Year in Time

Part 7

October 8, 2014 — Alexis' 21st Birthday
     He's not quite sure how he got here. His first born turns 21 today and it feels like a piece of his heart is breaking as she sips her mimosa with the breakfast that his mother and Kate are preparing. "Dad." Her calling him snaps him out of whatever trance he was in. "Sorry. What's up, Pumpkin?" He asks. "She was asking what you have planned with Avery on Saturday." Beckett pulls him in. "Saturday?" He questions, "Yeah, remember Lanie, Jenny, and I are taking her to a few clubs?" She reminds him.
     "Oh, yes, well Avery will most likely be sleeping and I'll probably catch up on some writing." Castle says as he looks down at the little bundle in his arms. She'll be three months old in 20 days. He has a 21 year old and an almost three month old. Why are his girls growing up so fast? He puts Avery in her swing that gently sways her sleeping body as he sets the table for breakfast before they all sit and eat. "To Alexis!" Martha toasts and they all cheer. He watches his daughter interact with her stepmother and grandmother.
      He smiles at this family he's always wanted and finally got. "Dad, are you okay?" "Yeah, Babe, this is the quietest I've ever heard you. Kinda freaking me out." His wife teases. "I'm fine. I'm going to go grab Alexis' gift." He says. He stands and makes his way to the bedroom. In there, he isn't ashamed to let a few tears shed. "You wanna tell me what's going on?" He hears Beckett from behind him. He turns to find her hands on her hips as she looks gorgeous in a pair of black pajamas pants and a tank top covered by her grey robe.
      Her curls are pulled back in a loose ponytail and when she sees the tears in his eyes, concern fill hers. "Babe, what's wrong?" She asks as she steps forward, "My little girl, she's growing up." Her features fall in sympathy as she wraps her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Castle." She whispers as she rubs his back. He sniffles, "No one's fault except Father of Time." He cries. They stand in silence, wrapped in each other's arms, before she pulls back and wipes his tears, "Wanna know the good thing?" She asks. He nods.
     "All the stuff you did with Alexis, you'll get to do with Avery and however many Castle babies come along next." She says. "Next?" He questions, "Did you think Avery was gonna be our only baby?" She questions him and he shrugs. "I didn't know how you felt about the whole thing." He admits. "I told you how I felt when she was born." Kate chuckles and he thinks back to mere minutes after Avery had been placed on her chest:
Once they're finally alone with their daughter, Beckett looks down at Avery and then over at Castle, "We made her." She whispers as she rests her cheek atop of her tiny head. "I know. She's so perfect." He says with a smile. "Okay, we can have twenty of her." Beckett jokes as she closes her eyes. "Do you not remember what you just went through?" He asks. "I mean I feel sore right now, but it's true what they say. The minute she was placed on my chest, I forgot about the pain." She admits.
"You really did an amazing job that day." He comends her and it makes her smile. "Thank you." She presses her lips to his.
"Now, come on. Let's go celebrate your oldest baby." His wife insists. He grabs Alexis' present and makes his way back out to the kitchen where Alexis now sits with Avery in her arms. "Did she wake up?" Beckett asks. "Yeah, but she's content." Alexis assures her stepmother. One thing he has loved watching blossom over the last few weeks is Kate and Alexis' relationship. It's like Avery brought them closer together. "Here, Pumpkin, happy birthday." He says as he hands her the gift. She unwraps the box and pulls out a scrapbook and camera, "Aw, Dad, I love it."
She stands and wraps her arms around her father. "It's for you to capture moments with your friends. We already put one picture in there for you." Kate, who now has Avery in her arms, speaks up. Alexis opens the first page of the scrapbook to see a picture of Castle holding Avery as Beckett kisses her forehead. Underneath it, in Kate's handwriting, is one word: "Home". Alexis' eyes water as she steps forward and wraps an arm around her stepmother. "Thank you." "Happy birthday." The hug is broken as Avery begins to cry. "And that's my que." Beckett jokes as she stands and carries Avery into the nursery to feed her.

October 11, 2014 — Girl's Night
"Woah, woah, woah, you're going to a bar like that?" Castle asks as his wife steps out of the bathroom in a little black dress that accents her breasts just perfectly if he was going to be with her, but a little too much since he wasn't. "Um, yeah." She answers, "Is this an all-girl bar?" "Castle, my boobs are veiny and filled with milk, no guy thinks that's hot." She insists. "I do." "Yeah, well you're a dork." She teases him.
"Just make sure the fellas keep their distance." He requests as she puts her earrings in and rolls her eyes. "I'll make sure my drink is always in my left hand so that everyone can see the rock you put on my finger." She says as she wiggles her left ring finger that had her wedding band and engagement ring stacked on it. "Thank you." He nods. She smiles and leans into him, "I like when you get jealous. Makes you hot." She nips at his cheek. "Hot enough to stay home and show me?" He asks. She chuckles.
"In your dreams." She whispers in his ear, "Remember my response to that." He calls out as she leaves the bedroom. Look at my life, my dreams come true. It makes her roll her eyes again. Castle follows her out to the living room, "Alright, I have pumped enough to fill three to five bottles for her, so she should be good. She needs a bath tonight and don't forget to take her temperature before bed because her nose has been a little runny." Beckett reminds him, "Kate, I can handle the baby. You have fun. Please, you deserve it."
She smiles and lays her hands on his cheeks as she pulls him down for a kiss. "I love you." "I love you too." He responds before wrapping her up in one more long, passionate kiss. "Alright, I don't want another sibling anytime soon." Alexis calls out as she walks downstairs in a little red number. "Wow, Lex, you look great!" Beckett exclaims. "Um, don't you want a cover up? I heard it's chilly out." "Dad." Alexis scolds. "Right, you're an adult. Okay, have fun. Let me know if you need me to pick you up." He insists as he kisses his wife once more.
A half hour later finds Beckett and Alexis standing at a bar table with Lanie and Jenny after they've ordered their drinks: vodka for Kate, red wine for Lanie, scotch for Jenny, and a martini for Alexis. "So, Lex, how's this semester so far?" Lanie asks. "It's going good. I've started studying for the LSAT since I take it in the spring and then again next spring." Alexis says. "You'll do great." Jenny says. "Kate, how's Avery?" "She's good. Growing everyday. She's started to lift herself up and I think she'll be rolling over soon."
Beckett pulls out her phone to show them a picture of Avery. "Girl, I need to stop by and squeeze on her. She's gotten so big!" "Ugh, I know, don't remind me." Beckett sighs as she puts her phone away. "Hey pretty thing." A man stands next to Kate. "She's not interested." Alexis defends her stepmother, "How about I hear that from her, Red?" The douche casts Alexis aside. "Hey! Don't talk to my daughter that way." Kate defends. Her maternal instincts are on overdrive. "Daughter? You're too hot to have a daughter that old." The man says, "Well, believe it buddy cause I do." Beckett flashed her wedding ring.
"Now, I'm pretty sure there a frisky blonde whose just waiting to drop her panties for whatever two inches your packing down there. Bye bye." Beckett says. The guy scoffs and walks off. "Wow, Beckett, you went all mama bear on that prick." Lanie says. "Sorry, he just really irritated me." She apologizes to Alexis who shrugs, "For someone whose mom never defended her, it was nice." Alexis smiles. Kate wraps her arms around her stepdaughter and squeezes. "Alright, ladies let's get drunk." Lanie insists as they make their way back towards the bar.
Hours later, Kate and Alexis stumble through the front door of the loft giggling their hearts out. Castle walks out of the bedroom in his pajama and hair in disarray. "Castle!" She exclaims. "Shhhh. Baby's sleeping." He whispers as he wraps his arms around his wife. "I missed you." She slurs, "How much did you drink?" He asks. "A lot." She giggles. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Kate. Good luck, Dad." Alexis jokes as she makes her way upstairs. "Let's get you to bed." He whispers, "Castle, I wanna do something." She says. He shakes his head.
"You're not sober enough for that." He insists as he guides her into the bathroom, "Come on. You don't want me to ride you all night?" She whispers in his ear as she tugs his lobe between her teeth, "Honey, I would love that and we can do that tomorrow night when you aren't about to fall asleep on me." He insists with a kiss to her forehead. "Am I not attractive anymore? Is it because I had a baby and now I'm all stretched out?" She cries. "Kate, stop, you know that's not it. You're gorgeous, love." He whispers.
"It's just, I don't like doing it while you're this drunk. It makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of you." He whispers. He leans down and presses an innocent kiss to her lips. "How about we go cuddle?" He asks and she nods lifting her arms. He smiles and carries her into their room, settling her down in bed before crawling in next to her and holding her in his arms. "Get some sleep." He whispers. "Love you." She mumbles already half asleep. "Love you too." He whispers and presses one last kiss to her forehead before falling asleep.
Part 7! Just a fun little birthday chapter before Castle and Beckett go on his book tour with Avery! I apologize for missing my updates on Wednesday and yesterday. I am currently battling either tonsillitis or mono, so bear with me please.