[Fic] Notes and Murder - Chapter 5: Note III: Moscow (whitecollar_bb, WC/Castle)
Title: Notes and Murder
Chapter Title: Note III: Moscow (December 2011)
Rating: PG-13
Overall Word Count: 17,397
Chapter Word Count: 1,074
Summary: When Peter's card shows up in a dead woman's pocket, two amazing forces come together to find the murderer.
Author's Note: I do not own White Collar, Castle, or any of the characters from the various fandoms that appear. Emmanuel Gray is of my own creation.
Thank Yous: A big thank you to sirwynai for being my beta, cheerleader, and listening to all of my insanity. A big special thank you to slysionnachnano for cheerleading in the final hours of getting this done!
There was a slight knock at Neal's door which woke Neal up out of the day dream he was having in front of a canvas. He went over and opened the door to Cindy before moving to let her in the room. "How are you doing?" He asked as he moved his paints and brushes off the table so she could set down what she was carrying.
"Insane," Cindy replied. "I think it mostly has to do with the Christmas shopping. If I could get away without doing it, I'd love this time of year."
"Amazon usually works for other people," Neal pointed out as he turned to see a present and a postcard on the table for him. There was also a plate of cookies and milk, but he kind of ignored them for a moment before picking up one of the gingerbread to bite off the head. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Cindy said. "Grandma says that you're not spending Christmas up here with Mozzie. Both of you are to come to dinner or she'll drag you down there herself."
"I'll pass on the message," Neal said with a grin as he thought about June doing that. "We'll see you then." He showed her out of the room before turning to look at the package. He knew that he should probably call Peter to see if there was a bomb, but part of him wanted to. It was that part that hadn't really settled down since Kate died and was wishing that something would happen. That part of himself was getting smaller and smaller though. He picked up the cell phone and dialed Peter.
"Hello?" Peter answered on the other side of the phone.
"So, I got a package," Neal said.
"Neal, it's Christmas. That usually happens," Peter replied.
"It's from Alex," Neal said.
"I'll be right there. Have Mozzie bring over - well, whatever he is that he can bring to look at it," Peter said.
"You can't?" Neal asked.
"Not today," Peter said. "Also, then you'd have to give up anything inside of it."
"I like Christmas around you," Neal said.
"Speaking of that," Peter said, "El wants you to come over for Christmas breakfast and opening of things."
"That sounds cozy," Neal said. Internally, he was dancing as he didn't have to ask if he could come over. He was just invited.
"Feel free to bring Mozzie and Sara," Peter said. "Saves me having to give them their presents."
"Didn't know that you were a shopper," Neal quipped.
"This is all El's doing," Peter said. "I'll be there in a few. Call Mozzie."
"Yes dad," Neal said as he hung up on Peter and then called Mozzie. He didn't have to give a long explanation before he was done with that phone call too. He sighed and put away his art supplies, moving the blank canvas back into an empty spot in the room. He still wasn't sure what exactly he wanted on the blank wall, but it would come to him sooner or later. He wiped down the table before getting out foods and wine glasses. "It's open!" He called as he heard the first knock.
"So, why did Alex send you something?" Mozzie asked as he came into the room with some odd looking gadgets.
"Peter thinks it has something to do with the Christmas season," Neal replied.
"You mean the holiday of spending?" Mozzie asked. "Where everything comes from a store and not from the heart?"
"El can always take back your present," Peter said as he came into the room.
"No, that's alright," Mozzie said. "Don't want to put out Mrs. Suit."
Neal smiled. "Drink?" He asked.
"Sure," Peter said and took the beer that was offered to him a moment later. "Did Neal tell you that you're invited to Christmas breakfast?"
"No," Mozzie said as he fiddled with looking into the box.
"He's been here all of a moment," Neal explained.
"Oh," Peter said as he took a sip. "Are you expecting someone?" He asked with a nod towards the food that was out.
"No," Neal said. "I just thought that it would be nice to have food out in case someone was hungry."
"Well, there's nothing in there that shouldn't be," Mozzie said. "They're very nice nesting dolls."
"Moz, I wanted to know after I opened it," Neal said with a grin and opened the present.
"You don't read the card first?" Peter asked.
"Nope," Neal said with a grin as he looked over the gift. "Odd coming from Alex, but I still like them."
"Neal," Peter said.
"Alright, I'll read the card already," Neal said as he took it from Peter. He opened the envelope and pulled out the post card from Moscow. "Odd that she put it inside an envelope." He read it out loud.
Merry Christmas! I thought that you would like something from Russia - we had such fun times here. Don't forget to open the smallest one. Love, Alex.
Neal moved and opened the dolls, getting to the smallest one quickly. He opened it carefully and smiled. "Oh Alex - always remembering," he said as he showed the necklace that was inside.
"Usually isn't it the other way around with jewelry?" Peter asked.
"It was mom's," Neal said. "I gave it to her a while ago. We can use it to close a case. There was an open one a few months ago with this necklace in it."
"Hrm," Peter said as he gently took the necklace and looked it over. "I think it's a reproduction. It's not as heavy as the real one would be. Wouldn't you agree, Mozzie?" He asked and handed the necklace to Mozzie.
Mozzie felt it and looked at the stones. "Well - " it took a pointed look from Peter for Mozzie to fully understand. "Oh. Yes, just a reproduction. I didn't think there's a way for your mom to have the real thing."
"Sara would probably love it," Peter suggested.
"She would," Neal said. He gently put the necklace back in the doll as Peter and Mozzie started talking about something. He put the dolls back together into one big nesting doll before finding a place for it and then grabbing a glass of wine. He felt like drinking tonight and decided the best thing was to let Peter and Moz do all the talking. Well, arguing. Sometimes, it all sounded the same.
Chapter Title: Note III: Moscow (December 2011)
Rating: PG-13
Overall Word Count: 17,397
Chapter Word Count: 1,074
Summary: When Peter's card shows up in a dead woman's pocket, two amazing forces come together to find the murderer.
Author's Note: I do not own White Collar, Castle, or any of the characters from the various fandoms that appear. Emmanuel Gray is of my own creation.
Thank Yous: A big thank you to sirwynai for being my beta, cheerleader, and listening to all of my insanity. A big special thank you to slysionnachnano for cheerleading in the final hours of getting this done!
There was a slight knock at Neal's door which woke Neal up out of the day dream he was having in front of a canvas. He went over and opened the door to Cindy before moving to let her in the room. "How are you doing?" He asked as he moved his paints and brushes off the table so she could set down what she was carrying.
"Insane," Cindy replied. "I think it mostly has to do with the Christmas shopping. If I could get away without doing it, I'd love this time of year."
"Amazon usually works for other people," Neal pointed out as he turned to see a present and a postcard on the table for him. There was also a plate of cookies and milk, but he kind of ignored them for a moment before picking up one of the gingerbread to bite off the head. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Cindy said. "Grandma says that you're not spending Christmas up here with Mozzie. Both of you are to come to dinner or she'll drag you down there herself."
"I'll pass on the message," Neal said with a grin as he thought about June doing that. "We'll see you then." He showed her out of the room before turning to look at the package. He knew that he should probably call Peter to see if there was a bomb, but part of him wanted to. It was that part that hadn't really settled down since Kate died and was wishing that something would happen. That part of himself was getting smaller and smaller though. He picked up the cell phone and dialed Peter.
"Hello?" Peter answered on the other side of the phone.
"So, I got a package," Neal said.
"Neal, it's Christmas. That usually happens," Peter replied.
"It's from Alex," Neal said.
"I'll be right there. Have Mozzie bring over - well, whatever he is that he can bring to look at it," Peter said.
"You can't?" Neal asked.
"Not today," Peter said. "Also, then you'd have to give up anything inside of it."
"I like Christmas around you," Neal said.
"Speaking of that," Peter said, "El wants you to come over for Christmas breakfast and opening of things."
"That sounds cozy," Neal said. Internally, he was dancing as he didn't have to ask if he could come over. He was just invited.
"Feel free to bring Mozzie and Sara," Peter said. "Saves me having to give them their presents."
"Didn't know that you were a shopper," Neal quipped.
"This is all El's doing," Peter said. "I'll be there in a few. Call Mozzie."
"Yes dad," Neal said as he hung up on Peter and then called Mozzie. He didn't have to give a long explanation before he was done with that phone call too. He sighed and put away his art supplies, moving the blank canvas back into an empty spot in the room. He still wasn't sure what exactly he wanted on the blank wall, but it would come to him sooner or later. He wiped down the table before getting out foods and wine glasses. "It's open!" He called as he heard the first knock.
"So, why did Alex send you something?" Mozzie asked as he came into the room with some odd looking gadgets.
"Peter thinks it has something to do with the Christmas season," Neal replied.
"You mean the holiday of spending?" Mozzie asked. "Where everything comes from a store and not from the heart?"
"El can always take back your present," Peter said as he came into the room.
"No, that's alright," Mozzie said. "Don't want to put out Mrs. Suit."
Neal smiled. "Drink?" He asked.
"Sure," Peter said and took the beer that was offered to him a moment later. "Did Neal tell you that you're invited to Christmas breakfast?"
"No," Mozzie said as he fiddled with looking into the box.
"He's been here all of a moment," Neal explained.
"Oh," Peter said as he took a sip. "Are you expecting someone?" He asked with a nod towards the food that was out.
"No," Neal said. "I just thought that it would be nice to have food out in case someone was hungry."
"Well, there's nothing in there that shouldn't be," Mozzie said. "They're very nice nesting dolls."
"Moz, I wanted to know after I opened it," Neal said with a grin and opened the present.
"You don't read the card first?" Peter asked.
"Nope," Neal said with a grin as he looked over the gift. "Odd coming from Alex, but I still like them."
"Neal," Peter said.
"Alright, I'll read the card already," Neal said as he took it from Peter. He opened the envelope and pulled out the post card from Moscow. "Odd that she put it inside an envelope." He read it out loud.
Merry Christmas! I thought that you would like something from Russia - we had such fun times here. Don't forget to open the smallest one. Love, Alex.
Neal moved and opened the dolls, getting to the smallest one quickly. He opened it carefully and smiled. "Oh Alex - always remembering," he said as he showed the necklace that was inside.
"Usually isn't it the other way around with jewelry?" Peter asked.
"It was mom's," Neal said. "I gave it to her a while ago. We can use it to close a case. There was an open one a few months ago with this necklace in it."
"Hrm," Peter said as he gently took the necklace and looked it over. "I think it's a reproduction. It's not as heavy as the real one would be. Wouldn't you agree, Mozzie?" He asked and handed the necklace to Mozzie.
Mozzie felt it and looked at the stones. "Well - " it took a pointed look from Peter for Mozzie to fully understand. "Oh. Yes, just a reproduction. I didn't think there's a way for your mom to have the real thing."
"Sara would probably love it," Peter suggested.
"She would," Neal said. He gently put the necklace back in the doll as Peter and Mozzie started talking about something. He put the dolls back together into one big nesting doll before finding a place for it and then grabbing a glass of wine. He felt like drinking tonight and decided the best thing was to let Peter and Moz do all the talking. Well, arguing. Sometimes, it all sounded the same.