"Little town, it's a quiet village…."
Rick Castle watched his little girl up on the stage. Well, she wasn't really little – Hannah was now 15, and starring as Belle in her high school production of Beauty and The Beast. Rick was sitting between his wife Kate and his mother, Martha. His mother was mouthing the words as Hannah was singing. She had been thrilled when Hannah went to her and told her she was going to audition for the part. The hard work the two of them did paid off; Hannah got the lead, even if she was just a sophomore. And she was great. Rick could tell the whole audience was in love with her already. Of course, their family – both of Hannah's brothers, James and Alexander, her big sister Alexis, Alexis' husband Mike and their two children, grandpa Jim Beckett and their "family" from the 12th - were all here rooting for Hannah. Rick was lost in thought as he watched.
He remembered the time Alexis had tried out for Grease, and how her grandmother had been thrilled then too. How Alexis didn't get the part, and Martha had felt sad, but Alexis had been secretly happy (and ended up as stage manager, a part more to her liking.) How often he and Kate would come home when Martha was watching the kids, and they would have a show for them. Jamie and Alex did their parts because they enjoyed being with Martha, but it was always different for Hannah. She loved to sing, had always had a beautiful voice. At first they thought it was family bias that made them think she was talented, but once she started pre-school, her teachers remarked on what a great voice she had, and how great she was at remembering stage directions. Hannah started hanging out at Martha's school and she absorbed everything she saw like a sponge. Of course, Martha was thrilled, Kate was amused and Rick wasn't sure what he felt. Yes, he was proud of his daughter. Yes, she had tons of talent. But acting? That would mean that sweaty fan boys would be watching her every move. Didn't Kate realize that their baby girl might end up with groupies? As that thought ran through Rick's mind, he felt Kate grab his hand and hold on tightly. When he looked over at her, she rolled her eyes at him. Once again, their "shared brain thingy" was at work. Kate knew what he was thinking and was telling him to cut it out. So he stopped thinking about fan boys and groupies and sat back and enjoyed the performance.
When the lights came up for intermission, Rick could hear the buzz of the audience. He could hear quite a few words of praise for Hannah. Martha simply stood there and smiled; she believed that everyone in her family was meant for the theater. Kate and Alexis were teasing the other kids about living with a big star. Jim Beckett was smiling from ear to ear. Javi and Kevin and Lanie were amazed by Hannah's talent.
And at the end of the show, watching Hannah accepting flowers and compliments and hugs and kisses, he watched his little girl grow up before his eyes. She was glowing with happiness as her family, friends and cast mates surrounded her. Their daughter was the Belle of the ball tonight, and she deserved all the accolades she was receiving. She worked hard to get the part, and had acted and sang and danced the heck out of it. Rick was proud of his little girl, and knew that she was making her first steps out into the big world.
"Certain as the sun rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast"