By the last week of September, it seemed everyone was on heightened Meredeth alert. Since twins almost always popped early, they were most likely going to arrive before Hallowe'en. Though Beckett was still on maternity leave she knew firsthand from Castle, Honey-Milk and Lanie how strung out Esposito was feeling, not because Meredeth was being a complete and utter nightmare. He was simply so worried about making sure his wife and babies stayed healthy as well as taking care of Tessi half the time he was running on auto-pilot. Everyone had stepped up their game to help them out; between letting Tessi have sleepovers so Meredeth could rest and the others inviting her and Esposito over for dinner so she wouldn't have to cook, no one was letting Meredeth forget how much she was loved.

Tonight, they were doing the ultimate in girlish indulgence - a full-blown sleepover with all the teenage girl cliches hit. Snacks, movies, magazine quizzes, and of course, gossip about boys. As Beckett went about preparing the loft, she smiled as Castle wandered around the living room with RJ hanging onto his fingers. He'd gotten a lot more steady on his legs in the last few weeks and could even stand up on his own for a few seconds without hanging on to something. It was only for a few seconds here and there but Beckett could tell that RJ was very close to walking on his own, which meant even more baby proofing to be done at the loft.

But tonight was not the worries for that. There was plenty of time the next day for stress. Tonight was about watching her son and husband giggle gleefully together the way she intended to do with her girls when they got there.

'Mumum,' RJ called to her. 'Mumum, see!'

'I see you, my little prince, look at you go!'

'Mumum!' RJ let go of one of Castle's fingers and balanced himself against the edge of the coffee table where he got his legs underneath him. 'See!'

'You are very good at that,' she laughed, munching a crispy pretzel.

'Less? Less see?'

Castle couldn't help but feel proud of his children that they were so attached to each other despite a number of significant gaps in their relationship. He went into the office and grabbed his laptop to dial Alexis up on Skype, where he wasn't surprised to find her brushing on her make-up.

'Hi, Dad can't talk long.'

'Heading out for the night?'

'Not exactly. I have a web-date with Shane,' she said with a little blush. 'We're having 'dinner together' and I want to look good for him.'

'That's so sweet. Here, there's another mister who wants a moment of your time.'

He set the laptop down so RJ was in frame in the webcam and Alexis broke into a grin. 'Hi RJ, how's my boy?'

'Less!' RJ's face lit up like a firework when he saw his big sister. He reached out and patted the image of her on-screen. 'Hi Less!'

'Hi buddy! Oh! Oh look at you, standing up all on your own!'

'See?'

'Yes, I see you, oh you're getting so big on me!'

'Love.' RJ bobbed his head to one side. 'Love Less.'

'I love you too, RJ. I'll see you soon okay? Can you say bye-bye?'

'Bub-bub.' He flapped his hand up and down. 'Bub-bub.'

'You're getting very good at that. Bye Dad, and hi Mom! Bye Mom!' Alexis added, then ended the call.

Castle moved in, picked up the laptop to put it back on the high table so RJ's busy fingers wouldn't push the right buttons and try to hack the NSA or download Italian porn, then went back to pick his son up. 'Come on, you, it's time to get ready for our boys' night since Mommy is having all her mommy friends over tonight.'

'Nigh-nigh?'

'No, it's not night-night time, yet. We're spending the night at Auntie Merry and Uncle Javi's place. You get to see Arturo and Tessi.'

Beckett smiled as she heard them chattering all the way up the stairs, and went to answer the knock at the door. On the other side, it was a two for one - Meredeth and Honey-Milk were both there , the latter carrying both their overnight bags.

'Thank you, Jenny, though I don't see what an extra four pounds is when I'm already carrying close to twenty in babies.'

'You're not risking a damn thing so close to the finish line. Now listen to the nurse or no ice cream for you tonight.'

Sick at the thought of her sweets being taken away, Meredeth closed her mouth. 'I'll shut up now.'

She waddled forward, giving Beckett a hug that was more of a headlock since the big belly wouldn't allow for it to be any other way. 'Tessi's excited for the kids to come to our place tonight. She wants to be a good Otis, she told me, as practice for the babies.'

'That girl could sweeten your tea just by sticking her fingers in,' Beckett mused. 'Speaking of which, what would you like to drink?'

'Hot tea and a nice ice cold Diet Coke.'

'Make it two,' Honey-Milk added. 'Mallory is starting to walk and keeps wandering into Dell's room trying to figure out where he is. It's a little sad but kinda funny at the same time.'

'RJ does the same thing with Alexis.' Beckett turned on the kettle, then got out the two-litre of Diet Coke, poured three glasses with ice. 'He's always asking for her. And, this is an interesting development, he gets almost as excited about seeing Shane as he does his daddy and me. Wonder what that means?'

'He probably sees him as an extension of Alexis. You know, she's not here but I've still got you.' Meredeth offered, rubbing her belly and poking it. 'Take it easy in there, you two, Mami's bladder is only so big.'

There was another knock at the door, and when Beckett hollered it was open, the last of the party-goers walked in, both with their overnight bags and excited looks on their faces.

'Mere!' Lili's voice was a squeal of jubilation. 'Look at you, cunada, so big! You look like a pinata ready to go boom!'

'I feel it, too.'

Lanie gave her a sympathetic look. 'You still look beautiful, even though I know you probably think I'm just kissing your ass saying that.'

'A little but since my husband says the same thing, I suppose I'm outnumbered,' Meredeth laughed, then groaned when she felt the boy twin kick her in the kidneys once more. 'Excuse me. One of my gazillion trips to the head today.'

The mother-to-be waddled off again, and in her absence, Castle and RJ were on their way downstairs; all the women's hearts melted when they watch big pseudo-tough-guy Castle holding his son's tote-bag in one hand and RJ's hand in the other to gently help him down the stairs on his rump. Once at the bottom of the stairs, RJ saw everyone looking at him and smiled hugely.

'Hi.' He gave a little wave. 'Mumum?'

'Right here, baby.' Beckett rounded the island to give her boy a hug and a kiss. 'You be good tonight for Daddy, okay? And try not to let him take everyone's money at cards.'

'Moosh?'

'And Dell is eight for eight,' Honey-Milk giggled when Beckett gave her boy a noisy, smacking kiss. 'Bye guys, have fun!'

With the boys off for their night, it was time for the girls to play. The minute the door closed behind her husband and her son, Beckett was picking up a new deck of cards and began shuffling. 'Okay, ladies, what are we feeling, five card draw or Texas Hold'Em?'

R&R&Enjoy.