AMY

It was done, there was no going back, the complaint was filled out and processed, there was nothing she could do to stop it even if she wanted to. Amy Santiago had struggled with herself for three days after the incident, her captain, Captain Groves, had taken her out to dinner to celebrate her passing the detectives exam and becoming a detective. Amy's elation and pride were soon dashed, and her confidence dealt a severe blow when Groves, a fifty-five year old man, married with children, the same man who had mentored Amy and given her advice as well as assigning her difficult cases to sharpen her skills, forcibly tried to kiss her.

Amy's horror at this act alone was hurtful and immediately started to mess with her confidence, but when Groves told her that he deserved it, that he was owed reciprocation because she was only a detective because of him, she was sure she could not feel any lower than at that moment. Running from the restaurant wasn't enough, she ran to her precinct, where she put in for a transfer to a unit known for an apathetic captain in need of detectives, but the pain and frustration of the incident still stung her and was in danger of pushing her beyond her strength, at least in her mind.

Amy Santiago had not called in sick a single day as a uniformed officer, not once, not even for a doctor's appointment, but she had called in sick for three days in a row after the unwanted and unsolicited advances of her superior, she couldn't face the possible backlash, she had idolized this man and looked up to him professionally and personally, but now she felt the very foundations of her world being rocked and in danger of falling apart.

Her transfer went though very quickly as the nine-nine was in desperate need of detectives, but she still felt unsatisfied, she was a police officer, her job was to see that justice prevailed, could she sit back and allow herself to be a victim and say nothing? As she sat on the floor in front of her couch on the evening of the second sick day, crumpled up papers were strewn around the floor, each one a different list of pros and cons of taking action and alerting the NYPD.

Regardless of the various pros and cons she had written and read and rewritten and reread, the black and white of the issue was that cops who snitched were seen as problems, an odd fact for an organization that employed snitches and spies, but it was a fact that every officer seemed to know from day one of the academy, and if they didn't, then it was indoctrinated, teachers at the academy, your first partner, your sergeants, everyone. Occasionally captains would want officers to spill the dirt on other officers, but to go and report a problem, or tattle as her captain had always referred to it, that meant you weren't a team player and in the eyes of everyone else, that you weren't cut out to take the heat of being of a cop.

Amy's phone was on the table in the kitchen, she didn't want to risk even the slightest temptation of venting to anyone in her family or her best friend Kylie, her dad and brothers would want blood and to make matters worse and Kylie would lecture her on not endangering her career. No matter the decision she told herself she would make, she felt like she was letting someone down. If she reported the harassment, she would endanger her plan to be the youngest captain in the NYPD, but if she didn't, she would in essence be setting someone else up to face the same abuse, which she hated, but the irony of the situation is what stung her the most, her captain could act like a pig and abuse his power, but she would be the villain in the eyes of nearly every police officer for reporting his behavior.

The untidiness of the papers scattered throughout her living room finally pushed her to the limit as she slowly stood up and picked up every paper and placed them in her recycling bin. An exhaustion she had never experienced began to overtake her, she had pushed herself her entire life, but she was spurred on by the knowledge that everything she did was for her benefit, that down the road it would ensure the best life and career for her, but now she felt like no matter the choice, there would be consequences that would be detrimental for her and her career, the consequences of an action she had every right to make, the decision to turn away an unwanted physical advance.

As she finished cleaning up, she walked into her bedroom and glanced at her dresser, there on the dresser was a picture of her favorite niece, Lily, the same little girl who told her aunt Amy that she wanted to be a police officer just liker her. Amy sighed as she stared further at the photo, she wasn't reporting Captain Groves just for herself, she was doing if so the little girls who dreamed of entering the force could do so without having a man old enough to be their father try to kiss them and then tell them it was their right and privilege to do so, and so the next morning, she filled out the report and waited to see what would come, good, bad, or indifferent, though her gut told her to expect the bad.

JAKE

It was a rare day for detective Jake Peralta, he was actually early for work, he'd fallen asleep on the couch and woken up at six in the morning with a piece of pizza face down on his shirt. He took a sip of his coffee as sat down at his desk, but no sooner had sat down when captain McGinley called him to his office.

"Peralta, did you ever clean up the mess you made in the evidence locker with those damn glitter bombs?"

"Uh, well…"

McGinley frowned, more so, "yeah, that's what I thought, look, I may not give a shit about a lot of the stuff that happens, but that makes us all look bad, I'll get custodial to do it, Marge owes me, but you now owe me as well."

Jake gulped quietly and didn't know what to expect, McGinley was not a disciplinarian, didn't care for most rules, so this was entirely new territory for him, "Okay…"

"I'm calling in my marker now, that's gambling talk, your ass owes me, so now you get the rookie that's basically being dumped on me."

Jake groaned, "serious? A rookie? Shouldn't a more experienced detective do it?"

McGinley grinned at him, "c'mon Peralta, you're always telling everyone how you're the best damn detective here, so now it's time to back up the talk and show me by mentoring and dealing with"...McGinley put on his glasses and read the name, "Brand new detective, Amy Santiago."

Jake looked at the ceiling in frustration, "c'mon cap'n, that's not fair."

McGinley just stared at him, "someone has to, and I think you could have fun, her old captain, Groves, at the six-four says she started out good, but she's a whiner, she apparently turned him for something, I think he tried to kiss her after getting her made detective…"

McGinley was still speaking, but Jake had stopped listening, he cringed as the captain explained what McGinley had done as if it were nothing, Jake genuinely liked McGinley, but too many old school cops felt that women detectives had to put up with disgusting behavior, it bothered Jake because he knew his own mom had to put up with it at a few of her many jobs as she struggled to support the two of them.

"Peralta, you listening?" Jake looked at his captain, his blotchy red face and small dark eyes staring directly at Jake.

"Ten-four."

"Yeah right…well anyways, just be your immature self and she'll have to report you sooner or later and give us reason to get rid of her."

Jake froze, his heart dropped, he was being asked to be cruel to someone, but worst than that, he was perplexed that it would be through his own normal behaviors. "Just act like myself?"

"Peralta, I love you kid, you know that, but c'mon, any real captain would have busted your ass down by now a few dozen times for the shit you pull. Your paper work is honestly the worst I've ever seen, and I get complaints from other cops, a lot. So yeah, just do you Peralta and we'll push this malcontent right out of the nine-nine, she'll probably go work internal affairs with the other despicable softies."

He knew he needed to say something, and sooner than later, but he felt at a loss for words, which was exceedingly rare for him, his tongue felt heavy, his mouth dry as he tried to force out any words. "Cool, captain, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. No doubt, I got this."

McGinley stood up slowly and clapped Jake on the shoulder with his beefy hand, "that's a kid, that's why I like you, you're a goof off, but you can solve cases and show people that you don't have to be good cop to get stuff done."

Quickly and with his gaze downward to avoid looking at the few officers entering the bullpen, Jake walked out the door to the outside landing. He stepped out of view and took several deep breaths, his mind was racing. Was he really a bad cop? He knew he didn't follow the boring rules, but they were boring and didn't affect how he solved cases, usually. He solved them, but a few guys went free because of errors. His mind then settled on the worst part of all that he had heard, he was supposed to drive out a young detective because she had spoken out against vile behavior, he was well aware that many officers didn't like working with him, but he always attributed that to his mad skills, not his bad qualities, but after listening to McGinley's request, it was hard to deny that he was viewed as a talented but bad detective.

He sat down on the bench and closed his eyes as he saw his actions through a different lens, many things he had found funny or even bad ass, he had always wanted to be John McClain, but not a bad cop, a cool play by his own rules cop, but not one who would turn away other good cops. Confusion was taking over his mind when he heard his name, he looked up and saw Rosa Diaz, a fellow detective and a friend since the academy, they had been together for four years as colleagues.

"Jake, you look like shit."

"Thanks Diaz, a question for you…don't give me that face, I know you hate questions, but this is serious. Do you think I'm a bad cop?"

Rosa smacked him, "c'mon, don't feel sorry for yourself."

"Ouch," Jake grabbed his head, "no, not that…" Jake then explained the entire situation, Rosa sat down next to him, a look a horror on her face.

"Holy Shit. I mean, I know people don't like snitches, but that…that sucks. Why shouldn't she say something?"

Jake rubbed his face from fatigue and frustration, "I know, I know. But now, I have to make her feel bad, by being me. I know her thing is worse, being punished for not accepting the old school disgustingness I somehow used to think was cool, but on top of that I find out I'm kind of a joke and a bad cop, it's a lot to take in first thing on a Friday."

Rosa nodded, also looking down at the ground, confused and disappointed in the situation facing her friend and sometimes partner. "What are you gonna do?"

Jake shook his head, "hell if I know, no, that's wrong, I do know, but it sucks. One, I have to do better in stuff I normally ignore, but second, I have to make Santiago feel welcome, she's probably expecting what the captain told me to do, it couldn't have been easy to say something, she's young. I know a guy at the six-four, he told me about her, he said she's annoying, but she's also always right, super smart, super ambitious, so to say something, I mean, she put everything on the line to put an end to it."

Rosa hit the bench with her first, hard enough that it made Jake jump a little as she did so, "the crappy part is Jake is that she did the right thing, but her captain will get away with it, he'll just cast doubt on her career, he told McGinley so she would get the cold shoulder and be put in her place as they see it, it's such bullshit."

Jake nodded slowly, "yeah, it is. God damn captains, they want officers to not get them in trouble, but everything else is okay, I don't get that, shouldn't we be held to higher standard?"

Rosa stared at him, "really? Jake Peralta, the detective who filled out police reports in crayon and refuses to wear a tie, which is actually required of detectives department wide, thinks we should be held to higher standards?"

Jake nodded again, "I know, but my eyes were slapped open today Rosa, hardcore. If McGinley thinks I'd be happy submarining someone's career because she spoke out against ugly sexist behavior, then I'm not giving off the vibe I thought I was." He leaned his head back against the cold brick wall, "or the vibe I want to give off. Am I that bad?"

Rosa hit him again, but softer this time, "Jake, you're a good guy and a smart detective, but nobody wins if we look stupid to the public and writing reports in crayons can let criminals walk, which is stupid and pointless since our job is to get them off the streets."

"Yeah, finally seeing that." He sighed again, "Do you think McGinley will hold it against me if I don't sabotage her and make her wish she wasn't here?"

Rosa shrugged, "I don't know man, I guess it's your turn to make a decision like she had to, it's either do what they want or do what's right, seems like it shouldn't be a difficult choice to make as cops, but it seems like it happens a lot, way too fucking much."

AMY

She wanted to cry, the reflection staring back at her had none of the confidence it normally did, instead she saw a rattled woman with doubt written all over her face, in fact every aspect of her demeanor seemed to scream unsure and scared, the exact opposite of how she normally felt and presented herself. She had stopped trembling, the prospect of facing a precinct already taught to hate her and root for her failure was daunting, but she had it seen it before. Detective Kowalczyk had transferred precincts because he called out some cops in his old precinct for not turning in money they confiscated, thousands of dollars, so the word came down that he was not to be trusted and was not a team player. She was only a uniformed officer at the time, but the freeze out towards him was obvious and hard to watch. She could see from the few interactions she had with him that he was a good detective, a nice man, but within six months he left to be a security consultant, working where his honesty would help his career, not sink it.

Frowning at the mirror, she fixed her hair again and took a deep breath, every possible scenario played through her mind, all of them bad, all of them with her as the outcast, a role she was used to, often for her integrity as a kid, but as a cop she had been careful to forge positive relationships and not rock the boat for the sake of rocking the boat, she was feeling increasingly more so that she had made the wrong decision, not only did she now expect nothing to happen to Groves, but she feared it could end all hopes she had for her career as well as the doubt she felt towards her own abilities.

The short drive to the nine-nine felt long, her heart was beating fast and she felt on the verge major sweating before she arrived. She slowly walked in the building and made her way to the elevator, normally she would have been thirty to twenty minutes early, but today she just didn't have it in her to arrive early only to face the looks and feel like she had been the one to do something wrong. The elevator opened and she tried to brace herself for the storm she was undoubtedly about to face.

She hadn't gone more than ten steps when she saw the captain leave his office, a large man, reddish face and big mustache. "You Santiago?"

"Yes, sir Captain McGinley, Amy Santiago." She reached to out shake his hand, but he turned and picked up a donut from a desk. He turned to face her with a huge bite of his donut in his mouth.

"Well, you'll be working with Detective Peralta, he will be your partner, getting along with fellow police officers is important to us here at the nine-nine."

Amy wanted to scream, he was clumsily alluding to what he heard from her former Captain, she forced a smile on her face, "yes sir, I understand, I intend to make it work and do great detective work at the same time."

McGinley just stared at her for a good five second, "okay, well, your desk is the empty one over there, right night next to the pile of garbage that is Peralta's desk."

Amy looked at the desk with piles of papers and various garbage on it, instead of being given a mentor and someone to teach her the ropes, she was obviously being given someone to chase her away and challenge her ability to sit back and just take it. "Thank you, sir." She sat down at her desk, already thinking she had dug herself to deep a hole, if the detective attached to the desk was anything like the condition of his desk, he would be a disaster and only get in the way of her doing her job, not to mention doing the job to the best of her ability. She was placing a few personal items on and in her desk when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see sad looking younger male detective, he had curly hair and was wearing a hoodie and flannel, no tie, she forced another smile and tried to prepare for man with the garbage desk.

"Hey, sorry if I startled you, I'm Detective Peralta, Jake, your new partner." He seemed depressed by it, she tried to think if she should be glad about that, at least he wasn't being outwardly mean already.

Amy introduced himself and stood up to shake his hand, Jake didn't shy away, he shook her hand and offered a small smile. "Do we have any cases right now?"

Jake nodded silently, he looked deep in thought about something, "sorry, a lot on my mind today, but yeah, we have a few cases right now, but I think we should focus on the most difficult right now."

Amy nodded, her mind focusing on every word and facial expression, wondering how this would be bad and make her want to quit or report inappropriate behavior. "So, are you from Brooklyn?"

Jake nodded, again, "yeah, I grew up not far from here. You?"

Amy wasn't sure if he really wanted to know, but at least he wasn't telling her to go to hell or ignoring her, "uh yeah, I was born here, my dad was a detective here and then got a job in Jersey, where I went to high school, but I have seven brothers, all cops."

"Wow, all cops. That's crazy. Do they work here in Brooklyn or in the other burrows?"

Amy shook her head, "no, they all live and work in Jersey, I wanted to do things on my own, away from them."

"Cool, that takes guts, either that or they drove you crazy."

Amy smiled, "let's just say it was a bit of both, I needed to feel I earned everything I received…" as she said the words, the sadness of her situation enveloped her again, she did her best to push through, "but they also drive me crazy and are crazy protective." These words also brought sadness as she wished she had someone to be on her side during this ordeal, but telling her family or Kylie would only make it harder, so instead she was alone.

"Hey, do mind if we clean my desk? I know, a crappy first case, but I've had this hint and some even less subtle ones very recently make me aware of the fact that I might need to change up a few things, shocking I know, this desk looks like the desk of an organized genius, but it's actually quite messy."

Amy smiled, a real smile, "yeah, I actually like organizing, a lot, way too much in fact, but you'll find out super quick, I'm a dork, a big one, I love this stuff, so doing this, it's like a crossword puzzle for me, but I also love those."

Jake shook his head and laughed, "well, we have had some loser detectives, we still have a few, you'll meet the horrors that are Scully and Hitchcock soon enough, but for now, some expert help would be awesome, then we can start on a murder case, but don't get excited, I'm the only one who really thinks it's murder, so chances are you'll see where I'm wrong, sorry, I'm a little down right now, but that's not your fault."

Amy felt relief, his words and actions seemed genuine, "I get it, I've had some stuff of my own too, but that's a long story and not that interesting, let's get cleaning."

Jake looked like he might say something, but his facial expression looked thoughtful and kind, not like he was searching for a snide remark, he finally just nodded, "cool, this will help me a lot, and might disgust you, but what are partners for?"