19. Bow To The Target(2)

When she got to the baby's room Beckett set the little girl down and got Josie before they went to the master bedroom. At hers and her husband's bed she reached over to shake his shoulder gently to wake him up once she got the baby settled in her bed. "Hey, Eliza is staying with us tonight."

"Oh yeah? Great, a sleepover," Castle commented sleepily.

"It's almost four Rick," Beckett said with a smile as she climbed onto the bed, yawning soon after.

"Night Daddy," Eliza said as she was hugging and kissing her father.

Castle, about to speak, watched in slight amusement as the little girl seemed to almost instantly fall asleep. With her out he looked over her head to his wife and murmured, "Josie's okay?"

"She's fine," Beckett replied, switching to Irish. "But Eliza got a little jealous."

"Really?" Castle asked.

"She was, she asked why I don't nurse her anymore," Beckett replied.

"Not a surprise," Castle said.

"Yes, but she moved to hug me and I thought she was going to try to do that," Beckett admitted. "She just pressed her face against my neck."

"Then I don't blame you," Castle commented. He smiled as he could see that she was doing the same and he said, "Get some sleep though okay?"

"I know, but do you think you can get things ready in the morning?" Beckett asked. "If I can't really get up." She expected her husband to answer right away but was a little startled when he instead reached over to her, gently cupping her cheek before he spoke.

"I was planning on that anyways," Castle told her seriously. "Since she's not really sleeping all night yet."

"Thank you," Beckett said with a nod.

"Night my love," Castle told her with a slight smile.

"Night Rick," Beckett said, smiling.

They squeezed each other's hands before Castle and Beckett settled down to sleep again, their middle daughter still fast asleep in between them and Josie in the bassinet to their left. They were able to nod off very quickly, still needing their rest before they turned their attention fully to that day.

"Rick?"

"Hey love," Castle said, hurrying over to her the next morning. "Go back to sleep I was just checking on Josie."

"If she needs me-" Beckett began to say.

"Don't worry," Castle interrupted her. "You didn't feed her too long ago, so she should be fine." When his wife merely nodded he couldn't help smiling as he watched her lying down and closing her eyes. He couldn't help himself and he leaned over, pressing his lips to her temple before he stood up straight and looked down into the bassinet.

"She's not awake Daddy," Eliza whispered when she saw her father looking.

"Good, hopefully she'll let your mother sleep a little longer," Castle said quietly before he picked the little girl up. "Ready to get breakfast for her?" He wasn't surprised when she nodded rapidly in response and he took her out to the hall so they could go downstairs and to the kitchen.

Once she was on the ground again Eliza said, "Can we take it up to Mommy?"

"Eat in bed?" Castle asked as he was pausing in getting the eggs from the fridge. When she nodded he smiled and said, "I think we can manage that."

"Good… what do we have?" Eliza asked.

"Your mom needs something filling and something for energy so I'm making some cheese, ham and tomato omelets and a little bowl of oatmeal on the side," Castle replied as he moved to begin getting everything ready next to the stove.

"Can I help?" Eliza asked.

"You have to, I need you to stir the oatmeal that way it won't burn and I can work on the omelets," Castle told her. When she rushed to grab her stool to take to the stove he smiled as she pushed it with her feet. Once she was standing on it and was ready he got the oatmeal ready to cook before he started to crack eggs. He only made two egg omelets so he was able to help Eliza with the oatmeal.

"I think it's ready Daddy," the little girl told her father when she could smell the oatmeal was like it did when her parents made it.

"It is, thank you sweetheart," Castle said, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head. He turned off the burner and set it aside before he finished the last omelet and Eliza suddenly went to the door leading out to the patio. "E-" he started to say.

"I'm gonna go get flowers!" Eliza called to him.

Shaking his head as he smiled Castle went to get orange juice to pour out three glasses of it before she was coming back inside. "How many did you get and what did you get?" he asked, going over to her.

"These," Eliza said with a smile as she held up the daffodils in her hand. "Good?"

"They look great," Castle said with a nod. He went over to the vases they had and took one out that would hold the flowers and told his daughter, "Wash your hands."

Pushing her stool back to the sink Eliza got up and then began to wash her hands as quickly as she could since she knew that breakfast was ready. When she had finished she went with her father up the stairs as he'd gotten the tray for her mother ready. "Can I wake her up?" she asked hopefully.

"You can, do it carefully please," Castle told her.

Eliza nodded and then rushed into her parents' room once they'd come to the door, climbing up on the bed before she went to her mother. "Mommy," she said softly, gently shaking her shoulder and waiting to see if she would wake up with just that.

"Morning again love," Castle said with a smile when his wife opened her eyes.

"Hey… am I late for breakfast?" Beckett said, smiling at her daughter and husband.

"Breakfast is here," Castle commented as he then waited for her to sit up.

"Thank you but you didn't have to," Beckett told them.

"I asked him to Mommy," Eliza said, hugging her mother as tightly as she could. "Is that kay?"

"It is but I'd like to do this Saturday when Julia is back," Beckett said.

"When is that Mommy?" Eliza asked eagerly as she got out of the way of her father so he could set the tray on her lap.

"Tomorrow," Beckett said.

"Really?" Eliza said happily.

"Really… I couldn't change first?" Beckett asked as she saw the two were dressed while she was still in her pajamas.

"You're fine love," Castle assured her as he sat next to her. He was about to take his bowl of oatmeal to eat that first when his wife stopped him, and they kissed deeply to his surprise. But he was quick to respond to her though they didn't stay together for much longer. "So…" he began.

"We should eat," Beckett said as Eliza was eating her oatmeal already.

"Yeah," Castle said, taking his bowl.

The three ate the meal, trying not to go too quickly though Eliza needed to go to school. But when they finished Castle and the little girl were able to clean up and Beckett got ready. After Josie had woken up and was ready to go herself the family went to the entry and Eliza grabbed her backpack while her parents watched.

"What if Josa needs her breakfast when we go?" the little girl asked as they were leaving the house.

"Don't worry," Castle replied. "I think she'll be alright. Ready?"

"Yep," Eliza said with a wide smile.

"Then let's go," Castle told her.

"I hope Jules is having fun today," Eliza said while they were walking down the driveway.

"I'm sure she will," Castle said firmly.

Beckett nodded to show her agreement with her husband, but as they stepped out onto the sidewalk she hoped their oldest was. Since it was the last full day she hoped her daughter was having fun and not thinking about coming home yet. And since she could see that thought had advice to herself as well she turned her attention to her husband and their youngest daughters, focusing on them until they would be reunited the next day.