15. Right To The San Diego Zoo(1)

"Can we call her now?" Eliza asked her parents eagerly.

"Hold on," Beckett said with a smile as she was taking Josie out of her carrier so she could hold her on her hip.

"I'm calling her," Castle said with a smile. "Hopefully she'll answer."

"Are they up by the lake now?" Julia said.

"They should be," Martha commented as she looked at her watch.

"What time is it at home?" Eliza said.

"Hello?" Alexis said from her father's tablet.

"Hey, you're not in the car are you?" Castle asked as he looked at her.

"No, we made it to the B&B," Alexis replied. "Thank you for the room."

"You're welcome," Beckett said, as she and her husband had gotten it for them. "When did you get there?"

"About forty minutes ago," Alexis said, looking at her phone for a moment. "And good thing you called, we were just about to head out on the lake."

"In a canoe?" Julia asked.

"Hey Jules, Lizzy," Alexis said. "And you too Josa even though I don't know if you can hear me."

"She might be able to," Beckett said with a smile as the baby turned her head.

"Oh, and you too Gram, Grandpapa," Alexis said to the two she saw behind the five.

"Hello kiddo how is Lake Placid?" Martha asked.

"Good, stunning," Alexis replied.

"Where's Louis?" Jim asked then.

"He's talking to his family too," Alexis said with a slight laugh.

"Do you see the birdies 'lexis?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"I do," Alexis replied, seeing the flamingoes in the background. "You don't mind going to the same zoo again?" She laughed with her parents and grandparents at the girls cries of no before Josie was squealing. "Okay, then have fun and take a lot of pictures."

"We will," Julia and Eliza said together.

"Really quick," Alexis then said. "How's Josie?"

"She's okay, her teeth are still coming in," Castle said. He glanced at the baby, who was smiling, and then said, "Tooth."

Alexis laughed and then said, "You Lizzy?"

"Good, I wanna see the zoo again," Eliza said eagerly.

"I'm good," Julia said quickly.

"What about all your dances?" Alexis asked.

"We're good, really good," Julia said before she added, "The troupe and the other couples have been so nice to us."

"Good, I can't wait to watch on Monday," Alexis said. "Dad, Ma?"

"We're good, we've managed to write," Castle said first.

"Amazingly," Beckett said with a smile. She then added, "And with both stories."

"Great, but the twenties story…" Alexis said slowly.

"We had to rework the ending," Castle said. "So it'll be released at the beginning of December; for Christmas of course."

"And you stuck with your original title?" Alexis asked.

"We will," Beckett said, glancing at her husband as she had allowed him to choose it. He had gone with their method of using song lyrics, though that time he had merged two song titles together. Their first Mr. and Mrs. McNeil; as their publisher had suggested they name the series if they were asked to continue after that first one; book was going to be called One Alone, Somebody's Lonely. She hadn't been sure of the two song titles, from the year 1926, but their publisher had been extremely pleased with it and they had decided to use two titles the best they could.

"I can't wait to get a copy of it," Alexis said.

"We're fine darling," Martha said as she had seen her granddaughter looking at her and Jim.

"We are, we're enjoying being here as well," Beckett's father said.

"Good," Alexis replied.

"What about you?" Castle asked his daughter quickly.

"The same," Alexis replied, smiling. "And grateful for the break, even though it's only two nights. But we'll be there for the finale if Skye makes it."

"You both got those two days off for sure?" Beckett asked. When her oldest nodded she smiled and said, "Good, we'll look forward to seeing you."

"Us too," Julia said, Eliza nodding rapidly next to her.

"And so will we," Alexis said. She looked to her left and heard her boyfriend saying goodbye to his family before she looked at the screen of her tablet again. "I need to go," she said with a smile. "But I'll call you on Saturday okay?"

"That's fine, we'll be at home that day," Castle said.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Alexis replied. "Have fun and I love you all."

"Bye," Julia said, adding that she loved her as the others were doing. When the screen of the tablet went blue she said, "I wish she could come sooner."

"We'll talk to her a lot longer Saturday," Castle promised her. He gave the device to his mother who put it away in the bag his wife had for the items they would need at the zoo. "Okay, time for pictures," he said to the others.

After they'd had someone walking by take a family picture in front of the pink birds, Julia asked, "When are we going to meet up again?"

"Right now," Beckett replied. "At the Reptile House."

"What about Mary?" Castle asked her. He was a little startled when his wife was smiling at him and he frowned for a moment before they went together to the building to the left of the entrance.

"Hello again, how's Alexis?" Skye asked where the rest of the group was waiting for the family, her wife already hanging onto her arm.

"Great," Castle said first. "Is everyone going in here?"

"We are," Daisy said. "I didn't bring this camera for the scenery."

Laughing with the others, Julia watched as the other members of Team Queenie Eye; as they were calling themselves; walked inside. She couldn't help smiling at that point, thinking of how much fun it had been practicing the dances they had for the next week, especially the team one.

"Alright, Kate," Derek said to the woman. "The bell rings…"

"Recess!" the four kids cried out.

"And us too," Whitney said as none of the stars said anything.

"Recess!" the four stars said before pretending to go crazy.

"Maybe not that much," Emma said with a laugh.

"Okay," Derek said. "Now we six head out together to the dance floor from the desks."

"I have it," Skye said, holding up the small red rubber ball she would keep on her. The others had duplicates of it so it looked like they'd taken it from her, but they wouldn't have to exchange it by hand and risk dropping it. She stood in front of the four kids and her partner and then said, "Queenie Eye, Queenie Eye who's got the ball?"

Beckett watched as the investigator mimicked throwing it before Jonathon was 'catching' it and Skye turned to him before the six got into a line together with Derek at the front. She was standing against the mirrored wall as the pros of the team had decided she would play the 'teacher' to their class. She hadn't been sure, but her daughter's delight in the prospect had led her to agree. Her husband had also urged her to join in the dance though she assumed he was eager to see her costume for her 'role'. She shook herself as the group was practicing their steps until Jonathon and Whitney started their dance they would have for a short time.

"Nice," Clive said when the pair stopped.

"Thanks," the TV star said. "Why aren't they getting their own part?"

"They have three," Derek commented. "And I think their parents are very sure that's enough."

"It is," Beckett said wryly.

"Okay, so I'll run out with Peter…" Derek said. He and the boy rushed to the pair and the pro picked him up. But Jonathon was picking up Whitney and Daisy and Sasha were dancing out and he set Peter down before they ran away.

"Nice," Emma said with a smile.

"He's a light little imp," Eddie said jokingly.

The group laughed together as Peter jokingly raised his arms to flex his muscles and he said, "One day I'll carry myself."

Julia couldn't help slapping her hand to her forehead and saying, "I guess we're not going to do lifts when we're older," though she was speaking jokingly.

"Can you do that at all now?" Sasha asked her.

"Not really," the boy said. "I can pick her up but not for that long."

"I can't," Clive said, shaking his head when some of the others looked at him.

"Okay, do you have what you're going to dance?" Derek asked the pair.

"Yeah," Sasha replied before he and his partner were dancing together.

Julia smiled at their moves before she ran with Mari to them and her friend knelt to cling to Sasha's leg. She was trying to reach for Daisy's hand; though she wasn't holding the red ball; and Sasha was getting Mari off him, throwing her with her help into Derek's arms. She held onto the dancer's arm as they were running to the steps in the room and turned back to see how the pros would say they'd done, Emma speaking first.

"Are your parents okay with you doing that?" the dancer said to the girl.

"Yeah, Derek told them," Mari said with a wide smile. "And my dad made him promise he'd catch me."

"I will," the pro said. "Do you guys have yours?"

"Not quite," Emma said. "Come on," she told Eddie. They danced what they had so far, and she said to the two other pros, "I'm not sure how to slide into where Skye and Derek will come in."

"I said we should actually slide into it," Eddie commented. "But I'm sure you'll have better ideas."

Beckett went to sit with her husband on the steps while the pros were talking together, not surprised when the kids joined them soon after as it took a while. "Okay?" she murmured to her daughter, wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

"Yep," Julia said with a smile. "I just hope this works."

"It will," Castle said as he was listening to them. "You have time for all this to come together."

"Speaking of which," Beckett said, seeing that Derek was looking around the room. "Go," she told the four.

Getting up with her friends, Julia smiled back at her mother when she squeezed her hand and she hurried to the others to show what they would be doing with Skye and Derek as their practice continued.

"We're here," Eliza said eagerly, looking back at their parents.

"I can see that," Castle said in amusement. "Go ahead," he told her, urging her to walk the rest of the way to the window.

"We'll bring Josie," Beckett said in amusement as the girls remained in place. Once they'd hurried ahead to where a tiger was laying against the window she turned to the stroller and took the baby out, holding her on her hip before she went with Castle after their daughters where they were watching the animal.

"At least you guys didn't drag us here first," Castle said jokingly.

"We want to see the okapis next," Eliza said, looking at her father and wrinkling her nose at him.

"This was on the way," Julia added before they turned to see Josie was reaching out to the window.

"Okay," Castle said with a slight laugh. He turned his attention to the baby as the tiger was getting up and he was glad that she would be able to see it as the animal was heading up towards the back of the habitat.

"Where's it going?" Mari asked.

"I think it's lunchtime," Sasha said.

"What about us?" Clive asked.

"Soon," Isaac assured his son before they left the habitat and headed up the trail to the next animal.

"Where are we going exactly?" Genevieve asked Skye while they were stopped at the okapi habitat.

"The boys are hungry I would assume?" the investigator asked.

"When they start talking about it, yes," Isaac commented.

"Here," Mary said with a smile as her wife glanced around them.

"You need a map?" Beckett asked her friend jokingly as she was holding that.

"Yes, I do," Skye replied. "We come just once a year."

"And yet you know Disneyland…" Beckett started to say.

Giving her a mock glare, the investigator then said, "It's a lot smaller. No trails like here."

"How?" Mary asked her then.

"Well… we can either go around or go to the path that's over here," Skye said, pointing it out to her on the map.

"Which would be a shorter way to go?" Castle asked.

"The way we came," Mary said wryly.

"She's right," Skye said after she saw the way the boys were watching them. "And I assume if we took the other paths they'd all be starving." She studied the map again and then said, "We should head up to the hippos that are next and then turn around to head down."

"Are we splitting up at all?" Emma asked.

"Did you want to?" Skye asked, looking at the others.

"I'm fine going with you guys," Derek said.

"I don't think any of us want to get lost," Whitney said in amusement.

"Okay," Skye said though she was fanning herself with the map. She heard the kids talking and she said, "I think we should get going."

"Are they going to revolt?" Derek asked as they were walking again.

"Essentially," Castle commented before they reached the viewing area for the hippos. "Though this helps out in distracting them."

"Don't hit the glass," Skye said firmly as Iris was doing that. "Don't worry," she said as the little girl cringed and looked at her. "You didn't know; now you do of course."

"Sorry," Iris said, looking at the hippo that was near the glass that she'd been trying to get to look at her.

"So… they're really dangerous?" Clive asked.

"Yes, you're learning about Ancient Egypt," Castle said when some of the others looked at him. "They had a goddess that they believed looked like a hippo, Taweret. She was the goddess of childbirth and fertility as well, anyone able to guess why that is?"

"If they were dangerous," Marie began as they began to walk down the path the way they'd come. "Then they thought that they would be good to protect ladies when they were having a baby?"

"Good thinking," Castle said with a nod. "And good answer."

Smiling Julia said, "I remember learning about them last year."

"Now?" Kathleen asked her jokingly before they started to laugh.

"I'm impressed," Mary said to Castle.

"Why?" he said in surprise.

"You managed to sneak in a lesson," Mary replied. "Are you going to continue?"

"Probably not," Castle said. "The opportunity was there, so I took it."

When they're reached the entrance of the zoo the family walked past it and to the right that time, the oldest McDouglas twins slipping into a gated area.

"Girls," Skye said with a sigh. "They like to go in here."

"Ducks!" Iris said eagerly.

"Walk through," Skye said to her daughters. "There aren't any chicks this time."

"You usually come in spring," Beckett stated to her.

"Usually," Skye said with a nod. She then walked over to Ivy who was looking at a weeping willow and told her, "Come on lass, we have much more to see."

"There are so many trees here," Ivy commented.

"Welcome to California," Skye said with a smile. "Especially in the south here, we love the trees though parts of it are desert."

"Are we going to take them to the desert ever Mum?" Kathleen asked as they walked past the pond and then out to the path they'd been on.

"Perhaps," Skye said slowly.

"I can take them if you don't want to go grá," Mary said with a smile.

"No, we should show them," Skye replied. "I'm not the biggest fan of the desert but that's more the heat," she told the others. "Though winter is coming."

"What about Las Vegas?" Mary asked her.

"We'll see," Skye said with a slight laugh.

"What is this?" Peter asked as they were at what he thought were totem poles.

"The Australia part," Julia said. "I remembered," she said with a smile as the older McDouglas girls looked at her.

"Oh cool!" Clive said, peering into an exhibit they were passing. "It's Taz!"

"You know these?" Emma asked him.

"Yeah, my dad told me about them," Clive said. "I thought it was weird but a little thing like that wouldn't scare Bugs Bunny." His eyes widened when he saw one of the Tasmanian Devils below them yawning and then said, "That would."

"I think they're cute," Eliza said. She looked up and saw the slight frown on Fleur's face telling her, "Not the teeth! They look like teddy bears."

"Are you gonna get one?" Fleur asked her, referencing if they saw any stuffed ones in the gift shops.

"No," Eliza said with a giggle. "Are you?"

"Maybe," Fleur said before they laughed together and walked to their parents as their group continued down the path.

"Okay," Skye said as they reached a building that had a sign that read Sydney's Grill. "We'll get tables since we'll need them but some of us can stay of course, I have the menu on my phone so whoever's staying take a look at it." She looked over at the trees they could see from the tables and saw the boys and her three youngest were studying them closely, knowing they were wondering why they were there. "That's where they have the koalas," she told them.

"Really?" Peter asked.

"Really, not sure if you can see them but they're there," Skye said before she saw Castle waving to her.

"I'll head in for you grá," Mary said with a smile at her once she'd reached them. "Enjoy with the kids."

"Oh sure, now that I've told them the koalas are right there," Skye said in mock annoyance. She watched her wife leave with the writer and then looked at Beckett, about to pose the idea they take the kids to look at the marsupials while they waited for their food when her friend was speaking first.

"I don't know if we should," Beckett said. She smiled when the investigator looked at her in surprise and said, "I guessed. But they wouldn't want to leave once they saw the koalas."

"But their stomachs…" Skye said jokingly before she turned with her friend at the laughter of the kids, seeing that Julia and Peter were dancing together. "Really?" she called to them.

"What? We do need to practice," the boy said jokingly. "Are you sure you don't want to dance with us?"

Shaking her head first Mari said, "You guys are better at that than we are."

"Yeah, we need more practice," Clive said. "You know Ms. Grey would say that."

"Okay," Julia said with a sigh. She then looked at Peter and said, "And we did that without Derek here."

"He's watching you guys," Emma said. When the pair looked at her with wide eyes she smiled and nodded to the entrance to the restaurant where the other dancer was looking outside.

"Well… I guess that's okay, he needs to see how we were doing," Julia said, sharing a look with her partner.

"I think you did very well," Emma said.

"She's right, but you're not used to picking her up yet are you?" Whitney then asked.

"Not really," Peter said truthfully. "But Derek's been talking to me about that since he's picked up ladies that were almost as tall as he was before."

"That's true," Whitney said with a smile, speaking quickly as some of the others were coming outside already.

When everyone had their food and were around the table they began to eat, the kids talking mostly as they were discussing the zoo with the other others; specifically the McDouglases.

"Could we go on that thing that's above?" Peter eventually asked.

"The Skyfari," Marie said quickly before she paused and then looked at her mother.

"The stroller can go in a car in front of you guys," Skye said, knowing why her daughter was looking at her. "And Josie will be alright being held."

"Sure," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"She will," Beckett said, remembering the aerial tram from their last visit though they hadn't had to worry about a stroller then. With that settled she listened with a smile as they finished eating with the kids who hadn't been there before asking about what other animals they would see. But they weren't really told and after they'd looked through the Outback section of the zoo they started walking to the Skyfari so they could head up to the other end of the zoo.

"What're we gonna see first?" Julia asked her parents as they were going up in their car.

"Probably the polar bears," Castle said, watching the girl squeezing Josie's leg gently since they were sitting together. He'd taken the baby and Beckett and Eliza were across from them and they went over the zoo, watching the view until a plane came in for a landing at the airport.

"That's so cool," Julia said.

"Yeah, we're gonna be there soon," Eliza said.

"The other way," Julia said.

"She's right," Beckett said, squeezing the little girl's shoulder. "Those are landing and when we take off we'll go in the opposite direction."

"Oh… that's cool too," Eliza said before she looked at the zoo.

Julia, covering her mouth so she wouldn't start laughing out loud, managed to control herself in time and she then asked, "What about dessert."

"I knew you were going to ask that," Beckett said.

"It took her a while though," Castle said with a smile.

"It did," Beckett said. She glanced at Eliza and seeing that she was staring back at her she could help laughing saying, "We were thinking of just letting you guys get Icee drinks."

"Kay," Eliza said eagerly.

"That decides it," Castle commented.

"We're almost there," Julia said as she could see the lines were going down. She prepared herself once they were near the exit and she hurried out before the rest of her family was joining her. "I got the stroller!" she said as she'd gone straight to it.

"Thank you, sweetie," Beckett told her as she watched Castle putting the baby there. But when Josie started to cry she said, "Let me take her."

"Will you be okay?" Castle asked as he remembered how steep it had been in places.

"The stroller isn't going that way," Beckett said.

"Your… dad?" Castle asked slowly.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "Your mother."

"Ah… I thought she would go with the girls," Castle commented, watching their parents walking to them with Derek.

"We asked her," Julia said first as they were waiting for everyone to join them.

"But she said the map said another way was better," Eliza finished for her sister.

"It is," Beckett said when her husband looked at her. She then smiled and said, "Let her, better she's comfortable."

"How well I know that," Castle said jokingly. By then they were starting to walk down from the Skyfari a bit until they reached the Africa section. "Did we really need to go that way?"

"Yes, that's for Martha and Jim to know where we'll be meeting them," Skye said as she and Mary had pointed out where they'd be getting their dessert since the two parents would be resting during their wait for them.

"Are you sure we can't take Josie with us?" Jim was asking his daughter.

"I'm sure, she'll be fine with us," Beckett replied.

"Shouldn't she be napping?" Martha asked.

"If she does while we're still together then she can go with you," Beckett replied simply. When her mother in law nodded she headed into the Polar Bear Plunge with the others, not surprised at her husband coming over to her. "We're fine," she told him with a smile as he was looking down at the baby.

"Just making sure," Castle replied simply.

"Want to take her?" Beckett asked.

"Could I?" Castle said. When his wife just gave him the baby he said, "I'm too transparent."

"I think so," Beckett said, kissing their youngest on the cheek. When they walked up to the glass that looked under the water of the habitat she pointed to a polar bear that was just going in. "She should be able to see it," she commented, turning her attention to the baby.

When Josie seemed to jerk in his arms Castle laughed and said, "She must have."

Nodding, Beckett took the baby's hand and kissed at it before she watched the bear swimming by. When she turned back to her husband she was slightly startled to see their daughter hitting his jaw as she looked at him questioningly.

"I think she's excited," Castle told her.

"Keep going?" Beckett asked him.

"We should," Castle replied before they walked together to the next viewing area. The rest of their group was doing the same and they continued until they were at the windows looking at the upper part of the habitat. There was another bear there, walking until he came to what looked like a den of rocks. He glanced at Josie; to see if she was watching; when the bear that was there started to paw at the ground before it lowered its body and was soon asleep. "I think that's what you need to do," he said, kissing the baby's temple.

Seeing her yawning Beckett said, "Walk around with her love."

"I will," Castle said. "I'll be over there."

"Where did he go?" Clive asked.

"To go to where there aren't any animals, so she won't be distracted by them and fall asleep," Beckett replied, watching her husband before she turned her attention to her two middle daughters.

"Is Josa asleep?" Julia asked.

"I'm not sure," Beckett said, glancing over towards where her husband had gone. "But he's going to try and get her to sleep."

"Think he will?" Julia said though she was watching the polar bear sleeping.

"Probably," Beckett said, watching Eliza pressing her face up against the glass.

"Do we have to go?" the little girl asked as her mother put her hand on her shoulder to pull her away.

"We do sweetie, sorry," Beckett replied. "There's a lot more of the zoo to see."

Sighing Eliza then asked, "Could I go with Dani?"

"When we get to the level ground," Beckett said as they picked up Castle and Josie; the latter sleeping; on the way out of the habitat. When they were outside she wasn't surprised when the other parents requested for them to go to the other path that was less steep for the sake of the kids. As they were heading that way she expected the kids to start asking about dessert and wasn't disappointed when it started nearly the second they went past the Skyfari. She shared a smile with her husband and they turned their attention to their daughters to take them down the path to reach the structure so they could continue through the rest of the zoo.

"Why is there a lighthouse on the building?" Clive was asking the other kids as they started up the stairs.

"It's not real, but it's for the one that's down at the end of the…" Marie started to say before she looked at her twin sister.

"Pendinsula," Kathleen said as slowly as her twin had spoken at the end.

"Peninsula," Mary said gently. "Let's get the tables first and then we'll talk about that lighthouse." She made sure that the kids had set down their glasses at each table they'd need to take up and once they had enough seats she said to the kids who hadn't been to Point Loma Seafood before, "It's not what the Point Loma Lighthouse… the old one, looks like but it's a nod to it."

"Cool… what else?" Peter asked.

"What else?" Mary asked.

"I think there's more than just that," Mari said.

"It's haunted," Skye said. When the others looked at her she said, "Not as strongly as other places but there is something there."

"The food?" Mary asked her wife.

"I came back for a moment to check you got enough tables," Skye said since she was the only adult there.

"We do," Mary said. "Go or they'll have a hard time getting everything here."

Julia smiled at the investigator waving to them over her shoulder while she left and she turned to the railing, leaning against it and looking over the marina at Point Loma Seafood. Her attention quickly went to the view they had of downtown San Diego and she said, "I'm glad we came here."

"Me too," Mari said, going to her and standing next to her. She smiled and said, "It's really pretty here." She looked at the water and gasped saying, "What was that?"

"Is there a boat that returned?" Mary said, standing up.

"Yeah," Julia said. "Sea lions?"

"Or just one," the doctor said with a nod as she stood. Mary saw the head of a sea lion pop up and she said with a smile, "I suppose you guys were surprised, we were going to tell you that they will show up from time to time but not until after dinner."

"That's not fair," Clive said jokingly. He then turned with everyone to look over to the stairs where the first of the other adults were coming with their dinner. He went over to his father and sat with him at the table they were sharing with Peter and his mother. He and his friend then told their parents all about the sea lion they'd seen before they were pausing at the sound of a plane.

"Lufthansa," Skye said in amusement as some of the kids and the adults looked at her. "Just to Frankfurt but it still makes the airport international."

"So… what are we gonna do after this?" Julia asked her parents when they turned their attention back to their dinner.

"We'll go down to the boats; since you guys saw the sea lions," Castle said. "And then go to Old Town."

"Actually," Skye said, since she and Mary were sitting at the table behind the couple. "We should just head in since we do need to get to the airport at six forty-five."

"Is that why we left so early?" Derek asked.

"It is, but some of these kids are going to sleep on the plane," Skye said.

"Or in the airport before we even board," Castle said.

"Is LAX the last stop for our plane tonight?" Emma asked.

"It is," Skye said. "And then Friday it's back the other way around."

"Why not tomorrow?" Fleur asked.

"It's how the airline sets up the schedule," Mari said though she was soon looking at her mother for confirmation.

"It is," Skye replied with a smile. "Have we finished?"

"We have," Castle said, drinking the last of his iced tea. "I'll take everything," he said before his wife could stand up.

Though she wanted to tell him that she could help him, Beckett saw him picking up the items on their table rapidly and she smiled when Julia jumped up to help him. "Thank you, sweetie," she said to the girl.

"You're welcome," Julia said.

"Wait," Castle said, though he didn't stop getting everything on the trays they'd had. "What do you want?"

"It's probably dessert Richard," Martha told her son.

"I figured," Castle said with a smile. "And we will get something, but we need to get to Old Town first."

"Really?" Eliza asked.

"You had small Icees," Castle commented.

"Let's go girls," Beckett said as she stood up.

"Is Josa asleep yet?" Eliza asked, going to the stroller.

"Not yet," Jim said with a smile as he'd fed Josie her dinner.

"What's wrong Martha?" Beckett asked her mother in law as she'd noticed the look on her face. She was taken aback when Castle's mother held her back from everyone else as they were leaving the upper story eating area and said, "Is-"

"How are you doing kiddo?" Martha asked.

"Oh, I'm… okay," Beckett said slowly, realizing her mother in law was asking about her stopping nursing the baby. "As well as I can be."

"Has my son asked that of you?" Martha said.

"Of course, but it's still early," Beckett said. "Thank you for asking though."

"You didn't seem all that surprised," Martha commented. "I suppose since I asked when you stopped with Eliza."

"Kate, Mother?" Castle said, coming up the stairs at that moment.

"We're coming," Martha said. "We just needed a moment to speak."

After his mother had started down the stairs Castle asked, "What's wrong?"

Smiling, since she'd said that as well, Beckett told him quickly what they'd spoken of in Irish and said, "Rebecca asked me earlier."

"While we were at the zoo?" Castle asked.

Beckett nodded and said, "It's a mother thing."

"I noticed," Castle said with a smile. He squeezed her hand and led the way down the stairs so they could hurry to their cars before they were driving to Old Town. Once they were in the plaza of the park he watched as the kids immediately took off for the grass and started to run after each other, even Dani going as Eliza had pulled her along. He opened his mouth to speak about them doing that but decided with all the driving; some in traffic; they'd had to do he guessed it was alright for them. Eventually he was going to ask his wife if they shouldn't call them back when she was suddenly calling out to them with a firm tone of voice, getting their attention immediately.

"Stop running or we won't get dessert," Beckett told them. When they stopped she then gestured to Julia and when she was close she said, "Do you want to dance?"

"Yes but…" the girl said, looking around.

"I want to dance," Mari said, smiling at her friend.

"Do that," Kathleen said eagerly. "Mum and Mom can sing."

"What song though?" Marie asked.

Julia murmured to her three friends and she eventually pulled away, going to the investigator and her wife to talk to her.

"Well," Skye said when the girl had stopped talking. "Are you sure you want to do that now?"

"Yeah," Julia replied. She glanced around them again before she said, "It wouldn't be weird?"

"I don't think so," Mary said, looking at the others.

"Though if I'm singing you'll get attention," Skye said.

"There isn't really anyone here," Jonathon pointed out.

"Okay, so they want to dance a Jive," Skye said, looking at her partner.

"Another one you made up?" Derek asked Julia and Peter.

Smiling the former said, "We did, but we did it in our dance class so everyone else learned it."

"Us too," Clive commented.

"Let's go ahead and start," Skye said before she nodded to her wife. After Mary had started to play the music for the song she began to sing immediately while the two pairs were starting to dance.

Well, well, wellJust because you think you're so prettyAnd just because your momma thinks you're hotJust because you think you've got somethingThe nobody else hasn't gotWell you know you made me spend all my moneyYou laughed and called me old Santa ClausWell I'm telling youBaby I'm through with youBecause well, well just because

Beckett eventually noticed Eliza was jumping up and down and realized she knew the dance as well. She was about to put her hand on her shoulder when Derek came over, asking if she wanted to dance. She smiled when the little girl squealed and pulled the dancer's hand to the others, dancing with them as Skye started to sing again.

Well just because you think I'll be lonesomeAnd just because you think that I'll be blueJust because you think I'll be foolishTo stay at home and wait around for youWell now you make me drop all my girlfriendsYou laugh and call me old Santa ClausWell I'm telling youBaby I'm through with youBecause well, well just because

At the instrumental that was there Beckett was relieved when the kids paused; as did Derek so Eliza could rest. She murmured that to her husband before he was leaning over to whisper into her ear.

"They're not happy they have to," Castle commented.

"No," Beckett said softly with a smile. Glancing around she saw there were a few people that had stopped and at least one had their phone out. The music was beginning to change, and she glanced at Skye who was motioning to the kids to let them know that she was about to sing again.

Well there will come a time when you'll be lonesomeAnd there will come a time when you'll be blueThere will come a time when old SantaHe won't pay the bills for youWell you say that I'm foolishHoney, you laughed and called me old Santa ClausI'm telling you, baby, I'm through with youBecause well, well just because

At yet another instrumental Castle whistled to Julia and Peter; as they'd continued dancing and he wasn't surprised when the former wrinkled her nose at him. Luckily that one didn't last as long as the first and he watch the pair become the first of the three to dance again as Skye was singing.

Well just because you're so prettyAnd just because your mama thinks you're the hottest thing in townJust because you think you've got somethingThat nobody else hasn't gotYou made me spend all my moneyHoney, you laughed when you called me your old Santa ClausWell I'm telling you baby, I'm through with youBecause well, well just becauseBecause well, well just becauseBecause well, well just because

"Bow too," Skye called to the kids after she had stopped to the people watching applauding them. "Thank you," she called to them before they were walking together down the path past the buildings. "If anyone wants to stop at these stores," she told them. "Let us know and we'll wait." She was startled when someone touched her arm and she looked down at Julia before she nodded to her mother, watching the girl rush over to Beckett.

"Could we go to the Casa de Estudillo?" Julia asked.

"We can," Beckett replied. "Do you want to go to the Whaley House too?"

"We can't," Skye said, going over to them. "They've already closed, and I don't think I'd like to risk it."

"But this is alright?" Castle asked, nodding to the house they were approaching at the other end of the plaza.

"I'm going first, you don't recall?" Skye asked with a smile.

"Come on grá," Mary said to her wife as she reached her. "I'll go to the entrance to call you over."

After watching the two women leave Whitney said, "Is it for real? Her being able to see ghosts?"

"It is," Julia said softly.

"You can as well," Eddie said, looking down at the girl. He wasn't surprised when she shrugged, and he said, "Don't worry, I don't think any of us will really judge. We'd have to do that with Skye and we're not about to."

"Yeah I can…" Julia said, recalling she and Skye could speak to them but not wanting to say that. "But she's better at it than I am," she said to let them know that Mary was in the entrance to the house.

Beckett spoke quickly to Castle and then went to their daughter, holding her hand tightly before they went inside the house. She looked at Julia, studying her closely to make sure she would be alright before the girl was looking up at her.

"It's okay Mom it's… relaxed," Julia told her reassuringly. She then went to where Skye was, standing at the entrance to the sala. "Who is she?" she asked, sensing the woman that was there.

"I think one of the daughters of Señor Estudillo," Skye replied. She took a deep breath and said, "This is her time for the house, before the others come out at night."

"Is she okay here?" Mari asked.

"Oh of course," Skye said. "This is where she was happiest." She looked around the room again and said, "We should head around quickly."

Julia nodded, and she walked with Mari around the rooms until they had finished with the house section. She hurried over to the fountain in the courtyard and took a picture of the cupola before she then went to some tiny flowers growing on the side of the path. She picked a few, knowing the others were blocking workers from her at that moment, and she took the blooms to sprinkle them in the water. She felt someone walk up to her and without looking up said, "I don't know why she wanted me to do that."

"I gather she wanted that just so," Skye replied with a slight smile on her face.

"Yeah," Julia said with a smile. She then looked up and said, "She's leaving."

"Yes," Skye said. "It's time to go," she then told the little girl, grabbing her hand so they could return with the others and walk back out to where they'd been walking along the shops before.

"Was everything okay?" Daisy asked Skye as they stopped to look at the store with decorative outdoor items.

"It was, but there were a number of spirits who wanted to come out," the investigator explained. "It would have been a bit too much for the baby."

"The baby is…" Derek said.

"She's the same as me and Lizzy," Julia said. When the two looked at her she told them, "Lizzy's the same as me, but she's only just starting to be able to see and talk to people who're spirits."

"How-" Daisy began.

Shaking her head Skye said, "It's Kate, but don't mention it to her she's more of a skeptic," before she excused herself to go to her daughters since the two oldest were tugging at Mary's hands.

"Easy girls," the doctor told them. "We will go, don't worry."

"Are we all going to fit in this store though?" Castle commented.

"We will, but I'm not sure about the stroller," Skye said.

"I'll stay-" Beckett began.

"No, no," Martha was quick to interrupt her. "The girls want you to go and I'll take a turn to look around if someone will come out to stay with her."

"I will," Jim said. After Castle's mother nodded he followed his daughter, son in law and granddaughters into the store, looking around it before he felt her hand on his arm.

"They have some items in the display cases over there you might like," Beckett told her father with a smile. "And books around the whole store."

"I remember the girls telling me about this place," Jim said with a nod.

Beckett could only smile at him as she had to turn her attention to Eliza who was pulling her after Castle and Julia. "No books," she said quickly when she saw her husband was stopping at the ghost related books.

"Oh, please Mom?" Julia asked.

"Just one," Castle suggested, watching his wife.

"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh as she knew Julia wouldn't leave her alone about that. She then said, "We'll look at the coloring books."

"I can't get a book too Mommy?" Eliza asked.

"No sweetie, I want you to get a coloring book instead," Beckett said gently, preparing herself for the little girl's protest.

"Kay," Eliza said before she started to look around the coloring books that were next to the ghost books. She paused at a few tomes but finally picked out one, showing it to her mother.

"Are you sure?" Beckett asked with a smile as it was a coloring book with a fairy flower alphabet.

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly. "I wanna color all of them."

"Okay," Beckett said, taking her daughter's hand with her free one. "Let's see what your daddy and sister are doing now."

"We're here," Castle told his wife quickly as they were rounding the corner onto the aisle they were standing at.

"You found a book?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Yeah, it's about haunted places in Washington," Julia replied, looking at her book. "Dad says it's the state and not DC."

"Interesting," Beckett said, not surprised when her husband studied her after that. She merely smiled at him and urged their second oldest to start looking around for the coloring book that she wanted. She felt Castle walking over to her and then glanced at him, not surprised he was avoiding looking at her before he spoke.

"Interesting?" Castle asked his wife in Irish.

"I'm not going to take the book away from her," Beckett said firmly. "But don't ask me to read it."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Castle said swiftly. When his wife looked at him with her eyebrow raised he grabbed her wrist, gently, pulling her to him before he kissed her. He had to keep that short and when they parted told her, "I needed to."

"I know," Beckett said. When she saw how he was studying her she said, "I understand what you mean."

"Yeah…" Castle said slowly, looking ahead of them at the girls. He was startled when they weren't paying attention to him and Beckett, instead talking together while looking at a book. He shared a smile with his wife and then cleared his throat saying, "Did you make a decision?"

"I'd like this one," Julia told them both, showing them the book that was of Mandalas.

"Okay," Beckett said. "Do you want any wax sticks for your seals?"

"Can I look at them?" Julia asked.

"Sure, but look with your grandpapa okay?" Beckett asked her.

"Okay," Julia replied, seeing out of the corner of her eye that her sister was nodding too. She smiled inwardly then, as it hadn't surprised her that her parents were asking them to do that, and she hoped they'd enjoy their time together as they reached Jim.

"Is she alright?" Castle asked, sitting down with his wife after he'd watched to check on the girls quickly.

"She is," Beckett said, rubbing the baby's arm gently.

"What do you think?" Castle asked.

"I don't think we'll be able to see that much, especially after we have that dessert," Beckett answered. She looked at her husband and seeing the expression on his face said, "What're you remembering?"

"I'll have to tell you later," Castle told her, standing up as he had just recalled something. "I need to go pay."

"Not to worry Richard," Martha told her son as she walked out of the store. "Jim will pay." She wasn't surprised when he frowned and was about to walk when she placed her hand on his arm. "He won't let you."

Breathing out hard Castle said, "I just hope it's not too much.""It won't be Rick," Beckett told him as he sat next to her again. She squeezed his hand gently and said, "Is there anywhere you'd like to go Martha?"

"I haven't really seen anything," Castle's mother replied. She smiled and then said, "But it's charming here. Historic.""The girls love it at least," Beckett replied. She glanced at her husband, seeing he was looking down the path and said, "Rick."

"What?" Castle said immediately. He saw the way his wife and mother were looking at him and said, "Just trying to figure out where the ice cream place was."

"It's nearby," Skye said, coming out with her family. "But I was just asking the others; they said they're alright just walking around the plaza in the corner."

"That's fine," Beckett said first. "We don't have the time and the stores are closing soon I'm assuming."

"Soon," Skye said before she looked behind them to watch the others starting to leave the store. Once she was sure they were all there she and her wife led the way to the plaza past the next shop where they would pick up dessert, taking turns to go inside since their group was a bit large for the smaller ice cream shop.

"What can we get?" Julia asked eagerly when it was their turn.

"Love," Beckett said in amusement, watching him looking at one of the menus.

"Yeah," Castle said simply.

"Can we get sundaes?" Julia asked hopefully.

"We'll share them," Beckett said firmly as she'd noticed them as well. "How?" she asked them all.

"We'll share with the girls," Jim said.

"Which one would you like Rick?" Beckett asked her husband as the girls paired off with their grandparents immediately after hearing that.

"You can choose," Castle told her.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "I know you'll want one of them already."

"The churro one," Castle said immediately.

"Alright," Beckett said.

"Pick the ice cream," Castle told her quickly. "Seriously."

Beckett couldn't help laughing at the way he spoke, and she was looking at the flavors while their parents were getting churro sundaes as well. When it was her turn to get the ice cream she told the worker, "Strawberry Fresca and Cookies and Cream."

"This is… awesome," Castle said once they were sitting together at a table outside with their ice cream.

"And there's two!" Eliza said happily. "So we can share them," she told her grandmother, sharing the sundae with her. She took one of the churro pieces and dipped it in the mint chocolate chip they'd gotten and then ate the pastry.

"What did you get for the ice cream?" Julia asked her parents. When her mother told her she smiled and said, "I thought you'd get the strawberry one."

"I hope you let your grandpapa pick one ice cream," Beckett told her.

"She did," Jim said gently. "Rocky Road."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said, knowing her father loved that flavor. "Luckily it goes with coconut and pineapple."

"We got strawberries too Mommy!" Eliza said, holding up the last of her churro.

"Do you want my half kiddo?" Martha asked her. She was startled when her granddaughter shook her head seriously and then said, "Well if you're sure."

"Try it Gram, it's so good," Eliza said firmly.

Martha did her best to do that and not laugh at how the little girl was speaking, soon telling her, "You are right it's very good."

Beckett, watching the two with the others, smiled at the way Eliza hugged Castle's mother and then said, "Keep eating your sundae, we'll run out of time."

"I wish we could stay," Julia said with a sigh.

"I wish too," Castle commented, finishing a spoonful of ice cream. "But at least we could see what we did today you know."

"Mom," Julia started to say before her mother was talking.

"We're not going to make it to San Francisco this time," Beckett said firmly.

Sighing Julia asked, "Then tell us a story."

"I remembered something," Castle said with a smile as his wife glanced at him then. "But it's better if we wait for the airport," he told them. He laughed with the other three as the girls groaned together and said, "It's better if I do that, that way we don't mind the wait until we get on the plane." He expected them to just accept that and return to their ice cream but was surprised when Eliza was asking him a question he'd thought her sister would inquire instead.

"What is it about?" the little girl said.

Castle smiled and said, "I think because we're so close to Halloween I'm remembering one we celebrated."

"What year?" Julia couldn't help asking.

"You'll see," Castle said simply.

Sighing Julia said, "Why do we need to wait?"

"Because I'll need time to tell you about it," Castle said simply. "But don't worry, I'll tell you eventually."

Looking at her little sister, Julia shrugged and they finished their sundaes with their grandparents before they were walking again. "Where are we going now?" she asked, walking with her mother after they had checked on Josie who was sleeping.

"Probably just around the other side," Beckett said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Do you think the mules are open?" Julia asked her.

"I'm not sure," Beckett replied. "We'll find out."

Julia nodded as they walked around the end of the park and she looked ahead to where she knew the mules were kept. But she noticed that the entrance was closed off and she sighed saying, "It's not."

"I know sweetie," Beckett said. "But at least you got dessert," she pointed out to her, not surprised her daughter laughed heavily.

"Are we just gonna walk?" Eliza asked.

"I think so," Castle said, squeezing her leg since she was on his shoulders. "We need to get to the airport soon."

"It was a fun day," Eliza replied.

"It's not over yet," Eddie said, having been walking near them. "Though I suppose that's all there is here."

"Not quite," Skye said.

Walking past the Cosmopolitan Hotel, shops and a restaurant the group went into the plaza in the corner to look at the shops there. Though they'd intended to go around those quickly some ended up going inside before they reached the toy store.

"Should we?" Jonathon asked as the younger kids were tugging their parents' hands.

"We'll need to," Mary said in amusement. She then looked at hers and Skye's daughters and said firmly, "We're just looking though."

Eliza, when her mother told her the same, pursed her lips but finally nodded and said, "I have money."

Beckett laughed and gently tugged the little girl's braid before saying, "We'll see if you have enough for anything."

"Yeah," Eliza said happily before she hurried ahead of her mother to go with Fleur and the younger McDouglas twins to look at the different toys for sale.

"She doesn't have enough for much," Castle murmured to his wife as they stood by the entrance with Josie.

"I know," Beckett replied easily, looking over at the baby.

"So… what if she finds one of the cheaper toys?" Castle asked.

Turning her attention to her husband Beckett then said, "Then we'll tell her she'll need to decide if she wants to spend her money on it."

"Does she need that lesson now?" Castle asked.

"I know it sounds harsh but-" Beckett started to say.

"Johanna and I taught that same lesson to Katie," Jim said. "And she's found something."

"That was fast," Castle said, walking with his wife to their second oldest.

"It doesn't really surprise me," Beckett said with a smile before they reached the little girl. "What did you find sweetie?" she asked her.

"Can I buy this?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"Did you see how much it was?" Castle asked as she was playing with the cup and ball she had in her hand.

"Yeah, I think it says two dollars," Eliza said. "Did I read it right?"

"It'll be three dollars," Castle told her as he took the toy to check. "With the tax. Do you have enough?"

"Yeah, I gave Mommy five dollars," Eliza said, turning to her mother.

"Alright," Beckett said, going to her purse and getting that bill out of her wallet to hand to the little girl.

"Thanks," Eliza said eagerly.

"I'll take her," Castle told his wife quickly.

"The girls want the same," Skye said, walking up to her friend then when she was alone.

"Your youngest?" Beckett asked.

"Of course," Skye said.

"You didn't practice that much today," Beckett told her.

"No," Skye replied. "He's of a mind to do that at the airport… which I suppose we could do."

"There's room?" Beckett asked.

"There is," Skye said wryly. "But not for that long."

"What about the kids?" Beckett asked.

"I'll ask them if they want to do that," Derek said, walking over to them. "I get the feeling they will though.""Probably," Beckett said with a smile before they were heading back to the entrance to get ready to leave. She looked back to make sure that Eliza and Castle were finished and joining them before she took the stroller. As they were leaving the store and then the plaza she watched Eliza doing her best with her new toy, smiling while they walked back to their cars so they could leave for the airport.

"Your left foot Peter," Derek called.

"Shoot!" the boy said with a groan.

"It's alright," Julia said. "I made that mistake last time."

"She's right, you're not the first," Derek said. "Do you want to try one more time?"

"Sure," Peter said firmly.

Julia studied her partner until he turned to her and they waited for Derek to count them in before they started their Foxtrot again. When they managed to get past where Peter had made the mistake she would have smiled at him, but they were continuing until they reached the last bit before what would be their ending. "Great job," she told him seriously.

"Thanks," Peter said before they were turning their attention to Derek who told them the same.

"We'll keep practicing it," the pro told the four kids. "That way we won't forget."

"Sure," Mari said.

"But why do you say we?" Clive asked.

"I'm used to doing that," Derek said simply. He smiled when the kids looked confused and told them, "I'll be saying that to Skye right now."

"I'm sorry your families had to leave," Julia said quickly to her three friends when the pro had walked away from them.

"At least they'll come back next week," Mari said, though not very convincingly. She smiled when Julia hugged her before she then said, "And we have a lot to do still."

"Yeah, lessons," Clive said, crossing his eyes as the others laughed. He turned with them as Beckett was calling to them and they went over to watch while Skye and Derek practiced a bit of their Paso Doble.

"Are you going to practice the team dance now?" Julia asked.

"Not today, tomorrow," Eddie said.

"Are you tired?" Julia said to him with a smile.

"A bit, it was a lot of walking around that zoo of course," the actor replied.

"Did you like it?" Iris asked shyly.

"I did," Eddie said. "But I think it's more important to ask if you did since it was your first time here."Squeezing her twin's hand, as she knew she was confused by the actor's comment, Ivy said, "We did, and we're really glad that we get to come back."

"Good," Skye said. "Anyone want to come with us to the shops? Since we have the time now."

"You don't want to rest?" Mary asked.

"I will eventually on the plane," Skye pointed out to her wife.

Beckett watched as the others were soon leaving, not surprised that Skye and Mary promised to bring them some hot chocolate. And she wasn't taken aback either when Eliza rushed to Castle, throwing herself on his lap the best she could.

"The story Daddy! The story!" the little girl was saying before she squealed as he picked her up.

"So you remembered," Castle said jokingly.

"Dad," Julia said with a groan though she soon after smiled at him.

"Okay," Castle replied quickly as Eliza was pouting at him as well. He kissed her temple before he then began with, "It was Halloween of 1936 so Julia you were fourteen, Eliza you were nine, Alexis was eight and Josie was six though she was six and a half by then of course." He glanced at his wife and wasn't surprised that she seemed to be recalling it as well while he continued with their morning that Saturday in Mill Valley.

"Can't I have more pancakes Ma?" Alexandra asked, going to her mother at the stove.

"I think you've had enough honey," Kate told her daughter with a smile. "And we need to wash everything up."

"Why do we need to head into town?" Rick asked as he brought over the stack of the other plates they'd used to eat breakfast.

"To get the last of the food and drinks," Kate replied.

"Are you sure you should have a party?" Johanna asked her daughter.

"It's alright Ma," Kate said reassuringly as her husband gently moved her away from the sink by her hips. "We've done this before for Alexandra's birthday."

"Yeah," the little girl said, having gone to her grandmother. She smiled when Johanna hugged her and said, "My friends are coming over."

"I know," Kate's mother replied. "You'll help your mother, won't you?"

"They will, but that is why Rosie, Mary and Patrick are going to be here," Kate replied.

"But why don't they have a party at the club?" Julia asked. "They can serve hooch now."

"Julia," Kate said firmly.

"Sorry Ma," Julia said with a sigh. "But that's what they serve."

"Yes, but there aren't many that go to clubs tonight," Rick said from the sink. "They'll have the kiddies to take out."

"Our costumes are ready," Elizabeth said with a smile. "I can't wait for you to see Grandma."

"I can't either," Johanna assured them.

"Alright," Kate said as she was watching her husband nearly finished. "Get your jackets."

"Thank goodness it's cooled down," Johanna said as she stood from the table. "This summer was far too hot."

"It was," Rick said in agreement. "And we're nearly to winter."

"Hope that it won't rain tonight," Kate said with a smile. She then left them to check on the girls, seeing the three youngest were gathering around their big sister while they looked outside. She smiled and then cleared her throat, watching them jump before Julia closed the door a little harder than she knew the young woman meant.

"Sorry Ma, they wanted to make sure there weren't any clouds," the girl said with a slightly abashed smile. "Are we ready?"

"Not yet," Kate told her.

"Can we listen to the radio?" Elizabeth then asked hopefully.

Shaking her head Kate went to get her handbag and said, "We'll go right now."

"What's first Ma?" Josephine asked, taking her mother's hand.

Kate was about to answer when her mother and husband were leaving the dining room and she smiled as the latter was struggling to button the cuffs on his shirt. She stopped him when he reached her and did it for him before she went to get his jacket. She was about to tell him they could go when he was speaking first though it was mostly to the girls.

"You forgot your hats," Rick said while he was grabbing his.

"We were just about to get them," Kate said simply. "Are you alright staying here Ma?" she then asked.

"I am, go on and I'll see if Rosie and the others make their way here early," Johanna told them.

"They have a key to the house," Julia said.

"No, leave her be," Rick told her. "She'll be alright here."

"Come on," Kate then told the girls. "We'll be back soon Ma," she told Johanna who followed them over to the door.

"Have fun," Kate's mother told them. "And be safe."

"We will," Rick said as he held the gate for the girls and his wife. They waved to his mother in law and then walked together to the main street. "Oh, I should have told your ma to meet us for lunch," he said, pausing before they were too far from their street.

"I can go," Elizabeth said eagerly.

"Alright, but don't run," Kate told her. "We'll walk to the end of the street to watch you." She half expected the little girl to protest but when she was hurrying away after her father had told her what to say to her grandmother, she looked at her husband and slid her arm through his before they went to the end of their street. She saw that Elizabeth was soon going through the gate and she turned to her husband saying, "We'll need to stop at the tailor's."

"Your dress is ready," Julia told her littlest sister.

"Thanks," Josephine said with a wide smile.

Julia couldn't help laughing at how earnest the little girl was and she said, "I didn't fix it. But don't try to climb the fence at home next time."

"She's right," Kate said in amusement as Josephine had looked to her.

"And don't ask me to help you," Rick said. He grunted when his wife nudged him; though she hadn't hit him too hard; and he said, "Again."

"There's Elizabeth," Alexandra said quickly.

"Gram said she'll be at the café," the little girl said once she had reached her family. She took Alexandra's hand and they walked together behind their big sister and little sister in front of their parents. When they reached the first shop she asked, "Where are we going first?"

"To the tailor's?" Rick asked his wife.

"Yes," Kate said. "You girls have your bags."

"I get to carry it?" Josephine asked.

"Of course, it's your dress," Kate told her.

"What will we do then?" Alexandra asked.

"You'll find out soon," Rick told the little girl in amusement before he was moving ahead of his wife to open the door for them all.

"Good morning," the woman said behind the counter as she looked up at the bell ringing on the door. "You're here for your daughter's dress?"

"I am," Kate said with a nod. She paid for the wrapped package and let Josephine take it so she could place it into the bag she carried. After they had left the shop she said, "We need to go to the grocer's now," before Alexandra was suddenly speaking.

"Will we have to carry the groceries too?" the little girl said.

"I will," Kate assured her. "We'll just get a few items for the sandwiches here and then go to the market to get our apples and some lettuce. Those I hope you'll carry for us."

"Oh, I want to carry the apples," Elizabeth said.

"Let your sister carry them," Rick said, placing his hand on Julia's shoulder. "But we need to get two heads of lettuce so you two can carry those," he said to the little girl and Alexandra.

"Come on," Kate told them, opening the door and ushering the girls inside.

Rick held the bag for his wife while she was choosing some coffee, cheese and oatmeal. "Oats?" he asked her.

"For the morning, I nearly forgot we'd needed it," Kate told him. She smiled at her husband and then went with him over to the registers, allowing him to purchase the items before they were leaving.

Watching their parents murmuring, Julia tried not to smile too widely as she knew already where they would be heading next. She let her father take Josephine by the hand and then went to her mother asking softly, "Are we going to the bookstore?"

"Of course, it's time you all had some books," Kate said simply.

Julia tried not to gasp too loudly and asked, "Is it here?"

"It is," Kate replied. "And you'll be able to get your own book."

"Oh Ma, that's swell," Julia said so excitedly she was nearly tripping over her words. "I can get one of Ms. Christie's books, can't I?"

"Yes, but you'll need to let me see it," Kate told her before they were disappearing into the book store.

"You've told her?" Rick asked his wife as they were watching their daughters hurrying ahead of them to the children's books.

"Of course" Kate replied.

"Then we'll help Elizabeth and Alexandra find theirs," Rick said. When his wife nodded he walked after her, getting their daughters' attention so they could start looking through the tomes.

"There's Grandma!" Josephine said, waving.

"Easy honey," Rick told the little girl. "She sees us."

"I'm glad you made it Ma," Kate said as her mother sat at their table.

"Did you bring the Ford?" Rick asked.

"I did, though I would imagine the girls will be fine goin' with you after this," Johanna said with a smile. She then turned her attention to her granddaughters asking them, "How was your mornin'?"

Kate wasn't surprised when the girls were talking at the same time and she smiled at her husband calming them down quickly before she spoke first. "You'll need to go one at a time. I would suggest you let your big sister tell the order and we'll let your grandma ask us any questions about what we have bought."

"It looks like it's quite a bit," Johanna commented.

Rick nodded and then said, "They're eager to tell you." He smiled when his mother in law did and they turned to look at Julia who was swift to begin with their first stop at the stores in town.

"And we went to the bookstore last," the young woman said with a smile.

"We were there an awfully long time, but we got to get books!" Josephine said happily.

"I'm not surprised that you did," Johanna commented. "What did you get?"

"I got Ferdinand," Josephine said after her mother told her to say first.

"Oh, it came in?" Johanna asked her daughter and son in law.

"Finally," Rick said. "Girls?" he said, looking at Alexandra and Elizabeth.

"I got A Pony for Jean," the former said first with a smile.

"That sounds like the perfect book for you," Johanna said. "What did you get?" she then asked Elizabeth.

"Ballet Shoes," Elizabeth replied. "Ma says it's from England."

"The author is British," Rick explained.

"Where are the books?" Johanna asked.

"In my other bag," Kate explained. "Julia got a book as well."

"Hmm, is it one of Agatha Christie's?" Johanna asked her eldest granddaughter with a smile.

"Cards on the Table," Julia said. "Susan has read it and she says it's the cat's meow."

"Are you sure it's alright for her to read those books?" Johanna asked her daughter.

"She listens to her father's stories," Kate replied, speaking quickly as the waitress was coming over to their table.

Though she'd had something else to ask Johanna waited for them to order before she said to her daughter and son in law, "What have you gotten?"

"I picked up The Lady in the Morgue," Rick said first at his wife's nod. He kept his voice down so the youngest girls wouldn't hear the title.

"And you Katie?" Johanna asked her daughter, smiling at her son in law's choice since he read largely crime novels.

"The Crimson Patch," Kate said, not surprised when her mother still smiled as she enjoyed whodunnit novels, especially the Asey Mayo books.

"Oh, we didn't tell Grandma about her book!" Alexandra said suddenly.

"They had the Oxford Book of Modern Verse," Kate told her mother.

"They did? Wonderful," Johanna said happily. "I'll look forward to readin' that tonight."

"Thank you for staying with the candies Ma," Kate said after the girls had spoken about where they wanted to go most in the neighborhood.

"Well, I wouldn't want to walk around the entire neighborhood," Johanna said. "And you'll have fun with Josephine."

"How long can we go out Ma?" Elizabeth asked then.

"When we say it's time to stop you'll stop," Rick said. He wasn't surprised when the girls protested; except for Julia since she was going to spend the night at her friend's house down the street; and said, "Really, it's Sunday tomorrow but we can't stay out all night."

"And we're going to eat," Kate said firmly as she could see their food was coming then. She was pleased when the girls didn't say anything else and they started their meal.

When they had finished their meal Rick and Kate gathered their daughters and after seeing off her mother in the car walked to the Mill Valley Market. The girls had gone to look at the pumpkins, while their parents were looking at the apples.

"I think you should go with them Rick," Kate told her husband, picking out a deep red apple and setting it into her bag.

"They're fine," he told her firmly. When their youngest started to cry, Rick said, "I'll go now." He wasn't surprised when his wife smiled at him and he hurried to the girls, seeing that Julia was just helping Josephine up. "What is it honey?" he asked the little girl picking her up.

"She was skipping and she fell," Alexandra explained.

"Ah, best not let your ma hear that," Rick told her, kissing Josephine's cheek. "Are you hurt?" When the little girl shook her head, he kissed her cheek again and said, "And now you know to be careful."

"I will Da," Josephine said, leaning her cheek against her father's.

"Come on girls," Rick told them. "Your ma might be finished, and she'll need your bags for our produce." He took the four to where Kate was in line at the register, seeing that she was speaking to their neighbor, Mrs. McTavish. "Good afternoon Maisel," he told the woman tipping his hat with his free hand.

"Good afternoon Rick, girls," the woman said with a smile at them. "Billy can't wait for your party tonight. Luckily he and his papa went to fish in the ocean so he'll be busy until then. But I have some last touches on his costume so I'll see you soon."

After they'd said goodbye to the woman and she'd paid for the apples and lettuce Kate said, "What happened?" as they were walking back home.

"I tripped Ma," Josephine said softly as she was walking hand in hand with her mother.

"I thought so," Kate replied. "You know better honey," she told her youngest gently.

"Yes Ma," Josephine said. "Can we try on our costume when we get home?"

"Costumes," Kate corrected her. "And yes, you can but after you help me in getting everything set up."

"Okay," Josephine said happily.

Kate, as the little girl was going to her sisters, went to her husband and slid her arm through his. They listened to their daughter's chatter while they walked and glanced at each other, smiling before they followed the four past the fence to head inside their abode.

"What do you think Ma?" Julia said as she walked into the kitchen later that evening.

"You look perfect," Kate said with a smile as her oldest was wearing the costume of a hula dancer from Hawaii. They'd made the skirt together, using pieces of green crepe to attach to the green skirt she'd bought. She was wearing a gingham shirt in white and green with leis around her neck that covered it. "Will you take this out to the table?" she asked her daughter, handing her the large punch bowl. "I'll be changing into my costume." When her daughter nodded she went up the stairs and then to the master bedroom, slipping in just as her husband was leaving the bathroom.

"I'm not sure about this," Rick told her.

"Well… the girls did say we should dress up," Kate replied, doing her best to keep a straight face at the sight of her husband. He was dressed as a prospector, what their daughters had suggested to them to wear, but wasn't sure he wasn't appearing to be a fool in a plaid shirt and Levi's.

"You'll look better than I will," Rick said firmly.

"You say that without seeing me," Kate replied simply before she went over to the closet to get her clothes.

Rick was about to say he would soon, but she was closing the door behind her and he went over to it to let her know he could help her when she was calling out from the other side.

"Go with the girls, make sure they're okay," Kate said.

"Alright," Rick said though he was hesitating for a moment. He finally shook himself and headed down the stairs before heading down the flight that went to the living room. "Well, I see we're all ready."

"Yeah," Elizabeth said eagerly. "Are you ready to go diggin' Da?"

"King's English, Elizabeth," Rick told her teasingly. He gently tugged on the braid in her hair; the little girl dressed as a cat; and he said, "I suppose I am. We'll have a long drive up to Sutter's Mill."

"I'm ready," Julia said.

"Me too!" Josephine said eagerly, tugging on her father's hand.

"You look beautiful," Rick told the little girl with a smile as she was dressed as a fairy. "And you as well Alexandra," he said as his second oldest was holding onto his other hand by then.

"Thank you Da," the little girl replied, her costume a clown.

"Where's your grandma?" Rick asked.

"In the kitchen," Julia answered. "She's just checking on everything."

"Everythin's ready," Johanna said, walking over to them. "We just need to wait for guests."

"It's Aunt Rose!" Josephine squealed when they heard a car going past the side of the house.

"I wonder why she's running a bit late," Kate said, coming down the stairs. She smiled when Josephine rushed to her, hugging her around the waist and she leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Are they dressing up?" Julia asked.

"I'm not sure, Rosie never mentioned she would," Kate replied as they were heading over to the back door to greet the arrivals as they were walking over to them.

"Well, well, you're off to Yosemite, aren't you?" Rose asked when she spotted her twin.

"You can't pan for gold there," Kate said jokingly before she and her sister hugged. "A witch?" she asked.

"Oh… it was the best we could do," Rose said in amusement.

"I told her I shouldn't wear this," Patrick said as the twins looked at him. He was dressed as an old-time telegrapher, down to the striped shirt, vest, sleeve protectors and visor hat.

As the girls were greeting their aunts and uncle Rick and Kate ushered them inside so they could prepare for the start of the party. They were able to calm down in time for the doorbell ringing and they turned their attention to their guests to begin letting them in.

"Stay together with us girls," Kate told her daughters as they walked out onto the sidewalk. Their party had gone well and though it hadn't lasted for very long she knew the girls didn't mind at all as they wanted to go out for trick or treating.

"We will," Julia said. She looked down at her little sister; walking with Alexandra; before they made their way up to the first house.

"I'm surprised they're letting us stay with them," Rick commented.

"We have to stay with the youngest," Kate said simply, as she knew Julia had wanted to go on her own with her friends.

"At least we didn't have words," Rick said.

"With our daughter?" Kate asked. She smiled when he shrugged, as she knew he hadn't really had much else to say, and she squeezed his arm that she was holding onto before their daughters were returning to them. "What did you get?" she asked.

"Cookies!" Elizabeth said eagerly, holding up the cellophane bag with the tiny cookies inside them.

"Wonderful, Maisel makes the best sugar cookies," Rick said.

"You're only having one of them," Kate told him.

"Can we share with the aunts and Uncle Patrick?" Julia said.

"You knew I was going to ask that of you already," Kate told her. She laughed softly when her oldest nodded before she could hear her sister calling to them behind her.

"Did they already go to a house?" Rose asked once they were gathered together again.

"This one," Elizabeth said.

"Is Ma alright?" Kate asked while they were continuing again.

"Of course," Rose said.

"She was giving the candies out already when we left," Mary said. "And enjoying the costumes."

"She always loved Halloween," Kate said with a smile before they were stopping at the next house. She watched with the others as the four children walked up to the front door, smiling as they chorused out their, "Tricks or treats!" at the same time. She felt her husband kiss her cheek suddenly and glanced at him, squeezing his hand in response before they were continuing through their neighborhood again.

"Love?" Castle asked, standing at the doorway to the room downstairs in the guesthouse later that night.

"Yes?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Is she alright?" Castle said.

"She's fine," Beckett replied as she walked back to her husband.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep here?" Castle said.

"I'm sure," Beckett said easily as she then took her husband's hand and pulled him with her over to the stairs. They'd been back from San Diego for a half hour and she'd finally managed to get Josie to stay with them. "I wonder why your mother's so eager to keep Josie with her," she said once they were up in their room and could talk at a normal volume.

"I think she's recalling she's heading back to the city after New Year's," Castle reminded her.

"She doesn't want to move in yet?" Beckett asked as she was taking off her robe.

"Not yet," Castle replied, doing the same to his own and then following her onto the bed. "At least she's set for now," he told his wife.

"For now," Beckett said with a smile. She waited for her husband to get settled before she wrapped her arms around him and said, "Did your mind go past that second house?"

"Not really," Castle replied, recalling his memory swiftly. Luckily it had taken him right until they'd needed to board their plane to tell it so their kids had stayed calm. He put his free hand behind his head and said, "I thought about that night."

Since her husband was looking pointedly at her Beckett said, "I remembered too," with a sigh though she smiled when he squeezed her against him a little hard. "We forgot again."

"Yes," Castle replied. "Twice."

"I think I was too close to my next period," Beckett said after thinking that over. "I wasn't receptive to you. At least in that way."

"Yeah," Castle said slowly. He laughed when she nudged him, and he turned his head, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "You know I wanted you even though we were wearing those stupid costumes."

"They weren't really," Beckett said with a smile. "Plaid shirts and jeans?""We could have sung The Lumberjack Song… if it had existed then," Castle said. At her second nudge to his side he said, "Why are you beating me up?"

Giving him a look, though she didn't mean it, Beckett then said, "What happened once we'd finished?"

Though he knew he could give her a great smart-ass comment, Castle decided he had better things to say and he said, "We were together… off and on."

"Luckily my sister, Mary and Patrick stayed over," Beckett commented, recalling suddenly how tired they had been the next day.

"When we stopped it was dawn the next day," Castle told her.

"What time was that?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Six thirty," Castle replied, the time coming to him suddenly. He kissed her temple before he then told her about their discussion that morning though he knew she was aware of what they'd said already.

"Do we really need to stop love?" Rick asked his wife, caressing her hair.

"The sun's almost up," Kate told him, raising her head though the window behind their bed was covered with curtains. "And we need sleep."

"I'm sure your Ma and Rose can take care of them," Rick said.

Kate smiled and kissed her shoulder lightly before she pressed her cheek to it saying, "I think we've done enough love."

Sighing Rick said, "Next year I'm a prince." He wasn't surprised when his wife laughed, and he told her, "Well… not a prince but better than a grubby prospector."

"Oh, it wasn't so bad Rick," Kate said, raising her head. She smiled at him, slightly smirking as well, before she told him, "It didn't stop us did it?"

Shuddering, recalling their intense lovemaking Rick said, "You're a Sheba."

Leaning down enough to reach him, Kate kissed him as hard as she could, not surprised when he reached up to her and tangled his fingers through her hair carefully. Once they stopped, she traced his lips with her index finger telling him, "I love being with you like this Rick."

"As much as I do?" he asked her."We'd have to spend far too much time discussing that," Kate told him. She leaned down and gently brushed her lips against his before she told him, "I love you."

"I love you Kate," Rick said quickly. "Do you think I could touch you?"

"We can't, we need to sleep," Kate replied.

Breathing out hard, Rick watched her tug the covers over her shoulder and he held her close to let her fall asleep before he joined her while the next day was beginning.

"Should I be worried we haven't done that for a while?" Castle asked.

"How can we?" Beckett replied. "I prefer it during the day anyway."

"So do I," Castle replied before he yawned.

"It's not our ages," Beckett said quickly as she knew what was on his mind as he looked like was about to speak.

"Mine," Castle said. He was a little startled at how intently his wife had looked at him and said, "Kate-"

Shaking her head, surprised that that had stopped him from continuing, Beckett said, "I know Rick, but you do realize in other ways you're impressive." When he didn't say anything she said, "Should we stop?"

"I think so," Castle replied since he was holding himself tense. He looked at her and then asked, "Could I kiss you at least?"

"That's more if you think you can," Beckett replied. She expected her husband to instantly kiss her, so once he did she was responding nearly immediately, and they were holding onto one another tightly. When they had finally parted she said, "That we can't really push."

"Not at all," Castle said, hugging her a little tighter. They both suddenly froze at hearing Josie making some noises but when she didn't start crying they relaxed though they listened to the monitor for a bit more time. "Kate," he then said as he thought of something. "Are you okay?"

"I am," Beckett told him. "You don't have to keep asking me."

"I worry hugging you," Castle told her.

"I know but I'll let you know if it's too much," Beckett replied gently. She leaned against him and they shared a tender kiss before they parted, and she said, "It's interesting we're not going anywhere next week."

Smiling as he knew that was a distraction, Castle went along with it saying, "I think Skye wants a break. Speaking of being exhausted…" He then looked at his wife and asked, "Would you ever do it?"

"Not unless I was dancing with you," Beckett replied.

"I agree," Castle said before they kissed. They lingered a bit with that before he pulled away from her first and was about to speak when she put her fingers to his lips so she could talk first, letting her do that willingly since he was kissing her fingertips.

"Stop," Beckett said in amusement.

"I'm not sorry," Castle said.