new york wolves } { of future plans and shotgun weddings

[hereditare]

Laura: [is sitting on the floor with Cosmo and some of the toys Castle bought. She's got him in her lap currently as they read from one of the books and she glances up when she hears the door open] Hey.

Esposito: Hey girl. Hey kiddo. You two having fun?

Laura: [she nods as Cosmo reaches out to tug on one of the soft pages of the book] Yeah. He really likes books - I think his mom used to read to him a lot.

Esposito: Well, that's good. You gotta start them reading early.

Laura: [she nods] Plus when you read aloud it helps them hone their listening skills. They learn to focus their hearing on the sound of your voice.

Esposito: And eventually realize that those sounds are words and try to mimic them.

Laura: Exactly. And before you know it, they're talking.

Esposito: And then they're talking back at you. [smirks]

Laura: [she laughs, before nodding] The circle of life.

Esposito: Well, wherever his mother is, I'm sure she misses him. [goes to sit on the coffee table] I got dinner.

Laura: I'm sure she does too. [she can smell the food and she glances up with a nod] Perfect, I'm starving.

Esposito: I figured finger food would be best with the little one, so I got chicken fingers and fries.

Laura: [she nods in agreement] Yep. The best food is the kind that can be eaten with one hand.

Esposito: Well then, I bought enough for a small army.

Laura: [she smiles as she shifts to her feet, Cosmo still tucked into her arm before she leans in to kiss him] Thank you.

Esposito: [smiles into the kiss] You are more than welcome. But this little guy - you've got time before you get to taste these.

Laura: I should see if I can get him to nap a bit. [glances down to Cosmo] How does that sound, Cosmo? Wanna take a nap?

Cosmo: [just gurgles a bit and waves his hands around]

Laura: I'm gonna take that as a yes.

Esposito: I'll wait for you. What do you want to drink?

Laura: I think Castle's got a coke or something in there somewhere.

Esposito: Right, no alcohol around the baby.

Laura: Sadly, no. [and with that she will shift her grip on Cosmo to see if she can get him to lull into an easy sleep, which considering he was already doing a little dozing when they were reading isn't hard to do]

Esposito: [just watches her when he comes back, smiling] You're good at that.

Laura: [smiles softly, before going to put Cosmo back in his baby carrier, hoping that he'll stay sleeping] My mom used to say I had a knack.

Esposito: I take it you had a lot of Cora babysitting duties?

Laura: I was ten when she was born. So yeah, I watched her a lot. But as she got older she wanted to spend more time with Derek than me - I guess I was too parental for her.

Esposito: Eh, you and Derek are pretty close so I'm sure you had your time with him.

Laura: Yeah, but that's a different kind of close. We're just used to giving each other shit.

Esposito: [laughs] He does sound like he was a different guy before the fire.

Laura: Way different. You know how all teenage boys think they're the shit until someone comes around and knocks the wind out of their sails? [her face sobers slightly] Derek's hit was a little harder than most.

Esposito: Yeah, I've noticed. Though to be honest... I kinda like him the way he is. Pretty sure if he was any smugger I'd want to punch his face on occasion.

Laura: [she laughs] I do too. He's grown up a lot. I'm proud of him.

Esposito: [nibbles on a fry] So now that things are settling back down, I guess you can start to focus now more on what you want.

Laura: That is the theory. Or at least that's what I'm supposed to do when things are quiet.

Esposito: Well, thing are pretty quiet. [slides a bit closer] I know we were talking about us. What are you thinking?

Laura: [glances over as she shifts to face him a little more] I don't know. There are things that I want but I don't want you to think I'm trying to rush you or anything like that. In theory, we do have time.

Esposito: Yeah, we do. But you know, after the fire... sometimes the time you think you have - can get taken like that. So what is it you're thinking on?

Laura: [her mouth draws to the side a bit as she picks at the couch. she isn't sure this is the place to have this conversation, since Castle could come in any moment, but they're having it] I want a family. [one that's hers, not one that she's playing makeshift mom over. the fact that she wants it with him should be obvious enough]

Esposito: [he watches her a moment, seeing her awkwardness in talking about it.] I'm assuming you mean beyond your current one.

Laura: [she nods] I want kids. I want to be a mom - an actual mom, not just one in name. Not that I regret what I did for Cora and Malia, but ... they're my sisters. They're not mine.

Esposito: [looks over at where Cosmo is sleeping] And I take it he's not helping those feelings at the moment, huh?

Laura: [glances over and she laughs a bit] No, he is not.

Esposito: [he thinks] You know, I gave Ryan a lot'a shit about the baby and everything he was doing getting ready.

Laura: That's your job. You're his partner.

Esposito: Oh I know. And he's going to have a heyday giving it all back at me.

Laura: [she watches him for a moment, trying to make sure he's serious, before actually speaking] Yeah?

Esposito: I mean, we're heading in that direction anyway. I don't plan on leaving you for a long time. You're the first girl in a while who puts up with my shit.

Laura: [she smiles softly as she shrugs] Yeah, well, you're the first person in a long time to out stubborn me, so. Apparently that makes you a keeper.

Esposito: Watch, we'll have the most mellow, go with the flow kid ever.

Laura: [she laughs] Probably, yeah.

Esposito: Well, I will tell you this - if this is what you want... we're going to make this between us official. Don't need anything fancy unless you want it - but no kid of mine is going to not have both parents in the picture his whole life.

Laura: I wasn't going to cut you out. [he's already moving in and she doesn't need a piece of paper, she just needs him]

Esposito: I figured you weren't, but I want to make sure you both are taken care of.

Laura: [deep breath] The problem with that is Derek and Kate are getting married. [and she doesn't really want to wait]

Esposito: You don't want to steal their thunder.... wait. Wait a sec - when did that happen?

Laura: Night of the fire.

Esposito: Those sneaky bastards.

Laura: Yep. He told me after Stiles and Cora got back from Spring Break.

Esposito: I'm hurt. Neither of them have told us.

Laura: Maybe he figured I would tell you after I found out. Or he's waiting for Kate to do it.

Esposito: Nope, still hurt. All for stealing their thunder now.

Laura: [she laughs, sliding her legs into his lap so that she can pull herself closer] Are you sure about that?

Esposito: Any other girl, I'd have my doubt. [pulls her in the rest of the way] You though? Nah, I don't have a doubt about it.

Laura: [she settles in comfortably before nodding] Okay. We're getting married. I don't want something big though.

Esposito: I don't want anything big either. We can just go down to the justice and have dinner with our family and friends. That's all I need.

Laura: Me too. [she could probably do with even less than that, but this is for him so she'll give him whatever he wants]

Esposito: I mean, unless you wanna go to Vegas. I'm sure we can convince Castle to spring for that one. [smirks]

Laura: [she laughs] Atlantic City's closer.

Esposito: Think we can find an Elvis to marry us in AC?

Laura: I don't think it'll be a problem.

Esposito: You seriously willing to let Elvis marry us? What kind of mother are you? [totally teasing]

Laura: [she laughs] Are you kidding? Not everyone can be married by the King.

Esposito: And that, that is why I love you. [leans in to kiss her]

Laura: [kisses him back, brush one hand against his face softly]

Castle: [returns] Whoa, I didn't see anything.

Laura: [pulls back with a laugh] Hi, Rick.

Castle: I was going to bring you back something that would help keep you awake, but I see that Espo beat me to the punch.

Esposito: What can I say, man. Gotta move on this when I can.

Laura: Cosmo should be out for a while though, if you want to make a break for it.

Castle: Nah, if he's out, I can take over. Why don't you two love birds go off and do something. Preferably behind a door where no one else can see.

Laura: Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like I'm throwing you to the wolves.

Castle: Do you forget? I'm the baby whisperer. Cosmo's never been in better hands.

Esposito: Hey, if you're good with it, I'm good with it.

Laura: Okay then. [and she will grab what's left of her dinner to eat on the way home] Thanks for sharing the baby time.

Castle: No problem, sweetheart. You're on speed dial if I need another break.

Laura: Sounds good. [and with that she will take Espo's hand and they head back to the penthouse]

Esposito: Catch you later, Castle. [and off he will be led]

Laura: [and they will get back to the penthouse and tentatively call out into the void] Anybody home?

Void: [YOU ARE ALONE. THERE IS NO ONE HERE. YOU ARE FREE TO SEX UP YOUR MATE]

Laura: [excellent. She relishes in the silence and just keeps leading Espo through the penthouse and to their room, pulling him in closer to kiss him as they go]

Esposito: Nope, no complaints here. He's going to just kiss her back, trying to maneuver around the boxes of his stuff as they enter her room]

Laura: [she has an idea of where things are so she will gently navigate them around the obstacles until she feels her knees hit the bed and she just falls back onto the mattress, pulling him with her]

Esposito: [and he will laugh, pulling her on top of him. He's gotten used to being on the bottom at this point] So we gonna wait for Elvis before I knock you up?

Laura: I don't know. [she says as she settles over him, leaning in to kiss him again] What do you think?

Esposito: I think if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. Just depends on if you want me to grab a condom.

Laura: [she considers for a moment, leaning over him, before leaning in again and shaking her head] Don't bother.

Esposito: [he reached up to cup her cheek, grinning] Alright.

Laura: [she grins back as she kisses him again, this time long and slow as she starts pulling at their clothes to get rid of the layers between them]

Esposito: [it's not going to take her long, especially with him helping her. And there isn't any objecting from her at all.]

Laura: [once the clothes are gone her hands start to wander, sliding down over his chest and sides as her hips rock against his]

Esposito: [and he's going to shift, sitting up a bit against the headboard as he lets his hands caress her body, his hips grinding back]

Laura: [she moans softly into the press of his hand, her hips continuing to rock against his before her hand trails down between them, lifting her hips just enough so that her fingers can wrap around him]

Esposito: Oh yeah, baby, that's right... [he groans, pressing more into her hand]

Laura: [she lets her hand continue to slide over him, stroking him slowly as her lips move to his neck]

Esposito: [tilts his head, closing his eyes as his hips move with her hand]

Laura: [as her teeth graze gently against his skin, she lifts her hips again, pushing herself closer to him as she positions herself to slide down onto him, groaning softly at the difference from what she's used to]

Esposito: [groans as well, his hands sliding to her hips to get her down all the way] That's how I like it.

Laura: [she's quiet until she settles, her hips pressed completely against his, before she leans in to kiss him again, pulling him in close as she starts to move on top of him]

Esposito: [and he's good like this. So good, pulling her closer as he kisses her deeper, hands sliding to her ass to pull her closer and to get himself deeper]

Laura: [she keeps her pace steady, rocking her hips against his and following his lead to move closer, starting to pick up speed as she starts to get closer to the edge]

Esposito: Oh yeah, baby. Just like that... come on. [because Espo is a talker]

Laura: [yes, and Laura is not, but she's far from silent, a sharp cry being dragged from her as she hits the edge and falls over it, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she rides it out]

Esposito: That's it. That’s it... [and he groans, her body tightening around him and setting him off]

Laura: [she sighs softly as he follows her, her hips continuing to rock out the last few aftershocks, before she leans closer to curl into his shoulder]

Esposito: [his hands slide up her back, pulling her closer and kissing her shoulder] Te amo.

Laura: [smiles at that, curling into his chest] I love you too.

Esposito: [he grinned, and kissed the top of her head]

Laura: [she smiles at that as well, closing her eyes] We can figure out the rest in the morning.

Esposito: Sounds good to me.

Laura: Good. [and she'd shift off him but she also doesn't really want to move, just tipping her head up to kiss him again]

Esposito: [he doesn't want her to move, so he's good like this]

Laura: [good. then she'll just stay close with lazy makeouts until she falls asleep in his arms]

Esposito: [and he's good holding her and then sliding down until he's lying on his back, her in his arms and he drifted off as well]