"There's something we forgot to ask everyone else grá," Mary told her wife.
"Oh?" Skye asked with her eyebrow slightly raised.
"We forgot to see what time they all wanted to eat dinner," Mary explained.
"Six is fine," David said.
"That's not too late for the babies?" Skye asked.
"No, and you just thought of something," Castle said, watching the investigator and easily spotting her hesitation.
"Yes, with so many of us I'm going to have to finagle tables," Skye said.
"We're eating in the middle one?" Lily asked.
"That's my hope," Skye said before she turned to Paul when he touched her arm. She frowned at him and said, "I don't want you to-"
"Just for this," the singer interrupted her, speaking gently.
"Alright, we need to go now," Skye said before she addressed the last to everyone.
"Do we need to wait to go into a store?" Maddy asked.
"That would be the polite thing to do," Bethany told her granddaughter with a nod.
"Hopefully they won't take that long," Mary told the others. She glanced at the plaza they were near and said, "If you kids want to run around the grass, I think you should."
"Go but stay near us," Beckett said when her middle daughters looked at her. She wasn't surprised when the other parents were giving their permission and she watched the kids running around with each other. Looking at her husband when he stood close to her, she told him, "We're not alone."
Nodding to her Irish, Castle then said, "What do you think?"
"I said I would have to see the decorations," Beckett replied easily. Something came to her mind then and she asked her husband, "Do you want to get something?"
"To be honest I would," Castle replied. "But yes, we need to see what they look like first." He looked from the kids to her while she was squeezing his hand and was about to ask what she had in mind before they were turning to Skye when she and Paul were near them since she was speaking to her wife.
"We were able to get a group of tables," Skye said. She then looked at the grass and said, "At six twenty though, they have a few other reservations so that's the best time they can work us in."
"We were planning on staying for a while," Paul said. "I told her."
"Some things will close," Skye replied, giving him a fake glare.
"Then we'll go to them first," Paul replied in an American accent.
After they'd laughed Darnley said, "I should point out to you guys that if we're going to those, we better head there now."
"Does anyone want to get them though?" Brad asked the others.
"They did want to go shopping," Stella said.
"Do you think your son would be able to get them?" Castle asked her and Alasdhair.
"Try and ask him," the latter replied.
"Pass," Castle said swiftly before he heard the kids' yelling and crying out stopping.
Turning to the grass, the adults saw the kids were walking up to them, Julia laughing and telling them, "We heard you, we're going shopping, right?"
"How did you stop?" Castle couldn't help asking.
"We want to go shopping Daddy," Eliza said with a slight frown.
"Great, we need to leave now," Mary said though they were already starting to walk.
"Are we going into every building?" Ivy asked her mothers.
"Are you trying to ask about the candy store?" Skye replied with her own question.
"Yes," Ivy said shortly.
Laughing, Skye said, "We'll go, I'm just not sure about everyone else."
"We will," Castle said, glancing at his wife.
"Thank you for checking with me first," Beckett said wryly. She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded slowly and she then said, "He's right, we'll go but we're going to be very firm about the girls saving the candy for tomorrow."
"Oh good, I was going to suggest that be our desserts for tomorrow," Skye replied.
"Desserts?" Mari asked immediately.
"After lunch and dinner," Rebecca said before the investigator answered. "You're not getting that much candy."
"I want some candy," Dani said.
"You will, but we're going to be with you while you do," David told her.
By then they'd reached the candy store and headed inside, walking around and grabbing the different selections. Eventually Mari went over to her friend and said, "My parents told me I could get a little more," smiling when the teen was answering her distractedly.
"Mine too, what're you thinking?" Julia asked, finally looking at her.
"Did you get any of the taffy?" Mari asked her.
"No, I was going there last," Julia said. "I just wanted one more licorice wheel," she added, putting it into her bag. "Come on," she said before they were hurrying to the section with the candy.
"Should we follow?" Castle asked his wife, helping Josie hold the white paper bag with their selections in it upright.
"I think they're fine," Beckett replied simply before she put a few strawberry candies in the bag.
"Don't tell me that's all we're getting," Castle said.
"No, unless you don't want taffy?" Beckett asked. She smiled when her husband narrowed his eyes at her and squeezed his hand before they were walking together to the section.
After everyone had paid for their candy, the group walked outside again before Skye paused and let the others pass her.
"Where did Mum go?" Marie asked, looking around to ask her mother about the mercantile store.
Turning at her oldest's question, Mary swiftly spotted her and was immediately concerned before she told the girl to continue, and she hurried down to her wife. "Skye," she said in concern. "We're not going into the house."
"I know," the investigator said a little absently. "But I feel like someone wants me to go inside."
"You shouldn't," Beckett said, relieved when that got Skye to look away from the Casa de Estudillo. "Julia," she explained when the two were obviously confused.
"Come on grá," Mary said, nodding to the writer. She took Skye's arm while Beckett wrapped her arm around the investigator's shoulders and together they led her back down the path where they saw their group was waiting for them at the entrance to the patio store.
"Easy," Skye said to her daughters who had immediately rushed up to her and hugged her tightly. "I'm fine, I just had to recall I'm on vacation," she told them before her youngest was speaking earnestly.
"Are you sure Mummy, you look really pale," Iris said, concern in her tone.
"I am," Skye said, glancing at her wife who nodded in response. She then said, "I'm going to the mercantile next door to sit for a little." When Mary squeezed her hand tightly, she said, "But if you do find something for our pool room just text me."
"We'll take them," Liam suddenly said, giving his daughter in law a look.
"Come on," Beckett said, squeezing Julia's shoulder since she had been glancing at the house in the middle of the park.
"I don't feel anything," Julia told her mother swiftly. She smiled briefly and then said, "I think they were trying to talk to Skye."
Nodding, Beckett made sure she went ahead of her and Castle before she turned to her husband. "Any comment?" she asked him.
"Not really, I've been watching her since you left," Castle replied. "She seems fine which is kind of a surprise."
"You expected her to feel the same as Skye?" Martha asked her son. She couldn't help smiling at the way the couple looked at her, startled expressions on their faces, before she told them, "They've found something."
"You mean Eliza did," Castle immediately told her since the little girl had taken Josie to look around with her and his mother.
With a brief nod Martha said, "She went to get Julia and told me to bring you to where she found it."
"Okay," Castle said, looking at his wife. While they were following his mother he said, "If you don't really want anything then we don't have to get it. We could put it in Eliza's room."
"You're going to tell her that?" Beckett asked him. She laughed briefly when her husband obviously hesitated and told him, "I know love, but if it's not too…"
"Hopefully Julia will tell her," Castle said, nodding since he knew what his wife couldn't say after she trailed off. They were reaching the girls and Jim and he asked, "Where's Mari?"
"Her parents wanted her to see if she liked a set of pots for their backyard," Julia explained with a smile.
"What do you think?" Eliza nearly exploded telling them when her family turned to her.
Taking the turtle, Beckett said, "I'm glad it's smaller."
"You don't like it," Eliza said, her eager expression disappearing immediately.
"I didn't say that," Beckett replied firmly. "I do like the shell."
"I thought you would," Castle said with a smile before they were turning to Julia.
Jumping a little, the teen said, "I like it too, she looked at the green one first, but I told her they weren't great colors."
"I have nothing to say," Martha told her son and daughter in law firmly. She smiled when her middle granddaughters were looking at her in surprise and told them, "It's not my home."
"It's not her kind of decoration," Julia said in an exaggerated whisper to her little sister.
"Oh, but it's not real Gram," Eliza said swiftly when she realized her sister was right. She then smiled and told her, "And it's a pretty blue."
"Blues," Josie said.
"Does she know it's plural?" Julia asked in surprise since the cut glass pieces that made up the shell of the turtle were in different shades of blue.
"I don't think so," Beckett said, nodding when her husband was slowly taking the turtle out of her hand.
"Look, Skye's here," Eliza said, looking down the path leading from the entrance to the building of the store.
"Alright?" Paul asked the investigator since he and Nancy were nearest the entrance.
Nodding briefly Skye said, "Now I really want ice cream later," looking at her wife when she pushed her playfully before she spoke.
"You'll get some, but don't mention that to the girls," Mary said before they were turning to look at Pablo as he stepped up to them.
"Mommy?" Eliza said, getting her mother's attention. "Could we go look inside."
"Sure," Beckett replied before they were walking together into the building. She paused for a moment, looking back to the McDouglases and smiled at Skye when she did the same to her. Assured her friend really was alright, she turned her attention to her daughters while they began looking at the merchandise available inside.
"Any good stories?" Mari asked her friend.
"Of course," Julia replied, looking up from her book with a smile. "What about your coloring book?"
"I can't wait to color it," Mari said, her book with pictures of fashions from the forties and fifties.
"You can start it once we're on the way back to LA," Eve told her.
"I thought of that," Mari said with a smile. "But I'll probably wait until we get back home. It'll be a lot easier."
"Man, where are those sundaes," Jacob said.
"Don't complain," Eve said. "I mean it," she told her brother when he gave her a look. "Dad is coming out with them."
Julia covered her mouth before she could laugh out loud at the sight of the teen pumping his fist in the air before she saw her father was leaving the ice cream shop after him. She took her sundae eagerly, thanking her father before she watched her friend getting hers from David. "You copied me," she teased.
Giving her friend a look for a moment, Mari giggled and then said, "How could I resist the chocolate sundae?"
"I couldn't," Marie told them, her twin nodding since they'd both gotten the same thing.
"What're we going to do after this?" Eve asked the twins.
"I think head out of the park," Marie said.
"What about the Whaley House and cemetery?" Kathleen then said. "Mum does have some flowers for Yankee Jim."
"I think the house is closed," Mari said slowly. When the others looked at her, she blushed a little and said, "I could hear your moms talking, I think they were going to just go to the cemetery by themselves."
"Mom will be with her," Marie told her twin swiftly when she opened her mouth to protest.
"Oh… that's true," Kathleen said slowly. She sighed and then told the others, "After earlier I'm afraid she's going to be… not sick but…"
"We know," Jacob told her reassuringly. He then turned to the Willis kids and asked, "We're confusing you, aren't we?"
"Slightly, but is that the house that's famous?" Bobby asked first.
When the others nodded Bailey then asked, "You've been inside?"
"Yep," Julia said. "I never got that much there, but outside it's really sad," she told them before she explained about the Whaley's daughter committing suicide behind the house. "She wants to stay there, she's happier there."
"Where did that come from?" Skye asked, walking by them since she was giving more napkins to her three youngest.
"I sensed it," Julia said. "Should you go across the street?" she asked, though she wasn't surprised when Skye didn't respond and instead stared at her. She returned the gaze before the investigator nodded and spoke shortly after.
"Alright, but you're not going to the cemetery," Skye said firmly.
"Who said that?" Julia asked, a little startled.
"Your grandmother," Skye replied easily. She smiled at the teen when she nodded before she returned to where she'd been sitting. She saw the way Beckett was looking at her and she said, "We're going to the cemetery on our own."
"I was going to insist," Beckett said, handing Josie the spoon she had.
"I'm not surprised," Skye commented.
"I was wondering why you had flowers," Castle said.
"Did you forget about that?" Mary asked him.
"I did," Castle replied. "Even after you were looking at the Casa de Estudillo," he admitted.
"Well, there's a lot in this city," Skye said after she'd eaten a little of her sundae. "So I'm not surprised."
"Are you sure you should go?" Beckett asked her gently.
With a rapid nod, Skye then said to the McCartneys and Willises, "I'm sorry about this."
"No, we were listening to Julia explaining about the Whaley House," Stella said, her husband nodding briefly.
"Though is there risk if you do that?" Alasdhair asked her.
"No, it's why I need to lay some flowers at his grave," Skye said. "He'll know I've been here."
"But we are walking across the street from the house," Mary said sternly to her wife. "When we walk back to go to the cars we can go on the other side."
While Skye inclined her head once, Castle couldn't help squeezing his wife's hand before he said, "Do you have everything set for tomorrow?"
"Oh sure," Skye replied with a smile. "You're lucky you told the kids already."
"Why do you think I'm asking right now?" Castle shot back.
"What're you going to do with her?" Mary asked.
"You said there were bikes with car seats," Beckett immediately protested.
"She's talking about right now," Skye said before she paused. "You are right?"
"Yes," Mary said laughingly. "You're not letting her stay?"
"I think Mother wants to go back to her room," Castle replied. "And tomorrow might be a lot for her."
"And my dad," Beckett said.
"I'm ready for it," Paul said immediately when his daughter looked at him. "Though I would imagine we're going to stop at some point," he added.
"Of course, the kids can only go so far," Skye said laughingly.
"And speaking of going far," Nancy said, noticing they'd all finished their sundaes.
"Right now," Skye said while they were getting up.
"When are you going?" Beckett asked her friend while they were allowing their spouses to get the kids.
"Right now, we'll get it over with and meet you… wherever you are," Skye said before she squeezed her friend's arm, not surprised she was stopping her immediately after to speak in Irish.
"Would you like me to go with you two?" Beckett asked her.
Shaking her head Skye said, "It's better you stay with your girls."
Glancing at Julia, who was talking with Mari animatedly, Beckett couldn't help smiling before she looked at her friend saying, "They're in danger."
"No, I just prefer someone to be with them," Skye said firmly.
"I'll stay," Beckett assured her, aware of what her friend wasn't saying. She went to get Josie, the toddler calling for her, and they left the historic park section of Old Town. Stopping at the first store, past a bar on the corner across the street, she watched the two women walking away, Skye holding the small bouquet of flowers.
"Okay?" Castle asked, stepping up to her.
Turning to him, Beckett asked, "You're not going with the girls?"
"They insisted on heading with their friends," Castle said. "Surprised?"
"No," Beckett replied with a smile.
"You never answered," Castle then told her. He was a little startled when she was suddenly embracing him tightly and he hurried to respond before he was saying, "Kate?"
Smiling again at his tone, Beckett pressed her cheek to his and told him, "I'm fine, I just felt like doing this."
"We never had many chances, did we?" Castle asked her. He felt her shaking her head no and he was smiling himself before he murmured to her, "I love you."
"Hmm, love you too," Beckett replied before she heard someone exaggeratedly clearing their throat. "Patrick," she said warningly though there wasn't much bite to her tone.
"Just to warn you we're leaving," Darnley said.
Though he didn't want to, Castle let go of his wife when she was stepping away and he said, "No good?"
"I think it's mostly clothes," Darnley replied once his friend was looking at him. "Western clothes."
"They could see-" Castle started to say before his wife was stopping him. "Should we keep going though?"
"Yes," Beckett said firmly. When her husband was looking at her in surprise she told him, "Skye and Mary did say."
"They did," Paul commented. "I heard them."
"They shouldn't take that long either," Liam said, smiling briefly at his husband when Pablo was wrapping his arm around his shoulder.
"She'll be alright Grandda," Ivy said, going to him and holding his hand.
"Of course she'll be fine," a voice said to their right. When everyone swiftly shifted to look at her and her wife Skye said, "All done so I hope everyone's ready to shop."
"I am," Eliza said immediately. She couldn't help giggling while the others were laughing and took Fleur's hand while they were walking together down the sidewalk to the next store.
"I'm surprised no one wants something to nibble on," Skye said to the others.
"Don't answer that," Nkosi said, squeezing his husband's arm firmly.
"Why do you think I'd automatically say something sexual?" Darnley asked, pretending to be annoyed.
"Because we all know you," Lily said, smiling when the others were agreeing with her, and the carpenter pretended to grumble before he spoke.
"Actually," Darnley said, exaggerating that. "I was going to say that I'm still stuffed from dinner and dessert."
"Me too," David agreed. "Both of which were delicious."
"Even with the ice cream place being a little cheaper?" Mary asked.
"It didn't seem like it," Castle said quickly. "Stop looking at me," he then said, feigning annoyance with the others looking at him.
"He'll take any kind of ice cream," Beckett said with a smile, entwining her fingers with her husband's. "And I feel the same."
"A drink is more than enough," Rebecca said in agreement.
"Stella and Alasdhair didn't want to come with us?" Brad asked then since they'd decided to go to the bar at the top of the Hyatt hotel for a nightcap before returning to their rooms.
"Not really," Skye said.
"Too bad," Castle said. "I was going to tell them your big surprise."
Giving him a glare Skye said, "You're a spoilsport," while she playfully pointed in his direction.
"I knew," Lily said, Darnley, David and Beckett saying the same.
"I didn't tell them," Mary said laughingly when her wife's response was to immediately turn to her. "They figured it out," she said slowly.
"I did," Castle said firmly. "Because we are right next to Seaport Village of course. But when are you going to buy them?"
"I've been thinking of that," Skye told everyone. "And yet does everyone know what I'm talking about?"
"We do," Nkosi said. "You're going to get kites for the kids."
"Exactly, so I was thinking of going before we leave tomorrow," Skye said.
"You know… we can pay for our family's," Castle told her before he was taken aback by Skye and Mary's sudden smiles before the former was speaking.
"Paul offered to pay for everything," Skye said. She held up her hand before the others could protest since she'd seen their waitress before they had their drinks. "A toast?" she asked Castle once they had them.
"This isn't my state," the writer replied swiftly.
Laughing with the others, Skye nodded and then said, "Then I'll just say thank you for coming to our side of the country. A toast to the trip."
"Sláinte," Beckett said with the others while they began tapping their glasses together.
After she'd taken her sip of her drink, Mary asked the others, "Have you thought at all about next summer?"
"Yes," Castle said, not looking up from the garnish on his drink. He then turned his attention to the others and told them, "To be honest I've thought of a few countries, but none of them really felt right." He then focused on the McDouglas women and asked, "You've thought of something."
"We'd like to suggest somewhere," Skye corrected him, setting her glass down. "And we're hoping you'll agree but you'll have to hear it of course."
"If you tell us then we can say," Darnley said firmly.
Nodding Skye said, "What about going through Japan?" She then exchanged a glance with her wife when the other couples were reacting immediately, she turned back to them and said, "It interests you?"
"Definitely," David said.
"But you've been," Brad told the mayor teasingly.
"And we want to go back, to show Dani too," Rebecca said firmly.
"I think Bethany will enjoy it," Darnley said, looking at his husband.
"Tata too," Nkosi said, nodding firmly. "He's always had a fascination with samurai and the temples too."
"Do you want to see it?" Beckett asked her friend and his husband.
"For sure," Darnley said. "Though I have to ask, would we go to a public bath?"
"Onsen, and yes," Mary said immediately. She laughed when the others looked at her and said, "The girls want to try that."
"They're aware grown women will be there… and us, right?" Lily asked.
"We've spoken to them about it, and they still want to try it," Skye said. "Though I'm not sure we should be planning that well," she added. "We haven't said for sure."
"I'm for it," Brad said, Lily next to him nodding firmly.
"The food," the chef said simply before she was smiling when the others were laughing.
"Yeah, we'd love to go back," Castle said as soon as the others were looking at him. "Though I have one request-" he started to say before his wife was putting her hand on his arm.
"Two," Beckett said, looking at him pointedly.
"Right, two," Castle said. He then frowned and asked, "Two?"
"Go first," Beckett replied slightly laughingly.
"Oh, I was just going to say we'd like to stay at the same place we did on Miyajima," Castle said after he'd studied his wife for a moment.
"Definitely," Skye said.
"Will there be enough room for us all?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"That's what I'll need to see," Skye replied. "What was your second thing?"
"Inviting the Lennoxes," Beckett answered swiftly.
"Would they want to go?" Rebecca asked her.
"I'm not sure, Emily will only be a year," Beckett admitted. "But I want to ask them."
"What about Louis' family?" Darnley said.
"They've talked about a tour of southern England with Alexis and Louis," Castle replied, sharing a brief look with his wife. "But I'll ask them if they'd want to join us for a little or just stay in England."
"Then this is a for sure thing," Skye stated instead of asking before her wife was answering in amusement first to her surprise.
"If it isn't we should go on our own grá," Mary commented.
While Skye was sharing a brief kiss with her wife Beckett said, "We're going."
"Us too," Darnley was swift to say.
"So will we," Lily said.
"And us," Rebecca said last.
"That deserves another toast," Skye said in amusement before they were tapping their glasses together again, laughing before they began to discuss their next few days in San Diego.
"I have to confess I'm really relieved," Castle told his wife after they'd entered their suite.
"That someone else suggested where to go?" Beckett asked him with a smile. She laughed briefly when her husband was nodding slowly and told him, "I'm surprised."
"It's only one summer, then I'll think of the next one," Castle replied.
Rolling her eyes, though she hadn't lost her smile, Beckett said, "That I'm not surprised about either." When her husband wrapped his arm around her waist, she was ready to meet his kiss and they did so tenderly before she told him, "We should get ready."
"Prove all the teasing wrong?" Castle asked.
"Yes," Beckett said in amusement since her drink had had green tea and his coffee along with Kahlua. Their friends had joked about them wanting to stay up that night though she and her husband had demurred. They'd told the others in the end that they were waiting for their anniversary, and that had ended their conversation since they'd finished and went back to their rooms. "Though they did believe us about the abstinence," she added.
Castle paused for a moment before he asked, "Do any of them do the same?"
"Brad or David haven't mentioned it to you?" Beckett asked.
"Not really," Castle said.
"I saw that," Beckett told him swiftly since he'd obviously hesitated.
"Okay, Brad's done that with Lily. David said he and Rebecca tried it and they couldn't keep their hands off each other," Castle told her.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett commented. She took her husband's kiss he was giving her, and she said, "Skye and Patrick have tried it with their spouses."
"No luck?" Castle asked her.
"No," Beckett said. "But Brad and Lily?" she asked.
"Once and that was it," Castle said.
"Does that say something about us?" Beckett told him after they were silent for a moment. "Bad? Good?" she added.
"Good question," Castle replied, gently rubbing her back. He then pressed a kiss to her temple before he said, "But I would say it's positive."
"And we should get ready," Beckett told him pointedly.
"Yes," Castle said, nodding in agreement though it took him a little longer to let go of her. Once he had he followed her to get their pajamas before they were changing together on either side of the bed. He finished first and then told her, "Are you eager to go?"
Smiling, Beckett asked, "The rest of this trip, Adare or Japan?"
"All three," Castle replied, smiling himself when she laughed briefly. He led the way into the bathroom and said before they started brushing their teeth, "I mean Japan."
Beckett nodded before she held her finger up and they proceeded to brush before they were finishing at the same time. "I'm looking forward to it," she told her husband as he was watching her removing her makeup.
"That's it?" Castle asked in surprise.
"What else do you want me to say?" Beckett asked in amusement. "I have no idea where we're going except for Tokyo and Miyajima."
Making a face, Castle watched her drying her hands before he took her brush saying, "Mind if we sit outside?"
"Not really," Beckett replied before she was following him to the bedroom. At his urging she sat on the couch that was against the window looking north and at San Diego Bay.
"I'm really surprised you didn't want a suite," Castle told her since they were in the room they'd stayed in previously.
"We're going to be outside mostly," Beckett said before she stopped him from sitting down fully. "And I like this room, Rick. Plus consider the fact we'd have a hard time resisting each other." She watched him consider that fact and squeezed his arm before telling him, "If you want me to brush my hair-"
"I don't," Castle interrupted her. When she considered him, he said, "Turn around?" before she was doing so.
Silent while her husband was gently running her brush through her locks, Beckett eventually told him, "You know I never really thought you'd be like this when we first started to date."
"To be honest neither did I," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she glanced at him briefly over her shoulder and said, "The relationships weren't that great."
"I remember," Beckett said, sitting straight again. She then smiled a little and said, "No fetishes?"
"No," Castle said in mock annoyance since she would ask him that once in a great while. "But I do enjoy this."
"Is this supposed to replace anything sexual?" Beckett said after they were quiet again.
"To a degree," Castle said, hesitating slightly at first. Finishing with her hair he waited for her to turn around before he said, "Thank you."
"Believe me, I enjoyed that myself," Beckett replied, leaning into him. She kissed him tenderly and was a little disappointed when he didn't try to deepen that. "Hopefully you did," she added, cupping his face gently.
"Oh… greatly," Castle said, laughing when his wife was slapping his shoulder lightly. He took her hand and kissed the back of it before he said, "I'm tempted."
"You're not the only one," Beckett said quickly. When he nodded, she said, "This is where going to sleep right away helps."
"But I don't want to," Castle said, watching her standing up.
"Are you having a tantrum?" Beckett asked him, turning down the bed.
"Yes," Castle said firmly before she was walking over to him. He was taken aback when she suddenly sat on his lap but was shortly after involved in a kiss with her before he could say anything. When they'd eventually parted, he was about to ask if she really wanted to go to bed but she beat him to it first.
"Are you going to be okay?" Beckett asked.
"Yes, just be careful right now," Castle told her. He wasn't surprised when she kissed him gently and he let her go as she stood up.
When they were standing at their sides of the bed, Beckett told her husband while they were removing their robes, "I hate to ask, but are you counting down?"
"Yes, but in my head," Castle replied. "You're not?" he inquired. He wasn't surprised when she was smirking at him and he rolled his eyes saying, "Change the subject."
"Get in the bed love," Beckett told her husband. When he narrowed his eyes at her she laughed and told him, "Hurry, I have to wait for you."
Though he wanted to joke, Castle removed his glasses before he turned off the light on his nightstand. Ready, he climbed onto the bed first before he paused, and she was looking at him pointedly. "The shades?" he asked her.
Turning to the windows, Beckett walked to them, and she was pulling the two down. "Better?" she told her husband.
"Much, now hurry up," Castle said. He smiled seeing her rolling her eyes and quickly moved to sit up on the bed. Once she was climbing under the sheet next to him, he hurried to lay down and he said, "Is there anywhere you'd like to go when we're in Japan?"
"Let's wait until we're back home and you and Skye are planning the trip," Beckett told her husband with a smile as she turned off her lamp. Turning to him she laid down and pressed her cheek to his shoulder. "But there is Adare," she told him once she was comfortable. Feeling him tensing next to her, she couldn't help smiling and told him, "We have a few days we weren't planning to spend in our room."
Breathing out hard at the reminder of their anniversary, Castle took a moment to rub at her upper arm before he said, "Okay, we have a few days after that before we go home… was there anything you wanted to do specifically?"
"I think go to the town," Beckett answered immediately, not surprised at her husband's response.
"The twins?" Castle asked. He felt her nod and then said, "I was thinking of that too. But what?"
"I was thinking of waiting until we were there to see what they have for sale," Beckett said.
"Always waiting," Castle said in a feigned suffering tone. He wasn't surprised when she kissed his shoulder through his shirt and he told her, "It's a good idea. I was going to say a blanket, but Louis mentioned having one from when he was a kid." They were silent for a moment and then he asked, "Anything else?"
"For our daughters, our parents, our son in law too," Beckett replied.
"So everyone," Castle said, smiling since he could see her counting on her fingers though he was aware she was doing so jokingly.
"Exactly," Beckett replied. "So at least one day we should spend it in town."
"That leaves five days," Castle informed her.
"I know, and there's the manor grounds," Beckett said.
"Horseback riding," Castle stated, wanting to hear her say what she hadn't.
"Yes, we can golf Rick," Beckett said. "One day though."
"And if the weather is good," Castle told her as he pressed his lips to her temple. He wasn't surprised when she raised her head and he said, "It might be raining most of the time we're there."
"Okay," Beckett said slowly. She then shook her head and informed her husband, "We have a while to go."
"I know, I was thinking the same thing," Castle said swiftly. He took her kiss before they parted and he told her while he gently ran his fingers through her hair, "I love you, Kate."
"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied seriously. They were shortly after kissing again, a little more deeply, and once they'd parted, she laid down again. Pressing tightly to her husband's side she told him, "I still can't wait."
"Neither can I," Castle said. He brushed his lips to her forehead and said, "You'll dream about it?"
"So will you," Beckett shot back. She smiled when his hand slid down to her side and gently rubbed her hip before she told him, "Night love."
"Goodnight," Castle said a little reluctantly before they were gently kissing one another and then preparing to fall asleep. When he had done so he wasn't surprised when he was dreaming of Adare and his wife, satisfied not having to think they still had some time before they would be celebrating alone together before they would wake up and continue their visit through San Diego.