Law and Order: Criminal Intent: Shorthand

Written By LockBox22

Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Everything belongs to their respective owners. I only own my original storyline, plot and any original characters.

o0o

The rhythmic thump of the ball he was bouncing against his desk was soothing to Mike Logan's ears. It was slow day at Major Case – well for him it was a slow day – and there wasn't much to do; he had done everything he could do work related already.

He sensed someone's eyes on him and looked up to see one of his fellow detectives, Alexandra Eames looking at him over the file she was holding. She looked annoyed. Logan gave the ball another bounce. Eames put down her folder and got ready to speak.

She was interrupted by the shout from the captain's office. "Logan! My office." Police Captain James Deakins called from where he was standing in his office door.

Logan dropped the ball into his desk drawer, then walked over to the captain. Deakins motioned him inside and shut the door behind Logan. He was surprised to see that another person was already in the room.

A young woman was sitting on one of the chairs in front of Deakins's desk. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and she was dressed informally in jeans and black leather jacket. She stood as Logan entered the room and he could see a badge and gun underneath the jacket. His first guess was undercover unit, her rank was unknown until Deakins spoke.

"Mike Logan, meet Detective Jami Carter." The Captain introduced them.

Jami held out a hand and Logan took it.

"Jami just transferred in from OCID." Deakins told him.

"That would explain the dress code." Logan said motioning to Jami's outfit.

Jami raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, it is much more relaxed over there." She said taking Logan's comment in stride.

"I'm assigning Jami as your temporary partner." Deakins said ignoring their not so subtle sizing up of one another. "Take some time to get to know each other and if everything works out I assign you on a more permanent basis." He told Logan pointedly.

Deakins's desk phone rang, interrupting anything either of them could have said. "Dismissed." He told them reaching for it.

o0o

Logan closed the captain's door behind them and then turned to his 'partner' only to find that she was already watching him closely. "What?" He asked.

"You haven't been here long, have you?" Jami asked.

"What make you say that?" Logan replied as he led the way to his wobbly desk.

"I don't know. You're just not comfortable around Captain Deakins yet." Jami said keeping up with his long legged stride easier then most woman he had worked with. For some reason, that annoyed him.

"And I suppose you're lifelong friends, right?" Logan commented.

"Defensive, cocky and not much of a conversationalist. I bet they have problems with you." Jami retorted.

Logan opened his mouth to tell her he didn't like to be analyzed by his obviously very junior partner, but was interrupted by Goren.

"Jami! Good to see you again!" The tall detective called from his desk as they walked past.

Jami stopped walking forcing Logan to do the same. "You too, Goren." Jami replied giving the older detective a warm smile.

"It's been what, four years?" Eames asked from across the other desk.

"Crazy, huh?" Jami agreed. "They've kept me busy."

"Yeah, I heard that you made detective." Goren said, drawing her attention towards him once again. "Congratulations."

Jami smiled her thanks.

"The Kings bust do that for you?" Eames asked.

"That and a few others." Jami replied modestly. "We have a great team over there."

"Wait a minute; you brought down the Kings?" Logan asked. Even he had heard of the raid over on Staten Island. Everyone was calling it the bust of the century; or at least it was to NYPD's Organized Crime Investigation Division – OCID for short.

"Well I'd like to say it was just me; but Goren and Eames deserve the bust." Jami said. "Without Goren, I wouldn't be standing here." Her tone had turned reflective and Logan knew that Jami reliving what had happened.

Goren looked embarrassed. "I was only looking out for a fellow officer." He said quietly. "I would have done the same for anyone."

"I know." Jami replied looking straight at the detective for the first time. Logan saw something pass between them; respect.

Clearly, his new partner had already established a good repertoire with the two most well known detectives in Major Case; something he still had to work for. Being tight with the captain had probably played a big part in it. It irked him. Logan didn't like cops who pulled favours to make their way to the top.

The moment was broken when Eames's desk phone rang. "Welcome to Major Case." Eames said as she reached for her phone. "Hope you find it as exciting as OCID."

"I'm sure I will." Jami replied.

Ignoring the small talk behind him, Logan walked to his desk and threw himself into his chair; almost ignoring Jami completely.

Undaunted by Logan's behaviour, Jami followed him and pulled herself up onto his desk. It slide to one side and Logan grabbed his files so they wouldn't fall to the floor. Who did this biker chick think she was anyways?

"Go ahead." She said once the desk had been put back to rights.

"What?" Logan asked confused as he leaned back in his chair.

"You were going to say something before Goren interrupted." She replied.

She was observant, Logan would give her that. "Never mind." He said sensing he was being backed into a corner.

Jami didn't say anything; she just waited. Now he was super annoyed. "I don't like to be analyzed by people, especially by my junior partner." Logan retorted. "But, since we're analyzing each other, I do have some first impressions of you as well."

"I'm listening." Jami replied, shifting to face him more directly.

"First, you mimic people. Their body language and the way they speak and move. You're trying to fit in which means some insecurity. Second, you're very young and have already made detective. Someone has to be pulling favours for you and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who it is. Thirdly, I don't take kindly to people who think they can be detectives just because the brass says they can. You have to earn that badge."

Jami looked slightly amused. A small smile was on her face. "I was wrong. You do talk."

Logan didn't think that comment deserved an answer.

Jami continued. "You're right, I do mimic people. It's saved my life once or twice in undercover work; it's habit." Her voice lowered and the smile dropped off her face. "I may be young, but no one is pulling strings for me. I earned my rank and the badge that goes with it."

Jami slide off the desk and its uneven side banged back to the floor; drawing everyone's attention towards the 'new guys' desk.

They stared at Logan, wondering what in the world the new guy did to make the other detective so angry.
o0o

The rest of the day at Major Case was slow and there was an uneasy silence between Logan and Jami.

Deakins watched them periodically as they both sat at their own desks. Logan still had that wobbly desk and Jami sat at hers, which was a few feet away on the right side of Logan's.

Jami's back was turned to her partner, which made interacting awkward. Though there wasn't a lot of interacting going on between them. They both were reviewing files. Jami, the playbook for Major Case and Logan, a couple of the old cases.

It was an odd arrangement; one that didn't make interaction between them any easier. Not that there was any interacting going on. Deakins would bet that they didn't speak one word the entire day. He would double down that there wasn't even a 'good night' as they both left for the evening.

Deakins sighed as he pushed folders around on his desk. They needed a case. That might help them work out their differences. He hoped he'd made the right decision partnering them together.

tbc