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"Mommy," James huffed as all three of them walked down the sidewalk, "I look ridiculous."

"You look adorable." Claire chuckled, fully aware her four year old was not amused playing the Star of Bethlehem for the children's church choir. Honestly, she found the idea rather bothersome when their pastor had brought it up during one of their services, but she and Francis had decided it would be good for their public standing to get more involved. When James didn't want to do it, they backed off. However, they signed her up as punishment after she had mouthed off to Francis one night when they had been arguing about a birthday party she wanted to go to.

James sighed, trying to get comfortable in the cardboard star costume. "Why couldn't I have been an angel?"

Francis grinned. "As precious as you are darling, even I can't dress you up as an angel and believe it." He waved when he saw Charles and Felicity walking from the opposite direction towards the church. "Claire, why don't you go greet them? I'll make sure James is on her best behavior."

"Play nice." Claire smirked, voicing the words to the both of them. She turned and met up with Charles and Felicity, hoping to distract them long enough for Francis to deal with James's sour attitude towards the evening.

Francis crouched down in front of James, leveling her with a stare she knew meant he wasn't kidding around. "I know you don't like this, James, but this is because you said some pretty hurtful things. Do you remember that?"

James nodded. "Yes."

"When you do things that you know aren't right, your mother and I told you that things then happen that you don't like. Like toys being taken aware, timeouts, stuff like that." Francis reminded her, knowing that he and Claire never had to have this conversation with her many times. She was relatively agreeable, so when she misbehaved and they had to punish her they took it very seriously. Whatever had led to it made them investigate just like they would with their own problems. Sometimes it was lack of information. Others, it was just their tired daughter ready to try and push her boundaries.

"I didn't mean what I said." James whispered, sniffling softly.

Francis gave her a soft smile. "I know you didn't. Now, why don't you want to do this? I know it's not just because of the costume."

"One of the older kids said I can't sing." James pouted, glancing up towards the church. "She said that I hurt her ears and that I don't deserve to be the star, because I'll embarrass everyone."

Francis resisted the urge to march into the church and start interrogating children. He remained calm for his daughter, knowing she was near tears, and that was the last thing any of them wanted. "I think she's just jealous of you. You have a beautiful voice, darling. I love your voice. You know I turn on the radio in the car just to hear you sing."

James rolled her eyes. "You have to say that because your my daddy."

"That may be true for most fathers, but have I ever lied to you?" Francis asked, taking her hands into his.

"Daddy, you told me that bald eagles deliver babies to mom's and dad's after they sing the national anthem." James giggled with a shake of her head. "Even I know that's not true, so Mommy told me the truth."

Francis frowned. "What did she tell you?"

"Daddy!" James laughed.

"Right, back to your singing. I know everyone in there will love your singing." Francis grinned, tapping her nose with his finger. "So, let's make a deal. If you get up there and be the best star you can be with a big grin on your face, I'll give you a dollar."

James crossed her arms over her cardboard chest as best she could with the costume making her arms shorter. "My price is ten."

"You drive a hard bargain." Francis mused, stroking his chin to get a chuckle out of her. "I'll give you five and we can make s'mores later when we burn the costume."

"Deal!" James grinned before shaking his hand and running towards Claire in her conversation with Charles and Felicity. "Mommy, let's go! You have to see me sing."

Claire smiled back at Francis as James grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the church doors. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm going to watch you the whole time. You'll have to sing extra loud though so I can hear you." She chuckled when they found her choir director and excused herself from Francis, Charles, and Felicity to walk James to the other kids. She squatted down behind James and pulled her into her side. "Alright, I know that girl has been bothering you. Just ignore her. She has no idea what she's talking about. I want to hear you tonight."

"Really?" James asked, turning her head to meet Claire's eyes.

Claire grinned and kissed her cheek. "More than anything. You be the best star this church has ever seen. Now, go on. I need to go track down your father and get a good seat so I can see you." She stood as James rushed over to a couple of her friends in the choir. Turning towards the pews, Claire spotted Francis and quickly joined him seated with Charles and Felicity. "Well, she's in a much better mood."

Francis draped his arm behind Claire on the back of the pew. "I guess an older girl has been telling James that her singing voice isn't up to par. She didn't say which girl it was, but I intend to find out."

"It's been going on for a while." Claire admitted, knowing that her lack of communicating the issue to Francis would be an issue for him. "I found out those few days she wasn't singing for you when you turned on the radio. I picked her up from school one day and asked her about it. She didn't tell me who the girl was, but it wasn't hard to figure out. James said she's going to take care of the problem herself."

"Who are the parents?" Francis asked, smiling at James when the choir walked past and she waved at them.

Claire winked at her daughter, blowing a kiss to her before she turned to get to her place on the altar. "It's Creed Werner's daughter."

"Creed Werner? As in the candidate for a supreme court nomination?" Francis smirked, glancing over at said man closer to the front of the church.

"One in the same." Claire hummed before the piano started playing. "Keep him off the bench."

Francis nodded once. "I'll call Doug after the service." He smiled watching his daughter and the other kids start singing 'Away in a Manger'. "Have you noticed that James tends to have a low self-esteem when it comes to the opinion of other children? She's fine with adults, even teenagers, but kids around her own age are a different story. Should we be worried?"

Claire exhaled slowly. "Considering both her parents were very worried about how they would do with their own child, I think she's okay. It's her first year of school. She hasn't been around many kids otherwise. She'll settle in."

The rest of the service was fairly normal. The kids sang a few more songs throughout mass, a few of the older ones did readings. It was rather sweet. However, James was preparing for the final song. When the director stood one last time to mouth the words to 'Joy to the World' for them, she took her parents words to heart and was ready to earn her five dollars.

Francis almost had to bury his face in Claire's shoulder to keep his laughter quiet. Claire was chuckling behind her hands as they both watched James throw her hands into the air with the music. Her animated movements were causing everyone to grin and laugh, even the pastor sitting off to the side was grinning after their four year old.

When James rushed over to the baby doll in a makeshift crib and lifted it up above her head, Francis nearly lost it. "I didn't think the director was going to make James so involved."

"Francis, I don't think this was rehearsed." Claire whispered in between laughs. Her daughter looked as if she were trying out for a part in the Lion King, but everyone was loving it, proving it when they all began clapping as the song ended and the choir director gave James a high five. When people started to stand up, she tapped Francis's shoulder. "Go get her before she tries to get through everyone to find us."

Francis smiled as he stood and started making his way through the other parents to trying to get to their kids, receiving words of praise for James's performance as he went. He managed to get to the front of the church to find James searching for a way to get to them. "James, darling, over here."

"Daddy!" James beamed as she rushed over to him with her star costume already off and folded between her arm and red dress she had picked out for tonight. "Did you watch me?"

"I did." Francis laughed as he picked her up. "I don't think there was a person in here not watching you. Everyone loved you. You did amazing." He kissed her cheek, happy to see the blush on her cheeks. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Daddy." James murmured. "I don't have to do that again though, do I?"

Francis shook his head. "No, it was just once. Although, I think your choir director is ready to ask you back for next year already. And, your mother and I are ready for another show." He glanced back to find Claire walking towards the back of the church with Felicity and Charles. "Speaking of your mother, let's go see her. I'm sure she wants to tell you how much she loved your performance." He glanced around the room as he followed the crowd out, quickly spotting Creed Werner with his wife and daughter. Stepping off to the side, he set James down on her feet. "Alright, darling, I gotta talk to someone quick, but you saw your mother right outside, right?"

James nodded. "Yes, just down the stairs with Charles and Felicity."

"Go right to your mother." Francis ordered her before kissing her forehead. He watched her sneak into the crowd, waiting until he saw her outside and in Claire's vision to turn his attention to Creed and his daughter.

Claire grinned when she saw James rush out of the church in her little red dress with flurried steps down the stairs. "Well, there you are."

"Mommy!" James grinned, turning her back to Claire when she held out her coat to help her put it on. "Did you see me? Did you see what I did?"

"I did." Claire laughed as she buttoned up the front of James's coat. "You were marvelous, my little star. The whole church was captivated by you."

"It's very true." Felicity agreed. "Charles isn't usually a fan of child performances, but we both couldn't get enough of you up there. You must be a really big fan of Christmas. Santa will treat you well this year."

Claire winked at James before picking her up. "That he will. Where is your father?"

"He said he had to talk to someone." James stated, glancing back up towards the church. "I think it had something to do with work."

"Of course, he did." Claire chuckled softly, brushing back James's curls before turning back to Charles and Felicity. "I'll let you guys know about dinner."

"And, I'll let you know about the benefit." Felicity returned before taking Charles's arm as they walked away. "Thanks, Claire."

Claire smiled after them before kissing James's forehead. "Who is my favorite girl in the world?"

James grinned. "Me!"

"Yes, you." Claire chuckled. "Honey, you did so good tonight. You made me so proud. You had everyone in stitches; they loved you so much." She nuzzled her nose against James's when she blushed. "Did you have fun tonight?"

James nodded. "It was funny when the song ended. I turned and that girl was so mad because the director said I was brilliant." She shivered in Claire's arms. "It's cold out here. Do you think Daddy will be long?"

Claire let James snuggle against her neck to try and keep warm. "I think he'll only be a couple minutes." She rolled her eyes when she saw Francis already heading their way with a satisfied smirk on his face. "There he is." She muttered to James before Francis joined them on the sidewalk. "Feel better?"

"Much." Francis grinned before taking out his wallet and snatching a five dollar bill. He held it out to James. "Good job, darling."

Claire gaped as James thanked Francis. "You bribed her?"

"You told her babies don't arrive by bald eagle." Francis called her out, bothered when she and their daughter giggled. "Claire, she's four."

Claire laughed as they started for the car. "Yes, but she's also ours. I'm not letting her think a bald eagle is eagle shows up with children. It's already a far fetched idea with people mentioning storks. I can't imagine what her teacher would think if James had told her eagles deliver them." She let Francis open up the back door so she could help James inside. "What else did your father promise you?"

James smiled as she settled into her seat and let Claire buckle her in. "Daddy said we can make s'mores when we throw my costume in the fire."

"That five dollars is about to become zero." Francis joked as he climbed into the driver's seat and turned to give a playful glare to his daughter.

James folded the five dollar bill and slipped it inside of her dress, earning a laugh from Claire. "You paid for smiles, Daddy, not silence."

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