case #003 ☕ [dicated]/[action]

[themuse]

[If anyone walks into the kitchen, they will spot an unfamiliar teenager rifling through the kitchen cabinets. A coffee craft sits next to the sink filled with water, and the young brunette manages to knock a bag of coffee out of one of the cabinets, powdering it all across the counter.]

Oh crap.

[Her journal is open on the counter next to her, recording every frustrated grunt and mumble. Although residents of the castle might not recognize her, Kate Beckett is no stranger to the castle at all - even though she remembers it as a confused seventeen year old and not as a grown adult.]

Ugh, is there anyone around here that knows how to work the freaking coffee machine? I cannot do today without some caffeine.

[As it happens, even as a teenager, Kate still can't make a decent cup of coffee. She also happens to be experiencing her first temporary loss.]

Comments

[themuse]

I don't know how you don't worry about it. Personally, I'm pretty disturbed by someone weasel into my mind and stealing my memories.

[ That had to be the only option, since it was something she hadn't noticed yet. If she lost a memory, she wouldn't remember forgetting it. ]

[thebestseller]

I guess it's because I'm used to the idea. ... not that that makes it any less disturbing, I know. I don't like it, either, believe me.

[themuse]

I just wish there was a way to figure out what it was. My memories make me who I am, I don't like thinking that I'm missing a part of myself. I just... Have no idea what it is. I remember school, and all of my friends, and my mom and my dad. What else is there?

[thebestseller]

Not much else, right? Maybe it's not your memories... it's supposed to be something important to you, so it could be like my inability to drink coffee. Something tangible, just not your memories.

[themuse]

But wouldn't I have noticed by now if I couldn't eat or drink or so something I'm used to doing? I guess, unless it's something I don't do very often, but that would seem to defeat the purpose of... whatever the castle is trying do.

[ She's still not sure what that is, anyway. ]

[thebestseller]

Mmmm, you have a good point there. [He smiles at her as the coffee begins to brew.]

You'll figure it out. When you least expect it, the answer will come to you.

[themuse]

It's too bad I don't have anyone from home. If I did, they might be able to tell me what I'm missing.

[thebestseller]

[Castle pulls out a mug for her, dearly wishing he could tell the truth.

No use in letting her know it, though.]

Yeah, that really sucks. If it helps, at least time freezes back home, so whenever you do make it back, you'll just pick up and carry on as you were.

[themuse]

That's something. I can't even imagine how much my parents would flip otherwise. My dad would have a breakdown and my mom... I probably would never hear the end of it.

[thebestseller]

Yeah... [Castle feels a little drop in his stomach at that. At least her road wouldn't have been made any harder than it already was...]

So, try and enjoy things as best you can, huh? That's always been my philosophy here- in the meantime, there's coffee and adventure.

[themuse]

I guess that's true. Thanks for helping me with the coffee, Mr. Castle.

[thebestseller]

Any time. [He offered a fist for a fistbump.]

[themuse]

[ Kate fist-bumped him right back, offering him a dazzling smile as she did so. ]

[thebestseller]

You know, I can stay and have some tea with you if you'll have me.

[themuse]

[ She laughs, a little shyly and flirtatiously. ]

Sure. I can definitely make you tea.

[thebestseller]

It would be a pleasure.

[themuse]

[ She starts on the tea, letting him handle the coffee situation. ]

So Alexis says you are a writer back home? That must be a cool job.

[thebestseller]

[He nods, greedily inhaling the smell of the coffee, since he knows he can't actually have it.]

Telling stories has been my passion ever since I was a little kid. My teachers didn't much appreciate my imagination sometimes, though.

[themuse]

I'll bet. [ Kate finished up his tea and pushed it across the counter top towards him. ] My mom loves to read. Her favorite author is... Uh... I'm totally blanking on his name. [ She shrugged. ] She mostly reads murder mysteries, anyway.

[thebestseller]

Thanks, sweetie. [Castle blew on the cup to cool it.] Well, she has fine tastes, no matter who she reads. Of course, I'd say the same for any genre.

[themuse]

[ She might have blushed a little when he called her sweetie. What? He was cute. ] I agree. I've been reading more economics than anything else lately but, I like mom's books, too.

[thebestseller]

Nothing wrong with that, I say. Some people find my books to be terrible, so who am I to judge what anyone reads? The fact that they do is the best part.