Chapter Text
The laughter that erupted from Bobby while watching his team chase around Maurice, the rooster, came from a place of joy that he was sure had died with his family. While he felt guilty feeling the familiar warmth he also couldn’t stop the laughter if he tried. These California city guys were obviously lacking experience dealing with farm animals. Bobby just stood back and enjoyed himself watching Tommy and Sal scare the poor rooster which only made him run away more frantically. After allowing himself a few vocal chuckles he decided to rescue his crew and Maurice. He grabbed a nearby towel and approached Maurice from the back wrapping him up quickly and pulling his little body close for comfort.
“You’re okay, I got you.” He removed the ankle bracelet with the blade used for cockfighting. “West Coast meet Midwest,” Bobby said with pride.
“Okay, Alright buddy you’re okay,” Bobby said, continuing to calm the rooster.
“LAPD, I’m Sergeant Grant. Got a call about a stabbing unknown assailant,” Athena said entering the backyard where the firefighters were gathered with a captured Maurice.
Bobby looked up from Maurice to the commanding voice from the officer entering the yard. He wasn’t expecting to see five feet four inches of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. The bright lights setup in the yard provided him with a clear view of beautiful chocolate brown skin and brown eyes any man could get lost in. The confidence she emitted when she strode into the yard ignited the alpha male in him. He felt like he was instantly thrown back into his hormonal teen-aged years because all he could think is I need to impress her right now. Leave my mark before any of these other guys get any ideas.
Where Bobby grew up in Minnesota he had very minimal exposure to other races. He does remember finding women on television with different skin colors exotic during his hormonal years. He’d always appreciated beautiful women regardless of skin color.
“Actually his name is Maurice,” Bobby said and then quickly walked up to the Sergeant and handed her the calm rooster so she had no choice but to take him by reflex. “Don’t worry he’s been disarmed,” Bobby said with a smirk as he transferred custody of Maurice to the Sergeant. When his hands brushed the Sergeants he felt a jolt of energy flash through his body that further stroked his male ego.
“Go easy on him Sergeant, he’s had a rough day,” he said with a confident smirk and walked off leaving the beautiful officer with the rooster in her hands and a confused look on how she ended up in this situation. He knew she would remember him which was the point of his actions. He was disappointed when he noticed the wedding band on her hand when he handed her the rooster.
Honestly he shouldn’t have been surprised a woman who looked like that would not be single at their age. She looked to be close to his age at least. Why was he even thinking about her marital status? It's not like he would pursue her anyway. He’d had a woman and two amazing kids and he killed them by being a drug addict and an alcoholic. He didn’t deserve another one especially not one as beautiful as the Sergeant he’d just seen. She deserved a good man who would cater to her needs and not bog her down with his tragic past and addiction struggles. He needed a drink. It had been almost a year since he’d had one but he’d actually felt joy today which was not allowed because Marcy, Brooke and Bobby Jr. would never experience joy again because of him.
Athena deposited Maurice in the back of her patrol car and contacted dispatch to send an animal control unit to her location. While she waited she thought about the new Captain of the 118 that Hen had been telling her about for the last couple of weeks. Hen seemed to like him and she had not been a fan of most of the Captain's of the 118. What she wasn’t prepared for was his rugged handsomeness. Captain Bobby Nash was tall, handsome and in very good shape. His voice did something to her as well that she had never experienced with another man even her first love before Michael. She had always appreciated a good looking man no matter his skin color but she had never dated outside of her race because she knew her mother would never accept that kind of relationship. Not that she was considering it now, I mean she is currently married. The marriage isn’t the most satisfying but she loves Michael and the family they’ve created so she will just have to admire the Captain of the 118 from afar and make sure she doesn’t get too close. She doesn’t need those types of problems.
Bobby sat at the bar feeling failure once again as he sipped on the glass of whiskey in front him. He couldn’t seem to keep his mind off of Sergeant Grant. Her face was etched in his memory and those eyes still haunted him. There were so many reasons he had no chance with her. First she was married, second she was Hen’s best friend and he was an addict. While his logical brain could come up with all the reasons to let it go his heart kept reminding him of the warm feeling the first time he laid eyes on her and the energy he felt when he touched her hands. Maybe she was another part of his punishment. According to Hen, Athena Grant was a great cop with a big heart and the best friend a person could ask for. Of course she would be beautiful inside and out. Bobby feels like it would be karma for him to fall for someone he could never have. With that thought he finished his drink and Ubered home. He’d pick up his truck in the morning when he was sober.
Lying in bed that night with Michael sound asleep next to her, Athena tried to remember the last time Michael and her had been intimate. Sadly she could not. She wondered why her husband had not been attracted to her in many years. She worked hard to keep herself in shape because it was necessary for her job and her mother had raised her to believe that women should be petite, clean and attractive in order to capture a suitable mate. Sometimes she felt Michael was not attracted to women at all but she would put that thought out of her mind almost as soon as it appeared. Of course he would not have dated and married her if he were attracted to men.
Her mind wandered back to her interaction with Captain Nash at the scene earlier in the night. The way he looked at her when she walked in the backyard announcing herself did make her feel like a woman. There was a flirtiness to his actions that she hadn’t experienced in quite some time. According to Hen no one knew anything about the Captains personal life so he probably had a wife and some kids at home. Either way it was not her business so why did she keep thinking about how nice his arms and chest looked in his uniform. She got out of bed and decided to get a glass of wine. She needed to forget about the Captain and focus on her marriage.