Thank goodness for Smartphones, Rita thought, as she quickly gathered her belongings to race out of the office. Syncing her calendar to her phone, with several alarms, was a godsend, especially on days like today. How was it already 2:30 p.m.? She had been up and out of the house at 3:30 a.m., and it felt like she blinked, and eleven hours went by. She noticed this often; once she got to work, the hours flew, and there never seemed to be enough time to accomplish each task on her to-do list. If she didn't leave the precinct now, she'd be late for her lecture at the Academy.

She flew out of the office, let her desk clerk know where she was going, and hurried to her car. If she walked quickly enough, she might avoid getting stopped by whoever was in her line of sight. There was always someone that needed her attention. The only person she saw from a distance was Lou, whom she managed to dodge by going out a side door. Nothing against Hudson, she and Lou always had a great rapport, and there was a lot of history between them as the years went by. However, they played phone tag this week, his texts to her were vague, and she knew why he was trying to reach her. She saw him this morning at the press conference but ducked out before he approached. He got caught up in handshakes and pleasantries, and she got called back in to deal with the DA handling her newest case. While Chris and Rita had discussed their retirement at work, and it wasn't a secret, they had yet to submit their official paperwork. She knew that Hudson wanted concrete answers soon so that he could go about hiring and training replacements for both of them. It was not going to be an easy task; Chris had the charisma and charm for the Mayor's Office that was irreplaceable, and he also single-handedly created all of the programs that someone else would need to take over. Rita was humble, but she knew that her shoes would be tough to fill. After over thirty years on the force, she was proud of the legacy they were leaving behind. But why couldn't she sign that dotted line, officially ending her career?

Her partner in life and love had the same doubts. They had discussed it several times: the war between their heads and hearts. At face value, it's just a job. They said that long ago when they threatened Harry with quitting if they were going to be split up. She smiled, remembering how young and indignant they were. So much changed after that in a short amount of time: her promotion to Chief of Detectives, then Chris' promotion to the Mayor's Office; funny how life works out. They ended up being the last partners each other had, which was exactly the way she hoped it would be.

When they moved onto their new roles, their jobs became more than just jobs. While they felt fulfilled in their careers as sergeants, they would have gladly given them up in a heartbeat if it meant losing one another. With age comes wisdom, and their new endeavors elevated their paths in innovative and inspiring ways. They felt a passion for their work that they had never felt before; it was gratifying to move into these new roles and learn and grow as professionals. And while they missed their partnership immensely, they forged ahead with their new bond as husband and wife, the only partnership that truly mattered, echoed in the words of their beloved Harry and Fran.

Retirement should have been an easy decision. They gave so much of themselves to the department over the past three decades, and now it was time to rest. Relax. Focus on family and enjoy life. Help Sam face her newest adventure. Rita felt a mix of guilt and longing: guilt for not automatically putting her family first, and longing for what she was already pre-emptively missing about her life's work. Being the first female everything in department history had its share of drawbacks: she never felt like what she gave was enough. All eyes were on her, and she felt there was still so much to do, so much to teach, so much to give. But how could she put her needs before her daughter's? She had to make sure Sam's dreams came true. This was one of those situations where she couldn't make it work; she couldn't have it both ways.

After a crazy morning dealing with the wash-up on the beach and her new homicide team, she smiled as she pulled into the Academy parking lot. She was starting to feel more and more at home here and loved talking to recruits. This was one of the reasons she lent her talents teaching tactical training, policy, and procedures, and guest lectured on different aspects of homicide. Today was a little extra special, knowing who would be a member of her audience. She re-read the text Ben sent her that morning and laughed to herself. The emojis were telling; he loved her but was trying to forge his own path. His class would know soon enough who his mother was, and he wanted a smidge of anonymity and autonomy until then. He already went through a little bit of ribbing when Chris guest lectured last month, but that was inevitable: two Christopher Lorenzos in the same room was more than a coincidence. Because she still kept Lance for work, this could remain a mystery. As long as the instructors didn't blab their secret, Ben could get out of this relatively unscathed.

As she approached the building she heard an excited "Captain Lance!" behind her. She turned around to see a beaming female cadet, one she was coming to know as Ben's girlfriend. While he hadn't admitted as much to his parents, Rita knew all too well the look of endearment in her son's eyes when he mentioned Becca's name. It was a look mirrored by his father whenever he looked at Rita over the years. Bringing her to a Lipschitz family dinner was also saying something, and since Becca was able to deal with the wrath and scrutiny of Grandma Fran with grace and ease, she was as good as gold in Rita's book.

"Becca, hi!" Rita leaned in to give her a quick hug. "And, by the way, it's Rita. You can call me Rita."

"Oh no, not today. I promised Ben that you are Captain Lance, and Captain Lance only today." She winked and stifled a giggle.

"Ah, yes. The big secret. Well, it's great to see you. How's it been this week?"

"Tough, as usual. But it's going well. I think we're ready."

"Good. I had no doubts. And where is our Cadet Lorenzo?"

"I think he's already inside. He wanted to get a head start. I don't think he wanted to be late to this particular lecture."

"Well, I'm almost late to the lecture myself. Care to walk in with me?"

"Of course. And hey, I have an idea for some fun today, if you're game."

Rita laughed. "You lead, and I'll follow."

Rita liked Becca Chase. She was brainy and funny and had a way of putting her son in his place when he needed it. They reminded her of a young Chris and Rita, only without the years of platonic love under their belts first. Although, she didn't have confirmation that they were sharing anything more than friendship and study notes. Who was she to make inferences, especially after the years of defending her partnership with Chris before they crossed the line? She'd have to wait until Ben was ready to confide in her. He always came around eventually.

Rita walked into the filled lecture hall, avoiding eye contact with her son. After an apology to the group for walking in exactly on time, she whipped through her memorized presentation with ease, highlighting all of the ins and outs of her daily responsibilities, as well as what a new detective would face should they ever want to apply to work in her division. She left time for questions, and after a couple of basic ones about policies and procedures, Becca's hand shot up.

Rita smiled. "Yes?"

"Hi there. I'm Cadet Becca Chase. I just want to say that it is an honor to meet you. I'm not sure if this audience understands how amazing you are."

Rita blushed. "Aw, thanks, Cadet Chase. Did you have a question?" Rita waited, curious about the "fun" that Becca promised. She glanced at Ben, who shook his head with a shy smile. Somehow, he knew where this was going.

"I was wondering if you could share one of your favorite moments from your career. Maybe something from the early days to give us a taste of what to expect after we graduate?"

Rita laughed. They had this very conversation around the Lipshitz dinner table, and Rita knew the story that Becca wanted her to tell.

"Well, I'm not sure how much undercover work will come your way in the beginning, but be prepared for anything. My male partner had to go undercover as a stripper. Since women primarily have to take on those roles, it was refreshing to have the tables turned for once."

Several gasps emerged from the men in the room, and a hand quickly shot up from one of the male cadets. "Wait, are we allowed to turn down undercover assignments?"

"Well, that's a tough question," Rita offered. "Your commanding officer will review all of the potential risks versus the reward of catching someone in the act of a crime. If it's something you are truly uncomfortable with, and someone else is willing to step up, you might be able to get out of it. My partner really didn't have a say in the matter. He fit the look of what was needed, so he had to do it."

Becca chimed back in. "Wow, your partner sounds like he was a good sport. Is he still a police officer? Are you still partners?"

Ben shot Becca a look from across the lecture hall, which was met with a wink and a smile. Ben couldn't help himself and erupted in a grin, looking so very much like his father. Rita shook her head and continued to answer Becca's questions stealthily.

"We were partners for a little over five years in Homicide, but then we both got promoted to lieutenants right around the same time and went our separate ways. However, those five years were the best of my career, in very special ways. My biggest piece of advice to all of you is to forge a friendship with your partner, even if it seems like you have nothing in common. That friendship could save your life. I could go on for hours about times when we wouldn't have made it out alive without each other. And yes, he is still a Captain with Palm Beach, PD. You may get a chance to work with him before he retires."

"What's his name?" Asked another cadet from the back of the room.

Rita gave Ben a quick look of apology as Becca stifled a giggle. "Chris Lorenzo."

Every eye in the room swiftly turned to Ben, and there were some snickers and teasing lobbed in his direction. Becca visibly started laughing, proud of herself for embarrassing and teasing her pal. Rita feigned innocence as she read the room. "What's so funny?"

Ben finally spoke. "Hello, Captain Lance."

Rita smiled, pretending that she was focusing on him for the first time that afternoon. "Ben Lorenzo, is that you? How are you doing?"

Ben grinned. Enough was enough. "I'm just fine, Mom."

The looks of surprise permeated the lecture hall as Rita quietly laughed in her son's direction. "Sorry. I tried." She then addressed the group. "Yes, Chris and I got married, which was against the rules. Luckily the department relaxed over the years once they realized that partners could marry and still do their jobs. It was a shame that we had to prove it to them first, but it's all water under the bridge. Also, I know you might think that Ben gets special treatment, but don't tease him too much. Unfortunately, having cops for parents is more of a curse than a blessing. He's had to prove himself twice as hard here, and there are far more expectations of him once he graduates. It's a lot of pressure." She saw Ben's cheeks start to redden, but she didn't care. If any of these cadets thought that Ben was sailing through based on nepotism, they were dead wrong. It was one of the reasons why she should retire; Ben deserved an uncomplicated path.

On that note, Rita took a few more questions about Homicide and then kindly ended her time with them early to give the cadets a small break before attending their final lecture. Becca waved goodbye from a distance, noticing Ben was lingering behind. After everyone left, Rita looked up and smiled at her son, who was still in his seat.

"I'm sorry. I tried to keep it undercover."

Ben smiled at her, a genuine, Cheshire-cat grin. "Don't be. I'm the one that called you mom. Hey, they will find out in a couple of weeks at graduation anyway. I'm tired of hiding it. It was stupid of me to try in the first place."

"Well, I completely understand why you did."

Ben walked up and gave Rita a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom. I'll see you tonight."

Rita's eyes glimmered at her son's warm gesture. Ben was always an affectionate child, however, as an adult, he was becoming his own man, and he wasn't always so big on outward displays of affection towards his parents. She smiled as he walked out the door. She would give anything to work with him and would love to see firsthand the police officer he would become. The department will be lucky to have him.

Every time she thought of retirement, she felt like she was writing her epitaph. So many others retired the second they could and skipped out of headquarters into their next dream, their next adventure. She knew that she and Chris would have fun: they would do the traveling they always dreamed of, vacations during Sam's breaks from school, and they could land new jobs if they wanted to, doing any number of things based on their experience. Why was she having such a hard time letting go?

The truth was, it scared her to retire. She loved her husband and children, but her career was important too. She turned 57 this year, but age was just a number, and she had more energy than her thirty-something-aged detectives. Not that she wanted to work into her seventies like her mentor in Vice, Scotty Adano, but she felt like she still had some good years to give. Hell, Lou Hudson was a decade older than her and seemed to be following Scotty's path. When you love the job, you live the job. Maybe she should stop dodging her beloved Commissioner and tell him what's on her mind. He always had the wisdom to set her straight. While she was thinking of it, she sent him a quick text. Hey Lou, sorry, been swamped. Let's do coffee tomorrow. Roach Coach 9 if you're free.

He replied immediately. I'll be at the game tonight. Let's chat then. Hot dogs are on me.

Great. Time to face this head-on.