[Fic] Notes and Murder - Chapter 1: Note I: Paris (whitecollar_bb, WC/Castle)
Title: Notes and Murder
Chapter Title: Note I: Paris (October 2011)
Rating: PG-13
Overall Word Count: 17,397
Chapter Word Count: 1,161
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!
Neal was on a bit of a high when he came back home that Sunday evening. He, along with Sara and Peter, caught the subject of their latest case, sent the things stolen back to their proper owners, and then had a wonderful dinner with his family. He walked a bit back from Peter's home, being dropped off in his radius, and stopped to look at rings in one of the shop windows. He had gone in to get information more than anything else but, in the back of his mind, he knew that Sara might turn him down more than anything else. He put his coat and hat away in the closet before turning and seeing that he had mail.
When he got mail, June put out one of Byron's hats that he didn't wear and put the mail in there. It was a way that the landlord and tenant passed notes to each other as well when there wasn't time to talk. Mozzie had started to use the system as well, which was easier than having to hunt in the apartment for the note that had been slipped under the door and then blown further away from the door by any sort of breeze. He smiled as he saw Mozzie's usual note, something from June, but the smile slipped as he saw a post card. The only one who would send a postcard would usually be Keller. He sighed and picked it up, moving it to look at it first. He smiled as he saw the Eiffel Tower and then turned it over. He raised an eyebrow as he saw that it was in Alex's handwriting. He knew that this was the first time that Alex had ever contacted him in this way. He turned as he heard the door open and looked to Mozzie. "You gave her the address?"
"Yes," Mozzie said. "She wanted to reach out to you. Didn't say why."
"It's not a bad thing," Neal said as he picked up the rest of the mail. He gently put the hat back in its rightful place before going up the stairs with Mozzie following. He waited until they got into the apartment before saying anything else. "Is she alright?"
"She didn't sound like anything was wrong," Mozzie said as he went over to open one of the wines and get a couple glasses. "We talked about the usual things, she gave standard answers - there wasn't any sort of code."
"I'm surprised; usually you have one," Neal said with a smile as he sat down in a chair at the table. He put the other pieces of mail to the side as he flipped over the postcard and read:
Dear Neal (and Mozzie) ~ Paris is lovely. I do wish that both of you could be here to enjoy it.
Mozzie interjected a sigh. "So do I. Paris is lovely this time of year."
"Paris is always lovely, even if you have to stay inside," Neal pointed out before reading the rest.
Nothing earth shattering to really report. Just thought I would rub your nose in the fact that I'm here. Send something back to the P.O. box listed. I'll get it no matter where I am.
~ Alex.
"So she's opening a line," Mozzie said.
"Think I should trust it?" Neal asked.
"Yes," Mozzie said. "You're going to have to do something when that comes off," he said as he motioned to the anklet. It doesn't hurt to keep all lines of communication open."
"I know," Neal said quietly. He hadn't told Mozzie that his thoughts of what to do when the anklet came off was to follow in Peter's footsteps and become a Suit. If only because he didn't want to go twenty rounds about why the FBI and all sort of government agencies were bad and meant to kill instead of help society. The last time that happened it went for four hours and a week of not talking to his best friend - and possibly only true friend - in the world. "Before I forget, El wants you to come over and sweep her new office space. She said that she'd pay you with lunch out to . Or another place if you like somewhere else better."
"She doesn't need to pay me, but I'll take her up on the offer," Mozzie said.
"Good, because Peter wrinkled his nose at the thought of going to the place," Neal said. "So it seems she can't get there a lot."
"Well, the Suit like simple things. Not a bad thing, but not a good thing," Mozzie said. "It's a wonder that you two share the same genes."
"Only half," Neal pointed out. "And I had a wonderful tutor."
"You're welcome," Mozzie said. "How are things going with Sara?"
"Good enough," Neal said and drank a bit of the wine. "I stopped and looked on the way home tonight."
"Small place. Do you need to get the rust off of your pipes?" Mozzie asked.
"No," Neal said. "I went in there looking to buy something, Moz."
"...You're joking," Mozzie said.
"Nope," Neal said.
"Well - " Mozzie said, wondering how to bring up that, the last time he decided to settle down with someone, Neal got caught and then the person died.
"I know," Neal said. "But she's not Kate."
"You wouldn't be able to leave here then," Mozzie said. "Are you thinking of staying?"
"I might be," Neal said. "Maybe I'm done, Moz. Or I could do small things around here."
"There's no reason to retire though," Mozzie pointed out.
"You just don't want to," Neal said with a smile. "You're ready to go."
"Yes and I want you to come with me," Mozzie pointed out. "But, your life is your own."
"Thanks Moz," Neal said as he thought about that. "Even though it would be nice to go to Paris and see the Regent."
"Group tour then," Mozzie said.
"With us two already booked on it," Neal said and sighed. "Moz, what am I thinking? And what would Peter think?"
"A leopard cannot change his spots. Jeremiah 13:23," Mozzie replied. "And I doubt the Suit would be surprised. You've run before."
"Never got anywhere, really," Neal retorted before changing the subject. "You started to read the bible again. Which version this time?"
"King James," Mozzie said. "I think it's the only version I haven't read yet."
"Right," Neal said as he got up and went to get some stationary.
"You're replying?" Mozzie asked.
"I figure that you're right," Neal said. "Also, it would be rude not to."
Mozzie chuckled before taking the postcard and looking over it. "Hopefully she won't get to the Regent before we do," he said as he started to talk to Neal about other things. He accepted Neal's replies before moving over to the couch with a book and letting Neal finish the note back in peace.
Chapter Title: Note I: Paris (October 2011)
Rating: PG-13
Overall Word Count: 17,397
Chapter Word Count: 1,161
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!
Neal was on a bit of a high when he came back home that Sunday evening. He, along with Sara and Peter, caught the subject of their latest case, sent the things stolen back to their proper owners, and then had a wonderful dinner with his family. He walked a bit back from Peter's home, being dropped off in his radius, and stopped to look at rings in one of the shop windows. He had gone in to get information more than anything else but, in the back of his mind, he knew that Sara might turn him down more than anything else. He put his coat and hat away in the closet before turning and seeing that he had mail.
When he got mail, June put out one of Byron's hats that he didn't wear and put the mail in there. It was a way that the landlord and tenant passed notes to each other as well when there wasn't time to talk. Mozzie had started to use the system as well, which was easier than having to hunt in the apartment for the note that had been slipped under the door and then blown further away from the door by any sort of breeze. He smiled as he saw Mozzie's usual note, something from June, but the smile slipped as he saw a post card. The only one who would send a postcard would usually be Keller. He sighed and picked it up, moving it to look at it first. He smiled as he saw the Eiffel Tower and then turned it over. He raised an eyebrow as he saw that it was in Alex's handwriting. He knew that this was the first time that Alex had ever contacted him in this way. He turned as he heard the door open and looked to Mozzie. "You gave her the address?"
"Yes," Mozzie said. "She wanted to reach out to you. Didn't say why."
"It's not a bad thing," Neal said as he picked up the rest of the mail. He gently put the hat back in its rightful place before going up the stairs with Mozzie following. He waited until they got into the apartment before saying anything else. "Is she alright?"
"She didn't sound like anything was wrong," Mozzie said as he went over to open one of the wines and get a couple glasses. "We talked about the usual things, she gave standard answers - there wasn't any sort of code."
"I'm surprised; usually you have one," Neal said with a smile as he sat down in a chair at the table. He put the other pieces of mail to the side as he flipped over the postcard and read:
Dear Neal (and Mozzie) ~ Paris is lovely. I do wish that both of you could be here to enjoy it.
Mozzie interjected a sigh. "So do I. Paris is lovely this time of year."
"Paris is always lovely, even if you have to stay inside," Neal pointed out before reading the rest.
Nothing earth shattering to really report. Just thought I would rub your nose in the fact that I'm here. Send something back to the P.O. box listed. I'll get it no matter where I am.
~ Alex.
"So she's opening a line," Mozzie said.
"Think I should trust it?" Neal asked.
"Yes," Mozzie said. "You're going to have to do something when that comes off," he said as he motioned to the anklet. It doesn't hurt to keep all lines of communication open."
"I know," Neal said quietly. He hadn't told Mozzie that his thoughts of what to do when the anklet came off was to follow in Peter's footsteps and become a Suit. If only because he didn't want to go twenty rounds about why the FBI and all sort of government agencies were bad and meant to kill instead of help society. The last time that happened it went for four hours and a week of not talking to his best friend - and possibly only true friend - in the world. "Before I forget, El wants you to come over and sweep her new office space. She said that she'd pay you with lunch out to . Or another place if you like somewhere else better."
"She doesn't need to pay me, but I'll take her up on the offer," Mozzie said.
"Good, because Peter wrinkled his nose at the thought of going to the place," Neal said. "So it seems she can't get there a lot."
"Well, the Suit like simple things. Not a bad thing, but not a good thing," Mozzie said. "It's a wonder that you two share the same genes."
"Only half," Neal pointed out. "And I had a wonderful tutor."
"You're welcome," Mozzie said. "How are things going with Sara?"
"Good enough," Neal said and drank a bit of the wine. "I stopped and looked on the way home tonight."
"Small place. Do you need to get the rust off of your pipes?" Mozzie asked.
"No," Neal said. "I went in there looking to buy something, Moz."
"...You're joking," Mozzie said.
"Nope," Neal said.
"Well - " Mozzie said, wondering how to bring up that, the last time he decided to settle down with someone, Neal got caught and then the person died.
"I know," Neal said. "But she's not Kate."
"You wouldn't be able to leave here then," Mozzie said. "Are you thinking of staying?"
"I might be," Neal said. "Maybe I'm done, Moz. Or I could do small things around here."
"There's no reason to retire though," Mozzie pointed out.
"You just don't want to," Neal said with a smile. "You're ready to go."
"Yes and I want you to come with me," Mozzie pointed out. "But, your life is your own."
"Thanks Moz," Neal said as he thought about that. "Even though it would be nice to go to Paris and see the Regent."
"Group tour then," Mozzie said.
"With us two already booked on it," Neal said and sighed. "Moz, what am I thinking? And what would Peter think?"
"A leopard cannot change his spots. Jeremiah 13:23," Mozzie replied. "And I doubt the Suit would be surprised. You've run before."
"Never got anywhere, really," Neal retorted before changing the subject. "You started to read the bible again. Which version this time?"
"King James," Mozzie said. "I think it's the only version I haven't read yet."
"Right," Neal said as he got up and went to get some stationary.
"You're replying?" Mozzie asked.
"I figure that you're right," Neal said. "Also, it would be rude not to."
Mozzie chuckled before taking the postcard and looking over it. "Hopefully she won't get to the Regent before we do," he said as he started to talk to Neal about other things. He accepted Neal's replies before moving over to the couch with a book and letting Neal finish the note back in peace.