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 nice to receive the feedback for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Great to read you liked they are working the case!) and
Mb (Really nice to read you thought the last chapter was a really good update. I'm not surprised at all you thought his mother and brothers killing him was sick and evil, disturbing too since it's what I was aiming for. And you're right about Adam getting some closure and peace. I was glad to read you thought Julia needing as you put it a grounding force to help her help Adam cross was interesting, I figured it'd need to be Beckett since Skye's not there. And I was guessing you meant intriguing update? That's just a guess though, lol, I'm sure that was auto-correct, so annoying when it does that. Either way I'm glad you thought that whatever the word was in the end, lol. You're welcome for sharing the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved 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.
Must Try To Be Strong
"Julia?"
Looking over at her French teacher Julia asked, "Yes Madame?"
"Your parents are here to check you out for your appointment," Madame Marceline said.
Julia was startled but did her best to school her features to not reveal her surprise at that but said, "Okay," getting up from her desk.
"Juste un moment," Marceline said quickly. "Since you are leaving for the day, I will give everyone their homework assignment now. Please read in your books chapter four and answer the questions at the end."
Since she could, Julia got her homework planner and wrote the assignment down as rapidly as she could before she said, "Might I talk to Peter quickly?" as best she could in French.
"You may," Marceline replied with a nod.
"Merci Madame," Julia said. She then went out into the hall with her dance partner and said, "Mind getting the rest of the homework I'll have for our classes?"
"No, want me to ask Natalie and Dawn too?" Peter asked.
"That would be great. They can just text me," Julia said.
"I didn't know you had an appointment," Peter couldn't help saying as his partner was putting on her backpack.
"I don't," Julia murmured. "But I probably won't be back I think. Maybe for the dance class but I'll see. If not just tell Ms. Grey about the appointment."
"What about Eliza?" Peter asked her.
Shaking her head, Julia said, "I'm sure my grandparents will tell her."
"Does this have to do with what happened to you last period?" Peter said.
"Probably," Julia said. "I'll see you later… or tomorrow. Thanks so much Peter."
"You're welcome, hope everything's okay," the boy said.
"Me too," Julia said with a slight smile before they said goodbye to each other, and she was hurrying to leave the middle school building. When she reached the Administration building, she went to the front desk and saw her mother was watching the doorway for her. "Mom," she said before trying not to jog straight into her arms.
"How are you sweetie?" Beckett asked as Castle was signing their second oldest out.
"Good," Julia said, pulling away and looking up at her mother. She wanted to ask her what had happened, but knew it wasn't the best place to do that. Luckily it wasn't long before they were leaving the school and she saw they were walking to her parents' car. She waited to say anything until they were inside, and she asked, "Did you solve the case?"
"We did," Beckett said.
"It was his mother sweetheart," Castle said with a sigh.
"Again?" Julia said, her voice slightly strangled with her shock.
"Yes," Beckett said sighing herself as she knew she was thinking of the case after the car had run into place next to the dance studio they'd been in. "But the motive was different, this time money."
"It's better not to think about it," Castle said, seeing Julia was mulling that over.
"Okay, but why am I here?" she asked her parents.
"Because I spoke with Skye this morning," Beckett said, not surprised her husband had glanced at her so she would answer. "And we're in agreement, you need to help Adam sweetie."
"I saw him," Julia said. She wasn't surprised when her parents looked surprised and she told them quickly, "Just a quick flash but he was fine, no blood or tie falling back. It was during my English class."
"That would be about when everything wrapped up," Castle said, looking at his wife. "But she's right, your mom is not going to be able to help him. Skye said you can, but we need to be careful."
"And you need to talk to her," Beckett said, dialing Skye's number before she gave her phone to Julia. When Castle was starting the car, she listened to the phone ringing before the investigator was answering and addressing her daughter directly which was no surprise to her.
"I hope you're Julia," Skye said on the other end.
"It's me," the girl said. "So you know why I'm calling?"
"I do," Skye said. "Are you on your way?"
"We are," Beckett called as Julia looked up at her.
"Okay, then I'll guide you through," Skye said. "Bring Adam to the room with you and allow him to speak to his sister if they want to talk to each other. And then tell him to see what he has likely been seeing since he's been where he is right now. It's usually a very bright light with many figures waiting for him in shadow. Now, he might be lucky and see a grandparent or family member or friend that's gone before him that will guide him if he allows them. Speak to Adam, tell him he's not leaving his sister completely, but he needs to keep from being unsettled energy if he wants to visit her in the future. Have his sister tell him he can go, she's not holding him, nothing is."
"And he'll go," Julia stated instead of asking as she had heard that from Skye back in Spain.
"He will," the investigator said. "Now remember what I told you? You might be drained of energy but it's why I recommend your parents take you home and keep you there. Have lunch and then sleep, as long as you can."
"I couldn't dance?" Julia asked.
Beckett looked back at her daughter, surprised she was more concerned about her dance class instead of the process she was about to do for the first time. But she knew why that was and tried to get some comfort in that though she was concerned about her daughter being that drained.
"Give it a shot," Skye said. "But be very careful. And Kate, Rick? Watch her like a hawk there."
"We will," Beckett said first.
"Do you still want her to call you after we leave the house?" Castle asked.
"Yes," Skye said. "Remember everything I told you Julia and you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Skye," Julia said as her father was stopping. She said goodbye to the investigator with her parents and she was surprised seeing Brad and Darnley were already there. "They're coming too?"
"There's a reason why, but that'll be after we're finished here," Castle said before they were getting out of the car.
"Hello Julia," Brad said, smiling as she walked up with her parents. "How was school.?"
"Good, I haven't seen Eve or Jake today," Julia replied.
"I knew, I was checking on you," Brad said seriously then. "Are you ready to do this?"
Not surprised her parents had told the chief, Julia nodded and said, "Could we go now?"
"Is he here?" Castle asked her. At Julia's nod he looked at Brad before they were going up the path to the front door.
"Chief Davis," Tamara said with a smile though it was a little nervous. "Please, come inside."
Holding her mother's hand, Julia couldn't help squeezing it a little tightly when Adam was whispering, That's my baby sister, so proudly to her.
"So…" Tamara started to say before she noticed Julia. "Are you the one who's going to help my brother?"
Nodding Julia was about to speak when her mother was gently squeezing her hand and she looked up at her before she directed what she was going to say to Tamara.
"She helped us with the case," Beckett said. "He appeared to her wearing his company's shirt."
"ZD Group?" Tamara asked.
"Yes," Brad said. "And she mentioned a brother."
Nodding, since she had learned her other two half-brothers had been involved, Tamara said with a smile to Julia, "Thank you."
"It was Adam," she replied. Julia looked at the others, a little embarrassed as they were watching her, and she did her best to remember what Skye had told her. "Would you like to talk to him?" she asked the woman.
"Of course, do you need to… call to him or anything?" Tamara asked.
"No, he's here," Julia said. "He's been here since we got here."
"Oh… is… is he ready to go?" Tamara said.
Tell her I am but I don't want her to be worried about me, Adam said as Julia turned to him.
Relating that, Julia said, "He'll be able to watch over you still. And if you ever feel like he's around you then he is."
"He can do that?" Tamara asked almost tearfully.
"Of course," Julia said with a firm nod.
I want her to promise me something, Adam said.
"He wants you to promise him something," Julia said before looking back to the spirit.
That she won't name any son they might have after me, Adam continued.
Julia was surprised when the woman burst into tears after she'd told her what her brother had said. "I… I'm sorry?"
"It's alright," Larissa said, hugging her wife tightly to help calm her down. "We are planning on having children. Probably soon, but we were just talking about if we have a boy at all."
"Ask," Tamara did her best to say as she was trying to calm down. "Ask him if he would mind if we used Adam for his nephew's middle name."
I don't, Adam said as Julia turned to him. But tell her don't fill the house with kids.
Laughing when Julia told her what her brother had said, Tamara said, "He teased me about that the last time I saw him. I won't Adam, I swear." She dried her cheeks more fully and then said, "Does he want us to do anything for him? A memorial, a plaque?"
She'll have half of my company, Adam told Julia. With our father. I just want her to help keep that going for as long as possible.
'But,' she said with wide eyes. 'Is it okay for her to meet him?'
She won't need to, she'll get the money, her name won't be anywhere our father can see, Adam explained.
Beckett, watching Julia, was about to ask if she was okay when her daughter started to speak swiftly to the woman. She was surprised the man had done that, not having known his half-sister for that long, but because his brothers were in jail at that moment, she understood in the end why.
"I will," Tamara said. "And I won't forget you Adam, I promise."
I'm ready to go now, Adam told Julia.
Nodding, she turned back to the others and said, "He's ready to go." She went to Tamara and held out her hand to the woman saying, "Will you help me? I think he'll need to know you're letting him go."
"Of course," Tamara said before they went together to the bay window in the living room. She knew the others were behind them, watching them, but the girl appeared to be focused on something to their left. "He's there?" she asked, not sure why she was whispering.
"He's there," Julia said with a nod. She then directed to Adam, 'Has there been a bright light? A doorway since you've gotten there.'
Yes, I see it just a bit in the distance and there's these figures, the spirit replied. I get the feeling they're beckoning me. I never went there towards it because I wanted to know whoever killed me was arrested.
'What does it look like now?' Julia asked him softly.
Brighter, closer, Adam said.
'Do you see people there? The figures?' Julia said.
I see them, I see my grandparents, our dad's parents, Adam said. Tell her.
With that Julia knew the man's spirit was going to need his sister's help and he told her that before telling her what was wrong before Tamara was responding in concern.
"Are you sure I should be here?" the woman asked.
"He wants you here," Julia said. She turned her attention back to Adam and asked, 'Are they getting closer?'
My grandmother is, the spirit said. She's smiling at me. Should I go?
'Please, they'll take care of you and help you with what you need to do,' Julia told him. 'My grandmother and great-grandmother will be there too.'
Tell Tamara I said goodbye, but I'll watch out for her and my nieces and nephews, whoever they are, Adam said. Thank you, Julia.
'You're welcome,' she said, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she saw a friendly looking woman walking up to him. 'It's alright Adam.' She then said to Tamara, "Tell him he needs to go, to follow your grandmother, follow Grandmum."
"Please go Adam," the woman said, looking in the direction that the girl was. "You won't be that far from me, and everything is set. I'll take care of your company and your nieces and nephews."
Julia nearly held her breath, watching Adam smiling at her before he did the same to his sister. She was beaming when he went to his grandmother, wrapping his arms around her before the brightness became too much and she closed her eyes.
"Oh! Julia!" Tamara gasped when the little girl seemed to collapse.
Running into the room, Castle picked Julia up before she opened her eyes and he asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Julia said, startled at her father's worried tone. "Why?"
"You collapsed Julia," Beckett told her, cupping her cheek gently.
"Do you want me to call an ambulance?" Brad asked.
"No! I'm okay," Julia said. "Put me down, please?"
Looking at his wife, Castle saw her nod and he set their daughter down though he didn't let her go. "Could we have a class of water?" he asked Larissa and Tamara.
"I'll get it," the former told her wife, squeezing her arm.
Going to Julia, Tamara knelt on the floor and took her hand asking, "He went, didn't he? He's left?"
"He did, his grandmother… your grandmother, came and helped him," Julia said. She smiled at the woman and said, "But he'll see whatever kids you have, that was his promise. And to watch out for his baby sister. You know he said to me when I saw you 'that's my baby sister' and he was so happy, and I could tell proud of you too."
Castle looked at his wife and saw she wasn't saying anything as Tamara hugged Julia briefly, thanking her again.
"I wish I had your gift," the young woman said, standing up and drying her eyes since she was crying again.
"Here," Larissa said, coming back with the water.
"Please, sit," Tamara said, feeling horrible for having forgotten what the girl had gone through. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, better," Julia said, though she had been able to tell the few steps to the couch that she was weak. She sipped at the cool water and felt a little better, smiling up at her parents before her mother went to Brad.
"Do you want to go?" the chief asked her.
"Isn't her dad outside still?" Beckett replied with her own question.
"He is, but… you were going to mediate this," Brad said carefully.
"Let me talk to Julia," Beckett said before heading over to her daughter. "Sweetie, we need to take you home, but we needed to let Tamara meet her father."
"But-" the girl said before she paused. "He knows her?" Julia guessed.
"He does," Castle said. "He asked to meet her."
"Okay, we can stay," Julia said, smiling at her parents to reassure them.
"Patrick," Beckett said.
"Coming," Darnley said, going over to the couch. "I'll be watching out for you while they're helping the two reunite," he told the girl as he sat next to her.
Smiling Julia said, "That's fine, I figured they'd do that." She looked out the room at the entry where the others all had gathered before she said, "He'll be nice to her right? Even though she…"
"You know about her?" Darnley asked.
"Yeah," Julia said.
"He knows, he doesn't care," Darnley reassured her. "So I think this'll go really nicely. And we'll be able to hear it if not see it."
Julia did her best not to laugh as she could hear Tamara outside the living room talking to her mother, wanting to listen to the conversation.
"What's going on?" Tamara asked as Brad left the entry.
Beckett wasn't surprised when her husband looked at her and she tried not to roll her eyes, focusing on talking to say, "We spoke with your father after we arrested your brother's mother and their first two sons."
"You… told him about me?" Tamara said in obvious fear.
"We didn't have to," Castle said quickly. "He asked about you, was concerned about you. That his wife knew about you and was going to hurt you."
"How does he know about me?" Tamara asked.
"He went to find your mother two years after they had been together," Beckett explained, since they had talked again to Dalton once Brad had spoken with the three that were in jail. "And found her but she was apparently dating someone, and he was forced to reconcile with his wife. But he would check up on you when he could."
"Well," Tamara said slowly after taking that all in, "Considering she's psychotic I can see why he couldn't talk to me."
"He's said you're the only family he has now," Castle said, feeling like the woman needed to know that.
"Then he knows what I was born as," Tamara stated. "Who I am now."
"Yes, he doesn't care," Beckett said quickly while Brad slipped back into the house.
"Is he here?" Tamara asked before the chief could say anything.
"He is, but he wants to make sure you're okay meeting him," Brad replied.
Holding her wife's hand, Larissa said, "It's up to you bae."
Smiling at her, Tamara kissed her wife's cheek and said, "I'm ready."
"I shouldn't have let you see that," Darnley said jokingly to Julia as they were standing in the doorway.
Giving him a look Julia said, "I've seen Skye and Mary straight making out before."
"Good point," Darnley said, holding his first out to her for them to bump. After they'd done so he said, "And you look like your mom."
"Thanks," Julia said quickly before she saw Brad was coming back inside. While he stepped aside, she saw Adam's father was behind him and smiled a little as he was pausing and swallowing hard.
"Tamara?" Dalton whispered.
"I am," she said, whispering as well before he walked up to her. Tamara let out a sob before she hugged her father tightly and he embraced her tightly while the others smiled at the sight of them.
"Do I really have to take a nap Mom?" Julia asked, sitting at the kitchen table with Josie on her lap.
"You don't think Skye knows what she's talking about?" Beckett asked her. She smiled as her second oldest wrinkled her nose and took Josie before saying, "You don't have to sleep, just rest."
Sighing, since she knew her mother wasn't going to budge on that, Julia then said, "Where can I rest."
"With me," Beckett said. She smiled when her daughter looked startled before she said, "It won't be for that long, we'll take you to class."
"I hope I get to dance," Julia commented.
"We'll see," Beckett said before her husband was walking over to them and asking her about Josie.
"Do you want me to take her?" Castle asked.
"Come with us," Beckett said.
"You want me to-" Castle started to say in surprise.
"I'm probably not going to sleep Dad," Julia told him.
"Okay," Castle said before he turned to his mother.
"We'll be fine," Martha said.
"I was going to head to the darkroom," Jim added.
"Are you sure?" Beckett asked because the construction crew was still working on the pool room.
"Yes, if I put music on I'll drown it out enough," Jim assured his daughter. "We'll leave at our usual time?"
"Yes," Beckett said slowly.
"I just realized too," Castle said.
Looking back and forth between her parents Julia asked, "Did you guys forget to pack?"
Breathing out roughly Castle said, "We did. When should we?"
"Now, if you guys will get Josie to sleep," Beckett told them.
"We will," Julia said, smiling at her baby sister.
"Let Julia," Beckett told her mother in law.
"I think we're going to have to," Martha said before they headed down the hall to the stairs.
Beckett stopped Julia at the top and told her, "If she takes a little that's okay."
"Sure," the girl replied, taking Josie after their mother had kissed the baby's temple.
"Mama," Josie said.
"I'll see you when you wake up sweetie," Beckett said, gently smoothing her hair. She watched Castle kiss Josie as well before she watched the three walk down the hall. She hesitated for a moment before turning with her husband and walking to their room. "We should have done this last night," she told him.
"Do I need to close the door?" Castle asked her.
Beckett was going to answer but stopped herself and then said with a sigh, "Don't close it all the way. She needs to knock but I don't want her to get suspicious." After her husband had nodded and then went into their closet to grab her suitcase, packing in a rush before they were setting the luggage aside.
"That's the one good thing about not packing that much," Castle commented.
"Are you disappointed?" Beckett asked while she was tugging down the covers from their bed.
"Disappointed?" Castle echoed in confusion.
"I'm not taking anything surprising," Beckett said in amusement.
"Oh, not really," Castle said simply. He was going to add more to that when there was a knock on the doorway and he called, "You can come in Julia."
Slipping inside, the girl said, "You guys packed," as it wasn't hard to miss her parents' suitcases.
"We did," Beckett replied before she looked at her husband.
"I'll be down in the office," Castle replied as he'd decided his wife likely wanted some time alone with their second oldest. "I'll check on things for Spring Break next year."
"What're we doing?" Julia asked.
"I'll tell you when I have everything set for sure," Castle said with a smile since he wasn't surprised she was asking. He turned to his wife and shared a quick kiss with her before he went to their daughter, picking her up to kiss her cheek. "Rest ceann beag," he told her firmly. "I know you've been tired."
"I didn't tell him," Beckett said simply when Julia immediately turned her head to her.
"It's not hard to tell," Castle said.
Sighing, Julia nodded and said, "I'll rest, thanks Dad."
"You're welcome," Castle said, hugging her tightly. "I love you."
"Love you too Dad," Julia replied before they let each other go. When he closed the door, she turned to her mother and said, "Do you have your costumes?"
"We do," Beckett said, taking her hand and pulling her over to the bed.
"Dad's hat?" Julia asked.
"He's not going to take it, we'll stay inside during the party," Beckett said.
"He's not gonna wear the hat at all is he?" Julia asked, since it was a straw hat Alexis had bought for their father as a joke.
"I don't think so," Beckett said. "Come on, get into bed."
"I'm not going on the side?" Julia asked in surprise.
"No, in the middle like you did when you were younger," Beckett said, relieved when Julia was smiling at the reminder. She watched her hop up onto the bed and once she was laying down, she joined her.
"You should get a fedora for Dad," Julia commented as she turned onto her side to face her mother.
"I did," Beckett said. "One that was the closest to what he had back in 1926."
"When are you gonna give it to him?" Julia asked.
"On Halloween," Beckett replied easily.
"Oh good, that way Dad can wear it when we go to the park or walk on the beach this winter," Julia said.
Laughing briefly Beckett said, "You know your dad so well."
"Of course," Julia said. She turned onto her back and then said, "Mom, do you… do you know what happened?"
"I didn't see it," Beckett said gently. "But I had a sense of energy leaving the room. I'm assuming that was Adam?"
"Yeah," Julia said, turning her head to look at her mother.
"You weren't scared, were you?" Beckett asked, reaching for her daughter and holding her close.
"No, I was thinking of just getting Adam to where he should be going," Julia replied.
"And you did," Beckett said. She leaned over and kissed the top of her head telling Julia, "I'm proud of you." She wasn't surprised at the slightly puzzled look her daughter gave her and explained saying, "We took you out of school suddenly and you did something you only had instruction about over the phone."
"In person; Skye told me in Spain," Julia reminded her mother.
"Yes, but you still did a great job sweetie," Beckett said. "Now promise me you won't do that for a long time."
"I'll try not to," Julia said, unable to help smiling because she'd known her mother would say that.
"Thank you," Beckett said, kissing the top of her head.
"Mom," Julia said after they were quiet for a while.
"Yes?" Beckett asked, reaching up and gently caressing her hair.
"You are really gonna go to Tahiti, right?" Julia asked.
"We are, why are you worried?" Beckett said since she could tell from her daughter's tone of voice.
"It's just you're going on this vacation and then the next and it's happening kinda soon," Julia said. She was startled when her mother was laughing briefly and asked, "What?"
"Your dad was asking me if I was sure about going with these two trips so close together last night," Beckett answered. "And I told him I was. We'll be close at the B&B and you two were so sure about us going." She then raised her eyebrow and said, "Are you changing your mind?"
"Nope, no way, nope," Julia said rapidly as she shook her head, making her mother laugh. She snuggled closer to her mother and said, "I'm so glad you're not like the moms you've seen in your cases."
"Well, I don't have their problems," Beckett said.
"What were the problems?" Julia asked in confusion.
"I don't think… I should tell you," Beckett started to say before she saw the way her daughter was looking at her. "Okay, but please take this as a lesson."
"I have a lesson every day," Julia said, though she was only guessing at what was wrong with the women. She saw her mother was looking at her questioningly and said, "You and Dad."
"Good guess," Beckett said before she and Julia were laughing a little. She wasn't surprised, when they stopped, that her daughter was looking at her pointedly and she said, "The first case, with the Beaches, their mother was having an affair with a man more her age." She stopped her daughter from speaking saying, "Do not think that might happen in my case, your dad isn't old."
"I know, I just don't want you to think that someday," Julia said quickly before her mother could stop her.
"I won't," Beckett said firmly. "And in the case of today… we found out Adam's mother was more than a little possessive of his father."
"Are you sure she doesn't know about Tamara?" Julia asked.
"We're sure," Beckett replied. "And she'll be monitored heavily in jail and then prison."
"Good," Julia said. She sighed and said, "I would say don't be like that with Dad either, but it doesn't work that way." She wasn't surprised her mother immediately looked confused and said, "You are possessive but it's not bad… does that make sense."
"It does," Beckett assured her. She pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead and said, "You know you're supposed to be resting."
"I am," Julia said swiftly. She laughed when her mother lightly ticked her side and then said, "Mom?"
"Yes sweetie," Beckett said.
"I was okay when it was just you and me right?" Julia asked. "I didn't make messes or do bad stuff, did I?"
"You threw tantrums," Beckett said. "And cried of course," she added, surprised there wasn't really a tug of guilt within her at the lie. But it struck her she wasn't really lying since she was thinking of her daughter in their past life. She shook herself before she could pause for too long and told her daughter, "But then again you were a baby, a toddler and a little girl." She wrapped both arms around Julia tightly and hugged her close to her saying, "And you were mine."
Julia smiled and shared a quick kiss with her mother saying, "I loved when we did this Mom."
"So did I," Beckett replied, feeling a heavy sense of déjà vu again recalling the weekends she had done the same thing with her daughter before they had moved to the Hamptons. "And I'm going to miss it the older you get."
"Me too," Julia said.
"But don't worry," Beckett told her reassuringly. "You'll do something like this with your spouse."
"Yeah," Julia said slowly. She shook herself and then said softly, "Skye told you to do this didn't she?"
"She did, she said it might be the best thing to help you," Beckett said. "She didn't really need to tell me it'd help you be able to practice in your class but…"
Julia smiled and said, "We have to do the best for the concert."
"You will," Beckett said.
"We Mom," Julia said.
"We," Beckett replied firmly before she and her daughter laughed. They shared another hug and she rubbed Julia's back as they were silent for a while, letting her memories of her second oldest fill her mind while they rested together.