"Did you get a lot of good gifts this year?" Martha was asking.
"Yeah, I like to open them," Josie said seriously.
"I'm not surprised," Martha said in amusement before she was looking at her other grandchildren. "They're alright?" she directed to Alexis.
"They are," the young woman replied with a smile. "Luckily since I didn't want to take attention away from their aunt."
Smiling when Josie was giggling, Julia asked her, "What was your favorite gift?"
"Books!" Josie exclaimed eagerly.
"And the second best?" Eliza asked since the toddler had gotten tomes from nearly everyone.
"That," Josie said, pointing to her long dresser.
"Don't point kiddo," Martha said, taking her hand and kissing it gently.
"Really?" Eliza asked.
"Yeah, it's us," Josie said firmly.
"I'm glad to hear that," Beckett said, walking into the room. She smiled when her youngest gasped at seeing her and said, "We wanted you to like the picture," since she and her husband had surprised her with the updated photograph of their family they'd taken after Easter.
"I do," Josie said seriously.
"Oh no, she's getting married?" Castle asked his wife jokingly.
"No she isn't," Beckett said firmly when Josie's eyes widened.
"She likes the picture," Julia explained.
Seeing her father looking at his watch Eliza said, "Already?"
"Yes already, we need to go to bed soon ourselves today," Castle said, exaggerating his voice.
"At least she's ready," Julia commented as Jim was picking the toddler up.
"I think I'm going to say goodnight to all of you right now," Beckett's father told his granddaughters. He laughed when the other three immediately went to him and were hugging him before he said, "I didn't mean all at once."
"It's probably better you do," Beckett told him.
Nodding, Jim said to Julia and Eliza, "If you two still want to go to the center tomorrow you're going to need sleep too."
"We know," Eliza said first. "And night Grandpapa."
"Goodnight girls," Jim said with a smile before they were letting each other go. "Josie," he then directed to the toddler. "I hope you have a lot of fun in L.A. with your parents."
"I hope you too Grandpapa," Josie told him seriously before she looked at her sisters as they started to giggle. She then turned her attention back to Jim and hugged him tightly before sharing a kiss with him. "Love you Grandpapa," she told him before he was giving her to Martha. "And I love you Gram!" she exclaimed, hugging her too.
"I love you too darling," Castle's mother said. She shared a kiss with her youngest granddaughter before she said, "And I'll say have fun too."
"You too," Josie said seriously. She was smiling when she heard giggling around her and looked at her sisters before she was being put down. She then began to make her way around to everyone at her parents' urging, saying goodnight to them before they went to the doorway to watch.
"We're going to need to wake you up very early sweetie," Beckett said after Castle had picked their youngest up.
"I know," Josie said with a nod.
"Okay, so hopefully you won't be too cranky with us," Castle said.
"I won't," Josie told them firmly. "I want to see the things."
"We will," Beckett said, fighting her laughter but unable to help smiling at her daughter's tone of voice.
"A lot probably," Castle said. "And our family."
"That's good too," Josie said firmly. She then smiled and told her parents, "I want to go on a plane."
"And we will," Beckett said, motioning her husband to follow her to the bed. "I hope you'll be okay in your new bed."
"I will," Josie said eagerly as she looked at it with its side net in place. "I want to be a big girl."
"And you will be," Castle assured her before he kissed her cheek. "Love you sweetheart," he told her seriously as she turned to him.
After she had shared a kiss with him Josie told her father, "I love you too Daddy." She hugged him before he was giving her to her mother and she said, "I love you too Mommy."
"Love you Josie, sweet dreams," Beckett said. She set the toddler down on the bed and after saying goodnight to her tucked her in. They stood there together for a little bit as the dogs settled themselves on the end of the bed and Josie was very shortly after nodding off. She and Castle went to the doorway and turned off the lights before she closed the door behind them.
"Do I need to go to bed?" Eliza asked.
"You do," Beckett said firmly before she looked at Julia.
"I wrote really fast in my diary earlier," the teen said to the unasked question. Julia smiled and then said, "I'll write more tomorrow but Mari and I are just going to talk now."
"Good, get it out of your system before we say goodnight," Castle said, unable to help laughing at the way the teen was wrinkling her nose. He and his wife said goodnight to their parents; who wished them a safe trip; and their oldest who was heading to her room.
"I would have gotten up tomorrow morning," Eliza couldn't help telling her parents as they were entering her room.
Hugging her second youngest gently, Beckett told her, "I know sweetie, but you have school. Otherwise you and Julia would have come with us."
"Are you mad we're not taking you?" Castle asked her solemnly.
"No," Eliza was quick to reply. "I wish I could go." She paused for a moment and then asked, "You'll miss us right."
"Definitely," Castle told her firmly as he reached out to her and hugged her tightly to him. "And we do have Japan coming up; don't forget."
"And San Diego," Eliza said, smiling when her father was immediately beginning to laugh.
"And San Diego," Castle replied. He loosened his grip on her and looking into her eyes said, "So have fun with your grandparents and we'll call you every day."
"Except tomorrow," Eliza reminded him. When she saw he was starting to frown she said sternly, "You promised Daddy."
"We did," Castle said slowly. "Okay, but after that we'll call every day."
"Good," Eliza said with a smile that grew a little wider when her father started to laugh again. She then hugged him tightly for a second time before she said, "Love you Daddy."
"I love you too sweetheart," Castle said. "Sweet dreams," he added before they were sharing a kiss.
When they had let go of each other, Eliza hurried to her mother and said, "Don't miss us too, too much Mommy."
"I won't, but like your daddy said we'll miss all of you," Beckett said. "Luckily there are more trips," she added. She laughed softly when the girl was nodding eagerly and she said, "I love you Eliza."
"I love you Mommy," the girl said with a smile. "Have a lot of fun, and a safe flight," Eliza added, looking at both her parents.
"We will," Beckett said, Castle murmuring his agreement with her. She then moved to get Eliza to her bed after they had shared a kiss and once she had the girl tucked in she said, "Sweet dreams Eliza, goodnight."
"Night," the girl replied as her dogs were settling on the end of her bed. Eliza watched her parents leave the room, seeing them heading down the hall to Julia's. She idly wondered if they would go check on Josie in her bed but was soon falling asleep and moving to her dreams.
At the same time her little sister was saying goodnight to their parents, Julia was sitting on her bed with Mari. "I wish I could go with them," she commented after she was settled.
"Is school that bad?" Mari asked.
"No, it just gets tiring," Julia said. She smiled and added, "But then I'd have to miss dance and I don't want to do that."
"I know, I know, we're starting to get ready for the Rothschild," Mari said, feigning annoyance. "Do you have songs ready?" she then inquired interestedly.
"I don't know our dances besides the Jive," Julia protested. She wasn't surprised when her friend gave her a look and she grinned before she said, "I think that one I want to do the Goody-Two Shoes song."
"Can you? That one's been on TV," Mari said.
"Yeah, that's why I'm going to ask Ms. Grey about it," Julia said. "But I think we'll be doing a Viennese Waltz and if we are I'm going to suggest Love of My Life."
"Ooh, that's a good one," Mari said after thinking of the music. "It seems so sad though."
"I think Freddie wants people to think about how much the singer is in love with who he's talking to," Julia said, speaking a little absently. She then made a face and said, "Freddie, you just mean you!" She and Mari were suddenly laughing before she stopped herself and asked her friend, "Why'd you laugh?"
"I don't know," Mari said slowly as she considered her friend's question. "I… did he answer you?"
"Yeah, he said he didn't think my parents would want me to think of a boy with that song," Julia said. She and Mari were looking at each other before they were laughing again and doing so heavily just as her parents were walking into her room.
"Should we ask what the joke is?" Castle asked.
"No," Julia said, forcing herself to calm down. "And it isn't time for bed yet."
"Oh, I guess we'll leave," Castle said jokingly, reaching for his wife's hand and pretending they were going to go back to the door.
"Stop," Beckett said wryly to her husband.
"She's right, if I didn't want you to come in I would have closed my door," Julia replied. When her parents walked back to her bed and brought over the armchairs she asked, "Did Lizzy tell you she wishes we could go?"
"She did and I want to ask you what I asked her," Castle said. "You're not mad-"
"No Dad," Julia interrupted since she already knew what he was going to say. "We said we liked Josa getting to go with you by herself. We've done it already."
"We should go on vacations alone with them again," Castle said to his wife. He paused and then added, "I would say Alexis too; we never did that before; but it's a little awkward now."
"Well, there's always a couple's holiday," Beckett teased him.
His eyes growing wide Castle asked, "Are you serious or joking?"
"I… I guess a little of both," Beckett admitted. "But would you want to do that?"
"Yeah, that would be interesting," Castle replied. He then looked at the girls who were watching them and asked, "What do you think?"
"It would be great," Julia said. "How come you never went alone with 'lexis?"
"She was in college still when we got married," Beckett said. "And I was pregnant and then with a baby it was just too hard."
"And then life got busy," Castle said. "Alexis in college, you in school here and Eliza… But we could do that on a weekend."
"Wait until the twins are older," Beckett said.
"Next year?" Castle asked.
"I was going to suggest a ski trip," Beckett said. "Or snowboarding for the three of us," she corrected herself with a smile.
"Why don't you snowboard? It's really fun," Mari said.
"I learned skiing first," Castle said honestly since that had been directed to him. He then smiled and said, "Kate's been teaching me so I might switch to it for a while." He looked at his wife and said, "See how I do."
"Whatever you want," Beckett told him with a smile.
"Thank you," Castle said, squeezing her hand. He then turned back to the two and asked, "Anything you guys want from L.A.?"
"I'm fine," Mari said in slight embarrassment.
"T-shirts are good," Julia said. "Maybe a Santa Monica one and then where you go at least one?"
"That works out," Castle said. "Easier to carry too," he added before he looked at his wife when she was checking the time obviously.
"Don't say it's time," Julia protested.
"Sorry, but you know we need to get up early," Beckett reminded her.
Sighing Julia asked, "But could we talk?"
"Yes but you know the rules," Beckett said firmly.
"Keep my phone nearby and talk for fifteen minutes after you leave," Julia said with a nod.
"Good," Castle said. "You know the rules well."
Julia rolled her eyes while she was getting off the bed but she shortly after smiled as she was telling her father, "Night Dad, I love you."
"I love you too," Castle said. "And goodnight," he said firmly.
"We'll go to sleep," Julia said in mock annoyance. She couldn't help laughing when her father was and said, "Have a safe flight."
"Thank you," Castle said, kissing her cheek before allowing her to do the same to him. "And have fun with your grandparents and sister."
"I'll help," Julia replied with a smile. She hugged him again and said, "See you Monday."
"See you then," Castle replied, smiling himself. He let her go and said goodnight to Mari, who said the same back, before he watched mother and daughter embracing.
"I hope you have a ton of fun," Julia was saying to her mother. "And if you're going to an amusement park, let Josa go on a ton of rides."
"We will," Beckett assured her daughter. She kissed her cheek and let Julia kiss hers before she said, "Love you sweetie."
"Love you Mom," Julia replied before they were hugging one more time. She moved to climb on the bed with her friend, making sure Macca and JoJo were alright at the end before her parents were turning off the light.
After they'd made sure Julia had her phone, Castle and Beckett went down the hall to Josie's room where they went inside to check on the toddler. Sure that she was sleeping peacefully, they looked in on Eliza and set with their daughters being okay they made their way to their room.
"I think I'm finished packing," Castle said eventually after he'd looked over his suitcase and his bathroom bag.
"Me too," Beckett said with a nod, having done the same. "Now we have to sleep."
"Don't worry, I'm really aware of it," Castle said, smiling at the way his wife was laughing. He followed her over to their closet where they changed into their pajamas and then to their bathroom so they could wash up. Once they were finished and at their bed he said, "Are we talking at all or just sleeping?"
"Sleeping," Beckett said wryly as she watched him going to turn off the main light of their room. When he was back with her on his side she said, "And I know what you're not asking for." She wasn't surprised when his response was to affect an innocent expression but she soon said, "And yes you can have a goodnight kiss."
Pursing his lips for a moment, Castle then said, "To be honest I was kind of hoping for a little more than that."
"Not going to happen," Beckett replied firmly, smiling when he was snapping his fingers in mock disappointment. "Get into bed Rick."
"Yeah," Castle said quickly as he took off his glasses. He got under the covers before he turned to his wife and said, "I love you, Kate."
"I love you too," Beckett replied, smiling again. They leaned into each other and were shortly after kissing gently before they deepened it at the same time and were wrapping their arms around each other. And though she knew it was a risk, she couldn't help allow things to continue for some time before they were parting to catch their breath. She smiled and told him, "Hopefully that's enough."
"Until tomorrow night," Castle said hopefully. When his wife merely continued to smile he couldn't help breathe out a little hard against her shoulder before he said, "Have I mentioned I love you?"
"You have," Beckett replied laughingly. She brushed her lips to his before they let each other go and turned off their lights and laid down. They immediately moved into each others arms and she murmured, "I can't wait for tomorrow."
"Neither can I," Castle said seriously. He brushed his lips to the side of her head and said, "Night love," hearing her murmuring the same back before they were closing their eyes.
"I think we have everything," Castle told his wife, looking at the porch.
"We do," Beckett agreed before they started to take their luggage to the door in the wall. She glanced up at the sky, just barely lightening, and then looked down at Josie who was next to her. "Are you okay sweetie?" she asked.
"Yeah," Josie replied though a little sleepily.
"Try to stay awake until we're on the plane," Castle told her.
"I will," Josie said before she was looking down the street at the sound of a car approaching.
Once they were in the car they'd hired to take them to JFK, Castle and Beckett were doing their best to make sure Josie stayed awake. They were just able to by pointing out the view they were passing until they reached the airport.
After they'd checked in and gone through security, Castle and Beckett took their daughter to the lounge for American Airlines for their breakfast. Sitting at the windows they ate, watching the planes coming and going in front of them.
"There are lots of planes Mommy," Josie told her.
"I know," Beckett replied with a smile. "Do you want to walk around and see more of them?" She wasn't surprised when the toddler was nodding rapidly and said, "Okay," looking at her husband.
"We're at gate forty-six so we do need to walk," Castle commented.
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said in amusement as they were standing.
"Well, Skye said we should fly the Dreamliner," Castle answered.
"What's that?" Josie asked.
"That's the name of a type of plane remember," Castle explained. "The one we're going to go on."
"Is it a big plane?" Josie asked.
"It is," Castle said, not surprised when the toddler looked excited hearing that. "It might be already at the gate, we'll need to go see."
"I want to go," Josie said.
"We are right now," Beckett said, having gotten her camera ready while the two had been talking. They left the lounge and made their way to the gates near them, not surprised when Josie was gasping at the Qatar plane they saw first.
"Is that a deer?" Josie asked, looking at the tail.
"It's a springbok," Castle answered. "They run very fast so I think that's perfect to put on an airplane."
"Yeah," Josie said with a wide smile at her father. She then took a picture with her mother's help and asked, "Is that our plane?"
"No, we're in the part of the building next door," Castle said. "So we'll tell you when you can see it."
Relieved the toddler merely nodded, Beckett took her hand and they walked past more gates until they were at a Finnair one. "Can you read the letters?" she asked the toddler.
"Oh sure, you want to do a lesson now," Castle said teasingly to her.
Wrinkling her nose at him, since she knew he was aware of why she'd said that, Beckett looked down at Josie and told her, "If you can see them just say one letter."
Nodding Josie said, "I see two and they are n."
"Good," Castle said. "Do you like how big the letters are?"
"Yeah, I see f and i and r," Josie said. "And a."
"Nice," Castle said, making her give him a high five.
"Let's keep going," Beckett told them in amusement as they moved on.
"Ooh, I know that plane!" Josie said eagerly a few gates down.
"I thought you might," Castle said. "Your sisters have been showing this to you for a while."
"Do we fly on this one later?" Josie asked.
"We will," Beckett answered, since they were looking at a Japan Airlines Dreamliner. "I think this kind," she said, glancing at her husband.
Smiling Castle said, "It is, you know what Skye says."
"I do," Beckett replied. "If it isn't a 747 a Dreamliner will do."
"I'm not surprised you have that memorized," Castle commented.
Nodding Beckett replied, "She's said it often enough."
"True," Castle said before he was looking down at Josie. "Should we continue?'
"Do you want to keep going sweetie?" Beckett asked the toddler.
"Is this our plane… later?" Josie asked.
"It's the same type," Castle said. "I don't know if it'll be this exact one. We still have a little more to go."
"Yeah," Josie said eagerly before she let her parents lead her away from the windows and they moved to some stairs. "We have to leave now?" she asked in concern.
"No, we're going under where the planes go," Castle told her.
Seeing Josie's surprise, Beckett smiled and said, "He's right, do you want to go?"
After the toddler had nodded to her parents, Josie took their hands before they were going through the tunnel. She looked up at the ceiling as they were going before they were telling her to tilt her head back down. "Why?" she asked, turning her attention to them both.
"Are we at that point?" Castle asked his wife while they were leaving the tunnel.
"What's that Daddy?" Josie said before her mother could respond.
"I think we are," Beckett told him in amusement. She then turned her attention to Josie and told the toddler, "You need to look forward because you're going to run into something. Okay?" She smiled when Josie nodded and they were turning to the left to start walking around those gates. They stopped when they were soon at a British Airways A380 and she and her husband were watching Josie staring at it eagerly.
"We couldn't fly on one of these?" Castle asked eventually.
"You need to talk to Skye about that," Beckett said in amusement. "But I think we better keep going, we have a little more to go."
"What about our plane?" Josie asked as she was walking with her parents again.
"We're almost there," Castle said soothingly before they were walking again. They were soon nearing the gate itself and he said to the toddler, "Here it is."
"That's it," Josie said. When she saw both her parents were nodding in response she let out a soft squeal and hurried up to the window to look at the plane closer. She saw there were people below it and said, "What do they do?"
Since they were standing with her and could see them as well, Beckett said, "I think they're taking care of the suitcases."
"Oh, ours?" Josie asked.
"They might be on the plane already," Castle said. "Want to take pictures?"
"Are you going to help her?" Beckett asked him.
"If you're okay with that," Castle said, unable to help laughing at the look his wife gave him. He then turned his attention to their youngest to assist her and soon they were snapping several pictures of the plane before they were turning to Beckett.
"What?" she asked in surprise at their looks.
"What'll we do now? We're not boarding yet," Castle commented.
"If you want to go back to the Hudson News then we can," Beckett replied in amusement since she was aware why he was saying that. "And if we're doing that then you need to keep an eye on the time," she instructed him.
"It's why I'm wearing my watch," Castle said, showing it to her on his wrist. He wasn't surprised when she was rolling her eyes; though she was obviously fighting a smile at the same time; and they were soon walking to the store down the terminal.
"You can tell her Rick," Beckett said to her husband when they'd reached it and were nearing the entrance.
"Tell her what?" Castle asked in surprise. Her response was just to stare at him and he said, "Okay. Josie?" When the toddler was looking at him he said, "We didn't get you presents for this trip because we're sleeping for most of the flight. But, you can pick out a coloring book just in case we wake up before we land. Want to?"
"Yes please," Josie said eagerly.
"Okay, then let's start looking at what they have," Castle replied before they entered the store fully.
"I'm going to look around at the books and magazines," Beckett told her husband.
"Sure, we'll find you," Castle said before they were splitting up.
When she reached the books, Beckett wasn't surprised to see hers and her husband's two series before she was glancing around at the others. When she was finishing with the tomes she went to the magazines and was drawn to the HGTV one before she picked it up. She flipped through it until she found what she wanted to read until her husband was walking up to her. "Hey, did she find a book?" she asked, looking down at Josie.
"This Mommy," the toddler said, holding up what she had to her.
Flipping through the coloring book, Beckett said in amusement, "Did you suggest it to her?"
"I didn't say a word, but she wants to color it," Castle said since it was an airplane coloring book. "There are a couple of blank planes at the end where you can make your own livery," he added. "So she wanted that one."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said before giving the book to her husband. "I think we're getting close to boarding," she told him.
"We are," Castle said, nodding. He then looked at the magazine she'd put back and asked, "You didn't want to get that?"
"Not really," Beckett said. "Come on," she told him firmly.
"Yeah, I'll pay," Castle said swiftly before he was going to the registers.
Josie yawned as her mother took her hand and she said when she stopped, "When can I sleep Mommy?"
"Soon, don't worry," Beckett replied. "Do you want me to pick you up?"
"No," Josie said firmly, shaking her head. She then smiled at her father when he was walking up to her and said, "The plane now?"
"Maybe, we need to see what the workers tell us once we get to the gate," Castle said. "But first we should put this in your backpack."
"Ooh, please," Josie said eagerly while she was taking it off. With her mother's help she put her coloring book inside her Tigger backpack before she zipped it closed. Once the pack was on her again she was taking her parents' hands and skipping a little in between them.
"Didn't I just see her yawning?" Castle asked his wife in feigned confusion as they glanced at her.
"You did, but we're going back to the plane so I guess that's why," Beckett said, slight laughter in her tone before they were reaching their gate.
Josie, hearing the announcement by the worker behind the desk, didn't understand what it meant but she guessed it was to let them on the plane. She got confirmation of that when her parents were getting behind some people at the desk before they were soon on the jetway. She couldn't help jumping a few times in her joy at getting closer to the plane before they were reaching it and she stared at the open door. She dimly heard talking then and looked ahead to see the flight attendants were speaking to her parents before telling them where their seats were. They stepped inside and she looked to her left, gasping when she saw the flight deck. "Skye?" she couldn't help asking, seeing the pilots there.
"She's in L.A. sweetie," Beckett told her. "Sorry," she said to the two men inside.
"That's alright, hopefully you're ready for take off," the co-pilot said, smiling at Josie.
"I am," the toddler said though she was peering from behind Beckett.
"Would you like to take a picture of the flight deck?" the pilot asked, seeing the toddler had a camera in her hands.
"It's okay," Beckett said when Josie immediately looked up at her for confirmation. She stepped up to the doorway with the toddler in front of her and helped her take a shot of the cockpit before she and Josie thanked the men. She led her youngest to their seats, Castle following, and they were getting their carryon suitcases in the overhead compartments while Josie was sitting on her seat watching them.
"This is where I sit Mommy?" the toddler asked when her mother was turning to her.
"Yes," Beckett said, reaching over to her and fastening her seatbelt. "Or do you want to walk around a little?"
"A little," Josie said with a nod.
"Should have told us that before," Castle said jokingly.
Beckett glanced at her husband before she said, "She didn't think of it."
"I have to watch her now, don't I?" Castle asked in amusement.
"I think so," Beckett replied teasingly before she helped Josie out and picked her up to hand her to her husband.
"Do you want to look out the window?" Castle asked her once he had the toddler in his arms.
"Yeah," Josie said eagerly. Once she was set down she hurried to her father's seat and looked out the window to the tarmac. She saw vehicles going around and people walking along with some other planes before she gasped at one taking off on the runway they were near.
"What is it?" Castle asked, leaning his head down towards her. He saw the runway and said, "Did a plane take off?"
"Yeah," Josie said eagerly. She turned to her father and seeing he was sitting she asked, "Can I sit here?"
"Now?" Castle asked, reaching for her before she surprised him by pushing away at his hands.
"No, while we go up," Josie said firmly.
"No," Beckett said before her husband could say anything. "I'm not kidding, you're sitting next to me."
"If we wake up before the end of the flight," Castle said, though he was looking at his wife. "You can come and sit with me to look out the window." He looked at Josie then when she gasped in response and held up his finger to stop her from speaking so he could tell her, "And just until they tell us we're going to land."
"Or maybe even before that," Beckett said, smiling when the two were turning to her at the same time. "She can't stay there the whole time."
"I know, you might need to go to your seat soon," Castle said, glancing around their section of the plane.
"How about now?" Beckett asked. She wasn't surprised when the two were frowning and she fought to laugh too loudly at how adorable that had been and said, "You need to sit in your seat sweetie, it's lonely."
"But you are sitting there Mommy," Josie said.
"She's got you there," Castle couldn't help saying, glancing up at the ceiling when she gave him a look.
"And if it was Julia or Eliza I'd call them smart alecks," Beckett said wryly. "Come on sweetie, you can look at one of the books you packed."
"Can I look at my coloring book?" Josie asked hopefully. She squealed in joy when her mother was nodding and moved over to her seat, watching her mother buckling her seatbelt again. "Daddy you have to put on yours too," she told Castle while her mother was walking around to her seat.
"Right now," Castle said seriously though he'd wanted to smile at the toddler's tone. He was buckling his seatbelt, keeping an eye on Josie before his wife was set in her seat and he got out his phone. Looking at it briefly he was soon putting it away since he could hear Beckett and their youngest were starting to look over the book. That took the rest of the time left until the flight attendants were beginning the safety demonstration and he paid close attention until it was over.
"Do I have to do that Mommy?" Josie asked.
"No, it's for the grownups to hear," Beckett said. "But if we tell you something you have to listen."
"I know," Josie replied, nodding her head. She hugged her Tigger doll tightly as she heard the captain announcing they were ready to take off and looked at her parents on the seats on either side of her. "You're far Daddy," she said, since his window seat was across the aisle.
"I am but that's the way the seats are," Castle said. "You'll come and sit with me for a little at the end." He wasn't surprised when the toddler was nodding eagerly
before they were facing forward as they felt the plane begin to back up. He glanced out the window and turning back to Josie saw she was too so he leaned back to allow her to see.
While the plane was traveling to the end of the runway they'd be using, Josie felt like it was taking a long time before they were stopping. "Is it time?" she asked her mother.
Not surprised the toddler sounded a little nervous and excited at the same time, Beckett gently squeezed her shoulder and said, "It is but the pilots know what to do." She watched Josie closely while they were taking off and once they were in the air and the toddler seemed to be fine she said, "Ready to sleep?"
"No," Josie replied immediately before she was smiling at her mother.
"Nice try sweetie," Beckett told her, running her hand over her hair. She then said, "Where's your coloring book?"
"I put it in my pocket," Josie said, pointing to it.
"Nice," Castle said, having been listening to them while he was reading the emergency card. Finishing that he put it away and said, "Time for sleep?"
"It is," Beckett said firmly before she was reaching over to Josie's chair.
Giggling softly as her mother pressed the button for her seat to recline, Josie leaned back and said, "Night Mommy."
"Hold on," Castle told her quickly. "You need these," he said before he was moving to get her headphones. Once they were set on the toddler's head he kissed the top of her head before sharing a kiss with her. "Sweet dreams," he said, moving one of the headphones so she could hear him.
"Night Daddy," Josie said before she turned to her mother. "Night Mommy."
"Night sweetie," Beckett said before she waited for Josie to lay back. She covered the toddler with the blanket she'd had in her bag for her and stood up so she and her husband could kiss briefly. They murmured goodnight to each other before they were sitting back down and she got her seat ready and her own headphones. Before she laid down she glanced at her husband and saw he had his headphones on too, making her smile before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The three were sleeping quickly since they'd gotten up so early and remained asleep until the plane was over New Mexico. Josie was the first of them to wake up and she was soon playing with her Tigger doll quietly until her mother was waking up next to her.
"Good morning sweetie," Beckett told her with a smile. "Where are your headphones?" she asked. When Josie handed them over she asked, "What's wrong?"
"The bathroom," the toddler replied shyly.
"We'll go right now," Beckett said, putting away their headphones and reaching for Josie just as Castle was waking up in his seat. "We'll be back," she said since he was looking at her with wide eyes.
"Oh, right," Castle said, putting on his glasses. When they'd left for the lavatory he put his seat back up fully before he put away his headphones and was raising the window shade. Once his wife and Josie were back he said, "I need to leave for a second, can she take my seat now?"
"I'll stay with her," Beckett said with a nod, not surprised when her husband was kissing her lightly on the lips once he'd stood.
"Thank you," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she playfully pushed him and told him to hurry before he was heading to the lavatory. After he had returned he sat in what had been Josie's seat to let the two look out the window. Though they still had some time from New Mexico to L.A. it seemed to go quickly as Josie was fascinated by what she was seeing out the window.
"I'm glad this amuses her," Beckett eventually told her husband.
"I know," Castle replied, having moved to show the flight tracker on the screen at his seat. "We're getting closer."
Turning at the sound of that, Josie saw the screen and she studied the map asking, "Is that the plane?"
"Our plane," Beckett said, wrapping her arms around her.
"Where are we?" Josie then asked.
"Over California now," Castle said. He couldn't help laughing when the toddler's jaw dropped and said when he'd calmed down, "I know, we're very close."
"We are," Beckett said. She then told Josie, "You need to sit down sweetie."
"Now?" the toddler asked in obvious disappointment.
"Yes," Beckett replied. "And I'm going to head back to my seat too."
"Me too," Castle couldn't help quipping, not surprised when his wife briefly glanced at him.
After she had Josie set in her seat with her seatbelt buckled, Beckett went around to her own. She glanced out the window her husband was sitting at and smiled as she could just tell they were descending. But soon it was undeniable they were getting to the runway and shortly after they were on the ground. She smiled as Josie was making her Tigger doll clap, glad she didn't mind the force of it, and she relaxed until they were at their gate.
"Okay," Castle said as he was unbuckling his seatbelt and saw his wife was doing the same for Josie. "We're in L.A. but remember we're not going to run off the plane."
"No running," Josie said seriously. She couldn't help smiling again thinking of the trip and seeing the McDouglases again, waiting a little impatiently before they were finally getting up to walk off the plane.
"Ready for our trip?" Beckett asked the toddler who was between herself and her husband.
"Yeah," Josie said. "I want to see the pier!" she said seriously.
"And we will," Beckett assured her as they were nearing the end of the jetway. When they stepped off she wasn't surprised when her husband was telling Josie jokingly about the fun they'd have as they headed quickly to the nearest escalator to go down to meet Skye, get their luggage and finally start their vacation.