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: It was nice to receive feedback for the last chapter so I'll start on my thank you for that! Mb (Really happy seeing you thought the first half of the chapter was an enjoyable update! I was glad that you thought Castle and Beckett discussing with the others about what to do until the others come for Christmas. And I had to laugh at you shaking your head at Darnley worrying about copying the game room. But yeah, it's why I had him thinking about just going ahead with it since you're right, not everyone's getting the same games of course! Really pleased to see you thought it was a great look at Mia and Philippa taking the step they did without worrying. And so happy you loved Philippa's family and how Mia was helping her girlfriend's family along with keeping to honoring Eileen and Bernard regarding the house and museum. I figured it would be the best to do it that way! You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! Really happy seeing you thought the second half of the chapter was another nice update. And I was relieved to see you thought it was nice seeing Harrington and Fox starting their relationship, I didn't know how readers would take this chapter since it focused mainly on that. And I was glad that you mentioned they were both displaying care for each other, and that it was very sweet. I thought since they had to go through what they did that day it would make more sense to have them being a little careful. You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the review, loved reading it and I'm grateful for the time taken to write it out and send it my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is part of the title of the song I'm in Love with My Car written by Roger Taylor, from the Queen album A Night at the Opera.
I'm In Love
"What're we going to do now?" Eliza asked as they walked into the house.
"Calm down guys," Castle said since the dogs were gathering around them.
"You guys are going to do homework," Beckett said, answering the little girl's question once they were taking off their outer layers.
"I don't have that much," Eliza said quickly.
Laughing Castle said, "I don't think it matters, homework is going to be done now."
"We're not going to play?" Eliza asked. "Play with the twins?" she hurriedly corrected herself.
"After," Beckett said firmly.
"Do you have that much?" Castle asked.
"No," Julia said simply since the question had been directed to her. "We're doing it at the kitchen table right?"
"If you want," Beckett said, smiling when she saw the look the two girls were sharing. "You wanted to do it in the game room?" she asked them.
"She did," Julia said, trying not to laugh at the face her little sister was making. "But I told her even if I asked you'd say in the kitchen."
"And the twins might be sleeping too," Castle added, seeing his and Beckett's parents walking down the hall.
"They are," Jim said, wrapping his arms around the girls when they rushed to him first. "How was dance class?"
"It's okay Grandpapa," Eliza told him. "We didn't do anything exciting."
"She's right, just the same choregraphing," Julia said before they were going to Martha and hugging her.
"I heard you were going to do homework?" Castle's mother asked.
"Yeah, we need to," Eliza said, making a face.
"Come here," Castle said, pulling her down the hall. Once they were at the kitchen he watched the girls getting their homework from their backpacks before he looked at Josie.
"Hi," the toddler said with a smile.
Unable to help laughing, Castle said, "Come here sweetie." Once he'd picked her up and had her on his hip he said to his wife, "What should she do?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Beckett replied, smiling.
"Tree!" Josie said when her parents were looking at her.
"What about the tree?" Castle asked her.
"I want to see," Josie said carefully.
"You're not going to take the ornaments off are you?" Castle said.
"Take her," Beckett said, smiling again when her husband looked at her after their youngest had shaken her head no.
"Come on sweetheart," Castle said then though he was carrying her. He walked over to the family room, unaware his wife was watching him.
"Why don't you go with him Mom?" Julia asked.
Looking at her sister with a smile, Eliza said, "Yeah Mommy, we're okay. And Gram and Grandpapa are here."
"They're right," Martha commented.
"Alright, but if the twins wake up let me know," Beckett said. When her father nodded she went to the family room, smiling seeing her husband pointing to the ornaments with Josie next to him. "Are you just telling her about the ones she hung?" she asked him after listening to him for a while.
"Of course, those are the most important ones for her," Castle said, smiling when his wife laughed softly. Once she had reached them he watched with her while their daughter was walking around the tree.
"Not too fast sweetie," Beckett admonished her.
"No Mama I won't," Josie said carefully.
"Nice job," Castle said before the toddler was going around again. He turned to his wife and said, "You're fine," not surprised at her immediate response.
"I am, nothing really happened to me," Beckett reminded her husband. "Though I'm wondering why you didn't try to stop Skye and Mary."
"Are you kidding?" Castle asked, speaking jokingly as she had to him. He reached out to her and took her hand, pulling her to him before he wrapped his arm firmly around her waist before they were kissing gently.
Though they lingered, Beckett suddenly remembered their youngest and they stopped at the same time before she said, "Josie?" since they couldn't see her.
"Find me Mama!" the toddler cried.
"How…" Castle started to say since it sounded like she was in the hall.
"I think that's our fault," Skye commented, bringing the toddler to the doorway. "She saw us walking by and had to stop us."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said while she and her husband were leaving the room. She was about to speak to Josie when the sound of a baby crying made her look towards the stairs. "I guess that's us," she said, looking at her husband.
"Yeah, we better go," Castle said before the doctor was speaking.
"Don't worry, Josie will come with us," Mary said, looking at the toddler pointedly.
"Yeah," she said with a smile, squeezing at Skye's hand she was still holding.
Going over to the stairs, Beckett started up first before she reached the second floor, walking into Alexis and Louis' room before she went to Emmie who was crying. "It's alright honey," she said soothingly to her granddaughter.
"And you are wide awake," Castle said, picking Finn up from the other side of the crib. He kissed the baby's temple and said when he made a cooing sound, "I'm glad to be home too. Luckily we don't have to work on the case anymore."
"She needs to be changed," Beckett said with a smile when her husband was looking at her. "Take Finn down."
Checking the baby in his arms swiftly Castle nodded and said, "Right, we're out of here." He left with his wife's laughter echoing behind him before he was in the hall and continued until he was in the kitchen with the others. "Emmie needed a change," he explained when the others were looking at him. "But Finn seems to be okay."
"I hold Dada?" Josie asked.
"Not yet sweetie," Castle told her reassuringly. "But we'll let you later."
"Are they staying the night again?" Julia asked, closing her history text.
"I doubt it," Castle said. "They'll probably want to stay at home until Saturday."
"Are you sure?" Skye asked in amusement since the writer was looking at her.
"Very, they said they're staying until Tuesday," Castle said. "They both need to go back to work but just until Thursday."
"Nice… how?" Mary said.
Laughing briefly, Castle explained saying, "The office is going to be closed and the stables too. Charlie's not going to be here so he just wants to have the stables open for a few days. Though you know they keep an eye on the horses still."
"I'm not really surprised," Skye commented before they were looking down the hall as Beckett was walking to them.
"She's fine," she said with a smile, seeing the way the others were watching her. "How's your homework going?" Beckett then directed to her middle daughters.
"Really good," Eliza said, finishing her math problems. She closed her book and then told everyone, "I'm finished!"
"Did you have someone check that?" Beckett asked her.
"I will," Jim told his daughter, taking the paper from his granddaughter. When he'd finished he looked up at her, about to tell her how she'd done before he laughed suddenly seeing the hopeful expression on her face. "You're set honey. Everything right." He laughed again, and with the others as she squealed softly before he gave her the paper.
"I'm done too," Julia said, closing her math book. She let her grandfather check that but wasn't surprised when she'd gotten everything right before she started putting her stuff away. "So…" she said after she and Eliza had returned from the foyer to put their backpacks there for the next day.
"Do you need anything for Friday?" Castle asked them.
"No, we have presents for our friends ready and everything," Julia said.
"Ms. Grey's is set?" Castle directed to her.
"Yeah," Julia said, having done that long before.
"Then I think we need to decide together what we want to do," Castle said.
"There isn't much time until dinner," Beckett said before her father was clearing his throat for a moment.
"Dinner is almost ready," Jim said.
"What did you make?" Eliza asked interestedly.
"Meatballs," Jim answered.
Gasping happily Eliza said, "The sweet ones?"
"Yes, all I need to do is to make the pasta," Jim said. "I'm not sure what you want for a vegetable."
"Salad is fine," Castle commented, looking at his wife.
"If that's what you're making we'll eat it," Skye said swiftly when the writers were turning to look at herself and her wife.
"Okay, then we'll worry about that in an… hour," Castle started to say before he looked at his watch. He turned from the face of it to see that Eliza was waving her hand and he laughed, switching Finn to his other side. "What do you want to ask?" he told the little girl.
"Could we have dessert tonight? Even if it's cocoa and popcorn I don't care," Eliza said hopefully, glancing at her mother.
"That's exactly what we're having," Beckett said before she was laughing at the little girl dancing a little next to the table.
"I want to suggest something for right now," Julia said. "The game room?"
"We're probably going to do that tonight too," Beckett warned her.
"Sure," Julia said.
"Are you guys absolutely sure you don't want to bowl? We could watch you," Skye commented with a slight frown.
"We're sure," Julia replied. She then looked at her mother and said, "Swimming?"
"You're going to have a shorter dance class," Beckett commented since that day Grey would have only an hour for them to have a party together.
"Yeah… I mean we could," Julia said.
"We're not waiting for our girls for that," Skye commented as she had a feeling the teen was hesitating because of that. "But they seem to enjoy your game room," she told Castle and Beckett.
"Definitely," Julia and Eliza said at the same time before they were laughing with their family. Once they calmed down they got their baby sister and headed over to the room, leading everyone else before they split up to go to the games they wanted to play first.
"It smells really good," Alexis told her grandfather, leaning over to look into the slow cooker.
"Thank you, I'm glad to know this recipe is so well liked," Jim said. "Your grandmama first made it for our firm's Christmas party, they were on toothpicks. But after we let Katie have one of the leftovers it became a meal with pasta."
"We tested pasta and rice," Beckett said to her oldest, kissing the top of Finn's head. "And we concurred about pasta."
"That's her polite way of saying that her mother chose pasta as the better medium," Jim said with a smile.
"I'm not surprised," Alexis said, smiling herself. "Since she made it."
"Do you want me to take him?" Jim asked her.
"Thank you," Alexis said, handing him the baby. "Are you waiting to get your food though?"
"After you," Beckett said. When her father looked at her she merely smiled before she said, "You are."
"Alright," Alexis said. "I'm set,"
"I'll take him to the dining room," Beckett said, glancing back at her father momentarily.
"Are you almost ready?" Castle said, having gotten Emmie set in her carrier next to Louis.
"Yes, let me get him ready," Beckett replied. "My dad is getting his food." She got Finn secured, her husband standing next to her to help, and once he was ready she took his outstretched hand before they were leaving for the hall. Seeing her father walking to them she said, "Try and get Eliza to wait for us," not surprised at his response.
"I'll do my best," Jim replied.
"And don't let her lick off the sauce either," Castle said quickly when he recalled the little girl would do that. He wasn't surprised when his father in law agreed and turned back to the kitchen with his wife. "You first."
Glancing at him, Beckett turned to the plates left on the island and got her serving before she said, "They're getting impatient."
"I would be too," Castle replied, aware she was talking about the Lennoxes who had gone to the basement instead of staying on the first floor with them once they'd returned from the school. "But they are eating dinner with us," he said.
"I feel bad they're going to have to wait for next year to have Christmas in their own home," Beckett commented. "But I am remembering they'll have a lot to get ready."
"And enjoy their pool and den," Castle said. "I think we started a trend by the way."
Laughing briefly Beckett said, "Probably, but I'm sure the other dads would have pushed for that anyway." She squeezed her husband's arm when he was nodding and since he'd gotten his food they made their way into the dining room.
"The usual discussion tonight?" Skye inquired once the writers were sitting down.
"I think so," Beckett said before they were turning to Eliza. Since she had already eaten one of the mini sized meatballs and was still chewing she told her with a smile, "Once you're ready."
Nodding briefly, Eliza tried not to go too fast before she was swallowing. Having a quick drink of water she then related what she'd done in her class up until her dance class since her parents had been there for that. "But it was fun to learn about Diwali," she said slowly. "Even though it passed," she added in a rush.
"My turn?" Clive said when he saw the others were turning their attention to him. When his parents were nodding their heads he told them about his day before Julia was going next and his brother last. That had taken them through the meal and he said, "That was really good."
Glancing at his son with a slight smile on his face, Isaac said to Jim, "I think that means he wants us to make it once we're at home."
"We're okay," Genevieve said, noticing the writers obviously tensing up at her husband's words. "We're just ready to have our home. But since we've got a little longer…"
"Could we see your home once you move in? Please?" Eliza asked, adding the last in a rush.
"Of course, hopefully you'll come over for dinners too," Isaac commented.
"You don't owe us," Castle commented after some of them were standing to clear off the table.
Isaac couldn't help laughing before he said, "Oh don't worry, we were aware of that. But we did design the pool room and outside to be able to entertain our friends."
"He's right, we all agreed to that," Genevieve commented with a smile. She watched Emily being carried by Martha and she said, "It might be easier for you guys too. A toddler and three babies?"
"Well, two of them we thought were going return home," Castle said. He then said to Louis who was bringing over plates, "Don't think we want you to go home."
Laughing, the vet said, "Don't worry, we're aware. But we are staying at our home tonight."
Nodding Castle said simply, "Good."
"We can't… start playing now?" Peter was asking Julia since they were in the game room.
"Yeah, why do you think I'm standing here?" she replied, turning to the main panel. She easily tapped the button to turn on all the games at once and said, "But you had to wait for that first."
"Thank you," Peter said after he'd made a face at his friend. "Want to play the baseball one with me?"
"Sure, but what about your brother?" Julia asked.
"I'm going to the pinball, byeee!" Clive said.
Laughing with his partner, Peter said, "Go first."
"Oh no, you're the guest," Julia told him, gesturing to the game.
Making a face again, Peter told her, "As long as we've lived here I don't think that counts." He saw the way his partner's eyebrow raised and said, "Okay, okay! I figured you'd take the turn to go first."
Shaking her head Julia said, "I'm staying with this, you're going to your own place." She was a little taken aback when her partner smirked at her and said, "You're getting one?"
"We asked our parents," Peter explained, starting the first game. He nodded towards his brother when he had the chance and told her, "We love this game."
"Any of the others?" Julia asked.
Waiting until his turn was over, Peter then answered her saying, "The Star Wars one if Mom and Dad can find it. And then a pinball machine… maybe two so those won't be the same."
Laughing as she stepped up to the game, Julia said, "I figured."
"I'm surprised you didn't want to play that either," Peter commented.
"I can play it later," Julia said before she focused on playing her turn.
Walking into the game room with the other parents, Castle wasn't surprised to find the games were on or that the kids were all playing, though the three youngest were being held. He was startled when Louis suddenly rushed past him and he smiled seeing him making a beeline for Alexis who was holding Finn. He felt his wife's hand on his arm and looked at her saying, "We're playing together again?"
"Do I detect a hint-" Beckett started to say before Skye was interrupting her.
"Oh just play together, Mary and I will," the investigator said in mock annoyance. She paused before she turned to them and asked, "Salach?"
Smiling, since that was the word dirty in Irish, Beckett said, "Slightly, but I think we got what you meant."
"I need to talk to my wife," Skye said, rushing away.
Laughing with his wife, Castle said, "Do you think she was serious?"
"It's likely," Beckett said. "And you're a pervert," she continued, keeping her voice low then.
"So that's a no?" Castle replied. He took her hand when she gave him a look and kissed the back of it while he held her gaze. "What would you like to do first?" he asked her.
"The air hockey table," Beckett said so firmly she wasn't surprised when her husband's eyes widened.
"Then…" Castle started to say before she was pulling him to the table. He didn't say anything until they were there and he asked, "So we're wagering now?"
"Of course," Beckett said simply before she was kissing his cheek. She used that as a reason to whisper in his ear telling him, "If I win we have a bath before we do anything else."
"Alright," Castle said slowly, thinking that over before his wife was talking to him teasingly to his surprise.
"If you want a shower that's fine," Beckett told him.
"Okay, there's my wager," Castle replied. When she was smiling at him he couldn't help leaning into her and kissing her lightly before they were turning their attention to their meal.
"Should we say anything?" Skye asked, standing at the pool table with Mary.
"Don't, we'd end up getting the same," the doctor replied. "Though I wonder if we should do the same as they just did," she commented in Japanese.
"Do you want to ask them what their wagers were?" Skye returned teasingly.
"Not really," Mary said firmly while she watched her wife taking the next shot. When her wife was walking by her she stopped her, kissing her lightly on the lips before letting her go.
"Now I know we need to make some wagers," Skye said jokingly, still keeping to Japanese.
"Yes, so say yours grá," Mary replied.
"Okay, if I win this then I'll get to pleasure you twice to start out with," Skye said. She smiled at the way her wife was obviously thinking that over and asked, "Did you just change yours."
"Do you have a problem with that?" Mary asked pointedly.
"No," Skye replied simply before they were returning to their game.
At the air hockey table, Castle hung his head before he said, "I wanted to win."
"You're such a liar," Beckett teased him.
Raising his head Castle said, "Alright fine, I'm glad you did. Though should we head to the next one?"
"I'm surprised," Beckett commented. "The way you were talking I thought you might want a round two," she added teasingly, not surprised when he wrapped his arm around her waist once he'd reached her. She took his kiss, a brief one on her lips, before he was murmuring in her ear.
"Later," Castle told her firmly. He wasn't surprised when she was trembling for a moment and when she stepped away from him he said, "What next?"
"You pick this time," Beckett said. She watched him looking around at everything and couldn't help laughing before he turned to her. "Sorry," she replied in amusement after she'd managed to calm herself down. "I wasn't expecting you to agree to that," she then explained to him.
"Well… I wanted a turn," Castle told her teasingly. "And the propellor?"
"There you are," Beckett said with a smile. She leaned into him and they shared another brief kiss before they were heading to the game together, getting their youngest to join them on the way.
December 14th, 2022
Hello Evangeline!
I'm going to go really fast because Mom and Dad finished the case today and they're going to tell me about it. Well, them and Skye and Mary.
So today's school was normal, super normal so the spirits were definitely not with me. Classes were whatever… I mean I have tests basically all day on Friday so we're just reviewing for those. Luckily Christmas break is after that. Oh, I got that wrong. The truth is I have dance class last and Ms. Grey is going to let us play some games (she didn't say what but I don't care) and not dance then. And of course the after school dance class is our little party and everyone with me, Mari, Peter and Clive in the class during school is going to get to stay! I can't wait for that for sure!
After school Mom and Dad were there for the dance class (that's how I knew they were finished with the case) and they watched it which was super nice. Skye and Mary didn't come, Skye helped two people pass on and that's tough so she was meditating I think.
Stopping there, Julia looked at the doorway to her room and watched as her parents and the McDouglas women walked inside. "Are you okay?" she asked the investigator. She was startled when Skye laughed and was about to speak again when the woman was doing so first herself.
"I'm a little surprised you remembered," Skye said. "Though it does make sense. And I'm fine. I was able to pass them on without any problems."
"Good," Julia said.
"Are you finished?" Castle asked her.
Shaking her head Julia said, "I don't have that much left." When her parents were sitting on the edge of the bed and Skye and Mary sitting on the armchairs she had she couldn't help telling the two women, "You're lucky, I just added the other chair."
"Oh really?" Mary asked. "Why?"
"Because I didn't like just one chair by itself," Julia replied.
"You're fairly convincing," Skye said, watching her.
"Huh?" Julia asked in surprise.
"Are you saying she's lying?" Beckett asked, startled as well.
"She is," Skye said. "Tell us the real reason."
"It's for Grandmama and Mamó," Julia said after she'd hesitated for a moment.
"You're not surprised," Castle stated to the investigator.
"No, because I realized as soon as I saw the two," Skye answered easily. She then said to Julia, "Don't worry, they appreciate your consideration."
"Maybe you should say that to my mom," Julia said slowly.
Glancing at the writer, Skye said, "She's alright. And to be honest it's to watch over her at night."
"I think Kate and I are in agreement, we just don't want Julia to be affected negatively by this," Castle told her.
"And she won't," Skye said firmly.
"Good," Beckett said. "Finish," she told her daughter.
"Right now," Julia said swiftly before she began to write again.
After we were back it was homework time, today it was a little weird but Peter and his family went down to the basement and spent time there until he and Clive were finished with homework. I guess they wanted to spend a little time alone together, I asked Mom and she agreed with me but said it's because they want to be in their own house already. I can't blame them really because I would too. But after that there wasn't much time left for dinner so we got ready to eat. It was delicious, the meatball recipe that Grandmama found and it was good too once we ate.
We played in the game room after (I think tomorrow we're going to swim in the pool room) and that was the usual. But I noticed with Mom and Dad… and Skye and Mary that they were acting… not weird but different at the air hockey table and pool table. I'm not going to guess why but they were happy so that's always important! Oh and Isaac and Genevieve were fine, not as different but they were smiling at each other. I went around the games with Peter and we competed on the pinball table to see who got the better score, he did but he was trying to mess me up. As a joke but I didn't mind since he was making me laugh. We did stop while playing to have cocoa but that's all I have.
I just realized I wrote for way too long so I have to finish here or I won't be able to talk at all to the others. Write to you tomorrow Evangeline, night!
Scribbling the last so fast, Julia was relieved the paragraph was somewhat legible before she focused on putting away everything. "I finished," she said, standing up and walking over to them. Before she could reach her bed she was stopped and turned to Mary, startled, before the doctor was closing her robe.
"Sorry, that's me missing the girls," Mary explained. "And wondering how you can walk around like that."
"The house isn't that cold," Julia said with a wide smile since she wasn't surprised the woman was mentioning that.
"To us it is," Skye commented. "But you're good with your heating. We're just bringing in the cold with us."
"That sounded weird," Castle said before his wife was clearing her throat. He looked at his watch and said, "You want to," not surprised she was instantly responding.
"She's not going to leave us alone about it," Beckett commented.
"I won't," Julia said swiftly when the other adults were looking at her. She smiled when they started to laugh before she said, "Really, what happened?" She hesitated for a moment and asked, "It wasn't Harrington was it?"
"No," the four said at the same time before they were looking at each other.
Laughing, Julia hurried to calm herself down before she said, "Or Fox."
"Definitely not Fox," Beckett assured her. "It turns out it was the vice director of the museum." She wasn't surprised when the teen looked confused and she was explaining with her husband and the McDouglas women what they'd found out and what had happened.
"I'm glad you found all the jewels," Julia said once they were finished and she'd taken in everything she'd been told. She smiled a little and said, "And that it wasn't Harrington. Are they together?"
"They are," Castle said, looking at his wife before she was speaking wryly.
"He's right and they are," Beckett said. "But they went through a lot to get to that point."
"I won't mention it to them if I ever meet them," Julia said. "But… are they happy?"
"As far as we can tell," Beckett said.
"No, they are," Mary said quickly, her wife nodding next to her. "We could tell the way they were acting around each other at the station. Hesitant but they stuck close to each other."
"They did have lunch alone together," Skye commented. She smiled at her wife and said, "I wouldn't be surprised if they were staying together for the holidays."
Glancing at her parents, Julia saw her mother's startled expression and asked, "Is that bad?"
"I forgot Harrington stayed at Fox's place last night," Beckett said, making a face. "But it's a little surprising if they're going to stay together that long."
"I don't think so," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when the others were all looking at him and he said with a slight smile, "They need each other."
"That's true," Beckett said, recalling Fox's breakup and Harrington's troubles with Eaton. She then shook herself and said, "But the case is solved and Phillipa has time off to recover."
"But you said she wasn't too badly hurt," Julia said in slight confusion.
"Oh she wasn't," Beckett said easily. "Just some scrapes and likely bruising. I invited them for New Year's Eve," she said, directing the last to her husband.
"Not a problem," Castle said easily. "There's more than enough food."
"What are we having?" Julia asked.
Seeing the writer frowning at his daughter, Skye couldn't help laughing before she asked, "Is it a secret?"
"It is," Castle said. He then shook his head and said, "Not a secret, more a surprise."
"Makes sense," Mary commented. When the writers were looking at her in obvious confusion she couldn't help laughing and told them, "You like to do that."
"They know me too well," Castle told his wife.
"I noticed," Beckett replied, squeezing his shoulder around Julia. She then turned her attention to their daughter and asked, "Any other questions?"
Thinking about that for a moment, Julia shook her head and said, "I'm glad you finished, for Christmas." She then said, "But I do have a question for them."
"We're not sure what we're going to do until Saturday," Skye said swiftly since she'd already had an idea of what that question was.
"Relax for now," Mary added.
"We might go around downtown… sightsee," Skye commented.
"Do you need to shop at all?" Julia asked.
"Not for Christmas," Skye said. She smiled when the Castles were all looking at her in confusion and she explained, "When I helped Bernard and Eileen pass she told me to tell Harrington to fill their house remember?"
"With kids," Julia said.
"Right, but I forgot this means she was aware already Harrington was going to move into their house," Skye replied.
"A housewarming gift?" Mary asked slowly. At her wife's nod she couldn't help laughing and said, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Would it be wrong of me to do that?" Skye asked. "Let's get her something and take it on Friday."
"Why not tomorrow?" Julia inquired.
"Let her settle in," Skye said.
Beckett frowned for a moment at how fast the investigator had spoken, but she didn't mention it before her husband was looking at his watch. "I knew already," she told him with a smile before they were looking at Julia when she groaned.
"You shouldn't be so upset," Skye told the teen teasingly. "You're that much closer to your winter break now." She watched her think that over before she sighed in mock exaggeration and then spoke to them all.
"I know I have to go to bed," Julia said, standing up. "I just don't want to." She smiled when her father laughed and pulled her to him before she embraced him back and said, "Love you Dad."
"I love you too sweetheart," Castle said. When they were looking at each other he said, "I can't wait for you to get to your break too."
"Really?" Julia said in obvious surprise.
"Yes," Beckett said firmly.
"She's right," Castle said. They kissed each other's cheeks before he was letting Julia go and watched her head to her mother.
"Before you get into bed goodnight you guys," Skye said quickly. "Mary and I are heading to our room so we'll say goodnight."
"Night," Julia told them, her parents saying the same. Once they were gone she turned to her parents and asked, "You're not going to go with them?"
"We might," Castle said, looking at his wife.
"I guess we're going to have to," Beckett said wryly. She then turned her attention to Julia and they shared a hug before she said, "I love you Julia."
"Love you too Mom," she replied with a smile. After she had kissed her mother's cheek and Beckett had done the same to hers she went to her bed and hugged Macca and JoJo before she slipped under the covers. "Night," she called to her parents who were at the doorway. She wasn't surprised when they said the same before she was laying down as her father closed the lights. She tried not to think about how much she was looking forward to Friday and after while she did her best to fall asleep.
"You know you could have told Julia we were going to have a drink together," Castle commented, not surprised when Skye was answering first or when it was done in a feigned snarky tone of voice.
"I'd forgotten so leave me be," the investigator said before she was laughing.
"I think she's alright," Mary said to Beckett since their spouses were both laughing by then.
"I think so," Becket said with a smile before she was sipping her tea.
"Sorry, I honestly did forget we were going to do this," Skye replied once she was calmed down. She then said, "But I like to think of this as a celebration too you know."
"The case is solved?" Mary asked her wife.
"And everything is settled," Skye replied. "Especially for Harrington and Fox." She wasn't surprised when the others were agreeing with that and she took a sip of her tea before she said, "They'll be lovers tonight you know."
Looking at her husband in concern when he was coughing into his mug, Beckett asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Castle said after taking another quick sip. "How can you know that?" he then directed to the investigator.
"I could tell," Skye said. "Because of how they were holding each other after we had… I mean you had Glazer."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said. She saw the way her husband was looking at her and she did her best not to laugh at him before she explained saying, "I noticed that when I took them their food. And really it's not bad because if I hadn't been holding myself back you and I would have ended up lovers after our first dinner together."
"True," Castle said reluctantly.
"Same for us," Skye said. "If I hadn't been a coward we could have had our first time sooner."
"I'm not complaining," Mary said.
"I'm not either," Castle said. Glancing at his wife he said in a rush, "For us." When she merely smirked at him he couldn't help laughing before he said, "And they did go through a lot, Fox and Harrington."
"It's not a distraction," Mary commented. "But they want to."
"I kind of figured but it's a nice stress release," Castle said.
"You won't get an argument from me," Skye commented. She smiled at the way her wife was rolling her eyes and she said, "But I'm not finished with my tea yet."
"I knew you were going to say that," Mary said in mock annoyance. She then said, "What're we doing tomorrow?"
"Is that why you said you'd wait for a housewarming gift on Friday?" Beckett asked the investigator.
"I wouldn't want to intrude on new lovers," Skye replied simply. She then said, "But I did want to get them something to-"
"Them?" Mary interrupted her wife.
Skye smiled and then said, "I mean that they're going to be together for the holidays. But I'll of course tell Harrington it'll be for her… but now I need to decide what the heck I want to get them," looking at her wife when she was speaking a little firmly.
"Shouldn't we be doing that?" Mary asked. She then frowned and asked, "Were you going to have Eileen-"
"No," Skye said in a rush, interrupting her. "I was thinking of myself because I had spoken with her earlier. You're right we need to both decide for this." She then looked at the writers, having to lean over a little since they had their legs in the water of the Jacuzzi. "What about you two? You're coming with us right?"
"We'd like to," Beckett said, not surprised her husband looked at her. "So you realize we should get the gifts tomorrow." She then studied her friend and said, "You were planning that already," smiling when the investigator laughed before she spoke.
"I had a feeling you would to be honest," Skye said. "It's your town, not mine." She glanced at her wife and said, "Or ours."
"You don't want her to tell you what to get right?" Castle asked.
"I think we'll be able to pick something," Mary commented with a smile. "We've bought housewarming gifts before."
"Different friends," Skye said when Castle looked like he was going to ask.
"What're you going to get her?" Mary asked.
"I have no idea," Beckett said since her husband had looked at her. "I was thinking a decorative… piece."
"Did you get an idea of what she might like from her home?" Skye inquired.
"To a degree," Beckett answered. "We weren't there for that long so I'll have to basically guess."
"I was going to suggest we do that," Mary told her wife.
"Don't we kind of have to?" Skye asked in amusement.
"I think so," Mary replied.
After they'd sat drinking their tea in silence for a little Skye eventually said, "But this Christmas…"
"You're changing your mind staying here?" Beckett teased her friend.
"No, I'm just wondering what we're doing after," Skye replied.
"Have any of the others asked you what we're going to do?" Castle said.
"They did, I said to trust you two since this is where you live of course…" Skye began before she trailed off. "What?" she asked laughingly when she saw the look on her wife's face.
"Are you going to complete a sentence?" Mary asked jokingly. She laughed when her wife playfully pushed at her before she said, "Alright, back to what we were discussing. Do you have anything planned?"
"A few things," Castle said as he turned to his wife.
"I agree," Beckett said with a smile since she wasn't surprised at his look. "He wants to go to the museum."
"I do too," Skye commented immediately. "After seeing it to a degree I'd love to peruse it more."
"We haven't been at all," Castle said.
"That's a surprise, you knew Bernard," Mary couldn't help saying.
"Eileen asked me sometimes when I would see her," Beckett told the two women. "At charity meetings," she needed to explain. "But we seem to always have something, I'm lucky I can get to those meetings."
"What about at the last Reno races?" Castle asked the investigator.
"He did mention that new section to me, the WWI part," Skye began. At the nods from the writers she continued saying, "That was it but he mentioned wanting to put planes in. I'll have to tell Harrington about that."
"Could she?" Mary asked.
"She will," Castle said.
"Bernard ordered a biplane," Beckett said. "We saw it in his financial information."
"Then she'll have that at least," Skye said.
"What about his plans for a WWII room?" Castle said. "She's not going to be able to get a jet."
"She might get something," Skye said. "What I don't know because I don't know a lot about that era of course." She hesitated and told them, "Weapons and vehicles."
"But you do know planes," Mary reminded her wife.
"Yes but nothing's going to fit in that building. Unless she built a wing off it to house it," Skye said. "She could do that, if the laws about land here aren't crazy."
"We don't know," Castle said in amusement when the other two were looking at his wife. "But the property is Harrington's so she wouldn't have any trouble."
"Let her decide how to do it though," Beckett stated. "Since it's hers now."
"I'm not saying a word," Skye immediately told her. "Though I'm going to tell her that she needs to take good care of his racer."
"She will," Mary assured her. She then told the writers, "She loved his plane."
"The Racin' Raider," Skye said with a smile. "He had it painted in silver and black. He wasn't a fan of football; he was more into baseball and basketball. But he loved the logo and had a pirate with an eyepatch on it." She then frowned for a moment and got her phone out of her pocket before she was searching on it. "Here it is," she told the pair, giving them the phone. "A Mustang," she added.
"That's the kind of plane that crashed at those races isn't it?" Castle said, quickly recognizing the name.
"It is, but he didn't modify it like the other was," Skye replied. When she had her phone back in her pocket she said, "I wonder what she'll do with it."
"She should give it to you," Castle said.
"She doesn't have to," Skye replied immediately.
"She could," Mary said.
"Don't say anything to her," Skye said firmly. "I wouldn't want that to be suggested."
"I wasn't planning on it," Mary assured her.
"I just said she should, not she has to," Castle stated.
"Alright," Skye said. "At least you're agreeing with me."
"I didn't think that was an agreement," Castle commented.
"I have to agree with him," Beckett said.
Shaking her head and smiling at the same time, Skye said, "Okay, okay. But there is something I'm concerned about." When she saw the others looked confused she explained saying, "Do you have her number?"
"I have Fox's," Beckett reminded her.
"Right, I didn't want to show up unexpectedly," Skye said after a moment's hesitation.
"We'll get in touch with them," Beckett assured her.
"On Friday," Skye said firmly.
"We remember," Beckett said, trying not to laugh. She then said, "Should we get out of the water?"
"I think so," Castle said, raising his leg and seeing how wrinkled his toes were.
With some laughter the four were getting out of the small pool before they dried off and got their shoes and socks back on. In the kitchen they rinsed out their mugs and went to the staircase before Castle was stopping them all.
"We don't have to head to our rooms right now," he told them.
"Did you want to play something?" Beckett asked, studying him.
"That would be nice," Castle commented. He looked at the McDouglases and told them, "You don't have to come with… but I thought you might like to."
"Pass," Skye said after she and her wife were sharing a look. "At least for playing pool. We already did that."
"You didn't play everything already?" Beckett asked.
"Yeah but we played two games of pool," Mary said. She glanced at her wife and said, "At my request, I didn't want to play for something once."
"We played air hockey twice," Beckett said.
Confused for a moment, Skye quickly said, "I remember now, you played with Eliza."
"Yeah, unfairly," Castle said as they were walking over to the game room. He couldn't help laughing briefly when his wife was nudging at him and he said, "Okay, she wanted to play with Kate. But that doesn't really say what we're going to play right now."
"What about racing?" Mary asked.
"I was about to suggest that," Skye said, smiling at her wife.
"You didn't race against each other didn't you?" Beckett asked them. When they shook their heads she said, "Tournament?"
"That'll be one short tournament," Castle couldn't help saying.
"I don't think it matters," Skye commented. "We have bets to settle don't we?"
"We do," Castle answered swiftly.
"Pervert," Beckett told him.
"Funny you let her call you that," Skye said.
"I know she doesn't mean it literally," Castle said. "I mean… I am for her but no one else."
"I would hope so," Mary said. "And maybe we should start?"
"Who's first?" Beckett asked the others.
"We can play Roshambo for it," Castle said.
"I don't think you need to," Beckett said. "Just play each other and Rick and I will go after," she explained when the three were looking at her.
"And we don't have to stop with whoever wins the last game," Castle said.
"That is one weird way to word that," Mary told him. "But you mean have another tournament at least."
"Yeah," Castle said. He noticed the way the McDouglas women were looking at him and he said, "Okay, I know it's weird I'm delaying being with my wife but I'll remind you she's called me a nine and twelve year old."
"And that part is at the forefront now?" Skye asked in amusement.
"Basically," Castle said, smiling when the three women were laughing at his tone before he watched Skye and Mary moving to sit at the game consoles.
When they were sitting, the pair were racing against each other before it finished with Mary winning.
"Don't act so surprised," Skye said with a smile, seeing the expressions on the writers' faces.
"She's right, she's better at plane games," Mary said before she made a face. "I didn't mean to rhyme," she added as she and her wife were watching Castle and Beckett sitting where they had. They cheered the two, not focusing on anyone before they were finishing and Beckett had won.
"That's not a surprise," Skye commented.
"Hey," Castle said in mock annoyance as he was getting out of the way for Mary. He leaned against the back of his wife's chair and asked, "Are we rooting for them?"
"We should, they are our spouses," Skye said with a smirk.
"Just let us race," Mary said in feigned annoyance before they were starting the game.
"This is why I don't win usually," Castle commented since his wife had won. "That and my wife never let me drive."
Rolling her eyes Beckett told him, "Does that mean we need to stop?"
"No," Castle said simply before he was pulling her to him. He brushed his lips to hers before he turned to the McDouglas women and saw they were still kissing. "Did you want to continue?"
"One more tournament," Mary said, seeing her wife was looking at her pointedly.
After her wife brushed her lips to her own, Skye said, "Should the losers start?"
"I think so," Castle replied since that had been directed to him. They were sitting and he won before he said, "Either way I'm losing my next race."
"Good attitude," Beckett said wryly. "Don't let the girls hear you saying that."
"Oh… don't worry I'll make sure their self-esteem is fine," Castle said, switching with her. He looked on with Skye while their wives were racing and he said, "Oh great," when his won.
"We're not betting love," Beckett said, watching him sitting where Mary had.
"No, but I did call that I was going to lose," Castle commented before the race was starting. After they were finished he said, "Close," since he'd lost but not badly.
"Close," Beckett told him, squeezing at his hand before they were getting up.
"So we're leaving?" Skye asked.
"Are you going to run off if I say yes?" Castle said.
"If we," Beckett told him.
"Right, if we say that," Castle quickly corrected himself.
"No, but we're anxious," Skye said, looking at her wife when she scoffed.
"Now you say we," Mary said, shaking her head.
"I think we're finished," Beckett told them. "So let's head to bed."
"Great, goodnight," Skye said, grabbing her wife's hand and pretending to pull her away.
With some laughter when Mary tugged her back they waited for the Castles to join them in heading to the stairs.