A/N: The good thing about being sick is you can stay home and catch up on fanfictions! I am so glad I was able to get this chapter done this morning. Usually I can sit down and write a chapter all at once but with this one I wrote half of it last night and the other half today. I guess we'll just have to see how it turned out. I am sorry for the format (jumping back and forth between Judy and Doug) and I hope that does not make it difficult to read. Anyways, thank you for all your kind reviews. It means so much to me. Also, I hope you enjoy Chapter Thirteen, oh and please no flames in regards to the ending! Thank you.
Chapter Thirteen
Doug Penhall slumped through the door of the chapel and begrudgingly tossed his coat upon a hook. He glanced around and saw Ioki reviewing a file and two empty desks – one for Judy, one for Hanson. Letting out a sigh, Doug made his way to his desk. He had a case to close and couldn't let anything personal get in the way. That was the thing about being an officer – you had to leave the personal stuff behind and throw yourself one-hundred percent into your work. Then, and only then, once your work was complete, could you get back to the personal aspect of your life.
Doug made his way over to his desk and dropped himself into the chair. There were several manila case files scattered here and there. Doug found the current file and flipped it open. Drug busts in schools were usually a piece of cake. But of course, that was when he had Tom there to help him. Could he handle this case on his own? The lone McQuaid?
"Penhall!"
Doug looked up to see Fuller coming over to him, his hand beckoning him into his office. Doug let out a grunt as he stood and followed his captain into the office. Fuller closed the door behind him and offered Doug a seat.
"I want to talk to you about this case," Fuller began.
"Captain, it's no big…"
"Don't you lie to me, Penhall. I know you're going through a lot, we all are, but this case has to come first."
"It does."
"Does it?" Fuller asked, his eyes widening expectant of a truthful answer.
"Well, it kind of ties with Hanson. Does that count?" Doug's voice much resembled that of a little child trying to bargain his way out of punishment.
"Penhall…"
"Look Chief…"
"How many times must I tell you not to call me that?" Fuller asked.
"Sorry, Chief…I mean, Captain. It's just, Hanson means a lot to me in a total straight-non-homo way and I just…I just don't know if I'll be able to work this alone. I'm not used to doing cases by myself, without Hanson there to help. I…I don't know if I can do this by myself."
"Doug, it's a simple case – drugs administered from the faculty to the students. I know it isn't quite as simple as the case Judy and Harry are working on but you're just gonna have to do your best. You and Hanson are two of the best. You can do this, Penhall. Without Hanson."
"But that's the thing, Cap'n, I don't want to do this without him. He's Tommy and I'm Doug. We're the McQuaids!"
"You'll just have to be a McQuaid by yourself then, or do you want me to assign this case to…"
"No," Doug was quick to answer, "I'll do it. But how do I explain Tommy being gone?"
"I don't know, excuses are the McQuaids' specialty," Fuller grinned at the young officer before him, "I am sure you'll think of something."
"Sure thing, Cap. Do you want me at school today?"
"Yeah. You're a McQuaid, it's good that you're late. Go to class like you usually do and tell them something about Tom. And Doug? Make me proud on this, got it?"
"Yes sir," Doug saluted, a grin working its way upon his face. Suddenly he dropped his hand and stared down at his scuffed sneakers.
The McQuaid salute.
"I'll do my best, sir."
"That's all I ever ask of you, Penhall. That's all I ever will ask."
--
"What'chya lookin' at, punk?" Doug barked as he walked past an acne ridden boy who was currently gaping at Doug while in the mean time trying to spit water from the rusted fountain.
"N-n-nothing," the kid stammered his response.
"That's what I thought!" Doug shrugged his rugged leather jacket back on his shoulders before continuing his walk down the hall and to his first period class – laboratory science. He tried not to think about no longer having a lab partner, not that Tommy was much of a help when it came to performing labs.
Doug continued his way down the hall and to the science lab. He swung the door open and sauntered inside. The teacher – a Mr. McMyer – dropped his chalk on the tray under the black board. He turned his attention from the diagram of a water atom and placed it on Doug McQuaid.
"Mr. McQuaid, you are thirty minutes late to my class!"
"Gosh, teach, I'm sorry. It seems as if the time just slipped right past me," Doug tried his hardest to smirk.
"Where's that brother of yours?" Mr. McMyer asked, not at all pleased by Doug's display.
"Oh, Tommy? Wells, you sees here, teach, ol' Tommy has this chick – real hot piece of tail – and it turns out she has this man, right, who ain't too happy about Tommy stakin' his claim on 'er. So this is what he does, he goes to Tommy and decides he wants to fight over Candice, that'd be the chick's name. Anyways, they start duking it out and that's when my ol' man comes out and starts yellin' and tearing away at Tommy all drunk like usual. Tommy yells about bein' sick and tired of everything and then busts a cap on the kid – Danny Davers – and that's when my ol' man just lets him. Anyways, Danny Davers is lying there on the ground, blood a-squirting out of his nose and my ol' man gets his pantyhose in a bunch and decides that he's 'ick and tired of havin' to take care of a kid like Tommy so what he does he sends him off to some school, military or somethin' like that. Anyways, he – Tommy – won't be gracing us with his presence today. Not that it's a real pretty presence after my ol' man got done with 'im," Doug raised an eyebrow suggestively and hopped that his story was believable.
"Well, take a seat then. We'll have to assign you a new lab partner," Mr. McMyer said with a roll of his eyes. From what Doug could tell, the man wasn't at all fazed by Tom's absence. If anything, he'd probably be inwardly rejoicing. One less McQuaid to have to deal with. That just meant Doug would have to work double time.
"Whatever you say, teach," he replied before sauntering over to his assigned lab table and tossing himself onto the stool. It surprised him how easily the lie had come to him. Usually Tom was the one quick on his feet, quick with excuses. Doug tried to shake the thoughts of Tom off and focus on work. Work had to be his number one right now rather he liked it or not.
"Ms. Schleper, please have a seat next to Mr. McQuaid. He'll be your new lab partner."
Doug looked up to see a short, tad chunky redheaded girl grab her back pack and make her way over to his table. She wore her hair high up in a ponytail and had a kind smile. She was definitely not the type of person Doug McQuaid wanted to associate with. She shot him a smile as she tossed her bag on the table and took her seat.
"I'm Jerrie-Lynne," she spoke.
"And I'm I Don't Care," Doug scoffed, not even bothering to glance at the girl next to him.
"I'm sorry about your brother. You two seemed close."
"Whatever." Doug was in no mood to deal with this girl, McQuaid or not.
"Well, I'm glad we can be lab partners."
"Glad?" Doug scoffed, "I wouldn't call having to work with me anything to be glad about."
"Well I am," Jerrie-Lynne answered pointedly before turning her attention to copying down the atom diagram drawn on the board.
--
Judy rolled over and stared at the clock. The red LCD letters seemed to mock her – 9:45. If this had been any other time, any other day, she would be at work right now helping Ioki solve his case – their case. She sighed and flopped over on her back, not even wanting to think about work. But then again, she had never missed a day of work except for a few incidents here and there. What would she do while not at Jump Street?
She supposed she could go down to the hospital and visit Hanson knowing that the rest of Jump Street were too busy working on cases. She'd be the only one there to visit him and she could just sit and talk with him for the whole day. She had always wondered what that would be like, talking to Hanson for a whole day. Just honestly talking. Sure they talked but they didn't know much about each other outside of work.
She could tell him how much she missed him and how much she wanted him to pull through and how sorry she was she had put him in his current position. She could just sit there and be there for him. No one else would, not at least until work let out. She could have the whole day with him if she wanted.
But then again, it would be hard having to see him. She knew each time she saw his face, she would have to be reminded that she could have prevented this. She could have stayed at his house and driven in the morning, she could have accepted his offer to go with her, she could have not stopped off for gas. There were lots of things she could have – should have – done differently.
It was then Judy began to understand the importance of 3.3 seconds.
--
"Hey!"
Doug turned and saw the little redhead bouncing after him. He rolled his eyes and let out a groan.
"What do you want?" He asked, his voice harsh and demanding.
"I just wanted to ask if you wanted someone to sit with at lunch. I know you and Tommy always ate together and I know you don't have a lot of friends here and I was wondering if you might be in need of some company."
"Eat where you want," he answered with a shrug.
"I know losing your brother like this is hard…"
"I didn't lose nobody!" Doug snapped, turning angrily on the girl, "He is away at a fuckin' military school. I can visit him once every month if I want to."
"Will you?" Jerrie-Lynne asked, her auburn eyes widening expectantly.
"Nah," Doug shrugged.
"Yes you will. I know you want to be all tough and everything but it's okay. I know you're upset. I would be upset too if my brother left, if I had a brother. You don't have to act tough around me."
"Who says this is an act?" Doug demanded.
"I do," Jerrie-Lynne smiled up at the older man, "I can see it in your eyes, Doug. You're hurting."
"What are you? Some kind of shrink of somethin'?" Doug challenged.
"Nah," the girl shook her head, "I just can read people and you, Doug, you're like an open book."
"Oh really?" Doug asked as they walked into the overcrowded cafeteria together.
"Really. I can tell you don't like having to switch schools a lot. I remember Tommy saying that this was your third school in the past two months. That must be difficult on you two. I have to move a lot because of my dad's work. I know it isn't exactly a piece of cake. Also, you and Tommy are very close. I know you curse each other and fight each other a lot but you really seem to be close. I know that despite what you two may say to each other, you'd give your lives for each other in a second. Also, you have a far away look, like this isn't where you belong. Almost as if you belong somewhere better than this seventh ring of hell they call a high school. You never do your homework but I swear in English I saw you read the first chapters of 1984 like the rest of us which leads me to think that this whole tough-guy-who-hates-school act is just that, an act."
"You are a shrink, aren't ya?" Doug asked.
"No," Jerrie-Lynne laughed, "Psychology is a waste in my opinion. Why study people? Just leave them be and let them live. You don't need to question that."
"I kind of agree," Doug was surprised that he and this girl had something in common but not as much as it surprised him that she knew so much about him and they had only been in school for about a week.
"Yeah well, where do want to sit?"
"Over there," Doug nodded, "I'll go get in the line. You want anything?"
"I brought my lunch. To be honest, I am scared to touch whatever the heck it is they try to pass off as food with a fifty-foot stick," Jerrie smiled at Doug as he slumped over towards the line. There was something about him. She couldn't place her finger on it but there was something about him, something different.
--
He didn't look different, but then again she shouldn't have expected him to. Judy took a seat in the familiar chair next to his bed and placed his hand in hers. She wiped the bangs from his eyes. He really did need a hair cut.
"Hey, Hanson," Judy smiled at him, attempting to sound cheery, "I-I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I won't hurt you again, okay? I know I should have listened to you that night. I should have done a thousand things differently and if I had, you might not be here right now," the cheerfulness in her voice faded, "I-I did this to you, Hanson and I won't ever forgive myself for it. I-I just can't risk losing another member of my team, Hans. That's way I-I have decided to resign. Maybe I can find another job, maybe one closer to my family. I just-I just can't risk hurting anyone else. I put you in danger, Hanson. I can't live with that. So I just wanted to come and say goodbye, alright? It's for the best. I-I'll miss you," Judy's voice began to break and a tear fell from her eye, "It's just…I don't want to hurt anyone else. I'll be gone by the time you get out of this place, Hanson. I'll be gone and you'll never have to face me again. I'm doing this for you, Hanson. Believe me I am. I am only thinking of you," Judy leaned over and kissed the young officer on the forehead, "Forgive me," she said before turning and walking out the door, leaving Hanson behind.
A/N: Ooooh! A cliffy! Feel free to insert creepy, ominous music here! I am having so much fun writing this and I hope ya'll are enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Thank you for your suggestions for new stories. I am considering doing a reunion one. Anyways, thank you so much for sticking with this story. It means a lot to me. I don't know if I'll get to update again today but I'll try.