Dark Blue

My fingers drummed lazily on the desk as I stared at my laptop screen. With a definitive shake of my head, I grabbed ahold of my coffee cup and let the warmth seep through and warm my cold hands. I stared down into the dark swirling liquid and let the music – “Nocturns Op. 48 No. 2” by Elizabeth Sombart – soothe my mind.

The wreck report was draining and I had been working on it for at least two hours, now. I glanced down at my wrist watch, a black with pink accented G-Shock Baby-G, and inwardly groaned at the time. It was thirty-six minutes after when I was supposed to be leaving so that I could make it across town to my apartment, change, and head over to the game. Now, I would have to just go straight to the game.

With a sigh, I saved what I had typed up on the report, exited out of the program, and shut down the computer. I was gathering my things when there was a soft knock on the Patrol Room door and when I glanced up, Dexton was grinning softly down at me.

“You still here?”

“Yeah, I was just finishing up. I didn’t realize how late it had gotten until just a few minutes ago,” I shrugged, zipping up my back-pack. I grabbed my keys and shut the laptop, crossing the room quickly.

“Listen – I, uh, could you be on stand-by tonight?” he asked, and my eyebrows rose slightly in shock. “The Red Wings are in town, and regardless of how the game turns out it usually makes for an… interesting… night. I’m not saying anything will happen, but you never know.”

“Yeah, of course, Captain,” I agreed eagerly.

“You’ll be at the Arena, right? Friends with some of the guys?” I nodded. “Good. We’ll have Dewey and Springer at the North end, Sanford and Walker on the South, and Kreel will be walking around. Feel free to join him at any time, but just make sure they all know where you’re located in the stands in case you’re needed. Copy?”

“Affirmative, Captain.”

He smiled fondly down at me. “Good. Don’t tell your father though, he’d have my head.”

“Of course not, sir,” I laughed, and quickly headed towards the back.

“Oh, and Cox!”

I spun around just in time to catch the vest being thrown at me.

“Keep that and your belt in your car. I wouldn’t mind you carrying tonight, but that’s up to you.”

“Yes, sir!”



The crowd was wild after the game, but most everyone was surging in a mad rush to head to all the local bars- Blackhawks fans and Red Wings fans, alike. I was thankful for the opportunity to slip back away to the player lounge for a little bit. After waiting maybe ten minutes, the guys began to filter out – no doubt to hit up a couple bars themselves.

“Dev!” I glanced over my shoulder to reveal Brent striding towards me, a large Cheshire Cat grin plastered onto his face.

“Great game, Brent,” I congratulated and gave him a quick hug.

“Thanks, doll. You gonna celebrate with us?”

“Uh, I’m not sure actually. My night is kind-of up in the air right now, we’ll see, though,” I said, grinning up at him. Before he could reply, the other guys were circling around us. Niklas, David, Patrick… the usual crew.

“Are you on-duty tonight?” asked Patrick Sharp, his brow creased with worry. I shrugged.

“Stand-by, in case there’s any fights or domestic violence.”

“Did you see my goal?!” Kaner was shrieking in excitement, bouncing like a kid in a candy store. He looked so happy and proud I couldn’t help but giggle a bit at him.

“Yes, Patty, I did – it was beautiful,” I said, but held up a finger to his lips to silence him when my phone began to buzz. “Yeah – Cox.”

“Your stand-by just became active, we need you outside the Arena in gear as fast as you can get over here – armed. There’s a ton of fights, and we’re only five deep – we need backup,” growled Kreel, and I could hear the shouting in the background. “ASAP – we have EMS and more units en-route.”

“Rodger,” I breathed, and quickly pocketed my phone just as Jonathan appeared with a small grin. “Gotta go, guys. Fights out front. Great game.”

I leaned over to the closest to me – Patty Kane – and kissed his cheek, waved to the rest of the guys, and took off in a dead sprint. I reached my car quickly and hastily threw on my bullet-proof vest as I drove around the building. My eyes blew wide when I saw the large amount of people congregated in a central area, surrounding several brawls.

True to it’s name, this definitely was the Madhouse.

I could hear the officers barking orders left and right when I jumped out, quickly strapping my weapons belt around my slim waist, and shoved my car key into one of my pants pocket while I ran to the mass of people.

I joined the guys in trying to control and disperse the crowd. I jumped in the middle with Sanford to a fight he was trying to separate. The majority of this was just people wanting to stand around and yell at each other – prove their team was best. It didn’t take as long as it could have for us to calm the crowds once our backup arrived – four more units, and one ambulance for a man who had gotten injured.

“Not bad, Jernigan. Not bad at all,” sighed Dewey after the crowd thinned entirely. Springer, Sanford, and Walker had all left in lieu of more fights that were sure to pop up in town. I knew Kreel and Dewey wouldn’t be long behind.

I shrugged off his compliment as he continued.

“If you wouldn’t mind sticking out the worst of the night we’d really appreciate it… you can ride with one of us, if you want?”

“Yeah, I’ll stick around. I’ll meet you guys at the PD and drop off my personal vehicle there if that’s alright?”

He clapped his hand around my shoulder with a tired smile, “Thanks, Dev. See you there.”

“No problem,” I grinned, nodding goodbye. When I turned away, my eyes found a familiar little group of men hovering around my blacked out matte Charger SRT-8. As I got closer, I could tell they all had wide eyes.

“Holy shit, Dev,” muttered Duncan, his arm flashing out and pulling me into his body as soon as I was within reach. “That was insane.”

“They all kinda forgot you were a reserve cop,” chuckled David. “Tazer just plain didn’t know.”

“He thought you ran off because of him,” said Patrick, elbowing his best friend in the ribs. Jonathan’s glower was enough to melt the teasing smile had it of been anyone other than Patrick, who only laughed more.

“Yeah, we had to do a bit of damage control. I got drafted for the rest of the shift tonight,” I sighed, pulling free from Duncan’s hug. “I’ve got to drop off my car at the PD; one of the guys is going to meet me there and I’m gonna ride around and patrol with him tonight.”

“If the past is any inclination to how the bars are after this game, I’m sure we’ll be seeing you around before the night is up,” said Duncan with a smirk. “I have been known to cause a couple cat fights. They all fail to see there’s plenty Dunc to share.”

I rolled my caramel eyes, shoving him playfully. “I’m sure that’s why everyone is fighting.”

“We’ll let you get to your job,” murmured Jonathan, attempting to herd his teammates away from the driver door of my car. They all easily complied, shouting their goodbyes and heading to their own vehicle. I arched an eyebrow up at Jonathan once we were alone, who hadn’t moved a fraction of an inch. “You’re brave.”

I was taken aback by the comment, physically recoiling ever so slightly. He chuckled at my reaction, shaking his head slightly. “I’m sorry – what?”
“You’re brave, Dev. That’s all there is to it. Chicago is a dangerous city and you don’t think twice about throwing on a bullet proof vest when you know full and well you could easily be shot.”

My brows furrowed slightly and I shrugged. “It’s not like that, Jon.” His head cocked to the side, silently willing me to continue, so I leaned against my car beside him. I was staring off at the horizon and I could feel him looking down at me. “I wanna keep people safe. It’s not about what could happen to me. I’m trained to handle situations, I’m trained to jump in front of someone and take a bullet for them. It’s my job – like hockey is yours.”

“Dev – “

“Not now, Jon,” I muttered. “I’ve got to get going.”

I chanced a glance up at him and he was frowning slightly, but complying. He pulled open my car door and I slid inside, quietly thanking him.

“We’ll talk later, yeah?” he asked, and with a hesitant nod I agreed. “Be safe, Devin. Please.”

“I’ll do what I can, Jonathan, but no promises are being made.”

“Of course they’re not,” he growled, more to himself than me, and softly shut the door. I gave him a small wave before starting my engine and peeling out of the parking lot.

♦♣♦

“You’re really a lifesaver tonight, you know, Dev?”

I grinned over at Sanford who was peaking over from behind his dark Oakley’s in the first moment of quiet we’d had since the game ended two hours ago. Dustin Sanford was one of the SWAT Team officers who was working one of his usual night shifts. Dustin’s lips were pressed in a tight line with one corner lifted – his version of a smile.

“Hey, don’t mention it,” I shrugged with a smile of my own. He held my gaze a few moments longer before turning back to the road when dispatch crackled over the radio – informing us of a domestic violence call in a bar three blocks over.

“Ten-Four,” replied Dustin with a sigh. “There goes our quiet time, eh?”

“Should have known it wouldn’t last for long.”

We strolled into the bar, fully aware we were the absolute last people anyone there wanted to see. Barely fifteen feet inside the building, and my name was being shouted by several men. Dustin spun on his heel to peer down quizzically at me before both our gazes found the table full of Blackhawks.

“You know them?” Dustin whispered in my ear, one hand on his taser and the other on my shoulder.

I nodded slowly as I looked at the group, never once losing my calm and in-control police façade. I nodded to the group – consisting mostly of Brent, Nik, David, Jonathan, and both Patrick’s. Several of them were grinning widely at me, one or two regarding me normally without the influence of alcohol and in understanding that I was here for work instead of drinks, and then there was Jonathan … who was staring once with a smirk that quickly melted when Dustin stepped up to my side.

“Let’s get this fight sorted,” I grumbled, gently nudging Dustin towards the heart of the building. We could hear the angry wails before we saw them, and the crowd surrounding quickly parted to give us access.

“Ladies!” he bellowed, and a hush settled around the room. Both girls were amid a total catfight; a skantilly clad blonde with some kind of strong whiskey dripping from her hair and smearing her caked-on makeup, while the other girl, a busty brunette who was dressed just as risqué, was in a vicious headlock. Immediately I moved to the whiskey-drenched girl and forcefully removed her from the brunette, receiving several claw marks down my arms as she squealed threats at me and the other female.

I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the handiwork of Duncan or Kaner.

“Ma’am, if you don’t calm down right now, we’ll have to arrest you on-site,” growled Dustin as his left hand fell to rest on top of his handcuffs.

“Get this fucking bitch off of me, then!” she shrieked, flailing her limbs around in a blind fury – hoping to catch me somewhere. I grit my teeth and caught her wrist in a vice grip behind her back and yanked them downward. She was forced into a submissive stance.

Dustin’s eyes narrowed at her for a brief moment and then glanced back to the other girl. “Now, would someone like to calmly explain to me what happened here?”

But, no one could calmly explain anything. Everyone involved and around them were drunk, no two people supplying a consistent story. I couldn’t help but stare at the blonde – she seemed oddly familiar, but I just couldn’t quite place it.

Until she began shrieking for Jonathan, who appeared a few moments later at my side looking well beyond irritated. Then it clicked – this was Lindsay, his girlfriend.

“So, you got my text?” he asked quietly, looking down at me with another slightly smug grin.

“Sorry, what?” I replied, scrunching up my face in confusion. “I haven’t looked at my phone in I don’t know how long. Did you text me?”

“Uh, yeah.”

I scowled but pulled out my cell, and sure enough – there was a text from Jonathan. ‘Save me.’

“Save you?” I chuckled, pocketing the device. “Save you from what?”

His eyebrows raised silently, and he simply averted his gaze back to his screeching girlfriend that Dustan had cuffed. Her eyes landed on the two of us then, and she zeroed in on Jonathan. Before she had a chance to begin, he shut her down.

“No.” he said defiantly, shaking his head. “I told you earlier – if you start any of this bullshit tonight, we’re done. You dug your grave, so lie in it.”

“You two know each other?” asked Dustin, glancing between Jonathan and Lindsay, then me.

“Yeah,” I muttered, moving to grab the other girl. “Let’s just get them out of here.”

He nodded and began escorting Lindsay out of the bar. I grabbed ahold of the brunettes arm and moved to follow after him, but Jonathan stopped me.

“Tomorrow. Lets do something.”