A/N: This story is set about a month and a half after my previous Halloween story, A Gift From the Great Pumpkin, in which Kate has her third child on Halloween…and names her after her great grandmother Sarah who often pops in for a visit whether her relatives want her to or not. Usually Sarah visits Johanna…but in this story, she's going to be hanging around Kate and the kids a bit…and there may be a few other visitors as well! I hope you'll enjoy it!

Chapter 1

Kate Beckett sighed softly, feeling slightly frazzled, hers holding the small form of her son as he whimpered sleepily in her arms. She had hoped that by the time December had set in that things would be more settled within their household…that Sarah's schedule would be set and working seamlessly with Landen's and McKenzie's. Things were slowly getting better…but not fast enough to make her feel as if she had complete control once more. A warm huff of her son's breath landed against her neck. Landen was still adjusting to having a baby sister…and while his jealousy was easing and he was willing to be more involved with her, he still had days when he struggled. Today was one of those days, she mused as she brushed a kiss against his hair. Her little boy was cranky…missing his daddy who would be out of town for a few more days doing holiday promotional tours for his newest releases just in time for the last minute holiday rush.

She missed Castle too…it was her first time being completely alone with all three kids for more than an afternoon or evening. She missed the comfort he gave her, assuring her that things would be fine, that they'd have the kids settled down before she went back to work in the New Year. She missed the sound of his typing in the office…his warmth at night. She felt lonely…out of sorts…and she knew that she could call her mother for backup but she didn't want her to think that she felt like she couldn't handle things…she could…she just still felt a little out of sorts…and she didn't want to depend on her mother too much during her leave; after all, she figured her maternity leave was a break for her mother, despite Johanna's hints that she was bored without her grandchildren and wouldn't mind coming by to help out with Rick out of town.

Another sigh crossed her lips; she had been tempted that morning to call…Landen was cranky, Sarah…or rather Lizzie as she was called more often than not to Castle's chagrin, had been fussy from a stomachache…and McKenzie was antsy, tired of being cooped up in the house thanks to a string of snow days that had cancelled school. She had gotten Lizzie's stomach settled and had put her down for a nap in the nursery. McKenzie had gone willingly to her own room to play with her Barbie dolls with the instruction to help listen for the baby so that she could get Landen down for a nap as well. If Landen and Lizzie both stayed down for their naps, then she could cross the hallway and settle down with McKenzie and her dolls for some much needed girl time with her oldest daughter.

A small squawk of a cry sounded from across the hallway, making Kate close her eyes as Landen whimpered against her shoulder. "Oh, Lizzie, please," she silently murmured. That child just did not like to sleep…and if she started wailing, Landen would be back up as well and she wouldn't be able to carve out a little one on one time with McKenzie. Speaking of her eldest girl, she heard her swift little footsteps in the hallway, heading in the direction of the nursery. Kate breathed deeply, McKenzie would go look in on the baby…she'd slip her hand through the slats of the crib and allow the baby to curl her hand around her fingers, murmuring assurances until she could get there. She really didn't have it together if she was counting on a five year old to be her backup.

"Mama," Landen sleepily cried in his sleep.

"Shhh," she soothed, rubbing his back. "I'm here, buddy."

He settled under her hand and she rose from the chair and moved to his toddler bed, tucking him in and then quickly returning her hand to his back as he stirred; hoping that the baby would stay settled with McKenzie in her room for a few minutes more as she made sure that Landen would stay asleep.

Sarah McKenzie glided across the floor of the nursery at that first squawk from her great-great granddaughter. She smiled as she looked down into the crib, the baby's green eyes flicking open, her small mouth puckering into a cry because she had lost her pacifier. "There, there," Sarah murmured to her, picking up the pacifier and slipping it into the baby's mouth. The infant wiggled, her small face crinkling up in anticipation of a cry.

"No need to cry," Sarah murmured as she reached into the crib and scooped up the baby, cradling her against her chest as she carried her to the rocking chair. "Granny Sarah's got you, little one; no need to cry."

The baby stared up at her and Sarah smiled once more. "Don't worry, darling, you're perfectly safe."

A gasp at the doorway drew Sarah's attention, spotting the eldest child of the home staring at her with an open mouth. "Oh, dear," the spirit muttered; she hadn't counted on being caught. "Close your mouth, darling," she gently admonished. "It's not a good look for a little girl to have her mouth hanging open."

"Who are you?" McKenzie asked, her voice quivering as she stepped into the room, observing the shimmering being that was holding her baby sister.

The woman in a green silk dress smiled as she regarded McKenzie. "Do not be afraid, little one. I won't hurt you."

"Who are you?" she repeated.

"My name is Sarah," she answered. "And you are McKenzie."

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh I know all about you and Landen and little Sarah."

McKenzie studied her. "Why are you shiny? Are you a ghost like in the Halloween movies that my Daddy watches?"

"Well…I guess you may call me a ghost but I much prefer the term spirit…but I know a small girl like you doesn't quite understand the difference, so yes, you may say I am a ghost. You saw me before, remember? You saw me at the hospital when your sister was born. I watched over her in the nursery."

Fear rippled through her. "Mommy!" McKenzie cried.

"Oh, darling, don't be upset," Sarah soothed. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you or baby Sarah."

"Mommy!" McKenzie yelled again as she ran from the nursery.

"McKenzie, darling," the spirit called after her but the little girl had already dashed across the threshold.

"Oh my," Sarah said as she glanced down at the infant in her arms. "I've frightened your sister, dear one. I always get myself into a pickle…that's hereditary you know…you will also get yourself into a pickle or two one day but have no fear, Granny Sarah will help you all she can."

Upon hearing McKenzie's anguished cry, Kate leapt to her feet and hurried into the hallway, nearly colliding with her daughter. "McKenzie, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Mommy, there's a ghost lady holding Lizzie!" McKenzie exclaimed.

"What?" Kate replied, surely she had misheard her child.

"There's a ghost in Lizzie's room!"

She shook her head. "There aren't any ghosts in our house…and if there was, it wouldn't be able to hold the baby."

"There's a lady holding the baby!" her daughter all but yelled; her small face full of panic. "She saw our baby at the hospital."

Kate didn't like the sound of that as she broke into a run for the nursery, sliding across the threshold with McKenzie hot on her heels, cursing the fact that her gun was locked in the safe downstairs.

"Oh, Bunny, you don't need a gun," the woman stated as she slid into the room.

Kate's eyes jerked toward the voice, there in the rocking chair was the shimmering being of Sarah McKenzie…and in her arms was Sarah Elizabeth Alexandra Castle, content as could be. She felt her heart clench at the sight, fear rushing through her as her stomach felt like it dropped to her toes.

"See, Mommy!" McKenzie said as she pointed at the being.

"Do not be afraid," Sarah said once more with a smile. "You know who I am, Katie; we've met before."

"Yes, I know who you are…what are you doing with my baby!?"

"I'm just visiting, darling."

Kate's hands shook as McKenzie pressed against her leg. "She said she's a ghost, Mommy. Is she a real ghost?"

"Yes," Kate murmured although she hated to admit it. "She's a ghost."

"I prefer the term spirit," Sarah remarked.

"I don't care what you call yourself," Kate said, her voice trembling. "I don't want a ghost holding my baby."

"She doesn't mind me holding her," Sarah replied. "She doesn't know the difference yet and I think she rather likes me. She doesn't mind at all."

"I mind!" Kate yelled, making the baby flinch.

"Hush now," the spirit admonished as she cuddled the baby. "You'll wake Landen and he needs his rest; and little Sarah doesn't need to be startled."

"You stay away from my kids," she said tersely. "Why are you here?"

"I told you; I'm just visiting. You don't need to carry on so much. I'm not finished holding the baby but I'm going to put her back in her crib so you'll calm down, alright?"

Kate's hand brushed McKenzie's head. "McKenzie, go downstairs and get my phone, call Grandma; tell her to get over here right now. I don't care what she's doing, she needs to get over here now, tell her that."

"Okay, Mommy," McKenzie said as hurried from the room.

"Oh, Katie, you're going to terrify your mother," Sarah said as she rose from the chair.

"She'll be fine, she needs to come deal with her ghostly relative who popped into the wrong house."

"I did not pop into the wrong house; this is exactly where I chose to be. I wanted to see the baby."

"Put my baby down gently," Kate said as Sarah moved to the crib.

Sarah giggled. "Oh, bunny, I know how to put a baby down. I had four of my own, you know? And as a spirit who roams where she wishes, I have at times been granted the privilege of holding a grandchild here and there. I even held you once."

"No, you didn't."

"Oh but I did; you were no bigger than little Sarah," the spirit explained. "Your mother had put you down for a nap, and she was so very tired that she went across the hallway to her room to get the laundry but ended up laying down and falling asleep. You must've sensed that she dozed off because you let out a squawk…but I was there and I scooped you up and rocked you, holding you for awhile as you slept so that your mommy could get a well needed nap too. I cherished that moment, Katie…just as I cherished the time when I scooped your mother up from her cradle and cuddled her for a little while."

Kate moved to the crib and checked the baby over as Sarah remained in the room. "I didn't hurt her, dear. I would never hurt any of you, you're all my grandbabies, I love you."

"Does Mom know you supposedly held me?"

"No; there was no need for her to know. I hadn't planned on you knowing that I was visiting baby Sarah…McKenzie caught me off guard."

"You shouldn't have been holding my baby," Kate said harshly.

"Why ever not?" the spirit asked. "She was going to cry and Landen needed his mommy for a few moments more. It's not the first time I've been here, dear. I always look in on the baby."

Fear struck her heart, her hands reaching for her baby, lifting her out of the crib. "Is something wrong with her?" Kate asked, her voice trembling. "Is something going to happen to her?"

Sarah shook her head. "No! Nothing is wrong; little Sarah is a healthy baby. No need to worry."

"Then why are you looking in on her? I thought you haunted my mother."

"I do not haunt your mother, I visit her."

"Whatever," Kate said. "You should be at her house."

"She doesn't have any babies at her house right now…which is why she was taking a nap, she's bored…but now she'll be in a panic thanks to that phone call."

"She'll be fine…I want to know why you're so interested in my baby."

"I'm interested in all of my grandchildren."

"Maybe you're too interested."

Sarah shook her head. "I don't think so."

"I thought this was your thing with my mother," Kate said, patting the baby's back as she began to fuss a little.

"That doesn't mean I can't visit other members of my family," Sarah replied. "You need to relax, darling, your upsetting baby Sarah."

"We've been calling her Lizzie," she said sharply.

"Yes, I know, but I prefer to call her by her first name…which is Sarah."

"I'm aware of that."

"Grandma's coming, Mommy!" McKenzie exclaimed as she bounded into the room with Kate's phone in her hand.

"Good," she replied as she kept the baby cradled against her, her free hand moving to rest on McKenzie's shoulder. "Grandma needs to take care of this."

"Does Grandma know about ghosts?" McKenzie asked. "Grandpa always makes the monsters go away."

"Grandma knows how to make this ghost go away."

Sarah gave a soft laugh. "Darling, you really don't need to be so upset…and really, there's nothing that your mother can do about me. She's tried before and it didn't do her any good. Do you have the candy game on your telephone? May I play it?"

"No, I don't have it," Kate said firmly. "You need to leave…go bother Mom."

"Well I can't do that now; she's on her way here now…and I don't go anywhere until I'm ready. You once said that it was nice to know that loved ones were watching over things."

"Yeah, the ones I personally knew…and you know, watching from a distance, not being in my house, touching my kids!"

"There's nothing to fear, Katie," she soothed. "I've been roaming and visiting for more years than I care to admit. I was there the day you were born."

"That's very nice for you but you need to go."

"No, I do not wish to go yet. Are you sure that you don't have the candy game since I can't hold the baby right now?"

"Grandma has the candy game," McKenzie replied.

Sarah smiled. "Yes, she does…I guess we're going to have to wait on her to get here so everyone can settle down and then perhaps she'll let me play that candy game…she's not as stingy as your mommy," she said lightly.

McKenzie gave her a small smile as she studied her. "We need to tell Daddy that we got a ghost. Daddy will like us having a real ghost, he likes ghosts. He said he was going to write a ghost story."

Kate shook her head. "No, we shouldn't tell Daddy."

"Why not?"

"Because he would like this entirely too much," Kate remarked.

"Because he knows there's nothing to fear," Sarah remarked.

"Mommy, can I touch the ghost?" McKenzie asked.

"Of course you can, darling," Sarah answered, holding out her hand. "Come and see Granny Sarah."

"No," Kate said, catching hold of McKenzie's arm. "You stay right here next to me."

"But, Mommy, I want to touch it…she's shiny."

"I said no."

Sarah sighed. "We better wait on your grandmother, dear…she'll take care of everything."

"She better," Kate said, willing her mother to hurry. Johanna Beckett needed to get there and run off her wayward relative…and maybe take a turn holding the baby…because there was no way her baby was being laid down in that crib while there was a nosy, baby snatching ghost running around.

"I am not a baby snatcher!" Sarah said with indignation.

"I'll be the judge of that," Kate replied. "You just go back over there and sit in that chair and wait."

"Very well, dear," Sarah replied as she moved back to the rocking chair. She sighed deeply, family…what a pain they could be when they wouldn't let you enjoy the time you had decided to give them. Now Johanna was on her way and when she saw that the problem wasn't the panic inducing issue she was most likely envisioning, she'd be angry with her too. Yes, once again, she had gotten herself into a pickle…oh well, she took her mission seriously and no one would keep her from doing it.