See the Joy
A Post-Series Story

"Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It's discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values." – Thomas S. Monson

"Ugh, it is nasty out there."

The twins and Lily barely lift their heads at their father's outburst, eyes locked on the TV as lightsabers swing and clash. Kate, however, manages to look away from the TV to find her husband looking like a drowned rat.

A drowned rat with a white plastic bag in his hand.

She grins. "You got them."

Castle chuckles, reaching up to run his hands through his damp hair. "I got them. I also got very, very wet."

"You're my hero though," she offers, shifting the baby in her arms and holding out a hand to him. "Thank you," she adds when he hands over the bag and dips his head to kiss her, dripping rainwater on her cheek. "Oh, you are wet. Gross."

Rick laughs, shaking his head a little bit, sprinkling her with more water.

"I'll go change," he says as she squirms away.

"Thank you."

He grins, sneaking another kiss anyway. "Don't eat all the treats without me."

"No promises," she quips, putting the bag to the side and nudging it open to find the very specific bag of movie candy she had requested.

(Not for the first time, she's reminded how very much her husband loves her; only Rick Castle would traipse to the Angelika in the rain to pick up her favorite just to watch Star Wars on tv – commercials and all – with their kids.)

"Hey, Little Flower, Peanut Butter, Jelly, come get your candy. Daddy went all the way to the theater for it."

Jake's the first to move, twisting and squirming across the carpet to blindly slap his hand on the box of chocolates. He starts to scoot back beside his brother but stops, turning to face Kate and the baby, tilting his head.

"Does Eba get some?"

Kate smiles. He and Reece both had been unsure about becoming big brothers, adjusting slowly to the idea of her pregnancy, and then having their ups and downs over the months since Eva joined them – and she'd come early, no less. It's really been since Halloween, though, that they've warmed even more to the baby. Likely because she and Rick let them pick Eva's costume, but she'll take what she can get.

Hopefully, the feelings of peace and goodwill can extend into December and the Christmas season; the last thing she needs is for them to regress during one of the most stressful times of the year.

"Not yet, baby," Kate says. "Eva's still too little for sweets."

"More for me!" Reece squeaks from the other side of the rug, giggling and holding out his hands for Jake to throw his candy to him.

She shouldn't let them throw things, but she's comfortable and the toss doesn't go too wide, so she doesn't comment.

"Give Lily hers, too, please. And do not eat the whole box tonight. Save some for tomorrow, too."

All three of them dig into the boxes, already engrossed in the movie again.

Kate drops a kiss on Eva's forehead. "Your silly sister and brothers."

Rick comes skidding into the living room in bright green and red pajama pants.

"And Daddy," she adds, grinning.

Her husband grins, scooping the bag off the couch and flopping beside her. His head drops to kiss Eva.

"What's that, E? You're saying Mommy likes my silliness? Yeah, that's what I thought."

Kate nudges the baby into his hands, resting her cheek on the outside of his arm. "She better not be saying anything; she better be asleep – and stay asleep."

Rick hums, tucking their youngest close to his heart. "She is. I'll put her down in a little bit. Let her not see a little more of the movie in the meantime."

She nods, digging into her bag of sweet treats. "Kay."

"But for now," Castle continues, opening his mouth and leaning in. "Feed me?"

Kate Beckett snorts, pops a morsel into her mouth, and then after a feigned moment of thought, gives him one too. Along with the brush of her mouth on his.

"That's extra because you did go to the trouble to get them and all," she whispers.

Her husband grins against her lips, coming back for another kiss, this one just as sweet as the first, without any chocolate necessary.

So hi! It's been a while. Work and life has been insane lately, but I wanted to try to write something for December. I'm already a day behind in my time zone, but eh, it's the thought that counts, right? I make no promises as to how many chapters I'll be able to write, or how long they'll be, but we'll see what I can do. Prompt: sweets