Grandpa Clause
Post Series

It was sight she'd never in all her life thought she'd see. Her father dressed as Santa Clause. He'd insisted. Practically jumped at the chance.

Lily had been asking for days when they'd be going to visit but Reece had come down with a cold and Jake was fussing a little too. They'd wanted to wait a few days until Reece was better and to make sure Jake didn't come down with it too and every day they had to console a heartbroken Lily when she asked if they could go and they had to say no. They wanted to take the kids as a family, especially after the meltdown that had occured last year. Reece and Jake had not taken to the jolly greeting and Lily then didn't trust the man that had upset her baby brothers. So far, the Castle household was lacking its usual seasonal cheer between two sick one year olds and a cranky toddler.

Then Martha had casually mentioned having a Santa suit at her acting school and Grandpa Jim, ever ready to swoop in to save the day for his beloved grandchildren, had offered his services in the role of Santa before Castle could even voice the thought.

When he'd knocked, Lily dragged her Mom to the door to open it, bouncing up and down with her excitement, while Alexis and Martha gathered a boy each and carried them to greet their visitor and Castle held the camcorder. Lily gasped as the door opened.

"I heard there was a poorly little boy here unable to come and see me," Jim said in a deep voice, his best attempt at hiding his identity below the suit and beard. Kate watched Lily for any signs that she recognised her Grandpa but her little girl was mesmerised by the man before her. "And one very unhappy brother and sister. You must be Lily." He held a hand out to her and Lily looked to her Mom first before shaking it. Jim winked at his daughter, reveling in the joy he was giving to his granddaughter as she showed him to a seat in the living room. Lily followed and climbed into his lap and told him what she would like for Christmas. Then he'd taken Jake and listened to his baby babble while Kate took photos. He'd offered a knee to Alexis too but she perched on the arm of his chair while Lily watched on. He'd presented them all with candy canes, even Alexis, telling her all the Castle children had made the nice list this year and she could expect a lovely present from Santa too. He handed Castle a candy cane too, joking that the biggest Castle child of all was not to be left out, much to Kate's amusement. When Jim turned to her, he insisted she tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas too and Lily encouraged her, promising her this Santa was lovely as she happily licked on her candy cane. Once Kate had perched in the spot that Alexis had vacated, Jim turned to Lily, Reece and Jake, telling his grandkids that he, Santa, remembered their Mommy as a little girl and how she'd drive her parents nuts. "But you grew up into an extraordinary woman." He told her, genuinely proud of her. "Who can still drive your father a little nuts." Kate rolled her eyes, letting her father get away with it as he really was enjoying himself. Martha took Kate's phone so she could have a picture with her Dad too.

Now she sat on the sofa, watching her father cradle the sleeping Reece on his shoulder, whispering promises of new toys, books and lots of new adventures to her little boy. It was the most content the Reece had been all day, still fussy with sickness and Kate was hard pressed not to feel moisture threatening her eyes. Her Dad was slowly drifting off with his grandson. She took a photo of them, Reece's head resting on his shoulder and knew she'd have to frame them for her Dad for Christmas.

AN: I love Jim Beckett so much.