What A Piece Of Work Is Man (Siobhan) FIN

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

Something Siobhan had said made Gregory look uncomfortable, even if he did laugh a little. She assumed it was something to do with his daughter growing up, or perhaps that she would be a heartbreaker. That meant boys – every father’s worst fear for his daughter. She suddenly remembered her own father when she was barely sixteen and just starting out into the world of dating. He’d been uncomfortable with it, but all he’d managed to say was something along the lines of, ‘As long as he makes you happy, I’ll leave him alone. But the moment he stops making you happy, I’ll break his kneecaps.’ Of course, Nick had been standing right there, white as a sheet when he’d said it. Her father had hugged her and narrowed Nick with his steady blue gaze, and Nick had been a perfect gentleman on every date they’d ever had. It was just the marriage that had been a disaster. The moment she’d signed the divorce papers, she’d wished her father had been alive. It would have been much easier to have left him if she’d still had her dad standing behind her with that heavy axe handle he kept on hand.

"Er, thanks, yeah. Anyway, uh...what's this radio show you're on, then? I've never heard of it!"

Gregory’s quick change of subject wasn’t lost on her. She’d made him think about things he’d rather not have thought on. So she went along with it.

“Oh, it’s really nothing special. It’s just me. I talk about whatever crosses my mind and play music from about 9 pm until 4 am. Sometimes people call in, even.”

It wasn’t even something she considered to be a job. She literally sat, played music, talked a bit, and won several games of computer solitaire a night. It was like relaxing four nights a week and getting paid to do it. She had been shocked when she’d been informed she had the best ratings for an after-hours DJ who wasn’t situated in a club of some form. That still made her shake her head when she thought about it too much. It had been a gift from Jamie – giving her the timeslot that saw the least action, thus would lose the least profit, just because she wanted to give it a try. Now it was much more than she ever thought it would be.

“Just tune into 92.1 Monday through Thursday and you’ll catch it.”

She left it as an open invitation, not a request. She never badgered anyone into listening to her show if they didn’t want to. It made her feel self conscious to know that people she knew might be listening, so she tried not to invite that discomfort.

“Do you like music, Gregory?”

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

"Oh, it’s really nothing special. It’s just me. I talk about whatever crosses my mind and play music from about 9 pm until 4 am. Sometimes people call in, even. Just tune into 92.1 Monday through Thursday and you’ll catch it.”

"Of course I will!"[/b] Greg exclaimed, interesting in Siobhan's life as much as he was sure she was in his - that's what happened when you went from far too much family everywhere to knowing absolutely no family in the city. "Though, you must know, I'm most certain you are very special, love,"[/b] Greg smiled. He didn't like that Siobhan had called herself not-special, because she was definitely.

“Do you like music, Gregory?”

"I do," Greg nodded, taking a sip of his water. He was getting a little hungry, having eaten an early lunch of being surrounded by the perfectly heavenly smells that came with home cooking. "I like listening to, uh, classic rock, mostly,"[/b] he said sheepishly, thinking it made him seem like a perfectly old man. Still, it really was the best music.

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"Of course I will!"

Gregory sounded almost offended, like she had doubted he would be interested. It hadn’t been that, she just didn’t make assumptions. Before she could reassure him, he was carrying on.

"Though, you must know, I'm most certain you are very special, love.”

Siobhan smiled at that. It was such a fatherly thing to say, but it did make her very happy to hear that he thought so. She supposed it was something one missed out on when they were nowhere near family.

"I do. I like listening to, uh, classic rock, mostly."

“Really?” Siobhan smiled. “That’s mainly what I play on the show. Music just lost something around the time people thought Disco was actually music.”

She loved all old rock. Blues based rock, Prog rock, Jazz Rock, Southern Rock...The whole Hippie Aesthetic was just a great tend in music. Then along came Disco and New Wave. Good music kind of ended in the seventies, in her opinion.

“But then, they seem to think Rap and Pop are music now, so you never know.”

She shrugged a bit, knowing how trends went. In another ten years, there would be something different people listened to. Still, as far as small talk went, she could have thought of worse things. Still, she’d invited him over for dinner, so it was probably a good idea to get to that.

“So, dinner is ready, if you’re hungry,” she said, glancing at the package he’d brought. “Is that bread?”

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“Really?” Siobhan asked, and Gregory nodded. “That’s mainly what I play on the show. Music just lost something around the time people thought Disco was actually music. But then, they seem to think Rap and Pop are music now, so you never know.”

"Oh, ain't that the truth," Gregory agreed eagerly, "I can't stand the shite one hears on the radio these days."[/b] So yeah, he was sort of one of those people who shamelessly bashed new music. Not all of it, just the... crap. He didn't mean to sound like an stiff old man, but Siobhan was, after all, agreeing with the point first. The last time his younger coworker had tuned into a station that played pop, Greg had threatened to dock his pay if he didn't turn it off. He wasn't entirely sure if he could actually do that, but the threat had thankfully worked.

“So, dinner is ready, if you’re hungry,” Siobhan said. She looked strangely and asked, “Is that bread?”

Gregory laughed, because he supposed it did look at bit odd, what with the sugar crystals and blueness of it all. "Yes," he chuckled, picking it up and pointing to it, "It has blueberries and strawberries in it, I think. Or something. It's quite good."[/b] Martin had brought it the fourth of July for them all, and Gregory had quite liked it. Oddly enough, it tasted well with butter.

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"Oh, ain't that the truth. I can't stand the shite one hears on the radio these days."

Siobhan nodded along. There were quite a few new songs that she liked. It was mainly only rock or alternative music, but that was just a small amount of the new music out there. The stuff you heard on the radio was mostly Pop, Rap, and the wannabe American Idols. It was disheartening, which was why she tried to play as many good songs as possible. And she liked to talk about what she played and why she played it. She loved to talk about the elements of music, too. When she’d been getting her degree in broadcasting, History of Music had been an extra course she didn’t need, but she’d enjoyed it so much that she’d taken as many courses as she could get. It was nice to use it, even if it wasn’t in a popular time slot.

“Clearly, you’re not listening to the right radio stations.”

She watched as Gregory laughed at her comment about the bread. It was an honest question! It looked more like a dessert than bread.

"Yes. It has blueberries and strawberries in it, I think. Or something. It's quite good."

Well then, hopefully the bread would taste nice with the stew. If nothing else, it would make for a good after dinner food before they had dessert. It certainly looked tasty enough to eat on its own.

“It certainly looks good. Let’s head to the kitchen. We’re a bit traditional in this house – everyone eats at the table.”

It was true. Even breakfast was at the kitchen table. She just never got out of the habit. If she’d let him, Jamie would eat every meal on the couch, and Nick had been worse because he’d just not bother to eat at all. Now that she was on her own, she indulged by drinking on the couch, but food was another story.

She got up, smiling at him, before heading towards the kitchen. She knew he’d follow along – where else was he going to go? The stew was still warm in the crock pot and dessert was being kept warm in the oven. The apple pie would be perfect to eat by the time they’d polished off dinner.

“I hope you’re hungry. I’m not used to cooking for two anymore and I think I may have made too much.”

That was alright, though. If she made too much, leftovers were always fun. And if she could send them home with Gregory, even better.

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“It certainly looks good," Siobhan said, though she seemed a tad apprehensive to Gregory. Ah, well, he was apprehensive when Martin brought it in, too. Honestly, considering the amount of sugar in the stuff one would hardly have trouble calling it dessert. "Let’s head to the kitchen. We’re a bit traditional in this house – everyone eats at the table.”

Gregory nodded and followed Siobhan into the kitchen, once again hit with the stronger, delicious smell of home-made cooking. He wondered what she had meant by "we're." He could hardly imagine having a spouse die. It was just… wrong, really. He didn't like to think about it. He remembered thinking the same sort of things at the first funeral, when Siobhan's mother died, and wondering. And deciding, once again, that he didn't want to discover it first hand.

“I hope you’re hungry. I’m not used to cooking for two anymore and I think I may have made too much," Siobhan said, and Gregory smiled and nodded, standing next to the table unsure whether or not to sit down or serve himself. He was really the opposite of Siobhan - he was so used to eating alone, he wasn't very good at remembering how to do it with other people anymore. Even at work, during lunch, he only sometimes ate with his coworkers. He knew he should try to be more sociable, but he simply… never felt like it.

Having brought the bread and his drink into the kitchen with him, he simply placed them on the table and said, "This literally smells fantastic. Er, should I sit down then? Or," he asked awkwardly, waving a hand slightly in the air to indicate whatever else. He'd be happy to dish up plates or whatnot, he just didn't know. So, despite seeming stupid by asking… he asked anyway.

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"This literally smells fantastic. Er, should I sit down then? Or...?"

Siobhan glanced at where Greg was standing by the table, looking indecisive. It had been a long time since someone had walked into her kitchen and not just made themselves at home. She was sure there was something about good manners in there, but she hoped he would visit often enough so he’d be more comfortable in the future.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to bring the stew to the table so there’s less reaching to do.”

It was how her father served meals. The pots went right on the table so no one had to get up again. Her mother would have been appalled, but the crockery Siobhan owned was fancy enough that she figured her mother would have forgiven her. She walked it over carefully, setting it on the trivet she’d put down earlier. She fetched the jug of water from the fridge, and brought over the butter for the bread before sitting down.

“Help yourself. I don’t...” she paused, wondering if she should even bring it up, but her Irish Catholic mother would never have forgiven her if she didn’t ask. “I don’t usually say grace, but if you do, we should do that first.”

And hopefully she hadn’t sounded too terribly awkward.

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“Please, make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to bring the stew to the table so there’s less reaching to do," Siobhan said, and Greg nodded and did so, watching her eagerly as she set food onto the table. It was charming, really, how homey she was making it all.

“Help yourself. I don’t...I don’t usually say grace, but if you do, we should do that first," Siobhan said, a tad awkward looking.

Oh, Grace? Jesus, he couldn't remember the last time he'd said grace. "I'm assured in the fact that we've both said enough grace to last a lifetime,"[/color] Greg smiled at her, familiar joke in his eyes. He knew Siobhan's parents, and they'd be sticklers for the church. And really, so had he been, back years ago. So it was understandable that Siobhan was polite enough to ask. "Shall we just eat, then?"[/color]

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"I'm assured in the fact that we've both said enough grace to last a lifetime."

Oh, and that was the truth. Her mother had been a stickler for grace, and her father had maintained that as they’d grown up without her. She’d fallen out of habit when she’d married Nick – the stout atheist. Jamie probably would have humored her, but then, he’d humored her a lot. Still, it was kind of funny, and she could tell Gregory thought so, too.

"Shall we just eat, then?"

“Oh yes, of course. Help yourself,” she directed, gesturing at the pot. “Like I said, it was Mum’s recipe, but I like to think I’m not too shabby in the kitchen.”

Unlike her other siblings who couldn’t stomach their own cooking. Thomas had a wife, though, and Aaron lived off cereal and veggies, while Tara ate everything out of cans. Only Eric ever tried to cook and it wasn’t a great idea. He’d never been any good at it, even if he was eager to learn.

“The other day, I was thinking about when you came to stay after Dad passed. I remember you and I cooking breakfast one morning and Eric decided he wasn’t eating it because he didn’t believe men could cook,” she told him, pouring them each a glass of water. “After you left, I ended up teaching him how to cook a few things because he was curious after seeing you at the stove. He burns everything to this day.”

The memory brought a smile to her face. Eric was her baby brother by five years, and he’d only remembered ever eating meals she’d prepared, so having Gregory help cook had shifted his view on the world something awful. He had demanded to be taught after that and it was all Siobhan could do to keep him from burning the house down.

“So, I thought you should know that you inadvertently inspired my brother to love cooking. How about Delores? Does she like working in the kitchen?”

It was a rather unique legacy and she was curious if Gregory inspired his own daughter or if Eric was just a fluke.

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“Oh yes, of course. Help yourself,” Siobhan said, and the look on her face told Gregory that she knew exactly what he had meant when he'd said they'd both said enough grace to get them to Heaven. “Like I said, it was Mum’s recipe, but I like to think I’m not too shabby in the kitchen.”

Gregory helped himself to the pot, just like Siobhan had directed him to. It smelled delicious; tasted just a good. "Brill, Siobhan,"[/b] Gregory commented, impressed with what he tasted. It was just simple stew really, nothing complicated about it, but something about it being home cooked, fresh, and being eaten with someone else made it… special.

“The other day, I was thinking about when you came to stay after Dad passed. I remember you and I cooking breakfast one morning and Eric decided he wasn’t eating it because he didn’t believe men could cook,” Siobhan said, pouring them glasses of water. Gregory smiled; yeah, he remembered that. He also remembered perhaps somewhat overstaying his welcome in that house, but Siobhan's father hadn't exactly been up to taking care of a bunch of small children that week, so… he'd helped out. Eric had been a little kid then; Gregory was sure he was tall and handsome by now. “After you left, I ended up teaching him how to cook a few things because he was curious after seeing you at the stove. He burns everything to this day.”

Gregory laughed, "Well, some men can't cook,"[/b] he said. Elliot sure as hell couldn't, and he was pretty sure he'd never seen his own father cook anything ever.

“So, I thought you should know that you inadvertently inspired my brother to love cooking," Siobhan finished her story, "How about Delores? Does she like working in the kitchen?”

"Er,"[/b] Gregory said, adverting his gave to the food on his plate. I'm not sure if easy bake counts," he said, trying to sound light hearted but ending up just a tad stale. He looked back up at Siobhan with almost apologetic eyes, and admitted, "I'm afraid I've spent far less time with her than I'd ever would have liked, Siobhan. But-"[/b] he brightened a bit, "She's coming to stay for an entire month this Winter."[/b] Needless to say it war far better than just a weekend in SanFran and he was unbelievably excited about it. "You could ask her then."[/b] He was pretty sure that Dolores had never met anyone on his side of the family besides Elliot.

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

Gregory seemed to enjoy the food, something Siobhan noted with a smile. He didn't look under fed, but she always liked to feed anyone who came to her home, and if they enjoyed what they ate, then all the better.

"Brill, Siobhan."

She inclined her head in acknowledgement, reaching forward to ladle some stew into her own bowl. She had cooked stew many times in her life, but it always felt like she was sitting at her mother’s table eating it.

"Well, some men can't cook.”

She had to agree with him there. Some men were worse than others, but some really could not cook. Eric was at the top of the list. She was sure he’d learned that from their father. Her Papa only cooked when there was nothing to eat unless he cooked. She’d have to ask Gregory at some point whether her father ever did have to fend for himself.

"Er, I'm not sure if easy bake counts.”

Siobhan felt her lip quirk slightly. Oh, typical man view. Easy Bake was where most young girls got interested in cooking. It was the stepping stone, or so another woman had told her. She’d never had anything like that growing up. She’d had real bake in the kitchen with her sister and mother.

“I'm afraid I've spent far less time with her than I'd ever would have liked, Siobhan. But she's coming to stay for an entire month this Winter. You could ask her then."

“She is? That sounds fantastic! I’m sure she’s just as excited as you are!”

She hadn’t missed how Gregory felt he didn’t seem to know his daughter as well as a father should, and that was what happened with distance, but she could tell that Gregory loved her and was looking forward to spending time with her. She also didn’t miss the invitation to meet Delores.

“I would love to have the opportunity to ask her. We will have to have a family get together when she comes to visit.”

Of course, she wouldn’t pry into Gregory’s time with his daughter, but she did want to meet the girl, after all. Perhaps she would have the pair over for dinner, which would be the perfect segue into asking about whether she liked to cook or not.

“Have you thought about what you want to do while she’s here?”

There was a lot to see and do in the city, after all. And if Gregory just wanted to wing it, it would probably work out, as well. Siobhan was a planner, so she always liked to know what was going to happen.

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“She is? That sounds fantastic! I’m sure she’s just as excited as you are!” Gregory was somewhat relieved at Siobhan's answer that was far kinder than it could have been, though he felt he'd probably deserved some sort of chastisement. Well, Siobhan was a good bit younger than him, so she probably wouldn't, but Elliot and Lena were the only ones who he got seriously yelled at by anymore, and he didn't hear from either of them very often. (And Elliot had gone and gotten himself a girlfriend who sounded so perfect for him it just made Greg annoyed.)

“I would love to have the opportunity to ask her. We will have to have a family get together when she comes to visit," Siobhan continued, and Greg liked that idea, he really did. Have you thought about what you want to do while she’s here?”

"Well, sort of,"[/b] Gregory admitted. "Ya see, I have some things I think I could show her, but I don't really want to bring her anywhere she doesn't want to go. She is thirteen after all. So, I don't know, we'll see."[/b] He wasn't quite sure if that would be spoiling Dolores, letting her do whatever she wanted, but he had decided it didn't really matter, because she deserved to be spoiled by him. He was trying his hardest to remember being thirteen to connect with his daughter, but their childhoods were radically different, so it was a bit useless really. "Long as she doesn't get too friendly with any guys,"[/b] he wondered allowed. He'd been a little clueless about sex until he'd actually had sex when he was fourteen, but things were different, there was the internet; he was sure Dolores knew a lot more than he cared to know.

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"Well, sort of. Ya see, I have some things I think I could show her, but I don't really want to bring her anywhere she doesn't want to go. She is thirteen after all. So, I don't know, we'll see. Long as she doesn't get too friendly with any guys..."

Siobhan couldn’t help but grin. Oh, that was every father’s nightmare, now wasn’t it?

“Well, you’ll have to play it by ear and hope that you can agree on what to do together. I’m sure she’ll have a whole list of things that she’ll want to see and do when she’s here,” Siobhan replied, tasting her stew.

And if they ran out of things to do, Siobhan could suggest things that tourists wouldn’t think of. She also had the money and connections so that Delores could do whatever she wished. However, she was in no way going to step on Gregory’s toes. Whatever he wanted to do with his daughter was his business. And a little down time wouldn’t hurt, especially if they only got a month together. It would be good for them to reconnect and get to know each other again.

“And I doubt she’ll have time to meet boys,” Siobhan pointed out helpfully. “And if she does, her daddy has a badge.”

She’d learned that people often were intimidated by police authority or presumed police authority. She could imagine any boy Delores would meet would be pretty cowed if he learned her father was a Detective Inspector. She shrugged a bit to herself. Her father had managed well enough with his eyebrows and an axe handle.

“Has Delores ever been to the city before?”

Siobhan knew she was on the west coast, but there was a lot about both Gregory and his daughter that Siobhan didn’t know. She would have to get to know them both better, but it was a starting point.

[GREGORY LESTRADE]

“Well, you’ll have to play it by ear and hope that you can agree on what to do together," Siobhan said with a warmly amused smile, "I’m sure she’ll have a whole list of things that she’ll want to see and do when she’s here." Gregory nodded. Everybody wanted to visit the city that never sleeps, didn't they? Dolores had to know at least a few things about New York she wanted to see.

“And I doubt she’ll have time to meet boys,” Siobhan added, “And if she does, her daddy has a badge.”

Gregory laughed aloud, amused. Honestly, it'd been a long time since he'd thought of police work as a 'tough' sort of profession. He had when he was younger, but after doing it so long the glamour wore off and it was just a job he enjoyed doing. Siobhan's reminder that it wasn't so common for one to be used to crime made him laugh. He couldn't arrest a kid for meeting his daughter, but he could imply it, sure.

“Has Dolores ever been to the city before?”

Gregory took a bite of the soup he was highly enjoying, and said, "Mm, nah, we never really got off our arses to manage it when she was younger and I've always been the one going to visit her, see." He added, "I worry about her all the way over here, but her mam's a good woman. And my brother Elliot, dunno if you remember ever hearing about him, he's over there, keeps an eye out for her for me, though she doesn't really need it."[/b] Greg wanted to protect her, sure, but he did think some kids were far too sheltered these days. Hiding the world just led to curiosity of the wrong sorts of things.

He thought for a second, then added, "Speaking of which, how'd you end up all the way out here, Siobhan? Canada's a far jump from New York."[/b]

[SIOBHAN "NYX" SHAW]

"Mm, nah, we never really got off our arses to manage it when she was younger and I've always been the one going to visit her, see. I worry about her all the way over here, but her mam's a good woman. And my brother Elliot, dunno if you remember ever hearing about him, he's over there, keeps an eye out for her for me, though she doesn't really need it."

Siobhan nodded, pulling apart one of the buns, dropping the pieces into her stew distractedly. She could see how it would be hard to have a parent on each coast. Had she ended up in the same situation, she could see her mother insisting her father be the one to visit, not wanting to send children across the country. However, her father wouldn’t have gone too far. Gregory was a strong man if he could just give up his family and go like that. And now he was getting the chance to have his daughter come to visit. It was going to be a good experience for the pair of them. She could imagine Delores would get a lot out of seeing the city.

“I’m glad that she has a good mother, and I can’t recall hearing about Elliot, but I’m sure he tries to be a good uncle,” Siobhan offered, knowing that Gregory wouldn’t have left his daughter if no one was looking out for her. “It’s nice to know that she has some family. She is Irish in roots, after all.”

And it was odd for any of their family not to be surrounded with so much family that they couldn’t breathe.

"Speaking of which, how'd you end up all the way out here, Siobhan? Canada's a far jump from New York."

Siobhan set what was left of the bun down, straightening up a bit in her chair.

“Oh, the usual way – I followed my heart. Nick – my first husband – talked me into it when we were teens. He wanted to become a famous artist and you couldn’t do that in Canada, apparently. So it was either go with him or stay on my own.”

There were other factors. Thomas had just married, so his wife had taken over Siobhan’s role as the woman of the house, which left her feeling lost. Her younger brothers who were more like her sons were nearly grown, and Tara had already left. What was there to stay for? Nick had painted such a pretty picture of New York that she had to go along for the ride.

“So we came here and after months of living from hand to mouth, he sold a painting or two and I got into modelling. Before we knew it, we were at home here.”

And though she’d thought about going back home after the divorce, and then again after Jamie passed, she’d never managed to do it. She’d changed too much to go home.

“I’m sure you’ve felt how this place just pulls you in and then you just become a part of it. After a while, you just kind of feel like it was always home.”

It was the truth. The place just felt like home. And while she was sure that she could go back to Canada, she’d miss New York more than she’d care to admit.

“So, what brought you here? I would have thought you’d be sticking to the west coast.”