title: One Night at The Black Penny (1/2)
pairings: Jerry/Traci, Dov/Chris bromance (mentions of D/C/G), Sam/Andy, Luke/Gail.
summary: One night told through four different points of view.

rating: PG-13 for Traci/Dov POV / M for Sam's POV (I'm still blushing okay?)
words: 4352!

author's note: Oh lookie here - it's a TWO shot! This one was a BITCH to finish. It has been rewritten SO many times - I mean, I've read it close to a 1000 times. This first part has three different POVs: Traci, Dov and Sam. And as for my fellow Luke/Gail shippers, they have the next installment all to themselves ;)

Enjoy!

DIVISION 15
- 12:03 AM -

It's the end of another long day and Traci is relieved that her next shift isn't for another two days. After almost sixteen hours in a stuffy starchy uniform, the feeling of well-worn jeans and a soft cardigan sweater on her skin is heaven. All she wants to do now is go home, kiss her (hopefully already sleeping) son, and then slip into a hot bath. Maybe even have a glass of wine or two.

A beep interrupts her daydreaming. She realizes it's coming from her cellphone inside her locker.

"Crap." She mutters, flipping open her phone. She forgot she promised Jerry they'd go out for drinks after work. Opening the new text message, she reads that he's waiting for her in his office so they could go to the Penny together. Searching her feelings, she decides her bath will have to wait. While her desire to reschedule their date is strong, her desire to see him is even stronger. So gathering up the last of her things, Traci leaves the locker room in search of her boyfriend.

When she reaches his office, Jerry is standing behind his desk still reading a case file. Her energy level replenishing at the sight of him, she drops her bag and crosses her arms. "Slowly put the file down." She says, the playfulness in her eyes a direct contrast to the commanding tone of her voice.

Jerry looks up and raises an eyebrow, his lips quivering from holding in a smile. "Will handcuffs be involved if I don't?"

Lowering her arms, Traci smiles as she slowly walks towards him, her hips softly swaying side to side. "Oh, it's a definite possibility."

At this point, Traci is standing before him and pulls the file out of his hands. Without breaking eye contact, she drops the file on his desk. The grin he's trying to suppress momentarily escapes before he composes himself. "You sure you're up to it? I mean, I am pretty hard to take down." She rolls her eyes at his immature play on words but doesn't stop him when he places his hands on her hips.

"You might have to use excessive force." He continues, a lustful look in his eyes when she wraps his tie around her right hand, tugging slightly.

"Well, how can I say no to a little police brutality?" She replies, pulling his tie. Their lips meet and she sinks into the kiss with a sigh. His lips move against hers with a familiar rhythm and she feels her fatigue melt away. His fingers deftly slide beneath her sweater's hemline, his touch a branding iron against her skin.

Despite his groaning, and the delicious need to set up shop on his lips, she pulls away. The kiss is briefer than she'd like, but they are still in the station. While their relationship isn't exactly a secret, she isn't comfortable with public displays of affection in the workplace...at least not where people can easily see them. She almost blushes at the thought of their secret rendezvous in (and around) the station. Jerry caresses her cheek with the pad of his thumb, the affection in his gaze making her toes curl.

"You ready to go?" she asks him, disentangling herself from his embrace. She goes to pick up her bag from the floor and stands in the open doorway.

"Yeah." Jerry clears off some more files from his desk before following after her. He switches the lights off and locks the door behind them. Reaching out, he takes the bag from her and Traci feels her heart skip when he winks at her. She makes herself wait until they're entering the parking lot before sliding an arm around his waist, his own arm sliding around her shoulders and pulling her close. She smiles when he presses a kiss to her temple.

THE BLACK PENNY
- 12:34 AM -

The bar is crowded by the time Chris and Dov finally show up. They both get a single beer and find a small table by the back wall. It isn't as close to the bartender as they would have liked, but considering how crowded the bar is, they were lucky enough to find this spot in the first place. Normally they would have parked themselves at Traci's table, which was super close to the bartender, but Jerry is with her and they are sending some major couple vibes.

When it's time for refills, Dov's rock loses to Chris' paper and he walks off with a sour face. Pushing through the crowd, Dov finally makes his way to the bar and places his order. Leaning with his back against the counter, Dov reaches into his pocket for his cell phone and shoots off a quick text to his girlfriend, who is working a double shift. Scrolling down the rest of his contact list, his finger pauses on Gail's name. Not for the first time does he regret his case of verbal diarrhea that night. He never wanted to be that guy and almost destroyed his friendship with Chris over someone he isn't even sure he likes all that much. Okay so Gail isn't half bad, but they would never have spent time together if it wasn't for Chris. After a brief inner debate, he decides against sending her a text invite. The mood between him and Chris was only just getting back to normal and he kind of wants it to be a boy's night out tonight.

Walking back towards his table with a fresh pitcher of beer, Dov hears a familiar laugh and turns his head. He almost drops the pitcher when he sees Gail sitting in one of the side booths with Luke Callaghan. Detective Luke Callaghan who is kind of their boss. These two are the least likely people to be seen together and yet there they are, sitting in a booth together. Dov watches as Callaghan mops up a spill on the table and completely misses the way Gail is looking at him. It reminds Dov of the way she used to look at Chris...and it's freaking him out.

Dov continues walking, almost running, back to his table, hoping that he wasn't caught staring at the two of them. The closer he gets to Chris, the more he decides he isn't going to mention it. The guy has been through enough. It's a decision that ends up being for nothing because when he finally does reach their table, Chris has already noticed the odd couple in the booth.

With a quick glance to Dov, Chris turns back to look at Gail. "Tell me you're seeing what I'm seeing." Chris' face is doing that thing where he looks like he's trying to figure out quantum mechanics.

"Yeah, I saw them when I was coming back from the bar." He says carefully, still waiting for Chris to freak out.

"Are they sitting together?" Chris unnecessarily asks. Dov notices he tends to do that when he's uncomfortable.

"Looks like." He simply replies, pouring some fresh beer into their cups.

Out of nowhere, Chris beings to chuckle nervously. Dov smiles back just as nervously.

"I'm sure they're just talking about a case." Chris says and Dov really hopes he's right. The alternative being too crazy to consider.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Or maybe he's talking to her about her behavior today." Dov points out.

"Yeah, she was out of line wasn't she?"

"I swear when she mentioned Andy and Swarek, I thought he was gonna whip out his sidearm." Dov laughs.

Chris' face turns thoughtful again. "She was kinda of cruel. I wonder what he did to piss her off so much."

Dov snorts, quickly swallowing his beer so he doesn't choke. "Are you kidding? Gail doesn't need a reason to be cruel. It's like, encoded in her DNA or something. The tears of humankind are how she stays alive man."

Chris shakes his head and gives him a reproachful glance. "That's not true Dov. She might be a little rude but she's never cruel."

"Yeah, okay Chris." Dov chuckles.

Their conversation is interrupted when a woman accidentally spills her drink all over Chris' back, causing Dov to crack up. The woman, a busty brunette in a tight blue dress, starts giggling at the sound of Dov's laughter. Reaching for some napkins on the table, she starts patting Chris' back.

"I'm so, so sorry." Chris smiles politely and turns around to face her. "It's okay. Accidents happen." He assures her, looking adorably clueless as he tries to pat his own back dry.

"Well, aren't you a cute one. I'm Annie." She says with a predatory gleam in her eyes, her hands resting a little too long on his back.

Dov rolls his eyes and turns away. The pretty ones always go for Chris, even when he's not even trying. Dov knows he has a girlfriend, a really hot girlfriend who dismantles bombs for a living, but it would still be nice to be the one noticed from time to time.

Dov finds his gaze aimed at Gail again but a movement beneath her table makes his head snap back in shock. Still occupied with Annie, he notices Chris didn't see what he just saw.

Thankful, Dov will never complain about Chris' chick superpowers again.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jerry leaves Traci for a moment to get drinks - a rum and coke for her, a beer for him.

She takes the opportunity to look around the bar, her best friend glaringly absent. Andy texted her earlier saying she was hanging out at Sam's house. Traci snorted to herself when she read it and knew she would be lucky if she ever saw her friend again. Ever since Andy went on suspension a few weeks ago, she's hardly seen her. She's gonna have to have a talk with Sam about giving her girl some time off.

Chris is sitting alone as he waits for Dov, who is standing at the bar with his cell phone in hand. Noelle is sitting at a table by the door with Frank, an obviously non-alcoholic drink placed before the female officer. While they haven't exactly revealed the good news to anyone, Traci knows when a woman in pregnant. She wonders if anyone else has connected the dots yet.

Then there's Gail sitting with Luke.

The conversation she had with Gail earlier that morning in the locker room suddenly pops into her mind. Even though she was kinda prepared for this, seeing the result of that conversation in the flesh is still unnerving. She doesn't know what she was expecting but she knows it wasn't this. She didn't expect them to look so...intense together. Traci takes a quick look around the bar, checking to see if anyone else has noticed the pair.

Desperately anxious to unload some gossip, she waits impatiently for Jerry to return. The knowing smile on his face when he nears their table tells her he knows what she wants. He's become an honorary girlfriend ever since Andy started her sex sabbatical.

"Okay," he says with a sigh, "who are we talking about now?"

"Gail."

"Wow, you wanna be more specific?" He smirks and she gives him a look. "Okay, what about Gail?"

"She's sitting in one of the booths with Callaghan - don't look now!" She smacks him when he ignores her.

Trying to be discreet, he turns his head while bringing his drink to his lips. When the cup in his hand halts in midair, she knows he's seen them.

"What's she doing with Luke?" He looks as confused as she felt this morning.

"They came here together." She says in a lowered voice even though no one they know is near enough to hear her.

Jerry raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"Yeah. I offered Gail a ride here after our shift but she said she didn't need one - that Luke was going to give her ride." She leans onto her hand, not so discreetly staring at the two blondes. "I'm actually surprised he did." She wonders out loud.

"Why do you say that?" Jerry frowns, finally taking a sip of his beer, grimacing when he finds it's warm.

Her eyes widen in remembrance. "Oh right! You weren't in Parade this morning. Gail was being a major bitch to him. At one point she even mentioned Sam and Andy being together and you know that's Luke's hot button."

Jerry forces more warm beer down his throat as he casually turns his head to the booth where Luke and Gail are sitting. After a few seconds, she points her eyes in their direction as well. The booths are usually used by old retired coppers or couples who want a little privacy but these two look as far from a couple as possible. Actually, Traci thinks, they look exactly like a couple. A couple that's in the middle of a fight.

Jerry looks back at her with pity on his face. "Poor bastard...looks like he wants to run for the exit."

"Yeah." Traci agrees, her attention momentarily grabbed by Dov when he practically runs by her table. Well, that's one person who has noticed.

When Traci takes another quick glance back at the booth, Luke is glaring at Gail and speaking extremely low. He looks ready to burst into flames. Gail merely looks amused and Traci can tell it's getting on Luke's nerves. She does have that effect on people.

Reclaiming her attention, Jerry brings her hand up to his mouth and places a small kiss on her palm. When his head comes back up, there's a mischievous glint in his eyes. He's obviously over the spectacle in the booth. "So, my place or yours?"

Traci smiles at his hopeful face, shaking her head. "Neither, I've got Leo tonight." She laughs when he pouts. "But I'm sure my mother can handle him for another hour."

Jerry tilts her chin towards him and places a gentle kiss on her lips. She applies a tiny bit of pressure before pulling back. One of her rules is to never start something they can't finish and she is not going to have sex with him in the bathroom...at least not tonight anyway.

While Jerry is great with the distractions, she can't help herself from looking back at Luke and Gail. That's when a movement under their table startles her and she immediately turns back to her boyfriend.

Jerry notices the change in her demeanor. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She then smiles a bit too wide for it to be normal. "I'm just tired. Long shift today."

Jerry opens his mouth to respond when his eyes trail away. He's looking at Luke and Gail again...and by the shocked stares around her, so is everyone else. Something big is happening and the two blondes are gaining the attention of every pair of eyes in the room, Traci's included.

The entire bar quiets for a moment before buzzing again - this time with gossip.

THE BLACK PENNY
(NOW KNOWN AS THE TWILIGHT ZONE)

Dov almost wants to pinch himself and check if he's dreaming. While he admits that dreaming about this would be weird, at least it would make more sense then if what just happened actually happened.

Turning to look at his best friend, Dov sees Chris is no longer occupied with cleaning his shirt. Not happy with being ignored, Annie pouts and walks away. Dov mourns her departure if only because he doesn't want to be alone with Chris right now. He always ends up putting his foot in his mouth during awkward situations.

"Chris?" He asks when the silence is becoming too much for him.

"Yeah?" Chris' voice comes out strained.

"I don't think they're discussing a case." Dov mentally smacks himself. Foot, say hello to mouth.

Chris suddenly glares at him. "You think?" Dov is a bit alarmed to see such a hostile look on his best friend's usually docile face. He takes a big gulp of his beer and looks away, wishing the floor would just swallow him whole.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Not believing her eyes, Traci turns her head to look at Dov and Chris. By the looks of disbelief on their faces, she knows that what just happened was not a figment of her imagination.

"Oh boy." Jerry whistles.

'Oh boy is right,' she thinks.

What the hell is she gonna she tell Andy?

SAM'S BEDROOM
(NOW KNOWN AS SUSPENSION SEX CENTRAL)
- 12:59 AM -

"Sam."

He feels himself being poked rather violently in the side.

"Sam!"

Mumbling, he brushes the offending hand away.

"Sam! You awake?" Sam groans into his pillow. She's got to be joking.

"McNally, you see how my eyes are shut? It means I'm sleeping. So can you please shut it?" He complains without opening his eyes.

"Well since you're talking to me now, you're obviously awake." Andy quickly shoots back. Sam sighs to himself. Sometimes he wonders what he's gotten himself into. Opening his eyes, Sam's catches her gaze...and he no longer wonders he's gotten himself into.

Wearing nothing but a sheet, hair all mused up from sleep and other activities, she looks like the most perfect thing he's ever seen. What's really perfect is how comfortable she looks while laying half naked in his bed. He involuntarily licks his lips when he notices the sheet bunched up, low around her waist, leaving certain areas uncovered. Almost as if it's got a mind of it's own, his hand slides across the sheeted valley between their bodies and up over her right breast, gently rubbing circles over the nipple with his palm.

"Sam!" His eyes snap back to her face as she slaps his hand away. "Eyes up here Officer." She teases, definitely aware of where his mind was going. She rolls her eyes when he winks at her.

"What is so important that you had to wake me up at," Sam glances at his alarm clock, "one in the morning to tell me?"

"This." She opens her hand and he sees her cell phone cradled in her palm. There's such a serious look on her face that he laughs.

"That is a phone," he says slowly. "It's this new age gadget that people use to communicate with each other. I own one myself." The dimples now making a full fledged appearance on his cheeks.

"I'm surprised you know what it is considering how old you are." Andy gives him a pout with attitude.

"Hey, I'm not that old!"

"You sure about that Mr. AARP?" She says with a quirk of an eyebrow. Sam's smile drops at the reminder.

The fifth morning after their suspension began, Andy decided to get his mail while he was in the shower. When he emerged with only a towel wrapped around his waist, he heard a deep bellied laugh come from his bedroom. Upon reaching his room, he was greeted with the sight of his former-rookie-turned-lover doubled over in laughter, an information packet for "old people" health insurance clutched to her chest.

"I told you it was a mistake. I'm not even forty. There is no way I qualify for that." He spits the last word out like it's a curse.

Andy reaches over and fingers a piece of his slightly greying hair. "Oh really? I don't think your hair got the memo." She laughs when it's his turn to swat her hand away. "Stop distracting me!" She says, shoving her phone in his face again. "Something huge happened at the Penny tonight. Something to do with Gail-"

"Is she missing?" He cuts her off.

"No."

"Is she dying?"

"No."

"Then it can wait til morning." Sam drapes an arm over his face, hoping to put an end to the conversation. Andy doesn't take the hint.

"Gail was at the Penny with a guy who wasn't Chris."

Sam's head snaps up, a look of annoyance on his face as he looks down at her. "Gossip? You woke me up for gossip?" Andy frowns at him, the phone in her hand beeping with a new message from Traci. Her finger hovers over a button. "Do you wanna hear it or not?"

They enter into a brief staring contest before Sam rolls his eyes and falls back into bed. "Go ahead." Andy smiles in victory, knowing that despite all evidence to the contrary, Sam loves gossip.

Watching her face as she reads the new message, Sam gets a bad feeling in his gut when her cheerful smile fades.

"McNally?" He asks when she she's been quiet for a full minute. "What is it?"

Andy comes out of her trance and looks at him. "It's Luke. The guy Gail's with is Luke." She hands Sam her cell phone so he can read it for himself. Her phone beeps again in his hands. Another new message. He opens it automatically.

"Yeah...and that's not all." He says, handing her back the phone, a cautious expression on his face.

After reading the message once...twice...five times, Andy closes the phone. They sit in silence, each absorbing the unbelievable news they just received.

On one hand, Sam's relieved the guy is turning his attention onto someone who isn't Andy. But on the other hand, Sam is also afraid of Andy's reaction - hoping she doesn't go into a jealously spiral and start doubting her decision to be with him.

"Hey," he says after the silence becomes too much, "what's going on in that head of yours?" He's terrified of the truth but he knows that if he is going to do this, really be with her for the long haul, he is going to have to learn to communicate with her. Something he's always shied away from in his past relationships. Andy doesn't look at him at first, biting her bottom lip in thought. He knows she does that when trying to sort out her feelings. Sam tries hard to keep a blank face because he wants her to focus on her own feelings, but she must have seen the look of worry in his eyes. A weirdly peaceful smile appears on her face.

"Sam, I'm okay." She reaches out and presses a finger against his creased brow. "Stop frowning, you're gonna give yourself more wrinkles."

"They're called laugh lines." He playfully corrects her, glad for the change in mood.

Andy rolls her eyes. "About. Aboot. Same thing." Sam laughs. She's just so Canadian sometimes.

Her face turns serious again, pressing her palm against his cheek. "Look Sam. Luke cheating on me is always gonna hurt, but I'm over it. I'm over him. I've moved on and he should to."

Without Sam saying a word, Andy must have sensed the deeper issue, his fear of losing her, and so she moves closer towards him. Sam automatically wraps his arms around her, pulling her as close to his body as possible. Andy angles her face up to look into his eyes.

"And even if he is being a dick and just using Gail to make me jealous or to get back at me, it doesn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere." Sam brushes the tip of his nose against hers, closes his eyes and exhales deeply.

Andy suddenly bursts into giggles and he pulls back a little worried, wondering if she's lost it.

"What's so funny?" His dimples are exchanged for a look of confusion.

Resting her hands on his chest, she says "You know I almost feel bad for him. Gail's kind of a tease."

Sam smirks, knowing the next words are gonna get him in trouble. "Takes one to know one."

Andy gasps and slaps him on the chest. "You did not just say that!" She moves to get off the bed but his hold on her is strong. He rolls on top of her, his weight pinning her down to the mattress. Instinctively, her legs wrap around his waist. Andy's escape attempts cease when she feels his hands suddenly roam down her legs and stop on her ass. He gives it a squeeze.

Andy pouts at him, this time a hungry look in her eyes. "Dirty move Officer."

Sam knows she wants to be kissed when her chin tilts upward. Their lips are a breath away when he suddenly pulls back.

"You sure you're okay?" Sam hates second guessing himself but he needs to be sure. Thankfully Andy doesn't seem bothered reassuring him.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here." She reaches up and places a kiss on his neck. "I'm exactly where I want to be."

Hearing and feeling the truth in her words, Sam finally allows himself to relax. The removal of the bed sheet also helps. The sensation of her body against his always serves as the perfect distraction. Andy's hands grip his shoulders and he moans when she nibbles his left earlobe, one of her feet rubbing his calf. Suddenly, he finds himself on his back, Andy straddling him with a victorious smile on her face. She kisses him firmly on the mouth, softly biting his lower lip as she pulls away.

Reaching towards the shelf over the bed for a condom, her breath falters when she feels his mouth on her breast. She drops the small foil packet.

"Sam." She scolds, reaching for a new one when his tongue swirls around her nipple. She drops that one too.

Hating to do it, she pulls away from him, the movement causing a soft pop to sound when his lips suddenly find themselves alone. He smirks up at her, watching as she rips the packet open with her teeth. A joke dies on his lips as she touches him intimately. A breath catches in his throat when he feels her hand on his erection, rolling the condom on and guiding him into position. Guiding him to the only home he's known for the past couple weeks.

"And this is exactly where I want you to be." Andy's voice comes out in a breathless whisper as her eyes shut slowly, her body sinking down until he is completely inside her. He hisses in pain when her nails dig into his chest, while his hips try to match the tortuously slow rhythm she's creating.

Luke and Gail who?

Next part should be up really soon.
R&R please =)

disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.