new york wolves } { of new years and next steps

[hereditare]

Laura: [which Laura appreciates but ...] Don't keep him up too late, Rick.

Castle: It's New Year’s, Laura.

Laura: He's seven months old, Rick.

Castle: I will keep him away from the champagne.

Laura: [sighs]

Esposito: Castle.

Castle: Fine. I have a little playpen set up in the office for him so don't worry.

Laura: [nods and curls into her husband some more] I might not even make it to midnight.

Esposito: [kisses the top of her head] My goal is not to get a murder call before midnight. Being awake isn't a priority.

Laura: Sounds good to me.

Esposito: [and he will snuggle on the couch with her all happy like]

Stiles: [bringing Cora a refill on her drink] Having fun?

Cora: [nods with a smile] Yeah. Castle parties are always a good time.

Stiles: Yeah. Especially since I think he's reusing half his Star Wars party decorations.

Cora: [she laughs] Well, they're still appropriate.

Stiles: I will never complain about them. Maybe I can have Castle box them up for other uses.

Cora: Are you planning to throw a lot of Star Wars parties?

Stiles: Maybe.

Cora: Then I'm sure he's already prepared to share it.

Stiles: I'm sure if Alexis has a baby boy, it will become his bedroom.

Cora: Very true.

Stiles: [looks around] We've got some time before midnight. Want to sneak away for a bit?

Cora: [curious] And go where?

Stiles: The roof maybe?

Cora: [considers before nodding] Alright.

Stiles: [and they can sneak out, going up to the roof. They can hear the revelry from Times Square there]

Cora: [and she'll go and stand close because while she is a werewolf, it is still cold]

Stiles: [and he will hold her, smiling a bit] I have to be honest, I brought you up here for personal reasons. [kisses her shoulder]

Cora: I figured as much. [tips her head back to look at him]

Stiles: Have I told you lately how much I love you?

Cora: You've mentioned it once or twice.

Stiles: Well, when I was home visiting Dad... I may have gotten something from him to give you.

Cora: [her brow furrows] You did?

Stiles: Yeah. And I didn't want to make a big deal about it in front of everyone because I know you better than that.

Cora: [and with that she's turning around to face him] ... Okay.

Stiles: [and he will reach into his pocket and pull out a piece of velvet and start unfolding it] You were probably expecting some huge gesture from me for this... but I just wanted it to be us. Kinda like this.

Cora: [there's a moment where she realizes what he's doing but she doesn't say anything, just waits for him to finish what he's doing]

Stiles: [and he finishes unfolding the velvet and his mother's engagement ring is sitting there in his hands. he looks up at her and smiles] I know we already talked about this, but I thought we could make it official. If you still want to marry me...

Cora: [and she's just going to lean in and kiss him. because words are lame]

Stiles: [and he will kiss her back, holding onto the ring because dropping that would be bad.]

Cora: [yes, that would be very bad, because she wants to wear it]

Stiles: [and he will eventually pull back, smirking at her a bit] I take it that's a yes then?

Cora: [she laughs, before nodding] Yes.

Stiles: [and he will take her hand, sliding the ring on] I was right, you and my mom had the same ring size.

Cora: [smiles softly before letting her hand rest against his chest] I love it.

Stiles: Me too. I think it looks perfect on you.

Cora: [she nods as she looks up at him] Yeah, it does. [and she slides her arms around his neck to kiss him again, this time slower and gentler]

Stiles: [and he will just hold her close, kissing her deeply]

Cora: [holds the kiss for a moment, before pulling back to look at him] I love you too.

Stiles: [smiles] Always and forever.

Cora: [brushes her thumb against his cheek gently] Think we can get away with keeping it to ourselves for tonight?

Stiles: You'd have to give the ring back.

Cora: [pouts slightly] I'm not sure I want to do that. I was just thinking of seeing how long it would take for them to notice.

Stiles: We can just see.

Cora: [she nods] Good. Because I don't want to do a big announcement and I'm pretty sure Alexis already knows.

Stiles: They do.

Cora: I figured. She's only been harping about it since she got married.

Stiles: You know... sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn't been roommates with Hal.

Cora: What do you mean?

Stiles: I probably wouldn't have been at that frat house that night if it wasn't for Hal.

Cora: The world's funny. I think we would have found each other somehow.

Stiles: I like that think that too. I can't imagine a world for me without you in it.

Cora: Me too.

Stiles: [and he will just kiss her again]

Cora: [and she will sigh as she kisses him back and will keep doing that until she gets cold]

Stiles: [he's feeling it too] Back downstairs before they come looking for us?

Cora: [she nods] Good idea.

Stiles: [and he will take her hand - the one with the ring - and lead her back downstairs]

Cora: [follows his lead and will just go and curl up on the couch as though nothing's wrong and I'm gonna roll to see if any of the ladies manage to pick up on it]

Stiles: [and he is just going to nod and go and sit with Cora. Peter and Derek are clueless because they are men, and Castle is playing with Thomas still]

Cora: [Laura is too tired, Malia is focused on texting Jeremy, but while Kate and Nadia definitely see it, they're too classy to mention it unless Cora is going to]

Stiles: [not saying anything, just going to let Cora snuggle into him, nosing and kissing her shoulder occasionally as Hal takes a position across from them on the couch and motions for Alexis to join him]

Alexis: [which she will and watches the cuddly couple, but she already knew this was happening, so her smug face is basically her normal face]

Hal: [and he is going to try and distract her with a few kisses of his own]

Alexis: [oooh kisses, she likes those]

Hal: [yup. he's got these down]

Alexis: [he better, given he's her husband and all]

Hal: [you just keep enjoying them because one day they are going to be parents and kissy times like this will be gone and they will be Laura and Espo asleep on the couch at 9:30]

Alexis: Yep, but for right now they can be young and in their twenties and making out their way to midnight]

Hal: And to think, this time last year I was the one proposing.

Alexis: Two years ago, sweetie. Two years.

Hal: Well, it still seems like yesterday.

Alexis: Mmm-hmm.

Stiles: Yeah, next time you'll be announcing a baby or something.

Alexis: I have to finish medical school first. And my residency.

Hal: That's what she keeps telling me too, man.

Alexis: Do you want to take on the brunt of an infant? Because while I'm sure my dad will be thrilled to babysit, I can't afford maternity leave until then.

Hal: I'm pretty sure the second you announce that you're pregnant, my mom is going to want to move in.

Alexis: Because that isn't terrifying at all.

Hal: Would you rather it be your mom?

Alexis: No, I have a baby and my mom will run around the world until it's three and she can dress it up like a doll.

Hal: Ah.

Alexis: [she nods] We're safe until then.

Hal: Good to know.

Alexis: [shifts to curl into him more] Me postponing is not me not wanting to. Just so we're clear.

Hal: Oh, I know. [kisses her shoulder] We'll just let the Hale's have all the babies for a while. Then it'll be our turn, and we will save money with all the hand me downs.

Alexis: Works for me.

Stiles: Well, we've got a few years too, so don't worry. Your kids won't be alone.

Alexis: I'm sure.

Hal: And they will have all the dogs to play with. [smirks at Cora]

Cora: [laughs] Dogs are good family members.

Hal: Of course. I mean, we kept Stiles around long enough.

Cora: Hey, none of that.

Hal: What?

Cora: Dog jokes?

Hal: I only make them at Stiles.

Cora: Mmm-hmm.

Stiles: The worst was when he made me play fetch.

Cora: Really?

Hal: He's lying.

Cora: [glances back to Stiles and squints at him] Are you?

Stiles: We were playing lacrosse and I threw a wild ball and he told me to go fetch it.

Hal: Which is not us playing fetch.

Stiles: You called me a good puppy when I came back with the ball.

Hal: We were also twenty and I was drunk.

Cora: [laughs] Being drunk is not an excuse.

Hal: Oh come on, Stiles is a puppy and we all know it.

Cora: Technically a good portion of the people in this room are.

Stiles: You're just jealous.

Alexis: Jealous?

Stiles: He just wishes he was as fast and strong as me.

Hal: No, not really.

Alexis: Strength and speed aren't everything.

Hal: You know, I came here to have a good time and I'm feeling a bit attacked now.

Stiles: [laughs] You brought it on yourself, man. Don't look at me.

Alexis: Alright, can we put all of this aside for right now? We've still got another hour before the ball drops.

Stiles: Consider it dropped.

Alexis: Good. [leans back closer to Hal again] I think overall we've had a pretty good year. No major disasters.

Stiles: Careful, there's still an hour left.

Cora: I think they can manage to hold off for an hour.

Stiles: I hope so.

Cora: [glances over] Where did your dad go with Thomas?

Castle: [he comes back with a sleeping Thomas on his shoulder... and the baby is totally dressed in Star Wars Yoda pajamas with a hoodie that has the ears] Shhh, he's sleeping.

Cora: [smiles softly at the sight of her nephew] Let me guess, that was a Castle Christmas present?

Castle: I just happened to have an extra one laying around and he spit up on his other outfit.

Cora: Just happened to have an extra one lying around?

Castle: That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Cora: Fair enough. He looks good in it, though.

Stiles: So do you have the whole backpack sling to carry him in?

Castle: Of course.

Cora: Laura should have you babysit more often.

Castle: I've offered. She just likes to hog him.

Stiles: [looking at Hal and Alexis] Yeah, you two have nothing to worry about beyond trying to get permission to see your kids.

Alexis: [she sighs] Yeah, I know. He gets less interested when they start talking back, though.

Hal: Until they get old enough to play laser tag, right?

Alexis: Obviously.

Stiles: You know, it's been a long time since we had a good game of laser tag.

Cora: We should start a new game. [glances over at Castle] You could probably get Derek on your team so that things are even.

Castle: Actually, I'm going to have my own partner in crime soon, isn't that right, Stiles?

Cora: [there's a beat] So me, Alexis, Stiles and Hal against the Sheriff, you, Malia and Jeremy?

Castle: I like those odds.

Cora: Okay. Let's do it.

Stiles: Dad gets here in March, so Spring Break?

Cora: It won't be just Spring Break.

Alexis: [shakes her head] It's not a battle. It's a war.

Stiles: Oh, I know. But that's when the war begins.

Alexis: Sounds good.

Hal: It's on.

Malia: [looks up from where she's texting] Do the same rules apply?

Cora: You never followed the rules anyway.

Hal: I like those kinds of rules.

Malia: See? Hal agrees with me.

Hal: I need all the advantages I can get here.

Malia: Wait - your team has all the shifters. I've got the two old guys!

Stiles: One of which has been using a gun since before I was even born.

Castle: And one who taught all of you what you know.

Malia: Maybe, but you fell for pretty much every trap Alexis ever set for you. [slightly bitter about losing the last war? Maybe]

Castle: The apprentice has become the master. That's why I'm trusting you to figure out the traps this time.

Malia: [sighs] Are you going to actually listen to me?

Castle: Of course. [mostly]

Malia: [speculative stare]

Castle: You're just going to have to make sure you train that boy of yours before the war starts. We don't need a week link.

Malia: [rolls her eyes before going back to texting sending one off to Jeremy] You play laser tag?

Jeremy: Not since I was little.

Malia: [not what she wanted to hear, Jeremy] The Castles are starting up our laser tag wars again. Wanna play?

Jeremy: Sure.

Malia: Were you good when you were a kid?

Jeremy: The best.

Malia: Good. [then she doesn't have to catch him up much] Cora's telling me I should warn you that I'm super competitive.

Jeremy: Oh? Should I be worried?

Malia: We're on the team with Castle and the Sheriff.

Jeremy: So we're the ones doing most of the work?

Malia: And Castle tends to fall into traps.

Jeremy: Maybe we can do some refreshers around campus with Tyler and Matt to work on tightening up my skills.

Malia: Good. Because we're playing the couples.

Jeremy: Oh fun.

Malia: Yeah. It used to be me and Castle against Alexis and Cora, but now that the boyfriends are playing so we needed more people for our team.

Jeremy: ..... Stiles' father is Alexis' father's boyfriend?

Malia: No? They're opening a private detective agency.

Jeremy: Oh, that kind of partner. Okay.

Malia: Yeah. Not boyfriends. [though the image makes her laugh]

Stiles: What's so funny?

Malia: [glances up] Jeremy thought that your dad and Castle were dating. [in her blunt Malia way]

Stiles: [and that would be Stiles choking on champagne]

Cora: [frowns, concerned] You okay?

Stiles: Sorry, images I never needed to see in my head.

Malia: [grins] Don't worry I corrected him.

Stiles: Thank you.

Malia: [and back to texting she goes]

Castle: [and he's gone to put Thomas down and then awhile later] I think we're in the final minute.

Cora: [glances over to her sister and Espo who are still asleep] Should we wake them up?

Stiles: No. I think this is the first real deep sleep they've had in a while.

Cora: [she nods] Okay.

Castle: [comes over with a tray of champagne flutes for them all]

Cora: [and the girls collect their champagne and settle in to watch the ball drop]

Stiles: [and then there is counting, and kissing]

Malia: [or kissing emojis in the case of Malia]

Jeremy: [he will probably text her a picture of his lips]

Malia: [which will make her smile]

Jeremy: [and he will totally turn it NSFW as he drinks more beer]

Malia: [Well ... she's not complaining. but she wants to actually be there to do NSFW things with him so that's a bit of a bummer]

Jeremy: You can leave anytime. Go home and skype me.

Malia: [rakes her teeth over her bottom lip as she looks around. Laura and Javi are still out cold and probably would be for the rest of the night. The couples seemed caught up in their own things. She tips her head back to look up at Castle] I think I'm gonna head home. You gonna be good with Thomas?

Castle: Sure. And his parents too. You kids go, have fun.

Malia: [grins at him before pushing up to kiss him on the cheek] Happy New Year.

Castle: [and he will hug all his girls before sending them off, knowing exactly what they are all going to do, and then will go to start cleaning up]

Laura: [and many, many hours later, Laura will start awake on the couch, lifting her head and looking around] ... Oops.

Esposito: Too early.

Laura: Babe, we're still on Castle's couch.

Esposito: Did we miss the new year?

Laura: It's daytime, so I think so.

Esposito: [nods, and then sits up] Where's Tommy?

Castle: [and there are sounds of him and the baby in the kitchen]

Laura: Castle's got him. [shifts off him so that he can sit up more]

Esposito: Mmm, good. [sits up and stretches]

Laura: [sighs and rubs her eyes] I think we might be officially old.

Esposito: No, we're just parents.

Laura: [sighs again, before leaning into kiss him] Happy New Year.

Esposito: Happy New Year.

Laura: [she smiles before pushing up and going to find Castle]

Castle: [and he will be feeding Thomas some freshly pureed fruit] Good morning, Laura.

Laura: Morning, Rick. [makes her way closer and presses a kiss to the top of her son's head] Hopefully he didn't give you too much trouble last night.

Castle: Nope. He was out like a light before anywhere near the ball dropping.

Laura: Good boy.