I don't own anything that Dick Wolf owns.
On Monday Amanda got to the precinct early. She was waiting for a call.
"Hey" Nick smiled at her when he walked in "how are you doing?"
"Ok, and you" she smiled "how did it go with Gil yesterday?"
"We had fun. He asked about Frannie"
"Yeah?"
He looked around to make sure no one was listening "that day you met him, he asked if you were my girlfriend"
Amanda looked uncomfortable "what did you say?"
"That I wasn't sure" he gave her a big smile "what was I supposed to say?" when she didn't answer he moved closer and whispered "I wasn't going to say that you're my lover" she frowned and looked back at her screen. He walked away with a grin on his face.
The phone on her desk rang and she answered "Rollins" she listened to the person on the other line "ok, thank you" she hung up.
Fin just walked in and waved at her as he made his way to grab some coffee. She walked over to him.
"I've got to go for a while, I'll be back soon" she told him.
"Everything ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, I just have to go do something" she said.
"No worries, I'll cover for you" she smiled and thanked him.
Lieutenant Declan Murphy was dedicated to his job, it was his priority. That was the reason he didn't have a family. He realized long ago that he couldn't be a family man, he didn't want to put a wife and children in a constant state of waiting for him while he was undercover.
He loved it and he was good at it. There were many blurry lines and he learned when you can cross them and when you cannot. Being undercover for many years he got to be involved in a lot of complicated situations. One of them involved detective Amanda Rollins.
He knew she was about to hit rock bottom and something inside him wanted to give her a chance. He realized he was right when she lied about not being able to follow the juror, she had a problem, but still didn't want to hurt others. It was a good sign.
He trusted her, she was a good detective. But there was something about her, he'd seen it before.
He knew her dad was a gambler and that had he left when she was young, people who go through something like that can have issues with authority figures.
He asked her about it, whether she had a blind spot for man in a position of power. She didn't answer, but he could see she was thinking about it. Whatever the answer, he only wished her well.
He was taken aback by what she just told him about her father, he was not expecting this.
"That's complicated" he said "sounds like your father may have gotten a second chance back then"
"Yeah" she nodded, not missing his insinuating tone "the thing is…I think maybe there is someone I can talk to but I can't find him, not without anyone knowing"
"So that's what you need my help with?" she nodded "I can't promise anything, but I'll try. Who is it?"
"Deputy US Marshal Marco Diaz" she answered and Murphy smiled, never a dull moment.
He didn't tell her how, and she didn't want to know, but Murphy was able to find where Diaz was spending his retirement. He had a place in Vermont. She figured if she worked a double shift she could make it there by morning and stay long enough to talk to him.
"Hey" she smiled at Nick when she caught him alone in the kitchen.
"Hey" he smiled.
"Remember how you said Gil was asking about Frannie?" Nick nodded "would you mind watching her later? I'm working a double shift and I have to drive somewhere afterwards, I can't take her with me"
"I don't mind watching Frannie, where are you going?"
"I'll tell you later, when I'll come by your place" she said "Thanks"
"No problem" he smiled.
It was a long and grueling day, she had to go interview a victim, arrange a lineup, search for a witness in the park and of course, paperwork. She was so tired by the end of her double shift she wasn't sure she could make it home.
But Amanda knew this might be her only chance, so she picked up Frannie and was finally on her way to Nick's place. He had a big smile on his face when he saw them "come in" he said, he could see she was tired.
"I brought Frannie some food" she gave him a bag and he laid in on the floor.
"I talked to Tom today, he went by the safe house"
"Oh" she said, she figured it would be best if she didn't go there right now. Her father didn't call and she hoped it's a sign that he is ok, and not that he left.
"He didn't go in" Nick continued "but he thinks it looks clean, no one seems to be watching it or anything" she smiled, hopefully everything is fine.
"So where are you going?" he asked.
"Vermont" she smiled, he looked confused "I found out where Marco Diaz lives, that's my dad's first Marshal, the one who got him in to the program"
"How did you find him?" she looked away, contemplating whether she should tell him.
"What is it?" he asked, wondering why she seemed reluctant to answer.
"Murphy" she replied.
"I see" he looked down, he didn't like Murphy, and had no idea Amanda was in contact with him "isn't he undercover?" he wanted to know.
"Yeah, but there's this number he gave me and…" she saw the look on his face, he was upset "Nick" she walked over to him "come on" he looked at her now, but his expression stayed the same.
"Look Nick, I know you don't like him but I trust him, he helped me out" she sounded a little pissed off.
"Yeah…" he put his hands on his waist and looked at her.
"You know what? I don't know why you feel this way, but..." she looked away for a moment "back then, what he did saved my life, ok? I was in the lowest of lows and if it wasn't for him I'd probably be six feet under now"
He was about to say something but she didn't give him a chance to "and you know what else, he didn't ask for anything in return. Other people they always…" he waited for her to finish the sentence but realized she wasn't going to.
"Amanda" he touched her arm gently "I know you've been through things, and I understand if you don't want to talk about it" she looked at him as he continued "but you need to know I'm not going to let you fall, ok?" she nodded and he smiled "You want me to make you some coffee? You have a long way"
"I'd like that" she smiled and kissed him.
He made her coffee and she filled her thermal cup with it. He knew she had to leave but didn't want to let her go, he had a bad feeling, and the fact her lips felt so good under his made it even worse.
Sorry for the shorter chapter, the next one is coming very soon. I hope the trip to Vermont makes sense, I'm not from the US so I just looked at a map and sent her there