Young Puerto Rican California Highway Patrol Officer Frank Poncherello walked through the door of the station in West L.A. He smiled breathing in the fresh scent of...well whatever that air freshener was that the sergeant just finished placing in the doorway. Lavender maybe? That's what it smelled like.

"Hiya, Sarge," he said with a smile.

The voice from behind startled Sergeant Bernard Watkins at first, he wasn't expecting anyone to say hi...let alone it be coming from an officer that was normally late. He cracked a slight smile as he turned. "Hello, Poncherello glad to see you on time today," he said.

"Oh Sarge, you know I try hard to be on time everyday," Ponch replied with his trademark toothy grin.

The sergeant only laughed and shook his head. "That you do...but I get a laugh out of all the times you and Justin have snuck in the back door to briefing," he said.

Ponch smiled. "Well then...glad to bring some joy to you."

They both laughed, then went their separate ways.

Ponch walked through the almost empty hall staring at the beige colored walls until he made his way to the mailboxes that were mounted on the wall, each one with a different Officer's name on it, and Ponch smiled seeing his was empty. He didn't mind getting mail...but sometimes he just liked to come to an empty mailbox.

Suddenly a hand came in front of his face placing a neatly closed blue colored envelope into Ponch's mailbox. Ponch made a face and turned to face the man that had just ruined a perfectly good moment.

"Now what do you think you are doing?" he asked a playful tone to his voice when he noticed it was just his partner Justin Overman.

"Inviting you to a party."

"Put the invitation in my hands, not the empty mailbox, next time," Ponch said with a slight smile taking it right back out. "A party for what..." Ponch asked as he read the first part in huge letters on the outside it said "YOU'RE INVITED TO MY PARTY" Ponch was getting excited like he normally would. Then he turned to Justin and smiled. "Wow you're really turning 34? I thought you were younger," Ponch said grinning knowing he was about to get smacked for that.

Justin playfully hit Ponch's arm. "And I thought you were older," He teased.

Ponch stuck his tongue out at Justin then laughed. "At least I'm not 34...but seriously I thought you were younger. You don't look a day over 25."

"And you don't look a day over 16"

Ponch playfully punched Justin's arm...though it was a little harder than normal cuz he was annoyed. "I'm 22, Justin...I'm not that young."

"Being young isn't a crime, Ponch," said a female officer named Heather as she walked by listening to the two. She loved listening to them go back and forth like that. It happened every once in awhile.

Ponch made a face at Heather.

"Anyway so about the party...what time do you want me to come? I mean it says here that it starts at five...but I've known you long enough to know that you want me earlier than that. Also what do I need to bring?" Ponch asked looking back at Justin.

"You can come around 4:30 if you want. And you can bring a snack food. Knowing you, it'll be Ding Dongs."

"You know me too well, partner." Ponch smiled then looked towards the briefing room. "Let's get to briefing."

"Yes sir," He playfully saluted to Ponch.

Ponch rolled his eyes. "Dork," he muttered. Justin heard that and couldn't help but laugh. They entered the room and sat down in the back the room was already full of officers that were chatting about all kinds of different things.

Ponch was looking around to see if there was anything new he should know about he hadn't been there in a few weeks due to having an emergency trip to Chicago to visit his dying Uncle. Nothing seemed to be new so far, there were trash cans in every corner of the room like normal...the whiteboard was blank but the sergeant was just now writing some new things on it. Haha there it was, a sign up sheet for the CHP picnic, that was new!

"Hey, Justin...you going to the picnic?" Ponch asked.

"I was thinking about it.. Not sure yet. Are you going?"

"I'll go if you are...I might bring Torie with me."

"Okay, I'll let you know later if I'm going. I might have plans."

"Oooh things just got exciting, what kinda plans?" Ponch asked looking at him.

"Just... Family plans. We might go up and see my parents in Montana."

"That sounds more exciting than a picnic...dang I wish I had a family like yours..." Ponch mumbled. He would sometimes get jealous of Justin's family and how much fun they had...but then again Ponch never felt like settling down and having his own family he liked the thrill of going from girl to girl until he found "The one" though it wasn't much of a thrill it was more of a killer. It hurt at times more than it thrilled you.

"Well... You can come with us if you'd like," Justin offered.

"Eh...but what about Torie? She wanted to hang out when I'm not busy...I can't just leave her like that...I might just pass if that's okay?"

"Okay."

Ponch was about to say more when finally Sgt. Watkins cleared his throat and started briefing.

oOoOo

After briefing all officers started leaving the building. Ponch followed Justin outside to their motorcycles just as they heard thunder and saw a flash of lightning. "Dang it! It's raining....you know what that means, right?"

"Yep... Stuck in a cruiser."

"WHY!? Could this day get any worse?" Ponch complained then started heading for the cruiser, he tripped over a rock on the ground and fell. He ripped a hole in the knee of his uniform pants, and his knee was bleeding. He looked up at Justin. "I guess I shoulda kept my mouth shut, huh?"

"Yeah... Well I guess we should go clean it up."

Ponch nodded and slowly got up off the ground. "Man that stings..." he muttered heading for the building.

They went in the restroom and Justin got a paper towel and dampened it. "Okay, put this on your knee. I'll go find a bandaid that will cover that," He handed Ponch the towel and left. A few minutes later he came back with a bandaid and handed it to Ponch.

"Thanks..." Ponch put the band-aid on then headed for the door. "Imma be in the locker room changing into different uniform pants real quick. I'll meet you out in the cruiser."

"Okay."

A few minutes later Ponch came out. "How come you never let me drive?" he asked.

"I've seen what you can do to a motorcycle... Do I wanna see what you can do to a cruiser?"

"Haha, very funny." Ponch rolled his eyes.

Justin started the cruiser, drove out of the parking lot and headed for the highway.

"So...how long do you think we'll be stuck in this? Do you think it'll rain all day?"

"Not sure Ponch... Not sure."

"Hey, did you see that!?" Ponch asked suddenly getting jumpy in his seat. "That guy blew a stop sign and he's speeding!"

"Yes I did. Call it in."

Ponch nodded and picked up the mic calling it in, while Justin started to go after the guy.

Eventually they managed to get the guy to pull over.

"I'll take this, you cover me, okay?"

"Okay," He said getting out of the car while Ponch walked over to the vehicle.

Ponch walked up slowly looking at the car checking to make sure all was safe as he approached then he made it to the window. "Excuse me sir, I'm officer Frank Poncherello...do you know why we pulled you over?" Ponch asked getting his pinch book ready.

"Not a clue, officer Poncherello."

"Do you know how fast you were going?"

"Nope..."

"And are you aware that you passed a stop sign?"

"Is that what I passed back there? I could've sworn I saw a flash of some red sign," the man said obviously just messing with Ponch.

Ponch looked at him. "Sir, can I see your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance?"

"Sure thing officer, but why?"

"You were going 60 in a 25 you're lucky no one was around...Mr...Mr. Banks."

"Oh I'm terribly sorry."

Ponch looked back at Justin with this look on his face that said 'what the heck' he walked back to talk with Justin when another car pulled up.

"Justin I think you might need to help that guy," Ponch started.

The man got out of the car. "Hey kid, can you help me out," the older man said looking straight at Ponch.

"Who me?" Ponch asked.

The man nodded. "I'm lost...I sure hope you can tell directions you do look a little young," the older man said.

Ponch looked at Justin not sure what to say. He handed Justin the things for Mr. Banks ticket. "Finish that up I'll be right back," he said.

Justin finished writing the ticket then walked over to Mr. Banks. "Here you go," He said handing it to him.

"Thanks um...where'd that younger cop go?"

"No idea."

"Well tell him that he did a nice job, okay?" Mr. Banks said. For some reason assuming it was Ponch's first day based on how young he looked.

Ponch walked back to the cruiser a few minutes later trying to hide how frustrated he was. He waited till the old man left before he got in the cruiser and slammed the door shut.

"Well you better go," Mr. Banks said starting his car.

"Yeah, just drive more careful," Justin said walking back to the cruiser. "What's your problem?" He asked Ponch when he got back in the cruiser.

"Nothing..."

"Okay.. I guess the guy thought it was your first day. So try and act a bit more professional next time?"

"W-What!? I did that exactly the way I do every other traffic stop! Justin that old man back there...he thought I was freakin' 16 years old! He was like 'oh so they let you join earlier now days?' I can't believe it! I'm not that terrible at my job am I?"

"Well for starters, you do look young. Second you just stormed off, and when you came back you got in, and slammed the door. And no, you're not terrible at your job, you're great at it."

"Do I seriously look 16? And sorry I just got really irritated..."

"No. I thought you looked 20."

"Okay...so when you said 16 back at the station it was a joke? And that guy was just messing with me, right?" Ponch was so confused right now.

"Yeah I was just messing with you. Maybe he was."

"Okay...I don't know why it bugs me so bad...I should let it go...but..." Ponch bit his lip. "It's complicated I guess," Ponch said now turning to look out the window.

"Oh.. Well at least you look young and not old."

"Yeah..." Ponch looked back at Justin. "Can we head back to the station?"

"Yeah, sure thing," He turned around in a nearby parking lot.

Ponch was trying to relax, for some reason the palms of his hands were sweating like crazy now too...and he was just nervous as heck.

About fifteen minutes later Justin pulled in the station parking lot. As soon as the car stopped moving Ponch was out and on his way inside. Justin followed him.

"You go do whatever you want...maybe get a cup of coffee or something. I'll meet up with you in a little bit," Ponch said walking off.

"Okay?" Justin walked to the break room and waited for Ponch.

Soon Heather and a few other officers walked in. Heather, Yvonne, Jazmine, and Kyle all were crowded around the small coffee pot. "We need to get a bigger coffee pot here, seriously," Heather said.

"Yeah and more vending machines...we only have one," Jazmine said looking at the one vending machine they did have.

Kyle frowned. "What we need here is a chocolate fountain...what do you think, Justin?"

"Huh?" He looked up at them from the table.

"Did you not hear me?"

"No sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"I said that we need a chocolate fountain in here."

"Yeah, that's just what we need. Another thing to distract more officers and keep them here instead of patrol."

"Geeze do you not like chocolate? What's your problem, Justin. You know I wasn't serious."

"Chocolate's okay. I just... I'll see you guys later," Justin got up and walked out to look for Ponch.

"Well that was just plain weird," Yvonne said.

"Yeah, I wonder what's wrong with him," agreed Jazmine.

oOoOo

Ponch was in the locker room chewing himself out in front of his mirror in his locker.

Justin walked in and stood by the door. "What are you doing?"

Ponch almost just out of his skin, he didn't even hear Justin walk in. "Nothing..."

"Didn't look like 'nothing'."

Ponch stared at him. "Justin, I told you to wait for me in the breakroom...I don't wanna be interrogated right now..." Ponch replied.

"Well complaining to yourself isn't going to help you."

"I'm not complaining!" Ponch's hands were closed tight in fists up by his side, and he was getting really upset right now. The longer he stood there staring at Justin the more he wanted to just get outta there, and he was really shaky right now too.

"Hey, hey. Just, calm down."

"I'll calm down if you leave me alone, please. I need to be alone right now."

"Okay..." Justin walked down the hall to the Sergeant's office.

Sgt. Watkins was in his office doing paper work and kept glancing at his watch he had to get out of there soon to pick up his wife for a doctor's appointment.

"Hey Sarge, I need to talk to you for a minute. Or are you busy?" Justin asked as he walked in.

He looked up and smiled warmly. "Come on in, what's up?"

"It's Ponch, He doesn't seem... Well?"

"What's wrong with him?" Watkins asked concern in his voice.

"He was in the locker room... Well he was kinda arguing with himself. I asked what he was doing and he just told me to go away."

"That's a little odd...um let's go see him."

"Okay."

They both went into the the locker room, Ponch was slamming his head on the locker. "This isn't fair..." he kept repeating.

Justin looked at Sgt. Watkins like he was going to ask him to say something, but instead he did. "Ponch? I brought some help. Don't be mad, I just didn't know what to do."

"I don't need any help, Justin..." Ponch turned and looked at him not even noticing the sergeant. "Can't you just leave me alone like I asked? I'm a mess right now!"

Justin looked at Watkins. "You gonna say anything?"

"Poncherello, what happened?" Watkins asked coming closer.

Ponch looked at his sergeant now, and started to calm down a little. "Torie...she said..." he started then bit his lip. "She said I spend too much time at work and not enough time with her...then she said that when I do hang out I'm tired and no fun anymore...she broke up with me in a text..."

"Ponch.. I'm sorry," Justin said.

"It's fine, Justin..." Ponch said then grabbed something that he had dropped he placed it back in his locker and closed the door. "We should get going then I guess?"

"No, you're in no condition to work right now. Justin take him home," Watkins said.

"But..." Ponch started to protest.

"No buts, Poncherello I want you to be safe."

"Do you want me to stay with him? Or go back out?"

"I trust your judgement, if you think he needs someone to stay with him, stay if not go back out," Watkins said then exited the room.

Ponch let out a loud sigh, then walked towards the door. Justin followed him out.

Ponch went to the cruiser and got inside then leaned back in his seat and grabbed out his phone again. Now he was looking at texts from an old friend named Natasha thinking about maybe asking her out to get his mind off Torie. Yeah that was moving on fast...but still what else was he supposed to do sit around and mope?

Justin got in and started towards Ponch's house.

Ponch began texting back and forth with Natasha and soon he was smiling again. She told him that anyone that had a date with him would be crazy to break up for any reason. So he casually asked her if she wanted to get together and have pizza at his place tonight.

Justin pulled in the driveway and got out waiting for Ponch.

Ponch got out of the car and walked up to his apartment room. "Thanks for the lift...I think i'll be fine to be alone now...Natasha is coming over in a half hour."

"Oh okay. See you later then?"

"Yeah"

Justin waited until Ponch walked in, then he got back in the cruiser and left.