chapter word count: 487

noir heart: sixty-one

"No. No freaking way." Jack flatly refuses, shaking his head as he shoots up from the chair like it's on fire. What are they trying to do, kill him?

"Jack, this is a case that has your name all over it, mate." Aster protests, gesturing to the manila folder resting on the desk in front of the good captain as he sits opposite her. "Gogo and Tadashi were taken off this so we could have it."

"I don't give a flying fuck," Jack snaps, pacing the floor with his hands on his hips. "Give it back to them, I don't want it."

Never mind that the whole situation smells fishy - the morning's entertainment with Mrs Black has done enough to remind him that he's not ready for a big case, and probably never will be. "Detective Frost," Moors calmly weighs in, "you were recommended for this investigation."

"Bullshit," Jack snaps, "you and I both know that I'm the black sheep of the unit. Gogo and Tadashi are good people, sharp cops. Give it back to them."

"Mate, it's already been decided." Aster broaches, but there's a weird sense of urgency in his voice that has Jack curious. "Three double homicides, all with the same signature-"

"Ah-ah-ah. Don't tell me any more, I don't want to know." Jack interrupts, his hand shooting up to silence him. "I'm not interested. Find someone else to go with. I'm done with homicides."

With his back turned, there's an uneasy silence that descends into the room, tense enough to be cut with a knife. Breathing heavily, Jack's heart pounds in his chest. They're trying to kill him. That has to be it. Some wise guy up top has got the bright idea of giving Jack a big case so they can watch him crash and burn. Set him up for a fall, so I.A. can swoop in. "Fuck that," he mutters under his breath.

"Why, Detective Frost?" Jane asks softly - she is never soft. Is everyone lying? "Why is it that you are scared of accepting this case?"

"Because-!" Jack whirls around with a shout, his chest rising and falling with each loud breath through his nose. Glaring at Captain Moors, his eyes flick down to the folder and back up again. Closing his eyes, he pinches the bridge of his nose and says with a much calmer voice, "...because the last time I got involved in a case, I lost everything. I can't go through that again."

Moors and Aster are bereft of a response, so it's the ideal time for Jack to leave. Turning to the door, he rests his hand on the doorknob. "I'm sorry, but you should find someone else." he mutters over his shoulder, before sweeping out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

I could condense this update into five words and a gesture. "Nope. Nope-nope-nope."*Jack flips them off with both hands* "NOPE."

special thanks to: doomstone, nytshayd, jpbake, edgarallansnow, rainbowcolorw0w, oninoko, lunasnoir, zulka, ghost angel14, stefalove, hornedgoddess, heartonfire and riverfall for the reviews!