Author's Notes: 'Women's Murder Club' is property of the ABC Network, nothing is owned here except the idea for the story. My first WMC fan fiction, I hope you enjoy it.
"Safeties on! Holster your weapons!" boomed a commanding voice, "Thomas, what is your issue?! Your focus should be on the target down range and not on Officer Allen!" it continued as it stormed down to a young, redheaded woman dressed in a police uniform. "I was focusing, ma'am. I just don't appreciate people being mouth to me when I'm trying to shoot." Responded the woman, "An excuse? Are you honestly standing here giving me an excuse as to why you think you shouldn't have to listen to me?" the instructor asked and before the girl could answer said, "Everyone else thinks practice is important, but I guess you think that should just take second place to furthering your personal relationships". "No, ma'am!" shot Officer Thomas, "If anyone here wants to make things personal I can assure you it's Officer Allen." which got a look from the instructor before being called a child and yelling for everyone to get off her line – a move which left Officer Lauren Thomas shaking her head and in a very un-friendly mood.
"Hey, Thomas – way to go." came a sarcastic voice, "Screw you Allen, if it wasn't for you and your big mouth this wouldn't even have happened in the first place!" spewed the heated rookie; "Hey, it's not my fault your mother's hot; you get that attitude from her too?" laughed the other rookie, a light brown haired, muscle man who epitomized the "more brawn than brains" stereotype, as he gave out high-fives to some of his friends. Lauren could only walk away, it was bad enough being teased by all the other rookies in her class for either who she knew or how she looked, but on top of it all she knew her instructor hated her, which given who she was one would have to wonder why. The young woman had finished her day of training in a slightly better mood, but she still had a bad taste in her mouth about that afternoon, really, did the woman have to be so evil to her all the time; did she even have to be around her at all?
"Later teacher's pet." came Scott Allen's voice one final time – and there went her even civil mood about the day; "Uuhh! Seriously Aunt Claire, if he mouths off to me one more time I'm going to put him on your table." she said looking down slightly to the shorter medical examiner, the woman silently shaking her head at how much the young girl sounded like her mother right then. "It's probably because he likes you." voiced a tall blonde with a smile from behind them, "You think all guys like all girls Aunt Jill." Lauren was quick to comment as she turned around to return the smile towards the attorney; "And besides…it wasn't just him. Let's just say that I'm seriously rethinking my choice in precincts." she told them in a huffed tone. "Oh Sweetie, is this about…?" Claire started before being cut off by a resounding, "Yes!". "I wasn't doing anything except what I was commanded to do and she comes down the line yelling because Allen would make a lousy undercover agent." explained the young girl; Claire just gave Jill a look which said she might be right with her prediction of flirtation between the two young cops.
Before she could say anything else, in bound the girl's mother, "I'm here! What's wrong?" asked Cindy Thomas, one of San Francisco's now most famous reporters; "She's upset. Apparently they're still having some issues." remarked the medical examiner, "I've got the grandkids this evening so I should go." heading out then with a quick hug to Cindy before being quickly followed by the blonde attorney, "I've got a dinner date." she said with a smile heading for the door as well. "And there she is, one of our up and comers. How's it going Laur…oh, right, Officer Thomas; I forgot – 'you don't know me'." smiled Tom Hogan as she walked up with Detective Lindsay Boxer, "Hey, what are you doing here?" asked the elder woman in a Southern draw to the reporter, "Claire called me." was the simple reply; "Really?" Lindsay asked turning from Cindy to Lauren with a death glare, the kind that would usually make Cindy really nervous, however, Lauren seemed only slightly effected. "Well, ladies, if you'll excuse me…I have a feeling things are about to get interesting and I'm too old for this kind of interesting. Cindy, always a pleasure." Tom voiced to the woman before giving her a hug and removing himself from harm's way.
"You complaining about your mistakes today, Officer? I guess I should be happy you play well with others if nothing else." Lindsay spoke as she moved around to get her stuff from her desk, "Lindsay." warned Cindy, "That was on him and you know it." Lauren quickly remarked not scared of the senior cop, "Lauren!" Cindy begged; "Can you two please just stop this? I mean really, this has been going on now for three months; you're driving me crazy!" the reporter told him. "I am just trying to help her be the best she can be; it was her decision to come into this field so I am not going to apologize." came the Texas twang once more as she looked up to both women, "My decision yes, but you also had the decision not to accept Tom's offer to fill-in down at the range; you promised you'd let me do this on my own – how is what happened today keeping that promise?" the rookie just had to ask; "I just want to make sure you do well, is that so wrong of me?" the senior officer asked back. "Yes, because a promise is a promise and they're important to keep." Lauren said sounding very much like her mother then; "I just want to be a good cop because I'm a good cop…not because I had help from the inside. Don't you get that? Wanting to be more than just your name." she pleaded with her, "But you aren't your name." Lindsay pointed out.
"You are so difficult!" the young woman fumed turning away from her superiors; "She's just like you." Lindsay stated simply looking Cindy's way, "Not likely." the older redhead replied back, "Lindsay, she's trying; you have to remember that feeling right? Being picked on because your dad was a legend on top of just general rookie hazing; it's a dog-eat-dog world without someone holding you over the pen. Just please try to be civil." she asked. "You're right…I do remember, which is why I was trying to help her; I just want what's best for her – I can't help it. Which by the way young lady, Scott Allen is so not good for you." advised the woman behind the desk with a finger pointed up towards the youngest woman present; "I don't like Scott! He may like me sure, but trust me; I have no desire to like him back. Raphael Johnson maybe, but not Scott Allen." Lauren shot back, "Wait, is that why you took the instructor's position, because you thought some guy was hitting on me?" only to receive a pause in response.
"Oh my God; you're still doing it! I'm not in high school anymore Mother - you can stop with the background checks. You checked prom, you checked middle school…you are ruining my life!" exclaimed the young girl before storming off; "You're welcome!" Lindsay shouted back before turning to her love and asking, "Am I really ruining her life?". "Yes." Cindy answered truthfully as she went over to take Lindsay's hand, "But only because you care." she reminded her; "I use to be the cool on you know. How come she doesn't hate you?" the older detective wondered. "You were cool when she was 7 and showed her friends how to save a hostage, but now she's 23 and can do it herself – it makes you just a parent again. And she does hate me as well because I embarrass her; I'm the embarrassing one and you're the bossy one…I thought you got that by now?" Cindy said to her wife. "You really think I'm here parent?" Lindsay asked looking up to her daughter's almost twin, "Lindsay, Honey, with an attitude like that, believe me, she's part your kid." was the woman's smiled reply.