Page 32 of Rookie Days

“Nothing’s going on. I just had a—” She stopped, searching for the right word.

“Flashback?” Quinn supplied in a flat voice.

“No…” Ellie noticed her eyes flicker in challenge. Defeated, she shrugged. “Yeah. Flashback. I guess.”

“You know, the quicker you admit it, the quicker you’ll get over it.”

“I’ve only had two....”

“That’s two too many in this line of work.”

Ellie did her best not to groan. She was going to have to tell her. She could feel it coming, and the thought made her sweat. She stared at the wall, at Quinn’s half-eaten sandwich on thedesk, at the little red power light on her laptop. Then, reluctantly back at her.

“We deal with violent crimes on this team.” Quinn eyed her sharply. “Rape, murder, human trafficking… Child abuse. It can be tough.”

“I can deal with it. I’ll adjust. Just like you did, right?”

Ellie swallowed, stopped there on what felt like the edge of a cliff for her. Quinn continued to hold her gaze. Not as sharply now, and with lingering compassion. But she kept going.

“I need you to tell me, Ellie. Really, I should have made you do it before.”

“Well.” Ellie’s shoulders slumped. “Yes. I was surprised when you didn’t ask me before. I think I would have if I’d been in your shoes.”

“Right. I’m too soft.” Quinn snorted dangerously. “Good to know. Now get on with it.”

There was no escaping the talk, and perhaps it was for the best. Ellie did trust Quinn more than anyone in her life at this point. She ignored a couple drops of sweat rolling freely down her side.

“Do you remember the case of Laura Emerson?”

“Refresh my memory.”

“Is this another test?”

Quinn narrowed her eyes, showing exactly how un-soft and threatening she could appear when she wanted to. Ellie breathed in, exhaled carefully. She got on with it.

“Laura Emerson was abducted, raped, and killed. Then her little body was weighted down with rocks and thrown into the river. She was eight years old when she became a victim, twenty years ago.” Ellie took another deep breath for courage and she steeled herself before sharing the last bit. “Laura was my twin sister, Lieutenant.”

???

It never took Lia very long to figure out when something was bothering her wife, and she noticed it even quicker that evening. It might have been the frown on Quinn’s face, her silence, or the way that she sliced through a bunch of carrots as if she really was trying to make each one suffer. Lia indulged in a little bit of observation from the kitchen door. Quinn was wearing rainbow toe socks, running tights that emphasized the strong muscles in her legs, and a jumper a size too big with a fearsome cactus on the back that invited:FREE HUGS.Lia had bought it for her in Mexico, two days after their wedding. She crossed the room and went to put her arms around her. Hugging her from behind, she laid her cheek over her shoulder.

“Hey you,” she said softly.

“Hey.”

“Have I told you lately how much I enjoy being married to you?”

The furious slicing slowed a fraction.

“Actually, yes.”

Lia tightened her grip over her.

“That’s because I really do. You know what else?”

Quinn dropped the knife. Turned around. She laced both arms around her waist, pulled her close, and held her gaze.

“What?” she murmured.

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