"This is really good," Mari said laughingly to the others when she was nearly done with the yogurt and granola.
"She's right, you do good work with the figs," Paul told his daughter.
"And these," Peter said, holding up a piece of fruit in his spoon towards the woman.
"Persimmons," Mary answered. "You have them in the states."
"We've had them," Julia said, Mari nodding in agreement with her.
"Not me," Peter said quickly when the other kids were looking at him.
"Reiley," Alasdhair said to his youngest, watching her. "You want to ask something don't you?"
"Is it for us to dance?" Julia asked, smiling at her friend.
"How did you know?" Reiley asked in surprise.
"Just a guess," Julia said.
"Not now though," Paul said quickly. "You'll get sick."
"And it's not going to be our dances for tomorrow either," Peter said. "But we can show you some stuff if you want to see."
"Can we go to the courtyard while we wait?" Reiley asked her parents.
"Go ahead but take your bowls to the kitchen and rinse them," Stella said with a smile.
After the kids had left, thanking her for the dessert on the way, Mary said, "I thought you'd be singing something."
"You see how I diverted them from that?" Skye asked with a smile since the photographer had been looking at her. When the others stopped laughing, she said, "I know I'll have to play something for them for the dance demonstration… or lesson I'm not sure what it'll be."
"Probably lesson at first," Grey couldn't help saying. "Julia does enjoy teaching."
"That's what she wants to do isn't it?" Nancy asked.
"She does," Beckett replied. "Besides writing."
"Ah, I'd forgotten, the girls will be asking her to sign their copies of her newest book," Paul said, since it had been released two days before. "If they haven't already."
"She won't mind," Castle replied. "When it's for friends of course."
"Speaking of books," Stella said.
"Oh you have a copy of ours? Great we have time we'll sign it now," Castle said, not surprised when the others were laughing before they were getting up together to take everything they'd had for dessert into the kitchen. While they were waiting for Alasdhair and Paul to rinse everything that needed it, he and his wife were signing their latest Moor and Green book along with their last Mill Valley book before Mary was commenting on the latter.
"You know Dad and Nancy have told me about your home there," the photographer said first.
"I'm guessing they mentioned our past lives," Beckett said. When Mary nodded, she said, "Is there anything you want to ask us?"
"No, but I'm seeing why you and Skye are like twins," Mary commented.
"That and she's seen the pictures when you've posed for my collections," Stella commented.
"And you remember a lot of it," Mary added.
"That we're allowed to," Castle said. When the photographer looked at him in confusion, he was quick to explain, "Things with the kids that will affect us in this life. Like who they end up married to, their kids; it's a blank."
"You've never looked into it?" Alasdhair said.
"We don't want to," Beckett answered.
"She's right," Skye said. "We have no urge to do so, and I doubt we will." Since the cleanup was finished she led the way back to the sitting room and said, "Are they ready?"
"As ready as they can be," Grey said, aware of what the investigator was asking about exactly. "And so is Mari since I guess you're wondering."
"I was, I remember how she was with their last trio dance," Skye said.
"She's improved," Grey said. "Luckily the pair work with her so she's included completely," she added before they were turning to the stairs when they heard laughter.
"Luckily they're getting along," Paul said with a smile.
"Oh, I know that look on your face," Skye commented in amusement since he had turned to her.
"We were going to get a demonstration," Castle said before the singer could.
"He's right, I'd like to see a little something," Paul replied.
"Then you're going to have to call the kids up Dad," Stella told him. She was startled when he went over to the staircase and was soon calling down to the kids before they heard running up the flight to the room. When she saw it was the three from the Hamptons she began to laugh with the others before she told them, "You're good listeners."
"We have to be," Julia said with a wide smile. "And we remembered you wanted us to dance for a little." She spotted Skye at the piano in the room and asked, "You're going to play?"
"I assume it'll be a Waltz," the investigator said simply. She smiled when the teen nodded before the Willis kids were upstairs as well. Once everyone was ready, she said, "What'll it be?"
"Well, there is one song we're hoping we can use our next competition… or this one next year," Julia started to say, looking at Ms. Grey.
Nodding the teacher turned to the investigator and said, "Millionaire Waltz."
"Since I've sung that before," Skye said teasingly. "Alright, then let's go ahead and start."
Beckett felt her husband taking her hand and she squeezed at him before they were watching Julia and Peter waltzing the best they could in the small space there was. She wasn't surprised when they were only doing a little extra besides the basic steps, since she was aware they hadn't really choreographed it yet. But she still enjoyed it and listening to Skye's singing as she kept the song slow enough before Paul joined in with her later in the song.
Bring out the charge of the love brigade
There is spring in the air once again
Drink to the sound of the song parade
There is music and love everywhere
Give a little love to me
Take a little love from me
I wanna share it with you
I feel like a millionaire
Once we were made, we were happy
We spent all our days
Holding hands together
Do you remember, my love?
How we danced and played
In the rain we laid
How we wish that we could stay there
Forever and ever
Now I am said, you are so far away
I sit counting the hours day by day
Come back to me
How I long for your love
Come back to me
Be happy like we used to be
With the instrumental there, Julia paused with Peter, letting him turn as they watched Skye playing the solo though it was a guitar in the recording. But she was impressed with the investigator, smiling and applauding her performance when Paul was doing so as well before she was singing and he assisted.
My fine friend, take me with you
And love me forever
My fine friend, forever
Bring out the charge of the love brigade
There is spring in the air once again
Drink to the sound of the song parade
There is music and love everywhere
Give a little love to me (I want it)
Take a little love from me
I wanna share it with you
Come back, come back to me
You make me feel like a millionaire
"Great job," Grey said, applauding with the others. "Were you afraid of running into something right before the solo?"
"I was, I didn't want to break anything," Peter confessed before Bobby was quick to reassure him.
"It's alright, Mum and Dad wouldn't have gotten mad," he said.
"Because you were trying not to, we appreciate that," Stella said.
"Are you going to have a lesson now?" Paul asked.
"Does anyone want to learn?" Peter said after he'd shared a look with Julia.
"I do," Bobby said.
Laughing with the others when Reiley was raising her hand and jumping up and down, Beckett wasn't surprised Julia was the first to calm down. Or when she began to teach the youngest Willis son the steps, Reiley joining in quickly while the rest of them were watching the lesson.
"Oh cool, my bed is ready," Peter said when they walked into the suite.
"I asked them to do that," Castle replied. "And turn down your guys' bed," he directed to Julia and Mari.
"Not your bed?" the latter asked.
"We prefer to do it ourselves," Beckett said, taking the jackets from the three and hanging them. "But you know what to do."
"Yes, but how?" Julia asked as she glanced at her friend and saw their hesitation.
"Take turns," Castle said. "Peter goes first."
"Sure," the teen said before he was hurrying over to the bedroom.
"Wait!" Mari exclaimed. She laughed briefly when Peter froze and turned to her and she told the others, "Sorry but I just remembered going outside on the balcony."
"We can hang our jackets when we come back in Mom," Julia said hurriedly.
"Alright, get them and we'll go out for a little," Beckett said after a moment's hesitation. "You need to get some sleep."
"We're going," Julia said, she and her friends hurrying over to the closet by the door. Once they had their jackets on, they followed her parents outside on the balcony and she said, "How pretty," since they could see the London Eye lit up.
"Thanks for taking me," Peter said, looking at Castle and Beckett.
"You're welcome, and we were glad to go too," the former said first. Looking at his wife Castle said with a smile, "Always good to start out like that."
"Like that?" Beckett asked him with a frown.
"With a view," Castle said, shrugging.
"Why…" Beckett started to say before she trailed off. "Never mind. Let's go back inside kids." She had to fight laughter at the way the three kids were turning to her immediately but managed to control it and told them, "I don't want to have to tell Ms. Grey tomorrow you're tired because you couldn't listen to her. Or us either."
"We're going," Julia said. "But what about tomorrow?" she asked while they were going to the door.
"We can go outside, but earlier," Castle said. "Still bundled up though."
"We're further north," Beckett commented when her husband looked at her.
"True," Castle said before he closed and locked the door behind them. "But still, it's cold," he said firmly before their daughter was asking them about the weather.
"Is it still going to rain while we're here?" Julia said.
"Tomorrow night," Castle said. "So we'll be able to go to the Tower."
"Aren't we going to be going sort of late?" Peter asked.
"Not that late," Beckett said before he was nodding and rushing over to the bedroom again.
"There's something going on," Julia said to Mari with a smile.
"I noticed too," the girl said with a nod.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett commented. "But you'll find out tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah," Julia said, aware her mother was serious. She then said, "Are we getting the DVD?"
"Of course," Beckett said, going to her and gently pulling her to her side.
"Just a little more nervous," Julia said before looked at her friend in surprise when Mari was hugging her.
"I am too," the girl said before Julia was turning to her fully and they embraced for a moment. After they'd let each other go, she turned and saw Peter was walking out of the bedroom and Mari asked, "Already?"
"Did you-" Castle started to say.
"I brushed my teeth," Peter interrupted him. "I change fast."
"Okay," Castle replied, looking at his wife to find she was smirking at him. "Then I think you're next Julia."
"Sure," she said before she paused.
"Go," Beckett said with a smile, knowing why her daughter had done that before she was disappearing into the bedroom.
"Am I getting into bed?" Peter then asked once Julia had disappeared.
"That would be nice," Beckett said. When the teen looked at his phone she said, "Your mother would be a little annoyed, she knows what time it is here."
"At least you were able to talk to them," Mari told him, since they'd had a three-way conversation with their families at the Willis house.
"I know, but tomorrow I can talk to my family on my own. Right?" Peter started to say before he looked at the writers.
"That's the plan," Beckett said.
"Good," Mari commented with a nod. She then hesitated and said, "Do we… need to really go to bed right now?"
"What did you want to do?" Castle asked. "Because if you want to talk to Julia then you could-"
"Rick," Beckett said firmly.
"I think they're aware of it already love," Castle told her.
Rolling her eyes, Beckett then turned her attention to the bedroom since Julia was walking out to them and she said, "I'm not going to ask," before her second oldest was giving her a toothy smile. "Good," she said firmly. "Go ahead Mari."
"I heard you," Julia said. "While I was brushing my hair. We couldn't do something?"
"Do something, no," Beckett said, glancing at her husband as he tugged her coat out of her hands. "But if you want to talk, for now you can."
"What're you wearing for Halloween?" Julia immediately asked her partner.
Laughing, Peter took a minute to calm down before he said, "You can't help asking, can you?"
"Not really," Julia said. "Though I think I know already, Labyrinth right?"
"Yeah, except I'm not wearing those leggings," Peter answered.
"I would be surprised if your mom let you," Castle couldn't help commenting.
"She barely did," Peter said.
"Are you going to have your shirt open?" Julia asked.
Shaking his head Peter said, "Mom said it'd be way too cold… I told her it might not be, but she said it could. I couldn't argue after that so I'm wearing that dark blue coat from the ballroom scene."
"I'm not surprised," Julia said, seeing her father nodding in agreement to what her partner had said. "So she's dressing up as Sarah… from the same scene."
"She didn't tell me," Peter said before they were jumping together at Mari's gasp before she spoke while she walked into the room.
"Is she wearing the dress from the very beginning?" the girl asked, walking over to them.
"I… guess," Peter said thoughtfully before he nodded. "You know, I told her when we were talking about the different outfits… three outfits, that the green of that dress at the start would be really nice with her hair color."
Seeing her partner was blushing, Julia smiled saying, "You said she'd be pretty."
"I think you mean beautiful Julia," Castle told her daughter, studying Peter when he was blushing deeper while he was nodding.
"Oh yeah, good job," Julia said after she realized her father was right.
"Leave him alone you two," Beckett said firmly. "Go and sit on the couch," she directed the kids. "Do you know what they're doing?" she asked Peter once she and Castle were sitting across from the couch on the love seat.
"Of course, I wonder how you'll work out your Fred Astaire hairstyle," Peter said with a smile at his partner before she and Mari were giggling before the former was speaking.
"I don't know how that's going to work," Julia said. "But Gram said she'll help me."
"I hope so," Castle commented. He wasn't surprised when Julia looked at him in confusion and said, "I'm not sure how you should have your hair either."
Shaking her head when her daughter looked at her, Beckett said, "He's trying to join in on the conversation."
"What about your costumes?" Peter asked the writers with a frown. "My parents already have their costumes. Emily's too." When he saw the others were looking at him, he said, "Mom's going to dress as Dorothy, Emily's going to be Toto and Dad the Scarecrow."
"Cute," Beckett said. "Your brother?" she then asked.
"He's going to be a samurai," Peter said.
"There's nothing wrong with samurai," Castle said when his wife and daughter looked at him.
"What about your sisters?" Peter then said.
"Lizzy and Josa are going to wear poodle skirts," Julia said. She then frowned and said, "I don't think 'lexis is going to dress up."
"She said not this year," Beckett said when her daughter was looking at her.
"Does that mean Louis isn't going to dress up?" Mari asked them.
"He and Alexis offered to stay at the house and pass out candy," Castle said.
Seeing her friend rolling her eyes Mari said, "You don't want her too."
"It might be too cold… also uncomfortable," Castle answered.
"Let her decide," Beckett told her husband firmly.
Looking at her, Castle gave an exaggerated sigh and said, "Fine," not surprised when the kids were laughing in reaction.
"What about you guys?" Mari asked. "Julia didn't say."
"I told you I don't know," the teen told her friend in mock annoyance.
"We're going to wear our forties outfits," Beckett said.
"Gram finished them?" Julia asked interestedly.
"Yeah," Castle said. "Since mine wasn't that difficult."
"Are you wearing a dress or a skirt?" Mari inquired.
Smiling at the girl's interest Beckett said, "A dress, it's the easiest."
"Are you going to be cold?" Julia asked slowly. "If it's cold."
"I have my coats," Beckett replied. "Remember we're having dinner before."
"And you're wearing it again for Julia's birthday," Mari said.
With a quick nod Beckett explained, "The material will be warm for this month and March. Martha and I discussed that before she started to make the dress."
"There's nothing special with my suit," Castle said in slight surprise when Mari looked at him. "Just the silhouette."
"And suspenders," Julia commented.
"Why'd you get those?" Peter asked.
"They had them back then," Julia said. "He wore them all the time." She then became thoughtful and said, "When it was the fifties and sixties too."
Smiling at her husband when he playfully pursed his lips, Beckett said, "You're right, and the suit looks very nice."
"Have you seen each other's costumes?" Julia asked her parents.
"Not yet, but I did see the suit when it was almost finished in your gram's room," Beckett said. She smiled at her husband when he turned to her and she squeezed his hand saying, "My last fitting for the dress."
"Oh sure, you can see my costume and I can't see yours," Castle said in feigned annoyance.
"Exactly," Beckett told him, smiling again when the kids were laughing at him rolling his eyes.
"Oh, don't tell me we have to go to bed," Julia said when her parents were standing.
"It's past time," Beckett said firmly. She watched Julia and Mari say goodnight to Peter before she and Castle did the same to him and they followed the girls into the other bedroom.
"Are we getting up super early?" Julia asked her parents once she'd hugged her father tightly.
"Not that early, we'll… I mean your mom will wake you up," Castle told her. When she nodded, he smiled and said, "I love you, Julia."
"Love you too Dad," she replied before she kissed his cheek after he'd done the same to her. Going to her mother she embraced her tightly and then told her, "Thanks for letting us come here."
"You're welcome, but don't be too nervous, okay?" Beckett told her since she had a sense her daughter was feeling that way.
Nodding, Julia said, "Love you, Mom."
"I love you too sweetie," Beckett replied before they kissed each other on the cheek. "Goodnight Mari."
"Night," the girl said with a smile at both her and Castle. "We'll sleep."
"You bet you will," he said firmly before the girls were laughing. "Night Mari," Castle added before Beckett was following the girls to the bed while she spoke.
"I know you might want to talk, and you can for a little but please try to sleep," she told the pair.
"We're serious about that," Mari said.
Nodding in agreement with her friend, Julia said, "She's right, since we want to do the best we can tomorrow."
"Okay, then we'll see you two in the morning," Beckett told them before the two were laying down and covering themselves. Certain they were really going to try to sleep, she walked with her husband out of the room once he'd turned off the lights. She wasn't surprised when Peter waved to them as they were passing, and she did the same before they were going into the dining room.
"Am I closing all the doors?" Castle asked his wife when they'd paused to let him do so to the dining room door.
"I think you should," Beckett said before her husband was tensing.
"Good point," Castle said. "Though there are a lot," he told his wife. When her response was to merely smile back at him over her shoulder he was shuddering in desire, and he moved to go faster down the hall to their room.
Tilting her head back for her husband to have access to her neck, Beckett moaned his name slightly before he was moving around to her lips. Responding to his kiss as intently as she could, she felt her lips growing more swollen before she was doing her best to stop him. When he pulled away from her, looking at her in surprise she said, "You're taking too long."
"I'm trying to build up," Castle said before he was grunting heavily at her bumping her hips against his. Since she was beneath him, he was aware of how difficult that had been and he said, "Because we need to get up early."
"Yes," Beckett replied simply. "No," she added swiftly before he could respond. "Because I want you, Rick." She thought he might finally move to enter her but instead he was shifting to bow his head. Though she was already aware of what he was going to do, she couldn't help the gasp that left her lips at her husband's against her right breast. Feeling him kissing around her she was trembling slightly at his tongue flicking out to her, moaning in pleasure when he gently blew against her skin before she tried to stop him.
Not allowing her to do that, Castle moved to her other breast and did the same there before he indulged himself in suckling at each of her nipples languidly. His arousal was pushed further at the way his wife was reacting vocally to him, but he didn't stop until he was satisfied he'd gone over both fully. When he pulled away from her, he saw she was holding her lower lip between her teeth and he murmured against her lips as he pressed lightly against them, "Tell me love," not surprised when she was instantly responding.
"Will you kiss my pussy first?" Beckett asked him. She wasn't surprised when her husband immediately jerked back to look at her and she was going to tell him she was serious when he moved. Watching him sliding down her body, feeling his lips at the same time, she was nearly breathless until he was between her legs. Feeling him kissing at her clit first she tensed for a moment before he was going lower to her folds. After he kissed her twice, she was letting out a soft cry when his tongue was rubbing against her before he moved up her body. "Rick," she managed to say. "You need to start."
With a quick nod, since her tone told him not to respond any other way, Castle leaned down to her and was kissing her deeply before he took her hand in his. Curling her hand around his erection he let her go but was swift to move with her so he could begin sliding in her. "What do you want?" he then asked her.
"Make love to me," Beckett told him, gently raking her nails down his shoulders before she tightened her arms around him. She moved her legs, sliding the left up his side and holding onto him before spreading her right as far as she comfortably could. A moment later he was continuing to slide inside of her, and her hips were arching towards his until he was fully sheathed in her. Her fingers were at his back again, digging the tips into him before she told him, "Please…"
Not surprised his wife couldn't finish that, Castle was brushing his lips against hers, only doing so briefly before he began to move. He was careful at first, drawing back as slowly as he could before pushing back inside her, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head at how tight and moist she was. "Kate, you feel… so fucking good," he told her roughly after he'd sped up slightly.
"So do you," Beckett managed to say before they were kissing hungrily. She was pressing her right heel into the mattress to assist her in moving with her husband and was relieved when she was managing to do so. "Rick," she whispered when he pulled away. She wasn't surprised when he was bowing his head but didn't stop him before he was brushing his lips around her breasts. Her back naturally moved up and she wasn't surprised when he was nipping lightly at her nipples. At the same time he changed the angle of his hips and sinking back into her, her leg around him was tightening.
"Are you close?" Castle asked her, watching her intently.
"No but… keep doing… that," Beckett gasped before his lips were taking hers. She responded to him, and their tongues were moving back and forth in their mouths, caressing and rubbing together until they were parting and breathing roughly. He moved to her collarbone, and she was tilting her head back again until he was sucking gently at her pulse.
Thrusting a little faster at that moment, Castle could feel his wife's hand squeezing his back while the other was gripping at his shoulder. He pulled away enough to look down at her and watched her moving with him. The visual stimulation that provided was almost too much for him, and he leaned into her before he was kissing her again. Keeping his pace steady, he wasn't surprised when they parted to catch their breath that his wife was speaking to him pleadingly.
"Rick I… need to come," Beckett said, holding onto him a little tighter. "Don't… stop."
"Are you going to now?" Castle asked, looking intently into her eyes. He wasn't surprised when her response was to turn her head to the side while she closed her eyes tightly. "Come my love," he told her huskily as she arched her back a little and her breasts brushed against his chest. He was unable to control himself and he jerked against her a little hard on one of his thrusts into her and they were both groaning in pleasure.
Wrapping her right leg around his waist, Beckett found herself losing her husband's rhythm and she tried to get back to it. But it was too difficult to reach, and she was feeling everything her husband was making her feel all at once. She felt her climax hit her hard, and she felt like she was exploding before she was suddenly feeling Castle joining her. Freezing for a moment, she was thrusting against him once she had overcome the shock and realizing he was filling her deeply. Scraping her nails down his skin when her ecstasy slowed, she was trembling heavily until she was holding him against her while he spent himself fully. Feeling him still against her, she was gently caressing the back of his head, waiting until he was raising his head. "Back?" she couldn't help asking with a smile at the way he was looking at her.
"You have too much of an advantage," Castle said, shuddering at the way she was running her fingers through his hair. When she was laughing, he couldn't stop himself groaning at the sensation before he was carefully withdrawing from her.
"Rick," Beckett told him in a mock warning tone of voice as he looked in between her legs.
"Just checking," Castle said.
Pushing herself up onto her hands Beckett said, "Checking or making sure?"
"Both?" Castle asked uncertainly. He smiled when his wife laughed and leaned into her, kissing her tenderly on the lips. Since he'd stopped her laughing, he was slowly pulling back before they were grabbing each other tightly and kissing passionately. When they managed to stop, he told her, "Both," smiling when she was laughing again. He shared a quick kiss with her before they were laying down together which led him to groan in annoyance before he sat up.
"You enjoyed that right?" Beckett asked him while he was removing his glasses and she was turning off the light on her nightstand.
"That is a weird way to word that," Castle said, turning back to her and grabbing the covers. He paused and then said, "And that too." He then shook his head and covered them both before he was telling her, "But I did and don't worry, when we're back home we'll go for hours."
"Pervert," Beckett teased him while she lay against his side once he was laying on his back.
"Thank you," Castle said. He smiled when she was kissing his shoulder before settling back down and he pressed his lips to her forehead before he told her, "I love you, Kate."
"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied before they were kissing after she'd tilted her head up to him.
Studying her for a moment Castle said, "Goddess. I should have told you that as soon as we undressed."
"You did," Beckett replied. She did her best not to laugh when her husband looked at her in surprise before she explained, "After we were undressed but before you slammed me on the mattress," not surprised at his instant reaction.
"Slammed you? So you didn't appreciate how I gently laid you on your back before worshiping your gorgeous body?" Castle asked, able to see her smile in the darkness by then. He leaned down to her and kissed her lightly before he said when they parted, "I'll be able to do that again soon."
"Of course," Beckett replied before they were kissing again. Pressing her cheek to his shoulder again she said with a smile, "Goodnight love."
"Night," Castle said, rubbing her shoulder gently. He kept his eyes open until he felt her relaxed against him, then allowed himself to fall asleep still gladly thinking of their intimacy that night.
"Rick," Beckett said, touching her husband's shoulder. She smiled when his eyes just barely opened and she said, "Good morning."
"Already?" Castle asked with a groan.
"Yeah, we need to get the kids up," Beckett told him, jumping back a little when her husband shot up. "Easy, we still have time before we need to leave. But we have to get up now."
"Well… I did get up," Castle said before he glanced at her breasts.
"Castle," Beckett said, placing her finger under his chin before tilting it up. "Now."
Sighing, he told her, "Fine, but you owe me."
"You're lucky I know you're joking. Come on, we need to take a shower," Beckett told him.
After they had left the bed, Castle and Beckett went into the shower and washed up, doing their best not to give into temptation and touch each other more than they needed to. Once they'd finished and had dressed, they walked together down to the living room, opening the doors until Castle was approaching the couch.
"Peter?" he said. "Hey," he told him when the teen was opening his eyes slowly, staring up at him blearily.
"Rick?" Peter asked in confusion. "Am I home?"
"No, in London," Castle said, stopping himself from mentioning the dance competition. He was startled when the teen was turning onto his side and was about to speak again before Peter's eyes shot open.
"The Rothschild… it's today, isn't it?" he asked, sitting up.
"Yeah, but you're not late, you just need to get up now, okay?" Castle asked.
After the teen had nodded, Beckett went to the bedroom where she saw Julia and Mari were still asleep. Making her way over to them she gently shook her daughter's shoulder and called her name. "Good morning sweetie," she told her when Julia opened her eyes.
"Morning?" the teen asked.
"It is," Beckett said, looking at Mari who was blinking furiously.
"We're in London, aren't we?" the girl asked.
Seeing her mother nodding, Julia sighed and said, "We're up," before she got off the bed. "What's for breakfast?"
Laughing briefly Beckett told her, "Oatmeal."
"Actually," Castle said, standing in the doorway. "It's going to be porridge, but we'll have some eggs too."
"Cool," Julia said. "Will there be brown sugar?"
"Of course," Castle said, smiling when the girls laughed at his tone.
"Could I get dressed?" Peter asked from behind Castle.
"Oh, go ahead," he said, getting out of the way of the teen. After Peter had closed the door behind him Castle said, "I'm taking requests for breakfast too," before his wife was responding in amusement.
"I think the porridge and eggs are fine love," Beckett said.
"Not even fruit?" Castle asked him.
Hesitating for a moment, Beckett said, "Alright, but not that much." When her husband had left, she said to the girls, "Do you three need help with the costumes?"
"Yeah, Peter and I have one each," Julia said. "So there's ten of them, eleven with Mari's."
"Can we carry them all?" the girl asked.
"We'll be able to," Beckett assured her. "Don't forget about Ms. Grey."
While Mari was nodding to that Peter walked out of the bathroom, dressed in his practice clothes saying, "Bathroom's free, I'm going outside."
"Not on the balcony," Beckett said, following the boy while he was groaning playfully.
"Breakfast will be here soon," Castle said, hanging up when the two walked out of the bedroom. "Which is great because I'm starving."
"So am I," Peter said immediately. "I can't go outside on the balcony?"
"Not without Julia and Mari," Beckett said, unable to help smiling at the face the boy made before her husband was speaking.
"She's right, also I don't know if we're going to have that time," Castle said. "You guys need to eat." He paused and then said, "I hope you eat."
"I think I could," Peter said.
"It's why I got eggs and oatmeal," Castle said. "Hopefully that's enough."
"It should be," Beckett replied before they were turning to Julia and Mari leaving the room. "All set?" she asked them.
When they nodded Castle asked his wife, "Should we get the costumes out?"
"Yes," Beckett said.
"Out where?" Peter asked in confusion.
"To the closet here," Castle said before he and his wife started to walk over to the bedroom. He paused and then looked over at the kids and told Beckett, "I think they want to go out on the balcony."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said. "And you can if you get your jackets."
"We will," Julia said. "Thanks."
Beckett nodded before she went to the closet with her husband, and they began moving the garment bags to the front closet. When they had finished there was a knock on the door, and she left her husband to get their breakfast set while she walked out to the balcony. "Breakfast is here," she told the three, a little surprised they were silent. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, we were just listening to the traffic on the water," Julia said before they were walking to her mother in the doorway. "How does it look?" she asked.
"I didn't see it," Beckett replied, aware her daughter was talking about the meal. "But this is a nice hotel."
"Super nice hotel," Julia said.
"Great, we'll definitely come back," Castle said since the four were back inside the living room. He was going to help them with their jackets, but they went to the closet themselves and were hanging them up. He led them to the dining room and once they were gathered around the table he said, "I wonder if I should have bought some food yesterday."
"We're in a hurry," Beckett said, since the dining room had a kitchenette. She and Castle waited for them to get their oatmeal prepared before they were doing the same and they began to eat.
Watching the kids for a little, Castle asked, "How is it?" When Julia gave him a thumbs up, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Great, I agree."
"So do I," Beckett replied.
"And now we've had a little sustenance, how did you guys sleep?" Castle asked, not surprised when his wife was looking at the kids immediately.
"Good, that bed was really nice," Julia said, smiling at Mari nodding in agreement since she was eating some eggs.
"The couch was good too," Peter said when his partner's parents looked at him. "Were you wondering?" he asked.
"I wanted to make sure," Castle said. "That way your parents won't be mad at me."
"They wouldn't be," Peter said.
"Still," Castle said.
"What about the Tower?" Julia asked.
"What about it?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"Are we going around the whole thing?" Julia said.
"Not the dungeons," Mari said immediately.
"Definitely not," Castle said. "Skye told us not to take you there," he directed to Julia.
"I figured already," Julia replied. She then smiled and said, "At least there's a lot to see around there." Looking at her mother she then said, "I do think there's something going on about going there."
"What about Skye?" Peter said suddenly after Castle and Beckett were merely smiling at each other.
"What about her?" Beckett asked in a little surprise.
"She's coming with us, right?" Julia asked.
"We insisted," Castle replied.
Giving her husband a look, Beckett turned to Julia and said, "She insisted, and I was relieved she offered."
"Does she ever go to the dungeons?" Mari inquired.
"She almost did once," Beckett said when the others were looking at her. "But she told us she stood at the top of the stairs and then had to leave."
"Good, it's not safe there," Julia said. She saw the way her friend was looking at her and told Mari, "I just know already."
"Is there a gift shop there?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, a big one," Castle said. "And we're definitely going, don't worry."
"What're you thinking of buying?" Mari said to him.
"Something for my siblings," Peter said slowly.
Unable to help laughing briefly, Beckett said, "There should be something for them both."
"What kind of toys? Wasn't it a jail?" Peter said in confusion.
"We haven't been for a while, so we'll see," Castle told him.
Seeing the kids had finished eating, Beckett had them help herself and Castle in clearing everything to take outside to the hall. Once they were back inside, she said to the three, "Do you have everything else you need besides the costumes?" since the closet was open, and they could see the bags.
"Yeah," Julia said first. "Our bags for everything else are there, Ms. Grey has our makeup."
"Is she going to be the only one there to do that for you guys?" Castle asked, closing the door.
"She said there would be other people, since it's such a big competition," Peter said before he was studying Julia and Mari.
"We should head out," Castle told his wife when she looked at him.
Nodding, Beckett turned back to the kids and went to Peter, putting her hands on his shoulders gently. She was about to speak when he was doing so first, which startled her for a moment.
"Mom told you to do this," Peter said.
"She did, and since I'm a mother too I understand why she wanted me to," Beckett said. "She told me to tell you that you are a great dancer and to try your best."
"Thanks," Peter said, blushing slightly. "Did she ask you to hug me?"
"Only if you were okay with it," Beckett said. "And if you aren't that's fine."
"That's okay," Peter said, relieved when the writer merely nodded and let him go.
"Did my parents ask you to tell me something?" Mari said next.
"They did, just that you're a great dancer and they're very proud of you," Beckett told her. She wasn't surprised when Mari's response was to hug her and she responded saying, "Your mom insisted I do this."
Smiling when she had pulled away Mari said, "I thought she would have said. Thanks."
Going to her parents, Julia tugged her father's hand and pulled him over to Beckett before she was hugging them at the same time. "Just because you agreed to let me come here," she told them.
Laughing Castle rubbed her back gently, since he and Beckett were both embracing her, he told her, "And there's a reason why," before they were letting her go. He then held Julia by her shoulders and said seriously, "You're a wonderful dancer and as long as you enjoy today I'll be happy."
"I will, thanks Dad," Julia said with a smile.
"I love you," Castle told her.
"Love you too," Julia said.
Getting her daughter's attention, Beckett hugged her again and told her, "I love you sweetie. And your dad's right, we want you to have fun and enjoy this."
"Oh I do," Julia said swiftly. "I love you too Mom."
"Okay," Castle said when his wife and their second oldest had let go of each other. "Are we ready?"
"Very." "Yeah." "I guess," Peter, Julia and Mari said before they were laughing together.
"Then it's time to go," Castle said before they were grabbing the costumes.
Once they were ready, Castle and Beckett led the kids out of the suite to head down to the lobby to meet Ms. Grey and finally make their way to the Rothschild.