PEP TALK
AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this one. I got inspired to write this after watching the ep "A Breaking Point" but I don't think it came out too well. Oh well. Can't all be masterpieces. Belongs to Dick Wolf and NBC.
Herrmann walked up to Kelly's office and walked in.
"Whatever you need, Matt's the one to ask," Kelly stated. Captain Casey. Still can't believe it, he thought to himself. It was well-deserved of course, but it would definitely take some getting used to.
"Cruz told me about the conversation you two had," the other man told him.
"Like I said, I'm in no rush to make Captain," the younger man declared, leaning back in his seat. Just look at the extra responsibility Casey has now, he mused. Not that he was afraid of hard work. He couldn't be with his job. He just didn't think that kind of work was for him.
"Why not?" his friend challenged, seeing the clouded expression. He's one of the best firefighters I know, he should be all over this, he thought. Well, in theory anyways. If he honestly had no desire for it, he wouldn't push things. After all, there was nothing worse than a guy with a position he didn't want.
"Look at what Boden's got Matt handling now. No way could I do any of that and not crack," he declared.
"Bull." At this, Kelly blinked.
"What?" I couldn't have heard him right, he thought to himself. Herrmann didn't talk like that. The others-especially Matt, sure-but not Herrmann.
"Bull. You're always selling yourself short. From what I heard, you would've had a good plan to get Gabby and the others out of that parking garage. So whatever feeling of self-doubt you have about you being cut out to be a captain, just forget it." Not letting him get down on himself, Herrmann thought to himself. Even though he wasn't as good as Darden or Shay when it came to reading the lieutenant, he had gotten to know him pretty well and he knew how he could be sometimes, though he had no clue where it came from. Damn. He reads me just as good as Andy used to, the lieutenant mused.
"Everything I learned, I learned from you and Boden. It was a call you would've made," Kelly brushed off.
"Kid," Herrmann said and Kelly looked at him . He hadn't heard that word or tone from his friend in a long time. "You got good instincts. You'd make a great captain."
"Thanks. But honestly, right now…not interested."
"Okay. But just know…if you ever decide to go for it, we'll all be behind you a hundred percent."
"Thanks." Herrmann walked out closing the door behind him and Kelly smiled to himself.
THE END