Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor
Rating: M for sexual situations and language
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: It was great to see the feedback that I got for the last chapter so will get to my thank yous for them right away! TORONTOSUN (Great that you liked how Julia really loved the show, lol, I wanted to make it very apparent that she did so glad I could do that!),
Mb (Thanks so much for still reading, especially since I knew about that blizzard; I have a pen pal from the same area and I know they were dealing with it as well; so means a lot you still did that! And of course very happy that you're still enjoying the story! You're very welcome for posting, happy to do so knowing people are reading and liking it! And it will definitely be Caskett and their family always I can tell you that so I agree with that fully!),
MsNYC (Very nice reading that you love the relationship the family has, I figure they would have a good one after what happened before they could become an official family would make them close. And interesting to see what you said about if Julia would remember or not, that you don't think it matters either way. But I'm not surprised you're curious about what would happen in the end with that plot; will have to see what I have planned for that. And great you thought it was a great read and thanks so much for saying again it was great writing as usual!) and
vetgirlmx (I wasn't surprised to see your comment about Julia having a really big day, was glad to see it since I wanted it to seem like she did in the end. And also great you could see they all had fun since I didn't want it to be just about Julia in the end, lol. You're right; those kinds of memories are the kind that people will cherish which is great since I wanted to write this trip being a good one, lol. With regards to Beckett doubting herself as Julia's mother, I saw it more as her wanting to do better than her birth mother though of course Julia's life before Beckett adopted her wasn't exactly like it is with Beckett. But still I figure that just in general parents are going to want the best for their kids so since Beckett has a little more than just that concerning Julia I figured it would come up every so often. Though yeah, I wanted to show Castle there for her support in her doubts so I'm glad you caught it! I had to laugh a bit when you said you loved Beckett's reaction to finding out Julia and Eliza believe in ghosts. And I'm not surprised you thought that would be what it was in the end, lol. With Julia not freaking out this I'm kinda hinting at it wasn't her first time experiencing something like this. Also I have her talking about it when they're well away from that jail so I figure she'd be more normal as opposed to being inside the structure, lol. Very happy to see you're enjoying their trip a lot and that you can't wait to see what they do next which you don't need to do anymore!).
Thanks so much for the reviews which I loved reading and I appreciate everyone taking the time to write out to send to me!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Octopus' Garden written and sung by Ringo Starr, from The Beatles album Abbey Road.
That Lies Beneath The Waves
Breathing heavily Beckett reached down and ran her fingers through her husband's hair gently and said with a smile, "Are you tired yet?"
"Tired? No, worn out… maybe a couple more times," Castle said, turning so he was laying on his side, looking at her from where he was resting his head on her lap. He moved his head forward so he could press a kiss to her mound that he was close enough to.
"Just two?" Beckett asked him with a smile on her face.
"You want more than that," Castle said, allowing her to pull him up.
"I would love it but we don't really have the time," Beckett informed him. "But we have time for now…"
At that Castle leaned over and he kissed his wife as deeply as he could, feeling her move to sit on his lap. As soon as she was set he held her as tightly as possible and then began to run his hands over her as much as he possibly could. Over her hair, her back until finally he had to stop moving away from her carefully until they were looking at each other. "So… how would you like it this time?" he asked her seriously.
Beckett studied her husband for some time and then moved to lie back on the pillows that he'd propped up for her earlier. Once she was settled she gestured to him with her finger and smiled as he immediately came to her. With him cradled between her spread legs she said lovingly, "Just like this."
"As fast as before?" Castle asked so he could make sure.
"Fuck me my love," Beckett told him seriously before they were kissing deeply. She reached down then to help him slip inside of her and she let out a heavy groan of pleasure that made them break off their kiss.
A second later Castle was moving hard against his wife, beginning their third quickie since he'd woken her up with it earlier that morning. They held onto each other tightly, both him and Beckett caressing what they could of one another before their lips were crushing together once more and they repeatedly did so. They didn't know how long exactly they took before they were finally climaxing though they didn't want to stop.
But they finally did and Beckett was almost weak in her satiety and she held onto her husband tightly as she could tell that he was more so than her. "Okay?" she finally asked when she felt a little stronger.
"I think so," Castle replied, looking at her then as he could finally raise his head. "You?"
Beckett smiled first before she replied and she said, "Really good. But…"
Sighing as he knew that she was right Castle moved then and withdrew from her before he said, "What do you want to do?"
"A bath would be nice," Beckett told him, still smiling.
After the two had shared a deep kiss Castle carried his wife over to the bathroom and set her down next to the tub where he sat to turn on the water. He knew; without looking at her; that she was getting their towels ready before he stood and held his hand out to her. "Do you want to stay for long?" he asked.
"We can't really linger," Beckett told him motioning for him to get into the water first. After he'd done so she followed him and sat against him, leaning back on his chest with a sigh as the water was soothing after all their activities since the night before. She smiled and told her husband, "But doing so for a little won't be too bad."
Castle didn't say anything to that, instead he leaned over and moved her hair so it fell over her right shoulder. With her neck exposed he kissed at it tenderly, murmured her name and that he loved her as he felt her fully relax in his arms. "Hmm, love," he finally said after he was quiet for a while.
Smiling Beckett told him, "Do we have everything set for today?"
"We do, the store then the Conservatory," Castle told her. "After the aquarium and then back here until dinner." He looked a little thoughtful and said, "What are we doing for lunch and dinner?"
"Dinner I think we should head over to… wherever the girls want to go," Beckett said. She jumped a little when her husband gently squeezed her stomach and said, "You thought of something."
"The Flamingo," Castle told her. "There are real ones there and they'll want to see them."
Beckett thought about that before she nodded and said, "And then eat somewhere close to somewhere we're going?"
"Exactly," Castle said. He heard one of their phones sound with a text alert and he said, "I guess that's them."
Smiling Beckett got up first and after that she and Castle dried each other off before they dressed in a rush. Since it was her phone that had been texted she checked her message, seeing that it was from her father letting her know that they were nearly finished. "We need to go," she told her husband.
Giving her the last of the strawberries that had been part of the bowl of fruit they'd had for breakfast Castle ate the last piece of watermelon. When they'd finished he shared a kiss with her before they left and walked over to the hotel to meet their family outside the buffet where they'd had breakfast.
"Mommy, Daddy!" Eliza said happily, hurrying to them as she hadn't seen them since they'd said goodnight to her the day before.
"Hey sweetie," Beckett said, watching as Castle picked her up. "How was your night?"
"Oh it was fun!" Eliza said exuberantly as she leaned over to hug her mother. "We had dinner and then we had a cupcake and we went to see the volcano."
"I forgot about that," Castle said. "Did your sister tell you about last night?"
"I did but I didn't say where we're gonna go," Julia answered, coming over to her parents then and hugging them both. "So Lizzy really wants to go."
"Which we can do now," Castle said, looking over at his mother and father in law.
"We're ready," Martha said. "But did you have breakfast?"
"We did," Beckett answered. "So we're ready too." She and Castle began to lead their family over to the gift shop when Julia hurried ahead of them. She glanced at Eliza and wasn't surprised when the little girl then told her father to put her down. The girls walked ahead of them and when they reached the store she smiled at Eliza's gasp of amazement at the walkway and ceiling.
"This is where you went?" Eliza asked, looking over at her parents.
"I told you," Julia said, smiling at her. "Isn't it cool?"
"Yeah…" Eliza breathed.
"We took a picture down there at the end," Castle said, pointing to the silhouettes. "The picture's in our room so we'll show you when we go back but we can take one right now ourselves."
"We can?" Eliza asked in joy.
"Yep and can we take one to send to 'lexis?" Julia asked Castle and Beckett as they gathered together.
"Of course," Beckett said as Castle was going over to a worker from the shop to ask them to take the picture.
After the woman had agreed to take the picture Castle hurried back to his family and standing with them smiled at Beckett's camera. "Thank you," he said with a nod.
"Wait," Beckett said quickly before the woman could hand her camera back to her. "We just want to take one more picture here," she explained, pointing over to the large logo for the show in between the pictures of John and George. When the woman said that was fine she thanked her and stood with her family there before the shot was taken.
"Can we go inside now?" Eliza asked her mother, watching her checking her camera.
"Yes we just wanted to take those pictures first," Castle answered before his wife could. He took the little girl's hand but she almost immediately slipped it out of his grasp and rushed over to her sister who was already going into the store. "So…" he said to his wife as they'd somehow ended up alone.
"We have to follow them," Beckett told him in amusement. When her husband took her hand she squeezed it and said, "And also let Eliza know she can get some shirts too."
"Oh that's right," Castle said as they'd each seen one for their youngest the night before.
"I got that shirt," Julia was saying to her sister and grandparents. "And that one, and that one too. And then I got that one over there but in a big size."
"How many shirts did you buy her?" Jim asked his daughter with a smile.
"Six," Beckett replied as she watched Castle taking the girls and his mother over to the section at the other end of the store where the Yellow Submarine items were. "Two of them we got in smaller sizes she can wear now."
"And I got two diaries too," Julia added. "It was really nice."
"It sounds like it," Jim said with a nod.
"Mommy and Daddy got shirts too," Julia said as they walked after the others. "But just one."
"We saw the bag," Martha was telling Castle as the other three joined them. "But we decided not to attempt to look at it."
"It was Jules'," Eliza said with a smile, looking up at everyone.
"Did you tell her?" Beckett asked her husband then.
"I did," Castle replied, holding up a Yellow Submarine shirt. "And she liked the one that I saw."
"Did you see one Mommy?" Eliza asked her mother with a smile.
"I did," Beckett replied, leading them over to the other end. There were children's shirts there and she pulled down one before showing it to her youngest. "What do you think?"
Studying the logo Eliza opened her mouth to speak before her sister was speaking next to her, making her turn her head.
"That's the shirt I got," Julia said with a smile. "And it fits me now."
"Oh, kay I want it too," Eliza said with a smile as she nodded to the red shirt in her mother's hand.
"Okay," Beckett said. She looked at her father and Martha and asked, "You don't want to look around?"
"We're good," Jim said as he watched Eliza rushing over to a Sgt. Pepper's drum.
"I'll pay," Castle told his wife as he then took the other shirt.
"So," Martha said with a smile to her daughter in law as Julia went to follow Castle. "You had a good night last night?"
"We did," Beckett answered with a smile. "We liked the show too but it was more important that Julia did."
"From the way she talked to us about it we could tell," Jim said as he returned with Eliza. "Can we ask where we're going?"
"You'll find out right now," Beckett said as she saw her husband was walking over to them with their oldest.
Jim glanced at the smile on his daughter's face and then down at Eliza who was watching him. "You want to go right?" he asked her.
"Yeah and Mommy and Daddy are in love," Eliza said seriously before she beamed at her grandfather.
"I can tell," Jim said, picking her up before he carried her out after everyone.
"We're going across the street," Castle told the others; except for his wife; when they were outside of the hotel. "To our first place."
"Are we still gonna swim Daddy?" Eliza asked from Jim's arms.
"We are," Beckett answered for him. "But we're going to a few places first."
"Kay," Eliza said, smiling at her before she leaned over to kiss her.
Once they'd crossed the street Castle turned to the south and walked down until they were passing the Linq and came to the Flamingo.
"How come we're going here?" Julia asked, walking with him hand in hand.
"We thought you'd want to see it, since this is one of the oldest here on the Strip," Castle reminded her.
Julia looked around as they walked through the casino and she said to her father, "It's probably different than when they first built it Daddy."
"Of course but it's still the same hotel," Castle replied.
"So we're just walking around?" Martha asked Beckett. She was slightly startled when her daughter in law merely smiled and she looked ahead to see they'd reached the lobby. Walking to their left she called to her son, "What are we doing Richard?"
"You'll see soon enough," Castle replied. They came to a wall of windows and he pulled Julia through the door that was in the middle, watching her as she looked ahead of them.
"Flamingoes!" Julia cried.
"Oh! Grandpapa let me down!" Eliza said in excitement after hearing her sister's exclamation. As soon as she was down on the ground she rushed up to the railing with Julia, getting her camera from her grandmother. She began to take pictures of the pink birds in front of them before she was tired of it and instead just watched them walking around or standing on one leg. "They're so pretty," she breathed.
"I know," Julia said, looking at her mother who was next to her. She smiled and said, "Like them?"
"I do," Beckett replied. "And I hope that they don't mind it here."
"Why?" Eliza asked her, going over to her.
Beckett picked up the little girl and said, "Because it can get very cold here in the winter." She couldn't help smile when Eliza's eyes widened and she laughed softly saying, "It does, it's the desert and it gets cold then."
"She's right," Castle commented. "I've been here in the winter and it's very cold at night."
"Oh," Eliza said, thinking that over. She then smiled and said, "But they stay warm."
"They do I'm sure," Beckett reassured her. She shared a kiss with her after Eliza had pursed her lips and then said, "Do you want to see what's over here?"
"I do," Julia said quickly. She waited for her mother to put her sister down and then wrapped her arms around her mother to keep her from straightening up.
"I was wondering if you wanted one too," Beckett said before they kissed.
"Thank you," Julia said a little shyly.
"You're very welcome sweetie, now come on let's see what else they have here," Beckett said before they went over to the other railing there was behind them.
After trying to peer over the railing Eliza looked up at her grandmother who was next to her and when she glanced at her she smiled and then held up her arms. "Thank you Gram," she said as she was picked up. She then turned her attention to what was in the habitat they were at and smiled before crying out, "Pel'cans!"
"Pelicans," Castle told her. "Don't forget the i."
"I don't think she wants a lesson," Martha said in amusement, watching as Eliza was taking pictures and not even seeming to be paying attention to her father.
"I guess not," Castle said as he was watching her as well by then. He looked at his wife and was startled to see that she'd walked away from them, to a bridge where she was looking into the habitat. He glanced around at the others and then walked over to her, standing next to her after she'd finished taking a picture. "Good shot," he murmured so he wouldn't startle her.
"You don't even know what I took a picture of," Beckett told him teasingly.
"The ducks?" Castle asked, nodding his head over at some white, brown and red ducks standing on rocks in the water.
"Good guess," Beckett said. She was startled when her husband took her hand and she glanced back at their family saying, "I guess they're enthralled by those pelicans."
"I think so," Castle said, pulling her with him down the path to a fountain with flamingo statues around it. He spotted a section to their left looking over water and he took her there before they sat together, looking down into the water as there were koi swimming around. He watched her as she was taking numerous shots and at one point he glanced down at a bright yellow fish as it swam by and he heard the shutter of her camera going off. "Now that's a good shot," he told her teasingly as he knew that she had gotten a picture of him from the side. "I do have a wonderful profile."
Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Keep talking like that I'm not going to keep doing it."
Castle merely smiled at his wife before he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him. "Sorry about pulling you away from everyone," he felt he had to say.
Beckett smiled that time and she said, "You know if I really wanted to protest it I would have." She leaned over to him and he met her half way before they kissed tenderly though briefly. "Hmm, plus they're here."
Castle was slightly startled and he looked over at the entrance to where they were, smiling at their daughters as the two were walking rapidly towards them. "So you found us," he told them teasingly as they reached him and Beckett.
"You were trying to hide?" Eliza asked with a smile as she hugged her mother around the neck before Julia joined her.
"No," Beckett said with a smile as she looked over at her husband. She then made the two let go of her and told them, "Maybe you should give your daddy a hug too, he looks lonely."
Castle couldn't help but laugh as their daughters came over to him quickly and he embraced them at the same time before asking them, "You didn't miss your mom and I did you?"
"No," Julia said. "We looked at the ducks and then saw the fountain."
"There are more flamingoes there," Eliza told her parents as she and Julia had let go of their father and were standing, looking at their parents. Before anyone could say anything she suddenly cried out, "Fishies!" before looking down into the water and the koi.
Beckett reached over as Julia joined her sister in looking at the water, running her hand over the back of the girl's head. "You're not going to take any pictures?" she asked her with a smile.
"Oh!" Julia said in surprise as she then recalled her camera hanging from her neck. She reached for it and took pictures before she heard her sister doing so and shortly after that heard her mother's camera. She looked up and smiled when she saw Beckett was taking pictures of her and her sister and she said with a smile, "Did you take any pictures of Daddy?"
"I did," Beckett replied. She glanced over at her father and Martha and saw they were walking up to them. "There's some koi," she called to them as they neared.
"That explains why they were so excited," Martha said.
"Grandpapa we took a lot of pictures," Eliza said, hurrying to him.
"I see… you have some nice shots," Jim said, seeing some of them on the screen were blurry.
"They move too fast," Eliza said, sounding annoyed. "How do you take good pictures?"
"Try and take pictures of the slower ones," Beckett called out before she smiled as Eliza quickly looked at the water.
Castle stood up then and watched the girls take pictures for a little longer before he placed his hand on Beckett's shoulder. "We should get going Kate," he told her as she looked up at him.
"True," Beckett said, looking at her watch. She stood up herself then and said, "He's right girls, we need to go to the next place."
"You don't think you're torturing them with this?" Martha asked as they started to leave the flamingoes to go back into the casino.
"No because they knew we'll be going to wherever it is right now," Castle answered, picking up Eliza.
"Yeah," the little girl said with a smile from her father's hip.
The family left the casino then and walked over to the corner of the street where Castle led them to an escalator.
"I remember," Castle said to everyone except his mother. "When you used to have to cross the streets."
"Oh he's right, Alexis hated it the first time we brought her here," Martha said. "Also the fact that there wasn't as much for her to do as we have with you girls."
"Keep going Julia," Jim told his granddaughter as he saw she was taking some pictures and walking slowly.
"I know I just wanted to get a picture of our hotel," the girl replied, pointing over to it.
"Did you get it?" Jim asked.
"I think so," Julia replied while they went down the escalator where the others were waiting at the bottom. "Are we going to Paris?" she asked her mother.
"No," Beckett replied. "But we are going to pass by it," she told her. "And yes you can take pictures."
"Thanks," Julia said with a smile before they had reached the casino. She took a picture of the café they were passing and then the Eiffel Tower that was in front of it. "I think I like the real Paris better," she admitted to her parents as they continued on to catch up to her grandparents and sister.
"I do too," Castle said. "But it's fun to see here." When Julia nodded he took her hand and they walked across the street as the light had changed then at the crosswalk in front of the Planet Hollywood casino.
"What is this one?" Eliza asked as her grandmother took her then.
"It's the Bellagio," Castle answered first. "They have a big water show here; it's amazing to see at night."
"But we're here at the daytime," Eliza commented.
"It's inside I think," Julia said slowly.
"You might be right," Castle told them with a smile. They walked along the huge pool of water in front of the hotel until they came to the entrance and he led them through the lobby though he stopped when he reached a giant horse statue covered in square mirrors.
"Oh wow," Julia breathed, looking at it in awe.
"It's a big, big horsie," Eliza said with a smile after her grandmother set her down.
"Very big," Beckett said. "Did you two look up at all?"
"Oh yeah cool," Julia then said in awe again as she looked at the ceiling which was covered in glass in different shapes and colors.
"I think they enjoy the horse far more," Martha commented to her daughter in law. When she didn't get a response to that she looked to Beckett, seeing that she was studying the horse statue as well. She went to Jim and said to him, "I believe this was how she was and your wife as well?"
"They were," Jim said, smiling at the memory. He looked at Castle's mother and said, "I wasn't surprised to see Julia was the same," lowering his voice though the girl was involved with the ceiling and taking pictures of it then.
"No?" Martha asked.
"No because I was certain they would have a bond like she and her mother did," Jim said, nodding to his daughter. "I just didn't know the particulars of what the bond would be like. So it being horses made sense."
"Oh of course," Martha said with a nod. She smiled and said, "But at least my son shares their love." When Beckett's father glanced at her she said, "Granted not to the same degree but could anyone keep up with your daughter while she rode at full speed."
Jim shook his head once as she was right and he then said with a smile, "I would imagine she was looking for a man who could do that; subconsciously of course."
Martha murmured in agreement to that before they walked after their son, daughter and granddaughters. She looked past them as they passed a fountain and smiled when she saw what was ahead. "I believe we may be here for some time," she said.
It was then that Jim spotted what she was looking at and he smiled, nodding in accord.
"What is this?" Julia asked in amazement as they stepped into a room with a tall ceiling with glass that let in the light.
"The conservatory," Castle asked, looking at Eliza who was on the ground. "You like it?" he asked her.
Unable to speak the little girl simply inclined her head, trying to take in everything she was seeing at once. But the room was huge and there was a lot decorating it and finally she managed to whisper, "Can I take pictures?"
"Your sister already is, hurry," Castle said, taking her hand.
"How did you find out about this?" Julia asked as she was with Beckett, taking pictures of a ship that was in the middle of a pond of water. There were fish around it; as it was supposed to look like a shipwreck. She glanced around the room and smiled saying, "They decorated it perfectly for summer."
"I agree," Beckett said with a smile. "And to answer your question your daddy has been here before so he wanted you two to see it."
"And you love, don't sell yourself short," Castle said, coming up to them.
"Eliza?" Beckett asked him.
"Our parents decided to take her," Castle explained with a smile. "And they're not that far away."
Beckett glanced behind him and saw he was right, so she nodded and they walked down further until they reached a mermaid on some rocks. She took pictures of the fish above it for a moment and then looked at the main display in the middle, a rock with coral, fish and jellyfish hanging around it. She felt her husband's hand on her back and she smiled at him saying, "What're you thinking?" she asked him with a smile as he just looked at her.
"Nothing really," Castle replied. When she gave him a look he finally said, "I'm wondering where Julia is."
"I'm here Daddy," the girl said in annoyance. She smiled at her mother and said, "He tried to get me to trick you but I said no."
"She's too good," Castle said when his wife looked back at him.
"I didn't want to trick Mommy," Julia replied as they were walking around the middle of the conservatory with the others.
"Mommy?" Eliza asked then.
"Yes sweetie?" Beckett asked.
"I'm starting to get hungry," Eliza told her softly.
"We'll eat before we go to the next place we're going to visit," Castle said. "I'm starting to get hungry too."
"Turtle!" Eliza cried out in joy as they came to one. She took pictures of the shell that was made from flowers and seashells before she said, "Are you hungry?" to her mother.
"Yes," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband glanced at her but did so briefly as there was a reason they both were. Since they'd both been so busy with their lovemaking the fruit they'd gotten for breakfast had almost been forgotten. She shook herself of that thought and followed the others around the rest of the conservatory. When they had finished and were walking outside of the lobby she told her husband, "What'd you think of?"
"It just came to me," Castle said. "When I first looked at the… place," he said, trailing off when he remembered the girls. "I saw a map so… let's go."
Beckett smiled and shook her head at that but quickly followed him over to the taxi van they'd used the last two days, wondering when he'd texted the driver to pick them up. She set aside her desire to ask him that as the girls were asking them where they were going next and she needed to turn her attention to help her husband get the girls inside the van so they could continue on to the next destination which wasn't too far from the Bellagio.
"What's this one?" Julia asked as the cab pulled up to a casino after driving south on the Strip.
"You can read," Beckett said as she picked up Eliza after she'd stepped out of the van.
Pouting playfully at her mother Julia turned to look at the name and she said, "This is the one we saw when we were driving."
"What does it say?" Eliza asked interestedly and slightly impatiently.
"Mandalay Bay," Jim said as he watched Castle come over to them from paying the cabbie.
"Oh," Eliza said before they were walking into the casino. She was walking until she suddenly felt her father picking her up and she giggled heavily before saying, "Why Daddy?"
"We have a while to go," Castle replied. "So your legs won't get tired."
"Where are we going here?" Julia asked as she looked around them while they walked.
"I assume it's something you girls will greatly enjoy," Martha commented with a smile as she watched the girl look at what they were passing.
"It is," Castle said. "But first… lunch…"
"I don't think we're there Rick," Beckett said in amusement as they didn't come to what he'd seen on the casino's site still.
"Well," Castle said quickly to Julia before she could see a sign they were coming up to.
"I think the game is up Richard," Martha said as the girl was crying out in joy.
"That's where we're going?" Julia asked.
"What is it?" Eliza asked impatiently.
"Can you read it?" Julia asked.
Looking ahead at the sign Eliza studied the words and said slowly, "Shar… shark r-ree-f. I don't know the rest."
"Aquarium," Julia finished rapidly for her.
"Fishies!" Eliza exclaimed in joy at that. "Are we gonna see more fishies?"
"We are," Beckett replied. "And sharks too."
"Let's go, I wanna see!" Eliza cried, rocking on her father's shoulders where he'd eventually placed her.
"We're having lunch first," Castle said. They were still walking so he continued saying, "If we ever- oh we're here," he then said as he spotted where they were headed to.
"What are we having?" Jim asked since they'd reached a food court.
"Whatever you want," Castle commented.
"What can we have?" Julia asked him then eagerly.
"I think you already know," Castle replied.
"We can get hot dogs?" Eliza asked with a smile.
"We can," Beckett said. She was startled when her father and Castle's mother followed her and smiled saying, "Even though we can get this at home?"
"Nothing else is interesting me," Martha replied.
"Me neither," Jim said as Julia was pulling him over to the Nathan's hot dog stall.
Castle ordered for himself and the girls, letting his wife order for herself before their parents were doing the same. After they were sitting down together to wait for their order he said, "Now after this we don't have anything else planned."
"Then what do we do next?" Eliza asked.
"Go swim?" Julia suggested, smiling when her sister gasped in amazement.
"And play with the putting green," Castle added. "Since only you got to play that."
"What are your plans for tonight?" Jim asked.
"We didn't eat lunch yet Grandpapa," Eliza said, moving to get up from the booth she was sitting on.
Taking her on his lap once she'd come to him Jim said with a smile, "I know but I'm not asking about dinner, what we're going to do tonight."
"We're not sure; we were thinking of letting the girls decide," Beckett said.
"Wonderful, we can tell you our plan," Martha said, clapping her hands together gently so that wouldn't startle anyone else around them.
"Plan?" Castle asked in surprise.
"Yes you two can take them out tonight," Martha replied.
"We talked about this last night," Jim said.
"Yeah and I said it was kay," Eliza added.
"Well I guess because she said it was okay…" Castle said jokingly.
Beckett smiled and then said, "What will you both do?"
"I'm going to take the opportunity to gamble a little," Martha said. "I haven't done it much so far this trip."
"And I'll do the same but we talked about that as well," Jim began to say. "And we'll be playing different games of course."
"And if you're wondering we're going to eat at different places," Martha replied. "Where I don't know, it's far too early to begin to think about that."
"So you have your night set," Castle commented.
"We do," Martha replied before the pager they'd been given started to vibrate.
"We'll be back," Beckett said as she and Castle got up from the table. While they were walking to the counter she said to her husband, "What're you thinking?"
"We still need to let the girls decide," Castle replied. "But they don't know what there is to do."
"Then I get the feeling we'll be swimming," Beckett said simply.
"Sounds great to me," Castle said before they were taking the trays with their food.
"Me too," Beckett replied. "But we should take them somewhere outside our hotel."
Castle slowed down then and said, "What about Serendipity again?"
Beckett laughed softly and said, "We'll see and don't tell them about that possibility."
"And the gift shop one last time," Castle said rapidly before they reached the table and passed out the food so they could eat.
There was no time for her to reply to that so Beckett only sighed under her breath before she sat down. "Dad-" she started to say as Eliza remained on his lap.
"It's alright," Jim told her with a smile as he held the box that Eliza's hot dog had been in underneath it as she was taking a bite out of it.
"Did you two talk about what you wanted to do tonight?" Martha asked her son and daughter in law.
"We did," Beckett said, glancing at the girls who she wasn't surprised to see were watching her.
"And?" Julia asked after she had swallowed.
"You'll see," Castle replied. "But you two can pick dinner."
"Kay," Eliza said before she grabbed a fry with the small fork that came with them. She ate and then said to her grandfather, "Do you like them Grandpapa?"
"I do," Jim replied. "But keep eating so we can see what this aquarium has."
"Sharks!" Eliza said eagerly.
"Sweetheart you shouldn't point with that fork," Castle said, pretending to lean back against the back of the booth as she was in front of him.
"Sorry," Eliza said, giggling at him. "Want some fries?"
"I can get them, don't worry," Castle replied with a smile.
"So at least we know we're gonna see sharks," Julia commented.
"And gonna see fishies too," Eliza added before she bit at her hot dog again.
The family then ate in silence as the girls were obviously eager to go and once they had finished they were the first to stand up, waiting for their family to finish clearing the table.
"We're going right now," Beckett said with a smile at the two. "But please don't go crazy."
"But I want to," Julia said in mock whining tone of voice.
"Me too," Eliza said though she was beaming at their parents.
"Not quite convincing enough darling," Martha said, ruffling her hair gently.
Castle paid for the tickets into the aquarium before he turned to find his wife behind him. "Everything's set," he told her. "Tired of waiting?"
"No," Beckett replied. "I want them to take the girls," she then told him.
"That's actually a great idea," Castle said with a nod. "And I'm sure they won't mind doing that," he added. He walked with her over to the others and said to his mother and her father, "Want to take them around?"
"Aren't you going in with us?" Julia asked the second her father had finished speaking.
"We are, we just wanted you two to have time with your grandparents since we'll be with you tonight," Beckett replied.
"That's fine with us if it's alright with the girls," Martha said, seeing Jim was nodding in agreement.
"Kay," Eliza said, looking at her big sister with a smile.
"That's good, that'll be fun but don't be too far away," Julia said.
"We won't," Castle promised and with that they walked over to the entrance where he gave their tickets and they made their way to the first animal.
"What is it?" Eliza asked Martha as they were peering down into water in a habitat.
"There it is," Castle's mother told her. "See it?"
"Oh yeah," Eliza said with a smile before she took a picture of the alligator inside the water. "Jules can you see?"
"Yeah," Julia said with a nod. She then looked over at her parents and saw they were a little behind them, looking around the room they were in at the moment. It resembled a temple and she smiled as her mother took a picture of the ceiling which was made of skylights. When she felt her grandfather's hand on her arm she turned and then walked with them to the next habitat, small fish they could look down on as the top of the tank was open and not too tall.
"I'm wondering," Castle said as they walked over to where their family was. "If we should do something else."
Beckett glanced at him and said, "You mean right now?"
"How big is this place?" Castle asked her.
"I have no idea," Beckett replied. "But I think we should just go back to the villa and relax."
"True," Castle as they were looking at the little fish. He glanced at Eliza and noticed that she was looking at him before he smiled and said, "Are you enjoying it so far?"
"Yes Daddy but we didn't see a lot of stuff," the little girl told him.
Castle nodded and then said, "I hope we will."
"How come we didn't get a map?" Julia asked as they walked on together.
"Oh, look what they have," Martha said, seeing into the next habitat first.
"Look Daddy," Julia said when she saw the Komodo dragon inside.
"I know it's awesome," Castle replied, smiling at her. "Take some pictures, he's showing you his profile."
"Mommy," Eliza said, looking up at her mother.
"Hold on," Beckett told her quickly. "Remember how I taught you to zoom in." She took her youngest's hand and set it on the camera so Eliza would zoom into the reptile's head. "Good job," she said with a smile after the little girl had taken the picture and a few more. "Now set it back to the setting you had in the first place." Watching to make sure that her daughter had done so she nodded and let her go to her grandfather before she went to her husband. "You want to stay with him or her a little longer? Have a discussion?"
"Sure," Castle said, straightening up as he'd been leaning against the glass. "We'll talk about how it is to be a human and a komodo dragon."
Beckett smiled and shook her head, squeezing her husband's hand before they continued on after their family.
"Oooh, it's a big snake!" Eliza said in awe as they saw the boa constrictor in the habitat. She took a picture and then got closer to the snake against the glass, taking shots of its skin.
"Hmm, I must admit the skin is beautiful," Martha said.
"Do you have anything of snake skin?" Jim asked her.
"Oh no, Alexis was very strict about me not buying anything made from animals," Martha replied. "Luckily I could avoid that."
"Luckily," Jim said before they walked quickly after the girls who were ahead of them.
Catching up to their parents and daughters at another tank Beckett said, "I wonder if we're going to see anymore animals that aren't fish."
"I don't care if we don't," Castle said with a smile. "Unless you guys do; then I agree with you."
"Look at the ray," Eliza said, pointing to one on the bottom. "It's a Dal…"
"Dalmatian," Julia supplied for her.
"Yeah, that," Eliza said.
"The colors are backwards though," Jim commented. When his granddaughter nodded he smiled and said, "It is very nice." He then watched with the others as the ray moved up against the glass and the girls instantly began to take pictures of it as they were squealing over its mouth at the same time.
"I wonder…" Castle began in a low voice.
"They can't understand you love," Beckett told him, speaking at a normal volume.
"Well in that case you think they'll have a pool so they can touch those?" Castle asked, nodding to the tank.
"What the fish?" Beckett asked. When her husband looked at her questioningly she nodded over to it that time and smiled when he saw the huge catfish that was going by then.
"Not that," Castle replied simply, smiling when she did. He leaned over and kissed her cheek before saying, "I'm hoping."
"I think you just want to touch them," Beckett said in amusement as they walked ahead of their daughters and parents. She looked at the habitat ahead of them then and saw the animal in it quickly before she said, "It looks like there is another animal."
Looking ahead Castle turned around to see where Julia and Eliza were when he saw they were hurrying up to them. "Come look, your mom saw something really cool," he said to them.
"And don't run, this one isn't going anywhere," Beckett said in mock irritation.
"Oh look, it's a lizard," Julia said with a smile, pointing at the green reptile that was hanging on the side of the wall next to the acrylic with stripes on its back.
"It's pretty," Eliza said. "I like the color."
"Me too," Julia said.
"He's looking at us!" Eliza cried out happily when the lizard turned its head. She waved and then took a few pictures before she looked at their parents.
"We see," Beckett assured her. Once the girls had had their fill of the lizard she went with Julia to a viewing window for what looked like a fairly large tank though she wasn't quite sure.
"There's a shark," Julia said, turning to her sister and pointing at one that was swimming close to them. "It's so pretty."
"You're just saying that because it's behind the glass," Castle told her teasingly as he watched her take a picture of it.
Giving him a look Julia said, "Then tap on it Daddy, I dare you."
"Oh is that a challenge?" Castle asked, mimicking her serious tone. They stared at each other for some time before she was the first to break and he rapidly followed her, laughing together until finally he calmed down and said, "Okay it's great to see these up close."
"You're not really gonna tap the glass are you Daddy?" Julia asked him then.
"I've learned my lesson," Castle replied. He looked over at the shark that was making its way past them. "Especially since it's a shark."
"Yeah," Julia said before she was walking with her family into the next room. "Oh wow," she breathed when she saw the tall tank with a statue in it.
"Mommy is it gonna have a baby?" Eliza asked, pointing to the statue inside with a large stomach.
"I guess," Beckett said with a smile. "But do you see all the fish?"
"Yeah they're pretty," Eliza said, watching the fish swimming around with a smile.
"Take some pictures kiddo, they're waiting for you," Martha said with a smile. She watched as her daughter in law took some pictures before Castle made his way over to his wife and she smiled. "We'll watch them," she commented.
Looking from the screen of her camera to her mother in law Beckett said, "How did you know I was finished?"
"A guess," Martha said simply. "Go on."
"We'll wait," Beckett said, letting Castle take her over to the side of the room. As they were walking there she watched as he looked ahead and said, "Are you cheating?"
"No but I think there is a place to pet them," Castle told her with a smile.
Glancing over in the direction that he had looked Beckett could see people leaning over what she guessed was a pool and she said, "Looks like you're right but I think they'll enjoy what's next more."
Nodding Castle said, "They will." He looked over at the rest of their family and asked them, "We're moving on?"
"Yeah my pictures were blurry Mommy," Eliza said, sounding upset.
"Mine were too," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised when her daughter's head snapped around to look at her and slightly laughing she told her, "They are, I'll show you later okay?" They walked then into a tunnel, surrounded by fish swimming along the sides and above them as well. "Your daddy and I knew you'd like this," she said to both girls who were looking around in awe.
"How cool," Julia said, a wide smile on her face. "Do you like this?" she asked her parents as they were sitting down.
"We do," Castle assured them. "We're just going to let you run aro-"
"Not run," Beckett said quickly, giving him a slight look. "Walk around and take pictures."
As their daughters did so, Jim and Martha with them, Castle said, "I didn't think they'd really stick with them."
"They're not going to spend time with them tonight," Beckett replied. "And they love their granddaughters."
"Speaking of which I hope Alexis is enjoying her time at White Mount," Castle commented.
"Most likely she is," Beckett said before she realized Eliza was coming to them. "Are you having trouble sweetie?" she asked her.
"No what did you say about 'lexis?" Eliza asked.
"We're just wondering if she's having fun at the manor," Castle answered. "We'll talk to her tomorrow when we get home."
"Promise?" Eliza then asked him, leaning her hands on his legs.
"We promise," Beckett answered. She leaned over and kissed the little girl on the cheek before she and Castle followed her over to the end of the tunnel. "Hold on," she said quickly as both girls caught sight of the pool and what was in it. "We'll look around first and then see what we can do there," she told them when they looked at her.
Sharing a look with her sister Julia shrugged and said, "There's not much to see and at least there's more fishes."
Eliza nodded before she went with her family to a tank of lion fish and she took pictures saying, "I still wanna pet."
"And I still say you're crazy," Castle said, pronouncing the last word in a weird way to make her laugh; which she quickly did.
"Look, jellyfish," Julia commented after they'd taken enough pictures.
Beckett was walking with Eliza as the little girl was looking at the animals in awe and she smiled at her father as he stood next to her at the tank. "You've enjoyed the trip right?" she asked him after taking a few pictures.
"Oh of course," Jim said quickly. "I'm glad I was here with the girls since this is our first time here in Vegas."
"I hope you have fun tonight playing Grandpapa," Julia told him as they walked to the last tank in the room which had starfish in them.
"I probably will," Jim assured her with a smile.
"Are you gonna play at our hotel?" Julia asked him.
"Of course," Jim said. "I'll probably eat there too."
"You should go where we did," Julia said quickly. "You can go with Gram."
"She makes a point," Jim said, looking to Castle's mother who had heard that.
"She does and I suppose we can count this as one of our city meals," Martha said.
"Get that over with?" Jim asked. When she nodded he smiled and then started to walk over to Eliza when he felt his daughter's hand on his shoulder.
"You know you don't have to have those dinners," Beckett said.
"It's just once a month and we talk about them," Jim said, nodding to his granddaughters. "Also you and Richard."
"What do you talk about concerning us?" Beckett asked, glancing at the girls who were looking at a starfish attached to the acrylic in front of them.
"Past stories," Jim said simply. "She tells me about how he was growing up and I tell her about you. You've told your husband about the time you took off on your bike in Central Park with your mother and I chasing you right?"
"One of the first stories," Beckett said, smiling a bit.
"And did she tell you about how I climbed up onto the roof of the hotel we stayed at our first time in the Hamptons when I was seven?" Castle asked, walking up to them as he'd heard their conversation.
"She did," Jim said. "And some stories about you and Brad that you told her."
"Those are interesting," Beckett said with a smile at her husband.
"I think we should continue," Martha told the two then. "The girls are ready to go."
Seeing that she was right the three rejoined the others in walking over to the touch pool, the girls trying not to run to it before they leaned over on the edge of it to find different kinds of rays and horseshoe crabs as well. The girls were watching them in awe for a bit before their parents and grandparents urged them to pet them finally when they realized the two were waiting for permission.
"Hold onto her Rick," Beckett quickly told her husband as Eliza was leaning over.
"I've got her," Castle told her quickly with a smile.
After she was sure her father had a hold of her Eliza leaned over and managed to brush her fingertips over a ray that was going by them. She squealed and said, "It feels…"
"Slimy," Julia supplied, having touched the ray when it passed her. "But cool."
Beckett was taking pictures of the girls as they were touching the animals that went by them, her husband joining her when their parents went with their granddaughters. "You don't want to pet them? You were talking about it earlier," she teased him as he sat next to her where she was across the pool from their family.
"I figured I'd wait," Castle said. "I get the feeling we're not going to leave for a while."
Beckett laughed softly and handed her camera to her husband as he was reaching for it and replied, "I already thought the same."
Looking up across the pool Julia smiled at her parents as they were talking quietly to one another. She looked down at her camera and quickly picked it up with her dry hand and took a picture of them as her mother was smiling at her father. She looked down at the screen and then took a few shots of the animals below them before she looked up at her parents as they stood.
"We need to keep going," Castle said as Eliza looked up at him. "I know," he said when the little girl started to protest. "But if we don't go we won't have any time to swim." He wasn't surprised when she looked thoughtful before allowing her grandfather to take her over to the sink at the other end of the room.
When they walked into the next one Julia said, "Here are the sharks."
"I think they left them for last," Castle said with a smile.
"And they gave them a very large tank," Jim commented before he was rushing after Eliza who ran to the glass and pressed her nose against it, watching the sharks and fish that were swimming around above them. "Take some pictures honey," he told her with a smile.
Eliza nodded but it took some time for her to stop peering into the blue water at the animals inside. When she did begin taking pictures she let her grandfather help her, watching the screen of her camera closely as she wanted the pictures to come out well.
"So this is it," Castle said to his wife and mother.
"A nice little aquarium," Martha said in response.
"I liked it," Julia said before they then walked over to a tunnel where she saw a sea turtle swimming above.
"Well we have some time love," Castle said as Jim somehow managed to get Eliza to come over to where they were standing. "What do you say we go to Egypt?"
"You mean the hotel next door?" Julia asked. "The… Luxor?"
"Yeah," Castle said before they turned together to look at Beckett.
"We'll walk through quickly," Beckett said, wondering what he wanted the girls to see. "Unless there's something to see there?" When her husband shook his head she said, "Let's go."
They walked out through the gift shop then, not stopping to look though the girls glanced at what they were passing. Castle led them to a small mall that the hotel had and then through a doorway that brought them into the Luxor hotel and casino.
"What do you think?" Castle asked with a smile as he watched the girls looking up at the pyramid the build was shaped in.
"Are those rooms?" Eliza asked, seeing a person standing at one of the tiers leading up to the top.
"Alexis really didn't like the idea," Castle told them. "But I think it would be interesting to stay up there."
Beckett watched the girls take pictures with a smile and then continued to look up above them in awe. She let them look up a little longer before she motioned to her husband and smiled at him before they got their daughters to go back over to Mandalay Bay so they could head back to their own hotel to swim.
