Chapter Text
Watching her sister getting Josie out of her car seat, Julia couldn't help saying, "I'm really glad we were able to finally come."
"It's only a week since we said we were going to make this trip," Alexis told her teasingly. She couldn't help laughing when her sister was shrugging and she told Eliza, "Are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'm trying to think of a good present for the boys we know," the girl said, hurrying over to her sister.
"I'll help you with that," Alexis said. "I did promise."
Nodding Eliza said, "I'm still wondering."
Alexis laughed again but soon stopped herself since Josie wasn't letting her pick her up. "Josa-" she started to say.
"I want to walk!" Josie exclaimed.
"And you will once we're inside the mall," Alexis told her firmly. "For now I want to make sure we get inside safely."
Julia shrugged her shoulders when Eliza was looking at her questioningly before their baby sister was finally nodding to Alexis. After they were walking away from the car she asked, "We're not going to take too long are we?"
"No," Alexis replied with a smile. "I remember you and Mari are having your date tonight."
"And I can't wait," Julia couldn't help saying.
"I'm not surprised," Alexis said before they were entering the mall. She set Josie down and then said, "Are we hungry?"
"Very." "I am!" Eliza and then Josie said, the latter raising her hand and waving it a little.
Laughing softly, Alexis said, "Good, because I am starving."
"Me too," Julia said since her big sister had looked at her before they'd started to walk. "But where are we eating?"
"A new place," Alexis answered with a smile. "It's healthy but there's stuff for you guys you'll like."
"Have you had it before?" Eliza asked since she'd been listening.
"No, but someone who works at my office did and she said it was delicious," Alexis replied.
"Are we still going to get ice cream for dessert?" Eliza then inquired.
"Ooh, ice cream," Josie said happily, smiling when her sisters were all laughing at her tone.
"We are," Alexis replied firmly and with a smile when they'd calmed down. "And we're here," she added since they'd reached the restaurant that was against the side of the mall and had an entrance in the building. She led her sisters inside before she was reading the menu for her younger two and they were soon ordering. "I hope you'll like it," she said as Josie was squeezing at her hand.
"Chicken tenders? They'll love it," Julia said wryly though she was smiling shortly after.
"And what about you?" Alexis asked.
"You don't think mine'll be good?" Julia asked in surprise.
"Will you," Alexis said simply.
"Oh, I will, I love humus," Julia said. "And mac and cheese. Thanks for letting me order that."
"Mom said that would be fine with other healthy options," Alexis said. Seeing Julia and Eliza looked startled she smiled and said, "I showed her and Dad the menu."
"What did Dad think of it?" Julia asked.
"He wants to come try it one night," Alexis said, smiling when the two youngest were gasping and sharing a look of excitement. "But it might not be until after Christmas you know."
"Still, at least we get to come back," Eliza replied. She looked around and then asked, "Should we get a table?"
"We'll be alright," Alexis assured her before an employee was getting her attention.
"What is it?" Josie asked.
"Hold on, she'll tell us when she comes back," Julia assured her just as their sister was doing so.
"We can sit, they'll bring the food out to us," Alexis explained to them. "Come on," she then said before they were walking towards the windows that looked out on the parking lot. She had Josie sit with her on one side of the booth they had and watched Eliza and Julia to make sure they were okay. "So," she then told them once they were settled. "You're ready for Christmas now?"
"I almost am," Julia said, aware that was directed at her more since Eliza had already mentioned who she needed to buy for. "I just need a gift for Eve and something small for Dawn."
"Hopefully you'll be able to get that here," Alexis replied.
"I'm hoping," Julia said seriously. She then smiled and said, "You?"
"Just for a co-worker," Alexis said. She felt tugging on her sleeve and looked down at Josie saying, "What is it?"
"I'm ready," the toddler replied. She then frowned and said, "But I make my presents."
"That's fine," Alexis said firmly. "You're still little so it's what your gifts will be until you can buy them." She hesitated for a moment and then told her sister, "Though if you wanted to buy something now you can tell me."
"Mommy said making them was better," Josie said with another frown.
"Then you should probably listen to Mom," Alexis said with a smile, laughing when she and Josie looked across the table to find their sisters were nodding their heads. After she'd calmed down she saw a worker coming their way with their food and she made sure everyone got the right plate before she thanked the man. She was focused then on Josie, making sure the toddler wasn't eating only her mac and cheese or spilling her dips for her chicken.
"You're not eating 'lexis," Eliza said eventually.
"I am," Alexis replied in amusement, getting some of her steak on her fork. "But Josa needs to be okay with her food."
"I think she is," Julia said with a smile. She wasn't surprised when her older sister was merely nodding to that before going back to her food. She did the same until she was saying, "Are you liking your chicken tenders?"
"Yeah," Eliza said with a wide smile. "Did you want to try?"
"I'm good," Julia said, shaking her head. "Anyone want to try some of my hummus?" She wasn't surprised when her sisters were all saying no and she smiled before saying, "Well, if anyone does let me know."
"There isn't much left," Alexis commented.
"It's good," Julia said, laughing with her sisters after she had spoken. Once they'd calmed down she said, "I'm glad you brought us here."
"I'm glad you three don't mind eating healthy," Alexis said.
"Or being guinea pigs?" Julia replied. She laughed when her older sister looked at her in surprise and nodded saying, "I figured you were doing that to see if the twins would like this kind of food."
"It was half to share and half to test," Alexis said defensively before she smiled at Eliza and Josie wrinkling their noses at her. "But you did like it."
"Yeah, but you owe us dessert now," Eliza said teasingly.
"We'll get ice cream," Alexis promised before they were turning their attention back to their meal. It didn't take long to finish it and they finished their drinks while she asked, "Are you set with Mari's gifts?"
"Yep," Julia said with a smile. "Including something special."
"Are you gonna marry Mari?" Josie asked, wide eyed before she became concerned when her sister started to cough.
"Julia-" Alexis said, reaching over the table.
Shaking her hand at her sister, Julia hurriedly took a sip of her mango lemonade and felt she could speak saying a little hoarsely, "I started breathing while I was drinking that. I'm okay." She then turned to their baby sister and said, "I'm not Josa, we're really young and… we're just really young."
Josie giggled and then asked, "A ring?"
"No, nothing like that," Julia replied laughing. She then said, "But it's special, believe me."
"I think we need to wait and see on Christmas," Alexis told the toddler.
"Okay," Josie replied. She then said, "Can we go now?"
"We're going right now," Alexis said in amusement, moving to get out of the booth. She made sure Julia and Eliza got out alright before helping their baby sister, carrying her until they were near the entrance.
"'lexis?" Josie whispered into her sister's ear.
"Do you need to use the restroom?" Alexis murmured back. When her sister nodded she stopped the other two telling them, "We're going to the bathroom now, that way we can shop without worrying about it for a while."
"Right now?" Eliza asked.
"Right now, believe me you'll appreciate it," Alexis said. She smiled when Eliza made a brief face before they were going to the room and she took Josie with her after making the other two promised to stay near the door when they were finished.
Walking out first, Julia washed her hands before Eliza was joining her and she said teasingly, "Get your own sink," since there were a few.
"Fine," the girl said in mock annoyance before they were laughing. Once she was washing her hands at the other sink she said to her sister, "What about 'lexis and Josie."
"There's two of them, so like when Mom helps Josa it might take a little," Julia explained. She wasn't surprised when Eliza nodded before they were turning their attention to their sisters who were stepping out from the last stall.
After they'd washed their hands, Alexis was carrying Josie and leading the way out of the restaurant and back inside the mall. "I have no set plans here," she told them once she'd set the youngest down. "So we're just going to walk around and see what stores we might want to go into. If you see a place just let me know okay?" She smiled when all three were nodding and said, "Okay, let's get shopping," smiling a little wider since they were laughing at her exaggerated tone.
For a while the four were looking around at the stores, including Josie though she wasn't going to be buying anything, and Eliza made them stop at a store with different merchandise from different media.
"'Lexis!" Josie squealed in joy before her sister could say anything. "There's horsies! I want to go! Please?" she asked, turning to her sisters at the end.
"Is that alright?" Alexis asked since she saw it was a small quarter merry-go-round for little kids.
"But…" Eliza started to say before she hesitated.
"Do you want to go on too?" Alexis asked her.
Julia saw the hesitation on her sister's face and said, "If not I can take you in the store."
"Really?" Eliza asked eagerly before they were both looking at their older sister.
"You can," Alexis said a little hesitantly. "But you two need to stay together and stay inside that store. We'll join you once the ride stops."
"We will," Julia said quickly, her sister nodding rapidly. "Come on," she said to Eliza, taking her hand and pulling her to the store across from the ride.
"Thanks," the girl said to her older sister while they were nearing the entrance. "Those horses were tiny."
"I know, but you could have gone," Julia said. She couldn't help laughing softly when her sister was making a face at her and said, "Just kidding." When they were in the store she asked, "Are you looking here for a gift or yourself?"
"A gift," Eliza said firmly. "Just… one."
"Just one?" Julia asked in surprise and confusion since she'd said boys before.
Nodding Eliza said, "I just need something for Jake, I got for everyone else. Help!"
Laughing briefly, since her sister had exaggerated the last word quietly, Julia squeezed her hand before letting it go and said, "I'll give you advice but I can't tell you what to get."
"What'd you get him?" Eliza asked.
"A book," Julia said simply.
Making a face, Eliza turned and started leading the way around the merchandise getting worried when she was nearly through the entire store and hadn't seen anything before she abruptly stopped. "This, what about this?" she asked in a little excitement, pointing to a shirt.
"That'll work," Julia said with a smile since it was of Daffy Duck and Porky Pig as police officers. "I know he likes Looney Tunes."
Nodding eagerly, something suddenly hit her and Eliza stopped before she said, "But I don't know his size."
"Hey, there you guys are," Alexis said, finding her sisters. "Ready?"
"Wait, Lizzy needs a gift for Jake but she's not sure of his size," Julia explained, nodding to the shirt.
"He's a medium," Alexis said simply. She smiled when the others were looking at her in surprise and said, "Louis and I are gifting him a shirt too."
"Oh… can I get it?" Eliza asked eagerly.
"I'll get it," Alexis said. She reached up, found a medium and took it down from the bar it was hanging on before handing it to her sister. "Do you have your money?" she asked.
"My card," Eliza said, blushing.
"That's right, Mom and Dad let you have one," Alexis said. "Have you looked at the price?"
"I… no," Eliza started to say before she was whispering the last. "What if it's too much?" she asked nearly tearfully.
"It's not too bad," Julia said since she had looked for the price tag quickly. "See?"
"Oh… it's not, yay," Eliza said happily.
"Come on, we'll go buy it," Alexis said. "Will you walk her around until we're ready to go?" she asked Julia.
"Sure," the teen replied before she was taking Josie's hand and going around the merchandise again until their other sisters were finished.
Back outside in the mall, the four were going around the different stores, taking looks in some of them but not buying anything by the time they reached the ice cream place. They sat together at a table outside it, the youngest two eating happily before they were finished and walking around again. By the time they'd come back around to where they'd entered the mall, Alexis and Julia had their last gifts and they were going back to the car very pleased.
"Have you started to wrap yet?" Alexis asked her sister while she started to drive back home.
Nodding and smiling at the same time Julia said, "A little, but now I have everything I have to hurry since I need to give my other friends their gifts on the last day of school." She wrinkled her nose and said in a mock complaining tone of voice, "Still two weeks."
"It'll go by fast," Alexis reassured her. She then glanced into the rearview mirror at Eliza and Josie and said, "Are you guys ready for tonight?"
"Yeah, I'm excited," Eliza said with a smile. That night their parents were having Mari and her parents over so the teens could have a date at their house. She, the rest of her family and Dani were going to stay the night at Alexis and Louis' and she was eager to see how it would go.
"I'm going to have a sleepover," Josie said eagerly.
"She's going to share with me and Dani since the bed is big enough," Eliza said.
"I'm glad you told me now, I can get the net moved to that bed," Alexis said with a smile. She looked at her next older sister and asked, "Excited?"
"Yeah, though it isn't really anything that big," Julia commented.
"Does it really need to be?" Alexis asked.
"No," Julia said with a laugh before their sisters behind them were doing the same. She glanced back at them and smiled before she turned forward and settled back in her seat, thinking of that night and how much fun she and Mari would be having.
"Come on in," Castle said, holding the door to the entry open as he watched the Fosters walking from the garage. "Did Dani get settled across the street?"
"She did, they were already going to play in their game room after we dropped them off," Rebecca said first and with a smile before her daughter was hurrying inside past her.
"Hi," Julia said when she saw Mari walking into the entry. She took her bag and said, "Ready to unpack first?"
"Yeah, and then we'll have dinner?" Mari asked.
Nodding, Julia took her girlfriend's hand and led her to the stairs before they were hurrying up, just hearing their parents talking to each other below them. Once they were in her room she turned to Mari and said, "I want to close the door."
"My dad is going to notice that right away," the teen replied with a smile.
"That's why I'm not going to do that," Julia said before she was sitting on the edge of her bed and watched as her girlfriend was moving around her room.
Smiling at her girlfriend while she was doing that, Mari moved over to her and kissed her cheek when she was finished saying, "That's all I can do."
Kissing her back Julia said, "Me too," before they were smiling at one another and she took her girlfriend's hand, leading her out into the hall.
Glancing the opposite way, Mari said, "I guess they're still unpacking."
"Probably," Julia replied before she tugged her over towards the stairs. As they were going down she could hear her parents and turned to the kitchen to find them standing at the island. "Did the food come?" she asked once she and Mari were with them.
"Soon," Castle said.
"Then can we go to the game room?" Julia asked. When her father was shaking his head she frowned and then looked at Mari who was shrugging. "Then what do we do now?" she asked.
"You got everything unpacked?" Beckett asked. When Mari nodded she was about to speak when the chime for the intercom outside sounded and her husband was hurrying away. "Now you don't need to worry about that," she told Julia teasingly, smiling when the teen rolled her eyes.
"Good thing or else I would have taken Mari downstairs to the lounge," Julia said before she was smiling herself. They turned at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs before her girlfriend's parents were appearing.
"That's the food right?" David asked.
"It is," Castle said, walking down the hall.
"I just realized, where are your dogs?" Rebecca asked.
"At Alexis and Louis'," Beckett replied. "The same as yours." She smiled when her friend merely nodded in response before they were turning their attention to the bags her husband was setting on the counter.
"Here's your burger," Castle said, looking at the containers. "And yours too Mari. Your shakes are there, the flavors are written on them."
"Hold on you two, the ketchup," Beckett said when Julia and Mari were going to a cabinet.
"I want ranch," the former explained.
"Me too," Mari said quickly before she was taking a small bowl Julia was handing her.
As she and her girlfriend were getting their ranch, Julia eventually realized it was quiet and she looked over at the adults. "Why aren't you going to the table?" she asked with a frown before she was a little startled when everyone was looking at her father.
"We have a surprise for you," Castle said.
"The pool room?" Julia asked, frowning again since she'd asked if she and Mari could eat alone somewhere else.
"No," Castle said, smiling when Julia's eyes went wide. "Would the game room be okay?"
"Sure," Julia and Mari said at the same time before they were looking at one another in surprise. They smiled when their parents were starting to laugh before they calmed down quickly.
"Okay, if you guys are ready we'll take you over there," Castle said.
"Hold on," Beckett said quickly when both girls didn't look too happy hearing that. "I think they can go on their own and figure everything out once they get to the room."
"We can… is the table set?" Julia said, trying not to let her relief tinge her voice too much.
"It is," Castle replied before he watched them getting their things and walking carefully down the hall until they were disappearing into the game room. "I wasn't trying to chaperone them just down the hall," he told his wife.
"I know, but you said all of us," Beckett pointed out.
Castle opened his mouth before he paused and then said, "I said we'll."
"I thought you meant all four of us too," Rebecca confessed.
"How little you trust us," David said jokingly. "Well, now that they're set I'm starving."
"Wait," Rebecca said quickly before her husband could walk to the containers remaining in the bags. "What kind of set up do you have for them?" she asked Castle.
"One of the café tables from the pool room," he answered simply. "And I put it in between the racing console and baseball game since they'll be in front of a window."
"Nice," Rebecca said before they were getting their food.
Once they had set their things on the table in the game room Julia said, "My dad did this."
"Yeah? I'll have to say thanks, I like eating in here," Mari replied.
"I'll say it too," Julia added before she was moving to help her girlfriend into her chair.
Laughing a little Mari said, "Thanks. Skye?"
"I asked her," Julia answered, moving around to her seat. "Back in Japan I saw her helping Mary and I wondered if Mary ever did the same for her."
"Does she?" Mari asked, trying to remember if she'd seen that.
"She does, but Skye told me she likes helping her out like that," Julia said. She paused and then added, "She joked about it being some psychological masculine thing but she said she just likes to help her wife doing that."
Nodding, Mari sipped at her milkshake before she paused and then listened before she saw her girlfriend was looking at her in a little confusion. "Force of habit, whenever I drink something sweet before my food my mom tells me not to do that," she explained.
"My mom too," Julia said before they were laughing. When they'd calmed down they were picking up their burgers and starting to eat. They did that in silence for a little before she asked, "What'd you do until you came?"
"Nothing really, I checked on my gifts to make sure I was finished. I wrapped some and then sewed that new dress I told you about for my class," Mari answered. She smiled and said, "I'm almost done."
"Do you think you'll finish before winter break?" Julia asked.
Thinking over what she had left, Mari said, "Probably not but I'll be close." She watched her girlfriend nod and asked, "What about you? How was that shopping trip?"
"A lot of fun," Julia said quickly and with a smile. She related what she had done with her sisters at the mall, finishing with them all having completed their Christmas shopping before returning home.
"It took you that long to finish?" Mari said teasingly.
Making a face at her girlfriend, Julia said, "It did, I just couldn't find the right gifts for them. But since I'm done, now I can really wrap." She smiled at her girlfriend and then said, "Don't boast."
Rolling her eyes Mari said, "You know how I plan out the gifts I'm going to get, so of course I finished before you." She then said, "I'm excited more about being in L.A."
"For Christmas or the stuff we're going to do there?" Julia asked.
"Both," Mari said, smiling when her girlfriend nodded in agreement. They went back to eating in silence briefly before she said, "But… it's funny our first Christmas and we're not going to be here at home."
"Does it matter?" Julia asked her.
"Not really," Mari said. "I guess as long as we can celebrate together it doesn't."
"That's what I was thinking," Julia said with a smile before her girlfriend was laughing softly. They talked about other things at that point until they were finishing and they leaned back in their chairs at the same time.
"I'm so glad we got to eat somewhere else alone," Mari said.
"Me too," Julia replied. She reached over and gently squeezed at her hand before she said, "I hate to say it but-"
"Don't worry, I knew already," Mari interrupted her. She kissed her cheek and said, "But we will get to play," before she was standing up.
Hurrying to stand herself, Julia held her girlfriend's hand and said, "One more, before we have to go back to the adults."
Nodding rapidly, Mari leaned into her girlfriend at the same time she was before they were kissing each other gently on the lips. She was pleased when they lingered a little but were soon parting and she said, "Did I mention that I'm glad?"
"You did, me too," Julia said before they laughed and then moved to get their things from the table.
Walking down the hall, Beckett smiled when she saw the girls leaving the game room and she said, "Just in time," teasingly.
"You guys finished too?" Julia asked.
"We just did," Beckett said before she walked with them to the kitchen where the others were cleaning up.
"How was dinner?" Rebecca asked her daughter once she was inside the kitchen.
"Really nice, thanks for letting us eat alone in there," Mari said, smiling at the adults.
"You're welcome," David said first. "Though when we go out to eat-"
"I know Dad," Mari said in mock annoyance. "We'll be able to do that when we're at home."
"Just stating a fact," David said quickly when he saw the way his wife was looking at him.
"It's okay Mom," Mari said quickly. "I knew he was doing that. But… do we need to help?"
"We're good," Castle said from the sink. "And we're almost done actually. So you two can head downstairs and start up everything at the bowling alleys."
"Come on," Julia said, grabbing her girlfriend's hand.
Watching them go, Beckett said, "I'm debating if we should go with them or not."
"They had to notice we weren't doing anything," Rebecca said. "Come on," she told her friend before they were leaving their husbands to finish.
When they reached the basement, Beckett wasn't surprised the girls were getting their bowling balls ready before they were turning and seeing them. "Your dads were taking care of everything," she said, a little startled when they both started to laugh.
"I noticed and told Mari on the way down here you'd be coming really soon," Julia commented. She couldn't help smiling before she said, "Though I thought you would have made David come down with Rebecca."
"Don't be a wisenheimer," Beckett said teasingly as the teens were laughing again. "And they're almost finished."
"Correction," Castle said, coming down the stairs with David behind him at that moment. "We are finished."
"Great, let's start!" Mari said eagerly.
"That means the two of you," Beckett said. "We'll go in pairs."
"Go first," Julia told her girlfriend. She smiled when Mari made a face at her and she said, "Not because you're a guest, but you're the youngest."
"That's even worse," Mari said in a mock complaining tone before they were laughing briefly.
When they'd calmed down, the two were moving to step up to the alleys and were bowling their first turn before they stepped back to let Rebecca and David go. Castle and Beckett were last and they were playing through the ten frames until they had finished.
"You won Dad," Julia told her father.
"Yippee, let's go to the game room," Castle said, twirling his finger in the air slowly.
Julia couldn't help laughing at that before she said, "Yippee?"
"Well… I won didn't I?" Castle asked her teasingly before the two teens were heading up the stairs. Inside the game room he said to his wife who was next to him, "I hope you'll want to play with me."
"I wouldn't worry," Beckett replied in amusement. "I do. But go ahead and pick the first one."
Nodding, Castle pulled his wife to the air hockey table but didn't let her go while he said, "I want to compete this time."
"I'm not surprised," Beckett said easily. "But we'll discuss what the winner gets later."
"Agreed," Castle said with a brief nod before he brushed his lips to hers. He was pleased feeling her momentarily responding before they parted and went to either end of the table. He found the puck was on his side so he was starting and he played seriously, wanting to win though he didn't have anything in mind for when they were alone. He wasn't surprised when his wife easily won or when she was looking at him across the table. "I had nothing to be honest so I don't care," he told her.
Beckett laughed softly before she said, "Love I know, that's not why I was looking at you."
"Oh… then why?" Castle asked. He paused and then asked, "Do you?" studying her a little closely.
"No," Beckett said in amusement, trying not to start laughing. "But I'm sure I'll think of something by then."
Castle swallowed a little hard but merely nodded before he said, "Now what?"
Since he had chosen that first, Beckett led the way to the baseball game before she noticed the teens at the slot machine. Seeing they weren't looking at the game and merely talking, she turned her attention to the game she and Castle were at. Playing her turn first, she glanced every so often at her husband to make sure he wouldn't say anything about their daughter and Mari not really playing. When she had finished, she turned to him and said jokingly, "Beat that."
"I'm going to try," Castle said. "I'm not saying I will, but I'll try."
Beckett couldn't help laughing at his tone at the end before she squeezed his hand while they were trading places. Once he started she forgot about Julia and Mari, focusing on what her husband was doing. When he was finished she said, "You were close."
"Yeah… that's weird," Castle replied, smiling when his wife was laughing again. He took her hands before she was stopping and looking at him in surprise before he cleared his throat a little and asked, "Should we get dessert?"
Looking at her father's watch, but holding onto her husband's other hand, Beckett said, "I think so."
"Are you guys-" Rebecca said when the writers were walking by herself and her husband at the foosball table.
"Yeah, but we're good," Castle answered. "We'll be right back."
Out in the hall, Beckett squeezed her husband's hand to get his attention and told him, "Don't."
"I realized," Castle said quickly and with a slight incline of his head. "They're going to notice we're gone."
"And wonder what we're going to have," Beckett said with a smile as she was letting go of his hand in the kitchen.
"Unless she peeked," Castle joked.
"I didn't," Julia said, smiling when her father was almost whirling around to look at her. "We saw you left. Where are we going to eat?"
"You two can-" Castle began to say.
"Mind if we eat all together?" Julia interrupted.
"She's right, eating dinner alone was nice but we want to have dessert with you guys," Mari was quick to agree.
"We'll eat at the poker table," Beckett said with a smile when her husband was looking at her. "I'm guessing you guys wanted to see what we're having too."
At her mother's wording, Julia turned around with her girlfriend and smiled when she saw Mari's parents were walking down the hall. "We do too," she then added.
"Hold on," Castle said, getting a pink box out of the fridge once he'd gotten plates. He took out cupcakes and said, "We thought you'd enjoy these… the others too since we sent an order to Alexis' house."
"Really?" Julia asked with a smile. When her mother nodded she said, "Lizzy's going to be really happy about that."
"Are they all the same?" David asked.
"Pumpkin pie… unless you don't want-" Castle told the mayor jokingly.
"Not what I was asking," David said wryly. "And give me my cupcake."
"David," Rebecca said in a mock scolding tone. She wasn't surprised when the men were laughing before her husband was giving her the plate he'd been given. "Thank you," she said before they waited for the others.
"Do you guys want coffee?" Beckett asked. "We were going to pour milk for them and for us."
"After?" David asked hopefully.
"I'll make it," Castle said with a nod before his wife was getting the glasses and they were soon walking together down the hall. When they were sitting around the table he said, "Should I say a toast?"
"I think we're fine love," Beckett told him before she was getting some of the cupcake with her fork. After eating some she said, "They'll enjoy these across the street."
"Are they all pumpkin pie too?" Julia asked.
"All except for Louis' since they had cranberry orange," Castle answered. "You know he does enjoy that flavor a little more."
"I bet 'lexis will give him a piece of her cupcake," Julia said with a smile.
"And vice versa," Beckett commented.
"Is that weird?" Mari asked.
"No," Rebecca said after wiping her mouth. "You're not really supposed to do that but if you're married you'll know if your partner is sick at all."
"And you shared food with me and Dani too," Mari told her parents.
"So do my parents," Julia said. "Mostly for Josa now but you did that with me and Lizzy."
"Not all the time," Beckett said.
"I don't want to," Julia and Mari said at the same time before they were looking at each other while their parents were laughing.
"Well, not all the time," Julia said first, not surprised to see her girlfriend nodding next to her.
"Great, keep eating though, your cupcake is going to get stale," David said jokingly before his daughter was giving him a look as he laughed briefly.
After they had finished their dessert, Julia and Mari were allowed to stay in the game room while their parents were taking everything to clean up.
"What're you thinking?" Mari said to her girlfriend, standing with her at one of the windows though they couldn't really see the beach.
"We have… time before we need to go to bed," Julia said carefully. "But I was serious about dancing with you."
"Then when did you want to go to bed?" Mari asked.
Looking at the clock the room had on the wall, Julia said, "I was also thinking about playing with our parents before we go upstairs."
"Playing what?" Mari asked, interested at the idea though curious as well.
"Pool, have a tournament or something," Julia said.
"Is that fair though?" Mari asked with a smile.
"I think so, we're pretty good," Julia said. She was a little surprised when her girlfriend was smirking at her and asked, "What?"
"When we lose, and we will, you just want to sit and hold my hand," Mari said wryly.
Making a face at her girlfriend, Julia was soon smiling when Mari started to laugh softly before she squeezed at her hand. When her girlfriend stopped she asked, "Is that a bad thing?"
"No, but we have to see what our parents will say," Mari replied.
Julia nodded before they were turning to find their mothers were walking inside before she said, "We want to play a tournament."
"With all the games?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"I forgot to say at the pool table," Julia said swiftly.
Smiling, Beckett said, "I'm fine with that."
"Me too," Rebecca added swiftly. "But is it fair to you two?"
"We don't care," Mari said, not surprised when her girlfriend was looking at her with a slight frown.
"She's right," Julia said, shaking herself and looking back at their mothers. "We wouldn't care."
"Then we'll have to ask your fathers," Rebecca commented.
"Ask us what?" David asked while he was walking into the room first.
"They want us to have a tournament playing at the pool table," Rebecca told her husband with a smile.
"Oh really," David said, looking at his daughter.
Nodding Mari said, "We have enough time right?"
"You do," Castle said, looking at his watch. "But we need to start now." He was a little surprised when the two were smiling at each other before they were hurrying to the cues.
"We said we should see if you and David wanted to play," Beckett told her husband with a smile.
"I see," Castle replied. "Thanks," he said when Julia was handing him a cue. "You know you don't need to rush."
"We want to go upstairs earlier," Julia said simply.
"And you will since we're starting right now," Beckett said, looking at her husband.
"She's right, we are," Castle said before he was moving to start racking up the pool balls so they could begin playing.
"I still can't believe you beat my dad," Julia said a little laughingly.
"Well… Dad's really good at it and he taught me," Mari said. "Not as good as Patrick but he's still good."
"I saw that," Julia replied, smiling up at her girlfriend. She then got her phone set and said, "At least we had a lot of fun doing that."
Nodding Mari said, "I'm glad my dad won but… sorry about your mom."
Shrugging, since their parents had competed in the last game in their tournament, Julia said, "Mom didn't really care, so that's fine. Are you ready?"
"Yeah, I was just waiting for you," Mari said teasingly. She giggled briefly when her girlfriend stuck her tongue out at her before she heard music beginning to play. She pushed herself off Julia's bed and walked over to where she was standing in the middle of her room.
"I hope this song is okay," Julia said as they were wrapping their arms around each other.
"It is, I like the lyrics," Mari assured her girlfriend before they were swaying together to the song.
I have often walked down this street before
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before
All at once am I several stories high
Knowing I'm on the street where you live
Are there lilac trees in the heart of town
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town
Does enchantment pour out of every door
No, it's just on the street where you live
And oh, the towering feeling
Just to know somehow you are near
The over powering feeling
That any second you may suddenly appear
People stop and stare
They don't bother me
For there's nowhere else on earth that I would rather be
Let the time go by
I won't care if I
Can be here on the street where you live
People stop and stare
They don't bother me
For there's nowhere else on earth that I would rather be
Let the time go by
I won't care if I
Can be here on the street where you live
Can be here on the street where you live
Can be here on the street where you live
Hearing Mari laughing softly next to her ear when the song was over, Julia pulled back and asked, "What's so funny?"
"Just that we live next door to each other," Mari said. "We're both on the street where you live."
Julia couldn't help laughing at the way her girlfriend had worded that before she kissed her cheek and said, "I know, but it's still a good song."
"Definitely," Mari replied before her girlfriend was leaning into her and kissing her. She was quick to press back a little on Julia's lips though the teen was soon pulling away. "That's it?" she asked.
"I was going to do that really quick to ask if you wanted to get dressed first," Julia explained.
"Oh," Mari said, feeling her cheeks becoming flushed. "We probably should."
After they'd let one another go, Julia went into her bathroom to change there while Mari was doing so in her room. When they were both done they brushed their teeth together and she said, "We're early," once she had spit out her toothpaste.
"I noticed," Mari replied. "Why?" she asked, looking at her after she had wiped off her mouth.
"Come on," Julia said in response before pulling her back out into her bedroom. She felt Mari squeezing at her fingers that were holding onto her and said, "Are you nervous?"
"No, I'm just wondering what you're planning," Mari replied easily. She wasn't surprised when her girlfriend wasn't answering, and instead they were climbing onto the bed where they were sitting next to each other. She wasn't surprised when Julia was kissing her on the lips as soon as they were settled, or when it was just a brush against each other. Smiling she said, "That better not be it."
"It's not, but we need to watch the time," Julia replied. She smiled when they were both leaning over together to look at her alarm clock and said, "Okay, now we've done that…" trailing off and smiling when her girlfriend was laughing.
When she had managed to calm down, Mari said, "Let me start this time."
"Go ahead," Julia said, gasping a little when her girlfriend was throwing her arms around her and kissing her cheek as they fell back on the mattress. "What're you doing?" she asked in amusement.
"Kissing you," Mari said in a matter of fact tone. She couldn't help laughing softly when Julia rolled her eyes before she moved out of her way. She wrapped her arms around Julia again but did so carefully before she said, "Do you want to know something?"
"What?" Julia asked. She smiled when Mari's response was to merely press her cheek against hers and she said, "Good idea." They were holding each other for a while before she said, "But we did kind of want to kiss remember?"
Mari was pulling away before she was about to speak when her girlfriend's lips were covering her own. She responded eagerly since they were pressing hard against each other and she stiffened a little when Julia's fingers were gently running through her hair but just managed not to pull away. When they finally did she said, "I forgot, I was going to brush my hair."
"I just remembered too," Julia said with a smile. She then let go of her girlfriend and got off the bed calling back to her, "Don't move, I'll get our brushes."
"You don't have to," Mari replied though she was smiling watching her girlfriend slipping into her bathroom.
Walking back, Julia said, "We still have time."
"I know," Mari said, reaching for her brush. She was a little surprised seeing her girlfriend's expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Julia said, climbing onto the bed. She was startled when Mari got the brush from her hand and said, "Okay, I want us to do that laying down thing again."
"You mean lay down and then kiss?" Mari asked with a slight smile. When her girlfriend was nodding she said, "Me too… did you lock the door?"
Shaking her head Julia said, "That's why I said we have to watch the time. Can I have your brush?"
Shaking her head, Mari smiled when her girlfriend look startled at her response and then said, "That's why I took it." She couldn't help laughing when Julia rolled her eyes and then turned around to look away from her. She was carefully moving her fingers through the locks, watching Julia shuddering slightly before she began running the brush through her hair. "Do you think it's risky kissing like that?" she asked eventually.
"I don't know," Julia said slowly, enjoying the sensations her girlfriend was making her feel. "We'll find out now." She was quiet for a moment and then said with a smile, "Very adult."
"Very," Mari said. "But we're just laying down is it that big a deal?"
"It isn't," Julia said quickly before they were moving to switch with each other since Mari had finished with her hair. She was soon brushing her girlfriend's hair and was quiet, enjoying feeling the locks with her fingers until she was finishing.
Feeling her girlfriend moving, Mari asked, "Are you taking the brushes?"
"No," Julia said, putting them on the nightstand. She then turned back to her girlfriend and gently pushed her onto her back, both of them laughing in response. Once they were settled, she was brushing her lips to Mari's and said, "Good?"
"Don't ask me every time," the teen said in mock annoyance before Julia was lowering her head to hers again. Pleased to feel that kiss was a lot harder, Mari was tightening her arms around her girlfriend before they carefully tilted their heads. She reached up and gently ran her hand over the back of Julia's head, hearing her moan slightly in response. "You didn't like that?" she asked when they were parting.
"I did, I was just kind of surprised," Julia explained with a smile. They were kissing gently before she pulled back and told her, "And now I know I can do the same to you."
Mari couldn't help laughing and said, "That sounded like a threat sort of."
"I knew you were going to say that," Julia said teasingly. They kissed briefly before she said, "Mind if I lay on my side?"
"No," Mari said, reluctantly letting her go. She watched her girlfriend laying on her side next to her and then said, "It might be harder to kiss like this," since she had moved to lay the same.
Nodding, Julia said, "We haven't tried really like this before." She then reached out to Mari's hand and took it, entwining their fingers together before something made her move.
Watching her girlfriend, Mari bit briefly at her lower lip as Julia was kissing her fingers and when she had lowered her hand again she whispered, "You've done that before."
"In our past life at least," Julia replied with a smile. "So that means you liked that."
"I did," Mari said before she was pulling their hands to her so she could kiss them.
Staring at her girlfriend, Julia was moving a second later so they could kiss eagerly, wrapping their arms around each other tightly since they were pleased in the knowledge the position wouldn't hinder them.
Feeling her husband kissing around her neck, Rebecca smiled and told him, "You might want to take it easy Dave."
Pulling back, the mayor was about to ask his wife why when he realized he had her up against the door. "Okay, so I got a little eager," he told her in mock annoyance.
Brushing her lips to her husband's, Rebecca said, "You did, but you did the most important thing."
"Locked the door?" David asked her. When she merely smiled at him he let out an annoyed huff and said, "Let's go to bed." He was smiling as he pulled her after him since he could hear his wife's laughter, and once they were at the bed he told her, "Now I don't need to ask you if you agree."
"Luckily," Rebecca said before she was throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. She wasn't surprised that after a brief pause he was responding as she was soon letting his tongue into her mouth. They were caressing at each other for a while before he was pulling away to her disappointment. She smiled slightly when he was kissing around the sides of her neck, nipping at her pulse before he was returning to her lips.
After they'd been kissing for a while, David pulled back carefully from his wife and told her with a smile, "Undress ourselves?"
Rebecca shook her head and reached for her husband's shirt before she unbuttoned it carefully. She wasn't surprised when he was moving his hands up and down her back before they slipped under her sweater. "Wait your turn," she told him with a smirk.
"This is taking too long," David said, groaning in frustration.
"I'm done," Rebecca told him. "Calm down," she told him though she was saying it laughingly. She wasn't surprised when her husband was pulling her to him for another kiss, or when he was making it brief. She then helped him with his shirt and once it was off she was opening his pants before those were off. She let him remove his boxers before he was reaching for her clothes. She was trying not to laugh at how fast her husband was working over her different items, but once she was naked she found herself wrapped up in his arms as they kissed again.
Since he could, David couldn't stop himself and he ran his hands around her back and then down to her ass before he was suddenly pressing up on it. When his wife ended the kiss with a gasp he told her, "I want you on the bed, now."
"Then put me there," Rebecca said roughly. She gave a little gasp when her husband was forcing her down on the mattress, smiling at him as he hovered above her. "I'm fine," she assured him.
"Good, because I'm…" David started to say before he looked down at himself. He groaned hard when his wife was curling her fingers around his erection but tried to keep himself still before he realized she was moving. "What're you doing?" he nearly hissed.
Rebecca didn't answer, merely looked at her hand while she was sliding around it a few more times before running her fingertips over the end and licking them off. She wasn't surprised her husband was shortly after spreading her legs wider and said, "How did you know?"
"It's not hard to tell," David said, nearly breathless with how she smiled at him. He couldn't help himself and he leaned down to her, kissing her passionately while she was caressing his shoulders and upper arms. After a while he was startled when she abruptly pulled back and asked, "What is it?"
"You're not starting David," Rebecca said firmly.
Realizing she was right, David leaned down to brush her lips with his own before he was adjusting his weight. With his wife's help he was sinking into her body, both of them groaning in pleasure at the sensation until his hips were flush to hers. As soon as that had happened he was taking her legs and holding them in his arms while he was above her. Once they were set he began moving, groaning again in pleasure as he'd done before.
Gasping her delight in the friction between them, Rebecca was pressing her hands on the bed below her to help her with her leverage though it wasn't much. She didn't think of complaining, since her husband's movements were steady in her and she was still finding satisfaction with their position. She moaned his name and was a little startled when he faltered, making her force her eyes open long enough to look at him. "Are you… okay?" she gasped.
"Yes, can you do something for… for me?" David managed to say, trying to keep to the pace he had set.
"Anything, just keep making love to me," Rebecca sighed as he was changing the angle of his hips.
"Touch yourself," David said, slowing down a little so he could watch her to see what her reaction would be.
"Touch what?" Rebecca asked, slightly warning in her tone.
"Your breasts first," David started to say before he had to pause since he was speeding up again and the pleasure was building up a little more. He then had to almost force himself to tell her, "And then your clit."
"If I come?" Rebecca asked in a rush, feeling an extra burst of pleasure at the idea.
"Then we come," David said firmly though his voice was wavering at the end. Since he was looking down at her he was able to see when his wife was cupping her hands over her breasts. She moved them a little and he found himself swallowing hard before she raised her hands. When she started to play with her nipples between her fingers he found himself groaning, wondering if it had been a good idea to ask her to do that. "Becca," he breathed while she was moaning in obvious joy at her ministrations.
"I'm going to come," Rebecca warned him.
"A little more," David begged her.
Nodding, though she had been serious, Rebecca lowered her hand and started to rub at her clit. It only took a few seconds of that before she couldn't fight off her orgasm, and she was crying her husband's name in pleasure. She dimly heard him join her, feeling his release and nearly falling over the edge a second time. Right before she was doing that though she felt herself calming down and she sighed once her husband was too. "Hmm, I needed that," she told him as she caressed his hair since he was on top of her again.
"Me too," David said before he cleared his throat. He kissed her shoulder and then said, "Should we stop there?"
"We're going to need to," Rebecca said. "We're not alone… or at home either."
"That's true," David replied, looking around. He then carefully withdrew from his wife and told her as he was laying down, "Tomorrow in our own bed?"
Rebecca couldn't help laughing before she nodded saying, "I think so." She then pulled her husband to her so they could kiss, doing so passionately for a while before they parted and she whispered, "I love you David."
"Love you too Becca," the mayor replied.
After they'd kissed again, the two were settled on the bed with their arms wrapped around each other, closing their eyes at nearly the same time to fall asleep.
Crying out her husband's name in joy, Beckett tried not to pull at his hair she had her fingers tangled through while her orgasm roared through her body. When she was calmer and more aware she looked down and asked, "Okay?"
"You're good," Castle said as he carefully pulled away once her fingers were out of his hair. "And you weren't pulling so don't worry," he added, brushing his lips to hers before he was standing up in front of where she was sitting.
"I usually don't do that," Beckett replied with a smile as she made him stop before he could sit next to her.
"We're usually on the couch," Castle said teasingly before he was grunting when his wife was opening the fly of his jeans. He wasn't surprised when she was carefully fishing his erection from his boxers and while she was busy with that he got his clothes off his hips. Once his pants and boxers were discarded, he was about to move his wife so they could make love on the couch when she was stopping him again. "Now what?" he asked, half-jokingly and half in exasperation.
"I said I was going to have a turn," Beckett told him firmly, reminding him of the other half of what she'd thought of for her air hockey win. "And yes, right here and right now."
"If it's what you want," Castle said, having to swallow hard then.
"Oh it is," Beckett told him in amusement before she grew serious while she was considering his length in front of her. She again grabbed it carefully and pulled it down so she could lean over and lightly kiss the tip of it, not pulling away and instead flicking her tongue to it.
"Kate," Castle groaned in pleasure at the sensation.
Beckett smiled while she was looking up at him and then lowered her head again, that time taking him fully within her mouth. She heard her husband's curse in Irish before she began to bob up and down on him, going slowly at first.
Castle was groaning his wife's name again, hoping he wasn't swearing too much after each utterance of her name. Eventually he realized she was speeding up on him and he was about to ask her to keep to her slower pace since he was so close already. But it was beginning to become too much and he said her name one more time in warning before he was completely breaking in his orgasm. He yelled her name the next time he said it, his tone full of pleasure and release before he was being overtaken by the sensation of her mouth still around him. He wasn't sure how long he was involved in that, but when he became aware of himself and his wife had pulled away from his member he said, "We need to move love."
"I know," Beckett said in amusement before her husband was grabbing her and making her stand. She couldn't help laughing briefly when he was scooping her up in his arms and she held onto his neck though it was a very short distance to his side of the bed. Once she was set on top of the mattress she was about to pull her husband onto her when he brushed her hands away and climbed up with her.
"You're not ready," Castle said simply. He wasn't surprised when she was honest and shook her head before he said, "Great."
Beckett looked at him in surprise before he was pretending to jump on her and she was laughing before his lips were abruptly capturing her own. She paused for a moment before she was responding to him, and they were kissing hungrily while her arms were wrapping around him. Holding onto him tightly, she ran her fingers through his hair, scraping a little at his scalp until they were parting to catch their breath. "That's what you thought was so great," she teased him.
"Vixen," Castle said in a mock growl before he nipped at her shoulder. He delighted in her cry of pleasure before he was lowering his head to her breasts. Kissing around them for a little, he was soon flicking his tongue to her right nipple before he was laving it and then surrounding it with his mouth.
Closing her eyes tightly at the sensation of her husband suckling, Beckett bit at her lower lip before he was moving to her other breast. "Rick," she whispered to him eventually. "Make love to me," she told him.
Nodding, since Castle suddenly felt breathless looking at her raw desire, he took a moment to shift before he was moving to be fully above her. He then took her right leg and placed her foot on his shoulder before she was wrapping her other around his waist. "I might change that," he told her.
"Go ahead," Beckett said simply. She smiled a little when he was looking at her intently, and she raised her head when his lowered to her own. She wasn't surprised when his tongue was eagerly searching for a way through her lips and she was parting them shortly after for him. As they were tangling around one another, dueling, she felt him taking her hand which spurred her to move. After she had curled her fingers around his erection he was moving then, and their kiss was ending while he was entering her, making them groan until they were fully coupled. She was relieved when her husband wasn't taking long to begin, pulling back and then carefully thrusting in. She was a little startled he was going so slowly but eventually felt he was beginning to speed up. She gasped and grabbed at his arms that were on either side of her, doing her best to change her own pace to match his.
Watching his wife intently while he was doing that, Castle couldn't forget what he had warned his wife he wanted to do. He tried to focus on that moment, but after they'd been coupled like that for several minutes he couldn't help himself and ceased his thrusts. He half expected her to be angry with him, but when she was quickly moving her legs off him he was overjoyed to find she wanted the same. Without leaving her he flipped them around and sat up as Beckett was straddling his lap, arms wrapped around his neck.
Since they were still coupled, it wasn't that hard for Beckett to begin pushing herself up and down on her husband. She was gasping with those first few movements at the sensation of it and tried to follow what he had done when he'd been on top. It was almost a struggle at first, but she was eventually getting it and was relived she could speed up a little. She was rocking on her husband then, trying to keep their connection though the desire to bounce and feel more than she was at that moment was strong.
"Are we… staying like this," Castle asked eventually, a little breathless since he was trying to move as well and they'd been kissing.
"We might have to," Beckett breathed, biting at her lower lip. She would have smiled when her husband nodded rapidly if she hadn't been so focused on their lovemaking and the resulting pleasure. Instead she made her husband tilt his head back and leaned down to kiss him intently while they were groaning into one another's mouths.
Running his hands along his wife's back while they were dueling in his mouth, Castle soon reached the small of her back which he spanned with his hands. He squeezed at her, loving the way Beckett moaned into his mouth as she jerked against him slightly. Eventually they were parting and he reached down a little further to her ass which he was grasping firmly. "Are you going to come love?" he asked her huskily, kissing around her neck and jaw.
"Yes," Beckett managed to moan to him. "Are you?" she asked hopefully. She was relieved seeing his nod and she did her best to move a little harder though she couldn't speed up that much. She did manage to tilt her hips in such a way that her clit was rubbing against her husband's skin and she froze for an instant before her orgasm was hitting her. Crying out his name, she only did that once since she was shortly after overwhelmed with the ecstasy of her climax. She wasn't sure how much longer it took for Castle to follow her, but she was greatly aware of his yelling her name and his release beginning to fill her. She held onto him as tightly as she could, trying to keep her rhythm steady though it became impossible since the pleasure was too intense. She was nearly collapsing onto him, feeling her husband still thrusting up inside her before he was going still as well. She kissed the side of his head she was just able to reach and waited until she was certain he could speak before she said his name.
"I'm here," Castle replied after letting out a long groan. "Barely."
Beckett managed not to laugh, though it was close, and she then said, "Good, we should get some sleep though."
Groaning in disappointment, Castle carefully pulled away and asked, "Are you sure? We could always fit in a quickie."
"I'm sure," Beckett said firmly.
"Right, we're not alone," Castle said though he pushed the thought of the others out of his mind. He was helped when his wife was getting off of him and he assisted her until they were laying together on the bed. "Kate?" he asked.
"If you're wondering about tomorrow, we need to wait and see how we are before we commit to anything," Beckett told him with a smile.
"I was," Castle confessed. He then leaned into her and was kissing her tenderly on the lips before he gazed into her eyes and told her, "I love you Kate."
"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied, smiling before he was leaning into her once more. As they kissed she reached up and wrapped her arms around him until they were carefully parting. She watched him get up to turn off the main lights of the room before she got her nightstand light and he was taking off his glasses next to the bed. "I wish you didn't have to," she told him when he glanced at her once he'd set the frames on the table.
"Really uncomfortable to sleep in," Castle said, smiling when his wife rolled her eyes. While she was getting the covers he turned off the light on his nightstand before he was joining her, laying on his back before she was pressed against his side. "Night love," he told her once she had stopped shifting.
"Night Rick," Beckett replied with a smile before she was closing her eyes, falling asleep with the feel of her husband holding her firmly to his side.
"Are you sure you shouldn't ask them if they're okay with that?"
"Believe me, they'll be ecstatic."
"What if they don't feel like-"
"David."
"Sorry, but I'm just saying."
Looking at each other where they were paused on the stairs, Julia and Mari started laughing into their hands hearing their fathers and Rebecca talking in the kitchen. When they'd calmed down, they continued the rest of the way until they were walking down the hall.
"Morning you two," Castle said, spotting them first as he was putting some chocolate chip pancakes on a plate at the island. "Hopefully you're hungry."
"We are," Mari said.
"Starving," Julia said. "Are we having eggs too?"
"We are," Beckett said, bringing them over to the island. "Could you set the table for us?" she asked her daughter with a smile.
"We will," Mari answered before she was looking pointedly at her girlfriend.
"Right," Julia said, smiling at the others before she and Mari were moving to get everything they needed to set the table. Once they'd finished she saw the food was ready so they sat and watched the adults bringing everything over before they were sitting too.
After they'd eaten a little at first Beckett asked, "How'd you guys sleep?"
"Good, thanks for letting us go up to my room early," Julia said with a smile at them.
"We managed to dance," Mari added. "Which was a lot of fun."
"Practicing or just dancing?" Rebecca asked.
"Just to dance," Julia answered first. "And then we went to bed."
"Sounds like it was fun," David commented. He wasn't surprised at the way his wife was looking at him and with a smile then said to everyone, "I thought the date last night was a lot of fun."
"I liked it," Mari said quickly so her father would know she wasn't mad at his comment.
"Me too," Julia said.
"I think we all agree," Rebecca said firmly. "What're you getting at David?"
"That we should do this a lot more," the mayor replied. "Not all the time," he added, looking at the girls before turning to the other adults. "But once in a while. Also at our house."
"I think we can do that," Beckett commented.
"She's right, but I think it's up to you two when exactly," Castle added, directing the last to the teens.
"Next week?" Mari asked jokingly.
"I think we'll have a regular date night," Rebecca said in obvious amusement. She then looked at the others and asked, "Who're we on for chaperoning?"
"I think us," Beckett said. "You two were with them this past week when you went to the benefit."
"That's true," David said thoughtfully. "Though should we count it as a date?"
"I think so," Mari said firmly.
"She's right, it was a dinner and we got dressed up," Julia added. "Thanks for letting me go again."
"You're welcome," Rebecca said. "So next weekend you'll take them and Mari will stay over here."
"But the one after that we're going to be in L.A. right?" Mari asked.
"We will be," David said with a nod. "So dates are going to be on hold, it'll be Christmas and time for family."
"We know," Mari replied with a smile. "But we're sharing a room there at least." She looked at her girlfriend and smiled when she was nodding and said, "So that's set."
"And looks like we'll be chaperoning them next year," David told his wife.
"Don't start planning," Rebecca told her husband with a smile before she was eating a piece of pancake.
"We won't," Mari assured her mother before they were laughing and returning to their food.
After their parents started to talk together, Julia leaned over and murmured to her girlfriend, "What do you want to do after this?"
"We're swimming right?" Mari asked. When her girlfriend nodded in response she asked, "Should we just go to the game room?"
"Sounds good," Julia said before she realized the table was quiet and they looked over at their parents to find they were watching them. "What?" she asked in surprise.
"We can hear you," Castle said jokingly before he saw the look his wife was giving him. "And because of that we wanted to put our two cents in."
"What time is everyone coming over?" Julia asked, recalling the planned day of swimming with their family and friends.
"At eleven," Beckett said, looking at her watch. "So we have two and a half hours."
"We kind of wanted to go to the game room," Mari said softly after she and her girlfriend had exchanged a glance.
"And you can," Beckett said, looking at her husband again.
"Sorry, I was going to say that our two cents were your idea was a good one and we agree," Castle said quickly.
"So do we," Rebecca then said. "We wanted to play a little too."
"Great," Julia said before she saw their plates were all empty. "Do we need to help?"
"That would be nice," Beckett said. They were getting up then and taking the plates, utensils and glasses before she and Rebecca got the leftover food on the table. When everything was by the sink she told the girls, "Go ahead."
"Really?" Mari asked eagerly.
"Really, thank you for your help," Beckett said. She saw the way Julia was looking at her and said with a laugh, "I'm serious, but you're back to your normal chores tomorrow."
"Thanks Mom," Julia said before she was taking Mari's hand and they hurried down the hall to the game room.
"Kiss?" Castle asked when his wife walked up to him where he was rinsing at the sink. When he saw the way she was looking at him he said in a rush, "Not us."
"Rick," Beckett said simply.
"It's just a comment love," Castle said quickly. He smiled when she was rolling her eyes before they were turning their attention to the dishes they needed to clean while David and Rebecca were putting the food away for them.
As soon as they had entered the game room, Julia had pulled her girlfriend near the control panel for the games before she was kissing her lightly on the lips. "Everyone's coming over today so…"
Giggling a little, Mari said, "I was thinking the same thing. That's why I was so happy we got to come here first." When her girlfriend was nodding she leaned into her and they kissed again before they were parting quickly after. "Can we…" she began before trailing off.
"Yeah, I didn't want to just start with that right away," Julia said. She was starting to lean into her girlfriend to kiss her harder when she found herself being stopped and she asked, "You don't want to now?"
"No, you don't have to work up to it all the time," Mari said, her cheeks a little flushed. "Just kiss me."
Pretending to think that over, Julia said, "That sounds good." Before her girlfriend could respond she was leaning into her and kissing her hard. She heard a muffled exclamation from Mari once she had done that, but when she was responding a second later she felt a rush of pleasure knowing what she had done was alright. They were tilting their heads at the same time but didn't kiss for much longer before they were slowly parting. Smiling she said, "You know the same goes for you too."
"Good," Mari said before they were kissing hard again. She wasn't sure how long they were doing that, but once they'd finally stopped she whispered, "My lips?"
"Mine?" Julia asked in response while she touched them. When her girlfriend was nodding she said, "Well… they know we kiss and it's not illegal so I guess we should just…"
"Play, maybe we should start playing," Mari said softly.
Brushing her lips to her girlfriend's, Julia asked, "Star Wars?"
"Perfect," Mari replied with a smile before they were taking each other's hands and walking to the game just as they heard two sets of footsteps in the hall approaching the room.
"Okay," Castle said, looking around the kitchen when he was finished washing. "We're all set. And lunch and dinner will be catered today so we won't have to worry much about cleaning up."
"You're lucky I agreed to that," Beckett told him teasingly.
"I don't blame you," David commented. "It can be a pain to have to deal with that… with so many people."
"That's the reason why she agreed," Castle said jokingly. He smiled when his wife was glancing at him and then said, "You guys can head to the room, we'll finish up the last things here."
"Sure," Rebecca said, reaching for her husband's hand and pulling him down the hall.
"Last things?" Beckett echoed as she was watching her husband.
"Yeah, just this," Castle said before he was wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply. He wasn't surprised when she was immediately responding and they were involved in that for a little before he pulled away and asked, "Am I too predictable?"
"No," Beckett said firmly while she was smiling. They kissed again, briefly, before she said, "I thought the same, everyone's coming for the day so we'll have few opportunities for this."
"Great minds think alike," Castle said with a slight smirk on his face. He laughed briefly when his wife rolled her eyes before he was closing the gap between them so they could kiss again. Like the one before, that kiss was passionate and it took them a little longer to stop, only doing so when they needed to catch their breath.
"We… I hate to stop you Rick," Beckett said once she could speak without panting.
"We need to join them," Castle finished for her. When his wife nodded he said, "I had a feeling but tonight if we can manage it?"
Nodding Beckett wasn't surprised when her husband was embracing her and kissing her yet again. She was kissing him back as eagerly, though that time they weren't lingering for long. Once they were apart she said with a smile, "Now we need to go."
"Am I playing with you? Swimming with you?" Castle asked.
"Making love later tonight with me? Yes," Beckett said.
Castle, his eyes wide at her words, took a moment before he shuddered in pleasure and then said, "Goddess."
"Goddess?" Beckett asked in surprise.
Nodding firmly Castle said, "I'm worshiping you tonight Kate."
Smiling, and feeling a rush in anticipation for that, Beckett said, "I look forward to that Sheik. Let's go."
Letting one another go after a brief kiss, Castle and Beckett were hand in hand as they walked down to the game room to join their daughter and the Fosters before the rest of their family and friends would arrive for their day together.