"Darling, how good to see you!" Martha called out from the couch. She glanced up from her magazine as Castle bounded into the room like a puppy on a sugar high. "Well, you look happy! With that smile I would have thought you were the Joker." Martha took a sip of her martini. "A Joker that has been sneaking cookies, mind you..."

"Ha ha, very funny mother," Castle said, though his good mood did not leave him with Martha's jests. He tossed his jacket onto a chair and moved to sit next to his mother, practically vibrating. "I got them."

"Got what?" Martha asked innocently. Her son failed to notice that, instead of her normal over the top dresses she had gone with a more breezy blouse and slacks, her right hand hidden under a pillow while her left clutched her drink.

"Got...what do you think I got?" Castle said, his happy buzz warring with his displeasure that his mother didn't share in his excitement. "Mother, what have I been talking about for the last few weeks?"

"Cases, that graphic novel you and Kevin and Temperance are working on...did he ever return the pope's hat, by the way?"

"I think he...mother, I am not talking about any of that. Haven't you seen me on the phone, talking to everyone and anyone, trying to secure the hottest tickets in town."

"Oh yes...telling to Robert and Chris...both of them...oh, and Scarlett." Martha gave her son a wink. "Still can't get that one to go out with you, can you?"

Castle waved off his mother's question. "The point is I was finally able to get in touch with Joss today and he came through for me! Last minute too, but hey, I'm not complaining!" Castle pulled from his pocket 4 crisp and clean movie tickets. "I give you our passes to the biggest movie event...well, until the next biggest movie event...tonight...we are going to the New York Premiere...of The Avengers!"

Martha broke out into a grin of her own. "Oh darling, how wonderful! I absolutely love them!"

Castle was pleasantly surprised by his mother's reaction. "Well well well...I never took you for a fan!"

"But of course! That John Steed was dreaming in his own way and Emma Peel proved-"

His face fell. "Mother...not the british Avengers. I'm talking about the superheroes! Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man! The big four of Marvel comics, all on the silver screen! Action and mayhem and superpowers...it is going to be awesome!"

Martha set her drink down and patted his hand. "I'm sure it will be, darling." Castle got the impression that he was being humored. "But...four tickets Richard?"

Castle nodded, becoming a bit more muted by that. "Yeah... at first I was thinking of inviting someone... but Ryan has a family thing with Jenny and Esposito already has a hot date with someone named Meredith."

"Not Evil Meredith, I hope," Martha said, referring to Castle's ex-wife.

"Me too...god, that would be horrible." Castle did a full body shudder at the thought of the Deep-Fried Twinkie getting it on with Esposito. "I was going to invite Kevin but he is fighting a deadline and said, I quote, "The only way I would fly out is if it were the Dark Knight Rises. DC FOREVER!" and then he did the Joker laugh which was...very creepy."

"There must be someone else," Martha said.

Castle rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess Alexis could invite a friend."

"Darling, what about Detective Beckett?"

Castle blinked. "Beckett? Nah, I don't think she'd be into that. I began to discuss it with Ryan and she hightailed it out of there..."

"That's because I had to do some shopping," Beckett said, emerging from Castle's den. The writer turned, startled by her arrival, and received a form NERF dart in the face for his trouble. Beckett had changed out of her normal jacket and blouse at some point and donned a simple white t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she bounced on her sock-clad feet, aimming the NERF gun at him and holding up the foam Captain America shield that was strapped to her arm. "Avengers, assemble!"

Castle barely had time to blink before Alexis popped up from behind the couch, playfully punching him with the two big, green foam fists that she wore over her hands. "Alexis smash!" She said with a giggle. Martha, for her part, rolled her eyes...before pulling out her hidden right hand and firing foam discs at her son with the Iron Man gaunlet she'd strapped to her wrist. Beckett smirked as she slowly circled Castle, using the shield to push away the dart he threw at her head.

"What..." Castle stammered, shocked by all this.

Beckett flashed him a smile that made his tummy rumble. "Well, I figured we have 4 hours before the premiere...might as well use one of those to have some fun, since we have to be all dignified and dressed up for the movie." She reached behind a chair and tossed Castle a foam hammer and a plastic viking helmet. "Unless you are scared..."

Castle narrowed his eyes, reaching down and grasping the handle of the toy. "Whoever lifts this hammer...if he be worth...shall have the power of THOR!" He raised the weapon and looked at the three women in his life. "Have at thee!"

Martha quickly backed away, deciding to focus more on shooting the three younger participants as they went after each other. Alexis leapt onto her father's back while he playfully hit Beckett's shield, the detective blocking his assaults and giggling hard she thought she was going to wet herself. Castle was sporting a smile so big you'd think he jaw was about to crack off, tumbling with his girls like they were all 5 years old again.

As she watched, Martha was struck by the sight of it all...something she hadn't seen...well, ever...in these rooms. It was something played out a million times in homes across the USA, but never here, not until the moment...and it was shocking how RIGHT it now felt.

A man and a woman, who loved each other very much...playing with their child.