a/n Just a one shot set after 605, Heart Attack. You could see Flynn wanted to question Brenda about the COP position, but Provenza held him back. I just had to do a follow up for my own sake, lol. No romance, but friendship.
Flynn sat beside Brenda outside the doors of the operating room. They were waiting for the heart surgery that their murderer was performing to be finished, so they could formally take him into custody. Brenda felt for the young girl who was receiving the murdered boys heart, and couldn't let there be another victim in this case. A uniformed officer was in scrubs, stationed within the operating room, but Brenda and her Lieutenant waited outside the door. The case had taken its emotional toll on them. No matter the doctor's intention, it was still murder. Justice for a little girl who had been raped did not give the doctor the right to play God.
Brenda looked over at Flynn, who was making an obvious attempt not to look her way. She could feel the tension in him, that he seemed angry with her. She figured it had to do with the fact that they'd found out she'd applied for Chief of Police but hadn't told them. That Mendoza had let the cat out of the bag. Brenda sighed.
"Do you have any questions for me, Lt.? It seems that you have something to say to me." Brenda said outright.
"Provenza said not to bother you with it. So, I'm not." Flynn continued to look anywhere but at her.
"Well, is Provenza here? No? Well, then go ahead and say what you have to say. I'm a big girl." Brenda replied.
Flynn looked at her finally, wondering why she suddenly wanted to talk. It hadn't been an issue before, not wanting to hear from them.
"Fine. If there is a chance you are leaving us, you should have at least let us know yourself. We're the people who have your back, who you're suppose to trust. Instead, we learn that you've applied to be Chief of Police through Mendoza. It's really great when detectives from other departments know more about your plans then your own team." Disappointment clearly was in his voice.
"Lt., I'm sorry about that. I really am. But to be honest with you, I don't even know if I want the job. And it probably won't be offered to me anyway. I'm not exactly diplomatic. You, of all people, know that."
"Look, if you become COP, all the better to you. I applaud you going after the position. All I'm saying, it was a really crappy way for us to find out. No one else will say anything to you, Provenza made sure of that. But I think the team deserved better than that." Bitterness filled his voice.
"Point taken, Lt. I apologize for not letting you know sooner." Brenda felt like she'd let him and the team down. "Look, I didn't know what to say, to tell you the truth. How do you tell people you consider family that you might be leaving them? And you should have seen the way Pope reacted, me running against him. I really didn't need five more people telling me that I don't have a shot at this."
"You'd have a shot, I know you would. But after five years, you could have trusted us. God, I can't believe we found out from Mendoza. And her sucking up to you like she did? I wasn't sure if she was just sucking up or coming on to you. If any of us had said anything about your outfit like she did, you'd give us a dirty look." Flynn studied the ground.
Brenda didn't know what to say to him. Having left them out of the loop had clearly hurt Flynn and probably the whole team. She'd seen how he'd wanted to question her at the crime scene, but she'd put a stop to it. If he felt bad, she wondered how Gabriel felt. She was probably closer to him then anyone on the team,but hadn't told him either. She slinked down in her seat, feeling bad.
"How are the rest of the team feeling about this? Are they as angry as you are?" she questioned him.
"Tao is fine, I think. You'd never really know with him. Gabriel seems hurt more than anything. He's been your confidante for so long, I think it really bothers him that you didn't at least tell him. Sanchez has had his head up his ass over this boy for weeks now, so he probably wouldn't have cared anyway. Provenza, he's protecting you from us, telling us it's none of our business. But you know what? It is our business. If you leave Major Crimes, where does that leave us?" He got up to walk the hall, he couldn't sit anymore.
Brenda followed him, walking beside him. "Look, Lt., I've said I'm sorry. I just felt kind of pushed into it somehow. Raydor showed up with all these questions and I thought she was vetting Pope. Instead, it was to get a female candidate up for COP. I wasn't even going to apply, but then Fritz thought I should too. I hadn't told him either. He was kind of upset with me, cause Raydor came and questioned him too. Anyway, I kind of wish I hadn't applied. I have no one who can look after Major Crimes for me. And I can't do that to you all."
Flynn stopped to look at her. At least she cared, somewhat, about her team. But the part about no one to look after Major Crimes hurt too. She didn't think anyone from her team could run it, apparently. The tension between them was thick, as they both stood there looking at one another.
"Lieutenant, I didn't want to worry the team for something that may never happen. Besides, how can I say goodbye to all of you? Gabriel is like my little brother. Provenza is that crazy uncle no one wants to admit is in the family. Sanchez was like a big brother, til lately. And Tao, well, he's like that nerdy brother who knows everything. And then there is you." Brenda looked down, not knowing what to say suddenly.
"What about me?" he asked in a soft voice. He searched her face.
Brenda wouldn't meet his gaze. "You're that pain in the ass friend who looks out for you, that you'd do anything for. You give me a lot of grief, but I can't imagine not being around you. It's good to know that you have my back."
Flynn started walking again. "Well, it's good to know we mean something to you. For a while there, I thought we didn't matter."
"Y'all matter more than you know. But it is what it is."
"Okay, Chief, okay. Just, next time you think about leaving us, at least give us a heads up. You know I don't like change."
"Boy, don't I know that. But anyway, deal. If I get this job, which I highly doubt, I'll make sure y'all are taken care of, somehow. But I honestly don't think I'm going anywhere, so you're stuck with your southern pain in the butt." she smiled at him.
Flynn smiled back at her, still ticked within, but couldn't fault her for it. At least she was staying for now, and it would have to be enough for him. Besides, at least he had more time to admire those legs he liked so much. Just then, the operating room doors opened and the uniformed officer brought the doctor to them. It was time to get back to Major Crimes and wrap up this case.