'Can you pass me that knife?'

Shane passed Alexis the knife, watched her chop the parsley with terrifying efficiency as pots, woks and pans bubbled and hissed on the stove. 'You're very good at that.'

'I learned from my flat-mate Jacqui, she's a French culinary student.'

'Wonder what else you learned from her,' Shane murmured, moving behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and kiss her neck.

'Wouldn't you like to know?'

Alexis turned around and returned the kiss; they were lost in it until they heard a throat being cleared and broke apart. She flushed as red as her hair when she saw her father walk into the kitchen, looking nice and relaxed. 'Hey, Dad, we've got everything under control here,' she said hastily as she eased out of Shane's loosened embrace. 'We've got lemon chicken, gingered beef and the crispy shrimp in hot sauce warming in the oven, the stir-fry is almost ready and the noodles won't take anytime so we'll wait to do those.'

'Okay, Lex, there's no rush.' Castle wandered in, looked around. 'Anything I can help with?'

'How about pouring some rice wine?'

'Fantastic.'

When Castle turned away, Shane gave Alexis a little pat on the butt, mouthing the word later and winking at her so her insides went all squishy before going over to RJ's playpen and picking him up. 'Come on, big boy, Mommy's going to be home soon, and you need to eat too, don't you?'

'Sasasasa,' RJ babbled, his fingers clutching at Shane's shirt. 'Mumumum.'

'Yeah, she's out with your Grams right now, but we'll get you fixed up.'

Castle walked into the kitchen with the empty rice wine bottle, gave Alexis a little elbow. 'He's good with kids,' he teased his daughter. 'He's a keeper.'

'He is. Does RJ get formula or cereal?'

'Formula, so can you put some water on?'

Alexis nodded; with excellent timing the kettle finished boiling when the door was opening and Jim, Beckett and Martha walked in, each carrying a bag. 'Hey, Mom, how was your afternoon?'

'I've been spoiled for life,' she declared, smiling at her boy who wiggled like a landed trout in Shane's arms. 'Hey wiggly, take it easy on Shane, mister.'

'I can't believe you and your mother never did something like that for a sweet-sixteen mother and daughter outing.'

'We had our own traditions,' Jim said, bringing his bags to the island. 'But afternoon tea at the Plaza is definitely a rite of passage every girl should have. That and a hell of a lot of macarons for dessert.'

'Are they chocolate or fruit?' Alexis asked from the kitchen.

'Mixed.'

'I tried those when I visited you in London, right? They were those wafer thingies.' Shane looked over at Alexis, who nodded.

'Yeah, we had them when we celebrated our Valentine's together.'

Beckett listen to them and had to smile at their sweetness, took the bottle from her father who'd brought it over. 'Here we are, RJ, suppertime.'

'And not just for him, we're ready to eat too,' Castle added as Alexis, Shane, and Martha brought the fragrant dishes of steaming meats and vegetables. 'Dig in, everyone.'

The festivities of the weekend didn't stop with Beckett's birthday - the next day was Father's Day and since Alexis had been in Europe for Mother's Day, they decided to make the holiday in June a joint Mother's and Father's Day celebration together.

Castle awoke with a snorting groan, scratched his stomach as he rolled to his side to cuddle up close to Beckett. They'd had quite the evening together after they'd turned in for the night, and couldn't wait for his kids to let him sleep in. For a moment, as he held his wife against his body and thought of his beautiful babies, he felt a beautiful sense of perfection.

The moment only blossomed when Beckett stirred beneath his touch and she rolled over to find him very close by; she bumped her forehead on his nose.

'Oof, wasn't expecting that,' she laughed, rubbing the spot where he'd whacked her. 'Happy Father's Day.'

'Happy Mother's Day.'

Beckett giggled. 'My very first one.'

'Of many more to come, maybe with another baby, even.'

'A little girl. I think I'd like a girl the next time around,' Beckett sighed.

'Listen to you, Kate.'

She gave him a kiss. 'How long do you think we have before we're invaded?'

There was an answer to that with a knock on the door, followed by Shane's voice. 'You guys awake and decent in there?'

'Just a minute, Shane.' Beckett slipped out of bed, tugged on shorts and a loose t-shirt then opened the door. He was freshly showered and dressed with a look of apology on his face.

'Hey, I gotta head into work but Alexis wanted me to tell you two that she has a surprise for you for breakfast so no snacking until she's out of the shower.'

'Okay, sounds good.'

Beckett closed the door, turned back to Castle with a grin. 'Our daughter has a surprise for us. She must get that from you.'

After a quick spin through the shower and some fresh clothes, Castle and Beckett headed downstairs to find Alexis dressed as well and feeding RJ his morning baby oatmeal with pureed peaches.

'Come on, bro, just a few more bites and then you're done. We want you big and strong like Daddy, don't we? I think so, then you can be the cop in the family and I'll profile the criminals you catch.'

'Giving him career advice already?'

Alexis flicked her eyes up, saw both her parents there. 'Shane gave you my message?'

'Yep, what are you up to, my girl?' Castle asked, following the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pouting when he came up empty. 'Did you hide the coffee under a cloak of invisibility?'

'Not quite.' Alexis set RJ's spoon down, reached onto the chair beside her and pulled up a basket. 'It's in a thermos. We're having a picnic brunch in the park.'

They took the train into Chelsea to go to the park just blocks from Meredeth and Esposito's house. It was a very family-friendly place; Meredeth and Beckett had often taken Arturo for walks there when Meredeth had been pregnant with Tessi, and even this morning there were families out with the kids or pets or both, enjoying a little green oasis in the middle of the urban jungle.

'This looks good,' Alexis decided, setting down the basket before she spread out the king-sized bedspread that had green and white checks. 'I couldn't find any red and white, so we'll have to make do.'

Beckett locked the wheels on RJ's pram, plunked him down on his bottom. 'I feel spoiled already this weekend after all that birthday hoop-la yesterday.'

'Yeah, but that was everyone for you alone. This is for both of you from me and RJ. If it weren't for him you wouldn't be a mom.'

'We both know that's not true, Lex,' she smiled.

'Oh, bloody hell, don't make me cry, I don't want any tracks in my sunblock and getting tear-stain sunburn.' Alexis glanced up when she heard her name being called and grinned before the waterworks could fire up. 'This is the real surprise.'

'Hey Sloan!' Castle greeted the budding pro-photographer with fond friendliness. 'What brings you here?'

'Alexis asked if I could do a family portrait for your Mother's and Father's Day gift, so here I am.'

Castle and Beckett looked at Alexis, who beamed with pride, and in unison said, 'Best gift ever.'

R&R&Enjoy