EPISODE 5

[NATHAN WEST PART]

Nathan West sat on one of the benches in the main hall of the department, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped loosely. The place was alive with movement—officers moving in and out, the low murmur of voices, phones ringing somewhere behind the front desk. He had only been in the building for an hour, but it already felt longer. His mind kept circling back to the conversation he’d just had in the disciplinary office.

[Earlier – The Disciplinary Office]

The room was small but well lit, the faint smell of coffee lingering in the air. Sergeant Mayfair sat behind the desk, flipping open a thin folder that had his name on it. She was known for being strict, and Nathan had been ready to defend himself, but instead her tone was calm—almost too calm.

“Nathan West,” she said, her eyes scanning the page before looking up at him. “You know why you’re here.”

“Yes, Sergeant,” Nathan answered quietly, sitting up straight in the chair. “For being late to duty.”

She nodded, then leaned back. “Normally, this would be written up as a formal warning. But Sergeant Hayes spoke to me personally.” Her tone softened slightly. “He says you’ve only just been promoted from rookie, and that you’re still adjusting. I’m choosing to give you a verbal warning this time.”

Nathan’s shoulders loosened a bit. “Thank you, ma’am. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Sergeant Mayfair’s gaze stayed on him. “I want to believe you, West. But you should know—discipline is not just about rules. It’s about trust. When you show up late, your partner has to carry extra weight. That’s not fair to them, and it’s not safe for you.”

He nodded again, feeling the sting of the truth in her words. “Understood.”

She closed the folder. “Good. Your new partner will be back from patrol soon. Until then, wait in the main hall.” Then her voice shifted just slightly—almost like a warning. “And Nathan… try to make a good first impression.”

“Yes, Sergeant,” he replied.

[Back in the Main Hall]

Nathan sat quietly, thinking about her last words. First impression. He was curious now—who was this partner? He’d heard nothing except that she was a sergeant. That meant she outranked him. He pictured someone older, maybe strict, maybe not too interested in small talk. He was ready to just keep things professional.

Then he heard it—a pair of firm, quick footsteps entering the hall from the front entrance. He looked up.

The first thing he noticed was the dark blue uniform, the badge catching a glint from the overhead light. The second thing was the woman wearing it—confident stride, eyes sharp but focused, hair neatly pulled back. Her expression was serious as she guided a handcuffed man forward. Another officer followed, holding the second suspect by the arm.

Nathan blinked. For a moment, the noise of the department faded. There was something about her presence—steady, commanding—that caught him off guard. But it wasn’t just authority; there was something else. She was beautiful in a way that was hard to ignore, but it wasn’t the kind of beauty that asked for attention—it simply was.

He felt his chest tighten unexpectedly. Is she—? No… can’t be.

Riley passed him without looking, leading the suspect toward the booking desk. Her voice was calm but firm as she spoke to the desk officer, explaining the arrest. Nathan found himself watching her a second too long before forcing his eyes away.

Focus, West. Don’t be stupid.

Still, his heartbeat hadn’t quite settled.

A few minutes later, Officer Davis, who had been standing near the hallway, stepped over to Nathan with a half-smile. “So… met your new partner yet?”

Nathan frowned slightly. “I don’t think so. She’s not back from patrol yet.”

Davis chuckled. “Oh, she’s back.” He nodded toward the booking desk where Riley was finishing up the arrest paperwork. “That’s her. Sergeant Riley. She’s the one you’re working with from now on.”

Nathan’s eyes flicked back to her. “That’s… her?”

“Yep,” Davis said, clearly amused. “Oh, and by the way—she’s also the one who reported you this morning.”

Nathan blinked, his stomach doing a small, uncomfortable flip. “Wait—what?”

“You heard me,” Davis said. “She’s your new boss on patrol, and she’s the reason you were called into the disciplinary office today.” He smirked. “Good luck, West. You’ll need it.”

Nathan leaned back on the bench, trying to process it. Just an hour ago, he’d been irritated at whoever had reported him. Now, he couldn’t decide what he was feeling. There was still that flicker in his chest when he looked at her—but now it was tangled up with something else.

He let out a slow breath. Great. Partner’s gorgeous, outranks me, and already thinks I can’t be on time.

Still, when Riley glanced briefly in his direction while speaking to another officer, Nathan felt that same skip in his heartbeat. Maybe… just maybe… this was going to be an interesting partnership.

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