During "Brotherhood" when Jerry and Traci briefly mentioned that they went to Medieval Times together I couldn't help but wonder what their friends would think about that choice of venue. This takes place before "Monster." I haven't been to Toronto in ages so I kind of had to fudge it with the locations, thank god for the Internet.
Detective Jerry Barber and Officer Traci Nash, walked into the Black Penny Bar still in the middle of a heated discussion that had started before they had even left the station.
"Okay, for the one thousand and eleventh time," Jerry began. "I'm sorry you took offense, but I didn't do anything wrong. I wasn't asking Traci, my girlfriend to baby-sit the witness to keep you away from the action. I was asking Officer Nash, the perceptive cop with great instincts and a talent for reading people to spend some time with a reluctant witness and build a rapport so that we might be able to get more information out of her. It was not me being high handed or what did you say? Oh that's right, an undermining little weasel, which, by the way, was rather harsh. I was simply working my case to the best of my abilities and making the best use of the resources at my disposal. Not to mention helping you to show how talented you are, since you did build a rapport with her and we did get vital information thanks to you and… why exactly are you mad at me?"
"First of all I never called you an undermining little weasel, I said if you were trying to undermine me you were being a little weasel. I just need to know that you see me as Officer Nash at work and not Traci "
"Officer Nash, at work you are an incredibly valuable resource that I utilize as best fitting your unique talents. Traci, my love, right now that we are out of work you are a pain in my…"
"Watch it Jerry."
He laughed and pulled her close to him. "Come on I'm kidding. Right now you are my super sexy girlfriend who for some strange reason wanted to go out and get a drink with her friends when we could be at my place finding the best possible ways to utilize some of your other unique talents."
Traci giggled. "I just wanted to stop in for a second. One drink. I haven't spent much time with them lately. You know, you could just join us."
Right, a nice little sit down with a table full of rookies. The thought of it made him shudder. "Yeah, about that Trace … See, here's the thing, I love you like crazy, and there are any number of wild out there, even painful and dangerous things I would gladly do to prove my love, our plans for this weekend should attest to that. However, sitting at the kiddies table is not one of them."
Traci playfully punched him in the arm. "Hey, those are my friends."
"I know, and I'm such an amazing and understanding boyfriend that I don't hold it against you and love you anyway." He kissed her on the cheek. "Go, have your drink. I'll be at the bar when you're ready to leave."
She smiled at him and turned to walk to her friends. Jerry watched her as she worked her way to the other side of the bar. He hoped it was a quick drink, since now he couldn't stop thinking about those other talents of hers and how much he really wanted to put them to use.
Sam Swarek sat at the bar with his good friend and colleague Oliver Shaw. Today had been another rough day. It hadn't been chasing an attempted rapist for two blocks before tackling and arresting him, or even dealing with the domestic disturbances that always seemed to be more plentiful as the weekend rolled around. No, if he were honest he would have to admit that the reason it was such a rough day was because he did all of that side by side with Andy freaking McNally, his own personal thorn in the side.
She was still under his skin. Even the snarky, short-tempered version of her that seemed to take over in the past couple of weeks.
"Hey man," Oliver said, "what gives, I've been talking to myself for the past few minutes."
"It's nothing, I got some stuff on my mind."
Oliver looked up towards the door and spotted Jerry and Nash coming in.
"Oh man I can't believe I forgot to mention this. Come on, quick, you got to ask me where Jerry is taking Nash and her son this weekend."
"Why the hell would I care?"
"This you'll want to know, but you have to ask, I promised I wouldn't volunteer this information, but if you ask me it's different, so please just ask." Oliver pressed.
"Okay, where?"
"Wait for it…. Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament."
"You lie."
"No, it is so true. He was crying to me about it this morning, he's even springing for the King's Royalty package."
Sam laughed. "The man is a shell of his former self, she's killing him."
"Well he doesn't look like he is suffering to me," Oliver responded.
At that moment Jerry chose to join them. "Hello boys," He gestured to catch the bartender's attention and signaled for another one of what Sam and Oliver were drinking. "So what are you two yapping about?"
"Greetings my liege." Sam said with a huge grin.
Jerry shot a dirty look at Oliver. "Don't worry Jerry. It's going the vault Jerry. Your secret is safe with me. Wild horses couldn't drag it out of me Jerry. You are such an ass Shaw."
Olivier shrugged helplessly. "He forced it out of me man, I had no choice, he is so scary when he's interrogating."
Jerry took a swig of his drink and sat down at the bar. "You know what though, it's fine, what's the big deal, Ollie here has been there what two three times?"
Oliver nodded, "The difference is that after fourteen years of marriage and three daughters I have no choice in the matter, I'm just along for the ride. You brother could get out of it, but you are choosing to walk the plank."
Jerry smirked. "The pirate reference is about five, six hundred years off the mark. Medieval Times, that means knights, jousting, no pirates."
Swarek grinned at Jerry shaking his head. "Pirates would be an improvement. You got it so bad man. You are officially whipped brother, put a fork in him, he's done."
Jerry took a long drink from his glass. "You know what Sammy, I am happy. She makes me happy my dark brooding angst ridden friend. So if she wants to spend an evening at a theatrical re-enactment of a time of questionable personal hygiene and eat a meal with in smelling distance of a bunch of horses then that's exactly what we are going to do. Happy is a good thing. You should try it, all it takes is knowing what you want and going after it until it's yours. Oh that's right you forgot how to do that."
Oliver chuckled. "I do believe that was a burn."
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm happy."
"Really? How's McNally doing, you ask her out yet?"
"Shut up Jerry."
"Just asking. You know what your problem is Sammy?"
"No, but let me guess Lancelot, you think you do?"
"Cute, your problem is you stepped aside so she could be with Callaghan. Now that she and Callaghan have crashed and burned you are standing aside so she can "recover." You are doing the noble thing, standing aside. Let me tell you something about noble. I did noble for a little while. You know what noble got me? A big fat nothing. Lonely nights and a lot of awkward encounters at work. Not being noble, now that got me the girl."
"Unless I'm wrong it also got you knocked on your ass."
Oliver nodded, "And Swarek sees your burn and raises."
"Ah but see you are missing the whole point, knowing that I was going to get the girl made getting knocked on my ass a lot less painful, in fact I kind of bounced."
Shaw laughed. "Touché on the tush."
"So," Jerry continued. "For her I will go sit in that gaudy faux castle and enjoy four courses of god awful food."
"Actually the food was okay," Oliver interrupted.
"Doubtful, but I will eat it, enjoy it and wash it down with a tankard of ale."
"No you won't. No alcohol," Oliver added.
Jerry grimaced. "You've got to be kidding me she can't seriously expect me to sit there alcohol free."
"They have mead, I think, can't remember it's all a blur."
"Isn't mead just like wine or beer with honey?" asked Sam.
Oliver shook his head. "There must be non alcoholic versions too, because there was no booze in ye old castle, I know I looked."
Sam shrugged, "Maybe he could sneak in a flask. What are they going to do, arrest him?"
Jerry shushed them. "All right you two shut up, forget about the beverages. The bottom line is I'm going and I'm going to enjoy myself because I'll be with Traci and Leo."
"Well that was really beautiful Jerry." Oliver said lifting his glass in salute.
"Yeah, a regular Lifetime movie moment," Sam snorted. "So tell me Barber. When you and Nash stopped sneaking and around and started to get serious did she just straight out tell you that you had to surrender your manhood, or did you voluntarily give it up?"
Traci slid into an empty seat at the table where Andy and Chris were sitting. Gail, Dov and Dov's new girlfriend Bomb Squad Sue were all at the dartboard enjoying a game.
"Look who decided to join us Chris, we should feel honored." Andy sniped.
"Oh please, I was just in here with you guys a few days ago."
"A week ago." Andy corrected her.
"It was not a week ago," Traci said.
Chris nodded. "A week."
"Wow, I guess I've just been really busy. Between work Jerry and Leo I guess I've been preoccupied. But I'm here now."
"Nice to see that you and Jerry come up for air sometimes," Andy commented. "It's getting to the point where if I don't know where the two of you are I'm afraid to walk into an interrogation room without knocking."
"You've never walked in on us anywhere." Traci said with a laugh.
"True but I can tell it's happening so don't try to deny it. You look all glowing and happy all the time. If you weren't my best friend I would hate you right now."
"Hey, I thought we were at Acceptance."
"I am at Acceptance," Andy said with conviction. "I accept that my relationship with Luke is over because he was a lying, cheating sack of sh*t and I accept that love sucks, and people in love suck worse. Except for you of course."
Chris looked offended. "What about me?"
Andy snorted. "You are in a relationship with Gail Peck, I pity you too much to hate you." She turned back to Traci. "So come on spill it. I know you have been holding out on me lately since I've been in too crappy a mood to listen to you wax on about your relationship bliss. I am feeling generous tonight. I'm capable of a little bestie duty. Let's share, lay it on me I can take it. What has Jerry been doing to put that shit eating grin on your face. Spare us the details if it's pornographic."
Traci smiled. She missed happy, cheery Andy, but dark snarky Andy had potential too. "Well if you must know, Jerry has been really bringing out the big guns lately. Really heavy on the romance, in the past few weeks we've gone to Auberge du Pommier, Oro, Nota Bene and Canoe."
"Oooo nice," Andy said tipping her glass at Traci. "I guess nobody has to ask if you are giving it up."
"Very funny. Anyway it's been great, especially for a girl who used to think Red Lobster was fine dining. It's not Chris, it really isn't."
"I know that."
Andy nodded. "So Detective Barber is campaigning for Boyfriend of the Year."
"Yes he is, and he has my vote. He's been doing it up, great restaurants, shows, we go walking around and shopping in the Distillery District on the weekends. And he's been amazing with Leo, he's taken us to the zoo, the Centerville Amusement Park, it's all really great. "
"So what are you guys doing this weekend?"
"We're going to Medieval Times. I thought it might be fun."
"Let me get this straight, the man takes you to a romantic dinner at Auberge du Pommier, a dinner that is probably like half of our paycheck, and your comeback is, hey, let's go to Medieval Times?"
Diaz looked at her excitedly, "Oh man, you guys are going to have so much fun. I love Medieval Times." He glanced over to make sure Gail was still out of earshot before leaning over and whispering, "When we still in the academy Denise came down for the weekend and wanted me to take her. We had such a great time. Hey, I'm going to get another drink, you want me to get you something?"
"Yeah, an apple martini." Traci started to reach into her purse, but Chris waved her off.
Andy grinned, "Well there you have it, if Chris and Denise liked Medieval Times you know it will be right up Jerry's alley."
"I know it's a little corny, but sometimes I like corny."
"It's a whole lot of corny, but hey, whatever floats your boat. You know Luke and took me to Auberge du Pommier. We had a great time."
"Oh Andy I'm sorry I didn't mean to.."
Andy dismissed it with a wave. "Don't worry about, I told you I'm fine. Acceptance right. I'm glad to hear you so happy."
"You could be happy too, all you have to do is take Swarek off ice."
Andy rolled her eyes.
"I'm just saying. That's a lot of man to keep ignoring."
"I'm not ignoring him, I'm just…Look, right now I am a man free zone, I'm trying to take some time to get in touch with myself."
"Yeah, how many times a day do you have to touch yourself to maintain that man free zone?"
"You have a dirty, dirty mind."
"See, I told you, one drink, in and out." Traci said as Jerry led her out of the Penny, his arm around her waist.
He gave her a light squeeze. "That's why I love you, you are a woman of your word."
"So are you looking forward to this weekend?"
"I'm looking forward to being with you tonight. I'm looking forward to spending time with you and Leo tomorrow and Sunday. That other thing? I'm working on it Trace."
"We are going to have so much fun. You are going to love it," she said as she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.
Jerry glanced down at her and smiled. The things he was willing to do for this woman.