters until she was going to be picked up at eight.