The Ugly Side

Beckett came home from work all upset one night. From the looks of it; upset wasn't the right word for it. Beckett was beyond pissed off from what Castle saw. It was just before the kids' bedtime so they were off playing in one of their bedrooms together. The quartet of kids heard their mother come home so they rushed out of the bedroom they were playing in downstairs to see her.

When the kids got halfway down the stairs they held back as they heard their parents from where they were on the steps.

"What's wrong; Kate?"

"Work." Beckett answered angrily.

"What happened?"

"What didn't happen?"

"Ryan and Espo got a case…"

"Okay; what's so bad about that? They're supposed to get cases; they are homicide detectives."

"I know that." Beckett said curtly.

"Mommy sounds mad." Johanna Martha said on the steps with her sister and brothers.

"Sounds like she's mad at Daddy." Kat commented.

"Yeah it does." the boys said in unison.

Back downstairs the very loud discussion continued on.

"So what made this case that Kevin and Javi got that put you in such a bad mood?"

"Their victim; a 38 year old woman and her 45 year old husband were murdered in their Upper East side home. After they were killed their home was robbed before their three teenage kids came home and were kidnapped by the same person or persons that killed their parents before robbing them."

"Murder, robbery and kidnapping; sounds like the boys have their hands full."

"They do."

There was a bit of pissed off look still on Beckett's face. The kids eased down the steps in the silence that was emanating from downstairs.

"There is something else that is bothering you. A case like this would bother you but not as much as this one is bothering you."

"Yes; Kevin and Javi have a lot on their plates with this case but they just got a bit of help…"

"They did?"

"Yeah; Will and Tom came in to help."

Before anything else was said; the kids came down the stairs completely. Castle and Beckett saw the frightened looks on their children's faces.

"What's wrong?" Beckett asked.

"We heard you and Daddy fighting." JJ said.

Johanna Martha and Kat were still quite afraid as they stood behind their brothers.

"Please don't get a divorce." James Royce said.

Beckett and Castle shared a look.

"Come here all of you."

The kids very reluctantly ventured to their parents' sides.

"You don't have to worry at all about Daddy and me. We're not getting a divorce."

"Then why were you yelling at him?" Kat asked.

"Uncle Javi and Uncle Kevin got a really bad case at work and two of Mommy's "friends" came back around to help your uncles out on their case and Mommy isn't too happy about that." Castle reassured his sons and daughters.

"Are you guys sure?" Johanna Martha asked.

"Yes we're sure."

"Absolutely sure?" all four kids asked.

"We're in it for the long haul. Always." Beckett said.

"Always." Castle echoed.

The kids were then encouraged to give their parents hugs which they did. After that the day ended with the kids going to bed and Beckett finished telling Castle about the case over their nightly glass of wine. Beckett knew she had to clue Castle in on the details of the case to feed his crime/mystery appetite now that he wasn't following her or the boys around anymore.