Frayed Edges

Promises

It had taken all but five minutes to get the door to the interrogation room open, but those few seconds allowed her to confess everything.

Jake listened intently between the crashes of metal against wood as they forced open the blocked door.

He tried his best to keep his cool when she mentioned her youthful affair with Drew followed by his hateful threats. Jake wished he'd done a lot more than break his nose but he had to channel his rage into something productive.

She told him everything about Olivia operation in scarily accurate detail. They had been so close so many times but she was always able to escape the law's grip.

The two were ripped apart and Jake was taken for a debrief in the Captain's office. Well less of a debrief and more of a lecture on how to even he couldn't believe how irresponsible Jake could be.

"Fighting?! In the bullpen? With members of the public?!" He roared. Jake's burning knuckles were beginning to throb as he came down from his adrenaline high.

"He's not a member of the public he's a member of a drug gang, he's knows everything about Olivia's organisation-"

"He could be Pablo Escobar for all I care! You committed assault in my precinct! You know what will happen if he sues?" Holt was right, he had completely lost his mind over this case.

Yet he didn't care. He had all the missing pieces he needed. Next time they saw Drew he wouldn't be so smug.

"He won't sue, he's a criminal he doesn't wanna be round here any longer than he has to be" he took a seat on the small office chair beside him. It felt good to rest, even if it was only a for a moment "You can't take me off the case" Jake muttered letting his back slump against the seat.

"You are not in the position to be making demands Peralta, I should suspend you immediately" Holt warned.

"Mia told me everything. She's knows everything about Olivia's operation, she could take her down with her confession-"

"Good. I'll get Diaz to take it" Holt replied dismissively.

"She doesn't speak to cops. You want information from her, information that will put them away for good? Keep me on the case."

Jake was overplaying his hand but Holt knew he was right. Mia would clam up the second an unfamiliar face rounded the corner. She had already kept her silence as two of his best detectives pressured her for hours. Seemingly she was a natural at keeping her mouth shut. Being part of a gang for that long will do that to a person.

"You think you can get her to talk?" He asked cautiously.

"She loves me captain, she knows I'm just trying to keep her safe."

Holt's booming baritone echoed through the bullpen and straight to Mia's waiting ears. Her knee bounced rapidly as she picked at the loose skin hanging from her cuticles.

"Here" a deep monotone voice snapped her attention. When she turned she saw Rosa offering her a cup of coffee. She looked at it apprehensively before taking it and muttering a semblance of thanks.

"I'm sorry about your friend" she said sincerely, but Mia could only offer a weak smile in return "I know you're scared Mia, but you're the secret to all of this, your testimony could get Olivia off the streets in days. Your brother could be home before you know it."

Mia was exhausted in every sense of the word. Physically and emotionally drained to a level she didn't know could exist. The creamer floating in her coffee swirled as she brought the cup to her lips. It distorted her reflection creating a false image that made her uneasy and sick.