19. Bow To The Target(1)

"Are you excited?" Ava asked as she was walking with Julia.

"Of course," the girl replied. She glanced at her friend and seeing her studying her she asked, "What?"

"Are you okay?" Ava said.

"I-" Julia started to say.

"Yeah, you were really quiet when we got up," Dawn said as she hurried up to them.

"I'm fine," Julia said. "I just had a good dream and I wanted to keep remembering it."

"A grown up's dream?" Dawn whispered.

Julia shook her head, though she wished she wouldn't blush, and said, "I'm not saying."

"Of course, but that means it was that kind of dream," Dawn said, still whispering.

Glaring at her friend Julia said, "How can I have that kind of dream? I'm not a grown up."

"Then were you kissing someone," Ava said. When the girl looked away from them she glanced at Dawn and then asked, "It wasn't one of us was it?"

"NO!" Julia said so loudly that the kids around them looked back to her. "No," she said in a softer tone. "You're my friends."

"Then was it a boy?" Dawn asked.

Julia didn't say anything and luckily for her they didn't ask anything else as they were reaching where the archery targets were set up and their counselors were calling to them to get into groups of three or four. "I wonder if they said that for us," she told her friends as Peter had come over to them.

"Maybe," Ava said with a smile. She glanced over at some boys that Peter had been talking to on their walk over and said, "You didn't want to play with them."

"That's alright," the boy said. "They're gonna compete even though they have no clue how to shoot arrows."

"Good thing we're apart from everyone," Julia said, glancing at the group. "Okay, let's start?" she asked.

"How?" Peter asked jokingly. "We don't have any bows or arrows yet."

"They're bringing them now," Dawn said with a slight smile as they watched the counselors and their teacher going down the line of groups and handing them out. "What order do we go?"

"Youngest to oldest?" Ava suggested.

"Doesn't that mean that I go first?" Julia asked.

"Someone has to go first," Peter commented. "And someone goes last which is me."

"Are we gonna compete?" Ava asked as that seemed to decide it and Julia was notching her first arrow into her bow. There was no reply from the others as the girl was firing off the weapon and she smiled a little as it had gone to the border of the blue and black rings. "How many times have you done that?" she asked.

"A few times, that was a lucky shot 'cause the wind was in the right direction," Julia said. "Go next," she urged her friend as she was the next oldest after her. She stood with Dawn and Peter as they watched her, and she realized they hadn't been given any lessons, the counselors going to help each group. Since Ava was having trouble notching the arrow she handed her bow to Dawn and stepped up to her. "Like this," she said before she paused and turned back to her friend she had just left in some concern as to what she would say to the expression on her face.

"What? You're the only one who knows how to do that," Dawn replied with a shrug. "Go ahead and show her."

Turning to Ava, Julia smiled slightly and then showed her friend how to notch the arrow before having her hold it up. "Try to hold it steady while you aim but if you can't that's okay."

"Nice," Peter said when she just barely got it onto the outermost white ring. "Better than I can do."

"Wait, he knows how to shoot an arrow," Julia said as Dawn stepped up next. "He did it at my house."

"Yeah, only once though," Peter reminded her.

"Still you remember right?" Julia asked him.

"Sorta," the boy replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Julia?" Dawn asked as she was waiting for her friend to help her.

"I should have asked you guys to come over too," Julia replied, going to her quickly and then helping her notch the arrow and stand to draw the bow back.

"We're not making this a game now right?" Dawn asked when she'd gotten to the same ring Ava had.

"No, I know how to shoot an arrow, but I only just started with a real bow," Julia said. She then glanced down the rows of targets and said, "At least we got to hit the targets."

"Except me," Peter commented as he stepped forward next. "Unless you think I'm going to shoot into the sand behind it."

"Just try," Dawn said with a sigh.

Julia smiled when Peter grinned at them and she watched him get into stance to shoot before she sighed herself and told him, "Stop."

"What?" the boy said, looking at him.

"You don't need to put your arm even with the arrow," Julia said, pushing it down slightly. "I don't where that'll go if you try to shoot it."

Peter, after shooting and getting to the inner white ring, smiled and said, "Looks like your parents helped."

"My dad knows what he's doing," Julia said. "He's the one who knew how to do that really well."

"He didn't teach your mom, did he?" Ava asked as the girl was stepping up to the plate to shoot her next arrow.

"Nah, she knew from camp already," Julia replied. "Plus, she had to know how to shoot a gun."

"But she's not as good as he is, why?" Dawn asked as she'd gotten her second arrow onto the inner blue ring.

"Well… a gun is different shaped so-" Julia began.

"Hey guys," Cookston said, stepping up to them then to check on them. "Why are you talking about guns?"

"We were talking about my parents knowing how to shoot arrows and my mom not being as good at it as my dad," Julia said hurriedly as her friends were looking to her to reply. "My mom knows how to shoot a gun so…" she finished, shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright keep going," Cookston said. "But try to keep the discussion off weapons."

Peter was going to comment that they were holding what could be weapons, but Julia grabbed his hand hard. When their teacher had walked down to the next group he told her, "Good thing you didn't move your hand you would have given me an Indian burn."

"That's not what I wanted to do," Julia said. "And these are a hobby now. Go next Ava," she urged her friend so they could continue before she stepped up to the plate while they all stood and watched her.

When they had finished with their arrows the four were allowed to go back to the main cabin of the camp to pick what they'd want to do next. They looked at each other and Julia would have run back to the stables when Mr. Fuji's class was walking by.

"Hey ghost freak," a boy named Ollie said sarcastically to Julia.

"Don't!" the girl said, holding onto Peter's arm as he'd begun to go after the boy.

"Why not? He-" Peter started to say.

"And then if you fight you'll get in trouble 'cause you started it," Ava said in concern.

"Like he probably wanted Julia to do," Dawn said.

"I know," the girl replied, rolling her eyes. "He's always saying stuff like that to me, so I guess that means he likes me."

Peter, studying his dance partner, said, "I thought you might like him, a lot of the girls do. Not you," saying the last to Dawn and Ava who were about to protest. "Or they think he's cute."

Shrugging Julia said, "He's a bully and no I don't like him. How did he know about me though?"

"Maybe it was the story," Dawn said carefully.

"Maybe he thought that lady was you," Ava added.

"I hope so," Julia said. "Let's do something else though I don't like standing here." She let her friends decide what to do; which turned out to be playing tennis until they were called for lunch; but she didn't really feel that eager to play at first as she was a little uncertain. But when she caught Dawn and Ava linking arms and smiling at each other she did so herself and followed with Peter, joking with her friends about them being in The Wizard of Oz before they disappeared into the courts to begin to play while they could.

Hearing the knock on the door of the darkroom Beckett opened it and said, "I almost thought you were Mari, but I know she's in school," to her husband as she stepped aside to let him walk in. "Josie?"

"Asleep, I have the tablet and monitor and the dogs are all with her by her crib," Castle said. He showed her the screen of the device and said, "Max."

"I can tell," Beckett said in amusement as she could see the head of the Setter by the baby who was asleep. "So it's too quiet in there?" she asked as she turned off the light so she could start developing.

"A little," Castle replied. "When all three are in school…" he began to say.

"I don't think it would matter," Beckett said. "It'll be like when Eliza started school."

Castle nodded, though his wife was busy getting what she needed, and he asked, "Think she's okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine," Beckett said. She glanced over her shoulder at her husband and smiled when he looked startled at her more nonchalant tone. "No whatever happened was very brief, so I think she's alright."

"What about earlier this morning?" Castle asked.

"What about this morning?" Beckett said in surprise.

"You were smiling as you were getting ready," Castle commented.

"That wasn't Julia," Beckett replied. She had by then turned her attention back to her film when she felt her husband step up against her. "I'm assuming you slept well too?"

"Of course," Castle replied, kissing at her neck through her hair. He then smiled and told her, "But it's difficult."

"I could tell," Beckett said. She then paused in what she was doing for a moment and turned around to him asking, "What did you do?" as she'd gone to Josie's room to take care of the baby.

"Nothing just got changed," Castle said.

"And how careful were you?" Beckett asked with a slight smile on her face.

"Extremely," Castle said with a smile. "Go ahead and finish though, I'm not enjoying the dark."

Beckett smiled fully that time; as she knew he was serious, and she then said, "Neither am I, but it's needed." And with that she began to hurry through the process to get her roll of film fully developed so they could leave. She was just hanging the last picture when her husband asked her something she'd been expecting earlier that morning and she turned to look at him.

"What pictures are these?" Castle said. When she didn't say anything, just nodded her head, he got up from the chair that was in the room. Looking at the developed photographs that were dripping water he nodded and said, "Black and white?"

"My Pentax," Beckett replied easily. "I hadn't used it in a while and saw it on Saturday."

"Good timing," Castle replied a little absently as he was looking at the last pictures by then. They were of the girls during the picnic they'd had before her father had arrived later in the afternoon on Sunday. "This one," he suddenly said.

"This one?" Beckett asked, walking over to him. "The song?"

"No," Castle said in amusement. "But that's a good one… I should ask Skye to sing it."

"When?" Beckett asked in confusion as she could tell he was serious.

"Fourth of July," Castle said. "She said she'd bring her bass guitar and another one… the rest of the band is coming."

"Yes, and it's going to be packed in everyone's homes," Beckett said. "Plus the hotel nearest to us. Now what about the pictures?"

"I would like this one in our room," Castle said, pointing out one where Julia was holding Josie against her chest and Eliza was holding her hand as both girls were looking down at their little sister.

"I'd been thinking of that myself," Beckett replied with a smile. "And we should replace the one with just the two of them."

"Good idea," Castle said with a nod. "So… we can go?"

"We can," Beckett replied, speaking absently as she was checking their baby on the tablet. "She's fine," she told her husband when she looked up at him to see him watching her closely. She led the way out of the darkroom and watched him closing the door before he reached out and grabbed her hand tightly. "Wh-" she began to say before he was pulling her directly against his chest. She wasn't very surprised and allowed him to kiss her, responding the best she could as she couldn't hold onto him with the tablet in her hand. But before they could get very into that she had to break things off as she felt something shaking in her pocket. "My phone," she said, concerned for a moment.

"Who is it?" Castle asked as he watched her check the name on the screen.

"My dad…" Beckett replied, trailing off as she answered. "Dad what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Jim said quickly. "Are you around the beach?"

"Close to it, are you going to sail by?" Beckett asked, smiling at her husband.

"Gary said we could do that," Jim replied.

"Go out there right now?" Beckett asked. When her father told her to she took her husband's hand and said goodbye before hanging up.

"I wondered if Gary was going to do that, I did that with him though no one was home," Castle told his wife as he'd been able to figure out what her father had said.

"At least we're here," Beckett said with a smile. "But keep an ear out for her."

"I will," Castle promised though he knew she was aware of the dogs would start barking, look for them in the house and then come outside when they didn't find them as they'd done before if Josie woke up. They stood on the beach while he held the baby monitor in his hand and the tablet as well, so his wife would be able to wave at her father. He looked at the water with her, though they needed to look in both directions as he wasn't sure which way Gary would be sailing to head out into the Atlantic. It took a few more minutes but finally he spotted the boat, watching his wife to see her reaction as the boat was coming from east to west steadily towards them.

When Beckett could see a figure against the railing on their side of the water she waved at her father as she soon saw he was doing the same. She was tempted to tell him again to have a good trip but knew he was too far away to hear. So she merely waved until he was too far away to be seen. She sighed and said, "He'll enjoy it."

"He will," Castle said. "And he does need to keep busy."

"I've heard from him," Beckett replied with a smile. She was going to say more when she heard crying from the monitor and she and her husband shared a look before they hurried up the back yard so they could make it to the house.

"I'm going to guess she's hungry," Castle commented once they were inside the baby's room and he was handing his wife Josie.

"Not much of a guess," Beckett said wryly as she brought the baby to her right breast to begin nursing her. She watched her husband sit on the bed and told him, "What if I told you I wanted you to check the washing machine?"

"I would say I looked at it and it's alright for another hour," Castle replied, reaching down and cupping the back of Josie's head gently. "You don't want me here?"

"I'm saving you from disappointment," Beckett said. She smiled when he gave her a playful glare before he leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips before pulling away. "I couldn't help say."

"I know but I don't mind being here for this even with your magic bra on," Castle commented. He took her gentle tug to his ear and then leaned over to gently kiss her before they slowly parted and he said with a smile, "I love you."

"I love you too," Beckett replied before they turned their attention to Josie. She took her hand that was resting in a fist against her breast and gently opened it to look at her tiny fingers.

"Kate?" Castle said gently as he was watching her.

Beckett was going to reply when he kissed her temple and she said, "Before you ask me whatever you wanted to, are you going to be okay when we can start again?" speaking in Irish.

"Yes, eager but fine," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she smiled, and he took a moment to kiss her on the lips before he said, "Do you want to work on the book at all?" saying that in English. "Because I would be very happy staying here with you and her."

Beckett smiled again, as he'd said the second half in Irish, and she told him, "We don't have much time, but I would like to do some yoga before we need to pick Eliza up." She playfully looked at him out of the corner of her eye and said, "If you don't mind holding her then."

"I get to watch you?" Castle asked. When his wife merely looked at him he squeezed her hand, trying not to do so too hard though it was difficult as he was eager. He watched her switch Josie to her other breast but once the baby was set he said, "Do you want me to pick her up or are we walking?"

"We're both going," Beckett replied. She kissed Josie on the head tenderly and then sat back, watching her nurse as she and Castle waited for her to finish. When the baby had she let her husband begin to burp her while she left him with a brief kiss on the lips so she could change into her yoga outfit. She went down to the family room but paused just outside the doorway, listening to her husband talking to their youngest and smiling as she did.

"Now that you're all set," Castle said to Josie. "I should warn you that I'm probably going to be watching your mom while she's exercising. Especially doing yoga. Her body… never mind. But I'm telling you this now because you should know that it's very hard for me to keep my eyes off her. And I don't want to either. So I'll be holding you but my attention's going to be very focused on her." Kissing her side of her head he then moved her so he could look at the baby in the face and he said, "Think you'll mind that?"

Choosing that moment to step inside Beckett commented, "I can tell you right now that she won't."

"You heard that?" Castle asked, looking up at her.

"I did, please don't forget her while you ogle me," Beckett commented, setting down her yoga mat.

"Do you really want me to be here?" Castle asked uncertainly as she was starting the show she recorded for her routine.

"No and besides I could use your help playing the show when I'm ready," Beckett said.

"Sure," Castle replied as he took the remote. When she was on the mat he pressed play and then watched her beginning her routine. He held Josie against his shoulder as she could provide a distraction for him, but it was still difficult as he still wanted Beckett badly. He somehow managed to last through the show and once it was over he asked her, "What do you think Julia's doing now?"

Beckett smiled as she was drying herself off with a towel, as she knew what the question was for him, and told him, "I would imagine… well the kids would probably get bored after a while with the archery, so I would imagine something else. She didn't say what else there was before lunch so maybe when they finished they could do whatever they wanted to." She leaned over to press a kiss to the back of Josie's head before she went to her husband and their lips met only briefly. "Beidh mé a dhéanamh níos fearr ina dhiaidh sin," she murmured when she'd pulled away enough to look into his eyes, promising him she'd do better later.

"Mise freisin," Castle replied, telling her the words me too. He was pleased when they kissed again and he said, "I still miss her."

"Me too," Beckett said, knowing she was talking about Julia. "And she'll be home even sooner." She smiled a little when her husband waved to her and she left the room to hurry and shower before they needed to get Eliza. But as she went up the stairs she hoped their oldest was having fun, whatever it was she was doing at that moment.

"What about if we took one of these right now?" Peter asked.

"We'd be in trouble," Julia said, watching her friend walk up to her. "And why did you come over to me?"

"To check on you," Peter said. "I think Dawn and Ava are worried about you."

"Oh… I'm fine I just wanted to come into the water," Julia said. She saw her friend looking away from her and she asked, "What else?"

"I just wanted to… watch out for you," Peter said.

"Did my dad talk to you?" Julia asked wryly.

"No, brothers would do this for sisters right?" Peter asked her.

"That's true… though sisters will do that for sisters," Julia pointed out to him as she walked up to the ground from the lake where she'd been wading.

"Alexis?" Peter replied.

"Yep," Julia said with a nod as she put her shoes back on. "Is it time for lunch? I'm so hungry I can't stand it anymore."

Peter was just about to answer that before there was the sound of a bell which was the call for meals and he said, "I think it is."

Julia couldn't help laughing and they hurried together to the cafeteria where they would eat with the other sixth grade classes. Since they were first they were able to save a table for Dawn and Ava who were a little after them, waiting to eat until they had joined them and immediately began to talk to each other about their seating in the canoes that afternoon.

"Should we do it differently?" Ava asked the others.

"Do you want to go with Dawn?" Peter asked, keeping his voice low so just the four of them would hear.

"That would be nice," the girl said with a smile at Ava. "If we go canoeing again we can switch again."

"Should we?" Julia asked.

"You don't want to?" Peter said.

"No, I do, it's just what didn't we do here yet? We only have tomorrow," Julia said.

"True," Dawn said. "And there's the talent show thing tomorrow."

Peter, watching his partner across the table, was a little startled at the expression that appeared on her face and he asked, "You don't want to?"

"I don't think we should," Julia said before she explained her reasoning.

"I thought the same thing too," Peter said with a nod. "And you're right; we should just let them compete."

"Too bad, that would have been fun to see," Ava said to them.

"We'll dance during recess one time," Julia promised.

"Better make it soon, school's almost over," Dawn said.

Julia smiled when some of their other classmates around them groaned about that and she suddenly became a little uncertain, wondering if they would remark about the fact that she wasn't going to be joining them in the middle school in September. But she was relieved when no commented about that and they were soon finishing their meal before the classes were dividing up again to work on their next activities. She went with her friends and the others in their class to what looked like a shaded outdoor theater and they met Counselor Renee who had them line up in pairs before she turned to her and Peter and brought them forward to stand with her.

"Now I know you two dance back at your school," Renee told them with a smile. "And we're going to learn a little bit of the Jive, are you two familiar with that?"

Though she wanted to say they definitely were Julia, after sharing a look with Peter, merely nodded with her partner. They watched the counselor then beginning to explain some of the steps and she nearly sighed out loud with boredom as she had been afraid she and Peter were going to only be demonstrators. After they'd done that for their steps they were about to watch the other kids dance too when she saw that Dawn was raising her hand.

"What's wrong?" Renee asked, walking over to the girl and her partner.

"Can we go? I don't think I really want to do dance lessons," Dawn replied.

"Me either," Ava said.

"Or me," the boy who'd been partnered with Dawn whose name was Brice.

"You too?" Cookston asked the boy next to Ava, Tristan. When he nodded she said, "If you want to go over to the taekwondo lessons go ahead."

"Could we do something else?" Julia asked quickly as she and Peter rushed over to their other two friends.

"Like what?" Cookston asked.

"Just walk around the lake," Peter commented.

"The entire lake?" Cookston said.

"Isn't there a class swimming right now?" Dawn pointed out.

"Alright," Cookston replied as she knew there were going to be a few more counselors around the lake as there always were when there were kids swimming. "But tell everyone down there what you're going to do. Do not go into the woods."

"We just want to go to the shore," Julia said, speaking firmly as she didn't really want to go past that. She was relieved when they could go, and she said to the others, "We're not going right?" Spotting Dawn and Ava glancing at each other she groaned and said, "Really, I don't want to go."

"Just to see that hole you dug up," Ava said first.

"We can't touch it again though," Julia said firmly. "They let me get the stone but if I did it again I'd just be a thief."

"Even if you didn't steal anything?" Dawn asked.

Nodding her head Julia explained, "I was invited to disturb the earth for a gift and I thanked them. But this time I'd just be messing things up."

"Then we just want to look," Ava said, a little worried.

"We can do that right?" Dawn said.

"It's fine," Julia said. She looked at Peter and asked, "You don't have anything to say?"

"Not really, I heard the way you told me to stop yesterday so I believe you," the boy answered. "And it would be cool to check out but I'm gonna have to keep watch."

Julia laughed with him as Dawn and Ava thanked him at the same time and they walked a little faster so they could reach the lake as it neared ahead. She remained behind as her friends told the counselors and Mr. Fuji about them walking around before they returned, and they started on their way. She was looking around, not realizing she was doing so that much until Ava patted her shoulder with her finger and making her look at her friend questioningly.

"You don't want your camera?" the girl asked.

"No, I'm alright, I got pictures when we were here on Monday," Julia replied quickly. "Did you think I was taking pictures? Or pretending to?"

"No, just looking at what you could take pictures of," Dawn said. "Like you were memorizing your…"

"Shots," Julia supplied quickly when her friend had trailed off. She then smiled and said, "Do you remember where we were?"

"Nope, what about you? I hope you do or else we're just taking a walk," Peter commented as Julia had been speaking to him.

"How did you know where to go yesterday?" Ava asked.

"I just… did," Julia said. "That's kinda how it works," she explained. "If I'm supposed to sense something it just comes to me and I follow it."

"You aren't worried about negative spirits?" Dawn then said.

"I know," Julia said. When her friends looked at her with wide eyes she paused and then told them with a slightly unsure look on her face, "I can sense that too, so I stay away."

"But that can't be enough," Peter protested. "I've seen Ghost Adventures a lot too and sometimes just staying away doesn't help… well, I guess it's just you don't go into places like that. Or did you?"

"It was in Las Vegas," Julia said with a sigh. "But don't tell anyone because I didn't tell anyone. You know I told you about that figure at the jail? Well past it in what was supposed to be a garden there was something there."

"What?" Ava asked.

"I don't know but it wasn't a good thing," Julia replied. "And it wanted to come over to all of us but mostly my mom."

"Why?" Peter asked as Dawn and Ava gasped.

"Because it thought it could affect her," Julia said with a slight sigh. "Since she doesn't believe it could have attached to her and changed how she was."

"Why didn't it?" Dawn said as Ava was holding onto her arm.

"All of us together didn't let it get close to her," Julia said. "And we were all happy and my mom recovered after that figure in the jail came to me and stopped her."

"What happens if you're alone?" Ava nearly whispered.

"Yeah, or your mom?" Dawn said before she turned to Julia.

"Hopefully we aren't," Julia said, feeling a little bad she hadn't told her friends about the fact that her grandmother helped her with negative spirits. She frowned and glanced around saying, "This is too dark to talk about though, let's keep going but think about something happier."

"Okay, like that?" Peter asked as they continued again. "Oh, I know! We don't have to just be there like dolls dancing for everyone."

Laughing with the other girls Dawn said, "Was it that bad?"

"Not too much but still, we want to dance to dance not to teach… at least not yet," Julia said, smiling at her partner.

"I agree," Peter said before they were laughing as they continued around the shore until Julia stopped them and he and the two girls watched her expectantly until she spoke.

"It's over here," Julia said. "Are you going to stay here?"

"I said I would," Peter said, nodding.

Leading the two girls after her Julia said, "It's a little back from the water but I told you it's likely the lake was bigger."

"There?" Dawn said when she suddenly spotted some disturbed earth ahead of them.

"Yeah, that was where I found it," Julia answered. She then held her arm out in front of them and said, "Stay here."

Looking around them, Ava said, "Did it look like this back then? Or are there different trees?"

"I think it's the same," Julia replied, looking above them as well. She was going to answer with more certainty when she heard a familiar whistle from Peter and they hurried over to him before she squeezed his arm saying thank you.

"Least I could do," Peter replied. "I was looking at the trees… it's like that poem we heard last year."

"That was about the Acadians," Dawn said as she recalled it immediately.

"What poem?" Ava asked.

Julia tried not to laugh when her friends looked at her and she then began to recite the stanza she had memorized for their final in English for the fifth grade, loving that poem as her parents had helped her with every line.

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilightStand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and propheticStand like harpers roar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring oceanSpeaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest…

Trailing off at the end Julia turned to the wall of trees and breathed out heavily saying, "That could be anywhere, not just in Nova Scotia where the poem was supposed to be." She shuddered and said, "What?" as her friends were all looking at her.

"You…" Peter began before he looked at the two girls.

"Your voice changed," Ava ventured to say though she spoke slowly.

"How?" Julia asked as she then realized what they meant.

"You kinda sounded like you were going to start speaking in French," Peter said. "Something didn't attack you did it?"

"No," Julia said with a smile as she realized what had happened. "That's the girl I saw, last year at the Adirondacks."

"A spirit?" Dawn said. "Wait, you didn't tell anyone about her either did you?"

"I can't, my mom doesn't believe this stuff and I don't want to make her believe just 'cause I do," Julia said in slight exasperation.

"Well… we want to know and we're going to take a while to get back," Peter said.

"It wasn't much, she was on the island in Lake Placid and I saw her when my mom and I were on a canoe," Julia began. "She was just standing there and she disappeared, but I heard her a couple times when we were on the shore of the lake. I guess I just copied her accent."

"She didn't follow you?" Dawn asked.

"No but I just remember her accent 'cause I thought it was pretty," Julia said with a slight smile at the memory.

"No one noticed you seeing a ghost?" Ava then said.

"Nah, and it's spirit," Julia said. "Better to call them spirits. She didn't really do anything, I just heard her and I knew when she was going to speak 'cause there would be a breeze that was a little cold."

"She was Acadian?" Peter guessed.

"Yeah, so she spoke English with a French accent… I think she was brought here," Julia said. She was quiet for a moment as they had to climb over a log before she said, "She maybe tried to get back to Canada but couldn't make it, so her family came here."

"Did she tell you her name?" Dawn said.

When Julia shook her head Peter said, "Too bad."

Stopping abruptly the girl turned to her three friends and asked, "Do you believe me?"

"Yeah." "Of course." "Why would you lie? You don't get a cake or something," Dawn, Ava and then Peter said last, making all of them laugh.

"No, Mari believed me when I told her," Julia said before she froze.

"We're not surprised," Dawn said.

"Nope, you're best friends," Ava added. "Why shouldn't you tell her?"

"It makes sense," Peter said.

Julia nodded, relieved they believed her and then said, "Come on, I want to go in the canoes again really badly." And with that she and her friends continued to make their way back around the lake to where their classmates were starting to gather on the shore.

"Kate?" Castle asked, walking up to her in the kitchen with Josie in his arms and Eliza skipping next to him.

"Yes?" Beckett said, looking up at her husband and smiling when she saw their youngest daughters were with him.

"Someone's thirsty," Castle told her.

"That was all I needed to cut up," Beckett said, putting some cubes of watermelon into their blender. She added the ice and said, "Take her into the family room."

"Can I stay?" Eliza asked.

"Okay but when I say cover your ears," Beckett said as Castle was walking away hurriedly. When she was sure they were far enough away she told Eliza to cover her ears and she then turned on the blender. It was nearly two thirty in the afternoon and she tried not to think of the fact they weren't going to be heading to the school for the third time that week to go to Julia's dance class or just pick her up. She had used the excuse of making a smoothie she'd gotten a recipe for from Skye the night before to distract herself, but it didn't work. But she then had to focus on the mixture that was finished, and she shook the blender before she poured out the slightly pink drink into three cups. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking down at Eliza who had come over to her and was hugging her.

"It's no use Kate," Castle said, walking down the hall with Josie. "We can tell you're wishing Julia was at school right now."

"And you," Beckett said.

Castle nodded firmly and said, "You can't get used to it in a week."

"I know," Beckett said.

"You love Jules a lot," Eliza said then. "And Josa."

"And you, we're not going to forget you," Castle said, ruffling her hair as he'd gone to stand next to his wife. He watched her lean over to kiss Josie on the forehead and he touched her shoulder quickly with his free hand before she tilted her head up to him. He leaned down quickly and then began to kiss her, feeling her place her hand on his chest before he reluctantly pulled away as the baby was cooing a little. "I forgot," he told her as a way of apologizing.

"That's alright, we should drink these anyway," Beckett told him with a smile. When he nodded, but stayed close her, she reached up and gently cupped his cheek before she grabbed Eliza's cup and handed it over to her. "Drink that slowly and wait until we go outside."

"Kay," the little girl said, smiling as she'd been glad to see their kiss before she had watched her baby sister. Eliza then realized what her mother had said and asked, "Outside?"

"You don't want to go out to the beach before dinner?" Castle asked as he went to put Josie in her carrier so she could go down to the beach with them in that. "You don't want the wrap?"

"I'm fine," Beckett replied. "We're going to be sitting anyways."

"Where will this go?" Eliza asked, tapping the carrier gently.

"On the table, we'll move it in front of us a little bit," Castle explained. "She's ready," he then told his wife.

Beckett nodded, and she took the two glasses for herself and her husband as they walked down to the beach with the dogs. Once they were sitting in the Adirondack chairs she handed him his glass before they watched Eliza stand in front of them, looking at the baby on the table in front of them. "Don't drink too fast sweetie," she told her as she watched the little girl get the drink from her crazy straw.

"I can't, it has to go through the loops," Eliza said with a smile as she looked over at her father.

"That's why I bought it for you," Castle said with a smile. "But your mom's right, don't drink too fast or you'll be too full for dinner."

"What are we gonna do?" Eliza couldn't help asking.

"Stay in," Beckett said. "We're going to make some chicken mac and cheese."

"You are?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"We are and don't worry about your sister," Castle commented. "She had mac and cheese last night with her dinner remember?"

"Yep," Eliza said with a smile. "Thank you," she said before she climbed onto her mother's lap with her help. "Does she like the beach?" she asked as she was watching Josie.

"I think so," Beckett replied as she wrapped her free arm around her daughter. She kissed her temple and said, "Do you like your smoothie?"

"Yeah, I like the watermelon," Eliza said. "But you have to make it for Jules too."

"I will," Beckett promised with a smile. "Now though you can go ahead and play with the dogs until we eat."

"Kay, can I throw stuff for them?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"Of course," Castle said. "You just need to be careful where you do that."

"I know," Eliza said. She let her father take her glass and though she hadn't finished she left them to grab some of the dogs' toys. She took some tennis balls and a rope toy and told her parents, "I'm gonna play with this first."

"Good idea," Castle commented. "That way you don't throw it near your sister… unless you were planning to."

"I think that's a no Rick," Beckett said with a smile as Eliza wrinkled her nose at him. "Go ahead sweetie," she told the little girl.

"I wanna get a drink," Eliza told them both before she then drank out of the cup that her father held for her. After she had finished she hurried to the dogs right in front of them and gently shook the toy before Molly was jumping up to her to her squeal of delight.

Watching Eliza as she pulled Beckett was pleased to see the Andalusian Hound wasn't tugging too hard and she laughed heavily with her husband as their middle daughter started to go around the grass, pulling Molly with her. "I was worried," she murmured in Irish.

"She knows," Castle began. "That she needs to be the only one able to play. Do you want her to go next door?"

Beckett started to reply but stopped and then sighed a little telling him, "Not really, I'm being selfish."

"Me too," Castle said with a smile. "I was about to protest." When she squeezed his arm he wished he could squeeze back when their daughter was coming back to them and he held out her glass so she could finish her smoothie. He was about to ask her if she was going to start throwing the tennis balls when she interrupted him before he could start to let them know what she'd thought to do next.

"I wanna go in the water," Eliza said firmly.

"Swimming?" Beckett asked.

Eliza was going to answer yes when she paused and then said, "What about Jules."

"We were hoping that you would wait until she's back to swim," Castle said.

"What if I said the pool?" Eliza said.

"That would be fine," Beckett said in amusement as they'd already been in the pool for the first time that summer before Julia's week at camp. "But let's just wade here?"

"Yeah," Eliza said before she let go of the toy and they watched as JoJo and Molly started to fight over it. "Can they go too?"

"Yes, but they might be a little busy right now," Beckett said with a smile. "Rick?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Castle said as he'd set the two glasses he'd been holding on the ground next to him.

Watching her father taking Josie out of her carrier Eliza asked, "You're not gonna go too?"

"Take off your shoes at least," Beckett told her husband.

"Are you sure I should?" Castle asked.

"Just for a little bit," Beckett replied with a smile.

Since he saw that Eliza was looking at them in confusion Castle explained to her, "I was just going to walk around holding her, but I guess we're joining you on the beach. Watch her for now?"

Eliza nodded eagerly and took her sister's hands while their parents were taking off their shoes and socks, holding her in place in the carrier since she was unbuckled. "I'll find you a shell so you can hold it," she was telling the baby.

"You can," Beckett said as her daughter had looked at her then. "But for now…" she said before she moved to help the little girl with her shoes and socks. Once they were off she took Eliza's hand and they went down together to the water, Castle following them with Josie against his shoulder.

"Can I run?" Eliza asked after they had been watching the waves for a while.

"Go ahead," Beckett said, letting go of her hand.

Moving to stand next to his wife while they were watching their middle daughter running around with Macca and Rose, Castle said, "You didn't tell her how deep she can go."

"She knows," Beckett said with a smile. When her husband looked at her full on she said with a slightly raised eyebrow, "She's five now Rick, she remembers.""Yeah and I remember what I was gonna ask you before," Eliza said, going up to them at that moment. "What about Macca and JoJo?"

"They're staying with us for now," Castle replied, rubbing his hand up and down Josie's back as she moved slightly. "But they do miss your sister, I can tell."

"Yeah," Eliza said. "I'm gonna look for a shell," she then told her parents.

"Go ahead," Beckett said since both the little girl and Castle were looking at her to answer.

"Before you say anything," Castle said quickly as his wife turned her attention to him. "I was fine with it but since we're doing this thing together I wanted you to say what you wanted her to do out loud."

"This thing?" Beckett asked him with an eyebrow raised.

"Raising kids," Castle said.

"I knew," Beckett murmured with a smile. "And second if you don't say anything doesn't that give them the impression you're okay with everything?"

Since he knew his wife was teasing; as he would protest when he wanted to; Castle leaned over slightly to kiss her on the cheek. When he pulled back he paused midway as Josie started to cry and he asked, "Too much?"

"Riachtanais sí liom," Beckett replied which meant she needed her. She took Josie carefully from him and went back up to the chairs while her husband stayed and watched Eliza who was running around the sand and looking all over for what she knew was supposed to be the perfect shell for her sister. The thought made her smile as she nursed the baby and she kept her eye on the little girl in her efforts before she ran up to them and Eliza was talking to her excitedly at the same time.

"Can I get five more?" the little girl asked as she held out the shell she had in her hand.

"What for?" Beckett asked with a smile while Castle walked up behind their daughter.

"So I can have shells like Josa does," Eliza replied.

"Alright," Beckett said, as she knew the little girl was referring to the picture frame that had six shells that Alexis and the girls had picked out for their baby sister before she had been born. "Better pick some out for Julia too, she'll want one."

"Me?" Eliza asked uncertainly.

"Tell you what," Castle said then, bringing their attention to him. "I'll pick out the ones for you and you choose the ones for Julia's picture. We'll pick Josie's together."

"Kay," Eliza said eagerly.

"Go ahead, I'll be fine here taking care of her," Beckett said with a smile when her husband turned to her.

"Okay, let's get started," Castle said, smiling at their daughter before they went hand in hand back down to the beach. Once they were there he knew Beckett was keeping her eye on them but focused on what he needed to as it was nearly time for them to need to start getting dinner ready. Luckily Eliza wasn't being too picky, and she soon had the six shells for Julia. "Good?" he asked as he showed her the ones he thought she would like.

"Yeah," Eliza said with a wide smile. "Can we go show Mommy?"

"I'll follow you," Castle said with a smile before he walked after her to Beckett.

"They're all very pretty," Beckett said with a smile for her daughter. "And I know Julia will love them."

"When can I make it?" Eliza said.

"Tomorrow, today we don't have too much time," Castle commented.

"We need to go in?" Beckett asked him. When he merely glanced at her she smiled; knowing the time already; and stood as her husband grabbed the carrier since she still held Josie. While the two were setting the shells aside to clean later she slipped into the house and went down to the kitchen, gently rocking the baby as she'd fallen asleep during the walk up the backyard. Once Castle and Eliza were back with her she then put Josie back inside her carrier and said to her husband once she was buckled up, "Should we leave her here?"

"I can be quiet," Eliza said quickly as she'd been able to tell why her mother had asked what she did.

"Would you like to color a little?" Beckett asked her.

"Kay," Eliza replied. She then went with her mother to the family room while her father stayed with Josie and she said to her mother, "What do we do after dinner?"

"Well we need to talk to your sister," Beckett began with. "And then we'll get Josie to bed before we do something you'd like to do before you need to get to bed."

Picking out a coloring book then Eliza said thoughtfully, "I wanna watch a movie."

"Alright, but not Zootopia," Beckett said slightly laughingly. "Something different."

"Kay," Eliza replied simply before they went back to the kitchen. She sat on her chair and then began to color, glancing at her baby sister from time to time since their parents were busy with preparing their dinner.

"If this works out," Castle eventually commented once he'd cooked the chicken and the pasta was nearly ready. "Then we should make this again for Julia."

"Of course," Beckett said. "But not for a while. This might be nearly fully handmade, but I don't want them to have it all that much."

"Of course," Castle said, smiling when she gave him a look for echoing her. "But I would like us to either make something Julia loves for either dinner or lunch on Friday and then go out for the other meal."

Beckett smiled and said, "I thought you might want to do that. And we should have lunch here and then dinner out. But she picks both."

"That's what I planned," Castle replied. "What you thought I was going to influence her decision?"

"Just don't tell her what we've had while she's been gone," Beckett said firmly. She paused in stirring the cheese sauce she was making and looked with her husband over to the table as there'd been a slight noise from the baby. "Is she awake?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. "But I don't think-"

"Good try sweetheart," Castle said with a slight smile as Josie began to cry. He rushed to wash his hands and as he was doing that told his wife, "I'll take care of her."

"Thank you," Beckett replied easily before she turned her attention to the food to finish with it. "Sweetie come and help me set the table."

Eliza brought her colored pencils and coloring book before she took the forks and napkins that her mother handed her before she hurried around the table to set everything down in place. Since there were only three settings she needed to place she hurried to the end of the stairs to wait for her father, looking up them until he appeared, and she was about to ask if Josie was alright when he spoke first.

"She's fine," Castle told her with a smile, not surprised to see Eliza. "And she's awake too so we'll have to keep an eye on her while we eat."

"Speaking of that," Beckett called to them as they approached the kitchen table. "It's ready."

Once they were all sitting together around the table Castle commented, "Will she call at the same time?"

"More than likely," Beckett replied. "I think she's rushing through her showers to do that, but I hope she's still taking them."

"I doubt the counselors would let her not take them," Castle reminded her.

Nodding Beckett then said, "Then I hope she's at least using soap."

"I think she knows her mother would want her to do that," Castle replied. "Also, me too but she'll think of you first."

Eliza was going to ask why when she stopped herself as she recalled that her sister had been with their mother first before their father adopted her. She then leaned over to look at Josie as the baby seemed to sigh and she giggled when she saw Josie was smiling at Castle.

"Keep eating," Beckett said with a smile before she watched Castle gently rubbing Josie's cheek with his thumb. "Rick," she told him softly.

"Yeah, sorry," Castle said quickly, turning his attention back to his food. He glanced at his wife when she squeezed his hand and did the same back to her quickly before they began to eat again.

"Mommy?" Eliza asked when they'd finished, and she got off her chair to take her plate and cup.

"Yes sweetie?" Beckett asked, checking on Josie as her husband was already heading to the sink.

"Are you gonna give Josa a bath?" Eliza said.

"Do we have the time?" Castle said when his wife looked at him.

"Stay here with her sweetie," Beckett told the little girl as she took her plate and cup from her. She went to where her husband was already starting to wash the dishes and pots and told him, "We do if we hurry with this."

"The bowls?" Castle asked as the one with their entrée and the one with the salad was still on the table. He wasn't surprised when she just glanced at him before heading back to the table and he focused his attention back on what he was doing since he would need to clean the sink as well.

When she was sure Castle was alright with everything Beckett went to the closet next to their office where she grabbed the things for Josie's baths that they kept in there. As soon as he had cleaned the sink thoroughly she handed him the tub before she went to the chair where the carrier was. "Alright, this is going to be quick," she said as she took out her youngest. She kissed Josie's cheek and held her against her shoulder before she paused as she felt Eliza take her pocket. "You can help us," she said, looking down at her.

"Thank you, Mommy," the little girl replied with a smile. "But you're gonna do everything."

"I think you still help," Castle said as he watched his wife set the baby down on the towel she'd set next to the sink.

"You both do," Beckett commented once she had Josie out of her onesie.

"That's not why I said that," Castle quickly told her.

"It still needed to be said," Beckett said in amusement as he stepped away from them to throw away the baby's diaper. She was quickly setting Josie into the warm water of the tub, which her husband had filled, and she said to Eliza who was standing to her left, "How was Mari today? I forgot to ask you."

"She's kay," the little girl said slowly. "She misses Jules a lot. But she asked if you made anymore pictures."

"Did you tell her I wanted to?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, did you?" Eliza asked quickly.

"I did," Beckett said. "By the way," she told her husband while she was letting their middle daughter get some of Josie's soap onto her hand. "We spent almost twenty minutes down there-"

"And then another five on the beach, I know," Castle replied. "But we had what we needed to keep an eye on her and don't forget the dogs."

Sighing Beckett finally nodded before she glanced down at the baby who was staring at her. She smiled down at her and leaned over, kissing her forehead, before she concentrated on finishing bathing her.

Eliza, watching the baby closely, hopped down from the stool that she was standing on and said, "Daddy-"

"Go," Castle urged her since Beckett was walking away already with Josie bundled in her towel.

Though she didn't want to her leave her father by himself Eliza decided that he was serious and she rushed over to the stairs, following her mother up to the top. "Mommy, what about Daddy?" she asked her.

"What about him?" Beckett asked, glancing back at her and not stopping.

"He's by himself," Eliza explained.

"I know, and he'll be alright," Beckett replied, slipping in swiftly when she got to Josie's room. "The dogs are with him."

Glancing behind herself Eliza saw that none had followed them, and she felt a little better that he wasn't completely alone. She then shook herself to run into the room when her mother called her to help her get her sister's pajamas, unable to help be eager at getting to really help with something.

Beckett smiled over at Eliza as the little girl was going through the drawer in the dresser for Josie's pajama onesies and said, "I didn't think you'd be so excited."

"I wanna get to help too," Eliza replied simply before she came back to her mother.

Taking the onesie quickly Beckett squeezed her daughter's hand gently before she turned her attention to Josie to dress her as Eliza stood next to her watching.

"Did I miss something, and she got glued to your side?" Castle asked, stopping in the doorway watching the two.

"Daddy," Eliza said in exasperation as she turned her head to look at him. She started to walk towards him and then turned back around, almost bumping into her mother. "It's a rubber band."

Castle couldn't help laughing and when he calmed down he said, "She's my daughter too," to his wife.

"Tá mé go maith ar an," Beckett said wryly as she picked up Josie who was ready for bed, telling him she was well aware. "Agus ár n-iníon," saying the words and our daughter as she felt she needed to correct him.

"Fíor," Castle said, which meant very true.

"Does she need to go to bed?" Eliza asked, watching her parents and wondering what they'd said though she knew they wouldn't tell her.

"She does, want to get her to sleep?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah," Eliza said, trying not to nod her head too fast in her eagerness. She went to sit on her mother's rocking chair and once she had Josie cradled she paused and looked up at her parents.

"Stay still," Castle said as he reached for the back of the chair and gently began to move it since the little girl's feet couldn't reach the floor yet. Once it was enough he watched Josie in Eliza's arms while Beckett sat across from them on the edge of the bed.

Beckett had been meaning to tell her husband to let her know when the baby was asleep but wasn't surprised when he walked around the chair a while later, taking Josie carefully. She got up quickly and then said softly, "You two can say goodnight, I know I'll need to nurse her before we go to bed."

"Eliza," Castle said, going over to the bed and sitting. "You need to say goodnight to your sister."

"Kay," the little girl said though she wanted to protest her not being up when her mother fed the baby. She leaned over Josie and gently kissed the top of her forehead saying, "Love you Josa, tomorrow we'll… do something with the doggies," not sure what she could do with the just barely month-old baby.

"Something," Beckett said with a smile as she followed Castle when he stood up and then went over to the crib. She gently kissed Josie on the forehead before her husband did the same; since he was holding the baby against his shoulder; and she looked on while he set her down on her back and she covered her up.

When they were back downstairs in the family room Eliza was going to ask her parents if they could have popcorn at least when her father took her hand and they were going back out to the kitchen. Seeing that her mother was taking out their popcorn maker she smiled widely, and she said, "Which ones?"

"Which ones do you want?" Beckett called, looking at what they had in the pantry.

"The rainbow one?" Eliza asked hopefully. When she saw her mother was taking the jar of kernels out of the pantry she nearly squealed in excitement before she was cut off by her mother's phone on the table ringing and she knew immediately who it was.

"That'll be-" Castle started to say before he and Beckett were watching Eliza as she snatched up the phone and answered it to their surprise.

"Again Julia? I really hope you're washing up in the shower," Cookston said when the girl walked up to where she and Evelyn were standing at the door to the bathrooms and showers. "Your parents would want you to."

"I am," Julia replied with a smile. "I know my mom would wonder… and my dad too but my mom first."

"Come on," Evelyn said then with a smile.

Julia followed the counselor quickly across to the cabin, relieved when she was alone, and she could call her mother's phone. When it was answered she expected to see her parents and at least Eliza on the screen before she jumped when it was just her little sister, crossing her eyes at her. "Lizzy!" she said in mock anger.

Giggling Eliza said, "Did I surprise you?"

"Yeah," Julia said with a slight laugh as she then saw their parents appearing behind her. "Hi Mom, Dad… and you too Lizzy."

"Hi Jules," Eliza said as their parents were saying hello to her big sister. "What did you do?"

"Hold on," Beckett said quickly before Julia could reply to that. "We're at the kitchen table and we should go to the couch in the family room at least."

"I can wait," Julia said quickly. She started to watch the screen move to the floor while her family was walking to the other room but soon had to stop as she was beginning to get a little dizzy. When she heard her mother calling to her she turned her attention back to the screen and smiled saying, "I can tell you now?"

"Go ahead," Beckett replied.

With a quick nod Julia then related everything that had happened that day until she had taken her shower. She was a little surprised at the look on her mother's face at that last bit and she asked, "What is it?"

"You are taking a shower, right?" Beckett said.

Julia couldn't help laugh and when she had calmed down enough she said, "Ms. Cookston asked me if I was and our cabin counselor too right now. And I am Mom I'm just going really fast since I want to talk to you alone. The other girls don't talk to their families for too long really."

"I just wanted to make sure," Beckett said with a smile. "So, you had fun?"

"Yep, is Grandpapa?" Julia asked.

"He is, don't worry," Castle commented. "We actually saw him, but your sister should tell you about her day first.""Oh," Eliza said in slight surprise at the remembrance that she needed to. She then spoke quickly about what she'd done, all the way up to that moment. "And Mari misses you, but she said to tell you she likes your letters," she finished with.

"So do we," Castle said quickly.

"Good," Julia said with a smile. "Tell Mari I'm really close to coming back home."

"I will," Eliza said, nodding her head.

"What about you?" Julia asked their parents.

Beckett gave a very quick overview of what they'd done, since she knew they were running out of time, and once she'd finished she said, "Even though he didn't have a chance to say it I'm sure your grandpapa wanted you all there on the beach to see him."

"Yeah," Julia replied with a smile on her face. She glanced over at the door but realized it was a counselor walking by before she turned back to the phone.

"Did you guys pick out what you're going to do tomorrow?" Castle asked.

"I think canoeing, swimming and maybe archery but I don't think Ava liked it too much," Julia said. "We said we should all agree on what we do… like our moms would tell us to do."

"Yes, we would," Beckett said in amusement. "But just those two for sure?"

"We'd still have fun," Julia assured her mother. "Oh, and remember how I told you Peter and I were gonna dance for the talent show tomorrow?"

"Did you pick a different song?" Castle asked.

"No, we decided not to 'cause we already compete," Julia replied. "It's unfair even though it's just for fun."

"And you want a break," Beckett said knowingly, studying her daughter.

Julia nodded and then said, "And after the dance class we want to take a break from having to perform."

"I can't blame you for that," Castle said. He then heard some voices and he sighed saying, "Did we run out of time?"

"Yeah, some girls are back," Julia said, looking over to the door again. "So night Mom, Dad and Lizzy. I love you and I'll call you tomorrow."

"Love you too sweetheart," Castle said. "Have fun tomorrow and remember we're very close to Friday."

"I remember Dad, love you," Julia said, even though she'd already told him she loved him.

"He said what I wanted to," Beckett replied. "But what he didn't say is we can't wait to hear all about what you get up to. I love you Julia, so much."

"Love you too Mom," Julia replied. "And I'll tell you everything."

"Me too," Eliza said.

"Of course Lizzy," Julia said, smiling at her little sister.

"Love you," Eliza told her then as she waved.

"Love you too," Julia replied. She said goodnight to her whole family and once the screen went back to her menu she tried not to sigh at how much she missed them; and her littlest sister though she knew Josie was likely asleep. Shaking herself she climbed down from her bed and went to her backpack, taking out her papers before she went back up to write her next entry.

May 20th, 2020

Julia paused there as she recalled suddenly the entry from the night before and wondered if she should comment on it. She then sighed a little under her breath; so it wouldn't get anyone else's attention; and made her decision before she began to write again.

Another entry here at camp and I'm so tired of it… it's only the second full day but I just miss home so bad. But I'm only gonna say that right here 'cause I could write tons of pages of lists about everything I miss about home. I'll write instead about what we did.

First was archery and that was fun, but I miss having the beach by the target… the sound and everything. But the others had fun with it, but I should have said first Dawn and Peter though he did it before already. Ava though was a little uneasy I think I want to call it, she said later to us that it was a weapon wasn't it. And she's right but this is just a hobby and the camp is super careful no one gets hurt. Then there was free time and after that lunch and after that…

I guess I should write a sigh where the dot, dot, dot is but that works too. After lunch was the dance lesson and it was to learn the Jive, but Peter and I basically had to show everyone how it looked. We didn't stay long, and really great Dawn and Ava left with us. Since we didn't want to do the taekwondo lessons we went around the lake. Oh, Peter didn't want to do that either, he likes dancing better. So instead we went around the lake and went to where I found my dad's rock and I also told them about the girl I saw at Lake Placid, the Acadian girl. I had to 'cause I said the start of the poem Evangeline in a French accent; Peter, Dawn and Ava said; but good thing they don't think I'm weird. That boy Ollie who's kinda a bully called me a ghost freak when he walked by us, but I don't care. They think he likes me too and that's gross. But back to the spirit I told them about, I never told Mom or Dad about her and

Julia paused there and looked at Dawn who was writing a letter on her bed next to her, whispering her name. She asked, "Should I tell my parents about what I saw?"

"Yeah," Dawn said. "They know what you saw before."

Nodding, and relieved her friend had whispered that, Julia whispered a thanks and then went back to her entry. She decided to start another paragraph after the word and she'd ended on and put her pen back to the paper.

I just asked Dawn if I should tell them and she said yeah so I guess I will when

Trying not to gasp when something came to mind Julia glanced back down at her paper and sighed under her breath again when she saw she had marked the page with a long line. But she decided to keep going since it wasn't her actual diary and started yet another paragraph as she wanted to have what she wrote next separate from the line she hadn't finished above it.

I'm so sorry Grandmama I forgot about you for a while, but I hope you understand that I was very busy with school and… everything. But I'm sure you know that Josa is here now… you want to see her I know but I hope it's okay if we wait to do that. She was born kinda early, so I want her to be a little bigger and stronger… maybe when we come back from summer vacation? When Mom and Dad are in Ireland I can take you to see her since she's sleeping in her crib a little more. But I love you Grandmama!

Feeling a lot better after having written that Julia then moved to another paragraph to go back to where she'd stopped writing about her day, looking at her watch to see how much time she still had.

We went to that spot and then went back around and just played until dinner. After we could go around the lake like last night, but nothing really happened so that's about it except for showers. I was able to finish fast and talked to Mom, Dad and Lizzy. Grandpapa is on that trip on the yacht and Josa was asleep already. They're all fine but Dad talked about Friday almost here, so I know they still miss me. I didn't think they stopped but it was really nice to hear that.

I'll stop here, just one more full day and then I'm gonna be home. Still too long but I am having fun here with my friends…

Biting a little harder than she meant to on her lower lip Julia was afraid she'd broken the skin but didn't taste blood. With that distraction out of the way she then turned back to the papers, thinking of how to word what she wanted to before she merely scribbled the last bit of the entry.

My dreams were beautiful last night.

Julia had to control herself not to launch off the bed like she had done the night before and she managed to get her papers put away before she was grabbing what she needed for her letters. She wrote her family's letter quickly again; since there wasn't too much she could say that she hadn't told them over the phone; and then turned her attention to her letter for Mari.

Dear Mari,

I'm getting closer to getting home, but I still miss you a ton. It's been fun spending time with Peter, Dawn and Ava since we spend so much time together you and me. But I still wish you could be here to see everything. I mean with us since you are gonna come here next year.

So today at camp was archery, a dance lesson we didn't stay for that long and some different things to fill in our free time. Oh, we did go canoeing and I forgot to put that in my entry for my diary earlier, lol. I hope one day you and I can do that 'cause it's so much fun.

Lizzy said you missed me when I talked to my family earlier and I'm glad you do but I hope you're playing with your friends in your class at least since all us sixth graders are gone. And my sister too but you know that.

I told you about Dawn and Ava so I'm sure you would ask me if they did anything today but not really. They kinda step close to each other and smile at each other but they're always with us when they do that, so no one's noticed. And they know I'm telling you this I just remembered. I asked last night while I wrote your letter, but it was almost time for lights out, so I had to hurry. But they're happy you can see it and I'm happy for them though I have to wonder if they'll start being girlfriends at all when they're older. Who knows?

I have to stop Mari, it's almost time for lights out and Natalie is trying to ask me something. I just need to write you one more letter and then I can see you again! Ask your mom to let you spend the night; I know my parents will let you. Miss you and can't wait to see you again!

Your best friend,Julia

Turning her attention to the girl Julia just looked at Natalie questioningly, getting off the bed to get her letters ready to go as she waited to see what the girl would end up saying to her.

"You're going to LA in September," Natalie told her.

Shaking her head as she handed her letters to Ava; so she could give them with her own to their counselor; Julia then said, "End of August but close."

"Your whole class is going?" Misty said then.

"No, we were supposed to," Julia began. "But none of the other parents really wanted their kids to go out there while school was going on."

"So it's just you and Peter," another girl, Marilyn asked.

"And Mari and Clive," Julia added quickly. "They got permission to go."

"You really might get to dance on TV?" Natalie asked.

"Skye wants us to," Julia said. "I would just be happy to actually get to be where they film the show."

"Did she tell you who was going to be on too?" another girl asked.

Shaking her head Julia told them all, "It's really soon for that, just Skye is for sure… Did you guys tell anyone about that?"

"I think everyone knows now at home," Misty commented.

"She's right," Dawn quickly told her friend when she looked upset. "But didn't they say there's a rumor on the internet? Before we really knew?"

"I think so," Julia said slowly. "But no one really knows for sure. Oh, if someone from the news asks you just say no comment."

"Why would they do that?" another girl asked with a laugh.

"You never know," Julia said and they all started to laugh together before Evelyn was coming in to collect their letters. She lay down on her bed, since the counselor had told them it was lights out as well, and looked up at the ceiling, her thoughts in a jumble.

"Julia," Ava whispered as she stood up.

"Yeah?" the girl asked, looking over at her.

"Will you dance with Mari?" Ava asked.

"I don't know," Julia said honestly. "Maybe 'cause I know Skye will dance with her wife. So-" was all she had time to say as Evelyn was coming into the room suddenly and Ava had to duck down onto her bed. When the lights were off she looked back up to the ceiling again as she thought of dancing with her best friend. She wasn't sure what exactly she and Mari could dance but hoped they could do something together and with their partners. The thought of dancing on their own and not with Skye and her partner sent a shiver down her spine but the idea appealed to her. 'At least we'll have someone to help us even if Ms. Grey doesn't go,' she thought to herself for a moment. With that thought going through her mind she closed her eyes, thinking about dancing as she soon nodded off to sleep with a tiny smile on her face.

"Rick?" Beckett said as she was turning off the light in the bathroom.

"Yeah?" Castle asked absently.

Walking around the bed before she could answer that Beckett smiled as her husband was reading his book he'd had on his nightstand. When he looked up at her she said, "I was going to ask if you wanted to go back downstairs and watch a movie."

Breathing out slightly as he was tempted to say yes Castle said, "I was reading this…"

"Keep going," Beckett told him simply.

"Actually…" Castle said instead as he closed his tome and set it aside. "What's wrong?" he asked her as he reached for her hand.

"Nothing," Beckett replied simply as she let him pull her to him. She carefully took his glasses off him and put them on top of his book before she said, "I'm torn about Julia."

"I noticed," Castle replied. "She's happy but wants to come home I can tell. But what she's so happy about…"

"That's the question and I can't really ask her," Beckett explained to him. She smiled a little when he nodded rapidly in agreement with her and she leaned over, brushing her lips to his. "Since we're talking about her-"

"Let her decide what to do on Friday?" Castle asked. When she looked at him in surprise he smiled and then said, "I guessed, and I was thinking we should do that too."

"Though I think I know what she'll do already," Beckett commented.

"Me too, ready to spend the rest of the day at the beach?" Castle asked her as she checked on the baby. When she gave him a peck on the lips he reluctantly let her go so she could get onto her side of the bed.

"I am, and so will Josie," Beckett replied easily with a smile. When her husband grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap she wasn't very surprised, and they kissed deeply as soon as his arms were around her. She held onto him by his shoulders at first and then carefully wrapped them around him. Letting her right hand slide up to his hair she gently raked her nails over his scalp, pleased when he shuddered hard and ended up stopping the kiss. "Sorry," she said though she couldn't help smiling.

"No you're not," Castle said in amusement. He pressed his forehead against hers and murmured, "Probably better you did that though."

"I know, I should move too," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband sighed and let her go before she moved to her side of the bed again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Castle said, wondering what was on her mind.

"You haven't told me about our accommodations," Beckett said simply.

"You have to let me splurge," Castle said quickly, knowing she was talking about Orlando and not DC since she knew they were staying at the Mandarin again. "Especially for this."

Beckett smiled and said, "I get that but there isn't going to be anything extra is there?"

"No, just the parks," Castle replied. "And I was lucky to get rooms at the hotel at Universal."

"Níl mé ionadh," Beckett said.

Since his wife had said she wasn't surprised Castle said, "Bhí mé a chun na," explaining to her that with the brand-new Harry Potter themed hotel he had wanted to splurge for that; meaning for himself as well as their family. When she merely smiled he was about to lean over to her when she stopped him with her hand on his chest, making him look at her slightly startled.

"What did you get them?" Beckett asked seriously.

"What do you know about the hotel?" Castle asked simply.

Trying not to smile Beckett said, "How many does the suite hold?"

"At least eight, there are four bedrooms," Castle said. "I was told everyone else was going for the other house common room suites, not so much Ravenclaw."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said as she'd known already the new hotel had suites themed to the common rooms of the Hogwarts houses. "Us?"

Since he knew she wouldn't let him not answer Castle said, "It's Ravenclaw themed."

"No surprise there," Beckett said.

Seeing her expression then Castle asked, "What's wrong?"

"Speaking of accommodations did you talk to Alexis?" Beckett said.

"I did, and she was able to find time to look at the site for the townhouses and she likes them," Castle answered. "And she managed to get Louis to look at the site too and he said if we could get that for them he'd be in our debt."

"He has a way with words," Beckett said with a smile as she knew that was what the young man had said exactly. "Likely why he appeals to her."

"Well," Castle said slowly. "If that's how he's like me then I'll take it. And if so you weren't kidding."

Beckett smiled at his mentioning her telling him his daughter might end up with someone like him back when they were merely partners and she said, "Honestly it wasn't a sure thing."

"Me?" Castle asked.

"You're not very much like my dad," Beckett said. "Despite basic character traits which isn't exclusive to you both."

"I had a feeling," Castle replied with a smile. "But I talked to Brennan after and he said I should try to get a townhouse tomorrow."

"Did you try today?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

"I did," Castle said. "But it was busy, so I'll try tomorrow after we take Eliza to school."

"It's walk-able," Beckett commented.

"Or in bike riding distance," Castle said. He smiled when his wife shook her head and he leaned over, kissing her cheek gently before he said, "Sleep?"

"Yes, but not just yet," Beckett told her before she leaned over and kissed her husband. She wasn't surprised when he wrapped his arm around her and they were soon dueling each other's tongue until they needed to part which they did slowly. "Alright, now we should."

"Nach bhfuil níos mó?" Castle asked, which meant no more.

"Amárach," Beckett replied, telling him tomorrow. She shared another kiss with him and waited for him to lie down before she joined him. Pressing close against his side she pressed her cheek to his shoulder she said, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle replied. He gently rubbed her upper arm and told her, "Tomorrow though we should try to do something besides that."

Laughing softly Beckett said, "We'll see."

With a nod, as he couldn't forget that she would need to wake up to nurse Josie at one point, Castle said, "Alright, I'll let you sleep." He then kissed her forehead and murmured, "Night love."

"Night Rick," Beckett told him, pressing a little closer against him before she closed her eyes.

Castle remained as still as he could to allow his wife to sleep and once he could tell her weight had changed a little he gently pressed his lips to her forehead before he settled down to sleep himself. He only hoped that Josie would give them both some time to regain some of their energy before she would need them again.

Walking down the hall Beckett slipped into Josie's room and went quickly to the rocking chair. As soon as Josie was beginning to nurse she was relieved as her youngest had sounded distressed as she'd been hurrying as she'd been crying. She studied the baby very closely, making sure she was alright before she was satisfied that Josie was just hungry.

Beckett couldn't help yawning and looked over at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was nearly four in the morning. She tried not to sigh as she wouldn't have much time to sleep in the morning but quickly reminded herself that her husband would take care of breakfast and Eliza for her. She hoped the baby would sleep a bit into the morning so he wouldn't have to take care of Josie too. She was just about to murmur that to the baby; even though she wouldn't understand; when she heard the creak of a floorboard outside the room and she glanced over at the doorway, wondering who it was since she couldn't tell. When they appeared she smiled and was about to tell them to come inside with her before they spoke first.

"Mommy?" Eliza said softly. "Can I come inside?"

"You can, I was just about to tell you sweetie," Beckett replied. When her daughter walked up to her, looking around the room she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Where's Daddy?" Eliza asked.

"He's still asleep," Beckett replied.

"Oh…" Eliza said.

"I told him to stay in bed," Beckett continued. "He's tired."

"Aren't you Mommy?" Eliza asked, leaning against her legs slightly.

"I am," Beckett said, unable to help smiling as her daughter yawned at that moment. "And so are you. How come you woke up? Was it your sister?"

"Yeah," Eliza said. "Was she mad?"

"No, just hungry," Beckett replied, looking down at the baby. "You can lie down on the bed sweetie," she said when she felt her daughter leaning against her a little more.

"I'm kay Mommy," Eliza said sleepily. After a while she smiled at Josie and said, "Is she ever gonna sleep all night?"

Moving the baby to her other breast Beckett then said, "Eventually; I think she's starting to get closer." She wasn't surprised when Eliza just nodded and then watched the baby with her until eventually she was finished, and she started to burp her. When Josie was set eventually she took the baby to the crib, only needing to walk back and forth in front of it twice before she knew her daughter was asleep. Pressing a kiss to Josie's temple she set her down and covered her before she reached to Eliza, picking her up as the little girl started to protest.

Eliza was a little surprised when her mother took her over to the rocking chair; though she had said she needed to sleep, and she said, "Thank you Mommy. But what about Josa?"

"I didn't want you to wake Josie up, and I'll take her to our room once you're set," Beckett said, wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"Oh… I wanted to ask something," Eliza said.

"Go ahead," Beckett said with a smile at her.

"You did the same thing for me," Eliza replied.

Nodding Beckett then stood and took her hand saying, "Better we talk in your room or else we will wake her up."

Eliza waited until her mother was sitting on her bed and she stopped her from picking her up asking what she'd been waiting to saying, "Why don't you anymore?"

"You're getting to be a big girl," Beckett said, having already thought of how to answer that question if Julia had ever asked it while she was nursing Eliza years ago. "And you can eat regular food now." She then pulled her daughter to her for an embrace when the little girl wrinkled her nose and she was about to speak when her daughter started to move her head. "E-" she tried to say as she wasn't sure what she was doing. But when Eliza merely pressed her face to her neck she smiled and gently pressed her lips to the top of her head. "Are you jealous sweetie?"

"Little bit," Eliza replied before her mother helped her up onto her lap. Wrapping her arms around her mother's neck she then asked, "Mommy can I go to your bed tonight?"

At first Beckett wanted to say no but something made her pause and then think that over. Finally, she smiled and said, "Yes you can but you need to get right to sleep, okay?"