For all the adrenaline and anxiety that had filled her over the last two days, a strange calm fell over Jennifer Mapplethorpe when the elevators closed. She smiled. Here, she was Jennifer Mapplethorpe. Sergeant Jennifer Mapplethorpe. In her other life, at home and out in the world, she was Mrs. Jennifer Buchanan. But she'd spent all weekend as a wife and mother. Now, here, she was a police sergeant.

The elevator gave a comforting ding and the doors opened. She stood tall and walked with purpose. She wore her favorite pink blouse and gray suit. Her hair was pulled back and her shoes made a familiar sound on the corporate laminate floors of the police station. She walked to her old desk, now inhabited by someone else, and demanded the answers she was entitled to. "Detective Smith, where are we on the Father Lewisham killing?"

Karin looked up at her with slight fear. "Oh! We…"

Rhys came to her aid. "We're working on it, Jen. We've got Matt and Oliver reviewing Duncan's old cases. Allie is working on the vehicle. Karin and I are cross-referencing Duncan's case with recently released crims. So far, no matches for the description of the shooter," he explained. "How's Nick? How's Duncan?"

"Alive," Jen said simply. She was distracted, watching the way Allie's gaze drifted from her computer to Oliver Taylor, who was hunkered down over his desk with Matt Ryan. That was odd, certainly. "Matty!" she called to him.

Superintendent Ryan lifted his head to see his old friend standing there. "Jen!" he exclaimed. He stood and immediately went to give her a hug. Oh Nick would have loved that, to be sure, but Jen appreciated the nostalgic sense of normalcy. For a few years there, Matt's hugs had been the only thing to keep her going. When she had been new on Homicide and lost and missing Nick more than she'd ever admit, he was there for her. He was a good friend to her, and she was a good friend to him. It was thanks to Matt that she'd ever gotten to be friends with Duncan. And now, of course, Matt and Duncan were like brothers to her. If yesterday had gone as planned, Duncan would have been her brother. Now they were a bit delayed.

"Tell me we have leads, Matty," she begged.

"We're working on it, Jen. You know how this goes," he said softly. He pulled back and asked, as Rhys had, "How's Nick?"

"He's alive. Awake. So's Dunny. They're on the mend. And that's why I'm here," she told him.

"Maplethorpe!"

Jen scowled and turned, knowing what gruff voice was shouting her name, albeit mispronounced. "Superintendent Jarvis," she greeted stiffly.

"Unless there's a press release I don't know about, you're not supposed to be here," Terry scolded.

"I'm here to lend a hand. You're two detectives down," Jen reminded him.

"Ryan's seconded back to us."

She nodded. "So you're only one down, then."

Terry took Jen by the arm and led her away from the detectives and into the empty sergeant's office. Nick's office. He closed the door and pulled the blinds. "You're not supposed to be here, Jennifer," he said in a low tone.

Jen sighed, knowing he was right. But that didn't change anything. "Terry, you know I've gotta be here. And you know I'm good. I'm useful. I need to be a part of this!"

Jarvis regarded her curiously. Jen wondered what he saw. This man had known her practically since she started on Homicide. He'd been in Drugs back then, back with the trouble Duncan had with his last fiancée. And then they'd worked together again when Terry was on Armed Robbery. But Homicide was where he belonged, just like it was where Nick belonged. Having Terry as part of this team had been one of the best experiences of Jen's professional career. He'd understood the working relationship between Nick and herself, and he'd let them continue on together as Homicide detectives after he found out they were married. Jen twisted her wedding ring at the memory. She'd not worn a ring back then, but she did now. Everyone knew about her and Nick and their kids. Her children called him Uncle Terry. They stayed at his house with Auntie Bernice almost one weekend a month. This man had been a good boss to her, when she'd worked on his squad. And he was a good influence on her children. And she considered him a friend. But he was still a superintendent and she was only a sergeant, and if he refused her request after she pleaded her case, she would have to respect his decision.

But Jarvis did not say anything, he just kept looking at her. Perhaps waiting for her to crack. Jen gave him a little more information. "Nick's awake now. He and Duncan are going to be okay. Cody and Ella are with Nick's mum. And I need to be here."

"Jen, why'd you leave Homicide?" he asked her softly.

Damn him, this was the exact line of reasoning she'd hoped to avoid. "Because it's too dangerous," she admitted. "I left because I wanted to get promoted to a desk job as sergeant and I couldn't stay on Homicide if I didn't stay a detective. And I needed a desk job so I could have better hours to go home and be with my kids."

He nodded. "That's right. And those kids are everything to you. I know they are. And we all adore them. Hell, they're the only grandkids I'm ever going to get, it feels like."

Even Jen had to smile at that. "They love Uncle Terry."

"And I love them. And I love you and Nick. The whole lot of you. And if you tell anyone except Bernice I said that, I'll figure out a way to make you pay," he warned.

She gave a small chuckle. "You're secret's safe with me, Terry."

"Good. So do me a favor and stay the bloody hell away from this case. You're personally involved, and that would already disqualify you from working it. And add to that, you're not even on Homicide anymore!"

"I know, but…" she protested.

But he cut her off. "No buts about it! You want me to tell Bernice you've been down here asking questions? She'll keel haul you herself!"

"Yes, but…"

Terry pointed his finger in her face warningly. "What did I say?"

Jen swallowed hard, feeling a desperate hysteria overtake her. "Will you at least keep me updated?"

He softened, seeing the watery look in her eyes. "Christ," he muttered, knowing he was losing this fight. "Yeah, I will."

And as Jen started crying, Terry pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her soft, golden hair. "Shh, it's alright Jennifer. Everything's gonna be alright. We're gonna catch the bastard that did this to your family. You mark my words."

Terry looked over to the file cabinet behind Nick's desk to see the photo of Nick and Jen and their babies at the renewal of vows wedding they'd had three years ago. The Buchanan family was smiling and beautiful, all four of them. Terry had to look away. Their smiling faces put a knot in the pit of his stomach. He pressed a soft kiss to Jen's hair, repeating his vow to her and to himself.

They'd catch the bastard.