Disclaimer: The characters of Trent, Carlos, Alex, Walker, Trivette, and C.D. belong to CBS, Norris Productions, and SOT. Any other characters belong to me.
 
 
 
 

"This is the worst part of this job." Detective Kelly Cahill complained.

"Yeah, I know. If something doesn't happen soon, I'm gonna go stir crazy." replied Tom Brock, her partner.

They had been on stakeout for twenty-four hours and were beginning to give up that their suspect was going to show, when a dark blue sedan pulled up.

"Here we go." signaled Brock.

The suspect got out and walked into the building. Kelly and Brock got out to follow him in. Concentrating on the suspect, neither of them heard the car pull up behind them. All of sudden the area was alive with gunfire. Kelly and Brock dove for cover and began to return fire. They managed to wound two of the shooters when backup arrived. The others surrendered peacefully. Kelly and Brock came out of hiding. Kelly was walking over to the car when she heard Brock shout her name. Before she could react Brock had knocked her down and a shot had rung out. The other officers came rushing over, guns drawn.

"Detective Cahill, are you okay?" one of them asked.

"Fine. How about you Brock? Brock?" Turning around she saw Brock still on the ground, bleeding. "Oh, no! Tom!" Looking back at the officers she shouted, "Call an ambulance!"
 
 

Trent and Carlos walked up the stairs to their office pleased their current case was closed. "I told you to let Kim do the negotiating, Carlos. It paid off."

"Okay, okay. Enough of the 'I told you so's'." returned Carlos. "From now on Kim does it."

"Kim does what?" questioned Kim as Trent and Carlos walked in.

"You do all the negotiating." stated Trent.

"I told you that when I took this job."

"I know, but I don't think Carlos was listening."

"Ha, ha, ha." Carlos replied.

The phone rang and Kim answered. "Thunder Investigations" She listened for a moment. "Oh, no. Yes, I'll tell him. Thank you."

"What's wrong, Kim? Trent asked.

"That was Detective Trask." Ken Trask had been a colleague of Carlos' when he was with the department. "He didn't have all the details, but Kelly was involved in a fire fight this afternoon. There was a report of an officer down. He thought you might want to know."

Carlos turned pale. "Oh my God. What hospital?"

"Saint Matthews."

"We're on our way" Trent stated. "We'll let you know what we find out, Kim"

"Please do."
 
 

Trent and Carlos rushed to the hospital. Going in to the emergency area they saw Walker. "What are the two of you doing here?" he asked as they walked up.

"Ken Trask called and said that Kelly had been involved in a fire fight and that there was an officer down." answered Carlos. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine. It was her partner, Brock, that was shot." After pausing, he added. "He didn't make it."

"Oh, no. How's Kelly taking it?" Trent asked.

"Not good." Walker replied. "Brock took a bullet that was meant for her."

"Where is she?" Carlos asked him.

"In the waiting room around the corner. Alex is with her."

"Go on, buddy. She needs you." Trent urged.

Alex was trying to comfort Kelly when Carlos walked in. Kelly looked up as he came in. She ran to him, crying. Carlos held her against him trying to comfort her. Alex nodded to Carlos and quietly walked out.

"Shhh. It's all right." Carlos said, trying to reassure her.

"No. It's not. It should have been me. The bullet was meant for me. He pushed me out of the way."

Carlos knew there was nothing he could say right now that would take away her pain, so he just held her close, comforting her. "Why, Carlos? Why?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I don't know. Come on, Trent and I will take you home. Okay?"

Kelly nodded, calmer but still crying. Carlos' presence had given her some strength. He put his arm around her waist and lead her back to Trent, Walker, and Alex.

"Kelly, if you need me, just call." Alex said, hugging her.

"Thanks, Cousin."

"That goes for me too. " Walker added.

"Thank you." Kelly replied hugging him gratefully.

"C'mon, Kelly. Let's go." Carlos urged.
 
 

Carlos and Trent took Kelly to her apartment. Not wanting to be alone, she asked them to stay for dinner. They agreed on the condition that she let them do the cooking. Kelly consented, glad for their company. She had sat quietly on the couch staring at nothing in particular while the guys prepared dinner, when all of a sudden she got up and went to get her coat.

"Where are you going?" Carlos asked as he came out of the kitchen.

"I'm going to the station and get to work on finding the guy who killed Tom" she stated, looking for her keys.

"That's not a good idea." Carlos replied walking over to stop her.

"He's right, Kel." Trent agreed. He had walked out of the kitchen just in time to hear Kelly's statement.

"And why not?"

"You need to get some rest and take time to mourn," Carlos answered, taking her arm and leading her back to the couch.

"I don't want to mourn. I want to find Tom's killer!" she shouted, sitting back down.

Trent and Carlos could see Kelly's emotions had moved from sadness and loss to anger. They knew that they had to calm her down before she acted on that anger. Carlos sat down next to her, taking her hands in his. "Kelly, you'll find him, just not tonight. Get some rest first."

Kelly snatched her hands out of his and stood up. "Don't patronize me, Carlos Sandoval! I'm perfectly fine!"

Carlos and Trent looked at each other. Kelly was one of the most rational people they knew, but her current behavior had both of them worried. "Kelly, I didn't mean it that way." defended Carlos.

Kelly looked into his eyes and saw the hurt her outburst had caused him. She took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just so angry. Tom should've never died." She and Brock had not been partners for very long, but an instant friendship and trust developed when they first met. It was something that didn't happen very often between partners.

Carlos stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. "I know you didn't mean it. I also know how much you're hurting right now. But you know that you have to get some objectivity before you can get this guy."

"He's right, Kel. If you don't calm down and start thinking, you could get yourself killed." added Trent.

"I know you guys are right. I'm sorry for losing it. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for the two of you." she smiled at them gratefully.

"Well, don't worry about that. We have no intention of letting you find out." Carlos replied smiling.

"Thanks." She replied, hugging him tightly. Then, she wiggled out of his grasp and walked over to Trent and hugged him. "Thanks to you too."

"Anytime, friend." Trent replied.
 
 

After talking to Carlos and Trent and a good night's rest, Kelly's emotions were more under control. She went to check with the captain on the investigation of Brock's murder. "Good morning, Detective." greeted Captain Monroe. "How are you doing?"

"Better. What's happening with the investigation?"

"From what we can piece together, the man you and Brock were following, Gus Lassiter, was the shooter. He apparently shot at the two of you from just inside the building."

"Any idea where he's disappeared to?"

"No. But I expect you'll find out. I've decided to go ahead and give you this case."

"Thanks, Captain. I thought I was going to have beg for it."

"I knew you investigate on your own if I gave it to someone else. But I warn you, Detective, the first time I even suspect you are losing all objectivity in this case, I'll pull you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I'm assigning Trask to back you up. No arguments."

"Whatever you say, sir. Trask is a good cop."

"All right. Now go out there and catch this guy. I don't like cop killers."

"You've got it, Captain."

Trask met her at her desk. "I hope it's all right with you that the Captain assigned me to this."

"Don't worry. It's fine with me. The captain is probably worried I'll become a loose cannon if I take this case alone. He's probably right. By the way, Carlos told me that it was you who called him yesterday. Thanks."

"No problem. I know how much he cares about you."

"Well, I appreciate it. Okay, are you ready to get to work?"

"Just tell me what you want me to do." replied Trask.
 
 

Kelly and Trask checked out all of Lassiter's known hangouts. Unfortunately, they were one step behind him. As they drove up to the last place on the list, Trask remarked, "After visiting all these place, I feel like I need to soak for two days to wash all the scum off."

"I know what you mean. Lassiter hangs out at the worst places in Dallas. Let's just hope someone will know something about his whereabouts here."

Luckily they found someone who knew something about Lassiter. After some "persuasion" he told the detectives that Lassiter would be at a warehouse downtown tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock for a drug deal. Kelly and Trask reported back to the captain and the three of them designed a trap to catch him the next day. After completing their plan Kelly and Trask left the captain's office. "Ken, I'm supposed to meet Carlos and Trent at C.D.'s in an hour. How about coming along?"

"Thanks. I'd like that."

When Kelly and Trask arrived, Carlos and Trent were already there, along with Walker, Alex and Trivette. "Hello, everyone." Kelly greeted. "I believe all of you know Ken Trask."

Carlos got up to kiss Kelly on the cheek and shake Trask's hand. "How are you doing, Trask?"

"Just fine. Been a long time."

"Have a seat." offered Walker. "How's the investigation going?"

"We know that Lassiter will be at a warehouse downtown at two o'clock tomorrow. We've got a trap planned out to catch him."

"That's great." Trivette stated.

"Just make sure everything is on the up and up. I don't want to lose him on a technicality." Alex warned.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of letting anything go wrong." replied Kelly.

The seven of them spent the next two hours talking and laughing. Walker, Trivette and Alex left. Shortly after, Trask got up to leave. "See you tomorrow, partner." he said, patting Kelly on the shoulder.

"See you, partner." Kelly replied, smiling.

"Bye, Carlos, Trent." Trask said, walking out the door.

"Well, I think I'll call it a night too." Trent said, getting up. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

"Good-night."

"Bye, buddy."

After Trent was gone, Carlos and Kelly got up to leave as well. After they had gotten outside, Carlos stopped her. "Please be careful tomorrow." he pleaded.

"I promise. I'll be extra, extra careful. Okay?"

"Okay." Carlos replied, smiling. He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Releasing her slightly, he asked "How about dinner tomorrow night? Just the two of us? My place?"

"I couldn't think of anything better." Kelly replied.
 
 

The next day Kelly, Trask, and three other officers staked out the warehouse where Lassiter was to show up. Exactly at 2:00 p.m. two cars drove up. Lassiter got out of the first one carrying a briefcase. Three men got out of the second one. Kelly and Trask were stationed on the west side of the warehouse and the other officers on the east side.

"As soon as the exchange is made, move in." Kelly ordered into the walkie talkie.

Ten minutes later Kelly, Trask and the officers moved from the hiding places. "Freeze! Police! You're under arrest!" Kelly shouted.

The three officers quickly apprehended the men in the second car, but Lassiter bolted. Kelly and Trask split up and chased after him. Kelly circled around the back while Trask followed Lassiter. By the time Trask got into the warehouse, there was no sign of Lassiter. He walked cautiously down the aisle. Suddenly he was jumped from behind and the gun knocked out of his hand. His assailant pushed him to the ground. Trask looked up to find Lassiter pointing a gun at his head. "Good-bye, cop." Lassiter sneered.

"Hold it! Put the gun down! Now!" Kelly ordered walking toward them. "Do it Lassiter!"

Lassiter stood where he was holding the gun.

"I said put it down!" she ordered again.

Suddenly Lassiter swung around to face Kelly, intending to shoot. Fortunately, Kelly was faster and she fired a bullet into Lassiter's shoulder. He went down dropping the gun which Trask picked up quickly. Kelly continued walking toward Lassiter still pointing her gun.

"Kelly, stop!" Trask directed. "It's over. We've got him. Don't do it. He's not worth it!"

Kelly stopped, but continued pointing her gun at Lassiter.

"Kelly, please. He's going to prison. He's not worth ruining you life." Trask pleaded.

Slowly Kelly lowered her weapon. "You're right. He's not." Turning to Trask, she asked, "Are you all right?"

"Fine. Thanks."

"Anytime, partner." she responded.
 
 

Two days later at Brock's funeral, Kelly had a chance to reflect on the events of the past week. She glanced at her friends around her, Carlos, Trent, Alex, Walker, and Trask. She had lost a partner and a friend, but because of the support of two other friends she had been able to deal emotionally with her loss. And because of another friend (and new partner), she had been able to capture Brock's killer. She was lucky, very lucky. After the funeral, all gathered at C. D.'s.

They were all talking when suddenly Carlos took hold of Kelly's hand. "A penny for your thoughts."

"Yeah, you've been awful quiet, Cousin." Alex said. "Anything wrong?"

"No, I've just been thinking." Kelly answered.

"Thinking about what?" Walker asked.

"About how fortunate I am."

"Fortunate?" Trent inquired.

"Fortunate to have such great friends." she answered. "I don't what I would do if it weren't for all of you."

"Well, that goes both ways." Trent replied. "I think we're lucky to call you friend."

"He's right, Kel." Carlos agreed, squeezing her hand.

Kelly looked up at him and smile gratefully. "Thanks."

"You know." Trivette injected. "We're probably the luckiest bunch of people around."

"Yeah.." Walker agreed. "We know that we can rely on anyone sitted at this table."

"A toast." C. D. suggested. "To friends. God Bless them."

"To friends!" everyone chimed.