An Internal Affair

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She settled cross-legged upon the floor of the gym, watching as Chad finished his set and dropped the weights back into the cradle, breathing deeply. After a rather pointed glare, his physical therapist finally flourished a piece of paper beneath the big man’s nose and Andrea couldn’t help but grin as Chad snatched it up irritably. Today was the day he was getting cleared to return to his regular duties and she knew quite well how much Chad despised the cheerful little man who was constantly chanting things like, “Think positive, big fella!” at him.

“Just sign here,” the man chirped and Chad turned pleading eyes towards her when he couldn’t find a pen. Andrea smiled and tossed him one from her purse, and he quickly scrawled his signature, shoving the paper back towards the man. “Splendid, just really super! Let me get a copy of this little certificate and-”

“Just mail it to me,” Chad interrupted.

The other man looked offended. “Well…!”

“Okay, gotta go!” Chad took off for the locker rooms, leaving her to shrug her shoulders at the therapist when he whirled to glare at her as if it were her fault that Chad didn’t like him. Chad emerged roughly twenty minutes later, his hair still wet and his skin smelling like soap. “Is he gone?” He held out a hand to her as he peered about cautiously.

Andrea threaded her fingers through his. “I think s-whoop! Over there,” she pointed.

The man popped out from behind the elliptical machines to wave at them. “Sergeant Shelten, I-”

Chad disengaged his hand from Andrea’s and gave her a push towards the doors. “He sees us – run!”

“Chad…”

“Shit, he’s got a protein drink with him! Go! Go! ” They took off to the car as his erstwhile physical therapist tried to follow – when they were safely away, they rode in silence before glancing at each other and bursting into laughter. “He just pops out of nowhere – it’s really weird,” Chad said as soon as he’d wiped his eyes.

He steered the car towards her place, which surprised her more than a little. “Sarge, why are we…?” Chad just settled a big hand atop hers and didn’t reply until he turned the ignition off.

“We’ve both been avoiding this place, and it’s stupid. What happened here, happened…neither of us can change that. Come on,” and he held out a hand to her. “I think we’ve forgotten that we had some really good times here, too.”

Later, she lay in his arms as Chad stroked her skin and buried his face in her hair. “What was the name of that…that… what was that thing you did?”

“Can you be more specific? I did a lot of ‘things’,” he boasted, sounding so proud of himself that she just couldn’t bring herself to tease him about it. She’d promised him free reign over her body once he got cleared for active duty, and he’d just made a rather impressive and extremely enthusiastic start on taking her up on it.

Andrea rolled onto her side, still unconsciously trying to take care around him even though he was now nearly twice his size thanks to the extra weight and muscle he’d been forced to pack on his already huge frame. If this bout of lovemaking was any indication of what he still had in store for her… she shivered just thinking of it.

“Are you cold?” he asked, concerned. “Maybe we should get off the table.”

She grinned. “I’m just astonished that we didn’t break it, the way you were going.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining,” he said, arrogance personified. “But I really think we should return to the ground – or your bed – in case one of us rolls off accidentally. I’ve had enough of falling off things.” Chad sat up and scooped her into his arms to carry her off to the bedroom.


_ _ _ _ _


It felt really good to be back, Chad thought in satisfaction as he walked into SWAT headquarters under his own power. A couple times, he’d been in to work on some technical stuff and make sure the others were filing their reports like they were supposed to, but he’d been using that damned wheelchair and he’d always felt embarrassed at not being strong enough to rejoin his team. Faith charged up to him and nearly tackled him in a joyful hug. “Chad!” His climbing partner stepped back and eyed him up and down. “What’ve they been feeding you? You’re huge!”

Chad tugged at his collar. “Steve figured if I bulked up, the muscle would help insulate whatever’s still healing… I just wish he’d ordered me a bigger uniform,” he joked.

Hawkins and Jameson came up to bug him about metal detectors, then he had to endure the teasing of the rest of the team as they gathered around to greet him. “Let the man be – he’s got work to do,” Steve said sternly. “I need to see you in my office, Sergeant.”

“Yes, sir.” Chad followed Ramiro into the lieutenant’s office and sat down after Steve gestured to a chair.

Steve settled into his chair and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “I hear you were giving the therapist a hard time… which, admittedly, wasn’t that big a surprise because he’s annoying as hell.” He reached into a drawer and rummaged around. “Glad to have you back, though.” The other man tossed Chad’s badge at him. “Get to work. You’re leading a team to serve a warrant, have Williams fill you in on the way.”

Williams handed him the warrant as soon as he came out of Ramiro’s office. “You know? Ramiro left the car you landed on down in the parking deck – you sure wiped out the hood of it.”

“Why would he keep it?” Chad studied the picture of the man they were being sent to arrest.

“To remind us what happens if we don’t triple check our equipment, I think.”

Chad sighed and handed the papers back. “Yeah, that would’ve been a good idea.”

After serving the warrant the rest of the day was spent getting acquainted with the caseload they were working with, fixing up A/V lines for a sting, and putting up with the other team members teasing him about how much weight he’d gained. He was getting tired and trying his best to hide it right about the time Ramiro decided that he needed to go down to the driving course to get re-qualified for the SWAT trucks.

To add injury to insult, the officer chosen to administer the test was one he’d raked over the coals when still head of IA. From the look on the guy’s face, he remembered it quite vividly, too. “Well now” and he looked down at his clipboard “Sergeant Shelten, shall we get started?”

The other man – Officer Marlow, Chad remembered suddenly – started writing immediately as soon as Chad got in the training car and reached for his seat belt. “Is there a problem?” he asked, already knowing that he’d fail the test just because Marlow had an axe to grind.

Marlow made humming sounds as he finished writing whatever it was. “Not at all, Sergeant. Now, if we can get on with it…” Chad started the car, prompting the man to start writing something down again, and waited for his instructions. “Three point turn first, then some parallel parking.”

Each move he made, Marlow started writing – with a final glance over at Lipson, who gave him an encouraging thumbs-up, he sighed and started following the officer’s directions. It came as no surprise that he picked the one point on the course where it was virtually impossible to do a three point turn, but Chad managed it. Of course, when it was time to practice parking in the huge SUV, Marlow chose a spot that even a motorcycle would have trouble fitting in. “That space is for compact cars,” Chad reminded the man.

“So, you refuse to park there?” Marlow’s pen hovered over the paper.

“I didn’t say that.” Pulling up alongside the space, he pointed. “Look out the window.” There was plainly just enough room for Marlow to open the door to get out, but only just. He’d have to admit that he’d picked something impossible for Chad to accomplish.

However, the only thing the idiot did was start writing again, mumbling along. “Refused….to…comply. Okay, try parking over there next.” Chad made it through the rest of the requirements, even when he had to simulate hydroplaning as he was going forty-five around a corner and Marlow locked the wheels. “Okay, I think I’ve seen enough,” the man smirked. “Stop the car.” Chad forced himself to restrain from rolling his eyes as he parked in front of where Lipson was waiting.

When Marlow handed him the clipboard and a pen to sign it, his eyes dropped to where the word “FAILED” had been written in large block letters and circled several times. “I’m not signing this, you failed me!”

“Yes well,” the other man smirked. “You just weren’t up to standard.”

Chad glared. “You’re just trying to get me back for the IA investigation.”

Marlow’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Of course I am! And you can’t do a single thing about it. Sign the paper, Sergeant.”

Faith was looking at them curiously, and he glanced back over at his partner a second before he shifted the car back into Drive. “No.” Hitting the door locks, Chad stomped on the gas and headed back into the course.

“Stop! What do you think you’re doing? Stop this car right now,” Marlow threatened, a hint of hysteria entering his voice. Chad glanced in the mirrors to see Lipson diving for her radio. “If you don’t stop this car, I’ll-”

“You’ll do what, you pathetic little desk jockey?” The needle on the speedometer went past fifty, then sixty. “I’m not done practicing my turns.” Chad turned just as Marlow remembered that there was a brake installed in the passenger side, and stepped on it. Chad jerked hard on the wheel so that the car went into a controlled spin, reaching up to his shoulder to turn on his radio and locking it so that whoever was listening to the SWAT band could hear Marlow’s squeals of panic. “How’s this? Should we move on to the next part yet?”

He turned the wheel to bring them out of the spin and put the car in reverse. “S-s-stop,” Marlow stuttered.

“I’m just getting warmed up.” Throwing an arm across the back of Marlow’s seat and making the smaller man flinch away, Chad looked out the back window and pressed on the accelerator. He did some turns that had Marlow squeaking and screeching in fear, and noticed that they had a much bigger audience who were clapping politely as if they were watching a golf tournament – including Steve Ramiro, who didn’t look very amused. Another few spins made Marlow start moaning and clamping his hands over his mouth, so Chad slammed on the brakes just as he reached the spectators and unlocked the doors.

Marlow lurched out of the car and went into a stumbling run towards the end of the parking lot, but collapsed to throw up in the grass. Chad leisurely removed his seatbelt and picked up the clipboard which had been nearly broken in half when its owner was flailing in terror. He turned off the still-broadcasting radio as he ambled over to Marlow, who was still heaving. “Leave me alone,” the man moaned, trying to crawl away on his hands and knees.

Chad held out the clipboard. “I just need something from you first.” The other man reached out shaking hands for it, and scrawled something on a new evaluation form. Chad read it quickly and signed before shoving it back. “Make sure it doesn’t get lost.”

“Get in the car,” Ramiro ordered gruffly, pointing to the squad car he drove. Chad obediently got in and Steve started the car, not speaking and keeping his face averted. When they’d reached the Sixth Street headquarters, the lieutenant finally looked over at him and he was surprised to seen the laughter on Ramiro’s face. “That was some funny shit, Shelten. Just don’t let it happen often.”

“Sure thing, Lieutenant.”

Ramiro started to laugh as they headed back up. “Got something for you in my office, come on.” They passed a group of officers who were listening to a playback of the radio transmission and laughing so hard, some of them had tears in their eyes. Chad couldn’t help but grin hearing the squealing of the tires and Marlow’s screams of panic. “Make sure you make me a copy of that,” Steve advised them. Once in his office, Ramiro held out a hand. “I need your badge first.”

Maybe he hadn’t been that amused after all, Chad thought. Well, it’d been worth getting suspended. He slowly unpinned his sergeant’s badge from his uniform and handed it to Ramiro. “I need to turn in the report for ballistics before I can give you my gun, too,” he apologized.

“Why would I need your gun?” Ramiro studied his badge and dropped it in a drawer. “You’re a good man, Chad – you’re talented, smart, think on your feet and take care of your own. I like that, and respect it. There aren’t many on the force who would have done what you did for Lipson up on that building; you saved her life. Actually, she was the one who recommended your promotion, not knowing that I’d been priming you for it since day one.”

Chad frowned. “Promotion? What-”

Ramiro held a hand up to forestall any more questions, and slid something across the desk. “You’ve been a good sergeant. Here’s hoping you’ll be a better lieutenant. Congratulations, Lieutenant Shelten.” He held out a hand and Chad shook it numbly, still trying to wrap his mind around this unexpected turn of events. “Now get out of here – you look done in, and your detective certainly won’t thank me if you’re too tired to celebrate.” Picking up his new lieutenant’s badge, Chad stammered his thanks and was waved out of the door. “Go tell Andrea.”


_ _ _ _ _ _


Andrea yawned as she waited for Roknowski to finish pulling up the file she wanted. “Look, just let me back there – I can find it in two seconds,” she wheedled.

“Is this your domain? No, it’s not. I don’t come up to Narcotics and dig in your files, do I? Again, the answer is ‘no.’” After a few more minutes of unsuccessful searching, the balding man finally had to allow her back. “Just don’t…touch anything while you’re back here,” he warned. She found the case file she wanted, and Ralph gave an aggrieved sigh as he handed the hard copy to her. A familiar sound from behind her made her smile. “Don’t touch the bobblehead!”

“Is this all of it, Roknowski?” Andrea asked, flipping though the pages.

“I already told you it was… and he’s still standing there. What a tool,” the other man muttered. “Even when he was in IA he’d always come down here thinking he was sooo much better than the rest of us.”

Andrea whirled at this, and saw Chad lounging on the other side of the glass. “Chad! What are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet up at home.” She ignored Roknowski’s eyeroll at being reminded of her relationship with the big sergeant.

Chad unclipped his badge and shoved it against the glass, his chest swelling with pride. “Look.”

“Well, it’s your badge.”

“Look.”

She looked, and it slowly registered in her head that instead of reading “Sergeant”, it now said “Lieutenant”. “Oh, sweetheart! When did you…? Oh, that’s great!” Andrea burst out from behind the Ballistics counter and jumped into his arms. Behind them, Roknowski made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and lowered the blinds so he wouldn’t have to witness any further displays of affection. She kissed him enthusiastically. “I’m so proud of you! We definitely have to celebrate tonight. Are you off now? I can go whenever.”

“Yeah, Steve just cut me loose,” he assured her.

“You’ll have to give me the whole story as soon as I get home,” Andrea smiled, and kissed him again. “That’s really great, Chad. Lieutenant! Have you told anyone else yet, or…?”

Chad slid his strong arms around her after he guided her down the hall. “You’re the first, just like always.”

She could feel how happy he was, and just what he might want to do in celebration. Another heated kiss had her grasping at his shoulders helplessly and giving her the courage to suggest something to him that she’d never been able to before, for some reason. “Remember what you were doing the night before your fall?” she rushed out before she could think about what she was saying. “And what you were doing with your hands?”

He frowned in puzzlement. “That was a long time ago; what do you mean, what I was doing with my hands?” Andrea grasped one of his hands and lowered it to her behind meaningfully. “You mean, you want to try…?” She nodded and his lips parted slightly, eyes dilating with sudden arousal. “Really?”

Before she could lose her resolve, she broke away from him. “Just make sure you’ve got enough lube ready…I’ve got to put these up on my desk, but I’ll meet you at home.” Andrea finished up, unable to keep the smile off her face and just shaking her head at Hopper when he asked what was going on. “Gotta go, Hopper. See you Monday.”

She was nearly attacked the moment she opened the door to Chad’s place – they were planning on finding another house to move their things in together, but for now his house was their impromptu ‘home’ – and Chad dragged her immediately into the living room where, she noticed, he’d put a few blankets and pillows down on the floor.

“Whoa, big guy – take it easy,” she teased at his vehemence in trying to undress her.

“But we’re celebrating,” Chad said with a wink. Well, that much was true. Her uncertainty about what she’d suggested to him came rushing back as she spied the bottle of lubricant half-hidden beneath a fold in the blankets, but when she looked up into her lover’s eyes her fears evaporated as if they had never been. She loved and trusted him with all that she had, and knew he would never, ever hurt her. Her arms encircled his neck as he lowered her to the blankets and claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss.


tbc…
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A/N: Congratulations, Chad! *throws confetti*