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: I was pleased getting the feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll start my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Great that you thought the last chapter had very good writing! And I'm really glad that you like where Castle and Beckett are right now in Vegas, definitely a nice place I agree!) and
Mb (I wasn't surprised to see you laughing at Castle and Beckett torturing themselves with their celibacy for a little longer. I was really glad that you thought it was a sweet day with them going to the museum and having a gondola ride too. Great seeing you loved the call to home with their playful banter all together since it was fun to write that one! And I wasn't surprised to see that you were laughing at Castle and and Beckett were pushing the bounds of their restraint since they are in Vegas after all, lol. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I was really happy you thought the second half was a wonderfully written update showing Castle and Beckett being themselves missing their family and enjoying each other's company since that's how I see them. I was surprised to see you were glad Beckett was taking Julia and Peter to Boston, but then you explained about the city so that made more sense. And I will have a family vacation there for sure in the future! I was pleased to see you mentioned Castle and Beckett are carefree, sweet and loving naturally since it's how I thought they should have been really. You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is the title of a song written by Brendon Urie, Dallon Weeks and Butch Walker, from the Panic! at the Disco album Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!
Vegas Lights
"Here you go," Castle said to his wife, getting her attention.
"Thank you," Beckett said, putting her phone away.
"Anything from home?" Castle asked while she was picking up her mug of coffee to take a sip.
"No, I was just making sure what time the State Museum opened," Beckett replied before she watched him giving her the bear claw he'd gotten for her.
"We're not too early," Castle stated.
Smirking at him after she'd eaten her first bite of the pasty, Beckett said, "You want to ask that instead of assuming?" When he shook his head, since he'd bitten his bear claw, she couldn't help laughing softly and told him, "We're not. But we have to get to the car and find the place."
"True, but we're not in any hurry," Castle said.
"No," Beckett replied, sipping her coffee again. They'd gone to the café at the shops the casino had after sleeping in a little. It was nine by then and she said, "They'd be in school right now."
"And Josie watching her show," Castle commented. He then smiled and said, "But you know what they'd say if they heard us thinking about them."
"To stop," Beckett said in amusement. "And I don't think we'll be able to, but I just wanted to point that out."
"Because…?" Castle asked her.
Giving him a mock look Beckett said, "I thought of their reactions to the sweets in the display."
Looking at it, Castle said, "Yeah, that's legitimate," laughing shortly after when she was pinching playfully at his side. He took her hand and kissed the back before they were leaning into one another and brushing their lips together before she was speaking gently to him while they returned to their breakfast.
"You do know I wouldn't change this trip though," Beckett commented.
"Don't worry," Castle reassured her. "Neither would I but we wouldn't be great parents if we weren't thinking about them too." He finished his bear claw and savoring the last of his coffee he told his wife, "Though I'd love to sit…"
"I'm ready," Beckett said laughingly. They stood up and she said, "You could have just asked."
"I wanted to be a little vague," Castle said, smiling when his wife rolled her eyes. They threw their cups in the recycling before they were holding hands while they went back to the villas so they could get their car. He let her get into the driver's side and he watched the GPS on his phone before he said, "It really isn't that far."
"You're the one who was looking at it last night," Beckett said in amusement though she kept her eyes on the road.
"Not in detail," Castle said in amusement.
Beckett shook her head when her husband laughed and then told him, "But if they're both the same distance I'm not surprised."
"No," Castle said before he saw they were nearing the museum. He let the GPS speak before he realized it was rerouting and said, "Kate I think we missed it."
"I just noticed," Beckett said in slight annoyance. She turned around and turned at the small street she hadn't really taken enough note of before and said, "I guess this is it."
"I think so," Castle said, looking out the windshield in surprise before his wife was asking about the museum.
"How big is this supposed to be?" Beckett said.
"There's more than the museum," Castle replied. "They have a desert museum, some trails and an amphitheater."
"Nice," Beckett said with a smile while she parked. "Did you want to see anything else?"
"I don't think we'll have time, will we?" Castle asked.
"I don't think so," Beckett replied. "But maybe we can walk around a little." When they were out of the car she said, "After we get a map."
"I noticed," Castle said with a smile since he could see the complex seemed to stretch out before them. He then waited for his wife to come around to him and let her slip her arm through his before they walked towards where he assumed the museum was. He was a little surprised when they were coming to a ticket booth and he said, "For the theater?"
"We better check," Beckett said before they walked up to it behind a family. When they were stepping up to the window, she wasn't surprised when the man behind it asked where they wanted to go. She looked at her husband while he answered, moving her hand to let him get his wallet before she took the tickets. When they headed to where the worker had explained where the museum was, she said, "Would you want to go to the trail here?" since the man had told them they could walk through the canyon trail for free.
"After?" Castle asked. When his wife nodded, they went down the path and then up some stairs to reach the building the Nevada State Museum was housed in.
Beckett got her camera out of her bag and took a picture of the sign before taking a shot of where they'd come from. She looked at her husband when she'd finished and was about to speak when he was doing so first with a slight smile on his face.
"You're set?" Castle asked.
"Yes, are you sure I can't get you a camera?" Beckett replied.
"I told you," Castle said reassuringly. "I don't mind following you or taking pictures with my phone."
"Okay, but you know the offer stands right?" Beckett told him. When he nodded, they walked into the museum and showed their tickets before they could walk inside further. She smiled at her husband as they walked to the tree in an atrium, and she quickly noticed a motorized buggy and took a picture before getting one of the time capsule rocket that read Stardust on the side.
"Keep going?" Castle asked.
"I'm following you," Beckett replied easily. She wasn't surprised when he opened his mouth to speak before he paused and she said, "I'm serious Rick."
"Okay," Castle said after studying her. He waited for her to step up to him and led her to the hallway they were by, and he said, "I think this way is good."
"I think so," Beckett said when they paused finding a massive mammoth fossil just past the entry. She looked at her husband and said, "Are you happy?"
"Of course," Castle replied before he turned his attention to the fossil. "I wish we'd brought the girls here last time."
"I know, but at least we have something next time," Beckett said.
"Did we really run out of stuff to do?" Castle asked.
"There's a kid's museum," Beckett told him.
"True," Castle said with a nod since they'd looked into the museums that were available before their first visit with their family. "Though we never discussed the nuclear one," he told her.
"I don't think so," Beckett said. "Maybe when we come back ourselves."
Nodding while they started to walk through the first exhibit, Castle smiled seeing the animals set up telling her, "You're taking pictures of them, right?"
"If the girls had any idea these were here, they'd never forgive me," Beckett commented while she was taking a picture of a mountain lion. They walked along that display before finishing at a coyote and she took a picture of it before her husband suddenly led her to another display. "Why-" she started to say before she cut herself off spotting the display of butterflies.
"I hope the lighting's good," Castle replied.
"It is," Beckett said, setting up her shot. Once she'd taken them she said, "I'm still following you."
"You don't need to for that," Castle said in mock annoyance. "There's more right here." He watched her smiling at him before beginning to take pictures and said, "You realize I knew what you were doing right?"
"I do," Beckett said easily before she was turning her attention to the next display. After the animals they came to some about pioneers, and she was impressed to see the covered wagon there. She stepped up to it and was nearly shocked by the sudden rush that went through her at the sight of the canvas cover.
"Are you okay?" Castle asked his wife.
"Yes but… you too?" Beckett asked him.
With a brief nod Castle said, "I'm feeling so much déjà vu."
"Me too," Beckett replied before she walked around to the end of it, taking a picture of the inside that was lit up slightly. "Don't say it."
"No, you realize why this is happening," Castle said in a rush. He smiled a little at her while they walked through the rest of the section of the exhibit. Once they started looking around the items pertaining to the mining history of the state he told her, "But I still think we could try one day to get to our past lives before the last one."
"Could or will?" Beckett asked, taking a picture of a display with silver and silver items.
"Could, I'm not going to do it until I know the person is good," Castle said. He looked at the display of copper and said, "So we can just say we're feeling familiar with things like covered wagons."
"Yes," Beckett said with a slight smile. "We should keep going though," she added, not surprised when he nodded, and they continued. At a display, still about the mining, she spotted an item and wasn't surprised when her husband was speaking to her quickly.
"Please tell me you're going to take a picture," Castle said. He watched his wife doing so and said, "Thanks."
Unable to help laughing, Beckett quickly calmed down before she told her husband, "You're welcome, but I would have taken a shot of it anyways." She looked closer at the flask that said it was a whisky flask with men gambling on it and said, "Is it from the Tonopah Saloon or the men are supposed to be there?"
"I have no idea," Castle replied since the show Ghost Adventures had done an episode in that city. He then smiled and told her, "The girls are going to love this."
"And this," Beckett said, nodding to the pictures.
"Oh, Goldfield," Castle said quickly as he noted the writing on the bottom. "Kate-" he started to tell her.
"I got them," Beckett replied. "But I don't think the hotel is there."
"Still though," Castle said, studying it before they were moving on. Looking at more displays with items from the 1800s he followed her to items from WWII. He looked at a uniform inside one before his wife was squeezing his arm and he looked at her in concern when he realized what she was thinking looking at that. "Will you be okay?" he asked her after he'd wrapped that arm around her.
"Yeah, it just came to me in a rush," Beckett started to say. "When you came back from the city dressed in your uniform." She leaned into him while he was pressing his lips to her temple and she murmured, "But we were lucky."
"Definitely," Castle said. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips to hers before he looked into her eyes saying, "We should keep going."
"I know what you saw already," Beckett told him teasingly.
"They're just mannequins," Castle said defensively though they were starting to walk again. When they stopped at the showgirl outfits he was startled when his wife was taking pictures of them and said, "So… you're showing them that?"
"They're on mannequins," Beckett said firmly, not surprised when he was responding to that shortly after.
"I leave it to you," Castle said.
"What do you think?" Beckett asked him.
"Of the outfits?" Castle replied in obvious surprise. When she nodded, he said, "Are you sure?" She merely looked at him and he said, "Okay," quickly. He studied them for a moment and said, "Without the feathers would you wear them for me?" thinking she would see it for the joke it was.
"I might have some trouble filling the cups," Beckett said simply. When her husband's eyes widened, she smiled and said, "Are you sure?"
"Are you?" Castle said, fighting his shock at her seriousness.
"No," Beckett replied with a smile. She squeezed his hand while they continued and told her husband, "You don't have to answer me."
"I will anyway," Castle said, watching her take a picture of a display with items from casinos. "I'm serious about enjoying them on you but you don't absolutely have to wear them."
"Thank you for that," Beckett said, turning to him. She wasn't surprised when her husband frowned and was quick to put her hand on his chest to keep him from continuing. "I know what you mean love," she assured him. "But I think I prefer what I have already." She smiled when he nodded his head rapidly in agreement before she said, "Let's keep going."
Walking through the rest of the exhibits, Castle looked around at the last ones saying, "Did we make a wrong turn?" because there were fossils again.
"I think so," Beckett said, looking up at the ichthyosaur that was hanging above them. She glanced back at her husband and smiled when he was looking at her questioningly before she pointed above them. She laughed softly as he pretended to jerk back in surprise and told him, "I've gotten a picture," not surprised when he was speaking rapidly to her.
"Do you think they'd like seeing the mammoth now?" Castle asked.
"If you want to take a picture with your phone, you're going to have to wait to send it," Beckett told him in amusement.
"A selfie," Castle replied.
"We wouldn't be able to get all of the fossil," Beckett said while she turned to look at it.
"Partially the tusks and head," Castle commented since he was looking at it as well. "And this was it."
"It is," Beckett replied, smiling. She took his hand and then said, "Come on," before they were walking into the hall between the room with the exhibits and the other that was closed off. Going around to the mammoth statue she smiled at him getting his phone and told him, "This might take a while."
"I don't mind," Castle replied before he was nodding. "Okay, I think this way will work."
Leaning over, Beckett soon saw he had the top of the head and the tusks before she said, "Okay." Standing with him she let him take the picture before she told him while he checked the picture, "It's still too early."
"I'll try and remember later," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife nodded and he said, "We came on the wrong day."
"I know," Beckett said in amusement since the room across from them was still being prepared for the next temporary exhibit. "But we do have another one to go to." She watched him checking the time before she said, "Too early for lunch?"
"Walk around for a little?" Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife looked at her father's watch and then said, "Not for that long."
"No, but I wouldn't mind," Beckett replied before they kissed briefly. While they were leaving she spotted the gift shop and she stopped her husband telling him, "The girls," not surprised when he nodded and spoke while they were heading inside.
"How big of a shirt are we getting for Josie?" Castle asked.
Beckett wasn't surprised her husband was thinking of the sizes already and she said, "We'll know once we see them." They nodded to the worker at the register and turned their attention to the t-shirts for sale. She saw the selection wasn't that large and she murmured to her husband, "I don't know about getting something for Alexis and Louis."
"I see something for Mother," Castle said.
When he nodded, Beckett turned her head to look at a display of jewelry and was about to say her mother-in-law wasn't likely to want something so small when a brooch caught her eye. "I see," she said quickly. "What about this for Josie?" she then asked her husband, showing him the shirt with a Woolly Mammoth on it.
"I like the color," Castle said with a smile, touching the light blue fabric. He took it from her and told her, "I saw that grey one for Eliza."
"So did I," Beckett said with a smile since it had a covered wagon on it with the words Nevada Or Bust! on a sign next to it. "And the ichthyosaur for Julia?"
"Agreed," Castle said, smiling while he watched her. "Let's try and get something for them at the next museum," he told her while they walked to the glass display.
Beckett smiled at his wording; knowing he meant their oldest and son in law; and nodded rapidly before they turned to the worker coming over. She let her husband get the brooch with a cameo and told him before she went to pay, "She better like that."
"She will, the girls will make sure she knows they do," Castle said. "And if her granddaughters do…" He wasn't surprised when his wife laughed briefly before he watched her continue to the register. He walked around the gift shop to see what else there was before they were leaving with him holding the bag. "Kate?" he asked while they went down the stairs from the building.
"Yes?" Beckett asked him with a smile.
"We have to find something for your dad," Castle told her.
Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Beckett looked at him and said, "I know, I was looking around in the store."
"The Mob Museum?" Castle asked.
"Most likely," Beckett said.
"Okay, I'll let you pick," Castle told her.
Beckett smiled and asked while they were walking again, "What if I need your opinion?"
"I offer it freely," Castle said, smiling himself while he watched her laugh before they reached the canyon trail. As they stood looking down it, he wasn't surprised his wife was shortly after taking her camera from her bag before she suddenly paused. Startled, he was about to ask her if she was okay when she was turning to him with a slight smirk and leaning into him to murmur into his ear.
"Let me guess, you want to take a selfie?" Beckett said.
"Would you mind?" Castle asked, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her in close to him.
"No, but I would rather walk," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband, in reaction, pulled her with him down the trail and she took pictures of the walls rising above them before she said, "I don't think it goes that far."
"No," Castle said, stopping before they got to that point. He turned to her and leaned down, gently brushing his lips to hers. Though he knew it was a risk to do more than that, he moved to kiss her again and a little deeper. Their tongues were meeting soon after in her mouth, caressing each other a few times before they slowly parted. He pressed his forehead to hers and with their lips still touching could feel her smiling and he said, "You set that up."
"Why are we here again?" Beckett retorted though he was right. She took his brief peck on her lips, responding to him, before they were letting go of each other. While they walked to the end she said, "Do we have time to walk a little more?"
"We do," Castle replied. "But how far do you want to go?"
"A little," Beckett said firmly.
"Okay," Castle said before they were taking each other's hands and starting to make their way to the next trail. While they were walking around, he watched his wife taking pictures and said, "I'm surprised there's so much greenery."
"The rain?" Beckett asked with a smile. When he nodded slowly, she rolled her eyes, still smiling, and then said, "I am too, but I'm really glad," not surprised when he was responding to that rapidly.
"I agree," Castle said.
"Rick," Beckett said simply when she stared at him and he didn't say anything else after that.
"Oh good, you didn't use my last name," Castle replied with a smile. "You can't blame me for watching you," he told her.
Beckett said, "No, because you haven't stopped doing that since we met."
"See? I enjoy doing it greatly," Castle replied.
"Pervert," Beckett teased him.
"Yes," Castle said simply before they were looking at one another and beginning to laugh. When he managed to calm down, he said to her, "Okay, so… I think we just looped back around to where we started."
"We did, I remember that tree," Beckett replied while she indicated it. "Let's go back." She smiled when he looked at his watch and said, "I'm aware of the time."
"Okay," Castle said easily before he reached for her hand. Once she was squeezing it back he was smiling, and they walked to their car before she was insisting that he drive. "Will you handle the GPS?" he asked her once they were sitting inside.
"I will," Beckett said in amusement since it required no real effort from her. After they were back on the street they'd turned off they were heading east on the freeway. Her husband easily got them to the downtown area, and she smiled at the museum before she said, "It is impressive," at the sight of the building before he was replying.
"I know, it looks like a city hall," Castle commented.
"It does," Beckett said as she nodded. Once they got out, she asked her husband, "Are you sure about parking here for that long?"
"I don't mind paying," Castle replied. "And Fremont is right there."
"I see it," Beckett said in mock annoyance. She went to her husband and slipped her arm through his before telling him, "But it's still a block."
"Says the New Yorker," Castle teased her.
"Can we still call ourselves that?" Beckett asked then.
Castle opened his mouth to begin to speak when he paused and pursed his lips for a moment before he said, "I guess after this long no, but people outside the state still would."
"Good enough for me," Beckett said before they reached the covered street. Once they'd crossed Ogden she realized something and told him, "We never looked for lunch."
Looking at his watch, Castle said, "Then the question is do you want to go later or sooner?"
"I would like to walk the entire thing, but not all once," Beckett replied.
"Me too," Castle said before she was laughing. When she stopped, he quickly made her stop walking before he said to her puzzled expression, "Maybe we should look now."
"Alright," Beckett said before they stepped closer to the building they were next to. She watched him go on his phone and said, "What're you thinking of getting?" She smiled when he looked at her and told him, "Your pick love," before he was speaking confidently to her slight surprise.
"Mexican," Castle said. He smiled at the expression on her face and explained saying, "I feel like having it."
"Now that you mention it I could go for that," Beckett replied. "Is there a place?"
"In the Golden Nugget," Castle replied, finding it on his phone.
"Let's go," Beckett said, reaching for his hand before they walked again. After they were under the street's cover, she said, "I don't think we have to walk all of it."
"No?" Castle asked in surprise.
"No," Beckett answered. "Look," she said.
Castle had been surprised when she'd let go of his hand but seeing her getting her camera and hearing a slight whoosh he looked up to see some people going down the zip line. "Did you get it?" he asked once they'd passed by.
Showing him the picture Beckett said, "Julia will love seeing that."
"And want to go," Castle said since they'd watched the Las Vegas episodes of Ghost Adventures with their second oldest before their trip. In one they'd gone on the zip line and Julia had expressed a desire to try it. "Luckily she can wait," he said while they started to walk again towards the casino.
"She has to," Beckett said in amusement. They walked inside the building and had a little trouble trying to find the restaurant before they asked a worker in passing and were walking in. "You didn't want tequila this early did you?" she asked him reading the name of the restaurant, Cadillac Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar.
"No, it was the only one I saw," Castle said. "Well, a restaurant. There was a smaller place down the street."
Nodding Beckett said, "This is fine," before they were going to the hostess. She tried not to groan out loud when the woman's eyes raked her husband, but he was quick to put her in front of him while they were led to their table. He sat first on one side of the booth and she moved to slide in after him before they were left with their menus.
"That gets really old, really fast," Castle commented under his breath.
"Very," Beckett said in agreement before they were looking at their options. They were ready before their waitress came to get their drink order and she was relieved the woman was more professional. After they'd put in their orders she said, "Soda?"
"Oh… we're on vacation," Castle said in mock annoyance though he knew she was joking. He kissed her cheek and after hugging her a little closer said, "I'm hoping we can sit like this at dinner."
"Wait until we get to it to decide where to go," Beckett replied in amusement. "But I'm hoping too," she added, loving the smile he gave her.
"What are we going to do tonight?" Castle asked her.
"I'm not sure," Beckett said honestly. "Maybe wait and see what we do for dinner?"
"Did you really want to watch a movie tonight?" Castle asked.
"We don't have to," Beckett replied. "What're you thinking?"
Waiting for their waitress to set down their drinks to their thanks, Castle then said to his wife, "Have a later dinner and go to the New York, New York."
"The arcade?" Beckett asked in amusement.
"Remember they do have a mini-golf course now," Castle told her. "Just opened." He was surprised when she looked at him in obvious puzzlement and he quickly said, "Oh, I read that in one of the brochures on the coffee table in the living room. Would you mind at all?"
"No, that sounds fun," Beckett replied. "So… I'm letting you pick dinner aren't I?"
"That would be nice," Castle said.
"Go ahead," Beckett said, reaching for him and squeezing his hand. "Rick," she said simply when his arm wrapped around her waist. She wasn't surprised when he didn't stop, his hand warm holding her hip, and to distract him she asked, "What kind of golf course is it supposed to be?"
"They have two, Cosmic and then just a regular course with New York themed stuff," Castle replied.
"How big?" Beckett asked, squeezing his hand still on her gently and moving it away.
"Eighteen which will be very cool to see," Castle replied. "Bring your camera?"
Laughing softly at his hopeful tone, Beckett couldn't help herself and kissed his cheek before telling him, "As long as it's not raining." They began to talk idly of the next day and where they might go for meals when their food arrived. She let her husband taste her enchilada while he let her take some of his first taco, not surprised when he was asking what she thought after.
"It's good right?" Castle said.
Glancing at him in amusement, Beckett said, "It is, you don't need to worry."
"I'm not, just making sure," Castle said firmly. He nearly jumped when he felt her hand grab his thigh and he looked at her questioningly before she brushed her lips to his cheek. When she pulled away he said, "If you want any more just take."
"I plan to," Beckett said.
"Kate," Castle breathed. He wanted to kiss her, staring at her lips, but hearing the hostess near them he instead kissed the side of her head gently. After he pulled away he said, "The one part of this place I don't like."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett replied with a slight smile. She gently nudged him before he turned to her and they kissed gently before turning their attention back to their meal. When they were almost finished she said, "This was nice though."
"It was," Castle replied as he finished the last of his rice. He watched her putting her card for the bill and said, "Want to grab something later?"
"A snack?" Beckett asked.
"A drink," Castle replied.
"Let me wait and see," Beckett said, wondering where that question had come from. They waited for her card to come back and once they paid they got up, her husband following before they walked back out onto Fremont.
"Where are we going next?" Castle asked.
"To the museum," Beckett replied easily. When her husband looked at her in surprise she said, "What time is it?" watching him looking at his watch before he replied.
"Two ten," Castle said. "Where are we calling them?" he asked her.
Smiling at him guessing what she'd thought of, Beckett said, "I was thinking to the side, so we can show a little of the building to them."
"Sure," Castle said, not surprised when she laughed briefly at how quickly he'd spoken. She slid her arm through his and he reached with his other to squeeze her hand before they were walking together to back to 3rd and the museum. Once they were close he said, "We're looking through the whole thing right?"
"Yes," Beckett said in slight surprise.
"Good," Castle said swiftly before he stopped her suddenly. Before she could ask him what he was doing he leaned down to her, kissing her firmly on the lips. When they slowly parted he said, "Not much protest."
"No, but you're risking a lot doing that," Beckett teased him since they were essentially alone on the side of the street they were walking on. She laughed softly and leaned against his chest before she told him, "Come on."
Letting her take his hand, Castle tried to retain the sensation of her pressed against him a little longer. But they were soon crossing the street in front of the museum before he said, "Should I text Mother?"
"Go ahead," Beckett replied with a nod. They went up the stairs and to the side of the building before she watched her husband on his phone. She looked around where they were for a moment before he touched her arm and she turned to him saying, "They're ready?"
"They just got back," Castle told her. He looked down at his phone with her when another text went to him and he said, "Okay, she told them we want to talk to them. So now we have to."
"You make it sound like it's a chore," Beckett told him in amusement. When he nodded in mock seriousness she laughed and playfully shoved him before she said, "Go ahead and call them."
"I've got it," Castle replied while he was calling their house. It took a moment longer before they were looking at their family on the screen and he said with a smile, "Hey everyone."
"Hi Mommy, hi Daddy!" Eliza said first, waving to them.
"Hello girls," Beckett said. "Hello Josie," she then added laughingly as the baby was in front of the TV and reaching for it.
"Mama go back," Josie said.
"Not yet but we will soon," Beckett assured her.
"Come here Josa," Julia said, reaching for her baby sister. Once she had her on her lap she said, "Hey Mom, Dad. How's Vegas?"
"Great, chilly but it's great," Castle said first.
"Where are you?" Martha asked.
"We're outside the Mob Museum," Beckett replied. "We were just about to head in, so we wanted to talk to you first."
"I hope you like it there," Eliza said.
"I'm sure we will," Castle said, not surprised when the little girl was speaking rapidly after that.
"Can we go see it?" Eliza asked.
"We'll see once we walk through," Beckett said. "And I'll take pictures."
"Is that all you did today?" Julia asked.
"No, before we got here we went to the Nevada State Museum," Castle said, not surprised when the girls were asking eagerly about it.
"Easy," Beckett told them. "We'll take you to that one."
"Did you get the selfie of us?" Castle asked.
"Yeah! That was cool!" Eliza said first. "Was it a Manny?"
"It was," Beckett said in amusement, not surprised when Julia was rolling her eyes. She then said, "But there's a lot more to see."
"Hopefully we can go to that museum," Julia said. "What about last night?"
"It was fun, the buffet was delicious," Castle said. "And your mom had two plates plus dessert."
"I saw that picture," Eliza said. "The desserts looked yummy."
"They were," Beckett replied. She then said, "After we walked around the shops to get to the aquarium behind the show; do you two remember?"
"I do," Julia said first. She smiled and said, "You got pictures?"
"A lot," Castle said, nodding. When he saw his wife was looking at him he told her, "I was watching you."
Rolling her eyes while the girls giggled, Beckett then said, "And then we went back to our room since it was raining and cold, so we wanted to head back for the night. We watched a movie and then got some sleep and that was it until today."
"Now we want to hear how your day went," Castle said. "And did you two go hike with the Darnleys?"
"We did," Julia said first.
"That was so much fun," Eliza said. "Though there weren't many plants. It was beautiful."
"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett replied with a smile.
"Have all your fingers and toes?" Castle asked. He laughed while Julia and Eliza held up their hands and wriggled their fingers; Josie copying them shortly after. "I'm going to assume your toes are there. Now I'm glad to hear that."
"How was Josie at home with you Martha?" Beckett asked her mother-in-law, since the woman had kept the baby at home.
"Very happy," Castle's mother replied. "And she made a number of works of art for you and she danced for me."
"She did?" Beckett said in surprise.
"I taught her," Julia said. "But we're gonna practice a little more so you can see when you come home."
"Where's Mari?" Castle asked.
Turning her head, Julia said, "At her house, she needed to get her toothbrush; she forgot it."
"Okay, then we'll let you go," Castle said. He and Beckett said goodnight to their family, waving to them and blowing kisses to their two youngest before the phone screen was blank and he told his wife, "They're very happy."
"The hike and artwork helps," Beckett said, waiting for him to put away his phone before he spoke.
"Of course," Castle said with a nod. "And the fact we're still going through the museums."
Beckett laughed before she pulled her husband to the entrance and they walked to inside before she paused. "Are those…" she started to say.
"Mailboxes," Castle said. "I'm thinking this was a post office."
"And courthouse," a woman said. She smiled at the couple when they turned to her and said, "I couldn't help overhearing. And we get that question a lot."
"Are there any courtrooms still?" Beckett asked.
"There is one set up," the woman replied.
"Are photographs allowed?" Castle then said.
"Oh sure, just no flash photography," the woman replied while she led them over to the line for admission.
"Thank you," Castle told her, Beckett echoing him shortly after.
Smiling when her husband was looking at her once they were alone she said, "You're excited."
"Very," Castle replied. He squeezed her hand before they were walking closer to the window. He was relieved when his wife had gone over to the side to take pictures of the P.O. boxes along the side of the admission windows since it allowed him to purchase the right ticket he'd seen already. Once he had them, he got the map of the place and went to his wife saying, "Would you mind if I led us through here?"
"Oh no," Beckett replied with a smile while she turned to him. "I was expecting you to do that to be honest." She was surprised when he immediately wrapped his arm around her and said, "You're eager?"
"You said you expected me to be," Castle commented, leading her to the stairs. "I know," he then said to her confused look. "It starts on the third floor."
"Okay," Beckett replied before they started going up. When they'd reached the top she smiled and said, "Here we go," since the floor was themed as Birth of the Mob. While they were walking through the exhibits she already was uncertain, and she stopped her husband at a room that had a movie playing. "I'm not sure about the girls coming here," she told him.
"I know," Castle said with a nod. He squeezed her hand and then continued saying, "You don't think Julia would be okay coming here? She's already aware of the museum; the show?"
"I remember that chair," Beckett replied quickly. She glanced inside at the movie and sighed saying, "Okay, I'll think about us coming here with Julia, but I won't say for sure until we're finished walking through." She turned to walk into the room before she paused and told her husband, "We'll say."
"I know, but I think she'd be fine in here," Castle said.
"So far," Beckett said pointedly.
"So far," Castle echoed.
"Thank you," Beckett replied before they went into the room together and sat down while the movie was starting again. She noticed some displays and reminded herself to get pictures of them before turning her attention back to the film about the beginnings of the mob in America. When it finished, she went to the two displays and took rapid photos before they were leaving since the movie was playing again and she went to where her husband was standing outside waiting for her.
"I love it here; did I mention that?" Castle asked.
Smiling Beckett said, "I'm not surprised." They continued until they came to the next section which was about Las Vegas itself. She took a picture of the bar and different alcoholic containers behind it before she said, "She would love this."
"Definitely," Castle said. "But I just hope there aren't any pictures of victims of the Mob."
"That's why I was protesting," Beckett told her husband. When he nodded rapidly in agreement, she smiled at him and kissed his shoulder briefly before she said, "I just hope we might have the chance to bring her."
Nodding, since he was looking at all the historic items too, Castle said, "It would be nice." Moving to the next section he said, "Awesome," since it was about Prohibition.
"Rick," Beckett told him with a smile. "We lived through this."
Castle wasn't surprised she kept her voice low and told her, "I know, but there's a little bit of glamor… I'm just thinking of movies."
Beckett wasn't surprised and she squeezed his hand before they were looking at the large display in front of them. "Is that an axe from-"
"Carrie Nation?" Castle interrupted. When his wife was nodding he said, "It is. She'll remember that from the show too."
"They do have a nice collection," Beckett commented.
"I think that's on this floor," Castle said with a smile as he was aware of what she was thinking of. They came to the next room, and he breathed out, "There it is."
Beckett took a picture before she was studying the brick wall of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, noticing the bullet holes that were circled. "How sad," she said. She wasn't surprised when her husband looked at her and told him, "I know they were gangsters, but they were shot in the back."
"I'm not surprised the ghost of one of them haunted Capone," Castle said. They pushed themselves to continue when more people were coming up behind them and saw the bullets. "Are those…" he started to say.
"I think so," Beckett said as she recognized the names of the victims of the massacre. She took a picture and said, "Julia knows about this already."
"She does, but this…" Castle started to say before he trailed off. He then told her, "But we can talk to her about this; we can't show them all these pictures."
"No, but you're right," Beckett said. "We'll talk to her at home. Keep going."
"Yeah," Castle said before they walked through exhibits about the government fighting back. "I love this one," he said at one display of items, not surprised when she was responding wryly.
"I wonder why," Beckett said. She reached for his hand and squeezed it firmly before she said, "Keep going." She smiled when he looked at her in surprise but didn't comment on it before they were finishing up looking through the third-floor exhibits. They paused at one of the plates with names of different cities on them and she said, "I wondered if they'd gone to San Francisco."
"I don't remember dealing with them," Castle said quickly as she turned to him. "But there were things here and there."
"Of course, if these plates indicate anything," Beckett said with a slight smile. They continued to walk again before her husband was suddenly exclaiming slightly and pointing to glasses in a display case.
"I know what these are, Bugsy Siegel's glasses," Castle said. He saw her taking a picture and said, "Thanks."
"I wasn't taking it for you," Beckett said teasingly. When he pretended to pout, she hugged him briefly with one arm before telling him, "From your reaction I thought I should."
"The girls will be interested in seeing them," Castle commented while they continued. When they were stepping out to the elevator and stairs he said, "Next floor."
"Are you going to tell me what's there?" Beckett asked in amusement. She wasn't surprised when he shook his head, and she was quick to slip her arm through his before they made their way down the stairs. When they were on the second floor she smiled and said, "You knew."
"It says here," Castle said, holding up the map. "Courtroom."
"The next hearing will start in three minutes," a worker said into the hall.
"Let's check it out," Castle said as they were heading to the room outside what he assumed was a courtroom. "Actors?" he then said. "Because if they are I have to tell Mother about it."
"We'll see," Beckett said, squeezing his hand firmly before they were looking at the few items in the room. Eventually the doors at the opposite end opened and she was impressed at the layout since they'd kept it as a courtroom. "If they're actors," she murmured to her husband while they sat together on a bench in front. "Where did they go?" She wasn't surprised when he shrugged and said, "It's probably a movie," not surprised when he spoke quickly after she finished.
"I noticed the screens," Castle said. After the others had been walking in behind them were seated, the show started which was about a hearing investigating the mob in Las Vegas that had actually happened in the courtroom in 1950. When it had finished, he and his wife waited for the others to leave first before they were getting up and he said, "Did you take pictures."
"I did, hopefully they come out," Beckett said before they were continuing through more exhibits and displays. She wasn't surprised when they reached one room that talked about the city being open to the mob with gambling being legal there. She looked at the different pictures of performers before she said with a smile, "Look."
Turning from where he was reading a paragraph under a picture, Castle quickly saw what his wife had and smiled and saying, "Nice," since it was of The Beatles. "The Sands?"
"I think it's the convention center," Beckett said when she looked a little closer at it and saw the name on a sign behind the band. She took a picture and led him into the next room, not surprised when her husband was laughing briefly while they considered the walls that were covered in a wallpaper of money.
"I think this is my favorite room," Castle said.
"You're lucky I know you're kidding," Beckett told him teasingly.
"Yeah, I couldn't help wanting to see how you'd react," Castle replied. They read the information about the mob skimming from casinos before continuing and he said, "I really want to bring Julia here."
"I know," Beckett said, taking a picture of different items about JFK. She then said, "Dad will not like this," before her husband was nodding and replying.
"No, but I guess it's a historical thing," Castle said since there were some things about the mob possibly being connected to the JFK assassination.
Beckett nodded before they moved to another exhibit and she noticed it was about people who had been murdered by the mob. At the sight of some photos of victims she looked at her husband and said, "We're skipping this one."
"Definitely," Castle said, nodding rapidly. They walked through the last of the exhibit before he said, "They didn't have the chair."
"No," Beckett, said, as they had seen a barbershop chair on the show Mysteries at the Museum a mobster had been killed in. "I think that gas chamber chair was there."
"Well… I guess they had to put it away," Castle replied, following her to the stairs.
"Or it got moved to somewhere else," Beckett said, not surprised when he nodded in response. She laughed at his reaction before they headed down the stairs and went through the last exhibits about modern techniques in bringing the mob down and a wall of pictures of gangsters for the past one-hundred years. "I'm glad we came," she told her husband when they stepped out into the lobby. She was a little startled as he suddenly took her hand and led her to another flight of stairs. "The last bit?" she asked with a smile.
"The last floor," Castle replied before they went down and began walking down a corridor. He wasn't surprised when his wife took a picture of a mural of two flappers in cloches and winter coats with a Ford car next to them. Rounding the corner, they soon found an aquarium and he smiled when his wife looked at him. "Did you forget?" he asked her.
"I did, we haven't watched that episode for a while," Beckett replied since it had been made by the company from the show Tanked. It was themed around the Lizzie D, a rum runner that had sunk and she was quickly taking pictures before she told her husband, "We'll have to bring Julia now."
"Agreed, though Eliza will want to come after she sees these pictures," Castle pointed out.
"We'll have someone take her to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay," Beckett replied though she was looking at the bar. She turned to her husband and asked, "Is this what you meant by drinks?"
"Of course," Castle said. "Could I buy you some illegal hooch?"
"A cocktail," Beckett said firmly before they were walking inside. Sitting at the bar she wasn't surprised when the bartender went to them immediately and handed them menus, explaining about the different historical cocktails before he moved to another group that was sitting at the other end. "I kind of want to try the Giggle Water," she told her husband after she looked over the choices.
"And Julia could get something here," Castle commented since there were non-alcoholic drinks.
"We'll see," Beckett replied. "You've picked though," she said before her husband was responding shortly after.
"I did, I'm thinking of getting the Southside," Castle replied. "I'll let you taste."
Squeezing his arm while the bartender was coming over to them Beckett said, "I'll let you do the same with mine." They ordered their drinks and watched the man start to make hers first before he was making Castle's and setting them in front of them. Thanking him with her husband, she smiled and quickly took a picture of the two glasses together before they picked them up at the same time.
"Cheers," Castle told his wife with a smile. Tapping his glass to hers he took a sip and considered the drink before saying, "Yeah, that's swell."
Beckett couldn't help laughing and said, "I'll agree. Try mine?"
"Thank you," Castle said while he handed her his glass. Sipping hers he said, "Nice, I'm glad I remembered here."
"Me too," Beckett said before she reached over to him and took his hand. They took their own cocktails and were drinking quietly before she looked around the bar better. "I want to look around love," she said suddenly.
In the middle of taking a sip, Castle's eyes widened before he looked around himself after setting the glass down. He smiled and said when he could, "I'm not surprised you noticed."
Beckett merely smiled at her husband, and they finished their drinks shortly after before going to the display she'd seen. There was a twenties era flapper dress and man's tuxedo next to it she immediately took pictures of before she said, "It's pretty."
"You hate the color," Castle said under his breath as it was a champagne hue. He smiled at her when she shot him a look before he said, "Ready?"
"I am, but don't forget about the gift shop," Beckett replied before they were leaving. Heading back up the stairs she said, "Though I doubt we'll be able to find anything for Eliza or Josie," smiling when he frowned before he started to speak in a rush.
"There could be something," Castle said.
"Nothing hokey," Beckett told him.
"So nothing cutesy?" Castle asked.
"Let's wait and see what they have," Beckett said firmly. She rolled her eyes when her husband smiled in response but was soon doing the same because she knew he was joking. They went across the lobby through the people coming in and ducking into the shop past the cutout of a police officer.
