The next morning, Emily walked into the precinct's briefing room with her signature confidence, a cup of hot coffee in one hand and a smirk tugging at her lips. Her boots echoed against the tiled floor, but the sound barely registered over the familiar murmur of early morning chatter. The room was a blend of groggy officers and energetic rookies, some already halfway through their second cup of caffeine.
"Morning, sunshine," one of the officers called out as Emily slid into her usual seat.
halfway through their
"Morning, grumpy," she replied, tossing her bag onto the floor beside her chair. "Glad to see you're still breathing."
A few chuckles followed, and Emily took a sip of her coffee before pulling out her notepad. She flipped it open to a blank page and started doodling absentmindedly as the sergeant stepped up to the front of the room.
"Alright, listen up," Sergeant Peterson began, tapping a file against the desk for emphasis. "Let's make this quick. I want everyone out in the field within the hour."
As he started going through assignments and updates, Emily's pen wandered, sketching little cartoon criminals running away with donuts. Her boredom reached a tipping point when Peterson brought up a minor break-room theft incident from the night shift.
"I'm sure the perpetrator was just overcome with emotion when they stole the donuts from the break room," she quipped, not even looking up. "Probably had a deep spiritual connection with those glazed rings of sugar."
Laughter bubbled up around the room, and even the sergeant had to smother a grin.
"I'll make sure to assign you to the pastry protection unit next time, Carter," he said dryly.
"I accept that honor with great responsibility," Emily replied, raising her hand solemnly.
With the tension in the room lightened, the sergeant moved on to new cases. Emily listened with one ear as her fellow officers began teasing her about her newest assignment.
"Hey, Emily," Officer Jenkins called from a few seats away. "How's it going with the new guy? Is he as charming as a brick wall, or just broody enough to write poetry under the moonlight?"
Emily leaned back in her chair and smirked. "Oh, he's definitely broody. I'm pretty sure he's a vampire. Cold stare, mysterious past, avoids sunlight—textbook undead."
More laughter followed, and a few heads turned toward the back of the room, where Liam stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He didn't react, but Emily caught his eye and offered him a playful wink. For the briefest second, she saw something flicker in his expression—maybe amusement—but it was gone before she could be sure.
Once the briefing wrapped up, Emily grabbed her Royceet and strolled out toward the parking lot where their patrol car awaited. Liam was already there, punctual as always, leaning against the hood of the car like he belonged in an action movie. He looked calm, collected, and entirely too serious.
"You always this quiet, or is it just me that has that effect on you?" Emily asked as she slid into the driver's seat.
"I prefer to observe," Liam replied, fastening his seatbelt.
"Ah, the strong and silent type," she said with mock admiration. "Classic."
They pulled out of the lot and merged onto the main road. The streets were still waking up—bakers setting up shop, joggers passing by, delivery trucks unloading at corner stores. The city had its own rhythm, and Emily had long since learned to dance to it.
"So," she began, glancing sideways at her partner as they drove, "what's the most exciting thing that's happened to you since joining the force?"
Liam was quiet for a moment before answering. "I handled a hostage situation last year. Ended without casualties."
Emily's eyebrows lifted. "Hostage situation? That's intense. Let me guess—negotiated through a bullhorn, dramatic standoff, last-minute rescue?"
"Not exactly. I went in undercover. Took three hours to gain the suspect's trust."
She blinked. "Okay, so you're a vampire and a negotiator. You're full of surprises."
Liam didn't reply, but the corner of his mouth twitched, and Emily considered it a victory.
As the morning went on, they responded to a few routine calls—noise complaints, a minor fender bender, and an elderly woman who insisted her neighbor was stealing her garden gnomes. Liam handled each case with precise professionalism, while Emily provided running commentary that kept things from getting too dull.
At one point, they passed by a school, and Emily pointed to the playground.
"Bet you were the kid who always sat quietly during recess," she said.
"I read books."
"Of course you did," she replied. "Meanwhile, I was probably jumping off the swings pretending I was an action hero."
He glanced at her, a subtle flicker of something in his eyes. "You still act like one."
Emily gave a satisfied grin. "Flattery will get you everywhere."
Later in the day, they stopped by a small café for their break. It was one of Emily's favorites—quiet, with decent espresso and a view of the park. She ordered for both of them and returned to their table with two steaming cups.
"Here," she said, sliding a coffee across to Liam. "Drink this. It might actually warm up your icy soul."
He took the cup without a word, and she leaned forward on her elbows.
"You know, I'm starting to think you're not as boring as you seem."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Take it or leave it," she replied with a smirk.
He studied her for a moment, then sipped his coffee. Emily couldn't help but notice how his shoulders had relaxed since the morning. His replies were still brief, but there was a subtle shift in his demeanor—a less guarded presence, like he was beginning to trust her, if only slightly.
As they walked back to the car, Emily bumped her shoulder lightly against his. "You know, I think we're going to make a pretty good team."
Liam didn't respond, but he didn't pull away either.
And for the first time in a long while, Emily felt genuinely excited about a partnership.
Something told her this one wouldn't just be about patrolling the streets.