"What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore"

________________________

Gabriella was sitting on her desk on the opposite of Rosa while she did some paperwork. This time for real. Her homework was already finished so the Sergeant gave her some extra work. "I love paperwork, did you know that?", asked Gabriella her best friend sarcastic. "Oh of course I do. You tell me that everyday.", played Rosa along making the younger girl to giggle. "Stop being so sarcastic all the time.", said Terry. "Are you annoyed Sarge?", asked Gabriella turning her head towards Terry, giving him the soul crushing stare. "Of course not, I was just joking. Terry loves sarcasm!", said Terry nervously, earning a smile from the girl. "I was kidding. I will stop don't worry.", she said laughing. "Terry, do you notice anything?", asked Charles from across the room. Terry just shook his head. "Amy?", he tried and scoffed. "New shirt?", she asked pretending to be oblivious. Charles scoffed again turning his head towards Gabriella. "Gabby?" "New haircut?", asked the younger girl and rose an eyebrow.

"Oh come on, guys. I grew a goatee, and it looks amazing, and I know you can see it.", said the man finally annoyed by his colleagues' behavior. "Of course we can see it, Charles.", said Rosa and looked at Gabriella. "It's horrible.", she stated. "It looks like you unclogged a shower drain with your mouth.", chimed Gina from her desk making Gabriella to shake her head in agreement. "Yeah, you look like the guy in the "Don't Talk to Strangers" poster which scares Gabby.", stated Jake. "He's creeping me out!", shouted the girl over. "No I don't." "Yes you do!", argued Gabriella and went over to the older man. "Are you talking about your new goatee?", asked Holt as he came out of his office. "Mm-hmm." "I think it's a good choice for your face.", said Holt making Charles to smile grateful. "Come over here, so I can take a better look."

"Thank you, Captain. I knew you'd appreciate Bianca.", said Charles relieved and walked over. "That's right; I call her Bianca because she's dark and thick like my first cousin Bianca." "Terry, Jake, now.", shouted Gabriella to the two. Terry then grabbed Charles, making him to struggle against the stronger man. "Say goodbye to Bianca, Boyle.", said Jake turning on the shaver making Boyle to scream. "Finally they're shaving that off.", said Gabriella and rolled her eyes. "And that wasn't meant to be sarcastic!"

●●●

Gabriella sat in the break room, eating her bowl of cereal. She wasn't really in the mood to talk since she saw Josh and his girlfriend on the wedding a few weeks ago. It was really frustrating for her and the squad knew that so they tried their best to keep her away from that thought. "Joining us for lunch, sir?", asked Terry Holt as he entered. "Oh, no, I've already consumed the required calories for this day period." "Sounds yummy uncle Ray.", said Gabriella and stole a blueberry from Rosa's fruit salad. The older Latina just smiled at her friend's action and gave her the other blueberry. Gabriella threw it into the air and caught it in her mouth, earning a round of applause. "Thank you everyone. Thank you.", she said and bowed with a laugh. "But I do have a fun lunch chitchat.", said Holt, interrupting Gabriella's small funny victory.

"When I was a detective, my old c.o., Jim Martins, used to keep us on our toes by have us solve brain teasers." "My cousin David said that when he was still in school in Germany they did the same stuff in math. And they still do which is horrible and helpful at the same time!", said Gabriella with a serious face. "You have a cousin in Germany?", asked Gina and looked at the younger girl confused. "Yup. He's older than me and is the son of my dad's younger brother. David used to be my best friend but now that he's married to Francesca, a Parisian girl he met back on a trip, he barely has time to call me. But I'm not upset however.", explained Gabriella and changed her upset mood quickly. "Very interesting, thank you junior detective. I thought maybe you'd like to try one.", said Holt, taking over the conversation again.

"Don't just tease my brain, Captain. Really go to town on it.", said Amy serious. "Yeah, bring it on, sir. I love puzzles. They're like power squats for your mind.", mentioned Terry enthusiastic. "Good. Here's a problem. There are 12 men on an island.", began Holt. Amy got out a notepad and began to write everything down. "11 weigh exactly the same amount, but one of them is slightly lighter or heavier. You must figure out which." "And what do these men look like facially and with respect to their bodies?", asked Gina interested. "It's unimportant Gin.", said Gabriella from across and put a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. "So like Tyrese. It's a land of Tyreses.", said Gina convinced. "Sure. The island has no scales but there is a seesaw. The exciting catch: you can only use it three times.", finished Holt explaining the task. "That sounds super exciting. Is this thing mandatory?", asked Rosa right after her sarcastic comment.

"Oh, I hope so. Please say yes.", said Amy excited. "No, but there is a prize for whoever solves it first. Two tickets to this Sunday's Beyoncé Knowles rock music concert.", said Holt and showed the tickets. "I'm in.", said Rosa and Gabriella together and looked at each other in shock. "Marcus loves Beyoncé.", explained Rosa. "Charlie and I have been dying to go but we never found tickets because they have been sold out.", said Gabriella and crossed her arms. "Everyone loves Beyoncé.", said Gina serious and got a nod from Gabriella. "My girls were conceived to Bootylicious. Don't tell my wife I told you that.", said Terry and looked at everyone. "Uncle Ray I need those tickets. It's really important!", begged Gabriella and looked at him with big puppy eyes. "Solve it and you'll get them.", he declared and walked out. "I will get them. One way or another.", said the younger girl and finished her cereal. She was determined to get those tickets for Charlie.

●●●

"Whoop. Guys, my dad just texted. He's in the building.", informed Jake everyone. "Great. I'm so excited to meet Jake senior!", joked Gabriella making Amy to giggle. "Great joke Gabs but anyways. Scully, stop eating. Terry, start flexing. Everybody be cool." "Paging Detective Jake Peralta.", said Jake's dad as he walked inside the bullpen. "Ah, Dad!" "How are you son?", said Jake's dad and hugged his boy. "Good to see you. Everyone this is my dad.", began Jake. "Hey, introduce yourself in your captain's voice." "Folks, this is your pilot speaking, Captain Roger Peralta. If you look to your left you'll see me, making acquaintance.", said Roger. "Love that!", said Gabriella and smiled brightly. "I'm Gabriella Peréz." "Ah yes, my son told me a lot about you.", said Roger and shook hands with the younger girl. "I hope only good things.", said Gabriella still smiling. "He said that you're like a little sister to him." "Aww Jakey!", she said and hugged the older man, allowing him to hug her back. "Hi, I'm Jake's best friend, Charles.", introduced Boyle himself and pushed Gabriella away.

The younger girl walked over to Amy and Rosa while rubbing her arm. "I should punch Boyle later for that." "I want to see it!", laughed Rosa and side hugged her friend. "This must be weird for him.", pointed Gabriella over to Holt and Roger as they stood exactly alike in front of Jake. "Pretty much yes.", agreed Amy. "Anyway, you guys, my dad is the best pilot.", bragged Jake. Gabriella thought it was adorable and smiled even wider. "Oh, come on."

"Tell them about Oregon.", said Jake to his dad. "Okay, this one time I'm in Eugene, I'm hitching a ride in the jump seat of a commuter jet. I'm sleeping off a wicked hangover." "Noice.", said both Gabriella and Jake and looked at each other happy. "All of a sudden there's a jolt and a boom." "A bird. It was a bird.", interrupted Jake his dad. "Yeah, we sucked a bird into our intake. Next thing I knew, the cabin's filling up with smoke, alarm's going off, engine flames out and dies. We are in a dead stall. I took over at the pilot, Sam Power--Great name. He's white as a sheet and he says to me-- I'll never forget what he said. He says, "Bobby's got a big ol' butt. Turns out he's having a stroke. Bring the plane down on a highway, right across from a rest area. Get on the PA, I say, "Folks, coffee's on me.", finished Roger and let everybody in shock, especially Gabriella. His story was something she just needed. "That was amazing!", cheered the younger girl and let out a bright laugh, making everyone to smile at her.

"Anyway, I'm not here to talk about me. I'm here to spend some time with my boy." "Roger!", called out Gabriella and walked towards him. "Do you have more stories?", she asked and looked at him. "I do. If you ever want to hear them, just tell Jake.", said Roger and ruffled Gabriella's brown locks. "Your dad is cool!", she said and turned her head towards Jake.

In this moment she wished that Diego was there. To tell his stories to everyone and his daughter. Because his stories were the bomb. Literally!

●●●

"You all think the tickets belong to either of you? Keep dreaming!", laughed Gabriella, standing besides Gina in the kitchen of the precinct. "No offense, but this is gonna come down to me and the Sarge.", said Amy smiling. "That is offensive.", said Gabriella and put on her serious face. "Whoa, you think you two are the only ones that can solve puzzles?", asked Rosa, resting her arm on Gabriella's shoulder. "Yeah, what about Rosa, Gina, Gabriella and me?" "Is this how you want to die Hitchcock?", asked Gabriella and shoved him away. "Look, it's just that the Sarge and I are really into puzzles. Remember when I took that Sudoku cruise? I never even went on deck.", said Amy, giving them an example. That's when Rosa got offended. "100 bucks says Gina, Gabby and I can solve this thing before you two puzzle dorks.", she said and put an arm around Gabriella, pulling her closer to herself.

Amy scoffed and looked at Terry who got up. "Deal.", he said and shook hands with the badass detective. "You're going down." "You're really not a part of this, Hitchcock.", said Gabriella annoyed and walked away to get her stuff. "Let's go Rosa. We have a long night ahead of us."

●●●

The next day entered Rosa together with Gabriella the break room to talk to Gina. "All right, there is no way we let Amy and the Sarge beat us. Dum dum here tried to figure it out last night and it didn't end well.", explained Rosa and sat on top of the billiard table, looking at Gabriella.

■■■

Gabriella Peréz sat on Rosa's couch in her pajamas with a messy bun. She had a pen and paper ready to solve this. "You don't want to watch Glee?", asked Rosa as she switched around the channels. "Of course I do but I have to solve this. I know I'm not one of the smartest but I just need to feel this glory!", answered the girl determined. The older woman just smiled lightly and chuckled. Usually Gabriella would break out in her inner Rachel Berry or Santana Lopez and would sing loud but this time it seemed really serious. After five minutes threw Gabriella her pen away angrily and crossed her arms. "Put Glee on, I'm about to become Santana Lopez for real!"

●●●

"I have aggression problems okay?", mumbled the younger girl as she looked at Gina. "You watch Glee? Seriously? With Rosa?", asked Gina confused yet impressed that Gabriella could bring Rosa to watch such stuff. "It doesn't matter now. We sit here until we figure this thing out.", said Rosa, earning Gina's attention back. "Rosa, my mind is ready." "Okay, There's an island with 12 men.", began Gabriella to read but got cut off. "Oh, I'm so bored. I cannot do it.", complained Gina and laid down on the couch. Gabriella looked at Rosa with panicked eyes. "I can do this. One guy's slightly heavier. There's a seesaw. I got it.", she suddenly said and grabbed Gabriella by the hand, leading her outside. "Wait for me!", shouted Gina behind them. Gabriella only looked at Rosa and was surprised that she got it before her.

●●●

"You use the seesaw to press down on their necks until fatty confesses.", said Rosa confident and slammed down the paper on Holt's desk. "Incorrect.", he said and made Gabriella to stifle out a laugh. "Damn.", commented Gina. "And disturbing." "I'm sorry uncle Ray.", apologized Gabriella and dragged out her friends. "I'm gonna solve this for Charlie!", she said and walked away with Gina and Rosa behind her.

●●●

After a few hours of trying, frustrating and calling around, gave Gabriella Peréz up and couldn't stop complaining. Usually she would continue to try but this was too hard for her and both Gina and Rosa knew that.

The three walked inside Holt's office determined to get out the answer. "Are you here because you've solved my brain teaser?", asked Holt and looked up from his paper work. Gabriella sat down in one of the chairs, leaning herself on her hand. "Sir, you've been an underdog your whole life. But you defied the odds by having others secretly help you 'cause you didn't have what it took.", began Gina. "That's not my story.", said Holt. "But now we're the underdogs and we're the ones who need a handout, so just tell us the answer. Or have you forgotten where you come from? "I'm not gonna help you.", refused Holt. "I told you that was not gonna work.", sighed Gabriella from her seat.

"Stop the clock.", said Amy as she walked in with Terry behind her. "We're here and we have the solution. First, you weigh six versus six." "Wrong. That'll never work. You just wasted your time and mine.", said Holt giving a disappointed Amy her paper back. "Click! I just captured the exact moment when you realized you had failed. I guess we all got something out of this.", said Gina showing Gabriella and Rosa the picture. "So that's it? This problem is beyond all of you? No one solved it?", asked Holt curious. "Believe me. No one is more disappointed in me than me." "Than I," Amy.", corrected Gabriella her friend and walked out of the office with a sad expression that didn't go unnoticed.

●●●

"Wait, uncle Ray.", called Gabriella out. "Gina, Rosa and I figured out your brain teaser." "I highly doubt that, sir.", said Amy from her seat. Gabriella only sent her a glare. "I'll judge myself, Santiago. Okay, Peréz. What's the solution?", asked Holt invested. "We have no idea." "Ha! Told ya.", laughed Amy. "Shut up Santiago!", called out Rosa. "But neither do you.", finished Gabriella crossing her arms while smiling proudly. "What?", asked Amy standing up furious. "Captain Holt, you don't know what the solution is.", stated Rosa. "Excuse me?" "Here's how we cracked it.", began Gina but got cut off. "You mean how I cracked it because you barely did any thinking. Anyway. Gina took the photo of you demolishing Amy's spirit and made these clever tshirts that say, "#nerdfail.", began Gabriella making Gina to show the shirt. "It's not that clever.", said Amy offended. "It's hilarious.", stated Gina. "Look at this. Your expression is the same as Amy's because you both are devastated that you just let down your mentors.", finished Rosa for Gabriella, high fiving her.

"I looked at your calendar. You're supposed to have breakfast with your old c.o.", said Gina and put away the tshirt. "You wanted us to solve the problem before you saw him.", finished Gabriella their statement and fist bumped her two older friends. "That's crazy.", denied Amy awkwardly. "She's right." "What? No.", shouted Amy slightly disappointed. "He posed that problem to me 20 years ago. Every time I see him, he asks, "Do you have the answer yet?" And I never have. Those islanders and their pathetic seesaw haunt my dreams just like Sue Sylvester haunts Gabriella's. They mock me in my sleep, riding up and down on a teeter-totter of taunts.", said Holt earning an apologetic look from his niece. The girl went over and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry about that uncle Ray. It must have been horrible!", the others watched the cute scene before Gina decided to ruin it.

"Cool. So, who gets the Beyoncé tickets?" "That's a really good question Gin. I would love to take them!", said Gabriella and looked up sweetly at her uncle. Everyone just rolled their eyes and smiled at the action.

●●●

"Here you go.", said Rosa and tossed a bottle of coke towards Gabriella. "Thanks Rosie!", she said and drank from it. "I got to say, figuring out Captain Holt didn't knew the answer was an incredible solve.", admitted Terry as he gave Gina her drink. "Thanks Sarge!", said Gabriella and smiled. "I'm sorry if we implied you weren't smart.", apologized Amy and side hugged the younger girl. "Oh, and I'm sorry if we implied you're both asexual nerds who can only be friends with service animals.", said Gina, earning a small punch from Gabriella on her shoulder. "You didn't.", said Amy. "Not to your face but to a ton of people behind your back including little dum dum's friends. Thanks for the drink.", said Rosa making the situation to seem better. "Yes!" "Next round's on me. It's the least I can do for teasing your brains so mercilessly.", apologized Holt somehow. "Don't be! It was refreshing and it helped me to think more complicated." "But you're always thinking complicated?", questioned Rosa and looked at her friend confused. "Exactly! Now I'm thinking more complicated than ever!", answered Gabriella and laughed.

"So, what are you gonna say to your old c.o. tomorrow when he asks if you've solved the puzzle?", asked Amy concerned. "I don't know. Thanks for bringing that up. Fun chat.", said Holt making Amy to look worried and to sip from her drink. "Just say you're a captain and a godfather now, and you're busy running a precinct while raising a child so he can go suck an egg.", said Gina confident. "Or we can all work together all night long and I'm sure we can eventually figure it out.", suggested the Sergeant. "I like that Terry. It shows real heart. But I'm going with Gina's "suck an egg" idea and on top I'm gonna show him some pictures of Gabriella as a baby.", said Holt proudly. "You get the Beyoncé tickets." "Wait what? No!", shouted Gabriella angry. "You want to embarrass me and now you're giving her the tickets? You're a good player I'm impressed."

"Thank you. I learned from the best.", said Raymond and shook hands with his niece. "You know what Gabby bear? I can take Charlie with me." "Really? Thank you Gin!", said Gabriella and hugged her friend out of happiness. "You're welcome.", said Gina accepting the hug for a few minutes. "Now get off me so I can brag." "Only because you're doing something for one of my best friends!"

______________________________

Enjoy the new chapter everyone! David is really important for the future in this book!!!!!

DEDICATIONS

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