It was just like any other workday, detectives moving in and out of his office, phones ringing incessantly. A meeting with the brass over something that one of them had done. A cold case that suddenly became relevant again because of a new lead.
He didn't think any of them knew, or even cared for that matter. And by the end of the day, he'd completely forgotten about it. After all, there were a lot more important things to worry about…such as getting IAD to lay off of one of his detectives. Or keeping another from crossing the line in the interrogation room.
With all the activity that took place in the squad room and in his office, he didn't see it until he was putting on his coat and preparing to leave for home. But there it was, at first nothing more than a small flash of color that he saw from the corner of his eye, and then an envelope.
When he looked out into the squad room, there the four of them were, arguing over the paperwork, over what belonged to who, and whose turn it was to take the most of it. A few seconds passed before he opened the envelope, a faint smile crossing his face when he saw what was inside.
None of them noticed him standing there, reading what they'd left for him, but it hardly mattered. The thought behind it was enough, and he stood there for a long moment after he'd finished, just looking at them. It was amazing, he mused, how the four of them always managed to know what was going on, even when no one had said anything.
He walked past the four of them without a word that night, completely missing the amused looks on their faces when they saw what he was holding: a simple card, signed by the lot of them, given to wish him a happy birthday.