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: Great getting the feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get started on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (It was really nice seeing you like how Skye is a very good investigator. It's funny you think she should have her own story as I thought up her character as a novel character but it never panned out since I wasn't really able to write that so it works better here for me. But it great you like her so much!) and
Mb (Really pleased that you thought the first half of the chapter was a nice update in filling in more of the details. I wasn't surprised you were glad that no one was hurt after the discharge of the gun. And I wanted both cases to kind of merge together, so I had a little more from that one. I wasn't surprised either you mentioned Julia hearing information from a relative of someone involved and also finding out some information for the case. I wasn't surprised you laughed at the low batteries or the phones left at home, I figured the left at home could happen with a teen if they were late for school or something, though I'm not surprised you said it was rare, lol. You're right though. Glad to see you thought it was good filler. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! At this point the murder investigation is early so that's where there's no suspect or reason for the counterfeit parts, lol, it's how they go. And I'm really glad you think cases are intriguing since I do try with them! 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 #2: The title of this chapter is the title of the song written by Paul and Linda McCartney, from the Wings album Red Rose Speedway.
One More Kiss
"I hope I'm not in the way."
"You're not," Skye told her wife while she walked the rest of the way over to her. As soon as she was close enough, she was wrapping her arms around her tightly, embracing her and saying, "It's been way too long."
"It has," Mary said, hugging her back. She pressed her lips to her wife's cheek and murmured, "What did you do?"
"Nothing," Skye replied.
"You're a liar, but luckily I can tell you're okay," Mary said. "Now tell me what's going on while we get my suitcase."
"Think she's telling her about the case?" Castle asked his wife since they were on the porch waiting for the two women.
"Of course," Beckett replied before she turned to him with a slight frown. "What did you think she was doing?"
"Them," Castle corrected her. "After that kiss I would say they were planning their night."
Laughing briefly, Beckett said, "Don't mention that to them."
"Too late," Skye said, she and Mary approaching. "The wind is just right to carry what you're saying. And you're nosy."
"We did the same," Castle commented, not surprised when his wife put her hand to her face.
"I think we better change the subject," Mary told them. "And get inside, I'm worried about my wife."
"I'm wearing my coat," Skye said, making a face at her wife.
"Yeah, wide open," Mary said before they were turning at the sound of the gate opening.
"That's Louis," Beckett commented.
"Isn't it a little late?" Mary asked while she and Skye were walking between the writers to go inside.
"He had extra work today," Castle explained before he was closing the door.
"Sorry about that," Louis said once he'd left his car. "We thought a stallion was ill but luckily he's alright."
"It's fine, dinner hasn't arrived yet," Beckett said, not surprised when the young man turned to the driveway. "Skye and Mary are here," she told him.
"Your case?" Louis asked, turning back to them.
"And Skye's case," Beckett said while they were going inside the house.
"Mary's here for support," Castle added, locking the door behind them.
"And Alexis?" Louis inquired, trying not to sound too concerned.
"I'm fine," she said, entering the foyer.
"Lex," Louis said with a smile, hurrying to her.
Walking down the hall to give the couple some privacy, Beckett asked her father, "Did they go upstairs?"
"They did," Jim said with a nod. "These stairs to say hello to us."
"And to check on 'lexis," Eliza added.
"They wanted to be unpacked before dinner got here," Julia said.
"And speaking of dinner," Castle said, turning to the door when he heard the chime for the gate.
Walking with her husband to the entry, Beckett took Alexis' arm and slipped it through hers telling her, "You'll have a better chance for that later when we're all upstairs."
Unable to help blushing slightly Alexis said, "I tried to stop him… I wasn't really that forceful, but I attempted it."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a nod. She then told her, "But you are hungry."
"Starving," Alexis replied, shaking her head and saying, "I have to make sure he'll keep me from stuffing myself."
"We probably all will," Beckett said before they were entering the game room. She was startled when her oldest was stopping her before she explained what she wanted.
"I'd like to sit at the table this time," Alexis said.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said.
"Do you need a special chair?" Eliza asked her.
"No," Alexis replied with a smile. "I'll be fine here," she added while her mother was helping her sit.
"Are we going to sit a special way Mommy?" Eliza said to Beckett.
"No, but let your sister and Louis sit with each other," she replied.
"Sure," Eliza said, jumping up and down a little. "Oh! Are we going to look at the bowling alley?"
"After dinner," Beckett said before they were turning to the doorway when Skye and Mary walked in.
Pausing when she saw the others were looking at herself and her wife, the investigator said, "I'm going to guess dinner was at the gate?"
"It's in the kitchen right now if you guys want to eat," Castle said, stepping up behind the two women.
"We all are," Louis said, smiling when Skye and Mary were turning to him and shaking his hand rapidly.
"We're going right now," Castle then said.
"Can I go with you?" Alexis asked.
"Yes," Beckett told her husband and their son in law firmly before they could respond.
"Thank you, Mom," Alexis said with a smile while she was helping her stand again. "Though I'm sitting next to Louis?"
"You don't have to worry," Beckett told her. "I'm sitting with my husband," she added, smiling when her oldest laughed.
When they were in the kitchen Eliza said, "I sorta set the table."
"You did, even if you got these plates ready," Castle reassured her. He squeezed her shoulder before he watched Louis getting Alexis her plate first, not surprised when he hesitated.
"You don't need to worry," Martha told him. "You need to escort her back."
"I will," Louis said gratefully before he was hurrying to get his own plate ready.
"How're you doing?" Mary asked Castle and Beckett when the girls and their grandparents had finished and left them on their own.
"Okay, we have a couple of things to deal with," Castle replied.
"You told her about the case, right?" Beckett asked Skye. After the investigator had nodded, she said to her husband, "What're you talking about?"
"Sorry, force of habit," Castle said, shaking his head. "We need to talk to Kipling."
"I told her," Skye replied to the writer's look, unable to help smiling.
"And it's interesting," Mary said. "If he's trying to write about the company and he killed their kids… I think you have a serious psychopath on your hands."
"I had the same thought," Castle said.
"Guys," Beckett told them before anyone could say anything else. "We need to go eat." She smiled when the other three were reacting and hurrying to get their plates before she was getting one and they were picking up their food. Walking back into the game room she said, "Did you guys start eating already?"
"No, I'm waiting!" Eliza said eagerly.
"Mama!" Josie cried.
"I see you sweetie," Beckett assured her, sitting next to her highchair. "You didn't eat yet either."
"Jules said no," Josie said carefully. She giggled when her mother kissed her cheek and did the same to her before she was taking her fork from her father.
After he'd kissed the side of the toddler's head, Castle sat on the other side of his wife, and they began eating before Eliza suddenly spoke.
"Can I start talking about school?" the little girl asked.
"I was just going to say," Castle commented before Eliza was talking rapidly.
After her sister had finished, Julia talked about her day, both of them relating their dance class to their parents and the McDouglas women since they hadn't seen it. "Now I'm wondering what 'lexis did," she said.
"I am too," Louis said rapidly.
"And I'm not surprised," Alexis said wryly, glancing at her husband. "You know that I finished with the last I needed to of work." When the others nodded, she then said, "That took me to lunch and I ate with everyone," looking at her grandparents.
"She stayed with Josie while Jim made the meal and I assisted," Martha said.
"But what about after?" Eliza asked.
"I played some games," Alexis then said.
"You never said which ones," Julia said in obvious confusion.
"The pinball machine and the coin dropping one," Alexis replied.
"That's it?" Julia and Eliza said in obvious dismay at the same time.
"You have to remember there's not a lot I can comfortably do with my stomach this big," Alexis replied, her hand on it as she spoke.
"Are they kicking?" Louis said with a smile. At his wife's nod he reached to her and let her lead his hand before he told the twins, "Behave while your mum is eating."
Alexis couldn't help laughing before she squeezed his hand and he sat back while she said, "Now I've played here I'd like to see the bowling alley," not surprised her father was responding with a mock frown.
"Now you're pushing us?" Castle asked.
Smirking for a moment Alexis said, "I learned from my sisters. But I seriously want to get up and walk again."
"To the stairs down?" Louis asked his wife.
"Please," Alexis replied, squeezing at his hand before she watched the others getting up to clear the table.
"You two stay here," Castle told the McDouglas women.
"He's right, you are guests," Beckett commented, not surprised when Skye gave her a look. "And you can help us by keeping an eye on Alexis."
"Thanks," the young woman said wryly. Raising her hand slightly when her mother glanced at her, Alexis turned her attention to Josie and asked, "Why didn't you go with Dad and Mom?"
"I help too 'lexis," Josie replied seriously.
"She'll monitor the babies," Mary commented jokingly.
"I guess so," Alexis said before they were watching Skye walking around the room. She wasn't surprised when her little sister hurried over to the investigator and she said, "If you want to play anything just turn it on at the control panel on the wall."
Shaking her head, Skye said, "I just wanted to see everything you got."
"Sorry there's no airline game," Alexis told her.
"Your sisters told you about that?" Mary asked the young woman.
"They did, and everything else you have," Alexis replied.
"You'll see it next winter," Skye said. "Since you're still joining us." She was looking at the coin drop game before she paused and then turned back to the table asking, "Would you allow your twins to join us going through the parade?"
"I don't know," Alexis replied honestly. "I might if there's room."
"It'll be an old bus, like the double decker kind at Disneyland," Mary said. "And I know, we said something else before, but someone offered the bus."
"The parade accepted it," Skye said.
"Without asking you?" Alexis said in surprise.
Shaking her head Skye said, "Oh no, they did since they wanted to know if we wanted to fill the bus."
"We're not going to that much," Mary added. "Just our family, yours and the Darnleys."
"That's it?" Alexis asked.
"That's it," Skye echoed. She led Josie back to the table and told the young woman, "It's a nice room."
"Now we opened it up?" Alexis said.
"Yeah, it was a little small originally," Skye said, smiling. She turned to the doorway of the room hearing footsteps and said, "We're going?"
"Yeah, quickly," Beckett said, walking into the room.
"Quickly?" Mary echoed, standing up.
"Yes, since we're just looking at the basement," Castle explained.
"Dad-" Alexis started to say with a frown.
"We decided to wait to start playing with the bowling alley," Eliza interrupted his sister. "After the twins are born."
"What if that isn't until December?" Alexis asked them.
"We don't care," Julia said firmly, not surprised when her little sister nodded.
"Alright," Alexis said after glancing at their parents and seeing they were getting Josie. "Then we should go."
"Right now," Castle said.
As they were walking to the basement stairs Skye paused for a moment and then told Castle and Beckett, "You two had discussed an elevator if I remember correctly," not surprised the latter responded first.
"We decided to have it done next year," Beckett said.
"Take a break with construction," Castle added. He saw the way his wife was looking at him and quickly said, "Which will be nice."
"It's because we're having Christmas here," Beckett explained.
"That makes sense," Skye said, looking from the stairs down.
"We're going first?" Alexis asked in a little surprise when her father walked to her.
"No, but I have to get ready to take you," Castle replied before they were watching the others heading down. Turning to his daughter, he picked her up and carried her down the stairs carefully saying, "This isn't too much is it?"
"If you'd carried me around the first floor then it would have been," Alexis answered, smiling when her father was laughing slightly. At the bottom of the stairs she said, "Thank you though."
"You're very welcome," Castle replied before he took Eliza's hand when the little girl ran to him.
Walking together through the room at the bottom of the stairs, Skye asked, "How did you divide this?"
"I told you already," Beckett said in mock annoyance. "There are four bedrooms on one side, the other has the alley."
"So we're looking at the bedrooms first," Mary said while they walked into a room with some armchairs and a sofa.
"Yeah, the designer suggested we have the rooms off a main one," Castle said. "So it's… a sitting room."
"Are you going to put a TV here?" Eliza asked her parents.
"No," Beckett said. "The idea is for the guests to join us upstairs." She watched the others look in each room before her father was talking to her.
"You didn't want to go look?" Jim asked.
"We've walked through here already," Castle said before his wife could answer.
"We needed to," Beckett said when Eliza turned to look at them. "Like we had to go through the pool room here and the rooms we added at Mill Valley," she reminded the little girl.
Nodding, Eliza then asked, "Could we stay in these rooms?"
"I don't think so," Beckett said. "They're for guests."
"I think we're supposed to stay in our own rooms," Julia commented.
After Eliza had made a face in response, Castle and Beckett led the others to the other side of the first room, allowing them to walk around while they listened to their reactions.
"We have a real bowling alley in our house!" Eliza cried out in joy as she stood at the end of one alley before her sister was nudging her side playfully before she spoke.
"She's right, it is really," Julia said.
"It is," Castle said, smiling since the teen had been looking pointedly at him. "The pins aren't on strings."
"Good," Eliza said.
"You know you could play," Alexis said, watching her sisters.
"No, only when you can play too," Eliza told her.
"We're sure," Julia said quickly when it looked like their big sister was about to respond.
"Then we're heading back up?" Skye asked.
"You'll be able to take her Richard?" Martha said while they were walking back to the stairs.
"I will," Castle said, trying not to sound annoyed. They reached the stairs before he was taking his oldest up first and they waited for the others to join them.
"Are we going to get to play now?" Eliza asked.
"We should," Beckett said.
"Why… oh, how long have you been playing in the room?" Skye started to say.
"For a while," Castle said first while they walked in.
"Since we've gotten back from your house," Julia added.
Laughing Mary said, "Then you're letting us play first I'm assuming."
"We play at the same time," Eliza said in obvious confusion.
"She's kidding," Julia told her. "You can still play the skeeball if you want."
Nodding, Eliza rushed over to the panel before she paused and looked at her parents questioningly.
"You can start everything up," Castle said in amusement. He wasn't surprised when Eliza didn't respond and was rushing to press the button on the screen before the mechanical games around the room were starting up.
"We started going in a circle around them," Julia told Skye and Mary.
"I'm not surprised," the investigator said. "But I'm wondering if we have time."
"We do," Beckett said. "But they play each game once."
"We're not going to bed yet," Alexis said when the McDouglas women were looking at her.
"You should start," Eliza cried to the women since she was beginning to play the skeeball game.
Watching Skye and Mary laughing before they were moving to the cannon game, Beckett turned to her husband and asked him, "Are you going to do anything?"
"Follow you," Castle said. "Though I get the feeling you were aware of that already."
"Yes," Beckett said simply, not surprised her husband was starting to lean into her before Josie was jumping against her. "Hold on sweetie," she told the toddler, starting to pick her up.
"No Mama," Josie protested, stopping her. "I want to play," she said seriously.
"She's becoming more proficient," Skye said, having heard her.
"Eliza taught her that," Martha said with a smile, sitting at the table to watch the others.
Giggling, Eliza then said, "I couldn't help it. She did want to know how to say it."
"Well, you taught her very nicely," Skye said before glancing at her wife at the sound of her shooting another ball to the propeller of the 'airplane' of the game.
"I can't get the hang of this," Mary said.
"You're distracted," Skye commented before her wife's turn ended.
"Now you show me how good you are," Mary told her in a mock threatening tone.
"You're fighting?" Eliza asked.
"No, and are you taking the place of our girls then?" Skye replied.
"Probably," Castle said before the investigator was laughing while her wife was the one to respond to him.
"They'll be happy to hear that," Mary said.
"Don't encourage them," Beckett said jokingly. "Are you going to take your turn?"
"I was just about to say," Mary told her wife.
Playfully making a face at the two, Skye said to Josie, "Are you used to this game too?"
"Eh," the toddler replied.
"Which means you should start," Mary told her wife. She wasn't surprised when the investigator looked at her and said, "I understood."
"I will right now," Skye replied, reaching for the button to start the game. She saw why her wife had been having trouble but after studying the propellor she was soon able to reach the targets when the lights above them were lit.
"Now you're showing off," Mary told her with a smile when the investigator turned to her once she was finished.
"I'm not," Skye replied simply. "You three?"
"It's a little hard for Josie," Beckett said, having put the toddler on her hip while Skye had been playing. "Rick?"
Hesitating for a moment, Castle then nodded before he said, "I'm not that much better."
"You're learning though," Beckett commented, smiling when her husband gave her a look. She watched with the others while he was shooting at the targets, not doing too badly and she laughed when Josie was clapping. "See?" she asked him.
"Hard not to notice," Castle said, taking Josie from her, sharing a brief kiss with his wife before he was urging her to take a turn.
"Are you sure you want to go around with me?" Eliza was asking her sister.
"Sure, otherwise we're all by ourselves," Julia replied since their big sister and brother-in-law were at the baseball game. She was about to ask her sister if she wanted to play the whack-a-mole game when Eliza was speaking softly and making her lean into her.
"They're happy now," the little girl said.
"Mom and Dad?" Julia asked in a little confusion at her sister pointing that out since it was obvious.
"No, Skye and Mary," Eliza corrected her.
"Oh, well yeah," Julia said with a nod. "Skye was working for almost two weeks now." She paused and said, "I told you why she was here."
"I know," Eliza said, surprised when her sister was frowning at her. "What?"
"What do you want Lizzy," Julia said.
"I want to know about the cases, I was your age when Mommy and Daddy told you," Eliza said.
"You have to talk to them," Julia said. She wasn't taken aback when her sister was frowning at her and she hugged her briefly and told her, "But ask them. I just don't know if they will yet."
"I'm almost eight," Eliza commented.
"And you were the youngest here for a long time," Julia warned her. She couldn't help giggling at the face her sister made before she told her, "Come on, let's go play the baseball game now."
"Do you two ever get to play pool?" Skye asked her friends when they were moving to the coin dropper game.
"We do," Beckett said first. "Usually after the girls are in bed."
"Remember Alexis just moved in," Castle said when the two women turned to him and his wife.
"And you can play later if you want," Louis said since he and Alexis were walking up to them. He had expected his in-laws to respond but was a little startled when Mary was reaching for his wife's arm and speaking to her in a little concern.
"Are you alright walking about?" the doctor asked.
"You sound like Skye," Alexis couldn't help saying with a smile.
"It happens," Mary said.
"I'm fine," Alexis replied. "Though I'm sure I'm going to sit down soon."
"I only want to make sure you're alright," Louis told his wife since she was looking at him pointedly. "Come on, we'll play the hockey table."
"She can play that?" Skye asked in surprise.
"I can," Alexis replied, smiling back at the investigator.
"Sorry," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when the young woman merely waved at her, and she turned back to the game. "Huh," she commented. "I didn't think you'd have prizes in here."
"Not much," Beckett said.
"By that glance I'm assuming the Easter eggs were his idea?" Skye asked her with a smile.
"They were," Castle answered before his wife could. "And I thought the prizes would look better like that."
"They do," Eliza said eagerly, walking up to them with her sister.
"Are these candies?" Mary asked the two girls.
"Yeah, they're wrapped so they're good still," Julia said.
"They haven't been there long," Castle added.
"Do you think you're gonna get one?" Eliza asked Mary, peering at the coins and plastic eggs.
"I think so," the doctor said firmly.
"Love that confidence," Skye couldn't help saying, smiling at her wife when she turned to her.
"Where do I get my coins?" Mary asked the writers.
"Right here," Eliza said.
"Do you think you could watch them for us?" Castle said while the little girl was helping Mary.
"Pool?" Skye asked, taking Josie's hand when the toddler came over to her.
"No, skeeball," Castle replied. "Just that," he told his wife, relieved when she nodded once in agreement.
"Go ahead, but I'm going to want to play on those two," Skye commented.
"When the girls are in bed," Beckett replied.
"And yes, that means you'll get the chance to play them," Castle said when Julia and Eliza were looking at him.
"Thanks," the latter said eagerly, Julia saying the same.
While their middle daughters were beginning to help Mary in where to drop her coins, Castle took his wife's hand and led her over to the skeeball saying, "I'm surprised you don't mind."
"As long as it's this one game," Beckett said pointedly before her husband leaned into her. She shared a brief kiss with him before he was suddenly moving her to stand directly in front of the game. "You-" she started to say before he was quick to interrupt her.
"You can start," Castle replied. When his wife glanced at him as she picked up the first ball he said, "There's nothing behind that."
"Are you sure?" Beckett asked wryly.
"Very sure," Castle said. At her still staring at him he pointed out to her, "I'm standing next to you."
Smiling at him, Beckett turned her attention to the game and began rolling the balls up the ramp until she had finished. Before she moved to let her husband stand where she'd been she asked him, "Did you want to compete?"
"No," Castle replied seriously. He was a little startled when his wife merely smiled at him and moved to stand in her place as she stood behind him. "What're you doing?" he asked her in Irish.
"Keeping an eye on the girls," Beckett said easily. She smiled at him slightly when he frowned at her, trying not to react when he turned back to the game and took his turn. She allowed herself a little time to ogle him before she needed to turn to Skye and Mary who were walking up to her.
"You abandoned our daughters?" Castle asked in mock anger.
"No, they went off on their own," Skye said. "And I wanted to ask you two something about this room."
"Ask," Castle replied.
"The dimensions seem off," Skye told them while her wife was playing next.
"They are," Castle said simply.
Giving her husband a glance, Beckett turned back to the investigator and explained saying, "We added the entry closet."
"How?" Skye asked, looking confused.
"The owners before me," Castle said. "I never noticed it but the dimension of the living room where the closet is now were off and we had them look at that first. Turns out they sealed off the original closet, so we took it and added it to the living room. It wasn't a lot, but now the room doesn't look weird over there."
"The room is really nice," Skye said.
"Are you angling for something?" Castle asked her immediately.
Giving him a look, Skye said to Beckett, "Pool, I want to play a game or two of pool." She then held up her hand as her friend was about to speak and said, "After your girls go to bed, I remember."
"Good, because we're getting close to Josie's bedtime," Castle said while Mary and Skye were switching places. He was looking at his watch before he turned to his wife when she was taking his hand. He lowered his other arm and entwined their fingers, squeezing at her gently while they were watching the investigator taking her turn.
October 24th, 2022
Going to write really quickly today, Evangeline!
School was normal, though when I was walking to lunch with the others I saw four people in the quad. I tried to talk to them since I could tell they were spirits. But before I finished, they were running away from me and eventually disappeared. It was really weird but once I got home, I understood. Mom and Dad have a case, so they were late, and then when they came home Skye was with them. Turns out the four people were victims in their case, they went to Skye though they couldn't say much. And their murder might have something to do with a plane crash or something Skye has investigated.
Turns out Natalie knew what had happened to them, they were at a Halloween thing for Hofstra and they were decapitated. So that would explain why the spirits were so scared. So I want to talk to Mom and Dad about it, but I ran out of time. We played in the game room today and we're going to play pool before I go to bed (I begged to because Mom and Dad kept saying they were going to after I was in bed too). I'll let you know what happens with the case!
Putting away her diary, pen and ink swiftly, Julia told her mother, "I'm ready," relieved at her response.
"Good because there isn't too much time left," Beckett told her before her daughter was walking to her.
"I can still play though, right?" Julia asked.
"Of course," Beckett said before they were taking each other's hand and walking out into the hall. Downstairs she let her go ahead into the game room and said, "Are you sure we can play?"
"Dad was just asking," Alexis said laughingly. "And no, I'm not tired." She paused and then said, "I don't have school or work."
"You're so mean," Julia said with a smile. She went to her sister and hugged her before she said, "You're going to watch?"
"Yes, I don't need to go to bed yet," Alexis said.
"You seem to be doing really well," Skye said, handing Castle and Beckett a cue each.
"I'm being careful," Alexis said, smiling at the others before she glanced at her husband who was setting up the triangle on the table. She wasn't surprised when he spoke before she laughed at his response to her.
"That and we aren't leaving you alone," Louis said.
"No, you aren't but I know why you're all doing this," Alexis said.
"So you can't play at all?" Julia asked her.
"You could play for her," Louis said.
"You don't need to," Alexis said to her sister before she could say anything.
"And we need to start," Castle commented while he watched Louis removing the triangle. "Go ahead and take your first shot," he told Julia.
Smiling widely, the teen hurried to the table and chalked her cue before she leaned over slightly and hit the cue ball. "Why did I have to?" Julia asked her father when nothing went into the pockets.
"Because you're the youngest," Castle replied, watching with the others while Louis was taking his first shot.
Making a face Julia said, "I'm not going to play that much am I?"
"You will," Beckett assured her.
"But not a lot," Julia said. When she noticed the way her mother was looking at her, she said, "I haven't played that much."
"No, but that's how you learn," Beckett said. She then studied her daughter and asked, "Do you not want to play now?"
"What? After all the begging to play with us you want to play something else?" Castle asked her. When he saw how dismayed she looked he said, "You can if you want to."
"Are you sure?" Julia said with a frown.
"I'm just kidding," Castle assured her. "What did you want to play?"
"The baseball game," Julia replied, letting her mother take her cue. "I only got to play it once."
"I don't blame you," Skye said when she was walking around the table to take her shot. "That's a fun game."
"I'll join her," Alexis said. "And yes, I can play it."
"I didn't say anything," Castle said.
"Neither did I," Louis added.
"Keep playing," Alexis said wryly while her sister was giggling. She took Julia's hand before they walked to the game.
"You don't mind leaving the table?" Julia asked while she was letting her sister go first.
"No, I would have had to sit," Alexis explained, having waited after trying to hit the first 'pitch' the game had.
Smiling Julia said, "Sorry."
Shaking her head Alexis said, "Don't worry, it would have had to happen."
"Are you excited to see the twins?" Julia couldn't help asking.
"Of course," Alexis said firmly. She glanced at her sister, since her turn had finished, and she said, "You're worried."
"Duh, I was worried about Mom both times she gave birth," Julia answered immediately. She then smiled a little and said, "But I knew she was going to be taken care of since Dad was with her."
"And I'll have Louis," Alexis replied. She wasn't surprised when her sister hesitated and she asked, "What's wrong?"
"I was there with you… Mom was too," Julia said.
Smiling again, Alexis reached for her and hugged her tightly saying, "I remember. Lizzy and Josa weren't mad right back then?"
"No, I was the oldest one and we were close," Julia replied. "But I don't remember if they asked me to be there for when they had babies…" She frowned and then said, "I don't even remember if they had any… or me."
Hugging her little sister again Alexis said, "We'll remember eventually."
"But I remember you had the twins separately," Julia told her.
Nodding Alexis replied, "But you were with me both times." She then held her sister's shoulders so they could look at each other and told her, "You're not coming to help this time."
"Oh I know, but I just thought… is Louis enough to help you?" Julia asked.
"I think so," Alexis said with a smile. "Now hurry and start," she said.
"Sure," Julia said before she turned her attention to the game to take her turn.
"I remember that," Louis said to Beckett, turning to his mother-in-law and realizing she had heard the conversation between her daughters. "But just you two for both births," he added, watching her smile before she responded.
"I wasn't really surprised," Beckett said. "My sister was there for all three times I gave birth."
"Yeah, Ma did not think I should be there, but I swore I would stay by your other side," Skye commented with a smile. She then said, "I hate to say it, but I was glad I didn't have to go through that." She was startled when her wife squeezed her arm tightly and said, "Oh, I mean I would have been too weak to go through… that," faltering at the end.
"It's alright, we're both aware of what going into labor entails," Louis said, moving to take his turn at the table. "And while I'm nervous I'll be happy to be where medical help is already there."
"Though I had two at home," Alexis said, walking over with Julia since she had noticed the time.
"Right, that huge house," Mary said. "I remember that room set aside just for birthing."
"There was only one room for that?" Julia asked, her eyes wide in surprise.
"Yeah, that house had been in your family for a while so your father, you and our kids were born there," Alexis told her husband.
"Sounds right," Louis said thoughtfully. "I just recalled that he and I were both only children."
"And you had a huge house," Julia said. "Why didn't I remember the one room?" she asked her mother.
"We didn't live there," Beckett said before Louis was speaking to Alexis with a frown.
"Why didn't we go to the hospital?" the young man asked.
"Because if it was good enough for my mother it was good enough for me," Alexis replied. "I was young too," she added.
"No, you can say," Castle said, a little startled when his daughter was looking at him.
"I had the first, our son in 1949," Alexis replied. "I was only twenty-one."
"That would be the war," Skye said.
"She's right, we all had to go through everything with the war, so it was natural you married and got pregnant quickly," Beckett said.
"And times were different," Alexis said.
"And I've just won," Skye commented. "I said corner pocket," she told the others in a mock defensive tone when they were turning to her.
"Good thing," Beckett said.
"Not yet," Julia groaned.
"Yes, I think your sister and Louis need to go to bed too," Castle replied. "Say goodnight to them."
Hurrying over to Louis, Julia gave him a side hug and said, "Night."
"Good night, I'll keep an eye on your sister tonight," Louis replied with a smile.
"Thanks," Julia said, turning to Alexis and hugging her tightly before she pulled back with a laugh. "One of them doesn't want to go to bed yet."
"They're both moving," Alexis replied before her sister was laying her hand on her stomach and speaking to the twins.
"I didn't forget you," Julia began with. "Goodnight to you too. Let your mom get some sleep."
"They will," Alexis said, laughing with her little sister after one of the babies kicked. She then turned her attention to saying goodnight to the McDouglas women and her parents. "Are you sure you're not coming back?" she asked the adults.
"We're sure, we need to get some sleep for tomorrow," Skye said. "I need to review the cases and fill Trevor in on everything when you don't need the two of us," she told Castle and Beckett.
"And I just need some sleep," Mary explained.
"We'll be up in the morning for breakfast," Louis said. He said goodnight to the five with his wife, walking with them to the doorway so he could close the doors and cover them with the temporary shades on them. With their privacy set, he walked back to his wife and asked, "Should we change?"
"We don't really need to," Alexis said.
"Lex," Louis replied with a frown, taking her hands off of his chest.
"We could," Alexis said firmly.
"No, not with you needing to be on bed rest," Louis said. "Look," he began, kissing at her hands. "I miss you… quite a bit ma belle, but I won't do a thing to harm the babies."
"I know you won't, it's frustrating," Alexis confessed.
"I can imagine," Louis said. When she slipped her hands out of his grasp he was about to speak before she was cupping his face with her hands.
"I love you," Alexis said. "I want to do something for you."
"You don't need to," Louis commented simply.
Shaking her head Alexis said, "I do."
"Please-" Louis started to say when she was suddenly reaching for the front of his jeans. "Alexis, wait," he said, slightly panicked while he did his best to stop her. He managed to get a hold of her hands and told her seriously, "I don't need anything sexual; I promise."
Though she wanted to press the point, Alexis couldn't deny she was feeling tired, and he was gently letting her go. Sighing she said, "I hate this," her hands falling to her sides.
Hugging her, Louis brushed his lips to the side of her head and told her, "You know once these two are with us we'll not have to worry." He paused and then asked, "That's it right? You're sure on two?"
"I am," Alexis replied. "What if we had twins a second time?" she then asked him, smiling when he was nodding in agreement rapidly.
"Then once you're ready we can make love without concern," Louis said.
"I've thought of that," Alexis said, smiling. "And that's what's keeping me from going crazy."
"Me too," Louis said. When she looked a little worried, he told her, "I can't lie, I love being with you but I'm certain I won't do anything to harm our babies," not surprised when she sighed and was leaning against him while she began to speak.
"I'm not surprised," Alexis said. She pulled back enough to look at him and then said, "I love you, Louis."
"Love you Lex," Louis replied. "Should we go to bed?"
"Yes," Alexis said with a nod before they were parting and heading to where their clothes were. After they had changed and brushed their teeth she told her husband, "I'm so glad I wasn't in bed all day."
"Okay, we may have overdone it yesterday," Louis told his wife as he was turning to her from the bed he'd turned the covers down on. "But we just wanted to make absolutely sure."
"Again, I'm aware," Alexis replied, getting on the bed with his help though he was only making sure she kept her balance. "Now get over here."
Laughing, Louis said, "You'll be interesting as a mum."
"I hope so," Alexis replied, rubbing her stomach. She was startled when her husband suddenly cursed in Irish, and she watched him get off the bed before she saw what he was grabbing.
"I can't believe I completely forgot about this," Louis told his wife, holding up the bottle of lotion. He wasn't surprised when she merely smiled at him before she raised her pajama top. Getting on the bed next to her he paused and then asked, "Should I do this?"
"Louis," Alexis told him sternly.
"Okay," Louis replied swiftly, smiling when she laughed.
While her husband was getting some lotion onto his fingers Alexis said, "You caved in really fast."
"I'm not immune to you ma belle," Louis said.
Smiling, Alexis didn't respond since her husband had begun to gently rub on her stomach. She reached for him, gently running her fingers through his hair until she laughed. "They're moving," she explained to him.
"Good," Louis said, kissing the top of her stomach where he hadn't placed the lotion yet. "They're learning."
"Just wait until they're here with us," Alexis said. She shared a kiss with her husband once he had finished and waiting for him to return to the bed she said, "Even though that house was huge we had a great time with the kids."
"My mum as well," Louis said, turning back to his wife. Seeing the expression on her face he said, "No, it's alright. We've spoken about this and I'm fine."
"You don't have to be," Alexis said.
"And I'm not but I'm not about to let my missing her take over the fact I'm about to be a dad," Louis replied, wrapping his arms around his wife when she was doing so to him, tightly. He pressed his cheek to the top of her forehead telling her, "I wish I'd known her better."
"You do," Alexis assured him. "Your mannerisms, things you like that your dad has told you she did too."
Nodding Louis loosened his hold on her so they could look at each other and said, "Thank you for where you put the picture of her."
"They need to know their grandparents," Alexis said smiling. "All five of them."
Chuckling Louis said, "We're very lucky," not surprised when she was agreeing.
"We are," Alexis said. "Plus their great-grandparents." They shared a kiss, and she told him when they'd parted, "You forgot the lights." She smiled when he playfully grumbled and watched him walking to the control panel before he turned off the main lights of the room.
"Ready?" Louis asked her. At her nod he was turning off the light on a small table they were using as a nightstand, and he settled back on the bed. "Love you," he murmured to her after they were laying down.
"Love you too," Alexis said. "But tell me something," she said.
"When I was still in Ireland?" Louis asked, smiling since his wife would ask him to tell her stories about his life before they'd met or work since she told him his voice would soothe her and let her sleep better. He felt her nod and said, "Alright, I told you lived in a tiny little apartment in Dublin. I had what you call a Murphy bed, but I didn't care since I could sneak to the windows in the living room and peer out at the city. My favorite time was watching the river Liffey I could just see."
"You said you walked along there," Alexis commented.
"Da loves the water," Louis said though he knew his wife was aware. "It's the thing he misses at White Mount… though there is the stream cutting through the property."
"But it's not the same," Alexis supplied.
"No but Da wouldn't let that ruin his enjoyment of his and Mam's home," Louis replied. "The best part besides that view of the Liffey was the candy shop nearly next door. Da wouldn't let me have sweets constantly, but if I got good marks on a test or something of the kind, he'd let me get something. Apple drops mostly though the rhubarbs and custards were fantastic. Flying saucers too."
"I remember," Alexis said, smiling since he'd ordered those for her to try. "But promise me we'll take it easy with our kids."
"Of course," Louis said. "They'll be a treat," he added, smiling when she snuggled closer to his side. They were silent for a moment, and he almost thought she'd fallen asleep while he caressed her hair before she began to speak.
"I miss home," Alexis said.
"Me too," Louis immediately agreed. "But we'll be there soon."
"And back in our bed," Alexis added. "Though this isn't too bad."
"Luckily," Louis said. "Good night?"
"Good night," Alexis replied with a smile before they were sharing a final kiss and she settled against her husband again. Closing her eyes, she wasn't surprised to find herself nodding off, her hand lightly resting on her stomach and the twins who had settled down as well.