Year in Time

Part 21

June 21, 2015 — Father's Day
They hear a car honk through their front door and Avery gasps. Castle and Beckett chuckle. Their little girl is so animated. "Whose that, baby?" Kate asks as she moves her daughter's curls out of her face. Avery begins clapping, "Lex!" She says with a little lisp on the 'x'. Not only was their baby animated, she was also advanced for her age. She knew so many words and was able to understand things they said or asked of her. The redhead enters the house and Avery squeals in excitement. "Hi little one!" Alexis smiles.
She lifts the baby out of the playpen and kisses her cheek. Castle leaves the kitchen to wrap his arms around both of his daughters, "Hi Dad. Happy Father's Day." His oldest greets him. "Thank you, Pumpkin. How was your drive?" He asks as he walks back to the kitchen with them following, "It was good. Light traffic which is a bonus of traveling early in the morning." Beckett joins her husband at the stove as the two work together to prepare breakfast. It's not something they did often, cook together, mainly because she was working. But, turns out, they were good at it.
Just like everything else they did, it was always completed better together. There was some bickering, but in the end they made the perfect assortment of french toast, pancakes, and waffles. Their youngest enjoys some mashed fruit and oatmeal while the rest of them have small talk. "What are the plans for today?" Alexis asks. "Your father said he just wants a pool day with his girls." Beckett answers. "Sounds relaxing." Alexis says as she eats a strawberry. "How is this one liking the water?" The redhead asks pointing her fork at Avery. "She loves it."
"She's basically a fish." Castle jokes. Beckett playfully smacks his arm, "Don't call our daughter a fish." She scolds, although in more of a joking tone than actual anger. "Mermaid?" He asks and she nods, "Better." Alexis chuckles as her father and his wife. "I can't wait to see you two tackle her stubbornness." Alexis says. "Well, she definitely got that from her father." Beckett says taking a sip of her orange juice. "Me!?! Um, if I remember correctly, someone's stubbornness is the reason we wouldn't come home until 3:00 in the morning during cases." He argues.
"Yes, but that's also because your stubbornness wouldn't concede to the fact that ghosts, CIA, or ninjas are not factors in everyday murder investigations." She throws back. Alexis sits back and grins, "Wow, breakfast and a show." Beckett smiles. "You're lucky it's Father's Day, so I'm letting you win." She tells him. He chuckles and shakes his head before leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Let's go get in the pool." He encourages them. Alexis helps Beckett clean up the kitchen before they all separate to change into their bathing suits. Beckett slips into the red bikini she knows her husband loves before putting Avery in a little blue one piece with sea turtles on them.
"Mama." Avery says. "Yeah, baby?" "Wawa?" "Yeah, baby, we're gonna go in the water." She says as she lifts her and takes her downstairs. They make their way outside where Castle is already in the pool and Alexis is applying sunscreen. "Dada!" Avery exclaims happily. Castle takes their daughter from his wife and walks around the pool with her. She sits on the edge with her feet submerged as she watches Avery pat the water. "You going to join us?" Castle eventually asks when Alexis takes Avery from his arms.
"I like watching you guys." She says. He places his arms on either side of her hips. He lays his head in her lap and she smiles as she runs her hands through his hair. "They're lucky to have you, ya know? We all are." She tells him. "Are you two going to stop being sappy and come swim?" Alexis calls out from the other side of the pool. Castle and Beckett both look over and laugh, "I'm trying to convince Kate that it's okay to get her hair wet." He calls back and then looks back at her.
"Come on." He says, "Rick! No!" She argues jokingly as he lifts her off the ledge and finally gets her in the water. "You're in so much trouble." She warns him, "Oh really?" He asks and before she can answer, he launches them both under water. Her grip on him tightens as they come back up. He shakes out his hair while she catches her breath. She lets go of him and then stares daggers into his soul, "Richard Castle, now you're seriously in trouble." She grits. He begins swimming away from her, but she quickly clings to his back.
She eventually maneuvers herself up onto his shoulders and is able to push his head underwater. He stands to which she wraps her arms around him for support, but he quickly pushes her off her shoulders and swims over to Alexis and Avery, taking the baby from her older sister. When Beckett opens her arms and prepares to charge towards her husband, she stops. "Can't hurt me, I have the baby." He argues. "Oh that's low." She shakes her head. "Mama." Avery stretches her arms out for her mother. Beckett cockily takes their daughter. "Dada's gonna get his ass kicked later, baby." She coos. He chuckles as he watches Alexis swim over to play with her sister.
When Beckett told him she was pregnant a little over two months ago, he would be lying if he said he didn't want another girl. He loved his girls. All of them. His wife and two daughters were his whole world. He knows a lot of men wish for sons, and he does think it would be nice to have a boy, but if they had girls from here on out, he would be absolutely fine with that.
Part 21! Comment please!