The Echoes We Carry

Seattle PD's Criminal Intelligence Unit wasn't just made up of the most elite detectives in the city — it was made up of a family, bound together not by blood, but by choice. Meet Edward Masen, newly transferred and seemingly broken, who is partnered with Bella Swan, a fiercely independent detective with her own scars. The two quickly become an unstoppable force, both on and off the clock. Between busting bad guys and dodging their sergeant's withering glare, they find that sometimes, the hardest case to crack is letting someone in.

Chapter 1

"This isn't a punishment, Ed. It's a second chance."

Edward sat across from his sergeant as he spoke, his voice calm, but firm. A transfer to the Criminal Intelligence Unit wasn't something handed out lightly, but Edward didn't feel like he deserved it. He hadn't slept in days, the faces of victims haunting his every quiet moment. He remembered the exact moment his unit rushed in at the end of his sting, immediately springing into action to keep safe the victims inside the warehouse they'd been hoarded into. His heart pounded in his ear, trying in vain not to look at the crumpled up body of a teen girl whose life he couldn't save, but wrapping his arms around the ones he could. The sounds of sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder as more backup and medics arrived.

"I'm fine," Edward replied flatly, though they both knew it was a lie.

Seargent Bucannon was a man who could see your bullshit from a mile away, and this is exactly what was happening. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "You're not fine. And that's okay. But I need you to recognize that staying in Vice will break you. CIU can use someone like you. You can still do good—just in a way that won't destroy you."

Edward glanced out the window at the city skyline.

A fresh start.

A new slate.

"It's okay to be scared, Edward. Youshouldbe scared."

Edward swung his gaze back to his sergeant, eyes determined. Finally, he gave a reluctant nod, hoping it would be enough to silence the ghosts.

…

Fuck, I'm going to be late.

Edward looked at his watch again, then back up at the pimply barista seemingly moving at a snail's pace to finish his coffee. "Almost finished?" he pushed, splaying his hands on the countertop by the pick-up station. The boy looked at him through a greasy mop of hair and frowned. "Almost, dude."

"Yeah, I just have to get to work. It's my first day at a new job, and I notice that you haven't even started on my order yet." Edward kept his voice calm, collected, as he explained it to the kid.

"Bro, I'm working as quickly as possible.Chill." The boy moved towards the back, still moving so painstakingly slow, and started on his coffee. Edward exhaled loudly and chanced another glance as his watch – he had a solid fifteen minutes.

Finally –finally, the kid returned with his coffee and Edward mumbled a thanks before twirling around to head out – only to run right into a body.

"Shit!" he yelled, just as the speed bump he nearly ran over yelled a strangled, "Ow –fuck!"

Edward hopped backwards, grimacing at the woman in front of him, shirt now soaked with coffee. "Shit, I'm sorry," he said. "Here, let me –"

"Fuck, this was not on my bingo card today," the woman laughed sarcastically, pulling the hot, damp fabric away from her body. Edward rushed to get some napkins and started to blot at her shirt, which had unfortunately been a stark white a second ago.

As he was wiping her shirt, he stopped suddenly, meeting her amused gaze. She had a huge smirk on her face, and Edward's breath caught as he fully took in her appearance. Her long brown hair fell in loose waves, framing her face, and her skin held the faintest flush of irritation. It was her eyes that really held him—rich, deep brown with flecks of honied warmth that seemed to spark with both amusement and mischief. They were sharp and intelligent, but there was a softness too, an openness that felt disarming.

Her features were finely sculpted, from the gentle curve of her cheekbones to the subtle arch of her brows that lifted slightly in playful challenge. Even now, coffee-stained and mildly annoyed, she had an effortless beauty that didn't need enhancement. It wasn't just her looks that captivated him; it was the confidence in her smirk, the way she carried herself with a mix of assuredness and humor that made it impossible to look away.

"This is usually a third date kind of thing," she said, her amusement growing as she pulled Edward from his reverie. Edward felt his face flare up and he took a step back. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Ah – I can send you money, for your shirt. I'm afraid that probably won't be coming out."

"Or a coffee. Preferably, not worn," she said, eyes squinting with mirth. Edward chuckled and reached around to the back of his neck. "Yeah, of course. Um…"

"I'm usually here in the mornings. IOU?"

Edward let out a breath, honestly just relieved that she wasn't angry. "I guess I'll be here in the mornings, too. I recently moved here. I actually start a new job – shit!" Edward looked at his watch, realizing he had five minutes now to run three blocks. "I gotta go. I'm so sorry, again. Please, if I see you again coffee is one-hundred percent on me."

The woman stepped to the side, gesturing to the door, and Edward gave her one more apologetic look before bolting through it, the sudden adrenaline rushing through him making his fallen coffee a forgotten thought.

It was about three after eight when he finally pushed through the doors of the precinct, heading to who he assumed was the desk sergeant. She was an older woman, currently filling out some paperwork.

"Hi," Edward said, and she stopped writing and looked up. Edward saw that her nametag readClearwater. She smiled at him. "Edward Masen?" she guessed, eyebrow quirked. She looked at her watch quickly, but her eyes remained kind. "You're late."

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm not usually late either, but there was a mix-up at the coffee shop, and I accidentally spilled my coffee all over—"

"Paperwork," Clearwater said, holding a hand out to him. Edward paused, then realized she wanted all of his paperwork Bucannon had him fill out as part of his transfer process. Edward reached into his messenger bag, producing a manila folder with the documents. "Thank you. I'm Sue Clearwater, so if you need anything, just let me know. You're right upstairs." She pointed towards a stairwell and Edward gave her a thankful grin before heading towards it.

...

Wow, hello. It's been a minute, lol. How're we doing?