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: It was great to get the feedback for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank you for that! Mb (I was glad to see you were eager with them starting out things at Mt. Hood. And I'm also happy that you thought them being in the condos and going summer snowboarding was nice. That last one blew my mind when I was researching what you could do at the mountain, lol, but it was something different! And I figured hiking should be a thing and seeing the pool where they were staying had to be included too, lol. I wasn't surprised you were laughing about the adults talking about testing the walls' thickness, I figure if they were that comfortable they'd jokingly mention that. Great to see you thought the first half was nicely done. And you're welcome for the first half of the chapter too! It was really nice to see you thought the second half was great with them making plans for the rest of the vacation and when Castle and Beckett head to Ireland for their anniversary. No surprise you want their connections and vacations, I do too! Lol. You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter!).

Thanks for the review, loved reading it and I appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is parts of two lyrics from the song I Love You, California written by Francis Beatty Silverwood.

Yosemite, Very Dear To Me

"And here we are," Skye said, smiling at her wife.

"We remember this place too you know," Darnley commented. "Though I'm going to remind you-"

"It doesn't matter you didn't come with us from the start," Nkosi interrupted his husband almost angrily.

"Sorry," Darnley said, taking his husband's hand.

"No… it's hard not to remember I didn't have enough time here," Nkosi replied before they were turning to the other parents.

"This is the place?" Martha asked.

"It is," Castle said with a nod. He smiled a little and said, "We spent so many years here."

"Why did you stop coming though?" Joseph asked.

"I think it got harder to camp once the babies began arriving," Skye said, looking pointedly at Beckett.

"She's right, we were kids when we first started to camp out here," she replied. "And having babies… it really wasn't easy. But we did come back when they were older."

"I'm glad you got to go to the hotel Mommy," Eliza said, walking back to her.

"We're going to get everything ready right now," Castle said in amusement before his wife could respond, aware what the little girl wanted.

"Can I help?" Eliza asked.

"Get the blankets and towels out and stack them," Beckett told her.

With that the families split up to start setting up everything they had to stay there for the day, including a grill for the fire pit that was near where the Merced River and Tenaya Creek met, though they were closer to the latter. They had a beautiful view of Half Dome, the toddlers standing in the middle of everyone going around them and staring at it.

"Rocks," Sophie told Josie.

Nodding the toddler then said, "Big rocks and… monts."

"Mountains," Jacob said in passing.

"Maddy, Keo," Darnley called. "Stay with the girls."

"Okay," the former said before she grabbed her brother and pulled him over to the two.

"Hi," Josie said, smiling at the pair.

"Hi, hi," Sophie said.

"Why did you say that twice?" Keo asked her.

"Hi," Sophie replied shyly. She was giggling when the two kids laughed and she then said, "See the rocks."

"That's Half Dome, that's a mountain," Maddy said. "Daddy said a glacier went right here."

"Glacy?" Josie asked.

"That's a big ice," Keo said before they were looking at Sophie when she gasped.

"Ice cream," the toddler said before they were looking at her mother who was talking while she walked by them.

"Not today honey," Lily said with a smile. "But we'll have something special later."

"Now we get to have dessert," Keo told the toddlers.

"And we're going to swim and paint," Maddy said.

"Paint?" Josie asked her.

"Yeah, our tata is going to paint, and he said if we want to we can too," Maddy replied.

"Is that true?" Beckett asked, having heard that in passing.

"You didn't see the easel we have?" Darnley asked in amusement.

"No," Beckett replied. "When were you planning on painting?"

"More than likely right now," Nkosi said, smiling at his husband who had quickly looked at him. "The light is very nice."

"Then you want to set that up?" Darnley asked.

Hesitating for a moment, Nkosi looked over at Half Dome again and said, "I should."

"I'll help you," Darnley said.

"Are we finished?" Beckett asked, turning to her husband when she was left alone.

"It looks like it," Castle said, glancing around their campsite. "Cabana's up, all the equipment's ready-"

"You mean the inner tubes?" Beckett asked him teasingly. She laughed briefly when he nodded and then said, "And the food is ready."

"For lunch," Castle said. "And it's luckily not too far from here to the hotel to grab dinner."

"Good," Beckett said before he was suddenly grabbing her. She laughed and pushed him away before they squeezed each other's hands, and she went to call Eliza.

"Josie," Castle said, walking over to her. Picking the toddler up he kissed her cheek and said, "Do you want to start swimming or paint?"

"Is our tata painting now?" Maddy asked eagerly. At Castle's nod she gasped and ran over to the others where her father was setting a paper on his easel. "Tata!"

"Yes?" Nkosi replied with a smile.

"We…" Maddy began before she looked behind her and saw most of the younger kids were there. "We want to paint Tata."

"Do you all have permission from your parents?" Nkosi asked the ones who weren't his and Darnley's.

After they had nodded to that, Eliza asked, "How're we going to do anything though? We don't have easels… or paper or anything."

"We have small canvases and paints," Darnley said, walking over. "We got you all sets so I hope you'll be okay with watercolors."

"I will," Keo said happily.

After they had passed everything out Nkosi said to the other adults, kids and his husband, "Are you staying here?"

"I am," Bethany said. "I would love to watch the kids."

"So will I," Martha said.

"We might do some exploring," Eve said.

"I can't help you with that," Nkosi said.

"Let us know when you're finished with your artwork and we'll head into the creek," Castle suggested.

After they had left the artists, Julia said to Eve, "You didn't want to stay and paint?"

"I sketch more," the teen said.

"So do I," Mari said before they were bumping their fists together.

"It's going to be interesting to see what they make though," Marie said.

"It will, but no making fun of them," Skye said, walking near them with Castle, Beckett and her wife.

"Where did our parents go?" Jacob asked suddenly, stopping and looking back.

"I think Mom said she wanted to go to the water," Eve said.

"Oh sure, they can go in," Jacob said in mock annoyance. He smiled when the adults with them looked at him and he said, "We're going somewhere," not surprised Skye responded first.

"Just walking more towards Half Dome," the investigator explained. "So the others can take pictures."

"Why aren't you taking any pictures Mum?" Kathleen asked.

"I felt like a walk," Skye said simply.

"Did you want to go into the water?" Beckett asked.

"I did," Skye admitted. She then smiled and said, "But I didn't want to go on my own."

"She wants to go with our mom," Marie said swiftly when she saw the confused expressions on the other kids' faces.

"And we will eventually," Mary said, smiling at her wife. She moved to take a shot of the trees around them before she said, "Maybe sooner than later."

"She's right," Beckett said when the kids were immediately stopping hearing that. "Any closer we're going to be obscured by the trees."

"We didn't really go that far," Julia commented, walking with her parents and Mari.

"We'll go further on the tubes," Castle said.

"What if… the current takes us?" Julia asked.

"Luckily it's not too bad today," Beckett commented, looking at her husband.

"Do we need to go with an adult?" Julia asked in dismay.

"We'll be heading around together," Castle explained. "It's safer that way."

"We're not going to be lashed together with a rope or something are we?" Mari asked while they were making their way back to their campsite.

"No," Beckett said in amusement. "But adults will be with you."

"At least we get to go," Jacob said while he shared looks with the others.

"Don't sound so disappointed," Skye said, laughter in her tone of voice. "We're not going to talk only to you kids; and you don't always need to speak to us."

"It would be fun to go by ourselves," Eve explained.

"Go ahead of us," Mary said with a smile before the kids were groaning together.

By then they'd reached the camp and Beckett went to her father who was with Eliza and asked, "How's it going?"

"Okay," the little girl said first, frowning. "I can't paint that good."

"I told her she didn't have to," Jim told his daughter.

"Your grandpapa is right," Beckett said, sitting with the little girl. She hugged her gently and brushed her lips to her temple before she said, "We'll keep it."

"Really?" Eliza asked, smiling.

"Of course," Castle said, walking over with Josie he'd picked up from his mother.

"Mama, I want paint," the toddler said.

"Not today sweetie," Beckett said, taking her since Josie was squirming in her father's arms. "When we're back at home."

"I told her that, but she didn't really like my answer," Castle told his wife. He then saw Eliza was pursing her lips and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Could I finish my painting?" the little girl asked.

"I think she wants to do that alone," Beckett said, allowing Josie to stand up before she joined her. "Tell us when you finish," she said, the little girl responding swiftly and with a smile.

"I will, I'm almost finished," Eliza replied.

"Where are we going?" Castle asked his wife as they were walking away from their second youngest.

"To the water," Beckett said with a smile.

"Really," Castle said.

"We're just going to test the temperature," Beckett explained.

"Oh, that makes sense," Castle told her, pretending to think that over. He looked at Josie, holding their hands in between them and said, "And her?"

"She can step in with us," Beckett replied easily before they reached the side of the creek. She let her husband go first and asked, "Okay?"

"It's almost warm," Castle said with a nod. He watched his wife walk in before she was getting Josie to join them, not surprised when the toddler immediately began stomping her feet the best she could. "You know you're splashing us," he told the toddler.

"Eh," Josie said while she was laughing. She squealed when her father was picking her up and swinging her legs out before she said, "Go swim Dada."

"Not yet," Castle replied. He kissed her temple and said, "But I think we might have the chance to soon."

Beckett looked at him in confusion before he was nodding past her, and she turned to see the kids gathering around Nkosi. "We better go," she said with a smile before they made their way to the rest of their group.

"Alright, alright," the investigator was saying with laughter since the younger kids were clamoring for him to show them his painting. "I will right now, you-" he then started to say.

"Wait," Darnley said, squeezing his husband's arm. "I think it'll work out a lot better if the kids show their paintings first."

"Sure," Nkosi replied before they were looking at the kids.

"Wait," Castle said. "Sorry for repeating you," he told the carpenter who was giving him a mock glare. "I was going to say we should have a show."

"A show?" Beckett asked, looking at her husband.

"Show and tell?" Castle responded, not surprised when the others were laughing.

"Fine," Beckett said, shaking her head and smiling at the same time.

After they were gathered at the cabana, Keo was urged to show his painting first since he was the youngest.

"Tell us about it," Alexis said with a smile when the little boy held his painting to his chest.

"We want to see Keo," Joseph told his grandson.

Turning it around, the little boy said, "It's the mountains and a glacier pushing them away."

"Good depiction of the formation of the valley," Skye said with a smile.

"Now you Maddy," Eliza told her friend with a smile.

"I made all the trees and the… dome," the little girl said, looking at her fathers for confirmation.

"Right," Darnley said. "And very nice job."

"You're next Lizzy," Julia told her little sister, and they were playfully sticking their tongues out at each other before their mother was talking to them both.

"Girls, not even teasingly," Beckett told them.

"Go ahead Lizzy," Julia said, turning back to her.

Nodding, Eliza turned her painting and said, "I put the creek mostly, but I fit Half Dome here."

"Nice," Julia said with a wide smile when her sister turned to her. "I like it," she said in mock annoyance.

After the rest of the kids had shown what they'd made in a short amount of time, Nkosi said, "My turn?"

"It is," Darnley said firmly.

Turning the easel Nkosi said, "I wanted to include the kids too," as he painted mostly Half Dome, but at the bottom had the creek with small figures holding small white rectangles.

"Perfect, we have to hang this somewhere in the house," Darnley said.

"Are you two still thinking of making that game room?" Beckett asked him while Nkosi was taking the canvas to put away.

"We decided we want a theater room instead," Darnley replied. "So if you guys will invite us, we'll have movie nights with you."

"And that's why you're not making a game room," Castle said jokingly. He wasn't surprised when the carpenter gave him a look and said, "I know, and yes you're still invited."

"I'm not looking at him," Beckett commented.

"Are we going to be able to swim now?" Jacob asked once the kids had put away their paintings.

"Yes," Lily said firmly. "Though don't run to the water."

"She's right," Beckett said when she noticed Julia and Eliza looking at her. "Even though we did that in our past life doesn't mean we let you do the same."

"I'm not going to," Louis said when his sisters in law turned to his wife.

"Neither am I," Alexis said, glancing at him. She then followed the others to the creek and paused before she looked back at her grandparents.

"I'll come later," Jim said with a smile.

"I'll see," Martha told her granddaughter with a wave of her hand.

Nodding, Alexis walked up to her husband and said, "I thought they might want to join us now,"

Louis said, "I'm surprised they didn't."

"You never know with Gram," Alexis said with a smile before they were going hand in hand into the water. "Nice," she said, feeling the temperature.

"Shall we swim?" Louis asked her. When his wife's response was to nod, he smiled and kissed her cheek before they were kicking off into the water and swimming across it.

"Where are you two going?" Castle called to the couple.

"Leave them alone Rick," Beckett said with a smile. When he turned to her, she told him, "They'll come back."

"Should we go to the middle?" Castle asked his wife.

"No," Beckett said firmly. She wasn't surprised when he made a face at her, or when their youngest was reaching for him.

"What's wrong Josie?" Castle said, taking the toddler into his arms before she responded to him.

"Wanna go swim," the toddler began. She was going to speak again but had to pause before she said, "There."

"Not right now," Beckett said before tapping on her husband's arm.

Nodding to his wife, Castle hurried out of the water and back to the cabana where he said to his mother and father-in-law, "You're both comfortable?"

"Very," Martha said. "Is this considered glamping?"

"I think so," Castle said with a nod. "If you feel that relaxed you're wearing your sunglasses in the shade Mother." He smiled when she limply waved her hand at him and said to Jim, "Will you take Josie eventually?"

"Of course," Beckett's father said with a nod. Jim then told his son in law, "Soon?"

"I don't think so," Castle replied while he picked up an inner tube.

"Be careful with her," Martha called when her son started to walk away.

"Kate will hold her, I'll walk with them close to shore," Castle called back, addressing that to them both. He then turned his attention to going back to his wife and their daughter saying, "Your dad will watch her eventually."

"I knew," Beckett said with a smile. She wasn't surprised when he was suddenly leaning over to her and kissing her, she responded though it was brief. Josie calling to them made them turn to her and she said, "Do you want to go for a little ride in the water sweetie?"

"Eh," Josie said eagerly. "Me?"

"What about the two of us," Beckett corrected her gently. "And your daddy will stay with us to make sure we're safe."

"She's right, I'll make sure you stay around here," Castle said. He then thought of something and asked his wife, "Could I take you down the middle."

Though she wanted to tell him it might be too much for him, Beckett stopped herself and told him, "If you want to."

"Definitely," Castle said, leaning over to her. He kissed her lightly on the lips before he pulled back and asked, "Do you need any help?"

"I'm good," Beckett said in amusement, handing Josie to him. She got on the inner tube and noticed the older kids were getting out of the water before she called, "Wait for us all to be ready."

"Our parents are taking Sophie," Eve said.

Castle watched his wife nod before he was handing Josie to her and with that, he was walking down the creek with the inner tube. He watched her sitting up, looking around and said, "What do you think Josie?"

"Pretty!" the toddler cried, pointing to Half Dome. She then looked at the trees before a bird suddenly flew from one side of the creek to the other.

Watching the bird at the toddler's gasp, Beckett told her, "That's a Stellar's Jay."

"How did you know that?" Castle asked her in surprise.

"Skye," Beckett explained.

"Ah, what do you think of that bird," Castle said, looking at their youngest.

"It is blue," Josie said. She laughed when her father congratulated her for a full sentence and then said, "Go there now!" before her mother was laughing and talking to him.

"I think you can take us love," Beckett said.

"I was just about to," Castle said, though he was directing that more to Josie. Just as he was beginning to kick, he ran into the innertube Brad was pushing Lily and Sophie on.

"Hey, I'm swimming here," Brad said, exaggerating a New York accent.

"So am I, get out of the way," Castle said before they looked up at their daughters when they were laughing. "I thought they'd believe us."

"Not with those accents," Lily said. "And I think we better head back," she told them. "The kids are standing at the shore with the rest of the tubes."

"I'm taking them through the middle," Castle told his friend. He wasn't surprised when Brad waved to him before they were swimming away from each other.

"Mama, I go with Sophie?" Josie said to her mother.

"Not this time sweetie," Beckett said, hugging her gently. After they were in the middle of the creek she said, "Are you happy now?"

"Eh," Josie replied, clapping her hands eagerly. She hugged her mother when she kissed her temple, and they were soon reaching the shore. "Don't wanna go," she said.

"I know, but you'll keep swimming with your grandpapa," Beckett assured her before letting Castle take her. She kept the innertube with her after getting off it and said to her father, "Swim around with her."

"How far should I take her?" Jim asked.

"Not that far," Castle said, not surprised his wife was nodding. After he took one of the two innertubes Julia was holding he told the teen, "I thought you were stealing it."

Smirking Julia said, "I knew you were going to say that." She laughed softly when her father hugged her before he let her go and said, "Now we can go?"

"Yes, right now," Castle said before they were hurrying to put the innertubes on the water and getting on them.

"If the current is too much for you guys, then let us know," David was saying.

"We're going to some rapids!" Jacob said in mock eagerness before his father was playfully scolding him.

"We wouldn't take you guys there," Brad told his son.

"Just kidding," Jacob said.

"How far are we going?" Julia called back to the adults.

"Until the two of us tell you to stop," Louis said, he and Alexis ahead of the kids to watch the river ahead.

"Hopefully it's not for a while," Mari told her friend. She then frowned and said, "How are we getting back?"

"Swimming," Julia said with a smile. She then looked at her and said, "And then lunch."

Laughing Mari said, "I never said I was hungry." She then eyed her friend and said, "But it sounds like you might be."

"Not yet," Julia said. "I'm just assuming we might be hungry after going back."

"It's not that strong a current," Mari told her. When her friend shrugged, she said, "Maybe it will be."

"We'll find out," Julia said laughingly before they were continuing down the creek. She wasn't sure how long they took since she was talking idly with her friends before she noticed Louis and Alexis moving to the side. "We're going back?" she asked.

"Yeah, we've been floating long enough," Alexis told her. "And don't ask I'm fine," she said in a rush when her sister was opening her mouth to speak.

"Do you think you can swim back?" Beckett asked Eliza.

"Yeah," the little girl replied. "I can swim."

"Don't be a smart aleck," Castle said, playfully pinching her cheek.

"How far are we exactly?" Darnley asked while they were standing on the shore and looking up at Half Dome.

"I have no idea," Castle said before he saw his wife was looking at him pointedly. "Seriously-" he started to say before she was interrupting him with a smile.

"I thought you could have checked the time before we left," Beckett told him.

"Not this time, I'm on vacation," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she rolled her eyes and he kissed her briefly before he said, "I think we better head back."

"I was going to say that," Brad said in mock annoyance.

"You can say it again Dad," Jacob told him.

Giving him a look, though he wasn't surprised his son soon began to laugh, Brad said, "You're right though, Sophie and Josie are going to drive the grandparents crazy."

"Why won't Grandda come to swim?" Iris asked Mary while they were moving to get back into the creek.

"He might after lunch," the doctor assured her.

"It'll depend on his knee," Skye said, coming up to them where they waited.

"Mine is fine… why did you look… oh," Castle started to say before he trailed off on his question since he realized the investigator was looking at his wife in front of him.

"He would be limping if he wasn't," Beckett said with a smile before looking at her husband. She squeezed his hand and turned her attention to Eliza since it was their turn to go next.

"Mommy," the little girl said while they were swimming.

"Yes?" Beckett asked.

"I hope we have lunch when we're back at the camp," Eliza said, looking at her mother hopefully before she laughed and was responding.

"We will, it'll be time," Beckett said. "If we leave now." She wasn't surprised when the others pretended to protest her not very subtle hint before they were getting back on their innertubes and swimming to the campsite.

"Oh, I think that's everyone," Liam said, standing in the water with his husband and the four youngest.

"Stay here," Joseph said firmly from where he was sitting to Keo who was taking a step away from them.

"I want to see Daddy and Tata," the little boy protested.

"Yes, but you'll need to wait for them to come to shore," Pablo told him.

"I'll hold his hand," Maddy told the two men though her other hand was holding Josie's.

"No push!" the toddler cried out when Keo did so to his sister.

"She is right Keo," Bethany said, walking up to them. She placed her hand on Maddy's shoulder asking, "Are you alright."

"Yeah," she said with a nod.

"What do you say?" Bethany told her grandson firmly.

"I'm sorry," Keo said softly to his sister.

"It's okay," Maddy told him. "And they're almost here."

"I wonder what's going on," Nkosi murmured to his husband when they'd seen their children with his mother at the shore.

"We'll have to ask," Darnley said easily before they were getting out of the water and heading to the campsite.

"Mama," Josie said, hurrying as fast as she could to her parents.

"Hey sweetie," Beckett said with a smile. She picked her up and put on her hip saying, "You're all wet."

"She wanted to sit down," Pablo explained to her.

"Don't worry," Beckett told him reassuringly while she was smiling. "I'm just glad you didn't go swimming."

"No Mama, no swims," Josie said seriously. She then smiled at her father laughing while her mother was kissing her cheek and then said, "Are we go eat?"

"When did she start doing that?" Skye asked with a smile.

"Recently," Castle said. "Thank her sisters," he added before they went to the camp. After they were dried, he got the sandwiches for his family and passed them out before he paused.

"They took their sandwiches and went for a walk," Martha said with a smile at her son's expression.

"Oh… hopefully they'll be okay," Castle commented before he sat in his chair.

"They will be," Beckett told him firmly.

"You can't blame me," Castle said after playfully narrowing his eyes at his wife.

"No, but I'm just glad she's not here to hear you say that," Beckett said.

"She's not going to eat lunch with us?" Eliza asked. "Her and Louis?"

"Probably not, but let them have some time on their own," Castle said. After the little girl nodded, he turned to his food and began to eat though while he was doing so he watched Josie walking around them.

"Are you going to go swimming again?" Julia asked her mother.

"We will, after her nap," Beckett said. "We did bring games remember," she reminded her.

"I know," Julia said.

"You want to go on your own," Jim guessed.

"Sort of," Julia replied.

"You need to wait a little before you do that," Castle said in amusement.

"I know," Julia said. "And once we play?"

"Yes, you can," Beckett said. "If you're not going to be alone."

"Great, they want to go too," Julia said before laughing softly after her mother rolled her eyes. "But we will later," she said. After she had finished her sandwich eventually, she got up and went to Mari who was helping her father with their trash, her friend turning to her with a smile before she spoke.

"Did you get permission?" the girl asked.

"Yeah," Julia said before she turned slightly after seeing movement out of the corner of her eye. "You'll play badminton with me, won't you?"

"Sure, are we going to ask the others?" Mari asked. She wasn't surprised when her friend nodded before she was rushing to her big sister, turning to her father with a smile.

"Hey, how was lunch?" Julia asked.

"Great, though we weren't that far away," Alexis replied. She wrapped her arm around her sister while they were walking back to the others and told her, "We stayed by the river."

"Are you going to stay with us for dinner?" Julia asked her. She was startled when her sister suddenly paused, nearly causing Louis to run into them.

"Lex are you alright?" he asked, hurrying around to look at her.

"Alexis," Castle called, having noticed the three.

Letting out a brief sob as she covered her mouth with her hands, Alexis stepped up to her husband and wrapped her arms around him tightly whispering to him, "One of the babies just moved."

"They did?" Julia asked, startled when she realized she wasn't literally screaming.

"Yeah," Alexis replied before she was embracing her husband tightly again. "I can't believe it."

"Alexis?" Castle asked, walking over with Beckett though his wife was shortly after slowing him down.

"One of the babies moved for the first time," Alexis said. She couldn't help laughing when the others were hurrying to her, and she was hugging them before she turned her attention to her family when they were left alone. "I'm fine," she said after they; except for her parents; had hugged her. She wasn't surprised when shortly after her mother was stepping up to her before she was embracing her tightly. "And you were right," she murmured to her.

"I told you it was an incredible sensation," Beckett replied, rubbing her daughter's back gently. She was startled when she tensed suddenly and she asked, "It moved again?"

"No… I think it was the other baby," Alexis replied tearfully.

"It's greeting their grandmother," Louis commented with a smile.

"I think so," Castle said, moving to his oldest. He hugged her tightly and said, "You're in shock right now?"

"Yes," Alexis replied.

"It was a beautiful moment?" Castle then inquired.

"Of course," Alexis said firmly.

"Good," Castle said simply, not surprised when his daughter was laughing before he let her go. "I did want you to have the same experience your mom did," he told her.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "I told you she would."

"See?" Castle told their oldest.

"I'm not surprised, let me go though," Alexis replied, smiling because he pretended to race to do so.

"How much longer until they start to kick?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"That'll be soon," Louis said. He saw the way his wife was looking at him and shrugged telling her, "I figured."

"About a month or so," Alexis said. "And yes, I'll tell you when it happens," she told her little sister before she was responding with a question.

"Can I feel when they start to kick?" Eliza asked a little shyly.

"Of course," Alexis said. "We should go," she told the others. "We're going to waste our Fourth of July."

Smiling at the laughter of the others, Beckett picked Josie up and took her to the campsite to continue their day out in the park.

"There it is," Castle said, nodding his head.

"And you didn't have to drill or anything?" Beckett asked, considering the screen he'd hung with him.

"No," Castle said firmly. "Believe me, I don't want the rangers to come and force us to go back to the hotel."

"Especially since we have the grill going," Darnley commented.

"Yeah, how're we going to have s'mores?" Jacob asked.

"Hey! You weren't supposed to know that," Brad said, pretending to be angry.

"We could tell," Marie said.

"We can't go wade in the water until dinner's ready?" Mari asked hopefully.

"Anyone have an objection?" David asked the other parents.

"As long as it's just wading," Castle commented, looking at his wife.

"Especially since you have your clothes on," Beckett added.

"We're going right now," Eve said with a smile. They went into the creek, and she said to her friends, "Are you guys as hungry as I am?"

"Extremely," Kathleen said firmly. "And it doesn't help we can smell everything cooking right now!"

"You know what I'm going to miss?" Jacob asked them as they walked down along the shore in the water a little. "Fireworks in person."

"You heard our mums," Marie told him. "We can't risk a fire here."

"And we're too far from Bass Lake," Kathleen said. "That's the closest place they have them."

"At least that screen your dad put up works," Jacob told Julia.

Nodding she said, "He wouldn't miss fireworks for anything."

"Where are they going to be?" Mari asked her friend.

"I think it's in Washington D.C. so Patrick and his family will like it," Julia said, smiling at the end.

"They won't get too homesick?" Mari asked her.

"Nah," Julia said before they were laughing together.

"Guys," Lily called to the kids. "Come and get your hot dogs, the burgers are going to be ready soon."

"Shoot, I wanted to keep walking around," Jacob said in mock annoyance.

"And fall into the water?" Eve teased her brother. She laughed when he stuck his tongue out at her before they were getting out of the water and hurrying to dry their feet.

Getting their plates, Julia said to Mari, "Are we still sitting together this time?"

"Your dad said he'd put something on the screen right now," she replied. Mari then glanced over at her friend's parents and asked, "Or maybe your mom won't let him," before Julia responded swiftly.

"I'm sure she will," the teen said. "Since the screen is up and everything already."

"But what is he going to put on it now?" Kathleen asked her.

"No clue," Julia replied with a shrug. She turned when her mother was calling to her and she said, "I think we need to get our burgers."

"Yeah, they look like they're ready," Mari said in agreement before they were walking together to the grill.

After they'd gotten the rest of their food, Julia led Mari over to the blanket where they'd eat and she said, "I'm just glad we have a screen."

"Yeah," Mari replied with a smile. She then said, "But still… how was your dad able to hang it?"

"I think ropes with weights on them," Jacob said, sitting with them.

"What he said," Julia told the others with a smile when they turned to her.

"Okay," Castle was saying. "We have a little time until the fireworks start."

"A lot of time," David commented.

"True," Castle said after he'd looked at his watch. "But what I really want to discuss is what we should watch together."

"Better make it a cartoon," Brad said.

"I think Ivy had her hand up first," Skye said to everyone, speaking in amusement since she'd noticed her daughter.

"What movie? Though we should agree on it," Castle said.

"Will we be able to?" Rebecca asked.

"We'd have to, though I have another question," Mary said to them all.

"Which is?" Skye asked her wife, one eyebrow raised.

"Are we going to watch the entire movie," Mary told her. "And the two youngest?"

"They can stay," Beckett answered before the investigator spoke. "The cabana closes fully."

"True," Mary said, glancing at the structure.

"It was a good rent," Skye said. "We need to talk about the movie," she said when the others were turning to her.

"Cars," Ivy said swiftly.

"Anyone object?" Mary asked the others.

"I'll start it," Castle said when there was no protest. After he'd gotten it set on his phone and it was playing, he sat with his wife and Josie. Glancing at Alexis and Louis, he smiled when he saw his son-in-law's arm wrapped around her waist, hand on her stomach. Alexis hadn't felt the twins moving again, but she had acted different since before those moments and he tried not to think of her still being a little girl before shaking himself when he felt his wife touching his arm.

"Eat your food Rick," Beckett said. She then squeezed him gently and told him, "I know what you're thinking-"

"I just want her to be happy," Castle interrupted her, murmuring that into her ear. He wasn't surprised when she nodded before he leaned over to her, and they kissed tenderly before turning with her back to their food.

Once the meal was over, Eliza was allowed to help the youngest McDouglas girls watch the four youngest while everyone else was cleaning up. "Are you ready to play?" she asked Maddy.

"What do we play?" the little girl asked.

"We 'ave to probably all decide," Fleur said with a smile before her mother was walking over and commenting.

"You're right, but you don't need to all play together," Mary said, smiling and hugging Ivy after the little girl had hurried to her. "And no, you can't go into the creek."

Pulling back rapidly, Ivy said, "How did you know?"

"I had a feeling," Mary told her teasingly before she let her go. "We're almost finished so don't go to the water."

"We won't," Eliza said with the others.

"What about fireworks?" Keo asked them.

"Later, we're going to play first," Iris said.

Nodding in agreement Ivy said, "And s'mores remember."

"I wish we can have them now," Maddy said with a sigh.

"Me too," Eliza said quickly, the others agreeing with her. She then smiled and said, "But I'm sure we're going to do that soon. Before Josa and Sophie are sleeping."

"Oh yeah," Keo breathed in wonder before he looked at the others when they were laughing.

"Okay," Lily said once they'd finished and were walking back to the grill. "What're we doing next?"

"Can we play badminton again?" Eve asked immediately.

"The glow in the dark one?" Castle asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Julia said swiftly.

"How many of you guys will be playing?" Darnley asked.

"A lot of us," Jacob said jokingly.

"I'm not surprised," Darnley said. "And the rest of the kids?"

"The Velcro game!" Iris said eagerly.

"But only two can play," Skye reminded her.

"Try another game," Beckett said to the younger kids.

"Then could we play the big Connect Four?" Eliza suggested, startled when the others were agreeing with her.

"Go ahead," Castle said.

"What about you guys?" Eliza asked her parents since David and Nkosi were helping with the Connect Four game.

"We're going to try out the cornhole game," Castle explained. He was a little startled when Eliza left them and he said, "I guess she didn't want to join in."

"While everyone was so excited to play the other?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

"Yeah," Castle replied, smiling when his wife laughed. He leaned over to her and kissed Josie's cheek before doing the same to her mother. He was a little startled when his wife cupped his cheek, holding him in place before she was kissing him firmly. "Really?" he asked when they'd parted.

"Yes," Beckett said so firmly she couldn't help laughing briefly when his eyes went wide. "But we should stop."

"I see," Castle said swiftly before they were walking over to the game. "Are we letting the youngest play?" he asked the others.

"Of course," Brad said, setting Sophie down.

"Are you two planning on letting them play on their own," Skye said. Before anyone could answer that she was turning to her father and stepfather. "You lot don't want to play as well?" she called to them.

"We're fine here," Liam assured her before Castle's mother was talking.

"And once the youngest are ready we'll take them," Martha told them.

"That might be a while," Lily said wryly while her husband was diving for Sophie who had one of the pouches heading to her mouth.

"Then we should start now," Darnley said.

"You wouldn't want your kids to join us?" Beckett asked her friend.

"I think they're fine where they are," Nkosi said, looking at the Connect Four game, his and Darnley's two eagerly participating with the other younger kids.

"And we should start," Castle said swiftly.

"Josie-" Beckett began, turning to her husband and seeing the toddler was trying to lay on one of the boards.

"I've got her," Castle said, picking her up and throwing her up above him a little.

"Sophie should go first," David said.

"Is that an official ruling?" Skye asked him teasingly. "Mr. Mayor?"

"Of course," David said before he was rolling his eyes.

"Ruby," Rebecca called to hers and David's youngest. "You need to use that piece to play."

"My plate for dessert!" Dani cried.

"Thank you, Eliza," Rebecca said in amusement while she was tickling Dani.

"Welcome!" Eliza called back before she pulled Dani to the game.

"Okay, now we're playing," Brad said, leading Sophie to where she needed to stand. After he let her throw it, he hugged her and said, "Great job honey. Next time we'll let you fly throw it," since the toddler hadn't reached the board.

"Good idea," Castle said while Beckett was helping Josie with her pouch. After she was throwing it, he applauded for her saying, "Great job, again we'll do the flying thing." He was about to move to get the pouch when his wife was taking his hand before she spoke teasingly.

"You need to do that now," Beckett said.

"She's right…." Castle started to say before he saw Brad was carrying Sophie over the board. He smiled when the toddler dropped it, squealing in obvious joy at it going into the hole. "Your turn Josie," he told the toddler.

"Eh," she replied before she took the pouch her mother was giving her. After she had it in her hand she laughed while her father picked her up before she looked down at the board he held her above.

"You can let that go," Castle said.

"I don't think she wants to," Mary said, watching with the others.

Moving her, Castle held her under her arms and said, "You know what to do right?"

"No," Josie said, smiling.

Laughing Castle said, "Then do you mind if I play?" When she was shaking her head, he kissed her cheek and walked back to his wife. "What?" he asked her in surprise.

"I thought you were going to throw from there," Beckett told him. She laughed briefly when he made a face, and she cupped his cheek momentarily.

"Hey, we want to play before the fireworks start," Darnley said.

"I know, I don't want to waste that screen," Castle commented before he tossed the pouch. He then pretended to throw Josie, the toddler squealing and laughing before he began to after she had cried, "Again Dada!"

"I think once was enough," Beckett said, kissing her cheek. She watched her husband set their youngest down before Josie was walking to where the grandparents were sitting.

"Dada, I go too," Sophie was saying.

"Here," Brad replied before they were watching her following Josie.

"We have them," Jim called to his daughter once the two toddlers were with the six of them.

"Okay, so I guess we just play without them," Darnley said.

"I think they're getting tired," Lily commented.

"Most likely," Beckett agreed with her friend.

"Should we have dessert?" David asked.

"In a little," Beckett said, seeing Josie and Sophie were playing a hand clapping game Martha was attempting to teach them.

"Alright?" Castle asked his wife while they waited for their turn.

"I am, you," Beckett responded, a smile on her face.

"I am," Castle said firmly. "I'm fine though, but it was a shock since it makes it incredibly real."

"Definitely," Beckett replied with a nod. "But it's a good sign too."

"What?" Skye asked when she pivoted after taking her turn to find the writers were looking at her.

"I thought you might start to sing," Castle explained.

"Me too," Beckett said. "Too serious?" she asked her friend. When Skye nodded, she then said, "Then we're fine."

"Where are they anyway?" Brad asked.

"They went for a walk," Beckett said. "And please don't say a word to them when they're back."

"Don't worry," Louis said, smiling when the adults all jumped slightly. "We're used to all the teasing."

"Great, now stay here," Castle said jokingly.

"Dad," Alexis said, rolling her eyes. She turned to the game and asked, "Are you playing in teams?" Seeing them sharing looks she laughed and said, "I'm going to guess it's for fun."

"It is," Beckett told her. "Do you two want to play as well?"

"I would," Louis said, looking at his wife.

"Go first," Alexis urged him. She turned to her mother and said, "I was worried too," not surprised when she was wrapping her arm around her and hugging her to her side while she spoke.

"You've been doing well," Beckett told her.

"I have, Louis was repeating that on our walk," Alexis said, smiling at her husband when he walked up to them.

"I wanted to make sure you were aware you are," Louis said.

"Still nervous?" David asked the young man. At his nod, he smiled and said, "I'm not surprised, I was."

Looking around at the other fathers agreeing with the mayor Louis said, "My da told me it was natural."

"It is," Castle added. "And then worth it."

"He told me that too," Louis said, smiling when the others were nodding.

Turning their attention back to the game, the parents were playing again in the time left before they would have dessert, the kids crying out while they played together near the creek.