'Ahhh!'

'Oooo, what a big yawn!'

Alexis grinned as she watched Petra yawn, then offer up her own little gummy grin. 'I bet you're still tuckered out from all that partying at the holidays, aren't you? Between Chanukkah and New Years, and Auntie Jojo's birthday, you've been just go-go-go. And now you and Papa are going out with the boys, aren't you?'

'She sure is,' Shane agreed as he rubbed his towel over his face, reached over onto the bed where Petra was squirming like a cute little garter snake. 'Yep, you sure are!'

'He's gonna go play cards with Poppy Rick and his friends, including Zane's daddy,' Alexis grinned, 'and he's gonna win all their money because of you. Yes you, the new baby that is a good luck charm!'

'Ahh-ahh.'

'Aww, what a little sweetie-pie.' Alexis gave Petra raspberry-kiss on her belly. 'Who's all going?'

'It'll be small. Ryan, Espo, Rick, Adam and Watkins.'

'What?'

Shane chuckled; everyone knew the gang's poker games were sacrosanct men-only territory. He could count on one hand the number of times a girl had been invited to their boys' club. 'She and Adam have a case to work on, so Adam and I are tagging each other in since little miss here is coming with us.'

'Eee!'

'That's right, whee!' Alexis scooped Petra up to put her in her party clothes. 'Then when you're home and need your midnight bottle, you have to share all the gossip!'

'Don't be nervous.'

'Why should I be nervous, I know all these people.'

Adam chuckled as he watched Watkins fidget outside the door of Castle's loft. 'But you are getting to know them on a personal level. That's different than being at the office, so to say. And I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty they only let the elite into their circle. Like Mensa or something.

'Hehehe, Mensa in Black,' Watkins giggled, then pokered up when the handsome ME who was also Castle and Beckett's son-in-law opened the door, his new little girl cradled in his arms and sucking heroically on her bottle.

'Hey guys, come on in!'

Shane stepped back in welcome, neatly shifting Petra so he could take Watkins' bag in his free hand. 'Heard the news, how are you feeling?' he asked the pregnant woman, which made Watkins laugh.

'Tired but the doctor said that's to be expected. And hungry, like all the time.'

'Well, we'll fix you up. Castle got pizza from Petrelli's, beer-'

'Uh pregnant,' Watkins reminded him, patting her belly.

'Interrupter. We have beer both ginger and real.'

'Oh, yummy.'

'Here.' Shane passed Petra to Watkins. 'I need to hit the head before we sit down.'

Watkins studied the baby who was magically a perfect mix of Shane and Alexis. She had red hair, but dark and deep blue eyes that might lighten to her mom's tone as well. She was such a little cutie; Watkins fell her eyes well up that in a short while this would be her turn. 'Adam, do you think I'm silly for getting pregnant just after a promotion?'

'Not at all. Lindsay and I wanted to wait and we ended up making Zane on our wedding night.'

'Blb!'

'See Petra agrees,' Adam laughed, then looked up at Shane who'd come back from the men's room. 'Someone's got nervous mommy hormones already.'

'You just hang on to Petra there, she's good at cheering people up.'

As if to reinforce her father's opinion, Petra wriggled around until she'd settled herself happily against Watkins shoulder and began to suck on her fingers. 'There, see? You're a natural.'

'Or she's a good baby.'

'No, no, she's good but she is as stubborn and opinionated as her mumum,' Shane laughed, steering them towards the poker table. 'There we are. What do you want to eat?'

'No food yet!' Esposito bellowed from the kitchen, then looked over to see Watkins and he flashed his grin. 'Hey Detective!'

'Detective Esposito.'

'Have you gotten used to that?' He winked at her, neatly stole the baby out of her arms. 'Come see Tio Javi, baby girl.'

'Yeah, Brie gets a kick out of it. She makes a point of saying it when she's upset with me. But that's less and less these days since I'm getting in the first round of heavy lifting.'

'That's cool that you're going to alternate who carries the baby,' Castle commented, snagging a chip from the sideboard. 'I'm sure there's a few of us who'd like to have done that for our wives too.'

'Mere and Max,' Esposito chipped in; Ryan who'd been searching in the fridge for limes to go with their Coronas, joined him and passed him a bottle of beer.

'Really?' He took a sip, eased Petra from his partner's arms into his own to give her a loving little jostle. 'I'd have though you'd say the twins.'

'It's the only thing I'd pick to erase from my entire history with her. Watching her so scared in that ER, the idea I might lose them both from that cyst bursting...' Esposito shook his head. 'I could definitely do without that part.'

'I don't think Tio Javi realizes how much stronger that made all of his kids and his marriage,' Ryan told Petra who gave a wiggle and a kick with a grin. 'Exactly we should cheer for them because they are so good and brave.'

'Or she just sees me and wants her papa,' Shane laughed coming over to crunch a handful of pretzels before he took his baby back. 'Come here my precious gem, you're not a party favour being passed around.'

Petra responded by scrunching up her face and giving a loud fart, causing Ryan and Esposito to burst out laughing. At the joyous noise, she split her face into a happy grin which made her father roll his eyes playfully.

'Funny girl.'