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.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs San Francisco Bay Blues written by Jesse Fuller, the version I took from is sung by Paul McCartney, from his album Unplugged (The Official Bootleg); Demons Dance by Paul McCartney, from the Collector's Edition of his album New; Let's Face the Music and Dance by Irving Berlin, the version I've taken from is the version sung for Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough's Quickstep on Dancing With the Stars; My Very Good Friend the Milkman written by Harold Spina and Johnny Burke, the version I've taken from is from Paul McCartney's album Kisses on the Bottom; Spread Your Wings written by John Deacon, from the Queen album News of the World and Hong Kong Blues written by Hoagy Carmichael, the version I've taken from is from George Harrison's album Somewhere in England.
A/N #2: It was great getting the feedback for the last chapter, so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank yous! TORONTOSUN (Really happy to see you thought it was perfect and great writing!),
Guest (I was glad to see you're still reading and enjoying the story as well as the series. And I'm glad that you still read, though I know people can't always review. But it was nice of you to let me know you're greatly appreciating the stories I have and think they're wonderful! Thank you so much and I hope that you and yours will have a great holiday season too and stay healthy as well! Happy holidays to you!) and
Mb (Great to see you though the chapter was a nice look at them going to the memorable places from their past lives starting with the airfield since it had a lot of memories for them since Skye, Julia and Mari in their past lives flew there. I wasn't surprised you noticed Julia going to Martha watching that old movie about the earthquake since of course she'd perished during that in their past life. And I had to laugh at you mentioning them seeing the sea lions, cable cars and the mall and calling it the tourist tour, but I'm glad you enjoyed that of course! It's great you're looking forward to Naomi and Nico being at their barbeque to see them again! You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! It was great that you thought the second half of the chapter was wonderfully written. And I'm so glad you feel like they're with them while they visit all the places I have since I do try to write everything as descriptive as I can for that purpose. And I'm not surprised you thought it was nice May and her family are going to be there at the barbeque too to see everyone. Really pleased you loved the letters and the flashbacks too since those were fun to write. You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter. Thanks and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours too!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them all and appreciate the time taken to write them all and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song San Franciscan Nights written by Eric Burdon, Vic Briggs, John Weider, Barry Jenkins and Danny McCulloch, from the Eric Burdon & the Animals album Winds of Change.
On A Warm San Francisco Night
"What do you think?" Beckett asked with a smile while they were looking up at the house.
"This was home," Nkosi said first before he was smiling at the others. "It nearly looks like it's the same color."
"It is close," Mary said, her wife nodding in agreement with her.
"But it's wonderful," Skye said as she was smiling. She shook herself of the memories rushing through her mind and said to the others, "We should head in, the Dorseys might see us and think we're out of our minds just standing here."
"I think they'd understand," Castle said in amusement.
"She's right though, they might understand but I wonder about the people walking around us," David commented.
"We'll go," Castle said before he and his wife were heading up the stairs to the front door. He glanced behind him once they were on the porch, seeing the others were following before he knocked on the door.
A short time later it was opening and the Dorseys were there, greeting the writers before hugging and shaking their hands quickly. They ushered everyone inside before Castle and Beckett were beginning to introduce everyone.
"Wow, there are a lot of you," Nico said in amusement when they'd finished. "But we're extremely happy to meet all of you."
"We're thinking the same," Darnley said. "Since you were so kind to let us come to your home."
"We had to, you all lived here," Naomi said. "Well…" she began, looking at the Fosters with a frown on her face.
"We visited here," Rebecca said with a smile.
"So you remember it too?" Naomi asked her.
"We are already," David said with a nod.
"Well, we have brunch," Nico said, since it was later in the morning as his wife had been struggling with some nausea and they'd had the families wait past ten. "But I know you want to see the home, so we'll take you on a tour first."
"Have you been able to paint the upstairs?" Beckett asked.
"We did, are you staying here?" Nico asked when the pair remained in the entry.
"There's enough of us here," Castle explained. He and Beckett watched while the group was going together to the parlor as well before they followed a little behind them going to the family room. He reached for his wife's hand, taking it and entwining their fingers before he told her, "We didn't tell them to get brunch, right?"
Smiling Beckett said, "No, I think it was a surprise." They were going into the kitchen at that point and she saw the covered trays before she said, "I get the feeling they got it from a favorite place around here."
"We'll have to ask the name of it," Castle said. "Since I'm guessing it's good."
"It probably is," Beckett replied with a smile before they stood in the doorway to the backyard, smiling when Keo and Maddy were running with Dani immediately before Eliza and the younger McDouglas girls were joining them happily. She looked at Darnley as her friend was calling to his kids before Nico was quickly interrupting him.
"It's alright," the doctor said. "We're sure our kid is going to do the same thing once they're old enough."
"It will," Beckett said with a nod before took Josie and set her down on the ground. She held onto the baby's hands, watching her attempting to take a step before she tried again and would have fallen if she hadn't picked her up.
"We just saw her, but she looks like she's gotten bigger already," Naomi said, going over to her.
"A lot can happen in a month," Beckett replied, smiling while she was making sure Josie was settled on her hip.
"Mama," the baby said then.
"She's talking now?" Nico asked.
"A couple words," Castle said.
"Did she say dada yet?" Nico said.
"She has," Castle replied with a nod. "Her second word which I can thank her sisters for."
"They taught her?" Naomi said as she was smiling.
"They did," Beckett said, since the kids were running around together.
"Guys," Skye said to her daughters though she was smiling as all the kids froze immediately. "Thank you for listening to us. We need to keep going in the house, we have brunch of course."
"You can play later after dinner," Rebecca said.
"And before too," Martha pointed out, the lawyer nodding in agreement with her.
"Then we should head up to the second floor?" Nico asked looking at the kids. He laughed with the others when the kids were agreeing to that nearly all at once and he said, "I forgot how many kids there would be with you guys," while he and his wife allowed the others to head inside.
"It can be hard to take in," Mary said.
"Is it difficult having five?" Naomi asked her and Skye.
"We have an advantage," the investigator commented. "We weren't pregnant with them but after that it's the same as raising a biological child."
Rebecca, looking at the woman while the others were leaving the kitchen, asked, "Are you concerned?"
Nodding Naomi said, "It took us a while to conceive."
"David and I can relate," Rebecca said. She looked over at Beckett and asked, "You didn't tell her?"
"It wasn't really my story to tell," Beckett said immediately.
Nodding, since she could understand that, Rebecca turned to Naomi and told her, "We took… years to conceive Mari. And then another eight to have Dani, I did a lot of meditating both pregnancies and they're here."
"I try to keep calm myself," Naomi replied as they left the kitchen after the others. "But it's hard."
"Of course it is, I was worse with Mari," Rebecca said. "It's why I say stick with trying, it's all anyone can expect of you. Also tell off your husband if he's making you feel worse."
Laughing, Naomi nodded before they were walking to the entry and the staircase. She went to her husband and took his hand tightly before they started to show the bedrooms, including one they told them would be the nursery.
"But it's not ready yet," Iris said.
"We're going to start on it next week," Nico told them. "Just the furniture though since we painted it."
"Would you be upset if it was a girl?" Darnley asked jokingly as they'd painted it a light blue.
"No, we might have a sky theme," Naomi said. "With birds; I love birds so…"
"It'll look great," Beckett told her reassuringly.
"Come see the next floors," Nico said. "I'm sure you guys are hungry."
"I am," Ivy said softly and a little shyly.
"We only ate a little this morning," Skye explained as they were going up the stairs. "Just a snack. But we do want to see the house of course."
"I do," Ivy replied with a nod.
Looking over the rest of the house, the kids were a little reluctant to leave the turret since they were enjoying the view. But the adults finally got them away from the windows and downstairs where they got their food for their brunch. They sat around the dining room table and in the living room since there were so many of them and were telling the Dorseys about their trip until they were finishing. In the kitchen helping the couple cleaning up, Naomi asked them about their plans while she sat at the island with Rebecca next to her.
"What're you planning on doing once you leave here?" the doctor asked them. "If you don't mind me asking of course."
"We don't," Castle said. "And really we didn't have any plans, just head back to Mill Valley, stopping to walk on the bridge on the way and let the kids play before we get started on the dinner."
"We don't need to help?" Nico asked them.
Shaking her head Beckett assured the couple, "We have enough with everyone here."
"How are the kids liking the house?" Naomi then said.
"They love it," Beckett said, knowing she was asking about the other kids. "And we didn't tell you, we're going to extend the guest house."
"Really," Nico said in surprise.
Explaining their plans and their need for more rooms, Castle said, "It's going to look very different, but we're not all living in Mill Valley anymore, so we need the space."
"It'll be interesting," Naomi said.
"When is it supposed to be finished?" Nico asked then.
"Near Christmas," Castle said. "We're coming back for that so hopefully you'll come over for dinner one day."
"And hopefully you guys will come over for a meal here again," Nico said. "We really owe you guys."
Beckett laughed softly and shook her head saying, "It doesn't matter, plus we're happy to know more families here."
"How are Sheena and Annabella?" Castle asked.
"Good, we had dinner with them last week,' Naomi said first. "Stephanie is eager to play."
"You told her about all the kids?" Skye asked.
"We did, she doesn't really have anyone to play with so…" Naomi said with a smile.
"What are you two going to do?" Castle asked then as they were finished washing the dishes and getting everything put away.
"I think I'm just going to rest," Naomi said. "I'm still tired," she explained. "And I don't want to be tired tonight at the dinner."
"I can sympathize," Beckett told her. She smiled when the doctor did and she told her, "That'll stop and then come back."
"She's right," Rebecca said. "Though the coming back part is because the baby's closer to being due."
Nodding Naomi said, "I saw that in books I've read."
"Well, we should let you guys go to the bridge," Nico said, having been watching his wife.
"Are you going to walk the entire way?" Naomi asked them while they were going into the dining room to get to the family room where everyone else was.
"We're going to try since the weather's warmer today," David said.
"I just want to walk across it," Skye said before she was smiling at the others. "Rick and Kate went with their girls across the entire thing the day before it opened in 1937."
Naomi stopped walking then and said, "When they allowed the pedestrians to walk?"
Castle gave a quick nod and said, "Though Julia and Eliza roller skated we walked and then walked back."
"There's a picture of us in our photo albums we found," Julia herself said. "Against the railing."
"Do you remember it?" Nico asked Eliza and Alexis.
"Yeah," the former said first with a smile. "That was a lot of fun and we went over it twice."
"In her roller skates," Alexis added for her sister. "And I remember too, again it was a lot of fun getting to do that since after that we didn't have the chance to walk on the road there again."
"It's too bad they're not letting anyone do that anymore on the anniversaries," Naomi said. "But at least you can walk along the sides."
"And we're going to see you guys later," Castle said.
"I'm just resting," Naomi said with a sigh, glancing at her husband. "Not taking a nap but thank you for being considerate."
"Our kids'll be asleep soon too," Skye said. "So you'll be in good company."
Laughing at those words, they were telling the couple that they would see them later before they were going back out to their cars. Once they had left Alamo Square, they drove to the Mountain Lake building, soon finding the building where the McDevitt family had lived until moving south to the square. They only drove by, soon reaching the parking lot for pedestrians on the bridge and gathering at the end of the trail to it before Darnley was asking them their plans for their walk over the San Francisco Bay.
"First I'm so glad we're doing this," the carpenter said, smiling when his husband and the McDouglas women agreed with him. "Second we're really walking all the way across."
"We are," Beckett said. "It shouldn't take longer than an hour though we are going to take time to take pictures."
"Great, I was worried you weren't going to allow us to do that," Skye told her.
"You realize I am too right?" Beckett asked. When the investigator smiled at her she then said, "Okay, we can go now if everyone's ready." When there were no objections she smiled and they started going up the path together until they were on the bridge itself. She thought of something and went over to her father who was walking towards the back of the group with Martha.
"She's fine," Castle's mother said as she thought her daughter in law was going to check on Josie asleep in the stroller Jim was pushing.
"It's not that," Beckett said, though she glanced at her daughter quickly still. "But are you two sure you're going to be alright?"
"We will kiddo," Martha said immediately since her son and daughter in law had asked them that before.
"She's right," Jim began. "You told us how long it was and we're happy to walk with Josie."
"I just had to make sure," Beckett said, squeezing his hand quickly before smiling at Martha. She left them to walk ahead to where the older girls had stopped at the railing and she called out to them, "Already? We're not even at the first tower yet."
"No, but we wanted to take pictures Mom," Julia told her with a smile.
"Don't you?" Eliza asked.
"Of course," Beckett replied, getting her camera ready. Once she had she started with pictures of the bay and city before taking pictures of the others. When they were walking again, she went to Darnley who had been talking to David and she slid her arm through his loosely. "How do you feel?" she asked him while he was glancing down at her.
"Now we're on the bridge?" Darnley asked. When she nodded he was going to answer her, but they had reached the first tower and he had to pause to take a picture and let the others take pictures before they were watching as the others were photographing everything else as well. Once they walked again, he told her, "It's amazing and I'm feeling déjà vu yet again. So yeah, this trip has been amazing."
Beckett laughed softly and then said, "I'm not surprised. But I'm so glad tomorrow we won't need to say goodbye."
"Oh sure, rub that in my face," Skye commented from behind them.
"You said you weren't going to leave California," Darnley reminded her. He smiled when the investigator playfully stuck her tongue out at him and he pointed out, "Nice for the kids to see."
"Like they wouldn't know that already," Skye said in mock annoyance.
"And you two were married," Castle said.
"We were, it's not obvious?" Darnley asked him.
Castle laughed before he said, "What a chilling comment on marriage."
"Lavender marriages don't count," Mary said firmly. "Rose and I were married and we were fine."
"Sure," Darnley said before he laughed when his husband squeezed his arm firmly. "Sorry Trev, I couldn't help it."
"Of course not, but you do know we're in much better places than our past lives?" Skye told him.
"That's true," Darnley said, smiling at her for a moment before he kissed the back of his husband's hand. "Now let me say this."
"Oh no," Beckett said with a sigh, Nkosi doing the same at the same time.
"What?" David asked in confusion as they were all together by then.
"I'm so mad we didn't come here sooner," Darnley said.
"That was horrible Patrick," Nkosi said, shaking his head while the others were groaning.
"Well, it's true," Darnley said. "I thought of suggesting we should look before you did," he directed to Castle.
"Grownups are weird," Mari whispered to the others they could hear the grownups' conversation.
"Very," Julia said in agreement, nodding her head. They were laughing and when they stopped, she said, "It's cool isn't it?"
"So cool," Marie said. "And I wish I could have been here for that first day."
"I went kind of fast," Julia told her. "But rolling along the bridge was so fun. And when we reached the other end I got to turn right around and go back again." She smiled when her friend looked at her in confusion and said, "I was thinking about how we're doing the opposite right now." She saw her friend was about to talk before Fleur was suddenly crying out and making them turn to her.
"Mummy, Mummy you should sing!" the little girl was crying out. "Please sing a song about San Francisco!"
Skye laughed and said, "I've been waiting for you girls to ask for that." She looked around them and then at the city and said, "I have a song."
"I'm not needed for backup," Mary said simply.
Pursing her lips playfully Skye said, "Very well, allow me to get the music… the kids though; their naps."
"It's alright," Darnley said first. "They haven't woken up from the traffic here either."
Skye nodded before she looked at her wife and saw she was holding up the phone which made her say, "You're as bad as them."
"I'd like you to sing," Mary said simply.
"You should do that now," Beckett said in amusement. "Before we have to turn around."
"Alright, start her up," Skye said in mock annoyance. She smiled at Ivy when she walked over to her and took her hand before the song was starting with acoustic music. She was singing soon after, not surprised the people walking by them were looking at her while she did so, focusing on the lyrics as she knew the girls did love the song since they'd been talking about it leading up to the trip.
Well, when I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
The ocean liner is going so far away
I didn't mean to treat her so bad
She was the best pal I ever had
She made me cry, she made me sigh
I wanna lay down and die
Well, I ain't got a dollar, I don't give a lousy dime
And if she never comes back you know I'm gonna lose my mind
But if she ever comes back to stay, it's gonna be a brand new day
When I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
Julia smiled, knowing the song immediately since Paul had sung it in his Unplugged performance, and she had recognized the music too. She wasn't surprised when Skye wasn't vocalizing eventually before the next verse and she couldn't help dancing a little with Mari in response while the song continued.
Well when I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
You know the ocean liner is going so far away
Well I didn't mean to treat her so bad
She was the best pal I ever had
She made me cry, she made me sigh
She made me wanna lay down and die
Beckett was impressed by Skye's vocals on the last lyric, knowing the performance already herself listening to it with Julia. And with the last verse she wasn't surprised when Mary started to sing with her wife, able to see the way the investigator was looking at the doctor before that. She smiled when the two were holding hands while they were singing, and she held her husband's as they listened.
Well I ain't got a dollar, I don't give a lousy dime
Yeah, but if you never come back you know I'm gonna lose my mind
But if you ever come back to stay, it's gonna be a brand new day
When I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
We've gotta shuttle
Yeah, I'm walking with my baby
Down by the San Francisco Bay
"Thank you," Skye said with a smile when the people around them were applauding. She was startled when a few were hurrying up to them and asking for her autograph.
"I'm not surprised," Castle commented.
"Neither am I," Beckett said before she looked at Darnley since she noticed him coming over to her.
"Are you watching out for her too?" the carpenter asked her.
Nodding her head Beckett told him, "She's not used to this."
"Are you? Oh no, Rick-" Darley started to say.
"I watch out for her too," Castle interrupted. "Though I didn't need to for long."
"We're usually together when that happens," Beckett said. "His height helps."
Darnley couldn't help laughing when the writer rolled his eyes and then said, "At least they've gone now."
Looking to the investigator, Beckett saw she was alone and she said, "Good thing, we're nearly at the end." She wasn't surprised when Darnley was hurrying to his husband to take the stroller their kids were in before she felt her husband taking her hand. She couldn't help smiling as he was kissing the back of it before they were turning around. Watching the city getting closer, she was keeping her gaze on it for a while to recall it before they would leave and get back to Mill Valley.
"I got you!"
"You did not," Julia was saying as she laughed. She turned to her little sister and hugged her tightly, making them both fall before they were rolling down the front yard of their home while the other kids were calling out to them. When they stopped, she was laughing and said, "Oh, I hope the grownups didn't see that."
"They didn't," Eliza said with a wide smile. She thanked Iris as she was helping her in brushing the grass off her shirt and pants. "And we didn't go that far."
"Good thing your yard isn't a hill," Kathleen pointed out.
"Oh, I know," Julia said with a nod. "I don't have grass stains, do I?"
"No, you're fine," Mari assured her. She was about to speak when she heard a door opening and saw it was Martha with Josie and the toddlers. "We gotta babysit I think," she told the others with a smile.
"It looks like it," Julia said. "Hi Gram," she said, going over with the others.
"Hello, I hope you'll take the little kids for us," Martha told them. "Since I need to help out as well."
"Do we need to?" Marie asked.
"You will by watching them," Martha assured her. "And the parents would love for you to go into the backyard."
"We will right now, around the house," Julia said.
"They want you to do that too," Martha said with a soft laugh. She watched the kids immediately start to go and went into the house to get back to the kitchen.
"Julia," Mari whispered.
"What?" she asked in surprise.
"What's your gram going to do?" Mari said, still keeping her voice low.
Julia opened her mouth to speak before she paused and said, "Maybe get the wine ready, she's really good at picking that." She wasn't surprised when her friend looked doubtful before they were going around the house and paused when she saw her father who smiled at them and started to speak from where he was standing at the barbeque and cooking.
"Hey, what're you guys doing?" Castle called to them.
"Just coming around to this side," Julia answered.
"Yeah, the grownups want us to watch you," Eliza said.
Castle laughed and shook his head saying, "Nice try, but they're right. We'd like to keep an eye on you."
"Could I climb the tree Daddy?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"No," Beckett said before her husband could say anything.
"Aww," Eliza groaned in disappointment. "Why not?"
"I don't want you to get hurt," Beckett said firmly, giving her husband the platter of hot dogs she'd brought out for him.
"But I would be careful," Eliza protested. When her mother just looked at her, she let out a rough breath and said, "Okay, but I wanna climb a tree at home."
"We'll see," Beckett replied before she was going back into the house.
"What should we play now with them?" Fleur asked, nodding to Josie.
"We have the bouncy ball that she has," Eliza said, jogging over to it. She picked it up and bounced while she was heading back to the others saying, "We're only going to be able to roll it."
"What else are we going to do?" Julia asked her. She smiled when her sister shrugged and then turned to the others while they were starting to walk to the grass. They sat together in a circle and then proceeded to pass the ball between one another until they heard Skye calling out to them.
"The guests are here," the investigator was saying.
"What're we supposed to do?" Iris asked her big sisters.
"I think go and see everyone," Kathleen said.
"She's right come on girls," Castle said, taking the hot dogs and cheeseburgers he'd finished making. He was setting the platter on the counter as the kids were hurrying past him and he followed before they were going into the front yard. It took a while to greet the Dorseys, Modrics and Frenches before they were going up to the house.
"I'm so happy to see you again," May said. "And you Alexis, I asked Diane a couple times if she'd come with us but she's meeting up with her boyfriend in San Jose at the dinner they're having tonight."
"It's okay, she's busy getting her doctorate I know," the young woman replied. "But when you see her next time tell her I'm so happy she's coming to our wedding."
"She's happy too," May replied before they were walking inside. "Wow," she said, looking around the living room. "This is where you lived."
"This is where we lived," Beckett said, nodding her head. She then said, "We'll give you the tour, though do your kids want to go?"
Looking at her triplets talking to Julia and the other three older girls, May turned to her son George, talking with Eliza and the three younger girls, and said, "Yeah, I would say it's just me and Luke. But what about Josie? I've been so eager to meet her."
"Hold on," Beckett said, walking to her father. She took Josie from him and kissed her temple before returning to her husband and the Frenches. "This is Josie," she told her friend with a smile.
"She's adorable," May said with a smile taking Josie's hand. "And her eyes."
"We hear that a lot," Beckett replied. She was about to speak when Luke was while he was looking at Castle.
"She still looks like Kate," the man said.
Smiling Castle said, "Your girls?"
Seeing her husband nodding, May said in confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"I think they want our daughters to look like us," Beckett told him.
"That makes sense," May said after thinking that over before nodding her head.
"Come on," Beckett said with a laugh. "Let's look around before they finish with the sides." Going up the stairs, she and her husband showed the couple around and wasn't surprised to see they both looked impressed with their bedframe in the master bedroom.
"It's amazing to know you gave birth here," May said.
"What about the hospital?" Luke asked.
Shaking his head, Castle said, "We thought it was better to just have her do that here."
"It was my preference too," Beckett added as they were leaving the room.
"Why?" Luke said.
Smiling Beckett explained, "My mother in that life did the same having us."
"Oh… so you wanted to do the same she did," Luke said. "Sorry," he added quickly after Beckett had nodded.
"It's okay, you haven't seen what we have so you can't really know," Beckett replied. She smiled and then said, "Now the rest of the house and guest house."
"Which you said you're adding on to," May said though she was surprised when Beckett laughed.
After he and his wife had explained needing to tell the others, Castle walked with his wife around the rest of the first floor and then outside where they greeted their kids.
"I see why you'd want more space," Sheena said when the couple was finished showing the Frenches the guesthouse.
"We'll likely have a lot of people over," Beckett replied with a smile. "And so you guys know you can stay here too."
"Really?" Annabella asked in surprise.
"Of course," Castle said. "We're not going to be here all the time and we want the house to be used. Just not the master bedroom."
"Don't worry," Sheena said first. "I'd feel really weird there, since we know that bed was yours back then and everything."
"We'll have to have a combined vacation," Nico said with a smile.
"Another time though," Naomi said.
"Just let us know that way we won't be planning on coming when you want to," Beckett said. "We have to help finish the dinner with the others, so I hope you'll be alright on your own."
"We will," Annabella said reassuringly.
Going with her husband to the kitchen, Beckett said as she walked in, "We don't have that much left, do we?"
"Not really," Skye said in amusement.
"What?" Castle asked at the expression on the investigator's face.
"Annabella asked if I was planning on singing at all," Skye said.
"I told you they mentioned you when we had dinner with them," Beckett told her while she went to see if the broccoli salad Darnley was working on was ready.
"I said yes," Skye replied. "And I wish I had my electric guitar. Our electric guitars," she added nodding to her wife.
"Should we get them now?" Mary asked.
"We're almost done," Castle answered before the investigator could say anything.
"Alright, I get the feeling the request will start in earnest once we're finished," Skye said before she and Mary left.
"What can I do now?" Darnley asked.
"Help David set the tables," Beckett said.
"Can do," Darnley said, laughing when his friend playfully shoved his shoulder before he was going to where the mayor was.
After they had everything ready for the meal, the families were sitting around the two tables and beginning to eat. At first May was asking about Alexis and Louis' wedding plans before conversation turned to the city, Sheena asking them what they thought about it before Ivy was speaking first abruptly.
"It's the best city we've ever been to," the little girl said before she was blushing.
"I'm not surprised," Sheena said. "You live in LA right?"
"We do," Mary said with a smile. "It's their first time coming up here too," she added. "But she's right, it's a great city and now we have a place to stay we might come back more often."
"Are we going to run out of places to go?" Fleur asked.
"We can visit them again," Skye assured her.
After they had all laughed, the families were finishing their food and the guests insisted on clearing up the table before Castle and Beckett went into the house to start washing dishes. Once they finished, they stepped outside to find the kids were playing with the pop and catch game they'd bought to keep at the Mill Valley home.
"Are they playing nicely?" Castle asked his mother when they were sitting down at one of the two tables.
"They are, the younger children don't seem to mind they can't play," Martha said before they were turning to see that the ball for the game had flown away from the older kids.
"We can get it!" Maddy said, holding Stephanie's hand and running with her over to it. She picked it up before handing it to the toddler and they went back to the older kids.
"Thanks," Eliza said as they'd brought the ball to her. "Ready?" she asked the two girls. When they nodded, she smiled and then pressed the button on the side of the holder before the ball was popping out to the younger kids' squeals of pleasure.
"I hope you won't mind," Skye was saying as she stood. "I'm going to grab my guitar and prepare to play. My daughters at least will want us to sing."
"Do you take requests?" Sheena asked.
Darnley couldn't help laughing before he told her, "All the time, especially from Julia."
"Will she dance?" Naomi asked.
"More than likely," Beckett said with a smile. They let the kids play for a while longer until the ball had fallen to the ground and she called to them before the group of them nearly came running at the same time.
"Hey, take it easy," Louis said as he and Alexis followed, having been watching them.
"It's hard to," Julia said. "We can see they're going to sing."
"What are you going to sing?" Iris asked her mothers.
"Any requests?" Skye said in response.
Since the investigator was looking at her, Julia couldn't help blushing and she smiled at Mari as she squeezed her hand. "Is that okay?" she asked the others.
"Yeah, you pick the best songs," Marie assured her.
Julia nodded before she was thinking for a moment until a song came to her and she hurried to the two women.
Beckett watched her daughter with a slight smile on her face when the two were nodding and then went to Mari. She leaned over to her husband and murmured, "They'll dance."
Nodding in agreement, Castle said, "That was a given," before Skye was talking to them.
"We can't actually play this one on the guitar; the music itself sounds way better," the investigator started to say. "So we'll have the music on the phone to help us." Skye wasn't surprised when some of the others said that was okay before she nodded to her wife and Mary began playing the music.
With the familiar piano music at the start, Beckett looked at her daughter who she saw soon was starting to dance before the drums began and Skye began singing shortly after with Mary joining her.
I can't ask you to thrill me
That'd be asking too much
I can't ask you to fulfill my expectations
That you gave me after we first touched
But, but the feeling that's been building inside me
Is too hard to resist
Knowing the chorus was next, Julia started jumping up and down with Mari though they'd been dancing a little more strictly since they'd made up a dance for the song already. They never had been able to get something for that chorus as they would sing along with it though they kept from doing it to listen to Skye and Mary while they were doing the singing that time.
I can't wait much longer 'til you tell me baby
There's some chance we'll get together maybe
Sooner or later I'll be in with half a chance
I can't wait 'til I hear you tell me that you want me
'til then my dreams are gonna haunt me
Got my demons doing such a happy dance
Beckett smiled as the kids were laughing at the way Skye was vocalizing during the instrumental before she saw Julia and Mari were dancing together again while the two women were starting to sing once again.
Exorcise my demons
Cast them out today
Only you can do it
Make them go away
Let me know you love me
Tell me there's a chance
I don't want to sit and watch my demons dance
As she and Mary were singing the next three lyrics, Skye looked at kids in surprise since the seven older kids were starting to sing along with her and her wife.
Watch my demons dance
Watch my demons dance
Demons dance
At the brief instrumental after they had sung, Julia spun Mari once before they paused and waited to hear Skye and Mary singing again before they were dancing again after a few lyrics.
Girl I want you to do it
I've been waiting so long
Do you have to put me through these complications
When you know I try hard not to be wrong
But, but the feeling that's been building inside me
Is too hard to resist
When Skye started to vocalize there, Julia couldn't stop herself from crying out though she wasn't the only one doing so and she smiled at her mother as she'd let out a yell herself. But she was turning back to Skye and Mary when they were both starting to sing again.
I can't wait much longer 'till you tell me baby
There's some chance we'll get together maybe
Sooner or later I'll be in with half a chance
I can't wait 'til I hear you tell me that you want me
'til then my dreams are gonna haunt me
Got my demons doing such a happy dance
Exclaiming then, Skye moved on to start vocalizing as Paul had before she paused and took a drink to prepare for the next lyrics. She sang them on her own for the most part and watched the kids dancing again, getting an idea for what she could sing next though she pushed it aside quickly.
Come on exorcise my demons
Cast them out today
Only you can do it
Make them go away
Let me know you love me
Tell me there's half a chance
I can't sit around and watch those
Demons dance
Skye and Mary sang out the rest of the song at the same time, the kids jumping up and down as they sang along with them and making the others laugh until the song was over.
Watch my demons dance
Watch my demons dance
Oh no
Demons dance
Oh no
Demons dance
Oh watch those demons dance baby
Beckett was applauding with the others, doing so for both the singers and Julia and Mari since her daughter had dipped the girl at the very end of the song. She was going to call to them that they'd done great when Sheena was speaking to Skye and Mary first.
"That was really good," the woman said. "Even better in person."
"I'm glad to hear that," Skye replied. "And I would like to sing another, but I need to talk to Julia first."
A little confused, the girl walked over to the investigator before she made her lean over so she could whisper into her ear. "The Quickstep?" Julia asked, pulling away.
"Exactly," Skye said with a nod, grabbing her wife's phone. "Could you?"
"Sure," Julia said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Peter's not here," Skye pointed out to her.
Shaking her head Julia said firmly, "I don't have to do it with him, I can lead."
"Best ask Mari now," Skye said with a smile at the girl's tone of voice. She looked down at the screen of the phone in her hand and was running her finger on it before Beckett got her attention.
"She's dancing?" she asked.
"Depends on Mari doesn't it?" Skye asked.
Beckett was about to speak when Julia and Mari went over to the investigator and started talking to her quietly, Skye responding in the same way. When they had finished she asked, "They are?"
"They are," Skye replied before she looked at the others. "It's a Quickstep and amazingly they'll be able to dance nearly the entire thing."
Looking at Julia, Castle saw she was smiling while she was squeezing Mari's hand that was in hers and said, "Don't exhaust our daughter."
"Or ours," David said jokingly.
"We won't be," Julia said quickly. "We've danced this together."
"Are you ready?" Skye asked. At the girls' nods, she smiled and played the music on her phone, not surprised when a look of comprehension appeared on the faces of the Beckett-Castle family except for Josie. She waited for her time to sing, not surprised the girls did immediately and were dancing the Quickstep in a similar manner to how Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough had to the same song but slightly different.
There may be trouble ahead
But while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance
Before the fiddlers have fled
Before they ask us to pay the bill
And while we still have that chance
Let's face the music and dance
Soon we'll be without the moon
Humming a different tune
And then…
There may be teardrops to shed
So while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance
During the instrumental, Beckett was going to tell her daughter to stop but she and Mari were continuing for a little bit. She wasn't surprised they were dancing more like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers but was relieved when they finally did before the music picked up in tempo and they were going back to dancing as Skye sang.
Soon we'll be without the moon
Humming a different tune
And then…
There may be teardrops to shed
And while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance, dance
Let's face the music
Let's hear that music
Face the music
And dance
Julia and Mari were bowing quickly while the others were applauding them, and they were soon doing the same themselves for Skye who was smiling at them.
"Why thank you," the investigator said. "You danced very well. How often have you watched Follow the Fleet?"
"A lot," Julia said.
"You've seen the movie?" Mari asked in surprise.
"Of course," Skye said. "I do listen to their singing."
"Speaking of dancing, you two are great in person too," Annabella said to the girls.
"Thanks," Julia and Mari said at the same time while they were blushing.
"Do you want to dance again?" Beckett asked them when she saw the look they were exchanging soon after.
"Kind of," Mari said, Julia nodding rapidly next to her.
"Let me have a bit of a break," Skye said. "Or you could very well dance to the original music."
Shaking her head first, Julia said, "We'd like to hear you playing on your guitar."
"I had to try," Skye said, smiling at her wife.
"Do you need to rest?" Rebecca asked her.
Taking a drink of water, Skye shook her head and then said, "I'm not sure about the girls though."
"We could dance right now," Julia said quickly. "It's the Foxtrot," she explained to her parents and Mari's.
"I don't think we're going to be able to get them to rest," Rebecca commented.
"After this song, also to let Skye and Mary have some rest," Castle said.
"She's on her own with this one," the doctor said with a smile. "I'm playing the other guitar but I'm not singing."
"Wait… I didn't tell you the song," Julia said in confusion. When Skye motioned to her she hurried to her and when the singer told her the song she said in amazement, "How'd you know?"
"Not hard to guess, you didn't protest the guitars," Skye said. "But should we start? Also, does Mari know?"
Beckett laughed softly with some of the others as Julia rushed to her friend and after they were talking together, she saw they were nodding to Skye. Mary started to play her guitar and Skye was whistling at the same time, making her turn to her daughter as she knew instantly again which one she'd chosen. Julia was already in hold with Mari and as Skye started to sing soon after they were dancing around the patio in front of the tables in different Foxtrot steps.
My very good friend the milkman says
That I've been loosing too much sleep
He doesn't like the hours I keep
And he suggests that you should marry me
My very good friend the mailman says
That it would make his burden less
If we both had the same address
And he suggests that you should marry me
Then there's a very friendly fellow who prints
All the latest real estate news
And every day he sends me blueprints
Of cottages with country views
All my very good friends the neighbors say
That they've been watching little things I do
And they perceive that I love you
So I suggest that you should marry me
During the instrumental, Castle leaned over to his wife and murmured into her ear, "You realize what I'm thinking."
"I know, but at least they weren't pushing us headlong into marriage," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband squeezed her hand and she returned the motion, looking at Julia and Mari to see they'd stopped while Skye was whistling again until she started to sing after that.
Then there's a very friendly fellow who prints
All the latest real estate news
And every day he sends me blueprints
Of cottages with country views
All my very good friends the neighbors say
That they've been watching little things I do
And they perceive that I love you
So I suggest that you should marry me
Once she had finished whistling and she and Mary played out the rest of the song on their guitars together, Skye smiled and nodded to the applause before she took her guitar off her shoulders telling them, "Now it's time for a rest."
"Is it time for dessert?" Fleur asked hopefully.
"It's not, play a little more," Mary said firmly as Skye grabbed their daughter and was hugging her tightly to her laughter.
"Wait, not you two," Beckett said when she saw Julia and Mari were poised to follow the other kids to the grass.
"But-" the latter started to say.
"No, she's right," Rebecca interrupted her oldest. "Sit and drink a little water."
Sighing, since she knew she wouldn't be able to talk her way out of that, Julia went to her mother and sat next to her, drinking the water she held out to her. "It was fun," she told her parents.
"We could tell," Castle said. "And you did a great job too. But when did you do that first dance?"
"We practice dancing together in my room," Julia replied after she'd taken another sip from her cup. "And we just made it up."
"That was really well done," Jim said.
"Thanks Grandpapa," Julia said with a wide smile. She then grew serious and asked her family, "Think I could teach?"
"Were you teaching Mari at all?" Beckett asked, gently running her hand over the back of her daughter's head.
"She did a little bit," the girl herself said. "And she put the steps in the order they're in."
"Then that would be a yes I think kiddo," Martha told her.
"Thanks," Julia said shyly. She stood up and asked, "Could we go play now."
"Go ahead, we'll call when it's time for dessert," Castle said.
Watching the two join all the other kids, Naomi asked, "Are we playing at all?"
"I figured it would be best to let them play with the youngest," Castle said. "And once they're tired we can play with the older ones."
"What do you have?" David asked.
"Games," Beckett said. "We'll let you know once we finish dessert." She wasn't surprised when the mayor didn't look very satisfied with that answer, but he turned to his wife and she turned to her husband before they started talking about what they needed to do the next day while they watched their children playing together in the light of the slowly setting sun.