SOME KIND OF HEAVEN ↝ Mazikeen

↳ TWENTY-NINE

         "Don't worry, I'm sure Mazikeen will make a move soon enough", he comforted, and right before Izzy could slap his shoulder or reply with a snarky comment, he realized how serious of a situation he had walked into. Dan's one and only bottle on the living room table, no laughter or banter audible from the house, both cops looking less joyful as usual — and maybe Benjamin wasn't a detective like his brother, but he was quite smart, nonetheless. "Wait, what's going on? Did someone die?", the man began panicking, certain that he had forgotten or missed something important, and sighing, Dan nodded.

         "Yeah. John Decker, 16 years ago. Today is the first day of his killer's trial", he looked over to Benjamin, placing a hand on his shoulder, "better suit up, bro."

         "We're taking you there, and then we have to hold the fort at the precinct before we join you later. If you wanna, you could look for my mom, I'm not really sure when she is supposed to arrive but if you see a stunning redhead who looks 50% like she is going to bake you all the cookies in the world and 50% like the best detective in the LAPD, that's her", Izzy instructed with a smile, never turning down the chance to gush about the brilliance of her mother, and concluding from the happiness that twinkled in Benjamin's eyes, he was already rather impressed, too.

         "Sounds like I am 100% going to love her. Okay, give me a second to change and we'll get going", Benji clapped his hands together, and after he had disappeared into his bedroom, Izzy turned to Dan with the hope still twitching at the corners of her mouth.

         Driven by both instinct and the natural desire to take care of others, Izzy placed a supportive hand on Dan's shoulder and nodded confidently. "It's gonna be a long week, but it'll be okay. Chloe is going to be okay, and you will, and justice will be served, one way or another", she tried to smile, and she wasn't wrong — Perry Smith was going to face the music, but before that, they'd have to struggle a hell of a lot for it.

—————

        "DID YOU... GET LAID?"

          Izzy snorted on the coffee Dan had kindly bought for her on their way from the courthouse to the precinct, Benjamin left behind and the two of them ready to tackle the day with Ella — the latter of which was now analyzing Dan's musky aftershave and worked arms. Wiping the drink from her chin, Izzy gulped and looked to her friends, happy to stay out of the conversation, especially when she knew the truth and exactly who Dan had had sex with. But, Ella was less willing to let Izzy sit this one out.

         "No, come on! Look at him. I know this is a serious day and all, but he's... glowing", Ella tugged on her arm, pulling the woman right into her side so they could both inspect Dan closely. "What do you think, Iz?", a devious smirk twisting the scientist's lips, and with her brain digging through the potential answers without revealing too much of Dan's personal life, Izzy stared at the man, hoping for him to butt in and say something useful. Which, thank goodness, he finally did, a grin on his face.

         "I'm still in shock", he whispered and leaned over to both women, making Ella smugly nod her head. "She's gorgeous", Dan gushed, whereas Izzy was speechless, not wanting to weigh in too much and give away the truth. Which was, in this case, her and Maze spying on his date, with Amenadiel in their company too. But in her defense, she had merely been looking out for a loved one.

         As Ella pointed out that he wasn't half-bad either, Izzy finally took the chance to jump in with a vigorous nod. "Yeah, you're a handsome dude. Guy. Man", her hands waving in the air, "who knows, maybe you were the gorgeous one to her?", but Dan wasn't having it.