13. Those Of Sharpest Mind(2)

"Daddy feed her the arms," the little girl said eagerly.

Castle was going to say he didn't need to when he saw the expression on her face. That made him pause and look at his wife before Julia was talking to her little sister.

"It's not their wedding Lizzy," the girl said.

"I know," Eliza said firmly before she looked at their parents again.

When his wife shrugged Castle then said, "What about just one arm?"

"Kay. Do it now," Eliza told him.

Beckett wasn't sure how exactly they should be feeling about her comments, but she was turning her attention to her husband as he was taking one of the arms off her half of the donut. She opened her mouth for him and once she was chewing looked at Eliza with him though she let him speak.

"Was that okay?" Castle asked jokingly.

"Yes," Eliza said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. She shared a kiss with her mother and went back around the table to finish her piece.

"Which one did you get?" Peter said, coming over to the table when they were getting up from the tables.

"We shared the Voodoo one, but I got the M&Ms one and Grape Ape," Julia said, smiling when her partner laughed.

"I like the names. I got the one that has the Fruit Loops on it," Peter replied.

"Just one?" Mari asked him.

"No, that I'm eating tomorrow. And then Friday I'm gonna eat the M&Ms one. I got that too," Peter answered.

"So did I," Mari said.

"Me too," Clive, Fleur, Ivy and Iris said at the same time.

"Come on guys," Beckett called. "We're going to go around the stores before we need to leave." She let her husband take her hand and they walked together back towards the park.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" Castle asked her.

"Not really," Beckett said. "Let them lead us."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Rebecca asked.

Beckett, looking at her friend, wondered why she'd said that when she nodded ahead of them. Turning she spotted the candy store and said with a smile, "I don't think we're going to be taking them in there."

"Not after we went to Honeydukes earlier," David said.

"We can't look around?" Clive asked his father.

"Oh no, I'd be too tempted to get you something," Isaac said.

"I'm not spoiled," Clive said quickly.

"The fountain!" Fleur said suddenly, pointing ahead of them.

"Could we run into it?" Julia asked her parents.

Beckett opened her mouth to speak before she paused and then sighed saying, "You won't let us say no, will you?"

Castle squeezed his wife's hand when their daughters shook their heads no at nearly the same time and he said, "Alright but try not to get soaked and when your mother says it's time to get out…"

"It's time to get out-"

"Time for dessert," Julia said, smiling at her little sister who'd said what their father was expecting them to say. She laughed when Eliza wrinkled her nose and then said to their parents, "It's time to get out. Sorry Dad, I know."

"Go you two," Beckett said, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice.

"Katie?" Jim said to his daughter. When she turned to him he said, "We'll walk around here with Josie."

"She's awake?" Beckett said, going to the baby. She studied her and said, "That should be enough." She pressed her lips to her forehead telling her, "I love you Josie."

Doing the same a second later Castle said, "I love you ceann beag. We'll see you tomorrow." He smiled when their baby yawned and then wrapped his arm around his wife before they turned their attention to their daughters who were with the other kids, dodging the water shooting up from the ground.

"I'm glad we came," Beckett murmured.

"Me too," Castle said, unable to stop himself from kissing her temple. He was about to ask if she wanted to walk around when one of the other parents was speaking next to them.

"How are they doing?" Isaac said.

"They're not as homesick as they were at the beginning," Beckett said, knowing that was part of what the man was asking. "And with their dancing on the show, they are enjoying it though they do have the normal nervousness about it."

"And they're having fun," Castle commented as the cries from their kids were still reaching them.

Beckett watched the other parents laugh and then leave them after thanking them for watching their kids. She and her husband said a quick your welcome before she said to him, "I'm wondering if we're doing anything next week."

"We are," Skye said, walking up to them with a smile. "Though I'm not sure how this will work, but Marie and Kath are crazy about getting their little sisters to the San Diego Zoo before winter."

"We're driving down?" Castle asked.

"Flying," Skye said. When the two looked at each other she said, "It's only forty minutes, and then to the zoo from the airport it's only fourteen. It's the quickest way."

"Who will we fly with?" Beckett said.

"Southwest, it's a new route they opened," Skye said. "But we'd need to leave at seven thirty. The zoo's open from nine to five."

"Old Town?" Castle asked.

"That or Point Loma," Skye replied. "But perhaps both."

"I was going to say," Beckett said. "They'll want to see the shops."

"I think you mean the candy store," Skye said with a laugh. "I'll tell the parents, but we'll see if they can join us."

Beckett nodded with her husband and when the investigator had left she said, "Should we tell them?"

"Not yet," Castle said as they were watching their kids. He squeezed her shoulder gently and then turned, pressing his lips to her temple. "I love you Kate," he murmured to her.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett told him with a smile though she was keeping her voice down. She shared a quick kiss with him, staying close to him though they'd parted as they were staring at each other. For a moment she thought they would kiss again when Eliza was crying out and running over to them. She squeezed her husband's hand with another smile and turned her attention with him to their daughters to continue through Citywalk and to finish their day together.