A/N: Not so much a "chapter" as it is a brief interlude.
Seargeant Renzulli sat in his office with Eddie and Michael, the door closed.
"And how long have you two been seeing each other?" Renzulli asked his two officers.
"We made it official three days ago, Sarge," Michael answered.
"Given… what's gone on in the past months," Eddie added, "we want to keep this quiet as possible, but with you as our Seargeant, we wanted you to know."
"Who else knows?" Renzulli asked, realizing he couldn't possibly be the only one.
"Officers Reagan and Walsh, and now you," Eddie said.
"And we were hoping we could keep it that way… Sir," Michael offered.
Renzulli looked between the two.
"Well," he said with a sigh, "I'll make sure you two aren't partnered together out on the streets. Also, I know you both know this, but I'll say it anyway… No PDA in the precinct. And, if you break up, no drama in the precinct. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Eddie and Michael said in unison.
"Alright, dismissed!" Renzulli said.
"Thank you, Sarge," Eddie said.
"Yeah, thank you, Sarge," Michael said.
As both walked out the door, Renzulli paused.
"Actually, Officer Daniels, hold up, let me speak to you for a minute in private."
Michael walked back into Renzulli's office, closing the door behind him.
"Yeah, boss?"
"So… You and Janko, huh?"
Michael nodded.
Renzulli sighed.
"You sure you know what you're doing, Daniels?"
"Sir?"
"You sure this isn't, at least on a subconscious level, a knight-in-shining-armor thing? Brave Officer Daniels coming in on his white horse to rescue a grieving widow?"
Michael bristled.
"No, sir," he answered calmly. "I care for her very much and she cares for me."
"I'm not saying you don't," Renzulli offered, "and I'm not saying she doesn't care for you, either. But, from the outside looking in…"
"May I speak freely, Sarge?"
"Go ahead," Renzulli said with a nod.
"I wasn't planning on having feelings for Officer Janko nor was she planning on having feelings for me. I know how it looks from the outside, so does she. I know you care for her, also."
"Like she's a sister," Renzulli said emphatically.
"Yes, which is why I'm being careful when I say, with all due respect, Sarge… We did our part in telling you about our relationship. The rest is, frankly, none of your business."
A beat passed between the two men.
Renzulli sighed.
"I apologize," he said. "I just… She's been through Hell, and I just don't want her to get hurt again. And I don't want you to get hurt, either."
Michael nodded.
"Understood, sir," he said.
Both men stood at ease, their shoulders relaxed.
"Are we good?" Renzulli asked.
"Yes, sir," Michael confirmed.
"And one more thing?" Renzulli said.
Michael stood in wait.
"Take care of each other, okay?" Renzulli said.
Michael smiled.
"Yeah, boss."
"Alright… Dismissed!"
