Quick one shot during the DLC, hope you enjoy.

Emily Storey

"Lesson one, Kid," Joseph said, sitting a coffee mug down on the table, "Don't be a hero."

"Sir?" Juli Kidman glanced behind her, waiting for Sebastian to return. This was the first time she had been left alone with Detective Oda and she wasn't to enthused with the idea of having any sort of private conversation with him. Oda was strict, always doing things by the books and keeping everyone around him in check.

"Kidman? Did you hear me? You always need to pay attention to dialogue, no matter how bored it seems." Joseph sighed and sat down beside her. He carefully removed his glasses and wiped a speck of dirt off onto his vest.

"When people say they want to be a cop, it means they want to help people. They want to protect the weak, help the innocent, and take down the evil in this world. They all want to be heroes, Kid, but do you know what happens to heroes?"

Was that meant to be rhetorical? Kidman paused, hoping it was, but when her partner continued to stare at her with a tiresome look, she assumed an answer was necessary.

"I can't say that I do, sir." She muttered, looking down at the coffee cup and letting herself get lost in the steam. Joseph suddenly reached forward, grabbing her by the jaw and looking straight into her eyes.

"Heroes die, Juli Kidman, heroes always die."

"Don't run! Just let me get a clean shot!"

I wish there was another way, Kidman thought, gripping the splitting handle of the axe tighter in her hand. I am so sorry… She swallowed hard before standing up from her cover. "Joseph! Over here!"

Her partner whipped around, his usually solemn face twisting into an inhuman grin. "There you are!" He growled, running forward with reckless abandon, and giving Kidman the perfect opening. Forgive me, Joseph, please forgive me. She swung the axe forward, wishing she could look away before the impact.

She had to kill people before. She knew the feeling of a sharp tool digging into a living body. The horrifying feeling of bones and muscles slicing under her grip, but this was different. Hurting Joseph felt as though she was hurting herself. He gasped, frozen stiff in pain and as Kidman wrenched out the axe.

He looked down at the wound, shocked at the sudden loss of blood. With teeth chattering, he looked back up at Kidman. Joseph's glowing blisters and gashes had suddenly disappeared and were replaced with a look of confusion and fear. Tears welled up in his eyes and he opened his mouth to speak, "J-Jul-" he tried reach forward, but before Kidman could catch him, Joseph fell limp to the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" She screamed, "Why are you making me do this?" She dropped to her knees and pulled Joseph up onto her lap. "Dammit, Joseph! You should have just stayed out of the way!" She grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping when she opened them, this situation would all be over, but of course it was not.

"What's wrong with you Joseph? You taught me never to be the hero, that the hero always dies, but you could follow your own orders, could you?" she buried her face in the crook of her arm. She tried to hide her feelings but the blood – his blood – staining her shirt only stung her eyes more.

"I'll stop this, Joseph, I'll destroy STEM once and for all." Kidman swallowed hard and grabbed her partner's hand, taking his gun from his loose grip. With a sigh she leaned down and placed a careful kiss on Joseph's forehead, "I promise…"

"Are there sins you are ashamed of?"

Yes…