A/N: Haha! A chapter up in a week! It's not often I can go three weeks with chapter of a fic up on time! And it's actually a pretty good chapter, though I don't like the end much. Oh well. Anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter up in about a week, as usual, and for those of you who read Piper's Rain, I'm working on chapter twenty-one and I'll get it up as soon as it's ready. But, until then - chapter three of Bright Eyes! Enjoy, and don't forget to leave me a review, please!
When Beka returned for her shift in the evening, everyone turned to look at her as she walked in the door. That instantly made her feel uncomfortable. It was as if they all knew what Ahuda wanted to talk to her about before she did. With a sigh, Beka made her way over to her office to pick up the reports she had finished earlier.
The first thing she noticed when she walked into the room was that the desk across from hers now had things on it. There was a small stereo system on one of shelves behind the desk, along with pile of CD jewelcases, an iPod, and a set of speakers for the small device. There were a few pieces of paper on the desk, several pens on the right hand side, and, for some absolutely obscure reason, a worn guitar pick.
Beka dumped her things on her chair and grabbed the folders her reports were in. As she walked back out of the office, she flipped through the folders, making sure everything was there before knocking on her commanding officer's door.
"Enter," Lieutenant Ahuda called. Beka let herself in, standing at attention and looking at the wall over her superior's head. "At ease, Cooper," Ahuda said. "Have a seat." Beka did so, handing her reports to Ahuda before she did. The other woman put them on her desk, but made no move to open the top folder and skim the report. Instead, she turned her brown eyes on the younger woman, studying her for a moment.
"Now, Cooper, you know why I called you in here, don't you?" She asked. Beka shook her head. "Ah. Westover didn't tell you after he snooped. I'm surprised. Anyway, since the Vale's retirement, you've been working with Tunstall and Goodwin again, correct?" Ahuda paused for Beka's affirmation, starting off again when she had it. "Well, I have a new partner for you." Beka grinned. She couldn't help it – this was what she had been waiting for!
She had enjoyed working with the Goodwin and Tunstall, who were now her good friends, for the first six months that she had worked for CPD as a trainee before being promoted to a full officer. Beka desperately wanted a partner of her own. Vale, her first partner, had been a good mentor before his retirement, but he wasn't her partner.
"Now, I must warn you, your new partner is a bit difficult to work with, and doesn't know the city as well as you or I would. Think you're up for it?" Ahuda asked.
"Yes, ma'am," Beka replied. Suddenly, she had a sense of foreboding, and she didn't like that at all.
"You're sure? You won't drop him unless one of you leaves or is transferred?" She shook her head, wondering why Ahuda was asking her that. "I had your word, then?" Beka frowned at that. What in the world was going on?
"You have my word…" Now she was really wondering what was going on.
Why would she drop her first real partner? That did not make much sense to her at all.
"Alright, Cooper. You're partnered with the new guy, what's his name – Parker." Beka just stared at her.
"Parker? As in Rosto Parker?" She stammered, her blue-grey eyes wide as she goggled at the stocky lieutenant. Ahuda frowned slightly and nodded. "Uh...permission to speak freely, ma'am?" She asked, unsure whether this was what she was supposed to say or not. She knew that worked in the military, but she hadn't really had any reason to ask Ahuda if she could give her personal opinion and not get in trouble for it. Ahuda nodded again, her frown deepening.
"Sarge, can't I just stay with Goodwin and Tunstall for a while? Do I have to be partnered with that egotistical, womanizing, white-haired old man?" Beka paused for a moment, a sudden feeling of dread washing over her. "And he's standing right behind me, isn't he?"
That made Ahuda burst out laughing. Beka tilted her head back just a little to see Rosto Parker looking down at her with his arms crossed over his chest and a rather irritated look on his face.
"I'm not old. I'm only twenty-nine," he said indignantly. "And my hair isn't white, it's blond. That's corn silk, sun colored, gold, you get the idea." Beka flushed a brilliant shade of red with embarrassment. She looked down at her feet, wishing she could just disappear. If she had been talking to only Ahuda, then it wouldn't be a problem. She was comfortable with Ahuda. But this, with Parker in there as well, and rather displeased, to top it all off, that was another story entirely.
"I take it that you two have met, then," Ahuda said, pulling a paper out of her desk. "And you gave me your word that you wouldn't drop him, Cooper. I'd also like to point out that Goodwin came to me this morning after the shift was over and asked me for two weeks off because her husband wants to take her on a vacation for their anniversary. So, it's you and Parker unless you want to throw all that hard work you did down the drain and quit." Beka opened her mouth, then shut it again, thinking better of what she was going to say.
"Yes, ma'am," Beka finally said, sinking back in her chair. She glanced up at Ahuda and Parker briefly, then went back to staring at her shoes while she waited for Ahuda to finish.
"Cooper." She looked up at Ahuda, noting that Parker had left the room. "I picked you for his partner because I know you can handle it. Yes, he has an ego the size of Manhattan, but he's one of the best interrogators in the country. They say he's as good as Joule, if not better; that's why they call him 'the Piper.' And he was the one who busted Dawull Rivierton up in New York last month. All you have to do right now is give him a chance. Got it?" Beka nodded. "Back to work with you, then," Ahuda said, giving Beka a reassuring smile.
Beka rose and let herself out of the office, feeling a little numb as she walked back to her own office, which she was now sharing with Parker. She flopped down in the chair behind her desk, pulling some of the paperwork she had yet to do towards her. Tonight, she – and her new partner – was on call for backup, as usual on Fridays.
When she felt a pair of eyes on her, she looked up to see Parker watching her intently. He had an earbud in one ear, while the other one rested on the desk in front of him. He also had a pen in his hand, but his pen was relaxed; he had the end of it resting against his lower lip while he watched her.
"What was that comment about?" He asked. Beka met his eyes and shrugged.
"You made a very poor first impression," she stated curtly. "Let's hope your second impression is somewhat better," she continued. Just as Rosto opened his mouth to respond to that, Beka's cell phone rang. She reached down into her purse to grab it, glancing at the caller ID and flipping it open mid-ring.
"Hello?"
"Beka, Lorine ran off after you left and she's gone to that party you said she couldn't go to!" Diana was practically screaming into the phone. It was loud enough that it made Parker, who was halfway across the room, raise his eyebrows in surprise.
"She did what?" She should have expected that after the display Lorine had put on after getting in trouble for the party she and Diana had thrown…
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to let her go, but Will and I were helping Nilo because he fell off the top bunk. And, and, and…I'm sorry!!" Beka winced, moving the phone away from her ear. In an attempt to save her hearing, she hit the button to turn down the earpiece volume before putting it back on her ear.
"Di, stop yelling into the phone, please. You didn't do anything wrong. Lorine's the one who's in trouble. I'll take care of it, you watch Will and Nilo. I have to go, alright?"
"Okay. Bye, sis," Diana said.
"Bye." With a sigh, Beka hung up the phone, thinking about how long Lorine was going to be grounded for. At least another month, maybe more at this rate. Now Beka was in a very bad mood. She glanced back at Parker to see that he was still watching her. "What?" She demanded. She saw a mischievous glint in his eye and once again, he opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted yet again.
This time it was Ersken, who looked like he'd won the lottery. He didn't knock before he dashed into the room. "Guess what, Beka!" He grinned widely, his blue eyes glittering with his glee. He didn't wait for her to answer before he went on. "Kora said yes! Can you believe it?"
Beka was on her feet again and was enveloped in a hug from her friend before she could do anything else.
"That's wonderful, Ersken," she said. "I'm so happy for you! You and Kora are perfect for each other," she continued once he had released her. Ersken took a step back, his face reddening with a little embarrassment.
"Aw, Beka…" He paused for just a moment before going on. "Kora wants you to be a bridesmaid in the wedding, being a friend of both of ours and all. She's already going over plans with Verene, you know," he added with a laugh. Then he turned pale. "Oh no, I have to go call Mother!" He dashed back out the door without a farewell.
Beka sighed again and went back to her desk, once again flopping down in her chair. Parker was looking down again, writing something on one of the papers in front of him. She was about to open her mouth again, but one of the other officers, Evermore, stuck his head into the office.
"Cooper, we just got a call about a party that's disturbing the neighbors. It's at one of the usual houses – the Dennings are apparently out of town and the teenage daughter has thrown a party again. Sarge wants you and Parker on it. It's the usual, just go in, break it up and quiet it down. Check for alcohol and any kind of drugs while you're there, too," Evermore told her. Beka sighed and got up.
"Got it. Come on, Parker." She stopped by the door, hooking her thumbs in her gun belt while she waited. He got up and followed her, opening his mouth to argue only once when she grabbed the keys to one of the cruisers. Apparently, he wanted to drive. When he asked, her response was "Forget it;" Beka was already in a bad enough mood as it was. Now she had to go break up a party that she knew one of her sisters was at. This wasn't going to be pretty.
Posted 11/06/08
