"I had a feeling," she replied with a smile. Beckett joined him at the window and said, "Do you know any pubs around here?"
"I was going to ask at the front desk," Castle replied. "They should know."
"I'd hope," Beckett said with a smile. She then looked at her father's watch; which she'd put back on; and said, "Alright, let's go. If it's close enough I'd like to walk there."
"I'll grab our umbrella," Castle said quickly. He then went over to the entry room with her and they put on their outer layers before he got the umbrella and they left. When they'd gotten to the lobby he saw there was a concierge at the front desk not helping anyone and he went over to him while Beckett waited for him by the entrance.
"Close?" Beckett said once her husband was returning to her.
"He said about a ten minute walk," Castle replied. "So it's up to you."
"I'd like to," Beckett said. "It's not raining that hard."
"No," Castle said before they went to the doors. After they'd thanked the doorman for opening one he opened the umbrella before Beckett was close to him and he held her hand as they made their way down the Strand towards the east. They had no trouble getting to the pub and he looked at his wife as she stopped him.
"The George?" Beckett said.
"You don't like it?" Castle replied.
"I never said I didn't," Beckett said with a smile. "Let me take a picture."
"Of course," Castle replied, motioning with his hand. He watched her taking a picture of the white and black, and obviously historic, building before she put her phone away and they headed inside. "The concierge said there's a restaurant on the first… I mean second floor," he said quickly to her. "But the pub has fish and chips."
"Okay," Beckett said with a nod before her husband was talking to the waitress walking to them. They were led over to a booth table and she wasn't surprised when her husband sat with her on one side of it. They knew what they wanted already and after they had ordered she said, "You should have said we were going to sit together."
"This table is fine," Castle said easily. "It's small…"
"Luckily it fits us both," Beckett said in amusement since they were pressed close together.
"I know," Castle replied before he was laughing at her nudging his side with her elbow.
Their waitress was coming back with their Guinness and Beckett picked up her pint before saying, "Sláinte."
"Sláinte," Castle said before they were tapping them together.
After she'd taken a sip Beckett asked, "You don't think it's weird drinking this when there are so many ales?"
"It's what we prefer," Castle commented. He then smiled and said, "Since they're drinking too I don't think we're alone," nodding to the dart players they could see. Shortly after that he saw their waitress returning and he said, "Oh good, I'm starving," before she reached them with two plates.
"I hope you are starving," Beckett said once they were alone again. "I don't know if I can eat all this."
"I'll take whatever fish you can't eat," Castle said quickly as he knew his wife was likely only going to eat one piece of fish and perhaps half of the other. They started on their food and after they'd eaten a few bites he said, "The mushy peas are good."
"They are," Beckett said. She squeezed a little more lemon on her fish and took another piece before saying, "I'm wondering about the museum we were planning on tomorrow."
"You want to go to another?" Castle asked after eating a chip.
"No, I wonder if we'd have the chance to go there at all," Beckett replied. "Or any at all."
"You think they'd…" Castle started to say before something came to mind. "I forgot about the songs."
"Yeah, if it had just been the two we'd have the chance," Beckett replied. "But because they're recording more I'll have to stay longer."
"Okay, that's one we can leave for when we're here with the rest of the family," Castle said with a nod.
"Great," Beckett said.
"Did you want to swim if we have the time?" Castle asked.
"No, we'll need to pack and I would like to go to the tea shop we saw in the book about the hotel," Beckett told him.
"Me too," Castle said. "Stuff for Brennan and Clara?"
Smiling, as she wasn't surprised her husband had guessed her desire to go, Beckett nodded and then said, "Also I'd love to see about stuff to take home too."
"Tea?" Castle asked.
"I don't think we can take the pastries," Beckett said, trying not to laugh. "And we can't really get them since we're going out with the others tomorrow night."
"We could ask," Castle said. When his wife looked at him he said quickly, "You know… for Brennan and Clara."
Fighting her smile Beckett said, "Of course," before she squeezed her husband's hand and they turned back to their meal. When they'd finished they still had a little beer left so they sat, sipping at it before she asked, "Do you want another pint?"
"I would, you?" Castle asked.
"Of course, we have that game remember?" Beckett said in response.
Sighing Castle said, "We couldn't play pool?"
"They don't have any tables," Beckett answered simply.
"Alright… I guess I did agree with that," Castle said. He finished the rest of his beer and then said, "Let's play."
"And get it over with?" Beckett asked, getting up from the table after her husband had.
"Of course," Castle replied. He smiled when his wife laughed and then went over to the bar to get their glasses of beer.
Walking over to the darts, Beckett was relieved to find that one board was open and she stood at a table there, watching her husband talking to the barman. As he was walking to her she saw he was carrying a set of darts and said, "I didn't realize you had to ask for them," not surprised when he nodded and then hurried back to get their glasses.
"The bartender saw you walking over there and knew we were together so he told me," Castle said. "How are we going to do this?"
"Just three shots each, see what we get," Beckett said simply before she took a sip of her Guinness.
"We're not going to bet for anything are we?" Castle asked, speaking in Irish.
"No," Beckett replied in English. "But don't get too competitive."
"I won't," Castle promised. "You first love," he said.
Moving up to the board with her set of red darts, Beckett considered it for a moment before taking her first shot. She wasn't surprised to hear him suck in a breath when she got a twelve, the dart near the outer bullseye.
"Sorry," Castle said when his wife looked back at him. "That was a great shot."
"Thank you," Beckett said before she turned back. She got a seven and a fifteen after that, going up and taking her darts off the board before she said, "We don't need to keep score."
"We should," Castle told her reassuringly. "It's just for fun remember."
"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh.
"So you've got thirty-four," Castle told her. When she nodded he turned to the board himself and then began throwing his darts. He winced when he saw his score, twenty-three, before he said, "Maybe we shouldn't after all."
"I told you," Beckett said simply. "And we can stop soon."
Nodding, Castle then took his darts and he and Beckett continued to play. He wasn't surprised to see her getting higher points than he was though he didn't care. They'd played together while they'd been dating a few times and more when they'd moved to the Hamptons though that had been after Eliza had been born and before she'd turned three. When his wife threw for the last time he asked, "Why did we stop when we did?"
"Because we had an older child," Beckett said. "But we weren't going often."
"True," Castle said. "We haven't gone for years you know."
"I remembered, but I'd like to ease off on having beer," Beckett said. "Just because I'm not sure I want the girls to see that."
"We usually drink wine around them," Castle said. "But it makes sense." He took the darts back to the bartender, thanking the man for them, before he went to where his wife was leaning against a counter at one of the front windows. "Tea when we get back?" he asked.
"I think I've had enough to drink," Beckett said with a smile. She then told him, "I've been enjoying this."
"Me too," Castle replied. "But I do want to talk to them too."
"You know me too well," Beckett said with a smile. "And let's stop saying too."
"Agreed," Castle said as he nodded. He smiled when his wife laughed and once she had finished her drink, he took his empty glass and hers to the bar before they left. It was raining and they hurried back to their hotel, going up to their room where his wife asked him about that offer of tea while they were taking off their outer layers.
"Were you serious about that tea?" Beckett said once they had finished.
"Yeah," Castle replied as he glanced over at the brewer. "Are you going to change?"
"I'm not wet," Beckett replied. "So I'll stay in this. But I would like to check out my cameras now," she then said as she was checking her watch.
"How long?" Castle asked.
"A little less than a half hour," Beckett said. "It won't take me that long."
"Or the tea," Castle said as he watched her head over to the bedroom. He then turned his attention to getting everything ready and while the first cup was starting to brew he went over to the doorway of the bedroom.
"I'm finished," Beckett said as she looked up to find her husband watching her.
"Everything's good?" Castle asked while she was walking up to him.
"They are," Beckett said with a nod before he was leaning down to her. They shared a brief kiss and she said, "What about you?"
"Oh," Castle said in sudden realization, letting her go and turning back to the brewer. "Your cup is ready," he told his wife when she was joining him.
"Thank you," Beckett said simply before she was taking the mug. She prepared her drink and once that was ready she went over to the couch, sitting and waiting for her husband.
When he had his mug ready Castle went to sit with his wife and they drank in silence for a bit until he cleared his throat.
"I'm not nervous," Beckett said, looking at him with a smile.
"No?" Castle asked, not surprised she had guessed what he'd been thinking.
"No, I'm more concerned with not finding any shots," Beckett said honestly.
"I don't think you need to worry about that," Castle said. "You've had a lot of luck with setting things up. And you've had experience shooting in a recording studio. Just focus on Skye and the band."
Beckett nodded, as she knew her husband was right, and she then said, "I should, I got a lot of shots watching Paul and the band last time. I was thinking of that but thinking of the two from Queen being there…"
"The twin thing," Castle couldn't help saying. He smiled when his wife looked at him and he smiled at her saying, "Skye's uncertain about that part so it makes sense you are too."
Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "I don't think so but I know I'm not going to be able to persuade you to think otherwise." When she saw her husband was shaking his head slowly she couldn't help laughing and she reached over to him with her free hand, squeezing his arm. She was about to speak when her phone's text alert suddenly sounded and they looked at it together before she picked it up off the table.
"Is it them?" Castle asked.
"They want to take the girls out to eat," Beckett read. "So they want to talk to us first before they do that."
"Out where?" Castle said.
Shaking her head Beckett replied, "Your mom didn't say. But we're ready."
"We are," Castle said before he took a quick sip of the rest of his tea. As soon as he'd set it down he got up so he could get the TV and tablet ready before the Skype connection was starting and their three youngest were appearing on the screen.
"Hello girls," Beckett said with a smile. She laughed with her husband as the two waved and Julia was waving Josie's hand, the baby on her lap.
"We're glad to see you too," Castle said when they'd stopped laughing. "How are you three?"
"We're good," Julia said after she and Eliza had looked at their baby sister when she suddenly babbled. "Gram and Grandpapa said that Josa had a good day too."
"We did the same with her as yesterday," Martha said.
Nodding Beckett said, "Thank you for doing that. Do the same tomorrow."
"We will," Jim said.
"I hope you'll tell us how your day went," Castle said to the girls.
"Why do I have to go first?" Eliza asked when she saw her big sister was looking at her.
"Wait," Beckett said before Julia could reply to that. "What about Alexis?"
"She and Louis are staying in tonight," Martha said. "So the five of us will be on our own."
"Okay, Julia why don't you start today," Beckett told the girl.
With a quick nod Julia then talked about her day from getting there to the dance class. As her little sister usually did, she turned to Eliza and listened to her talking about her day before she told their parents about the dance class.
"I'm surprised you don't mind," Castle said when the girl had stopped.
"We do have to remember ballet steps," Julia said. "And we'll go back to ballroom dancing tomorrow."
"What about what you did?" Eliza asked in a rush as soon as her sister had stopped.
Laughing for a moment Beckett said, "We went to the Natural History Museum, like we told you yesterday."
"We had some guests though," Castle said.
"Skye and Mary?" Julia guessed.
"It was," Beckett replied with a nod. "They decided to join us since they hadn't needed to practice. And it was very nice walking around together but we missed you guys."
"A lot," Castle added seriously.
"Can we go there?" Eliza asked.
"We were thinking of having you guys come here while we're in Ireland this summer," Beckett said first.
"And seeing the museum," Castle continued. "But would you mind that we're not here?"
"No," Julia and Eliza said immediately in unison.
"Okay," Castle said slightly laughingly. "After we left the museum we went swimming for a little, we were on our own in the pool and-"
"Did you play Marco Polo?" Eliza asked swiftly.
"No," Beckett said, smiling as she wasn't surprised at that question. "We just did some laps before we came back here and got ready for dinner."
"Did you go to a restaurant?" Eliza then inquired with a smile.
"We went to a pub," Beckett said, watching Julia as she was speaking though since she was interested in the look on the girl's face. She was about to ask her what was wrong when hers and Castle's second oldest spoke first.
"I didn't think you would go get something that fancy," Julia said. "But you liked the food right?"
"We did," Castle said as he noticed Eliza's frown. "And we had fun; we played darts together after."
"We weren't keeping s-" Beckett began before her husband was interrupting her.
"Your mom did way better than me," Castle commented. When their middle daughters were snorting in their laughter, he smiled at his wife and then said, "But it was a lot of fun, don't worry."
"Now what will you do?" Eliza asked.
"I need to check on my cameras for tomorrow," Beckett said, hoping her husband wouldn't look at her for that. "And then sleep."
"Oh…" Eliza said.
"What else did you want us to do?" Castle asked.
"Watch a movie where they kiss a lot," Eliza replied. When the others were laughing she asked in confusion, "What?"
"We might read a little," Beckett replied. "We don't really have time for a whole movie."
"Oh," Eliza replied. She then brightened up and said, "You can read together!"
"We might do that," Castle said with a nod. "Thanks for the idea sweetheart."
"You're welcome," Eliza said with a wide smile.
"Anything to add Mother, Jim?" Castle directed to his mother and father in law.
"I think we're just fine," Martha said first. "We were spending our time with Josie."
"Thank you for doing that," Beckett said meaningfully.
"You're welcome," Jim told his daughter. "But we're eager to get to England."
"So are we," Castle then said. He looked at his wife and said, "They need to go?"
"Julia needs to do her homework," Beckett said calmly. She and her husband looked over at their second oldest and seeing the way her nose was wrinkled, they laughed before she said, "So we should say goodnight. We'll get in touch with you tomorrow," directing that to her father and mother in law.
"Oh, you'll tell us about the recording right?" Julia asked.
"Of course," Beckett promised.
"We can't wait to hear about it," Martha said. "Goodnight kiddos, get plenty of rest."
"We will, goodnight Martha, Jim," Beckett said.
"I'll take pictures if I can," Castle added. "Goodnight."
"I love you girls," Beckett said, to the three. "And we'll see you tomorrow."
"Love you Mom, Dad." "Love you Mommy, Daddy!" Julia and then Eliza said before Josie squealed at her big sister's tone.
"I love you guys," Castle said after they'd stopped laughing. "Sweet dreams."
After they'd said a final goodnight, Beckett turned to her husband, about to question his taking pictures when he was asking her a question instead.
"Should we call Alexis?" Castle said.
Beckett was about to answer when she hesitated and then told him, "I think we should just text her. Or you."
Nodding Castle said as he was typing a message to Alexis, "It'll be from us."
"Of course," Beckett said easily. She watched her husband send the text before she said, "What did you want to do now though?"
Before Castle could answer he was receiving a text and he read it for his wife, "We're making dinner together but we'll head to the house tomorrow and talk with you then. Night." He texted back a goodnight to his daughter; from both him and Beckett; before he set aside his phone and told her, "What did you want to do because I didn't really think about that."
"Change and get into bed?" Beckett replied.
"Okay," Castle said easily. When his wife looked at him questioningly he smiled and said, "I know already."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said. She squeezed his hand before they were getting off the couch and went into the bathroom. They changed and finished getting ready for bed before standing on either side of it before she said, "You've been thinking about it."
"You could tell?" Castle asked with a smile.
"It wasn't hard to notice," Beckett replied before she got under the covers. "But I don't get the frowning."
"I'm having trouble with a date for it," Castle said honestly. "It was in… I think September of 1917, after I finished training. I had come home to see you guys and then I needed to ship out for New York on the train. But I insisted you said goodbye to me at the Ferry Building since I needed to go to Oakland."
"Junior went with you," Beckett said. When her husband looked at her she smiled slightly and said, "I'm remembering, I think it was the fifteenth."
"Good, you can fill in about you because I don't know about your side," Castle said. "So we were by the dock at the Ferry Building; the part of it facing the water and your mother was saying goodbye of course."
"Of course," Beckett said with a smile before her husband continued.
"Write as often as you can Richard," Johanna said after she had pulled away from him. "Twice, just in case the letters get lost you know how it's been."
"I will Johanna," Rick replied, watching her fixing his lapels. "Thank you," he said before she started to cry into her handkerchief. "I'll be fine and return home before you know it."
"Come on Ma," Junior said as he walked up to his mother. "He'll be with everyone in his troop and they'll watch out for each other." He then turned to his friend and shook his hand warmly before telling him, "Be sure to keep your promise."
"I will," Rick said before they were clasping their hands on each other's shoulders. He squeezed Junior's hand before he let go of him and turned to the twins saying, "I'll miss you two fighting over ribbons."
"You won't," Rose said easily. "But you will miss us." When he nodded she laughed and hugged him before she said, "We'll welcome you home; right here."
"You will," Rick said with a nod before he turned to Kate. As she smiled up at him from under her straw hat he felt his heart clench suddenly and he was about to speak before she was throwing herself at him and talking first.
"We'll miss you," Kate told him earnestly. "You better be careful."
"Of course I will," Rick said reassuringly as they let go of each other. "And I'll tell you all about Europe."
Kate nodded, unable to speak, before she was turning with the others as someone from the military was telling them to board.
"You'll have my first letter from New York," Rick told the family, smiling at them all. "And I'll send over some books wherever I am."
"I'll be back as soon as I get another boat Ma," Junior told his mother.
As he and Junior started to walk up the gangplank of the boat, Rick could hear the women calling goodbye behind them. Since there were so many other soldiers leaving there were several families and he made sure that he made it to the railing before the boat pulled from the dock.
"See them?" Junior asked.
"I see your sisters' hats," Rick said with a smile before he waved at the three who were waving back with their handkerchiefs.
"Ma's awful sad," Junior said. "But she's proud of you." He looked away then and said, "Da too."
Squeezing his friend's shoulder; since Jim had passed away suddenly two months before while he'd been in training; Rick said, "I miss him."
"Me too, he told me there's no reason to be ashamed," Junior said, glancing at his friend's uniform.
"You did try," Rick reassured him. "None of us knew you had lungs like you did. At least now you can continue your da's work. Someone needs to support Johanna and the girls."
"I'm sure those girls will get married soon," Junior said. "But not until you come back."
Rick was startled at that and turned to his friend questioningly before he realized what he meant. "You do know Rose…" he began.
"Aye, but Katie?" Junior said simply. He was quiet as Oakland was nearing and he said, "They're all serious, for you to come back."
"We'll all try," Rick replied. He wasn't surprised when Junior nodded, and they were silent for the rest of the ride. In Oakland they shook hands but didn't say goodbye; their time in San Francisco being that; and he hurried to the streetcar with his fellow soldiers before they were on their way to the 16th Street station where their train was already waiting.
"Everyone two soldiers to a compartment," the major who was travelling with them called. "We eat at eighteen hundred hours."
Passing by compartments that were filled already, Rick stopped at the first empty one and he stepped inside, putting his duffel bag on the luggage rack. He was just about to sit when someone knocked on the wall next to the open door and he said, "There's space," to the young man stepping inside.
"Glad to hear that, everywhere's getting full," the man replied. "They're friends or family already."
"I thought that was the case," Rick said. "Richard McDonovan," he then told the man, holding his hand out.
"Brad Dunham," the other man replied. "San Francisco?"
"The same?" Rick asked after he had nodded. They sat on the couches that would be their bed for their cross-country trip and began talking, getting to know each other. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the man was planning on joining the police once the war was over, and they talked about that before they needed to join their fellow soldiers for dinner.
"I don't know why I just remembered now that we'd met on that trip," Castle told his wife as he stopped there.
"I thought you said stuff comes at different times," Beckett commented.
"True," Castle said after thinking about that for a moment. "So we got to New York and I sent you guys an incredibly long letter since I wrote a little in each state we stopped in. But what about after I'd left the dock?"
Shaking her head Beckett said, "There isn't really much to say because I spent a while in my room crying. I moped around a little but my mom talked to me and I tried my best."
"Oh," Castle said with a slight frown. "So… I guess that's it?"
"No, I can tell you about our reaction to your letter from New York," Beckett said.
"Oh," Castle repeated eagerly. "Then by all means continue."
Beckett laughed softly and then said, "It was a week after you'd mailed it and Skye got the mail so she saw it first."
"Katie!" Rose cried as she ran up the stairs. "Katie!"
"Rose," Johanna said sternly, walking from the kitchen to the entry and drying her hands on her apron. "What have I told you? Young ladies have no need to yell like they're banshees."
"I'm sorry Ma," Rose said contritely. "But we've got a letter from Rick!"
"Rick sent his letter?" Kate asked eagerly as she came into the entry from behind their mother.
"Aye, look! New York City!" Rose said excitedly.
"Oh… he's made it safe," Kate breathed out. "Blast, where-"
"Katherine O'Brien," Johanna interrupted her. "Watch your tongue. Now I'm happy to see Rick has written as well, but we don't need to be cursin' as if we were sailors. Let me have the letter Rosie."
Though she wanted to take it herself, Kate watched her twin hand the letter over to their mother and she sighed before she said, "When can we read it?"
"You know already," Johanna said. "As soon as your brother is here for dinner."
Hearing an automobile, Kate said happily, "He's home now," trying not to sound too eager. She and Rose went together to the front door where they stood on the porch waiting for their brother to get his Detroit Electric set for the night.
"I'll be glad to afford a Ford," Junior told his sisters when he had reached them.
"Oh, don't joke now Junior," Kate said with a sigh.
"What's wrong with her?" the young man asked their little sister.
"Rick's letter's just come in from New York," Rose answered with a smile. "Katie's mad to read it."
"Ah, then we should go in so Ma will let us," Junior said, smiling back at her before they turned to Kate to find that she'd gone in.
"Come on, dinner's hot too," the young woman told her siblings before she was hurrying into the kitchen as her mother looked up at her.
"Are they takin' too long Katie?" Johanna said as she could easily see the frustration on her daughter's face.
"Far too long," the young woman replied with a frown.
"Take these dishes, we'll eat now," Johanna said.
"Hello Ma," Junior said as he walked into the kitchen with Rose.
Listening halfheartedly to her family's talk, Kate tried not to think about the letter though it became nearly impossible as it was sitting at Junior's place at the table. She set down the dishes a little faster than she normally would have but she was pleased to see when she went back that things were ready to move to the dining room.
"You don't want to read this Ma?" Junior asked once they were gathered around the table.
"No, go on Junior," Johanna replied.
"Alright," he said before he was opening the flap. "To my wonderful friends," Junior began with. "He always did have a knack for words."
"He did, keep goin'," Johanna told her son.
"I start this the night the train has left from Oakland and I'll continue until I'm on the other side of the country. Morale is very high, everyone's talking about now that we're in the fight too the war should be over by Christmas. But I remember from what Jim told us that it never happens that way. I only hope with our help we can defeat the Kaiser with our allies so I can get back home to San Francisco and all of you," Junior continued to read.
"But I've been lucky to meet someone from home, his name is Brad Dunham and he wants to join the police when the war is over," Junior said, going to the next paragraph. "He's on his own, no family or friends but there are a lot that are on this train. But we're all getting along and we're eating right. And sleep as well as it's time for lights out. That's it for that section," he said to his mother and sisters.
"Eat, we'll need to read more in the parlor," Johanna said.
Kate covered her mouth with her fingers at her slight cry of protest and she said, "I'm sorry Ma."
"It's alright, finish eatin' though, all of you," Johanna replied.
Though she wanted to just take the letter and read it on her own, Kate went back to her soup before they were moving on to their mother's red flannel hash. But they finally finished and cleaned up with Junior's help which made them do so much faster. Once they were in the parlor she sat on the couch with Rose before their brother was starting up again with the letter.
"It was a travelogue after that first section," Beckett told her husband, smiling as he was rubbing his hand over her upper arm. "But you did say a few times that you were homesick and you missed my mom's cooking."
"I can imagine me doing that," Castle replied with a nod. He kissed her temple and then said, "Anything after that?"
"Not really, we kept your letters to all of us in the parlor and I would read them often until you started writing just to me after I was the only one who wrote to you," Beckett said. She pressed a few kisses to her husband's jaw and said, "I was so worried, I read them repeatedly until we had word you'd been wounded."
"I'm glad you cared so much," Castle told her. He hugged her a little closer and then said, "But to be honest it's a little depressing thinking about that."
"Okay, then do you have something else?" Beckett asked him.
"Yeah," Castle replied. "It's in 1927, the February after we were married and before you knew you were pregnant with Eliza." When he felt his wife nodding he began with that morning telling her, "We were alone; your sister had taken Julia the night before so we'd taken advantage of it."
Breathing roughly, Kate squeezed her husband's shoulder as he moved off her and rolled onto her side so she could press against his side. "That was swell love."
"It was," Rick replied. He looked down at her and said, "You're a Sheba."
"Hmm, Sheik," Kate told him as she was smiling. She kissed at his jaw and said, "Should we again? Before breakfast?"
"What?" Beckett asked as she watched her husband looking at her.
"No, it's just amazing you were like that," Castle said.
"I'm not the same as I was then," Beckett replied simply.
"No, but still, it was great," Castle said. "And I'm not saying that in a perverted way," he added hurriedly so she wouldn't say that.
"Are you sure?" Beckett asked with a smile. She couldn't helping laughing softly when her husband's head leaned back and she kissed his cheek before saying, "Keep going."
Nodding, Castle said, "Even though my experience with sex was really limited before we were together I enjoyed the question."
"You want to be together again?" Rick said, smiling at his wife as he pressed her close.
"Did we just call it being together?" Beckett asked.
"I think you know already," Castle replied. "And I think we did, you hated the phrase making whoopie so we found that a lot better."
"I still hate that phrase," Beckett couldn't help commenting.
Laughing briefly, Castle said, "Yeah I don't blame you. Okay, so going back to your reaction to my question."
"Oh I would but… wouldn't it need to be awfully fast?" Kate said to her husband, looking up at him as he'd turned onto his side and was looking down at her.
"We can," Rick said, moving to kiss her. "If you'd like," he then added once they'd parted. When her response was to kiss him intently he was startled but only for a moment, recovering quickly before he was turning her onto her back. As soon as he'd slid inside of her body he was starting to thrust, moving as hard as he could to her cries of joy. Her legs were wrapping around him and he knew then she didn't want him to stop until they had reached their ultimate pleasure. Once they had he was doing his best not to slip from her body, just managing to though he was nearly dizzy with how good it felt with his wife breaking around him and it was a shock when he finally stopped.
"Oh… Oh Rick," Kate breathed out when she could speak running her fingers through his hair. She took his kiss he gave her, allowing his tongue into her mouth quickly as he seemed to be very eager. But she found she herself was as well and they were kissing for some time until they were parting though she didn't let him get too far. As they were kissing again she was raking her nails over his skin and he was moving slightly against her again. She was startled when they made love again but that was brief as she was throwing herself into everything until they broke again.
Though he didn't want to, Rick withdrew carefully when he could and gathered his wife in his arms again before he kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you Kate," he said earnestly as he stared into her eyes.
"I love you too," she replied, kissing him that time. Kate smiled then and said, "But we must have some breakfast," as her husband's stomach had grumbled.
Rick sighed and then nodded before he let her go so they could get up and start getting ready. He led her downstairs before she stopped him and he followed her over to the kitchen. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked her.
"No, I think I can manage it," Kate told him before she went to get her apron.
Rick watched his wife as she bustled around the kitchen getting them eggs, bacon and pancakes. He felt badly that he wasn't helping her but she seemed to be fine, humming a tune while she was doing so which made him smile. He jumped up from the kitchen to table to help her take their plates over to the dining room table telling her, "Take off your apron love, I'll get the orange juice."
Shaking her head, as she was smiling at the same time, Kate poured the juice into two glasses and took them just as her husband was jogging up to her. "I have them Rick," she told him firmly.
Though he wanted to protest, Rick nodded and they went together to the table, sitting and beginning to eat. "What would you like to do now love?" he asked after they'd eaten enough to lose their hunger pangs.
"I believe we should go to the grocers. Everyone will be here for dinner tonight," Kate said.
"Then we'll go," Rick replied. "What will you make?"
"I may make my fettucine with chicken," Kate said after thinking a moment. "Julia loves it of course and-"
"I do too," Rick told her.
Smiling at the interruption, Kate said, "Then I'll make some feather cake."
"Then Julia will really be happy," Rick commented. "And Patrick."
"And Rosie, it's her favorite," Kate said. "But I'll see if I have everything."
"Do you have everything for the kitchen?" Rick asked since they were still getting used to their home.
"I do," Kate said. "What do you think Rosie brought? My last pan I needed."
"Swell," Rick said, looking at their plates which by then were empty. "I'll take them love," he told her quickly as he jumped up.
"Of course," Kate replied easily before she stood as well. She picked up the cups and napkins, taking them into the kitchen before her husband was grabbing her. She was startled until he kissed her, and she did the best she could to respond to him before they parted. She wanted to ask him why he'd done that when he was nuzzling her lips with his as he murmured against them.
"If you wouldn't need to go to the grocer's we could go up to the room again," Rick said.
"Fresh," Kate replied though she was smiling. She took his kiss that he brushed against her lips before she watched him pull away and they walked together to the front door. As he took her hand to kiss the back of lovingly she smiled and told him, "When we come home we may fool around."
Breathing heavily suddenly; as he knew when she used those last two words it meant they'd pleasure each other without coupling; Rick did his best to shake off his arousal and merely nodded. "Let me take your coat," he said to distract himself as he saw she was getting it from the front closet. He helped her into it and then grabbed his own, along with his scarf, gloves and fedora. "Should we bring an umbrella?" he asked as his wife was looking out one of the front windows.
"No, the sky is more clear than cloudy," Kate replied before she went with him to the front door. As he was locking it behind him she went to the sidewalk and waited for him behind the gate. Once he'd closed it she went to him and looped her arm through his before saying, "I don't need very many things."
"That's swell," Rick said, unable to think of anything else to say to that as he could still remember her saying 'fool around'.
Squeezing his arm, Kate knew already what he was thinking and she couldn't help smiling to herself as they made their way to the main street and started along it to the grocer's.
"I ended up taking you against the wall when we got back," Castle said. When he noticed that his wife was staring at him he shook himself and said, "In our room, though it nearly was in the front of the house by that closet."
"I remember," Beckett said with a smile. "Continue from that point." She had to bite the side of her mouth at his eyes widening before she could say, "After we finished."
"Oh, sure," Castle said quickly, shaking himself. He swallowed a little hard and then said, "Don't get mad at me, but…"
Breathing hard as she could feel her sex still throbbing around her husband's still pulsing member, Kate soon was smiling and said, "Hmm, would you be able to again Rick?"
"I don't think so, my legs are just about busted my love," he told her, panting himself. Rick then let her down and fixed himself at the same time his wife was grabbing for him.
"How do you want me to react?" Beckett asked.
"Mad? Aroused? Hungry?" Castle suggested before he laughed as his wife nudged him. He reached for her and brought her onto his lap before he continued saying, "Once you were fixed up too; after we kissed of course."
"Of course," Beckett echoed with a smile.
"We headed down the stairs and washed up there before I was helping you with our dinner," Castle said. "There really isn't much to say about that because it was just basic prep and then we ate a quick lunch before we went back to dinner, nothing there either."
"Is there anything before the rest of the family came?" Beckett asked with a slight smile as she could easily tell her husband was hesitating.
"Yeah…" Castle said before he trailed off. Seeing his wife was smiling at him encouragingly he then continued, hoping that she wouldn't mind what he himself had instigated.
Gasping and moaning to her husband as he was thrusting against her and knocking her body into the wall, Kate was a little lost as she was trying to take everything in that he was doing to her. But it suddenly became too much and she was crying his name as her pleasure overtook her. She felt him soon joining her and she was nearly clawing at his back before she stopped climaxing. Her breath was still rough while she took her husband's rough thrusts and when he stopped she began kissing at the side of his head. "Are-" she started to say.
"I need to sit," Rick replied, going to the bench in the lean-to. Since he hadn't removed his trousers he sat quickly and made sure that his wife was alright. "You're the bee's knees love," he said seriously as they were staring at each other.
Biting at her lower lip for a moment, Kate then moved to kiss him, doing so deeply before her husband was responding. She wasn't sure what exactly set her off, but shortly after they'd begun she started to move on him. As her husband held her by her hips she knew he would help her and she started to experiment a little though she wasn't quite sure if she was doing that correctly. Since she didn't, she let her husband's reactions guide her and she was startled to find he seemed to love every way that she was moving. She was doubtful but soon forgot she was as she was feeling too much pleasure from her thrusts herself. She was soon moving up and down on him; as she'd learned to do first; as fast as she could before he was suddenly sliding out of her and against her clit. "No!" she gasped.
"Here Kate," Rick told her hurriedly as he could tell she was close to breaking. He helped her in getting himself back into her and he did his best to move with her once she did again. They were kissing shortly after and he lowered his head back to her chest as he'd managed to open her blouse. Since she was earning her cami-knicker he could only suck at her nipples through the fabric but since it was thin already he could see the nubs still straining against it. He was taking them with his mouth again, doing that nearly hungrily before his wife was pulling away from his lips to cry out his name again. His voice joined hers shortly after and they were moving frantically in the last of their pleasure. Feeling her nearly collapsing against him he held her though he was still trying to thrust into her above him. When the last of his strength left him he was limp on the bench, breathing roughly as he held her tightly against him, soon realizing she was caressing his hair.
"We'd best change love," Kate said regretfully. "They'll be here soon."
Sighing and nodding, Rick got up and then helped his wife off him before they were fixing themselves haphazardly and hurrying to the stairs. Up in their room he grabbed her hand to stop her from going to the closet before he pulled her into his arms. "I adore you Kate," he said, staring into her eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too Rick," Kate replied with a slight smile. "And I will never stop."
"Sheba," Rick breathed in joy before he continued. "My goddess." As he was leaning down to her he heard his wife whisper her name before their lips met and they were kissing passionately shortly after. He held her close, feeling her holding onto him and knowing her love in her touch and her kiss. He was aware it would take a lot to get him to stop, but for the moment he wasn't concerned about it while they tasted their love for each other.
"I'm sorry," Castle said seriously as he and his wife parted from their kiss.
"Don't worry," Beckett replied gently though she was still panting after their bout of lovemaking. His description of their intimacy had pushed them to undress and they'd fucked roughly, taking turns at being on top to extend their time together for just a bit. She sighed as he carefully pulled out of her and she watched him lay down before she was moving to press against his side. "I did ask remember, and I think we were going to do this anyway," she told him as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder. She kissed it before she then said, "But I enjoyed that."
"I did too," Castle replied. "A lot." He then smiled and said, "We enjoyed it back then too. If you weren't already pregnant…" He laughed then as she was pinching his side and he said, "But to be honest you were like that all the time."
"And you," Beckett said. "But it makes sense if you think about it since you'd had one lover before me; drunk; and I'd had none."
"Yeah," Castle said.
"What?" Beckett asked, raising her head so she could look at his face.
"I just wonder if we picked up from our past life," Castle replied. "You weren't like this and I wasn't to this degree before we were together."
Sighing Beckett said, "It's possible." She wasn't surprised when her husband didn't try to press the issue but she was relieved at that before he started to speak.
"We should sleep," Castle said regretfully before he felt his wife turn her face into his chest. He could also feel her smile and he did so himself before he recalled what he'd said and asked her, "Clothes?"
"No, we're fine," Beckett said easily. "Get the covers." She let him go for him to do that and she said, "I love you Rick; then and now."
"I love you too Kate," Castle said once he was laying down and had her back in his arms. "Always."
"Always," Beckett murmured with a smile before they shared a gentle kiss. When they'd parted she laid down fully, closing her eyes shortly after so she could sleep in anticipation for the next day. She was still unsure of how it would go but with the feel of her husband's lovemaking still echoing through her body and his release within her she was greatly distracted. She was easily able to dream of Castle once she slept, pressing close to him while he dreamt of her in turn as they moved to the next day in their slumber.