Okay everyone, we're almost at the end of this crossover part! There will be some in the next chapter as well, but from here on out, we're back to our same Caskett-time, same Caskett-channel. Enjoy!

There was nothing like waiting for babies to be born. As Lanie, Beckett and Honey-Milk had five between them, they knew all about it; they took turns in the maternity suite with Meredeth, and keeping an eye on Tessi, who had curled up into a little ball on the couch of the lounge with her turtle, so turned around and confused by all the activity and movement but so desperate not to be left out of anything.

'Keep it down,' Beckett grumbled as she heard Lanie's voice clatter in her ears. Her hand stroked mechanically over Tessi's curls; the little girl had curled herself into Beckett's lap just to be close to another human being since Arturo wasn't near be. 'I'm trying to not sleep over here, and I've got a little girl needing her rest.'

'I think we can all agree that it's hell waiting for little ones,' Castle said and earned the evil eye from the rest of them. 'What?'

'You're not a cop or a medical worker on shift work, how are you more alert than the rest of us?'

'I have a very unnatural ability to adjust my bodily needs as per the situation. It comes in handy when traveling, and in times like this, it seems.' Castle glanced at his watch. It was nearly six thirty in the morning, it was over an hour since they took Meredeth down to push, making a dark sickness creep into his gut. Had something gone wrong? Did Meredeth need an emergency C-section? Or worse, because Esposito would be the first person rushing up to the lounge to tell them any news.

'Hey.' Beckett put her hand on her husband's, squeezed it tightly. He'd been tense and pacing all night, which was most definitely not his style. 'You okay?'

'No. I can't stand hospitals.'

'Really? You?'

Castle nodded. 'Ever since I was a kid. Something about them flipped me out.'

'How did you get from there to being the guy who organizes the troops like it's a military mission and takes care of everyone, makes sure we have food and things to keep us occupied so we don't go into tailspins?'

'When I was about twenty-two or so, a group of us went to Aspen for New Years and we were all walking in town, and a drunk driver plowed into us, hit one of the girls near the edge of the sidewalk and she needed to go to the emergency room. Everyone else was freaking out, and I asked the paramedic what I could do to help, he said go to the twenty-four-seven, get some food and magazines for your friends to keep them going while you wait.' Castle sighed. 'I spent nearly an hour there, and when I got back to the hospital, everyone was thrilled to see me, and spent the rest of the time doing puzzles and crosswords and playing cards while they ate chips and sandwiches until the doctors came and told us our friends was in bad shape but lucky, because she was going to be fine. My way of staying occupied when things go on at the hospital is making sure others are.'

'My hero,' Beckett sighed, giving his cheek a kiss.

'What do you think they're going to want to eat when Meredeth gets the all clear?'

'Well, she does love pizza, Mexican and sandwiches. And French and Greek and burgers,' Beckett thought out loud. 'I don't know, Meredeth's such a foodie, it's hard to pin down some times.'

As the conversation buzzed around his ears, Castle just focused his attention on Tessi snuggled up in Beckett's lap. The girl was as stubborn as she was cute, a trait she'd gotten from both her parents. Hhe had a feeling it was a characteristic of Tessi's personality that would serve her well being the oldest of three kids.

'Mami? Daddy?'

Bleary-eyed, Tessi stirred, asking for her parents and felt an almost primal fear when she woke up and didn't see them. 'Mami?' she asked with a note of panic, and Beckett was right there to soothe her.

'It's okay, sweetheart, it's Katie, Katie's right here.'

'Datie, where Mami? Where Daddy?'

'They're still waiting for the babies to arrive, princess.'

Tessi scrunched up her face as tears began to leak out of her eyes. 'I tired, wan' babies, wan' go home.'

'I know.' Beckett cradled and cuddled the exhausted toddler against her shoulder, humming lightly to try and soothe her as she cried softly. 'Jenny, is there any way to find out what's going on?'

'I'll see what I can do.'

Honey-Milk left the lounge, and Beckett felt even more unsettled than before. It was way too long without any information and despite her police training teaching her that the simplest answer was usually the right one, her overtired brain was concocting all sorts of twisted shit.

Just as she started to run through another string of illogical yet terrifying scenarios, two of their four favourite nurses stepped back in the room looking very tired and very excited.

'Excuse me, everyone,' Daniel said in his patient tone and everyone in the lounge focused on him. 'There's a pair of babies down the hall asking for their big sister.'

'Hear that Tessi?' Beckett said even as her eyes filled up. 'Your babies are here.'

'Yea! My babies here!'

'And I pulled a few strings with Harvey, Tessi gets to go in first with Kate, and the rest of you all get ten minutes in there together as per Meredeth and Javier's request, then it's out the door until regular visiting hours.'

'Understood,' Ryan said.

Beckett followed Daniel out with Tessi in her arms, down to Meredeth's room; he opened the door and she was surprised to see Meredeth and Esposito both wide awake each cradling a baby in their arms. The one in Meredeth's arms was wrapped in yellow blanket with blue number-12s on it while the bundle in Esposito's was in blue with yellow twelves.

'Guys, big sister is here,' Daniel whispered and both looked up, smiled widely.

'Hi, princess,' Meredeth said softly, turning her body slightly so her daughter could sit down on the bed and see her new siblings. 'Come have a seat.'

'Wish one, Mami?' Tessi asked quietly - she'd been around Duncan, Mal and RJ enough to know that you always whispered near babies - as she studied the tiny little face. 'Shello or Po-kee?'

'This is your little brother, Tessi, and Daddy has your little sister.'

'Hi li'l bo, I Tessi,' she introduced herself with a little wave. 'Mami, I moosh?'

'Very gently.'

The little girl leaned forward and rather than laying her lips on his brow, Tessi touched the tip of her nose to his. 'I gennel.'

'That's very nice, Tessi-boo,' Esposito managed, watching three of his four precious gems together. 'You want to come and give your little sister a kiss too?'

Tessi repeated the process on the girl twin, then glanced up when the others came in the room. 'I big sisser now,' she said proudly. 'Hafa be die-it.'

'Understood, baby,' Dave laughed. 'Oh, congratulations you guys, they're so beautiful.'

'Yeah, yeah, that comes later,' Ryan interjected. 'We wanna know about those names, since you've been holding out on us.'

Meredeth glanced at her husband, shared his smile. 'We wanted to wait until the six of you and Tessi were here to tell you, and until they were here as well, but...we decided to keep it in the family with the names. Ladies first, Daddy?'

'Yeah. This,' he said adjusting his hold on his little girl to show her off to everyone, 'is Katrina Elenia Genevieve Esposito.'

'And this little man is Alejo Ricardo Reynaldo Esposito,' the proud mommy added with a wide grin.

R&R&Enjoy