The Consequences of Digging
RATING: PG-13
SEASON: Set after 'Chimera' during season 7
SPOILERS: 'Chimera'
CATERGORY: Missing Scene
PAIRING: None
SUMMARY: Do you really think that a lowly Detective would have got away with conducting an illegal background check on a highly decorated military officer involved in a highly classified operation without reprimand? No, I don't think so either.
WARNINGS: A few minor curses.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. If I did Sam and Jack would be married with a daughter named Grace by now and Pete would never have existed but that's canon and so that's what I'll use.
A/N: For the purpose of this exercise I decided Pete needed a nickname so he's been dubbed 'Shamrock' by his buddies for his Irish roots and his unbelievable luck with gorgeous women and dodging bullets.
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Pete strolled into his station in Denver with his arm in a sling to be greeted by several amused faces.
"Yo, Shamrock? What happened? Your Fly-girl beat you up for not doing the dishes?"
Pete smiled.
"Hey, don't laugh! She'd kick your ass to the middle of next week, Steve! And, for the record, no, Sam didn't shoot me."
Suddenly another face appeared.
"New woman? What's that, the third one in a month? Don't tell me, she's some stocky green fightin' machine with a buzz cut and bra-burning tendencies, right? You sure know how to pick 'em, Pete!"
Steve let out a long, low whistle.
"Oh, you haven't seen this one yet, Mike! She might be military but she's a hottie all right! Blonde hair, blue eyes, legs up to here!" He said, gesturing up to his chin. He turned to Pete. "Seriously, man, how do you get these babes?"
Pete grinned.
"What can I say? The ladies love me!"
Before anyone else could pass further comment or speculation as to Pete's latest girl, a loud bark suddenly stunned them all to silence.
"SHANAHAN! GET YOUR ASS IN MY OFFICE IN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS OR I'LL HAVE THAT IN A SLING TOO!"
The whole room went silent until the sound of a door being slammed broke it.
"Shit, Shamrock! What the hell did you do to piss the Captain off like that?"
Steve received no reply as Pete was already half-way across the bullpen towards his Superior's office.
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The door opened cautiously as Detective Peter Shanahan gingerly stepped through to be greeted with another bark.
"Close the door and SIT DOWN, Detective!"
Pete did as he was told. Captain Forrester was not a man to be messed with.
"You wanted to see me, Captain?"
Forrester clasped his hands together and leant forward menacingly across his desk.
"Yes, Detective, I'd like you to explain to me why exactly I have just spent the last hour on the phone with a very irate Air Force General regarding an illegal background check you conducted upon one of his personnel and an undercover operation you almost blew!"
Pete's face paled as he began to stutter.
"Captain, I, I… how did he-"
"Cut the bullshit, son, I want the truth! And, please God, tell me this has nothing to do with your latest conquest!"
Pete visibly shrunk and refused to meet his Captain's eyes.
"Sir, I, you see, there's this woman I've recently started dating and, well, she's in the Air Force." The Captain rolled his eyes but said nothing. "She, Sam I mean, wouldn't tell me what she did in the Air Force, she's always disappearing in the middle of the night and I… got curious. Captain."
"So, let me fill in the rest. You got… curious, you made a call to a buddy at the Pentagon and called in a favor, you decided to conduct a little private investigation and now we're sitting in my office having this discussion. That about cover it?" Forrester said in a less-than-pleased tone.
"Yes, Captain."
"Well, I hope it was worth it, Shanahan. As of this moment you have a severe reprimand on your permanent record and have a seven day suspension. Given your current state, however, you're not fit to return to active duty for at least the next two weeks so I suggest you take some time off and take a trip to Colorado Springs."
Pete looked severely chastised but he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized how badly he'd screwed up and how lightly he was getting off.
"Yes, Sir. Is that all, Captain?"
The Captain waved his hand towards the door.
"One more thing, Shanahan. You're extremely lucky I didn't bust you back down to beat cop for this episode! Just make sure that it never happens again, am I clear?"
"Crystal, Captain!" he announced before exiting the room in record time. Looks like he was going back to the 'Springs. He had some rather large fences to mend!
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A/N: This is what comes from watching 'Lethal Weapon 3' at the insistence of fellow S/Jers! I would really appreciate your opinions on this story so if you have one could you please let me know? Thanks!