When Castle awoke to the sound of his wife's voice, it was a little different than he anticipated. It was like she was being broadcasted or something. Lifting his head from the pillow, he saw it was just past eight in the morning and that Beckett's voice was coming from the baby monitor; she was in the nursery with RJ.

Good job, RJ, you are just such a good little guy eating such a good big breakfast like that. Now we have to pick out some nice clothes because you're going Christmas shopping and because your poppy is coming for a visit tonight. What do you think Poppy would like to see you in?

Castle chuckled at her voice and wondered what the indomitable detective would have to say if she heard herself on tape cooing to her new baby. Tossing back the covers, he went downstairs to put on a pot of tea so that when she came downstairs in her robe with the little man of the house in his outfit of choice, a footie ensemble of green with little white snowmen.

'There's my boy,' he smiled widely, nipping him out of his mother's arms. 'Did you have a tasty breakfast?'

'He did and he had a big burp and a fart after he was done.'

'Better out then in, RJ.' Castle kissed his little head, then Beckett's lips. 'You hungry?'

'Famished. I had no idea I'd still have such a monster appetite after giving birth.'

Another delightful surprise the movies don't mention.'

Beckett laughed, then went to the cupboard. There was still waffle mix courtesy of Meredeth in the neatly labeled jar, and she knew Alexis had a weakness for waffles, which might bribe the exhausted girl out of bed before ten am so they could do a little Christmas shopping. RJ wasn't a fussy baby so far, and he was a magnet for attention from other parents. She'd felt a little bad for Alexis when she'd taken RJ for a little walk down to the bakery near their house and everyone assumed it had been her baby, but the new big sister had taken it in stride and waved it off, saying she'd already anticipated fielding questions like that before RJ was born.

As she sprayed the waffle iron down with cooking oil, the house-line rang and she answered. 'Hello.'

'Good morning, sugar-beet.'

'Martha, hi, how was the play last night?'

'Oh, it's a smash, darling, no one writes comedy like Scott Munsen and Jay Kingsley. I wanted to call and tell you that I won't be coming for dinner tonight, I'm having drinks with one of the critics from Modern Theatre before curtain, so there will be more leftovers for you to nibble tomorrow for lunch. How are my grandbabies?'

'RJ is having a snuggle with Daddy and Alexis is still in Dreamland, and I'm tempting her with waffles so she'll be up before ten to go shopping with me and RJ.'

'Listen to you, Detective, spoken like a true mother.'

Beckett blushed a little at the compliment. 'Thanks.'

'Just remember, Alexis is a crafty one when it comes to Christmas shopping, so be on your guard. There's nothing more that girl loves to do then pile up shiny gifts under the Christmas tree.'

'I do remember that from last year, and don't forget we're going to Meredeth and Esposito's on Boxing Day for our big dinner so Christmas day here is going to be nice and simple, nothing over the top.'

'Understood. Alright, now that I've gotten him thinking he's in the clear, let me talk to Richard.'

Beckett grinned, held out the phone to her husband. 'She wants to talk to you.'

The squawk of Castle's indignation as Beckett put freshly made waffles onto a serving platter was music to her ears.

There was nothing like New York at Christmas time. Though New Yorkers were famous for their lack of manners, Beckett always noticed people were a little less rude in December, like when she had to do a wide turn with RJ in his pram and she bumped someone. Normally this would earn a filthy stare and sneered 'watch it, lady', but with barely a week left before the big day, they just looked at her and gave her the evil eye. Not a huge improvement for some people but enough of a marked difference to make Beckett feel good about the world she'd brought her child into. RJ was obviously too little to enjoy his first Christmas, and then there was Alexis. Becket had never seen someone so voracious about gift-giving in her life; the only person she thought could come close to her level of pure unadulterated generosity was Meredeth with her food. By the time they reached Tip-Top-Toys, a haven for parents with children under the age of five, Beckett was wondering if Alexis hadn't been replaced with a Shop-Bot.

'What do you think, will Tessi prefer a book to read or to colour, because Meredeth said she loves both,' Alexis debated as they wandered the aisles. 'She's already trying to read words, she said.'

'Why not get a small one of each? They go to the park and visiting a lot, and Tessi likes taking her things in her back-pack, that way she always has it with her.'

'Genius idea, Mom. Now the more pressing questions, what kinds of things does she like to draw.'

'Sea creatures, particularly Turtles and mermaids, and she likes to read anything.'

'Dad said they're trying for another baby,' Alexis started, then paused when her phone began to ring. She looked at the caller ID, and flipped it open. 'Talk fast, I'm shopping with my mom. Oh, sure. Yeah, not a problem. Bye.'

Beckett pursed her lips as she adjusted RJ's blanket. 'Mister Mystery-Date?'

'Yes. I'm still stuck on what to get him. Nothing big, just a little something.'

'Alexis, I know I said I wouldn't pry but...you wouldn't keep anything major from me or your father, would you?'

'Like I already told you, the minute there's something to report, you'll be the first to know. Right RJ?' She leaned over to coo at her brother. 'He says, Mommy, stop worrying, Alexis is a big girl now!'

'Then I suppose she's too big for a hot chocolate at Sweet-Tooth, isn't she, baby?'

'Hey, now. No-one is ever too big for hot chocolate at Sweet-Tooth.'

When they'd finished at the toy store, they did indeed head down the block to Sweet-Tooth, a little pastry shop that specialized in three things - cupcakes, hot chocolate and a break from dreariness of the outside world. The walls were cotton candy pink and stenciled with famous landmarks from around the world like the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower, the Heian Shrine amongst others and the floors were black and white checkered tile upon which rested iron-lattice chairs and tables. The air forever smelled of chocolate and creme and was as welcoming as a hug.

Beckett sat down, feeling the fatigue of being a new mom out for the day with her baby while Alexis went to the counter and ordered for them. She picked RJ up out of his pram and cuddled him against her shoulder, where she knew he'd feel her heartbeat; it was his favourite way to be held. She felt him give a little yawn, gurgle in his adorable way.

'I know, sweetheart, this is the last stop, then we are going home to Daddy, because your poppy is coming over for dinner tonight. You have as big a nap as you want.'

RJ, who'd inherited Castle's whistle-nose when he was sleeping, began to smack his gums together so Beckett laid him in his pram, tucked him in as Alexis came over with two fragrant mugs and a plate of cupcakes. 'Oh, yum.'

'Now, don't spoil your dinner, Mom,' Alexis teased her, earning a withering stare.

'Just remember who's the mommy now.'

R&R&Enjoy.