(Untitled)

[abandonedpie]

The facts were these. Two days ago a dead body had been discovered on the island by one Charlotte Charles and the Piemaker, Ned. This had been the second such occurrence (the body, not who had found it) and its discovery had led to widespread consternation, possibly even panic on the Island of Tabula Rasa. These events alone would not have upset

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[yo_babe]

There's things Babe's gettin' used to: pissin' in a toilet, shaving with warm water, pillows, eating...

There's a dog in the kitchen and a woman rambling to herself. Hell, Babe's seen worse, just look at ole Buck. Thing is, it always worries him when people talk to themselves, but he walks into the kitchen anyway 'cause it smells damn good. Not that he expects it's for the whole island or anything, but that's just another thing he's gotta get used to. He doesn't know how to greet someone who talks to herself, so he goes with, "Mornin'."

[abandonedpie]

Talking to herself was nothing unusual for Olive Snook, though if pressed she would have said emphatically that she was in fact talking to Digby. "Good Morning."

Sweeping up the coffee to hide any consternation from her interrupted thoughts, she smiled, offering the pot up, "Can I get you some coffee?" Olive found that everyone liked coffee, except the British, and a fresh pot of it was a waitress's best friend.

[yo_babe]

Coffee? They have coffee on Island Mystery. Babe wills himself not to shiver just thinkin' about how good coffee would've been in Bastogne. He's also really tryin' to look at the woman's face and not any lower. Her smile's nice, so he concentrates on that instead.

"Yeah," he nods. "Yeah, coffee sounds great." Perfect, in fact. "Need any help with all this?" he asks, grabbing a mug for himself.

[abandonedpie]

"No, you just sit yourself down," Olive Snook poured a mug full, setting it down on the table near the milk and sugar. "It might be just me and Digby, but we'll manage fine. I'm Olive," she held out her hand, glancing back at the dog on the floor, "And that's Digby, in case you were wondering."

[yo_babe]

Sitting down while someone else does all the work ain't how Babe was raised, but he knows when a woman tells you to do somethin', you best do it. So, he sits with a restless leg that's bouncin' up and down. He doesn't touch the sugar and milk and he watches Olive from the brim of his mug as he drinks, the hot fluid burning his tongue. He brings the mug down again to blow at the liquid then glances over at the dog.

"Nice to meet you, Olive and Digby," he says. "You can call me Babe." He takes her hand in one of his coffee-warmed ones. Anyone who's smooth knows to kiss a woman's knuckles, but Babe shakes it, smilin' in spite of himself. "Where ya from?"

[abandonedpie]

The kitchen is not the Pie Hole, a fact that Olive finds herself regretting from time to time. But on these Saturday mornings, when it is Chuck, Ned and Olive at work, it seems a little bit like the home they left behind. Which is why even this week, with the Piemaker and his love absent, Olive finds herself trying to waitress; making this kitchen a little piece of home in any way she can.

"Nowhere in particular, though I was visiting friends in Couers d'Couers right before I came here." it's an easier answer than to say that she's moved around a great deal, at least she thinks so. "Babe. Where're you from then?"

[yo_babe]

Couer d'who? Babe's never heard of that, but it sounds like one of them places he's been overseas, even though he can tell she ain't from overseas.

"South Philadelphia," he replies, dropping his hand to scrub his fingers at Digby's fur, just idly. "He yours?" He can assume the dog is, but he knows what assuming does so he asks since it's at least somethin' that ain't awkward silence.

[abandonedpie]

Olive nodded then paused. Who Digby belonged to was something that was never in debate in her mind, no matter how much time the dog spent in her company. "He belong to a friend," she said fondly, after a moment. "The one who normally would be cooking now. We just spend a lot of time together. I make sure he gets touched enough."

[fourforone]

I'm still tipsy, I think. Fuck, drunk is probably a better word, tipsy's for the girls who drink too much beer and wind up giggling with their legs in the air when they fall off their stools. Anyway, the point is when I wake up and find Babe at breakfast, I'm clapping a palm on his arm warmly, the scent of alcohol on me good and strong. "Heffron," I greet in a boom of a warm voice. "Enjoying the native hospitality, are we?"

[yo_babe]

Babe almost spills his coffee as he hadn't been expecting Buck's hand to clap him on the shoulder. His nose wrinkles. Is that alcohol he smells? Well, since Buck's callin' him Heffron and all...

"Yeah," he answers. "Got some eggs. Yaknow, we could make ya some, Buck. Real runny-like."

[fourforone]

I settle in opposite him lazing all over the chair like I'm bound to morph right into it, absorb it up and I'm feeling real fine. "I came for coffee, actually," I say aloud, looking him up and down with a grin. "Y'like those real runny-like eggs, Babe? Hell, I can cook those up for ya, seeing as it's about the only thing outside pasta I can do."

[yo_babe]

It's habit that keeps Babe's fingers wrapped around his coffee mug like someone's gonna come by and steal it. He watches Buck plant himself in that chair and finally lets go of the mug, cocking a brow at the man.

"You'd do that for me, Buck? You're so sweet, ya make sugar taste just like salt," he teases. "Looks like ya had breakfast already, huh?" It ain't a judgment, just an observation.

[fourforone]

I'm grinning away like I'm just that goddamned nice, indeed. "That's what the ladies tell me, Babe," I assure, still slightly coordinated. "Well, seeing as I haven't been to sleep yet, I'd say I ate my dinner, but you say tomato, I say fuck it all," I say with a broad laugh. "How's things, Babe? Runny-eggs and coffee tiding you over?"

[yo_babe]

That's a loaded question. Babe's not gonna go off on how he really is 'cause he doesn't want Buck to go Crazy Joe McCloskey on him again, so he shrugs up one shoulder and lowers the mug from his lips.

"Got air in my lungs, Buck," he decides to go with. He misses Wild Bill - hell, he misses a lot of things - his family, his home...

"What about you?" he asks. "Ya got anymore of that dinner ya wanna trade for a mug of this delicious coffee?" Delicious, sobering coffee.

[fourforone]

"Well, Babe, I'd tell ya, but then I'd have to kill you," I say in a grave tone that seems all kinds of serious and I lean over the table and muss his hair around a bit, clapping his shoulder again. "It's good to see you, you know. Not just here, but you know, here. Here, in this place. You're a damn good replacement."

[yo_babe]

Gee, it's good to know Buck's his friend or he'd've actually believed him on that. Babe snorts and lets his shoulders rock a little to the side under Buck's large hand.

"Thanks," he says, sarcastic to replace his discomfort, even though he appreciates the sentiment. He pats the back of Buck's hand. "I'm happy to replace. Ya wanna get some fresh air?"