In The End

18

      "There has been a steady rise of crime reports in our area... lots of stolen cars and... and... and you get what I mean. Let's get on it, huh? And as always... keep an extra sharp lookout. Alright uh... hit your beats"
      Getraer folded his book as officers began to file out of briefing slowly. He traced the binding of the book as he waited for the room to clear.
      "Hey sarge!" Ponch called excitedly. He walked up to the front of the room with Jon smiling closely behind him. "Erika woke up last night. They think everything's gonna be ok!"
      Joe smiled. "Well that's great!" He exclaimed with his hands folded on the front of the lectern. Jon nodded as he gripped his helmet. "She really pulled through... I must admit, I was starting panic before my parents calmed me down-"
      "Your parents?" Ponch interrupted, "did they call you or something?" Jon shook his head confused. "What do you mean? They came down here. Didn't I tell you that...?"
      Ponch laughed and shook his head. "You didn't tell me anything partner. And to think, I could have been spending all this time with your parents instead of grumpy old you"
      Jon placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Uh, thanks buddy" he replied laughingly before smiling and patting his back. "I'll meet you outside. I just want to grab a snack real quick" Baker said before excusing himself.
      He hadn't had a chance to eat breakfast this morning since he'd spent all last night by Erika. She kept mumbling and asking about her leg. He could only tell her everything was going to be ok. Somehow... someway... she'd be able to walk again. She just has to.
      Baker entered the break room and quickly smiled at Barry who was sitting at the table with a styrofoam cup full of coffee. Baricza didn't really smile back but Jon had turned before he knew that. He dug into his pockets for change as Barry watched.
      "Boy... she must really think you're something special..." Baricza commented suddenly. Jon turned slowly and stared in confusion as the tall officer picked up a news paper. Erika was still front page news because of her fame.
      "I beg your pardon?" Jon asked laughing slightly. Barry buried himself further into the paper. "She wouldn't even give me the time of day... said she wouldn't be ready for a long time"
      Now he had Jon's full attention. "Are you talking about Erika?" He asked slipping his thumbs through his belt. Barry just dropped his paper and stared back. "She woke up last night" he continued trying to lighten the mood. Barry wasn't having it.
      "Yes, Jon. I'm fully aware of that, thanks. I was there, not that you noticed or would even remember" he spat back folding his arms. Jon scrunched his brows as he looked at his friend. "What are you talking about? Why are you so upset with me?"
      Jon paused and his shoulders drooped a little. "Are... are you jealous?" "Yes! Yes of course I'm jealous Jon!" He erupted, standing up and leaning across the table. "I'm jealous every day I see you two together! I'm jealous that she pushed me away but let you in. I'm jealous that you have someone and I don't"
      Jon stood there shocked as Barry turned his back and faced the wall. He remembered back to the few months when Erika had first arrived. Ponch and Erika had been kidnapped and Barry and himself had tried to rescue them.
      While waiting for back-up, Barry had revealed that he and Erika had known each other longer than people believed. His wife had been a Lasky so they had gotten close after she passed away. Years later, when he was trying to move on, Erika had said they were better off friends. They stayed in touch only because their kids were best friends.
      Jon had thought Barry was fine with the two of them being together... but now it was obvious he wasn't.
     He set his helmet down before saying "Bare... look, I didn't know-" "You know something..." Baricza inturupted, "Last night... when I saw you two together... I wished the most hideous thing. I wished that... that you would feel how I felt losing my wife. I wished... that you were in my shoes. Always on the other side of the glass..."
      Barry hit the wall with the side of his fist and gritted his teeth before continuing. "And I hate myself for thinking that!"
      "Hey Bare come on! Now, Don't beat yourself up, alright? You're right, I can't fully understand but I do understand a little. You loved her and I just kind of stepped in and swept her away. I mean, anyone can get jealous and start thinking that way..."
      "I know... but I wish I hadn't thought what I did. I wish I wasn't jealous, because... you're beautiful together and I could never make her happy like you"
      Jon smiled slightly as Bare turned around. "You two really are... and I wouldn't want to see her with anyone else. She used to say the same thing about me and Charlotte"
      "I'm sorry Barry... I often forget that you lost Charlotte. You're always so happy-" Jon cut himself off as he realized that he had thought this and said this before. Barry pursed his lips as he watched Jon's face take on a look of confusion.
      Baker had said this before about Erika and about a few relatives that he'd met. "They're all like that" Barry explained as if he had read Jon's mind, "They ask for help as a last resort, they don't show when they're hurting, and they don't except money they didn't work for or can't pay back. When I first married Charlotte, I thought it was just her, but it's everyone in her family"
       "Why?" Jon asked shaking his head. Bare shrugged. "It's kind of like their code. I don't know why... I guess I kind of fell into it a little though, huh?"
      Jon bit his lip. Now he wanted to find and meet her close family more than ever. Not only because it could help the investigation but because he was intrigued. What were her siblings like? What was Molly really like when she wasn't panicked? What was Erika like when she was little?
      "I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me" Barry concluded quietly breaking Jon out of his thoughts. "Hey, don't worry about it, alright?" Jon replied smiling slightly. Bare just nodded and looked down at his hands.
      Jon began to leave but turned around when Bear called his name. "Did you ever meet him? Robert I mean" Baker nodded and stepped back over to his friend.
      "Briefly when I first visited California to see about a horse someone was selling. He was trying to buy the same horse but he let us have it instead. Uh, Ole' Grey is actually the foal of that mare.
      We talked for a bit and then we left and never met again... but I wouldn't ever forget him. He's one of the reasons I became a police officer" he explained pulling on his gloves.
      Barry eyed him for a moment. "You would have liked him. He would have been proud to have someone like you marry his daughter too"
      Baker looked suprised. "How did you Kno-" "I didn't" he cut in simply while a small smile formed on his face. It made Jon feel better to know Barry wasn't mad and that he understood. It also lifted a tremendous weight off of Barry's shoulders to get all of that off his chest.
      "Come on, we better get on patrol before Getraer has a fit" Baker said slapping his back. Barry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess so"
      They walked outside and went their different ways to their vehicles.
      This whole thing is making everyone crazy, Jon thought, putting on his helmet and waving as Barry drove past.
      "Hey what took you so long partner?" Ponch asked putting up his kickstand as Jon mounted his own bike. "Huh? Oh" Baker gestured over to Baricza's fading car. "Bear just wanted to talk is all" Ponch nodded and they started up their engines.
      Though everything had turned out ok, Jon couldn't help but think about his colleague's outburst. It's incredible what jealousy can do to people... especially over something like love.