Never Fall Away

This is how it started…

Chapter 1: Me and You

Jamie Lovato hadn't been working at 12th precinct that long but she already had a close group of friends. Not to mention a great partner on the job, he was funny and one of the most sarcastic cops she'd ever met, but he was totally by the book. She liked him, she really liked him and was starting to realise she liked more than in just a friendly way. She often wondered if he felt the same but she never dared herself to ask him. She had known him for six months now, they always had a good laugh and had a good time together. He had just done that lovely dinner for her on Valentine's Day, how sweet had that been? They'd shared a kiss too, it had been the best night in a long time. They were still in the friendship zone though, despite their 'date'. But she wanted to be more than just friends and obviously so did he. "Hey Jamie wanna grab a hot dog and see a movie?" he asked coming up behind her.

"Sounds like a plan" she smiled

"See you here at seven then" he grinned "By the way it's movie of your choice"

"Oh I'll choose a real girly flick that will make you cringe" she smirked "You know them weepy stories about love"

"We both know that's not your style" he laughed "But I think I could stick it"

"Yeah right, I can see it now. You'll just be cringing up at some women crying about love!" she laughed back "And anyway it might be exactly my style"

"Ok" he grinned "Seven, don't be late"

"I won't you cheeky git" she laughed before he walked off. She laughed and shook her head.

That night at seven they met up and when to see a movie. Jamie choose a movie that wasn't a weepy girly flick but an action packed thriller. "That was like looking at work!" he said "All the blood"

"Oh did it scare you?" she teased

"No it didn't" he laughed "I could feel you shaking in your seat"

"In your dreams Flack" she grinned "In your dreams"

"You are in my dreams already" he grinned

"And what am I doing in them?" she asked

"Well you're being very naughty" he grinned even more

"Flack!" she exclaimed nudging him in the ribs "Don't be so perverted!"

"I can have fantasies in my dreams" he smirked "I wish they weren't fantasies though"

"Really!" she exclaimed "You have to carry on?"

"No but it's fun" he replied, grinning from ear to ear "Hotdog?"

"Go on then" she smiled "But you're paying"

"I paid for the movie!" he replied mockingly angry

"You asked me out remember?" she smirked. He rolled his eyes and paid for the hotdogs. He handed hers to her and she shrieked "What's that?!"

"A hotdog" he replied

"On it" she asked seriously

"Sauce" he shrugged

"Are you doing this on purpose?" she asked

"No, it's their speciality dog, all the toppings on one dog" he replied, grinning at her "Try it, it's the best in New York"

"It looks like vomit" she replied "And I bet it tastes like vomit too"

"If you don't try it you'll never know" he said

"And I don't want to… oh ok then!" she caved and took a bite of the dog. "Actually it's not that bad"

"Told you" he grinned. She rolled her eyes at him and they walked on. Eventually they went back to her place and she opened some wine. "Here" she smiled handing him a glass

"You have very expensive tastes" he said "You're going to be expensive"

"Very funny" she narrowed her eyes at him "You're a very funny man"

"Thanks I do try" he smirked, she shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes you're very trying" she laughed "Very trying" she sat down beside him on her sofa and looked at him. He was grinning at her. They talked a bit, well a lot and drank several more glasses of wine. Ending up rather tipsy by the end of the night. They let time run away from them and before they knew it, it was three in the morning. "It's twenty past three in the morning!" she exclaimed

"Can't be! He replied.

"It is!" she said putting her glass down on the table.

"I guess I should head off" he yawned "Let you get some sleep"

"Ok" she nodded. They walked to the door and she opened it. Once he was out he turned around, smiling. He leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips, pouring passion into it like a waterfall. They kissed for a while before pulling apart and smiling at each other. Well erm… err… goodnight" she said

"Night" he smiled. Then he turned on his heel and walked towards the elevator. She watched him until he was inside it and the doors closed before closing her front door. Upon closing the front door she smiled to herself, it looked good. It looked like it was really going to happen and it made her feel all cushy inside. Cushy was an understatement, her whole body had felt like jelly when they had been kissing. It made her feel like a naughty teenager, breaking your parent's strict absolutely-no-sex-before-marriage rule. Well her parents, while not overly religious they still believed in saving yourself for marriage. She hated that stupid rule, and had broken it years ago, although they didn't actually know that. Though when she had lost her virginity, she had regretted it as the arse had banged her then never called her or seen her ever again and she never saw him ever again. She'd had other more successful relationships where sex hadn't been an issue. Apart from this one creep who sometimes when he was ready for sex he was so horny he couldn't even do it. He was the creepiest creep she'd ever dated and had dumped him pretty quickly.

But she felt so happy and cushy inside. He wanted it too and she wanted it to work out. She quickly found her way into bed and soon drifted off to sleep, still smiling happily. As did he.

They went on another date the following week and it was very successful, they enjoyed winding each other up. They went to the annual central park end-of-winter fair. The place was packed and they kept getting separated. "Maybe we should just handcuff ourselves together so we don't keep getting separated?" suggested Flack

"I hope you're not serious!" she laughed

"How many times have we gotten separated tonight?" he replied

"Loads" said Jamie "That guy in the queue… that was uncalled for. I mean he pushed me out of the way then loads of young, giggling airheads just jump in front of me!"

"I swear down with been separated tonight more times than I've had sex in my entire life… too graphic?" he said

"Just a little" she replied "But I don't think cuffing ourselves together will help. It will just really hurt people try to shove between us"

"True and I think people would think we're staging some sort of protest. I don't know what kind, some people can be really warped when it comes to that" he laughed slightly

"Besides you don't even have your cuffs on you" she said

"Actually I do" he replied "I keep them handy in case of well emergencies"

"I hope you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting" she raised her eyebrow "Because that's not an emergency"

"I'm not. I keep a set at home for those particular occasions" he grinned "I carry them in case I have to arrest some twat on a street corner off duty that stuff does happen. I knew one bloke who arrested more people off duty than he did on duty one year. I think he got sacked because the chief thought he was doing underhand stuff. Which he was, he got caught doing it by a couple of colleagues."

"I bet that stung" she laughed

"Yeah, especially when they arrested him and turned him over to the bosses and internal affairs" said Flack "Hang on how did we get here from talking about cuffing ourselves together"

"No you were talking about it I was telling you it was a bad idea" she replied, laughing.

"It's not that bad of an idea, least we wouldn't keep getting separated every two seconds!" he laughed "I wanted us to spend the whole night together and I think we've spent more of it getting separated and trying to find each other again. It's not against the law!"

"Lieutenant always-got-my-nickers-in-a-twist is coming tonight!" she said "What do you think she'd say about it?

"I'm not going to say it because there are children around us. I think their moms would kill me!" laughed Flack "Is she on duty?"

"Nah she's bringing her kids" she replied

"How do you know that?" he raised his eyebrow

"I heard her talking on the phone this morning. She called me in to talk about something, which was so ridiculously unimportant and insignificant it was a total waste of my time. The phone rang halfway through and she talked on it for ages. She was talking about coming here tonight with her little sods of children" explained Jamie "Those were not the exact words she used but there are children present. I never thought she had it in her to swear like that or that much!"

"And she scrutinises us about swearing, which neither of us do there anyway" he laughed "Now we got something to use against her when she's ribbing us about it… so no cuffs then"

"No, no cuffs" she laughed. They grabbed some food and sat down to eat and have a drink. They finally left just after midnight when it closed. He took her home to her apartment and they said goodnight. "Well apart from the countless separations and the suggestion of cuffing ourselves together, I had a good time" she smiled

"Yeah" he nodded "Those aside, I did too" he looked into her eyes and before they knew it they were kissing each other very passionately. His stomach did a summersault, it did every time he had kissed her, which had only been a few times but that wasn't the point. It made his legs feel like jelly, jeez he felt like a giddy teenager, breaking the no-dating-until-you're-at-least-21-rule that your parents like to set when you become interested in girls, sex, filthy porn magazines and self-pleasuring. Well his mom anyway, after she had found condoms in his room, that he had told her were his older brothers but as a cops wife she was able to see right through that fib. Some of his dad's cop's instinct had unfortunately worn off him and landed on her. That had been one uncomfortable sex free couple of months for the fifteen year old Don Flack. Talk about sexual-frustration, more like sex-starved.

Eventually they pulled apart and looked at each other. "Well, err night" he smiled

"Night" she smiled softly. He smiled before turning on his heel and leaving, she heard him let out the loudest and most exaggerated yawn she'd ever heard before disappearing into the elevator. Smiling she went back inside and soon found her way into her bed.

After a few dates they decided to take their relationship up to the next level. They had gone out to a restaurant, not a very expensive one because money was tight, then gone back to his place. "Drink?" he asked

"Vodka" she replied kicking her heels off and sitting on his sofa "God my feet hurt!"

"Yeah that's the heels for you" he laughed

"Shut up" she hissed "Or I'll throw them at you"

"I hope you like the cells then" he grinned walking into the room with a bottle of vodka for her and can of beer for himself. He handed the vodka to her and she took a massive sip of it, swallowing like a drainpipe. "Thirsty?"

"Very" she nodded "And you would never put me in the cells"

"Try me" he grinned "And you wouldn't throw your shoes at me"

I dunno" she smirked "Depends on what you did to annoy me"

"Me? Annoy you? Never" he laughed. She rolled her eyes at him.

"You. Annoy me. Always" she giggled "But that's why I like you so much. You're too sarcastic for your own good sometimes"

"You can never be too sarcastic" he raised his eyebrow "You can be too boring but never too sarcastic"

"I bet you've never been boring have you!" she laughed

"No and I bet you haven't either. You don't seem like the kind of woman who would be boring, you like to be out there and running around chasing idiots who commit messed up crimes" he said

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment… I think" she replied.

"Fancy kipping over?" he asked

"Well you couldn't have been any blunter with that could you!" she shook her head in disbelief yet laughing slightly. "And is that an offer?"

"Take it how you like" he grinned "If you want it to be an offer of sex then that's what it will be"

"Ok" she nodded "But you better not run away from me if I get knocked up"

"Yes because I look like the most irresponsible guy on the planet." He laughed "I use condoms!"

"Good to know" she grinned "Where's your bedroom?"

"See that door, it's there" he grinned pointing towards a door. She hit him playfully and followed him into his bedroom. He went into the toilet and while he was gone she stripped off and climbed into his bed waiting for him to come back. "You're not hanging around are you!" he laughed

"Why would I?" she asked, smiling. A few minutes later he got in beside her and they started kissing and soon they were rolling around passionately on his bed. And soon she had granted him access to her body and they were having sex. They made passionate love to each other and knew it was what they both wanted. Afterwards she rested her head on his chest and smiled up at him. "Not bad for the first time" he grinned

"Next time will be even better" she grinned back

"There's going to be a next time?" he asked, smirking from ear to ear

"Of course there is" she smiled.

"I'll look forward to it" he smiled before kissing her gently on the lips. She smiled at him and snuggled into his chest before they went to sleep in each other's arms. It didn't feel wrong, it felt totally right. The most right and most normal thing in the whole world.

The following morning when they woke they smiled at each other and got out of bed. "Ok if I use your shower?" she asked

"It's fine" replied Flack

"You're welcome to join me if you like" she smiled

"You'd have to tie me down to stop me" he grinned. She laughed shaking her head and went into his bathroom, him following closely behind her. She switched it on and slipped inside, him just after her. She smiled at him then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held tightly, kissing her passionately. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his body, holding him tightly. She granted him access to her body and they made love as the hot water hit their bodies as they moved together. After they had finished they washed and climbed out to get dressed before heading to work.

Over the next few weeks their relationship developed and they were officially an item. They didn't tell their friends, Flack remembered what had happened when he had been with Jess. There had been a case when he'd been suspected of killing a suspect during interrogation and somehow IAB had found out they were seeing each other so her testimony had been useless. He didn't want to end up in a situation like that again, not for either of them. They just wanted to keep it hushed up, their privacy mattered to them and besides most of the officers at their precinct would use it against them and make stupid comments about it. Jamie hadn't even told her parents and that was a bit of a bad idea. In some parts of her culture, where she was from, the village she had been born in, in South America, arranged marriage was still very much a thing, her parents still believed in it. That meant if she hadn't found a husband by a certain age, they would find a husband for her, and her parents had been lenient with her and now they were losing their patience. They also disapproved of her job, it seemed like a man's job and where they were from women weren't allowed to become cops either so that prejudiced them a bit.

One day, about four months after her first date with Flack her mom called round so they could talk, they had come into the city for a few weeks, and Jamie had no idea what she wanted to talk about. "What's this about?" she asked sitting down at the kitchen table.

"You're old enough to be married Jamie. We've been lenient with you, very lenient" her mom, Francesca, began "And now I think it's time you took a husband."

"Mom listen-" but Francesca cut her off

"We've found a husband for you" said Francesca "His name is Alexanderio Rodriguez, he was born in the village and he's willing to take you as his wife"

"But I don't want to get married" replied Jamie "I don't even know this Alexanderio guy"

"Do you know how long it took me, your father and your grandparents to find a man who would take you?" asked Francesca "No you don't, it took a very long time. Men where we're from don't not believe women should cops there. It is a man's job"

"It is the job I want to do" stated Jamie

"Anyway the wedding is all arranged. You're going to meet him tonight, he is coming round to your apartment for tea with his parents" said Francesca

"But I can't make tonight" replied Jamie, no she was going round Flack's tonight, she was staying the night there. "I've got something planned"

"Well cancel it, he really wants to meet you" smiled Francesca "He's a lovely young man, I think you'll really like him. He thinks you're beautiful, he saw your picture and said he fell in love with you there and then. So rearrange tonight"

"No I won't not for somebody I don't know" replied Jamie

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" asked Francesca

"Did you and dad have an arranged marriage?" asked Jamie

"No but we were married before we were twenty" replied Francesca "And you are nearly thirty"

"Well if you didn't have one I'm not having one" she stated

"Jamie Natalia Lovato stop being so difficult!" Francesca snapped slightly "You will do this. You will like him"

"I am not coming tonight I have plans" replied Jamie

"What plans?" asked Francesca "What plans Jamie?"

"I am going to a friend's apartment for dinner and we're going to watch Jaws the original" replied Jamie "And dive into a bowl of popcorn"

"Explain the circumstances to her, I'm sure she'll understand and you can do it another night" said Francesca

"Firstly, she is a he" said Jamie "and secondly I know him"

"Alexanderio is expecting to meet you tonight" said Francesca, getting a bit desperate and frustrated with her uncooperative daughter. "I'm sure this man will understand"

"I've never blown him off before" replied Jamie "He's a good guy, I like him"

"But you're not seeing him" said Francesca

"Yes I am" said Jamie "I've been seeing him for four months. He is my boyfriend"

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Francesca

"I was going to but with our jobs it's not easy. One of us got into trouble and the other had to give a statement it would just be disregarded" replied Jamie

"You should've told me" said Francesca "But I am not rearranging tonight so you tell your boyfriend he can have you tomorrow night instead."

Jamie caved, her mom would never let up on her to rearrange her night with Flack. So she went back to the precinct and told him. "Look something's come up and I can't make tonight" she sighed

"What?" he asked

"Family stuff, it's important" she replied "I'm sorry, but we can do it another night"

"Yeah" he nodded, understanding enough "Tomorrow night?"

"Definitely" she smiled "I have to go, don't get too lonely without me"

"Don't worry I'll crack open a beer and watch the game in my boxers" he replied sarcastically

"Send me a picture!" she grinned

"Ha, ha very funny" he laughed as she walked away from him. Not knowing she was going to meet the man who was going to try to ruin her life that night. If had known he would've gone after her and told her he loved her, he hadn't told her yet even though he knew he did. He did love her. He would've done everything he could to stop her from going if he knew what she was heading towards. They say what you don't know can't hurt you but that's wrong and in Flack's case it would.

Jamie walked back to her car and drove home. As she did she felt like an arse for blowing flack off, he'd never blown her off. She hadn't wanted to, she just wanted to keep her mom happy. Maybe she would like Alexanderio but he wouldn't be flack and he was the only guy she wanted. She loved him. And she didn't know her life was about to take a nasty turn. If she had known well she would've turned around and ran straight back into the precinct and never looked back.