Under the circumstances, Steve had decided to take Joe for a short walk outside the building, hoping that the fresh air would help calm his friend's nerves until they would hear back from Mike.

The cold wind gusts from earlier in the morning had finally settled down, allowing them to have a quiet conversation as they walked along Bryant Street, each man coming to terms with the disappointing twist in what could have been a case break.

Even though he wouldn't admit to it openly, deep within, Steve sensed that same overbearing defeat in Joe he remembered after the fateful protest that would eventually derail his career path.

A passionate guy, getting involved and standing up for the right thing, yet ending up with a felony for fighting police brutality…it made his temper boil to this day still.

Just like their chants for peace had been drowned out by sirens and the insults of uniformed officers forcing them to their knees, so did Joe's ambition as he was unceremoniously carted off.

As if to sense the direction his thoughts had drifted to, the other man slowed down some more, before seeking out a nearby metal bench, motioning for them to sit down.

"How is it we both started out on the same cause, Stephen? And then…then life happened…and I work at a carpentry shop and you're a cop. A cop of all things."

There was some underlying frustration and disapproval woven into those words and Steve let them sit there for a moment, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs, watching his azure tie weave back and forth in the breeze.

"Well, it's what life does, Joe. All those Y's in the road. I decided to…I guess…pursue something I was passionate about. And look at you. You got a beautiful family now."

"Yeah, I know that.", he replied dismissively, "I guess I had hoped to achieve more by now. I don't know. Do something more useful with my hands. And my head."

"But you are.", Steve insisted and reached over to place a hand on his friend's shoulder, "You provide your family with food and a roof over their heads. That's a huge responsibility."

"Says the guy I see on the nightly news each time some murder takes place. It's like you're a TV star now."

"Is that what this is all about? You're jealous of me? You want to be a cop? Have cameras shoved in your face while you're trying to work? Getting spit on for doing your job? Get shot at on a regular basis?"

"Of course not.", Joe retracted immediately, then leaned back against the bench, acknowledging Steve's hand by patting it reassuringly, "I'd suck at playing it by the book and looking the other way when laws and humanity clash."

Drawing in a deep breath to rebut the sour statement that was both, fundamentally superficial and downright insulting, the young inspector glared back at his friend, surprised by the hostile attitude.

Joe must have sensed it immediately and shook his head, before covering his face with both hands while grunting in frustration.

"That's not what I meant, Stephen, I am sorry. That was stupid. I guess this whole situation has me pretty worked up. I don't even know what to believe anymore."

Swallowing the bitterness that Joe's careless words had so suddenly brough on, Steve nodded begrudgingly, hating what those phone calls had done to his upstanding friend.

"Well, you can believe us when we say that we'll do everything in our power to help you. Mike…Mike's the kind of guy who will give you the shirt off his back. He will go the extra mile to help with this, I can assure you. I have seen him pull off miracles. We're not gonna leave you out in the open with this."

"Yeah, well, it seems others in your department feel different."

"Come on now, Joe, this isn't the first time you dealt with politics.", Steve scoffed in frustration, "That kind of stuff can be found everywhere. I just need you to trust Mike and myself that we're going to work this thing for you, even if…we're not supposed to."

His delicately chosen words seemed to dissipate before making it through Joe's thick skull, when the other man glanced up, his eyes focused on something off in the distance.

With his bottom lip quivering in agitation, Joe slowly pointed a shaky finger at a man waiting near a newspaper stand across the street.

"That guy, Steve! That guy's been following me all day!"