Chapter 15
Rated "M"
XV - Accents
"I don't understand. Why can't I just go home?" Roxanne practically whined as Lily handed her the bag of clothes I had asked her to get."Because the Captain said so."
"Ah, yes, and you are forced to restrain an agent for the FBI because some captain of the NYPD said so?"
"Just get changed, Roxanne. You'll be fine. Alexander's an officer." Lily said. Roxanne took the bag and headed to the bathroom, giving me a glare on her way. "She'll calm down in a little bit. At least I hope."
"Great. Tonight's going to be a pain in the ass."
"Okay, first, you need to calm down and get a grip. Roxanne's almost like a dog. She kind of reacts based off of instinct. Especially when she's in an unfamiliar setting. It's almost nerve-wracking to her."
"So I'm babysitting a dog? Basically."
"I wouldn't say babysitting. Roxanne can take care of herself. Just... be calm. It'll all work out..." Lily grabbed her purse and walked to the door.
"Wait! You're just going to leave Roxanne and I here alone?" Lily nodded.
"I have no interest in staying. Especially if something happens with you two... Have fun!" Lily left and I swallowed. Fun? Oh, hell no. Like Roxanne and I would...
I sighed at the thought. What was with everyone thinking Roxanne and I were a couple. We hated each other. Maybe a little less than hate, but it was sure as hell close.
I looked around my apartment - which was more spacious than Zak's and less than Roxanne's but it suited me. And it was pretty cheap when considering my salary. I was suddenly glad that I had cleaned up during my absence from the precinct. I had barely spent any time in it after I met Roxanne, so there were few things out of place.
I shrugged off my jacket as I walked into my room, throwing it on the chair and loosening my tie. I had to admit, it had been a pretty crazy day, especially after the Captain told me to pick up Roxanne and I found out what had happened. And that had been hours ago, when the sun was still up and the cold was still tolerable. Now, it was dark, the lights of the city lighting up every inch of every building. It was cold too, the way it always was as we drew closer to winter.
I changed into the only pair of pajama pants I owned - the ones my mother had given me for Christmas that last year and was luckily not adorned with any images, instead was just a solid, dark blue color. I threw on a new white undershirt and shrugged at my appearance. It was better than sleeping in my suit - which I had done multiple times that week to my own dismay.
I opened my door only to be met by Roxanne, who was wearing the same black silk pajama pants I had seen her wearing before and a short sleeved cropped top that showed off none of her cleavage, but some of her stomach.
"Matt Rowland." Roxanne said, showing me a mugshot of what looked like a man in his late 30s. "37, divorced, and recently broke out of a prison in New Hampshire."
"And... who is this guy?" Roxanne frowned.
"Seriously? Did you not miss the part where a four year old girl almost died today?"
"No. Did you miss the part where a twenty-five year old FBI agent jumped off a bridge to save a kid and didn't even take credit for it?" Roxanne glared at me and rolled her eyes.
"Like that matters. This," Roxanne stated, showing me her phone again, "Is the guy who has just been charged for attempted murder of a minor. And the guy who's on the run. The FBI is currently tracking him down, without me unfortunately, which means, if I can figure out the most likely place this guy will run to, the FBI will have him in less than 48 hours."
I rolled my eyes and took Roxanne's phone out of her hands, turning it off completely and setting it on the counter.
"Hey! What the hell was that for?" I pulled out two beers and popped the lids off of both, setting one in front of Roxanne and taking a drink of my own. I pointed at the bottle.
"Drink."
"I am working on a case, here. Alcohol is not to be consumed during investigation."
"You aren't investigating." I said simply. "This is my apartment, not the precinct. Or your house, for that matter."
"Okay. So let me leave."
"Can't do that." I said, sitting on the couch and turning on the TV.
"Why not?"
"Because it's orders. We follow orders, remember?" I looked over at Roxanne when she didn't say anything. Her fist was clenched for a moment before she sighed and grabbed the beer, taking a swig and running a hand through her hair before joining me on the couch.
"Is this what you do every night?"
"What? Drink beer and watch television? Not on weekdays. Not unless you're here, that is." Roxanne didn't say anything. "Do you work every night like you did last week, or was that just a special occasion?"
Roxanne took a breath before answering. "Two and half years running and all the way to retirement, Sempers." Was all that she said as she just stared at the TV, barely paying attention to what was going on, on the screen. Two and a half years? She worked like that for two and a half years? How? All the way to retirement was a long time if you thought of age and not money. Roxanne was only twenty-five. She had plenty of years to come, and more than half her life more until retirement.
My phone suddenly rang and I picked it up from the coffee table. Mom.
I sighed as I clicked the "answer" button.
"Hello?"
"Alexander! Thank God! Finally I get a hold of you! Did Zak tell you, already? About Violet's birthday?"
"Yes, Mom. And I'll be there. You don't have to worry about that." I said in a low voice, hoping Roxanne wasn't paying too much attention to me or my call.
"Good! Good! I'm so glad! Did you know, Zak is bringing Rosie!"
"It's Rosaline, Mom. And I did know."
"I am so excited to see the girl. Say, is their anyone you're bringing. Zak said something about a girl you know and-"
"No, Mom!" I lowered my voice. "No. There isn't. Zak was probably drunk when he said that."
"He didn't sound drunk..."
"Well, he probably was."
"Oh, your father says 'hello.' We can't wait to see you darling. It's been so long..."
"It's been two weeks, Mom. Only two weeks. And I'm not-"
Roxanne's squeal made me stop dead in my tracks. Her eyes were wide and all I could do was laugh hysterically at her jumping back from the horror movie we were watching.
"Shut up." Roxanne said in a low growl before she lightly punched me in the arm. I cringed at the impact. It wasn't hard, but it was going to leave a light bruise, I could tell that much.
"What's going on, Alexander? Is everything alright?" My mother spoke almost frantically over the phone. I stopped laughing and put the phone back to my ear.
"Uh, yeah. Everything's fine." I glanced at Roxanne, an eyebrow raised. She glared at me from the corner of her eye as she brought her legs up to her chest.
"What was that? It sounded like a woman..." So much for going incognito with the situation.
"Ah, yeah. It's just my partner..."
"Partner?"
"Uh, can I call you back later? We have a case to get to."
"Alexander-"
"I have to go. Talk to you later!" I said before hanging up. I sighed a sigh of relief before Roxanne burst into her own fit of laughter. "What is it?"
"'Partner?' 'We have a case to get to?' I didn't take you for the lying-to-your-mother type."
"Well, if I didn't she'd assume that we'd be sleeping together." I said, sure that Roxanne would thank me for the lie. But she didn't.
"I'd take that any day over my own mother." She said solemnly. I rose a brow.
"Are you drunk?"
"Am I drunk?" Roxanne laughed at the question. "One beer is not going to get me drunk, Sempers, despite my weight."
"So you're talking about your family willingly? Without alcohol playing a part?"
"All I said is that I'd take your mother over my own any day? What's the big deal about that?"
"It just... before you wouldn't even talk about them, let alone say anything about family."
"I admit, I'm not the closest with my relatives."
"Well, no shit. They live all the way in Mississippi. This is New York. Say, if you were born and raised in the South, shouldn't you have an accent?"
"Not all Southerners have accents, Sempers. Get over it."
"Yes, but the majority in Mississippi do. Are you hiding yours?" I asked, smiling slyly.
"I despise you at times, Sempers. Despise."
"So you do have an accent! I was right!"
"Fine. Maybe I have an accent. Why do you care?"
"Talk."
"Excuse me?" Roxanne said, looking at me, eyes narrowed slightly.
"Talk. In your natural accent."
"No." Her voice was ice cold.
"Come on, Roxy..."
"Don't call me that."
"Talk in your accent and I won't anymore."
"That's blackmail."
"So what? Sue me? Right after you speak in the accent."
"No."
"Roxy."
"Don't call me that."
"Roxy."
"I'm seriously going to punch you."
"Roxy."
"Lord have mercy..." Roxanne groaned in her Southern accent. I smiled.
"Thank you."
"Next time I will punch you."
"Uh, huh." I said as Roxanne turned her attention back to the TV. I could help but smile at the thought that I made Roxanne crack. Even if it was just a little, she still opened up to me. I knew I had to take it slow if I wanted to get anything out of her. And that was exactly what I was going to do. After the FBI found Matt Rowland.
To those of who who've reviewed:
ninedragonflies: Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! There's a lot to come with this story! As for the pairings, you'll just have to wait and see! There may or may not be a few future twists in the plot! You'll just have to wait and read! :)
MagicBitch: Haha. Thanks. The titles can sometimes be a little ironic... I'm glad you like them though, as well as the story! Don't worry about me forgetting to update! I'm on the ball with this one!
webhead112233: Yep. NYPD and FBI! I imagine these two characters as sort of rivals. They have pretty close job descriptions if you think about it. I hope you keep reading and reviewing! :)
Please review and tell me what you think! It's great to know one's personal opinion! I'm all open for ideas as to scenes!
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