Nightmares

The kids had fallen asleep during one of Castle's stories. So Castle and Beckett took the kids to their beds in rounds. Alexis made up a place for her sleep on the couch. Once the kids were in their beds; Castle and Beckett turned in for the night.

"If any of them end up having a nightmare and come in here; we're not doing this again until they are older. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

With that they went to sleep. A few hours later things changed. Johanna Martha and Kat were standing in the doorway.

"Mommy."

"Daddy."

"Mommy."

"Daddy."

Beckett woke up and saw her daughters standing in the doorway.

"Did you two have a bad dream?"

"Yes." the girls said in unison.

"Well get on up here then."

The girls rushed over and climbed up on their parents' bed.

"Are you going to wake; Daddy up? JJ and JR were scared too. They didn't want to come in bother you. They wanted to be brave."

Beckett smiled. Her boys definitely inherited her stubborn streak.

"Can I help you?"

"I hope so. I'm Jim Beckett, Kate's father."

"I feel like I already know you, Rick. I've heard a lot of great things about you from Katie."

"Really?"

"Really.

"So, how's she holding up?"

"Well, it's kind of tough to tell with her, you know? She doesn't flinch."

"I know. She wouldn't accept a nightlight when she was a little girl. Not that she wasn't afraid of the dark, but I think she felt it was a point of pride to, you know, stare it down."

"Yeah; I'm going to wake Daddy. Were the boys still in bed when you two got up?"

"I think so." Kat said.

"I saw them go to Lexis before we tried to wake you."

"Okay."

Beckett turned to her husband.

"Rick, Rick, you have to wake up."

"Go back to sleep; Kate."

"No; you have to wake up?"

Castle switched to petulant child mode.

"But why?"

"Cause your scary stories gave the kids nightmares and the boys are keeping Alexis up."

Castle took the hint as he came to. As he got up he saw the girls sandwiched between him and Beckett.

Seconds later after Castle went to take care of the boys; the boys ended up in Castle and Beckett's bed like their sisters.

"Guess there's barely any room in there for me." Castle said after he saw the beautiful sight of their kids cozying up next to Beckett for comfort from their nightmares.

"Exactly."

"I'll go sleep in one of their beds."

With that Castle left to grab one of the free beds. He still had the sight of their sons and daughters sleeping beside Beckett in his mind as he drifted off to sleep. That image was a picture perfect moment in Castle's opinion.