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The daily briefing was drawing to a close. It was as standard as daily briefings went, Holt had given out assignments and Terry provided a general update. It was a normal Wednesday morning briefing.
Except it wasn’t. Because instead of Amy standing beside Terry at the front of the room, she was sitting next to Jake. Because Amy had this look on her face when she walked in and was trembling a little. Because both she and Jake looked like they were going to be sick.
“Does anyone have anything they’d like to add?” Holt asked, replacing Terry at the lectern.
Jake stuck up his hand, grabbing Amy’s under the stable when she stiffened. “We do.”
Holt nodded, a tight-lipped smile on his face. He, of course, knew exactly what was going on, having being told almost two months ago of the situation at hand. “Of course Detective Peralta, Sargent Santiago, the podium is metaphorically yours.”
Amy and Jake stood from their seats and stood at the front of the room. They’d done this so many times before, throughout important life events and serious police assignments and literal life and death situations, but this felt totally different. This was a different type of scary. This was daunting.
Looking to his wife, who responded with a reassuring nod, he clapped his hands and rubbed them together nervously. “Okay, well, we have an announcement to make,” He said nervously. Both he and Amy had practiced what they were going to say days in advance. Amy going as far as writing out a damn script, but in the moment, all words escaped him. “Wow, I really don’t know how I’m meant to say this…”
The rest of the squad was growing suspicious. It wasn’t like Jake to be at a loss for words. “You’re not pregnant again, are you?” Rosa asked, raising her eyebrow in Amy’s direction, a smirk playing on her lips.
Amy shook her head frantically. “No, no. Definitely not,” She laughed nervously.
“Okay… then what is it?” Rosa pushed.
“Just tell us,” Charles interrupted, basically bursting out of his seat. “It’s not like you’re getting divorced or anything, which would literally be the end of the world, so whatever it is can’t be that bad!”
Jake rolled his eyes slightly because he knew what he was about to tell them probably was. “Okay, well, ha, words are hard, umm…”
“Jake and I are moving! We’re leaving the 99!” Amy blurted, unable to help herself. Upon realizing what she’d said, completely going off script and yelling it with no build-up instead of easing it to them gently as she had planned, she clapped her hand over her mouth, looking to Jake with wide, horrified eyes.
Jake’s face recoiled in shock, that certainly wasn’t planned , but turned and nodded to the squad regardless. The hard part was done. “It’s true,” He confirmed.
The room was silent. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was confused, looking between each other and Jake and Amy, not entirely taking in what Amy had said, but when it sunk in, it sunk in hard. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, leaving?” Rosa questioned, an undeniable angry edge to her voice
Amy took a deep breath. “I was offered a job, a lieutenant's position in Albany. I debated it for weeks, made every pros and cons list imaginable. Jake and I stayed up for hours talking about it and after much deliberation, I decided to take it. I’m scheduled to transfer in just under six weeks,” She explained, her voice wavering.
Okay , Jake thought, maybe the hard part wasn’t over .
“Ooh, that’s good. How long have you guys known?” Scully asked from where he was sitting in the back with Hitchcock, finally looking up from his plate of breakfast.
“About four months, I guess,” Jake shrugged, smiling proudly. “Amy went for the interview six-ish months ago and we got the call two months later.”
“Okay, great, we’ll get back to the fact you didn’t think to tell us earlier later, but I’m still not entirely over the whole leaving part yet,” Rosa exclaimed, shaking her head at Scully. She wasn’t quite yelling, not yet, but her voice was raising. She looked distressed. “What about everything that’s happened to you here? Do I need to remind you that not only were you married here, but this is also where your son was born? And what about all of us?”
“We’ve thought about all of that. We’ll miss this place so much, you know that! You guys are our family and we both hate the thought of leaving. But this is a really exciting opportunity and it’d be stupid of me not to take it!”
“Exactly” Jake nodded, “We love you guys, and we’ll probably come and visit all the time. It’s not that far away, only three or so hours. This is a really big deal for her!”
“And what about you Jake?” Charles asked, his voice so un-Charles-like, angry in a way that wasn’t his usual anger. This was so much more. “What are you going to do? What about your job? What even is there in Albany? Are you just following Amy blindly?”
“Of course not,” He snapped, unable to help himself. “And regardless, I would follow her blindly because she’s my wife, and I love her, and I support her fully.” He reached for Amy’s hand, squeezing it gently. “I’ve been offered a job as well, in the same precinct. They had an opening, so I guess we were lucky on that part. And Albany is actually really nice. It’s cheap, it’s nice for families. It looks safe, and it looks like a place we’d want to raise our son.”
“I think you’re forgetting that Albany has a higher crime rate than we do here,” Charles deadpanned.
Rosa nodded, pointing at Charles. “Exactly! And do you know why? Because it has police departments like ours! We’re all a team, and we all work so well together that we keep it safe! What about the dream team Jake? Me and you, ever since the academy? And you and Charles? And what about me and you, Amy? What about the Sleuth Sisters? Does that not mean anything to you guys anymore?”
Amy’s chest tightened. That was a low blow. Tears finally began to prick in her eyes and she looked down at her feet, not prepared to look anyone else in the eye.
“Diaz, Boyle, that’s enough,” Terry said firmly, speaking up for the first time since the news had dropped. “Amy, I’m so proud of you. It’s incredible that you’ve received the position. We’ll all miss you here, so much, but we’ll support you here, no matter what,” He said, his voice softening as he turned to the couple.
Jake smiled over Amy’s head. “Thanks, Sarge.”
“Thank you, Terry,” Amy whispered, her eyes stuck on her shoes.
Holt, sensing it was his time to step in, took a few steps forward so he was more the center of focus. “Squad, this is not the kind of reaction I would expect from you. I would more expect happiness, support for your friends. You all claim to be a family, but I do not believe that a family would react like this to the incredibly exciting news. Santiago, I am ecstatic for you. And if you are all quite done, this meeting has been dismissed,” Holt said, his voice stern and clearly laced with disappointment.
For a second, a flash of guilt Charles and Rosa’s faces, but it was quickly masked, and both stood, chairs scraping across the floor, and left the room. Hitchcock and Scully followed, though not without smiles and mediocre well wishes.
“I’m sorry they have reacted that way. Would you like me to speak with them?” Holt asked once the room, save for Terry, was left with just the three of them.
Ammy shook her head. “No thank you, Captain.”
Holt nodded. “Very well. I will leave you be, my door is always available to be knocked on if you so require. And Santiago, I know you aren’t leaving just yet, but it has been an honor being your mentor.”
Amy sniffled. “Thank you, Captain.”
Holt nodded again and left the room, and after giving them both a hug, as did Terry, closing the door behind him.
As soon as the door was closed Jake pulled Amy into his chest, holding her as the tears she was holding in finally sprung forward. “I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t think it’d be that bad!”
“I know Ames, I know. It’s okay,” He whispered.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Amy mumbled into Jake’s hoodie, squeezing the material between her fingers.
“Hey, hey, no,” Jake soothed her, his hand raking its way through her hair. “They were just shocked, they’ll come around. You know they support and love you unconditionally. They’ll sort themselves out, don’t worry about them,” He assured, although angling himself so his chin was resting on her head. Just to make sure she didn’t see the tears of his own.
*****
Three hours later, and the atmosphere in the bullpen was tense.
Jake was fuming, avoiding interaction with Rosa and Charles at all costs. Terry was trying to play peacekeeper, as usual, but this wasn’t something he could fix. Amy hadn’t come upstairs all day, choosing to eat lunch at her desk, something she never did, and if Jake wasn’t already feeling crappy before, not having lunch with Amy had made everything so much worse. Knowing she was staying away because of their friends, because of their best friends, also didn’t help.
It was after lunch that Rosa started to feel guilty. Now she’d cooled down, she was realising that what she did was wrong. She knew she overreacted, and acted like a dick, but the thought of Jake and Amy leaving wasn’t a thought she particularly liked. Really, she was over the moon for Amy. She knew how she had worked for this, and she was so proud that she finally got what she deserved and earned.
Apparently, she just had a funny way of showing it.
So when she saw Jake walk into the elevator, probably going down to Amy, she assumed, she got up and walked over to Charles' desk. “I feel shit about how we reacted,” She told him.
Charles sighed. “Yeah, me too. I just can’t believe they’re leaving, and I can’t believe they never told us.” Although he was still angry, he to had calmed down and had seen where they’d gone wrong.
“I know, but we still shouldn’t have reacted like that. We were dicks, full stop. And what Captain Holt said is true, as much as I may hate to admit it, we’re family. And maybe that’s how some families treat each other, but not this one.”
Charles grinned. “Awh Rosa, you softie.”
Rosa rolled her eyes. “Not the time Charles, we’re gonna apologize. We’re going to make this right.” Taking out her phone, Rosa shot a quick text to Jake, asking him to bring Amy upstairs so she and Charles could talk to them both. After a few minutes, Jake replied with a clearly reluctant, even over text, okay, telling them to meet in the break room.
Rosa showed Charles the texts and they moved to the other room, nodding at Terry as he eyed them passing. Five minutes later Jake and Amy came back upstairs and joined them. Amy was quiet, leaving Jake the first to speak. “What’s up?”
“We wanted to apologize,” Charles started.
“For being dicks,” Rosa finished. “And for acting the way we did when you told us your news. It was not cool. What we should have said is that we’re extremely happy for you and extremely proud that you’ve gotten this job. You deserve it a hundred percent.”
“So, we’re sorry. I didn’t mean what I said Jake, I know you wouldn’t just follow Amy blindly without thinking about it first.”
“And Amy, I know you care about all of us and the Sleuth Sisters. Saying that was also a really big dick move.”
Amy smiled, her eyes wet once again. “Thank you guys, that means so much to me. I was convinced you were all furious with me.” Jake smiled and nodded alongside her, showing his forgiveness also. “I’m going to miss you all so much when we leave.”
“We’ll miss you too,” Charles and Rosa said at the same time.
Rosa stood and gestured to Amy, arms open. “This is a limited-time offer, hug now or never?” She grinned, looking down at her expectedly.
Amy smiled, standing to wrap her arms around Rosa. “Sleuth Sisters?”
“Damn straight we are,” Rosa nodded, her own voice catching in her throat (Though if anyone asked, no it didn’t).
Out of the corner of their eyes, the girls noticed Jake and Charles hugging also, so remained standing there for a few more seconds.
“Have you all finally sorted yourselves out then?” Both pairs split apart to see Holt, Hitchcock, Scully, and Terry standing in the doorway. Terry had his arms crossed over his chest, smiling smugly.
Amy let out a watery laugh as they entered the room properly. “Yeah, we have.”
“Good. There’s no time for stupid arguments like this.”
Holt nodded in agreement. “We will miss you greatly when you leave.”
Jake swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, and Amy wiped her eyes. For a while everyone was quiet, simply standing together until Jake eventually spoke up.
“Group hug!” Jake cheered, and as all of them wrapped their arms around each other in a pile-up, the angle making it hard to stand comfortably, all knew that once Jake and Amy left, nothing would really change that much, only the distance between them.
They would all still be the 99 family.