Can't Help It If We're Tilted

[Rachel Murphy]

Today was the best day of the week. It was the day that her partner came back to work and frankly it wasn’t a day too soon because despite the fact she still wanted to yell at him for what he had done. She wanted to yell at him more for the cop she had to be partnered with until he did actually come back. She was partially ready to shove him down the stairs for that. One name she had avoided for her entire cop days, Masterton and within two hours of shift she had be saddled with that guy.

Firstly, the cop was her direct superior and hadn’t actually been on patrol for at least three years. Secondly if the guy had to run, then it was a lost case for any backup that wasn’t another unit. Third was the fact that his constant talking about his old days and how women shouldn’t be cops because they were a liability. Rachel could see why CPD had shoved him behind a desk but it was special kind of torture which made the day Meriton got back that much better.

Rachel had deliberately gotten in around two hours early to decorate and enlisted half of the patrol cops to give her a hand two. Well there was no harm in it really and besides there was no way she was going to get him get a smooth welcome back. Armed with enough crime scene tape, wrapping paper and sticky tape she got to work wrapping up everything that could be moved or picked up. Everything from the computer to the stapler to the rubbish bin had a fast makeover as she dangled the crime scene tape from the ceiling.

After she was satisfied that it would take him a while to at least start the day she laid out the box of cup cakes with ‘welcome back’ written across them and a party hat for him before she sat down at the opposite desk to finish writing up a report she had started yesterday and wait for her partner to arrive.

Cup Cakes & Desk

Tag: @meriton

[Deleted]

Rachel Murphy
this protective heart
will keep on beating

If Meriton had found out about Masterton he would have taken it up with Platt straight up. There was always a bigger fish. At least that is what Michael had learned. He was coming in after a morning of explaining to his daughter why he was perfectly capable of going back to work. Though knowing his partner he was probably going to get an earful for being gone. So he had to prepare for that as he made his way to his desk.

Rachel was lucky that Michael had a sense of humour. If there was no sense of humour there then he might have gotten angry about the whole crime scene table at their desk. Patrol was always a pain in the rear because they didn’t all get their own desk. He had to share with Rachel so yelling at her over crime scene tapping their desk would have been stupid anyway. Nope he would just make her help clean it up. “Crime scene tape? Really Murphy?” he shook his head. “I’m shocked you found enough in this city” he joked. Every time he went to look for the tape, it was either out or missing. “Then again this is probably the reason, that I can never find it” he added as he wrapped her up in a hug from behind. It was good to be back.

It took him a moment to realize she was doing her work at another desk because there was so much crime scene tape around. He took her pen from her and set it down on the desk. “Bury the desk and then seek refuge at someone else’s. I see how it is.” He joked lightly.

notes

ulla

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel had everything set out in her mind that she wanted to yell at him for, firstly was leaving her on her own to deal with Masterton. There were easier interrogations done by the CIA she was sure and secondly she was still mad that he had chosen to fly instead of walking like any normal person would have done. Honestly it was all in a days work being partnered with an ex agent but then again at least there was never a dull moment. Everything was as interesting as the next day if not more so.

“What you don’t like it? I serious think it’s your colour because I couldnt find hazard tape and a banister.” She teased deciding she would just jump into the deep end with that comment. No use in beating around the bush she thought shrugging as if crime scene tape was the easiest thing to find in the world. When she felt him wrap her up in a hug she grinned glad to have him back as she hugged his arms for a moment. “You never look in the right places, I mean I’ve tried to train you but somethings you just need to learn yourself.” She joked as she rolled her eyes.

Oh there was no chance she was clearing the desk at all. She had spend enough time decorating it. When he took her pen from her she grumbled as she folded her arms and spun her chair to look at him. “Well I had to welcome you back somehow, I mean it was that or lock you in the cupboard for an hour and see what you would do. I took mercy on you and you’re bum leg.” She teased again grinning finally glad to have him back at work though thinking it and admitting it were entirely different.

[Deleted]

Rachel Murphy
this protective heart
will keep on beating

Michael hadn’t exactly thought his master plan through of jumping over the ledge, but it had gotten the job done and that was all there was to it. He had a bit more training in some things than most cops did and while it gave him an edge in some instances, he sometimes did things that most patrol cops wouldn’t dare try. He’d taken a job at a local level to avoid all the bouncing around anymore. Perhaps a bit too late though as he had Alexis to think about.

There was just a face when she mentioned hazard tape and the banister. Nope he was not opening that can of worms. He felt her hug around his arms and it made him glad to be back. Rachel was among those he considered family. She was his partner; but he looked out for her. He wasn’t too keen having her left in the hands of another temporary partner. It had been a long few months. He’d checked up on her a few times just to make sure that things were going alright. He didn’t have a comeback for her banner response, he was just glad to be back in the office.

Michael sighed as she turned around though he smirked. “It’s good to be back. Thanks Rach.” He knew neither of them were the type to admit much of anything outwardly. After all they had appearances to keep up. He looked at their assignment for the day. “Traffic duty.” He handed her the assignment. “You might need that pen” he pointed out. They swapped off days driving, just because they did. “And it’s my turn to drive” he stated as he grabbed the keys off the desk. “Let’s go cowgirl” he teased lightly.

notes

ulla

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel wasn’t the sort who stuck to every rule religiously but there were times when she knew her partner would do something completely stupid in her mind. Her main goal every time she stepped on shift was to be in one piece at the end of it though at times she wondered if Michael had a completely separate idea to that. Go home injured and it was a good day was perhaps his motto though she would argue with him over it no matter how long it took to get her point across, much like his insistence that he could fly over ledges.

She grinned seeing the face he pulled, he seemed to have learned that opening certain conversation lines was only going to lead to one thing. Still no matter how much she still wanted to yell at him over it she was just happy he was back being her partner. Family was always extended and despite his first career choice in being a federal something or other she was glad he was now CPD. She had found it strange the first time he had checked up on her as most of her previous partners never bothered though given the fact she considered him family she got used to it.

“Yeah well, dont think because it’s your first day back I’m going to be nice to you. That stopped with the decorations.” She teased smirking, well there were certain things she wasn’t about to say or give an outpouring of gratitude that he was back even though she felt it. What was unspoken was unspoken though she guessed he would know she was glad to have him back. Rachel winced, honestly they had pulled traffic duty well at least he couldnt try to fly over a car from a starting point of the ground.

Small mercies. “Yeah yeah, well you can write the tickets just in case you forgot what to do with all that time off.” She joked, “All yours John Wayne, just dont try any of that superman stuff today because I’m not going back to Masterton for a partner ever again.” She replied trying not to laugh though it completely failed.

[Deleted]

Rachel Murphy
this protective heart
will keep on beating

Michael did think he could fly, he was superman after all. Well if you asked Rachel he was she had even admitted he was trying to be superman. Though Michael didn’t want an argument this morning it was good to be back. Michael grabbed two cupcakes one he set in front of her and the other he put his finger in the icing before putting it on the side of her nose. “You look so adorable with a pink nose.” He teased lightly. “And I still stand by superman being sexier as a blonde” he stated dropping a photoshopped version of superman with blonde hair on the desk in front of her.

Traffic duty was annoying. “We can sit and count railroad cars all day and trade childhood stories about things we did that make our ancestors roll in their graves?” He paused a moment. “Or we take bets on how many people run the new stop sign at third and Westheimer?” Well Michael was trying to liven up their day just a little. He might as well. “It’s next to that little coffee shop you love” he owed her at least that much right? “Coffee. My treat?” he knew the place was a bit on the pricey side but she had to ride with Masterton. That was like a death sentence.

“Hey if we get lucky enough Platt will fire him.” He teased as he spun her chair around to face him. He grabbed her ticket book. It felt heavy. He just gave her a look. “Have you even written a ticket this month or did Masterton claim all of them?” Rachel and Michael usually swapped so that she could show that she had been working hard too. “Rachel did he make you use his book the whole time?” he wanted a straight answer he wasn’t liking this in the least.

notes

ulla

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel wrinkled her nose before smiling sweetly at Michael as she wiped the icing off her nose. “Thanks but I’ll have my revenge for that.” She stated smirking for a moment before she shook her head at his statement about superman being sexier blonde. Rachel glanced at the photoshopped version of superman with blonde hair as she grabbed a pen and started to colour it in. “See dark hair and ... phew he looks a lot better.” She said as she picked up the photo and passed it back to him.

Rachel raised her brow and grinned, “Speak for yourself, all my ancestors would think I am an absolute angel and if you tell my family anything other than I have the means to shoot you.” Not that Rachel was going to admit to much, well she hadn’t been the good catholic girl her parents always thought but still she had to have some fun. “Westheimer huh, since you mention the words coffee shop and your treat... how can a girl refuse.” She teased chuckling, “You really know how to show a girl a good time. Besides I might even get you a cake from there if you’re nice to me.”

Lucky enough, if it was up to her she would have fired herself to get away from the guy but then there was no sense in it as she laughed when he spun her chair around to face him. “Written them yes,... you missed a lot when you’ve been flying.” Rachel said smirking again. It had taken her all of five minutes to figure out that the work was done by her, writing the tickets and Masterton would take the credit but then Michael was back and now things were normal once more. Well she used normal as a loosely as possible.

When Michael asked again she knew she wasn’t going to get away with the lie she had in her head over it. “His book, my writing, his signature so really this month i’ve done... nothing.” She stated as she shrugged it off. “Just glad to have you back, next time trying coming back three weeks earlier.” She said with a grin as she tapped him on the nose.

[Deleted]

i'd say show me but that
would come out all kinds of wrong.
i have to say they didn't exactly partner me with a male too hard on the eyes

Michael just smirked when she said she was going to have her revenge. “Of that I have no doubts.” he replied in a matter of factly tone with a sweet innocent smile to get along with it when she stole his image of the blonde haired superman. Was she coloring on it? Yes. Yes, she was. He rolled his eyes. The two have VERY different taste in men. Michael liked his blondes. Rachel clearly liked the darker haired types.

Michael laughed as she said she was an angel. “You are not an angel sweetheart. I have all the proof I need” he replied with a light hip shove. Michael only got away with those because the two were more like siblings. He would tease her all the way to the car. It was nice to be back and have his partner back. Honestly he loved Alexis, but 24 hours of teenager was quite daunting. “And Yes Westheimer” he replied with a smirk. He wasn’t going to say he felt like he owed it to her, but he did feel kind of obliged after being gone so long.

"I am always nice." His voice carried a sweet smile to its tones. Michael had tossed his book onto the desk before the left. There would be no arguments. They were just going to have to sit in places he knew were heavy violation areas. If he had to give up some of his he would. He was sneaky and he wasn’t above swapping ticket book covers, so that she thought she was grabbing his book either.

✄ Rachel Murphy

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[Rachel Murphy]

“See I knew you were the right partner for me.” She said smirking still; revenge was always sweet and in her case would appear in many forms though given it was his first day back. She didnt want him injured again so bubble wrap and duct tape she was liking the idea of. Sometimes Rachel wondered about his taste in men, blondes, no there was just no way and a blonde superman... what was he even thinking? Dark hair was her thing though her partner obviously had a different taste.

Rachel rolled her eyes as he lightly hip shoved her. “Owe, now you’re shoving me... see I’m too much of an angel to even fight back.” She said doing her best pout before shoving him back in the exact same way. She had forgotten how much she had missed him since he had been gone and yes he was like a brother to her but working with him, it was fun. “Oh all the fun we have missed on Westheimer, isn’t it good to be back?” She teased him, quite honestly she was glad to have him back but she would sooner arrest him than tell him that to his face.

“I’ll let the evidence speak for itself.” Rachel said to the comment about him being nice, oh sure nice when it had that double or triple meaning. Though he was nice to her. “Hey don’t forget that book... honestly the fed thinks he can fly and forgets everything.” She teased smirking, “You know it was your ankle and not your head?” She stated chuckling to herself as she pointed to his desk, men if it wasn’t for women picking up after them they wouldn’t stand a chance she thought with a grin.

Tag: @meriton

[Deleted]

i'd say show me but that
would come out all kinds of wrong.
i have to say they didn't exactly partner me with a male too hard on the eyes

Michael sometimes didn’t understand his partner at all. Blondes were so much more fun. No wait that was probably not the right word for it. “What do you have against blondes anyway?” He was dying to know the answer to that one. How could she be so against men being blonde? And even then a blonde superman would have been a nice change in pace. All the iconic superheroes that came to mind were all brunettes. I mean yeah there were some blondes to include Thor and Captain America but most people did not name them as the first superhero that came to mind.

When she called him out on his book behind left behind he didn’t grab it at all. In fact he even made a smug smirk about it. He’d come clean. “You have catching up to do. I’m picking up a few extra shifts, I’ll catch up” he stated as he realized he was going to have to get smarter about switching covers or something. In reality, it was the signature that really counted anyway. Michael was not above forging his partner’s signature either when it came to making sure she met her quota.

Moving towards the car he got in on the driver’s side. It felt like a bit of a relief to get things mostly back to normal. Michael was very … distrustful and protective. Honestly, there were only a handful of people he trusted to have his partner’s back and he could count them on half of one hand. He closed the door behind him as he started the car heading for Westheimer.

✄ Rachel Murphy

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel rolled her eyes as she shrugged. “What do I have against blondes, my first accident on the job I was shoved out of a window... by a blonde. First boyfriend... dumped me for a blonde. Masterton is a blonde.” She stated with a grin, for her blondes and her never really did get along from the very beginning. Honestly she had no idea what his fascination with blondes was about, to her it made more sense to trust the stable level headed brunettes in her head. “So what is it about brunettes that you are so against?” She asked raising a brow as she listened intently for his answer.

“Extra shifts, I guess the message about being superman didnt get through to you.” She said with a sigh as she grinned, “Fine this once but after this it’s equal okay?” She offered knowing she did have catching up to do but she wasn’t about to write all the tickets herself, no Michael was going to get his fair share too. She had many an excuse lined up like a fall and sprained wrist, faulty pen, blunt pencil oh the list went on and on. She could even try to copy his signature on the tickets she wrote if she could manage it. It was a long shot but worth a try.

Rachel made her way to the passenger side before she got in and relaxed back into the seat. She was glad that things were back to normal, or at least their kind of normal. Rachel pulled the door shut and fastened her seat belt as Michael drove. “So, just in case you need a refresher after all that rest and relaxation. There are three pedals, one makes it go, one changes gear and one breaks.” She teased pointing to the floor of the car chuckling as she watched the road out of habit.

[Deleted]

i'd say show me but that
would come out all kinds of wrong.
i have to say they didn't exactly partner me with a male too hard on the eyes

Michael just gave his partner a look as she stared blabbering about gears and breaks and everything else once they got to the car. Reaching over across the car he pinched her lightly in the side before starting the car. "That's for being such a know it all brunette" he teased. Oh he would tease her about that ALL day long. Sometimes he had to wonder about his partner. But what was she really on about?

He was about to say something as he pulled out of the station. There was a corvette that went zinging by much much faster than was legal even on the highway. He sighed as he realized it was going to be a long day. Who in their right mind would fly by a police precinct. The guy had to have lost his mind...

Michael pulled out behind the car without so much as a second thought. There were just some days that he wanted to wring people's necks for certain things. First day back and they were already dealing with genius people on the road.

✄ Rachel Murphy
Sorry its short. Brain derped.

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel twisted and squealed when he lightly pinched her side, she would have retaliated had he not been driving. “Yeah yeah, you appreciate it though. Someone’s got to keep you on the right track.” She said with a smirk, “Don’t forgot to keep to the right side of the road either.” Rachel enjoyed the teasing and she would give as good as she got. She wondered about him a times, did he really think he was superman? Well she had her answer on it because he at least found out he couldnt fly.

Sitting in the passenger seat she pushed herself back into the seat as they pulled out of the station, she barely had time to register the corvette that went by too fast to be legal. “Really? Here?” She said taking a breath, were people stupid or just plain crazy these days. “Bets on a hundred or more?” She said wondering what the actual speed was because whatever it was, it wasn’t the right speed for the road.

So much for a steady and quiet first day she thought, then again at least for this shift she actually trusted the person next to her. All things considered that in itself was a relaxing and good shift for her. She pulled her note book from her pocket and held her pen trying to make out a plate. Who in their right mind speeds past a precinct? Most slowed down around a police car and a precinct, well it was like a ‘lets go ten under the limit’ kind of area.

(No worries at all)

[Deleted]

i'd say show me but that
would come out all kinds of wrong.
i have to say they didn't exactly partner me with a male too hard on the eyes

Michael didn't remember the truck hitting them that came careening down the road and smack the side of the vehicle on her side. The patrol car rolled as they were not the only cops in on the chase. He heard a bunch of sirens go by and tried his best not to black out. "Rachel!" she called out unbuckling his seat belt. He went to check for a pulse. He was bleeding on various parts of his arms but hardly anything as major as his partner. He'd tried to protect her when the vehicle started rolling. He was pinned at his legs. If he broke something again Alexis and Rachel would both kill him ,he was sure of that.

He reached for the radio but he was certain they'd already called it in, but he hadn't been able to hear the radio while the vehicle was flipping. Michael tried to control the bleeding he could reach. "Rachel... talk to me.. RACHEL!!" he stated firmly. Michael was keeping the worry from his voice but it was hidden under in his tone of voice.

✄ Rachel Murphy

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0

[Rachel Murphy]

It all happened so fast, one minute she was laughing and joking trying to work out who would break the speed limit past a police station. The next minute it felt like she had exploded in pain. Her head was killing her and the sound of sirens wasn’t anything other than aggravating to her. She bit her lip as she kept her eyes closed when she heard Michael call out her name. Don’t scream she told herself, she didnt know if he was alright or hurt but if felt like someone had just taken a sledge hammer to her and she’d lost the fight.

She had to think, as she tried to figure out what hurt most as she tried to twist though any movement felt like she was being stabbed repeatedly in different places. Every breath she took hurt. She opened her eyes when she heard Michael call it in, “Jeez, I know my name.” She muttered sarcastically deciding that either the sirens needed to be shut off or simply the annoying noise. “Are you really that determined to fly?” She asked as she glanced at him not sure what to expect though his hands she wanting him to stop as she could see the bleeding on his arms.

“Michael, you’re hurt. Stop moving.” She said as she tried to reach both her arms out to him though only one cooperated, the other felt like it didnt quite belong though she couldnt even bare to look as she tried to press onto his arms to stop his bleeding. “What’s wrong? Where are you hurt? Can you move?” She asked trying not to panic though it came out more like rapid fire questions as she tried to see for herself how badly he was hurt. He had just gotten back to work and now there was this, how was this fair?

Michael was like family and to see him hurt, last time she was mad at him for trying to pull a stunt and this time. It wasn’t anyone’s fault but he was hurt again, her head was trying to make sense of what to do though everything felt so slow.

(Thinking dislocated shoulder for Rachel instead of broken arm so she can get back to work faster lol)

Tag: @meriton,