23. Things I Do At Night(1)

"Okay, I'm ready Mom," Julia said, walking out from behind the screen.

Watching her daughter, Beckett smiled and said, "You couldn't even tell me about this?"

"Not really," Julia said simply, laughing softly before her mother grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I look okay?"

"Yes, I have to admit I was worried about what Derek would have you wear," Beckett admitted. "I remember the outfits they have sometimes for the Contemporary dances."

"Derek wouldn't do that," Julia said quickly.

"What about Derek?" Beckett asked.

"Like the boys; a shirt and pants in white," Julia told her simply. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and then spun around once. For the Contemporary dance that she and her friends were doing that night she was wearing a white sundress and white leggings that were shorter than usual. They were also a little wrinkled and she liked the way they looked though she was glancing down at her feet while her mother brushed her hair.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked, having been watching her reflection.

"Well… I did try to dance barefoot; Peter and I," Julia said quickly. "But it's really hard to do."

"Those aren't too bad," Beckett told her as she was wearing what looked like beige slippers. "And you know how to dance with those already luckily."

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding her head before she waited for her mother to put her hair into a ponytail. "Thanks," she said once her mother had finished. She smiled and turned around to her saying, "Are you ready to go back to dance?"

Playfully narrowing her eyes at her daughter, Beckett said, "Come on," holding her hand out to her. They walked together out of the dressing room, not surprised when Julia called out to Mari who was ahead of them with Rebecca.

"They look so grown up," Mari's mother said with a smile as Beckett caught up with her.

"I know, and with all the secrecy I'm hoping this doesn't take too long," she said wryly.

"Hello," a voice said from behind the two women. Skye smiled at them when they turned to her and then said, "Oh… my wife's right behind me, no checking me out," in a pseudo-American accent.

"We were wondering what you'd wear for this," Rebecca said.

"Where'd you get the t-shirt?" Beckett asked.

"I had it made," Skye replied. "Just for this though," she added quickly, looking down at her shirt that had a picture of the album Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. "I have to make sure they know it's not my song." She then looked past the mothers and said, "You two look great."

"You do too," Mari was first to say as they were walking back to the others.

"Thanks," Skye said. The investigator was wearing the t-shirt and a black blazer with the sleeves pushed up. She glanced at her wife, in a white top that had some iridescent beading, and said, "At least one of us has sequins."

Rolling her eyes Mary said, "Give over grá. You guys should head to the dance floor," directing the last to the two mothers. "We'll stay with them until we need to perform."

"Then Derek will watch us," Julia piped up.

"Stay in the Sky Box," Beckett said firmly.

"I will," Julia said, hugging her mother tightly as Mari was doing the same with her mother next to her. She watched them go and then said to Skye and Mary, "Do we need to go to makeup?"

"You do but it won't be that much," the investigator said first.

Out on the dance floor, Castle was sitting where he'd be for the show that night and looking for his wife. He glanced behind him feeling a hand on his shoulder and smiled seeing it was her. "She's ready?" he asked, standing up and taking her hand.

"She is," Beckett said. "Julia too."

"You saw Skye?" Castle asked.

"I did, and Mary," Beckett replied before she started to tug on his hand and they went together to the dance floor where they began to move together to the music playing.

"Oh good," Mari said when they were reaching the railing in the Sky Box when they'd finished with their makeup. "My parents are dancing," she said, looking at Julia and the boys.

"Mine too," Julia said.

"So are ours," Clive said. He breathed out heavily and said, "Should we practice?"

"We can't really unless we go backstage," Peter pointed out to him. "And we don't need to worry, we don't have more steps."

"He's right, why are you so nervous?" Julia asked, not unkindly.

"Since it's a dance we haven't done that much," Mari answered before her partner could say anything.

"You guys will be fine," Peter said.

"So will you," Mari said, squeezing Julia's hand next to her.

Smiling at her friend, Julia looked down at the people dancing and watched her parents until the music stopped. Though Skye and Mary had thought they could stay with her and her friends they'd been called to the stage with the rest of the band and had gone with Derek. But the pro had been called by someone from the show, so they were on their own though others were joining them.

"The show's about to start," Lisa said to the kids.

"Ah, I'd wondered who you were talking to," Eddie said, coming into the box behind her. "The little imps. Are you all ready?"

"Yeah," Peter said first.

"Definitely ready," Julia added. "Even though we're not dancing for ages."

Eddie was laughing just as he and Lisa were called out and they went to go down to where they needed to wait to go with their partners to the dance floor.

"I wonder why they came in," Clive said.

"I think they wanted to try and watch the song," Julia guessed. "From here, it must not be a great view where they need to stand down there." She wasn't surprised when her friends merely nodded, the music stopping at that moment before they all turned their attention to the nearest screen to watch as the show began. She felt excitement rising in her as Tom was talking about how only four couples would make it to the finals before she realized that Mari was tapping her arm.

"Let's go down and watch, we're not going to be able to see here," Peter said.

"But our parents are watching us," Julia reminded them.

"They'll think Derek came to get us," Clive said.

Sharing a look with Mari, Julia left and they rushed together down to where they would be able to see the dance floor from the other end of it, luckily at the bottom of the back stairs from the Sky Box. "Just in time," she said to her friends.

"I just hope we won't get into trouble," Peter said.

"You won't," Derek said, having come up from behind the four. He smiled when they all jumped and told them, "Skye thought you might do this."

"They're starting!" Mari gasped eagerly as she heard the familiar chords to the song since Tom and Erin had introduced the band while Derek had been talking.

Julia turned quickly for the dance floor, seeing it was Mary playing the guitar and the band was on a black couch. She smiled at them all looking very relaxed and nonchalant before Skye stood up just as the first verse began. She walked over to a fake wall and on the other side the pros were dancing together before they fell away to it just being Sharna and Artem.

She grew up in an Indiana townHad a good lookin' momma who never was aroundBut she grew up tall and she grew up rightWith them Indiana boys on an Indiana night

Raj began playing the harmonica while the rest of the band was vocalizing around Skye before they disappeared and so did the wall and Artem. Singing the next verse, the investigator was watching Sharna as she danced until the third lyric and they danced together for only two lyrics before the band was coming up behind her quickly.

Well she moved down here at the age of eighteenShe blew the boys away; it was more than they'd seenI was introduced and we both started groovin'She said, "I dig you baby, but I got to keep moving on'Keep movin' on

The entire band sang together for the chorus, Mary leaning her arm on her wife's shoulder as they looked at one another before the rest of the band pulled away and the couch appeared behind them again though it was shadowed since it was dark behind them

Last dance with Mary JaneOne more time to kill the painI feel summer creepin' in and I'mTired of this town again

At the instrumental, Skye and Mary brought their guitars over their backs to in front of them and they began playing with Jackie. They walked around the couch while Raj and Barry were on it; the latter playing his drumsticks in the air.

Beckett was watching the performance with her hand in her husband's, able to tell the absolute joy she knew her friend was feeling. She was about to speak when he leaned over and started to murmur into her ear while she shivered at his breath tickling her hair.

"They need to do this next week too," Castle was saying. When his wife looked at him he told her, "Only for the fact that you're enjoying it as much as you are."Beckett rolled her eyes but didn't say anything, glancing to the opening underneath the Sky Box where they'd all seen the four kids gather as the song was starting. She had to look back at the dance floor as the next verse was beginning, and she wasn't surprised to see that Skye was leaning against a faux wall again, one that had an opening in it and she wondered what that was for while she listened to the lyrics.

Well I don't know what I've been toldYou never slow down, you never grow oldI'm tired of screwing up, I'm tired of goin' downI'm tired of myself, I'm tired of this townOh my my, oh hell yesHoney put on that party dressBuy me a drink, sing me a songTake me as I come 'cause I can't stay long

The rest of the band was singing the chorus with Skye very shortly after that and they were standing against the wall to her right before the instrumental began. Once that began the investigator, Mary and Jackie were all playing their guitars, almost taking turns before Skye was playing on her own.

Last dance with Mary JaneOne more time to kill the painI feel summer creepin' in and I'mTired of this town again

Skye, standing next to the opening, sang the first four lyrics of the last verse as Sharna was looking out. At the fifth lyric she turned to look into the opening while Mary replaced the dancer and they sang the two lyrics together. On the second to last one the doctor slipped away while the investigator was turning and she sang on her own.

There's pigeons down on Market SquareShe's standin' in her underwearLookin' down from a hotel roomNightfall will be comin' soonOh my my, oh hell yesYou've got to put on that party dressIt was too cold to cry when I woke up aloneI hit the last number, I walked to the road

The faux wall was pulled away while Skye and the rest of the band were singing the chorus, walking to the steps to the stage since Barry's drums were there. They managed to reach it in time for him to start playing and they stood; Raj playing his harmonica before he was on one of his keyboards while they played out the song. Right at the very end the other couples and Derek were walking out onto the stage.

Last dance with Mary JaneOne more time to kill the painI feel summer creepin' in and I'mTired of this town again

As soon as she was finished, Derek walked down next to Skye as the other eight were doing too, standing together while they were listening to Tom introduce them. They looked at each other when it went to Lisa and Keo who would be dancing first and they went off stage before the rehearsal footage played.

"She said they're dancing second to last?" Mari asked the others while they went up to the Sky Box via the back stairs.

"Yep, so she has time to change," Julia said. "Luckily our parents could see us."

"How do you know that?" Clive asked.

"I looked over at my mom when they weren't singing," Julia said with a smile. "She glanced over at us."

"Oh," the boy said before they walked into the box and saw they were coming in at the same time the other three pairs were.

"Thought you'd scarpered," Eddie said when he saw them.

"Why would we leave?" Julia asked. She smiled when the actor laughed, and she then went over to the railing so they could look over and watch the pair on the dance floor getting ready for their Jive.

Watching Skye pacing back and forth Julia said, "You know you'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say," the investigator told her jokingly. Skye then frowned slightly and asked, "How are you doing?"

"Okay," Julia said slowly. "That one flip is scaring me," she then admitted. "And I hate not telling my mom what's going on." She opened her mouth before she paused and then said, "Well… my dad too but…"

"It's not a surprise," Skye told her reassuringly. She squeezed her shoulder and said, "It was just you and your mum at first."

Julia nodded and was going to tell her that she was ready when Derek came to where they were standing, off stage to watch Eddie and Emma getting their scores. She smiled at the investigator and said, "Break a leg."

"Thanks," Skye replied, going with Derek to the side of the stage where they would stand while Tom introduced them.

Julia ran over to the stairs to the Sky Box, making it just as the co-host was speaking. "Whew, I wanted to see their footage," she said, smiling as Mari looked at her. Her friend didn't have a chance to reply to that as it was starting, and they were looking at the screen.

"Contemporary," Skye was saying, walking across the dance floor in the footage to where Derek was standing and obviously thinking. "Any time you want me, I'm not hard to find," she sang before her partner looked at her. "I can't get your loving, I can't get you off my mind."

"We're dancing to Struggle by Paul McCartney this week," Derek was saying in a voice over as it then showed him choreographing with the investigator. "And Skye seems to really be eager this time around to help."

"I have a dance step," she was saying as it showed the two standing in front of a mirror.

"Oh yeah?" Derek asked.

"The music where the beat's a little heavier, I think we should move our bodies to it," Skye told him. She then showed him, her body jerking in time to the music before she stopped and looked at him.

"Perfect, let's work on it and get things right," Derek said before they were walking off camera.

"I'm taking this song a little more personally this week," Skye said as it switched to her and Derek practicing the movement that she had come up with. It then went to the two of them sitting on the top of steps and she was telling her partner, "I wanted this to signify my own struggles."

"With your sexuality," Derek stated.

Nodding Skye then said, "It's not easy finding out and accepting who you are." She took a drink of water from her water bottle and said, "Especially when society tells you how you should be according to them; at least when I was growing up."

"I found out who I was when I was about eighteen," Skye said, the footage going to her sitting in a chair. "And I realized I wasn't dating guys my age because I didn't want to do much past being friends with guys my age. But with that came the fact that it was a part of my life. My family and friends would know, my employers would know because I wasn't going to keep myself in the closet."

"Skye came out to me," Liam said, sitting in the same chair his daughter had been but on his own in the room. "She was terrified of what I'd think, even though I'm gay myself. I assured her I was proud of her for accepting herself and her bravery in coming out. What she was worried about the most though was what her parents would think. But I knew them both and they knew me, and they would still love their daughter."

"With this dance," Skye was saying to Derek as the footage went back to them sitting on the top of the steps. "I want to portray that struggle that people like me can have. To show that you can stay strong even when it seems like everyone else is against who you are. And that you're never alone."

Julia smiled as Derek looked at the camera and pointed to his partner saying, "She's right," before the music played and the logo went across the screen. And she looked down at Skye, standing blindfolded in between Sharna and Lindsay who weren't.

Trying to keep her breathing even, Skye tried to remember the kiss that her wife had given her once she had blindfolded her while the footage was playing. She could hear the announcer saying, "Dancing Contemporary, Skye McDouglas and her partner Derek Hough," and she did her best to remain calm as the music was beginning.

Since they hadn't gone to see the practices as they usually had, Castle and Beckett exchanged a look while Derek walked out onto the dance floor. He was dressed in an all black military style jacket that was buttoned up and with black trousers as he walked in front of the three women, watching them. The three were dressed alike, in black coats that had high collars and were military in design like Derek's though theirs were much longer. Skye was wearing her Windsor boots, so she was a lot taller than the two dancers with her.

Spinning around, Derek stopped across from the three and stared at them until the first lyric was sung and he reached for Skye, pulling her away from the others. He spun her twice before he helped her into the splits. When she came up he picked her up, spinning her until he set her down and on the last lyric he they danced slowly forward together until the verse ended. When the next one started immediately after, Derek spun Skye around hard before he was staring at the blindfold on her. He then tried cupping her face while she was doing the same though they made their hands shake before she pretended to collapse in front of him.

Want to get you in my heart againWant to love you once moreWant to have you in my heart againWant to get you once more

If you wanna love, if you wanna fightIt doesn't really matter, I want you tonight

With the vocalization that Paul was doing at that point Derek leaned down while Skye wrapped her legs around his neck. Once he stood he had lifted her up and spun her around a couple times while she was taking off her blindfold. He stopped and set her down so she could set her hands on the floor and flip around to stand, he grabbed her while she was jumping up on the first lyric of the next verse. He spun her around and when he set her down on the second they leapt forward together before spinning at the same time. As Skye stepped away on the third lyric he reached for her hand while she was reaching out to Mary who had stepped onto the edge of the dance floor opposite the judges table. She kicked her leg up before she fell back into his hold and he dragged her back through the last lyric.

When I get you home, what I wanna doBabe, I wanna sample everything with youYes, I wanna love you, I don't wanna fightI can think of something when I get you home tonight

The next verse Skye stood with Derek's help and she started to stride down to Mary again before he was coming up right behind her at the end of the first lyric. They started moving forward together, pressed together, and were going slowly before Skye took one step forward before she could spin around to him at the end of the second lyric. While he rushed backwards he caught Skye when she went back to him and he swung her before she let go of him and they were dancing side by side and close until the end of the verse.

If you wanna love, if you wanna fightIt doesn't really matter, I want you tonightAll I want is love, anything will doI'm your glass of poison and I'm acting up on you

At the next verse Paul's vocals changed and Skye spun on the first lyric before she started to walk towards Mary. Derek was following her, striding, before he grabbed her hand again and during the second lyric they extended their free hands in opposite directions as their hands were holding onto each other while they slid their legs forward. At the third lyric the two stopped and they raised their arms with their fingers spread and Derek wrapped his arm around the investigator's waist, spinning her around as she jumped up before she stood in front of him and Mary came over as the last lyric was ending so they stood in a row.

It's the same old songBeing sung in the background, being sung up frontBut if you wanna get it right, you gotta listenHeed my words, listen to me!

Between that and the last four lyrics of the song was the music where Skye had made up the jerking, stepping move. She did it with her partner and wife, all of them in a row while they moved their arms and legs until they were at the judges table. At the first lyric of the end of the song, Mary and Skye stepped forward from Derek before he slid on the ground between them. Skye went to him as he was standing and she went into his hold so they could move their feet back and forth together before they spun back to back. With the last two lyrics Skye was spinning one more time before she and Derek were dancing together over to Mary. When she was close she did a slide to her wife and they embraced, Derek falling backwards on the last word of the song.

It's the same old story, it's happening againLife's eternal struggle, the destiny of man

It's the same old story, it's happening againLife's eternal struggle

Julia was jumping up and down, applauding and crying out with her friends when the dance and song ended there she said, "They'll get perfect scores definitely."

"Yeah, that was great," Mari said. "And Skye was so worried."

"I know," Julia said while they watched Skye, Mary and Derek walk to the table after the two women had helped the dancer up.

"I think," Carrie-Ann was saying slowly as Tom had called on her first. "That that was awesome!" she finished in a sort of sing-song voice. "I think you had some great moves with it and you really put your heart into it. But I will say I wasn't sure about the move that you came up with Skye, in that footage. Seeing it here on the dance floor you know music." She laughed and said, "Great job."

"Let's hear from you next Len," Tom said.

"I was afraid this would be a little too… hectic, or you wouldn't dance that much trying to get to your wife," the British judge said. "But you managed to actually dance, and I have to say your lines were well done, you've improved on your posture since night one and it shows."

"And Bruno," Tom said while Skye was hugging her wife and partner.

"I can understand why you would want to dance as you did," the last judge said. "And it showed well in each step. Those you had in unison with both Derek and your wife were very precise and I can only imagine how much time that took."

"A while," Skye said, nodding her head.

"But it was beautifully danced and I loved the sentiment you had and appreciate the stand you took with it," Bruno said.

While Tom was sending the show to commercial, Skye hurried up to the table and she hugged the Italian judge quickly saying, "I thought you might understand the dance."

"I did," Bruno said before the investigator hurried away to go up to the Sky Box.

Skye told her wife about what the judge had said quickly before they were at the top of the staircase and they turned their attention to the kids as they were clamoring in front of them. "Thank you," she told them with a smile when they'd calmed down. "I was hoping you would like it, especially you two."

"It was good, you had great steps and lifts," Julia said first.

"Yeah, especially that step you made up," Clive said, nodding.

"And tell him he did a great job getting that step cleaned up," Skye said with a smile, nodding to her partner.

Laughing slightly Derek said, "It had to start somewhere."

The show was coming back from commercial and they hurried to stand where they needed to be, Skye and Mary with Derek.

Once Tom had sent it up to her in the Sky Box Erin said, "Skye you mentioned how important this dance was to you, and how you wanted this to help people who had been like you."

"I just wanted people to know they're not alone as I'd said," the investigator replied. "There are others like you and who you find out you are is never something evil or wrong."

"Derek, you seemed to have a lot of fun with this step that Skye made up," the co-host said to him. "How expected was it?"

"Not at all," the pro said quickly. "But the thing I learned about Skye is that she does love music. So it's been fun seeing her take on things."

"Oh good, I was afraid I was getting too uppity," Skye commented before she laughed with the others.

"No, keep trying to do that if you can," Derek said, hugging her quickly.

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

Beckett looked over at the table as the dramatic music played, not surprised her husband squeezed her hand. She didn't need to, but she looked up at Sky Box anyways and saw Julia almost leaning over the railing before the announcer was saying, "Carrie-Ann Inaba."

"Ten," the judge said.

"Len Goodman," the announcer said next while Skye, Mary and Derek were hugging each other at the same time.

"Ten," Len called, holding up his paddle.

"Bruno Tonioli," the announcer said while the three were embracing again.

"Ten!" Bruno said, standing up at the same time he held his paddle.

Julia looked at her friends in relief as Erin was talking about voting, and she then gulped when she realized that they would need to dance themselves soon. She glanced over the railing, seeing her parents talking to her grandparents, and then turned back to her friends so she could speak with them until the next dance began.

"She's over here down this hall," the crew member said after leading Castle and Beckett to it.

"Thank you," the former said quickly before he and his wife rounded the corner.

"Mom! Dad!" Julia said once she saw them, taking off towards them.

Though she wanted to tell the girl not to run, Beckett decided not to and held her arms out for Julia to run into them. She squeezed her tightly against her once they'd met and she leaned down, kissing at the top of her head. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Julia said rapidly, squeezing her mother one last time before she went to her father. Hugging him tightly while he did the same to her, caressing her hair, she then said, "We're gonna dance soon but I needed to tell you something before that." She then grew hesitant and wondered how she could start before her father was doing that before her.

"What happened?" Castle asked, he and his wife sharing a look when their daughter started biting at her lower lip.

"They're going to show us practicing," Julia said. "Before the dance starts."

"And…" Beckett started to say before she trailed off seeing she was removing her slipper. "Julia," she breathed in slight horror seeing the way her toes and part of the rest of the foot were bruised. "What happened?"

"It's just from practicing," Julia said, trying her best not to cry at how her parents looked. "You'll see when I dance."

"Are you hurt?" Castle asked.

"No," Julia said firmly, shaking her head. "But don't get mad at Derek, it was my idea."

"What do you mean?" Beckett asked with a frown.

"You'll see," Julia said softly while she put her slipper back on.

Since she knew her daughter hadn't been seriously hurt, Beckett pulled her into another hug and said, "Don't do this again."

"I won't," Julia said before they looked down the hall where a crew member was calling for her. "I'll dance with Peter next week."

"Wait-" Castle started to say before they were left to watch the girl running down to the woman. "Is she dancing with Derek?" he asked his wife.

"Yeah, remember that waiver we signed? It did say that if we signed we were saying it was alright for Julia to dance with him," Beckett said as she took his hand and they walked together back to their seats. "Are you changing your mind?"

"No, I just forgot that was there," Castle said. "We signed it a while ago," he reminded her.

"I know, but… if it's just them…" Beckett said.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Castle asked her.

"No, I… it's what she's always wanted to do," Beckett replied, smiling at him. They paused before they stepped out into the ballroom and they embraced tightly while she murmured, "I don't want to ruin it for her worrying how badly she's bruised."

"Yeah…" Castle said slowly. He then sighed as they let go of each other and said, "But she's okay, Skye and Mary were with her every time."

Nodding, since there wasn't much she could say as she agreed with her husband, Beckett let him lead the way back to their chairs. Once they were sitting she wasn't surprised when she felt her father touching her shoulder and she turned saying, "She's alright, she just wanted to talk to us."

Jim wasn't really satisfied with that answer, knowing there was more to it than that, but he couldn't question her again as the show was returning from commercial and Tom was speaking.

"Tonight," the co-host said once he'd welcomed the viewers back. "We have a special dance from the Hamptons troupe featuring Derek Hough with dancer Julia Castle."

"Why just my last name?" Castle murmured to his wife.

Squeezing his arm to stop him, Beckett wasn't surprised at him pointing that out. The show had talked to her about it and she had allowed them to use just her husband's name since it was easier and faster to say. Looking back to the dance floor, she smiled as she watched Tom saying, "And due to popular demand from fans on social media, we have a rehearsal package for you to see." She looked at the screen, losing her smile as she recalled her daughter's bruises, wondering what exactly they would end up seeing as Derek appeared first.

"This week I requested the song Tiny Dancer for the four," the pro said while the footage showed the four kids stretching together in a dance studio. "I've been wanting to do something specifically with Julia as you can see her dedication to dancing."

The footage then changed to Derek choreographing with the kids while the song was playing before she stopped moving. "I'm having some trouble with this dance," he said in a voice over. "I have something in mind, but I have to talk to them to see if they're okay with it."

"What I was thinking of doing," the pro was saying to the four as they were sitting on the steps next to Skye and Mary. "Is having you dance with me."

"Just me?" Julia asked with a frown.

Glancing at her daughter on the dance floor, Beckett smiled as Julia's cheeks turned red before she looked away, not surprised that she was embarrassed. Looking back to the screen she saw the pro was talking to the four seriously.

"This would only be for the first dance, and we'll be at the beginning all together and then at the end," Derek said. "But we need to vote, who's okay with Julia dancing the majority of the song?"

The girl frowned at her friends when they all raised their hands and Julia sighed when she spotted even Skye and Mary with their hands up. "Okay, but next week if we dance again we're doing it all together right?" she said, looking at Derek as she asked.

"Yes," the pro replied. He then smiled and said, "Let's get started."

"I have some ideas in mind for this dance," Derek was saying in a voice over as he was practicing with the kids. "But so does Julia apparently.""I'm a bit unsure your parents would be so eager for this," Skye was saying as the footage then went to gym mats that were being slid across the floor in the dance studio they were in.

"I just want to try it," Julia said. "If it works I think it'll look really neat."

The footage then showed Derek and Julia standing barefoot on the mats and the dancer was trying to help her flip around. The first time she managed to do that Julia's feet were slamming down on the mat to her audible groan.

"Ow," she said painfully as she fell onto the mat once she was trying to stand fully.

Beckett looked at her daughter, trying her best not to glare at her as Derek and then Skye ran to her to check on her in the footage. But she could see that Julia was contrite, so she merely turned back to the screen before Derek was speaking.

As the pair were practicing the flip repeatedly the pro said in a voice over, "I don't know if I've met anyone this determined, but since Julia wants to prove she can do it, this dance will be amazing one way or the other."

The logo went over the screen and while the music was playing Julia was standing in the middle of the dance floor with her friends and Derek, tossing around a ball. She was startled when Tom spoke then saying, "Performing the song Tiny Dancer, Elton John featuring Skye and Mary McDouglas." She glanced at the stage and saw the singer was there, looking at her friends with wide eyes as they hadn't been told he would be singing, only thinking it'd be Skye and Mary. But he was playing the piano and she focused on where she would need to begin with the others as they were continuing to 'play'.

When the first lyric was sung the kids and Derek all spun before leaping away from the circle they made and then did that in an arc so they were meeting each other again. Julia leapt to each of her friends, being spun by the three on the second lyric before she was at Peter last. He held her hand while she turned on her toes, though she didn't do that for very long because of the bruising and she wasn't used to dancing en pointe for long yet. On the last lyric she took Peter's hand and then Mari's before they skipped and slid their feet forward in a row to the end of the steps.

Blue jean babyL.A. lady, seamstress for the bandPretty eyed, pirate smileYou'll marry a music man

At the beginning of the next verse Julia and Mari were spun by their partners before the girls were pirouetting at the same time across the dance floor to Derek. He was standing in the middle of the dance floor and once they'd reached him Mari let him pick her up first before she ran to where her parents were sitting in the front row to wait for her chance to regroup with the two boys at the stage. Julia, with the pro, was dancing in unison with him as they extended their legs and then spun into the last lyric. With that she put her hand into Derek's and he helped her into the splits to finish the verse.

Ballerina, you must have seen herDancing in the sandNow she's in me, always with meTiny dancer in my hand

With the short instrumental there, Julia was brought back to standing by Derek and she let go of him to start her leaping and spinning to the stage where the other three were waiting for them. She managed to reach them in time for the first lyric of the verse they'd come to and they were all moving their legs so their knees came up high while they went down the dance floor. They weren't skipping but she knew it would look like it was exaggerated while they went in a sort of zig zag pattern. That went on for the first two lyrics and at the start of the third they all did a cartwheel at the same time, leaping as soon as they'd come back to their feet which took them to the end of the last lyric.

Jesus freaks, out in the streetHanding tickets out for GodTurning back, she just laughsThe boulevard is not that bad

On the first lyric of the verse after that the two pairs danced together, differing steps that alternated between the boys slightly lifting the girls and then sliding steps forward. At the third lyric Peter, Mari and Clive started to run in a circle around Julia as she was turning back and forth watching them. On the last lyric, the three pulled away from her and Julia started to walk forward as she waited for Derek to come up behind her before they were dancing forward again.

Piano man he makes his standIn the auditoriumLooking on, she sings the songsThe words she knows, tune she hums

With the music still slow Derek and Julia walked together until they reached the halfway point. There the music began to grow more intense and they spun in place together before Julia was walking on her toes for a short amount of time while the pro held her hand. On the third lyric she straightened her feet and slid them forward before she was going ahead of Derek, dancing ahead to get enough away. At the last lyric she sprung once before she looked towards the pro and started running.

But, oh, how it feels so realLying here, with no one nearOnly you and you can hear meWhen I say softly, slowly

Julia was jumping into Derek's arms at the first lyric and he spun around with her legs out in the air until the second lyric and he set her down. "Here we go," he murmured to her.

Not responding, Julia braced herself and with the pro's help was able to do a flip around his arm that supported her back. She barely noticed her feet on the ground, merely moving forward into the last lyric before the verse was starting over again.

Hold me closer tiny dancerCount the headlights on the highwayLay me down in sheets of linenYou had a busy day today

That same verse repeated, and that time Derek picked up Julia while she was pirouetting a few times. At the end of the second lyric he held her hand as she spun and in the third he helped her do a flip before they walked to the steps at the bottom of the stage.

Hold me closer tiny dancerCount the headlights on the highwayLay me down in sheets of linenYou had a busy day today

At the instrumental then, Beckett was startled when Julia was dancing with Peter though she had danced for so long already. She started to frown when her husband squeezed her hand a little firmly.

"She's resting in between," Castle murmured into her ear as the two pairs were taking turns in spot lights that would come on in turns.

Though she didn't like their second oldest dancing still, Beckett lost her protest especially when she could tell how much Julia was enjoying it. She settled back, knowing that the singing was going to start up again, and watched as the four were going over to where Derek was standing in front of the steps.

Since the same lyrics were playing again for the last four verses of the song, Derek and the kids were doing the same steps they had done before. Julia hadn't been sure about that, but the pro had told her and her friends it was better for them if they did that since it was a lot for him to choreograph. So she enjoyed the dance with both her friends and Derek until they reached the instrumental at the very end of the song. After Julia had done a flip with the pro's help, they didn't walk to the steps, instead she went with Peter and danced around as they'd done during the longer instrumental until they ended in a circle as they'd been at the start. They sat on the floor and bent their knees, pressing their cheeks to them as the music finished and the song was over.

Blue jean babyL.A. lady, seamstress for the bandPretty eyed, pirate smileYou'll marry a music man

Ballerina, you must have seen herDancing in the sandNow she's in me, always with meTiny dancer in my hand

But oh, how it feels so realLying here, with no one nearOnly you and you can hear meWhen I saw softly, slowly

Hold me closer, tiny dancerCount the headlights on the highwayLay me down in sheets of linenYou had a busy day today

Hold me closer, tiny dancerCount the headlights on the highwayLay me down in sheets of linenYou had a busy day today

Beckett stood up and applauded with the others though she was concerned for her daughter's feet with her having to do the flip so many times. But Julia seemed to be okay walking over to the judges table where they gathered as Tom was thanking Elton John, Skye and Mary while he walked over to the stage.

"What did you think of the dance?" the co-host said to the singer.

"I thought it was fantastic," he replied. "You have a lot of talent, all of you."

The kids thanked him quickly before Tom was directing the judges to tell the four and Derek what they'd thought.

"I have two things to ask," Carrie-Ann said as her fellow judges allowed her to talk first. "First is how are you dancing for that long?" When the kids all said they were fine, though the three looked at Julia eventually, she then asked the girl directly, "And how are your feet?"

"They're fine," Julia said, unable to help smiling at the concern of the judge.

"So I see here how you four are dedicated," Carrie-Ann continued with. "And I'm glad fans of the show wanted you to dance again. Great job."

"I thought it was very nicely done," Len said. "Seeing the choreography you had for Julia, I wasn't sure she'd be able to do it but you did, very admirably," he was then telling Derek and the girl herself.

Saying a soft thank you, Julia could feel her cheeks were almost on fire and she then turned to Bruno after Len had told them they'd done a good job.

"Oh, I do love that song," the Italian judge said. "You made a good decision in choosing it Derek. And focusing things on Julia, she does make sure she can accomplish each step." When the little girl bowed her head, he said to the other kids, "And you were all fantastic as well. Very well done and I hope you'll be dancing next week."

While the audience was clapping Tom then said, "I heard that you were planning on dedicating your dance to someone special. To some special people," speaking to the kids.

"Our parents," all four said at the same time before they laughed.

Since Tom was sending the show to commercial, Julia was able to rush to her mother while her friends were going to their parents. She hugged Beckett tightly and whispered, "I'm okay Mom."

"I can tell," she said, caressing her daughter's hair. Beckett pulled away and squeezed her shoulders saying, "You did an amazing job. And I don't think I've ever been prouder of you."

Julia's response to that was to hug her mother again and she whispered, "Thank you for letting me do this."

Beckett smiled as she kissed the side of her daughter's head and said, "I couldn't stop you; I wouldn't have." She had the girl pull away before she said, "But I want you to ice your feet; right now."

Smiling, as she wasn't surprised her mother had said that, Julia nodded and then said, "After I hug everybody."

"Go ahead," Beckett said, watching her daughter doing that. She stood and then wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder when she was finished, and they were walking backstage with the other kids.

"Are you really okay?" Mari asked her friend worriedly.

"Yeah, just my toes are frozen," Julia grumbled.

"Don't complain, they're not aching so much now are they?" Beckett asked her.

"No," Julia said. She sighed and then looked at her toes saying, "I was surprised when they started to do that."

"She was okay wasn't she?" Beckett asked Mari.

"Yeah," the girl said with a smile. "That first time they did the same thing with her toes. But Julia made us all swear we wouldn't tell you or Rick."

"Even Skye and Derek," the girl herself said. Julia smiled at her mother when she glanced at her and then said seriously, "I thought you would stop me."

"I told you I wouldn't have," Beckett said, watching Julia put her slippers back on and got off the couch that was in the dressing room. She had just taken her hands so they could go out to see Skye's last dance for the night when there was a knock on the door.

"Oh good, you're all ready to go," the investigator said as she had been on the other side. She stepped aside for them to go and said, "What?"

"Nothing, just admiring your costume," Beckett said with a smile. For her Cha-Cha-Cha, Skye was wearing an outfit like her Jive outfit the first week. But that time instead of black trousers she was wearing navy blue ones with sequins on the strips on the outside of them. She was wearing suspenders again and asked, "Your wife?" indicating Mary wanting the investigator to wear those.

"Of course," Skye replied easily. "Okay, girls you're up in the Sky Box…" she said, looking down at Julia's feet.

"I'm fine," the girl said hurriedly.

"Then head up there for the rest of the show, the boys are still there," Skye told them. "I'll see you after," she told her friend.

"Stay in the box," Beckett told her daughter. "And I know your mom would say the same," she said to Mari.

"We will Mom, don't worry," Julia assured her. "See you at the end!" She waved to her mother and then went with her friend to the stairs and they went to the box where the boys already were. "Hey," she said when the two turned to her.

"Good thing you got here," Clive said. "The show will be back soon."

"Skye just walked out… she's wearing sequins again," Peter commented as the four of them stood together at the railing looking out at the dance floor.

"Yeah, but at least she's wearing trousers," Mari said.

"She's right, I don't think she cares about those anymore," Julia said. Their conversation was stopped when the countdown began and they looked as Tom was speaking.

"Welcome back," the co-host started with. "Next tonight is our NTSB investigator, can she and Derek achieve perfection tonight with her Cha-Cha-Cha?"

As the footage started Skye and Derek were dancing together, the pro teaching her the steps of the dance before he was speaking in a voice over. "We have the Cha-Cha and we had a little correction with our dance."

"Yeah, that'll be direct from Olivia and Dhani Harrison themselves," Skye said as the footage was showing them leaning against a mirror in a studio. "And we'll be dancing to George's song P2 Vatican Blues… with Last Saturday Night in parenthesis."

"The music is great but I'm a little afraid," Skye was saying as the footage went to the two practicing.

"Argh, Skye. You keep doing that," Derek was groaning in frustration as she missed a step. "You have to go to the left, not the right, we're going in opposite directions."

"I know, I know," the investigator said, her own tone becoming irritated.

"Do you want to try again?" Derek said, studying her.

"No," Skye said simply, going to a chair by the door and putting her hand to her forehead. When her partner sat next to her she said, "I hate to admit it, I'm tired."

"Of course, we all are," Derek replied.

"Ah, but you're younger than I am," Skye said. She was startled when her partner suddenly stood up and she said, "What is it?"

"You need to relax don't you?" Derek said. "What's the one thing that would help you?"

Jumping up Skye said, "Flying," before the footage changed to the pair at the Santa Monica airport.

Up in the Sky Box, Julia looked at her friends in shock and she was about to speak when Peter was doing so first, which wasn't a surprise as she knew they were all thinking it.

"When did they film this?" the boy said.

"Probably when we didn't go in the mornings," Mari told them.

Looking back at the screen Julia saw that the pair were flying in what she thought was a jet but it soon showed it was a stunt plane. She smiled, as at one point Derek was crying out in mock terror, and then looked at her friends as they were all laughing.

"Oh, thank you, thank you," Derek was saying as it showed him getting off the plane and pretending to kiss the ground.

"Come 'ead," Skye said, tugging on the shoulder of his jump suit he was wearing. "Are we going to go back to practice or not?"

"After that break," Skye said in a voice over as it went to her and Derek practicing in a hangar at the airport. "I think we're ready to go." The footage then showed the investigator sitting in a room as she said, "And I'm ready to get this Cha-Cha started."

After music played with the logo on the screen, the announcer said, "Dancing the Cha-Cha-Cha, Skye McDouglas and her partner, Derek Hough."

Skye took a deep breath before the music began and she and Derek walked to each other until the first lyric was sung. They met in the middle of the dance floor and they were holding onto each other's waists, spinning around before they stood side by side and were moving their feet back and forth. On the last lyric Skye turned to her partner and she moved her legs back and forth until the music sped up to go to the verse after that one.

Gazed at the ceiling from belowA splendid MichelangeloFilled my heart with delightLast Saturday night

On the first lyric after the music played, Skye and Derek started to move their hips towards each other through the second lyric. On the third they were letting go of one hand while he held onto his partner and they started to move forward as Skye was extending her arm and that took them through the rest of the verse.

Now how come nobody really noticedPuff of white smoke knocked me out?The truth is hiding, lurking, bankingThings I do at night

When they had reached the chorus, Derek was spinning Skye back to him and they were moving their hips again but only briefly. They spent the next three lyrics moving together around the dance floor, different steps that the investigator had had problems with. But she had been working with them long enough that she was able to complete them until the last lyric and her partner was holding her while she did the splits.

It's quite suspicious to say the leastEven mentioned it to my local priestOne Our Father, three Hail MarysEach Saturday night

Since there was an instrumental at that moment Skye and Derek were doing different Cha-Cha steps again until they reached second to last verse they'd be dancing to. They stopped and moved their hips together before Derek was spinning Skye, holding her against him as they danced forward until they were on the second to last lyric. He spun the investigator again and they stopped, extending their arms out that weren't holding each other before Skye was doing the splits again on the last lyric.

It's quite suspicious to say the leastWhile mentioning it to my priestOne Our Father, three Hail MarysEach Saturday night

The last lyrics of the song, Skye and Derek were dancing as they'd been during the instrumental until they came to the very end which was the music playing out. There the pro dipped his partner and held her for a moment until they could finally move while the audience was applauding.

One Our Father, three Hail MarysEach Saturday nightOne Our Father, three Hail MarysEach Saturday night

Clapping as hard as she could, Julia was glad to see the smile on Skye's face since they'd all known her trouble with the dance though the investigator had played it down. She then breathed out while the pair; exchanging a high five once Derek had helped her up; went to the table and said, "Now we have to wait for the end."

"And their scores too," Mari said, talking quickly since Len was beginning to speak.

"I was worried," the British judge began with. "That you were going to fiddle about with the music at the start."

"Fiddle…" Tom said before Skye was laughing and shaking her head at him.

"But you luckily could start," Len continued with. "And you did very well. You had some trouble with your lines in that video, but I can see Derek helped straighten you out. I really enjoyed your extensions, both your legs and arms. You've been working on that."

"A lot," Skye said with a nod before Bruno was speaking next.

"I wonder how you were able to practice after flying Derek around in that plane," he said. "But it looks like it helped you. I'm not so sure flying helped you."

Laughing, as the judge was addressing him, Derek said, "Not at that moment, no."

"But beautiful extensions, your foot placement was spot on and I hope to see more from you," Bruno finished with.

"Alright, quickly we'll go to you Carrie-Ann," Tom said to her.

"Fast, okay so I agree with Bruno and Len. And I loved how you moved your hips; you've turned that into an art. Well done," she said hurriedly.

Telling them a quick thank you, Skye went with her partner up to the Sky Box where she stood with him as Erin was talking.

"You seem to have had a little more difficulty with one dance over the other tonight," the co-host was saying. "Is it because what the other song meant to you?"

"Partially," Skye replied. "The other half was I just had more difficulty with the steps."

"And it wasn't just me that helped her with that," Derek was saying rapidly. "Julia helped out too."

"All of us," the girl said.

"Actually…" Skye started to say before she was grabbing Julia and Mari and bringing them in front of her and Derek after she'd motioned to the four to follow her. "They all did since I had great examples of how this was supposed to look."

"Have you thought about the Freestyle and if you might include the kids if you make it to the finals?" Erin then asked Skye.

"I have, I can't lie and I don't know which one of us wouldn't have," the investigator said honestly. "But whether or not I'll be able to dance it… I'll need to see."

"Okay, then let's get your scores," Erin said before the music started to play.

"Carrie-Ann Inaba," the announcer said.

"Ten," the judge said, smiling as she held up her paddle.

Julia was turning and hugging the investigator at the same time Mari was before they stopped to see what Len would give for his score.

"Ten," the British judge said.

"Bruno Tonioli," the announcer said.

"Ten!" the judge said as he held up his paddle.

Hearing Erin talk about how Skye had gotten a perfect score, Julia was squeezing the investigator and hoping that when they reached the end of the show the pair would be going to the finals the next week.

"The first couple tonight that is safe," Tom was saying at the very end of the show. "And moving on to next week's finals is…"

Castle grumbled under his breath at the music and he felt his wife press her face against his arm, realizing she was laughing before they turned to the dance floor as the co-host was finally saying which couple.

"Skye and Derek," Tom said.

Sagging slightly, Skye was relieved when her partner was quick to help her stand and she smiled at Eddie as he reached out to her to squeeze her shoulder. She was able to recover in time when Tom announced that Eddie and Emma made it to the next week and she was hugging the actor tightly. "I knew it," she told him.

"Oh, you didn't," Eddie said jokingly before they were standing normally as Tom was continuing.

Nearly holding her breath, Skye was relieved when Daisy and Sasha were called safe though they'd scored a little lower that night after the photojournalist had slipped during her second dance. She glanced at Derek when the last two couples, Lisa and Keo and Jonathan and Whitney, were left and watched as the intense music played. "Get on with it," she whispered under her breath as Tom was talking about both.

"Lisa and Keo," the co-host finally said after letting the music go on for a while.

"Oh no," Skye sighed.

"Look," Julia; in the Sky Box still with her friends; told them as they could see the investigator whispering into Derek's ear.

"If it's for next week we'll hear about it soon," Mari said.

Julia nodded before they looked down, watching as the four couples going to the finals went down to hug the pair going home. She felt a shiver of anticipation go through her suddenly, having recalled that Skye would be making up a Freestyle for the next week. She tried not to think of the mirror ball trophy; though it was near where they were standing against the railing; and went down the back stairs of the box so they could go to their families as soon as the show was over.

"How come our parents aren't here?" Peter said as soon as Derek was walking into the dance studio where they were going to get their next dance.

"I told them to head over to Disney," Skye said, walking in a little bit after her partner. She smiled when the kids looked at her and told them, "I just heard from Mary, you're all checked into your rooms at the Grand Californian and they're waiting for us. As soon as we get the songs and dances we can go."

Derek looked at his partner when the four kids were clamoring, not able to understand what they were saying exactly. He finally whistled and said once they'd calmed down, "One at a time. Mari?"

"We aren't practicing?" the girl asked, wondering why the pro had talked to her first but guessing that it was because she was the youngest.

"Not here," Derek said. "At the hotel."

"Are you going too?" Julia asked. "I mean staying there."

"Yeah, it's easier for me to since my home is a little far and I would have to go through morning traffic too," Derek said. "I'd never get there."

"Are we being filmed?" Peter asked.

"While we're at the park," Clive hurriedly added.

"That we are," Skye said, smiling at the younger boy and not surprised when he started to blush. "Tonight where we're going to practice and-"

"Are we doing that at the hotel?" Mari said enthusiastically.

"We are, but not for too long," Derek replied. "And don't you want to find out what we'll be dancing to and what yet?"

"I do," Julia said immediately.

"Good," Derek replied before he picked up the envelope that had his and Skye's name on it. "First off we're doing redemption dances," he said to the others after he'd read the paper that was with the CD.

"The Foxtrot?" the investigator asked. When the pro nodded she then asked, "What song?"

"New," Derek said, smiling over at Julia when she squealed in joy.

"Perfect, are we going into a story for that one?" Skye asked.

"We'll talk about that at the hotel," Derek said. "Now the Freestyle, since the title is here your choice was approved."

"What was the song?" the kids asked at the same time.

Laughing, Skye had to calm down before she could reply but she finally said, "Partial to Your Abracadabra."

"Paul's version?" Julia asked. When Skye nodded she said eagerly, "Awesome! That version is great… you are going to wear your boots, right?"

"Of course," the investigator said. Skye then turned to her partner and said, "I want them to join us."

"Like you told me before," Derek said. He wasn't surprised to see the kids were looking confused and he said, "We had to plan this last week so everything could be ready in time if we made it for sure."

"But we'll show you what we thought of as time goes on," Skye said. "What about the second night?"

"That we won't know until Monday night," Derek said. "24 hour Fusion dances."

"Okay," Skye said. "Not looking forward to that but not much I can do. Now," she said, turning to the kids. "I believe it's your turn next," since Derek had already picked up the other envelope.

"First is your dance for night one," the pro told them. "And it is a Cha-Cha-Cha."

"We knew that already," Peter asked before they were all laughing together.

"To Unconsciousness Rules?" Julia inquired. When Derek nodded she sighed and said, "We danced to this already though."

"Yes, but I'll be getting different steps for you and you'll have Mari and Clive with you too," the pro said gently. "You'll be dancing the other night too and it's a Freestyle."

"You were serious about that?" Clive asked in surprise.

"Yeah, and the show agrees," Derek said with a smile at her reaction. "You'll be dancing to Dance Tonight."

"It's a good song to dance Freestyle too," Mari said quickly as she and the boys saw Julia blanching; the song her choice.

"Yeah, we wouldn't have been able to think of anything," Peter added.

"And with that one we get to jump around," Clive said.

"So… are you sure we're not starting here?" Julia asked.

"I'm sure," Derek said. "We need to go now," he said, looking at Skye.

"Oh aye," the investigator said, nodding her head. "You lot are likely starving and I'm sure the rest of the kids are."

Julia wanted to add that she wanted to see her family again but kept quiet before they left together to drive out to Anaheim where everyone else was waiting for them at the Disneyland Resort.

"There they are," Mary said, spotting her wife with the kids and Derek.

"Hi!" Julia said, rushing to where her family was. She threw her arms around her mother first and then did the same to her father. "We didn't take too long did we?" she asked once she'd let him go.

"No," Castle said, taking her hand to keep her from sitting across the table he and Beckett were at with Eliza. "I didn't have the chance to tell you, but I was really proud of you too.""Thanks," Julia said. She hugged him again and said, "My feet are fine."

"Good, I was going to ask that next," Castle told her. While the girl was laughing he leaned over and kissed her cheek before telling her, "Go ahead and sit down okay."

Beckett watched Julia hurrying around the table they were sitting at; they were in Downtown Disney and at the La Brea Bakery Café. They'd decided to head to that restaurant since it was at the very end of the promenade and next to the World of Disney store. Once she was sure her second oldest was set she asked, "Mary told us you're going to be practicing at the hotel in a little bit."

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding her head. "But I think Skye'll tell you the dances we get once we're there."

"We get to go to the store after!" Eliza was saying when her big sister looked at her.

"Was it a surprise?" Julia asked, looking at their parents as they were laughing.

"No, but we're not really going to visit too many places after this," Beckett said. "Since we need to go to bed very early."

"That's okay, I want to go to the parks more," Julia said. She was about to ask about their room when Josie, in the high chair in between Castle and Beckett, started to fuss before the former took her out of the chair.

"What can I get to eat?" Julia asked as she looked down at the menu that was in front of her.

"Whatever's on the kid's menu," Beckett told her, not looking away from Josie as the baby was trying to stuff her fists in her mouth. "Rick," she said to her husband.

"And help your sister, she didn't pick what she wanted yet," Castle said while she was getting the baby's mitten for his wife.

While Julia was reading the options to her sister, Beckett made sure Josie was alright and distracted from her hands. Once the baby was chewing on the end of the mitten she then said to the girl, "Did you practice at all?"

"No, they said we'll start here," Julia said, looking up. "We're gonna get the chicken fingers and burger sliders," pointing to her sister and herself.

"Okay," Castle said, looking at the waitress who was walking over to the table. After he'd ordered for them all he then said, "Are you sure you two will be able to wake up tomorrow morning?"

"They will," Beckett said quickly before the girls could reply. She smiled at them and said, "You said you would."

"Yeah, we will," Eliza said firmly. "We know that the park is tomorrow."

"Parks," Julia reminded her.

"Yeah," Eliza said again before she squealed with laughter as her big sister pinched her side playfully.

"How are we going to go around tomorrow Mom?" Julia asked.

"We're going to California Adventure first," Beckett said.

"Since they have the extra hour tomorrow," Castle added, looking over at them from where he was playing with Josie a little. He smiled when the baby laughed and said, "And stay there until after lunch."

"Small World?" Eliza asked.

Castle laughed out loud and then said, "I think so, but that'll take us to Disneyland."

"Are we staying in the park after that?" Martha said, sitting at the table behind her son and daughter in law.

"No, we might go back to California Adventure after dinner in Disneyland," Beckett answered, smiling at her mother in law. "And if we are then you should be able to walk right back to the hotel with Josie from there."

"I likely will," Martha said. "Oh, don't worry kiddos," she said to her granddaughters. "I'll go on some rides with you of course."

"Thanks!" Eliza said happily.

Julia watched her sister as the little girl was listing the rides their grandmother could go on with them before she realized something. "Lizzy, some of those rides are at Disney World, not here," she told her.

"Oh…" Eliza said with a frown. Something seemed to come to her and she asked eagerly, "Will I be able to go on more rides?"

"Not all of them," Castle said.

"But a lot more than you did last time," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when the little girl opened her mouth to speak before her husband was beating her to it.

"You just made it for the Matterhorn," Castle said, looking at his phone. "For Splash Mountain of course. But that one you don't sit two by two."

"I remember," Eliza said, nodding. "And Jules took a picture of it." When her father nodded she asked, "What else can I go on Daddy?" She was startled when their father looked at their mother and the two then began to murmur to each other in Irish while she looked at her big sister. She wanted to ask them impatiently what was going on when she felt Julia's hand on her arm. Looking at her sister again she pouted but wasn't surprised when the girl just shrugged.

"You can go on Space Mountain now," Beckett said slowly. She couldn't help smiling when the little girl's eyes went wide and before she could continue their food had arrived. She put Josie back into her high chair and then turned her attention to her meal, making sure that Julia was too as she was certain her second oldest would be starving.

"Can I go on Space Mountain?" Eliza asked.

"I think we could let her," Castle said. "But remember what Skye said, we'd need to sit in the middle."

"And you need to go with her," Julia said. She smiled when her parents looked at her and said, "She told me."

"I'll go with you," Castle said, looking at the little girl. "If you want to go."

"I wanna try," Eliza said. "But sit with me Daddy."

"I promise," Castle assured her.

They returned to the meal and when they finished eating the kids were having a hard time staying by the tables while their parents were paying for the meal. When they were finally allowed to go they grouped together and walked back towards the hotel, detouring at the World of Disney store.

"You guys aren't going to get hats?" Peter asked the other kids.

"No, we have them already," Fleur said.

"Not exactly," Marie told her little sister. She smiled when the little girl looked at her in surprise and reminded her, "The original hats."

"Oh! That's right," Iris said eagerly. She then became thoughtful and said, "So that's why Mummy and Mommy said that they packed our hats. But I knew they didn't, I looked in my room before we went to the show."

"And now you're gonna get them," Kathleen said, smiling at hers and Marie's three youngest sisters. "With your names on them.""Cool," Ivy said with a smile.

"Stay with an adult everyone," Skye called as they were walking into the story. "Preferably with your family if you're needing to get a hat or anything else."

"Can we get anything?" Julia asked hers and Eliza's parents.

"Maybe, look around and if you see something let us know," Beckett said. "Are you guys staying?" she asked as her dad and Castle's mother had found two chairs by the entrance.

"We are," Martha said. "I'm sure Josie will want to sleep soon."

"Okay, we'll be around," Castle said. "Call us or text us."

"You should start walking," Jim said, smiling as Eliza was tugging on her father's hand.

"What is it?" Castle asked, turning to the little girl to try and pick her up.

"No Daddy," Eliza said, shaking her hand, taking his hand. "Can we get a Mickey hat too?"

"You have yours," Beckett pointed out before her husband could answer.

"I think she means the regular one Mom, not the fancy ones we got at Disney World," Julia let her know as her little sister was biting her lower lip.

"Would you want to wear that instead of your headband?" Beckett asked her.

"Yeah," Eliza whispered, thinking her parents might let her get the hat.

"Why don't you look around," Castle told her. "And if you see a hat then we'll maybe get it for you."

"Kay," Eliza said eagerly. "Thank you, Mommy, Daddy," she said, hugging them both quickly before she was taking Castle's hand again.

"Easy," he said with a slight laugh. "We'll get to the hats soon, don't worry."

"I know, but I wanna wear it now Daddy," Eliza said happily.

"Do you want another hat?" Beckett asked Julia as they were behind the two.

"No, I really love mine," the girl said.

"Are you sure? I'd get you the one in blue I know you looked at when we were in Disney World," Becket told her. "With your name on the back; like your sisters."

"I- wait, sisters?" Julia asked, stopping suddenly. "For Josa?"

"And Alexis," Beckett replied. "Though she won't be able to join us."

"I wish she could," Julia said, knowing her big sister had tried but had to choose between Disneyland and the finale of the show. "But I'm glad she'll be there the last two nights. I can't believe we're there already."

"Me too," Beckett said, gently tugging her hand so they could start walking again. "So what do you say?"

"I'd love that Mom," Julia said, beaming up at her mother.

When they had reached the hats, the girls looked over the options but eventually chose the blue Mickey ear hats before their father went to get them and the other two embroidered with their owners' names. As they were alone with their mother the girls led her around the other merchandise before Castle returned and they put on their hats before their mother took pictures of them from behind so their names were visible.

"Now what do we do?" Eliza asked.

"You didn't see anything did you? That you want to buy?" Castle asked the two as they went back to where they'd come in and would meet everyone.

"No, I want to look inside the park," Julia said, sharing a look with her little sister.

"Me too," Eliza said, nodding her head rapidly.

"Oh, we're the last ones," Beckett said with surprise when she saw that everyone was there. "And looks like you're not the only ones with hats," she said with a smile when she saw that all the kids had new hats on. "What happened?" she said, directing that to the parents who had been to Disney World and Disneyland already.

"We couldn't resist," David said laughingly. "The hats are just too cute and hey, they say something different."

"That was more his idea," Rebecca said with a sigh though she was smiling soon after. Their two daughters had the black Mickey hats and their names were on the back.

"And these two pointed out they had bigger heads," Mary said. "Which is right, they've grown of course."

"Okay," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when Skye looked at her pointedly and said, "Eliza wanted one and we decided to get them for all our girls."

"They are cute," Genevieve said, smiling at her son who had a black Mickey hat with his name on it too.

"What about you guys?" Isaac was asking, watching his son put on his Mickey hat that was like Peter's but with Clive on the back.

"Oh… just letting everyone know we're not ashamed of who we are," Mary said.

"I couldn't be, not after what I danced tonight," Skye said, she and her wife wearing Mickey hats that had rainbow ears, red caps and Mickey gloves making a heart with a rainbow inside that.

"Your own choice?" Castle asked the two women.

"Yeah," Skye said softly, squeezing her wife's hand.

"We better go," Derek said, feeling bad for interrupting the mood. When the others looked at him he shook his head saying, "I have a hat; the black one; and it's in my bag. I promise I'll wear it tomorrow. But it's getting late and we need to start the process for next week."

No one protested that and the group went together out to walk back to the hotel.

Once they were, Beckett walked ahead saying, "Thank you for letting them come."

"I'd feel bad making Julia miss her mother's birthday. Especially since it's at Disneyland," Derek said.

Studying him, Beckett said with a smile, "You wanted to tag along too."

"Of course, who wouldn't?" Derek said before they laughed together.

"You make a good point," Beckett said with a nod before she went over to her husband. Since he was alone she took his hand and she said softly, "Thank you for not wanting matching hats."

"No, I prefer the one you have already," Castle said.

"And yours," Beckett was quick to say.

"That too," Castle replied, not surprised when his wife nudged his side gently. He laughed and then squeezed her hand as they were entering the hotel, walking to the lobby.

"You guys can come in," Derek said. "We won't be doing this for long, but we'll likely be planning most of the time."

At that, Beckett called to the girls and then turned to her father and mother in law saying, "Can you watch her while we're in the room?" When they both nodded she was about to talk to the girls when Julia was suddenly speaking.

"We don't need to change so we can go right in," the girl said.

"Great, we don't have that much time," Castle said in amusement as she'd been talking rapidly.

"Come on," Derek said, opening the door to a conference room.

Beckett, watching Skye go inside first, was startled when she disappeared and shortly after they could hear her speaking in another language just as they went in.

"Chaíromaí pou to kataférate," the investigator said as she was embracing a woman that was near some chairs that were in the otherwise empty room.

"Mólis eída tin ekpompí. Éprepe," the woman replied before they parted.

Seeing the woman Julia suddenly gasped and then looked at her sister as they stared at one another with wide eyes.

"Okay," Skye said, turning to them. "You see we have some guests here but they're actually joining us for the Freestyle. Keo you know already-"

"I think we all know Maria," Mary commented, smiling at her wife.

"Okay, then Maria, welcome to the group," Skye said, turning to her.

"Thanks for having me here," she replied. "Why?"

Shaking her head, knowing the explanation was for the others, Skye said, "I guess it's time to tell you all the last dances we have."

"Oh sure," Derek said jokingly before he told the others who hadn't been with the at the studio about the dances they knew they had so far.

"I nearly forgot," Skye said to her partner, "Will the judges be going in to see us for the redemption dances?"

"Yeah, I got a text that it'll be Bruno," Derek said.

"Great, I'll talk in Italian to him and Greek with you," Skye said, saying the last to Maria Menunous who was still next to her. "Keep me in shape with that last one."

"I think we need to talk about the Freestyle," Derek said.

"Some of the kids are yawning," Maria pointed out.

The group went together over to the free space in the middle of the room and Skye soon said, "I want us to start, the four of us," pointing to Julia and Mari as well. "To be standing together and hopefully wearing Sgt. Pepper's outfits."

"Oh, will Stella be making them?" Mari asked hopefully.

"She will," Skye said. "I've talked to her already. But you four," she then directed to Derek, the boys and Keo. "Will be dressed as the band from their early days."

Laughing as the boys immediately groaned Derek said, "Hey, suits aren't that bad. You wouldn't want to wear sweater vests and bow ties again would you?"

"No," the two said, reluctantly agreeing.

Shaking her head Skye said to her partner, "We're like a tableau until the music starts and we walk to you and… that's where you come in."

"Thanks," Derek said.

"Wait," Maria said quickly. When the others looked at her she asked, "How are your feet?"

Since the woman was looking at her Julia was blushing deeply and she said, "I'm fine. Did… did you see the dance we had?"

"I did, not too long ago," Maria replied. "But I didn't catch your second dance," she directed to Skye.

"You will be able to later," the investigator said.

"Yeah, we'll start right now," Derek said.

While the group was working on the Freestyle, Beckett watched her daughter as Skye was dancing with her, Mari and Maria as well as she'd asked Derek to choreograph. She was relieved when Julia eventually relaxed and when they neared the end of their practice session she wasn't surprised when the girl went over to the star.

"Hi," Julia said, trying not to sound too shy.

"Hey, how're you doing? Derek's not asking too much of you kids, is he?" Maria said, smiling at her.

"No, but are you okay?" Julia asked.

"Yeah," Maria said reassuringly. "It's been a while since I've danced so I have to get back into it."

Nodding Julia then asked, "What did you and Skye say to each other when you were talking in Greek?"

"I told her that I was glad she'd made it," Skye commented, walking over to them and having heard that.

"And I told her I'd just seen the show and I had to come," Maria said with a smile.

"Are you going to come to Disneyland too?" Eliza asked, hurrying over to them.

"I can't," Maria said apologetically. "But I'll probably see you at the show next Monday."

"Come for dinner after?" Skye said to her.

"I'll see," Maria replied. "But have a great time going around the parks," she said to the girls.

After Keo and Maria had said goodbye to everyone Derek said, "I'll meet you guys where we go over to the park?"

"Yeah, at seven," Mary told him. "And now we need to start saying goodnight."

To their laughter, the group was saying goodnight to each other before they went to their rooms, splitting up as their rooms were spread out inside the hotel.

"Girls," Beckett said, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her. "Please don't dance in the shower."

"We're just tapping Mom," Julia said. "Turn off the water?"

"Please," Beckett said. When her second oldest had she said to Eliza, "Come on sweetie, you're first."

Sighing the little girl said, "Why me?"

"Because I need to help you," Beckett said simply. She wrapped the little girl's towel around her body to start drying her off. "You both cleaned up with soap, right?" she then asked while Julia had begun drying herself off as well.

"And washed our hair, we weren't just tapping Mom," the girl said wryly.

"Alright," Beckett replied. "But right after this you're going to bed," she commented, watching Eliza yawning. She smiled and then told the girls, "It was a big day today."

"Don't look at my feet Mom," Julia protested though she was soon smiling.

"It's hard not to," Beckett commented. She then said, "How was it getting to meet Maria?"

"Weird," Julia said honestly as she was getting dressed by then. "Really weird, I've watched her so many times on YouTube… but then I watched Derek a lot too."

"She was nice," Eliza said, though her voice was muffled as her mother was pulling her pajama shirt over her head.

"Yeah… I get to dance with her too," Julia said in amazement. "Well… not with her but-"

"Don't worry," Beckett interrupted her with a smile. "We got it. Brush your teeth now girls."

"But my hair," Eliza said since hers was mussed from her mother drying it.

"After you brush your teeth," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when Julia said, "To keep Dad company," but didn't say anything as she wanted them to get their teeth cleaned. She watched them until they finished and followed them out into the suite. It was two rooms; living room and bedroom; and the girls were sleeping in the former on the bed that came out from the couch. Josie was in a crib in the bedroom with her and Castle and she wasn't surprised to find her husband turning from the baby inside to them.

"Hey, how was your shower?" he asked his daughters as they went over to the crib to look in on their baby sister.

"Good," Julia replied. Seeing Josie was asleep she said, "I hope you take her on as many rides as you can."

"Don't worry, we will," Beckett said.

"Yeah, 'cause it's her birthday," Eliza said firmly.

"Okay," Castle said, slightly laughingly. "Let's get you two out to your bed."

"Mom?" Julia asked then. "Could we look out, just for a little bit."

"Come on," Beckett replied. She smiled as both her daughters looked at her in surprise but ushered them over to the window they had in that room that looked out on California Adventure.

"I can't wait to go see it," Eliza said.

"Do you remember it at all?" Julia asked her.

"Little bit," Eliza said after she'd obviously thought that over. "But I wanna go on the cars ride."

"That's first," Beckett said.

"It's not just me saying that," Castle said in amusement as the girls immediately looked back at him. "Skye and Mary were the first, which makes sense since they know the good rides."

"I can't wait," Julia said before she felt her sister moving. She looked at her and laughed at Eliza jumping up and down and said, "Are you sure she's gonna sleep Mom?"

"She will," Beckett said, picking the little girl then. "Right now."

"Ooh, but Mommy," Eliza whined.

"We're tucking you in right now," Castle commented, following her with Julia over to the bed. "But we're making some tea for us so we'll talk a little and then you need to sleep."

"I hope that takes for…e…ver," Eliza said, the last word drawn out as she was yawning.

"Good night sweetie," Beckett told her, kissing her temple. "I love you."

"Love you too Mommy," Eliza said sleepily though she was smiling. She shared a kiss with her and then did the same with her father. "Love you Daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart," Castle said, kissing her. "Go with your mom on some rides too tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah," Eliza said, smiling widely at him though she was yawning soon after. She looked down at the bed as her mother set her down and she hugged her big sister once she was close. "Night Jules," she told her.