5. Party's Just Beginning(1)

"Are you sure about this?" Skye was asking Derek.

"Salsa can have lifts," the pro replied after he'd drunk some water.

"Yes, but I'm not sure you can lift me," Skye said.

"I'm not lifting you up," Derek replied.

"I can stand in for her," Julia said, smiling when everyone started to laugh as she'd been hoping would happen. They'd been at the studio for a while that morning, watching Skye and Derek practicing their second dance. And with that she could tell the investigator was getting tense so she had said what she did to break that up.

"I wish you could," Skye said, playfully tugging one of the braids Julia's hair was in. "But I'm assuming we're just getting my feet off the floor?"

"Yeah, and we'll start," Derek said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

Looking over at it as well Beckett smiled when the kids started to look at one another and she said, "Are you going to come with us?" to the dancer.

"The kids still want you to," Castle added, sitting next to his wife. It was the seventeenth of September and they were watching the pair practicing for two hours that morning. He was relieved Skye was at least getting the hip movements she needed done better after two days, but the subjects of lifts had been touchy for the investigator.

"What about," Mari started to say. "If you just drag her and then pick her up like you're on your honeymoon." She then started to blush and said, "Not like it's romantic but-"

"Don't worry," Derek said quickly and reassuringly to her. "I got what you were saying. It does go with the whole us fighting for Mary."

"Except it sounds like you two will fall in love with picking her up," Beckett couldn't help pointing out. "Sorry Mari."

Smiling when the little girl shrugged, Skye then said to her partner, "Let's do it. Let's fall in love," making her voice as exaggerated as possible as she slung her arm around his shoulders.

"Um… no thanks," Derek said before they laughed together. "If we're going to do a lift now," he then said once they'd all calmed down. "I think we need to figure it out now or not at all."

"Wait, I wasn't exactly finished," Skye said. "You could pick me up like Mari suggested, and then just set me down before we're aggressive looking at one another and dance harder towards each other."

Thinking that over Derek said, "Since that's the story I was leaning towards that after the lift. It was just the lift itself that was throwing me. Okay, let's give it a shot and then figure out where it'll go."

Beckett watched Skye nod before they danced to work out how Derek would be 'dragging' her down the floor. She was impressed when the pro asked Julia and Peter to do the same move, watching them before he nodded and then spoke to his partner. She wondered why he'd had them do that though, when Skye and Derek danced again. When he dragged her, she watched him pick her up before the investigator was crying out in concern before she realized why as Skye was speaking rapidly.

"Derek put me down, your back!" the investigator said.

"Oh…" Peter said as the pro was doing so quickly. He saw Clive was looking at him and he explained to his friend, "He's hurt his back before."

"I'm fine," Derek said. "But-"

"No, what if you just throw me?" Skye said. She realized what she'd said when she saw the way his eyes widened, and she quickly told him, "I mean I'll make you put me down, quickly."

"I was thinking of taking you down the stairs," Derek said.

"Then pick me up at the edge, go down quickly and put me down as fast," Skye said.

"We'll need these stairs," Derek replied.

"Do we have to leave?" Julia asked.

"No, just sit on the sides," Derek said. "We need the middle."

When they were out of the way Castle couldn't help asking the pair, "Where's this going?"

"The beginning," Derek and Skye said at the same time. "It makes the most sense," the former said with a nod. "Let's work that in since we don't have much time left."

Beckett, after watching the pair practicing their new move a few times, glanced a look at Mary and saw she was holding herself tense though she was leaning against the wall. She turned her attention back to Skye and realized the investigator was likely pushing herself from the way her wife was watching. She wanted to say something but at that moment Skye was groaning as her feet scuffed the floor while her partner was trying to drag her across the top of the stage.

"I suppose this is what happens when you don't wear heels too often," the investigator said as Derek helped her stand up. She sighed and said, "Should we try again?"

"No," the pro said. He smiled when she looked startled and he explained, "Time's up," just as the door was opening and they turned to see who it was.

"You're still here?" Eddie said as he stepped inside the room first.

"We're just leaving," Skye replied with a smile. "Hopefully you'll have a good time."

"We will," Emma said with a laugh as the two were holding each other by the arms and pretending to shake each other.

"Should we have a bet?" Eddie asked.

"No, would mean we aren't mates anymore," Skye said simply.

Pretending to think about that, Eddie let her go and said, "Alright, let's just see what we'll do then."

"Agreed," Skye said before she went to get her bag her wife was holding.

"Are you dancing the Salsa too?" Julia couldn't help asking though they were getting off the stairs to leave.

"We are, any tips?" Eddie asked jokingly.

"Be careful on the stairs," Peter said.

Beckett smiled as everyone was laughing, and she made sure the kids were ready to go before they left the room saying goodbye to Eddie and Emma while they went. "Derek," she called as they were walking down the hall to leave the building. "Are you coming with us?"

Opening his mouth to respond, Derek paused as the kids were all telling him to and he laughed saying, "I already made up my mind." He was going to pause for a moment but seeing their disappointed expressions said, "I'll go with you, I've never been to the fair."

"I told him about it," Skye said. "Now let's get back for lunch so we don't miss anything."

Castle took his wife's hand as they followed behind their kids and the McDouglas girls. Listening to them talking about the fair he wanted to remind them they'd need to stop at home first but decided to let them have their fun while they made their way outside to their cars.

"We'll join you at three," Martha said, smiling at her son and daughter in law as they were last in the house. "And she'll be going to bed as soon as you give her to me."

"Sorry," Beckett said. "I wanted a little more time with her." She then kissed Josie's forehead and said, "We'll sit with you while the kids are on the rides."

"Are you sure it's alright to let them go on those rides?" Martha asked in slight concern.

"It is," Skye said, smiling when the three turned to her in the sliding glass doorway. "We need to go; the kids are getting barmy."

"Ours or yours?" Castle commented.

"Ours but your kids and the other three are getting there," Skye replied.

Beckett let Castle kiss the top of the baby's head and she did the same after telling Josie, "We'll see you later today sweetie. Be good for your gram."

"She will," Martha assured her. "Have fun and see if they have anything good in those buildings."

"We will Mother," Castle said. "Bye," he called before his wife was doing that and they hurried after Skye.

"How long will it take to get there?" Beckett asked the investigator as they were nearing the three cars they were taking.

"An hour," Mary answered as she'd heard that. She looked up from her phone and said, "We're lucky."

"How long does it normally take?" Castle said.

"Forty-five minutes," Skye said. "So traffic is going to start building up; let's go."

"You're sure about the train?" Castle asked the investigator. When she smiled he said, "Okay," before he got into the car with his wife, Julia, Mari and Peter. He started it and pulled out first before he heard laughter behind her and he was about to ask what was going on when his wife beat him to it.

"What's so funny?" Beckett asked, looking into the back.

"Why are you worried about the train Dad?" Julia asked.

"I don't know it that well," Castle said defensively before he realized what he was doing. "Why?"

"Marie and Kath said the Metrolink is a good train," Julia replied.

"Skye was debating telling her father to go on that or the Gold Line," Beckett told him. "The Gold Line is like a subway line."

"Oh… alright," Castle said, since his mother was going to take the train to the city where the fair was being held with Liam joining her and Josie. "We're going to be a while you guys, so try not to get carsick."

"We won't," Julia said. "We'll watch where we're going."

"Where are we going?" Mari said as they were pulling onto a freeway.

"Pomona, according to Skye and Mary," Beckett said. "But other than that I'm not sure where it is."

"Huh?" Julia asked in confusion.

Smiling back at her Beckett explained, "Skye said something about a fairplex but what that is I don't know."

"We'll find out," Castle said as they made their way through the slight traffic to the city. When they got off the freeway he said, "I can answer about the fairplex now love."

Looking ahead Beckett saw a sign and she said, "I'll ask her about it," since it was obvious they were going there. When they had pulled into a parking spot between the car her father was driving and the one Skye was driving at the Los Angeles County Fair she got out, seeing the investigator was helping her daughters out before she started to walk over to her when Iris was crying out in joy.

"Is that where we go in Mommy?" the little girl asked eagerly.

"It is," Mary replied. "Why?"

"It says blue gate," Iris read.

"Are there others?" Beckett asked.

"Two other entrances," Skye answered once she was sure she and Mary had everything they would need. "Ready?"

"We are," Beckett said, after she had checked what she had in her bag. "This is for extra stuff or… do you shop?" she asked slowly as Skye was taking her bag to put in one of the shopping carts she and Mary had brought.

"We might look around," Skye said. "But mostly for the fact we don't have to carry things."

"It's a good idea," Beckett said with a smile. She looked ahead at the gate they were approaching and then she asked, "So why Fairplex?"

"The permanent structures are here all the time," Skye said, smiling when her friend gave her a look. "It's called that. But they have different events through the year, but the biggest thing is this."

"How often have you been coming here?" Castle asked.

"Since I was a baby," Skye replied.

"Same for me," Mary said, smiling as the couple looked at her. "And we've continued with the girls."

"What're we doing first?" Fleur asked as they'd reached the admission booths under the tent that covered them.

"You'll see once we're inside," Mary said as she took her shopping cart over to a table set up to the side in front of the stalls.

"They really do this?" Jim asked his daughter as they were waiting for the two women to set down bags of canned goods.

"They do," Beckett said with a smile as those cans were their admission. "It's a good idea though."

"It is, I should start paying for things that way," Castle said. "It'll help people who need the food."

After everyone had given the workers cans and had their tickets they went through some metal detectors and then through turnstiles.

"We're going to get our picture taken," Skye said to Castle and Beckett. "So we might be a minute."

"We'll…" Beckett started to say before she realized the three kids with them wouldn't want to be in their family picture. She had been tempted to wait until Martha arrived with Josie but decided someone else could take their picture with her camera. "We'll wait for you," she finally said. When Skye smiled and nodded, she turned to the rest of her family and the kids to find them and join them. She saw the kids were looking ahead and was about to ask her husband and father what they saw when she paused herself.

"Mommy why is there a tunnel?" Eliza asked, hurrying over to her mother.

"I think," Beckett said as studied it. "We use it to go under the street."

"You're right, we do," Skye said as she and the girls were walking to them. "Will you take a picture of us once my dad gets here?" she asked her.

Smiling, as she wasn't surprised that she had figured out what she wanted to do, Beckett nodded and said, "It's only fair."

"We can get started," the investigator then directed to all the others.

"Awesome, we can run across the street," Clive said to Peter before they started to run down the ramp.

"Boys," Beckett said sternly. When they froze and turned to look at her she told them, "Come back. And please don't run, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Sorry," Peter said quickly.

"I don't blame you guys for wanting to go," Castle said as they'd reached the rest of them and they began to walk down to the tunnel. "But it's better to be uninjured. According to all of them we're going to walk a lot."

"We will," Mary said with a nod. "But we'll rest too."

"And have a snack!" Kathleen said.

"And that," Skye said in amusement before they were in the tunnel fully.

"This is cool," Mari commented, looking around them though there wasn't much to see except some posters that had ads on them.

When they had reached the top of the ramp coming out of the tunnel, Skye smiled at the others from New York and said, "Welcome to the Fair. Oh and you too Derek, I was including you too."

Whirling around, Julia gasped when she saw the dancer and she wrapped her arms around him saying, "I'm glad you came.""Thank you, I didn't think I'd be able to get to you unnoticed," the pro said with a smile.

"We're enthralled," Skye said, hugging him quickly as he reached her. "We'll head to the right. But Rick those buildings are the ones I told your mother about."

Nodding, as she'd told his mother they had items to buy but mostly items for the home, Castle said, "The jewelry though…"

"I don't know, I told Martha to look around, but it might be less than she likes," Skye said.

"But we'll go through a couple, just to see what there is," Mary added as they were walking by a wall that was painted purple.

"Do they have performances there?" Mari asked as they came to an opening and could see a stage inside.

"They do, mostly in Spanish," Mary answered, pointing at the top of the opening.

"Plaza de las Américas," Julia read slowly. "Was that right?"

"It was, but if we were teaching you Latin American Spanish you wouldn't have the fricative on the z," Skye said. "Okay straight ahead is what's first," she told them.

"It smells really good," Clive said.

"It does, like a barbeque," Ivy said, sniffing the smoke scent on the air.

"It is, but that's not where we're going," Mary told the two in amusement.

"I'm hungry," Marie commented.

"Sweetling, not yet," Skye said, smiling when her oldest groaned. "We're going here," she told her and the others.

"It's… animals!" Julia said happily when they rounded the corner of the building and seeing some goats in an enclosure.

"It is," Marie said first. "We go here first."

"We better get started," Castle said, looking ahead of them and seeing how far down the structures went in the distance.

"Can we go in there?" Eliza asked eagerly when she saw people with animals.

"Yes, but we should leave it for last," Skye suggested.

"Take pictures now?" Beckett asked. When her friend nodded she smiled and they went inside, leaning against the fence to look in at the goats. She took some pictures of Mari, Peter and Clive so she could send them to their parents, walking with them to the next animals.

"It's a baby!" Iris squealed as they looked in the next enclosure at the calf there.

"There's a baby pig in this one," Clive said.

"It's Wilbur," Peter replied.

"How's it going taking pictures?" Jim asked the two as he was watching them. He wasn't sure what they thought of the baby animals, though they were taking photos of them, and wanted to make sure they weren't forgotten as the girls were being urged to keep walking by their parents.

"I think I got it," Peter said, showing him the screen of his camera.

"Very nice," Jim said.

"Mr. Beckett?" Clive then said slowly.

"You can call me Jim," Beckett's father said.

"Oh… it smells in here Jim," Clive said.

"It will, it's a barn," Beckett said, going over to them. "But we're going to keep going, let's see the cows," she told them before they went to the railing in front of the animals. She felt her husband come up next to her and she smiled at him before he was taking her hand and squeezing it before he began to speak to her in Irish.

"Didn't she mention something about horses?" Castle asked her.

Giving him a look Beckett then smiled and said, "We'll get there eventually. How're you doing?"

"The smell?" Castle asked. When she smiled again he leaned over to her and murmured, "Would it be weird if I tried to get your perfume?"

"Yes," Beckett said. "The kids are ready to go."

Looking over at them, Castle saw she was right and they went together after them to another enclosure where there were sheep. He was letting go of his wife's hand when there was a sudden squeal from one of the girls and looked over to see it was Fleur.

"There's a lamb!" the little girl said before hurrying to Skye. "Maman, sing, please!""You've heard me sing this before," the investigator replied though she was smiling as she caressed the back of her daughter's head.

"Just a little Mum," Marie said.

Sighing, as she'd quickly spotted Derek was watching her interestedly, Skye said, "It's not happy girls."

"Still," Julia commented.

"Oh, not you too," Skye said in annoyance before she laughed so the girl wouldn't think she was annoyed. "Okay, okay. Lambs, this is not meant in a negative way at all," she said to the two that were inside the enclosure. She could see the other people; luckily only a few and no other kids; were looking at her in confusion and she quickly started to sing the beginning of the song. When Mary quickly joined her, she smiled at her wife and they were signing together until they reached the part where the dragonfly came in.

I have no answer for you little lambI can help you outBut I cannot help you in

Sometimes you think that life is hardAnd this is only one of them

My heart is breaking for you little lambI can help you outBut we may never meet again

"Oh, thank you," Skye said to the applause when she and Mary stopped.

"Oh Mum," Kathleen said in disappointment as they walked over to a structure where there were some open cases with chicks in them. "I wish you had sung the whole song."

"There's no dragonflies around here," Mary said with a smile.

Walking past the rest of the animals, Julia couldn't tear herself away from a barn owl in a cage and she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at Mari and said, "My parents?"

"They're with your sister or the boys," the little girl said with a smile. Mari then looked at the owl and said, "There's more to see."

"Yeah," Julia said, shaking herself. She took her friend's hand and they walked over to the others before they were leaving that structure.

"Milk?" Ivy asked as she was walking with her mother, looking at the stall shaped like a milk bottle.

"Aye, since those cows are here after all," Skye replied. "There's more this way," she called to the others, going past the milk cows. She let Ivy go with the other kids before she glanced at Beckett who'd walked up next to her. "Yes?" she asked.

Looking at her out of the corner of her eye Becket smiled and said, "Your costume?"

"We got them yesterday," Skye said, speaking in Irish too since she didn't mind if her wife or Castle heard. "The three of us." She paused with a smile and then said, "I'm wearing the outfit Paul had in the picture Apple used to advertise getting their music. Vest, white shirt and trousers. Derek's dressed as George in that same picture with a jean jacket and black jeans."

"And Mary?" Beckett asked in amusement since her friend's cheeks had grown flushed suddenly.

"A dress… blue," Skye said quickly. She coughed a little and said, "Let's go." She was relieved when Beckett didn't tease her about that, walking over to her wife rapidly recalling her trying the dress on the day before.

"What's up with Skye?" Castle asked his wife.

"Never mind," Beckett said, watching their daughters. "What're the girls doing?"

Castle turned to find their daughters and saw that Julia was whispering in Eliza's ear, making him turn to his wife. "Should we be worried?" he asked before their second youngest was rushing to them. "Hey, no run-" he started to say as the little girl was doing that.

"There are horsies!" Eliza cried, interrupting her father. "Jules saw them over there."

"We'll go right now," Beckett said, picking her up. She walked after the kids before they came to a corral with a few horses inside.

"Mommy, can't you call them?" Eliza asked her hopefully.

"I better not sweetie," Beckett said, kissing her temple. "I don't know how they behave."

"There are more horses," Julia said, standing with her mother. She smiled as the two looked down at her and said, "Marie and Kath said."

"Okay," Beckett said after a moment of hesitation. "But we'll take our time and let Skye and Mary take us there okay?"

"Sure." "Kay," Julia and then Eliza said. They smiled at each other before the latter was being set down by Beckett and they walked to the structure across from the one they were in.

Beckett found herself taking several pictures of her daughters, as there were chickens, guinea pigs and rabbits there. After she'd gotten some of the last animals they were looking at; the rabbits; she watched the little girl winding her way around everyone to make her way to her.

"Mommy-" Eliza began to say.

"No sweetie," Beckett said gently.

"But-" the little girl began.

"The dogs sweetheart," Castle said as he'd known what Eliza was going to say too.

"But they like chameleons," the little girl said slowly.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "We're not home now so let's just enjoy the fair."

"Is that it for the animals?" Castle asked when Mary walked over to them.

"No, but there's something over here we want to show you," the woman said. "And if you could help our girls they'd appreciate that."

"Help with what?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"You'll see," Mary said simply before she led them out with the others to walk down the path to the red building ahead of them.

"Now Mum?" Marie asked hopefully.

"Alright," Skye said with a nod.

"This is The Farm!" the oldest McDouglas twins said at the same time before they paused and looked at each other. They started to laugh when they heard everyone else was doing the same before they turned to their mother.

"What?" Skye said in slight confusion.

"Is there a song about a farm?" Castle said.

Skye opened her mouth before she paused, closed it and looked at her oldest two with a frown. "Girls-" she began.

"Please," Marie and Kathleen said at the same time.

Sighing, Skye glanced at her wife and said, "You… you helped them."

"I actually asked Kate to, but it wasn't needed," Mary said simply with a smile.

"Do you know what song they want to hear?" Derek asked.

"Would you mind if we walked through with me singing?" Skye said to him. She tried not to groan when he merely smiled back at her and she sighed before she turned to her wife. "You're joining me on this," she told her firmly, startled when Mary walked straight to her and kissed her square on the lips though it didn't last long. "Well… blimey grá, if you wanted me to sing this in the first place…" she said, unable to help her cheeks warming. "Okay, we should start," she then said after clearing her throat.

Beckett tried not to smile as Mary winked at her wife before she was getting her phone from her pocket. She let her husband take her hand and they walked to the planters of vegetables and herbs as Skye and her wife walked ahead of everyone and began to sing as soon as the song began.

I look high, I look lowLookin' everywhere I goLooking for a homeIn the heart of the country

I'm gonna move, I'm gonna goI'm gonna tell everyone I knowLooking for a homeIn the heart of the country

Heart of the countryWhere the holy people growHeart of the countrySmell the grass in the meadowWhoa, whoa, whoa

Want a horse, I want a sheepI wanna get me a good night's sleepLiving in a homeIn the heart of the country

I'm gonna move, I'm gonna goI'm gonna tell everyone I knowLiving in a homeIn the heart of the country

Heart of the countryWhere the holy people growHeart of the countrySmell the grass in the meadowWhoa, whoa, whoa

Want a horse, I got a sheepGonna get me a good night's sleepLiving in a home in the heart of the country

I'm gonna move, I'm gonna goI'm gonna tell everyone I knowIn the heart of the country

Heart of the countryWhere the holy people growHeart of the countrySmell the grass in the meadowWhoa, whoa, whoa

Shaking her head, and smiling, as the others applauded Skye said, "I don't get it girls. This is not the country or-"

"I don't think that matters," Derek said. "And I see why they asked the band to perform."

"Thanks for not saying they were my band," Skye commented. "But you've heard me sing before."

"Not in person before we met," Derek said.

"Yeah, that's always fun," Peter commented.

"Thank you," Skye said. "And now we've gotten that out of the way I hope you'll enjoy the farm."

"Do they use these vegetables anywhere?" Jim asked, looking at the squash they were passing.

"Over here," Mary said. "Now we don't need to eat at the same places of course, but we ate here last year and our youngest haven't been to a fair before so we want to show them."

"You haven't?" Eliza asked Fleur with wide eyes.

Shaking her head, the little girl replied, "They do not have them in Paris like this."

"They'll have fairs but not exactly like ours," Skye said when Fleur looked at her.

"Oh, it looks like it's fun," Eliza said seriously to her friend.

Giggling, Fleur nodded and said, "It is."

"Come on, there's a lot of crops I know you'll want to take pictures of," Skye said to the kids. "And there's more to see."

"Rick?" Beckett asked her husband as they walked past the citrus trees at the end of the crops at the farm. She took a quick picture of some lemons as her husband asked her what was wrong, and she smiled at him saying, "Nothing's wrong. But why don't you want a camera?"

Shaking his head Castle said, "It's your thing love. I would rather take pictures of people."

"You mean me," Beckett said.

"Not those kinds of pictures," Castle said quickly and in Irish. "You've seen what I have on my phone."

"I know," Beckett replied with a smile. "I think we're heading back to that petting zoo."

"We are," Julia said as she walked back to her parents. "And then we're going to get our snack."

Looking at each other, Castle and Beckett began to walk a little faster so they could go to the animals as they could see Eliza skipping happily next to Jim.

"Will you take her?" Beckett asked her husband as they reached the gate to it.

Shaking his head Castle said, "I think your dad's going to take care of that."

Looking over at the others Beckett saw he was right, and her father was going inside with Eliza already. "Watch Julia?" she asked. She then realized she was with all the other kids and she smiled before they went inside after the others. She took pictures of Eliza feeding the goats and sheep in the zoo before moving to do the same with Julia and her three friends. She took individual shots of Mari, Peter and Clive for their parents first and then got shots of everyone. She was even able to get a picture of Derek and Skye, the two feeding some ewes that surrounded them. She was so involved in getting as many pictures as she could she had no idea her husband was taking a picture of her just as the kids' food for the animals was running out.

"Do we have to go," Clive said with a sigh.

"Yeah," Castle told him. "Don't forget that snack."

"And don't forget to wash your hands," Beckett added before she followed them out. Since she hadn't touched anything but her camera she stayed back from the row of sinks, watching to make sure her daughters and their friends from home washed their hands well. "Okay," she said to Skye once the investigator walked over to her. "What's this snack?"

"Come on," Skye replied with a smile. She led them out of the structure and back towards where they'd entered though instead of turning left to the tunnel she went to the right and walked up to a stall that was straight ahead of them.

"What're those?" Julia asked Kathleen as she was walking with her and Clive.

"A snack," the little girl said eagerly before she hurried to her mother.

Julia and Clive looked at each other before they shrugged, and she told him, "I'll ask my mom." And she went over to Beckett, grabbing her hand and getting out the word, "What-" before her mother was interrupting her to answer her already.

"It's called agua fresca," Beckett told her daughter with a smile. "Fruit with water and sugar."

"That's our snack?" Julia asked in surprise.

"We're getting everyone a small sized cup," Beckett explained, putting her hand on her back and leading her over to the counter around the stall to look at their choices.

"We sometimes go to a place at the mall at the Promenade," Skye was saying to everyone from New York when they were leaving with their drinks. "But it's the same here. How is it?"

"Good!" Eliza said first and happily. "Mine tastes like kiwis."

"Mine too," Iris said with a giggle.

"Why is there a ski lift?" Peter asked suddenly as they were walking down the street and past other food stalls.

"It's not a ski lift, but you can take it to the other end of the Fairplex," Mary said. "And there's a second one by the end of this one."

"How big is this fair?" Jim asked.

"Fourth largest," Skye replied. When she saw the looks she was getting she smiled and said, "I'm not kidding, the weekends are packed. Tonight will be packed as well so we get a bit of a break with that right now."

"Are these the buildings?" Castle asked.

Nodding Mary said, "There are six. But those we'll wait to look at with Martha. Grá?"

"What?" Skye asked, looking at her wife in surprise.

"We need a new cover for the barbeque," Mary reminded her.

"Ah, good point," Skye said. She saw Beckett; who was walking with her; looking at her questioningly and she smiled saying, "We ordered our barbeque… set… island, whatever you'd like to call it, here at the fair. The company was here to get business and they sell accessories too."

"Other companies are here?" Beckett asked.

"They are," Skye said before they turned the corner around an intersection of streets and they all heard the kids from New York gasping at the structure they'd reached.

"It's the Grandstand," Mary was saying. "It used to be a racehorse track, but they use it for shows now."

"Then why are the horses here?" Jim asked as they began to walk again.

"People have been petitioning them having more livestock since that's what this fair was for," Skye replied. "Agriculture and livestock."

"She was part of the group that started the online petition," Mary said, smiling at her wife.

"Well of course I was," Skye said simply. "Would you like a jacuzzi?" she then asked Castle to distract from what her wife had said and because there was a large tent for a jacuzzi company with hot tubs underneath it.

"That's alright," he replied, looking back at everyone else. "Is that all there is here?"

"That's it," Mary said.

"Rides!" Ivy cried as she was the first to spot one spinning around in the distance.

"Easy lass," Skye told her. "We're not going on the rides first."

"What are we going to do?" Peter asked.

"You'll see in a moment," Mary answered before her wife could.

"Daddy I want to play a game," Eliza said as her father was pulling her along after him.

"Not yet," Castle said reassuringly. "Here," he then told her as he picked her up. He placed her on his shoulders and was doing his best not to laugh as she was exclaiming over the games and prizes they were passing. He looked at his father in law as he walked to him and he was about to ask if he was enjoying himself when Marie and Kathleen were exclaiming in front of them.

"Mum, they did Japan this year!" the oldest was calling out.

"Japan?" Julia asked before she looked ahead at the large building they were approaching.

"This is the girls' favorite," Mary said as they walked nearer to it. "The Flower and Garden Pavilion."

"Every year they have different themes," Skye took up. "For a while it was places, China, Brazil and New Orleans for Mardi Gras. But then they started to do books and last year it was The Wizard of Oz. I suppose they've decided to go back to places this time around. Great it's Japan."

"That doesn't really answer the question of what this is exactly," Jim pointed out.

Shaking her head Skye said with a smile, "You'll see once we're inside." With that they reached the entrance and she took a few shots with her camera of the display there with cherry blossom branches in tall vases. She then looked at her wife and said, "Again."

"Again what?" Mari asked in confusion.

"They always seem to work in that couch," Mary said, nodding to it towards the back of the display where a green sofa was.

"Is it made of real grass?" Julia asked.

"Not likely, but it looks like it," Skye said. "Well, we should head in."

Once they had walked into the building, Beckett's eyes widened for a moment and then said, "Roses?"

"There are other flowers," Skye told her as she took a picture of the front display which had a torii and two female mannequins in kimonos in front of it, surrounded by roses. "But they are the focus." The kids were finishing in front of them and she then said, "But there are displays of course."

"It's beautiful," Julia said.

"It is," Mari said, as her friend was telling her that. She looked back at the display that was of bamboo and patterned shapes. She then smiled and said, "Too bad your dad couldn't get the roses."

"I don't think he would," Julia said, looking at her parents who were with Eliza at the next display. She reached over to her friend and took her hand before they walked together to them.

"How're your pictures coming out?" Beckett asked the two girls when they stopped to take pictures.

"Good," Julia said. "I'm glad they wanted us to come here.""Me too," Castle said first. He then smiled as Eliza was tugging at his hand and he looked down at her asking, "What is it?"

"There's water," the little girl said eagerly, pointing behind them.

"I see," Castle replied. "But we're not there yet, so hold on a little longer okay?"

"Kay," Eliza said, sounding disappointed.

"It's not that far," Julia said, doing her best not to sound exasperated at her little sister. She saw the way her mother was looking at her and she blanched before she went to a display tucked in between two doorways. She was busy taking a picture of a heron with blue fabric around it when she felt her mother next to her. "I-" she started to say before she was interrupted.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad at you," Beckett said gently. "But you're getting closer to your teenage years."

"Still a while," Julia told her.

"Yes," Beckett said, cupping the back of her head. "But that will happen, remember I told you."

"I was the same, wasn't I?" Julia asked.

"Of course, this is how kids are," Beckett said. "And for her it's a long way to look at the waterfall." She smiled when her second oldest laughed and then hugged her before she said, "But next time let us answer her first."

"Sure," Julia said before they were walking across to a smaller display with large origami shapes made from patterned 'paper' with rainbow roses below them. She took a quick picture before she asked, "We're going back to Japan right?"

"We will," Beckett said.

"Most likely for a full summer," Castle said. "Just Spring Break was nowhere near long enough," he added.

"No," Julia said, smiling at her little sister and grandfather. "Think of everything we didn't see. Oh… and that you haven't seen yet Grandpapa."

"I'm invited?" Jim asked, unable to help smiling.

"Mother too," Castle replied. "She loves Japan."

"But for now, we should pay attention to the flowers," Beckett told them. She smiled when the girls took each other's hands and rushed around to look up at the waterfall. She took some pictures before she saw Skye and Derek talking to each other across the aisle in front of more roses. She was a little startled when she saw they were speaking seriously and though she guessed it didn't really apply to her she went over to them.

"Oh good," Skye said with a smile. "We needed to talk to you."

"About?" Beckett asked.

"We're discussing what to do with the dance," Derek said. "The setting," he was quick to clarify. "We think it should be at a bar, but outside."

"Why outside?" Beckett said in confusion before she glanced behind her at Castle who'd walked over to them.

"We needed to talk to you too," Skye told the writer. "And we wanted to include the four."

"How?" Castle said when his wife didn't respond.

"Just the intro," Derek replied. "I should correct myself," he then said. "Just before the opening and then the opening before they run off?"

Shaking her head Skye said, "Have them run to Mary and I suppose go off stage before she comes to me."

"She's going to you?" Castle asked.

"Does that surprise you?" Derek responded with a question.

"Not really, just making sure that worked," Castle said. When he saw his wife looking at him, he started to speak but quickly stopped and shook his head.

"I got what you meant," Skye said quickly. "And it's not going to be a concern. She is my wife after all. But we'd need your permission about Julia and then your help to get in contact with the parents of the other three."

"She said they know Salsa," Derek said as soon as Castle and Beckett nodded.

"They do," Castle said first.

"Very well, Beckett added. "You should ask them now."

"I… don't think so," Skye said quickly, looking at her friend. She then realized something and said, "You just wanted us to show you something."

Shaking her head Beckett laughed and said, "I did, but we'll see it next week. Let's keep going."

After they'd gone to the kids the group went around to the Atrium attached outside. There were a few animals there and it took them some time to get the kids to keep going and return to the inside of the building to see the rest of the flowers.

"Now rides?" Kathleen asked hopefully.

"Yes, we should head to the games after dinner and dessert," Mary suggested to Castle and Beckett.

"That's fine," the latter said. "But we need to find something for the littlest kids to go on."

"There's something over by the Grandstand," Skye said. She was about to speak when she heard Iris calling to her and saw she was pointing to a fence. "That won't be open until later lass."

"What is it?" Beckett asked as there was a sign that read Luminasia.

"It's from China, different objects lit from within," Mary began. "They're made of fabric."

"They were here five years ago, I suppose they have new items or they wouldn't be back."

"Night?" Castle asked.

Nodding Skye replied, "Of course. But for now we have a lot of rides to check on." She smiled when the kids laughed, and they walked towards the former racetrack and she took them directly next to it. "These are the rides for the younger kids mainly," she said. "Grá?"

"Getting them," Mary said, reaching into her shopping bag. "These are our unlimited wristbands."

"How much did that cost?" Beckett said with a frown.

Shaking her head Skye said, "They're our gift to you. But you'll have to pay for the games, these don't cover that."

"And don't try to pay for our girls," Mary added swiftly.

"We won't," Castle said. "But thank you."

"Yeah, thanks!" Eliza said happily as her grandfather was putting on her wristband for her. "Are you gonna go on rides Grandpapa?"

"I will," Jim said as he let his daughter put his wristband on him. "Thank you for that," he said to Skye and Mary.

"Would you mind-" the former began to say.

"I'll watch them," Jim said as he looked around the rides. "I could take them as long as they don't need an adult with them."

"Thank you," Skye told him before she turned to the kids. "You need to head into this on your own since we're a bit too big."

"I might be able to join them," Jim said. He was slightly surprised when he saw the kids looking doubtfully at each other and he couldn't help laughing. "If you don't want me to go that's okay."

"Stick together," Mary called as all ten kids headed for the fun house. She looked at the others and said, "Hopefully they won't be disappointed."

"After Disney World?" Castle asked.

When the doctor nodded Beckett smiled and said, "I doubt they will," as the sounds of the kids crying out in the fun house reached them. She turned to look at it and felt her husband taking her hand, making her look up at him before the laughter of their daughters caught their attention and they watched the attraction. She squeezed his hand tightly as they watched the kids making their way through the different obstacles back to them.

"Hello," Martha said with a smile as her two middle granddaughters rushed to her and hugged her. She was laughing as they were talking at the same time and she told them when they paused to take a breath, "Calm down, it sounds like you've been having a lot of fun."

"Yeah, there's a lot of cool stuff," Julia said.

"And rides!" Eliza said. "And games but we didn't get to play those."

Smiling, as his mother had sympathized with her about that, Castle told her, "We're going to play them after dinner."

"Oh well that'll be soon girls," Martha said to them. She looked around were they were, after exiting the tunnel, and she said, "So this is the fair."

"There are animals over there," Clive said, pointing towards the section. "And a farm too."

"They grow vegetables there," Julia said. "To use at a place to eat."

"Is that where we're eating dinner?" Martha asked.

"If you'd like to, but we've found places to eat already," Beckett said, turning from kissing Josie on the cheek. "Liam-"

"Grandda gets a turkey leg," Marie said quickly. "Every year."

"She's right," Skye's dad said with a smile. "I can't resist."

"The boys want to get that too," Castle said. "We need to walk over to there and our other places we chose so look at what there is," he told his mother. After she nodded, they started to walk and he took the baby from his wife and they went together until they were reaching where what the boys wanted was.

"We're also getting something here too," Skye commented.

"The kabobs?" Liam asked her.

Nodding, with a smile, Skye said, "I wanted to try that again."

"I'm getting what Kate's getting," Mary said when her father in law looked at her.

"Which is what?" Martha said.

"I'll show you," Beckett told her.

After they had three turkey legs and the kabobs that Skye, Kathleen and Fleur wanted, the group walked by the Grandstand and past it they found the two stalls they would need to visit to get the last meals for the others. Once everything had been bought, they went to area in front of the bar where there were tables.

"We went on that Gram," Eliza was saying as she hopped from foot to foot.

"Sit down Eliza," Castle told her, giving her the piece he'd taken off the waffle that had chicken tenders on both sides that she'd chosen since she'd loved the idea of chicken and waffles on a stick. "And here's your syrup."

"Thank you, Daddy," the little girl said before she smiled widely. She puckered her lips and giggled after they shared a kiss before she said, "Do you like it Daddy?"

"It's very good," Castle said as he knew she could taste the syrup he'd used on his chicken and waffles on a stick.

"Mommy!" Eliza gasped.

"Eat sweetie, or we won't have time for dessert," Beckett said with a smile. She watched the little girl pout before she started to eat and while Eliza was taking her first bite she shared a brief kiss with her husband.

"Taste it love," Castle said, dipping his quarter of waffle into the syrup. He was surprised when she fed him some of her chicken, pineapple and steamed rice; served in half a hollowed pineapple; she had chosen and they ate at the same time. "Nice," he said.

"Yours is good too," Beckett said with a smile. "Dad?"

"I'm enjoying it," Jim said with a nod, eating a hotdog in a pickle and made into a corn dog. "But it's really good we're not eating this all the time."

"Can I try Grandpapa?" Eliza asked hopefully. When he nodded, she waited for him to hold the corn dog up to her and took a bite. "Ooh, it's sour," she said, playfully wrinkling her nose.

"Did she get the hot dog at all?" Castle asked.

"She did," Jim said, smiling.

After Eliza was back to her food, Beckett looked at the table next to them where Julia was with her friends, talking as they were eating. "Julia," she called.

"It's good," the girl said quickly, eating a corn dog like her grandfather had.

"Yeah, I have to tell my dad about this," Mari said.

"I have to tell my dad about these," Clive said, holding up his turkey leg.

"Leg fight!" Peter exclaimed.

"Boys, boys," Beckett said when she saw they were intending to do that. "No food fights, you need to eat."

"Sorry," Peter and Clive said together though they were laughing.

After they'd calmed down the kids went back to eating, watching the rides that were going near them until Clive turned away suddenly, getting his friends' attention. They asked him what was wrong, but he shook his head and wouldn't look at them, making the girls look at Peter. The boy took a deep breath, realizing what was wrong and he was about to speak when their friend turned around and leaned in, making them do the same so they could hear him.

"I hate my…" Clive began before he trailed off. "The lady who gave birth to me."

"Your birth mother," Mari suggested.

Nodding Clive said, "She didn't love me or my dad… I wish I had a real mom. You're so lucky."

Julia looked at Mari and Peter before she said, "You don't think your dad would ever get married?"

Shaking his head Clive said, "I told you he doesn't want to get hurt again."

"But he has you," Peter said quickly.

"Yeah," Clive said slowly. He then smiled slightly and said, "He said that was the best thing, that he got to raise me."

"Then you've got him," Julia said. She was about to say something else when her father was calling to them and they went back to their food so they could finish.

Returning to the table after he'd thrown away their trash after they'd eaten, Castle said, "Next we'll go through the buildings."

"Are you sure we should?" Martha asked since her son had directed that to her.

"We'll go to the games and then the rides again," Beckett said.

"What is it?" Castle asked his wife when she slowed down towards the end of that.

"There's that light exhibit next to the pavilion," Beckett reminded him.

"Oh… well then maybe that and after some games and the rides," Castle said.

"Here," Beckett said, handing something to her mother in law. She smiled when Martha looked confused and she told her, "A wristband for the rides, they'll want you to join them."

"Oh, then I'll put that on once we get to them," Martha said, tucking it into her purse.

Beckett checked on Josie as she stood from the table and seeing the baby was fine, began to turn her attention to her husband when Skye was calling to her.

"Before we do that, we forgot something," the investigator said once she had reached her.

"The 'orses!" Fleur exclaimed.

"Yes, but I get the feeling your mother planned that Fleur," Beckett told the little girl. She looked down at her and said, "She's been looking at her watch through dinner."

"You got me," Skye replied. "We should get there in time." She walked with Beckett past the last stall they'd gotten food at and they went around a corner to a path where there were Clydesdales harnessed to a wagon. "They're going to be in the parade that's going to go by," she explained as Julia and Eliza gasped with her three youngest.

"Can we pet them?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"No, they need to go, come on," Skye said before she led the way past them and said, "Here're the new stables."

Castle didn't need to see the girls to know they were looking at the structures in awe and he went to Eliza, taking her hand firmly so she wouldn't take off at a run.

"I can see them looking outside Daddy," the little girl said eagerly, peering up at him.

"Me too, we're going right now," Castle said before he hurried with her to follow the others.

"That's what I was waiting for," Skye told Beckett when they could see the corral in the middle of the stables.

"I've done that before," Beckett said, glancing at her.

"Yes, but they're going to let us go in," Skye replied with a smile before she climbed over the fence.

Watching her go, Beckett wondered how she had managed to set that up but then remembered the petition Mary had mentioned earlier. When the investigator called out to her, she climbed over the fence herself and was walking after her rapidly.

"You can take him first," Skye said once her friend had reached her. "I'm sorry but you'll have to wear this," she said, handing her a helmet.

"I figured. And you?" Beckett asked.

"After," Skye said with a smile before she watched as Beckett went to the horse. "Have fun."

"Believe me, I will," Beckett said, nodding to the worker who'd been holding the Friesian horse. She waited for him and Skye to get out of the corral before she began to nudge her heels into its sides, starting to trot to get a feel for the horse. While she was going around she could see everyone was watching her, and her husband was standing on the first railing of the fence with Skye as she sped up.

"You know it's very interesting how quickly she can get horses to take to her," the investigator said to Castle.

"I know," he was quick to reply. Castle then added, "She's always been like that she told me."

Biting her lower lip Beckett had been able to hear her husband as he'd spoken that, and she'd easily been able to hear the pride in his tone. She focused her attention back to the horse, having been gradually indicating to the stallion to speed up, and when they were galloping she only let that go on for a few times around the corral before slowing him down.

"Should I bother?" Skye asked with a smile as Beckett slowed down at them.

"Yes," she replied. "But we'll see if he wants to go." Beckett got down from the saddle and held the horse's reins before she called, "What's his name?"

"Hans," the worker replied as Skye was getting up on the saddle.

"Have fun," Beckett told her friend before she climbed over the fence in the corral. Standing with her husband she asked him, "So you enjoy my talents," speaking in Irish and not looking at him.

"Of course," Castle said firmly and in the same language. He smiled at her when she glanced at him and said, "I have told you I love you."

"I know," Beckett replied simply, looking ahead again. She eventually looked back to him and said, "I love you too."

"You're so good at that Mummy," Iris told Skye once she was out of the corral and with them going to see the other horses.

"Ah, Kate's far better," Skye reminded them.

"It's alright," Beckett said with a smile. "Look at this Thoroughbred." With their attention distracted she said to Skye in Russian, "Why deflect to me?"

"Easier to do," the investigator replied simply before she was laughing as her friend pushed her aside playfully. "But I'll try my best not to do that again."

"But you still will," Beckett told her. She shook her head when her friend merely smiled back at her and then turned her attention to the horses they were passing.

"Now what?" Julia asked her mother once they were finished.

"Should we head over to the Luminasia now?" Castle asked the investigator.

"It should be starting," Mary said to her wife.

"We should," Skye said with a smile. "Alright, let's make our way over there. And Martha we'll go to the buildings next."

"I'm not in any hurry," Castle's mother assured her.

The group walked over to where the exhibit was and finding it had started, Castle insisted on paying for their admission before they were walking inside.

"Take it easy," he was telling the kids as he smiled at their thanks. "I wanted to see this too. Make sure you have the right settings to take pictures at night."

Beckett, expecting at least Julia to come to her, was startled when she went to Jim instead with most of the other kids. "They're planning something," she said to her husband as he walked over to her.

"I noticed," Castle replied. "Should we tell them no?"

"Do you think they're really paying attention," Beckett said, watching as Marie was talking to her mothers. When the two walked over to her and her husband she said, "What is it?"

"We're going to split up into three groups," Mary said first.

Breathing out hard Beckett turned to her father and mother in law and Liam saying, "You don't-" before the former was interrupting her.

"We'll take them," Jim said. "Go and walk around and we'll meet somewhere I'm sure."

"It's not that big here," Mary told them. "We'll see each other a lot."

After saying goodbye to their daughters and the others, Skye took Mary's hand and told her in French, "I'd like to just walk around."

"No pictures?" Mary asked in the same language.

"Any new ones," Skye said simply. When her wife nodded, she squeezed her hand and said, "I hope they'll enjoy it."

"I'm sure they will," Mary told her. They were walking down a path through some foliage and she then said, "Are we going to walk much further?"

"You're tired already?" Skye asked her wife with a smile.

"Yes," Mary said simply. When they'd stopped walking, she smiled at the investigator and then turned to her before Skye held her by her shoulders. "What's wrong grá?" she asked in English since her wife was looking at her intently.

Skye studied her closely before she leaned down slightly, taking Mary's lips with her own and wrapping her arms around her tightly. She felt her wife's hands reaching up to the backs of her shoulders and deepened the kiss before they slowly parted. "We need to stop," she said.

"I know," Mary murmured, leaning against her wife so she could speak against her lips. She smiled as Skye embraced her tightly and responded before they let go of one another. When they were walking again, hand in hand, she told her, "I would thank the girls, but I don't want to encourage them."

"They wouldn't need any," Skye said in amusement. "But it's Marie and Kath of course."

"Their sisters are learning," Mary said with a smile.

"They're quick," Skye said with a smile before they walked further down the path, admiring the figures they were approaching until they spotted Castle and Beckett in the distance.

"I'm impressed," Castle said.

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a smile as she took a quick picture of the dragon. "I'm sure the kids are too."

With an absent nod Castle shook himself and then said, "How are you enjoying this?"

"The fair or this specifically?" Beckett asked him.

"The fair," Castle replied, though he knew she was aware of what he meant.

"It's interesting," Beckett said. "And I have been to fairs before Rick."

"Yes," Castle said as they had reached a part of the path that went underneath what he guessed was a pergola covered with lights. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms before he was kissing her deeply. When she responded to him he was relieved, as he wasn't sure she'd be alright with him doing that. He held her tightly to his body as their tongues gently caressed one another and once they needed to breathe he pulled away slowly before saying, "That's all we can do isn't it?"

"Here? It is," Beckett said. She pressed her cheek to his before he let her go and they started walking. "That was nice though," she eventually told him in Irish.

"I thought so too," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Giving him a look, Beckett heard someone calling their names and turned to see it was Skye and Mary. "Hey, how were the other figures?" she said when they were close.

"Nice, did you see the zodiac figures?" the investigator asked.

"Y-yes," Beckett started to say before she heard her text alert sounding. She pulled her phone from her pocket and said, "The girls," to the others. "On my dad's phone, I think they're wondering about their signs."

"They don't know them already?" Mary said in surprise.

"We told them a couple years ago," Castle explained as they were walking back to where the zodiac figures were. "I don't think they recall."

"Obviously," Skye said wryly. "Did you do what your daughters intended?"

"That's a personal question," Beckett said, pretending to sound offended.

"Not really, we did," Skye said. She glanced at her wife, seeing her covering her face with her hand before she laughed and took her hand. "We're almost there grá, I'll stop."

"Good because we did too," Castle added, smiling when his wife rolled her eyes. They were almost where the kids and his mother and father in law were and he was about to call to them to get their attention when Julia and Eliza broke off and hurried to them with the former holding Josie carefully. He was going to tell them what Chinese zodiac sign they were jokingly, but Julia spoke before he could to his amusement.

"We can't remember what we are," the girl said. "No one can."

"Hold on," Castle said, looking at his phone. "Julia you're an ox, which means you are too Peter."

"Cool," the boy said with a grin.

"Oh, and you too Derek," Castle said to the dancer.

Laughing as Julia came over to him and gave him a high five, Derek did the same with Peter and said, "What about the rest of the kids?"

"Okay, so Mari, Clive, Marie and Kath," Castle said, smiling when the four laughed slightly. "You're all tigers."

Watching them all giving each other high fives, Beckett said, "Aren't you one too?" to her husband.

"I am," Castle said. He smiled when the four gasped and told them, "It's true, but let me hurry with the rest of us so we can keep going. Kate was born in the year of the monkey. Oh, and you too Skye, Mary. And you, Jim and Liam are rabbits Mother."

"I like rabbits," Eliza said, wrapping her arms around her grandmother's waist.

"I'm glad to hear that kiddo," Martha said, hugging her against her for a moment.

"Now you three," Castle directed to the three youngest McDouglas girls. "You're all snakes."

"I wonder why we're not in Slytherin," Ivy said to her sisters, making them all start to laugh.

"Doesn't really work like that lass," Skye told her, lightly pinching her cheek. "And Eliza?"

"You were born in the year of the goat," Castle said, not surprised when the little girl immediately started making a bleating sound.

Stopping suddenly, as her family and friends were laughing while they watched her, Eliza asked, "What about 'lexis?"

"She was born in the year of the dog," Castle said. "We're all set and we're all here."

"Keep walking or else it'll be too late for dessert," Beckett told them. She smiled when the kids immediately started down the path and she went to her husband, taking his hand before he was murmuring to her so the others wouldn't hear.

"You know our signs aren't supposed to be compatible," Castle said.

"I knew," Beckett replied. When he looked at her in surprise she smiled and said, "But that just shows you it's better to judge compatibility by personality and not a zodiac sign."

Castle nodded before they went through the rest of the exhibit and he then asked his wife, "Dessert?"

"I'm surprised you beat them to it," Skye commented.

"I knew it was coming so I had to head them off," Castle said.

"Head them off at the pass?" Mary asked wryly.

"No," Castle said, shaking his head. "What are you guys getting?"

"Some deep-fried watermelon," Skye said though she was looking at her partner as she spoke.

"Go ahead," Derek said. "It's only one night and considering everything here that's not too bad."

"Is that what you'll get?" Julia asked him.

"I think so," Derek said with a nod.

"What's that?" Clive then asked eagerly as they had reached a stall.

"Nitro popcorn? They put liquid nitrogen on the popcorn," Mary said easily.

"Do-" Castle said.

"Our girls are getting that," Mary interrupted him.

"Oh, sure," Castle said quickly as he knew why she'd said that. Turning to his wife he asked, "What're you going to get?"

"I'm old fashioned," Beckett said.

"Funnel cake?" Castle asked with a smile. When she nodded, he couldn't help kissing her temple and telling her, "Let me find an outrageous one and we'll share it."

"Is that what you want?" Beckett asked him. When he nodded she said, "Alright," before Marie was suddenly calling to her mothers.

"Mum, Mom," the girl began. We forgot about the corn!"

"Oh," Mary said. She breathed out and said, "We only eat like this at the fair."

"And it's only once a year," Liam said.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" Beckett said.

"Ultimately it's up to you," Skye said.

"It is vegetables," Beckett commented. She was startled when the two women exchanged a look and she said, "It's not?"

"It is but we add things," Skye said. "Come on." She led them over to the stall where she had gotten her kabobs and the one next to it where there was corn roasting on a grill. "Are we all getting it?"

"We'll share by twos in our group," Beckett said. "Though my dad and Martha…"

"I can ask for an empty cup, they can split," Mary said quickly before she went to order.

Grabbing the bowls of corn kernels, Skye led them then to the tables across the street from the Jacuzzis for sale. "Here you can put whatever you'd like. Butter, mayo, cotija cheese, chili flakes… it's all here."

Since she was going to be sharing with her husband, Beckett helped the girls get their cups set before she made sure Eliza could hold her spoon. "Okay," she said once they were eating and sitting around some trees. "Eat but not too fast."

"Mphrm a-" Peter started to say.

"Stop," Castle said, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder since he was close enough to do that. "You're going to choke. Finish and swallow before you ask us."

Doing so Peter said, "Sorry. What are we doing after this?"

"We're likely going to be full," Beckett commented. "I think we should go ahead and go to the buildings before we have dessert, play games and go on the rides before we go home."

"Okay," Julia said when her friends looked at her. "But we're not going in all of them, are we?"

"Just two," Skye reminded them.

"And I'm sure we won't take all that long," Martha commented. She then smiled and said, "I don't know that I'd really find much here."

"You likely won't," Skye said. "But we always look to see what we might find. How're you enjoying your corn?"

"It's good," Beckett said last after the kids had all said that they liked it and the other adults had as well. "You get this?"

"Every year," Mary said with a smile. "We used to get elote; this but with a corn on the cob; since we can get it around home. But the kernels are easier for the girls to eat so we moved to that and they call that esquites though we have fresh corn."

"And it's just as good," Skye added before she smiled.

Laughing with the others, Julia ate the last bit of hers and Mari's corn before she went over to her mother and said, "How's Josa?" since the stroller was with her parents.

"Good, she'll be asleep soon," Castle answered first. He smiled at his wife and said, "She's had a great day."

"Even though she didn't do anything?" Clive asked in obvious confusion while they were throwing away their cups and spoons.

"She doesn't need to right now," Beckett said, pushing the stroller. "She is a baby."

Nodding Clive walked with Peter and Marie as they were going back around to the buildings they'd passed earlier. He watched as Skye and Mary looked inside through the glass doors and said, "What're you looking for?"

"The barbeque place," Kathleen said.

"It's here," Mary said. "Come on," she told the kids before they were entering inside.

"Look at the candy!" Peter said eagerly.

"Easy," Castle told the boy. "We'll have something else for dessert."

"Oh… okay," Peter said, turning away from the ropes of candy in the display. "Is it because we can get something like that at home?"

"It is," Castle replied.

"Whoa," Peter said, looking around. "There are a lot of people here."

"They want to see what's for sale," Kathleen told him with a smile.

Castle smiled himself when the boy nodded, and they went over to the stall until they could look at the different islands with the barbeques on display.

"Are you jealous?" Beckett asked, walking to her husband with Martha.

"No," Castle said. He spotted his wife and mother sharing a look and he said, "I'm not," firmly. "I know you think I may be, but we have the grill in the perfect spot, close to the kitchen and we don't need everything else."

"Yeah, we had one on the patio," Mary said, walking to them with Skye behind her gathering the kids. "But we found we liked cooking and eating at the pool so we moved there."

"What if you want to grill something but it's raining?" Derek asked.

"Their stove has a grill," Beckett said with a smile. "The one on the island."

"Yes," Skye said with a smile. "Alright we have our cover, now we can walk around. Martha?"

"You can lead," Castle's mother said in amusement before they walked out to the first aisle.

Looking around what they were passing, Beckett quickly saw why Skye and Mary had been uncertain about Martha really finding anything. The items weren't higher end as she enjoyed, though she was looking closely at what there was for sale. When they finished with that building she saw her mother in law was frowning slightly and she said, "Did you want to go to the other building?"

"Not really," Martha confessed.

"Do we need to?" Beckett said to Skye who was nearby.

"No, Marie and Kath were quite happy it took us so long to get to these," the investigator said with a smile.

"They find them boring," Mary added.

"Alright, let's get dessert," Castle said. "But you two-"

"We're coming with," Skye interrupted. "Quite ready for something sweet. Did everyone see what they wanted?"

After the kids had told them what they wanted, the group set out then to get everything in the order they'd reach it walking back to the games. When they all had dessert, they went to the tables where they had eaten dinner and sat down again to start on their sweets.

"There's something about fair food that's insanely good," Castle said, getting some of the strawberry ice cream sundae funnel cake he and Beckett were sharing.

"And yet we'll feel guilty later I'm sure," Mary said with a smile.

"Again, once a year grá," Skye told her.

"Exactly," Mary said, dabbing some whipped cream from their funnel cake on her nose.

Laughing, Julia was soon doing so louder as the nitrogen that was on her popcorn was escaping her mouth. She and all the kids had gotten the popcorn as they'd been unable to resist it. But they'd gotten unicorn popcorn and because the cup was surrounded by cotton candy with marshmallow treats on top of it they were sharing two by two again. "This is so good," she said.

"It is," Mari said, nodding. "I have to share that picture with my parents later."

"Yeah, hopefully your mom won't get mad," Julia commented.

"She won't," Beckett said. "I told her and your parents," she then directed to the boys. "That we'd have something sweet. But there won't be any desserts tomorrow."

"She's right," Derek said, finishing his deep-fried watermelon. "We have dancing to start on tomorrow for you four."

"Am I in trouble?" Skye asked.

"You got the less crazy funnel cake," Derek said, nodding to Castle and Beckett.

Laughing, as she and her wife had gotten the strawberry cake funnel cake with mixed berries and whipped cream on top, Skye said, "I made sure."

"Does anyone want cookies?" Jim asked then, holding up the bag of fresh chocolate chip cookies that he, Liam and Martha had gotten to share with Eliza.

"No, I would like to try the popcorn," Castle said.

"Here," Julia said, starting to pass them out to everyone in her family while Marie was giving some to her mothers and Derek.

"Is it weird we got the unicorn one too?" Clive asked Peter.

"Nah," the boy replied. "I like cotton candy already. And this unicorn could be like in Harry Potter. I got a wand with unicorn hair in mine; that's what Ron had."

"Oh yeah," Clive said with a nod. They looked at the adults and he laughed with his friends as they were breathing out the liquid nitrogen. He watched Julia taking a picture of them all and said, "Did it come out?"

"It did," the girl said with a wide smile. "How do you like it?"

"It's great," Castle said.

"Insanely sweet," Beckett said. "But I know it's supposed to be," she added swiftly.

The others laughed, and they soon turned their attention to finishing dessert and once they had they went over to the games they were near and began to walk among them to see what prizes the kids wanted to get.

"Hey, can I get a donut?" Peter eventually asked. "I have money."

"Sure," Skye said before Castle or Beckett could say anything. She then took something from Mary and said, "New item here at the fair. Game cards."

"R-" Beckett started to say in slight frustration.

"Don't call me that," Skye said quickly though she was smiling at her friend. "And really, this is for us all."

"We're buying you dinner," Castle said, sharing a look with his wife. "Someplace very nice."

"Okay," Mary said. "But for now, let's play."

"Wait," Beckett said, going to the boy. She touched his shoulder and then said, "Would you be alright if I threw the darts after you went?"

"Yeah, I was gonna ask 'cause you know how to throw right?" Peter asked.

"I do, go ahead," Beckett said with a smile, urging him to the game.

Standing just behind her partner, Julia couldn't help groaning when he was missing the first three darts he threw before he popped the fourth and then missed the fifth. "I don't think I would do that good," she told him as he turned around to her and she smiled reassuringly to him.

"I hope your mom can do better," Peter said.

Beckett stepped up to the stall and after getting her darts she threw them, getting all but one which luckily let her pick out the stuffed donut that had chocolate on it and sprinkles. When Peter hugged her as he was thanking her she squeezed him back and said, "You're very welcome," before she laughed as he settled the donut on his head.

"Cool hat," Mari said, smiling at him.

"Thanks," Peter replied before they looked around the games.

"Look at how tall that one is," Ivy said, pointing to a game stall.

"It has fishes!" Iris exclaimed. "I want one!"

"Alright, we should play," Skye said. "But does anyone else want a fish as well?" When Kathleen raised her hand she smiled and said, "We'll play a couple times."

Going to the game, the investigator gave the card for all the kids to play and they were soon shooting water to a target in front of them, raising a small circle above them until one of them stopped and the bell started to ring where Peter was sitting.

Blanching slightly, the boy looked at Iris and Kathleen as he wondered if he should pick out a color one of them liked. But before he could say anything, Beckett was going to him and murmuring in his ear. He picked out the orange fish available and set it on his lap before he watched as Skye was speaking to the worker and the game was starting. That time he wasn't that serious about winning and looked down the line of everyone to see who had made the bell ring again before the winner was crying out in her joy.

"I won!" Iris said happily. She then looked over at Peter; who had the stuffed fish she wanted; and then heard her mother whispering into her ear.

"Thanks," Kathleen told her little sister as she took the blue clownfish she'd wanted.

"You're welcome," Iris said, smiling shyly as she hugged her orange clownfish.

"Keep walking you two," Mary told the girls with a smile.

"We're going to keep playing right?" Ivy asked.

"You will," Liam said. He smiled when his granddaughter looked up at him and he said, "Your mum still has a lot of money to play with."

Walking around, the group played a few more games until every child had gotten something they'd wanted, and they stopped near the Grandstand.

"Are they having a performance?" Castle asked as they could hear music coming from there.

"They are," Skye said with a nod. "We have our wristbands and a little longer to go until we need to leave."

"When do we?" Eliza asked.

"In an hour," Beckett answered.

"What time is it?" Mari asked.

"Almost eight," Skye said. "It's getting late for the lot of you. And four of you need to practice."

"Are you sure?" Julia said, looking at Derek and speaking slowly.

"We are," the dancer answered. "I wouldn't raise your hopes and tell you to forget it. We need to set the scene, but it'll be quick."

"That's okay," the four kids said at the exact same time. They looked at one another before they laughed and then started to make their way to the small roller coaster there was so they could finish off their time at the fair going on the rides.

"Don't say we have to go," Julia said to her parents.

"It's getting late," Beckett commented.

Sighing Julia said, "Isn't there something else we can do?"

"There is," Skye said. She smiled when the others looked at her in surprise and she then went to her wife, whispering to her in Japanese for a moment.

"Alright, we're heading this way," Mary said before she and her wife led them down Palm Street until she saw the sign for Pepper Street.

"Is… a Merry-Go-Round!" Eliza gasped as she saw it first from her father's shoulders.

"Our wristbands apply to this as well," Skye commented. "And we nearly forgot it."

"It's two stories," Julia said. "Just like in San Francisco."

"Cool," Clive said. "But-"

"Come on, we'll go on the second story," Julia said, knowing he was looking at the horses on the bottom with the feather on their heads.

"We'll take them," Liam said to his daughter, speaking for himself, Jim and Martha.

"Are… thank you," Beckett started to say before she realized he was serious. She watched as the three followed the kids onto the ride and said, "Should we have helped them onto their horses?"

"They wouldn't have wanted us to," Skye said. "Though it's a bit futile, we're not about to go póg. Especially you two since Josie's here."

"They might be too tired to think of that," Beckett said as they were waving to their kids when the ride started up. She smiled at the others and said, "And they know we're leaving soon." She then looked down at Josie to make sure the baby was okay before Skye walked around to stand with her.

"Did you enjoy it?" the investigator asked.

"I did," Beckett said. "And I see you weren't kidding about it being so big."

Nodding Skye looked back down where they'd come from and then said, "I wonder about one more thing."

"The ski lift?" Castle asked.

Rolling her eyes, though she knew he was joking, Skye replied, "Yes, I know your kids and their friends were interested."

"Just one though," Beckett said.

"Oh of course, the one here," Skye said, indicating behind them. "And then straight to home."

When the kids got off the merry-go-round, Beckett told them about going on what was called the Sky Ride. She wasn't surprised when they were all agreeing to that immediately and she went with them before they were splitting up to go on the chairs. She was with her husband and Eliza and once they were rising into the air she said, "Are you tired sweetie?"

Shaking her head, the little girl then yawned and frowned when her parents laughed gently. "I'm not Mommy," Eliza insisted.

"I know, but you had a lot of fun," Beckett told her. She smiled when the little girl nodded and said, "I hope you'll be able to pay attention to classes tomorrow."

"I will," Eliza said. She recalled something about the next day and she turned to her mother, grabbing the side of her shirt before Castle on the other side of her was stopping her.

"You'll go with us tomorrow," he told her.

"Really?" Eliza asked happily.

"Really," Beckett said. "I'm sure your sister wants you to see too."

"But… Grandpapa and Gram," Eliza said when she recalled they wouldn't be going to the studio where Skye and Derek would be practicing.

"I know but I'll film it for a little bit," Castle told her. "With my phone. That way they'll be able to watch just her. And the other kids' parents."

"Oh," Eliza said in disappointment when she spotted where they'd started on the ride.

"We have a lot to do still sweetie," Beckett said, kissing the top of her head while their chair was descending.

"Time to say goodbye to the fair," Skye said when they were gathered all together off the chairs.

"Mum," the oldest twins said in a groan.

"What is it?" Mari asked them.

"Mum always said that to us," Kathleen explained first.

"When we were little kids, we're older now," Marie said.

"That you are, but we're finished and we're going to head home," Skye replied. She half expected them to protest, but when there was nothing she glanced at her wife and friends before they started to walk back to the tunnel where they'd come inside.

Beckett wrapped her arm around Julia's shoulders when they were out of the tunnel and on the other side saying, "You need to go straight to bed once we're back."

"And the rest of us?" Mari asked.

"Yes, all of you," Beckett said with a smile. "But-" she started to say when she was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. Looking over at Skye, who was returning to them from buying the picture of herself and her family at the entrance, she was about to ask who it was when the investigator was walking away from them.

"Is it for the show?" Kathleen asked, looking at Derek.

"No, they would have talked to me first," the dancer replied.

"Sorry," Skye said to everyone as she walked back to them. "That was something we've been waiting on for a while."

"They gave us permission?" Mary asked eagerly after she had thought for a moment and then gasped in remembrance.

"Both places," Skye said. She saw the others were looking at her questioningly and she was quick to say as she saw the people walking around them to leave, "Let's head back to the cars first."

Picking Eliza up, Castle held her on his hip and wondered what exactly the two were planning; thinking it was another trip the next week after the show. He wanted to ask them when they were relatively alone in the parking lot, but the pair were walking rapidly until they had reached the four cars, turning to the rest of them together.

"We're making two music videos," Skye said first.

"With Paul?" Julia asked hopefully.

"No," Mary said. "It'll just be our band. For two Traveling Wilburys songs we had permission to cover."

"Did you keep the music?" Liam asked.

"We did but we used different guitars, so it doesn't sound the exact same," Skye told him.

"Which songs?" Beckett asked.

"Dirty World and End of the Line," Mary answered.

"What about the places you were talking about?" Castle said.

"The first song we're going to film on the road and then at the Promenade," Skye said. "And the second at Union Station."

"When?" Derek asked.

Smiling at her partner the investigator said, "If we're on to next week, is next Wednesday possible?"

"It is, but we need to practice then too," Derek replied. "And they'll likely want to film us doing that there."

"Sounds good to me," Skye said. "I'll need all the practice I can get."

"But you don't know what you're gonna dance to yet Mummy," Ivy told her.

"True, but I still need to practice," Skye told her. "Okay, we'll see you at ten tomorrow Derek. Thanks for joining us."

"It was a lot of fun," the dancer said as they were embracing briefly. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye," Julia said with a smile, waving to him. As soon as the dancer had gone, she turned to Skye and Mary and asked, "Are you dressing up at all?"

"You'll see," the investigator replied. "Oh, I forgot to mention to Derek. I'd like all of you to be in the video; and if you want to of course."

Hearing the near explosion of excitement from the kids, Beckett and Castle did their best to calm them down before Mary was doing the same with her daughters. "We'll have to get permission from their parents," Beckett said when they were quiet.

"That's fine, I would prefer you did," Skye replied.

"Do we?" Eliza asked.

"We can but we'll see what Skye has in mind," Beckett replied as Castle was looking at her.

"Okay, that'll be next week," Mary said.

"Just one day?" Castle then asked.

"We're not doing anything extravagant," Skye explained. "We'll wait for that though, I need to focus on the show now."