What if? A Few Different Decisions

Okay … just West Wing was too limited as a subject. I don't want to start a new thread for every fandom show that I have a random "What If" for.

So now I will include the Fandom and Episode …

NYPD Blue

Season 10, Episode 3

(Situation from show: Medavoy and Baldwin talk to Connie's brother-in-law about the situation with Connie's sister. Because they had no real prep and Medavoy tends to talk first and think afterwards, he screwed up the talk, telling the guy that his wife wanted him to disappear, when that wasn't true. This is what I would have liked Medavoy to actually say.)

Baldwin, with just using the strength of his hands, maneuvered Frank down onto a chair. Before Baldwin could say anything, Medavoy gave the man a cheerful grin. "Mr. Frank Colohan! Hi! I'm Detective Greg Metavoy. This is my partner, Detective Baldwin Jones. How are you doing?"

The man looked at the furious looking Jones and the cheerful Medavoy and said, "I don't know what I'm doing here." He looked around. "This is where my wife's sister works, right?"

Medavoy looked apologetic. "Oh! I'm sooorry. There's just a little matter of a misunderstanding. You see, Connie visited her sister and found that she had … well, someone had hit her. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Frank started his first word and Greg interrupted. "Oh. Wait. Before you say anything, I should tell you. I'm the nice guy of the squad. I'm the guy who talks to you if you need a sympathetic ear and all of that. People make mistakes and, well, I understand that. I try to help people out, you know. But if they continue making mistakes, my very much younger and larger partner here," he pointed to the intimidating black detective, "well, HE has to talk to them. So before you make another mistake and lie about it, let me ask again: You wouldn't know about how your wife showed up with bruises, would you?"

Looking at Baldwin, Frank said, "I lost my temper. I'm not normally like that! I love my wife!"

"Gooood. Goood. I'm glad to hear that. You see: Us cops, we see just about everything." Greg had a very earnest look. "People murdered, lying in their own blood and vomit, sometimes as payback for what they did to a loved one – like a guy beats his wife and winds up beaten himself – only this one ends up in the morgue. It's unfortunate. But it happens."

"What are you saying?" Frank asked nervously.

"Oh! Nothing, nothing. I'm just saying that we cops are pretty calm. Well, unless you hurt one of ours. Or a baby. Or a pregnant woman. Then … well, we get a little upset." Greg smiled at the man in a friendly manner. "You understand?"

Frank nodded. "Good. Cause … well a cop's family is just like a cop to us. You hurt a cop's family and suddenly 30,000 brothers and sisters are coming looking for you. You can understand how uncomfortable that could be. And if it's a pregnant woman: Shee." Greg looked very much like he was passing on something that was very important. "Then it's 30,000 mothers and fathers or aunts and uncles. And THAT's even worse."

Frank looked at Greg. "I understand."

Greg grinned at him. "Good! Good! Hey, as I said, I'm the nice guy here. So, no hard feelings." Greg reached out his hand to shake. Frank put his hand forward and suddenly Greg planted his forward foot and, shaping his hand into a fist, punched Frank right in the got. "OOO! I'm Sorry! My hand slipped! It was a mistake! Honest!" Greg had that grin again.

Frank was coughing. He barely got out, "I thought you were the nice one."

"I am! This IS us being nice about this type of thing. Now, if we have to speak again, then it's Baldwin who gets to talk to you." He turned his head. "Hey, Baldwin. What size shoes you got on?"

Baldwin looked at his partner and said, "Size 15."

"Really? Put one of those up here and let us see one."

Baldwin dexterously lifted his foot to the table and his foot was very large. "Now, if we have to talk again, imagine that foot," he pointed to Baldwin's shoe, "stomping on those balls." He pointed toward Frank's crotch area. "You get my meaning?"

Frank was fairly terrified at this point. He quietly said, "Yes."

Greg nodded. "Then, of course, there's the third option."

"Third option?" Frank couldn't help himself.

Greg looked earnest and scared. "Well, Connie is close to another detective. His name is Andy. And if Connie gets upset, then Andy might want to take care of things." Greg shuddered. "You do not want to meet Andy when he's pissed. I don't know of a cop in New York … ANY cop in New York … who wants to get in Andy's way when he thinks one of his own was hurt. When Andy's pissed, we pretty much are 'Yes, Andy,' 'No, Andy,' and 'Anything you say, Andy.' And if Andy asked you to take a walk while he explains things to whoever has pissed him off … well, it's always nice to get fresh air. When you leave today, ask any cop in the borough what someone should do if Andy Sipowitz is after them for hurting someone he loves. I think … Hey – let's ask John. He's a civilian who works here. He doesn't know what I'm going to be asking. Watch his face."

Greg walked to the door and opened it. "John? Can you come here for a minute?"

The P.A.A walked into the room. "This is John. He's about the nicest guy in here. Him and Andy and I go way back." He turned to John. "John. Hypothetical question: If you knew that you had hurt someone and that Andy Sipowitz decided that whoever you hurt was important to him, what would your first reaction be?"

John's look of real fear struck Frank very hard. "Start calling the funeral homes and make sure I have a good spot picked out. Or confess and get locked up by any other cop before he could find me."

"Thanks, John. That's all." Greg nodded to the P.A.A. who left the room.

"Frank? Is any of this getting through your thick skull?"

Frank nodded quickly. "Good. We're going to let you go. Make certain you take the time to ask ANY random cop the same question I just asked John – just so you know I'm not making things up." He pointed to the door. "Go ahead."

Frank paused, looking between the Detectives and the door until he finally rushed to grab his wallet and keys and bolted. Greg and Baldwin walked into the hall to see Connie coming out of observation. She had a large smile. "Thanks, Greg. Thanks, Baldwin."

Greg nodded even as Baldwin replied with a grin. "No problem. I didn't know Greg could get that scary. It was a thing of beauty."

Greg gave an embarrassed grin. "Yeah, well, I hope he doesn't do anything too stupid again."