Lazarus hobbles into the police department, as he does, the entire department turns and applauds him. Elias, his partner, walks up to him.
"Glad to have you back buddy."
"Thanks man, glad to be around to be back."
Captain Mary Magdalen comes out of her office.
"Lazarus, back from the dead I see. In my office."
"Good to know she hasn't changed."
"She made a joke, that's a change isn't it?"
Lazarus and Elias go to the captain's office. Lazarus and Elias enter. Captain Magdalen is at her desk.
Lazarus goes first, "You asked for us Captain?"
"How are you feeling?" wonders the captain.
"Alive and well." Lazarus says with a smile.
"Just the way I like my detectives."
"Tends to make it easier to solve cases." suggests Eli.
"Well I was almost a case. Thanks for catching the guy." says Lazarus.
"You're one of us."
"We weren't about to let him walk." insists Eli.
"Doing it by the book was hard, but I managed to reign everybody in." declares the captain.
There's a moment between them.
The captain breaks it, "So, you know how this works."
"I've seen enough of it around the station, yeah." points out Lazarus.
"We'll put you on desk duty for the next few weeks and then reevaluate. Most of your active case load was reassigned when you went on leave." explains the captain.
"But I'll be keeping my eye on anything that might need your help." reassures Eli.
"As well as an eye on me I'm assuming." jabs Lazarus.
"Just a precaution I assure you."
"Besides, would you really want to split up such a great team?"
"Right."
* * *
Later on, Lazarus is sitting at his desk with a stack of files on it. He strains to reach one of them and knocks over several more.
"Damn it."
Elias rushes over and picks them up.
"Almost makes you wish they'd finish digitizing these old files doesn't it?" Eli suggests.
Lazarus bends down in his chair to try and help despite the pain.
"I can do it." declares Lazarus, trying to do it himself.
"Sure, but isn't it easier when I help?" jokes Eli.
He grabs a file Elias was going for in the pile, "I don't need your help."
A moment passes before Elias hands over the files he picked up.
"You shouldn't push yourself. You're still healing up." Elias insists with concern.
"I'm fine. The doctor cleared me." Lazarus pushes back.
"For desk duty, but not for the field."
"You sound like Martha." Lazarus says with frustration.
"Well that's something I never thought I'd hear."
"Look, I played along with the Captain. But I'm fine. You don't need to baby sit me." says Lazarus, pushing back even more.
"You played along with the Captain because you knew if you didn't, she'd put you back on leave."
"And I don't need to be on leave. If I did, the doctor wouldn't have let me come back. So let me get back to work." insists Lazarus.
"You know, I would've thought almost dying would've mellowed you out a little." jokes Elias.
"That's the great thing about dying. It's kind of an either or scenario. The kind that toughens you up."
"Is that even possible with you?"
"Apparently."
A moment passes between them.
"Just don't go doing anything that's going to give anyone a second chance to put you in the ground. Most of us only get one."
"I'll be careful."
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