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: With the holidays I wasn't sure if I'd get any feedback, I thought readers would be busy, so it was a great present to get what I did and I want to very quickly get to my thanks for them! TORONTOSUN (I wasn't surprised to see you were wondering how Brennan's going to react to Beckett, but also glad you were since you're interested in them speaking to each other. Really happy too to see that you liked the M moment that Castle and Beckett had, always like knowing that of course. And it was nice to see that you could tell the girls were having fun, also with Alexis in the act. Also made me laugh at what you said about Castle not having a chance, good point though!) and vetgirlmx (Glad to see you thought the chapter was very nice, both halves of it. And yeah, I think this easier day was me not wanting to put too, too much in it to give me a bit of a break with research. I wasn't surprised that you reacted as you did to the PI finding a relative and also his profession. I chose that one as sort of a nod to you because you've reviewed my stories so consistently, plus it wouldn't hurt to have a vet in the family. I wouldn't mind it, always nice to know someone who cares about animals! But I'm glad you enjoyed that. And I wasn't surprised to see that you want to see him agreeing to meet them. I hope it'll be interesting if that does happen! So glad that you can't wait to see what they do next. And I hope you too had a great Christmas yourself!). Thanks so much to you both for the reviews, I loved them and they were very nice gifts for me to receive the day before Christmas. I appreciate you all taking the time to write them and sending them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Mull of Kintyre written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine, from a single released by Wings.
Smiles In The Sunshine
Leaning over her husband Beckett kissed him gently on the lips before going over to his cheek and jaw, doing the same there. When he only groaned in response she let out a frustrated breath and shook him saying, "Rick."
"What?" Castle asked, a little groggily as he blinked his eyes and looked up to see his wife.
"Get up," Beckett said simply in reply before she leaned down and kissed him hard.
Grunting at that Castle took a moment to recover enough to respond to her but as soon as he was he was a little startled when she began pulling the bed sheet that was covering them. "You're…" he started to say before she was pulling on his arm once the sheet was over the other side of the bed. He pushed himself up the rest of the way before he was taking her in his arms while she straddled him. Shuddering in pleasure as she grasped his erection he was also trying to kiss her back while she was pressing hurried kisses to him. "You don't want to…" he started to say before trailing off on a hiss as she slid herself down him. He was a little shocked when she slammed herself down once he was in her and then began to move. "Fuck Kate what the hell did you dream about?" he asked, not sure how he wasn't stammering or pausing as she was rough against him leaving his body no choice but to rush to follow her lead.
"I don't know," Beckett replied, sighing after that as she felt her husband's hands run up and down her back. She moved her hands from his chest to wrap her arms around his neck and as she leaned in close she murmured to him, "Good thing you begged us… not to wear clothes last night."
Groaning for a moment at her soft gasps as she'd spoken Castle nodded and said, "I'm thinking… the same." He then moved slightly and took her lips with his own, reaching up to run his hand over the back of her head. As they were nearly dueling together inside her mouth he moved that hand down to her back but hesitated there, not sure if she would let him move where he wanted to. He got his answer shortly after that when she moved his hands for him, breaking off the kiss to set them on her breasts.
Watching her husband closely Beckett was only able to do that for a moment before she was closing her eyes tightly as he bent his head and replaced his caressing hands with his eager mouth. She was trying to keep up the rough pace she had set; wanting to make no doubt in the fact that he was within her. It was working as the friction was rough but she had to slow a little for him to be able to stay where he was. Her eyes nearly started to roll into the back of her head as he was continuing his ministrations on her but had added his right hand which had come up to lightly stroke her other breast. "Rick…" she moaned deeply as he pulled away to switch his mouth and hand.
Before he could move to switch Castle paused at her speaking and then blew gently against her nipple which was moist from his mouth. He had to suddenly hold onto her as she was shaking nearly violently but he didn't stop until he saw he was pushing a little too much with that. He then went over to her other mound, taking the taut nub there and repeating what he'd done before. At the same time he was able to feel again the way they were moving together, what that was generating within him. It was a hot pleasure that spread quickly through his body, making him slightly grunt against her skin. Eventually he broke off from her and moved up to her lips kissing her again as she slid her fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp.
"You…" Beckett began to say when they'd finally pulled apart before she trailed off. At that moment her husband was grabbing her hips and making her move faster against him. She groaned a little as she'd already regained her speed and her body was slightly protesting the exertion. But she soon pushed it aside as she reached down to stroke Castle's face before he looked up at her. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and leaned against him her eyes closing when she felt him move to hold her, his hands spanning the small of her back. She bit her lower lip as he then proceeded to whisper to her and she soon smiled before saying, "I… needed you."
At that moment when she had finished speaking Castle was shocked by his wife abruptly stopping. "I was just-" he said as he had ceased moving as well in response. He was silenced with a rough kiss to his lips and he couldn't keep himself from replying in turn as he ran his hands all over her back. "You're going to kill me," he said when they were panting for air and remained still.
"No I'm going to make myself scream and you lose it," Beckett said easily in reply. When he looked at her; startled; she shrugged and told him, "I know how things will go."
'Then you don't want to start getting to that point?" Castle asked. "I mean," he began, looking around their room at the Adare Manor. "It's not our anniversary yet."
"Oh but you forget you have plans for us when we're back here," Beckett told him teasingly, moving gently on him.
"I might ditch them," Castle replied hurriedly.
"No you won't," Beckett said. And with that she had her arms tighter around him, moving harder as they'd been doing before. She wasn't surprised when her husband was quick to follow her lead and they were soon making their hips slap hard against each other. She wasn't sure how long she was letting that go on before she stopped again, smiling slightly at her husband when he let out a strangled groan and slumped against her. "You do the same to me," she told him simply.
"Yeah… paying for it now…" Castle groaned. He pulled back with a sigh and then looked down his wife's body before saying, "Though this isn't too bad either."
Looking on as he started to caress her form Beckett bit at her lower lip gently since his touch was gentle. A caress over her skin that set off goose bumps and made her tremble within before she felt his hands on her sides, sliding up to her breasts. She caught his gaze and stared at him in return before he cupped the mounds, almost reverently, before he proceeded to rub his thumbs around her nipples at a slow pace at first. When he began to speed up a little she closed her eyes tightly and started to move again, deciding she could take things a little further. But it was hard to think of stopping again as she felt her husband rigid inside of her and the pleasure that radiated from where they were coupled together. As he started to move that became even harder but when she began to feel the faint stirrings of a possible orgasm that was enough to make her stop abruptly.
"Kate," Castle groaned. But he was stopped as well and didn't try to move again as he sighed deeply, leaning against her. "You know, tonight I think I'll have to pay you back."
"And this isn't enough?" Beckett asked him teasingly. When he raised his head she tensed a little at the intensity in his eyes and was a bit shocked when he began to move again. She decided that things had gone on long enough and she followed him hastily, setting off their rhythm rapidly since it was that, rapid. She held onto him tightly as they started to kiss, knowing that she was going to stop again. As their hands ran over one another soon after she felt the coiling sensation in her body that let her know she was close to reaching the edge. If she could literally do it she hurtled herself towards it though when she reached it she was in a little fog of pleasure with everything her husband was making her feel. She threw her head back eventually as everything within her snapped and her rhythm became sloppy as the ecstasy overtook her. She was calling her husband's name and trying to hold to him as an anchor since she wasn't sure she wasn't going to lose all control. That became even more necessary when she felt Castle joining her soon after and she held him while they took their satisfaction together all the way until the end, though he lasted slightly longer than she did.
With Beckett leaning against him Castle tried not to fall back on the bed as he wanted to stay in that position a little longer. He eventually reached up and started to stroke her hair before he told her, "Great wake up call."
"Hmm, don't expect that every morning," Beckett replied.
"Something about the sea air that does that to you," Castle commented. He laughed when she shoved him onto his back; allowing her to do that; and he looked up at her saying, "The river air then."
Shaking her head Beckett said, "I've been waiting to use that tub you know. Not like that."
"No I realized," Castle said hurriedly. "And you're right we should wash up and… wash up."
Beckett sighed, since she knew what that meant, and then got up to allow him to move. She led the way to the bathroom; since the room was the same one they'd used on their honeymoon she was able to walk through it easily; and she let her husband start the water in the large tub. "Funny how things are almost the same," she said while they were waiting.
"Except the flowers," Castle said, nodding towards the bedroom where there were white orchids on all the tables.
"You didn't ask for those?" Beckett said teasingly as he was turning off the water.
"No but it's a nice touch," Castle said before he got in first. As soon as his wife had joined him he reached out to her and held her as she sat in between his legs. "Hopefully it's not late," he commented after a while.
"We'd have gotten a call," Beckett replied. "Relax," she admonished slightly as she leaned back against him a little more.
Castle didn't reply to that, instead wrapped his arms around her before he leaned down kissing the side of her head before he looked outside. "You're sure you want to go out to the beach?" he asked.
"We'll need to see how things go," Beckett said simply. "You can't relax?" she asked eventually.
"Not really," Castle said simply before he looked down at her as she turned around to face him, sitting on his lap as he shifted for her to do so.
Beckett didn't say anything else; instead she leaned over and kissed him, starting out slowly before deepening it. She was pleased when he responded to her rapidly and she slid her arms more securely around his neck while his held her against him. Tilting her head back and forth slowly, she soon felt him sliding his hand up and down her back and shivered before pulling away from him, breathless. "Better?" she asked, unable to help smiling at him.
"No but that's alright," Castle said simply before he took her lips again. He kissed her deeply then, tangling his tongue with hers before stroking it gently. After a while he broke away from her and said breathlessly, "Do… Can we?"
Wanting to answer yes; as she too was aroused by then; Beckett hesitated and finally shook her head saying, "We'd definitely get a call."
"So we should keep going?" Castle asked, sounding disappointed.
"We should but…" Beckett started to say before kissing his lips gently. "There's always tonight."
"There is," Castle said, knowing she was serious about that. He kissed her that time in the same way and then helped her wash herself before she in turn helped him.
When they were back out in the room and were dressed Beckett said, "They're either still sleeping or getting ready themselves."
"Or else eating breakfast," Castle pointed out. "They couldn't wait for us."
Beckett glanced at him and then said, "I'm sure your mom and my dad wouldn't do that." She then stood up as she'd finished putting on her shoes and told him, "That being said, we should still go."
"I'm ready," Castle said simply as he went to the door with her. They went down two floors and over to the room that Alexis and the girls were in, knocking as he squeezed her hand that he was still holding before he let it go.
"Well good morning you two," Martha said as she had opened the door, smiling at them. "The girls were asking after you."
"Are we that late?" Castle asked as he and Beckett entered, their daughters running to her first.
"She's kidding," Beckett replied after she'd kissed Julia and Eliza. "You saw the time," she then added.
"I know but to them are we late?" Castle said.
"Dad," Alexis said in exasperation though she was smiling at him. "They're eager to go."
"That's not a surprise," Castle replied. "And I was close love," he said when they saw that there was food on the table.
"This just arrived," Jim commented. "I hope you don't mind, we ordered for you according to what the girls said you would enjoy."
"They know us well," Beckett replied. "And so do the rest of you. For now let's eat so we can go to the cliffs."
"Wanna play Mommy," Eliza said as she watched her family all getting food from what had been brought to them. "And swim… please?"
Beckett couldn't help but laugh at that and she said, "Thank you for saying please. And we will don't worry." As they sat down together she remembered the day before and when they had arrived at the manor and the way the others had reacted to the sight of the place. They'd taken a short tour before walking to Adare for dinner and everyone had seemed enchanted, even her father was looking forward to the round of golf on the course that Castle had challenged him to the next day.
"I can't wait to try out that pool," Alexis was saying.
"Me too," Julia replied. "But aren't we going to the beach?"
"For a little," Castle answered. "That storm is moving in. Hopefully we'll be able to play tomorrow," he added, saying the last to his father in law.
"Hopefully," Jim echoed, nodding.
"What about riding?" Julia asked.
"We'll see how it goes tomorrow," Beckett said firmly. "But we'll try to ride the best we can." At the little girl's nod she turned her attention back to her plate, feeding Eliza next to her from the bowl of porridge they were sharing.
Conversation died off then between the family as the girls wanted to hurry and the others tried to make sure they didn't eat their food in a rush. When they'd finished Castle and Beckett led them down through the front door where they went to their car.
"How long does it take to get there?" Alexis asked her father, wondering why she hadn't done that before.
"About an hour and a half, a little less than that," Beckett answered for her husband as she was watching Julia to make sure the little girl buckled her seatbelt. "But the drive will be worth it."
"I can imagine," Alexis replied, knowing her stepmother wasn't kidding with the tone of voice she was using. She had to wonder, getting inside to sit with her sisters, if the two would enjoy the place that much. She could only hope they would as their father started the car though she was already forming a plan in the back of her mind to do something with them if it turned out they didn't.
Standing on the path and looking out at the ocean from the Cliffs of Moher Julia felt a tiny hand slip into hers and she looked down to see it was her little sister. "Are you scared?" she asked, seeing the expression on her face.
Eliza shook her head and said, "It is big."
"Tall," Beckett said, coming up behind them. She wasn't surprised when the toddler rushed to her and wrapped her arms around her tightly. Picking her up she said, "I didn't think you'd be scared by it."
"No Mommy," Eliza said simply, shaking her head at that. "But…"
"It makes the world a lot bigger I think she means," Castle said, coming up to them. When Eliza nodded, looking serious at that, he couldn't help chuckle slightly before he kissed her cheek and said, "Don't worry, I remember feeling the same when I went on my first trip. But of course it was to the beach back home in the Hamptons. The ocean will do that to you."
"Is that way home?" Julia said, pointing to the west after she had torn her gaze away from her camera.
"It is," Beckett said. "We thought the same thing we were here." She turned then as Alexis, followed by Jim and Martha, came up to them. "Here it is," she said to her stepdaughter; whom she knew had been eager to see the cliffs for some time. "Hopefully it's what you expected."
Glancing around quickly Alexis turned and then back to the ocean before she smiled and said, "It's that and a lot more."
As his daughters and Beckett were taking pictures Castle took Eliza from his wife and then went to his mother and father in law. "Too windy?" he asked as his mother was trying to push back the red strands of her hair slightly flying in the wind.
"Everywhere on the coast is," Martha said simply. "So Eliza what do you think?"
"Lots of water," the toddler said after thinking for a moment. "Lots and lots."
"You know that is the ocean," Jim said. When she nodded he added, "The same ocean at the beach at your home."
Unable to help chuckling at Eliza again when her head snapped towards the water Castle said, "He's right that's the Atlantic Ocean. The exact same water."
"Wow," the toddler replied, her eyes wide. She then smiled and said, "I wanna go in now."
"Not now," Castle said reassuringly. "When we get to that beach we will."
Not looking too pleased at that Eliza watched as they all walked down the path to a tower. "Is it a castle?" she asked.
"Just a tower," Alexis said. "O'Brien's Tower?" she asked her dad and stepmother. When they nodded she said, "You went in there."
"We did and it'll have some great views," Castle replied. "You'll like it up there sweetheart."
"Kay," Eliza said, looking distracted as they were going inside. She held onto her father a little tightly until they came out to the top of the tower, looking out at the view. Her eyes widened when she saw how far out into the ocean they could see and she gasped, "Can you see home?"
"No," Beckett replied with a smile as she turned to look at her and Castle. "We're a little too far for that but look this way sweetie," she said as she pointed to the cliffs. "That's where we're going to walk."
"Don't wanna fall," Eliza said softly.
"You won't," Julia said, letting her camera hang around her neck as she looked up at her sister. "They won't let us get too close to the edge."
"We can go a little close," Castle said before he glanced at his wife. "Sort of close," he amended. "Just make sure you stay near us."
"We're enjoying the view," Jim commented as his son in law looked to him, Martha and Alexis next to the four.
"Hard to imagine how you couldn't," Martha said, glancing to the ocean again. When they went down the stairs to leave she said to her son, "What do you think about letting them play?"
"Here?" Castle asked. When she nodded he looked at Eliza who he was setting down and then told her, "I'll ask Kate."
When her husband had reached her and spoke to her Beckett glanced at Alexis and said, "I think you need to ask her."
"Ask me what?" the young woman asked, having seen her stepmother looking at her.
"We're wondering if you want to take Julia and Eliza for a little," Castle replied.
"To walk?" Alexis asked, a little surprised at that as she hadn't been expecting it.
"Whatever you want to do," Beckett said. "Play with them, walk with them. Just don't go too close to the edge though you know that already."
"Of course," Alexis said with a smile. "Would they want to come with me?"
"I do," Eliza cried, hurrying over to her. "Come play Jules!"
Turning from where she was walking with Jim, Julia smiled at her grandfather before she hurried back to her sisters and said, "We're going to play?"
"With me," Alexis replied, stopping then as the others did so. "But you guys aren't going to stop and stay with us?"
"We're going to keep walking," Beckett said as she took her husband's hand. "I don't know what you're going to do," she told her mother in law and father.
"I might go the other way," Jim replied, nodding back to the tower.
"I might head in the tower again," Martha said.
"You're not going to launch a soliloquy up there are you?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when his mother frowned at him before she turned her attention to the girls.
After waving goodbye to her grandmother Eliza turned to Jim who was kissing the top of her head and said, "It is kay Grandpapa."
"I know just letting you know I hope you have a great time playing," Jim told her with a smile before he did the same with Julia and squeezed Alexis' shoulder. "Have a nice walk."
"Tell my mom when you reach her we're going to meet at the gift shop," Castle told him. He looked at his watch and then said, "At ten."
"Have fun," Beckett said once her father had started down the path. She smiled at her husband and stepdaughter when the girls hugged her and told them, "If you want to join us tell your sister and she'll call us."
"I will," Alexis replied as the two turned to her at the same time. "But we might stay here until it's time to go."
"More than likely," Castle said. He hugged the girls who were hugging him and then pointed to the fence along the path blocking them from the edge of the cliff. "See? You won't fall but still stick with your sisters," he said to Eliza. "And all of you have fun."
"We will Daddy," Julia said, her little sister nodding.
When their parents left Alexis turned to the girls and said, "What do you want to play first?"
"We can't play hide and seek," Julia said, looking at the grass next to the path. "What about tag?"
"Yes but what about Lizzy?" Alexis asked her.
Studying their shorter sister Julia pursed her lips and said, "I wish we could play duck, duck, goose."
"That would work," Alexis said. When her sisters both looked at her in surprise she laughed slightly before telling them, "We can walk in a circle but it'll be small okay?"
"Kay," Eliza said immediately. "I wanna go first!"
"Hold on," Alexis said as she set her bag down. "That's the middle."
"That's going to be a weird circle," Julia said as she and her big sister sat across from each other.
"It's okay, we're just having fun," Alexis replied, taking pictures of her and Eliza since she'd held onto her camera.
"You have to say duck Lizzy," Julia whispered to the toddler when she passed her, tapping her head.
"Duck!" Eliza giggled. She said it again in passing Alexis and then touched Julia's head again calling, "Goose!"
Taking rapid pictures as the two ran around her Alexis smiled when Eliza was able to sit across from her as she knew Julia had let her make it. "Great job," she told the toddler.
"Now you get 'lexis," Eliza told her sister who was walking around them.
Smiling at that Julia didn't reply as she was nearing Alexis, taping her head and calling, "Duck." She noticed then that some of the people on the paths were watching them, and saw a couple were kids. "Duck," she said to her big sister again before slowing down a little. "Think they can play too?"
"If they ask their parents and come over," Alexis said, having seen the same. She then watched Julia tap Eliza's head calling, "Goose!" before the toddler chased her but was unable to catch her. "I feel like I could take a nap," she told them teasingly.
Eliza seemed to march to Alexis then and tapping her head said, "Goose!"
Running after her the young woman nearly caught Eliza after giving her a slight head start and said, "I guess you don't want me to take a nap," before she started to go around again.
"I don't think so, it's too early," Julia said as her big sister tapped her head saying, "Duck." "I wonder when we're gonna eat."
"Most likely at the beach," Alexis replied, glancing at the same time to the path. The kids that had been watching had been pulled away by their parents so they were on their own. She went around the circle twice more before tapping Julia's head and telling her, "Goose!" before running.
Sitting up on her knees Eliza clapped her hands as she watched the two before Julia grabbed their sister. "You got it!" she giggled.
"Looks like I'm staying it," Alexis told her. "But why don't we rest for a little bit?"
"Kay," Eliza said, rushing to her so she could climb on her lap.
Alexis was a little surprised when Julia sat directly next to her and wrapped her arms around her. But she thought she knew what the little girl was thinking about so she wrapped her arms around both of her sisters, holding them tightly against her. "It's been a great little vacation hasn't it?" she asked them.
"Little?" Julia asked, giggling. "We're going a lot of places."
"That's true but I've had a lot of fun," Alexis said. "Especially watching you two going everywhere."
"Are we funny?" Eliza asked.
"No," Alexis said with a slight laugh. "I like seeing the way you react to everything new."
"Daddy and Mommy said that to us too," Julia replied. "And Daddy told us that he likes to see Mommy when they go somewhere new."
"Like here," Alexis said.
Glancing around Julia said, "I wonder what it was like when they came here before." She looked thoughtful and said, "They were probably kissing."
"Not all the time though," Alexis pointed out with a smile. "And they had fun remember."
"I do," Julia said, having recalled when their parents had called them during their honeymoon. She then glanced down the path and said with a smile, "I bet they're doing that now."
"When your mom stops taking pictures," Alexis replied. She laughed slightly when the girls nodded in unison and hugged them to her saying, "Let's play another couple games before we have to go." She let them go and standing up she waited for her sisters to make the circle again before she started to walk around them.
Leaning against the fence down the path further Castle glanced around and told his wife, "We went further than we did last time."
"I know," Beckett replied, looking back to the tower. "You honestly think your mother would start saying a soliloquy?"
"No," Castle said, chuckling slightly and shaking his head. "But she would be tempted like crazy. Now," he said, reaching for her hand that was resting on the top of the fence.
"Now what?" Beckett said, studying him.
"Exactly," was all that Castle said by way of a reply before pulling her into his arms. He was relieved that she was soon responding to him and he kissed her deeply on the lips before feeling her arms around his neck. He held her tightly before they slowly parted after some time saying, "Still feeling some lingering from this morning."
"Some?" Beckett replied.
"Something?" Castle said before shrugging. He looked around them and sighed saying, "Not the best place to do this."
Kissing him briefly on the lips Beckett told him, "We have a great room for that. But for now we are with our family so let's get back."
"One for the road?" Castle asked, not letting her go.
Beckett studied him and then smiled before leaning over and kissing him gently on the lips. "You owe me," she teased him as they walked back up the path towards the gift shop.
"I know, a lot," Castle said. He then studied her and looking around he told her, "I'll do that tonight."
Smiling as he kept his voice low Beckett replied, doing the same, "I've changed my mind." Seeing him glancing at her, startled, she smiled a little wider and slipped her arm through his before holding onto the upper part of his arm. "We should owe each other something."
"Something again," Castle said, switching to English with a slight smile as he studied her. "You'll tell me later?"
"And you'll tell me," Beckett said easily. She wasn't too surprised when he stared at her a little hungrily and remembering where they were she looked ahead though she bit at her lower lip at the same time as they made their way closer to the shop.
Castle was tempted to wrap his arm around her then but held off on that as they were nearing the girls who were walking ahead of them. "Hey I thought I was the one that gave you piggyback rides," he called to Eliza who was on her big sister's back.
"You weren't there Daddy," Julia said, laughing back at him then before they stopped walking. "How was your walk?"
Wondering why Alexis and Julia glanced at each other at her question Beckett then said, "It was fine. How was it playing?"
"Fun, I was the goose," Eliza said as she looked back at her parents.
"I wondered what you guys would play," Castle said.
"We couldn't play hide and seek," Julia said, taking his hand. "And then tag it wasn't fair for Lizzy."
"That's right," Beckett said as they looked over at Eliza who was giggling on her sister's back at that. "But how did you manage to play duck, duck, goose?"
"We made a little circle and took turns," Julia replied. "And 'lexis' bag was the middle."
"We never used it though," Alexis said with a slight laugh. "Still it was a nice center for us to go around."
"Sounds like you had a great time," Castle replied. "There's your dad and my mom," he said when they neared the door of the gift shop. "Who's going to tell them about the game you played?" He watched with a smile as Julia ran over to the two; Alexis, with Eliza on her back squealing as she bounced, running after her as well. "They're having a great time," he said to his wife.
"Of course," Beckett said simply though she was returning his smile as they went into the store with their daughters telling their grandparents about how they'd spent their time separated.
Walking through the gift shop Julia glanced at everything until she stopped suddenly in front of a display of jewelry and she studied some pendants, biting her lower lip as she thought.
"Sweetie?" Beckett asked, going over to the little girl as they were all paying for what they'd chosen while she was still standing at the display case. "You want a necklace?" she asked, watching her.
"Oh no," Julia said, shaking herself as she stood straight. "I just…" She hesitated and then looked down at the postcards she'd picked out before saying, "Do you t-think I could get that for Mari?"
Looking over the pendant; which was a thin etched piece of silver; Beckett read it was identified as a Newgrange kerbstone. "It's interesting," she said. "And you think she'd like it?"
Julia nodded, a little confused as to what her mother thought of her buying it as she hadn't answered her question. "I can buy it, I have enough," she then said quickly.
"I don't doubt that," Castle replied, joining them and having heard a bit of their conversation.
"Go ahead," Beckett said, looking over at a worker who glanced to them. She motioned the woman over and said, "Ask for it sweetie."
When Julia beamed at them both and thanked her mother Castle watched her go along the counter with the woman who picked it out saying to his wife, "Mari?"
"Yeah," Beckett replied. "I almost thought she wanted it herself."
"She doesn't let go of her emerald," Castle replied, since Julia still wore the round gemstone he'd bought for her for her fifth birthday. "What do you think?"
"I would buy that for a friend… though I might have gotten the group of three swirls," Beckett answered. "Ready?" she said as their oldest walked over to them.
"Yeah I can't wait to give it to her," Julia said, smiling. "Now the beach?"
"Now the beach," Beckett agreed. They were meeting up with the others then and she answered before Alexis could ask, "Three and a half hours."
"That long?" Martha said in surprise.
"We're having a small lunch," Castle replied. "And it's why we're having a later dinner."
"The fancy one," Julia told her sister seriously as she was holding Eliza's hand while they walked back to the car. "Oh I can't wait; Mommy and Daddy ate there too."
"I'm surprised you're sharing everywhere you went with us," Jim said as he walked with his daughter behind everyone else.
"We don't mind," Beckett said with a slight smile. "We're not selfish."
"Yeah," Julia said, running back to them and taking her mother's hand.
"Yes?" Beckett asked her teasingly.
Giggling as she wasn't surprised her mother had guessed she wanted something Julia said, "What's for lunch?"
"Are you hungry?" Beckett asked, glancing to Eliza ahead who was glancing back at her, holding onto Martha's hand. "Never mind, I know already," she said before she spoke to her husband. "You think we should just eat on the way?"
Castle thought about that and then nodded saying, "It'd give us more time at the beach," looking at everyone else at the same time for them to protest.
"Eat now Daddy," Eliza said, tugging his hand after she'd reached out for it.
"Okay since she said we should…" Castle started to say. He laughed when his wife gave him a look and then said, "Never mind. But you guys don't care doing that?" Everyone shook their heads no so he got the lunch out of the back and waited for everyone but Beckett to sit inside before passing out the sandwiches, chips and drinks.
"You'll be okay to drive and eat?" Beckett asked him once the doors in the back were closed.
"Of course," Castle replied. He waited for her to get into her chair before he handed over her food. He murmured something into her ear and then shared a brief kiss with her before he closed the door and walked around to the driver's seat to get them on their way to Dunmore Head.
"Oh my," Martha said, looking at the view where they were parked. "And this is as far west as we can go?"
"Unless you head out to the islands, yes," Castle replied, having to shake himself from his memories of when he and Beckett had been there nearly four years before.
"It's beautiful," Jim said suddenly as they fell silent.
"It is," Beckett agreed with him, watching as Castle put Eliza on his shoulders as she was begging him to do. She looked down at Julia and saw that she was standing there, not taking pictures and she said, "You didn't take any?"
Looking up at her mother Julia smiled and said, "I did, as many as I could. I remember the pictures you showed us from here." She turned around and then said to her mother, "You're not gonna take them either?"
"I took a few," Beckett said; since she had already. "But I'd rather take them down on the beach, of you and your sister."
"Go swimming?" Eliza asked, tearing her gaze from the view of the ocean to look at her mother.
"When we're all ready," Castle told her, trying to look up at her though he couldn't see her.
After a few more minutes the family walked down together to the beach where they set out their blankets, towels and umbrellas. The girls were allowed to run down to the water where they stopped ankle deep on Julia before laying down on the sand and letting the water wash over them.
"Will you have a chance to take them to the pool?" Alexis asked her dad as she was finishing putting on sunscreen.
"We will," Beckett answered for him. "We won't be going to dinner until eight-"
"Which is why you urged the girls to sleep on the way here," Jim commented.
Nodding to that Beckett finished saying, "We'll stay until at least four," looking at her watch. "And we'll head back to the hotel which takes almost two and a half hours."
"Get ready and then go to dinner," Castle finished. "And swim in the pool before we have dessert."
"You planned this all out," Martha commented.
"We're not sticking to it, it's a suggestion," Castle replied, folding his shirt. "Ready?" he asked his wife as Alexis had by then left them to join her sisters.
"I'm following you," Beckett said, though she wasn't surprised he pulled her by the hand as they walked down the sand quickly to their daughters who by then were standing with Alexis, slightly deeper in the waves.
"Hey anything interesting?" Castle asked by way of letting the girls know they were there.
"The cliff," Julia said, pointing to Dunmore Head next to them that rose above the beach. "It's kinda like the beach at Inchydoney."
"A little," Beckett agreed since it was nearly a cove. "How's the water?"
"Is he not letting you in?" Alexis asked in slight amusement as the two were standing just beyond the waves.
Beckett tried pulling her hand out of her husband's grasp and when he easily let go she told her stepdaughter, "No I don't think so."
Watching them for a moment Castle then took off, grabbing his wife before he plunged under the waves deeper in while she was trying to stop him. When they had resurfaced he laughed as she splashed at him and told her, "Sorry, just went with that because… it felt like something I should do."
"You're lucky I brace myself for you doing that," Beckett said.
"So it's become predictable?" Castle asked, wondering if that was the case.
"Unfortunately no," Beckett replied, frowning for a moment before they started to make their way back to the shore. "Since you don't do it every time."
"I'm good like that," Castle replied, not surprised to get another splash of water to the face. "So you decided to join us," he said when he saw their daughters were swimming up to them though Alexis was carrying Eliza on her back. "Come here," he said to the toddler, transferring her to his back. "Does anyone want to go under?" he asked.
"Me Daddy, go!" Eliza cried, patting the back of his head.
"Right away…" Castle said before he counted down. He ducked under the waves with Eliza and when he came back up he said, "Good?"
"Yeah Daddy, thank you," Eliza replied with a wide smile on her face though he couldn't see that. She looked around and said, "Now Daddy?"
"Now what do we do?" Julia translated, having gone under at the same time they had.
"Swim," Castle said simply.
Beckett stayed behind a little to make sure the two would be okay and when she saw that they were fine she followed until her feet hit sand. "If we were going to swim…" she said teasingly to her husband as he set down their daughter when they'd reached the point where she could walk.
"They are Mommy," Eliza then said before Castle could say anything to that.
Looking on as Alexis and Julia went out into the waves he said, "So that leaves the three of us… and your dad."
Turning Beckett saw her father was walking up to them and she watched Eliza run to him, crying out for him to go with her in the water. "Your mom?" she asked, looking back at Martha.
"Reading, she might stay like that the rest of the day," Castle said. "Well, unless the girls pull her out with them again."
"They probably will," Beckett said with a nod. She turned to her father and Eliza, startled to see they were treading the water already. "So that leaves us, come on," she said to her husband, taking his hand.
"Your camera?" Castle asked as she was pulling him down the beach.
Shaking her head Beckett continued walking though she let go of his hand since he was walking with her. They weren't alone on the beach and as they passed a few women laying out in the sun she glanced at her husband, smiling when his eyes glanced to them before turning back. "Rick," she said, squeezing his arm. "Come on," she said. As they neared the rocks she asked him, "Was that because you looked?"
"At them?" Castle said, nodding behind them. At her look he shook his head, "Attractive but… young and I'm a married man."
Beckett rolled her eyes though she was smiling at the tone of her husband's voice at the end and said, "I know." They reached the rocks and there she looked back at the beach, seeing that at some point Alexis and Julia had come up to the shore.
"So why did you want to come out here?" Castle asked, slightly confused because his wife was merely looking around.
"For the walk," Beckett replied simply before she glanced at her husband out of the corner of her eye. She was relieved when he moved to stand next to her and the second his arm was wrapping around her waist she was turning to him, kissing him deeply on the lips before he responded after a second's pause.
"Strange," Jim said as he looked over towards the two at the other end of the beach. "She usually doesn't do that."
"Maybe they had to stop kissing to come have breakfast," Julia suggested, holding his hand as they watched Martha wading with Eliza while Alexis was swimming again.
"That could be the reason," Jim said, nodding a little. He smiled and said, "They'll come back."
"Don't worry, I know already Grandpapa," Julia said, smiling back at him. She giggled and said, "I'm not jealous." She then looked thoughtful and asked, "Was Mommy of you and Grandmama?"
"No we spent time with her too," Jim said. "We had to because most of the time it was just the three of us."
"The same for Richard," Martha said as she and Eliza came back to them. "Though I did try to spend some time with him."
"He told us, you took him to see the art," Julia replied. "That's why he likes it so much well, going with us."
"Good it makes you more culturally aware," Martha said. "Now though, you're more aware of your world." She couldn't help laughing as Eliza looked up at her with her brow furrowed with confusion. "It means you're becoming quite the travelers."
"Good," the toddler replied, nodding her head. She then said, "I want Mommy."
"They'll come back, don't worry," Julia was quick to assure her sister. She hugged her and said, "Why don't we get the stuff ready to make another sandcastle? That way when they come back they have to make it with us."
Watching Eliza nod her head in agreement to that before the girls hurried back to their things, Jim looked over to where his daughter and son in law were. Seeing they were walking back hand in hand through the breaking waves he told Martha, "I wondered how long they'd stay there."
"They were talking to one another," Castle's mother said before he nodded to that, having to turn their attention to their granddaughters who had brought the bag with items to make sandcastles with them.
"I'm surprised Julia didn't start running down the beach to us," Beckett said, looking down at their hands as her husband laced his fingers with hers.
"I guess it was too far," Castle replied. "Or she decided to give us some privacy?"
"For a couple kisses?" Beckett asked in slight amusement since that was all they'd shared; two kisses.
"Who knows," Castle said. "You can't read their minds so it's better to just go along with their thought process."
Studying him Beckett asked, "That was what you did with Alexis?"
"I tried my best to," Castle replied. "The older she got the harder it was to do that." He shrugged and then said, "But I did try."
"Of course," Beckett said in amusement before they reached their family. "So if anyone wants to go on a walk that way," she told them, gesturing back the way she and Castle had come. "It's a great view. Girls; tell us."
Laughing softly as her father got on his knees with her and Eliza to start getting the sand ready Julia said, "We will. Help us Mommy?"
"Think you guys can start it?" Beckett asked them.
"Go and swim love," Castle said, glancing up at her. "We've got this."
"Help after Mommy," Eliza said quickly.
"I will," Beckett said before she turned and went to the water.
Castle couldn't help watching her as she went and then jumped slightly when he was poked in the side. "Ow, what?" he asked Julia.
"You said you were gonna help us," the little girl said, trying to be serious as she was filling a pail with sand. But she couldn't help glance up at him and smiled widely before he started to dig with them.
Swimming out as far as she dared Beckett ducked under the water to turn back before she made her way to the shore, letting the waves push her the last bit until she was back on her feet. She saw in the time she'd been gone that Alexis and her father were helping with the sandcastle and Martha was walking with the girls down the beach, holding a pail. "I had intended to help," she told them as she reached them.
"We were drafted," Alexis replied in amusement. "They wanted to make the Adare Manor but luckily Dad said we should try to be original."
"Lucky because I have no idea how we would have made that building," Castle said, shaking his head. He stood up and looking at the structure they'd managed he nodded saying, "I think we did a nice job."
"I'll agree," Beckett commented. She squeezed his arm and said, "I'll help them decorate."
The girls were hurrying across the sand to Beckett then and after hugging her tightly they had her join them in putting shells and even some pieces of kelp on the sandcastle. When it was finished they took pictures of it and in front of it before they asked their parents to take them down the beach.
"You know what would be better?" Castle asked them. He smiled at their shaking their heads in unison and said, "If we went all together."
Agreeing to that Eliza took her grandmother's hand while Julia walked with Alexis and Jim joined Martha and the toddler. Castle and Beckett came behind the group, hand in hand even as she was taking pictures of the beach, the view and their family ahead of them as they walked down to the rocks through the breaking waves.