Wesley is laying in bed asleep and I am looking for a shirt while throwing shirts behind me not realizing I tossed a shirt in his face waking him up.
"Mnh." Wesley says pulling the shirt off then saying "Mm. Morning."
I am still rifling my closet, looking for something and tossing clothes over my shoulder.
"Oh, hey. Sorry - I can't find my shirt." I say still looking
"You want me to help?" Wesley asks me
"Nope. I have a system." I tell him
"Uh-huh." Wesley says and gets out of bed and came behind me and kissed me
"Don't say anything." I tell him
"I wasn't going to." Wesley says
"Ooh! Found it!" I say pulling the shirt I wanted out
"Mm." Wesley says and starts tickling me
"Ha-ha!" I laugh
****
I am in the bathroom managing my hair when Wesley comes in and sees that clothes and accessories are lying and hanging everywhere.
"Huh." Wesley says
"What?" I ask him
"Nothing. Just it's a little messier since I moved in." Wesley says
"We were dating before, so I spent two hours cleaning up every time you came over. Now you're moved in, so you get to see the real me. Is that a problem?" I ask him
"No, I wouldn't want it any other way." Wesley says and pulls the shower curtain to find my grilled cheese in the soap dish and asks "When did you make a grilled cheese?"
"Last night after my shift. You were sleeping." I say grabbing the sandwich and taking a bite "Mmm! Mmm."
****
Grey came in and writes three numbers on the chalkboard: 81, 91, and 97.
"All right. Shake off the rust and grab a seat. Anyone want to guess what these numbers represent? Nolan." Grey asks when John raises his hand
"Those are the scores to our six-month exams." John says
"That is correct, Officer Nolan." Grey says
"Oh! We all passed." Chen says pleases
"Technically, yes, but that 81 is ugly, given that an 80 is basically an F." Grey says pointing to the 81
"Who got the low mark?" I ask
"Clearly not West." Tim says
"I could tell you, but self-reflection is necessary for your success as a patrol officer. So I want your guesses, as to which score is yours by end of shift. Understood?" Grey asks
"Why not give them now?" West asks
"To mess with our heads." John tells him
"Are you saying you're so easily sabotaged, Officer Nolan?" Grey asks him
"No, sir, I was speaking for Officer Chen." John says and she gave him a look and they both grin
"Sir, will there be consequences for the officer with the low score?" Chen asks him
"Officer Lopez, you want to take that?" Grey asks me
"At a minimum, a low score means merciless taunting for months." I say
"Great." Chen says
"But you three did pass, so there's good news - you can now wear short sleeves. Congratulations. Nolan." Grey says
"Sir, who will I be riding with today?" John asks
"I was thinking me. How's that sound?" Grey asks and John gives a thumbs up and Grey then says "All right."
When he turns away, John's expression turns anxious.
****
Me and TIm are talking.
"You look worried." I say to TIm
"I have never had a rookie score that low on the exam." TIm says
"There's a first time for everything." I tell him
"No. Officer Chen is a natural born test-taker. Nolan didn't even finish college. Plus, Chen had me for her T. O. Nolan had Bishop." Tim says
"Really? You're gonna smack-talk her when she's not here to defend herself." I tell him
"You're right. It's not the same." Tim says
"Even if she was here, you'd still be fighting for second place." I say and CHen comes up to us wearing a short sleeved uniform and no tie
"What are you doing?" Tim asks
"What?" Chen asks
"My rookies wear long sleeves and ties until the last day of probation." Tim tells her
"Yeah, but Sergeant Grey said -" Chen says but is interrupted but Tim while her smile fades
"Grey is not your training officer. I have complete discretion of the training of my boot, and that includes uniform. Okay? So go change back into your long sleeves. And don't forget the tie. Now, Boot." Tim says impatiently and Chen goes back to change and I feel bad inside for her
****
"Look, I'm with Wesley on this. The shower is definitely a beverage-only zone, and a soap dish is not a plate." West tells me
"Says who?" I ask
"Common decency, actually." West says
"Give me a break." I tell him and the man we arrested decides to speak up
"He's right. I live under an overpass, and even I think it's gross." The dude says
"Hey, nobody asked you." I tell him and he shuts up
****
Me and Wesley are talking in the hallway at the station.
"Have I told you how sexy you look in that uniform?" Wesley says coming closer
"No, most of your compliments come after I take it off." I tell him
"Oh." Wesley says
"What?" I ask him
"Nothing, just a little, uh -" He says and stops talking to just brush a piece of lint off my shoulder
"Really? You couldn't just be in the moment? You had to point that out?" I ask him
"What? You just had a little something on your shirt. I just -" Wesley says but is interrupted when West comes up to us
"Hey. Ready to roll?" West asks me
"Yeah." I tell him
"I'll see you at home tonight." Wesley tells me
"Can't wait." I say grumpily
West and I walk off through the bullpen.
"Hey, is everything all right?" West asks me
"Fine. I thought living together would be more fun." I tell him
Grey intercepts us wanting to talk to West while I continue walking.
"Officer West." Grey says
"Be in the shop." I tell West
****
Me and Grey were talking when Tim walks over and joins us.
Grey, Tim, Russo, and I are discussing the incident while surveying the scene.
"Still think they stole the uniforms to rob drug dealers?" Russo asks
"Let's skip the "I told you so" s, please." Grey says
"What does your intel say?" Tim asks
"Print from the store got a positive ID on our corpse. Trevor Travis, 28. Spent 18 months in Nevada State Prison for armed robbery." Russo says
"Known associates?" I ask
"Too many to name, but none in Southern California." Russo says
"Well, whoever his new crew is, they're ruthless enough to kill one of their own to stop our investigation." I say
"And whatever they're planning, no one's gonna see it coming because they're all dressed as cops." Russo says
"Hell, they could be working the scene right now." Tim says looking around at the personnel on scene
"So, we'll implement new identity verification protocols." Grey says
"I'll call my guys, have them start an interagency task force. We've got to get out in front of this." Russo says while the rookies watch us from the other side of the tape
****
Wesley has cleared off the table and set up something that looks like a chess timer on it. I came in, looking weary.
"Hey. This is gonna sound weird, but if you see any cops at the courthouse, check their credentials, okay?" I says
"Yeah, they sent an e-mail around. What's going on?" Wesley asks
"Eh, I can't really say. What's the timer for?" I ask him
"Well, I wanted to discuss something, and I figured this would be a controlled way to do it." Wesley says
"We're gonna fight using a timer?" I ask him
"Basically." Wesley says
"Okay." I say amused and sit across from him at the table and he taps the timer
"I spent an hour looking for the remote when I got home. Found it under the bed." Wesley says
"So?" I ask
"So the TV's in the living room. Look, I've been here a week and I have found coffee cups, bras, PopTarts inside of, on top of, and underneath almost every surface in this house. Now, I'm super-glad that you feel comfortable enough with me to be yourself, but I - I also â" He was saying till I interrupted him
"You'd rather I was someone else?" I ask him
"No. Not at all. I just think that it's important to set ground rules." He says
"Ground rules?" I ask
"Use the timer." Wesley tells me and I hit the timer
"You think I'm a slob." I say
"No." Wesley says
"'Cause I'm not a slob. I work my ass off in an incredibly controlled environment, and when I get home, I just want to relax. You might be anal-retentive and fold your underwear in a triangle - which is weird, by the way - but that's not me." I tell him
"Folding your underwear is not weird, and an orderly space helps me relax. There's enough chaos in the world. I'd rather not live in it." Wesley says
"You think this is chaos?: I ask him
"Timer." Wesley says
"No, screw the timer. This is how I live. I'm sorry if it upsets your delicate sensibilities." I tell him and get up from the table and turn to the bedroom, angry
"Wait, Sophia, I- I didn't -" Wesley was saying till I interrupted him
"You think I'm overreacting? You know what? I've had a long day. I'm going to bed. You should sleep on the couch." I tell him and go to the bedroom while Wesley calls after me
"I would, if I could find it." Wesley says
****
We are in the briefing room and I am still upset about what happened with Wesley when Grey comes in.
"All right, take your seats. As expected, the stolen uniforms caused a bit of paranoia out there. Overnight, there were two fights and a near shooting 'cause two officers didn't recognize each other. All right, that being said, it is vital that we remain vigilant. Understood? Now, to your exam scores. You all submitted your guesses last night, and none of you guessed right." Grey says and starts to write the names under each score
"Thank God. Nolan, I'm sorry." Chen says relieved and tries to be nice
"Save your concern, Officer Chen. Officer Nolan got the highest score, not the lowest. That "honor" goes to Officer West." Grey says
"That's not possible." I say
"I've seen a lot of strange things in my 20 years, but never would I have imagined that the golden boy would tank his test." Grey says
"But there's a th- like, I-I -" West says stunned having trouble making a sentence
"Uh-oh. Looks like Grey broke your rookie." Tim says
"Shut up." I say angrily to him when Russo appears in the doorway
"Ah, Agent Russo. You looking for me?" Grey asks
"No. Actually, Officer Nolan. Can you spare him for the morning? I need his help running down a lead." Russo says
"Nolan. All right, let's go back to work." Grey says
****
I go into where West and Chen are talking and they both stop talking when they see me
"West, your cadets are here." I tell him and head to where the cadets are and stand in the back while West comes in
"Hey. Sorry to make you wait. I am Officer Jackson West. I am currently a rookie patrol officer although, with the score I just got, I could be, um, mall security in my future. Okay. Good morning." West says
"Good morning, sir!" All the cadets say in union
"Right. Um..." He says getting his notes out "My whole life, the only thing I ever wanted to be was a cop. Every class I took, every sport I played were all meant to make me the best of -" He stops and crumples his notes "You know what? No. You are looking at a cautionary tale. The fallout of singular focus. You were told your entire life to study hard, stay in school. Look, I am living proof that you need to skip school. Stop worrying about overachieving and acing every single test. You know where the safest place to be is? The safest place to be the middle. Stop sacrificing and, uh start living." West says while I stand in the back of the room looking puzzled
****
West is sitting forlornly in the car as I walk up to him.
"That was unexpected." I tell him
"Yeah. Look, I'm - I'm sorry about the test." West says and I toss a bright pink jersey at him with the number 81 on it
"Tim had it made for Lucy, but now you gotta wear it." I tell him with a hint of a smile
"Seems fair." West says
****
Wesley enters while I am crying scrubbing the furniture.
"Hey." Wesley says coming over to me
"Hey." I say crying
"What's wrong?" Wesley asks me
"Nothing." I say wiping my eyes
"This is only gonna work if we talk to each other. You know that, right?" Wesley says
"I haven't lived with anyone after James died and I haven't loved anyone after him. I'm just scared that I will screw it up or that James would not be happy with me moving on." I say
"You won't. I won't let you. And James would be happy that you moved on." Wesley says and we both smile at each other tearfully
"Good, 'cause we're getting a maid." I tell him laughing a little
********
A/N: Hey guys! Thank you for waiting till I finally posted this hope yall are liking this book so far because I can't wait to finish this but I don't know if the show is going to make a season 6 so when I finish this book after season five I will start writing the Tim Bradford book and if they start posting season 6 then I will pause on the Tim Bradford. But thank yall for waitng hope you have a great day or night!