Author's Note:

Couldn't resist adding a this short little scene. Dov is such a great character that I wanted to write some fun interaction between him, Swarek and Shaw. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Locker Room

"Dov, I still think you're worrying too much about what Swarek might do. But you do need to watch the way you run your mouth on twitter. The things that Shaw and Best put in that prank review about both of us were half true. It's things like this that make people think you're not serious and respectful of the chain of command," Chris said as they headed into the locker room. Dov had been jumpy and pestering Chris and Gail to bring him in early.

Dov began throwing on his uniform at record speed as he replied. "Look, I know people think I gossip too much and can't keep anything in the vault. But it's not true. In fact, one of the big things I've kept secret has to do with McSwarek. I'll tell you now since they've basically come out and said they're an item. You'll see that I'm not paranoid," Dov assured Chris.

"What could you know that I don't? You didn't even see Swarek wail on Callaghan during retraining like I did," Chris scoffed.

"You weren't around the night Andy and I made that big gun bust. There were a couple things we left out of the report that no one but the three of us know," Dov said.

"Like what?" Chris frowned.

"Like that the dude was the one who made Andy during the hooker sting. And he was a TOTAL psycho. Everyone knows he had a gun on Andy before I found her, but there's more to it. After we got him subdued and cuffed, Andy was shaking like a leaf. So I got her to tell me what happened. He said a lot of bizarre, twisted stuff to her and got really creepy and rough groping her when he was searching up under her skirt to make sure she didn't have a gun. Swarek got there and overheard her talking to me about the whole thing."

Chris cleared his throat uncomfortably, but Dov didn't notice as he finished dressing and plowed on with the story.

"For a while there, I thought he was going to lose it and grab some of the tools from that warehouse to go medieval on the dude. It was intense. Trust me when I say a little extra beat down to a padded up Callaghan couldn't have been anything compared to how pissed he was that night. He had to work pretty hard to keep his temper even an hour later after the reporters were gone.

He really reamed us out. I thought he might even lay me out in the parking lot for letting it happen. He tried to pretend it was as much about the danger to the civilian, but I could tell it was really about what almost happened to Andy. And I think she was more upset at getting yelled at by him than by her close call with the psycho. That's why I've been more sure than anyone that Luke would be toast, and they'd end up getting together.

"Uh, Dov…" Chris tried again, but Dov's motor mouth still had a momentum of its own that didn't allow him to register it at first.

Anyway, that's why I kept bugging you about coming early. I'm not above hustling out of here to the safety of Parade where everything is in sight of the white shirts…." Dov finished before he finally caught onto Chris's efforts to clue him in.

"…and he's standing behind me, isn't he?" Dov groaned, closing his eyes in frustration.

He opened them and turned around to see Swarek propped against the door jamb, with Shaw and a bunch of other officers crowding around in anticipation of a show. It was the same vibe that had been in the room when Boyko first paired McNally with Swarek right after his cover was blown.

"What's the matter, Epstein? You're looking a little pale," Sam smirked.

"Actually, Sammy, I'd say he looks downright green," Shaw jumped in. Turning to quirk a brow at Dov, he added, "Are you sick, Epstein, or just expecting a-what was the phrase-a beat down?"

"You think he deserves a beat down, Shaw?" Sam asked casually.

"Well, he has been running his mouth even more than usual lately, especially on twitter," Shaw replied, pretending to consider the question seriously. "But that may be a little extreme. Maybe just reaming him out again is the ticket."

"I think maybe you're still being too hasty, Oliver. I mean, we really have to consider things from all angles before flying off the handle, don't you think?" Sam replied.

"Your call, Sammy," Shaw shrugged. "But what angles are there on this really?"

"Well, we have to consider the new things that have come to light about Epstein recently. He may have unknown depths and delicate sensibilities we need to take into account," Sam said with exaggerated thoughtfulness, enjoying dragging this out.

After a pause, he continued with a wicked grin, "For instance, I never knew Epstein spent so much time considering what it might be like to be a woman," Sam delivered the punch line they'd been building toward, and the crowd broke into snickers. Those who had seen the twitter exchange really cracked up at Dov's reaction. Even Chris's lips twitched with the effort to hold back his laughter.

"Protecting another girlfriend, Sammy?" Shaw smirked, bringing down the house with unrestrained laughter and catcalls to Dov.

The noise nearly drowned out Sam's reply, "Naw, I'm a one-woman man." He levered himself upright and slapped Dov on the shoulder as he walked by, "Sorry, kid."

Epstein made a hasty retreat, muttering, "And I thought nothing could be worse than the heckling over the Guardian super hero fiasco."

Chris took a moment to allow himself a broad smile at Swarek and Shaw before plastering a serious look on his face and following his roommate to lend moral support while Dov tended his bruised ego.