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 are from the songs Jealousy written by Freddie Mercury; In Only Seven Days written by John Deacon, both from the Queen album Jazz and the first verse of the song Rock It (Prime Jive) written by Roger Taylor, from the Queen album The Works.

A/N #2: With the problems the site has been having I was really appreciative of the feedback I did in the end so I'll go ahead and get to my thank yous for that! Guest (It was great to see you thought the first half of the chapter was a great start, you're welcome for that! And I'm really pleased you're looking forward to the story already too! Yeah, the site has been… a nightmare lately and I just hope they'll hurry up to get it fixed so readers can read! But I'm glad to see you enjoy the series and thanks for taking the time to let me know! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter too!) and

Mb (Really pleased you were able to read the first chapter I have to say, again because of the site's problems! And I was so, so happy that you think it's a nice start to the new story! Not surprised you thought it was nice seeing more of Paul's adult children will join their group with the Castle clan as you put it, along with becoming good friends too. I hope this story won't disappoint when you get to the twists and turns, lol, when you read them! You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I was really glad that you thought the second half was a sweet update with them relaxing with their friends before the competition. And I wasn't surprised you thought it was nice they had a little dance recital and lessons for Stella's kids too. With them seeing that I figured they'd definitely want to cheer the three kids on at the competition the next day. I thought with that competition they'd talk about Halloween since that would be a great way for kids to be distracted, lol. I had to laugh at you laughing about Castle and Beckett enjoying each other in their bed in that suite, lol, but of course it had to happen! Really glad you're looking forward to the competition and sightseeing too! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).

Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them 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 Let's Dance written by David Bowie from his album of the same name.

Sway Through The Crowd

"Very nice," Ms. Grey said, watching the pair in front of her waltzing. "You two are ready."

"How much longer do we have until our turn?" Julia asked.

"One more couple," Grey said, looking over at the doorway leading to the dance floor. She then turned back to the three and said, "You'll be fine."

"We're ready," Peter said firmly. "Though it would be nice to get this over with."

Laughing briefly, Grey said, "I'm not surprised. Stay close, you'll be up after that couple's finished."

Nodding with her partner Julia then said, "You're not going to come with us after this?"

Shaking her head, Grey said, "I need to get back home. But you'll enjoy your trip." She paused for a moment and then told them, "After this."

Smiling, Mari said to Julia when their dance teacher was leaving them, "Don't be nervous."

"Easy for you to say," Julia replied, scoffing playfully. "You aren't dancing with us until the end."

"No, but I'm still nervous too," Mari said before they were laughing together. When they'd calmed down, she then said, "Hold on, your dress…"

Looking down while Mari was kneeling to the hem of it Julia said, "It's fine."

"No, you have some… stuff on it," Mari replied.

"Here," Peter said, handing her a lint roller.

"Oh, thanks," Mari said. When she'd gotten everything off, she said, "There, now you're perfect." Turning to Peter she said, "You?"

"Meh," the teen said, shrugging his shoulders before they were laughing again.

"Suits aren't that bad," Julia said. "Or you just don't like the colors?"

"No, it needs to be black," Peter said, shrugging.

"What?" Julia asked in surprise since he had turned to her.

"You're okay with that dress?" Peter asked. Giving him a look Julia said, "We designed this together," her gown styled after one Ginger Rogers had worn in the movie The Gay Divorcee. It was white; to contrast with Peter's black suit; and had sheer short sleeves. Around the bust of the dress was a black ribbon she and Mari had decided would look better thinner than the one in the movie and reached down to the hem of the dress. "And it moves great," she said with a smile before they were laughing together after she'd spun since she'd done that a few times already to test the gown.

After she'd stopped, Mari turned to look to the side since she'd seen something out of the corner of her eye. Spotting a girl standing there holding a book, she nudged her friend, not surprised when she immediately turned.

"Hi," Julia said, smiling at the girl.

"Hullo," she replied softly. "Um, you're Julia Castle, aren't you?"

"Yeah, is that a copy of my book?" she asked the girl. Julia wasn't surprised when she nodded and she said, "You wanted me to sign it."

"I wanted to ask if it was okay," the girl said swiftly.

"Sure but I have to do it… fast," Julia said, listening for a moment to the music out on the ballroom floor. She took the pen and book the girl had before she signed the title page and said, "Hope you like it," since it was her newest book.

"I do already, I've been reading it in between practice," the girl said. "Thank you so much," she said.

"You're welcome, break a leg," Julia said. She wasn't surprised when the girl said the same to them and she asked her partner and friend, "How many are looking at us?"

"A few," Peter said. "And one girl looks annoyed."

"Oh great, her partner?" Julia asked.

"Staring," Mari said. "Another one?"

"I hope not," Julia said before she realized there was applause outside on the dance floor and she turned to Peter before Mari was hugging her tightly and they headed to where Grey was waiting for them.

In the audience, Skye leaned into Beckett slightly and murmured, "She's next."

"I remember the order," she replied.

"You're as nervous as she is," Paul said, sitting on the other side of Castle.

"It's a big competition. Have we mentioned that already?" the writer said.

"She'll be fine," Skye said. When both writers looked at her, she said easily, "I'm not patronizing, I've seen her dance." She then smirked at who was sitting at her right and said, "She chose the music."

"And we gave her permission," Rodger Taylor said, sitting next to Brian May who was to the singer's right. "Though why not the Samba?"

"Her dance teacher wasn't sure about the music for Samba," Beckett said, since Julia had wanted to try using the song Headlong. Before anyone else could say anything, they were turning to the dance floor when Julia and Peter's names were announced, and the pair were stepping out from backstage.

"Nice," Stella murmured, sitting in the second row. "Your mum had a good idea."

"Julia and Mari helped her," Castle said with a quick smile over his shoulder at the designer before he looked back at the pair. He felt his wife's hand taking his and glanced at her questioningly before she was leaning into him to speak swiftly.

"Don't say a word to her when this is over," Beckett said.

"Her Samba costume?" Castle asked. When his wife merely gave him a look when he glanced at her, he inclined his head once before they were smiling at Julia when she and Peter walked by them.

Giving a little wave to her parents in passing, Julia turned to her partner before they were going to the middle of the dance floor and turned away from each other. She took a deep breath to fortify herself before the music and first verse was beginning. At the first lyric, she and Peter were spinning away from each other before they turned to each other once they'd stopped on the second. They strode back to one another quickly through the third lyric and Peter was reaching to her, wrapping his arm around her waist by the fourth. He spun her on an axis before he was getting into hold with her at the fifth lyric.

Watching Julia and Peter dancing the Waltz until the second to last lyric, Beckett felt her husband squeezing her hand tightly. She smiled at him briefly before they were watching Julia and Peter letting each other go. They stepped back around one another and when they were getting back in hold, she wasn't surprised they spent the chorus it in hold and dancing around the floor together.

Oh, how wrong can you be?
Oh, to fall in love
Was my very first mistake
How was I to know
I was far too much in love to see?
Oh, jealousy, look at me now
Jealousy, you got me somehow
You gave me no warning
Took me by surprise
Jealousy, you led me on
You couldn't lose, you couldn't fail
You had suspicion on my tail

How, how, how, oh my jealousy
I wasn't man enough
To let you hurt my pride
Now I'm only left with my own jealousy

When they were nearly finished with the chorus Peter said, "We're good," not surprised when his partner was responding immediately though they would need to let each other go again soon.

"Keep going," Julia said. She wasn't shocked when he immediately let her go since they'd gotten to the start of the second verse. They were dancing around each other in a circle the first two lyrics before he was taking her hand and he spun her back to him before he was holding her from behind and they danced the waltz a little that way until the fifth lyric. Peter spun her for the sixth and seventh lyrics before they were getting into hold, dancing around the floor until the last two lyrics. From then until the end of the song they were dancing together in hold and dancing around each other a few times.

Oh, how strong can you be
With matters of the heart?
Life if much too short
To while away with tears
If only you could see
Just what you do to me
Oh, jealousy, you tripped me up
Jealousy, you brought me down
You bring me sorrow, you cause me pain
Jealousy, when will you let go?
Got a hold of my possessive mind
Turned me into a jealous kind

How, how, how, oh my jealousy
I wasn't man enough
To let you hurt my pride
Now I'm only left with my own jealousy

But now it matters not
If I should live or die
'Cause I'm only left
With my own jealousy

The dance ended with Peter dipping Julia and Castle was immediately applauding with Beckett before their daughter was standing and bowing with Peter. "This is going to take too long," he murmured to his wife while the next couple was being announced.

"Not that long," Beckett replied in amusement.

When they were backstage, Julia was laughing when her friend was throwing her arms around her and she asked, "How did that look?"

"It was perfect," Grey said.

Letting go of Mari, Julia asked in surprise, "Perfect?"

"You're just saying that," Peter said.

"I'm not, I really wouldn't want to tell you that and not mean it," Grey said. "But you two need to change for your Samba."

Nodding, Julia hurried to where their costumes were hanging, and she grabbed her dress while Peter was taking off his blazer. Mari joined her in the small room, and she said, "Everyone's there."

"I could just barely see where they were," the girl replied. Mari then smiled and said, "Adam did come."

"Oh I know, I saw him," Julia replied before she turned and let her friend tie her tropical patterned dress. She had suggested the silhouette be one from the fifties and was relieved her grandmother had been able to help her. Spinning then, she nodded and said, "It works."

"Definitely, you look great," Mari said. "That fabric was really good."

"Yeah, luckily they had enough of it!" Julia said as she was sitting down to put on her shoes. When she had finished, she looked up at her friend and asked, "Are you comfortable right now?"

"Yeah," Mari assured her since she was wearing her costume for the trio Jive already, a blue gingham skirt and white short sleeved t-shirt with a blue scarf tied around her neck. She then said, "It's really pretty."

"Yes, you picked a nice one," Julia said in mock annoyance before they were slinging their arms around each other to head outside. They'd gone with her grandmother to get the fabric and Mari had managed to find the hidden bolt of fabric when she'd despaired of seeing anything she wanted. It had a sky-blue background with red hibiscus and white plumeria on it and she couldn't help telling her friend, "I'm glad you're nosy."

"Me too," Mari said since she had joked when they'd been at the store about being able to smell good fabric.

"Wonderful," Grey said. "Your father will approve of this," she added jokingly when the two girls were walking up to her.

"I told you I had to be careful," Julia said jokingly. She looked at Peter and said, "You look nice."

Shrugging the teen said, "I just had to take off my jacket and tie," since he was in his dress shirt and black pants. "Now we need to wait."

"It'll go fast," Julia said since there weren't too many other dancers. While they were doing so, she wasn't surprised when a few other kids approached her, and she noticed the girl Mari had seen glaring at her every time she signed one of her books. She rolled her eyes at her friend, Mari watching her, and she said, "I have better things to do."

"Yeah," she agreed before they were turning to Grey.

"Alright you two," the dance teacher said quickly. "Remember your rolls are slightly slower and you're in sync facing away a lot."

"We do," Julia and Peter said at the same time before they were taking each other's hands and walking out to the dance floor.

"I was worried," Castle couldn't help saying to his wife when their daughter was walking around again with Peter.

Beckett looked back at Stella and when the designer looked at her questioningly, she murmured, "Julia thought of the silhouette."

"It's a good choice," Stella replied before the writer was turning as the music was beginning.

Watching the dance, Castle wasn't surprised to be able to tell Julia was enjoying it greatly and he pointed that out to his wife when the two had finished and gone backstage again.

"Of course, she loves the music," Beckett told him with a smile. She wasn't surprised when her husband was kissing the back of her hand and they were watching the next couple begin their Samba.

"I should be really annoyed," Julia said, changing into her Freestyle dress with Mari's help.

"I don't blame you, I'm not sure what that girl's problem is," she answered. Mari then paused and said, "I guess she's jealous."

"I had that idea," Julia replied with a nod while she was holding her hair out of the way for Mari. Once she felt the zipper going up, she turned around and said, "Good?"

"Great," Mari said, nodding with a smile. That dress had been her idea, since Julia and Peter had decided to pretend to be Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, she had come up with the idea of her friend wearing a fabric similar to the flowered dress the actress had won in her first scene in The Gay Divorcee. "How's your movement?" she asked. She watched her tapping her feet and she laughed saying, "You should put your shoes on."

"You wanted to see how it moved," Julia teased her friend before she was sitting down and then slipped into her tap shoes. When they were secure, she stood and tapped a little, spinning and then sliding her feet for a moment, her right leg extended as she stood up straight. "Okay, I'm ready," she said before they were leaving the room. She froze and nearly ran back into Mari when the boy who had been watching her was standing there. Frowning she asked him brusquely, "What do you want?"

"I'm just wondering if you'll sign my book for me?" the boy asked.

Shaking her head Julia said, "Fine, but let us get out of the room first." She had nearly thought he wouldn't let them, but he moved out of the way, and she wasn't surprised when Peter was hurrying over to them. She was a little startled to find Ms. Grey behind him but understood why when she was speaking rapidly to them.

"You need to get your hat on," Grey said.

"Right," Julia said, turning back to the boy and seeing he was holding his copy of her book. Though she didn't want to, she took it and the pen he had, about to sign before he was stopping her.

"Could you write a note?" he asked.

Really fighting to keep from glaring at him, Julia took a moment before she said, "I don't really do that."

"You could…" the boy started to say before he trailed off when Peter was clearing his throat. He glared at the teen before he realized there were annoyed looks all around and he said, "Okay."

Signing her name in a rush, Julia gave him back the book and let Mari and Ms. Grey lead her to the vanities where she sat in a chair. "Thanks for helping me," she said. "I think he just likes me but…"

Seeing her friend shrugging, Mari said, "He's annoying."

"Definitely," Julia said though she had wanted to nod as well. Since Grey was pinning her hat to make sure it wouldn't fly off her head, she couldn't move but once she was finished, she said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, if he keeps bothering you…" Grey started to say before she trailed off when she heard arguing. They looked at the boy and his partner as they were talking loudly to each other before she sighed.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked in confusion.

"I think they're dating," Grey said.

"Oh," Peter and Julia said at the same time before they looked at each other and laughed.

"Brother?" Julia asked him, holding out her hand.

"Sister," Peter said with a firm nod while he was shaking her hand before they were laughing.

"Oh, you two are up next," Grey said when they could hear applause from the dance floor. "Is your vest comfortable enough?" she asked the teen.

"Yep, I'm ready," Peter said reassuringly before they were walking to the doorway leading from backstage.

"Break a leg," Mari whispered to the two when they were announced and soon leaving for the dance floor. She clasped her hands together while they were waiting for the music to start, and she was nearly breathless when it did, and they were beginning to dance. She was startled when it stopped since she hadn't been following the lyrics before she was hurrying to applaud. "That was great!" she cried when they were backstage enough for no one to hear them.

"She's right, you two did great," Grey assured the pair when they looked at her.

"Thanks," Julia said before Mari was suddenly taking her by the hand and pulling her to the dressing room. When they were inside, she said, "Are you ready?"

"Are you?" Mari said.

Julia was a little startled to find her friend was serious, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

"No, I just hope you're ready for this one," Mari said, taking the dress Julia had removed. "Your first Contemporary."

"Yeah, I'm okay," Julia said, pulling on the leggings she had as part of her costume. "I like this dance."

"And you dance it really good," Mari said, holding the dress her friend would be wearing.

"Well," Julia said with a smile.

"Well, you know what I meant," Mari replied in mock annoyance. She and Julia then giggled before her friend was putting on the dress after she'd handed it to her. "You look really nice," she said.

"Do I look like I'd be on the beach?" Julia asked.

"Yeah," Mari replied with a smile before her friend was hugging her. She responded swiftly and then hurried to reach up to her hair.

"Messy?" Julia said while she allowed her friend to smooth down her locks.

"A little, I think you're okay," Mari said, letting her sit to place her shoes for the next dance on.

After she'd finished Julia let Mari go first out of the room though she was relieved the boy wasn't there. Going quickly to Peter she asked with a smile, "Are you set?"

"Yes, I'm comfortable," he said firmly, looking down at his dress shirt and pants. "You?"

"Yes," Julia echoed with a nod. She then said, "We're ready."

"Definitely," Peter said nodding. "Though should we practice a little?"

"You're okay with your solo?" Julia asked him, both of them having to do a solo during their Contemporary.

"Yep," Peter replied. "Just the looking away part," he then added.

"Is that okay?" Julia asked Ms. Grey.

"It is, but be careful not to hurt yourselves," the teacher told them.

"We will," Peter and Julia said at the same time. With that approval they practiced the steps they would be doing apart from each other for part of the song.

"Alright," Grey said, keeping an ear out for the couple before Julia and Peter's song to stop. "You two are up."

Nodding, Julia smiled at Mari before she took Peter's hand, and they were walking outside together and around the dance floor. When they were finished, she stepped back towards the doorway to backstage and watched her partner while the song began.

"They have solos," Castle said swiftly to everyone with them in case they were wondering why Julia had appeared to leave.

Turning back when most of the others were nodding, Beckett took her husband's hand before they were watching Peter start to dance.

With the five lyrics of the first verse, Peter was kicking his leg and nearly leaping around the floor until he stopped across the dance floor where Julia would approach him.

Monday
Start of my holiday
Freedom for just one week
Feels good to get away
Ooh, ooh

Dancing en pointe for a few steps before she spun at the first two lyrics, Julia moved towards Peter before they were circling each other on the third. For the fourth they were standing face to face and smiling at one another before they arched their backs and moved in opposite directions from each other.

Tuesday
Saw her down on the beach
I stood and watched a while
And she looked and smiled at me

For the first half of the bridge, Peter and Julia were dancing facing away from one another though they were moving towards each other before they got to the fourth lyric. Then they turned towards each other, and he wrapped his arm around her waist before he lifted her up as he spun them around. On the fifth she was set back down, and they moved to slide their legs out before he was picking her up and spinning her while standing back up for the sixth lyric.

Wednesday, I didn't see her
I hoped that she'd be back tomorrow
And then on Thursday
My luck had changed
She stood there all alone
I went and asked her name

"How is he doing that," Castle said to his wife, not forming that as a question though he wasn't surprised when she was responding immediately.

"They practiced," Beckett said simply, not surprised when her husband squeezed her hand quickly before the song was going to the chorus.

Peter slowed down and allowed Julia to come out of the spin with him before they were holding hands on the first lyric. At the second they were spinning down to the ground, and she was arching her back to kick her leg up before her partner was helping her up. That took them to the fourth lyric where she was leaping into his arms, and she kicked her legs in a leap before she landed, and they were leaping together to the middle of the dance floor and spinning to each other as the chorus ended.

I never thought that this
Could happen to me
In only seven days
It would take a hundred or more
For memories to fade

At the third verse and the bridge after that, Peter and Julia were dancing together, keeping close in their movements until he was stopping at the end and letting her dance on her own through the outro and the song ending.

I wish Friday
Would last forever
I held her close to me
I couldn't bear to leave her there

Saturday
Just twenty-four hours
Oh no, I'm doing back on Sunday

I'm so sad alone

When the music was playing out, Julia was sitting on the ground and wrapping her arms around her knees, bowing her head. When the audience was applauding, she was hurrying to stand before Peter joined her and they bowed before they were going backstage where she suddenly found herself in Mari's arms.

"That was perfect!" the girl exclaimed.

"Thanks, at least we got the lifts right," Peter said before his partner could.

"How're you feeling after those?" Grey asked him seriously.

"Fine," Peter replied since he noticed Julia was looking at him too.

"I know you're not saying I'm heavy," the teen said with a smirk.

"Hold on, you two need to hurry and change because I need to do your hair Julia," Grey said when Peter was about to speak.

"Right now," Julia said with a quick nod before she was hurrying with Mari to the dressing room. She changed as fast as she could until she was putting on her outfit, seeing her friend was holding each item she needed to put on. "You know you're not here for that," she said while she took the last item.

"Oh I know," Mari said swiftly. "But it helps you go a lot faster." When her friend pursed her lips she said, "I'm right."

"Yes, but… never mind," Julia said, trailing off and groaning in annoyance before Mari was helping her.

"I thought you said you asked your dad about these," she told her friend.

"Yes, but I forgot already," Julia said in frustration before she felt the girl lightly slapping away her hands as she spoke.

"If you do that, I'm not going to be able to fasten these," Mari told her friend.

"Sorry," Julia replied. When she saw Mari was stepping away, she smiled at herself in the mirror she was standing in front of and said, "I'm going to surprise my parents so much."

"Oh I know," Mari said, smiling at her. "And you look great."

"Thanks," Julia said, straightening the suspender over her left shoulder. She was dressed in a white dress shirt and navy-blue trousers with suspenders the same color. "Okay, let's go because I'm sure Ms. Grey is going to come knock."

Nodding, Mari said, "We have to do this again."

Laughing, Julia said, "We're not going to pick anyone else," before they were heading outside. She went straight to Ms. Grey and was taken to a vanity again before the teacher was braiding her hair and she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Any problem with your costume Julia?" Grey asked her.

"No, just… hoping this goes well," the teen responded. Julia saw the teacher turning around and smiled at the reflection of Peter and Mari behind them practicing. She got off the chair and then headed to them asking, "Can you practice without me?"

"Not really, but we can practice some," Mari said first.

"You should stop," Ms. Grey said firmly. "You're ready and I don't want you to tire yourselves out."

"We will now," Mari said, going to Julia and taking her hand. "Do I need to walk around the floor with you?"

"You know what we should do?" Peter asked the two before Julia could say anything.

"What?" she asked in surprise.

"Walk arm in arm with her in between us," Peter answered, nodding to Mari.

"That's a good idea," the girl herself said.

"Get ready if that's what you're going to do," Grey said, her eye on the dance floor.

After they were standing together, Julia, Mari and Peter were going to the floor and walking around.

"Mari looks pale," Skye murmured to Beckett.

"I know, but she'll be alright," she replied. She wasn't surprised when her friend looked at her in surprise before Beckett said, "She's with Julia."

Nodding in agreement to that, Skye said, while the three were letting each other go and moving to stand apart, "Hopefully they'll succeed."

"I'm sure they will," Castle commented. He smiled briefly when his wife looked at him and he was taking her hand before they were watching the dance floor grow dark.

Since the entire song was longer, they were dancing to only the second half of the intro, doing so slowly and sliding towards each other every time a spotlight opened on them each in turn. The very last lyric was faster, and Julia and Mari were starting their kicks and flicks before Peter was sliding up to them.

When I hear
That rock and roll
It gets down to my soul
When it is real rock and roll
Oh, rock and roll
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Though they weren't dancing the entire song, the three were doing kicks and flicks while Julia and Peter were taking turns dancing alone with Mari until the end when they were dancing together. When the music ended, they were standing with their arms wrapped around each other and breathing heavily as they were smiling at the audience they were facing.

"It's over," Peter said first when they could head backstage and were walking arm in arm while they'd entered the room.

"Thank goodness," Mari said. "Can I take this off now?" she asked with a smile as she indicated her scarf.

"Not now," Ms. Grey said before she was hugging the three at the same time. "You looked amazing, Peter, Julia I think you've placed."

"That would be nice," the former said first after their teacher had let them go.

"Seriously," Julia said, nodding before Ms. Grey was leading them to chairs.

"Wait, I wanted to get some water," Mari said, moving towards the teacher.

"I think she's getting us some," Julia told her.

"I hope so," Peter said before they were sitting and laughing together.

Listening to the other songs being played for the different trio dances outside, Julia tried not to think of the announcement of the winner. Instead she glanced around before she paused and straightened up, leading to her friend noticing.

"What's wrong?" Mari asked.

"That boy that was staring at me," Julia answered. "At least he won't now."

"Barf," Peter said, seeing the boy making out with his partner. He was about to add to that when Julia was speaking reassuringly with a smile.

"You and Eve aren't gross," she said.

Frowning for a moment Peter asked, "How'd you know I was going to ask?"

"It wasn't hard to tell," Mari said before Julia could speak. She had been leaning over to look at him with a smile but straightened up in her chair when their teacher was walking back to them.

"Here's some water, the last couple is dancing though so I don't know how long you're going to be able to sit," Grey told them.

Nodding, Julia opened her bottle of water and looked over at the door to the other room while the couple was returning backstage. She breathed out a little hard, looking down at her dance shoes and trying not to think of the announcement again.

"You're moving a lot," Skye commented.

"She's right," Castle said, not surprised when his wife was giving him a look.

"And so are you," Paul commented. "You're both fidgeting like it was Sunday in church."

"We did mention how big of a competition this was for them," Beckett stated.

"You'll not help them by freaking yourselves out," Skye commented. When her friend looked at her, she looked annoyed for a moment and then told her, "I know, next time one of my girls is in a competition you can throw this back at me."

"And I will," Beckett said, not surprised when the others around them were laughing. She then leaned over a little and asked Rodger, "What did you think?"

"Not bad," the drummer said with a smile. "They had fun with it too."

"Oh yeah, Julia's been itching to dance to that song," Castle said. The host for the competition was beginning to speak then, so he wasn't surprised when the drummer was merely nodding before he sat back with his wife immediately.

"And once again our contestants," the man said, gesturing to the doorway leading to backstage though it was in the darkness.

When she saw Julia appearing with Peter and Mari, Beckett clenched her hand on her husband's arm for a moment before he was squeezing her back gently after he'd taken her hand. Since the dancers were directed to walk around the floor again, she smiled when the three passed them before they were standing in a line by the host.

"Give a hand for these wonderful dancers," the man was saying. After the applause had died down, he then said, "Now we only have three trophies but all of them have been great." He took the envelope from the man who walked out to him and said, "I have here the results."

"Too dramatic," Castle murmured under his breath.

"Shh," Beckett replied quickly.

"In third place from the Miller Studios here in London, Edgar Ashton and Lucy Ravenswood with Kimberly Winship," the host was saying.

Applauding for the trio as they went to get their trophies, Julia wasn't surprised when Mari was grabbing her elbow briefly. She smiled at her friend, since they hadn't known the third person would get anything as well. Looking back at the host, she tried not to feel disappointed they hadn't gotten third at least before he was speaking again.

"And in second, from the Schenck Dance Troupe from Brighton Travis Duke and Marilyn Hull with Rhoda Lewis," the host announced.

Feeling her stomach plunge for a moment at the names, Julia smiled the best she could before she felt Mari lean slightly against her. She wanted to assure her friend she was okay, hoping they'd gotten fourth place at least, when they were turning their attention to the host again.

"And we are pleased to announce that in first place is…" the man started to say though he was beginning again immediately. "From the Hamptons Academy Dance Studio in the Hamptons, New York Julia Castle and Peter Lennox with Marianne Foster!"

Grabbing Mari as soon as her friend began to sag against her, Julia laughed when Peter hugged them both. "We did it," she said in relief.

"I know," Peter said, not surprised hearing his tone was the same as hers. "Are you okay?" he said while they turned to Mari in concern.

"I thought…" the girl started to say before Julia was hugging her tightly.

"I knew you'd do really good with this dance," she managed to say in response before the host was making them let each other go.

"Okay," Castle said, he and Beckett sitting down with the others in their group since they'd stood as soon as the names had been announced. "So we don't have to worry like that again for a while do we?"

"We'll see," Beckett said in amusement, feeling a great deal of relief at the smile on their daughter's face. She reached for her husband's hand and was relieved when he was quick to take it, their fingers entwining. She couldn't help feeling a little impatient, wanting to go to Julia, but they were receiving their trophies including a larger one for Ms. Grey to display in the dance studio at the Academy. That group's competition was soon concluded and the audience around them was starting to leave while Julia was rushing to them.

"Don't slip," Castle said before he and Beckett were taking Julia into their arms.

"You did a wonderful job sweetie," Beckett told her, feeling her blouse becoming wet.

"Are you in shock now?" Castle asked, gently caressing the teen's hair. He wasn't surprised when Julia nodded, not moving her face from where it was buried into her mother's shoulder, and he kissed the back of her head.

"Best grab your kerchief," Skye said when the writer was pulling away from the two.

"Is she okay?" Mari asked worriedly.

"She will be," Beckett said as she was carefully making Julia pull away from her.

"I ruined your blouse," the teen whispered, not moving back that much.

"It's fine," Beckett said, making Julia move back before she made her tilt her head up. "And I really hope you are too."

"Really happy," Julia said, smiling when her mother laughed softly before she hugged her again. She was brief that time before she turned to her father, laughing when she saw he was holding out his handkerchief. "Thanks," she said, taking it before she was gasping when he wrapped her up in a hug. Though she'd wanted to wipe away her tears of joy, she embraced him back before she said, "Did you like it?"

"We did," Paul said. When Julia turned to him, he laughed when she hugged him and said to Castle and Beckett, "Do we need to leave any time soon?"

"Good," Adam Lambert said when the two shook their heads.

"I saw you were here," Julia said, turning to him and hugging him quickly. She was going to turn to Nancy when the singer was stopping her.

"Remember our pinkie promise?" Adam asked her.

"Of course," Julia said, glancing at the others and seeing some were smiling though the Willis kids looked confused. Turning her attention back to the singer she asked, "Why?"

"I want a double promise," Adam said.

Laughing, since he was holding his pinkie out to her, Julia was quick to grab it with hers saying, "I double promise… but I think you have to talk to the show, not me."

"They'd do it," Skye said, watching Julia hugging Nancy before she went to the two from Queen. "You're hogging the children," she teased them since they were talking seriously to all three.

"You don't know?" Julia asked her.

"Oh of course I do, saw him over that way watching," Skye said, nodding to the seats across the way. "But I think we'd all like to know what the performers of those songs thought of the dances," she added.

"We were telling them they did wonderfully," Brian said.

"Especially the last one," Rodger commented, smiling when the three were laughing before they were turning to Ms. Grey as she approached them before she spoke.

"We need to head out soon," the teacher said. She became startled when the others were congratulating her and she smiled saying, "Thank you, it's great news."

"For the studio?" Stella asked.

"It is," Grey replied.

"You have your flight too," Skye said, looking at her watch.

"I do, but it's more the next age group is going to start very soon," Grey explained.

"Go, we're going to the Tower anyway," Beckett told Julia. She watched the three leave with the dance teacher before she turned to her husband. She laughed briefly when he suddenly hugged her before she said, "I know how you feel," before she realized Skye was holding something in her hand. While she and Castle were letting go of each other she began to say "Why-"

"I stole it," the investigator said jokingly. When her friend gave her a look she said as she handed Beckett Julia's trophy, "I'm kidding, I grabbed it when she threw herself at the two of you. It's a bit stabby."

Backstage, Julia said to Mari while they were changing, "I still can't believe it."

"Me neither… I really got a trophy," the girl said.

Nodding Julia said, "You can add it with your other."

Giving her a look, Mari pulled on her practice shirt before she said, "If Ms. Grey wants me to dance with you guys I will."

"And she will," Julia replied easily. She giggled when her friend was sticking her tongue out at her and she said, "At least now we can relax."

"Yeah," Mari said in obvious relief before they were leaving the room with their costumes. "I can't wait for that," she added, both of them laughing together and meeting the others so they could head back to the hotel.