Oneshot 10 - Joe And Thomas

Summary: Takes place where the episode "Aweigh We Go" ended. What made Getraer of all people buy that speedboat? He didn't seemed to let go of that speedboat, so why did he decide to split the boat into a three-man-partnership with Jon and Ponch? We'll get answers on those questions and an explanation of Getraer's cheesy name for the boat "Joe and Friends", thanks to a flashback. We will also know the story behind the misfortune line of O'Hannigan. Warnings for angsty feels that will punch you.

SPLASH

"Are you kidding me?!" Ponch yelled and spit out water he accidentally swallowed when Jon and Getraer threw him backwards into the water-filled and sinking speedboat. Jon didn't mind much while Getraer seemed to received a personal revenge.

Jon chuckled at a soaked Ponch, but he frowned when he saw the look at the Sarge's expression were less...amusing. Neither of Jon or Ponch had a chance to say something when Getraer turned his back on them and left without a word, with a bitter expression.

Later, when the sun were halfway setting, Jon managed to pull the once again broken boat back up on land with the help of Ponch. He gave Ponch a towel, so his partner wouldn't catch a cold. Together, they sat and quietly admired the colors of the sky. Getraer were another story, he just sat inside his car and were lost in his own thoughts.

Ponch glanced carefully at the sergeant's car. "I didn't knew Getraer were so upset about the boat..."

"Maybe buying a speedboat were one of his lifelong wishes." Jon suggested, he got up and decided to make a bonfire. They were actually not on a illegal camping place and he thought perhaps everyone would feel better with a cup of hot chocolate. Chocolate has always been one of his own mother's ways to comfort someone upset.

Ponch shrugged. "Actually, I begin to feel bad for Sarge. I mean...I only wanted the boat so I could impress the girls, but he seemed...happy about the boat. Almost as if a best friend returned."

The fire were lit and crackled merrily. "What do you mean?" Jon questioned, he raised an eyebrow and were genuinely surprised that Ponch had noticed the behavior of their sergeant.

"As I said, he looked really happy and I think the boat means more to him than we even thought."

Jon nodded, it made sense now. Sarge had always been professional, strict and perhaps stiff when it came to a friendship with him. But after they decided to split the boat into three-man-partnership...he witnessed a side of Getraer that he thought wasn't possible. Jon didn't forgot his smile, a true genuine smile and he had never seen him like that.

They could for once, reach out to him. Maybe having fun together for once. He laughed and were actually cheerful. Jon glanced back to the car where a gloomy Getraer sat and stared. Why did he looked so...broken?

25 years earlier. Los Angeles, 1952.

"Heeeello, Joe!"

A young man, already in his officer uniform danced into the locker room. His green eyes were alive and energetic, a grin already on place and wore messy ginger hair.

Officer Joe Getraer sighed with a smile and continued to polish his boots. "What do you want now, Thomas?"

Thomas pretended to look hurt. "Gee, partner! That you actually think I want something from you. No, no. What I want is something for us to do together. You and me!"

"Other than hitting the beat after we head for briefing?"

His smile were completely vanished by now. Thomas sighed as he accompanied his partner through briefing and it was perhaps his least favorite pastime, but it was important. Their sergeant never went easy on Thomas and his wild stunts he pulled on their beat, so Getraer did his best to cover up for him. But it was never easy.

Still, Joe wished he wouldn't turn like that if he was one day promoted to sergeant. Thomas was least likely to get promoted as he always went to from one trouble into another. But he wouldn't want to replace his companion and his smile for any gold out in the world.

On their bikes, Thomas wore once again his ridiculous grin and Joe cringed. What now?

"Joe, have you ever thought about sailing?"

Getraer were slightly surprised by that. Normally, Thomas would just talk about "foxy" ladies or something else he was familiar with. But sailing? Nope.

"No, actually. Why do you ask? You haven't ordered something and forgot to pay, have you?"

"No, no! I just want us to sail around in a speedy boat and relax. Just us two! Getraer and O'Hannigan!"

Getraer and O'Hannigan...it had a nice ring to it. A speedy boat, as Thomas put it. It has never occurred to his mid, but seemed interesting. With Thomas, a boat and in the middle of the ocean...it just smelled trouble and mischief. But there weren't much he wouldn't do for his partner, let alone leaving him with a speedboat.

But he soon forgot it as both him and Thomas got involved in an intense car chase, the driver was especially wanted for theft and harassment of women. The latter part made Thomas angry, as Getraer could tell. Knocking the suspect into the ground and cuffing him while cursing foul.

Joe sighed as this was another tale his future children wouldn't believe. He still didn't get why he was...such a nice guy!

Thomas glanced back at him with his emerald green eyes. "Joe...one of my lifelong wishes is to buy a speedy boat and spend my vacay with you. Promise we'll do that?"

Joe smiled towards his dearest friend. "That's a promise then...partner."

The smile on Thomas face were indestructible.

Ponch received a cup of hot chocolate in his hands, he felt sorta chilly and Jon did his best for the caring of his best friend. "Thanks, partner." he replied and took a slow sip, careful to not burn his tongue as he tended to do.

Jon settled down by his side with his own cup. A lone and empty cup were waiting beside the bonfire. "You know, Ponch. Maybe we should head home soon. It's gonna get colder, I don't want you to catch a cold...and Getraer can't sit in his car forever."

"Was it my fault, Jon? I mean, I made the boat sink and it wouldn't happened if I didn't jumped in-"

"And I wish you could stop blaming you for ever mishap, Frank."

Both Jon and Ponch were startled by Getraer's voice, they haven't even noticed he broke out from his own isolation in his car and actually came down to talk. Different to earlier in the afternoon, he apparently got some jeans.

"Hey, Sarge." Jon said awkwardly.

Getraer didn't smiled. Instead, he settled down while Jon prepared a cup of hot chocolate for the sarge. Ponch didn't knew what to say, instead he glanced carefully at Getraer.

The sergeant sighed. "Look, I'm not gonna chew out on you two. What happens just does and we can't live in the past. There's time for improve that boat later."

Ponch didn't answered and the three of them sat in silence for a long moment. They watched a flock of birds flying in the air, the sun were setting and it was quiet. Just quiet.

Getraer broke it. "Frank. Why did you wanted the boat that much? I doubt you liked boats that much. We all wants something for different reasons."

Ponch shrugged uncomfortably, knowing that his main reason were egocentric and ridiculous. "I just wanted the boat, so I could impress some foxy ladies. Then, I convinced Jon that we could share it and sail around. Having fun."

That was the answer he needed. The words echoed in his mind, Poncherello truly reminded him of Thomas. "Sail around together. Having fun."

Both Jon and Ponch sat and waited for Getraer telling his reason. Their reasons were simple and connected to each other, so it were only the sergeant's answer that was yet to be answered.

"Long ago...I made a promise. When I saw the boat, I thought it was a second chance and it weren't even my lifelong wish. Well, it was, but I shared it with someone else long before both of you were born."

Jon and Ponch shared a look, but didn't said anything.

"I know what you both are thinking. But I haven't always been the grumpy sergeant you maybe know me as. I were once like you both. Young, careless...and happy. I had a partner once, back when I was a motor officer like you. But my partner died long ago and a part of me died along with him. I never became myself again, death changes one person who were once happy. Getting the boat...it almost felt like he was with me again."

Jon were at loss of words. Getraer were once just like them, but his partner and best friend died. Suddenly he began to understand Getraer more, he must taken the loss very hard.

It must been terrible and he would probably feel like that too if something happened to Ponch and he wouldn't be able to save him. Losing Ponch was his greatest nightmare and if Getraer lost his own partner...then no wonder how he turned into.

"What was his name? If you don't mind telling about him, Sarge..." Ponch trailed off, he found it unbelievable that Getraer, their grumpy and strict, by-the-book sergeant were once like them. The loss must been a hard blow to him, hard enough to change a person like that.

"Thomas. We met when I was in the Navy, doing my duty. All of us were around from 17 to 20 year old, he was the youngest and we became friends at first. He was actually from Ireland, but he lived in the States for a time and he decided to man up by doing military service. After our service were done, he decided to not split up and we'd gone to the Academy, to become CHP officers. He was more hot-headed and troublesome while I tried to be a nice guy and keep him in check. He continued his reckless little stunts when we both were motor officers, Poncherello here often reminds me of him."

Ponch gave a small smile at that and Jon mirrored his grin. Now they saw that a couple of officer partners did exist before they did, it was nice to know another side of Getraer. Especially a young Getraer, who seemed like Jon.

"But...we were only together in two and a half year. Then he was called to return home to Ireland and I accompanied him for only a short time I was allowed to. He met a girl and Thomas married fairly young, it came as a surprise as he was a little too fond of ladies back then. The girl were the most tender and sweetest I ever met...but her sister were a disaster. Always sneaking around and trying to spoil everything. I left when my vacay time were up and he stayed. Thomas continued a career in law enforcement, in the Irish Police Force and the department of Criminal Investigation. He once visited LA for something I won't go into and that was the last time I saw him. Two years later, he was killed."

Jon and Ponch didn't said a word.

"I didn't knew why, but I actually went there to see him. Only to know that the moment I got off the plane...that he died two hours earlier. I attended his funeral. His wife passed away earlier than him, she was ill and only lived 11 months after they married."

"Did he had any child?" Ponch suddenly asked, out of curiosity. Jon began to think and it seemed...a bit too detailing. If Getraer went to see him, only to get two hours too late to see his friend and what was the business this Thomas had in LA, especially with the CHP?

"One daughter. I don't know what became of her, a few years later I went back to check on her. But they said it had been a fire. I supposed the bloodline of O'Hannigan was dead and returned to LA for good."

Jon raised an eyebrow. "O'Hannigan?"

"That's his surname. In Kinsale back at Ireland, the O'Hannigan family were a wealthy family. Thomas was the last one in line of the O'Hannigan family. He told me that long ago that an ancestor of his were knighted in 15th century and the community of Kinsale were handled by Lord or Lady of O'Hannigan. But...O'Hannigan is dead now, so it's most likely that things are handled by the Police Department."

Jon decided to speak up. "Sarge, I know this sounds strange. But have you ever thought that there's something behind that? Think of it now; O'Hannigan is a wealthy bloodline. Your friend were a CHP, like us, but went back for some reason. After some years, he's killed. His wife died before him and the daughter is presumed dead or gone. What happens then to all the wealth?"

Getraer sighed. "I have thought of all possibilities, like you have. But I came to dead end at each time I investigated. I tried to get every trail I got, but I ended up empty-handed. I would continued, if I never got the orders to stop."

"This is weird, guys. What if someone wanted to end that family, so they could get all the money and riches?" Ponch said, the whole story was fishy for him.

"Hard to say, Frank." Getraer sighed, but his expression turned strict. "Now, listen up. Both of you two goofballs!"

Jon and Ponch looked genuinely shocked by his outburst, Getraer pointed a warning finger at them.

"I absolutely forbid you two to research or investigate about this, it's dangerous and out of your league! You have no idea what this is about and if you get involved, there's no way out! Forget about this "O'Hannigan Mystery" now. You asked about my dead partner and I have done it. I have nothing more to tell and don't even get Baricza, Grossman or anyone else on this! I have covered every loophole at this. Understood?!"

Ponch just his expression as he realized that Getraer had them at there, all loopholes were covered and they must forget this. He sighed disappointed, as he had been excited at first to solve this mystery. Jon nodded.

"Understood, Sarge. I promise to not get into that." he acknowledged and Ponch nodded in agreement.

The revealed expression of Getraer eased on them, but still both Jon and Ponch knew that this story was much more than they ever heard of. A mystery. A murder of an officer of the law, a fire and a wealthy family. Even if this put them into so much brainwork, Jon and Ponch dropped it as it were Getraer's request to keep them safe.

Even though the misfortune story of Joe Getraer and Thomas O'Hannigan literally made their hearts broke, they forgot soon all about it as if it never happened.

Author's Notes

AND WE HAVE REACHED 10 CHAPTERS! WOOOHOO! *makes a little dance*

With the 10th oneshot, I celebrate it with officially introducing Thomas O'Hannigan. The mischieveous partner and best friend of Joe Getraer! I can just imagine they were just like Jon and Ponch, only it took place before our favorite officers were born.

I was so curious about why Getraer wanted that speedboat and he seemed persisted to not sell it to Ponch and Jon, so he suggested that three-men-partnership about the boat.

The cheesy name "Joe and Friends" for the boat is kinda explored. The original name of a boat Joe wanted to sail around with Thomas were originally called "Joe and Thomas". But Getraer changed it, so maybe Jon and Ponch wouldn't be suspicious. Besides, they didn't seemed to have anything against the cheesy name.

The ending of Getraer and his friendship with Thomas is very sad, because his best friend died. Imagine that if Ponch would be in trouble and Jon wouldn't be able to save him, he would never forgive himself. That's what Getraer is feeling and if I'm correct, he's probably jealous in secret of Jon and Ponch.

It would also explain his father-like attitude for those two.

By the way, I made calculations. Accourding to the CHiPs ID card you can buy at Ebay, it says Ponch is 17. I don't believe it, he must be at least in his mid-twenties when you watch the show, so that's not possible. So, I came to...well, let's say Ponch is 25. and Jon is three years older (accourding to the CHiPs wikia), so he's 28.

~Loopin' Lunan95