I'm so sorry for almost two months in between Chapters. Life (a lot of it) happened. Enjoy!

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"Man, that was rough," Badillo said with a heavy sigh.

"Yep," Eddie agreed. "I swear when we first got there, I thought the wife was going to kill the husband."

"Exactly!" Badillo confirmed. "But then, the husband looked like he was ready to go to jail, too."

"Good call on having the guy keep his hands where we could see them," Eddie said with a grin.

"Dude kept moving his hands and I did not like the bulge in his back pocket," Badillo said shakily. "If he had a… I don't know what would…" Badillo couldn't even finish the sentence, shaking his head. He lowered his voice. "I've never had to use my weapon before to... You know."

Eddie could tell the adrenaline was coursing through Badillo's veins. "Consider yourself lucky," she said, placing a comforting hand on his upper arm. Her first kill was ten years ago, but she still remembers how traumatic it was for her. It was one thing to wound a perp, but to take a life?

Even when she used her gun with the intent to kill so she could save Jamie outside the coffeehouse and again when he was undercover as a taxi driver, she didn't enjoy it. She didn't lose sleep over it, but that didn't mean she felt great about it, either. Thankfully, the NYPD mandated psychologist visits the put her back on an even plane.

The day she felt great about taking out a perp with a gun, she always told herself, was the day she put in her papers. She saw cops who went down that road slowly lose their humanity and it easily became a slippery slope down in to detachment, making yourself Judge, Jury, and Executioner. And yet…

"Do you have a sec?" Eddie asked, nodding to a quiet corner in the precinct. Badillo nodded and they made their way.

"What's up?" Badillo asked.

Eddie sighed, wanting to say it carefully. "I envy you that you've never had to use your weapon to take someone out. Trust me, when it happens the first time, there's an innocence lost you can't get back and it's a mother to get through… But you do need to prepare yourself mentally that you might have to use your gun to kill someone. You cannot hesitate if the time comes. If it's a choice between you and the perp, it must be the perp. Every time."

Badillo's eyes narrowed. "Do you think I hesitated?" Before Eddie could respond, he said, "My gun was drawn, ready to go. You saw that."

Eddie held up her right hand in defense. "You did everything right, trust me. But I'm saying – and I pray this never happens to you… You need to be ready for the worse cast scenario."

Badillo stood there, pondering. "Understood," he finally said. "I just don't want to come across as the trigger-happy cop. When you grow up how I grew up, you saw cops who maybe weren't as… enlightened as cops are nowadays. Especially in a neighborhood where there are mostly people of color. Cops would draw their gun, act like they're going to kill them, then ask questions."

"I can't even imagine…" Eddie said, shaking her head with a mix of sympathy and disgust. "And I think that plays a part in what makes you a great cop. But you can't let that stop you from staying alive."

Badillo nodded, understanding. "Copy that."

Eddie nodded. "Good."

"So," Badillo said with a mischievous grin. "You think I'm a great cop, eh?"

Eddie rolled her eyes. "I regret saying that."

Badillo burst into laughter.

"Hey," she said. "When we're at end-of-shift, why don't we grab a couple drinks? I think we both deserve it."

Five hours later, Eddie and Badillo were in their civilian clothes. Jamie was out of town for a Sergeants' convention and both Eddie and Badillo had the next couple days off, so there was no real urgency to go home just yet.

A couple drinks in, Eddie and Badillo were laughing at each other's stupid jokes and stories.

"And she! And she!" Badillo said in between chuckles, "And she said, 'Luis, I just want to enjoy life. Find myself, figure out who I am.' My heart's broken, but nothing I can do about it, ya know? So imagine my surprise when Little Miss I-Just-Wanna-Enjoy-Life is walking arm in arm with another dude three hours after having this talk with me."

Eddie's eyes widened. "No!"

"Yeeeeep!" Badillo said. "So I yelled out to her, 'You enjoying life, yet?'"

After the laughter subsided, Eddie gave Badillo a sympathetic moan. "Badillo, I'm sorry. On behalf of women everywhere, I'm so, so sorry… If you want, I can kick her butt for you. Show up to her doorstep!"

Badillo let out a guffaw. "Oh yeah, that's exactly what I need. My partner on the job is also my enforcer on her down time."

"I'd be so good at it, though!" Eddie exclaimed. "I can kickbox. I'm good with the taser and we both know I can rock a baton if I have to."

"Well," Badillo said with a dismissive chuckle, "I'll certainly keep that in mind."

"Seriously, though," Eddie said, "I really am sorry. You're a great guy and any woman would be lucky to have you. If she doesn't realize that, it's her loss."

"Because I'm a great cop, right?"

Eddie facepalmed. "I seriously regret telling you that."

A pleasant lull in the conversation covered them like a comfortable blanket.

"I'm going to be honest, here," Eddie said. "Aside from my time riding with the Sarge, you're probably the best partner I've had. You make me better in ways none of my other partners, even the Sarge, have."

Badillo was truly taken aback by Eddie's remark. "Wow," he eventually mustered. "Thank you."

"Remember when the Sarge was having everyone salute the desk sergeant in order to sniff out the fake cop?" Eddie continued.

"Yep," Badillo replied, "and I got a RIP for not saluting him. Pretty stupid, huh?"

"Yeah, but…" Eddie said hesitantly, "I should've stood up for you as my partner. I'm sorry I didn't have your back. You should have saluted, but what he did to you was an unnecessary power move by the Sarge and I should've stood up for you."

"But then you would've gotten a RIP, too, Eddie. And… I'm not trying to be insensitive or cross a line, but that'd make for some awkward tension at home."

Eddie's eyes narrowed. "It'd be worth it."

"Woah," Badillo said, astonished.

"I'm serious, Luis," Eddie continued. "I get what he was trying to do, but he crossed a line in how he did it. And I didn't have your back."

"Well," Badillo eventually said, "you were in a weird position."

"Do not apologize for having an issue with the Sarge bringing back a rule that hasn't been officially followed since the 1970s," Eddie emphasized by pointing a finger towards Badillo. "Look, he's my husband and I love him, and – again – I know what he was trying to do and so do you. But he conducted himself in an arrogant manner."

A beat passed. Badillo was surprised by his partner's candor, especially when it was aimed at her husband.

"I'm going to have your back more often than I have in the past," Eddie said. "I promise. All jokes aside, you really are a great cop and I think great cops need to have the proper backup. Even if I have a talk with you about using your gun, know it's because I'm on your side, okay?"

"Well," Badillo said as he raised his glass, "here's to great cops having each other's backs."

"Cheers!" Eddie said as their glasses clinked.

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There will be at least two more chapters.