Flip the Colleague [Flip Zimmerman]

Ch 9: The Snitch is a Bitch

*Flashback to two months ago*

Mandy dropped off lunch to her dad, Chief Bridges, one afternoon when she saw you for the first time. You were leaning over Flip's desk to grab his coffee mug when she noticed how Flip was eyeing you. There was a time when he would eye fuck her, too... at least that's how she remembers it. Mandy's crush on Flip was always innocent enough and never escalated beyond flirting, except for one drunken night a few years back. Never truly knowing if Flip ever felt the same way or not, she always insisted to herself that the only reason Flip kept his distance was because her father was the Chief. But when she saw how Flip looked at you that day, something inside her shifted, and the innocence dissolved leaving something ruinous in its place.

"Hey sweetheart, thanks for bringing your old Pops some lunch." Bridges gave Mandy a quick hug before grabbing the bag of food from her.

"No problem, Dad! Always happy to make a stop here for you." She glanced back through the doorway and towards the bullpen. "Is that the new girl?" she asked casually.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, she's fairly new. Just having her start out in the filing room for now but Flip will be training her." He took a big bite of his sandwich as he was hunched over his desk.

Mandy could feel the jealousy starting to build in her veins. She turned to her father, "Hmm. So, Dad... you asked me the other night what I had in mind for my future plans and I think I know what I want to do."

"Oh yeah? Well, that's great sweetheart. What did you have in mind?" Bridges said in between chewing.

Mandy sat down across from her father, and smiled, "I want to be like you. I want to learn all of... this," she gestured with her hands around the room.

Bridges paused before his next bite with the sandwich just near his mouth. "What?" he put his sandwich down and leaned back in his chair. With a slight chuckle he replied, "Honey, this isn't exactly the kind of job I think you would like. It's long hours, dangerous and you know... tough."

Mandy shrugged, "So you don't think I couldn't handle it? Like I'm not tough enough?"

Bridges took a deep breath in and out. "No. No, that's not what I mean. It's just... I wouldn't want you to get hurt, is all."

Mandy stood and looked down at her father, "Well, that's why I have you and Flip. You guys can teach me how not to get hurt." she said with confidence. "Just let me try it. If it's not a good fit, then I'll quit so you won't have to fire me." she smiled.

Bridges sighed, not wanting to give into her spontaneous idea right away, but he also didn't want to hold her back if it was something she really wanted to pursue.  He smiled back at her, "Alright. Fine. But you have to take it seriously and follow orders. No funny business." Mandy and her father hugged before she left the station.

The night you met Nick for the first time at the bar wasn't exactly an accident. Mandy recognized you immediately when you approached the bar. She knew she wanted to introduce herself and learn a little bit about you. You were, in her eyes, competition even if you didn't know it at the time.