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 a quick note the hotel that I describe is real, as is the McCartney Suite which I'd love to stay in myself, lol.
A/N #2: I was really pleased to get the feedback I did for the last chapter; as I'd been wondering about the reaction I'd get; so will get to my thank yous. MichelleBell16 (Nice to see you thought both halves of the last chapter were great. And it was a surprise to see you have that connection to Scotland but great that with it you were so interested in reading about their time in Edinburgh. Hopefully I did it some justice; what I've seen of the city- especially on the show Ghost Adventures when they were walking through it to the cemetery that I also had Castle, Beckett and Alexis go to looks so nice! I'm with you, I'd love to see the country myself the countryside part of it looks great! But also very happy to see you can't wait to read more and now you don't need to wait for that!), vetgirlmx (It was great to read first off that you thought both halves of the last chapter were really fun; great I could evoke that emotion. And yeah, the research I did on the toy museum showed the girls would have had a great time there, lol. And like you I wish I could see them playing too. I had to laugh at what you said about Snakes and Ladders but it was nice that the chapter made you want to grab that and play. I thought you might like the flashback since I had a feeling you'd want to see them visiting his grandmother, glad to read I was right! I had been wondering what you'd think about what happened to them in the vaults so it was great to get to read your reaction and that I got that reaction from you. Not surprised that you thought Beckett's reaction was predictable, lol, it's why I wrote it the way I did since I could see that reaction from her as well since of course she is a skeptic. But yeah, I didn't really see Castle as teasing her about this because this kind of attack was serious and as you said it was something that scared him and wasn't physical. Plus his concern for her too of course. And no, wasn't planning on having them telling the girls since they're young still. Really pleased you can't wait to see where they go next and now you don't have to wait anymore to find out!) and TORONTOSUN (Glad you thought it was good that they didn't want to see everything in the first half. And I was also very happy that you liked the paranormal moment there was in the Edinburgh Vaults though what I took from Ghost Adventures was just the sounds of walking above- that was a good episode, lol. I'm not surprised you felt for Kate after what she went through, those kinds of experiences can be really rough. And I was surprised you had that feeling with the love scene 'cause that's why I had it happen the day after so there wouldn't be anything from what had happened the night before and hadn't put anything there. So really, there wasn't someone taking over her since she was gone from the vaults. But hopefully the love scene was still good there!) Thanks so much to all of you for the reviews, I loved reading them and as always appreciate the time taken to send them to me!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a line from the spoken track called Dear Wack! from the Beatles album Live at the BBC.
Up The 'Pool
Breathing deeply as she pulled away from her husband's lips Beckett rested her hands up on the pillow next to her head saying in a sigh, "That was incredible."
"I know, you were," Castle said, panting as well. He leaned down and brushed his lips around her collarbone on both sides before saying, "Still feel weird?"
Glancing up at the picture above them Beckett smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, if our daughter is happy…"
"I think so," Castle said, leaning down and kissing her deeply. When he had pulled away from her and moved to lie next to her he gathered her in his arms telling her, "It was worth it to see her reaction to their suite."
"I hope they were comfortable in that bed," Beckett mused for a moment. "Okay so before we get up to join them; first Penny Lane and then Strawberry Field."
"Don't forget the Cavern," Castle reminded her.
"The Cavern," Beckett replied. "Then lunch, fish and chips again."
"Funny she begged us to have that here and also London," Castle said in amusement. "And then after the museum."
"Right," Beckett replied with a slight nod. "And after that dinner… wait, we almost forgot about Paul's house."
"Can't forget about that," Castle replied with a nod. He smiled and then said, "If we did Julia would be livid… absolutely livid."
"She would, go get ready," Beckett then told her husband, watching him get up then to go. She looked around the room, which was in the Hard Day's Night hotel in Liverpool, and then picture of the four Beatles above the bed. Their view was amazing she thought again, looking out at the city through the windows she smiled as she recalled once more the way Julia had reacted to the room she was sharing with her sisters. She had to soon shake herself from her musings as Castle came out from the bathroom ready to go. She kissed him in passing and closed herself inside to prepare.
Standing at the window as he waited for his wife Castle looked at the city, wondering how different it had looked for the Beatles when they had been growing up there. Turning back to the room he was surprised that Beckett hadn't minded it since it was smaller than the other hotels they'd been staying in so far that trip. But before he could think about that further she was coming out, dressed and her formerly mussed hair tamed. He sighed as he recalled how he'd made it even messier earlier but tried to push the thought out of his head as he walked over to her, kissing her deeply on the lips once he reached her. "Sorry just… remembering," he told her when they had managed to part.
"I can tell," Beckett replied. "But we should get going," she reminded him gently.
"I'm surprised Julia hasn't started calling on her sister's phone," Castle said in amusement as they left the room.
"Alexis is probably keeping an eye on her," Beckett said. They walked down to where their daughters were staying and when her step daughter opened the door to her knock she said, "So how was your night in the McCartney suite?"
"Mommy! Daddy! Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Julia cried as she rushed past her sister to hug their parents tightly at the same time. "It was so fun last night! We looked at the book about his paintings and the Rupert book and 'lexis let me see the pictures in the other books too."
"I saw too," Eliza said, smiling at the way her sister was talking so rapidly.
"Yeah we found the paintings that are on the walls," Julia said, looking past them when she let them go.
"Good morning," Martha said, she and Jim coming down the hall together as they'd left their nearly neighboring rooms at the same time. "I take it we had a good night's sleep?"
"I think it was more about the suite," Castle said. "Can we come in?"
With rapid nods of their heads Julia and Eliza pulled their parents inside as their grandparents followed, the music of Paul playing in the room.
"We had to," Alexis said in amusement. "Julia was humming and Eliza was trying to sing."
"I'll bet you had a lot of fun," Castle said. "So we'll order now, has anyone looked at the menu?"
"I did," Jim said, "The full breakfast would be nice."
"It has bubble and squeak; you know what that is right?" Alexis asked him. At his nod she told her father, "I'll get that too."
"I think I will as well," Castle replied, looking at the menu with Beckett. "Mother?"
"I'll share the porridge with the girls," Martha said, hugging Eliza who was doing the same to her then. "I think we're ready."
Castle made the call to order while Alexis started making tea for herself and her grandmother on the machine that came with the room. When she finished Beckett took over in getting coffee for herself, her husband and father before their food arrived.
"What's what?" Julia asked, looking at the green part of the others' meals.
"It's called bubble and squeak and it's potatoes and cabbage here," Alexis said, taking a bite.
"It is," Jim replied. He then cut some of the sausage on his plate and tried to feed it to Eliza who shook her head. "I think she wants her porridge," he said to his daughter who was stirring the bowl.
"She does and you have honey in there sweetie," Beckett told her. "But eat slowly, please."
"Not so slowly we can't go though," Julia then said.
"We'll go, don't worry kiddo," Martha said with a smile as they were all well aware of how much the little girl wanted to go through the city.
"You were all comfortable last night?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter.
"Yes but it took a while for her to fall asleep," Alexis said, eating some fried egg with tomatoes. When she'd swallowed she said, "Luckily the books eventually calmed her down; that Rupert one was placed just for me to get her to get to bed," before laughing briefly with her stepmother.
"It might have been," Beckett said when she calmed down. "Calm down Eliza," she said to the toddler who was on her lap. Her tone was joking though and she kissed her daughter on the temple before turning her attention to Julia.
"Why can't I know where we're gonna go?" the little girl was saying to her father.
"It'll be a surprise," Castle said. "But don't worry it's going to be a Beatles day."
"As opposed to tomorrow?" Jim asked.
"Tomorrow is apparently Walker day," Castle said, smiling at Eliza when she looked at him with a frown.
"Museum day," Alexis explained to her. "We're going to The Walker which has art and then we're going to visit the Liverpool Museum."
"And what do they have there?" Martha asked.
"A lot of stuff," Julia said. When her grandmother looked surprised she wrinkled her nose playfully at her father and said, "They told me about that but not today."
"You'll love today don't worry," Beckett replied. She then urged the little girl to tell the others about the Liverpool Museum to try and get her mind off not knowing where they were going. When they had finished eating she took the girls into the bedroom to brush their teeth, looking at the mural above the bed.
"It's so cool," Julia said eagerly, seeing her mother looking at it. "Don't you think?"
"It is," Beckett said with a smile as she took them to the bathroom. "Brush your teeth so we can go." She looked at her oldest as Julia frowned and raised her eyebrow slightly before the little girl gave an exasperated sigh and turned to the sink. "Sorry Julia, but I'm not going to tell you anything, not when we're this close to leaving."
"I know," the little girl replied before she started to brush her teeth.
Helping Eliza, Beckett wasn't surprised when Julia finished before they did and she asked her, "You don't mind that painting out in the living room?"
"I don't like Paul with a beard," Julia said. "That's why I like the pictures outside a lot more. The one of him and Linda's my favorite."
Smiling at that Beckett dried Eliza's mouth as her husband came to the door. "We're ready to go," she told him.
"Great how many times did she ask you?" Castle asked; having come to the room to look at the mural again instead of checking on them.
"I didn't," Julia replied. "Mommy didn't let me."
"That's great too," Castle replied, making Eliza giggle heavily at him. "For now let's get everything and go."
As she was helping the toddler into her jacket; since the day was a little overcast and cool; Beckett asked Alexis, "Who chose this shirt?"
"Well Jules suggested that she should wear a Beatles shirt like she was going to," the young woman replied. "And Lizzy picked out that one."
"I like it," Eliza replied firmly.
"I can tell," Beckett replied, sharing a kiss with her. She straightened the toddler's shirt with the Beatles in their Sgt. Pepper costumes on it and then picked her up so they could go.
Holding her father's hand tightly Julia said, "Do you think they care we'll be going around for the Beatles?"
"A lot of people do come for that," Castle said, smiling as she was looking down at her own shirt which had the cover of Rubber Soul on it. "But we are going to go around the city tomorrow for non-Beatles stuff don't forget."
"I can't wait," Julia said eagerly, smiling up at him.
"Neither can I," Castle replied, squeezing her hand back before they went down in the elevator to the lobby. Once they were in the car he drove them south and continued for twenty minutes, sharing a look with his wife as their oldest was speculating with her sisters as to where they'd go first. "I'm sorry sweetheart," he said once he'd parked, looking back at her. "You didn't guess the right place but I don't think you'll mind when you see where we're going."
Since her husband was looking at her towards the end of that she sighed and said, "Do I really need to?"
"Just unbutton it," Castle urged her. He wasn't surprised by the look his wife gave him and smiled before she made an irritated noise in the back of her throat, knowing she didn't mean it as they got out of the car.
Beckett unbuttoned her jacket quickly and wasn't surprised to see her daughters were looking at her questioningly. When the jacket parted enough so they could see the shirt underneath she couldn't help laugh softly and said, "Your daddy bought this for me."
"Specifically for today," Castle said. "Like it?"
"Those are great… pictures…" Julia said, trailing off as she watched her little sister touch George's hand that was raised in his photograph. She studied the shirt; the Richard Avedon photographs of the band from the late sixties; and said, "Could I get one?"
"We'll see," Beckett replied, glancing at her dad. "For now let's go."
"He insisted?" Jim asked as Castle led the way with the girls down the street.
"Basically," Beckett said, shaking her head with a smile. "In the fact that he took the blouse I'd been planning to wear out of the pile I had ready to take into the bathroom to change and replaced it with this."
"You're welcome," Castle called back as he could hear them.
Sighing Beckett said, "I do like Paul's picture but all-"
Cutting off her mother with a short scream that she tried to smother hurriedly, Julia looked at the brick house Castle had stopped them in front of and looked up at him. "Is this it?" she asked, nearly whispering.
"What Jules? Why?" Eliza said before their father could answer.
"It's Paul home," Castle said in response to the toddler, nodding to Julia's question. He wasn't surprised when the little girl launched herself at him; though he was standing right next to her; and he held her tightly before saying, "Hurry and take some pictures before we go in."
"We're going inside?" Alexis asked as they all watched Julia's mouth open in surprise.
"I managed to arrange it," Castle replied. "So yes, we're going inside."
As quickly as she could Julia took pictures of the outside of the house which she noticed was nondescript. If she hadn't seen it before that day she wouldn't have been able to tell that it was a Beatle's former home. She walked with her mother inside first, waiting eagerly for the people inside to let them start to walk through. She thanked Beckett for asking if they could take pictures as they went to the living room first and she looked around at the furniture before she spotted something in the corner. "Was that their TV?" she asked.
"It may have looked like that one," Beckett said, looking down at Eliza who had wriggled her way in between them. She placed her hand on the toddler's shoulder so she wouldn't go in the room all the way and she glanced back at the others.
"We can see," Alexis said as her stepmother had her come up to the doorway in her place.
"Could you play that piano Gram?" Julia asked, looking back at her.
"That would depend if it's in tune," Martha said. "If it wasn't you'd all be covering your ears."
"Let's keep going girls," Beckett said after Alexis had moved for her grandmother and then Jim to look. She glanced at her husband next to her as he went to the doorway quickly and said, "Not what you expected?"
"I forget these houses are a little small," Castle replied before they followed the rest of the family over to the kitchen. "Really small," he commented, glancing around.
"They weren't exactly wealthy," Beckett said, glancing at him.
"No but this house is comfortable," Castle said.
"Was Paul's mother still alive when they came here?" Martha asked, keeping her voice low so the girls wouldn't hear her.
"For a year," Castle said. He glanced around and said, "Long enough for them to have had a lot of memories here with her."
Beckett glanced ahead at Julia who was looking over the entire room and said, "She knows," to her mother in law.
"About Paul's mother?" Martha asked. When Beckett nodded she said, "And how did she react."
"I was fine, sad for Paul though," Julia said, startling the adults as she had come up to them. She then went to her mother and hugged her tightly saying, "I love you Mommy."
"I love you too sweetie," Beckett said, kneeling in front of her. "You know she still managed to help Paul."
"I remember," Julia said, looking at Eliza who had come over to hug her tightly. "She's happy right?"
"Of course she is, for both her sons," Castle said. "And hopefully she knows we admire her home, it's really nice."
"Yeah," Julia said, nodding as Beckett stood back up. "Can we go upstairs?" she asked hopefully. She smiled when her mother took her hand and they headed up the staircase that was at the front door before they stopped in the doorway of what had been Paul's room. "It's small," she said, studying the twin bed, nightstand and armchair across from them.
"These are small homes Jules," Alexis said from behind them. "But you do know Paul was mostly outside the house right?"
"Yeah to go bird watching and then to play with John," Julia said with a nod before they moved to let the others look around.
Since there wasn't much left of the house the family was soon back at the car where Beckett and Castle talked while the others got in.
"What do they say?" Eliza asked her big sister.
"I don't know… oooh, I hope we can see Penny Lane," Julia said eagerly.
"Sorry, we needed to check the directions on how to get where we're going next," Castle said as he and Beckett got back into the car.
"And where is that?" Martha asked. When her son didn't answer, merely started the engine before driving away from the curb, she said, "You're torturing her you know."
"No I know we're gonna go somewhere for the Beatles," Julia assured her grandmother. "And I can't wait," she said happily.
Beckett shared a smile with her husband before they headed northeast that time, glancing around at the city they passed and wondering how much of what they were seeing was what the band had seen before they reached the street they needed. "Okay this'll be a very quick trip," she told Julia.
"I don't care," the little girl replied hurriedly, having a feeling already of where they were going to go. She walked with her father and sisters down the street until they made it to the building and she ran ahead to the red gate, looking past it. "It's there," she whispered. "Isn't it?" she said to her father as he stood with her.
"It is," Castle replied. "You don't want to see the sign?" he asked, amused as he'd thought that would be the first thing she'd look at.
Pulling back so she would take in the gateposts with Strawberry Field on them both, Julia smiled and said, "It looks pretty back there. But I wish they didn't write on the sign."
"Wait until we get to Abbey Road," Castle said. "The wall is going to be covered in writing."
"So we're really gonna go?" Julia asked as soon as her father stopped speaking.
"Of course," Beckett said, taking a quick picture of the fence and gateposts. "You thought we were going to be in London all that time and we wouldn't take the chance to go there with you?"
"I wasn't sure," Julia replied. She then said eagerly, "Can we walk across the street and take pictures?"
"I wanna go!" Eliza said, not sure what her sister was talking about until she mentioned going across the street.
"Yes you three could go," Beckett said, glancing at Alexis as she said that.
"I'll go but we're going to look a little uneven with just three," the young woman replied.
"Richard?" Martha said to her son.
"It makes sense," Jim replied, having had a feeling already that his daughter was going to take the picture. "Though you could try to get a second one with the girls Katie."
"We'd have to see how it is there," Beckett replied.
"So I was thinking," Castle said as they started walking past the gate a little down the street to see what there was. "We could go shortest to tallest and-"
"You want to put Eliza in the front?" Beckett interrupted him.
"Better if I went in front Dad," Alexis said.
"Then Eliza? Since you know Ringo was the shortest in the band," Castle commented.
"Not because of that," Beckett said, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes slightly. "It'll look better in the picture in that order."
"Okay," Castle replied as she suddenly stopped and made them all turn around. "Are we heading to…?"
"Yes," Beckett said, looking at their daughter and seeing that she was watching them closely. "It's a short drive so you'll see," she told her simply.
With a sigh Julia took their hands as they headed back to the car and said as she waited for them to open the doors, "Thanks for bringing me."
"You're welcome," Beckett said. "But you know we're all enjoying this right?"
Glancing at her mother's shirt Julia then said, "Even Lizzy?"
"She is," Martha said, reaching them with the toddler in her arms. "She was just reminding me about the backyard at Paul's house. She wanted to go watch the birds there."
"I don't know there were too many there," Jim then said. "I think Paul would head out away from the city so he'd have a better chance of doing that."
"So did my friend in fact," Martha replied with a smile.
"Your friend?" Alexis asked in surprise. "You never told us you knew someone here."
"Well she was from here," Martha said. "Her name was Jane French. And your father knows the story."
"She wasn't related to George was she?" Jim asked, startled.
"A slight relation," Martha replied. "Cousins so far back I don't know if they would count really. She came to New York with her parents in the early sixties and we became friends as she was in the same drama class as me."
"Did she like The Beatles too?" Julia asked.
"Oh of course," Martha replied. "And she did know her cousin but not that close. She did know Paul and John; from parties they attended and fetes as well. I lost contract with her after high school… I wonder how she's doing."
"Is she still in the states?" Castle asked.
"I have no idea," Martha said honestly. "But anyways we're on our way to our next destination, who wants to make a wager as to where it'll be?"
"Penny Lane!" Julia nearly shrieked as she saw a street sign before her father parked. "We get to walk down it?"
"We are but remember-" Beckett started to say.
"They filmed the music video in London," Julia replied. "I know. But still, we're here! Oh but no blue suburban skies," she said disappointedly as she stepped out of the car to look at the cloudy sky.
"At least you get to see it," Alexis said. "Are we walking to the roundabout?"
"It's right there," Jim said, pointing ahead at a building across the street from them.
Julia took a picture immediately before they crossed to it and she looked at the stores across from it. "Look, there's a barbershop," she said eagerly, trying to keep her voice down.
"Not the same one though," Castle said, recalling what Paul had said about the place in the Anthology documentary. "Do you remember what it was called?"
"Bioletti's," Beckett told him. "But it's in the same kind of place so there is still a barbershop."
Looking at the other shops Julia smiled and said, "Wait 'till I tell Mari." Thinking of her friend she said, "Can we look for postcards?"
"There might be some at the news shop," Castle said. "Right? News?"
"I imagine it's magazines and newspapers," Beckett said as they crossed again to Penny Lane News. Inside there were postcards, not just of that section but of a few other Beatles locations in the city and things pertaining to the city and not the band. She helped Julia pick out some for her friends until she handed four of one kind to her.
"Oh Mommy I hope we go to the Cavern Club… but it's almost time for lunch isn't it?" the little girl asked.
"It is but we'll see if we could maybe work it in," Beckett replied, following her to the register.
Buying a few magazines after them Alexis looked at Julia and said, "Having fun today?"
"So much," the little girl replied, smiling up at her sister. "Are you?"
"I am," Alexis said. "But you know what I'm really looking forward to?" When her sister shook her head she said, "The museum."
"Oh I know," Julia said with a wide smile. "Let's go now."
"We will," Beckett said, since that was the only thing Julia knew for sure they'd be visiting.
After Martha and Jim purchased a few things themselves they walked back to where they'd crossed to the roundabout and a street sign. There Beckett and her father took pictures of the others until Castle took one of them standing in front of the sign. With that done they went back into the car, that time driving into the city center and Mathew Street.
"There it is," Julia said to her little sister. "That's the Cavern!"
"Come on we'll go there but we need to have lunch first," Castle told them, standing at the open door to the back where they were sitting.
Giggling with her big sister Eliza let Julia unsnap the straps on her car seat before she hurried into their father's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked around before saying, "Daddy?"
"Yes sweetheart," Castle replied, kissing her temple.
"Wanna see Beatles but I'm hungry," Eliza whispered.
"We're going to eat right now," Beckett replied as they went up to a fish and chip shop not far from the start of the street.
"I wonder if Julia will enjoy this," Jim said jokingly as everyone looked at the little girl.
Beaming Julia hugged him tightly and said, "Of course I will! Now we get to have these in England. Like Paul would have eaten… before he went veggie."
"Well said," Martha replied to that, hugging her against her with one arm before they turned their attention to ordering.
Sitting down in a corner of the restaurant where there was a table big enough for them Castle watched Beckett put some of the fish and chips onto a plate they'd gotten. "Take it easy with the fries," he told their youngest as her fingers immediately reached for one.
Pausing Eliza looked up at him and smiled saying, "The fish is hot."
"Then we'll split it open…" Castle said, trailing off as he was doing just that. "And let it sit for a little to let it and the fries cool."
Sighing Eliza put her hands on her lap, looking around at the others surprised that no one was eating either. "Now what?" she asked her parents.
"What are we gonna do at the Cavern Club?" Julia asked immediately.
Laughing slightly Beckett said, "I was waiting for that to come up. First though would you like to see where Brian Epstein's store used to be before we head to the club?"
"Sure," Julia said eagerly. She thought for a moment and then said, "He sold music right?"
"He did," Martha said. She smiled when her son and daughter in law looked at her in slight surprise reminding them, "I was and still am a Beatles fan."
"That's how he found out about them," Alexis said. "When you know people who love the Beatles you learn," she said quickly to Castle and Beckett. "And he went to the Cavern to see them play."
"I wanna see The Beatles too," Eliza said then before she bit into the piece of battered fish her father was holding up to her.
"I'm afraid the only way we can do that is if we see a tribute band," Castle said, not surprised when Julia wrinkled her nose at that.
"We can watch them on the Ed Sullivan show," the little girl said firmly. "Or in their movies."
"Eat," Beckett told her.
Nodding Julia did so and hurriedly took a bite before saying, "We're supposed to have this in newspapers."
"I don't think they do that anymore," Jim said. "But maybe in London we could try to find a place that sells them that way."
"We'll look into it," Beckett replied.
"Can I ask what we'll do after the museum?" Alexis said after they were quiet for a moment, focusing on eating.
"That's going to be a little bit of a surprise," Castle said. "We'd like to go around walking of course, down at the Albert dock up to the Royal Liver Building."
"Is that the famous one?" Julia asked.
"It's at the beginning of the Eleanor Rigby sequence in Yellow Submarine," Beckett reminded her. "And besides the Beatles it's well known in this city."
"I wanna see it," Julia replied. "And then what?"
"The museum is going to be last for the Beatles stuff," Castle said. "So just let us take care of you guys."
"I don't know if I like hearing that," Martha said, exchanging a look with her eldest granddaughter.
"Trust me you'll enjoy it," Castle said in mock exasperation. "We're not going to swim in the river or something."
"Why not?" Julia protested.
"A little chilly for that," Beckett told her simply. She smiled and then said, "But what we'll do will be a nice surprise."
"Since we don't know about it I think you're right," Jim said, looking over at Eliza with the others as she was giggling heavily.
"Eliza please your face is dirty!" Castle said in a pretend scolding tone of voice. He managed to wipe the tartar sauce off her mouth and said, "Another bite?"
"I can do it Daddy," Eliza said in protest quickly. She picked up what was left of her fish and took a bite, humming as she chewed. She then said, "I wanna hear music, please?"
"Now isn't the best time sweetie," Beckett told her, brushing her hair back from her face. She smiled as Eliza pouted and said, "We'll hear music soon, I promise."
"The Beatles, Mommy," Eliza protested.
"We will," Beckett reiterated.
"It's amazing how quickly she came to enjoy their music," Martha couldn't help comment.
"Julia made sure of that," Castle said in amusement as they looked at the little girl then.
"I always play it so she's gonna like it of course," Julia said in slight protest.
"And their solo music," Alexis commented.
Julia smiled and said, "That I made sure she liked."
"You won't be mad if she ever stops liking it will you?" Castle asked her.
"No but I hope she won't," Julia said, thinking for a moment. "I hope she likes that and whatever other music."
"Good thing you're open minded," Castle said with a nod. He glanced around the table seeing they were still eating and he said to his wife, "You think it'll be a surprise?"
Looking over at Alexis, Martha and Jim who were all talking with Julia, Beckett smiled and said, "You were the one who kept saying it would be. Why are you doubting yourself?"
Shrugging Castle turned his attention to his mother who was asking him something and he tried not to think of what he and Beckett had planned as they finished up their lunch. As soon as they had he wasn't surprised when Julia was rushing over to him and he said, "Yes? Can I help you Miss Castle?"
"Daddy," Julia tried to say in exasperation but unable to as she was smiling at his tone. "Can we go?"
"Did you finish your drink?" Beckett asked.
Taking a sip of the last of the lemonade she'd been allowed to drink Julia's straw made a noise in the middle of the ice left in the cup. "Yeah, all done," she told them.
"Then we can go," Castle said, standing up and taking her hand. Making his way back out to Mathew Street he walked down until he came to a store and said, "This is where it was."
"This?" Alexis asked in surprise, seeing it was a small store.
"That's what the guide says," Beckett replied, not surprised that Julia was already taking a picture. "Now we're going to go to a store but-"
"The Beatles store?" Julia asked eagerly.
"You didn't think she'd see it?" Jim asked, surprised when Beckett smiled and shook her head.
"I was trying to usher her past it," she replied.
"There's no fooling a Beatles fan," Castle replied. "Well… unless they think that Paul's…"
"That is the real Paul, Daddy," Julia said, rolling her eyes.
"Is he a robot?" Eliza asked then.
"They're just kidding darling," Martha said quickly, glancing at her son since he'd been looking at her as he'd spoken. "Paul is very much a human being and still a magnificent singer. Should we go to the store?"
Watching as her father scooped up Eliza and Alexis took Julia's hand while the girls cheered Beckett turned to her husband and took his hand, surprised when he looked at her in surprise. "What? I already took pictures walking from the hotel," she told him as she laced their fingers together.
"Good point," Castle replied. "Funny we're right around the corner from the Cavern."
"I think Julia's too excited to notice that," Beckett replied in amusement since they'd been told by the concierge that fact when they'd checked in. "Especially now."
"You're not going to lay down any ground rules?" Castle said as he looked to her.
"When we're almost there," Beckett said. And when they were outside the store she had everyone stop and said to the girls, "You get to pick one shirt and one other thing here. Plus we'll let you have a stationery set Julia and Eliza there were some Yellow Submarine rain boots we'll show you if you want those."
"Really? I thought it would be one shirt and that's it," Martha commented as they went inside.
"It'll be a little hard to decide on just one shirt," Castle said. "And since this is for Julia…"
"I can buy something on my own right?" the little girl then asked herself.
"If you want to," Beckett replied.
"Good I want to get something for Mari but… think I can wait until the museum?" Julia asked as her mother steered her over to the shirts.
"You can do whatever you want, it's your choice," Beckett said. She smiled as she watched her oldest looking over the selection before she reached out and grabbed one of the Beatles in front of the Royal Liver Building. "You like that one?" she asked, a little surprised as Julia tended to prefer the color photo shirts.
"Yes," the little girl replied. "And it'll remind me of when we came here where they were really standing."
"You want to hold up the shirt then?" Castle asked, coming over with Eliza and Alexis. "Look," he quickly told his wife, holding up a shirt of the Beatles in a cartoonish version of the Magical Mystery Tour bus.
"Perfect for you sweetie," Beckett said, taking the shirt. "You?" she asked her husband as he was holding out another one with a picture of the band in the Cavern Club.
"I think all of us are getting a shirt… except for Gram and your dad, Kate," Alexis said as she showed her sisters the shirt she'd chosen, of the band as they had appeared in the movie Yellow Submarine. "You should get one."
"Yeah Mommy," Julia said excitedly when she heard that.
Glancing at Castle, Beckett wasn't surprised to see that he was looking at her in an almost nonchalant manner. She stepped over to him and said, "Show me."
Not too startled that she had realized what he'd done Castle took her hand and led her over to the women's shirts before he took one off the shelf, showing it to her.
"Great," Beckett said, looking at the black shirt with a silhouette in white of Abbey Road and the band crossing it up towards the neckline. "I love it but this is going to be a little too tight on me," she said, giving him a mock glare.
"I swear I didn't look at the size when I grabbed this," Castle told her earnestly. He was relieved when she pressed a kiss to his lips before leading him to the others at the rain boots. "Do you like those?" he asked Eliza as she was holding a boot in her hand.
"Yeah," the toddler said happily.
"Okay so you have that now we need to find you some stationery," Beckett said.
Walking with her over to that section Julia looked at what was available for a few moments and then picked up one box that had various pictures of the band. "This one will be good," she said. She then picked up a second one and at her parents' surprise told them, "For Mari."
"She wants to write too?" Castle asked her.
"Yep," Julia said simply, letting her sister take the box to look at it.
After looking around the rest of the store Castle and Beckett went to the registers with their daughter, not surprised when she watched the cashier fold the shirts closely before they stepped aside so she could pay. Joining their family outside they walked then to the Cavern Club and at the threshold of the stairs down Eliza froze and then started to whimper a little, pressing against the wall.
"It's okay sweetheart," Castle said, going over to her. "This is where The Beatles played, so it's just a room with a stage."
"He's right," Julia said, going over to them. "They played here and everyone loved seeing them here."
"You can go with your daddy," Beckett said. "So you'll be alright that way."
Eliza looked at everyone and then nodded, reaching out to her father before he picked her up. She held him around the neck tightly before they started down the stairs and she looked around them once they were at the bottom. She smiled at the sight of the stage, since there were guitars on it and she asked her father, "Do we sing?"
"No," Castle said with a smile. "I'm sure they had a band yesterday here playing. Since it was Saturday of course."
"Do you know what day it is today?" Julia asked her.
Thinking for a moment, Eliza said, "Sunday?"
"Good guess," Castle said, knowing she had been lucky since she still had a little trouble grasping the order of the days of the week.
"I told her it was Sunday this morning," Alexis said with a smile. "I think she needed to remember first."
"Still at least you did remember sweetie," Beckett said, watching her being set down on the floor. She walked after her then as she rushed to the stage, taking a few pictures of the toddler looking in awe at the stage before Julia came up with her and looked too. She had no idea if her oldest was posing for the pictures she then took of the two of them but decided it didn't really matter as she had some great shots when she finished and checked them with her husband looking over her shoulder with her.
Her gaze going up to the roof of the club Eliza went to the wall and touched a line between two bricks before she turned her sisters who had joined her.
"Think they're still playing music?" Julia asked before she pressed her ear to the wall.
"What are you doing Julia?" Martha asked her.
"There's an idea that stone can record emotions," Alexis explained to her grandmother quickly. "But that's on Ghost Adventures. Jules, I don't think it works for brick."
Sighing Julia pulled her head away before she looked down at her sister and saw that she was leaning her forehead against the wall. "Uh… Lizzy?" she asked, tapping her on the shoulder.
"I wanna see them," the toddler replied stubbornly.
"You won't be able to unfortunately," Jim said, walking over with Castle and Beckett to overhear that.
"They'd be there on the stage," Castle said. "But come on let's walk around a little more before we head to the museum."
Taking her mother's hand Julia said, "It must have gotten hot down here with all the people that came to see the band."
"Most likely," Beckett said. "Especially in the summer. But I think it would have been more than worth it."
"Yeah," Julia replied, nodding her head eagerly. She walked with her mother until they left and going in the car she could tell they were getting closer to the river, watching in excitement as it appeared in front of them before Castle parked. "So that's the Mersey," she said to her sister as they waited for their family to join them. "And it's what they called the music that came from here."
"They play in the river?" Eliza asked, looking up at her sister with wide eyes.
"I don't think they could," Jim said, going over to them. "Since they use electric equipment."
"Yeah they'd get shocked," Julia told her little sister. "We can go now right?"
"We're leaving right now," Jim said as he picked up Eliza and took Julia's hand with his free one. They walked after the others across the street before they stopped and his daughter and son in law turned to them.
"If anyone wants to go to the Tate," Beckett began before stopping there.
"We're fine," Alexis said as Julia looked a little confused. "And I think Dad and your mom just want to make sure we haven't had enough of The Beatles."
"No you can't," Julia said with a slight frown before she then laughed briefly. "Can't get enough of the Beatles."
"Then we should head down and get started," Castle said, reaching out to her and taking her hand.