In Which Finch Wears A Poppy

by Haiza Tyri

Finch keeps wearing poppies on Veterans Day and having very reasonable, unsentimental excuses. Chapter 4 (but only Chapter 4) is a crossover with Doctor Who and a sequel to "Close Encounters of the Tenth Kind." Feel free to skip it if you're not into Doctor Who.

2. 2013

November 11, 2013

"Harold, you're doing it again," Reese said as he set Finch's cup of tea on his desk.

Finch squinted down at the poppy in his buttonhole. "It's not for you, Mr. Reese. It's for her." He got up and limped to the picture hung on the cracked glass. "Samantha Jackson, new mother and wife of a Navy SEAL. You and I are going to be meeting her at a Veteran's Day ceremony later this morning."

He held out another poppy. Reese glared at it.

"If you don't wear one, you'll stand out, John, and today you don't want to stand out. For some reason, the young wife of a man who is giving up his life for his country is in danger, and we're going to find out why and protect her. Or at least I am."

Reese transferred his glare to his partner and took the poppy.