{Yeah! A month makes sense :) Could you do the time skip though? I wanna write this last scene out between Ajax and his family!}

-

Ajax watched as his sisters dragged his brother off somewhere quickly, arguing about whether they should eat something or go on a ride first. He had bought them a few hours worth of tickets for the local amusement park, which Olivia and Lilly happily take and dashed off. Jack had followed in suit, claiming that he was 'going to keep them in check' and 'look after them', but everyone else knew he wanted to have just as much fun as the younger girls. Ajax and Matt hung back, following the energetic family members at a more legisuler pace. Nyx had been left out home, sleeping in her dog bed.

Matt could tell something was up with his son. Even though they hadn't extanged pleasant words in years, he could still read Ajax pretty well. Ajax kept frowning, his eyes clouding over with guilt or regret every few seconds.

"How're you feeling? Anything hurt from the job?"

"No. I didn't get any injuries this time around." Ajax's voice was strained, and his lips curled into a frown as he said those words, ones he should be happy about.

"What's going through your head, 'Jax." Matt asked softly, looking straight ahead.

"A lot." He grumbled, but relented after a glance from his father. "You." He admitted. "The case."

"I understand me, but the case? It's finished, isn't it? You saved the girl, she's with her mother and brothers in protective costidy, and legal action has been taken." Matt sounded confused. "Jack was right, you know. You are a hero." Ajax felt his gut twist. He didn't want to be called a hero. He sure as hell didn't feel like one right now, or for the past couple of days.

"Don't call me that. I'm not one, and I don't deserve to be called a hero." Ajax hissed under his breath, but loud enough for Matt to hear him. "Not when I did practically nothing, not when I don't have a single injury on my body while my partner did everything and ended up in the hospital nearly dead." He didn't even want to bring up the argument between him and Sorcha that had happened only a few hours ago. He hated himself for not being a more reliable partner, and for snapping at her when she had only just woken up from the medically induced coma. He felt like a total dick, thinking back on it, and wanted nothing more to either have the ground swallow him whole or apologize to Sorcha.

Matt hummed, not responding right away. "Law enforcement is always a dangerous game. Everytime we step out there, we're gambling our lives, and possibly the lives of those around us. But we take that gamble, and play that game, solely for the purpose of saving lives. For making other's lives easier than our own. That's the duty that we swore an oath to. That's what we've dedicated our lives too. And there's no going back on something like that. Your partner, she's in the hospital, yes, but she isn't dead. That Jamie girl, the one that you saved, she's beaten up and scared, but she isn't dead. Your fellow officers that rushed to the scene as backup, they're not dead either. Count your blessings, Ajax. You did your job, and you did your job well. If you keep dwelling on the past, and what you could have done, it'll destroy you, just like it had me when your mother died."

Ajax's body stiffened at the mention of his mother, but he acknologed Matt's words. They were...surprising to Ajax, to say the least. For someone who had spent the better part of seven years drunk, angry, or in rehab centres, his words held a deep meaning and wisdom. He didn't speak, but Matt seemed to have understood that he had understood his words.

"When are they letting you back in the field?"

"They aren't giving me serious jobs right now, nor will they be for another week and a half or so. For now, I'm on paperwork duty and training with Nyx."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Ugh, paperwork duty. I remember that being bloody hell when I was still in the department." Him and Ajax laughed about that for a little while before falling into a more comfortable silence. The corner of Ajax's mouth uirked up in a small smile. Maybe he could salvage his relationship with his father after all.

{Sorry, kind of fell into a rabbit hole for the past couple of days, lmao, as well as mAjOr writer's block XD}

-

Ajax walked back into the main building from the training grounds behind the department, Nyx trotting in after him. Nyx's tongue was hanging out of her mouth as she panted, a bead of sweat dripping off the tip of her nose. Ajax looked a lot healthier than before. His skin had regained its color, and he had begun to sleep regularly again, meaning that the dark bruises underneath his eyes had begun to fade back into his natural skin tone. He was dressed in the 'Class B' uniform of the department, which was, unfortunately, soaked in sweat after the long, early morning he and Nyx had.

Ajax made a beeline toward the showers in the back bathrooms, freshening up quickly and getting dressed into his actual uniform. He wasn't going to be doing anything major today, just some more miscellaneous paperwork that he never got around to doing, and since he wasn't going out into the city, he removed Nyx's gear. After cleaning it, he put it away in her cubby in the kennel room. The department had allowed him to go back to his regular patrols and jobs around two weeks ago, and he was glad for the distraction.

Despite the words of his father about his predicament with Sorcha, he still felt extremely guilty. He had yet to apologize, and even though he had plenty of chances to do so, he had always chickened out last minute. A few times when his patrol was done, he'd swing by the hospital, hesitate by the doors for a few minutes, but then leave without going in. He honestly didn't know how to apologize to her and figured that he'd know what to say when she returned to the station.

And oh, how he was wrong.

Ajax froze momentarily when he saw Sorcha sitting at one of the other desks, Hades lying down at the foot of his handler, free from his gear. Maybe it was because they were partners, or maybe it was just dumb luck (or misfortune, seeing as their relationship was still strained) that his desk just so happened to be off to Sorcha's left.

Nyx didn't seem to feel her handler's hesitance or anxiety as her ears perked up, black nose quivering slightly as she sniffed the air. Her tag began to wag as she noticed her fellow canine friend. She paused to greet Sorcha for a second before laying down next to Hades.

Ajax sighed, running a hand through his still-damp hair as he walked over, cursing his dog for forcing him into this situation, even though it was technically his fault for never apologizing. He stopped a few feet from Sorcha, his head tilted up as his eyes focused on the ceiling tiles, the feeling of shame and guilt crashing over him ten times more than before.

"Hey Sorcha." He finally said, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while the other restlessly tapped on his leg. "I just wanted to say..." His eyes darted around, trying to gather the right words to say. I really should've thought this out. He thought to himself. Ajax felt himself growing more and more flustered as he stood there. He quickly grabbed the chair from his desk and sat down, still avoiding her piercing green gaze that he could feel burning into him.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I know words don't really cut it, and they don't serve as an excuse for the way I acted, but please, hear me out. It was way out of line for me to speak to you like that, especially after what you endured back there. I was panicking and felt useless, but it was awful of me to take it out on you. I wanted to come back to the hospital to apologize to you sooner, but I kind of cowarded out of it each time I went." Ajax winced at that, feeling bad for the workers who had to see him hesitate outside the hospital doors several times over the past month. "I was a complete twat, and I really am sorry for that."

Finally, Ajax glanced down and met Sorcha's eyes, waiting for her response while mentally preparing for a chewing-out form his partner.

{ 100% agree lmao XD }

-

Ajax's tensed muscles relaxed slightly at her words, the frown that had been etched on his face lightening. He felt relieved that his partner forgave him and that the two of them wouldn't be walking on eggshells around each other, though things would most likely be a little awkward between them for a while. He wanted to apologize again, but he knew that with a practical person like Sorcha, it wouldn't get him anywhere, so he opted to just nod.

"About that..." He said, motioning to the stack of paperwork that laid on her desk. A real headache, if you asked him. "Some where in there, probably buried pretty deep, you'll find a form offer to be promoted to a higher ranking - and better paying - position. Even though it's usually customary to have a new officer in the rookie position for a while, the Cheif and I thought if anyone deserved a promotion, it would be you. After all, you basically solves this case by yourself. Like you said, you were a rookie in rank, but not in skill. Congradulations."

Turning back to his own deask, he began to go through the documents and paperwork that needed signitures or a response from him. His stack wasn't nearly as high as Sorcha's, probably because she was the one who freed Jamie and had to deal with Keiran's torchure after that. He made a mental note to ask her if he could help after he was finished with his own work.

And even though he knew Sorcha wanted anything but to be treated like someone who needed help, when lunch hour rolled around, Ajax popped out of the station to grab them both something, already having Sorcha's regular meals memorized from them working together for a while. He was much better with actions than words, so this way he could repay her, in a sense.

{Just realized how weird that sounded lmao! 'He had her regular meals memorized' XD}

Once Sorcha had recovered enough for the higher-ups to clear her for going back into the field, she didn't waste another second and dived head-first into it, leaving Ajax to scramble behind her, making sure that she didn't go too far and cause her injuries to possible reopen. He would roll his eyes whenever his partner overworked herself, once again pushing herself further and further, but inwardly, he'd grin and fall into step with her. They had finally gotten over everything that had happened, and there was no longer a heavy awkwardness hanging over them like a thundercloud ready to release its downpour.

For the majority of the time that he and Sorcha had been back on the streets, everything was calm. A few small things popped up where they were called on for their dogs to sniff out and follow a scent, but nothing big happened. There was a slight altercation with an aggressive denizen which resulted in a shallow knife slash across Ajax forearm, but it was quickly deescalated and the wound didn't even need stitches.

He was talking with another officer about an old case when he got the message that he and Sorcha were needed in the Chief's office. Ajax raised an eyebrow, knowing something was up. Usually, when officers were dispatched to a job, they would've either been randomly picked by the phone operators or would've just been called as backup. When the Chief gave you a mission, it meant that it wasn't one to take lightly. he nodded his thanks to the information runner and excused himself from his conversation, walking towards the Chief's office. On his way, he found Sorcha and informed her of the summoning.

(The summoning...it sounds so suspenseful lol)

Ajax shrugged, not knowing what they were getting into either. He wasn't one to sugarcoat his concerns, so all he said was, "Don't think we're in trouble. I know i didn't do anything wrong, and I'm sure you didn't either. We haven't even been out in the field very often. What could he be mad at?" He pointed out, eyes focused ahead as they made their way to the Chief's office. "It probably has something to do with a new assignment. Must be pretty big if we have to talk to him personally about it." He realized that that might not have been the best thing to say when his partner wasn't completely recovered mentally from her ordeal, but he couldn't take it back. He also wouldn't lie to try and make the truth seem softer.

He sighed inwardly as he saw Sorcha's fingers fiddle and mess with the bracelet that wrapped around her wrists. He had noticed that she'd do it whenever something stressful or anxiety inducing would happen, a habit she picked up after she was discharged from the hospital. The fact that she only wore long-sleeved shirts, even underneath her uniform, didn't slip past his keen silver gaze either. even though it was late spring, fading into early summer, the heat was striking down on them heavily. Ajax, who hated the heat, was practically melting whenever he had to spend long hours outside during his rounds, and that was when he was wearing short sleeves too, so he couldn't imagine how hot Sorcha must've been feeling. He understood why she did it though. Even after you've physically healed from a job, it doesn't leave your mind for a long while. Ajax never commented on it, just went on with his job, though he'd offer Sorcha water or subelty slow their pace down when they were patrolling to make sure she never fell into heat exhaustion.

He rapped his knuckles against the hardwood door, opening it once he heard the Chief call "Come in." He held it open for Sorcha and walked in after her, closing the door behind them. Ajax took a seat in one of the two chairs that were placed in front of Chief Peterson's desk, which had scattered files and paperwork all over the usually clean and organized desk.

"Ah, Scorcher, MacKintosh, you're here." He said, looking up from the papers in his hands that he was previously pouring over. "just the two officers I needed to see."