The Youngest in the Precinct

Terry Comes Back, Tessa Gets Shot

I sat, curled up on the floor beside Scully's desk. Helping Scully and Hitchcock to string popcorn together was my favourite Christmas tradition. It took us most of the day, and nobody bothered us. Heaven.

"Scully, Hitchcock?" I asked as I strung another piece of popcorn.

"Yes, honey," Hitchcock responded, Scully humming around a mouthful of coffee.

"Thank you for doing this with me."

"Thanks for doing this with us," Hitchcock retorted, seeming offended that I would suggest they might not want to.

"Yeah, no one else here takes time outta their day to spend with us the way you do." Scully added.

"You're our best friend," Hitchcock went on.

"And our favourite detective." Scully nodded.

"Aw, fellas," I got to my feet slowly because my butt was totally numb and hugged them tightly. "I love you!" I smacked loud kisses on both of their cheeks before I released them, smiling. I climbed up onto Scully's desk and crossed my legs, cradling my bowl of popcorn between them as I got back to stringing.

"You know, Tessa," Hitchcock paused, made eye contact with Scully, and then turned back to me. "Scully and I got you a Christmas gift."

"Oh, you guys," I looked between them for a second before looking back down at my needlework. "You didn't have to." I smiled easily.

"Well, you always get everyone something." Hitchcock told me.

"So, we're making sure that you get something back this year." Scully affirmed.

"That's so ..." I trailed off, my voice shook, and I could feel tears at the corners of my eyes. "Thank you."

We fell into a companionable silence as we continued threading kernels. It didn't last long, though.

"Tessa," I was dragged backwards off the table, almost taking Scully's monitor with me. "I'm nervous." Terry told me, spinning me to face him as I landed clumsily on the floor.

Looking up at the man, I pushed up the sleeves of my loose black hoodie and tucked my thumbs into the belt loops of my black cargo pants.

"What're ya nervous 'bout, Sarge?" I rocked back and forth on my heels as my mind clouded with all of the terrible things that the man could be about to tell me. "Oh my God, have the girls got boyfriends?" I gasped, my face creasing in despair. Cagney and Lacey were growing up far too fast.

"What? No!" Sarge threw his head back and laughed, some of the tension dropped from his shoulders, and I decided that I would allow him to laugh at me as it seemed to be helping him relax. "It's my psych eval today, I'm finding out if I can go back on field duty." He explained.

"Oh my God!" I squealed, grasping both of his hands in mine. I jumped up and down in excitement. "I'm so excited! We used to be such a great team out there, Sarge!" I shook his arms from side to side in my joy. "Okay, okay, listen," I took a second to get serious. "Just go in there and be honest with whoever it is. You'll do great. If you don't believe in yourself, believe in me because I believe in you." I released his hands to pat him on the cheek as he bent down to receive a good luck hug from me.

"Thank you, Tessa." He locked eyes with me and nodded, mouth turning down as his mind went back to what was to come.

"Okay, hit the road before you start overthinking it again, Terry." I slapped him on the back and shoved him towards the elevator. He turned to look down at me in shock.

"Tessa!" He gasped.

"Sarge, go," I pointed to the elevator with a raised brow, which sent him on his way in a hurry. After the elevator doors closed behind him, I jumped back up onto Scully's desk. "Let's get this done, I'm ready to Christmas!" I cried.
______________________________________