A/N: So, I'm rather enjoying this whole "prompt" thing :) This is just a little something that popped into my head whilst watching "Devil's Advocate." The cutting just looked too neat to be Stuart's or one of the others :) Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Appreciate
P.C. PRUDE
Jackie looked at the headline and allowed herself a small chuckle, shaking her head. Michael was not going to be happy.
He hated being in the newspapers at all, but this...? This was something else; something that she knew would hurt him. But only if he found out...
Glancing around the empty office she calmly pulled out a pair of scissors and cut the article out of the newspaper. Only then did she go and place it back on his desk, knowing full well that he'd find out eventually but at least this way she could stem the tide a bit.
Hearing Stuart and some others approaching she slipped out of Michael's office, picked up her bag and made her way out to make some enquiries like Michael had asked her to.
Completely forgetting about the newspaper article that she'd left behind in the process.
...
Michael was having a bad day; he was still annoyed that he had lost control in the court room and that the case against Sarah Price had been lost. He'd been made to look like a fool on both counts and he hated looking like a fool.
He noticed a crowd of uniforms and Stuart by his door and frowned.
"Haven't you lot got anything better to do?" he called out, causing them all to scatter.
He came over to read the newspaper clipping that had been stuck on his door: P.C. PRUDE.
Perfect.
Scrunching it in his hand he turned with a malicious smile to find Stuart for a little payback. After sending him off, properly humbled, he entered his office.
He smiled a little when he noticed the newspaper on his desk; Jackie usually left it for him when she'd finished reading it. Or returned it after filching it from his desk, depending on which way you chose to look at it.
Sitting down he picked it up and noticed that the article on the front page had been cut out. Raising an eyebrow he smoothed out the article he'd scrunched: it was a perfect fit.
For the first time in what seemed like all week, Michael smiled.
No wonder the clipping looked like it was too neat to have been cut out by either Stuart or the others.
He'd have to thank her when she came in.
...
Jackie dropped her bag and keys on her desk with a sigh, what a waste of time that had been.
She started slightly as Michael poked his head out of his office, "You got a minute?" he asked. She nodded and went to join him, shutting the door behind her as she did so.
"Vandalism is a new one for you," Michael commented drily, holding up his newspaper.
Jackie gave him a sheepish grin, "I'm sorry, I just didn't think you needed to see that," she explained.
"Apparently not everyone feels the same way," Michael told her, holding up the newspaper cutting, "you should have disposed of the evidence better."
Jackie pulled a face, "Oops, I'll do better next time," she promised with a small smile.
Michael returned the smile as he dropped the cutting in the rubbish bin, "I certainly hope so," he teased.
Sensing that the conversation was over Jackie got up to leave, but Michael called her back. "Thank you, Jackie, I really do appreciate it," he told her sincerely.
"You'd do the same for me," she said with a smile.
"That's where you're wrong Jackie," he told her, she sent him a confused look with a hint of hurt, "if it were you I'd burn every copy," he promised.
She laughed, "I'll hold you to that," she said as she left the office.
Michael smiled as he watched her go before turning back to his newspaper, one day he'd figure out what he'd done to deserve a friend like Jackie, but for now he'd just appreciate the fact that he did.