It was almost the start of September, and Beckett could feel the change in the air as she waited outside at the corner of Honey-Milk and Ryan's block with the mother of two for the school bus.

'I can't believe he's already going to school,' she said to her friend, watching Dell in his brand-new uniform for Saint-Bart's. 'How was Ryan on his first day?'

'Trying not to let on how nervous he was for Dell. More than anything, I think he was worried about the medication policy. Did you know that some schools require all medications to be kept in the main office, even though that by the time a child could get to the office and back to the room the child needing it could be dead?'

'That's a scary thought.'

'It's why we like Saint-Bart's, each classroom has its own safety-box for medications. There's another little girl in Dell's glass who is severely asthmatic so she keeps her puffer in the safety-box with Dell's insulin.'

'It's okay, Mama, I will be fine,' Dell reassured her as Honey-Milk rocked Mallory back and forth in her pram. 'They don' make fun because I need my needles.'

'That's good to know, sweetie.'

'Katie, Mama says you going to see Meredeth and Tessi today? Tell Tessi I will visit her soon. Where is RJ?'

'He's spending the morning with his daddy. They are going to visit your daddy and Javi at work.'

'Lucky.'

The school-bus turned the corner and Dell gave his mother and sister a hug and kiss. 'Bye-bye, Mama, I see you soon. You too, my Marsh-Mallory-Mellow. Say hi to my Tessi and her babies and Meredeth, Katie!'

Beckett felt Honey-Milk loop her arm through hers and give her a little squeeze as Dell met his kindergarten-buddy, one of the older students who mentored the newest students at Saint-Bart's, and they took a seat. Once the yellow bus was around the corner, Honey-Milk let out a shaky little sigh.

'Oh, my baby's so big, Katie!'

'He'll be home soon, full of chatter about all the things. And think of this.' Beckett patted her hand as they walked back to Honey-Milk's apartment. 'Right now, my son is with Rick going to the Twelfth Precinct with yours husband and Javier Esposito.'

Honey-Milk gave her a guilty little smile. 'That does make me feel a little better.'

'Wee?'

'We're at Mommy's work right now, big guy.' Castle rubbed his hand over his son's fuzzy little head. 'And we get to say hi to Esposito and Ryan again. You remember them, they're cool.'

'Doo.'

'Oh, they are going to love you,' he chuckled as the elevator sounded and the doors opened on the homicide floor. He saw the two-headed monster studying their murder board

The elevator dinged and Ryan looked over his shoulder, grinned. 'Well, well, look who it is, the Master of the Macabre himself and the Little Master.'

'Kate is spending the day with Meredeth, so we thought we'd pay a visit.' Castle's heart brimmed with fatherly pride as he got to show off his little boy. 'Can you say hi, RJ?'

'Hi.' RJ waved at Ryan and Esposito brightly. 'Hi.'

'Hey, listen to you, little bro,' Esposito said with a warm smile. 'Can you say Esposito?'

'Pito.'

'Can you say Ryan?'

'Wyn.'

'Good job, RJ.' Castle leaned forward, kissed his son's fuzzy head. 'Mommy will be so proud of you.'

'Hey, there's our next rookie of the year.' Montgomery walked out of his office, gave Castle a slap on the back. 'How's the boy?'

'Good. He started talking just before Alexis left. He calls her Less. RJ, can you say Montgomery?'

'Dummy.'

'Close enough, since that's what Liz calls me on a bad day,' the captain laughed. 'How's Meredeth doing, Esposito?'

'Good, she's on bed-rest right now, taking care of herself.'

'Glad to hear it. Just wanted to come by, let you know the guys up in the OC bureau send their thanks for your work this morning, though to be honest it doesn't seem like your style to pass it off so quickly.'

'Sir, all due respect, we both remember what happened with the Doran case a few years back and we have no desire to go through that again,' Ryan explained; it was the truth and Montgomery understood it as such as well when he pursed his lips, nodded.

'Either way, good work, gentlemen.'

'So are you here to show off RJ's vocab or did you have another reason?' Ryan asked Castle, who was playing with RJ's waving hands.

'Cards tonight, my place. You in?'

Esposito felt a pang of guilt. 'Oh, I don't know, Mere's-'

'Jenny's taking Dell and Mal to your place for a visit, in fact they're probably on their way right now,' Ryan interjected, looking at his watch.

'And I'm guessing you could use the break too.' Castle held up a hand when Esposito opened his mouth again. 'You are allowed to have Meredeth-free nights, you know.'

At this Esposito bristled. 'It's not a matter of permission, it's a matter of being a good husband. My wife is having twins, in case you forgot, she's on bed-rest and I've been at work for nine days straight with some overtime thrown in for good measure. What?' he said in an exasperated tone as the other men exchanged looks.

'Nothing, Detective, just glad to see even Cool Hand Javi can get so flipped out over his baby-mama,' Montgomery said, trying to disguise the laugh. 'I'll see you tonight.'

'Katie, you're supposed to jump over the lava.'

'How do I do that?'

'Pusha button, Datie.'

Tessi pointed her little finger at the 'A' button on the Wii remote Beckett held in her head. 'That one, Datie.'

'Like this?' Beckett pointed her remote at the screen and her Short Round avatar jumped from his rock over to the rope-ladder and caught up to Meredeth's Indiana Jones avatar. 'Hey, look at that, I did it!'

'Good job.' Meredeth winced a little as she felt the boy twin kick her in the bladder and she paused the game. 'Apparently these ones don't want to be left out of games night either.'

She levered her enormous-feeling self off the couch and waddled to the downstairs bathroom, and Tessi watched her go before addressing Beckett. 'Mama fussy. Babies makin' her fussy.'

'I know the feeling.'

'Daddy say babies here soon. All-ah-ween.'

'That's the right guess.'

Tessi pursed her little lips. 'Where Ah-Shay to-day?'

'He's with his daddy.'

'Gulls oh-nee?'

'Yes, sweetie,' Beckett giggled; God that little girl was precious. 'It's a girls-only day.'

'I haf a gif' fo' Ah-Shay. Mama,' she said to Meredeth when she stepped out of the bathroom drying her hands. 'I find Ah-Shay gif?'

'Yes, sweetie, it's upstairs in your room.'

'Yea!'

Tessi took off and Beckett had to smile at her friend. 'You know, Mere, I hope when Castle and I have another one, it's a little girl just like her.'

'Oh, thank you. I've been feeling like a horrible mother lately being stuck on bedrest and Tessi's such a patient little thing.' Meredeth sighed as she sat back down, put her feet up. 'I want my babies here, Katie. I want to hold them and tell them how much I love them.'

Beckett thought of Alexis in England and the knowledge she wouldn't be back for another two and a half months. 'I know how you feel, sweetie.'

R&R&Enjoy.