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 chapter from the song Dreamer's Ball written by Brian May, from the Queen album Jazz.

A/N #2: It was great to get the feedback for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank yous! TORONTOSUN (I was glad to see you thought the last chapter was very good writing. And I really was happy you like the song I picked for the chapter, wanted to have Queen since I do love their songs!) and

Mb (It was really nice to see you thought the last chapter was a nice update! And I love going to aquariums too, and Monterey is the biggest in CA so I had to include that one, lol. But I was glad you thought it was a nice excursion for them. Not surprised you could see that Eliza was a mixture of Castle and Beckett, I thought with her getting older it'd be more obvious so I did want to show others were seeing that too. Great you can see Josie is showing more of her personality since I wanted to include that too. And I wasn't surprised that you mentioned the spirits were nice at the Winchester House, lol, didn't really want it to go another way with the kids there. With Castle and Beckett not scared of Josie seeing another spirit that wasn't her grandmothers, I figured with Skye there to reassure them it would help. I had to laugh at you mentioning their discussion about food and what they're doing next along with the next day, it's something I've done on trips so it seemed natural to happen, lol. And not surprised again you're jealous of fiction characters, I am too still, lol. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I wasn't surprised you thought it was nice they'll be able to see everything that was done at Skye and Mary's house. Also wasn't when you said it was nice they got another little concert with Skye and Mary, lol, but I'm really pleased you enjoy that! I was really happy you enjoyed the surprise of the sleepover with Julia and Mari and their typical talks for their ages. Had to laugh at you saying how it went boom to Castle and Beckett using their time wisely but glad you could see their passion and love! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).

Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them all and am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Santa Barbara, I was unable to find who wrote it but it's from the Rebelution album Falling Into Place.

In The Sky In Santa Barbara

"We're not going to argue over who gets the map are we?" Darnley asked.

"I guess not," Castle said, though he was looking at Skye.

Rolling her eyes, the investigator said, "If you're going by who's come to visit the city the longest then Dad should be taking the map."

"Not a chance," Liam replied firmly, smiling down at Ivy when she squeezed his hand.

"Luckily," Skye started to say while she got the map Brad had received buying their admission to the Santa Barbara Zoo for them. "The first animal is right here," she continued while they were walking together past the entrance and a bridge over a pond.

"Ooh, birdie," Sophie cooed when some black swans appeared from underneath the bridge.

"Big birdie," Josie said.

"Come here," Castle said, taking her hand. "You don't want to fall in."

"Yeah," Josie said eagerly. "Go swimming Dada."

"Not this time," Castle told her, trying not to laugh at her tone of voice.

"Not yet," Beckett corrected her husband. When he glanced at her she reminded him, "Where are we staying love? At your insistence?"

"Let me have your camera," Castle replied immediately.

"Give me Mama," Josie told her.

"You don't want to take a picture with me?" Beckett asked while Castle was taking her camera. She shared a smile with her husband when the toddler was frowning and she said, "And then we'll go look at the animals."

"Okay," Josie said.

"What, you're not going to say eh?" Alexis asked, walking up to them.

"'Lexis!" Josie squealed.

"Do you want me to take the picture Dad?" Alexis asked after she'd kissed her baby sister's cheek.

"No, you three in it with your mom and sisters," Castle said, not surprised when Eliza was speaking.

"You didn't ask us Daddy," the little girl said, walking up behind him with Julia.

"Do I need to?" Castle asked her.

"No," Julia answered before her sister could. They hurried to stand with their mother and two sisters before their father was taking the picture.

"You know you might have wanted to wait," Skye was saying after Castle had given Beckett's camera to his wife.

"For what?' he asked in confusion.

"You'll see," Skye said.

Rolling her eyes, Mary told her wife while they were walking past the pond, "You don't have to be that vague you know."

"It makes it more fun," Skye said jokingly.

"I think I know what you're talking about," Rebecca told Mary. "The view isn't it?"

"You cheated," David said in exaggerated amazement to his wife.

"I didn't, I can see ahead of us," Rebecca replied.

"There are some animals you know," Joseph said. "Up ahead," he added when the others were looking at him.

"Great, we-" Nkosi started to say before one of the toddlers was squealing and speaking in obvious eagerness.

"Otter!" Sophie said.

"At least you remembered that word," Brad told his youngest since he was holding her.

"She did love them in Monterey," Lily told him with a smile before they turned to the exhibit in front of them.

"Hi," Josie told the animals, waving.

"They'll stay there," Castle told her swiftly when the toddler gasped at one of the otters standing and looking at them. "See? He wants to go swimming," he said before he glanced at his wife.

"I think she's distracted Richard," Martha told her son before her daughter in law could respond.

"She's right," Beckett said in amusement. She took a picture of Eliza near them with Fleur and Ivy before she glanced at Skye at her other side. "Bored?" she asked.

"No," the investigator replied easily while she folded the zoo map. "Just seeing what's new from the last time we were here."

"Anything?" Pablo asked.

"No," Skye said shortly.

"When were you last here?" Jim asked while they were leaving the habitat and the investigator was leading them over to a path.

Seeing her mothers sharing a glance, Marie told them, "You don't have to worry." When the two turned to her she smiled widely and said, "We know you came here already."

"It was for Valentine's Day," Mary said to the others, not surprised to see their confused expressions.

"We may make that a tradition," Skye commented with a smile. "Like your trip to Vegas."

"And you came here?" Louis asked.

"We did, it was a nice day, and we do like zoos as well," Skye said.

"You're not that bad a photographer," Beckett told her friend, not surprised when she snorted before she replied.

"Nothing like you but luckily there are some very nice habitats here," Skye said.

"She'll explain that one later," Mary said.

"Oh yeah!" Kathleen said.

"Do you know where we're going?" Julia asked her then since they were still walking.

"Yeah," Marie replied before her twin could. "We walk this way all the time."

"But… there's nothing here," Mari said.

"We know," the older McDouglas twins said at the same time.

"I guess that's all they're going to say," Eve said.

"It is, but don't worry," Marie said first. "We'll get to more animals."

"And see everything," Kathleen added, her twin nodding in agreement.

"Hold on," Skye said, stopping everyone. "Here's that other picture spot."

"I can see why," Castle said, looking out at the view of the ocean where they were standing.

"Are you… not going to now? I provided-" Skye started to say before she cut herself off while she began laughing.

"We're good," Beckett said. She then glanced at her husband and said, "For now."

"We are coming to an animal I think," Bethany told them.

"We are, have fun," Mary said.

Watching the couple since the doctor had delayed her wife, Beckett turned at her husband's touch before she noticed something. "Our youngest?" she asked.

"With Eliza," Castle said, holding her hand while he entwined their fingers. "She said she'd be fine with her," he added, watching her before she responded with a slight smile.

"I'm sure she will be, but I wonder if she can manage to keep a hold of her hand when we get to that animal," Beckett said.

"They already did," Castle said, watching while Josie pressed up to the separation between them and the anteater habitat.

"Josa," Eliza said, hurrying to her baby sister and taking her hand again. "You can go inside."

"No, I go to see," Josie said, not looking away from the animal close to them. "What that Lizzy?"

"That's a…" Eliza began to say before looking around for one of their big sisters.

"It says right here," Iris told her friend.

"Thanks," Eliza said, spotting the plaque. "It's a giant anteater," she then directed to her sister.

"Ooh," Josie said. "Why?"

"Why-" Eliza started to say, her face taking on a puzzled expression.

"She's wondering about the name," Julia interrupted her sister, standing a little down from them. "And they eat ants…" she started to say before trailing off when she saw the anteater was flicking out its tongue.

"Ew," Josie said, rushing to her other sister. "Does hurt Jules?" she asked.

"Nah," Julia said, unable to help smiling at her sister's tone. She glanced behind them for their parents but saw their mother was talking to their grandparents and their father was talking to Alexis. Shaking herself she turned to Josie before she noticed the anteater moving. "Look Josa," she told her. "That's a baby on the back of it."

"The baby?" Josie asked, looking. When the baby anteater turned its head, she squealed before she then turned away and pushed past Eve and Marie.

"Where are you going?" Castle asked, grabbing the toddler before she could go past him.

"Where is Mama?" Josie said.

"Here," Castle said swiftly, not teasing her since her tone bordered on being tearful. He was about to walk over to his wife when he saw she was doing so to him, reaching them and taking Josie while she spoke to their youngest at the same time.

"What's the matter sweetie?" Beckett asked her, putting her on her hip.

"I want my mama," Josie said.

"Don't point," Beckett said gently, putting her hand down when she was doing so to the anteater. Kissing her temple she said, "Now that you have me, do you want to go on my back?"

"No," Josie said, smiling widely.

"Good because that's a little hard to do," Beckett said before she watched Josie snuggling tightly against her.

"I feel slightly jealous," Castle commented.

Glancing at her husband, Beckett then looked to see the others were leaving the habitat before she said, "I'm assuming you'll tell me how to reassure you."

"I would but we're not really alone at the moment," Castle said, pressing his hand to her back gently so they would start to walk since people were approaching them. When he felt they were far enough away he stopped her and leaned into her, kissing her gently before they were slowly parting.

"Will that hold you?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"It's going to have to," Castle said with a nod. He was about to start walking with her again when she stopped him to his surprise.

Setting Josie down and taking her hand, Beckett pulled her husband to him and murmured in his ear, "Until tonight."

"It has been a while," Castle said when she was pulling back to look at him.

"It has, but this isn't really the place to talk about that," Beckett said, turning her gaze down to Josie who was looking up at the two of them.

"Good point," Castle replied, looking down as she was. "Should we keep going ceann beag?"

"Eh," Josie said, holding out her free hand to him. She squealed in joy when her parents were swinging her a few times between them before they reached the next habitat, and her older sister was hurrying to them.

"I thought you were gonna walk through the zoo with me Josa," Eliza said.

"Yeah," Josie replied with a smile, going from their parents to her.

"I can take care of her," Eliza said.

"Should we be worried?" Castle asked his wife when their second youngest took Josie with her without a word to them.

"No, she's serious," Beckett replied before they were turning their attention to the animals in the habitat with their friends and family.

After the few habitats they'd seen, Skye and Mary were leading the others down the path through two sets of gardens before they came to three habitats.

Looking at the fennec foxes, the last of the three they'd seen, Beckett couldn't eventually help noticing Skye and Mary were standing back and whispering to each other. She walked up to them before they stopped and turned to her and she said, "Do you know how weird you two are right now?'

Smiling, since she was well aware her friend was joking, Skye said, "Yeah, we're just discussing the next thing."

"I think I have an idea of what that is," Beckett said.

"The map?" Skye asked.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "I've seen the signs."

"I told her the kids would have seen," Mary commented in amusement.

"I don't know if they did though," Beckett said.

"Really?" Mary asked in slight confusion.

"I think they've been talking while we walked," Beckett explained.

"Okay," Skye said. "That's next and I should get the other parents to ask them if they mind."

"They won't," Beckett said, though she wasn't surprised when the investigator was getting the other parents together and talking to them.

"We're almost there?" Castle asked his wife when he walked up to her. At her nod he asked, "Josie?"

"Will you take her?" Beckett responded with a question of her own at the same time she was smiling. She was a little taken back when her husband hesitated, and she was about to ask him why he didn't want to when he was speaking first.

"What if Eliza won't let her go?" Castle asked.

Giving him a brief look, Beckett said, "Are you the parent or her?"

"Okay," Castle said. "You wouldn't want to?" He smiled when his wife hesitated and said, "I can take pictures."

"And you won't mind not helping her?" Beckett asked.

"If I could do it after her…" Castle started to say.

Smiling, Beckett reached out to him and cupped his cheek before they turned to the others when Skye was calling for the kids.

"Do you mind her telling your kids what to do?" Darnley asked his friend.

"At least they listen," Beckett said jokingly before they were going back out to the path.

"What's this?" Jacob asked when he saw a platform a little away from the lions, tortoise and foxes.

Stopping them, Skye told the kids except hers and Mary's, "We can feed the giraffes here-" having to stop when the younger kids were exclaiming. "I know, it's very exciting. But we have to take turns and we'll do it by family." She glanced at Castle and Beckett and said, "Alphabetically."

"You're first," Iris said to Eliza.

"Are you sure?" the little girl asked with a frown.

"Yeah, your name starts with a c," Iris replied.

"Or a b," Ivy reminded her sister, not surprised when Eliza was replying to that.

"Yeah, that one… but that doesn't feel like it's fair," the little girl said slowly.

"Don't worry," Maddy said. "We all get to feed the giraffe."

"Are you scared?" Ivy asked her.

"Little," Maddy confessed.

"Well… we'll show you how to do it first," Eliza said. When her friends were nodding, she nearly bounded to her family before she said, "Are we going first?"

"Your sister is," Beckett answered.

"Really?" Eliza asked, smiling at her big sister.

"If you don't mind," Alexis replied, glancing at her husband.

"Really quick," Louis said. "And we'll tell the twins how their mum fed the giraffe before them."

Watching her oldest roll her eyes, Beckett turned to see Castle was walking back to them and asked, "Everyone can go?"

"They can," Castle replied with a nod, giving their son in law the ticket for the experience. He stood with the others while the couple stepped onto the platform first and looked at Josie who Eliza was holding in place. "Let me," he told the little girl.

"Yeah, she's gonna want to go pet," the little girl replied with a wide smile. She looked back at Alexis and Louis and giggled when the giraffe in front of her was reaching out to the romaine lettuce leaves with its tongue.

"Ooh," Josie breathed. "Dada, I want…" the toddler then started to say before she trailed off with a frown.

"You will," Castle assured her. He turned his attention to Alexis walking up to them and asked, "Fun?"

"It was," Alexis replied. "And I hope you'll have fun," she then directed to her little sisters.

"They will," Beckett said before she reached over and handed her husband her camera. Once she had Josie on her hip she asked the toddler, "Are you ready now?" She smiled when she was nodding rapidly, and she kissed at Josie's temple before they were going up to the platform and the giraffe.

"Hi," Josie said, staring at the animal.

"Here you go," the worker said with a smile while he handed Beckett one of the leaves.

Glancing at Castle, Beckett could see her husband was ready, so she helped their youngest reach out and let the giraffe take the first leaf. She took the others from the worker until they were finished and thanked the woman before they were leaving with Castle.

"Did you like that?" Eliza asked her sister.

"Eh," Josie said. "You now Lizzy," she said carefully while their mother was helping her clean her hands before she spoke.

"She's right, it's your turn," Beckett said, cleaning her own hands before she was taking Eliza up.

Castle took pictures of their middle daughters while his wife stood with them in case they needed any help. When they had finished, they waited for the other families to go, standing at the railing that was looking out on the habitat for the giraffes walking around. "That was nice," he commented, glancing at his wife.

"It was," Beckett said with a nod, smiling. She then looked at Josie, her father holding her, before she said, "I should have grabbed the map."

Smiling himself at her words, Castle told her, "Wouldn't that ruin the surprise?"

"Basically," Beckett said. "But I want to see if there's anything else like this."

Nodding Castle said, "I don't think there is, at least nothing to buy… wait, the train."

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly and told him, "I thought you'd forgotten."

"Almost," Castle said. "It'll be good for after lunch."

"If the older kids want to go," Beckett said, glancing at Julia who was standing with her sisters and Louis ahead of them.

"Probably," Castle said. He then turned to his wife when she squeezed his arm and said, "We need to stop soon," not surprised when she immediately replied.

"Of course, we came here later," Beckett replied.

"How much of the zoo is left?" Julia asked.

"Not too much," Castle said. When he saw Julia was frowning and Eliza was glancing at her sister, he quickly told them, "I have no idea, you'll have to ask Skye."

"Ask me what?" the investigator said.

"We're stopping soon?" Beckett answered before her husband could respond to that.

Taking a quick glance at her watch, Skye nodded and said, "Yeah, I think we'll need to." She looked around at the adults and told them, "The kids are hungry."

"Very," Mary added. "In fact, they said they'd even eat a salad."

"We were joking," Kathleen said after they'd calmed down laughing.

"Luckily we're near a place," Mary said.

"Yes," Skye said, she and her wife looking at each other. "But there is one more animal to see before we do that," she directed to the others.

"Then maybe you should take us there," Rebecca said.

"It's not far," Skye commented before they were leading the way again.

"Dad," Julia said, smiling at her father when she saw the animals they were reaching.

"I see," Castle replied as they watched the meerkats. He went over to her and said, "Do you mind?"

"No," Julia said. She then said, "So that's twice."

"Probably a third and fourth," Castle said teasingly.

"So you're going to tell us for sure we're going to more zoos?" Julia asked him.

"No," Castle said. "But you know there's a chance." He smiled when she laughed and hugged him briefly before they were looking together into the habitat.

Gently bouncing Josie on her hip, Beckett made sure the toddler was alright where she was and told her, "What do you think sweetie?"

"Are they puppies?" Josie asked.

"No, but they do look a little like them," Beckett said, smiling again when her youngest was nodding in agreement. She then glanced at Castle and Julia before they were separating. "That's it?" she asked her husband with a smile.

"I'm not going to keep her away from her friends," Castle explained. "Did you want to take pictures?"

"I have," Beckett assured him.

"Me too," Josie said.

"I noticed, I'm sure the pictures are great," Castle said, pinching her cheek playfully before she giggled.

"I think we're done," Beckett said, seeing some of the kids turning away from the habitat after they'd been standing there for some time.

"Good, I think someone is hungry," Castle commented, seeing Josie burying her face into her mother's hair.

"She's done that already," Beckett told her husband with a smile before they were following Skye as the investigator began to speak.

"I hope you won't be mad at me," Skye was telling everyone. "But if you want lunch, we should head out now."

"I'm hungry," Ivy said, going to her mother and taking her hand.

"So am I," Fleur added.

"Great to see," Skye said with a smile when the other younger kids were saying the same. "Okay, I should warn you we'll be going up some hills," she said, though she was looking at her father.

"Don't worry," Liam said reassuringly. "I remember this, and I can handle it." He paused for a moment and then told her, "It's not that bad."

"I just want to make sure," Skye said before she led the way over to a short flight of stairs.

"Can we run around after lunch?" Iris asked while they were walking over the grass that covered a hill.

"Of course," Mary said, looking at the parents with toddlers.

"We don't need to race through the zoo," Lily said.

"She's right, resting would be great for the kids," Brad commented, laughing when the younger ones were protesting.

"You can play for a while," David said. "But you should rest a little before we walk again since we have…"

"There's more," Skye said before they were reaching the building. "There are some light options here, but you should enjoy it."

"Are we having a bigger dinner?" Maddy asked.

"And dessert?" Keo asked in a rush.

"I'm not sure," Skye said with a brief laugh. "We parents need to agree on that. But for now, we'll have some lunch."

"Is it okay if I eat with Mari?" Julia asked, hurrying to her mother. She was pleased when Beckett nodded before she was speaking while she wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

"You can but at dinner you're sitting with us," Beckett told her. When her second oldest was about to speak she gently squeezed her shoulder and told her, "You are having a sleepover essentially." She watched Julia purse her lips before she said, "No?"

"You're right," the teen said. "But where are we going to eat together?"

Laughing Castle said, "Nice try, but we'll tell you later." When Julia playfully smirked at him, he then said, "It sounds like you don't want to keep going through the zoo."

"Oh, I do, don't worry," Julia said firmly.

"Now we have that set," Castle told them, looking at Eliza at the same time. "You two need to tell us what you want to eat. And all I'll say is you don't need to worry about dinner."

Sharing a glance with each other, Julia and Eliza were laughing with their family before they turned their attention to the menu and looking to see what they would choose.

"Is this the last animal of the zoo?" Jacob was asking his parents.

"It is," Mary said to everyone else turning to her and her wife. "It is later."

"She's right, the zoo closes at four and it's a little after three," Skye added.

"What're they doing in there?" Eliza asked, looking inside the habitat where a zoo worker was walking around and touching the fake rock structures inside.

"I think he's putting up some meat," Nkosi said.

"He is," Kathleen said, smiling when the other kids looked at her before her twin was adding to what she'd said.

"He's putting up meat for the leopard to find," Marie said.

"Tiger?" Josie asked.

"Not this time sweetheart," Castle told her, kissing the side of her head.

"Tigers?" Josie then said.

"They don't have them at this zoo," Beckett said gently, hoping she wouldn't be upset.

"Look, there's the leopard!" Fleur exclaimed since the worker had left and they could see the animal entering the habitat.

"What kind is it?" Keo asked.

"A snow leopard," Marie said with a smile since her three younger sisters had looked at her and Kathleen.

"Ooh," Keo said before he was looking at it closely while it was walking around and chewing on the mounds of meat.

"It's finding them," Maddy told her brother.

"Yeah," Keo said with a nod.

"It's what they do," Beckett said with a smile since she would feel her friend fighting his laughter next to her. Squeezing Darnley's arm, she then said, "At least he's interested."

"And he will be for what's next," the carpenter said.

Castle walked over to his wife once Darnley had picked up his son and told her, "She's enjoying it."

"I had a feeling," Beckett said, gently brushing her fingers through Josie's hair though the toddler's gaze didn't move from the leopard.

"Love?" Castle asked his wife.

"Yes?" Beckett replied with a smile.

"How are we getting out of here?" Castle answered.

"Two words," Skye said, standing near them by then and not surprised when they immediately looked at her before Castle spoke first.

"Are you going to let us know?" he said.

"You're aware of them," Skye stated with a smile. "Unless you didn't want to stop there," she told the couple.

"I'm all for it," Rebecca said suddenly. She smiled when the others looked at her and said, "Ruby's asked to go."

"Yeah Mama," the little girl said eagerly, taking her hand.

"We're not getting out of this now," David said jokingly.

"I'll get our girls," Skye responded.

"Are we going to the gift shop?" Eliza asked her parents, hurrying to them.

"You're finished looking at the leopard?" Castle asked in response, smiling in amusement at her eager tone.

"Yeah, we have to leave now, right?" Eliza said.

"If we're going to do what we wanted to next," Beckett commented, putting her camera away.

"But I don't want to let go of her," Castle said in a mock complaining tone when his wife reached for their youngest.

"I'll give her back once we go," Beckett commented, brushing her fingertips to his jaw. They leaned into each other, but she paused at the same time he did and told him, "I wanted to take pictures," not surprised when he nodded before he spoke.

"Just let me know," Castle replied.

"We're going now, right?" Julia asked with a smile.

"Yes, though you realize we're only letting you get a t-shirt," Beckett told her while they left the habitat.

"Sure," Julia said. When she saw the way her mother was looking at her, she smiled and then said, "Okay, I want to get some postcards and… maybe something else."

"A toy?" Castle asked her.

"Probably not," Julia said slowly.

"If you want to get a book you'll show it to us," Beckett said, trying not to smile when she could just see out of the corner of her eye that her husband was nodding in agreement.

"Sure," Julia said before she was hurrying ahead of them to walk with Mari.

After they had looked through the store, nearly everyone buying something, the group left the zoo and walked to the street they'd been brought to that morning.

"Dad?" Skye asked him, walking over to him. "If-"

"He's insisting on walking," Pablo said.

"I'm not surprised," Skye said with a smile, seeing her dad was rolling his eyes. "But if you can't…"

"I remember Cabrillo is there, with cabs," Liam commented.

"Where are we going?" Eve asked the adults.

"To the beach," Brad said. "I know we don't have our swimsuits and everything else, but there's a reason for that." He glanced at the other adults and said, "Which you'll find out later."

"Then why are we going to the beach?" Jacob asked, obvious confusion on his face.

"You'll see," Lily added, trying not to laugh at the way her son was groaning in annoyance before Iris was asking her mothers about the beach.

"Are we walking down the street and then on the beach?" the little girl was asking.

"No, we'll go straight to it down this street," Skye told her, taking her hand.

"What about looking for shells?" Ivy asked.

"Is that what you want to do?" Mary said.

"I do, so does Iris," Ivy told them, looking at her twin.

"We will, closer to the end though," Skye replied.

"Didn't you say you'd brought them here before?" Castle asked the McDouglas women. Before they could answer though they crossed the street Liam had mentioned and he said to them, "Shouldn't we just tell them?"

"If you want to, the surprise stuff was all you," Skye told him jokingly.

Walking down the sand, Beckett told her husband, "You should set her down."

Looking at Josie in his arms, Castle smiled at the toddler and said, "What do you think sweetheart? Should I do that?"

"Eh," Josie said before she put her arms around his neck. "Please Dada," she told him.

"Well, now that you said please and meant it I have to," Castle said. "But stay with your sisters… any of them."

"She…" Jim started to say before he trailed off when Josie was doing her best to walk over to Sophie.

"Sorry Dad," Beckett told him with a smile when the two toddlers were holding hands and walking together.

"I don't mind, I wasn't sure where she was going," Jim replied. He then told her, "I wondered if they really would be friends."

"I think it's more they're the same age," Castle told him. "They're always in each other's company."

"Because they need to be," Darley commented.

"So, is that a bad thing?" Nkosi asked his husband with a smile.

"No, though I would hope they wouldn't fight when they're older," Darnley said.

"They don't now," Castle replied.

"Then you're lucky," Darnley said before they were stopping when the kids did. "You found shells?" he asked Keo since his son was walking up to him and Nkosi.

Turning her attention to Josie, Beckett saw she and Sophie were picking up handfuls of sand before she told her husband, "Should we?"

"If their hands go to their mouths… yes," Castle said firmly.

"Sophie!" Lily said when she spotted her daughter putting her hands up.

Walking after her friend, Beckett helped Josie stand and asked her, "Were you going to eat that sweetie?"

"No Mama," Josie said seriously before she held her arms up.

"Hold on," Jim said, walking over to them. Glancing at his daughter, he moved to gently brush the sand that remained on Josie's hands before she was reaching up to him.

"Do we have to keep going?" Eliza asked in disappointment when the adults were calling for them.

"You don't want to see where we're going?" Castle asked her, helping her stand.

Pursing her lips for a moment, Eliza sighed and then said, "I do… but is it that thing down there?"

Smiling, not surprised she had noticed it, Castle hugged her with one arm and said, "It is, you'll see it very soon."

"As long as we walk," Eliza replied.

"Yes," Castle said simply, not surprised when she rushed off to find her friends. Alone he turned to his wife and saw she was walking up to him and he asked her, "You're okay if I join you?"

"You're joining me tonight, aren't you?" Beckett replied to that with another question. When her husband nodded rapidly a few times she couldn't help laughing and told him, "Then we're good."

"I feel like asking you to decide what we're going to do once we get there," Castle said, looking at his wife when she squeezed his arm and spoke in amusement.

"I already told you the kids will decide," Beckett told him.

"Should we have brought their stuff to swim?" Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife was looking at him pointedly and he said, "Never mind." Smiling at her squeezing his arm again he asked, "Are you going to keep taking pictures?"

"You realize; again; I can take them with one hand," Beckett teased him. She laughed outright when her husband's reaction was to take her hand but stopped herself shortly after. "When are you going to tell them?" she asked him after they'd been walking for a little.

"Once we stop," Castle replied. He quickly saw the way his wife was looking at him and said, "Someone's going to ask."

"You mean Eliza," Beckett commented. When her husband nodded slowly, she smiled and squeezed his hand gently before telling him, "Why not at dinner?"

"We're going to be spread out, I tried to get us tables all together, but they said the area isn't big enough for that," Castle explained.

"Area?" Beckett asked.

"You'll see when we get there," Castle told her. "Though if you don't like me being vague, I'll stop."

"The kids are listening," Beckett told him, she smiled when he was looking around in a rush and said, "And we're almost there."

"I saw," Castle said.

"That's a huge pier," Jacob told the others.

"It's called Stearn's Wharf," Kathleen told him.

"Wharf?" Mari asked.

"Yeah, it's a pier but whatever," Marie answered.

Laughing with them, Julia turned at the same time as her friends before she saw David was holding a tote bag open for Rebecca. "We can stay here?" she asked.

"Yes, but stay away from the creek behind us," Skye said, gesturing with her thumb. "I don't want you five girls playing in that water."

"We won't," the McDouglas girls said at the same time.

Once blankets were set out, the grandparents sat, and the parents were going to the beach with the younger kids.

"Are we going to go further in the water?" Eve asked the others where they were standing, herself only just past her ankles.

"I don't think we could," Julia told her before her mother was walking up to them while she spoke at the same time.

"Are you guys thinking of going further?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah," Julia said. "Though we were going to ask permission first."

"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said, looking at her daughter when she gave an exaggerated sigh.

"That means we can't," Julia told her friends.

Laughing briefly when the others were groaning, aware they weren't serious, Beckett told them, "Sorry but we don't have clothes to change into. And it's a little far to head back to the hotel."

"Are we going to walk back?" Marie asked.

"No, we'll take cabs," Beckett explained. "So I hope you won't mind staying this deep if you go into the water."

"I think I want to look for shells again," Mari said.

"Me too," Julia agreed before they were stepping out.

Watching the other kids following them, Beckett walked to where Skye was looking up at the pier and said, "Please tell me you're leading us once we're up there."

With a smile the investigator said, "I may need to, no one but Mary and Dad know this… Pablo too. Sorry Pablo," adding the end though her stepfather was too far to hear.

"As long as you ask us what we feel like for dinner," Beckett began.

Smirking at her friend Skye said, "You're aware already your husband took care of the dinner arraignments."

"With your help," Beckett said firmly.

"With our help," Skye corrected her. She glanced at her wife, who was with their youngest two looking at the sand, and then said, "She thought of where we're going. But there are shops and everything."

"With all those buildings?" Beckett replied.

Nodding, Skye looked out at the water and then said, "You can ask," not surprised at her friend's immediate response.

"I'm not surprised you could tell," Beckett said. When the investigator shrugged, she asked, 'Did you come here with your father?"

"When I hadn't been six for very long," Skye replied with a brief incline of her head. When Beckett grabbed her arm, she shook her head and told her, "It's alright, I treasure that trip since it was about three months before…" After her friend nodded in understanding she said, "I remember a little of it, he brought me here to the zoo and we stayed at a hotel down the road, The Sandman which I always remember since it had two bedrooms in our room."

"Is it there anymore?" Beckett asked.

Shaking her head Skye then said, "It wasn't very fancy, Da didn't… he wanted to save money for me to go to college. He was hoping already for UCLA for me and wanted to make sure he had enough for that though I had money from my mum."

"Understandable," Beckett replied. She looked over at the kids and said with a smile, "I think Fleur is looking for you."

Turning to peer in the same direction, Skye was soon smiling herself and said, "Your daughter too," before they were walking over to the pair. As she began looking at the shells Fleur had found, she couldn't help thinking of the night she and her father had spent together after her first time touring the Santa Barbara Zoo.

"Is it the popcorn?" Skye asked happily.

"It is," Henry McDouglas told his daughter with a smile, watching her jumping up and down. "Though I can't let you have your share since you're hopping around like a wallaby."

"Daddy," Skye giggled, stopping then. "A kangaroo," she corrected him before he brought her with him to the end of what was going to be her bed. She let him pick her up and wrapped her arms around him saying, "I want to go to the zoo again," smiling when he was laughing before he sat with her on his lap.

"Is that right my star?" Henry asked her.

"Yeah, I want to see all the animals I can," Skye said. She pressed her cheek to her father's and said, "What about in New York? Can we go to the zoo then?"

"Of course," Henry replied, kissing her temple. "But that's not for a while yet you know."

"How long?" Skye asked.

"Three days," Henry replied.

Giggling again, Skye told him, "Not that soon Daddy."

"No, three months," Henry said. When she was pouting, he pecked her lips before he pulled away to speak before she said, "Again Daddy!" and he leaned down to her so they could share a kiss together. "But we have a lot to do still before them," smiling when she pouted again before she spoke.

"Okay, but we can have popcorn now," Skye said.

"We can," Henry said with a nod, kissing her temple before he set her next to him and gave her one of the bowls. "Now what do we watch?" hugging her tightly as she looked at the TV in front of them thoughtfully.

"Grá?" Mary said, squeezing her wife's shoulder.

"Yes?" Skye asked, turning to her and doing her best to shake herself from her memory.

"Are you alright?" Mary responded in obvious concern.

"I am," Skye said after breathing out a little hard.

"What were you remembering?" Mary said.

Explaining what she had spoken with Beckett about, Skye squeezed her hand firmly and told her, "Don't blame her."

"I wasn't going to," Mary said. "But you need to-"

"Be here in this moment," Skye said.

"Or walk with us to the pier and realize where you are," Mary told her firmly.

"I'm fine," Skye said reassuringly. She leaned over to her, and they were kissing tenderly before she said, "And you're right, we better go and look around a little before our reservations." She let out a whistle and burst out laughing when their three youngest were nearly falling on the sand to make their way over to her.

"Think she'll be alright?" Castle murmured to his wife.

"Yeah," Beckett said, smiling at him when he was squeezing her back gently. "I am too, I just hope she'll be alright."

"We're leaving," Skye called to everyone. "There's one store I'm hoping to get you guys to before we have our dinner."

"What time is our reservation?" Martha asked.

"I made it for five thirty," Castle said. "Skye suggested it should be earlier."

"Good," Marie said firmly.

While they were still laughing at the girl's tone, the group headed together to the end of the pier until they were able to walk down it. They followed Skye and Mary to a cluster of stores before they were going inside one.

"Eliza," Castle said to the little girl.

"Yeah?" she asked though she was looking at the toys she could see.

"If you have to get something," Castle said seriously. "Just one and your mom and I both need to approve of it."

"Okay," Eliza said before she left him to follow the younger McDouglases to the toys.

"I realize I should have mentioned what this store had before we got here," Skye commented, standing with some of the parents.

"They would have seen it at some point," Brad said.

"He's right," Castle said. "But I told Eliza…"

"Julia knows," Beckett told her husband in amusement before they were watching Skye suddenly leave to go to her father.

"Is she okay? I noticed her on the beach," Lily asked.

"She remembered her father," Beckett explained. "She mentioned the trip she took here with him when she was six."

"Was that the last one she had?" Darnley asked.

Glancing at Nkosi, Beckett told them, "No, it was the one to New York three months later. He went to a convention for airline pilots and had to take Skye." She wasn't surprised when no one said anything to that, since the return trip to LA had been when the crash had occurred. She then turned to Mary and said, "You didn't-" before the doctor was interrupting her.

"No, you were aware of how you should describe that," Mary said. She then said, "We're going to walk together for a little. She's fine but we need a little time alone."

"She's coming back," Rebecca said swiftly.

After the McDouglas women had left, Beckett watched the other two couples heading further into the store before she told her husband, "I wish she'd had her mother. I wish she had her mother."

"I know how you feel," Castle said.

Smiling slightly, Beckett told him, "Thank you, but we had her in our past lives."

"Mommy, Daddy?" Eliza said slowly, walking up to them. She could tell, even though they were smiling at each other, that they were being serious, and she wanted to be careful. "Could I show you what I found?"

"Of course," Beckett said, smiling reassuringly at her daughter while Castle nodded in agreement. They turned their attention to Eliza fully, bringing their focus to the store since they would soon be searching for the rest of their daughters to spend time with them.