"It's amazing you would still help the police even when you're obviously on vacation," Mr. Elliston said as they were sitting at the dinner table.
"We seem to feel the need to help if we can," Beckett said, smiling at the man. They were just starting the meal and the couple was sitting across the table that night. Unfortunately their son was next to his mother and he'd been watching her often to hers and Castle's annoyance. "Which I'm sure you can understand."
"Of course, of course," Elliston replied. "Something to commend you both about and I'm sure the police appreciates the assistance."
"It's dreadful though," Esther said. "Someone attacking the elderly. I do hope they'll find whoever's doing this."
"I'm sure they will Mum," Brenton said. "With the extra help they have…"
Castle was clutching at his fork and knife so tightly he wasn't surprised to find his knuckles were white when his wife touched his hand. He looked at her and seeing her expression he did his best to calm down before he breathed out to set down his utensils. Drinking from his cup of wine he idly listened to the conversation around the table as he tried to ignore the man who continued to eye his wife. Fortunately thinking about their time after he'd related Julia's second birthday in their past life helped and he was able to get through the meal before they were getting up and splitting up.
"Come on," Beckett said, pulling her husband to the family room.
"What about-" Castle started to say.
"They're playing cards," Beckett replied.
When they reached the room Castle saw they were alone and he looked at his wife in confusion.
"I told Brennan and Clara to join us after they put Arthur and Ella to bed," Beckett explained with a smile at him. She leaned over and kissed him gently before she said, "You owe me another you know."
"I realize that," Castle said. "But it's not going to take me that long to tell it. Let me correct myself, I won't take that long since I don't really want to tell them too." He paused and then asked, "Does that sound selfish?"
"No," Beckett replied. "I do understand. And since we don't want to waste time, what do you have?"
"You always have to order me around," Castle said in a mock-annoyed tone. He laughed when she pushed him aside lightly before she spoke.
"You love it," Beckett told him teasingly.
"I do," Castle said before they leaned into one another and kissed briefly before he cupped her face with his hand. "I love you," he murmured to her.
"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied with a smile. When they kissed again she wasn't surprised when he was a little rougher but they soon after parted. She expected him to start but was startled as he was pulling her hand up to his lips and speaking at the same time.
"It's my fortieth birthday," Castle told her. "In 1939 of course and we were doing well financially."
Nodding Beckett then said, "The girls?"
"I wanted to talk about the morning," Castle told her slightly hesitantly.
"Alright, but I would like to hear about when we were with them," Beckett told him.
"I will, when we have more time," Castle replied. "I'd been a little uneasy about turning forty since you looked amazing still." He knew his wife wanted to speak but he continued saying, "And of course you knew which I found out when you woke me up that morning."
Feeling something against his forehead, Rick reached up and brushed it away the best he could. But it continued to annoy him and he soon opened his eyes to see that it was his wife.
"Good morning love," Kate told him with a smile. "Happy Birthday."
Smiling himself; though he felt a momentary dip in his stomach at the reminder that he was forty; Rick said, "Morning love; thank you." He pushed himself up and then stared at his wife as she was moving.
"What is it?" Kate asked innocently though she had intended for him to stare at her as he was doing then. She had woken him up by brushing the end of a ribbon against his forehead and she had then used it to tie back her hair.
"You don't really need to do that," Rick said, reaching for her and tugging on the ribbon so her hair was loose again. He then cupped his hand gently on the back of her neck before pulling her close so they could kiss. As her tongue slipped out to brush against his lower lip he was deepening the kiss and pulling her onto his lap.
Kate was gasping while her husband's lips moved away from hers before he went along her jaw. When he started to nibble at her ear lobe she moaned heavily before she realized where his right hand was. "Oh… love, don't," she said gently so he knew she wasn't mad. She brushed her lips to his quickly and said, "Lay down, please," adding the please last as he was looking at her questioningly.
Though he had an idea of what his wife might want Rick did as she asked and lay in the middle of the bed, waiting for her to unbutton his pajama top. Once it was open he nearly gulped at the way his wife was quick to kiss around his chest. Her tongue flicking at one of his nipples made him hiss and his pajama pants suddenly felt too tight. "Kate," he groaned a little helplessly.
Pushing herself up on her knees, Kate studied him and then smiled before she reached for the straps of her nightgown, pulling them off her shoulders. Once her breasts were exposed to him she was leaning against his hands as they were reaching up to her. His fingers soon came into play and she was biting at her lower lip as he was focusing on her nipples for a while before he rubbed around her mounds as much as he could. She had to eventually stop him by grabbing his wrists and she told him, "This wasn't about me love."
"I wouldn't care if it were," Rick said huskily as she was removing her nightgown completely. He was ready to take off his own clothes but she was moving, laying directly on top of him before she gently rubbed her breasts against his bare chest.
Kate loved the way her husband was cursing in Irish before she stopped herself and cupped his face with her hands. "Something's wrong Rick," she told him, feigning seriousness the best she could as she wasn't unaffected herself.
"What is it my love?" he asked her, surprised that he could speak.
Wriggling her hips and hearing her husband groaning heavily Kate told him, "Something's awfully hard." She leaned over and brushed her lips to his before she pulled away and said, "I should check," waiting to see if he'd reply to that.
"You should," Rick said, his voice laden with his eagerness.
Kate bit her lip to stop a smile from forming and she then moved to get off him, sitting on her knees next to him. She reached for the bulge in his pajama bottoms and cupped over it for a moment before she reached for the waistband to get them off.
Rick was a little irritated with himself for not going to bed the night before nude, but with his help his wife soon had everything off him. He watched her cupping underneath his length and hissed heavily before she was moving again. "Kate-" he started to say before she was taking his member in her mouth. That was all he could say as she was bobbing her head up and down on him and he lost himself in her ministrations which seemed to last for ages until finally he broke, hoping she had enjoyed doing it for him before he was lost to what he was feeling.
When she had pulled away from him, making sure he was clean as was her wont, Kate sat up again and said, "That wasn't just for your birthday."
"Sheba," Rick breathed out as he reached for her, pulling her to him. He kissed her deeply, feeling his still rigid erection pressed in between their bodies. He wanted more but focused on making sure she knew how much he had enjoyed that before they had to part from the numerous kisses they ended up sharing. "I'm so happy you enjoy that love," he told her as he stared into her eyes.
"Enjoy what?" Kate said.
Nearly letting out a growl as he knew what she was goading him to say, Rick crushed his lips to hers until they needed to breathe again and he told her, "My cock." When she nodded rapidly; though briefly; he groaned in pleasure. When he kissed her that time he was moving them so she was on her back and when they had stopped he told her, "This is a swell birthday love."
"We've only begun love," Kate told him before she smiled.
Rick leaned down and kissed his wife hungrily, slipping his tongue into her mouth to taste her for as long as he could before he turned his attention to giving her the pleasure she deserved.
"I'm surprised at you," Beckett said with a smile.
"I'm fine," Castle said quickly, knowing what she meant. "If I'd continued then it would be a problem."
Beckett shook her head, still smiling, before she grew serious and asked, "We spent the rest of the day with the girls didn't we?"
"We did," Castle replied. He reached for her hand and then said, "I still miss them."
"Me too," Beckett said. "We'll talk to them soon. But for now…" she couldn't help smiling when he looked confused before her husband could hear the footsteps approaching the room. Before her cousin and Clara could walk in she couldn't help checking the time on her watch, trying not to sigh when she saw how long was left. But she knew that talking with the couple that were walking in would take some time and she prepared herself for telling them more about what they'd discovered that day before they could finally get in contact with their family.
"Don't run!" Castle and Beckett said at the same time.
Eliza giggled and then slowed down as she went over to the coffee table where her sister was sitting and said, "Sorry, I was getting water and I heard you talking to Jules."
"Where's Alexis?" Castle asked.
"Leave them be Richard," Martha told her son, sitting on the couch behind the girls. "They went out for dinner."
"I will, now I know they're out," Castle replied. "How're you guys doing?"
"What about your case?" Julia asked.
"We'll tell you once we hear about your day at school," Beckett said easily.
"Am I first?" Julia said as she saw her little sister was looking at her. She couldn't help laughing when she saw that Josie had turned to her too and then started to talk about what she'd done that day. "But I'm getting annoyed," she confessed when she'd finished.
"The days are going too slowly?" Castle asked.
When the girl nodded Beckett said, "You're coming in tomorrow afternoon remember."
"Still," Julia and Eliza said at the same time. They laughed with their parents before the former was talking about her day. They both spoke about what they did during their dance class and once they had finished they looked at their parents expectantly who were soon telling them about what they'd done with the case.
"What if you don't finish tomorrow in time to get us?" Julia asked worriedly.
"We'll still come out to London, no matter what," Beckett told both girls firmly as Eliza looked concerned as well.
"Even if you haven't found the attacker?" Jim asked.
"Even then," Castle said with a nod. "Are you going to tell them?" he asked his wife in Irish.
Hearing their middle daughters asking what happened Beckett glanced at her husband before she said, "Paul heard from Stella this afternoon; she's going to have to wait until Saturday for the photoshoot so hopefully you won't mind coming straight back to the manor."
"I won't!" Eliza said eagerly. "We get to see it?"
"If Stella says it's okay," Beckett replied. "Then yes."
"Cool, we will," Julia said reassuringly to her little sister. "She's nice."
"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding.
"Okay, there is one thing I'm wondering," Beckett said, trying not to smile at the sisters' conversation. "Josie was fine?"
"It was the usual for her," Jim said with a nod.
Seeing her mother starting at her father Julia asked, "What is it now?"
"I've been telling your mother some memories since we got back from helping the police. Would you like to hear one? I waited to tell you too," Castle said.
Laughing as Martha and Jim were trying to calm down the two girls as they were exclaiming they did Beckett said, "Okay, he'll tell you and then you need to go. Remember you need to go early tomorrow to fly."
"I remember, but I wanna hear too," Eliza said.
"Good, since you're in it," Castle said. "It was in 1942 and-"
"I wasn't there huh?" Julia asked. "I was in the WASPs?"
"Since you were twenty yes," Castle answered. He saw Eliza was raising her hand and he asked, "Would you like to know the rest of your ages?" At her rapid nod he then said, "You were almost fifteen so you were still at home of course, Alexis was almost fourteen and Josie there was twelve. It was on May twenty-second which was a Friday and I'd been away from home for four days, in Seattle to help with the war effort." He then began the actual memory by telling them what had happened when their mother had brought the three of them home from school that afternoon.
"Here's the mail Ma," Elizabeth said, giving it to her mother as they'd walked up to the house. "A letter from Julia."
"Good, I was hoping for some word from your sister," Kate replied, seeing her daughter's elegant hand on the envelope.
"What about Da? When will he come home?" Josephine asked.
"I'm not sure yet honey," Kate said reassuringly. "He may have needed to stay at the Presidio once his plane returned." She wasn't surprised when all three of her daughters groaned in annoyance and smiled briefly before she shook herself of her thoughts. She knew if she dwelled on the idea of her husband she would recall how much she missed him and had been since he'd left. She shook herself and walked after them down the driveway so they could go around to the back of the house. She unlocked the door and let her daughters enter first, telling them to take off their hats before she got her own off and carried it through the kitchen to reach the entry. "Take them up to your rooms directly girls," she said to her daughters who had trailed behind her.
"Ma," Alexandra said.
Turning, Kate saw what the three were looking at and she sucked in a breath of air as she recognized fabric being her husband's Army coat. She turned to the stairs to call out to him when she heard footsteps coming down them.
"Oh… hello, you got back sooner than I thought," Rick said, smiling at his wife and their daughters.
"Da!" the three cried before they ran over to him.
Hurrying to step down from the last step, Rick wrapped his arms around his daughters once they'd reached him. "I missed you as well," he told them as they were saying that. "And I've heard from your sister myself," he said as Alexandra mentioned the letter. "She sent a letter to me through the Army, but a lot of it was censored so I hope this letter will be much clearer," he said before they were letting them go. When he turned his attention to his wife he said, "Hello love."
Kate walked swiftly over to him and threw her arms around him tightly, embracing him before she felt him doing the same to her. She pressed her face against his neck before he was caressing the back of her head, making her tilt up to him. Though she couldn't forget their daughters were there she took his kiss and held him tighter before they were slowly parting. "I guess it's not a surprise that I've missed you," she told him.
"It isn't, and I missed you and I'm glad to be home," Rick told her. When she nodded he couldn't help it and leaned down, kissing her again though far quicker than the last. He reluctantly let her go before he then said, "I suppose I should hang up my coat."
"You did that on purpose Da," Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Why would I do that?" Rick said in mock surprise.
"So we'd know you were here!" Josephine said, wrapping her arms around him.
"They figured me out," Rick told his wife.
"You're a sap love," Kate said affectionately.
Rick merely shrugged at that before he went to get the coat to hang it in the entry closet before he said, "I'll need to return on Monday, we should head up to Mt. Tam tomorrow and have a picnic."
"Is it fair to do that?" Alexandra asked.
"I know your sister would tell you to go, she's busy working for the war," Kate said, putting her hat into the closet after her husband had moved. She then turned to her husband and said, "Are you hungry?"
"I had some food in Seattle before the flight," Rick replied. "But I'd love to help with dinner if you're going to start it."
"The girls have homework," Kate told him, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the three as they were sighing. "Which they'll do now as we start."
"What'll we have love?" Rick asked.
"Anything you'd like," Kate said with a smile as she was washing her hands.
"What about your chicken á la king?" Rick suggested.
Nodding Kate said, "I can make that. What else?"
"I don't know what else you have here," Rick said, speaking quickly as he was washing his hands at that moment.
"We have potatoes, lots and lots of potatoes!" Alexandra said.
Looking at the girl, Kate turned to her husband and said, "I have turnips and I can make some fried hash with that and the potatoes."
"Sounds swell, I have KP duty?" Rick asked.
"Of course," Kate told him with a smile. She wasn't surprised when he saluted her but was when he grabbed her and pulled her to him for a kiss. After they parted she told him, "Fresh, get to work."
"Will you make Da do pushups?" Josephine asked.
"No," Kate replied wryly. "But he'll need to take some laps."
"I should never have told you about my training," Rick said wryly. "How many?"
"Six potatoes and four turnips," Kate replied. She was getting the chicken and they soon prepared the dinner as their daughters were doing homework. When the three had finished they helped when she directed them until it was time to eat and they were washing their hands in turn. "Rick," she said in slight laughter as they were alone in the kitchen by then and he was kissing around her neck as her hair was up.
"I did miss you," he told her seriously. "Might we…"
"Yes, later," Kate told him with a smile. She dried her hands swiftly before they kissed deeply and then turned their attention to going out to the dining room where their three youngest were talking together.
After they'd begun eating Elizabeth asked softly, "How is the effort going Da?"
"I can't say for certain yet," Rick replied. "It's only been five months since we started but we do have a lot of men that are eager to fight for their country."
"Will that help?" Alexandra said.
"I don't know," Rick said honestly. "But as long as we do our part here we'll help all our boys going to Europe and the Pacific."
"You won't need to fight at all Da?" Josephine asked.
"I can't honey," Rick told her gently as he knew the girls were still afraid of that happening. "Luckily I can help."
"You are," Kate said reassuringly as she squeezed his hand. "Keep eating girls," she told them before she turned her attention back to her plate as well.
"Ma, are you going to show Da the dessert we made?" Josephine asked once they were finishing dinner.
"I will," Kate replied. She was about to speak when her husband was touching her arm and she stopped, looking at him.
"Do you have any oranges?" Rick asked.
Nodding, and not surprised he'd seen them in the lean-to, Kate said, "Mr. Valette had a special on them, we'll need to enjoy them with the ration books in use now."
"Will we all have enough to eat Ma?" Elizabeth asked.
"We will," Rick answered for his wife as they stood. "Help us girls," he told them before they started taking everything over to the kitchen. He and Kate washed the dishes, hearing the radio in the living room and their daughters talking and laughing together until they finished. "If they're dancing the Jitterbug…" he said when they were drying off their hands.
"They're dancing," Kate said wryly with a smile while her husband was peeling oranges for them to eat with their dessert. She turned to the cake stand she had on the counter and said, "It's a new recipe I got from Mrs. Peterman. Treasure pudding. And I didn't need to use any sugar which is a relief."
"What did you sweeten it with?" Rick asked.
"Honey," Kate replied with a smile. "I hope it tastes good," she said as she was slicing the bunt cake and putting it on the plates she'd brought from the cabinet. Once everything was ready she got mugs before they were going back to their daughters.
"Do you see Da?" Josephine asked him eagerly. "We all helped Ma."
"She said," Rick replied, though his wife hadn't. "And it looks swell."
"Are we going to eat now?" Alexandra then said.
"What time is it?" Kate asked them.
"It's time for People Are Funny!" Josephine exclaimed, hurrying to their radio.
"Let me," Elizabeth said when her sister was obviously having trouble.
"Girls," Rick said when the two started to argue. "Let me change it; I may have gotten a bit rusty."
Kate shook her head while the girls were giggling; though she was smiling; and she then turned her attention to pouring coffee for her husband and herself. While the radio show was beginning she was stirring in some cream and a tiny amount of sugar before handing him his mug. She was about to apologize for the lack of sweetener as he took a sip when he spoke first.
"I suppose I should be happy to have this here and not a diner in Seattle," Rick said, nodding to his wife. "Though sugar's under ration."
"Maybe we should switch to tea?" Kate suggested.
"Maybe," Rick replied, sipping at his drink again. He leaned back against the couch, wrapping his arm around his wife while they listened to the radio show. When it finished he stood up as Elizabeth was turning it off and said, "Time for all three of you to get ready for bed."
"But Da-" Elizabeth said in protest.
"You as well Elizabeth Cassia," Kate said firmly. She watched as all three girls sighed but they soon went up the stairs and she turned to her husband. "Was everything well on the trip?" she asked him as they sat back down on the couch.
"It was, but… I did try to help some of the families they're moving," Rick said. "Though I barely asked a question and the Staff Sergeant nearly had my head. Said it made me sound like… like I was Japanese."
Sighing Kate said, "Julia's letter."
"I'll get it," Rick told her quickly before he got up and went over to the table by the dining room. He sat back down and asked, "Will you read it to the girls?"
"I will," Kate replied with a smile. They were silent waiting for their daughters and once the three were with them she asked, "Would you like to hear your sister's letter?"
"Oh, please!" Alexandra said first.
"Alright," Kate said in amusement as the other two were clamoring for it. She took the letter her husband had gotten out of the envelope and unfolded it, seeing there were only a few bars over her writing. "It looks like she's learning to write these." She cleared her throat then and started with the opening reading, "Dear Ma, Da, Elizabeth, Alexandra and Josephine."
I'm writing this to you in the room I stay in and feeling awfully homesick. I miss all of you and wish I were home while you read this. But I must help out where I can; just like you Da.
"That's my girl," Rick said proudly though he couldn't help feeling a little emotional missing her.
Kate paused and squeezed her husband's hand as she knew how he was feeling and then turned back to the letter to continue.
I love it here, Aunt Rose would too for all the scenery and food it's very delicious. Of course I'm not eating with all the others all the time so I'm trying everything different. Nothing is very taxing though and I just hope to come home soon.
"That sounds odd," Josephine said with a frown.
"I think she's in Texas," Rick said. "I've heard they're having the WASPs program train there so she's adding that just in case the censors might block that." He then glanced at the letter and asked, "What is there?"
Skipping the blocked words Kate read, "But I suppose the censors won't appreciate what I say there."
So I'll say that I hope you three will spend a lot of time with Ma and Da since I'm not there. Elizabeth please, please take care of the little sisters and make sure Ma doesn't miss Da too terrible while he's away in the city. Alexandra and Josephine, I hope you will pay attention at school and take care of Ma and Da as well. And all of you please pitch in where you can so we can win the war and all come home.
I miss you Ma, Da and I will write as often as I can.
"She signed it, your little girl and big sister, Julia," Kate said with a tearful smile.
"She didn't say much," Josephine said.
"She probably didn't have much time," Rick said. "I imagine she wrote what she could."
"At least she did write," Kate commented as she folded the letter and set it back into the envelope her husband handed her. She then smiled and told the girls, "And now that we've heard from your sister it's time for you to go to bed."
Rick couldn't help laughing as all three girls were complaining but they stood and as they walked after them up the stairs he said to his wife, "I'm so glad to be home." He shared a quick kiss with her and they headed upstairs after their daughters to get them tucked in and sleeping before he and his wife could be alone.
"Even with the case I'm still really happy they're coming tomorrow," Castle commented, looking at the closed door of the closet. "Though what if Mercer gets something?"
"If we're not here then he'll have to talk to Brennan," Beckett said. "I don't know if he really needs our help to be honest."
"That's true," Castle said. "But it is interesting that you don't mind leaving the case."
"It's not our case," Beckett said easily. "And since there isn't much to it I'd rather see the girls."
"Great, we're in agreement," Castle said. He was quiet for a little longer and then asked, "Kate?"
"Yes?" she replied with a smile.
"What're you doing?" Castle asked. "If you're changing for bed-"
"Where are you standing?" Beckett interrupted him.
Startled, it took Castle and moment before he answered saying, "I'm leaning against the wall next to the door."
"Then you need to move, I'm about to step out," Beckett told him.
Castle was quick to stand in front of the door before she was opening and he leaned over to try and see her before she stepped into the bedroom. "Kate," he breathed when she came into the light.
"I feel… very strange right now," Beckett told her husband honestly. "And why I didn't just wear this at home… I'm not sure."
"You look great," Castle told her earnestly as he reached out to her and took her hand.
Beckett smiled as her husband had her turn and then said, "I imagine I wore my hair like this back then; since it was still long."
"It was," Castle said absently, still staring at her.
When her husband continued to hold her hand Beckett was smiling again as she'd had a feeling he'd have that reaction. She had bought her dress online shortly after Christmas, having suddenly searched for a dress that was a style from the fifties. The rich blue fabric and cut of it had screamed to her and she'd purchased it swiftly before she could talk herself out of it. It had short sleeves and a more cinched in waist, the skirt stopping mid-thigh and she noticed her husband was studying the hem before he was suddenly speaking.
"Are you wearing a crinoline?" Castle asked, touching her skirt with his other hand.
"It came with the dress," Beckett replied. "I'm glad you like it," she said.
"You did want-" Castle started to say.
"Don't worry," Beckett interrupted him as she knew how he was going to finish that. "I didn't order this for you. I wanted it… for some reason."
Looking down at her skirt again Castle then looked up to her and said, "You wore something like this."
"I know," Beckett replied, speaking softly. When her husband let go of her hand she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed deeply before she felt her husband's hands spanning the small of her back and she shuddered hard enough to break things off between them. "Rick," she breathed against his lips as they didn't move too far away from one another. "I…"
"Please tell me you're remembering something, wearing what you are," Castle said. "Looking as stunning as you are," he added seriously.
Beckett couldn't help smiling, leaning over and brushing her lips to his before she said, "I do… come with me."
"Always," Castle couldn't help saying seriously. He was immensely happy when his wife stopped in taking his hand to kiss him and after they parted let her lead him to the couch across the room.
After her husband was sitting first Beckett looked down at it and hesitated as she pressed her hands to her stomach for a moment. When Castle reached out to her, she smiled and took his hand before she sat on his lap. "It's a little noisy," she commented about the crinoline.
"We worked with it for about ten years," Castle replied while he was wrapping his arms around her waist. "What do you remember love?"
Cupping his cheek with her hand Beckett leaned over and brushed her lips to his before she said, "It was our twenty-sixth anniversary."
"1952?" Castle breathed heavily in eagerness. When she nodded he couldn't stop himself, kissing her sensuously on the lips before he forced himself to stop and asked, "What did we do?"
"Pervert, you know what we did all day," Beckett said, sliding her fingers through his hair. "This about later that night. You made me dinner."
"Oh good, I'm glad I would do that then," Castle said. Smiling at the way his wife laughed softly he brushed his lips to hers and said, "What'd I make."
"You surprised me with it," Beckett replied before she kissed him a little more firmly than the previous one. "And we ate in the living room instead of the dining room so you could do that." She smiled when he nodded and then continued with when he walked to where she was sitting at the table he'd set up with their plates in hand.
"It smells delicious Rick," Kate told her husband as he was walking to her. "Though I am a little sore you wouldn't let me help."
"This was a gift for you love," Rick told her firmly. "I hope you like them."
"It looks swell," Kate said, seeing he'd made Swedish meatballs on top of rice. "I'm proud of you," she told him, squeezing his hand before he could sit.
"You taught me well," Rick replied before taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. He sat down and picked up his glass of wine before he said, "To us love, and the hope we have many, many more years to celebrate."
"Hmm, I hope so too," Kate said before they tapped their glasses together. She sipped her wine and then started eating as he was, both silent for a moment before they began talking about their children and grandchildren as they usually did.
"I get the feeling we were spending time with them the next weekend," Beckett said with a smile. "But that was only with dinner."
"I didn't make dessert," Castle commented.
"No, but that really didn't matter since you had to move the table and I helped you get the chairs until the floor was clear," Beckett said, enjoying his hand rubbing back and forth on her side though she continued with her memory.
They were dancing together once the floor was cleared, a record playing a slow song before they were moving so they were looking at each other. Rick was the first to move, leaning down slightly and kissing her as they wrapped their arms tightly around one another. They were involved in that for some time before he moved first and then let her go, taking her hand so they could go over to the stairs.
"That's it?" Castle asked when his wife stopped.
"You know what we did," Beckett said simply. She was surprised when her husband gently helped her off his lap and she stood, expecting him to want to dance with her as they'd done in their past life. But when he pulled her flush against his body she knew he didn't want to waste time with that and if her lips hadn't been literally melding with his she would have smiled. She'd been hoping they'd soon get into bed though she had to pull away to speak. "I should confess something," she told him as he looked at her closely.
"Oh?" Castle asked, unsure of what she was going to say.
"I was going to tell you what we were going to do," Beckett replied. "In detail. But I changed my mind."
"I don't care," Castle said, though he did wonder what that meant.
Smiling, as she could tell what he was thinking, Beckett brushed her lips to his and said, "Come on." She let go of him and then took his hand before she pulled him over to the bed. Standing next to it she turned back to him and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeply as she felt him winding his arms around her waist. They were kissing deeply and she could feel his hands roaming around her back, making her shiver at the sensation before she realized he was going for her zipper.
Feeling his wife stopping him, Castle pulled away and watched her toe off her high heels she'd been wearing before she got onto the bed. When she had laid in the middle he climbed up onto it and then partially on her. He kissed her deeply, hearing her crinoline skirt underneath him. He was distracted then by her, kissing her harder and gripping her side tightly before their tongues were tangling together. That went on for some time until they stopped for a break before he murmured against her lips, "Would you want to start?" At her nod he got up on his knees and waited for her to sit up as well before he kissed her briefly. He had been intending to go to her zipper when she was pulling her skirts up past her knees which made him pause.
"Okay?" Beckett asked with a smile at the way his eyes seemed to widen.
"Yeah… why am I being rewarded so much?" Castle said.
Continuing to smile at that Beckett said, "It's not so much rewarding you, but if that's what happened then I'm very happy."
Castle reached up to her to cup her face but did only that before he was reaching down to her legs to start rolling her stockings down to take them off. Once he had he pulled her skirts back down before he was leaning over and kissing her lightly on the lips. "Can I undress you?" he asked her.
"Yes," Beckett said, about to turn. She was surprised when he stopped her and she looked at him questioningly.
"You're not wearing a brassiere are you?" Castle asked.
Beckett couldn't help laughing and she said, "Don't worry."
Castle had expected her to say more but wasn't all that surprised when she was moving and turning around so he could reach her back. He reached for the zipper immediately and then spread apart the open fabric before he leaned down and kissed her exposed skin. "Love," he breathed as he went up to her neck which was partially exposed as her hair was draped over her shoulder. He pressed a gentle kiss there before he moved away to follow her off the bed where they began to undress one another. He loved how they took turns but was even happier when her dress was off first and found that she had no bra on at all. When she showed him that she was naked under her crinoline skirt he was ecstatic but focused on getting the last of his clothing off before they were hurrying back on the bed. When he was coupled with her a short time later he kissed her passionately before he started to move. As soon as they parted he whispered to her, "Do you want me to fuck you love?"
"Make love to me," Beckett told him. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and told him, "And then you can fuck me."
Castle did his best not to shudder before he began to move, thrusting slowly and trying not to lose control. He was doing that for some time until she was squeezing his ass and making him jerk against her as she was crying out.
"Oh… you can fuck me now," Beckett breathed out in pleasure. She wasn't surprised when her husband was kissing her fervently and she gasped as he was moving roughly. Wrapping her arms a little tighter around him she was doing her best to move with him before she planted her feet on the bed and moved. She was crying out when he wasn't kissing her and it was nearly a shock when they were orgasming close to one another. When they calmed down she was breathing out heavily and could feel him doing so against her neck. She smiled when he groaned and asked, "You're recovered?"
"Yeah but I feel weak," Castle replied.
"Holding yourself up like that?" Beckett teased him. She sighed when he moved and withdrew from her before she was hurrying to lay against his side, feeling his arms wrapping around her tightly. "Would you mind if we stopped?" she asked.
"No," Castle replied. "But I'm wondering if we could continue." He knew that would confuse her and was about to tell her what he meant when she was speaking first.
"The memory?" Beckett guessed. When her husband nodded she smiled and then said, "Alright, but would you mind taking that?"
"Sure," Castle said. "We did eventually stop… our activities and we were talking." He had expected her to make a pervert comment but when she merely smiled at him he couldn't stop himself, leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. He started to move away to lie down but paused and then went back to her, kissing her much harder that time.
"Rick," Beckett moaned as he turned around and laid down slightly on her. He was kissing around her neck, sucking above her pulse before he was moving to her lips again. She took his kiss and then parted her legs as his hand grasping at her hip let her know what he wanted. She was readily amenable to it as his kisses had aroused her quickly and when he sank inside her she was sighing in pleasure. Neither one of them spoke of what they wanted but he was thrusting furiously inside of her and she was moving as she had before, her feet on the bed to help her.
Castle was overjoyed when they were orgasming closely together as before and he almost didn't want to stop though his wife was eventually limp in her satiety below him. He went through the last of his pleasure and when he was still himself he breathed, "I was going to tell you," against her neck.
Smiling Beckett gently caressed the back of his head before she said seriously, "I love you Rick."
Raising his head Castle was quick to kiss her before he said seriously, "I love you too Kate. Always."
"I gcónaí," Beckett replied in Irish before they were kissing again. There was no surprise to her when he didn't stop doing that and they were shortly after slipping into making love. She was extremely pleased when he was very gentle and slow, loving the chance to feel him more deliberately after they'd been so rough before. Her climax was euphoric and she was holding onto her husband tightly as he was soon joining her. She wasn't sure how long they were like that but when they had stopped she felt her body throbbing around him again, his length lightly pulsing in her and nearly arousing her again. But he was withdrawing from her before that could happen and they laid pressed close to one another, breathing heavily together in the silence.
"Should we…" Castle started to say before he trailed off. "Would you want to sleep now?"
"Not yet," Beckett replied with a smile, kissing his shoulder briefly. "Tell me."
Castle nodded and then started to relate to her what had happened after they had made love a few times the night of their anniversary, holding her close once they were covered after he did so.
"Warm love?" Rick asked his wife after he'd bundled the covers over them both.
"Hmm, I am," Kate replied. She looked up at him and said, "I forgot to give you the present I have for you."
"It's not needed," Rick said, shrugging his shoulders. "Oh," he suddenly said before he got up and hurried over to the armoire to open it.
"Rick… get my present for you," Kate told him in momentary annoyance before she realized he could do that.
Though he didn't want to make it seem easy, Rick was able to find his gift in his wife's tall armoire before saying, "With your unmentionables?"
Kate smirked before she was taking the box he gave her and then started unwrapping it while her husband was doing the same with his. Opening the box under the paper she paused and then pulled out a book saying, "Rick?"
Smiling he kissed her cheek and said, "You did say you always wanted a copy back," as it was a copy of fairy tales she'd lost as a child.
"I'm not surprised you're giving it to me now; you helped me look all over the house for it," Kate said. She shared a kiss with him before she said, "Thank you. I'll have to read it to the children when they come."
Nodding his head Rick then turned his attention to the box that he had uncovered before he then saw it was a book as well. Seeing the title he breathed out and said, "Kate," before he kissed her hard.
"I hope you won't spend all day reading that tomorrow," Kate told him with a smile, pleased at his reaction to a crisp, first edition copy of The Old Man and the Sea that he'd been wanting to read and hadn't been able to find in the city or in town.
"Oh no," Rick told her seriously as he took her box and set it with his onto the nightstand. "I have far better things to do."
Kate couldn't help squealing in surprise when he nearly leapt on her and she allowed him that. She let him sink within her, whispering a heated 'I love you,' that he returned before they were kissing passionately and letting their bodies begin to move in the same way.
"I don't think there's a traditional gift for the twenty-sixth anniversary," Castle said when he'd finished the memory and they were silent. He expected her to comment on that but when she remained silent he looked down at her and asked in slight concern, "Kate?"
"No, it doesn't terrify you?" Beckett asked him, looking up at him questioningly.
"What?" Castle said in confusion.
"Being married for twenty-six years?" Beckett asked.
"If it was to anyone else but you then I would answer yes," Castle replied. "But since it's you it's a very confident no." He studied her and then said, "If you're wondering why it's very simple," while he slid his hand around her hip. "You're my soulmate."
Beckett smiled and pressed her cheek against his shoulder before she said, "I know." She gasped slightly, startled when he suddenly squeezed her tightly to him and then said, "I have admitted it before."
"I know, I just love hearing you say that," Castle replied, kissing her temple. He then told her, "But I hope we get to that same number in this life."
"Me too," Beckett murmured before he was kissing her tenderly on the lips. When they parted she smiled and said, "We usually celebrated that way though. Staying at home."
"It's not bad," Castle replied before he studied her. "Did you want to do that next year?"
Shaking her head Beckett said, "To be honest I do enjoy going to Adare, a lot. But I'll always love our first anniversary."
Smiling as he was recalling it himself Castle said, "It was nice, very simple and good for you since it hadn't been that long since you'd had Eliza."
"I was fine," Beckett said wryly.
"True but I didn't want to make it too much," Castle replied.
"And you didn't, don't worry," Beckett said, speaking with slight amusement. She pressed against him and said, "Are you ready for the photoshoot?"
"I am," Castle said with a nod. "Though I hope I help her sales of her men's line."
"Strange," Beckett said in amusement again as she turned onto her back so she could look at him. When she saw that he had a perplexed look on his face she said, "You being so doubtful about yourself."
Breathing out hard Castle said, "It isn't that, I'm not young."
"Neither am I, but she asked us both," Beckett said. "So that must say something." She gasped when he squeezed her hip suddenly and said, "What is it?"
"I'm glad to hear you finally admitting that you're a fucking goddess," Castle said, reaching under the covers to lightly slap her ass.
Looking at him Beckett moved to lay against his side again and told him, "I leave that to you to say."
"You enjoy hearing it," Castle stated instead of asked. When she merely smiled at him he couldn't resist the temptation and leaved over, kissing her deeply on the lips as he held her close against his side.
When they'd parted and settled on the bed Beckett could feel her husband caressing her hair and she sighed in pleasure at the sensation. It was so enjoyable that she was a little unsure of interrupting it before she finally said his name. Once he responded she said, "Would you mind if we waited for the after the ball to be intimate again?"
Thinking that over briefly Castle shook his head and said, "Not at all."
Raising her head to study him, Beckett smiled seeing he was serious and said, "I'm glad you don't mind."
"It's not that long and really stopping like that makes it incredible once we start up again," Castle said seriously, reaching up and caressing her hair.
"Pervert," Beckett said, though she was losing the smile on her face in response to his touch. She hesitated a moment and then turned before she was laying down and drawing him to her before she said, "Kiss me love."
Moving swiftly Castle and Beckett were soon embroiled in a fervent kiss that would lead to several more before they finally stopped to get some rest. They forgot about the case and were more focused on each other as they murmured their goodnights, sleeping wrapped up in one another under the cover recovering their strength after their pleasure they'd taken repeatedly and eagerly that night.