Caleb is the cat in the hat (worth_therisk) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-09-14 19:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, caleb rivers, neal cassidy (baelfire) |
Who: Caleb Rivers and Neal Cassidy
What: Catching up over pizza and beer. Neal tries to warn Caleb about dreams.
When: Friday, September 11
Where: Some pizza place
Rating/Warnings: Low
Status: Complete
Caleb wasn’t planning on staying in Orange County too long. He never stayed in one place too long. Even being on the other side of the country he was worried about the people he used to work for finding him and pulling him back in. But even without that no place felt like home to him. It never had. Perhaps that was because he never had a home, what with being abandoned at five years old and all. However with the possibility of a legitimate job and the fact that he actually knew a few people in the area Caleb was tempted to stick around. At least for a little bit.
One of those people he just happened to be meeting with tonight. And getting a free meal out of it. It had been a long time since he had seen Neal, for some reason the older male had stuck around this place for over a year, Caleb had to admit he wanted to know the appeal. Plus catching up with an old acquaintance could be nice. Though he was a bit nervous considering Neal was a connection to his old life.
When he arrived at the pizza parlor Neal had suggested he spotted the man already sitting in a booth, Caleb made his way over to join him. “Long time, no see,” he greeted with a nod sliding in across from him.
Neal was a bleeding heart, it was true. And it wasn’t like Caleb was a lot younger than he was, but there was something about him - maybe it was what they had in common (childhood abandonment, being pulled into a criminal lifestyle, wanting out of that bear trap of a lifestyle) or maybe it was something else, but he still felt like he should look after the kid guy. At least a little. Buying him pizza and beer as a ‘welcome to the insane asylum’ gesture was no big deal, not for Neal.
He’d been waiting at the booth patiently, rock music in the place going, and it was generally family friendly - but it was also beer friendly, which he appreciated. Kind of doubled as a pizzeria and brewery, and while the crust didn’t live up to NYC standards (it was good though, and the pizza itself was flavorful), it would do in a pinch. Then when Caleb joined Neal, he sat up slightly, tossing a crooked smile the other’s way.
“It has been awhile,” he agreed. “But it’s good to see you. Here, get whatever you want.” He slid a menu across the booth. “So, how’d you end up here again? We can start with that. I know there’s a lot to go over.”
“You might regret you said that later,” he smirked browsing over the menu, ordering himself Yuengling and a meat lovers pizza. There was no denying that Caleb was a carnivore.
“Lots of long stories,” he agreed with a nod before going into his own. “I’ve been traveling around the past few months,” he shrugged. That was the brief version but he had a feeling Neal would want to know more. He could keep it vague though, leave out the important details. Such as being involved in murder. “I don’t know really,” he added with some honestly. “Decided I didn’t want to be part of that life anymore. So I left,” but they were looking for him. That much he knew. Not only was he one of the best hackers out there, a valuable asset, but he also knew too much.
Very rarely was it ever as simple as so I left, and Neal knew that all too well. He was probably still a presence on the list to keep eyes and ears on just because of who his stepfather had been, what had been left to Neal when the old man kicked the bucket, even though the Mafioso had literally tossed him out of a car and left him on the side of the road many, many years ago. If that didn’t scream ‘gtfo’ then nothing would, and even then it wasn’t exactly a clean break. It never was, when you were waist-deep involved in that life. When you had something they wanted.
Meat lover’s pizza for them to share, extra large, and a Newcastle for him - and his eyebrow quirked at the obviously abridged version of the ‘hey, I’m here’ story. “Trying to stay off the radar, then?” he asked. “It sucks...having to look over your shoulder all the time.” Yeah, and he would know that too - he didn’t think those stains of criminality would ever be washed off; it was just something that would always linger in the back of his mind.
Caleb had always been more of a behind the scenes guy when it came to criminal activity. Hacking into systems to help the other break in and out of places, changing footage on security tapes, stealing money from bank accounts, laundering VIN numbers on stolen cars, that sort of thing. He didn’t often do any of the grunt work, he wasn’t the violent type though he always carried a gun for protection. He always knew what he was doing was wrong, but he also knew how to not leave a trail so nothing would get traced back to him. He wasn’t worried about getting caught. However when things went wrong one night and people got killed Caleb knew he could no longer live his life like that. That was more of the long version but he couldn’t tell all that to Neal. Not yet anyway.
“Yeah,” he agreed with a sigh as their beers were brought over. Caleb took a long gulp of his. “You too?” he asked in reference to the looking over his shoulder bit. “So you’re out of that life?” that made him feel a little better at least. Like he could relax somewhat.
Beer was nectar of the gods, especially with pizza. Neal would even spring for another round - not that he wanted to get drunk, but there was just nothing that went with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings on baked dough than a cold one anyway. He lifted his glass and enjoyed a refreshing swallow of his own before figuring out how to best answer the question. These things tended to be long, as most complicated matters were.
“Yep, pretty much out. Stepfather passed away a few months ago, and he left me a nice chunk of change,” Neal explained. “Of course, the family - “ By that he meant Sicilian mafia goons, “...wasn’t too pleased about it, because they thought it belonged with them, but it’s dirty money. I ended up donating most of it, may as well put it toward something good for once. Anyway, they made it clear that if they ever need a favor they’d let me know, but I’m not their property. They have enough to worry about, what with having to run around and fix the hierarchy after the old man’s passing. It’s difficult to get out, but it is possible.” He fixed Caleb with a knowing stare, with those warm dark eyes of his. “Most anything’s possible, especially here. And now that you’re around, I’m sure you have people who will look out for you and not let you get pulled back in so easily.”
Like Neal, for example. He’d already promised himself he’d do what he could to keep the newbie from getting dragged back into a dead-end.
Caleb raised a brow at the ‘pretty much out’ comment before Neal went on to explain further. Caleb had never known the Neal’s full story. He had just run into him a few times when he was doing jobs in New York. He did know that Neal had been involved with the Sicilian mafia, just not how deep. Or that his Stepfather had been the guy in charge. That was a lot and the fact that Neal had escaped that life, refused to let them use him, it gave Caleb some hope.
“Are you worried, that they will come for that favor?” he couldn’t help but ask, taking another sip of his beer. “For me the biggest step was actually leaving,” he confessed. “Now I’m clear across the country,” as far as he knew they were all back in Allentown, Pennsylvania where he had left them. And he did check from time to time. “I’m probably just being paranoid,” he tried to act casual, down play the whole situation. But he couldn’t help that sinking feeling that it wouldn’t be that easy. No matter how far he got or how good he was at hiding himself, not leaving a trail. “Does the feeling ever go away?”
“Not too worried,” Neal shrugged. “I’ve honestly been through hell and back again here, but I think it made me stronger. If they do come, I also know I’ve got people on my side - friends who I can ask for help, if need be.” And he’d learned the hard way that sometimes you did have to ask for help - in life, occasionally, there were situations you found yourself in, things that got thrown at you, that you just weren’t equipped to handle on your own. And that was okay.
Caleb did know too much, and he was good at what he did - but he’d have an army on his side, basically. That would tip the scales in his favor. “The feeling does go away, eventually, and to get there you might have to face down a few demons too,” Neal admitted. “But you don’t have to do it alone, is the thing, and it’s worth the struggle. You can take your life back, in steps, and you’ve got a long one ahead of you so I’m sure you don’t want to waste it.” If he knew anything in the OC, it was that life was precious - you couldn’t squander the little things.
Caleb had been on his own almost his entire life. He was used to doing things alone. The idea of asking people for help was a foreign concept, something he wasn’t sure he would ever do. For one he had his pride, and then there was the fact that he had gotten by just fine without anyone’s help. Granted he had gotten mixed up in some pretty fucked up things but that was beside the point.
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” take his life back. Or rather get a life considering he was only sixteen when he was only twelve when he started with the hacking, mostly small things like upgrading cellphones, sixteen when he got involved with the group of criminals. It didn’t give him much of a chance to have a life as an upstanding citizen.
“You mentioned there was substance to this place?”
Right, the substance. That was an extra long story. Started with ‘once upon a time’ and ended with ‘to be continued, more fucked up shit later.’ But Neal would do his best - thank the gods he had beer for this. “Well,” his eyes crinkled at the corners when he grinned, and his fingertips briefly pressed to his forehead to quell any oncoming brain explosion. This was always difficult to explain.
“Substance in the way that I got to be reunited with the son I never knew I had, and his mother - we have kind of a complicated history,” and that was the abridged version, since the long one went into dreams and things, “...so I’m happy in that regard. But this place? This particular county? There’s literally something about it. Depends how open-minded you’re willing to be.”
Or they could just scarf their pizza when it came, and not even talk about the fuckery. Either way.
A place was a place, right? What was Neal even talking about with the open mindedness? It made no sense to Caleb and honestly it just seemed like a distraction from the bomb he had just dropped. “Wait, back up. You have a son?” Before he could ask for more details the waitress came over with their pizza. Caleb nodded a thanks, then turned his attention back to Neal. “I’m going to need more details on that one,” then maybe they could get back to whatever bull shit he was referring to about Orange County. For now though Caleb was more than happy to dig in to the pizza and hear the sordid details of Neal’s life.
Talking about his roller coaster of a life was always fun. He’d definitely warn Caleb about the dreams, it was only fair to do so and however the guy wanted to take it was up to him, but anyway, back to Henry. “I do,” he said, cutting into the pizza (which was huge, by the way), and plopping a slice onto his plate. He’d start with one for now, probably end up eating three. Caleb could have the leftovers to take home. If there were any leftovers.
“He’s about to turn twelve. Happened awhile ago, in New York...met his mom at the club she was working at, one night of fun...” he trailed off. Yeah. Let that be a lesson to you, kids. Wrap that rascal. “She gave the baby up for adoption because we were young and stupid and we didn’t even know each other. Then years later, here, she showed up in the OC and came to work with me at the ranch - took a minute to figure out where we recognized each other from, but there you go. Eventually she told me about the kid, and we went out to see him - he’s from Boston - and after his adoptive parents passed away, we started looking into getting custody of him. He’s here now.”
Twelve? That was intense. Part of Caleb wondered if that was what it was like with his own father. If he even knew Caleb existed, clearly Neal hadn’t known about Henry and was actually trying to be a parent now that he did know. But it didn’t matter now. Caleb was all grown up. His mother had a whole other family with two sons she actually wanted, and he had no clue who his father was. His story was completely different than this Henry kids. “Must be nice,” was his comment.
He cut himself his own slice of pizza taking a bite before setting it on his plate. Man that was good. “So how exactly did you recognize him. Did he just look like you?” Of course he was curious about these sorts of things, though he wouldn’t actually admit the reason why.
“Well, that’s the thing. Kind of leads into...the open-minded part.” Neal drummed his fingertips on the table, then picked up his beer for another swig to fortify himself. “Here, in Orange County? That network is basically a link to another world. Or I mean, joining it opens up that link - and you begin to see yourself there. Another version of yourself, in some other reality. Henry calls it the Multiverse Theory, from his comic books - only it’s real, very real. I knew him, and I found him, because I’d already dreamed of him. Of him being my son in another universe.”
There, bomb dropped. Neal was going to be met with skepticism, he was sure. But most all new people reacted the same way - who wanted to accept such bullshit, straight out of the gate? Besides Henry, who lived for this stuff.
“Anyway, I know it sounds insane,” he continued. “But if you ever trust anything I say, just trust that it will make sense to you. Someday. That’s all I’d ask for now.”
It sounded beyond insane. Caleb had come across a lot of things on the internet. But a link to another world? That was a stretch. Even for him. “Are you sure this is your first beer?” First with all the dream nonsense on the network now this other world talk? What had Caleb gotten himself into? Of course he didn’t believe it. But something had compelled him to sign up for that network, and post when there was a slight risk to being out there like that.
Caleb took a long gulp of his beer, he needed it after that information. “Trust isn’t exactly my thing.” At least that was the truth. Sure Neal had bought him a meal, but he still didn’t know the guy that well. And Caleb never really trusted anyone. Why would he? His whole no one had looked out for him other than himself.
“I know it isn’t. It wasn’t for me either, for a long time. But for what it’s worth, you can trust me. And I’m not going anywhere.” So Neal knew it was a matter of earning that trust - people who had been burned again and again didn’t just give it overnight, but living here was hard sometimes. He wanted to band together, for the kid to know that he had someone he could count on.
After consoling himself with more wannabe New York crust, he swallowed and said, “Anyway, that’s the story. But next time you have a free minute, take a look around the network and you might see what I mean. If you have questions or want to know more, you know where to find me.” People were compelled to join, and also compelled to stay in Orange County; it became home. Maybe not everyone felt that force drawing them to the place, and yeah, some people moved away. But then again, sometimes they came back too.
Caleb hadn’t heard that before, so that meant something at least. However he wasn’t about to believe it just yet. It would take a lot of time. Not that it was Neal’s fault, just the way Caleb had lived his entire life. “Yeah I know where you are,” Caleb agreed. It was his way of saying he wasn’t writing Neal off just yet, like he had almost every other adulty person in his life.
“Congrats on the whole dad thing, by the way.” He added before going in for another bite of pizza. Neal seemed pretty happy about the whole fatherhood thing so it seemed like congratulations were in order. “I don’t think everyone would react the same as you,” that was in reference to his own father of course even though he still had no idea who his dad was or if he even knew about him, but oh well.
“Well, hey, thanks.” His smile had a note of pride in it, because he adored his kid - he had bonded with Henry right away, both here and in the dreams; it was those fatherly instincts, that parental love that meant he’d throw himself on a sword for his son. Would do just about anything for him, and Neal also wanted to make up for lost time since he hadn’t even known about Henry for the first eleven or so years of his life. Not his fault, but since he couldn’t change the past he looked to the future and would be there for every other important milestone. “I’ll introduce you sometime,” he offered.
And tilted the large pizza pan in Caleb’s direction - there were still a few slices left. “Meanwhile, you finish all these. Here, or take them home. I told you the instincts are pretty strong with this one.”
“Sure,” said finishing off his beer. He wouldn’t mind meeting the kid. And he wouldn’t even try and teach him anything illegal. Caleb grabbed another slice of pizza eagerly digging in. Sure he had food and some money, but all the money he hadn’t obtained by legal means and he was trying to cut back on that. Now that he had gotten a legitimate job it would be easier, hopefully. The point was, Caleb was hungry.
“You sure you don’t mind?” he raised a brow. “Cause I will take the rest back with me.”
“Nope, go for it.” Neal sounded amused (and impressed) that Caleb could pack away so many slices. But hey, he’d ordered the extra large for a reason. Leftovers were a good thing. And maybe the kid dude was trying to go legit, which Neal could respect, but it’d be a bit before he began with the steady paycheck. So, every little bit helped.
And he really ought to bulk up on calories and brain food anyway. Or alcohol especially. Here in the OC? He’d need it.