Title: Life in the Boomtown

Summary: Charlie Crews meets Joel Stevens at a diner to talk… Spoilers for both series are present

Notes: Damian Lewis (Crews) and Donnie Wahlberg (Stevens) starred in "Band of Brothers" and both have now played L.A. detectives on TV, inspiring me to write this crossover of sorts.

The diner was relatively full of the breakfast crowd when Charlie Crews walked in. It was a frequent hangout for cops who were grabbing breakfast after having pulled a late shift the night before, so no one looked twice when Crews joined another detective sitting alone at a booth.

"Thanks for meeting me, Joel," Crews said, sliding into the booth to sit across from the man.

"No problem, Charlie." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's, uh, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" he added.

"Yeah," Crews agreed. "It has."

Joel glanced down at the tabletop, then back up at Crews, guilt written plainly on his face. "I'm sorry I never came to visit much."

"Hey, at least you came," the other detective replied, only half-joking.

"Yeah, well, things at home were… they weren't so good there, for awhile."

Crews nodded, studying the man before him.

Wearing a dark leather jacket, gray t-shirt, and khaki pants, Detective Joel Stevens looked just like any other guy having breakfast at a diner. Contrasted with Crews in his tailored, brand-name suit and silk tie, it was somewhat difficult to imagine these two men ever crossing paths. But Crews had met Joel when they were both at the police academy, and they had become acquaintances before Crews' arrest for the Seyboldt murders.

After he was back on the job, now as a detective, Charlie had asked a few carefully worded questions about people he had known on the force or back at the academy. It was through those questions that he had heard about Joel's troubles at home. They had only been whispers, but nowadays, Crews paid attention to the law enforcement grapevine, even—and sometimes, especially—the whispers.

"I was sorry to hear about your baby," Charlie said now.

"Thanks. Kelly and I…we got through it, though," Joel said quietly. Crews noticed Stevens' right hand move to touch his left ring finger, as if to twist a ring that was no longer there, but then Joel caught himself and took a deep breath, ready to change the subject. "So, what did you want to talk to me about, Charlie?"

"It, uh, it's personal," the ex-con admitted. "And professional, actually," he added after a moment's thought.

Joel chuckled at his answer. "Ok. Go on."

"It's about my partner, Joel. She's…I think she's involved with a superior officer at our station."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, for one thing, I accidentally answered a late-night call from him when my partner and I were in our hotel room."

Joel started to smile. "And why exactly were you in a hotel room with your partner?"

"We were staying there for a case. It was the only room available," Crews said a little defensively.

"Ok, well, you might want to say that sooner the next time you tell this story."

"Anyway, that's why I'm here, Joel. I needed to talk to someone about this, but it had to be someone I trust and who worked outside of my station."

Joel blinked at this. "To be honest, I'm kind of surprised you picked me, Charlie. I figured you'd go to someone else."

"I'd thought about it," Crews revealed, "but I decided on you." He hadn't wanted to bother Ted with this, and Constance was no longer there for him. Besides, he thought Joel had a pretty good guess of what he was feeling.

"Well, what do you think you should do?"

"I don't want to report it. It hasn't affected them on the job. In fact, I'm actually kind of happy for her. It means she's willing to open up to someone. I just…"

"You just wish it was you," Joel finished, a knowing look on his face. A beat passed, then Joel went on. "Well, look, Charlie, all I can say is, if it were me, I'd try to clear the air. Get it out in the open."

"I'm pretty sure she already knows I know."

Joel took a sip of his lukewarm coffee. "That's not what I'm talking about," he said. "Tell her how you feel about her."

As Crews stared at him in surprise, Stevens stood up and put some money on the table for his bill. "I need to get going. But think about what I said?"

Charlie nodded, his expression becoming serious. "I will. Say hi to Teresa for me, will you?"

At the mention of his girlfriend's name, a full-fledged grin broke out onto Joel's face for the first time. "You bet."

-fin-