9 ₪ [VIDEO]

[themuse]

[When Beckett shows up on the feed, she looks like she hasn't slept again.]

I know plenty of you have your hands full with screaming mechanical babies, but I got to spend the night dealing with the guy who followed me home.

[She adjusts her camera to show...

Yeah. She brings the camera back to her face.]

He's cute. And to be honest, I've been thinking about getting a dog for a while. So if you don't have any objections, Sheska...

[And then there's a crash and she bolts off-screen.]

Hey! Hey! Off the counter!

[When she comes back, she's holding a squirming dog and she's even more disheveled-looking.]

Good thing I have plenty of experience training things that won't stop following me around.

I'm thinking of naming him Rick.

Comments

[librariansheart]

Oh of course not! He's such a sweetie! Enthusiastic, but that's just fine. Do you have any dog food yet? I know just where to find all the supplies for him! I had to get them for Freckles when I was taking care of Mr. Banner and Mr. Stark.

[themuse]

I don't have anything here. I've been feeding him leftovers...

[He licks her nose, and she finally breaks a smile.] You're sure you don't mind me keeping him?

[librariansheart]

Really, I don't know how much "people" food they should eat - some things are worse for them than for us! I'll stop by the store and pick up some food and bowls for him. Does he have a collar or identification tags?

I'm sure, believe me!

[themuse]

No, he definitely doesn't have any identification tags... [He jumps out of her lap and scrambles over the table, knocking the camera sideways.] Or manners. Pretty sure he doesn't belong to anyone.

[librariansheart]

Well he's clearly not a lap-dog, is he? We'll just have to give him some obedience training, that's all. Poor thing's probably just happy to find someone to feed him and keep him warm and safe. I'd better get him a leash and some toys, too. Maybe that will help keep him occupied so that he doesn't keep going for your phone.

[themuse]

He - [The dog jumps back on her] oof - clearly thinks he's a lapdog.

[She working on calming the dog down while she gives Sheska an appreciative smile.] Thanks. My shoes will really appreciate that, too.

[librariansheart]

Have you asked Mr. Castle about books on dog training, yet? He might be able to help too. I don't know if anyone gives classes, and I haven't trained a dog before...

[themuse]

Yeah, I've never even had a dog.

[She a goldfish once. That... ended badly.]

Good idea, though, I'll ask him. Maybe a couple of pointers from a book would help.

[librariansheart]

I haven't either! My mother couldn't have one in the house, and I couldn't have afforded one in the city.

[Not that she should have had one, given the deadly dangers of the enormous stacks of books in that apartment...]

This should be a good learning experience. He'll probably train us as much as we train him.

[themuse]

Yeah, the city isn't exactly the best place for a dog.

[Kate was probably better off not having one back home, considering the hours she worked.]

You're probably right about that. It'll be a welcome change of pace, that's for sure.

[hawkingbird]

Oh my god, Kate! He's adorable! When can I come over?!

Although perhaps when I come over I should leave the baby with Jesse.

[themuse]

[As if on cue, the dog grabs Kate's sleeve, tugging on it with it's teeth. She sighs.]

You can come over today. And I really would suggest leaving the baby, especially if you lose points for it becoming a chew toy.

[hawkingbird]

Uh. Yeah. I'll call Jesse now, hopefully be over in a bit!

[themuse]

Okay, sounds good! I'll be in all day...

Speaking of, how is your baby school project going anyway?

[hawkingbird]

Babies are a mystery I don't think I will ever solve. Nothing makes this robot happy!

[themuse]

I suspect actual babies might be a little easier.

[hawkingbird]

Yeah, well right now all this project has accomplished is that I hope I never find out.

[themuse]

Yeah, believe me, I'm not in a huge hurry either. I'll stick with the dog for a while.

[thebestseller]

How about Rover? Rover's a good name. Derrick? Alex? Scout? Beagley-beagley?

[themuse]

I have two words for you, Castle.

Nikki. Heat.

[She pauses for dramatic effect.]

I think it's due time I got even.

[thebestseller]

Naming a book character and naming a dog are two different things.

[themuse]

Seriously? That's your argument?

[thebestseller]

And I think it's a good one.

[themuse]

Do you realize how much I got made fun of? Or are you really that clueless?

[thebestseller]

Well, uh... no...

but...

won't you get confused?

[themuse]

Castle, come on. I think I can count the number of times I've called you "Rick" on one hand.

[She calls you in Castle in BED, dude. Confusion will not be an issue.]

I'll call him Ricky. Then we don't have to worry about confusion. [Unless she pimps you out to a dominatrix again any time soon.]

[thebestseller]

Well, you... ... do... have a point, I guess.

[themuse]

You're not actually upset about this, are you?

[thebestseller]

I just think it's a little... much... to name a dog after me.

[themuse]

Fine, I didn't realize it would wound your delicate pride so much.

[She pauses, thinking, and she raises her eyebrow.]

... How about Rook?

[thebestseller]

[Castle looks a little disgusted with himself.]

Well, you do what you want. I'm not in the business of getting in the way of your fun.

[themuse]

[She tries to hide the fact she's a little hurt. She'd hoped he'd be excited about her getting a dog - after all, he likes them too. Now she feels like they're skirting on their first relationship fight and that wasn't what she was trying to do.]

Don't sulk, Castle. It's really unattractive.

[thebestseller]

Wait. What are we even getting upset over? I need to stop being so ridiculous.

[themuse]

I don't know! [She takes a deep breath.] You like dogs. I thought you'd be... excited.

[thebestseller]

I do, and I am, and I'm not sure where I'm going with this any more, but point being, you should do what you want and I should just keep my mouth shut.

{switched to private}

[themuse]

I didn't want our first relationship argument to be over what to name a dog, Castle.

[She sighs again, massaging her temples with her fingers.] I'm always going to do what I want to. You know that. But I thought... Well, it could be fun, you know. To agree on something for once that doesn't have anything to do with who the killer is.

[private]

[thebestseller]

I didn't want it to be, either, and I never should have said anything in the first place, and now I feel like a total fucking tool.

... since you do have a point, I guess. About me being like a puppy following you around and all.

[private]

[themuse]

[Now he's just getting the patented flat-eyes look of I TOLD YOU SO. She gets that from mom, by the way.]

How about this? I - we - name the dog Rook. Then you don't have to worry about confusion, and I still get the satisfaction of underhandedly insulting you?

[private]

[thebestseller]

... deal.

And you're giving me that look again.

[private]

[themuse]

[A smile is threatening to break through, and she's fighting it.]

What look?

[private]

[thebestseller]

You know the one. The one that says "I told you so" SO well.

[private]

[themuse]

[This time, she does laugh.]

Yeah, I got that from my mom. Dad says it's the legacy of Johanna Beckett.

[private]

[thebestseller]

It's a deadly look, really. Enough to make me quake in my boots.

[private]

[themuse]

... Is it enough to quake you out of your boots?

Say, around 8 o'clock tonight?