Kate's heels click against the pavement as she hurries up Broadway, pulling her work bag farther onto her shoulder as she maneuvers past the family consulting their map. The chill in the air hits her when she stops at the crosswalk and she pulls her jacket tighter around her chest, anxiously looking both ways before running across the street.

The lights of the theatre are warm when she steps under the marquee, and she's about to grab her cell phone when she hears the yell.

"Mommy!"

A blur of blue sparkles barrels into her legs, nearly knocking her over, and she lets out an oof as she steadies herself, resting a hand on the tiny head of hair pressed into her thighs.

"You made it!" A happy, familiar smile beams up at her, hands still clutching the backs of her legs. "No bad guys tonight?"

"Your uncles are taking care of the bad guys tonight," she says, disentangling herself and kneeling down in front of the five-year-old. "And look at you, all dressed up. Where did you get the crown?"

The tiny grin grows wider as she reaches up to finger the rhinestones atop her head. "Daddy bought it for me inside!"

"Of course he did," Kate murmurs, standing up as she sees Castle approaching. "Some nice bling here."

"I can get you one too, if you want." His grin is a perfect replica of his daughter's, the same twinkling blue eyes excited to see her.

"Stop," she rolls her eyes even as she leans in to kiss him hello. "Do you have the tickets already?"

"Got 'em." He pats his pocket. "Shall we?"

Their daughter takes the hand Castle offers her and she stretches out the other to Kate as they walk towards the entrance of the theatre, the lights getting brighter and brighter as they approach the door.


She startles awake in bed, one hand unconsciously clutching her stomach and she feels Castle shift next to her, sleepily knocking an arm against her as he reaches out.

"Beckett?" His voice is groggy. "You okay?"

"Fine," she answers, yanking her hand off her belly as if it was burning. She feels her face flush, glad for the darkness in the room as Castle rolls over to face her, eyes blinking into the glow of the alarm clock.

"Cinderella didn't give you nightmares, did it?" His hand comes to curl at her hip, nudging her towards him. "Dreaming about chasing a perp in glass slippers?"

She buries her face into his pillow and groans, tangling one leg with his as she stretches and relaxes into him. "Something like that."

"Just don't tell Mother you had bad dreams about musical theatre," he yawns, the hand rubbing circles on her back starting to slow as she feels him drifting back to sleep.

The sound of his even breathing is a lullaby, his hand on her back a heavy weight anchoring her to him as she closes her own eyes and gives in to the vision of a miniature curly-haired brunette coming out of a twirl, sparkly dress mushrooming up as she dizzily laughs and straightens her princess crown, reaching out a hand.