Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this song are one lyric which is a variation of the song Bless 'Em All, written by Fred Godfrey the variation lyric is in Paul McCartney's movie Give My Regards to Broad Street, the others are form the songs Lavatory Lil written by Paul McCartney, from his album McCartney III and Let Me Entertain You written by Freddie Mercury, from the Queen album Jazz.
A/N #2: It was great getting the feedback for the last chapter I did so I'll start on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I was really pleased to read you thought the last chapter was very good writing!) and
Mb (I was glad to read you thought the first half of the chapter was another wonderfully written update as you put it. And I'm not surprised you love seeing them together enjoying the vacation with the kids having fun and being with their families and friends since I enjoy when I get to those stories. And Vancouver is great with a ton to do, I want to go back so badly, lol. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! It was nice to see you thought the second half was once again a winning update. I wasn't surprised you mentioned the concert, lol, but I am really happy that you enjoyed that! And the same for you mentioning Julia and Mari talking about their day and Seattle since I thought you would enjoy that! I had to laugh at you mentioning Castle and Beckett celebrating their last night in Vancouver as only they can as you put it but you're definitely right! I thought it would be interesting to have them go on a ferry instead of flying, since it isn't too far so glad you thought it was nice! I was really pleased you enjoyed them getting to the hotel close to the wharf and then the surprise of everyone there to explore Seattle. You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter too!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is the name of a song but the only information I could get is it's sung by Dave Holden from his album The Holdens (I think) and I'm not entirely sure who wrote it.
Seattle On The Puget Sound
"Mari."
Turning at her name, the girl hurried over to the investigator who was calling her and said, "What's wrong?"
"I'm going to ask just one last time," Skye began to say.
"I'm fine with visiting here first; really," Mari said firmly. She saw the doubtful look on Skye's face and then asked, "You said your friend's last day before vacation was today, right?"
"It is, but we're doing something for you tomorrow," Skye said.
"Just for me?" Mari asked in confusion.
"Well… granted you know what it is already," Skye commented after thinking that over for a moment.
"What are you talking about?" Julia asked in confusion.
"I think we're going to have to tell them," Skye said to Castle while they were gathering together on the sidewalk near the museum.
"Yes, because I already know," Mari said with a frown. "It's not fair."
"Definitely not fair," Jacob commented.
"Alright, we're going to go to the aquarium and the Space Needle," Castle said.
"Inside?" Eliza asked.
"That's the plan," Castle commented.
"I've been there," Mary said in amusement when the writer glanced at her. "And I'll be fine." She then turned to her wife and said, "I think we're ready to go grá."
"Hopefully," Skye said, leading the way over to the aircraft that was in front of the Museum of Flight. She felt her wife touching her arm and glanced at her saying, "I know."
"Are you sure," Mary said, speaking in Irish as her wife had.
"I'm not sure they'd want to go," Skye said.
"You know you can ask us," Beckett commented, just as they were standing in front of the plane.
"Ask what?" Adam asked.
"Is it the size of the group now?" Mary asked her wife in confusion.
"No, I mentioned how many more of us there were, and she said go ahead," Skye replied absently. She then breathed out and spoke in Xhosa quietly with Nkosi before she said, "They've been trying ever since Everett got in."
"And they haven't had as much trouble as four years ago," Nkosi said with a nod. "But you're doing it right?"
Laughing Skye said, "You're not certified," speaking in a firm tone. She turned to the others and said, "I was called by a close friend who's head of the headquarters here in Seattle."
"Your mum's old position," Paul said.
"You remembered," Skye commented. When the singer nodded, she then said, "Yes, I mentioned we'd be coming here to the museum, and she asked to see me at the field."
"What field?" Brian asked before they were turning around back towards the parking lot. "My mistake," he yelled when he saw the FedEx plane landing.
"Yeah, it's called Boeing Field and they have the newest 737 there," Skye said.
"You said certified," Marie said, beginning to yell before she stopped since the plane was down the runway by then. She gasped and asked, "Are you going to fly it? Please say you will, and we can go," looking up pleadingly at her mother before she was responding with a laugh.
"First no, we'll tour the plane," Skye said.
"All of us?" Rodger asked, obviously startled.
"Yeah, she joked about them renting one for tours," Skye said though she directed the end to Nkosi.
"I'm not surprised," he replied. "Though…"
"Easier with busses these days," Paul said, not surprised when the members of Queen nodded in agreement with him.
"Did you want to ask for our agreement?" Stella asked.
"Yes," Skye said simply, not surprised when some of them laughed.
"I'm all for it," Castle said immediately.
When her husband glanced at her Beckett said, "Will they allow pictures?"
Hesitating, Skye then said, "I'll have to ask but to be honest probably not." When the others were indicated they'd be alright with going, she nodded and then said, "Am I the tour guide?"
"You can too Trev," Darnley told his husband. "Give her a break sometimes."
"For some things; not everything," Nkosi said. "But you can start with this one."
Glancing at her husband at the obvious look between the two investigators, Beckett turned back to Skye when she was beginning to speak.
"This is the Lockheed 1049G Super Constellation," she was telling everyone. "And not to sound like a tour guide for real, the most unique thing about this plane is the tail with its larger vertical stabilizers."
"Cool," Julia said, not surprised Mari and Kathleen standing with her were immediately agreeing. She then noticed something and asked with a gasp, "Can we go inside?"
"We can," Skye replied. "Wait!" she said then the kids were about to take off for the stairs. "No running on the plane, it's older and we really don't need to break anything on it."
"We were just going to run to the stairs," Bobby said.
"Hopefully you were serious," Alasdhair told his son.
"Yeah," Bobby replied, pretending to sound like he was lying.
Moving to the stairs the group went up into the plane and the kids were walking down the aisle to the flight deck.
"This is the coolest… well… it's cool but the chairs are ugly," Bailey commented.
"Definitely," Julia said in agreement.
"But how old are these planes? This type I mean," Eve commented.
"Who cares?" Bailey asked before they were laughing together.
"How're you doing Dad?" Skye said to her father.
"Good, I'm ready to finally see this place," Liam replied with a smile.
"You haven't yet?" Martha asked, sitting on the other side of the table in the middle of their four airplane chairs.
"Never could manage until now," Liam said.
"You insisted on going to England every time," Skye said teasingly. She then turned to Beckett when she was walking up to her, becoming startled at the expression on her friend's face. "I don't want to ask," she said in concern before the writer was leading her to the top of the stairs and speaking firmly.
"What happened?" Beckett asked. "Don't try to evade that, Rick and I saw the looks on yours and Trevor's faces."
Glancing back inside the plane, Skye wasn't surprised their spouses were standing in the doorway before she focused on her wife. "You know already," she told her.
"Of course, but you might want to tell them," Mary replied.
"And they likely know already," Skye said. "You may have seen this type of plane already on ACI."
"Yeah, we did," Castle said. "The 1956 Grand Canyon collision. And that explains it."
"It does," Beckett said in agreement when her husband turned to her. "You're afraid we'll hate planes."
"She does," Mary said, smiling a little when her wife made a face.
"I do, I've come up against that for a long time," Skye confirmed.
"And what about Boeing yesterday," Beckett then said when she recalled. "Is it the MAX?"
"It is," Skye said a little hesitantly. "We both investigated that. Me first with Lion Air 610 almost four years ago and Trevor four months after that was investigating Ethiopian Airlines 302 though we kept in touch with each other."
"They've fixed it," Mary said, going to her wife and holding her by her shoulders.
"I know, but I feel like Mum would have been… devastated," Skye said.
"We've talked about that," Mary said seriously. "And the company is in better hands now."
"Right," Skye replied. "Sorry," she told the Castles who were both in the doorway of the plane. "It was difficult for me."
"Understandable," Castle said, seeing his wife nodding out of the corner of his eye.
"And I haven't been back here to Boeing since the MAX investigations," Skye said.
"She got into an argument the day they were shown the MAX's angle of attack," Mary commented. "And almost in Congress too."
"I remember that," Beckett said.
"Then you knew I'd investigated the cases already," Skye said.
"We didn't want to mention it," Castle said.
"I appreciate that," Skye said. She glanced back inside and said, "We better go though, Everett's expecting us after lunch."
"Will we have time?" Beckett asked while her husband and Mary walked back inside.
"We'll have to make sure we do," Skye replied.
"I just wonder if there's enough time for you," Beckett said, not surprised when her friend laughed briefly.
"There will be, don't worry," Skye assured her before she saw Ivy was coming out of the plane. "Did you enjoy that?" she asked her second youngest.
"Yeah, but it's pretty old Mummy," Ivy answered.
"We'll see some newer ones," Skye promised before leading her down the stairs. After they were all together, they went inside the building, and she saw the other friend she was planning on meeting that day. "Nelson," she said to the man as he walked up to them.
"I thought you were lost," he told her, sharing a brief hug with her.
"Liar, you're well aware of where we were just now," Skye said in mock annoyance. "I told you there were a ton of us," she said when they turned to the others. "And since there are I'm going to be quick," she added before she proceeded to introduce the others. "Everyone, this is Nelson Beasley and he's in charge of the museum these days," she told the group once she was finished.
"Nice to meet all of you," he said. "And I hope you enjoyed the Lockheed," Beasley added. He laughed with Skye and the other adults when the kids were saying at once that they did before he told them, "There's a lot more to see of course so I hope you won't mind if I guide you."
"Oh good, Trevor and I thought we were going to have to do it all on our own," Skye commented.
"Not unless you want to," Beasley replied though he was shaking the other investigator's hand when Nkosi walked up to him.
"I told you to join us," Skye said with a smile before he was pointing their attention to the plane above them.
After he had explained a little about the Rumpler Taube reproduction plane Beasley said, "I do have to know one more thing-"
"You have the map remember," Skye said firmly.
"Okay," Beasley replied before he led them past the entry and to the left.
Taking pictures of the planes they were walking around, Beckett wasn't surprised noticing her husband was listening to their guide closely and eventually she squeezed his hand saying, "I'm glad you're enjoying it."
"I hope Mari and Paul are," Castle said, nodding his head firmly. He squeezed her hand gently before they were leaving that section of the museum and seeing what the next one was said, "Especially now."
"Don't worry," the singer himself said as they reached the first plane in the WWII gallery, walking by them. "They're decommissioned." He saw the kids were looking at him and he said, "How d'you like that word? Skye taught it to me."
Laughing the investigator said, "I did not… but I would have if you hadn't known." She wasn't surprised when Paul merely nodded before they were going through the rest and then making their way to the second floor of the building.
"Are you alright with this?" Julia whispered to her friend when they'd finished with the second floor and were making their way back downstairs.
"Yeah, it's cool," Mari said.
"You're waiting for the commercial airplanes, aren't you?" Marie asked.
"I think that's you, isn't it?" Eve asked her.
"She wants to be a commercial airline pilot," Kathleen told the Willis kids. "Like our mum."
"Though she's right, those are nice planes," Reiley commented.
"I can't wait for the 747!" Marie cried, jumping up and down. "The City of Everett!"
"She's pissed," Miller said, startled when his sisters and brother hissed at him. "Oh… sorry, I meant wasted… wasted right?"
"Yeah," Marie said with a laugh. "And I'm not, I just can't wait to see the plane."
"You're not going to tell us anything else about it?" Jacob said.
"No," Marie said firmly before they were going outside and onto a bridge.
"Wait-" Bailey started to say.
"The rest of the museum is this way," Kathleen interrupted. "And do you guys like NASA stuff?" she asked them.
"Sure," Bobby said firmly.
"Yeah, who doesn't like space?" Miller asked. "They have stuff here?"
"Boeing's made stuff for NASA?" Julia guessed.
"They have," Marie said. "So get ready."
"You should know," Beasley was saying to everyone. "A lot of this stuff is a reproduction, but since a few things are in space still…"
"It's needed," Nkosi said.
"Are you glad I'm here for this?" Beasley asked, looking between the investigators.
"Very," Skye said. "Well out of my wheelhouse."
"Mine too," Nkosi added before they were laughing together.
Watching the pair, Beckett was a little startled when Skye abruptly stopped and was looking over at Brian May. She covered her mouth with her hand when Rodger was doing the same shortly after and the guitarist gave them a feigned angry look.
"It's astrophysics, not astronaut," Brian said.
"I think it's close enough," Anita told him. She laughed briefly when her husband shook his head, though he was smiling, and she squeezed his arm before saying, "Go ahead, we do want to see what you have in this collection."
While they were being led around the different space related objects, Castle had Josie since the toddler had rushed over to him. "What do you think sweetheart?" he asked her with a smile as she was looking at the Sputnik satellite they were looking at.
"Ball," Josie said. "Can I play?" she asked.
"Yes, but not yet and not here," Castle said. He laughed when she was frowning at him and kissed her cheek before saying, "There's more to see."
"And now we've come to… what's my favorite part of this collection," Beasley said to the group. "This is a mockup of the shuttle for training for the astronauts."
"Could we go in at all?" Rodger asked.
"I hope so," Adam said firmly.
"We can," Beasley replied before they were heading inside.
Inside the middle of it Castle looked at Josie and asked, "What do you think of this?"
"It's awesome," Eliza said. When she saw her parents were looking at her, she giggled and said, "I know you asked Josa, but I wanted to say too."
"I was going to ask you right after your sister," Castle assured her, hugging her to him with his free arm. He then turned to Josie and said, "What're you thinking ceann beag?"
"I go… fly," the toddler said.
"We will, but not just yet," Beckett said, having taken a picture of Josie looking up above them.
"Are we going to the commercial stuff yet?" Julia asked Nkosi when they were finishing with the space gallery.
"We're going right now," Skye said. "Calm down sweetling," she told her oldest.
"Mum," Marie muttered, blushing.
"Couldn't help it," Skye said, her arm wrapped around her. Looking on while they were walking around the B-17F she said when Beasley had stopped talking about it, "We'll stop with the warplanes at some point."
Laughing Brian said, "They are inanimate right now."
"And if they were flown right now, they wouldn't be used for war," Nkosi said. "Don't sing it," he told the investigator firmly.
"But I want to, and I wouldn't complain about it," Skye said, frowning though she was nearly smiling when the others were scoffing.
"You still do that?" Beasley asked.
"She does," Mary said in amusement. "But let's keep going."
"We will, next is the B29 Superfortress," Skye said. She saw the way her friend was looking at her and asked, "Did I steal the steam out from under you?"
"You never say that right," Beasley said, rolling his eyes though he was exaggerating that.
"No, but it makes you laugh," Skye said as they walked up to the large plane.
When they walked up to a 737 after that, Beckett looked at Skye and saw she was laughing before she spoke.
"Alright, alright, my wheelhouse now but you realize you know as much as Trevor and I do about these," the investigator told Beasley in protest at his look.
"You deliver it much more interestingly," Nkosi said.
"He's right, I'm leaving these ones to you," Beasley then replied.
"Okay," Skye said. "As you heard this is a 737 but this one was used by NASA, and it was the first 737 made; last one made at Plant 2." Though she had told herself not to go into too much detail, she found she couldn't help herself before cutting herself off abruptly. "Sorry, the 737 was the second plane I managed to get certified for so…"
"Your enthusiasm is infectious," Adam said.
"Thanks, at least you're okay with it," Skye said with a laugh. "Next plane please!"
"Right this way," Beasley told her before she was groaning playfully.
"I think you're up again pilot," Rodger told her.
"I am," Skye said, seeing her oldest looking at the plane in awe. "This is the third 787 Boeing ever made, the Dreamliner, and yes, we can go inside Marie."
"Now?" the girl asked.
"Alright," Skye said.
"Good idea," Mary told her wife when she walked over to her. "She would have never been able to handle the wait."
"Ivy either," Stella said. She smiled at the couple when they looked at her and explained, "It wasn't hard to notice."
"I'm not surprised, she wants to follow her mum's footsteps too," Mary said.
"Which career?" Paul asked.
"I think they'll try to work at both," Skye said.
"Think they-" Castle started to say before they were reaching the interior of the Dreamliner and he cut himself off before Skye was talking to him jokingly.
"Your awe seems strange," the investigator said.
"How often have you… have we regular passengers been on a plane with no one else on it?" Castle said, pretending to be annoyed though he'd had to correct himself.
"Good point," Skye said. She saw the kids were looking around but staying near them and she asked Beasley, "Alright if they go around?"
"Of course," the man said with a nod. Watching them go, and some of the older adults sit on the seats, Beasley turned to Beckett and asked, "You're the photographer, aren't you?"
"Is this a business venture?" Skye immediately asked.
"A picture for the website," Beasley explained.
"Here?" Skye asked in surprise.
"I thought of having you and Trevor here on a row," Beasley replied. "The one thing is though the museum-"
"Wouldn't be able to pay," Castle interrupted. When the head of the museum frowned, he said, "We're aware you're a non-profit."
"Yes, but we would definitely give you credit," Beasley said.
"Where would you put the picture though?" Skye asked him.
"With the I Bought a Museum page," Beasley replied rapidly. "It's one of our premium experiences."
"Alright," Beckett said.
"You… really?" Beasley asked in surprise.
"Just one picture, right?" Beckett asked. When the head of the museum nodded, she smiled and turned her attention to the row Beasley directed the two investigators to. Getting her camera ready she wasn't surprised when Skye, on the aisle seat, turned back to look down the aisle and she took the picture rapidly. Making sure it had come out she showed it to the head of the museum, not surprised he nodded.
"It's perfect, I'll let you know when we're finished walking around how to send it to me," Beasley said.
"Sure," Beckett replied before she jumped when Iris was screaming at the curtain behind them.
"Easy," Mary said, walking up swiftly to the little girl. "Skye?" she told her wife.
"It's a mockup of a flight test," Beasley explained, walking to them and pulling the curtain aside. "Well, the aircraft as a flight test airplane," he said.
"Is it okay I did that?" Iris asked nearly tearfully.
"Of course," Beasley said. He stepped back when the others were walking over and he said to Skye, "I forgot to warn you."
"I forgot it was like that," the investigator said with a nod. Skye then said, "We have a lot more to see, don't we?"
"A lot," Beasley replied.
"Now?" Marie asked since her mother was looking at her.
"Hold on," Skye said laughingly before they were leaving the plane.
Watching Marie and Ivy, Beckett wasn't surprised when the two were peering down a little towards the 747 they would get to after the Antonov Colt. She then happened to glance at Julia and saw quickly the teen was looking at the plane as well. When they were walking to it, she called to her daughter and said with a smile, "Are you eager to go inside too?"
"Yeah," Julia said. "You aren't?"
"Believe me I am," Beckett replied before they turned to their attention to the stairs.
"I told you," Skye said swiftly to Ivy when she heard her daughter's short sound of dismay. "This is its flight test configuration." When the little girl nodded, she then turned and said to the others, "I already know Nelson wants me to take this, but I also know you want to see everything…"
Marie smiled at her little sister when Ivy giggled, and then told their mother, "Yeah, but tell the others Mum."
Nodding Skye began saying, "This is the first 747 Boeing ever built and it was used for launching."
"We've seen that," Julia said. "Where the flight attendants hit… something in front of it with champagne bottles?"
"And some of them start too soon," Eliza said.
"We watched part of the documentary on the Smithsonian Channel," Castle quickly explained when Skye looked at him and Beckett.
"It wasn't able to fly then," Ivy suddenly said.
"She's right, they had a lot of issues with the engines," Skye said.
"Pratt & Whitney," Beasley added.
"But she flew in the end," Nkosi said.
"And luckily they brought this one here now," Skye added. "So, walk around, but let's wait to go upstairs since we won't all fit there."
"It's that small?" Adam asked.
"It is," Liam said. He smiled when everyone looked at him and he said, "She's told me about it, and we looked at it online."
"You flew this variant, didn't you?" Beasley asked.
"I did, and then the 200," Liam replied. "So it's a little like coming home."
"You forgot the 300 too Grandda," Kathleen said.
"True, but I think everyone knows that already," Liam replied with a smile. He then waited for the others to walk ahead of them and went with his husband after to the first display in the lower portion of the fuselage.
"I remember my first time on a 747," Brian said.
Laughing Rodger said, "I was with you, so I do too of course."
"And my first time," Paul said. He smiled and told Skye, "I thought it'd never get off the ground."
Scoffing the investigator said, "That's what four engines are for."
"But they didn't know you then," David said before they were laughing.
"Alright, I'll give you that, but you had great flights I'm sure," Skye said.
Listening to the adults laughing Julia said, "Skye is so happy right now."
"So are we," Marie and Ivy said at exactly the same time before they were looking at each other and laughing. When she and her sister had calmed down, she then said, "But we seriously are, we've seen the same movie about the 747," a little startled when Julia was responding to that.
"Have you seen the whole thing?" she asked.
"I did," Marie said, not surprised when her sisters were pointing to her.
"How?" Julia asked.
"What is it?" Miller said in surprise before Marie could answer.
"Go back to the adults, let them know we finished looking at everything down here," she told her little sisters.
"It's okay," Julia said when Eliza turned to her. She watched the younger kids leaving before she said, "They show a plane crash."
"It was in Afghanistan," Marie took up. "And it was the crash."
"How could you watch that?" Reiley asked in surprise.
"I didn't watch the moment," Marie admitted after hesitating for a while. She shared a look with her twin and added, "I couldn't."
"I'm not surprised," Reiley said.
"Kids," Castle said. "And Miller," he added.
"Not all of us are that young," Bailey said immediately.
"I know, it was easier to get your attention that way," Castle replied with a laugh. "But the grandparents are heading up first with Skye, Trevor and Mr. Beasley so will you be okay waiting?" he then asked them.
"Yeah," Julia said, the others agreeing with her. "Hopefully we go soon," she added.
"Don't worry, we will," Castle said in amusement.
"They're okay with the plans?" Rodger asked.
"I think they needed to be," Brad said.
"Are you speaking as an officer?" Paul inquired.
"No," Brad said with a laugh. "I'm remembering what Skye said about us not all fitting up there."
"Are the younger kids going up first?" Nancy then asked the others.
"Will they be able to handle them?" Beckett said in response, though she was directing that to the other parents.
"I think so," Skye commented. When the others turned to her, she smiled and said while she stepped off of the spiral staircase, "I'm waiting for my dad."
"I can go down the stairs," Liam said in mock annoyance. "Though why they made these so small…"
"Did you use it much Grandda?" Fleur asked.
"A bit," Liam said, hugging her when she had hurried over to her. "Have fun up there but don't go crazy."
"Will you be alright by yourself?" Beckett asked Eliza.
"Wait," Skye told her. "I think you and Lily should bring up Josie and Sophie."
"Just in case?" the chef asked.
"That and I wouldn't want either of them to get upset," Skye explained. "Also are they going to be able to go on their own?"
"They will," Beckett said firmly, taking Josie's hand.
"Yeah, Sophie will make sure she does," Lily said in amusement.
"Okay, then let's head up," Skye said, gathering her three youngest before they were going upstairs, and Ivy was reacting to the lounge they came to at the top.
"Ah! That's terrible," the little girl said before she froze and glanced at Beasley.
"Remember," the man said, smiling. "They started flying this plane in 1970."
"He's right," Liam called up the stairs. "Garish, disgusting fabrics as far as you can see."
Laughing with the others Iris went to the stairs and looking down at her grandfather said, "You should have told them not to."
"I wish I'd had that reach lass," Liam said. "But keep looking, there's a little more to see."
"Mummy," Fleur said.
"Yes?" Skye asked.
"Why are there seatbelts 'ere?" Fleur said with her own question.
"Did you have to wear the seatbelt still?" Eliza asked the investigator before she could answer.
"Exactly, this was just the lounge, so it wasn't your normal seat," Skye explained.
"Too bad," Lily commented, helping Sophie onto one of the larger two-seater couches along the back. "Mind taking a picture?" she asked her friend while Beckett was putting Josie on the chair next to her daughter.
"That was my plan," she replied before she turned her attention to the toddlers. "Can you two stay still for the picture?"
"Eh," Josie replied first.
"Mama?" Sophie asked.
"Easy," Lily said, squeezing her hand gently. "Just wait for the picture and then we'll go see the cockpit," she added.
"Ooh," Sophie said. "Jos," she said, turning to her.
"Eh," Josie replied.
"Girls," Skye said laughingly. "You need to pose for your picture."
After she'd managed to get the picture, Beckett helped Josie down and led her to the flight deck where she couldn't help her eyes growing wide at the sight of it. "You could fly this," she told Skye.
"Technically yes, Dad taught me," the investigator answered. "In fact, no. I'm certified for the 400 and the 8."
"And you fly them very well," Nkosi said.
"I would hope," Skye said. "But you have permission to sit here," she told them, pointing out the jump seat behind the pilot's chair. "And lean in to look at the instruments and panels, but no touching at all. That's an immediate leaving the plane." She nearly laughed when the kids were all nodding, Josie and Sophie a little behind the six older kids, but just managed to stop herself and said, "Go ahead."
While Eliza, the McDouglas girls and the Darnley kids were taking turns looking around the flight deck, Beckett turned to Skye and said, "What's wrong?"
"Ask Nelson," the investigator responded easily, glancing at her friend out of the corner of her eye.
"Would it be possible for you two to sit at the pilot and co-pilot's chairs," Beasley said.
"And what will we be doing? Looking back with smiles?" Nkosi then said.
"Our hands on the throttles I would imagine," Skye added. She saw how hesitant Beasley appeared and laughed briefly before saying, "Take it easy, I'm all for it and if Trevor and Kate are in then we'll do it," not surprised when the pair were responding at the same time.
"We are," they said before glancing at each other and laughing.
"Should we wait until everyone comes through?" Skye asked Beasley.
"Yeah," he replied with a nod.
"Okay, then you're all set?" Skye asked her daughters since they'd allowed the other kids to go inside. "I was thinking of allowing the oldest to take their turn."
"Of course," Beasley replied with a quick nod. "You'll have to divide the adults."
"I think they know already," Nkosi said before he watched Lily letting Sophie sit on the chair.
"Would you mind if I wait for my husband?" Beckett asked the head of the museum.
"Not at all," Beasley said.
"Have him join us before the picture," Skye told her friend.
"Alright," Beckett said before Josie was tugging on her hand. "What's wrong sweetie?" she asked.
"I go… sit," Josie started to say before she hesitated and then managed to remember the word she wanted to say.
"When your daddy is here," Beckett assured her.
"Okay," Skye said when Lily picked her daughter up. "I'll call the other kids."
"Thank you," Beckett said before she squeezed Eliza's hand. "Go with your grandparents."
"I will," the little girl said with a nod. Before she could leave though Eliza realized her baby sister was holding onto her arm and said, "I gotta go Josa. You'll see me when you're all done."
Getting Josie to turn to her, Beckett smiled and nodded to Eliza before she was leaving and she said to Nkosi, "You're sure you couldn't learn to fly a 747?"
"Patrick's talked to you, hasn't he?" the investigator replied with a smile. "No, the Dreamliner was what I wanted and since I can I'm very happy."
Hearing the older kids approaching, Beckett turned with him before she saw Julia was first. "Sweetie," she began with a slight frown.
"She's with her mom," the teen explained. "Blurgh this is gross," Julia said, looking around the lounge.
"Ack, you're right," Mari said, coming up after her friend.
"Oh no… wait 'till Mum sees this," Reiley said, looking back at her siblings.
"Grandmum didn't have that kind of pattern, did she?" Bailey asked.
"Doubtful," Miller said firmly. "Though Grandude will see it and we can ask him after that."
"If you want to sit, go ahead there," Skye said, coming with her two oldest by then. "But no bouncing please."
"You can see to the back of the plane through here," Julia said, looking at the open panel behind her and Mari.
"That was to show how large the plane is," Nkosi said.
"Huge," Miller said in agreement, leaning in between his sisters before they were smacking at his arms and complaining.
"Move you oaf," Bailey said first.
"Yeah, toff," Reiley added before she was laughing at the look her brother was giving her.
"No fighting up there," Alasdhair called.
"We won't," Bailey said.
"Are you alright?" Skye asked Bobby.
"Yeah, I just wanted to see the… what do you call it?" the teen asked.
"Flight deck," Skye replied. "Makes it sound like Picard's there," she answered.
"Shouldn't that be Kirk?" Beckett asked jokingly.
"If your husband were here, but since he's not I'm sticking with Picard," Skye answered before the kids were switching.
"Too bad they didn't have this now," Kathleen said.
"It might just be for first class," Bobby told her, sitting on the other side of the couch.
"True, but that would be cool," Kathleen commented.
"With more windows," Marie said.
"I was never a fan of that feature myself," Skye said. "Alright, are you ready to head to the flight deck?" She wasn't surprised when they were all saying they were and she followed them over to it, telling them about the jump seat.
Since she was the youngest, Kathleen was the first to sit and she glanced around saying, "And you can fly this, Mum?"
"Like this," Skye answered with a brief nod. "But I took a long time to learn it."
"Are you warning me?" Marie asked with a laugh.
"Basically," Skye said. "I'll be back in a second," she said before she went into the lounge.
"I think it's time for you guys to switch," Beckett said to the twins with a smile as they were all watching the investigator talking to Beasley. After all the kids had had their turns, she watched them heading back down for the first group of the adults to make their way up. She wasn't surprised when they were directing questions to Skye, or that it took them a little longer to switch their turns in the seat. But finally, her husband was coming up after the second half of the adults had gone through and she couldn't help laughing when he paused at the sight of it.
"Now I see why exactly the reactions were what they were," Castle told his wife, walking over to her. They were kissing gently, and he said to Josie, "What do you think of it here sweetheart?"
"I go sit," the toddler replied firmly.
"You haven't had her sit yet?" Castle asked.
"Will you do something for me?" Beckett said, responding with her own question.
"Okay," Castle said slowly.
"Sit there with Josie," Beckett replied, pointing to the couch in the back.
"Come here Josie," Castle told her, reaching for her and taking her to the couch. He was going to sit with her on his lap when she was stopping him and moving Josie to the space next to him. "I hope you can stay there," he said to the toddler when she was looking at him.
"Pick Dada," Josie said. "Sit there."
"She means sit still," Skye said in obvious amusement, watching them.
"I am," Castle said in mock anger, smiling soon after when Josie was laughing. "Alright, go ahead and take the shot love."
Beckett had to wait a little more for Josie to calm down, but the toddler soon was, and she was taking the picture before Josie slid off the couch. "Come here," she said, holding her arms out to her before she was startled as the toddler shook her head and spoke with a frown.
"No Mama," Josie told her. "I go to sit."
"Four words, nice," Castle said, picking her up.
"Dada!" Josie cried.
"Easy," Castle assured her. "I'm taking you to the chair." When the toddler calmed down, he laughed and then said, "That worked."
"Of course it did," Nkosi said, watching him placing the toddler on the seat. "Did Skye tell you about the picture?"
"She did," Castle said. "Good idea though you're in street clothes."
"That's fine," Skye said. "It's what we're wearing."
"And you don't want to change," Nkosi told her.
"And you?" Skye said firmly. When he shrugged, she laughed and then turned back to the flight deck before she heard Josie protesting. "We'll be quick with the picture," she said, moving to sit in the pilot's seat before she paused.
"No, you'd be able to fly this," Nkosi said.
Nodding, Skye sat and once he was in the co-pilot's chair she was reaching for the throttles. After Nkosi had put his hand on top of hers they turned and smiled at Beckett who had her camera up before she took the picture. "That better be good," she said while her friend was showing the shot to Beasley.
"It is," he replied before the two were getting up. "Hopefully the kids will be okay we took so long."
"My two were," Skye said with a smile.
"I think they all were," Beckett said, laughing briefly when the investigator was nodding before they headed together down the stairs to rejoin everyone else.
"Will you two stay here with Josie?" Martha asked her middle granddaughters.
"Of course," Julia said, her sister nodding rapidly.
"Good, because I know you're all hungry," Martha told them before she kissed the top of Josie's head and went back to the food counter.
"There's a plane!" Eliza said eagerly, looking out on the runways before her sister was responding happily.
"Fly!" Josie said. "Can I go?"
"No," Alexis said, smiling at her sisters when they turned to her. "Louis and I want to sit with you while we eat."
"Sure," Eliza said. "You can see the planes landing."
"I saw the one that just did," Alexis replied, taking Josie and putting her on her lap. "Did you enjoy the museum?"
"Yeah," Eliza said before Julia could say anything.
"I did," the teen said with a smile when her big sister looked at her. "And I loved the 747."
"Me too," Alexis said.
"Except for the fabrics," the three oldest sisters said at the same time. Josie squealed in laughter and the four were laughing together until their parents and Louis came over with the food.
"You know what I forgot about?" Julia when they'd finished eating and had watched another plane landing.
"We're going right now," Castle said while he walked by the table.
"Going where?" Eliza asked.
"The gift shop," Julia said. She wasn't surprised when her sister gasped in joy at the remembrance and she said, "I want a shirt."
"Me too… a plane?" Eliza asked.
"We have to ask Mom and Dad," Julia said. "We're going right now," she told Josie since the toddler was struggling in her arms.
"She's right," Jim said, walking up to their table. "Let's go and see what you can get."
Regrouping with the rest of the others at the entrance to the café, they made their way to the gift shop where they spent some time walking around.
"Are you all bored?" Skye asked, approaching them.
"No, we just stopped looking around," Brian said first.
"It's a lot like being in your office," Rodger added. "All the models."
Smiling Skye said, "We're adding another."
"That's not a surprise," Paul commented. "And after this we're still going to the field?"
"Have to, Everett is insisting on it," Skye answered. She glanced to the side and spotting her wife waving at her excused herself before she returned to her family.
"Here," Castle said to his wife.
Looking down at what he had in his hand, Beckett laughed and said, "Did you show Josie at all?"
"I don't think-" he started to say before their youngest was crying out.
"Tiger!" Josie said, reaching for it.
"We have to pay for it first," Beckett told her reassuringly. "And then you can have it, okay?" She did her best not to smile as the toddler appeared to be thinking that over before she was nodding. "Go and pay," she told her husband since he was taking what he held.
"They're ready?" Castle asked.
"They have their shirts and a plane," Beckett said since they'd allowed them one of each. They'd gotten the same for Josie and she wasn't surprised the toddler was watching Castle heading to the register.
"Josa got a stuffed animal?" Julia asked, walking up to them.
"You don't like it?" Beckett asked, the tiger dressed in an aviator's jacket, scarf and goggles.
"Did Josa?" Julia responded, not surprised when her mother laughed.
"Your dad is buying it," Beckett said before he was coming back to them, and Julia was speaking quickly while she was reaching into the bag he held.
"I wanted to check on my plane," Julia explained.
"You might need to wait," Castle commented, hearing Skye calling to them to leave.
"Shoot," Julia said before they were walking out and then back to the parking lot.
"What kind of plane did you get?" Mari asked her friend once she'd reached her.
"One of the Alaska Airlines planes," Julia answered. "You?"
"Icelandair," Mari replied with a smile. "Where will you put it?"
"Maybe where I keep my trophies, but I'll see," Julia replied. She saw Reiley was catching up to them and asked, "You?"
"A Concorde," she replied.
"British?" Mari asked teasingly.
Making a face for a moment Reiley smiled shortly after before she said, "Of course, it's the one we saw, isn't it?"
"You do know how to get to the airport," Stella was saying to Skye.
"Yeah, catch our ride," she said, nodding to the cars that were parked in a clear spot.
"Cool," Ivy said before they were laughing and moving to head to Boeing Field.