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 great to get the feedback for the last chapter so I'll get started on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really pleased to see you thought it was very good writing. And I'm glad that you like how the kids are enjoying going through everything since that's always fun to write!) and
Mb (Nice to read you thought it was great in the first half of the chapter with Skye picking them up, then getting settled at the McDouglas house to them going to out for the rest of the day. And I'm not surprised you mentioned Josie's personality coming out more since I'm putting that in more with her being older. And I'm glad you think she's a good combination of Castle and Beckett like Eliza is, it had to go that way, lol. And I was glad you thought it was sweet that the McDouglas girls were looking out for Josie, I figured they would since they're all close of course! I wasn't surprised you loved Josie defending Martha, lol, I figured she would just like Alexis did on the show sometimes. Great to read you thought the first half of the chapter was nicely done! And you're welcome for the first half of the chapter too! Nice reading you thought the second half was a great chapter with them at dinner and then going back to the McDouglas house. I'm glad you didn't mind reading them tweaking their plans as you put it with them going to Disneyland. And it was great reading you mentioned the ideas and plans concerning Queen and the controlled jump by Freddy, I had no clue what readers would think, lol. I had to laugh at you saying how it went bam to Castle and Beckett together in passion and love as you put it, but really pleased you enjoyed that! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, love reading them and I appreciate the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter are from lyrics from the song Lady Cab Driver written by Prince, from his album 1999.
The Sun, The Moon, The Stars At Disneyland
"Alright," Skye said after they'd left the lockers they'd gotten for their time at California Adventure. "I hope we're ready to start going on rides."
"I am!" Josie said eagerly.
"I'm not surprised, but your parents need to answer that," Skye told her with a smile.
"We are, but how're we picking?" Castle said while his wife was making their youngest put her hat back on.
"We could just go from here and then go around," Skye said. "You know what I mean," she told Beckett at her look.
"I do, but it's weird still," Beckett told her teasingly. "Keep that on," she told Josie firmly when the toddler was obviously trying to get the hat off again.
"I know Mommy," Josie said.
"Okay, then first we're heading to see Sully and Mike," Skye said.
"Ooh, I like that," Josie said as her parents were taking her hands and they were walking.
"Does she mean the ride or the movie?" Mary asked with a smile.
"The movie," Beckett answered. They were quiet then making their way to the ride and once they were in line for the Monsters Inc. ride she said, "But she did enjoy this ride the last time we went."
"Does she remember it?" Skye asked.
"You should ask her yourself," Castle said in obvious amusement. He was surprised when the investigator merely nodded before a cast member was allowing them to head inside the ride building.
"Do you remember this at all Josie?" Skye asked once they were near the loading platform.
"Yeah, it's like the movie," the toddler replied with a smile.
"You thought I was going to ask her without her seeing this part?" Skye asked with a smile.
"To a degree," Castle said, not surprised when his wife was laughing briefly next to him. "How're we sitting?" he then asked when he saw a car reach the loading platform.
"I'll go with Josie," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded and she then said, "Hopefully you don't mind sitting on your own."
"He doesn't have to-" Skye and Mary began to say at the same time.
"I don't mind," Castle interrupted them. He smiled when the women looked startled and said, "Seriously, but I'm sitting behind my wife and Josie."
"Go ahead," Skye replied before they were getting to the cast member at the platform.
Once they were on the ride car Beckett looked back at her husband while Josie was watching the small TV screen to their left raptly. She then turned her attention back to her before they were making their way through the ride scenes until they were finishing back at the loading platform and getting off in a hurry. "Are we going to Guardians of the Galaxy?" she asked Skye once they were walking away from the ride building.
"Yes," the investigator said before she made the others stop. "How're we going to do this?"
"I was going to take Josie on the trolley while you guys go on that," Mary said.
"Does she want to go?" Skye then asked before they were turning to the toddler.
"Yeah," Josie said quickly.
"Do you know what we're taking about?" Beckett asked her.
"Yeah, the red car," Josie immediately answered.
"Trolley," Castle couldn't help correcting. He wasn't surprised when his wife glanced at him and he shrugged before he said, "Then I think we're set."
"We are, we'll meet you guys at the exit," Mary said, taking Josie's hand. She smiled watching the toddler waving to her parents and Skye before she was saying, "We better go and catch our trolley."
"Yeah," Josie said before they were walking back to the entrance. When they were sitting on the trolley she smiled and said, "I hope Mommy and Daddy have fun."
"Oh don't worry, they will," Mary assured her, smiling at the toddler's words.
"And Skye too?" Josie then asked after they started to move.
"Of course, she loves that crazy stuff," Mary said, not surprised when the toddler was giggling at her words and tone.
When she had calmed down, Josie was looking out the window she was sitting next to and she gasped when she could see Mickey in front of a store. "There's Mickey," she said eagerly to Mary.
"I know," the doctor replied, having been watching her. "We'll see him again, don't worry."
"At his house?" Josie asked though she wasn't turning from the view outside.
"You remember that?" Mary responded with a smile.
"Yeah, there are pictures," Josie said carefully.
"Nice," Mary said before the trolley was stopping. She got off with the toddler before they were walking to the Guardians of the Galaxy building.
"Good timing," Skye said, walking out to see her wife and Josie reaching them.
"Don't run," Castle and Beckett said at the same time when their youngest started to do that at the sight of them.
"Did you have fun?" Josie asked eagerly, having walked as fast as she could the rest of the way.
"A ton," Castle said. "Too bad you didn't go with us, your hair would have been flying all over the place."
"Why?" Josie asked with a frown.
"We were dropped," Beckett answered, glancing at her husband.
"And then we went up and back down again and then…" Castle said as he teasingly moved the toddler in his arms in time to her squeal of joy.
"That's fun," Josie said, hugging her father tightly for a moment. She kissed his cheek and then asked, "Where do we go now?"
"We're at Avengers Campus," Skye said. "Spiderman?"
"That one we can wait for your girls," Beckett said, her husband nodding in agreement with her.
"Then I think we can head to Cars Land," Skye said, not surprised when Josie was jumping up and down. "She seems to remember a lot now," she said.
"It wasn't that long ago we were here," Castle pointed out.
"Oh, you two should know that she's likely going to want to see Mickey," Mary said. "We passed him in front of one of the stores."
"We'll probably go in Disneyland," Beckett said.
"She said it would be at his house," Mary commented with a smile.
"We have her picture there in her room," Castle said. "On her dresser."
"What do we do now?" Josie asked, having been listening to their conversation.
"That depends on you," Skye said as they stopped at the front of the land. "Do you want to go on Mater's ride or Luigi's?"
"Mater!" Josie said eagerly. She smiled when the adults were laughing and went with her parents to the exit of the ride.
"I'm surprised you're going on this," Beckett said while they were waiting.
"I can fit," Castle said in mock annoyance.
"I'm aware, but how exactly are we going to sit?" Beckett asked him.
"I think we're going to sit this one out," Skye said suddenly.
"We'll be by Luigi's," Mary told them before they were leaving.
"If you want to, take her," Beckett told her husband with a smile.
"Think they'll want to go on Radiator Springs?" Castle asked.
"I'm not sure, but we won't be that fast," Beckett replied before she waited for him to speak.
"If you're fine with it, then I think we need to ask her," Castle said before they were turning their attention to Josie.
"What?" the toddler said in surprise. "I'll go with you Daddy."
"You will but is it okay if I take you to Luigi's ride?" Castle asked.
"Okay," Josie said after looking at her mother for a moment. She then smiled and said, "Where do you go Mommy?"
"I'll go with Skye and Mary to the other ride. You can go watch it once you guys are done," Beckett answered.
"Okay," Josie repeated. She then smiled and said, "Have fun."
"You too," Beckett said before she kissed the top of Josie's head. "And you," she told her husband with another smile. They shared a brief kiss and she left the exit, walking around to where the two McDouglas women were leaning on a railing and looking at the ride.
"I don't know, I think they'd be alright with us going on the ride," Skye was telling her wife. "And we could go quickly."
"It doesn't seem fair," Mary said.
"It is," Beckett said, stepping up to stand next to them. She couldn't help laughing briefly when the two looked at her with wide eyes and said, "Rick is going to take her to the two rides."
"Josie's okay with that?" Mary asked in surprise.
"She is, so we better go," Beckett said.
Starting to walk with her wife and friend, Skye said, "Luckily with this we'll all fit."
"We will, and when your girls are here?" Beckett inquired
"We'll figure that out when they're here," Mary answered. They made their way quickly through the exit and at the landing platform her wife was asking for the front. Settled on their seat she said, "Thank you."
"I don't care," Beckett said in amusement since the doctor was in between her and Skye. "Being able to see is fine."
Nodding, Mary looked out the windshield as their car started to move before they were stopping at a cast member to check their seat belts. After they were starting to drive and she jumped a little when her wife was singing, "On the road again…" She couldn't help laughing and told her, "Not a good time grá."
"That was all," Skye said before they were looking at each other and laughing before they came to the first scene inside.
Once they'd gone through the scenes and had come to the start of the 'race', Beckett held onto the side of the car and in between herself and Mary where there was a handle. The car started shortly after and she was crying out at the speed before they were going on dips and turns until they'd come to the end and she said, "They're waiting there."
"I saw too," Mary said with a smile, smoothing down her hair. "Hopefully they haven't been waiting long."
"I don't know," Skye commented with a smile. "They're more cars than ours."
"She's right, it's why whoever has Josie will wait there," Beckett said. By then their car had stopped and she undid the seatbelt before climbing out after the women. When they'd reached the path out to the exit, she wasn't surprised when Skye and Mary were getting out of her way to allow her to go first. "Thanks," she told them wryly before she looked ahead of them.
"Mommy!" Josie cried when she spotted her mother. She tried to move when her father was holding onto her and she looked up at him with a frown on her face since he wasn't letting her move.
"You can't go in further," Castle explained to her. "And you can't run."
"I wasn't!" Josie said. She then looked ahead of them and said, "Mommy!" again before rushing the short distance to her.
"I hope you had fun," Beckett said after picking her up. She kissed the side of her head while the toddler was nodding rapidly and then told her, "I did too."
"We all did," Skye said, smiling with the others when Josie was clapping her hands happily. She looked at her watch and then said, "We have some more time… unless you don't mind having lunch early."
"Don't be so vague again," Castle told her jokingly.
"I'm not sure you'll like my idea," Skye commented.
"Is it to go on Little Mermaid?" Castle responded.
"I want to go on that," Josie said, raising her hand.
"I think that decided it," Mary said.
"It did," Beckett said firmly before they were walking again. Leaving the land they made their way over to the ride which didn't take long and they were going directly into the line since it wasn't long.
"I feel like you should be going on your own for this one," Skye told the writers teasingly.
"No," Beckett said before her daughter was wrapping her arms around her waist.
"I was only kidding," Skye assured the toddler since she'd seen that. "I suppose we miss our girls."
"That's okay," Josie said in a matter of fact tone. She was confused when all four adults started to laugh but shook herself since they were getting to the start of the line. She gasped when her father picked her up before she could step on the moving walkway and got her into one of the shell cars with her mother. "I can walk Daddy," she told him while her parents were pulling the lap bar down.
"We needed to hurry," Castle said. He turned his attention more fully to her and then asked, "You didn't like the ride."
"Speaking of ride," Beckett said in amusement when they were passing by the animatronic Scuttle character. She smiled when Josie immediately turned her attention to in front of them before they were turning and going backwards. She wrapped her arm around the toddler while she was giggling at the motion until they were turning and looking at the different scenes. Though Josie had been on the ride before she wasn't surprised her youngest was watching everything in rapt attention before they were coming off the ride. She made sure the toddler was okay stepping out of the car to the moving walkway. "Good job," she said when they'd stepped onto the concrete and Josie only stumbled slightly.
"I thought it was moving Mommy," Josie said.
"Okay," Skye said, she and Mary having been riding behind the three. "Now we've got that out of the way, lunch?"
"You don't like that movie do you?" Beckett asked while they were making their way back around the front of the building since their lunch was in that direction.
"Not really," Skye said slowly. "I mean I thought it was great when it came out and Da took me to see it. But when Beauty and the Beast came out…" She snorted and said, "This one couldn't compare," gesturing to the ride. She paused and asked, "Josie?"
"Lilo and Stitch," Castle said before his wife could speak. "After that…"
"I think Coco," Beckett said, smiling when she saw Josie nodding rapidly.
"Not bad," Skye told the toddler when they were reaching the Corn Dog Castle. "Do you want to get us a table?" she asked her wife.
"And take Josie?" Beckett added.
"Sure," Mary said laughingly. "Don't get me any mustard," she told her wife.
"We'll bring the food Josie," Castle told the toddler when she appeared to be hesitating.
"We'll get napkins," Mary said, both to the other three and the toddler.
Letting Skye go ahead of them, Beckett said to her husband, "I'd like us to get Cuties."
"No chips?" Castle replied. When his wife was shaking her head no he gave an exaggerated sigh and said, "I can make that sacrifice." He laughed when she was playfully socking his shoulder, barely hitting him, before they were going to the cast member behind the register to order what they wanted.
"Okay, I think this table is good," Mary said, relieved when Josie wasn't getting up from her chair.
"Yeah," the toddler said, nodding in agreement. She then asked, "What's that?"
"The hotel where we stay," Mary answered, looking to her right and seeing the building the toddler was looking at. "Remember you can come in this park from there."
Nodding Josie said, "Can we eat? I'm hungry." She paused and then asked, "Please?"
"They'll be here soon," Mary said in amusement at the toddler's tone of voice.
"We're here right now," Skye told her wife when they were approaching the table.
Once they were sitting and had cleaned their hands so Josie wouldn't protest, Castle cut up the corn dog he and Beckett had gotten for their youngest. "We got you ketchup Josie," he was telling her, putting the tray in front of her. "And you don't need to eat everything okay? If you get full just let us know," he added.
"Who finishes?" Josie asked, picking up one of the pieces.
"It might be a little hot," Beckett told her gently as she saw the toddler letting go of the corn dog piece. "Have some water," she then said.
"But Mommy-" Josie started to say.
"We'll see who wants to finish it," Castle said. When the three women looked at him he said, "Hey, I may be full." His wife continued to look at him and he said, "Okay, I'll finish," smiling when Josie started to giggle at his feigned exasperated tone.
"Try now sweetie," Beckett told her daughter, getting the piece for her.
After they'd been eating for a while Skye eventually said, "Is there anything specific you want to do after we finish here?"
"The trail is nearby right?" Castle asked. When the McDouglas women both nodded in response he told his wife, "It might tire her out."
"Do you want her to nap?" Mary said before Beckett could respond to her husband.
"Sure, but remember we let her decide now," Beckett said. She smiled when Josie was frowning at them and said, "We don't want you to be tired when the others get here later."
"I want dessert," Josie said firmly.
"You know, we could do that right after this," Skye said. "I just hope you guys are ready to walk."
"We are," Beckett said. "You've said that a few times since we've left your house."
"And the others times we've been here," Castle added.
"Just making sure you know," Skye said jokingly. She looked around and said, "We're done?"
"Time for Cuties," Mary said firmly since she could see Beckett peeling one.
"We're keeping the other two for later," Castle told the two. "For a snack and after dinner."
"Good idea," Skye said while her wife was starting on one of the two she'd gotten. They split the mandarin and started to eat in silence until they'd finished and were cleaning up their table quickly since people were coming to the stall. "Okay, are we hungry for dessert?" she asked once they were walking towards where she'd decided to suggest.
"What exactly are we getting?" Beckett asked, making her stop.
Smiling, Skye said, "A cream puff. It's not huge but Mary and I are going to split ours."
"We can do that," Castle said though he made his tone a little questioning at the end.
"Okay, but we're having the Cuties for a snack later," Beckett replied.
"Got it," Skye said, giving her a British Army salute. She laughed briefly when the writer rolled her eyes and she and her wife led the way over to the Avengers Campus and the stall near Guardians of the Galaxy.
"Which are you guys getting?" Castle asked. "The same?"
"You realize you could have told us you wanted this place," Beckett said.
"I know, to be honest I forgot the girls had picked this out," Skye admitted. "When you were here. But if you don't want-"
"I want it!" Josie said. She smiled when the adults were looking at her and said, "I remember."
"We're getting it," Mary said, smirking a little at her wife. She turned ahead of them as they were next in line for the stall and stepping up to order for them.
"What happened to us paying for our food?" Beckett asked Skye jokingly while they were waiting for their order.
"Meh," the investigator replied, shrugging her shoulders. She smiled and then added, "Seriously, for dessert?"
"Yeah," Josie said. She giggled at the surprise on her mother's face before she said, "It's okay Mommy."
"I know," Beckett replied before she was walking over to the tables and chair to the left of the stall. They were sitting together at one and she and Josie ate the first half of their cream puff. When she handed it to her husband she said, "Hopefully you won't protest."
"I won't," Castle replied, since he'd insisted they take another bite when she'd tried to hand it to him.
"Good," Beckett said before they were watching him finish it.
"Always good," Skye said. She looked at her friend when there was no response and she said, "Oh sorry, I thought we were talking about dessert then."
"I don't think so," Castle said in amusement after he'd used a napkin to wipe his mouth and fingers.
"I'm ready," Mary said before they were getting up from their chairs. After they were walking again she was watching with her wife as they were nearing the Redwood Trail. "Nothing?" she asked.
"Not yet, she just had sugar remember?" Beckett reminded her.
"So the trail is going to take care of that?" Skye asked jokingly.
"That's the hope," Castle replied, smiling at Josie crying out in joy while they were reaching the first thing past the sign for the trail.
"They're still in school," Beckett said, watching her friend with a smile.
"I know, I was just wondering what time it was," Skye replied honestly. She looked ahead of them at Sleeping Beauty Castle and said, "Are you sure about this?"
"She'll be up soon," Beckett said.
"She's up now," Castle replied before they were moving to the side of the sidewalk they were on.
"Hi Mommy," Josie said, rubbing at her eye.
"Good morning," Beckett told her with a smile. She kissed her cheek as Castle was handing her to her and said, "Are you ready to go back on rides?"
"Yeah, are… Marie here?" Josie asked hesitantly.
"Soon," Mary said with a smile.
"Good," Josie said, smiling at the doctor before she turned her attention to her parents. "What are we going to now?"
"Mickey and Minnie," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when the toddler was clapping eagerly and said, "We better go."
When they'd made their way to Toontown, Mary asked, "Are we going in line?"
"We could, it's not long and it's a great line… or queue," Skye replied before they were looking at the ride building.
When they entered the building, Josie looked around the room at the fake movie posters with different Disney cartoon characters. "It's like movies," she told her parents.
"I know, we're at the theater remember," Castle told her. He smiled when she nodded before she kissed his cheek and they continued on. Going through the different items that were in the line he wasn't surprised it all kept Josie's attention until they were at the front and walking into the 'theater' room with others from the line.
Watching the cartoon, Josie was smiling widely and then said once they were walking past it to the queue to the cars, "Can I drive?"
"Goofy's going to do that," Castle told her. "But we'll try and go in front."
"But remember we might not end up there," Skye commented. They were reaching the head of that line and she quickly related how many were in their party to the cast member there. "Don't worry," she said quickly to the Josie when she made a sound of protest while they were splitting up on the loading platform. "We'll be sitting right behind you."
"They will," Beckett assured the toddler when Josie was looking at her in obvious concern. She looked at the train that was pulling up then and she let her husband step into the car first before he was helping their youngest down. She joined them and pulled down the lap bar with her husband and the woman sitting to her right. The train started to move and she made sure Josie was holding onto the bar in front of her as they were looking at Goofy in front of them.
Going through the ride, Josie was laughing at the motions of their cars and her parents making sure she wasn't falling over. When the train was back together and they were reaching the loading platform she said, "That was fun."
"Are you sure?" Castle asked in amusement. "You were all over the place."
"I think that was the point," Beckett told her husband.
"I guess so," Castle said after they'd looked at their daughter when she'd begun to nod rapidly. Their train stopped at that point and he was making sure Josie was alright as they followed Beckett back onto the loading platform.
"Okay," Skye said. "Do you guys want to start going around here or move on?"
"Stay in this land," Beckett said, smiling since Josie was reaching for her hand.
"Can I see Mickey now?" the toddler asked eagerly.
"We'll go right now," Beckett assured her before they were walking over to the house from the ride.
"You don't need to stick around with us you know," Castle said to the McDouglas women after they'd walked through Mickey's house and were waiting to see the character.
"And we could have waited until your girls had gotten here to do this," Beckett added.
"Oh no, apparently ours are too old for this now," Skye said.
"Is that a problem?" Castle asked, trying not to laugh at the investigator's obvious annoyance.
"To a degree, they're growing up way too fast," Mary said.
"We're next," Beckett told them. She wasn't surprised when the two women were stepping to the side as she and Castle were urging Josie towards the character who was waving at her. She smiled at Josie's wide eyes, though she'd seen Mickey there before, and she was taking pictures until the toddler was coming back to them. She smiled as Castle put Josie on his shoulders and she said, "You enjoyed that?"
"Yeah," she answered as she was holding onto her father's head. "Why don't you go with Mickey too?" Josie then asked.
"He wanted to meet you," Castle said, smiling at his wife.
Though she had wanted to hide it, Beckett was smiling as well before she said, "Your daddy's right, Mickey was ready to meet you." She looked around and then asked, "Are we going to Roger Rabbit?"
"We'd like to save that for our girls," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when the two weren't protesting and she said, "And Galaxy's Edge too."
"We're fine with that; she can't go on either ride there," Castle said.
"Okay, then what about Pirates?" Skye suggested. She smiled when the writers were looking at each other and she said, "Would her sisters mind if they weren't with her for her first time on that one?" She was startled when Castle was smiling immediately and she said, "You talked to them about that before you came."
"We did, and because we're going on the ride with her," Beckett said. "They said it was fine, but we need to call them after the ride."
"Then why don't we do this," Skye said, checking her phone. "Go on the Winnie the Pooh ride, Haunted Mansion and then this before you call your family."
"Is that about when yours will get here?" Castle asked, looking at his watch.
"About that," Mary said. "So hopefully you'll excuse us for racing over there to greet them."
"We will, we'll sit by the mint julep place for the call," Castle said. He paused and then asked, "Can we?"
"I think so," Skye replied. "Or around it at the very least. Okay, we should get moving," she said before her wife and the writers were agreeing and they began making their way towards Critter Country.
Looking around herself as they were sitting in the bateaux, Josie looked up at her parents a little nervously before her father was wrapping his arm around her. Pressing to his side, she let out a squeak of surprise when the bateaux was slipping into the water a little roughly at first. Looking around she soon spotted the restaurant to their right and asked, "Is that where we eat Mommy?"
"It is, but we're going to do something different for dinner tonight," Beckett answered. She kissed the top of her head and told her, "But for now we're going on the ride."
"Remember, you can hold onto me on the drop," Castle said. "Drops."
"And the first one isn't that bad," Skye said, leaning up from the second row. "Just dark."
Josie nodded and then looked around them before she saw the small shack up ahead. She gasped a little when she saw the man on the porch of it before her parents were both hugging her at the same time.
"Sweetie-" Beckett started to say, wondering again if they should have let the toddler go on the ride. But they hadn't been able to tell her no so she shook off her concern as they were getting nearer to the first drop.
Seeing the skull and bones above the arch in the rocks, Josie was momentarily frightened before she remembered her sisters having told her about it. She smiled when she remembered the faces they'd made to make fun of it for her and she did the same for a moment before their boat was jerking to a stop. "Why did it do that?" she asked.
"Just a little pause," Skye said from behind. She wasn't surprised when the writers were both holding onto their daughter again and smiled before the boat was starting down the drop.
Feeling the whoosh of air and her stomach flying, Josie was screaming loudly until they were abruptly in water and she laughed as some splashed in her face. She then saw light ahead of them and asked, "That was it?"
"I know, it's not that much luckily," Castle told her with a smile, seeing the one soon appear on hers.
"You're okay?" Beckett asked.
"Yeah, and now we get to see the next one!" Josie said happily as her parents were letting her go.
"You're going to put your arms up right?" Skye asked, leaning over.
"Yeah," Josie said, bouncing a little on the bench.
"Not doing that," Beckett said.
"You're not going to stop her," Skye murmured, leaning into her friend.
"I don't think I can," Beckett replied at the same volume though she was quickly turning her attention to Josie since they were at the drop.
Holding up her arms, the toddler was screaming in joy since she could see where they were going on that drop. She realized her parents were holding onto her again and she asked once they were past the turn at the bottom, "Why do you hold me?"
"Because we love you," Castle commented.
"And we wanted to share that with you," Beckett added.
Josie nodded before she was looking at the beach next to them and said, "Is that a case Mommy?"
"No," Beckett answered, having to wait a moment before she continued since she was trying not to laugh at her youngest's tone. When she could speak again she said, "They're not real."
"Also pirates so it'd be impossible to solve," Castle said. When he saw the look his wife was giving him he shrugged and said, "Just keeping it real."
"Never say that again," Beckett told him though he was shortly after shrugging again.
Having caught sight of the skeleton with the ship's wheel in a stormy wreck, Josie wasn't paying attention to her parents' discussion. They soon came to a bar scene and she couldn't help laughing loudly at the sight of one of the skeletons drinking from a bottle, the liquid a light going down its chest. She then looked to their left and saw a pirate in a large bed with a skull on the headboard. "Ooh, that's a real one," she breathed.
"How do you know that?" Beckett asked, looking at her in surprise.
"The man is there," Josie said quietly at her mother's tone and facial expression. "I'm sorry?"
"It's alright, I see him too," Skye said, reaching forward and putting her hands on the toddler's shoulders. "Let's ask him to stay here by the bed okay?" she then whispered to her. "In our heads."
"Okay," Josie said before they came to the view to the side of that scene. She asked the question in her mind as the investigator had told her and then saw the spirit waving. She waved back and turned to look ahead of them when she gasped since she saw the treasure there. "Wow, that's lots of money," she said seriously.
Laughing, Castle said, "I know, but don't get any ideas."
"About what?" Josie asked with a slight frown. She became startled when her father began to laugh and looked at her mother before she was shaking her head.
"It's okay sweetie," Beckett replied. "I think your daddy doesn't want you to be a pirate."
"No," Josie said firmly.
"Good to know," Castle said, failing to reign in his laughter enough for it not to tinge his voice. He saw Josie becoming a little serious and seeing her looking at the cave ahead of them he wrapped his arm around her and said, "There's going to be a really cool trick here."
"Can I see?" Josie asked, keeping her voice low as her father had.
"If you look where I tell you," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised when she nodded seriously and waited until they reached the figure to the left. "Watch his face."
Nodding rapidly, Josie stared at the face of the pirate skeleton holding a treasure chest. When they passed it her father was gesturing her to look back and she gasped when she saw he had turned into a regular person. "Wow," she told her father.
"I know, really cool," Castle said, smiling when she nodded rapidly in agreement.
"Did you see it Mommy?" Josie asked, turning to her mother.
"I did, but now we should face forward," Beckett replied since the toddler was still slightly turned. She wasn't surprised when Josie nodded again before sitting right on the bench and she wrapped her arm around her before they reached the room with the ship. After they'd gone through that scene and the start of the town she wasn't surprised when Josie was gasping and turning to her eagerly.
"Is that a lady pirate?" the toddler asked.
"It is, brand new too," Castle answered, smiling when Josie was turning to him quickly. He watched her looking at the red headed pirate before they were passing by under the bridge and he relaxed against the back of the bench before they reached the lift hill that would take them back up to the loading platform. He wasn't surprised when Josie was covering her ears with her hands and he was quick to say, "It's only for a little bit."
"It's loud," Josie said, wrinkling her nose.
"I know," Beckett said. "But your daddy's right, we'll get up to the top and then we'll be at the end of the ride."
"And the third drop," Skye said. She smiled when Josie was immediately turning towards her and said, "I'm sure your sisters told you about it."
"They did," Beckett replied instead of the toddler. "Don't scare my daughter."
"I wasn't going to make it a big drop," Skye said with another smile, having to speak a little louder over the sound of the chain.
When they had reached the top, Josie giggled when she saw the drop and she put up her hands as her mother wrapped her arm around her. "That was fun Mommy," she said after she had looked at the parrot and the map she had seen when they'd entered the ride building.
"I know, and I'm glad you liked it," Beckett said, kissing the top of her head.
"Remember we're calling your sisters after this," Castle commented before he felt someone tapping his shoulder.
"There's something I forgot to ask you, we weren't planning on coming here," Skye said.
"They thought it could happen," Beckett said with a smile.
"She's right, I forgot to mention that," Castle replied with a slight frown. "But they'll be happy since she got to go on this."
"It sounds like it," Skye said in amusement.
Shortly after, their bateaux reached the loading platform and they moved to leave for the next riders. After they were outside, Castle and Beckett were leading for the area by the mint julep stand while the McDouglas women were heading to the entrance to get their family who had arrived.
"Will we see them?" Josie asked her parents while they were sitting on the edge of a brick planter.
"Of course, as soon as we finish talking we're going to go on rides again," Castle told her while he was going onto his phone. He paused and then asked her with a smile, "Did you want to do something else?"
"No," Josie said firmly.
"Okay," Castle said slightly laughingly. "Let me dial the number." After he had done so he talked to his mother for a moment and then told his wife and their youngest, "They just got home."
Beckett looked at her watch and then said with a frown, "They're kind of late."
"Mother said they'd explain," Castle told her, not surprised she was nodding in response. He then turned his attention back to his phone since he'd seen the screen changing out of the corner of his eye.