A/N: Happy Birthday to my Monkeys! Their 'official' birthday was the 17th, but I figured their party could wait until the weekend. So I split this into two parts because it's long and I don't want to put you through that. So enjoy act one and act two will be up soon.
Over the years there have been some pretty memorable birthdays in their family.
Who could forget Alexis' 12th birthday scavenger hunt that ended with the group of girls having full run of the makeup counter at Macy's before getting to pick out new fancy dresses and taking a limo to their own private dance party? Or the 'Rear Window' fake murder-surprise party Beckett arranged for him after that tragic skiing accident left him injured and unable to go on their previously planned trip. Or the surprise vacation to Bermuda for Kate's 40th.
Even the quintuplets have had some memorable birthdays: a video game bus for their 9th, beating an escape room when they turned eleven, or the giant thirteenth birthday sleepover that started with a game of Hide and go Seek in the dark, and ended with soda being spilled on their brand new carpet not once, but three times.
So when three of their five kids approach them a month before their birthday, Rick and Kate knew the games had begun. They were turning seventeen, their Golden birthday, so it had to be something special; but not too special as to top the years sandwiching it.
"Yes?" Castle asks, putting down the book he had been reading and taking off his reading glasses, looking up at his kids.
"We've been talking and we decided what we want to do for our birthday," Danielle starts, obviously the spokesperson for the group, raking her hair out of her face. She stands up straighter and continues. "We want to take over The Old Haunt."
The parents look at each other, shocked; the didn't see that one coming.
"What?" Kate asks, leaning forward.
"We want to have it to ourselves and our friends. Drinks, dancing, games, karaoke; something fun where we can just hang out."
"Okay," Castle says, sharing a look with Kate. "Is that it?"
"Well, and dinner on our actual birthday like we always do," Danielle adds.
"Of course," Kate says. It's tradition; why change that?
"But," Liam starts. "We only want you guys there for some of it."
"Okay," Kate nods, willing to negotiate on that matter.
"No. Not a chance," Castle scoffs. "There is no way I'm leaving thirty-plus seventeen-year-olds unsupervised in a bar. I could lose my license!"
"Come on dad! Callum said he would chaperone!" Danielle tries.
"Oh yeah, and Saccone's older brother is real responsible," Castle retorts.
"We fixed that fence!" Miyana interjects from where she had been hiding upstairs.
"Which wouldn't have broke if he had been watching you guys like he said he would!" Castle calls to her.
"Come on, Dad! It wasn't that bad," Miyana argues, appearing on the balcony.
"Okay," Kate says, quelling the impending fight that probably would have ended with any and all prospects of a party canceled. "You dad and I are going to talk about it, okay? Give us a few."
"Okay," the kids reply, leaving their parents alone. They all head back upstairs, probably to congregate in one of their bedrooms to have their own debrief of what happened.
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When the kids disappear, Castle turns a wide eye on his wife. "Absolutely not, Kate. There is no way I'm agreeing to that."
"I get where you're coming from: we can't leave them unsupervised at the Haunt. But what if they were here?"
"Here? You want forty kids running amok here?" He asks, a sarcastic laugh bubbling up.
"Babe, they just want to be seen as grown up. To have a little privacy to celebrate their birthday with friends without adults hovering."
"I know." And he does, his kids are growing up And it hurts, maybe even more than when Alexis was their age.
"So we make them a deal," Kate continues, laying a hand on his thigh. "They can have their party at the Haunt, but after, let's say midnight, they move it here, and we leave. They can have run of the house. We know they are safe and they can enjoy themselves like I think they want to."
"Have the have run of the house? You mean the house with a just as full liquor cabinet?"
"So we'll lock it in your office. They know the rules," Kate shrugs; her kids are good.
"What do you mean 'do what you think they want to'?"
"Come on, Castle! Think about when you were their age, what did you want to do when you mom was away?"
When his eyes widen, she knows they are finally on the same page. "You don't think they are doing that, do you? They're too young!"
"I know Austin and Christine are," Kate nods. "Though I'm not sure about Mia and Shane. And after what happened with Suri, I'm pretty sure Dani won't be doing that anytime soon."
"Oh, yeah," Castle groans, remember how terrible his daughter's first real serious relationship was and horribly it ended. "How did you know they were doing that kind of stuff and I didn't?"
"Oh, you knew, you just refused to accept it; just like with Alexis." Off his sputtering rebuttal, Kate continues. "Don't try and deny it, you know it's true."
And he pouts, like a child, because he knows she's right.
"Okay? Is that a good compromise? Will you say 'yes'?"
"Yes," he nods. "I don't like it, but you're right: it's kind of the best solution."
"I'm sorry: what did you just say?" Kate asks, feigning shock.
"I said you were right," he repeats, and she smiles, and leans towards him.
"Damn right you did," she whispers before kissing him.
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"Good going, Miyana! Dad's gonna say no!" Liam yells at his sister, sitting down hard on his bed.
"Lay off her," Danielle orders, shoving her brother backward as she passes him. "It wasn't her fault, we all knew asking for a private party was a long shot."
"But at least we asked! I mean the worst that could happen is they say 'no'," Finn says.
"Sass is wondering what they said. What should I tell her?" Danielle asks her siblings, looking up from her phone.
"Tell her-"
But Mia doesn't get to finish that sentence as the next second their parents are calling them back downstairs.
"Tell her we'll know in a minute," Miyana finishes as they leave the boys' room.
The acceptance of the compromised plan comes fairly easily from the kids, especially after her parents assure Miyana that they will not be seen for the rest of the night once the kids are home. And the offer from Danielle's best friend's older brother to chaperone was not needed.
And just a quickly a date is set and party planning is in full swing.
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The next four weeks seemed even busier for the already busy family; Between school and activities, most nights they would fall into bed worn out.
But it all fell into place. Everything from the guest list and the food, to the DJ, and even limos to bring them home at the end of the night, was set and ready for the day.
And in the blink of an eye, they had reached the night before the party.
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"Where are you going?" Kate asks her daughter passing by the living room, back on her shoulder, a blanket tucked under her arm.
"Nani's picking my up. I'm sleeping over tonight and then tomorrow morning 'Cia and I are going to get our hair, makeup and nails done," Miyana explains. And a minute later headlights heralding her aunt's arrival light up the front hall, and a second later the girl gets a text message from her cousin. "Okay, I'm leaving. Love you!" Mia calls, walking to the front door.
"Love you too!" Kate replies as the door closes.
And as one leaves, four more arrive.
"Hey! We're back!" Castle calls into the house.
Kate gets up and follows his voice and meet him and the rest of her family in the kitchen. Home for a visit over the long President's Day weekend, Alexis and her family step inside looking tired after a long day's travel, but happy to be there.
"Hey!" She smiles and accepts a hug from the first person she can reach.
"Hi, Grandma!" McKenna says to her. The girl has grown a few inches since they saw her back at Christmas.
"Hi, baby! Oh, you grew!" Kate captures an extra hug from the eleven-year-old before for younger brother squeezes in.
"Hi, Grandma," Wyatt smiles at her, and she can clearly see the two empty spaces where baby teeth used to be.
"Look at you! Missing teeth, I bet the Tooth Fairy gave you good money for those baby teeth, huh?"
"Yeah! She gave me two whole dollars and some gum!" the boy cheers.
"Wow! That's awesome!" Another hug, before Wyatt disappears, looking for is uncles' stash of Nerf guns.
"Well he's gone," Alexis dryly remark.
"We won't see him for the rest of the night, that's for sure," Kate laughs, hugging her step- daughter. "Sorry, Mia's not here. She just had to go over to Letty's house tonight," Kate says, rolling her eyes.
"Don't worry. We actually saw her. She was leaving just as we were pulling in, so we talked for a bit," Alexis says.
"Oh, good," Kate smiles. "So, how are you? Everything okay?"
"Yeah, We're doing as good as can be expected," she nods.
Six months ago, Max's brother died suddenly, and his passing shook his family to the core. And not even a month after that his father suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed on his right side. Alexis and her family made the decision to move down to North Carolina to be closer to Max's family, and to be of as much help as they could.
"Good," Kate smiles, hugging her again. "Hello, baby," she says to the toddler hiding on her mom's shoulder. Chyler is still a bit wary of the new environment and all the people around, but being close to her mom helps a lot. "How are you? We're so excited you're here. Auntie Finn told me she has a surprise for you."
"Oh my goodness," Alexis sighs, trying to coax her daughter into a better mood.
"Yeah," Kate continues. "Wanna go see it?" She holds out her arms to scoop up the girl, but Chyler whines and wriggles closer into her mom's shoulder. "Maybe later."
By now the Quints have heard new voices and have come to welcome their sister and brother-in-law and nieces. And Kate gets a minute alone with Max and offers him a hug and a beer and a listening ear.
When they re-join the group, everyone is spread out over the living room. Alexis accepts the drink her husband offers and makes room on the couch for him to sit next to her.
McKenna is sitting next to her grandfather on the opposite end of the couch having a happy, clandestine conversation. Wyatt is nowhere to be found, but considering Austin and Liam are also missing, Kate can guess where they are. And Chyler is on the floor with her Auntie Finn playing with her surprise: a new tea set.
Danielle is the last member of the family to appear. Hair wet for a shower, and in a navy camisole and grey cotton pajama pants, she exchanges hellos with her family before joining her sister and niece for tea.
The rest of the night is quiet: conversations, laughter, joining the tea party, and even a sneak Nerf attack from the boys that leaves the girls shrieking revenge and the adults laughing and reminding them about running in the house.
They all trickle off to bed happy and excited about what the next day would hold.