"Are you set love?" Castle asked, looking at the doorway to the bedroom again.

"Now I am," Beckett said in amusement as she walked out into the living room. "Rick," she said in a teasingly warning tone when he rushed to her. "I have my makeup on and we're talking to our family in a second," she reminded him. She laughed briefly when he groaned in obvious disappointment before he was taking her hand and speaking.

"You keep spoiling my fun," Castle told her teasingly.

"What are we doing once we come back?" Beckett asked, arching her eyebrow.

"Whatever you want," Castle said quickly.

Beckett couldn't help laughing before she told him, "I hope you're telling me that on the spur of the moment."

Castle was about to speak when he paused and said, "In the end it's us both deciding."

"Most of the time," Beckett replied before she watched him kissing the back of her hand. "Sometimes you can be pushy about me saying what we do."

Shrugging Castle said, "I want you to be happy."

"And I will, but right now we have something else to do," Beckett said gently as her husband was wrapping his arms around her.

With her wording, Castle sighed and said, "Well, at least you know how to get my attention. Non-sexually of course."

"Of course," Beckett replied before she embraced him tightly. When they let go of each other she went to the turret and sat on the couch while he was grabbing his phone and tablet.

"Here," Castle said, giving the phone to his wife before he sat with her.

Texting her father, Beckett wasn't surprised when he was answering quickly and she said, "Okay, you can start."

Opening Skype on the tablet, Castle smiled seeing Julia on the coffee table with Josie and he said, "Hello girls."

"Hi Daddy!" Eliza said, rushing around the couch.

"Hey Mom, Dad," Alexis and Julia said at the same time.

Looking back at her big sister, Julia couldn't help laughing before she said, "We're happy to see you again."

"Mama!" Josie cried out.

"Hello sweetie," Beckett said with a smile to the baby. "And the same to you three, where's Louis?"

"Here," the young man said. "I'm just fine, thank you for asking after me."

"Did you tell your parents?" Castle asked him.

"Lex did," Louis said.

"I had to, didn't I?" Alexis asked pointedly. She then looked at the TV screen and said, "But Brennan seemed fine with it."

"And Clara?" Beckett asked.

"A bit… concerned but she's used to Da getting thrown a bit," Louis replied after hesitating for a moment. "Though you should know she spoke with Alexis, and she's doing better now."

"Because you are," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. They glanced at each other while their daughters were laughing before they looked back at the tablet.

"How was your day at school, girls?" Beckett asked Julia and Eliza. She wasn't surprised when the former urged the latter to start and hearing about her lessons she smiled before saying, "Sounds like you have fun."

"Yeah, I loved reading today, that was so fun to get to do," Eliza said.

"She told us she acted the reading out," Julia commented.

Blushing as her parents were looking at her, Eliza said shyly, "We do that."

"We do," Martha said, she and Jim having joined the others as their children had been talking to Alexis and Louis.

"The other kids laughed," Eliza said. "But not like they were mean."

"They thought you were funny," Castle stated. When the little girl nodded, he smiled and said, "Good, now we have another day to hear about."

Julia made a playful face before she spoke about her classes and she and Eliza related their dance class they'd just gotten back from. "We do have homework, but we don't have too much, reading for me. I think you said a worksheet Lizzy?" she asked her little sister.

When the little girl nodded Beckett said, "Sounds like you had a good day, both of you. Now… Josie?"

"Mama!" the baby squealed. Josie laughed with her family before her grandparents were speaking and she was reaching to the TV screen before Julia hugged her.

"You two need to go, don't you?" Jim asked after Alexis and Louis spoke a little about what they'd done.

"We do," Beckett said, relieved her father had said that to keep Eliza from asking what she and Castle had done. "But we'll come home tomorrow morning."

"But," Castle said hurriedly before the girls could say anything in protest. "We decided we're going to meet you at the stables," he said, not surprised when Julia was speaking rapidly first in her eagerness.

"We're going to go riding?" the girl said rapidly.

"We are," Beckett said. She was going to say more but didn't have the chance when Eliza was squealing in obvious pleasure. "And I guess you're eager to go," she couldn't help saying.

"I am!" the little girl replied.

"Will you two go?" Beckett said to Alexis and Louis.

"What time were you planning on going?" the former asked.

"We're not sure yet," Castle said. "We have no idea how long we'll be at the party or when we'll get up and have breakfast."

"We'll need to call you," Beckett told them. "But we'll try to get over there before lunch."

"There's no rush," Martha said.

"We do want to head out for lunch too," Castle said, knowing his mother was thinking of remaining at home.

"We'll be there," Jim said.

Though she didn't want to, Beckett said goodnight to her family with her husband, promising to call them before they were closing the connection. "At least she's still okay. And Louis."

Nodding Castle took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing gently at it before he told her, "We'll be back with them tomorrow." He stood to put the tablet and his phone away and asked his wife, "Okay?"

"Yes, I just hate being away from Josie," Beckett said.

"So do I," Castle asked. He opened his mouth to ask her about Tahiti when she was wrapping her arms around him and speaking gently.

"I still want to go. We have the tickets and the hut, we're going," Beckett told him firmly.

"We can always cancel," Castle said, though he knew what she was going to say and not wanting to do that himself.

"You won't," Beckett said firmly.

"I won't," Castle replied. "But it's a good thing we're not going to Mill Valley this time."

"This time?" Beckett said with a smile as she let him go and watched him putting the tablet away. She went over to the table where her husband had set her blazer and paused as something came to her. "Rick," she said in amusement.

"What?" Castle asked as he glanced over at her in surprise.

"They didn't ask us about our costumes," Beckett replied.

"They didn't…" Castle said slowly. "Maybe they forgot?"

"I'm wearing a tie love," Beckett reminded him.

"And I've got my vest and tie on," Castle said, looking down at himself. He then said, "Well, then I'll say they're thinking of seeing them in full on Sunday."

"Since we were on the tablet," Beckett said. When her husband nodded, she laughed softly and then said, "Okay-"

"Wait," Castle said quickly and hurrying over to her. He took the blazer from her hands gently and held it open for her so she could slip into it.

"Thank you love," Beckett said. She was about to tell him he better kiss her hand as they were staring at each other, but couldn't since there was a knock on the door. "Put your jacket on love, I'm sure it's Patrick and Trevor," she told him. She went over and opened it, laughing when she saw her friend standing and saluting her in the hall.

"Permission to come aboard!" Darnley said exaggeratedly.

"Get inside," Beckett said with a laugh as she pulled at his arm. She ushered Nkosi in and said, "Nice," before her husband was asking the two about their costumes.

"Anchors Aweigh or On the Town?" Castle said.

"Either one," Darnley said. He glanced at his husband, both dressed in sailors uniforms from the forties. "Or both I think, that might work out too."

"Or the Crackerjack Box sailor," Nkosi said.

"Bleached," Darnley added before they were laughing together. "But you two look great," he told them with a smile. "Very authentic."

"You're that sure?" Beckett asked teasingly. When her friend nodded, she laughed and then said, "We better go, I saw people were heading downstairs."

Getting his blazer on quickly, Castle said to his wife, "What was the deal with eating dinner?"

"They never said," Beckett replied, glancing at him.

"I wonder if it'll just be tapas," Darnley said. "Not in the sense of being Spanish but…"

"Wouldn't that make them appetizers?" Nkosi asked his husband.

Pretending to grumble, Darnley then turned to his friend and said, "We're dancing right?"

"I planned to ask you after Rick and I dance the first dance," Beckett answered as they were heading down the stairs. "Or the first few, I'm not sure how the music will be here either." They were walking down the hall to the ballroom, and she smiled at her husband as it was decorated much as it had been the last Halloween party they'd been to. There was instrumental music playing, a DJ in one corner of the room and tables and chairs set up around the outside. "Should we sit?" she asked her husband.

"Yeah, I'm assuming we'll be saving our tables once we do that," Castle replied before they went with the other two. At one table that was against the windows looking into the greenhouse he said, "Why have we never gone in there?"

"They had it closed off," Beckett reminded him. "Although I'm surprised it's open now."

"Are you guys going to go in?" Darnley asked, watching them.

"Maybe later," Beckett said, shaking her head. She then turned her attention to sitting and said, "I think the appetizer idea was right," as she was easily able to discern the long tables against the wall directly across from them.

"Yep, hopefully soon," Darnley commented.

"You're hungry?" Beckett asked him.

"You weren't doing anything? It was all him?" Darnley asked in mock surprise. He laughed when his friend playfully hit at him and said, "I'm kidding, but you're not hungry?"

"I am, but I have a little more patience," Beckett teased him.

"We're all growing boys," Nkosi said with a smile.

Darnley smiled at his husband and squeezed his shoulder before saying, "What do you thinking about dancing first?"

"I can try," Nkosi said. When the other three were looking at him in obvious confusion he said, "My hat."

"Just take it off," Darnley said, pretending to sound exasperated. He laughed with the others before they were turning when the Kemps were standing by the DJ, Mr. Kemp with a microphone as he was beginning to speak.

"Good evening ladies, gentleman," the owner said. "Welcome to tonight's Halloween party. We'll have appetizers and desserts here on the tables and music will be starting soon. So have a wonderful night and enjoy!"

"Do you want to dance first?" Castle asked his wife while the music was starting.

"Not to this one," Beckett said laughingly as Monster Mash was beginning. She smiled at her husband taking her hand and kissing it before she watched Darnley and Nkosi leaving to walk across the room. "We can go," she said in amusement when her husband looked at her. She stood with him and they grabbed some food on separate plates though her husband had been asking for them to share one. "We can't feed each other," she told him while they went back to their table.

"Are you sure? What if we see others doing it?" Castle asked her playfully. "Like Patrick and Trevor?"

Beckett was doing her best not to laugh at her husband's tone and just managed not to before she looked over at the pair sitting at the table with them. "Are you going to do that?" she asked them.

"It's tempting," Darnley said, glancing at his husband.

"But it's a risk," Nkosi told him.

"Why… oh right," Darnley said, looking down at his uniform. "So I guess that puts the kibosh on that," he told his friend and her husband. "And for you too."

"I know, but I wanted to," Castle said, finishing in a mock whining tone. He smiled when his wife rolled her eyes but wasn't surprised when she was smiling at the same time. He kissed her hand quickly before they began to eat, and he glanced at her when she was bringing something up with the two men.

"What're you guys doing tomorrow?" Beckett asked.

"Going back home," Nkosi said in slight confusion.

"Where are you going?" Darnley asked.

"To the stables," Beckett said.

"Oh no, don't even try," Darnley said jokingly. "I mean," he then said to his husband. "We could go and let the kids see horses."

"Maddy could go on a pony," Castle said.

Breathing out roughly Darnley said to his friend, "Will you go with them?"

"Someone will, yes," Beckett replied with a quick nod. "And you know the ponies will be calm."

"Josie?" Darnley asked.

"No," Beckett said. "Not yet, she's way too young."

"You don't want to take her with you?" Castle asked his wife.

"I'd love to but it's still too soon," Beckett replied. "But she'll enjoy seeing horses too. And we're getting lunch."

"Don't worry," Darnley said quickly since his friend had directed that last bit to her. "We'll go, I just need to run and text Joseph."

"I'll go," Nkosi said, holding his husband's arm to keep him from getting up. "After we eat."

"Sure," Darnley said, calming down at that point. "Sorry, I do like the idea of the kids spending time with yours. But I feel sorry for Julia."

"She might ask Mari to come with," Castle commented.

"You told them?" Nkosi asked. At the writer's nod he smiled and said, "I wonder if she got in touch with her then."

"More than likely," Castle said. He saw they were finished eating at that point and was going to ask his wife to dance when a man was walking over to the table before he was speaking.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you'd like to dance," the man said, smiling at Beckett.

Since she knew it was one of the two that had spoken about herself and her husband in his hearing, Beckett was about to tell him no firmly when he was speaking first.

"We're about to dance," Castle said resolutely. He took his wife's hand as he stood and waited a moment for her to do the same before they were heading out to the dance floor.

"Maybe later," the man said.

Beckett didn't bother to respond to that, instead focusing on her husband and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for that," she told him while they were dancing in each other's arms.

"I really didn't want you to have to talk to him for that long," Castle replied. "Luckily the song ended."

Beckett couldn't help laughing and she kissed her husband's cheek before she glanced to the side to see Darnley and Nkosi were dancing near them. She waved quickly to her friend before she turned her attention to her husband. "What're you thinking?" she asked him, seeing the look on his face and wondering if it had to do with the man who'd asked her to dance.

"I was just thinking how weird it is that we're treating these outfits as if they were costumes when they really are everyday wear," Castle said.

"Were," Beckett corrected him gently. "I do know what you mean though. How do you feel?"

"Good, but I still feel a little bad I sprang this on Mother all of a sudden," Castle told his wife.

"I don't think she minded," Beckett said in amusement, she couldn't help recalling her mother in law's words as she had given her husband his new suit he'd suddenly asked for earlier that month and she pressed closer to him while they danced into the next song.

"There you are," Martha said with a smile as she was handing the grey pinstriped fabric to her son. "Please try that on now so it'll be ready for your trip," she said.

"I'll go," Castle said. "But still Mother, thank you so much."

"Richard, stop feeling guilty," Martha gently chastised him. "You have no reason to be, it was a quick sew."

"You're sure," Castle said, looking at the fabric in his hands.

"I'm very sure, now go," Martha told him.

Smiling as she watched her husband leaving them for the stairs, Beckett turned to her mother in law and said, "The fabric looked good."

"You may want to go up to see him," Martha said. "I'd like a second opinion."

"I think you've been listening to your granddaughters for too long," Beckett said jokingly. She laughed softly when her mother in law waved her hand at her and she turned her attention to going to the stairs herself. Inside hers and Castle's room, she sat on her husband's side of their bed before he was opening the door and she smiled before he noticed her and spoke in surprise.

"Hey love," Castle said. "Are you here for my mother?"

"No," Beckett said. "Though she essentially forced me up the stairs."

Laughing briefly, since he could easily imagine his mother doing that, Castle said, "What do you think?"

"You don't have the whole costume on yet," Beckett told him. "Your vest, your blazer? The tie?"

"You want me to put on the tie too?" Castle asked as he walked to the table behind their bed where he'd set those items.

"We need to see the full costume," Beckett said.

"For you to make adjustments?" Castle asked doubtfully since his mother had nothing to do with his tie.

"No," Beckett replied easily.

"Oh," Castle said before he paused in putting on his vest. "I'll do it, but she's not coming upstairs for a while is she?"

"Pervert," Beckett said with a smile as she reached down for his vest. She buttoned it for him and looked up at him asking, "Nothing?"

"I'm enjoying the view," Castle said.

"View of what?" Beckett asked with a slight frown as she was wearing a sweater that day.

"You… not that," Castle said, speaking quickly as he realized what she was talking about. "You doing that for me."

Beckett couldn't help smiling at the memories that immediately set off in her and she said, "I remember."

Taking her hands gently, Castle leaned down and kissed at her fingers lightly before saying, "It was very intimate."

"It was," Beckett replied. She took his gentle kiss, though they lingered, and when they parted she told him, "And one where we didn't have to worry about me becoming pregnant."

"That's my line," Castle told her teasingly.

Beckett laughed and stopped her husband from trying to wrap his arms around her saying, "Hold on love, we have to go. Your mom is waiting for us."

"Then we need to hurry," Castle said in a rush. He pretended to run to the table while his wife was laughing softly and pulled on the blazer before he asked her, "Do I really have to put on the tie?"

"Yes," Beckett told him firmly.

"Okay," Castle said before he put it around his neck. He let his wife take over after that and he set the tie beneath his vest once she was finished.

"I'll do more on Halloween night," Beckett said with a smile. "We're trying to hurry," she told him as he was looking at her questioningly.

Nodding, Castle watched her smoothing the blazer and lightly tugging on the bottom of his vest. "Well?" he asked. He was immensely pleased when his wife reached up to him and cupped his face with her hands. He was quick to lean down to her and they kissed fervently though they were soon after parting. "Kate," he breathed to her.

"You look amazing Rick," Beckett said, pressing her forehead against his. "I love you in blacks and greys; they made your eyes bluer."

Brushing his lips to hers, Castle said, "I remember. And I loved you in blue." He shook his head and told her, "It was silly, a connection to me but…"

"I was aware you thought that way," Beckett said. "And that was the reason why I started wearing the color. My… nonverbal I love you."

Castle pulled his wife closer to him and was about to kiss her when there was a knock on the door and he sighed saying, "So much for hurrying."

"Come on," Beckett said with a smile before she was heading to the door to open it, not surprised her mother in law was stepping into the doorway as she spoke.

"I was a little worried something was wrong with the suit," Martha told the pair. "But it looks like it's a good fit. Richard?"

"It is Mother," Castle said. He was expecting her to come over to him to study her work, but she merely nodded.

"Then you can change out of it, I'll be in my room," Martha said.

"Is she okay?" Castle asked his wife.

"I don't know," Beckett said, smiling as she closed the door. "She is your mother."

"Very true," Castle replied as he nodded his head. "I'll be back."

Beckett wanted to tell her husband he could change in front of her, but she knew Josie was going to wake up soon, so she nodded and watched him go. Since she didn't really have much she needed to do herself, she went to the windows and looked down at the beach before she heard the door opening.

"I'll hang this," Castle was telling his wife as he was going to the closet. "Get it in the garment bag now. Is Josie awake?"

"I need to check," Beckett replied, following him. She waited in the doorway for him to walk up to her before she reached for him and pulled him into her embrace.

"Kate," Castle breathed, wanting to kiss her badly but knowing they needed to go to their youngest.

"A little," Beckett said simply before her husband was leaning down to her and kissing her. She held him tightly while their tongues were very shortly after rolling and rubbing against one another and once they stopped, she said, "We should go."

"We should," Castle said, though he couldn't resist and leaned down to her. He kissed her lightly before they were shortly after parting.

Letting her husband take her hand, Beckett was following him over to the door, squeezing his and telling him, "I can't wait for the party."

"Neither can I," Castle said as he paused, smiling at her.

Beckett took her husband's kiss before they parted and left their room, thinking of the party before they needed to focus on their daughter.

"Why are we here Patrick?" Beckett asked her friend.

"Well, your husband needed to go to your room and mine needed to text his father," Darnley began. "Or call him, either way. So I decided we needed to get you away from Goofus and Goofus."

Rolling her eyes, since the three men had begun calling the two men still staring at her that, Beckett said, "While the nickname is annoying, I appreciate you guys wanting to protect me," startled when her friend made them stop.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Kate Beckett?" Darnley said in a mock threatening tone of voice.

Beckett smiled and said, "At least that got your attention. I mean block them from me."

"Ah, happy to oblige," Darnley said, saluting his friend.

Shaking her head, Beckett laughed softly before she said, "Alright, come on." They were inside the greenhouse, at the end of the room of plants, before she paused when she heard a familiar voice at the entrance.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Darnley swore before he was grabbing his friend and pushing her to an empty alcove that was tucked into the darkness.

Looking up at her friend, Beckett listened to the two men talking to each other at the other end of the greenhouse, hoping they wouldn't find her and try again to get her to dance with them.

"This is so stupid Denny."

"Hey, I told you we just need to keep staring at her. She'll notice and see we're way better looking and younger than her husband."

"But… Okay, okay. But what if she doesn't let us dance with her. We'll be here all night just standing. I wanted to dance."

"If we dance with her it'll be worth it. Remember copping a feel Xanti?"

"I do. Ass or tits?"

"Whatever you feel like."

"I'm going for her ass. Should we head back?"

"Yeah, come on."

Beckett couldn't help letting out a heavy sigh of relief when she was sure the two of them were gone, as the thought of either of them touching her in any way was making her sick. She stepped away from Darnley and said, "Thank you." She was startled when her friend was suddenly beginning to laugh before watched him collapsing to the floor. "Patrick!" she said in surprise.

"Oh! Oh, that was so good… oh…" Darnley was saying.

"Patrick! What are you doing?" Beckett said loudly to get his attention.

"Oh, never actually rolled on the floor… ah," Darnley said, stretching out. He then looked up at Beckett and seeing the expression on her face said, "Hey, sorry about that."

"Don't worry, I'm just wondering how we're going to explain to wherever you rented your uniform why you're so dirty," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her friend was nearly scrambling to get up and asking her worriedly to dust off his back. "You're fine," she told him firmly after she'd done so lightly. "Now will you please explain to me why you were rolling on the floor."

"And laughing," Darnley said, holding up his finger. "Okay," he said quickly as he saw that his friend was frowning at him. "Xanti is gay."

"Ga… how do you know?" Beckett asked.

"I can tell, plus his tone was really unhappy talking about you," Darnley replied. "Also the mention of the buttocks."

"But he was referring to me," Beckett said.

Letting out a bark of a laugh, Darnley said, "To appease Denny, that was more for his sake and more what he wants. You can tell by his tone."

"So I just have to worry about one guy?" Beckett asked.

"Worry about who?" Castle said, he and Nkosi walking into the greenhouse at that moment.

"I'll explain," Darnley said.

"Oh good, I wasn't really looking forward to that," Beckett told him. She watched her husband as the carpenter was telling the two what had happened and was about to speak when Darnley was adding something to her surprise.

"I also realized something else," the carpenter said. When the others were looking at him, he said, "They're sleeping together."

"I was going to say," Nkosi said. "After you spoke of how they were both talking."

"So… bisexual? Or the one is just fooling around until he finds a woman?" Castle asked slowly.

"Latter," Darnley and Nkosi said at that same time.

When her husband looked at her at that point Beckett said, "I'm fine, relieved to hear one of them is not a threat. Though I would hope they don't get into an argument about his feelings for Denny."

"Aren't they sharing a room?" Nkosi asked.

"They are," Castle said. "I saw them going upstairs to it after I'd gotten our lunch. But I think that's enough of that right?" He was relieved when Darnley and Nkosi nodded in agreement and then turned to his wife and said, "Well, what would you like to do?"

"Continue at the party," Beckett said firmly. "You were pushing about the desserts remember?"

"I'll go grab us a plate," Castle said.

Beckett was startled when he left quickly with Darnley and she said to Nkosi, "Are they scouting out the room?"

"Most likely," the investigator said. He held his arm out to her while he tipped his sailor's cap and asked, "Might a sailor escort a lady?"

"Yes," Beckett said in amusement. "And you've been around Patrick for too long."

"Good," Nkosi said before she was sliding her arm through his. "Are you alright?" he asked as they were walking out slowly.

"Yes, unfortunately I've had to hear that every so often from other men," Beckett said.

"I suppose it means you're attractive," Nkosi said.

"You realize you can admit it," Beckett said teasingly. "Patrick's said it to me."

"I didn't know if you'd want to hear that after those… idiots," Nkosi said.

"I don't care," Beckett said with a sigh as they stepped into the hallway outside the greenhouse.

"And if it was your husband saying that?" Nkosi asked.
"I'd have the same reaction, but I prefer to hear it from him than anyone else," Beckett said firmly.

"Which is why it's odd he left you here," Nkosi said. "Though let's hope the two aren't going very… macho."

"They're not," Beckett said in amusement because they were in the doorway to the ballroom where they could see their husbands were sitting at their table again.

"Ah, they got dessert," Nkosi said.

"Hey, don't make my wife run in heels," Castle said jokingly to the investigator. He wasn't surprised when Beckett glanced at him before he was helping her into her seat. He was about to sit himself when she was playfully grabbing his tie and pretending to tug it so he'd fall into his chair. He laughed as he fixed it and was about to tell her he'd been joking when she leaned over to him and was whispering into his ear.

"I want to go up to our room," Beckett said.

Nodding, since he knew she meant after they had finished their dessert, Castle moved to whisper in her ear, "You're sure you don't want to take it up?"

"I'm sure," Beckett said with a smile since he was raising and lowering his eyebrows at her. She squeezed his arm and then turned to Darnley, getting his attention before she leaned into him and told him, "We're going to head up to our room once we finish."

"Oh good, I was telling Trev I wanted to go soon too," Darnley said. "It's late enough."

Beckett smiled, since it was around ten-thirty, and said, "Since we're going back home tomorrow."

"Oh of course," Darnley said, nodding his head seriously. He smiled when his friend rolled her eyes before she turned back to her husband.

Taking the meringue her husband handed her, Beckett said, "I wonder about breakfast."

"We have some macarons still," Castle said. "Maybe we can get a croissant before we go?"

"I thought I was going to have to suggest that," Beckett said, smiling at him. She turned her attention to the dessert plate before they were finishing shortly after since her husband hadn't gotten that much. She wanted to comment on that, but they were standing up with Darnley and Nkosi and going over to the Kemps. After thanking them for the party, they headed up the stairs and standing at the top she said, "We'll text you once we're up and ready."

"Should we do the same?" Darnley said.

"Yeah, or else we'll end up waiting for each other and never leave," Castle said in amusement.

"Okay, then we'll see you guys tomorrow at some point," Darnley said before he and Beckett were exchanging a hug. "And you guys looked great."

"You too, stop fishing," she told him teasingly while she quickly embraced his husband.

"I had to try," Darnley said before he and Nkosi shook hands with her husband. "Night you two," he said before they were heading down the hall.

Watching them, Beckett smiled when Darnley waved while his husband was unlocking the door to their room and returned it before she felt her husband's hand on her back. Turning her attention to him, she walked with him to their room and waited for him to open it before walking inside. She soon realized she was only hearing her footsteps and turned to see her husband was at the doorway. "Rick?" she asked in surprise.

"I'd like to get something to drink," Castle replied. "Something small and I'll be right back."

Nodding, Beckett watched her husband leave, locking the door behind him, and she unbuttoned her blazer before getting it off as she walked to the bedroom.

Downstairs, Castle went to the bar that was set up in the ballroom and got two small glasses of sherry. He hesitated for a moment when he heard one of the men calling to him but started walking quickly again. Heading up to the room he knocked with his knuckle before he heard the door opening. "Hey, everyone's still down in the ballroom," he told his wife while he handed her the glasses.

"I could have done that," Beckett told him teasingly.

"You could have, but those glasses aren't that heavy," Castle said, locking the door. When he turned back around to his wife, he saw she was staring at him and said, "Okay… wrong thing to say. I just wanted to lock the door."

"And it's locked," Beckett said, handing him one of the glasses. With her hand free she pulled her husband with her to the turret, stopping him from sitting down. "Rick," she said firmly.

Studying her for a moment, Castle nodded and then said, "Sláinte."

"Sláinte," Beckett said with a smile before she was drinking the sherry. Since the glass was so small they were only drinking twice before she handed him hers, watching him set them on the table.

Turning back to his wife Castle said, "I feel like I'm wearing too much."

"Then we better get that off of you," Beckett said as he walked up to her. She let him wrap his arm around her waist before he was pulling her to him. "But not right here," she said with a slight smile while he was staring into her eyes. She watched him hesitating, about to suggest to him what they should do when he was picking her up and carrying her into the bedroom. On the bed she said, "I can't really help you here," while he was unbuttoning his vest. She hurried to get off the bed and reached for it, brushing away his hands before he was speaking to her teasingly.

"You're going to let me too right?" Castle asked her, watching her.

"Of course," Beckett replied, smiling at him. She took his kiss as he leaned down to her but was trying her best to continue with his clothes. But her husband wasn't stopping, and she broke off their kiss saying, "You're not helping."

"You're that much in a hurry?" Castle asked. When his wife's response was to brush her hand against his groin, he found the urge to rush before they had his tie, vest and jacket off him and on the floor. "Wait, I'll take this," he said, taking off the tank top he'd had to wear under the dress shirt. He saw his wife was waiting for him and he reached for her to gently pull her tie she had already opened from her neck. "What are we doing right now?" he asked.

"Finishing," Beckett said with a smile before they were helping each other at the same time. She let her husband lay her back on the bed once they had everything off and said, "Will you make love to me," as she wrapped her arms around him while he lay on her.

"I was going to," Castle replied with a nod. He kissed her, feeling her legs spreading underneath him and he pulled away before they were working together to get his length inside of her. Once he had slid through his wife gently, he breathed out heavily at the feel of her arousal and murmured, "I won't stop."

"Thank you," Beckett replied before they were kissing again. Her husband soon began to thrust, and she gasped out in pleasure before saying, "How… how is it still like this. We were doing this for… hours."

"I know," Castle was able to say. He moved to kiss at her neck and her collarbone, doing his best to move further down. He was a little surprised when his wife was pulling him back up and he looked at her for a moment before kissing her again. He felt her tongue sweep against his and he was quick to begin tangling his around her. They were dueling passionately until he moved back a little to see she was tilting her head back. He couldn't resist the temptation and leaned down, kissing along her neck before she was pulling him up to her.

Responding to her husband's kiss as intently as she could, Beckett wasn't sure how they weren't moving as hard as they could. But their bodies were thrusting against each other gently and she was enjoying it greatly though she soon ended their kiss. She slid her hand up the back of his neck as they were gazing at one another and she found a thrill passing through her body since his eyes were intense on her. "Rick…" she moaned as he was angling his hips down. He was still gentle, and she tightened the grip of her legs around him. When he paused, she was almost ready to protest but it was only for a moment and she quickly realized why he'd done that as the sensation of him sinking in her again was enough to make her tremble in joy.

As Castle and Beckett were beginning to kiss again, they became a little lost to what they were doing together, touching each other and taking short pauses. Eventually they were beginning to move a little faster, and as she was holding onto her husband's back tightly, Beckett was orgasming first, Castle not far behind. They moved together harder in that moment, and the sudden extra stimulation was enough of an incentive to make them continue so they climaxed for a second time.

Once she was calm again and her husband was still above her, Beckett gently caressed the back of his head, kissing at the top of it since he had his face pressed into her neck. "I still think we should have gotten tired of it," she said.

Castle, raising his head, smiled at his wife and said, "It's no use."

"No?" Beckett replied with a momentary smirk.

"No, you don't come twice and say you're tired of it," Castle told her.

"Unless my body has taken over," Beckett said.

"Or that," Castle said with a shrug. He then smiled when she laughed briefly and leaned down to kiss her. They were involved in that for a while and when they parted, he was tempted to just start over again. But he moved to lay down next to her, wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he could once she was settled against his side. They were quiet for a while until he was asking her, "Kate?"

"Yeah?" Beckett said, looking up at him.

"When we're in Tahiti," Castle said. "Do we really need a book?"

"You don't want at least our Kama Sutra?" Beckett asked. She sat up then and said, "I'd like to take it to be honest. I enjoyed getting the page numbers. But just one day."

Nodding in agreement with that, Castle asked, "And the second day we can do our tantric," not surprised when she laughed at that before she was teasing him about that.

"Our tantric?" Beckett asked with a smile while he sat up to lean against the headboard.

"Well… I'm not sure what else to call it," Castle said, sounding nonchalant. He laughed when she pinched his side and told her, "Do you have any suggestions?"

"No," Beckett said before she looked at the dresser where they'd placed their clothes. "I kept that outfit for as long as I could," she told him. "I don't know how I found the fabric now, but that was a suit I made for you. About two years after we were married."

"Christmas gift," Castle told her. When she nodded, he said, "We wore that to the club… I think it was in between your last two pregnancies."

"It was," Beckett said. "The first time you wore that suit." She then smiled and said, "But you're not thinking of the party at the club, are you?"

"Well, we were together in the bed again at the room there," Castle said. "So…"

Beckett shook her head as she smiled as he was spreading his hands and said, "You might want to stop."

"That's happening… either way," Castle said, knowing she was indicating his erection. He then let himself look over her body and once he was looking up at her again, he said, "What? You did the same."

"Not for that long," Beckett said before she was turning to him and cupping his face with her hand. She kissed him lovingly and lingered there before her husband pulled away, making her gasp out, "What-" before he was drawing her onto his lap. She was pleased when he was kissing her again, wrapping her arms tightly around him yet again and responding to him as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. They were rubbing them together at first before outright dueling and she could feel her husband's hand beginning to run over her side. As it slid down to her hip, she was moaning and when they parted, she took the chance to say, "Are we doing this for a while?"

"A while," Castle said before he was closing the gap between them. He kissed her as fervently as he could and continued into several more before they were pressing their foreheads to each other's. "Do you want me to stop love?" he asked her.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile. She pulled back a little and said, "You're not uncomfortable?"

"Slightly but I can live through it," Castle said. He kissed her again before she could say anything and continued that for a while until he was moving back. He reached up to her and gently pushed her hair behind her ear before kissing at her cheek until he was back at the lobe.

Beckett leaned into him slightly and let her husband nip and lightly suck at her lobe before she was making him move back. She cupped his face and kissed him lightly before she pulled away and said, "We have more time."

"We do," Castle said before he reached down and placed his hand on her thigh. "You mentioned something about being tired of it though. That's a little concerning."

"Is it?" Beckett asked, knowing what he was doing and going along with it quickly.

"Yes, is there anything I could do to make sure you're not?" Castle asked her. He wasn't surprised when she was initiating a kiss at that point, going along with it intently as she indicated immediately what she wanted from him. He'd moved his hand from her thigh to hold her while they were busy with that, and once they had stopped, he went back to touching her. "Just that? It doesn't seem like much," he told her, not surprised when she was responding to that quickly while he proceeded to rub his hand and up and down her leg.

"Maybe that's only the beginning of what I need," Beckett told him.

"Want to tell me what else I can do?" Castle asked her, moving to slide his hand in between her legs.

Shaking her head, Beckett looked on while her husband was moving up to her sex and she then leaned into him. Kissing him deeply, she gasped in surprise shortly after she had started when he was making her move. "You-" she started to say.

"I have better access this way," Castle told her seriously. He was pleased when she nodded, and they leaned into each other to kiss again. After they'd parted, he said, "But still, what am I doing?"

"Just touch me love," Beckett told her husband. She was pleased when he was kissing her again, and she was moving to respond while she was wrapping her arms a little tighter around him. Though he wasn't touching her more than he already had been she didn't mind since she was enjoying their tongues tangling around each other. When they stopped and didn't immediately rush back to each other's mouth after several passionate kisses, she leaned her forehead to his and said, "I'm ready for you love."

Castle moved immediately once his wife had spoken, laying her on her back in the middle of the bed and lightly fingering her sex, focusing a little more on her clit. "This is because of me?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't really comment on that.

Nodding, Beckett drew her husband down to her for a gentle kiss and said once they'd stopped, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle said seriously as he stared into her eyes. "I adore you, let me…"

"Please," Beckett breathed. "Fuck me lover."

"Goddess," Castle whispered back before they were kissing ardently.

Not taking all that long to begin making love again, Castle and Beckett knew they didn't have the hours they'd had the night before. But they didn't mind, taking advantage of what time they did have and indulging in their intimacy to attempt to satiate a little of their intense desire for one another.