176. Chapter 176

Chapter 176

"Another week and we'll all be at the beach for the weekend," Castle said as he handed Beckett her first morning coffee and sat next to her at the breakfast bar. She was showered and fully dressed for work, and he was in his pajama pants, barefooted and bare chested.

"Thank you," she said, reaching eagerly for it. The little moan of pleasure she made at the first sip of her morning coffee still made him smile and feel appreciated.

"So why are you up so early today?" she asked after another good gulp from her mug.

"Time with my favorite woman while our children are still asleep."

"Good answer, Stud." She leaned over to kiss his delightfully distracting chest and then his lips before getting back to her coffee.

"You know, sometimes I'm a little jealous of your coffee. It gets such devoted attention."

"Tell me you didn't get plenty of my personal, private, and undivided attention last night," she challenged with a saucy and satisfied smile."

"No complaints…only fond memories…extremely fond memories," he responded and leaned to return her kiss. After a pause, he asked a little too innocently, "So…you and Gina closed in the study last night?" They both sipped at their coffee as they talked.

Kate smiled and answered, "She asked me if I had to embarrass her in front of everybody. I invited her in and asked if she had to give me a reason to. We talked…the talk you and I were going to have with her next week. I was polite and calm, but I made my points clearly."

"Ooooo. Cool, calm Kate with points to be made can be a little scary."

"And I may have threatened to arrest her if she ever came here and frightened our children again."

"I'm really sorry I missed that."

"She said it wouldn't happen again, and I think she meant it. She had no idea at all that she had disrupted our entire household, but I think she understands now. I drew some lines."

"Good. I'm proud of you."

"So…you and Bentley in there after Gina and I left for wine?"

"Awkward. After Alexis found Bear and went back to Jamie, Bentley realized that was our bedroom and bath, and that was where Gina was headed when you redirected her…because she…um…used to live here."

"Yeah. Still not happy about that."

"About what? That she was heading for our bathroom or that she used to live here?"

"Either? Both? I'm not picky."

"It was something Bentley apparently hadn't considered at all…one of those things you know but don't really know until it hits you in the face. Not something he wanted to think about any more than you do. He said he couldn't imagine me married to anybody but you. Neither can I anymore. Except for having Alexis, I'm sorry I didn't know to wait for you and marry you first. Anyway, Bentley said he needed to apologize to both of us for putting all four of us in a 'bit of a bother'.

"Yeah. Sounds awkward. You think the two of you can hold onto a friendship around it? You've seemed to enjoy each other's company, and the rest of the family loves him, too. Gina…"

"That's a little iffy, I know." He grinned at his wife and said, "Maybe they'll get married and live in London, and we can visit them there?"

"Should we start hoping?"

He chuckled at the near repeat of their conversation from the night before as she put down her empty coffee cup and stood, and he turned so he could pull her to stand between his legs where he could easily kiss her.

"I need to get to work, Writer-Man. I spent time in interrogations and negotiations with the DA yesterday and got way behind on my weekly paperwork. I don't want to have to stay late. I want to leave on time and come home to you and my babies."

"Well, if that's your goal, I guess I have to let you go." The kiss he gave her belied his words, but he did eventually let her go.

She made it to the door but came back for another quick kiss and whispered, "I'm so glad you're mine." One more little kiss and she left, saying over her shoulder, "Kiss my babies for me. Love you."

Castle allowed himself a satisfied smile as he finished his coffee.

xxxxx

Work at a police precinct is not what could be called predictable, but the next week was at least mundane. And on Friday afternoon, bags packed and in the car so they could leave from the precinct, Castle and their two little Castles came into the precinct to pick Mommy up for their trip to the beach. Jamie was holding his father's hand, and a bright-eyed, ten month old Jo was perched on his other arm.

"Hey, Castle," Ryan said, reaching for Jo. He settled her on his arm and then stooped to greet Jamie when the little boy called out, "Uncle Kevin!" and pulled away from his father.

"Be right back, Kev. I'm going to be sure Kate knows we're here."

"Go ahead. We're good, right, Jo?" Ryan sat down in his chair with Jo and found Jamie some distraction in the form of a few small toys he kept in his desk drawer for Sarah Grace's occasional visits. Castle returned and leaned a hip on the corner of Ryan's desk to talk to him and some of the other detectives who had worked with him when he was there, and met a few others as well. Lorins introduced herself and her team, and one of the men on the team mentioned the interrogations the day before.

"I used to sit in with her on those. Watching her twist them from thinking they were going to get away with it to spilling their guts never got old."

"Then there were the times when those two would play good cop, bad cop." Ryan contributed. "They'd decide which one would relate best to the suspect and have the guy turned around before the he knew what hit him…or her. Other times Castle would think of something and interrupt, and that would turn out to be the piece of information that turned it all around."

"Beckett didn't like that at first…the interrupting," Castle admitted, reminiscing.

"She was used to being in there alone. You blew her train of thought," Ryan explained. Looking at the others, he added, "Then she began to realize he only interrupted when he'd thought of something they hadn't already considered and he thought it was important. So she started going with it and it worked for them. This guy should have been a detective. They were good partners."

"Still are. I haven't run her off yet. I enjoyed detecting, but my day job pays better…and it let's me spend my day with these two." He+ nodded toward his children with fatherly pride.

Beckett left her office about then, locked the door, and met her family where her children were making themselves at home on Uncle Kevin, who seemed to be enjoying the distraction.

"Let me take them off your hands, she told him and took Jo, who had been bouncing on him and was now delightedly saying, "Mama" and stretching her arms in Kate's direction for the big hug she always got from her mother. Castle picked Jamie up and held him where he could lean over and hug his mother, too; and Lorins' team was treated to the sight of Mommy Castle and her family, something they hadn't witnessed up close before.

Kate turned to the bullpen in general and announced, "The travelling circus will now be leaving the premises. Those of you who are not working, I hope you enjoy your weekend. Those who are, I hope the criminals of the city are too lazy to be a problem for you. Any problems, Sarge already knows Lorins is in charge. See you Monday." The others chuckled as the Castles left.

When they reached the car and everyone was strapped in, Castle suggested that they get out of the city where the traffic was moving normally before finding somewhere for dinner. About halfway to their house, they stopped for a quick dinner. Jamie was much too excited about getting to the beach to take too long, so they were back on the road in record time and got to the house while they still had about an hour and a half of daylight left.

"Can we go to the water now?" Jamie asked as soon as they walked into the house.

Kate and Castle looked at each other in amusement, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked.

"We've done it before, just before Jo was born."

"Take your shoes off, Munchkin. We're going in the water right now," Kate told her son as she kicked off her shoes and took Jo's off.

"In our clothes?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes."

Castle opened the back door, and they ran across the porch, down the steps, and out to the beach.

Jamie jumped in the first shallow wave that came in and stomped around splashing water everywhere and then jumping again. Before they got any closer to the water, both parents' shorts were already well splattered, and then they took Jamie's hands and let him go a little farther out, lifting him as the waves pulled back and washed some of the sand from beneath his feet. After letting their son get good and wet and soggy with salt water, Kate put Jo down in the shallowest waves and held her hands to hold her up. Jamie was encouraging Jo to stomp and splash, and she made her best efforts while all of them laughed. Stan and Polly were watching from the beach next to their house and laughing along with the waterlogged crew next door.

"Shall we?" Stan asked.

"Why not?" Polly agreed, and they kicked off their shoes and jogged toward their friends in water deep enough that the splash added to the soggy state of fun.

"Is this what you're teaching your children now?" Stan asked. "Come on, Jamie," he said. "Grab Polly's hand and we'll see if we can get as wet as you guys."

They took him out and swung him, dipping him in and out of the water that was hip deep for them, and he joyously dunked himself under the surface on the down part of the dip, coming up laughing or grinning every time. Meanwhile Castle and Kate were doing the same with Jo…a version modified for a ten month old.

The neighbors played in the water with the Castles for close to half an hour before they all decided to take a walk on the beach to dry off enough not to track huge puddles of water into their houses.

"You guys are crazy," Stan declared.

"We're crazy?!" Castle countered, both men guilty of behavior befitting teenagers on occasion. "We have two little kids. What's your excuse?" he asked pulling at his friend's wet shirt sleeve where it was stuck to his arm.

"We're helping you with your two little kids. Isn't it obvious? Geez! You would think a man would appreciate his friends a little more," Stan answered with a mischievous grin as he and Castle periodically lifted Jamie and swung him between them.

"I think what you mean is it looked like we were having too much fun and you didn't want to be left out."

"Exactly. Isn't that what I said?" Stan responded with another grin, and they both laughed.

"Do you think they'll ever grow up?" Polly asked Kate.

"Probably not, but do we really want them to? I think I want our son to grow up just like them. Look how happy Jamie is just being with his crazy dad and his neighbor. By next year Jo will be demanding her turn."

Pulling her wet shirt away from her middle, Polly agreed, "And it looks like they've managed to lure us into the madness."

The women grinned at each other and Kate answered, "And we love it in spite of ourselves."

"Yeah, we do. I haven't had a good Jo snuggle yet. Can I take her for a little bit?"

Kate handed Jo over and the family walked and talked to their friends until the beach breeze began to have a little drying effect, then they turned around and walked back home.

"Go dry off and come over for pizza," Castle told their neighbors. "I'll order before I change clothes. We should have drinks in the fridge. I called ahead to have Stacy stock the kitchen. Jamie was so excited about the ocean that we left everything next to the front door, took our shoes off, and ran for the beach."

"We'll see you in about half an hour." Stan answered as he and Polly left the group and jogged up to their own house.

The rest of the day involved soggy clothes going into the laundry, showers, clean clothes, pizza, visiting with friends, and tucking tired but happy children into bed. Rick and Kate went to bed and contentedly fell asleep almost immediately.

Saturday morning was spent on the beach and the afternoon in the pool, then they went to Bernie's for dinner, where there were more old friends who were also glad to see their family. Once they were home and finally the only ones awake, there was less sleeping than the night before.

Sunday morning was spent packing what they intended to take home with them and the entire family playing in the pool. Neither parent said anything about going home until they were out of the pool and having lunch.

"Well, my two little fishies," Castle said, "It's time to put on our clothes and head home. We'll leave our swimsuits here so we don't have to worry about remembering them when we come back."

"Aaaaaaawwww. I don't want to go back. We just got here," Jamie answered, drooping in his chair.

"We'll be back before long. I promise. In between now and when we come back, we can invite Billy for a sleepover. How does that sound?"

"Can he come here with us sometime?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

That was enough of a distraction to satisfy their son for the moment, so they got things together to leave as quickly as possible; and with a promise that they would come back soon, all the Castles were back in the car and on their way home.

xxxxx

During the week after their return, both Lorins and Malicot came to Beckett separately saying they would like to take advantage of her offer to discuss the pros and cons of being a captain. She had them come to her office together when she knew neither of them were in a pressing place in one of their cases. She talked a little bit about her understanding of the pros and cons of her present position in NYPD as opposed to her time as a detective. Without sugar coating any of the responsibilities of the office, she started with the pro of a captain's hours generally being more predictable…more easily worked into family life…and the con of wholeheartedly missing the mental exercise and satisfaction of putting together all the pieces of the puzzle to solve a case and give a grieving family closure. Other concerns to consider were also mentioned and discussed, and then she let them ask questions. Both had several concerns, and she answered them honestly.

"I don't know about Lorins, but I think I'm ready to take the exam and give myself a shot at moving up," Malicot told her. "My wife and I discussed it a lot over the last week, and you've just cleared up all our doubts. The extra pay would help a lot; and we have a second child on the way, so a little extra time with family would be nice, too. I do understand that it isn't always guaranteed, but knowing it's the exception rather than the rule it's…" He shrugged.

"Congratulations on the new baby," Beckett said. "I have to admit that's the part I enjoy most. I'm usually there for dinner with the family and tucking my children in," Beckett answered with a smile. "We need to talk about some mentoring around your caseloads, too. She outlined the way they would work together to prepare them for positions as captains.

"Not that I don't appreciate what you've already done and what you're still willing to do for us, but what makes you want to go so far out of your way for us?" Malicot asked.

Beckett seemed to be making a decision, and she finally said, "I've only said some of this to my husband…because it could make me sound a little self-important, but that isn't how I mean it. I've spent my entire adult life in various levels of jobs in NYPD, so it's in my blood at this point. I've seen good and bad cops, from the bottom to the top…most of them here for more than a paycheck or a feeling of power over the public…most of them are good, hardworking cops here with the intention of doing their jobs well. On all the levels I've worked, I know how to do the job well; and I know how to break things down and show someone else how to look at things differently, more efficiently. I've trained some good detectives, and I've trained some good lieutenants. In all three precincts where I've spent time as captain, I've made it a point to spend time with the uniformed officers as well as the detectives. I take time with the rookies, as well as their training officers, because both sides of the officer training situation need to know what I expect of them. As a captain, I want to be present in a way that allows me to know what's going on in the precinct; but just as importantly, to allow anyone here to feel that they can relate to me comfortably. I've worked with varying degrees of training good cops, from the ones right out of the academy through the lieutenants; but this is my first opportunity to start training captains. That's important because good leadership at the top will put in the time to see that they have good cops at the bottom; and over the years, that builds its way up through the ranks. I'm the product of two good captains who had faith in me and mentored me here at the twelfth, and I think both of you are capable of walking that fine line between being present, approachable, and fair while still obviously being in charge."

"I'm not sure whether I should be flattered that you have that much faith in us or if I should run back to my desk in fear of never living up to all that," Lorins answered with a little smile.

"And then there's the added joy of the stacks of paperwork I mentioned before," Beckett teased. Both of her captain prospects laughed.

"Sounds great," Malicot answered sarcastically. "Sign me up."

"So far the good in the job has outweighed the bad," Beckett told them. "Lorins, you look like you might want to give it some more thought."

"Being you is a little intimidating. You make it look so easy."

"Keep in mind that you had to learn to be a detective, too. Now you make that look easy. And all those things the senior detectives taught you? They came from working with Roy Montgomery and the people he trained. I was one of his detectives and worked with other detectives the same way he worked with me. Then Victoria Gates pushed for me to take the Captain's exam and provided enough mentoring to make the transition easier when the time came to take over a precinct. All of us have different personalities and have to find our own best approaches, but the goal is the same."

"I do have to talk to my husband tonight before I can decide."

"It's important that you're both satisfied with the decision. My husband worked with me when I was a detective and understood from the time we met that this was my career, so it hasn't been an issue. Did I answer the questions you needed to discuss?"

"Yes, you did, but it's more than that. My husband has a job situation of his own."

Standing, Beckett said, "Malicot, when you have time, feel free to come and follow me around or sit and let me show you what I'm working on. Call first, and if I don't have time for some reason, I'll let you know. I'll send you my schedule at the beginning of the week so you'll know when I'll be out of the building."

"Thanks, Captain."

"Lorins, the same offer extends to you if you decide to take the exam. Just let me know."

"I will. Gerald has a possible job transfer out of state hanging over him. The decisions will be based on reports that were due on Monday, but they expect to hear from the main office sometime today; so neither of us are in a position to make long term decisions until we hear from their headquarters. Neither of us want to move to the other side of the country, but it may come to that to hold on to the job. It pays too well not to at least consider making the move. Lots of discussion going on at home. It's been a stressful week. It would be a month before he had to be there, so I was going to tell you on Monday if we had to go."

"I hope your weekend is easier, and I hope we can keep you."

"Thanks. Me, too."

Both lieutenants left the office, and Beckett finished her paperwork for the day. It was Friday, and they were taking their children, including Alexis and JD, to Remy's for dinner.

xxxxx

Kate took a taxi to meet the family at Remy's. Castle was already there with the family and told her he took the coward's way out and called for a town car. Too many children and too much baby baggage, and he was hungry. She just laughed and leaned to kiss his cheek.

Jo held her arms up and said, "Mama" until Kate picked her up for a big hug and some quick little kisses on her face.

"I love you, Baby Girl," she said as Jo sighed and wrapped her arms around Kate's neck. Once Jo was back in her high chair, Kate sat down and saw to it that Jamie felt loved, too. He was in his booster seat next to her, and Alexis and JD were across the table from them.

"Mama, Es. Zeh." Jo said, pointing her arm across the table.

"She means 'Lexis and JD," Jamie translated.

Jo, as Martha had said about Castle and Jamie, had her own sounds to identify relatives and a few other things. You just had to be around her long enough to listen for it. All the grandparents were "Ga", Meghan was "Meh", Jamie and JD were "Zeh" ( the closest she could come to a "J" sound at the moment ) and Alexis was "Es".

"She's going to be saying real words that everybody can understand before long. You'll have more fun playing when you can have conversations, won't you?"

"We talk to each other," Jamie answered.

"Do you know what she's saying?'

He grinned and said, "Sometimes. But I kinda know what she means."

"You're a very good big brother."

Jamie beamed a smile and looked across the table at JD. "Mommy said I'm a good big brother…like you. Then JD beamed back at him.

"And how are my two grown children?" Kate asked, reaching across the table to take Alexis's hand.

"Great," Alexis answered. "We have an entire free weekend ahead of us. No classes, no tests to study for, no assignments due on Monday. It's like they forgot about us."

"Are you complaining?"

"Absolutely not."

"They're coming to the beach with us next month," Castle announced with a smile.

"Good. Shall we make them run straight to the water when we get there…clothes and all," she asked Jo and Jamie with a mischievous smile.

"Yes! Jamie answered and launched into the story of running into the water in their clothes and Mr. Stan and Miss Polly running in with them and dunking him in the water.

"They really did that?" Alexis looking delighted, as if she were imagining the scene.

"They really did," Castle answered, chuckling at the memory.

"Well, count us in," JD said, laughing; and Alexis agreed.

"Did you already order?" Kate asked as their children talked.

"Yeah. I ordered your usual. It should be here any time now."

Ruby had been a familiar face at Remy's as long as either Castle or Beckett could remember. She had frequently been their waitress since they came to Remy's separately, before they ever met. Alexis and Castle loved the way the waitress had always made a fuss over her when she was about five and it was only Castle and his daughter, and over Jamie the same way after he was born, and now Jo.

Ruby stopped at the table with a tray of several orders for them. "I love the way this family has grown." Standing between Kate and Castle as she put their orders on the table, Ruby said, "I was rooting for the two of you from the first time you came in here together. First it was Rick and Alexis, just the two of them, then Kate and her training officer, then Kate and the other two detectives, or sometimes by herself. Then it was Rick and Kate, and then they'd bring Alexis, and then Jamie, and JD, and now we have this adorable baby Kate."

"Her name is Jo, Miss Ruby," Jamie told her.

"I know, Honey, but she looks so much like her mother, I can't help calling her Baby Kate sometimes."

"She used to call you Baby Rick now and then because you look so much like Daddy," Alexis told him.

"You did?"

"I did," Ruby answered. "And you still look like your daddy."

Jamie seemed to be considering that and looked back and forth between Jo and Kate. "Daddy, do I really look like you?"

"You have brown hair and blue eyes like me. And if you look at my pictures when I was four years old, you look almost exactly like I did."

"Will you show me when we get home?"

"Yep. Now eat your dinner. Ruby said she'll be right back with the shakes and the rest of the burgers and fries."

The family ate and talked and played with the younger children, Ruby stopping by now and then when she had a minute. They left full of dinner and good family time and went back to their own homes.

As they got to the town car, Kate said, I saw a few people there from the twelfth. I guess it was hard for them to miss that the Castles were there. Probably not easy for anybody else to miss it, either.

Castle laughed. "Well, at least we make a happy spectacle. And it wasn't all that bad."

"No. I don't regret a second of sounding like a happy family," she answered.

Once they were back at the loft, Jamie asked Castle to show him the picture from when he was four. Castle scanned a similar picture of Jamie and printed it in black and white like the one from Castle's childhood, then he put them on his desk side by side.

Jamie looked at the two pictures over and over, then he looked up at his father and asked, "Are we twins?" The two pictures looked nearly identical.

"If you were my twin you would be as old as I am. Identical twins are brothers…or sisters. You just look a lot like your daddy. You'll probably grow up to look a lot like I do now."

"Oh." After a moment of looking thoughtful, he asked, "Is there a picture of Mommy when she was little like Jo?

Kate had already found one. Hers was in color, so Castle found a recent picture of Jo.

Jamie studied those carefully, too. "And they're not twins because they aren't sisters?"

"Right. You got it. She just looks a lot like her Mommy."

Jamie looked deep in thought, but he didn't ask any more questions.

"Time for bed, Buddy. How about go up and get your pajamas on. Mommy and Jo and I will be right behind you."

The little boy just nodded and went up the stairs, and after tucking in both children, Rick and Kate indulged in their evening glass of wine.

"I think we're about to need to explain half brothers and sisters and brothers-in-law…and maybe be prepared for ex-wives…at least one of them," Kate said. "I don't know how he's going to take it, but that little mind works as well as yours; and I have no doubt it's upstairs dreaming up questions about why Alexis doesn't look like either one of us.

"You're right. That means we should probably go to bed and dream up some well-planned answers."

"Are you saying you haven't already planned what you'd say when it came up?"

"I've thought about it. Have you?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's stretch out in the bed and get comfortable and see whose answers are likely to work best.

Kate rinsed their glasses out, put them on the counter next to the sink, and took the hand Rick held out to her, following him to their room.