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: I was pleased to received the feedback for the last chapter I did so I'll start on my thank you for that now! Mb (Not surprised you were glad that Skye was alright after what happened with the emotions from the victims. And I'm not surprised you were mentioning everything with the new clues with the car being found and connected to the country club. And I had to laugh at you talking about there being more and more questions, but it does happen. You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! I was really glad you thought the second half of the chapter was a nice filler chapter with Harrington and Fox since I wasn't sure how that was going to be received, lol. But pleased to see you thought it was nicely done! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the review, I loved reading it and appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Drive My Car written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album Rubber Soul.
Can Do Something In Between
"You didn't go inside," Castle said to the two women while he and his wife were getting out of their car.
"No, though your dad didn't sound that surprised to hear Mary when we were at the intercom," Skye commented.
"I texted him," Beckett replied easily. "You should have gone inside, it's getting colder."
"Alright mum," Skye said jokingly to her friend. She wasn't surprised when Beckett gave her a look and said, "We wanted to wait for you," speaking a little quickly.
"I just remembered," Castle said suddenly as they were making their way to the door to the house. "What about the party you were going to have?"
"Delayed," Mary said.
"Yeah, we did that at the airport and everyone was fine with it," Skye added. "We'll have it the first weekend next month."
"If you're wondering," Mary took up then. "Our guests told us that they have a lot of plans still leading up to Christmas so it would help them out."
"I hope your girls are okay with this," Beckett said.
"They are, don't worry," Skye said.
Though she wanted to ask how she was so sure, Beckett saw her husband was opening the door to the entry and she saw their girls were there. She smiled while they were greeting them, Josie making a beeline for her. She picked the toddler up and kissed her saying, "I'm sorry we're so late, but we had a little more work-"
"Skye! Mary!" Julia said in surprise.
"Your grandfather didn't tell you?" the investigator asked.
"He just said it was Louis," Julia replied with a frown before she looked at her grandfather.
"Sorry, I thought I should surprise you," Jim said since he and Martha had entered the foyer with the twins in their arms.
"And here they are," Skye said with a wide smile, spotting the babies.
"Wait," Castle said. "Wash your hands please… also get your coats and everything off."
"Is that their grandda speaking or their mum?" Skye asked.
"The latter," Beckett said, taking off her coat since she'd already set Josie down. She hung it before she was taking Mary's and said, "But that's just a precaution."
"It's understandable," the doctor commented before she and her wife were heading to the guest bathroom.
"We should move to the kitchen," Castle said before they were walking down the hall.
"How are things with the case?" Martha asked.
"We're at an impasse," Castle said. "We have names but they have to be looked into," he added.
"A lot of names?" Jim inquired. When his son in law nodded he said, "They're looking at them now?"
"They are but we probably won't have anything until tomorrow," Beckett answered before her husband could. They washed their hands rapidly before they were drying them and turning their attention to Skye and Mary who were walking swiftly down the hall.
"If Alexis and Louis come in you'll have to give them back," Castle said jokingly while the two were each taking a baby.
"We will," Mary said first.
"We know we'll have to," Skye said. She then looked up from Emmie and said, "We'd be hard pressed to keep them if their parents are here."
"Are you okay with dinner?" Mary asked suddenly.
"We are," Jim said instantly.
"Wait, the Lennoxes," Skye told the others.
"I've made lasagna," Jim said. "Two of them for leftovers."
"The girls can get lunch tomorrow," Castle said before the McDouglas women could say anything.
"Yeah, I'll grab a potato," Julia said with a wide smile.
"I can get…" Eliza started to say before she frowned and then skipped to the fridge. She read the lunch calendar for her school and said, "Oh cool, it's taco salad."
"I'd rather have a potato," Julia told her sister teasingly.
Pursing her lips at her sister for a moment, Eliza looked at Skye and Mary since they were switching the twins and said, "What do you think."
"I think you're all going to have beautiful children," Skye said.
"Hey," Castle said, looking at the salad Jim had been making when they'd arrived.
"I'm joking," Skye replied. "Though it likely will happen."
"For you too," Beckett said.
"Oh yeah, what about… all your girls?" Eliza said.
"They'll come on Saturday," Skye said.
"She changed the flight," Mary said. "And canceled our tickets."
"Why are you here?" Julia said suddenly.
"You know already," Skye told her after studying the teen for a moment.
"Hopefully you'll solve it… soon," Julia said.
"Okay, I think we have to go," Skye said.
"We do, we need to unpack and that might take us a while," Mary said, giving Emmie to Martha. "Since we have everything we need for our stay right now."
"But we can use the laundry room right?" Skye asked once Finn was in Beckett's arms.
"Of course," she replied, smiling at her grandson for a moment. "Oh, you're going to need blankets," Beckett said since she recalled the freeze.
"I'll take him," Jim told his daughter.
"Oh no, we don't need to do that," Skye said quickly. "You can follow and direct us."
"Did you two do your homework?" Beckett said to Julia and Eliza. At their nods she said, "Alright, if they need help at all please do so." She smiled when they nodded again before she was following the two women back to the entry where they'd left their suitcases.
"I'm wondering something," Skye said, once they were upstairs and in their usual room.
"About the freeze?" Beckett asked.
"No, about that security camera company," Skye replied. "It wouldn't be connected to the one at the neighborhood would it?"
Beckett opened her mouth to speak when she heard her husband calling up to them. "We're in here," she told him as he called to them from down the hall.
"I just got a text from Brad," Castle told them. "He said he checked the community where the vics lived and the museum. They all have contracts with the same security company. He's going to focus on them for now."
"Good," Beckett said with a nod before she looked at Skye.
"Bernard just mentioned the company," the investigator said when her wife and Castle were looking at her as well. "There was something about it," Skye added.
"I told him to call us if they found out anything," Castle said. "So I'll let you know."
"Did you finish that salad?" Beckett asked him with a smile.
"I did," Castle replied. "I just need to get the dressing and since-"
"Ah, sounds like mom and pop are back," Skye said with a smile since the sound of the gate opening cut the writer off.
"The blankets are on the top shelf of the closet," Beckett said, wondering if the two would point out she could have told them downstairs. When they merely nodded she was relieved but was soon going with Castle to the hall so they could greet either their oldest or son in law.
"Don't look at me like that," Skye told her wife.
"It's hard not to," Mary replied, watching her walking to the bed after closing the door. She reached for Skye and held her hands saying, "I want you to be okay."
"I am," the investigator told her firmly. "It's just frustration," she then added, startled at her wife's slightly irritated response.
"But is that from you or the victims?" Mary asked. She became alarmed when her wife suddenly reached for her and she said, "What-"
"They've left me now," Skye said firmly, holding onto her wife by her upper arms. "And I get the feeling they'll stay away the rest of the night."
"I hope so," Mary said before they were moving easily into wrapping their arms around each other. She held her wife tightly and told her, "You have to be careful."
"You've got an uneasy feeling?" Skye asked. She felt Mary nodding and told her, "Me too, we're all missing something about the case… well, that and the brooch but I'm sure we'll find it."
"Leave it for tomorrow Rose," Mary said before they were leaning in for a kiss.
"I have to don't I? We're back at the house and Bernard and Eileen have gone…" Skye said, shaking her head. "We should unpack."
Relieved her wife didn't sound upset at having to pivot in the conversation, Mary nodded her agreement and leaned into her. They shared a quick kiss before they turned to their clothes and put them away.
"I feel bad," Skye commented, looking at Beckett before Alexis was speaking first to her surprise.
"I wouldn't worry, they love getting lunch at school," the young woman said.
"Especially the potato," Skye commented.
"Yeah, I haven't had one since last month," Julia said.
"Did you forget something?" Beckett asked since the kids were in the dining room already.
"No, we were waiting to see if you guys were finished yet," Julia explained.
"We're coming right now," Castle said.
"We're ready," Beckett told her husband in amusement since he'd immediately looked at her. She grabbed her plate and walked with the others to the dining room with Julia leading the way. Seeing Eliza was talking to Josie in her highchair she called to the little girl and said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Eliza said with a smile as she got up from her mother's chair. "She said she's hungry though."
"She'll eat right now," Castle said, setting down Josie's plate he carried into the room. "And you can too."
"She really did say that," Eliza explained.
"I believe you," Castle told her, watching her walk to her chair. "But I know you're hungry too." He smiled when the little girl nodded rapidly and sat down before he told his wife, "We'll have to discuss dinners for the next couple of days."
"It won't be that hard… wait," Beckett started to say before her husband was looking down at his plate. "What did you have in mind?" she asked him.
"Either the pizza parlor or family fun center," Castle said. "Though I get the feeling you're going to suggest we wait."
"Not her, us," Skye said with a smile before Beckett could respond. "The girls would be furious, especially about the family fun center. And I think Julia has some protest."
Looking at their second oldest Castle said, "You're thinking of taking Paul and everyone."
"I'd like to, Mari and I told Reiley about it and she wants to go with her sister and brothers," Julia responded with a smile. "And Paul too of course. Everyone I mean."
"We will," Beckett assured her. She then turned to her husband and said, "You have to remember we basically have a family fun center here."
"What're we going to do tonight?" Eliza asked, having been listening to the conversation with the other kids.
"Well, we could go bowling," Castle said. "Skye and Mary haven't done that yet."
"No," Mary said. "But there are a lot of us here."
"You had something else in mind?" Beckett asked. She smiled when the doctor looked at her in surprise and explained saying, "You realize once Paul and everyone else comes there will be more… along with the rest of your family."
"I think we want to go back to your game room," Skye explained.
Sighing, since her wife was looking pointedly at her, Mary said, "I'm thinking of her. I don't want her to do anything too strenuous."
"How come?" Clive couldn't help asking though his brother was frowning at him to his shrug.
"It's alright," Skye said, spotting Peter's expression. "The victims from the case they have right now?" At the nods of the others she continued saying, "They've come to me and earlier today they were a little upset about something dealing with that and I passed out." At the gasps from Julia and Eliza she was quick to tell them, "I'm fine it was only for a little. But she's worried about me of course and doesn't want me to do anything too… rough."
"What if you just looked at the bowling alley?" Eliza suggested when they were all quiet for a moment.
"That would be fine," Mary said, doing her best not to laugh when the others were looking at her. "You know you could play."
Sharing a look with her friends and sister, Julia said, "I think we want to stay at the game room."
"But you'll let her play eventually right?" Genevieve asked her.
"Oh of course," Mary said with a nod. She smiled at her wife when the kids were starting to talk together and they were returning to their meal, Castle and Beckett asking the kids about their days at school.
By the time Eliza was last talking about her day they had finished eating and were getting up to clean up. The little girl hurried over to her mother and said, "What do we do now?"
"I hope you'll wait for us to finish," Beckett replied with a smile. "So we can go together."
"I will," Eliza said, taking her plate then. She was relieved when everything was cleaned up swiftly and they were soon heading downstairs to the basement.
"You know for not being a huge fans of basements… yours isn't bad," Skye said once they were down the short flight of stairs. "Even though I've been here already of course."
"Why don't you like basements?" Peter asked in obvious confusion.
"We haven't really been in many," Mary explained first. "And it's my fault, when I was young we had relatives in Ohio and they had a basement. For some reason I always remember it as being huge and very dark. And of course it scared me."
"Luckily this one is very inviting," Skye said.
"You're just saying that about the alley," Beckett told her wryly since they could see it.
"Naturally," Skye replied before they were laughing and moving to it. She stepped up to the end of the lanes with her wife and said, "I thought it before and I'll say it now; this is impressive."
"Extremely," Isaac said.
"Hopefully we'll be able to play soon," Louis commented.
"I can't wait for the girls to," Mary said, looking at her wife and smiling when she nodded in agreement.
"I feel bad we have to go back up the stairs," Skye commented when they were walking back to them.
"It's good to exercise after a meal," Martha said, smiling when the kids were laughing at that.
Inside the game room the group split up and went around to the different games before Beckett was approached by her husband. "Yes?" she asked him.
"I find myself drawn to you," Castle said simply. He smiled when she gave him a look and said, "Would you like to play pool?"
"I came here for a reason," Beckett told him teasingly before she leaned into him and brushed her lips against his. Turning back to the pool table she pulled the pool balls out and told her husband, "You realize I'm not going to ask for anything," using Irish since Julia was with Peter and Clive at the pinball machine near them.
"Ask or bet?" Castle responded swiftly. He wasn't surprised when his wife merely smirked at him and he leaned over to her, using the ruse of giving her a cue to murmur, "Vixen."
Smiling at him when they stepped apart, Beckett watched him getting the triangle ready and she set up the cue ball before she was hitting first. They proceeded to play and when the game had finished she told him, "Good thing we didn't bet," since she'd lost.
Glancing at her with a smile, Castle said, "Now I kind of regret that."
Rolling her eyes, though her lips were slightly raised in a smile, Beckett turned her attention to Josie as the toddler was walking up to them and holding her arms out while she spoke.
"Mama I want playing," Josie told her.
"Alright," Beckett said, glancing at her husband and seeing him making a brief face. She squeezed at his arm once she had Josie on her hip and asked, "What would you like to play?"
"Hit?" Josie asked.
"Alright," Beckett replied with a smile before she looked at Castle.
"Am I allowed to join you?" he asked her.
"Of course," Beckett said when they both saw Josie was nodding her head rapidly. After they'd made their way to the game she set the toddler down and asked, "Do you want to play on your own?"
"Eh," Josie replied, smiling widely. She took the mallet her mother handed her and turned to the game before she realized her parents were talking to each other.
"I don't know if I want to play against her," Castle confessed to his wife.
"It doesn't matter who wins," Beckett told him firmly.
"Why don't we ask her who she wants to play with?" Castle told her.
"You," Josie said as soon as they were looking at her, pointing to her father.
"Don't point sweetie," Beckett said, unable to help smiling at her husband when he was frowning and shaking his head. She stepped back when her husband was getting the other mallet and looked on while they played, not surprised when Josie wasn't able to hit very often. But she praised the toddler for her efforts and leaned down to her, kissing her tenderly before she was speaking happily.
"Now you play Mama," Josie told her.
"With you?" Beckett asked.
When the toddler shook her head and pointed to him, Castle couldn't help saying, "How much do your sisters tell you?"
"Not that much," Eliza said, walking up to them. She smiled when their parents looked at her and said as she took Josie's hand, "We're gonna go play the baseball now Josa." After her little sister nodded she then said to their parents, "Play," before Beckett was stopping her and speaking firmly.
"You should ask her first," she told her second youngest.
"She said she wanted to before we started eating," Eliza said.
Seeing Josie nodding rapidly when she glanced at the toddler, Beckett moved her hand from Eliza's shoulder and said, "Alright, but let your sister pick some games too."
"I will," the little girl replied before she led her sister to the baseball game.
"And we're alone again," Castle said.
"I noticed," Beckett said, watching him putting down the mallet for the game. "Is there something you'd like to do now?"
"Star Wars?" Castle replied.
Beckett couldn't help laughing briefly before she said, "Okay, but Skye and Mary are there already."
"I'm sure they won't mind if we wait," Castle commented.
"Hopefully not," Beckett replied before they were walking over to the games.
"Hey, we're nearly done," Skye commented, noticing the two approaching on her side.
"Take your time," Castle said, watching them both destroying the second Death Star for the finale.
"There," Skye said. "We saved the galaxy so it's all yours," she told Beckett since Castle had gone to the console her wife was at.
"Thanks," she said wryly. "Are you alright?"
"What do you mean?" Skye immediately responded, aware she wasn't asking about the victims.
"What if we solve the case tomorrow or Thursday?" Beckett replied. "You don't have to stay here."
"We want to," Mary replied. "It's a hassle going back and forth across the country that much."
"And we did tell you our girls were fine with it," Skye added. "Not happy we were going to be gone but they're relieved we are coming here for Christmas."
"Did they think you wouldn't?" Castle asked. "We had this planned since last year."
"I think they were, but we assured them we'd come here and have Christmas next year at home," Skye said.
"Should we trade houses for Christmas?" Castle asked them.
"I'm wondering if we should be in our own homes two years from now," Mary said.
"She's right," Beckett said with a smile when her husband looked startled. "It can be a lot to transport gifts."
"True," Castle said thoughtfully. "And it would be nice to stay that year."
"But there is two years from now," Skye reminded them. "So why don't we leave that as a possibility?" She wasn't surprised when her wife was making a brief face and then said to the other three, "Remember Mill Valley?"
"That's a good point," Castle said.
"So we'll leave that as an option," Beckett said. "Again, there are two years to plan that."
"Yeah, and we have a lot more places to go to first," Skye said, watching Beckett get settled.
Glancing at the investigator when she was about to start, Beckett saw the expression on her friend's face and asked, "Okay?"
"I just have the nagging feeling there's something I'm missing," Skye said.
"You're sure it's not because of the brooch?" Castle asked her, having been listening.
"It is, but there's that missing piece that would lead us to it," Skye replied.
"Are you focusing on the jewelry or the killer?" Beckett asked, studying her.
"Both," Skye said. She frowned for a moment and said, "Also the shooter we ran into today."
"Shooter?" Julia asked, stopping while she was walking by them to go to the coin drop game.
"We'll explain later," Castle said swiftly, looking around the room to see where Eliza was.
"You will?" Julia asked.
"We will too," Skye answered before the teen's parents could. She then glanced at Castle and Beckett and said, "I figured we should."
"We will," the latter said, turning to her daughter. "Keep playing."
"Yeah," Julia replied before she moved to the game she wanted to play.
"Was that wrong to say?" Mary asked, studying the parents.
"No, we just didn't think you'd want to do that," Castle explained. "But it would help a little since we were all working together."
"As long as you're sure they've left then that's fine," Beckett said since the others were looking at her.
"Of course," Skye replied easily. "Enjoy your game," she told them before she took Mary's hand when she walked around to her and they headed to the air hockey table.
"Do you not want to play?" Castle asked his wife when they were alone.
"Go ahead," Beckett told him with a smile.
About to say he didn't have to play, Castle glanced around the room before he told her, "What if we race instead?"
"If you don't mind," Beckett replied with a smile, watching him get out of his seat and walk around to her before he was speaking.
"I don't, at least this way we can interact together," Castle told her, leaning into her.
Smiling, Beckett said, "Was that meant to be dirty?"
"No, but why did your mind go to that?" Castle asked her in feigned surprise. When she smirked at him he shuddered before he murmured, "Vixen," pulling away from her.
When she had passed by him, Beckett squeezed his hand before she told him, "We better go play."
"Cocoa?" Castle asked in a low voice as he rushed to follow her.
"Of course," Beckett replied, smiling at him over her shoulder before they had reached the consoles. After they had raced a couple times together, she and Castle were asking the others in the room who wanted hot chocolate.
"We're going to take the twins up now," Louis said first. "But that does sound good," he added before his sister in law was speaking eagerly.
"Are there different flavors?" Eliza asked.
"Wait until your sister and Louis are back," Beckett said, watching her nodding before Eliza hurried over to the twins to say goodnight to them with her other sisters.
"Are we staying up much longer?" Alexis asked after she approached her parents, Finn in her arms.
Since his wife was pressing a kiss to the top of the baby's head Castle said, "If you guys want to leave here after the hot chocolate go ahead. But the house is warm."
"We want to stay close," Louis commented.
"We'll go up after our hot chocolate," Alexis said firmly, watching her mother kissing Emmie goodnight.
"And be right back," Louis said while Castle was kissing the twins and murmuring goodnight to them. He wasn't surprised when his wife glanced at him and he added, "Once these two are asleep."
Nodding to them, Beckett looked at her husband when they had left and realized the room was quiet. "Are you waiting for us to tell you what to do?"
"No, we're just seeing if Emily needs to go to bed too," Skye said.
"She's right," Genevieve replied with a smile. "We'll be back though," she directed to her sons when she saw the dismay on their faces. "So keep playing."
Once the Lennoxes had left, Peter and Clive staying, Castle was about to playfully urge the others to continue to play when they were walking to the games already. He turned to his wife, seeing her leaving the room with Josie and he smiled, hurrying to follow.
"I can hear you Rick," Beckett said, stopping as soon as she could discern his footsteps.
"Great," Castle replied, smiling when she turned to him. "What're you doing?"
"I was going to get her some milk," Beckett answered before they were looking at their youngest to find her shaking her head.
"I think she likes the idea of hot chocolate," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife was frowning and he told her, "She has a little more time. And I won't give her too much."
"Please Mama?" Josie asked.
Sighing, Beckett pressed her lips to the top of her forehead and said, "Alright, but if you're having trouble falling asleep tonight your daddy needs to help."
"Okay," Josie said, a wide smile on her face. She shared a kiss with her mother before they were going back to the game room. "Down Mama, please?" she asked.
"Thank you for saying please," Beckett said laughingly before she set the toddler down after kissing her cheek. She watched her hurry to Julia and said to her husband, "You still want to play with me?"
"Well… it's either that or we'll each be playing on our own," Castle told her.
Smiling Beckett said, "There are other people you know."
"And they're all playing together," Castle said simply.
"Come on," Beckett said laughingly before she pulled her husband with her over to the air hockey game.
December 13th, 2022
I'm not going to write for very long Evangeline, I have the chance to play in the game room before my bedtime tonight… at least I hope! But I'll explain a lot better in a little bit.
School today was normal, nothing exciting really… I guess I'm just really impatient about Friday getting here so it can be Christmas already! Afterwards was dance, or I mean dance was last and then dance class of course after school was over all the way. It was instructions in putting steps together to make up our own dances, for the Quickstep and Foxtrot. Mom and Dad weren't there but I figured it was because of the case. When we got home though, they weren't back until almost five thirty so I'm guessing they had a lot of work today. But when they did get back, I was super surprised to see Skye and Mary with them. They have that bracelet that's important for the case and Skye has the victims with her.
So we had dinner, looked at the bowling alley (they've seen it already but Lizzy wanted them to see it for some reason) and played in the game room. Skye and Mary also met Finn and Emmie for the first time and they said they were adorable. I wrote too long already, so I better go!
Hurriedly scribbling at the end, Julia managed to write a goodnight to her diary under her last paragraph before she was hurrying to put everything away. As soon as she had finished she was hurrying to leave the room, slowing down in the hall though she didn't have far to go to the stairs. Skipping the last one she walked into the game room and was startled to find it was empty.
"We're here Julia," Skye said, walking down the hall.
"Oh, I thought you'd be in the game room," Julia replied with a smile, walking to them.
"We were taking a break," Castle said. He was a little surprised when Julia merely nodded before he asked, "That's it?"
"Could… could you tell me about the case?" Julia asked carefully, looking at her mother.
"I'm not surprised you're asking," Beckett said.
"Does that mean it's alright?" Skye asked her.
"It is," Beckett said, seeing Castle nodding as well. They then proceeded to explain everything that happened, though she sighed when the conversation at the end addressed Fox and Harrington.
"You don't think they'll get together Mom?" Julia asked her.
"I do, but I don't think the focus should be on that right now," Beckett said. "Also Philippa would be in trouble if they started a relationship right now."
"Oh… maybe they're just going to talk and then they'll start something afterwards?" Julia said though she couldn't help her confusion seeped in her tone.
"It's likely," Skye commented. She smiled when everyone was looking at her and said, "You said Fox does pay attention to regulations right?" At the nod she got from Beckett she said, "Then they'll wait. And hopefully it'll be soon for them."
"You think they'd make a good couple?" Julia asked.
"I do," Skye said, looking at her wife.
"I agree, and they were interested in each other," Mary said quickly. She then smiled and told her wife, "It reminds me of us a little."
"I thought the same," Skye said with a smile. She squeezed her wife's hand and then told Julia, "But don't mention it to Fox if you ever see her." She then frowned for a moment and asked, "Have you met her?"
"Yeah, a couple times," Julia said with a nod. "The picnic the station has."
"It's usually at the end of April," Castle explained.
"We tried to tell Brad we shouldn't be invited but he insisted," Beckett said.
"Do the officers have any protest?" Mary asked them. When they hesitated she couldn't help laughing and told them, "Then I think you two are set attending that."
"And the family," Castle said. "Since we take them with us."
"Right," Skye said before they were looking at Julia before the teen was speaking to them all.
"You really don't know where the brooch is?" she asked.
"No," Skye said. "Though I'm getting the feeling we might need to take a field trip."
"Do you know how many cars are at that museum?" Beckett asked the investigator.
"No but judging by the question you just had for me I'm assuming it's a lot," Skye answered. When her friend nodded she said, "You have to let me go there."
"Skye," Mary said.
"Grá you're aware I can't stop this," the investigator said. "When I said Bernard and Eileen left me I meant it. And they went to the museum. It's safe for them."
"And you think they can tell you where the brooch is?" Beckett asked, not surprised Mary was frowning at her wife.
"Oh no, no idea," Skye said. "But if I go they'll know which car it could be in."
"In? You really think Bernard would have done that," Castle said in surprise. "He loves all those cars."
"I have to give it a shot," Skye said with a brief nod.
"We'll tell Brad, but he'd probably want to go with you and I'm not sure if he's going to place that high a priority on it if you have nothing for sure," Beckett told her.
"Well… we can see what he says tomorrow," Skye said.
"For now we should head back to the game room," Castle commented. "Before Julia has to go to bed."
"Oh good, I wanted to play," the teen said, smiling when the adults turned to her. She walked with mother to the room and she said, "I'm fine Mom," not surprised at her immediate reaction.
"I know, but I don't want you to try and…" Beckett said before she trailed off.
"To be honest I don't think she could manage to suss out the brooch without getting in touch with Bernard and Eileen," Skye said behind them just as they walked inside the room. She then gave a pointed look to Julia and told her firmly, "Don't even attempt it."
"And how can I help? I'm going to be at school for most of the day tomorrow," Julia replied. "Also I have tests I need to study for," she added, making a face.
"You aren't doing well in your classes?" Skye asked jokingly. "I never would have suspected," she added before Castle was commenting while they were gathering around the pool table.
"Actually her grade average should be in the threes," he said. Glancing at the women across the table he said, "I'm not boasting."
"I didn't think you were," Mary said, her wife nodding next to her.
"What's your worst class though, out of curiosity?" Skye asked the teen while she was getting a cue.
Making a brief face Julia answered, "Math. I feel bad since Grandpapa is good at that but…"
"She's not that bad," Beckett said. "And your grandfather doesn't care how you do in math class, as long as you're not failing."
"Good, I was terrified Dad would be upset if I failed a class when I was younger," Skye said as Castle was removing the triangle on the table. "Luckily I talked to him about it and he told me we would figure out how to get my grades up."
"Did you ever have to?" Julia asked after taking the first shot.
"I was very lucky in that I didn't need to," Skye said, smiling. She then said, "But I'm sure you don't really want to discuss school."
"Not really," Julia replied.
"Then we better focus on the game," Skye said.
"Again?" Julia asked in surprise when she realized the adults were all looking at her.
"You hate going first," Beckett said with a smile.
"Thanks," Julia said gratefully before she was setting up her next shot.
"How much longer does she have?" Mary asked Castle quietly.
Checking his watch, he answered, "About twenty minutes."
"We're finishing the game?" Mary asked him.
"I hope so," Castle replied, nodding at the same time before they were walking back up to the table to take their turns.
Walking into the bedroom, Mary studied her wife and seeing she was still meditating she walked carefully around the room to put away her things.
"Grá?"
Turning around from the closet, Mary said, "What?"
Smiling Skye began stretching her limbs before she moved to get off of the bed. "You didn't interrupt me, I'm finished," she explained to her.
"Good," Mary replied. "But how're you doing?"
"Fine, they're not here," Skye said firmly. "They went to the museum."
"You're sure?" Mary asked. At her wife's nod she asked, "And how did you find that out?"
Giving her wife a look, Skye said, "I had to see where exactly they were, but it was quick work."
"Then why-" Mary started to say with a frown before her wife was squeezing at her arm.
"Because I needed that time," Skye said firmly. "And I feel a lot better."
Mary was about to speak before she hesitated and let the subject drop asking, "Are you cold?"
"No," Skye said. "I mean it is still a little chilly, you can't avoid that but the room is nice."
Unable to help laughing, Mary said, "It is."
After they'd looked at each other for some time, Skye smiled and said, "Are we being awkward right now?"
"A little, how're you going to start?" Mary asked.
"Oh, I'm starting now?" Skye asked teasingly. When her wife shrugged she couldn't help laughing before she leaned into her and they were kissing gently. After they had parted shortly after she said, "I think we're starting this together," not surprised when the doctor was replying immediately.
"Or you're trying to get out of it," Mary teased. She laughed softly when her wife rolled her eyes and they leaned into one another to kiss. She wrapped her arms around her wife gently and told her, "Maybe it doesn't matter."
"Not really," Skye answered. They were kissing again, a lot harder that time before she felt her wife's grip tightening on her. She did the same and slid her hands under Mary's sweater. Trailing her nails gently over her wife's skin she relished in the way the doctor was shuddering against her. Once they had parted she told her, "Have we started?"
Nodding, since she wasn't sure she could speak with the pleasure racing through her body at that moment, Mary wasn't surprised when her wife was letting her go. She allowed her to start pulling up her sweater and assisted her until it was off. Before Skye could reach for anything else she was wearing she stayed her hands before she was pulling her blouse out of her pants. "Better?" she asked her.
"Not yet," Skye said.
"Fresh," Mary teased her.
"You too," Skye replied in the same tone before they were kissing hungrily. Though she could tell her wife was feeling cold, she couldn't stop and wasn't surprised when Mary wasn't trying to either. After they were parting she said, "Hurry?"
"No," Mary said shortly, leaning into her wife before she was stopping her and speaking with a slight frown on her face.
"It is cold you might want to get into bed," Skye told her.
"We'll get there," Mary said simply before she leaned into her wife and captured her lips. They were doing so eagerly, relieved Skye was responding in turn, but they were spending some time tugging at each other's clothes until they had to part.
"I thought you said we weren't hurrying," Skye said.
"I can't tease you?" Mary responded swiftly. She wasn't surprised when her wife leaned into her and was kissing her deeply before they parted. Without a word she reached for her wife's blouse and began unbuttoning it slowly while Skye watched. "Too much?" she asked, hearing the way her wife's breathing was coming out more rapidly.
"A lot," Skye said roughly. She swallowed swiftly and said, "I'm tempted to tear off my shirt."
"Oh don't," Mary said with a seductive smile. "I like it on you so much." She reached around and gently pulled the fabric back before she said, "Especially the way it hangs on your gorgeous breasts." She let out a gasp when the investigator suddenly pulled her hands away and forced her to put them behind her back.
"Speaking of breasts," Skye said before she bowed her head. She proceeded to kiss around the tops of her wife's mounds in their bra, flicking her tongue out before Mary was crying out to her.
"Alright! Okay grá just… let me take your shirt off," Mary told her. She was relieved when her wife immediately let her go and they were moving to quickly get the rest of their clothing off though she was trying not to rip anything until they were getting onto the bed.
"I told you," Skye teased her wife with laughter in her voice when they slightly bounced on the bed. "You should start," she continued before Mary was frowning and speaking firmly.
"Let's not do that anymore," the doctor told her. Mary was relieved when Skye nodded and she leaned into her, kissing her lightly before she moved to kiss at her breasts. She gasped after brushing one to both mounds feeling her wife grasping her ass tightly. "Skye," she said warningly.
"I wanted my turn," the investigator replied before she was sucking at her wife's left nipple. She only did that briefly before she was moving to the other, doing the same, and then pulled away before Mary was crushing her lips. Responding eagerly, Skye was reaching up to gently run her fingers through her wife's hair before they were parting, watching the doctor as she went to her breasts. Sighing when Mary was lightly brushing her lips against the mounds she murmured her name before pulling her towards her for another kiss.
"Don't stop me," Mary instructed her wife firmly.
"Oh trust me," Skye replied, smiling briefly. "I won't… unless you're going to do something weird."
Mary couldn't help laughing at the way her wife had spoken and she brushed her lips to hers telling her, "Trust me."
"I always do grá," Skye said seriously before they were kissing deeply again. Once they'd stopped and were apart she looked on while her wife was kissing all around her breasts and gently cupped them at the same time. Since she was below her wife she was able to place her hands slightly behind her, arching her back to press her nipple a little more into Mary's mouth. She gasped at the sensation of her wife's moan before the doctor was pulling away. It took her a moment to realize Mary was caressing her chest but she did her best to ignore the pleasure before she was grabbing her wife's hands and pulling them away.
"What-" Mary started to say before she was suddenly flipped around. She'd gasped before doing her best to calm down and she said, "What if I wanted it the other way?"
"Then you're going to have to punish me," Skye replied, reaching for her wife's hair. She very gently pushed the locks back over her shoulders and told her, "I might insist."
"Might or will?" Mary replied in obvious amusement. Before her wife could respond she was crying out hard while the investigator was fingering her sex and she tried arching her hips so she could touch her clit.
"Easy grá," Skye told her sultrily, enjoying her wife's movements that she'd outright stared at.
"Easy? After…" Mary started to say, slightly annoyed before she stopped herself. "What do you want?" she breathed.
Not answering, Skye slid her fingers up and indulged in stimulating her wife's clit for a few seconds before she went back down to her entrance. She dipped her fingers inside of Mary a few times, withdrawing them and sticking them in her mouth before she told her wife, "That."
"Let me do the same," the doctor told her. Mary was relieved when her wife's answer was to adjust slightly and she was able to slide her fingers around the investigator's clit. She watched Skye intently as she was arching her neck and moaning before she leaned into her, kissing at her neck while her wife gasped and spoke hoarsely.
"How long… how long are you planning on doing that?" Skye asked though she was struggling a little. Her wife's response was to withdraw her fingers from her and she said, "You…" trailing off watching her sucking her fingers obviously eagerly. "Grá," she breathed to her.
Once she had pulled her fingers away Mary leaned into her wife and they were kissing deeply before she realized Skye was moving. She ended the kiss when her wife was pressing against her sex after a little shifting and she couldn't help her moan before she wrapped her arms a little more securely around her back. "Good?" she asked, seeing her wife was looking in between them.
"Oh yes," Skye breathed before tilting her head up to her. Holding her wife's eyes, she was gently moving against her, loving how Mary's head immediately tilted back while she groaned. She pressed a little harder against her, feeling the slickness of the doctor's sex before she was speeding up. Moving to kiss her as hard as she could, their tongues were rolling around each other hungrily until they were parting and panting heavily against each other. "Tell me grá," she breathed out.
"Don't… you don't need to worry," Mary tried to say without hesitation though it was impossible with the sensation of their sexes still rubbing against each other. Her wife had gone even faster and she was doing the same before she was realized they were going a little crazy with their movements until they were slowing down at the same time.
"I… need to come," Skye told her wife.
"So do I just… don't stop," Mary told her before she was taking her lips. They began to kiss a little wildly, holding onto one another as tightly as they could before they were parting shortly after.
Her wife's cries of pleasure in her ears, Skye was trying not to move too hard against her though it was a losing battle. She was going a little wild, not keeping to what rhythm she'd had until everything in her body seemed to stop. She was breathing hard and telling her, "I love you Mary."
"Hmm, I love you too Rose," the doctor said. When her wife bowed her head against her she smiled and kissed the side of it telling her, "You proved it to me."
"That I'm alright?" Skye asked. After her wife had nodded she couldn't help laughing and she told her, "I'm glad to hear that. Now please tell me you want to stay up a little longer."
"Jet lag?" Mary asked. She laughed that time when Skye merely looked at her and she gently brushed her lips to the investigator's. "Then I should have a turn."
"You're owed one aren't you?" Skye replied easily. When her wife was smirking at her she couldn't help trembling at the expression before she did her best to stop and allowed her to lay her down. Watching her leaning down she shortly after felt her licking her sex in one sweep of her tongue and cried out before the doctor was speaking to her seductively.
"Do I need to work you up at all?" Mary asked.
Breathing out hard once, Skye shook her head and said, "Only if I can do the same thing." She was overjoyed when her wife smiled at her, since she knew that was her assent, and she was racing to switch places before Mary was laying down.
"You're only going to do that right?" the doctor asked.
Smiling, Skye asked, "Only one lick?" She watched Mary shudder and told her, "I guess if I have to."
"You do," Mary told her firmly. She watched her wife moving then to lay down fully before she was licking at her sex the way she had done to the investigator. Sighing when Skye moved to lay next to her she told her, "Thank you."
"Thank you too," Skye replied, her wife laughing before she turned on her side to her. "How should we do this?" she then inquired.
Running her hand along her wife's side Mary said, "We could do it like this…"
"Or?" Skye prompted her.
"Or you could turn around," Mary said firmly.
Unable to help laughing, Skye moved to brush her lips to hers and said, "I will."
A little startled when her wife wasn't moving, Mary was about to speak before her wife was kissing her sensuously. She hurried to respond and they were tangling their tongues together hungrily before they were slowly parting. "Not yet," she said, having intended that to be a question though she was panting too hard to do so.
"Not yet," Mary echoed, reaching down to her and lightly fondling her breast. Feeling Skye trembling she smiled before she kissed her deeply and they were dueling with their tongues for some time. Once they were parted and remained away from each other she told her, "Now."
"Suteki," Skye breathed, calling her wife gorgeous in Japanese. She kissed her but was brief before she leaned down to her breasts to kiss them in her movements. Once she was laying the opposite way from her wife she raised her leg at the same time Mary did to her before they were leaning into each other's sex.
The two women pleasured each other eagerly, having had so much experience in doing so that they would stop every so often to keep from climaxing immediately. Once they had reached their orgasms they remained where they were a little longer before Skye was turning herself around.
Wrapping her arms around her wife as soon as she was next to her, Mary pressed close and told her, "I know you're alright but-"
"I'm aware," Skye replied with a smile. She then said as she grew serious, "I'll be fine."
Kissing her wife's shoulder, Mary then said, "Do you remember after I moved in with you… about three nights in?"
"That night or the day after?" Skye asked. "We stayed in bed the entire day."
"Either or," Mary said with a smile before she raised herself to watch her wife laughing. She had grown serious as she reached down to gently brush her fingers against her wife's jaw and she told her, "But it was incredible."
"We'll be on our own in February," Skye said, taking her wife's hand and pulling it to her lips. She kissed each fingertip, ending with the thumb and she sucked it a little before Mary was pulling it away. When her wife was leaning down to her she was taking her kiss, wrapping her arms around the doctor before she caressed at her.
When she could feel the investigator's hands grasping her ass firmly, Mary gasped and ended the kiss before she pulled away fully.
"Please grá," Skye breathed heavily, following her. "Once more." She watched her wife obviously think that over before Mary was reaching for her and they were kissing as deeply as they could.
Holding onto one another tightly, the women were shortly after moving to press against one another, taking their time to stimulate each other until they would have no choice but to sleep.