Title: Between Friends - Cold Open

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Not mine, never was.

Summary: Raydor and Johnson clash over the murder of an officer on his beat. Each woman has something to lose, but what if they also discover something they can gain?

A/N: So - this was originally supposed to be a short little 5 parter (+ the original teaser) that I had started to help myself grasp the four act breakdown... but then it spiraled into something even messier, spanning both coasts and introducing the neglected Raydor child, Adam. But for now let's get through the first story and see what happens?

Brenda stamped her foot.

She couldn't help herself - she just seemed to react like that every time she she saw the familiar red and black tape cordoning off the crime scene. It was entirely too early in the morning for this. Or was it too late at night? Either way, she slammed the car door and headed off towards the scene - plastering on her 'not-right-now' look as she neared the pack of reporters gathered around for information.

A uniformed officer lifted up the red tape to let her pass. There was always a charge when you passed through the police tape - at least that's how Brenda felt - a little tingle of excitement that washed over her body. It was like going from the head of the line for a roller coaster to being strapped in and jolted when it started to move. You become part of something bigger than yourself, you become a part of something...more. That's the only way she could explain it to her mama when she had asked. Her father had nodded along, understanding the experience that she couldn't quite put the words to but her mama couldn't quite get it. It was like church in a way, she tried to explain - an experience that gathers people, transforms them and then sends them back out into the world - and at a crime scene Brenda Leigh Johnson was God. She had left that last bit out.

Everything in the yellow and black tape was hers. Her world.

Or at least it once was.

Right now everyone was scurrying, scurrying - it was the usual hive of activity but from her years of experience she knew it didn't just happen. It took someone to set it off, focus everyone's attentions to the task at hand. She followed the activity towards it's centre - the slim woman in black who knelt down before the body line. "Captain Raydor!" She barked out, crossing her arms across her chest. "Just what do you think you're doin'?" She watched as the other woman rose and turned on her heel to address her superior. She loved it. She really, really did. Brenda didn't care much for the trappings of power other than that it let her do what she needed to do without much resistance, but this? Raydor's institutionalized obedience? It was absolutely delicious to her.

"Chief Johnson." Raydor nodded, schooling her features in an imitation of deference. It was all as it should be, except for the flash in her green eyes that hinted at the challenge that always lay between them. "I was just setting up and assessing the situation -"

"Without me? Now was this a deliberate attempt at underminin' me? Or did it slip your mind that a shootin' of an officer falls under Major Crimes?" She smiled up at the other woman, returning the look with one of her own. It never got old, working with Raydor. Brenda was someone who worked best under pressure, proving herself - she didn't care much for ease or deference. Neither did the other woman, she suspected.

"No ma'am. Neither. I was the first on the scene and noticed that there was no other senior officer present. The press was starting to gather and so I took charge until your arrival. I did not overstep my bounds, nor did I -"

"You didn't overstep your bounds, Captain? Did I hear you correctly? Then why'd I have to duck down under your red tape?"

"You do generally dislike getting involved in red tape, Chief."

"I wasn't making a joke, Captain."

"Neither was I. I had run out of yellow tape and thought it better to use the red until yellow tape arrives. If you look, Chief, it's been taken care of."

Brenda turned around to notice Flynn helping a uniform replace the red tape with yellow. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, thankful that the other woman couldn't see her. There was something in Sharon Raydon and her Girl Scout levels of preparedness that reminded Brenda of being 7 years old and shooting daggers and throwing worms at Roberta Watson who got every badge and set every record. She had a stray thought about where she could find some worms at this time of night. "Alright Captain..." She sighed, turning around. "Why don't you tell me what happened here?"

"Well Chief. This here -" She bent down to the taped outline of the body "Was Officer Nicholas Reese. About 45 minutes ago he was patrolling with his partner Officer Welles when Officer Reese's wife, Samantha pulled up -" She pointed to the blue Dodge that was meticulously parallel parked alongside the curb. "Got out, grabbed his gun and shot him point blank." Brenda tried not to wince. "She then handed the gun to Officer Welles, turned around and offered him her wrists to cuff."

"How considerate." Brenda murmured, surveying the scene. "How many witnesses?"

"About 4 - not counting Officer Welles."

"Who were they?" Brenda stuffed her hands in her pockets, shivering slightly against the cold breeze, reassured by the familiar crinkle of plastic.

"Gentlemen?" Sharon greeted the two men heading over. "The witnesses?"

"Hey Chief." Gabriel greeted, nodding towards her. She couldn't help but notice his unease at which woman to report to. A sidelong glance to Sharon beside her revealed a small smirk on her face as well.

"The witnesses, Detective?" Brenda prodded.

"Four -" Tao began, referring to his notes, although one was kinda -" He made the drinky motion with his hand, his thumb and pinky extended out. "So, you know - more like three. All of them saw the same thing - woman shows up, grabs the gun, then shoots and returns the gun to the partner."

"Did she say anything?" Brenda asked

"No one heard anything." Gabriel answered - trying to save face.

"Alright gentlemen," She nodded to dismiss them. "Well Captain, the clock is ticking."

"Seventy one hours."

Together they started walking away from the gathering crowds at the barricades. It seems Will had arrived and stood before the lights, issuing out the phrase 'No comment' in as many different ways he knew how.

"Seems open and shut." Brenda said, pulling her hands out of her pockets to rub them together.

"It does." Raydor answered hesitantly.

"Am I missing something?"

"No Chief."

"But?"

"But...it's the easy ones that worry me. It's the easy ones that make you let your guard down." She answered, taking her time picking out her words carefully. This may have been one of the most personal exchanges they'd had. Brenda couldn't help but snort at the thought - they were pathetic. The other woman raised an eyebrow.

"Not you, Captain - I just realized..." She shook her head, "Doesn't matter. So, it's your show. What's next?"

"Excuse me?" Raydor asked, unsure of what she had just heard.

"I said it's your show - you've done an...adequate job so far. You've had a chance to watch me work, let's see how you do things. I want to see how you run a crime scene for the night. After all, your investigation must go first, isn't that what you said?"

"Yes, well - ah..."

"Captain Raydor, are you speechless?" Brenda asked.

"No Chief. Just...yes. Yes I am." Raydor admitted.

"If you want, I can take command -" Brenda offered with a smile. This one may have even reached her eyes.

"No Chief. I'm fine." Raydor cut her off instantly, not willing to let this chance go by.

"Good." The two women stood there for a minute - whatever hung between them remained there before Brenda turned to look at Will, letting the moment end. "He has no idea what's going on, does he?"

"No Chief, he does not." Raydor answered before she reached into the pocket of her trench. "Should we rescue him?"

"No Captain, we should not." Brenda smirked, watching Will get swarmed by the microphones.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me?" The other woman pulled out a thin pair of leather gloves from her trench pocket and handed them to the blonde before she walked away, calling out directions.

"Thank you." Brenda answered to no one. She had to admit, command suited Raydor, it fit her easily.

"Chief." Flynn sauntered up to her, "What's the plan?"

"The plan?" She asked.

"Yeah, the plan. Now that you're here -"

"Well Lieutenant, the plan is to ask Captain Raydor." She watched as confusion clouded his face. She held a soft spot in her heart for Andy Flynn. She didn't know why other then the fact he made her laugh.

"But..."

"It's her show to call. I think I'm goin' to step back and observe this one. It seems open and shut and I want to see how she runs things."

"But..."

"You already said that." She teased. "Now if there's nothin' else - I suggest you check in with her."

"Chief?" He asked, eyeing her warily, she could see him mind working, wondering if this was another feminine trap. "Does this mean you two are friends now?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah, you know - hair braiding, pillow fighting, clothes swapping - friends."

"Bite your tongue Lieutenant!"

"Just checking." He shrugged before he headed off in the general direction of the brunette, leaving Brenda alone.

Friends?

The thought alone made her shudder.

-TBC