Disclaimer: This is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Radclyffe. I do not own any of the story or characters in this fanfiction nor the original Safe Harbor and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

Chapter Four

After returning Nanoha to the clinic, Fate circled through town to the station house. Tiida was at his desk, frowning over yet another voluminous report he had to complete.

'Jesus, Testarossa - what happened to you?' Tiida asked when he saw the bruise on his deputy's face and the fresh stitches on her forehead.

Fate shook her head ruefully, tossing her hat on her desk. 'If I told you the truth, you'd fire me.'

'Try me,' he ordered. He was laughing by the time she finished the story. 'I told you the doc could look after herself! Just be glad she's only got one good leg, or she really might have hurt you!'

They stared at one another as he grimaced in disgust. 'Oh hell, I didnt mean that. It's a damn tragedy, and here I am joking.' He shook his head in discomfort.

'What do you mean?' Fate asked quietly.

'I guess it's not a secret - as if anyone in this town has secrets. She was a rower. Did you know that?'

'I know she rows,' Fate remarked, recalling the photographs in Nanoha Takamachi's office.

'She did row. She rowed for the Canadian Olympic team. She was their big hope for a gold medal in the 88 Olympics. Another rower hit her scull in a trial heat just before the games. Cut her boat in half and nearly took her leg off with it. She never rowed again.'

Fate turned away, her chest tight. 'Is this stuff last night's dregs again?' she said gruffly, snatching the coffeepot from the burner.

Tiida gaped at her in surprise. He was never going to understand this woman. She closed up faster than anyone he had ever known, men included. But he respected her moods, so he just grunted as he returned to the endless paperwork on his desk.

Fate focused on making coffee, forcing the painful image of Nanoha lying injured in a shattered boat from her mind. Unexpectedly, she flashed on the way Nanoha had looked asleep that morning, remembering the still beauty of her form beneath the light covering. The image was inexplicably calming. Fate took a deep breath, her emotions under control once again, and turned back to the Chief.

'I'm going to start my tour.'

'Sure. Hey, grab me some donuts, will you?'

Instead of turning right into town, Fate went the opposite direction to Route 6 and Herring Cove. The fishermen and women were out in numbers, casting in the offshore depths for the plentiful sea bass. Fate parked at the water's edge, searching the horizon. Sunlight shimmered on the cold blue-grey morning water, two forces of nature meeting. There, off to the right, cutting swiftly and surely toward Race Point, was the red kayak. The tension in her chest eased as Fate watched Nanoha fly across the surface, unfettered and free. Calm once again, she wheeled out of the lot to start her day.

After her second pass through town, she headed east on Route 6, the main highway that ran the length of Cape Cod. A roller-blader a hundred yards ahead of her caught a wheel on something in the road, flying off onto the shoulder. The skater didn't get up.

Fate pulled up nearby, lights flashing. She ran to the prone figure.

'Take it easy, son,' she said as she bent down next to the wiry youth who whipped off their baseball cap, revealing long burnt-orange hair cascading down. 'Oops, sorry,' she amended as she looked closer, realizing the skater was female. 'Are you hurt?'

'Jammed my knee pretty good,' the young woman muttered, grimacing as she tried to get to her feet. She had been skating in tight shorts without gear, and the length of her thigh was badly scraped and bleeding.

'Don't try to stand up,' Fate cautioned, slipping an arm around her waist. She bent slightly, getting her other arm behind the youth's legs and stood, lifting her easily. 'Come on. I'll take you to the clinic,' she said as she walked the few feet to her cruiser.

'I'm okay,' the pale young woman protested.

'That may be, but we'd better make sure.' Fate pulled the rear door open, sliding the girl gently onto the back seat. 'What's your name?'

'Teana Lanster,' came the quiet reply.

Fate looked at her carefully. Her hair was shoulder-length and wavy from being tucked into a cap; she wore no makeup. She had a small silver ring through the corner of her left eyebrow, a tattoo encircling her right upper arm, and a wide silver band on the middle finger of her left hand. At first glance she appeared like a typical teenager, but on closer examination, the girl had a haunted look.

'Are you related to Sheriff Lanster?'

'My brother.'

'I'll radio him,' Fate said as she slipped behind the wheel.

'Do you have to?'

Fate swung around in the seat to face her young passenger.

'How old are you?'

'Seventeen.'

'You'll need your brother's permission to be treated'

'Can't we wait to see if I need to be treated? He's going to be mad. He doesn't want me skating out here. Besides, I'm supposed to be in school.'

Fate considered the request. Tiida was likely to be angry if she didn't call him right away, but there was something in the girl's face that swayed her. She could wait a bit.

'I'll have to call him, Teana - but let's check the damage first okay?'

'Yeah,' the young woman sighed. 'And you can call me Tea. Everybody does.'

Nanoha pulled into the clinic lot just behind Fate's cruiser. She looked at Fate questioningly as the officer approached.

'Hi!' Nanoha called, pleased to see her again so soon.

'Good morning,' Fate replied, her voice warm. 'I'm afraid I brought you some early business. The Chief's sister took a header out on Route 6 on her roller blades. Banged her knee up.'

'Damn,' Nanoha muttered, mentally already planning what needed to be done. 'Neither Aina or Vita is here yet. I guess you can handle a stretcher, can't you?'

Fate didn't reply as she opened the door of her patrol car and leaned inside. To Nanoha's surprise, Fate straightened up with the young woman in her arms. Tea threw one arm around the tall officer's shoulder for support.

'Lead the way, Doctor,' Fate announced.

Nanoha merely nodded, deciding that she should get used to being surprised by the seemingly totally self-sufficient sheriff. Fate followed her through the building to the treatment room, depositing Teana gently on the treatment table.

'I'll wait,' Fate said. 'I'm going to need to call her brother.'

Nanoha nodded distractedly as she bent over her patient, then as an after-thought asked, 'Think you can make some coffee?'

'Absolutely,' Fate replied with a grin. She found the tiny kitchenette and soon had a pot brewing. She was just pouring two cups when Nanoha reappeared.

'She's fine,' Nanoha answered to Fate's questioning look. 'A pretty bad sprain, but I put her in a knee immobilizer. She'll be skating again in a week or two.'

'Thanks,' Fate said. 'I'm sorry to have bothered you, but I thought'

'Nonsense,' Nanoha said, stilling Fate with a touch on her arm. 'You were right to bring her in. She's more worried about her brother than her knee. Tiida keeps a pretty tight rein on her. She got into some kind of trouble a year or so ago. Teenager stuff.'

Fate nodded. 'It's hard being that age. I'll call him, then I'll run her home.'

'You're good at this small-town policing, Sheriff.'

Fate smiled, pleased. 'Thanks. I don't have much experience with community life. I was a military brat, then active duty right after school.' She halted self-consciously. 'I'd better go call Tiida.'

It took her a few minutes to calm her boss down, but she finally convinced him that he did not have to personally come to the clinic. She thanked Nanoha once again, then settled Teana back into the cruiser.

'Is it true you have a black belt in karate?' Teana asked as Fate pulled out onto the highway.

'Not exactly,' Fate answered. 'I have a black belt in jujitsu. They're quite a bit different. How did you know?'

'My brother told me.'

Fate knew it was on her resume, and assumed the Sheriff had noticed. It was certainly true that there were no secrets in Provincetown.

'Could you teach me?' the young woman continued.

Fate turned her head to study the teenager. Her hopeful look touched a distant memory. Fate had been a solitary teenager in a world of adults. Her martial arts training had helped focus her aimless adolescent energy. It centered her still.

'It's a very serious commitment, Tea - and it takes a long time to learn. Why do you want to do it?'

Tea knew she was being asked a serious question, and it felt like Fate really cared about her answer. She struggled to find the right words.

'Because I want something that's my own - something I chose, something I earned. And because I'm bored, and I feel restless all the time.'

Fate nodded. She had been about Teana's age when she began her training, and she remembered that difficult time in her life. She didn't want to refuse, but it meant a commitment for her as well. Taking on a student was a deep responsibility.

'You'd need to train three times a week. And your brother has to approve.'

Teana's face set in determination. 'All right. When can I start?'

'Not until your knee is healed, and Doctor Takamachi gives you the go ahead. But you can come to my house on Saturday and I'll explain some things that you need to know. Seven a.m.'

'I'll be there.'

Note: I've recently returned to the fandom after life got in the way, and re-reading old fics made me want to try finishing this adaptation! I can't find where I saved my work and notes, so it'll take a while for me to figure out who's who again (I had all the characters planned out previously). The chapters might be slow in coming but I'll do my best to catch any discrepancies. Sorry for dropping the fic for so long and Thanks for reading!