"So you're agreed on how this is going to go right?" Castle asked the kids. It was after three and they had had Dole Whip as a dessert and had walked around the park for picture taking and to let their snack/dessert digest.
"Yeah, we pick a number one kid at a time," Eliza said. "And we go on that ride."
"Unless it's the Tiki Room," Peter said, making a face and quickly smiling at Josie when she was squealing with laughter.
"Or a water ride," Skye said firmly, smiling herself when the kids were immediately groaning in protest. "But we should start before we lose our time to do this before dinner."
"It's your turn Josa," Julia told her baby sister who was standing next to her.
"One through forty remember," Beckett said since her husband had already told them the number.
"One!" Josie said eagerly, smiling at the other kids laughing.
"It's a ride?" Martha asked her son in surprise when he started to smile.
"One she can go on," Castle said with a nod. He then turned his attention to Josie herself and said, "It's one of your favorites too."
"Which?" Josie instantly asked.
"Alice in Wonderland," Castle said. He smiled when the toddler was clapping her hands and jumping before they left where they were standing by the Walt Disney and Mickey statue. "Why didn't we go on that earlier?" he asked his wife.
"I don't know," Beckett said.
"I was going to suggest we leave that one for after dinner. Or this since this idea came up," Skye said.
"Well, at least it worked out," Castle said when they were nearing the exit of the ride. They were soon dividing on the caterpillars and making their way around the ride building inside. He and his wife were sitting together with Eliza and Jim in front of them and he said, "I guess this is partially how we make it up to them."
"It is," Beckett said in amusement since they'd allowed Martha to take Josie with the three youngest McDouglases.
When they had finished and were off the ride, gathered together, everyone turned to Eliza who was laughing before she said, "Forty?"
"Already?" Mary asked, unable to help speaking in amusement at the hesitation obvious on the writer's face.
"Yeah, the Tiki Room," Castle said.
"Oh, then twenty-six," Eliza said, randomly thinking of the number.
After he'd counted, Castle smiled and said, "You'll be happy Peter, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." He laughed outright with the other kids as they were cheering that and they made their way easily to the exit of it.
"Are you sure you should take her?" Jim asked his daughter since she had Josie on her hip.
"She'll be fine," Beckett assured him. "She has gone on this before," she reminded him before she was smiling. "And I don't think we can tell her no now."
"I want to go," Josie said eagerly.
"We are right now," Beckett said, carrying her onto their car since they were next. After she had them both set she said, "Are you going to drive sweetie?" since she had put her where the wheel was. She kissed the top of her head while Josie was nodding and trying to turn the wheel before they were starting on the ride. When they reached the train lights she watched the toddler closely to make sure she was alright as they drove through 'hell' until they were outside again. "Did you have fun?" she asked the toddler while she was jumping up and down.
"Yeah Mama, I want to drive again," Josie said eagerly, looking up at her mother.
"We will," Beckett said, thinking of Autopia. She saw the others were together by then and she said, "I hope you're ready."
"I am," Iris said with a wide smile since it was her turn next. "Seventeen."
"The Jungle Cruise," Castle said, looking over at Josie with the others when the toddler was letting out a short scream of joy. "I think she approves of it."
Walking to that ride, Skye said to Castle and Beckett, "Mary and I are going to sit this one out."
"Where?" Castle immediately asked.
"At the exit," Mary replied. "We did… a lot of walking so far today."
"You didn't take a break?" Beckett asked with a smile.
"Not all of us thought we'd sit and póg," Skye said, smirking at them.
"We were heading to the Matterhorn and spotted you," Mary said. "And then continued," she said pointedly before they were walking to the benches. "At least the older kids didn't try to get out of going," she commented once they were sitting together.
"Well, they do enjoy it even though they complain about it," Skye told her wife.
"Exactly," Mary replied before they were laughing lightly. She then looked at the writers and said, "Are you enjoying the numbers thing?"
Since the other three were looking at her, Beckett smiled and said, "I am, the kids are enjoying it and it is interesting to see what we'll get with their numbers."
"Do you have yours?" Castle asked.
Beckett couldn't help smiling, since he had taken her hand as he'd spoken, and she said, "I do, but I'm not telling you yet." She smiled at her husband nodding and she then people watched with them before their families were coming out of the exit. She did her best not to laugh at the way Josie's eyes lit up catching sight of both herself and her husband before she was rushing to them.
"Mama! Dada, I saw animals and elephants and a tiger!" Josie was saying excited. "And more animals!" she added after pausing and thinking that over for a moment.
"Sounds like it was fun," Castle said, running his hand over her hair gently. He laughed briefly when she was nodding rapidly and he picked her up, putting her on his lap. "So you didn't miss us," he said teasingly.
"I did!" Josie exclaimed, frowning at him.
"Whose turn is it next?" Castle asked the kids since he realized they were all gathered in front of him.
"Mine," Ivy said, rocking back and forth a little on her feet. "And my number is thirty-two."
"What is it?" Eliza asked, surprised her father frowned after he was looking at his phone.
"It's not a ride, but the walkthrough inside the castle," he told them. When the McDouglas girls begged to go, Castle looked up at them and asked, "You don't mind?"
"No, it's well done," Skye said for her daughters. "You've seen it remember."
"Okay, then we better go so we all have a chance to pick a number," Castle said, setting Josie down and standing up.
"Is someone keeping track of the numbers?" Jim asked then.
"I am," Castle assured his father in law. He smiled and said, "After I close the Disneyland app."
With that the group moved to the Sleeping Beauty Castle before entering a door and they were soon making their way past the scenes from the animated movie.
"Too bad we didn't get that one after dinner," Eliza said to Fleur.
Nodding the girl said, "I know, but 'opefully next is a ride." Turning to Castle, Fleur said, "My number is four."
"Thunder Mountain," Castle read, laughing with the other adults when all of the kids were cheering.
While they were making their way over to that ride Beckett told her husband, "I think we should walk around with Josie."
"I was just going to say," Castle said, nodding in agreement since they'd gone on the ride during their time alone together. At the exit to the ride, he and Beckett explained what they were going to do, watching the others head towards the landing platform before they were looking at their youngest since she was tugging at their hands that held hers.
"When can I go?" Josie asked them hopefully.
"When you're taller," Castle said. "And older," he hurried to add when his wife glanced at him. They led their daughter to the railing overlooking the Rivers of America and watched the Mark Twain ship go by until the group had come to them.
"Fifteen," Kathleen said with a smile when Castle was looking at her.
"Lucky, it's Indiana Jones," Castle told the others. He wasn't surprised when his wife was murmuring to him about staying off with Josie again and they did so, letting the toddler watch the Jungle Cruise boats going by.
"They waved Mama," Josie said, having been doing that to the boats.
"Who was it?" Beckett asked, turning to her.
"The captain," Josie said carefully.
"Good, now turn around sweetie," Beckett told her. She smiled when the toddler was looking at her in surprise and said, "They're finished."
"Who picks now?" Josie asked.
"Me," Marie said with a smile. She turned to Castle and then told him, "Six."
"The Casey Jr. Circus Train," he read. Waiting for some protest from the older kids, he was startled when there was no response and said, "Okay, then let's go," before they walked to the ride. They all went on together, and were looking at the mini versions of places from the animated films they passed before they were soon back at the loading platform.
Mari smiled when she felt Julia nudge her side and said, "Twenty-five."
"Smuggler's Run," Castle said simply, smiling at the cheering again.
After they had gone on that ride, Castle and Beckett taking Josie around the land that time, Julia said once they were all together again, "Two."
"Astro Orbiter," Castle said. "We can take her on this one."
"I will," Beckett told her husband, since he'd been looking at her. She held Josie's hand on the walk to Tomorrowland and once they were in the short line she told the toddler, "You can control the rocket sweetie, but nothing too crazy okay?" She smiled when Josie giggled at her tone and pulled her into a tight hug before they were being allowed on the different rockets.
Though he'd tried to get Eliza to ride with him, Castle didn't really mind when she insisted on riding with Iris. He found he was on his own but didn't mind that either since he was able to watch Beckett and Josie in front of him, loving the way their youngest was laughing.
"Do we still have time?" Martha asked her son when the others were off the ride and where she'd waited with Josie's stroller.
"We do, your turn Peter," Castle said.
Nodding the teen said, "Twenty-four."
"Hopefully you won't mind, Mickey and Minnie's ride," Castle said, a little surprised when Peter was shaking his head. When they started to walk to that he stated, "I thought you'd want a faster ride."
"Sure, but it's a random number," Peter replied.
"There's more," Julia said. "Tell him."
"I promised Emily I'd tell her about this ride," Peter said, a little embarrassed. "But also Clive since he wanted to know."
"It's a good reason," Castle assured him before they'd reached Toontown and quickly after that the ride.
"Now it's the adults' turn," Eliza said to her friends once they'd gone on the ride and were standing outside the building.
"And mine, I know," Skye said, pretending to sound annoyed. She then turned to Castle and said, "Thirty-six."
"Rise of the Resistance, great choice," Castle informed her before they were moving to walk once more. He suggested to his wife that they stay off with Josie and they sat together on a bench nearest the ride's exit, letting their youngest walk around in front of them.
"Mama," Josie said, eventually going over to them. "I'm hungry."
"We'll eat very soon sweetie," Beckett replied, picking her up.
"Or do you want to play with the numbers to choose our restaurant?" Castle teased her.
"Yeah," Josie said, smiling. "And food."
"We will eat soon," Castle assured her just before he heard familiar voices. "It's your turn now love," he said once the others were nearing them.
"Yeah Mama," Josie said with another smile. "Pick one!"
"I have," Beckett assured her daughter before she turned to her husband. "Thirty."
"Roger Rabbit," Castle said, watching her closely for her reaction.
"Great, we should go," Beckett said, standing and making him do so too.
After they'd ridden the dark ride, Mary's choice of thirty-five turned out to be Star Tours and they made their way over to Tomorrowland. Castle chose sixteen and there was some discussion about picking another number since it was Small World, but they finally decided to go when Josie was so eager about it. Martha was second to last and her choice was ten, which was the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and the kids asked to save that for after dinner. She was urged to pick another number and though she took a moment she finally said twelve, which they went on since it was the Finding Nemo submarines.
"I think," Castle said once they were away from the ride. "We should just go on the rides we want after dinner."
"We don't need to go to the Mr. Lincoln show you know," Martha said. "It was a random number."
"I think she's serious," Castle said with a smile at the way the kids hesitated. He then looked at Jim and asked, "Do you have a number?"
"I do," Beckett's father replied with a smile as Josie hurried over to him. "It's eighteen."
"A good choice," Castle said. "The carousel."
"I have to get some pictures," Peter said. "I promised Emily to do that," he added to explain why.
"We're going right now," Castle said before they started to walk again.
"Daddy," Eliza said, hurrying over to him and taking his hand.
"I know what you're going to ask," Castle told her in amusement. "And we'll start deciding where to eat after this ride."
"Good," Eliza said firmly before she was turning her attention to where they were walking.
When they had taken their turn on that ride, the family gathered together and Castle said, "I know we've had problems with this, but we do end up getting the quicker restaurants. So let's just think of three numbers and hope we'll get a good place to eat at."
Julia listened to the other kids think of the three numbers before they were looking at her father and she said, "Twenty-three," laughing with her sisters and friends when Castle shook his head.
"If we wanted Starbucks that would be great," he explained since it was the placed called Market House.
"Twenty-five," Julia said.
"The milk in Star Wars," Castle said.
"Shoot, I thought of that one," Kathleen said. "I forgot it from earlier."
"Sixteen?" Julia asked hesitantly.
"It sounded familiar?" Castle asked. When the kids nodded he laughed and said, "Don't worry, we were doing this a while ago. But this one is The Golden Horseshoe."
Not surprised when the McDouglas girls were all groaning, Julia moved to huddle with the others before she turned back to her father. "Twenty-nine," she told him before she groaned when he made a face. "We picked before?"
"The Plaza Inn dining package," Castle explained. When his daughter told him, "Five," he looked and then said to everyone, "Café Orleans."
"It's a little harder for the kids to find choices, otherwise we'd go there," Skye said when her daughters were looking at her.
"The last one is nine," Julia said.
"Docking Bay again," Castle said apologetically before he watched in amusement as the kids were huddling. "They're going to miss doing this," he couldn't help saying to the other adults.
"A little," Julia said before the others could respond to that. "Thirty-four."
"Refreshment Corner," Castle said, smiling when the kids laughed instead of becoming discouraged.
"Thirty-one?" Julia then asked. "Peter thought of it but it sounded familiar." She wasn't surprised when her father nodded and told them it was for the pretzel carts before she said, "Nineteen."
"The Jolly Holiday Bakery," Castle read off the phone. "So does that mean you're picking your dessert too?" he asked the kids jokingly.
Telling him no, the kids spoke together hurriedly and Julia told her father the first number they'd thought of saying, "Eight."
"Again dessert," Castle said teasingly. "The churro carts."
"I swear we're not choosing the numbers we did at lunch on purpose," Julia said, not surprised the other kids were nodding around her.
"Don't worry," Mary said soothingly. "That was a while ago. What's your second of the group?"
"Twenty-one," Julia said.
"The popcorn," Castle told them apologetically, not surprised at some of the impatient huffs from the older kids.
"Forty-five?" Julia said. "Really?" she asked her father when he was making a brief face. She looked at the screen of his phone and saw it was the turkey legs before she told her friends and sisters, "It's the turkey legs." After they'd hurried to pick another set she told her father, "Thirty-five."
"River Belle Terrace?" Castle said, looking at Skye and Mary.
"It's like Café Orleans," the latter said first. "Not many options and the girls aren't big fans of what there is."
"Thirty-seven," Julia said when everyone was looking at her.
"Royal Street Veranda," Castle read. "I know this one, the bread bowls right?"
"It is, I don't have a problem with it, but it's not a sit down restaurant," Skye answered before they looked at Julia for the last number.
"Six?" the teen said questioningly. Her father shook his head and Julia couldn't help groaning before they were picking three more numbers. "Twelve but I think that was for the show right?"
"Right, Fantasmic," Castle said. "And if you're wondering, six was a dining package for Café Orleans." He looked at Julia and when she told him, "Forty-three," he said, "The stall outside the Jungle Cruise."
"Okay, one more and then you adults pick," Julia told them before she said the last number they'd picked.
"Stage Door Café," Castle said.
"That's simple stuff, we ate there for lunch my first time 'ere, I picked it," Fleur said. "Are we not going to pick anymore?"
"You are, three more," Skye urged them.
"We're going to run out of numbers," Julia commented when they'd finished. When the adults didn't say anything she said, "Forty-two."
"The Tropical Hideaway, that's more a snack," Castle said since they'd gone there to get their Dole Whip.
"And we already went," Julia said with a smile. "Forty-one?"
"I don't know why it's here, it's Tiana's Palace and it's not even open yet," Castle said. Julia told him the number three and he smiled before saying, "You guys cheated." He wasn't surprised when they were looking at him in confusion and he said, "It's the Blue Bayou Restaurant." He laughed with the other adults when the kids immediately cheered and he said, "I guess they don't mind it."
"No, the girls love going there when they can convince us to go," Mary commented before they began to walk to the restaurant.
Since they weren't too late, Skye was able to ask the host to give them a table by the railing looking out at Pirates of the Caribbean.
Once they were all settled Eliza asked her father, "Could we do the dessert now?"
"Really? After all the time it took to get here?" Castle asked teasingly.
"There aren't that many places are there?" Julia asked.
"If I can just pick the dessert places," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when the kids were nodding and he smiled before looking at the list. "Okay, seven," he told the kids who were soon whispering together.
"We're just picking one number at a time," Julia said. "Three."
"The Jolly Holiday Bakery," Castle read. "You guys are cheating again," he teased before he saw they were hesitating. "No?"
"Could we try one more number? We've been there a lot," Marie asked. When Castle nodded she hurried to whisper with the other kids again before Julia was saying, "Seven."
"That's Dole Whip again," Castle said, unable to help speaking in amusement.
"Then let's just go back to the bakery," Eliza said, looking at her friends.
"Great, no more numbers," Castle said, pretending to sound relieved as he put away his phone.
"Actually, I think I'm going to cancel that," Skye said.
"You are?" Mary asked with a slight frown.
"As my lovely wife reminded me, we can go on the Haunted Mansion after this and then grab some mint julep and beignets."
"You don't mind doing that?" Beckett asked the kids with a smile since they were already exclaiming over that idea.
"I think it's great," Ivy said.
"Me too," Eliza said, nodding rapidly.
"Great, then I hope we're ready because our waitress is coming to the table," Castle said since he could see her. They were soon after ordering and once the cast member had left he asked the kids, "When did you pick what you were going to get?"
"We get the same thing," Marie said, nodding to her twin.
"Yeah, the prime rib," Kathleen added.
"That's what we're getting," Julia said.
"Peter and I will be splitting that as well," Jim said.
"And us," Beckett reminded her husband with a smile.
"And here I thought we were so smart for thinking of that," Castle told her as he took her hand and was soon entwining their fingers.
"We? You suggested it," Beckett teased him. She laughed when he merely raised their hands so he could kiss the back of hers and she then turned her attention to Skye and Mary, "Are they having a special flavor for the beignets?"
"We heard about it," the doctor said first. "And I just remembered."
"And you're not going to tell us the flavor?" Castle asked in mock annoyance.
"They're strawberries and cream," Iris said. She then giggled seeing her mothers were looking at her and asked, "Are you mad?"
"No, it wasn't supposed to be a surprise," Skye said. "But I hope you'll enjoy them."
"I don't see how you couldn't," Castle commented, looking at the kids when they were laughing.
"What are you going to do between us eating now and dessert?" Jim asked the four when the kids returned to talking to each other. "Or were you serious about going on just the Haunted Mansion?"
"No, I think for Josie's sake we should go on Winnie the Pooh again… unless she wouldn't enjoy that," Skye said, looking at the toddler's parents.
"She will," Beckett told her. "I just don't know if the other kids will mind."
"We won't," Julia said.
"Yeah, we know we need to go on the slow rides first," Peter said. "But how're we going to pick what rides to go on after that?"
"It's all about time," Skye said, not surprised her wife was snorting in laughter while she was sipping at her water.
"Why are you being so vague?" Mary asked after she carefully wiped her mouth.
"It is isn't it?" Skye said in mock annoyance. She and her wife were staring at each other before they were laughing together.
"So… how are you going to do that?" Martha asked in amusement when the two had calmed down.
"Sorry, it does take time to walk around of course. And if we're splitting the beignets then I think we're good," Skye said.
"I think it's a great idea," Castle said. "But after the slow rides?"
"Everyone picks a ride," Mary replied firmly.
"Can we say them now Mom?" Ivy asked a little shyly.
"Do you want to make a list?" Skye asked her. At the nods from their daughters she shared a smile with her wife before she turned to Castle and said, "I know you want to write everything down."
"Type," Castle said, cutting into his half of prime rib. "But it'll have to be after we eat so start thinking," he said, pointing his fork at the kids who were soon giggling.
At that point the group focused on their meals and watching the bateaux going by in the water until they were finishing and Castle was getting his phone.
"My chicken was good Mama," Josie said when she saw her mother was looking at her.
"I see that," Beckett said, wiping a little bit of mashed potatoes off the toddler's cheek. "But we want to know what ride is the one you really want to go on."
"My favorite?" Josie asked, saying the second word carefully. When the others were saying yes at the same time she giggled and told them, "Mickey and Minnie!"
"That's not a surprise," Castle couldn't help commenting with a smile while he was typing it on his phone.
"Rise of the Resistance," Iris said eagerly when he was looking at her.
"I was going to pick that," Ivy told her twin with a smile. She then turned to Castle and said, "Indiana Jones."
"The Matterhorn," Fleur said.
"Thunder Mountain," Kathleen told the others on her turn.
"Space Mountain," Marie said.
"I thought we were going in order of age," Mari said jokingly.
"Sorry," the oldest McDouglas girls said at the same time.
"That's okay," Mari said laughingly. "I'll pick Pirates."
"Good one," Julia said before she turned to her father, aware it was her turn. "There isn't much left."
"Any ride," Castle assured her.
"Alright, Buzz Lightyear," Julia said. She giggled when her father made a face and she asked him, "You were going to pick that one?"
"I had wanted to," Castle replied. "Okay, Peter?"
"Uh… Star Tours, no one said that yet did they?" the teen asked.
"No, though I was about to pick that one," Skye said in amusement. "And for my choice it'll be Smuggler's Run."
Mary laughed when she could see the face Castle was making and said, "Your other choice."
"Yes," Castle said in mock annoyance.
"Don't be too surprised, but I'm going to pick Autopia," Mary said.
"I'm not," Skye quipped, smiling at her wife.
"You know me already," Mary said, frowning playfully at her wife.
"It's not a bad one," Castle said.
"What about you Daddy?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"Haunted Mansion," Castle said simply though a little absently since he was writing it down as well before looking at his wife.
"We're picking together," Beckett said with a smile.
"Your turn now Gram," Eliza said, turning to her.
"Yeah Gram!" Josie exclaimed.
Martha couldn't help laughing before she said, "I think I would like to go on the Jungle Cruise."
"Roger Rabbit," Jim said when his granddaughters were turning to him. He was laughing himself when Josie squealed and clapped her hands.
"Okay," Castle said before he paused. "I'm wondering if we should include the slower rides on the list with the ones we're going on after dessert."
"I'm game," Skye said. "And since we're done, let's head out to our two rides."
"And then dessert," Ivy said, laughing when her mother playfully narrowed her eyes at her.
When the group left the restaurant they made their way to Critter Country and the ride before they went to the Haunted Mansion.
"Are you going to take her," Jim asked as his daughter and son in law were very obviously hesitating and looking at their youngest.
"You could, we brought Marie and Kath when they were that age," Skye said. "Though we did show them on YouTube and told them what the ride was about."
"We've done the same," Beckett said.
"Does she want to go?" Mary asked. "Because if she's seen it and she does I think you're good."
"I want to go," Josie said, looking up at her mother.
"Alright, we'll go with you sweetheart so you don't get too scared," Castle said, picking her up then.
"I won't," Josie said firmly before they were smiling and walking onto the line since it wasn't that long. She looked at the pet cemetery and asked, "For doggies?"
"Not real ones," Castle assured her. He wasn't surprised when she nodded, before she was wriggling to be put down. He took her hand as soon as he'd done that and they were soon being allowed into the house.
"Remember," Beckett said to Josie once they were standing in the elevator. "We're going to be in the dark for a little."
"I know," the toddler replied though she was holding onto her parents' hands a little tighter. She looked around at all the people with them before the doors closed and the narration started. When she saw the paintings stretching she let out a little cry before it went dark. When the ceiling lit up she cried out and buried her face against her mother's leg at the sight of the hanging body. After a little she opened one eye and glanced up before seeing the body was still swinging. "Mama?" she whispered when the lights soon came back on.
"It's alright," Beckett told her. "Let your daddy take you because we need to walk."
After Josie had nodded, she was being picked up by her father and carried down a hallway. She looked at the windows with lightning flashing outside and the changing paintings on the other. "It is scary Dada?" she asked him.
"Supposed to be?" Castle asked in response. When she was nodding he kissed her cheek and said, "Just a little," before he focused on getting to the moving walkway before he had her get into their doom buggy after Beckett had. He sat next to them and once the lap bar was down he said, "Here we go."
"Yeah," Josie said, bouncing a little on the seat. When they got to the hall with the floating candelabra she couldn't help saying, "Ooh, look at the ghost!"
Smiling at that reaction, Beckett gently ran her hand over the back of Josie's head before they were reaching the hallway. As they continued through the rest of the house, she was relieved the toddler appeared to be awed and was smiling at the party in the ballroom. She was a little worried the 'spirits' that would pop up were going to scare her but she was smiling again at the way Josie was laughing at them.
"Oh, I forgot about this," Castle said when they left the cemetery and were getting to the hitchhiking ghosts. He saw they were nearing the mirrors and when they got to one he playfully pulled Josie to his side and laughed when she started to.
As they were getting off the ride Beckett asked Josie while they were heading up the walkway, "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah, can we go again?" Josie asked.
"Another time," Castle said. "Do you know what we're going to do now?"
"No," Josie said with a slight frown.
"You forgot about dessert!" Eliza told her little sister.
"Dessert!" Josie repeated eagerly.
"We're going right now," Castle told the two before they were walking past the Haunted Mansion. They reached the Mint Julep Bar and he told his wife, "I'll order."
Though she was going to tell him she would help him with the drinks, Beckett wasn't surprised when he was hurrying to the window with Skye and she turned to Julia. "Can you watch your sisters?" she asked her.
"I'll go with Dad," Julia said.
"I'll help too," Mari said.
"And me," Peter added.
Eliza smiled at her mother's obvious surprise when they left and said, "I think they're okay with helping."
"I guess so," Beckett commented. "Will you stay with me?" she asked.
"Sure," Eliza replied. "But I think Josa wants to go."
"Sweetie," Beckett said.
"I have to help?" Josie asked.
"No," Beckett replied firmly and placing her on her lap since she'd sat at one of the tables. She watched Josie for a moment and said, "Are you getting tired?"
"No," the toddler said immediately though she'd yawned before her mother had spoken. "I want to go to rides."
"And we are," Beckett said before Eliza was tapping her shoulder.
"I think she wants to do the list we made," the girl said.
Beckett smiled when Josie giggled, confirming what her sister had said, and she told the toddler, "You know you have to wait to go on some of them."
"But I can go on some," Josie replied.
"Yes," Beckett said, smiling when the toddler was cuddling against her.
"Okay, we have our drinks," Castle said, walking back with the three older kids.
"And the beignets!" Mari exclaimed, holding up the bag she had.
"Sit first," Beckett said with a smile as Eliza was jumping up from her chair.
Lowering herself at her mother's look, Eliza asked, "Can I try my drink?"
"Go ahead, but sip slowly," Castle answered instead of his wife. He smiled when the girl nodded before she was sipping and he said, "Okay, so we have enough for one beignet each."
"And Josie?" Beckett asked.
"I'll give her the ear off mine?" Castle said hesitantly.
Smiling Beckett said, "And I'll give her one of mine."
"Great," Castle replied, ripping off the ear from his. He gave it to Josie before the toddler was taking a big bite out of it and getting the powdered strawberry sugar all over her mouth and chin. "I guess she's hungry," he told his wife.
"I think just for this," Beckett said in amusement before taking a bite out of hers.
"This is fab," Skye said after she'd eaten some of her beignet.
"It is," Mary said with a nod. "Hopefully they'll bring the flavor back next year."
"I hope we come back so you're on the show again," Eliza told her sister.
Julia couldn't help laughing and asked, "So we can come back to Disneyland?" laughing again at how fast her sister was nodding.
"You should make it a tradition," Skye commented to the writers.
"We may, but it depends more on Julia and Peter getting the invitation to do the show," Beckett said, not surprised her husband was looking at her to answer.
"She will," Skye said. She smiled when the writers were looking at her in surprise before she said, "The show said they would love to invite the O'Dells. I may have said we'd perform under the condition the kids were there."
"It was more of a demand," Mary said with a smile. When the others were looking at her and her wife she clarified, "It was a demand and I asked for it as well."
"Thanks," Julia and Peter said at the same time.
"Yeah… does that mean me and Clive too?" Mari asked slowly.
"Of course, it just happened to be a trio dance this time," Skye said, sipping at her mint julep.
"Did you guys have fun today?" Mary asked hers and Skye's girls. She laughed with the others when the five were clamoring to say yes before they were all laughing together.
"It really was great," Mari said to Julia when they had broken off and were having separate conversations.
"Luckily we're not done yet," the teen said, nodding to what her friend had said.
"Close though," Castle said, looking at Josie.
"Shh," Beckett said in amusement and making him turn his head. She smiled when he laughed before they were finishing up and cleaning up the powdered sugar. Josie left her and her husband when they had finished and she said, "What're you doing?"
"We have to go back to the house after this," Castle commented, standing close to her. "And it's going to be late."
Smirking Beckett said, "It will be, but we have some anxious kids waiting."
"Just one," Castle said.
"Just one?" Beckett asked pointedly. When he nodded she decided she'd pretended to protest enough and leaned into him before he was moving to kiss her in a rush. Though they kept it brief, she was no less affected and when they had parted she murmured against her husband's lips, "I love you Rick."
"Love you Kate," Castle said seriously. He kissed her again and reluctantly let her go before they were walking hand in hand after the rest of their family and friends to return to the rides.