When they were rejoined by Beatriz she led the way to the plaza where she pointed out the church to the north and said, "That is where Xavi and I were married."
"Did he grow up here?" Castle asked, wondering why that had never come to mind before then.
"He did, he left for Madrid when he was sixteen to go to school," Beatriz replied. "His parents were still living here when we married so we decided to come here."
"Where are you from?" Martha then asked.
"Hames didn't tell you?" Beatriz asked. When the family all shook their heads she smiled and replied, "I grew up in Gijón, Asturias."
"Will you show us around there?" Julia asked her.
"I will," Beatriz replied since they were stopping there after they left Carbajales on the way to Barcelona.
"Want to run around a little?" Castle asked Eliza then as he noticed that she was starting to wriggle on his hip. He took that as a yes since he knew she would do that when she wanted to get down, so he set her on the floor and watched then as she took off with her sister as Julia chased her.
"Is it possible to go inside?" Beckett asked Beatriz after they watched Alexis join the two.
"You want to see?" the woman asked in slight surprise.
"It would be interesting to," Castle commented.
"When they are ready to stop," Beatriz said, nodding to Julia and Eliza.
After Alexis had caught her Eliza squealed happily before she said, "What do I do?"
"You mean what are we gonna do now?" Julia asked as she had run back to them.
"Yeah," Eliza replied, nodding hard.
"You want to see the church?" Castle asked, gesturing to the building.
"Can we?" Julia asked interestedly.
"We can," Beatriz replied. "But only for a little because there is more of the town to see before we need to go home to cook."
"Want Mommy," Eliza whispered to her sister as they started to go to the steps leading up to the front door.
"Come here," Beckett said, hearing that. She stopped and waited for Alexis to reach her. She took the toddler and kissed her check gently saying, "It's okay."
"I don't think she understands why we're going in," Castle said as they reached the doors. "But we're going inside to look sweetheart," he said, playfully pretending to pinch her cheek.
"Why?" Eliza asked.
"You'll see," Beckett told her simply as they went inside.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness inside but once they had Julia looked ahead towards the altar and she gasped slightly at the sight of it ahead of them. "Wow… it's big," she said finally.
"Very elaborate," Martha said. "And beautiful too."
"Does my dad ever come when he's here on a Sunday?" Beckett asked Beatriz suddenly.
"No he goes out into the country," the woman replied simply. "He will walk around the train station, further past it. Xavi has asked him why he does this and Hames has said it helps him to think."
"Meditation?" Castle asked as Martha took Eliza from his wife and the others walked ahead of them down the aisle.
"His form I think," Beckett said. "I hope he's careful," she said with a slight sigh.
"Of course he knows he needs to come home," Castle said, watching her.
"Beatriz," Beckett then said to the woman as she hurried down the aisle to her. "When did he start doing that?"
"Xavi told me after your mother…" Beatriz started to say before trailing off.
"Are you going to ask him about that?" Castle said to his wife as he drew her onto one of the wood pews while the others continued again.
"No I understand more now why he does that," Beckett replied simply. She then smiled, though briefly, and said, "I wonder if he feels closer to her doing that."
"He's always liked nature right?" Castle asked. When his wife nodded he said, "I never asked him if he saw your mother in the way I see you."
"Not as a goddess," Beckett replied, knowing what he meant. "No he saw my mother as the love of his life. And in that solitude here I think he finds her closest to him. On a spiritual level."
"Which is why he never told you about it," Castle commented. When his wife nodded he hugged her with one arm and suggested, "You should probably leave that for him to keep to himself."
"I will," Beckett said before she stood up and went down the aisle with her husband following him. She was a little startled to find out that her father did that but could understand the reasons since she herself had found some comfort in what she could since her mother's murder that tended towards the spiritual; mainly meditation though for a time she would walk through Central Park. "Did I ever tell you about my own walks I took?" she suddenly asked her husband when they were outside the church and walking west.
"Through Central Park? Yeah you told me that after Bracken…" Castle started to say before he trailed off, not really wanting to remind his wife of that.
"It's the same thing," Beckett said. She smiled at her husband when she noticed that he was watching her in concern and told him, "I didn't realize we shared that."
"Yeah you and your dad are alike in many ways," Castle said, reaching for her hand.
Looking ahead to their daughters Beckett smiled as she watched them listening intently to Beatriz before she squeezed her husband's hand tightly, knowing he was aware of what she was thinking as he immediately entwined their fingers as they walked together after the others.
Giggling at the mock scolding in Spanish she got for snatching some slices cheese off the kitchen counter Eliza cried, "Gracias!" She hurried out the door to the backyard and to her sisters saying, "Here."
"You were supposed to sneak that out," Alexis replied.
"Yeah we heard them talking to you," Julia said.
"What do they say?" Eliza asked.
"They were just telling you to wait for dinner," Alexis said, having been able to make out what one of the women had said.
"I am hungry," Eliza said firmly. "Now."
"We're all hungry sweetie," Beckett said, coming over to the three who were sitting on top of a wall near where the women and men who had come over for dinner were standing around the paellera. "But dinner will be ready soon. So for now just have that cheese."
"Kay," Eliza replied before biting into the Manchego cheese.
Leaning over and kissing her forehead Beckett ran her hand over the toddler's dark hair before she went back to her husband. She smiled as she watched Santos translating for Castle as the men around him were asking him about their writing. She joined in the conversation when she could but finally the men left them and she asked her husband, "Did they understand your method?"
"I have no clue," Castle replied. "But they congratulated us."
"On our books," Beckett stated.
"No our marriage," Castle said.
"Us or you?" Beckett then asked him.
"Me…" Castle began slowly, watching her closely.
"They're younger so I'm not surprised they said that," Beckett replied, since the men had been closer to Santos' age which was their late twenties.
"A compliment for you," Castle said though he didn't sound too pleased about that.
Beckett squeezed his arm gently before she said, "I'm surprised you don't want to watch them cooking."
"They chased me away," Castle said then; as he'd done that while his wife was changing into the sundress she was wearing for the meal. He laughed and said, "I was asking too many questions, I think they preferred your father since he wasn't saying a word and just watching."
Smiling Beckett glanced over to where her father was standing and looking at the pan of paella. "I'll be right back," Beckett murmured to him before walking to Jim. "Hey," she said as she put her hand on his shoulder.
"Enjoying yourself?" Jim asked, turning to see it was her.
"Are you?" Beckett asked.
"I'm fine," he replied firmly. "I learned not to butt in with the cooking," he said as he nodded to the pan. "Unlike your husband."
Beckett smiled and then said, "That's par for the course for him. But he's made it before, what was he saying to them now?"
"I was asking for tips," Castle said from where he was with the girls.
"That makes sense then," Beckett replied. She then slid her arm through her father's before saying, "We went to the church earlier."
"I'm not surprised, the first time I was here they took me there too," Jim replied. "It's beautiful inside which is why I wanted you and the girls to be able to see it."
"I agree I took a number of pictures there," Beckett said. Her husband was walking over to her and she wasn't surprised when he hesitated at hearing that and she shook her hand once at him. "But what I was thinking is I don't remember ever seeing pictures of there from you."
"I took them when I was still using film," Jim answered. "And lost them… somewhere."
"Too bad I would have loved to have seen them," Beckett replied.
"Kate," Martha said, coming over to them. "They're going to get everything outside now and they need our help."
"Not mine?" Castle asked.
"If you want to go ahead," Martha replied.
"Then I'll go in my wife's place," Castle said before he walked over to the door. When he reached the kitchen he wasn't surprised that the women paused and looked at him so he turned to Beatriz saying, "I'd like to help," using Spanish so she wouldn't need to translate.
"Thank you," the woman said, smiling at him. "You both can help us."
Turning at that Castle saw that Beckett was behind him before he took the stack of plates that he was handed while his wife took the large bowl of Ensaladilla rusa outside. "I'm surprised there are enough tables," he told her.
"I'm not, I asked Beatriz and she said they hold a party around the beginning of their visits here," Beckett told him. "Sort of welcoming themselves to the neighborhood."
"Or a warning that they're here?" Castle said. At that his wife gave him a look after she set the bowl in her arms on the table where the food was going to go. When she reached out for him he went to her and put his arm around her as they joined her father again at the paella which was nearly finished.
"Los pimientos Hames," Paco said with a smile as he held the jar out to Jim then.
"I think you can handle this," he said, handing the jar to his son in law.
"Oh sure," Castle said, taking the peppers. "Um is there a pattern or just… however?"
"However is fine," Jim replied as Beckett shrugged.
Watching him using a fork to set down the roasted vegetables Beckett smiled at the pattern that he put down on the yellow rice in between the mussels and pieces of chicken before he handed what was left back to her father.
"I'll get Eliza," Castle told his wife before he headed over to the wall where Alexis was about to help the toddler down.
"Daddy wanna eat that," Eliza said hopefully as she pointed to the pan.
"Come here," Castle said, lifting her up and swinging her legs out in the air under her sundress to her cry of pleasure. "Are you guys going to sit with the other kids?" he asked, since there were a few kids there that had been watching Julia and Eliza but had been too shy to speak to them.
"Sure," Julia said. "What about Eliza?"
"She needs to sit with your mom and Dad," Alexis explained. "But I'll sit with you remember."
Julia nodded and then headed over to the table where she and the rest of her family were ushered to go first. She smiled as Eliza tried to stick her thumb in her mouth at their stares before their parents pulled it away at the same time. She then concentrated on getting the tortilla, salad and some cheese on her plate before she went after Alexis and Martha for some paella that Xavi was dishing out with a long spoon.
"I hope you're able to eat all of that," Alexis told her sister teasingly as they went to set their plates down on the table where they'd been told they could sit.
"I will," Julia said, hungry after having swum with Alexis and her parents in the pool that the house had to the north of the abode.
"Are you guys set?" Castle asked the two, having come over after setting his plate where Eliza and Beckett had sat down with his mother and Jim.
"Yeah we have enough food Dad," Alexis told him.
Watching as her husband sat back down next to them Beckett said, "I told you."
"Just checking," Castle said simply before Xavi started to speak.
The man gave a quick speech in Spanish before telling Castle, Beckett and their family the same one in English. It was short so it wasn't long until he was raising his glass saying, "Salud."
"Salud," Beckett said at the same time as everyone else before they tapped their glasses together. She glanced over at Julia, seeing that she was talking to one of the girls at the table with her and she smiled before looking back at her husband since their daughter was trying to speak in Spanish before the girl spoke in English.
"That's Eva," Xavi told them, having seen them looking over at their daughter. "She's the daughter of my second cousin Pablo."
"The one that works at the Viñas," Jim said, naming one of the bars in the village.
"I remember," Castle said, looking over to where the man was sitting. "Are they the ones that go out to play?" he asked.
"They do," Jim answered first. "They just go to the plaza remember."
"We'll let her go if she asks," Beckett said, smiling as she knew her father was going to suggest they let her go.
"She'll have a lot of fun," Jim assured her.
"And her Spanish might improve too," Castle said, raising his eyebrows at his wife before she laughed and he then went back to his food as she was doing.
The backyard was full of chatter as everyone was talking to everyone else, though it was a mixture of Spanish and English instead of just one language.
Julia was speaking with Eva still and said, "You go to school over there?"
"Yes, it has a futbol field," the little girl replied with a nod. "Do you play?"
"No I like to ride horses," Julia said. "And dance."
"Do you know the jota?" Eva asked interestedly.
"No but I have seen it," Julia said. "Could you teach me?"
"There will be dancing… after dinner, I can show you," Eva said, translating in her head for a moment.
"Thank you!" Julia replied. She then said, "Do you ride horses?"
Alexis, having been listening to the conversation, smiled as the two girls talked about horses and the fact that Eva had seen two people riding in a field near the beginning of the village earlier that day. "I think that was your mom and Dad," she told her sister.
"Oh! It was," Julia said, recalling.
"They ride horses?" Eva asked in obvious surprise.
Nodding hurriedly Julia told her, "They play polo too."
"Your mama?" Eva said.
"She's good at it," Alexis commented. "They play together sometimes." She smiled again as the two girls began to talk about the game, joining in when they asked her questions or when she could.
Eliza, sitting on her father's lap for the meal, looked around the table a while later before she drank the rest of the milk in her glass that Castle had handed to her. She smiled and then said, "Now?" as by then nearly everyone was finished with second helpings or just their first.
"We are going to have a little music," Xavi said before Eva was rushing to him. He listened to her whispering in his ear before he nodded talking back to her in Spanish.
"What was that about?" Jim asked his friend.
"She tells me your daughter knows the Flamenco," Xavi replied. "But I couldn't ask her to dance alone. Santos knows some of it; he's in the troupe here in the village."
"Could he teach her the jota?" Beckett asked.
"I've shown it to her," Jim said as Xavi and Beatriz looked to him. "But couldn't teach it to her of course."
"I would love to," Santos said, coming up to them. "Pedro and Jaime went to get the guitarras."
"Then the party is about to begin," Beatriz said.
"What about the dancing in the plaza?" Castle asked as he set Eliza down.
"We have an hour and a half still," Beatriz replied. "Then we will go and after come back for dessert before the children go out to play."
"And the adults?" Alexis asked as she joined her father and stepmother while the chairs and tables were being rearranged so the backyard was ringed by the former.
"We'll have more music, dancing here as well," Santos replied.
"Listen," Alexis told her stepmother. "Do you want me to go with Julia?"
"The kids will be fine," Castle said before his wife could. "Everyone reassured us that they have phones and Julia has hers you know."
"Unless you want to go with them of course," Beckett commented.
"No I'll stay and see how this party is," Alexis said, glancing at Santos.
"Where did that come from?" Castle asked, looking startled as his daughter walked away from them.
Shrugging Beckett replied easily, "He's attractive," before she pulled her husband over to the wall their daughters had been sitting on earlier as two of the young men who were Santos' cousins began tuning acoustic guitars.
Julia watched closely as some of the young women and men went onto the concrete in front of the chairs in the grass before the music began. Her feet started to tap as they started to dance and she recognized it quickly as the jota. She kept her eyes on the women and their movements, trying to memorize it before the song finished. When they were done another song began and Santos came up to her.
"Would you like to learn?" he asked.
"Yes!" Julia asked after she glanced at her parents who nodded with a smile at her. She stood up as she saw some of the other kids were coming over to them. When she looked to her left her mouth dropped open as she saw her parents were coming up, being ushered over by Paco and Constanza.
"Oh wait I didn't really want to dance," Beckett was saying as the couple had started to get them to stand up. She watched as Eliza went from standing in front of her to Martha who was sitting near them. She couldn't stop Constanza making her go up next to Julia and she said to her oldest's shocked expression, "Don't start sweetie," smiling so her words wouldn't sound too irritated.
"At least someone got you to dance," Julia replied, smiling widely at her mother.
Castle couldn't help laugh at that before he had to recover to pay attention to Santos who was beginning to show them the movements for the song playing. He felt awkward holding his arms up as the man was but soon he was concentrating on his feet and ended up forgetting that.
Beckett felt even more discomfited as she kept her eyes on Constanza on the other side of her. But when she looked at her husband as they spun around each other she laughed and called, "Don't tell Lanie about this."
"Don't let the boys know," Castle said. "Or David… or-"
"I've got it," Beckett replied with a laugh.
"Just dance!" Julia cried out before she then smiled over at Alexis who was to her right, dancing with another friend of Santos'.
When the song had finished Beckett applauded the guitar players as she laughed and then leaned against her husband. She then turned to Julia who had run over to them and wrapped her arms around them saying, "You finally got me to dance," teasingly.
"No I didn't," the little girl retorted before she laughed heavily. "But I'm glad you did Mommy, wasn't it fun?"
"It was…" Beckett assured her before she trailed off as Xavi came over to them then.
"Santos heard that you know how to dance the Flamenco," the man told the little girl.
"Oh… does he want to dance with me?" Julia asked, blushing slightly at the idea.
"If you want to," Santos said, joining them.
Julia looked hesitant but then felt her little sister throwing herself at her and hugging her tightly. "Did you hear?" she asked with a laugh.
"Yeah," Eliza said. "Dance Jules," she begged her.
"Okay, you know how to?" Julia asked Santos. When he nodded she hurriedly told him, "I don't know it perfectly but I know a little bit."
"That is okay, just a little demonstration," Santos said before holding his hand out to her after checking with her parents that it was okay.
Julia took his hand and when they were standing in the middle she looked over at the guitarists who started to play.
"Go first," Santos called to her.
Nodding as she knew he wanted to see how she danced before he moved Julia started to stamp her feet and move her arms and hands before the man matched her. She couldn't help but smile for a moment and then lost herself in the dance though she was spending her time trying to match her partner which was a little difficult. But when she finished and she heard the applause around her she blushed in her pleasure before she rushed to her parents who hugged and kissed her.
At that point the guitarists continued to play though the adults were talking to each other and the kids were running around the house together playing hide and seek.
Castle was speaking with Santos and a few other men as it was getting close to the time they needed to leave for the plaza. He was startled when he suddenly heard Alexis calling him and Beckett and he hurried with her around to the other side of the house where they found Eliza in her arms. "Did she fall?" he asked as the toddler was crying.
"Yeah she's not bleeding but she skinned her knees," Alexis replied, handing her to Beckett.
"Shh it's okay sweetie," she told her daughter soothingly. She went over to the house, ignoring the fact that the others were looking over to them. She went to the bathroom the girls were going to share with their grandparents and set Eliza next to the sink as Castle was there to hold the toddler and try to calm her down. She washed her knees gently with cool water as the toddler slowly stopped crying and she studied them saying, "I think you'll be fine but why don't we stay still for the rest of the night?"
"Or at the very least no more sprints around the house," Castle said. When Eliza nodded without any kind of protest he leaned over and kissed her temple before picking her up. He was a little surprised to see Beatriz coming up to them and hurriedly told her, "She's alright."
"Oh thank goodness, I was worried," the woman said, cupping Eliza's cheek. "We are going to leave right now, are you still coming?"
"Yes," Eliza said firmly though her voice was a little wobbly still with her tears.
"Then we better go," Beckett said with a smile as they came to the kitchen and saw Jim, Martha, Alexis and Julia there. "She's okay," she told them, surprised Beatriz had come to them while they hadn't.
"We knew," Jim said. "We just wanted to make sure she knew we were here for her too."
"Thank you," Eliza said before leaning over to her grandfather who soon took her. She smiled when he kissed her temple and asked, "You can dance too Grandpapa."
"I don't think you want me to," Jim replied in amusement. "It wouldn't look too nice."
"With Mommy," Eliza said.
"That's okay," Beckett said. "I think I've danced the jota enough for tonight."
"I didn't," Julia said. "Oh! 'lexis, I forgot to ask you, did you have fun dancing that?"
"I did but I'm a little jealous of you," Alexis answered, wrapping her arm around her sister as they followed the party outside the gates. "You had the best partner, twice tonight."
"You like Santos?" Julia asked.
"I do," Alexis answered, aware that her father was listening and her stepmother was keeping an eye on him. "But he has a girlfriend; she's working in Barcelona right and will come for the fiestas."
"Too bad," Castle said. He was hit with two looks, one from his wife and one from his daughter, before he added, "I'm sure he misses her of course."
"Of course," Beckett said, squeezing his hand. "I think she's spoiled you," she commented as the others walked ahead of them a little more.
"Well you can't blame me for not letting my guard down," Castle replied defensively.
"No but really Rick she wouldn't let someone hurt her, she's much smarter than that," Beckett said.
Nodding Castle wasn't surprised when his wife gave him a look and told her quickly, "You're completely right so there's nothing more I can say to that." He was then startled when she kissed his cheek and he looked at her questioningly.
"I love you," Beckett replied with a smile.
"Love you too Kate," Castle said before he leaned over and shared a kiss with her before they turned their attention to the plaza they were nearing.
Alexis had noticed them then and she smiled before she had to turn forward again as Eliza was calling out to her. It made her hurry to Jim with Julia holding her hand to see what their little sister wanted as they finally walked into the Plaza Mayor where people were gathering around the square.
As she was walking towards the chairs where Beatriz and Xavi were heading for Beckett was a little surprised to see some older women all dressed in black calling to the couple. She didn't think anything of it until they sat down and Beatriz went over to them. "So-" she started to say to her husband.
"Kate?" Beatriz asked, coming back. "Those women over there would like to meet you. And Martha and Alexis."
Since the girls had gone with the other kids from the party to the space set aside for the dancers Beckett guessed they would have liked to have met them too. But she got up after squeezing her husband's hand and went over with her mother in law and stepdaughter to the front row where the women were sitting.
"They're just curious," Jim said, seeing his son in law was looking to see what was happening. "It's not every day someone comes from America."
"You mean you," Castle said with a smile.
"And not every day a party comes from New York City," Jim added. "I've talked to them myself. They're polite they'll just want to hear why we're here, your marriage."
"Yeah how much did you tell them about Kate?" Castle asked, slightly joking though he had to wonder.
"I never mentioned her dating before," Jim answered, knowing what he meant. "But I did tell them about Julia and then eventually that she was married and then about Eliza. So they're eager to see what I spoke to them about."
Nodding at that Castle looked back to his wife before Eliza hurried over to him and tried to climb onto his lap. When he picked her up he was a little startled when his name was called and saw that Alexis was gesturing him over to where she was.
"Daddy?" Eliza asked in surprise as he stood up.
"We're just going to meet some people," Castle said before he saw Julia coming over to them. "Come here sweetheart," he told her, taking her hand.
"Si mis hijas," Beckett was saying to the women as Castle and the girls reached them. She introduced the women by name which took a little time and then let Beatriz translate as one of them asked about Alexis.
"You explained…" Castle asked his wife before she nodded to him. "She's going to school in Oxford, we're taking a trip before we go there," he then said to the women, waiting for Beatriz to translate that.
"For psychology," Alexis said when she guessed one of the women was asking what she was studying. "I want to work with kids." She smiled when they nodded in approval and then said, "Do they know about them?" gesturing to her father and Beckett.
"They know they write books," Beatriz said. She then said something in Spanish and then told the others, "And now they know you work with the police."
"Might want to explain she used to be a detective," Castle said as the women looked startled at that.
"She was a very good one," Martha said as the women looked understanding once Beatriz had translated that. "And that's why they're still working."
"How do you have time for your children?" Beatriz translated for one woman.
"We don't work all day," Beckett said in Spanish since she could translate that. "And we don't… always work since we need to write. I said that correctly?" she asked Beatriz who nodded.
Before anyone could say anything else someone began speaking on a microphone and after saying goodbye to the women Castle followed the others to their seats as the show was beginning.
"What did they say to you?" Julia was asking Alexis.
"Shh we can talk about that after the show," Beckett said gently.
After an announcement that Xavi hurriedly translated for the family two rows of dancers in traditional costume came out and he added, "We saw them sewing like that earlier."
"It's so pretty," Julia said. "I wish mine still fit."
Squeezing her hand as she knew what she meant Beckett watched as the first dance began, all of the dancers playing the castanets. She swayed a little with the music, as Eliza was on her lap watching with wide eyes. When the toddler started to bounce she glanced at her husband and smiled when he wrapped his arm around her.
"Sure you don't want to try one of those?" Castle whispered.
"You could," Jim said suddenly when the song ended and everyone was clapping. "Beatriz has one."
"I'm good," Beckett replied, shaking her head before the next dance began. She then glanced at her husband as four dancers came forward and started to move together, reaching over and squeezing his hand tightly before they turned their attention ahead again.
"Come back at twelve okay?" Beckett asked Julia as they were standing up from their chairs later when the show had finished.
"We're going to go to the house for dessert," the little girl reminded her mother quickly.
"Then you can go play after," Castle said. "But remember what your mother said, twelve you need to head home. And don't forget your phone."
"I won't," Julia promised as they left the plaza.
When they reached the home the women brought out the desserts; which were the blackberries that Castle, Beckett and the girls had picked earlier; as well as shaped marzipan.
"Eat the berries first kiddo," Martha was saying to Eliza who was sitting on her lap. She was surprised when the toddler pushed her hand holding a blackberry to her away and said to her son who was sitting in the chair next to hers, "I think someone's a little tired."
"She might just want her daddy," Beckett said as she followed to sit next to her husband, watching their youngest climb over to his lap.
"Wanna have that Mommy," Eliza said as she pointed to some of the marzipan on her mother's plate.
"Just one," Beckett replied. "And then after you need to go to bed. Eliza," she added warningly when the toddler began to pout.
"But Jules is… playing," Eliza said, thinking for a moment of the word she wanted to use.
"She is but she'll come back when she needs to," Jim said, sitting on the other side of his daughter and eating the blackberries.
"Where's Alexis?" Castle asked then, looking around for his daughter.
"She went with Juana to have a drink at the Mosquito," Martha replied. "Just a drink," she said when he looked startled.
"I didn't realize she'd met someone," Beckett said, glancing at her husband.
"She was sitting at the table with the kids," Martha answered with a slight nod.
"Can I have now?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"Yes but pick which one you want," Beckett told her as she watched the little girl looking at the different tiny fruits that had been shaped from marzipan.
"If you want a suggestion," Castle said, trying to hold back the amusement in his voice as Eliza took some time to decide, looking over the plate closely. "I would suggest the watermelon."
Looking up at her father Eliza picked it up and bit into it before she made a humming sound and very quickly finished the rest. "Another?" she asked her father hopefully as she watched him pop a strawberry into his mouth.
"Sorry maybe we'll have one tomorrow if there are any leftovers," Beckett said, taking a bunch of grapes from the plate. When her father and Castle's mother had taken the last two fruits; a pear and an apple; she stood up and picked up the toddler. "Time for bed sweetie," she said.
"Mommy-" Eliza started to complain.
"No, no you need to go," Castle said, holding the plates that he and Beckett had used. "Say goodnight to your grandparents."
"Goodnight darling we'll see you in the morning for breakfast," Martha said, leaning over to kiss Eliza's cheek. "I love you."
"I love you Gram," the toddler replied before they shared a kiss. When her grandfather stepped up to her next she said, "Love you too Grandpapa."
"I love you honey," Jim said, sharing a kiss with her. "And get some rest okay?"
Nodding Eliza yawned as her parents took her back to the house where they helped her get ready for bed. She thought she wasn't going to be able to sleep alone in the bed but as she was carried from the bathroom down the hall to the bedroom she fell asleep on her father's shoulder.
"Too much today," Beckett murmured though she was smiling at the same time.
"A lot of sun too," Castle commented. He then leaned over and pressed his lips to Eliza's forehead murmuring, "Sweet dreams Eliza, I love you."
Tucking her in after Castle had stepped away from the bed Beckett kissed her forehead and said, "I love you too sweetie, night." She took her husband's hand as they left the room, closing the door and light after them.
"So now what?" Castle asked her as they stepped out into the backyard.
"Looks like drinks," Beckett said as over at the last table set up Xavi and Paco were mixing together drinks in glasses and handing them out. "What is it?" she asked Martha who was walking up to her.
"They call it…" Castle's mother began to say.
"Cubalibres," Jim supplied as he was coming up to them behind her. "Rum and coke."
"Are you-" Beckett started to say as he was holding a glass.
"I think that's just a libres," Castle joked.
"It is but you should try it," Jim said before he sipped at his glass of only soda.
"Ah I was wondering if you would want a nightcap," Xavi said when he spotted the couple walking up to him. "Cubalibres or just a coke tonight?"
"We'll try them together," Castle said. He watched the man mix the drinks and when he took it he asked, "What kind of rum is it?" He took the nearly empty bottle the man handed to him and he read, "Arehucas?"
"That is it, they make it in the Canary Islands," Xavi replied. "Try, please," he urged the two.
Taking a sip Beckett smiled at her husband and watched him take a second one quickly. "It's good," she then said to Xavi. "Thank you."
"Enjoy," the man replied as Castle added his thanks to his wife's.
Leading Beckett over to a couple of chairs off to the side of everyone, Castle said, "When did people leave?"
"You don't remember?" Beckett asked him in amusement.
"I thought they were part of the audience with us," Castle said since they'd said goodbye to a number of people on the way back to the house.
"No they were part of the dinner party," Beckett said, taking a sip. She looked around and said, "But you're right, we did lose a lot of people."
"They went to play cards I bet," Castle commented. "Your dad mentioned going with them later."
"I think it is later," Beckett said as she noticed her father was approaching them. "Going out?"
"Just for an hour," Jim said as his daughter stood. "I'll be with Xavi so I'll have a way back in."
"Does that mean the party is over?" Castle said as he stood as well.
"I think it does," Jim said, watching Santos, Paco and a few other men start to stack the remaining chairs.
"What will you be doing now mother?" Castle asked as she walked to them.
"I'll be going with Beatriz to play the game I learned earlier," Martha answered. "And I'll come back with him so I'll get in. And you two?"
"We'll wait up for Julia and Alexis," Castle said. "With another one of these," he said, shaking the glass that was almost empty.
"Are you making them?" Beckett asked in amusement.
"I will, I was watching," Castle replied with a nod. After he and his wife had said goodnight to their parents they watched the two leave with Xavi and Beatriz after talking to the two. Once they were alone in the backyard; having said goodnight to the rest of the party guests before talking to her father's friends; they went back inside and to the kitchen where he mixed them a cubalibre each. "While I have some experience with mixing drinks I've never worked with rum like this," he told her as he handed her one of the two glasses.
Taking a sip Beckett nodded saying, "You managed."
"That's all I get? An I managed?" Castle asked with one eyebrow raised.
Smiling Beckett leaded over and kissed him gently before she took his free hand with her own and led him down the hall to the girls' bedroom. Checking on Eliza she let him close the door again and headed to the couch where they sat down together sipping at their drinks in silence for a moment.
"Quiet," Castle commented absently. "That was a fun party," he then said, saying what he'd wanted to in the first place as Beckett just watched him. "I'm with Julia though."
"About what?" Beckett asked him when he didn't continue.
"The shock on her face when you got up to dance," Castle said. He laughed slightly when his wife pushed him and he grabbed her hand, leaning over and sharing a kiss with her.
"Now I taste like the drink?" Beckett asked when they pulled away and he was looking at her intently.
"You do," Castle said, taking her glass and setting it on the coffee table in front of them. He went back to her once his glass with next to it and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close against him until their lips met. He groaned in pleasure as she moaned softly at the moment before they quieted down rapidly. His tongue slipping into her mouth he felt in her a sense of desire but there was something telling him they weren't going to be taking that too far even as their tongues met and playfully dueled together for a long moment before they parted for a brief gasp of air.
Stepping into the plaza Alexis looked around before she smiled and pointed out to Juana, "There they are."
"Eva was always a good runner," the young woman said with a smile. "But it looks like your sister is good too."
"It's her dancer legs," Alexis replied before she laughed. She then whistled; as her stepmother had taught her to do to startle Castle; and laughed again when Julia skidded to a stop to look for Beckett. "It's me Jules," she called.
"Did Mommy and Daddy tell you to get me?" Julia asked as she walked quickly over to her.
"No I saw the time and decided to come get you," Alexis replied as Eva walked over. Since Juana was the girl's older sister she wasn't surprised when the two clasped hands. "Say goodnight to Eva," she told her own sister.
"It was fun to play with you," Julia said. "Will you write?"
Nodding Eva answered, "Xavi has our…"
"Address," Juana supplied. "He'll give it to you when you ask and you have my own Alexis."
"I'll write once I'm settled in at Oxford but we'll see each other again?" the young woman replied.
"Maybe at the bars," Juana said with a nod.
Waving goodbye Julia took Alexis' hand and said, "I bet you Mommy and Daddy fell asleep."
"More than likely, Juana told me they were having the same drinks we were at the bar, cubalibres," Alexis said as they walked down the street. "It's rum and coke," she explained to her sister who was about to ask.
"Oh a grown up drink," Julia said with a nod. They reached the house and after closing the gate behind them went around to go into the house in the back.
"Wait," Alexis said, hearing the gate clanging shut behind them. She looked down at her sister whose hand was squeezing hers tightly and said, "It's okay I think it's the others coming home." When she went around the corner of the house she wasn't surprised to see that it was Xavi, Beatriz, Jim and their grandmother. "See? I told you," she said to Julia.
"I didn't think you'd come home in time," Jim told the little girl teasingly.
"Alexis got me," Julia said. She then confessed a little sheepishly, "I almost forgot."
"Well we're all back now," Martha replied. "Let's see if your parents are decent."
"Gram!" Alexis said as the others looked at her in surprise.
"You know they might be a little involved in each other," Martha said as she glanced to Julia.
"She's right," the little girl quickly said. "They're really probably kissing; not asleep like we thought."
"Then it would be best if we made a lot of noise going in the back," Jim said, glancing at his friends who looked amused at their conversation.
Inside the house Castle was brushing his lips down the side of his wife's neck after he'd pulled away from her lips and he murmured her name before pulling back slightly. He took her in another kiss, feeling her holding onto him tightly around his neck before he heard a noise in the back.
"I think they're home," Beckett said, hearing the same thing. She listened and then smiled telling her husband, "That's all of them."
"Even Beatriz and Xavi?" Castle asked as she got off his lap to stand and straighten her sundress he'd had his hand under a few times.
"It is," Beckett said simply with a nod. She went towards the kitchen as the door there opened and took Julia into her arms since the little girl ran to her. "So you had fun," she stated instead of asking.
"Oh Mommy a lot, we played soccer and we talked and tag and they taught me some Spanish too," Julia replied.
"And your night?" Castle said to Alexis as he ran his hand over Julia's hair.
"Fun," the young woman replied. "Juana and I talked about what we want to do after school; she's going to become a nurse."
"She is going to school in Barcelona," Xavi said.
"She will be a great nurse," Beatriz added with a nod. "We are going to bed since we are heading to Zamora tomorrow of course. Goodnight."
"Thank you Xavi, Beatriz," Jim said gratefully to them. "Goodnight," not surprised when the others echoed his words in some way. He turned to them and said, "They have the right idea, I'm going to get a little more sleep since I have the chance."
"We've been doing a lot lately," Martha commented.
"So does that mean you're going to bed yourself Mother?" Castle asked her.
"Yes I would like to be well rested for tomorrow," Martha said easily. "Good night Julia, I love you darling."
"Love you too Gram," the little girl quickly replied as she hugged her and then shared a quick kiss with her. She smiled when her grandfather came to her and hugged him tightly, "I'm so happy we're here Grandpapa, it's so fun," speaking seriously.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Jim said, a slight smile on his face. "I love you Julia."
"Love you too Grandpapa," Julia replied tilting her head back so they could share a kiss. "Night."
"Come on, you need to go too," Beckett said after saying goodnight to the two. She took Julia's hand and led her to the first bedroom on the left, seeing that Eliza was still asleep. She helped her change before Alexis went inside the room to change herself while she and Julia went to the bathroom at the end of the hall for her to brush her teeth.
When her face had been washed after her teeth Julia told her mother, "Eva is going to write to me."
"Does she know how to write in English?" Castle asked as he was in the hall waiting for them.
"Yeah not perfectly but enough," Julia said.
"She'll learn from you," Beckett said. "Goodnight Alexis," she said as the young woman was passing them.
"Night Kate, Dad see you in the morning," Alexis replied.
"Okay let's say our goodnights now," Castle said when they were outside the door to the room. He leaned down and shared a kiss with Julia telling her, "I love you sweetheart, night."
"I love you Daddy, goodnight," the little girl said as she hugged him tightly. She went to her mother and pressed her cheek against her as Beckett embraced her and she felt a familiar sense of safety there. She smiled as she'd felt it with her father too and said, "I love you Mommy, a lot." She then peered at her father out of the corner of her eye and said, "You too."
"I know," Castle chuckled under his breath.
"Goodnight sweetie I love you so much," Beckett said before she leaned over and shared a kiss with her. She then led her into the room where she helped her on the bed, tucking her in next to her sister. Smoothing Julia's hair off her forehead she then reached over to Eliza and gently brushed the backs of her fingers over the toddler's cheek as she slept deeply. "I love you both," she murmured, knowing her oldest had heard her as she reached up to cup her cheek. Squeezing Julia's hand she then kissed them both on the forehead and left as Alexis was going in, Castle's hand on the small of her back steering her to their room across the hall.
"Mommy was looking at us like she does," Julia told her big sister quietly as she watched Alexis brush her hair.
"She loves you two," the young woman replied.
"I'm glad," Julia replied, looking over at Eliza. "She loves you too."
Turning at the slightly concerned tone that was in her sister's voice Alexis went around the bed to her and hugged her saying, "I know and she's a great stepmother so I'm very lucky too. Now go to sleep okay?"
"I will night 'lexis, I love you," Julia said, kissing her cheek.
Doing the same to the little girl Alexis told her, "I love you too Jules, sweet dreams," before she went back around to turn off the lights and to get into bed with her little sisters.
Inside their bedroom Castle and Beckett had changed and gotten ready for bed before they joined one another underneath the covers, the room dark. He was holding his wife against his side as she had her cheek pressed against his shoulder and he murmured, "What's wrong love?"
Smiling at that Beckett shook her head and told him, "Nothing, just thinking about today."
"So was I," Castle told her. "And you know I've realized that I'm incredibly lucky." When his wife next to him raised her head he told her, "Because I'm able to share this with you. But that doesn't come without some guilt…"
"He's sharing this with the girls," Beckett assured him, knowing he was talking about her father. "With all of us in fact. And I think that's going to be a lot more therapeutic than his walks on Sunday."
"Hopefully," Castle said. "But why don't you spend time with him then."
Shaking her head as she knew he could see her Beckett told him, "With the girls, I think they can go down to the river and swim with him. You think Alexis would want to go?"
"Ask her," Castle said. "But I think in the end yes." When she nodded to that he watched her before he reached up to her and cupped her face with his hand before he lowered it to her shoulder.
Beckett could read what her husband wanted in the way that he touched her and she leaned down to press her lips against his. She parted them when he brushed his tongue across them and allowed him to turn her around to lie on her back. When the kiss ended she sighed as he kissed at her lips a few times before she settled back against his side. "Should we sleep?" she asked him teasingly as he wasn't stopping stroking her shoulder.
"Maybe," Castle said as he made himself stop. He then said, "Goodnight love."
"Goodnight Rick," Beckett said. She managed to raise her head to exchange one last kiss with him before she closed her eyes and settled down against his side again, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
Castle couldn't stop himself, reaching up and stroking his wife's hair as he shortly felt her relax. He turned his head and kissed her forehead, murmuring that he loved her before he allowed himself to indulge in the comforting sensation of her in his arms. Closing his eyes he soon fell asleep and lost himself in his very pleasurable dreams of her that took him through the rest of the night.