Office dog
"Is that a dog?"
"Don't be stupid, Connor. Why would there be a do…", Abby stopped midsentence, having followed Connor's gaze only to catch the haunches of a large German shepherd jogging through the arc and out of sight.
The pair conferred silently for a moment before abandoning their rather overdue admin, in pursuit of this unannounced visitor. They half ran to the corridor only to find it empty of people and dogs alike, their target having ventured through one of the many doorways.
"Maybe we've gone mad." Offered Connor as the pair circled, scanning the possible routes available to them.
"Oh yeah, why's that then?" In the time it had been since Danny had left the force, he'd failed to relinquish his embodied inquisitiveness, this typically meant he quite quickly found his way into his colleagues' drama.
"We saw a dog." Abby offered simply, still calculating which turn to take next.
"A dog? Are you sure?" The scepticism prominent in Danny's tone.
"Well, unless Rex has suddenly evolved a fluffy tail." Quipped Connor.
Their interaction interrupted by the tell-tale sounds of a dog's nails tapping across the hard floor and with that the trio ventured through the maze that was the arc.
The sound had brought them to the offices in the West side of the building, namely the side of the building dedicated to the soldiers. Having checked the changing rooms, the sergeants' office and the briefing room, they were left with very few alternatives but Becker's office. It was Danny who was brave enough to prod the door open, of course he didn't knock; where Becker was concerned his concept of boundaries were limited. Their intrusion was met with a blank stare from Becker and the tilted head of a curious dog sitting on a bed in the back corner of the room.
Upon spotting him, Abby and Connor rushed forward, planting themselves firmly on the floor in front of the canine. Becker raised an eyebrow at the sight before him, the pair seemed immediately besotted, cooing, and petting without question. Danny however was still able to compose himself for long enough to address the elephant in the room.
"Had you down as more of a cat person."
Becker scoffed in response, never revealing more than what was actually asked of him.
"So where did he come from?" Danny pressed, a little more direct this time.
"Afghanistan." Becker set his paperwork to the side, certain that he wouldn't get any real work done whilst his friends were pestering. "He was there for every one of my tours and more. He's done his time and he needed a home."
Abby dotted on the old war dog in front of her, his greyed muzzle resting comfortably on her lap. "But why do you have him, doesn't he have a handler he could retire with?"
"He's still on active duty, spends too much time out of the country to have a dog at home. Listen the dog saved lives, more than once and mine included. I wasn't going to say no." Becker confessed, smiling at his new companion as he did so.
"That's sweet and all but what's Lester going to say?" Danny reasoned, as he did so Connor and Abby froze in realisation.
"It was his idea." Becker confessed, pulling a treat from his drawer, and offering it to the dog. "He said a dog would be good for morale. Also said it might stop you from adopting anymore prehistoric lizards." He teased.
"We're gonna have a dinosaur fighting dog on the team!" The geek inside Connor gleamed as he embraced his new teammate.
"Jet is an office dog, am I clear? He is retired. Under exactly no circumstances is he to be fighting dinosaurs." Becker's voice suddenly stern as if chastising children.
The room was serious for the moment then all too quickly erupted with laughter as seemed to have come to the same conclusion in unison; Lester would be dog sitting.