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: I'd wondered what readers would think of the next chapter so to see the feedback I got was fantastic so of course, going to get to my thank yous for them! MichelleBell16 (It was great to read that you liked the way Castle and Beckett celebrated their anniversary, definitely had wanted it to be intimate since I couldn't really see it not being that, lol. I was glad to read that you too liked when Beckett met her cousin and his family, as well as the ball, nice to get confirmation another reader enjoyed them! Really happy also to see that you can't wait to read more, including Alexis' going to Oxford, and now you don't need to do that anymore!), TORONTOSUN (I had been wondering what you'd think about this past chapter, lol, and I was so happy to see your initial reaction to how Castle and Beckett celebrated their anniversary. Also that you like they're like this on their anniversary) and vetgirlmx (Great to see first off that you thought the last chapter was very nice. And I was glad you thought too they made their anniversary special, hard to see them not doing that. I was also happy to see your mention of them being as in love as they were when they got married, I always try to write them in that way. I had to laugh a bit at your comment about the chapter title. The song it was from was actually banned by the BBC as they thought the lyrics were too suggestive so I figured something from there would work. But what you said works too so it goes towards that as well you're right. I was pleased to see that you loved they were making plans for the next year, when they're going to go back and renew their vows. I wasn't surprised to see your comment about Castle being used to the idea or less reluctant about Alexis going to Oxford. You'll have to see how that works out of course. And I'm glad you loved the plans they made for the dinners with Alexis, the idea just came to me suddenly and I'm glad it did lol. Sorry to hear you're dreading it but also glad that in the end you can't wait to read about it and now you don't need to do that anymore!). Thanks so much to those that sent me reviews, I loved reading them and am very grateful that you sent them to me!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Lindiana by Paul McCartney, from his unreleased album Return to Pepperland.

Important To Us

Stepping out of the bathroom Beckett saw that her husband was finishing the last of his coffee as he looked out on what they could see of Oxford University from their bedroom window. "You have to agree that it's a beautiful university," she said gently, going to him and putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I will give it that," Castle replied before he turned to her. "But I was hoping that things would slow down this week."

"We've been having a lot of fun," Beckett replied, as they'd spent the near week they'd been in the city to explore it and also the college. "But we should go, we need to check out and I know Alexis wants to get as much unpacked as she can."

Nodding Castle followed her over to the bed where their nearly full suitcases were and he put the last items inside his own before closing and zipping it up. When Beckett was ready too he texted his daughter and after she texted back they were ready he said, "Time to go."

Looking out the doorway of the room she'd shared with the girls Alexis waved at her father and stepmother as they neared and said, "We're all set, I had a great idea for what to do today."

"Wait for us before you say," Martha called, coming over with Jim as they'd left their rooms a little further down the hall.

"Well the girls were looking at the book and they noticed the pictures of people punting on the Cherwell," Alexis said.

"Yeah we didn't get to do that yet," Julia said from where she and Eliza were hugging their parents good morning.

"So Dad, you and Gram and Jim can take them," Alexis said, glancing at her stepmother.

"You should," Beckett said, able to tell what the young woman was trying to do. "It'll be fun."

"But…" Castle started to say in protest.

"We'll go," Martha then said. "Should we head there now?"

"I think so," Jim said.

With that the family went down to the lobby and while Castle and Beckett were checking out of their hotel the others were loading up the car since they were returning to London after saying goodbye to Alexis. Driving over to the townhouse where she would be living for the next two years Castle got his daughter's suitcases from the back and went to where Alexis and Beckett were standing after they'd said goodbye to the others still in the car.

"You two going to be okay unpacking?" Castle said, looking at the building though they'd driven by it when they'd first arrived.

"There's nothing heavy Dad," Alexis told him. "It's just clothes and items."

"We'll be fine Rick but we will meet for lunch at twelve thirty," Beckett said.

"Call for any reason," Castle told them. He kissed Alexis on the cheek and shared a brief kiss on the lips with his wife before he returned to the car.

"Thank you for helping me," Alexis said to her stepmother as they turned to go into the house.

"It's not a problem," Beckett replied. "It's probably better we're not all here while your things are unpacked."

"How's he doing?" Alexis asked him as she unlocked the front door. When they stepped inside, and before her stepmother could respond to that, she smiled as she saw the bicycle there in the foyer. "Again, I love the bike."

"We thought you would appreciate it instead of a car," Beckett told her. "And to answer your question he's okay. He's not happy that we've gotten to this point but he's not going to beg you to come back home either."

"I think I have you to thank for that," Alexis replied absently as she and Beckett were walking through the living room off the entry.

"This is nice," Beckett told her. "I just hope you'll keep parties down to a minimum."

Smiling as her stepmother had been teasing at the end Alexis replied, "We can go to pubs of course."

"Of course," Beckett said.

"And I really want to buckle down these next two years," Alexis added. "I want to get this PhD badly. And learn how to really cook," she said when they stepped from a small dining room to the kitchen.

"You already know how to," Beckett said with a slight laugh as they came around to the family room.

"It's small but really comfortable," Alexis said as they made their way back to the entry via a small hall. "Hopefully the room will be nice."

"What floor are you on?" Beckett asked as they started up.

"The third, there's only one bedroom there but also a laundry room," Alexis said. "I know, I was surprised too."

"How did you get that room?" Beckett asked in slight laughter while they passed the second floor and saw the two doors there closed.

"Rock, paper scissors," Alexis said. She laughed when her stepmother looked at her with slightly wide eyes and said, "I'm kidding, I said I'd take it since they didn't want to go up that many flights every day. But I get first dibs on what day I get to do my laundry."

"So you'll enjoy yourself," Beckett said as they came to the third floor and she turned to the door on the left.

"I probably will," Alexis said with a nod before she opened the door. She smiled and stood aside to let Beckett take a look inside the room. It was full of boxes but there was a full sized bed, desk and dresser there already. "The walls I'm not a fan of," she said.

"That's why you get posters," Beckett said jokingly. "I know I had my own in my dorm room."

"I have some too, mostly landscapes," Alexis replied. "And some pictures but those I'll hang up later."

"So what did you want me to help you with? Blouses?" Beckett asked, looking at one box.

"There are other things too," Alexis replied with a nod. She smiled and then said, "Plus I wanted Dad to spend time with the girls; Gram too. And your dad I wanted to be there for… you're not buying that are you?" she eventually trailed off saying as she looked at her.

"Not really but for now let's unpack so you won't have too much to do when we're gone," Beckett replied.

"Okay so first you can unpack my books I brought," Alexis replied, going to one box that she'd marked with a red marker. "Just in the shelves above the desk."

Without a word Beckett cut the box open and as she started to take three tomes to the desk asked, "Do you want these in any particular order?"

"No I'll be able to find everything I need," Alexis said as she was putting some things away in the dresser.

For a time the two worked silently on unloading the boxes and had gotten most of them emptied and put out in the hall. Beckett went to one that was in front of a table next to the desk when her stepdaughter cried out, stopping her.

"Not that!" Alexis said. "Not yet… sorry."

"You want to do that with your father?" Beckett asked her.

"No, just… later," Alexis said.

"Well we only have a couple boxes left," Beckett said, looking at her watch. "And we need to leave in a half hour for lunch, what would you like me to do next."

Glancing around the room Alexis was startled to see that there were only two boxes. "Those are my shoes; I can put them away later. I think we can go ahead and open this box now. I am sorry," she said as she went to it first.

"Don't worry," Beckett said reassuringly. "I thought you'd want to open this with Rick."

"I want him to see it after it's empty," Alexis said absently. She then smiled as she stood up and told her, "You'll see what I mean now."

Going over to her Beckett could see that the box was full of wrapped items and as she took the first one Alexis handed her she guessed, "Picture frames?" It was then she realized what her stepdaughter had in mind and said, "Oh, you're sure you don't want to set these out with him?"

"He'd get too nostalgic and it would just remind him you guys are going home tomorrow without me," Alexis said honestly. "Do you mind?"

"No I'm touched you want me to," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her stepdaughter merely smiled at that and then started to unwrap the first picture as Alexis was setting out an aqua blue sari cloth on the table. "It's beautiful," she commented as she put the plastic wrap aside.

"I know Padma gave this to me from her last trip, I was saving it for something special," Alexis said with a nod.

As she looked down at the picture Beckett smiled and said, "I remember taking this."

"It was a nice picture; you know how much Dad likes it," Alexis said, since it was of her, Beckett, Julia and Martha at the beach house before the wedding and before Castle had gone in to see his fiancée. She took it from Beckett and said, "I just want you to know, I'm completely copying your table from home."
"I could tell," she laughed softly. "But I think it's a great idea for you to have." She was unwrapping the second picture and saw it was an old one of Alexis and Castle. "How old were you here?"

"About a year," Alexis said with a nod. She had started on the picture frames herself and hers at that moment was of her with her mother.

Looking at it as the young woman set it down Beckett said, "I told your-"

"I know," Alexis replied. She smiled when her stepmother looked startled and said, "He asked me if I wanted her to join us and I told him that I had already called her."

"She didn't want to come?" Beckett asked hesitantly.

"She didn't want to come now… or she couldn't as she put it," Alexis said, rolling her eyes. "She said she'll come later when I'm settled in… probably the next bank holiday here or… whatever." She picked up another picture from the box and standing up saw her stepmother studying her. "It's not that I didn't want her here it's just… the girls and the fact things would have been strained even more; I don't know what she thinks of you. And you know my gram doesn't like her."

"I'm aware," Beckett replied. "But you wouldn't have wanted your mom to-"

"Mom wouldn't have exactly respected the way my father is feeling," Alexis said shortly. "Sorry," she apologized for her temper. "I talked with her before we started this trip; before we went to LA. And she told me about coming later and not wanting to be around while Dad is depressed and brooding. That tells you one reason why they're not married anymore."

Beckett didn't reply to that, instead putting down the pictures she was unwrapping, and watched the young woman as they finished shortly after. "You have a nice selection here," she told her when she was still silent. She smiled at one picture that Alexis had put down, of the young woman with her sisters at the pool back in the Hamptons. Her stepdaughter was in between the girls all of them smiling at the camera; at Castle as she recalled him taking that shot. She set it back down, leaving a little space before she started to say, "We're a little early-"

"Do you mind if we talk before we go?" Alexis asked quickly, interrupting her.

"Not at all," Beckett said, going with her to sit on the edge of the bed. She wasn't too surprised, as she had expected her stepdaughter to want to speak with her. "You're not going to tell me that you've actually hated me this entire time are you?" she asked to break the ice as the young woman looked contemplative.

"No," Alexis said with a slight laugh. "No I just wanted to ask you something, to do something for me while I'm here."

"Of course," Beckett said.

"You know my father loves you," Alexis replied. "Your anniversary really proved it."

"We planned a little for our fifth anniversary, while we were at the manor," Beckett told her. "So I think you're right."

Alexis smiled at that and said, "I wanted to ask if you could watch out for him for me. Though you know you've already been doing that. I just worry about him with me being so far away…"

"You don't need to worry," Beckett said reassuringly. "I know how he's been since you told us about you coming here and I have an idea of how he'll be once we leave. I'll make sure he doesn't think about you being as far as you will be so constantly he'll forget everything else, especially the girls. That I'm guessing you're worried about?" she then asked her.

"Or you," Alexis said. When her stepmother looked at her in slight surprise she explained, "I mentioned the fact my dad loves you. You know I've seen how he's been with past girlfriends and I can say with absolute confidence that you've been the exception."

"Because he loves me," Beckett said simply.

"And because he's never made so much of an effort to make sure you have reasons to love him still," Alexis told her. After a pause she then said, "Also do you remember Gram asking you before you got married to make him happy?" At Beckett's nod she said, "I'm asking you to do the same now too; again."

"You don't need to worry, I will," she replied firmly. "I want to make sure that he's happy too."

Standing up with her stepmother then Alexis reached for her and hugged her tightly saying, "You're a great stepmother Kate. I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too Alexis," Beckett replied before they let go of each other. She held her by the arms and said, "You're a great stepdaughter and sister to my girls, I appreciate that." When the young woman smiled and nodded she then said "We're saying this now?"

"You know everyone else will be upset," Alexis said. "You don't mind," she stated.

"No I thought I might need to turn my attention to the girls, so I'll say that I wish you the best of luck here Alexis," Beckett said. "I'd say study hard too but I don't think I would really need to. So I'll just say this, enjoy yourself and make the most of a school like this."

"I will," the young woman said with a smile at her stepmother saying that in the order she had. "So should we go?"

"I think so, they have to be tired of the boats by now," Beckett said. She smiled when Alexis laughed at that idea; as both of them knew it wasn't possible for the girls to be tired of punting; and they left the house after securing the young woman's bike under the cover of the patio in the back. As they were walking towards the school and where they'd be having lunch she couldn't help but remember the night before and their big family dinner together, smiling as she looked at the text that her husband had sent her since it had reminded her of it.

"So a quick toast," Castle said as he raised his glass of wine. He then noticed that his wife was looking at him and he asked, "What?"

"You said you weren't going to do a toast," Beckett told him, studying him.

"Well I have to say something," Castle said in defense. "Whether or not it's a toast you decide."

"Richard we're all very thirsty," Martha said.

Glancing at the girls Castle could tell they wanted to take a drink so he said, "Alexis we wish you all the best here at your new school and we're incredibly proud of you. All of us. And we love you and look forward already to when you can come home."

"Yeah!" Eliza said, a little curious as to why everyone laughed at that. But at the next moment she was hurrying to tap her glass against her sister's and everyone else's before she drank her lemonade.

"So what was Brennan saying to you earlier?" Castle asked his daughter.

"And to me," Beckett said. "He was telling her that if she ever needed to leave the school for a vacation then she can consider White Mound her second home."

"That was nice of him," Castle said, relieved too to think of the fact that his daughter had someone nearby just in case. "And Louis' nearby too."

"He is but I'll have Padma and Diana with me," Alexis replied. "Too bad you won't be able to see them."

"Tell them we said hi," Julia said then.

"I will," Alexis said.

"Are you eager to start up classes?" Jim asked.

"Eager and a little unsure," Alexis told him. "Just because I have no idea how they will go. I just want to get my degree."

"What are you going to do until October?" Martha asked.

Glancing at her father as she didn't want a reminder she still had a little over a month until school began Alexis said, "My job remember?"

"At the bookstore," Castle said, nodding and smiling at her to show he didn't mind that time period. "You'll be settled living here in England though by then so that will help."

"Maybe get used to driving on the other side… if I had a car," Alexis said.

Beckett squeezed her husband's hand as Julia asked then about the young woman's classes and they talked together until their food was served to them. Before anyone could take a bite she turned to her husband, seeing that he was picking up his glass as well as clearing her throat. "You didn't finish?" she asked him.

"No, to our family," Castle said.

"That's something we can toast," Martha said, smiling at the girls who were giggling at her. "Cheers."

Everyone murmured the same before they turned their attention to their food, the discussion going to Alexis' first classes until Julia piped up.

"Do you have any with Louis?" she asked her, smiling so her sister wouldn't be mad or embarrassed.

"I don't unfortunately," Alexis replied. "Since we're studying very different things."

"It's unfortunate he wouldn't need to study psychology in the sense that he could use it on animals," Martha said.

"We're going to keep in touch," Alexis said in amusement. "Don't worry. That's another thing that Brennan was saying to Kate while we said goodbye to them."

"What, that Louis wants to know how you're doing?" Castle asked.

"No," Beckett answered for her stepdaughter. "He wants Louis to let him know if Alexis is doing okay, so he can tell us."

"I think he knows your father already," Martha said in mock surprise to her granddaughter.

"I think so," Alexis said with a laugh.

Looking at his granddaughters Jim explained, "Your cousin was just kidding, saying that your father wouldn't trust Alexis to say that she was okay."

"He wants someone who isn't me to tell him," the young woman then said, smiling at the two who were giggling at that.

"Brennan's funny," Eliza said.

"Yeah he is, he's nice," Julia was quick to add. "But tell us more about your classes 'lexis!"

After going through the rest of the meal Castle took something that his wife handed to him and then gave it to Alexis. "A kind of… Oxford-warming gift," he explained when his daughter looked at him.

Giving her father a look at his wording Alexis then smiled at her little sisters as they ran over to her quickly to watch her open the envelope. Taking out a picture she was surprised to see it was a sky blue beach cruiser bike and said, "Instead of the car?"

"Yeah, you-" Castle started to say before she was getting up and hugging him. "This is from everyone," he said as he could then tell that she liked it.

"Thank you," Alexis said, going around to everyone and hugging them, leaving the girls for last.

"Are you going to use that?" Julia asked as she and Eliza were hugging their sister tightly.

"I definitely will," Alexis assured them. "It'll be nice to use since I'm not too far away from campus. And I love the basket."

"Kate suggested that," Castle said, smiling at his wife.

"Just a matter of common sense," Beckett replied though she nodded to Alexis' thank you, knowing she meant it.

"I hope I can get a bike like that when I'm older," Julia said. "It's so pretty."

"Me too, I wanna ride the big bike," Eliza said firmly. She then smiled at her big sister as she took her onto her lap and said, "Can I go to school with you 'lexis?"

"I wish," Alexis replied. "It would be really great if we could do that. But you have friends at home remember?"

"Yeah," Eliza said with a sigh. She then smiled and said, "I want to play now."

"We will," Castle said. "After dessert." He shared a quick smile with his wife at their daughters' gasps of delight at that. When their waitress set down the plate of pastries he said, "We would have gotten a cake that said good luck but these are nice too."

"They are," Alexis assured him, nodding to her stepmother as she knew she'd chosen with him what was on the plate.

While they were eating their sweets Beckett looked at her husband, squeezing his arm gently as she knew he was thinking of the fact that it wouldn't be until Christmas that they were all together like they were at that moment. "We have lunch tomorrow," she commented, to remind him they would have the chance for that the next day. "Alexis, any suggestions since you've been learning about the city." As her stepdaughter was talking about where they could eat she held Castle's hand, knowing his squeeze to her was a thank you for that reminder they hadn't said goodbye to her yet. And squeezing his back was her your welcome and an unspoken reminder that she was there with him as they decided where they would go the next day.

"So you didn't go punting?" Beckett asked her husband as they were watching their daughters choose a seat outside at the Thai restaurant that Alexis had found and they had agreed to eat at the night before.

"What can I say? They wanted to go to the Ashmolean again," Castle said defensively.

"I think you suggested it," Beckett told him, stopping him a little away from the three. "So we would go punting with you."

"Basically," Castle said. He laughed slightly when his wife gave a mock-suffering sigh and then leaned over to share a quick kiss with her as their parents were coming up behind them.

"Great I'm starving," Alexis said as her father set down the tray with their food on it in front of them.

"I am too," Eliza said.

"But we want to go on the boats still," Julia said, looking at her father.

"We will, don't worry I just didn't want your mom and sister to miss out on it," Castle told them. "So eat and then we'll go."

Watching her father as they started to do that Alexis said, "Kate loves the townhouse."

"You will too," Beckett said, glancing at her stepdaughter before she turned her attention to her husband.

"I trust you Alexis," Castle said. "And that's why I didn't protest for too long you going love."

"To check it out?" Beckett asked in amusement. When he nodded she shoved him on the shoulder and then pulled him back to sit up before they turned their attention to the girls who were talking eagerly about the boats they would be going on. "How are we going to sit?" she asked the others. "It's only two right?"

"We need to see," Alexis replied. "I'll go with Eliza and Julia, neither of them weighs too much."

"We'll ask," Castle said as the two looked eager at hearing that.

"And we'll ride together so you and Kate can take a romantic excursion," Martha said to her son, smiling at her daughter in law.

"Thank you Martha," Beckett said, squeezing her husband's arm slightly when he started to groan next to her.

Watching as they soon started to finish their meal Eliza said once they were all finished, "Go to the boats!"

With some laughter Castle and the others cleared up the table before he went to the girls and took Eliza, swinging her up onto his shoulders as they headed over to where they could hire boats. After he had paid and made sure Alexis would be okay with the girls both in the boat with her he went to the boat he and Beckett had and sat in front of the punter, his wife on the other side of him.

Waving with her husband at their daughters as they took off down the river Beckett looked over at the shore, taking pictures of some buildings she could see in the distance. She smiled as she looked at Castle and said, "Now I see why you didn't want to go without us."

Smiling as he wondered where she thought their conversation was going to go that she had thought to use Irish Castle replied, "I thought it might be romantic but didn't know we'd be alone." After they'd gone a little further he said, "Want to let me know why she asked you to help her unpack? Embarrassing stuff in her boxes?"

"No we just unpacked; quickly," Beckett replied, not thinking that Alexis would want him to know yet what they'd talked about.

"I'll find out why," Castle told her. "If I have to investigate I will," he added. He smiled when she rolled her eyes and said, "Why didn't we have the girls with us?" as he saw that some boats could seat six people.

"I think Alexis really wanted to be with her sisters," Beckett answered, not caring if the punter heard that. She smiled when he nodded in understanding and then saw him trying to turn around to look behind them. "What?" she asked.

"Just seeing if your dad and my mom are okay back there…" Castle began before he trailed off.

"They're fine, sit still," Beckett told him with a laugh. She then said to the man behind him, "Can I slide over to him?"

"Just try not to rock the boat ma'am," the punter said with a nod as he slowed them down a little for her.

As carefully as she could Beckett went over to Castle and turned around before he put his arm around her. She smiled as they were facing the same way and looked up ahead at the girls, waving as she saw their daughters were looking back at them. "Hopefully they don't knock their boat over," she said with a smile.

"Mommy and Daddy are sitting together now," Julia said with a wave back at them.

"Do they kiss?" Eliza asked, peering over Alexis' shoulder.

"I don't think so, not with the person behind them," the young woman said with a smile. "But they're enjoying themselves. Lizzy," she said a little sternly as the toddler was trying move around. "What are you trying to do?"

"Wanna see Mommy and Daddy," Eliza told her.

"Did you want to ride with them?" Julia asked her. "Instead of with us?"

Turning her head to her sisters in a rush Eliza looked at them both with wide eyes and then said, "No."

"Okay then stay still," Alexis replied before leaning back and looking around her until she saw someone she recognized on the shore. "Louis!" she called.

Glancing over at his daughter's cry Castle said, "What are the odds?"

"Slim Rick, he's going to the college too," Beckett said, laughing at him as they waved together at the young man who had stopped and was waving back. She heard Alexis calling to them where they were going to disembark and said, "I hope you don't mind, we have a guest for dessert."

"I don't," Castle replied as they watched the young man jogging again. "He's not bad. Like his father."

Beckett smiled knowing that he was on his way to accepting Louis; whatever relationship the man would have to their family besides somewhat related to them. When they reached where they stepped out of the boat she said to him, "How're you doing?"

"Very nicely, miss the family but I talked with Erin and apparently Da and Clara are going to come up here some weekends," Louis said, turning to Alexis when he finished. "To make sure you get used to living here."

"And to see you too," Alexis said in response.

"Aye that too, Clara made sure that I knew that," Louis said with a smile.

"Hello Louis," Martha said after she and Jim had gotten off of their boat. "You and Alexis will have to do that some time, that was very fun."

"We did that yesterday, I rode with Erin in the morning and before we went to eat dinner we all rode together," Louis said as they went to the street and walked back the way they'd come down the river. "Are you all set at your place?" he asked Alexis as they walked together, the girls with them and the others behind them.

"Almost," Alexis replied. "Come for dinner tonight," she said, partially wanting to spend time with him and also as she didn't want to be alone after her family left. "I'll order some pizza, we can watch movies."

"Sure," Louis said. "That would be great."

"She doesn't want to eat alone after spending so many nights with us," Beckett said softly as she and her husband; as well as Martha and Jim; had heard that.

"I know I figured that out," Castle replied with a nod. "And I don't blame her, since Diana and Padma aren't here yet."

"She'll be okay tonight," Beckett said as they soon reached the ice cream shop they'd passed on the way to the boats.

When they walked inside Castle saw that Alexis and Louis had lost their hold on the girls who were peering at the ice cream behind the glass and he went up to them saying, "You need to wait for us."

"Yeah we don't read," Eliza said with a beaming smile at them.

"I can read," Julia protested though she was trying not to laugh.

"Read now and pick one flavor," Beckett said, squeezing her shoulder before she listened to Castle reading the flavors out to their youngest.

After they had ordered and had all their ice cream Jim said to Eliza, "Yours looks good honey what is it?" He laughed slightly when she held the cup up to him before he shook his head, "Just say."

"Banana," Eliza said to him with a wide smile as they were leaving the shop to go outside and sit at the tables that were there. "It is good," she pronounced carefully.

"Hold on and let me sit," Jim replied before he did so. Once settled in his chair he picked her up, putting her on his lip and kissing her temple. He tried her ice cream and then gave her a very small taste of his; since it was espresso flavored.

"Eliza that's enough sweetie," Beckett said, seeing that her father was having to stop the toddler from digging her spoon into the ice cream.

"You're so lucky," Julia said then to Louis and Alexis. "You can come and have this when you want to."

"I should grab a pint for dinner," Louis said. "You can keep it since you've a freezer… I hope."

"Sure but I can grab it," Alexis replied.

"I'd like to pick the flavor," Louis said. "Though next time you can have a turn."

"Alright," Alexis replied with a slight laugh, nodding. "What did you want to get."

"The mango and dragon fruit," Louis replied, nodding to her cup which he'd tried when they'd been inside.

"I told you it was good," Alexis said. "So now you can buy it."

Castle listened to the two and then said, "Do you have your first class on the first day of the term?"

"No, not until Wednesday," Louis said. "I was thinking of using Monday and Tuesday to walk around, plan how I need to get to my classes quickly."

"I'll be doing that Monday," Alexis said; since he knew her first class was Tuesday.

"Want to come along with me?" Louis asked.

"Come with me and my friends," Alexis said. "We'll be heading out Monday together since Diana has that same first class as I do and Padma starts Wednesday."

"If they don't mind," Louis said with a nod.

Julia then asked after what classes he was going to be taking and all the others asked what he was planning to do with his PhD. "Are you going to just work on horses?" she said before he could answer.

"I would love to," Louis said with a smile as he'd seen how much the little girl and her sister loved the animals. "But I could work on others as well."

"Doggies?" Eliza asked.

"Those, cats, rabbits," Louis said. "There are a number of farms around I could work on cows too but bulls I'm a bit wary of. Da took us to Spain and to Pamplona."

"You didn't run with the bulls did you?" Martha asked in surprise.

"Oh no, Da wouldn't let me," Louis replied. "But watching was real eye opening, poor bulls…"

"You'll be a good vet," Julia said in awe as she looked at him with wide eyes.

That seemed to break the silence around them and they all laughed before they finished the last of their ice cream and then stood up. The family said goodbye to Louis before he headed into the store to get ice cream and the young man said goodbye to them; though he told Alexis he'd go to her place at six that night.

Walking over to the car Alexis looked at her family and smiled at them as she knew it was nearly time for them to go. She felt hands take both of hers and saw that it was her sisters so she squeezed them tightly before they got into the car to head to her townhouse after a quick stop at a nearby market.

"A palace!" Eliza cried when Jim carried her out of the car and she saw the place.

"Not really but it's nice," Alexis said. She led them inside and took them on a tour around the downstairs before they came to the family room.

"You're very lucky to have so much stuff here already," Jim commented as they then headed to the entry.

"I know but this was a special complex of townhouses, for college students," Alexis replied.

"It's beautiful," Martha said. "Very simple but a home."

"Comfy," Eliza said.

"She's right it is," Julia agreed.

"Come and see my room and see if you still think so," Alexis said, holding her hands out to them.

"Better carry her up," Castle said, looking up the two flights above them.

"Yeah!" Eliza said in exclamation.

Laughing Alexis picked her sister up and said, "Did you see the park across the street from me?"

"So families live here as well," Jim said. When the young woman nodded he said, "That will be a nice environment though you do have noise cancelling headphones?"

"I do," Alexis replied with a laugh. "Dad and Gram got them for me for my birthday at the end of my first year at Columbia. They come in handy. Jules," she then had to say as the little girl reached the second floor first and had started going over to one of the two doors.

"Not here?" Julia asked in surprise. When her sister shook her head she followed her up to the next floor and said, "All the way at the top."

"I know and here it is," Alexis said, setting down Eliza and opening the door.

Squealing the toddler ran inside and jumped up on the bed before laying down saying, "I wanna stay here."

"You can for now sweetie," Beckett said, going to sit on the edge next to her as everyone else was looking at everything.

"This is very comfortable, a nice desk…" Martha said after coming back out from inspecting the bathroom. "I declare it perfect for you darling."

"I think it is too," Julia said in agreement. "Are you gonna put stuff on the walls?"

"I will but later," Alexis said.

As they were all quiet then Beckett said softly, "I think we should go Rick. We might get people going into London and we do need to get settled back at the hotel."

With the boat ride taking some time and then stopping for groceries for his daughter Castle looked at his watch and nodded, seeing that they would be arriving in London close to five in the evening. "Yeah, you're right," he said, looking to his wife.

Smiling briefly at him Beckett said, "One more thing Alexis," as she handed her a wrapped package that had been behind her on the bed.

"But the bike…" the young woman started to say in protest. But when all the members of her family smiled at her she tore off the brown paper, revealing the latest family photo they'd taken that summer. Since they had been in Ireland on the Fourth of July they'd taken the picture that year in their hotel. They had kept their positions the same, Jim and Julia to Beckett's right and she and Martha to Castle's left. With Eliza though the toddler was given a spot on her father's lap and she smiled back at the photograph saying, "It's perfect. And you work fast."

"We had to make sure you had a wonderful picture of your family," Martha said in a slightly matter of fact tone, able to tell her granddaughter was fighting tears. "And your table is the perfect place for it."

"Right here," Julia said, pointing to the spot.

"Your mom made that space," Alexis said, waiting for Beckett to help Eliza down before she placed the frame in front of the other pictures. "So she knew already," she said, knowing the two were laughing since their mother had given her the picture. "Okay, so…" she said, smiling at the others. "Thank you all of you for everything this past week; I appreciate you learning as much about Oxford as I did."

"We needed to," Jim said as he took that as a cue for him to say goodbye first. "And we wanted to." He hugged his step-granddaughter tightly telling her, "I wish you all the best Alexis and if you ever need to get in touch…"

"I will, thank you for what you showed us in Spain," Alexis replied. "And I'll see you when I get back home in December."

Saying goodbye Jim told the others, "I'll be down in the entry."

Going over to her stepmother Alexis hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear when Beckett hugged her back, "Thank you, for everything."

"Call me if you need to, e-mail me, anything," Beckett told her. When they pulled back a little she said, "I love you Alexis and I'll miss you until December when we get you at JFK."

Smiling at that; since her stepmother had never said that to her before though it was unspoken between them; Alexis replied, "If I need to, I'll get in touch with you too. I love you too Kate." They hugged briefly and then she kissed both Beckett's cheeks; what they'd done with people they'd met in Spain; before she said, "We are European."

"We are, good luck," Beckett told her ending in a serious tone.

Nodding Alexis murmured a thank you before she turned to her little sisters and then said, "Come here you two."

After they were on the bed with her Julia said, trying not to let her chin wobble too much, "I don't want to say goodbye 'lexis."

"No 'lexis," Eliza said, shaking her head.

"Then we don't need to," Alexis told them seriously. She could help smile slightly at their wide-eyed reactions to that and said, "Just say until December."

"That's too long," Julia protested before she burst into tears. "Come back home with us, please."

Eliza then realized that when they left the townhouse their sister wasn't going to be with them and hearing Julia crying she started to do so herself, grabbing Alexis' arm before she was hugging them to her tightly. "No 'lexis," she managed to say.

"Shh, I'll be back," Alexis said to them, trying to calm them both down the best she could. "I have to come back because I don't want to miss seeing my little sisters. And you know what?" When they looked at her and tried to stop crying she said, "You'll see me as many times as I can talk to you on Skype."

"Yeah? Like Mommy and Daddy talk to us?" Julia said hopefully. When her big sister nodded she sniffed and felt a few tears falling down her cheeks before telling her, "We still want you to be at home."

"I know but we'll talk and I'll think of you whenever I see the playground across the street," Alexis told them. "So I'll miss you too," she said, trying not to let her tears fall as her sisters were holding onto her almost desperately. She carefully made them let go of her and then hugged Eliza first, putting her on her lap. "I love you Lizzy and when I talk to you again I want to hear all about what you do at school and at home too," she said seriously.

"Can I make drawings?" Eliza asked hopefully. When her sister nodded she wrapped her arms around her neck tightly and pressed her cheek against hers. "I love you 'lexis," she said in a tiny voice.

"I love you too Lizzy, so, so much," Alexis said before they shared a kiss.

"Nooo!" Eliza cried as her mother tried to pull her away. When she was in Beckett's arms she started to cry and wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"I love you Jules," Alexis then said, pulling her sister into a tight hug.

"I love you too 'lexis," Julia replied, crying and not caring that she was. After they had shared a kiss she said with a tearful smile, "Until December?"

"Until December," Alexis said reassuringly. She stood with her and led the little girl to her mother.

"It's okay," Beckett said to her husband as their daughters waved to Alexis in the doorway.