Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or ideas from The Killing. It's all just way too much fun.

Spoilers: Season 1, episodes 11 and 12

DAY 11, evening

It's dark now, the rain has stopped and Linden and Holder are sitting in the car. Linden has her head down in her hands, Holder is staring out the window. Both are lost in thought somewhere else.

Suddenly the police radio crackles to life. "CS Unit needed down at 3012 Leverage Street, body of an unidentified Caucasian male, ten to thirteen years of age, five foot three, one hundred ten pounds, brown hair, coroner's en route. We need two more units on scene."

Holder is now watching Linden cautiously, as if he is fully expecting her to explode at any second. "It's not him," he almost whispers.

…

Linden

No. NO! It can't be Jack. He has to be OK. He has to.

I can't…

But, what if…

Oh my God… please, no.

We have to get there. Right now. I have to see for myself. Holder knows me. He's going to know that I'm not taking no for an answer. One way or the other, I have to know.

…

"3012 Leverage Street."

"You don't need to be there." He says it, but he knows that that's where they're going. He says it more as a reassurance to her than an attempt to convince her that they shouldn't go.

"Go." There's absolutely nothing that's going to change her mind, so they go, lights and sirens on.

Sarah is out and running past the other detectives as soon as Holder stops the car at the scene, before anyone has time to realize what she's doing there or why she's running, much less to be able to stop her.

"Linden, st-!" It's too late, she reaches the body before he can even tell her to stop, much less stop her. But Holder catches up to her quickly, a few feet from the plastic draped body, where Sarah has stopped. She can't see from where they are whether it's Jack or not, and she's suddenly afraid to go any closer.

"Let's get back to the car." Holder knows she won't, but he feels like he needs to try. Who knows what they're about to find.

"I just need to see him," she says stubbornly.

"No, you don't need to see him." Holder suddenly grabs her from behind, arms wrapped around the middle of her tightly, to keep her from going any closer to the body. She pushes back fiercely against him – they're both trained police officers, and pretty evenly matched, so it's quite a struggle.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Linden shrieks.

"It's not him! It's not him!" Holder knows that she's so trapped inside her own head that she probably can't hear him, but he says it anyway.

…

Holder

Stay with me, Linden. Come on, I got you. It's not him. Don't ask me how I know, I just know. Little Man's OK. I swear, Little Man's OK. It's all gonna be OK. Scream as loud as you want. I got you…

…

Linden screams and flails against Holder's restraint. He isn't deterred.

"Jack!"

Suddenly the radio is crackling again, and Holder slowly releases his hold on her as he feels her relax so that she can hear the radio. "We got an ID on John Doe. Please stand by for an ID on the victim." The wait until the voice on the radio announces the victim's identity seems to last an eternity.

The voice on the radio continues. "I've got positive identification on the victim as one Daniel McClintock, M-C-C-L-I-N-T-O-C-K, first name Daniel. Address is 549 Hastings Street, Aberdeen. Parents en route. Stand by."

Linden walks slowly around the corner of a nearby building – all of the adrenaline of the past few minutes has suddenly drained from her body – and collapses on the ground. She begins to sob with relief. She hasn't found Jack, but at least there's no proof that anything terrible has happened to him. There's still hope.

It has all been too much. Holder watches her from a few feet away as the sobs shake her body, then slowly comes to sit beside her. He puts his hand gingerly on her shoulder, unsure of how she'll react, but wanting to comfort her somehow. She doesn't flinch, and he rubs her shoulder ever so slightly.

This is the other side of his tough-as-nails partner, the side that she hides from the world by keeping everyone at arm's length. Until now.

Finally, Sarah's tears subside and her breathing returns to normal. "Let's go," Holder almost whispers. Linden nods slightly and they both get to their feet.

Back at the hotel, they wind through the hallways until, rounding a corner, they suddenly see Jack at the far end of the hall. He's standing in front of the door to their room. He's listening to music over his headphones and doesn't notice them. Linden and Holder stand side by side, looking at the boy who has caused so much heartache that day. Without taking his eyes off Jack, Holder says, "Kick his ass."

"No doubt," Linden replies, also still watching her son.

Before they go their separate ways, they exchange one final look and a smile. It takes only a second, but the understanding between them after the emotional day they've spent together is so strong, that one look conveys almost an entire conversation.

Linden

What could I even have said to Holder after a day like today? I guess something like, "Thanks, Holder, for everything. Mostly, for being here. It meant a lot."

But I could tell just looking at him… he knew.

Holder

Sticking with Linden today was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. It wasn't what you'd consider fun, of course, but man, sometimes you do something and you just know it was the right thing to do. You just feel it. This was one of those things.

She may not have said it, but I know I made a difference by being there today. I saw it in her eyes right before she went in to read Little Man the riot act. It's pretty cool when you can read a look someone gives you as if it was actual words. I don't know exactly what my look said to her, but I was going for something like, "No problem, Linden. You know you're my BFF. Whatever you need, you know I got you. And I'm glad Little Man's OK."

...

DAY 12

Linden and Holder had met up with Holder's former partner, Cami, from his days in undercover vice. She hadn't had a lot of information for them, but she was the one who'd told them about Beau Soleil, so it was a good start.

On their way back to the station from their little chat with Cami, the traffic suddenly ground to a halt. It looked like they were going to be stuck in the car for a while.

"You OK, Linden?" Holder asked, watching her carefully. Only 24 hours before, the search for Jack had just officially begun. He imagined that that was bound to take a toll on a person, their child going missing for a whole day. He'd watched her fall apart yesterday, and she'd been quiet today as well. He was still worried.

They were stopped at a traffic light, with Linden driving once again. She turned to look at him and smiled just a little. He was pretty sure it was the first time he'd seen her smile all day.

"Yeah, I'm doing better." Linden lied. She had been relieved when Jack had showed up last night, and she could lie to herself and say she was doing better, but she didn't feel it. There was something gnawing at her, even after Jack had gotten home safe.

It was probably more to do with the case at the moment, she thought. When she engrossed herself in a case, she often didn't come up for air until it was solved.

Holder looked at her skeptically, and Linden could tell that she was found out, discovered. He seemed to be able to see right through her bullshit. "Alright, busted," She threw up her hands in mock surrender. "Not better, really."

"I think you'll be alright," he said.

"Oh?" she asked, "you're gonna make sure of that?"

"Yes, I am," he replied, "I mean, you're my ride, Linden, I have to look out for you." For this comment he was rewarded with that rare gem – a small but genuine smile on his partner's face.