With all that work to do, Reed decided to just grab a sandwich to go from a little shop down the street. Nines made the order as he drove, so it was ready to pick up as he entered. He was touched to find that Nines had also ordered him a proper coffee to drink with his lunch. What he'd done to deserve such treatment, he had no idea, but he wasn't about to argue with free coffee. He ate as he worked, eyes closing blissfully as he sipped his coffee. He drank it slowly, savouring the extra punch it delivered. Decaf was fine. He was used to it now. However, it would never truly beat a proper coffee. Nines' lips quirked occasionally as he secretly watched from behind his monitor. There were few things he liked more than watching Reed enjoying his coffee. He sat a little straighter as he noted the blonde android hovering anxiously on the edge of the bullpen.

"Gavin, your recruit has arrived," he prompted quietly as he nodded towards the WR600. Nines wasn't sure whether he'd forgotten where Reed sat, or if he was just too worried about interrupting him to approach. He seemed jittery, eyes darting this way and that as he twiddled his fingers. Reed turned his chair a little before grabbing a few things and crossing the busy room to meet him. The WR600 looked relieved as his gaze fell upon him, ducking his head in a timid greeting and smiling nervously as he waited.

"Ralph! How are you doing?" Reed asked kindly as they finally met. Those scars never escaped his notice. Maybe that's why he had such a fellow feeling for him. They were both damaged goods, though Ralph looked like he'd been through far worse than him. The damage to his skull plating had been so severe at one point that the artificial skin had never fully healed over. He had one long, jagged line of white across his left temple, and two more thicker ones on his cheek where the plating beneath had warped out of shape. Reed hadn't asked what happened, just like Ralph hadn't asked about his nose.

"Ralph is-I-I am fine! Thank you for asking." Ralph winced a little at his slip-up, hazel eyes wary of judgement. Reed gave him a small clap on the shoulder, a reassurance that he didn't have to worry. It was a little odd, talking about yourself in the third person, but he could tell it was a habit he was doing his best to break. "Ralph-I...I would like some advice." His brow pinched in frustration as he let out another deep sigh. His instinct was always to speak as he used to. In the dark time. The time before he'd been found. Before he'd been helped. Reed nodded his understanding as he led the way to a quiet room on the second floor. It was a small office with a table and comfortable chairs. A sort of informal meeting room.

"That's why we have these meetings. What's on your mind? Anything you want to talk about before we get started?" Reed's green eyes were earnest as they sat, as if he actually wanted to know. As if he cared about Ralph's feelings and wellbeing. It made him feel more at ease. Reed noticed instantly. It was rare for Ralph to relax his shoulders. Usually, he'd either be rigid or twitchy, but right now he was calm. He waited patiently. Rushing him would do no good. It would just make him anxious. He knew certain officers would likely object to having someone like Ralph on the force. He'd seen it during training, too. Other trainees had complained constantly. Ralph was odd. He was timid. He was twitchy. There was something wrong with him. Reed had asked Nines about it, but his assurance that he had all of his mental faculties was good enough for him. Hell, I'm hardly the shining example of mental stability.

"I am finding it hard to...to bond with my colleagues. They think I am strange. They don't see how hard Ralph tries!" Hurt laced his tone as he spoke. Reed felt his insides drop. He looked so sad, like a kicked puppy. Reed nodded for him to continue. "I know I...I am a good officer...My previous software errors have been patched and updated! Ralph's hardware has been reinforced! I have passed the required training, and yet..." His brow pinching almost forlornly as he trailed off. People are assholes to those who are different...Reed knew he'd probably have to have a talk with the other recruits to get things smoothed over, but there had to be something he could do for Ralph's self-esteem. He crossed his legs as he thought things over.

"I know you're a good officer. I wouldn't have let you complete the training if I didn't think you had what it takes...I don't know what shit you went through before, and that's fine!" he added quickly as Ralph's expression shifted to one of sheer dread. Reed let the moment hang between them as he held his hand up, gaze steady as he waited for a sign that Ralph had settled. Ralph slowly relaxed as he realised he wouldn't press him. He wouldn't make him talk about it. "You don't have to tell me, or anyone else, what you went through. We all go through shit. Some more than others. I know you went through something, and it made you want to do something about the world. Your commitment, what you've done to get this far, is all I need to know about you. No one out there gets to decide you're not good enough. That shit's my job, and I'm telling you that you're doing just fine...There may be teething issues; everyone has them. You might feel lost some days, but if you have problems, then come to me. I'm your training officer and your superior. It's what I'm here for." He could tell that Ralph was hanging on to his every word. He looked truly touched. Reed thought he might even tear up for a minute.

"Ralph is-I-I am...Thank you, Sergeant Reed," Ralph stammered, reaching up to tease his neat blonde hair. He kept it short and smart, the same style it had always been, only he'd swept his bangs to the opposite side. It didn't hide the damage on his temple, but he'd done as much as he could to make it less obvious. He had similar scarring up his right arm, though Reed couldn't see it right now besides the few white scars that littered his knuckles. The long-sleeved blue uniform was hiding most of the damage there. "How can I...I would like to be accepted, but I'm unsure how to..." He was stressed by the request. Reed could see why. Being liked was difficult. It was subjective, and you'd probably never get everyone to like you. It was also hard to shake an opinion once people had made up their minds.

"You don't know how to fit in." Ralph nodded his agreement as Reed sat back. "Fitting in is overrated. The best thing you can do is just be yourself. Don't change for them. Don't think about what they want and don't apologise for who you are. You think I got where I am today by bootlicking my colleagues? I worked hard to get there I am, and phck what anyone else thinks! Now...this meeting is mostly about getting you a long-term partner. I see you had Officer Pearson as your last training partner...How did that go for you? And be honest. Some people aren't a good fit. It doesn't mean anyone's going to be in trouble." Reed knew that a lot of recruits were afraid of speaking out against partnerships that didn't work. He could tell from Ralph's nervous expression that he hadn't gotten on with Pearson too well. Reed wasn't entirely surprised. Pearson was pretty young, which made him cocky and judgemental sometimes. Not exactly a good fit for Ralph's timid and strange personality.

"H-he is...not a bad person." Reed's lips quirked at the diplomatic non-answer. He didn't necessarily think Pearson had been deliberately malicious, but he could absolutely see him being an inconsiderate ass. During the first few weeks of orientation, the recruits had been bounced between different partners for a few days. It gave them a chance to see how different officers worked and pick up a range of skills. Pearson was one of their best drivers. Randal was one of their best shooters. Tina had an eye for picking out shady suspects, and Miller was the best at handling distressed victims. Pairing the recruits with different people also helped pick out possible long-term partners. So far, he had made little progress with Ralph. He'd partnered five different officers, and none of them had gelled. It wasn't unusual for it to take a while. Strong personalities would often butt heads, and weaker personalities would sometimes feel bullied. But who would be a good fit for Ralph? That was a question he'd been mulling over for a few days now.

"Alright, so it didn't work with Pearson. Don't worry, there are a few officers looking for a partner right now, and I have someone in mind. There's this older guy. Seasoned. Real nice, you'll like him a lot." Reed got to his feet and motioned Ralph to wait where he was. The easiest way to see if they'd gel was to introduce them as soon as possible. Ralph seemed jittery and nervous as he left him and hurried down to the bullpen. He looked around from the edge of the pen. He knew he was working that day. It would just depend whether he'd gone out on patrol with his current recruit yet. He'd originally paired him with Pennington. She was a female PM700 android who'd worked there before the revolution. Since she knew the ropes, he was pretty sure she'd be able to handle Pearson. "Ben!" Reed called as he noticed them at their desks. Collins looked up curiously as Reed worked his way towards them.

"What's up, Gavin? You look like you're in a hurry," he added cheerfully as he sat back, the old chair creaking under his weight. Reed paused as he looked Collins over, huffing a little as he took in the warmth in his deep brown eyes. He'd always been one of the kindest guys on the force. He may not have been the best teacher, but Ralph already had all the base knowledge he needed. What he needed was kindness. Someone who would be there and encourage him to flourish. Someone who'd lift him up on his bad days and celebrate his good ones. He'd also let Ralph be who he was without judgement.

"Yeah, change of plans. Pennington, I want you to partner Pearson for now...Think you can handle him?" Reed asked as he flicked his gaze across to Pearson's desk and nodded towards him in a conspiratorial tone. Pennington outright smirked, LED spinning blue as she watched Pearson's oblivious form lounging in his chair almost boredly. He had nothing to do while Ralph was in the meeting. Reed was pretty sure that Pennington had been getting a little bored with Collins. Collins liked to do things at his own pace, and that pace was slow and easy.

"Pfft! Can I? Please!" Pennington retorted haughtily as she sauntered over to let her new partner know. She bumped his arm as she approached, almost knocking him off his chair with a grin. Pearson greeted her with a small smirk and shoved her hip. He was guarded as she updated him, and looked across at Reed, who shook his head and waved it off. Pearson had done nothing wrong, and he wasn't in trouble. He looked a little relieved, likely worried that Ralph had sold him out somehow. Overall, he seemed pretty cheerful as he sat back and started talking to Pennington like they were old friends.

"What about me?" Collins knew he must have had something in mind. He couldn't exactly go out on patrol by himself. Reed shifted a little closer as he leaned on the edge of his desk and folded his arms. Collins would be open to it, he was sure. He didn't take to rumours as much as the younger officers, and he was usually pretty sympathetic to the problems of others. He wasn't the type to make snap judgements, and he had an eye for good people.

"I have another recruit for you. Name's Ralph. Sweet kid, but a little nervous...I've tried pairing him with a few people, but none of them fit right. I think you might be better suited to showing him the ropes...He's a little jumpy, looks a little different...He may seem odd, but he's sharp. He passed training with flying colours. Top grades, great problem-solving skills, very cautious, and good at spotting danger. His problems come with the more social side of things. He's nervous and needs help with his social skills." Reed could almost see Collins' eyes fill with sympathy. He was a sucker for a sob story. It didn't take much convincing to have him following him up to meet Ralph. Reed knocked on the door softly before opening it. He was pretty sure Ralph would be a nervous wreck, so he didn't want to spook him. He was right. Ralph was twitching in his seat as he warily eyed the doorway. His hazel eyes shifted between Reed and Collins timidly, unsure what he should say. "Ralph, this is Officer Ben Collins. He'll be partnering you for the time being, showing you the ropes and stuff," Reed introduced as he motioned to Collins' larger form.

"R-Ralph is pleased to meet you!" Ralph blurted as he got to his feet with nervous anticipation. He stammered to a halt as he realised he'd misspoken again and raised a hand over his mouth in mortification. He looked wary and embarrassed as he waited for Collins to say something about his speech pattern. Reed met Collins' bewildered gaze and gave him a shrug. Told you he was different. It didn't take anything more for Collins to break out into a warm smile and extend his hand, watching Ralph light up at the offer. With the scarring on his face, it was rare for humans to approach him so readily. Collins' warm eyes barely even seemed to glance at the lingering marks.

"I'm pleased to meet you too, son," Collins replied cheerfully as he shook Ralph's hand. He could tell Ralph was measuring his strength carefully, so he didn't squeeze too hard, though that didn't stop his fingers from twitching excitedly. This was the most positive meeting he'd had so far. Usually, humans would stare at his face and ask him about the damage, or they'd hear him speak and look at him strangely. "You come on with me. We're due out on patrol. Have you ever been over to the Philmont District?" Collins added as he tugged Ralph into the hall and led the way down to the bullpen, already asking him procedural questions to find out how much he knew about the job. Ralph was so enthusiastic in his responses that he'd completely forgotten about correcting his speech. A few moments later, Reed heard Collins laughing heartily. His own lips quirked as he pulled the meeting room door shut. I think they'll get along just fine.