The Chivalrous -Pilot Episode 28-

Scene 2

QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, 5:20 P.M

"How much longer?" Cody, an experience Air Force Federal Agent, panted. Sweat dripping from his cocoa skin as he worked an old, warn rake into the wet leaves scattered around the yard.

His heavy breathing and glistening forehead made a woman, not much younger than him, laugh.

"Man up Marine, we have a few more hours of yard work," she taunted as she continued to rake up the leaves and twigs rustled up by the recent Spring storm.

"I'm not as young as I used to be, Kim," he sighed, cracking his back and neck to emphasize his point. "The Corp got the best of me. I'm wounded." He patted his left shoulder, building up his argument.

Kim smirked, "Then tell me, Cody, if this is pure torture for an old wounded vet, such as yourself, then why did you volunteer?" She tugged off her gloves to expose her sweat-covered, calloused hands.

"The same reason I volunteered for the Corp." He said vaguely. He knew that his co-worker and close friend for six years and counting would understand him, without him having to waste any of his precious breath to explain.

She rolled her eyes and guessed, "Karen?" With his nod she dared to venture into the conversation, "So what's up now?" She didn't really need to ask the question, but she would allow the wounded vet some time to vent.

"Same as always." He stiffened and his nose, rubbing dirt into his skin.

Kim nodded knowingly and motioned for him to follow her to the wooden picnic table set out in the middle of the yard. She jumped up onto it, to begin the disposal of her cold-brew while Cody joined her, appreciating the break she was giving him.

"Okay. So..." she took a second to organize her thoughts as she proceeding with a deep sigh, "do you think she's serious this time?"

He looked up, surprised that she had skipped the explaining part of what usually became his weekly therapy session, and went straight to his personal feelings on the matter. He now realized that these sessions were feeling more and more like he was spilling his guts to a shrink, then to his best friend. Each week he could see more of the therapist's pen writing down thoughts while listening to his repetitive story; almost could hear the silent judgment that she hid in her questions; and could almost feel the soft cushion of the shrink's couch soaking in his problems, but he was reminded by Kimberly's soft voice that she was listening, as a friend.

She didn't make eye-contact while she waited for him to reply, just straightened out her white Beach Boys t-shirt and sipped more of her coffee. She was, in the back of her mind, convincing herself to wake up at five, the next morning, to go running. But by the time he replied she had lost the battle and decided to sleep in.

"It's Karen, of course, she's not, but I have to humor her or she'll threaten to get a restraining order... again."

Kim hid a half smile, drawing herself back to the conversation, "It's been three years, maybe you should start thinking about getting a restraining order filed against her."

"Thought about it," he chuckled. "A restraining order won't help her or the boys. They need someone." After Cody caught a teasing look from Kim, he corrected himself, "She needs someone."

"Wait... are you asking me to set her up? 'Cause I know a ton of guys interested in psychotic ex-wives, with 'special' separation issues," she teased, hoping to get a laugh out of him.

He looked down, shaking his head with a chuckle, "That's not funny." He licked his lips, trying to suppress the smile that formed on them.

Her cell started to ring, but they didn't let it interrupt their conversation as he went on to argue.

She slid the phone out of her left back pocket and before answering she responded in a whisper, "I think it is..."

"Kimberly." She cut Cody off as she answered with a chuckle. Her happy-go-lucky expression disappeared and her posture stiffened as she listened to the caller. "Yep. Got it, we're on way."

She hung up then gulped down the rest of her coffee.

"Work?" The Marine set his glass down and stripped off the gardening gloves.

She nodded, hopping off the picnic table and onto the dead, wet grass.

"We got a body in Norfolk." She took off running to her large blue suburban house set back from the others on the Virginian middle-classed street.

"Just think of it. One more hour and Tare's team would have been called in, and we would have gotten a normal weekend." He picked up the two rakes they had left in the grass with a sigh and set them to lean against the picnic table.

"I can't. I get too depressed." She shrugged and grabbed a gray backpack that she had dropped on the steps of her porch when she had gotten home from work that afternoon.

"Can't we change?" Cody asked, rubbing the dirt off his bright red plaid shirt that was tucked into his jeans.

"No time. Boss is already on her way to Norfolk." Frowning, she hopped into the passenger seat of a silver Chrysler parked in her driveway.

He got in alongside her, "Can't we at least take your truck?" he argued, "I don't feel half as bad being dirty in your truck."

She slapped his shoulder offended by his comment, "My truck's in the shop. They said they would deliver it early tomorrow morning."

His Chrysler was clean... very clean. It's black leather exterior and shiny silver frame matched Cody's clean personality like a dog matched its owner. There wasn't any fingerprints or dust blemishing the beautiful appearance of the dashboard or stirring wheel. Kimberly guessed that after spending a tour as a marine in Afghanistan covered in dirt and sweat every day, that Cody became pretty particular about how he looked and smelled.

"Your truck's in the shop again?" Cody tried to make eye-contact with Kim, but she avoided doing so. "Okay. Fine. We'll take my brand new car, but after we've closed this case, we're going car shopping for you."

She frowned teasingly, "Scottie said he'd look at it! I think he can fix it."

"Scottie has already looked at it. I asked him, and he told me it's dead." He smiled gently.

"So what if it's dead?"

"You admit it?"

Kim scoffed. After a few moments, a smirked appeared upon her lips, "I'll consider admitting it's dead... if you let me set up your ex-wife."

Cody stared at her stiffly, waiting to see if she would crack, "No way."

"Fine." She stared back, her gaze unwavering.

"Not happening."

"Okay."

"Not. A. Chance."

"No problemo."

Giving in he grumbled, "...I'll consider it." He broke eye contact and started his car.

Kim cocked eyebrows in victory, "Deal."