"Mommy? What will Kindergarten be like?" Her son's voice comes from behind where she sits at the wheel.
"Well, buddy, I think it will be a lot like pre-school. You'll go and have Circle Time, and do lessons and play with toys. You'll go to recess and eat lunch and then maybe read a book. You'll have music class and do some more lessons and then you'll ride the school bus home or me or Daddy will pick you up."
"Oh. But will me and Austin be in different classes again?"
"I don't know," she answers honestly. "We'll find out when we get there."
They were just days away from the start of the school year, and headed to 'Meet the Teacher Night' at the kids' school. No sooner had she said that, they were cresting a hill and turning into the quickly filling parking lot in front of the elementary school.
There was a mass of people standing in front of the doors that led to the Kindergarten classroom, where the class lists were taped to the glass panes, so the Castle family decided to avoid that area for the time being.
"Guys, come here, I wanna show you something." Castle leads his family to a yellow marked part of the parking lot, caddy corner from the flag pole. "This is where the buses will be," he explains to his kids. "In the morning you'll be picked up by a teacher here and then he or she will take you to your class line, okay? And after school, a teacher will drop you off here and then you'll ride the bus home."
"How will we know when to get off when we go home?" Finn asks, very serious and analytical. "I'm scared we'll get lost."
"Don't' worry, Nemo, you won't get lost. The first few times you ride home, the driver or an assistant will tell you when to get off, and then once you learn, you can do it on your own. So don't worry."
"Okay," Finn answers, still worried, but assured a little bit.
Noticing the mass of people had thinned out, Kate changes the subject and gets her kids' attention. "Hey, you guys wanna go find out who your teachers are?"
That piques their interest, and a second later all five are running to find their names on the class lists.
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The kids are split between the two full-day kindergarten classes: three in one and two in the other, and unfortunately for Liam, he and his twin were once again put into separate classes, but he didn't seem too phased about it once the initial reaction wore off.
While Castle takes Liam and Danielle into their classroom to meet their teacher, Kate, Austin, Miyana, and Finn go next door to meet theirs.
The first thing Kate notices, placed directly across from the door, above the classic kidney shaped group table, is a poster for a very known and loved movie in their house.
"Look, Mommy! It's Daddy's movie!"
And apparently, her daughter noticed it too.
"I see, baby," Kate smiles.
"What do you see?" The teacher for the class asks, coming over to them.
"Your Forbidden Planet poster; it's my husband's favorite," Kate answers.
"Oh, really? That's funny, it's one of mine too," she smiles. "It's good to see you again," the teacher says, shaking Kate's hand. The two had been introduced the week before at a meeting regarding accommodations for Finn's special needs.
"You too," Kate smiles.
"I'm Ms. Barnet, what are your names?" She asks, looking down and the three kids, huddled around their mom, suddenly shy.
Kate nudges her kids to answer their teacher, but none of them start. "This is Austin, Miyana, and Finn," Kate introduces, pointing out each child in succession.
The teacher, used to her students being scared and shy at first, trudges on, encouraging the kids to talk. "Did you have a good summer?" At their nods, she continues, "Do anything fun?"
And that was what hooked them. All at once, the three siblings begin talking.
"We went to Disney World!"
"I didn't cheat doing the stairs at therapy."
"I lost a tooth!" At that exclamation, Austin smiles, revealing the gap in his mouth.
"Wow! You guys sure had an eventful summer," Ms. Barnet laughs. "Do you guys want to find you cubbies?" She points in the direction of the row of cubbies where cut out stars list each student's name in black block letters. The three Castle kids walk over and before long there are shouts of "Found mine!" and "There's my name!" and "Mommy! Cambree is in my class!"
"Really?" Kate walks over to where her daughter stands, and sure enough, Danielle and Miyana's friend from cheerleading and tumbling class is written on the nametag. "Oh! That is awesome!"
"Is she a friend of yours?" Ms. Barnet asks.
"She's mine and Dani's best friend ever," Mia answers.
"Well, I'm glad your best friend ever is in your class."
The next quarter hour is spent exploring the classroom and the bins of toys and manipulatives they get to use for math class. The kids' brand new supplies are dropped off and sorted into the correct bins, and while the kids play with the toys and a few of their fellow classmates, Kate fills out forms and a 'Getting to know you' sheet for each of her children.
"Alright: let's go," Kate says, after finishing filling out the paperwork and starting to round up her brood. "Say bye, tell Ms. Barnet you'll see her Monday!"
"Bye, Ms. Barnet! See you Monday!" Miyana's answer comes with a hug for her new teacher.
"Bye, Mia," the teacher replies, calling the girl by her preferred nickname. "I'll see you on Monday."
The other two say goodbye and the family leave the classroom, meeting their other half in the hallway.
"Mommy!" Liam shouts, running to his mother. "We have a guinea pig in our class! And we get to name it on Monday because it's a baby and doesn't have a name yet."
"Oh, that is awesome, dude," Kate comments. "Do you like your teacher?"
"Uh huh, he's nice," comes his nodding reply. "And we got to play with the Smart Board and pick our desks and –"
"Whoa! Slow down there, take a breath," Kate laughs, stopping her son with a hand.
"I'm so excited!" Liam jumps on the spot, clapping his hands together.
"I can see that," his mom says, pulling him in for a hug.
"Mommy, we have a boy teacher," Danielle tells her like it's the craziest thing she has ever heard.
"I know. I think you're gonna like him," Kate tells her daughter.
"Maybe," Danielle shrugs.
"Hey, Dani, guess what," Miyana says, sidling up to her sister as if she holds some big secret.
"What?" Danielle replies.
"Cambree is in my class." Mia gets really smug and sassy with that, cocking her head, and sitting on her hip.
"No fair! Mommy! That's not fair!" Danielle cries, offended her friend isn't in her class. She whines and protests the arrangement until they get into the cafeteria and ice cream, provided by their school's PTA as a 'Welcome Back' treat, is physically in their mouths and going down their throats. And even then, she's still not happy.
While the kids are occupied with their treat, the parents meet other families with kids in the same class as theirs. Most have older kids going to the school and so they show Rick and Kate the ropes and explain the drop-off and pick-up routes and procedures and how to go online to check grades and their class page for messages from their teacher. Rick also gets up and follows a mom to a table in the corner of the cafeteria where they can set up and add money to their kids' student account so they can buy school lunch.
Finally, after a stop to play on the playground for a few minutes, the Castle family heads home to enjoy the last few days of summer vacation.
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The first day of school dawned bright and early. Five little bodies were awoken and pushed into a new morning routine, different than ones they previously had. Uniforms were picked out; teeth were brushed, faces washed. Hair was brushed and styled per the wearer's requests. Socks and shoes were put on, and breakfast was eaten, some at the breakfast bar, others at the table used for family meals.
Grandparents and older siblings arrived to celebrate the moment and see the kids off for their first day. There were a lot of excited, little bodies jumping around telling their older sister and brother-in-law about their classes and new school and showing off new backpacks. The grandparents, who had already heard the stories in the days prior, simply chuckle and watch on, sipping the cups of coffee their children offered them.
Individual and group pictures were snapped what seemed like hundreds of times to the kindergarteners until the amount and quality satisfied the adults in the family. Said photos were immediately posted onto every social media platform imaginable, and instantly got multiple likes and comments of 'They are so big!' and 'Kindergarten already? Wow!' and the ever popular 'Give them my love!'
Finally, forty minutes before the school day was due to start, Rick and Kate got their kids loaded into the car, after hugs and kisses from older siblings and grandparents, and off to school.
Traffic was an absolute nightmare in front of the school, and Rick, who was the one driving for a change, pulled into the first spot he could find. The family walked up the hill and joined a group waiting at the corner for the crossing guard to stop traffic and allow them to cross the street. All the kids excitedly high five the guard as they cross and the individual families break off to find their class lines.
The kindergarten area was barely controlled pandemonium; bodies all over the place, voices overlapping each other, pictures flashing, laughter, tears, and forty-seven little bodies with backpacks almost as big as they are hung over their shoulders. But somehow two lines formed for the individual classes, and the kids managed to stay around the line they were supposed to.
The bell goes off the and the kids who were doing fine before start growing nervous and scared and begin to look around for their parents, making sure they hadn't left yet.
"You're alright," Rick says, rubbing his son's back. "Mommy's going to work and I'm gonna get some coffee and I'll see you later, right? Just like pre-school," he tries to reassure him, knowing he knows that, but nerves are getting the best of him.
"Okay," Austin nods, not really sure, but trying to be brave. His line starts to move and he throws a petrified look at his dad and squeezes his hand harder. Luckily, the parents are allowed to follow their kids inside and help them get settled, so Castle stays with Austin, while Kate joins Liam and Danielle to help them.
The first day is all about establishing routines, so after putting their backpacks in their cubbies, the kids go to their tables to work on Morning Work. After they finish a First Day of School activity, Ms. Barnet moves them to the carpet where they listen to a story and go over the calendar.
"Alright guys, turn to your parents and blow them a kiss and wave them goodbye, it's time for them to leave," Ms. Barnet instructs. The twenty-three kids all turn to their respective parents and do as they are told, and some call "Bye, Mommy!" and "Bye, Daddy!" including his own children. Castle smiles and waves and follows the other parents back outside.
"Well that was crazy," Castle chuckles, meeting up with Kate and hooking an arm around her waist.
"It was," she nods. "How did they get so big, Castle?"
"I don't know."
It's the only words he has. His tiny babies are grown-up and going to actual school. It seemed hard and sad when Alexis started Kindergarten, but now? It feels twenty times worse.
"Come, on," He steers them back their car; the school yard suddenly quiet. "It helps to stay busy on the first day."
Once in the car, Kate starts to cry; huge tears and hiccupping sobs. Castle stays quiet, one hand on the wheel as he starts driving again, the other on his wife's arm.
"Oh, god!" Kate sighs, raking back her hair. "I'm a mess." She wipes under her eyes and checks her visor mirror for smeared mascara. "I know they need this, to go to school and learn and be independent and make friends. but-"
"But it's hard to see them grow up because they're not babies anymore?" He finishes.
"Yeah. It's dumb, I know."
"Not dumb at all. All parents think that way."
"Yeah," she nods, blinking away the last of her tears. They've made it home and Kate unbuckles and reaches for the door handle to get to her car. "Alright, I'll see you later. I'll try and meet you at the school in time to pick them up, but if not I'll just meet you back here, okay?"
"Okay," Castle nods. "Have fun today, get lost in it for a while."
"I will. Love you."
"Love you too." And with one last kiss, Kate closes the passenger door and crosses the driveway to her car. Rick waits until she's backing out of their driveway and down their street to follow behind, headed to a coffee for a writing date with a few friends.
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"I believe you, Carla. I know it was just an accident. You didn't mean to kill her. I know that," Kate says to the girl curled into a ball on the chair across from her. She's refusing to meet her eyes, but Beckett knows she's gotten through. "I can help you. But I need you to say it." There's another moment of silence where the only sound in the room is the clock ticking and their breathing.
"I did it. I stabbed her," Carla finally says before breaking down, hiding her face in her knees.
While Carla fills out her end of the paperwork, Kate leaves the interrogation room, making a beeline for her desk. She grabs her phone and luckily Castle hasn't texted her yet asking where she is. Until a second later when a message buzzes through.
You left yet?
Kate, phone in hand, goes to the open door of her captain's office and knocks once on the doorframe to signal her arrival.
"Sir? The case is closed, got a full confession. All that's left to do is paperwork. I know we're still on call until five, but mine and Ryan's kids had their first day of school today and I know they would love it if we were there to pick them up."
"Yes, you and Detective Ryan may leave early," Captain Gates says, taking off her reading glasses. "I remember how important the first day was."
"Thank you, Sir," Kate says, turning to leave, hoping Gates will say what she is thinking she will.
"And tell Detective Esposito he can leave as well. No use letting two of you go and not the third."
"Yes, Sir, thank you," Kate responds, smiling.
Leaving right now. Be there soon.
Off her two partner's questioning looks, Kate nods at them and smiles and the boys waste no time in shutting down their computers and packing up to leave. Javi reaches the elevator first and holds the door for the other two. They ride down to the parking garage together and split off for their individual cars, calling goodbye to each other.
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"Hey!" Kate says, striding up to him, quickly kissing his cheek. They're standing with the other parents in a group in front of the kindergarten doors, just as they were that morning.
"Hey. Good day?"
"Yeah, actually it was. I did what you said: I got lost in it."
"And?"
"And it worked. Closed the case just before you texted me. Full confession and everything," she smiles.
"Nice," he grins back.
They're only waiting another few minutes before the bell rings, and a moment later kids start appearing around the corner, headed home in a million different directions. The kindergarten kids not riding a bus or headed to After School Care are released one by one to their parent or guardian.
Liam spies them first, and after pointing them out to his teacher, dashes over to them. "Mommy! Daddy!"
"Hey, buddy!" Rick says, catching his son in a hug.
"Did you have a good day?" Kate asks after getting her own hug.
"It was awesome!" He's barely begun his explanation of his day when his siblings rush them, each one equally excited. There are hugs all around and somehow Kate ends up carrying three of their backpacks.
Their walk back to the car is full of excited chatter and tales from their first day: Miyana and Cambree sitting together at the same table, Austin's class getting PE as their special for the day, the guinea pig in Liam and Danielle's class had been named Twilight Ninja. Once everyone is buckled in, Kate leaves the rest of her family for her own car and ten minutes later, everyone is back home.
Folders stuffed with paperwork for the parents to sign and look over are opened and flipped through, and five kids sit at the kitchen table and work on their first homework assignment: tracing patterns and the letters in their names.
Their regular nightly routine continued as normal with play time, dinner, showers, relaxing with a show, and then up to bed to do it all again tomorrow.
"What was your favorite part of today?" Kate asks her daughter as she tucks her in.
"Um, I liked free choice and reading books best," the girl answers, looping an arm around her favorite stuffed animal.
"I'm glad you had a good day," Kate smiles. She gives the girl one last kiss and heads for the door. After one last 'I love you', Kate turns out the light and closes the door.