Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: It was nice to get the feedback I did for the last chapter so I'll get started on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really great reading you thought it was beautifully done!) and
Mb (Pleased seeing you thought the first half of the chapter was wonderfully written! And I'm glad you thought it was a great birthday excursion for them to celebrate Castle and Eliza's birthday. Not surprised you were jealous again but I agree since the island looks really fun! Glad you thought it was nicely done! You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! It was nice to read you thought the second half was wonderfully written too! And I was so glad you thought the birthday dinner was great with them doing that together and having fun! I had to laugh at how you said it went bam to Castle and Beckett celebrating his birthday with total passion and love as you said, glad you liked that though! You're welcome for sharing the second half of the chapter! And I had noticed your last review was on chapter 12, but if the website is doing that it makes sense. At least I am still getting the review to see and respond to it. But yeah, hopefully that'll get fixed up soon! You're welcome for sharing!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song I Love You, California written by Francis Beatty Silverwood.
Home Sweet Home To Me
"Really pleased being home," Skye said with a smile as they were standing at the luggage carousel. "Sorry."
"No, it is your home," Beckett replied since her friend had been talking to her.
"I would hope you'd count it as a second home," Skye commented when the carousel began to move. "At least after all the times you've been here."
"It is, though maybe a third home," Castle said before his wife could speak. He smiled when she looked at him and told her, "Mill Valley?"
Beckett couldn't help smiling herself and said, "I think he's right."
"That's fine with me," Skye said before she was grabbing one of her daughter's suitcases that was passing by.
Though it took a little time, the two families had their luggage and they were heading out to the parking structure where Skye and Mary had brought both their cars in anticipation of their guests.
"I miss the ship already," Julia told Mari with a smile once they were sitting in the back of the car her father was driving.
"Are you nervous for Monday?" Beckett asked, looking at the back row of the car.
"No," Julia said, smiling again at Mari and Marie to her left in their row. "I'm joking. I mean it was pretty cool to be on ship for a week but I'm glad to be on land."
"And we're going where there's a bigger pool now," Eliza said before she and Fleur were giggling together in the middle row.
Beckett smiled watching Josie; in between them in her car seat; look back and forth between the two before she turned to face forward. They were following the other car with everyone else in it and were soon reaching Santa Monica.
After going through a little traffic on Lincoln, the two cars were reaching the McDouglas home and pulling into the garage. They got out and unloaded the luggage before they were walking onto the grass.
"Alright so now we're here, you still want to do the plans we talked about?" Skye said to the Castles, including Mari and Peter.
"That would be nice," Beckett said. "But do you guys still want to?" she asked her father and mother in law.
"I think I'll rest," Martha said. She smiled and then said, "If you're serious about Disneyland tomorrow…"
"We are," Castle said before glancing over at Julia.
"You heard Derek and Hayley, they'll be here for lunch and we'll practice and then we can go to Downtown Disney and the hotel for the rest of the night," the teen said. "You guys can play or swim."
"You know the studio isn't fully closed off," Mary commented, since the group of dancers would be practicing there.
"Still, don't cheat," Julia said, shrugging and laughing with the others.
With that they split up, Castle and Beckett heading to the guest house with Josie while the others were making their way inside the main house. Once there they took their youngest up to their bedroom and began unpacking while she was playing with her Tigger doll on the bed.
"What do you think?" Castle asked his wife eventually when they were nearly finished.
"About what?" Beckett said in slight confusion.
"Going to Disneyland?" Castle asked.
"Oh, I'm glad we're going now," Beckett replied. "Instead of when we're just with Josie."
"Me?" the toddler asked, looking at her parents with the mention of her name.
"Yeah, but we're going to Knott's now," Castle commented. "Universal too." He paused and then said, "And they're okay with it."
Beckett couldn't help smiling and said, "That's got you flummoxed?" in a teasing tone.
"That and you using the word flummoxed," Castle said, grabbing her as he walked by her.
Laughing, Beckett made him let her go and turned to him before saying, "I guess they figured she's not going to remember this when she's older?"
"I don't think so," Castle said slowly, not surprised when she was frowning at him. "Okay, they told me they want us to go around alone too. Since she won't be able to go on all the rides."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a smile. "But we are going to be here to spend time with Josie."
"I told them that," Castle said.
Seeing her husband hesitating again, Beckett laughed briefly and told him, "Don't worry, I'm not surprised about that either. Though I wonder if they were just teasing you about pushing you again concerning us being alone."
"They were but then they made me promise I would kiss you at least twice," Castle said.
"Twice?" Beckett asked in amusement. "Or did you bargain them down to that."
Shaking his head Castle said, "Eliza's tough."
"So am I!" Josie cried from the bed before her parents turned to her.
"You are, you were joining her," Castle replied, going to the toddler and picking her up. "Are you done?" he asked, turning to his wife.
"I am," Beckett said. "Since I had to pack the smaller suitcase."
"I did too," Castle replied in mock annoyance before she was walking up to him with the suitcase behind her.
"Is there anything else the girls demanded?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"No," Castle said. "I told them not to ask anything," he said. He then added, "They said they didn't have anything else to request, though Julia said they just wanted us to have fun."
"And we will," Beckett said. "Now too," she added with a smile.
"Yeah, are you ready to go?" Castle asked Josie who had been listening to them.
"Yeah, Disney?" the toddler asked.
"Not yet," Beckett said as they were going downstairs. "But later we promise. We need to have lunch and your sister needs to practice her dancing."
"Can I practice too?" Josie asked.
"Maybe when we're back at home," Castle said. "I'm sure they'll practice ballet too."
Outside of the house, Beckett saw Skye was stepping onto the patio from the house and she called, "We're coming."
"Yeah, Derek and Hayley are here," Skye said. "I was going to greet them."
"Me too," Julia said, Mari and Peter behind her.
"I think we all are," Castle said in amusement watching as the others were leaving the house. He then turned to the driveway when he saw through the breezeway a car pulling up to the garage before it turned off and the two dancers were stepping out.
"Hey, you're all here," Derek said with a smile.
"Just barely," Skye replied before the pair were walking through the doors in the breezeway. She shared a brief hug with the two and said, "Welcome back to the house."
"I told Derek we should say the same to you guys," Hayley said with a smile. "How was the trip?"
"A lot of fun," Julia said, the other kids agreeing with her. She then said, "Have you ever gone on a cruise?"
"Hold on," Skye said quickly. "We need to eat lunch so you can get your practicing done."
"Is lunch ready?" Castle asked.
"It is," Skye replied.
"Yeah, she's right," Derek said, holding up the bag that was in his hand and nodding to his fiancée who had another.
"We appreciate that," Skye said, taking it. "Come on inside," she told the two though she was talking to them all.
"I told you it wasn't that difficult to grab," Derek said while they were moving together to the house.
"And you guys just flew back," Hayley said.
"Yeah," Skye said laughingly. "But we're good."
"What?" Julia asked in surprise when the adults were looking at her. She then realized why they were and said, "Oh I'm fine. Are you guys?"
"Yeah, I slept a little on the flight," Peter said.
"Me too," Mari said. "I'm ready to practice though."
"Once we eat lunch and then relax for a little," Derek said. He saw the way the three kids were looking at him and said, "We can't start right away."
"Then what are we going to do until then?" Julia inquired, watching Skye and Mary unloading the bags on the kitchen island.
"First I need to see what the studio looks like," Derek said.
"You haven't yet?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"No, I've been busy," Derek said. "But I will now."
"Hopefully it'll work for you," Mary said.
"What if it doesn't?" Mari asked.
"You do have the living room," Skye said swiftly. "And we'll promise to stay away."
"Will you?" Peter asked.
"Hey," Eliza said in protest when her parents and grandparents turned to her. "I want to see the dance but I won't cheat."
"We'll probably go to the game room," Beckett said to the others. "We need to be ready to leave for Disneyland after that."
"Sounds good to me," Skye said, not surprised her wife was nodding. "Are we set?" she then asked her. At Mary's nod she called the others to get plates and grab the sections of hoagies they'd had the dancers pick up for them. Once they were finished they gathered at the tables in the kitchen and dining room before they began to eat.
"Did you want to sit over there?" Mari asked her friend at the kitchen table.
"Sort of," Julia said slowly since the question had been directed to her. "But we're just going to talk while we're practicing."
"And that's what you wanted to talk to him about, right?" Marie asked.
"Yeah," Julia said.
"Do you mind Hayley being here?" Kathleen then asked.
"Why would I?" Julia asked in response with a frown.
"Just wondering," the girl replied with a shrug. "You usually work with Derek."
"Actually I'm looking forward to it," Julia said before she was smiling. "I really wonder what we're going to do for the second Jive."
"Isn't that kind of weird?" Mari asked. "Two Jives?"
"I thought the same thing," Peter said quickly in agreement. "But he didn't say anything about us doing something else."
"Yeah, I thought that too," Julia said. "But I guess we'll see once we practice."
"You know, it's not going to take you too long to look at the studio," Marie said.
"She's right," Kathleen said. "And is that going to be long enough for you to digest."
"I bet we'll go to the game room," Peter then said. "Which is good since we're not going to be here that long."
"Whatever happened to yours?" Kathleen asked him.
"We're getting to it," Peter replied. "Mom and Dad wanted to wait a little after we got settled in the house to start picking what's going into our arcade."
"It's not a game room?" Marie asked with a smile.
"Nah, they wanted to be different," Peter said. He saw the way his dance partner was looking at him and said, "Okay, okay, Clive and I wanted to call it that. They said it was fine though I don't know why it wouldn't be," shrugging at the end.
After they'd finished eating, everyone helped cleaning everything from the meal until they were going to the studio.
"What do you think?" Skye asked, watching as the dancer was walking around.
"I think it's a little too small," Derek said honestly before looking at his fiancée.
"I agree," Hayley replied. "But are you three okay if we go to the living room?"
Smiling when they had nodded Derek said, "I guess we're going to the game room now with everyone else if you want to."
"We need to take Josie upstairs for her nap," Beckett said then, holding the toddler who was nodding off in her arms.
"Meet us in the room," Skye told the two before they were heading to the family room stairs.
Going to Martha's room, where the bed had a trundle bed under it, Castle and Beckett were soon putting Josie on it fast asleep. They were silent, careful to leave their youngest sleeping before they were stepping into the hall.
"Is the camera on?" Beckett asked him as he was looking at his phone.
"Yeah, we're good," Castle said, showing her the web cam they had set up inside. "So," he said while he was putting his phone away. "Are we sure about letting her have her bed next month?"
"We discussed that already," Beckett said, making her way back to the family room stairs. "And we said it's time, she is taller than average at her age."
"And she's outgrowing the crib. I know, I know but…" Castle started to say before he trailed off.
Beckett squeezed her husband's hand and said, "I feel the same way but I don't want her to climb out of the crib again."
"Good point," Castle said slowly, since Josie had done that two mornings before they'd left for the cruise. "And good thing she is taller."
"Yes," Beckett said slightly laughingly since their youngest hadn't gotten hurt doing that. "We better go, the others are going to wonder where we are." She was about to go down the first step when her husband was stopping her and pulling her to him.
Before his wife could say anything, Castle was taking her lips with his own and making it a little deep. He did his best not to linger for too long, moving away a little before he said, "It's not for their stipulation."
"I'm aware," Beckett said in amusement. "That's for our next visit here. But we seriously should go."
"Yeah," Castle said, reluctantly letting his wife go. He followed her downstairs to the game room where they found the others were playing at the games. "Want to play pool?" he asked her.
"Sure," Beckett said with a smile before they were walking to the table together.
"I think the dance is great," Derek said to the three kids who had just showed him and Hayley their Jive.
"It's not the entire song though," Julia reminded him.
"Yeah, I've been watching the video filmed at the Rothschild and filling in the gaps," Derek said, standing up from the couch he and his fiancée were on. He was about to speak when he noticed how Mari and Peter were looking pointedly at Julia and he smiled asking, "You filled them in?"
"No," Julia said fervently, shaking her head at the same time.
"Julia," Mari said simply, not surprised when her friend was frowning at her before she sighed and then spoke to the dancers.
"I got some ideas, not for the gaps but a couple… spaces," Julia explained. "And do you think we could meet Shangela tomorrow?"
"Sure… wait," Derek said before he was frowning when he realized why she was asking that. "I don't know if you should do a dip like she does."
"We can," Mari said. She smiled when the dancers looked at her, startled, and she said, "Julia and I have played with it at her house; she has mats we practice on in her room."
"But it's not always safe," Derek reminded them.
"That's why we have the mats," Julia said before they were turning to Peter.
"She told me about it already… and told me it wasn't a death drop but a dip," the teen said quickly at the looks he was getting. "But yeah, I'll do it if I can." Peter hesitated and then asked, "I mean we can choreograph something else for me if I can't right?"
"Exactly," Derek said. "And I'll talk to Shangela and Gleb on Monday; see if they'll be okay with taking the time to help you."
"I hope so," Julia said, rocking back and forth for a moment.
"Are you a fan?" Hayley asked with a smile as she stood up.
"Yeah," Julia said. "My parents let me see the runway part of Drag Race from the first seasons."
"Me too," Mari said quickly. "Since I've watched with Julia."
"They've shown me Shangela's stuff," Peter said quickly before they were laughing together.
"By the way, what was the other thing you thought of?" Derek asked.
"Jazz splits, I really wanted to do that at the Rothschild but Ms. Grey didn't want us to risk it," Julia said rapidly.
"I'm not surprised," Derek said before he hesitated. "But can you do it?"
"We can," Peter said, the other two nodding as well.
"Well?" Hayley then asked.
"Yep," Julia then answered before they laughed.
"Okay, then we'll add that Monday and see what we have," Derek said. "Now though we need to start on the second dance."
"Can I stay?" Mari asked hopefully.
"Of course," Derek assured her. "You can tell us how it looks."
"I will," Mari said firmly. She then hesitated and said, "You're doing two Jives though."
"We are," Derek said. "But this'll be the last week without a theme and they let me choose the dance and song."
"Why this one?" Peter couldn't help asking.
"It's a good Jive," Derek replied. "And I'm looking at this as a way for you to show you two can be on the show in the future." He wasn't surprised at the way the kids looked startled and smiled before telling them, "I want you to be on the show; you're dedicated," laughing when Mari immediately pointed at Julia and Peter followed.
"I thought you wanted to be on," Hayley said to the latter.
"I do," Peter said firmly. "But I think Julia should be on first."
"Not first," she said immediately. "Together."
"And you two wouldn't mind competing against each other?" Hayley asked.
"No, we know that's what the show is so…" Peter said before shrugging.
"Okay, I'm going to have you and Peter begin," Derek was saying, standing in the middle of the room. "And then Hayley and I will take over and then we'll switch partners for a little at the end before we go back to our regular partners." He looked between the kids and asked, "What do you think?"
"I think it's great," Julia said, smiling when she saw her partner was nodding his head.
"Me too," Mari called from the couch before they were laughing together.
Derek was about to start showing them their steps for the beginning when he paused as he heard footsteps approaching. "So…" he said. "Who's that?"
"My sister," Julia said with a smile. "Josa, what-"
"I dance too!" Josie said firmly before going to where they were standing. She went into first position and said, "I can dance!"
"I see, you have really good form," Derek said with a smile. "But we're dancing something a little faster."
"Oh, me too!" Josie exclaimed.
"Josie," Castle said, hurrying into the entry. "Josie why are you here?"
"She wants to dance too," Julia said, trying not to laugh at her sister racing to hide behind Hayley.
"You will when we go home," Castle said, moving to get her. When he picked her up he wasn't surprised when she was crying and said to the dancers, "Sorry about this, she should have slept longer."
"That's alright," Derek said. "You told me she's more interested in dancing with her sisters."
"A lot more, but not quite yet," Castle said. "Are you doing alright?" he asked Mari and Peter.
"Yeah, we're good Dad," Julia answered.
"Okay, just let us know when you're all finished," Castle told them before he was leaving. "Okay, Josie," he said firmly to the toddler who was trying to get out of his hold. He took her to the hallway of the new addition and said sternly, "If you're going to misbehave and fall out of my arms you're going to get hurt and then you can't come with us to Disneyland." When she immediately stopped he said, "I know, that's terrible but you need to let your sister surprise us on Monday."
"What happened?" Beckett asked, walking out of the game room.
Explaining quickly, Castle handed her the toddler who was snuffling a little with her tears stopping. "I was a little harsh but I think it needed to be said," he finished with.
"It did," Beckett agreed, squeezing his hand. She then turned her attention to Josie and said, "You're going to stay with us now right?"
"Yes Mama," Josie said, taking a shuddering breath. She felt pleased when her mother pressed a kiss to the side of her head and said, "I can go to Disney."
"Yes, you've been a good girl besides this so I think you can come with us," Castle said before his wife could. "Do you want to go back into the room and play?" he asked her.
"Please?" Josie asked. She giggled when her mother laughed and she hugged her around the neck before her mother was setting her down. She saw her sister was playing at the skeeball game and she hurried over to her eagerly.
"I feel a little bad for her, she's the youngest now," Beckett told her husband.
Nodding, Castle said, "I do too, but luckily they don't mind playing with her," since they could see their second youngest was letting her take a turn. He then turned to his wife and said, "What are you going to do now?"
"I think pinball," Beckett said. "Stay away from the driving game," she then told him teasingly since those consoles were next to the door.
"I'm not going to cheat," Castle said jokingly, not surprised when his wife rolled her eyes. He moved to the game and sat at the one further from the door to prove his point though he soon forgot about it when his attention was focused on the game. It was for some time since he was going through the different tracks before he realized someone was sitting next to him and his head whipped to the seat next to him.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt," Beckett told him teasingly.
"Hey… see I didn't move from here?" Castle asked.
"Yes," Beckett couldn't help responding laughingly. "I'll reward you later." She smiled when he obviously froze at her words and she told him firmly, "Later."
"Right," Castle said, shaking himself. "Do you want to race?" he asked her.
"I'd like to," Beckett said before she heard footsteps and turned to see Skye was walking into the room. "What-"
"I was talking with some people at the park," Skye replied, interrupting her. "I wasn't about to go where I'm not supposed to," she added with a smile. "But I managed to get us entry tonight."
"To where?" Mary asked since she had walked up to them.
"It's going to need to be Disneyland since they'll be open for longer," Skye replied. "We'll be able to have dinner there and go on a few rides I think."
"We couldn't go to California Adventure for a bit?" Ivy asked since she and all her sisters had heard that.
"It needs to be one park, we'll have to tell the cast member we meet at the hotel," Skye said, looking around at the kids since they were standing in front of herself and her wife. "Though I suppose that means we'll have to have a vote on what we want to do then. Once they're finished practicing."
"Are they finished yet?" Eliza couldn't help asking.
"They'll come here when they are," Beckett said. "And then take a shower before we can go."
"Could we swim at the hotel?" Kathleen asked, looking at the clock in the room.
"No," Skye and Mary said at the same time.
"Too bad, that pool is really nice," Julia said, smiling when the others looked at her.
"You're finished?" Beckett said, getting up from the game.
"Yeah, and it looks good," Derek answered.
"Really good," Mari then said. She smiled when the others looked at her and said, "I was watching."
"You weren't practicing?" Castle asked in surprise.
Mari couldn't help laughing with Julia and Peter before she said when she calmed down, "For the second dance I wasn't. I just watched them plan and then practice and it does look really good."
"You'll see it," Julia told her sister since Eliza had moved over to stand with her. "On Monday."
"You're no fun," the girl said with a playful pout. Eliza giggled when her sister rolled her eyes and she hugged her before she said, "Now you're here you can vote with us!"
"Vote?" Peter asked in confusion before Eliza was explaining what Skye had told them.
"You know you two need to come with us," the investigator told the dancers playfully.
"Need to?" Derek asked with a frown.
"I got two extra tickets, you said you'd join us for dinner too," Skye replied.
"We didn't think it'd be… one of the parks," Derek said.
"But we'll go," Hayley said, squeezing her fiancé's arm briefly. "It's not every day we get to go to… one of the parks."
"Why are you talking like that?" Fleur asked the two in confusion.
"Just joking," Hayley said laughingly. "So where are we going?"
"Okay," Skye said quickly when the others were looking at her. "Since we're doing this the democratic way, raise your hand for what you want but no voting for both." She was about to continue but was stopped by the kids pretending to groan in disappointment before they were stopping to hers and the other adults' laughter. "I wasn't expecting that," she said when she could speak. "Okay, so raise your hand for Disneyland." She glanced at her wife and when she quickly nodded she said, "California Adventure."
"I think that decided it," Castle commented, looking at the raised hands.
"Yeah, California Adventure it is," Skye said.
"You guys don't mind?" Marie asked the adults.
"I don't, I know it has one of your favorite rides," Jim said.
"But it closes early," Beckett reminded the investigator.
"Which is why that works," Skye replied with a smile. "For Downtown Disney if you guys still want to go."
Not surprised when the younger kids said they did, the parents calmed them down and sent Julia, Peter and Mari upstairs to take showers before they would leave. As soon as everyone was ready and had their things for the trip, they left the house and drove together to Anaheim.
"Sorry about the traffic," Skye said once they were in the lobby of the Grand Californian.
"We've been here before," Castle said. "And it seems like it always happens."
"You're not the cause of it either," Beckett said, giving her husband a pointed look.
"She's right," Castle said hurriedly. "So… who's checking in?"
"I am, these rooms are under my name," Skye said. "And don't try to pay me back, we never need a hotel in the Hamptons."
Though she wanted to say something about the expense, Beckett knew the investigator had a point and watched her and Mary leaving. "We need to make dinner when we're here next month," she told her husband.
"I was thinking the same thing," Castle said before he turned his attention to the kids who were near them and talking to Derek and Hayley. "What're you two going to do while we're at our rooms?" he asked them.
"Stay here, you don't need that much time do you?" Derek asked.
"No, we only have clothes for tonight and tomorrow," Beckett said, nodding in agreement to his question. "Actually the younger kids could stay with you if you don't mind watching them," she then said.
"Not at all," Hayley replied, smiling when Josie turned to her and her fiancé. "But after we're going into the park."
"We will," Ivy said firmly.
"Yeah, through the secret entrance," Iris said with a beaming smile.
"It's not that secret," Marie said swiftly. "But that's the way we go to this park."
"All the time?" Derek asked them with a smile.
"Yep," the three youngest McDouglases said at the same time before they were laughing with the other kids.
"Okay," Skye said, walking back with her wife eventually. "Here's the keys for the rooms." She passed them out and said, "And hopefully you'll all fit."
"Why- Grandda!" Fleur started to say when her mother was holding one key behind her before she saw her grandfather and step-grandfather approaching. She took off with her sisters to rush over to them and hug them tightly.
"Is he coming with us?" Beckett said in surprise to the McDouglas women.
"No," Skye said. "They'll come with us today but the walking tomorrow is going to be too much for Da. So they'll be here today into the morning and once we leave for the parks they'll head home."
"You're sure you couldn't get… something for your dad?" Castle started to say.
"He has some flights tomorrow too," Skye said. "But he didn't want the girls to hear that."
"They're not understanding?" Martha asked in surprise.
"They are but they'll still ask him," Skye replied with a smile. "Knowing it's harder for him to walk they'll ease off."
"Grandda said he has some flights Mum," Marie said.
"I thought-" Skye told her father with a frown.
"They weaseled it out of me," Liam said jokingly, laughing when his granddaughters were protesting. "I looked at their earnest faces and couldn't really tell them anything but the truth."
"You're not drunk are you?" Skye asked her father jokingly.
"No," Liam said laughingly. "But we should hurry and head to the park."
"You stay here," Skye said firmly.
"With us, we're staying here while you guys go up to your rooms," Derek informed them.
"Along with the youngest kids," Hayley added.
"I think it needs to be Josie," Mary suggested. "Our girls need to unpack their things."
"Is that alright?" Castle asked Josie, who'd begged him to pick her up.
"Yeah, but do we go soon?" the toddler asked.
"As soon as we're finished," Beckett promised her. With that she waited for her husband to put Josie down and they were soon walking together to the elevators before they were going to their door and their room. "Is this the same we used last time?" she asked in surprise, recognizing the couch their three daughters had slept on.
Since he had his hand on the doorknob still, Castle looked at the number and then said, "Yeah, this is it."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett replied, smiling as she walked into the bedroom.
"I'm wondering what we're going to do with all this space," Castle said jokingly, following her after he'd locked the door.
"One night love," Beckett said before her husband was suddenly grabbing her hand. When she turned to him she was startled while he was pulling her against his chest and she told him, "Not now."
"But later," Castle told her.
"Yes," Beckett replied firmly. She wasn't surprised when he appeared surprised and told him, "For now we have to unpack."
"Of course," Castle said though he was tempted to say more. He moved to the suitcase and got his clothes before his wife was grabbing hers. They took a drawer in the dresser and hangers in the closet before taking their bags to the bathroom. "And we're finished."
"Good thing," Beckett told him. "The girls will want to go."
"I hope they're alright in their suite," Castle said.
"The older kids will watch the younger ones," Beckett said
"I know, but there are… never mind," Castle started to say before he shook his head. "I forgot they're outnumbered."
"Don't let the younger kids hear you say that," Beckett told him with a smile. She picked up her purse she'd left on top of the dresser under the TV and they left the room together before they were meeting Skye and Mary at the elevators.
"How's your room?" the former asked the two.
"Great, why did you get the same one we had last time though?" Beckett asked.
"The same?" Skye asked in surprise.
"You didn't ask for a specific room number?" Castle asked.
"No, strange coincidence," Skye replied. "Hopefully you don't mind."
"No, it's only for one night," Beckett said in amusement as the doors of the car they were in front of opened. When they'd stepped inside she asked, "Have the kids contacted you?"
"Marie did," Mary said while they descended. "Just a text that they were finished and heading down to the lobby already."
"That fast? Suspicious," Castle commented, looking at his wife.
Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Who's deciding where we're going once we're in the park?"
"I don't think it's deciding," Skye said with a smile. "Cars is first."
"That was a given," Castle said before the doors opened. "And you're just going to go around from there?"
"The faster rides," Mary said. "And save the slower ones for after dinner before trying to go on faster rides again. The standard plan."
Hearing their mothers laughing, the kids turned to them and then glanced at each other in obvious excitement.
"Just watch," Liam murmured to the other adults while they were watching. "They'll behave from this point on and be very quiet so we'll go faster."
"I would assume you lot are ready to go," Skye said. "You didn't run up to us and beg to go."
"We know if we do that we'll have to wait," Marie said, not surprised her sisters were all nodding in agreement.
"Okay, we should go," Skye said after sharing a glance with her wife.
"Wait," Eliza said quickly as those sitting were getting up. When everyone was looking at her she said, "What about hats?"
"The girls have theirs," Mary commented, indicating hers and Skye's daughters who were putting them on at that moment.
"Could we get some?" Julia asked her mother, slightly hoping she'd say yes.
"I think we should," Castle said when his wife had glanced at him.
"You're no help," Beckett said in mock annoyance. "Alright, you can get one but just one." She smiled when Julia and Eliza nodded rapidly in agreement to her stipulation and she then noticed Mari and Peter looked a little uncertain and she said, "We'll buy your hats for you."
"Your parents would want us to," Castle said.
"Are you sure?" Mari asked hesitantly.
"I can text them," Castle said.
"We don't have that kind of time," Skye said. "Why don't we take them? We don't need to buy any hats so we should be good getting theirs." She half expected Beckett to protest, but when the writer merely nodded her head she said, "Okay, then we'll be detouring a bit, but we'll go through the hotel entrance still."
Walking over to Derek once they were leaving the lobby Julia asked, "Are you going to get something?"
"I don't think so," he answered. "I have a bunch of ears I don't really wear so we'll just watch you get yours."
"And they have that wedding coming up," Castle commented, having heard that.
"Thank you again for your gifts," Hayley said though she was directing it to the McDouglases too.
"You're welcome," Skye said with a smile. "Hopefully detouring a bit from your registry is alright."
"It is," Derek said with a laugh since the McDouglases had gifted him and his fiancée with a set of Waterford Crystal glasses. "I never thought about those to be honest."
"They're good glasses for parties and special occasions," Mary said.
"We have a set too," Beckett added.
"Is that why the China set you gave us was from there too?" Hayley asked.
Nodding Beckett said, "We have a set from them, not the same but they're great to use at Christmas."
"I love seeing them then," Eliza said. "That's when you know it's Thanksgiving or Christmas."
"Ours too," Iris said before they were laughing together and the dancers were assuring them they'd enjoy their glasses and plates.
Inside the World of Disney store the group went straight for the ears and hats before the kids getting them started to look. It didn't take long before Josie was picking hers out first and going to her parents with a wide smile on her face.
"I like this one Mama," Josie said eagerly. "It has Mickey and Minnie."
"I see that," Beckett told her, taking the ears the toddler had held up.
"You don't like it?" Castle murmured in Irish.
"I do, and she does which is more important," Beckett replied in the same language. "I hope you'll wear it," she then told their daughter.
"I will," Josie said, nodding her head rapidly before she held her hand out for her ears. She had chosen one themed to the Mickey and Minnie ride, the two in a car on the right ear with a large smiling sun on the other ear. In the middle was a yellow bird and she pet it murmuring, "Tweet, tweet birdie," as her mother was calling to her sisters.
"Hurry and choose or we won't have any time for the rides," Beckett said, watching when Peter put on a pair of ears and set the other kids laughing.
"Are they too much?" the teen asked, with a smile at the reaction of the others.
"No," Mary said. "You know who Oswald is though."
"Yeah, I've heard," Peter said, his ears that character's and nothing else to it.
"Alright, so that's two down and two to go," Skye said. "Or maybe not," she added since she saw Julia and Mari were wearing their choices. "No surprise there," she said to the former since Julia had picked out Stitch ears that had a flower next to one.
"Not really," the teen said with a shrug. "I love yours though," Julia then said to Mari.
"Is it the birds or the Dole Whip?" the girl asked with a smile.
"Where's that?" Kathleen asked in surprise.
Mari pointed out the Dole Whip pin on the middle of the green patterned bow between the ears with Tiki Room birds on either side. She wasn't surprised when the youngest were exclaiming over that and tried not to laugh as they were asking their parents if they could get some.
"I was going to suggest it be our dessert after lunch tomorrow," Mary said to her wife and the Castles. "We'll walk it off."
"Sounds great to me," Castle said before he glanced at his wife quickly. "If you think the same."
Beckett couldn't help smiling before she said, "It's fine. We need to go?"
"Right, you guys need to hand over the ears," Skye said, saying the last exaggeratedly. After she had Peter and Mari's she went to the register with Beckett who had her daughters' choices. "No hat? Or ears either I should say," she told her friend while they were waiting.
"Not this time," Beckett said with a smile. She then said, "Is this going to be enough?"
"It will be," Skye said. "We've done this before."
"Often?" Beckett asked.
"Since I had the connection to Disney," Skye said simply.
Beckett couldn't help laughing at that before they were moving to the next open registers to pay before they would make their way to the park.