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 song Cheek to Cheek, which was written by Irving Berlin, the version I've taken from was sung by Fred Astaire in the 1935 movie Top Hat.
A/N #2: It was great to get the feedback I did for the last two chapters, so I'll go ahead and get to my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I'm happy to see that you thought it was a great way to start the story. And I'm pleased to read you thought it was good writing too!),
Mb (It was really nice to read you thought the prologue was an interesting start, I did want it to be of course! And I'm so glad I have you intrigued with the figure's attack, lol, you'll get explanations for that as the story goes! You're welcome for the prologue!) and
Mb (It was great to read you thought the first half of the last chapter was a wonderful set up. And I'm glad you liked their time relaxing together and enjoying their time in London while they were sightseeing and shopping for both themselves and family. I had a lot of fun writing that, so it was nice read you enjoyed that. I was pleased that Eliza and Julia asking their parents to swim and to make sure to kiss in the pool was funny, lol, I thought it would be so that was achieved. And I was glad you saw that with Castle and Beckett in the tub they were enjoying just themselves; tender and loving as you put it. And I'm so happy you thought them meeting up with Skye and Mary was so good since I wasn't sure what readers would think about them being with other people after being alone. You're welcome for sharing the first half! And I was glad you thought that Skye and Mary were good company for Castle and Beckett's dinner. And it was great you thought it was good they like how Skye sing and interpret the Queen songs. I was wondering what readers would think of Skye revealing that she's seen Freddie but I'm glad you think it's good that he's likes her singing and is okay with her paying tribute to him and the band. I was a little surprised that you were about Freddie talking to Julia and Eliza with their grandmothers there, but I figure it could happen with their abilities and their grandmothers are their assistants with that. And I'm glad you enjoyed them talking to their family, there was no way I could have them forgetting to do that. The same with the anticipating joining them in England along with the ball that's coming up, lol. I was so happy that you liked Castle and Beckett relishing in one another's company as you put it at the end with them being loving, sexy and sensual. And you're right, I did mean to show them reveling in being intimate heart, soul and body as well, in every way. You're very welcome for sharing. Also, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them all and as always I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dream Away by George Harrison, from his album Gone Troppo.
All The Handiworks
Shifting slightly on the bed, Castle opened his eyes before he noticed the sunlight trying to sneak around the curtains over the large window. He was slightly confused at the floral valance on the top of the window before it came back to him that he and Beckett were in London. Once he'd shaken himself of that he looked at his wife who he was spooned with at that moment and smiled seeing her still fast asleep. He was tempted to kiss her but fought the urge before moving slowly so he could get off the bed. When he was sure he could do so and not wake her up he slid carefully off the mattress before he stood and watched his wife.
When Beckett's only movement was to burrow under the covers further Castle smiled and went to grab his pajamas from the closet off the bathroom. He dressed inside the marbled room before he went back to see if Beckett was awake. He was relieved to find her still sleeping and hurried to the living room, closing the bedroom door behind him as quietly as he could and hoping he'd have time to finish before she was awake.
Rolling over onto her back, Beckett looked at the ceiling above her before she heard the door opening and glanced over to find her husband in the doorway. "Morning," she said as he came into the room with a tray in hand.
"Morning love," Castle said, walking around to her side of the bed. He set the tray that held their breakfast there and then sat next to her and she was sitting up herself. "Why the modesty?" he asked her as she was holding the sheet over her breasts.
"I want the curtains open while we eat," Beckett said as she'd seen their breakfast. "Let me have your shirt," she said, smiling as she wondered what his reaction would be.
"Sure," Castle said swiftly as he moved to get his robe off. Once he'd tossed it on the armchair he removed his shirt before handing it to his wife. He had an instant of seeing her nude form when she moved the sheet but did his best to ignore the rush of desire before she was wearing his white t-shirt. He went to the nightstand and got the tray, putting it on her lap once she had the covers over her lap. "I hope you don't mind my choice," he said as he slid under the covers on the other side, sitting close to her.
"Oh no, it looks great," Beckett replied, picking up a smaller croissant in a basket. She had taken a bite when her husband took the tray, placing it on his lap to her smile.
"I'll be the holder," Castle commented. He smiled when his wife laughed and handed her the small glass of orange juice before saying, "What time do you want to head to the museum?"
"Oh," Beckett began before she took a quick sip of the juice. "We don't need to be there exactly at ten… I'd like another bath."
Glad he wasn't eating or drinking at her look she was giving him, Castle took a moment longer than he needed to to nod and he said, "Okay, great idea."
Beckett used her croissant to hide her smile at his reaction but didn't say anything and they ate for a while in silence. Finally though she was putting marmalade on a slice of toast that was inside the basket and she looked at her husband as he took the piece of bread when she finished. She was about to tell him jokingly that there was more bread when he was telling her why he'd done that.
"I'm remembering last night," Castle explained. He expected her to scoff or take back the piece of bread but she merely smiled at him before he was holding it up to her to bite.
"We can't linger for too long," Beckett commented with a smile after she'd eaten the slice fully.
"No," Castle said, tempted to brush his thumb across her lower lip as there was a crumb there. He stopped himself though and he turned to his own pastry that he'd grabbed in the basket. They finished what was in the basket before they were eating the thinly sliced pieces of fruit he'd ordered as well. He wasn't surprised when she was feeding him some of that and he did the same for her before they had finished and he was hurrying to take everything to the dresser across from the bed.
Smiling at her husband as he walked back to her Beckett was slightly surprised when he suddenly walked a little slower and she was about to ask what was wrong when he got onto the bed, climbing over her legs.
Before his wife could say anything, Castle said swiftly, "You got crumbs on my shirt."
Looking down at it, Beckett saw there weren't that many but she instantly knew what her husband was doing. She did her best not to smile before she said, "So?"
Castle, though he was aware she knew why he'd said that, narrowed his eyes at her before he gave a mock growl and pretended to pounce on her. As she cried out he was kissing around her jaw to give her a chance to recover. A short time later he felt her hands on his cheeks and he looked at her, letting her lead him to her lips before he was kissing her deeply. When he felt her responding he suddenly became more intense, not sure where that came from for a moment before he recalled he had been trying to ignore his arousal for her during their meal. With that in mind he carefully pulled away from their second kiss and said, "The bath…"
"I don't want to wait," Beckett said immediately before she raised her head enough to brush her lips against his. When her husband breathed out heavily she smiled before he was kissing her again, though that time far more sensuously. When they stopped she sat up as he was doing the same, stopping him from grabbing the bottom of his shirt on her. "Tá a fhios agam gur mhaith leat féachaint ort," she told him in amusement which meant she knew he'd rather watch.
"Tá sé mar gur bannaí tú," Castle replied quickly, telling her it was because she was a goddess. He was pleased when she leaned over and kissed him for that but when she moved to take his shirt off he found himself breathless with anticipation. As she revealed her body to him it mattered little that he'd spent a large part of the previous night taking her in that same state of undress repeatedly. Seeing her skin, the shape of her breasts and the beginning of her cleft in between her legs he felt it was easily like the first time. With that thought in mind he reached for her and pulled her to him, kissing her hard as he tried to get her on his lap. After a while of them almost fighting with their tongues he realized she wasn't coming to him and he pulled away.
"I'm not sitting naked on your pants," Beckett said firmly. She couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her when her husband was scrambling off the bed and she watched in eagerness as he was removing his pajama pants hurriedly.
"What?" Castle asked in surprise when he saw the look on his wife's face.
"Commando?" Beckett replied with a question of her own.
Stepping out of his pajama pants Castle let out a sigh of frustration before he got on the bed again and said, "You always comment when I do that." He wrapped his arm around her before he said, "Should I stop?"
"No," Beckett said fiercely before she was wrapping her arms around him tightly and then kissing him. When he wrapped both his arms around her she was pleased at his touch but couldn't help trembling inwardly as his touch was warm against her skin. As they parted to breathe she felt him trying to pull her closer and she shook her head. She wasn't surprised when he looked startled and she made him move so she could get off the bed.
"Wait," Castle said when he found out her destination was the dresser. He grabbed the tray and ran it out to the table in the living room before he turned to find his wife standing in the doorway. He was about to ask why she was there when he realized the answer and paused before he smiled.
"Don't," Beckett said, pointing at him.
"Oh no, I'm glad you wanted it," Castle replied, jogging the last little bit to her.
Beckett's response to that was to wrap her arms around her husband before he was suddenly picking her up. She told him to put her down, but only once as she knew he wasn't going to listen since it wasn't that far to the dresser again. She kissed him gently as he set her down and as soon as she had pulled away she told him, "We need to be fast."
Nodding, as he could tell from her tone that she was serious, Castle waited for her to face the dresser before he stepped up to her. He heard her slight groan of surprise when he pressed directly against her back but didn't stop, reaching around her body so he could cup her breasts with both his hands.
Doing her best to lean further against the dresser, Beckett closed her eyes tightly as she felt her husband moving his fingers against her nipples. She breathed out hard as he was pressing his hips more against her deliberately and she turned her head back to him telling him, "Please Rick," in a breathy voice as he was reaching down to her clit.
"What do you want me to do love?" Castle asked her, nuzzling her ear lobe through her hair.
"Fuck me," Beckett whispered as he was rubbing the swollen nub between her legs. She was so relieved that he soon after held her by her hips she nearly cried out but stopped herself as she wanted to help him so he could enter her. After she'd stood on her tip toes she felt him reaching between her legs but pushed his hand away before she waited for him to move his erection there. As soon as she found she could she was grasping him gently and they worked together to get enough of him within her before he could take over. Her eyes were rolling into the back of her head as he was going slowly, and she wanted to protest though she found she couldn't speak as it was too satisfying a sensation. When he stopped she was biting at her lower lip, taking in the feeling of him filling her and she nearly forgot the fact that he needed to move. But a second later he was making his first thrust and she was grabbing at the dresser, nearly digging her nails into it before her husband was pausing. "Rick," she nearly groaned as she looked back at him.
"I know, I was just… enjoying you," Castle breathed before he descended to her shoulder. He kissed the top of it repeatedly before he then said, "I adore you."
"I know," Beckett said unintentionally echoing him as she was shivering in delight at his whispered words. "But…" she started to say before she trailed off as her husband's hands were moving down from her hips to her clit. She closed her eyes tightly as he was quick to rub the swollen nub and she couldn't help moving along with his fingers which made them both groan in reaction to that. "Rick… please," she begged eventually.
Though he wanted to speak again, Castle reached for her hips and then proceeded to thrust. He set up a rapid pace immediately and they were both reacting vocally before he felt her moving with him. Their hips slapping together made his body heat up rapidly and he had to school himself so he wouldn't slow down or stop. He did his best to distract himself, kissing around her neck through her hair repeatedly until he felt her climaxing. He had no idea how much time had passed, just hoping it was more than a few minutes. That was his last coherent thought as he was joining her, calling her name several times before he was just feeling their bodies joined even more intimately with their orgasms. When she had stopped in front of him and was leaning against the dresser he gave her a few more thrusts before he was stopping, his hands nearly slamming on the edge of the dresser so he wouldn't fall into her.
"Easy," Beckett said after a while and she noticed his knuckles were turning white.
"Yeah… not that easy," Castle commented, breathing heavily though he felt a lot more recovered. He kissed the back of her shoulder and then said, "Do I have to move?"
"I think so," Beckett replied. She couldn't help smiling when he grumbled but shortly after she was biting at her lower lip as he pulled away from her slowly. "Come on," she told him, taking his hand. They went over to the bathroom and she let him draw a bath before he was getting into the water first once he'd poured some bath oil in. "Mint?" she asked him.
"It's either that, roses or sandalwood," Castle said. "Better for us both."
Beckett smiled and then climbed into the tub with him, leaning back against his chest before they soaked in the water. She could feel him rubbing her shoulder and paying attention to the rhythm he was using she soon asked, "What is it?"
"Was that enough?" Castle asked her seriously.
Smiling for a moment, Beckett turned to look at him the best she could before she told him, "I asked for it."
"You do but… that quickly…" Castle began.
"Believe me love, I enjoy that," Beckett said firmly before she entwined their fingers as his hand was resting on his stomach. "But next time we'll take a lot longer."
"Vixen," Castle growled into her ear as he hugged her back to him for a moment. "When do you want to?" he asked after they'd been quiet for a while.
Beckett couldn't help laughing heavily and she said when she'd calmed down, "Not yet, I would like to go to the museum."
"Oh sure, I didn't mean now," Castle told her, speaking rapidly.
"Don't worry, I was aware you weren't asking for now," Beckett replied, smiling slightly at his tone. She squeezed his hand before she said, "A quick wash okay?"
"Definitely," Castle replied, letting her go so he could watch her reaching for one of the washcloths they had moved next to the tub. Taking the one she held out to him he got it wet and lathered it quickly before he started to wash her body. He did his best not to go too slowly, but it was difficult to manage as he was enjoying what he was doing. But when he finished he allowed his wife to do the same to him, and he allowed himself the chance to kiss her as she was soaping his chest and shoulders.
"Rick," Beckett said in a mock warning voice.
"Do you really expect me to resist?" Castle asked her easily.
"No, but we're getting very wrinkled," Beckett said firmly. She allowed her husband another, shorter kiss before she finished with him. She climbed out of the tub before he could say anything and dried herself off before she smiled at the look on his face as he got out.
"You owe me," Castle commented.
"We'll see," Beckett replied easily.
Castle didn't reply to that, focusing on drying himself off as he knew it was later, but he reminded himself to do something the next time they made love. He had to turn his attention to something else then, not wanting to focus on that idea and begin getting aroused while they were starting to get dressed in the bedroom.
"You're a pervert," Beckett commented. She smiled when her husband looked at her in surprise and told him, "I can see the expression on your face you know."
Nodding his head Castle said, "I'm trying to think about something else."
"How's that going?" Beckett asked after she had pulled on her sweater.
"Not well," Castle said honestly. He smiled when his wife laughed and he hurried to finish dressing before they completed what they needed to be ready to leave the hotel. When they were by the door to the suite he reached for her, bringing her into his embrace before he leaned down and caught her lips with his.
Beckett was slightly startled to find that her husband's kiss was very gentle after what she'd been able to read on his face earlier. But she soon became touched as she was aware he was doing that for her. She kissed him back until they needed to breathe and she looked deeply into his eyes as she said seriously, "I love you."
"I love you too," Castle replied. His body was urging him to move so he could kiss her again but he soon told himself to stop. Reluctantly letting her go he said, "I'll do that better later, but I think the museum is big."
"It is," Beckett said with a smile at his obvious changing of the subject. She then looked down at her bag and once she was sure she had her camera she told him, "Let's go."
With a nod, Castle reached for her hand and they walked out of the room before he was saying, "Where will we have lunch?"
Smiling, as she wasn't surprised that he was thinking of that, Beckett said, "You looked into it already."
"Am I that easy to read?" Castle said, feigning annoyance. He then laughed when his wife squeezed his hand and they stepped onto an elevator that had stopped for them before he was squeezing hers in return as the doors closed in front of them.
"There are a lot of rooms," Beckett said, looking at the map once they'd come to the second floor of the museum. "I think we should walk around these here," she told her husband as she held the map towards him. "And stay around the stairs so we can go back for lunch and then get up here to continue."
"Sure," Castle said. "But could I suggest the Dining Rooms for lunch?"
"Sure," Beckett said, smiling at her husband. "I knew you would. But first we have this room." They stepped from the hallway to the room and looking around she asked, "Altar pieces?"
"Italian… Early Renaissance?" Castle guessed after he'd nodded to his wife's question.
"Yeah," Beckett said as they came to the first painting and she saw the date on the plaque next to it. She took pictures as they were walking around the room before they came to the next room and she looked at her husband.
"What?" Castle asked in confusion as he saw her. When she motioned around the room he couldn't help smiling and he said, "German, a lot of Cranach and some Holbein… hopefully you want to look at those last ones."
"I do," Beckett replied as her husband was aware she enjoyed the works of that artist since he'd painted for Henry VIII. They walked around and though she was disappointed not seeing a lot of paintings from Holbein, she enjoyed what there was. She took pictures here and there but limited herself for the rest of the museum as they went into the next room which had Renaissance paintings from the Netherlands. After they had gone through that room she kept her husband from going into the next and asked him, "Good?"
"Yeah, don't worry," Castle replied. "I've done this so many times and it lets me admire…"
Studying him as he glanced around them Beckett said, "You'd better say it; me right?"
"Mar i gcónaí," Castle said, which meant the words as always. He reached out and squeezed her arm before telling her, "Go ahead, I'll let you know when it's twelve."
"Thank you," Beckett replied easily. She walked into the next room but stopped at the first painting and murmured to her husband, "Gabhaim buíochas leat níos déanaí."
Castle paused; as his wife had just said she would thank him later; and looked at her while she was setting up a shot of the Titian painting called Bacchus and Ariadne. She didn't glance at him which helped him to recall where they were and he couldn't help murmuring a rapid, "Thanks," before they were continuing along the works of art until they got to the doorway of the next room. "What's wrong?" he asked as she was taking the map from her purse.
"I'm just making sure of where we are," Beckett replied. She handed it to her husband and said, "These next two rooms and then we should head back."
"Good idea," Castle said as he saw the layout and what she'd seen. Inside they found a series of paintings and he quickly discerned they were about the Old Testament story of Joseph. When they'd gone through that smaller room they came to the last one before lunch, a larger one he noticed had works from Michelangelo and Raphael. Since they both enjoyed those artists they took a little longer to admire the paintings, not surprised when his wife was taking some closer shots of the Raphael painting.
When she'd turned away from the work, Beckett was surprised to find her husband wasn't next to her. But she found him quickly in front of the last painting they needed to look at, and she walked up to him before taking a picture. She was going to joke that he was looking at it too intently when he suddenly spoke.
"This painting always bothered me," Castle commented.
"I know," Beckett said, glancing at the painting titled An Allegory with Venus and Cupid. She wasn't surprised when her husband turned to her and she said, "I've seen this painting before but I never found out why he's kissing Venus."
"He is her son, that's the problem," Castle said.
"When did you first see it?" Beckett asked, taking him by the arm and pulling him back the way they'd come.
"When I was ten, in an art book," Castle replied.
"Did you talk to your mother about that?" Beckett asked him as she slipped her arm through his while he was walking without her guiding him.
"Of course, she explained that there never was an explanation for that painting," Castle said. "But she was glad I was upset."
"Because of what you learned from that?" Beckett guessed. When her husband nodded she said, "I can understand where she's coming from."
"I thought you would," Castle said, moving to take her hand. They had reached the stairs so they were silent as they headed down to the first floor but once they were walking he was about to ask her about the rest of the museum before they were stopping. "I should have looked before we went upstairs," he said as there was a sign on the closed doors of the restaurant they'd chosen that there was an event inside.
"There's the café," Beckett said, tugging on his hand to pull him over to it since it was nearby. When they had been seated she said, "Are we in agreement?"
"Of course, but the girls?" Castle asked her.
"They can have it another time," Beckett said swiftly before she was ordering their lunch from their waitress.
"They'll insist on it," Castle commented.
"Or you will," Beckett said wryly as the waitress was pouring water for them. After they were alone again she said, "What is it?" She wasn't surprised when he looked at her in surprise and she said, "You keep looking at my bag."
"I was wondering about the rest of the museum," Castle said quickly as he recalled what had been his question before they'd seen the larger restaurant. "Are we going to have enough time to see everything?"
"It said on the map that there are some galleries that are closed right now," Beckett replied. "So that cuts down on our time of course. But we should be able to see most of the rest of the rooms." She took the map out of the bag and opened it on the table in between it so they could see what they had left. "I don't know about the Sainsbury Wing," she told him.
"Well…" Castle said, reading the information next to it. "We could just pick the ones we'd want to see. In this one they have works from Da Vinci."
Nodding Beckett said, "There's another room with Botticelli, that's probably the best idea. But we didn't really have plans for tonight."
"No, but it's a lot to see," Castle commented.
"Either you want to go back to our room," Beckett began in Irish with a smile. "Or you want to leave some for the girls to see." She couldn't help laughing softly as her husband merely smiled at her and she reached across the table to his hand which she squeezed firmly. "Or both."
"Most likely both," Castle said, speaking in the same language. Their waitress appeared at the table with their lunch so they had to swiftly let go of each other to let her set down the tiers with their meal on it. He took the kettle of Earl Grey they'd picked and he poured it out for them both before they were quiet as they were getting their tea prepared.
"What do you want?" Beckett asked her husband as they were turning to the food they had.
"We should split the sandwiches in half," Castle commented.
Studying them, Beckett frowned and then said, "You don't think we should order something else? Four squares of sandwich might not be enough for you."
"We can have a snack at the hotel," Castle replied easily. "And there are scones here."
"True," Beckett said slowly. She watched as her husband then started to cut the sandwiches for them and smiled when he placed them on her plate. She took one of the two scones on the middle platter and split it, putting on the clotted cream before the jam. They began eating and drinking their tea, doing so in silence at the start before she looked at her phone that she'd placed on the table.
"What is it?" Castle asked as he watched her swipe on the screen.
"A picture from my dad," Beckett said. "Pictures," she corrected herself as another was sent then. "Josie," she told her husband as she showed him the screen.
"Cute," Castle said with a nod as he swiped to look at the second picture. He smiled at the sight of the baby, crawling in one picture and sitting up and smiling in the second. "They're torturing us," he said in Irish as she was texting her father.
"I don't think they're seeing it like that," Beckett said in amusement as she looked up at him.
Shrugging, as he was biting into his square of the salmon sandwich, Castle waited until he'd finished to say, "I still miss her."
"So do I," Beckett said gently, reaching over to him and squeezing his hand briefly. She sipped at her tea before she said, "You didn't have anything for the rest of the day?"
"No, did you?" Castle asked. He saw her hesitating and said earnestly, "Really Kate, if you wanted to go somewhere that's fine. I was just… recalling earlier," finishing in Irish as he glanced slightly around them.
"I had a feeling," Beckett said. She then started talking in Irish saying, "To be honest I didn't really have a place to go to. I just feel…"
"We don't need to do anything," Castle said quickly. "We could just read or watch a movie or something."
Smiling, as she saw her husband was unsure about that, Beckett told him, "We'll wait until we get there. But do you know what you want to see in the rest of the museum?"
Taking that suggestion; spoken in English; Castle turned his attention back to the map, reading over the rooms for a moment. "They have rooms for Spain, England and France," he eventually told her. "Those are a definite must. The others though seem to be themed."
Glancing down at the map as well, Beckett could see what he meant and said, "I guess we'll see how tired we are."
"Can we reach there first?" Castle asked, craning his neck as he was bringing his scone half up to his mouth to eat. He suddenly felt something next to his lips and jumped slightly before his wife started to laugh softly.
"You should have done that before looking," Beckett said as he was wiping away the jam that was on his face.
Sighing Castle said, "I wanted to see." He then looked at the map and said, "What rooms are closed?"
"Here," Beckett said after she'd finished her scone. She pointed them out and said, "We can go to the Central Hall and go around that way. But what about the galleries where we were before?"
"Do you want to go back into them?" Castle asked her.
"Did you?" Beckett said firmly. She watched him take the map from her, obviously looking around at the rooms they hadn't been in.
"They have more French paintings that way," Castle said, pointing the room out to her. "And they have Reubens and Rembrandt too."
"Okay," Beckett said, smiling as she folded the menu before she put it away in her bag.
"What about tomorrow?" Castle said as he brought the plate with the desserts down.
"What about it?" Beckett asked.
"I just want to make sure you want to go there," Castle replied.
Smiling Beckett said, "I'll remind you we went to museums back at home before I adopted Julia."
"I was thinking more if we should wait to take the girls," Castle said.
"Which we already talked about," Beckett said easily. She smiled when he nodded and told him, "If you want to then we should ask them tonight."
"No, I already know their answer," Castle replied, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I just realized I'm acting like I don't want to go with you."
"You don't need to worry," Beckett said reassuringly. "I know why you're saying that but again we'll be back with them."
With a nod Castle changed the subject and said, "Should I split the desserts?"
"That would be nice," Beckett said, watching him pick up the knife he had before he was splitting the heart shaped chocolate cake, chocolate tart, cake and what she guessed was blackberry tart. She took some of the heart cake and ate it, not surprised when her husband was picking up his chocolate tart with his hands. She smiled when he looked at her; reminding herself to kiss him when they had the chance; before she turned her attention back to her desserts so they could head back to their exploration of the museum.
"I'm going to guess," Castle said as he was looking around the room they were entering. "We're in the Spanish paintings."
"Good guess," Beckett said, smiling at him. "And we are. A lot of Velazquez," she said as she looked at the selection.
"Nice, but no Goya?" Castle said as they were walking around.
"I don't think so," Beckett replied, take a picture of a painting of Venus by Velazquez. She looked at her husband, seeing him studying the artwork closely before she touched his hand lightly.
"I wish I could paint," Castle said to her immediately. When his wife tensed slightly he told her, "You of course."
"I know but… would you want to take a picture of me? You could with your phone," Beckett said, speaking in Irish as he was.
Shaking his head Castle told her seriously, "I wouldn't want to risk it. And I'm realizing that I need you yourself; a picture isn't going to really help."
Beckett smiled briefly at him for that before they continued through to the next galleries before they were coming to another French painting gallery. "They have Boucher," she told her husband.
"I see," Castle said as he'd discerned the artist from the style of painting. They looked at a landscape before they went to the next one which was of a mythological story. "Do you know this?" he asked, nodding to the painting called Pan and Syrinx.
"I do," Beckett said, nodding her head. "Come on."
"Are you-" Castle started to say before they went to the next painting.
"I'm fine, what bothers me is she was terrified Pan was going to get her but in that painting she seems…" Beckett began.
"Like she's tempted?" Castle asked.
"It does look like that," Beckett said, nodding her head. "But his work wasn't really negative."
"No," Castle replied, taking her free hand. He squeezed it gently before he said, "I think we should rest in the next room."
"Why?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"Just for a second," Castle said. He was startled when she stopped him and he looked at her questioningly before she was speaking.
"We don't have to delay going back," Beckett told him in Irish.
"No- I didn't really want to do that for that reason," Castle said swiftly. "I just want to make sure we rest for the rest of the museum."
"We don't have too far to go," Beckett replied. She smiled when her husband took the map from her and she watched him looking at it before he looked at his watch. "When it's just the two of us we can go a lot faster," she reminded him.
"I guess so," Castle said easily. He then said, "Keep going?"
"Yes," Beckett said simply before they headed over to the rest of the paintings. After they'd gone to the next gallery they found that they were in the Great Britain room and she saw a painting just as her husband was squeezing her hand. "I know," she told him with a smile as they made their way to it. When they reached it she smiled before she said, "Take a picture with your camera?"
"Sure, but when can I send it with the selfie?" Castle asked as they'd taken one in front of the museum.
"Later tonight," Beckett said. She watched him take a picture of the painting of the racehorse before she took one with her camera before she said, "Remember the name."
"I will," Castle said immediately. "It's hard not to remember. Whistlejacket." He then smiled and said, "Eliza will like that one."
"Which is why I want you to remember that later," Beckett said. She was smiling as she laughed and they turned their attention to the rest of the paintings until they moved through the next galleries. They finished going through that part of the museum and went through the Sainsbury Wing which they looked at quickly since they weren't going through every room.
"Any reason why the gift shop is on this floor?" Castle asked his wife as they walked into it.
"They had the space for it," Beckett said with a shrug. "Now help me get something for the girls."
"Are we including Alexis in that?" Castle asked.
"If we see something," Beckett said after she'd thought that over for a moment. "But I'd like to get something for Julia and Eliza to share."
"Good idea," Castle replied before they went together over to the children's items. He spotted a plush toy and said, "I think I found something for Josie."
Nodding head, Beckett said, "I'm sure she'll like this," as it was a stuffed donkey that was described as bashful. "Should we get her a book?"
"Then we'd need to get something for the rest of the girls," Castle told her.
"Alright, just one thing," Beckett replied before they looked at the other items. She saw some puzzles in tubes and considered them before she spotted a game and called her husband over.
"Isn't that the book we have?" Castle asked.
"The text looks like it," Beckett said with a nod. "But it doesn't say. It says eight years old though."
"We can play with them," Castle said as he'd been reading the description on the back of the art themed game. "It looks like a great game to have to get them interested in art. For Josie too when she gets older."
Letting her husband hold the box Beckett walked around the rest of the store with him, looking for anything for Alexis. But in the end they paid only for the stuffed toy and game before they left the museum, pausing for a moment to study Trafalgar Square that was outside. She soon felt her husband taking her hand and she looked at him saying, "Let's go?"
"Yeah," Castle replied, staring into her eyes. He shook himself and they walked back to their hotel since it was so close. He let go of her hand then as she had begun taking pictures of some of the buildings they were passing. "You're not too cold?" he asked her after they'd gone a block.
"I'm fine," Beckett said as they were wearing coats and outer layers. "You?"
"I'm good," Castle told her quickly. "The girls would be furious with me if I didn't make sure." He saw the look on her face and asked, "What?"
"Using them when you are really concerned I'm too cold?" Beckett asked easily.
"Yes," Castle replied, laughing when she gently nudged him with her elbow. He looked at his watch and said, "It's not too late, what do you feel like?" He watched her thinking that over; while taking a couple pictures; and was about to suggest they find a bookstore nearby when she was smiling and telling him her idea.
"Let's just go back to our room," Beckett began. "Have our snack and go from there."
"Sounds like a great idea," Castle said, speaking as seriously as he could so she would know he wasn't going to joke with her.
"Okay, let's keep going because it looks like it might rain at any minute," Beckett told her husband.
"I noticed too," Castle replied with a nod, looking up at the sky which was becoming darker. He took his wife's hand and they walked together quickly the rest of the way to the hotel, just making it into the lobby as the first drops began falling. "That was close," he told her as they were looking outside.
"We need to remember to take an umbrella tomorrow," Beckett said with a smile.
"Definitely," Castle said before something came to him. "You don't want to leave the hotel at all?"
"I know we were talking about going to a chipper," Beckett replied. "For dinner but I think I'd like to stay in."
"We can always go tomorrow," Castle said. When his wife nodded he took her hand and they walked over to the elevators before heading up to their floor. Once they were inside he asked, "Would you want to just have dinner early?"
"No, I think we can have something small until then," Beckett said, going to the table where there was a room service menu. She started to read over it until she found appetizers and she glanced at the list. Looking up at her husband; as he was reading over her shoulder; she smiled and said, "I'm guessing you saw the same?"
"Yeah, though we'll have to see how spicy the sauce is," Castle said before he went to the phone the room had.
While he was ordering the vegetable rolls, Beckett went into the bedroom and then to the closet to grab her pajamas. Though it was only mid-afternoon she couldn't help wanting to change into her more comfortable clothes to relax for the night. She didn't change right away once she had everything ready, instead she headed over to the living room as her husband hung up.
"I got us some juice to drink," Castle told her. "Pineapple for both of us."
"Sounds good," Beckett replied with a nod. She then told him, "I'm going to change into my pajamas."
"I'll join you," Castle replied. "Though this'll be the second time the butler will see me in them."
"I don't think he cares," Beckett said wryly, rolling her eyes though she was smiling soon after. She reached over to him and cupped his cheek before she murmured, "D'éirigh liom é seo a dhéanamh níos luaithe," which meant she had forgotten to do that earlier. She drew him down to her for a kiss which was very gentle and tender and she felt her body heating up at his touch. When they finally parted she was about to speak when her husband was suddenly kissing her and a little harder that time.
"Tá mé ag iarraidh é sin a dhéanamh ar feadh aois," Castle told her when they were apart.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett murmured, as he'd told her the phrase 'I've wanted to do that for ages.' "Though I'm surprised you're not tired of doing it," as she was about to go to the bed to her pajamas. She was suddenly crying out as he grabbed her and she found herself turned around in his embrace, lifted slightly above the floor as his lips crushed hers intensely.
Castle wasn't sure why he had picked his wife up but he didn't want to stop so he kept kissing her until they needed to breathe. He set her back down before letting her go and saying, "We better change now."
Nodding, as she couldn't really speak, Beckett turned to her pajamas and dressed in them while her husband was doing the same on the other side of the bed. After they had finished she put on her robe and told her husband, "I wanted to call Brennan. Well… text and see if he can talk at all."
"What about?" Castle asked.
Smiling Beckett said, "To check and see if they want anything from London." After her husband had nodded and then left she turned her attention to her cell phone that was on her nightstand. She texted her cousin before she then waited for his answer which she soon after received. Smiling at the text she quickly dialed his number and put it on speakerphone as the door to the living room was closed.
"Hullo Kate," Brennan said.
Able to tell her cousin was smiling, Beckett said, "Hello Brennan. I was just calling to see if you and Clara want anything from London before Rick and I come out there."
"No, that's alright," Brennan said quickly. "We have everything we need."
"I wasn't just asking for the ball," Beckett said.
"Oh, I was aware," Brennan replied. "And we are fine; but thank you. Now how are you and Rick?"
"We're good," Beckett replied seriously. "We're just being tourists right now."
"Of course," Brennan said. "How're Skye and Mary if you've seen them?"
"We did, yesterday," Beckett replied. "They're fine, I think they might be a little anxious about recording but they're ready too."
"Well… hopefully things will go well with that," Brennan said. "Oh… Clara will want to know, what did you two do?"
"We went to Harrods yesterday and we went today to the National Gallery," Beckett answered. "That was it for today, but tomorrow we're going to the National History Museum."
"And the recording is the next day," Brennan said.
"It is, we'll tell you about it when we're all there with you," Beckett said.
"Did the rest of the band decide to come with you?" Brennan asked.
"No, they have to head back to LA for their jobs," Beckett replied. "But they're regretting that."
"And we're sorry to hear they're unable to make it," Brennan said. "I should let you go," he said then. "I also think Clara's calling to me."
"Okay, we'll see you soon Brennan," Beckett said. "Let Clara and Erin know we're eager to see them too."
"So are we," Brennan replied, obviously smiling again.
After they'd said goodbye to each other Beckett hung up with her cousin before she heard a knock on the door. Turning to it, she called, "I finished Rick."
"Oh good," Castle said, coming inside. "Our rolls are here. Luckily they're small and there are only four."
"Great," Beckett said, standing up.
"How are they?" Castle asked her.
"Good," Beckett replied simply. When she glanced at her husband she wasn't surprised at the frown on his face and she told him, "He was distracted, I could tell."
"Maybe Erin isn't at the house," Castle said slowly. "He might have wanted to get back to Clara."
Beckett shrugged, not sure she bought that explanation, but didn't say anything as they sat together at the table in the living room. It was set at the window so they could look out on the Thames and they saw boats passing in the rain. "Would you do something for me?" she asked him after they'd been eating for a while.
"Of course," Castle replied.
Smiling at her husband's response, Beckett then said, "Tell me something."
Knowing she meant a memory, Castle took a moment to think that over before he said, "I do have something but the girls aren't there… at least not after the start."
"That's fine," Beckett reassured him. "When is it?"
"December twenty-seventh in 1935," Castle replied. "It was a Friday but since it was after Christmas the girls were off from school of course." Seeing the way his wife was looking at him then he smiled and said, "They'd all had their birthdays by that point and Julia was thirteen, Eliza eight, Alexis seven and Josie five."
"Where were they going?" Beckett asked though she had an idea of the answer already.
"To San Francisco with their aunts, uncle and grandmother," Castle replied. "I think they were just going to the house on Alamo Square for the weekend. And we had them over for New Year's Eve of course."
As she knew her husband meant her family and Mary, Beckett nodded and said, "So we were alone."
"We were," Castle said after he'd sipped his juice. "But we didn't start out with that."
"I'm aware," Beckett replied.
Reaching over to her hand, Castle took it with his own and entwined their fingers before he told her about their afternoon alone together though he was starting with their goodbyes to their family.
"Are you girls warm enough?" Kate asked her four daughters.
"We are Ma," Elizabeth said swiftly.
"We want to go," Alexandra added.
"And you will," Johanna told them. "Katie, you'll freeze."
"I know Ma," Kate replied soothingly. "We'll go inside soon." She then turned to the girls and kissed them all before she said, "Mind everyone once you go."
"And be sure to help your aunts and grandma," Rick added.
Kate smiled as the girls agreed they would and she then told them, "Then all we have left is to tell you have a swell time." She watched with her husband as the girls, after crying at nearly the same time they would, left with her family for the two cars parked along the curb. She waved with her husband as they drove off and they smiled at each other once the automobiles were out of sight. "Would you like some more coffee?" she asked her husband once they were inside.
"I think we need it," Rick told her, locking the front door. "And do you have any more of those delicious cinnamon rolls?"
"There are, but we should share one love," Kate replied, going to the kitchen through the dining room. She reached for her apron but was startled when her husband stopped her, making her look at him.
"I'll take care of this," Rick said. "Sit, you've been cooking all morning."
"Thank you," Kate said with a smile before she sat at the kitchen table, watching her husband bustling around to get the pastry from breakfast and the coffee sitting on the stove. When he was sitting she picked up one of the forks on the plate he'd brought over and started to eat with him as they sipped their coffee.
"What do you think about Rose's proposition?" Rick eventually asked her.
"I think we could, but not until all four are much older," Kate replied. "And when things get better."
"They can go to Paris again," Rick replied, his sisters in law and brother in law having told them during their Christmas celebrations they were going back to France.
"They can, but we have four children," Kate said. "Another year my love; I promise."
"We did but a lot later," Beckett said suddenly.
"I know, in the fifties but I think I'll have to tell you another time," Castle replied.
"You never wrote around the holidays," Beckett then said to him as he was finishing the last roll. "So what exactly did we do after finishing our second breakfast?"
"Hey, we were continuing," Castle said in mock defense.
Smiling as she shook her head, Beckett said, "Really Rick, how?"
"Okay," Castle said. "I couldn't stop you from washing the dishes and mugs, though I did help with drying them. After that we went into the living room where I started a fire in the stove and you sat to do some knitting."