Ashley Davies collapsed onto the wooden bench in the locker rooms with a grateful sigh, turning her head first to the left, then the right, smiling a little when she felt the cracking of her neck run down her spine. I can't handle another night beat...Chief must be trying to kill me. She had been on the clock for more than thirteen hours, and having not slept the night before, well, she was more than a little glad that her shift was now over. She had actually been a little afraid of dozing off at the wheel. How would that look? An officer of the law, falling asleep in the middle of some high speed chase that was most likely being broadcast all over the nation. A smirk pulled the corner of her mouth up, So there was no high speed chase tonight, but I still coulda fallen asleep at the McDonald's drive-thru.

"Davies?" Cisco Martinez's voice boomed from around the corner. "You decent? Or are we going triple-x in here?"

"I'm decent enough to make your girlfriend incredibly jealous." She called back, a note of teasing in her words. She had known Martinez since the first day at the academy, and she had hated his guts the from the moment she laid eyes on him. He was all to willing to return the favor. Somehow, along the way, their loathing for each other had eventually turned to a grudging respect, before they each became one of the best and most loyal friend the other had on the force.

"You know that's not what I meant." He walked fully into the room, standing well over six feet tall. A solid wall of muscle, and he never let anyone forget. There was never a moment where he didn't take the chance to flex for someone's benefit, even if the person he was showing off for didn't notice. "Listen here chica--"

"Don't call me chica dammit. You know I hate that."

"Why do you think I do it?" A smile came easily to his face, lighting his eyes and giving him an innocent quality that could have fooled anyone. Anyone who didn't know him anyway. He was actually quite the handsome guy, and had been on the fast track to a modeling career, a future filled with luxuries he could only imagine. Ashley probably would have been attracted to him, if she weren't batting a thousand for the opposing team...then his mother had been brutally raped and murdered. They never found the man responsible, and the case was never closed. Martinez had walked away from a life in the spotlight, and into one of service. Protecting people who cursed him when they saw him, but begged for help with something was wrong. Nobody respected the LAPD and he often felt the strain of that, wanting to just bust some heads, but had learned to control himself and use a more diplomatic approach. "As much as I love annoying you though, that's not why I'm here."

Ashley unbuttoned her uniform top, then leaned forward placing her forearms on her knees. "Really? And her I was thinking that was the only reason you continued to breathe." She tugged off her boots, wiggling her toes like a kid once they were freed. "What's up then?"

"I dunno, but Chief wanted to see you in his office..." he hooked his thumbs through the loops on his pants, "five minutes ago."

"What?" Ashley began quickly undressing, stripping down to her boxers and sports bra, not caring that Martinez was in the room. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen on a woman before. "You're such an asshole!" Her voice came out muffled since she was pulling her head through the top of a hoody as she spoke. "You totally did this on purpose!"

"Would I do a thing like that?"

"Yes you would." She tugged on her jeans, "You just did dumbass! You are mine! Don't even think I'm not going to get you back for this!"

"Sure you will. Uh-huh." Cisco called to her retreating back as she hastily left the room. "I'm quaking in my boots."

HLF

"Chief, you wanted to see me?" Ashley poked her head inside the office, pulling her hair back in a quick pony-tail.

"Right on time Davies, come on in." Chief Wallace was leaned back in his giant recliner, the salt and pepper hair that covered his head a stark contrast to the smooth mahogany of his skin.

"On time, sir?" She sat in the chair in front of his desk, a questioning look on her face.

"Yup, on time. I just sent Martinez to get you." He picked up some papers, shuffling them about on his desk. "Now, about why I needed to speak with you. There's a rookie...why are you making that face?"

"Martinez told me I was needed here...five minutes ago." Ashley muttered just loud enough for Wallace to hear.

"You two still at it?" He folded his hands on top of a folder, an eyebrow raised as he waited for an answer.

"At what, exactly?"

"Messing with each other...don't think I forgot the time you two were still rookies and you gave Cisco Martinez a cup of coffee, that he in turn gave to me in an attempt to kiss my ass." He shook his head at the memory. "I also remember how it was nothing more than dirt...water...and flour. Do you know what my wife told me?"

Ashley shook her head, though she already knew the answer. The Chief loved nothing more than to tell stories, the only sad thing was, he chose to tell the same ones...all the time.

"She told me that since I drank dirt, that I should just go piss on the rosebushes and save her money on the water bill."

"Yes sir...you also put us on bathroom duty for the next month. That's never happened before. Do you know some people still call us they LAPD janitors because of it?"

"Do they now?" He winked over at her. "At least I'm not afraid of drinking fertilizer anymore...enough. Anyway. I need you to do something."

Ashley was no idiot. Everytime the Chief said he needed someone to do something. It wasn't exactly an option. It was his way of creating the illusion of a choice for whomever he was propositioning. "Something, sir?"

"Davies. I need you to take a rookie out onto the field with you."

"Sir, no sir. I appreciate the fact that you trust me enough to do on the job training but I'd really rather not."

"Spencer Carlin. Apparently this kid is destroying nearly every record that was held at the academy. The kid's even snagged a few of yours, Davies."

"That's nice, but still. No thank you. Give it to Martinez. He'd love to have someone to boss around."

"No." Wallace leaned in over his desk. "I'm giving it to you. You're one of the best officers in my squad room. Davies you have over two-hundred collars credited to only you. Do you understand that's never been done before?"

Ashley shrugged with indifference.

"You've done what some people out there won't do in their entire career as a law enforcement officer. This new kid is looking to be one of the best we've seen in awhile. With the right training? Kid might be as good as you." His eyes narrowed slightly, his tone of voice growing sharp. "This isn't a request. It will happen. Your assignment starts tomorrow morning at nine."

Ashley held back a curse. Now I have to train some newbie who wouldn't know their shoe from their pistol? "Nine, sir? I just got off and it's three in the morning already."

"Then I suggest you go home and get a nap. I'll see you in a few hours Davies. Dismissed."

HLF

Ashley pulled out a chair next to Martinez, stifiling a yawn, more than annoyed that she was back at work with less than four hours of sleep. It had taken her nearly forty minutes to drift off because she was so pissed about having someone dumped on her. I coulda gone to school to be a doctor...but I chose this instead and now I get to babysit.

"So, what did the Chief want?"

Ashley cut her eyes to the left, looking at Cisco briefly before turning her attention back to the front of the room, taking a sip of coffee. "He gave me a rookie."

"He what?" Martinez pratically yelled the words, quieting down when he saw the annoyed looks the other officers were sending his way as each tried to hold onto the last quiet moments of the day, all hell broke loose, and they were back out in the streets. "You've only been on the force for three years!"

"I told him to let you have the rookie. I sure as hell didn't want him."

"And he said no?" Cisco pouted. "Damn man, I want a rookie. It would be nice to have someone have to get my doughnuts."

"That's what I told him." She chuckled to herself. "I made sure to let him know you would love to have someone to boss around."

"Bitch."

"Your grandma."

"Truce."

Ashley nodded.

"Do you even know the rook's name?" Martinez asked.

"Is this seat taken?" They both looked up, and Ashley felt herself being sucked into a whirlwind of blue, she almost forgot to breathe.

"Ah, n-no." She stammered, mentally berating herself. The other woman smiled as she sat down, then busied herself fixing a bagel she had brought along with her. "Yeah," she turned back to her friend. "I know the rookie's name. Spencer Carlin. Apparently thinks he's hot shit, because he can beat a couple of academy records."

"If I recall correctly, you thought you were hot shit too when you were the one breaking all of those records." He pointed out.

"That's besides the point. This new guy thinks he's so tough, I'm taking him to the worse neighborhoods in L.A. see if he's still wanting to don the uniform then."

"Harsh, Davies." The room quieted down as the Chief entered. Nobody really paid attention to what was said, knowing they were just going to hear a variation of anything that had been said the day before. Somebody else was shot, there was another drive-by, some kid was now missing...and the depressing list would go on, repeating itself. It wasn't like they couldn't just check the files if they had a question.

"I'm going to keep it simple today guys." Chief Wallace looked out over the heads of his officers, locking eyes with Ashley. "I sent you all copies of everything you need to be updated on to you e-mail accounts, and Davies would you come to the front please?"

She looked around, as if there were another person named Davies in the room before standing and walking to stand next to the Chief, trying not to look as confused as she felt.

"Davies is going to be training the newest member of our squad family." Some officers looked puzzled at the announcement, and some looked like they didn't really care. "Spencer Carlin, stand up so everyone can see you."

Ashley scanned the room, looking for the cocky one, the one she hadn't seen before, knowing that would have to be the Spencer Carlin everyone was talking about, and felt her jaw hit the floor when the golden-haired azure eyed girl who had sat next to her stood, bagel still in hand, a mocking smile on her lips as she took in Ashley's shocked expression"

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Especially you, Officer Davies." She raised an eyebrow. "I can't wait to visit one of the worst neighborhoods you can find."

I have got to be the biggest ass of all time.