I apologize for the delay in updating.
Charli911, thanks for your great help! Without you, it hardly could be read.
I am immensely grateful to all of you who read my fics. I guess that it is terribly difficult - read the texts that were written by non-native writer. Many thanks for your patience, your feedback, your support.
...
Chapter 10
Jules was sitting in her living room, her legs tucked beneath her on the sofa, with a cup of hot mint tea in her hands. She stared thoughtfully at the TV screen. She did not know what she was watching now and it had no meaning. Her thoughts were far away.
The world was crashing down around her.
It was the first time she really feared that Team One would fall apart. And it nearly broke her heart.
She was able to survive the loss of Lou. She has resigned herself to leaving Wordy and Raf. It was hard and difficult to accept, but still it was not the end. Now things were different.
Yesterday was one of the worst days in her life.
It was painful to look at her wounded friend, see how hard Ed tried not to show them his pain, watch helplessly as he suffocates, waiting for news at the hospital, banishing the terrible thoughts and just silently praying that he was alright ... When the doctor said that everything would be good she felt a great relief, hoping that the worst is behind.
But the new day brought more problems and more fears.
Greg and Sam! Do not they realize that their leaving just causes more loss and disappointment for the rest of them?
Okay, they have all made mistakes. Bad mistake, with bad consequences. But we all need to be prepared to face the consequences, correct them and move on, continuing to work. But do not run away from it!
Jules felt betrayed. How can they do that? Be so selfish? Without thinking about what their departure would mean to the others on the team.
Greg, Sam, Ed. The loss of even one of them would be a catastrophe for her. But the loss of all of them... Now she doesn't have her own family. Yes, she has Sam. But this is still not a family. Team One is her family now.
The Sarge, whom she had always associated with the image of the father. Ed always is as a reliable, favorite, sometimes too tutelary older brother. Spike, Leah, they have become so close for her. And Sam, who occupies a special place in her life. How can she afford to lose them?
Last night she was trying to talk to Sam.
When, after what had happened, they finally got home, they were too worn out for any conversation. Jules just fell to sleep, barely having time to undress, exhausted from the intense events of the day. She noticed that Sam had dozed off on the couch in the living room without undressing, but she didn't wake him. She figured he join her in the bed they shared when he woke up. But a few hours later she awoke still alone, surprised and worried.
And then there was the conversation...
She did not understand him. More correctly, she emphatically disagreed with the conclusions that he made for himself from the incident.
Okay, he screwed up. He didn't pay any attention to Ed's radio-silence and didn't return right away, according to orders. But Jules saw nothing very terrible with this. And certainly did not consider this as a reason to destroy his life and career now.
The Sarge was right, she told him, Sam's misjudgment was not the cause of what happened to Ed. Not everything is clear yet. The worst thing Sam could do was to draw hasty conclusions right now. He needed to avoid making rash decisions. Decisions which everyone would regret.
She advised him to talk to Ed first.
There is nothing to talk about, Sam answered. Ed is a professional, principled officer who would make the same decision if he were in my shoes. An officer who can't be a reliable partner, who disobeyed a direct order, who allows himself to get distracted during an operation does not have the right to occupy a place on an elite unit like the SRU.
Then she tried a different approach with him. "Everyone makes mistakes! Sam, you're definitely a worthy member of Team One. But you aren't infallible and your aren't perfect!"
She immediately realized her mistake. My God, how could she have said such things to him? To hear such words even from a friend or colleagues may be unpleasant. But to hear it from the woman he loved, it had to really hurt. Instead of supporting him in that moment, when Sam needed it, Jules piled on more pain.
She had no time to correct her mistake.
"Holleran didn't have to make an exception for us, Jules..." Sam said flatly and left, leaving Jules standing in the middle of living room, numb.
She tried to convince herself that Sam's words meant nothing. And when this crisis passed, their relationship would survive.
But what if the guilt about Ed is not the only reason that Sam is thinking about leave. "... who allows himself get distracted ..." he'd said. She had distracted him there. Does he blame her? And blames himself for his weakness he allowed himself to be distracted?
God, did he really think that the way Jules detained him, wiping the dirt from his face, that little moment when they exchanged a few words and jokes - did he think that this minute decided everything?
How stupid!
But what if he's right? What if they were in different teams? Would Jules have acted like that with Spike, Greg or any of the others on the team? Would Sam have been delayed so long if he had been stopped by someone other than Jules?
The rule prohibiting the presence of pairs in the same team ... They were self-confident. They were able to convince their boss and Holleran that their relationship would never affect their work.
God knows, they did their best to keep the promise they had made both the their superiors and to themselves. They tried so hard... But now it appeared that they had spoiled everything.
Obviously, now Sam faces a choice - to stay in the team, but to part with Jules, to avoid a repetition of such errors. Or keep a relationship with her, but ... leave Team One.
"Oh my God, what have we done..." she felt the rawness in her eyes and her vision blurred.
"Oh, no! Jules, you've cried in these two days more than whole year. You surprise me, darling!" she said aloud to herself in a stern voice, lifting up the face, trying to hold the gathering tears in her eyes. But the attempt to regain self-control failed and unbidden silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
She buried her face in her lap, pulling her legs up and hugging tightly with her hands and began to cry, as she haven't cried for a long time.
...
The bar at this early hour was empty, except for a lonely blond young man sitting across the room, lost in his thoughts.
Sam was staring glumly at the half-empty glass of whiskey in front of him. He knew it was the worst of all ways to cope with stress, but he was ready to do anything, just to get away from his thoughts for just a little while. Aloofly and indifferently, he welcomed this slight numbness and a sense of detachment, which he has now received.
He felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket but he ignored it. Again. He sighed and took a sip from his glass. Phone went dead.
It would be Jules, he guessed, lowering his head wearily, leaning his elbows on the table.
No, he still wasn't ready to talk to her, knowing that this conversation will be difficult for him and very painful for her. But he'll have to do it - whether he liked it or not. Before meeting with the team the couple would have to discuss his future in the team and his relationship with Jules. And no matter how he tried to avoid this conversation, he will have to find a way to explain his decision to Jules so she would not blame herself afterwards.
But the problem was that he has not yet made any decision.
"Hell, how did Greg, Jules, and it seems everyone else always find it so easy to find the right words? Why is it so hard for me?" sadly he thought.
Out of the corner of his eye he sees someone sit down across from him. He frowned angrily, without raising his head. Damn, is this the only free table in the empty bar?
He raised his head ... and stared, blinking, speechless, at the gloomy man, sitting in front of him.
"Spike?" he croaked, finally finding his voice.
Spike nodded, tight-lipped and shifted his anxious glare of his dark eyes from Sam to the almost empty glass of whiskey in front of him and back again.
"How?" Sam confined to one word.
"I've called you. You didn't answer. I asked the guys from Team Four - they are on duty now - to locate you using the GPS in your phone." Spike paused, not considering it necessary to give more explanations.
He nodded grimly at the glass of whiskey, "How many have you had?"
Sam snorted, "This is the first."
Spike relaxed a little, "Planning more?"
Sam just shrugged slightly. He really did not plan to get drunk. He will have two difficult meetings today - Jules and the team - he needed to stay sober.
Spike picked up Sam's glass, smelled it and grimaced. "Yuck! How can you drink this?"
Sam chuckled, "And what do you think I should drink?"
"The wine of course!" Spike replied confidently.
"Jules, too, prefers wine," Sam said quietly and released a heavy sigh.
"Yes, I know," Spike replied and looked at his gloomy friend with pleading eyes, "Sam, listen, about what I said-"
"Hey. This is unnecessary. Quite unnecessary," Sam looked up at Spike and smiled wearily, "That's alright."
"No, it's not alright. Trust me, buddy. I never thought of you like that, Sam. I don't know what came over me!" Spike spoke quickly, a little hoarse, looking at Sam painfully, "I was so damn hurt thinking about what you planned to do. I just wanted you to feel the same pain that I feel! I think I did it, huh? You had every right to hit me, Sam. Hell, if Greg and Leah hadn't been there, we'd have gotten into a fight, don't you think?" He chuckled nervously.
Sam smiled a little. "We are just great, huh? Elite police. Best team. Nearly getting into a fight in the parking lot like a couple of idiots." He shook his head in amazement and fell silent again.
"Hey, Sam. If you leave Team One... No, if you possibly leave... It will be a huge loss for all of us. But for Jules it will be worse, you understand that? I'm not even talking about what will happen if the Boss has gone and Ed ... " Spike began quietly.
"Why should Greg and Ed leave ?" Sam replied thoughtfully.
"Why should you leave?" Spike retorted.
Sam smiled wryly, "You don't know everything."
Spike nodded, "Okay. So tell me? You didn't come back to Ed, you didn't respond to his radio silence. All this I already know. This is not as great a sin as you think, Sam. There's something else?"
Sam took a long sip of whiskey and began to say.
"Yes. There is. It's about why I didn't come back immediately, as I was ordered to. You now, I was heading back, but Jules stopped me. She simply wiped my face and it was so... nice... We joked, planning what we'll do when we get back home. At one point, I even turned off the radio, while Ed... " he paused and frowned at Spike, who listened in silence, "Do you understand what I mean? I'm a good officer, Mike. I'm aware that I'd never have done that if it had been anyone but Jules. But here's the woman I love stopping me and I forgot about everything, including a teammate, who was left behind... " he bow his head, despair assaulting him again.
"You did not forget him and you did not leave Ed behind, no need to exaggerate," Spike interrupted him a little wistfully.
Sam smiled a forced smile. "This is the worst thing Spike! I really didn't forget about Ed and his order. If I were actually forgot, it would be much easier for me!" He shook his head, closing his eyes as if in pain, "But I've preferred to stay with Jules couple of minutes and only then go back to Ed. It was my conscious choice. I made the choice between debt and...personal. Not in favor of debt, as you can see."
Spike opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when he realized he hadn't known what he was going to say.
Sam let out a soft snort. "Spike, there's a reason while the rules prohibit "couples" in the same group. Jules and I went against it, and that's what it led to. You can convince me that nothing terrible had happen. But could you give a guarantee that it does not happen again? With the worst consequences? It is clear that I can't leave it well enough alone... " he paused again and then continued, in a tougher tone, "So, now I have to decide - go away and it's possible to save my relationship with Jules, or still remain, but lose her. The decision seems to be obvious, I can't imagine my life without Jules. This means transfer to another team. But I know her! She would blame herself. So there is a good chance I'm going to lose Team One and Jules! " He dropped his eyes, despair almost assaulting him again at the thought.
"This means you should to stay," calmly replied Spike.
Sam laughed nervously, "Stay? Spike! When I tell Ed what happened… and I have to tell him…how do you think he's going to respond? Don't you remember how he, without any hesitation, suspended Wordy, his friend, from duties only suspecting that he can't run at 100% efficiency? In the interests of the group, in the interests of our work Ed, as the team leader should have suspended me. He'll have to put all of this in the report to Greg and then it'll go to Holleran. What will happen next? It's obvious. So in this case I also lose Jules and Team One. And what am I supposed to do now, buddy? What do I do?" he asked with pain in his voice, looking at Spike desperately.
Spike was silent for a moment, then he nodded.
"So, let me sum it up, okay? You're a good officer, but you want to be a perfect. You think Jules... not exactly Jules, but your relationship with her, it's your weakness, your weakest link, right? And therefore you decide to go to another team, thinking that without Jules nearby, you'll have no weaknesses and then you'll be impeccable, faultless and perfect. Sounds a bit fantastic, don't you think? " Spike smiled.
Sam did not answer. Apparently he didn't see anything fantastic in this script.
"Sam, look ... You are right in much that you have said. But each of us have our weaknesses. So, should we all leave Team One, leave the police, if we are not perfect? You're not a rookie cop. Don't you realize that nobody is perfect among us? We can all make a mistakes-"
"Not mistakes this big!"
"Hold on. Look at me, Sam. Ed is right - when I'm with my "toys", I forget about everything. By the way. Jules distracted you. But at the same time that was me who was distracting Greg with very "timely" lecture on the quadrocopters. So, I have to take my share of the blame in what happened!" He shrugged, " What else ... I'm not as good a negotiator as Greg. I'm not a sniper, like you, Ed, Jules. Should I go on?" he looked up at Sam who was pensively staring into space. " But it's not important, Sam. We all have our strengths and that is why we are in this team. This gives the team balance, which makes us a better team. Your strengths balance the weaknesses of others. And vice versa. Team's alchemy, Boss says. Why don't you try to focus on this? Stop blaming yourself for the mistakes and failures. Try to think about your strengths. Try to remember why you are in this team."
Sam snorted, "I'm in this team because my dad made a couple of calls to the right people, you know it!"
Spike smiled. "Well, then your dad is a very smart man, because he did the right thing. I think everyone in the SRU agree with me. But I did not ask how you got into the team. I asked why you are still in it?" He looked expectantly at Sam and, not waiting for a reply, he added in gentler tone, "Come on, Sam. I'm not a psychologist, I'm not the negotiator, I'm a tech, it's not my territory, help me out here a little bit, huh?"
"You're a good negotiator, Spike ..." Sam said quietly, finishing his whiskey.
"Thank you, buddy!" Spike smiled, "Sam, this team needs you. And you need us. That's why you are now so tormented. Actually, you really do not want to leave the group and transfer to another team, right?"
Sam raised his head, "Of course I don't, Spike! But-" he did not finish.
"... but you got it into you head that this is the only solution that will solve all the problems!" Spike interrupted him. "Internally you realize that it's not right and that it will not solve anything, only add new problems instead. You're right - if you follow your plan, you would lose the team and unlikely stand well with Jules."
Sam looked at him desperately, "Spike, but what shall I do?"
"You need to talk to Ed first. And with Jules and Greg, too. I assure you, your relationship with Jules is not responsible for what happened to Ed. I think that Ed would be in deep shock after hearing your version of the causes of the incident. And if he finds out you guys decided to leave Team One because of this - you and the Sarge - I do not envy either of you! " he chuckled. "Look, there is nothing that needs to be put in an official report for Greg and Holleran. All of us are quite capable to deal with these problems ourselves. This is an internal matter of the team, Sam. And do not compare this situation to when Wordy left. He's got an incurable disease, it can not be changed. You... Well, you screwed up and Ed will probably knock your head off when he finds out the details, but..." He shook his head, "...but it's better than losing everything, isn't it?"
Sam listened silently, stubbornly bowed his head.
Spike continued, "Look, you and Jules, for all these years you both never have anyone a reason to doubt you. What has happened. Not every decision you make is going to be perfect. No one can be perfect! Damn, Sam, this whole world is not perfect, don't think you're an exception!"
"That's so funny ... you're the second person to tell me that today," Sam muttered.
"What do you mean?" Spike raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Sam smiled wryly. "That I'm not perfect. Second time hearing it is easier."
"Jules?" Spike asked, thinking that he knew where the conversation was going.
Sam nodded.
"Wow, that must have been hard..." Spike winced sympathetically.
"It was," Sam sighed, and after a moment he added, "Ed?"
"What about Ed?" Spike looked at him in confusion, "I'm sorry, I don't-"
"You said no one can be perfect. Ed Lane possibly is perfect," Sam said, "I think so..." He added quietly.
Spike's eyes widening with surprise, "What?" he laughed out loud, "Well, if you are going to say it to him, he certainly would be very flattered to hear that! But Sam, you can't be serious!" he was staring at him.
Sam didn't say anything.
"Damn, Sam, he's stubborn, he's closed, he's a proud man, he absolutely doesn't tolerate any criticism, he does not allow himself or others the slightest room for error! Hey, I've only just realized how like him you are!" Spike chuckled in surprise.
"We are different," Sam muttered darkly.
"Yeah, right, you've got more hair," Spike smiled, "You two are very similar. Therefore, I advise you, before making a final decision - talk to him, Sam . Ed is smart and experienced. I think he had a similar experience… "
"Ed would never have been so damn screwed up, Spike," Sam replied, gloomily.
"Maybe he has been worse, how do you know? Talk to him, Sam. Trust me, nothing happened to make such decisions - neither you nor Boss, no one. You all have to overcome your stubbornness and pride. Get out of your head the thought of leaving, okay? Pride isn't worth losing the one you love.
Sam sighed ... and nodded his head.
"It means you're staying?" Spike smiled, took it as a confirmation.
"It means I'm going to talk to Ed, Jules and Greg," replied Sam quietly with a faint smile.
"I'm glad to hear it, Samtastik!" Spike exhaled with great relief, smiling broadly, "This is the right decision, Sam, I assure you," He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face with his hands. "Maybe I'm a good negotiator, too?" Spike smiled and then frowned, "Damn, Sam, we have to figure out how to convince the boss to stay. It's not gonna be easy."
"Do you really think Greg might go away?" Sam looked at him doubtfully.
"I do... You know, I really do not like that he's meeting with Holleran. Of course, the Commander will do everything to talk him out, but hell, Sergeant is as stubborn as you and Ed! Sam, how can we stop him? If Boss decide to left, then Ed would go after him, I am sure. We can't afford to lose them."
The conversation continued, and at some point, Sam found himself realizing that he had lost the sense of hopelessness in his soul. As soon as he allowed himself to think about an option in which he would remain in Team One and not lose Jules, it felt like a stone fell from his heart. He would talk with the team. There will surely be the conclusions and implications. But he has to deal with it, he has to go through this experience to become stronger. And Spike was right. Pride isn't worth losing the one you love.
…
Jules went to the mirror and looked at her red tear-stained eyes.
"No, you don't give up that easily," she whispered to the mirror, "I will not let them destroy everything."
She frowned. The main subject of her ruminations was still out there somewhere. She didn't know w here and he was not answering her calls. "Hell, Sam, if you do something stupid, I swear I'll kill you, " she looked fiercely at the phone lying next to her, once again mentally repeating what she was going to tell Sam.
She was usually pretty good at talking to people. She could find the right words for aggressive criminals, desperate suicides, to anyone who stood on the brink. How could she not be able to get through to Sam? And then to Greg?
The sudden sound of opening the front door made her turn. She froze and grew white, having lost all her resolve.
"God, please ..."
Her eyes met Sam's.
Sam stood in the doorway of the living room, silently looking at the motionless Jules, seeing despair on her face. His throat tightened. He stepped toward her and clasped her in his arms, feeling her trembling.
"Sam, forgive me..." She raised her face, looking imploringly into his face. All words, all the arguments, all the right phrases that she so carefully prepared for this conversation - all this had vanished and in their place was fear and blank despair.
"Wait, wait. It's you that has to forgive me, Jules," he whispered, tightening his arms.
"Do not go away ..." she had to try.
"I'm not leaving. I'm staying," he replied simply.
Her heart sank. "With me or in the team?" She lowered her head, afraid of any response.
"With you. And in the group. At least, I hope so." He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, feeling the saltiness of her tears on his lips, "With you, Jules. And in Team One," he repeated softly, "If you don't mind continuing to live and to work with such an imperfect me, of course," he smiled.
"You're perfect," her voice still trembling, but she smiled broadly. "And always will be... " she added quietly.
"Yeah. It remains only to convince Ed that I'm perfect. And then to hope he wouldn't kick me out when I'll tell him everything," Sam replied, sighing.
"We both will tell him. You and me. Ed will understand it all, don't doubt that. Just..." she smiled slyly , "Well, I'm afraid, you are going to be scrubbing the floors in the locker room until you retire. Or you will be relegated to sitting in the truck. Eternally! " she laughed happily as she heard loud and desperate Sam's moan.
It seems that her world was starting to come back into normal focus.
…..
Greg was sitting in the briefing room, looking at the sheet of paper lying in front of him, thinking about what had just happened. He sighed and pushed aside the order signed by Holleran. Not exactly the order he was waiting when he drove here.
Yesterday, in the EMS car, Greg made the obvious decision. He has to go. Seeing in the morning as two his officers almost had a fight, only strengthened him in this opinion.
With one team member in the hospital through Greg's fault, with the rest of his men completely out of control, full of disagreements and recrimination – how were they going to work together in the future?
He was at fault. He had been the one to allow this to happen. He has lost the confidence of his people and control over the group. He can't and should not continue to lead Team One.
So he went to a meeting with the Commander, his letter of resignation in his pocket. There, he calmly and with all the details was explaining the reasons for his decision. It had taken him several hours to write his report, mentally reliving everything that happened again and more increasingly aware of his guilt before Ed and the group.
In his opinion, there could not be another option for Holleran but to accept his resignation.
Holleran, without reading it , tore it in half and dropped the pieces into the waste basket. Then he looked calmly at Greg's grim face.
"Maybe someday you leave Team One, or maybe even the SRU, Greg. But not this way. I won't let you undo all the years that you honestly and selflessly gave the department and the SRU," Holleran said, " I just won't let you do that, Greg. Come on. Sit down."
Then they talked. Long, hard, honestly. It was not a conversation between the commander and his subordinate. It was a conversation between two experienced officers who had seen a lot in life, and who know what it means to be responsible for the lives of others. Much has been said between them, a lot of confessions made.
"... And why did you decide that by destroying the group you are acting for the good? Who will this benefit?" asked Holleran.
"Who said any about destroying them, Norm? Constable Ed Lane long ago deserved promotion. The team will be function perfectly with Ed as-"
"Greg. You know perfectly well that the moment after he finds out that you left the group, feeling guilty for what happened to him, that I'll have Ed Lane's resignation on my desk too!" Holleran chuckled, "With you I have some hope to discourage you and keep you from the commission of this stupidity. But I have no illusions with Ed. Sorry, Greg, but... In the end, I also have a boss and I, too, would have to explain to them the reasons for the incident and consequences. I have no idea how I would explain to them the loss of my best officers and my best team because someone were not able to overcome a sudden attack of poor self-esteem..."
"Norm, I understand what you're saying. But the reason-"
Holleran raised his hand, stopping Greg in mid-sentence.
"There's something else, Greg. Don't think you're the only one who feels guilty for what happened. For a start, it was me who sent a tired group on this task. There was no haste and urgency. I perfectly knew you were worn out after the first hot call. You were tired. Fatigue makes for errors. I could have chosen to call another team. So I share the blame for what happened. I beg you, do not let our mistakes become irreparable. Save the group, Greg. "
With these words, Holleran gave him a different paper, which is now lying on the table in front of him. Orders for a 7 day vacation for the entire group. No dismissal, no suspension, no transfer to another team. Just vacation. And the verbal order to visit a psychologist, for all of them.
"We continue the conversation in a week, Greg. If you do not change your opinion, then... Well, maybe I will not interfere with your decision. But, still, I ask you. Do everything to save the group, Sergeant. This is your job, it's your duty and responsibility. I trust you. But most importantly - your people trust you," Holleran said at the end.
Finally Greg admitted to himself that he was damned glad the Commander had torn up his letter of resignation. Glad that Holleran believes in his ability to fix this mess. The Commander was right. It is Greg's duty to his friends and colleagues to do everything possible to get the team through this crisis without losses.
It's not hard to walk away. But sometimes it's much more difficult to stay.
...
Greg came to the bar beyond the appointed time. From a distance, he saw his four team members, sitting at one of the tables, and stopped for a moment without being seen, looking intently at their faces.
With surprise, he heard the loud laughter of Sam and Spike, saw a calm relaxed posture of Leah and Jules, broad smiles on their faces.
It was so different from what he had seen just a few hours ago in the parking lot at the hospital.
He suddenly realized that professional part of his mind seems like it's prepares for the upcoming difficult negotiations and gathers information, analyzing mood, posture, behavior of his interlocutors.
"Damn, Greg, you are crazy! they're your colleagues, your friends, not objects!" He gave himself a mental shake, "Holleran was right, I need a vacation." He smiled. After a conversation with the Commander, he went to this meeting with his team only with one desire - to fix this mess. At any cost.
He was set to a heavy task.
Seeing a relaxed friendly conversation of people who have a few hours ago, it seemed, couldn't stand to look at each other, surprised him. He felt as if a huge weight had rolled off his back. Apparently, some conversation has already occurred before he came here, and the result was now in front of his eyes. A good result.
He stepped to his team, smiling broadly. They all immediately turned toward him, anxiously looking at him, waiting while he takes a seat.
Without a word he took from his pocket a folded sheet of paper and put it on the table in front of him, thinking how to start the conversation. As soon as he opened his mouth to start talking, Spike jumped up and tried to grab a piece of paper from under the Greg's palm. Parker barely had time to react.
"Hey! Spike, calm down! This is the order of the Commander, show a little respect here, huh?" said Greg reproachfully.
Spike loomed over Greg menacingly, not trying to hide his anger. Even Greg was surprised to see his usually most peaceful and not-conflicted officer in such a rage. So, Parker hastily put the paper back into his jacket pocket and held up his hands in front of him in surrender. He grinned, looking up at Spike.
"I do not see anything funny, Boss. Would you tell us why you're smiling about this situation?" Spike said in a low tone.
"Spike, please, sit down! I'll explain everything!" Greg asked quietly. It seems he's still above the limit of patience of his people.
"We do not need an explanation, Sergeant," Sam's sharp voice cut him off. Greg nodded his head in agreement.
"Right," again Greg took the paper and put it in the center of the table. A few seconds his team members glumly looked at the paper, then Leah reached out to it and began to read. As the reading and comprehension, her expression changed from a frustrated by surprise. She handed the paper Jules, sitting next to her.
"Holleran has imposed a moratorium on all petitions from members of Team One. Therefore, if anyone here has some thoughts about the transfer, dismissal or something like that, you'll have to wait. The moratorium is valid 7 days from today," Greg sighed, "You just almost destroyed the order of 7 days of vacation for all of us, Spike," with a smile, he looked at the young man, who is now carefully read the text, still frowning.
"Vacation? Just vacation?" Sam stared in astonishment at the sergeant.
"Well, not exactly vacation, of course ..." Greg shrugged slightly, "we are all obliged to visit a psychologist ..." He held up his hand, interrupting the groans around him.
"This is a direct order, guys. Not a matter for discussion. But most significant - Holleran requires we have to cope with this ourselves. He thinks all this is a sort of a "family business."
"Psychologist of SRU? Damn, then it will go to our files," Jules muttered darkly.
"Negative. Nobody is talking about office psychologist. We can go to any specialist who we trust. I have such a person. Or you can refer to Luria."
They sat silently for a while, pondering his words.
"Boss, tell me honestly, are you staying?" finally Sam asked.
Greg winced. He still had doubts and did not want to make any promises now, before his conversation with Ed. He looked around at the people, intently staring at him. Not just people. Around him sat his family - how couldn't he be honest with them?
He sighed. "Sam ... I promised to Holleran that I would do everything possible to keep the team as it is now. This implies the presence of myself included?" He smiled, seeing a huge relief on the Braddock's face, "But that means that you are also staying in the group, you know?" He looked steadily into his eyes.
Sam nodded, "Boss, I understand. I do not want to leave the team. But I'd like to first talk with Ed, with you, with a group. Need to discuss some things ... If then you decide that I can stay .. . " Sam frowned, without finishing.
Greg's face clouded as he nodded. "I'd like very much that Ed be a part at this conversation ... Because I have a few of my own difficult moments to discuss," He suddenly chuckled , "But I guess that almost everyone here feels more or less guilty about what happened to Ed?" He looked at their sullen faces, "Okay ... Then I need to know where to start - do you want to discuss all now, or we have to wait when Ed would be fine enough to hear all our apologies?"
"Boss, you know how Ed likes this kind of talk," Jules smiled mirthlessly, "I'm afraid that the conversation would be over even before it began. I vote that we are talking now."
The other nodded in agreement. Then Greg in a quiet calm voice first began his confession about how he was in a hurry to Dean and about his personal problems affected his decision. And what it led to.
...
A few hours later, Greg, saying goodbye to everyone, went to his house. This crazy stressful day finally ended.
He was thinking about everything that was said. A lots of revelations were made, a lots of heated debate and difficult conclusions were done. Not everything was clearly, doubts remained. But the main was reached - no one was talking about leaving the team. Everyone was ready to do everything on their best to sort out what happened and to prevent repeating the same mistakes.
But the question remains - how Ed will react on their confessions? The upcoming conversation with his stubborn and principled team leader troubled Greg for many reasons. Ed is capable of decisive action and tough solutions - Greg also remembered very well the situation with the departure of Wordy. He remembered as Ed broke into Wordy's locker and then took his Glock, when he only suspected that his friend was not 100% fit for duty.
"Well, we turned the corner, but not yet out of the woods ..." Greg smiled wistfully, "Hey, Eddie," mentally he turned to his friend, "Be alright soon. You and me, we have to save this team. I really need your help here, buddy... "