AN: After binge-watching the Rookie on Netflix season 1-5, I just couldn't help myself. I had to write something. Those of you who's come across one or two stories of mine have probably already figured out it is going to be hurt/comfort and a lot of whump in this. This is placed somewhere in late season 5.

The Rookie

A "Dyre" Situation*

OOOOOO

A Dire Situation *

* (Dire – adjective noun) Emphasizing how serious/terrible a situation of event really is.

And with Rosalind Dyer any situation can be really dire.

OOOOOO

Chapter One

It's a Circus Out There

"So," police officer Lucy Chen began enigmatically - her eyes sparkling mischievously - as she turned her head towards the driver of the sturdy black and white police car.

Metro liaison sergeant Tim Bradford gave her a no-nonsense glance, knowing instantly - by the look on her face - that something was up. He sighed inwardly and decided not to let it interfere with his driving.

"Metro cargo pants and sweatshirt is nice but you look sexier in your sergeant's uniform," she said slyly.

A tiny smirk appeared on his face briefly before his face returned to a more neutral state. "Is that how it's going to be today?" he asked, his voice flat, like the drill-sergeant he could be, yet he knew there was no way he could intimidate his former rookie – now girlfriend – by playing though. "Are you going

to sit over there, talking dirty to your superior officer?" he finished the statement with a somewhat playful smirk.

She snorted and shrugged. "Technically, I am not in your chain of command anymore." A devilish smile spread across her face. "Besides-," she teased, "-we're alone. No one can hear us."

He turned to her - his expression stern - yet his blue eyes were filled with mischief. "It is dangerous, officer Chen - to try and get me off balance - steal my concentration when I dri-," he paused abruptly as he saw a speeding car approaching in the front side window behind Lucy. He slammed on the brakes, avoiding a side-on collision by mere inches, as the car shot out from a crossing street.

Lucy frowned as a man clad in a circus costume and a face painted like a clown threw the driver's door open and jumped out of the car - running from it at a breakneck speed - despite a rather severe limp.

"Are you alright?" Tim asked softly, turning to look at his partner.

Lucy shook her head as she leaned forward, peering through the windscreen, unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her or not. "Is-, huh, - is that a tiger?"

Bradford frowned as he slowly shifted his attention from his colleague and girlfriend to the car ahead. A sleek, quite big and somewhat agitated feline jumped out of the driver's seat and jumped onto the hood of the police car.

Lucy pressed her back against the seat and swallowed as Tim quickly hit the button to roll up the windows.

The sergeant cursed under his breath as he reached for the radio. "Dispatch, this is 7-adam-100, we have a 10-50, no personal injuries -," he paused, not sure where to start with the explanation. "-but we have a missing clown and a tiger on the hood."

There was light snort of amusement from beside him as Lucy tried not to think about how it must sound over the radio.

"7-adam-100 this is 2331. Are you trying to be funny, Bradford?" Detective Angela Lopez drawled amusedly.

"Say again, 7-adam-100. Were you involved in a traffic accident?" the dispatcher asked.

Tim pursed his lips in frustration. "No, avoided it by an inch or two. Send zookeepers to our location before the tiger finds someone to eat," he added sourly.

The tiger sneered loudly at them, baring its teeth, before it jumped off and headed down the street.

"This day is going to be interesting," Lucy said with a smirk. "Luckily we already have a supervisor on site."

Bradford rolled his eyes as he undid his seatbelt and headed out of the shop. "We might as well go and make ourself useful while we wait."

Lucy glanced around, searching for the large feline. However, the tiger was already long gone.

"7-adam-100, go to channel 5," Nolan called.

Lucy adjusted her radio. "7-adam-100 copy," she said.

"Are you two alright?" he asked curiously.

Chen's lips curled upwards at the question. Nolan had always been a mother hen, trying to look out for everyone, caring for everyone in his police family.

"10-4," Bradford called curtly while glancing around the block and then nodded at Lucy to get back into the car.

Back in the shop a few blocks away Nolan and Juarez glanced at each other.

"I think the boss is a bit pissed off," the rookie said with a smirk, not realizing her training officer actually had the microphone keyed.

Nolan sighed.

"Juarez, Nolan. You two are on clown duty," Bradford replied as he inspected the driver's seat of the car. "Report back when you find him."

"I don't think he will get that far," Lucy added over the open channel. "By the looks of it, the tiger took a bite of him. The driver's seat is smeared with what seems to be a combination of blood, makeup and stuffing is coming out of a tear in the fabric."

"Have you found yourself a little pussycat, Sergeant Bradford?" A female voice teased lightly, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Got nothing better to do than harassing me, Lopez?" he replied in a flat voice.

"Actually, Harper and I were a bit bored, coming from a crime scene. We thought we could join the circus for a while?" she said, emphasizing the word circus.

"Sure. Happy to leave the show to you," he replied. "Why don't you bring a tow truck too while you are at it?"

Angela and Nyla stole a glance at each other in the police car, Nyla giving a low whistle at the sarcastic reply.

"I sense a slight hostility in that tone of voice," Harper called over the radio. "We didn't mean to rattle your cage." The call was followed by laughter.

Lucy laughed out loud too behind Tim as she popped the trunk.

Another police car pulled up and the unlikely pair Smitty and Aaron got out.

"I just had to see this," Smitty said cheerfully.

"Did you hear that, Chen?" Bradford said. "Smitty just volunteered for guard duty."

"What, no, wait a minute," he protested.

"Stay here and coordinate with the tow truck, make sure the car shows up at the station. Then you can start an inspection of it. Let me know if you find something interesting."

"Yes, sir," Thorsen replied as Smitty dejectedly leaned against the car.

"That can take hours," he whined as he glanced up at the sun. "I am going to get sunburned. I am sure that's a working hazard."

"Why don't you take that up with Nolan?" Bradford replied, clearly not amused.

Lucy smiled at him as they got back into the shop. "I thought I had softened those sharp edges over the years," she said softly.

Tim turned to her somewhat innocently. "Smitty is not entitled today," he said.

OOOOOO

Firefighter Bailey Nune leaned back against the headrest of the firetruck and closed her eyes. She wiped her forehead clean of perspiration and soot with a heavy sigh.

One of her colleagues suddenly produced a sun feather and waved it in front of her.

"Oh, God, don't stop," she moaned wearily as the driver jumped in and closed the door behind him.

"I hope I am not interrupting something in here," he said cheerfully as he glanced in the rear mirror.

"It's not what it sounds like, get your head out of the gutter," Bailey replied sarcastically from behind.

"Unlike you, Barry do know what women needs," Sarah, another firefighter, piped up as she leaned forward and smirked at the driver.

"If you kids are done with the bantering, I suggest we head back to base," the lieutenant said as he got into the firetruck on the forward passenger side.

"Yes, sir," the driver replied as he fired the engine and put the truck into gear.

"The weather forecaster warned that today was going to be the hottest of the year," Barry said jovially. "Want to bet how close to the station we come before another alarm goes off?"

"No," the others replied in chorus.

The driver glanced in the rear-view mirror as the sound of a rescue vehicle drew closer. "Here comes the boys in blue," he remarked dryly. "I thought they'd stay inside today."

"I do think they can handle a little heat," Bailey replied dryly. "They do dodge bullets."

Barry let out a low whistle. "Careful. Nune might take offence, remember she's fraternizing with the enemy," he called teasingly.

"Give it a break, guys," the lieutenant called. "LAPD can be of use from time to time."

Sarah and Bailey shared an exasperated look.

"Isn't this LAFD vs LAPD thing a little old?" Bailey asked.

"Of course it's old," the lieutenant said with a smile. "It's a long-standing tradition."

She shook her head with a sigh.

"Come on, Nune," her boss cajoled. "This little rivalry that we have going on; it's just for show nowadays. You know that, we all know that. We all stick together when it counts."

"Yeah, but we do love to beat their asses at our annual sport games," Barry piped up with a good laugh.

"Except they won last year," Sarah reminded him.

"Well, this year they won't," the lieutenant said self-assuredly, we've made some really good recruitment this year. They don't know what's coming for them in the "Battle of Badges".

"Careful boss, better leave tactics out of it while Nune is still with us," the driver teased.

"Fire engine 53, smoke has been observed from an old abandoned factory a few blooks from your position. Are you available?"

"Hand me the money, folks," Barry called over the noise.

"I never recall placing a bet?" Sarah protested.

"Dispatch, Fire engine 53 responding," the lieutenant confirmed.

OOOOOO

To be continued