A Sunday Kind Of Love || Angela Lopez

°•pilot•°

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"Ma'am? Sgt. Grey said you asked to see me?"

Zoe Anderson looked up from her paperwork and carefully inspected the woman in front of her before standing up to greet her, her own hand extended for a handshake,

"Yes. We met briefly once, I don't know if you remember"

"Jay's funeral, ma'am, I remember"

Zoe smiled sympathetically, "why don't you take a seat"

Caroline readjusted how she held herself; she'd spent too much of her life seeing that smile whenever anyone knew something about her. Only Jay had never looked at her like that.

"Respectfully, Captain, I know I'm the first and last rookie to be called up to your office today and I want you to know that I'm not damaged goods... A check-in isn't necessary"

"I read your file"

Just like that, Caroline fell silent.

"Or at least I tried to.. I don't know why it's redacted or what exactly a 25 year old could find themselves in that's worthy of being redacted but, knowing Jay, I can only imagine what a Hughes gets roped into," Zoe stood up, moving to stand in front of the desk, leaning against it "I want you to know that everyone here starts at square one, including you"

"And a special meeting with the captain first day on the job is how that plays out?"

"You're witty," Zoe inspected her one last time before turning back to sit behind her desk "Roll call starts in 5, I won't keep you"

Caroline paused, debating whether to reply, "Thank you, captain. I promise not to let you down"

"I wouldn't expect anything less"

Walking out, she spotted a familiar face inspecting the plaques on each door he passed.

"Turn around, beach boy. Rookies don't get one-on-ones first day on the job. You're being punked. Now come on, we've got roll call"

Nolan stopped outside Anderson's office, his face riddled with indecision. He and Caroline hadn't been close back in the academy, and he doubted they would be bffs anytime soon, but he didn't think she'd lie to him on their first day. Then again, why would the officers downstairs have lied either?

"I'm telling you, don't let them win on the first day"

"But you were just in there? I saw you walk out"

Realising she wasn't getting anywhere, Caroline paused and shrugged, "it's your call. Just don't blow it before your pension kicks in"

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Words could not describe the satisfaction Caroline felt when Nolan shuffled into the front row beside her moments before Sgt. Grey entered roll call.

"I should've-"

"Mmhmm."

"All right, all right. Settle down. Settle down." Grey turned to size up the 4 rookies at the front "So, okay, we got some new blood this morning. And some pushing the expiration date. Get up."

Caroline stood up, straightening her posture and fighting back a smirk at how the others scrambled and knocked the table in their haste to get up.

"Smooth.."

"After six months together in the Academy, you've earned the right to be here. But you'll have to prove yourself to stay. The way we do things matters. Protocol and tradition are the metal from which every cop in this city is forged. Understand?"