Genre: 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: Just wanted to make a quick note, I may have taken artistic license with the lordship here but I just wanted to add that to the story.
A/N #2: Definitely very happy to get the feedback that I did for the last chapter so will get straight to my thank yous for them! MaineZoe (It was great to see that you've been enjoying the series; I do like hearing that. And to answer your question I've been to some of the places I've written them going but not too many outside of the US. Though I did go to the village they did in Spain, numerous times so that I wrote from experience. The places I haven't been to I've done oodles of research to get things right the best I can!), vetgirlmx (Pleased to read first off you thought both halves of the last chapter were very good. I was really glad that you enjoyed Eliza's ride on the pony so much. And yeah, lol, since I've tried to write her as horse loving as the rest of the family, she was definitely eager. And I suppose I forgot to mention that someone was taking pictures but they were. I don't blame you for wishing you could see those pictures 'cause I do too. Lol, though I've described how Eliza looks it can be difficult to see her… I suppose the best you could see would be if you saw a picture of Stana as a little girl; that would be how Eliza's looks just darker brown hair. I was pleased to see that you noticed the bit where Beckett introduced Alexis as her daughter as well and of course that you really loved it. And I also very happy that you noticed Beckett saying her mother would have loved Alexis, I thought that would be high praise as you did. I'm glad to see that you're dying to know what the PI found out and where things will go from there; you'll see of course. I had to laugh a bit at what you said about them spending a lot of time in water but you're right. Even though I don't now I used to swim a ton as a kid and that just appeals to me and for some reason I just see Castle and Beckett doing that… lol, maybe 'cause we never got to see them swim at the beach house on the show. But great you can't wait to see what's next and now you don't need to anymore!), TORONTOSUN (It was great to read that you liked everything they did that day, thought there should be something a little simpler but fun. And I am glad too you like the fact that the girls are enjoying everything they're doing) and Guest (Was pleased to see that you thought the last chapter was great. And I wasn't surprised to see that you're hoping they find Beckett's relatives, at least one of them. And you pointed out my mistake, lol, didn't realize I'd done that. I said that about Julia going to sixth grade 'cause where I'm currently writing I'm at her almost finished with fifth grade, so I kind of messed up the timelines between the two stories, whoops. So yeah, in this story Julia's going to be heading to fifth grade, thanks for pointing that out for me!). Thanks so much for the reviews you all sent, I loved reading them as always and of course I appreciate the time taken to write them and send them to me!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Honey Pie by The Beatles, from their album called The Beatles.
Across The Sea
Rolling over onto her stomach Beckett looked at her husband and said, "We never told them when we're getting up."
"It's still early," Castle replied, unable to keep himself from reaching up to stroke the back of her shoulder with the backs of his fingers. "So we have time."
Beckett smiled and then watched her husband lean over to press his lips to where he'd been touching. "You would think that," she then said.
"What, we don't?" Castle asked, turning his attention to her.
"Maybe, maybe not," Beckett told him simply. When she heard him groaning she smiled and moved to lie on her back again, watching him turning to her. "You didn't have enough last night obviously."
"Obviously," Castle said sarcastically as he knew she was already well aware of his arousal. "But you?"
"I can't be sure exactly," Beckett said, looking up the ceiling then.
Castle knew that was an obvious invitation but he hesitated a little before leaning down and capturing her lips with his own. Her response to him made him shift slightly against her until he could sense her tensing up against him. He then pulled back and asked, "Not sure now?" he asked.
"I'm going to-" Beckett said in annoyance before her husband was cutting her off by crushing her lips with his own. She reached up and wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could, responding to his tongue that was slipping past her lips. Just as she was about to sling her leg around his waist he was suddenly moving away from her and she breathed out his name.
Leaning over to quickly kiss her on the lips Castle murmured her name lovingly back before helping her up. He switched places with her as she pressed a few kisses to his shoulders, then helped her straddle his lap as he stayed sitting up. "Sorry, just thought we should let you have a turn," he told her as he tried to make her lower her body but she resisted; surprising him.
"We?" Beckett asked.
"Us," Castle said simply. At that he felt a sense of relief when she reached down to him and gently curled her hand around his erection, making him hiss in pleasure before she allowed him to move her. When he began to enter her he was relieved to quickly discern that she was aroused but it didn't surprise him as much as it could have as he'd had a feeling she was only playing with him to push him as far as she could.
"I feel like I should apologize… myself," Beckett replied, ending on a slight gasp as they were finally fully coupled. "But I think I can do better with this…"
It took Castle a moment to realize what she was talking about as she started to push herself up with her knees. He grasped at the small of her back as tightly as he could, groaning her name in pleasure at the sensation of her sliding against him so slowly. When she let herself fall back on him his fingers were digging into her skin and he said, "I didn't think you'd want it rough."
"I don't… just… just testing that… that," Beckett replied, a little unfocused as she had begun to rock against her husband. The sensation of him was intense still even with the way she was moving and she had her eyes closed tightly after a few minutes of that. She was jolted from her concentration on how they felt together when her husband was suddenly pulling her to him and she only had a second to glance at his face before he was kissing her.
Taking her lips hungrily Castle allowed himself the chance to be a little rough with her; in stark contrast to the way their bodies were moving together. When they needed to breathe he pulled away from her and stared into her eyes for a time before he leaned down. He heard her breathy sigh as she tilted her head back for him and he could almost feel the way she was enjoying him making love with her. The way she held her body tensely even as she was the one doing most of the moving, her skin warm in reaction to what she was putting herself through and lastly the nearly inaudible moans that left her lips were all affecting him in turn. So he was careful in kissing her, touching her at the same time before he slid his lips down her and then away as he pulled back. He reached up to her, touching her hair before running his fingers through it which helped him get her attention. He tried not to become too vocal when she suddenly stopped moving and he asked, "Too much?"
"Slightly," Beckett breathed, panting a little. She smiled when he breathed out heavily; nodding; and she then leaned over, kissing him gently on the lips. "But just for a second," she told him before she proceeded to move once again. She wasn't surprised when her husband groaned loudly at that and grabbed at her before he was following her lead. She kissed at his face, everywhere she could before he was moving down to her breasts at her lead. She wasn't too shocked to find him recovering quickly and taking over, his mouth taking her nipple between his lips. She held onto the back of his head tightly as he suckled at her gently, wondering if she should have taken a longer pause. The pleasure she'd felt in the first place had come roaring back to her body, making her tremble and burn from how hard she was throbbing around him. She tried to tell herself to stop and stop him as the sensation of his mouth at her chest was quick to race down to where they were coupled. But she couldn't do it, the only thing keeping her from losing all control being the fact she was keeping her rhythm; and his at the same time; slow.
Pulling away from his wife after some time Castle leaned up and met her for a kiss that was heavy and deep. He groaned in pleasure at the taste of her lips and he reached up suddenly, something in him telling him to move his hands to her breasts. He wasn't surprised when that ended the kiss as she was pulling back but he could see the pleasure in her eyes and decided that whatever he'd had in mind had worked. He caressed her there, watching her reactions to him before he moved to thumb her nipples. With each gasp or moan he was immediately affected, as if each jolt of pleasure was a shock of electricity. There was warmth in that and he had to wonder why he hadn't taken over and made things rougher. But that thought was only a passing one as he suddenly drew his wife down to him for yet another kiss while he wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her close against his chest as they continued to rock against one another, prolonging the pleasure they were making the other feel.
Beckett suddenly started to push herself up higher with her knees, deliberately trying to make her nipples brush up against her husband's chest. As he groaned very quickly after she started she knew he had figured out what she was doing and she kissed him hard. But since she was moving the way she was it was a quick kiss and she had to content herself with that. But it wasn't enough so she allowed herself to move in the manner she was for only a few seconds more before going to back to how she'd been rocking against her husband previously. Another kiss and that one was far deeper and longer than the one preceding it as her husband responded to her eagerly. She stroked at the back of his head as she slowed and then eventually stopped, both of them becoming too involved with the slight fight going on between their tongues to recall what they'd been doing besides that.
When they gasped for air Castle breathed heavily and said, "Are we… are we done?"
"Not even," Beckett said, looking down between their bodies. At that she proceeded to move again, her arms tight around his neck as he responded with his hands pressing hard against the small of her back. After a while though she was surprised when he suddenly made her lean back against his left hand. Watching him as she compensated for having to stop by flexing herself around him she dug her nails hard into his shoulders as he used his thumb to roll her clit around. "Oh… fuck Rick," she nearly gasped. "Are you close?"
"As close as you are," Castle replied, not looking at her as he continued with his ministrations. He was careful not to touch too much, making his fingers brush against her swollen nub and making each one spaced out. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he pulled her back to him with both hands as they started to move together yet again, knowing that time they weren't going to hold themselves back.
Holding onto him Beckett tried in vain to withstand what her husband was making her feel for a little longer, just wanting to prolong the consistent pleasure that radiated from where they were together. But before she could stop it her body was tensing up for a brief second and then she seemed to lose control of her thrusts, going harder than before as she cried his name in her climax. She felt him joining her very shortly after she had started and was able to tell in the way his fingers grasped at her that he was feeling the waves of ecstasy that she was. They seemed to be unceasing and growing more powerful though it was only for a short amount of time. She tried to hold on to the sensation of him but soon her body was exhausted and she leaned against him as she breathed heavily against his shoulder, feeling him trying to move faster.
There was a point when Castle's body gave up and he felt like he was abruptly stopping before he was falling back on the bed. "We weren't that rough," he groaned, forcing the words out of himself almost.
"I know but it was enough," Beckett replied with a smile before she raised her head, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
"Yeah," Castle said as he reached up to her, stroking her hair.
Meeting his eyes Beckett smiled widely and then leaned down to kiss him, not too surprised when he was there at the same time. She enjoyed that greatly until suddenly they were jolted by the sound of her alarm and she pulled away from him as he groaned heavily in frustration. "It's eight," she said, reaching over to her nightstand.
"It is?" Castle asked, startled.
"Come on," Beckett replied, leaning down and giving him a brief kiss. "A quick shower and then we need to go."
Though he wanted to linger Castle let her go as she got off of him and followed her into the bathroom. Though they basically rinsed off during their shower he couldn't help himself and started to kiss at her neck and shoulders until she kissed him. How they didn't remain in there longer he couldn't understand but they were finally out and getting dressed after drying.
"So the PI said he wanted to meet us at ten thirty," Beckett replied as she went out to the bedroom once she was finished. "And to bring anything I have from my ancestor."
"The letters?" Castle asked in surprise as they'd sent copies of those to the man a long time before.
"No, items," Beckett corrected him. "So I'm taking the rosary, remember Líle talked about their father carving it."
"And Bridget had one too," Castle said. "Great, so let's hope it's identifiable."
Beckett nodded to that before they stepped out of the room and saw their daughters peeking out of their bedroom doorway. "We're up," she called to them wryly.
"Morning!" Julia said as her little sister took off towards them.
"Oof, so who's ready to go?" Castle asked as they threw themselves at him.
"What about breakfast?" Julia said.
"We didn't tell you but we're heading to a pub in Cobh," Beckett said. "We're going to spend most of the day there."
"Most?" Jim asked, coming over to them.
"We figured you'd want one more time in the pool before we head out again," Castle said, speaking to the girls as well as Alexis.
"I'm all for that but what about that wildlife place Julia told us about?" the young woman asked.
"It's okay," Beckett said quickly to the little girl who looked back at them, seeming to be sheepish.
"That shouldn't take too, too long," Castle replied. "After that we'll head back."
"Aren't we going to the museum you both went to?" Martha asked, with them as well.
"That's why we're eating there," Beckett said with a smile. "So we should go."
With the girls asking eagerly about the wildlife park the family headed to their car and then over to Cobh where they parked by the museum. Getting out Castle and Beckett shared a smile as they watched their family looking out onto the harbor.
"It's amazing isn't it?" Beckett asked her father, going over to him.
"It is," Jim replied as he turned to her. "Your pictures didn't do it justice."
"My pictures only take so wide a shot," Beckett replied. "But yeah, we had to bring you all here. Come on the sooner we eat, the sooner we go."
Nodding Jim followed the others to the pub and was surprised when his daughter and son in law ordered the full breakfast. He followed suit, asking for no black pudding as they had and saying, "Did you eat this back during your honeymoon?"
"Once, our second day in Donegal," Beckett replied. "It's good, very filling though."
"You liked the soda farl," Castle reminded her.
"And you," Beckett said, shaking her head. She checked her watch and then said to her father, Martha and Alexis who were glancing at her, "You might have to go up to the church on your own."
"Are we that late?" Martha asked.
"Not late," Beckett started to say.
"Just later," Castle replied for her. "But don't worry," he said, noticing the girls and their expressions. "We'll make it up there; we just need to take care of this first."
"You will tell us right?" Julia asked.
"Whatever he says," Beckett replied. "For now let's eat!"
With the girls giggling at her tone as their food was served, the family started on their meal and went through it slowly as they were talking about the entirety of their day for the first time. It took them until they were finished to complete their plans and when they had it was nearly ten thirty.
"We'll see you at the church," Alexis told her dad and stepmother as she helped Jim get the girls up to go. "Good luck."
"Thank you," Beckett said with a smile. She kissed Julia and Eliza and told them to mind the others before Castle did the same. When they were alone said turned to her husband and said, "I'm not nervous but…"
"Curious what we'll find out," Castle finished for her. When she nodded he told her, "I am too, crossing my fingers we'll find out something here."
Sipping at her coffee, Beckett felt the light from the open doorway change in front of them and she looked up at the same time as her husband to find that the PI was there. She motioned to him and after he was walking to her she stood with Castle and asked, "Joel Fitzgerald?"
"I am ma'am," the man said. "You'll be Kate Beckett and Richard Castle."
"We are," Castle answered. "Would you like something to eat, to drink?"
"A coffee please," Fitzgerald said to the bar maid who'd come to them at his arrival.
As they sat down around the table Beckett asked, "So have you found something?"
"I have," Fitzgerald replied. "As I mentioned last night. There are two possibilities of families that are related to Bridget McCollough. One is the Liddys, they live in-"
"Luxembourg," Castle interrupted before the man could say.
"We were told about them," Beckett said at the man's surprise. "And the other."
"The McColloughs of England," Fitzgerald replied simply, nodding to the woman who'd brought over his coffee.
"What can you tell me about Bridget after she and her husband got to Liverpool?" Beckett asked.
"They found employment working for an upper class family there," Fitzgerald said. "Since their names were in the records coming in at the docks it was easy to trace them there. But they quit about… six months later."
"They were expecting," Castle said, not surprised when his wife nodded in agreement with him.
"There's no reason given but that's the most likely as they show up in Manchester working for another family and they're listed as having a two year old daughter," Fitzgerald replied, showing them copies of paperwork where he'd gotten his information. "Her name was Catherine."
Nodding; as she was already aware that her name was used by both sides of her family; Beckett said, "And they remained there…?"
"For about two years after which they had twins, Líle and Sean," Fitzgerald said. "And from there they disappeared, not showing up until about six years later in London. It seems Patrick McCollough was able to work at the Drury Lane Stables and did so for the rest of his life, his son Sean taking up his position after he passed."
"I'm going to guess my family is descended from him," Beckett said as the man took a sip from his mug.
"Of course," Fitzgerald nodded. "But what I have been having some trouble determining is if it's the two men of the families. Jon Liddy or Brennan McCollough."
"Would this help you?" Beckett said, taking the rosary out of her pocket then.
"Ah," the PI said, looking pleased at the sight of it. "I think you may have just solved the mystery Ms. Beckett," he told her, taking it to look at the Celtic knot in the wood. He looked through his papers and said, "This is Brennan McCollough."
"The same rosary," Castle said instantly as soon as the photograph was down. Studying the man the picture was of he then said, "He has the same eyes as you love."
"The same shape," Beckett replied quickly, though she could tell her husband was right. The man looked to be tall with wide eyes of an almost aqua color she was startled to see. But most important was what was in his hand; an almost exact copy of the rosary that she had back in her hand as the PI gave it back to her.
"What can you tell us about him?" Castle asked.
"To begin with that is actually Brennan McCollough, Lord Cotswold," Fitzgerald answered. When the two looked at him, startled, he chuckled and replied, "I was surprised too but it turns out that he married the title. His wife Clara McCollough was born Clara Darcy."
"Seriously?" Castle asked. When his wife placed her hand on his arm he apologized quickly and turned his attention back to the PI.
"They have a daughter and a… ward I suppose you'd say, the son of a friend of his here in Ireland," Fitzgerald continued.
"So he's Irish?" Beckett asked.
"From what I could discern his grandfather, Phillip McCollough, returned here to Ireland and to Dublin where the family stayed until Brennan married his wife," Fitzgerald answered. "So his ward is Irish as well."
"That doesn't really matter but interesting to know," Beckett replied with a nod. "So they're… they don't have a criminal background… or anything like that?"
"Or are nefarious," Castle put in. He wasn't surprised when his wife started to roll her eyes and he turned back to the PI.
"From what I could find; of both men as I searched the Liddys just in case," Fitzgerald began. "Is that they are upstanding pillars of their community. Though Liddy did have a few DUIs."
"Who hasn't," Castle muttered under his breath.
"Is there a way you could contact Brennan?" Beckett asked, not responding to Castle's comment.
"I can what would you like me to tell him?" Fitzgerald asked.
"That he has a family member from New York who would like to meet him," Beckett said simply. "That's all; we don't want money or something like that I just want to know I have family somewhere."
"As you explained it to me Ms. Beckett," Fitzgerald said with a slight nod.
"If he doesn't believe you, ask him if he's heard of our books," Castle said, glancing at Beckett to see if she would take that as a smart ass remark. He was a little surprised when she seemed glad he'd suggested that and turned back to the PI to see the man was nodding.
"I can if it comes to that," Fitzgerald replied. "By the way, they live outside of Newbury in England and they have a townhouse in Dublin."
"They're in England right now?" Beckett asked.
"From what I was able to find out, yes," Fitzgerald said, nodding. He then slid the papers over to Beckett and said, "Keep this, I wonder though may take a picture of the rosary in case?"
"Of course," Beckett said, laying it out on the clear space of table. When the man stood after taking the picture she did so too and shook his hand, gripping it tightly for a brief moment before saying, "Thank you so much, you've done a wonderful job."
"I do the best I can ma'am, sir," Fitzgerald said. "Enjoy your time here in Ireland."
Nodding to him as he was leaving Castle turned to his wife and watched her pick up the picture of her relative. "I'm hoping he'll want to meet," he commented. "He might you know," he then added, glancing at the rosary.
"I had a feeling when I saw this that he would," Beckett replied with a smile before she turned to him. "Thank you," she murmured, embracing him.
"Always love," Castle said, kissing the side of her head. "Come on, let's find our family and tell them the great news okay?"
Beckett smiled and nodded, packing away the papers with the picture in the file the PI had left before she followed him out to their car to drop everything but the picture off. They made their way up to the church and once they'd reached it she took her husband's hand to pull him around to the side where she began to take pictures.
"Same shots love," Castle said teasingly.
"Different month love," Beckett replied, smiling as well. When she was satisfied with what she had gotten she was about to start walking to the entrance when she spotted their family coming out from the front door.
"Mommy, Daddy!" Julia said as she spotted them.
"Wait don't run," Castle said quickly. "We're coming."
"So?" Alexis asked.
"We found him," Beckett said simply once they had grouped together.
"Him?" Martha asked.
Nodding to her husband to show them the picture Beckett said, looking at her father, "Meet Brennan McCollough."
Smiling at the sight of the man Jim said, "Your mother's eyes."
"I saw that too," Castle said. "But the rosary tipped us to the fact that it's him. Well, it tipped Kate off."
"He's a lord," Beckett said. When the others looked at her she added, "And full blooded Irish."
"He married then," Martha said simply. When her daughter in law nodded she said, "Of course so have you talked to him or how can you get in touch with him?"
"The PI is going to do that for us," Castle said. "And he seems like a nice guy." He then paused and said to his wife, "We never asked what he did for a living."
"Maybe he doesn't have to work," Julia suggested. She gasped and then said, "Maybe he has horses."
"We would need to see," Beckett said in amusement though she'd had the same thought as her daughter. "So we'll need to see how that goes now. To bring us back to the present how did you like the church?"
"Oh Mommy it was so pretty inside! But look," Julia said.
Eliza pointed to the harbor with her sister and said, "Wanna go swimming."
Laughing with the others Castle commented as he picked up the toddler, "I don't think you'll want to do that. Better to wait until we go back to the pool. Love," he said then as they waited for Julia, Alexis and Jim to take pictures.
"Yes?" Beckett asked, glancing at him from helping Julia set up her shot at that moment.
"We should pick up dinner, take it home," Castle said.
"If you don't want to cook Richard then I could," Martha said.
"I'll cook," Beckett said to her though she was looking at Castle. "I think he just doesn't want to cook."
"I want to spend as much time in the pool with the girls as we can," he protested though he was smiling as Eliza was patting the top of his head.
"We'll grab something," Beckett said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. She then turned to the others and said, "Who wants to go to the animal park?" When Julia and Eliza cried out to them she said, "Then we should head down to the museum."
The family gathered together and went down the hill to get to the building where the museum was housed, the girls begging their parents to take them to the park for sure after it. With Castle and Beckett assuring them they would go they went inside and began walking through it.
"Look there they are," Castle said into Julia's ear as he stood with her at the railing of the cheetah habitat at the Fota Wildlife Park after they'd eaten lunch.
"They're so pretty," Julia replied. "Is it really gonna run?" she asked her father.
"It is," Castle replied.
"They're getting the bait ready right now," Beckett commented.
"This should be really awesome," Alexis said, looking up at Eliza who was on their father's shoulders.
At that moment the bait took off above the animal and it began running after it, making the toddler gasp in amazement at the sight of it. "Ooh, again! Daddy again!" she said in disappointment when the animal had stopped.
"I think one race is enough," Beckett said as they watched the cheetah then begin to eat. "We should keep going though, there's a lot more to see."
"What's next?" Julia asked, glancing at the map her grandfather was holding.
"More animals," Martha answered before Jim could.
"She's right, why don't we want to see what we come up to?" he asked his oldest granddaughter.
"Sure," Julia said. They came to some trees then where there were red squirrels, the others having to point them out to her and her sister where they were on the branches. She and Eliza stood at the bottom of the tree, looking up at the animals before they went up further on the trunk. "You saw?" she asked.
"Yeah," Eliza giggled. "They were funny."
"They were, come on and see the next animals," Castle said, reaching for her. When the toddler shook her head he then took her hand and walked with her and Alexis to the next animals.
Walking along the path they were on they saw a number of different kinds, the habitats having less restriction in the separation from the animals which Alexis and the girls enjoyed immensely. When they had passed some plants that were on the map they came to a duck pond and Castle broke off from the others to buy some food at the stand near them.
"Okay lunchtime for the ducks," he said once he'd come back, handing the containers that he'd bought to the girls.
"Here," Beckett said. "Remember you need to make sure to spread it out so everyone can eat."
"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding as she held her hands out to her mother so she could put the food there. As soon as she had some, she threw it into the water and watched as some ducks raced over it, laughing heavily. "Daddy!" she called to him, looking around.
"Here, I'm here sweetheart," Castle said with a smile, standing behind her. "You're doing a great job," he assured her as he knew she wanted to know if she was.
"Look at that duck," Julia was saying then. "The feathers," she said.
"Shiny," Alexis replied, looking at it as well. She smiled when her little sister handed her some of the food and she threw it down to the birds in front of them. When they ran out shortly she said, "Are we going to continue?"
"I think so," Castle said as Eliza was jumping up and down as she held his hand.
"Sweetie," Beckett said in warning as they started to walk down the path again. She knew the little girl was getting hyper so she quickly told her, "Look at the lemurs over there."
Glancing over Eliza gasped as her father picked her up when she was distracted and giggled saying, "Sorry Daddy."
"It's okay, I wonder what we're going to see next on the other side," Castle told her, kissing her cheek.
Hearing them Jim smiled as Eliza looked to him and said, "I wonder too," as he could tell she was going to ask that.
As they passed more lemurs, swans and a couple other animals on the left they soon came again to animals on their right, the girls gasping and crying out to their family as they stood at the fence separating them from the penguins.
"Birdies!" Eliza called out. "Come here."
"I don't think they're going to," Julia giggled at her sister, hugging her quickly.
"Did you get it?" Castle asked, watching them with his wife and mother on either side of him.
"I did," Beckett replied, looking on the screen of her camera at the picture of Julia hugging Eliza.
"So did I," Alexis said, smiling at him.
"Go with them," Beckett ushered her over.
Looking back at her stepmother as she went Alexis was a little surprised but when she joined her sisters; who beamed at her and pointed out the birds to her; she guessed Beckett had just been able to guess what the two had wanted. She couldn't help it and took pictures of them as they called to the bird that was nearing them, another set that she would be saving.
Once the girls had gotten their fill of the penguins Castle and Beckett ushered them down the path again before Julia and Eliza froze at the head of the group.
"Go ahead," Beckett said as they turned to her and Castle. She went after them with her husband before they stopped their daughters at the edge of the path where there were two kangaroos next to a tree close to them. She couldn't help smile when she felt the rest of their family joining them and said, "How are we not scaring them?"
"I think they're used to people Mommy," Julia said, finishing taking a picture. She giggled as one of the animals scratched at its head and took another shot of that as her sister stepped onto the grass. "Lizzy," she said, surprised her sister was disobeying their parents.
"Stay there Eliza," Castle said, slightly warningly.
"I will Daddy," Eliza said, holding her breath as one of the kangaroos turned to her. She felt her sisters coming up to her then and smiled widely saying, "You too."
"We couldn't resist," Alexis said as she was taking pictures again.
When they were called over by their parents after a few more minutes the girls let their big sister take them by the hands and continue on the path. They looked at the birds they passed, including flamingos which Jim took their picture in front of before they got someone passing by to get one of the entire family.
"We'll have to do that in front of the-" Castle started to say.
"Other animals," Beckett cut him off with, smiling at him.
"Right, the other animals," Castle said as she held his gaze.
Taking his hand then Beckett took pictures of the animals they were passing before they walked onto what was an island among the monkeys and lemurs. Standing in front of one of the latter she leaned her head on her husband's shoulder saying, "We were worried you two would get bored with all the zoos we've gone to."
"Not in the slightest," Martha said immediately as her son's wife had been talking to her and Jim.
"I'll agree with her," Beckett's father said with a brief smile. "It is good for the girls. And they love animals too."
"Are you including me?" Alexis asked. "I hope so because I love them too."
"Why don't you…" Eliza started to say before she thought of the words she wanted to use. "Be a aminal…"
"A vet?" Alexis asked. When her little sister nodded she smiled and leaned down, kissing the top of her head. "Why don't you?"
Giggling Eliza shrugged before looking at her parents and grandparents before saying, "Not yet."
"She's right," Castle said. "She's got a little more growing to do and then she can decide. A lot of growing to do," he added as the toddler threw herself at his legs. "Ready to keep going?"
"Yeah," Eliza replied with a rapid nod. She squealed when her father picked her up and said, "Not all the time Daddy."
"Just let me know when you want to go down," Castle said easily as he followed the others down the path before they were turning to go through the one in the middle.
"Those look familiar," Jim said as he spotted the next animals.
"The king!" Eliza whispered in excitement.
Taking the girls by the hand, Castle nodded for his wife to follow him as he led them over to a stump near where a worker was throwing some food out to ring tailed lemurs. "Can we sit?" he asked the woman.
"Go ahead," she replied, smiling at the family. "But don't crowd together you'll scare them."
"We'll stay here," Martha said, standing behind the stump with Jim.
"You can come closer Gram," Julia said, turning to her.
"This is just fine," Martha insisted. "And I can watch you all interacting with them."
Biting back a giggle at that Julia turned back around, taking pictures as quickly as she could before she asked the woman, "We can't feed them?"
The worker hesitated for a moment before she went over to them and handed some of the food over to her and Eliza. "Just throw it down here, they'll come to eat," she told them.
"What do you say girls?" Beckett reminded them gently as the worker told them to wait.
"Thank you," Julia and Eliza said at the same time quickly. When she told them they could throw the two did so quickly, watching in hushed excitement as the animals came closer to them looking at them with their wide yellow eyes before eating.
"They said thank you too," Castle murmured to Eliza and Julia as the girls seemed to be frozen watching. He smiled when the former gave a little gasp and kissed her temple before doing the same to Julia. After the lemurs finished, he said, "Want to keep going."
"Oh! Did everyone get pictures," Julia said, turning to the others.
"We did," Jim replied. "And I think they'll come out nicely."
"Very nicely," Beckett said, looking at her screen for a moment. "But I think it's time to go." She wasn't surprised when the girls groaned out slightly in protest but she insisted and they continued down the path off the island. "What do you think," she said to Castle when they were further down the path, ahead of the others as they walked with their daughters.
"About what?" he asked when he glanced at Julia and Eliza and saw they were talking.
"This," Beckett said simply, nodding her head towards the habitat they were coming to.
"Look!" Julia said.
"Come see!" Eliza cried, glancing at what her sister saw and turning to the rest of the family. She giggled when Martha and Alexis walked quickly down the path saying to them, "Seas!"
"Seals," Castle said quickly to her in correction.
"Seals!" Eliza repeated, smiling up at him.
"They are harbor seals," Beckett read off the map. "And they're from the north of us."
"More than Ireland is?" Julia asked.
"With Santa?" Eliza then said.
"Well around that area," Castle said, sharing a smile with his wife. "But they live in the water remember."
"So cute," Julia said. "Can we stay a while?"
"We can," Beckett told her.
"Good we can sit," Martha said, going to a bench nearby.
Castle watched as Jim followed and the two were soon talking before he looked to the others. "Eventually we have to keep going," he told them.
"Not now Rick," Beckett said, pretending to sound annoyed. When he glanced at her she leaned against him and felt his arm come around her waist as they both watched their daughters next to them.
As the seal in front of them swam under the water and then popped back up Eliza squealed before she was being picked up. "No Daddy!" she protested, pushing on his shoulder.
"Sorry sweetheart," Castle said quickly as he could tell she was leaning towards a tantrum with her tone. "I know you want to stay but what about the other animals? They want us to see them too."
"No," Eliza said firmly as she tried to wriggle her way out of her father's hold.
"Elizabeth," Beckett said, coming over to them at her tone.
Opening her mouth to speak Eliza saw the look in her mother's eyes and then burst into tears. She felt Beckett soon taking her and said, "I wanna see more Mommy," through her tears.
"I know," Beckett replied, rubbing her back as she went to a bench off the trail.
When the others started to follow them Castle shook his head and motioned for them to continue without them. He sat next to his wife and got his handkerchief out of his pocket before he started to dry Eliza's tears. "I know you wanted to stay but we were there for a while," he said.
"I don't get the feeling it's that," Beckett said.
"Oh, nap?" Castle asked.
"It is," Beckett replied. "But it's a little too late for one. So we're going to rest here for a little."
"No! Mommy, I wanna see more aminals," Eliza protested, pulling back to look at her.
Studying her Beckett reached up and dried the tears still on the toddler's cheeks saying, "You need to listen to us though when we say it's time to go."
"I know," Eliza sighed, her breath shaking a little from her tears. "Sorry," she said, not looking at her parents.
"Next time you're tired," Castle said, putting his fingers under her chin to make her look up. "Just let us know okay?"
"Kay," Eliza said as her mother stood up.
"Do we need to go?" Julia asked in slight concern as she watched them coming over to her and the others.
"No we're good, what are we looking at here?" Castle asked as the rest of the family was gathered at some trees, looking up.
"Sea eagles," Jim answered. "See Eliza?" he pointed it out to her.
"Birdie," the toddler said shyly, looking up. She was distracted from watching as her mother took a picture with one hand and asked, "Can I go down?"
"Sure but stay with us okay," Beckett told her, setting her on the ground. She smiled as Eliza immediately leaned against her and she put her hand on the back of her daughter's head before they looked back up at the eagle.
"Look at the zebras! And giraffes!" Julia cried out eagerly when they came to the next habitat which they'd seen from the other side. "Can we go up to the-"
"Go but do not go under the fence… or over it," Castle said. "They didn't invite you and it would be pretty rude to crash their party."
Sharing a laugh with her sister Julia grabbed Eliza's hand and with Alexis following they went over to the fence, watching a zebra as it walked by. She took some pictures and then held her sister's hand as she was calling out to the animal. "It's not a horsie," she giggled.
"Yeah," Eliza said before she looked at the zebra. "With stripes," she said calmly.
Alexis couldn't help laughing at how serious her sister was and she leaned down, hugging Eliza tightly as she squirmed for a moment. "You're right. Look, here comes another," she pointed out.
"Well this was a great place to bring them to," Martha said, standing with her son, daughter in law and Jim behind the girls. "Though is Eliza alright?"
"She's tired," Beckett said. "Do you have that bottle of water still?"
"Of course," Martha said. "Are we moving on? Will this be a distraction?"
Beckett laughed slightly at that and then said, "Not exactly, she's got to be thirsty. Eliza."