Gorens apartment

Goren knew he had to make a decision to pull away from her now before he did something to ruin what they had. She was right though, he also needed to get his job back. He reasoned in his head, once my job is back everything will go back to normal. We won't be fighting all the time. I can escape these thoughts in my head and the warped voices of his father and his mother swirling with his own self depreciating torture.

He made an attempt at cleaning his apartment and he managed to clean the glass and some debris but ultimately, gave up as his will to be productive was losing to his depression and its sinking force. He rubbed his chin and felt the course whiskers that were long and itchy and contemplated shaving but he felt the look would keep people away as he looked slightly more intimidating with the over growth. He opened his fridge and remembered he didn't ever get around to buying more alcohol. He leaned against it taking in the chill it released cooling his face and making it feel more tolerable.

His phone clicked a voicemail and saw it was from Eames. Who else would it be these days He? No one else is taking my calls or returning them. He asked himself, Why? Why did she care and why she put up with his shit? She was way out of his league in every way. She could be wined and dined by the best yet she takes on my baggage. He then gave in, he would go to the bar because numbing made more sense then dealing with emotional sores.

He ordered his drink and pressed the phone to his ear. It was loud around him but he could still make out her voice. When she said I love you, he closed his eyes. It pained him to hear the choke in her voice as she tried to maintain composure.

"Uh...Keep them coming." The condensation cascaded down the glass cool yet appearing warm by the orange glow of the dim lights. His body was slumped over the bartop as he slowly finished his drink then quickly downed then next.

A bustle of new patrons made their way through the narrow doorway. They were teasing and carrying on. He glanced in that direction as a knee-jerk reaction the the sudden burst of sound and once he id-ed them as cops turned his head. He wanted nothing to do with traitor brothers in blue that had no interest helping him. He wasn't angry, no not angry enough to pick a fight. He was calm and distant, defeated and emotionally spent. Yet, he managed to hear a familiar voice shout in his direction.

"What is he doing here? The nerve of him showing his face around here, today. You got some nerve!"

"It's my neighborhood bar. I don't want any trouble"

"See this? This a 1013 Benefit, for me. I wouldn't have needed if it weren't for you. You cheated me out of my retirement. That's all you have to say. I had one year to go." He angrily pushes Goren against the wall. Goren can always depend on his size and force to get him through and decided he would push back. If he wanted a fight, fine I'll muster a fight.

A thin man with more mouth than brawn jumps up quickly to his defense.

"What are you stupid?" He says to the angry officer.

Goren rubs his forehead with his right hand wondering to whom he suddenly gained as an ally and what their angle was? Everyone had an angle."

"Rat!" he hears spit in his direction. "Nothing but a goddamn rat."

Goren sits back at the bar nursing his drink. He just wants to sit undisturbed and drink he's problems away. But it appeared he would not get peace tonight.

"I know you didn't need my help back there."

"Do I know you?" he responded unamused and frustrated.

"Mike Stoat. Brooklyn North Narcotics 'cause of you. I was a rookie when you worked Narcotics. What was it? 27 arrests, 27 convictions, all heavy hitters."

Goren returned to his drink. Those days are in the past. I don't much feel like going through memory lane, right now. "You have a good memory."

"I also remember you weren't too popular. Guess some things never change, huh?" Goren stared back at him with annoyance. "I'm on suspension. They had me pee in a cup and it came back positive. I was undercover. I had to do a bump of coke so I wouldn't get made but you know how the department is."

"With or Without pay?" Stoat had his attention now.

"6 months without, just like you." He turned his head and thought about it. This was all a big play to get my attention. "Wait a minute, so this just now was a set up?"

"No. Look I don't know that guy from Adam but I am looking for you. You and me, can help each other, you know. I make more money on suspension than I ever did on the job."

Well that sounds too good to be true. "This is legit?"

"Yeah. Security work. Hey, I'll do right by you."

Goren stared out in front of him. He wasn't sure what to believe but his instincts told him this was trouble.

Stoat slid him his card, "I gotta go. You call me if you are interested."

Goren nodded. "You forgot your paper."

"Keep it."

Goren examined the newspaper noting it had a gun tucked inside. He lifted the top part of the folded newspaper and then covered it quickly sliding it to himself. What am I getting myself into?