Chapter 9
Jamie and Nicole made their way back to the 16th precinct that housed the SVU detectives. They weren't supposed to be there but that didn't stop them. They walked into the squad room and found Olivia and Elliot at their desks. "Well, this is a change. You two sitting around with nothing to do." Nicole stated.
"I wouldn't call paperwork nothing to do." Elliot said looking up at them.
"Yeah, well. Normally you two are out on the run after someone." Nicole commented back.
Jamie wasn't paying attention to their conversation; she was distracted looking around the squad room. "Fin's not here." Olivia stated. "He and Munch are out on a case."
"Oh," Jamie answered, "Thanks."
"So, how come you two ain't out? Cragen has you doing paperwork now," Nicole asked.
"Paperwork comes with the job, Nic." Olivia said.
"Yeah, you solve a case, you write the report." Elliot added.
"Is that how it works now?" Nicole smiled.
"Yeah, sorry to ruin you're fun." Elliot said winking at her.
Nicole laughed, and looked at Jamie, "Your quiet now."
"Huh?" Jamie asked spinning around to face Nicole. "Sorry, just a little preoccupied."
"Gee, wonder why?" Nicole answered, slightly laughing.
Jamie blushed slightly and walked away from the staring group of detectives. "Is she okay?" Olivia asked.
"I have no idea." Nicole answered looking at the retreating form; "She just got quiet."
Olivia didn't press the matter further. She looked at Nicole with an amused look. "So, how are things going at John's?"
"Great." Nicole answered; she knew what Olivia was getting at. But Nicole was not about to disclose that information. Not when it could get either her or Munch transferred out of SVU.
"Really? I thought Munch would be difficult to live with." Elliot stated.
Nicole looked at Elliot, "What because he's had four ex-wives?"
"No, because he doesn't like anyone invading his personal space."
"That hasn't been a problem, actually." Nicole said turning away from Elliot.
Elliot looked at Olivia, and they both looked at Nicole. Both were surprised at her last statement.
Nicole walked over to Jamie who was standing by Fin's desk. "Hey, you okay?" Nicole asked.
"Me? I'm fine. I just can't seem to get him out of my thoughts." Jamie replied.
Nicole smiled, "I know what you mean. Believe me. If I am correct, you'll see him tonight again."
"Yeah you are. He's staying at my place right now. He doesn't think I should be alone."
"Wow, sounds like John too."
"I guess we can't complain, at least we have people who care about us." Jamie said.
"True." Nicole answered, "Listen, they will be back here soon. And they got a case."
Just as Nicole said that, Fin and Munch walked into the squad room. "What do we own this pleasure, ladies?" Munch asked.
"Just had lunch and thought we would drop by." Nicole answered, with a smile.
"Lunch, huh?" Munch asked.
"Well, I had lunch. Jamie wouldn't eat anything." Nicole stated.
"Let me guess, that's because you didn't eat at the Brooklyn Diner?" Fin asked.
Nicole nodded, "Yeah. Exactly."
"I know, I've been trying to get her to eat at other places, but she just won't do it." Fin said looking over at Jamie.
Nicole looked at Munch then Fin, "Stubborn like you."
"You know that's not such a bad thing." Jamie said moving next to Fin.
"Sometimes I wonder." Munch commented.
"So, what's the new case you guys are working on?" Jamie asked.
"An eight year old girl was kidnapped from the playground." Fin replied.
Nicole's mouth dropped open, "Oh God. Any leads?" she asked. She felt like jumping in and helping, "Anything we can do?"
"Yeah, you can go home and take care of yourselves. We'll handle this." Fin stated.
"Ever the protectors." Jamie said looking at Nicole. "Why won't you let us help?"
"You're in no condition to help." Fin said to Jamie.
"And we don't need you blacking out from that concussion." Munch told Nicole.
Nicole looked at Munch, "I'm not going to black out." She answered.
"Well, that's not a chance I'm willing to take." Munch said.
Nicole crossed her arms and leaned against his desk, "I think we still want to help, some how."
Fin looked from Nicole to Jamie. "Cragen will never authorize it. You two are out on medical leave. You need a doctor's clearance to work." he stated.
Jamie looked at Nicole, Nicole smirked, "Ready to hang that doc up by the toes?" Jamie asked.
"You read my mind." Nicole replied.
Just then Cragen came out of his office, "What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be on medical leave." He stated his expression totally professional.
"So we've been repeatedly told." Jamie sighed and glanced at Fin.
Nicole dropped her arms, and looked at Cragen, "Multiply that by three."
Cragen looked from Jamie to Nicole. "Well, you shouldn't even be in the building. Your best bet is to go home and come back when you've been medically cleared."
Nicole and Jamie shared glances, "I guess we better go find trouble else where." Nicole commented.
"Shouldn't be too hard." Jamie said with a chuckle. "I mean if my first day was any consolation."
Nicole pushed herself off the desk and looked at the guys, as Cragen went back to his office, "Don't do anything we wouldn't."
"You're talking to the wrong guys." Fin stated.
"Yeah, sometimes I think you and Fin should be partners, Nic. Trouble seems to follow him too." Munch said smirking at his partner.
Nicole smiled, "Aw, but there is only so many people that have trouble following them. And it needs to be dispersed."
"Your right. Having you two as partners would be too dangerous. I mean there should be at least one sane person in the partnership." Munch stated.
"Insanity is just a state of mind." She smirked, "Sometimes, I just happen to enjoy it. It's never a dull day."
"Yeah, at least insane people always have someone to talk to." Jamie said laughing.
Nicole laughed, and looked at the two male detectives, "Wont you two get bored with out us?"
"As long as Munch is around, I'm never bored." Fin stated.
"Yeah, and as long as I keep Fin around, I'll never have to join a gym. I mean he's always got us chasing someone down." Munch added.
Both girls laughed, "We'll we better get out of here, before Cragen comes back and we get escorted out." Nicole pointed out.
"Smart choice. We'll see you later." Fin said.
"See ya," Jamie replied as both girls left the precinct.
"Okay, that was fun. Now what?" Nicole asked.
"Find our own trouble?" Jamie suggested.
Nicole raised an eyebrow, "And what would that be? We could take a walk in Central Park, and find trouble there – but I don't feel like kicking anyone's ass today."
"Then I say Central Park's out of the question. We go there, chances are we'll be kicking someone's ass." Jamie said laughing. "I mean as long as Central Park is there, cops will never be out of work."
"Yeah," Nicole answered, "24/7 its busy there for work. So do you want to grab that burger now?"
"Yeah, I better eat something now. If I wait till later Fin will kick my ass for not eating all day. I love him, but sometimes..."
Nicole nodded in understanding; "I see where you're coming from. Sometimes a person some how forgets to eat. Then that person gets their ass kicked for not eating."
"Yeah, Fin's warned me on more than one occasion. I guess I should thank God that he'll never actually hit a woman." Jamie replied.
"Well," Nicole sighed, "We're both lucky that John and Fin wouldn't hit a woman." She thought back to Dallas. Now there was a horror story to go with this. But she never told anyone in New York. And she wasn't about too.
"That's for sure. I've seen my share of domestic violence. It's even more horrible when there's kids involved."
"Or when you're the person," Nicole answered. Shit, she thought, did I just blurt that out?
For a second Jamie thought she had heard wrong. "You were in an abusive relationship?" Jamie asked grimly. "I never would have guessed in a million years."
Nicole turned and looked at her partner, "You'll be the only one in New York to know. And the only other person was my partner back in Dallas, cause he saved my ass before I got killed."
Jamie looked at her partner empathetically. "Well, you don't have to worry. Your secrets safe with me." Jamie said placing a comforting hand on Nicole's shoulder.
She took a deep breath, "I never thought that I would tell someone that here. I just wanted to forget about it all."
"Well, I'm not gonna press the matter, but I'm here if you ever want to talk about it." Jamie said.
Nicole nodded, and her whole mood changed, "Okay, let's go get you that burger that you desperately need."
Jamie laughed. "Good plan. Alright West 57th street is that way." she said and started walking.
Nicole kept in stride with her; "I do know the city. Somewhat."
"Yeah, I've gotten to know it pretty well. I've been here almost ten years now."
"Okay, so I have only been here little over a year."
"Which impresses me that you know the city as well as you do. It took me a long time to find my way around this mad house." Jamie laughed.
"We'll just don't ask Elliot about my first case. And we're good." Nicole laughed.
"Didn't go as planned, huh?"
"You're going to hear this from the horse's mouth. I had to stop and ask directions to Strawberry Fields in Central Park."
"I believe it. It's not an easy place to find." Jamie said.
"Now why couldn't he see it that way. Now and again he still bugs me about it. Saying it's not comfortable when a cop has to ask directions." Nicole laughed.
"Well, granted I don't know Elliot as well as you do, but I've had a few cops hold things over my head. Like one time I was at a crime scene and got in an argument with homeless man. He pushed me into the fountain. The one that's right in Central Park. To this day some cops still call me Flipper."
Nicole laughed, "I got one for you. My first crime scene, down in Dallas. Murder of course. And I picked up this guitar and kept the guys amused. And to this day, my partner still calls me, Nic Green the singing cop."
Jamie laughed. "Why is it, I can actually picture that?" she asked.
"Just like I can see you in the fountain?"
"Yeah, I can't swim a stroke, so I'm lucky that the water was only a foot deep. I mean it wouldn't look too good if I had to be rescued from drowning. But I guess that's why I'm a cop and not working for the coast guard." Jamie joked.
"Well, that sounds right. I mean, Lee my old partner always said that I should have been a singer, and not out risking my life. Though no one here has ever heard me sing," she laughed.
"So, why become a cop if you got talent? I became a cop because I don't know anything else." Jamie said turning onto 57th street.
"Cause why take something like singing and turn it into your life. When you love it as a hobby. Plus, I only sing to songs on the radio in my spare time. And I never wanted to be a singer. A cop is something I love. If that makes any sense."
"It makes total sense. Why spend your life being miserable, when you can simply do what you love to do. And that's help people." Jamie stated.
"Like my pa said, if you're not happy where you work. Find another job."
"Smart man. What would he say if you're not happy with your life?" Jamie asked.
"Change your surroundings I guess."
"No, I don't want to leave New York. I love the city. It's just... I don't know." Jamie said sighing.
"Are you planing something I should be aware of?"
"What do you mean?" Jamie asked turning to her partner.
"You sound a little depressed. I what I mean."
"No, it's just I'm 35 years old and I thought I'd have a family by now. I don't know, I guess the shooting is putting things in perspective. I mean, I know I've been shot before but I'm older now. I thought I'd be farther by now in my life."
"Hey look at me, I'm in the same boat. When I was 16 and such. I thought I would be standing barefoot in my yard with two kids hanging off of me, while my hubby worked out in the field."
"I guess things don't turn out like we plan, do they?" Jamie asked stopping in front of the Brooklyn Diner.
"No, they sure as hell don't. I never thought I'd ever be in New York City, that's for sure."
They entered the Brooklyn Diner and Jamie walked up to the counter. "Jamie!" a waitress exclaimed. "What on earth happened to you this time?" She asked noticing Jamie's arm.
"Hazards of the job, Lorraine. This is my new partner, Nicole Green." Jamie said.
"Nice to meet you, Nicole."
"Like wise." Nicole said shaking Lorraine's hand.
"Fin was here the other day. Picked up your usual order."
"He brought it to me in the hospital."
"So, are you and Fin together?" Lorraine asked with some hope in her voice.
"Not officially, but things are definately looking better between us."
"Thank God. I always said you and Fin make a great couple."
"Mmmhmm. I'll take my usual to go, Lorraine."
"Two bacon deluxe cheeseburgers and a side of homefries coming right up." Lorraine said and left to get the order.
TBC…
