4. Something You Can Give With Ease(1)

Stepping into the ballroom, Julia looked around, her eyes wide, before she jumped when the youngest McDouglas girls squealed before they ran to the dance floor.

"Hold on, hold on," Skye said, rushing off the floor before she wrapped her arms around her three girls. "I'm happy to see you too, but you'll have to have your dress shoes tonight to come up on stage."

"We can dance here too?" Julia asked.

"You can," Skye said with a smile at her. "But later. I'm-"

Beckett looked away from the investigator as Mary had thrown her arms around her wife, knowing she was going to kiss her.

"Grá," Skye said with a laugh as her wife kissed her cheek. "I'm all sweaty."

"I don't think it matters," Beckett said, smiling as she glanced over at the two.

"I got that," Skye told her wryly. "But Mary, I'm famished."

"Sorry," the doctor said. "I couldn't help myself. But we should get our lunch."

"Something light," Skye said.

"Are you nervous?" Julia asked, going over by her.

"Of course, blocking with the cameras how could I not be?" Skye replied, gesturing behind her to the dance floor.

"How did that go Mum?" Marie asked.

"Not bad, hopefully I won't be thinking of the cameras tonight," Skye replied.

"You won't," Castle said.

"Says the man who's been around cameras far more times than I have been," Skye pointed out. She laughed when he nodded and shook her head before they were outside. Near their cars she said, "Where are we going? And why did you all come?"

"Julia wanted us to join," Beckett said. "The other kids are finishing homework."

"Really?" Skye said, looking at Julia.

"I had reading, Peter stayed with Clive since he had homework," the girl said.

"Okay, but we need something for everyone," Skye said as they walked outside to their cars. She froze in her tracks and asked her wife, "You made something didn't you?"

"Her pizza!" Iris couldn't help saying.

"Thank you," Skye said, squeezing her wife's hand.

"You'll be able to eat," Beckett said, going over to her as the investigator was digging in her bag she had.

"I have to, can't collapse on the floor," Skye said. "Once on the show was enough." She studied her and asked, "You're taking my car?"

"I am," Beckett said with a slight smile on her face while she took the keys. "You should relax." She wasn't surprised when the investigator wrinkled her nose before they were climbing into the cars so they could return to the McDouglas house. It was the fourteenth and the show was premiering that night, all of them having agreed to look out for the investigator so she would be relaxed before filming began. And while she drove with Skye next to her, she wasn't surprised she was sitting back on the passenger seat with her eyes closed. She was about to ask, since she knew the investigator would still talk to her, how the final rehearsal had gone when her friend spoke first.

"It went well," Skye said. She smiled and opened her eyes saying, "Though I tend to focus a bit too much on the steps, I have to remember to act too. Is Martha busy now?"

Laughing slightly; as she knew that was a joke; Beckett said, "Didn't you talk to her already?"

"I did," Skye admitted. She then said, "I'm trying to remember I'm doing this for the girls. And Mary too."

"And you're enjoying it," Beckett added.

"I am," Skye replied. She breathed out and said, "But I'd like to focus on everything at home now."

"We will," Beckett said. She was getting off the freeway then and at the red light she looked at her friend before seeing her staring at her. "Yes, that's your wife's plan."

"Ah Mary…" Skye said, leaning back.

"Why are you in the car with me?" Beckett then asked jokingly.

"We can't fool around in the car," Skye said in mock indignation. She laughed with her friend before she said, "She would want to."

"Is she-" Beckett said, glancing at her since she was driving again.

"No, but she likes touching," Skye explained. "I have to slap her hands a lot. But it's only when we're alone and we have five kids I'll remind you."

"Do you need us to go for a walk with the kids for P.E.?" Beckett asked seriously.

"Ye-e-s," Skye drew out. "After lunch. I hate to tell you that but…"

"You'd do the same for Rick and I wouldn't you?" Beckett asked, turning onto the investigator's street. Since she could she glanced at her friend and saw she was wrinkling her nose. "Well?" she pressed, though she was smiling at the same time.

"Hmm, I suppose," Skye said, making her voice as unwilling as possible though they were laughing together shortly after. Once they'd stopped they were at the garage and she hurried out, going to where her wife was leaving the second car while four of their daughters were exiting around them. She murmured to her in Japanese for a moment before she watched with a smile as her wife rushed over to the other car.

"Thank you," Mary was saying to Beckett as she took her wife's bag that the writer was taking from the backseat.

"It's not a problem. We didn't really have them do P.E. anyway," she told her. Beckett couldn't help smiling when the doctor paused and said, "A walk around the neighborhood." She watched Mary head back to her family; after nodding to her; she looked at her husband who'd walked up to them while she'd been talking.

"Do I want to ask?" Castle said, speaking in Irish.

"No," Beckett said simply. "They won't be joining us for that walk," she said before she smiled at Julia. "Hungry?" she asked.

"Yeah, what're you talking about?" the little girl said, studying the two.

"We need to do P.E." Castle said. "Your mom wants us to go for a walk."

"Photography?" Julia asked.

Shaking her head; as the last time they'd gone on a walk she had them use their cameras as all the kids had wanted her and Jim to teach them the best way to use the cameras; Beckett said, "We're taking the dogs."

"Good," Julia said before they turned to the house as Eliza was coming out to them and crying out to their parents.

"Lunch is ready!" the little girl said, hugging her father first. She cried out and then began to laugh as he picked her up, and she kissed his cheek saying, "Is Skye ready?"

"I believe I am," the investigator herself said as she was walking up to them. "But extremely hungry," she added before they went into the house where everyone else was waiting in the kitchen.

After they were sitting around the dining room table, the kids began asking Skye about her time at the studio and the show that night. She gave only a brief description, urging them to return to their meal before she spoke with her wife in Japanese for a moment.

Beckett watched Skye then, wondering if she would eat before she noticed that her pizza slices were disappearing. When they had finished, she went to the two women and spoke quietly with them for a moment before she went back to her husband telling him, "We have dish duty."

"I had a feeling," Castle replied easily before he helped her in taking the dishes over to the sink. They cleaned up while the kids were with Martha and Jim and he glanced outside the window above the sink, seeing Liam was walking up onto the patio. "Twins and Fleur," he called behind them. He couldn't help laughing when Beckett glanced at him and he said, "Your grandfather's here."

Looking out the window, Beckett smiled as the five girls were gathering around the man, talking to him before they made their way inside. "Hello," she said to the investigator's dad.

"Where's Skye?" Liam asked after he'd greeted both her and Castle.

"She and Mary are upstairs," Castle said.

"Ah," Liam replied, nodding his head. "How's she doing?"

"Nervous, but she's trying not to let that show for the girls' sakes," Beckett answered.

"I expected that," Liam replied.

"We're going to go on a walk," Castle then said. "For the kids and with the dogs."

"I'll stay behind," Liam said. "I'd slow you down anyway."

Nodding, Beckett dried her hands as they had finished, and she said, "Don't surprise them too badly."

With a brief laugh Liam said, "I'll do my best," saluting her.

Her husband helping her gather the kids and the dogs, Beckett walked with him as he was pushing Josie in her stroller once they had left the house and were going to the sidewalk. She looked ahead of them at the grandparents; Liam convinced by his granddaughters to join them; and she squeezed her husband's arm for a moment saying, "Are we ready?"

"The snacks are," Castle said. "All we have is to go to the show."

"Great," Beckett said.

"You're worried about her," Castle asked, taking her hand.

"Of course I am," Beckett said firmly. "You aren't?"

"I am, but we seem to forget she has a very cool head on her shoulders," Castle commented. He glanced at his wife and when he saw she was staring at him he said, "You know what I mean."

"Yes, let's just hope she doesn't think about her steps too much," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband nodded in agreement and she laughed, squeezing his hand before they turned the corner and continued down to the next street.

"Here," Castle told Josie as he handed her the stuffed giraffe that was on the blanket by them. It was the middle of the afternoon and he was with the baby on his own in the family room, the kids outside with all the other adults while they were waiting until they needed to leave for the show. He'd gotten Josie from her crib once she'd woken up from her nap and had taken her to the French doors in the living room to spend time with the baby since he and Beckett had been so busy settling into their teaching.

"I know," he said to the baby as she vocalized an ah sound. "You'll be able to start crawling in no time." Castle kissed her forehead, smiling when she laughed, before he said, "Do you want your mom to join us?" When she cooed, he kissed her again and said, "I'll text her."

"No need," Beckett called out as she left the hallway between the family room and living room. "I thought you two might want some company," she added.

"We do," Castle said, waiting for her to get on the blanket. He let her take Josie, watching her kissing the baby's temple before he said, "I was just going to see if she wanted to play with her blocks."

Watching him go over to the set, Beckett felt Josie grabbing her hand briefly and she turned back to her, seeing the baby was looking at her. "How has she been sitting up?" she asked her husband.

"She needs my support, but she's getting better at holding herself up for longer periods," Castle replied, trying to hand her a green foam block.

Watching with her husband, Beckett couldn't help laughing as the baby brought it to her mouth and she said, "We'll have to watch her now."

"I know," Castle said, since they'd been waiting for their youngest to start doing that with objects. "But we were expecting this. She's developing well."

Nodding Beckett said, "I'm relieved." She then turned to the baby, to try and get her to hold a different block in her hand when she felt her husband's hand on her shoulder.

"She's okay," Castle said reassuringly since he knew she was thinking of her being born early. "Sophie too in fact."

Beckett smiled at that and said, "Which Lily's happy about. But we should turn our attention back to her."

"Right," Castle said, turning to the baby and gently taking the block out of her hand. He was about to give her another one when the baby was suddenly whimpering, and he looked at her before Beckett scooped her up. "Are we done?" he asked in slight disappointment.

"No," Beckett replied, nuzzling Josie's nose with her own. "But we should stop with the blocks."

With a brief nod, Castle hurried to put the set away before he said, "What now? Go back with everyone else?"

"No," Beckett said firmly. "I'd rather you played with her."

"I was just now," Castle said in slight confusion.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "You haven't played mad dog with her." She laughed softly when her husband looked at her in surprise and she explained, "The girls were asking me if you would while you were here with her."

"I should," Castle said, thoughtfully as he studied the baby. "I'll have to tell them I can't really play like I have with them…" he trailed off, taking so long to speak again that he wasn't surprised when his wife and Josie made him jump.

"Sorry," Beckett said with a slight smile since the baby had vocalized at the same time she'd begun her question. "I was asking what exactly can you do with her for that game?"

"I think I should just be a weaker mad dog," Castle said.

"I was going to suggest that," Beckett said with a nod of agreement. She smiled when her husband kissed her temple and she handed the baby to him before she watched him in surprise while he waved his hand as he shook his head.

"Hold her in front of you," Castle said. When she was, he then got on his hands and knees saying quickly to his wife calling his name, "I have my brace."

Though she wanted to protest; as she knew he wasn't in that comfortable a position even on the blanket; Beckett held off, watching him crawling up to the baby and nuzzling her nose with his own. When he didn't growl or make any real kind of noise she was relieved, not sure Josie would have enjoyed that, and she smiled saying, "I think it's more just playing dog."

"Yeah," Castle said, moving to sit up and taking the baby with him as he did that. He held her up above him, smiling when she laughed briefly, and then brought her down, kissing Josie's cheek as she cooed. "This was a good idea," he said to his wife.

"It was," Beckett replied. "We need to keep doing this, maybe teach her colors at least."

"Vegetables and fruits too with that," Castle said. "And numbers."

Beckett nodded with a smile on her face and she then leaned over to their baby, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. When she sat back up, she was startled to find a frown on her husband's face and she said, "What is it?"

"Just her?" Castle asked.

Rolling her eyes, though she couldn't fight the smile that appeared, Beckett cupped his cheek and leaned over to share a kiss with him. She made that one brief as well but as she pulled away slightly, she paused and then leaned into him at the same time he was doing towards her. Their lips met and they began to kiss more passionately, knowing he was being careful to keep away from her so they wouldn't end up crushing Josie in between them. When they stopped, she said in Irish, "We need to…"

"Yeah, we'll talk after the show," Castle told her with a slight smile. He then looked down at Josie, who was leaning against him, and he turned her to face him before he said, "Should we head back to everyone else?"

"We should," Beckett began. Before she could continue though she heard laughter coming from the family room and she smiled saying, "I think they're about to join us."

"Good thing," Castle said, waiting for her to stand up before he handed Josie to her. He got up himself and took the chance to share a kiss with his wife before they made their way to where everyone else was gathering in the family room to continue playing the time they had left.

"Someone should pinch me."

Hearing the cry from her friend, Beckett looked over at the other side of the room saying, "Skye?"

"She pinched me!" Skye said in mock annoyance.

"You asked me to," Mary said simply.

"Should I leave you guys alone?" Beckett called when it got quiet.

"No, I'm getting dressed," Skye said before she stepped around the screen she was behind in what would be her dressing room at the Dancing With the Stars studio. "And I am dressed."

"How do you feel?" Beckett asked, standing up.

"Like I was in a glitter explosion," Skye said, shaking her head, wearing a blazer with silver sequins on it. She sighed and said, "One night only. I can hope."

Hugging her wife from behind Mary kissed at the back of her head and said, "You look dazzling grá."

"Good choice," Skye said with a laugh, turning to her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sit down," Mary told her wife.

"You don't need to stay," Skye then told Beckett. "I'm not kicking you out; just letting you know you can go back to Rick if you'd like."

"That's alright," Beckett said with a slight smile. "I'm fine here."

"He might not be," Mary said, brushing the investigator's hair. When she saw the questioning way Beckett was looking at her she smiled and explained, "The way he was looking at you."

"He's always like that," Beckett said simply.

"Sure, but there's a reason," Skye said.

"We're going to talk about us now?" Beckett asked wryly.

"No," Skye said quickly. "I think what Mary's trying to say is that he seems to enjoy you in your dress."

"He likes this one," Beckett said simply. When the two women smiled at her, not teasingly, she sat back down in the chair to watch the investigator's hair go into a bun at the back of her neck. But her mind was on her husband, recalling their conversation after she had stepped out of the bathroom in their room, ready for the show.

"You know," Castle said after he'd studied his wife for a moment. "There's something I wanted to ask."

"Go ahead," Beckett said, putting on her pearl earrings.

"Do you have a dress for every episode we're going to?" Castle said, moving towards her.

Smiling at him in the mirror she was standing in front of, Beckett shook her head and told him, "I don't, but I'm not wearing this one every time." She then turned to him and asked, "Josie?"

"She's fine," Castle said, wrapping his arms around her so he could span his hands across her back, feeling the lace of her blue lace gown. Pulling her close he told her, "You look amazing," seriously.

Beckett, since she was wearing her heels already, didn't need to lean up to brush her lips to her husband's. After they'd parted, she was about to speak when they heard the baby vocalizing before she started to whimper. She kissed her husband rapidly and they went to make sure she would be okay. "At least Lenora's a good babysitter."

"We shouldn't have doubted their girls," Castle commented. He couldn't help laughing when his wife shot him a quick look but didn't say anything as he followed her and the baby down the stairs so they could make their way over to the main house.

"Hello," the young woman who'd be watching the baby said as Castle and Beckett walked into the house.

"Hello again Lenora," Castle said first. "Thank you so much for staying."

"It's not a problem," she replied.

"We need to go," Skye said, having walked inside with her family.

"Are we saying goodnight to Josa?" Eliza asked her mother after she and Julia had hurried to their parents.

"Yeah, she'll be asleep by the time we're home," Castle told them, holding the carrier for his wife so she could take the baby out.

After Josie had been kissed by her grandparents, her sisters did the same and she was finally given to her parents.

"Sweet dreams Josie," Castle said to the baby, holding her first. He kissed her temple and said, "We'll play with you again like we did earlier. I love you."

Taking her when her husband had hugged her, Beckett pressed her lips to Josie's forehead and she said, "I love you too sweetie, we'll look in to see you. And like your daddy said we'll try to play with you tomorrow.""Outside," Julia and Eliza said at the same time.

When the girls merely smiled at her as she looked at them Beckett said, "Maybe." She said goodnight to the baby; who was smiling at her; and she handed her to Lenora, making sure she wouldn't start crying. She smiled when the baby turned her head and she squeezed her shoulder before telling the babysitter, "Someone told you where everything is?"

"Your daughters did," Lenora replied with a nod. "And I have all the numbers I need in my phone. Have fun tonight."

"We will," Castle said, going to his wife and taking her hand.

Leaving with everyone else, Beckett glanced back to the house to see the babysitter standing in the doorway with Josie on her hip. She breathed out once and said, "She likes her."

"I know, good thing since they'll spend Monday nights together for a while," Castle commented as he led her over to their car.

"Don't be so sure," Skye called from the car she and Mary would be in with their daughters.

"You'll break a leg," Castle said in mock annoyance.

Laughing with the others, Beckett made sure Julia and Eliza were alright in the back before she got onto the passenger seat to make their way over to Hollywood.

Hearing the door he was near opening, Castle straightened up and said, "Hey, they're all set in there?"

"They wanted a few minutes," Beckett said. "Have they started playing music?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "It's close though, Eliza ran back here and told me."

"By herself?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Someone from the crew walked her back here to me," Castle replied with a smile. "But Mary?"

"I didn't want to dance without my wife," the doctor herself said as she and Skye were coming out of the room then.

"Your girls-" Castle started to say.

"I told her," the investigator replied.

Beckett went to her friend and hugged her tightly telling her, "Break a leg."

"Thanks, go on and dance," Skye said, smiling at Castle when he squeezed her shoulder. She watched the couple leave them and she turned to her wife before they were embracing. Kissing deeply for a few, brief, moments she then pulled away and said, "I'll want a dance in our room tonight."

"Beddo no ue matawa ofu?" Mary asked in Japanese, which meant on the bed or off.

"Matawa," Skye said before she was laughing as her wife pinched her side since it meant the words either or. She brushed her lips against hers and said, "I'll be thinking of you."

"I know, I'll want you still," Mary said.

Skye smiled at how earnest she was and she then hugged her close before they kissed again. She had to pull away when she heard her partner calling to her and she squeezed her hand before rushing down the hall.

Mary sighed as she watched her wife hurry, shaking herself as she could hear the music outside in the ballroom. She went down swiftly to it and soon spotted where Castle and Beckett were; because of the former's height; seeing her daughters near them.

"How's Skye?" Julia said when the song they were all dancing to ended.

"Good, she's preparing herself," Mary answered as she sat down on her chair which was next to the judge's table.

"I could tell," Beckett said with a nod as the doctor had looked at her. Another song began and she went to the dance floor with her husband again, dancing with him until the music ended and they were being told to take their seats. "Here we go," she said as she spotted the judges walking across to their table.

Julia smiled at her parents; who were to her right while she was sitting next to Mary on her left; before she studied the three. She was a little shocked seeing them in person, but she soon heard music and looked at the large screen behind the band to watch the opening to the show.

"Mummy!" Fleur whispered eagerly as Liam's plane was flying through the sky.

Hearing Skye asking for 'permission' to land at season 31, Beckett laughed under her breath before the plane 'landed' outside the studio and Skye jumped out to the music beginning and the dance troupe were dancing on the floor in front of them. The stars and pros were then introduced by Tom as they walked from the stage to the dance floor. As they were doing that she stood up and applauded with everyone else before Tom and Erin were standing in front of them and the intro ended behind them. She squeezed her daughter's hand as she was jumping a little in her excitement, glad they'd finally come to the moment the season was beginning as the co-hosts began to speak.

"Welcome to Dancing With the Stars, season 31," Tom said first. "And our first night of competition."

"Our thirteen couples are here to showcase the Jive and Viennese Waltz tonight for judge's scores and your votes," Erin then took up.

After telling the audience at home how to vote for their favorites Tom then said, "First tonight is our singer and pilot, Rose McDouglas with our returning pro Derek Hough."

Beckett smiled as Skye and Derek were smiling at the camera that had stopped in front of them and then turned to the screen as the introduction began.

"My name is Rose McDouglas, but I go by Skye. So no more Rose if you please," the investigator was saying while her family and friends were applauding at the same time and some in the audience were laughing. "I'm an NTSB investigator who's also lead singer of the band The Rambling O'Dells and a licensed pilot. You may have seen the band and I in the two music videos we did with Paul McCartney-"

Julia smiled at Mary as a clip of the music video of the song This One with the whole band and Paul in it was being shown, and then looked back to see Skye looking serious on the screen. She bit her lower lip as she knew there was more to what the investigator was known for and she waited to hear what she would say.

"I'm also known for helping to land British Airways Flight 139 without hydraulics at JFK," Skye continued. "I've always loved dances and the way you can express the music you're listening to through movement. I know a couple dances already but I'm looking forward to learning a lot more with my partner."

Beckett squeezed Julia's hand at her obvious excitement at Derek's introduction and she watched as it then went to Skye and the pro meeting. She was startled when it showed the investigator at her plane as Derek was walking up to it. She looked at Mary when she and their girls were all with Skye and she smiled at the girls on the screen greeting the pro.

"All these girls are your daughters?" Derek asked jokingly.

"They are," Skye said. "They're going to join us a few times, they want to watch me dance."

"Great, that gets you ready for the audience," Derek said.

The scene changed, and the pair were in the dance studio where Derek was saying, "We have the Jive first off. To the song Save Us by your friend."

"I'm chuffed Paul gave permission for us to use it," Skye said after she'd clapped at that.

"Chuffed?" Derek asked.

"Happy," Skye said. "I've watched the show though; this dance is harder for taller people." It switched to the investigator dancing with her partner as Derek was showing her the steps and her voice was going over that saying, "I always thought this dance would be fun but I'm finding out that it takes a lot of effort to keep up. Especially with Derek."

"Okay, good," the pro was saying to Skye as they went through some steps. "But I don't know if you want to listen so directly to the song."

"I'm a musician," Skye said with a smile, looking in the mirror at her partner. "I take my cues from chords and words."

"Skye is really good at taking her directions from the words," Derek spoke over the two dancing. "And we tried using those lyrics she can sing herself though it didn't work the entire time."

Castle glanced at Mary with his wife, seeing the doctor was shaking her head as Skye was getting breathless on the screen before Derek was stopping her. He glanced over at the dance floor where the investigator herself and her partner were standing on the other side of the airport chairs, talking together and dressed in their pilot jackets by then before the intro ended on Derek talking about having confidence that Skye would be able to do the song justice as she was hoping for.

Julia cheered with her friends the announcer was saying, "Dancing the Jive, Skye McDouglas and her partner Derek Hough," before it went quiet and the sounds of an airport were played as Skye and Derek walked towards each other in their costumes. She smiled as she knew the investigator's jacket and cap weren't a costume before they were taking off their caps to toss them on the chairs behind them. She tried not to bounce in her excitement before the music was beginning and the pair took off their coats as the chairs parted and they started to dance together while Paul began to sing.

I can try to give you everything you ever wantedYou're not hard to please

As the kids from New York had suggested to them, Skye and Derek paused and clapped with the music before they came back together and began to kick and flick along with their other steps until the chorus began.

And the only thing I'm asking in return is somethingYou can give with ease

Holding onto each other, Skye and Derek started to spin as the first line of the chorus began before they were doing one kick and flick facing one another until Derek spun her and they kicked and flicked until the last line of the chorus. There Derek spun her again, but they dragged it out to go with Paul's singing until the rest of the line where they were doing their kicks and flicks rapidly side by side while holding hands before they moved down the dance floor at the instrumental there.

Keep on sending your loveIn the heat of battleYou've got something that'll save usSave us now

When they'd reached their spot, Derek and Skye were holding onto one another and spinning together again before she was going behind her partner for the two first lines of the next chorus to mimic his heartbeat with her hand.

Got a feeling there's a jungle rhythm beating in meWhen I'm close to youI don't really want to ask for many favorsBut there's something you can do

Derek then grabbed Skye and helped her slide across the floor in front of him while she was doing the splits. "Great job!" he called to her at the applause from the audience at her move. "Get them going!" he said before they let go of each other after she'd come up with his help by kicking her left leg out and spinning back to him for a couple quick steps before they were parting and clapping as they walked in an arc on opposite ends, trying to get the audience to follow which they were soon doing for the vocals and then the first line of the chorus.

Keep on sending your love

Going back to her partner, Skye was doing her best to keep her energy up and her posture correct as they didn't have much longer to go. With the rest of the chorus they were doing their kicks and flicks until they reached the very end of the song that had been moved there for their shorter dance.

In the heat of battleYou've got something that'll save usSave us now

Beckett was smiling as her friend and Derek were spinning at the last two lines, kicking and flicking at the end of the first. When it came to the end of the second line, they were ending the song with Derek dipping Skye and pausing there.

Save us nowSave us now

Standing with her friends and family the instant the music stopped, Julia applauded with them and was crying out as her mother next to her was whistling. She couldn't stop smiling as Skye and Derek hugged each other tightly before they went over to Tom who was standing by the judges' table.

"Looks like you made it," the co-host said to the investigator.

"Yeah," Skye said with a breathy laugh as she'd been panting heavily.

"Alright, let's hear from you first Bruno," Tom said to the judge on the right.

"You are very dedicated," the man said. "And what a fantastic start to our night. I could tell you were nervous, but you don't need to worry you held things steady as your plane. You had wonderful footwork and you kept that up all through the dance, I hope you'll stay through next week because I see a lot of potential in your future."

Skye laughed in joy at his comments and nodded to him saying, "Grazie," before Tom was directing things to Carrie Ann.

"Bruno's right, you could do well if you dance like you did tonight," the female judge said. She had to wait for the applause from the audience to die down and said, "But you need to watch your shoulders. Especially towards the end, they were starting to want to slouch I could tell. But if you love the music that much you might go far."

Laughing again, Skye nodded, knowing Carrie Ann was right about her shoulders before she smiled at Derek and they turned to Len who was speaking next.

"I'll agree with Carrie Ann, you need to watch out for your posture," the British judge said. "But you can see you were having fun while doing that and if you stick with it, you'll have the chance to impress us all. Great job."

Julia applauded with the rest of the audience as the pair were directed to the Sky Box and she watched them go, waiting eagerly to see their scores while their group was waving at the investigator since she was doing the same to them.

Going up the long flight of stairs, Skye was the first to step into the box before she let out a short cry and launched herself at the man standing next to Erin saying, "Phin!" before the co-host was talking about the co-pilot to explain who he was to the audience.

"What did you think of their dance?" Erin was saying after she'd introduced the man.

"It was great, and I appreciate the costumes," Phin said.

Skye looked over at her partner and then started to laugh saying, "It's your jacket."

"Yeah, and hat," Phin said, shaking his head as Derek made a gesture to return them to him.

"You were first tonight Skye," Erin then said after the three had stopped laughing. "How is it now that everything is said and done?"

"A relief, that is… one fast paced song," Skye replied with a quick laugh. "But it was so much fun to get to finally show it to my family and friends who're here tonight."

"I think," Derek said as Erin turned to him. "That she did well, especially for not being used to dancing this fast or this long already."

"Alright, let's get your scores," Erin said.

Beckett looked at the judges as the show's intense music played, hoping that Skye would get at least the three sevens she'd been hoping for the first time. She heard the announcer beginning to speak and turned her attention to it as the man said, "Carrie Ann Inaba."

"Seven," the woman said, holding up a paddle with that number on it.

Skye breathed out, hugging her partner and well satisfied with that number, before she and Derek looked to see what Len would give them.

"Seven," the British judge said after his name was announced.

"Eight," Bruno said after his name, the audience applauding loudly in response.

Crying out, Skye hugged Derek tightly before she said, "Grazie Bruno, ti vogliamo bene."

Mary laughed at the same time the judge did while her wife was blowing a kiss to the camera and she said to the others, "She said thank you and we love you."

Beckett smiled, not surprised her friend had said that, and she listened to Erin telling viewers how to vote and the next pair was announced before the commercial break. She watched as Mary stood up and then felt her husband touching her shoulder, making him look at her.

"Go ahead with her," Castle urged her.

About to tell him she didn't need to, Beckett paused and then nodded before she took Julia as she stood up and she hurried out to the aisle after the doctor. "Mary, wait," she called before the woman stopped.

"I need to hurry, actually you guys do too," she told the pair when they reached her.

"They have people to sit in the seats," Beckett said. "And we're only going to see her for a minute."

Nodding, Mary turned back and walked rapidly backstage where she soon spotted her wife and Derek talking. "Julia-" she started to say before the girl was taking off towards the pair.

"You did great!" Julia said eagerly, hugging them both. "You definitely needed an eight!" She then paused when she realized what she'd said and told them, "I didn't mean for that to rhyme."

"No, but thank you for agreeing with the score," Skye said first.

"I hope you don't mind we used the split too," Derek then told her.

Shaking her head, as she and Peter had done a similar move in their dance for the same song, Julia said, "It's not the same, and I don't own the splits." She smiled when the investigator squeezed her hand and she quickly got out of the way of her mother who was soon embracing Skye.

When she pulled away Beckett held Skye by the shoulders and said, "That was great."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "Wonderful to hear coming from you, but," Skye then said slowly. "You need to head back to your seats okay?"

"I know, I just wanted to make sure you knew we enjoyed watching that," Beckett said, moving to get Julia and take her hand.

"Thanks, you're coming to the studio after?" Skye asked quickly.

"Of course," Beckett said.

"Have fun watching everyone who needs to go next," Skye said before they left. She nodded to her partner who said he was going to the Sky Box, and once he was gone she suddenly found herself back against the wall, exhaling her breath as she hit it behind her. "Grá," she said with a slight laugh. "I take it you liked it?"

"I did," Mary said, speaking in Japanese. She brushed her lips to hers and then said, "You move amazingly."

"You got turned on, didn't you?" Skye said, switching to Irish. When she saw the way her wife's cheeks began to turn red, she leaned over slightly and kissed her tenderly. She deepened it a bit before slowly pulling away murmuring to her, "I'm glad you did. Later we need to… talk about that more."

"We will," Mary said, brushing her lips to hers. She let go of her wife and was about to tell her she was going to go sit when she paused.

"I know," Skye said in amusement. "You need to wait for the next commercial; come on." Taking her by the hand she led her over to the dressing rooms and her own, determined to spend the minutes they had left there until she needed to return to her fellow stars for the rest of the show in the Sky Box.

"Oof, easy you lot," Skye said jokingly to her daughters as they were launching themselves at her. "I still have to practice a bit."

"Are you happy Mum?" Kathleen asked.

"Of course, another week at least of dancing," Skye told them, hugging each girl individually.

"We loved your dance," Ivy said as her mother hugged her last.

"We did," Mari said.

"I'm glad you four did," Skye said, smiling at the kids when the two boys agreed with Mari quickly. She then turned to Castle, taking his quick hug saying, "Good enough?" in Irish.

"If she likes it," he replied, nodding to Julia. "Then I think so."

Skye laughed softly and then said, "Okay, we just got the envelope and CD. We're about to find out this second what we'll be dancing and to next week."

"I have the honors?" Derek asked her as she turned to him.

"They gave it directly to you," Skye said in mock annoyance.

With a quick laugh Derek opened the unsealed flap of the envelope and said, "We are dancing the… Salsa. To the song Last Night by The Traveling Wilburys?"

Letting out a whoop of excitement Skye then suddenly sang, "She was there at the bar, she heard my guitar. She was long and tall, she was the queen of them all."

"What?" Mary said in surprise when everyone but her wife looked at her. She then realized why she'd done that before she said, "Don't look at me, she's taller than I am!" She was startled when Derek and some of the kids turned their attention to Beckett before Castle was quickly speaking while he began to frown.

"Hey, not her," he said.

"He's right, I wouldn't be singing that about my sister," Skye quipped before she smiled at Beckett. When she saw the way her friend was looking at her she quickly said in Russian, "They stopped filming."

"Why?" Beckett asked.

"I motioned to them," Skye said simply. She glanced at Derek and went over to him, murmuring for a moment before he looked at her in obvious doubt. "Verit-" she started to say in Russian before she paused and then began again. "Believe it or not but… it's what we know," she said as she'd told him a bit about the past life they'd recalled.

"Okay," Derek said. To change the subject he asked, "Did that word you said mean believe?"

"It did, we both know Russian," Skye said. "So what about the dance?"

"I need to hear the full song first," Derek said. "Julia?"

"What?" the girl asked in surprise as they were sitting on the stairs. When he gestured to her, she hurried over to the two and said, "You want me to play the song?"

"Yes," Derek said. "And then listen to it closely, I'd love you guys to see what you think of with this music."

"Sure," Julia said slowly. She smiled when Derek looked at her questioningly and she explained, "I know the song, but I'll do that right now." She went to the stereo with the CD and then placed it into the player before she pressed play. She wasn't listening to the song exactly, as she knew it well, more looking at Derek to see what he would think of.

"Okay," the pro said slowly once it had finished. "That's not exactly a straightforward Salsa song."

"It could be," Julia said rapidly as he turned to look at her. "I guess just go with the rhythm."

"I was thinking that too," Derek said with a nod. "Peter… the three of you," he said to them. "Come over here and watch the steps I try out."

"I don't think you need us to help you," Clive said slightly uncomfortably though he was going with the other two over to the three standing by the mirror.

Beckett did her best not to smile; since the cameras were rolling again; as it wasn't hard to see the four kids watching Skye and Derek closely. But after a while she realized something was wrong with the investigator and guessed she was messing up her steps.

"Hold on," Derek said. "You're having an issue with your hips."

"I know," Skye said with a frustrated groan as she ran her hands over her hair. "Could we focus on that for the rest of our time here."

"Sure," Derek said. He then said goodnight with her to the film crew who were finished with their filming. "We'll have to talk about this again next time we meet. But I figured out a story for you."

"Oh, we're doing that this time?" Skye said with a smile.

"It applies here," Derek said. "We both notice a woman at a bar… or a dance."

"Better be a bar," Mary said. "And since it's my wife it needs to be me you're both noticing."

"Are you sure grá?" Skye asked, though she was smiling at the fact their daughters were gasping.

"Yes, I'm not going to be dancing of course," Mary said, looking at Derek.

"No, just lean against the bar and we'll dance in front of you," the pro said.

"I'm not about to look like a bloke am I?" Skye asked.

"Of course not, everyone knows you're married," Derek said firmly.

"Hey, I just looked, people are already wondering if you two are interested in each other on social media," Castle said.

"I should have made a bet," Skye said jokingly to her wife.

"They're fast," Mary said wryly.

"Okay, Mary? I need to touch your wife's hips," Derek said then. "Please don't hurt me."

"I won't," the doctor said laughingly.

Julia, watching the pro trying to move the investigator's hips as they needed to, winced when Skye finally walked away in complete anger. "Could I help her?" she asked Derek quickly.

"If you think you can," the dancer told her.

"Do you know how to move like that?" Skye said as Julia walked over to her.

"Yeah, I had to learn," the girl said firmly. "But it's not too hard. Lemme show you how Mari and I started." And with that Julia had the investigator rock her hips side to side before she showed her how to slow it down so she could make a circling motion. "No, hold on," she said when she saw the way Skye was making her movements too fast. "Try counting."

"Go ahead," the investigator said with a smile as she saw the hesitation on the girl's face. "If you need to move my hips then that's alright."

Julia glanced at her parents and when they nodded she turned her attention back to Skye, grabbing them. "Okay, do the rolling in one… two… three…"

"Here," Derek said as he could see the method was helping. "I'll walk you through the basic steps okay?"

"Sure," Skye said.

Beckett leaned against her husband slightly as they looked on while Skye was moving in the steps, going back and forth while Derek was helping her with her hips. She was glad for her friend's sake that she was starting to get the hang of it, hoping that in the short amount of time left until the next episode she'd have it down enough for them to continue with choreographing their dance.

"Hey, dinner's ready," Castle said as he went over to the living room.

"I'm so hungry!" Iris said, hurrying over to the sliding door.

"I think we all are," Castle told her.

"Will we get to play?" the little girl asked hopefully.

"I don't think so, it's late so maybe just a round of UNO or another card game," Castle replied. "Us parents will talk together after to see what we can do." He watched all the kids; except for Josie; walk past him inside the house. They were back at the McDouglas house and it was nearly eight, so they were having a light dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. They were also going to watch the episode of the show; since it would be airing shortly; on TV. Skye would be upstairs while they were watching it, showering and preparing for bed and not seeing herself on the show. He smiled; as Skye had explained it to them that way; but then turned his attention to the kitchen so he could get his food as well.

"I'm glad they came in," Beckett said to her husband as he took the last sandwich and mug of soup.

"Me too, I wasn't up to running around with them," Castle said. "They want to play," he told her after taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I figured," Beckett replied. She smiled and said, "They can, but card games will be better. But not UNO, Cinquillo."

"I'm sure they'll want to play it," Castle said. "Different groups?"

"It's the easiest thing to do," Beckett said. She stayed with her husband at the island, since they were spread across the kitchen and family room, until they finished and she smiled when Skye went upstairs after telling them to have fun with the show. She sat on the couch with Castle and took Eliza on her lap saying, "How are you sweetie?"

Yawning widely Eliza said, "I'm good Mommy." She sighed and then said tiredly, "I wanna see the dances again."

"We will right now," Castle said, smiling as he watched his wife kissed their second youngest's temple.

Watching the show, Beckett wasn't surprised when Eliza remained where she was though the other kids were cheering Skye as they watched her intro and dance. When the commercial started, she said, "Do you want to play cards?"

Shaking her head, Eliza said, "Can I stay with you Mommy?"

"Of course," Beckett said, nodding to her husband when he glanced at her. She watched him go to the other kids to start playing cards with them. She was expecting Eliza to fall asleep but was startled when the little girl turned on her lap so she could look at her. "What's wrong sweetie?"

Shaking her head, the little girl asked, "Are you gonna vote now?"

"We have already," Castle said, walking back to them. When he saw the questioning look on his wife's face he said, "They want to play on their own."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a slight laugh before she heard Skye walking up behind them. She suddenly recalled Josie, as she'd asked her friend to look in on her, when the investigator was talking before she could.

"She's fine, I went in to her right now," Skye replied. "How's it going?"

"Good, you looked great on the TV," Beckett said before they started to laugh together.

"Thanks," Skye said.

"We voted for you too," Castle added.

"Oh, thank you for that," Skye said before she looked at her watch.

"It's not time for bed Mummy!" Fleur protested.

"I know, I have to check though," Skye replied, going over to an open armchair to sit. She took Ivy on her lap and wrapped her arms around her as the little girl was leaning against her, smiling at Beckett as Eliza on her lap was fighting off sleep.

When they got a commercial after Eddie and Emma had gotten their scores, Julia was going to speak to her friends when they heard her little sister suddenly protesting. "Did she fall asleep?" she asked her grandmother as Castle was taking the little girl from Beckett.

"She did, she'll have to go to bed," Martha replied.

"But I wanna see the show," Eliza was telling her parents tearfully.

"You got to see it filmed," Beckett told her firmly as she and Castle left the family room to head upstairs.

"Aren't you guys going to keep playing?" Liam asked his granddaughters as Julia rushed to her sister at her father's call to say goodnight.

"I don't think so," Kathleen said slowly. "It's hard to play and then stop."

"Okay, then what will you do now?" Liam said, looking at his daughter.

"Dad, if you want to go home you can," Skye said, smiling at him.

"They're going to bed soon anyway," Mary added.

"Alright, I've seen the show and voted," he said as his granddaughters hurried to him. Liam hugged them all before he said to Martha and Jim, "Let your son and daughter know I said goodnight."

"We will," Jim assured the man before Liam was leaving with his family to go to his car outside.

"I was going to tell her the seven-year olds will be going to bed soon," Castle said upstairs when he and his wife left Fleur's room, Eliza fast asleep on the bed there.

"I don't think she'd care," Beckett said wryly. "Come on, we have the rest of the show," she told him as she took his hand.

"You're letting them stay up until ten?" Castle asked in surprise.

"What they have left," Beckett corrected him with a smile before they went down the stairs to rejoin everyone in the family room.

"Hey, she's set?" Mary asked as she and Skye were standing. "Girls," she said a little sternly to the three girls who had groaned in protest at that.

"We'll be back for the rest of the show," the investigator said as the girls were hugging their big sisters goodnight.

"Mom?" Julia asked, going to her. "Oh, and Dad," she said, looking at him too.

"What is it?" Castle asked.

"Skye said they'll want to film her having trouble with her hips next time," Julia said. "But Derek told her after we left that they're gonna want me to… teach her again."

"Okay," Beckett said since her husband had looked to her to answer.

"Really?" Jim asked his daughter.

"They might like Julia, the audience," Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her daughter as she started to blush heavily. "And I know Derek or Skye will say that she's a dancer, so she and the others might have a real chance to dance on the show."

"Thanks," Julia said, having turned to her mother and wrapping her arms tightly around her neck.

"You're welcome sweetie," Beckett told her. "I wanted you to have a chance." She shared a quick kiss with her and was a bit startled; when Julia stepped away; to find Mari and the boys behind her as the girl was hugging her tightly.

"Thanks," Mari said shyly.

"You're welcome," Beckett said, smiling at the boys as they'd said the same. "It's why you're here of course."

"The show's back on," Martha said to the kids.

While they went to sit back with Marie and Kathleen, Beckett glanced behind the couch to see if Skye and Mary were coming back yet. She felt a hand on her shoulder and then looked at her father, smiling as he was walking by. "Are you going to have some coffee?" she asked him.

"Tea," Jim said, shaking his head. "But should I wait for them to come back?"

"We're here," Mary said first, her wife walking a little more slowly behind her. "And I'll take over that," she added.

Jim was about to speak when Skye touched his arm briefly and he said, "It's no use?"

"No," the investigator replied with a smile. "Best to sit down. I'm going to help her though."

Beckett got off the couch at that and she walked after her friend over to the kitchen.

"Julia told you about us needing to re-film?" Skye said as soon as they were on the other side of the island, next to her wife.

"She did, but we're fine with that," Beckett said. She was startled when Skye put her hand on her arm and she leaned over so she could murmur into her ear.

"Tyson?" the investigator asked.

Going over to her ear, Beckett said in Irish, "We're not investigating a case in NYC."

"True," Skye said, not to her ear but still talking in Irish. "But you're not afraid someone would say something about her mother?"

"I don't think this far out people would know," Beckett said, looking over at the kids and focusing on her daughter for a moment. "And she knows not to talk to strangers, who might end up telling her."

Nodding Skye said, "If there's a chance she's with us we'll keep an eye on her."

"Thank you, but I haven't been really worried about that," Beckett said. She watched as Mary was putting the herbs into the tea and then asked her friend, "How're you doing?"

"Good," Skye said with a slight laugh. "I'm not sore… yet. But we'll see what happens when I practice again tomorrow."

"You know you didn't really need to take most of Thursday off," Beckett told her friend.

"I told you, it's the best day for the fair," Skye said. "The weather is a bit cooler for that day and Friday and it's our chance."

"Alright, alright," Beckett said. "Did Rick-"

Shaking her head Skye said in amusement, "He didn't. You don't really celebrate her birthdays by month anyways. It just turned out to be the same day." She took the kettle that was ready with tea and said, "Are you going to take her?"

"No, we'll do what you suggested," Beckett assured her. "Have Martha bring her later in the afternoon."

"Well, at least she won't mind that," Mary commented. "I'll take these to the coffee table," she then said, indicating the items for the tea she'd put on a tray.

"Five months," Skye said with a smile.

"I know, it goes too fast," Beckett said, putting the mugs she was filling onto a tray.

"It does," Skye said, thinking of Marie and Kathleen. "But," she said. "Hopefully you'll be relieved that she's still only five months."

Laughing Beckett said with a nod, "You make a good point," before they made their way to the family room and began to pass out the tea as the show was continuing on the TV.

"Mari?" Julia whispered.

"What?" the girl asked, looking at her friend.

"Why are you still awake?" Julia asked her.

"No I wasn't," Mari said. She sighed when her friend squeezed her side gently and said, "I can't fall asleep."

"But you need to," Julia replied. "We have classes."

"I know!" Mari said, not surprised when her friend jumped next to her. "Sorry," she said quickly. "But I can't get settled down."

"Hey," a voice said at the door, making both girls gasp. "Sorry," Peter said.

"You can't sleep either?" Julia said, sitting up with Mari.

"No," Clive added, behind them.

"Oh…" Julia said slowly. "You guys are homesick, aren't you?"

"I think so," Mari then said as the boys walked into the room. "I miss my parents a lot… and my sister."

"You don't miss home?" Peter asked his partner as he and Clive got up onto the bed.

"I can't really say that," Julia said. "I'm here with my family except for my big sister."

"But you miss it," Clive pointed out.

"Well… yeah," Julia said. "But it's just my house and my big sister I miss so it's not as bad as you guys. Easy Macca," she told the dog as he raised his head and nudged her hand.

"Do you mind us talking about this?" Mari asked her, placing her hand on her shoulder.

Shaking her head Julia said, "No, it makes you feel better I can tell." She watched her friends looking at each other in the light of the lamp on the nightstand that she had turned on.

"Kids," a voice said suddenly, making all four kids gasp.

"Grandpapa, we-" Julia began.

"Shh, it's alright," Jim said as he walked inside the room. "I heard you talking while I walked down the hall and I don't blame the three of you for being homesick. But your parents really want you to get some rest. Especially after the excitement tonight."

"And because we have school tomorrow?" Julia asked.

"That too," Jim said, nodding. "I'll take you back to your room," he told the boys. He went to Julia and hugged her saying firmly to her and Mari, "Get some sleep."

"We will," Julia promised before she laid down as he was watching. She and Mari waved at the boys before they left once her grandfather turned off the light. As soon as they were gone, she turned to her friend and said, "It'll go fast now."

"What?" Mari asked in confusion.

"Our time here," Julia replied. She smiled and then said, "Now that the show's started and we have a new dance every week."

"You did really good at the Salsa," Mari said.

"Moving my hips," Julia corrected her with a smile. She then said, "You do well doing that too." She moved to lay on her back and said, "I loved getting to do that."

"It makes you feel like you're a teacher?" Mari asked, pushing herself up so she could look down at her friend.

Nodding Julia said, "I want to do that more than anything. "But I'll still write."

"Good, you should," Mari said. "Since you're so good at that."

"Thanks," Julia said, tugging on Mari's arm so she would lay on her side. As soon as she was, she hugged her tightly and told her, "You're a really good friend."

"So are you," Mari said firmly. "And I'm glad you don't mind us talking about missing home."

"I'd be the same if my family were back in the Hamptons," Julia replied with a shrug. She was going to say more but she suddenly paused, looking with Mari over to the doorway as they heard something creak.

After a while of silence Mari whispered to her, "Is someone coming?"

"No, I think that was just the floor," Julia replied. "We better get some sleep."

"Talking helps me fall asleep," Mari commented.

"You can tell that to my parents when we're tired tomorrow," Julia said. She and Mari started to laugh, and they dove together under the covers to try and keep that quiet. When they had calmed down, they came back out and she said, "But I am feeling sleepy."

Yawning widely, she felt Julia hug her and Mari looked at her before hugging her back. Pulling back to look at her she told her friend, "Me too, night?"

"Yeah, we better," Julia said before she and her friend were laughing together again. They let go of each other completely before laying on their backs and she looked up at the ceiling before she soon closed her eyes, dreaming of dancing with someone and loving every moment of it.

"Oh, finally," Mary said when her wife stepped into the bedroom.

"What?" Skye asked in surprise before she was gasping as her wife took her hand and pulled her to the bed. As Mary pulled her further to the full-length mirror she said, "Mary-" before she was cut off by her wife starting to pull on her pajama top. "Stop," she said, turning to her. "What are you doing?" she said as she was holding her by her wrists.

"What do you think?" Mary said simply. "These need to come off."

"But…" Skye began before she trailed off as her wife pulled off her top. "Mary," she said with a sigh.

"Help me," the woman said simply.

Though she wanted to question her about her plans once she was naked, Skye took off her pajama pants and was about to reach for her panties when her wife stood directly behind her. "Okay, I really need to ask what exactly you want grá," she said though her voice shook slightly with her wife's hand on her mound though the fabric was blocking their skin from meeting.

"Just this," Mary said, moving her hand to Skye's hips. She said, "Move grá."

Breathing a little harder already, Skye tried to do so as she'd been learning earlier that night before she could hear her wife clicking her tongue. "What? I think I improved," she said in protest.

"No, no, I think it's better I show you how," Mary was saying.

"You-" Skye began before she cut herself off abruptly feeling her wife pressing flush against her back and pressing her back with both hands on her stomach. "Mary," she breathed out shakily.

"Move with me grá," the doctor whispered to her before she began to roll her hips. She could just see the mirror and her breathing became shallower as she ogled her wife's body as it was moving. "You're doing so well," she murmured, kissing the back of her shoulder after she had finished.

"I… I'm not going to be able to do this tomorrow without… thinking of you," Skye told her as they were moving but not as easily as before since she was finding it more difficult to keep to their rhythm.

"I know but I wanted to feel," Mary said.

"I'm not doing this with… tomorrow," Skye gasped out as her wife reached up and then slipped her right hand underneath her panties. "No, wait," she said quickly, moving her hand away so she could turn around to face her. She then gathered Mary in her arms and kissed her as hard as she could, not surprised when she responded immediately. As their tongues met inside her mouth she was reaching for the back of her wife's dress before she began to attempt to unbutton it. But because she was so involved with their kisses it took a little effort to get the first two buttons.

"What's wrong?" Mary said when Skye pulled away from her with a groan of frustration. As her wife looked at her with wide eyes she said, "I guess it's my turn," as she turned around. She smiled when her wife grabbed for her and gasped when a moment later the buttons were coming apart hard. "You're going to tear them," she whispered in her arousal at the sensation of her doing that.

"Then you can give me my punishment," Skye said, though there wasn't really any truth to that since they only played with words instead of actually punishing each other. She finally got the last button open and slid her hands underneath the dress to spread it, pushing it over her shoulders though she had to allow her wife to take care of the rest. She hurried around her and immediately cupped her breasts, smiling when Mary moaned her name. She hesitated for a moment as the smile fell off her face, staring at her wife, and she then pulled her over to the bed. She fell back first with the doctor on top of her before they began to kiss, doing that for some time until her wife moved her lips to her ear lobe and began to murmur gently into it to her arousal.

"Rose, you forgot to undress," Mary told her as she reached for the waistband of the pale lilac fabric on her. She looked down while she slipped her fingers underneath the elastic, just brushing against her skin as her wife was moaning at her touch. "H-" she started to say before she was cut off by Skye pulling down her panties. She debated for a moment if she should respond to that but pushed it aside, moving so she could take off the scarlet fabric on her. "Your turn," she said with a smile, reaching for hers.

Skye raised her hips quickly for her wife and sat up while she was leaning over slightly, running her hand down Mary's side. When she straightened up, she smiled at her wife and they began to kiss one another deeply while they were wrapping their arms tightly about each other. When they stopped after their second, she said, "You got excited again watching me didn't you?" Seeing her nodding, she sighed and asked, "Why?"

Leaning over, Mary's response was to kiss her before she moved her hair away from her neck and she then kissed at it a few times. She pulled back and said, "I'll give you your reward now."

"Reward?" Skye asked, startled.

Smiling, Mary nuzzled the side of her neck with her lips and told her, "You did so well."

"That's… nice of you," Skye started to say, pausing for a moment as her wife had cupped her right breast firmly. "But… I don't… need that… just you," she tried telling her as she had begun rubbing her thumb around her nipple.

"Good, I'm going to fuck you," Mary said firmly. She was about to move when Skye wrapped her arms around her neck and she told her, "You don't want me to?"

"Together," the investigator said firmly to her wife before she crushed her lips to hers. They kissed for some time; as they couldn't stop; before she made sure they didn't go together again, and Skye told her, "I… do you want me to get it?"

"Stay there, you need to rest," Mary said, moving to get off the bed quickly. She smiled over her shoulder as her wife groaned and lay on her back in the middle of the bed. She went into their closet and where they kept their items they used for their intimacy and she was grabbing what they wanted quickly, as she suddenly decided her wife's idea was better than hers. When she went out to the bedroom she saw Skye was sitting up and holding something in her hand, making her freeze before her wife was speaking.

"To help us?" Skye asked, holding up the bottle.

Shaking her head Mary said, "We don't need anything added tonight." She climbed up onto the bed and then handed the toy to her wife before she was leaning down, sucking on her wife's left breast as soon as she could reach it. She could hear the way Skye was crying out, holding onto her with one hand, before she did the same to her other breast and she then pulled away, smiling at her.

"Grá," the investigator breathed out heavily, trying to grab her to pull her against her body. But Mary gently pushed away her hands as she couldn't help the near whimper of disappointment that left her mouth. "You're so mean," Skye said, as a way of distracting her wife as she reached in between her legs.

"And you're too fast," Mary said, pushing her hands away again. She couldn't help smiling at the obvious frustration on her wife's face before she reached in between her legs.

"I'm ready," Skye told her hurriedly as she pushed herself up on her knees to help her at the same time.

"I know," Mary said simply before she touched her hip so she would lower herself. Once Skye was ready, they moved together to drape their legs over each other so they could press close. She was the one to slide one side of the toy within her wife's sex before she let Skye help her in getting the other end within her. She pressed as close as she could against her and they began to kiss, touching each other's breasts with both hands at the same time until they were parting for air.

"I prefer this," Skye told her wife seriously, running her hands down her wife's sides. "But are we going to restrain ourselves?"

"No," Mary said, caressing her wife's body eagerly. "I want to feel you, pleasure you grá."

"Good," Skye said simply before she then began to move her hips. Her wife followed suit and they leaned towards each other at the same time, kissing fervently while they continued to touch one another. Eventually she pulled away with a slight gasp, feeling Mary's fingers on her clit and she rushed to touch her there as well. "Grá you…" she gasped.

"The more time we have…" Mary told her firmly.

"I know," Skye said in a moan as the idea of her wife wanting them to make love again was even more arousing. She kissed her again, and though she'd been using her other hand for support she reached for Mary's breasts with one hand. She fondled them as she knew she preferred before she brought up her other hand so she could do that to both at the same time.

"Ah… grá… don't… don't stop…" Mary moaned as she was leaning against her wife's hand slightly. "But here," she then said, shaking herself for a moment and reaching for her wife's hand. Once she was rubbing her clit again, she turned her attention back to Skye's and said, "We're going to come together grá."

"We will," the investigator said in agreement. She and Mary spent some time rubbing at each other and kissing, touching when they were apart so they could see how much they pleasured the other. Doing that, Skye said, "Mary you're…."

"I know… so are you," the doctor replied, breathing harder. Mary leaned over a little and they were kissing again before she stopped it abruptly and cried out her wife's name heavily until they were holding onto each other with one arm but still rubbing at each other's swollen nub.

When she stopped first, Skye was smiling before she said, "Hmm, you're so good grá."

"So are you," Mary replied before she was pulling away so the toy would slip from her first. After she'd withdrawn it carefully from her wife she took it to clean it and put it away, hoping Skye wasn't about to fall asleep. "Rose?" she said as she went over to the doorway to the bedroom when she was finished.

"What?" Skye said, sitting up from where she'd laid down on the bed.

"No, just seeing you weren't asleep," Mary told her, hurrying so she could get onto the mattress with her. She kissed her, draping the upper part of her body on top of her, and let their breasts touch until her wife was laying her head back fully.

"Grá you're…" Skye started as she breathed out heavily in her pleasure. She then smiled at her and said while she caressed her hair, "I want you; so much; but I need you to answer something for me."

"Alright," Mary said, letting her fingers play with her wife's hair the best she could. At the same time, she was moving against her so their nipples could brush against each other.

"Wait," Skye said, putting her hands on her back to stop her though she didn't really want her to.

"You tempt me so much," Mary told her, leaning down enough so she could take her lips. She kept that short before she moved, lying next to her wife and pressing tightly to her, wrapping her arm around her.

"Tell me why you were so aroused," Skye told her shortly.

"The way your body moved? The splits you did?" Mary asked. She breathed out and said, "Grá, it was… I wanted to watch you all by ourselves."

"I'm not going to do that," Skye replied. "But there is something I can do for you all by myself…" And with that she made her wife lay on her back and they started to kiss again until she was moving down and pleasuring her. Her joy at what her wife had said about her making her work hard which in turn led to Mary crying out and trembling as they started the rest of their night together.

Tilting her head back, Beckett sighed as she felt the way her husband was nibbling at her neck until he reached her collarbone. "Rick…" she whispered to him before she took his lips. They kissed for a moment until she paused when she realized she could feel his hand sliding up her thigh. She smiled at him and said, "I'll wear this dress again."

"You will?" Castle asked, startled.

Nodding, as she was still smiling, Beckett told him, "If she makes it to the finale; the last night."

"Good choice," Castle said with a nod. He then slid his hand a little further up her leg but stopped to rub up and down saying, "How-"

Kissing her husband hard, Beckett didn't let him continue and didn't stop kissing him until they needed to breathe. She smiled at him as he opened his eyes to stare at her once they needed to breathe and she whispered, "I crave you Rick."

Trying his best to not start hyperventilating, Castle said, "I fucking want you," moving as soon as he stopped speaking, picking his wife up and taking her to the bed. But before he could get her onto it, she was stopping him and he set her down as he knew she wanted, relieved she explained what was on her mind as soon as her feet were on the floor.

"I did want to get undressed," Beckett said. When her husband nodded, she turned around quickly and waited for him to unzip her dress. She got it off herself, letting him take it to what she thought would be the low dresser. But when he draped it over the armchair in the corner she bit slightly at the inside of her mouth. Waiting for him, slightly impatiently, to come to her she reached for his dress shirt, pulling it out of his trousers.

"Kate you're-" Castle started to say while he was watching her. But she cut him off as she was unbuttoning the shirt a little furiously and he looked on, wondering if she would end up taking off a button. But she was pulling it off; buttons intact; so he helped her and together they were letting the rest of his clothes drop to the floor around them. The second he was naked he was taking her into his arms before they were kissing passionately, clinging to one another.

When they had parted; after several kisses; Beckett put her hands firmly on her husband's shoulders and pushed down on them until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring up at her with wide eyes. "I realized," she told him as she was pulling her panties off her waist. "There's something I've never seen you do."

"W-what?" Castle asked, not sure if he sounded stupid for stammering but unable to help it as she was holding the deep blue silk on the end of her fingertip in front of him.

"Take them," Beckett urged him. Once he had she said, "Come on the bed with me." She was pleased when he rushed to follow her, though she wasn't surprised, and had him lay down, smiling when she saw he was still holding onto the silk. "Have you ever pleasured yourself with mine?" she asked him.

"Wh- no," Castle began to say before he frowned and shook his head. "I've… thought about it," he confessed. "But I wasn't sure what exactly you'd think.""I want to watch you do it," Beckett said. She was surprised when her husband hesitated, and she asked him, "You don't want to?"

"I do, but promise me I can taste your pussy when I'm done," Castle told her. He thought for a moment he might be able to surprise her, but she merely smiled at him.

"It's only fair, I'll take your cock in my mouth once you start to come," Beckett replied.

Shuddering hard, Castle said, "I've never done this before," as he then looked at his wife after he'd studied her lingerie for a moment.

"Okay," Beckett said. "I've never done it myself."

"How would you?" Castle asked.

"I don't know," Beckett said with a soft laugh.

"Wait," Castle told her as she wrapped it around his hand. "I knew that part," he said with a slight grunt at the sensation of the silk around himself. "Just…" he began before trailing off as he was moving his hand up and down around his length. When he made a second pass and was up around the tip of himself, he was taken aback when his wife placed her hand on his arm to stop him.

"Rub it around there," Beckett said before she bit at her lower lip.

Castle could feel his heart pounding rapidly at the suggestion before he did as she was asking, and he was breathing even harder as the sensation affected him immediately. When he stopped, he was going to continue to rub up and down his member when he paused as his wife was rubbing the dampened fabric. "It's what you do to me," he told her.

"I realize what has to happen for you to help make me slick," Beckett said. When her husband very obviously froze she leaned over and kissed him, feeling him grabbing at the small of her back with one hand as he responded. When they parted, she nuzzled his nose with her own and said, "I don't mind it."

"I'm relieved," Castle said. "But can you do me a favor?"

Studying him, as his voice was suddenly steady and he almost seemed calm, Beckett waited for him to uncover his erection and she leaned down, brushing her lips against the tip of him. She wasn't surprised when he was swearing heavily in reaction and she flicked her tongue out to him a few times. He was groaning in ecstasy and she was loath to stop though she told him, "Just a little bit more."

Shaking his head Castle told her, "Don't worry, I know you're enjoying this." When she bit her lower lip briefly, he reached up to cup her cheek with his free hand before he went back to pleasuring himself with her panties. He was closing his eyes every so often but when he had them open he looked at his wife. She was watching him closely and he felt his mouth watering as he knew what that was doing for her own arousal. The thought of pleasuring her, taking care of her, made him falter and he knew he couldn't wait. "Love," he told her.

Beckett took the dark blue silk from him, tossing it aside, before she lowered her mouth onto him and immediately began bobbing her head. As she was doing that, she wasn't surprised he was groaning her name huskily and she sped up a little. She wasn't sure why her hand came up to fondle him under his length, she had told herself mentally not to do that, but it pushed him over the edge and she was careful as she worked with him while he was writhing a bit and calling her name.

When he had eventually calmed down, Castle waited for his wife to move away before he was grabbing her and pulling her on top of him. "Kate that was amazing," he told her.

"Do you want to do that again? You could if you w-" Beckett started to say before he was pulling her to him for a kiss.

"With your mouth? Yes," Castle said once they'd parted as they had been kissing passionately for a while. "But with your panties… I don't know, I like your mouth a lot more."

"Pervert," Beckett replied. She was crying out when he suddenly made her turn onto her back and before he could go between her legs she stopped him and told him, "Hurry."

"Are you sure?" Castle asked.

"I want you to fuck me," Beckett said firmly. "On the dresser like you're hoping."

Castle smiled and leaned down, kissing her tenderly, before he pulled away and said, "You read me too easily."

"Hmm, I want the same," Beckett told him. When he crushed his lips to hers she wrapped her arms around him tightly before he pulled away from her. He kissed at her neck and she tilted her head back before he was sucking at her pulse. She was breathing a little faster when he was going further down, and she waited for him to move again. She couldn't help the slight gasp at his lips on her abdomen before he slid straight down to her mound. She tangled her fingers gently through his hair and she watched him kiss at the very tops of her legs before sliding around to the inside of her thighs. When he went lower; kissing at her the entire time; she had to let go of him and contented herself with looking on while he went to her feet. She laughed softly, feeling his lips around her toes and she nearly started to wriggle them before he was taking her entire foot with his hand. Since she had propped herself up on her elbows by then, she saw he was looking at her and she gave him a questioning look before he spoke rapidly.

"I wanted to take my time," Castle explained to her. "But… you're tense love."

"I know," Beckett breathed out as he was just brushing his fingertips against her ankle. "Just… please hurry." She was relieved when he set down her leg and she reached up to him as he moved to kiss her. Holding onto him their tongues were soon after tangling together, his hand running down her side before he was pulling away from her slowly. She caressed his face before he could move away from her, and she bit her lower lip when he turned to kiss at her palm. Though she'd wanted him to kiss her again, she couldn't complain as he moved down her body, brushing a few kisses to her abdomen until he had reached her sex.

That time Castle didn't delay, moving to her clit and kissing it firmly before he opened his mouth and started to suck at it. He brought his tongue into play swiftly, hearing his wife cry out in pleasure until he moved to her entrance. He let his tongue flick around her folds for a while, not surprised when he tasted how aroused she was before he slipped it inside of her. He felt her jerk underneath him and then moved his head back and forth. His fingers were at her clit, rubbing the swollen nub firmly and pressing her down with his other hand to hold her so he wouldn't be interrupted.

Taking in everything her husband was doing to her, Beckett wasn't surprised when she very soon after started to near her peak. She warned Castle that she was close to climaxing and was pleased when he doubled his efforts. Her hands, clenched on the sheet underneath her, tightened around the fabric until she was calling his name, her ecstasy taking her over and making her body undulate roughly. When she was still, she felt her husband move up her body and she opened her eyes to look at him. She reached up, gently brushing her fingers against his lips before he leaned down and kissed her. They lingered in the sensuous dance of their tongues and she felt her heartbeat speeding up again before she slowly moved back first. Smiling at the way her husband was looking at her, panting, she raised her head up enough to whisper in his ear, crying out when he picked her up before she could even finish speaking.

"I'm so glad you agreed with this," Castle told his wife as he set her down at the dresser.

"I had to," Beckett said with a smile. "It's been a while. Get it ready?" She bit at her lower lip to stop smiling as her husband ran over to the bathroom and came out with a towel, jogging again. "You're an interesting picture doing that in nothing but your brace and glasses," she said when he looked at her questioningly.

"Hopefully it's arousing," Castle said, busy with the towel before he froze completely as she was grasping his erection. "Kate," he breathed out hard to her.

"Are you done?" Beckett asked. Her response from him was to grab her and pick her up, making her cry out again though it was short. "You're lucky you can do that."