"Hullo," Skye said with a smile as she and her wife stepped into the car. "I was wondering if you'd be on the way and pick us up."
"We didn't want to be late," Beckett replied with a smile. "How're you doing?"
"Good," Mary said. "We sat for a bit and then changed so we're very relaxed right now."
"So no wine?" Castle asked as they were stopping at the lobby.
"We're going to, to celebrate," Skye said with a smile as they stepped out of the car. They started to laugh together and then began making their way to the restaurant before Beckett was asking about their plans for after.
"Are you going to a bar after?" she inquired.
"No, since we're leaving and they have their flights I think it's better if we just go back to our rooms," Skye replied. She paused mid-step and then said, "I guess I should correct myself and say that Mary and I will go to our room. What they'll do and you two I don't know."
"We'll probably go back to our room too," Beckett said with a smile as she saw her husband was looking questioningly at her. "I really don't want to be tired when my cousins have been waiting for us to arrive."
"No, I agree," Mary said, nodding her head before they reached the entrance to the restaurant.
"Where are we sitting?" Castle asked after they'd given their name and were walking through the tables.
"Private dining," Skye said. "I told you didn't I Kate?"
"You did, but I thought it was the menu," Beckett replied.
"Oh," Skye said as they entered their room. "I should have been more specific, sorry."
"Don't worry," Beckett said quickly. "It doesn't matter, it's just a surprise."
Skye nodded before she turned her attention to Jackie and her husband Gabriel who were being led over to them.
Since Raj and Barry weren't far behind the couple they were greeting each other before they were sitting together around the long table in the room.
"Too bad we weren't thirteen," Barry commented once they'd ordered their drinks.
"You've heard about Kaspar too?" Castle asked the drummer.
"We all have," Jackie said with a smile at Skye.
"Hey, I told you all that because it was an interesting story," the investigator said in mock defense.
"It is," Mary said as she took her wife's hand. "But a little grim."
"We are eating at Kaspar's," Gabriel commented.
"Then let's say sláinte to the cat," Skye said, picking up her wine glass that had been set in front of her as they'd been talking. After they'd raised their glasses and said the toast she tapped her glass to her wife's and then Beckett's before she said, "And to our adventures at Abbey Road."
"And the band," Castle said quickly.
After they'd all agreed and said sláinte, the group started to laugh before their amuse bouche course was served. They talked about their time in London; Castle and Beckett having more to speak about since they'd gone more places; and then Skye started to speak as she frowned at two of them.
"Raj, Barry," she told the two men. "What's wrong?"
"No," the pianist said quickly. "We managed to move around some appointments today and… called your cousin," Raj said to Beckett. "And we're going too."
"Great news," Mary said. "And you two?" she said as they all looked at Jackie and Gabriel.
Laughing the former said, "We just got word from our respective jobs before we came. But…" before she trailed off, looking at Beckett.
"Call him, you do have his number," she was quick to reply. Beckett then said, "He definitely has room for you."
"And Paul's going isn't he?" Gabriel asked.
"He is," Skye said with a nod. "It should be a lot of fun."
"What?" Beckett asked in confusion as the investigator looked at her.
"As long as you two don't catch a case," Skye said, pointing to them though she was smiling shortly after.
"I highly doubt it," Castle said, shaking his head. "We're in a different country and on vacation."
"So you say, we were on vacation last time," Skye pointed out.
"That's a really weird logic," Jackie commented.
"She's right, that would mean any time you're on vacation you'll get a case," Raj said.
"It happens," Skye aid simply before her wife was rolling her eyes. She laughed and then told everyone, "I'm only kidding. I'm hoping it's a full vacation since their home is great."
"You've said," Barry commented. "And we believe you."
"There's no need to sell it," Raj said jokingly.
The table laughed at the face Skye made before their plates were taken away and their intermediate ones were brought shortly after.
When they were alone Castle couldn't help commenting, "No one ordered the caviar."
"I've never liked it," Mary said first.
As the others shook their heads in agreement with the doctor Beckett turned to her husband and said, "And you?"
"I agree with Mary," Castle said, nodding to the doctor. "It's too salty for me." He then realized that the others were looking at him and he asked, "What now?"
"It's strange," Skye said as Beckett looked at her. "You've been around that a lot haven't you?"
"Sure, but that doesn't mean I ate it," Castle said after he'd eaten some of the prawns he had for that course. "You didn't want to ask me?"
"I wasn't sure how to word it," Beckett said.
"My wife didn't want to insult me," Castle said to the others. He wasn't surprised when the others murmured they understood and he smiled at his wife before his next bite finished his plate. "I'm hoping the main dish is a little bigger," he couldn't help commenting.
"We did get sides with them," Barry reminded him before the two waiters came in for their dishes.
After they'd had their palate cleanser course the group was served what was called the principal dish and they were silent as they were working on it before Jackie was talking to Castle and Beckett.
"What's the town like they're near?" the guitarist asked.
"It's quaint," Beckett replied. "There isn't all that much there."
"Pubs?" Barry asked quickly.
After they'd stopped laughing, Beckett nodded and cut a piece of her halibut before she said, "Three of them, there used to be four but Clara said the owner retired and their daughter didn't want to keep going with it."
"They didn't try to sell it?" Raj said.
"I think she said they tried to but no one took it," Castle said as he looked at his wife to confirm that.
"She did," Beckett said, nodding a few times. "But the other three are nice and they have great food."
"That's what Clara said," Skye stated.
"It is," Beckett answered with a smile. She then got some food on her plate and ate with the others in silence as they finished their dishes. Once their table was clear she then asked the band, "Are you guys going to perform at all?"
"I don't know," Skye said thoughtfully first, looking at her fellow band members.
"You said you sang last time you went to a ball here," Raj commented.
"You can ask Brennan and Clara," Beckett said, not surprised when the band looked at her. "But they'd be fine with it."
"Alright, we'll have to see what exactly they'd like," Skye said thoughtfully.
"DJ?" Jackie asked. At the investigator's nod she then said, "What kind of music did they play?"
"A mix of modern and older music," Skye answered. "So I suppose we could do a few different singers."
"What about Paul?" Castle couldn't help asking.
"That I'd have to talk to him about," Skye said with a smile. "He may do it… though I get the feeling to tease me he'll have us take care of the performances."
"Which you do enjoy," Beckett couldn't help pointing out. She laughed slightly when Skye made a face at her before they were being served dessert and she said to the investigator, "Did you manage to see the tea shop at all?"
"Yesterday," Mary answered as her wife was eating her pear clafoutis dessert.
"Did you?" Skye asked.
"We went before the spa," Beckett replied. "We only got one set; I thought there'd be more."
"It'll be good though," Skye said. "They make it there," she added before Raj and Barry were groaning playfully. "Oh, don't start," she told the two in mock annoyance.
"They joke about where the best tea is made," Mary said to Castle and Beckett. She glanced at the three and said, "And if you couldn't tell that argument doesn't last for all that long."
After the three had stopped laughing the group started to get up from the table as they'd finished their small portions of desserts. They agreed to meet at the train station the next day and then started to leave the restaurant. Castle took Beckett's arm to stop her from walking too far from the entrance and waited for the others to get far enough away before he spoke.
"Would you want to get a drink?" he asked her. "We have time and…"
"A non-alcoholic one," Beckett replied. She smiled when her husband looked momentarily startled before she said, "I looked at the menu when we were there."
"That's true," Castle said as he was recalling. "That's fine with me."
"You know," Beckett said as they were walking again. Since he'd taken her hand she gently tugged on his and continued with, "You can get a cocktail if you want."
"I'd like to have a clear head," Castle replied. When his wife opened her mouth to speak he quickly told her, "I know it won't affect me but I don't really need it. Or want it."
"Did you see the full menu when we were there the other night?" Beckett asked. When her husband shook his head she said, "Then just promise me you'll get whatever you want if you don't like the non-alcoholic selection."
"There wasn't much," Castle stated instead of asking. When his wife nodded he said, "Okay." They started walking again and he said, "Want to bet that we'll be the only ones from the dinner party there?"
"No, I already know," Beckett said. "Skye looked tired; for all they said they were resting; Raj and Barry looked ready to leave and Jackie and Gabriel need to get in touch with Brennan."
"And us?" Castle asked.
"You're the one who said we had time," Beckett replied easily.
"Touché," Castle said. He smiled when his wife rolled her eyes and he then walked with her to the bar where they were let inside quickly. They were on their own since the bar wasn't that crowded and he looked at the menu first before he said, "I think the one that looks the best is the Transparency one."
Taking the menu from him, Beckett read the ingredients and she nodded before she let him order for them once a waiter came to where they were sitting.
"When do they want the pictures?" Castle asked after they were alone again.
"Soon, luckily they're letting me get to White Mount before I worry about getting them onto a laptop," Beckett replied. "And I have to remember to e-mail the group picture to everyone."
"Why was I in that picture?" Castle asked.
"Why are you asking?" Beckett said in amusement. "That's so unlike you."
Pointing at her, and doing his best not to smile, Castle then said, "When we first met."
Smiling herself, Beckett nodded and then answered his question saying, "They did know who we were."
"Still, I had… little to do in the studio," Castle said.
"It's a little late to take it back," Beckett said. "And Nancy was there too. And Giles." She made a face briefly and then said, "I'm just glad I could get the camera far enough away to get us all in the shot."
"You're a professional," Castle said.
Since the waiter was bringing their drinks, Beckett merely wrinkled her nose at her husband before they were picking up their cups. "Sláinte?" she asked him.
"Sláinte," Castle said with a nod before they tapped them together and sipped. When they stopped he was about to ask her why she wasn't going to admit she was a professional, but she was talking before he had the chance to speak.
"I don't think you can really call me a professional," Beckett told him. "Since I didn't let Paul pay me."
"And I'm going to point out that in a way he did," Castle replied swiftly. "He did donate money in our name to charity."
"Yes," Beckett said with a smile. "In our name." She couldn't help laughing softly as her husband looked up; pretending to contemplate that; before she said, "I really don't care though Rick, I'm happy just taking the shots."
Castle nodded and said, "But he'd say that you were a professional if you asked. And Skye… and Mary and…"
"Okay, okay," Beckett said, laughing again as she knew her husband was saying that to make her laugh intentionally. "Now though I think we should finish."
Looking at his watch, Castle saw the time and he nodded before they were finishing up their drinks since their glasses had been small. He left money for the drinks and a tip and they left, taking his wife's hand as they walked.
"I wanted to leave a little sooner to change," Beckett told him once they were in an elevator car.
"I had a feeling," Castle said. "Luckily we're packed."
Beckett smiled and nodded before she stepped out of the car first since they'd stopped at their car. Inside their suite she was first into the bedroom before she was grabbing her pajamas and then reaching for her robe. After she had it closed she said to her husband, "Teeth?"
"Go ahead," Castle said. When she just stared at him he said, "Oh, you meant me too."
Rolling her eyes, Beckett went into the bathroom and started to brush her teeth before her husband joined her. As soon as she'd finished she was reaching for her phone, texting her father hurriedly.
"They're ready?" Castle asked when her text alert sounded shortly after that.
"They are," Beckett replied before they hurried over to the living room.
After he had set the Skype connection up Castle sat with his wife and the blue screen changed to Eliza who was close to the web cam, making them laugh.
"Eliza," Beckett said, fighting through her laughter. "Step back so we can see everyone."
"Sorry," the little girl said with a smile. Eliza hurried to sit with Julia and Josie on the couch and she said, "Hi Mommy, Daddy."
"Hi sweetie, I guess you're happy," Beckett said teasingly.
"Yeah," Eliza replied, nodding her head rapidly. She then giggled with Julia as Josie suddenly squealed.
"Think she hears you Mom?" Julia asked.
"She might," Beckett said before she looked at her husband.
"Hey girls," Castle said quickly. "And you too Josie," Castle said as she was squealing again before gurgling. "How was your day?"
"Good," Julia said before she was looking at her sister again.
"Oh… is it my turn?" Eliza asked. When her big sister nodded she told their parents about her day at school, stopping at the dance class before listening to Julia talk about hers. "It was fun," she said after they'd talked about the dance class together.
"It does sound like it was," Beckett replied. "And tomorrow?"
"The Foxtrot," Julia said. "Which is weird since she said we were going to practice something else." She then saw the glance and smile that her parents exchanged and was about to ask what was going on when her father spoke first.
"So now I think we can tell you guys about our day," Castle said first. When his wife inclined her head slightly he then said, "I think you should take care of this love; you were in the studio more than I was."
Beckett couldn't help smiling at that; or Eliza's attempt to smother her giggle; and she talked about their time in the studio from getting to Abbey Road until she and Castle left. "Paul and Nancy both said hello to all of you," she finished with, smiling at Julia.
"Did you tell him-" the girl started to say.
"We did," Castle said.
"Did you show him pictures of Josa?" Eliza asked then.
"We did," Castle said. "And yes they loved her eyes."
"That's not why she asked Dad," Julia said with a smile as her little sister was beaming at her. "She thought you might think that but we wanted everyone to see her eyes are their real color now."
"Oh, I should have realized," Castle said before he looked at his wife. "I wasn't fishing."
"I know," Beckett replied with a nod, taking his hand.
"So… Brian and Roger," Julia said slowly, wondering if it was okay for her to use those names. "They were nice."
"Incredibly nice," Castle said.
"Do they get along with Skye?" Jim asked.
"With the entire band," Beckett answered. "Yeah, they seem to be impressed with Skye's bass skills since she played a little of Don't Stop Me Now so they could see."
"Did you video tape it?" Julia asked eagerly.
"I did a bit here and there," Castle said when his wife turned to him. "And I filmed everyone singing their Hoedowns."
"When can we see?" Martha asked.
Smiling Beckett said, "It's easiest to just show you when you're here."
"I'll connect my phone to a TV and if everyone's okay with it we'll all watch it," Castle said. "Now… Julia."
"What?" the girl asked, startled.
Beckett smiled again; since her husband had squeezed her hand; and she said, "We were asked something by the two."
"About… me?" Julia asked in confusion.
"Yes, they decided they wanted to have the song You're My Best Friend in the concert," Beckett began. "And they want you and Peter to dance the Foxtrot to it."
"Two dances?" Eliza asked eagerly. When their parents nodded she turned to her sister and hugged her; carefully as Josie was laughing; and said, "You get to be on TV again!"
"No," Julia said, a smile going across her face. "I get to dance to two really good songs." She shook herself and then said, "I mean we get to." She turned her attention back to the TV and said, "Have you talked to Peter's mother at all?"
"We did," Beckett replied with a nod.
"After Brian and Roger asked us about a second dance," Castle said. "And she's agreed; she's probably telling him about it right now."
"I can't wait," Julia said, smiling widely. She shook herself again and then said, "Tell us about the rest of your day since there was more than that," smiling once more at her parents before they laughed briefly together.
"You're right," Beckett said. "Your dad got us a massage at the spa and then we got manicures with Skye and Mary."
"And by then it was later… wait," Castle said before he turned to his wife. "You forgot about packing before we went to the spa."
"There wasn't really much to talk about with that," Beckett said with a smile. "But what he was going to say is that when we got to the room after the spa it was time to get ready for dinner." Talking about their meal with the band took a little longer, since Castle wanted to explain the story about the carved cat the restaurant was named after.
"Were there thirteen of you?" Eliza asked in slight concern.
"No, eight," Beckett said soothingly.
"But I did take a picture of the cat since they have it out," Castle added. "And then we had a drink at one of the bars and came up here to get ready for bed and to talk to you."
"I miss you Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said suddenly.
"Don't worry," Beckett told her. "Friday will get here soon."
"I'm glad we're not leaving until later on Monday," Julia commented then, looking at her little sister.
"Me too," Eliza said seriously.
"I think we should let you guys go," Beckett said. "Do you have homework?"
"They both do," Jim replied.
"Are you going anywhere for dinner?" Castle asked his mother and father in law.
"No, we'll have it here," Martha answered. "But we need to start it of course."
"Then we'll say goodnight," Beckett said. "I love you girls."
"Love you Mommy!" "I love you too Mom," Eliza and then Julia said before Josie laughed.
"She said I love you too," Eliza said seriously.
Laughing softly, Beckett nodded and then said, "Goodnight and we'll call you tomorrow."
"Actually," Martha said then. "We were going to take them to the family fun center."
Knowing their parents were going to do that so their daughters wouldn't dwell on missing them, Castle said, "That's fine, as long as their homework is finished by the time you need to go."
"It will be," Julia said seriously.
"Great, I love you too girls," Castle said to the three, smiling when they told him they loved him before Josie was smiling at the screen.
"We'll talk to you on Wednesday," Beckett said, addressing that to all of them. "Goodnight."
"Night," Castle said quickly before the four were saying the same. After he closed the connection he turned to his wife before she was suddenly speaking.
"We should call Alexis since she wasn't there," Beckett started to say. "Well… call her first before we talk to her."
"True," Castle replied with a nod before he was getting his phone out of his pocket. After he heard back from his daughter he smiled and said, "She's ready but they're going to the house for dinner so we'll have to make it quick."
"Sure," Beckett said before turning her attention to the screen.
"Hey Dad, Ma," Alexis said once she saw her parents on her laptop screen.
"Hey, how're you doing?" Castle said.
"Good, tired but really good," Alexis replied.
"Is Louis talking with his family?" Beckett asked.
"He is, very quickly which we're not happy about doing," Alexis said apologetically. "But I need to help Grandpapa make dinner; Gram and Louis are going to watch the girls."
"That's fine, do you want to tell us about your day?" Beckett said.
"No, just tell me about how it went at the studio," Alexis replied.
Castle started; though he'd tried to look at his wife to encourage her; and he was soon joined with her before they had finished. "And the two asked if your sister and Peter could dance a Foxtrot to You're My Best Friend."
"Oh great," Alexis said with a smile. "I can't wait to get to see that. But it sounds like you had a great day with the dinner."
"It was fun," Castle said. "Even though the portions were way too small."
"You knew they were going to be already love," Beckett said with a smile.
"True," Castle replied. He then glanced at his watch and making a quick exchange for the time he said, "We have to let you go don't we?"
"You kind of do," Alexis replied. "But tomorrow?"
"Your grandparents want to take the girls to the family fun center," Castle said.
"They'll probably want to take you guys too," Beckett added. "So we'll talk to you again on Wednesday."
"Okay, have a great trip and say hi to the McColloughs for me," Alexis told them. When her parents told her they would she smiled and said, "I love you Dad, Ma, night."
"We love you too Alexis," Castle said.
"Have a great day tomorrow," Beckett added. Once she and Castle had said goodnight to their oldest she watched him disconnect the tablet and said, "Are you feeling the same as I am right now?"
"That I wish we could have taken them to the center ourselves?" Castle asked. When his wife nodded he said, "I guess that means we'll take them when we get back."
"Why am I not surprised you said that?" Beckett said with a smile. She leaned over and kissed his cheek before telling him, "Let's go to bed."
"Yeah," Castle said, getting up quickly with her before they went into the bedroom. While his wife was moving onto the bed he packed his tablet and the wires with it before he went over to her. Beckett glanced up at him as he was removing his robe but he didn't say anything as he got on the bed, climbing over her legs as she laughed. He felt her slapping his ass lightly in passing and when he was sitting on his side he was going to teasingly ask her why she'd done that before she spoke first.
"You deserve that for climbing over me," Beckett told him though she was smiling. "And I think you were asking me for it."
"Not really," Castle replied. "But thank you."
"Pervert," Beckett said with a smile. "You better tell me what you want to tell me."
"You could tell?" Castle asked, though he wasn't surprised she had.
"Of course," Beckett replied easily.
"It's a memory I should have told you before but I'm just now remembering," Castle replied. "When Josie was born."
"That's true," Beckett said. "I forgot about that day."
Nodding his head briefly Castle said, "Me too, she took up all our attention." When his wife shook her head with a smile he wrapped his arm around her and then said, "It was February twenty-eighth in 1930 and…"
"Go ahead," Beckett told him with a smile as she knew what he wanted to say.
"Okay, then Julia was getting close to turning eight," Castle began. "Eliza was going to turn three later that year and Alexis was going to be two later as well. I had managed to be there with you that time when your water broke-"
"You were with me when Eliza was born," Beckett interrupted him.
"I wasn't finished," Castle said quickly. "And I stayed with you since I got you upstairs." When she nodded he leaned over and brushed his lips to hers before he pulled back and continued saying, "Your mom was with us so we helped you change into a nightgown and your sister, Mary and Patrick were there too. They took care of the girls though Skye was joining us very shortly after."
"Here," Johanna said, giving the moistened washcloth to her son in law. "You'll be alright Katie."
"I know Ma," she was able to say, breathing a little hard from her last contraction.
"The doctor is here," Rose said as she entered the room, letting the doctor and nurse in after her.
"Good afternoon Mrs. O'Donovan," the man said, setting his bag on the dresser. "I'll prepare and then see how you're doing."
"You're doing swell love," Rick told his wife as the doctor went into the bathroom with the nurse following. "They'll be right back."
"She wants to be born," Kate said suddenly.
"Doctor," Johanna said, having pulled her daughter's nightgown up and out of the way with her help.
Rick was a little shocked with how quickly things went after that point, the doctor validating what his wife had said. It seemed like a blink of an eye; though he knew his wife wasn't going to agree to that; before the baby's head was crowning and after another push moving into the doctor's arms.
"It's a girl," the doctor told the parents as he and his nurse were hurrying to cut the cord and clean the squalling newborn.
"Another baby girl love," Rick told his wife happily, kissing her forehead before he mopped it tenderly.
"I know," Kate breathed before she focused on the last of the birthing process. When the afterbirth was finally over she let her husband and sister help her sitting up before she and Rick watched the baby being brought over by the nurse.
"Congratulations," the woman said with a smile before setting the baby into Beckett's arms.
"Rick, she's so beautiful," Kate whispered lovingly as they were staring at their baby; not even noticing that the others were leaving the room.
"She is," Rick replied with a nod before he leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of the baby's head. "Just like her ma."
Smiling at that, Kate said, "Should we name her?"
"I think so," Rick replied. When his wife didn't say anything to that he looked from the baby to her and asked, "You wouldn't want to name her?"
"You don't have any names?" Kate said in response.
"Not for her first name," Rick said seriously.
Biting at her lower lip as she was smiling, Kate then said, "I would like to name her Josephine."
"Josephine," Rick breathed as he reached down and cupped the back of the baby's head. "Our little empress."
Kate smiled fully before she said, "And her middle name?"
"Marguerite," Rick said swiftly.
Smiling again Kate said, "It's perfect," before he was leaning down to her and they began to kiss.
Once they'd parted Rick looked down at the baby who appeared to be staring at them and he said, "Your sisters will love you Josephine."
"I think her sisters are coming now," Kate said, smiling as they could hear footsteps on the first flight of stairs outside.
Rick quickly kissed her before he went to the door and opened it for the girls as Julia hurried inside with Alexandra in her arms and Elizabeth toddling behind her. "Did she come up the stairs?" he asked his sister in law as Rose was in the hall.
"No, I set her there," the woman replied quickly as she walked over from the main staircase. "I was just making sure Ma was coming up, she is."
"Mary and Patrick?" Rick asked, looking back into the room to make sure the girls were okay.
"In a bit," Rose said before she and Johanna were walking down the hall.
"Here," Rick said, going to Julia and taking Alexandra.
"Can we hold the baby?" the little girl asked hopefully.
"In a bit," Rick said. "I suppose we should tell you her name."
"Oh, you've named her?" Johanna asked.
"Of course Ma, we have to tell the doctor before we go," Kate said with a smile. "And we've decided to name her Josephine Marguerite."
Rose laughed briefly before she said, "I suppose someone needed to use a flower name."
"I…" Rick started to say before he frowned. "Oh, it wasn't because of you," he said with a laugh as his sister in law smiled at him. "I've come across the name before in books and I've always liked that one."
"It is beautiful," Johanna said, moving to the bed before her daughter was speaking.
"Let Rick take her," Kate replied. "He hasn't had a chance yet."
"Of course," Johanna said as she nodded to her son in law.
Leaning over, Rick took Josephine into his arms and sat on the edge of the bed while the girls hurried to gather around him.
"No Alexandra!" Julia said worriedly as the toddler was reaching to their baby sister. "You have to be careful with the baby."
"Mama," Alexandra immediately said.
"Help her up," Kate said to her sister.
Nodding, Rose went to the toddler and picked her up as well as Elizabeth before Julia was suddenly moving to join her sisters. She smiled and then looked at the baby in her brother in law's arms and said, "She's a cutie pie."
"She is," Kate said after she had hugged her three older daughters. "You'll have to have them come up to meet their new niece."
"Soon," Rose said as she was watching their mother taking the baby. She smiled at her twin as they heard Johanna murmuring a blessing in Irish over Josephine and waited for her turn to hold the baby.
After Johanna had given the baby back to her, Kate said to Julia, "Want to hold her?"
"Yes please," the little girl said eagerly. She sat next to her mother and then held her arms in the way she'd held her little sisters before Josephine was placed there. She giggled softly when Elizabeth and Alexandra moved to peer at the baby until their father was taking the former into his arms.
"Here," Kate said with a smile, taking Josephine. She watched as the others were leaving them with the baby and then said to her husband as soon as they were alone, "Come here love."
"Of course," Rick replied, hurrying over to the side of the bed. Since he didn't know how long they had he moved to sit next to his wife and he was leaning over, kissing her deeply before she was responding to him. They took that moment they had to share numerous kisses, only stopping when they had to as the rest of their family was joining them and welcoming their newest edition.
"It was a nice day," Beckett commented. "Her birth was a lot faster than her sisters'."
"It was," Castle said. "Though you realize we didn't know until way after the fact."
"I'm aware," Beckett said with a slight smile. "Because how would I really know how long I was in labor."
"Excellent point," Castle said before he was kissing his wife's temple when she laughed slightly. He then said, "But we were happy, four kids and they were all very healthy and happy."
"Of course," Beckett replied, nodding slightly. "And they are now but…"
"I know, I shouldn't have said it but it came to me," Castle said. "And I'm missing her like crazy. All of them."
"Yeah, we should probably get to bed," Beckett said. "Wait," she said, pressing her fingers to his lips before he could say anything. "I know what I said and you know that was an honest mistake."
"And I know that you miss them too; it's why you said that," Castle replied as he carefully pulled her hand away.
Beckett nodded before she smiled and waited for her husband to lean down to her before they were kissing one another deeply. She wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could while his tongue was gently dipping into her mouth and they tangled together until they needed to part which they slowly did. She found herself smiling again as her husband was nuzzling around her jaw with his lips and she murmured, "Easy love."
"I know, but it's insanely hard to do that," Castle replied, moving to lean his forehead against hers. "You're a goddess."
"Hmm," Beckett said as she just barely brushed her lips to his. "Thank you love, but we're traveling tomorrow."
"Okay," Castle said. He was startled then hearing her beginning to laugh and said, "What?"
"You can ask me about tomorrow night," Beckett said.
"I would but we are going to be traveling as you said," Castle replied.
"Let's leave the possibility open," Beckett commented.
"Great," Castle said, wincing a bit inwardly when he realized how enthusiastic his tone was.
Beckett laughed softly and said, "Pervert."
"Of course," Castle said simply before he was kissing her again. He gently slipped his tongue into her mouth but they were parting soon after they'd started and he said, "Night my love."
"Night," Beckett said with a smile. They shared one more kiss; quickly; before she told him, "I love you Rick."
"I love you too Kate," Castle said. After they'd brushed their lips against each other he hurried to lay down and held out his arm before she was moving to lay against his side.
Castle and Beckett were silent then, wanting to get some sleep, but they couldn't help thinking of their time at White Mount. Though they knew they weren't going to be alone they were eager to spend what time they could in their room at the manor on their own and they let that thought influence their dreams as they slept deeply pressed close to one another through the night.