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 song The Power of Love written by Huey Lewis, Chris Hayes and Johnny Colla, from the soundtrack album for the movie Back to the Future.
A/N #2: Really glad to get the comments about this story and feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll get to my thank yous right away for that! arisu freedomstrikes (Glad you enjoy the story! And in the future if I ever find myself wanting to commission something I know where to ask!),
TORONTOSUN (Happy to see you thought it was very good writing for the Castle family!) and
Mb (Really pleased you thought the last chapter was a sweet update again! And I was glad you enjoyed their case solving with it focusing on the younger kids, lol, I wanted to give them something so I thought the cases would be a good thing for that! I had to laugh at how you called Josie and Sophie the fearsome twosome, lol, but I wasn't surprised you could see that showing from the chapter. And really pleased you're glad that Castle and Beckett are going on a trip with Josie before she starts with school, I thought it would be sweet of them to do since she's the baby of the family. Great you thought the first half of the chapter was a nice update! And you're welcome for the first half of the chapter too! Really nice to see you thought the second half was wonderfully written! And great you love seeing everyone having fun in their group with the cruise. Yeah, those cases were really well done, definitely funny in the case of the Muppets one! I was glad that you thought it was cute with Eve and Peter moving forward, really glad you thought it was age appropriate since of course I want to keep it that way with them! And so happy you're looking forward to the birthday celebrations, lol, amazing Eliza is going to be 8 now too! You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them all and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #3: The title of this chapter is the title of the song written by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch, from the Madonna album True Blue.
La Isla Bonita
"I still can't believe you rented this one," Beckett told her husband with a smile.
"As many of us as there are?" Castle replied, leaning against the railing of the cabana next to her. "Plus some older and younger?"
Beckett couldn't help laughing before she said, "And a nice birthday gift for yourself."
"Definitely," Castle said, nodding rapidly. He smiled when she laughed briefly that time before he said, "Do you think we should go after them?"
"I think they're good there," Beckett replied. She squeezed her husband's arm before she turned back to look at the inside of the cabana. It was the thirty-first and they were on Castaway Cay for the day though they had just arrived at the structure. She hadn't been surprised that theirs was the largest on the row of cabanas, but she appreciated the space for everyone if they wanted to relax. Moving then to the hammock she sat down and asked, "Are you planning on going with them to the slide?"
"You were going to take Josie weren't you?" Castle asked, moving to sit with her.
"I wanted to," Beckett said. "Though remember it is your birthday, you don't have to stay with me."
Shrugging, Castle said, "But I want to."
Beckett smiled at his nonchalant tone and said, "Alright, maybe we should see the slides first and then take Josie."
"Are those inner tubes and floats for us?" Jim asked, having walked from the beach in front of the cabana to them.
"The ones leaning against the building," Castle said with a nod. "Why?"
"I can watch Josie while you go on the slide," Jim replied.
"If you're offering," Beckett said. When her father nodded she and Castle stood up and she said, "Thank you. Though if you want to do anything yourself…"
"I would love to rest on that hammock while Josie's asleep," Jim said honestly.
Beckett smiled and said, "I'm not surprised, and that's fine. Though I'm guessing you're going to have her laying in the hammock too?"
Shaking his head, Jim said, "A lounge chair is safer." He wasn't surprised when his daughter and son in law nodded before he followed them down to the beach where they got the attention of everyone there.
Once the writer had explained what he and his wife were going to do Darnley said, "I was just thinking of going to the… younger kid's area with Maddy and Keo."
"But he wants to go to the slides as well," Nkosi told the others. He smiled at his husband's glance and said, "And so do I."
"I'll be there to watch Josie," Jim said. "I can watch the other kids too."
"We will go," Bethany said, motioning to herself and her husband. "So you will have help."
"And me," Martha said. "I'd like to see the slides and the water play area."
"Okay, then we better go," Castle said. "We don't have much time before lunch."
"And are you going to tell us what lunch will be?" Julia asked her dad as they moved back to the beach.
"No, but we did pass it," Castle said.
Julia made a playful face before she said, "Are you enjoying your birthday?"
"Definitely, but we just barely got here," Castle commented before he hugged her with one arm. After he let go of her he watched her hurry to her friends and then felt a hand slip into his. Looking down at Josie he said, "Hey sweetheart, do you like the island?"
"Yeah," the toddler said happily. She then giggled and said, "Happy Birthday, Daddy."
"Thank you, but you don't have to keep saying that you know," Castle told her before he picked her up. He couldn't help chuckling at Josie's obvious surprise and said, "You don't, just sing with the others later before we blow out the candles okay?"
"Okay," Josie said, nodding her head before she waved at her mother who was coming up to them.
"You'll stay with your grandparents while we go on the slide," Beckett explained as she took her daughter from Castle. Putting her on her hip she said, "And then we'll take you to the space for the little kids."
"Is it Nemo?" Josie asked interestedly.
"We're not sure," Castle said before he and his wife were laughing together at Josie's wide eyes. He kissed her cheek and said, "This is our first visit here too."
"Ooh… I want to see it," the toddler said carefully.
"And we will," Castle assured her. "After this," he said, motioning to the slides that were out in the water.
After the kids that needed to stay were left with the grandparents, the rest of the group headed out to the platform the slides were on before they were climbing up onto it.
"Which will we go on first?" Marie asked the adults while they were looking between the two.
"Should we let the kids choose?" David asked the other parents.
"Definitely," Jacob said before they were all laughing. He and the kids then pretended to get into a huddle before he said, "Okay, we're ready."
"And which is it going to be?" Lily asked her son in amusement.
"The spiral staircase," Eve said, the other kids nodding in agreement with her. She wasn't surprised the parents didn't try to protest their choice and they were soon making their way up the stairs. At the top she saw they were at the open slide and she said, "Better for the younger kids."
"I know," Julia said. She, Mari and Kathleen were nearest the young woman so she had heard her though she was talking softly. "Are you coming with us to see the other place they were talking about?"
"Yeah, I am going to go with my sister," Eve said. "At least I hope I can."
"I was thinking the same thing," Julia said while they were waiting their turns. "But it'll hopefully be open."
"I hope it is too," Castle said into his wife's ear in a mock fearful tone.
"Don't eavesdrop," Beckett teased him since they were close to the girls.
"Can't help it," Castle replied, looking around at the view of the island and ocean. "We're definitely doing this again."
"I agreed to it," Beckett said with a smile. "But the one at Christmas needs to be another cruise line."
"Should I start looking?" Castle asked.
"Another time, we already have our vacation for this summer," Beckett told him firmly.
"It sounds like you have next summer already too," Skye couldn't help commenting.
"You know already," Beckett said in feigned annoyance. "Europe."
"Just making sure you didn't change your mind for another cruise," Skye said with a smile.
"We didn't, we want to stay close to Ireland that summer," Castle said. When the investigator nodded they turned back to the slide since their turns were soon.
"I'll see you back on the platform," Beckett told her husband when she would be going after Eve. She wasn't surprised when he nodded in response and she waited for the cast member to indicate to her when she could start down once she was sitting on the top.
"Good luck," Castle said quickly. He wasn't surprised when she glanced back at him and he laughed before stepping back.
As soon as the cast member told her to start, Becket pushed herself before she lay back and went into a turn to the left. Going in that direction for a while she was soon going to the right and continued to go back and forth in the same way until she was coming out into the ocean. She swam away from it rapidly until she went around to the platform, seeing her daughters were yelling with the other kids under the large bucket. "Did you have fun?" she asked as she walked up to her daughters.
"Yeah, that was so fun," Eliza said with a smile, wiping the water off her face. "Did you? It wasn't that big."
"It didn't need to be," Castle said, smiling when Eliza hurried to him and hugged him tightly. "Are you guys ready for the other one?" he asked when he saw Skye was getting up on the platform. He wasn't surprised when the kids were cheering yes and they moved to make their way to the line around the platform.
Since she was holding Eliza's hand at that point, Beckett was smiling when she felt her daughter squeezing her hand tightly. "Are you nervous?" she asked.
"A little, but it's not that long right?" Eliza asked.
"No," Beckett said, hugging her to her side gently before they were looking at the kids who were starting to take their turns at the front of their group. Eventually Eliza left her at Fleur and the younger McDouglas twins' urging and she turned to her husband. "I was surprised," she told him with a smile.
"I think it was that nervous excitement," Castle told her. He wasn't surprised when she nodded and though they weren't alone he couldn't help himself, kissing the side of her head. He waited for her to respond to him doing that, but when she only smiled back at him over her shoulder he focused his attention on the slide they were nearing to distract himself. He watched her sit after Brad had gone down before she was pushing herself and disappeared into the tunnel that was the slide.
After she had gone down a slight drop, Beckett found herself going to the left and very quickly in the dark. She thought about Eliza's reaction for a moment before she found herself very swiftly coming out and into the ocean. She laughed after she resurfaced and went to the beach where she saw Josie was talking eagerly to her sisters.
"Wait, calm down Josa," Julia said. "We're okay."
"No, it was fun," Josie said firmly.
"A lot," Beckett said as she walked to them. Though the toddler ran a little to reach her, she found she couldn't really scold her and picked her up. "Did you have fun in the water again?"
"They did," Jim said as Josie was nodding her head rapidly and smiling widely. He then said with a slight laugh, "She was a little jealous but I reminded her we're going to her area next."
"Which we can see now," Castle said. "Though are all of the older kids going?" he asked since by then they were gathered together. He was a little startled when those older kids were saying yes at the same time and said, "Great, though you know again-"
"We know Dad," Julia told him with a smile. "We don't have to stay together." She looked at her mother, since she was setting Josie down, and said, "She wants to go, doesn't she?"
"I think so," Beckett said with a smile before they were walking off the beach. Since they didn't have the map of the island they'd been given with them, her husband was asking where to go a couple times to make sure. They soon reached the Spring-a-Leak area and she shared a glance with Castle when they saw it was just a splash pad. Before she could tell Josie it might still be fun, their youngest was breaking away from her and hurrying with Sophie to the jets of water coming out.
"I guess she doesn't mind," Castle said, watching as the other kids were following.
"How long are we letting them stay here?" Rebecca asked while they were all gathering on the shaded benches, the grandparents going after the kids.
"I think we can give them a little time before we just grab lunch," Castle said. "It's right by here-" he then began to say.
"I noticed it," Nkosi said, smiling when the other parents were agreeing.
"So did I," Beckett said. "And it might work better to have lunch slightly early." When the other parents were again agreeing she said, "Why is no one saying they don't like the idea?"
"We're sheep-le," Darnley told her jokingly.
Shaking her head, Beckett looked ahead of them at the kids and smiled seeing Josie looked to be having a blast. She told her husband that and said, "After she wakes up from her nap we need to do something with her."
Nodding Castle said, "Whatever you'd like to."
"I think we're just going to have to swim," Beckett replied. "Since there isn't much for her age."
"I don't think she would mind it," Castle said. "Though once she wakes up I suggest a little time in the hammock."
Beckett laughed softly before she squeezed his hand and said, "Keep an eye on the time."
"Hey, before we go get lunch, where are we eating it?" Brad asked, leaning over so he could look at his friend.
"Back at the cabana," Castle replied. "It does mean we'll have to get everything, but Norman said they have containers available for that." He wasn't surprised when the chief nodded before turning back to the kids and he did the same as they were yelling before Brad was getting his attention.
"I wasn't expecting that!" Clive yelled, laughing when Sophie was hiding behind him since he was last in their group. "Are you okay?" he said, turning to the toddler.
"Yeah, I got wet," Sophie said. "On my face."
"I think everyone did," Jacob said, picking up his sister. He was about to speak when their father was walking up to them. "We're leaving?" he asked.
"For lunch," Brad explained. He wasn't surprised when the kids all looked eager at the news and said, "We thought you'd be hungry."
"But then we'll have to wait after we eat," Eliza said, not surprised the younger McDouglas twins; with her; were nodding.
"You would have had to anyway if we'd stayed on the ship," Beckett reminded her. She couldn't help laughing when the girl was shrugging and she hugged her briefly before saying, "We've decided we're going to eat here."
"Not at the cabana?" Eliza asked in surprise.
"We can't, there isn't enough room as Brad pointed out," Beckett replied. "But we can take dessert back."
"No fruit?" Eliza asked.
"We have it at the cabana," Beckett reminded her. She then smiled and said, "Is that alright?" She wasn't surprised when the girl nodded rapidly before hurrying away and she looked at her husband as he stepped up to her. "Are you changing your mind?" she asked him.
"No, but I just thought of fruit we don't have at the cabana that others might want," Castle replied, holding Josie steady since she'd insisted he put her on his shoulders. "Namely watermelon." He saw his wife glancing up at their youngest and smiled telling her, "Yeah, it was her."
"If you're right about the containers then I think that's fine," Beckett replied. "Maybe save the fruit in the cabana for later."
"I was thinking that," Castle said with a nod. "They're going to be really busy."
"Exactly," Beckett said slightly laughingly before they were reaching the buffet. She smiled when Eliza and Julia returned to them with Peter and Clive and asked the older three, "Did Eliza tell you what we're going to do?"
"She did," Julia answered. "And we don't mind, but… if they have watermelon."
Letting his wife explain about the fruit, he wasn't surprised when Eliza looked eager and he said, "Your sister thought the same thing."
"So we'll be able to come back for a second plate right?" Peter asked. He was relieved when his dance partner's parents assured him they could before the line was moving and they were inside the building. He grabbed a plate and then saw they were at side dishes before he was frowning.
"Just get as much as you think you want to eat but there's still more food," Castle told the boys since he could see their consternation. He wasn't surprised they grabbed a little macaroni salad and potato salad too before moving on. He grabbed the same but a little of the fresh tomatoes since his wife had gotten some too. "They look good," he said swiftly at her glance to him.
Beckett merely smiled before she glanced up at Josie, still on his shoulders, and then turned back to the food before they were reaching the entrees. She studied the choices and said to Eliza, to her right, "You can get a hot dog if you want."
"Just that?" Eliza asked softly.
"You want more?" Beckett asked in surprise. She smiled when her second youngest was nodding and she said, "Alright we can split a cheeseburger." She was about to continue when she saw Mari was making her way over to them before talking to Julia. She wasn't surprised when the teen was nodding and grabbing a cheeseburger herself. She turned her attention back to the food and got a hot dog for herself and Josie to share before getting the cheeseburger. After they came to some more sides and she got two small pieces of corn on the cob before getting some baked beans onto her own plate and Josie's.
"Can I have cornbread Mommy?" Eliza asked when they turned the corner and found them on a tray.
"Go ahead, but a smaller one," Beckett replied, not surprised when the girl nodded before getting her piece eagerly.
After that the group made their way to where the tables were, a large area under a roof with picnic tables for seating.
Since Eliza and Julia left them to sit with their friends, Castle and Beckett sat at another with Josie and their parents.
"You could have let us take her," Martha said to her daughter in law while her son and Jim took Josie to get their drinks.
"That would be a little weird," Beckett said, shaking her head. "And I'm sure Rick wanted to stay with Josie."
"Most likely," Martha said with a smile. "Is everything ready for tonight?"
Nodding, since she could see the three were returning to them, Beckett said, "Fruit punch again?"
"Actually she accepted some lemonade," Castle replied. "They had some here."
"Great," Beckett said, speaking absently since they were helping Josie get up on the bench between them. They began to eat and were silent while they were doing that before her father was getting their attention.
"You only have one… excursion?" Jim asked.
"We do," Beckett said, making sure Josie was busy with her food since she was too young for it. "I think the kids will want to go back to the slides or just snorkel."
"And you two? I read there was an adults only beach," Jim told them.
Shaking his head Castle then said, "No, it's Eliza's birthday too and I do want to be with the kids."
"That's what the shore excursion is for," Beckett said with a smile. "And after we'll spend time with Josie again."
"Why Mama?" the toddler herself asked.
"Because we want to," Castle said with a smile. He then kissed the top of her head before asking, "Do you like the food?" He wasn't surprised when she was nodding rapidly in response and he laughed briefly telling her, "Good."
After they had eaten, and gotten a second plate, the group moved to the section they'd seen of fresh fruit. The families each got what they wanted in to-go boxes before they were moving to the desserts.
"Okay," Beckett said with a smile after Eliza had picked out a brownie, some cookies the place had a lot of and begged for a Dole Whip. "I think that's more than enough for today."
"I know, but it's special today Mommy, for the trip," Eliza said, adding the last in a rush.
"Fine but we're not getting that much Dole Whip," Beckett answered, not surprised when the girl was squealing in happiness.
Getting the swirl of pineapple and raspberry last, the group was heading back to their cabana. There was some talk among the adults but the kids were silent while they were eating the iced dessert.
"Really good," Julia said once they were in the cabana and sitting around at the different spots.
"Definitely," Mari said in agreement before biting into the cone. After she'd eaten that she said, "I wonder when we'll have the other desserts."
"When Josie and Sophie get up from their nap," Beckett said, sitting near them with Castle. "And the fruit that's here." She wasn't surprised when the girls nodded to that before she turned her attention to finishing the cone her husband had insisted she get with her Dole Whip. Washing her hands at the sink in the cabana she said to Josie who she had helped before with her hands, "Want to sit with me on the chair now sweetie?"
Trying not to laugh at the way Josie was pursing her lips, Castle wasn't surprised when she was eventually nodding and he walked with her to the shade on the deck outside. Sitting on the hammock while she sat with Josie, he watched her very quickly nodding off and helped his wife move so Sophie could be placed next to her on the lounge chair.
"She was out like nothing," Brad said after he was sure his youngest was okay where he'd placed her.
"Josie too," Beckett said with a smile. She turned to her father and said, "Do you need anything?"
"I'm alright, I have my book," Jim said, holding up the tome he'd brought. "And I'll keep a close eye on them."
"We will be here too," Joseph said, sitting opposite the deck on another lounge chair. "I may be napping but the others should be awake."
"We will," Bethany added with a smile before her husband was covering his face with his hat again.
"They'll be fine," Martha assured them before the four parents were leaving for where the older kids were in the water in front of them.
"Are you guys ready?" Castle asked once they had managed to gather all the kids around them.
"For what?" Eliza asked. "Swimming? Or snorkeling?"
"Wait," David said. "We're not doing that yet, but we did get one shore excursion."
"What is it?" Dani asked.
"You'll see right now," Castle said when the other adults were turning to him. He led the way off the beach and down the path that lead to the middle of the island and where everything was. He had the map with him, but once they reached some signs he said, "It might take a while but we'll get there."
"I don't think they care," Darnley said in amusement as the kids were talking to each other.
"And we'll be able to go in the water… whenever that is," Brad added before they continued on the path until they reached the sign for the excursion.
"Are we doing this?" Eliza asked eagerly after having read the signs saying Captain Ray's Stingray Adventure.
"We are, is that alright?" Castle asked her.
Beckett smiled when their second youngest was throwing her arms around him and she said, "But we need to hurry so we're back before the naps are over."
"They were too little for this?" Eliza asked after she'd let go of her father. At her parents' nods she said, "We'll come back?"
"We'll see," Castle said reassuringly before they were walking past the sign. After they'd walked around a building he was giving the name of their group to a cast member and they were directed to the inside where they were given vests and soon learning about the rays and what they were going to do from another cast member. Eventually they were walking out to the water and stepping into it before they could see the animals in the clear liquid.
"I can see fish!" Dani cried, seeing tiny ones swimming around them.
"And the rays!" Maddy squealed since they were swimming just past some floating trays the cast members had.
"What's that?" Keo asked, pointing to the ends of the table by the cast member they were standing in front of.
"They're feeding ramps, for the rays to come up and down while they're fed," the man said. "Are you ready?"
Not surprised when the kids in their group they'd been divided into nodded at once, Beckett watched the cast member telling them how to react to the rays once they were on the tray and then passing out the food to some of them.
Looking down at her piece of fish, Eliza made a face but didn't say anything before watching the cast member trying to get a ray to come up on the tray. Though it was expected, she gasped with Maddy and Keo as one of them was coming up the ramp. She smiled widely at her parents behind her before focusing as the ray went to Clive first and the cast member was reminding him how to feed it.
"Weird," the boy said laughingly at the sensation of the ray's mouth. He ran his other hand over it and watched his brother touching it as well.
At that point another ray came up the ramp and the adults were reaching over to touch before the cast member was giving them food. They were standing at the tray for a while, alternating between feeding and touching the rays before the food ran out and they could head into the water to snorkel around them.
Beckett, watching Julia hurry over to her friends with Peter and Clive, turned to her husband and said, "Where is she?"
"She's here," Castle said, bringing Eliza with him.
"I can't go with my friends too?" the girl asked.
"We'd like you to stay with us," Beckett said, looking around at their group. "I think they're going with their parents."
Seeing her mother was right, Eliza said, "Okay, but I hope you'll let me go with them later."
"We will," Beckett assured her before they were getting their equipment on. After she was sure Eliza was alright she told her, "Stay with us."
"I will," the girl said, nodding before they were swimming out into the water. Looking down, Eliza could see the rays and small fish under them before she raised her head at her father tapping her arm.
"Are you okay?" Castle asked when she was looking at him in concern.
"Yeah, I did this before," Eliza said firmly.
"Just making sure," Castle told her. He was relieved when she nodded before putting her snorkel back in her mouth. He did the same and they were swimming along the surface of the water and looking down again.
Blinking a few times, Josie looked to her side and saw Sophie was yawning, rubbing her right eye. "No Sophie," she told her friend. "That's bad."
"She's right," Lily said, walking to the two girls first after hearing the toddler's voice. "Good morning."
"Morning," the two on the lounge chair said at the same time. They giggled when their mothers laughed and were soon being picked up by them.
"Mama?" Josie said after her mother had her settled on her hip.
"Yes sweetie?" Beckett responded, moving towards Castle.
"I'm hungry," Josie said.
"You're lucky," Castle said, taking her from his wife. "It's time for a snack." He laughed with Beckett when their youngest clapped her hands and then said, "But we're only having some fruit okay?"
"Okay," Josie said. "And then water."
"To drink," Castle said, chuckling after when her response was to wrinkle her nose. He pressed a kiss to the tip of it and told her teasingly, "You look just like your mom."
"You don't have to flatter me," Beckett said, walking back to them with an orange she'd gotten from the inside of the cabana. They walked down together then to the beach and one of the open lounge chairs, sitting at the side while her husband set Josie on the sand and laid back. "Stay here Josie," she said, seeing the toddler was looking at the water.
"My feet please?" the toddler asked.
"Not yet," Castle said, reaching out to her. He wasn't surprised when she didn't move to him and instead went to the end of the chair before she climbed up onto it. He laughed when she settled herself next to him and he said, "I guess she wanted to sit again."
"It's the view," Beckett replied wryly, having been peeling the orange. She gave half to her husband and then broke a piece off her half to give to Josie. While they were eating she looked for Julia and Eliza, seeing them with their friends sharing some of the other fruit they'd been given. She felt her husband's arm going around her waist and she glanced at him saying, "What're you doing?"
"For my birthday," Castle said simply. He wasn't surprised when his wife gave him a look and he shrugged before they were looking at Josie who was giggling.
"Are you gonna kiss?" the toddler asked.
"I don't think so," Beckett said.
"But we probably will later," Castle assured her when Josie suddenly looked disappointed.
"He's right, you don't really need to worry about that," Beckett said. She gave her another piece of orange and then said, "After this we're going to go swimming."
"What about the tube?" Josie asked.
"Tube… you mean the inner tube we can use?" Castle asked. He was startled when she shook her head and he said, "Then… do you mean the float?"
"Yeah," Josie said eagerly.
"We can use that first," Beckett said with a smile when her husband was instantly turning to her.
"Since it is my birthday… and we let Eliza go with her friends earlier," Castle told her. "I'd like us to spend that time before we swim together."
"We could, but Peter and Clive?" Beckett reminded him.
"They can go where they'd like," Castle said. "It is just while we wait for this orange to digest."
Beckett was about to speak when Josie laughing interrupted her and they looked at her together before her husband was wiping away some of orange juice off the toddler's chin. "What's so funny sweetie?" she asked her.
"What is dig?" Josie asked.
"Digest?" Castle asked. He was about to have her sound out the word with him when he felt Beckett squeezing at his arm a little hard. Stopping then he said, "It means your stomach has to finish eating the food you ate."
"Good," Josie said, surprised when her parents were laughing. Since her mother had given her the last piece of the orange she decided not to ask what was funny and ate.
"I'll get the float and tube for us," Beckett said, squeezing her husband's hand since she was finished. She'd begun standing up when he was pulling her back down and she said, "What-" before he was pulling her to him. They kissed lightly and pulling back she said, "Josie is here."
"I know," Castle said, leaning into her. He captured her lips and was very gentle until they were very slowly parting. "And she asked earlier," he couldn't help saying.
Beckett laughed briefly and gave him a short kiss on the lips before she stood and said, "I'll be right back."
"I'm happy Dada," Josie said when her father had turned to her.
"Oh yeah?" Castle asked in amusement.
"Yeah," Josie said firmly. "You kissed."
Laughing briefly, Castle moved to get off the chair and brought Josie with him before he helped her down to the sand though she didn't really need it. "We can't help it," he told her. "But now we're going to spend time in the water." He smiled when he she was clapping and he pulled her to him to kiss the top of her head. "I'm glad you agree," he said.
"I don't think it's a surprise," Julia said, walking over and holding an inner tube at her waist.
"You guys are going to come with us?" Castle asked with a smile since Eliza, Peter and Clive were behind her.
"If you don't mind us coming with," Clive said.
"No, actually I think we're just all going to be floating together," Castle said, getting the float from his wife as she was returning to them. "I should have gone with you," he told her.
"You didn't need to," Beckett said firmly. "Are you guys ready?" she asked the kids once she turned to them.
Smiling when they were all saying yes at nearly the same time, Castle told them, "Let's go before it's back to the ship." He wasn't surprised when they were laughing in response before they were moving to the water to relax before moving on to snorkeling again, what would be their last activity on the island.
"So you're happy?" Ivy asked Eliza while they were on the verandah of her parents' suite.
"Very, I'm older and taller," the girl said, beaming at her friend. "Now I'm almost four feet and… three inches tall," Eliza then said, trying to remember her height when her parents had measured her that morning. "In between two and three inches."
"I know, you're almost as tall as us," Fleur said with a smile.
"Taller than me," Dani said, tugging her friend's hand.
"That's doesn't matter," Eliza said reassuringly. "We'll still be friends and play." She looked around and said, "Why don't we now?"
"Play what, we're drying off," Iris reminded her since they'd gone into the Jacuzzi.
Realizing the girl was right, Eliza sighed and said, "I guess we're just going to wait."
"Maybe you girls would like some cheese?" Bethany asked, walking outside.
"Is dinner here?" Ivy asked in surprise.
"No, but the appetizer that your parents have ordered Eliza," Bethany told her as she set the platter of cheese and crackers on the table in front of them.
"Don't eat all of it," Martha told them teasingly, walking out with another platter of the appetizer.
"We won't," Eliza told her grandmother with a smile before she was reaching for a cracker and a piece of Manchego cheese.
"Is everything ready?" Rebecca asked her friend as she stepped up to her.
"Yeah, we're just waiting for the time," Beckett answered.
"How're you feeling?" Rebecca then inquired.
"I'm fine, I've had an eight year old before," Beckett said jokingly. "But it's still a mix of emotions."
"You're not kidding," Lily said in an exaggerated tone as she sat with the two women. "I was glad they were still eight but I knew they were nearing their teen years."
"But things went well," Rebecca said.
"It's funny we've gone through that already," Lily said. "But Mari will be fine."
"And I'm going to find out very soon," Rebecca said with a smile. She then turned to Beckett and said, "You're heading to L.A. tomorrow."
"We'll take care of Mari," Beckett immediately responded.
"That's not why I said that," Rebecca said in mock exasperation. "I was going to ask you about you guys going back."
"At the end of next month," Beckett said simply.
"Are you alright with that?" Skye asked.
"I am," Beckett answered, not surprised her friend was inquiring. "And if you're wondering about the location you know I don't mind L.A." She studied her friend as she was picking up a slice of cheese and cracker and asked, "Do you think we should go somewhere else?"
"No, but I had the thought you've been so many times," Skye said. "And you said you didn't want to go to Disneyland."
"Not without the other girls," Castle said, stepping up to them with the rest of the parents.
"He's right," Beckett said. "And does anyone want to join us?" she asked, looking around.
"I don't think I can," Brad said. "Not if we want to go to Japan in the summer."
David agreed and wasn't surprised his wife did as well before he said to Lily, "Your restaurant."
"Yeah, I'm not turning it over to Teddy just yet," the chef said, speaking of the co-founder of her restaurant.
"Does he want to take it over?" Darnley asked. At Lily's firm shake of her head, he said, "Well, I'm out, I have too many orders."
"I am too, remember next month I have a few lectures at Hofstra to the Chemistry classes about commercially used metal in airplanes," Nkosi said.
"You're going to ask for that to be filmed right?" Skye said. "I want to see that." She glanced at her wife who was next to her and said to the others, "Mary has appointments of course."
"You're the only one who has free time out of all of us," Castle pointed out.
"That I am," Skye replied. She smiled and then said, "I wondered if the appetizer was a good idea. Seems I was wrong."
"There are a lot of us here," Beckett said since she saw they'd finished everything on their plate.
"I hope the kids didn't have too much over there," Lily said, glancing at her youngest.
"I think they're fine," Brad assured her.
"It seems like the boys had a lot more though," Mary said in amusement.
"That's how it always happens," Martha said, walking over to take the plate.
"Let me Mother, I need to open the door for the order," Castle said.
"Thak you Richard," Martha replied, watching him walking away. She then turned to her daughter in law and asked, "Kate?" When she looked at her questioningly, Castle's mother said, "I hope you'll help my son."
Beckett wasn't surprised when the other parents were smiling at that pseudo command and she said, "I should." She stood up and went into the suite, blinking a few times to get used to the light there before she saw her husband was in the kitchenette.
"I heard," Castle said, looking through the window to the living room. "And I appreciate that from Mother but you don't need to stay if you don't want to," he added as he was making sure there was ice for drinks. He looked over his shoulder when he sensed someone was behind him and said, "Though if you want to I don't really have a complaint."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said, taking the ice bucket from him and covering it with the lid. She wasn't surprised when her husband took it back and set it on the counter before he leaned into her. Since she was ready for him they were kissing deeply and she wrapped her arms around him, feeling her husband's hands running over her back through the thin fabric of her sundress. She eventually ended the kiss when he was gently rubbing his hands across the small of her back and nearly down to her ass. "Wait… someone's going to… to come inside," she told him.
"I know," Castle said, pulling her tightly against him. He kissed at the side of her head and said, "I'm trying to wait for tonight."
"There is a cake," Beckett said.
"Not enough," Castle told her.
Smiling Beckett said, "And presents."
"Slightly enough," Castle responded. He was soon smiling himself at the way his wife was laughing and he pressed his cheek to hers saying, "I want your gift later tonight."
"You'll have it," Beckett assured him before she pulled back enough to look into his eyes. They were kissing again but doing so gently and letting each other go before they were moving to set the ice and glasses on the table by the door to the outside.
Eventually the food arrived, and the group was eating on the verandah at the tables they'd brought out from the three rooms. Since they were separated there was a lot of conversation going on and it wasn't until they were finishing and moving to clean up that they quieted down.