[raydor]

by some strange and miraculous miracle, the major crimes division hadn't needed to spend christmas week solving a case - it was too good to be true that sharon would get that lucky again with new years. it was already a quarter past ten, and no sign that they'd be leaving any time soon. truthfully she could leave, there's no reason for FID to be involved in this case, anymore, she has lieutenant sanchez to thank for the personalized invite to this less than cheerful gathering. truthfully there'd been a small part of her that was glad he'd taken that shot, because it meant she got to see @deputychief more than she normally would with an ongoing case.

she could tell they were all uneasy of her presence, because it meant they had to behave the best they knew how. at least provenza had the courage to flat out ask what she was still doing there, and it didn't look like anyone believed her response of i'm just here to help. of course she couldn't flat out say that she was there for their deputy chief, because no one knew except hr what was going on between them. none of them knew their departments were quite literally in bed together. she's grateful that brenda chirped up, told them all to be grateful because it meant they might get to go home faster, and it was coated in that sickly sweet southern charm. that seemed to be a satisfactory answer to them.

an undeniable disappointment has nestled between her ribs, and sharon so graciously attempts to subdue it. had it not been for the fact that this was their first new years, she's certain she wouldn't have so much as batted an eye. but sharon did enjoy celebrations, and the holiday traditions, and brenda's company - okay, maybe she would've batted an eye. ❝ half of your team is practically crawling out of their skin, and it's not because of the crime scene photos on the board. ❞ she can speak freely in the confines of the blonde's office. ❝ oh how terrible a ‘ captain raydor ’  supervised new years is. ❞ she's not offended, in fact she finds herself amused that she has such an affect on a group of grown men.

[deputychief]

it was hard to recall a holiday that hadn’t been tangled with work—whether it was snatching a few moments for dinner or unwrapping a handful of presents before duty called her away to honor, serve, and protect. of course, brenda cherished the rare moments of personal time with family, but a part of her would always crave the rush of the chase. it was why she excelled in her role at the department—putting the politics of personal entanglements aside. brenda was a closer.

christmas had come and gone, leaving a trace of disappointment. she couldn’t help but feel a little down knowing that all the decorations would soon be packed away in boxes, the music that filled the streets would fade to silence, and the dazzling lights in the sky would give way to the usual smog of los angeles. even sharon’s whimsical, carefree attitude would slowly fade, like an elf losing its magic. and while new year’s was just as significant—a fresh start—it didn’t carry the same magic.

but that wasn’t what was consuming brenda now. the whiteboard in front of her was a chaotic mess—colored markers linking evidence across a grid of mugshots, candid photos, and bloody crime scene shots. she’d been hitting dead ends all evening, and it was wearing on her, especially with her team’s distracted attention toward the brunette. there was no time for niceties or explanations. she had just shut down the pointless conversation with a cold, finality.

the sound of sharon’s voice snapped brenda back to reality, pulling her from the quiet office where the constant buzz of tip lines and hushed conversations had faded into the background. despite the sarcasm in the woman’s tone, brenda realized how much she had missed her in the brief moment she had zoned out. for a second, she almost wished for an embrace, the feeling of sharon’s lips on her skin, grounding her and making her whole again. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth before she shook her head, dismissing the thought - realizing they were not alone.

“that’s not true, and you know it," brenda said, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her thick black glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. “they think supervision is always a reprimand—no matter who’s in charge." she exhaled a heavy sigh, then turned away from the board, stepping back for a moment to regroup and refocus. “i’m sorry you have to spend your evening here," she added, the weight of the apology hanging between them. “i know it’s not ideal and i promise to make it up to you.”

[raydor]

she'd be lying through her teeth if she said the request hadn't piqued her curiosity. but hadn't curiosity killed the cat ? when asked earlier in the day, response had been intentionally timed, letting an appropriate amount of seconds pass before agreeing. she knew that had she accepted too quickly for the deputy chief's comfort, the privilege of entering her home unaccompanied would've been revoked. so here she was, taking the 101 south ( thankfully after rush hour ) to what could be the most fascinating crime scene location she's been called out to all year. ❝   chief ! ❞ the title ascends the octave as it leaves her lips.

for the past two months they have been trying and failing to formulate some semblance of a schedule. they've been able to meet twice a week, granted most of those times had been spontaneous, but that only made it that more exciting ... right ? proximately three planned dinners didn't fall through due to one of them answering the beck and call from a crime scene. the impromptu coffee dates, and last minute fine dining reservations have certainly been a breath of fresh air amongst her previously rather dull social life. she wasn't naive, having expected as much considering their line of work. they've just had to work harder at it. it's why even when feet are swollen from the unpractical heels chosen, or eyes burned from staring at a monitor all day, she always agreed to the invitation really it just boils down to the fact that sharon has a hard time telling her no. but she'd never incriminate herself by admitting that.

❝   well i have myself, i'm not quite sure what else i would need, considering all of kitty's belongings are already there with her. ❞ the delivery, as you would expect, was in fact one of a smart - ass nature. and although she has a strong inclination as to the motive behind this call, she still decided to bite. ❝   i know how special she is to you, so if you want to go over the instructions with me one more time i'd understand, of course. ❞

[deputychief]

it was no surprise to anyone that she had been raised with traditional southern values. her idea of "going steady" was rooted in the duration of the first ten dates—especially those that had managed to exceed the curfew set by her father. of course, turning forty had a way of bringing the old-fashioned upbringing into sharper focus, as if it were wrapped in cobwebs. adding to the complication was her decision to dive headfirst into a new career, a new city with identical street names, and an even newer relationship with fritz.

maybe it was loneliness that made her let him set the pace, not wanting to lose the one person who had stuck by her when others seemed intent on her downfall. but whatever the reason, things took a sharp nosedive towards destruction. confusion, self-doubt, and frustration followed, culminating in the image of him on one knee while she ran for her life.

it had taken brenda a great deal of mental preparation to even entertain the idea that someone else might be interested in her. she was even more taken aback when she realized one of those people was sharon. so yes, three dates may have felt like too little too soon to invite the woman into her carefully guarded retreat from the world.

her cheeks flushed a deep rouge at sharon’s response. brenda closed her eyes, fighting the urge to tell the woman to turn around and leave. “i meant the directions to the house, captain,” her southern drawl thickening as she forced a smile. collecting herself before sitting on the edge of her desk, her free hand nervously brushing along the surface before it landed in front of the drawer full of sweets. maybe her irritability stemmed from the strict diet she’d imposed on herself—cutting out sugar completely.

“now, he’s gonna come up to the door as soon as you get inside. just make sure he doesn’t escape! the food is in the box on top of the kitchen counter. it’s canned, so just give him one side and make sure he has plenty of water.”

[deputychief]

six days , fourteen hours, twenty-two minutes, and four . . . five seconds in counting. that was the amount of time that the image of maria delgado’s corpse had been engraved into the deputy chiefs mind. the victim , who’d just celebrated her seventeenth birthday, was bestowed the present of first degree murder. mutilated body found dumped off the side of the 401 highway. swearing to self that the continuous ringing in ears throughout the night was not of the mother’s screams when establishing notification. and then just like that — everything stopped. the confession obtained from their perpetuator, maria’s boyfriend , even if it was on death’s bed. the motive only deteriorating what little faith in humanity she had left. “ i thought she was cheating on me , ” he said with anguish while pointing the pistol— disclosing that he was wrong on moments later. burning smell of ammunition singeing the inside nostrils as arms began to ache from kickback. flashing red and blue hues illuminating the night sky only aide the onset migraine.

“ i — i’m fine , sharon. i promise. it’s just a teeny , tiny scrape — doesn’t even hurt ! ” accent thick like honey falling off the comb. downplaying any dangerous situation was brenda’s most defining characteristic — it was probably written in her file. the abandoned warehouse littered in crime scene tape leaving the story of an armed stand off with only a few tethered pieces of wood between in between life and death. facial features contort with distain as body constricts itself away from the touch, not wanting to vocally hiss at the stinging. the smell of synthetic latex beginning to cause rippling of nausea throughout stomach. “ oh , detective gabriel ! please make sure that doctor morales waits for me before starting the autopsy ! ” still managing to dictate her staff from the back of an ambulance. teeth sink into lower lip before glancing back to @raydor hovering over her. feeling somewhat guilty for the look of panic that seemed to gloss sharon’s features.

[deputychief]

brenda found herself facing several "firsts" all over again, and though she knew logically that every part of her personal life would eventually be exposed, she hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. sharon would eventually have to see inside her house—it was inevitable—but she hadn’t anticipated it would be today.

as usual, the homicide case had become more complicated within hours of being assigned, and her team was already gearing up for an overnight operation, with the FBI tagging along. while brenda was determined to keep full control over her case, she also knew she’d have to compromise on another responsibility: taking care of her cat. kitty needed food, or brenda might be accused of neglect. despite all her attempts to find a solution, sharon was her last resort. not that she doubted the brunette would mind, but there were so many factors to consider—what did sharon’s schedule look like? did she even like cats? what if she didn’t like what she found?

panic slowly crept in as brenda realized @raydor would be heading to her house alone in less than fifteen minutes—unsupervised, going through her belongings, whether they were neatly put away or not. her mind was torn between the case and the ticking of her watch. like an itch she couldn’t ignore, brenda felt compelled to call.

“hey! just checkin' in on you—making sure you have everything.”

[crimeshowsource]

KYRA SEDGWICK as BRENDA LEIGH JOHNSON

The Closer 2.07

[deputychief]

raydor·:

inner   cheek   is   taken   between   ivories,     sucking   just   enough   to   create   hollowing   effect.     glancing   at   the   face   of   watch   that   adorned   wrist,   noting   the   approaching   time.     what   should   have   been   their   last   hour   inside   the   building   this   evening   had   come     &     gone   quickly.     of   course   she   is   familiar   with   brenda’s   work   ethics     &     the   blondes   unwavering   determination   to   do   everything   within   capability   to   progress   her   case.     it   was   a   trait   that   sharon   admired   overall,     but   it   was   gravely   impacting   her   social   life.     not   that   she   really   had   much   of   one   to   begin   with,     but   the   endless   nights   spent   going   over   evidence   wasn’t   exactly   helping.          “   a  little  birdie  told  me  how  diligently  you  were  working  through  these  files,   i  just  had  to  come  see  for  myself.   ”          leaning   down   as   hands   rest   atop   of   the   dark   washed   maple   to   prop   self   up   as   she   met   the   deputy   chief’s   lips.     commissure   of   mouth   twitching   with   adoration,     unable   to   mask   the   joy   that   simply   being   in   the   other’s   presence   brought.          “   mmm,  did  you  now ?   ”          honeyed   words   escaping   in   a   rich   rumble.     erect   index   sticks   into   the   creamy   garnish   atop   of   the   treat   to   gather   a   small   amount   before   popping   into   mouth.     it’s   an   almost   sickly,     causing   shoulders   to   tense   at   the   sudden   tooth   achingly   sweetness   that   floods   mouth.     how   does   she   eat   this   sort   of   thing   so   often ?          “   any  chance  i  can  convince  you  to  accompany  me  home ?   ”

boundaries  between  professional  and  personal  had  always  been  a  line  the  two  teetered  dangerously  upon.  hostility  taking  hold  of  the  man  that  she  used  to  know  --  morphing  him  into  something  hateful.  but  then  again,  will  had  always  been  a  pretentious,  sexist,  asshole.  no  wonder  estelle  hated  him.  and  of  course,  brenda  could  have  made  things  more  easy  with  following  protocols  alongside  the  chain  of  command  --  but  he  knew  what  he  was  signing  up  for  when  offering  her  the  position.  "  what  birdie?  what  did  they  say? "  quick  with  defense,  hues  narrowing  past  the  brunette's  figure  and  out  toward  the  nearly  vacated  murder  room  in  attempt  to  identify  source  of  information.  the  kiss  leaves  her   breathless,   tongue  darting  out  instinctively  to  taste  the  sticky  sweet  residue  left  behind,   swearing  she  could  already  taste  the  icing.  " i  always  miss  you.  how  could  i  not? "  mouth  waters  with  anticipation  while  watching  the  digit  disappear  between  lips.  mind  growing  fuzzy,  as  it  always  did  when  the  woman  was  in  her  prescense.  temptation  struggling  within  to  get  the  best  of  her. " oh  darlin',  i  wish  i  could. "  it's  whimpered  out  in  a  pitful  tone.  knees  quick  to  buckle  from  underneath,  frame  becoming  slumped  in  the  chair.  " i- i  really  was  ready  to  go.  i  promise!  you  can  ask  provenza.  but  i  got  this--"  words  cutting  off  as  paper  is  displayed,  arm  extending  to  allow  the  woman  to  read.  " special  orders.  just  for  me. "  eyes  fixate  on  the  pastry  sitting  before  her,  using  all  self  restraint  to  not  endulge.  not  yet.  she  didn't  deserve  it.

[deputychief]

how about you cock my gun?

[deputychief]

raydor​:

“   hi  baby,   ”          warm   tone   penetrating   the   silence   of   the   office,     slipping   into   the   room   so   that   the   door   can   be   shut,     offering   them   privacy   from   the   brigade   in   the   murder   room.     knowing   that   the   blonde   has   had   less   than   a   brag   worthy   day,     she   did   not   arrive   empty   handed.   the   offering   is   placed   opposite   of   the   deputy   chief     &     slid   across   the   desk   slowly.          “   we  had  a  small  celebration  for  an  officer’s  birthday,  and  i  managed  to  snag  this  for  you.   ”

@deputychief​     [  BRENDA  LEIGH  JOHNSON  ]  :     STARTER.

tip  of  neon  highlighter  hovered  over  the  bulleted  list  of  items  that  had  been  placed  on  her  desk  complete  by  the  afternoon.  special  request  from  assistant  chief  william  pope.  bastard.   black  rimmed  glasses  rest  on  bridge  of  nose  as  heeled  foot  tapped  obnoxiously  against  the  floor.  majority  of  the  squad  had  already  crossed  the  dangerous  path  into  overtime  --  which  would  get  them  in  trouble  --  and  they  still  had  yet  to  make  an  arrest  for  the  latest  assigned homicide --  which  would  also  leave  them  in  the  same  position.  the  list  was  punishment  for  brenda  questioning  the  eligibility  of  the  priority  that  had  been  slapped  onto  the  file.  perhaps  vocalizing  concerns  could  have  waited  for  a  more  private  setting,  but  she  couldn't  pass  on  the  opportunity  to  receive  the  visual  disatisfaction  on  taylor's  face.  thank you so much.   the  beautiful  sound  from  lover  was  quick  to  bring  the  blonde  back  to  reality.  "   well,  hi  there.  "   wide  smile  gracing  lips,  nose  immediately  smelling  the  confectionary  being  offered.  "  oh  my.  aren't  you  just  the  sweetest? "  inquiry  rhetorical  as  mouth  waters  with  desire.  extending  limbs  to  reach  across  the  desk  and  steal  a  kiss  from  the  brunette.  moans  of  approval  humming  from  throat  before  pulling  away.  " what  a  lovely  surprise.  i  missed  you. "

[showsincaps]