Early evening on a Friday in late April
Her thumb hovers over the send button before she finally closes the distance, pressing the glass hesitantly. Leaning against her locker, Eddie Janko grips her phone tight against her chest, covering the circular pendant on the simple gold chain around her neck.
She isn't sure how she didn't let anything slip from her lips today, sitting across from him for several hours at their desks as they ride out their reduced suspension from patrol. She figures it is better to talk about this issue over their regular after-tour beers rather than somewhere in the precinct or over the phone; but no matter where they are when she addresses him, it definitely won't be an easy conversation.
Jamie Reagan is putting the finishing touches on his last report for the day when he is interrupted by a vibration from his pants pocket. He considers ignoring it but impulsively retrieves his phone instead, having not checked it since he returned from lunch by himself.
He honestly could not remember the last time he had an on-duty meal alone. It probably should not have been so foreign, seeing as he eats most off-duty meals unaccompanied, but he truly felt like a fish out of water munching on his slice of veggie-lover's pizza without his spunky, all-consuming partner devouring a couple of meat-lover's slices next to him.
When the screen illuminates, the top notification causes his face to brighten in response, pushing the unpleasant realization to the back of his mind. He eagerly swipes across his finger to reply to her well-timed message: 'Wanna cash that raincheck I owe you for drinks tonight?'
Early morning on a Wednesday in late April
"Some believe our path is already written, that life reveals itself to us. I believe we make our own way, with our own choices," Police Commissioner Frank Reagan pauses to collect his father's antique weapon after sharing some wisdom with his youngest. "Thanks for spending some time with your old man," Frank bids his son farewell as he grabs his bag to leave the shooting range.
As his father walks away, Jamie faintly replies, "Yeah." He takes a second to process the conversation then turns to gather his own duffel bag. He is surprised to find an envelope from the Police Commissioner's Office atop the contents of his unzipped bag. By the time he picks up the letter and returns his focus toward the exit, his father is nowhere to be found. Unsure of what the envelope holds, he decides to wait until he is in the privacy of his car to open it and find out.
Sitting in the driver's seat of his Chevelle [he finally finished fixing it during their last suspension... when he didn't know who Barry was but considered him to be out of the picture], Jamie pulls the envelope from his pocket and holds it in front of him against the steering wheel. He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, then his finger starts to slide under the sealed flap. He removes and unfolds the letter. He looks over it cursorily, then it hits him.
The other cops in the family would probably be displeased with his reaction to receiving the chance for a promotion. He immediately stuffs the letter back in the envelope and shoves it back in his duffel bag on the passenger seat. He quickly runs a hand over his aggravated expression, then he turns the key in the ignition and speeds away to the 12th.
After changing into his uniform, the re-stuffed envelope is staring back at him next to his empty bag on the locker room bench. In a moment of sudden clarity, he scoops up the unwanted NYPD Sergeant's Exam application and sticks it in his pants pocket; he knows exactly who he should give it to.
Their Wednesday shift (before lunch)
Rumors about the Sergeant's Exam begin to spread like wildfire. Since Jamie and Eddie are restricted to "house mice" [Jamie was able to get their month-long suspension reduced to just 10 days of desk duty, which they began to serve after the trial], they seem to know the intentions of every other eligible officer in the precinct by lunchtime.
Jamie is trying to avoid divulging his disinterest in a potential promotion opportunity while concocting his master plan to give his partner the application from his father.
Eddie notices that Jamie had been almost mute since their shift started, basically pantomiming to get what he needed from her and only using words when she couldn't read his mind. Since she had been shot a few weeks back, her partner definitely had been more reserved than usual; but today, he's nearing complete apathy.
She knows he loathes when promotion becomes the "topic du jour", but he had never been this disconnected from his surroundings. As much as being stuck at their desks for a few more days did not help bridge his detachment, she is certain there's much more bouncing around in his Ivy League brain that's causing him to be so aloof. She chooses to stay away from the subject until their upcoming lunch break, so he could have the option to truthfully vent his frustrations if he wishes.
