chapter eight
008. winner takes it all

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    INES SOUZA WAS getting tired of wearing long sleeves already. Even in October, the weather in Los Angeles still often reached eighty degrees Fahrenheit▬and in her woollen sleeves, tie, and stuck inside Tim's shop without air conditioner, not even the window rolled down to let the air circulate was enough to give her relief. He could easily get the air conditioning in the shop fixed, but he didn't want to▬"Air conditioning makes you soft," he always told her whenever she asked. 

    They continued to drive around their patrol square, keeping an eye out and their ears listening to the radio that was alive with chatter from other units▬except theirs. It was making Bradford restless. He was eager to find a felony to add to their score on the board to catch up with the others in front. Lopez and West were still leading, and it was making Tim annoyed. They hadn't even managed to scrape a misdemeanour. 

    Souza kept her eyes fixed on the road outside of her window, shuffling close to the door to try and grasp any breath of wind to help cool her down. In the end, she huffed and sent Officer Bradford a short look. He ignored it, knowing what she was about to complain about. But before she could say anything, her work phone lit up. Hearing it ring, Bradford glanced at her and sighed with relief. "Thank God."

    Officer Souza quickly answered Nell's phone call and held it out on speaker between them.

    "Hey," Nell spoke in a very low whisper as soon as they picked up. "So, we just got a call about an armoured car robbery. Suspects were seen wearing ski masks on Wilshire and Robertson."

    Officer Bradford grinned. "Hot damn!" he swerved them into the next lane and switched on their sirens. "We're back in it▬Thanks, Nell!"

    Souza slipped her phone back into the side compartment of the shop as Bradford sped up, pursing her lips and swallowing back the words she wanted to say. Whatever disgruntled objections she had to this▬she would have to keep to herself. She needed to focus. They were likely running head-first into a potential gunfight. 

     She gripped the handle above her head as their tyres screeched in a sharp turn that left smoke curling at the wheels. The sirens were loud and piercing in her ears, and Souza gritted her teeth to keep her head straight on her shoulders and her heart from racing too fast. After the troubling first half of her shift she has had, and night, the last thing she needed was for Nate and Tim▬and all of her troubles▬to cloud her mind right now. 

    Souza glanced at her T.O., brows knitted into a frown, watching the eager glint in his eyes as they raced towards the crime▬and she was cautious of the competitive air that made the small space between them in the front of the shop hard to breathe in. 

    But instead of saying anything, she sat up straight in her seat and squared her shoulders, setting her jaw as she prepared herself for the danger they were running head first into. Some part of her, instead of squeezing her chest in fear, leapt with a dangerous thrill. 

    Some part of her couldn't help but think▬what was wrong with her? How could she find the danger exciting? How could she be eager for a fight when already she's seen how close to death Tim had gotten her second day on patrol if that bullet had landed an inch closer to the right? After that dreadful day▬why was she still here? These were peoples lives▬Ines felt horrible to feel her heart race with nervous excitement instead of dread, because it made her feel like she was taking amusement out of people's misfortunes, out of the worst days of their lives. She didn't want to be that kind of cop. But the addrenalin? The surge of satisfaction and reward to put these dangerous suspects in handcuffs and get them off the streets so they wouldn't hurt anyone else? It consumed her, and that was what scared her the most. 

    Tim swerved the shop into the loading zone and parking lot at the back of a jewellery store on the corner of Wilshire and Robertson Boulevard. There were two trucks in the lot▬one a trailer from Mid-Wilshire Lawn and Landscaping parked right out the back of the store, and the bright red armoured truck their suspects had stolen. Just as Officer Bradford pressed his foot on the breaks, the suspects had been prepared to dive right out onto the road. For a scary moment, Souza thought they would keep going and ram them nose first▬but they stopped and flung open the doors of the cab. 

     "Get down, Boot!" shouted Officer Bradford and Souza only just managed to unbuckle her seat belt before ducking down. The windscreen glass fractured when bullets struck▬smashing right through and lodging into the heads of their seats. 

    Souza scrambled to open up her door as the gunfire continued▬and she couldn't help but think of that day behind Selby's home. She gritted her teeth and grabbed her firearm, nosing it between the door and the car. She fired and hit the truck's right side mirror. One of the assailants ducked down for cover. 

    Gunshots cracked in her ears from her left, leaving them ringing as Bradford focused on the suspect at the driver's side. Smoke coughed from the barrels of their pistols with each shot. Souza clenched her jaw, but did her best to release her tension to improve her aim. 

    Her next shot hit the door window▬and glass shattered onto the concrete. Her aim spooked the suspects into cowering back inside the truck. Souza watched, confused as they disappeared into the trailer and locked themselves inside. 

    "What are they doing?" she murmured, not lowering her weapon just yet. 

    "There's a safety feature in armoured cars," explained Officer Bradford, crouching low behind the window of the driver's side door▬keeping himself protected as much as he could in the situation; he wasn't eager to leave his side vulnerable again, "that allows drivers to escape to the back under fire. They're now locked in a bulletproof fortress, and we're gonna be here all day trying to get them out."

    He gritted his teeth in frustration and snatched the radio from inside the shop. "7-Adam-19, shots fired. Suspects barricaded, requesting SWAT."

    As he did, Souza tried to think of a way out of this▬her mind raced with potential ideas, all of them seeming more useless and desperate than the other. She shuffled on her feet and suggested, "What if I call the armoured car company? They would have a master key, right?"

    Bradford scoffed and shook his head. "It'll take them hours to get here. Hours where Richards, Lopez and Bishop are running up the score on us."

    Souza frowned at him. She fixed her hand around the grip on her gun and focused back onto the armoured truck. "Right," she couldn't help but matter. "Because that's what matters right now▬not us getting killed by the guys in that truck. That is great perspective, Officer Bradford."

    He didn't appreciate her tone▬it was uncharacteristically snarky of her, and disrespectful. "You know what? Save the sarcasm for trivia night at the bar with the other rookies, Boot. My perspective is spot-on. I want to win and put these guys behind bars." 

    Officer Bradford gritted his teeth and her short huff▬he hated the sound of that huff so much. The last thing he wanted was to be judged and chided by his twenty-five-year-old rookie like he was some toddler▬it was patronising. He was her superior officer, with years of training and experience on this job▬and here she was, questioning him, defying him. And he hated how it not only made him aggravated and annoyed but also made him frustratingly proud▬and that realisation only angered him more. He didn't understand Officer Souza. He could read her and get under her skin so easily. He believed he had her and her soft-spoken, easily flustered nature that was so easily intimidated all figured out, to the point it made him wonder why he hadn't gone to Grey and had her washed out yet. That girl wasn't made to be a cop. Until she did a full three-sixty and lashed out▬until he pushed her buttons just enough to make her snap, or she pulled herself together right when they needed it the most. It was as though another person showed themselves to the light of day. There was potential for Officer Souza, but that same light of potential also made Officer Bradford want to lose all of his inhibitions and lash out at her, too▬because since when could a rookie be so infuriating that she could pick him apart better than he could himself sometimes?

    "Yeah, I'd rather not deal with Jackson boasting about winning, either," grumbled Officer Souza. "But these guys aren't going down without a fight. We need backup▬"

    "And I called for it," snapped Bradford. He had much more he wanted to say to her righteous stubbornness and holier-than-thou attitude, but he faltered. Officer Bradford stilled as a realisation struck him hard in the chest. His gaze returned to the men hiding away in the back of the armoured truck. "Which ... which is what they expect us to do."

    Souza noticed, and she tilted her head. The fire of their argument dimmed to embers tucked away in the ashes of their differences▬just enough to come to a stalemate when she recognised the look on his face. "What?"

    "They think..." Her T.O. pressed his lips together and his brows furrowed. The gears of his strategic mind were working remarkably fast, and it was frustratingly admirable for Officer Souza to watch. "They think we'll stay here all day and wait for them. Which means their guard will be down."

    Slowly, he started to retreat. Souza kept her gun positioned for a few moments longer, but her curiosity got the better of her and she turned her back on the armoured truck to watch Bradford open up the trunk of the shop. He noticed. "Boot!"

    "Oh▬right," she scrambled to retain her position, holding up her gun. He closed the trunk and joined her, one hand staying firm around his gun and the other gripping the neck of the halligan. Souza stared at it, dubious. "What are you going to do? That thing is bulletproof, you're not gonna get in with that."

    "I don't need to get in," said Officer Bradford. "I need them to come out."

    He brushed past her, keeping low with his gun raised as he crossed the length from their shop to the truck. Souza gaped. "What the▬? Tim!" she had no choice but to follow him, shuffling along with her head ducked▬quickly catching up with his shadow as he pressed his back against the side of the trailer. "They're armed and barricaded, we should wait for SWAT▬"

    "Their weapons won't matter if they can't see anything," he told her. "Now stay quiet and cover the back."

    She huffed but ducked under his gun arm and raced to the end of the trailer. Souza chewed the inside of her cheek and fixed the grip around her gun, peering around the corner. The soles of her boots swivelled to get into position, and she took a deep breath, keeping herself hidden in the armoured truck's shadow, the barrel of her gun peeking out just enough to make sure she had a good aim. Behind her, Officer Bradford pried the flat two ends at the butt of the halligan underneath the round pressure vent. His arms flexed and he shoved, biting back a grunt at the effort▬the round top flung off the side of the trunk and clattered on the ground. 

    Bradford dropped his tool and snatched the pepper spray off his duty belt. Officer Souza glanced over her shoulder, admittedly impressed. She watched him push the nozzle into the small open, pressure vent and press down his finger with no mercy. 

    She heard the pepper spray hiss inside. Not even seconds later, did she hear muffled coughs and alarmed shouts. The trailer of the truck thudded and rocked, and Souza hitched her breath. She held out her gun and watched as the two men burst out of the back trailer doors, stumbling and scrambling for breath. They rubbed desperately at their eyes to try and relieve some of the pain. 

    Bradford was at her side. "Drop your weapon!" he shouted. "Down on the ground!"

    "Down on the ground! On your stomachs▬Now!" Souza was a little amazed at how easily the two men gave up, dropping their weapons and crawling onto their stomachs at their feet. "Hands behind your back!"

    Her T.O. holstered his gun and knelt over the first suspect, sliding the handcuffs easily around his wrists. "Felony carjacking, armed robbery, attempted murder..." he mused, shooting her a smirk. "That's fourteen more points, Boot!"

    She didn't say anything. Souza restrained the second man, not impressed. 

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    WITH ONLY three hours left of their shift, Lopez and West were still in the lead, with Richards and Chen closing in very quickly. Bradford and Souza weren't in last place, unlike Bishop and Nolan, but Tim seemed to consider it as such. After they processed their felony arrests, she watched him march back towards Dispatch with a troubled frown. She scratched at a tight spot, releasing the tension from her hair being wrapped up in a stiff bun and hoping it would ease the growing headache pounding at her temples. Ines wandered back towards the break room. If she was gonna get through the remainder of her shift, she was going to need at least a double shot of coffee first.

    She smiled when she found Jackson, John and Lucy already there▬they all seemed to have the same idea as her, the group of them blowing on and sipping at the strong coffees steaming out of their cups. "Can I request we do shots tonight?" Ines announced her arrival with a hefty sigh, heading straight for the coffee machine. She grabbed a cup and poured in the premade brew. "I think I need it after today."

    "Somehow," spoke up John, "in all of my forty-five years of life, I've managed to have more shots just in the time since knowing you guys than I ever did in my college years."

    "You're making up for lost time then," Jackson held up his cup in cheers and John chuckled, shaking his head but tapping the edges of their coffee cups together all the same. 

    "How's your shoulder?" Ines then asked, turning to face her friends and nodding at John who still winced every time he shuffled.

    "Stiff, but okay," she knew he was likely downplaying it. Brushing it off like every father ever▬it was almost hilarious how John seemed to feed into every Dad stereotype. It made Ines wonder whether fathers secretly have a convention where they share dad jokes and ways to act like they know exactly what they got their children for the holidays. "So, you and Tim got fourteen more points on the board?"

    Ines pointed her sugar sash at him accusingly. "If you start an argument about semantics on my armed robbery and felony carjacking, you won't be invited to next week's movie night."

    Jackson whistled, chuckling at Ines's threat. "Damn," he muttered.

    John held up a hand in surrender. "I'm just saying, two people worked together to commit the same crime▬I don't see how that should be counted separately."

    "You are such a sore loser!" Ines laughed and Jackson chuckled lowly, shaking his head▬she wasn't even mad, just amused at how far John was prepared to pick apart their arrests for some extra points. "The rules are the rules▬you can't just switch them up."

    "Okay, for someone who specifically tells us she isn't competitive," Jackson pointed out and Ines rolled her eyes, taking a sip from her coffee. "You are getting pretty worked up over this."

    "I'm just offended at the dirty game John is playing," she teased their older friend.

    Lucy scoffed. Up until now, she had been rather quiet and reserved, keeping to herself▬so much so that they almost forgot she was there. "He does this with Monopoly. Changes the rules mid-game."

    Both Ines and Jackson hesitated. They shared a quick exchange, their brows knitting together in equal, confused frowns. Officer West set aside his coffee and crossed his arms, leaning against the counter beside Officer Souza. He glanced between Lucy and John. "When did we play Monopoly?"

    The way they both glanced up and locked eyes was so tense and awkward that it made Ines want to curl up into a ball and hide away from second-hand embarrassment. She knew they had a thing going on▬it hadn't been that hard to figure out. But she hadn't said anything because she presumed that if they wanted to tell her, they would in time. But something felt different▬there was an unease between them, and the room suddenly felt thick with smoke. 

    They quickly tried to cover up Lucy's mistake. "You were▬uh▬you▬"

    "▬You were out with your parents, I think▬"

    "▬You guys weren't there."

    Jackson narrowed his eyes. He didn't believe them at all. "... No," he said slowly and gestured at the two of them. "When was this?"

    Ines saw Lucy meet her gaze▬and the pleading look of help caused something to twist in her chest. She cleared her throat and pushed off the counter. "Remember when you and I went out after we watched the game at John's and Lucy stayed? They played then, right?"

    The relief and gratitude that washed over Lucy's face was tenfold. "Yes▬Yes," she immediately took the excuse given to her. "It was late and I drank too much to drive, so John let me stay over▬"

    "Played some Monopoly to kill time as we sobered up a little bit before bed," added Nolan. Jackson continued to frown at them, lingering in his suspicion for a little longer. He wasn't convinced but decided not to push it, either. 

    "Hmm, m'kay," he murmured, but let it be. "Whatever, I'm gonna go grab a snack before I hit the street again▬" Jackson dropped his coffee cup in the bin. "Can't wait to see you guys at the end of shift when I win this thing."

    "Uh▬no," Ines couldn't help it. Maybe she was just competitive when she was competing against Jackson. "Not this time Officer Extra Credit. At the end of shift, you'll be a losing loser, who loses."

     She simmered after she said it and audibly winced at the looks on her friends' faces. "I'm sorry. That▬that sounded a little mean I take that back."

    But Jackson simply chuckled and sent her a one-finger salute before leaving, his bright smile and energy giving them all a caffeine hit better than any coffee could. 

    After he was gone, Ines turned to Lucy and John▬she flushed at the dubious arch of their brows. She sighed and admitted, "Okay, maybe I'm a little competitive..."

    "A little?" echoed Lucy. 

    "Okay, well, if you were the youngest and had five older brothers, you'd be too. Except," then added Ines, moving to sit down at the table with them, "unlike Tim, I have perspective."

    "Oh, dear God," muttered John, already preparing himself for another long-winded 'Tim is the Worst' rant. "What happened now?"

    "Tim!" exploded Ines softly in the break room and Lucy looked down at her coffee, biting back her smile. "He's▬he's the worst...!"

    Her frustrated vent about Tim was cut short when the voice of an officer at the front desk scratched through the P.A. above them. Ines glanced up, startled when she heard her name being called. She shared frowns with Lucy and John, but stood up. "I▬uh▬I guess I'll see you guys later?" she murmured, before grabbing her coffee and making her way to the front lobby of the station. 

    Ines sipped her coffee as she stepped out into the lobby. Even at this time, it was packed with people who were there to report a crime, ask legal questions or check in with bail for someone who was in holding. Though the last person Ines expected to see at this time stood there awkwardly amongst the lobby room chairs, looking out of place in his polo physio uniform shirt and jeans. 

    "Nate?" Ines murmured, walking up to him. She was hesitant. She really didn't want to speak to him after what happened▬it was easier to be angry at him from a distance, than to stay angry with him up close. "What▬what are you doing here?"

    Nate hesitated, too. He pursed his lips and glanced down at his shoes, fiddling with his fingers. It wasn't often that he got nervous like this. The last time Ines remembered was the day he broke up with her. He took a soft breath and glanced around the precinct, careful of what he wanted to say with so many of Ines's coworkers around. Her frown softened at the rare glimpse of consideration he held for her▬it was a glimpse of someone she used to see all the time. "Look, I ... uh ..." he walked up to her, and took a moment to take in the sight of her in uniform▬still not used to it. "I knew you wouldn't be able to call and, uh ... I get it if you can't talk now. I just thought▬I just thought I'd take the chance."

    "What is it?" she pressed, dropping her coffee in the bin and awkwardly crossing her arms▬trying to protect herself from the tense air between them. She didn't have much time before Tim would find her and drag them back out on patrol to try and win the Roundup▬nor did she want her Sergeant, or heaven forbid her Captain, to see her having a personal chat with someone while on shift. "I don't have much time, Nate▬"

    "I know, I know," he held up his hands in a placating gesture. "And ... and I know this isn't the best of me, showing up after we haven't spoken for a while▬"

    "You've been ignoring me," she didn't know where her courage came from, but she appreciated it in this moment and felt a little satisfied when she saw Nate wince a little at her tone.

    "Yeah, I know," he sighed. "I just ... needed some space."

    "Space?" Ines wanted to laugh. "Why are you punishing me for what happened?"

    "I'm not punishing you▬"

     "▬Yes, you are!"

    Their voices dropped to quiet murmurs after some people gave them estranged glances at their short outburst. 

    Nate sighed and propped his hands on his hips, biting back his frustration and Ines, in turn, tried to bite back hers. She shuffled on her feet and tugged at her tie▬hoping to ease the tightness around her neck to help her breathe. "Look, can we just..." Nate gestured to her gently. "Can we meet up after you finish work? Grab a bite to eat, and just talk? I feel like we need to talk."

    Ines pursed her lips, recognising the sincerity in his voice. Perhaps she was being too hopeful, perhaps she was still lost in the way things used to be▬because the moment she heard it, she melted right then and there. "I ..."

    "Boot!"

    She huffed and clenched her eyes shut when she heard Tim's voice. Not now... Of all the times he could show up, he had chosen the worst possible moment. Nate frowned at the tone of her T.O.'s voice, shooting a scowl over her shoulder at the man who marched over to them▬not caring if this was a personal conversation or not. Recognising the look on Nate's face, Ines shot him a quick scowl to tell him to leave it be. Thankfully▬for once▬he listened. 

    Officer Bradford stopped to stand next to Ines, hovering over her shoulder with his hands resting on his duty belt, and his eyes narrowed onto Nate▬immediately looking him up and down as if he were a possible threat. Nate was tall at six foot, but Tim stood just a few inches taller at six-foot-two. Ines pursed her lips and jutted her chin in to her chest, watching the two of them stare the other down. Nate seemed to take the height difference personally, but she didn't know why. He immediately tried to stand taller, rolling back his shoulders and recognising the subtle hostility from Tim. He glanced between Ines and her T.O., chewing back a bitter sentiment she couldn't exactly pinpoint. 

    "Boot?" he echoed, forgetting Ines's initial plea for him to stay quiet about it. Nate chuckled dryly, incredulous. He frowned up at Officer Bradford. "You talk to all your coworkers like that?"

    Tim immediately went to the offensive. "Excuse me?" he gripped his duty belt tighter and Ines clenched her jaw, furious at both of them now. He stepped closer to Nate, who even with all of his confidence and pride, withered a little under Officer Bradford's scowl. "Officer Souza is my rookie, until she has earned her place here, I can talk to her however I like."

     Ines quickly decided to step in. "Uh, Nate this is Officer Bradford, my Training Officer. Tim," she glanced up at Bradford with a subtle pleading look for him to tone his macho act down a little. "This is Nate, my▬uh▬my roommate."

    He didn't tone it down. She clenched her jaw, suddenly feeling the urge to strangle something▬preferrably Tim right now. Tim set his steel stare onto Nate, immediately recognising who he was. "You got a last name there, Nate?"

    Nate chuckled nervously. "Why, you gonna run a background check on me, Officer?"

    At the look on Tim's faace, Ines was scared for a second he was seriously considering it. When the scowl didn't budge, Nate folded and scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, Adams. Nate Adams. It's good to▬er▬finally meet you Officer Bradford. Look, uh, Ines," he added in a softer tone, coaxing her to look at him. "Just think about it, okay? I'm sorry for everything but I just ... I need to talk to you."

    His pleading tone crumbled her defences and she chewed her bottom lip anxiously. "I▬I have to go..." she gestured at Tim, unsure and wary of what Nate could possibly want to talk about. But perhaps it would be good, too. They did need to talk▬about a lot of things, and the fact that Nate brought it up was a good thing; it was mature of him, and that was something he hasn't been recently. "But, uh ... we're all having drinks tonight after shift ends at the food trucks near Venice Beach," she found herself saying, ignoring the stern frown Bradford sent her. "I▬I'll text you, okay?"

     Nate's nerves settled a little▬though the moment he glanced at Bradford, they hiked up again and he squirmed slightly under that intense stare. "Great," he said and managed a smile at Ines. "Thanks, Nes▬" he awkwardly stepped back to leave. "Stay safe out there, okay?"

    "I will," she smiled as he left▬feeling a sense of relief swell up in her chest as some of the tension between her and her ex-boyfriend finally started to lift. 

    Finally, she turned to face Tim properly. He noticed the incredulous, annoyed stare and shrugged. His defensive and skeptical act completely dropped and he shrugged, clueless as to why she would be upset. "What?"

    Her voice dropped into a whisper. "Was that really neccessary?"

    Tim just crossed his arms and leaned down slightly to meet her gaze, fixing his own accusing, suspicious stare onto her. "Just yesterday, I had to listen to you complain about this guy for hours, and▬what?▬Now you're acting all sweet on him?"

    Ines's confusion dropped to one of dubious shock▬she scoffed softly, unable to believe he had the nerve to say that to her. "I'm sorry," she copied his tone, "didn't you also tell me, yesterday▬oh, and today▬" he rolled his eyes at her sarcasm, "▬that we don't do personal conversations because we're not friends?"

    He pursed his lips, and smug satisfaction surged up inside of her to realise she had left him stumped. Ines tilted her head and crossed her arms, too, mocking his stance with little care nor acknowledgement of his authority. Tim scowled at her, not appreciating the smug glint in her eyes. He clenched his jaw but sighed and turned around. "Let's go, Boot. We only have three hours left to win this competition, and you just wasted thirty minutes."

    Ines swung her arms, biting back her grin▬she called this a small victory. After her short celebration, she quickly rushed to catch up with Officer Bradford before he'd snap at her again. 

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    SHE WISHED she could jump out of the shop into oncoming traffic. 

    By the end of shift, Officer Souza was always completely done and exasperated with her Training Officer. But with a competition hanging over their heads, a mundane shift and Nell not calling them even after promising to stay after her shift ended to keep feeding them intel, Officer Bradford was even more annoying than he was on the average. The front of the shop was way too small. Once the clock ticked over to the time she could go home, she couldn't wait for a few hours of peace without Tim Bradford and his excessive use of the word Boot. She saw too much of him in the day, but now, it was almost unbearable. (She wasn't looking forward to her inevitable night shift weeks coming up next month, where she will have to deal with Tim when she should be sleeping). 

     It was as though she was sitting next to some teenager rather than an adult, experienced veteran officer. This competition was closer to him than he was going to admit, and Ines couldn't help but wonder why. 

    She kept her eye on the score. Richards and Chen were up another seven points, putting them head-to-head with Lopez and West▬but she wasn't prepared to tell Officer Bradford that. Otherwise, she might just leap out of this car into oncoming traffic to avoid the frustrated complaining that would follow for the next three hours. 

     "Come on," grumbled Tim as they kept going round and round their patrol square. "Some idiot has to be trying to rob a convenience store or something."

    "You're probably jinxing it," Ines couldn't help but mutter.

    Her T.O. scowled at her. "You aren't funny, Boot. If we don't win this, you are buying everyone's drinks tonight, including your plus one's."

    Oh, that's right▬Ines forgot she invited Nate to drinks tonight already. She pursed her lips, already dreading not only spending more hours after their shift had finished with Tim and the other T.O.s but also bringing her ex-boyfriend into the circle. Had she just made a recipe for disaster? It sure felt like it. But some part of her felt safer to bring Nate into an environment she was comfortable in▬well, more comfortable than she would be alone with him trying to discuss whatever he wanted to over dinner in some random restaurant. She figured being surrounded by a bunch of off-duty cops would be a good incentive for Nate to be on his best behaviour.

    After a pause, Officer Souza suggested, "Maybe I should give Nell a ring...?"

    Bradford rolled his eyes before switching on their headlights as the sky grew darker. 

    She watched him, a thought occurring to her. "I have a question," she began.

    Tim sighed. "Great," he muttered. "What is it, Boot?"

    "When do I get the chance to drive?"

    He gripped the wheel. At first, he looked like he was going to snap at her and tell her she needed to earn her place behind the wheel▬and Ines would grumble at his macho tough-around-the-edges act▬when suddenly, he sat up straighter, an idea hitting him. "How about this," he slowed down at the stop sign and glanced at her. "If we win the Roundup, I'll let you drive tomorrow."

    Souza considered her options. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, going over all that could happen in the last few hours of their shifts▬and whether she could somehow make enough felony arrests to boost them back up on the scoreboard enough for them to win. "Fine," she decided in the end, sitting back in the passenger seat. "You have a deal. Oh, and on one other condition▬" she added, ignoring Tim's glower. "You allow me one personal conversation per shift starting tomorrow."

     He continued to scowl at her, but she didn't back down. In the end, Officer Bradford turned left and huffed out a reluctant: "Fine."

    At Ines's happy, victorious smile, Tim scoffed. "Don't let it get to your head, Boot. Now call Nell. Otherwise, I'm revoking tomorrow's personal question."

    She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she pulled out her work phone, but she hid it well. She pressed Nell's contact and held the phone out on the speaker, waiting for their favourite dispatch worker to answer. 

    Nell picked up almost immediately. "Oh, my God▬the timing, I was just about to call you!"

    "Hope you got something good for us, Nell," said Officer Bradford. "We're running low on time here, need something to push us over the finish line."

    "I'm not too sure whether this is worth your time, but I have something that struck me as odd," she said, and both police officers shared an intrigued look. "We had a 911 call not long ago about a possible intruder at 71 Holmby Avenue. But right after, the homeowner cancelled the call, saying it was racoon."

    "Could just be a racoon, Nell," shrugged Bradford.

    "I know, but, 7-Adam-15 have attached themselves to the false alarm anyway."

    This caught Bradford's attention. He pursed his lips, finding this strange. "Thanks, Nell," he said to her before she hung up. They slowed down at the traffic lights, and even Officer Souza was troubled by this.

    "Why would Bishop and Nolan attach themselves to a false alarm?" she murmured, her mind racing. Something didn't settle right in her stomach. She quickly reached over to the box and typed the address in. The name registered to the lease of the home was: "Peter Askari's the homeowner."

    There had to be a reason why Bishop and Nolan were heading there right now anyway. She chewed on her bottom lip, and Bradford watched her▬probably already knowing the answer, but was waiting for her to figure it out herself. 

    She remembered something▬briefly, when she and Nolan were chatting during their break before she was called to the front desk. Between her complaints about Tim, he had mentioned bringing in a strange arrest▬a mob banker who was brought in for an unregistered firearm being found in his home. Miraculously, out of nowhere, his lawyer had appeared with all the papers he needed to get him out of the deep waters his arrest would bring him, and she remembered John saying just how anxious the banker had been at the thought of having cuffs put on him.

    Her gut was twisting▬telling her that something wasn't right. Telling her that perhaps John's mob banker and this distress call were potentially linked. "We should go," she said to Tim. 

    He arched a brow. "Should we?" he echoed a subtle reminder to her about who made the decisions between the two of them. 

    "Yes," she stressed. Then, she found herself backtracking, a little unsure when he gave her that look. "I mean, we should, right?"

    Officer Bradford didn't say anything, but he changed blinkers and veered into the next lane to take them right when the lights turned green. Souza sat back in her seat again, a little proud of herself for getting one of his many tests right. 

    The sun had set by the time they made it to the banker's house. The streets around them were only lit dimly by the street lamps▬casting a soft, mellow glow over homes as families ate their dinner. Bradford kept their headlights dimmed as much as he could as they silently rolled up the hill past expensive suburban homes towards the address of the 911 call. They were without their sirens▬not wanting to spook any possible intruders that could be inside the home.

    Souza noticed another shop parked, lights off, a few metres down the road from the home. Bradford noticed, too, and as they passed the vehicle, he slowed down until they came to a stop adjacent to Bishop and Nolan. 

    Ines awkwardly waved at Nolan who was in the driver's seat. Both he and Talia Bishop tilted their heads in unison, both as equally as confused as the other to see them roll up beside them.

    Officer Bradford rolled down his window more and leaned his arm against the door. "Heard you attached to a false alarm. Figured something big might be up."

    Officer Bishop arched an unimpressed brow. "How'd you hear that? Did you bribe dispatch again?"

    Souza turned to her T.O., disappointed. "Again?" she echoed softly.

    Bradford sighed, choosing to ignore her displeased scoff. "I just thought you might need some backup," he told Talia. "Unless you're too focused on getting all the points for yourself."

    "We're not playing," she said through gritted teeth.

    "Well, then, you won't mind us tagging along."

    Officer Bishop sighed, grinding her teeth in frustration. The last thing she wanted to do was let them tag along and deal with Officer Bradford's competitive steak. But in the end, she relented because no matter the competition, she needed backup. 

    They parked their shops closer to the house, the velvet sky shrouding their vehicles in darkness on the road behind the banker's large home. Together, as a team, the four of them crept across the tarmac to the back fence. They climbed up the hilly terrain underneath the looming, overhanging carrotwood tree leaves and towering palms. Nolan noticed the back fence lock had been broken off and the gate swung ajar.

    Officer Souza pursed her lips, gripping her gun and sharing a look with her T.O. before they followed the others inside the backyard. Their shoes left soft grass and scuffed along the red-stone pavement. They passed an extensive garden underneath the shadow of a two-storey Spanish mission revival suburban home. Like many homes in Los Angeles, the Spanish revival architecture was completed with a red tiled roof and smoothed white brick stucco exterior walls. 

    "Hey, John," whispered Ines despite the situation. "If I were wanting to get a place like this ... what price am I looking at?"

     John glanced down at her. Both were crouched behind a deciduous tree potted inside a ring of stone that matched the patio pavement. "Do you really want to know the answer to that?" 

    Ines winced and shook her head. "Not really, no. But a girl can dream, right?"

    "Boots," Officer Bradford snapped at them and they glanced over their shoulders at him, startled. He shrugged, gesturing to them and then up at the lit windows of the home with a curt frustration. 

    Both rookies went dead silent, exchanging a sheepish glance before continuing through the backyard of Mr. Asarki's home. Souza stuck close to her T.O., following his example as Bishop and Nolan took the lead. It wasn't long before they neared the small, rectangular fenced-off pool that they found something that made their guts churn. 

    "I got a body," whispered Nolan. 

    Souza peered around Bradford's shoulders, and her breath hitched softly to see the crumpled sight of one of the house's caretakers unmoving in the shadow of one of the planted trees. The blood around her neck told them it wasn't the fall that killed her, but something much more sinister. And all she ever did was simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

    Organised crime was cruel, it was deadly and it was never something to be celebrated. It made Ines sick to her stomach. 

    Souza leaned down and swallowed back her bile, the flashlight she held over the barrel of her gun showed a sickening laceration across the woman's jugular. "They slit her throat," she murmured. 

    Officer Bishop set her jaw, taking a short moment to mourn the life of a woman none of them new, but wish they could have been there to save, before moving on. She grabbed her radio and murmured into the mic as she carefully peered through the soft white curtains into the lit kitchen of the home. "7-Adam-15, requesting SWAT for a hostage situation, one dead, Code Three."

     A sharp, desperate scream pierced the silent night. Souza stood up, at alert, her gun raised as she shuffled after her team. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure no one was creeping up behind them as they closed in on the back entrance to the home. 

    Following the scream, was a muffled thud▬the sound of a fist slamming against someone's head. A man's voice shouted and cried, "No, No!"

     Nolan gestured curtly at them, grabbing their attention before pointing through the glass panes of the back door. Souza, Bradford and Bishop drew closer, peering into the home. Souza swallowed harshly when she saw two hostiles, a man and a woman standing over the banker and his wife in their sitting room. It looked as though they were delivering some sick form of punishment by harming the banker's wife while he was forced to watch. 

     Officer Bradford clenched his jaw. "Guys, we can't wait," he whispered. "If they've already killed one, they can kill the banker and his wife at any moment. We need to go in now."

     Bishop spun to him while Souza kept her gun raised out towards the garden, her eyes peeled for any movement. Meanwhile, the bankers sobbing cries grew louder as each horrible smack and thud prolonged his wife's painful screams. "So, what? We go in stealth?"

    Bradford nodded.

    "Upstairs or downstairs?"

    "We'll take upstairs."

     Officer Bradford turned to Officer Souza. "Boot, come on."

     As she scurried after him, Bishop took her rookie the opposite way. They rounded to the backend left-hand corner of the home where the laundry door was creeping ajar. Bradford pulled Souza towards the balcony where one of the trees▬a bit older and more sturdier than the others▬climbed up the length of the two-story home, close enough to the support beams and fencing that they would be able to climb right up it. He holstered his weapon and decided to go first as Souza covered his six. Every now and then she glanced up at him, watching and noting the steps he took so she could follow.

     Once he was upstairs, Bradford called her name softly. Souza glanced up and saw his face dimly lit in the glow of the lamppost on the corner of the balcony. He took her place, pointing his gun down at the shrubbery while she caught her breath and started to climb.

    She had to jump to get her first handhold, gritting her teeth as she pulled herself up and pressed her feet against the trunk to give her some push. Souza awkwardly hoisted herself up just enough to prop her knee in the corner of the thick branch and reach up for the fence. She cursed her height but managed to grasp her fingers around the wrought iron. 

    Souza almost made it up there with no more troubles. Until she wrapped her arms around the lamppost and missed her footing when climbing over the fencing. She gasped and fell. Officer Bradford did nothing but stare in dismay and disappointment as his Rookie tripped over and sprawled out on the ground at his feet. 

    The sound she caused would have been enough to alert the heavy hitters on the floor below▬and she was sure it wasn't the way Bradford and Bishop planned to split the assailants up, but it worked, right?

    "So much for stealth," muttered Bradford, sighing before hauling his Boot up by the back of her shirt and shoving her along to get going. 

    "Yeah, well, not all of us are over six foot," she grumbled, flustered and embarrassed. 

    He rolled his eyes and just angrily gestured for her to get in position. Souza quickly shuffled along the master bedroom and pressed her back against the wall on the left side of the open door. Bradford took the right. It wasn't long before footsteps echoed up the stairs and one of the hitters approached the room to investigate what had caused the sound.

    The moment they stepped inside, Bradford grabbed the barrel of the man's gun and forced it upwards. The gunshot rang out and shattered through the plaster above. Bradford kicked his foot out, slamming it hard against the man's shins before throwing him to the ground. 

    His gun skidded out of his hand and Bradford straddled him, keeping the man still as he struggled against the handcuffs. 

    There were sounds of scuffling and gunshots on the floor below before Bishop's voice called out. "CLEAR!"

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   AFTER SUCH a long day, Ines was grateful to finally have a shower and get out of uniform. She washed all the grime and the stress of her day off, and the moment she stepped back out in the locker room in her towel, she was refreshed. Some part of her was looking forward to drinks tonight▬and that surprised her because she thought spending any more hours off duty with Tim Bradford would drive her insane. But instead, she was eager to change back into civvies because she realised that it wouldn't just be him. Tonight was a night to celebrate the work they did and their sacrifices with one another▬Ines with her fellow rookies, but also with the Training Officers who took upon a separate responsibility other than answering each call they received, but taking upon their Rookies' troubles, their mistakes and their fresh-eyed excitement, and helped them find their footing in this job▬believed in them and saw their potential, and did their best to bring it out. To enjoy each other's company without the uniform was going to be something special.

    As Ines tied the strings of her skirt, letting the floral fabric flow and fall to her ankles, she noticed Lucy approach her. Her friend fixed her earings behind beautiful blown out, soft brown waves. She looked pretty in her slim jeans, heeled boots and a denim jacket over her blouse. "Hey," she smiled softly.

     "Hey?" Ines sat down on the bench and pulled on her heeled boots. She could tell by the tone of Lucy's voice that she wanted to talk about something. "Everything okay?"

     "Yeah," said Lucy quickly as she sat down beside her, fiddling with her rings. She pursed her lips and dropped her voice. "I mean, well ... no, not really."

    Ines tilted her head, her hair falling out of its tight bun now into curls from the braid she had them in all day. Keeping her voice low, she murmured her guess, "Is this about what's happening between you and John?"

    Lucy stammered, staring at her in shock▬and that told Ines everything she needed to know. "How did you...?"

     "Come on," she chuckled softly, giving her friend a gentle look. "You guys weren't exactly subtle when we were in the Academy."

    Her friend pursed her lips. She sighed and looked down at her fingers. She kept twisting her rings around. "Yeah, well ... we broke up."

    Ines's gaze snapped up to her, her breath hitching and feeling something twist in her chest. She wasn't expecting that. Her shoulders fell. "Oh, God▬Lucy, I'm so sorry..."

    "It's fine," she lied, her voice catching in the back of her throat. "I mean▬it's for the best," she nodded as if trying to reassure herself. "I mean, I was obviously just a rebound from his twenty-long-year marriage, so it was never gonna last. Besides, I get to ... focus on this ... so ..."

    Ines simply held out her arms and pulled Lucy into a hug. She didn't say anything, holding her friend tight and close as they sat together on the locker room benches. At the way Lucy slumped in her hold and gripped onto her shirt, Ines could tell so much weight had lifted off her shoulders now that she knew▬now that she had someone who could hold her through this and tell her it was going to be okay.

     After pulling away, Ines checked her phone to see the answer Nate had given. Lucy noticed and pursed her lips. "So, you invited him, then?"

    "Yeah," she muttered. "He ... he says he wants to talk. Maybe it's a good thing."

    Lucy hesitated. She reached out and took her best friend's hand. "And if it isn't, we'll be right there with you."

    Ines smiled at her, more grateful than she could ever express in words. She leaned her head on Lucy's shoulder and the two friends sighed, sharing a soft, comfortable moment together in silence. 

    However, when low murmurs in the next row of lockers reached Ines's ears, her attention shifted the moment she heard Tim's name. She frowned and sat up straighter, slowly standing to wander around the corner. There, she saw Angela and Talia talk among themselves as they got ready for tonight.

    "Okay, how do we split up the points?" asked Angela as she dusted her cheeks with blush, eyeing herself in the locker door mirror. 

     "I told you," Talia threw on her jacket. 

     "I know, I know. You're not playing," she set the blush aside and reached for her highlighter. "But Richards and I are trying to split the points but we can't split them up right wthout you."

    "It's not that tricky. Just give him more."

    Ines couldn't help but speak up. She was always a little too curious for her own good. She stepped around the lockers into the next aisle. "I▬I'm sorry, are you guys trying to rig the Roundup so Tim wins?"

    The two Training Officers shared a quick glance, hesitant.

    Talia slipped on her rings. "No▬Why would we do that?"

    Ines pursed her lips, shrinking a little under Angela's fierce stare. She closed her locker door and pulled on her bomber jacket. "I▬well ..." Ines chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I just▬this competition seems to be a pretty emotional thing for him." When their stern stares didn't soften, she shook her head and stepped back. "I'm sorry for asking, I'll just▬sorry..."

    Angela sighed as Tim's Rookie went to leave. "It's personal," she decided to say and Ines turned around. "From when he was a Rookie."

    She pursed her lips and nodded. She could have just left it there, but more questions twisted in her gut▬linking two and two together the moment Angela said that this went back to Tim's Rookie days. "Is▬Does this have anything to do with Isabel?"

     At the way Angela and Talia froze, she knew she was right. They both grew defensive, staring at her in both shock and perhaps a little bit of anger at her overstepping. Ines never realised how protective they were over Tim until this moment▬if she wasn't so intimidated by their scowls, she might just find it sweet.

    She quickly added, "I▬I know about her. I met her once," their defensive scowls softened. Ines shuffled anxiously on her feet, her hand resting on the corner of the row of lockers. She kept her voice low, treading the waters carefully. "I▬uh▬I know they were Rookies together before they got married."

    Talia and Angela shared another look▬a conversation passing between them that Ines wasn't privy too. In the end, Angela nodded and so, Talia sighed and faced Ines. "Yeah," she said gently. "Yeah, and they loved the Roundup. They had an epic competition."

    It was sad, but some part of it made Ines smile▬to hear stories about Isabel before she had lost herself in her addiction. To hear stories that gave her a glimpse into who Tim was before he lost himself, too▬a happier side to him. "Do you ... do you think it's good for him, though?" she murmured. "For him to hold onto all of this?"

    "Probably not," admitted Angela. "But this contest is the one day a year he feels connected to her. Do you really want to take that away?"

    Ines's reservations about the Roundup melted then and there. She pursed her lips again and looked down at her fingers. Not saying a word, she shook her head. She didn't blame Angela and Talia for being so protective over Tim and the troubles in his life right now. No matter how annoying, and infuriating he could be, and how much of a pain in Ines's ass he was, as this first month to her Rookie program was coming to a close, she found herself becoming a bit protective of him, too. Somehow, she's managed to see him in some of his lowest moments because of Isabel▬from her first day, she had been thrown into his messy relationship with his wife, and there was no way she could hate him for his attitude when she remembered how broken he had looked the day she mugged him right in front of her.

    She found it almost ... amusing with a bitter taste on her tongue. As different as they were, as different as their lives were▬with all of their polar opposites, Ines and Tim did have one thing somewhat in common: they were both struggling in their own shitty, toxic relationships, lost in the memory of the person their partners used to be. 

    Later that night, the food trucks near Venice Beach were alive with energy▬mostly from the group of off-duty cops who had come to fill up their outdoor seating and order from the portable bar that was open until late. Ines sat and laughed with her fellow Rookies over cups of beer, telling wild stories of their arrests throughout the day▬and most definitely exaggerating their dramatic felony takedowns before toasting their shot cups to another day they have survived without washing out of the program. 

    Even though during the day, the Rookies were separated from their Training Officers in rank and experience, out of uniform, the two groups mingled and joked▬getting to know each other in a context without their guns at their hips and their badges on their chests. It was nice way to relax before they were back at it again tomorrow. But more than that, it was something that inevitably brought them all closer▬even though Ines's fall at the banker's house definitely became the butt of multiple jokes throughout the night. It seemed Tim Bradford wanted to make sure everyone knew about her clumsy stumble. 

    "Okay, okay," at last, Angela Lopez stood up and addressed the group of police officers sitting around the table underneath the bright neon lights that turned the city from night back into daylight▬colourful hazes of pink, orange and yellows hovered all around them. "After some complicated math, the winner is..."

    She hung on for the supsense. Patrick, Talia and Jackson all drummed their fingers on the table eagerly from where they sat next to each other. Lopez spun on the soles of her feet, holding on to the build up for as long as she could with a bright, happy gin on her face, "... Bradford and Souza!"

    Applause and cheers echoed from the tables, filling the small courtyard that was wrapped in late night food trucks and bars. Ines laughed when Patrick shook her by the shouldes in congragulations▬but what lifted her spirits the most was seeing the way Tim smiled and pumped his fist to himself in celebration; looking happier than she's ever seen him. Her smile softened.

    Angela clapped her hands together, chuckling. "Which means their drinks are also free." 

    She then turned to Ines and held out her arms. "Come here▬"

     Ines was surprised, but she got to her feet and chuckled when Angela Lopez pulled her into a tight, friendly hug. She watched over her shoulder Tim shook Nolan's hand and accepted Jackson's fist bump. He even laughed when Patrick playfully wrestled him down to his height for a side hug. 

    Angela moved on from Ines to hug Tim as well, and Ines shared a gentle smile and high-five from Talia▬who even in her dislike for the competition, could celebrate this moment for what it truly was: something that brought them all together instead of pushing them apart. 

    At last, Tim's gaze found hers. Ines left the tables and awkwardly walked up to him as everyone went to get another round of drinks. As she approached, her T.O. slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans, casual in a grey shirt and dark flannel. 

    "Hey," she said as she stopped in front of him. Ines offered him a little, polite smile. "Guess you are the reigning champion of the Roundup. Congrats."

    "Well," Tim shrugged, taking the compliment in stride and she chuckled softly. "It's a team effort."

    Ines's smile brightened a little at that. She nodded. "Yeah, it was," she tried to act nonchalant and unbothered. "You're right," her act slipped when she saw Tim roll his eyes and shake his head, but there was no breath of frustration▬just simple, light-hearted mischief that softened the gap between them. "I earned this win."

    "Half of it," Tim reminded her and she chuckled. "But, I guess," he took a deep breath and sighed it out with a touch of dramatics she never expected from him, "since we did win, that means staying true to my end of the deal."

    Ines's face lit up. "Wait▬serious?" she thought he would go back on their deal. She grinned. "I get to drive tomorrow?" She clapped her hands together, ecstatic. "Haha▬yes!"

    At her reaction, Tim sighed. "I'm going to regret this," he muttered to himself.

    "Ah-ah!" Ines waggled her finger up at him. "No take backsies▬you can't take it back. We made a deal." At this moment, it seemed as though the barrier between mentor and mentee dropped▬and the air between them, instead of being something tense and awkward, was light-hearted. Almost as if they were friends▬that is if the world was ending, of course. But the world wasn't ending, and so friends, they were not. 

    Then, Ines noticed something in the corner of her eye. Her smile faltered and she pursed her lips. A frown knitted on her brow when she noticed Nate stepping out of his car to stand there awkwardly, watching the small celebration at a distance. 

    She took a deep breath, mustering up her courage. She glanced up at Tim who noticed as well. "Um▬Congrats again, sir," said Ines.

    She stepped back and went to make her way over to Nate, but Tim called her back. "Boot." 

    There was no harsh tone, but something gentle and considerate. She was surprised. "Yeah?" Ines turned back to her T.O.

    Tim hesitated. Then, "Can I give you some advice?"

    Ines hesitated, too. Then, "Sure."

    He glanced at Nate standing alone by his car before locking her gaze, sharp and stern. "You're gonna have a bunch of idiots in this job▬in your life▬who are gonna try and push you down so they can stand taller. The only way to beat them is to push back even harder, Souza. Become better in spite of them."

    There was something about his words that felt deeper than the surface wound Ines carried. They were from a place rooted in Tim's experience that resonated with her because he sounded as though he knew exactly what it felt to be made to feel like he was nothing so someone else could feel like they were everything. 

    She didn't say anything. Ines swallowed hard, but she nodded. He let her go after that, watching her march up to her ex-boyfriend with a set of his jaw. 

    Ines stopped in front of Nate. "Hey," she said.

    He glanced up as she got closer. Nate pursed his lips. "Hey," he said in the same tone.

    A tense silence settled between them. Ines didn't invite him over to the others for a drink, and he didn't ask. Then, Nate finally said, "I'm sorry. I ... I messed up."

    Ines refused to melt at the apology. She refused to let him crawl under her skin and make her feel bad for him. She refused to be the girl who had tried to be everything he wanted for years only to be thrown away like she was nothing. "Yeah," she said, her heart pounding. She clenched her hands behind her back. "You did."

    "I just▬" her ex-boyfriend sighed and run his hand through his hair. "Look, it's just hard, okay? For years, Ines, you've been who you are▬predictable, easy-going, content with life being simple, and there was nothing wrong with that. You were simple, and being simple is great. I▬I've never had simple. My dad left when I was eight, my stepdad was a deadbeat alcoholic and my mom," Nate scoffed and shook his head, trying the hide the way his voice broke a little. "I was never good enough for my mom. But I was always good enough for you. You saw the best parts of me and▬and our life was so simple. And now▬now you're a cop and you go out there and risk your life every day and I▬It's scary. I want to be supportive. I want to be here for you, because▬Jesus, Ines▬we've known each other since we were fourteen, but ... I can't handle it."

    She swallowed the lump in her throat, too, starting to understand. She didn't like it. She didn't like how he was acting out because he couldn't control his life, and their life, the way he could when they were together▬And it wasn't until after they broke up, Ines started to realise how much she did, because before, she had been content in how simple everything was, too. It had worked. She had let herself fall into his routine because she had no reason to fight against it. And perhaps, Nate was also starting to realise that, too. Maybe he had been just as ignorant to it as she was. 

    "You were the one to break up with me," she whispered.

    "I know," said Nate, his shoulders slumping. He nodded and looked down, and he was emotional. "I know..."

    She pursed her lips, watching him take a deep breath. Ines's frown softened, recognising his body language. "Are you okay?"

    "No," Nate chuckled bitterly. He clenched his jaw to keep himself composed. "Not really, no. But ... but you make me feel better."

    Her heart twisted. "I don't, Nate," her voice broke as well. "You think I do, but I really don't. And▬" Ines took a deep breath. "And I can't keep sacrificing myself for you. You need therapy, Nate," she whispered gently. "You need someone who can actually help you. I can't do that."

    "Look, Nate," she continued before her courage would go away. "I love you." Ines's hands were trembling▬her breath, too. "I will always love you. A few months ago, I wanted to marry you. And when you broke up with me I felt like I was nothing because of it. You threw me away like▬like I never even meant anything to you, to begin with. And I don't know why you did it▬and I don't think you do, either, but that doesn't matter. I don't want to know. But I do know what it gave me. It gave me freedom▬freedom to do something for myself, and make a decision for myself," she was tearful. She felt like she was going to be sick, but Ines didn't stop▬especially when she realised that Nate was truly listening to her for the first time. "And it made me realise I don't ever want to feel so dependant off someone that I bend over backwards for them, that make me feel as though I can't live without them. I love you," she said again, and Nate pursed his lips. "But I don't ... I don't love you anymore. And I hope you can find peace Nate because you're right, I do see the best in you, I have seen it. But I need to set up some boundaries here between us because I can't ... I can't handle this, either. I deserve better."

    "So," Ines took a deep breath again, feeling a little dizzy after she had gotten out years▬and years▬of pent up emotion all at once. "If you're okay with that, and you want to set some boundaries, too, let's go get a drink and talk. But if not, then ..." she shrugged. "You should go."

    Nate nodded. He was silent for a long time, and Ines watched him, waiting for his answer with bated breath. He stepped back and she felt her heart sink. "Not tonight," he said at last. "You ... you go and enjoy tonight with them," he nodded at her coworkers. "I'm gonna stay with a friend for a few days," he then told her. "We both need space."

    Ines frowned. "A friend?" she muttered, an uneasy feeling boiling with a green tinge in her chest. "What friend?"

    "You▬uh▬" Nate pulled his keys out of his jacket pockets. "You wouldn't know them." He unlocked his car and opened the door. He hesitated. Nate glanced back at her. "I promise It's not that I don't want to talk about boundaries, Ines. I just ... we need space before we can do that."

    She watched him get into his car. She didn't move as she watched him drive away. Maybe he was right▬maybe they did need space before they could talk properly. But that didn't make Ines feel any less angry. She felt played. She felt like she was being pulled by puppet strings▬pulled and forced to play along to Nate's key, not her own. 

    A shadow appeared behind her▬three of them. Ines felt a hand on her shoulder and she flinched. She turned around and some part of her broke to see Lucy, Jackson and John.

    Lucy immediately pulled her into a hug. "We're so proud of you," she told her and Ines clung on tightly, burying her face into Lucy's shoulder. She felt Jackson hug her as well, closing his eyes and shielding her sobs as he rested his head on her back. John held them all▬and the group of friends shared an embrace around Ines, keeping her safe from all of her fears and anyone who might see. They allowed her to break down▬to be vulnerable▬and promised they would be there when she was ready to build herself up again. 

    "You are so brave," she heard Jackson murmur. "And loved."

    "We're here for you," John finished, the low tone of his voice comforting. "Always."

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    a/n: i gotta remind them this is a slow burn whoops. 

    we're not moving too fast, dw haha, i just gotta tease y'all with them to keep y'all going thru the slowburn <3. 

    lol, jokes aside, this chapter was a huge milestone for ines and i'm proud of her! i mean, i hope i'm not moving anything too fast, but it felt right in this moment to have this conversation between her and nate. it's not resolved. not completely, but its a big step for my girl. 

    i love the friendship between ines, lucy, jackson and john. these sort of relationships are super important to me and i love writing them. i love writing sentimental scenes haha, can you tell?

    (minimal editing)