AN: I learned something new about myself - writing a full story before posting it, is not my thing. Somehow, it doesn't feel right, because I'm not sharing it with anyone. If I have a finished chapter - I want to post it, not let it marinade till I finish writing a full story.
So, here is my newest AU installment. Another take on, how I imagine things could have turned out differently.
Stef POV
As I thought about it, there were quite a few things I enjoyed about working the night shift. One of the main reasons were the empty and quiet streets. During the night time the street lights illuminates the streets in almost romantic manner. There was a small fog in the air, but it was starting to disperse, giving the city a slightly mysterious feeling. The stars, which can be seen in the clear, dark sky compliments the city like a smile on people's face. It's magical, how peaceful and beautiful the city is. To make it even better, one of the best views to witness is the Sunrise as you drive along the coast line. Walk on beach is even better, Lena loves it. All of that, makes me fall in love with San Diego over and over again. I have lived here for over 40 years, but the city never gets boring.
Now, at 3:23AM the Sun is still hidden behind the horizon.
Despite the view, we couldn't get distracted, because we were still on job and needed to be on high alert. Loosing alertness in my line of duty could turn our dangerous if not even deadly. Situation can change in a matter of seconds and we needed to react properly no matter the hour of the day.
"Hey, slow down!" I called out suddenly, when I noticed someone walking further down the road we were driving. I took my arm off the doors and sat up straighter as all of my attention was on the person who was staggering down the street with a bottle in one hand. The person was dragging their feet, tripping over almost every crack and bump, barely evading bumping into lamp posts.
When we got closer, I could finally distinguish that it was a male and it was a beer bottle in his hand. It didn't look like he was homeless, his clothes looked clean and in one piece. He was simply too intoxicated to walk straight. In this state, he could be a danger to himself. Falling down, could lead to head trauma, for example. He could be easily robbed. Navigating drunk could also take him miles opposite way from his true destination - his home. And what if someone was home, waiting for him, worrying sick?
We were obliged to help him. To get him to safety. We will pick him up, check his ID and drop him off at home, if we get his address out of him. If not, he will sleep it off in one of our holding cells and we will sort it out in the morning, once he sobers up.
"I see it!" Mike answered, slowing the car down as we prepared to stop next to him
As we were driving up, the man raised the bottle up to his lips, drinking it for couple of seconds, but once it was empty, he tossed the bottle down to the ground, shattering it and walking away. The next moment he stops at a mail box, reached down to his crotch and unzipped his pants.
"Oh, man...don't," Mike muttered to himself as we witnessed him starting to urinate on the mail box "At least he didn't pee himself," my partner commented, when he saw how I scrunched up my nose in dislike of the sight in front of me
"Let's hope he doesn't puke in our car," I said before getting out of the car, going over to him to arrest him from small minor offenses, public urination for one.
"I'm walking out of the station as I speak," I said grabbing my bag from my desk and turning towards the exit
"I left a plate of scrambled eggs in the fridge for you," Lena told me while I walked through the break hall. In the background I heard the kids chatter and car engines running. They must be at the school already.
"Thanks, love. Are you at school already?"
"Yes. I'm walking towards school as we speak. Twins and Brandon already went to class," Lena replied. Her voice was barely audible as the school bell had rang out "I have to go. Go home, get some rest. I love you."
"I will. Love you too," I answered before ending the phone call. By that time, I was already by the main entrance in the precinct and with my free hand I was reaching for the door-handle.
What I hadn't anticipated, was for the doors to be opened unexpectedly from the other side, almost resulting in me getting hit in the face. I jumped back, avoiding the swinging doors, but the next second someone bumped into me. The force with which the person had come onto me was so strong, that I nearly lost my footing and fell down.
"Oh, gosh!" the person said apologetically right after the impact, when I started to regained my footing "I didn't mean to—didn't see you there. I'm so sorry!"
"It's all right," I assured as I stood up straight, finally getting a look at the person, who had ran into me.
It was a young girl, still a teen. She had a backpack over her shoulders. Her brown hair was taken in ponytail. She had flushed cheeks, like she had been running. Now that I got few seconds to observe her, I noticed that she was a little out of her breath as well. The girls clothes, unlike my daughters, were missing the bright colors and they were definitely not in the fashion trends. Converse sneakers – classic.
Her eyes sparked up, at our eye-contact. For a moment I thought she looked delighted and glad to see me, almost as if she had ran into an old friend. It seemed as if she recognized me.
But that can't be right because I don't think that we have ever met before. At least I do not recall it. I might have simply imagined it, because I had just finished the night shift and I was worn out and exhausted.
The girl rubbed her hands nervously at her tights "You work here?" she questioned. There was some excitement heard in her voice. While she did look like she recognized me, she didn't express her excitement of running into me further, nor did she ask me for any personal favor or questioned if I recognized her as well.
"I do," I thought it was obvious, because I was still in my full uniform and was on my way out of the building "But my shift just ended, so I'm on my way out, actually," I pointed to the doors, hoping that this conversation doesn't drag on for too long for all I wanted right now, was to sleep.
"Oh," she breathed out disappointed. Her eyes darted around as if she was looking for something or someone "Well, maybe, you could quickly direct me to the person with whom I have to speak with to get someone out of holding?"
"Who exactly are you looking for?" I asked getting slightly curious as to who the girl was trying to bail out of holding. There were multiple people in the holding as far as I knew – the drunk guy Mike and I picked up, a burglar, four men ,who were all arrested for a fight at a bar, a woman, who was arrested for prostitution, and a young boy, Mike and I cough tagging a wall just hour ago. Right now, I was betting on the young boy. He could possibly be her boyfriend or just a friend. The boy was 18 and the girl seemed to be around the same age, maybe a year younger.
The girl averted her eyes down "My...my dad," she said shyly. Without a doubt she felt ashamed for her dad. "He got arrested this morning," her head swung up and she looked to me "Not for anything too bad. He just got drunk. The police apparently picked him up for public urinating among other small offenses."
"Is your dad's name Donald Jacob by any chance?" I questioned back connecting the dots in my mind. To me it was pretty clear that she was talking about the guy Mike and I picked up couple of hours ago.
When we processed him, it turned out he had quite the past. His prints were in the system. The man had spend 4 years in prison for manslaughter. Couple of years ago he had caused a car crash while driving under influence, in which two people had lost their lives, including his wife. He got out of jail two years sooner to what he was initially sentenced for good behavior and because the prison was overcrowded. This was the first sign of trouble he had caused since his release almost 2 years ago. I really hope he won't make a slip again, I would hate to see him being locked back up.
The girls eyes grew bigger "Yes. How did you know?"
"I'm officer Stefanie Adams Foster - one of the officers, who picked up your father this morning," I explained. The girl only nodded her head at my explanation as she continued to gaze to my eyes.
Something in the girls brown eyes started to seem familiar all of a sudden. Only few minutes ago, I had thought she had been glad to have had ran into me. That feeling started to resurface and it grew stronger the longer I get to talk to her and observe her. Maybe I have met this girl before, but my old head won't allow me to remember it. Her face features, her stare, the way she stood, the way she spoke, her aura – it all seemed familiar. When, why, where or how – those were the questions that I did not have an answer at this point.
I have met and talked to so many people on the job that it's hard to recall everyone. So different faces, so different reasons, thousands of different stories and experiences. Eventually I will place her, I was sure of it. It's only matter of time.
At this point, I had forgotten that I was heading home. I wanted to see this through. An unsettling feeling didn't leave me as well, all because this girl was coming to bail out a grown man - her father. I had excepted to see a wife or girlfriend, maybe a friend, but not his daughter, who, I was sure, wasn't even an adult. This without a doubt will change their relationships, possibly not in a good way. She might start to resent this man, that is, if she doesn't already. At least, over the time Brandon started to resent his father: for drinking, for not showing up, for the constant excuses that he had made to him and for the broken promises. Thankfully, Mike cleaned up his act and he started to repair the relationship with his son.
"What's your name?" I asked silently hoping that learning her name with spark something in my memory
"Callie," she replied without much hesitation. Sadly, learning her name, didn't make me recall how I knew this girl. In my phones contact list there is no one by that name.
"Come with me, Callie," I gestured to the hallway "I'll help you sort this out."
"I thought your shift ended?" the girl recalled my words, remaining standing still, questioning my motives
"It will, once we get your dad out of the holding cell and you to school as soon as possible," I smiled at the girl and softly touched her upper arm. The girl nodded her head, accepting my help, and followed me inside the precinct.
