All In The Genes
by Castlefan6
A/N: This is the sequel to "Only Just Begun ((from a READER'S PROMPT)." Please read that first. This picks up immediately after that story ends, and it will be a casket ending revealing some family secrets and events. It is a love story between Caskett and the next generations of castles and how they deal with their grandparents' history. The story is TOTALLY AU, and PLEASE DO NOT refer to actual episodes for events. For Kenny, Thanks for the prompt.
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I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only.
Story Prompt is Contained in A/N Notes at the bottom of this chapter.
Chapter 1
The Castle at 406 Castle Lane
Albany, New York
Time had indeed flown since Kyle and Kevin informed their mother and Grandparents of their decision to attend West Point. Uncle Bob, now Senator Bob Weldon, was delighted to write letters of recommendation for each of his God Sons; he knew how bright and successful they had been and had just turned only eighteen years old.
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U.S. Senate, The Honorable Robert J Weldon
Hart Senate Building
Office #205
Same Time Frame
His old friend Rick called him, but the formal request had already come from Mamaw Kate, the ruler of the roost when it came to family matters. The boys loved their mother but idolized both Rick and Kate. He doubted the twins knew the entire story of how he and Rick had become such close friends and their time together in special forces during the Middle East mess.
He would bet money they didn't since even Kate didn't find out about Rick's military background until he had returned from four years living in England. Kate could be pretty demanding at times, as he had discovered over the course of time.
Her biggest rule was not to mess with my family. She was always protective of Rick, Alexis, and even Gina, a protectiveness that just magnified with the birth of her grandsons, the twins. She was always deferring to Rick, unless it involved Alexis or the boys, then she would go to war with him if she thought he was wrong.
He shared the pride with Rick, Kate, and Alexis for the incredible young men they had raised and considered it admirable that both wanted to choose service to their country to prepare them for their life's journey.
He had written many letters, but he knew none could ever be more important, at least for two young men, than the letter he was about to compose. He paused, collected his thoughts, and wrote.
May 12, 2014
The Admissions Board
United States Military Academy
Admissions Office: Bldg. 606
606 Thayer Road,
West Point, NY 10996-5000
Dear Admissions Committee,
I am writing to wholeheartedly recommend two young men, Kevin James Castle and Kyle Richard Castle, twin brothers, for admission to the United States Military Academy at West a United States Senator representing the Great state of New York, I have had the privilege of observing both Kevin James and Kyle Richard Castle demonstrate exceptional leadership, academic excellence, and a strong commitment to serving our country, qualities that make them an ideal candidate for the rigorous demands of a West Point education.
Throughout their involvement in community service, volunteering for several worthy causes, including Habit for Humanity, Wounded Warrior Project, and several local charities in their community, they have consistently displayed a strong work ethic, a dedication to personal responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of their community.
Their dedication to those who are less fortunate is perhaps one reason you will find both young men working in facilities to feed those in need each holiday. This has been a tradition since they were only ten years old and is a testament to their character and ability to motivate others. They have created a group of young adults who join them in their efforts, and now number in excess of one hundred volunteers working every holiday to serve others.
Academically, both Kevin and Kyle Castle share identical grade point averages and will serve as co-valedictorians for their graduating class. Both young men have maintained a distinguished record with consistently high grades in challenging coursework, demonstrating a strong aptitude for critical thinking and problem-solving.
Their passion for the most current and complex subject of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence is evident in their academic pursuits and their eagerness to engage in intellectual discussions.
I firmly believe that both Kevin James Castle and Kyle Richard Castle possess the necessary intellect, character, and dedication to excel at West Point and contribute significantly to the United States Army as future officers.I am confident they will embody the values of honor, duty, integrity, loyalty, and selfless service throughout their military careers.
I was honored to serve with their decorated maternal grandfather, Captain Richard A Rogers, U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, during the conflicts in the Middle East. I know that the same qualities of honor, duty, and service possessed by Captain Rogers can also be found in these candidates.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information regarding either Kevin James or Kyle Richard Castle's qualifications.
Sincerely,
The Honorable Robert J Weldon
United States Senator, New York
U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Office #205
He reviewed the letter and then made five copies, addressed the envelopes to West Point, one for each candidate and then one to Kevin and Kyle individually. The final envelope was addressed to Kate and Richard Castle, a subtle dig at his old friend. He signed his name for the postage, as required in his official signature, and then hand-delivered all to the Post Office inside the Senate Building.
He smiled, wondering when and how he would be paid back, not if, since Rick never let him one-up him. Perhaps he could beg forgiveness if he provided a tour for the boys, Kate, Gina, Alexis, and him if he were interested. He needed to see his old friend and his family soon, and he knew that once they entered college, family life would be forever changed.
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The Castle
One Week Later
Rick, Kate, Kyle, and Kevin had created a To Do and That's Done list for each of the boys since admission to West Point wasn't like admission to many states or even private universities. They had already submitted their SAT Scores, created profiles, and began the Online registration process.
"Mamaw, what's next on the list for us to do since the list says Connect with Field Force? Does that mean we need to contact them for a personal interview, like we would for a job?" Kyle asked, almost sure he was correct, but as he chastised his brother, he wasn't taking any chances. This meant too much to him, so if Kevin didn't cooperate, then he could proceed on his own.
"That's what it means, Kyle. Do you have the contact information? It should be listed on the online site where you store your profile." Kate replied, noticing that Kevin was apologizing and falling into line.
He was already on his profile and said, "Kyle, Mamaw, I found it. It's right under Admission Steps. It's number four."
"I see it, thanks, Kev, sorry about getting crabby, but"
"Hey, I need that once in a while. It's OK to joke around sometimes, but I should remember that not everyone has the resources we do to achieve our dreams. Thanks, Grandpa; there is a notice saying they have received a letter from the United States Senator from New York." Kevin interrupted his brother.
Rick looked at Kate, beaming with pride, and then she caught his glance. Their eyes connected, and still, after all this time, those blue eyes sent shivers down her spine. Yes, they were more than ready for three weeks to focus on just themselves.
She blushed, and he caught it, knowing that she was thinking the same as he; they still had an active sex life for normal couples their age, but hell, when it came to making love, there had never been anything normal between them. They were going to make sure tonight was spent in their bedroom rather than in front of the TV or chatting with the boys.
Kate looked up and said, "See, I told you Uncle Bob was more afraid of me than Grandpa," and laughed.
"Well, he wasn't always. It all started when you wanted to arrest him for murder, heck I'd stay clear of you if I was him as well," Rick laughed his booming laugh,
"You almost arrested Uncle Bob? What did he do? I mean, you couldn't think he could murder anyone, could you, Mamaw?" Kyle and Kevin asked in unison as they defended their Uncle, actually Godfather, but they had always called him Uncle since their Mom did.
"It was a long, long time ago, and yes, I was convinced he had done it. Your Grandpa and I got into quite a fight about it." She couldn't help but think about the mind melt of her and Rick, answering questions exactly the same in unison: did the boys inherit this trait?
"I think you two should go to your room and complete the next step in the admission process. I'll take care of Grandpa and remind him that even though he was right about that case, he was wrong sometimes as well," she said. Rick grabbed his heart and fell over as if he had been stabbed, shades of Martha. "Ah, daggers, daggers to the heart," they all laughed.
The boys went up the stairs two at a time, racing to see who could complete the following requirement first. They were always competing, but Rick had insisted that win or lose, they shook hands, congratulated the other, and then went on with their lives. He didn't tolerate anyone being a sore loser or forgetting their manners. He was the father figure the boys missed.
"I saw that look, Mrs. Castle, and I agree. We need some US time. Let Gina or Alexis know that tonight we have plans," Rick said as he waggled his eyebrows. Even after all this time, he still got turned on by his wife. "Did you catch the boys answering in unison? That's not the first time that has happened," he smiled.
"I think you are imagining things, Mr. Castle. What look are you?" she stopped as he gave her that look. Once again, she melted and wanted him just as much as she did the first time they made love.
"Darn it, Rick, you read me so well, and I already texted Gina; she and Jerry will be having pizza and movie night tonight, so no problem for the boys." She said, "Who knows, perhaps it's in their genes passed down from their Grandfather, you know, the old man." she laughed
He smiled, "Good, and Kate, for the record, I want to make love to you so badly right now. We'll see who the old man is; you are going to pay dearly for that," he said. She threw a dish towel at him and whispered, "Soon, Babe, Soon. Do you promise to make me pay? I can't wait." She smiled to herself; even after eighteen years of marriage and almost twenty years since they first made love, the fire still burned hot for each other.
She kept her promise four hours later when they secured the locks to their bedroom, which brought back some very fond memories. Rick had ensured that the strategic rooms of their home were soundproofed entirely, which allowed for a night of long overdue physical manifestation of love.
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Next Morning
Both Kyle and Kevin had made contact with the volunteer admissions representatives for their geographic location, New York. They had arranged an appointment with HER, which was a surprise, but apparently, Laura was a twenty-year veteran retired from the US Marines who enjoyed helping out the future brothers in arms.
Kyle was meeting with her from 10:00 A.m. to noon, and then Kevin had secured the 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. time slot for the upcoming Friday. Since they both had their own cars, they decided to meet at the public library, in a private room reserved for Laura. She encouraged them to invite at least one parent or both, if possible, to attend as non-participating guests.
That same morning, they received letters addressed to Kevin Castle, Kyle Castle, and Kate Castle. However, the envelopes didn't have stamps; instead, they had the familiar scrawl of Senator Weldon's signature, which was used for official business.
Kate knew it was Rick's old friend's way of poking him good-naturedly, they were constantly trading barbs every time they got together, but the bond between them was tighter than any blood relatives. She could only imagine them when they were alone at a party; it was a wonder that neither of them ever stayed angry with the other.
Kyle walked into the kitchen, holding two envelopes, and said, "Here, Mamaw, this letter is for you: it's from Uncle Bob. " He sat down at the table and opened his letter.
"How do you know it's from Uncle Bob? Oh, I see he used his signature for the postage," she smiled as Rick looked a little perplexed.
Kyle yelled for his brother, who had just retrieved his own envelope, and sat down beside him, "I wonder if Uncle Bob said the same thing in each of our letters or if he wrote two letters?" Kevin said
"Knowing your Uncle Bob, he probably wrote one, then used white out, the old geezer, and just changed your names." Rick laughed,
"What's White Out?" Again, the boys asked the same question at the same time.
Kate smiled, "I guess Bob isn't the only old geezer. Whiteout was something people used to correct mistakes in typed documents. Remember when your Grandfather and I were younger, we used typewriters until word processing software and computers became affordable."
The boys accepted the answer and headed to their rooms to read Uncle Bob's letter and update their status on the admission tasks. Kate poured a cup of coffee for both Rick and herself, knowing Rick's eyes would catch those to whom the letter was addressed. Rick smiled and pretended not to look at the letter. He knew his wife was trying to goad him on, all in fun, but over the years, he had learned when not to take the bait.
She sat down, reluctantly picked up the letter, and began reading. Her smile turned to a deep frown, and she said softly, "Rick, you need to prepare to discuss your life in the military with the boys. Bob has mentioned you in his letter." She said, trying to gauge how much angst this was causing him.
"Oh, really, what did he say? It's OK. I was planning on telling the boys the full story after they graduated, but it's only a few months away," he said as he ran his hand through his hair. Kate had seen him repeat this move hundreds of times since they met. It usually meant that he was trying to think what he should say and how much he should divulge.
"He just mentioned that he had been honored to serve with their maternal Grandfather in the Middle East. You had better read it for yourself since I'm sure it won't be long before they ask, "Grandpa, can we talk?" she smiled and handed him the letter and envelope.
"So, I see he addressed it to you. That's something else I'll have to get even with him for," Rick laughed, then engrossed himself with the letter. His eyes scanned the letter quickly. One helpful trick Rick had learned was speed reading.
His eyes were drawn to "I was honored to serve with their decorated maternal grandfather, Captain Richard A Rogers, U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, during the conflicts in the Middle East. I know that the same qualities of honor, duty, and service possessed by Captain Rogers can also be found in these candidates.
Kate was right; knowing his grandsons, they were probably googling the name and information as he sat reading the letter. "Excuse me, I better see what the boys are actually seeing when they are googling this," he said as he kissed her and retreated to his office.
Less than twenty minutes had passed when Kate heard, "Mamaw, do you know where we could find Grandpa? We sorta need to speak with him." Kyle said,
"He's in his office. I think he's expecting you boys, but if he doesn't want to go into detail about something, I'm asking you both to let it go. No one wants to talk about the war and seeing your friends and fellow soldiers wounded or worse killed, so please, boys, don't push it too hard or fast," she asked.
"OK, Mamaw," again the boys replied in unison, not missing a beat as they walked to their Grampa's office. Kate shook her head. Could they have inherited the mind melt that she and Rick drove the 12th precinct crazy with? They were always in sync, it seemed.
The boys were just outside his office when Rick heard them trying to decide which one was going to approach and ask to see him. Like he had done so often with his wife, the old game of rock, paper, or scissors ("Rochambeau") decided that it was going to be Kevin.
There was a timid knock on the door. "Come in, boys," Rick responded as he placed his pen down on his desk. "How can I help you, Kevin? " he asked, not giving away any information as the boys timidly filed in, Kevin in the lead. They found their usual spots in front of his desk, sitting cross-legged on the floor, as they had for almost eighteen years now.
"Well, you know we got a copy of the letter Uncle Bob sent to West Point for Kyle and me this morning. He actually mailed one for each of us, but it was the same letter, and something in that letter made us wonder about something." He said softly, trying not to probe too hard; Mamaw had warned them about being as aggressive as they sometimes were.
"Really? What was that?" He said, making them say what was on their minds.
"We didn't know that you were once in the Special Forces with Uncle Bob, and your birthname was Rogers? Is that information accurate, Grandpa? You told us always to verify any doubtful information with the source," Kyle said in his level, matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"That's right, I did indeed. So, let me answer some questions for you with my version of what and when things happened. If you have any questions afterward, then feel free to ask them," he said.
"I don't know what Google has as accurate information, but here is the story."
For the next hour, Rick recounted his younger days, how personal events made him seek out the Army to prove to himself something. Then, he described how things unfolded in the theater, how Uncle Bob and he were both wounded and how he had carried his friend to the aid station, failing to mention that it was fifteen clicks (Kilometers) away.
"The Army gave me a medal for doing something I would do for anyone in my company, never leave anyone behind, and we didn't," Rick said softly,
"Grandpa, the information said you were a Captain; that's a high rank. Did you go to West Point as well?" Kevin asked,
Rick smiled, "I barely got accepted to NYU, but I was in the ROTC, and then when I joined, I was sent to advanced training. I came out as a second lieutenant, the same rank you boys will have when you complete your studies at the academy. The only difference is they called us Ninety Day Wonders since they crammed everything into three months after basic training," He said.
"I heard about that term. Didn't it start back in the Vietnam War era?" Kyle asked,
"I don't really know Kyle, but it wasn't a term of endearment. You can start thinking about this: you are going to be in command of some enlistees who have served almost as long as you have been alive. Some will take orders without question, others will gripe about it, and some will try to prove you College Boys aren't fit to command; don't let that happen." Rick said in a somber tone,
Once again, in unison, they answered, "We won't, Grandpa." Rick was picking up shades of him and Kate at the 12th; it was happening more than just a coincidence, and since they were twins, perhaps they had inherited whatever Gene he had to allow him to connect so deeply.
"Great. Do you have any other questions for me? If not, you have to hit the gym. All you have left to do is pass the physical and their physical agility test." Rick said smiling, glad he had cleared the air without an inquisition from them. He thought Kate must have laid down the law about pushing too hard for detailed answers.
"Kyle needs it more than me," Kevin jostled his brother, who picked him up and could have body slammed him but just said, "Grandpa used to say don't let your mouth write a check your butt can't cash. I won't always be around to defend you, little brother," (Kyle was 8 minutes older) and laughed as he set him down gently.
"OK, you guys get out of here, but if you have any questions at any time, I'm here. I won't get into graphic details, but you need to know what you're about to sign up for." He said as the boys bolted from the room, racing to the gym and another brotherly competition.
TBC
A/N: The A/N below shows that Kenny wanted things to emulate Caskett's time at the 12th. We'll get the young men there, but it will be in a different route than originally planned, and Caskett's genes may not be the only ones passed down to the next generation. Time will tell.
A/N #2: This is Kenny's Story Prompt; thank you, sir. I hope I meet your expectations.
I do have an idea for a story. I've read about Beckett retiring and her and Castle having children, but what I haven't come across (yet) is Beckett and Castle with grandchildren. In this case, they have twin grandchildren attending the NYPD academy through graduation, where they learn about their storied grandparents during their time at the 12th precinct.
Brother/sister, twin sisters or brothers, it is up to you, but they have that shared brain thing like Rick and Kate. Just take off with it how you see fit. It won't hurt my feelings.
Thanks
Kenny