A/N: So this originated simply as a passing thought in my head after watching a few episodes of Rookie Blue and Flashpoint back to back. It wouldn't actually get out of my head until I started writing and manifested into a quick little story. It's probably not the best written fic out there, and maybe not exactly well thought out but I'm okay with that and hopefully at least one person out there will get some sort of enjoyment out of reading it. I apologize if it is truly horrible. Everything is written so updates should be speedy. Happy Reading.
DISCLAIMER: All television shows and other copyrighted material referenced to in this story including characters, setting, events are property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners/creators/producers of either media franchise. This work is an interpretation or original material and characters and not for profit. Any references to real persons, places, or events are done so in a fictional context and are no way factual. No copyright infringement intended.
CHAPTER 1 - A New Face.
"Pick up the pace Spikey, I thought they trained you better in the SRU!" He called out to his friend who had fallen a couple of paces behind him, something that between normal friends wouldn't have caused many taunts but when a regular beat cop jogs for fun with his pal, SRU's Team One bomb specialist, any time he can get a leg up he's going to rub it in.
"C'mon Sam, it was long shift last night" Spike called out to one of 15th Divisions finest, the charming and sarcastic plays by his own rules Officer Swarek. "Should've stayed my ass in bed." Spike mumbled under his breath before kicking it up a notch to close the distance between the two friends. Hearing the laughter from his friend told him that he hadn't been as quiet with his last remark as he had hoped but that didn't stop him from breaking out in a smile himself, though that was probably more because he was closing the distance which got him close enough to Sam to give him a friendly push, throwing him off his game before moving past him, the finish line in sight.
"Oh so that's what they mean by any means necessary." Sam said as he stumbled for a few feet before regaining his centre of gravity, this time it was his turn to kick it up a notch and salvage this run although it wasn't exactly about the run, it never really was. It was about the fifty dollars the winner picked up at the finish line and the thought about not having to buy drinks after Friday's shift.
If it would have been a professional race they would have needed a photographer at the ready, that's how close it was, but Spike's hand touched the statue first followed only seconds later by Sam's the momentum behind both of them not heading their request to stop and soon both men were on the ground staring at the cloud riddled sky trying to catch their breaths. "Pay up Swarek." was all Spike said as he focused on catching his breath.
"Don't worry, you'll get your money and I guess I'll see you at the Penny friday night. Saves me from driving across town to your neck of the woods." Sam laughed through heaved breaths using his own techniques to catch his breath, he didn't exactly have the sniper control that Spike and the rest of his friends teammates did, but his methods worked for him.
"Hope you don't mind buying for the whole gang, we're looking to celebrate Friday, newest Rookie just finished her six month probation." Spike said sensing that Sam was about to take the conversation in a non work related direction Spike stepped in first. "Don't even think about it Sammy, wipe that smile off your face."
The other man had to laugh at his friend, he knew he him pretty well, "I didn't say anything." He defended himself first and though he'd heard what Spike said loud and clear it wasn't about to change anything. "For the record I wasn't going to say anything, I was just going to ask what she was like, is all." Although it was true enough, Sam had to admit that he was pretty curious about the only female that was good enough to make it on to Team One. "I don't think you give your old pal enough credit."
"What's this, Sammy taking a seat amongst the tables and common folk, looks like someone lost a bet." Oliver Shaw sat down next to his friend, a beer for both of them and an expectant look upon his face. At 15 it was rare that Swarek lost a bet and it barely ever happened that he lost money in a poker game so this promised to be something good.
Sam leaned backed with an eye roll making his beer feel at home in his hand as he waited for his company to join him, that was the thing with SRU, despite having set shifts they could never tell how long their actual shift would go once they were called to a scene. "Not that exciting, lost a run to Spike by a couple of seconds so now I'm buying all night but the longer it takes for them to show up the shorter that'll be." Sam explained giving a grin wide enough to display his dimples though it might have been too soon.
"Oh ho, Sammy I wouldn't be grinning like that all too soon." Spike said clasping his hands on his friends shoulders before sitting down, the rest of the team following suit joining Sam and Oliver at the tables Sam had chosen for the night.
"Here I was hoping you guys would have been at least an hour longer, you need to let someone else do the negotiations Greg." Sam joked as he signaled the bartender for enough beer for everyone, Greg the boss of the team simply responded with the usual 'No one else will take it' sort of thing. Honestly he didn't really care, it wasn't that often the group of them could all get together for this kind of thing considering the demanding hours and work each of them did it was a wonder they had a social life at all. Of course cops socializing with other cops isn't necessarily socializing but if doctors can get away with it, why shouldn't they.
Somewhere between finishing his half empty beer and getting ready to start the one that came with the round he'd ordered for everyone Sam missed the fact that the newest official member of his friend's team had been missing, but before he could think too much on it an attractive female, dressed for comfort appeared at their table with enough shots of something for everyone at the table. "Though we told you not to worry about the drinks tonight?" Spike interjected as she slid drinks to everyone at the table.
"I know, I know, but I just figured since I made it past my six months I'd buy one celebratory round." The woman said with a bright smile as she took a seat next to Spike and across the table from Sam.
"Jules meet Oliver and Sam, friends from the academy. Sammy's the one you can thank for the drinks tonight." Spike said making the introductions, both officers raising their glasses in a welcomed salute and she laughed while playing along, thanking Sam for the drinks he'd be buying, thankfully he'd brought plastic instead of cash and had already started a tab by the time Oliver had joined him. Before anymore time could be wasted and the shots could get any warmer someone raised the glass and congratulated Jules on successfully becoming part of Team One, and even though Sam and Oliver didn't belong to the team they joined in and everyone downed their shot chasing it with the beers provided by Sam.
Over the course of the next few hours the large group of friends sat at the table drinking their beers and sharing stories, each story varied in humour and intensity given the differences between what the SRU are called in for and everything else that is laid at the feet of the Officers at 15, and without meaning it to it slowly became a competition between the members of SRU and the two Officers of 15 to come up with a story that would ultimately win out over the other. The all stayed away from the truly tragic ones, the ones no cop from any background wants to relive, Oliver was doing a good job at bring the ones that brought tears to the other's eyes to the table while Spike and Lou gave a suspenseful tale of bomb that hand't been set right.
Silence didn't hit the table until the last call bell rang and everyone was silently trying to debate just how they'd be able to pull another couple of drinks out of Sam before he headed to the bar to settle up his tab, something they all knew he wasn't about to ask the total of, he'd simply hand over the card and be done with it. That was how it always went when something like this happened.
Standing at the bar and waiting for the receipt and the card back Sam found himself grateful that he wasn't in Oliver's shoes, he had no one to answer to when his monthly statement would appear in the mail at the beginning of next month, the only way he ever ended up sleeping on his couch was because he wanted to or had fallen asleep there absently whether it was because of a long day or because he couldn't get his mind off a case. That was part of the reason he kept the beats and what on a smaller scale with Oliver, he didn't want Zoe to string up his friend knowing she could be a bit over reactive.
Deep in thought he was pulled out when he felt the weight of the very man he was thinking about hand clasp his shoulder, "Thanks for that Sammy, always a pleasure when you buy. Want me to grab you a cab?" Ever the concerned friend, no matter what and even when Same didn't want to hear it, Oliver and Jerry, he couldn't ask for any better friends, unfortunately Detectives work different hours and the two couldn't pry Jerry away even for a couple of hours.
"Nah, I think I'm just gonna walk it off, see you on Sunday for parade." Sam said waving off his friends concern, the amount he'd drank with his friends he'd be surprised if he'd be functioning enough to wash his truck tomorrow at any point. He got similar farewells from the rest of those that had been at the table while he finally got his card back, sending them all off with similar words of him being fine to walk home, luckily that was how he'd gotten to the bar, he knew he wouldn't be able to drive after the night so why bother with his truck.
The cool air outside hit him hard, the temperature having dropped several degrees, which was to be expected in early September. Shrugging his jacket on further he took a glance around before he started walking.
"Sam?" The calling of his name had him stopping just as he walked off the property, turning to see the only other person from their table for the night lingering behind, he figured she must have been late getting out of the bar, and like him told her friends she'd be fine.
He gave a quick nod, "Jules right?" He questioned though he hadn't forgotten her name at all, "They abandon you to find your own way home, nice bunch of guys huh?" He teased as she made her way over to where he was. The comment earned him a laugh.
"I could say the same about your friend. Which way are you heading?" Jules said, the two already comfortable with one another the rapport from inside the bar easily following them outside despite the buffer of common friends to help.
"North mostly." Sam told her, it was easier than actually giving a decent set of directions, not that that had been what she was looking for. It earned a bit of a 'humph' sound from her and he noticed a slight twinkle in the corner of her eye. "What?" Eyebrow raised in an expectant manner.
"Nothing." She said at first before continuing, the two of them walking in the direction Sam had indicated without really agreeing too, but she was located in a similar direction. "That's not the usual response I get when I ask a guy that question in front of a bar after last call." Jules pointed out with a carefree laugh.
He laughed with her, "Disappointed then?" He questioned before continuing, "Hoping for a 'I'm goin' wherever you're going sweetheart'?" Sam questioned, a different sort of tone to his voice, a skill he'd picked up after a few minor undercover stints over the last few years.
"That was good, undercover?" She asked, her easy way of perceiving others gave Sam the suspicion that it wasn't exactly a coincidence that she was placed with the rest of the boys on the team. Given his knowledge of them he knew it would only be a matter of time before she fit with them quite well.
"Mmmhm. A few times, nothing major. Not yet." Sam said, he had his eyes set on something bigger than a beat cop, not that he hated his job, he actually enjoyed it, loved the feeling of having that authority and doing right by the uniform even if the pants weren't exactly comfortable. Guns and Gangs was the department that always seemed to seep into the back of his mind so whenever a job came up that would get him even an inch closer he volunteered for it.
Before took long the two of them slipped into casual conversation, both of them having no difficulty walking the straight lines that would take them home despite the consumption of alcohol earlier in the evening, it wouldn't have reflected well on either of them or their departments had they been picked up for drunken and disorderly on the way home. Sam wasn't sure exactly when he'd deferred from his path to his house but before long he was standing at steps to an unfamiliar house.
"Thanks for the company, but this is me." Jules said as she turned her attention from Sam to the building they were standing in front of .
"Anytime." He said, a bit impressed how she easily and unnoticeably swayed him into walking her home, though his thought process was a bit muddled at the moment and if he spent any more time then necessary in his currently clothes he was pretty sure he'd smell like booze for his late shift on Sunday. Before heading up the steps and into her apartment she thanked Sam again leaving him to find his way back to his apartment in the quickest path he could, leaving him with the feeling that that parting wasn't going to be the last time they crossed paths.