Anonymous Prompt: Martha and Jim talk about what their kids were like when they were kids while watching Castle and Beckett's children.
Future!fic, taking place about 3 or so years from now.
Martha sat down on the couch beside Jim, just after laying their six-month-old grandson, Monty, down for a nap.
"You think he'll stay asleep this time?" he asked quietly.
"I certainly hope so," she answered. She knew he had to be as exhausted as she was, after wresting with the twins, Monty and Chloe, and little two-year-old Cosmo for the past three hours. "Richard was always difficult to go down for a nap, and I suppose his youngest has, unfortunately, taken after him."
Jim nodded, "Katie was a sleeper. In fact, even when she got older, around eight or nine years old, she'd go to bed on her own." He smiled as he thought back, "In fact, I recall one time, Johanna and I were in the den, reading. Katie came into the room, so serious, and told us she was tired and going to bed, and that we should also go to bed soon."
"I wish Richard had been so. I can remember many nights, going into his room in the early hours of the morning to turn out the flashlight that would still be on after he'd fallen asleep on whatever comic book or novel he was reading." She laughed and patted Jim's knee, "And it didn't matter what happened to the flashlight — he would have that one or another the next night!"
"However," Martha added with a flourish, "I can't really complain. All that reading did do the boy some good." She stood and turned toward the kitchen, "I'm going to make tea, would you like a cup, Jim?"
"That sounds nice," he said, also standing. "Let me help you."
As they walked into the kitchen she pointed him toward the cabinet when they kept their cups. "If you don't mind getting us a couple of cups from there, and we have several kinds of tea in the green container beside the coffee maker. Help yourself."
"All right," Jim replied, and went about, gathering the cups and filed through the assortment of tea. "What kind would you like, Martha?"
She set the full water kettle on the stove and turned the burner on. "I think I would like either peppermint or raspberry. Whichever you find first, dear."
He finished gathering the cups and tea bags, then walked to the other side of the bar while Martha waited on the water. "I don't know if the kids realize it, but I think they're going to have their hands full. Katie had her times of doing crazy things and I figure Rick did as well."
"I'm sure you know by now, he never stopped," Martha deadpanned. It was true, some of the things he bought still blew her mind. The life-sized Boba Fett, for one. "But yes, there was rarely a dull moment in the Rodgers' household when he was growing up. I remember the science experiment that ruined my oven and made our apartment building smell like burnt popcorn for weeks. I have no idea what the boy was thinking, but thank the Fates above he learned from that."
"What kind of experiment was it?"
"I don't know, but it took him the better part of two hours to clean the mess up." The kettle began to whistle, so she took it and poured the steaming water into their cups.
"Thanks," said Jim as he took his cup. "Katie was — and still can be — stubborn. We had a family reunion at our cabin one year, and her cousins, all boys and all older than her, were doing all sorts of daredevil antics. Next thing I know, we hear this sound, and she had climbed on top of the cabin and jumped off the roof!" He laughed and shook his head, saying, "It was a wonder she didn't get seriously injured, but she wasn't going to be out-done by the boys. And I guess it worked… they didn't exclude her from their trouble-making after that."
He laughed for a moment, then added, "Then, there was the time she got a Lego stuck up her nose…"
"If that's any indication, I believe you're right. Our kids—" Martha was interrupted by the door opening.
"Our kids, or 'our kids' meaning your grandchildren?" Richard asked as he and Katherine stepped inside and were taking off their soaking wet coats.
"Meaning the two of you," answered Jim. "You guys are back early. Everything all right?"
"We're fine, Dad," Kate stepped out of her heels and took Richard's coat and set both inside the closet. "It started raining, so we decided to come home."
Richard nodded while water dripped from his hair. "Raining? It's a monsoon out there! But seriously, what were you talking about?"
Martha smiled and told him, "Oh, nothing, really. Jim and I have decided by the events of your and Katherine's younger years, that our grandchildren are going to make your lives quite interesting."