01.07 - In Plain View

We've had a few unsolved cases. This time we'll solve a case. And maybe Gail and Vivian can work together before Gail turns fifty.


"Hang on, you can run up, like, a warped wall?" Lara was incredulous.

"Yeah, the 14 footer. There's one at this gym I go to, Ningymnastics." They all looked at her in a little awe, which was weird and disconcerting. "Yes, the name is stupid."

Christian shook his head. "How long have I known you and you never told me this? Dude, you could be on tv!"

"I never go to the tryouts," Vivian smiled sheepishly. "I just like playing around."

"So, like, you can do parkour?" Jenny put down another beer by Vivian. "No wonder you took that fence like a boss."

That was why they were talking about it. The day before they'd been chasing after a perp down some alleys. The criminal had taken out Duncan with a trash bin, only to have Vivian hurdle right over it and keep up. When he went over a fence, she hadn't even thought. Step left, step right, plant the feet and she all but ran up the side of the wall, used a hand to brace on the top of the fence, and vaulted right over it.

And Duncan's chest cam caught it all.

Dov had played it for her, telling her first not to do such dangerous moves and then asking how the hell she'd learned that, because Gail was not particularly familiar with the idea of exercise and he'd never known Holly to do that. By the end of the day, everyone of the old guard had seen it and wanted to know if it was luck or real. Vivian kept declining to show off until finally, that afternoon, Noelle dragged her to the gym as part of their certification.

Knowing very well that Vivian did that sort of thing for fun, Inspector Williams gave them all directions that sounded insane. Bleachers to the pommel horse, no touching the ground. Then the climbing wall to the ball pit, no touching balls. From there, use the mini trampoline to bounce to the wood wall, traverse the length with no feet, and touch the basketball hoop.

The rookies had laughed. No one could do it. Rich tried first, because that was the kind of guy he was, but whiffed the jump to the climbing wall and bruised his ass. While he sat on an ice pack, Noelle shouted 'Peck!' and sent Vivian to it.

Vivian was sure Noelle had only slummed it to run the tests to see Vivian show them up. And they all said Gail was the evil one. Hah.

It was half the course she normally played on, which meant it was fairly mundane. As soon as she cleared the jump to the climbing wall, remembering to still her lower body as she swung over, the rookies went silent. When she hung on to the inch deep wood slats (seriously, why did gyms even have them?) and traversed the long wall, they cheered.

And now they wanted to know how she'd done it. After Noelle showed them the video, Vivian showed them photos from the gym competitions she took part in.

Jenny was agog at the photos. "Why not? You could totally rock it!"

"You don't look like you're that strong." Lara squeezed Vivian's bicep. "I mean, I've seen you with your shirt off. You're not all muscle bound."

Wincing away, Vivian rubbed her arm. "Ow. And ... It's not about muscle mass. It's flexibility and strength."

Standing by them, Rich shook his head. "That was totally unfair. You're a ringer."

It was Jenny who came to Vivian's defense. "Actually, you volunteered. And you totally shoot better than she does."

Vivian rolled her eyes. "Don't encourage him." She was not the shot that Gail was. In a controlled situation, like a competition shoot, she held her own. Gail was just fucking phenomenal. It was annoying.

"Hey, why were you all over the range last week?" Rich looked curious. "Trying to beat my score?"

"Nah, my mom's birthday is this week." Vivian sipped her beer as Christian oooohed. Everyone else was lost. "She has a target shoot every year. Second place wins a stupid hat and kudos for a year."

Rich frowned. "Second place?"

"Mom's never lost." Steve and Dov came very close two years prior, actually. In Gail's defense, she'd been recovering from a monster cold.

Clearing his throat, Rich asked, "Which mom?"

Vivian grinned. "Not the one you hit on." It was a delight to watch his face curl up into a mixture of fear and doubt. "Don't worry, they both thought it was funny. They take bets to which rookie hits on Holly first."

"Just Holly?" Jenny frowned. "Not that the doc isn't hot, but me? I'd go for Gail. She's like... Marilyn Monroe looks."

"She tends to scare people off," remarked Christian. "She can be real intense." He'd seen her being her most intense. When Denise threatened to not pay for university, Gail, Dov, and Oliver had driven to Timmins to have 'words' with Denise. Apparently Gail's words were a little brutal.

Jenny thought about that and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I can see that. But the doc is so easy going. What was that like, growing up?"

Smiling, Vivian admitted, "Awesome. Kinda annoying sometimes."

"Hell, that's just parents," laughed Lara. "Mine freaked out when I told them I was going to be a cop."

Conversation swung around to that for the rest of the night. Vivian, with a cop for a parent, was excused from any explanations. They all assumed her parents knew everything anyway. But it was Jenny who got awkward and unwilling when they asked about her family. And only Vivian knew why. So she stepped in and joked about how her parents would have had a heart attack if she'd been a fireman.

Because that's what friends did. Right? They covered for each other.


No matter how many times Elaine suggested it, Holly shot it down. "No party. Elaine, she doesn't want one."

"My daughter is fifty," sighed Elaine. "We should do more than dinner and shooting."

"She wants dinner and shooting. Besides, you get next spring." That had been the only trade off Holly had been able to wrangle, without having to resort to Gail's assistance at Peck Negotiations.

Elaine huffed. "Tell me you're at least taking her away somewhere."

With a smile, Holly nodded. "We're going up to the cottage."

Her mother in law rolled her eyes. "Didn't you go to Europe for her forty-fifth?"

"We did, and we're going to Greece for our twenty-fifth, so this year and next are budget friendly."

With a dissatisfied look, Elaine muttered, "Greece could still use the money."

"Stop it, or I start asking for details about you nice man who came to the ballet with us last month. Gordo?" It was fun to watch Elaine blush. "It's what she wants and it's what we both like, Elaine."

The woman sighed and stabbed her salad with a fork. "At least I don't need to keep an eye on my granddaughter. Everyone says she's doing well. How's she getting along with her class? Gail had such a hard time with that." At least Elaine had the grace to look guilty about it.

Holly waggled a hand. "She's doing better. She still hates talking about herself."

"I hated that too," admitted Elaine. "Everyone had it out for the rich, high society girl, slumming it in blue."

Admittedly, Holly had never really thought of it that way. "If only that was her problem. I think it's impacting her romantic life more than anything."

Elaine looked a little concerned. "Oh dear." She shook her head. "Things aren't getting better after the shooting?"

"No. But not worse either." Her mother-in-law also knew the story of Vivian's past, as much as the courts recorded. She'd read it before Vivian had moved in, before Holly had known all the details actually. And Elaine had helped Gail to get the records sealed.

At the time, Holly had been livid that Elaine had read them. Now she understood what it meant to be a parent. She saw the lengths she herself would go to in order to made Vivian happy and healthy and whole. It gave her a very different view on her own parents. Also having Elaine to talk to about this aspect of parenting was a relief. They could share the burden a little.

They didn't talk about Vivian or Gail for the rest of lunch though. Elaine and Holly had started carving out time to just hang out and talk shortly after Gail came back from her undercover op saving the then Prince of Wales. They had lunch at least once a month, and while they could talk about work, more often they talked about little things. A book Holly was reading, a movie Elaine liked, a sports game Holly was caught up in, and maybe some family matters.

With the arguments of Gail's birthday out of the way, and the discussion of Vivian's stumbling into adulthood shelved for now, they got to the rest of their topics. Like Elaine's boyfriend. Man friend. Gordo. Like Holly's new paper and how she was invited to give a TED talk about it.

She liked Elaine a lot. That wasn't true when they'd first met, and it hadn't been true at all for years. Now they were family. They could tease each other and push each other and they had that comfortable familiarity borne of something more than just being bound together by Holly wearing Gail's ring. They liked each other. They were friends who both adored Gail.

After lunch, Holly spent her day trying hard to wipe her docket clear. She wanted nothing hanging over her head when she dragged Gail off that weekend. When her phone rang, and it was Gail, she smiled. "Hello, Detective."

"Hi, Doc. Quick question."

Oh. It was a work call. "Tell me I'm not on speaker."

Gail laughed. "You are not."

"Then please, go ahead."

"Fentanyl. Addictive or not?"

"Technically, anything can be addictive depending on the person's chemistry and genetic makeup. Any substance or event that sends the right stimuli to the reward center of your brain has the potential to -" Gail coughed. "It's an opiate, Gail."

"Oh, an opiate. Like heroin. Huh, so you're saying taking it every day would be downright addictive." The way Gail spoke told Holly what was going on.

"Gail Peck, are you calling me from interrogation?"

"Yes, yes I am, Doc."

"You're terrible. Is he tweaking?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Holly laughed softly. "It's addictive and it escalates. So he'll need more and more as time goes on."

"That explains a lot. Thanks."

"You're welcome, dear. Please tell me this isn't going to delay our trip."

"Unlikely to be a factor," drawled Gail.

"Good, because I have plans for you, and they involve you being naked with me where no one can hear you scream my name. And you will be begging."

There was a lengthy pause. "Duly noted," Gail managed, her voice normal but taut. Hah. Got her.

Holly smiled and chirped in her best Chloe imitation, "Alright. I love you."

"Back attcha, Doc," replied Gail and she hung up.

It was always a little fun to flirt with Gail when she couldn't do anything back. Once, Holly had cheerfully talked dirty when Gail was getting information in the car with John driving, safe in the knowledge that Gail had an earpiece in. She loved it. Of course, Gail got her back from time to time.

Her next Peck call was from Steve, who wanted to know the details for the shoot. And then of all people, her daughter showed up. "Hi, Mom." The young woman was still in uniform, even though it was past sunset.

"Well hello, stranger."

Vivian grinned. "I got it." She held up a pistol case.

While Holly disliked guns, she had long since accepted her wife's necessary reliance on them and her open attraction to them. Knowing this, Holly had looked for the perfect gift for her snarky wife and struck upon the idea of a new gun. She quickly drafted her daughter to help, and Vivian suggested they get her a new backup piece, since Gail's favorite had finally passed the point of safe repair.

"Is it the same?"

"Mom, I told you. They haven't made a Colt Pocket 9 since before I was born." Vivian rolled her eyes and closed the office door. "There's a lawsuit. I made the guy get out all the pocket 9s. I thought it'd be the Sig, but the single action was really a pain in the ass. The Ruger and the Walther had nice pulls, but the new model Kahr CM9 was totally the winner."

Holly sighed. "Honey, I love you but why are you saying all those words?"

Her daughter smiled a quirky side smile, just like Holly did. "Mom will love it."

"Thank you. Can I see it?" Vivian put the case on Holly's desk and popped it open. "It's tiny," she marveled.

"It's supposed to be." Vivian reached in and picked it up, turning it so Holly could see there was no clip, and demonstrating the way it looked in someone's hand. "Mom's got smaller hands than I do, so she'll have a better grip. I got her the plus one mag-"

Holly snorted a laugh. "Sorry. Yes, I know that means it has an extra round. It's just..."

"That's why I did it." Vivian showed that the chamber was empty and then the magazine, before holding the gun out to Holly.

She didn't hold guns. She wasn't going to start now. "Pass. It looks pretty. And light." Vivian put the gun back and held out the nylon holster. "Now this is ... butch."

The rookie police officer snorted a laugh. "Seriously? Mom's not butch."

As Holly took the holster and inspected it, Vivian pulled a silver metallic pen from her pants pocket. "She really isn't, is she?" Holly took the pen and shook it. "Do you know what you're going to write?"

"Kinda. You?"

Holly nodded and carefully wrote BE SAFE and her initials. "I know it's trite."

But her daughter just smiled. "No, I like it. You guys should write in my vest..." She took the pen and holster and hesitated. DO GOOD. Holly tilted her head in confusion. "She'll get it."

And just like that, Holly got it. The most important thing to do, if you were a cop, was to do good things. Do right things. Gail had stressed that multiple times to young Vivian. And Vivian was letting her know she'd heard and understood.

"You are a good child," sighed Holly.

"You're a good mom," noted Vivian. "But Nick's waiting downstairs. We gotta finish up."

Holly sighed and reached over to adjust Vivian's tie. "Did you make him help you with this?"

"Nah, I told him I had to pick up Mom's present." She put the holster in the case and locked it up, placing the key on top. "You good with this?"

"Yes, I'm good with it. No bullets, right?"

Vivian rolled her eyes. "You're such a loser, nerd Mom."

Smiling, Holly took the case and put it by her purse. "When are you off shift?"

"We gotta file paperwork and then I'm done. Maybe an hour or two."

"And your mom?"

"Last seen with a tweaker and John, trying to press him for information. Depends on if he cracks." Vivian grinned. "They sent Lara out to get mini Smarties though." That was Gail's favorite tweaker snack. Vivian's radio crackled. "Gotta bounce. See you at dinner."

Holly leaned in her doorway, watching her daughter literally bounce down the hallway. Knowing half the lab, Vivian greeted most by name or title. A memory of watching Gail saunter down the hall in uniform popped into Holly's mind. Vivian looked nothing like Gail did then. Gail always had a swagger to her, a sway that promised she was in charge and not to be taunted. Vivian still looked like the kid in the candy store.

Not having known Gail as a rookie, Holly wondered if she'd had the same bounce to her step. She'd have to ask Oliver.


"Night shift," groaned Christian as they looked at the schedule.

"It's not like it's the first time," Vivian noted, adding the schedule to her calendar on her phone. "You ready to rock and roll, Fuller?" The rookies had been pairing up on their own for a while and Vivian had to admit she really liked it.

Christian scowled. "How come you're on a different schedule?"

Unlike Christian, who started nights after two days off, Vivian had three days. "Because it's Mom's birthday in two days? Hello."

"Pecks," muttered Rich, leaning around Vivian to look at his schedule. "Bet they just pushed your name around."

"Hey, enjoy four days without all the Pecks on patrol," joked Vivian. The majority of them were coming to the party, if not the shooting. The shooting was just the old crew. Elaine had implied she'd retire at the end of this year, which Gail teased was because of how badly she'd been doing. In her eighties, Elaine's ability to shoot was actually pretty amazing.

"Peck, my office," called out Noelle as Vivian test fired her gun.

"Ooooh, Peck's in trouble!" Rich shoved her shoulder.

Ignoring her asshat classmate, Vivian headed on her mission. She rapped on Noelle's door up on the third floor. It was on the other end of the floor from Gail's office, which was currently empty. "Come here and close the door."

"Is this gonna be a spy thing, ma'am?"

Noelle rolled her eyes. "No, Vivian, this is your best friend's mom telling you something. So no gossip."

Affronted, Vivian pointed out, "Pecks don't gossip."

"I mean no telling Steve."

"Oh. Okay. What's wrong?"

Noelle took a deep breath. "I'm retiring."

Well that was a hell of a thing. "What? Now!?"

"January," sighed Noelle. Two months.

Vivian looked stunned. "Why... Why are you telling me?"

Noelle looked sadly at her. "Because I promised my daughter that I'd see you cut loose. And I don't want to fail that promise. Reviews are Thursday afternoon."

What the what? Vivian's eyes widened. "But..." Reviews were in February, before her birthday. That's what Dov said at dinner when he brought his homebrew. That was just a couple weeks ago, when he and Chloe had argued about which one of them would have a better chance against Gail at the range.

"I made Dov push 'em up. You guys are doing well. But that means..."

"Recerts. Tomorrow?"

"Today. We're announcing that at Parade."

Vivian nodded, feeling a bit of fear set in for the first time. Two things had to happen in two days before her mother turned fifty. "Thanks." She'd planned to go to the range every day for the three weeks leading up to their recertifications. Of course she went every week, with Gail to boot, but that was more casual shooting. She'd been practicing for Gail's birthday, not a recert. The shoot was totally different!

"Hey," Noelle looked at her like the woman who used to come cheer at soccer games. She was the mom Vivian had known for years. "Don't freak out, okay? Gail flubbed her first recert at the range."

That didn't help. "I know," she exhaled. "It's just... I don't want to fuck up before her birthday."

Noelle smirked and got up. "You won't, okay? You're good. You've been doing great for anyone, let alone a Peck, so don't get scared." Throwing an arm up and around Vivian's shoulders, Noelle hugged her briefly and let go. "When did you get tall?"

That helped. "You just got short," teased Vivian. She walked with Noelle to Parade, hands shoved in her pockets.

Dov was sitting at the front of the room, in a stool, leaving room at the podium for Noelle. "Rookies," he said loudly. "Come up front." They did, everyone else looking nervous. "This morning, you're all going to the range. Anyone who doesn't recertify is benched. And reviews are tomorrow."

The whole room started talking. It wasn't just because of Noelle leaving, realized Vivian. The force was short handed in general. She glanced around. The room was only two thirds what it was when Gail had been in uniform, wasn't that what Gail had complained about? Recruitment was down. When she looked back at Noelle, she caught the nod.

"Inspector Williams, in the mean time, will be supervising with me the recertification of our senior officers!" Now the room hooted. "And up for grabs is, courtesy of our esteemed third floor, is a bottle of single malt. Over $1000 dollars. Goes to, who Duncan?"

"Copper with the best time, sir."

The room broke up laughing. From the back, Gail's voice shouted, "Who had the worst time last year?" Duncan didn't answer and the room laughed. Of course Gail had come down to see the fights. "Epstein. Care for Ds versus unis?"

"Not if you're sending in a ringer."

"Not my fault I got Nash." Traci was the ringer with fights and everyone knew it. Hearing her mother flaunt that, though, was hilarious.

Dov smirked. "McNally, go take our rooks to light it up."

As Vivian followed McNally out, Gail held up a fist. Vivian blinked and then saw her mother's broad grin. She made a fist and tapped it to Gail's. It said everything. It said good luck, it said not to Peck things up, but it also said that it was alright no matter what happened. It was all alright.

"Dude, your mom just fist bumped you." Rich, of course, gave her shit. Sometimes he seemed to be able to remember that Vivian had two moms, sometimes not.

"Dude," said McNally, opening the door to the range. "Her mom has the record for competition shoots for the whole force."

Rich's face went a little white. "What?"

Competition shoots were totally different than most things they did on the range. They reflected nothing past the ability to stay calm in a controlled situation. But damn if Gail's string of wins wasn't impressive. Rich and Jenny stopped to look at the plaque on the wall, where it read "Peck, G." and an obscenely high score for over half the shoots for the last fifteen years. Gail actually had two occasions where she had a perfect score on a shoot. Once when she was in her twenties, before meeting Holly, and once when Vivian had been a teen. Most of the shoots where she was listed, Gail had a score in the top ten, if not five.

Vivian leaned in and whispered, "The years she's not listed? She didn't compete." It was a lie. Gail had her off days too. But it was more fun this way. "And yes, you hit on her wife." She patted his cheek and walked up to the desk clerk.

Seeing her, the clerk smiled. "Hey, Little Peck. All set for Friday! I got it booked clear for you guys for the hour."

"Thanks." She saw Christian patting Rich's shoulder. The idiot's discomfort and the normalcy of being on the range was settling Vivian's nerves more than anything else.

McNally marched them into the range and lined them up. Vivian closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the range. She knew the range. She came here every week and had since she was twelve. "Okay, everyone. Load and make ready. Chamber a round." Vivian opened her eyes and took hold of her gun, loading and making ready. "This scenario is called 'shoot, don't shoot.' If your target looks like a bad guy, you shoot. If it does not, Peck?"

Vivian knew the answer and smiled as she shouted, "Do not shoot, ma'am!"

"That is right." McNally walked up and down the line. "Alright. Are you ready?"

They all shouted. "Yes, ma'am!" Vivian took her shooter's stance.

"Okay. Let's make some good decisions. The range is hot!"

The targets popped up. Vivian saw the mother with the baby and quickly lowered her gun while the shots of most of her classmates echoed around her. Do not shoot.

"And hold. Prove safe, benches down." McNally pressed a button and the targets zoomed in. "Let's see how we did." She walked down the line. "Nice. Good. Good call, Peck." McNally paused at Christian's booth. "Good cluster, Fuller. Impressive."

Vivian leaned over to look and flashed Christian a thumbs up. Only one shot outside of the body. "Nice!" she hissed at him.

But McNally wasn't done. "You did very well, rookies. Under controlled circumstances." Vivian's heart pounded. She knew this one. This was an Oliver moment. Deep breath. "You already know out there, real life, is not controlled. It's unpredictable. It's wild."

"Here it comes," muttered Vivian.

"Holster the guns." Andy was grinning. "Come on, put the guns away. Step back." As everyone stepped back, Andy pointed to the ground. "Drop and give me fifteen."

Not arguing, Vivian and, she was pleased to see, Christian dropped. Rich blustered. "What!?"

"Thirty seconds, Hanford! Gimme push-ups or you fail."

Rich swore and hit the deck. Fifteen push-ups. They were probably easier for Vivian than they'd been for noodle armed rookie Gail. "Calm down, Rich, she's just trying to mess us up," said Christian, easily pumping out his lot.

"Fuller, shut it! Everyone up, load your clips." McNally slapped the wall and the lights started flashing. It was like a disco. It was loud. Vivian was never more grateful that Oliver had made her try this a handful of times in the last five years. "Range is hot! Benches up! Come on, faster! Go!"

In the blinking, flashing, room, it was harder to see. It was harder to think. Vivian listened to Gail's voice in her head. How many times had Gail told her that using a gun had to be natural and decisive? A gunshot wasn't something you could take back. Don't fire unless you're absolutely sure. The reminders sprinted through her head in an instant.

Go.

Shoot or don't shoot? Was it the gunman or the man with a cell phone or the mother?

Decide.

And things slowed and clarified in her head. She calmed her breathing. She saw the figure on the paper and she knew.

She fired.

Six shots and the lights stopped flashing. Six shots and the targets went dark. Six shots and that was all she had to decide if she was going to pass tomorrow. But hey, no pressure.

"Prove safe, benches down." McNally's voice was softer. "Hanford, you shot the mother. Her family is going to sue."

"I thought it was the gunman," he muttered.

"It wasn't. Take a good look at her, Hanford."

Rich looked down. "Sorry."

"Aronson, Volk, not bad. Not great. I want you three back here this afternoon." The trio mumbled their understanding. "Fuller, good call. That civilian with a cell phone shit his pants, but he's going to live." Then McNally paused. "Interesting, Peck."

What did that mean? Vivian looked from McNally to her target. The man with a gun. Four shots center mass. One shot shoulder. One shot wide. All things considered, it was actually pretty good, she'd thought. "What does it mean, ma'am?" Did they fail? Did a miss count as a failure?

Taking a deep breath, McNally gestured. "It means you're still rookies. Report to Epstein for your assignments."

Three of them were stuck on desk. Two of them were not. Two of them were told to take out 1509 and go on patrol. Together.

When they were discretely away from their benched classmates, Vivian and Christian swapped high fives. "Dude," he laughed. "We rocked!"

As worried as she was about the bumped up time table, Vivian grinned. "Yeah, we did." She knew it wasn't perhaps the best thing, as a person, to be so excited about the recertification, but even Nick had talked about how he nearly choked on his. It was a tough moment. She didn't want to fail. Not this close to Gail's birthday.

Christian, who had been practicing on his own regularly, felt the pressure as much as she did. His mother had been agitating for him to drop out and come home. "Where are the keys?" When Vivian jangled them, he groaned. "No no, I do not want you to drive, Grand Tourismo Peck!"

"It's Gran Turisimo, and you snooze, you lose." She bounded down the hall. "Gotta make a call. We roll in five, Fuller!" Pulling out her phone she tapped a very specific name.

"Well good morning, Peckling."

She couldn't not smile. "Hi, Uncle Ollie."

"To what do I owe the pleasure of you disrupting my coffee?"

"First, it's nine. You're lazy." He laughed over the phone. "Second... Thank you."

Oliver sounded surprised. "You are most welcome, quietest of all my Pecks. What did I do? Just so I can do it again."

"I passed my recert on the first go." Because there was one person who told her the truth about how it was hard and why it was hard. Just one person who taught her the zen of shooting on the worst day. And it wasn't a Peck. Pecks, even Gail, believed you thrived in adversity.

"Already? But Gail's shoot 'em out is in two days. Isn't it early?"

"A lot, yeah. And Friday they go to the cottage."

"Ooh la la," laughed Oliver. "Planning on throwing another party?"

The one time… She groaned at him. "I have night shift next week, so mostly planning on sleeping."

"You are as wise as you are taciturn, my dear. And I will see you on Thursday for the drinking and the revelry."

Because the most anyone could talk Gail into for her own birthday, so close to Christmas, were drinks and a cake at the Black Penny. If they were lucky, and they still didn't know if they were, there would be karaoke. "Oliver, I love you. Please don't sing Natural Woman. Again. Ever."

"First of all, my Petulant Peck loves my voice. Secondly, I learned a new one from Jerry."

"Oh god. I don't think I want to know." She laughed. "I have to go. Only Christian and I passed, so we get to patrol."

"Lucky you... Don't pull a McNally."

"Why? What did she do?"

"Prison transport with Swarek."

Vivian snorted. "Did they lose the prisoner?" When Oliver didn't answer, she guffawed. "I'll remind her of this later," she promised, grinning ear to ear.

"That's my Peck's daughter. Go. Protect, serve, be safe. I'm proud of you, kid."

"Thanks, Ollie." Vivian hung up and smiled at the phone. She knew she didn't have to tell her parents, but she wanted to. Just... She wanted to after she was cut loose. That would be the right thing. Besides. It wasn't like Gail didn't already know. Someone was probably telling her right now.


Her phone pinged again. Gail ignored it again. John begged again, "Gail, will you please answer that?"

"It's just updates from the fights downstairs," she dismissed and read the report again. "I really don't like this, John."

"I really want you to turn off the phone." He pushed it towards her and Gail ignored the phone. "Fine. What's the memo?"

"Gun sales are up." She handed him the tablet. "Way up. Swarek's report matches this one." Gail watched John's face still and drift into bitchy-resting-face as he read. "You won't like my theory."

He glanced at her. "Yeah, I don't." John flicked the report up and down on the screen, checking things. "Shit," he muttered. "Is this why they bumped up the recerts?"

"Afraid so. That and Noelle's retiring in January." Gail leaned back and propped her feet up. "Recruitment's down, gang violence is up. It's a grand old time."

John smiled slightly. "And you're in charge of Guns & Gangs."

"And you're my sergeant."

They shared a grin and Gail's phone rang. "Please pick the phone up!"

Gail flipped him off as she answered her phone. "Peck. Better be good, McNally."

"Your kid cheated."

"It's not cheating, it's called being prepared." Gail felt her mouth split into a mammoth grin. Her kid passed.

"Well. She had one miss and one shoulder, but she nailed it. Second highest score in her class."

"Christian?"

Andy was silent for a moment. "How do you do that?"

"I'm awesome," smiled Gail. "And I've seen him at the range every time I went there for three weeks." She gave him advice while she was there, since he looked so damn earnest. Besides, Gail knew Vivian was hitting up Oliver for help.

"Well fine. He earned it. I sent them off together so Nick could type up his review."

"Tell Nicholas that you spell it e-x-c-e-l-" Andy's laughter cut her off before she could finish spelling excellent. "You got anything else?"

"Nope. Just three grumpy desk-bound idiots."

Gail hung up and tossed the phone down. "There. You happy?"

"What was her score?"

"She passed, I could care less about the rest, John." However, Gail did give the score and showed him the target, both of which Andy had texted her. He complimented the grouping and her mind drifted back to the case at hand. They'd shelved the mystery bomber, lack of evidence was crippling to a case, and John was primarily back on the pot shop shit.

The name that stood out right now was Dr. Veronica Van Lowe. They'd traced back not the pot nor the Fentanyl to her, but rejected prescriptions. Almost two thirds of the prescriptions at the pot shops had been turned down by her offices. From there, the eventual users were spread out across dozens of doctors.

Gail grimaced and propped her feet up on her desk. Was there a relation to them? Was it just dumb luck? Were people getting above their pay grade... "John," she said slowly. "The pot shops we busted for Fentanyl. Are they all on that edge of the Rivers/Hill border?"

There was the sound of tapping, and John grunted. "They are. And? The clean ones are well inside Rivers' territory."

"So the laced shit is Hill and the pure is Rivers."

"Do you think we scared them off? Catching their weed trick?"

"No. I think we may be why things are escalating." She took her feet off the table and let them thud to the ground. "We tipped the Hill's hands. We showed their cards to Three Rivers and now Rivers is getting themselves armed."

John looked worried. "And they're tipping their own hand, showing they're weird with three sectors-" He stopped. "Put the map up.

Tapping the keys, Gail put the area map up on her glass wall. "Gang border is the dashed line. Hill shops are red, Rivers in blue."

Her sergeant uncapped a dry-erase pen. "If we use the three main shops and split the areas based on the rivers, we get this."

Gail looked at the lines. "Or this..." She got up and erased his lines, drawing ones not around the rivers, but around something else. One went around where Dr. Van Lowe's offices were. One went around where Bobby Zanaro used to frequent.

"Those aren't even."

"Zanaro takes over Zanaro," explained Gail, putting a Z in the largest sector. "Dr. Van Lowe... She'd be here." Gail marked that with a V. "Leaving our mystery guest ..."

John was already banging on his keyboard. "I'm running a full check on our doctor right now. Extended, see if her parents have relatives that we can tie into Zanaro and anyone else."

Nodding, Gail bounced back to her computer to store the updated map. "Look for someone boring. Lawyer. HR rep. Investment broker. Actuary."

"Why those?"

"Zanaro knows gangs. The doctor knows drugs. Someone's got to be helping them with the money. Blood is thicker, right?" He grunted. That was John for an agreement. Holly would make a comment about how the phrase didn't mean that at all. "And that actually explains Prancing Unicorn now that I think about it. Rivers didn't know he was lacing, so we got two types of added fentanyl because the gang did one and the owner did the other."

"Neither did Hill. That's what what's his face, that hipster idiot? That's why he was there trying to hit 'em up."

"He's also an idiot," countered Gail. "I don't think he knew one way or the other."

John grunted again. "No, I don't like that. Why would the name brands of the territories, your theory not mine, be the ones to fold over?"

"They're the edges. Also we have a dozen little shops that match the names." She tapped a key and the map on her wall lit up with all the small shops. "Bugs me I can't find a damn eagle."

Tossing his tablet onto the couch, John groaned. "Maybe it's a metaphor. You keep saying they're smart."

"No one plots all things years in advance like this." She waved her hands at the screen.

"You would." John looked dead serious.

But they had no answers that day. The background checks hit roadblocks with the CMA laws around Dr. Van Lowe, so warrants were scribbled up in a hurry. And pushed back. And re-written. And pushed back. Which was when Gail gave up, took herself to the range to shoot, and then went home.

Vivian and Holly were already cooking dinner. Mostly Vivian. Holly was technically stirring something, but she was more talking on her phone. "Mom, that's not what I said at all... No. No. I'm not apologizing that I have a busy job. You're retired, you come out for Christmas if it's that big a deal."

Oh wonderful. Holly and Lily were fighting. Slipping upstairs, Gail locked away her gun, badge, and laptop, and shed her jacket and shoes, before coming back down. Her wife was still arguing, but she'd wandered into the living room. "Hi," whispered Gail.

"Hi," mouthed Holly. "No, Mom, Gail just got home... Yes... We don't know." Holly made a face at Gail. A fight but she wasn't too angry. "Mom, hang on." She covered the mouthpiece. "No kiss?"

Gail rolled her eyes and kissed Holly softly. "Be nice to your mother," she whispered. Then she took Holly's hand off her phone. "Lily, be nice to your daughter."

Her wife's eyes were laughing as she went back to her conversation. "I'm just saying, we may have to book a last second flight, if we can do it. And I don't think Vivian wants to crash on the guest cottage couch again."

They were the negotiations about Christmas vacation. "Do you?" Gail leaned over to see what Vivian was cooking.

"It would be really bratty of me to stay home," sighed the rookie. "But then I think it would be favoritism to not work the holiday. Especially-" Vivian stopped abruptly.

Ah. "Noelle told you?" When Vivian looked relieved, Gail smiled. "It's weird. No lie."

Vivian checked the sear on her meat and poured in the sauce (aka what Holly had been stirring). "They're pushing us faster," she told her mother. "How bad is enlistment this year?"

Gail stuck her pinky in the sauce and tasted it. "Oh, that's good. Put in some molasses." Her daughter glowered. "It's bad, kiddo. They're holding off on the next class, and combining it with a couple other cities."

Looking like she'd bitten into a lemon, Vivian got the molasses and spooned in some. "That's really scary."

"Yeah, it is." It might be scarier for her than Vivian, mused Gail. She knew what the kid was getting into. "You know they won't cut you guys loose if you're not capable, right?"

Her daughter stirred the food. "I don't know, Mom. If Oliver was in charge... Maybe."

"You don't trust Noelle?"

"It's Dov I'm worried about."

Gail snorted. "Well, worry about this. Until they replace Noelle, I'm the ranking inspector at Fifteen."

The younger Peck froze. "Wait, what?" A look of actual horror washed across her face. "You'd be our inspector? Why not... Why not Steve? Or Traci?"

"I am going to hold it against you that you want your aunt and uncle instead of me," huffed Gail, feeling a little miffed.

Vivian deflated. "Mom, come on, you already steer three divisions. You do this, lesbian-bed-death will be real and I don't think Parent Trapping you up to the cottage will help."

Okay. The kid had a point. And it was adorable she was worried about her parents sex life. "I'll appoint someone else to be in charge if that happens," decided Gail then and there. "Not Steve, though. I'll be surprised if he makes it through next year." Then again, Steve would be a great interim inspector for the division. Give him a bump in salary before leaving.

Her daughter looked a little sad. "I'll miss him." She turned off the burner. "Mom! Dinner!" They both heard Holly tell Lily she had to go and she loved her.

Holly was louder when she came back into the kitchen. "Viv, if you want to work Christmas, I will not hold it against you."

That was not a good sign. Gail thought back to her last few conversations with Lily and realized the issue. "She's bored to death now that she retired, and has switched to meddling?"

Her wife nodded, morosely, getting out glasses. "What do we drink with this?"

"Something red and with tannins," suggested Gail. "I got it." She walked over to their small wine collection. "Maybe we should get my Mom to give Lily some ideas?" Elaine was still doing fundraising work for child advocacy, medical research, and queer youths. She'd probably keep doing that until she died, at this rate.

"That's not a terrible idea." Holly put the glasses down and brought Vivian the dishes. "Sorry I bailed on you, honey."

But their child didn't seem to mind. "Luckily my moms aren't into meddling at this point," she teased. "I don't know if I should work Christmas or not."

The plates were brought to the table and they took their normal seats. "Maybe Dov can pick names out of a hat?" Holly looked thoughtful as she spoke.

"Yeah, but then there's the whole volunteer thing. I mean, am I a brown-noser for volunteering or am I taking advantage of my name if I don't?" Vivian picked up her fork, clearly thinking more deeply about it than Gail had at the same age. Then she asked, "Why not Dov for inspector?"

Holly snorted. "Because that would make McNally your sergeant." They all paused. McNally had her faults, as Gail loved to point out, but she had grown up a lot. The idealistic moron had faded away.

"Actually..." Gail started. "Dov's been talking about going to IA or the super's staff." She hadn't told Holly, mostly because it hadn't really mattered. "He doesn't want to be an division inspector. Says it'll give him grey hairs."

"Hasn't given you any," smiled Holly, reaching over to fluff Gail's short hair. It was blonde. Again.

"She dyes it. You can't possible know what color..." Vivian trailed off and looked a little off color. "Ugh, I need brain bleach."

Gail laughed. "You need to get laid, kiddo." Her daughter flipped her off. "Is that why you want to stay home over Christmas?"

Deadpan, Vivian replied, "Yes. I plan on having an orgy." She took a bite of her food and shook her head.

They didn't come to any sort of agreement of anything that night, but it was alright. As Gail stretched out in bed and watched Holly change, she remarked. "Its weird how much Viv is and isn't like us."

Holly paused, pulling her shirt on. "Nick said the same thing."

"Hey, this bedroom is a Nicholas free zone," snarled Gail. But Holly knew her too well after twenty years and just smiled. "I mean, she thinks about the implications of things way more than I did as a rookie. Like, she was freaked to hell about failing the recertification."

"She passed?" Holly looked like that was news and slid into bed.

There was a moment of shuffling around as they got into more comfortable spots. "She didn't tell you either, huh? Andy told me."

Leaning in, Holly kissed her slowly. "If this bedroom is a Nick free zone, then this bed is an Andy free zone."

"Bleck!" Gail gagged and flopped onto her back. "She thinks a lot. That's totally you."

Holly lay down, resting her head against Gail's shoulder. Reflexively, Gail wrapped her arm around her wife. "She came that way," Holly said quietly. "But we raised a really good kid."

Gail smiled. "We did." Closing her eyes, she felt Holly's hand on her stomach. It was comfortable, having Holly up in her personal space. It always had been. There was a wonderful softness about Holly that made her so wonderful to share space with. The curves and the gentleness... It wasn't restrictive or oppressive.

From the very start of their friendship, Holly had broken Gail's normal reactions. She was the harbinger of change in Gail's life, and Gail didn't mind a bit. "Hey, Holly," she said quietly. The brunette hummed softly, still awake. "I love you."

The muffled shaking on her shoulder told Gail that Holly was laughing a little. "I love you, too," she replied. The hand on Gail's stomach moved, fingers tracing the satiny fabric. "Even if you're fifty and you don't have grey hairs."

Now it was Gail who laughed. She caught Holly's roaming hand and kissed her knuckles. "Pure luck. Dad was grey at my age. Steve's grey. Mom..."

"Elaine's a bottle." Holly wriggled her fingers free and caressed Gail's face. "I do. Love you." Gail smiled and leaned into the hand. Moving, Holly propped herself up and kissed the side of Gail's face. Then her jaw. "I really do."

Gail smiled as the kisses moved to her lips and then back to the side of her neck. There was an unexpected implication in the kisses. "What are you doing?" Her voice felt lighter than normal.

At first Holly didn't reply. She ghosted her lips over the shell of Gail's ear, slid her hand up to trace Gail's ribs, and started to shift her weight. "The other day I was teasing my wife," she explained, her voice quiet. "Telling her what I'm going to do to her on her birthday."

"I heard that," Gail replied, tilting her head and letting Holly have more access to her neck. It felt nice. It felt beyond nice. God, Holly was really good at making her feel things. She smiled and ran her hand up Holly's back to toy with her hair.

"Well," explained Holly, straddling Gail's waist. "My plan was to get her fired up and wanton that she'd want to ditch early and I could have my way with her." Holly leaned in and kissed the other side of Gail's neck.

Yeah, that was really, really, nice. Deliciously nice. "What happened to your plan?"

"Backfired." Holly tugged at Gail's nightie. "I keep thinking about her. The way she smells. The way her skin feels. The way it looks in the dark."

At least Holly didn't say the way she glowed in the dark. Gail laughed softly. "I heard your wife doesn't like her birthday," she pointed out, running her hands up Holly's sides.

Holly sat up, smiling. "She hates when people make a fuss over her." Her dark eyes roamed over Gail's body, hands a moment behind.

That made her feel sexy. "Do you remember when you made me dinner? When I got promoted the first time?" Holly paused and nodded. "The way you looked at me when I came downstairs..." She trailed off and looked at Holly's face.

Even without her glasses on, Holly was focused on Gail just then. Her lips were turned into that smile that wasn't the careless, quirk to the side, but the one that was soft and private. The smile that was for Gail. The smile that said she loved her and her alone. It was a rare smile from Holly, one with dimples and scrunched eyes. The first time Gail had seen it, she was drunk and shorn in Holly's bathtub.

She'd called Holly the coolest chick ever and there, in a flash, was the smile with teeth, followed by this smile. This one where she thought Gail was beautiful. That smile made Gail rethink her night and how it would end. The smile made her reconsider what she was and what she wanted to be.

Reaching back, Holly wound her hair around itself, getting it out of the way. They didn't have to say another word. They knew how the night was going to end. Gail smiled back, feeling full of wonder and awe. She had this. She had this woman who wanted her for who she was, who never asked her to stop being her, who made her better.

Who loved her.

Whom she loved.

Gail smiled back and said nothing because she couldn't think of anything to say, and because she trusted Holly would know and understand what she meant with the look. Because she knew what Holly meant with that look.

But, as Holly tugged Gail's silky nightgown up, as Gail lifted her shoulders to help slip it off, and as Holly leaned down to kiss the newly available skin, she spoke. She breathed out a word. "Yes."

And Holly, Holly repeated it, her breath washing over Gail's chest. "Yes."


As she took the shotgun seat without a complaint, Nick asked, "Late night?"

He was not the first person that day to remark on the dark circles under her eyes. "Noisy roommates." She sucked down half of her coffee, hoping it would help.

Nick, unlike anyone else who might hear that, took sympathy. He pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket, aviators, and handed them over. "How the hell did Dov put up with it," he muttered.

Sliding the glasses on, Vivian pointed out, "Mom only slept there once, and she swears it was just sleeping."

"I was thinking Chris, but..." He smiled. "Sorry. Gail's ... Yeah."

"Why do I keep forgetting you guys went out?"

"Selective memory?"

She smiled at him. "Maybe." Looking out the window, Vivian caught her reflection. Aviators. "Hey, you'll know. All the pictures of Mom as a rookie, she has these aviator glasses. But then, after she started dating Mom- Holly- she doesn't. Where'd they go?"

Nick snorted. "You're wearing them." What the what? Vivian turned and stared at her TO. "Gail gave them back to me after she started dating Holly. Said she forgave me for Andy and she didn't need them anymore."

The sunglasses were Nick's. "She stole them?"

"No... I ..." He paused and looked worried.

There were few reasons he'd be that skittish about the topic, given everything else they'd talked about over the last six months. "Collins, I know about the engagement," she said dryly. "The whole thing. Including how you split because Elaine terrorized you."

Nick looked relieved. "I left them. On accident."

"Sounds like Mom," she decided and looked back on the city. They rode in silence for a while, and then she asked, "Collins..."

"Oh god... Now what?"

Vivian punched his shoulder. "Does the city feel funny?"

Rubbing his shoulder, Nick looked around at the stoplight. "Empty. I mean, it's November, but ... It's lifeless"

Lifeless. That was a great description. Vivian scowled at the city around them. "School's in session. There should be that vibe, right?"

"You're not wrong, Peck," he agreed.

They drove in silence, trying to figure out the reason the city felt so strange, when the radio squawked at them. "1504. Report of shots fired at Rodgers Private Elementary."

"Copy that," replied Vivian. "Five out." She eyed Nick. "No backup?"

"Must not be a serious report," Nick said and shrugged. The car slowed as they reached the small school. It was dark and seemingly empty. "Is it a holiday I don't know about?"

"No." She pulled her phone out to check. "Oh. Apparently its founders day for the place." Showing him the webpage, her skin crawled. Nick seemed to share the feeling and parked the cruiser.

He got out. "Dispatch, 9957 and 4727 on foot at Rodgers Private Elementary."

The now familiar voice of dispatch Tassie replied. "9957, Dispatch. Copy."

Vivian flipped her camera on and muttered her badge and location. "Do you see something?"

"I do not," replied Nick. Which meant he felt something wrong in the air. They both put a hand by their guns, feeling the tension. "Gate's not locked." He pushed it open.

Together they walked around the schoolyard, checking the doors and exteriors. Just as Vivian was considering saying they'd made it all up in their heads, the gym door burst open and a man plowed into her, sending her flying to the cement.

The sunglasses managed to stay on her face. Five years of parkour practice kicked in. Vivian rolled, popped back onto feet, and took off after the man. She was faster than Nick, sprinting dead out while she heard her TO call in that she was in pursuit.

"Damn it, stop! Police!" She shouted at him, but the man kept running. His bad luck to be set against the holder of the fastest time on the obstacle course for their class at the academy. Vivian was gaining on him.

He skidded as he rounded a corner, hand touching the ground. "Run," he shouted. "Coppers!"

Well hell. Vivian slapped her radio. "Collins! He's got friends!"

"Copy! Peck, wait for me."

It was a bit late. She rounded the corner and saw the last thing she wanted to see. Men with guns.

When she told Gail about it later, she admitted she had absolutely no idea how she'd done it. Gail told her to not, under any circumstances, tell Holly that. But in that moment, five guys in the colors of Anton Hill's gang with guns in their hands, gave her the ability to launch herself backwards and behind a corner.

She scraped her elbow as she landed, awkwardly as fuck, grateful for the winter jackets they wore. Now the glasses flew off her face and shattered on the cement. "4727. 10-33! Five armed!" Vivian had to let go of her radio, shoes scrambling for purchase, fingers clawing the cement, as she threw herself out of the line of site. Some small part of her brain heard the gate smash (the back gate, not the one they'd come in through) and cars race off.

"Peck!" Nick, God bless the man, was running full tilt. "Where'd they get you?!"

"What?!" Vivian stared at Nick as he grabbed her upper arms. "Get me? What? I fell!"

Nick's eyes were wide. Wild. Panicked. "The blood..."

They both turned to look at the blood. It wasn't on her. She was near it, but not in it. Thank god. Holly never would have let her hear the end of that. "I'm okay, Nick, I'm okay." Vivian let him help her to her feet though. "I think I broke your sunglasses."

Looking down, Nick saw the lenses. "They had a good run," he muttered. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay..." She rubbed her elbow. "Are they gone?"

"Looks like we came at the end of a hit," he decided. They carefully navigated their way to the scene, following the blood trail to a dead man. "I'll call it in, you stay here."

Vivian nodded, letting the cool air help calm her racing heart. She needed to tell the ETF twits thank you. Half listening to Nick call in the situation, she studied the scene. Bullet holes were nowhere to be found. There was blood in a trail, though, which they'd founded ended in a man shot once in the knee and once in the head. Twice in the head, she corrected. Double tap, execution style. Awesome.

There was a rustle from the side. The bushes. They backed a wall, though, so there was nowhere to go.

Vivian pivoted, gun out. "Collins," she said in a low voice.

In a heartbeat, Nick was beside her, gun drawn. "Police," he said firmly. "Come out with your hands up."

There was a second rustle. Then a small head popped up. Jesus Christ. Vivian put her gun away first. "Whoa, whoa, you're okay," she said, holding her hands up to show they were empty.

The child was filthy. Gender undetermined, it was under ten based on size. "I didn't do it," said the child in a tremulous voice.

Vivian couldn't help the smile. "We believe you." The child's eyes were locked on Nick, though, wide and doubtful. Glancing back, Vivian saw Nick still had his gun out. "He's just making sure no one else is going to come shoot at us," she said, trying to pitch her tone to get Nick to step back.

He hesitated but finally did. "I'm going to secure the scene," he said. "You got this, Peck?"

For Christ's sake, it was a kid. "Yes, sir," she replied. As Nick left, the child barely moved. "What's your name?" The child shook it's head. Right. "My name's Vivian."

"That's an old lady name."

"Not real popular, I know," she smiled. The kid sat down, dropping out of sight. "Hey, hey, kid, look, you know you're safe with us."

"Not."

Vivian moved towards the shrubbery. "Not?"

"No. Not."

God, kids were annoying sometimes. "Well. Can't help 'not' can I?" The kid shook it's head and hunkered down. Yeah. It was going to be like this. "So. How about I tell you about yesterday?" She caught a pair of blue eyes looking confused. "Yesterday I had a big test. Big test."

"You have tests?"

"Sure do. I'm a new cop. I have tests all the time. Driving tests, obstacle course, paper tests. All sorts of things. Sucks." The kid smiled a little. "Me and my best friend, we were the only ones who passed this test, first time out."

"Was it hard?"

"Sure was. All our tests are hard."

"I hate school."

"Me too. I flunked a class once, on purpose, and got in so much trouble." There was a soft scuff behind her and Vivian glanced at Nick. Impatient. "So. Do you have an old person's name?"

The child's head shook. Then nodded. Then shook again. "Skip," came the whispered name. Still could be gender androgynous, realized Vivian. Awesome.

"Skip's cool. Skip can be a boy or a girl name. Vivian's kind of only for girls." She jerked her thumb at Nick. "His name's Nick. Could go either way."

"Girls aren't named Nick," sneered the child. The boy. Definitely a boy.

"Nikki is a girl's name," she corrected. The boy scowled. "Look, Skip. A whole mess of cops are going to show up here. Cops and scientists. They're going to want to look at everything. I think you'd feel better if you came back with us, me and Nick, to the station to talk about all this. Okay?"

He hesitated. "What if I don't want to talk?"

"I can't make you," admitted Vivian. "But. If you do talk to us, we can help."

Slowly Skip stood up. His clothes were relatively clean, it had only been his face that was filthy. Vivian didn't see any blood on the kid. That was good. "Okay," he said, and stepped out from the bushes.

Nick reached over and Skip flinched. The police officers shared a look. "Okay," mused Nick. "Skip, you don't have any ... You don't have any blood on you, do you?" The small head shook. No. "Okay then. You, my man, get to ride in the back of the cruiser."

Fixing Nick with a droll look too old for his years, Skip walked with them to the patrol car, just as backup and the lab showed up. They let him climb in and Vivian stood by the door, rather then just locking him in like a criminal. Nick left them there while he talked to the other officers and then came back. "Okay, Peck. Let's roll. I'll call Inspector Peck when we get there."

Vivian arched her eyebrows. "Seriously?"

Skip frowned. "Another Peck?"

"There are a million," sighed Vivian but she knew he was planning for Gail to show up. "It's her day off, Nicholas," she warned him.

"Yeah, I know." They got in the front of the car and buckled up.

The ride to the station was more silent and tense than Vivian would have liked. She understood the goal was probably to get Gail in to talk with the kid, since Gail was notably great with kids. And Nick... For someone who'd killed people, who'd seen death, he was pretty dismissive and impatient with Skip.

For someone who'd been in the system, he didn't feel sympathetic. Nick probably never dealt with his shit. Had Vivian? It was hard to tell from inside. Nick had been older, though. Almost a teenager. That had made the difference in their ability to empathize with Skip, but neither had really sorted through their crap.

Once, when she was eight or so, around the time Chris died, she'd mentioned that to Gail. Her mother pointed out that some people dealt with their pain and some people didn't. Nick had been running from his for years and probably still was.

Instead of taking Skip to interrogation, Vivian gestured for him to sit at her desk while Nick talked on the phone. "He's weird," announced Skip.

"He is," Vivian agreed. "Hungry? Thirsty? We can order pizza." Skip's eyes lit up and Vivian grinned. "Right. There's a killer pizza they make down the road. Trust me here, kid, we want plain cheese." Vivian dialed in the order.

Lara was more than happy to pick up the pizza in exchange for a slice, leaving Vivian alone with Skip. Apparently getting a hold of Gail was proving harder than Nick had hoped.

Propping her feet up on the desk, Vivian asked, "So I'm right about the pizza, yeah?"

"S'good," agreed the kid. "Better than the stuff Antony gets me." His face closed up suddenly. Pain.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "About Antony. That was him, right?" Skip nodded. "Was he your brother?"

Skip shook his head. "Last ... The last home we were in, he was my big brother."

Oh. Vivian knew that feeling. But that meant Antony was younger than he looked. Or maybe he was from a while ago. "He wasn't in the home anymore?"

"No. He ran away." Skip munched the pizza.

"Did you?" The boy shook his head. "Do you know who shot him?" The boy nodded. "We do too," she said quietly.

"Are they gonna try to kill me?"

"Depends what you saw," she admitted. There was no point in lying to a kid who'd just seen someone die. "You want to tell me?"

Shaking his head, Skip took another piece of pizza. "I didn't see anything."

Okay. Vivian sighed and looked up. "Well. How about why were you there?'

"Why were you there," countered the boy.

She smiled. "Someone reported shots fired," Vivian said softly. "We came to see if we could help."

"That's stupid." Skip was derisive. "They coulda shot you too."

"I know. I saw them, with their guns. Chased one guy and ran right into them."

The boy's eyes went wide. "Were you scared?" She nodded. "But... Why?"

Vivian tilted her head. "Because of you and Antony," she told him. "Because what if there was someone like you, and you needed help. Because people like Antony shouldn't die. That's my job."

Skip's face clearly said she had a crazy as fuck job. "You saw them? The ... Hills?"

She nodded at him. "I did." She held up her elbow for him to inspect. "See? Got that through my jacket. I jumped so fast, I coulda won the Olympics." The boy smiled at that.

"You wouldn't wanna save Antony. He was doing bad things."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Drug running. That's how come he had to run away. They found out."

They could look for a teenager named Antony in the same home as a younger boy named Skip. The cross reference would probably take minutes. "For the Hill guys?"

Skip nodded and then shook his head. "For them and Spikes."

"Spikes? Who does Spikes work for?"

"Three Rivers."

There was a cough behind them. Vivian looked up and saw her mother. No. She saw Detective Inspector Peck. "Honestly, Nicholas. Looks like your rookie has it under control." But Gail walked around the railing and came up beside her. "Hello, Skip."

Skip eyed Gail and said to Vivian, "She looks okay."

"She is," promised Vivian. "Skip, this is ... This is Gail. She's one of the best detectives."

Pursing her lips, Gail smiled. "Thank you," she said to Vivian. "So. Skip." Gail sat on the desk and picked up a piece of the pizza. "Did the Hill gang know about your brother double dipping?"

When Skip looked confused, Vivian explained, "She means did they know he was working for both of them."

"He didn't think Hill did. Spikes knew and told him to keep in quiet."

Tilting her head, Gail asked, "Spikes I don't know. Who's he?"

"Her. That's not her real name. I'm not supposed to know her real name, but Antony told me." He shredded his napkin. "Veronica."

Gail's eyes widened for a moment. "Veronica." She put the pizza down and pulled out her phone. "This her?"

Skip blinked and nodded. "Yeah! How'd you do that?"

"Because I, Skip, am totally awesome." Gail beamed. "Peck, I'm going have to steal this one. But you did good."

"Thank you, ma'am," she smiled at her mother.

Wrinkling her nose, Gail gestured. "Epstein needs you rooks in his office." She moved her hands, signing that she was sorry but she'd have to miss it.

Vivian signed back an okay. "Yes, ma'am," she nodded. "Skip, you can tell her everything, okay? I promise." Giving her mother a nod, Vivian fixed her tie and walked around to Dov's office where Gerald was keeping watch.

"You're late, Peck." Gerald didn't sound like he was joking.

"Sorry, sir. I was handing a case over to OC." She glanced to where Dov and Noelle were talking and then the long bench where the other rookies sat and looked nervous.

Dov caught sight of her "Peck! Sit down."

Noelle walked out of the office, smiling at all the rookies. "Aronson. You're first." And she vanished up the stairs.

With a smile, Vivian squeezed in between Rich and Lara, assuming alphabetical order like everything else. "Jenny, go," hissed Lara. As they watched their classmate step into Dov's office, Lara asked. "Why were you late? He made us wait for you!"

Down below, Gail was talking quietly with Skip, who was smiling at her. "See the kid? We found him. Witness to a gang shooting." They were all a little impressed. Christian though asked what happened to her arm. "Oh, I wiped out."

"Queen of the gym wiped out?" Rich's smiled a near sneer.

"That's really unattractive," Lara told him.

Duncan coughed. "Guys? Shut up."

They fell silent and waited. Gail had told her what to expect. Andy had as well. Oliver had promised she'd be fine. Holly had told her about the oral exams doctors had to take, since they had a lot of talking, and how it confirmed her desire to not be a people doctor. Thinking about that, her awkward doctor mom, made her feel better.

Jenny came back out with a look of shell shock. "Um, Christian. It's you." She fought the smile on her face but flashed a thumbs up to Lara.

Not too long after, Christian came out, the grin damn well plastered on. "Rich." Vivian held a hand up and Christian slapped it with the hardest of high fives. Was there a doubt? None of them had reason to doubt.

When Rich came out, looking serious, he said "Volk."

Lara blinked. "P comes before-"

"He said Volk," Rich said firmly. His face was grim and set. No. Serious. As if everything had come to roost at last. This was all real for him now. Rich gave Vivian a curious look as he walked down to the Parade room.

"Waiting ain't so bad," said Gerald. Duncan. Fuck it, Gerald.

She knew he'd been held back. Twice. "Do you regret it? The thing with McNally?"

Blinking at her, the man nodded. "I do. I was tryin' too hard and I fucked it up. I wasn't ready." Tilting his head at her, Gerald asked, "You think you are?"

Vivian sighed. "Maybe?"

The door opened and Lara walked out, smothering a smile. "Peck."

Time to go. Vivian walked into Dov's office. She remembered when it had been Oliver's. "Sir."

"Sit," he said with a blank expression. Unreadable. "You know, you're the only one with parents still in blue."

She nodded. Jenny's father had retired, such as it was, and the rest of the Terzakis clan was all uncles and cousins. Chris was dead. But she, unlike the rest, saw the job every day in Gail. "Yes, sir," she said quietly.

"I have this." Dov held up the report. "It says a lot about you. Mostly from Nick. Andy too, though. Duncan... It's impossible to find a TO who doesn't know you. Who hasn't known you most of your life."

Again, Vivian nodded. "Yes, sir."

"That's the problem, you know. We all know you. We've known you forever and we watched you grow up. This... This is growing up too." Dov sighed and dropped the papers. "Why did you take Peck?"

She blinked. "Because... A lot of reasons." None of the reasons were ones she wanted to tell Dov though. "Because it mattered."

"You didn't expect the easy road?"

Oh, that. "No, no sir," she sighed a little. "It wasn't that." The easy road would have been to be Vivian Peck Stewart. But she didn't really want to explain all of her reasons to Dov, who didn't know everything. "It's complicated. But it's not that. Never was ... I see the job, sir. I know the price we pay because of what we do. I... I know about the divorce rate and I know why. I know we die." She cleared her throat. "I wanted this. Want this."

Dov sighed and leaned back. "You know that the uniform doesn't make you a Peck."

"No, no it doesn't. But I do." When Dov's eyes widened, she added, "I'm a Peck. It's like ... Waking up and figuring out that was who you always were, you just didn't have a name for it. I do. I'm a Peck. And I'm in uniform. I'm- I want to be what the Pecks should be. In blue."

He looked thoughtful. "You know why you went last, right?" Vivian shook her head. "Because you wouldn't panic, waiting out there. You are calm under pressure."

Vivian snorted a laugh. "Me?"

"Yeah, you. Cool in a crisis. You do the right thing and you think about it later. Which is ... That's what I worry about with you, Peck."

Biting her lower lip, Vivian said, "I can't not think about it."

"There's thinking and there's dwelling. Don't dwell. It only gets harder from here on out." He smiled at her. "You know you passed, right? I mean, Duncan passed, and most of you are better coppers than he still is."

Relief flooded her system. "I passed?"

And Dov laughed. "You know, half the time I see Gail in there. Or Holly. Which is weird. But then I see you. You had a messy year, kid."

Vivian sighed. "I didn't expect anything else."

"You're going to be a Peck in a different way," he told her, and stood up, extending a hand.

Scrambling to her feet, Vivian took the hand. "Thank you... Thank you, sir."

"Good. Go get to Parade and then we have to let your mom kick our asses."

It was a blur, walking to the Parade room. Vivian wasn't sure if she was smiling or not, but realized it had to be 'not' since Lara asked. "So?"

"Oh! Yes," she nodded. "Everyone?" Everyone had passed.

"It's official," smiled Christian. "We're all part of the family now."

McNally shouted at them as Dov and Noelle walked in. "Rookies! Line 'em up"

Their sergeant, her Uncle Dov, handed out scissors to the TOs, as Noelle took a long look at them. "So. I know you kids think you know everything. You don't. And that's okay. This is not a graduation, this is your next step. This is recognition of the work you've put in. The worth we've seen in you. And this is the start of the rest of your career." Noelle's eyes stopped on Vivian for a moment. "Today you are no longer probationary officers. You're still rookies, don't forget that for a minute. But." She waved a hand. "Epstein?"

Nodding, Dov picked up the thread. "You have proven yourselves to be loyal," Dov's eyes landed on Christian. "Dedicated." He looked at Jenny. "Resourceful." That was Lara. "Capable," he said to Rich. And then Dov looked at Vivian. "Courageous." Her eyes widened at him and she fought the smile. "So. It is with great pleasure that I cut you loose today." Dov stepped out of the way. "And in the tradition of Fifteen Division, TOs. Ready? Coppers, cut those ties."

There were hoots as Andy, Duncan, and the rest of the TOs stepped up to cut ties. "So." Nick held up his scissors. "You ready for this?"

"All my life, sir," she smiled.

Nick smiled back and cut her tie, handing it to her. "Keep that," he said softly. "You did good today, Viv. I'm really proud of you."

In so many ways, she was a child of all of them. Nick and Andy, no children and never married, treated her like their niece. So did Dov and Chloe. So did Traci, Steve, Oliver, and even Gerald. She'd grown up under their wings. They'd guarded and guided her every step of the way. And now they were letting her fly.

"That means a lot, Nick," she said softly, gripping the end of her tie. Vivian hesitated and looked at the others. They were hugging and cheering. Christian was hugging Gerald for crying out loud! She stepped in and hugged him. "Thanks, Uncle Nick," Vivian whispered, and moved back.

Nick's eyes were wide. He wasn't able to even try to hug her back. "Well. Congratulations," he managed.

Luckily, Steve cut in, throwing an arm around Nick's shoulders. "My niece," Steve sang out. "How's it feel, baby Peck?"

"Feels real," Vivian smiled.

The clear voice of Dov rang through the room. "Ladies and gentlemen. I give you the new and improved rookies of Fifteen."


She found her wife on the phone in the hallway. "Well, I'm asking now," sighed Gail. "You know you owe me this much." Gail's head was down, concentrating entirely on the phone. "It's not... It's not for me, it's for Viv," she insisted.

Holly tapped her watch, sending Gail a heartbeat. The blonde's eyes popped up and landed on Holly, immediately followed by a smile. The conversation on the phone ended quickly after that. "Everything okay?"

"Yep," smiled Gail, taking a hold of Holly's waist. "You missed mommy/daughter time."

"You missed our kid being cut loose."

Gail squinted. "She knows why. See aforementioned mommy/daughter time. We worked a case of a gang shooting and a kid witness."

She'd known Gail too long. "Did you bully Anne into helping?"

"Oh, no. She came right away when I called. That was the judge." Gail eyed Holly. "Why do you have a gun?"

And Gail knew her too well. "Damn it, Peck. It's in a box, wrapped, in a bag! How do you know?"

Grinning, Gail picked the bag out of Holly's hand. "You hate holding guns. Even in bags, wrapped in a box, sweetheart. It shows." Gail's eyes went wide. "It's light... Did you get me a new pocket pistol?"

"Nope, nope, not telling." Holly crossed her arms and scowled.

"You have zero poker face," teased Gail. "You know you don't have to come to the range."

Holly's smile was the lopsided one she'd been embarrassed about as a kid. Goofy Holly Stewart with her sideways smile and the glasses and the knock knees. "I know. But you like it. And I love seeing you so happy." She leaned in and kissed Gail again.

"That's alright then." Gail's phone rang and she sighed. "I swear if this isn't a warrant..."

"Go." Holly shoved Gail gently. Stealing one last kiss, Gail took the call and fell back into work mode.

Holly took the bag back and went down to see the celebration. She spotted her troublesome daughter smiling at something Christian was saying. Holly lifted a hand and Vivian clapped Christian's shoulder before coming over.

The girl held up her severed tie. "Did you see?"

"I missed it. Not that there was a doubt in my mind, honey, but I thought this was next month or later."

"Yeah, they rushed us a little," Vivian sighed. "Do you have an extra tag or a box?"

Holly blinked. "For ... What?"

Blushing, Vivian gestured at the tie end clipped to her collar. "I want to give it to Mom."

"She'll love it," smiled Holly. "I'll find you something. Are you ready to go?"

Vivian looked back at the group. "I will be in a minute. I need to .. Do a thing first."

Holly watched Vivian head back over to the group and then disappear into a room. Her kid had made the next step. "I wonder if it's harder because she's here," mused Noelle, coming up beside her. "Maybe it would have been easier for us all if we'd stuck her with Swarek or Anderson."

With a loud sigh, Holly shook her head. "You know, I have no idea. How's Olivia doing?"

"Good, good. Sophie's moved back in, though. Just when I thought I was getting an empty nest." Noelle smiled. "At least I have more free time."

So it was true. "When?"

"January. Your Pecks didn't say?"

Pecks. Plural. Her Pecks. Which meant Vivian had known before Gail mentioned it. "No, but you know how they get about people's private lives."

Noelle rolled her eyes. "True. Gossip is not their style."

"Anathema to their very souls," smiled Holly. "Except Steve. Does that have anything to do with why you cut these guys loose early? It's usually a whole year."

Instead of a bluster about how they were ready, Noelle looked sad. "Enrollment is at an all time low. There aren't enough to have a class until summer, if we're lucky. We need them to be ready faster."

Which did not necessarily mean they were ready now. "Thank you for making me feel better." Holly knew she sounded insincere and bitter. But. That was her daughter being needed to be ready faster. Too fast.

"Hey," sighed Noelle. "You know I wouldn't let it happen if I didn't think they could do it. We're not talking about Duncan here."

They both looked over at Duncan, dancing and making the rookies laugh. "Gail says he's really good with junkies. Like... Disturbingly good."

Noelle nodded. "It's weird. He never told anyone why, but he is." She turned to study Holly's face. "She's ready for what's next, Holly. You know that."

Nodding back, Holly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know. It... It scares me more than knowing Gail's out there. Gail... She knows what to do, Noelle. This ... Do they always look so young and vulnerable?"

The other woman nodded. "They do. They really do. Gullible, naive, hopeful, trusting... Even Gail did back then. But they have this faith. And we have to have it in them." Noelle turned around, leaning her back against the railing. "Just wait'll we make her be a hooker."

Holly snorted a laugh out her nose.

Okay. That did help. A little.


Vivian held the severed end of her tie and studied it for a moment. She was still a rookie. That wasn't a question. And this validation felt less than it might because she knew things the others didn't. But the revelry of the others around her was, a little, infectious.

"Hey, why so serious?" Rich threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Richard. You have two seconds before I break your arm."

He snatched it back like he been burned. "Damn, Peck. Cutting loose is supposed to be a fun day! We're going to the Penny to party!"

Vivian shoved the tie in her pocket. "I'll meet you guys there. I just have a couple things to do first." Rich opened his mouth. "Dude, Rich. I promise."

He started to object and Lara cut in. "You're going to check on that kid?"

"Yeah, I am. And then I've got a thing, but I swear, I'll be at the Penny."

"Shoo," grinned Lara. "I'll keep dumb and dumber here outta your hair."

"Thanks." As Vivian headed down the hall, she heard Lara explain to Rich that he was both dumb and dumber. She found young Skip, sitting on a chair, holding a bag. Social Services was with him. Anne was with him.

The social worker, her social worker, was her mothers' age. Somewhere between the two, Anne had grey hair and laugh lines and Vivian had always liked her. They'd all gone to her wedding. She wasn't a constant friend like Dov or Lisa, but she was always welcome when she showed up. "Vivian- Officer Peck." Anne smile, her eyes lighting up.

"Hey, Anne," she replied, trying to set the tone. "You've got Skip?"

"Hmm. Gail called in a favor," Anne admitted. They both looked at Skip, hugging the bag close. And Anne frowned at Vivian. "Is something wrong?"

Vivian scratched the back of her head. "No. No, just... Do you mind? I just... before he goes." She waved her other hand. "Skip. Do you mind? I wanted to talk. Before Anne takes you off."

The boy shrugged and Anne stood up. "I can't think of anyone better. I'm going to go get some coffee and say hello to Sgt. Epstein."

As Anne left, Vivian sat down and leaned back with a loud sigh. She struggled to find the words to start with.

"My least favorite part was this," Vivian finally said. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Skip's confused look. "The bag, the chair, the waiting. And then, you know, Anne's okay, but she was never there, in that seat. She's always been in this one." Vivian sucked on her lower lip. "This is the first time I've been in this seat."

Skip was skeptical. "You're a baby cop."

"Yeah," she laughed. "Not so much now. They cut me loose."

"Is that why your tie is messed up?"

She smiled. "It is. The tie is a symbol of what changed." She looked at Skip. "A lot about me has changed. But I still remember... I remember that seat." Vivian pointed at Skip. "I hated that seat. Holding everything in a bag, wondering if you were going to a temporary place or a permanent one. Wondering if it would suck. If they were mean or scary or ..." She trailed off.

The boy's eyes were wide. "How long?"

"Not that long. Half a year." She stretched her legs out. "I was really lucky. They put me in a home without any other kids. It wasn't supposed to be permanent. Except then it was. And Anne, that lady who's helping you today? She did that."

Skip hugged his bag. "She said I'm gonna have to leave Toronto."

He'd seen the murder. It was probably safer. "Are you scared?" He nodded. "I was too. I'm scared a lot. But today, when they cut me loose, they said I was courageous."

"How can you be scared and brave?"

"I'm brave because I'm scared," she said quietly. "I don't let the being scared stop me from doing the right things and being the best person I can." Exhaling loudly, she added, "It's hard. But I keep doing it."

Skip frowned. "I can't be that brave."

"Not alone," she said. "But. What if I was with you?"

He looked up. "You can't come with me." He knew.

And he was right. Vivian pulled the tie end out of her pocket. "This tie, this reminded me that every time I got scared, there were other coppers out there to help me. People who watched out for me." She pulled the clip-on end off her shirt. "This end... This I'm giving to my Mom."

"Your mom?"

"Yeah. You met her," smiled Vivian. "Gail adopted me when I was a little older than you. And today's her birthday. So ... I want her to know how much I love her, and how much she means to me."

Skip looked skeptical. "I don't have a Gail."

She held out the tail end of her tie to Skip. "No. But every time you get scared, you can look at this and remember that there are people who are there for you."

The boy took the tie. "Do you have a dad? Won't he want the other half?"

Vivian blinked. A dad? Sometimes kids were so heteronormative. "Don't worry, they'll understand when I tell 'em why I gave you that." Now was not the time to get into semantics or how Vivian had two mommies. It didn't matter to him anyway.

They sat in silence for a little while, until Anne came back. "Vivian..."

She knew. It was time for Skip to go. "Be brave out there," she told him, standing up. "Even when you're scared."

He nodded and Vivian got up, leaving him and hoping... trusting it would work out for him.


She hated to admit it, but it was a fun birthday party.

Since she was ten, Gail had done her best to avoid her own birthday parties, going so far as to not actually tell people the date. Of course every police officer knew, and of course her wife and kid knew. But they all also knew she didn't want to have a 'thing' done for her.

Except she kind of did now, and it was probably Holly's fault. She hated the being happy and the fake attention. But … fakers and liars had slowly worked their way out of her life, and the people who were left were good people.

Holly, who blessedly did not attempt to sing karaoke, was laughing at the scoreboard the rookies had pinned up to the wall in the Penny. A sheepish Vivian was pointing out her own name and scores while an earnest Christian all but jumped up and down to gesture at things. The other kids were cheerful. She couldn't blame Dov for cutting them loose today, and she didn't really mind that it ran into her birthday party. They were all happy and wanted to sing and laugh and it took a little pressure off Gail to be happy just for her own sake.

"Whatcha holding, Garbage Pail?" Her brother sat down with a glass of Jim Bean for her.

Looking at her hand, Gail smiled. "A tie." She held it up for him and Steve's eyes widened. Vivian had put a quick tag on it, saying 'Happy Birthday' and presenting it to Gail as they left the range.

Taking the tie, Steve turned it over in his hands. "I am officially old," he sighed. "How is your kid a cop?"

"I have a lot of sympathy for our parents now," admitted Gail, taking the tie back and smiling. "Nick cut it off. Which I missed because I was helping my idiot brother with that other case." Steve winced a little, but Gail went on. "It's going to be a problem, you know."

He nodded. "Oh I know." Steve swirled his drink and sipped it. "They're going to shoot it out at this rate. The gun trade's hitting a high note."

She knew. She'd read the report too. Gail sighed. "They're good kids, Steve."

"They're idiots, Gail. They have no idea how bad things are. They could die." Steve paused. "How are you not insane? Vivian's one of them. She might..."

It was strange, but Gail wasn't worried about that. Maybe it was having faced her own death on the job that did it. Maybe it was just a comfort of knowing her daughter wasn't just a good cop in her eyes. Everyone saw it.

"She might," agreed Gail at length, watching Vivian squirm out from under Christian's arm and shove him in the chest. "But I have to let go of the bicycle sooner or later."

Steve shook his head. "I couldn't do it. I can't... How do you not be our parents for this?"

"I wanted to put a tracker on her bike, but Holly wouldn't let me."

Her brother laughed. "You know what I mean."

She did. She knew he wore his fears closely. The terror of being a man who was too distant from his children. The pain of a man who hit his kid, or let them be hit. Steve was petrified of being Bill, or worse, Harold.

Maybe it was the fear that made Gail strive to do better. She knew how evil she could be, and every day she tried to be the person worthy of her wife and kid instead. She could be petty, venal, mean, or cruel. And yes, Gail was bitchy, sarcastic, cold, and mean spirited. She was the person who danced at other people's petty failures.

And she was the person who held her wife when she cried.

And she was the person who taught her daughter how to shoot.

And she was the person who let them laugh at her when they played sports.

"I wanted more, Steve," she said quietly. "I wanted this. With Holly and you, idiot. I wanted to feel like there's more. So ... I made more."

The older man looked at her thoughtfully. "I saw you in an incubator. How come you got so much older than me?" Steve kissed her forehead and left the table.

Moments later, someone hugged her from behind. "Dov. I will break your arm if you don't let go of me in two seconds."

The arms flew off. "Geeze, and here I thought I'd get a hug from you for passing your kid."

She snorted. "She did that on her own, and you know it, Last-place-Stein."

Dov looked wounded. "I think Andy cheated."

"McNally was bound to win one year," laughed Gail. By three points, McNally had finally, after twenty years, won the shoot-off. Nick rolled in fourth.

"She better watch out," smiled Chloe. "That kid of yours has a steady hand."

"Does better in a crisis," Dov noted. "When are you headed out?"

Gail glanced over at where Holly was, helping Traci hustle the rookies at pool. "Tomorrow morning. If I hadn't had to work today, we'd be gone already." She didn't mind really. Nick was right to call her, but for the wrong reasons. He'd called because it was a traumatized kid, and Gail was great with them. He hadn't know Vivian was great with messed up kids too. Mind, neither had Gail, but she wasn't shocked.

It turned out the kid was witness to the gang killing of a runner used by Dr. Veronica Van Lowe, aka Spikes. The doctor to the Three Rivers gang.

The granddaughter of Tomás Zanaro, Bobby Zanaro's uncle. One of three brothers.

It was so stupid it was brilliant. She'd been using kids like Antony to run drugs, bringing her samples to see which shops had been tampered with. Not that Skip actually knew all that, but the information he provided went a long way to explain it. Van Lowe was a head of the gang. Bobby Jr. was a head of the gang. Find that third one and they could sort it out.

But they didn't talk about that just yet.

The rookies were soundly loosing to Traci and Holly at pool. The older women had a nice stack of bills up to their name too, much to Gail's amusement. Deigning to slum, Gail demonstrated her talent at darts, causing Vivian to joke that if it was a weapon, Gail could do it. For her revenge, Gail asked if Vivian wanted her friends to know about her hidden talent. To her surprise, they all knew about the parkour thing.

There was no singing, not that anyone asked. The cupcakes for her birthday, brought by Oliver, were shared with the rookies. Someone still snapped a photo of how Oliver spelled out "Fifty!" with them. They kept the excitement up, after all, which was nice, and Oliver ... Well he was Oliver. He loved everyone and was loved by them in turn.

And Oliver told the rookies stories. Like how Andy arrested an undercover Swarek on her first day. Like how Traci caught a serial rapist and beat him with a bike lock. Or how Nick jumped off a pier to catch a child predator. Dov once stepped on a bomb. Steve had lost a witness and tumbled on to a smuggling ring when they found him. Chloe had busted an international car theft ring. Gail, worried about what her story would be, reminded Oliver about the time they busted a grow-op.

Not to be left out, Holly told them about the first case she worked with Fifteen. A decade old body left in the woods. A case, Traci pointed out, that turned out to be a murder by a cop. That stunned most of them, though not Vivian who just looked at her mothers with a half-smile.

"Dude, why are you grinning, Peck? That's a horrible story!" Rich, the annoying bro, looked horrified.

"Because that was when my Moms met," she shrugged.

Gail threw a napkin at her daughter. "You had to, huh?" Vivian grinned and threw the napkin back.

But Lara, the one Vivian called too perceptive, grinned too. "You know, I didn't really think you two were related until just now. But I get it, that's where your weird humor comes from."

Laughing, Holly dropped her arms around Gail's neck from behind. "Oh you have no idea. It's insanity."

"Nah, I'm serious," said Lara. "Viv's all acting like she's chill but Inspector Peck is like this whole other level of bad ass cool and indifferent."

"Insouciant," offered Holly, sounding very amused.

"Mom, that actually means indifferent." Vivian rolled her eyes.

Gail grinned and glanced over at Rich, who was trying very hard not to look nervous. She looked at Vivian, flicking her eyes to Rich, silently asking if Rich knew. When her daughter nodded, Gail grinned even more. "Richard. I understand you met my wife?"

The boy went pale enough to qualify as a Peck. "Um. Yeah- yes ma'am."

She just smiled more at him and said nothing. The boy shifted and then clammed up. Sometimes it was fun to talk to them. Sometimes it was fun to just let them stew. Rich was clearly making himself terrified enough, so Gail let it ride.

The other girl in Vivian's class, Jenny, looked thoughtful. "Wait, did everyone of you guys meet your ... Er ... Did you all meet at work?"

Oliver looked at them all. "They did. They did." He gestured with his beer. "Except mmmmmmm." Oliver stopped and pointed at Nick. "No. You did. Ah, ah. I did too. Celery, my wife, was a case. Someone accused her of being a witch and poisoning her."

Jenny's eyes went wide. "But she's not, right?"

With a laugh, Vivian replied. "Celery's totally a witch. But she didn't poison anyone."

It was nice to have the rookies as real family now, and not just Vivian. Rich put up with Duncan giving him hell for hitting on Holly, while Christian and Traci teased Jenny about her different boy a night. It went on like normal. Like they'd always been a part of Fifteen.

Vivian drove them home, having played designated driver as part of her birthday present. And then, in the morning, they left their daughter sleeping and went to the Peck cottage. November or not, winter nor not, it was their respite from the city and the crazy.

The city could deal with crazy without them for a few days. Especially now that these rookies were cut loose.


It's intentional that some dialogue was lifted 100% from the show. I do that on purpose for some continuity. Also Andy was coached on how to do this by Oliver.

Tassie in Dispatch is exactly who you think she is. She's really bad at logistics.

The next chapter will go up in THREE weeks, not two.