Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Family, Humor
Rating: M for sexual situations and language
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: Really happy receiving the feedback for the last chapter that I did since I was wondering what everyone would think of the big event in it, so I'll go right into my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I was very pleased seeing you liked how I wrote Julia and Beckett since I had fun writing them the last chapter. And I'm glad you could see Castle and Beckett dancing. Also, I was really happy that you thought it was very good writing!),
Guest (I'm really happy to see you're loving this story along with Castle and Beckett's love for each other along with the family. Also, really nice knowing you love too their love and family in their past life as well! To be honest, I so thought I was doing too much with concerns with their money, I just wasn't sure if I was going overboard. So I was really, really relieved and happy to see with what you said that I'm not, lol, and I didn't take it as a criticism either just so you know. Though I will admit that I see Beckett as being a little more careful with money, so I don't think I'll stop writing her as that, but I'll try to correct now when I mention stuff like that. Though luckily what you said makes me more confident about future vacations as well as something I've already written! So thank you for that! And I'm so glad you think it's an awesome series of stories. And you're very welcome too!) and
Mb (I was really pleased to see that you thought the first half of the chapter was beautifully written! It was great to see you loved the descriptions I had of the girls' hair along with dresses. And I was especially pleased to see that you thought it was a beautiful bonding moment between Beckett and he daughters along with Castle! And I'm really happy to see you could picture Castle's reaction to Beckett in her dress and that you thought it was stunningly beautiful. I have to agree with you that the two of them together are extraordinary and as you said sexy. It was so, so nice to see that you've been waiting for Alexis and Louis to take the next step in their relationship. And I'm really happy you thought it was a romantic and loving marriage proposal since I was doing the best I could with that! Nice to read you thought the first half was beautifully written. And you're welcome for it too! I had to laugh at you saying the second half was sweet and loving and then hot and sexy though you make a good point, lol. And I'm really pleased you loved the talk Beckett and Julia had since I do try to write them having a special mother-daughter connection. I'm so, so pleased you think Beckett has a special connection with all four of her daughters with it being unique with each of them but as you said the same with how fiercely she loves them too! And I'm so happy you thought Alexis and Louis celebrating their engagement was loving and sexy as well since it was my first time writing their intimacy in more detail, so I was hoping I'd do okay with that! I'm not surprised that you were laughing at Castle and Brennan talking about a wedding gift already all four of them will give together. And I had to laugh at you asking if they could buy you a house too, lol, and that you're jealous, so am I, lol, I'd like a house myself. It was so nice to see you commenting on them being hot, sexy and loving since I wanted to write that for them of course. And I'm so relieved and happy that you think it's never boring but always sexy, sensual and loving with them! You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter too!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading them all and I greatly appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Sat Singing by George Harrison.
High Up In A Clear Blue Sky
Opening her eyes, Beckett turned her attention to Josie and seeing that the baby's eyes were open she smiled at her before getting her out of her carrier and setting her on her lap. "Did you have a good nap sweetie?" she asked the baby with a smile.
"Hey," Castle said as he turned back to his wife, sitting with Eliza in the row ahead.
"Morning," Beckett said with a smile as his voice was still a little sleepy.
"Yeah, she's okay?" Castle asked her.
"She is, Eliza?" Beckett responded.
"I'm up Mommy," the little girl said, getting down from her seat. Walking to the row her mother was in Eliza said, "Can she play now?"
Looking at her father's watch quickly Beckett said, "A little, we're going to land in about forty minutes." She glanced behind her and asked, "Would you get your sister?"
Shaking her head as she was making Josie's stuffed white tiger dance around in front of the baby Eliza said, "Jules is talking to Mari and 'lexis is with her husband."
Glancing at her husband when she heard his slight chortle of laughter Beckett told their daughter, "Louis isn't her husband yet."
"Yes he is," Eliza said to her mother with a frown.
"She is wearing a ring, but she needs a band to be able to say that Louis is her husband," Castle told her. "And he needs to have a band of his own too."
"The plain one," Beckett said as Eliza was quickly looking at her left hand.
"Oh," the little girl said with a frown. Turning her head up to her mother Eliza asked, "Will they get the same ones?"
"Unlikely," Beckett replied with a smile. "There are different kinds even though they're plain."
"Did you pick your rings?" Eliza asked her.
"Do you mean both?" Beckett said, a little confused at that. When the little girl nodded, she smiled and told her, "Not my engagement ring."
"That I did on my own," Castle said.
"Were you scared?" Eliza asked him.
"A little, since I had no idea if your mom would like it at all," Castle replied. "It was my choice."
"I think it's pretty," Eliza said.
"Me too," Beckett said, unable to help smiling at the way the little girl was looking at her. She turned her smile to her husband who was still watching them and leaned over to cup his cheek momentarily when he winked at her.
"What do we do when we go home?" Eliza asked after playing a little with her baby sister.
"We need to check and make sure we have food," Castle said first. "We should just go love," he addressed to his wife then. "With them."
"We can," Beckett said. "If they want to go of course," she added, smiling down at their two daughters with them.
"Can Josa go too?" Eliza asked as she looked up at her parents.
"If she's not tired," Beckett replied with a nod. "But you do know that Alexis and Louis will be going to their house."
"I know, but they can come to dinner, right?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"I'm going to demand that they do," Castle said, smiling when the little girl giggled. "Just for tonight," he told his wife. "After today they can go ahead and do what they want."
"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said in amusement. She and Castle spent time then with their two youngest before the pilot was announcing they were going to be landing shortly. She got Josie back into her carrier while Castle was helping Eliza back to their row. As she glanced around hers and the baby's row, she couldn't help wishing again that Skye and her family had returned with them. She did her best not to think of saying goodbye to everyone and turned her attention to the window, watching the city come back into view.
After they had landed and were off the plane Castle was making sure that all four of his and Beckett's daughters were okay. He was carrying Josa in her carrier until they got their luggage and when they were back in their cars he said to his wife, "Mother wanted to make sure you were okay with her staying longer."
"Why?" Beckett asked.
"She was going to go back to the city home, wasn't she?" Julia asked, with Eliza and Josie in the backseat.
"She had been planning but the kids in her class were asking if they could wait until next week," Castle told his wife while she was pulling out of their parking spot. "I think most of them have things going on with school."
"It's fine," Beckett replied with a smile as she knew her husband was watching her. "Really, eventually she'll move in with us and remember I told you I won't mind then."
Castle nodded before he settled back on the passenger seat for their drive back to the Hamptons. He checked on the girls in the back while they were going though they were fine and he didn't say anything until they were pulling into their driveway. "What do we do about lunch?" he asked his wife.
"Are you girls hungry?" Beckett said, parking in the driveway.
"I am," Eliza said quickly.
"Me too," Julia added.
Smiling when Josie vocalized then, Beckett got out of the car before she went back to open the door for Eliza. She reached in for Josie and put her on her hip before she kissed her temple. "I want to change her before we talk about what we'll do," she let her husband know as he was starting to get the suitcases out from the trunk.
"Go ahead," Castle said with a nod towards the house. "We need to get lunch and the dogs."
"I think we can do that, but again let's ask everyone else," Beckett replied since the other car was in the garage as well.
"We'll eat lunch with you," Alexis said. "But we'll head home after to unpack."
"Will you come over for dinner?" Julia asked them hopefully.
"Sure," Louis said when his fiancée looked at him. "But we can't really stay that long after; we both have work tomorrow."
"That's fine," Beckett said first. "We all need to go to bed a little early," she added, not surprised when Julia groaned loudly.
"You guys have school tomorrow; remember today was an in-service day," Castle said.
Sighing Julia said, "I know, I can't wait for Spring Break."
"That's coming soon," Beckett said. "I'm taking Josie in, but I'll hurry."
"Don't worry," Castle told his wife. "We can handle it."
"Thank you love," Beckett said with a smile, knowing it was likely going to be him. She turned to the house then and after she was inside went upstairs to the baby's bedroom before saying, "I know sweetie, you need changed," as Josie was whimpering. After she was inside, she worked quickly to change both her diaper and her clothes though the baby started crying in the middle of that.
"Okay," she said once Josie was set. "You should calm down now," Beckett told her gently, walking around and lightly bouncing her to calm her down. Once the baby had stopped crying, she stepped out into the hallway in time to see her husband putting their daughters' suitcases down at the top of the stairs.
"Is she okay?" Castle asked her, going towards her and then pushing the suitcases into the rooms that he passed before reaching her.
"She's fine," Beckett replied. "The girls?" she asked as she gave their baby to her husband.
"They should be heading up right now; Julia said she would bring Josie's suitcase," Castle replied. "And guess what?" he said to the baby, smiling when she looked at him with wide eyes. "We're going to pick up the dogs, get some lunch and go to the park."
"Oh really?" Beckett asked in amusement.
"Well… with your mommy's final say so," Castle said, directing that to the baby. He kissed her temple when Beckett laughed and he went to his wife and shared a quick kiss with her. He was about to ask if it was okay when they turned at the sound of their middle daughters coming up the stairs.
"Mom, I have Josa's suitcase," Julia said, coming up behind her sister before she rolled it to them.
"Good, can you push it inside, and we'll go get lunch," Beckett told her. "And thank you."
"You're welcome," Julia said before she disappeared into her sister's room. When she'd come back out she asked, "What are we gonna get?"
"I'm thinking of heading to the café by the station and coming back after getting the dogs," Beckett said. "And by coming back," she said with a smile as her husband was about to speak. "I mean go to the park where the dog park is."
"Really?" Julia asked eagerly as Eliza was squealing in joy.
"Really, we wanted to take you guys," Castle told them. "Since the weather is nice today."
"You get to go too Josie!" Eliza told the baby eagerly who squealed in response. She laughed with her family before she started to ask what they could get before her mother was stopping to her to speak.
"Let's go now before it's too late," Beckett said. "We'll talk about what we can do at the park once we get there."
"I was gonna ask about dessert," Eliza told her mother seriously.
"Oh," Beckett said, slightly laughingly. "I should have known. Let's wait to have that after dinner okay?"
"Okay," Eliza said with a sigh. She then smiled and said, "That means we get to have dessert."
"Maybe," Beckett said, shaking her head as they walked over to the stairs.
"Daddy?" Eliza asked him.
"No, don't try," Castle said thought he was smiling at her. "We'll see what happens." He wasn't surprised when the little girl pouted and handed Josie to his wife before picking Eliza up to her cry of surprise.
"We're going to the park," Beckett said once they were downstairs. "Well, the kennel, the café and then the park."
"What about the market?" Julia asked her mother.
"That'll be after the park," Beckett said as her husband was getting his phone.
"Hey Alexis," Castle said once she'd answered her phone.
"Hi Dad, what's up?" the young woman asked.
Telling his oldest their plans, Castle finished by asking, "Would you want to come along?"
"I think so," Alexis said. "We're almost unpacked, would you mind if we met you at the park?"
"No, but what would you like from the café?" Castle asked, quickly going to the notepad on his phone to write down their orders. "Okay," he said once she was finished. "We'll see you there, it shouldn't be longer than a half hour."
"We'll meet you there," Alexis reassured him.
Once he'd hung up with her Castle said to the others, "Does anyone want to go directly to the park?"
"I think we will," Jim said after glanced at Martha.
"We can take Josie if you'd like," Castle's mother said.
"Alright," Beckett said, looking at the baby who was staring at her. "In fact, you can go ahead and feed her lunch. If she's napping bring her still, just make sure she's bundled up well."
"We will," Jim assured his daughter as he took the baby.
Taking their middle daughters to the entry, Castle helped Eliza while Beckett was getting her own coat since Julia didn't need the help. "What do you guys want to take with us?" he asked as he was putting on his own coat.
"I think our bubbles," Julia said though she was looking at her sister as she said that.
"Yeah! What about our kites?" Eliza asked their parents.
"We'll take them and see how the wind is," Beckett replied. "We'll see you in a half hour," she said, going to her father. She kissed Josie's forehead and gently smoothed some of her hair down before she let her husband kiss their baby goodbye.
"Have fun," Martha said as they went to the doorway that led to the garage.
Waving goodbye as she was getting into the car with her father, Julia said, "We're going to have a lot of cars," as her grandparents were coming in Jim's car later.
"I know but with six dogs…" Castle began.
Smiling Julia said, "Did you and Mom have fun with the rest of the ball?"
"We did, we danced with each other if you're worried about that," Castle said first.
"I wasn't that worried," Julia said. "I knew you would since you couldn't stop staring at her."
"Oh, so you noticed that," Castle said in amusement.
"You always do," Julia replied. "And you have since I was little."
"You noticed then?" Castle asked in surprise as he looked over at her since they were at a red light.
Nodding Julia said, "It's why I was okay with you… not just that but I saw that you…"
"What?" Castle asked her in surprise as she trailed off and looked away in embarrassment.
"Well, I used to tell myself you kissed her with your eyes when you did that," Julia said, feeling her cheeks heating up a bit. "When I was really little," she was quick to add as she watched her father beginning to smile.
"I think that's very close to the truth," Castle said with a nod. "Since she and I can't really kiss for that long." They were quiet for a while before he glanced at her and said, "Does she do the same for me?"
"It's what I thought," Julia said. "Back then." She smiled when her father squeezed her arm gently and when he pulled into the parking lot of the kennel, she squeezed his hand and said, "I'm glad you both do that."
"Trust me when I say me too," Castle said, nodding his head. He got out as she was and looked on in surprise when she rushed around the back of the car to him. He laughed when she threw her arms around him and held her close in return before telling her, "And that you were there with us."
"Why?" Julia asked with a slight frown. When her father looked at her in surprise she explained saying, "Why would you want a little kid around when you and Mom were dating? Didn't I interrupt stuff? Like, you would have to watch me instead of going out to dinner."
"We didn't," Beckett said, walking up to them with Eliza holding her hand. "We had dinners still, you just joined us."
"She's right," Castle said with a nod. "We would just spend time with each other once you were asleep." He looked at both girls and asked, "Who wants to get the dogs?"
"Want to tell me what all that was about?" Beckett asked her husband in Irish.
Castle nodded before he then explained what they'd discussed on the way to the kennel before they were entering the building. He squeezed her hand before they were signing for their dogs and paying for their stay, waiting with their daughters as the employees were leaving to get the six dogs.
"You really thought that?" Beckett asked Julia with a smile once they were alone.
"Thought what?" Eliza asked in confusion.
Julia quickly explained what she had thought when she was younger and then told her mother with a shrug, "I did, it was cute. I kinda hope someone will look at me like that when I'm older."
"You better believe it's going to be when you're older," Castle said.
"Dad," Julia groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Knee-jerk reaction," Castle commented.
Hugging her father quickly Julia turned with her family as they could hear nails running on the floor. She and her sister hurried to the dogs as they were coming to the swinging door in front of the employees. She hugged Macca first before laughing as JoJo and Rose were trying to lick at her face.
"Easy you guys," Beckett said with a smile as the dogs moved eventually from the girls to her and Castle. After they had calmed down, she and her husband were getting their harnesses and leashes on before they went outside to their cars.
"Will you be okay with Eliza in the back?" Castle asked his wife.
"We will, we'll see you at the café," Beckett told him as they were letting the girls get into the car after the dogs were in. When she was in the driver's seat she looked back at Eliza and said, "Are you okay sweetie?"
"Yep, I'm happy to see the doggies again," the little girl replied. "Are you? You didn't see them for a long time."
Smiling Beckett said, "I am, don't worry," before she turned back around to start the car. She followed her husband towards the station, smiling again when she could hear the dogs panting in the back occasionally. When they were parked at the café she said, "Will you help your dad and sister?"
Looking at her mother with wide eyes Eliza said, "You're gonna go by yourself?"
"I am," Beckett said, smiling. "I'll be fine, come over to the door okay?"
"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head and unbuckling her seatbelt as Max licked her fingers. She hugged the Irish Setter quickly before moving to the door where her mother let her and the dogs step out of the car.
"Go on you guys," Beckett said as Castle and Julia were calling to them. "I'll get you guys the usual," she told them. She smiled when her husband waved to her, the girls paying attention to the dogs, and then turned her attention to the restaurant so they could finally make it to the park.
"Are you okay?" Alexis asked her little sister.
"Yeah, I thought about inviting Mari to come with us here," Julia told her as they were walking back to the picnic table they'd been eating lunch at with their family. "But then I forgot."
"I think it's better you didn't," Alexis told her sister with a smile. "That way you two can spend time with your families."
"I guess," Julia said with a sigh. She smiled when her sister squeezed her shoulder and then asked her, "Are you used to your ring yet?"
"It's barely been a full day," Alexis reminded her. "Give me a little more time." After her sister nodded, she couldn't help smiling and told her, "I am a bit more though."
Julia laughed and wrapped her arm around her before they were reaching the others and said, "Could we start playing now?"
"Let's eat our fruit first," Castle said as he was peeling a mandarin orange for Eliza. "Then you guys can do whatever you'd like."
"Can we take the dogs to the park first?" the little girl asked.
"We need to wait," Beckett reminded her. "They need to fix the grass in the spring."
Breathing out in a huff, Eliza wrapped her arms around JoJo who was next to her and said, "We'll still play with you."
"Take your orange," Castle told her, handing it over as he'd gotten the peel off.
"Thank you, Daddy," Eliza said before she stayed standing in front of him.
"You don't want it now?" Castle asked her. When she shook her head and then held her left arm out to him he smiled and then picked her up, setting her on his lap.
Smiling after her father kissed her cheek Eliza looked up at him and asked, "Did you really miss us Daddy?"
"Of course," Castle said with a nod.
"Even with the case?" Julia asked.
"We did," Beckett said. "I'm just glad we didn't let you guys convince us not to take you to the city for the ball."
"We want to go!" Eliza exclaimed.
"Josie's awake," Jim said suddenly.
"Did I wake her up?" Eliza asked in fear.
"Don't worry, she was starting to already," Louis said since he'd been able to see the baby as well.
Beckett got up, having finished her mandarin, and went over to the carrier, taking her out and going back to her seat before Molly was standing and nosing Josie's leg. She smiled at the baby laughed and she helped her pet the Andalusian Hound before she watched the girls taking the dogs with them to the grass as they'd finished their fruit as well.
"Let go Macca," Julia said as she was holding one end of the rope toy while the Irish Wolfhound had the other.
"He's not gonna let go," Eliza told her big sister. "He wants to play with you."
Breathing out hard Julia said to the Wolfhound, "But I want you to play with one- oh, thanks Rita," interrupting herself as the Ibizan Hound was nuzzling her hand and she knew what she wanted. She let her take the other handle before she went back to the table and said, "I want to blow bubbles."
"What happened to playing with the dogs?" Martha asked her.
Smiling widely at her grandmother, Julia explained, "They'll want to chase the bubbles around."
"I forgot," Martha said.
Grabbing her bottle from the bag they had, Julia turned to the dogs and Eliza and started blowing bubbles before she smiled as the dogs except for Macca and Rita were going after them. She did that for a while before Eliza was joining her with her bottle and they were eventually running around together with the wands being blown by the wind.
Watching the two, Beckett was smiling as Josie was obviously staring at them and the dogs running after them and she kissed the baby's temple. "When you're older you're going to be able to run with them too," she murmured to her. She then kissed her again and said to her husband, "Take her for me?"
"Mind if I hand her over to your dad?" Castle asked as he stood up to grab her.
"No," Beckett replied, not surprised he'd asked her that.
"I'll take her Dad," Alexis told her father before he could step away from Beckett. She stood up to get her baby sister and kissed her cheek tenderly as she was smiling back at her.
"Come on love," Beckett told her husband as he was watching Alexis sitting where they'd been. She took his hand and pulled him over to their middle two daughters before saying to the girls, "Can we join you?"
"Yeah, will you blow bubbles?" Eliza asked her. "I wanna run with the doggies."
"I'll take it," Castle told her before he began blowing bubbles after he'd gotten the wand from the little girl. He smiled while watching Eliza running around and he looked on while Beckett was joining him and Julia ran around as well. He was amazed at the energy the two had but when they stopped eventually, he said with a smile, "Is that it?"
"My legs are tired," Eliza told them.
"I don't blame you," Beckett said. "Come and sit and finish your drink."
When they were back at the table Eliza watched her big sister playing with Josie a little and then said, "What happens when you have a baby?"
Seeing the surprise on the newly engaged couple's faces Beckett told them, "She's wondering about all of this since she hasn't been around an engaged couple that much."
"Then what are you asking about Lizzy?" Alexis said to her sister.
"I think," Julia started to say as her little sister was looking at her pleadingly. "What the baby would be to us?" she finished with, asking her sister at the end.
Seeing Eliza nodding Alexis smiled and said, "It depends on if any baby we have is a boy or a girl. What do you think they would be?"
"Not our cousins," Eliza said slowly. "Niece or nephew?"
"Exactly," Louis said. "They would be Erin's, Arthur's and Ella's niece or nephew too."
"And you five would be their aunts and Arthur their uncle," Castle said.
"Oh…" Eliza breathed in realization. "What do we have to do?" she asked after she had nodded to what he'd said.
"Nothing," Alexis replied easily. "Just hold them and play with them."
"And hopefully love them," Castle commented. "Since they would be family."
"I will," Eliza said seriously, nodding her head.
"Me too," Julia commented. She looked at the baby and then added, "Josa too."
"But that won't be for a time," Louis said. "We'll be waiting until we're married to really think about that." He was surprised when Eliza came over to him and he asked, "What can I help you with?"
"Will you get married for real?" the little girl asked him seriously.
"Yes," Louis said so firmly that Eliza was smiling widely and then hugging him.
"You're gonna be our brother in law," the little girl said when she'd let him go.
"She's fascinated by that," Julia explained as Louis was smiling at her little sister. She watched her mother getting Josie from Alexis and then said, "And that we'd be in-laws with Erin, Arthur and Ella." She made a slight face as she took Josie from her mother before asking, "Right?"
"You will," Castle replied. "So what would you two like to do now?" he asked as Julia was holding Josie and walking around the table.
"We couldn't let her crawl around Mom?" the girl asked.
"I would let her if the ground wasn't so cold," Beckett told her with a smile. "We'll let her do that back at home."
Castle was about to speak when he felt something on his cheek and looked up at the sky before he said, "It's snowing. We need to go."
Though she wanted to take her baby sister to the car, Julia handed her back to her mother and then helped the others in getting their things.
"Are you okay?" Castle asked his daughter once they were in the car with the three dogs they were taking.
"I'm fine, I didn't get too wet," Julia replied with a smile. "It's funny that it started to snow when I was talking about Josa getting to crawl."
"I get the feeling you made that happen," Castle commented. Squeezing her shoulder when she gave him a look he said, "I'll head home, you're scaring me with that."
Laughing Julia said, "Did I look like Mom?"
"More than a little bit," Castle replied as he was starting the car.
"Good," Julia said before she was turning on the radio and they listened to music until they had returned home. "Now can Josa crawl Mom?" she asked her mother once they were out of the two cars.
"Yes, once we get everything-" Beckett started to say.
"Let them head in Kate," Castle interrupted his wife. "They can watch Josie."
"We can," Julia said as she was scrambling to remove her coat.
"Please?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"Okay," Beckett said. "Leave your coats with us and Julia make sure you put a blanket down first."
Nodding her head happily, Julia waited for Eliza to take their baby sister and they walked as quickly as they could into the family room before she was laying down a blanket. She was sitting on her knees, about to reach for Josie's coat when her little sister drove away her hands. "Lizzy!" she said in surprise at how roughly she pushed at her.
"I get to take it off," Eliza said firmly.
"Are you two fighting?" Alexis said as she walked inside the room.
"I want to take off Josa's coat," Eliza was explaining. "Jules was gonna do it."
"She… it doesn't matter," Julia said with a sigh.
"I pushed her hands," Eliza said with a frown. "I'm sorry Jules."
"It's okay, I should have asked if you wanted to take it off," Julia said before she looked over at Josie. "Josa!" she cried out as the baby was nearly crawling off the blanket. She dove towards her and picked her up before she could reach the rug and kissed her cheek as Josie was laughing at her.
"And that's why you shouldn't argue," Alexis told her sisters with a smile before she sat with them and they watched their baby sister as she crawled around.
Walking into the family room first with her husband behind her, Beckett smiled at the four before she went further into the room and said, "We forgot something you guys."
"Forgot about w- the market," Julia started to say before she realized what they were talking about. "What are you going to do?"
"We're going to go right now," Beckett told them. "Who wants to go?"
"I do!" Eliza said eagerly, standing up and raising her hand.
"I would too but…" Julia started to say before looking at the baby.
"We could take her," Castle told his wife when he saw she was looking uncertain.
"I guess but I hate to get you guys bundled up again," Beckett told them.
"I don't care," Julia said first. She looked with everyone at Josie as the baby was suddenly squealing and she smiled before saying, "She doesn't either."
"I guess so," Beckett said with a smile before going over to the blanket and getting the baby. "Who else will go?" she asked as they were all in the room by then.
"I guess it's just the five of us love," Castle told his wife when the others didn't say anything.
"Have fun," Martha said as she took Eliza's hand when the little girl got up. "But don't run around and make things difficult for your parents."
"I won't," Eliza said. "I get to help," she said seriously to her grandmother.
"I'm glad to hear that," Martha told her in the same tone but with a smile. She helped her back into her coat and once she was sure that she was warm she said, "Are you sure you don't want us to take Josie?"
"She'll be fine with us," Beckett assured her mother in law. "And we'll try to get back as soon as we can." She left with her husband and their three youngest once they were set in one of the cars and she checked on the girls during the drive.
"We're fine Mom," Julia said with a smile as she and Eliza were talking to Josie, holding her hands and making her laugh.
"I know, I just want to make sure that Josie is," Beckett replied before reaching back and gently squeezing the baby's leg.
"She is, she's happy," Eliza said as Josie was smiling. "We're here now Josa and we're gonna go get some food."
"Mo-baaa," the baby vocalized, kicking her legs and smiling as her sisters laughed.
"Stay inside you guys," Castle said as he'd parked by then. "When we open the doors go under the cover by the door."
"We will Dad," Julia told him before she got her seatbelt off. She and Eliza hurried out before they were going hand in hand to the door since their father had parked by it. "Maybe Josa should have stayed at home," she told her while they watched their parents walking over to them, keeping the baby covered from the snow.
"No," Eliza protested. "She's happy being with Mommy and Daddy." She then squeezed her big sister's hand and said, "She was okay when they were in England right?"
"Yeah, we all made sure she was," Julia said. She smiled at their parents as they'd reached them by then and she asked, "Are you going to make dinner tonight?"
"We were planning on it," Castle replied as they walked into the market. "Stromboli if you two want to help us."
Smiling as Eliza was gasping in delight Beckett said, "Then you can, but we need to get everything first."
"And we can help?" the little girl said hopefully.
"Yes, now first we're getting things for your sandwiches for lunch this week," Castle answered before his wife could say anything. "I was thinking we could make them mini hoagies love," he directed to her.
"That's fine," Beckett replied as she set Josie into the basket once her husband had put the cover for the baby. She started pushing the cart and leaned over, kissing her forehead before telling the older two, "Help your dad with those."
As they were going through the deli meats Castle let the girls pick out what they wanted and then said, "Pickles?"
"Please!" Julia said eagerly while Eliza was wrinkling her nose.
"Don't worry, I won't put them on yours," Castle told the little girl. "I was asking for your sister and mom."
"And Grandpapa," Julia reminded him since they liked pickles as well as Castle. "Can I get the jar?"
"Go ahead, be careful," Castle told her seriously.
"Did you check for milk?" Beckett asked her husband once he'd grabbed Dijon mustard.
"Yes, and we need another one," Castle said, going to get it though he let Eliza take it to the cart. They continued through the store after that, grabbing everything they needed for dinners and the girls' school lunches, including their own lunches at home. When they finished with the produce he said to his wife, "Let me grab something for dessert."
"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh as Julia and Eliza turned to her. "But nothing too sweet."
"I know what to get," Castle said.
Startled when he left them; instead of heading to the nearby bakery section; Julia turned to her mother and asked, "What's he doing?"
"I think he's going to make something," Beckett said, looking with her at Eliza who'd gasped.
"I didn't want him to do that!" the little girl said in protest.
"But he wants to, so let him sweetie," Beckett told her reassuringly, pulling her against her for a hug.
"Okay," Eliza replied with a sigh. When their father came back to them she asked shyly, "Can I help you make it Daddy?"
"I was hoping you would," Castle said with a smile. He leaned over to share a kiss with her before they were walking to the registers, pushing the cart to allow his wife to spend time with their daughters since he'd given her Josie.
"What're we making with the Stromboli Mom?" Julia asked while they were waiting for Castle to pay.
"Sweet potato fries," Beckett said. "So I hope you two do want to help us."
"I hope Daddy makes hoagies for us for tomorrow," Eliza said with a smile.
"Your mom and I will," Castle said as he walked to them since he'd finished. "And now let's go ahead and go home before everything freezes." He shared a smile with his wife as the girls laughed and they hurried them to the car, getting them set inside before they were hurrying to get the bags into the trunk. "Okay?" he asked his wife.
"I'm just glad it's not snowing any harder," Beckett said. "Yet." When her husband nodded, she smiled and squeezed his hand before turning when he stopped her from moving. She looked at him in surprise before he was leaning over and whispering into her ear.
"Quickly?" Castle asked her. When he pulled back, he saw her expression hadn't changed he leaned over and kissed her gently. He lingered for as long as he dared before pulling away and asking her, "Cold?"
"Not really but I want to get them back home," Beckett said, nodding to the car.
"Right," Castle said before he handed the keys over to her. He watched her go over to the driver's seat as he walked around to the other side and he said once he was in the car, "Are you guys alright?"
"Yep, Josa's happy," Julia replied as she and Eliza had been playing with the baby. She watched her parents while Beckett was backing the car up, having seen them when they'd been by the trunk, and she felt a little sorry for them not being able to kiss more than they had. But she knew they needed to get home and thinking of that she asked, "What time is it?"
"Not that late," Beckett replied.
"She's right, we weren't at the park for that long," Castle said, looking at his watch. "So you can play with Josie if you want to."
"Okay," Eliza said before her big sister could say anything.
"We will," Julia said in amusement.
After they'd reached the house the girls took their baby sister inside while Alexis and Louis were stepping into the garage.
"Thanks," Beckett said as her oldest's fiancé took the bag she'd been holding. She grabbed another two before they were walking through the house to the kitchen and she said, "How were the dogs?"
"They were good," Alexis answered. "Just resting really though Louis tried to play a little with them."
"They were probably tired from the other dogs at the kennel," Castle commented. "They were in the main room I think when we picked them up."
"That makes sense," Alexis replied. "Can we help you with dinner?" she asked while they were beginning to take things out of the bags.
"The girls want to help us," Beckett said with a smile. "But if you wanted to help you could set the table for us."
"They'll ask about their allowances," Louis commented.
"And we'll tell them they helped us with dinner," Castle said simply. "Should we be worried they do that?" he directed to his wife.
"I don't think so," Beckett replied. "Unless they start asking for more money, I think they just want the ability to buy things on their own."
Thinking about that for a moment Castle nodded and then said, "You're right, and they do want to work for that money in the end."
"You two can go ahead and join the others," Beckett said as they were finishing putting the items away.
When they'd left Castle turned to his wife and said, "What?"
Beckett smiled and said, "I didn't tell them that for that reason, we're nearly finished."
"We are finished," Castle said, getting the apples they'd bought into the basket on the counter by the sink. "Let's go?" he said as she walked over to the sink.
"Not yet," Beckett told him, putting her hands on his chest. She smiled when his eyes widened in surprise and she leaned into him slightly saying, "You wanted to do a little more didn't you?"
"Yes," Castle breathed out before he was leaning over and kissing her lovingly. He wrapped his arms around her and once he felt hers winding around his neck he was kissing her harder, slipping his tongue into her mouth. They tangled together a few times before they were slowly pulling apart to breathe and he sighed saying, "Would you want to rest tonight?"
"I do," Beckett said. "But we can do this."
"Which I'm glad to hear," Castle said. "Should we go or another?"
Beckett's response to that was a smile and hearing her husband groan in desire she was closing the space between them. He was quick to meet her and they were passionate that time, clutching at one another hard. When they eventually parted she smiled as he bent down to her neck, kissing her there a few times before she noticed something down the hall. "Wait… Rick," she told him quickly.
"What… oh, hey girls," Castle said as their three youngest were there.
"Hi!" Eliza said happily. "Can we come over now?"
"You didn't need to ask," Beckett said in amusement as the three were walking down to them.
"You didn't have to let go of each other," Julia commented. When her parents looked at her in surprise she said, "Really, we don't care."
"Ah, ba!" Josie vocalized then as she was going from her sister to her mother.
"She agrees," Eliza said with a smile.
"We were gonna ask about dinner," Julia explained. "How much longer?"
"We should start now love," Castle said once he'd looked at his watch.
"Okay, then we need to take Josie back to the others," Beckett started to say.
"Why don't we just let her stay in her chair?" Castle asked his wife.
Looking at the baby, who was soon looking up at her, Beckett sighed and said, "Okay, bring the chair over."
"I'll carry it," Castle told Eliza quickly as he could see the little girl was going to rush over to the highchair.
"You don't want her to sit with us?" Julia asked her mother.
"It's not that, she needs some toys and someone needs to tell the others we're going to be here with her," Beckett said.
"I'll go," Julia said easily before she was hurrying down the hall.
"What can I help to do with dinner?" Eliza asked as her mother was putting Josie into her highchair.
"Cut the sweet potatoes with us," Castle said.
"I can?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"You can, we've taught you and you've practiced so now I think it's time you tried it for real," Castle said.
When Eliza looked at her Beckett said, "You can, but you're going to be with me or your daddy."
"Okay," the little girl said, nodding so rapidly that her father stopped her.
"Here," Julia said as she'd returned to them by then. "Here's your Tigger doll and your keys. I thought she would want to chew on those."
"Most likely," Beckett said in amusement. "Okay, wash your hands girls and we'll get started."
Castle watched their daughters going over to the sink and once they were busy, he went to his wife and cupped her face in his hand before he leaned over to kiss her. He knew she wasn't going to want much more than that so he made sure to make that kiss slightly rough before they pulled apart.
"You're risking with that Rick," Beckett told her husband in Irish as they stared at one another.
"I don't regret it," Castle commented.
"Neither do I," Beckett said with a smile. She couldn't help leaning towards him and after they shared a quick kiss she turned to the sink with him. "Don't say a word," she said to Julia.
"I wasn't going to really," the girl replied.
"Oh?" Beckett asked suspiciously.
"Really, I was just gonna say don't forget to wash your hands," Julia said, smiling at her.
Sighing Beckett said as she was drying her hands, "You're a smart aleck you know."
"Yep," Julia replied easily, knowing her mother was joking. She took Beckett's kiss to the top of her head and smiled at her before they went to the counter. "What can I do?" she asked eagerly.
"Cut the cherry tomatoes for me?" Beckett asked her.
Nodding her head, Julia opened the drawer in the island and got a knife and then the bowl of tomatoes while her mother and father were getting everything needed for the dinner and dessert. "Are they washed?" she asked.
"Not yet," Castle said. "Can you?"
"Okay, I just hope I don't lose one in the sink," Julia replied, taking the bowl there.
"It's okay, we have plenty," Beckett replied though she was watching her daughter to make sure she was okay.
"How am I supposed to cut them?" Julia asked her parents.
"Quarter them," Beckett said.
"Sure," Julia said, knowing what her mother meant since her parents had taught her how to do that already. Going to the cutting board her mother had gotten for her, she grabbed one tomato and then cut it in half before cutting both sides a second time. She got the tomatoes ready before her mother had her sprinkle half of them inside the filling of the two Stromboli with ham and cheese. When her mother needed to fold the dough she then called to her father and little sister saying, "Mom's ready to fold it."
"Why are you two so eager to watch?" Beckett asked wryly as she was beginning.
Since her mother was talking wryly to her father, Eliza looked up at him with a wide smile before he was speaking.
"It's amazing to watch your hands," Castle commented. He saw his wife looking from the dough to him and he then said, "That's not sexual," speaking in Irish.
"I would hope it isn't," Beckett said as she returned to the Stromboli though she smiled at him. When she finished with both she put them into the top oven that Castle opened for her and the sweet potato fries he and Eliza had been working on went in the one underneath.
"Great, time for some dessert," Castle said as the girls were looking in at the sweet potato fries.
"Mommy did you see I cut them by myself?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"I did sweetie," Beckett said with a smile. "And I'm glad you remembered to hold your fingers back."
"Daddy made sure I did," Eliza said.
"Will you guys help us with dessert?" Castle asked his wife then while they were checking on Josie who'd been watching them.
"Sure," Beckett said before they were taking turns to wash their hands again. "Ní sin caolchúiseach," she commented which meant that that was subtle as their daughters had raced to the sink.
"Níl, ach tuigim é," Castle said before he was kissing her. He'd told her the phrase 'no, but I appreciate it,' and was glad he'd been able to kiss her before she could say anything. When he pulled away from her, he said, "Happy?" talking to their daughters while he was staring into his wife's eyes.
"Yes!" the girls both said happily in unison.
Castle and Beckett parted then and washed their hands before they were making the dessert together, calling the others to join them. After Alexis and Louis had set the table; the girls sharing a look; the family gathered at the table and began to eat.
"Do you like the fries?" Eliza asked her big sister eagerly.
"They're really good," Alexis replied.
"I got to cut them with Daddy," Eliza told her.
"Really?" Alexis asked. "I thought he cut; the cuts are so even on them all."
Beaming Eliza said happily, "And I didn't get the red marker on my finger either!"
"You should show him the next season there is," Castle said with a laugh as Louis looked confused.
Alexis explained the show Worst Cooks in America that her sisters loved to watch to her fiancé and how one of the two mentor chefs would mark a contestant's finger with a red marker if they had their index finger sticking out while cutting with a knife. "I will show you the next season; it's starting next month. You'll enjoy it," she told him.
"I'm glad you don't think I should be on it," Louis said seriously to her.
After they'd finished laughing Martha said, "I'm sorry to ask, have you two thought at all of your wedding?"
"Not really Gram," Alexis said with a smile.
"Yes, yes," Louis said in mock annoyance. "I owe you some scones."
"We made a bet if Gram would mention the wedding today at all," Alexis told them, smiling a little wider. "And I won." She then turned her attention back to her grandmother and said, "We haven't, we're going to get back into work and then slowly start talking about it. Not that slowly though." She smiled at her fiancé as he took her hand and said, "We want to get married this year like we said."
"But it's almost over," Eliza said.
Laughing briefly Louis said, "Not quite, we've got nine months left to go."
"Oh… but then the nine months are over fast and it's Christmas again," Eliza said.
"We'll figure it out before then," Alexis assured her. "And you all did really great with the dinner."
"We made a dessert too," Eliza said before they were all looking over at Josie as she started to cry.
"Sorry," Castle said quickly as he wiped the baby's mouth. "She grabbed my arm and made me hit the top of her mouth with the spoon."
"It's alright Josie," Beckett said, calming the baby down. "Let me take that," she told her husband as she got the spoon.
"Can Josa have some of the dessert?" Eliza asked.
"Unfortunately no," Castle told her. "I wish she could too but she's too little for that still."
"Too bad," Eliza said with a sigh. "It's gonna be really good."
"It will, but first you need to finish up your dinner," Beckett told her firmly. She smiled when the little girl playfully pouted and she smiled at her before returning to her plate as well. Feeling her husband's hand on her thigh she reached down to it and squeezed it as the girls were talking about what to play after dinner before she and Castle weighed in on their idea to their daughters' laughter.