RUNAWAY
CHAPTER FIVE...!

❝ THE UNSOLVABLE CASE OF JENNIE HOTCHNER  , SEASON NINE ❞

       NOT to toot his own horn or anything, but Sheriff Coleman found himself to be a damn good detective.

With nearly thirteen years on the force, a great number of solved cases, and has brought safety to hundreds of citizens. His short time at Briscoe PD has been spent trying to improve the precinct, and establish trust between police and the community. He considered himself to be good at what he does.

However, there was one case he couldn't seem to solve.

The case of why Jennie Hotchner worked so much.

It seriously stumped him. Not only was the girl the first person to arrive at the precinct in the mornings, but she was also the last person to leave during the evenings. She would finish her paperwork at an adequate speed, sometimes finishing it quicker than everyone else. And yet, she still found a way to keep working. Old cases, new cases, cold cases— you name it, it was as if it was her life's mission to be the last person to leave the precinct.

"Sheriff?"

One night, he saw her enter his office. The time was approaching 6pm, and most of the other officers had gone home.

"Hotchner, you're still here?"

"Yeah, I had to file minutes from today's briefing." Jennie told him.

"No, you didn't."

Jennie cleared her throat, knowing the man was right, "No, I didn't. But I wanted to. Plus, everyone seems to appreciate it when I do."

"Hotchner," Coleman sighed, motioning towards the seats in front of him, "Sit down."

Jennie quickly obliged, taking a seat in front of the Sheriff, "It really isn't that big of a deal. I finished all my other paperwork if that's what you're concerned about."

"I know you did. That's not why I'm worried." The Sheriff told the girl, causing her to give him a confused expression, "Jennie, why are you always making yourself so busy?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"Well, take today for example." He began to explain, "You came to work half an hour earlier than you needed to. You made an arrest, did all of your necessary paperwork, and still managed to find a cold case to take interest in. And now you're telling me, at 6pm, when all other first responders have gone home, that you just filed minutes for today's briefing. A task that you never needed to do. So what is it? Why do you feel the need work so much? Why aren't you at home right now? Are you trying to get Union on my ass?"

"No! I just—"

Jennie didn't know what to say at first. She never really thought of it. She never thought of herself as super busy. It was just the way she had been ever since she was a kid. She did different clubs, different sports, and participated in different interests. And she loved doing all of that. But, she never stopped and asked — why?

Eventually she cleared her throat.

"I just— like to write?"

"Not a good answer. Also, not a convincing tone."

Jennie sighed at his retort. She never really realised it. Had she really been working that hard? Sure, Penelope had expressed her worried about the amount of hours the girl was putting in, but Jennie never really saw it as a problem.

The questioned aired in her mind once again: Why was she working so much?

"I guess I just like to keep busy." Jennie admitted to the man, "There's not really any reason to it, that's just how I've always been. I know that's not really the answer you want, but it's the only answer I have."

Sheriff Coleman chuckled, "You've never been a relaxed kid, have you?"

"I mean," The girl shrugged, "I was stressing about college at eight years old, so."

Jennie let out a chuckle, before the room went silent. It was a short silence, but the girl could tell Coleman was calculating something in his head.

"Alright, Jennie. Here's what I'm gonna do." The Sheriff sat up straighter in his seat, "I'm gonna let you take a day off tomorrow."

Jennie sounded almost offended, "What? Why?"

"Because I'm a Sheriff, and I can do what I want." He told her, "Listen, you've been putting in more hours than anyone else. And you've only been here, what? Five months? You need this day off more than anyone. Then you can come in on Thursday with a fresh head."

"I took a day off recently."

"It was a family emergency. Your father fainted."

"Still a day off." She muttered, "What if I say no?"

"You can't. It's an order."

She sighed, "I've never met a superior that forces their workers to take a day off."

"I've never met a worker who refuses to take a day off." He quickly replied, and Jennie went silent. He chuckled at the sight, "Listen, Jennie— I like you, alright? You're a hard worker, and it's obvious you want to help people. But you can't help people if you don't help yourself. So, I'm ordering you to go home. Get some sleep, take a walk in the park, smoke a cigarette— I don't care. Nothing will get cut from your pay-check. I just don't want to see you working tomorrow. "

Jennie bit the inside of her cheek, "This feels like a punishment."

"I swear it's not." He told her, before looking at her curiously,  "Say, what did you come in here for anyway?"

At that, Jennie paused briefly. She had come in the office for a reason she knew he would protest against, only proving his case stronger.

Maybe he was right about the whole overworking thing.

"Um," Her voice got quieter, before she mumbled a bunch of jibberish that further confused the man.

"Pardon?"

"I—" She began again, "I was going to ask you if you wanted help filing the backlogs."

"Christ, Jennie. Go home!" Coleman told her. She quickly got out of her seat, making her way to the office door, "I mean it, Hotchner! I don't want to see you in this precinct tomorrow morning! It's not the worst thing in the world to relax!"

Jennie gripped onto the door handle, not leaving the room just yet, wanting to squeeze in just one more protest, "Okay, but what if—"

"Go."

He had that look in his eyes. The authoritative dad look. She knew that look all too well. One that screamed 'in doing this for your own safety. Accept the sentiment before I get mad'. That look both comforted and intimidated her.

So, she finally sighed, "Copy that."

And with that, Jennie Hotchner walked out the sheriff's office to commence her day off.

—

    THE first thing Jennie did was sleep.

Actually, that's a lie. She ordered in some chow mein and pork spring rolls, and watched two episodes of New Girl. Then, she took a shower, did her skincare, changed into comfy clothes, texted Grayson about her unfair mandated-day-off, took her vitamins, and then slept.

But all of that was really just a blur to Jennie. The next morning, when she woke up, she started her day like she normally would. She made coffee, checked her emails, ate cold leftovers for breakfast, and got dressed.

Usually then she would head to work.

But she couldn't.

Her Sheriff had literally prohibited her from doing her job.

So, instead, Jennie Hotchner ended up on a video call with her boyfriend. There was only a one hour time difference between them, so she watched as he got ready for class.

"So, you're mad at your Sherif for giving you a paid day off?" Grayson spoke as he buttoned his shirt, "Oh, how you suffer."

"I'm not mad at him. I'm just— confused." Jennie told him, watching him through her computer screen, "I mean I get he's trying to help me, and I appreciate it— but it's unfair."

"It's not unfair." Grayson told her, a small smile on his face as he watched her sigh, "You've just never been bored. You've kept yourself busy all your life, and now that someone's taken that away from you, you don't know what to do. That's normal life stuff, babe."

Jennie huffed, "Normal life stuff sucks."

At that, Grayson laughed, shaking his head. The sound caused Jennie's lips to curve up into a smile as well. She watched him as he sprayed his cologne on his neck.

"What do you have going on today?" Jennie changed the topic, inquiring curiously.

"I have a project in my Criminal Law class, and then I have to study for an exam in Civil Procedure." Grayson did not seem enthusiastic about the upcoming plans for his day.

"Ooh, fun."

"Right?" Grayson spoke sarcastically, "I actually have to get going now. But, I'll text you when I get back home."

"Okay," She nodded understandingly, "I'll just...be here."

Her boyfriend chuckled at her, shaking his head, "Talk to you later, Jennie. Love you."

She smiled, "Love you too."

When the video call ended, Jennie closed her laptop, sighing. She ran a hands on her face.

She was already bored again.

—

THE CLOCK struck 1:30pm when Jennie found herself going on a run along a park near her apartment. She never was one to go on runs voluntarily— due to the fact that she was so busy, and the fact that she simply didn't want to.

As she ran along the pavement, she had her phone in her hand, and her earbuds secured in her ears. She made sure the volume to her music was loud enough so she could hear, but not loud enough to where others could hear it from her earphones.

She didn't need the citizens of Briscoe County to know she was listening to the soundtrack of Footloose on repeat.

In the middle of her run, she felt her phone begin to vibrate. Face-time call from Jessica.

She answered the call, beginning to walk over to a bench nearby, "Hey, Aunt Jess. Whats up?"

"Hey, JenJen!" The blonde smiled at the girl over the phone, "Someone wanted to say hi. He has some exciting news for you."

Before Jennie could say anything, Jessica handed her phone over to Jack, who smiled excitedly.

"JenJen!" He exclaimed.

"Jack!" A huge grin broke out onto her face, as she sat on the park bench, "Hi buddy!"

"JenJen, look!" He showed his trophy to the camera, "My team won our soccer game!"

"What!? That's amazing, Jack!" She looked at him proudly, "Did you have fun?"

"Lots of fun!" His toothy grin made her heart warm, before he looked at his side, "Can you hold my trophy, Aunt Jess?"

"Of course I can, Jack." Jennie heard Jess say in the background of the call.

"Well, I'm very proud of you, bud." The girl told her little brother, "I'm sorry I missed it. I didn't know you had a game today."

The little boy shrugged, "It's okay. You're busy."

"That's not an excuse. I'm never too busy for you." Jennie told him, before her eyebrows pinched together, "You don't think that, do you?"

"Sometimes." The boy admitted, "When you're not home, I don't like calling. You work a lot. I don't want to bother you."

Jennie could feel a little bit of her heart break.

"Jack, no. You could never be a bother." She reassured the little guy, her eyes softening, "Even if I'm at work, or if it's the middle of night— you can always call me. I'll always answer for you."

His eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Of course. You're the most important person in the world to me. Always have been, always will be." Jennie told him, "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you weren't."

Jack's smile widened.

"I love you JenJen." He held the phone close to his face, "You're the best big sister ever."

Not now, water-works.

"I love you so much, buddy."

"Me and Aunt Jess are going to go get some ice-cream now. But, I'll get her to face-time you when we get home." Jack told his sister through the phone.

"And I'll answer immediately." She smiled softly, "Have fun with Aunt Jess, Jack. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye-Bye."

When the call ended, the little pain in Jennie's heart didn't go away. The thought of Jack not wanting to bother her at work had her sigh, burying her face in her hands.

She promised herself she wouldn't do that to him. To make him think she'd ever have anything more important in her life than him. But, she failed. Because he was too scared to call her due to the fact that he didn't want to bother her at work.

And suddenly, her day off had a whole new meaning.

She had always wanted to be like her father, but maybe she was starting to become too much like her father. The long hours, the overly hard work, the feeling of constant stress becoming the new normal— she was becoming the person she pitied growing up. The one she'd stayed with at the office just to make sure he wasn't overworking himself.

And Jennie loved her father so dearly. He was her ultimate favourite person ( aside from Jack, of course ). He was her anchor, her foundation, her best friend. And he constantly tried to better himself as a father, even though Jennie already thought he was the best dad anyone could ever ask for.

But, even the best people need help. Jennie always believed that's what made them the best.

Jennie made it her mission, ever since the little guy was born, to help Jack in ways her father couldn't. So, maybe that meant cutting back on work. Maybe that meant taking more days off, visiting him during the weekends, being less busy. Jennie knew it was almost too late for her father to give up that pivotal side of him— the side that felt the constant need to work.

But, maybe it wasn't too late for her.

So, Jennie unlocked her phone again, and went to her messages. She pushed a contact, and typed her message. Her thumb hovered over the send button for a moment, but eventually she pressed it.

TO SHERIFF COLEMAN; FROM JENNIE H.

You were right, sorry I didn't see it before. Thank you for the day off. I appreciate it you looking out for me.

—

AUTHOR'S NOTE |

we love growth 🫶🫶

jack and jenjen are my favorite duo ever

word count.
2435.