Jean Innocent

Her end of day routine was always the same, a walk through the station to confirm all was right in her world. She walked through the station, surveying her kingdom. OK, not her kingdom but where she worked. She did feel responsible for each and every member of her team. She worried about them like a mother worried about her children.

It was her job all too frequently to send them into harm's way. There were many a sleepless night caused by this level of concern. Too often she had to mask her concern, be gruff when she'd like nothing more than to be kind. But it wasn't the job, the job was to be tough, to lead.

It had been hard for her at first. Walking the thin line between motherly concern and demanding boss. There were multiple nicknames, Iron Maiden was her personal favorite. She liked to think now those who called her that name meant it with a modicum of respect and affection. Perhaps she was fooling herself, but she did get included in more after hours drinks these days. It didn't feel quite as lonely around the station as it did in the early days.

She chatted with a few. Gave instructions to others. To a few she offered a sympathetic ear. But she still kept moving drawn unerringly to one particular office. As she neared it, she stopped as always to watch. To contemplate the owners of the office and their place in her life.

Laughter distracted her thoughts and she smiled as she automatically parsed each laugh, cataloguing it to the person to whom it belonged. The joint laughter of two Detective Inspectors and the lower laughter of a Detective Sergeant. She s watched them through the window of their shared office.

The office was only intended for use by two people. The three of them had insisted on sharing. Here was one group for which she couldn't draw her line. They were practically family.

The oldest, Lewis, she'd dragged out of retirement. Played on his loyalty to Hathaway and the boredom she'd sensed in him. It had caused a bit of friction with his partner, Laura, but that had passed. She suspected their relationship was stronger for him having something to do. She'd had to endure the cold shoulder from Laura for a few weeks but it had passed and they were back to normal. What she hadn't admitted to anyone was she needed Lewis. He softened her, even when she was blustering at him, he made her see there was more to managing a police station than closing cases. She hadn't realized it until he was gone.

Her eyes turned to Lizzie, her protégé. Many thought James was but he didn't have the temperament to replace her. Lizzie perhaps could. She had the drive, the smarts and she was tough as nails. She'd put up with Hathaway at his worst and decided to stay even as he'd tried to push her away. Of course, most of that decision had likely been because of Lewis but still, she managed the pair of them quite nicely. Lizzie wasn't ready for her position just yet, not that she was ready to retire. But someday she would be. It was her job to make sure Lizzie was ready when that day came.

Finally she smiled as she looked at James. She'd always had a soft spot for him. Not in a sexual way but more familial. He wasn't that much older than her son. He'd seemed lost for as long as she'd known him. She'd hoped his sabbatical would have helped him settle himself. Somehow he'd come back even more at loose ends. She lost the most sleep over him. Always wondering if she should intervene or let him find his footing. Lewis was how she'd interceded. Hoped he would be more inclined to accept help from his former mentor than from her.

His eyes met hers and he smiled. She nodded curtly, embarrassed to have been caught watching them. There was a knowing glint in his eyes but she could see more of the old James there than she'd seen in a long while. He seemed calmer. The three of them as partners seemed to be settling him. She returned his smile before turning to head back to her office. She was confident he wouldn't give her away to the other two. Her moment's observation would be their secret.

As she walked into her outer office her assistant handed her message slips. The top one made her smile. Gathering her things, she turned out the light, closed and locked her door then bade her assistant good night.

It took a few more moments to clear the station doors and make it to her car. More instructions given, words of encouragement even a moment of reproach. Once in her car, she pressed the number 2 button on her mobile. The people inside her station might be a family of sorts but the name on her message slip and the number two button on her phone were home, "Hello Richard."