𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 | 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓭𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓪 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻

A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HAD been Maddie's choice of degree in college. She had been interested by the way things worked for as long as she could remember. In middle school, she vividly recalls making something blow up in chemistry class. Her parents also clearly recall that moment. Perhaps not the best decision she had made, but she couldn't help herself, she was curious. Because she knew what her career was going to look like, she wanted to know as much about the human body as she could. So, she majored in forensic science. Those set of skills had yet to come in handy, but she had a feeling that the second she saw a dead body it would all come rushing back.

Not only did she want to impress her training officer, Delgado, but she also wanted to show Grey and everyone else that meant something in the LAPD that she sort of knew what she was doing. That she could be someone.

So far, the second day on the job had been just as invigorating as yesterday. Even though roll call hasn't even started yet, Maddie feels the excitement and adrenaline rushing through her veins. Yesterday's accomplishments sat clear in her mind. It wasn't as if she wanted to do better today, that wasn't it at all. But knowing what she was capable of doing gave her a newfound feeling of confidence in herself.

The four rookies are sat at their designated first row in the briefing room, conversing in small talk about how terribly Jackson had sounded at karaoke last night. "All right, all right, settle down," Wade Grey calls out. Chatter immediately stops. "I just got a disturbing video. Never seen anything so horrific. So prepare yourselves."

All the officers lean forward with anticipation for what's about to be shown on the screen. It's body-cam footage. It's also something that Madeline recognises immediately. She had played this scene over a hundred times in her head. The officer is running toward a gate, then when he tries to jump over it his leg gets caught in the middle. When the body-cam switches, it's clear that it's John.

"Such grace and athleticism has never before been seen in the LAPD," Grey says, an amused smirk on his face. Laughter spreads across the room. Even Maddie can't help but quietly chuckle, but the second she spots John's face she coughs to cover it up. "Is that a gazelle wearing the blues? Or a dinosaur from a long, forgotten age? Now, you will see Officer West execute a perfect flying tackle."

Jackson leans back in his chair with a proud smile. "That I did," he says. Back further in the room, Lopez snickers.

Madeline rolls her eyes. Watching the video of her launching herself onto the suspect makes her cheeks taint a faint red. She smiles when Lucy fist-bumps her, looking just as proud as John and Jackson are.

"All right, fun's over," Sergeant Grey announces. He grabs a stack of posters and passes them out. "This is a BOLO for Mr Lance Selby, who violated his parole yesterday. Scale from one to ten, this guy's a twelve." Maddie's eyes flick across the page, widening ever so slightly as she reads the numerous charges Selby has. "Did a nickel for attempted murder with a claw hammer. So, whoever gets him off the street will get a sincere handshake and... Super Bowl Sunday off." A few whistles are heard. "That's it, be safe out there."

"Let's go, Boot," Delgado calls out. She turns to Tim, Angela, and Talia with a smile. "You better pay for my drinks tab now, 'cause we're winning this."

Talia rolls her eyes in exasperation. "It's not a competition," she points out dryly. "We're trying to get a fugitive in custody."

Tim's eyes narrow as he glances to Iris. "Nah, it's a competition," he declares with a nod. "Eat my dust, Delgado."

"Oh, you're on, Bradford."

Meanwhile, Angela is walking out. "You're all losing already," she taunts with a smirk.

"Boot, move it," Iris yells impatiently. Maddie rushes over with the poster in hand, and the pair head out to the kit room. "What are the priorities?" she questions her rookie.

Maddie glances to her, now holding the shotguns and the war bags strapped over her shoulders. "Selby, ma'am, but we can't ignore other misdemeanours or felonies if we see them happening." Office Delgado curtly nods, pleased with the answer. "Can I ask a question?"

As they head over to their shop parked at the end of the lot, Iris takes a moment to ponder it. "Go ahead," she says eventually.

"Why are you here?" Iris arches a brow and Madeline quickly corrects her choice of wording. "Why are you here as a training officer?"

She blows out a long breath of air. "Prep the shop, Boot," she orders. "Check it-"

"Then check for leftovers," Maddie finishes. Officer Delgado waves a hand for her to continue. Once she's gone over the exterior of the shop and moved inside, Iris opens the opposite passenger door so they can talk.

"A few years after becoming a PII, I became a TO," Delago explains. "My goal was detective, and that would only put me higher up on the list. The more experience you have on the job in different areas, the more qualified you are. I made it, and I was and still am a damn good detective. They were a TO short this year, so I volunteered."

Maddie shuts the door and moves into the passenger seat, watching Iris get in behind the wheel. "Do you miss it?" she asks, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Being a detective, I mean."

"Hell yeah," she smiles. "Best job ever. But this is just as important, possibly more important. We're literally shaping your careers, helping you become the best version of a cop you can be. So, it's not too bad."

With a small smile, Madeline nods. She's glad that they can have slightly personal talks like this instead of being completely iced out like Lucy is with Bradford. Even though being entirely professional can be good, opening up about some things have their own benefits. This gives Maddie another perspective, another insight to what she could want to do when graduating to a PII officer.

The first few hours of the morning are simple, chasing down people with parking tickets and going after someone that had blown through a stop sign. They did manage to arrest someone for public intoxication, and the suspect was so drunk that they had vomited over Maddie's shoes. While Iris had been laughing, the rookie had declared that it was one of the worst experiences of her life; and she's seen dead bodies.

When the radio finally crackles to life with information about their fugitive, Maddie witnesses Officer Delgado's face light up. She isn't aware of the bet the woman has with the other TOs, so she assumes that she's just excited to catch a felon. "Requesting additional units to meet us at Thirteen-Fifty Bellview Street," Talia's voice rings out. "Possible location of our BOLO suspect. We are en route."

Iris nods to her rookie and Maddie grabs the radio to say, "Seven-Adam-Eleven, show us responding."

A few moments later, another voice replies. "Seven-Adam-Nineteen, show us responding," Officer Bradford announces.

"Damn it," Iris mutters in frustration. When she notices Madeline's strange look, she clears her throat. "I mean, great. We need all the help we can get."

As they head toward the location, Madeline's foot taps against the floor of the shop. She's anxious. When she had been seven years old, she had experienced what most children suffer: bullying. She had been so terrified to go to school one day that her father had taken her aside and told her something that had always stayed with her. If you didn't feel fear, you wouldn't know how to be courageous. Right now, Madeline is scared to get outside and discover whatever is going to happen.

Iris glances to the younger woman with a knowing look – she herself had felt the same during her first experience receiving fire. She's almost certain that's what's going to happen with Selby. "It's good to be scared," she speaks up. Maddie glances to her training officer. "If you aren't scared, what are you?"

Maddie nods, her eyes flicking down to her fingers toying with the hem of her shirt. "Does it ever get easier?" she questions. "Any of this."

Iris pauses for a moment. "No," she answers honestly. "No, it doesn't. But overtime, you learn how to manage it."

"Seven-Adam Eleven and Seven-Adam-Nineteen, be advised we are approximately five minutes away," Officer Bishop informs them.

"That's the address," Madeline says, her eyes trained on the building to the left of the road. "Should we set up in the alley and try and catch him if he runs?"

Delgado smiles. "You're making this too easy for me, Boot," she remarks. Just as they turn down the alley, another LAPD cruiser enters behind them. Iris curses under her breath when she realises who it is. "Damn it."

But Maddie's eyes are training on the car parked further up. It's a black sedan, although she's more focused on the man standing beside it. He's stepped out onto the road upon noticing the police with a phone to his ear. "That's him," Madeline states. "That's Selby."

Iris nods to her. "Call it in," she orders. "Backup and airship."

Whilst unclipping her seatbelt, Maddie grabs the radio. "Seven-Adam-Nineteen, show us Code Six on BOLO suspect. Need backup and airship." She steps out the car, following Delgado's movements, but she stays behind the door to follow protocol.

Behind them, Officers Bradford and Chen have made their way over. "Surprised to see you here," Tim says. Iris rolls her eyes as she glances to him. "What, you break some laws to get here before us?"

"Does it matter?" Delgado smiles. One of his eyes twitches. Now stood beside each other, Lucy and Maddie share an amused look. "Chen, West, you stay here until we clear them from the car, got it?" Both the rookies quickly nod. "LAPD, gentlemen," Iris calls out, her hand resting on her gun. "Step away from the vehicle and show me your hands."

Selby is now joined by someone who is probably an associate, both men behind the trunk of the car. "There a problem, Officer?"

Both training officers glance to each other. "There will be if you don't show us those hands," Tim replies, taking out his firearm. Neither man move a muscle. "Now!"

Maddie's breath hitches in her throat. The second she catches the familial glint of metal in the sunlight, she quickly raises her gun. In less than a second, the semi-automatic weapon wielded by Selby is raining bullets down on them. All four officers instantly return fire and Maddie feels a rush of adrenaline course through her body. Every time her finger pulls the trigger, the pace of her racing heart increases.

It's not long before the sound of glass shattering and a groan of agony reaches Maddie's ears. As Tim collapses onto the ground with his hands clutching his bleeding side, Iris keeps her eyes trained on the suspects before she even thinks about tending to him. "Boot," she shouts, continuing to return fire. "Do not move from your position."

Maddie's eyes narrow further as she keeps herself concentrated on trying not to get shot herself. She barely flinches as the window of the door in front of her and Lucy shatters as well. Even though she's yet to get a glimpse of her friend, Maddie can simply feel the waves of anxiety flooding off her. "Lucy," she calls firmly. "Cover me."

Lucy quickly nods and raises her firearm further in the air. Once Maddie darts around to the other side of the vehicle, she's met with the sight of Iris firmly pressing her hands on Bradford's bullet wound. "The hell are you doing?" Delgado yells.

"Keeping you from getting shot, too," Madeline answers simply. She keeps herself back a distance from the door – considering the window is gone, there isn't much cover. Whilst her TO is concentrating on something else, she returns her attention back to Selby and his accomplice who have yet to cease fire.

Both rookies cover each side of the vehicle as Iris drags Tim to the back and out of the shooting line. Each time Maddie's finger ghosts the trigger, she holds her breath. She raises her gun again and aims it again. Selby's cry of pain cuts through the air as he stumbles back from the car. The bullet imbedded in his arm sends blood flowing down his skin. A small smile graces Madeline's face. Her top score at the shooting range in the Academy didn't mean nothing.

As sirens suddenly fill the air, Maddie finds herself unconsciously letting out a short breath of relief. She and Lucy watch the man in the white shirt beeline over to the silver car parked behind and quickly drive away. Her eyes flick up to the hill, and it's like Bishop and Nolan come out from nowhere.

She releases a slow and controlled breath before firing again. Maddie's bullet shatters the windscreen of the black sedan. She quickly ducks to cover herself behind the door as Selby redirects his aim onto her. And it's then that their shop finally gives in. Flames burst out across the bonnet of the car, spreading quickly and surely. She and Lucy share a brief look. With their training officers a safe distance away, they need to focus on getting themselves out of the potential explosion range.

John Nolan is the one to save Lucy Chen from a shot to her skull. He quickly scurries to find cover out of the open space as Selby turns to fire on him. Bullets rain down like a hailstorm. But from her position further down the alley, Maddie can't reach where Selby is currently hidden. After Nolan checks the smaller side-streets and realises that their BOLO has run off, he rushes toward the bloodied scene. The air is now still, eerily quiet in the absence of any gunshots.

The ambulance has finally arrived to help stabilise Bradford before getting him to a hospital, letting Iris step back with crimson stained hands. John breathes heavily as he looks between the officers, his gaze lingering on a clearly pained Bradford. "You okay?" he asks him.

"No," Tim exclaims angrily. "I got shot!"

Iris laughs. She turns over to her rookie to give her a curt nod. "Not bad, Boot-" But Madeline West is already sprinting down the alleyway after Selby. Officer Delgado smiles. "That's my girl."

Maddie's breathless voice appears on their radios. "Suspect is heading northbound towards residence on Clinton Street."

Between his laboured breathing, Tim realises that Lucy is still watching him with anxious eyes. "Go get him, Boot," he yells at her. "Go!"

Chen and Nolan share a look before hurrying after in Maddie's footsteps, but they're almost immediately stopped by Officer Bishop. She stands in front of John, preventing him from getting any further. "When this is over, we're gonna have a conversation about you running over," Talia scolds. "Where's Selby?"

He points to the right. "He went through the alley," he answers. "Officer West is already after him."

"Seven-Adam-Seven arriving on scene," Jackson says.

While closely trailing behind Selby, Maddie makes sure to cover herself by something every few seconds. He's been consistent shooting back at the rookie trying to catch him, refusing to give up despite being injured with a bullet to his upper arm.

She's a few metres behind him when he jumps down a set of stairs and onto the street. Awaiting is Lopez and Jackson, and gunshots immediately reach her ears. "I do not like you," Madeline mutters in frustration. She's crouched behind a kennel in one of the residence's front yards, lifting herself up briefly to fire shots at Selby with his back turned to her.

As Jackson and Angela exit their shop, Maddie provides them cover. With two guns firing at him from different directions, Selby is out in the open as he spins around to try and get one of the officers. Ducking back down, Maddie hears Lopez yell something out to her brother, and confusion flashes through her when she notices that only Angela has been firing.

When she stands up, Selby is limping down the road. He's been shot in the leg, a hand cradling his thigh to try and support himself as he hobbles away. When Madeline sharply turns the corner after him, her heart rate picks up again.

Lance has his arm around a civilian, a blonde-haired woman in a red shirt who is screaming as he points his gun to her head. "Drop the weapon," Maddie yells. Selby tries to fire at her, but quickly realises that he's out of ammunition. "It's over. Drop the weapon."

The gun is discarded just like she had wanted, but a knife is quickly replaced in his hand. "I'll kill her," Selbly warns loudly.

Maddie quickly slows, taking short and measured steps as to not spook him. It's not long before she hears Nolan, Chen, and Bishop arrive behind her. "Drop the knife," she orders firmly.

"Shut up!"

"You don't have to do this," John chimes in. "You shot a cop, but it seems you only managed to piss him off." He stops by Madeline's side, throwing her a split-second glance. "You're not a murderer yet."

"Get back," he demands frantically.

Maddie's tongue darts out to wet her lips. "We can't do that," she counters. She inhales a sharp breath when Selby tightens his grip on the civilian. Screams ring through her ears.

"Look, Selby, we are in this moment, together, all right?" Even in a life-threatening situation, Madeline thinks she could still fall asleep to John's voice right now. "What happens next could change both of our lives," he continues. "Look, I became a cop to help people, not kill them. But if you hurt her, I will pull this trigger, and you will die. I'll see your face every time I close my eyes, but you'll never see anything ever again."

"Put the knife down," Maddie repeats. She and Selby lock eyes. "Let her go and you walk away from this alive." She spots the micro-change in his expression as he winces at the burning pains from both bullet wounds.

"Here's what we're going to do, okay?" John begins. "I'm going to lower my gun, and you're gonna let her go. All right? You lower that knife, nice and slow." His knees bend as he begins to lower himself to lay his gun down on the ground. 

Just as Selby begins to drop his knife from the woman's throat, Nolan suddenly shoots him straight in the knee. The fugitive drops to the ground groaning in pain as he clutches his leg. Maddie would feel sympathetic that he has multiple injuries if he hadn't just tried to kill them all.

She hurries over to the woman who is quietly crying. "Hey, you're okay," she says gently, placing a hand on her back. "It's all over, okay? You're okay."

Lucy's gaze lingers on Madeline as she comforts the victim, then she rips her eyes away when Talia's voice cuts through the brief silence. "Call it in, Officer Nolan," she tells her rookie. 

With the suspect now in cuffs, John grabs his radio. "Suspect in custody. Code Four."

Maddie glances to Bishop as the officer makes her way over. "We should get her checked out," she says. "Just in case." Talia curtly nods in agreement. Sirens sound through the air once more; backup is just a little late.

As Madeline helps the woman off the ground, her eyes land on Lucy and John. Her brows draw together at how Lucy is laying a hand on his arm, both of them staring at each other with soft expressions. Now she's got multiple things to talk to Jackson about tonight.

⋆。 ﾟ☾。 ⋆。 ﾟ✩。 ⋆

It's six o'clock by the time the West siblings get home to their apartment. After the day they've both had, the chaotic sight of clothes and dozens of papers strewn across the space is comforting. Maddie drops her bag on the ground, telling herself that she'll come back to it later, before beelining over to the couch. Jackson is right behind her. They both drop down together and simultaneously let out long sighs.

With her eyes closed, Maddie hears him ask, "What's your reason?"

She cracks a small smile. "Almost died," she says. "What's your reason?"

Jackson hesitates for a moment, his fingers interlacing as his foot nervously taps away on the floor. "Well, I might not be a cop by the end of the week."

Maddie's eyes snap open and she crosses her legs as she turns toward him. "What?" she speaks softly. She watches his eyes divert away from her. "Jackson, what happened?"

His head drops onto her shoulder, his eyes filling up with tears that are begging to be shed. "I, uh, I froze," he whispers. "He was shooting at us and I-" Jackson cuts himself off as he sucks in a breath. "I froze. I couldn't do it, Mads. And Lopez, she was- she looked so disappointed."

She immediately wraps an arm around him as he shuffles to lean closer into her side. "It's okay," she tells him quietly. "It's okay. We'll figure it out, okay? This is just a blip in the journey, and I'm gonna be there every step until you figure out how to get past this. Yeah?"

A small, weak smile appears on his face. "Yeah," he mumbles. "Thank you."

Maddie squeezes his arm. "I got you, dude," she reminds him.

"Even if I flunk and get fired?"

"Especially then. But that's not gonna happen."

His brows furrow as he sits up to look at her. "How'd you know?" he asks her curiously.

She shrugs. "Firstly, I'm always right." Jackson huffs a laugh. "Secondly, I'm always right." They both smile. "But seriously, it's not gonna happen. We'll get you through this, Jacky."

His lips curl into a grimace at the nickname. "You know I hate that," he remarks in disapproval.

"Oh, I know," Maddie nods. He chuckles. "Okay, this calls for takeout. And since I shot someone today, I think I get dibs on the choice."

Jackson leans back into the couch with an amused smile. "Fair enough," he admits.

"Ethiopian."

He blinks. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Oh, there's this amazing place underneath some lawyer's office," she explains as her stomach rumbles. "Looks like a box of shit, but it's actually eatable."

"If I get explosive diarrhoea tomorrow, I'm telling Grey it's your fault."

"Sure. But it won't happen."

"Twenty bucks."

"You're on, West."

𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦!! 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 🤧

(gif by phonysuperstars)