Disclaimer: Alas, Perception's not mine, never will be mine. Not affiliated in any way. This is only for my own amusement, and hopefully yours, too.
"Hey, Katie! Could you handle up front for a bit? I gotta run to the back and finish payroll or Mikey's going to have my ass come tomorrow." Joe Moretti squeezed his daughter's shoulders affectionately as he slid past her and out from behind the bar.
"Sure thing, Dad." Kate responded with a smirk as she glanced up from the list of top shelf she was inventorying.
It was an unusually quiet Thursday night in her father's bar. Less than a handful of patrons were spread throughout its gracefully aged brick and wood interior; and all paid her no mind as they nursed their drinks. Some happy, some sad, and some just there for the booze like Lonnie, the neighborhood drunk, for lack of a better term, who was near passed out at the end of the bar. Kate sighed deeply and made a mental note to call him a cab in a few.
'Iris' by The Goo Goo Dolls could faintly be heard filtering through the speakers, providing the soundtrack to an overly dull night pushing papers around. Her dad wasn't a fan of "radio music" as he put it, and typically didn't like her playing Top 40 during business hours, but tonight he must have been feeling particularly generous since it was late and there wasn't a large crowd.
Though, Kate suspected her normally strict father may have had ulterior motives for letting her get away with murder recently; well, at least the murder of his eardrums. Summer was drawing to a close and soon his baby girl would be returning to college for her sophomore year at Central Lake Michigan University. While Kate had tried again and again to reassure her dad that she wasn't moving cross-country and would more than likely be around all the time, he still seemed to get particularly nostalgic at the thought of his only child growing up and starting her own life. As irritated as she got at times with his over protectiveness, she was also grateful that he was always there for her, no matter what.
Following her mom's death, she and her dad became all each other had left. It'd been just the two of them for so long that even Kate found herself a little misty when she thought about the future; about what would happen when she left for Quantico and FBI training; the possibility of leaving Chicago for good. It may have been her choice, but it would still tear her apart in a way she wasn't even prepared to think about yet
Kate shook her head to clear it, laid down her clipboard and pen, and took up the phone, dialing the familiar number of the cab company, when the creak of the heavy front door opening caught her attention and a man strode through. Kate's mouth dropped open involuntarily and she felt the staccato of her heart quicken as she realized just who was standing inside the entrance to her father's bar looking for all the world like he wanted to be anywhere else; it was her neuroscience professor from CLMU, Dr. Daniel Pierce.
His face showed his obvious unease as he scanned around the bar patrons. Looking for someone perhaps? It was evident he had a special night planned as he was dressed dapperly in a black suit and tie, though his tie was undone and draped loosely over his broad shoulders. Kate bit back her amusement as she noticed the black Chuck Taylors on his feet in lieu of dress shoes. His hair was disheveled as usual, but he had forgone the heavy rimmed glasses Kate so often saw him wear in class making him appear even younger. Dressed down for class or up as he was now, it didn't matter, he was still strikingly handsome and never failed to make Kate forget where she was for a breath of time.
The man very much intrigued and unnerved Kate; had since the moment he had first walked into the freshman lecture hall on day one of session. Back then, Kate had given very little, if any, thought into the subject of neuroscience. She had known going in to CLMU that she wanted to be involved in law enforcement, like her old man, and expected to fill her schedule full of legal and criminal justice courses. But, of course, there were prerequisites to follow and she had to take at least one science course this semester if she wanted any hope of graduating within four years. After asking around, Kate learned that Dr. Pierce's neuroscience course came highly recommended. She also figured she might be able to use some of this neuroscience and psychology stuff if she were going to seriously consider applying to the FBI.
Touted for being an expert in his field, Kate had expected some stocky, old man with more hair up his nostrils than on his head and who reeked overwhelmingly of Aqua Velva. What she was not expecting was the surprisingly young and severely attractive man who strode into the classroom that day exuding a confidence and charm that only heightened his appeal in Kate's eyes, and most of the other female students for that matter. After that first class, Kate had been hooked. She had gone straight to Barnes & Noble, bought the complete works of Dr. Daniel J. Pierce, and read them all within a month.
Professor Pierce didn't appear to have seen Kate as he shuffled from one foot to another anxiously, not that Kate had really expected him to. For all that assuredness he showed when he was in his element in front of a classroom, outside of that he was intensely awkward and overtly distant towards his students. Hell, he'd taken to calling all of them by nicknames instead of taking the time to learn their given ones. He'd had been calling her "Mary Ann" for so long that Kate doubted he even had a clue what her real name was.
He may have been a rock star in front of a class of eager freshmen, but Kate could tell early on that there was also something a little off about Dr. Pierce. Sometimes, as he was lecturing, he would stop short; focus on an empty section at the back of the hall, and beam, almost tenderly, into nothingness. A couple of times Kate had even seen him around campus appearing to have lively conversations with himself. Of course, it was all very strange, but everyone she had asked had always chalked it up to the eccentricity of higher education. Deep down she suspected there might be another reason for his unconventional behavior.
But even those apparent…idiosyncrasies didn't stop her foolish heart from being drawn to the man carefully inching his way further inside the bar.
"Hello? Hello?!"
An irritated voice brought Kate out of her musings as she realized she was still holding the phone to her ear.
"Yeah, Larry, I'll call you back." She hung up without waiting for a response, still eyeing her newest patron.
The warm timbre of her voice caught Daniel's attention and he looked her way, meeting her gaze. Kate felt her stomach flip when she noticed the flash of recognition cross his dark features and his lips turn upward in a tight smile. Wiping her suddenly clammy hands on the legs of her dark wash jeans, she stepped forward, finally addressing him.
"Welcome to Moretti's. What can I get you?" Kate asked, after gathering herself.
"I'll just have some water for now. Thank you." Daniel pressed his lips together in a firm line as he sat down on the stool directly in front of Kate.
"Sure I can't tempt you?" Kate inquired, hopefully. "We've got a large selection of domestic and imported beers and draws are $2.50 tonight. We've even got a limited wine selection if that's more your speed or I could set you up with a vodka martini, one of our house specialties."
Daniel's eyes widened briefly before he muttered, "No. No, thanks. I don't drink actually."
Kate merely nodded and proceeded to pour him a sparkling water. "You waiting on someone special then?" She asked, nodding at his formal attire. He quirked his eyebrow at her and Kate immediately regretted the forwardness of her question.
"I'm sorry. It's really none of my business…" She tried to backpedal, but Daniel waved her off with a bemused smile.
"It's fine. No, not someone… It's a long story, actually, and I know you're probably busy, so I don't want to sit here and bore you with it." Daniel begged off before both he and Kate did a once over of the room and its largely empty halls. Kate chuckled,
"Well, just so you know, I happen to like long stories and if it keeps me from having to finish the inventory, I'm all ears. It's a widely known fact that talking to a bartender is cheaper than therapy so if you've got something on your mind you'd like to get out…" Kate let the offer hang between them which elicited a genuine smile from Daniel, but he remained silent.
"Suit yourself. But at least let me make you something a little more exciting than water."
Daniel started to protest, holding his hands up in a halting manner, but Kate cut him off. "It's on the house. I could use the practice."
"Fine, fine." Daniel shook his head, but the smile still played upon his lips. "Surprise me then."
Kate had already turned around and was rummaging through their stores; pulling out random ingredients some of which Daniel couldn't identify. With her attention elsewhere it gave Daniel the opportunity to observe the younger woman without her being the wiser.
He had immediately recognized her as the stunning brunette who sat about three rows back during Intro to Neuroscience last semester. Upon first glance, he'd expected Kate to be just another pretty face. She'd daydream in class, put off her reading, flirt with him in an attempt to get a passing grade, and then disappear at the changing of semesters. He'd seen it all too many times… but Kate turned out to be so much more than that. She had impressed him early on with her quick grasp of the material and a curious nature that rivaled his own. As time passed, he'd found himself starting to admire her; which if he was honest with himself was even more terrifying than if she were just some flirty co-ed. While he did care about his students' success, getting to know them beyond their assigned seat number was a luxury Daniel never allowed himself.
But Daniel's evening had been less than stellar up until now and he was feeling indulgent. It felt nice to have someone treat him like a normal human being again. It was like the word 'schizophrenia' had some cursed power to change every single relationship he'd ever had with anyone in dramatic fashion. He could visibly see it each time he told someone he'd grown to care about that he was a diagnosed schizophrenic. Some had backed away, not able to deal with it; but even worse, at times, were the ones who stayed. They put on brave faces and spouted forced optimism, but, while he didn't want to seem ungrateful for the support, he was tired of people walking on eggshells around him all the time as though he were a bomb set to explode. Kate knew nothing about his condition, and he intended to keep it that way.
It had also been awhile since he had allowed himself to enjoy the attentions of an attractive woman, and Kate certainly was that. He may have been crazy, but he was still a man. He watched as her petite form buzzed around, grabbing a lime from a basket. She was dressed in a simple, form fitting t-shirt and jeans with her chestnut hair pulled into a neat ponytail that skirted just past her shoulders. She may have been young, but she carried herself with a confidence beyond her years and looked quite comfortable with herself behind the bar.
"Are you even old enough to be working here? I know you're not likely twenty one seeing as you were in my freshman class last year." Daniel piped up, at last addressing the three thousand pound elephant in the room.
Kate grinned but didn't look up as she finished crushing mint into a glass with a pestle.
"Why? You gonna call the cops?" Since when did she flirt with her professors? Kate's inner voice admonished her for her brashness, but Kate shoved it aside.
"No, I guess I just find it strange that a student as brilliant as you are is paying your way through college working here. You could get a job anywhere, I'm sure."
"No shame in working in a bar. You learn a lot about people in a place like this plus the tips aren't bad." Kate defended lightly while sliding the glass of orange-tinged liquid she had been working so hard on towards Daniel. "Here, try it. It's virgin, I promise."
Daniel narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, swirling the concoction in the glass before gingerly taking a sip.
"So? How is it?" Kate looked on expectantly.
"You're right. You do need the practice." Daniel grimaced after he had swallowed. "God, that was awful."
Kate's laugh was uninhibited and infectious, and Daniel felt a stirring warmth spread through him as he was wrapped up in her joyful demeanor. If he had thought she was interesting as a student, she was positively captivating outside of the classroom.
"And to think I was going to name that one after you!" Kate returned after she had caught her breath. "Doesn't 'The Pierce' have a nice ring to it?"
"I'm not sure whether to be flattered or insulted." Daniel deadpanned before sliding the drink across the bar top towards Kate and marveling as she took a swig from the glass as well.
"Oh, insulted. Definitely insulted." Kate affirmed, cringing at the contents before dumping the fruity mess down the sink and cracking open a fresh bottle of water, splitting it between two new glasses.
"So, how long have you worked here? Obviously not very based on your lack of mixology skills." Daniel probed, while taking a drink of his water to clean the sour taste from his palate. Kate giggled at his jab.
"This place belongs to my dad. He's former Chicago PD. It started as a cop bar," Kate nodded towards the wall opposite the bar which housed the names and photos of fallen CPD officers. "It's become more of a neighborhood joint now, but we still get some of Dad's old buddies from the force in here from time to time. They know me and tend to turn a blind eye to my age when I'm working."
"Ahh, so it wouldn't even matter if I did decide to call the cops because they're already here." Daniel jested, hoping to be rewarded by her dazzling smile again. He wasn't disappointed.
"No, it wouldn't. I started working here last summer after one of the employees quit and left my dad in the weeds. Most of the time, he tries to keep me off the bar and doing other things like inventory and some minor bookkeeping. Mainly because I'm nineteen, but he also doesn't like the idea of his only daughter fending off drunk investment bankers trying to cop a feel."
Daniel found himself hating the notion as well as his eyes latched on to hers. "Well, he can rest assured that your virtue is safe with me."
"Thank you," Kate sputtered before taking her own glass and clinking it against his in a toast.
Daniel hadn't smiled this much in ages. He also hadn't felt so at ease with another person in quite some time. He was completely astonished at how the barriers he'd erected around himself, especially when it came to one of his students, were crumbling under her quick wit and easy smile. While deep down he knew getting involved personally with a student was a bad idea, but he couldn't seem to help himself and was throwing all his self-imposed rules out the window just for tonight.
"Well, I certainly hope that your night has gotten a little bit better. No offense, but you looked like someone had kicked your puppy when you walked in here."
Kate was baiting him and Daniel knew it, but didn't mind in the slightest. He couldn't put into words just how much his evening had improved since he walked into Moretti's on a whim. He felt lighter than he had in a long while.
"Exponentially so. Thank you." He paused a moment still debating in his own head how much of himself he was willing to reveal to this person he barely knew. She had shared something of herself with him and it was only fair he return the favor.
"I was supposed to accept this award tonight on behalf of the neuroscience department for a study I did last year on Palinopsia and I was dreading it." He fidgeted with his glass and glanced up to find Kate leaning against her side of the bar, her forearms resting against the dark wood and hands clasped together. She didn't try to congratulate him for which Daniel was thankful. She could read him well enough to know there was more he was struggling to get out.
"I've got this thing and…I'm… not a big fan of crowds, ceremonies, galas or anything that involves me tying this glorified noose around my neck." Daniel grabbed the loose end of his tie and pulled off the offending garment, laying it down atop the bar.
"It was strongly encouraged that I go and 'put on a good face for the university'." Kate pursed her lips in quiet amusement at his mocking tone and the air quotes Daniel used to illustrate his story.
"Anyway, it was over at the Hotel Serano, down the block. I was fine getting there but once I saw all the people and all the cameras lined up there, that's when the panic attack hit. I was alone. I couldn't breathe but for a few shallow gasps and my heart started to race. I can usually handle stuff like this all right, but not tonight. I bolted out of the door to get some air and started…wandering around aimlessly until I wound up here."
"The one place no one would think to look for you." Kate murmured what he had left unspoken.
Daniel nodded his head in agreement, his gaze focused on the polished surface of the bar. He couldn't meet her eyes. While he still couldn't go as far as to confess to her about his diagnosis, he still felt the biting shame as it ate away at his gut.
"Yeah, I guess so. I just couldn't face all of them tonight, not after embarrassing myself like that. I may have three bestselling books and a Grovner Prize in neuroscience, but it's times like these I feel like little more than a damned fraud. I don't deserve any of this.
"That's bullshit and you know it." Kate asserted, pulling no punches. "I've read all your books and you're brilliant, Dr. Pierce. You've worked damned hard to get to where you are today. You couldn't be further from a fraud. So you have panic attacks, does that suddenly make you any less credible as a neuroscientist? No, in fact I think having firsthand knowledge to go along with all the textbook crap makes your insight even more valuable. You are able to humanize it like others who haven't experienced it can't. Don't be ashamed of it; consider embracing it. Like my dad always tells me, once you are able to own up to something it loses its control over you."
Daniel felt raw and exposed; as though she had ripped a bandage off of a fresh wound. In that moment, he was on the verge of telling her everything. He wondered if he had finally found someone who wouldn't treat him like the town pariah if she knew the truth. He wanted to, but he still couldn't take that risk. Still, strangely enough, it was as if she could see straight into him. See everything he tried so hard to keep from the world. He hadn't realized he had been staring at her until she broke eye contact suddenly, the passion he had seen in their depths moments ago melting away into embarrassment under his scrutiny.
"But what do I know? Just my two cents; take it for what it's worth." Kate grabbed a nearby towel, wiping at a spot on the counter.
"No, what you said makes a great deal of sense and your father sounds like a very wise man."
"Don't say that too loudly, he might catch it all the way in the back and I would never hear the end of it." Kate joked, navigating their suddenly heavy conversation back into lighter waters.
"Thank you for helping me feel somewhat back on track, again."
"Don't mention it."
The two lapsed into comfortable silence; each lost in their thoughts of the other as Daniel finished his drink and Kate began cleaning up behind the bar, prepping for an early close that night. After a few minutes, Kate was the first to break the silence.
"You look exhausted, Dr. Pierce." Kate observed, concern shining in her eyes, as she dried a glass before putting away beneath the bar.
"You say the nicest things." Daniel chuckled, humorlessly. "I haven't been sleeping well lately…"
"Well, let me send you with something for the road then." Kate started rifling through the cabinet nearest the register before pulling out a cylindrical container.
"This is coming from my own personal stash and I keep it here to calm me after a hectic Saturday night. A little something that my mom used to give me when I was sick to help me sleep. It's more a comfort thing now; helps me to remember her." She spoke wistfully as Daniel watched her measure out what looked like tea leaves into a cup before adding the water from a heated pot on the coffee station.
"Did she…?" Daniel began before trailing off, realizing he might be overstepping boundaries.
"Cancer. When I was ten years old." Was all Kate said, her normally bright eyes were clouded over and Daniel could barely make out the faint sheen of tears before she broke away. In that moment he longed to reach out to her and show her just how much he understood her pain, but instead he simply said,
"Yeah, mine too. I was a little older though." He trailed off. Daniel watched in fascination as the cup took on a golden hue which only deepened with time; the swirls of pigment invading every inch of space in the mug.
"What is it?" Daniel queried, reaching towards the cup to get a better look.
"Uh uh." Kate slapped his hand away. "You gotta give it time to work."
Daniel sent a glare Kate's way, but it did little to deter her. Reaching back into her personal stash, she took out a tea strainer and a travel mug and carefully strained the leaves from the liquid before screwing the cap on and offering it to Daniel.
"Chamomile tea. Try it and see if it helps."
"Thank you. You really didn't have to do this," Daniel reached for the cup and as he did his fingers lightly brushed Kate's; lingering for perhaps a second longer than appropriate, but they felt as warm and comforting as the tea she had prepared for him and a part of him didn't want to let go.
Kate stared down at their hands, both holding onto the mug and touching ever so slightly. Her breathing had become shallower while her heart thumped heavily in her chest. What the hell kind of crush was this?! Of course she'd been in relationships before, but no one had ever affected her quite so headily before.
Daniel was the first to break the contact; clearing his throat he rasped, "I'll make sure and get this back to you some way."
"I'm not worried about it." Was that really her voice? God, she hoped he didn't notice the effect he had on her.
Standing and draping his suit coat he had since removed over his forearm, Daniel spoke, "Well, thanks again and if I'm ever in the market for more crappy drinks and cheap therapy, I know where to come."
"'The Pierce' will be on the drink menu the next time you come in. Count on it."
"As in it'll pierce your intestines like a Ginsu to the stomach?"
"That can be the tagline." They were both truly enjoying their verbal sparring session.
"Well, perhaps I'll see you around campus come fall semester…" Daniel paused, letting his words drag out which Kate read as him trying to recall her name. She decided to cut him some slack and help him out.
"It's…" Kate began, but Daniel stopped her short by leaning in closer and capturing her brown orbs with his hazel ones. When he spoke, it was little more than a whisper, but Kate heard it plainly as day and once more he managed to steal her breath away.
"I know your name, Kate."
With that he straightened, sending a sly smirk Kate's way; laid a few bills on the counter top, grabbed the cup of tea, and headed for the exit.
"Have a good night, Ms. Moretti." And with that he was gone.
Kate stood in stunned disbelief as she tried to process what just happened. Looking around the bar, it was as if time had stood still. All of the other patrons were still going about their own business, happily oblivious to Kate's inner turmoil. Did that even happen or was it just one big hallucination?
"Hey, babe! How's it going up here?" Her dad came up behind her, tugging lightly on her ponytail.
"Good, Dad, good." She was floored she could even find her voice.
"Anything exciting happen?"
"Nothing at all." She lied as she watched the door close with a final thud.
*AN: This came to me as I was watching the scene in Asylum between Kate and her father when he mentioned her working there for the best five summers of his life. I took liberties with Kate's backstory, especially in regards to her mother since she's never mentioned her before that I recall. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks! Zephyr*