413. Chapter 413

After Under Fire

Episode 6.11

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I have a burning desire to own Castle, but I don't. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Castle! No!"

"Why not?"

"Why not? You actually have to ask why not?"

"I just did, so obviously I have to ask."

Kate glared at Castle and took a deep breath. "We are not buying Sarah Grace a pony for her christening present. Where would the Ryan's keep a pony? Their place is hardly big enough for a cat. And how would they pay for feeding it and caring for it until Sarah's old enough to ride? And what if, after all that, she doesn't want a pony."

"Now that's just silly. What little girl doesn't want a pony?"

"I never wanted a pony."

"Okay, we'll by her a Harley soft tail, then. We're agreed."

"We are not agreed!" Kate yelled at him. "No pony, no Harley. We'll get them something useful."

Castle sulked. "Everyone will be giving her cute little onesies, or little rattles, or one of those mobile things that goes over the cribs. Hey! I know, I could have a mobile made up my one of my artist friends. What do you think? Something impressionistic? Or would you go with stark realism?"

"Castle, why are you doing this? No matter what we give her, Sarah Grace won't remember it, but Kevin and Jenny will. Do you want to go in and see Kevin every day if we give her a mobile that has the mugshots of every killer he's ever collared?"

"I just want to do something that will make them think of Richard Castle…and Kate Beckett, of course, every time they think about the christening."

Kate put her arms around Rick. "Then don't you think that we should get them something that they'll use and appreciate for a long time?"

"Curse you and your voice of reason, Detective Beckett."

Kate smiled. "Does that mean you agree with me?"

"Of course." Castle waited a beat, then added. "But I get to pick her present for her first birthday."

Kate sighed. "Agreed." At least I have a year to talk him into buying something reasonable. She thought.

Jenny approached Rick and Kate outside the church after the christening. "I have to thank you two. Those onesies are beautiful and so original."

Castle perked up. "I have a friend who's an artist. We bought plain onesies, and he silkscreened an original design onto each one."

"Well, Sarah Grace has a supply of onesies that will last her for a long time and when we have another child, he, or she, will get to use them too."

"Can I ask you a question, Jenny?"

"Sure, Rick. What is it?"

"When you were a little girl did you ever want a pony?"

"Castle!" Kate hissed at him. Elbowing him in the ribs.

"A pony? In Manhattan?" Jenny laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Never." Kate said.

"Always." Rick said at the same time.

A year later

"I cannot believe you vetoed every single one of my ideas." Castle said as they got into his car.

"At least you didn't suggest a pony or a Harley." Kate said.

"Only because I knew you'd find some reason to not like them."

"Some reason? Castle, even Sarah Grace, at age one, could find several reasons to not want a pony."

"We could have gotten a dog. A cute little dog? Kids love to play with a dog. Or a kitty. What little girl doesn't love to play with a little kitten? Kids and kittens are so cute."

"And the Ryan's place has a no pets policy. They won't even let you keep a goldfish."

"We could have snuck one in."

"And you other ideas were no better." Kate added.

"What? My idea of having Frank paint Sarah Grace's bedroom with a mural depicting great moments in Irish history was inspired. It would not only inculcate a love of great art in Sarah Grace, but it would give her great insight into her family's history, her ancestors' history."

"If only Irish history wasn't so bloody. Do you think that the Ryans want Sarah Grace to go to sleep looking at the sack of Drogheda by Oliver Cromwell?"

"It wasn't all bloody." Castle said primly. "What about the part showing James Joyce writing Finnegan's Wake? "Riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs." Castle quoted from the book.

"That's almost as bad as Oliver Cromwell." Kate said.

"And the mural on the ceiling would have had…."

"No!" Kate said quickly. "We have a gift and it's a gift that any little girl will love."

"She'd love the mural." Castle said under his breath.

They soon arrived at the Ryans' and were welcomed by Kevin and Jenny.

"Sarah Grace is walking?" Kate asked happily.

"Just a few steps at a time and she falls on her butt after that, but, yeah."

"They grow up so fast." Castle said.

"Don't say that, bro." Espo said, handing Castle a beer. "We don't want to be getting old around here."

After a bit, it was time to open up Sarah Grace's presents. As it happened, the present from Rick and Kate was the last one opened. Kate gave a little explanation of the gift. "We know that Kevin always has a Javier to watch over him, so we thought that little Sarah grace would need one, too." She opened the box and pulled out a teddy bear wearing a NYPD uniform. "As you can see, this little bear has the name Javier embroidered on his uniform as well as a little embroidered badge with Espo's badge number on it. He doesn't carry a gun or a nightstick or anything else that Sarah Grace might swallow, but if you're a police bear named Javier Bear, you don't really need those, do you?"

Jenny took Javier Bear and closely examined him. "Where did you get the uniform? This looks professionally made. Very high quality."

"I know a guy. Or rather Martha does. The police uniform was made by a theatrical seamstress that Mom knows. It's as authentic as we could make it. If you pull the pants down, you'll see he's wearing little boxers."

Jenny started to pull the pants down, but was stopped by Kevin. "Jenny! Don't you know better than to pull a police bear's pants down?"

Everyone laughed and agreed that Officer Javier Bear was perfect.

Twelve years later.

"Sarah Grace, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Uncle Rick."

"Have you ever wanted a pony?"

"In Manhattan? Of course not. Why?"

"Nothing. Just curious."