Anywhere But Here - (open)

[Rachel Murphy]

A yawn parted her lips as she rolled over in bed, opening her eyes slowly she strained to see the clock that was beside her bed. “Nine thirty” She sighed, of course she'd slept late. She couldn't help that she enjoyed the lie in; after all it was one of her days off and her husband had taken Savannah away for a night. She missed her daughter but it was one night that she actually did need her sleep or at least it had felt like that for months. She had been so tired going back to work it was unbelievable and coming home to a child as well it was like juggling plates that needed her in several places at once.

A tiny smile appeared on her features as she thought of running, she forced herself to sit up and wake up. She blinked lazily, as she headed for the shower. A few minutes later she looked at her clothes all hung in the closet, she took a pair of old jeans and threw on an old t-shirt, jogging on her day off was something she had enjoyed. It gave her a sense of peace and she could run off all the stress from the week.

Her brown eyes swept over the four pairs of shoes she had. She picked out the trainers and slipped them on. She grabbed a small bag with a bottle of water, two sandwiches and an apple in it, and left the family home. She bounded down the stairs and in less than a few minute she was out into the sun. She started to jog her way to the park; it wasn’t that long until she hit the park trails. She had her favourite trail, it lead her through the woodland area and eventually to the waterfall feature. The sun beat down on her as she ran, she was naturally competitive and was her own worst enemy at times. She thought about it today as she ran. She figured the way she felt she could knock a couple of seconds, hopefully more off her time.

She had been running for a good half hour now, she followed the track around the corner, as she saw water running slowly across the path. She ran through the shallow part, and then suddenly she slipped. Her feet shot sideways, as she yelped with pain while her head hit a tree. She lay on the floor for a couple of moment before she realised what had happened. She reached up to her head which felt like it was going to explode; she took her hand away and saw some blood on it. Her best bet was to go sit for a moment before she attempted to go very far. She was annoyed by what had happened, but it had and there was nothing she could do. She propped herself up against a tree, and took a drink from her water, that was now squished half flat as she took a few moments.

[Deleted]

Jason and Ice were jogging through the park at the same time. He glanced at his watch while holding onto Ice's leash. The big dog was keeping up with Jason as he trotted next to him. After coming around a turn, Jason noticed someone sitting under a tree. Getting a bit closer he saw that it was his sister Rachel. He knew how athletic Rachel was and wasn't surprised to see her out here. Ice noticed her as well and barked in her direction. Jason glanced down at Ice when he did that, then stopped and looked back to his sister.

"Hello there sis" he called out to her while Ice stood next to him, panting at the same time. Ice barked again seconds after Sean said that. "Ice says hello as well." he added while petting the big dog behind his ears. Ice wagged his tail when he did that, then sat next to him.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel loved any kind of fitness activity although with a baby and husband her time was short. Today she had been lucky her husband had taken her daughter to visit family and yet there she was leaning against a tree for no other reason than she lost her footing. Rachel’s thoughts were broken by the barking of a dog, when she looked up she was surprised to see Ice there with her brother. Well her brother was one for exercising like herself she thought so she really shouldn’t be surprised to see him out and about. After all there was nothing like chasing down a suspect to tell you if you needed to exercise more.

“Hey Bro.” She replied pushing herself up from the floor and shaking off her trip. Sometimes she wondered if she was a hazard to herself at times. “Hey Ice, being a good boy today or beating Jason at running?” She asked Ice, sure speaking to a dog might seem mad but she enjoyed it. “So how come you’re out here today? Day off?” She asked curiously looking toward Jason.

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Ice barked in reply when Rachel said that to him. "Yes, it is my day off." he replied with a slight nod to his sister. "I"m convinced that Ice is in better shape then I am." he added. As he said that, Ice gently pawed at Rachel's leg. While he was a working dog for the CPD, Ice was a big teddy bear when not on patrol with Jason. At the same time, Jason had a feeling that Sgt. Platt was unnerved around him. "Along the same lines: Sgt. Platt must not be a dog person." he said off the cuff. Jason remembered the look on Sgt. Platt's face when he first came into the station with Ice. The desk sergent was always giving him grief for something, but that stopped when he came with Ice for the first time.

Jason shook his head bit at the memory and how Sgt. Platt had this look on her face like Ice was going to jump over the desk and knock her down. Ice looked up to Jason and wagged his tail while standing there. Jason looked at him, then spoke in german.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel looked over to Ice then back to her brother and nodded with a slight shrug in reply. “Ice is probably in better shape.” She replied teasingly grinning. She would never give up a chance to tease her brother a little. Rachel smiled as Ice pawed at her leg, she was always surprised that when working people saw Ice as the scary one, to her he was just cuddly and it was her brother they really needed to look out for. Then again growing up with Jason he had his cuddly moment too although she would never admit it, or at least not to his face. Maybe just at a CPD night on the town.

“Oh Sgt Platt, I don’t think she is a people person so poor Ice here didn’t stand a chance.” She replied grinning, “But only if she knew how lovely he is besides maybe Ice reminds Sgt Platt of herself. Scary when needed but warm and sweet on the inside ....” She said trying to imagine that as she shook her head. “Second thought, scratch that.” The amount of times Sgt Platt had caught her or pulled her up about something made her wonder if the woman was a robot though she did get Savannah a toy elephant when she was born which confused Rachel, the woman was made of stone and yet she seemed to have a nice side too. Jekyll and Hyde was all she could think of.

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Jason shook his head a bit when Rachel teased him. Hearing what she said about Sgt. Platt made him nod in agreement. "No argument here" he added, remembering when he first crossed paths with her. He felt the same way about her that Rachel did: a Jekyll and Hyde type. However, a part of him was thankful that she didn't say much with Ice around and that she would drop everything and defend the officers at the 22nd to the hilt.

"That aside, dad called last night, he and mom were asking about the big family dinner coming up." Jason said to her. He always looked forward to the family get togethers, it was a welcomed distraction from the stress of the job. Jason was big on family, something he was instilling in his and Shani's children Connor and Sarah.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel couldn’t imagine a better person on the front desk of the 22nd, she was simply glad that they were all on the same side. As facing Sgt Platt on the opposite side of the table was one scary thought. With that thought in mind Rachel listened as Jason spoke about their father. She always loved the family get together, there was good food and conversation and above all there was her family all in one place which was a little difficult at times given work and families of their own to contend with.

“Well I’m in, how about you? Think you can organize everyone on your end?” She asked grinning, “It will be great to see everyone in one place and not just play dates or the occasional word there and there.” She said trying to remember the last family dinner they had together. Since having Savannah it was like her life was simply turned on its head. “How about we keep any work from the conversation? Sometimes I wonder if Mom likes the shop talk.” She said trying to figure that one out.

[Deleted]

Jason smiled back when his sister said that to him. "I'm confidant I can" he replied with out missing a beat. "That it will be....as for keeping work out of the conversation, you know how hard that will be." he said to her off the cuff as Ice walked over to Rachel and sniffed her hand. Jason watched as he did that while holding his leash. "What do you smell Ice?" he asked. The big dog looked back up to Jason and wagged his tail. Jason watched as he did that, then looked at Rachel. "He must smell Savannah." he said to his sister.

Ice barked softly in reply when Jason said that. Jason remembered the first time Ice met Savannah, how he tilted his head to the side in puzzlement then looked at him with a "Dad, who is this small person?" look on his face. Jason reached down and pet Ice behind the ears as he stood there.

[Rachel Murphy]

“Oh I know that.” She said as work was usually the topic of conversation at most family gatherings. Rachel smiled at Ice as he sniffed her hand, what did he smell she thought wondering if her toast for breakfast was still on her hands although she had washed them before leaving the house. Rachel grinned and nodded, she had picked up and moved a few things of Savannah’s before she had left the house. It was still a strange notion for her to have a child, she never really thought she would but then life happened and Savannah came along.

Now she was over a year old which seemed to have flown past her at some point. “She with my other half today, figured I would get a restful day in somewhere but the strange thing is I feel like something is missing and I do miss her.” She said sighing know she probably sounded insane to think that she had a day off and she was complaining that her daughter wasn’t there. A day off from being a parent and all she wanted to do was hold her back in her arms. “How are the kids and Shani?” Rachel asked having not seen them for a while.

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"They are doing well, Connor can't wait to see you again." Jason said to her in reply while watching her. He knew how much his kids loved seeing their Aunt Rachel. "How are things going with you and your husband?" he asked while watching her. He was happy for his sister that she met the man she did and at a martial arts event of all places. Jason always has a feeling that Rachel would meet her husband at something martial arts related given how passionate she was about it.

At the same time, Ice looked back to Rachel and sniffed her hand again before licking it. Jason noticed it as he stood there. "Something tasty on Rachel's hand?" he asked Ice. Ice looked back at Jason and wagged his tail. "You silly lad" he said as Ice panted in reply.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel smiled as Jason said that Connor couldn’t wait to see her again. Truth be told she couldn’t wait to see the little guy herself and all of Jason’s kids. Being the youngest in the family she always knew that Jason would be a great father and judging by his kids she had been right. “Things are good, he has Savannah today so I miss them both but it’s still so surreal to me. To think that I have a daughter and a husband, it’s great but strange you know?” She had never really thought it would happen to her and yet there she was living a dream fairytale of sorts.

Rachel laughed as Ice licked her hand, “Must be my breakfast he can smell, I actually had chance to eat this morning which makes a nice change.” She said grinning as she patted Ice again, “So how’s Shani and you getting on? Any big plans lately?” Oh sure she was being nosey but it was her brothers, were little sisters not supposed to be a pain in the behind? At least that was her argument if asked.

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"We are doing well, getting ready for a trip that was planned out for us." Jason replied as he watched his sister. "I'm glad to hear that things are going well with you and your husband." he added with a slight nod. As he said that, Ice walked up to Rachel and licked her face, wagging his tail at the same time. Jason noticed it and shook his head a bit at the same time. "Ice really likes you" he said to his sister as he stood there. At the same time, Jason wondered what Sgt. Platt would say if she saw what Ice was doing.

Jason pushed that to the side as it really didn't matter. Ice backed up from Rachel after he did that, then looked at Jason, a 'Come on dad, lets get going' look on his face at the same time. "You want to get back to our jog do you bud?" Jason asked as he watched him. Ice barked in reply to Jason's comment.

[Rachel Murphy]

“Ooh a trip that sounds like great fun.” She said smiling, holidays were always the best no matter when or where they were. Any time spent with family was time well spent, “So going anywhere nice? Bermuda? Spain?” She asked curiously as she nodded. Things were going well with her husband at times she thought a little too well although she wasn’t about to complain about that. Sure they fought just like any married couple although not quite as frequently or as fiercely as some did but then again she knew from her work that you never could tell what was around the corner.

Rachel laughed as Ice licked her face as she continued to pat his head. “And I really like him too, I would adopt you boy but you already have a fantastic owner.” She said grinning as she glanced toward Jason, “Though anytime you want a holiday from him you know where I live.” She was only kidding although she would offer to look after Ice any day. “Looks like Ice is taking you for a jog today.” She said smirking, “Mind if I join you two? Could use a good work out while I have time.”

[Deleted]

"Ireland, then Israel" Jason said to his sister when she asked about where he, Shani and the kids would be going. The last time Jason was there was when he first met Shani's family. He had always wanted to go back and was glad he was getting the chance. "Would I say no to my sister joining me?" he said, teasing Rachel a bit as he said that. Ice looked at Jason, then at Rachel as his tail started to wag again. It was clear he wanted Rachel to join them as he stood there, his pack mentality showing when he did that. Jason looked at Ice and smiled a bit before looking back to his sister.

"We better get moving, Ice doesn't want to waist anymore time." he said to Rachel in a joking tone. Ice barked again, jumping up at the same time.

[Rachel Murphy]

“Oh that sounds like a fantastic trip to take. I’m sure the kids would love it.” She said as he told her where they were heading on holiday. It would be an educational trip for them all plus she was sure that seeing Shani’s family would be great for them all. Rachel raised her brow as he teased her, “well I guess it all depends on if I beat you or not.” She replied grinning looking toward Ice. “So Ice do we show your dad how to do this right I mean I know he’s practically old compared so it's not really a fair race.”

Rachel was only teasing although she loved it. She guessed that it was a brother sister thing but she did the same to her elder sister too. The family meal was going to be fun above all else. She knew it could lead to a little chaos but then again since when did that hurt anyone she thought to herself as she set of jogging. “Old age getting the better of you Jason?” She teased as she glanced over her shoulder taking a few steps.