To Serve And Protect. [R18]

[Detective Jones]

[Just a warning: This is a police AU and thus involves things you would expect police to run into and more. This includes but is not limited to. non/dub-con(although not too extreme), violence, drug use)


Detective Alfred Jones was sitting at his desk at the police station. It was rather tiny desk, stuck in the far corner but it was his none the less. He was sure that he had earned it, no matter what anyone else said. The stack of paper around him kept him in his own little world anyways. He was currently on filing duty. He disliked paper work more and more by the day. It was especially hard on him to sit there in his chair and read through the files. Read the accounts and details and evidense..and not be able to do a thing about it. He almost felt like he'd be more useful if he went back to being a mall cop.

He opened another file, a petty robbery case. No one was hurt, nothing was taken but money, but the guy was still at large. It was low on the list of priorities and he was sure that someone would take their sweet time getting to it. Alfred frowned deeply. He coud go do it, but sending people out costed money according to the Chief of Police. Alfred had even volunteered to use his own car, own gas money and had been refused. He stayed glued to his folding chair, for they had given him a rolling chair at the start but he apperently 'abused the privilege' by rolling around too much, and placed the file into the appropiate cabinet to his left.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Atleast, no one could say he wasn't doing his part. That much he held onto, if he could only improve any of the peoples lifes he read about in these papers, then it would be worth it.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur Kirkland was livid. "What do you bloody mean, 'no'? In case you've forgotten, I'm the best you've got so there's no point in keeping me cooped up in here like I'm useless!" 

It was so frustrating -- he needed to be out there, needed to show that he was still the best. He needed to show that he was still worth something to the police force. Arthur absently rubbed at his left side, where the puckered scar still stood out starkly from his pale skin. He had been the best, always working alone but always getting results. Then one bad move, and the entire operation had gone down the drain. He'd been left for dead in a hotel basement, and the criminals had made an easy escape. Even now he wasn't sure how he'd been found and saved, but he figured if life had given him another chance then he should make use of it.  

Doing fucking paperwork all day didn't fit his definition of 'making use of it'. 

"My decision is final!" the Chief barked, his back ramrod straight in his chair. "I will tell you when something comes up. Until then, continue with what you have been assigned!"

Arthur slammed his hands down onto the solid oak tabletop. "Just give me a case. Any case, God damn it! I'm so fucking bored in here, I'll either stir up so much trouble that you'll lose all respect in this station, or I'll off myself!"

"I'll have you suspended from all manner of police work if you even think about carrying out those threats, until you learn your place!"

"I'm already suspended from anything that I fucking care about! Bloody hell, I may as well just quit here and now!"

The Chief was silent for a moment. "You wouldn't," he challenged finally. 

"I would," Arthur shot back. "I'm still young enough to make a name for myself in a different field, you know." He was bluffing, and he knew it. There was no way he'd give up police work, not after everything he'd given up to get there in the first place. But he also knew that he was one of the best, and the Chief couldn't afford to lose him. 

The Chief made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat and hunched over in his seat, suddenly looking tired. "Fine," he said, fishing out a slim manilla folder from the pile on his desk and holding it out. "Here."

Arthur reached for it and flipped it open. "Tax evasion?" he read out loud, disbelief in his voice. "Is this a joke?"

"Take it or leave it, Kirkland."

Well, it would get him out of the station at least. "I'll take it," he replied grudgingly. "But you'd better give me something that's bloody worth my time when I'm next in here!"

"You can have that, so long as you take a partner."

"What?" he almost shrieked, hands threatening to tear the folder in half. "I have never needed a partner before, nor do I need one now!"

"Kirkland!" the Chief roared, finally fed up. "Either get the fuck out there and find yourself a partner or get back to your fucking desk!"

Arthur glared at him for a moment before spinning on his heel and storming out of the office, making sure to slam the door behind him. He cast his stormy gaze over the officers still in the station. Apparently his temper was legendary as some of his earlier cases, and as he glared around many eyes were averted. His gaze finally landed on a desk in the corner, where a bored-looking blond was idly flipping through some files. He wasn't someone whom Arthur was familiar with, but a quick glance at the blond's desk revealed his name. 

"Jones!" he barked, waving the manilla folder. "Get up. You're coming with me."

[Detective Jones]

Alfred had been tucking yet another file into the cabinet when he heard the shouting start from inside the Chief's office. Such noise wasn't uncommon in the station but whoever it was seems far more upset than usual. He tries not to act like he is listening but he can't help but be curious. Wasn't the officer in there now supposed to be really well known and stuff?

The argument seems to go on for ages. He gets through at least four more files before the door is thrown open. Like everyone else, he makes sure to concentrate on his work. The last thing he needs is to catch the eye of a pissed off cop. Most officers didn't seem to have the best attitudes when they got angry.

He must have been hesitant with looking away though because the next thing he knows he hears his name being barked out and he nearly jumps out of his seat. He looks up to find himself facing none other then Officer Kirkland. He goes to get out of his chair in a haste, not wanting to miss this opportunity, and it nearly folds up on him in the process. He stumbles and laughs loudly to try and make it seem like he meant to do just that. "Ready!" He says with a serious but playful glint in his eyes. This was just the chance he had been looking for. A case with an officer who had a decent reputation, perhaps this could prove he was just as good as anyone else in this station.

[Officer Kirkland]

Watching the taller blond stumbling about made Arthur want to slap himself. Bloody hell, had he picked a rookie to become his new partner? Jones looked young and fresh and irritatingly enthusiastic. The fact that he was both taller and more solidly built (and better looking too, though Arthur would never admit to that) than Arthur only made things worse. Arthur glared, catching a glimpse of baby blue eyes before whirling to face the entrance of the station and marching out, not really caring whether Jones was following or not. He'd be following if he knew what was good for him. Git. 

He unlocked his car -- a fairly nondescript five-seater rather than a typical patrol car, which was wise considering how many people were out for his blood as a result of his previous cases -- and slipped into the driver's seat, glancing over the file as he did so. As soon as Jones settled in the front passenger seat, Arthur thrust the folder at him and scowled. 

"Normally I'd make you do the reading," he said as he started up the car, "but I'm hardly in the mood to wait. We have a fucking stupid case but you're not to complain. As long as I get to leave that blasted station, I will put up with you. Make no mistake -- I am not obligated to like you, nor are you obligated to like me. I am, however, trusting you to be a reliable partner so you'd best not fuck up and get us both in trouble -- or killed."

He paused to make sure the other blond was listening, and took a moment to swear at a learner driver. 

"Now that that's done with, you should know that this case will not be particularly exciting or rewarding. Some daft sod has been avoiding the taxation department and they're sick of playing cat and mouse with him. All we have to do is go to his most recent place of residence and arrest him. Of course he's living under an alias so we don't even know if he's there or not, but that'll be the story of your exciting first case."

Arthur slowed the car as they reached their destination, and made sure to park on the other side of the street. He clicked his seatbelt off and eyed the blond, suddenly feeling a twinge of pity for the poor lad. His first case, and he was stuck with someone like Arthur. He knew that he'd hate to be stuck with someone like himself, especially in his earlier, more impressionable years on the force. 

"Look," he said gruffly, trying to sound less harsh. "I'm Arthur Kirkland. If you do well here I'll be sure to put in a good word for you around the station. They listen to me, and you'll be given better cases. So go and show me what you're made of, Alfred Jones."

With that, Arthur stepped out of the car and onto the street. 

[Detective Jones]

Alfred wasn't the slightest bit discouraged by the fact that his new partner didn't seem friendly at all. He followed after Arthur quickly, not bothering to take in many details about the other person. He was more excited about getting to go along with someone then to be picky about who that someone was.

As he exited the building he lets out a whistle at the car they approached. "Nice, you got your own unmarked." He comments, always the talkative type. Anything to try and break the ice with his new partner. He get's into the car and makes sure to follow procedure; buckling his seatbelt into place and making sure he is ready to go before he finds the case file in his lap.

Blinking in surprise, Alfred was a little taken aback by how rough the other's language was. It wasn't unexpected he supposed though. "I'm not complaining, I'm just as happy to be sent out to do something,even if it's.." He flips through the file in his hands. "tax avoidance and evasion." He puts the file down in between them and gives Arthur a questioning look. "I don't even know you yet, how can I tell if I like you or not if we've never worked together before let alone really spoken." He was taking this all very seriously. He held a fist up in a determined show. "As for reliable, I'll do my best!"

He cringes a little and gives the car being cursed at a look of sympathy.

He grins over at the his new partner. "Aw you make it sound so pessimistic. Worse case is if he isn't there and we get to keep tracking him down all stealth like. Best case is he's there and we catch him and another law breaker get's put behind bars!" It didn't have to be an exciting case, although he wouldn't knock having something a bit more action filled, but he was happy to do his job and get the bad guys even if they just didn't do they taxes.

When they stopped the car Alfred was ready to jump out and get things going. He figured Arthur was the kind of 'get in and get out' kind of officer anyways. So he was surprised when the other turned to speak to him again. An introduction? Well that made since, part of getting to know one another he guessed. "You seem to already know my name, I'm excited to be working with you though!" He replies quickly. "I hear your one of the best after all." With that he shows his first sign of nerves. Just a shy hint to his smile that shows he is very aware that he is now working with someone much more experienced then he is. Before that can develop any further Alfred is ducking out of the car and making his own tracks towards the supposed residence of 'Tax Evasion Man' as he has dubbed him in his head.

He tries to make sure to keep pace with Arthur, not going too slow or fast but attempting to walk side by side like a proper cop team should he thinks. He considers himself neither a follower nor a leader in the situation, but part of a team.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur supposed Jones didn't seem too bad. He was a bit too loud and talkative, but it seemed that his heart was in the right place. The boy didn't seem to mind having a boring first case, which was rare in young men these days. As Alfred fell into step beside him, rather than behind him, Arthur gave a small approving nod. That move showed confidence, yet respect for one's partner. Maybe partnering with Jones wouldn't be so bad after all. 

The first thing that he noticed when he stepped through the gate was the general untidiness of the garden. The grass was long and overgrown and the poor rose bushes hadn't been pruned in quite some time. Arthur frowned and made his way up to the front door, which was situated between two square windows. He lifted a hand to knock, and then something caught his eye. 

There was a small splatter of blood and a fresh bloody smear on the inside of the left window. 

"Jones," he said immediately, tone becoming less angry and instead more professional as he pointed out the blood to his partner, "Go around the back. If someone is in there, he'll most likely run as soon as I enter. Make sure he doesn't get away. Shoot only if you have to."

As he spoke, he loosened his gun in its holster so that he'd be able to draw it more easily, though he hoped he wouldn't have to use it. After giving Jones a moment to get into position, Arthur took a deep breath and rapped sharply on the door. 

It swung open with an eerie creak.  

[Detective Jones]

Overall, Alfred thought things were going well so far. He had made it to his first case with his new partner without any mishaps. It wasn't much but it was a personal record he supposed. One that he intended to beat quite quickly.

A look over the house they approached told Alfred that it was likely that no one was home, nor had been home for quite some time. He made care trying not to step on any of the poor plants that looked like they had once been thriving flowers. He bent down to try and move what looked like it once was a very small tree off the path to the door.

He looked up from his task when he heard Arthur call his name. Hurrying back up to where his partner was he sees what is being pointed out to him. His expression becomes concerned with the sudden reality of the situation. He just nods and goes to take his position.

Around back didn't look any better then the front did. Alfred was still tripping over weeds and broken pieces of brick that may have once been part of a patio. He ran his hands over his pants checking for his cuffs, gun, pepper spray. If anyone came out of that back door he was opting to tackle them though.

He heard the knock on the door and the creaking of the same door opening. He hunched down, bouncing on his knees, waiting to give chase, energy already pumping through his veins excitedly.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur stepped through the doorway slowly, one hand hovering near his gun, the other held up in front of him to ward off any incoming attacks. Every nerve was on edge. This was where he belonged: out and about, getting things done. A squelch came from down near his feet and he realised with revulsion that the carpet was soaked with blood. And it was fresh. A clatter came from an adjoining room and his attention immediately shifted. Someone was there.

Walking as quietly as possible, he crossed the small, carpeted foyer and hesitated for a moment, before pulling out his gun and rounding the corner.

A large figure clad in black slammed against him, causing him to careen sideways and knock his head against a wall. “Jones!” he shouted, before the figure straddled him, effectively pinning him down. He thrashed beneath the other’s hold, feeling his head connect with the hard wooden floor several times. The impacts sent shockwaves down his body, stirring up his old wound and leaving him gasping at the pain. As he slowly tried to blink away the spots in his vision, he heard what the figure was saying.

“Oh my fucking God,” the figure gasped, still shaking the officer and thus still bashing his head against the floor. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, it looked abandoned so I came in and fuck, there’s a body in there and I didn’t do it, I swear I didn’t, I was just looking for some cash or something, arrest me or whatever, just please don’t tell my mum!”

[Detective Jones]

Alfred was waiting outside the back. It didn't take long for him to get impatient but it turns out he was needed sooner then he thought. Upon hearing the shout he sprung up from his place. Figuring that it would be easier to just enter from the back he didn't bother going back around to the front. He lifted one large shoe and kicked in the back door.

The house wasn't very big so he easily found his way to the front where he knew Arthur to be. If the shouting was anything to go by it seemed like this had blown out of proportion fast. He drew it gun and turned the corner to see his partner being bashes against the floor and instantly pointed at the stranger. "Hands up and get off my partner!" he shouted, voice loud and clear. He wasn't going to shoot of course, unless the guy decided to become violent..well more violent then he already was. The bits that he had caught from the shouting it sounded like that guy didn't want any trouble anyways. Alfred hoped he would go quietly.

He held his aim steady walking around closer to Arthur to make sure that he was okay. At the least he looked a little shaken up from the floor beating. "You alright there, Arthur?" He asks, taking a second to glance down at him to make sure.

[Officer Kirkland]

As soon as the heavy weight on his midsection lifted, Arthur threw himself into a roll and came up on his knees, as far away from the stranger as possible. His gun was out immediately, ready to fire with the safety off. He couldn't stop his trembling. It was pathetic. He hated feeling overpowered and helpless, just like the last time... Arthur forced the thoughts from his mind and allowed his gun to drop as he heard Jones' distinctive American accent asking him something. 

"Yes, yes." His gun clattered to the floor as he pressed one hand against the ground to steady himself, the other shooting up his head as a blinding headache started up somewhere behind his eyes. Well, that was never a good sign. If he got a concussion on his first case back on duty, the Chief would never let him out of the station again, threats be damned. "Yes, I'm fine. Go and cuff that buffoon to something; we don't want him getting away. Have to question him later, and call his mother."

He unsteadily got to his feet and staggered over to the wall, leaning against it heavily as a wave of dizziness shot through him. Dimly, he could feel pain pulsating from his side but he paid it no mind as he crossed into the adjoining room. "A body, he says?" he murmured to himself as he heard the boy begin babbling at the other officer. 

There was indeed a body sprawled on the ground. The man had suffered several different kinds of injuries, and had probably crawled here from the foyer, only to bleed to death. He'd probably been dead for less than twelve hours.  

"You need to call in forensics and... And..." he trailed off as he lost his train of thought. He shook his head furiously, forcing himself to focus. There was a movement behind him and he whirled around, regretting that he'd left his gun on the floor of the other room. His baton was out in a flash though, and he relaxed when he came face to face with his partner. "Oh," he said slowly, "there you are. I thought you'd left, you know, like all the others. We need to call in a forensics team, and ballistics too. Because he was shot, and died," he added, pointing out the obvious. Arthur crouched down beside the body. "You," he continued, pointing up at the taller blond, "yes, you there with the pretty eyes, need to call the Chief and tell him what's happened because I," he switched to prodding himself in the chest, "am making absolutely no sense at all right now. You are also forbidden from telling him about this," here he gestured vaguely towards his head, "because if I get taken off this case, someone will die by my hand."

He staggered upright again and almost fell, instead clamping his hands around Jones' (admittedly very muscular) right forearm and closing his eyes momentarily to try and ward off the headache and dizziness as he swayed on his feet. He wasn't stupid; he had all the textbook symptoms of a concussion. He'd experienced it enough times in the past to know what it was like. 

"Hurry up, you stupid git," he complained faintly, not letting go for fear of falling down. 

[Detective Jones]

Alfred thought once the guy was off of Arthur he would be okay. Looks like he was wrong. His partner was suddenly a shaking mess and dropped his gun. Alfred may have been new to this but he was sure that was a big no-no. He stepped forward, taking charge with the stranger and with one hand got his cuffs from his belt and busied himself with getting the suspect on the ground and immobilized.

From his position he heard Arthur stumbling around through the house and opened his mouth in a thought to tell him to stay where he was but decided against it. Arthur was still his senior officer after all. Instead when he had the guy cuffed he stood up and followed after him. His first glimpse of the body made him cringe, he had been trained for this though, seen cadavers but the real thing was quite ..well more real. He was surprised to find that he mostly felt bad for the guy, no one deserved to be killed.

Suddenly a baton was being swung in his face and he held his hands up. "Hey, it's only me, chill." He gives Arthur a concerned look. "What others?" He asks not sure what the other was talking about anymore. "My names Alfred..remember..although I won't object to you calling me pretty eyes I guess." He responds with a nervous laugh. He catches Arthur when he stumble into him, holding him upright with one arm while using his free hand to pull out his phone.

"Chief! Yeah I'm requesting a forensic team and a ballistic team at our location. No, a fight didn't break out but we found our guy, He's eh..dead." He winces as the chief yells something over the phone before he continues. "Eh, Officer Kirkland can't come to the phone he's..a little out of rage at the moment. Yes, sir. Thank you." He hangs up the phone and looks down at the man clinging to him. " I didn't tell him but what are you gonna do? They're on their way and you should probably go to the hospital if your balance is anything to go by or at least sit down." He really didn't want anyone to get hospitalized on his first case but he was more concerned for his partners own health. He must have been seriously hit in the head.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur took a deep breath and let go of his partner's arm, willing himself to straighten up. "No," he said immediately, "no hospitals. I'll be fine. I've always been fine. It's just a bash on the head. It'll go away in an hour or so. Nothing to worry about. That idiot just likes to blow things out of proportion. I'm nothing to worry about, don't you worry." He clamped his mouth shut when he realised he was spewing nonsense again. It wasn't the best impression he could be making on Jones. At the station, he was known for being a serious, no-nonsense kind of person. No one had ever seen him in such a state before. He'd specifically made a point to never go drinking with his colleagues. Would Jones gossip about the stupidly disoriented bastard Kirkland to the rest of the station? His face fell as he considered the possibility. 

Of course the newbie wouldn't come to like him. It wasn't as if anyone else did. He felt stupid for even thinking of the possibility. Despite what he'd said earlier in the car, he had actually looked forward to working with Jones. There was something about him... Something new and promising and almost exciting. Something that Arthur had wanted to give a try. 

"... It must be awful," he said at last, staring down at the floor, "to be stuck with someone like me. Perhaps you should--" He broke off as he heard the other teams enter the house through the front. "Tell them I'm examining something outside, or at least something believable, and that you need to take the suspect to the station," he hissed, "then grab that git and bring him to the car. I'll wait for you there. Don't take too long. I'll fall asleep. You can try heading the interview when we get to the station as long as you keep the Chief away from me until I recover."

Arthur made his way to the back door as quickly as possible without falling over. The garden at the back was as messy as the front had been. As Arthur reached the side of the house, he doubled over and dry heaved. 

Well, that wasn't good.

He waited until everyone had entered the house before staggering out to where his car was parked on the other side of the street. After a brief inner debate, he unlocked the car, clambered into the front passenger seat and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. After what seemed like a split second but was probably much longer, he heard one of the back doors slamming closed and felt Jones climb into the driver's seat.  

"Jones," he demanded blearily, holding the car keys firmly in his hand, "check my pupils. Are they even?"

[Detective Jones]

At the insistence that no hospitals be involved Alfred huffs a sigh but nods in compliance. He would respect his senior officer's wishes, but he was still a little concerned. Arthur didn't seem like the type to babble nonsense on a regular biases, in fact ,he had never seen him be anything but very very serious in the office. So it was understandable, he supposed, that Arthur might not want anyone to see him like this. Refusing a hospital was still a bad move he thought though.

An expression almost like worry crossed his face, brows furrowed slightly, biting his lip like he was about to suggest something when he looked at up Arthur's words. "Awful? What are you talking about?" but before he could get any kind of answer the other teams were in the house, footsteps pounding on the bloody carpet. Then Arthur was rambling and..gone. For someone who had toke a bump to the head he did think rather well at times, Alfred though. It probably came after so long on the job, automatic reaction to things.

He left the room and returned to the front of the house. He gives a wave and a cheesy smile to the team that has arrived before going over to the cuffed suspect and hauling him to his feet easily. "I'll be taking this guy back, Officer Kirkland is already out front. We'll leave the rest to you guys then I guess." He leaves with a another nod as his hands are full ushering the restrained man forwards and through the door with some resistance. He is strong for his age though and is easily able to handle things.

Once he is back to the car he opens the drivers side, seeing as how Arthur has taken the passenger thankfully. The man wasn't in any condition to drive. He gets the suspect into the backseat before sliding in himself. He doesn't know where the keys are so he turns to look at Arthur and the site isn't pleasant. He leans over to look at the other man's eyes and winces. "They're not, dude you look like your wacked out on something." At this he reached over but not for the keys, he puts a hand on his partners shoulder. "Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? You look pretty bad and well..I just got you for a partner, don't want to have you bed ridden or anything so soon."

The drive back to the station is seems to last forever but when they get there Alfred casts a glance to see how Arthur is going before retrieving the man in the backseat to take inside.

[Officer Kirkland]

"No hospitals," he reaffirms. "If I go to hospital, he'll never let me out again. I'll go and sleep. They always say not to sleep but I'm tired and it hasn't killed me yet." 

Uneven pupils were never a good sign. A constant, blinding headache wasn't good either. The rambling and staggering... Well, there wasn't much he could do about it, short of visiting the hospital. Arthur relaxed back into the seat, closing his eyes and allowing himself to doze. It was strange though; he wasn't the kind of person who was able to sleep when someone else was driving. But he felt safe enough with Jones. He jerked awake when the rumble of the engine died down, signalling that they had reached the station. 

Waving off Jones' concerned look, Arthur slowly clambered out of the car and rested a moment, gripping onto the American's arm again. "Go straight to the interview room," he said, blinking away the fuzziness in his vision. At least his headache was starting to die down, he supposed. He released his partner and walked in step with him into the station, making sure to stand on the side of Jones that was further away from the Chief's office. "If he sees me like this, there will be hell to pay."

They made it into the interview room and Arthur clicked on the bright lights. Immediately he recoiled against the wall, covering his apparently now light-sensitive eyes. "Bloody hell," he muttered, peering through his fingers and trying to let his eyes adjust. When they became reasonably better, he squinted at the setup and nodded at his partner, remaining against the wall and motioning for Jones to take the chair and lead the interview. 

The boy was no longer cuffed and sat trembling in the cold metal chair. His eyes roamed desperately around the room. "A-am I in trouble, officers?" he asked meekly. "I mean, I know I broke in but I hurt Officer Eyebrows by accident and I promise I didn't kill that guy, he was already like that when I got there!"

[Detective Jones]

Alfred nods but is still concerned for his partner. "Alright, I'll make sure the Chief doesn't see you..You go and get some rest or something. I'll take care of things." He nods. If Arthur wasn't going to let him take him to the hospital then he was going to do his best to make things easier for him at least. Partner's are supposed to help each other after all, right?

He enters the station and feels a spark of elation as some other officers turn to watch him. Bringing in his first suspect, finally getting a bit of recognition, he should be dancing from happiness but he's not. He finds that he is actually getting more nervous then before. he doesn't let it show though and puts on a smug smile as he sets the suspect down and unlocks the cuffs, placing them back into his belt.

He casts a glance to Arthur looking for any hint of what to do throughout the interview. He sits across from the man and gives him a friendly smile. He does what comes naturally. "Hey calm down man, your not in trouble for anything yet...Well, You did kind of hurt my friend but that's another issue really. What were you doing in that house in the first place?" He asks trying to stop rambling and get to the point. He naturally talks too much when given the chance, so this was just a perfect opportunity for him to run his mouth, unfortunately.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur stared at the tiny red light on the recorder unblinkingly until the silence in the small interview room registered in his mind. He glanced up and saw that the boy was watching him fearfully, mouth clammed shut. Arthur sighed. 

"I won't press charges for assault if you tell us everything," he said, trying to make his voice sound friendly, and probably failing miserably. That stupid boy, making fun of his eyebrows like that. There was nothing wrong with them! 

Arthur was actually quite impressed with how Jones handled the opening of the interview. Trying to calm the boy down and establish a friendly sort of connection was paramount in gaining crucial, truthful information. He dug into his pockets and retrieved a small notepad and pencil, which he laid on the table in front of Jones before returning to his spot against the wall. His headache seemed to be fading at an acceptable rate; he'd probably only need to get a full night's sleep or two in order to be back in full working shape. 

"What's your name, lad?" he asked after a moment, praying that the stupid fool would cooperate before he lost his temper. He wanted to go home to his little flat and sleep. 

"Mathias," the boy replied after a moment, running a hand through his spiky blond hair. "You're sure you won't charge me?"

"Tell us what happened today, and you've got a deal."

Arthur folded his arms across his chest and allowed himself to relax a bit, knowing that Jones seemed competent enough to make legible notes for the case. 

"Well," the boy began nervously, fingers tapping at the metal table, "the place looked abandoned, yeah?"

Arthur felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and instantly straightened up, knowing that the Chief was watching from the other side of the one-way mirror. He cleared his throat, hoping that Jones would coax the boy into giving some solid information soon. He heard Jones talking to the boy but Arthur didn't take his eyes off the mirror. 

"... And anyway, as soon as I walked into that room, I saw the body and I couldn't really move or anything," Mathias was saying, his voice strained. "I mean, it's different when you're at the movies, you know? There was so much blood, and he was right there..."

"Did you see anyone around?" Arthur asked finally, after giving Jones a moment to calm the boy. "Anyone at all? I assume you watched the house before you decided no one was there, correct?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't see anyone. I watched the house for a couple of days, part of the bet, you know?"

Arthur bit his lip, the only outward sign of his frustration. Their only witness was a teenage boy who hadn't seen anything anyway. Brilliant. Jones continued coaxing the boy. 

"There was a car though," Mathias continued after a moment, frowning thoughtfully at Jones. "It always parked across the street, where you guys parked today. It always got there at the same time, but no one ever got out of it. They just sat there. But it wasn't there today..."

[Detective Jones]

Alfred takes the pencil and pad and scribbles down things as they go. The more he listens to Arthur the more he thinks that this guy would definitely play the 'bad cop' with that temper of his that seems to loom just under the surface.

He writes down the boys name before opening his own mouth again. "Hey, no need to be nervous, we're the good guys! We're only trying to help you." He says giving the man across the table a smile. He wasn't just saying that for effect either. Alfred truly believed that being a cop meant helping people just as much as catching the bad guys.

He is unaware of anyone standing on the other side of the tinted glass. If he can't see it, he isn't concerned with it, that doesn't stop him from following Arthur's eyes to it when he looks up at the man. He gives him a questioning look before turning back to his notes.

A word catches Alfred's ears and he tilts his head looking at the suspect, now witness. "Bet? Where you there because someone bet you to go into the place?" He looks as if he's thinking for a moment before continuing. "And you saw a car? Could you give any details you remember about it? Color, plate number, state, anything?" Anything at this point could be useful really. If this car was their only lead then so be it. Better than nothing.

[Officer Kirkland]

"Yeah," Mathias said, frowning as he tried to remember specific details. "It was one of those brick cars. Y'know, a Mini Cooper? Bright red. But I didn't exactly take any notice of the numberplate. I was kinda more worried about whether I was going to get into that house okay or not." He took a deep breath. "And about the bet... Look, I'm a college kid and we got a bit drunk the other week after exams. I didn't know everyone who was there, but I think it was someone I'd never seen before. Anyway, a bet's a bet and all my friends were there so I had to do it. The guy was pretty scary and told me I had to go into that house today, at a certain time, and bring something valuable back to prove I'd been inside. My friends are paying me too."

Arthur was already inwardly planning some kind of protection for the lad. It would be necessary if the case became too deep. Perhaps they could send a team out to patrol the area around his home at night time? Arthur sifted through the information that they had so far and worried at his lip, knowing that there wasn't much. They could interview people at the party to find out who the mysterious better was, and also look up red Mini Coopers in the local suburbs. He scowled at the thought of the small car. What was it about them...? 

There was a small buzz of static and then the Chief's voice filled the room. "Kirkland," the Chief barked. "Get out here now. Jones, continue."

Arthur huffed softly. He blinked rapidly, hoping that his pupils had evened out over the course of the interview. The thrumming headache was mostly gone, replaced by a stuffy, leaden exhaustion that seemed to reach every part of his body. He nodded to his partner and the boy, then unlocked the door and stepped out of the room. He closed the door behind him and reached up to massage his forehead for a moment, before making his way into the small, somewhat dark observation room. 

"Kirkland," the Chief said as soon as he caught sight of Arthur, "what the hell is going on?" 

"I'm sure Jones told you over the phone," Arthur said impatiently. He twisted to make sure that he was facing the window rather than his boss. "We went to the specified address. No one answered, so we went inside. The poor sod was already dead by the time we'd gotten there, though probably not for long. This kid," here he jerked a finger towards the glass window through which he could see the interview continuing, "was in the house, apparently sent there as part of a bet."

They paused for a moment, listening to the kid babble and Jones answering patiently. 

"Really, Kirkland? Jones? You know he's a complete rookie, right?" 

Arthur bristled at the slightly incredulous tone of voice. "He seems perfectly capable to me," he snapped, not sure why he was defending the boisterous American. "And at least he doesn't judge me by the rumours floating around the station, unlike many others." 

Another moment of silence, save for the conversation taking place on the other side of the glass. 

"Should I take you off this case?"

"What?" Arthur asked, feeling his temper spike. "You have kept me off cases for months. If I remember correctly, you gave me the folder this morning. This is my bloody case and you're sure as hell not giving it to someone else just because the objective's changed!"

"Arthur," the Chief tried, obviously trying to sound reasonable, "I'm just not sure that you're ready to be back--"

"I am also perfectly capable!" Arthur shouted. "I am a grown man, and I know my limits. You are not taking this case from me, sir. I'm fine. I know what I'm doing!"

"... All right," came the tentative agreement. "I'll let you do this. But remember, the slightest hint of this getting too deep and--"

"I wish you'd stop treating me as if I'm some fragile woman! Yes, I was shot. Yes, I almost died. You'd think it'd be harder for me to come to terms with that than it'd be for you!" Furious, Arthur jabbed at the button on the intercom rather violently. "Jones!" He barely reigned in the anger in his voice. "Finish up in there."

He stomped over to the door and swung it open before pausing and scowling at the Chief. "And if it becomes too dangerous," he growled, "well, that's what Jones is there for. We'll go undercover. I'm not alone this time."

He let the door slam shut behind him as he made his way back to the interview room.  

[Detective Jones]

Alfred nodded as the boy kept talking and he wrote down the important things in his little notepad; Car details, bet details. "Alright, don't worry. we'll track down this car and look into it. As for your friend's ..well, I'd tell them not to do stupid things. Find another party game. Pin the tail on the donkey is pretty rad these days."He tried to laugh but he was starting to worry a bit though, this all seemed rather suspicious. Alfred glanced back at the mirror wall, knowing Arthur and probably the chief was behind there. He would be hesitant to voice his opinions when he talked to them. After all, he was the rookie, what did he know. The thought made him sigh but he shook his head and returned his attention to the boy across from him. One thing he was sure of was that this kid was innocent.

"We'll probably be able to put you in some kind of protection if you need it as well. Other then that you probably need some rest huh. It's been an eventful day for all of us." Alfred added trying to maintain his friendly tone as Arthur's voice cut him off. "Yeah, yeah. We're pretty much done here." He calls back not sure if Arthur can hear him reply or not. It doesn't matter because he is back in the room not a second later it seems.

Alfred stands, walking over to awkwardly shake hands with Mathias before turning to Arthur, walking over to him. " What now?" He ask, his voice in a quieter tone. For some reason he thought it was warranted, although he's not sure why. "We obviously need to search for this car, and well...I know he says he was just at a party, and I think he's telling the truth, but who else could have been there. Excuse me for saying this but the timing was just too perfect. Us showing up right when he breaks into this house and a guy is murdered." Alfred trails off giving Arthur a look that said. 'see, I can do this.' He glances back to the mirror once again. "What did the chief say too?" Nothing good from the look on his partner's face he guessed.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur pressed a hand firmly against his forehead as his temples gave a disconcerting throb. "Outside," he said faintly, gesturing for Jones to leave the room. "We'll discuss it outside somewhere." He led the taller blond to the steps just in front of the station, where he sat down heavily and closed his eyes, just concentrating on breathing slowly and steadily so that the nausea would go away. "We now have decisions to make," he said after a moment of gathering his wits about him. "The first of which being either being taken off the case or defying the Chief. He's a right prat even at the best of times, so I have no problem with telling him to piss off. Of course, whether you continue with me on this case is completely up to you; rest assured, any insubordination will be put on your file." He gave a tiny, bitter chuckle. "Mine must be full of it."

Arthur hoped that Jones would remain on the case. From what he'd seen, the boy seemed capable enough, and enthusiastic too. The Chief was being stupid; how could the promising young men ever hope to flourish if the older, more experienced officers refused to give them any time of day?

He tilted his head back, enjoying the warmth from the weak late afternoon sunshine. It was making him sleepy, doubly so from the knock on the head he'd obtained earlier. Arthur yawned shortly and continued. "After that, we'd have to decide what angle we want to take. We could try to find the car, which from experience I'd say is a dull and ineffective method in this case, or we can go straight to the university and find out who was hosting the party. Murderers don't only strike once; he or she is bound to be at the next party, placing stupid bets -- especially if he's hosting it. We need to gain invitations if it's not an open party. So we ought to pose as--" he yawned again, his eyelids fluttering. He felt so weighed down and heavy. It probably wasn't good to drive home in his state, but what could he do? It wasn't safe to take a taxi from the station, and it wasn't like he had anyone to call to pick him up. "--As students, undercover. The sooner we get our covers in place, the better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home and fill in the paperwork for today." Arthur didn't move though. It was warm and comforting and with a start, he realised that somewhere during the course of his talking he'd managed to wind up leaning his head against the American's shoulder. 

"Oh," he said stupidly, blinking up at Jones. "Terribly sorry. I, ah... May I have my keys back, please?" Jones had never actually returned his car keys to him, and he needed them because the keys to his flat were attached to them. Arthur slowly pulled himself away from Jones' warmth and instead leaned against the cold stone of the wall to his side. Instantly all the warmth seeped out through his uniform and he found himself missing the warmth of another person. It was a strange thought to be having after so long. He briefly wondered whether any of the people whom he'd allowed to use him were also still lonely, or whether they'd found other people and had moved on. 

Arthur shook his head. He wasn't lonely. He wasn't. 

[Detective Jones]

"Oh, right." Alfred says following after him and out to the front of the station. He sits down on the steps beside his partner and listens. Now that the interview was over he was hoping Arthur would be a little better but it seems he was still in bad shape. Maybe the chief was right to take him off the case. It was clear though Arthur wasn't about to have any of that, so Alfred really had no choice but to go with him, if nothing else to make sure he stayed alright.

"I'm stay on with you. I mean, if I don't it's just back to filing. This way at least it'll be fun. Plus someone's gotta look after you." He says poking Arthur with his elbow lightly.

Alfred loves the sunlight and it's feeling. He tilts his face up towards the sun closing his eyes for a good moment as he misses being outside. Being stuck in a building all day just wasn't good for the soul he thought. He may not have looked like it but he was listening still. "I agree, I think we might find more answers at the college, or whatever school it is." He feels something on his arm and looks down, surprised that it is Arthur leaning on him. He adverts his eyes off to the side and tries to ignore the presence. Arthur looks far too comfortable there for him to disturb him. It isn't until he moves of his own accord does Alfred look over again.

"Nope." Alfred replies to his request, hand digging into his pockets were those keys were still. "You are still in no shape to be driving I think." Alfred says grinning over at his partner. "You could fall asleep at the wheel or worse!" He tone may have sounded all the slightest teasing but Alfred was serious. "I'll drive you home, or you can come home with me! It'd be like a stakeout only with more of a sleepover objective." He sounds a little excited at the thought. He wasn't a kid, honestly. He just enjoyed childish things sometimes. He waited for Arthur's reaction like a child hoping to get a wish.

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur flushed lightly as Jones made his offer. On one hand, Arthur was a very private person and disliked having his personal space invaded. On the other, Jones was awfully nice and seemed very sincere. This could be a good opportunity to get to know his new partner, which would be important if they were to go undercover together. If Jones drove him home, he'd be stuck at Arthur's flat and there was no way he'd let the American stay overnight in his home.  "I suppose that it would be a good idea to go to your home, if it's not too much trouble," he agreed after a moment of careful consideration. "I ought to have someone keep an eye on me if I'm trying to get some sleep."

He bit his lip and glanced sideways at Jones. Was it really okay? Was Jones really as honest and trustworthy as he seemed? Would having Arthur over be too much of a nuisance? If there was anything Arthur hated, it was being a burden. Arthur fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeves for another moment before abruptly standing. "Well, come on then," he said, cutting off his thoughts before they went too far, "We've a lot of work to do." 

After grabbing the necessary files from their desks, the pair made their way back to Arthur's car. Arthur gave up the driver's seat without much protest; although he wasn't as bad as earlier, he knew that he was still in no state to be driving. He leaned his cheek against the window as Jones drove and was eventually lulled to sleep by the steady hum of the motor. 

Before he knew it, Jones was shaking him awake, freeing him from dreams of guns and universities and a herd of rainbow-coloured unicorns. Startled, Arthur recoiled, lashing out with an elbow. 

[Detective Jones]

Alfred's face lights up when Arthur agrees and reaches over to hug the man rather tightly in celebration before he realizes that's probably not the smartest thing to do and backs off a bit. "Right!..eh let's get going." He says rubbing the back of his neck.

They go back into the station and Alfred grabs his files stuffs them into his bag along with his other things he brings with him to work that may or may not include a stash of donuts.

He manages to kidnap the keys before Arthur can insist on driving again.Somewhere along the drive home Alfred looks over and sees that Arthur has fallen asleep, and while he is worried he also can't help but smile. When he wasn't putting on suck a hard ass attitude he was actually quite..cute. He pushes the thought from his mind. "Don't worry, your my partner now. So I'll take care of you." he says quietly even though he knows the other man can't hear him, or perhaps that is exactly why.

When Alfred pulls up into the parking lot of his apartment building he stops the car and looks over once more. He get's out of the car and goes to the passenger side, opening the door wide placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Hey, wake up man." He pauses and at no response he tries again. "Arthur, we're here!....Arthur please wake up." he says hoping that the man hadn't fallen into a coma or something from his injury. He gets his answer when an elbow comes flying over to hit him in the nose. He yelps and stumbles back holding his nose with a whine. "What was that for!?"

[Officer Kirkland]

Arthur panted lightly, one hand fisting the material of his uniform over his pounding heart and the other clamped over the scar hidden by his clothing. For a moment he blinked dumbly at the American. "What are you doing down there?" he asked, a frown marring his face. Why would Jones be sitting on the bitumen  of a carpark, clutching at his face? Arthur's elbow smarted and he finally realised what he'd done. "Huh? What did I... Oh bullocks, Jones, you're bleeding!"

Arthur quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and knelt down next to his partner. He dug into his pocket and produced a embroidered floral handkerchief. It was white, and would definitely stain. Oh well, it wasn't like he couldn't make another.  He carefully prised the American's hands away from his face and set to gingerly dabbing at the bloodied nose with the soft piece of cloth. "I... I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "Sometimes I just..." he trailed off helplessly, not entirely sure what he was trying to say. He glanced down at realised that his left hand was still locked around Jones' wrist. He quickly let go, flushing a light pink. "Is it all right now?" he asked cautiously, "here, let me have a look at it."

There hadn't been much blood to begin with, but the way it looked smeared across Jones' upper lip made his stomach twist unpleasantly. He wasn't sure what it was, but Arthur knew that he never wanted to see Jones -- Alfred -- with blood on him. It didn't suit him. Not someone as bright and loud and energetic and pure... Arthur peered at Jones' nose, sighing in relief when he saw that it had stopped bleeding. "It seems to have stopped," he said, wiping gently at the drying smears. "Should we head inside, Jones?"

Arthur found his old leather satchel in the back seat and slipped the strap over his head so that it hung diagonally across his body. The case files were all inside, along with various forms and other papers. They could probably make a start on their covers if Arthur could stay awake long enough. He waited awkwardly while Jones locked the car, then obediently followed the man.

[Detective Jones]

Alfred was about to answer rather sarcastically when Arthur finally got what had happened. He sat up discovering that he was indeed bleeding but it wasn't much as long as he hadn't broken anything he would be fine. Still it hurt, so when Arthur came at him with that handkerchief he recoiled away. He didn't bother to ask why the man had such an item on him but he didn't complain as he was too busy having his hands pried away from his face.

Alfred scrunched up his face as it was dabbed at, muttering things like. "It's ok." "I'm fine." "Gosh I didn't know you were such a mother hen." He opens his eyes back up as his wrist is released and see's the look on Arthur's face. He pauses in his wriggling and waves a hand in front on him. "Yeah, let's get going." He says, picking himself up and rubbing his nose gently, it was going to be sore in the morning. He grabs his own bag from the car, clicking the locks before heading to the building, casting a glance over his shoulder to make sure Arthur was following.

Once he gets to his door he unlocks it and swings it open for Arthur to come inside. He casts a glance around his apartment and groans, if he had realized he was going to bring someone over he might have cleaned a little better. Still, he walks inside and sets his bag down on the kitchen counter, which is relatively close to the sofa. "You can take the bed tonight, since you really need to rest." He says without giving it much room for argument. "Other then that, make yourself at home." He smiles again now as if his day hadn't been filled with files and murder.

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