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 title of this chapter is a lyric from the song I'm in Love with My Car written by Roger Taylor, from the Queen album A Night at the Opera.

When Your Radials Squeal

Breathing roughly, Beckett leaned against Castle as she was pressing her cheek to the side of his head while he was panting against her shoulder. Listening to it she did her best to keep from growing aroused again since they would need to get up. "Rick?" she asked eventually when they'd both calmed down. She couldn't help smiling at the way her husband was groaning in response and she pressed a brief kiss to the side of his head.

"We couldn't lay here a little?" Castle asked, relived he could speak.

"I think we may be able but I have no idea what time it is," Beckett replied before he carefully pulled away from her. They both sighed in frustration when he was slipping from her sex, but she didn't stop until they were laying down on the bed. She wasn't surprised when her husband was wrapping his arm around her waist and she told him, "You're…"

Trying not to smile when his wife was trailing off, Castle was kissing at her shoulder before he pulled away. "I'm not doing anything else besides that," he told her.

"Hmm, I'm a little surprised," Beckett said.

"Is it too much to ask for tonight?" Castle commented, smiling when his wife began to laugh before she was stopping herself.

"First you're a pervert," Beckett told him once she could speak. "Second, we'll see."

"Then why does that make me a pervert?" Castle asked in mock annoyance. He smiled when his wife moved to drape herself on his chest and he said, "Though I am happy you're open to the idea."

"Very," Beckett said with a smile before they were kissing deeply. Once they'd stopped and parted she told him, "Hmm, I wish we had more time love."

"Me too," Castle said. He was about to tell her they had no idea what time it was when the alarm on his phone rang and he groaned before they were letting one another go. He turned to grab his phone to turn it off before he said, "Tonight?"

Moving to kiss his shoulder Beckett told him, "We'll try."

"Thank you," Castle replied, turning to her. They shared a deep kiss, but to his disappointment she was pulling away first. Following her to their bathroom they were taking a quick shower before they got out and dried. "We might need another later," he told his wife while they were walking to their closet.

"I highly doubt it," Beckett told him in amusement. "Hurry the girls are going to be late."

Nodding, since he was aware she was serious, Castle moved to dress and once she had done so as well he said, "Could I brush your hair?" He wasn't surprised when she was looking at him and he said, "It's not sexual," in a rush.

"Alright," Beckett said before she let him take her to the bathroom. Giving him her brush she watched in the mirror while he was running it through her hair before she said, "Are you ready to write?"

"I am," Castle said. "Though when exactly are we stopping for Christmas?"

"I told you, Friday will be the last," Beckett replied. "We have the weekend and the McDouglases arrive on Monday."

"Why not Saturday?" Castle asked.

"They're going to have a party for friends on Saturday and they want to relax on Sunday," Beckett explained. "I did tell you," she told him, not surprised when he was responding to that swiftly.

"Just making sure that was still their plan," Castle said before he saw the way she was looking at him. Since he'd finished he stepped back and told her, "We're ready for everything."

"Of course," Beckett replied with a smile. She began to pull her hair back and was gently smoothing the top with her brush before she had it in a ponytail. "Don't make that face," she said, smiling again when he was.

"Sorry, though if we're together tonight…" Castle said, deliberately trailing off.

"We'll see what I feel like," Beckett replied in amusement before she was moving to put on her makeup. Her husband was combing his hair at the same time and she said when he finished, "You don't want to go wake up the girls?"

"It's still early," Castle said simply.

Giving him a look, Beckett finished with herself before she turned to him and said, "Go first."

"Sure," Castle said before he was walking to the doorway. He smiled when his wife was grabbing him and making him stop before he said, "I did that on purpose."

"Oh I knew," Beckett said with a smile. "But the girls need to get to school."

Castle nodded in agreement before they were walking together to the hall and heading to the girls' rooms. He went to Eliza's and stepped inside seeing the little girl was still asleep, moving to wake her up swiftly.

"Mom?" Julia said when she opened her eyes to find her mother was standing next to her.

"It's morning sweetie," Beckett told her with a smile. "You have school."

"It's the last week right?" Julia asked. "I mean, before Christmas?"

"It is," Beckett said, unable to help laughing softly at the way her daughter was nearly flying out of her bed. "You still have school."

"I don't care," Julia replied. "I can't wait for Christmas, and after," she said, going to her closet and taking out her uniform. She paused and then turned to her mother asking, "They'll still come right?"

"Unless there's an emergency," Beckett said.

"I can't believe they're all staying here," Julia commented with a wide smile. "But will Stella and Alasdhair be okay in the basement?"

"They said they would, since the Lennoxes are for two months," Beckett said.

"I hope they like the house," Julia said when her mother moved for the doorway.

"They will," Beckett assured her. "Hurry so you won't be late this last week."

Nodding, Julia went to the door to lock it after her mother had closed it behind her. Since Macca and JoJo had left already she got dressed, brushing her hair while she was looking outside to see the weather before she finished. Stepping outside she met her little sister before Eliza was speaking to her rapidly while they went down the stairs.

"Think it's gonna snow today?" the little girl asked.

"Good morning to you too," Julia said.

Frowning for a moment, Eliza then said, "Morning, sorry I looked outside and thought about snow."

"I don't know," Julia answered her question. "You have to ask Dad, he'd know."

Nodding, Eliza was about to turn to go back up the stairs when they heard the alert for the gate. "Is that 'lexis and Louis?" she asked eagerly.

"I think it's just 'lexis," Julia replied. "Morning."

Turning her head, Eliza saw the Lennoxes were stepping up from the basement staircase and said, "Morning. Our sister's here."

"We heard the gate," Isaac said. "Are you heading into the garage?"

"I am," Beckett said from the top of the stairs. She smiled when Eliza gasped and was about to tell her to stay there when the little girl was speaking in a rush.

"Is it going to snow today Daddy?" Eliza asked her father coming down with her mother.

"They said flurries for today so we'll see if they're right," Castle commented before he was taking Josie to the kitchen, the Lennoxes following him.

Since she had gone to the entry to meet Alexis in the garage, Beckett was looking up at her mother in law making her way down the staircase. "Good morning," she said.

"I heard the gate," Martha explained with a smile. "And I think I should help you two."

"I wasn't going to stop you," Beckett replied, smiling herself before she was opening the door. They went inside and stepping into the garage she said, "Are they okay?"

"Yeah, I was checking on Finn since he was starting to whimper," Alexis said, standing at the back of the car. "Good morning," she told them, looking at them with a smile.

"Morning," Beckett said, her mother in law echoing her. "I think we're both here to take a twin, if you don't mind."

"That's more up to them," Alexis said with a smile. "But I don't think they would."

After she and Martha had a carrier, Beckett was leading the way inside the house and they went to the kitchen where everyone else was gathered. While her father was taking Finn out of his carrier she'd carried, she went into the kitchen and said, "Need some help?"

"A little," Castle replied since she was talking to him. "They're okay?" he asked.

"They're not crying," Alexis said, having made her way to them. She hugged her father and said, "Eggs?"

"I'm making those," Beckett said, drying her hands. "He insisted on pancakes."

"Me too," Eliza said, carrying Emmie at that moment.

"Be careful," Alexis told her sister.

"I'm watching her," Jim said.

"Do you need my help at all?" Alexis asked her parents once she was sure about her daughter.

"If you can make the orange juice that would be nice," Castle said, not surprised when she was walking to the pantry as soon as he'd finished speaking. He looked at his wife and said, "It's not too hard," before she was replying with a smile to his relief.

"It's not, but she didn't need to do it," Beckett told him.

"I don't mind," Alexis said firmly, walking over to her parents with the juicer and bag of oranges. "Since my kids are being well taken care of at the moment."

Smiling at her father and mother-in-law who were each holding a twin with the girls in front of them, Beckett turned her attention to the pan while she was starting the scrambled eggs. After she had them made she got some bacon finished and let her husband take the plates before they were gathering at the table Julia and Eliza had set. After they'd eaten for a while she wasn't surprised when Alexis was asking her sisters about school, or the dance class after.

"I am glad to have a break from dance class for Christmas," Julia said to her big sister when they were finished and getting up to clear the table. She wasn't surprised when Alexis was looking at her and said, "Just two weeks. And I'll still exercise."

"Just checking," Alexis said. "And I need to get going."

"So do we," Castle told her.

"I'll wait," Alexis assured him with a smile since she'd known why her father had said that.

After they'd cleaned the table the family moved to the entry before getting their outer layers, Martha, Jim and Josie watching them.

"Stay here with your gram and grandpapa," Beckett said to the toddler when she had walked up to her.

"I go to school Mama," Josie said.

"Soon you will," Castle told her, picking her up since he had his coat on. "And since it is soon humor us and help your grandparents with Finn and Emmie okay?"

"Eh," Josie said, looking at her niece and nephew.

Smiling when the toddler was waving to the babies, Beckett got Josie's attention before she turned her head and they shared a kiss. "We'll be right back sweetie," she told her, watching her sharing a kiss with Castle.

"And fast," Julia added. She smiled when her sister, after being put down by their father, walked over to her and she hugged her saying, "They're taking the car, we're not going to walk today."

"Oh," Josie said.

"You'll watch the twins with Gram and Grandpapa?" Eliza asked, stepping up to them. She smiled when Josie was nodding and hugged her saying, "We'll see you later."

"Kay," Josie replied, nodding her head before they were looking at their mother and big sister.

"I really don't want to go," Alexis said. "I didn't tell you but… I'm pretty sure Louis was late for work."

"I'm not surprised," Castle commented.

"Neither am I," Beckett said with a slight smile. She then told their oldest, "I know you don't want to leave but they'll be okay."

"And you could come for lunch," Martha reminded her granddaughter.

"I… I might," Alexis said. "But I can't come every day."

"You'll be able to work on that," Castle said.

"I hope," Alexis said. "At least Christmas is coming up." She smiled when her family nodded in agreement before she went to Finn and Emmie to kiss them one more time.

"Bye-bye," Josie said while she waved as the others were leaving, having hugged Alexis goodbye last before the rest of her family were going to the garage. When they were gone she looked up at her grandparents and asked, "I can hold Finn? Emmie?"

Laughing briefly, Martha said, "We'll see kiddo. For now we need to go see what the twins would like now."

"Okay," Josie said with a wide smile before they were walking down the hall with the dogs to the family room.

"Hold on Josie," Castle said. "We need to get our coats off. They're freezing."

"The babies sleep," Josie said before she frowned.

"Can I?" Castle asked his wife who was next to him.

"Yes, but only because she seems to want you to," Beckett replied before her husband was laughing and then responding.

"True, you mean sleeping sweetheart," Castle told their youngest.

"Kay," Josie replied, squealing when her father picked her up.

"They're asleep?" Beckett asked her father when he walked down the hall to them.

"They are," Jim replied. "We weren't sure if we should feed them but Martha texted Alexis and she said they could have a bottle when they woke up."

Nodding Beckett said, "I think we're going to watch the show with Josie."

"Is it alright if we join you?" Martha said.

Looking up since his mother was starting down the entry staircase, Castle said, "Were you checking on them Mother?"

"Of course," Martha replied easily.

"And when did they fall asleep?" Castle asked.

"Rick," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband was nodding and they were walking to the family room. She took Josie's hand while Castle was getting the TV ready and they were watching Sesame Street with their youngest, making sure she was taking in the lessons for that episode.

"I wonder if we should have waited for the twins," Castle told his wife when he was getting up to set the remote for the TV underneath it once they'd finished.

"I think they wouldn't mind, they probably have it on their TV at home," Beckett said.

"What're you going to do now?" Jim asked.

"Give her-" Beckett started to say before she was interrupted by her husband's phone ringing. "Brad?" she guessed.

Nodding while he was getting his phone out quickly, Castle answered it and said, "Is there a case?"

"Yeah, you know the Hamptons Automotive Collection Museum?" Brad asked.

"Of course," Castle replied, looking at his wife.

"Great, get Patrick and make your way over now," the chief said. "I'll fill you in when you get here."

"We're on our way," Castle said before he was hanging up.

"If you'll teach her just use the letter and number they had on the episode today," Beckett told her dad as she stood with Josie in her arms.

"Lunch?" Martha asked then.

"Try and meet Alexis somewhere," Castle said. "If not make her grilled cheese."

"Do you want me to make dinner?" Jim asked.

"If you can," Beckett said. "You know we were going to make the turkey meatloaf."

"I do, I'll take care of everything," Jim assured them before they were walking to the entry.

After they'd kissed their youngest Beckett told the toddler, "We need to go work sweetie, but we'll back as soon as we can."

"You'll help your grandparents," Castle said, smiling when she nodded. "We'll come home as soon as we can," he added, not surprised when Josie was nodding again before his mother was speaking to him and his wife.

"She knows," Martha told them. "And we'll remind her of course."

"Do you have to do that often?" Castle asked with a slight frown while he and his wife were putting on their coats.

"No," Jim said first. "We keep her busy with her lessons and playing."

"Yeah," Josie said, smiling when the adults were laughing. She then said, "Can I go too?"

"Not this time sweetie but don't worry, you're going to help your grandparents remember?" Beckett reminded her.

"Oh," Josie said before she went to her father when he was motioning her over. He was picking her up and she said, "Be safe Dada."

"Of course," Castle said. "Why did they teach her that?" he then asked his wife.

Shrugging Beckett replied, "She would have picked it up anyway."

"True," Castle said. He then turned his attention to their daughter and said, "We will be sweetheart."

Taking Josie after her husband had shared a kiss with her, Beckett said, "Listen to your grandparents and be careful with your niece and nephew."

"Kay," Josie replied, smiling at her. She wrapped her arms around her neck and shared a kiss with her before she was given to her grandfather.

Waving to their youngest, since she was doing so to them, Castle and Beckett went into the garage and to their car.

"When did you text Patrick?" Castle asked his wife while she was pulling out of the driveway.

"When you said goodbye to Josie," Beckett answered before they were on the street. Darnley was walking already towards their house so it didn't take long before she was pulling to the curb.

"Good morning," Darnley said. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you two again."

"You mean you didn't want to," Castle commented.

"Yeah, not in this context right before Christmas," Darnley agreed. "So… what couldn't you tell me in that text?"

"Not much," Beckett replied, jumping slightly when her friend was groaning loudly.

"Why does he do that?" Darnley asked.

"I think he wants to tell us in person," Castle answered.

"Why though?" Darnley said.

"Ask him when we see him," Beckett said with a smile when she saw her husband shrugging out of the corner of her eye.

"I… better not," Darnley said. "Not when it doesn't have anything to do with the case. But a car museum?"

"Automobile museum," Castle couldn't help correcting.

"That's true," Darnley replied in agreement. "You know we haven't been there."

"You should… well I guess we'd have to see what happened before you can go see their collection," Castle replied.

"We should have gone," Darnley commented.

"You've been busy with other stuff," Beckett said.

"I don't know if that works, with it not being too far from the house…" Darnley said before he trailed off. "What about the museum? Anything weird?"

"The owner is an oddball billionaire," Castle said first. He saw the look his wife was giving him and he said, "He is."

"Howard Hughes?" Darnley questioned them.

"No, he lightly flirted with me, a few years ago at a party we'd gone to at City Hall," Beckett replied. "I didn't give him any greenlight for that but it wasn't anything serious. To be honest I get the feeling he was joking around."

"So… he might be there now," Darnley said slowly.

"Brad will handle him," Castle said firmly. "I'm sticking to you like glue," he then directed to his wife.

"Not that much," Beckett warned him as she was parking. She smiled briefly at the sight of him nodding seriously before she turned off the car and they were stepping out to greet Brad who was waiting for them.

"I'm glad you got here as quickly as you did," the chief said when the three were walking up to where he was standing. "Come on inside."

"You're not going to tell us anything?" Castle asked.

"Not yet," Brad said briefly before they were led inside. Once they were through the lobby he led them past a number of antique cars before they were reaching the main one.

"The…" Castle started to say when he immediately recognized which car it was.

While her husband was turning away from the sight, Beckett walked closer with Darnley and they studied the body. "Do you think this is how he died?" she asked Brad since he'd walked after them with Castle.

"No clue, Thayer should be in soon," the chief replied. "There was an accident on the north side of town so he had to deal with that at the morgue. Luckily it hasn't been that long since he was discovered."

"Or killed," Castle said grimly. He wasn't surprised when the others were looking at him and he said, "The blood on his chest is still wet… also on the Spirit of Ecstasy."

"Isn't that the Phantom?" Beckett asked her husband.

"And the owner of the place," Castle said, though he directed that more to Darnley.

"Bernard Vernon," Brad said. "Fifty-three years old and the owner of nearly the entire collection here."

"Nearly?" Beckett asked.

"She's right, I thought it was all his," Castle said. "This car is his, he's boasted about that. David can tell you."

"David has told me," Brad replied firmly. "I called him before I got in touch with you, I had to explain what was going on."

"What did he say?" Castle asked.

"That the museum might be shut down since they owe the city," Brad said.

"That's still going on?" Castle said in surprise.

"Yeah, so… we'll have to look at the council since David said they've been in constant touch with his lawyer," Brad replied. "He told me his alibi for this morning and I know his gate is wired to the security firm you have too so I'll be able to clear him quickly."

"Great, he was friends with Bernard," Castle commented. "Maybe because he didn't flirt with Rebecca."

"I remembered him as soon as they got his ID," Brad said, having heard the story already.

"So his wallet was on him?" Darnley asked before they were looking at Castle when he started to walk around the car.

"It was, full of cash and his credit cards are there too," Brad answered.

"What do you see?" Beckett asked her husband when he was pausing while walking towards the hood on the other side.

"There's something in the car," Castle said, peering in through the passenger window. "It looks like a piece of paper."

"Can you open it?" Darnley asked as the chief was walking to the door and he and Beckett were doing the same.

"I will…" Brad said before he looked back at the body and Beckett was speaking to him somberly.

"Do you need us to hold the body in place?" she asked.

"Not hold, I don't want to disturb it at all," Brad answered. "But if you guys could stay near it just in case I'd appreciate it."

"We can," Castle said, walking over to the gloves. He took out a pair for his wife and got his own before they were pulling on them on.

"Ready?" Brad asked when the three were ready. At their nods he opened the door and was pulling it before he grabbed the paper, being careful closing the door again.

"What is it?" Castle asked while the chief was opening the sheet and reading it.

"The deed to the museum," Brad said, slight confusion tinging his voice.

"It's legal?" Darnley asked Brad when he walked into his office.

"It is, but it shouldn't be there," the chief said. "According to Payton Glazer, the vice-director of the museum and acquisitions, that should have been at Vernon's home."

"Are we going to go search there?" Castle asked immediately.

"He didn't live there," Brad replied. "At least not at the moment," he added to better explain. "He and his wife are going through a separation."

"Haven't they always been?" Castle asked in confusion.

"No one really knows what's going on with them," Brad said.

"Has anyone told her what happened?" Darnley said slowly.

"I called her cell phone to set up a meeting, she's in the Bahamas for the holidays," Brad answered. "Well, according to her voicemail, I couldn't get a hold of her. I sent Wade and Hutchinson to go to the house and wait for us."

"Are we going now?" Beckett asked.

"Yes, and I'm sorry that I had us come here but I needed to contact Mrs. Vernon before I could get permission to go into the house from Judge Gonzales," Brad explained.

"She allowed it?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"She did, because I said there was suspicion that there was a break in at the house," Bard answered. "So… we'll head there now. Oh and I needed to confirm that deed."

"Is it staying here?" Castle asked while they were going to the coat hanger.

"Yeah," Brad said simply.

Though he wanted to ask where exactly, Castle was aware with that response what his friend would answer and they were heading outside to their cars. He watched Darnley go with Brad before he got into the passenger seat of his and Beckett's car. "You've been quiet," he commented when they were inside and she was starting the car.

"I'm thinking of Eileen," Beckett answered.

Castle was about to speak before he said, "I'm afraid to ask why."

"I'm not surprised, but it's alright," Beckett answered. "And I had no idea she was leaving the country."

"I thought you'd said she was intending to spend Christmas elsewhere," Castle replied.

"Yeah, but I only heard it second hand and outside the U.S wasn't mentioned," Beckett explained. She then sighed and said, "I would have mentioned that to Brad but I'm not great friends with her. If she wanted to leave she would without telling me."

Inclining his head once, Castle said, "Tell him now but I wonder if we'd really find anything," not surprise at her response as they were waiting at the gate for the community their vic and his wife lived in.

"I thought the same," Beckett agreed with him. "That he might have taken it with him. What about where he was staying right now?"

"I think David said it's a beach house west of us," Castle said. "A rental that he bought."

"He's going to send Wade and Hutchinson there after this," Beckett commented as the security guard that had been talking to Brad went back into the hut. She followed the chief's cruiser inside the community when the gate was open and said, "Though I'm surprised he didn't want to go there first."

"I was just going to say," Castle said, nodding in agreement with her. He then smiled and said, "He wants us to be safe."

"I think he was ordered to too," Beckett said. She then said, "Also David might have told him to."

"Why?" Castle asked then.

"Because he knows how you feel… felt about Vernon," Beckett answered, expecting her husband to protest which he soon did as he spoke.

"He doesn't need to," Castle said. "I can keep my personal feelings from interfering. But I do see why David would do that." He looked out the windshield and said, "Still surprising."

"That he didn't build his own house?" Beckett asked while she was parking against the curb behind Brad.

"Yeah, though I think when he bought it these houses were new," Castle commented before they were getting out of the car. "You have no backup," he told his friend when they were standing on the end of the walkway up to the house, Wade and Hutchinson still in their cruiser.

"Your wife and Darnley are," Brad said. "And I have two officers in the car, ready to join us if need be at a moment's notice," he commented.

"The guard at the front said he saw Mrs. Vernon leaving two days ago," the carpenter said while they started up to the house.

"So that gives her an alibi," Brad said.

"Unless she came back," Castle said.

"How?" Beckett asked her husband with a frown. "There's only one way in, they have a perimeter fence."

"And a lot of cameras," Brad added.

"You asked them?" Castle asked. When the chief nodded they were arriving at the front door and they watched Brad knocking before they waited. "No staff?" he asked.

"I don't think they did," the chief said. He knocked again before he was looking with the others to the house next door.