'RJ, when are they gonna be here?'

Jojo followed her brother around the the table with cutlery as he put down the plates table set for a whole lotta people. Jojo loved nights like this when everyone was going to be there. One big happy family, just how she liked it.

'RJ,' she tried again when she got no response, 'when will they be here?'

'I'unno. Mumum?' RJ bellowed up the stairs. 'When are we going to have people get here?'

'In a moment RJ, Daddy and I are talking!'

RJ barely registered his sister's sigh of impatience - he knew his parents were talking about the Kali Wenthram case. It was a big case to close, one that had made everyone sad when that nice Detective Newman had gotten killed. It had made RJ very uneasy because he knew his mother was an even more important detective than Newman had been. He wished they'd just stop talking about it because it made all the fears he'd talked about with his school counselors come racing back.

RJ didn't want to feel that any more, certainly not tonight when they had people coming for a big Mexican feast. He'd even gotten to make churros with Trini's 'buela on his last school-day off and he'd put them in the freezer for safe keeping.

At the buzzing of the doorbell, RJ saw his parents come downstairs and felt a squish in his stomach - they had the look on their faces not of serious talks but the one when his father had given his mother a great big kiss. 'We have people here,' he pointed out to them. 'Daddy can we put the enchiladas in yet?'

'Has your timer gone yet?' Castle asked his son, knowing the boy loved to make a show of pulling out his iTouch whenever he could.

'No?'

'So not time yet.'

'Shane! Alexis!'

RJ's concerns over supper vanished when he saw his sister and brother in law enter with the baby carrier and bags. He felt his fingers and toes go all warm and tingly, the same way they had when Jojo had been that little, as he went over to see his precious baby. 'Hello my little Petra niece, it's Uncle RJ,' he said softly, bypassing Alexis and Shane directly for the little one. 'Do you remember being here? We had a celebration for you where we learned your Jewish name. It's such a pretty name, and tonight we are having yummy food just like that night.'

'RJ, let them come in the door,' Beckett chuckled, giving Alexis and Shane a kiss hello.

'They are inside, Mumum,' Jojo pointed out as she wandered over to greet her sister. 'Mmm, has Petra been a good girl today? Does she get to have her dessert?'

'She sure does, but she gave her papa a little scare this morning,' Alexis giggled, making Shane roll his own eyes while RJ's widened.

'What happened?'

'Her belly button fell off when we were getting her ready for her morning bath.'

'What?'

The sharpness of RJ's voice startled Petra, whose face began to crumple up as she whimpered in fright, making RJ feel even worse. 'Petra, I'm sorry! I wasn't yelling at you, but that's a very serious thing!'

With nimble moves, Alexis unfastened Petra's harness and had her in her arms for soothing her. 'Shh, it's okay, Uncle RJ was just surprised. Here, talk to her buddy.'

'Shh, it's okay, it's okay little Petra.' RJ spoke in the same voice he'd used when Jojo was a little baby like his niece. When Petra continued to fuss, he felt his heart freeze. 'I...I'm making it worse, I'm not helping. I...I gotta go.'

Before anyone could react, RJ bolted up the stairs; a few moments later, there was the sound of a slamming door.

'What's he so upset about?' Jojo inquired. 'Babies cry at loud noises, it's what happens, isn't it?'

'RJ's been feeling a little upset and stressed, remember Jojo?' Castle pointed out to his youngest daughter as he helped Shane with his things. 'The Kali Wenthram case really shook him up.'

'I'll go straighten him out,' she decided in her patent I-got-it-covered style, but Shane put a hand on her shoulder.

'I got this one, bumblebee. He needs a bro right now. You hang here with Alexis and Petra.'

'Okay.'

Heading upstairs, Shane tried to think of what he might say to the young man; with a light knock on the door, he called through the wood. 'RJ?'

'Go away!' was the muffled reply.

'Nope, won't happen pal.'

'No Just go make sure Petra is okay!'

'She's fine, buddy. I'm coming in.' Shane opened the door, felt his heart break - RJ was sprawled face down on his bed, face buried in his pillow. It was a favourite position Shane had used too when he'd been frustrated and embarrassed to be crying. 'What has you so turned upside down?'

'I told you, I would do something to mess up the baby,' RJ sniffled royally.

'Petra's fine.'

'But...but...' RJ dissolved into tears once more, flopping forward once more, causing Shane to put a steady hand on his back.

'RJ, I know you're still turned around about your mumum with the Kali case.'

'What if that happens to my mumum? Or you?' RJ very nearly wailed it. 'What if Petra has to grow up without her papa?'

'RJ, it's okay to be frightened. But you know what?' Shane waited until he'd rolled to his back and saw the boy's tear-stained face. 'If you need to talk to me or Alexis, you go right ahead.'

'I'm sorry for running away.'

'That's okay too, sometimes that's the smart thing to do.'

'Can...can you and Alexis tell me about the belly button thing?' RJ asked hopefully, and Shane smiled.

'Come downstairs, I'll tell you about it while we get ready for supper.'