Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis written by Andrew B. Sterling and Skip to My Lou though I couldn't find the writer, both are taken from the 1944 Judy Garland move Meet Me in St. Louis. And if anyone's interested in seeing Julia and Mari's costumes from the movie I think searching 'Meet Me in St. Louis tennis costume' and there should a picture in the image option with the striped tennis costume (Julia's which is Judy Garland's in the movie) and the costume with a hat (Mari's costume), the pair on a porch.
A/N #2: It was really great to get the feedback for the last chapter that I did so I'll get right to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really pleased to see you like the new characters I bring into the story, it's fun getting to do that!) and
Mb (It was nice to see you thought the chapter was nicely done. And I'm glad you enjoyed seeing them having fun with that family and friends after they left the B&B. The same with you thinking it was good seeing them at the stables indulging in their passion for riding along with them practicing for polo too. I wasn't surprised to see you laughing at the fact Castle and Beckett are going to be celibate before they go to Tahiti. Or you describing it as torture release since of course that's what it is. Glad again you thought it was nicely done. And you're welcome for the first half of the chapter! I was happy to read you thought the second half was wonderfully written. And I wasn't surprised that you're noticing Julia's becoming slightly rebellious since I figured she'd be getting to that at this age. And I wasn't surprised either that you mentioned Josie becoming a little parrot as you put it, I figured she'd do that at that age and if her sisters were doing their best to teach her, lol. Nice to see you're liking Julia's ideas for her Harry Potter stories. Great to see you thought the second half was nicely done. And you're welcome for sharing the second half too!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Thriller written by Rod Temperton, from the Michael Jackson album with the same name.
Under The Moonlight
Looking in the mirror while she was setting her hair into a bun, Beckett glanced over at her husband as he walked into their bathroom. "Is anyone here?"
"No, I just came to see if you were doing alright," Castle replied, leaning against the counter next to her.
"I'm fine," Beckett said in amusement. "Are you sure you didn't want to just come and watch me?"
"I'm sure," Castle replied. When his wife's reflection was just staring at him, he said, "Okay, not so sure."
Laughing briefly, Beckett leaned over and kissed her husband lovingly before she pulled away and said, "But I am finished."
"Great, what're we doing?" Castle asked.
"Checking on the girls," Beckett said before reaching for him and taking his hand. She led him out into their bedroom before they went to the hall and she saw that Julia was coming out of her room, carrying Josie and walking with Mari and Eliza next to them, the two oldest singing.
Meet me in St. Louis, Louis
Meet me at the fair
Don't tell me the lights are shining
Any place but there
We will dance the Hoochee Koochee
I will be your tootsie wootsie
If you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis
Meet me at the fair
Startled by the applause when she and Mari stopped singing, Julia looked down the hall and saw it was her parents. She smiled and said, "You guys look great," seeing they were dressed in their twenties outfits.
"Yeah, the tie is perfect for your eyes Daddy," Eliza said eagerly, hurrying down to them.
Picking her up, Castle said, "Thank you. Now, how's the witch doing?"
"Good," Eliza said immediately, smiling at him. She kissed his cheek before he put her back down and told him, "Do you like their costumes?"
"I do," Beckett said, walking down to the girls. She took Josie and said, "They came out really close to the movie."
"Even your hat," Castle told Mari.
"Thanks," the girl said with a smile, looking at it in her hands.
"I am disappointed you don't have the stocking cap," Castle said jokingly to Julia.
Making a face at him for a moment, Julia then said, "It was too weird, I liked the dress a lot better on its own."
"And that's what you have," Beckett said, smiling as she watched Julia spin in her blue and white striped top that partially covered her white skirt from the movie Meet Me in St. Louis. "But the socks are nice."
"I know, I really love them," Julia said, sticking out her leg once she had stopped to look at them. They were blue and white striped as well and she had on white shoes to complete her costume. Though she didn't have bangs to curl as in the movie, she was pleased with her hair, brushed straight and hanging past her shoulders as she'd grown it longer for the costume.
"And yours is nice too, not uncomfortable?" Beckett said.
"No," Mari said. She had on a patterned blouse that was white with brown ribbons down the front. She had a pale blue skirt that went down to her ankles, brown old-fashioned ankle boots under that. She had the hat that went with the costume, a straw one that had stripped fabric tied around it. "Which is nice since I gotta walk a lot," she added.
Laughing, Castle said, "You better ask your parents about that when they get here."
"Speaking of that," Beckett said as there was a chime for the gate. She went downstairs first and smiled when Martha made a beeline to her, speaking tenderly to the baby while she was reaching for Josie.
"You make an adorable Cookie Monster," Castle's mother said, taking her youngest granddaughter. "She seems to be okay in it," she said to her son and daughter in law.
"She does luckily," Castle said, smiling at the baby looking between them seriously. He and Beckett had gotten her a Cookie Monster costume that was a jumpsuit though at that moment the hood that had the eyes of the character on top was pulled down.
"Hello?" Alexis called.
"'lexis!" Eliza cried as she ran out of the room.
"Eliza!" Castle and Beckett said at the same time.
"Don't run, don't run," Alexis told her sister hurriedly once she was in the hall. "You know you're not supposed to."
"Sorry, but I wanted to see what you were gonna wear," Eliza said eagerly, hugging her sister who was dressed up as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. "You look so cool," she said eagerly, beaming up at her. "You too," she added to Louis who was dressed as Jack Skellington.
"Oh, thank you," the young man said. "Though I'm not really finished with it."
"We're going to paint our faces after dinner," Alexis explained before she turned her attention to the rest of her family. She hugged her parents first, complimenting them on their outfits before she said to sister and Mari, "Those turned out great. Just like the movie."
"Thanks," Mari said with a smile. "It's nothing special."
"You're enjoying those aren't you?" Louis said in amusement.
"Yeah," Julia said before she and Mari were laughing together. "Yours look really nice," she told the couple.
"Thank you, like we told Eliza though we're not quite finished yet," Louis replied.
"And there's Cookie Monster," Alexis said.
Laughing as her sister was mimicking the character's voice, Josie walked to her and held onto the end of her dress saying, "Lex, up! Candy!"
"I thought she would have said cookie," Louis said, stroking his chin.
Smiling while she was rolling her eyes, Alexis kissed the top of Josie's head as she'd picked the baby up and said to her grandparents, "Later?"
"Yes," Jim said with a nod.
"Grandpapa is already in his," Eliza said quickly.
Glancing at him, in a dress shirt and blue grey trousers, Louis smiled and asked, "Twenties?"
"Forties," Jim corrected with a smile.
"He has a military jacket," Julia said.
"Like in White Christmas," Jim explained.
"Oh, I remember," Alexis said. "Good idea."
"That's my family," Mari said suddenly when she heard the chime for the gate. She smiled when the others were laughing at that and she went with them to the front door.
"Who is it?" Castle said.
"It's not just us," Brad said. "The Fosters and Darnleys are here too."
"Oh, everyone's here," Castle said into the intercom by the door.
"Rick," Beckett said.
"Okay, the usual families are here," Castle said before he heard the intercom chiming. "What happened?" he asked.
"There are two other cars behind us," Brad said.
"That's the rest of the party," Beckett said.
"The Carters and Peter's family?" Louis asked. When Julia looked at him, he said, "Really, what else could I call them? There are four of them."
Julia wanted to comment on that but didn't have the chance to since her father was opening the door and she hurried to step out with the rest of her family to greet their guests. She smiled at Mari as her family was getting out of their car first and watched her friend rushing out to them while she was calling to them happily.
"Hey Mom, Dad," Mari was saying. "What do you think?"
"It looks great," Rebecca said first and with a smile at her daughter. "Just like the movie."
"Julia's too, you should see hers," Mari said.
"Eliza?" Dani asked as her father was setting her on the ground after taking her out of her car seat.
"Over there," Mari said, hugging her little sister. "And she's ready for Hogwarts too."
Dani giggled before her sister was taking her to the porch and she hurried to Eliza, their costumes the same in that they were Hogwarts girl's uniforms though she had the Gryffindor colors and Eliza had Ravenclaw's. "Hi," she said with a smile to her friend.
"Hey, you look great," the little girl replied. "Ready for the party?"
"Yeah," Dani said before looking over at Eddie and Hattie Carter as they were hurrying up to them.
"Come inside everyone," Castle was telling the others quickly after they'd greeted each other. "Since we have the weather for it, we'll let the kids play a little outside before we move back in for the party games."
"How long are you letting them play outside?" Autumn Carter asked.
"Not that long," Beckett replied.
"You know I was wondering which way you'd go with your costumes," Castle told the Carters. "Either this or Egyptian."
"The kids are a little young for that still," Oliver Carter said.
"They are nice costumes," Beckett said, the four dressed as explorers.
"Yours are too, and the kids," Genevieve commented with a smile.
"Thanks," Castle said before they were heading into the backyard.
"What?" Darnley asked in mock annoyance.
Beckett shook her head and said, "I like that you kept the same costumes."
"We had to," Darnley replied. "Since we rented them of course."
"The kids look cute," Beckett said. She then said, "I wasn't really expecting your in laws to dress up too… or is it just they have a chance to wear it?"
"It's a chance, though they consider it a costume at the same time," Nkosi told them.
"Do you have an outfit like that?" Castle asked as he walked over to them.
"The blanket," Nkosi replied. "It's in our bedroom but it's mainly for display. But they brought those fabrics from South Africa, my mother made them. Oh, they are traditional Xhosa attire."
"I had a feeling," Castle said.
"So did I," Beckett added with a smile. "They're beautiful."
"They are," Nkosi said with a nod.
"How long are you thinking of letting them run around?" Darnley asked his friend when their husbands had left them.
"Not that long, you're worried?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"And you're not? Josie is out here remember," Darnley said. He studied her face and said, "Oh, you set me up to that," smiling himself when she was laughing.
"We're not staying that long," Beckett assured him. "Since it is chilly today."
"At least a couple of them have some robes," Darnley said. He then said, "But man is this uniform thin."
"We'll go soon," Beckett said, knowing he was serious since she could tell with the fabric. She was walking over to Lily and said, "How're you?"
"Good, I feel weird but what're you going to do," the chef said, looking down at her costume. She was dressed in a Roman woman's toga and said, "Not too cold."
"Okay," Beckett said. "Everyone," she called to the others. "I think we better go that way we don't freeze out here."
"What about you?" Brad said. "You're wearing a skirt."
"You are too," Beckett shot back with a smile as the chief was wearing a Roman soldier's costume. She then turned her attention to helping getting the kids and once they were inside, she said, "We'll go ahead and start the games. We have chairs set up in the parlor this time since we're more people and there's more room here." Once they had walked over to the room she was smiling and said, "Rick?"
"Yeah, let me go get it ready," Castle told her before he moved to the credenza. "This first one not all the kids can play on their own, so parents if you want to help them you can."
"Are we competing for prizes?" Jacob asked, dressed as a mummy.
"We are, but there's a catch to them helping," Castle said, bringing over four bowls filled with candy corn and candy pumpkins. "You have to use chopsticks and then kids' hands need to be the ones holding it."
"Oh," Jacob said. "Okay."
Beckett watched as the kids were gathering around the table, some of the parents going with the younger kids. She felt something run into her and smiled at Josie before picking her up. "You want to watch sweetie?" she asked the baby, kissing her cheek.
"Yes Mama," the baby said seriously.
"Okay, you have a minute," Castle was telling the kids. "Take out whatever you can get and put it down on the paper plate, whoever has the most will win." He waited a moment to see if they were ready and after asking to make sure he was telling them to start. He was looking at his watch, so he'd know when the minute was up before he was saying, "Okay, that's it."
"I'll help you count," Isaac said quickly.
"I think we all should," Darnley said jokingly.
"Hold on," Beckett said. "Let the older kids count and help the younger."
"You trust us?" Eve asked, dressed as an Egyptian woman.
"We do," Beckett said in amusement. She watched them all counting before they were telling the others what they had before she said, "Looks like you won Mari."
"Hey… wait, I did?" the girl herself asked in surprise.
"You did," Castle said in amusement. "And pick a number between one and six."
"Five," Mari said after thinking about that for a moment. She watched with the others as Castle was walking over to the cadenza and some bags. She noticed then there was a number on the one he'd taken and saw when he handed it to her that it was a five.
"What'd you get?" Peter asked.
"It's a box of Dots," Mari said. "And a gift certificate to the bookstore," she said with a smile at the others.
"Nice," Julia told her friend.
"Do you know what your parents got?" Mari asked her.
Shaking her head Julia said, "Just in case I end up wining something."
"What's the next one?" Clive asked eagerly.
"Bowling," Beckett said while her husband was grabbing their bowling game.
"Hey, I won already!" Jacob said jokingly while he raised his hands as the bowling pins were wrapped in white gauze.
"Is this the same as the game before?" Nkosi asked.
"It is, but we were thinking just two turns each or else we won't have the chance to get to the other games," Castle said. "At least not before trick or treating."
"We'll do it in order from youngest to oldest," Beckett said.
Seeing her friend looking at her pointedly, Lily was confused for a moment before she realized why. "Oh, Brad," she said to her husband.
"Yeah, I've got her," the chief said with a smile, going over to her to take Sophie. He took the seventeen-month-old before kissing the side of her head asking her, "Want to bowl?"
"Dada," Sophie laughed.
"She's ready," Eve said.
"Luckily," Brad said to his oldest. He took her over to where the pins were set up and then took the wooden bowling ball Castle gave him. Preparing his daughter to take her turn, he was about to ask his friend if he was going to do the same for Josie when he was replying to him quickly.
"I'll do the same for Josie," Castle said. When his friend looked up at him in surprise he said, "I had a feeling you were going to ask that."
"Good guess," Brad said before he turned his attention to Sophie. He helped her roll the bowling ball to the mummy pins and laughed as his youngest squealed in pleasure at them being knocked down. "Great job," he told her, picking her up to kiss her cheek to her laughter. He took the bowling ball Eve brought back to him and helped her bowl again.
After all the kids had taken a turn Autumn said, "What're you going to do? Julia and Jacob are tied."
"They'll bowl again," Beckett said. She smiled and said, "Any protest to their costumes?"
"Not really, I know she's dressed to be more comfortable," Autumn said. "The surprise is Sophie's costume."
"I know, they didn't tell us what they were going to dress her in," Beckett said as the baby was dressed as an ibis bird.
"We got her costume first," Lily commented after her son had taken his turn first. "She loved the picture of it, so we thought why not?"
"Then why aren't the rest of you Egyptian?" Castle asked jokingly.
Punching his friend's shoulder playfully Brad said, "None of your business."
"It works though," Carter said, walking up to his wife and giving her a glass of the punch Castle and Beckett had for the party. "If you're way down in time at Cleopatra."
"Around there," Brad said with a laugh before they watched Julia taking her turn.
"Oh, sorry," Jacob said as he won after the girl had taken her two turns.
"It's okay," Julia said laughingly. "You won fair and square so enjoy your prize."
"Don't pick five," Castle said as he walked over to them.
"Two," Jacob said quickly. He took the bag that the writer gave him and smiled seeing what was inside. "Awesome, Junior Mints and a card to the bookstore."
"I sense a theme here," Darnley commented.
"Hush," Castle said before he was laughing with the others. "Okay, the next game you guys can all play since it's an easier one."
"Rick," Beckett said quickly. "The younger kids need help."
"Still," Castle said, smiling when his wife was rolling her eyes. He brought out a container filled with candy corn and said, "You need to guess how many are inside here."
"Oh, I hate these games," Clive groaned.
"Clive," Isaac said to his son quickly.
"Uh… I love them?" Clive asked.
"It's okay," Julia said quickly to him. "I always get this one wrong."
"Me too," Mari said with a smile at her partner. "But it's fun to see how close you can get."
"Sorry," Clive then told Castle when he saw his father was still watching him.
"Like Julia said it's okay," he replied. "So take your time, study the container and then write down your guess with your name on a paper," Castle told them all.
While the kids were doing that, Beckett went to Genevieve and said, "How're you doing?"
"Good, why?" the woman asked in surprise.
"It was more about you and Isaac," Beckett said with a smile.
"Oh, yeah we're fine," Genevieve said. "I love your outfit. Though Peter was telling me there was a cape?"
"It's for later," Beckett said. "Also, a blazer and hat."
"The same for Rick?" Genevieve asked.
"Besides a cape, yes," Beckett said. "But your costumes are great too, I can tell Julia loves your skirt."
"Isaac almost wanted to go full on Grease, but I convinced him not to," Genevieve said. She was wearing a pale blue sweater and black poodle skirt, her son, boyfriend and Clive dressed in faux leather jackets with their hair slicked back. "So we're just from the fifties."
"It works," Beckett said with a smile before Eliza was rushing up to her.
"What?" Castle was asking David as the mayor had walked over to him.
"No, just wondering if you're comfortable in that?" David asked.
"Yes, I'm not heading into the sixties like you and Rebecca did," Castle said in amusement.
Looking down at his white tunic top and green and orange striped pants, David said, "It's comfortable."
"He's right, it is," Rebecca said in amusement, wearing a mini dress with a paisley pattern in purples and blues and long sleeves. "Here's Dani's guess."
"Oh, okay, I guess they're ready," Castle said as he was taking the paper. He got the others from the other kids and once they had all finished, he said, "There were fifty-seven in there," pausing as some of the kids were groaning in response to that. "And apparently some of you were a little off." He was about to say who'd won exactly when Brad was calling out to him before he could.
"Just say who got closest," the chief said teasingly.
Giving his friend a glare, Castle looked back at the kids and said, "It was Clive."
"What!" the boy himself said in obvious shock. Clive then started to laugh with everyone else before he said, "Thanks."
"How close was he?" Isaac asked.
"He guessed fifty-three," Castle said.
"I just picked a number," Clive said in slight embarrassment as Peter was clapping his hand on his shoulder.
"And you need to pick another," the boy said.
"Um… four," Clive said, looking at the bags that were left. He closed his eyes reaching into it once Castle had given it to him as the other kids laughed before he pulled out another theater sized box of candy. "Awesome," he said. "I love Nerds."
"Did you get a card for the bookstore?" Darnley asked.
"Yep, thanks," Clive said.
"Are there three more games?" Mari asked.
"There are," Castle told her. "You don't want to play anymore?"
"No, I was just wondering," Mari said, knowing her friend's father was kidding. She watched him leave and turning to Julia she saw her smiling a little and went over to her. "Do you know what game is next?" she asked.
Nodding, Julia said, "I do, we helped Dad with them when we needed to."
"But not the prizes," Eve said.
"Not those, those Dad made sure he took care of himself," Julia replied. She smiled when her father walked in and said to the little kids, "Look at the monster!"
Squealing for a moment, Keo rushed to the box and patted the boa that made the arms and top of the head on the box. "Meanie?" he asked.
"No, not unless you want to call it a Blue Meanie," Castle said teasingly. He laughed when the little boy seemed to think that over before shaking his head no firmly. "Okay, this is a bean bag toss game, but were tossing the monster these eyes," he said, holding one up.
"Kind of gross," Darnley said jokingly as he picked up his son who'd come over to him. "You know, you're messing up your costume," he said jokingly to his son, fixing his T-Rex costume.
"Grr," Keo said in response.
Laughing, Darnley said, "We should do a Jurassic Park theme for us next year."
"You will have to speak to Maddy about that," Bethany told her son in law with a smile as her granddaughter was wearing a Hogwarts uniform too, her house Ravenclaw.
"Or we could have a Hogwarts collection," Nkosi suggested.
"We'll have to see next year," Darnley said as the game had started, and he set Keo down.
"I have to ask," Carter was saying to Martha. "What exactly is your costume?"
"Mrs. Brady," Alexis said with a smile before her grandmother could say anything.
"The Brady Bunch?" Genevieve asked. When Martha nodded, she said, "I thought so, I love that show and that costume is amazing."
"She made it herself," Beckett said with a smile at her mother in law.
"I did," Martha said when Genevieve looked at her in surprise. "Retirement gives you a lot of time. And the dress was simple."
"But it's amazing what you can do," Lily said. "All the outfits. I have to say Rick's vest is really well made."
"Thank you, though Kate did assist me with the style," Martha said with a smile at her daughter in law.
Beckett didn't have a chance to explain how she'd told her mother in law the style it needed to be from memory since the game was ending and she looked over as Castle was giving Keo a gift bag. "How did that happen?" she asked with a smile.
"He had a little help," Brad said.
"You?" Lily asked her husband. When he nodded, she smiled and squeezed his arm before Darnley and Nkosi were calling out a thanks to him. "What did he get?" she asked.
"The gift card to the bookstore of course," Darnley said.
"And his favorite, peanut butter M&Ms," Nkosi added as he took the candy box out.
"Second to last game," Castle then said, taking the box out and going to get the game.
Beckett, since she was aware of the next already, went to the credenza to make sure the items needed were ready before her husband came back. "Are you sure you can trust them?" she asked him with a smile.
"I'll ask them," Castle said, turning to the kids before Peter was talking first.
"Is it pin the tail on the donkey?" the boy asked.
"The pumpkin in the patch, but yes, it is," Castle said. "Kate and I were debating about blindfolding you, but I can watch and make sure you keep your eyes closed."
"We will," some of the kids were saying at the same time, soon all of them laughing as Castle had jumped at that.
"Scared?" Beckett asked him in amusement.
"Of course," Castle replied before he took the pumpkins to stick on the felt from her. "And we'll let the youngest go first." He was a little surprised when his wife was pulling him away from the board and said, "What?"
Shaking her head, Beckett slipped her hand into his and they watched the kids taking turns at the board together though he helped Josie first before returning to her. She smiled when they had finished and she called, "Great job Julia."
"I didn't plan that," the girl said rapidly, looking around at her friends.
"It's okay," Mari said quickly. "We all had our eyes closed."
"Which one Julia?" Castle called to her as he went over to the cadenza.
"Three," Julia said. When she had her bag, she pulled out another gift card and then a box of Swedish Fish before smiling and then saying, "Thanks," to her parents.
"You're welcome," Beckett said before she watched her husband going to the windows.
"Are we having a rave?" Darnley asked while the writers were covering them.
"No," Beckett said with a smile. She quickly turned her attention to the credenza, reaching into it and taking out some bottles.
"You helped with that?" Jacob asked Julia.
"Yeah," she replied as the bottles had glow in the dark duct tape wrapped around them.
"I guess we should have left this for later tonight," Castle said. "But we have trick or treating of course. So this is just a ring toss, does anyone mind?"
"No!" the kids were saying, nearly at the same time again.
"Okay, glad to hear. Let's get you guys your rings," Castle told them, smiling as they were laughing since he'd playfully jumped. "Now you have to put them together, but I think that makes it much more fun," he told them, handing out packages to each child.
"Hey, you lied, it is a rave," Darnley said jokingly since those packages had glow stick bracelets.
Giving her friend a look, Beckett took the package for Josie and started putting the bracelets together inside. She handed them to her husband telling him, "Go ahead and help her."
"You're sure you don't want to?" Castle asked. "I've been doing that this whole time."
"I'm sure," Beckett said firmly before she watched while he was taking Josie to the table where he'd set the bottles. She cheered the kids on with the others as they took their turns and smiled when Dani won with her father's help.
"Okay, here's the last bag," Castle said, giving it to the toddler before she was grabbing the card and box of plain M&Ms inside.
"Now what will we do?" Peter asked.
"Play whatever you'd like to," Beckett said. "We have a little more time until dinner. But please stay inside." She watched Julia speak with Mari, Eve and Jacob for a moment before her daughter hurried to her and began speaking quickly.
"Could we watch the Charlie Brown cartoon?" Julia asked her.
"I think so," Beckett said, checking the time. "But play something first before you do that."
"Oh, sure," Julia said. She went back to the kids and said, "We have to play something before we can watch it."
"I wish we could go outside," Jacob said in disappointment.
"Hey, what about what we were talking about?" Mari said to Julia and their dance partners.
Hearing the boys groaning, Castle set Josie down and said, "What are you talking about?"
"We made up a dance," Julia said with a wide smile.
"When?" Isaac asked in surprise. "You've been practicing for the concert this whole time."
"At recess off and on," Clive told his father. He then looked at Julia and Mari and told them, "We can't do it without Skye you know."
"I know," Julia said before she was rushing over to her parents' office. She grabbed her mother's tablet and said, "Can we Skype with them?"
"Sure," Beckett said.
Julia waited eagerly while her mother was making the call and she took the tablet back as Skye was soon appearing on the screen. "Hey," she said.
"Hullo there," Skye replied. "You're ready to have me sing?"
"We are," Julia said quickly, turning the tablet so she could see everyone.
"Hullo all," Skye said with a smile.
"How's your family?" Beckett asked.
"Good, they're outside playing so I have the moment to sing," Skye replied. "Are you four ready?"
"We are," they said at the same time.
"Then get ready, I'll have the music in a second," Skye said.
Beckett took the tablet and watched as the four got together by two before she glanced at the device as the music was starting. She looked at her husband in surprise as it was obviously country, but she soon recalled the song appearing in the movie the girls' costumes were in. Skye was starting to sing, and she quickly turned her attention to the two pairs though they didn't start dancing in the hall they'd walked to until she was singing the second.
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Julia hurried over to her partner, taking Peter's hand before he spun her. She was relieved when he wasn't saying anything in protest before she said, "You don't mind?" not surprised when he was responding shortly after.
"I don't really have much choice, do I?" Peter replied.
Unable to help laughing, Julia then had to turn her attention to their dancing when Skye was continuing.
Put on your Sunday, go to meetin'
And I'll take you by the hand
If you will be my dancin' partner
We will dance to beat the band
So join the promenade
And lead the big parade
And if you don't get home at all
Your pa will understand
Castle smiled as the pairs switched then and continued their dancing as Skye was singing the next verse.
Oh, choose partners, skip to my lou
Choose partners, skip to my lou
Choose partners, skip to my lou
Skip to my lou, my darlin'
Julia and Mari joined each other in the middle of the hallway and started to skip together before going back to their partners during the next verse.
Flies in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo
Flies in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo
Flies in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo
Skip to my lou, my darlin'
With the next verses, the four started to dance around each other, switching at each name as had been done in the movie.
I'll be glad to go with you
So prithee do not tarry
But if I do, it's up to you
To let me dance with Harry
Skip to my lou
Charlie
Skip to my lou
Johnny
Skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darlin'
Skip to my lou
Skip to my lou
There was an instrumental there and the couples were taking turns to dance back and forth in the hall before they were holding onto each other's waists and spinning around for half of the verse Skye was singing before getting into hold and dancing together down the hall.
Lost my partner
Skip to my lou
Lost my partner
Skip to my lou
Lost my partner
Skip
Skip to my lou my darlin'
Beckett wasn't surprised when the pairs were getting into a circle again and dancing around it together by switching, relieved they did that slowly since they did it the entire verse.
I'll find another one prettier than you
I'll find another one prettier than you
I'll find another one prettier than you
Go to another party
The pairs got into lines, holding each other's arms, and they were walking together before Julia and Peter stopped to let the other two go under their raised arms as they held hands. They then started to switch again, doing so for longer and going around as much of the hall as they could until the song was almost over. There Julia and Mari held hands and went around in a circle while Peter and Clive clapped for them. On the last lyric, the boys went to their partners quickly before they were dipping them.
Oh, I'll fly away to a neighborin' state
I don't care what my friends say
We'll dance and sing till broad daylight
I won't get home till Wednesday
Skip to my lou
Thursday
Skip to my lou
Friday
Skip to my lou
Skip, skip skip to my lou
Skip, skip skip to my lou
Skip to my lou
Applauding with the others she could hear over the line Skye said to the kids, "You looked great, you were really practicing, weren't you?"
"We were," Peter said, breathing a little hard.
"Thanks so much Skye," Mari said, obviously gratefully.
Smiling when the other three added their own thanks, Skye nodded and said, "Not a problem, now if you want another song let me know ahead of time like this one."
"Any more dances?" Eve asked. "From that movie?"
"No, that's the only one," Julia said. "Well…" she then started to say, looking at Mari with a smile. "There's the one about the bamboo tree but it's not really a dance."
"Then we can go and play?" Peter asked teasingly.
"Yeah," Julia said before she rushed with her friends to get the mummy bowling pins to play with that again.
"I should make them the dresses from that scene for next year," Martha commented as the adults were sitting together and starting to talk.
"Can you?" Castle asked as he easily recalled the dresses since they'd watched the movie not too long before that day.
"I could, but I'd need to ask them," Martha replied.
"At least you have time," Darnley commented before he turned his attention to his husband and Carter.
"So far so good," Castle commented, reaching for his wife's hand while she was sitting next to him.
"And some entertainment too," Beckett said, she and her husband laughing together before Lily was getting their attention, asking about dinner while they watched the kids playing together in front of them.
Meet me in St. Louis, Louis
Meet me at the fair
Don't tell me the lights are shining
Any place but there
We will dance the Hoochee Koochee
I will be your tootsie wootsie
If you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis
Meet me at the fair
"For heaven's sake stop that screeching!" Castle said jokingly to the kids who'd been singing the song at Julia and Mari's insistence. He wasn't surprised when they were laughing, because he was smiling at them and he knew his second oldest or her friend had told them the line was in the movie, before he said, "And now that I have your attention, dinner's ready." He watched them start heading to the kitchen where the dishes were and he stopped Julia as she'd been last of the group with Mari, not surprised when his daughter's friend quickly spoke.
"I'll wait for you at the food," Mari said with a smile.
Watching her friend go, Julia turned to her father and asked, "What's wrong?"
"No, I was just wondering did you two learn to do the cake walk?" Castle asked.
Smiling, since that was the dance that went with the Under the Bamboo Tree song, Julia said, "We did, since it's so quick it was easy. Do you want us to dance it?"
Shaking his head Castle said, "That's okay, I was just wondering but didn't want the others to ask you to do it."
"Skye?" Julia asked in understanding. She smiled when her father nodded and then said, "Yeah, I don't know if we'll do that again, just because we could tonight."
"And what about next year?" Castle asked.
"Next year?' Julia asked in confusion before she realized what her father had meant. "Oh, I don't know what costume I'll try next year… maybe the ones during the Skip to My Lou dance but I'm not sure yet."
"Let us know," Beckett said, smiling when her husband and their second oldest looked at her. "We need to eat," she told them. "Or you'll lose time for trick or treating." She watched their daughter walking over to the kitchen and looked at him saying, "Really?"
"Really," Castle said. "But it was more about the other song."
"I heard," Beckett replied. "But never mind, we need to eat too love."
"Sure," Castle said quickly as he went over to her to take her hand. In the kitchen they let each other go before they were getting their food and going into the parlor since they'd set up tables there. "So, does this meet with your approval?" he asked Lily once they'd eaten a little.
"You do realize nothing needed to be approved by me, right?" the chef asked.
"No, it does," Darnley said jokingly. He laughed as Lily slapped her hand lightly to her forehead and then said, "But I think we just want to know what the chef thinks."
"It's good, you guys did a great job with what you picked out," Lily told them. "And I loved the guacamole."
"I thought you were going to have Mexican with that," Brad said.
"We were tempted to, but decided to go with more autumn food," Beckett said, smiling. She then turned to her husband and said, "We'll have to do that the next party."
Laughing, Castle nodded and said, "I'll remember." He then ate his slider and said, "The girls helped us."
"And Alexis and Louis," Beckett added.
"How are you two doing?" Bethany asked the couple.
"Good, we're getting a little more used to being married every day," Louis said first.
"And having such a large house on our own," Alexis said.
"Have your sisters spent the night yet?" Autumn asked.
"Not yet," Eliza said.
"This coming Saturday you will," Alexis suddenly said. She smiled at her sisters when they looked at her and said, "We've been talking about it and we're ready to have all three of you over."
"What about us?" Jim asked.
"What?" Beckett asked her father in surprise.
"We can leave you the house to yourselves," Jim explained to her.
Beckett wondered for a moment if she should comment on that but decided not to before she looked at her mother in law. "What do you think?" she asked.
"I'm fine doing that," Martha said quickly. "I really would like to see how it is there as well."
"Alright," Castle said after he'd shared a look with his wife. "But that's this Friday. That way you can stay up a little later Julia."
"Hey," Eliza said before she was laughing with everyone else. After they had stopped, she said, "Say we can go Mommy, Daddy, please?"
"You can," Beckett said when her husband glanced at her.
"Thank you!" Eliza said happily.
After they'd been eating a little more, Genevieve said, "What are you going to do for passing out candy?"
"I'm staying," Martha said.
"As will I," Bethany added. She smiled when her son and son in law looked at her and told them, "I know, but I would prefer to stay and help Martha with the babies."
"Will you stay in the house?" Joseph asked his wife.
"I will," Bethany said. "I will watch some television if that is alright."
"It is," Castle said. "We'll get the tablet ready for you after we tuck the girls in."
"I thought you were taking them out to trick or treat a little?" Eve asked.
"We will, just down the block," Beckett answered. "Since it's still early for them. But if it's too cold we'll come back sooner," she added, smiling when Brad was speaking to his two oldest.
"The same for Sophie," the chief said.
"Can we go now?" Clive asked.
"Or do we have dessert?" Peter added.
"No dessert," Isaac said as both boys looked eager.
"But we have to get everything cleaned up before we go out," Castle said while they were getting up from the tables.
After she'd taken her plate to the kitchen, Julia was about to ask her mother if she was going to give Castle the hat when she was stopping her quickly.
"I know what you're going to ask," Beckett said with a smile. "And I will but once we grab out things for outside." She then said to the other older kids, "You can go grab your buckets or pillowcases, make sure you have them ready for when we leave."
"What were you talking to your mom about?" Clive asked as they were all taking the younger kids with them so they'd be out of the way of the adults.
"Something you'll find out later," Julia said easily. "What pillowcase do you have?"