Zara hadn't really slept good, she stayed in the hospital until 3 in the morning, her and tim talked a little bit but it was really awkward between the two of them.

She had called an uber to get home, she was so tired she almost fell asleep in the car.

Zara really hoped that she could at least sleep 4 hours until she would have to get ready for the day.

If she could fall asleep.

She had imsomnia.

Falling asleep was sometimes very very difficult for her, but she remembered that she slept perfectly fine in her T.O.'s arms.

That she probably should forget.

She wondered who her new training officer would be while Tim recovers. Although he should be out later today.

Hopefully he'll be back tomorrow.

She looked into the mirror as she brushed her teeth. That thought made her splash water into her face.

"No. I don't want him back." she utters groaning.

<<<<>>>>

Every of the three rookies walked into the roll-call room, with the exception of John. Nolan quickly stopped by Bishop to talk to her about yesterday's occasions.

Lucy glanced over to them, worry clouding her features. Zara narrowed her eyebrows, she still hadn't talked to her best friend about her relationship with the oldest rookie.

And she didn't know if she should.

The captain stepped into the room. "Okay, let's get to it. Officer Bradford should be getting out of intensive care today. If you have some time after your shift, im sure he won't appreciate it."

a few people laughed at her words as well the four rookies passed papers to each other.

Grey began erasing yesterday notes from the white board. After that he turned around.

"Today. See, every day, we start fresh, because we can't affect the past. But we damn sure can make a difference today." he explained slowly as he looked at the four people sitting in the front row, each of them watching and listening to him.

"There was a carjacking last night on Western and Wilshire. Description matches the crew we've been hunting, so we need to hunt smarter." Grey crossed his arms during his speech.

"Lopez and West, I want you to live in that RD today. So Bishop and Nolan, coordinate with the robbery table. Stone and Chen will go on normal patrol and Brown stays here."

<<<<>>>>

Zara didn't know what to do, she was bored out of her mind and Wade told her to organise some files in the correct order, it took her hours.

She actually wanted to quit right there and then.

Thats until Angela and Talia showed up.

They wanted her to go with them to pick Tim up, considering she was his rookie and seeing him in a wheelchair getting wheeled out of the hospital was a perfect leverage she could use against him.

The sweet nurse asked Bradford who was going to pick him up.

"A cab." he responded staring at his phone clearly bothered by having to be in a wheelchair.

Lopez spoke up.

"Is that all we are to you?"

The trio walked up to him now dressed in their usual clothes instead of uniforms.

"Hey." he said his brows furrowed clearly confused why the three were here picking him up.

"You know, its funny. He didn't tell us he was getting out. 'Cause he's a tough guy." Talia exclaimed.

Zara chuckled.

"Who doesn't need anybody's help."

"Are you three finished?" he asks clearly annoyed by the situation and by the facts which were getting spilt.

"Nope." Zara laughed.

All of them then rushed to him, taking a picture of him in the chair. "Smile." Lopez grins as everyone does, except for Tim who looks like he has seen a ghost.

"Im so framing this and hanging it up."

<<<<>>>>

Another day, in which Zara was confused. Lucy had spoken to Talia and seemed a bit in thought after.

Nolan pushes his chair out, finding a rose. "Very funny, you guys." Every cop laughed as he took them off of his seat.

"Of course, you know, this means i now have to throw them."

Zara and Lucy who stood behind him chatting ducked down when the bouquet went flying.

It landed in front of the door, Sergeant Grey stepping in seeing it there. As annoyed as he was by Nolan's simple existence he began speaking.

"All right, the honeymoon's over."

Wade walked up to the board and began writing three numbers down reading them out loud as he did so.

"3, 5, 21. Officer Nolan, you care to guess what these numbers represent?"

He shrugged before answering. "Combination to your heart, sir?"

Most of the people began laughing including Zara and Jackson, who quickly stopped when they saw Greys glares.

"3 is the number of opportunities you had to disable Runaway Bridge's car yesterday. 5 vehicles were damaged because you failed to do so. And the last number, Officer Bishop."

"$21.000 in property damage the city has to pay." she finished.

"Correct. All in all, Officer Nolan's first pursuit reveals room for improvement."

"Yes, sir." Talia agrees.

"Onward. Officer Brown is in need of a training officer until Tim Bradford is cleared for duty. Officer Scott Wrigley, you get the nod."

Wrigley looked at Brown, smiling and waving. "That's it. Stay safe out there. Oh, Lopez, West, see the captain on the way out."

<<<<>>>>

Wrigley grabbed their shop bags before Brown couldn't even get their hands on them.

He began walking away which caused her to jog up to him. "Are you sure I can't carry that?"

"Absolutely. I've been on the job for 12 years, never fired my weapon. You took on a couple high-powered jokers, saved your T.O on day one. So that makes you a rock star in my book. And rock stars don't pack-mule the gear."

He explained to her, loading the trunk with the bags while she stared at him slightly in shock.

Why couldn't Tim be a bit more nicer?

"I was just trying to not get killed." she justified her actions.

"Aww. Modest, too."

They got into the shop, slamming the doors shut and starting the engine. Scott turned the camera on before speaking up. "I can see why Tim's been boasting about you."

Zara seemed genuinely surprised. "He has?" she questioned smiling.

"No. But im not like that. I give credit where its due, and you earned a free pass today. So anything you need, just ask."

Her smile dropped at the first word he had said. damn.

She actually thought he did but now she actually innerly called herself out for being an idiot.

It was Tim.

<<<<>>>>

"A morning of rolling-stop citiations should take us nicely into lunch."

Zara scoffed.

"We're gonna sit here all morning?" she asked him, she hated being in the car instead of actually doing her job.

"Hey, writing tickets is the heart of the job." he explained.

Yeah that also explains why he had never ever really fired his gun in the twelve years of his job.

"Do you want to, uh, quiz me or something?"

Scott shrugged. "Nope."

Is this a tim test called scott screening?

Because it sure as hell felt like it.

<<<<>>>>

"Great Morning, Officer Brown."

Scott and Zara stood in a small restaurant for lunch. "Im gonna drop you here for lunch." He turned around to leave, she furrowed her eye brows.

"What?"

"Oh, uh, i like to go home to eat, you know, get there wool pants off, air things out."

Before Brown could actually say anything he left. "Be back in 40." was said prior to him stepping out of the restaurant.

She stood there her mouth agape.

Zara sat down, she had already gotten her food and began scribbling something on her note block.

She was so in thought that she didn't even recognise Tim stepping up to her. "Why the long face, boot?"

She looked up ignoring his words as he sat down opposite her a hand on his side as he did so.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Heard you got Wrigley. He always dumps his rookies here while he goes home to eat mac and cheese in his undies."

Her face shifted into quick disgust as she then looked back to him. "So, what, you came to check on me?" she asked furrowing her eyebrows for probably the tenth time today.

"i live around the corner. I was getting takeout." he explains and she nods.

"Right."

He glanced over at her notes, where she had been cursing her entire life out. "So how's it going?" he asked.

"It's good. Officer Wrigley, is um..."

she actually tried the right words to say, and not insult him for the lameness.

He raised his eyebrows and leaned in closer. "Yeah, he's- he's very cautious." she finishes her sentence after finally having thought of the right words.

"He's- He's what we call a slug, just doing his time, allergic to real police work."

"yeah. yeah." she uttered agreeing.

"You must like the quiet, though."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You and your tim tests-"

She was cut off by the radio chirping up. "Wilshire units, store owner called with suspected shoplifter. Caucasian male, yellow track suit. 314 Franklin Drive."

Tim leaned forward even more to listen to the radio. "That's three blocks from here, boot."

She looked back up to him. "What, am i supposed to respond? My T.O.'s not here, and i don't have a car."

"You've got legs, don't you?"

Zara hesitated, she hated running. Finally deciding she should take it she speaks into her radio. "7-Adam-21 responding on foot."

She jumps onto her feet and makes her way to the door. Tim's voice makes her stop.

"Uh, skipping out on the bill?"

"No, no. Right."

She totally forgot about that. She didn't have time to count the money so she slammed a few bills onto the table sighing.

"Uh, whatever."

Tim watched her chuckling.

"Run, boot! Run!"

He watched her through the window as she ran away in full speed, snacking on her fries.

As Zara caught up to the man she yelled out. "Hey! Police! Stop!" He dropped some of the items he shop lifted.

"Hey! Hey! Police! Watch out! Watch out!" she frantically screamed at the people in her way as she chased the man in the yellow tracksuit.

"Stop! Police!"

She managed to tackle him onto the ground. "Stay on the ground! Hands behind your back."

A cop siren chirped as she twisted her head into the direction seeing a shocked Wrigley.

The handcuffs clicked as the man on the ground muttered something that wasn't quiet understandable.

<<<<>>>>

Scott sighed. "All right, officer brown. Show me how you process an arrest."

"Uh.. first you take the prisoner out of the shop."

She helped the shoplifter out of the cop car. "Then search the back seat for anything he could've possibly left."

Zara took her flashlight before shining onto the seats. When she found nothing she shook her head before taking the man away.

"Next, take off shoes and socks. Then, remove the jewellery."

She did as she explained. Wrigley nods at her explanations.

"Get finger and palm prints. After that its Mug-Shot time." she added and then shot the photo by clicking a button on the remote.

"Turn to the right." she instructed and shot another photo.

"And then finally, lock them up." was the last thing she said before she closed the cell door behind the yellow clothed man.

"And then get the watch commander to sign off on all the paperwork."

<<<<>>>>

Now all of the four rookies and their T.O's stood in front of sergeant grey.

"Officer chen."

She handed him her report.

"Good."

Her and Ryan smiled in satisfaction before leaving.

"Officer Brown."

Zara gave him her report and he smiled.

"Splendid."

She returned his smile and then left with Wrigley.

<<<<>>>>

"I feel like goldilocks. This training officer's to hard, this one is too soft."

Zara sighed as she ranted.

Jackson placed a calming hand on her upper arm. "I don't know. An afternoon of traffic stops sounds good right about now."

Zaras glare makes him change his opinion. "Or not?" he whispers.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Officer Extra Credit? And, yes, that's what we called you back at the academy."

Nolan turned to Lucy who then spoke up right after he did. "Always the first to volunteer, the most prepared rookie in the history of the LAPD."

She kind of mocked him, but in that friendly way.

"I'm still that guy." he began but was cut off by his T.O.

"Officer West, time to go."

After that Lopez left and Jackson followed. "Is he okay?" Lucy asked the other two people in the room.

"Um, he said he's having some trouble sleeping. Im gonna check on him later." Nolan responded to which Chen hummed.

"Mm."

"I should probably leave." Brown whispers under her breath and rushes out of the room not wanting to hear anything, well to make them think she didn't wanna hear their cute shit.

But obviously she listened in.

"What?"

"You're a good guy, that's all."

Both of them laughed as Zara furrowed her eyebrows quietly praying to not overhear why lucy wasn't home last night.

Suddenly Talia passed the room and looked at Zara with a confused look. Brown motioned something with her hands which basically meant they were crazy or something.

She nodded and then glanced at the female sitting at the table. "What you also know it?" Zara hissed under her breath and Bishop gave her a thumbs up which meant yes.

But she made sure neither of the two in the room saw it.

Then she walked off.

<<<<>>>>

The day had ended, the other shift with Wrigley had been depressing for Zara.

Literally sitting in a hot car all day not doing anything was not on her plan when she applied to the academy.

She was so fucking happy that the day was over she actually almost ran back to her car, eager to escape the tedious boredom of the surveillance shift.

And um.

She texted tim.

Bradford

When are you coming back to work?

why? missing me already?

No, never. Just don't wanna die get bored to death the next days

We'll see each other in two days.

Yeah thats what he said.

<<<<>>>>

"Her name is Emma Vasquez. Reported missing 3 weeks ago. Detectives think she's the one that Christine left behind." Grey announced.

"I've approved extra shifts and O.T. until we find this girl." Anderson adds.

"Everyone canvasses between calls. Anything else?" Wade asks as everyone passes sheets of papers around.

"Yes, one more thing. Officer Nolan. The motor pool is considering taking out a hit on you for all the damage you've caused to their vehicles. I talked them into, uh, a different solution."

Well, nolan and bishop got a old car.

Probably even older than John.

"Try not to damage her, huh?"

Thats what she said before handing him the keys to the shop. "Im never gonna live this down."

"You're welcome?"

<<<<>>>>

Zara left with Scott before she could hear more of the conversation between oldest rookie and his T.O.

They now were writing some tickets.

Kill me.

"6-P-C-I-4-8 and a 1." he read out loud.

Zara was stuck in her mind, she didn't even register the words that had slipped out of her mouth.

"Do you like this kind of policing?"

He turned towards her answering her question.

"I like going home to my family. My kids like having a dad."

There was a awkward silence for a few moments as Brown looked around.

"Your training officer got shot, and you still don't realise how close to dying you came."

"Yeah, I do." she retorted.

"And yet you're still anxious to get back out there, which means deep down a part of you liked it. That's not me, so i write the tickets, I take the low-risk calls so cops like you can get your thrill on."

She side eyed him before turning away and rolling her eyes.

<<<<>>>>

The radio chirped, talia's shaking voice speaking. "7-adam-15 requesting help. shots fired. 2311 Bailey Avenue."

With no hesitation she took her radio.

"7-adam-21 responding."

He looked at her clearly shocked. "Im going, whether you're in the car with me or not, so.." she motioned around.

<<<<>>>>

Zara and Scott stepped down the steps into the house that the kidnapper owned.

John lowered his loaded gun as he saw the two, exhaling sharply. "Hey, you okay?" Brown asked Nolan.

"Yeah. He's on the move. I need someone to stay with Emma." John explains and Wrigley immediately takes the shot of staying here.

"I'll do it."

Nolan nodded before disappearing through the window, Brown following in suit.

The last thing Zara heard before she got out of the basement window was Scotts voice speaking into the radio.

"7-adam-21 need an R.A. and supervisor at 3017 Bailey Avenue."

<<<<>>>>

Zara and John chased the suspect across the cemetery. The man tripped over his own foot grunting as he fell onto the floor loosing his gun in the process.

He quickly managed to get back onto his own feet. "Stay down!" Brown yelled slightly raising her gun as sirens wailed in the distance coming closer and closer by second.

John was way ahead of Zara, she was already growing tired of running.

"Freeze!" Talia demanded and the man raised his hands into the air, surrendering.

He turned around and the next second Nolan painfully tackled him onto the heard dirt.

The cop grunts as Zara exclaims. "Don't move!"

She raised her gun and she was shocked to see her friend now beating the criminal up.

"That's enough." his T.O. hissed and pulled him away from the suspect.

"He's done."

Zara lowered her gun, tucking it back into her belt.

John exhales sharply. "Hook him up." Bishop lectured and Nolan nodded before doing as told.

<<<<>>>>

Zara returned their shop bags, she sighed heavily after this long day. She heard chuckles and then snapped her head into that direction stopping in her movements for a few seconds.

Is that tim?

Him and Scott were talking about something she sadly couldn't overhear. Tim laughed throwing his head back at something the "slug" had said.

Zaras eyebrows furrowed.

She stepped closer to the two. Tim then turned around to meet her eyes, he then turned back gave Wrigley a hand shake.

Before leaving Scott commented.

"Great working with you, Officer Brown."

Not knowing what to say she faked a smile and returned his kind words. "Yeah, you, too, sir."

She watched as he disappeared from her sight. Tim turned her attention back onto him.

"Turned in my paperwork."

Does that mean she had do drive another day with the "slug"?

"Oh."

She again had no idea what else to possibly say. "You had me assigned to him, didn't you?" she questions.

"Everything is a test, Officer Brown. Lucky for you, you passed this one. Now, if you've been cool half-assing it with Wrigley, then i'd know you weren't serious about becoming a good cop."

She rolled her eyes during his first sentence clearly annoyed by him and his fucked up not funny tim tests.

At the end she chuckled.

"With all due respect, sir. You're a pain in my ass." she retorted and he grinned. "That's my job. Now, get some rest. See you tomorrow."

He left her speechless as he walked away with a smile on his face.

Asshole.

<<<<>>>>

second chapter of what the heart wants<3

what do you think?

i hope yall liked it🤍

-nicole

3300 words