Case Reopened

The Monday After

Let's face it, it's been too long since we've seen the OG crew. It's about time!

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The incessant chimes of the alarm came too early for Carter. Moaning, she stuck her hand out of the blankets and slapped her nightstand, trying to locate her phone.

When she did, she cut the alarm off, slipped her hand back into the blankets, and decided to go back to sleep. Her plan was ruined when a knock sounded on her door. She scowled, half asleep and wishing to be fully asleep.

"Sarge," her father said, cracking the door open.

Carter mumbled but didn't move.

"Time to get up, Sarge. I know you don't want it but you still have a month left of school."

"School is a prison establishment that I'm revolting against today."

When the bed dipped with the pressure of her father leaning on it, she pried one eye open and found him peering down at her. There was a smug smile on his lips. At this unexpected expression, Carter frowned.

"Why are you smirking at me?" she said, her voice rough.

"Because this is what comes of talking to your new official boyfriend late at night."

"So you're suggesting I break up with him to have more energy for school?" She rolled away. "Not likely. I like him way more than I like school."

"I know but how do you plan to see him if you don't go to school?"

Carter made a face and her father chuckled. "Didn't think that one through, did you?"

"Go away, Captain. Your smugness is irritating me."

"Got it."

As he straightened, he ripped her blankets off her and walked out.

"Child abuser!" she shouted.

"Worthless daughter!" he called back.

Despite the chill on her limbs, Carter refused to move, on principle. But when her phone dinged, she mustered up the energy to roll over and check it.

Donovan: Good morning.

A stupid smile started to grow on Carter's face but she pressed her lips together, fighting against it. It was too early to be turned into a hopeless romantic. She would not succumb to his charm. Though if simply saying good morning quantified as charm then she was already in a bad state.

"That's it."

Carter didn't respond, instead forced herself out of bed and walked to the bathroom. When she got out of the shower and thought about using the hair blow-dyer on her hair, she glared at herself in the mirror and pointed to her reflection.

"Get it together, Owens."

Without doing anything new to her hair beyond putting it up in a ponytail, she returned to her room. Though she looked for pieces of her uniform that were in her normal state of slightly wrinkled, she didn't find them. She cursed her previous weakness that made her get her clothes out of the dryer at the right time so nothing was wrinkled. Instead, everything she had was neat looking.

The thought of dropping her uniform on the floor and messing it around did cross her mind, but she felt that was going too far. Maybe she'd simply decided to take her clothes out at the right time because she'd been right next to the dryer. There was no other reason. She hadn't done it for a guy. Definitely not.

When she walked into the living room, Captain inspected her appearance. At his raised eyebrows, she knew he realized the significance of her neat attire.