Stef POV

Day 7 - June 27th

It has been a pretty busy day. We had already arrested 5 people today, for very different crimes: robbery, hit and run, bar fight, domestic violence and attempted car theft. This woman was the 6th arrest today.

Amy just pulled up to the station, I get out first and walk to the back doors. I open them and help the woman get out. She was cuffed and covered in some blood, not hers.

"That bitch slept with my husband!" She kept on talking. She has talked the whole way here, it has been annoying. First, she has this high pitched voice, that has been the source of the headache. Second, she kept chewing her gum, very loudly. Third, she hasn't shut up since we sat her in the back.

"Yeah, yeah…we know, you didn't do it!"

"I didn't!" She screamed at me. I lean slightly back because of the high pitched voice was just too much for me to handle right now.

"Let me guess, the woman who has a knife in her leg, fell on the knife herself" Amy said walking around the car

"Yes! I have been trying to tell you this!" she cried out again

We get her in to processing and luckily this is where we leave her, allowing other officers to deal with her.

"I still hear that high pitched sound" I said rubbing my ear as we walk to the break room to start the paperwork

On the way there, I get few pats on the back from other officers and calls like "Way to go Stef!" and "Hey, finally got up the courage!" also along the lines of "Are you sure you are up to it?"

I had no clue what they are referring to, Amy seemed to have no clue also. I just brushed it off and walked to my desk, sat down and started to do the paperwork. Few minutes later Captain Roberts walks up to us

"Did you talk her up to this?" Captain asked Amy, but her look was mostly concentrated on me, she had this...smirk on her lips. I wasn't sure what to think about it.

Amy looked confused, she tapped her pen few times at the desk and then Amy looked up to Captain and got out "Talk her up to what?"

Captain Roberts patted me on my back few more times "Do you have a training plan, Stef?"

"I'm sorry…a training plan?" I ask her back utterly confused

"Yeah, are you training before or after your shifts?" she clarified, but not enough

"Captain, no offense-" I have had it, I had no idea what this was - the looks, the pats on back, the weird talks "-but what the hell are you talking about?"

For a change now she looked confused "Wh…Wow, you really don't know, do you?" she looks to me and then glances to Amy. Amy shrugs back, while I exclaim out loud, gesturing with my hands "Know what!?"

"You…" she started and then let out a small laugh "Stef, your name is on the…list"

"What list?" Amy asks for me

"I thought that's why you took out the vacation time" She trailed off

"Um…" I drag slowly looking at Captain ""No, the vacation time is for, you know…vacation" I looked to Amy and nodded to her "We are planning to go camping for few days. Get out of the city" I nodded to Amy indicating we are taking the camping trip together

"Oh, so that's why you both have vacation time out for the same period of time" Captain concluded mostly to herself "Camping with 6 kids…that should be fun" But then she jumped back to previous topic and finally explained

"Your name is on the sign up sheet for the annual SDPD triathlon" Captain said very calmly and then seeing my shocked face she added slowly and carefully "You didn't sing yourself up, did you?"

"The what now?" I ask hoping I heard wrong. I was still hang up on the SDPD triathlon part. The words echoed in my mind.

"Triathlon. It is held at the end of September. Matthew and Oliver from our precinct always participate"

Amy started to laugh. At the start, it was a small chuckle, then it turned into a louder more sincere laugh. Till finally Amy was laughing so hard, no sound was coming out and she looked like a seal, who was just clapping her hands. Captain was laughing too, but more…politely.

Mike came up too "Hey, Stef! I saw your name on the list. How did you decide to sign up? Did Jesus challenged you?" he looked so cheerful, but I just shot him a look

"Wow!" he took a small step back "What's with the evil look?" He asked and now that Amy was wiping away the tear that had fallen from the laughter she answered "Someone…signer her up" she said between inhaling

"Who would do that?" Captain asked. I slowly looked to Amy. I knew exactly who it was, there was only one person who would do this.

"Not someone…Callie" I said grinning my teeth. Mike patted my shoulder laughing and walked away.

"Well…" Captain said awkwardly "I did not expect that"

"Take my name off!" I said turning to Captain

"I can't do that!" she said back quickly

"Why?" I stood up pushing the chair back

"The registration ended yesterday. You are going to have to participate, Stef"

"I'm NOT doing a triathlon!"

"You are" She said simply not leaving me a choice and walked away "You better start training!"

Amy was still laughing lightly, I turn to her and I snap at her "It's not funny!"

"It is" she said with flushed cheeks "That's what you get for signing her up to marathon!"

"I had every reason to do that! But this…this is just…ugh…that kid!" I had fallen back to the chair

"Callie always retaliates!" Amy says still chuckling and then held her hands up, like surrendering "But, I promise, I had no idea she would do this"

"I'm taking lunch now!" I said grabbing my car keys and stormed out of the precinct leaving Amy behind

Callie POV

We were at the backyard of Jude's home. Just catching some sun, doing nothing. Jude was looking through the photos in my camera, while I was just softly playing my guitar. Lena was doing some gardening, weeding the flower beds. Frankie was playing with the water hose, spraying herself with the water and giggling along the way. Both Lena and Frankie were in their swimsuits. Jude was wearing just shorts and some light, white t-shirt. I was in my shorts and a yellow tank top, with swimsuit under.

"Frankie!" Lena called Frankie over from the other side of the yard "Come here with that hose" Frankie turned and ran with the hose over to Lena

"Water these, baby" Lena said and watched over as her youngest daughter watered the plants

"These are cool" Jude said looking at the photos from this morning, when we were at the beach. I stopped playing and peaked a look at the camera

"Look at your face" I pointed and we both shared a good laugh

"Callie, you should print some of the photos out!" Lena called from the side of the yard where she and Frankie were

"I was actually thinking about that. I will need some days to sort out through all of the images and see which are worth printing out. Also I need to know how many sets I need to make" I said back starting to play again

"I would definitely love to have a set of photos to put in our photo albums and on the wall"

"I can do that" I said when I heard a car pull up to the other side of the house. I didn't think much of it, I was thinking Brandon got back from his band practice

"I want to have this one for sure!" Jude said looking at a picture of the two of us, making funny faces. He looked at the next one, which showed me kissing his cheek, while Jude had a big silly grin on his face "and this!"

"YOU!" came a loud voice from the side of the house. Stef was standing there and by the look, I could tell - she knows about the triathlon. I'm not sure how, but she knows.

"Hey mom!" Jude said greeting her cheerfully

"Honey, why are you home?" Lena asked confused to see her wife home so soon. It was just little over 2.

"Oh-no" I said setting the guitar down. Stef was slowly walking closer to me. I set the guitar down and stand up.

"I can explain!" I said holding my hands up front

"Please do. Give me one good reason I shouldn't just give you a good ass whooping" she said and stood few steps in front of me, hands on her hips "Well?" she asks me as I haven't said anything yet

"What's going on?" Jude asked confused. By Lena's silence I could tell, she knows what this was about.

"I realized just now that no matter what I say, the reason won't be good enough" I said to Stef, keeping my hands in front of me

Stef took few steps closer, she was grinning her teeth and warned me "I give you 3 second start! RUN!"

I wasted one of the second to just stare at her, then I realized I should have just run then and there. I didn't waste any more of the precious time.

I needed to get to the street, I needed space to run. I didn't want to go out the back to the back alley, because I knew she would catch me there, because of the asphalt that was in bad shape. I won't be able to run fast there because I am bare foot. On the street I can at least run on the grass between sidewalk and street.

To get pass her, I faked a movement, she fell for it, slipping on the grass and I sprinted to the side of the house from where Stef walked up.

I got to the front yard and looking over my shoulder I saw Stef following me. Now she was on my heel, running after me. I run to the left, when I run out to street. There were only 4 houses to the junction.

Not going to lie, if someone is chasing me, I usually run faster. I guess that is a trait I picked up from my foster care. My legs and feet were hurting badly, not only from the morning runs, but also from when I just now stepped on few small stones and sticks. But I didn't stop to cry about it, I kept running.

When I reached the junction, which was maybe just some 15 second run, I took a sharp 90 degree turn and then just some 20 meters further I took another left to get to the back alley.

It was harder to run bare foot on the bad asphalt, my feet hurt when they hit the ground. Luckily in few seconds I had reached their house again. I pushed the gate open and run in their backyard searching for Lena to help me out. Stef followed me in on my heel, just some 2 steps behind me.

What I didn't calculate was Frankie and the water hose. The grass was all wet from where she was playing with the water. And just few steps in their backyard, my foot slipped on the slippery, wet grass. Loosing my balance, I fell over.

Stef stopped just in time to not run over me. I was laying on the wet grass, while she was walking around me, looking down to me. I was crawling backwards as she went to where Frankie was, she got the water hose out of her hands and walked back to me.

"Stef…" I kept one of my hands out "Stefanie" I knew what she was going to do, there was no way out of it "We can talk about this…you don't have to do this. Lower the hose and we can talk about it. No one has to get hurt."

She laughed walking closer and closer to me. Jude and Frankie in the background were enjoying this. Jude was taking photos so this horrible moment could be perpetuate in a digital photo that will probably, somehow, someway end up in a photo frame in their home, up to a wall or even worse…on Stef's phone's screensaver.

Stef was holding the hose up with one hand, aimed at me, other was ready to turn the tap open so the water stream would hit me right in the chest.

"Oh…don't talk cop with me! I'm the one asking questions here" she took one last step closer, my back hit the fence from me crawling backwards. I was trapped. Stef was the lion and I was the prey. She had me trapped, in her own territory.

"Why did you do it?" she demanded an answer

"It was not me" I have no idea why I said that. She quickly opened the water hose and the water stream hit my chest for about 2 seconds. Then she turned off the water quickly. I was dripping wet.

"LENAAAAA" I called out for help even thou I didn't see her in the backyard. I saw only glimpse of Jude and opened the water hose up again for 2 seconds maybe. I tried to deflect the water stream with my hands as best as I could, but that just made the water splash even more.

"She won't help you" she said very confident and then asked very slowly emphasizing every word "Why. Did. You. Do. It?"

"I needed to get back at you…okay!" I give up easily "You are all talk. I need to see if you can actually do something like this yourself, not just sign others up"

Stef took a step back, the water hose still in her hand, aimed to me "You know, I would have run with you if you had just asked" Stef said almost instantly

"Would you had…really?" I ask not believing it

"Of course, all you had to do was ask. But you didn't. I would have said yes. Now I can't because I need to train for triathlon" she said sounding hurt

"Okay" she ran her hand over her forehead and walked over to me and held her hand out. I looked first to her hand and then up to her

"Truce?" she asks me looking down to me. I nod back and put my hand in hers to help me get up.

Once I am up she quickly opens the hose one more time, it was aimed upwards and it now hit my upper chest and a little bit my face. I stood there, not doing anything till she was done playing.

"Are you done?" I ask once she stops the water stream and then laughing softly

"Can I do it one more time?" she asks sounding like a kid

"Sure…knock yourself out" I took one step back and raised my hands up from my sides. Stef took one step back too and aimed the water from one of my palm over to other. I didn't care, I couldn't get any wetter, I let her have her fun.

"Okay, now I'm done" she said putting the water hose down. She turned her back to me and walked over to Jude and Frankie. I stood watching from a distance, water was dripping down from me. I was soaking wet.

I heard Frankie talking to Stef

"Mommy, what is that tri—tail- tr...?" Frankie couldn't pronounce and remember the name. Stef was up to her and picked her up to her hip and helped her out

"Triathlon. It is when people race in swimming, bike riding and running"

"Can I do it with you?" Frankie asked, her little hand was touching Stef cheek

"Your too little baby" she said taking her little hand in hers and placing a kiss on her hand "Maybe when you are bit older"

She kissed her cheek and then added "Mommy needs to go back to work. Stay with Jude. And be good" She put Frankie down after one last hug and kiss from her

I didn't notice at what time Lena left to inside, but i did see how she came out with a small bag in her hand right when Stef put Frankie down "I made you a sandwich" Lena handed the brown bag to Stef and kissed her softly

"Thanks love" She said leaning out and then ruffled Jude's head "Bye bud"

I took the chance and executed my last revenge plan. I run the few steps till I was up to her and jumped up to her back, wrapping my hands and legs around her. Her clean and dry clothes were now soaking up too, from me, from my wet clothes. The water from my hair was dripping on her shirt.

"Thanks…I needed that" Stef said now holding me up to a piggy back "Nothing is better than half of your clothes being dry and the other half wet…" she said sarcastically and laughed softly. Stef carried me on her back to her car. Lena, Jude and Frankie all went to see Stef off.

Lena following us asked "Do you want me to run in the house and get dry clothes?"

"No, I'm good, love. I have spare uniform in precinct"

I jumped down from her back when she had opened the car doors. You could clearly see where the uniform was wet and where it wasn't

"Thanks for keeping me cool in a hot day" she patted my shoulder and then wiped her wet hand by her pants

"Always happy to help out, Officer" I saluted her

"Other hand" Stef pointed out. I quickly changed the hand, she nodded back, waved at her family and got in the car.

Stef POV

I was taking off the uniform shirt when two hands wrapped around me. Lena kissed my neck and then pressed her chin to my shoulder

"So…you are going to participate in a triathlon?" she said still sounding surprised about it

"Yes…" I say and turn around to face her "So it seems"

I rest my hands on her hips, Lena's hands are still wrapped around me, resting on my back "How long is the race exactly?"

"Well, it has 750 meter swim" I explain

"You are good at swimming" Lena commented and started to unbutton my shirt for me

"Are you mocking me?" I ask smirking

"No…I really meant that" She said now taking the shirt off my shoulders. I gave her a disbelieving look "Next is 20 km bike ride"

"That doesn't sound so bad. You went bike riding with Jesus last summer, you both traveled more than 40km that day" Lena said and tossed the uniform shirt to the bed

Lena grabbed the side of the black under shirt and pulled it out of my pants and then over my head. She tossed the shirt next to the uniform shirt

"And the last part?" She asks when her hands goes down to my belt

"5km run" I said once she unbuckled my belt and left it hanging open

"Even Brandon could run that" She said seriously and I took a small step closer to her

"Only problem, the run will be after the swim and the bike ride. Do you know how hard it is to run after a bike ride?" I ask her back

"I know how hard it is to even walk after a bike ride" she said as we still were at close proximity, both in each other personal space. I wrapped my hands around her

"Can you do it? No, let me rephrase that, aren't you too old for that?" she asked with a smile on her lips

"I feel hurt" I pulled back a little bit "My own wife…calls me old" I said in fake hurt voice

"I am just worried. You are not 20 or 30 anymore, Stef!" she said and I heard the concern in her voice "I know you have a very...physically demanding job and all, but you don't exercise at that intensity. Plus, you were shot, remember. And the bullet is still in you. Can you honestly get to that point where you actually could do it?"

"I will train up to that intensity. Don't worry love. I will take it slow" I said confident and pulled her in a tight hug. I have plenty enough time to train up to the stamina needed for me to finish this race

"Just promise me you will listen to your own body and that you will quit if your body is not up to it" She leaned out of the hug and looked to me with teary eyes. I know she still has nightmares from when I was shot, i know how much i scared her and the kids, I know how much she worries about me every day.

"I promise, Lena" I say not breaking the eye contact "but you will have to deal with Callie in that case" I joked

It worked.

Lena giggled out and smiled at me, the tears slowly backing away "You leave that kid to me. Callie will be the death of you, if you two continue at this pace" she said and leaned closer and before she kissed me she added "I love you"

I said in the small pause between the kisses "I love you too, love"