Participants:
| Scene Title | To Partners |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | A toast to a new partnership caps off the long weekend. |
| Date | June 1, 2010 |
Give me fifteen minutes — I have to call my daughter. I'll meet you at Biddy Flannigan's. You know where that is, right? Irish Pub on the Upper East Side.
Kaydence doesn't keep Nash waiting at the pub long before she walks in and takes her seat next to him at the bar. Since it's an Irish pub, she's quick to order a Guinness. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she murmurs. "My daughter had a fight with a friend and it is just the end of the world." For a seven-year-old, it must feel like it.
"The end of the world," Nash takes a large swallow of his beer and glances at his watch, "I'd hoped for a little more warning for that event." He slides his empty glass forward, "Better fill me up. Who can know when I'll get to have another with the end of the world coming and all." One beer and his smartass levels have already increased significantly. That shooting yesterday has kept him conflicted for most of the day. The kid he shot will live, but will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, he's told, barring some miracle.
Even as he chases the logic of it all, it always seems to end with 'justice being served'.
Of course, drinking beer isn't the only reason for Nash to pop into the bar as he's already pinched two waitresses on the ass and gotten at least one phone number, though nothing he'd considered 'choice' for tonight. "Kids. God. Bless you parents, but that is not the way for me."
"If I hadn't met my husband, it never would have been the way for me, either. It just fit with him," Kaydence Lee admits with a shrug. It's been a long time since she's been able to talk about her late husband without sounding like she might cry or get angry. "I don't know if I can see myself having another kid with Matt. I mean, never mind our busy schedules. It just doesn't seem like the right… I don't know. It just doesn't feel like he's the kind of man I want to have kids with." Ouch. Wonder if he knows that.
"You don't even strike me as the settle-down type, Nash," the dark-haired woman assesses. "That's not all bad." Once her Guinness and his refreshed beer are set in front of them, Kay's quick to bring hers to her lips and drink deeply. "You want to talk about it?" she asks after she sets the glass back on the surface of the bar. She isn't talking about his committment issues.
"Talk about childrearing? I highly doubt you'll get anything contructive from me on the subject." Nash knows what she's asking and he's being an asshole. It's really a second occupation for him, which is a damn shame that he doesn't get paid for that. He's be pretty rich. But, alas, no job offers for him as of late.
The second beer arrives on cue and he takes another drink. "Not too much to talk about. The kid was stupid. Several times over. I am not going to cry for him because he decided to make stupid decision after stupid decision and the result was his own goddamn fault." He adds the line that most cops have come to dread saying, "And I was just doing my job."
Kay watches Nash with a level gaze as he explains his thoughts on the subject. His asshole quip doesn't ruffle her in the least. He is nothing compared to Detective Grimes on that front. If anything, it's comforting that he behaves the way he does. Less adjustment. "Well, I know I didn't say it before, but… Thanks." The kid didn't have his gun, sure, but that's not saying he couldn't have had the chance to do some severe damage. And at that range, if she had needed to resort to use of her firearm, she'd have killed their perp.
"I'm not a shrink, or anything. I'm not trying to be. I don't want to be. I just… need to know the status of my partner. It makes us a cohesive unit. Makes us unbreakable." Dark beer is raised to her lips and Kaydence's dark brows hike upward in askance of understanding. "I know you don't like to be serious, I don't either. But we still need to be honest with each other when it counts." This counts.
"You know, when we were in there, I knew that it could get crazy. We had those fuckers boxed into a corner and they weren't going to go down without a fight." He has turned away, looking straight ahead at the bar, nursing his beer every now and then. "The only thing I could think of when he charged was that I wasn't going to let anything happen to you. Just like I would have for Sanchez, and just like I would have for Harrison before that."
It's now that he turns and looks at her. "I don't regret it. Not one moment." He'd do it again in a heartbeat as well. They are still looking into this situation, but he's been assured that he's nothing to worry about. Formalities.
Kaydence is nodding slowly as he speaks, offering proof that she's listening and processing what he's saying. "I'm glad." That he doesn't regret it. "This will blow over," she assures him. "You're okay, Nash. I had my doubts, but… You're good. I'm glad to have you watching my back."
"You like James Bond?" Detective Damaris asks rather suddenly.
The glowing commendation from his new partner is rewarded with a smile, a rather boyish smile. "You're not so bad yourself, Damaris." He lifts up his beer and takes a healthy swallow before he turns at her question, "James Bond? I suppose I like some versions of it, I guess. There have definitely been a few duds, I'll say that." Nash'll have a few days to relax, since there's a mandatory cool down period after a shooting like the one he was involved in. He's not expected to be out of it for very long. "Why do you ask?"
"I own every James Bond film ever, is all. Yes, even the duds." Damaris takes a large gulp from her glass of Guinness and shrugs. "It's kind of my thing. So I always ask my parnters if they like James Bond." Kaydence tugs her phone out of her pocket and checks the face briefly before tucking it away again. Checking the time, or checking for a call or message, it doesn't seem to matter much. She doesn't make a comment.
"So what about you, Detective Nash? When you aren't chasing skirts around the squad room, what do you enjoy?"
Speaking of skirts, a waitress walks by and his eyes tend to follow the tail.. trail as she moves into the back to empty her tray or whatever it is they go back there. Nash finally snaps his attention back to his partner and he grins. "Hey, I never chase skirts around the squad room. I typically find them in places like this. Far easier of a conquest and most here don't have guns on them." He winks to Kaydence before taking a drink from his mug. He wipes at the foam with his tongue before clearing his throat and considers more of an answer, "I do a little boxing though I haven't in a very long time. Been considering taking it up again as I've been given a few gym names, so I may be checking them out on my off time."
"Boxing," Kaydence repeats with a small nod of her head, she also follow's the waitress' path, but she's following her back, not her backside. She turns her attention back to Nash, though, and frowns thoughtfully. "Boxing might be a good way to blow off steam. Just, you know, be careful for brain damage, eh?"
Nash reaches up and taps a finger against his head. "I'm too fuckin' tough up here." Well, at least with a couple of beers in him, he is. He leans his elbow against the bar, turning his stool to face her and he watches you for a moment, "You know, this might actually work out. I was a little worried at first, but I think whatever the brass was thinking when they decided to put us together.. this just might not be what they expected." He lifts his beer mug towards her with a grin, "To partners," is the toast offered.
Kaydence grins wide, turning on her stood to mirror Nash's pose. She raises her own beer and clinks glasses. "Partners," she toasts. After a drink, she sets her glass down. Her smile takes on an entirely different quality, "I don't know how long you've been at this, Nash, but… Justice is a funny thing. You're going to learn that real quick. It doesn't always come about within the letter of the law. Keep that in mind, and it'll keep you from eating your gun."
Then, it's suddenly as if she hadn't said anything so serious at all. Kay's smile is sunny and almost sweet - if he didn't know better. "You seem like you've got things figured out. We're going to do just fine."