Chapter 87: Not All Glam And Glory

Danny and Maria sit in their squad car on a stake out waiting when Danny looks in his rearview mirror to see the Chevelle pull up behind them. "He's here." Danny tells his partner so they both get out of the car at the same time Jamie gets out of the Chevelle.

"He still inside?" Jamie questions as he places his com in his ear.

Danny nods.

"Alright who wants what door?" Jamie questions.

"Front." Maria states.

"Back." Danny tacks on.

"I'll take the side then." Jamie finishes as all three split up and head into position.

Standing at the side entrance, Jamie can hear Maria knock on the door and hear her talking when it's answered.

Suddenly he hears Danny's voice over the coms call from the back of the house "GOT A RUNNER!" so Jamie turns his head and is about to head in that direction when the door he is covering swings open too and another guy comes running out with a duffel bag knocking him slightly off balance. Jamie's stumble gives the perp just enough time to take off running.

"Damn it." Jamie mutters as he takes off after him "I GOT ONE TOO!" he calls and so the chase is on…

Jamie chases him for about a block down a back alley and he can see the guy is starting to huff and puff – clearly not in the best shape so he picks up his pace and when he gets close enough, he reaches to tackle him and they end up falling into a heaping pile of garbage bags…

… and unfortunately the force at which they hit the bags causes some of them to bust open and one of Jamie's hands smashes right through a bag and comes in contact then something wet and sloppy. He immediately pulls it out and tries to shake off whatever the disgusting slim is so he can try to focus on securing the perp who is completely freaking out over what the pair landed in.

"Ew." Maria's voice states with a cringe as she comes upon the scene and looks at the two men now swimming in a sea of loose garbage.

"Oh my god!" the perp cries in disgust "Ah! Get it off! Get if off!" he repeats as he frantically tries to shake the garbage off him.

"Alright come on." Maria prompts as she helps the guy up but cringes at the fowl odor coming off him now while pulling out her cuffs "You're under arrest." She adds as she looks over at Jamie "You okay? Need help climbing out of there?" She tries to seriously question but its hard for her not to laugh as Jamie is covered in food and other garbage.

"It's in my hair isn't it?" Jamie states in disgust as he reaches over and grabs the perp's bag before making his way out of the pile.

Maria cringes and nods in confirmation.

Suddenly Danny's voice comes over the coms "Got my guy. Status?"

"Oh Jamie got his guy good!" Maria quips with a laugh causing Jamie to throw her a look so she clears her throat "Hey..." She then prompts a little more seriously "…can you bring the car to the back alley? We're going to need whatever cleaning supplies are in the trunk..."

…..

Pulling the squad car into the back alley, Danny's mouth falls open a bit at the scene he is rolling up to "What the…" He breathes out in awe before just laughing as he pulls the car to a stop.

"Oh man!" He laughs as he gets out and watches his brother trying to pick garbage off himself and food out of his hair "See this is why Lieutenants usually sit behind a desk and don't do foot chases. You look disgusting…"

"Just shut up and open the trunk." Jamie growls as he starts walking in the direction of the car.

"Okay." Danny laughs as he moves to the back of the car "But I don't think a roll of paper towels and a bottle of spray cleaner is really going to do it." he adds as he opens the trunk but as Jamie rounds the corner to stand next to him Danny has to take a step away "Oh man! You stink!" he throws out as he waves his hand in front of him trying to clear the air of the stench around him.

Jamie glowers at his brother as he points in the trunk "Get in there and find me something to wipe this crap off or I'll use you." he warns as he raises his hand to show its still covered in gunk.

"What is that some kind of chunky soup?" Danny laughs before leaning down into the trunk and rummaging around. He comes up with the previously mentioned paper towels, spray cleaner but also a cloth rag "Here." He adds as he rips a few pieces of paper towel off and hands them to his brother.

"Thank you." Jamie grumbles as he wipes his hand.

"You ah…" Danny prompts in amusement "Got some on your neck and a whole big clump of something gross in your hair – right back over here." He adds as he points to a spot on Jamie's head.

Jamie again groans in disgust.

"Here." Maria states as she walks up with the handcuffed perp and looks at Danny "You wipe him off."

Danny turns to look at his partner to see her gesturing to the perp beside her "Me?" he questions as Jamie just grabs the entire roll of paper towels from him.

"Well I'm not doing it." Maria decides as Jamie rips off more paper towels, wipes his neck and then leans down trying to shake it out of his hair "Protocol dictates, that if present, an officer of the same gender must perform the task."

"So let him do it!" Danny counters as he steps out of the way and gestures at Jamie "He's already covered in it." He reasons.

"Oh no." Jamie protests as he starts wiping at his clothes "We're a team so by all means, I insist you do it."

"WELL SOMEBODY BETTER DO IT!" Danny's perp from inside the backseat of the car calls "BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT PUTTING HIM LIKE THAT IN THE CAR WITH ME!"

Danny, Jamie and Maria all look at one another – all with the same thought so Danny moves to the driver's side turns the keys on and lowers the back window down about ½ way.

All three cops and the garbage covered perp move to stand around the window.

"So you don't want this sweet smelling dude sitting next to you in the backseat huh?" Danny prompts "You know where he can get real close and rub up against you? Here take a whiff." he insists as he forces the guy to move close to the window while trying to lean away himself.

The guy in the backseat quickly scoots himself away and to the other side of the car so Danny yanks the garbage covered perp back away from the car and moves to lean down towards the window "Tell me who you're working for and I'll call a squad car to come take your friend here away for a good hose down but if you don't… I will personally see to it you not only share this car but the tiniest holding cell we have."

The guy inside the car remains silent.

"Okay." Danny decides "Have it your way." He adds as he opens the back door and shoves the garbage covered perp inside.

"Ah really Danny?" Maria whines "You're hosing that out after not me."

Danny walks back to the trunk and grabs the spray bottle "Here this will make it all better." He jokes with a laugh before pointing the bottle at his brother "Here do a 360 and I'll spritz you." he tries to say with a straight face but he can't.

"You know this is the thanks I get for coming in to help on my day off." Jamie throws back.

"Well technically, it's all our days off." Danny points out "But crime doesn't happen on a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 schedule does it?"

Jamie glowers at his brother "You can take them both in and process them." He decides "I'm going home to shower." He states before groaning in disgust in realization and defeat.

"What?" Maria prompts

"How bad is my back?" Jamie prompts as he turns his back to his team mates "I don't want this all over The Chevelle."

"Oh yeah." Danny seriously agrees as he grabs the rag and the spray bottle. He takes a deep breath and hold it as he steps towards his brother, sprays this back and tries to wipe the crap off him.

Maria pulls out her phone, snaps a quick picture then pockets her phone again before anybody can see.

Jamie and Danny look over at the sound but see nothing.

"What was that?" Jamie prompts.

"What was what?" Maria nonchalantly questions in return as she starts to look around trying to figure out what Jamie could be referring too.

Jamie eyes her a second longer but Maria has the innocent but concerned act down cold "What?" She seriously prompts again.

"Never mind." Jamie mutters.

Danny finally steps back and blows out the air he had been holding "Okay that's the best its gonna get." He tells his brother before leaning slightly towards him and taking a whiff but his face scrunches up repulsed "But you definitely still need a shower. Maybe just get Eddie to turn the garden hose on you first."

…..

"Okay I know this is a big house." Eddie states as she stands with Rosa in the formal living room looking around at the boxes of odds and ends from both her's and Jamie's apartment and their storage unit on one side and Rosa and Mia's apartment of the other side "But where on earth do we put this crap?"

Rosa huffs out a laugh "Not to mention the boxes in the dining room too." she reminds her.

"Yeah but at least there's kitchen stuff in there too." Eddie points out.

"We could start with that." Rosa points out "Get that done and out of the way, it maybe won't seem as daunting."

"This is when I really wish I had a magic wand." Eddie sighs "And I'll just say I'm sorry right now."

Rosa looks at Eddie quizzically.

"I can unpack and put stuff away but I can't lift any of these boxes." Eddie points out.

"It's good you realize that." Rosa laughs "I almost thought I might have to force you into submission."

"Well you don't." Eddie sighs in return.

Rosa eyes Eddie "You already tried to lift some didn't you?"

Eddie sheepishly nods.

Rosa laughs.

…..

"Ugh." Rosa groans out in pain as she puts a box down then places a hand on her back as she slowly and stiffly stands upright again.

"Rosa?" Eddie questions in concern as she looks over "You alright?"

"Yeah." Rosa sighs "I just think with all this moving and unpacking my back is starting to feel it."

"You should take a soak in the jacuzzi." Eddie suggests.

Rosa turns to look at her "Um no. That's in your room."

"So?" Eddie challenges "Rosa you've been doing most of the heavy lifting here because I can't." she reminds her as she points at her growing belly "So the least I can do is offer you relief to sooth your muscles."

Rosa hesitates.

"Rosa you're not going to be good to anyone if you throw your back out." Eddie reasons "Go."

Rosa sighs "Alright just let me finish this group of boxes okay?"

"Fine." Eddie relents.

….

Having finished unpacking the boxes, Rosa heads to the master bedroom and starts the tub to fill it before heading to her room. She undressed, puts on her robe, pins her hair up and grabs a book. She heads back to the master bedroom walks into the bathroom, turns and shuts the door. She tests the water again to be sure it's the right temperature and when it reaches it's desired depth, Rosa turns on the jets, disrobes and steps in "Oh man…" she groans in pure relief as she settles herself into the tub and closes her eyes forgetting all about the book as she just lets the jets work their magic.

...