"Hey Mom," Jacob said, stepping out onto the balcony.
"Hey, you guys just got here?" Lily asked, turning from the barbeque she was standing at with Skye, Mary and Beckett.
"Yeah, Dad said I better come out here to say hi," Jacob said, not surprised when his mother laughed.
Watching Julia step out then, Beckett watched her daughter going to the railing of the balcony, not surprised she was looking out at the trees growing to the side of it. Though she was when Skye immediately strode past her and squeezed Julia's shoulder before her second oldest shook herself.
"What?" Julia asked.
"You didn't think I'd be able to tell?" Skye asked in amusement. She then grew serious and asked, "How long?"
"Just once we left our condo," Julia replied, looking up at her mother who was asking about her wellbeing in slight concern.
"Are you okay?" Beckett asked her daughter.
"I am," Julia said with a nod. "But Freddie came over here with me."
"He-" Beckett started to say.
"He didn't jump me," Julia said in a rush. "He just said he'd like to see where we are."
"He likes your excitement about it," Skye commented with a smile. "Were you telling him about it?"
"No, just thinking a diary entry in my mind… and I asked Grandmama if she came out here at all," Julia said, speaking the last slowly and trying not to look at her mother. She wasn't surprised when she was putting her hands on her shoulders and making her turn to her.
"She didn't, but I'm going to assume she told you that already," Beckett said.
"She did, she also said tell Grandpapa to go skiing again," Julia replied before they both turned at her grandfather's laugh.
"I'm not surprised she said that," Jim said, taking Josie to his daughter. "And I will some day."
"Next time we go to the mountains," Eliza said, walking onto the balcony.
"Were you listening?" Julia asked her little sister with a smile.
"Yep," Eliza replied before she laughed with her sisters. "It smells good."
"Are you wondering about your daddy?" Beckett asked in amusement. When the little girl nodded, she said, "I'm not surprised," before Alexis spoke when she walked out to them.
"He's complaining that you put him to work," the young woman said.
"He volunteered," Beckett said wryly.
"I told him I was aware of that already," Alexis said, leaning against the railing of the balcony. "And he kept helping Trevor."
"Good," Beckett said simply before she heard footsteps behind her.
"I know what it looks like," Castle said swiftly to his wife's expression. "But he said he can fry them… or Bethany will, she was making her way around the counter."
"It'll probably be her," Skye said in amusement.
"I'll try to convince her to let me finish," Lily said, taking the steaks off the grill. She wasn't surprised when the others were protesting and told them, "Not that she would listen."
"Probably not," Castle said while the chef walked inside.
"Mommy," Eliza said, tugging her mother's hand. "What're we gonna do tomorrow?"
"Why are you asking her?" Castle asked in mock annoyance.
"I wouldn't say sweetie," Beckett told her in amusement.
"I'll mention it at dinner," Castle said.
"Wait, where are we going to sit?" Julia asked with a frown. "And is there enough room for us?"
"Not out here," Beckett replied, seeing her second oldest looking at the two tables with chairs on either side of the balcony.
"Though we'll probably bring those in," Castle said before he glanced at his wife, and she was responding to him while she was giving him a pointed look.
"You realize we need to," Beckett said simply. She was surprised when the kids left them suddenly, watching them going inside before she glanced at Skye.
"Don't mind me," the investigator replied. "Just finishing these vegetables."
"We weren't going to do anything," Beckett said.
"Says you," Skye said. She glanced at her friends and smiled when she saw Beckett was rolling her eyes and Castle was chuckling. "Then in that case, send Mary out this way," she told them.
"I'm here, but don't think we're going to do anything," the doctor told her wryly.
Shaking her head Skye said, "Thank you grá."
"I figured you'd need it," Mary said since she'd brought her wife a plate for the corn and separate one for the other vegetables.
"Do you think you could hold that one for me?" Skye asked.
"I better help set up the tables," Castle told his wife.
"I think so," Beckett said with a smile, exchanging a kiss with her husband before she went to the barbeque.
"Almost finished, I'm surprised our kids aren't here for the food," Skye said.
"They're in the kitchen," Beckett said before Mary was going to the doorway to look inside and calling to her and the investigator.
"Looks like they're trying to get the tables set," the doctor said.
"I better go see what the plan is," Castle said, hurrying inside.
"I hope we fit," Skye said in amusement, putting the vegetables on the plate next to her. "And that they figured this out or the food is going to be freezing."
"I'll take this," Beckett said, taking the plate and going inside. Heading down to the kitchen she saw the living room was full of different sided tables and a few extra chairs. "Do we need the ones on the balcony?" she asked her husband.
"We're good," Castle said. "Some kids are going to be sitting on the floor, but they said they don't mind."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said, looking at the stairs while Skye and Mary were walking down them. She tried not to smile at the way their lips were so obviously red and turned her attention to Josie who'd been brought inside by her husband.
"I am hungry Mama," the toddler said.
"So am I," Beckett said, smiling then at her daughter and kissing her temple after she'd picked her up.
"And we can eat now," Lily called to them. "Everything is ready."
"Wait, the younger kids are first," David said when they were all moving to the kitchen.
"Are you sure though? What if they make a mess," Jacob said. He saw the way some of the younger kids were looking at him and said, "I meant the younger, younger kids."
"We'll be getting their food," Brad commented.
"Guys," Lily said laughingly. "Come and get your food please."
After the older kids had gotten their plates first, they went over the food and served themselves before the next youngest were going.
"You don't mind having to sit somewhere else?" Julia asked, sitting at the counter at the kitchen with Mari and the older McDouglas twins.
"No, we're at that table over there," Jacob said, nodding to the small one with two armchairs on either side of it in the window.
"Have fun," Marie said.
"You guys too, Mom's the best at steaks," Eve replied before they left the four.
"I'm not sure why you guys didn't want to sit here," Darnley told his friend and Castle.
"We like watching you guys being mashed together," the latter said with a smile since the carpenter was with his husband and the McDouglas women in the banquette seating across from them.
"You're not feeling too claustrophobic, are you?" Beckett asked Nkosi and Mary who were in the middle.
"No," the doctor said first. "Though I hope we're not going to be here for that long."
"I doubt it," Nkosi said before they were laughing.
After they had finished their meal, Julia went to where her mother was rinsing Josie's plate and asked, "How'd she like the food?"
"She loved it," Castle answered, walking up behind them. He smiled when his wife and their second oldest looked at him and said, "Though she did eat the pieces of steak with her fingers."
"I think it was the shapes love," Beckett told her husband, drying her hands. "And at least she ate."
"Very true," Castle replied with a nod before he turned to Julia with her since she was talking to them both.
"What're we going to do now?" the teen asked.
"There are two options," Castle said. "What?" he then inquired when the two were looking at him.
"The way you said that love," Beckett told him in amusement.
Castle was about to respond to that but stopped and considered how his tone had been for a moment before he said, "Anyway, we can watch a movie or play the games they have."
"In the condo?" Eliza asked, watching her family leaving the kitchen.
"Yeah, they have some in a cabinet," Castle said. "Why are you making that face?" he asked Julia.
"Did you snoop?" Eliza asked before her sister could.
"No, I…" Castle asked to say before he saw the way the girls were looking at him.
"He was, but he did find the games," Beckett said with a smile.
"Where are they?" Julia asked.
"In the closet the loft upstairs has," Castle answered. "But we won't be able to play the same game."
"And who's going to go?" Mari asked, standing by them.
"Just go," Beckett said laughingly before she watched them hurrying to the stairs.
"Josie's looking for you," Castle said, noticing the toddler walking around the coffee table in the living room before making her way to them. He watched his wife pick her up, moving to kiss her cheek after Beckett had, and he was about to ask Josie if she wanted to play with them when the toddler was speaking first.
"Go play games?" Josie asked.
"We will right now," Beckett said, since they could hear the kids in the loft talking about their options.
"What is she going to play?" Castle said to her.
"Whatever we're playing," Beckett said.
"Should we…" Castle began. He wasn't surprised when his wife's response was to raise her eyebrow and he hurried to finish explaining saying, "Should we play cards with the adults?"
"I was thinking that," Beckett said. "But the younger kids?"
"They should be able to play on their own," Skye said, walking by them.
"What're you doing?" Beckett asked, turning with her husband to watch the investigator open first the pantry and then the fridge.
"Just wondering," Skye said, looking over at her. "Fruit?"
"Now? We just ate," Castle commented.
"Have you spent no time with my wife?" Mary quipped, walking by them. "She loves watermelon."
"Me too, we're having that soon, right?" Brad asked.
"Should I just cut it?" Skye said.
"You might as well," Beckett said in mock annoyance. "You manipulated this so you could start," smiling when her friend was clicking her tongue and responding to her with her hands on her hips.
"And what if I did?" Skye asked. She laughed when the others were and said, "Really, we have to eat it at some point and-" She cut herself off when she heard sudden thudding and looked up at the stairs above the dining table and cried in feigned fear, "It's an earthquake!"
"Don't joke about that Mum!" Kathleen protested.
"Sounded like that the way you lot ran down here," Skye said, wrapping her arm around her second oldest when she walked over to her.
"I heard something about a watermelon," Eve said.
"She likes it too," Lily said before they were laughing and staying around the kitchen to watch Skye cutting the watermelon into pieces before they were getting bowls and moving to the balcony to eat there since it was still light.
"What time is sunset?" Alexis asked.
"Nine I think," Castle said. "I like how you all turned to me," he said wryly, since the group had.
"You usually know," Martha told her son.
"How did you two enjoy today?" Jim suddenly said to Joseph and Bethany.
"I was amazed to be in the snow," the former said first. "And to be that cold."
"There was that storm all those years ago on Table Top," Bethany commented.
"One of my earliest memories," Nkosi commented, smiling.
"You went to a table?" Dani asked shyly.
"It's the name of a mountain," Nkosi explained to her. "In Cape Town, South Africa; where we lived before we came to this country. And it's called that because it's flat on the top like a table." He turned to everyone else and said, "We had walked up, about halfway I think, when a windstorm rolled in, freezing wind so back down we went."
"He was terrified," Joseph said, trying to fight his smile. "Though I only smile because we treated him to some Gatsby sandwiches which you all know he loves."
"Would you mind making those for us in LA?" Mary asked Bethany. "Wait," she said swiftly. "Would you teach us how again and we'll write down the recipe, so we'll have that for the future," she then said, not surprised when the woman was responding with a smile.
"I would be happy to," Bethany said.
"Hopefully before we leave for Ireland," Castle commented.
"I will," Bethany assured him before the others were laughing.
Reaching over to squeeze her husband's hand gently, Beckett gave Josie on her lap another piece of watermelon before Eliza was suddenly crying out and making them turn to her.
"Sorry," the little girl said, blushing slightly. "I forgot about tomorrow, you didn't say about tomorrow, Daddy."
"That's true," Castle replied. "And I will say now, does anyone mind us doing the same we did today?"
"We're going to hike the same trail?" Marie asked.
"Maybe split off and go further… or let those who are older come back here," Skye said. "But it's up to you kids if you want the same trail."
"Are we going on it just because it's easier to get to?" Jacob asked. When he saw the nods from the adults he said, "I wouldn't mind going further," looking over at Fleur as the little girl was going to her mothers and asking them about the trail.
"You mean we can't go?" Fleur said. "Further I mean."
"You can," Mary said, sharing a look with her wife.
"Attempt to," Skye said.
"We'll let her try," Beckett replied to the investigator's unasked question when she turned to her.
"Really?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"Yes," Castle said. "But if you get tired you need to tell us, okay?"
"But you'd have to go back with me," Eliza said.
"We wouldn't mind," Castle said, speaking firmly as he had before. "Does that mean we all agree about tomorrow?"
Not surprised when the kids were saying yes at nearly the same time, Beckett said, "Then I think we should move back inside and get to those games before some of us need to go to sleep." She wasn't surprised when the kids were playfully groaning and stood with the others, taking her husband's brief kiss before they headed back inside.
"So… what are we going to do now?" Jacob asked.
Looking up at the loft, Eve frowned at her brother and said, "We won't be able to do anything if you're staying up there."
"Just seeing if you know now," Jacob replied with a smile before he pushed away from the railing and headed down the stairs.
"Is there anything we can do?" Mari asked the others.
"Talk," Marie said before her twin was groaning before she spoke.
"We always do that," Kathleen said.
"Did you see what time it is?" Marie asked pointedly. She wasn't surprised when her sister frowned and leaned back before she said, "Sorry, I would have loved to have done something too."
"What're you doing?" Julia asked, seeing Jacob was watching them near the bottom of the flight of stairs.
"I'm not sure if I should come down," the young man said.
"We're not going to have girl talk," Eve said, pretending to sound annoyed.
"You're sure?" Jacob asked.
"Yes," the five girls said at the same time.
"Then what are you going to talk about?" Jacob said, joining them shortly after.
"Who knows," Eve said. She rolled her eyes, though she was smiling shortly after, when her brother started to exaggerate walking slowly. Once he was sitting on the armchair next to the couch where she was with Julia and Mari she said, "I was thinking about asking about California."
"I guess we're going to answer," Kathleen said with a smile at her twin.
"I know," Marie said. "But we don't know the exact plans," she told their friends, not surprised Julia was adding to that.
"I sure don't," the teen said. She then smiled and said, "But I know we're going to places in San Francisco."
"The zoo?" Mari asked.
"Yeah, I asked Mom and Dad if we could go there," Julia said. "And they said they'd work it in."
"What was that look for?" Jacob said, spotting the twins sharing one.
"We asked Mum and Mom about going to the one in LA," Marie said.
"And I think we're going to the one in San Diego," Julia said quickly.
"We're going to a lot of zoos," Eve commented.
"Are you complaining?" Jacob asked his sister.
"No," Eve told him firmly. She then said with a smile, "But I know why we are."
"Sophie?" Jacob asked. "I mean, her and Josie."
"And the younger kids too," Eve replied. "Your sisters love them, right?"
"We all do," Kathleen said. "And all the kids do."
"We're not going to an amusement park around your house, are we?" Eve asked the twins then.
"I don't know," Marie said slowly after she and her sister had shared another look. "I'd say Disneyland but I'm not sure."
"Why not?" Jacob asked in surprise.
"It might be way too hot," Kathleen answered. "But… maybe there'll be a day that isn't too much, and we could go."
"I hope so," Jacob said, deliberately exaggerating his voice. "It seems like you're always going."
"We are, we have the annual passholder thing," Kathleen said.
"Thing?" Eve asked before they were laughing together.
When they'd calmed down Julia said, "And since your moms have done stuff for Disney, they get free stuff don't they?"
"Yeah," the twins said at the same time.
"So, if we go we'll have the front of the line bracelets," Marie said.
"I hope we go," Jacob said. "It's too late the suggest it to your moms, isn't it?"
"We can try tomorrow," Marie said before hesitating.
"I think my mom said the parents were all going to be talking until they went to bed," Julia said.
"Are your sister and Louis going to be there?" Eve asked.
"No, they left," Julia replied. "They were last, but I saw them walking back to the main lodge." She smiled and then asked, "Did you want to ask me something about the pregnancy?"
Looking at her brother when he groaned loudly and tilted his head back, Eve told him, "Just this."
"Depends on the question, or else I'm going upstairs," Jacob replied. When they didn't respond he asked them in surprise, "You wouldn't even protest?"
"No." "Not really." "It is your choice," Eve, Julia and Mari and the McDouglas twins said at the same time before they were laughing together, Jacob joining them.
"What was your question?" Julia asked Eve.
"Names, your sister hasn't said anything?" the young woman asked.
"Nope, all she has said is they're waiting for them to be born," Julia said.
"What names would you pick if you had twins?" Marie asked.
Smiling, Julia said, "I've told Mari already,"
"I don't mind hearing again," the girl said swiftly.
"Alright, but you already know one name I'd have for a boy," Julia said with a smile.
"Still going to use Paul?" Jacob asked.
"Of course, but I'm going to use Paul George," Julia replied.
"What about if you have more than one boy?" Kathleen asked.
"You guys are saying what names you would pick," Julia said, pointing at all of them playfully. She laughed when Mari grabbed her arm and shook it, not very hard, before they were laughing together and talking about their name choices in the time they had left before going up to their rooms.
"Are we all sure about tea?" David asked, leaning against the counter to the kitchen.
"I'm not having coffee," Castle said, getting the last tea bag in the mugs he'd set up. He glanced over at his wife and saw she was leaning against the counter before she spoke swiftly.
"Unless you put in black tea," Beckett said with a smile.
"They're all herbal," Castle replied. "You guys aren't tired from the hike and swimming?"
"I am," Darnley said.
"I'm not," Brad said. "Not that much."
"Are you saying I shouldn't be?" Darnley asked him in mock annoyance.
"Guys, did you want to have these here or outside on the balcony?" Rebecca told them.
"Here, it's gotten chilly," Lily said.
"I hope the kids aren't going to sit outside," Mary said in slight concern. "You told your kids not to, right?"
"Of course we did," Brad said with a smile.
"He's right, I mentioned to Julia if she wanted to have sleepovers in the hotels after this she needed to stay inside," Beckett commented.
"How would you be able to tell if they listened to you?" Nkosi asked with a slight smile.
"We trust them," Castle said.
"Hopefully you two would be able to trust yours," Brad said.
"When they're older," Lily added.
"We're hoping," Darnley replied, speaking swiftly since the kettle was beginning to whistle. After Castle had poured out the water he said, "Though what exactly are we going to talk about right now?"
"Why they only have two bathrooms for a place that sleeps eleven," Castle commented.
"And why you have one of those bathrooms in your room," David said.
"We told you it's alright if you need to use it," Beckett replied.
"So far it's been okay," Rebecca said.
"And we're only staying one more night," Lily pointed out to them.
"Why are you all looking at me?" Skye asked.
"Because Mary's behind us," Brad said with a smile.
"Actually, the decision to head straight into Redding was mine," Castle said.
"Why didn't you ever explain that to us?" Darnley asked.
"I didn't think I would need to," Castle replied.
"He wants to get to Mill Valley," Beckett said.
"I think you mean we both do," Castle told his wife with a frown while they let the others get their tea ready first. When she cupped his cheek, he took her hand and then told the others, "But it's going to be a long drive."
"You mentioned that," David said.
Giving the mayor a brief look Castle said, "Did you all just manipulate me to explain why? Or force my wife to I should say."
"Basically," Brad said, laughing when Castle pretended to hit him. "But you said it was about seven hours, right? All day?"
"Is there a protest for that? I can get a hotel somewhere around the top of the state," Castle said, startled when no one said anything before his wife was leading him to their mugs of tea while she spoke.
"Redding is basically the top of the state," Beckett said, looking at the McDouglases.
"It is," Mary said firmly, responding since her wife was sipping at her tea. "And it's seven hours."
"Luckily the kids like the RVs enough they shouldn't mind," Nkosi said. He was about to speak when he paused before he continued telling the others saying, "Should we stop and switch sometimes?"
"We can ask the kids about that tomorrow," Brad said. "And tell them we're not going to go crazy doing that or else we'll never get to Redding."
"Let me guess," Skye said wryly. "You want me to tell you what we're doing there."
"We remember," Rebecca, Lily and Darnley said at the same time before they started to laugh.
"Great, that leads me to another place-" the investigator started to say.
"We told you we were fine with what you had for Yosemite," Rebecca interrupted.
"How did you know?" Skye asked in slight surprise.
"Because it's personal," David said.
"But you've been there too," Beckett reminded them.
"Not as many times as the six of you," Lily said.
"You're okay with what we're doing though," Mary said, watching the four.
"And in general, since it was planned mostly by the two of us," Skye said, motioning to herself and Castle.
Not surprised when they were telling the investigator yes, Beckett said, "There's something else."
"Oh, huge surprise there," Skye said in mock annoyance before she was smiling. "And she's right, I did have something."
"Why don't we head over to sit? I'm not sure why I'm standing here," Darnley told the others.
After they'd moved to the couch and chairs, Skye said, "There's something Mary and I have discussed doing those days we're back from San Diego and before you two go to Ireland."
"The unplanned days?" Castle asked.
"Yeah, though I'm surprised you kept saying you didn't want to plan anything yet for sure," Mary said.
"So was I," Skye added. "But we were thinking of going to Disneyland."
"The weather?" Castle, Brad and David asked.
After they'd stopped laughing, Skye said, "We'd have to keep an eye out for the weather of course, but it could be done, and we have before."
"How," Beckett said.
"Go for the extra hour at California Adventure," Skye said before she was pausing and her wife laughed, explaining to the others once she had calmed down.
"She started that a little early," Mary was saying. "When we've done this, we've gone for two days, the coolest we can get. Like she said we go the first day during the Magic Hour at California Adventure and hit the rides hard."
"Sounds too sexual," Darnley said, smiling at his husband placing his hand to his face.
"Or you have a warped mind," Skye shot back before they were smiling at each other. "But we go on as many as we can, that one year we managed to go around it nearly once and then three more rides before lunch."
"You forgot to add something," Mary told her wife.
"Right, we left the indoor rides and experiences and such for after lunch during the hottest part of the day," Skye said. "So, we ate lunch and then started with the Little Mermaid ride and went from there."
"We also stop for cool drinks and a snack, usually an iced one," Mary then took up. "And continue with the indoor stuff until dinner. We eat at six thirty though so I'm wondering how our two youngest would be."
"They would be fine," Beckett said. "Unless we let the grandparents keep them for the day," she added, looking at Lily and Brad.
"We'll see how hot it actually is," the former said.
"And what said grandparents think," Darnley said, looking at his husband who nodded swiftly in agreement.
"Well, if we don't have the toddlers I wonder if we might push dinner back another half hour," Skye mused.
"Wait to see what happens in the end for that," Mary told her wife, squeezing her hand.
"Right, after that and the half hour allowing for digestion, we go back around the park until it closes," Skye said. "And the same thing for Disneyland."
"Have you ever gone to both parks?" Beckett asked.
"Not in the summer," Mary said. "We attempted it before we were engaged, and we nearly passed out on our hotel room bed the first night. We couldn't put the girls through that."
"I'd vote for doing that," Castle said, smiling at his wife when she rolled her eyes before he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Not surprised when the others were agreeing with him, Skye said, "So do I."
"Me too," Mary said swiftly with a smile when her wife looked at her. "At least we have that now."
"And a few more days left," Castle said.
"Are we supposed to help you?" David asked.
"That would be nice, choose where you might want to go," Mary said.
"Is there anything else left to discuss?" Rebecca asked.
"Besides those days?" Lily said in response.
"You want to talk about it now?" Skye asked with a smile.
"We should," Brad said. "We come back on the fourth after San Diego and you guys are leaving on the fourteenth," he began, not surprised when his wife continued that.
"And we have two days already," Lily said. "Or three?"
"Just two, though I would recommend staying three nights instead of heading home after we go to Disneyland," Skye told them.
"Then we have a week left to plan," Lily said with a brief nod to the investigator.
"You two should take care of that," David said. The mayor held up his hand when the two women began to protest and told them, "You have more experience with what can be done here during the summer."
"He's right," Castle said. "You can let us know what's feasible."
"What about going to Laguna?" Skye asked.
"The beach house?" Castle immediately responded. When Skye and Mary both nodded, he said, "Sure, we could just… oh wait."
"Yeah, thirty plus there isn't going to work," Skye said with a smile. "Four days?" she said to her wife.
"Another thing we'll have to talk to the kids about," Mary said.
"That just leaves three days," Lily said.
"I think I have a suggestion," Darnley said, raising his hand.
"Sure," Skye said swiftly.
"Museums, however long is left just different ones," Darnley explained.
"It's a great idea," Beckett said immediately. "And I think we should since there should be air conditioning."
"Should we plan the details of that?" Skye asked.
"Let's see if our kids want to, they seem to like us doing that for them," Mary suggested.
"I get the feeling they're going to want us to plan still," Nkosi said.
"We have to ask, especially the older ones," Rebecca commented.
"Is that all there is?" Brad asked.
"I think so," Castle said before they were getting up. After they'd rinsed out their mugs they went to the bottom of the stairs where they stopped and were saying goodnight to each other. While Darnley teased them about sleeping, they were laughing together and headed to their rooms.
"Isn't it a little chilly love?"
Smiling, Beckett looked over her shoulder and said, "It's not that bad."
"You're not cold?" Castle asked in surprise while he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm fine," Beckett said before she leaned back against him.
"Then I should move," Castle said, loosening his arms around her. When his wife was forcing him to keep them in place he smiled and kissed at the side of her head telling her, "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Oh?" Beckett asked, glancing back at him slightly.
"Yes… well it's more what we should discuss," Castle said.
"Then just tell me," Beckett told him pointedly.
"Okay, Adare," Castle said simply. "More specifically, leading up to it."
Smiling Beckett said, "Are we going to decide on that now?"
"Do you really mind?" Castle asked her. When she shook her head he told her, "Then I'd like to suggest something," before she was speaking quickly before he could continue.
"Wait?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"I had a feeling you were going to suggest it," Castle said, kissing the top of her shoulder through her top. "And I'll take whatever suggestion you have."
"You really trust me not to go back to July to wait?" Beckett teased him.
"You'd never be able to handle it," Castle told her firmly.
"Presumptuous," Beckett said. She was about to say more but paused when there was a sudden breeze, and she did her best not to shiver briefly at the chill in it.
"Yes, but I like you directing this," Castle said. "I feel like it would be creepy if I did," he said, sensing that she was a little perplexed.
"I wouldn't mind," Beckett said.
"Not in this love," Castle replied swiftly, kissing the side of her head.
"I was thinking of suggesting we go until the thirty-first next month," Beckett told him.
"Sixteen days," Castle said.
"I'm sure we can," Beckett replied, smiling since she was aware that was his way of asking her. She turned around to him and said, "What about you?"
"It's going to be… difficult," Castle began slowly. "But I think we should."
"It's interesting to hear you say that," Beckett said in amusement. She wasn't surprised when he leaned down to her, kissing her lightly and she said, "Take it easy."
"I've been thinking that… and hating it," Castle said jokingly before his wife was trembling slightly. "Okay, now I need to close the door," he told her before he hurried to it. "Though that is nice."
"With the scent of the trees?" Beckett asked him. She wasn't surprised when he nodded firmly and she told him, "It's why I'm not surprised we're going to be in Yosemite for a while."
"Not yet though," Castle said.
"What're you thinking?" Beckett asked, studying him.
"I wish we could make love right now," Castle said honestly.
Smiling, Beckett pushed on the back of his neck gently before they were kissing, not letting that linger for very long before they were slowly parting. "I feel the same," she told him. "But we did that test for the walls." She laughed lightly when he groaned, and she stood on her tiptoes to brush her lips to his cheek. "Do you know what you're reminding me of?" she asked him.
Sighing Castle said, "Yeah, the first time we couldn't make love because you were menstruating." When he saw the way she was smirking at him he said, "What?"
"You can read my mind too," Beckett teased him.
"Yes, I can," Castle said seriously, nodding his head. He smiled when she laughed and he told her, "Luckily we were more settled in our relationship."
Giving him a look Beckett said, "And you think that would have made us have some kind of trouble?"
"Yes," Castle said seriously. When his wife frowned, he said swiftly, "Kidding, it made us closer though you have to agree."
"I do, but I wasn't sure if I should have let you in," Beckett said.
"I would have broken down the door," Castle replied simply. "But I was lucky I didn't see you until later."
Smirking Beckett reminded him, "You said the same thing then."
"Did that make me a pervert?" Castle asked her.
"Mmm-hmm," Beckett replied easily before she was laughing when her husband suddenly gathered her in his arms and was kissing at her neck wildly. When he calmed down, she was about to speak when he was in mock annoyance.
"We have to go to bed," Castle said. At the simple incline of her head he said, "I knew it."
"Then you shouldn't really complain," Beckett told him in amusement. When he brushed his lips to hers, she said, "But we can talk."
"But the door…" Castle started to say.
"They said we could close it, they won't need the bathroom," Beckett replied.
"Let's hope they were serious," Castle murmured.
"Come on," Beckett said, though she took a moment to look over at the door to make sure it wasn't locked. Sure that someone would be able to come in if they needed it, she went to her side of the bed and slipped under the covers.
"This is definitely tiny," Castle told his wife once he was with her and realized how close he was to the edge of the bed. "Well, there's nothing else I can do but hold you close the rest of the night."
"Sap," Beckett said in amusement.
"Thank you," Castle said, smiling when she laughed. He looked at the lights on their nightstands and asked, "We have to turn them off?"
"We need to," Beckett said firmly before she was reaching for hers. When she turned back to her husband, she saw he was waiting and she said, "Go ahead."
Smiling at his wife's tone, Castle turned to his nightstand and removed his glasses before turning off the light. He laid down first and wrapped his arm around Beckett tightly once she was cuddled against his side. "Kate?" he asked her.
"Hmm," Beckett said before she smiled. "You're okay," she stated before he was responding hurriedly.
"I am, just wondering about Yosemite," Castle said.
"What?" Beckett asked in confusion.
"Should we have camped out?" Castle asked.
"No," Beckett replied firmly. "I know you want to recreate what we did in our past life, but I don't know if we would all be that comfortable."
"Alexis," Castle said.
"Yes," Beckett told him. "I'm sure she'd say she was okay with it, but she'll appreciate a bed at night." Glancing at her husband, though she couldn't see him that well, she asked, "You didn't want us to head out and camp, did you?"
"To be honest I thought about having the six of us go out one night," Castle replied. He was a little startled when his wife was laughing and he said, "No?"
"No," Beckett replied. "Skye told me Mary doesn't really enjoy it."
"And Skye herself?" Castle asked.
"She doesn't either," Beckett said with a smile. "And I had to get that out of her."
Nodding Castle said, "It's why I went with the hotel… lodge, whatever."
Laughing again, Beckett turned and kissed his shoulder before she said, "What're you thinking of now?"
"The time we actually went camping," Castle said. "Though the conversation about our relationship making it through something made me think of it."
"It wasn't that bad," Beckett told him.
"No…" Castle said slowly.
"We better go to sleep love," Beckett said in amusement.
"Though that was nice," Castle said.
"Rick," Beckett told him firmly.
"No, I'm thinking about how that was a precursor to us on the beach in Ireland," Castle replied swiftly.
Nodding Beckett said, "I'm not surprised, but we were so lucky no one came to where we were that night."
"Man or animal?" Castle said. He felt his wife nod and said, "We didn't do it again though, not outside the tent."
"Because I made you," Beckett told him in amusement.
"Yes, you did," Castle said, smiling when he heard his wife's laughter. He kissed her temple and then said, "But you might be right about needing to sleep."
Tilting her head back, Beckett shared a kiss with her husband before they parted and she told him, "I love you, Rick."
"Love you too Kate," Castle said seriously. He did the best he could to look into her eyes but was soon leaning into her and kissing her deeply. He didn't linger, moving back to tell her, "When we get to California, we're making love repeatedly."
Smiling Beckett told him, "I agree. But just until the first."
"Luckily it's over a month," Castle said.
Laughing again Beckett told him, "Pervert."
"You still love me," Castle said.
"Of course," Beckett said before they were kissing gently. She murmured a goodnight to him before they were settling together as he told her the same. Relaxing in his hold she closed her eyes, thinking of the weekend she and Castle had taken after their first at a B&B. They'd stayed in the same area but had decided to camp since the weather was going to hold. It had been a great weekend since they'd been alone and managed to indulge in their lovemaking repeatedly. When she woke the next morning, she wasn't surprised both herself and her husband found they had dreamt of the same thing, enjoying the memory greatly.
"Please tell me that coffee worked out," Castle told his girlfriend.
Smiling Beckett lowered her mug and told him, "It did, stop worrying."
"Great," Castle said swiftly before he was drinking his own. When he had lowered his mug, he saw she was looking at him with an odd expression on her face and he asked, "What is it?"
"You, you're acting… strange," Beckett told him.
"Yes," Castle said slowly. He finished off his coffee before he asked her, "Finished?" When she nodded, he was hurrying to get their plates and mugs before he was putting them aside to rinse later. Going back to his girlfriend he was relieved seeing she was standing from her chair though he wasn't surprised at her suspicious questioning once he was close to her.
"What is wrong with you?" Beckett said firmly.
"Would you mind walking up the hill near us?" Castle asked her. "Watch the stars."
"No," Beckett said simply. "Is that all?" She wasn't surprised when he was nodding and she said, "Grab a blanket."
"Sure," Castle replied swiftly before they were on their way once he had. He held his girlfriend's hand on the short walk before they were at the top of a relatively small hill, and he laid out the blanket. He'd brought a second one in case they'd get cold and then moved to sit with her before he said, "It seems like a nice night for it."
"Is anything happening?" Beckett asked him.
Shaking his head Castle said, "Like I said I just wanted to be here."
Leaning against him Beckett replied, "I'm glad." She smiled feeling her boyfriend kissing the top of her head before they were looking above them in silence. Eventually she realized his arm was snaking around her and she looked up at him before he was leaning down to her. She took his kiss gratefully before his tongue gently slid past her lips and she was responding before he was pulling her onto his lap. Clutching at him tightly they were involved in several more before they pressed their foreheads together, panting heavily. She nuzzled her lips against his and asked him, "Should we go back?"
"Not yet," Castle said before he was covering her lips with his own. They were clutching at each other again, but he couldn't help himself and he gently moved them around so he could lay her down.
"Castle…" Beckett breathed before he kissed her. She wasn't sure if he had asked her, or they had begun undressing one another but didn't care since she was as eager as he was. Once they were bared to each other she watched her boyfriend grab the blanket to pull over them before he was lowering his body to hers.
Making love to his girlfriend carefully, Castle kissed her deeply to mask any sounds of their intimacy though it was difficult. He did his best to draw things out for them as long as possible, though Beckett made it tricky caressing at him and kissing him. But they eventually climaxed close together until they were still on the blanket, shuddering in the aftermath of their pleasure.
"Castle," Beckett murmured to him, kissing along the side of his head a few times. When he raised his head from where it was buried into her neck she said, "You wanted to do this."
Breathing out hard against her shoulder, Castle nodded and said, "I did, but I felt like you'd say no… so I thought just sitting here would be nice." He realized she was still shaking, and he said, "We better get dressed."
Though she wanted to protest, Beckett said, "We'll go back to the tent," once he'd carefully withdrawn from her.
"We could make some s'mores," Castle commented while they were racing to dress.
"Not tonight," Beckett replied once she was finished. She helped her boyfriend with the blankets before they were walking hand in hand back to their campsite. She looked around them when he was putting the blankets away and then turned to him as he stepped up to her. "I was serious," she said.
"It is cool tonight," Castle said.
Smirking Beckett told him, "What did I just say?"
"Okay," Castle said, scooping her up in his arms to her laughter.
"I almost thought you didn't want to," Beckett said, holding onto him though he was carrying her into their tent. He had to set her down there, so she was quick to move to their sleeping bags. "But I thought I was silly thinking that," she said.
"Very," Castle said, not surprised when his girlfriend was narrowing her eyes at him. He was about to continue when she got her jacket off before she was pulling her sweater off over her head. "Kate," he breathed roughly before she was responding with a slight smirk.
"This is what you wanted," Beckett told him.
"But… where's your bra?" Castle asked since she was completely naked from the waist up.
"It doesn't matter," Beckett replied simply before reaching for him. She helped him with his shirt before they took turns undressing each other before they were getting into their double sleeping bag.
"I'm so glad I bought this," Castle told her seriously.
"Me too," Beckett replied, since he had shown it to her the week before after they'd planned their trip. She and her boyfriend were kissing deeply before she realized something and told him, "It's a little cold you know."
Cursing briefly, Castle reached for the zipper and closed it before he turned back to her. Her arms were above her head, and he said, "You don't need to tempt me."
"I wasn't trying to," Beckett told him in amusement.
"Vixen," Castle breathed to her before he was kissing her passionately. With her holding onto him tightly he said, "How-"
"You can do it on your own," Beckett interrupted him.
"I was right," Castle said. "You are a vixen."
Beckett was about to speak before he was kissing her yet again and she couldn't help but follow him. They parted, both of them groaning when his erection sank into her and she gasped out to him, "You… please tell me we're not going to stop."
"We won't," Castle assured her though it was difficult to speak with her sex surrounding him and obviously eager for him. He moved to kiss her again but was gentle before thrusting in the same manner so they wouldn't stop. When they were parting eventually and staying apart, he told her, "But… It's going to… be cold…"
"I'm not," Beckett said, staring directly into his eyes.
Though he was tempted to tell her he loved her, Castle instead kissed her yet again before he was angling his hips down to her, doing his best to pleasure her while she did her best to move with him.
"I was just thinking love," Castle said while he was brushing his teeth the next morning. When he saw that his wife was looking at him questioningly, he explained, "That trip we made, would you want to do that again?"
"It was a risk," Beckett said in amusement. She waited for him to rinse his mouth before she told him, "And I worry we wouldn't be that lucky if we tried making love out in the open again."
"I see," Castle said slowly. He was startled when his wife took his towel and gently wiped his mouth. "Yes?" he asked her.
"I wanted to do this," Beckett told him before they were kissing deeply. When they were eventually parting, she said, "We'll be together in the hotel in Yosemite, I'm expecting it."
"I can't call you…?" Castle started to question.
"No," Beckett said firmly before he was smiling at her. She returned it and took his kiss before they were parting and hurrying to finish before they walked out into their bedroom. "And we have before then too you know," speaking in Irish.
"That I'm expecting," Castle said. They shared a look and then were saying at the same time, "Pervert." He nodded and said, "I deserved that."
"Definitely," Beckett replied before she laughed when her husband hugged her tightly. "But we do have today."
"Right," Castle said, looking at his wife before she was breathing out in mock annoyance.
"Fine," Beckett in the same tone. She then glanced at her husband and seeing him raise and lower his eyebrows she was laughing before they were leaning into each other.
Kissing tenderly, Castle held his wife tightly to him before they were jumping and ending the kiss at the sound of Darnley calling to them.
"We have to go," Beckett said, squeezing his hand. As they were hurrying out to join their friends, they went hand in hand, joining their friends to get their families on their way back up to Mt. Hood.