chapter five
005. isabel

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    APART FROM a pounding headache, Ines was okay. Tim didn't say anything to her on the way back to the station▬she didn't expect him to. Not that she wanted to say anything to him, either. He was the one who told her with every smug, arrogant breath that they had to leave their personal problems back home the moment they put on the uniform▬to not let it infest their concentration and their work ethic out on the streets, because that was how they got themselves killed. And yet, it was him that lost it. It was he who got her in danger because of his personal life▬because he couldn't listen to his own rules and code of conduct.

    Yet, even though she was angry, she was still worried about him▬and she wanted to hate herself for that. This was what got her into trouble so many times before▬she was always so forgiving and so understanding; she gave people too many chances, accepted and gave them too many excuses. Even when she was the one that was facing the direct negative effects and consequences of their actions, here Ines still was, defending them, helping them▬apologising for them. 

    They walked their two suspects into processing, and Ines forced her suspect to sit down on the benches outside the holding cells. Tim set down Jordan without giving her much of a glance. She frowned at him. He couldn't even apologise to her. "Get them processed," he told her. 

    Ines stared at her T.O. and her annoyance boiled in the pit of her stomach. "Wait, wait▬hang on," she stopped him. "That's it? What about the booking approval? This is your arrest."

    Bradford glanced at her finally. "You saw what happened," he then turned and stalked away. "Write it up, Boot."

    Ines scoffed, unable to believe him. She secured both the men to the benches with their handcuffs. On the other bench behind her, Nolan was with his own suspect▬a teenager about eighteen with sandy blonde hair sitting with a disinterested roll of his eyes.

    Souza hesitated, pursing her lips. But in the end, she sighed and walked around. She stopped Nolan before he'd continue processing his arrest, reaching out a gentle hand to his arm. "Hey," she murmured softly.

    Nolan stopped and turned to her, confused. "Hey?" His eyes then widened when he saw the bruise forming on her jaw. "Hey▬what happened?"

    Ines shuffled on her feet, glancing down the hallway where Tim had marched off. She scratched the inside of her wrist and looked up at John, unsure and a little upset. "Can I talk to you?"

    He glanced back at his arrest and down at his notepad, before folding it closed and slipping his pen into his pocket. "Yeah, sure," said Nolan and the two of them left processing and found an empty storage room. 

    They slipped inside and Nolan closed the door. Once they were sure they were alone and no one would overhear then, John turned to Ines. He watched her pace around the small space, tugging at her long navy blue sleeves. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

    Ines shook her head. "I'm worried about Tim."

    She loved Jackson and Lucy▬she loved them very much. But when Ines needed advice, she always gravitated towards John. Perhaps it was his age▬and with that age came experience that made her feel like he would know what to say and how to help her, like some older brother or uncle (or father. She was only just a few years older than his son). But it was more than that. John Nolan was approachable. He had a smile that made her feel comfortable▬that never made her feel judged or small. Ines was so used to being made to feel small in front of others▬to being stepped on and intimidated. She was soft-spoken by nature, and even more soft-hearted and sensitive no matter her resilience and determination. So many people have tried to take advantage of that. She was never good at making friends when she was younger, she always found herself in relationships that were one-side and parasitic▬where people always seemed to just use her to get what they wanted; used her kindness and her generosity as a benefit to them, and never did the same for her. 

    But John was a giver and he was a good listener. He had a caring heart and wanted to help everyone▬and so, in many ways, they were to each other what they couldn't find from others. They gave all of their care generosity and loyalty to each other, and finally, after ages, they found someone who would do the same. 

    "Why?" murmured John, his brows furrowing in a soft concern▬for her and Tim. 

    She nudged her bruise slightly, unable to help herself. "He just▬" she didn't know whether to tell John about Isabel. Deep down, Ines knew she couldn't. "There's something up with him. He instigated a fight with a biker."

    "Is that how that happened▬?" he gestured to her bruise and then at his face. Ines nodded, shuffling on her feet. 

    "He didn't have his bodycam on, he wouldn't let me call for backup," she whispered. "He could've gotten us both killed. I▬I know he's rough and acts like some hardass but this▬this isn't like him. I think ..." Ines sighed. "I think he's spinning out, trying to prove himself."

    John crossed his arms, hunching up as the two of them huddled close in the storage closet. "You think he came back too soon?"

    "Maybe," she muttered. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, before deciding to say, "he got hit with a lot of personal stuff on top of it, too. He's not handling it well."

    "Clearly you have to do something."

    "I know, but what?" let out Ines with a soft misery. "Report him to Grey?" she shook her head. "I can't do that, John. I can't just throw Tim under the bus▬he's going through something, he needs help."

    John pursed his lips, considering her words. Then, he sighed and gave her an apologetic look▬already knowing how she'd react to what he had to say. "Then you're gonna have to talk to him."

    "No," Ines said immediately, shaking her head. 

    "Ines▬"

    "What am I supposed to say to him?" she whispered. "He won't listen to me▬he never listens to me. I'm just a rookie▬every time I open my mouth I somehow annoy him. He's just gonna get mad at me."

    John shrugged. "What other choice do you have?"

    Ines swallowed hard, anxious. She slumped and huffed a little breath, knowing John was right, but not wanting to admit it. She couldn't confront Tim▬she couldn't. She couldn't even tell Nate 'no' and make him do his own washing this morning and she has known him for a decade. How was she supposed to stand up to Tim with his intimidation act and obvious anger issues?

    "This is a joke," scoffed Ines, more annoyed at herself than anyone else. "I'm afraid of confrontation, and yet I'm training to be a cop. I can't even stand up to Nate, how am I gonna stand up to Tim?"

    "It's different," Nolan reassured her, and she pursed her lips, looking down at her hands. "It's harder when you know the person▬you don't want to disappoint them. But you either talk to Tim about it or report it to Grey."

    Ines chewed on her words. She tucked her hair out of her eyes, knowing that she had no other choice. She met John's gaze shyly and muttered. "You're definitely going to be planning my funeral now."

    Hearing her joke, a smile tugged at John's lips. "Jackson was thinking a Disney theme."

    Ines scoffed a smile at that, rolling her eyes and shoving Nolan lightly. He chuckled and she shook her head▬but her mood was suddenly lifted, and she was eternally grateful for it. 

    John held the door open for her as they stepped back out into the hallway. Together, they made their way back to processing to finish booking their arrests.

    "How did the termination go?" Ines asked John as they walked. 

    He immediately cringed. "It was ... interesting." A thought suddenly occured to him. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

    "Yeah, 'course," she glanced up at him, curious. 

    John pursed his lips. "Do you think we're all one bad day away from crime?"

    The question stumped Ines▬she wasn't expecting it. She faltered in her steps and came to a stop as they reached the holding cells. Their arrests were still sitting where they had left them. She turned to face John, tilting her head▬wondering what made him think of such a question. He quickly went to explain. "Talia seems to think the worst▬or, I mean, she's prepared to see the worst of people, as if she expects we're all one bad lunch order away from a life of crime. But, I ..." John sighed. "I don't know, I just can't think we're all innately bad when the circumstances call for it."

    She considered his words, not sure how to answer them. She thought back to Tim and the biker gang earlier▬and Isabel. "I mean ..." Ines struggled to find the right words. "This job ... we see people on their worst days. But that's the exception, not the rule. But ... I don't know, we're all capable of doing something terrible, we just choose not to. But I don't think we're all a bad lunch order away from a life of crime," she gave him a little smile.

    "Oh, but what if it they butchered your falafel kebab order?" quipped John swiftly.

    Ines chuckled as she walked back over to her's and Tim's arrests. "Oh, then you better lock me up," she grinned. 

    He met her chuckles, shaking his head and turning back to his arrest. Ines took a deep breath and nodded at Jordan who was looking at the both of them with an incredulous judgement. Officer Souza straightened her shoulders. "Hey," she switched her tone. "Shoes and socks▬off."

    After the two gang members were processed, Officer Souza went looking for Officer Bradford in order to get back out on patrol. She mulled over what she was going to say and where she was going to say it. She couldn't say anything here▬not where anyone could overhear them and listen. 

    Should she be delicate? Should she be harsh? Ines didn't think she had harsh in her▬she couldn't be curt, and stern, and rough-around-the-edges like Tim. Often, she ignored a problem until it blew over the surface▬that was what she was good at. Facing her problems head on and confronting them▬especially when they were centred around individuals was a skill Ines had never mastered. 

    But if she wanted to sort this out and make sure Tim didn't lose his job, she had to. 

    Which surprised her, because why should she care if Tim wasn't her T.O. anymore? He was mean, and rude, and annoyed the hell out of her▬but he was her T.O. And after her time riding with Wrigley, Ines quickly learnt that she didn't want anyone else. Not after surving that ambush and shoot out together▬not after she saved his life. Whether they liked it or not, an event like that stuck them together. 

    She found him at the kit room, signing the sheet the officer handed him. Officer Souza frowned, but walked over to him▬she tried to analyse how tense his shoulders were as she neared, but it was hard to pick apart Officer Bradford. He was always tense. 

    "Six doses of NARCAN," mused Officer Khan as he handed over the packet to Bradford once he signed the sheet. "Throwing quite a party, huh?"

    Ines's frown deepened, a little breath of suspicion rising up in her as she eyed Bradford grab the NARCAN. "Hey," she spoke up as she reached him. "Bikers' are processed." He turned to face her, and for a moment, he looked just as gaunt as Isabel. His gaze glimpsed over the bruise on her cheekbone and chin, but didn't say anything. Officer Souza set her jaw, annoyed by it. She decided to move on, nodding at the NARCAN. "That's a lot."

    Hearing her slight of suspicion on her tone, Bradford frowned. "Look," he muttered, defensive, "there's a bad batch of fentanyl making the rounds out there. Miller went through his entire overdose kit in two days."

    She watched him walk away, her lips pursing. Ines chewed on the rest of the words she wanted to say and followed him, troubled. 

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    TIM DIDN'T say where they were going as soon as they were back out on patrol. The moment they were on the streets, Ines knew he was on a mission▬taking their shop through neighbourhoods with a destination in mind. Officer Souza glanced down at her fingers, out the window, through the mirrors▬anywhere else except at her T.O. She tried to come up with a script in mind; finding a way to say what she wanted▬to make him listen and understand, and not for it to blow up in the small space between the front seats of their vehicle. She knew that if Tim kept on going like this▬if he kept risking not only his job and his integrity, but also their lives because he was so caught up▬then he was going to lose it all. She knew that. And she knew he knew that, but he was so lost in the struggles of his life that he wasn't seeing clearly▬and his injury was only doubling his anger and determination to prove that he was okay. That these things weren't affecting him as much as he knew they were. 

    It was hard to have a cared one suffering from addiction▬for it to be his wife? Ines couldn't even begin to imagine. But they were police officers▬they needed to be held to a higher standard. 

    And Ines was worried about Tim▬she was concerned about his well-being. She wanted to help, even if she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. 

    But what did she say? How did she say it? He was her superior and she was just a rookie officer. He was so guarded that he'd take it as a competiton▬he'd raise his voice, he'd get angry, he'd confront her and accuse her, and Ines would hunch up and let him because that's what she always did. 

    At last, they pulled up outside an peach sandstone apartment complex just outside their patrol square caged by forest green fences and shaded by palm trees. Ines glanced out the window, seeing residents chatting and sharing beers on the dusty couches outside, watching them park with tense frowns. Another woman who was leaving the laundry with a basket full of washing noticed the shop and quickly ducked away, entering her apartment and slamming the door. The paint on the doors were peeling, the rails of the outside staircase leading up to the second floors were rusted and some of the windows were fractured and cracked▬the insides covered by old and musty, cheap curtains or even blankets. 

    "What are we doing here?" murmured Officer Souza finally, frowning at Bradford. 

    He glanced at her, but didn't say anything. He picked up the radio. "7-Adam-19, show us Code 6. Florence and Central Avenue."

    Tim opened the door and told her, "Stay here," before stepping outside and slamming the door closed. 

    Officer Souza tugged at her seatbelt to watch him, noticing him grab the entire package of NARCAN out of the trunk. She pursed her lips, glancing back out at the apartment complex, and it didn't take much deduction on her part to realise where they were and what he was doing. 

    She scoffed, feeling rather helpless. 

    Ines chewed on the inside of her cheek, restless in the passenger seat. She huffed and slumped back in the seat, but it didn't settle well with her to just sit here and wait▬not while Tim went up there and just made the situation worse for himself. 

    She had no idea what it was like to be in Tim's position. Ines had no idea what she was supposed to do to help him▬she didn't even know whether she should. But right now, she was the only one here▬she was the only one who could clear the path from him and at least try to make him see sense. Ines felt like she had a responsibility to do that▬to defend him when he was alone; when there was no one else.

    Even if he was going to give her hell for it. 

    Ines sighed and bit her lip, already knowing how what was going to happen the moment she stepped outside. 

    But she pressed her thumb against the button of her seatbelt and opened the shop door anyway. She closed it behind her, making sure it was locked. 

    Ines took a long, deep breath and prepared herself. Clenching and unclenching her hands, she swivelled on her toes and marched to the back of the shop. 

    Seeing her, Tim's frown turned into a sharp scowl. At first, he was surprised that she had ignored his order▬that she, with her awkward, flustered shyness had defied him. But that quickly disappeared and he stood up straight. "You deaf, Boot?" he let out, and Ines cringed to herself a little▬expecting his tone. "I said stay in the car."

    She took another shaky breath. She was here▬she couldn't back down now. Ines clenched her hands and without looking at him, she forced herself to say, "I▬I know you're here for Isabel, and▬and I know you think you're helping her, but you're not. You're just enabling her. This isn't going to stop her from using▬"

    Ines didn't need to see the shift in Tim's expression as she spoke▬the fresh, pure anger and desbelief a her overstepping. She felt the burn like a white-hot flame on her skin. "You think you know anything about this, Boot? You think you can tell me how this works?" he demanded, his voice rising as he stepped closer to her. She shrunk up, feeling that squeeze in her chest she always got whenever she was in a situation like this. "I don't need your goddamn sympathy! She's gonna shoot up, okay? That's the reality." He gestured the NARCAN at her. "This will save her life."

    She hitched a trembling breath, counting to herself▬her hands clenched so hard her nails dug into her palms. "Y▬Yes, but, it's not gonna help her," said Ines again, her heart racing. "You're just going to be back here with another box, another day, and she's gonna end up in the hospital again a week later▬"

    Ines jumped when Tim slammed the trunk lid closed. "Who the hell are you to tell me this?!" he shouted at her and she took a sharp breath through her nose. "You think I don't know▬?!"

     She clenched her eyes shut and just like that, everything in her snapped. "I'm your rookie!" let out Ines, her frustration and anger that had been boiling over since day one finally exploding. All of it. Nate, Tim, this morning, the fight with the bikers, her own frustrations▬everything hit her like a tidal wave and it crashed onto Tim in front of her, leaving him speechless. She heaved another deep breath, flustered and upset. "I'm your responsibility! And I need you to train me, and have my back, not put me in danger because you can't separate your personal life from your work!"

    "I am not trying to patronise you, I'm not trying to compare myself to what you have going on right now▬" continued Ines, starting to rant now, "▬but we all have shit going on in our lives! I still live with my ex because I can't afford to move out, my parents keep trying to get me to resign and go back to working as a receptionist, and if I don't somehow find time to cook dinner for Nate tonight, clean the apartment, and do everything else my ex expects of me, then everything is somehow going to be my fault , and that's not even the surface of the problems I deal with every day ontop of you belittling me every day at work▬and yet here I still am!" Ines heaved, out of breath. She was shocked at herself▬she never realised she had this in her, but now that it was all flowing out, she wasn't going to stop; not now. "I'm still here, doing my job, dealing with you and your tests and your rules!  Because as a cop, we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. You told me that."

    Once she was finished, Ines flushed. She took a few deep breaths, not backing down. There was no way she could take back anything she said▬and she realised she didn't want to. 

    She waited for Tim to bite back at her▬to scold her, reprimand her and maybe threaten handing her over to discipline by the department for stepping over the line. Instead, he was silent. 

    He looked down at the NARCAN in his hands, defeated. Ines's confidence shattered slightly, wondering if she had been too harsh. 

    That was his wife up there. His addicted wife who he hadn't seen in a whole year who suddenly had been shoved back into his life by chance, and she wanted nothing to do with him. How could she say she wouldn't drop everything to help the person she loved, who she vowed to be there for until death.  

    Ines softened. "I▬I'm sorry," she quickly murmured. "I didn't ..." she swallowed back her words, shaking her head. 

    "I can go up there," she decided to offer, voice soft and her gaze gentle. Tim glanced up from the NARCAN, the scowl wiped off his face and replaced with a broken desperation. "If you want ... that way you don't have to see what her life is like right now▬who she might be spending it with..."

    Tim hesitated. He glanced up at the apartment complex and then back down at the box in his hands. Then, he sighed and slumped, holding the box of NARCAN out for her to take. Ines quietly took it from his hands. "Paramedics said it's apartment 510."

    Ines nodded. "Okay. I▬I won't be long," she murmured.

     She stepped in through the complex's gate, briefly glancing over her shoulder and seeing Tim hover by the driver's seat door. She pursed her lips and looked away, climbing up the rusted staircase to the second floor. 

    Ines walked to the very end where apartment 510 sat behind a peeling, green door. She pursed her lips and reached out to knock.

    The lock on the door clicked and it slowly opened. Past the chain, Ines could see Isabel peeking through▬and the moment she recognised the uniform, she quickly slammed the door in Ines's face. "Isabel, wait▬"

    "Leave me alone!" cried Isabel from inside. "Y▬You can't come in without a warrent."

    Ines shuffled closer to the door. "Look, just▬" she started again. "Isabel, my name is Officer Ines Souza ... Tim's my T.O. He's downstairs right now, and if you give me five minutes, that'll stop him from coming up here and breaking down this door himself, so ..."

    There were a few seconds of silence and Ines fiddled with her fingers, anxious. But then, she heard the chain drop and the door unlock, and slowly, carefully, Isabel revealed revealed herself. Not saying a word, she opened the door wide enough for Ines to enter. 

    The apartment was better than she expected. The soft floral curtains were drawn, dimming the sunlight from outside. The paintings on the wall of some flowers and prints of famous cities weren't askew▬and the throw over the couch matched the rug underneath the coffee table and the television was placed on a scuffed table, but the little bits and bobs spread out on its surface instead gave it character. Some popcorn crumbs surrounded the nice blue bowl on the table, there were a few mugs scattered about and some chip wrappings, but other than that, the aparment was clean▬and it didn't smell bad, either. Ines caught a whif of scented candles from the open door of the bathroom. 

    Isabel closed the door behind her and passed Ines, scratching a little at the skin of her arm. "So?" she let out, rushing over and quickly kicking a pair of boots into the open master bedroom. Ines felt something twist in her chest▬they looked too big to belong to Isabel. "What do you want?"

    Ines tried to pretend she didn't see them, but she couldn't help but feel a little sick. Tim was downstairs, risking so much for Isabel, and here she was, hiding away the belongings of someone else. "Your husband was shot recently," Ines found herself saying. "Did you know that? We were ambushed, he took a bullet while returning fire."

    Isabel tried to clean up some of the popcorn crumbs, frowning a little at her sudden information. "That's what you're doing here?" she stood up, shrugging. "'Cause he seems fine."

    Ines stammered a little, a scoff stuck in the back of her throat at Isabel's response. She swallowed back her annoyance and shook her head. "No, uh▬" she set down the set of NARCAN on the coffee table. "Here's some NARCAN. It won't get you clean, but, um, if you O.D. it'll reverse the effects▬"

     "I know what NARCAN is," Tim's wife grabbed the box and walked over towards the kitchenette. "Spent a decade bringing junkies back from the dead with it."

     Officer Souza frowned, not expecting that response. "You were a nurse?"

    "No," Isabel glanced over her shoulder as she opened up the packaging. She tilted her head at Ines's confusion. "A cop. Narcotics." She crossed her arms, hugging her flannel close to her body. "He didn't tell you?"

    Ines didn't know what she had been expecting, but that wasn't it. She stammered a litte again. "I▬no," she shook her head, clearing her throat and fiddling with her fingers again. "Tim's not▬he doesn't exactly talk about you much, or at all, really..."

     Isabel nodded, looking as though she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. "That's▬that's good," she decided in the end. 

     An awkward air settled inside the apartment. Ines shuffled on the spot, trying to ignore the discarded needles she could see on the dressing table through the ajar master bedroom door. "You, uh▬" she forced herself to look away and focus on Isabel. "So, you and Tim worked together?"

     "We were rookies together," she explained, a little restless after standing in the one spot for too long. "But then, I▬uh▬I moved up as a detective in narcotics, volunteered for undercover as soon as I could. Tim was happy on patrol, so, we synched our shifts as best we could. It was perfect..." Isabel faltered and started to tug at the edges of her sleeves. "Until it wasn't, so ... anyway ..."

    She cleared her throat and rushed past Ines, opening the door for her to leave. Souza swallowed harshly, but took the hint. She tugged at her collar, anxious but turned to leave.

    However, before she could step outside, Isabel stopped her. "Hey, um," Ines glanced back, her brows lifting gently. Tim's wife pursed her lips and scratched at her neck. "He reallly got shot?"

    "Yeah," murmured Ines after a moment. "Yeah, it ... it was scary."

    Isabel nodded. She looked down at her shoes, frowning at herself in a troubled silence. Then, she took a deep breath and met Ines's gaze. "Don't let him come back here," she told her. "There's no future here."

     A feeling Ines couldn't describe sunk from her chest to the pit of her stomach. She nodded, and she felt like she was making a promise▬not just to keep Tim away from here, but also to look out for him and to have his back for Isabel. Ines found herself prepared to keep that promise. 

    "Look after yourself, okay?" murmured Ines as a farewell before leaving. 

    Officer Souza found Officer Bradford sitting inside the shop, waiting for her. She quietly opened the door and slipped inside, getting comfortable in the passenger side. She glanced at him as she buckled her seatbelt.

    He didn't say a word, silently staring at the dashboard▬a little too afraid to see the look on her face; to hear what she had to say.

    They sat in silence for a long time. 

    Ines fiddled with her fingers. She glanced at him and went to say something, but held back. Tim's downcast frown made every breath of anger she had left in her diminish to nothing. 

    His guard was down▬he was so exhausted that he couldn't be bothered to hold it up anymore, or perhaps he felt like there was no point now that Ines herself has seen what he was hiding with her own eyes. That thick, suffocating air between them every time they sat inside this shop was different, now▬some of the toxic fog had cleared. Their personal lives had slipped through the cracks of the car door and the open windows, and now it was stuck in here forever. That changed things, even if they would try very hard to make it seem like it hadn't.

    "She ... uh ... she told me you guys were rookies together," murmured Ines finally, taking the gentle leap into the deep waters between them. "I didn't realise she was a cop."

    Tim didn't snap at her or make a jab. He didn't push her away, either. He considered his words carefully▬whether to say anything or to just let it go, but in the end, he relented. "I▬I, uh, thought she was having an affair," he muttered. Ines listened intently, gentle and patient. "Staying out late, making excuses. I didn't ... realise it was the drugs until the hook was in deep."

     "It's not your fault," whispered Ines. 

    He looked up to find her gaze, some of that sharp glare returning. "What do you know of it?" 

     She hesitated, realising how superficial her words must have sounded. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant, I just ..." Ines pursed her lips and backed away from the conversation. "I'm sorry."

    Tim sighed and shook his head. "No, don't ..." he looked down again. "Thanks." He met her gaze again and the anxious weight on Ines's shoulders lifted. Her T.O. offered her a rare little smile. 

     Officer Bradford then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too," he then said. "For what happened earlier today."

     Ines shrugged, shaking her head as well. "It's okay," she reassured him. 

     "No, it's not," he told her, stern and she went quiet. "You had my back the day we were ambushed. The least I can do is make sure you can trust me to have yours, too."

     She grew a little sheepish when he told her that, puckering her lips and trying to figure out how to respond. In the end, Ines nodded, shyly meeting his gaze out of the corner of her own. "So ..." she carefully tried to switch the tone to something more light-hearted. "What you're saying, is that I am the best rookie you'll ever train?" The slightest mischief danced in Ines's eyes▬a small crooked, teasing smile brightening her face.

    The little scoff that escaped Tim's lips▬his attempt to hide a short chuckle at her comment made Ines's smile widen, victorious. "What I'm saying, is that you know when not to push your luck," he replied, but there was no real threat weighing his words down.

    Ines bit back her want to laugh, rolling her eyes. Her chest swelled with a warm and fuzzy feeling. "Yes, sir."

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    FOR THE FIRST TIME, stepping back into the station alongside her training officer wasn't something so tense and suffocating. In no way were they suddenly best buds▬Officer Bradford still rolled his eyes at Officer Souza when she tripped a little as they left the garage and had to stumble to regain her balance. But there was an understanding and new form of trust between them. Ines would not tell Grey about what happened with Isabel, and Tim was grateful▬it had become a shared secret they both wore on their shoulders. But it was more than that. Cracks in Officer Bradford's ridgid, stone wall he had placed between them had started to show▬and Officer Souza had seen a glimpse into the person hiding behind those fortress walls. His pride had softened, and her frustration had settled. It was more than some simple communication between a superior and his trainee. In that moment, they had been equals. 

    Ines left Tim to wander through the hallways towards the break room to get them both a coffee before they'd go back out on patrol. She wasn't the only one with the same idea. A little happy smile graced Officer Souza's features when she saw Officer West and Officer Chen with their T.O.'s, hovering and chatting with each other as they stirred sugar into their beverages. 

    Noticing that Officer Souza was alone, Offcer Richards grinned mischeviously. "Tim's too cool to hang out with us, is he?"

    Souza snorted a soft chuckle, heading straight for the coffee pot. "He's particulary grumpy."

    Officer Lopez sipped her coffee, rolling her eyes with endearing amusement for her fellow T.O. "Tim is always grumpy. You just learn to ignore him, that's what I do."

    "Tim is actually scared of Angela," said Officer Richards, offering his rookie a little sideswept smirk that made Lucy chuckle and shake her head, looking down at her drink. "We all are."

    Angela Lopez smirked, smug at that comment. "Good," she said and Jackson chuckled, too. "You should be."

    "How's Tim doing, anyway?" them murmured Patrick, the amused tone in the break room dissipating and being replaced with genuine concern. 

    Ines hesitated▬not sure what to tell them. In the end, she decided to nod. "He's okay," she lied, and at the looks on their faces, she quickly realising lying infront of police officers wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. "He's going to be okay," she corrected herself, stirring two sugars into her drink. "Or as okay as you ... would be after getting shot."

    Officer Lopez turned to Officer West. "See, Boot? This is why you need a plan 'B'."

     At Jackson's soft, exasperated sigh, both Ines and Lucy tilted their heads with amused curiosity. "A what?" chuckled Lucy.

    West sent both his friends a short look. "Don't ask."

    "Jackson here doesn't have a plan 'B'," continued Angela Lopez and immediately, Patrick Richards hitched in a sharp breath, wincing. 

    "Oooh," he murmured, shaking his head and muttering soft tsks. "You gotta have a plan 'B', West..."

    Jackson stiffened and stood up straighter, his chest swelling as he took an indignant huff to protect his pride. "With all due respect, sir, I don't need a plan 'B'▬I'm in this, one hundred per cent."

    Officer Lopez sighed and met Officer Richard's incredulous stare. "I've been dealing with this all day."

     "We all have a plan 'B'," then said Officer Richards, taking a gulp of his coffee. "I'm thinking if this doesn't work, I go work at Disney Land or something."

    Officer Chen made a face at her T.O. "Disney Land?"

    Patrick shrugged at Lucy, and she scoffed, hiding a smile. "You've seen how good I am with kids. Those girl scouts loved me after I returned their stolen cookies."

     "Yeah," scoffed Lucy again, "after they charged you double for a box."

     Officer Richards blinked, perplexed. "Wait, really?" there was genuine confusion in his voice. "They did?" he rummaged into his back pocket for his receipt while Officer Lopez snorted.

     "What about you, Boot?" Lopez glanced at Souza as she poured Tim's coffee▬no milk, no sugar; just straight caffeine (why wasn't she suprised?). "What's your plan 'B'?"

     "This is my plan 'B'," answered Ines, setting down the coffee pot. "But I guess I always can fall back on another reception job." She glanced at Jackson, offering a small playful smirk. "I could always get you a job with me if all else fails." Ines chuckled at the flat stare he sent her, giving her a sarcastic smile in response to her teasing. 

     A sharp "Boot," broke through the light-hearted chuckles inside the break room. Souza turned around and saw her Training Officer stopping by the door. "You done gossiping? Let's go."

    Ines recieved looks wishing her good luck from Lucy and Jackson as she quickly grabbed both the cups of coffee, awkwardly following after Tim▬careful not to spill while Lopez and Richards did little to hide their amusement. "Yep▬coming."

    She passed him his coffee and took a sip of her own▬only to frown over the brim of her cup at the growing crowd within the bullpen. Officer Souza noticed the thick vests and flash white lettering of SWAT flooding the usual blue sleeves of patrol. 

    Officer Bradford matched her frown and quickly stopped Grey has he marched towards them down the hallway. "Hey, Sarge▬what's the party for?"

     Sergeant Grey slowed down and took a deep breath. "The zombie robbers just flipped on their partners. SWAT's hitting the house, I need you two back out on patrol unless you're called in for backup." He took a few large steps to the break room, ducking his head inside. "You lot▬" he gestured to Officers Lopez, West, Richards and Chen. "Bullpen, now."

     Souza glanced up at her T.O., stepping aside to let the others surge through to join the growing crowd in the bullpen. "Overtime?" she murmured, not particularly joyed over the possibility.

    Bradford took a large sip of his coffee, barely even wincing at the burn that went down his throat. He dropped it down into the bin just inside the breakroom door. "You got some other place to be, Boot?"

    Ines sighed and took one sip of her coffee before dropping it into the bin as well. She swallowed back the sharp pins of stress that decided to prickle at her chest. "Just haven't had the chance to hit the supermarket for dinner."

    Tim frowned, leading the way to the centre of the station. He shrugged, looking a little perplexed as to why she was so caught up on this. "Just order take out," he reasoned. Before she could object, he held out a hand. "Trust me, by the time this over, all you'll want is a quick meal and bed."

    "Oh, I can't order take out," said Ines quickly, shaking her head. 

    "Why not?"

    "Because Nate doesn't like us having take out," her response was automatic▬so much so that she didn't even react to her own words that came out of her mouth, let alone comprehend them. "He says its better when I cook. He's way too busy to, anyway."

    Tim went silent, his frown deepening as he tried to comprehend her words. Something unsettling twisted in the pit of his stomach as he watched his rookie move on from the conversation as they reached the bullpen, as if it what she had said was completely normal. 

    He chose not to say anything else, moving to stand behind her and hover over her shoulder as they watched the meeting from the back of the bull pen before they would return to the streets. Tim glanced down at Ines, who was too busy chewing her bottom lip with worry over the multiple text messages she had received from this Nate in the past hour▬all about dinner.

    Tim quickly looked away, not wanting to impose on his rookie's personal life▬he couldn't care less. Or rather, he shouldn't. But after what she had done today▬done for him instead of turning her back on him and reporting him to Grey like she should have▬regretably, he was indebted to her. It was the only logical way to explain why he suddenly cared about whatever was causing her brows to knit with worry, and make that frustrating little huff she always tried to hide. 

    It was a professional concern from him. She was his responsibility the moment she walked through these doors and put on her uniform every work day▬that was a fact that he got painfully reminded of today. If this Nate kept bothering Ines when she should be focused out on the streets, she was likely to get herself hurt (if not killed). Or washed out of the program. Tim would rather not have another number added to his list. Usually, he loved scaring rookies who didn't have what it take off the job. This was an unfamiliar scenario for him. 

    "All right, let's get started."

    Ines's gaze darted away from her phone and she quickly slipped it into her pocket as Captain Andersen began to speak. She rolled back her shoulders, peering over the many thick SWAT vests surrounding the whiteboard at the very front showing a gridmap of the location in Mid-Wilshire and an areal shot of home in which their suspects were supposedly staying. 

    "Our targets are Steve Bower and Kai De Vera," continued Captain Andersen, pointing out the rap sheets pinned on the whiteboard. "But of an odd couple. Bower's known for at least six hard-core 211s, a lot of collateral damage in his wake. De Vera did two tours as a door gunner on a Black Hawk, was under the radar until she hooked up with Bower about a year ago. Remember, if anything, she's far more dangerous than he is." 

    She stepped aside and turned to the man standing a few paces behind her. "Sergreant Laubacher will be giving you the briefing. He's in charge of tonight's operation, so listen up."

    The SWAT Sergeant nodded and moved forward. "Thank you, Captain. Targets are at a house in the hills over the Sunset Strip," he addressed the crowd. "Ingress is limited, so we'll be coming in hot. Team one will be primary entry deploying flash bangs and breaching tools. Team two▬break and rake the back glass door. Tactical support▬you're outer perimeter. Sergeant Grey has your positions. We'll go through detailed assignments on the drive in. My team, let's go."

    "Come on," murmured Tim as the teams all dispersed. Ines looked up at him and he nodded in the direction of the garage. "Let's go. Crime doesn't stop while SWAT gets their moment of glory."

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    "7-ADAM-12 IN pursuit of armed-robbery suspects, heading south towards Franklin."

     The rest of their patrol had been rather uneventful until Officer Chen's voice broke through the radio within the chatter from Sunset Strip and the armed-robbers' house. Officer Souza was rapt with attention the moment she heard it, glancing at Tim who immediately split his focus between the road and what was being said. Night blanketed over the streets of Los Angeles▬basking the roads in dim street lights and the distant orange, blue and white haze from the city in the distance; leaving them swallowed in not a true evening darkness, but one riddled with metrapolitan stars. 

    "7-Adam-12," replied Dispatch, "what streets are suspects on?"

    "They're not on a street," said Lucy, sounding a little breathless. Ines could hear the sounds of their shop's sirens piercing in the background of the radio. "They're▬they're running down the side of the canyon. We need backup and airship."

     Officer Souza glanced at Officer Bradford, bewildered. She watched him quickly grab their radio. "7-Adam-19, attatch us to the pursuit."

     They took a sharp left at the next turn, their sirens wailing into the night. Officer Souza gripped the handle to keep herself steady, her heart making that familiar jarring jolt in her chest to know they were speeding head-straight into danger. 

    Tim glanced at her, and for a second she thought she saw his jaw clench in a way that was different than disappointment. "You good, Boot?"

    She met his gaze, the red and blue swirls back and forth around the crown of their heads▬and for a moment, both of them were surrounded in a dizzying haze. Ines knew what he meant, and she wondered how he could tell, but didn't say anything. Souza pushed all thoughts of Nate to the back of her mind and nodded, determined. She then arched a brow. "Are you?"

    Officer Bradford gripped the wheel tighter and they swerved into the next lane to avoid the night traffic. He knew what she meant, too. "You know it."

    "Then we're good," finished Officer Souza and sat up straighter, watching the lights blur around them and feeling the sirens pound in her ears through the open shop windows. They dashed towards the bridge, and above, Souza could see the blinding yellow lights of the airships circulating around the square of suburban homes near the canyon. 

     She missed the brief glance her T.O. sent her out of the corner of his gaze▬so brief it could have been nothing more than a trick of the light; right now, the bright lights of blue, red and white turned the streets of L.A. into a ghoulish mirage. But even though Souza didn't see, not even the shadows and the mirages of light could disguise the impressed glint Officer Bradford had in his eyes over the set look on his rookie's face▬a look about her that was so different to the timid, quiet and hesitant girl who second guessed herself every other hazing look he made. 

    The woman that sat beside Officer Bradford now was a cop▬and with the potential to become a really good cop, too. 

    They sped across the bridge, weaving between lanes and around traffic. Officer Souza held the P.A. in her hand just in case she needed to force someone to move▬holding her breath as she eyed each car that veered out of the way. 

    "Control," Officer Richards joined the radio instead of his Rookie, a curt serious nature about him that was very different to the man who was chuckling and joking in the break room earlier that afternoon, "suspects are down on the flats heading for Western▬Where's my backup?"

    "7-Adam-19," Officer Bradford quickly pressed down the microphone, the radio scratching, "we're inbound to assist▬"

    "There!" Souza pointed them out just as they turned off the bridge, swerving into the suburban streets West of the canyon. Both suspects were running on foot, only barely visible in the dim street lights. Bradford spun the wheel suddenly and they skidded to a stop at the intersection. Bower and De Vera tried to push through, staggering as multiple shops and off duty cars screeched to halts in attempt to cut them off. 

    But Bower simply leapt over the bonnet of Bishop and Nolan's shop, sprinting left down the road. De Vera stumbled to the left, pushing past their doors before they'd even get them ajar.

    Souza snatched the radio as Bradford put the shop in reverse, spinning the wheels as he turned them right. "7-Adam-19, we'll take Bower, you take De Vera."

    "Copy," answered Bishop and off they went. 

     Bradford followed Bower down the road for a good few metres before he took a desperate stumble into a side alleyway. Souza checked for traffic▬once she was sure they were clear, Tim spun the wheel to almost a lock, and their wheels smoked on the tarmac as they cut into the alleyway after their suspect. 

    The alleyway was dark▬even with their sirens and the street lights, it was hard to see. Souza narrowed her eyes and tried to look for Bower amongst the crevices. Bradford slowed down, searching the dark with a sharp scowl. 

    They slowly approached the head of a trailer parked at the foot of the alley, just outside a motor repair shop. With nowhere to go, it was clear to them that their armed robber was hiding out for cover behind it.

    Bradford stopped the vehicle and Souza took a deep breath, preparing herself for a gunfight.

    She opened her door and stepped out into the night, reaching for her gun and holding it out over the arch of the shop windows. Bradford glanced at her. "Flashlights on, Boot." She did as he said, her heart pounding. "Eyes right. I got the left side covered."

    Souza met his gaze briefly and nodded before the two of them carefully stepped forward into the open. Officer Souza kept her breathing structured▬a counting technique she picked up from one of her instructors in the Academy to help keep her calm. She didn't want the adrennaline of the situation cause her to make stupid decisions she wouldn't make otherwise. 

    She fixed her stare down the right side of the trailer, her finger hovering over her trigger. Her footsteps were soft▬quiet even on the gravel as she took step by careful step, keeping an eye out for even the slightest movement. 

    And then she saw it. Souza ducked to the head of the trailer as gunfire ripped through the night. She took a few sharp breaths, feeling gravel knick her ankles as Bradford skidded for cover beside her. 

    "7-Adam-19," she heard him mutter as she slowly peered out around the headlights to see where Bower had gone, "shots fired at our location. Requesting backup and airship."

    Souza couldn't help but wince a little when another round of gunfire bounced off the side of the trailer▬getting an uneasy memory of the ambush. She forced herself to keep her position as Bradford ducked to avoid being hit on the left. A sudden memory of the blood on the door of the driver's side of the shop hit her. Souza clenched her eyes and shook her head, forcing herself back to the present; she counted her breathing once again. 

    They were a bit better prepared this time, she reminded herself. They had good cover▬they weren't stuck in an open back street with nowhere to go.

    That thought made her sober up and grip her weapon tighter, taking a sharp, determined breath through her nose. 

    Bradford looked back at her, noticing the way she fixed her posture; he recognised it. "The good news is he's trapped," he told her▬she wasn't sure whether it was him trying to reassure her or simply stating a fact. From what she's known of Bradford, Souza was quick to guess it was the latter. Tim Bradford was logical and calculating▬he was a man of fact and concrete reality, in both his rationale, his problem solving, his critique and his conversation. 

    "So, what do we do?" Souza decided to ask. 

    Her T.O. glanced down the left side of the trailer again. "We can't go around the side," he muttered, thinking on the move, "we'd be vulnerable."

    Officer Souza watched him with bated breaths. "Okay, so we wait for backup, then?"

    He pursed his lips, gaze darting around their environment▬in a few split-seconds, he had analysed everything; cover, exits, possible blind spots▬anything that they could use to their advantage, or avoid. Bradford ran through all the possibilities in his mind like some probability calculator on a computer. Both his years in the military and tours overseas, and his over a decade experience on the force honing his logic and problem-solving skills into something swift and pointed sharp. 

    His eyes slipped up the front of the trailer, and Souza knew he had an idea the moment his stare slipped to the right▬off in thought. Then he fixed his grip on his weapon and faced her. "If I go over this trailer, I'll come up on top of him."

    Souza glanced up at the head of the trailer, too. She then holstered her gun. "I should do it," she said, turning towards the radiator grill. 

    Bradford immediately placed a hand on her shoulder and nudged her back into positon. "Forget it. Eyes right, Boot. Now."

    "You can't do that with your injury," she argued in a urgent whisper. "There's no time to argue about this. I'm going up there." Souza realised she had said this all very sharply and quickly added a soft: "I mean, respectfully▬uh▬sir..."

    Bradford stared her down. She saw the way his jaw ticked▬as if trying to figure out whether or not to snap at her. He gritted his teeth, but swallowed his pride and relented with a huff, "Good. All right. You passed tonight's test. Get your ass up there."

    She knew he was trying to pass it off as if he weren't grateful to not have to push through his injury that would already be causing him strife, but Souza didn't say anything. 

    Bradford covered Souza as she gripped the top of the radiator and inched the edge of her boots into the gaps. With a clench of her jaw, she heaved herself up, pressing her foot down onto the headlight to push her body up higher. 

    As quiet as possible, Souza clambered up onto the head of the truck, steadying her balance with a hand on the exhaust pipe. Taking a few deep breaths, she rushed to the trailer and leapt up▬using the momentum to grab onto the edge of the metal ridges and pull herself up (and she was glad she decided not to skip upper body yesterday). 

    Keeping herself low, Souza grabbed her gun again and held it out in front of her. Her footsteps were silent as she crossed the length of the trailer, her breath hitched. 

    She stopped just short of the edge, cautious as she glanced over to see where Bower was. She caught glimpse of his army jacket as he stood hunched, restocking ammo in his assault rifle. 

    Officer Souza took one final deep breath before surging forward and pointing her gun down, her flashlight shining a blinding glare down at Bower. "Police!" she shouted. "Drop your weapon!"

    Bower jumped and glanced up. He staggered and held up a hand to hide his eyes from her light. Souza raised her voice: "Do it now!"

    He threw up his hands, his fingers lifting away from the trigger of his gun. Bower let go of his grip, and his weapon clattered onto the pavement next to his feet. Souza removed her finger from her trigger, but kept her aim rigid. "Get down on your stomach!"

    Above, the airship had finally arrived. Wind skipped like a record from its propellers, sending whisps of hair into Souza's face. From the ride of the trailer, rounded Officer Bradford. Bower held out his hands on the gravel, and Bradford lowered his weapon, grabbing his cuffs instead.

    Souza couldn't help the small chuckle▬from relief, or from disbelief, or perhaps both; either way, the feeling that swelled in her chest and lifted the weight of her shoulders was something greater than she could describe. A pride and satisfaction that was well-earned▬and nothing could take that away from her. 

    "Hands behind your back," muttered Bradford, securing the handcuffs around Bower's wrists as he grumbled in his surrender. Tim looked up at the flashlight that still glared down on the narrow back end of the alleyway, and scoffed at the smile on his rookie's face. "What do you want?" he teased her, but even Tim Bradford managed a crooked, amused grin. "Applause? Get down here."

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    INES WAS DREADING heading back home. As she changed out of her uniform into a comfortable pair of jeans, jumper and sneakers, she couldn't help but mull over the disappointment and exasperated sighs Nate would make the moment he'd realise she let him down. It would be her fault▬all the time. It was always her fault. Ines hated messing up; she hated disappointing and letting Nate down, because every time she did, she felt like an idiot. She closed her locker door with a soft clang and locked it, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Maybe she could make up a last minute pasta▬that is if he wasn't home already. 

    She checked her phone to see a few messages from him▬but he didn't seem to have gotten home yet. She was sure if he had, she would be seeing notifications of multiple missed calls. Instead, the last message from him said: I'm gonna be later than I thought, don't worry about dinner. Plans changed.

    Ines frowned, a strange feeling twisting in her chest. She tilted her head, wondering what he meant▬where was he? What was he doing? Why was he late? 

     She chewed on her bottom lip, troubled by his message as she left the woman's locker room. Ines ran her fingers through her hair to brush it out of her face, not even sure why she cared so much.

     Before Ines could reply, three dots on her screen appeared from Nate. Then, his message arrived:

       NATE: can't wait to have your leftovers for lunch tomorrow xx you're amazing, Nes. 

    A different feeling twisted in her chest now; this one hurt. Ines stared at his message for a long while, the hollow cavity where her heart should be starting to cave and squeeze▬and she felt empty. Empty of the giddiness, tender endearment and love she used to have whenever Nate said anything to compliment her▬so much that she'd smile and be gushing about it through the rest of her day to help get her through the rest of work. Now, the memories and the empty space where those feelings should be▬had once found a home in▬haunted her. 

    It haunted her so much that seeing his text▬seeing him call her amazing, and message her nickname with the same endearment he used to▬struck her bare and struck her blind, and she was left standing in the hallway outside the locker rooms with a stale taste on her tongue. 

    She missed him, and that was the worst part. Through all of the pain he caused her, all of the frustration and the confusion▬after he left her stranded and miserable after he broke up with her that one Tuesday night▬she still missed him to the point it hurt. 

    Because she missed how things used to between them. She missed the giddy highschool butterflies in her stomach, the nervous smiles and chuckles▬she missed experiencing love for the very first time, and falling hard and fast with the windows down, driving down empty roads late at night with the music blaring after a football game instead of going to a party▬she missed the fairytale Nate used to be for her, once upon a time. 

    He was going to be her everything.

    And now, their future were just pages ripped out of the last chapter in their stories▬and now her story was being rewritten, but Ines had no clue what the ending will be this time.

    She just knew it would be her ending. Not his.

    On the drive home, Ines was still lost in her own thoughts. The drive from the station back to her apartment felt like a blur▬the scenery merged together, and before she knew it, she was slipping her key into the lock on her door and stepping inside. 

    Ines turned the light on and closed the door behind her, letting out a hefty sigh. She dropped her bag onto the couch and walked up to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and letting her head fall into her arms on the cool counter▬trying to get her head wrapped around the late night she'll have (again), to get everything ready for tomorrow. 

    After a while of regathering herself after a long day, Ines forced herself to stand up straight and headed for the fridge, opening it up to see what she had left inside to muster up some form of dinner. 

    Then, there was a knock on the door.

    Ines frowned, glancing over her shoulder. She checked the time, and wondering who would be here at this hour. It wouldn't be Nate▬unless he had lost or forgotten his key.

    Pursing her lips, Ines wandered over to the door and carefully opened it to peer through the ajar crack to see who was there on the other side. 

    Her eyes widened and she opened the door wider, surprised to see Lucy, Jackson and John. 

    Jackson held up an cooler with a grin. "Can we come in?"

    Ines blinked, startled. A perplexed chuckle escaped her lips, noticing the chiller bag in Lucy's left hand and the bag of groceries under John's arm. "What ...?" she shook her head. "What're you guys doing here?"

    Lucy stepped into Ines's apartment without asking, and Ines just let her, stepping aside and watching her friends enter. "I brought you some of my Mom's infamous Garlic Bok Choy▬well, my infamous," she added with a glance over her shoulder, "since I made it, but it's my Mom's recipe so."

    "And I've got," John checked inside his bag as Jackson closed the door. "Uh▬Yep! We've got some fruits, vegetables..." he unpacked the contents on Ines's kitchen island table as he spoke. She stood and watched, staring in her disbelief. "A lot of capsicum, some strawberries▬they were on sale▬tofu, stirfry noodles, pasta, milk, the assortment of beans, one of those meat impersonator packets... and ... ah!" he fished out three packets of chocolate. "Sugar."

    "And I brought the alcohol," joked Jackson as he set the cooler on the table, too. He smiled and shrugged. "And some extra snacks."

    Ines was a little overwhelmed, not expecting this▬nor was she sure how she was supposed to respond or act. "I▬what▬why?" she chuckled. "What's the occasion?"

    "The occasion is," Lucy faced her, setting a hand on her hip and leaning against the kitchen counter, "you asking for help from your friends next time you need it and not making us find out Nate's being an ass from your T.O."

    Ines's heart fluttered with a warm sense of gratitude. She glanced at her friends▬an unlikely bunch, sure. Four completely different people from completely different backgrounds▬but what mattered was that they had found each other when they needed it the most, and from that moment on, they were always going to be inseparable. 

    She smiled and grew a little emotional▬she couldn't help it. "Thanks, guys," Ines chuckled and wiped her tears▬though her chuckles only grew when Jackson strode over and wrapped her up in a hug. "You didn't have to do this."

    "Yeah, we did," smiled John and Jackson rubbed Ines's arms, squeezing her close. "You would do the same for us."

    Ines squeezed Jackson, too, looking up at him and chuckling. She smiled at Lucy and John. "You guys are the best."

     "Yeah, yeah," Lucy waved it off, gesturing to the cooler. "Give me a beer, I need it after how wild today was."

     John rolled his eyes with a small, tender smile but did as she said, grabbing them all a drink out of Jackson's cooler. Together, the group of friends chatted and made a quick dinner for them all with Lucy's garlic bok choy before turning on a bad cop tv show and sitting down▬all of them groaning and scoffing at every unrealistic moment. ("They aren't even searching the room!" Jackson had scoffed. "And where's their taser? Like come on...").

     After they finished dinner, Ines settled comfortably in between Jackson and John, resting her head on Jackson's shoulder and smiling▬feeling content, comfortable and happy with her fellow rookies. 

     "How's that plan 'B' coming along?" John asked as Jackson handed them out more drinks. Immediately, Jackson made a face and shook his head, scoffing at the attempt to tease him.

    "Actually," he said, sounding rather smug, "Captain says I don't need one."

    "What?" let out Ines, chuckling. "That's crazy..."

    "But," added Jackson, sighing as he clicked his can open with a hiss, "I was thinking ... it might not be a bad idea for me to find a hobby, something outside of the job I can look forward to."

     "Hmm..." mused Lucy, leaning back against Ines's legs as she sat on the floor at the base of the cage. "What about, uh, pole dancing?" she grinned up at Jackson. 

    He gaped at her, John and Ines laughed softly. "Okay," said out Jackson, letting out a few chuckles himself. "Clearly, I shouldn't have brought you into the circle of trust."

    Lucy gaped, too. "What?" she laughed. 

    Jackson shook his head at her, his amused smile turning gentle. He nudged Nolan across Ines. "You know, you were▬uh▬pretty cavalier earlier about not making it as a cop. Is that how you really feel?"

    John pursed his lips. He looked down at his beer and took a thoughtful sip. "I am seeing this thing through," he said eventually, "no matter what. No matter what obstacles are thrown in my way."

    Lucy smiled at that. Ines held out her drink to John for a gentle cheers. As he clinked his can with hers, Jackson sat up a little straighter on the couch. He suddenly looked rather troubled. 

     "You know," he murmured, "one out of three rookies washes out during their first year," he glanced at them. "And there's four of us ... Odds are, at least one of us isn't gonna make it."

    Ines's smile fell a little at that, realising Jackson was right. Statistics or no statistics▬whether they believed it or not, whether they let it affect them or not, it was still staring at them right in the face. 

    John's brows set, stubborn. "Screw the odds," he said. "If I believed in odds, I wouldn't even be here."

    "Yeah," then said Lucy, shuffling so she was facing them, "we're all gonna make it." She said it with such certaintiy that it wasn't even a question▬it wasn't even a possibility. They were going to get through this and all come out the other end. "Because, we're gonna have each other's backs no matter what."

     Jackson's frown softened. He looked down at his hands, some of his anxiety settling, and the tension in the room slowly lifted.

     Lucy smiled and held out her can. "Deal?"

     Ines was the first one to hold her's up. "Deal," she replied and all four of the rookies tapped their drinks together. It was more than stubborn determination to beat the odds, it was a promise▬no, it was a vow. And there was no chance than any one of them was going to break it. 

    Because together, there were no impossible odds, and no destination uncreachable. It was the four of them against the world, and they were going to win. 

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    a/n: i love my little friend group!!! they're so cute <3333

    i've just had a huggggeeeee day of study i needed some comfort with this book lol, tomorrow is gonna be another huge day. exams are literally next week (laughs and then dies) but then uni is over for the year!

    tim and ines <3 souzford? possible ship name lol?

    (minimal editing)