Disclaimer: Yeah, I only wish I owned them. Just playing with them for a bit.

Author's Notes: My first CI fic.. absolutely inspired by "The Good" and my outrage for Deakins leaving.


"Bobby, I'm bored." Detective Alexandra Eames said leaning against her propped elbow.

They sat at their respective desks glancing over various pieces of paperwork, none of which was particularly intriguing. It had been slow going in terms of cases since Captain James Deakins had left the Major Case Squad, bound for retirement. From the moment that Captain Deakins had told two of his finest detectives of his resignation, they were respectful of his decision to retire. However, it irked Bobby that Deakins didn't want to expose Frank Adair for the injustice that he had served upon a perfectly fine officer.

Similarly, Detectives Mike Logan and Detective Carolyn Barek sat at their respective desks toiling with endless paperwork. After Internal Affairs had cleared Logan in the Tarkman shooting, things began to settle back down, but with the resignation of their Captain, tensions began rising once again as to the reason for his resignation.

Nonetheless, Deakins had left without much fanfare, leaving many other officers at their desks doing paperwork, tossing a small ball around, getting coffee from the break room, or wandering One Police Plaza in search of action or entertainment.

Who would've thought that the Major Case Squad slowed down for anything? They slowed with the resignation of a fine officer who retired long before his time. In the intra-office memorandum that Deakins had sent out to all of the members in his squad, he had explained what led to him to tender his resignation in such a haste fashion.

TO: Major Case Squad

FROM: Capt. James Deakins, MCS

RE: Resignation

As of 5PM, Friday, May 12, 2006 I will be retiring.

Many of you may ask why, and sometimes I still wonder the same question even as I write this letter informing you. I feel that I have served my city well, and the time has come for me to devote my time to my family. I've put in my twenty and I feel I've contributed a great deal.

I want to express my deep gratitude towards each and every one of you. Each officer in their own right has contributed a piece to the Major Case Squad that has made us one of the most elite units in the New York City Police Department. I appreciate all of your effort towards solving a case, and I've seen each and every one of you grow and learn new tactics and strategies that I know will be employed in the future in the interrogation room, or your Thanksgiving dinner with your in-laws. Thank you for all your hard work.

Sincerely,

James Deakins


Two Day Earlier

As copies of the memo was being passed around, Captain James Deakins had sat in his office the entire time tying up any loose ends on old files and packing away pieces of his life that he had devoted years to. As he placed each momento on his desk into the cardboard box that would only be filed away later in his attic, he thought back on each piece and where he had received it. Each award, each commendation in its rightful frame and especially newspaper clippings that his wife had cut out for him of his squad in the media reminded him of the past several years that he spent as Captain of the Major Case Squad.

He smiled fondly at the article from the New York Herald which featured Bobby and Alex capturing Henry Talbot who had killed five women in the span of a week. He thought about each of his detectives that he had had the honor of working with.

Bobby. His right-brained detective who was a genius, but was very methodical and employed unusual interrogation techniques that usually got the perpetrator to confess. Deakins trusted Bobby's instinct and mind.

Alex. Lord knows how she put up with Bobby for the past five years, but throughout the last five years, she's grown as a person as well, becoming an even more skilled investigator and interrogator.

As partners, Bobby and Alex had leveled each other out. Bobby was a bit erratic at times, and Alex was more by the book, although she herself stretched the limits.

Mike. Going to bat for Logan was something that didn't need to be thought about. After slugging a councilman and getting sent off to Staten Island was enough punishment for such a skilled investigator.

Carolyn. Gentle, but quiet, she kept her partner in line, and often used her own manipulative interrogation techniques to extract confessions.

As young as their partnership was, Mike and Carolyn have grown a great deal in the past year that they've worked together. As partners do, they look out for each other. When Mike had shot Tarkman, Carolyn made sure that Mike didn't leave the scene and made sure that procedure was following.

As Deakins stared at the articles on his desk, and filed each one away, he remembered fondly his years, and although it was abruptly ending, he did not regret for one moment going to bat for Martinez or Logan.

After filing away the last momento into his plain cardboard box, he sat back in his chair and looked straight out into the squadroom. The intra-office memo that he had sent announcing his retirement was circulating the office, and caused many officers to get up and begin discussing it with others.

Deakins smiled and got up from his seat. He sighed as he picked up the box that sat full of his NYPD career. He took one more glance at his office, and then opened the door that led to the squadroom. His entire squad turned and looked towards him, many with eyes filled with appreciation, gratitude and respect. Many gave soft smiles with silent looks of good wishes for the future and others gave looks of deep sadness.

Deakins gave each officer a look in the eye implying appreciation and respect for their hard work, and a gentle smile to let each officer know that the Major Case Squad would be okay.

Without another word, Captain James Deakins walked off into the elevator bay, into the elevator and out of One Police Plaza.


Present Day

Captain Leonard Greenfield stepped off the elevator of the eleventh floor of One Police Plaza intent on finding his office without getting lost, and finding the squad that Captain James Deakins had left behind in one piece still.

Greenfield faced a set of double doors that were labeled Major Case Squad and as he glanced through the clear windows of the door, and saw a squadroom that looked a bit in disarray. Whether or not it was because of Deakins leaving and the squad slacking was a toss-up. Either way, Greenfield would not tolerate slackers.

He opened the doors to the Major Case Squad and stepped into the squadroom. He stood there, staring at each officer attempting to gauge their level of hard work and devotion at first glance. Deciding it was time to announce himself, he cleared his throat and stepped further into the squad room.

"Excuse me, can I have everyone's attention please?" Greenfield announced, causing everyone to turn in his direction. "I'm Captain Leonard Greenfield, your new captain."

Greenfield walked through the squad room while continuing to talk. He glanced at every officer who had stood as a sign of respect to him.

"I understand this is the Major Case Squad, and I realize that your previous captain allowed many of you to run with your own theories, methods and practices, but under my command there will be no sort of unorthodox methods." Greenfield said, glancing at Goren as he said it, "I also do not tolerate loose cannons" throwing a look in Logan's direction, "nor do I tolerate laziness, or inefficiency. We will be running this squad by the book."

Alex glanced at Bobby who looked visibly uncomfortable while listening to their new captain. Bobby in turn looked at the other officers trying to measure how everyone else was reacting to their new captain. Everyone looked visibly shocked and nervous of their new captain.

"I will be observing every single interrogation that occurs in those interrogation rooms, providing my input and criticism on your interrogation technique."

Mike shot Carolyn a look. Mike never took criticism well, and Carolyn didn't like that the new captain would literally be looking over their shoulders each time they interrogated a suspect.

"You will follow orders. Any infraction against an order I've issued will result in insubordination and the appropriate reprimand will be placed in your file."

Mike smirked at that thought. His folder would be full of reprimands that may send him back to Staten Island. "This guy has got to be kiddin' me," he thought.

Greenfield continued, "And if you want to know anything about me, my family, friends, associates, work history, don't ask. I will not share any aspect of my personal life with you."

Every officer in the Major Case Squad continued to listen to their new commanding officer, much to their dismay, the man showed no sign of emotion, social skill or personality.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Greenfield asked, seeing there were no questions and continued, "If not, then I will retire to my office. I will be assigning new cases to each of you within the next few hours."

Greenfield turned and headed into his office, leaving behind a squad full of officers with questions, comments and criticism of their new commanding officer.

Carolyn and Mike had walked over to Alex and Bobby after the captain had disappeared into his office.

"Ohhhhhhhh boy, are we in for a treat or what?" Alex said, "I think we're going to be in tons of trouble with this guy."

"Looks like it," Mike said, "I wonder if he's read my file.."

"Mike, everyone's read your file." Carolyn said, "He seems too rigid for my taste. I'd watch out if I were you Bobby, 'unorthodox methods' seems like something he'd bust you for even with your high solve rate."

"Yeah." Bobby said pondering what he was going to do.

"And I'll be the one on the end of the 'loose cannon' speech. Just dandy." Mike said sarcastically as he shook his head.

Bobby, still thinking stared off into space. Meanwhile, Carolyn, Mike and Alex were still talking, and several minutes later they realized that Bobby wasn't listening.

"Earth to Bobby." Alex said whispering into his ear.

"Hm?" Bobby responded, glancing up at the three officers looking at him.

"What are you thinking about man?" Mike asked, "I know that thinking look of yours."

"It's very ironic how…quickly the Captain had left," Bobby said referring to Deakins, "I know he gave his two weeks notice, I feel like he gave up so easily. He let Frank Adair win, when last year we helped put him away. It just doesn't add up."

"Wait, why does the name Frank Adair sound so familiar?" Carolyn asked.

"He was ex-brass. Caught him last year for murder and sent him up to Sing Sing." Alex said, "Apparently, he's holding a grudge against the Captain for sending him up there."

"He was able to get a friend's sister-in-law to phony up an email that got Officer Martinez on the task force. It was seen as a favor for covering up Logan's ass for the Tarkman shooting." Bobby said.

"We were able to prove that the email was a fake since our server went down a few weeks ago. Bobby compared an email the captain had sent him with the email that the IAB had, and found differences that made it a fake." Alex completed.

"Why didn't the Captain try to clear his name and keep his job?" Carolyn asked, "You would think that someone who helped put Adair away would want to seek justice for himself."

Bobby and Alex looked at each other and then at Mike and Carolyn and shrugged their shoulders.

"What do you say we find out? I'd rather try to get our Captain back than deal with this guy." Mike said, looking into the captain's office through the clear windows. Greenfield was already on the phone after already setting up his desk to be just the way he wanted it.

"I don't think I'm going to like this guy." Mike said, looking at his three other colleagues.

"Let's do it. That is, if we can fly under this guy's radar." Alex says, indicating Greenfield.

The four turned in towards each other in a small huddle and plotted against their new captain.


TBC... ?

Review and let me know what you think. :)
Also, for future fics, I'm looking for a beta, so if you could help out, I'd love you:)