Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs Christmas Time All Over the World written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, from the Sammy Davis Jr. album The Sammy Davis Jr. Christmas Album and Santa Claus' Party written and sung by Les Baxter.
A/N #2: I was pleased receiving the feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll start on my thank you for that! Mb (It was nice to see you thought the first half of the chapter was a sweet update about their Christmas Eve. I wasn't surprised you mentioned them opening a gift since I know a lot of people do that. You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! I was glad you enjoyed the second half with them getting all the gifts under the tree. I had to smile at you saying your tree was almost like the Castle tree, but more because I actually never had that- the gifts usually went out to the middle the room instead of up and around, lol. And I wasn't surprised you loved that the McColloughs where there for Christmas since it's the twins' first one of course! Great to see you thought it was wonderfully done! And you're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter! Happy July 4th to you too! (I celebrate that holiday, lol)
Thanks for the review, loved reading it and appreciate the time taken to write it out and send it my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Christmas Dreaming (A Little Early This Year) written by Irving Gordon and Lester Lee, from the Frank Sinatra album Christmas Dreaming.
The Happy Season Is Here
"Have you ever seen so many presents?" Erin was asking the other kids.
"I haven't," Clive said in agreement while they were staring at the literal mounds of presents.
"We have," Marie said for herself and her twin who nodded in agreement.
"At Mill Valley," Kathleen said to Julia.
"But not this many," the teen replied with a smile before they were all holding back their laughter.
"Could we go to the little tree now?" Eliza asked her sister.
"Yeah, we better," Julia replied before they were heading out of the room. When they were in the game room she wasn't surprised at the younger kids crying out before she helped the other older kids quiet them down. "We're going to wake up the parents and we can't do that remember?" she asked her baby sister.
"I want to open," Josie said. "Now?"
"Yeah, right now," Julia replied.
"Should we do it all at once?" Peter asked.
"Yeah," Julia said simply before she led Josie over to the tree. She saw they had two gifts each and once they were unwrapping the first she made sure her baby sister was okay.
"My toy?" Josie asked happily, uncovering a pair of slippers.
"Your slippers," Eliza corrected her.
"Ooh," Josie said.
"What'd you get?" Marie asked Julia, watching her unwrap her gift then.
"A stationery set," the teen replied with a smile, showing everyone the box of notecards with scenes from different National Parks.
"Pretty," Erin said.
"Yeah I'll use them to write to you," Julia told her sister-in-law before they were laughing together.
"The second gifts now?" Ivy asked.
"Yeah, right now," Julia said, trying not to laugh when the other kids were looking at her. She helped Josie again with her second gift before getting to hers and admired everyone's before she looked at the nearest clock.
"Is it time to wake them up yet?" Eliza asked hopefully.
"Almost," Julia said, seeing there was still two minutes to seven thirty when they would be allowed to wake up the adults.
"I think they're going to have their alarms on though," Clive commented.
"Our parents still want us to wake them up," Eliza said.
"And we want to make sure they get up," Julia added before anyone could reply to that. She then smiled and said, "I think we can start making our way to them now though. Wait." She couldn't help laughing when her sister froze in mid-step and said, "Don't run."
"Oh… fine," Eliza said with a sigh. She waited for the others to get up and join her and they made their way to the stairs. "I hope they're not up," she told her sister before she was responding with a smile.
"Maybe, but let Josa go first," Julia told her.
Though she was about to protest, Eliza nodded and they headed down the hall to their parents' room.
While the kids had been leaving the family room, Castle had woken up to Beckett pressing against him and he blinked a few times, just able to tell it was morning. "Kate?" he said.
"Hmm," Beckett replied, not opening her eyes.
"Merry Christmas love," Castle told her.
Blinking, Beckett looked up at him and said, "Morning?"
"Yeah," Castle said with a smile, feeling more awake.
Sighing, Beckett lay on her back and rubbed her face for a moment before she looked at him and said, "Merry Christmas." She took his gentle kiss before she squeezed his hand when she could hear footsteps coming down the hall.
"Are we going to pretend?" Castle asked her.
"Why are you even asking?" Beckett replied with a smile. They shared a brief kiss before settling down again with her pressed against his side in time before their door was being opened.
"Go Josa," Eliza told the toddler. "Wake up Mommy and Daddy."
"Eh," Josie said with a smile. She rushed to the bed and was about to start trying to climb up when she was being picked up. Patting Julia's cheek when her big sister was putting her finger to her lips, she then turned to their parents and laid on top of their father. "Dada?" she asked. She giggled when his eye peeked open and she sat up a little, patting his cheeks with her hands. "Mama, Dada up! Santa is here!" she cried happily.
"He is, we better go meet him," Castle said, opening his eyes fully.
Laughing with her sister Eliza said, "You know he came already Daddy."
"I know, but I have to humor her," Castle said, taking Josie so he and his wife could sit up.
"Merry Christmas girls," Beckett told them. She opened her arms to Julia when she was first to her and kissed her temple. "I'm going to guess you opened up the presents?"
"Under the little tree," Eliza said in a rush, going to her mother after hugging Castle.
"But we did look at the big tree," Julia replied, smiling a little. She then said, "Everyone should be up now."
"We'll go, head out and see if anyone needs help," Beckett said, her husband looking at her.
"Come on Josa," Julia said, taking her baby sister's hand.
After their three youngest had left, Beckett turned to her husband before they leaned into each other and kissed tenderly. After they'd parted she said, "We better hurry."
"I know, after the presents they're going to want to swim," Castle said before they got out of bed.
"You don't?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"Of course I do, I'm just thinking of the kids," Castle replied, helping her with her robe. He looked on while she carefully ran her fingers through her hair and he did the same as she looked at him in amusement.
"You might want to do the same love," Beckett told him, smoothing down some of his hair.
Once he'd run his fingers through his hair, Castle and Beckett left their room in time to see Alexis and Louis leaving theirs with the twins. They greeted them by saying Merry Christmas before heading down to the living room where everyone was gathering. After they'd said good morning and Merry Christmas they settled around the tree on the couch, armchairs and floor before Julia was talking to the adults for the other kids.
"Are we going to pass around the presents?" the teen asked.
"That would be nice," Beckett said first. "But there are some special gifts for us that are going to be last."
"Are they the ones over there?" Clive asked, pointing to the built in where the TV was.
"They are," Castle said. "But everyone gets one gift, though I think you kids should open the gifts from Santa first."
"Don't forget the three Dad," Alexis told him.
"Oh right," Castle said.
"I saw them," Julia said before she went to the three across the room from the built in. She wasn't surprised when the other kids took that to mean they should start and she was hurrying over, giving two of the presents to Alexis and Louis and the last to Genevieve since they were for the three youngest. She then moved to help the others before everyone had a gift and they looked at the youngest so they could be filmed with their first Christmas gifts.
Filming Alexis helping Emmie with her present, Louis eventually asked, "What have you got there sweetling?"
"A horsie!" Eliza exclaimed since the gift was a stuffed horse.
"I think she likes it," Beckett said with a smile, taking a picture of the baby with her phone while she was making noises.
"I think so," Alexis replied, watching Emmie holding onto it.
"That tradition's strong," Skye commented.
"It's both sides of their family," Brennan said before they were looking at Louis while he opened the gift for Finn.
Not surprised it was a stuffed horse as well, Castle said, "I hope Emily doesn't mind horses," speaking jokingly and not surprised when the baby's father was doing so as well in response.
"Don't assume," Isaac replied though he was turning his attention to his wife while she was helping Emily with the wrapping paper.
Watching with his brother Peter asked, "What is it?" as their baby sister was waving her present around.
"It's a rabbit," Genevieve said, looking at Castle.
Laughing, he said, "So I was half right."
"I think it's time to open gifts," Mary commented, looking at the other kids. "Are you good with Arthur and Ella?"
"Yeah," Brennan said. "We should begin."
With that everyone who had a gift started to open them or helped someone else. There was a lot of laughter as the paper flew a little from some of the kids before they were moving through the rest of the presents. It took a good deal of time, Julia asking her father once they were finished completely since he'd timed it at their insistence.
"Almost two hours," Castle commented. When he saw the surprised looks on some of the kids he smiled and said, "Seriously. It took us an hour and fifty-six minutes."
"At least we got everything done," Kathleen commented.
"You could go swimming now," Skye said since hers and Mary' daughters were all looking towards her and her wife.
"I'm surprised you kids don't want to look at your presents," Liam commented.
"We'll do that later Grandda," Ivy said with a smile.
"What do we do with our presents?" Iris asked.
"Put them into piles," Beckett said when the other parents were looking to her and Castle.
"She's right, you can leave them but put them on top of the couch and chairs," he added. He picked up Josie's gifts for his wife before they were getting their own and going to their room where his wife was speaking to him with a smile inside their closet.
"Good Christmas?" Beckett asked him.
"It was, you made out nice," Castle replied, looking at the dress in her hands.
"I wasn't expecting that," Beckett said since it was from Julia and she had made the sundress with Mari's help. She turned to her husband and said, "You like it?"
"I do," Castle replied. "Hopefully it fits."
"I hope so too," Beckett answered before she was setting it back down. "Will you wear your sweater?"
"Yeah," Castle said instantly. He smiled when she laughed at how quickly he'd spoken and he squeezed her hand while he was pulling her towards him. "Though you said you're going to wear your blue dress."
"I am, your sweater will be enough," Beckett replied firmly. "You heard Isaac and Brennan."
"Hopefully we won't match," Castle commented, smiling again while she was laughing briefly. He pulled her to him and said, "Thank you for it."
"You're welcome," Beckett replied. "And thank you for mine. Though I hope you know I don't have anything else for you."
"It doesn't matter," Castle said firmly. He leaned into her and kissed her tenderly before they were parting and said, "I have to let you go." He wasn't surprised when she nodded firmly and he added, "I don't want to."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett commented. "But we have later."
"I'm holding you to that," Castle informed her.
Squeezing his arm with a smile Beckett said, "I'm well aware. Come on, the kids are going to want to go."
Nodding, Castle let her go before they were moving to change into their bathing suits and putting on clothes over that since they needed to take care of the meal first. Outside in the hall he asked her, "Do you want to get Josie?"
"She's already downstairs," Julia said, coming outside with Erin and the older McDouglas twins. "Gram got her ready and went down to see if Grandpapa would need help," she added, not surprised at her mother's response.
"He's starting already?" Beckett said. She rushed down the stairs and hurried into the kitchen where her father was setting the ham that had been cut already into the warming oven. "Dad-" she started to say.
"It's alright," Jim interrupted her. "I don't think I'm going to swim today," he added.
"Are you sure?" Beckett asked.
"Very, Liam and Pablo aren't either," Jim answered.
"He's right, my knee would appreciate the rest," the pilot said, walking to the kitchen with his husband.
"And I'll supervise," Martha said, walking to the kitchen from the pool room.
Taking Josie from her, Beckett said, "I appreciate that but you might need to watch the kids while we start everything."
"I can help with that," Pablo said firmly.
"And you too Dad," Skye said, walking to the kitchen.
"I was going to say," Liam replied with a smile. "Is everyone ready?"
"They are," Mary said, nodding.
"And is everyone else ready for the dinner?" Castle asked.
"We are," Brennan said, some of the others agreeing with that.
"Okay, kids listen to the adults please and we'll be inside as soon as we can," Castle told them.
"We'll be good," Julia said before they were walking to the pool room. She had taken Josie from their mother and she squeezed at her hand saying, "Ready to swim?"
"Eh," Josie replied. She then tugged her sister's hand and asked, "Does Santa come."
"Again?" Julia supplied for her. When her sister nodded rapidly she smiled and said, "No but we'll have more presents with the other families. So get ready to open more soon." She laughed when Josie nodded rapidly before she led her to their grandmother saying, "Do I have to take care of her?"
"No, your sister will," Martha answered. "I need to watch Finn and Emmie so Alexis will be taking Josie."
"Oh, then we better go to 'lexis," Julia directed to her sister. She smiled when Josie nodded and they walked over to their big sister and brother-in-law.
"Are you ready to head into the pool now?" Louis said to the toddler.
"Yeah," Josie said immediately, nodding her head. She smiled widely and said, "I want Santa."
"Presents," Julia said, stopping herself from walking away when she heard that. When her sister looked at her with wide eyes she said to Alexis, "She wants to open more presents."
"I'm not surprised. Ella said she did too," Louis commented. "And we're taking my brother and sister too so yours won't be alone."
"Good, since we all have someone to go with," Julia said. "Have fun Josa," she told her baby sister.
"Too," Josie replied, giggling when her sister laughed before she walked away. "When Mama swim?" she asked her big sister who was checking on Finn and Emmie in their carriers on either side of their grandmother's lounge.
"Soon I'm sure," Martha answered for her oldest granddaughter. "They'll be fine," she told her firmly.
"I just want to make sure," Alexis said before her husband was touching her back while he spoke.
"We better go," Louis said before she was nodding and picking up her sister. He had Arthur by the hand and had Ella on his hip before he said, "Should we let Ella on the slide?"
"You didn't ask your parents?" Alexis replied with a smile.
"I want to go," Arthur told his brother.
"Will you stay with Alexis? I need to ask Da and Mam first okay?" Louis said. When he was sure that his siblings would stay with her as they stepped into the kid's pool, he hurried over to the kitchen where his parents were working with the others.
"What's wrong?" Clara asked.
"Nothing," Louis said reassuringly. "Can Arthur and Ella go on the slide?"
"Of course," Brennan said. "But you know someone needs to be there when they go into the water."
"I was aware," Louis said. "I'll let them know."
"How much more do we have?" Beckett asked her husband after watching their son in law go back to the pool.
"Not much, I think most everything is going to be ready in time for three," Castle said.
"Three?" Beckett asked.
"Two-thirty?" Castle said hesitantly.
Laughing, Beckett said, "I thought we'd said four."
"Three-thirty then," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when the others were laughing and she then asked the writers, "What time are the three other families getting here?"
"Three-thirty," Beckett said, looking pointedly at her husband.
"We could have called them," Castle said in mock annoyance. "But it looks like it'll be four, the gifts?"
"That's why I said four," Beckett replied.
"He's drunk already," Isaac said jokingly.
"Or tired," Skye said wryly.
"Alright, leave my husband alone," Beckett told the others teasingly. "We have everything set and I think now we're ready."
"Just the potatoes?" Jim asked his daughter. He smiled when she obviously hesitated and he said, "I told you I don't mind."
"Yes," Beckett said, answering his question. "And I think that's it."
"Go, enjoy yourself," Liam said with a smile. "We'll keep an eye on the food."
"If you need to-" Skye started to say before her dad was responding.
"I'll go into the pool room, don't worry," Liam interrupted.
"Then we can go," Skye said, looking at the others.
"Great because Isaac and Genevieve left already," Castle commented in amusement, not surprised when the investigator frowned before she spoke slowly as she looked towards the pool room.
"So… they abandoned us," Skye said.
"Abandoned?" Beckett asked suspiciously.
"What is it?" Castle asked, looking at his wife.
"I don't know but she did something," Beckett said.
Rolling her eyes Mary said in mock annoyance, "You better tell them grá."
Sighing, Skye told her wife jokingly, "You never let me have any fun." When she saw the way her wife raised her eyebrow she cleared her throat and then said, "Okay, you're right." She then turned to the others and said, "I asked if the others could come sooner."
"You…" Castle started to say. He trailed off and then said, "To be honest I was thinking of doing that."
"Me too," Beckett said with a smile. She couldn't help laughing at the obvious surprise on everyone's face and said, "Did you tell them to come over?"
"Just asked," Skye replied, shaking her head. "But I can tell them in a second if you want me to."
"That would be nice," Beckett told her. She smiled, seeing how swiftly her friend was sending the message before she told her husband, "We better tell the others."
"Did you tell your daughters you were going to do that?" Castle asked her.
Shaking her head Skye replied, "I didn't want to assume." She then held her hand up as the writers started to speak and told them, "Besides sending out the message."
Hearing three rapid alert sounds Castle said, "I'm assuming they said yes."
"They did," Skye said before she let out a laugh. "Patrick told me to make sure I warned you they were coming." She paused and then said, "And he told me he would have done the same."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a laugh. "They'll be here with the Fosters first."
"And if it was next month the Davises wouldn't be that far behind," Castle commented.
"Are you going to tell the kids or just have them go in the room?" Mary asked.
"Have them go in," Beckett said simply before she and Castle were heading to the entry.
Resurfacing in the pool after she'd gone down the slide, Julia swam over to the edge and said, "I wish the others could have come now."
"Why didn't they?" Marie asked, watching her friend pushing herself out of the pool.
"I guess they wanted to stay at home a little longer," Julia said.
"You want to see Mari don't you?" Marie said.
"Yeah, give her her presents," Julia replied. She was about to speak when she heard voices at the entry to the room and looked over to see her best friend there with her family. "Mari!" she cried, overjoyed to see them. She went to her chair and put on her sandals before hurrying to her friend.
"Wait," the girl said with a laugh as Julia was about to hug her. Taking off her sundress in a hurry, Mari turned to her friend and cried out while she was being embraced tightly. "I didn't know you wanted to see me that badly. Gifts?" she said, asking the last with a smirk.
Making a face at her Julia said, "You're thinking the same thing."
"Who isn't," Mari replied easily before they heard Peter gasping near them.
"Hey," Eve said, smiling at her boyfriend when he hurried up to her. "Surprised?"
"A little, I thought you were coming later," Peter said before her father was speaking and making them both jump a little.
"We were but Skye suggested we should come early," Brad told them. "And we decided we should."
"Great you did but you should hurry," Castle said. When the chief looked at him he said, "You're going to run out of time to swim."
"He's right Dad," Jacob said.
"Get in the pool," Brad said in mock annoyance at his son's tone of voice. He laughed when Jacob playfully saluted him before he said to his friend, "You don't need help with anything?"
"Not dinner, if you're asking for Lily," Castle replied. "Just putting the gifts you brought under the tree."
"They'll do that," Brad replied, nodding to his son and daughter. He smiled and said, "They're eager themselves." He glanced around the pool room before asking, "How long did it take you to unwrap everything?"
"Almost two hours," Castle answered with a smile.
"Timed?" Brad asked.
"Of course," Castle said, smiling. He then said, "You're not going to join your wife?"
"I am, just getting everything she gave me ready," Brad replied before he was going over to the kid's pool.
Turning to Josie, Castle wasn't surprised to see she was playing with Sophie before he felt a hand squeezing at his. "Swimming?" he asked.
"I'd like to," Beckett replied.
"Have you talked to Josie?" Castle then said.
Smiling, Beckett said, "I did, she's happy with everyone there."
"Slide?" Castle asked.
Laughing outright Beckett said, "Eventually. For now let's just swim." She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded and they went to the entry for the pool before they walked in. After they were swimming they went together until they were slipping into the grotto, finding Skye and Mary there with Peter and Eve.
"You guys better not be making out here," Castle said jokingly.
"We aren't," Peter said seriously.
"He was talking to us," Skye commented, looking wryly at the writer.
"I was actually," Castle said, not surprised the McDouglas women were laughing at that.
"He was talking to them," Beckett assured the teenagers. "Who was here first though?"
"I was," Eve said.
"And we were very fast behind him," Mary said. She then said, "I think they were going to talk."
"We were, I wouldn't make her dad mad on Christmas," Peter said before his girlfriend was laughing and responding to him.
"I wouldn't let him be," Eve said. "Though I'm sure he saw us come here."
"And he's here," Brad said.
"Where's Mom?" Eve asked him.
Making a brief face, Brad answered, "With your sister. But what are you doing here?"
"Talking," Skye said, smiling at Peter when he tensed visibly.
"I'm kidding," Brad said swiftly, noticing his daughter's boyfriend. "But does anyone feel weird?"
"Are you coming to LA next year?" Mary asked.
"Yes," Brad said firmly, glancing at his daughter.
"Then wait for no snow or rain," Mary told him.
Laughing briefly Brad said, "Rick and Kate have told me. I'm going to guess we'll be using your pool then too?"
"Of course, the girls will insist," Skye commented.
"Where are you going?" Beckett asked since the investigator was moving to go under the waterfall.
"To the slide, get a few in before we have to stop for dinner," Skye explained, smiling at her wife who was following her.
"Oh, I'm going too," Eve said, seeing Peter nodding in agreement before they left.
"Should I leave?" Brad asked.
"I think we're going too," Beckett replied.
"Me too," the chief commented leaving first.
When his wife didn't move for the waterfall, Castle looked at her in confusion before he said, "I thought-" He was cut off when his wife was throwing her arms around him and he was racing to respond to her kiss before they were pulling apart slowly. "That's it?" he asked.
"You're lucky you got that," Beckett told him teasingly.
"I know," Castle said. "But I can't help feeling a little greedy. Plus it's Christmas."
Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "I told you later." She couldn't help laughing when he leaned into her neck and kissed at it before she said, "Okay, seriously Rick, someone's going to come in."
"Let's go," Castle said before they were heading into the water and swimming over to the side so they could join some of the others in going on the slide.
"Kate?"
"Yes?" Beckett asked.
"You won't be annoyed will you?" Castle responded with a question of his own.
Looking up from where she was sitting on the couch in their room, Beckett smiled and said, "I'm not, I just wasn't sure you'd like that sweater."
"I do, tomorrow or… when the others are here if we go out to eat or something," Castle said, walking out from the closet to her. Though he'd told her he would wear the sweater she'd gifted him he'd put on his suit. "And I asked the other men… we'll be in suits," he added as she stood and walked up to him.
"Matching?" Beckett asked jokingly. She laughed briefly when he gave her a frown before she cupped his cheeks with her hands and told him, "I don't care about them, but I do about you."
"And I'm good?" Castle asked her.
Smirking at him, Beckett pulled him down to her so they could kiss. She let it last before she was pulling away and told him, "Wait until I'm ready."
"Yes," Castle said, not surprised when she laughed as she cupped his cheeks again before she spoke.
"Or you can go get Josie," Beckett told him.
"I might," Castle said, smiling when she laughed again and leaned her head down slightly.
When she'd calmed down Beckett looked up at her husband and said, "You're not."
"No, but we can get her together after," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she was rolling her eyes before he leaned down to her and kissed her gently. He kept it brief and then pulled back saying, "Hurry."
"I kind of need to," Beckett replied in amusement. "Rick," she said a little bit after that. When he looked at her questioningly she told him, "Let me go."
"Oh, right," Castle said, releasing his hold on her swiftly. "I couldn't resist." He half expected her to respond but when she only smirked at him and walked away to the closet he was clearing his throat before he looked around the empty bedroom. He realized she'd made a point in getting their youngest but he went to the windows in front of their bed looking down at the empty beach. He watched the waves and did his best not to look at his watch before he heard the closet door opening.
"I took too long?" Beckett asked with a smile when she saw the way her husband was standing.
"I was trying not to get impatient," Castle explained to her.
"Any luck," Beckett asked, gesturing him to her.
"Not really," Castle replied, hurrying up to her. He brushed his lips to hers and said, "You're done right?"
"No, I'm close," Beckett said. "And neither are you," she added, not surprised her husband pursed his lips for a moment before she let go of his hand once they were in their bathroom before he was stopping her with a request she had half expected.
"Could I brush your hair?" Castle asked. At his wife's smile he said, "No?"
"I don't think we'd ever leave the room if I let you do that," Beckett replied. "Also I'm not leaving it down." She laughed briefly when he made a face for a moment and then said, "I'm not. And you need to finish getting ready." When he was about to speak she then said, "But you can watch when you are."
"Thank you," Castle said seriously before they were turning their attention to the vanity. He combed his hair swiftly before he was watching his wife as she was putting her hair up and he handed her her mother's comb when she was finished.
Beckett gasped when her husband was grabbing her as soon as she'd lowered her arms and managed to say, "You're-" before he was kissing her deeply. Grabbing him she felt his arms pulling her tighter to him and their tongues were tangling together for a brief time before they were pulling away from each other slowly. Smiling she said, "That was your last chance."
"It's why I took it," Castle replied with a smile before they were embracing tightly. He pressed his lips to her temple briefly and told her, "You're gorgeous."
"Sheik," Beckett told him, smiling. They shared a brief kiss and she told him, "Go get Josie."
"I'll be back," Castle replied, squeezing her to him for a moment before he let her go. He made his way to his mother's room and knocked on her door before she called him in.
"She's been waiting for you," Martha told her son with a smile.
"Come on sweetheart," Castle said, smiling at the toddler while she hurried to him. "Your mom wants to get you dressed," he added, not surprised when she was responding happily.
"I want to see Mama," Josie told him.
"We're going right now," Castle replied. "Take your brush for me?"
"Eh," Josie said, beaming at him before they were walking down the hall.
"Hello sweetie," Beckett said, picking the toddler up once she and Castle were in the room. Kissing her cheek she asked, "Are you ready to change?" Smiling when the toddler nodded she said, "I hope you have your dress."
"I have it," Castle said. "She has her comb."
"Good," Beckett said though she was looking at their youngest. "Come here sweetie."
Nodding, Josie let her mother pull her to the bed and once she had lifted her onto it she held out the comb. "For you Mama," she said.
"Thank you sweetie," Beckett replied, taking it and sharing a kiss with her. She gave Castle the comb and took her dress and stockings from him before she started to change the toddler.
Watching his wife, Castle was unable to help reaching out to her and gently touching her arm. He took the clothes she handed him, folding them swiftly before she was setting Josie on the floor. "I forgot her shoes," he said out loud when he suddenly realized that.
"It's alright, I need a headband anyways," Beckett said. As they were moving to leave their room she asked him, "Is anyone out yet?"
"Not when we were walking over here," Castle replied.
Beckett nodded, looking at the door to Julia's room while they passed it and wondering if the teen had tried on her dress yet. She shook herself and walked down to Josie's, slipping inside so she and Castle could finish helping the toddler get ready.
"Are you done?" Mari called to the closed bathroom door.
"Yes, hold on," Julia said with a smile as she was opening it. Once she stepped out she asked, "What do you think?"
"It's pretty," Marie said first. When the teen looked at her she said, "I like the silhouette."
"Is something wrong with it?" Kathleen asked then since Mari was walking around Julia and tugging here and there.
"No, just making sure it fits really nice," the girl replied. She smiled and said, "You like it right?"
"Of course I do," Julia said firmly, going to the mirror her barre was attached to and she smiled. Running her hand down the skirt of her dress she was about to repeat that she loved it when Erin was talking behind them.
"You really made that?" the girl asked.
"Yeah," Mari said. "My second one that's a full dress."
"What was the first one?" Eve asked.
"Mine," Mari said. "I would have made hers first but it was better this way."
"You didn't need to," Julia said. She then smiled and said, "But they came out great." She then looked at the others and said, "But you all look great too." She laughed when they were all shrugging before they were moving to finish their hair in her mirror and bathroom mirror. She had already done hers so she studied her dress in her reflection before she said, "I have to wear more dresses like this," since it had a fifties style silhouette. It was in the shimmering blue fabric she'd gifted to her friend in June and she and Mari had designed an applique pattern in faux crystals for her to sew around the waist and she said, "I should have helped you."
"Don't start," Mari said with a smile, standing next to her friend in her blue, black and white plaid dress that was the same silhouette as her friend's. "I told you it's practice and I need it. I can't make plain dresses all the time," she added, fixing her skirt a little.
"True," Julia replied. She then said with a sigh, "I hope you're okay I didn't pay for this."
"We're not going to talk about this again are we?" Mari asked in mock annoyance.
"No," Julia said, smiling since they'd discussed that already. "Thank you so much, again."
"You're welcome. You do look really pretty," Mari said.
"You too," Julia said with a smile before they were turning to the others as they walked over.
"I think we should do it," Eve said after they'd looked at their reflections in the mirror.
"Do what?" Kathleen asked in obvious confusion.
"Take a selfie?" Julia guessed before they were laughing together since she'd made her tone hesitant.
"Yeah, do you want to?" Eve asked them. She smiled when the others were agreeing and they were posing for the picture. After she'd taken it with her phone she let everyone see before they were leaving the room.
First downstairs, Julia looked around to see where everyone else was and wasn't surprised to spot them in the kitchen. "Hi," she said with a smile as she walked up to her mother.
"You look beautiful sweetie," Beckett told her. "You did a great job with that," she directed to Mari who was near them.
"And your dress," Martha said, smiling as she had walked up to them.
"Really?" Mari asked.
"Yes, the stitches are wonderful," Martha commented, speaking slightly absently since she was looking at the sleeve of Julia's dress. She then went to Mari's and nodded saying, "You have great potential kiddo."
"Thank you," Mari said, her cheeks a little flushed. "I wanted them to come out good," she said before her friend was speaking suddenly.
"They did," Julia assured her.
"It hasn't ripped yet?" Mari replied. When her friend beamed at her and nodded she began to laugh before they were turning their attention to her friend's father.
"I think everyone's here," Castle said, looking around. "So we can eat. Kids first."
"Older or younger kids?" Jacob immediately asked.
"All kids," Castle said after a brief laugh. He went to his wife while the others were going to the kitchen and he said, "I think they're hungry."
"Are you?" Beckett asked with a slight smirk.
"I am, but I do want to get the plate ready for Josie," Castle told her.
"I want food," the toddler herself said, standing with them.
Picking her up Beckett told her husband, "Go ahead and try."
"Definitely," Castle replied before walking over to the island where the food was laid out. He had to wait a little before he could start getting things onto the plate and once he had enough for Josie he went to his wife. They walked to the dining room where he set the plate on the table and he asked, "Are you going to carry her?"
"No, I'll take her," Jim said, walking in behind them.
"What about your food?" Castle asked, seeing he wasn't holding a plate.
"I'll-" Jim started to say before his daughter was interrupting him.
"We'll take Josie," Beckett said. "But she doesn't need to be held."
"You're not worried she's going to take off?" Jim said with a smile, going with them to the kitchen.
"No, she knows she needs to behave," Beckett said simply before they moved to get their own plates.
Sitting at the kitchen table once they had their food, Julia waved at her parents while they were going to the dining room. "Okay, we can start as soon as my dad gives the toast," she told the others.
"How are you going to hear?" Peter asked her.
"We'll hear," Julia said before she held her hand out to them.
"Alright, kids, I hope you waited," Castle said in the dining room.
"We did Dad, hurry up," Julia said teasingly.
"Then I'm just going to say here's to our Christmas celebration together," Castle said. "It's been a great day and luckily it's not over yet. Sláinte," he finished with, his glass raised in the air. He turned to his wife and tapped his glass to hers before he sat down telling her, "I'm glad you don't mind the shorter toasts."
"I know the kids don't," Beckett replied jokingly. She then smiled and said, "But I'm not surprised you mentioned presents."
"Well… we could have opened them before but I think the kids are fine with after," Castle said.
"Since you bribed them with dessert after that," Beckett teased him.
"I would have done the same," Darnley said.
"Me too," Skye added with a smile.
"How did they like their bikes?" Beckett said to the carpenter.
"They loved them," Nkosi answered instead. He smiled at Darnley and said, "We were almost going to leave them for later, putting them together."
"Bad idea," Isaac said before they were laughing.
"He's right, I almost did that for Eve's first two wheel bike and Lily convinced me she wouldn't have the patience to wait for us to put it together," Brad added.
"Is that a male thing?" Mary asked in amusement since she could see that David was looking down at his drink.
"No, I put Alexis' bikes together," Castle said.
"The reason we've thought of just leaving them in the box," Darnley said in self-defense. "Is because it looks like a huge gift."
"I'm not surprised," Rebecca said in amusement before Genevieve was talking to them all.
"Did anyone have any big gifts?" the architect asked.
"We did," Castle said first. "A bigger bike for Eliza."
"That's it?" David asked.
Nodding Castle explained saying, "She was the only one that needed it. But I don't think Julia's going to complain about her gifts."
"We sort of got a big gift for her," Beckett said in slight amusement when the others were looking to her. "A bottle of perfume," she commented.
"I remember doing that for Eve," Lily said, smiling. "Around the same age."
"My parents did that for me, remember?" Beckett asked her friend.
"Mine too if you'll remember," Lily commented. She wasn't surprised when the writer nodded and she asked, "What perfume?"
"Stella," Beckett replied.
"Yeah, she's used Kate's perfume before," Castle commented. "So it made sense to give that to her."
"And her reaction?" Darnley inquired.
"She was very pleased," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband was looking at her to answer. She then said, "She's wearing it tonight actually."
"And you," Castle said.
"Yes, you saw me put it on," Beckett said in mock annoyance. She looked at Josie to make sure she was okay before glancing at the others. "Does anyone else have a bigger gift to mention?" she asked them.
"I know half of you were here," Skye said. "But Mary and I gave Marie and Kathleen their first longboards," she told them, not surprised when Bethany was questioning her about that.
"Is that a certain kind of surfboard?" the woman inquired.
"It is longer than the shortboards they use for the Olympics… though of course they're trying to get the longboards allowed in L.A.," Mary said.
"Are they ready for it?" Darnley asked.
"They are," Liam said before his daughter or daughter in law could respond. He smiled and said, "They've been begging their mums for their own since they've been using Skye and Mary's."
"Pictures though, right?" Lily asked the two women.
"Yeah, a lot of our gifts were pictures this year," Skye said before she started to laugh.
"You're thinking of next year?" Beckett asked her.
"Am I ever," Skye said jokingly before they were all laughing except for the youngest twins. Calming down she said, "I hope you guys don't mind it."
"Are we invited?" Genevieve asked.
"You are," Mary said firmly.
"Is there room?" Isaac then said.
"Your boys will need to room with the older girls," Skye replied. "But we have air mattresses and the like so…"
"Tell them what we're doing now grá," Mary said in amusement.
Surprised, Castle shared a look with his wife before they were turning to the investigator as she began to speak.
"We're going to add some guest rooms to the new wing," Skye said.
"I think you said you'd used all of it," Beckett couldn't help saying.
"The studio," Castle said suddenly. "The dimensions are off and there aren't as many windows on the outside of the wing as there are in the studio," he said, explaining how he knew and looking at the McDouglas women before Mary was speaking first with a smile.
"We had to do that," the doctor said. "There was an issue of getting permits in time to give each bedroom a bathroom so we said screw it and seal the space off for now." She glanced at her wife when there were expressions of confusion and then said, "We wouldn't have been able to let anyone go into the pool room."
"Heating," Skye said. "The construction company explained it to us but it's a little out of my grasp."
"Below the floor?" Genevieve asked since the others were looking at her then. At the nods from the two women she said, "They had to seal off to finish that I'm assuming, for your pool room."
"Right," Skye answered. "So we managed to get the permits earlier this month and as soon as we're back to work and school next month we'll have them start on four bedrooms around a main room."
"Everyone seems to be copying us," Castle said jokingly.
"It's a set up that makes sense," Isaac said in mock annoyance before they were starting to laugh together at his tone.
Shaking her head Beckett said, "So we'll all fit when we go next year."
"Exactly," Mary replied. "And if you're wondering they'll be across from the game room."
"So, close to everyone," Darnley said.
"We're not hiding anyone away," Skye commented with a smile. "You two still taking the guesthouse?"
"If you're letting us, then yes," Beckett said since the question had been directed to herself and her husband.
"Fine with me," Skye replied before she looked at their plates. "We-"
"Mummy!" three voices called from the hall.
"Don't run," Skye and Mary said at the same time looking at the doorway.
"We're not," Fleur said, leading her little sisters inside. She smiled and said, "Are you going to sing again?"
"What, and not open the gifts?" Liam said in an exaggerated tone. He tried to fight a smile as his three youngest granddaughters rushed to him and said, "I suppose they didn't buy that," looking at Castle when he was first to comment.
"I don't think so," he commented. "But what about the gifts? You don't want to open them?"
"We do," Ivy said first. "But what about after?"
"We were going to play in the game room I think you girls said," Mary told her.
"Before that," Iris said in a rush.
Laughing, Skye said, "Okay, okay. But I hope the other kids are sure about that."
"They are, we talked with them about it already," Ivy explained.
"I will, but after gifts," Skye replied firmly.
"Are you finished?" Mary asked their daughters.
"Everyone is," Fleur answered.
"Then we should clear up," Castle said before anyone else could. He stood up at the same time he'd spoken and said, "And it shouldn't take that long."
Giving a brief laugh since he was looking at her, Skye said, "I told you on Christmas we wouldn't stop you. But don't stop us."
"Not going to, I'd like to get to those gifts too," Castle said. He smiled at his wife when she nudged him with her elbow before they moved to leave the room with everyone else.