Celeste thought today was going to be like any other day - she didn't work until the evening shift, she had a volunteer shift at the library at 2, and she had classes beginning at 10am. It was a bit early, but she had woken up due her usual nightmares around 6am. She spent her early morning  mainly cooking some breakfast for her and Norma, studying for one of her upcoming quizzes, and bugging people through her new iPhone - even though they totally weren't awake. Marisol Cervantes and Jude were going to have lots of funny memes when they woke up. She felt bad for blowing their phones up, especially at 6:30 in the morning, but she hadn't had a smart phone before. It was a whole new experience to her. Browsing the internet, she'd already joined ViewTube (and watched some of Booker's channel,) got herself back into MyFace, she even decided to download Speedigraph and see how it was. She was a bit... Bored with it, though. But browsing the internet, taking all sorts of selfies, ShutterTexting, she was all into it. 

At 7am, she decided to get ready for the day and by 8am, she had picked out a simple outfit of a pale pink sweater, a white shirt, and a light shade blue jeans with some rips in them. It was simple, comfortable, and business casual - kinda, anyways. She thought it'd be a fine outfit to wear to the library during her little shift. She peered out of her room, expecting Norma to be up by now but she hadn't heard a peep from her old roommate. That wasn't something she expected. Norma had a very set routine. Celeste tiptoed over to Norma's bedroom door and knocked softly. When no noise came from the room, she slowly opened it. Norma was laying in her bed, looking so peaceful. Too peaceful. Celeste perked a brow and ran over to her quickly and tried to read a pulse, she put her ear close to Norma's mouth and nose... But nothing. She had passed away. Immediately, Celeste dialed 911 who promptly came over.

The police asked her a few questions, mainly about how she had found her. The two police officers then informed her of the next steps:

"Well... We won't be running an autopsy because of her age - the paramedics already believe it was from either a heart attack or a stroke. We won't know more until they get her to the hospital. Do you know any of her family? She doesn't seem to have any records here of anyone. We'll put a missing woman report out but she'll be at the morgue until then... If no one claims her after a while, we'll have to cremate her." Celeste shook her head, unsure. Norma had never talked about her family. The police officer nodded, "Unfortunately, you're going to have to leave. This was her apartment and the landlord found out you weren't on the lease due to all this and he has asked us to escort you out. Do you think you can get all your things together in an hour?" He paused, clearly sorry for the now homeless girl, "I'm sorry about this..." He patted her shoulder. All she could do was nod and went to pack her things up. She had no where to go, but she'd figure it out... Somehow. 

The younger police officer gave her his phone number and his address, if she wanted to bunk with him for a few nights - which was... Creepy. And didn't help Celeste at all given her situation. 

Celeste was still in shock, really. She couldn't believe Norma had died. She couldn't believe she was getting kicked out literally a couple hours later. She couldn't even believe she had to dial 911 on her brand new freaking phone.  She lost Norma, her apartment, and an entire day of school, volunteer, and work. Not to mention, a police officer pretty much just offered her a place to live, albeit for a little bit, for some booty booty. That was what it seemed like, anyways.  Celeste packed her bags and head out the door. The police officer asked where she'd like to be dropped off and the only place she could think of was, of course, the library. Her refuge and her sanctuary from the world.

---

She sat in the chair in the library, her eyes watery. She had found the perfect chair and she moved it so it was away from most people and looked out a nearby window. She could see some of the people walking on the streets below, the large skyscrapers in the sky. Her eyes had finally betrayed her as she had sat there. She had picked up a box of tissues on the way over. She had already been through at least half of the box and her poor purse was fill of used tissues. Gross. What else was she supposed to do with them? She had no where else to put them. All the emotions hit home pretty quickly. She clenched the book in her hands, Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience. She wasn't even sure why she chose that book. She nearly chose the Bible, but that was just too serious for her. That made it all too real. She just sat there, staring ahead clutching the book, her suitcase in front of her. What was she going to do...?

(OOC: Booker B. Bookman & Vanessa Berry )

It had been a pretty good day so far. Booker made it to work early, got a head start on several books that were waiting to be added to the system, even got them onto the sorting shelves so that his workers could get them out into the stacks and ready for literary consumption. All-in-all, it seemed like a pretty great day for the librarian. Best of all, with a glance to his schedule, he knew that he would be working with his favorite volunteer, Celestina De Ward.

Celeste had proven to be an excellent volunteer. The two of them had thrown themselves deep into the shifting work and while it was not something that would be completed any time soon, the progress that they achieved made it seem as if the pair of them could conquer the world. Booker had to admit that he was really and truly thinking of making Celeste apply for a job just so that he could actually pay her for the work that she did here. It was invaluable to him and he did have the power to higher whomever he wanted, maybe he would just hire her and surprise her with it.

Of course that meant finding a way to sneak off with her social security number and he was fairly certain that was utterly illegal.

Sitting in his office, dressed in his peach, button up shirt and his black trousers, the man adjusted his bowtie as he peered closely at his computer. There was still a lot of work that needed to be done but he as more than happy to throw himself deep into it. See, for as good as his work life was, there was actually a lot of personal things that he were trying to work through -- the biggest being the fact that his sister finally admitted to being a mutant. That, understandably, threw him for a loop.

Though things were better between the siblings, there were still things that they were trying to work around. Booker had to look at his sister in a new light, that he was affecting her everyday life now that she admitted that she was a mutant, mainly because he was an adapted who shut off her abilities. Who knew what the long term effects were! Second, there was the fact that Nessa seemingly still tried to make amends for something he already forgave her for. It was not as bad as it had been but, still, it was getting kind of annoying. She would stop, though, and they would find their equilibrium again.

He just knew it.

Now, though, as he struggled with supply spreadsheets, the librarian found himself glancing at his clock. It was still fairly early in the afternoon and he was going bleary eyed staring at these numbered cells. He definitely needed a walk.

Booker pushed away from his desk, a yawn on his lips as he stretched out his back until he heard a satisfying pop. He then stood and made his way over to his door, briefly jingly the keys in his pocket as he stepped out. A small whistle on his lips, Booker started to stroll through the library, moving through aisles, claiming forgotten books, tossing trash into cans, and righting furniture that was askew. That was one of his pet peeves. If you are going to move furniture, fine, just put it back where it belongs.

Setting his books aside, Booker started to move chairs back into their proper locations until he reached one that was already occupied. A soft apology fell from his lips as he stepped away from it, but stopped when he realized that he knew the person who occupied it. Curious, Booker chuckled as he checked his watch.

”Bit early for your shift, don’tcha think, Celeste?” the man chuckled. ”I mean, I get your obsessed with this place but come o--” He stopped when he moved around to catch her face and instantly saw that something was wrong. She was crying. She was crying in his library. Immediately all the concern flooded his face as he knelt down next to her, his voice lowering to something far more caring. ”Celeste? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

Celeste wasn't entirely sure where to go at this point. It felt a lot like her first couple weeks when she first arrived in NYC - alone, lost, with no where to really go. Norma approached her one day, I guess out of intuition, to ask her some questions - mainly about some book recommendations, but she seemed to know something was wrong with the girl. She inquired about where she was from, where she was living, and then offered to rent a spare bedroom she had to her. Fully furnished, no hidden deals. She'd just have to pay a few hundred bucks - it was an entire steal.

The few months they lived together, her and Norma had developed a strong friendship - mainly, Celeste was helping Norma pretty much live day-to-day. She was old, it was hard for her to cook, walk, and clean, so Celeste took up a lot of the duties around the apartment - and Norma slowly reduced her rent, even though Celeste insisted on paying the initial amount. She helped her learn the cities bus and train systems, the do's and don't's of city life. 

But Norma was gone, now. She had passed away, happily, in her sleep. Or at least that's what Celeste could tell and that's what the authorities said - heart attack or stroke, probably. No autopsy due to her age. 'Death due to Natural Causes' would be on her death certificate - and worst of all, Celeste wouldn't even be able to attend her funeral. Heck, Norma may not even have a funeral is they can't locate her family - if she had any. Celeste did her best to rack her brain when the question was asked - but Norma never mentioned anyone. She seemed like she'd have a few kids, though. It just seemed like her. 

She fiddled with the book she had grabbed from when she first entered. Norma didn't even have a near-death experience. She just had a death experience. Celeste sighed as she fiddled with the edge of the book, knowing there was no comfort from this book. She placed it on the ground, beside her. She was kinda surprised she was even able to bring her suit case into the library. No one said anything, but she avoided most people as she wandered to her spot. 

A voice slowly broke her trance. 

>>”Bit early for your shift, don’tcha think, Celeste? I mean, I get your obsessed with this place but come o-- Celeste? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

She smiled at his initial joke but nothing more could come out of her. She honestly did try to get to her shifts a bit earlier - mainly so she could read some books she found as she strolled through. She even managed to grab a book this time - albeit, not one she was really interested in. It was more of a... Death book. 

She shook her head, "I... No... I mean, I am okay..." Her voice was more soft, low. She did not want to worry Booker, at all, but she didn't know where else to go or what else to do. She wasn't expecting him to show up, at least not here, either. It seemed like a kinda deserted part of the library. She sighed and wiped her eyes. It was a good thing all her makeup had managed to come up earlier that morning, or else she'd be in big trouble. She looked at Booker and shook her head, "Norma, my roommate, she passed away this morning..." Her bottom lip quivered a little as she tried to hold back any more tears, "It was a heart attack or stroke. I didn't know any family of hers so the people said they'd probably cremate her if no family claims her. Won't even have a funeral." Celeste wouldn't even be able to say goodbye. She had barely even talked to her the night before - she had a long afternoon at work. She brought some food home from the diner and gave Norma some, which Norma ate happily. They both went into their rooms pretty early. Well, it wasn't her room anymore - she was homeless. How long was Norma deceased in her bedroom? What if she'd been in there all night? What if Celeste had checked on her, she might have been able to call 911 in time? 

Booker was all jokes and fun times but whenever she saw someone in pain, it sort of just activated something in the librarian. He instantly became far more caring and understanding, he only wanted to do whatever he could in order to protect the person in pain. He had plenty of experience when he cared for Nessa, for his best friends, for lovers who were heartbroken, and now was no different. His intern, his friend was hurting from something so he had to do whatever he could in order to try and help her.

Kneeling next to her, he watched her face closely, trying to see if he could get a bead on what was bothering her. The easiest way to find out, of course, was simply to ask, but would she answer? He was experienced enough to know that just because you ask a person in pain what was wrong, that wouldn’t guarantee an answer. It may be a private matter or something they were embarrassed by. But, still, he decided that he would ask.

Was she okay?

>>"I... No... I mean, I am okay..."

Well that certainly cleared things up. Still, he didn’t want to leave her alone. Forgoing his own rules about moving the furniture around, Booker stood up, reached over to a nearby chair and pulled it over so that he could sit in front of her. Once he planted himself in the seat, he tried giving her an encouragingly look.

”Take your time,” he said gently. ”Don’t feel like you have to tell me if you don’t want to, though. I just...want to make sure you are okay.”

Booker tried to exude as much compassion and tenderness towards the woman as he could. Whenever someone was this upset, it had to be something big. He had worked with Celeste long enough to know that she wasn’t the kind who would get this heartbroken over something as simply as missing her bus or spilling milk in the kitchen. Something serious had happened but given that she wasn’t very forth coming with her private life, he could only guess as to what it could be.

>>"Norma, my roommate, she passed away this morning...It was a heart attack or stroke. I didn't know any family of hers so the people said they'd probably cremate her if no family claims her. Won't even have a funeral."

He face sank along with his heart. It wasn’t so much the message but the tone at which Celeste conveyed this information. She looked completely downtrodden, as if her world was completely over. Booker knew that roommates could take up a big part of your life, maybe Norma was more than just a roomie, but a friend that she truly cared about. But no, she didn’t know any of her family. Huh. Maybe she was just in such shock from the event that she wasn’t sure how to proceed. She seemed pretty confused.

Sucking in a breath, Booker just shook his head. ”Wow...Celeste. I am just...so so sorry,” he pouted. ”I mean, I can’t even imagine.” She shouldn’t be here. She should be home or at a friends, but certainly not at a job she volunteered at. He was touched by her commitment but it wasn’t right. ”You should take the day off,” he said with a soft smile. ”You don’t need to be here, especially when going through this.” But he paused as his eyes drifted over and he caught sight of the suitcase that was sitting by her side. He eyed her...then the suitcase. ”Speaking of...w-why do you have a suitcase?”

Celeste felt like she shouldn't be this upset. She was sitting in a library, staring out a window, with her volunteer boss dude wondering what the h*ll was wrong. That made her feel a bit worse - she had dragged him into her sob story, now. It wasn't something she wanted to do but she had no where else to go - what else could she do? Her best friend, Mari, lived in a dorm. She couldn't go there. Her date/friends gathering things with Jude were in the beginning still, so it would be way too soon to ask for his help. She didn't want to scare him off with something this huge already. Plus, she definitely wasn't the prettiest lady with tears streaming down her face and a runny nose. 

So, her only place was the library. It was where she was ended up when she first came to the United States. It was how she found her job, and Norma. It was how she became good friends with Booker. It was even how she figured out how to get to Xavier's so she could finish up her high school. It was her only place to hide from the world, whether in books or as a literal building. She put her hands on over face as she took a deep breath. She needed to calm down, control her emotions - but how? She didn't know how too. Not after Norma. She only solace Celeste found was that she probably went fast and quick - it was probably painless for her. 

She watched as Booker pulled his seat up next to her, clearly concerned. She spilled her beans with as much as a straight face as possible, but it hurt. Norma wasn't just her roommate, she was her family. Celeste knew Norma wasn't going to live forever - or even much longer. She wasn't expecting her to pass so soon, though. She couldn't shake how non-nonchalant the officers mentioned her lack of a funeral. It killed her on the inside. The police informed her that they would call her and tell her where they placed her urn but there would be no funeral if the family never came. 

>> ”Wow...Celeste. I am just...so so sorry, I mean, I can’t even imagine. You don’t need to be here, especially when going through this.”

She nodded slowly, rubbing her eyes every few seconds to make sure tears weren't escaping. She knew she should be somewhere else but she had no where else to go. She had literally no one to turn to, at least no one that could help her. She didn't really know what to say so she just stayed quiet and tried to keep her emotions under control.

>>”Speaking of...w-why do you have a suitcase?”

Her eyes opened widely. How could she explain that without mentioning her now homelessness? She put her head in her hands, not wanting to explain that she was homeless... Again. Except this time, she didn't have enough savings to get a sketchy hotel room. She had gotten her new phone, new clothes for upcoming dates, stuff that people her age usually buy. She felt like her life was getting into a good, normal routine. But now what? She had nothing again.

"I... I..." She kept her head cupped in her hands, "I don't have anywhere to go. They made me l-leave... I wasn't on the lease..." Her lip quivered and several more tears began to escape her eyes. Ugh. She had no where to live. But she couldn't just say that. That would make it even more real and she didn't want Booker to worry about it. She would figure it out - she could, somehow. Someway. "I can f-figure it out. I just..." She mumbled through crying fits. 

Booker was an observant man. He could see, at a glance, that Celeste was having a very difficult time. She was normally this bright ray of sunshine, always ready to work, eager to contribute to the institution that she loved so much; to see her like this was absolutely heartbreaking. All Booker wanted to do was to help, to bring a smile back to her face, but that was not something within his power to do. She was dealing with a trauma, a dead roommate, and now it seemed as if she just didn’t know what else to do with her life. It was understandable, but there were some things that needed to be pointed out.

Watching her sniffle into her hands, she tried to agree that being here probably wasn’t for the best. It was his understanding that he was just encouraging her to go back home, get some rest, come back when she was feeling better -- but it seemed that wasn’t the case. He noted the luggage and linked that together with the fact that her roommate was now dead. He could understand just not wanting to be in the same apartment where a body had just been discovered, but to pack up her things so thoroughly...something was wrong.

>>"I... I...I don't have anywhere to go. They made me l-leave... I wasn't on the lease..."

It didn’t take many words for Booker to put together what had happened. He didn’t know much about Celeste but from what he was able to understand, she wasn’t originally from New York and she certainly didn’t have any family that she could turn to in such a crisis. Add to that the fact that she had a suit, police made her leave, and she wasn’t on the lease, and, well, it painted a pretty clear picture to him...she was homeless.

Oh the pain that radiated from his heart at this thought. He prayed that it wasn’t true, that maybe Celeste had just gotten wigged out by staying in that apartment, but the pure heartbreak in her eyes was enough proof to him that it wasn’t true. She was so utterly upset that only proved his thought further, that she didn’t have anywhere to go.

Watching the tears sparkle from between her fingertips, Booker sighed. He was just at a loss for words. How does something like this happen in this day and age?

>>"I can f-figure it out. I just..."

And she was fully encased in tears now. Booker, detaching himself from his chair, closed the gap between them and in hopes of not making the issue worse, carefully on the arm of her chair, and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. He gave her a small squeeze of reassurance, tears in his own eyes as his began to feel the sudden, empathic weight of what she was going through. Gently he rubbed her arm, shaking his head.

”Aw honey, just...just get it out. Get it all out...” he said softly. He waited until she was finished sobbing, at least enough to hear him. He then ushered her to stand. ”Come on, let’s go to my office, okay? All the tissue you could want in there and we’ll talk.” he made to pick up her suitcase. He waited until he caught her eye and gave her a sympathetic smile. ”We’ll figure this out, promise.”

Celeste knew that she needed to calm down, to breath, and try to restore some stability in her emotions - even more importantly, her voice. Norma had become Celeste's rock when she first moved into the town - she was her first friend and she had lost her. The police made her feel like she didn't even know the woman, on top of that. Also, tears and snot wasn't a pretty site for anyone. She took a few deep breaths, trying to sort out her feelings and emotions. She just couldn't believe Norma was gone.

She hated putting Booker in this situation. She considered him a good friend, but ultimately his duty was to the library and she was his worker. They had a personal friendship but it also had a lot of professionalism that she hoped she wasn't violating by crying in his library with her bags. Of course, she had no where else to go. This was her second home - granted, she never thought she'd have a suitcase of her undies, dresses, and everything else with her in the library. She took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down, "I'm s-sorry. I don't want to bother you or anything." She took a few tissues out to dry her face and wipe her nose. 

That was until he mentioned the suitcase and the reality of her situation really came out. She had definitely violated his professional trust, sobbing in his library. It felt like going into work and having a boss watch his employee bawl her eyes out. If she wasn't already a mess, that probably would have made her cry even more.

>> ”Aw honey, just...just get it out. Get it all out...”

She felt a small squeeze on her shoulders and felt his other hand on her arm. She realized he had gotten off his chair and was trying to comfort her. At least he didn't tell her to stop crying, he actually had encouraged her to get it out. It helped, at least in the sense that she didn't feel as terrible for sobbing next to him and in his library. This couldn't have been comfortable for Booker. She really needed to get herself under control so she tried to take a few deep breaths, which were met with more sobbing until the about the fifth try. Tears finally stopped, her breathing came back to relative normal, and she used another tissue. She was almost out. 

>> ”Come on, let’s go to my office, okay? All the tissue you could want in there and we’ll talk. We’ll figure this out, promise.”

She nodded. That was a good idea. Hopefully, she hadn't freaked any of the library patrons that had passed through. She stood up, wiping her eyes again, and she took a deep breath. Knowing how Booker was about furniture in his library she decided to quickly and quietly add, "I'll be s-sure to move it all back, as soon as I can." At least she had stopped the tears. Of course, that might be a temporary feat. She wasn't sure if she could tell Booker that she no longer had a home - how could she say she washomeless? Maybe it was just her pride, but she was hurting so much from Norma that she'd probably have another break down if she said it.

She had reached over for her suitcase, but Booker had already got it. It was just a matter of her following him to his office, then.

While most people would have been extremely uncomfortable watching someone whom they worked with cry, for Booker he wasn’t so much uncomfortable as finding himself with a desperate need to help her. Every sob and tear just sent another pang in his heart. He didn’t like to see people in pain, suffering for things that was never their fault to begin with. That alone was the reason why he tended to volunteer in children’s wards of hospitals, because he wanted to give back, to bring a few smiles with him.

This, however, this wasn’t something that could easily be fixed. Therefore he thought of the only thing he could, he invited her to his office where the two of them could sit and talk and private. He wanted to help her but there was still so much that he didn’t know about his intern. He couldn’t help her if she didn’t allow him to know more.

So, choosing a step of faction, Booker stood up and invited her to follow him. He picked up her suitcase so that she didn’t have to carry it, and gave her an encouraging smile. Deep down he knew that she would be okay, but he understood if that was a hope she couldn’t fully embrace just yet.

>> "I'll be s-sure to move it all back, as soon as I can."

He shook his head. ”Don’t you worry about that,” he said gently and then shared a smile. ”That’s what I have other minions for.”

A light joke. That was all.

Leading the young woman back through the library, Booker approached his office where he opened the door and pushed it open to allow her inside first. Once she was in, he closed it behind her, pulled out a chair for her to sit, and then stepped away to grab a box of tissue he had situated in his desk cabinet for whenever allergy season reared its ugly head. Additionally he slipped away to another cabinet in the corner of his room and pulled out a bottle of water. With it in hand, he rejoined the woman, pulling up a chair next to her, and offering her the bottle.

”Okay, Celeste.” He said gently. ”Please don’t feel like you have to tell me everything…but I would like to help you as I can.” He paused. ”And it would be easier if you tell me what’s going on.” He could already surmise that she was homeless but it seemed like returning to parents wasn’t an option or she wouldn’t be here with her suitcase in tow. Still, it wouldn’t help if he made assumptions. He would let her tell him whatever she wanted first and react appropriately.

She finally was able to stop crying, at least for the moment. Her eyes were watery and red, but no water escaped from them. While she was sad, at least she wasn't alone. That was always a plus, even if she felt really guilty for dragging her friend into this mess. 

>> ”Don’t you worry about that, That’s what I have other minions for.”

She nodded and gave a weak smile. That was a silly joke. It was true, he did have plenty of other minions. Celeste had been on a mission to be the best minion at the library, though. Crying and messing furniture up didn't really help her in that mission.

Once inside the room, Celeste mumbled a thank you for him holding the door open for him and pulling a chair for her, which she promptly sat down in. She took the water bottle and tissues and put them in her lap. She rubbed her eyes, preparing for whatever was next.

>> ”Please don’t feel like you have to tell me everything…but I would like to help you as I can. And it would be easier if you tell me what’s going on.” 

She took a few moments to compile her thoughts and her wording. She guessed she should tell him at least the majority of her story. He wanted to help her, but he needed to know what was happening. It made sense. She sniffed and took a sip of the water to get her throat from being dry. She wasn't crying anymore, so maybe she should actually tell him. She took a deep breath, "I... I'm originally from Regina, right? I moved here earlier this year because of... Some issues with 'my family.'" She didn't consider them family anymore, at least since she was 14-15. She was just stuck there at the time. Mari and Jude knew the general background of her, but they didn't know how much it affected her. Neither knew that Norma had died that morning.

She started off hesitant, but her words ending up becoming more of a waterfall pretty quickly, "My family hates mutants, so when I manifested when I was 11 they literally had another kid, named her my middle name, and for all intents and purposes only fed and clothed me so they couldn't get put in prison for child neglect."

She used a tissue to wipe her nose, "They wouldn't let my sister even talk to me - we'd just talk by sending each other notes. I was practically a prisoner in my own room." She sighed and took a breath, "S-so earlier this year I stole like 3,000 dollars from them and left. I ran away. Isabel was figuring it out. I wasn't wanted there. So I just left. And I came here. And here has been great but it's had challenges. I stayed at this shady motel for like a week until Norma and I met, here. It didn't take her long to ask me to move i-into her apartment with her to help her with rent and cleaning. She is.. was.. in her 80's. So, I moved in with her and now she's passed away, dead. I can't go back to R-Regina... I'll be moving into dorms in January a-and I'm finishing high school this semester."

She never told anyone about the 3,000 dollars, but she was just too upset to hide anything. A general overview of her past and the last few months were kinda just spilling out of her. He did ask to know what was going on, in her defense. "I left them a note with my stupid flip phone that broke a little while ago and they never even called to see if I lived through the journey," she took a deep breath, trying to finish her story but unsure of where to really stop so she just decided to hide her face in her hands and then mumbled a conclusion, "So, parents hate me, my sister probably will because of them too. My friend, roommate is dead, and I'm homeless and I don't know what to do." 

Booker hated to see anything crying as much as Celeste was. It was an indication that they were going through something that was deep, profound, and all-together terrifying. Anyone who cried like this, their soul was hurting and that was not something that could be easily iced or hugged away. However, Booker wanted to try. He already had a good idea as to what was going on, but he wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. Rather, he wanted Celeste to tell him what was going on in her life, to trust him enough to inform him how she found her way into this situation. If she didn’t, that was fine, he’d still try to help her as best he could, but it would be easier if she did.

Water and tissue in hand, Booker pulled up a seat in front of the young woman and waited for her to decide how she would proceed. He laid it all out, carefully and soothingly, that he would be available to help her. He wouldn’t push for information, but instead would just try to be there for her. Again, he already had a sneaking suspicion of what was going on.

His clasped in front of him, he watched as she took a sip of water, dried some of the tears from her cheeks and took a calming breath. It was only another moment before she began to regale him with her tale...

>> "I... I'm originally from Regina, right? I moved here earlier this year because of... Some issues with 'my family.'"

He nodded and listened closely.

Honestly, the tale that she told him was like one he never expected. The sadness of dealing with a family that wouldn’t accept her, the means of replacing her, even her escape out in the world, all of it just rang a little too closely to home for him. Much of her story reminded him of his own sister, Nessa, and the trials that she went through. The hate, the misunderstanding, the indignant judgment, he may as well be listening to his sister’s story all over again. It was to the point where Booker even shed a small tear, one the trickled down his cheek and onto his carpeted office floor. It wasn’t fair.


>>"I left them a note with my stupid flip phone that broke a little while ago and they never even called to see if I lived through the journey...So, parents hate me, my sister probably will because of them too. My friend, roommate is dead, and I'm homeless and I don't know what to do."

So there it was. Celeste was living as an illegal roommate to an old, kindly woman who passed in her sleep. She had no family to turn to, no other friends in this giant city, and now no place to live. He wanted nothing more than to put the woman up in an apartment himself but he didn’t make quite so much money as to do that. Plus others might get the wrong idea that she was a mistress or something like that and that was something that he simply didn’t want to have to explain. Rather, it gave him an entirely different idea…

He paused, waited a breath, and then continued. ”My god. I...I don’t even know what to say, Celeste,” he replied. ”I am so, so sorry for what you’ve gone through...for what you are going through.” The sympathy in his voice was pure and in no way diluted. He felt for the young woman in only the way that someone who had suffered similarly could. He sucked in a breath as he watched her face; he had more to offer than just apologies. ”Celeste, this may seem odd, and feel free to say no, but, I would like to help. I mean, I live with my sister and we don’t have that much room, but if you’re okay crashing on a couch until you can get a new place set up…” he offered her an earnest smile. ”...you’re more than welcome to it.”

Celeste had laid out pretty much everything that had happened over the past few months. She started with a brief opening and ended with the finale of her roommate dying. She hated her parents, she hated Norma for dying, she hated the world for everything being sh*t. Of course, she didn't really hate any of them. She was just struggling. She didn't know what her next step was, especially after she had made so many first steps already. For every two steps forward, something happened that pushed her back a step. What was next? Her life felt a series of disappointing events, even though she had tried her hardest to be a good person, a smart person, and everything else.

She took a few more tissues and blew her nose, wiped her eyes, and threw them away. She also took another sip of water. The long spill had made her surprisingly thirsty. She did explain a lot in very quick period, plus she wouldn't be surprised if she was dehydrated with all the tears she lost. When she saw Booker shed a tear, it broke her heart even more. She hated herself for putting him in this situation. It wasn't fair to him. Of course, everything seemed unfair at this point.

After taking a few more deep breaths, she waited for him to process her confession. It wasn't like he could really help, mainly just listen to her vent. 

>>  ”My god. I...I don’t even know what to say, Celeste, I am so, so sorry for what you’ve gone through...for what you are going through. 

She gave him a weak smile before shaking her head, "I mean, it's not your fault or anything. It is what it is. I just have to live through it." What else could she do? She had to keep on like before, after all. It was too late to turn back now.

>> Celeste, this may seem odd, and feel free to say no, but, I would like to help. I mean, I live with my sister and we don’t have that much room, but if you’re okay crashing on a couch until you can get a new place set up…...you’re more than welcome to it.”

She stared at him for a moment, taking in his offer, "I.. I mean, are you sure? I really don't want to be a bother... I can, um, I'm really good at cooking. And I can clean. And other stuff." She mumbled, "You don't have too, you know, I mean, I don't want you to feel like you have to just because... I can figure it out, I just I need some time, I don't want to cause you any issues... Unless you're sure. Because," she wiped some new tears that appeared in her eyes again, mainly due to being thankful for his offer and his friendliness. "I mean, yes, if you don't mind. But it's okay if you're not..." She took a breath, "This is all I have," she motioned to her luggage, "So, it's not like there's a lot that I'd be bringing with me..." She sighed and had a puzzled look on her face, and she started talking to herself for a moment, "I think I might could get a place set up with the school... Juliette did say they let students move in when they want..." 

There was really no other alternative for Booker B. Bookman. Sitting across from the young woman, watching her struggle to make sense of a life that kicked her around since the beginning, it was heartrending. What made his decision so easy, though, was the fact that not only did he have a want to help her, but he had the means to. If she had come here, begging for fifty-grand, well, unfortunately tough luck. But a couch to crash on? Place where she could rest and start searching for the next step in comfort? He could at least offer her that much.

So he did. It didn’t cross his mind to check with Nessa first. Thoughts of her and the fact that her space was going to be invaded by a stranger would come later, at the moment Booker was only concerned with ensuring that his friend had someplace to go. Besides, even if he had spared the brainpower to concern himself with Nessa’s opinion, she wouldn’t allow the young woman to be cast out in the street either. For as tough and grumbly as she could be, she was a good person too.

>>"I.. I mean, are you sure? I really don't want to be a bother... I can, um, I'm really good at cooking. And I can clean. And other stuff...You don't have too, you know, I mean, I don't want you to feel like you have to just because... I can figure it out, I just I need some time, I don't want to cause you any issues... Unless you're sure. Because...I mean, yes, if you don't mind. But it's okay if you're not...This is all I have,..So, it's not like there's a lot that I'd be bringing with me...I think I might could get a place set up with the school... Juliette did say they let students move in when they want..."

Notably Celeste seemed stunned by the offer but it made with good intentions. He gave her a soft smile, waiting for her to finishing rambling her thoughts off. She didn’t want to be a bother, even attempted to display her skills as a cook and cleaner to make up for rent. Booker merely shook his head as he tried to calm her.

”I’m 100% sure. And I’m not going to make you cook and clean like some kind of slave,” he replied. ”If you want to help out, that’s fine. But you don’t have to sell your services to me. I’m offering as a friend.”

Celeste seemed spurred on by the idea but still a little timid to take it. She admitted that she didn’t want to cause him any troubles and even tried to work on a plan of where she could end up, a school that someone named Juliette mentioned. This would become important later, of course, but in the moment Booker, even with his brilliant mind, didn’t make the connection that Juliette was also his own Juliette. Rather he was more concerned with ensuring that Celeste had a place to go.

”That’s a good idea,” he smiled. ”But, maybe not think about it right, right now, okay? That is a lot you’re dealing with today and I think you need to just sit somewhere and relax and try to breathe, okay?” He said encouragingly. ”Listen, I’ll take an early lunch in about…” a check of his watch… ”...ten minutes. We’ll head over there, I’ll drop you off, show you around, and you can take a nap or eat something, okay? Just don’t worry about anything today.”

Celeste blew her nose another time, for what seemed like the millionth time. She looked towards Booker with relatively weak, red eyes and she could only give a weak smile. Would he really let her crash until she could figure something else out? He was probably being nice, felt like he had to say something because what else could he do? She put him in an uncomfortable situation. He could have just passed her off to a homeless shelter, though. They were a dime a dozen in New York City. 

>> ”I’m 100% sure. And I’m not going to make you cook and clean like some kind of slave, If you want to help out, that’s fine. But you don’t have to sell your services to me. I’m offering as a friend.”

He was being serious. Or, he seemed like he authentically wanted to help. Celeste was still a bit stunned that she had lucked into another awesome, sweet friend. At least she didn't have to worry about Booker having a heart attack in his sleep... Hopefully, anyways. She nodded, unsure. She had to make it up to him somehow. Maybe she could give most of her paycheck? She could definitely cook and/or clean while she was there. She'd do her best to be unnoticeable, that was kinda her specialty for most of her life, anyways. Although, she didn't really have a choice.

>> ”That’s a good idea, But, maybe not think about it right, right now, okay? That is a lot you’re dealing with today and I think you need to just sit somewhere and relax and try to breathe, okay? Listen, I’ll take an early lunch in about….. ten minutes. We’ll head over there, I’ll drop you off, show you around, and you can take a nap or eat something, okay? Just don’t worry about anything today.”

She nodded slowly and as she sighed. She took another sip of water. She nodded again, for no real reason. He was right - she needed to calm down, relax, and take a breather for the day. It had been a really bad day for her and she needed time to just clear her mind without having to worry about homelessness, or school, or Norma's lack of a funeral, or feeling like she's being a burden to her friend Booker. A lot of stuff had happened to her in a pretty short time frame, from moving to NYC, to Norma, to school, to everything. She hadn't even taken a moment to really contemplate her situation.

She whispered after a couple sniffles, "Thank you... Thank you so much, I d-don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you." 

Booker offered the younger woman a soft smile. She seemed touched by his offer, so much so that she wasn’t sure what else to say to him. He didn’t need thank yous or promises of helping out, rather he just wanted to rest easy knowing that his friend was going to have a place to crash. Again, his place wasn’t the Plaza Hotel, but it was at least a place for her to rest, which was what she needed most right now. She could try to plan out the rest of her life tomorrow, right now she had a lot of information to process, and a lot to come to terms with, especially since she had revealed so much to him.

With that being said, Booker stood up and moved to his desk to try and send out the last few emails he needed to get out right away. It would be a quick trip back to his place, nothing that a taxi ride couldn’t take care of quickly. In the meantime, he was fine with a Celeste-shaped decor in his office. She was usually quiet and wouldn’t get in his way of his job. Even as he started to set up his emails, he looked up when he heard the smallest of voices come from her.

>>"Thank you... Thank you so much, I d-don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

He gave her an earnest smile in return and shook his head. ”You won’t ever have to. You just relax. We’ll head out in a couple minutes.” Another encouraging smile and he went back to his work.

---

The last few minutes were exactly as Booker surmised that they would be. He quickly managed to get the last of his emails sent out and, after a brief chat with a book vendor, Booker was ready to go. After checking on Celeste, he took up her bag once again and carefully ushered her out of his office and then out of his building. The two of them exited, hopefully their days a little brighter after the sad-filled late morning.

It didn’t take long for Booker to order an Uber (he used them on occasion) and the ride back to the Bookman apartment was surprisingly short. One would understand why Booker didn’t own a car, because his home was actually pretty close. Twenty-minutes, at most, by car. By foot it was a bit longer, yes, but Booker was a bit of a health nut so it was easy to understand why he would prefer the longer, walking route.

When the car pulled up to the building, again the librarian took the young woman’s bag and led her inside. Near the top floor they exited the elevator and once in front of his door, it only took a few more seconds of waiting before he managed to fish out his key, unlock, and nudge the door open with his foot. As he stepped in, followed by Celeste, he gestured towards the rest of the room.

”Whelp, here we are, Bookman Plaza.” He led the way in, placing Celeste’s bag down, out of the way, and closing the door behind her.

The living room was what one would have expected Booker to have. It was large, clearly made for two people, with a variety of knick-knacks and items. The “fandom” was strong in this apartment as everywhere you looked, one would see video game / movie / comic book related items of all kinds. Posters hung on the walls, bookshelves were filled with books but also adorned with Funkco Pop figurines, and etc. Just every bit of nerdom imaginable was in this apartment, a clear sign of the characteristics of the Bookman siblings.

Booker led the way. ”That door is the bathroom. That door is my room. The other door is the gateway to Hell, otherwise known as Nessa’s room, stay out of there, she will kill you,” he said. He then showed Celeste the very large, comfy couch she would be sleeping on. ”And here’s the couch. Umm…” he paused, turning back to her. ”...are you hungry? I think there’s some leftovers in the fridge. Homemade carne asaaaadddaaaa.”

>>”You won’t ever have to. You just relax. We’ll head out in a couple minutes.”

She gave him a smile and nodded before slumping a little in the chair. She just had to wait for him to be finished and they'd be on their way. It was a peaceful moment as Celeste kind of stared ahead. The sound of Booker typing, his quick phone call, othe sound of some of the librarians walking past his office and talking a little too loudly. 

---

Before she knew it, they were out the door and in an Uber. She didn't really take Booker for an Uber kinda guy, but this was an extreme situation. She was quiet, unsure of how to react to well, everything. The sad, depression filled morning, Booker's kindness, or even the light chat the Uber driver tried to make as they headed towards Booker's apartment. 

She stayed fairly close and mainly behind Booker. She felt like a lost puppy, but she had never been to this part of New York City. She also still felt like she was actually lost. Norma's death put a huge damper in her spirits. She knew she'd recover, probably quickly, but the initial shock felt terrible. 

She stepped into the apartment and offered Booker a polite thank you as he held the door for her. She stopped about half way into the room before she began to admire the fandom collections him and his sister had. Wow. Her eyes lit up a little bit as she looked through all the posters, figurines, books. It was a nerds dream come true. She looked towards Booker, "This is awesome." She couldn't help but fall in love with their apartment. Every nerd, fangirl piece of her screamed at the decorations. Even if he changed his mind in a couple hours, at least she got to see this amazingness. At least she felt something other than depression and being numb. That was the first time since she found out about Norma. 

>>”That door is the bathroom. That door is my room. The other door is the gateway to Hell, otherwise known as Nessa’s room, stay out of there, she will kill you, And here’s the couch. Umm…"

She nodded, making a mental note of which door was which and to never enter Nessa's room. No problem. She hopefully wouldn't have to be here too often, with work, school, and everything else. Maybe she could just slip in to sleep and shower and then go about her day. She hated being a burdon, especially to her friend. She looked towards the couch, "It looks really comfy." It looked pretty comfy. Celeste nearly wanted to go pass out on it already. She was exhausted. Even her usual fears of sleeping and dreaming couldn't hold back her desire to just go to sleep for a while.

She stared at the couch for a minute before a small frown tugged at her face. It wasn't because of Booker, the couch, or his hospitality. It was because she had to sleep on a couch because she was, well, homeless. It didn't feel like it could had happened to her, but here she was. A couch moocher. She didn't know how, but she was determined to make this up to Booker. She could work more at the library or maybe she could spot clean everyday. She'd figure something out. She made a mental note to call Xavier's to see if they had any open rooms available after her lunch and after a much needed nap. 

>>”...are you hungry? I think there’s some leftovers in the fridge. Homemade carne asaaaadddaaaa.”

She nodded. Food did sound pretty good, actually. Carne asada sounded even better than sleep, "Yeah, that would actually be amazing." She followed Booker into the kitchen, one of her hands on her shoulder while the other dangled. She wasn't sure what to do. It felt wrong to just get comfy already in the apartment. But it also felt wrong to not heat up her own food. Ugh. She took a deep breath of air as she tried to calm her nerves down.