Thank you all for your continued support of this story, especially the kind guest reviewers to whom I cannot respond personally. I hope you keep enjoying the journey.


The first afternoon in the Hamptons, after a lunch of pasta salad coupled with a big green salad with pretty much every vegetable known to mankind in it, everyone just hung out together in one big group. Rick unearthed a cache of sand molds and toys that had been Alexis's when she was little, and Ryan and Sarah Grace went to work on a huge sandcastle, after they had changed into their swimsuits and Jenny had sprayed them both all over with sunscreen, since Sarah Grace had inherited her father's fair Irish skin.

Beckett watched Castle watching Ryan and Sarah Grace build their sandcastle with a smile on his face. "You saved Alexis's old beach toys because you're sentimental," she said.

He turned his head to meet his wife's gaze. "Partly," he replied. "At least, that's why I kept them originally. But another reason to hold onto them came to me, oh, about eight years ago."

"And what reason would that be?" Kate asked, even though she was sure she knew exactly what Rick was going to say.

"You," he said. "Because I've carried this picture around in my head since realizing I was in love with you...a daydream that I hoped would one day become a reality, as so many of my daydreams about you have. It was about us using those toys with our kids on this beach, Kate."

Kate felt warm inside, and it had nothing to do with the humidity or temperature, since the ocean breeze tempered the effects of the heat. "It's gonna happen, Rick," she said so only he could hear.

He pulled Kate against his side and kissed her forehead. "I know," he replied. "And in the meantime, Sarah Grace and Ryan can enjoy them."

Kate, Rick, and all the Ryans were down on the beach, baby Nick snoozing in his infant carrier under a beach umbrella with Jenny splitting her attention between him, and Kevin and Sarah Grace building their massive sandcastle nearby.

Alexis was on the deck with Jim Beckett, discussing law school in general and Columbia in particular. "I haven't spent a lot of time on campus yet, but I do know that they haven't sent out all of their acceptances yet," Jim told Alexis. "It's way too early for you to get discouraged."

"Javier said something similar to me earlier," Alexis admitted. "It's just that I know this is exactly what I want. I have nothing against NYU or St. John's, really, except that they're not Columbia. It wouldn't be the end of the world if I went to either of those law schools. But I want to go to Columbia more than anything."

"Well, for whatever it's worth, I believe in your abilities and qualifications, and in the ability of the admissions department of Columbia Law School to see what an asset you would be to them as a student," Jim said.

"It's worth a lot," Alexis said. "I just have to stop driving myself crazy about it. Get my mind off of it." She smiled ruefully. "If only I knew how to do that."

Javier had gone inside to get a soda out of the fridge. As he was headed back outside, he nearly literally bumped into Lanie and Alan in a liplock right next to the doors leading out to the deck. "I'm sorry," he apologized as the couple hastily pulled apart.

"I think this one was our fault," Alan said, trying to discreetly wipe at his mouth, where he knew Lanie's lipstick was smeared. Then he looked at Esposito. "Look, I don't want to start anything here, or make things awkward, but I believe it's better to get everything out on the table right off the bat. I know that you and Lanie dated. Now, I don't have a lot of experience in dealing with exes, but I followed Lanie's lead here. Beckett and Castle...that is, Kate and Rick...invited all of us up here for the weekend, but I don't have the history and the attachments here that you do."

"Maybe not yet, Alan, but you will," Lanie insisted. "Castle himself said you're part of the family now."

"And I would like to be," Alan replied honestly, looking from Lanie back to Javier. "But you guys have all been a family for years. I know these things take time, and I'm willing to put in the time, earn my way into the inner circle. I just don't want there to be any awkwardness or problems between you and me, Detective Esposito."

"Alan," Javier began, "can I call you Alan?"

"Sure," Alan said.

"Lanie and I, we were together," Javier began. "And then we weren't. And then we were, and then we weren't. It was on and off, up and down, back and forth. I have nothing but respect for her, and she knows that. The last time we broke up was really the last time, and it was a mutual decision. What we had when we were together, it wasn't what you build a life on. Luckily we came away from the relationship as friends, which we're much better off being.

"You two have been together for a few months now, and I've worked with Lanie during all that time. And I tell you honestly, I have never seen her as happy as she's been since she started dating you, Alan. You two..." He looked at Lanie now. "I think maybe you've found with Alan what we didn't find with each other, chica, and if that's the case, then I'm very happy for you, and I wish you both all the best."

Alan let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "So we're good?" he asked, just making absolutely certain.

"We're good," Javier said, holding out his hand for Alan to shake. "But if you break her heart, I'll break your face."

Alan shook Esposito's hand vigorously. "You won't have to worry about that, Detective," he vowed.

"Just call me Esposito, or Javi," Javier said. Then he looked at Lanie again. "Keep being happy," he said. "You deserve it."

Lanie hugged Javi, then pecked his cheek. "You're a good man, Javier Esposito," she said. "And some lucky woman is going to realize that one of these days."

Javi let Lanie go, and she stepped back next to Alan, taking his hand and twining her fingers with his. "I'll let you two get back to what you were doing," he said with a smirk then.

"Don't make me come after you with a fire extinguisher again, because you know I'll do it!" Lanie called after Esposito as he walked away, laughing out loud.

Javier approached Beckett and Castle then. "Everything okay?" Kate asked, tilting her head towards Lanie and Alan, who were heading out of sight now, probably towards the garage for a more private makeout spot.

"Everything's fine," Esposito assured Kate. "How 'bout with you guys?"

"Everything is great," Castle said, wrapping an arm around Beckett's waist.

Esposito raised his soda can to them in salute. Before he could say anything, Sarah Grace started yelling for everyone to come and look at the big, pretty castle she and her daddy had made. As everyone trooped down to the stretch of beach where Ryan and Sarah Grace had built their sandcastle, then took turns exclaiming over what a wonderful, big, pretty castle it was, Kate and Rick looked around at their friends, their family, and Kate brushed the back of her hand against Rick's. He brushed the back of her hand with his in reply, both of them happy and grateful to be in this exact place, at this exact moment, with almost all of the people they loved most in the world gathered around them.


True to form, Martha breezed in while everyone was eating dinner, but instead of name-dropping celebrities, she surprised the group with the news that she had run into a theater friend of hers who was casting for a production of Steel Magnolias that would be running that fall at the Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania, and she'd been holding auditions here at the Hamptons. "To make a long story short," Martha concluded with a flourish, which was, of course, lovably impossible by this point, "I have been cast as Clairee!"

A flurry of hugs and congratulations followed, and Alexis corralled Javier into helping her pour wine for everyone, although Jenny declined, as she was nursing Nick. "To Gram," Alexis said, raising her glass high, as everyone else followed suit. "The best Clairee in the history of Steel Magnolias!"

"To Mother," Rick echoed, "a brilliant actress who gets to strut her stuff on the stage. We'll be in the front row on Opening Night."

"Of course we will!" Kate said.

After dinner, and after Kevin and Jenny got Sarah Grace and Nick to sleep, Ryan approached Esposito. The two of them held a whispered conversation, and Ryan nodded. Noticing this, Kate asked suspiciously, "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Ryan said. Esposito had excused himself to go upstairs.

"It's not 'nothing,'" Beckett retorted in her detective voice. "Come on. What are you two up to?"

"This," Esposito announced as he returned, a deck of cards in one hand, and a box of poker chips in the other. "When you two were in the hospital, Ryan and I decided we were gonna play poker with you when you were back on your feet again. There's no time like the present."

"Yeah, just, you know, don't throw your hands for each other this time," Ryan said. "It's sweet, but it won't be nearly as interesting."

"Can anybody get in on this?" Lanie asked.

"What are the stakes?" Martha wanted to know.

Esposito and Ryan exchanged looks. "We were thinking penny ante," Ryan said, rubbing uncomfortably at the back of his neck. Money was still tight for him and Jenny, and he hated calling attention to that fact, even around his closest friends, his family, but it was obvious to everyone who would have the most money to throw around at a poker game in this group, and Ryan figured he was at the bottom of the list.

"Perfect," Rick said.

Everybody got in on the game. Jenny had the portable nursery monitor at hand so she could listen for Sarah Grace and Nick. Martha skunked everybody the first three hands.

"Incredible," Ryan said, shaking his head. "Just incredible. You have the best poker face I've ever seen, Martha."

"I'll second that," Esposito said as he set his cards aside.

"Never play poker with a professional actress," Rick said, tossing his cards down on the table in disgust. He'd been trying to pull an inside straight, but the cards weren't with him.

Martha raked the pile of chips in the middle of the table towards herself. "Now, Richard, nobody likes a sore loser," she teased.

"Oh, that's it. It's on," Rick said.

"Well, we know Castle won't be giving up a hand to his mother," Lanie said then as she shuffled the cards in preparation to deal another hand.

"I'm still waiting to see if he's gonna give up a hand to Beckett," Ryan said.

"He hasn't so far," Jenny pointed out.

"Because one or both of them keep folding," Alexis said.

"Et tu, Alexis?" Rick asked.

"It was just an observation," Alexis replied with a half shrug as she gathered up her cards after Lanie finished dealing them.

"You know the old saying," Kate said. "'Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.' I waited long enough to be lucky in love, so I don't care if I don't win a hand all night."

"What she said," Rick said as he and Kate exchanged a smile.

"Sappy," Esposito coughed.

"What's the matter, Espo, jealous?" Beckett countered, kicking off her sandal and running her foot up and down Castle's calf under the table, since they were seated across from each other.

"It couldn't be that," Castle said. "I'm not his man crush. Ryan is."

Ryan and Esposito both looked wounded when Jenny, Alexis, Beckett, and Lanie all cracked up laughing.

"I do not have a man crush on Ryan!" Esposito protested.

"That's right," Ryan agreed. "We have a bromance. They're two totally different things."

Alan said, "All of you are way more fun than any of my friends. And I'm not just saying that to suck up. I really mean it."

"A quick study," Kate said approvingly. "You're a good man, Alan Masters."

"Actually, it's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," Martha corrected.

"All we need now is a Star Trek reference," Lanie snorted.

"Nebula 9," Kate and Alexis said in unison.

"I prefer Joss Whedon myself," Alan said.

Everything at the table stopped then as everyone turned and stared at Alan.

Alan tugged at the collar of his polo shirt and laughed nervously. "What did I say?" he asked. He looked from Kate to Alexis. "I don't hate Nebula 9," he hastily assured them. "Really. It's a good show. But Joss Whedon..."

"How hardcore a Joss Whedon fan are you?" Kate asked seriously. Rick was staring at Alan slack-jawed.

Alan sat up straight. "Look, I've always been the first one to admit I'm a nerd," he said. "And if that means I take some good-natured teasing for it, so be it. I was into D&D when it first became a phenomenon in the '80s, a skinny, short, junior-high kid with glasses who hung out in his friends' basements playing on weekends, and having marathons in the summer."

Rick dropped his cards to the table and clapped one hand to his chest. "And Whedon?" he asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Alan met Rick's gaze squarely. "I own every season of every TV show the man has ever done on DVD," he said. "I once got into a fight in a bar because I insisted Buffy and Angel were better fantasy shows than Lost. I have every movie he's ever done on both DVD and Blu-Ray. I'm a regular at Comic-Con. My go-to Halloween costume is Robert Downey, Jr.'s Tony Stark as Iron Man in The Avengers. The year the movie came out, I stalked eBay for six months before I found the exact Black Sabbath t-shirt he wore in the movie, and I grew the modified goatee he had in that movie. I have first editions of every comic book and graphic novel he's worked on."

Kate looked at Lanie. "I don't know whether to thank you or kick you in the shins right now," she said.

"I swear I didn't know about all of this," Lanie said, wide-eyed.

"What's going on?" Esposito asked.

"To put it in your vernacular, I believe another bromance is about to be born," Jim Beckett piped up.

"You love Joss Whedon," Rick said seriously.

"The only people I love more are Lanie and my family," Alan replied just as seriously.

Rick reached his arm across the table to Alan. "8.4 million people in New York City," he said, "and the only person I have ever met who shares the depth of my appreciation for all things Joss Whedon crosses my path thanks to the NYPD and the best medical examiner in the world." He held out his hand to shake. "I see many, many double dates and Whedon marathons in our future, Alan."

"What have I done?" Lanie asked, only half-jokingly.

"Now, see, that is a man crush," Kate said, gesturing to Rick and Alan shaking hands.

"Bromance," Rick and Alan said in unison.

"No way will you guys have a better bromance than us," Esposito said, gesturing between himself and Ryan.

"Never," Ryan declared, fist-bumping Esposito.

Jenny set her cards down face down on the table. "Who needs poker when we have this kind of entertainment?" she asked, leaning back in her chair as she tried not to laugh. Nick Ryan's shrill, piercing wail came through the baby monitor then, startling everyone at the table.

"We're out," Ryan said as he and Jenny both got up and hurried upstairs, Jenny to tend to the baby, Ryan to help soothe Sarah Grace back to sleep if her brother's cries awakened her, as had become their routine since bringing Nick home from the hospital.

"Should we play one more hand, or call it a night?" Lanie asked.

Everyone agreed to play one more hand, and Ryan and Jenny rejoined the group after getting the kids back to sleep to find that the only players remaining in the game at this point were Beckett and Castle.

"I'll raise you twenty-five," Kate said, tossing a blue poker chip into the middle of the table. They had all agreed at the start of the evening that blue chips were worth a quarter, red chips a dime, and white chips a nickel.

"I'll see your twenty-five," Rick said, tossing one of his blue chips into the middle of the table, "and raise you another thirty." He pushed three red chips into the sizable pot in the middle of the table.

"I think she's got you, Castle," Esposito said.

"I think Beckett has the best poker face after Martha, so I'm with Javi on this one," Ryan said.

"Dad's too cocky. He's a good bluffer, but he's not that good. I think he's got you this time, Kate," Alexis said.

"I concur," Martha said.

"Nobody's throwing their hand this time, right?" Lanie said.

"There's no need for that, Lanie," Kate said, her eyes locked with Rick's. "Okay, Castle." She dropped three red chips on top of the pile and said. "I call. What have you got?"

Castle dramatically fanned out his cards. "A full house," he announced triumphantly. "Literally, figuratively, and in terms of poker. Three kings, two tens. Read 'em and weep, Beckett."

"I'm not the one who needs the Kleenex, Castle," Kate replied, laying her own hand down on the table, "because that full house is nice, it really is. But I have four of a kind, and my four aces beat your full house."

Rick's eyes flew to the cards, followed a split second later by everyone else's eyes. "Four aces," Ryan said in a hushed, reverent voice.

"That is the best poker hand I have ever seen in my life!" Esposito exclaimed.

"That's my girl," Jim said proudly.

"Four aces," Rick said, looking from the cards to Kate. "You have four aces?!"

"I do." She smiled as she raked in the pile of chips. "Better luck next time, Rick," she said.

Castle leaned back in his chair and just smiled at Kate as the others began to drift away from the table.

"Bro, Beckett just handed you your ass in front of all of us, and you're sitting there smiling," Esposito said as he stood up. "What gives?"

Castle looked at Esposito. "As much as I hate cliches, Esposito, this is one I'm happy to live up to," Rick replied. "I'm unlucky at cards, it's true. But I'd much rather be lucky in love."

Esposito watched the look Castle and Beckett exchanged, since she had heard what they said. Glancing around the room, he saw Ryan and Jenny lingering in the doorway headed to the hall with the staircase, Jenny's arms around Ryan's neck, Ryan's arms around Jenny's waist, their foreheads touching as Jenny laughed softly. Alan and Lanie had said something about a moonlit walk on the beach when they left the table, and since they were no longer in the room, Esposito figured that's where they were. Alexis was chatting with Martha and Jim, and Esposito finally got up after Castle helped Kate finish packing up the poker chips and cards to return to Esposito.

As he headed upstairs to put the poker chips and cards away, Esposito couldn't help but reflect that he, like Castle, and Beckett, would rather be lucky in love than lucky at cards.