Ana is on desk duty, which is hard considering that she can't use her dominant hand. Thankfully, Captain Anderson realized her struggle and Ana is instead assigned to be behind the desk when people come into the station for help.
It's still hard but not terrible and Ana gets into the swing of things. At lunch she has an appointment at the hospital to look at her shoulder. She gets to the appointment early and is seen very quickly, and she has still 30 minutes before she needs to head back to the station.
"um... sir?" Ana asks, knocking on Bradford's hospital door before entering.
"you've been discharged?" Bradford asks, looking up from his book, unimpressed.
"yesterday" Ana responds.
"what's up with the shoulder?" Bradford asks.
" 's okay, kinda pulled it after I was shot, so I won't be back on duty until you're back on duty" Ana responds.
"you shouldn't have helped me" Bradford replies.
"if I didn't, then Lucy would've and nobody could've fired back" Ana points out, softly.
Bradford glares at her for being right.
"how are you feeling?" Ana asks.
"like shit" Bradford responds.
"um..." Ana hesitates.
"how are you... mentally?" Ana asks, hesitantly.
"Don't bring her up" Bradford growls, his voice deadly.
"sorry" Ana apologizes, softly. "I'm also sorry about her and everything"
Bradford ignores her, looking back down at his book.
"what's the book?" Ana asks, softly.
"A guide to being Sergeant" Bradford replies.
"so you're not going for detective like Lopez and Bishop?" Ana asks, softly.
"how did you know that?" Bradford asks.
"I heard y'all talking" Ana responds, softly.
"here, if you're here, might as well be helpful, boot" Bradford tosses the book at her, she catches it with her left hand.
"I'm an auditory learner, so start reading" Bradford orders.
Ana obeys, opening the book and starting to read from Chapter One.
She gets to chapter three when Bradford gets out of bed, taking off his hospital gown and changing into civvies.
"wh-?" Ana asks.
"did I tell you to stop? eyes on the book, boot" Bradford orders.
Ana obeys, continuing to read. Bradford is in the middle of buttoning up his shirt when a nurse enters with a wheelchair.
"checkout time, Officer" The nurse says.
"Yeah, no. I'm walking out of here." Bradford replies.
"Hospital policy" The nurse insists.
"I don't care" Bradford answers.
Ana gives the nurse a hidden fist bump when the two girls are able to get Bradford in the wheelchair.
"So, who's picking you up?" The nurse asks.
"A taxi" Bradford answers, shortly.
"I can drive you home" Ana offers, softly.
"you can't use your right arm, boot, not happening" Bradford decides. "I'll take a damn cab."
Talia and Angela approach them in civvies.
"Is that all we are to you?" Angela teases.
"Hey." Bradford says, obviously annoyed.
"You know, it's funny. He didn't tell us he was getting out. 'Cause he's a tough guy." Talia tells the nurse and Ana.
"Who doesn't need anybody's help." Angela finishes.
"Are you two done?" Bradford asks, pissed off.
"Nope, boot, take a picture" Angela instructs Ana, throwing the rookie her phone.
Ana obeys, taking a photo of Angela, Talia and the nurse posing behind Bradford in the wheelchair, who is glaring at the camera.
Ana follows the Talia and Angela to their car and helps Bradford get in. He glares at all three of them.
"See you tomorrow, sir" Ana says, softly.
"nope, get your tiny ass in" Angela says.
"I brought my car" Ana frowns.
"I'll drive it to Tim's house, you are not driving" Talia says.
Ana opens her mouth to protest.
"get your ass in, boot" Bradford orders and Ana finally rents, sitting next to Bradford in the back seat and hands Talia her keys.
Ana finds herself at Bradford's house, who quickly puts her to work with reading his Sergeant book, around lunch time Ana offers to pick him something up for lunch.
"Nah, Chen got Wrigley, he abandons his rooks during lunch at a diner just around the corner, we'll go check in on her" Bradford says, standing up.
Ana follows him to the diner and they walk inside.
"Why the long face, Boot?" Bradford asks, walking up to Lucy while Ana orders takeout for herself and Bradford.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" Lucy asks, confused.
"Heard you got Wrigley. He always dumps his rookies here while he goes home to eat mac and cheese in his undies." Bradford responds.
"So, what, you came to check on me?" Lucy asks, getting a little hopeful.
"I live around the corner. I was getting takeout." Bradford answers.
"Right." Lucy nods, a little disappointed.
"So, how's it going?" Bradford asks.
"It's good. Officer Wrigley is, um - Yeah, he's - he's cautious." Lucy explains.
"He's what we call a slug, just doing his time, allergic to real police work." Bradford answers.
"Yeah. Yeah." Lucy says.
"You must like the quiet, though." Bradford responds.
Dispatch says on Lucy's radio "Wilshire units, store owner called with suspected shoplifter. Caucasian male, yellow track suit. 314 Franklin Drive."
"That's three blocks from here, Boot." Bradford says.
"What, a-am I supposed to respond? My T.O.'s not here, and I don't have a car." Lucy asks, standing up.
"You've got legs, don't you?" Bradford raises an eyebrow.
Lucy nods, running out of the restaurant.
"Run, boot! Run!" Bradford calls.
"hey" Ana says, coming over to Bradford and handing him the takeout while putting some cash on the table to cover Lucy's bill.
"let's go, boot, I got ten books at home to get through" Bradford smirks, handing Ana the food back and walking out of the restaurant.
Around five pm, Bradford drives Ana home and she thanks him before getting out of the car and walking up to her apartment.
She spends the rest of the night being babied by her four grandparents and is hand fed chili.
Thankfully, Ana is able to convince them that she doesn't need their help to shower.
YOU ARE READING
Altruism | Part One : Trust
Action"Let me be your light at the end of the tunnel" - Ana Cabrera Ana Cabrera is a Cuban immigrant. She lives in a three bedroom apartment with her grandparents and is a rookie starting in the LAPD. (Season One) Part Two is now up, to find it follow thi...
