Law and Order: Special Victims Unit Gangster

71. The Good Days and The Bad

"I hate hot days," Mike Dodds muttered as he sat in the car with the radio still on.
"Hey, Dodds. You wanna b**ch or you wanna work?" Juliana Barba asked expectantly.
"Yeah, sorry," he sighed.
"You know what?" Juliana sighed. "Lunch is on me."
"You sure? It's my day," Dodds reminded her.
"It's fine," she nodded as she took the key out of the car, playing the music on her earbuds. "As long as we get our lunch break, I'm fine with paying."

The two of them sat down in the car and ate, away from everyone else. Juliana decided to pull a cigarette out once she finished her sandwich, lighting it carefully.
"I'm actually grateful for your cigarettes. This place smells like weed and bananas," Sergeant Dodds frowned.
"Yeah, that sh*t's nasty," Juliana agreed as she calmly blew out smoke.

She checked her phone as it chimed. It was a text from Rafael.

Lena's got a fever again. :(

"Jesus," Juliana muttered.
"What is it?" Dodds asked.
"Oh, nothing, my daughter just has a fever for the second time this week," she sighed.
"That really sucks," Mike sighed. "Hey, can I get a cigarette?"
Juliana nodded, somewhat surprised, handing him the lighter as well. "What's the occasion, Sarge?"
"Stress is the occasion," he sighed. "Bad week.
"I feel ya," Juliana agreed as he returned the lighter to her. "Rafi just closed a pretty tough one yesterday. Wanna get some drinks wit us later?"
"Sure thing," he nodded. "Drinks sound amazing."
"Yeah. Nice, icy cold drinks," she murmured.
"You want these tomatoes?" Mike Dodds asked as he picked them out of his sandwich.
"Sure," Juliana shrugged as he handed them over. "Tomatoes and cigarettes. Why not?"

She finished off the tomatoes, sipping her soda exhaustedly.
"Oh, what?" Juliana chuckled as she opened her text messages. "Everyone wants smoothies."
"Jeez," Mike murmured. "Why's it so hot today?"
"No point in asking," Juliana Barba pointed out.
"I'll drive if you want," Dodds offered.
"Thanks, Mike," Juliana nodded as they switched seats.
"Everything's pretty quiet for now, so we'll pick those up, drop them off, and follow up on the next witness?" he clarified.
"Yeah," Juliana nodded.

****

The two of them almost sluggishly headed up to the SVU squad room, setting six smoothies on a table, grabbing their own.
"Thanks guys, you're lifesavers," Rollins sighed.
"It's hot as a mother today," Fin agreed.
"Calm down now, y'all weren't the ones stuck out in the streets for two hours," Juliana argued.
"Any leads on a witness?" Dodds asked.
"Yeah," Benson nodded, handing over a thin file. "Jennifer Quinn, over at the gas station by the highway where the victim was found; you'll have to work hard with this one."
"Got it," Juliana nodded, as Mike Dodds accepted the file.
"Let's go."

****

Juliana and Mike headed into the gas station prepared to deal with the difficult witness, having read her file in the car.
"It's her, the cashier," Juliana gestured quietly.
"I'm gonna grab some Oreos for the car," Dodds sighed.
"You're hungry again?" Juliana cried. "Whatever."

The pair got into line as the girl, Jennifer Quinn, rang up their food just as Dodds handed her his card.
"Jennifer Quinn, we're with NYPD, SVU. You're gonna have to answer a few questions," Juliana announced as they both showed their badges.
She sighed. "Ion want no problems."
"And you won't get none, as long as you tell us what we need. Ain't nobody gon know it was you," Juliana promised.
"Ms. Quinn, have you ever seen this man before? Perhaps on Sunday?" Dodds asked, showing her a photo.
"No."
"Look harder," he insisted.
"I see a lotta people workin here."
"You barely looked, Ms. Quinn. Try again," Juliana persisted firmly. "Unless you want us bringin you in on obstruction charges."
"I got the cuffs right here, ma'am," Dodds promised.
She sighed reluctantly. "Maybe. I don't know, a lotta people come through here, Ion pay em any mind."
"And was this woman with him, by any chance?" he continued, showing another picture.
"Yeah, think so," the witness nodded.
  "Great. That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" Mike Dodds grumbled as they left the gas station.

They both got into the car, with Juliana driving as Mike distractedly stared off into space.
  "Juliana?"
  "Yeah?" she asked.
  "Do you think it's okay to leave someone because.... because they're too much for you to handle?" he asked suddenly.
  Juliana Barba sighed. "That's what happened with your ex fiancé Alice.... isn't it?"
  He said nothing, then nodded slowly.
  "I'm real sorry, man. You know.... I do t actually know. But real, real love.... that Bonnie and Clyde, ride or die for life sh*t.... sometimes that sh*t's about sticking together, no matter what, which is more complicated than it sounds. You stick wit each other through the good days, the bad days.... all of it. But, Mike, B.... some people can't be your Bonnie and Clyde other half," Juliana explained.
  "How'd you get to be so.... wise?" Dodds asked with a sigh.
  "I wouldn't exactly call myself wise, Mike. I've just lived through sh*t, and.... I quit lying to myself."