December 7, 2025

"Hey, Avery, you wanna watch Firefly with me?" Evan asks as he walks into his sister's room.

"I guess." Avery says from inside her closet.

Evan looks around in confusion and calls out for his sister. "Ave? Where are you?"

Avery's head pops out of the closet and she smiles at her brother. "Here!"

"Why are you in your closet?" Evan asks as he walks over.

"Gotta find a dress." Avery responds.

"Why do you need a dress?" Evan questions.

"Always need dresses, Evan." Avery replies. "But I need one spificlly for tonight."

"Why?"

Avery sighs and spares her brother a glare. "Because, Mama and Lex and I are going to the Nutcracker."

"Why. You danced yesterday."

"Because yesterday I was dancing. Tonight it's professionals." Avery pulls two dresses out and holds them up for Evan to look at. "Which one?"

Evan eyes widen and he flounders for a moment. "Uh-that one." He points and Avery scowls.

"No." She says. "That's not the right one." Avery puts both dresses back in her closet and glares at her brother.

"Then why did you ask me?" Evan cries. "Just pick one!"

Avery stomps her foot in frustration and leaves her room in a huff. Evan follows her and watches as she strides into their parent's room, only to emerge a moment later pulling their mother by her hand.

"Avery." Kate says, and by her tone it's not the first time she's said her daughter's name. "What are you doing?"

Avery drops her mom's hand and spins to face her. "I need help picking a dress, and Evan is useless!"

Kate laughs and shakes her head. "First, apologize to your brother, he's not useless."

Avery sighs but turns to her brother. "Sorry. You're not completely useless."

"Not really what I was going for, but ok." Kate mumbles. "Avery, you have plenty of time to pick a dress for tonight. We're not leaving for a couple of hours."

Avery is already shaking her head by the time her mother finishes talking. "There's not enough time!" She grabs Kate's hand again and continues to pull her into her room.

Evan follows behind them, curious to see which dress his sister picks, and watches as she holds up the two dresses to their mother that Avery had shown him earlier.

"Hey!" Evan cries. "I already tried picking one of those!"

Avery glares at him again. "You picked wrong. Mama won't."

Kate looks between them before turning back to the dresses. She's quiet for a moment before shaking her head. "Neither."

Avery looks at her for a moment but steps aside as Kate ventures into her closet to look. Evan sinks onto Avery's bed and watches as Kate shifts through Avery's options.

"Why are you here?" Avery asks as she looks at her brother.

"Ave." Kate warns as she spares a glance to her daughter. "If you're gonna be mean I won't help you find a dress and you might not be going tonight."

Avery pales and runs to hug her brother. "Sorry." She says. "I just mean that picking dresses isn't fun for you."

Evan shrugs. "'S not. But Daddy's writing and I don't wanna watch tv."

"Thought you wanted to watch Firefly." Avery accuses.

Evan shrugs again. "We can watch when you have a dress. If you want."

Avery thinks for a moment and nods. "'Kay."

"Alright, Avery." Kate calls from her daughter's closet. "Which of these two do you want to wear?"

Avery's face lights up as she selects the purple dress that she knows spins very well. "That one!"

Kate smiles and hands it to her daughter to lay out on the bed. "Tights too?"

Avery nods and moves to her dresser and pulls out the proper drawer. "Black or white?" Avery murmurs as she ponders her options.

"Black." Evan says, surprising everyone with his input. "Sorry." He flushes.

Avery looks at him for a moment. "Why?"

"Dunno. Seems right."

Avery thinks for a moment and then nods, holding up a pair of black tights with silver woven in. "These, Mama?"

Kate nods and holds out Avery's black Mary Janes, and Avery takes them over to her bed to rest next to her dress. When she's satisfied that everything matches, Avery turns to her brother.

"Let's watch Firefly."

Evan smiles and jumps up from the bed to follow her downstairs.

They only make it through two episodes before the front door opens and Alexis comes in.

"Hey, guys." She says as she hugs her little siblings. "Avery, want me to do your hair for you?"

Avery's eyes sparkle as she nods enthusiastically. "Please." She turns to her brother who's just paused the tv. "We can watch later, right?"

Evan nods and shoos her off to follow Alexis into the master bedroom and the bathroom beyond.

"Does your dress go over your head?" Alexis asks as she gets Avery settled on the counter.

"Nope." Avery shakes her head.

Alexis nods and gets to work brushing and braiding Avery's hair, and twenty minutes later, Avery has a crown of braids held together by flowery bobby pins.

"Wait here." Alexis says and Avery can hear her talking to Kate in the bedroom. When she reappears, Alexis has a smile on her face. "Kate says you can wear a little makeup tonight."

Avery's smile grows and she sits patiently while Alexis gives her a little blush and lipstick.

"Thanks, Lex." Avery whispers as she stares at herself in the mirror.

Alexis hugs her tightly. "You're welcome. Now go get dressed so we can leave."

Avery slides off the counter and scampers back through the bedroom where Kate stops her.

"I brought your dress down here. That way we can surprise the boys."

Kate helps Avery into her tights and dress and zips it up behind her daughter and ties the sash. When she's done, Avery slips her shoes on and gives her dress an experimental twirl.

"You look lovely, Avery." Kate says with a smile.

"You so pretty, Mama." Avery whispers as she watches her mother put in a pair of earrings. Alexis steps out of the bathroom with her hair done, and Avery gasps.

"Lex. You so pretty too!"

Alexis smiles at her sister. "We're all gorgeous tonight."

"Come on, ladies." Kate says as she steps into her heels. "Let's go see what the boys think."

Avery takes hold of her mother's hand and follows her into the living room.

"Castle, Evan, we're leaving." Kate says as they make their way to the front door.

"Wow, you ladies look beautiful." Castle says as he comes to give Kate a kiss.

"Daddy, my dress spins." Avery tells him as she shows off her spinny dress.

Castle leans down and scoops her up. "It does, and it's so beautiful."

He sets her down and lets Kate help Avery slide into her coat. Avery sees her brother peering at her from next to their father and smiles at him. "Bye, Evan!"

"Bye." Evan says as he waves. "Have fun."

"We'll see you boys later." Kate says after she kisses her son. "Behave." She adds to Castle as she steps out of the loft behind Alexis and Avery.

"Mama, I gotta be the Sugar Plum Fairy, I just gotta." Avery insists as they walk down the hall toward the door of the loft. "She was so pretty, Mama."

Kate smiles at Avery as she takes her keys out of her purse. "She was, Avery."

"Can I be in it?"

"When you're older. I'm sure if you work hard you could audition for a part."

Avery shakes her head. "Next year, Mama. Can I be in it next year? There were other little girls."

Kate pauses before she inserts her key into the lock and turns to face her daughter. Avery hasn't stopped talking about the ballet all night, and Kate feels silly for waiting this long to take her daughter to a production by the New York City Ballet. Slowly, she sinks down so she's eye level with her daughter and takes one of her hands.

"Avery, how much do you like dancing?" Kate murmurs.

"I love it, Mama. I love it lots an' lots."

Kate nods slowly. "Would you like to take more classes next year?"

Avery sucks in a breath and nods excitedly as she squeezes her mother's hand. "Oh, Mama. I really would!"

Kate nods. "Miss. Amy and I were talking yesterday, and she thinks it would be a good idea."

"The best!" Avery exclaims. "The very bestest."

Kate smiles and leans in to kiss her daughter square on the nose. "Alright." She says as she leans back. "We'll add a couple classes for you next year, and we'll see if the Ballet hold auditions for little ballerinas for next year's Nutcracker, ok?"

Avery nods excitedly as her grip on Kate's hand tightens. "Yes, Mama. Yes yes yes!"

Kate smiles. "But you let me know if you want to stop dancing, ok? I don't want you to keep dancing if you don't like it."

"'M always gonna love it, Mama." Avery assures her as she hugs Kate tightly. "Always and forever."

Kate hooks her arms underneath Avery and stands up, pausing briefly when she sees her husband leaning against the door.

"Hey, Castle." Kate murmurs as she steps inside.

"Hi, guys. Did you like it?"

Avery nods excitedly. "So much. It was beautiful, Daddy, and Mama says I can audition next year!"

"I heard that, Avery." Castle says with a smile.

Avery looks around the loft and spots her brother on the couch. "Down." She says as she wiggles out of Kate's grasp. When her mother sets her down, Avery runs to the couch and climbs up next to her brother.

"Wanna watch more Firefly?" She asks.

Evan looks up from his book in surprise at finding her so close, but he recovers quickly and nods.

"Avery, pajamas first. And only one episode, kiddos." Castle says as he walks by on his way to the kitchen.

Avery hops down from the couch and runs up the stairs to her room while Kate comes out of the master bedroom in her own pajamas.

"Hey, Ev." Kate says as she sinks in beside her son. "Did you and Daddy have fun?"

Evan nods. "Yeah. We made pizzas and watched super heroes. Did you guys have fun?"

Kate nods as she rubs her hand up and down Evan's arm. "We did. Avery and Alexis loved it, and so did I."

"Lex went home?"

Kate nods. "Yeah, we dropped her off at her building on our way back home. But you'll be able to see her again in a couple days."

Evan smiles at his mother, but his response is cut off by Castle bringing a tray of hot chocolate to the coffee table and Avery hurrying down the stairs.

"Alright!" Castle exclaims as he meets Avery on the other side of the couch and throws her over the back to bounce next to Kate. "Family Firefly time. Everyone has hot chocolate?" Castle receives nods in response. "Then let the fun begin!"

He presses play on the remote and sinks down on the couch on Avery's other side and welcomes his little girl into his arms while Evan snuggles closer to Kate's side as the opening song plays.

"Hey, Daddy." Avery says after a few minutes. "Captain Tightpants looks a lot like you."

Kate rolls her eyes while Castle preens. "Why yes, little bug. He certainly does."