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: Since this is the epilogue for the story I want to say that I do have the next story set and will be posting it next week. So if anyone wants to check that out look out for it then!
A/N #2: I was pleased to receive the feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get my thank you started! Mb (It was great that you thought the chapter was a sweet one show them relaxed and enjoying the vacation with family and friends, and of course that you said they were family by choice. It was nice to read that you loved seeing Josie and Sophie's interaction since I did want to lay the basis at some point that they were going to be friends. I'm glad you agree that an occasional rainy day can be fun during vacation, lol. And not surprised you said it helps having a private concert with Paul, though yeah, if you plan it the right way it'll still be nice. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! Glad you thought the second half of the chapter was nicely done. Not surprised you enjoyed the concert and then them relaxed too, had to have it that way since it's vacation after all! I'm glad you enjoyed Castle and Beckett recalling their past life with their kids older. And I wasn't surprised you liked the more recent memory of after Beckett had told Castle she loved him for the first time, I enjoyed writing that. You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the review, I enjoy reading it and appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way! Also thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed this story, I am always grateful for that!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Beaches in Mind written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Joe Thomas, from The Beach Boys album That's Why God Made the Radio.
Be Back Again
Looking out the window of the car, Peter realized something and said, "This isn't the way to the house."
"No," Castle said shortly before he glanced at his wife and saw she was looking at him.
"What's going on?" Clive asked, sharing a look with his brother.
"Your dad texted when we got to the airport back in St. Croix," Beckett said, looking in the backseat where Julia was sitting with the Lennox boys. "Your mother had gone into labor."
"Hey, hold on guys," Castle said a little loudly since the two had protested immediately. "He told us, actually both your parents said, not to tell you until we were on the way to the hospital."
"Has the baby been born?" Peter asked.
"No, I texted him when we landed and were waiting for the suitcases," Castle answered, driving again when the light he was stopped at changed. "He said she was doing fine but she had some time."
"Is that her? Him," Clive said in a panicked tone when a text alert sounded.
Taking his phone, Beckett said, "I think your sister's in a hurry, your dad says it might be soon."
"We're almost there," Castle said quickly before the boys could speak.
"Why did I come?" Julia asked. "Shouldn't Eve have?"
"Her parents wanted her to unpack," Castle answered before his wife could say anything.
"She doesn't have to be there," Peter said.
"He didn't finish," Beckett told him. "She's going to unpack, and Brad will bring her."
"Then why am I here?" Julia asked.
"To keep them company for now," Castle said. "Here we are," he told them when he spotted the hospital. He wasn't surprised they were quiet behind them and drove to the parking lot quickly before they were stepping out.
Once they had reached the nurse's desk for the maternity ward, Beckett walked up to it and spoke to the male nurse behind it. After learning that Genevieve was giving birth at that moment, she went back to the others and put her hands on Peter and Clive's shoulders. "She's going to give birth to your sister very soon and she's doing fine," she told them seriously before Peter was speaking rapidly.
"Right this second?" the teen asked.
"I'm not sure, but someone will come tell us," Beckett assured them both.
"So… what do we do now?" Clive asked uncertainly.
"Wait," Castle said. "This is what everyone but the father has to do."
"Is it bad to go in too?" Clive said, looking honestly confused while they went to five chairs to sit together.
"If you're not the father," Castle said. "Though there are some couples who might have the mom's mother there."
"Or other family members," Beckett reminded him.
"More than one other person?" Julia asked in surprise.
"Yes, though it's up to the person," Beckett said.
"How long did it take for Julia to be born?" Peter asked.
"Almost nine hours," Beckett said easily, relieved she was able to answer that question since it had been in a short journal entry Julia's birth mother had written.
"That long?" Clive asked in shock.
"It can take longer," Castle said. "But," he added swiftly when both boys looked horrified. "If they say she's about to give birth soon they mean it so it should be within an hour or two."
"That's still way too long," Peter said, sounding pained.
"She'll be alright," Beckett said, squeezing his shoulder gently.
"Do you two have your phones?" Castle asked them.
"Yes," the boys said at the same time.
"But I don't feel like playing," Clive said, seeing his brother nodding in agreement next to him.
"Magazine?" Julia asked while she'd picked one up. When the two shook their heads at the same time she tried not to smile at the sight of that before she said, "I was the same way when Mom had Lizzy and Josa."
"You had to do that twice," Clive said. When the teen nodded, he said, "It hurts a lot doesn't it?"
"It depends," Beckett said when her husband was glancing at her. "She might get some medication to help with that."
"She wanted to have the baby," Julia said softly, looking at her mother.
"Julia's right," Castle said. "Your mother had you Peter, and she wanted to give your family a sibling."
"If I asked her she wouldn't say she shouldn't have had our sister, would she?" the teen asked. At the nods from the three he sighed and then said, "Eve's really coming?"
"We thought you could use some friends; both of you," Beckett said.
"What?" Clive said, startled when she and Castle were looking at him.
"Should we have asked Mari to come too?" he asked with a smile.
"Oh no," Clive said. "I'm sure she wants to be at home."
"Don't worry," Julia said, speaking quickly since she knew why he was looking at her. She smiled a little and said, "We'll go back soon."
"Are we staying with you for the night?" Peter asked.
"Your mom and sister will be going back tomorrow," Beckett replied with a smile. "And I think you'll have to go to school."
Sighing Peter told his brother, "We will, you know Mom and Dad will make us."
"I figured, man I wish it was the weekend," Clive said.
"You want to spend time with your sister?" Julia asked.
"Of course," Clive replied. "She's not going to sleep that much will she?" he then asked.
"Remember they said she would," Peter said. "But we'll be with her when she's awake." After his brother nodded, he looked at the nearest clock and tried not to sigh when he saw that conversation had only taken about ten minutes. He determinedly looked away from the time before he heard the elevator doors open and looked up to see his girlfriend and her father stepping outside before he got up and rushed to her before he could stop himself. They hugged one another, and he realized abruptly he was slightly taller than her before he shoved that thought aside while she was speaking.
"She'll be fine," Eve told him, kissing his cheek while she pulled away.
"You sound so sure," Peter said with a slight smile.
"We better go back to the waiting room," Brad said, watching the two.
Taking her boyfriend's hand as soon as they'd let each other go Eve said, "Has she started to give birth?"
"The nurse Kate talked to said yeah," Peter answered.
"Are you staying?" Castle asked the chief when the kids were moving to sit.
"I need to; you don't have room in the car for Eve too," Brad said with a nod. "Hopefully she's alright."
"She will be," Castle said.
"She is," Beckett said, smiling the second she saw Isaac walking past the nurse's station with a wide smile on his face.
"Dad!" Clive and Peter said at the same time.
"Don't worry, don't worry," Isaac said rapidly when the two had thrown themselves at him. "Your mom and sister are fine."
"She's here?" Clive asked.
"She is, and with the same lungs you two had," Isaac replied. "Your mom told me," he said to Peter.
"Mom's… she's happy," the teen asked, stopping himself from asking if his mother was okay.
"Extremely," Isaac said before he turned his attention to the adults as they came over to shake his hand. "Hey, thanks for coming too," he told Julia and Eve before the former was speaking first.
"We wanted to be here for them," she said, nodding to the boys.
"When can we go see them?" Peter asked.
"Right now, it's why I came out here," Isaac said with a smile. "Do you think you guys can wait?" he asked Castle and Beckett.
"Of course," she said first.
"We won't be too long, I want Genevieve to get some rest," Isaac added.
"Don't worry," Castle replied. "Take all the time you need."
"Still won't be that long," Isaac replied before he laughed. "They're grabbing my arms. Come on you guys," he told them before moving to wrap his arms around their shoulders. They walked together past the nurse's station and he had them wash their hands before he did the same and then led them to the room their mother and sister were in.
"Come in," Genevieve called after she heard the soft knock. Looking up from the baby she smiled when she saw her husband was there and said, "They better be behind you."
"We are," Clive said first.
"Hi Mom," Peter said when his brother had let him walk inside first.
"Hey kid," Genevieve said with a wider smile. "How was the trip."
"Fine, is that her?" Peter said quickly before his mother was laughing softly.
"It's her," Genevieve replied. "Come closer and see her; it's okay."
"She's tiny," Clive breathed when they were close.
"A little, she weighs seven pounds," Genevieve said.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked immediately since the thought had come to him that his mother had been carrying that weight for so long and had to birth it as well.
"Fine, happy that it's over and she's with us," Genevieve replied, smiling since she wasn't surprised her son had thought of that.
"Sorry about the dark hair Peter," Isaac said then, smiling himself.
"Don't worry, you warned me she'd have that hair," the teen replied. Looking at his parents from the baby he asked, "What's her name?"
"Emily Samantha," Genevieve replied.
"Nice," Clive said. When the baby shifted and turned towards their mother he said, "Could we hold her too?"
"Yes, come up here first," Genevieve said.
"Do you need my help?" Isaac asked his wife.
"We're good," Genevieve replied, watching their middle child climb on the bed carefully. When he was set next to her, she gave him the baby, watching him staring at her in wonder.
"So you're my sister," Clive breathed, his tone matching the expression on his face. "Emily," he then said. "I'm sure you know Dad and Mom already but I'm your big brother Clive and holding you next will be our big brother Peter." When the baby looked at him for a moment he asked, "Could I… is it okay if I kiss her?"
"Very lightly," Genevieve replied. After the boy had done so and Emily had made a soft cooing noise she told him, "It's alright that sound is normal."
"Better switch with your brother," Isaac told his son.
"Were they alone out there?" Genevieve asked him while the boys were trading places.
"No," Isaac said. "Kate, Rick and Brad were out there with Julia and Eve."
"How was your dinner together?" Genevieve asked Peter once he was settled next to her.
"Good," the teen said, feeling his cheeks heat up a little. "We weren't alone all the way though."
"The trip was good?" Genevieve asked while she was putting Emily in his arms.
"Yeah," Peter said though he was looking down at his sister. She was looking up at him though soon after turned her head before one of her arms slipped out from the blanket wrapped around her. Reaching down to her, she gripped at his finger momentarily before letting him go and he said, "I see why grownups have kids."
"You love her?" Genevieve said.
"So do I," Clive said in a rush when his brother was nodding in agreement.
"We're glad to hear that," Isaac said.
After he'd handed Emily back to their mother Peter said, "You're both coming back home tomorrow."
"We will," Genevieve said. "While you're in school but your dad will pick you up."
"We have to go, don't we?" Peter asked. When the two nodded he sighed and said, "We'll be ready after school," not surprised his brother was responding.
"Do we really need to go?" Clive asked.
After sharing a look with her husband Genevieve said, "I hate to say it, but I think you should get back to the house and get ready for school tomorrow."
Groaning with his brother Clive said, "We want to stay with you guys."
"There isn't that much longer until the weekend," Isaac said.
Looking at his mother and seeing she was covering her mouth and yawning, Peter said to his brother, "I think they're right."
"Yeah," Clive said since he'd seen the same. "But we did want to stay."
"We know," Genevieve replied, smiling. She motioned to her husband and once he'd taken their daughter, she held her arms out to her sons. Hugging them once they'd reached her, she said, "I love you two, and I can't wait to go home to be with all four of you."
Smiling Isaac said, "Don't forget we have all summer too."
"Good thing," Clive said before they were all laughing. He and Peter kissed their mother's cheek before they were hugging their father after Emily was back in her arms.
"You already know we want you to behave and listen to Kate and Rick," Isaac said after he'd let go of his sons. "And please do your best to pay attention in school."
"Wait," Genevieve said from the bed. "Dance practice?"
"Ask Julia if she'd mind you skipping tomorrow," Isaac said when the teen suddenly looked dismayed at the reminder.
"Sure," Peter replied. He and Clive left after assuring their parents they could return on their own to the waiting room and telling them and their sister goodbye.
"Wow," Clive said once they were in the hall.
"Yeah," Peter said in agreement. He then told him, "I wish she'd been born in the summer."
"I was thinking that too," Clive said with a rapid nod. "But at least we could go somewhere with her in… a while? When can she go out?"
"Kate will know," Peter said, touching his brother's shoulder when he turned back towards their mother's room.
"Right," Clive replied before they hurried out to the waiting room. He laughed when Eve and Julia went straight to his brother, asking about the baby before Beckett was stopping them.
"I'm sure she's fine and we have time to talk about her," she said.
"Her name is Emily," Peter said immediately. He smiled when the others looked at him and said, "Emily Samantha."
"That's a pretty name," Eve said before she was looking at Julia who frowned before she replied.
"What?" the teen said.
"No, I just remembered something, are you going to call her something else?" Eve said before she was directing the question to the two boys.
"No, I think Emily is fine," Peter said, not surprised his little brother was looking at him to answer first.
"Did you get a picture of her?" Julia then asked.
"Isaac just sent it to me," Beckett said, looking at her phone. "Them," she added when she saw a second one was sent. She opened the first and smiled seeing it was Clive with the baby and swiped to the second with it being Peter. She let her husband take it and said to the boys while the others were looking at it, "Are they picking you up after school tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Clive said first. "It's okay right?"
"They asked us," Castle said. "But I'm wondering about dance class tomorrow."
"She wasn't having it this week," Julia said. When the others looked at her in surprise she said, "I told you I got an e-mail from her, that some kids wouldn't be back until Friday."
"Who?" Eve, Peter and Clive said at the same time.
"I think Nora, Calvin and Bennet," Julia said after thinking that over for a moment.
"Oh yeah, they said they were going on a cruise," Peter said, recalling the three. "Well… that helps."
"Definitely," Clive said before they were turning to Brad since the chief had begun to speak.
"Are you two staying at all?" Brad asked.
"Dad told us to get our stuff before we go to your house," Peter said, telling the last to Castle and Beckett.
"You're going to go?" Castle said to his friend.
"I need to, I don't want to leave Lils alone for that long," Brad said.
"Can I say goodbye to him by the windows?" Eve asked. When her father nodded, she took Peter's hand and pulled him over before they stood looking outside. "I'm glad I'll see you at school tomorrow," she told him.
"Me too… I almost asked to stay at home though," Peter told her.
"I'm not surprised," Eve said with a smile. "Are you ready to have a baby in the house though?"
"I better be, it's almost summer," Peter told her.
"Okay, then I'll see you tomorrow," Eve said, after her father had called to her. She turned to him and kissed his cheek before she said, "After lunch?"
Peter nodded before he leaned over and brushed his lips to hers lightly saying, "See you tomorrow."
"See you," Eve replied with a smile before she shared a hug with him, and they hurried back to everyone else and went to the elevators.
Saying goodbye to the two Davises, Peter watched them leaving with a slight smile on his face before he said, "I guess we'll have to go to school."
"I know why you want to go," Clive told his brother.
"Come on you guys," Castle said before Peter could respond. When they'd reached the car, he made sure the three in the back were set before he drove them to the Lennox's temporary house. "I hope one of you guys has the key," he told the boys while they were walking up to the front door.
"I have it," Peter said. "I was worried taking it to the island, but Dad and Mom said it would be better."
"Are you going to wait for us to pack?" Clive said.
"Do you need help with your suitcases at all?" Castle asked them.
"We're fine," Clive answered immediately when the writer was closing and locking the door behind them.
"If you want to wait in the family room, go ahead," Peter said before he and Clive were going down the hall to where the bedrooms were.
"How long until their house is ready?" Julia asked her parents as they went into the family room.
"I think Genevieve said they're going to try and push for finishing before Christmas," Beckett said.
"I hope they can," Julia said with a smile, sitting on the couch with her mother. She saw her father was standing still and asked, "You're not going to sit?"
"I'm good," Castle replied. "Plus, they shouldn't be that long, just pajamas and uniforms for school."
"And their bathroom stuff," Julia added while she was nodding to what her father had said.
"We're finished," Clive said, coming up to the doorway.
Walking up to him and Peter; who was walking quickly down to them; Castle said, "You got everything," before both were responding to that swiftly.
"Yeah, we remembered," the boys said at the same time.
"Well, even if you did forget it's not too far to come back," Castle said. "You have your school stuff too?"
Nodding, since both he and Clive had their backpacks on, Peter said, "We can go?"
"We're going right now," Beckett said before they were leaving the house. She waited with the teen to make sure he locked the door before she got a text. Getting her phone out she said, "They're back home."
"Who?" Julia asked while they made their way down to the car.
"The McDouglases," Beckett said. She smiled and then told the boys, "And they told me if I saw you to give you their congratulations."
"Are you going to text her back?" Clive said after they'd gotten into the car.
"I was planning on it," Beckett said. "Do you want me to tell them thanks?"
"Please," Peter and Clive said at the same time.
Smiling while the three were laughing in the back, Beckett said, "I was planning on it." She turned her attention to her phone and quickly texted the McDouglases while her husband was pulling away from the curb.
"Calm down, calm down," Skye said to the girls when they ran into hers and Mary's room.
"We're letting you know we finished Mum," Marie said.
"Oh really?" Skye asked.
"Don't tease them grá," Mary said in amusement, walking out of the closet.
"I can't help it," Skye said before she looked swiftly at the text she had just received. "Kate got our message and the boys said thank you for it," she read.
"How neat, a new baby," Iris said.
"You want one too?" Skye asked.
"Oh no, I want to stay the baby for this family," Iris said seriously.
"So do we," Mary said, going to her and hugging her tightly.
"Are you finished?" Skye asked her wife.
"Just my clothes," Mary said. "You five stay in the seating area."
"Sure," they said at the same time before going over to it.
"Why are you so happy about their baby?" Ivy asked her twin when they were sitting on the couch and armchairs in front of the fireplace at the side of the large room.
"I like babies, don't you?" Iris asked.
"Sure, but I don't want one yet," Ivy said.
"Me neither," Fleur said. "I think I will wait until I am old."
"Not that old," Kathleen said swiftly. "You stop having babies when you're a certain age." She wasn't surprised when her three younger sisters were looking at her in surprise and said with a smile, "Mum and Mom told us."
"Does that mean they can't have babies when they're older?" Ivy asked sadly.
"Right but they didn't want to have them," Marie said quickly.
"She's right," Skye said, walking over to them. "We wanted to adopt you lot." She smiled when Ivy rushed to her and squeezed her tightly before Mary walked up behind them while she spoke at the same time.
"You're all sounding very grim," the doctor told them. She kissed her wife's cheek before she said, "Who wants to go to the Promenade?"
"I do!" Iris said first, her sister following her immediately.
"And who helped you come to the final decision that we would go?" Skye asked her wife in amusement.
Brushing her lips to Skye's, Mary told her, "You did. I know you want to go."
"Don't claim to know what I want," Skye said in mock annoyance. She squeezed her wife's hand and they moved to leave the room after their daughters. Since they were ready, they went straight to the car and she drove them to their usual parking.
"What about Grandda?" Marie asked after they were out of the car.
"He's going to try and come over tomorrow," Skye assured them. "He needs to see how he feels."
"You mean how Pablo thinks he can handle moving," Mary told her wife.
"Good point," Skye said as she held Fleur's hand while they walked out of the building. "But we'll let him rest if he needs to."
"What about seeing him?" Kathleen then asked.
"We'll go over to their house," Mary promised. When they'd reached the beginning of the street she told her wife, "We have to decide."
"I know," Skye replied quickly. She turned to their daughters and said, "Are we going in now or walking down?"
"Are we having dinner and dessert?" Marie asked when her sisters looked at her to speak.
"I think so," Mary said. "We'll see about the dessert part later."
"Then we'll go now," Marie said. "In case it closes early," she said.
"Okay, after you guys," Skye said. "But please make sure you stay with us."
"Are you sure we have to go with them?" Kathleen asked.
"No, but you have your phones, right?" Mary asked. When the pair showed them, she said, "Alright, you can go but please stay together."
"We will," Marie and Kathleen said at the same time before they were first on the escalator up to the second floor.
Since the two sections of books were on the same floor Skye and Mary watched their two oldest for a moment before they walked over to the kids' books with their youngest.
"You're not tired?" Mary asked her wife as they were sitting on the chairs in that section while the three girls were going around the shelves.
"No, you? You told me you had slept," Skye said.
"I did," Mary said firmly. She then smiled at her and said, "I'm just surprised you wanted to come here."
"I wanted to feel like we were home," Skye commented.
"And they're working still," Mary said.
"Yes, though tomorrow I'm not planning on leaving the house," Skye said before she saw the three were walking up to them. "You're finished already?" she asked them in surprise.
"Yeah, let's go get Marie and Kath!" Iris said eagerly before they were rushing out of the section.
"They're so lucky their sisters are right over there," Mary said to her wife while they got up and headed over to the young adult section.
"I know," Skye replied before they were reaching their daughters. When they'd checked the books they'd chosen she let the girls lead the way to the elevator.
"I'll take these," Mary said.
"You…" Skye said slowly while her wife was getting the books she was holding. "Alright," she told her before her daughter was tugging her hand and speaking to her.
"You and Mommy didn't look for any books," Fleur told her.
"We don't need any," Skye said simply. She squeezed her hand and told the girl, "Where do you want to go next?"
"I don't know," Fleur said with a smile. "Maybe go to the toy store?"
"We'll discuss it when your mom is with us," Skye said, leading her towards the front of the store. "Don't start looking at magazines," she told the other four.
"Not even for a little bit?" Marie asked.
"We'll never get out of here if you do," Skye said. She glanced at the registers and seeing her wife stepping up to the first one she looked back at the girls.
"Just one?" Kathleen asked.
Unable to help laughing, Skye said, "What, all of you girls?" When they nodded, she said, "We'll do that at home, for now we need to wait for your mom."
Nodding Ivy went to her mother and took her hand before she said, "I'm okay."
"You are?" Skye asked with a smile.
"Yeah, just… glad to be home," Ivy replied.
Squeezing the smaller hand in hers Skye said, "But you miss being on the island."
"A little bit," Ivy said.
"Well, just remember we're going to be going on vacation soon," Skye replied. She looked back to the registers and said, "Ah, there's your mom, let's go girls."
After they'd stepped out onto the Promenade, Mary went to her wife and said, "Where are we going next?"
"I think we're going to just walk," Skye replied before her wife spoke in obvious confusion.
"The girls didn't mention going anywhere?" Mary asked.
"Ivy said the toy store," Skye replied.
"Ah, now I see why you said that," Mary replied. "Then what's safe?"
"It's almost dinner," Skye said laughingly, looking at her watch. "Good thing we took an hour to rest."
"It was more than an hour," Marie said, standing on the curb of the street.
"Yes, but you don't feel that tired right now do you?" Skye asked pointedly.
"No but still," Marie said, smiling when her mother shook her head.
"We're going to the restaurant now?" Iris asked.
"We are, head west girls," Mary said before the five were exclaiming over that direction.
"I guess they approve," Skye told her wife.
"They do," Mary replied before she took her wife's hand and they walked over to 2nd Street and the King's Head.
"Why can't we ever sit outside?" Ivy asked.
"Because there are seven of us," Mary said when they were settled in their large booth.
"But someday we can, right?" Iris asked.
"Oh, not you too," Skye said, shaking her head. She then smiled at the girls' giggles and told them, "When you're a little older and it's not that busy we'll do that… as long as we can sit by each other."
"Look at what you want girls," Mary urged them. "We can't take too long it is a school night."
"Don't groan," Skye said when the five were doing so.
"She's right, you've only got a couple weeks remember," Mary said.
"Yeah, but everyone from the Hamptons has only one," Kathleen was quick to point out.
"Yes, but they started a week early," Skye said.
"I know what I want," Marie said then.
Watching the rest of the girls turn their attention back to the menus Skye glanced at Mary and smiled before they waited for their waitress to come back. They distracted their daughters from thinking of school by discussing their plans through the meal.
"I'm so glad we're going to be 'ome for a while," Fleur told her mother while they were leaving the booth once they were finished.
"I'm not surprised," Skye said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to Vancouver though."
"Again?" Mary asked.
"Of course, though this time will be nice not working on an investigation," Skye replied.
"You don't think you'll get one before we go do you?" Mary asked though she'd spoken in Japanese.
"I'm hoping I won't," Skye replied simply before she stopped as they were outside, and their daughters were turned to them.
"Please say we can go," Marie said, feeling Iris squeezing her hand.
"Yes," Skye said. She had been about to continue before the five were exclaiming and she calmed them down with Mary before telling them, "We're letting you get two candy bars each, for lunch the next two days."
"What about Friday?" Ivy asked as they walked into the store next door.
"Don't be cheeky," Skye said, playfully pinching her chin. While the girls were looking at the candy bars, she waited with her wife at the front of the store and talked quietly about what she would do in the time until their vacation started.
"Are you ready for Manresa?" Mary asked after they'd finished and walked back to the Promenade.
"Of course," Skye said easily. "But we'll think about that once we're there."
Squeezing at her wife's arm gently Mary told her, "Right."
"We can go now, right?" Fleur asked. "To the toy store?"
"Yes, and when we say it's time to go it's time to go," Mary said though she was directing that to all the girls.
"After dessert," Ivy said.
"Yes, yes, after dessert," Skye said in mock annoyance. She hugged the girl to her side while they continued to walk and return to their shopping excursion.
"This is the most awesome room," Clive was saying before Julia responded quickly.
"It isn't going to stay like this though," she said.
"No, but still," Clive replied before they started to laugh.
When she calmed down, Julia noticed that Peter was looking down at the baseball game they were in front of and asked, "Okay?"
"Yeah, just a little homesick," Peter replied.
"Sorry you couldn't go home," Eliza said, stepping up next to them.
"At least we're going back tomorrow," Peter said. He saw the way Julia was looking at him and said, "What?"
"It's not just that," Julia said. She smiled and then told him, "You want to be home, home."
"I wish," Peter said.
"The first house you designed?" Castle asked while he and Beckett were walking in with the rest of their family. "I don't blame you."
"They've gotten really far with it," Peter said. "I told you they went yesterday, right?" He frowned and then said, "That didn't make our sister come too soon, did it?"
"No," Beckett said firmly. "She decided she was ready."
"Are you kiddos alright?" Martha asked them with a smile.
"Why are you asking?" Clive asked in surprise.
"We didn't start to play," Eliza said. "I'm going to; I wanted to," she said before going to the racing game, her sister speaking laughingly to her as she went.
"Do you want someone to race with you?" Alexis asked.
"Okay," Eliza said, whirling around and facing her.
Seeing Julia was talking to the boys while they were starting the baseball game, Beckett turned to her husband and said, "What do you think?'
"I was going to make coffee," Castle said.
"Are we gonna have dessert?" Eliza called from the game.
"How did you do that without crashing?" Castle asked her, seeing she was still looking at the screen.
"Magic," Eliza said, smiling and trying to continue to pay attention to the game.
"Should I just get that now?" Castle asked his wife.
"I'll help you," Beckett said after she'd made sure Josie was alright with her grandparents at the air hockey table. Walking down the hall with him she said, "Will you be up to writing tomorrow?"
"We need to, don't we?" Castle asked, glancing into their office they were passing. "We only have a week and a half until our house is full of kids during the day."
Laughing Beckett shook her head and said, "True. But luckily we don't have that much left." She was startled when he suddenly stopped her next to the kitchen island and she looked at him questioningly before he was speaking rapidly in Irish.
"What are you asking for?" Castle asked her. "Or not asking for?"
Smiling, Beckett took a moment to look down the hall before she stepped closer to him and murmured in Irish, "For as long as you can give me."
Though he was aware they had constraints the next day with the girls having school, Castle nodded and said, "It'll be for a while."
"Good," Beckett said simply in English before she was suddenly in her husband's arms.
"Vixen," Castle breathed to her before he leaned down and kissed her deeply.
Tightening her hold around her husband's neck, Beckett responded to him eagerly until he was suddenly pulling away and going down to her neck. "Easy," she warned him though her eyes were shut tightly. Taking in the feeling of his lips brushing to her gently she smiled briefly before he worked his way up to her lips.
Kissing his wife yet again, Castle kept it simple before they were parting slowly, and he pressed his forehead to hers. "I told you thank you right?" he asked.
"For what?" Beckett asked, a little surprised by that.
"For being pregnant," Castle replied. "Twice."
Brushing her lips to his, Beckett told him, "You have. And I'm not surprised you're making sure; I expected it."
"You're going to get bored with me," Castle said though he wasn't serious.
"No, I won't," Beckett said. They kissed again, briefly, before she told him in Irish again, "Taispeáin dom nach ndéandfaidh mé," which meant 'show me I won't.'
"Beidh mé, ar feadh uaireanta," Castle said instantly, which meant 'I will, for hours."
"Pervert," Beckett said with a smile before they were kissing again. She was disappointed when that didn't last for long before they were parting and she said, "I'm surprised."
"Me too, but that game room takes your full attention," Castle said, smiling when his wife laughed softly before she responded to him.
"It'll be worse once we expand it," Beckett said, watching him moving to start making coffee.
"Now you don't want to?" Castle asked, glancing at her.
"I do," Beckett was quick to reassure him. She watched him for a moment and then said, "I just hope it won't distract you too much." Smiling at the look he gave her, she told him, "I'm kidding but why now?"
"Along with the bowling alley?" Castle responded with his own question. When his wife nodded, he smiled and said, "I should have thought of it a long time ago but for some reason it never came to mind." He paused for a moment and told her, "And it's probably better Julia and Eliza are older. And don't say Josie's not, I'm sure you had the same intention as I did. Teaching her not to depend on video games."
"I do," Beckett said with a brief nod. She then smiled and told her husband, "Should I get the cookies out?"
"Please," Castle said, nodding rapidly. He and his wife were getting everything they needed before he stopped her and reached up, gently brushing her hair behind her ear.
"They're going to remember," Beckett told him.
"I know," Castle replied before he leaned down and kissed her gently. When they were parting, he said, "Play pool with me?"
"Alright," Beckett said with a nod. She was responding to him when he kissed her a moment later and when they'd parted, she told him, "You do need to let me go."
Doing so, Castle was about to say teasingly that she owed him later when he heard footsteps down the hall.
"Are you coming now?" Eliza asked.
"We are," Beckett called back.
"Oh good," she said before turning back to the game room.
Sharing a look, Beckett couldn't help rolling her eyes with a smile before they took everything and went back to the game room. "Okay," she said to get everyone's attention. "If you want dessert you need to come and get it now."
"What is it?" Clive asked, walking over first.
"Some hamantaschen," Castle answered. "Since we ordered from that deli."
"Ooh, which one did you get?" Eliza asked.
"They had chocolate and blueberry," Castle said, stopping her from getting a cookie. Before she could protest, he had her take a glass of milk and then told her, "Just one."
"That's it?" Eliza said in disappointment.
"We'll pack another for you to have after lunch tomorrow," Beckett said with a smile.
"Okay," Eliza said, taking a bite and then drinking some milk before she walked over to the temporary table.
"At least that went over well," Castle told his wife.
"I know," Beckett said laughingly. She turned her attention to their oldest and said, "Is there anything else you need?"
"No," Alexis assured her. "I'm fine with this but we're going to have to leave."
"Already?" Julia asked.
"It's a work night," Louis commented before Martha was talking to his wife.
"Are you going to be alright?" she said.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Alexis replied. She took a sip of her tea and said with a smile, "I don't need to go in too early, but I need to sleep."
"When are you going home?" Eliza asked.
"Soon," Alexis said.
"Not that soon," Louis said when the girl's face fell. "But she does need rest and I have to go in at my normal time."
"Then we better go play," Eliza said while she took Alexis' hand.
"Play what?" the young woman asked with a smile.
"You pick," Eliza said.
"Alright," Alexis said, laughing.
"Are you going to take Josie?" Jim asked his daughter.
"Rick and I were planning to play pool," Beckett said.
"Good, I'll take her," Jim said.
Startled when her grandfather looked at her Julia asked, "What?"
"Where are you going to play?" Jim asked with a smile.
"You don't have to play with us," Peter said after she'd looked at him and his brother.
"I don't want to play on my own," Julia said.
"Um… the pinball machine?" Clive said swiftly when his brother turned to him.
"Sure," Julia said before they hurried to it. "Mind if we play too?" she asked her little sister.
Finishing her milk, Eliza studied her sister and the two brothers before she said, "Okay, but I'm first."
His wife grabbing his arm, Castle did his best not to laugh at the way their second youngest had spoken and looked at the three. He made sure for a moment that the four were okay before he turned to Beckett. "Do you want to play still?"
"That would be nice," she said before squeezing his arm and walking to the pool cues. After she'd handed her husband his she told him, "No betting," in a low tone of voice.
"Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it," Castle said easily. He watched her chalking her cue and then murmured, "Better we're even tonight."
"I'll remind you of that when you want to bet again," Beckett replied teasingly. She couldn't help smiling when he made a face, and she cupped his cheek gently before they were moving to get the pool balls racked.
"Grandpapa," Josie was saying at the baseball game.
"Yes honey?" Jim asked.
"I wanna play," Josie said firmly.
"We will right now," Jim said before he looked back at Martha.
"Go play, I'll be happy to watch," Castle's mother said.
Watching the two going to the game, Beckett turned to her husband and asked, "How much did you give her?"
Smiling, since he wasn't surprised at the question, Castle said, "Just half of a cookie, there's evidence if you don't believe me," motioning to the plate on the bar before she was speaking and smiling herself.
"I saw," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband looked startled and said, "I have to throw you off somehow."
"Oh, ha, I see," Castle said before he was shaking his head while he watched her walk up to the pool table. After she'd taken the first shot, he said, "Is it working?"
"It's early still," Beckett teased him. She watched him leaning over the table to take his shot and saw the way his hands clenched on the cue before she said, "I'll stop."
"Yeah," Castle said quickly before he shook himself and sank the 5 ball. He made a couple shots and then said, "Would you want more coffee or anything."
"No," Beckett said, smiling at him. She went over to him and said, "I was serious."
"I know, I'm just trying to focus on this," Castle replied. "But since I can't anymore tá tú ag dul a íoc as sin," he added, telling her 'you are so going to pay for that.'
Looking at the pool table and biting at her lower lip for a moment Beckett soon glanced up at him and said, "Táim ag súil go mór leis."
Placing his hand gently on her back, though it was hard not to do more than that because she'd told him the words 'I'm looking forward to it,' Castle simply nodded and then moved his hand to allow her to take her shot. He couldn't help admiring her while she was doing that, careful to do so in a way the others wouldn't see while they continued their game.