"Could we play with the pool table?" Eliza asked.
"A full game," Julia added for her sister.
"Alright," Beckett said.
"She's right," Castle said after he'd chuckled at the way both girls looked suddenly stunned.
"Why did you think we wouldn't want to let you play that?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"It might take a while?" Julia guessed after her little sister looked at her.
"It won't," Castle said. "We'll play in teams you know."
"Okay," Eliza said rapidly. "We should," she then told her sister rapidly.
"I was going to agree," Julia said in mock annoyance to her sister. "You didn't give me the chance." She did her best not to roll her eyes at Eliza's shrug and she then followed her to get her cue.
"Who am I going to play with?" Eliza asked.
"Who do you want to?" Castle asked. He laughed when she stepped up next to him and he told his wife, "I should have known."
"Me too," Beckett replied with a smile before they went to the table together since they had their cues.
"Mom," Julia said, looking at her.
"What's wrong?" Beckett said, startled.
"No," Julia said in a rush as she realized why her mother had said that. "I just remembered that I forgot to tell you that Connie left."
"Did you see her leave?" Castle asked, looking over from racking the pool balls.
"No, Grandmama and Mamó told me," Julia said. "She didn't do that near me; they wouldn't let her. But she was ready to go on her own."
"Good," Beckett said firmly, gently running her hand over her daughter's hair.
"Do I go first?" Eliza asked her father.
"Yes," Beckett said. "Hurry or else we won't have time to finish."
Stepping up onto the stool her father had placed for her at the end of the table, Eliza hit the cue ball. Seeing nothing really moving, she pouted and said, "I still can't do that," crying out when her father picked her up while he spoke.
"You will," Castle told her after he'd kissed her cheek. "Just give it a little more time."
"Who goes next?" Eliza asked him.
"Your sister," Castle replied before he set her down. After he had they watched Julia take a shot and he said to the girls, "You're going to have fun this weekend."
"Is that a question or a command?" Beckett asked her husband teasingly.
"Is he worried because we have no places to go?" Eliza inquired.
"I think so," Julia said with a smile. "Did he talk to you about that?"
"He did," Beckett replied, since her daughter was talking to her. She stepped up to the pool table then and said, "We told you Rick."
"And none of you let me explain my tone," Castle said, pretending to be angry. "I was making a statement."
"Why did you say that?" Eliza asked.
"He's excited about going tomorrow," Julia told her sister with a smile.
"Me too Daddy," Eliza said, tugging his hand.
"Me too," Julia added. "But I really want to be at the beach a lot."
"We do too," Beckett assured both girls since she could see the hopeful expression on Eliza's face. "And we will. But we do have to get there first."
"Does that mean we can't finish the game?" the little girl asked.
"We will," Castle said. "You two need to fall asleep, not just go to bed," he told them while he was taking the next shot.
"And I wanted to write in my diary," Julia said. She glanced at her sister and said, "I don't mean I want to go to bed now, I just need time for that."
"You might have to write a shorter entry," Beckett told the teen while she was getting ready to go next.
"I figured," Julia said. She managed to sink the five and said while her mother was going next, "What about during the vacation?"
"Do you not want to write?" Castle asked in surprise.
"I was thinking of not taking my diary," Julia admitted. "Since I'm going to take it during the summer and try and write in it."
"Then don't," Beckett told her with a smile. "If you want to spend this vacation relaxing then do that."
Nodding, Julia then said, "So I guess I just want to write tonight."
"Can you make it quick?" Castle asked.
"Yes, I can just do… bullet points or something like that," Julia said before they turned to Eliza who was standing on the other side of the table by herself while she began to speak.
"We're going to play?" the little girl asked.
"It is your turn," Castle commented with a smile. "Keep going," he told her while he walked around to her.
"Are you going to be able to take down the wall?" Julia asked her mother suddenly while they were waiting.
Seeing her daughter was looking at the wall in between the game room and parlour Beckett smiled and said, "We had the architect check before we decided on using this room in the first place."
"I just want it to happen," Julia said. She then laughed briefly before she said, "Do you really think it'll be ready by the time we come back?"
"It might not be completely finished," Castle said when he walked over to them. "But we're going to try."
"What does that mean?" Eliza asked in confusion.
"He's going to start looking for the games," Beckett said wryly as she moved to the table.
"I already have," Castle corrected her. "I was looking for the Star Wars one."
"Did you find it?" Julia said.
"Maybe," Castle said. "I have to bid on the consoles."
"You're getting two?" Eliza asked in shock.
"Maybe, I was just going to get one, but the person selling has two," Castle said. "Now I hope; if I end up bidding with someone; that we can split them. But that's not for sure. The auction is after the holiday so I'm hoping to have the chance," smiling as Eliza hugged him.
"Good luck Daddy," she told him.
"Thanks," Castle replied in amusement. He hugged her tightly and then said, "I think we're done though."
"What?" Eliza asked, her voice strangled while she turned to the table.
"Mom just put the eight ball in," Julia explained with a smile.
"Oh… I didn't get to see," Eliza replied.
"We need to go upstairs," Castle said then. "Give me your cues."
"Can we wait for him?" Eliza asked her mother.
"Of course," Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders.
"Can we see what the layout of the room is going to be once you're finished?" Julia asked.
"Yeah, we need the family's approval," Castle said with a smile once he'd finished putting everything away.
"What about Peter and Clive?" Eliza asked.
"Their dad is bringing them in the morning since he has to go to his office really fast," Julia answered before their parents could.
"And they're going to leave Genevieve by herself?" Eliza said while they were leaving the room.
"Yeah, she'll have her phone on her," Castle said.
"I talked to her, and she said she doesn't feel like the baby is coming yet," Beckett replied. They headed up the stairs and she was about to tell the girls they needed to say goodnight before Julia was stepping up to her little sister before she spoke.
"I'll see you in the morning Lizzy, night," the teen told her as they embraced.
"Night," Eliza replied. "Love you, Jules."
"Love you too," Julia said before their parents were taking her little sister down the hall. She went into her room, looking inside her suitcase briefly before she was changing and brushing her teeth. Finished, she folded her sheet on her bed back and looked at the empty space where Macca and JoJo usually lay. Her parents had already taken the six to their usual kennel and Carlow to the pet store they'd gotten him at to stay while they were gone. Shaking herself she went to her desk and set out her diary, ink and pen before she got everything ready, and she could begin.
May 25th, 2022
Hello Evangeline! I don't have that much time since I have to go to bed super early for our trip tomorrow, so I need to just list out what happened. The important stuff I mean.
1. Mom and Dad solved the case today, actually they only solved it because they were kidnapped by the killers. They said they'd been put in the back of a van and that they punched the two before Brad and the other officers got to them. They're okay but their knuckles are bruised but they say it'll go away quickly. It's scary to think that happened though.
2. Before lunch I got a really weird feeling, like something was wrong and Mamó was in my classroom with me. She told me I should head outside so I asked to use the restroom and went to the lobby and found Lizzy there. She'd left the elementary school building and came to mine. I took her back and told her Mom and Dad would be okay- she had a weird feeling too.
3. Mom and Dad checked us out for lunch, and we ate it here at home (Dad made us bento boxes and we ate those since we can't save the food of course). And we even got to play a little in the game room before we had to go back to school.
4. In dance class Ms. Grey said she'll enter us for sure in the Rothschild in October now we have our parents' permission to be in it. We started to talk about the dances and songs to use but nothing is for sure yet, so I'll wait to talk about it here to you.
5. Tonight we had a family dinner and I told them about the Rothschild ('lexis doesn't think she'll go since she'll be further in her pregnancy, but I expected that). And then Mom and Dad told us they're thinking of making the game room bigger! We took a vote and we all agreed so they're going to have the wall between that room and the parlour room knocked down and all of that will be for games. And after that AJ and Lizzy got to pick one game we wanted to have. Lizzy picked whack-a-mole (no surprise), I picked a coin pusher game (I'm hoping besides either coins or tokens Mom and Dad put little candies inside) and 'lexis and Louis picked a game they played on their honeymoon in Paris, an air cannon game where you aim for the holes behind a little airplane propellor. I've never seen that last game, but it sounds like fun!
We played in the game room after that until the others went to bed, Lizzy and I were with Mom and Dad last and played a game of pool. Mom and I won but we were talking during it, so I wasn't paying too much attention. After that we came upstairs, and I came here to get ready and to write to you.
Now tomorrow we're leaving for St. Croix, and I decided that I'm going to relax (since we're not doing anything for sure or planned) and leave you here. I feel bad but I really want to enjoy the island. When we're back, I'll write to you, and I'll be taking you with us this summer. So enjoy your rest and I'll see you Monday!
Trying to empty her pen, Julia was startled to find she had used everything but a drop before she turned to the door.
"Did you finish?" Beckett asked, unable to help smiling at her daughter's surprise.
"Yeah, just in time," Julia said, putting everything away hurriedly.
"Julia-" Castle started to say in surprise when the teen hurried to the door and closed it.
"What happened?" Julia asked them.
"We told you," Beckett said firmly. "Open the door."
Pursing her lips for a moment while she was considering the tone of her mother's voice, Julia realized she was serious, and did so. Going to her bed where they were waiting for her, she asked, "But you're sure you're okay?"
"Very," Castle said. "Now that the case is over and we're on vacation."
"He's right," Beckett said gently when Julia turned to her. "And you are too."
"Alright," Julia said with a sigh, sitting on her mattress. "Do I have to go to bed right now?"
"Of course," Castle said. "We're going to sleep too."
Sighing again, Julia got up and hugged her mother tightly before she said, "Thanks for letting us play tonight."
"You're welcome," Beckett said in amusement since her daughter had gone over to Castle who was soon talking to her in mock annoyance.
"You're not going to thank me?" he asked.
"You didn't let me," Julia replied.
"Oh, then you're welcome," Castle commented. He laughed with Julia before they were hugging one another and he then said, "I love you sweetie."
"I love you too Dad," Julia replied quickly before she embraced him again.
Castle responded before he lightened his grip on her and said, "Alright get some sleep if you can and we'll wake you up in the morning."
"I put my alarm," Julia said. After her father nodded, he kissed her cheek and she did the same to him before they let each other go.
"I love you too Julia," Beckett said when her daughter went to her and hugged her hard.
"Thanks," the teen said with a smile. "I love you too," Julia was quick to say. She kissed her mother's cheek and after getting one from Beckett moved to climb under the sheet. After she had laid down and covered herself, she wasn't surprised when her parents said goodnight to her. "Night," she told them. She watched them leave, turning off the light before they were leaving down the hall. Closing her eyes, she was about to try falling asleep before she realized she was hearing footsteps approaching her room. Raising her head, she realized shortly after that it was her sister and she whispered, "Lizzy?"
"Yeah," the little girl said, rushing inside.
"What're you doing? And how did Mom and Dad not see you?" Julia asked.
"They weren't here," Eliza said.
Deciding she didn't really need to figure out how exactly her sister had gotten in without their parents seeing, Julia then turned her attention back to why she was in her room. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I can't sleep, not without Rita and Rosie," Eliza replied. "And Carlow."
Hearing the slightly tearful tinge to her sister's voice, Julia pushed herself up and said, "Don't worry. He's in a hotel right now."
"Think he misses me?" Eliza asked.
Since her sister was leaning over on the side of the mattress Julia moved the sheet out of the way and asked, "You want to stay here tonight, don't you?" At her little sister's nod, she smiled and told her, "Come here." After Eliza was on the other side of the bed and they were laying down she told her, "Carlow does, but he'll have a fun time by his water and everything."
"I can't wait until we get them back," Eliza said. She then sighed and said, "But then there's- oh!" startled when her sister had her lay down. "Then we have summer. We're taking buses, they can't go?"
"Because it's a lot to handle them," Julia said, making sure they were both covered well. "And they'll have fun at the kennel and pet shop. The kennel's a dog resort more remember."
"I hope so," Eliza replied with a heavy sigh. She smiled when her sister hugged her and said, "Could we get in trouble right now?"
"Yeah, we're supposed to be asleep," Julia replied. She wrapped her arms around her again and said, "But they wouldn't be mad at you for staying here."
"Are you?" Eliza asked.
"No way, I miss Macca and JoJo a ton," Julia answered. "I feel lonely too."
"At least we'll be with all the kids," Eliza said before she yawned, and her sister was commenting teasingly.
"And we will be once we go to sleep," Julia told her.
"Yeah," Eliza said.
Julia was about to comment on that before she realized her little sister had fallen asleep. She made sure the sheet was okay on her before she closed her eyes, doing her best not to force herself to sleep though she was excited for the next day.
"Are you sure you should be drawing that love?" Beckett asked while she made her way over to the bed from the bathroom. When her husband grunted, she couldn't help laughing and said, "Run that by me again Rick, and use your English words," not surprised when he laughed himself before he responded.
"I'm not making exact measurements," Castle explained. "Just seeing by shape where we could put everything."
"Did you copy the plan he gave us?" Beckett asked.
"Yes," Castle said firmly since the architect had given them a layout of the floor with the wall gone between the two rooms.
"How's it going?" Beckett asked, going around to her side of the bed.
"You noticed the pencil?" Castle asked her with a smile.
"Of course," Beckett said, taking off her robe. When she turned back to her husband, she saw he had set down the paper and pencil. "Are you okay?" she asked him in concern.
"Yeah," Castle said seriously. "But I wanted to ask you very seriously do we need to talk?"
"I'm not sure we do," Beckett replied slowly after she had gotten on the mattress.
"No?" Castle asked, a little surprised.
"We managed to make it," Beckett said. "And got ourselves free thanks to you."
"And you got Budahas down," Castle commented. "And I know I got Holst but I'm a little concerned about hitting a woman still."
"Don't be," Beckett said firmly, squeezing his hand.
"Okay," Castle replied. He smiled at his wife's laughter and then slid his hand from hers before he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Calming down at his touch Beckett said, "As long as you're okay then I think we are," looking at him pointedly until he responded.
"We are," Castle said, pulling her to him. They were kissing shortly after and once they had stopped, he said, "Do we need to go to sleep now?"
"No," Beckett replied with a smile. "Let me see what you drew."
"Sure," Castle replied, handing it to her.
Studying it Beckett said, "You're missing a doorway here," pointing out the east side of the room.
"I was looking at everything and we might need to seal it," Castle replied. "But of course, I'm not the professional so we have to ask once we have our appointment."
"Are you going to call tomorrow?" Beckett asked in amusement.
"I'll try," Castle replied. "Though do you think I should call Genevieve or Icho directly?"
"Genevieve," Beckett said swiftly. "She'll be awake."
"True," Castle replied. "Tuesday?"
"We kind of need to," Beckett answered with a smile. When he leaned over, she was there to meet him for a brief kiss before they were parting and she said, "Will you show this to the girls tomorrow?"
"Am I even going to have time?" Castle asked.
"If you bring it with us on the plane," Beckett commented, speaking absently as she took his paper before her husband was stopping her.
"What're you thinking?" Castle asked her.
Smiling at his tone Beckett said, "Let them draw where they want the things to go."
"Something to distract them during the flight?" Castle asked. After his wife had nodded, he then said, "I forgot we hadn't gotten them packets of things to do."
"Exactly," Beckett replied easily. She then said, "But you have to make them now."
"Sure," Castle said, moving to get off the bed. "Want to join me?"
"If we check on the girls first," Beckett replied, getting up as well. When her husband walked around to her, she wrapped her arms around him before they were kissing gently. They shared a few more like that before they slowly parted, and she took his hand before they were walking out and down the hall. They glanced in Julia's room first and she squeezed at her husband's hand when she noticed Eliza was there.
Nodding to his wife, Castle remained in the doorway with her for a little longer before they went to Josie's room. He let her go, allowing her to step up to the crib first, following her closely to look down at their youngest. He watched her brush some of the toddler's hair off her forehead before he reached for her hand and they left, walking back to the staircase.
"I couldn't resist," Beckett commented when they were in their office.
"I'm not surprised," Castle said with a nod, turning to look at her from the printer. "If I hadn't been holding the paper, I would have done the same." He set the floorplan on the scanner and then paused for a moment before he asked his wife, "Are we leaving Eliza there?"
"Yes, I just hope she didn't have a nightmare," Beckett said, walking over to him once she'd closed the door.
"I think she misses the dogs," Castle said. "And Carlow," he added swiftly.
"Most likely," Beckett said.
"Julia should be okay," Castle said, turning on the printer.
"I know," Beckett replied.
"But you're worried she won't be," Castle said, watching her.
Nodding Beckett looked down at the printer and asked, "What're you waiting for?"
"How many copies should I make?" Castle asked.
"There's our three-" Beckett started to say.
"Three?" Castle asked in surprise.
"Three, we have to let Josie have her chance," Beckett pointed out. She smiled when her husband nodded and she kissed his cheek before she continued saying, "Two for the Fosters, three for the Davises-"
"Two with Patrick and Trevor and five for the McDouglases," Castle said. "So fifteen… what about Stella's kids?"
"Make extra," Beckett said. "But I don't know if we'd have time for them to do that to be honest," she added.
"There might be," Castle said. "Just in case they somehow come to JFK instead of just flying directly from London?"
"Yes," Beckett said with a smile, watching him set the number in. "Do you have enough paper?"
"I do," Castle replied easily. Once it had started, he turned to his wife and gathered her into his arms. He felt a thrill at her gasp but was kissing her shortly after and holding her tightly to him.
Responding to her husband's fervency, Beckett ran her hands over the back of his head before she allowed her fingers to gently slide through his hair. After they'd parted to breathe, she told him, "I want you tomorrow, Rick."
"Don't worry," Castle assured her, "I need you too." They kissed again and he was clutching at her back at the sensuousness of it until they were slowly parting. Pressing his forehead to hers he said, "No more breaks."
"No," Beckett said in agreement before they brushed their lips to each other's and turned to the printer at the same time. "You knew it was going to stop," she said teasingly when her husband groaned in frustration and let her go.
"Yeah… you know I'm kind of interested to see what all the kids do," Castle said. "I just hope they have stuff to color them and everything."
"They should," Beckett said, making him give her the papers. "Let's go," she then told him before he was speaking in a rush.
"Do we really need to?" Castle asked, grabbing her wrist gently to stop her.
"Yes, unless you want to fall asleep in the car?" Beckett asked.
"Right," Castle said before he let her take his hand so they could make their way upstairs to their room together. Inside he closed the door, walking swiftly to the doorway of the closet and saying, "You're putting them in your bag?"
"I am," Beckett said, smiling at her husband since she had finished. Walking up to him she wrapped her arms around his neck and told him, "I need to admit something."
"Something?" Castle asked, holding her as soon as she'd moved so he could rub her back gently.
Trembling briefly at her husband's hands sliding under her shirt a little Beckett had to take a moment before she could speak soon telling him, "I'm not bringing anything special."
"You don't have to," Castle said firmly. "You know that."
"I do, I just wanted to make sure," Beckett replied, reaching up to lightly scrape her nails over his scalp.
"Goddess," Castle breathed before he leaned into her. "Did you pack sundresses?" When her response was to merely nod, he said simply, "Good," before he closed the gap between them both. Kissing her gently at first, he was soon deepening it and slipping his tongue past her lips to find she was responding eagerly. He clutched her tightly to his chest while they were dueling, tilting their heads back and forth a few times until they needed to breathe.
"This… we have to sleep Rick," Beckett told him.
"It's still early," Castle said. Before she could respond to him, he picked her up in his arms, carrying her to her side of the bed. After he'd laid her down, he wasn't surprised when she was playfully pinching at his shoulder.
"Save that for the trip," Beckett said.
"So you want me to do that?" Castle asked with a smirk.
"Don't be so cocky," Beckett told him, watching while he climbed over her to his side.
"Save that for the trip too?" Castle said.
"Pervert," Beckett said though she was smiling at the same time. When he leaned into her again, she was responding to his kiss, and they were doing so more gently that time until they were slowly parting. She was about to stop him when Castle moved down to her neck, pulling her hair out of the way gently before he kissed around her pulse and soon reached the hollow of her throat. "Rick," she moaned while he was nibbling gently at the edge of it.
"I can't stop," Castle told her, moving up to her lips. He kissed her again, a little more urgently until they needed to breathe again, and he was helping her lay down.
"Wait," Beckett breathed out to him. "We can't love."
"I know… but at least this…" Castle started to say. He trailed off while he leaned down to her, kissing her again before he felt her arms wrapping around his neck. It wasn't long before he could feel her nails digging into the backs of his shoulders and he was spurred to kiss her harder. He wasn't sure how long he managed to do that, but eventually they stopped, and he pressed his cheek to hers saying, "I have to get off you."
"You're not on me," Beckett said with a smile. She turned her head and kissed the side of his before she told him, "But we have to get ready for bed," watching him get up.
Looking down at his wife Castle said, "I have to ask, did you pack pajamas?"
"I did, I have to," Beckett said with a knowing smile. She sat up then and said, "You?"
"Yeah, but I was hoping I wouldn't have to wear them that often," Castle replied.
Caressing his face gently, Beckett said, "You won't." She took his kiss, relieved when he was gentle and after they'd parted, she said, "I love you, Rick."
"I love you too Kate," Castle said before he brushed his lips to hers.
"Rick," Beckett said with a smile when her husband wasn't moving.
"Right," Castle said, shaking himself. He moved to the edge of the bed, removing his glasses before he turned off the light on his nightstand. He noticed his wife had done the same and turning to her asked, "Want the sheet?"
"That would be nice," Beckett said with a smile. She waited for him to grab it before he was looking at her. "You want me to lay down first?" she asked him while she smirked.
"No," Castle said swiftly before he was doing so. As soon as she was joining him, he wrapped his arm around her tightly to hold her against his side and said, "I'm so glad we have this trip," startled when she laughed before she calmed down and explained why she'd done so.
"You're thinking of Tahiti," Beckett said.
"No," Castle said so swiftly he wasn't surprised when his wife began laughing again. He joined her before he said, "Okay, so I am. But I swear I'll pay attention to the kids."
"I knew you would," Beckett said teasingly.
"But when we're in our room…" Castle started to say while he looked at her pointedly.
"Oh, don't worry," Beckett told him teasingly. "I said I wanted you."
Castle kissed her firmly but didn't linger, gently rubbing her back before he said, "I mentioned I loved you right?"
"Mmm-hmm," Beckett said with a smile. She kissed his jaw and then said, "But we need to get there."
"Damn," Castle said since he realized she was right, and he didn't want to stop.
"Language," Beckett said, pinching his side teasingly before he laughed. They kissed again before they slowly parted and she murmured, "Goodnight love," while she was pressing closer against his side. Feeling him wrapping his arm around her tighter she smiled to herself, laying her cheek on his shoulder before she kissed at him through his shirt.
"Night," Castle said, kissing the top of her head. He felt her pressing against him a little more and he gently tightened his hold on her before he closed his eyes.
Though they didn't say it to one another, Castle and Beckett found themselves falling asleep, relieved to be there at that moment with nothing but their Memorial Day vacation to look forward to next.