《Hidden infatuation》


 Blond, Bold, and Bored

    AN: Updates to come every Sunday to the best of our ability! Enjoy!


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    ¡°....One ...two ...three...four...and five pages. Oh, thank god! If I was going to have to take another trip again I swear ...¡± An aggravated female was mumbling to herself while rifling through a small stack of papers. She was standing in the middle of the fifth floor of a busy police department, very obviously in the way of everyone. Some people nodded toward her in a friendly greeting while others just glared angrily while pushing past the young woman to try and get to their own destinations. It didn¡¯t really matter though, she was far too focused to notice anything other than the report in her hand. She had a job to do and nothing would get in the way of that, that was the motto she tried to live by day in and day out.


    It was already Friday, her fifth day working at the New York City Police Department and nothing memorable had happened just yet. Considering how intense the streets of Brooklyn New York usually were, it was almost a let down in her eyes. For obvious reasons, she had been expecting the whole building to be full of hardened criminals with extensive rap sheets, but no. She hadn¡¯t gotten to witness anything like a drug bust or an unruly criminal trying to fight back against the cops if only to get shot.


    Truthfully--as bad as it sounded, she wanted some real gritty action! Instead, she was stuck sitting inside the small office at the front of the station, helping to organize all the current files that were waiting to be switched over to digital records. Of course, there was the promise of real ride-alongs, but that would most likely not come until a few months down the road. For now, it was a back and forth of being stuck inside a brick and mortar building attending random presentations, etc, etc, etc.


    The elevator, however, was something that the young intern was seemingly always going to struggle with. Her crippling claustrophobia only made worse thanks to the anxiety of trying to appease everyone who worked on the force. Her anxiety had only amplified when she stepped into the metal deathtrap. Dirty and smudged walls surrounded her on all sides and judging by its condition just at first glance, it was clear the thing was not up to code with any sort of recent inspections. She hated this part of the job, but Lisa Winthrop--her current supervisor--was counting on her to bring that very important report back down to her on the first floor. Swallowing her pride and closing her eyes tight, The young woman listened to the small motor whir and groan while she was brought down closer to solid ground. Long deep breaths in and then equally long breaths coming out in an exhale kept her nerves of steel steady and ready to trick anyone who might join her.


    It proved to be a correct decision, as once the elevator lurched to an abrupt stop--and forced her to will herself into not hurling on her shoes as the fourth-floor icon flashed in front of her--the electronic doors parted to allow two more passengers inside with her. The other female was very tan and in her police blues--short red hair in a very small and tight bun was all the intern could see of her. It was obvious that the other woman didn¡¯t care much for talk amongst co-workers judging by her dismissive attitude and absence of voicing even a simple hello as she placed herself onto the other side of a male--arms crossed over her chest to even further indicate her unwillingness to offer anything but a one-sided conversation. Something that the younger woman was just as unwilling herself to give so freely to someone that didn''t want it.


    The male was turned slightly, brown eyes soft in expression fixated on the floor panel. It gave her just what she needed to cast aside her apprehension about her possible metal grave and study him more closely--even if that was out of the corner of her eye. Sharp edges and deep curves lined his face, curly brown hair that was immaculately styled all aside from a few flyaway strands dangled carelessly above his forehead helping in making him look more human. A tight black t-shirt clung to a rigid frame, dark faded jeans hugged his hips in just the right way, and a police badge was tucked on the outside of his belt. Handsome features resting above a rigid jaw line and a completely stoic expression; the young woman found herself captivated.


    She had been in the middle of twirling her short blonde hair between index finger and thumb, counting the seconds until she could be free from this box-like prison when it suddenly dawned on her just how hard she had actually been staring. Far too long as well she noticed, quickly averting her gaze until an almost inaudible beep signaled the man¡¯s stop, and then almost immediately after, her own. With one quick dip of her head to the female--who had scoffed at the gesture--she stepped onto solid ground, releasing a soft gasp of relief that she was now safe. Until she had to take a trip to yet another floor, she was going to appreciate every moment not spent in an elevator, and it was going to be marvelous.


    ¡°Hey, Lis.¡± She called out to her supervisor, and whom she had recently identified as one of--well only--friend in the five-story tall building. It had been a full week of paperwork and boring lectures, and even though Lisa was technically her boss, she was the one person who was keeping the intern sane through it all.


    ¡°Big Kat! Did you get the report that I asked for? Please tell me Sergeant Dickwad didn¡¯t try to give you trouble again! I swear I am going to kick his ass for the comment he made yesterday. Oh! There you are you little piece of-.¡±


    Standing in the main lobby, the all too familiar chipper voice that could only belong to her supervisor sounded muffled behind the bulletproof glass that separated that room from the rest of the precinct. The sudden and none too kind curse that slipped from her lips startled the blonde, throwing off her guard even if just enough that it ushered a brief pause. She was not the subject of the woman''s insult...but who-?


    ¡°Did you just call Leo a-? Where are you?! I can hear you but-OH!¡±


    Suddenly and without any warning, a small brunette woman appeared from the other side of the glass and shouted with glee. Lisa''s sudden exclamation forced a soft gasp of surprise from the interns'' lips, her eyes fluttering as her hands balled into fists. A tightness in her chest betrayed the notion that it was a simple scare, rather instead a rising panic that she struggled to keep down before it could show on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that! I told you I hate getting startled! Jesus!¡± She spat at her superior. Lisa erupted into a fit of giggling, clutching something tightly in her closed fist


    ¡°I know, I know, sorry Katrina,¡± Lisa gasped for air. She laughed hard, her breath coming out in short gasps. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I swear, but-your face! Woo-ho-hoo!¡±


    A loud buzzer indicated the office door was now unlocked, the brunette still cackling and gasping for air when Katrina threw the door open and marched through. With her hands on her hips, her brows pinched together, a small pout touching her lips furthered the obvious frustration that burned in the pit of her stomach. Normally, the shenanigans that Lisa often got up to ceased to bother her but had she not had her guard up when she''d parted from the elevator, the entire situation could have turned out entirely different. Lips twitching, Katrina had to hold her breath in for a couple of beats before breathing out again.


    ¡°Really, I could have punched someone, the Captain would have loved to see that.¡±


    Katrina huffed but then stopped when she watched as her supervisor was putting an earring back into place. That mini heart attack caused merely because her ecstatic supervisor had finally found a piece of jewelry. The same one that she had lost on Katrina''s first day, hence why her introduction into the precinct was two hours spent looking for a small piece of silver on the ground. It wasn¡¯t worth staying mad at the records clerk for something like this. Lisa had been absolutely heartbroken when she thought she lost a piece of the set in the first place. The intern swallowed her pride for the second time in ten minutes and did her best to relax a little bit.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Did you just find it? Where?!¡±


    Lisa playfully slapped Katrina¡¯s shoulder and flashed her a playful wink before speaking animatedly.


    ¡°You, my darling little youngin¡¯, are my good luck charm! No sooner had you gotten back down here than I saw it glittering on the floor right underneath your chair,¡± Lisa squeaked, clapping her hands together. A broad smile tugged at both sides of her lips and she was practically bouncing on the tips of her toes. Her naturally bubbly nature was so infectious and endearing, it was almost sickening.


    Katrina finally slid back into her desk chair, both of her knees cracking and popping in unison as she settled herself into a comfortable position. Soon, the two were at work, laughing hysterically over the simplest of topics as though they had been friends for much longer than a week. Despite that brief period, Katrina could have considered her a closer friend over those that she had known for years. While Lisa slipped away, Katrina couldn¡¯t help but laugh even harder. The internship had been like this from the start--even though the young woman wasn¡¯t getting to enjoy any crazy police chases or anything to that extent--at least she had Lisa.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The police station¡¯s front entry resounded with the laughter of two women who seemed to be enjoying their jobs entirely too much. For a Friday, it was uncharacteristically slow. By now they usually had a good hoard of people who would have come and gone: a majority mere petty crimes and more frequently than not an older lady that was missing her cat for the third time that week--Katrina had learned her face by that Wednesday. So when none other than the captain of the precinct, himself, showed up in the front window of the lobby, both females couldn¡¯t help but immediately fall silent. It was safe for both to assume that he was intervening with the intentions of yelling at the pair¡¯s unprofessional demeanor.


    ¡°Sor¡­ Sorry, sir. Were¡­ were we being too loud?¡± Katrina¡¯s finger was jammed into the intercom button, a slight trembling in her limbs. Her eyes were focused on the tall and dark man looming over them.


    The hardened lines of his face suggested that he was irritated with their antics, only for that stern expression to give way to a more gentle amusement. The intern felt that everlasting anxiety of trying to appease everyone only becoming worse the longer his presence persisted. Her insides did an unpleasant somersault and a sickly lurch while she attempted to form a cohesive sentence.


    ¡°We can be a lot quieter. Sorry!¡±


    Both women stole glances at one another and then abruptly looked back to their superior¡¯s none too amused expression. Having crossed a line--and being more than aware of that fact--Katrina suddenly remembered why she had been less than adamant about forming personal relationships with co-workers. Lisa may have just been a stepping stone in what could have made or broken her career whether by good intentions or bad, and likely by association, slow her down when she wanted to quickly climb up the ranks at the precinct. She''d already been able to get an internship position while still in college. Katrina was so close.


    They stared at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, the captain''s arms crossed and a focused expression practically drilling holes into the intern until finally, he stepped away from the window and used his keycard to gain entry into the area both girls were sitting in.


    ¡°Reynolds! My office, now,¡± his voice was calm and level---something that must have taken years of practice.


    ¡°Yes, of course, sir,¡± Katrina gulped and jumped out of her chair, immediately falling into step with his tall form. Looking over her shoulder, she gave Lisa a look that screamed, I¡¯m about to get fired and this is all your fault. They would talk later and bicker about it then, most likely right after she emptied out her locker.


    The captain and intern hadn¡¯t talked much aside from her first day in the precinct, but even then it had been fairly brief. He had welcomed her in with open arms but then handed her over to Lisa almost instantly. So, even on this walk of shame--where Katrina was sure she was about to get the boot--she finally had the chance to look him over a bit more. The guy was tall, lines in his face betraying the hidden signs of descending into older age, he didn¡¯t look too bad. Whereas most people wouldn¡¯t notice them, Katrina¡¯s attention to detail helped her to catch some very tiny grey hairs amongst the rest of his thick and textured black hair that came up into a short razor fade. He looked well put together--but then so did Katrina and look where she was--and he was the leader of an entire police department. That was one thing she realized she could only continue to dream about being in her future. She had gotten too comfortable around Lisa, and it was going to cost her something that would have lead to her dream job. She was done for and she hadn¡¯t even had the chance to really try.


    They made their way around a maze of interconnected hallways and doors, Katrina wringing her hands together and biting her lip the entire time. Finally, they stopped in front of a glass door, the words, ¡®Captain Levi Gellar 78th Precinct NYPD,¡¯ were etched in big gold letters directly in the center. He opened the door and stood so that Katrina had a chance to walk in first. She immediately went for the gray stack chair meant for visitors. Eyes downcast and head down, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to sit with good posture. Like everything else in her life before college, she had failed this internship and hard.


    A soft click signaled the door shutting behind her and slowly her boss came into view just outside of her peripherals. They stopped in front of her for a brief second, but just as quickly continued on to the chair behind his desk. Katrina finally took a chance by looking up. He was smiling, and her nerves finally started to ease a bit.


    Katrina erupted into a full-blown panic. ¡°I am so sorry about back there in the lobby, sir! I don¡¯t know what came over me, we were just having a bit of fun while getting through some of those files. It won¡¯t happen again. I swear if you just give me another chance, I will not let you down.¡±


    This internship would determine if she had a chance at becoming an actual police officer, the first step in achieving her lifelong career aspiration. To think she ruined it all by being a bit too loud--one time--was absolutely ridiculous. Even still, there was no reasonable explanation for why the captain would have called her into his office, so she had to assume the worst.


    ¡°Katrina, please,¡± He shook his head and a small laugh escaped from deep in his throat. Leaning back, he folded his arms behind his head. ¡°You and Miss Winthrop are close, it¡¯s only natural for the two of you to get a bit loud while talking from time to time, and trust me, it doesn¡¯t get any worse down here than up on the third floor. No, I brought you here for an entirely different reason.¡±


    ¡°Is this about when I accidentally walked into the evening shifts roll call last night? Or maybe when I accidentally spilled coffee on your jacket Tuesday? I offered to get it cleaned for you!¡±


    The blonde hiccuped a couple of times, staring at her boss as he watched her with a seemingly amused expression.


    ¡°No. None of that!¡± Levi shot straight up and used his index finger to push a piece of paper toward the frantic woman. ¡°Take a look at that letter, won¡¯t you? I wanted to bring you into my office so that I could congratulate you, personally.¡±


    Katria blinked a few times, her hiccups only getting worse while she attempted to process what was just said.


    Congratulations? For what? Trying and failing miserably at your unpaid job!? Yeah, you really suck.


    Grabbing the paper with the fancy letterhead, she scanned the document quickly. Of course, when she realized what it was implying, she had to read through it a bit more slowly the second time around.


    ¡°Surely this has to be some sort of mistake,¡± Katrina offered almost incredulously.


    ¡°No. Not a mistake. I made the decision myself. That quick thinking on your part has me convinced that bending the rules and putting you with a partner to shadow a few months earlier than normal would benefit all of us. You¡¯ve got the drive, determination, and intelligence that would make for an amazing police officer, Miss Reynolds. Keep it up, and you just might find yourself in the police academy just over six months from now. Might help you to get into the FBI right on schedule then and everything, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Katrina stared at the captain again, this time her expression twisting from one to another. Holding the letter incredibly close, the blonde blinked a few times until she finally had the ability to speak again.


    ¡°Thank you, Captain Gellar. Really, this is-.¡±


    Words wouldn''t form themselves on her lips, mouth opening and closing uselessly. Any attempt at finding the right words as to how grateful she was proved to be futile, eyes wide and staring dumbfounded at the man just across the desk from her.


    ¡°So, not next Monday, but the following one?¡±


    He gave her a nod, lacing his fingers together.


    ¡°Yes. You will have one more week with Lisa and then the remainder of your internship will be spent up on the third floor. The officer who has agreed to work with you needs a few more days to finish some casework and I would feel bad putting the two of you together in the middle of the week.¡±


    Katrina nodded in understanding while still buzzing with excitement. The relief she felt to know she wasn¡¯t fired but in fact placed into a fast track in her work program felt too good to be true.


    ¡°Thank you again, sir. I promise I won¡¯t let you down!

 Fashionably Late

    It was finally Friday.


    That meant that Saturday and Sunday were the only two days standing in between Katrina and being able to shadow a real-life cop. After getting over the initial shock of everything, the young woman couldn''t be more excited.  It was all she ever talked about during working hours with Lisa. Honestly, she was surprised the older woman hadn¡¯t asked her to shut up yet.


    ¡°What if the officer that Captain Gellar, paired me up with hates me? Or worse yet, what if they end up being a complete asshole, just in general?¡±Katrina asked while trying not to get too worked up.


    The pair was sitting at a table in the breakroom that sat tight against the only wall with windows. The only view that was offered was of the parking lot that was in desperate need of repaving, and the jail that was connected via a small walkway on the second floor of the station. The only people who could get a good look outside were those brave enough to touch the grimy blinds that were certainly showing their age.


    This room was one of the biggest in the whole precinct. Four vending machines lined the wall adjacent to the doorway and the wall opposite that was full of lots of counter space and a bulletin board. There was an old television mounted on a small wooden shelf in the corner with a dead plant sitting underneath it.


    ¡°Really, I keep telling you. It¡¯ll be fine! You keep forgetting that Gellar said someone agreed to have you follow them around. It¡¯s not like the captain had to seek someone out to fill the position. They found him and said they wanted to do it.¡±


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll get paired up with Lieutenant Gray, of all people. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Most of the people that work here are super nice and really welcoming.¡±


    The intern blinked when she heard the mention of Lieutenant Gray. Surely Lisa wouldn¡¯t think to mention someone by name unless they were one of the absolute worst. She bit her lip and started wringing her hands together while still staring the records clerk down.


    Taking a bite of her apple, Lisa laughed at the magazine article that she''d been enveloped in for the majority of lunch. In hopes of trying to get Katrina to focus on something else, she tried passing the magazine over to her friend with a grin.


    ¡°See I told you! Liam Hemsworth has really let himself go! I¡¯m not crazy after all.¡±


    Katrina grabbed at the magazine and nearly crushed the edges between her open fingers.


    ¡°Lis. This is serious! I¡¯m nervous as hell!¡±


    The brunette took a deep breath and tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment before finally making eye contact with her prot¨¦g¨¦ again.


    ¡°Again, you need to relax, Big Kat! Come on you are better than this and you know it. Where is Little Miss Badass, huh? What happened to that girl I met two weeks ago? So you are going to shadow someone and help with real-life casework a bit early. That was the plan for down the road anyway, wasn¡¯t it? Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why you are freaking out. This is exciting! Special Agent Reynolds, here you come!


    Katrina did nothing but glare in return.


    ¡°Alright fine.¡±


    Lisa huffed and finally gave in.


    ¡°For starters, the one guy is Detective Quinn, not Winn or whatever the hell you said before. He¡¯s got a reputation, and he is super full of himself, but really he¡¯s harmless.  If you smell cigarettes and coffee mixed together, you know you¡¯ve found him, can¡¯t say I would understand why you wouldn¡¯t want to though.¡±


    The older of the two women put a hand to her mouth as if the mere thought of it was enough to make her shudder.


    ¡°Sorry, yeah, that smell is unmistakable. It¡¯s absolutely disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so stay away from Adam. Got it.¡±


    Katrina nodded slowly while watching to make sure Lisa wasn¡¯t about to get sick all over the lunchroom. Once her friend seemingly recovered, she continued with her questioning.


    ¡°Well, then what about that lieutenant guy you mentioned? What¡¯s his deal? Is he the actual precinct asshole or something?¡±


    At this point, Lisa snorted so hard with laughter that she almost started crying. A couple of other nearby officers couldn¡¯t help but look over in the girls'' direction, quizzical expressions crossed over their dumbfounded faces. She slapped a hand against the table''s surface a couple of times and shook her head no, completely unknowing or uncaring that everyone was staring at them.


    ¡°Kaleb?¡± Another sharp intake of breath on the brunettes part. ¡°Oh, absolutely not. He¡¯s just a bit...uh...Hmm. Okay, how do I put this?¡±


    Katrina folded her hands across her lap waiting patiently.


    ¡°He¡¯s not a bad guy or anything. He¡¯s just really quiet and hard for a lot of people to figure out. Lieutenant Gray is...well I guess you could say, complicated. Honestly, at this point, he does what he wants and we all just sort of, let him. A couple of people have actual bets on when he snaps and kills someone...No, Adam would most certainly be more of the precinct asshole, for sure. Hands down.¡±


    Lisa noticed her friend''s absence of eating, the frozen meal left untouched, and she sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°Oh come on, eat already! Who am I your freakin¡¯ mother?! We¡¯ve already been over this whole eating thing multiple times, sugarplum!¡±


    Hearing about how emotionally unstable one of the higher-ranking officers in the police station seemed to be did nothing to calm the blondes'' nerves. If anything, hearing all of that only proved to make her feel worse. All it took was Lisa making the comment that involved the blondes'' mother, and the young woman snapped out of it and started eating on command.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She spoke in between chewing forkfuls of cheap steak. ¡°I mean you¡¯re right. What''s the worst that can happen?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Honestly sweetie, nothing you encounter here will be more awkward than those two drunk guys singing Baby Shark at the bar from last weekend. You handled that like a champ, and that was before a single drink even went down. Gellar chose to let you do this, and he doesn¡¯t make those kinds of decisions lightly. He knows what he¡¯s doing, I promise.¡±


    ~~


    When Katrina had finally left the precinct for the evening, she was cutting it very close to when her night classes were supposed to start. Since the spring weather was cooperating, she could walk the distance in between precinct and campus without an issue. This feat proved to be a bit more difficult and time-consuming than she had originally planned, but being late to class for once in her life wasn¡¯t going to be that big of a deal.


    She made her way into the center of the school grounds, only to find the person she had been looking for noticeably put off about something. Standing before her with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his eyes drilled straight into her, and yet the young woman didn''t flinch.


    ¡°Barry!¡± Katrina greeted cheerfully. ¡°What¡¯s got you so upset? Did Professor Andrews try and call you out in the middle of the class again?¡±


    She gave him a playful shove at the ribs, but he was unwavering.


    ¡°Look, I know you always get so lonely when I¡¯m not around, but ta-da! I¡¯m here now! You can stop being so sad!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, stopping abruptly when her friend still hadn¡¯t said a word. She could see his expression hardening with every passing second. Why was he glaring?


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± Katrina dropped her blue backpack on a nearby bench and then closed the gap between herself and her classmate. Leaning in close, she brought him into a very tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just teasing you. What¡¯s wrong? Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    At Katrina¡¯s kind gesture, Barry¡¯s face finally softened. His right arm snaking around her waist, he had a very good hold on her.


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    ¡°You¡¯re late! I was getting worried! I thought something had happened to you, I tried calling and texting you and no answer. Seriously, Kitty, I thought you were dead! I was this close to calling 911!¡±


    Katrina listened and found that she had to fight an overwhelming urge that begged her to punch him square in the jaw for a brief moment. On one hand, she knew he was right, it wasn¡¯t nice of her to leave him in the dark as she had. He was looking out for her, and she knew that. On the other hand, he wasn¡¯t her keeper either.


    ¡°Well,¡± she spoke calmly, a forced smile betraying any notion that she might be even the tiniest bit irked. She wanted to be mad at him, but she just couldn¡¯t do it. He was always so nice, helping her study--and more importantly, keeping her out of trouble after having one too many drinks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was out of line. Next time I¡¯m running late, I will make sure to at least shoot you a text message, okay? It was just my last day on the first floor and I wanted to make sure to say goodbye to everyone and tie up some loose ends. The train was also running late and I lost track of time.¡±


    Barry let out a small sigh and hugged the impossible woman even tighter to his side. Before her internship, he had always respected her space. Ever since her mention of getting to shadow an officer a bit earlier than originally anticipated, he just seemed to be much more protective of her. They weren¡¯t even together or anything! He had just decided to take this duty upon himself while fully aware that the young woman could win her way out of a fight.


    ¡°Right, it was your last day on the first floor. You¡¯ll still see all those same people again on Monday, so who cares?


    Katrina cared, but maybe he had a point. The only person who she was even remotely close to back at the station was Lisa. Even then, the two of them had made a serious effort to hangout as much as possible outside of work. So if she had left without saying much, it probably wouldn¡¯t have mattered to anyone.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She continued to lie. It was effortless at this point. ¡°Now come on, let¡¯s get to class already or Abigail will have it in for me...again.¡±


    ~~


    Sunglasses on and earbuds at full-blast, Katrina watched helplessly while another Express Train sped through the station. She was used to random delays during the morning rush, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. That was the third one in twenty minutes and if she didn¡¯t get on a train within the next few, she was going to be late to work.


    Shit!


    Right on cue, an R Train finally stopped to allow passengers on board. It had grown fairly crowded at this point, and because the young woman didn¡¯t want to take any chances, she decided that going on the offense, in this case, would be best.


    ¡°Pardon me¡­¡¯ Scuse me!....Thanks!¡±


    A small frame allowed the young woman to slip in between people with ease. She even managed to elbow some kid who was trying to use his skateboard to get onboard from behind her. Eyes twitching, her irritation was well hidden behind her shades.


    ¡°Not today, asshole,¡± she rolled her eyes and pushed past him standing right up against where the doors would close. She made it! Thirty more minutes and she would be back to the place where she felt most at home!


    As the train finally started in motion, Katrina found that the all to familiar pit in her stomach was coming back. She didn¡¯t mind the crowd at all, living in New York City her whole life, she was used to this. No, the discomfort wasn¡¯t from her claustrophobia. Trains didn¡¯t bother her. It was more so a bunch of nerves that were plucked individually the closer she grew to work, and with no sign that the insistent plucking would be relieved any time soon.


    You¡¯ve got this Reynolds. Everything is going to be just fine. Relax, damn it!


    Getting from the train into the precinct was all just a blur for the young woman. In between making sure she wasn¡¯t late--and conquering her fear of taking the elevator up to the third floor--Katrina had been through a lot that particular morning. By the time she had found her desk--with a nameplate and all--she was able to start breathing normally again.


    Sunglasses on the desk--and the purple cardigan she had been wearing over her polo draped across the back of her chair, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a content and happy sigh. This was all real, and she had a desk space to prove it! Quickly setting to work, the blonde made sure to start up her computer terminal after sitting herself down. Her earbuds in and playing a particularly loud song, Katrina nearly screamed when someone brushed past her shoulder. Having been so wrapped up in writing a formal ''Thank You'' email to the captain, she had no hopes in being aware of the newcomer until they were already in her personal space.


    ¡°Holy-¡± A curse nearly left her lips until she came to the realization that it was only a coworker who had approached. He had already taken it upon himself to get comfortable on the edge of her desk, crossing his arms and giving her a quick once over. The fact that he was leaning in close enough that she could smell fresh cigarettes and stale coffee made her want to vomit. Then it hit her. They hadn¡¯t even been formally introduced yet and she knew exactly who this guy was...


    If you smell cigarettes and coffee mixed together, you know you¡¯ve found him.


    Detective Adam Quinn. Of course.


    ¡°Better get used to it. Fucker''s never on time." The male spoke gruffly.  Katrina couldn¡¯t even offer to shake his hand being as wrapped up in his snide comments as he was. A soft roll of his eyes--along with the derogatory name--made it clear that whoever this ¡®Fucker¡¯ was, he didn¡¯t like who she had gotten partnered with.


    While appearances could be deceiving, Adam definitely looked the type to create conflict--despite his short lanky form--judging by the short disheveled hair, a slight bit of stubble and a scar across his lower lip likely from a past dispute. Not to judge a book by its cover, but he most certainly looked like a brawler.


    "I could keep you company, ''least till the asshole shows up." A cocky grin split across his rough features.


    ¡°Oh! You must be Detective Quinn! How great to meet you.¡± Katrina offered him her signature fake smile. Playing nice around people she didn¡¯t care for was one of the things she had always been very good at. ¡°Your reputation certainly doesn¡¯t do you any justice! Actually, if you don¡¯t mind, I just really want to get this email finished up.¡±


    She averted her gaze from the man so she could focus on her computer screen. Hearing another voice call out from behind her, the young intern couldn¡¯t help but groan inwardly. All she wanted to do was let the captain know she had made it in on time and that she was eternally grateful for this opportunity, but no!


    ¡°Are you surprised he didn''t stay overnight again?" The second voice intercepted. Much smoother and kinder in comparison. Standing next to his companion--skin much darker than his paler counterpart--he offered a warm smile to the supposed ''new meat''. He seemed nice enough, but Katrina wouldn¡¯t let her guard down just yet if the two of them were considered friends.


    "Dennis Carlisle.¡± The newcomer introduced himself. ¡°Don''t let Adam scare you. He''s all bark, no bite." He joked, earning a warning glare from the detective.


    ¡°Hi! Yes! Katrina Reynolds, it¡¯s so nice to meet you, Officer Carlisle!¡±


    She shook his hand, with a smile. The fact that Adam hadn¡¯t been so kind as to introduce himself or shake her hand wasn¡¯t lost on her as far as first impressions went. She did mentally kick herself though, having felt bad for not standing up to greet them.


    ¡°The Lieutenant isn¡¯t as bad as Adam makes him out to be, really.¡± Dennis went on despite Adam¡¯s snarky comment. ¡°He¡¯s a little odd, but he¡¯s not a bad guy.¡±


    Katrina tilted her head to the side. Surely he wasn¡¯t referring to the same person she thought he was.


    ¡°Dudes a fucking prick.¡± Adam chimed in. ¡°Anyone else tells you any differently and they can kiss my ass.¡±


    Katrina rolled her eyes and her back stiffened when Adam went to rest one arm across her shoulders. Who did this guy think he was, seriously?!


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to warn you ahead of time, doll face.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a little late, sometimes. But he pulls long hours so you can¡¯t really blame him.¡± Dennis admitted. ¡°The best thing to do is just roll with it. You¡¯ll hear and see a lot while you¡¯re up here. Don¡¯t take too much to heart. If the captain was that concerned he¡¯d put the two on a different floor.¡±


    Dennis was already proving to be much kinder than his counterpart. Still, that wasn¡¯t helping to make her feel any better. All she wanted to do was get this internship finished, get the job with the police department, and then a few years later she could work for the FBI. All these weird curveballs being thrown her way were not helping!


    ¡°Thank you, Officer Carlisle, Detective Quinn,¡± Katrina closed her eyes and sighed. If she were outside of work, this situation would have been handled before it even started, but considering how many rules she needed to abide by here, Katrina could really use some help. Silently she prayed for some sort of miracle, her partner showing up, the fire alarm going off, anything.


    ¡°Everyone has been so secretive about this elusive partner of mine. From the way you¡¯ve both described him, I would almost have to guess that-.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s head shot up when she heard the familiar creaking of the elevator lobby doors sliding open. She knew that sound, even if she had never stuck around on this particular floor for very long. It was the sound that she loathed hearing when Lisa had begged her to grab some sort of paperwork from a different floor other than the first. Normally, as long as she wasn¡¯t going to wait for an elevator herself, she wouldn¡¯t be bothered by such a noise. However, the person who was going to either pass or fail her through the program still wasn¡¯t in yet, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he had just arrived.

 A Familiar Face

    Two legs in a pair of dark jeans strolled through the precinct doors with no other apparent aim than arrival. What was the time? 8:30 a.m. Their newest addition was late--much to Katrina¡¯s irritation. If she could be on time every day of the week while also attending night classes, then surely her superior could show her the same courtesy, right?


    Adam was babbling on in her left ear, Dennis droning on about something along the lines of asking the more eccentric man to be quiet--just without necessarily voicing that exact statement--in her right ear, Katrina used their distractions to size up the newest arrival more closely. At first glance, she assumed that it was a corporate asshole coming to bark orders for the simple fact that they had been standing around doing nothing for the past thirty minutes.


    Having started to piece together who it was that was walking toward them, and Katrina¡¯s breath caught in her throat.


    The letters ¡®NYPD¡¯ were stitched across the shoulder of what looked to be an expensive police issued jacket. A badge reading ¡°Lieutenant Kaleb Gray¡± adorned the other and a black t-shirt hugged the firm frame underneath. No tie, no white pressed shirt, and most certainly not someone that looked anything relatively close to a corporate prick.


    Kaleb was a precious little thing--if being over six feet tall counted as little--with brown eyes that were soft in expression, matching curly brown hair that was fixed perfectly aside from a few flyaway strands that hadn¡¯t managed to tame themselves since the week before. A familiar sharpness lined his face, a tick settling itself inside of a rigid jawline. The young blonde found herself dumbfounded.


    Kaleb was that guy from the elevator?! The one that Lisa was telling you about at lunch on Friday?! How did she describe him? Overly complicated. If Katrina recalled correctly.


    Tentative steps ceased abruptly a mere few feet away from the situation, neither of the two bickering men next to her having yet noticed his arrival. The Lieutenant¡¯s forehead creased, his eyes meeting Katrina¡¯s with raised eyebrows; his look of confusion did not last very long, as he seemingly processed the situation and gently scraped the hair at the nape of his neck.


    Seeing as to how the altercation was occurring directly next to their desks, he took the initiative to step in. With a seamless stride, Kaleb crossed the room and inserted himself between the trio, brushing the flaps of his jacket aside to shove his hands into the pockets of his jeans.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here Detective Quinn, Officer Carlisle.¡±


    The tone of his voice was gentle but powerful. A certain smoothness in the way it rolled off his tongue offered an undeniably calm demeanor, the sincerity in the way it was spoken making his words all the more confident--even with those eyes picking the two men apart with practiced ease.


    ¡°Look who finally decided to show.¡± Having perched himself on the edge of the desk, a cocky smirk tugged against a scarred lip that Katrina had to resist rolling her eyes to. For the moment Adam dropped his childish bickering just long enough to acknowledge the Lieutenant¡¯s presence, pushing himself into a standing position, arms folded across his broad chest again. ¡°I thought I got a strong whiff of shit for a second, and well, here you are.¡±


    Out of the corner of her eye, Katrina noticed Dennis take a noticeable step back as the more eccentric detective attempted to square up to the Lieutenant. It would¡¯ve been amusing if the situation hadn¡¯t been so tense--since the top of Adam¡¯s head just barely reached Kaleb¡¯s shoulder.


    Head swaying to the left--expression stoic despite the insult that would have gotten anyone fired depending on whom it was spoken to--Kaleb voiced a simple: ¡°Hello Detective Quinn.¡±


    ¡°I thought that when Gellar gave you a fine new intern you would pull your head out of your ass. Guess I shouldn¡¯t expect much out of you these days, hm?¡± Adam scoffed.


    ¡°I believe that Miss Reynolds was assigned as my intern. While I will agree with you that she is a fine addition to the precinct, I suspect that she has very little interest in engaging in any sort of physical activity with you unless you wouldn¡¯t mind to show her where she can fill out a sexual harassment complaint.¡±


    The lieutenants'' eyebrows folded as the words carelessly left his lips, borderline hostile.


    ¡°Oh! that really won¡¯t be-¡± Katrina attempted to spit out, but a subtle head shake from Dennis silenced any sort of attempt at preventing any physical altercation. She could only watch helplessly from the side, hostility only radiating from one person. Kaleb, while his tone was stern and evident of someone in his position, he didn¡¯t match up to the squared shoulders of his counterpart¡¯s.


    ¡°Okay, smartass.¡± Adam snapped, pursing his bottom lip. His fingers flexed and unflexed as though batting around the possibility of lashing out at the lieutenant. ¡°First, why don¡¯t you fuck off, and leave me the hell alone,¡± the detective practically hissed


    ¡°Second, you¡¯re not my boss. You don¡¯t order me the fuck around, got it?¡±


    ¡°First,¡± Kaleb mocked, his level tone betraying any sort of outward aggression, rather a simple explanation. Katrina could see it however, the twitch of his eyebrows that betrayed that hidden irritation. ¡°I will make something clear to you, Detective. Yes, I will go so far as to agree that my intelligence far exceeds your elementary vocabulary that you use to insult me. Second, as you so eloquently put it, as of two years ago, I am fully recognized as a superior, but I am not your servant nor will I act as your sitter. Finally, I will not tolerate any of your attempts to imply otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you two. Take a breather.¡± Dennis advised, finally deciding to intercept. Tenderly reaching out he grabbed the seething detective¡¯s arm, Adam threw his shoulder back, looking to Kaleb as he practically spat.


    ¡°Better watch your step. Next time, you won¡¯t get off so easy.¡± An underhanded threat--and something more recently recognized as a common occurrence seeing as how Kaleb remained unfazed through the entire thing. Shouldering past him--and muttering a slew of incoherent curses under his breath--Adam stepped away, throwing the door to the break room open and slinging himself inside.


    Dennis offered a helpless shrug, giving Katrina an awkward and apologetic smile before following suit, likely making sure that Adam didn¡¯t do anything regrettable in his fit of rage.


    Katrina¡¯s eyes trailed over to Kaleb, prepared to offer a slew of apologies for the situation, even a thanks for choosing to interfere in the first place, but the lieutenant¡¯s attention was diverted elsewhere. For a moment, he didn¡¯t move, watching after Adam with careful and untrustworthy eyes, features hiding something much darker underneath of the carefree expression that he was showing her, something more¡­ primal.


    Finally, he had turned to her, adjusting his jacket and extending a hand out. A slight and innocent smile tugged at his lips, so subtle that it was very easily missed. Katrina had seen it, though. ¡°Lieutenant Kaleb Gray. I had been told that we would be working together.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem like how Lisa had described at all.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Katrina mumbled at first, taking his hand into hers and giving it a firm shake. For someone as young as her, her hands were very calloused, but he made no comment towards such, his hand retreating back into his pocket immediately after.


    ¡°Yes! Lieutenant Gray, It¡¯s nice to meet you, sir! I¡¯m Katrina. Katrina Reynolds.Though since you knew we would be working together, you obviously already knew that.¡±


    Head swaying slightly to the left, the barest traces of a smile crossed his lips. One that lifted both corners of his mouth and disappeared as he acknowledged her introduction.


    ¡°I remember you.¡± He concluded in what was almost a whisper. Kaleb did know her, but as far as she knew this was the first time that the two had met. Officially.


    ¡°Um, ho-how?¡±


    ¡°You were the girl terrified of the elevator.¡±


    Oh. He had noticed then.You were playing it off so well though. Fuck!


    It was comical almost, how someone so...genuine could be the topic of such hateful gossip around the precinct. Especially considering he gave no sort of reaction to any of it, at least not that she¡¯d seen. Frankly, her superior was something to figure out another time.


    ~~~~


    The majority of the morning was spent with Katrina being shown around the third floor--not that there was much to see. Aside from the elevator lobby, a bunch of desks crowded together, and a break room that was hidden away in a back corner of this particular floor, that was about it. Kaleb made sure to bring her back down to the first floor, so he could give her a full tour of everything the building had to offer. Considering how old the precinct looked from the outside, the modernization on the inside was a really nice touch. Every wall was a very light blue, white signs with black print were everywhere, helping to make sure both visitors and people who worked at the station knew exactly where they were or how to get to a particular destination. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Stepping off the elevator, Kaleb used his keycard to grant himself and his intern access into the front office which would then lead them into the rest of the station. Katrina and Lisa had locked eyes with each other for a brief moment there. The records clerk seemed to realize her mistake in having called the lieutenant out during their lunch last week. It was fine though, Katrina was a smart enough person to figure out that Kaleb really wasn¡¯t as bad as everyone made him out to be. Still, she could see an expression come over her friend that the young woman was not used to.


    ¡°Kaleb,¡± Lisa greeted kindly, showing no signs she was nervous at all.


    ¡°Miss Winthrop,¡± the police lieutenant offered back curtly. Katrina watched as he refused to make eye contact with the brunette and he just continued to keep moving forward.


    The pair walked past Gellar''s office on their way toward some holding cells. The intern and police captain actually waved to each other and she swore she saw him start to salute with the most confident of expressions. After passing the holding cells, the pair went to look at the interrogation rooms. Continuing on and around the corner there was an evidence room and even though it looked small from the outside, the young woman could only imagine all the stuff that was behind that small door.


    They made it to the second floor, this one had a crime lab, some office spaces, a meeting area, and locker rooms. They skipped up to the fourth floor, and this area actually housed some courtrooms and more offices along with just a handful of desks in the center of the space. Lastly, the fifth floor had a 911 dispatching center and another small group of desks that officers who worked on things like traffic tickets sat at.


    The longer that the pair walked through the precinct--and the longer Katrina spent looking at the signs--it became very clear that despite his easygoing and friendly demeanor, her superior was not a sociable person. Any questions were met with short answers--his calm tone made it difficult to ascertain that he would be acting in a negative manner, rather it was more noticeably just his personality.


    In fact, Katrina was struggling to catch up with his confident stride, every step taking him several paces ahead, but he noticeably adjusted his pace when he realized she was falling behind. After covering every inch of the percent, the pair made their way back down to their assigned floor.


    Inside the break room, it was much smaller compared to the rest of the building--it would¡¯ve been considering it was just for third-floor employees. Standing tables dotted the floor, tall stools placed beside each one. A counter wrapped around the edge of one wall finished with a variety of kitchen appliances. Kaleb wasted no time, parting from her side to the counter that housed the coffee maker.


    Katrina trailed obediently after, half expecting him to drink his coffee black. He didn¡¯t, rather his first instinct was to grab more than several packets of creamer and sugar, throw them into the steaming mug and barely giving it just enough stirs to compensate for so many additives. Several heads swiveled to look at them, some curious--she sincerely hoped they were not questioning why she hadn¡¯t been fired yet, or maybe even why her superior hadn¡¯t flipped out on her judging by how everyone in the precinct seemed to talk about him.


    From her spot at Kaleb¡¯s side--with his back turned to her--she caught Adam standing across the room at one of the high tables, entertaining his minions so to speak. From her spot, she didn¡¯t necessarily hear what was being said, only noticed that Adam expressed himself a lot with his hands. What kind of motion was he doing? Strangling a small animal?


    Glancing sideways, Katrina realized that her superior had at least noticed--the quick glance sideways as he prepared his coffee was evidence enough of that--but the absence of aggression settled any nerves that she was having about another altercation on her behalf. Turning, the small of his back pressed against the counter, sipping from a steaming mug of dissolved sugar and cream, his eyes moved to his partner for the first time since his initial arrival a mere hour ago.


    ¡°I read your personal file.¡±


    Having grabbed a water bottle from the vending machine, she choked on the little bit that she had managed to ingest.


    ¡°My personal file, sir? Um,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Did-Did you find anything interesting in it? I¡¯ve never seen it myself, I just-.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Katrina was upset. How could she be? Being who he was and if rumors served, then it was likely he was just paranoid about who was being shoved onto him so suddenly. She couldn¡¯t be upset about that, but she did, however, feel suddenly paranoid about why he was bringing it up.


    ¡°We could talk about it. Away from everyone else. Maybe we could go back to our desks and I could answer any questions that you might have? Now that we¡¯re partners, it would be nice to get to know each other.¡± A pit settled in the bottom of her stomach. Had she already messed up? Was he already making judgments based on what he read on paper? Katrina sincerely hoped not, but she couldn¡¯t make out anything by looking at his face. It unnerved her.


    And in true fashion--of what she¡¯d considered normal in the last hour--his eyes darted away from her upon her request, He continuously sipped at his coffee before holding it to his chest. Those deep brown eyes harbored an amused glint, the free hand that wasn¡¯t holding the coffee braced around his abdomen, supporting his other arm.


    ¡°No,¡± A corner of his mouth creased, and although he wasn¡¯t looking at her, she could tell that his words were directed at her. His eyebrows raised as he voiced the simple statement, the mug then discarded to the counter at his side. ¡°Nothing that is necessarily my business.¡±


    Kaleb moved away from the counter, his head rotating around the break room as though he were taking a panoramic shot, lips parting as if to say something more but the brief pause eluded the fact that he had decided on something else. ¡°Unless there is anything that you are wanting to ask me, otherwise I believe personal information should stay personal.¡± His eyelids fluttered, lips trembling as if he was hesitant to form the word as if it were some sort of foreign concept.


    With that, his steps retreated along the outside perimeter of the room, coffee left behind--Katrina took the initiative to grab it for him--and trailed directly after.


    ¡°I-yes, Lieutenant. That all sounds just fine.¡± She faltered at that moment, attempting to take in everything that he had said. Walking in tandem--being much easier since Kaleb had pieced together her stride--she let her mind wander, distant stare focused on the back of his head. What made this agonizingly private lieutenant tick? She wasn¡¯t so sure how she would even go about finding out. Polite yet firm, distant but passive-aggressive to the more deserved, knowledgeable but oblivious¡­ This was going to be a long six months.


    ~~~~


    The two sat in silence for several hours, their computer screens back to back with their desks practically connected. Her desk wasn¡¯t new by any means. Scratches and indentations marred the surface, the hardwood faded from its original color. A rust ring lined the bottom legs from having hardly been moved, and she¡¯d erupted into a coughing fit when she¡¯d thrown folders down on it earlier before promptly wiping all the dust from its surface. She realized that Kaleb hadn¡¯t been working with another intern for a while but damn.


    The state of his desk was vastly different from hers. While it did show its signs of wear, it was completely absent of any sort of indication as to a life outside of the precinct. While everyone else¡¯s had calendars marked with important dates, family pictures, or hobbies, the Lieutenant¡¯s remained completely absent of anything besides common office supplies--except for a sticky note with a simple ¡°Fuck You¡± written on it. No doubt from Adam Quinn¡­


    Scrolling through the database--while it was preferable to moving papers between the floors--resulted in Katrina humming a tune to herself. She wasn¡¯t looking for anything in particular, but Lieutenant Gray had yet to offer her any sort of task since that morning. Her mouth was watering looking through all of the open cases just begging to be investigated. A few names she scarcely recognized, most that deserved jail time and others who definitely had a relatively questionable history. For now, though, she would keep her mouth shut. Even though she had plans of her own for later, it wouldn¡¯t have been right for her to stick her nose in other people¡¯s business, at least not until she was official.


    Stealing a glance over her computer monitor, she watched her superior. He was diligently writing something down on a notepad. He was focused, having glimpsed at the computer monitor before promptly scratching more down. Brown eyes flicked over the screen with practiced precision, index finger mindlessly scrolling the mouse wheel as he moved back and forth. His handwriting wasn¡¯t very neat, she noticed but he was efficient.


    A voice resounding across the precinct calling his title, however, forced her to retreat back to her seat as he looked up. Kaleb¡¯s own spine hit the back of his chair to acknowledge the new arrival.


    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± Chief Gellar called as he approached. Relaxed, he seemed in a better mood and regarded Kaleb highly with a bright smile that always seemed native where the lieutenant was concerned. ¡°Are the two of you settling in well? Any cause for concern?¡±


    ¡°Everything is going great, sir. I¡¯m sure that the two of us will make a great pair.¡± Katrina replied rather timidly, mostly because Kaleb chose not to comment. A small huff escaped him, having not looked up from his monitor despite lounging back in his chair, one leg crossed across his lap, elbow perched on the side arms.


    ¡°Great. Well, anyway, I wanted to let both of you know that we finally got a location on Gomez. He¡¯s going to be taking house at Club Gravity tonight. I didn¡¯t want to have to pass this onto either of you, what with Ms. Reynolds still adjusting, but Harper got sick and left early this afternoon. I need an officer there to take that man down. Can the two of you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± Katrina breathed, the excitement of the possibility of her first time in the field almost getting the best of her.  Of course, the captain wouldn¡¯t respond to her--that would be left up to Kaleb--but she rounded in her chair to look at the lieutenant in anticipation, Gellar¡¯s hands planted on the desk leaning forward.


    ¡°What do you think, Lieutenant?¡±


    Looking up--and in between Katrina and Levi--and unless he was directly talking to her, it became noticeable he never spared a second glance. There were several instances that she had noticed his gaze moving behind her. He never commented on why.


    ¡°Ms. Reynolds can handle herself well enough for a drug bust. I¡¯ll be there to keep an eye on her, and I¡¯ll keep Officer Carlisle on standby.¡± He finished, rising into a standing position, straightening into a perfect posture while he fished his jacket from the back of his chair.


    ¡°I can always count on you, Gray. Keep it up, and you might be on the run for another promotion.¡± Nodding curtly, their captain turned on his heels and dismissed himself.


    ¡°This will be a bit unorthodox, so don¡¯t let her out of your sight, just show her how it¡¯s done.¡± He mused, already halfway across the precinct by then.


    Excitement rippled through every part of Katrina¡¯s being. At this point, she was unable to keep a bright smile from plastering itself across her face. That was when it dawned on her just what she was wearing.


    ¡°Hold on a second. I don¡¯t know much about clubwear and all that but I am pretty sure a small purple cardigan wouldn¡¯t be enough to hide my shirt that screams police intern¡­¡±


    ¡°If your concern lies with appropriate attire for arresting a drug fiend, I have no issue in stopping by your house so you can change,¡± Kaleb assured her, snatching his keys from his desk with a careful, calculated hand. ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡±