After reading xxliveforever17xx's Rookie Blue/Flashpoint crossover, it struck me how obvious it was. Sam and Ollie's personalities go perfectly with the SRU guys. And I see no reson they shouldn't go through the good and the bad with him. Set post-2x03 for Rookie Blue, and any time Flashpoint time because let's face it, in my reality Lou's still around!
Please review if you've read this, so I know whether or not to bother with another crossover.
Anna :)
"Swarek, you lazy bastard. How come I have to haul ass to other side of town to have a drink with you? And how come you don't already have a cold beer waiting for me?"
Oliver Shaw glanced between his best friend and the blonde man stood next to him. He was relatively short - still probably had a couple of inches on himself, mind - with a casual navy jacket and t-shirt on... and a pissed off expression. Sammy continued to stare directly ahead, hand gripping his scotch glass like a lifeline. He supposed that for tonight, it was.
"Sam's had a bad day." he told the newcomer vaguely.
Sam Braddock slid into the vacant seat, waving a hand in front of Swarek's face. "You there?"
"Fuck off." he growled.
Braddock raised his eyebrows. Swarek wasn't much of a curser, so if the f-word was making an appearance, he was having a really bad day. Which could mean only one of two things. "Sarah okay?"
"Smashin'." came the monotonous answer.
Braddock sighed, glancing knowningly over Sam's head at Oliver, who nodded. "What did she do?"
"Who?"
"Your rookie, your unobtainable love, your-"
"I'm going to punch you in the face if you don't shut up soon."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Sam shrugged, signalling to the barkeep to pass a beer. "And you punch like my sister."
"Bitch."
Oliver rolled his eyes at the juvenile exchange. The two Sam's had been friends even longer than he and Swarek had, thanks to their shared childhood experiences. Swarek's old man had been a Captain in the Army, so his son's path had crossed occaisionally with the only son of the infamous Colonel Badass. But Braddock got away with pulling more shit on Swarek than anyone else would, so he wouldn't argue.
"Whatever, Swarek. So come on, what did she do to get you looking like you did after Anton Hill made you?"
"He didn't make me, McNally burned me."
"What's the difference."
Sam raised his eyes to look at his old buddy for the first time since he'd walked in. "One means I'm bad at my job, the other means a damn rookie can't help but blunder into things she shouldn't."
"You're changing the subject."
Before Swarek got chance to reply - probably with some obscure threat - a cheer went up as two people wandered into the Penny. Braddock vaguely recognised the woman as Sam's rookie - already a ledgend in their circle - but the tall blonde man was new. "Hey, is that -"
"Yes." Ollie cut in quickly with a warning look.
"To the happy couple!" someone shouted. "Congratulations, Luke and Andy!"
A round of congratulations ensued before Sam realised that this must be Callaghan. "What's going on?"
"McNally's engaged." Sam replied in a rough voice. His friends weren't entirely sure whether it was pain, or too much alcohol.
"Oh, shit."
"Shit what?" a voice asked from behind them.
Braddock glanced round, offering a smile at the people stood there. "Hey guys. Sam's rookie's engaged."
"And judging from the way Sam's trying to drink himself into a coma, I'm gonna guess not to him." Wordy replied understandingly. "C'mon buddy, let's get drunk."
"Shell'd kill me." Swarek mumbled.
"Shelley would understand." he sighed.
Spike and Lou clapped Swarek's shoulder, silent comiserations.
"And Braddock? She's not mine, and she's not a rookie."
"Please." Sam scoffed. "Who's hand did she hold when she got shot? Who's house did she go to when she killed that dude?"
"Shut up."
"Uh-huh."
"Hey guys." Ed and Greg approached them, frowning slightly. "Why does it smell like the floor of a brewery already?"
"We're in a bar, Ed." Spike pointed out with a smirk.
"You know what I mean."
"Sam's rookie got engaged." Braddock told them in a non-too-sensitive tone.
"Braddock, can't you keep your mouth shut for two minutes?"
"No."
"It's true." Lou smirked. "So how you holding up?"
"I'm going to call Boyd. He offered me a spot on Guns 'nd Gangs."
Everyone reached at once as Sam moved for his cellphone. Oliver pocketed it, telling his friend sternly, "Friends don't let friends make drunken phonecalls to jackasses."
Lou nodded. "C'mon. We worked together with Boyd, we both know what he's like. If he thinks you've got any motives for moving other than a desire to be his bitch and do what he says, he'll blacklist you."
Braddock glanced around for the missing team member. "Hey, anyone seen Jules? Oh, never mind, she's - oh, shit. Shit."
"What?" Ollie asked.
"Uh... just remember Sammy, I didn't know. I swear to God I didn't know, and if you hurt me I know plenty of snipers."
Swarek was about to ask what the hell the blonde was babbling on about, but then Jules made her appearance. "Hey, Sammy." she leaned over, kissing Sam Swarek on the temple. "How's it?"
"Excellent."
"Fantastic."
"Super."
"Never better."
"Great."
"Fine."
Answers came from everyone but the man himself. Jules frowned, slightly confused. "What-"
"Jules, you know Swarek?" Callaghan asked with a slight frown.
"Sure, he's been friends with Sam since they were kids, he worked with Lou for a while on GnG... we've known each other a while. Why?"
Luke said nothing, internally cursing Sam for yet another way the Officer had found himself in the Detective's life.
"Guys, this is my brother, Luke."
"Your brother?" Oliver raised his eyebrow. "You never mentioned him."
"He never came up. Anyhow, he's just got engaged!"
The response was near none-existant.
Finally, Greg took pity on his dicomfort. "We heard. Congratulations."
"Um... thanks." Luke frowned slightly. "I'd best get back. Nice to see you. Jules, call me and we can have lunch this weekend?"
"Sure." she replied warmly, hugiing her brother. "And congratulations, again."
"Thanks. Stay safe, sis."
Once she was sure Luke was out of earshot, Jules rounded on the gaggle of Officers. "All right, what's going on? I mean... you're usually a bunch of hooligans and chimps but you can at least pretend to be normal and polite when we go out! What's with the big freeze?"
"You sure you've never heard the name Andy McNally mentioned from anyone but your brother?" Ollie asked, eyebrow raised.
"No... wait, is she-"
Braddock guestured to Swarek silently, giving his friend a meaningful look.
"Shit."
"That's what I said."
The SRU members pulled up stools into some sort of half-assed circle, and Wordy leaned over towards the barkeep. "Hey, can we keep the scotches coming, please? My friend needs to get very, very drunk."
With a look of quiet understanding, the bar tender poured the amber liquid into a glass and slid it towards Swarek, who stared into the bottom forlornly. "Life's a bitch, then you die." he murmured.
Oliver squeezed his shoulder in a show of solidarity. Each member of the group had a silent understanding. Their friend was hurting, and they would be there until the pain subsided. Either that, or until he passed out drunk. They weren't going anywhere soon.
I know, I know. Too many issues with Jules being Luke's sister, but I thought it would make things more interesting. So I'm keeping it that way :)
I hope you liked it! If you did, or didn't... the button below this lets you tell me!
