Random Stuff!

Christmas post 🙂

"Aye, Kit, good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too captain." Kit Snicket replied with a smile. She set down a big bag she was carrying on a chair in front of Captain Widdershins' desk before sitting down in the chair beside it. "I brought a few presents."

"Looks like more than a few to me."

Kit nodded, "Well, I think after the, ahem, what happened people wanted to send Fiona a little extra. Where is she?"

"Still in bed, she's only 6 so I don't need her awake too early." Captain Widdershins replied before drinking his coffee. "So who sent things?"

"Well there's one in there from me and Dewey, I hope I found the right one, a lot of those mycology books look very similar. And too complex for a six year old, in my opinion, but you said that's what she wanted. And one from Jacques, he's out of town for an assignment so he couldn't bring it himself. Lemony wanted to give one too, but since he lives so far away, he sent it to me to deliver. There's also ones from Jacqueline, the Quagmires, and the Baudelaires-"

"The Baudelaires? I thought they were cut off from the organization?"

"They still are... But Beatrice asked to meet me at her place after the... news. She sent something for me to give to you."

Captain Widdershins looked down and didn't reply.

"She's not mad at him, ya know? She's worried. She said she barely felt anything about losing Gregor, but Fernald doing it... She's scared he'll get a death sentence for it."

"Aye, I'm worried too," The captain replied quietly.

"Beatrice is willing to testify on his behalf to the Duchess. If they ever find him, that is. Dewey assures me that his information is solid that Fernald is alive, albeit with some injuries, but still out there. How did Fiona take it?"

"I told her what I could: that he left home and isn't coming back. I can't tell her why. She's too young."

Kit sighed. "The world can be a cruel place..."

"Aye. And there's not a damn thing we can do about it. You're sure he's alive?"

"Absolutely sure, even without my husband's informants. Because..." She opened up her bag and dug through it as she continued talking. "When I was at the headquarters last week, I was talking to Karen, since she asked me what she could buy for Fiona and I told her you said she was getting interested in mycology. And someone apparently overheard that because two days later I found this in my mailbox." She pulled out a small, plush, toy of a red-capped mushroom with a smiling face.

She set it on the desk and added, "It was in a postal box, but there was no return address. And it came with a typed up piece of paper that just said it was 'For Fiona.' No signature."

Captain Widdershins examined the little toy without saying anything. It was barely taller than the picture frame on his desk, and had no tags of any kind on it to indicate where it could have been purchased.

"I think perhaps he still has some pull with an associate from Anwhistle Aquatics and that'd be how he got tipped off, if they overheard me and Karrie."

"Could be." Captain Widdershins said, bluntly.

"You will give it to her, won't you?"

"Aye, I'm gonna have to." He glanced at the picture frame on his desk. It was facing away from Kit but she had visited the Queequeg enough times to know that it contained a picture of the captain and his wife Sammie, Fiona and Fernald's mother. "She'd kill me if I didn't." He tossed the toy back into the bag.

"And I'd smack the shit out of you too. No offense..."

"None taken, I already feel like I deserve it. I kicked him out before it happened cause he wouldn't let it go... I don't even want to think about how Fiona will feel if she finds out. It's bad enough thinking how Sammie would feel if she were here. But Fiona? She's all I got right now, and I love her to pieces and that's why she can't know. She idolizes her brother, and I can't take that away from her."

Kit nodded, "I can see how painful that is. Well, at least she'll know he still cares. And maybe someday she'll be ready to accept the truth. But for now, Dewey has informants everywhere and he'll keep you posted on whether or not Fernald's alive. Just to give you some peace of mind."

"I appreciate that, thank you both."

"I should get back to the hotel." Kit stood up. "I hope she likes her gifts."

"She will, aye. Have a good Christmas."

"You too, sir." She left the office and climbed back out of the submarine.

Captain Widdershins looked down at the toy mushroom on top of the other presents.

"I'm sorry too, son. Hope you stay safe out there..."

~

Christmas feels came early. 🙁 But I hope you enjoyed this little scene anyway.