Power dressed in a suit that looks to have cost more than the average mortgage, Gavin Q. Baker III stood sentinel in immaculate taupe monotones in a quiet wing outside the small courtroom. Arranging the round Dolce&Gabbana frames a little higher on the bridge of his nose, his smug aura of confidence grounds the small crew of close-knit coworkers around him as he ushers them through the doors.

He looks up to see a dark haired gentleman in black pinstripes striding in his direction and a velvety voice is the first to offer greeting. "Agent Howard," the woman next to him nods.

"Hey," Fritz looks from Gavin to the Captain, noting the bright violet hue of her skirt suit in arrant contrast to her buttoned up façade. "Brenda inside already?"

"Probably not, seeing as she just kicked Gavin & I out of her sight about 15 minutes ago. Hopefully she'll be along sometime before the judge shows up." One side of her mouth quirked up and she couldn't keep the snark out of her tone, head rising with her eyebrows in a haughty tilt.

"Excuse me for not being an optimist, Agent Howard, but perhaps you'd better retrieve your wife. I'll have an easier time obtaining summary judgment if my client actually shows up for court on time," he dipped his head to peer over the top of his glasses, emphasizing his point as he headed inside the room.

"I'd better go find her," Fritz looked glumly at the Captain as he started to spin on his toe.

Sensing his exhaustion and frustration, the stoic woman's tone softened. "Agent Howard," Sharon placed an open palm on the sleeve of his jacket, and curled her fingers just enough to compel him to pause and look back into her eyes. He stared a moment to soak in the greenish gold color that he had covertly come to appreciate so much over the past two months and takes comfort in the empathy he finds there. "I'm sure she just needs a few moments to collect herself. There's time yet. She'll be along," she reassured him with a gentle squeeze before releasing her hold.

Fritz turned his palm up just as she was pulling away and he caught her delicate hand in his right and turned it to close his fingers around her thumb. Sharon glanced down then looked back up to his face as he covered their joined hands with his left one, stroking the soft skin he found there once. Her stomach did a small flip when it seemed as though he might actually bring it up to his mouth, but instead he just looked back into her eyes, giving their hands a small triumphant shake. "I really want to thank you, Captain."

She subtly tried to extricate her hand, but he clung tight as she spoke. "You don't have to thank me for anything," she shook her head slightly, genuine sincerity apparent behind her eyes. "I was quite happy to help you out," her lips upturned in a sad smile. "And the Chief," she added with a tone of finality. "Let's hope it pays off," the smooth, dulcet tones of her voice escalated to their clear, no-nonsense variety. Shoulders straightened and she freed her hand, placing both inside the pockets of her jacket.

"I mean it," he reached for her shoulder as she started to turn and held her eyes. "Your job was to protect the LAPD from the lawsuit. Do that, and you're the hero plain and simple." The Captain drew breath to speak, eyes wide with raw emotion, but she was interrupted almost immediately. "You've been on our side since day one. You helped me convince Brenda to get her own attorney. When she signed a settlement that would have solved all your and the LAPD's problems instantly and hung us out to dry, you blocked it against Pope's endorsement. You didn't have to do any of that."

"Yes I did," she burst forward to stop him glorifying her actions, voice low and righteous.

"Let me finish," he pressed, though he could sense an almost pained look forming on her features.

Sharon curled her fingers in her pockets. Digging nails into the flesh of her palm, she pooled all her restraint to keep from reaching out to the man in front of her, a feat that would be so much easier if he would just stop looking at her like she was a found Renoir masterpiece. She did start out in cahoots with Fritz to get his wife her own attorney purely for Brenda's sake. She was genuinely concerned for the Chief and cared what happened to her. If she was honest with herself, her actions lately may have been a little more about protecting her chivalrous comrade and seeking more of his company than was altogether necessary under the guise of staying ahead of this lawsuit.

"The past several weeks, facing trial, potential financial ruin... it's been.. oppressive to say the least. And your counsel - your friendship has meant so much to me." - "To us," he quickly amended as he released her shoulder.

Sharon's eyes sparkled in reaction to his sincere gratitude and open demeanor. Unable to form any suitable reply, she tilted her head and pursed her lips, nodding in reaction to his declaration. The two of them had spent several stolen hours together over the last two months combing over the strengths and weaknesses of the case. Getting extra information out of anyone in major crimes was an arduous task on the best of days. Fritz, who was not impaired by a prejudice of FID, and realized his financial future was at stake, had proven the most helpful aide outside of Gavin since this whole lawsuit began. Chief Johnson was extremely tight-lipped and disdainfully treated any discussion that didn't revolve around her current case as a huge waste of time. The Captain knew it was a defense mechanism to stick her head in the sand and pretend this whole mess would just go away, but that didn't change the fact that it was frustrating to the extreme trying to help someone who was so unhelpful in return. Fritz had shared this frustration with her and it forged an extremely gratifying, if unwise, bond between them. She would be lying if she said she hadn't enjoyed their time together a little more than she should have. Constantly ostracized by the people she was trying to help, it was such an uplifting change of pace to have someone providing feedback, generating ideas, sharing the burden. That being said, it was imperative for the welfare of all concerned that Gavin win in court today which would effectively cease their need for collaboration by any means. It comes down to that, and that's the bittersweet reality they both have to accept. Right now.

The small clicks of kitten heels became audible in the hallway and the unlikely pair turned to face the petite figure striding in their direction. Tailored garment of solid black in stark contrast to the fluttering of long blond curls, the Chief paused in front of her husband and gave him a tight smile. Shining black eyes glanced at the dark haired woman on the left who gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze before following them both into the courtroom.

The arguments had barely begun to fly when, one by one, officers responded to the buzzing of cell phones and silently began leaving the scene in turn. Sharon leaned into the man who had taken up the seat next to her and shared the message on her phone. He remained seated as his wife exited the room and decided to stay behind with the Captain to hear the judge's reaction to this turn of events.