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Ah, so what do people here generally do for the holidays? We used to eat big meals and spend a lot of time together and give one another gifts... Is that something people still do, or am I terribly old-fashioned?

[Kate will find a fresh assortment of gummy candy in her drawer - soda bottles, sharks, worms, melon rings. And when she gets home, there's a bottle of sparkling grape juice, two champagne flutes, a bag of those little raspberry and blackberry candy-coated gummies, and an elaborate apology card, unsigned. Let Kate decide who that second one is from.]

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Big meals and family time sounds exactly right.

Oh good! Is there anything planned for the station? Gift giving or a party of some sort?

We'll set something up.

I'll start polling the office for dates, and if people want to exchange gifts, if that's all right, Sir!

I'll leave it in your hands, then.

Yes, Sir! [Yes, she did definitely just salute her phone.] I'll do my best, Sir!

Pretty much what it used to be like for me, too. Before the war, at least.

Oh, really? For us, at least at home, we clung to traditions to sort of keep at least one familiar thing in all the uncertainty. We weren't anywhere near the front, or the headquarters, though. And we didn't have wizards!

It was difficult to really celebrate because a lot of us were in hiding. All of us, really, just some more secretive than others.

But we managed, anyway, at least those of us who could.

Oh dear. I'm sorry. This time of year must be rough... Would it be too painful to celebrate this year?

Don't worry, love.

I plan on getting very drunk.

Ah... Does alcohol affect you the same way it does those of use without magic?

[She's worried about you, Sirius. Enough that it's overriding her unravelling that he keeps calling her love.]

I'd say so. Maybe I get moodier.

And there is a higher chance of drunk flying.

Would you be interested in having supper with me and a few friends [whom she hasn't invited yet] instead? I've always found the holiday to be much better when there are friends about. You've managed to get a hold of your friend, right? He's certainly welcome to come as well!

I'll have to ask Remus what he thinks, but thank you for the offer. If we do come, what should we bring?

Oh! That hadn't occurred to me. Hm. What sort of dishes do you traditionally have?

Back at school we had a bit of everything...

Turkey, chipolatas, gravy, cranberry sauce, turkey sandwiches for tea, Christmas pudding, eggnogg, crumpets, trifle, Christmas cake...

But, really, we eat anything.

[Kate's home for the evening by the time she sees Sheska's message, so by then she's already found all the gifts. Kate's torn between thinking the apology is from Sheska or Castle - but she's not sure was Sheska would be apologizing for, and it's not really Castle's style.]

Where I'm from, a lot of people still do the meals and presents. I don't think it's changed all that much.

[That's ok, Kate, if you don't want to think of her bothering the hell out of you as worth apologizing for, or having to be her ferry-woman, or her eating every nut she could get her paws on, or working the dog into spasms with her mere presence- ...She'll just be over here now. Worrying herself into knots that Kate's secretly annoyed with her still.]

Oh good! Would you like to do something? We don't have the largest space, but I'm sure we could invite a few friends over and do a dinner of some sort!

[Kate couldn't be annoyed with Sheska if she tried. She saves her annoyance for Castle. She's just glad to have her roommate back to normal.]

I, uh... [She frowns.] You know, with work and how understaffed we are I think I'm gonna be too busy. But, you know, you're welcome to invite over whoever you want.

[...thaaaaat was not at all the sort of response she was expecting. An "I'd rather not" or a "Christmas is more private for me" she could handle. An ambiguous "I'm going to avoid this and sound uncomfortable" is making her nervous. Er. More nervous.]

Ah... All right... Is there anything you would like to not do?

[She doesn't mean to make Sheska nervous, she's just not used to anyone caring what she does for Christmas. Back home it's just her dad and he's just as okay with letting it passed unmentioned as she is.

She just sighs. She's always walked a fine line with Sheska, between not wanting to tell her anything and knowing that, as her roommate, it would make things easier if she did.]

I'm sorry, things are... [What can she possibly say? Things are "hard" for her right now? Like Sheska hasn't noticed the moodiness or the avoidance.] I'm not really a Christmas person.

Well, of course, if you'd rather keep it low key, I can work around that just fine. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, or chase you out of the house.

No, Sheska, really, it's fine. You can do... whatever you want. I'm completely okay with it. I just... [She sighs. Avoiding the issue was becoming more complicated than just telling her roommate the truth.] My mom died around Christmas. So it doesn't really have the same significance to me as it does most people.

Oh... Kate, I'm sorry. Please, if something I'm doing upsets you, promise you'll let me know? I'd hate to make things uncomfortable for you.

You won't, I promise. I'll deal with it. This is a new place and a new start and maybe it's about time I start... trying new things.

[That's what her therapist suggested, anyway.]

[She's just not going to point out that "dealing with it" is not the same thing as being ok with it. There's only so far she's willing to push an uncomfortable subject, and Kate's state of mind is a prickly area.] Well, ah, I already picked up some advent calendars I think that's what they're called for you and Rook... But you could always use yours like a strangely-shaped box of chocolates! I don't see that you have to open it one day at a time. I was planning on decorating a bit... is it all right if I get us a tree?

[Kate briefly wonders why she couldn't have been lucky enough to get a Jewish roommate but... Well. Sheska is being awfully sweet about all of this and Kate isn't out to be a Grinch.]

A tree is fine. And... thanks. It was sweet of you to think of me.

Oh, really, it's nothing special. I just thought that they looked like fun. Let me know if you have any requests, all right?

[Kate musters a smile. She's determined to not be a jerk about this if it kills her. Which... it might.]

I'll be sure to let you know.

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