Sitting at his desk, Hank Voight sat at his desk waiting on his friend, Trudy Platt. He turns out waiting with whiskey and two glasses while the members of his unit go to the Ferret, all laughing and having fun. He's smiling, happy they're all happy. Trudy finally arrives after about ten minutesand after finding out that Hank had already started drinking, she poured herself a drink.

- " Did you have a good day? " Asks Trudy.
- '' Rather well, a little tiring and you? ''
- '' Same, a lot of paperwork to do now. " Commented Trudy as she stared at her half-empty glass.
- '' That is why we could use a drink. ''

Trudy finishes her drink and picks up the bottle of whiskey.

- '' So what do you want to talk about? '' Asks Trudy as she tried to get comfortable.
-'' I don't know. '' Admit Hank.

Trudy began to think about a game she saw, with the members of Firehouse fifty-one playing last time she was there. "If there should be only one" is a fairly simple but revealing game of attachments from one to another.

- " Do you want to play '' If there should be only one '' ? " asks Trudy, feeling the excitement growing inside her.
- " What is that ? " Asks Hank with his stuffy voice, quite curious.
- " Last time I was at firehouse fifty-one in the fire department. They all played a game called "If there should be only one ", which consisted of choosing, as we went along, a person who would leave. In the end, there's only one person left, usually the one you care about the most. "
- " Why not! "

A glimmer of challenge passes through the eyes of Hank and as Trudy stretches as if for a competition.

-" Who starts ? " asks Trudy.

Voight looked at the picture on his desk and smiled. It was a picture of his crew and some from firehouse fifty-one. They were all engaged in a not so friendly game of baseball.

- " The news! Hailey and Vanessa." Says Hank.
- " Hailey is not new but if you want. Let's start with Vanessa." Says Trudy as she lets out a sigh.
- " Quite a gem."
- " Quite a character."
- " That was the first mission she did with us she was an undercover agent. She's a badass." Says Hank with a little bit of respect in his voice.
- " Holding on so long in her very first police mission is crazy. She will go far. " Trudy adds.
- " Yes. On the other hand, it has been difficult to integrate with others, and she is often on the sidelines."
- " Yes, but they are trying to integrate her in it. They are all connected, all have long-standing friendships, where there is an indestructible bond. " Smiled Trudy as she thought of how proud she was of her children.
- " Yes. "

After a moment, Trudy looks at Hank looking at the picture.

- " You brought him here because you saw his potential."

Hank raised his head, it wasn't a question he understood in the tone of voice but he answered anyway.

- " Yes. " He says a light smile.

- " Like Hailey. " Offers Trudy.
- " Here, let's go with her." Says Hank.
- " Hailey Ann Upton. " Trudy said, smiling, she liked Hailey, she was a badass.
- " Quite a character."
- " You can say that. Jay told me about your meeting one day. I admit to laughing, she's so sure of herself and super good at what she does."
- " You can say that these events will remain engraved in me, she arrived with confidence, staring me in the eyes, asking me to leave. She told me it was her business, as she was at the office of violent robbery. She hasn't let me down once. "

A smile appears on his face as he looks back at this scene.

- " She came to the office, with the Chief, smiling, as if everything was hers. Do you remember the coffee she spilled on you? "

Hank starts to laugh, while Trudy also remembers her memories.

- " You know what she said to me when the chief gave us the case? "I heard you were a pretty son of a bitch, and well donne now I see it's true". At that moment, I knew I wanted it her. She's the only one who's always told me what she's thinking. Sometimes it pisses me off, but I realize I like it. "Hank laughs.

Trudy smiled and drank a sip of whiskey as she saw Hank reminiscing about the same memories she liked.

- " She never stopped working even after being removed from the case. She came as if nothing had happened. Al told me that it was a pretty small one, that it would go a long way. I called her at night, I had an idea during the day. She told me I was a good cop, and I offered her this job."
- " You certainly don't regret it. "

Again, it didn't sound like a question at all, and yet Hank answers it.

- '' I don't regret anything. Do you have anything to add?''
- '' That day, after you left, she came to see me. She asked me if I didn't recognized her. I told her no and she gave me a little smile. ''

Trudy closed her eyes and remembered that night, so many years ago.

- " Hailey reminded me of a case that had struck me. It was February 9, 2003, I was called to Nico's Dinner, I was part of the violent robbery team services. She was so young, she was 12. I stepped in, and I saw a terrified teenage girl who thought her father was going to die. She stayed with me all night. She didn't leave me until we found the robber. I forgot that story, actually, until she reminded me. She told me that day she chose to be a police officer.''

A few tears rolled, along Trudy's cheeks, Hank hands her a handkerchief , he too is moved by this story. Trudy ends up drying her tears and drinking her drink.

- " I also like the fact that she defends Jay, bill and nail. '' Says Hank as he relaxes the atmosphere.
- '' Me too. They have a few things these two, a few things deep. ''
- " Yes, when they talk to each other without exchanging a word, just looking at each other is incredible. ''
- " So much so. I know now, I mean, I've known for a long time, why they're not separate, they're both sides of an apple, yin and yang. The buckle that closes the belt. ''

Hailey, oh Hailey... She marks the spirits with her character so hard and yet so soft. All of a sudden there's an idea in his mind. He would have to talk to Trudy about it, but not now.

- " So who wins this round? " asks Trudy.
- " No one, Hailey, could, but Vanessa still has so much to teach us. ''
- " Both are equal. Draw?"
- " Draw game."

They both laugh, alcohol starting to take effect, relaxing them.

- " Who's next? '' Asks Trudy as she takes in the photo Hank's been looking at.

She is surprised to see, that it's of the whole team who are smiling and happy. She smiles and looks at Hank who gets pouty.

- " Kim vs Kevin now." Says Hank knowing it would make Trudy forget the picture.
- " You can't put them in competition, Hank! " Shouts Trudy.

She puts the picture down and he smiles, triumphant.

- " And yet. So who do we start with?" asks Hank.
- " Then I have to make a choice, Kevin," said Trudy sighing.
- " Kevin is probably the most touching of all." Hank confesses.
- " Yes, he is so close to others. I remember his first days when he told me he wanted to be part of the information. I laughed a little and when I realized he was serious, I wished him good luck."

Trudy closed her eyes as she thought of that day.

- '' He was so excited on the first day of work, he was jumping almost like a little chip. For him and Kim, being part of the intelligence was their dream! When he works undercover, don't tell anyone but he's the best."

Trudy smiles and has another drink.

- " I think he's the glue of for everyone. He's the best friend, the Brother and the teammate."
- " Yes, when I saw him take care of Vinessa and Jordan, sometimes to the detriment of his life, I knew he was a good guy. "
- " He told me one day, after he sent Vinessa and Jordan to their aunt, that it was the best choice he made. Sometimes it takes a little selfishness to survive. "
- " Being selfish is sometimes the right thing actually..." Repeats Hank looking at his glass... " What I love most about him is how he decrypts everyone's personalities. When he got here, I asked him to write me on paper, the personalities of all his teammates. Except for Jay who couldn't breakthrough. "
- " Really? "
- " Yes, he did it with Rojas and Upton. He's strong. "
- " Can I see? " Suddenly asks Trudy.
- " Yes."

Hank pulls his chair back from the office and looks for the famous file. After a few minutes of research, he comes up smiling to the surface, holding in his hands a big file that he gives to Trudy.

- " What you're going to read in this report, it has to be kept secret. There's also Hailey's report on Jay, and his personality. "
- " Did she get through? "
- " More than you can imagine. Don't forget everything is secret. "
- " Yes!"

Trudy opens the report, excited to read what was written but it was a little too confusing. She suddenly starts laughing and Hank looks at her like she's crazy.

- " I can't read, I think I drank a little too much."

Hank starts laughing, and refill a glass. There is not one to catch up with the other! Trudy takes the report by promising to read it one day and watch Hank.

- " Kevin is a great kid, he'll go far." Trudy says.
- " Like all. Kim Burgess!" Shouts Hank .
- " Oh Kim, sensitive, endearing, of extraordinary goodness."
- " It is the sweetness of its place. With Rojas and Upton in the place, it seems only sweeter."
- " Oh yes! It also has a high level of fighting spirit, always there for others. I don't think she's good enough to do undercover missions, she'd take it a little too personally." Trudy said while drinking.
- " Isn't that what we want, Trudy?" asks Hank surprised.
- " No, we want someone who can sort things out."

Trudy, don't say that mean, considering Kim like that a good friend.

- " Kim compared to Kevin decrypts feelings. She's very talented, and I also asked her to do a little relationship report without ever reading it. I don't want to get involved in their relationship, all of them." Hank says smiling.

Before Trudy asks, Hank pulls out the report and hands it to her.

- " This one is worse than any Trudy, no one should read it. Not even me.''
- " Don't worry, Hank, I got this. You got another case? ''
- " Yes ". Though Trudy.

Trudy looks at him and smiles. A little diabolical look passes on his face.

- " I noticed that some of them had connections. I wanted to know if they were able to understand each other, and I'm not disappointed. "

Trudy gloats in her chair while Hanks pulls out six files.
Hank smiles, such a sincere smile.

- " You have chosen the best teammates for severyne, " Trudy said.
- " I tried anyway. How to get to know each other so well, what's going on in their minds. I promised them I'd keep her their secrets, never tell anyone."
- " I won't read them then. Thank you for telling me."
- " Thank you for being here."

They drink and drink in silence.

- " Who wins?" Asks Hank.
- " Tied ? " Asks Trudy with a smile.
- " Tie. " Says Hank smiling back.

She gets a drink, and looks at the picture again. Remembering this competition more than crazy, with the firefighters. She had won with Hank, despite everyone thinking otherwise. Hide-and-seek savior, she thinks smiling.

- " And last but not least, Adam vs. Jay ''. Says Hank, who takes Trudy out of her thoughts.
- " Oh Adam. " Murmured Trudy.
- " This kid has always been part of intelligence. His father, then him."
- " I remember him as a child, fearless and full of life."
- " Yes, he was always like that, sometimes he may be too fearless, but he's a good cop. ''
- " I think he's trying to prove he's better than his father. "
- " Yes. "
- " Al's death changed him. He became more dangerous. "
- " Too much, I think he blamed himself. For a crime he didn't do, he blamed himself. "
- " Al and his father were colleagues. He told us one day that it he was to look like us that then he became a cop. Sometimes the fence is a little too thin."
- " Yes, but he's a good guy. He's computer-savvy and intimidating."
- " Very, it scares young people."

They both laughed and remembered a memory of Adam.

- " Something that struck me about Adam was years ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. When he saw Kim in that hospital bed, hurt, and blamed himself. He hit the wall so hard, he opened his knuckles. " Says Trudy.
- " I remember, he became super protective after that but the problem is that despite all our efforts, sometimes we can't do anything. "
- " Unfortunately. I know you don't want to hear about it, but just for tonight, don't put your blinders on. "
- " Just for tonight," Hank said.

Trudy just don't know that my blinders have been removed from the start.

- " He and Kim have one of the strongest relationships I know. They have a few things in them that always make them gravitate around each other. " said Trudy.
- " And yet, you saw how they end up with a lot of other people than themselves? " Asks Hank bored.
- " Yes, I'm forcing myself not to say anything, but I think that one day I will lock them in the locker room. " Trudy said, making a face.

Hank laughs, amused to see Trudy so determined to make them both happy.

- " I think you're right. In the report, which they wrote, I asked them, to mark me with whom they are most likely to end up together. " Hank smiled.
- " He marked Kim and vice versa? "

Hank smiled, Trudy had guessed it and he had not revealed the secret.

- " Adam is softened, in any case, working with Kim, she has something that calms him. " Trudy said.
- " Speaking of people, calming someone else."

Trudy smiles, knowing who he's talking about.

- " Jay Halstead. Better known as "I'm not revealing anything about my game". " Trudy smiles.
- " No longer known as '' I'm not revealing anything about my game except to Hailey Upton," says Hank amused.

Trudy opens her mouth to surprise while Hank has fun.

- " Oh Trudy, I know you know. I know, you know, we know, they all know, except maybe them! "

Trudy laughs at that phrase and Hank joins her.

- " You told me to take off my blinders. "

He gives her a huge smile full of mischief before continuing sincerely.

- " I'll tell you something. I think Jay is the best of this unit... but together with Upton, they're perfect. They have that connection, that look that means everyone. "
- '' I noticed too. That's why you only split them up briefly? "

Hank smiles and nods, proud of him.

- " I noticed that together they were perfect at understanding each other. I think it was the best way to always keep them alive. "
- " You're right. I saw Jay, brushing Hailey's hair one day because her shoulder what hurt after doing something I don't know what. ''

Hank raises an eyebrow and smiles. They're closer than he thinks.

- " I got to know Jay, he's a great cop, he'll take my place one day, I'm sure."
- " I, too, am the best at this, no matter what he says."

Suddenly, the conversation changed, no longer focusing on Jay alone.

- " I admit, Jay and Erin together, I was not for it. I thought it was because I considered Erin to be my daughter, but I realize that I consider all of them to be my children, equally. Erin was too broken for Jay, and Jay was already broken. Both sets were worse than oil on the fire, destroying each other little by little instead of rebuilding." Admitted Hank as he finished another glass of whiskey.
- " Hailey then appeared," said Trudy very gently.
- " Yes, and she turned everything upside down. She had something in her, a light of hope. She destroyed Jay's darkness, little by little. I would never say it in front of them, but Jay and Hailey are destined to be together. Hailey knows Jay, in her report on Jay, she confessed to sleeping with him, when the missions affect her, to prevent her PTSD from manifesting itself. " Hank said with a smile, a simple smile.
- " I didn't know that. Their connection goes far beyond what I thought, " Confessed Trudy.
- " Me too, when they look at each other and understand what each other wants, it's magic. There's no other word for it. When he was there, lying on the ground, whispering it's the last words of my point of view, he couldn't help but say Hailey. In the hospital, his first word was Hailey. I've never seen Hailey this bad in my entire life, by the way."
- " I, too, if she'd lost Jay that day, I think we'd have lost Hailey. "
- " I think they're really in love, those two," Hank said before he changed his mind. " No, I'm sure they love each other. Maybe we should lock them in a locker room, too. "

Trudy nods her head, remembering every moment between Jay and Hailey when he was sick at work, and Hailey had been making him drink tea all day and vegan watching him, when Hailey was asleep at the office, Jay carried her to his truck and took her home. It was so normal for him, that day, the bets had been on when they would go out together, and so many situations.

- " So who wins in between? " Trudy said.
- " Nobody. " Says Hank smiling, answering the question for the first time.

Sitting there, both of them began to think more clearly. Hank looked at his phone. 00:30 am. They had spent half the night talking.

- " This game will ultimately have no winners. " Hank says.
- " How to have a winner when they are all finally at the same stage, I believe that you and I consider them in the same way even if we never admit to them. " Said Trudy with a smile.

She doesn't get up safe and put then gets up and puts on her jacket.

- " Randall's gonna come get me, you want a ride home? "
- " No thanks Trudy. Good night, thanks for being here. "
- " Thank you for opening your heart. I will read his reports tomorrow. "

Hank laughs with a good heart and Trudy leaves after one last sign of hands. Trudy joins her husband, not too sure to make it to port despute everything, making her dear and tender laugh. Hank and himself, get another good old whiskey and look at the picture. He loved them all, more than he would admit, he was proud of them, like a father. What he was after all. This evening allowed him to confirm certain suspicions and to learn more about them all. He would definitely do it again, this time maybe with everyone.

He goes away with a smiling face, promising to take more pictures, to remember every night and every morning how lucky he was is.

END

Thank You PurpleNewYorkCity ❤❤