There are slight spoilers for 5x06 "The Final Frontier", but only slight. :)

Chapter 16

Kate turned in a slow circle, taking the dorm room in without really seeing it. It looked the same as the pictures in the brochures, a mirror image, both beds facing the lone window, two desks with their chairs pushed in, a chest of drawers beside the foot of the bed. Two of everything. The walls were white and empty of pictures. There were stories to this room, Kate could feel them around her, broken hearts, new loves, first loves, new friendships, lost friendships.

"Hi!" Kate turned at the sound of a female voice. The owner of the voice was a petite blonde girl with blue eyes, she was beaming, showing off perfect teeth. "I'm Sloane Tyler!" She said excitedly, extending her hand to Kate.

"Hi." Kate greeted her with a failed attempt at a smile. "I'm Kate Beckett." She took the blonde's hand in a quick shake, shifting Rick's book to her other hand.

"Do you like to read?" Sloane asked quickly glancing down at the book.

"Yeah." Kate nodded flatly.

"Me too!" The girl said, wide-eyed.

Kate only nodded. "You have a preference?" Kate asked motioning between the two beds.

"I'll just take this one." Sloane plopped down on the edge of the bed closest to her and looked up at Kate. Kate nodded again, but before she could turn away Sloane was asking another question.

"Where are you from?"

"New York."

"Wow! That's pretty far away. I'm from San Fransisco." Sloane explained. "My boyfriend is a junior here. We've been together since my sophomore year in high school."

Kate felt the pang in her stomach when Sloane mentioned her boyfriend. She missed Rick, she only wanted him here, wanted to feel his strong arms around her telling her everything was going to be okay. But he was in New York with his family.

"Kate!? Have been listening?"

"Yeah." Kate nodded. "Sorry. What was the question?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The question tore at her heart. But she closed her eyes for a brief second, inhaled deeply before responding, she would have to learn how to compartmentalize until she was over Rick.

"We didn't want to do the long distance thing, so we broke it off yesterday."

"I'm sorry." Sloane looked at her sympathetically.

"It's fine. We made the decision together. He gave me this when he came and saw me off." Kate lifted the book in her hand.

"May I?" Sloane motioned toward the book.

"Sure." Kate handed it over, she missed holding it as soon as it was gone from her hand, her hand felt empty.

Sloane flipped to the dedication page. Kate's heart skipped when her new roommate turned to the next page and began to read the handwritten dedication. Kate watched as the blonde's eyes skimmed the pages quickly, taking in every word. She carefully closed the book and handed it back to Kate.

"Sounds like he really cares for you." She said slowly.

Kate nodded. "Always."

X-X-X-X

3 weeks later...

"Come on Kate!" Sloane begged. "It's the first Saturday we have with little homework! Please come to Henry's with me. He's dying to meet you."

"Do you really talk about me that much when you're with your boyfriend?"

"Kate you're my best friend! Why wouldn't I talk about you with my boyfriend?" Sloane shrugged.

"What are you guys planning on doing?" Kate asked.

Sloane looked at her and blinked, "Hanging out. What normal people do on Saturday nights." She said exasperatedly. "Not sitting at home rereading a book that they have read a million times! And not calling their ex to tell them that it is a fantastic book and that they should keep on writing and that you miss them!"

"If I agree, will you quit telling me to call Rick?" Kate raised an eyebrow at her friend.

Sloane narrowed her eyes, contemplating Kate's question. "Fine, but you have to get out of this small dorm room more often, other than tonight." Sloane pointed her finger at Kate, who was cradling Rick's book on her lap. She had managed to read it three times since she arrived in California. She was currently working on her fourth time. She loved his writing, it allowed her one small piece of him to be able to hold on to whenever she really missed him. She had lost count of the times that she had picked up the phone and dailed his number, but never went through with the call.

Sloane knew Kate was struggling to pretend like she was over Rick. She caught Kate a couple of times with the phone in her hand, but she always ended up replacing the phone in its cradle and picking up the book that Rick had given her.

"Okay, I will try to get out more." Kate surrendered.

An hour later Kate was shaking hands with a small dark haired man.

"Hi, I'm Henry Barnett. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Kate Beckett. You too, Sloane talks about you all the time."

"Really?" Henry looked down at his girlfriend who was standing beside him.

"Oh shut up you two." She smacked him playfully. "You guys are my best friends, of course I'll talk about you."

"Well you guys actually got here at a good time. I invited a couple of my friends over, there's this new show premiering tonight and we were planning on watching it. You girls game or you want ditch us and party?"

"What kind of show?" Kate asked.

"That sci-fi show, Nebula 9." Henry answered.

"Oh!" Sloane nearly jumped up and down with excitement. "I love sci-fi!"

"I know that's why I invited you to come over, it was a surprise." Henry smiled.

"Kate, do you want to stay?" Henry asked.

"Sure, I like science fiction." She nodded.

Hope you enjoyed. Sorry it was kinda short, but I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon I can. :)

Tell me what did you think, and be honest. :)