Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Slowing Alex down, Beckett smiled at her husband when he was doing the same with Julius and she asked, "You want to go around again don't you?"

"I'd love to, but we have way too much to do," Castle said.

"Yeah, 'lexis and Louis are going to be there with the twins soon," Julia called to her parents, she and Jim standing at the fence that closed in the field.

"We're coming right now," Beckett said with a smile at the teen's tone of voice. "Is Queenie all set?"

"Yeah," Julia replied. "She's ready for the snow."

"Come to the stable," Castle said to the pair after he and his wife had passed where they were standing. He set Julius to a trot since Beckett and Alex were doing the same before they got to the stalls. "Are we going to have time to shower."

"Yes, but we're just going to take a shower," Beckett replied, looking at him pointedly before they were getting off their horses.

"Of course we are," Castle replied. When she was turning her head to him while she was taking Alex to his stall, he said, "I'm serious."

"I hope so," Beckett said with a smile before she was walking inside with Alex. While she was taking the saddle and blanket off of him, she looked up at the window and said with a smile, "I'm sorry we didn't let you keep riding."

"I don't want to hurt Queenie," Julia said firmly. "But at some point I'll be able to go around the field right?"

"You will," Beckett replied, starting to brush Alex down. When she had finished with the stallion she went to his head and patted his neck gently telling him, "We'll see you on Sunday."

"Really?" Julia asked eagerly.

Laughing when Alex nickered in response, Beckett scratched his neck gently before she said, "Really, if the weather holds up we'll have another ride. It might be the last one before winter really sets in."

"But then we can come to the indoor corrals," Castle said, walking over. "I'm finished," he told his wife.

"I am too," Beckett said. She turned to Alex after making sure he had food and told him, "We'll see you soon." Leaving the stall she took Julia's hand before they were leaving the stables and waving to Charlie who was going into the farmhouse.

"Louis' still off for the twins right?" Julia asked once they were walking to the parking lot.

"Of course," Castle said. "He'll have to go back in the middle of the month but he's off for Christmas too."

"Good thing," Julia said, not surprised the other three were nodding in agreement. When they were at their car she sat in the front with her mother and said, "Are we still bowling?"

"We will," Beckett said with a smile, starting the car. "But first is breakfast and then we'll wait for your sister and her family."

"Of course," Julia said. "But couldn't they play too?"

"They will," Jim said reassuringly from the backseat. He smiled when Julia was looking back at him and said, "Martha and I will watch them for you to play. And don't say we should be able to play too. We'll do that another time."

"Okay," Julia said with a nod. "And what's for breakfast?" she asked, looking at her father.

"We're going to pick it up right now," Castle said easily.

"You mean you will," Beckett told her husband firmly.

"Of course, I misspoke," Castle said. "But you're not going to freeze in the car?" He was watching her in the rearview mirror and wasn't surprised when she merely raised her eyebrow at him and said, "Just checking."

"I hope so," Beckett replied, unable to help smiling at him. She soon reached the bakery and parking by the front door watched her husband rush up to the door to go inside.

"Which cuisine?" Jim asked his daughter.

"I have no idea," Beckett replied since the bakery featured several European ones. "But since we're having a lot of desserts tonight it'll probably be croissants."

"Chocolate?" Julia asked.

"No, more than likely almond and pumpkin along with the regular kind," Beckett said in amusement.

"Pumpkin is still good," Julia commented.

"You can have some," Beckett replied.

"Cool," Julia said, smiling at her mother. She saw her father jogging back to the car and said, "You were gonna slip Dad."

"I'm fine," Castle said before they were starting again. "And I got some croissants, regular, almond, pumpkin and a special, for today some sweet potato." He was startled when Julia was laughing and he asked his wife and father in law, "That was funny?"

"Katie said you'd get the first three," Jim said, smiling at Julia when she was obviously trying to calm down.

"Good guess," Castle told his wife, smiling when their second oldest giggled before she stopped herself.

"It wasn't that hard," Beckett replied teasingly. It didn't take long before they were reaching home and she parked in the garage, glancing at the space next to her which her husband had cleared of his car for Alexis and her family.

"And luckily it won't take us that long to eat either," Castle commented.

"Luckily no," Beckett said before they were getting out and heading inside.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Eliza said, standing in the entry. "Is that breakfast?"

"Yes," Castle said. "But I'm giving this to your gram so we can take showers and eat when we come back."

"Are you going to take that long?" Eliza asked, watching him giving the pink box to Martha.

"No, very quickly," Castle assured her before they were heading up the entry stairs. He and Beckett dropped Julia off at her room and they were walking to theirs before he said, "Not that long."

"You promised," Beckett said, looking at him with a smile before he responded.

"And I know we've got a lot of people waiting for us," Castle added.

"Good," Beckett replied though she stepped up to him and brushed her lips to his. They moved to the bathroom and were undressing quickly before they moved to the shower. She was a little surprised her husband kept his word, and they were only cleaning themselves through the shower before he was stepping out first. "I'm amazed," she told him teasingly.

"I'm not," Castle said. When she looked at him slightly questioningly he said, "I figured you'd assume I'd do something."

"Are you offended?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"No," Castle replied before she was stepping out of the stall with him. They were drying themselves off before he said, "But I should punish you a little for thinking that."

Closing her towel around herself Beckett told him with a smile, "You should."

"Oh… you can't tell me that now," Castle said, pretending to complain. He was following her, pausing in wrapping his towel around his waist for a moment before he was hurrying after her to the closet.

"Will you be okay?" Beckett asked him. "I'm going to get dressed."

"I will too, but don't tease me again," Castle said.

"I won't," Beckett said, unable to help laughing softly. She turned to her side and got everything before dressing, turning to her husband in time to see him watching her. "What did we just talk about?" she asked him playfully.

"I can watch," Castle said in mock annoyance.

"For how long?" Beckett asked though they were already walking out to the bedroom.

"Could I brush your hair?" Castle asked.

Beckett couldn't help laughing again and she told him, "You're risking it."

"Not with that," Castle said.

"Let me do it, I get the feeling the girls will want to start breakfast so we can go bowling sooner," Beckett said. "But you can do that tomorrow if you still want to."

"Of course I do," Castle said firmly before he was sharing a kiss with his wife. Though he didn't want to they parted, and he was combing his hair before he finished and was leaning against the counter to watch her finishing. "I'm fine," he said swiftly when she was looking at him.

"I figured, are you ready?" Beckett asked.

"I am," Castle said before he was taking her hand and pulling her to the hallway where they saw Julia was about to start down the stairs.

"Hey," the teen said, turning to them. "Are we eating?"

"I hope so, I'm starving," Castle commented.

Beckett was about to remark on that when the chime of the gate opening sounded through the house, and she shared a look of surprise with her husband and daughter. "I don't think they could wait," she said with a smile.

"Awesome," Julia said, going down the stairs and trying not to rush. With her parents following she was about to head to the garage when her father was stopping her.

"Head to the kitchen and make sure the food is ready," Castle told her. "And drinks, they might be hungry too."

"Okay," Julia replied, a little disappointed since she wanted to see the family.

"We'll help them in quickly," Beckett said, guessing her daughter's state of mind. "Since it'll be cold in there."

"Be ready to take the twins if they need you to," Castle added, smiling when the teen was doing the same before they walked to the entry and went inside the garage.

"Hey, we couldn't wait," Alexis said when she saw them.

"Or do you need food?" Castle teased her.

"We wanted to help," Louis said after he and his wife had shared a look.

"Do you have the chairs?" Beckett asked.

"In the trunk," Louis said before he and Castle were going back to it.

"Here," Alexis said, getting her mother's attention since she had gone to the backseat. She just opened the door before she was suddenly being hugged and she laughed before returning it. "I'm glad to see you too."

"It feels like it's been too long," Beckett said, letting her go.

"It has," Alexis replied with a nod. She then said with a smile, "Especially seeing these two. Take Emmie for me?"

"Of course," Beckett said, taking the carrier before she peered inside at the baby. She smiled when Emmie was cooing and said, "Hello honey, I'm glad to see you." Looking up to see Alexis had Finn, she said, "Let's head in the house is very warm."

"I had a feeling," the young woman said when they were stepping inside the entry and she could tell it was. "Did you go riding?" she asked her mother while they were all walking down the hall.

"We did, and it was nice to get the chance to do so again," Castle said.

"Are you having trouble?" Louis asked when the three of them were turning to his father in law at his wording.

"I'm fine," Castle said swiftly seeing the three. "I'm just trying to keep the holder from spinning too much."

"It's fine," Alexis told her father before she was opening the door to the entry and smiling at Eliza who was squealing and greeting them eagerly.

"Happy Thanksgiving! Are the babies awake?" the little girl asked.

Laughing Alexis said, "They are, and good thing since you and Josa were squealing like little girls."

"I am," Eliza replied with a wide smile.

"Me too," Josie said before they were hurrying to hug their big sister when she was giving Finn's carrier to Jim.

"You didn't want to hug?" Alexis asked, stepping up to Julia.

Shrugging, the teen said, "I figured it'd be better if I waited."

"You were hoping to get one of the carriers weren't you?" Alexis asked while they embraced. When her little sister said, "Yep," and popped the p at the end with her lips, she couldn't help laughing and then let her go. "You'll have the chance to hold them at some point."

"Are we allowed to take them out now?" Martha asked, having taken Emmie's carrier from Beckett.

"Not if we're eating breakfast," Alexis replied.

"We are," Castle said. "It's small but the girls are waiting for it," he added, glancing at them. "I know you cheated," he told Eliza teasingly while they were walking to the hall.

"I had to make sure it was good," the little girl replied with a wide smile. "And it is," she told her big sister and brother in law.

"I got croissants," Castle said when they'd reached the breakfast nook. "Regular and some flavored ones." He and Louis were setting down the chairs to hold the babies' carriers and he got Finn's locked before he went with the others except for his mother to the kitchen.

Once they had their croissants and drinks they were sitting around the table and talking about Castle and Beckett's trip and return home the day before.

"I'm glad you guys don't mind their decision," Alexis told her sisters when they had finished and were cleaning up.

"Well, they're the grownups," Eliza said slowly.

"And they still have Tahiti," Julia commented, nudging her little sister.

"And that," Eliza said with a nod. "We're going bowling now," she said then with a wide smile. "You and Louis too."

"I'm not surprised," Alexis said. "And I can't wait."

"Are you excited?" Julia asked since it was their sister's first time playing.

"Yeah, I've been looking forward to this for a while," Alexis told them.

"Is it okay if Martha and Dad watch Finn and Emmie?" Beckett asked her oldest.

"Of course," Alexis replied. She then turned her attention to her grandparents and told them, "We changed them both before we got here but they'll probably want to nurse soon."

"I saw the bottles in the fridge," Martha said. "Don't worry we'll be very attentive with them. Would you like us to read to them, play with them?"

"Neither… well for the moment," Louis said. When the two were looking at him he was about to explain what he meant when his wife was doing so for him.

"We'd like them to come down with us," Alexis said with a smile, going to the bag she'd set on the divider between the nook and kitchen. She dug around for a moment before pulling out two headphones and said, "We tried these, and they don't seem to mind them."

"Grab two bottles," Beckett told her husband with a smile while Martha and Jim were getting the twins out of their carriers.

"Right," Castle said since the bar in the lounge's kitchenette did have a small, vintage looking fridge. He pulled them out before his son in law was taking them and he said, "You don't need to heat them back up?"

"I'll come back here," Louis said.

"Just leave them," Jim told the two. "I can come up to do that as long as someone will hold one of them." He looked with his son in law and grandson in law when Eliza was waving her hand in the air after raising it.

"Can we go now?" Julia couldn't help asking.

"We can," Beckett replied before she was scooping Josie up into her arms. They led the way for the others before they were heading down into the basement, and she watched as her father and Martha were settling with the twins on the armchairs in the lounge.

"I wear those too," Josie said, watching with her mother while the headphones were placed on the babies before she was surprising her by laughing and then speaking.

"You don't need to now sweetie," Beckett told her, kissing the side of her head. "They seem to be okay."

"They are," Alexis said, gently squeezing Emmie's hand. "Okay, we can play," she said before they turned their attention to the lanes. "Who's helping Josa?"

"I go myself," Josie said firmly.

"Someone needs to help you," Beckett said, kissing the side of her head. She set her down and was about to hold onto her daughter's hand before Josie was taking it. "Do you want me to help you?" she asked. She wasn't surprised when the toddler was nodding and she followed her before they were walking together to the rack of bowling balls. She got Josie's and they went to the end of the left hand lane before they were rolling it together.

"Great job," Castle said with a smile when she ended up knocking down four. "Hopefully you can get them all."

"Is that mean to say?" Eliza asked her big sisters.

"No, he has to encourage her," Alexis said.

"Not bad," Castle said to Josie when she knocked down three more. "You'll be a bowler in no time."

"Thank you Dada," Josie told him with a wide smile.

"Your turn," Castle said, looking back at Eliza.

"Okay," the little girl said with a wide smile before she went to get her bowling ball. After she had taken her turns she said, "Why is only one person going?"

"Just for you two," Beckett explained.

"But…" Eliza started to say before she trailed off. "Okay, but I can bowl with someone next to me."

"Want me to try that next time?" Julia said while she and Alexis were moving to go up to the lanes.

"Yes, or else we're uneven," Eliza pointed out.

"Go ahead," Alexis said when Julia looked at her. While her sister was getting her bowling ball she went to her parents and asked, "What about cooking?"

"We were going to just play one game," Castle replied. "And we're going to start… besides the turkey."

"What can we do?" Alexis asked, indicating herself and her husband.

"Nothing," Beckett said firmly. She smiled when her oldest frowned and was about to speak before she said, "Seriously, stay with the girls and the twins until we need Julia and Eliza."

"They're helping you cook?" Louis asked.

"They insisted," Martha said. "Especially Eliza."

"Yeah, I wanted to help with something," the little girl said. Eliza then smiled widely and told them, "I'm going to help with the pies."

"What're we having?" Louis asked them after they congratulated Julia on getting a spare.

"Apple and pumpkin," the teen herself answered.

"Are you working on one of them too?" Louis asked her.

"Yep," Julia said, smiling at her brother in law. "I have the pumpkin pie, Mom and Lizzy are going to make the apple pie."

"I have the savory stuff," Castle commented before he watched his oldest and son in law going to the twins. Sharing a smile with his wife he said, "You started already."

"Teasing?" Alexis asked her father, going to him after she and her husband had kissed their babies.

"Oh no," Castle said, keeping her with him so he could kiss her cheek. "I completely understand."

"Go take your turn," Alexis said teasingly though she was soon wrapping her arms around her father tightly.

Waiting for her husband, Beckett smiled at the two before he was joining her, and she squeezed at his hand while they made their way to the racks.

Pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Beckett heard footsteps coming up to the bathroom door and she said, "Don't say a word."

"I can't help it," Castle said. "But too bad you feel like you need to do that."

Giving him a look, Beckett said, "I don't, I wanted to. Come on, we have to make sure the turkey is ready."

"It is," Castle said. When his wife was looking at him in confusion he tapped his nose and was startled when she stepped up to him suddenly. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile before they were kissing gently. "Come on," she said before they were leaving their room.

Stepping into the hallway with Josie, Julia said, "Hopefully Mom- oh there they are." She had to hold onto her baby sister's hand since she was trying to break away and told her, "We have to walk."

"Okay," Josie replied though she was tugging at her sister's hand.

"Come here sweetheart," Castle said, picking her up. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Eh," Josie said before they were turning at the sound of another door opening.

"I think we're all ready," Louis said, he and Alexis walking out of their room.

"We heard footsteps while we were getting them ready," Alexis told them. "I think Grandpapa took Lizzy downstairs."

"Gram went too," Julia commented, looking down the hall and seeing the door to their grandmother's room open.

"Then we need to go," Castle said, going to the stairs. Walking down to the hall he was surprised when the three weren't in the kitchen before he heard talking coming from the game room. "I'm going to guess that was Eliza," he told his wife since she was with him by then.

"I think so," Beckett replied in amusement before they reached the doorway to the room.

"Do you need me to help?" Eliza asked.

"Not until we need to set the table," Castle said. "And that'll be soon so don't get too involved in your games."

"We'll just play the baseball game," Julia said, looking at her sister who was nodding rapidly. "Me either right?" she then asked, realizing she needed to help if her parents wanted her.

"No," Beckett said laughingly. "But listen for us calling you."

"We will," Julia and Eliza said at the same time before they were turning their attention to the game.

"No one else needs to come with us," Castle said. "Kate and I are just checking on everything and if-"

"We'll stay here Dad," Alexis said with a smile before she was going to an armchair to sit with Finn.

Walking down to the kitchen Beckett told her husband, "Should you have pushed that hard?"

Castle started to speak before he paused and then said, "I wasn't for that reason."

"I know," Beckett replied with a smile. "But they think that."

"Or they want to play," Castle said.

Laughing, Beckett kissed his cheek when they stopped at the island and said, "Or both."

"Or both," Castle said firmly and he went to the stoves before his wife was talking behind him.

"It's fine, even I can smell that," Beckett said.

"Good thing," Castle replied before he was turning the light on. "Okay, everything looks like it's doing well…"

"And the sides are still warming," Beckett said. She laughed briefly when her husband was looking at his watch and said, "We should eat now."

"It's not really a dinner though," Castle said.

"We didn't have lunch either," Beckett told him since it was just past one.

"Just the twins," Castle said though he was nodding to her.

"Girls," Beckett called. She and Castle were looking down the hall and as soon as Eliza appeared down it they said at the same time, "Don't run."

"We're not, but we have to set the table?" the little girl asked.

"That's what we're hoping you'll do," Castle said teasingly while he was turning to the oven to check on the turkey a little more closely.

"Ready?" Beckett asked her husband with a smile while he was examining the thermometer.

"It is," Castle replied, taking the pan out of the oven and carrying it to the island.

"It's a big one," Eliza said eagerly looking at the turkey.

"We're going to have a lot of leftovers," Castle said, getting the carving knife and fork before he proceeded to carve it. Since his wife had gotten both a platter and a glass container he was easily setting aside the meat while the others were going around the kitchen. "Okay, it's done," he said once he threw away the bones.

"I hope so, you took forever Dad," Julia said teasingly to him.

"You're welcome," Castle said, smiling when she and Eliza were laughing at him. "And since I'm starving now I'm glad you have everything on the counter."

"You didn't notice did you?" Beckett asked her husband in amusement.

"Not really," Castle said simply. He smiled when she rolled her eyes, while she was smiling herself, and he said, "Is the table set?"

"Everything's ready," Julia answered.

"But the drinks," Eliza added.

"We'll bring them out once we're finished getting our food," Beckett told them before she was getting Josie's plate. The others let her get the toddler's food first before they were taking turns, and in the dining room she made sure Josie was alright with her napkin tucked into the collar of her tunic dress she was wearing. "Go ahead and eat sweetie, but you need to be careful okay?" she told her once she had finished.

"Eh," Josie replied, smiling at her mother while she was picking up some of the mashed sweet potato Julia had made.

"And don't just eat that," Castle told her while he was walking around the table.

"Cider! Sparkling cider!" Eliza said happily when she saw the bottles her father was carrying.

"That's right, and same rule don't drink all of this at once," Castle said, starting to pour some of the drink into Josie's sippy cup.

"That doesn't make sense Dad," Julia said.

"You know what I mean," Castle said in mock annoyance, smiling when Eliza giggled.

"Thanks Daddy," the little girl said after he'd poured some for her.

"You're welcome," Castle said, finishing pouring for Julia before he set the bottle in the middle. "Ask if you want more."

"He's right," Beckett said, smiling when their three youngest turned to her.

"Before we start eating," Castle said when he saw that everyone was ready, holding his wine glass. "To our family and the two newest members of it that managed to join us in time to celebrate."

Beckett wasn't surprised when the others were agreeing and she did so as well though she was tapping her glass to Josie's first. Turning to her husband they gently tapped their wine glasses together before she told him after they'd sipped the red liquid, "That was a nice one," not surprised at his response.

"I figured it was that or force the girls to say what they're thankful for," Castle commented, not surprised when his mother was speaking since he'd partially directed that to her.

"My parents had us do the same thing Richard," Martha said. "It was tradition." She paused and then said, "I did hate it myself though."

"Is that why we don't do that?' Eliza asked.

"It is," Castle said.

"We would have a toast," Jim said when the others were looking at him.

"Mom and Dad would take turns," Beckett said, smiling a little at her father.

Guessing his mother in law had given the last toast before she had been murdered, Castle reached over and squeezed his wife's hand before he said, "Should I stop doing that?"

"Oh no," Jim told him before his daughter could respond. "We did continue it but only a sláinte to each other."

"He's right," Beckett agreed. "And I do like your toasts."

Nodding, Castle raised her hand to kiss the back of it before he urged the others to eat, and they were beginning before Eliza cleared her throat and started to speak shyly.

"What're we gonna do after we eat?" she asked.

"Well," Castle began, looking outside the window behind him. "It looks like the weather's holding."

"You want to go for a walk?" Beckett asked him.

"I think it would be a good idea," Castle told her.

Smiling Beckett asked, "You're going to get seconds aren't you?"

"I am," Castle replied. "Not that much but I wanted a little more of the sweet potatoes."

"Thanks Dad," Julia said when her father was smiling at her.

"What about dessert?" Eliza asked.

"After we play some games," Beckett replied. She saw her husband was looking at her and she told him with a smile, "After we go on that walk."

"Are we going on the beach?" Eliza asked.

"No," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. They looked at each other when their daughters were laughing and she said, "It's a little cold to but we'll go around the neighborhood."

"Are you two going to join them?" Martha asked her oldest granddaughter.

"I think so," Alexis replied though she was looking at her husband while she spoke. "We haven't really gone out of the house that much."

"No," Louis said in agreement. He then smiled and said, "Except for the market we haven't gone out at all."

"Which makes sense," Castle said.

"Are you going with us Dad?" Beckett asked.

Shaking his head, Jim put down his glass of sparkling cider and said, "I think I'll stay in with the twins. I have gone out."

"And we walked around the stables," Julia said. She hesitated and said, "A little."

"It's alright Dad," Beckett told him slightly laughingly. She then looked at Josie and said, "Do you want to stay with the babies?"

When Josie frowned at her mother immediately she was widening her eyes when her family laughed. "What I say?" she asked when they were calming down.

"You want to go on a walk with us?" Castle answered before his wife could say anything.

"Eh," Josie replied, nodding her head.

"You don't want her to go?" Alexis asked her mother.

"Oh no, I do but I'm worried about how cold she'll get," Beckett replied.

"She'll be bundled up," Castle assured his wife.

"Yeah Mama," Josie added, giggling when the others were laughing.

"You can go, but don't complain about your coat," Beckett told her.

"Is she going to be wearing her blue coat we got her?" Alexis asked.

"This is probably going to be her last winter for that one," Castle commented. "It's getting a little tight."

"That's why I was asking," Alexis replied. "I'll have to find another for her."

"No, I like my coat," Josie said.

"New word?" Louis asked with a smile when his mother in law was hugging the toddler gently.

"She always said cow," Julia explained.

"And then cat for a little," Eliza said in obvious confusion.

"Don't worry," Beckett assured Josie. "You'll get another coat you'll like as much."

"Christmas-" Eliza started to say before her grandmother was squeezing her arm. "Yeah, you will," she said when she looked at Martha and saw the slight shake of her head.

"Christmas is…" Josie started to say before she trailed off.

"Coming, almost," Julia said before looking pointedly at her parents.

"Yes we'll work on the tree," Beckett said in amusement. "But later before we have dinner."

"We are going to have dinner," Eliza said.

"It'll very like be a small meal," Beckett said.

"But the dessert will be…" Eliza said slowly.

Laughing, Castle said, "We'll have a little but that's much later. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting those sweet potatoes."

"Wait for me Dad," Julia said, standing up just after he did.

Beckett smiled since Josie was waving to them and had her wipe her mouth before she was turning to Eliza leaving too. "I think we should go see what they're doing sweetie," she told her daughter, smiling when she nodded before she stood to get a little more of their meal herself.

"We'll be back soon Finn and Emmie," Alexis was telling her son and daughter. "Be glad you don't have to go this time." She smiled when Emmie made a soft noise, and she kissed her forehead before she did the same to Finn.

"They'll be fine," Martha said, recognizing the look on her granddaughter's face.

"And we won't be gone for that long," Beckett added, having seen the same. "We do have Josie."

"I know I just…" Alexis started to say before she shook her head.

"We all went through that," Martha said. "Rho had to kick me out of their apartment when I went back to work after your father was born."

"Your dad had to drag me to our first dinner together," Beckett added, smiling when Alexis started to laugh.

"Okay, I have to learn since my leave is going to be over soon," the young woman said. "Are we ready so I can?"

"We are," Castle said. "And just so you know I had the same problem leaving you for the first time. For that book tour down to D.C."

"Me too," Jim said firmly.

"I am right now," Louis said before he was pretending to cry. He laughed when his wife was smacking his shoulder with the back of her hand. "I am but I'm telling myself it won't be for that long."

"We should go now," Castle said. "So we can make it back sooner."

"He just wants to decorate the tree," Alexis said in amusement to her mother.

"Of course," Beckett said simply before he was frowning at them both. She kissed his cheek before they said goodbye to their parents and grandchildren and left the house to head across the yard to the door.

"Where are we going exactly?" Julia said once they were out on the sidewalk.

"Around to the other side of the block and then to the next before we come back," Castle said.

"Are we going to look at the Lennox house?" Eliza asked while they started down the sidewalk.

"Just look," Beckett said with a smile.

"Yeah, they're still at their rental having their Thanksgiving dinner so we're going to respect the fact that Peter, Clive and Emily haven't seen the inside of their house yet," Castle said.

"Especially because it's not finished," Julia said.

"I hope they let us look inside when it is done," Eliza said.

"They probably will," Beckett said. She saw Julia was turning her head from the Foster house and smiled before saying, "I don't think they're going to go out today," not surprised her daughter was swiftly responding.

"I know, but I thought…" Julia started to say before she shrugged.

"You'll see her tomorrow," Beckett assured her.

"Why are her grandparents leaving already?" Julia asked.

"The weather is better in Orlando," Castle said.

Julia couldn't help smiling before she said, "That's what Mari told me. But I thought they would stay… They're not coming back for Christmas."

"For the same reason," Beckett said. "Also for David's mother."

Sighing Julia said, "Mari was afraid she wouldn't remember her when she came." She then said in a rush, "She still does, but she's forgetting a lot more."

"They're doing their best with her sweetie," Beckett said. "And she's more comfortable with the weather in Florida because of her arthritis."

"Mari told me that too," Julia said, nodding her head. She then said, "There's the house," since they'd gotten to the end of the block.

"The outside looks nice," Eliza said.

"It does, I'm surprised they went for the grey they did," Louis commented.

"It was almost going to be a butter yellow," Julia said. "But they tested it and hated it. Especially Isaac."

"I would too," Castle said before they were crossing to the other side of the street after they'd passed the Lennox's property. "And the white and grey look more French."

"That's what he said his mom was saying," Julia said. She then told them, "It's going to be interesting with them living there."

"Hopefully you guys won't be annoyed by that," Alexis told them. She couldn't help laughing when her sisters were protesting, Josie laughing as well, and she said, "Great I'll make sure you won't be in the end."

Walking around the neighborhood, Castle wasn't surprised when they were the only ones there. "I guess it was too cold for everyone else," he said while he was putting in the code for their door.

"Can we swim when it's Christmas?" Eliza asked.

Laughing at the randomness of that statement, Castle said, "I think so, but it's still a month to go so let's wait and see."

"I agree with him sweetie," Beckett told their daughter when she was looking at her.

"Now we get to play some games," Julia reminded her.

"Dessert?" Eliza said hopefully as they were walking inside the front yard.

"Let's play at least one game of UNO and then-" Beckett started to say.

"No, just UNO please?" Eliza asked. "I want to go back to the game room," she added eagerly.

"You don't want to play Life or something?" Julia asked.

"Also, you're not tired of the game room yet?" Castle said, laughing when Eliza frowned at him. "I guess that's my answer."

"It is," Beckett said before the others were looking at her. "If everyone's okay with that then we can do that. We'll play a few games, have dessert and go to the game room. And no, we're going to eat in the dining room."

"There's the table in the game room," Julia commented, expecting her mother's response.

"Not today," Beckett said. "Though I'm not surprised you want to get right to the games."

"The tree?" Eliza asked slowly while her father was unlocking the front door.

"After we have our little dinner," Louis said. When his sister in law was looking at him he explained, "I heard them."

"I want to decorate really bad," Eliza said. "Badly?" she corrected herself in a rush when her parents were looking at her.

"That works," Castle said. "And believe me, I do too. But your mom says we'll do it after our small dinner and that's when we will."

"You don't want to wait until it's darker?" Beckett asked the little girl with a smile while she was taking her coat.

Eliza was about to speak before she stopped and then said, "Okay, I love Christmas Mommy."

"Just like your daddy," Beckett said, laughing when her husband raised and lowered his eyebrows at her. She pinched his shoulder lightly as a way to scold him before they were getting their daughters' outer layers into the entry closet.

"Now des… UNO!" Eliza cried. She laughed with the rest of her family since her grandparents and the twins had joined them before they were walking down the hall to the dining room to begin playing.

"I'm shocked there aren't more sweets," Louis told his sisters in law.

"We wanted to make cupcakes, but Mom said three was enough," Julia commented. She paused and then said, "I mean four."

"Four?" Alexis asked in surprise.

Nodding, Julia said, "You know how you got that stuff from that company… from Dad?"

"Of course, we kept the baskets they came in for Finn and Emmie to have for storage when they're older," Louis commented.

"He got something for us to share," Julia said.

"Yeah, he won't tell us what it is," Eliza said in pretend annoyance.

"He will soon I'm sure," Alexis said, turning to her after she had gotten Finn set in his carrier. "Thank you for taking our plates," she said, speaking to Julia since she'd had her husband's.

"You're welcome," the teen said, letting Emmie hold onto her index finger. "You really love being parents," she stated.

"A ton," Alexis said, smiling at her. "You're thinking about it aren't you?"

"I always have," Julia said. "Especially after Josa was born."

"Josa!" Eliza cried, seeing their baby sister in the doorway. "Is everyone ready."

"No, I'm a big girl," Josie said firmly, putting her hands in fists on her hips.

Reaching her sister Julia took her by her shoulders and told her, "You are but do Mom and Dad know you left?"

"Actually we did not," Castle said, walking up to them. He took Josie's hands and said seriously, "You know that we don't like it when you leave without telling us, we get worried." He wasn't surprised when the toddler's chin began to wobble before she started to cry, and he sighed before scooping her up and heading back to the kitchen before the twins would begin crying too.

"Sweetie," Beckett said, looking down the hall.

"I had to scold her a little," Castle said.

"He wasn't that mean Mommy," Eliza said, having hurried after her father. "He was talking serious… seriously," she said, correcting herself in a hurry.

"I had a feeling," Beckett said. She took Josie from him and said, "You're okay sweetie, all you have to do is tell us when you're going to leave us in the house okay?"

"Kay," Josie said, calming down a little. She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and said, "Sorry."

"It's okay," Castle said, gently drying her cheeks. "Are you mad at me?" he asked her. When she shook her head he said, "Whew," as he exaggerated swiping at his forehead. "I'm glad because I was hoping we'd play with your mom in the game room later," he told her, pleased when she was smiling and speaking firmly.

"I want to Dada," Josie said before she was reaching out to him.

Squeezing her husband's upper arm, Beckett turned and was moving to get their plates before he was calling to her. "I can take them," she said.

"I have Josie's plate," Jim said before his son in law could say anything.

"Thank you," Castle said before they were walking to the dining room. "Is it snowing?" he asked, seeing Julia was at the window.

"No, but it's getting really dark," the teen replied. Julia then asked, "We can eat now right?"

"Please, we have some games to play," Beckett said before they were sitting together around the table.

"How… how's the pie?" Eliza asked a little nervously while she was looking around at everyone taking a bite of the apple one.

"Really good," Jim said first before he looked at Martha when she was quickly agreeing with him and talking to their second youngest granddaughter with a smile.

"He's right Eliza, you're becoming a very good baker," Castle's mother said.

"Mommy helped me," Eliza said swiftly.

"With the harder parts of baking," Beckett said immediately. "And with peeling the apples too."

"Thank you," Eliza said shyly.

"And the pumpkin pie is great too," Castle told Julia.

"You're eating it already?" the teen asked her father in shock.

"I had a thin slice," Castle said, not surprised when the others were laughing.

"Mommy?" Eliza said when they had calmed down. "What time is it?"

"Almost three twenty," Beckett replied after checking the time. "Why?"

"When are we going to have dinner?" Eliza responded with another question.

"What're you thinking?" Castle said before his wife could say anything.

"If we're gonna eat late then we could start the tree," Eliza explained.

"We won't," Beckett said firmly when her husband looked at her. "We'll eat at the normal time we do but remember it might be a smaller dinner."

"I just wanted to see," Eliza told her. She was relieved when her parents were smiling and nodding in response before she looked at her sister across the table from her. "You don't want to start the tree?" she asked.

"Of course I do," Julia said. "I just know that we're going to have to wait." When her little sister looked disappointed she added, "But I wish we could do it sooner too."

Smiling widely Eliza said, "Me too."

Julia had to bite at her lower lip keep from laughing out loud at her sister saying something she already knew. She just managed to and was finishing her slice of pumpkin pie before she was suddenly reminded of something. "Hey, what about the box Dad?" she asked.

"That's going to have to wait for after dinner… or after the tree I should say," Castle answered, looking at Eliza and seeing her dismayed expression.

"Cool," Julia said before they moved to begin cleaning up again.

"Mama," Josie said when they were in the game room once they had finished.

"Yes sweetie?" Beckett asked.

"The babies?" Josie asked immediately. "They…"

"They're taking a nap," Beckett said swiftly, reaching out to calm her down.

"They should be awake quite soon," Louis said, looking at his watch.

"They're still sleeping," Alexis told her husband in amusement since she had turned to the tablet they were using for that purpose. "But he is right they'll be awake soon," she added to the others. "They'll want to nurse."

"You're gonna have to stop playing," Eliza told her.

"I don't mind, and we're going to keep playing right?"

"If that's what everyone wants to do," Beckett said before she was watching Josie walking away from her.

"I think it is," Castle said, looking on as well while their youngest was hurrying to his father-in-law. With them alone he said to his wife, "What did you want to do?"

"I'm already aware of what you want," Beckett said to him, not surprised when he nodded once before he was responding verbally and making her smile in response.

"So we're in agreement… but not betting," Castle said carefully. He wasn't surprised when his wife merely smiled, and he took her hand so they could make their way to the air hockey table and begin to play.

"I'm glad the tree is already ready," Julia told her sisters.

"Not yet, they have to put the lights on don't they?" Eliza asked her sister.

"And the star," Julia said, nodding her head. She then said, "But that won't take too long."

"Do I get to put those too?" Josie asked slowly, standing at the box of ornaments.

"Yeah, but don't put them in your mouth," Eliza said. "Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let me keep hanging ornaments after I did that."

"You did," Alexis said, nursing Emmie at that point. "So keep those out of your mouth Josa."

"I will," the toddler said, smiling. She then went to the tree and touched the branches before she told her sisters, "Can I hug this?"

"I did that once," Alexis said. She smiled seeing her sisters turning to her at almost the same time and said, "I hugged the tree when I was around seven or eight and it hurt."

"You got the kind with the pointy needles?" Eliza asked.

"That year we did," Alexis replied with a nod. "So I wouldn't do it Josa."

"Kay," the toddler replied before they were turning to the doorway of the family room when the rest of their family walked inside.

"Are you guys ready?" Castle asked.

"Are we going to put the lights on with you?" Julia asked him.

"No, I just want to make sure you guys are ready to decorate once I'm finished," Castle explained, going to the box with the lights in it.

"Oh we are," Julia said immediately.

"And I'm helping you," Beckett told her husband.

"Great, we'll get through it faster," Castle said, not surprised when she was rolling her eyes before he was getting the roll of multi-colored lights out. He let his wife take them before she was slipping the roll over her arm, and he plugged them in.

"Yay they work!" Eliza said happily.

"All of them?" Alexis asked her father.

"Luckily, they do," Castle said once he'd checked on them. "Ready?" he asked his wife.

"Yes," Beckett said with a smile. She was a little startled when he suddenly leaned into her but pushed that aside to respond to his kiss. It was brief and she was soon unrolling the strand while she and her husband were going around the tree. When he needed to get a step ladder for the very top she remained in place before they were finishing and she allowed him to take the rest.

"Does anyone want to put the star?" Castle asked the others. He jumped a little when they were saying no at the same time, except for the twins. "Okay… I guess it's me," he said.

"I think it's always going to be you love," Beckett told her husband with a smile.

"I guess so," Castle replied, taking the tree topper from her. After he had it set and connected to the light chord under it he said, "Okay, I think we can start playing-"

"Daddy!" Eliza cried out in annoyance.

"I think he's just kidding," Martha told her granddaughter.

"She's right, I am," Castle assured the little girl when she hurried to him. He laughed when she frowned at him and said, "Sorry, I couldn't help it even though I'm as excited as you are to start putting ornaments up."

"Then we can start?" Julia asked, having walked over to them as well.

"We will right now," Beckett said before she was giving an ornament to Josie who was with her. She took a few more and followed the toddler to the tree and watched her hanging an ornament. "Good job sweetie," she said reassuringly when Josie turned to her.

"She's right you got it in the perfect spot, so it doesn't fall down," Eliza said, walking by them.

"Don't fall down," Josie said carefully to the ornament, shaking her finger at it. She looked around when she heard the others laughing and asked, "Why Mama?"

"Because you're just like your mother doing that," Castle said. "I would assume that was how you spoke to your stuffed animals?"

"She did," Jim said when his daughter was frowning at her husband. "And nearly at the same age."

Sighing Beckett said, "I vaguely remember doing that."

"Richard did that to his G.I. Joes," Martha commented.

Making a brief face, Castle said, "I was the drill sergeant… I'm pretty sure I was yelling at them."

"Either way," Beckett said with a smile before they were returning to the ornaments and hanging them on the taller branches for their daughters.

In the middle of doing that Alexis and Louis were taking the twins to their room since they had fallen asleep, the others telling them goodnight carefully to keep from waking them up.

"Are they going to be okay in the crib there?" Eliza asked.

"They will," Castle said with a nod. He then smiled and said, "They'll have that for a while, for sleepovers," a little surprised at her sudden response.

"So… they can come back?" Eliza asked.

"You didn't think we would watch them for Alexis and Louis?" Castle asked before he looked at his wife when she pressed her hand to his arm.

"They'll want to go out once in a while or might need to for work," Beckett said. "And that's when we'll watch them."

"Or you'll go out too and Jim and I will watch them," Martha commented.

"You've been around the girls for too long," Castle said.

"I agree with her," Jim said. "We wouldn't mind watching the kids."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said before she was getting more ornaments again. They continued decorating the tree, Alexis and Louis assisting them once they were back, before they'd finished and were standing in front of the tree. "Perfect as always," she told her husband.

"Good thing, that was a lot of work," Castle said, not surprised when his wife wrapped her arm around him. He did the same to her and then asked the girls, "What do you think?"

"We can go back to the game room right?" Eliza asked jokingly. She then quickly said, "It's perfect and I love it so much."

"Me too," Josie said quickly.

"Yeah, they're right, it's perfect," Julia added.

"Do you guys want to really play in the game room?" Beckett asked.

"I think so," Julia said. "But Saturday we'll play in here, right Lizzy?"

"Yep, we have to show Mari," Eliza said. She frowned and then said, "The twins didn't get to see it."

"You don't need to worry," Louis said quickly as his in laws were getting the boxes stacked to put away the next day. "We'll show them tomorrow once they're up."

"And before we leave," Alexis said with a smile. "But yeah, we want them to see it."

"And your tree?" Jim asked them.

"Monday night we'll start on it," Louis replied. "Someone had it delivered that day."

"I thought I should help you out," Castle commented since his son in law was looking at him.

"And we appreciate it," Alexis said, smiling when her husband was nodding rapidly in agreement.

"Wait," Eliza said suddenly. "What about the desserts? And the surprise dessert?"

"We'll get that now," Castle said slowly, looking at his wife before she was answering his unasked question while she was smiling.

"Yes we kind of need to," Beckett said.

"You are going to let us see the surprise box right?" Julia asked.

"Yes, and right now if we go," Castle told them. He wasn't surprised when Julia and Eliza were walking immediately to the doorway, and he laughed with the others before they were walking to the kitchen. He grabbed the box he'd brought from the dining room and opening it said, "Ta-da."

"Ta-da?" Julia said with a slight frown.

"Too much?" Castle asked her before she was laughing.

"No, but are those brownies?" Julia asked him.

"They're special ones for fall," Castle said. "Pumpkin spice, cranberry and red velvet."

"Is red velvet fall?" Beckett couldn't help asking her husband to tease him.

"It's… red," Castle commented.

Beckett cupped his cheek and told him, "They look great."

"Does that mean you'll share one with me?" Castle asked. "I'm aiming for a pumpkin spice one."

"Alright," Beckett said with a smile, kissing his cheek. She wasn't surprised when he was taking her hand before she said, "Are you having anything else?"

"Pie, I mean you and the girls went through all that trouble it'd be a shame not to eat thin slices again," Castle said, smiling when his wife was laughing. He took the chance when she calmed down to brush his lips to hers before Josie was jumping against him and speaking to him and Beckett urgently.

"Me too Dada, me too!" Josie cried.

"Hold on," Castle said, picking her up. He shared a kiss with her before she was doing the same with Beckett. After she asked him to put her back down he said, "You better not want to be picked back up."

"She probably will," Beckett told her husband while they were waiting for the others to get their things first. "Wait," she told Eliza, seeing her taking a full brownie.

"I can't have one?" Eliza asked disappointedly.

"You want us to split one right?" Julia asked. She saw her sister was about to speak and told her hurriedly, "At least we'll get to try it."

"Yeah," Eliza said after she saw her sister was gesturing to their parents with her eyes. "We can do that?" she asked them.

"That's fine," Beckett replied. "But you have to agree on a flavor."

"The pumpkin?" Julia asked. She was relieved when Eliza nodded, and she was cutting the brownie in half before they were putting their pieces on their plates. After they had their desserts they were going back to the family room, which surprised her. But as they walked inside the room she understood why her parents were allowing that since the tree was magical in the low light of the room. She sat at the coffee table with her little sisters, looking at the tree as they were eating and becoming eager to get to play yet again until she would have to go upstairs for bed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Castle asked, looking at Julia in concern when she walked down the hall to the kitchen.

"Nothing," the teen said, a little surprised at how worried her father had sounded.

"You're not writing in your diary?" Beckett asked.

"It's not bad if I skip a few days," Julia said slowly.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile as she walked over to her daughter. "I had a feeling you were going to do that."

"But Sunday is a school night," Castle commented.

Making a playful face at him, Julia then giggled before she said, "I know, I'll probably have to use bullet points but that's okay. I'll be ready for bed as usual." She looked between her parents; though her father was at the coffee machine looking down at the mug in front of him; and she asked, "Could we play in the game room?"

"You want us to play with you?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Julia replied. "Oh," she then said when she realized she didn't know what she wanted to play. "I was thinking of playing the racing game," deciding swiftly.

"We only have two of those," Castle said.

"Me and you play and then you and Mom," Julia replied easily.

"I'm fine with that," Castle said, glancing at his wife before she was giving him a look.

"I am too," Beckett said to their daughter. "But when we say it's time for bed-"

"It's time for bed," Julia interrupted, finishing for her mother.

"Then we're set," Castle said, giving his wife her coffee.

"Nice," Julia said, seeing the heart he'd made in the foam. She looked at her parents and asked, "Should I go back upstairs?"

"No," Beckett said. "But you should head to the room and turn on the racing game." Watching her go, she turned to her husband and said, "Thank you, it's beautiful."

Leaning into her, Castle shared a kiss with her before he said, "I was almost going to make a turkey but…"

"You want to play," Beckett said teasingly. When he nodded she couldn't help laughing before she cupped his cheek and he leaned into her again. They were lingering a little longer in that kiss, but she pulled away first telling him, "It won't take her that long to make-"

Turning to the machine as it beeped to let him know his coffee had been finished Castle said, "You can go join her."

"I'm too tempting?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Extremely," Castle said huskily while he turned his head to her.

At his tone, Beckett went over to him and squeezed his arm before he was leaning down to her. Their kiss was brief and though she didn't want to, she headed to the game room. "You started already?" she asked when she walked in and saw Julia was playing.

"Sorry, I thought you and Dad might be a little busy so…" she replied before she turned to her mother.

"Smart aleck," Beckett replied, moving to set down her mug. She sat in the chair in the console next to her and said, "Do you still want to play this one?"

Smiling, Julia said, "I did kind of want to play pool." She saw the expression on her mother's face and asked, "That surprises you?"

"A little, I thought you might want to play skeeball or-" Beckett started to say.

"Actually… could we?" Julia interrupted her.

"If it's what you want to do then that's okay," Castle said, walking into the room. He smiled when his wife and their daughter were turning to him at the same time and said, "I could hear you."

"Would you mind playing that?" Julia asked, getting up.

"I don't," Castle said before he was going to the game. While he turned it on Beckett and Julia came up behind him and said, "How will we do this though?"

"Will you and Mom play together?" Julia asked slowly.

"That's fine," Beckett replied, motioning for her husband to go first.

Nodding, Castle started to play while Julia was doing the same next to him and then said, "How're your Christmas gifts going?"

Giving him a look, though he was throwing a ball, Julia said, "They're fine."

"Did you get everything?" Beckett asked, smiling while she was watching the pair in front of her.

"I did," Julia replied. "Is that weird?" she asked, turning to her mother.

"No, you're not buying as much as your dad and I are," Beckett replied with a smile.

"That's true," Julia said.

"Did you get presents for the twins?" Castle asked as he got out of the way of his wife.

"I did," Julia replied, smiling. "I'm not going to tell you what I got though."

"I wasn't going to try and find out," Castle said. He burst out into laughter when his wife and Julia were turning at the same time to give him a look before he turned away from them. "Sorry, that was adorable," he told them.

Shaking her head, Beckett told him, "I don't think we believe you Rick."

"Of course you didn't," Castle said before she stepped up to him and kissed him gently.

"Are you guys going to play when I go to bed?" Julia asked them.

"No," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

Julia laughed softly before she said, "Are you tired?"

"Slightly, we did a lot today," Castle said. "Riding, cooking… chasing after your sisters."

Julia couldn't help laughing again and said, "You'll have to do that when the twins are older… when they're staying with us."

"Will you help us out with that?" Castle said.

"Of course," Julia said. "Unless I'm out on a date."

"Think about that before you protest love," Beckett told her husband when she saw he was about to speak. She smiled when he gave her a feigned glare and she squeezed his hand before he was speaking seriously to their daughter.

"If you date two years exactly from now-" Castle started to say.

"I know, I'll still have to have a chaperone," Julia interrupted him with a smile. "I don't even know if I'll be dating before I turn sixteen," she added with a shrug.

"You never know," Castle said.

Julia shrugged again before she turned back to the game and continued for a little before she realized her parents weren't playing. "What?" she asked them in surprise.

"You want to date," Beckett said, watching in surprise when Julia was squeezing at the ball that was in her hand.

"Yes, but it's not going to happen," the teen said. She turned to her parents and smiled at them saying, "I have to find someone to date remember. And all the boys I've met or asked me… weren't right."

"No, but the same happened to me," Beckett told her. "I didn't start dating your dad until I was in my thirties."

"Are you saying I should just date to date," Julia asked, startled.

"No, she's saying we can't always find 'the one' right away," Castle said before he paused and then looked at his wife.

"I just thought the same thing," Beckett said with a smile. She turned to their daughter and asked, "You did too?"

"Yeah, how lucky we were to find the one quickly," Julia said before she frowned. "Well, not all the time when we were kids, but it was pretty close."

Nodding Beckett said, "But that's the exception."

"Oh I know, there's a lot of people in the world," Julia replied. She then paused and threw her last ball before she said, "Have you thought about our next life?"

"You toy with the idea," Castle said, seeing his wife looked slightly uncomfortable. "But since we really can't know what's going to happen next we don't think about it for very long."

"But you do know one thing," Julia said, going to her mother and hugging her tightly.

"We'll find each other again," Beckett said with a nod, kissing the side of her head. She then said, "Are you finished?"

"I think so," Julia replied after she looked at the game. She then turned back to her parents and said, "I have time."

"A little," Beckett said with a smile.

"How much is a little?" Castle couldn't help asking. He wasn't surprised when his wife gave him a look and said, "Yeah, a little," while he was turning to Julia.

Laughing briefly, the teen said, "Alright, I want to play the baseball game." Leading her parents over to it, Julia said, "And I have a request."

"What is it?" Beckett asked.

"Every time I get a home run you and Dad have to kiss," Julia said simply.

"Sweetie," Beckett said warningly before her daughter was smiling at her.

"Just kidding," Julia said.

"You were? Well that's disappointing," Castle said, smiling at his wife when she rolled her eyes.

Unable to help herself, Julia was laughing softly before she started the game, not surprised her parents were staying with her. She did her best not to think of the fact that her bedtime was fast approaching, instead focusing on the game in front of her while her parents were encouraging her and cheering her on to her delight.

"I thought we weren't going to do this," Beckett told her husband as they were entering the game room, not surprised when he was responding while he was getting the pool cues.

"We're not betting," Castle replied. "We're playing." He was slightly startled at the smirk she gave him and said, "I assume you already knew that."

"I also know you just want to watch me stretched out on the table," Beckett said.

"I would never assume," Castle said, not surprised when she was giving him a look. He then shrugged and said, "It wasn't forefront in my mind. I wanted us to play together, relax us." He paused as he was filling the triangle and then told her, "Though if you wanted to leer at me I'm fine with that."

"I might," Beckett said, smiling at her husband when he was looking at her with wide eyes. "I'm serious. And you said you wanted to relax."

"Vixen," Castle told her roughly. He was tensing for a moment when she was stepping up to him before she was grabbing a handful of his shirt he'd worn to dinner. He kissed her as soon as they were close enough and wrapped his arms around her since she was holding both cues. He made it deep immediately and they were hungrily dueling inside her mouth before she was pulling away first and panting.

"You're… we better start," Beckett said, handing him his cue.

"Good idea," Castle said, having to shake himself as he looked at the table. She was moving to take the first shot though she needed to take off the triangle and he said, "A quick game."

Smiling at him Beckett said, "I'm glad we agree." She wasn't surprised when her husband was nodding before she turned back to the game and hit the cue ball to start.

Playing quietly, Castle and Beckett were brushing against each other walking around the table until they were finishing with him winning and he told her, "Ready?" He was a little surprised when she was merely nodding and he couldn't resist, leaning down to her and brushing his lips to hers. They put everything away before they moved to go upstairs and he whispered to her, "Are we checking on them?"

"Yeah," Beckett replied before they were going down the hall to their left. They went into Josie's room, up to the crib to check on their youngest and she smiled seeing the toddler was holding onto her Tigger doll.

After they checked in the doorways of Eliza's and Julia's rooms, Castle took his wife's hand and led her to their bedroom before he locked the door behind them. "What did you want to do?" he asked her.

Laughing, Beckett told him, "You want to know right this second?"

"That… would be nice," Castle said before he was frowning in confusion.

"I want us to take a bath," Beckett said.

Castle was about to speak when he paused and then said, "I thought you didn't-"

"Take a shower," Beckett replied. "I didn't want to take a shower twice."

"Oh," Castle said in realization. He then smiled and said, "I'm game-" before she was stopping him by placing her hand to his chest.

"I want you to pleasure me while we're in there," Beckett told him.

"I can do that," Castle said swiftly. "And… is that it?"

Beckett couldn't help laughing and leaned into him before they were kissing tenderly. When they parted she said, "I want to do something to you, but let me worry about that."

"I'm not worrying," Castle said hurriedly when she took his hand to lead him to their bathroom. "But I am wondering."

"Hopefully you'll be able to focus enough on me," Beckett told him with a smirk before he was wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close while he spoke to her huskily, sending a shiver of pleasure shooting through her body.

"I think that'll be managed," Castle said, pulling her to him and kissing her deeply as soon as he'd stopped speaking. He felt her responding and he held her tightly to him before they were parting slowly and he said, "Should we start?"

Smiling Beckett told him, "I was hoping you wanted to." She felt his body tensing in front of her and said, "Come on," before she tugged him a little further into the room. They walked to the sinks and she wasn't surprised when her husband was pressing her back against the counter. "We talked about starting," she teased him though her heart was pounding heavily at the blatant desire in his eyes.

"You just want to straight undress?" Castle inquired. He wasn't surprised when she leaned against him and they were kissing deeply before he was reaching for her sweater. He didn't want to end the kiss but he was pulling her sweater up and she was assisting him by raising her arms for him.

"Let's not go that fast," Beckett told him after he had tossed it behind her on the counter in between their sinks. As she'd been speaking she'd begun unbuttoning his shirt, pausing after the first two before she was tugging his navy blue shirt from his trousers. She half expected him to assist her but he was watching her and she said, "You can read my mind?"

"It was a guess, you didn't look at me after you had my shirt out of my pants," Castle commented. When she smirked at him he was suddenly breathing a little harder and he told her, "You're amazing Kate," shuddering hard when she raked her nails over his undershirt once his dress shirt was open while she spoke sensually to him at the same time.

"So are you," Beckett said before he was leaning down to her. She was responding to his kiss as soon as his lips met hers and they were holding onto each other tightly. Feeling her husband running his hands over her back though her bra was in the way made her shudder in pleasure which ended up stopping the kiss. "Rick," she breathed before he was kissing at her neck until he moved to back to her lips. When they were slowly parting once they needed to catch their breath she smiled and said, "We're taking a little too long."

"Slightly," Castle commented before he brushed his lips to hers. They were parting and he was reaching down to her trousers and opening them before she was doing the same to him. Grunting when she was tugging a little hard on his pants he said, "You're…"

"I said we were taking too long," Beckett told him in amusement before they were undressing each other the rest of the way until they were naked. Heading to the shelves she was grabbing towels for them so they could go into the shower and rinse.

"Can I not do that?" Castle asked eventually since he'd been running his hands over his wife's back and ass.

"Not anymore," Beckett replied teasingly, turning off the water. She let him go first, since she was aware she wouldn't be able to stop him and allowed him to dry her off before she did the same to him. "That's not going to stay on," she told him, watching him wrap the towel she'd used on him around his waist.

"I have to try," Castle said simply, before he made his way to the tub. He started the water and turned, slightly jumping when he saw she was right behind him. "Nice," he told her, reaching for her before he was startled when she stopped him immediately. "I can't-" he started to say.

"Not when we're about to go in," Beckett replied easily. "And if you thought I was here for anything other than that…"

"I was mistaken?" Castle finished for her.

"You were," Beckett replied with a smile before she watched him turn off the water in a rush. She took off her towel before tossing it aside and she made her husband go inside first, following him shortly after.

"When did you want me to start?" Castle asked when they'd been sitting for a little.

"Soon," Beckett replied though she had her eyes closed in her relaxation. They were flying open shortly after when her husband's hands were running around the front of her body and she said, "You took that literally."

"Are you surprised?" Castle asked her.

"I'm not," Beckett said, speaking swiftly since her husband was sliding his hands down. She bit at her lower lip when he was rubbing gently on the tops of her thighs before she said, "I'm glad you did."

Kissing the side of her head, Castle moved his right hand to slip it in between her legs before he was reaching for her clit. He let her adjust to allow him to rub at her and he felt her shifting against his front, making him fight not to groan since she was doing the same against his length. Finally he reached around with his left arm and he was using his hand there to rub at her thigh again though that time he focused on the inside of it. Hearing her gasps and slight moans of pleasure, he was fighting even harder to keep from reaching his climax since the sounds were heavily arousing.

"Rick," Beckett said, not holding back her moan that time. When his response was to lightly nip at the top of her shoulder she was about to tell him he didn't need to go slowly before he stopped her as he was sliding his fingers within her. She was gasping in her joy at the sensation of his digits beginning to glide back and forth through her and she had to struggle not to allow herself to melt back against her husband. "You… don't stop," she breathed.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked. "You're holding yourself tense love."

"I know I don't… want to come that fast," Beckett replied. She arched her back a little when she felt her husband's left hand come up to her clit and his fingers proceeded to rub at her gently. "Not that fast," she gasped.

"I'm not doing anything I haven't already," Castle pointed out though he was lightly stroking her clit. He relished in the feeling of her moving in front of him but was careful to keep from doing too much. He was also still dealing with what he was going through feeling her writhing a little against him and was surprised he wasn't joining her when she climaxed after a little longer with both his hands working on her. Holding her tightly while her back was arching, he was focusing on her, the way her body moved, and failing to use that to distract himself before she finally stopped moving and was panting in front of him.

Opening her eyes once she felt a little stronger, Beckett asked, "Are you okay?"

"You're asking me?" Castle replied. He could imagine her smiling at that before he said, "I am… to a degree."

"Let's get out," Beckett told him. She felt him nod behind her before he was letting her go and she moved to get out of the water, watching her husband following her though they dried themselves off separately.

"Thank you for…" Castle started to say when they'd finished and had their towels wrapped around themselves.

"I had a feeling it was going to be difficult for you," Beckett told him at the same time she smiled.

"It is," Castle said while he was preparing to lean over to empty the tub. He wasn't surprised when she was stopping him and he watched her pressing the button before he told her, "What was your plan now?"

"I think it's more what you want to do," Beckett corrected him. She smiled when he hesitated before she said, "I did choose what I wanted to do remember."

"I know," Castle said, allowing her to take him to their bed.

Glancing at him, Beckett waited until they were next to his side to ask, "What's wrong?"

Castle thought for a moment about how he wanted to respond to that before he finally said, "I'm not going to last that long… whatever we do." He expected his wife to respond verbally but when she instead tugged away his towel and curled her fingers around him he was hissing heavily in pleasure though concerned he was going to climax too soon.

"I see," Beckett said.

"See?" Castle asked, his voice nearly strangled.

"Well, if I need to be exact I can feel," Beckett said. "You're throbbing."

"And your hand isn't helping," Castle said with a groan.

"What do you want me to do?" Beckett asked him in a rush while she carefully let him go.

Castle couldn't tell her vocally at first since he was moving to the bed, climbing on it and relieved when she was following. Laying down he was slightly startled when she was leaning down to him and kissing him tenderly before she slowly pulled away. "Are you going to drag this out?" he asked her.

"Not unless you want me to," Beckett replied with a smile as he was cupping her cheek with his hand. She turned her head to kiss at his palm before she said, "Tell me love."

"Just… pleasure me," Castle said. "You don't have that much time so… it can't really be special." He then realized what he'd said and told her, "I mean-"

"Don't worry, I understood," Beckett replied with a smile. She leaned down to him and was kissing him tenderly though briefly. When she pulled away she moved to press a straight line of kisses down his chest until she had reached his member. Kissing the tip of him she trailed her lips along the underside of him before she was pulling away carefully.

Though he wanted to warn her he was already close to orgasming, Castle found he couldn't speak and that became a slight problem when she was cupping him with her hand. "Kate," he eventually managed to wheeze out to her.

"It's alright," Beckett said simply. "If you need to come you should."

"Are… Am I coming on you?" Castle asked.

"Would you like to?" Beckett answered with her own question. She smiled at his shaky nod before she was moving out of his way and laying down before he was straddling her and she began to pleasure him.

"Love… fuck you're too… good…" Castle groaned before he was withdrawing from her mouth as quickly as he could. He called her name once while he came all over her breasts before he was literally throwing himself away from her. The pleasure that had gone through him at his climax had been intense, and it took him a moment before he felt he could move and heard his wife speaking next to him.

"Are you back?" Beckett said, reaching out and brushing her fingers through his hair. She wanted to turn to him and lay on his back; since he was on his stomach; but with his release covering her she found she couldn't do it. Shaking her slight annoyance at that, she told her husband after he'd groaned in reaction to her question, "Good, I need a little help."

Taking a few more minutes, Castle turned and said, "This was my decision."

"I know, and I'm very happy that you decided on that," Beckett said, smiling at him when he pushed himself up to move to her. "But again, I need some help with this. I would like to move."

Nodding briefly, Castle moved to kiss her, but she was keeping it short which wasn't a surprise and he told her, "You're a vixen."

"Now Rick," Beckett told him in her sternest tone of voice. She felt a thrill at his obvious pleasure at her tone and she said, "Now," again since she was aware how much he enjoyed it. She was pleased when he moved then to kiss her and she was responding eagerly before he was slowly ending the kiss. Looking on while he was reaching for her breasts, she sighed and shifted a little when he gently brushed his finger against her right mound. She took his finger in her mouth, sucking at his release he'd managed to gather before she told him, "Are you going to use both?"

"I am," Castle said. He then paused and asked her, "Do you want that?"

"I brought it up," Beckett told him pointedly, pleased when he was descending to her and licking at her skin. He used both his mouth and hands and she felt her arousal coming back much faster with that before he was finished and kissing her hard. She was responding the best she could, holding him tightly before she was gasping when he turned them over. "You-" she started to say.

"I want a sampla," Castle said.

"I suddenly do too," Beckett told him. "Just the bed?"

"Yes," Castle replied. "I don't know if we'll last for that long."

"We might," Beckett replied in amusement. She leaned into him and gently brushed her lips to his before they were kissing passionately. Though they were doing their best not to finish, she and Castle had to pause so they could get him inside of her.

"When did you-" he started to say to his wife in surprise since she was slick from her arousal.

"You don't think you did that to me?" Beckett replied simply. She wasn't surprised when her husband's response was to kiss her hard though they weren't doing that for very long. After they'd parted she said, "Are we fucking?"

"That's why I said we wouldn't last long," Castle replied, a little taken aback when his wife was kissing him hard though briefly.

"I usually need to push you to fuck me," Beckett told him teasingly.

Nodding Castle replied, "I feel like I should take it easy with you. But not this time."

Beckett nodded, indicating she was aware of what her husband wanted her to do before she was raising and lowering herself on her knees. She was moving carefully at first, testing their coupling before she was speeding up a little and then bouncing on him. She wasn't surprised when Castle was grabbing her and holding onto her hips tightly before she rolled them, loving the way he groaned in pleasure before he was speaking to her roughly.

"How long… do you want to take," Castle asked her. When he didn't get a verbal response he was startled for a moment before she was getting off of him and then he understood since he was following her while she laid on her back. With her arms around him he was slipping inside of her, holding himself at her urging before he started to thrust while she spread her legs apart as far as he could. "This is what you… want?" he managed to ask her.

"Yes, please," Beckett begged him. She gasped heavily when he was thrusting hard against her, and she wanted to warn him she was close before he was stopping. "Thank you," she breathed while he carefully withdrew from her.

"I did that for myself too," Castle breathed heavily. He wasn't surprised when she was moving to straddle his lap once they switched positions, soon wrapping his arms around her to hold her in place as she grasped his length. Groaning heavily while she was lowering herself on him, he was holding her tightly and told her, "Slowly love."

"To… contrast?" Beckett asked, gasping since she was doing so already. She wasn't surprised when her husband was nodding, and she was moving the rest of the way before they were coupled tightly. "After this," she told him seriously once he was looking at her. "I want you on top of me," not surprised when he was instantly responding.

"That's not fair for me," Castle said. "I want you on top."

"Then you'll have to force me," Beckett replied easily before her husband was suddenly flipping her onto her back. Since it was what she wanted she didn't mind the move and took her husband's kiss when he was beginning to thrust. She was relishing him going slowly, but when he soon began to go faster she was holding onto him tightly before he was bowing his head.

Relishing the sound of his wife moaning in reaction to his movements, Castle nearly forgot they were supposed to be switching. He suddenly recalled and was withdrawing from his wife to make her turn over onto her stomach.

"Are you going to make me faint?" Beckett asked, sliding down onto her arms. She felt her husband slapping her ass and let out a cry of joy before he was plunging into her. Clutching at the bed beneath her, she was doing her best to move in time with him though he was going rapidly. She turned her head and was pressing her cheek to the pillow underneath her, and she was nearly ready to give herself up to what he was doing to her. Before she could allow herself to orgasm, Castle was moving away from her and she said, "I was close," once she was looking at him.

"So was I," Castle said. When she leaned over to him they were kissing, sensuously that time, before he carefully pulled away from her. "Do you want to keep going?" he asked.

Beckett thought about it for a moment before she finally nodded and said, "I think I do."

"You think?" Castle asked her firmly.

Leaning into her husband, Beckett brushed her lips to his before she was telling him, "I'm sure. Unless you want to come right now."

Hesitating himself at that point, Castle nodded and said, "You make a great point."

"Of course I do," Beckett replied before she was leaning into him again. They lingered in their kiss that time and were passionate before they were slowly parting, and she moved to lay down. "Take me," she told him firmly.

With a brief nod, Castle was moving to her to sink within her body again. His length throbbed in reaction to it, and he did his best not to let the pleasure from the sensation overwhelm him. When he was sheathed within her he began thrusting after raising her legs and holding her ankles with his hands. With her set he was moving carefully, slowly at first before he sped up, being careful not to do that very quickly. When he could hear her crying out he stopped and swiftly withdrew from her before he made her turn onto her side.

"I still don't want to be on top," Beckett told her husband seriously.

"You won't," Castle promised before he was moving to lay behind her. He'd kissed her before that, hard, and could still feel his lips throbbing in response which spurred him to move swiftly. As she was moving her leg up and holding it in the air, he was quick to use his hand and spread her folds before sinking into her. With her gasping in joy he reached up and gently proceeded to fondle at her breasts before he said, "Let me go slow this time love," not surprised she was ready to respond.

"Just… just for a little," Beckett breathed. She then began moving her hips the best she could to meet his thrusts, relieved it was a slower pace since she was able to move with him. Eventually he proceeded to thrust harder, and she was crying out in joy before he was stopping and withdrawing from her carefully.

"I thought you'd try to stop me," Castle commented to his wife while he watched her moving to lay on her back.

Smiling Beckett told him, "I'm not surprised, but… I didn't want to come in that position."

"Neither did I," Castle admitted. He lowered his head and kissed her, doing so gently before he pulled away and asked, "What do you want now?"

Beckett couldn't help smiling at him and she was motioning to him before he hurried to settle in between her legs. "Would you mind if this was the last position we used?" she asked, tracing her index fingers over his biceps.

"No, I don't think I'm going to last that much longer to be honest," Castle said. He was about to ask what she would like for that position but hesitated since he thought he had an idea of what she wanted.

"I know what you're thinking," Beckett told him in amusement, having been watching him closely. "And if you want to start slow… that's fine."

"Then could I suggest something?" Castle asked immediately. When she nodded he was quick to move to whisper in her ear before he felt her nodding.

"Hurry," Beckett said while she was wrapping her legs loosely around him and placing her feet in between his that were slightly parted. She reached up to him and carefully took his member in hand before leading him to her entrance before he was stopping her to her surprise.

"Would you do something else for me?" Castle asked. He was startled when she wasn't responding verbally, instead reaching down with her left hand and spreading her folds as he'd wanted her to do.

"I had a feeling," Beckett said. "Hurry," she told him before he moved closer to her. When the tip of him was inside of her she reluctantly let him go and then watched him as he slid the rest of the way inside of her himself. She'd grabbed his shoulders and was squeezing harder at him until their hips were pressed together and he was in her fully. "Rick," she breathed in joy.

"Goddess," Castle told her. He began thrusting at that moment and heard her calling out, "Sheik!" before he was gently speeding up. He watched her closely, loving the way she was reacting with her upper body shifting slightly and her expression one of pleasure.

Beckett was overjoyed she could move with her husband, relishing in the fact she could match him while he was continuing to go harder. When he was rougher she was moving the best she could with him but with the speed and friction between them she was aware she wasn't going to be able to last for long. "Oh… Rick," she moaned.

"I know love," Castle told her huskily. "I'm close too… come my love and I'll take you again."

Though she wanted to make him promise; partially as a tease and partly serious; Beckett couldn't fight with her body and the continuous friction of her husband's thrusts and his length driving into her. "Rick! I'm… I'm coming… don't stop… fucking me!" she was able to cry out to him when her orgasm struck her. She wasn't sure if she said anything else, her heartbeat roaring in her ears while she was doing her best to withstand the ecstasy that spread through her body intensely. She was aware of her husband joining her, unable to ignore the sensation of his release bursting inside of her and she fell over the edge for a second time, her legs snapping around her husband's waist while she was crying out again. She could hear him groaning her name again and was overjoyed to hear the pleasure in his tone before she felt him climaxing a second time with her. She was unaware how long it took before she was calming down, feeling her sex still throbbing around her husband's still thrusting member and nearly beginning to become aroused again. But he was stoon stopping and she was relaxing, her arms wrapped around him and caressing at his back. "Good love?" she asked when she felt they'd both recovered enough.

Groaning at first, Castle eventually raised his head and said, "I am… You're irresistible you know."

"You realize you are too," Beckett told him with a smile. When he kissed her she was quick to respond since she had been expecting it and they were involved in that for some time before he was pulling away. Sighing as he withdrew from her she said, "I hope you were serious about taking me again."

"I am," Castle said simply, watching her eyeing his length that was still rigid against his stomach. He lay on his back then and pulled her close to him before he said, "I love you Kate."

"I love you too," Beckett said in amusement. "You can say it."

"And sound like a sap?" Castle replied. He smiled when she was laughing and he then said, "I am thankful for you, but I do think that more often than just today."

"Are you trying to kiss up to me?" Beckett asked him with a smile while she turned onto her stomach to look at him.

"Of course I am," Castle replied easily, smiling himself when she was laughing. When she stopped he said, "Goddess," seriously since they'd been gazing in each other's eyes.

"Sheik, I think the same about you. Not just today," Beckett responded immediately, feeling her arousal returning at the way he was gazing at her more intensely while she'd spoken. She let him lay her on her back and told him while he leaned into her, "I gcónaí?"

"I gcónaí love," Castle said before he was leaning into her and kissing her deeply.

While they made love together, Castle and Beckett were aware they wouldn't be able to stop their intimacy just yet. Their desire for one another was too intense and they wanted to explore it for as long as possible through the remainder of that Thanksgiving night.