Fic: Steady As She Goes (58/86), blue cortina, dakfinv
Title: Steady As She Goes (58/86)
Author: dak
Word Count: 892 this part; [107,337 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: Gene gives Sam an ultimatum.
Rating: still Blue-ish Cortina, uhm, what's slightly darker than blue?
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya, Gene/missus
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Sorry it's a short part again but I really wanted this section to stand on its own. Bonus points for whoever can spot the slight Hot Fuzz reference I snuck in.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
The Cortina was prevented from parking it its normal spot outside Tyler’s building due to large pieces of what must have formerly been known as a television. Gene was able to stop just short of scraping a large chunk of mangled plastic against his front bumper and leapt out of his car. Looking up he saw which window it must have come from, and had to stop himself from jumping back in the car and driving off right then.
Tyler’s door was unlocked when Gene got to the landing, not that it ever stopped him anyway. He pushed it open with one hand and stood in the doorway watching Sam, who was hunched over his table writing something. Unacknowledged, Gene decided to make his presence known.
"Hope you’re proud of yourself." Even from the back, Gene could tell Sam winced. " ‘S not everyone who can make two of my DC’s cry in one week. Half-expect you to have Ray bawling in the bogs next. Then I’ll really be worried." Gene moved further into the flat, wanting a better look at what Sam was doing. "Those better be apology notes you’re writing."
Sam hunched himself over the desk even more as Gene came closer. " ‘S work," he mumbled. Sure enough, Tyler was filling out paperwork for the case files Chris had brought over.
"Oh, so this stuff is finally worthy of your time then?" Sam smartly kept his mouth shut. Gene looked down at the bed and saw the empty vodka bottle lying where Chris had left it. Gene picked up the glass and tossed it around in his hands. "This looks like a healthy meal."
Sam spun and saw Gene toying with the bottle. He left the chair and reached over the bed, grabbing it from Gene’s hands. He stared at it a moment, his cheeks flushing red from embarrassment, then stormed into his kitchen and dropped it into the half-full bin. "Why are you here?" Sam barked sulkily, the hangover only worsening since Chris had left him.
"Well Future Boy, let’s see. ‘Sides the fact you’ve got a telly-sized whole in your window, Chris is back at the station nearly cryin’ his eyes out like a little girl, and the fact there may be a few people left in this world who actually still give a shit about your well-being, God knows why, why do you think I’m here? Or isn’t that reason enough?"
Sam leaned against his wall, absentmindedly rubbing his right arm. "Is Chris okay?"
"No, he’s not you pretentious bastard! None of them are!" Gene congratulated himself on being able to say them instead of us. When he was rehearsing this in the Cortina he had kept slipping up and saying us.
Sam refused to look at him and, though Gene couldn’t blame him, it was only making him angrier.
"Remember when he got shot, I told you not to blame yourself? I was wrong. This shit is all your fault, you stupid git. Everything you’ve been putting my team through is your own damn fault!" Sam kept his head low as Gene thundered towards him, grabbed his lapels, and shoved him against the wall. "Oh, you can blame me, you can blame the doctors, you can blame the kidnappers, but where you are right now is because of the choices you’ve made." Gene let him go but didn’t back away. "And I think it’s time you took some responsibility for that."
Sam grew nervous. He braced himself for a one-sided punch-up that never came. What was Gene playing at? Sam looked up, his eyes finally meeting Gene’s, which seemed to be what his DCI had been waiting for.
"You are supposed to be a role model. For this city, for this team, for every kiddie that scoots around arresting playmates with his pedal car. That is what it means to be a Detective Inspector. That is what it means to carry that badge. And until you can start doing that again, you are not fit to carry that badge."
"Guv..." Sam whispered, pleading. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t.
"Ever since you came here, only one thing has ever mattered to you. Only one thing was ever more important to you than you."
"Gene..."
"If this is the only thing I can do to get through to you...I have to do what’s best for my team."
"Please..."
"Detective Inspector Sam Tyler. You are hereby stripped of your rank and demoted to Detective Sergeant." Gene stared at Sam, his eyes filled with cold fury. Sam stared back, eyes begging for forgiveness he wouldn’t receive. It was Gene who broke the gaze, walking back to the door, taking Sam’s jacket, and yanking out his warrant card.
"Desk Sergeant Dobbs will have a new one," he waved the badge, "waiting for you when you come into work tomorrow morning DS Tyler." He shoved the small, rectangular piece of leather into his own pocket. "You have one week to get your shit together. If you do not do so to my satisfaction, you will soon find yourself a Detective Constable. If you continue to act like a petulant child," Sam shuddered as his own words were thrown back at him, "you will soon find yourself out of a job. Are we clear, Sergeant?"
Sam was too stunned to move.
"I said, are we clear Detective Sergeant Tyler?"
"Yes Guv," his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Good." Gene slammed the door and barreled out of the building, taking Sam’s heart with him.
_______
Part 59
Author: dak
Word Count: 892 this part; [107,337 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: Gene gives Sam an ultimatum.
Rating: still Blue-ish Cortina, uhm, what's slightly darker than blue?
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya, Gene/missus
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Sorry it's a short part again but I really wanted this section to stand on its own. Bonus points for whoever can spot the slight Hot Fuzz reference I snuck in.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
The Cortina was prevented from parking it its normal spot outside Tyler’s building due to large pieces of what must have formerly been known as a television. Gene was able to stop just short of scraping a large chunk of mangled plastic against his front bumper and leapt out of his car. Looking up he saw which window it must have come from, and had to stop himself from jumping back in the car and driving off right then.
Tyler’s door was unlocked when Gene got to the landing, not that it ever stopped him anyway. He pushed it open with one hand and stood in the doorway watching Sam, who was hunched over his table writing something. Unacknowledged, Gene decided to make his presence known.
"Hope you’re proud of yourself." Even from the back, Gene could tell Sam winced. " ‘S not everyone who can make two of my DC’s cry in one week. Half-expect you to have Ray bawling in the bogs next. Then I’ll really be worried." Gene moved further into the flat, wanting a better look at what Sam was doing. "Those better be apology notes you’re writing."
Sam hunched himself over the desk even more as Gene came closer. " ‘S work," he mumbled. Sure enough, Tyler was filling out paperwork for the case files Chris had brought over.
"Oh, so this stuff is finally worthy of your time then?" Sam smartly kept his mouth shut. Gene looked down at the bed and saw the empty vodka bottle lying where Chris had left it. Gene picked up the glass and tossed it around in his hands. "This looks like a healthy meal."
Sam spun and saw Gene toying with the bottle. He left the chair and reached over the bed, grabbing it from Gene’s hands. He stared at it a moment, his cheeks flushing red from embarrassment, then stormed into his kitchen and dropped it into the half-full bin. "Why are you here?" Sam barked sulkily, the hangover only worsening since Chris had left him.
"Well Future Boy, let’s see. ‘Sides the fact you’ve got a telly-sized whole in your window, Chris is back at the station nearly cryin’ his eyes out like a little girl, and the fact there may be a few people left in this world who actually still give a shit about your well-being, God knows why, why do you think I’m here? Or isn’t that reason enough?"
Sam leaned against his wall, absentmindedly rubbing his right arm. "Is Chris okay?"
"No, he’s not you pretentious bastard! None of them are!" Gene congratulated himself on being able to say them instead of us. When he was rehearsing this in the Cortina he had kept slipping up and saying us.
Sam refused to look at him and, though Gene couldn’t blame him, it was only making him angrier.
"Remember when he got shot, I told you not to blame yourself? I was wrong. This shit is all your fault, you stupid git. Everything you’ve been putting my team through is your own damn fault!" Sam kept his head low as Gene thundered towards him, grabbed his lapels, and shoved him against the wall. "Oh, you can blame me, you can blame the doctors, you can blame the kidnappers, but where you are right now is because of the choices you’ve made." Gene let him go but didn’t back away. "And I think it’s time you took some responsibility for that."
Sam grew nervous. He braced himself for a one-sided punch-up that never came. What was Gene playing at? Sam looked up, his eyes finally meeting Gene’s, which seemed to be what his DCI had been waiting for.
"You are supposed to be a role model. For this city, for this team, for every kiddie that scoots around arresting playmates with his pedal car. That is what it means to be a Detective Inspector. That is what it means to carry that badge. And until you can start doing that again, you are not fit to carry that badge."
"Guv..." Sam whispered, pleading. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t.
"Ever since you came here, only one thing has ever mattered to you. Only one thing was ever more important to you than you."
"Gene..."
"If this is the only thing I can do to get through to you...I have to do what’s best for my team."
"Please..."
"Detective Inspector Sam Tyler. You are hereby stripped of your rank and demoted to Detective Sergeant." Gene stared at Sam, his eyes filled with cold fury. Sam stared back, eyes begging for forgiveness he wouldn’t receive. It was Gene who broke the gaze, walking back to the door, taking Sam’s jacket, and yanking out his warrant card.
"Desk Sergeant Dobbs will have a new one," he waved the badge, "waiting for you when you come into work tomorrow morning DS Tyler." He shoved the small, rectangular piece of leather into his own pocket. "You have one week to get your shit together. If you do not do so to my satisfaction, you will soon find yourself a Detective Constable. If you continue to act like a petulant child," Sam shuddered as his own words were thrown back at him, "you will soon find yourself out of a job. Are we clear, Sergeant?"
Sam was too stunned to move.
"I said, are we clear Detective Sergeant Tyler?"
"Yes Guv," his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Good." Gene slammed the door and barreled out of the building, taking Sam’s heart with him.
_______
Part 59