Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Family, Humor
Rating: M for sexual situations and language
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them. And for this story the same goes for Dancing With the Stars.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song Come Away With Me by Norah Jones, from her album of the same name.
A/N #2: The title of this story is a lyric from the song Burning Down the House by the Talking Heads, from their album Speaking in Tongues. The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Fuh You by Paul McCartney and Ryan Tedder, from Paul's album Egypt Station.
Could Stay Up Half The Night
"Easy," Castle said, watching Julia spinning. "You almost ran into me."
"Did you finish?" the girl asked, stopping her spins that she was practicing.
"Yeah, how are you doing?" Castle asked her.
"Good, I mean I have ages to practice the dances so…" Julia started to say before she trailed off as she was thinking over her next competition. That past week Grey had told them that there would be another dance competition in the city in March before Spring Break. She and Peter had been chosen, but the dance teacher had also picked Mari and Clive to compete against them as well.
"I wouldn't worry," Beckett said with a smile, walking over to them with Josie on her hip. "You said Mari wasn't taking it as an actual competition between you both."
"No but she said Peter and I would win already," Julia said, shaking her head. She was startled when her father was squeezing her shoulder and she looked up at him saying, "What?"
"It's a compliment," Castle assured her with a smile. "And she'll still try her best of course."
Nodding her head, Julia said, "I keep telling her we'll have a tie, but she doesn't believe me. So I said second at the very least."
Laughing with her husband, Beckett was about to speak when she heard footsteps on the stairs they were near, and she looked up with him to see it was her father, Martha and Eliza. "Are you ready?" she asked.
"Yeah," the little girl said first. "Let's go now!"
"We need to get you bundled up," Castle said, taking her hand before she could start running.
"Aw, Daddy-" Eliza started to say.
"No, he's right," Beckett told her. "We're taking the cars not walking remember?"
Sighing Eliza said, "But we'll walk to the stores?"
"We will," Castle assured her. "But very quickly."
"Is it ever going to snow?" Martha commented as it still hadn't yet that winter.
"Maybe," Castle said, smiling when the girls looked at him quickly. "My knee has been hurting a little bit. So it might be tonight or tomorrow morning."
"What about your date?" Julia said.
"Don't worry, we'll still go," Beckett assured her, it was the twelfth of December and she and her husband's night together had finally arrived. But they were planning on heading to a few places and lunch with their family until then. She hoped they'd get back in time to play a little with their daughters but shook her head quickly as they needed to get everything ready for their excursion out.
"So the library?" Jim asked his son in law in the garage at the cars.
"Yeah, we'll see you there," Castle said. He got into the car and drove out first before he glanced at the girls, seeing them focusing their attention on the nearly eight-month-old Josie. He was wondering what they were doing and was about to ask when Eliza was speaking first with a giggle.
"Josa said she wishes she could get a book too," the little girl said.
"We'll get one to read for her," Beckett said with a smile.
"Really?" Julia asked.
"Of course," Castle said. "But just one." They were pulling into the parking lot for the library then and they were getting out just as Louis and Alexis were getting out of their car that had been there already.
"I thought you two were going to stay in until we were leaving for the shops?" Beckett asked as Eliza had rushed to Alexis to hug her tightly.
"I wanted to get some books," Louis said, watching as his girlfriend's mother was going to her.
"What is it?" Alexis asked, surprised at her actions.
"Do you have your base in your purse?" Beckett asked softly.
Wincing Alexis said, "I covered it though."
"Not enough," Beckett replied with a smile while she waited for her to get her makeup out. "I'll guide your hand." Once her oldest had it on her first two fingers she led it to the spot on her neck she'd noticed and watched her to make sure that she would get it before she nodded. "You really didn't need to come with us," she said softly as they were walking after the others who'd gone to the front door of the library.
"We were eating breakfast and Louis decided he wanted some Agatha Christie books," Alexis said honestly. She hoped she wasn't really blushing thinking about what she and her boyfriend had been up to before that though as they'd been taking advantage of the townhouse being empty since they'd had her family over for dinner the night before.
"You don't want anything?" Beckett asked her.
"I'll look around," Alexis replied. "I might get some Austen books; I haven't read those for a while."
Nodding, Beckett had to turn her attention to the girls as they were stepping inside the building and her husband was talking to Eliza firmly while he got her coat off her. She took her own off and went over to them saying, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Daddy won't let me go," Eliza said, pouting.
Smiling Beckett said, "You need to take off your coat," as she knew that was what the little girl meant. "And you can go but stay with your books."
"I'm amazed you let her go off like that in here," Jim said.
"The librarians know us," Castle commented, getting his own coat off. "And they'll keep an eye on her while they're re-shelving."
Looking at the kids' section, Jim saw there was an older woman pushing a cart and greeting Eliza who went into the shelves. "The same with Julia?"
"The same," Beckett said, not surprised her father was taken aback about that. She then turned her attention to her mother in law and was about to ask if she was sure she was okay sitting with their coats when she held up her hand to stop her.
"I'm just fine sitting here by the fire," Martha said, nodding to the fireplace they were next to though there wasn't any fire in it as it was blocked. "And reading some magazines. Go and get your books. Though Richard…"
"I remember, Peril at End House and anything from Wilde," Castle replied. "I know what to get." He then walked with his wife to the fiction books and he said, "You don't want anything?"
"I'll look," Beckett replied easily. She then smiled at her husband and asked, "That collection of his plays?"
"Of course," Castle said, nodding. "And I'm feeling like getting something from Christie, since everyone else is."
Going over to the crime books, Beckett picked up the one her mother in law wanted before she looked around the titles. "Here," she told her while handing him another book by the author.
Seeing it was the book Towards Zero, Castle nodded and was about to start reading it before he looked over and saw she was picking another book. "The Pale Horse?" he asked.
"I haven't read this one yet," Beckett replied, smiling at him. "Get the book for your mother and I'll check on the girls."
Nodding, as he knew she was going to get Josie from her father, Castle walked over to the books that were plays.
"Dad," Beckett said softly to Jim to get his attention. "Let me take her, I'm going to see how Julia and Eliza are."
Nodding he asked, "Did you get anything?"
"Just one book," Beckett replied. "That's enough for now," speaking absently as she was looking down at Josie in her carrier. She felt her father squeeze her arm and she smiled at him before walking over to the other side of the first floor of the library and to the kids' section.
"Hi Mom," Julia said, reaching her mother after she had left the end of an aisle.
"Just two?" Beckett asked.
"Yep," Julia replied, showing them both to her. "Lizzy might try to hide books if she gets more than one."
"I know, that's why we're going over to her now," Beckett said. She then remembered something and said, "Did you get something non-fiction?"
Smiling, Julia showed one of her books to her again and said, "I know I was a big fan of hers… before," trailing off before saying the word before hurriedly. "I wanted to read about her," she added, her book about Amelia Earhart.
"Okay, let's go see what your sister is doing," Beckett replied before they were going over to the younger children's books. "Sweetie," she called with a smile as she spotted the little girl. "Eliza," she said firmly when she was obviously freezing.
"Mommy," the little girl said pleadingly as the two got close to her. "These are books that go all together."
"I know," Beckett said. "Your sister read that first one you're holding when she was six. You're still too young for them."
"But I'm almost six," Eliza pleaded. "I can read them Mommy, I promise."
"Alright," Beckett said soothingly. "I'll let you try but only the first two."
Nodding, Eliza was looking at all the books before her sister was stepping up to her and taking two of the five Magic Tree House books she had.
"Dinosaurs Before Dark is the first one," Julia told her. "And then Knight at Dawn is the second one."
"You read them?" Eliza asked as their mother took the book before their father was coming over to them.
"Just that first one," Julia said. "I didn't really like the time travel stuff like that. Only a couple hours are okay."
Eliza was giggling as she knew her sister was referencing the third Harry Potter book and she took her hand as they followed their mother to the end of the aisle. "Daddy!" she said eagerly. "Look at my books I'm gonna get."
"I remember this one," Castle said, taking them from his wife. "Your sister read it. I wonder if you'll like it."
"Me too," Eliza said, nodding her head. "What about for Josa?"
"We're going to look now," Castle told her. "Anything in mind?"
"Not really, you look though," Beckett said.
Castle glanced at her but saw that she was serious, so he nodded and then went over to the picture books with their middle daughters trailing after him. He looked everything over before he spotted a possible tome for the baby and pulled it out. "Kate," he called to her as she was talking with their middle daughters.
Taking the book, Beckett smiled at the cover and then showed the other two asking, "What do you think?"
"I like it," Eliza said eagerly.
"And Josa will too," Julia said with a smile.
"Show her," Beckett then said to her husband.
"This one is about Ancient Egypt and the palaces there used to be in Alexandria," Castle said. "There's only pictures you need to look at, your mom and I will read the words to you." When the baby gurgled a little while she was looking at the book held in front of her he said, "Girls?"
"She's interested," Julia said in amusement.
"Okay, let's see if the others are ready yet," Castle said, adding the book to the ones he held. "You don't want me to take yours?" he asked Julia as they walked together.
"That's okay," the girl replied. "What'd you get?"
"Something by Agatha Christie, your mom too but a different book," Castle replied.
"Neat," Julia said with a smile. She then said, "What are we going to first when we get to the shops?"
"We'll see," Castle said, looking at her pointedly as Beckett was turning to them.
Julia smiled at her father before she went with her sister to look at the painting by the front desk. It was of the manor's former owner; before it had been turned into the library; and his family and she said, "It's cool isn't it?"
"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding rapidly. She then smiled and said, "I wonder what it was like when it was the house."
"Me too," Julia told her. She then smiled and said, "But we're almost going to the shops."
"Is Daddy gonna-" Eliza began.
"Not yet," Julia said, pressing her finger to her lips. "But he will, we just have to keep it secret."
"I will," Eliza said before their mother was calling to them and they went out to the parking lot with the rest of their families. When they were driving to the downtown area, she looked at Josie who was waving her Tigger doll back and forth and was going to get the toy to play with her when she felt the car stopping and looked up.
"We're here," Beckett said, looking back from the driver's seat. "We'll get the baby but you two need to get out too."
"Are you guys okay?" Castle asked, wondering why they were staying in the back. It suddenly came to him and he said, "You can't really read your books yet."
"I was gonna play with Josa," Eliza said hurriedly.
"Either way we'll do that back at home," Beckett told them. When they were out of the car her husband was getting Josie so she went to Julia and said, "Do you think you'll be able to do your homework today?" as she and her husband had decided to let her start taking care of getting it done herself.
"Yeah, I'll do my History homework tomorrow and Math later today," the girl replied. She then smiled and said, "Grandpapa can help me if I need it."
Nodding Beckett squeezed her shoulder and said, "Don't rush through it."
"I won't," Julia promised before the baby was ready in her stroller and they were walking together over to the others on the sidewalk.
"Where do we go first?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"We need to get the last gifts for Brennan and Skye," Beckett said, not surprised her husband looked at her to answer. "So we'll take care of that first. But," she said, looking particularly at Alexis and Louis. "If you want to go off on your own go ahead."
"And we have the shopping cart," Julia said as she was pulling it.
"Jules, let me do that," Eliza told her, grabbing the handle.
"It's my turn now," Julia said, trying not to grow too frustrated.
"But-" Eliza started to say.
"Girls," Castle told them firmly as he'd been walking behind them. They looked at him and he stepped closer to them, taking their shoulders and saying, "You need to take turns with this and right now it's your sister's turn Eliza." When the little girl slumped slightly, he said, "Tell her you're sorry for pulling the cart."
"Sorry Jules," Eliza whispered.
"It's okay," Julia said with a smile. "I was going to tell you; you can take it when we leave the first store."
"Take turns with the stores?" Eliza asked. When her sister nodded, she smiled and said, "Okay!"
When they reached the first store the girls watched as their grandparents, sister and Louis continued though Alexis and her boyfriend were sticking together. They smiled at each other, knowing they were heading out to get gifts, and they went inside the men's clothing store with their parents and Josie.
"Girls," Castle was saying as they rushed away from them as soon as the door closed behind them.
"They're picking out a tie for Brennan," Beckett told her husband. "From the four of them."
"I thought Alexis was giving him a gift on her own?" Castle asked.
"She is but the girls want it to be from the four of them," Beckett explained.
"Then what are we getting?" Castle asked her.
"Come on," Beckett said with a smile. "Clara mentioned he needs a new sweater to not wear to the stables," she told him as he was pushing the stroller for her.
"I'm not surprised," Castle commented. When his wife looked at him, he said, "I figured he wouldn't worry all the time about his clothes. He's dedicated to the horses."
With a quick nod Beckett stopped when she saw a charcoal grey sweater and she picked it up, holding it unfolded in front of her so she could see all of it. "This one," she said.
"Why?" Castle asked, wondering why she was smiling.
"Clara will love it on him," Beckett replied. "It'll bring out his eyes." When he frowned, she told him, "I do the same shopping for you." She then smiled and said, "It's a lot more pleasant."
Swallowing roughly seeing the way she bit momentarily at her lower lip, Castle walked after her and over to the ties where their daughters were talking together. "Did you find something?" he asked.
"Yeah, this one?" Julia asked, showing the diamond patterned white and dark blue tie they'd found.
"I don't know," Beckett said. "I'm not sure he'd like the pattern. Try another one."
Frowning Eliza looked at all the ties they'd seen so far before she said, "I saw this one."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Julia said as it was an aqua color that she recalled was close to their cousin's eye color. It also had faint grey stripes on it, and she asked, "Is that one good?"
"I think so," Beckett replied, smiling at her. She took it and then had to show the girls the sweater when they spotted it on her arm before she let her husband take the items to pay for them.
"Mom," Julia said, squeezing her mother's arm.
"We have everything for him," Beckett said softly, keeping her eye on her husband.
"No, 'lexis said she's gonna buy him a tie from all of us," Julia explained. "The five of us."
"I'll send her a picture of that one," Beckett replied. "Watch him and make sure he's busy." When her daughter nodded, she got her phone ready and got a picture of the tie she knew they'd all noticed and sent it to her oldest before they were walking over to where her husband was waiting for them.
"That's one thing done," Castle said.
"What about Skye? What are we gonna get for her?" Eliza asked.
"We were thinking about it and the best thing would be that cutting board," Castle commented.
"Cutting board?" Eliza said in surprise.
"Oh, we're going to the carpenter's store?" Julia asked eagerly.
"Yeah, but I need to get something for your gram," Castle told them. "I'll hurry back love."
"We'll be here," Beckett said, watching him go. She shook herself as the wind blew and she hurried the girls inside so she could push Josie in then.
"What're we getting for Dad?" Julia immediately asked.
"He needs a cutting board himself," Beckett replied. "And there's one he's been eyeing."
"Why didn't he buy it?" Eliza asked.
"We've been busy," Beckett said with a smile. "But now that it's Christmas I can get it for him."
"Just from you?" Julia asked.
"Just from me," Beckett said. She went over to the cutting boards and picked out the one her husband wanted before grabbing the one she knew Skye would love. After she had paid, she tucked the one for her husband in Julia's bag as she knew her husband wouldn't look in there without asking their daughter. They then waited, glancing around the store until Castle had returned with his bag obviously holding something or somethings. "Are you good?" she asked.
"Definitely," Castle said, nodding his head. He then asked, "Got Skye's board?"
"Yeah, in this bag," Eliza said as she was carrying it.
"Anything interesting?" Castle asked.
"No, nothing new," Beckett replied.
"Okay, next store it is," Castle said with a nod before they were heading back outside. Since he wasn't pushing the baby he looked down at her and gently squeezed her hand before she was yawning, and they went together to the stationery store for one last thing for his father in law. Since the present would be from their daughters, he and Beckett let them go ahead while they stayed with the baby before they saw Alexis and Louis were walking up to the door.
"Hey, have you been able to find gifts?" the former asked with a smile.
"Yeah, a lot of them," Beckett answered. "You guys?"
"Tons," Louis said, holding up the bag he had.
"What about the Christmas store?" Alexis asked then.
"We've been," Castle said. When she looked at him in surprise he smiled and said, "The bookstore and toy store are for before we go home."
Nodding Alexis looked over at the girls before saying, "What're we getting for Grandpapa again?"
"Most likely a new fountain pen," Beckett said. "We'll buy him ink."
"Julia gets that from him," Castle said. He saw the others were looking at him and he said, "The love of fountain pens. You should go over with them," directing that to Alexis. "This will be from his grandchildren."
Letting his girlfriend head over to her sisters with the stroller Louis said, "I wonder if your father thought you'd have so many kids."
Smiling Beckett said, "He never did but he loves Alexis the same."
"I can see why you were a detective," Louis said. "You can discern a lot. Excuse me."
Watching him go Castle said, "He does have a point."
"We've talked about it before," Beckett said, smiling again. "But are you really hoping our daughters have a lot of kids?"
Nodding, to concede she was right, Castle went with her over to the girls so they could see what pen they'd picked out.
"It's nice," Beckett said as it was a green color when Julia handed her the pen in its box. "And your grandpapa will like it," she told them.
"What color ink do we get him?" Eliza asked.
"Black," Beckett replied. "He doesn't like different colored ink as much as you do."
"I told Lizzy that, but she wanted to ask you," Julia said.
"Okay, is there anyone else we can get a gift for in this room?" Beckett asked them.
"No, I can't think of anyone," Castle said when his wife looked at him.
"What store is next?" Eliza asked while they were walking over to the register.
"It won't be a store, it's lunch," Beckett replied, her husband taking the pen and ink bottle.
"What will he use that pen for?" Alexis said.
"He'll write letters," Beckett said. When she saw her oldest looking at her in confusion she smiled and said, "He writes with Xavi in Spain; since they're both retired."
"I was wondering if he really would use it," Alexis explained.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said.
"Mom, where are we eating?" Julia asked.
"At the café," Beckett replied.
"On the other block?" Alexis said.
"Yeah," Beckett said quickly as she could see her father and mother in law out the window of the store. She went over to her husband and had him put the pen and ink in one of her bags.
After they had regrouped, they went together to the café one street over, sitting together by one of the front windows before they were looking at their menus.
"I have to ask if we're going to the cars after this," Jim said when they had ordered their food.
"We need to," Julia said. "The cart is full up to the top."
"Yeah, that's why," Castle said.
"We still aren't finished either," Alexis commented. "Though do we need to split up?"
"Great because all we had planned on visiting now was the bookstore and toy store," Castle told them when no one had said they needed to go anywhere else.
"I almost went in there," Jim said with a smile.
"Oh, good thing you didn't Grandpapa," Eliza told him seriously. "That way we can go together."
"Are you really going there after the library?" Martha asked.
"It's okay, we're just going to look around," Beckett said first.
"And they're allowed to get one book," Castle said before he glanced at his wife.
Beckett couldn't respond to that for a moment as their food was being served but once they were eating, she eventually said, "That's his idea, not mine."
"I told you Mom I would pay for mine," Julia reminded her.
"I can pay for mine too!" Eliza then said. "I have my allowances!"
"We should let them love," Castle said as he and his wife looked at each other. "It would be a good lesson for Eliza."
"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh. "But just one book okay? You might have enough for two or more, but you'll likely be getting books for Christmas."
"Sure," Julia said happily. She turned her attention back to her sandwich and ate, doing her best not to go too fast. When she had finished she was relieved to see that everyone else was too and she tried not to jump up to leave since she knew they still had to pay.
"Alright," Beckett said with a smile. "We can go now."
"Sorry, there's a book I want to get, really badly," Julia replied with a slightly sheepish smile.
The family got up to go and they went to the cars to leave everything there so their cart was empty. Before they were leaving the parking lot Castle was motioning to Julia and Eliza to get their attention so they would walk with him.
"Oh… is it time Daddy?" the latter whispered eagerly.
"It is, your grandparents and sister know," Castle told them. "Which is why Josie is with your gram. Lead your mom there." He smiled when the girls nodded, and he watched them hurry up to Beckett before they were literally herding her over to the flower shop.
"Rick," Beckett said, looking back at her husband.
"What? They want to see what they have right now," Castle replied though he wasn't at all surprised at the look she gave him.
Stepping inside of the shop, Beckett let the girls take her around to the different flowers there were. There were also things like poinsettias and sprigs of mistletoe, and she smiled at the girls' reactions before they were suddenly leaving her. Turning she said, "Why do you bother with the ruse?"
"It's fun," Castle said in amusement. "For you," he said with a smile.
Taking the small bouquet of roses Beckett shook her head and said, "How much this cost you…"
"It doesn't matter," Castle replied.
"Do they give you a discount?" Beckett said then, looking up at him.
"They do," Castle said. "I give them a lot of business," he explained. "Repeat business."
"Okay, don't make me feel guilty for protesting these," Beckett said wryly, shaking her head. She then stepped closer to him and kissed him gently on the lips saying, "Thank you. But I have to wonder if this is for tonight."
"Sort of," Castle said as he'd ordered coral colored roses specifically. When she looked at him, he leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I know we'll be together, but I also wanted to give them to you… just because."
Smiling, as he was speaking in Irish, Beckett turned her head and pressed her lips against his cheek before she said, "Let's keep going."
With a brief nod, Castle followed her to the others and he watched her holding the roses to her protectively as they stepped outside. Luckily it wasn't far to the toy store and they went in there first. He and his wife hadn't really wanted to go there but they had made sure the girls understood they were just there to see anything new before they left.
"I didn't think there would be anything," Beckett murmured to her husband when they were leaving the store shortly after as there hadn't been anything new delivered.
"No but you try telling Eliza that," Castle replied as they were walking together while he was pushing the stroller.
"Wimp," Beckett said teasingly. She smiled when he made a face at her and she said, "Though if you think about it, she really is your daughter."
Castle nodded, pleased when she smiled, and they entered the bookstore shortly after before he asked, "What should we do?"
"Do you want any books?" Beckett asked.
Shaking his head Castle said, "Nothing has been released lately that I want to read. You?"
"Let's go see what they want to get," Beckett replied with a smile before they walked after their daughters to the kid's section.
"Mommy, I found my book," Eliza said happily.
"Oh, sweetheart that's a little too old for you still," Castle said.
"He's right," Beckett said, having spotted the American Girl book. She wasn't surprised when the smile on the little girl's face fell and she said, "Let's go see what else there is."
Watching his wife take their daughter's hand before they started to look around the shelves Castle felt someone standing next to him and said, "Did you find yours?"
Julia smiled widely and showed her father the book saying, "It's not really for me."
"Mari?" Castle asked he was taking the book, the Ravenclaw edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the 20th anniversary.
"Yeah," Julia replied. "She never got it and I told her parents I'd buy it for her. I'm just glad we came in time before we leave for England."
"You should have told us earlier," Castle said. He saw her shrugging and he said, "What's wrong?" putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Is a book a good gift for your best friend?" Julia asked, taking the book back from him.
"You realize I never gave your mom anything when we were still friends," Castle told her.
"Not Mom," Julia said. "I mean your best friend you're not married to," she continued, rolling her eyes.
"I would give Brad books for Christmas," Castle said. "And he'd give them to me and we'd be happy. And Mari loves books too and Harry Potter… and Ravenclaw."
Smiling Julia said, "And this one is our favorite book."
"She'll love it sweetie," Beckett said, walking over to them with Eliza following her, reading a book. She looked behind her since their gaze wasn't on her and she smiled saying, "Eliza."
"What?" the little girl asked, looking up at them. She smiled as her family was doing so to her, but she could feel her cheeks were flushed in slight embarrassment. "I get two books, Mommy said."
"They're on sale," Beckett explained. "There aren't any books that you want for yourself?"
Shaking her head Julia said, "I…" before she trailed off as she recalled the one she'd seen. "Um… I like the Quidditch Through the Ages, but I don't have enough money."
"Why don't you find another one you have enough for?" Beckett said, she and her husband having already bought that book for their daughter the day it had been released. It was an illustrated version of the older book and Julia had been wanting it ever since they'd told her about it since it had uniforms for all the Quidditch teams in the book.
"Well… there is this one…" Julia said slowly before she went over to the shelf and picked it out.
"Anne of Green Gables?" Castle asked. "Nice, your sister read that but it wasn't really to her taste."
"It was a good book," Alexis said, walking over to them. "What did you get Lizzy?"
Showing them the books Eliza said, "Mommy said in this one they go to the city from South Carolina," pointing out the one titled This is the Rope. "And then this one is during the war…"
"World War Two," Beckett said with a smile while the little girl was holding up the second book called Coming On Home Soon.
"They look good," Castle said, nodding. "Is everyone ready?"
"Yeah, I didn't find anything," Alexis said, glancing behind her as Louis was walking up to them. "Or him either."
"And I don't think our parents found anything," Castle said to his wife.
"Then you should go pay girls," Beckett said to them.
Taking her little sister's hand, Julia walked with her to the front of the store with the others following. She felt her squeezing her and she looked down at her saying, "Don't worry, Mom and Dad will be there if we need help."
Nodding, though she had paid for things before, Eliza went up to the desk first and once she had set her books on the counter she looked up at the cashier.
"Hello Eliza," the woman behind the counter said. "Are you paying for these yourself?"
"Yeah, I have enough money," Eliza said seriously.
"Good to hear that," the worker said with a smile. "So these books are ten dollars and fifteen cents."
Stepping up to her, Julia watched her sister getting a ten before the little girl looked at her. "Add a dollar bill," she whispered since she knew she didn't have any change.
"Thank you," the cashier said after she had the money.
Getting her change back Eliza remembered in time to give her shopping bag to the woman and she waited eagerly as her books were set inside. "Thanks," she said with a wide smile after she had her bag back. She got out of the way of her sister and bounced her bag to feel the weight of the books inside before her grandfather walked up to her. "Wanna see my books?" she asked him.
"Back at home," Jim said.
"Oh… we have to leave now?" Eliza said in disappointment as she looked at her parents.
"Your sister is going to fall asleep soon," Jim explained. "So we need to get her back to her bed."
Eliza nodded and she went over to her mother, leaning against her as they waited for Julia's books to be bagged. While they headed to the cars once they left, she was holding her mother's hand and they were swinging their hands together before she giggled and hoped her parents would play with them before their dinner that night.
"I hope those will stay for a long time," Julia said with a smile, watching her mother fix the roses after she'd put them into a vase in the kitchen with water.
"So do I," Beckett said, smiling at her. "Okay," she told her daughters since they were both in the room with her. "Are you ready to head outside?"
Watching her sister run down the hall with a heavy squeal, Julia said, "I know Lizzy is."
Beckett laughed and shook her head before she went to her daughter, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. "I'm hoping if it does snow it won't be too bad so we can head outside," she said.
"Me too," Julia said before she hugged her quickly and they went to the closet by the backyard door.
"Thank you for catching her," Beckett said in amusement as her husband had their second youngest and was helping her into her coat.
"She's going to have to calm down before we play," Castle said easily.
"Are the dogs ready?' Beckett asked.
"Here," Alexis said, walking over to them with the six dogs in their coats for the cold.
"You're lucky that you don't have to wear your boots," Julia was saying as she hugged Macca around the neck.
"Watch out," Castle told them. "I'm opening the door."
Eliza cheered as she watched the dogs launch themselves outside before they were following them too. She went down the stairs carefully and then started to run with a cry after the pack.
"Go," Beckett told Julia as she was standing with her, Castle and her sister. Watching her daughter go she then turned to Alexis and asked, "Where's Louis?"
"Here, sorry, Martha told me to let you know they're staying inside," the young man said, coming down the stairs.
"Good, it's really cold for them," Castle said simply.
"Are you still going to play with your archery set?" Alexis asked her parents.
"The wind picked up," Beckett said, looking up at the sky. "We'll have to leave it for another day." She then looked at the two and asked, "Are you going to join them."
"Sure," Louis said before he grabbed his girlfriend's hand and they were running down the grass.
"Don't follow," Beckett said, holding her husband's hand tightly.
"I wasn't going to," Castle assured her. "If I hurt my knee how am I going to dance tonight." He studied the smile on her face, thought she wasn't looking at him, and he said, "I'm surprised that you still want to do that with me."
"Don't worry," Beckett said in amusement. "You dance as you need to."
Breathing out hard as he could imagine them doing that already, Castle was shaken from his thoughts as he saw his breath rising into the air and he said, "We should do something now."
"The hoops?" Beckett suggested.
"Yeah!" Julia said as she was running to them in time to hear them. She smiled when her sister was squealing, and she ran to them before she launched herself at their father. Their mother was getting the hoops and she said, "Do you remember the game?"
"Yep, who's gonna go first?" Eliza asked.
"You two can," Castle said. "And then Alexis can race whoever wins."
"I will," the young woman said with a smile.
"Here," Beckett said, handing the hoops to the girls. When they had the sticks that went with them, she walked down the grass so she would be the finish line.
"Ready?" Castle asked them. The two nodded and he counted to three before they were running to their mother as they were pushing the hoops along with them.
"Oh, it's okay Eliza," Beckett said as the little girl's hoop got away from her control and fell to the grass.
"I have to race 'lexis next," Julia was telling her sister when they were together and walking back to the others with the hoops.
"I hope that you can go all the way," Eliza told her.
"Me too," Julia said, nodding her head rapidly. She waited for Alexis to get the other hoop and once their father had counted for them she was running. She was relieved she managed to keep the hoop rolling and breathed out though her sister had won. "Are you going to race against Louis?"
"Yeah," Alexis replied, wrapping her arm around her sister so they could walk back to the others. She turned to their mother and was going to ask if she would run too when she answered her question before she could.
"I will," Beckett called. "Go."
"I'm not going to be able to," Castle said to his daughters as they were closer to him. He walked down to his wife and said, "We're switching."
"Your-" Beckett started to say.
"It's not up to running but I'm fine," Castle assured her. "We need to do something else after this."
"We'll think of something," Beckett assured him, kissing him on the cheek before she went up to the others.
Alexis and Louis raced against each other, the latter losing as his hoop ended up doing the same thing that Eliza's had done.
"You need more practice," Alexis told her boyfriend.
"Yeah, I've never played with these before," Louis said, studying them. "Where did you get them?" he asked Beckett as they'd gone back to her and the girls.
"For Erin?" she asked.
Nodding Louis smiled when Eliza gasped, and he then said, "She'd enjoy having her own set."
"But… who will she play with?" the little girl asked in confusion.
"She has friends from school," Louis said reassuringly. "And Da and Mam will play with her too. Like your parents."
"Mommy," Eliza said suddenly before the next race started. "Can Emmie and Quentin come over to play?"
"Maybe next Saturday," Beckett replied with a smile. "Julia?"
"Yeah, I'll go over to play with Mari," the girl replied. "Are you going to race?"
"We are," Beckett said as she had the hoop Louis has been using. After the young man had counted for them, they were racing together down the grass to Castle and when she reached him just before their oldest, she was laughing as her husband had grabbed her.
"Does that mean I won?" Alexis asked with a smile as she watched the two hugging each other. She knew they were murmuring to one another and she said, "Are we finished?" to remind them the two weren't alone.
"I think so," Castle said, reluctantly letting go of his wife.
"What can we play now?" Eliza asked.
"I wish we could fly our kites," Julia commented as Alexis and Louis were taking back their hoops.
"What about tag?" Eliza suggested.
"Better than hide and seek?" Beckett said.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Castle asked her.
Beckett merely smiled and then turned her attention to the girls who were suddenly talking to each other. "We can't play Marco Polo on land," she said.
Narrowing her eyes playfully at her mother, Julia then smiled and said, "We want to play blindman's bluff."
"It's the same thing," Beckett said, her hands on her hips. She then looked at her husband and said, "Anything to add?"
"I have a clean handkerchief," Castle said simply.
Sighing, Beckett said, "Do you guys mind?"
"Not at all," Louis said first before his girlfriend was shaking her head.
"Let's see who's it first," Julia said eagerly. They put their hands in between them and Alexis was saying the rhyme to get their hands out of the way before their mother's was left between the two of them.
"I swear I didn't do that on purpose," Alexis said though she wondered what would have happened if she'd been it.
"Girls," Beckett said as her husband was tying his handkerchief behind her head. "If you push your dad to me, I will be very upset."
"We don't push," Julia said firmly, winking at her little sister who covered her mouth with her hands as she was laughing.
"Fine," Beckett said before she was counting to five to give everyone a chance to move away from her. "Ready?" she called. She smiled when they all cried out a yes and she started to walk as she held her hands out in front of her. Hearing her middle daughters laughing she turned to one of them and try feeling out in front of her. She thought she was close when she heard giggling and turned to her left before someone was calling out to her.
"Over here Mom!" Julia said though she was in the other direction. She knew her little sister was watching her to see when they would try and get their father to their mother, but they needed to wait. Once Beckett had been walking around for a while she was about to nod to Eliza when their father stumbled in the grass and bumped into his wife.
"Julia," Beckett said, starting to rip off her blindfold.
"No," the girl said quickly. "Dad tripped a little."
"She's right," Castle said. "I got a little clumsy. But you had something planned," he then told the girls, looking at them.
Sighing as the two were merely smiling Beckett said, "At least you didn't have the chance." She handed her husband back his handkerchief and paused when she realized something, "Is your knee getting stiff?"
"Slightly," Castle said. "It's from dodging you, I can stay with you guys," he added quickly.
"You can stay," Beckett said with a smile, taking his hand. "But if it gets worse you need to go back inside."
"I will," Castle said. "But that was fun."
"For you guys, not really for me," Beckett replied wryly.
"Why don't we play with the dogs?" Alexis said. "Throw some tennis balls for them and the girls can chase them."
"I wanna!" Eliza said eagerly.
"I'll grab it," Castle said, wanting to test his knee. He walked back up to the house and went through the box they had by the door with the dogs' things. He got two of the ball launchers and several tennis balls he placed in his pockets before hurrying back to the others.
Taking a launcher and tennis ball from her husband, Beckett readied it and then waited for her husband to do the same. "Are you two ready?" she asked them.
"Yeah," Julia said eagerly, ready to run.
"Don't get in the middle of them if they fight over it," Castle warned the two. When they nodded, he and Beckett threw their tennis balls down towards the beach but managed to just get them into the sand as all six ran after them and the girls ran after the dogs. He smiled and said, "They'll be tired tonight."
"That'll be great for our parents," Beckett said with a smile. "Are you two still going out?" she directed to their oldest.
"Yeah, dinner and a movie," Alexis said before she turned to her boyfriend. She smiled as he was running after the dogs with the girls and then said, "But should we have taken them?"
Shaking his head Castle said, "You're not babysitters and you two deserve a chance to go out too."
"I'm surprised you're saying that," Alexis said with a smile before her sisters were coming back with the tennis balls. After her parents had thrown them with the launchers again, she said to her mother, "They want us to go in and watch you get ready. But just… the makeup part."
"I change in the closet," Beckett said reassuringly. "You guys are going to be casual tonight?"
"I'll be wearing what I am now," Alexis said. "But we're just leaving from here once you guys go."
"Come to breakfast tomorrow?" Castle asked.
Smiling when Alexis nodded Beckett said, "You guys can watch, if you want." She smiled a little wider when the young woman nodded again at her reply and she turned her attention back to the others so they could continue playing as the afternoon wore on.