AMY

Another week had come and almost gone by, they were under a little pressure to find something more concrete on the murder of the taxi driver, but as always, some other cases had come in and been taken care of. Amy was sweating a bit as it was an unusually warm spring day, they had chased on perp for a few blocks, Jake got a Charlie horse and fell down two blocks in, Amy managed to get the perp, tackling him, and Jake met up with them to help cuff him a minute later.

As far as her case was concerned, up until today, it had been fine. She and Jake met with Driscoll and Eisen Wednesday evening. They were buoyed up by the fact that two of the women she had talked to were leaning heavily towards pursuing their cases again and testifying for Amy's own case. This had helped her feel more confident, until today.

Jake was currently talking to her, but she was having a hard time concentrating, on anything other than the note. When she came into the Nine-Nine at the beginning of her shift, there had been a note from Paul Bender, her ex and the man Jake thought was a mannequin come to life.

Amy,

Think about what I told you. The heat is about to get turned up. Do you want your personal life all over the New York news' outlets?

Paul

At first, she felt almost smug about the situation, he had actually had someone place the note in her locker or had come in and done it himself, but regardless, his name was on it. As the day wore on, she felt less sure about everything and wondered if he would be in trouble for warning about the possibility of press, he could claim coincidence. She wasn't worried about her personal life, but if they lied, that would be difficult to prove.

She hadn't told Jake about the note, one of them needed to focus and be on their game for the day. So far, he hadn't noticed that she was distracted, he thought she was tired because they had stayed up late binge watching tv. Amy nodded to something Jake said, she was unsure what she was agreeing to.

AMY and JAKE

"Really?" Jake was amused with something.

"What?" Amy gave him her what the hell look, which he still feared somewhat.

Jake rolled his eyes ever so slightly, "you just agreed with me when I said anyone who doesn't think Die Hard is the best cop movie should be pushed out of the force. What's up?"

Amy sighed, "nothing."

"Uh-uh, and yet, I don't believe you. Ames, we're super partners, we work and live together. If you can't tell me, fine. But if you're trying to protect this guy, don't. I can handle."

Amy's face had the faint beginnings of a grin, "you can handle?"

Jake nodded, "absolutes, Ames, absolutes."

She considered things for a few seconds, "fine. I'm telling you because I wouldn't be happy if you kept something like this from me, I just thought one of us should concentrate on cases today."

He reached over and squeezed her knee, "what is it?"

She sighed, "This morning there was a letter from Bender in my locker, telling me the heat was about to get turned up and asking I really wanted my personal life all over the news."

Jake groaned, "that guy, what a handsome son of a bitch. I'm sorry, that sucks. Other than me, your personal life has to be pretty squeaky clean."

She nodded, "yes, but if they lie, or get someone to lie, that can be difficult if not impossible to prove sometimes."

Jake was yet again unsure of what to say, he found himself constantly at a loss of words for what Amy was dealing with. He would never have to go through what she did, he could be falsely accused, but never for simply wanting to not be forcibly kissed and hit on at work. Amy was in a fight for her life because she wanted to be treated professionally and have others act professionally and not like horny teenagers. "Sorry, again, it sucks. Feels like I say those words, a lot."

Amy squeezed his hand, "I appreciate it, I do. You are supportive, it's what I need. If you tried to tell me how to feel or told me to just let it roll off, we'd have issues."

Jake laughed, "oh hell no, I'd be straight up terrified if I told you that. Especially after you fucking crushed that can on your head. I tried that, it's why I have a cut above my eyebrow. I asked Terry to try it, he crushed it, then bitched and moaned about how much his head hurt."

Amy chuckled lightly, no sounds, just her chest and shoulders rising and falling rapidly with amusement, "I learned how to do that, and not mind it a long time ago. To shut my brothers up."

"Oh, it works. I was terrified and didn't sleep well that night, at alls. Terrifying. And since you have been distracted and not hearing me, did you catch anything about my mom?"

Amy blushed a little and shook her head, "no, I'm sorry. That's not being a good partner, or super partner as you said."

Jake laughed, "Ames, it's okay. You are an amazing partner, super, normal, sexual."

Amy hit him, "Jake, we're on the job!"

Still laughing, Jake rubbed his arm where she hit him, "sorry, you're right. But you're okay. You've been dealing with a lot, somethings are going to go right through and not be processed by your computer like super-brain."

"Thanks, so, is your mom okay?" She did feel bad, Jake was important to her and his mom was amazingly kind, and she felt like she had bonded with her.

"Yeah, she's just lonely. She tries to hide things from me, to spare my feelings, but she and my dad still hook up from time to time. He's the worst, as you know. Well, they just hooked up again, and then Roger being Roger, borrowed money and split. Classic Roger move."

"That's terrible, he is the worst."

"I keep telling you that, because it's true. But my moms just wondered if I'd come visit, and when I asked about bringing you, she busted my ear drum with happy yelling."

Amy smiled, "of course. When do you want to go?"

Jake smiled a huge goofy grin, "wow, you really blocked my talking out today. Tonight, after work."

Amy frowned, "I'm sorry Jake, I should be more attentive, you've been amazing through this."

"Ames, it's good, we're good. You got shit on again today with that stupid fucking note from the Handsome Whore."

Amy shook her head in disbelief, "why are you so fixated on Paul's looks?"

Jake shrugged, "I don't know, lack of self-esteem, the fact that he's like ridiculously good looking. Did I mention lack of self-esteem."

Amy looked at him, "Jake, yes, he is good looking, but as you have seen, he's a terrible person. I was distracted because he's a good cop, but I soon learned he does whatever it takes to advance his career. He's playing us and trying to use a very small connection he and I had to impress the deputy commissioner."

Jake sighed again, "I know, but I feel like a troll when I'm around him. Like how Scully should feel around everyone else."

Amy laughed a little, "be nice, Scully is frightening, but…I don't know how to defend him."

"Yeah, no one does."

When they arrived at Jake's mom's house, it was just beginning to get dark, the streetlights turned on as they exited their car. Amy looked at the small two-story brick house and smiled, "this is the house you grew up in?"

Jake nodded, "yeah, I did spend a lot of time in my now burned down apartment with my nana. But this is home sweet home. Good and bad memories. My mom was amazing, but I was alone, a lot. My dad wasn't around a lot before he officially left, and then I barely saw him."

"It's a nice house, perfect for you and your mom."

"Yeah, it was. Too big really, but she doesn't like change, even though she always tells me to be more flexible."

Jake rang the doorbell and his mom answered, shrieking and hugging them both, "Amy, I'm so glad you came with Jakey. It's so nice to see you again!"

"Hi Karen." Amy was still being hugged.

"Okay Moms, enough, I'm pretty sure Amy wants to be able to breathe after your hug."

Karen released Amy and smiled at the two of them, "sorry Jakey, I just never thought you'd find such a nice girl."

Jake looked at Amy, "always a boost for the old self-esteem to come home again and be reminded of why I left."

Karen playfully hit Jake, "oh come on Jake, you know you always dated somewhat scary women. You dated one girl who stole my silverware, and you're a cop."

"Okay, point taken. Can we not give Amy more stories and reasons to run away from this relationship?"

Amy laughed, "I'm not going anywhere, and these stories are gold. I texted Rosa, Charles, and Terry that we were coming here. Charles was so jealous, but he told me to get lots of pictures and stories of high school Jake."

Jake softly banged his head against the door jam, "I'm so glad we decided to do this."

Amy pulled him inside, the house was decorated nicely, Karen was obviously a bit of a hippy, but there were a lot of older pictures of family. On one of the mantles was a picture of Jake in his graduation robe, long hair, a scowl on his face, and colored cords in his hands."

Karen walked up beside Amy, "he was so embarrassed, he had perfect attendance, was an honor student, and president of the Key club, but Jake being Jake didn't like people knowing he was good or smart."

"Oh boy," Amy snapped a picture on her phone of the photo and shot Jake a look, he immediately knew she was turned on by his attendance, smarts, and service. He tried to make a mental note to bring that up later.

Dinner was nice, Karen had prepared a brisket, which was apparently one of Jake's all-time favorites. As Jake happily consumed a huge amount of meat, Amy used the time to find out what younger Jake was like.

"So, Karen, did Jake go through any truly embarrassing phases as an adolescent?"

Jake tried to protest, but his mouth was full of brisket and carrots, Karen just smiled at him, "oh Jakey, don't worry. When he was twelve, he loved MC Hammer and dressed in those large pants and flashy shirts. I'll bring out pictures later." Amy felt elated at that, while Jake started choking on his food. Karen continued, "When he was high school, he tried to be cool for a bit, but he had long hair, then he got a nose ring, an earring and wore a lot of flannel, a lot. I have a mountain of pictures of that, some are hanging up in the house."

Jake took a drink of soda, "thanks mom, if my relationship ends soon, it's on you."

Amy smiled, "no, it will be on you. None of this matters it's just funny and it embarrasses you, so bonus."

After dinner, they watched Jaws, which Karen said was one of Jake's earliest favorite films, he loved the Martin Brodie character, a cop, and he killed the shark. Karen started falling asleep, she finally got up and excused herself to go to bed, but she told Jake and Amy that they could stay the night if they didn't want to drive home. Jake said no, but Amy pointed out how tired they were, and after Karen had left, she then pointed out that Jake could have sex in his childhood bed and room, which changed his mind.

When they entered his room, Amy couldn't help but laugh. His mom had obviously not changed the décor, at all. There were some rap artist posters, some rock posters, three Die Hard posters, and strange Nicholas Cage poster. Scattered around the room were photos of Jake. Some and he and Gina, some of he and his mom, and many of just him, looking like a surly teen with long hair, flannel shirts over band t-shirts with a nose ring and an earring. Jake begged Amy to stop taking pictures with his phone and sending them to people at the Nine-Nine, but she was having too much fun.

Jake was semi-pouting on the bed, Amy sat down next to him. "Don't feel bad Jake. These are hilarious, but I love them, they're you, and you know how I feels about you?"

Jake's eyes narrowed, "don't talk like me to win me over, traitor."

Amy started to kiss his neck and tried to scoot away from her, "no way, you are not pouting instead of having fun with me, in your teenage bed."

Jake grinned slyly at her, "Santiago, what's up with you and having sex in my childhood bed? Are you a perv?"

Amy batted at him with her closest arm, "careful Jake, I can go home, and you can stay. I just thought…well, I was never dumb enough to try and have a boy in my room, my dad and seven brothers would have actually murdered anyone who tried. My guess is…"

Jake finally gave in, "you're right, I never got lucky in this bed, with other people." Amy made a face, "don't look at me like that, hello, I was a teenage boy, and a guy!"

Amy smiled again, then started to kiss him, this time though, Jake responded. When they woke up the next morning, Amy elbowed Jake in the ribs.

"Jake, Jake…I need to use the restroom, but I don't want to get dressed, do you have robe or large t-shirt in here."

Jake stood up, not dressed himself, and lumbered over to a dresser and pulled out a huge Fishbone t-shirt. "Fishbone?"

Jake tiredly rubbed his eyes, "awesome ska and punk band, from the eighties, but still around."

Amy put the shirt on, it was bigger than most of her nightgowns, and used the restroom. When she came out, Jake was wearing a slightly too small NWA t-shirt and baggy shorts. "Let's get breakfast, my mom still stocks the best cereal.

As Amy attempted to eat Fruity Dino-bites with marshmallows, Jake, who had already eaten two bowls, went to the front porch for the newspaper, knowing Amy would be happy. He placed the paper in front her, she smiled and started to browse, Jake was rinsing the dishes when he heard it.

"Mother fucker!"

Jake nearly dropped the bowl he was now drying, "Ames, my mom!"

"Jake, look, look at this…it's…that mother fucker…I will get him!"

Jake quickly walked to her and looked, in the metro section was an article, "BROOKLYN COP IN SUIT AGAINST CAPTAIN HAS QUESTIONABLE PAST." Jake scanned through the article, the paper which had not previously reported the suit, named Amy, did not name Groves, but quoted Paul Bender, her ex, as stating that Amy had used him to progress her career through a viciously active sexual relationship and that he was certain she had done the same to others. Jake felt ill, this was Amy's worst nightmare confirmed.

"My parents read this paper, my dad gets four different papers delivered every day. My parents, Jake."

Jake's phone buzzed, it was a text from Rosa.

rosa: just read paper, poor Amy, none of it can be true. u want me to handle him?

Jake thought of what he wanted to do, he couldn't do anything, nor Amy, it would just make Amy look worse in the public's perception. He quickly texted back.

me: hells yeah, rain fire on that piece of shit

rosa: done

Amy's phone rang, "hello? Kylie, I knew you would see it…no, I'm not home…there are?...no, it's not Jake's fault…we're at his mom's house, luckily…okay…thanks for the warning…bye.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Amy swallowed a few times, then spoke, "Kylie said there are reporters waiting outside our apartment. They want the story on the slutty sleuth, detective Delilah, or officer Sexy and Go." Her demeanor looked defeated, "that lying son of a bitch, but the damage is done, and with the relationship we had, he could argue and lie, he said she said. I'm screwed. The deputy commissioner is the one calling the shots here, and he just outplayed me."

Amy's phone rang, she answered it, "Lieutenant Driscoll…yes, I have…no….no…I see…okay…I will…I will…thanks, bye."

She paused before speaking, Jake could see the frustration weighing her down, all she had done for career being slandered and undone by a devious snake. "Driscoll, she said that I shouldn't lose hope. They will try their best to tie this to Groves and his people, especially the deputy commissioner. She doesn't want me to lose hope and she wants me to prepare a statement denouncing his claims. I don't know if it will work Jake, my career…" She choked back the emotions that threatened to escape, Jake hugged her tightly, again knowing of no words to ease her pain or buoy her up in her moment of need.

"Ames, you stay here. We can camp out for a bit, I'll have Terry clear them if they're not gone by the evening. I'm running down the street to the corner bodega."

"Booze?" She smiled sadly.

Jake shook his head, "shame cigarettes, I may not approve, but I know you need one."

She nodded sadly, he took off, leaving the house, bounding down the front steps and running, for him, to the bodega. He entered, picked up some drinks that Amy liked, and he thought were terrible, ordered two packs of cigarettes, paid and left. He was about to climb the front steps when he heard his name, he turned to see Captain McGinley.

"Captain? How the fuck did you find me here?"

"I went to your apartment, at like seven, my wife showed me the article. If she ever sees Groves again, well, she used to play soccer and his nuts will never be the same. I called your mom's number to ask her, and she told me you guys stayed here, I just told her I needed to talk with you, she doesn't know anything unless you told her, or she read it."

Jake shook his head, "no, she can know though, she'll just be angry for Amy, not at her."

"Look, this is below the belt. Way below the belt. I'm here to make sure she's okay, and to let her know that she will not be mistreated or demoted for this. Several captains have called me to complain about Groves and O'Leary and their techniques. I sent all the dirt I had on O'Leary to his wife, she called to ask if it was true. I told her that unlike the lies he had spread about my detective, this was all true. He was pissed."

Jake smiled briefly, "he called you?"

McGinley nodded, "oh yeah, he tried to be all macho, but I cut him down to size, I told him to not spread lies if your own truths are so ugly. He went on about how I ruined his marriage, clueless bastard."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Can I speak with Santiago? I'll be quick. I just need her to know that she has a lot of people on her side."

Amy appreciated the captain's support, she was amazed that he ratted out O'Leary to his wife, and she needed to hear there were many people on her side. The captain could tell the conversation was working, so he started asking about their case with taxi driver, going over several different scenarios. Jake watched in awe as the man he had questioned and written off was doing all he could to make things right for Amy, his phone buzzed, and he glanced at the text.

rosa:turn tv on, channel 1,3,5, or 10

ROSA

Being the quietest person in the precinct and the one to share the least about her personal life had a lot of benefits, one was that no one knew her cousin worked for human resources at the NYPD. He gave Rosa Bender's address without asking why, he wasn't stupid. Rosa flew through Brooklyn on her bike, over the bridge to Staten Island where Bender lived in a stylish condo. She knocked on the door, willing the angry look off her face.

Bender opened the door just a crack to see who it was, "Hello?" He sounded and looked tired.

"Hey, I never do this, but are you Paul Bender."

She could see him quickly try to fix his hair, "are you a fan?"

Rosa couldn't believe how vain this guy was, "I am, I saw you on the news, and I've seen you come in here before, I live a few blocks away."

"Would you like to come in?"

Rosa faked embarrassment, like it was too good to be true, "oh my god, that would be amazing." She was glad no one could see her.

He opened the door and motioned for her to come in, after she entered, he chained the door. He was about to speak when Rosa surprised him with a vicious punch to the kidneys, he screamed, "what the fuck?"

Rosa extended her baton and slammed it on his other side, he screamed again. "I'm a friend of Amy Santiago and you're a lying son of a bitch who will confess he lied."

Bender tried to get up, but Rosa easily pushed him down. "You won't help her."

Rosa hit him once more on each side, he was now crying, obviously in pain. "Listen, you pompous douche, she's a good cop who has a right to not be harassed and lied about, where as you got paid to do this. I already checked your financials, I am a cop, you got twenty grand in your bank account yesterday, from Landis Industries. Care to explain?"

Bender said nothing, but tried to move again, Rosa pressed her foot on his hand, "I will give you one more chance, and then I get mean. You will tell me, you will confess that you lied to the press, or I will cut off your junk, don't even try me, and if you report me, then it will be all over the news that a woman, a skinny woman, kicked your dumb ass and neutered you. Try picking up women when your face is all over the news for that shit head."

"I won't do it!" Rosa pressed down harder, then kicked him in his exposed kidney, bringing out more screams from him.

"I guess you choose the hard way." Rosa unsheathed her knife, Bender started to panic and really cry now.

"Okay, okay! I was paid. I can't say by who, but I'll talk."

Rosa kicked him in the kidney again, "if I don't see a news report on channel 3 by eleven, I will track you down again. Hiding at mommy and daddy's cabin the Berkshires won't help you, neither will going to your own place on the coast. I will find you and make it impossible to horrify women with your pathetic dick."

AMY and JAKE

Jake turned on the tv, there was Bender, not looking very well Jake thought, he wondered what Rosa had done to him, and was glad he didn't know. The moving news banner announced he was backtracking his story.

"I was paid, by an anonymous source to spread lies about Detective Santiago to harm her case. I was wrong and have seen the errors of my ways. She is a fine detective," Amy noticed him grab his sides and knew someone had inflicted pain on him, she suspected Rosa as Rosa always talked about her love of kidney punches, "she did nothing wrong. I am in the wrong and am clearing the air."

Amy turned to Jake, "Rosa?"

Captain McGinley stood up, "oh man, if she got to him…well, he almost got what he deserved."

Jake nodded, "she just texted if I wanted her to take care of things, I couldn't have known how."

Amy sighed, "I don't like it, but I don't dislike it. It was great of her to look out for me, I bet he's injured pretty badly."

Jake shrugged, "these dicks need to know real consequences exist when you fuck with someone's life no one else is getting that message through to them."

Amy nodded, "I get that, but what about Rosa, what if he gets her in trouble?"

McGinley coughed, "um, sorry to butt in, but there's no way in hell that ass kissing ladder climbing douche bag would tell anyone his ass was kicked and threatened by a woman. He'd be a laughing stock. This, what he did, it might hurt his career, as it should, but if the other story got out, he's the man who got pushed around by a woman, he'd have to move. Not saying Rosa can't kick ass, she's a nightmare, but it's the facts."

When they returned to their apartment that night, no reporters remained, Terry had dropped by to tell them that his detective would not talk to the reporters who had been so quick to slander her name, and that he would personally visit those who harassed her after all she had been through.

Amy had been quiet, Jake knew she didn't approve of the violence Rosa had used, and that she might be mad that he had okayed it, he just didn't know what else he could have done. He grabbed two beers from the fridge and sat next to her on the couch, handing her a beer.

"Ames…"

She held up her hand, "it's okay. I know you think I'm mad at you, I'm not. It's not how I would have chosen to take care of it, but I had nothing. The thing is," she grabbed his arm and snuggled next to him, "I don't feel bad for what happened to him, at all."

Jake nodded, "you shouldn't."

She looked up at the ceiling as she spoke, "what has me being reflective and quiet is the fact that we have to fight dirty to get things done. It shouldn't be like that. I told you before, I'm used to fighting by myself, but today it hit me, nobody wins this alone. It takes everyone working together, the victims, we have to make noise, the friends and colleagues, they have to make a lot of noise, people can't sit back and quietly accept things anymore."

"Yeah, everything about this sucks. The one thing you have to know though Ames, the Nine-Nine has your back. Hitchcock and Scully egged Groves' house last night and didn't get caught. Charles has been staking out Groves, he thinks he might meet up with Emory soon."

Amy reached up and touched his face softly, "I'm sorry, that the man that tried to kill you is still on the loose."

Jake shrugged, "my life is a lot better than his right now. He's hiding out and wanted by the police, while I get to be with my girlfriend, keep my job, and not end up in prison. I worry more about him if Rosa finds him first."

Amy nodded and finally felt the stress from the day leave her as she tried to just appreciate the most important part of what Jake had said, the Nine-Nine had her back. That made a huge difference, no matter what happened, she had friends and colleagues willing to put their careers on the line to help and support her.