Detective Judy Hoffs sat staring glumly at the picture she held in her hands. It was well past after hours in the Jump Street Chapel, and she should have been at home. Instead she was here, remembering the past and wallowing in self-pity. Well, so what if she was? Wasnt she entitled to? She sighed, and another tear ran down her cheek. She wasnt even aware of it. Nor was she aware of the footsteps coming up behind her. "I thought youd be here." She smiled at that, and shook her head. "What are you doing here? Shouldnt you be at home with Clavo watching Charlie Chaplin films?" Doug Penhall came around behind her and pulled up a chair. "Because I knew that my friend was hurting. And that she might need someone to talk to." He looked at the picture in her hands a picture of the four original Jump Street officers, with Captain Jenko. Judy smiled again. "You know me so well." "Yeah I do." Doug wasnt surprised when he saw more tears in her eyes. "Its ok Jude," he murmured, reaching over to hug her. "Im gonna miss him too." Judys arms went around his neck and she sniffled into his shoulder. "Weve just been partners for so long I cant imagine walking in here tomorrow and him not being here " "I know Babe, I know." Doug sighed himself, remembering. "Dont you think I felt the same way when Hanson left? It gets better Jude." "Youre not going to tell me that times a great healer are you?" She pulled herself out of his arms. "Well I would," Doug told her, standing up and moving over to the refrigerator in the corner. "But its not as good as this!" With a flourish he pulled a large tub of ice cream and a bottle of chocolate sauce out of the fridge. Judy laughed out loud. "Thatd better be chocolate." "Double chocolate chip," Doug responded, proceeding to squirt some sauce into the tub, then straight into his mouth as she laughed and called him disgusting. When the bowl was finished and the two officers were deep in sugar shock, they had already finished reliving the years they had spent at Jump Street. Judy was in stitches over the stories Doug had told her about Harry, stories she hadnt even known. She shook her head for the hundredth time. "I hate him for leaving," she reiterated. "I really hate him." "I know." Doug was all sensitive understanding. "I hate him too." "And would you look at what he left me to say goodbye?" Judy gestured in disgust across the room to where the Lucite head was still resting on Iokis desk or what was formerly Iokis desk. Doug burst out laughing. "Its ugly isnt it?" "I dont care if its Harrys or Jenkos or what it represents!" Judys voice was pure indignation. "Its ugly and I hate it!" Doug grinned. "I bet I know what can make it better," he offered in a singsong voice. He pulled Judys gun out of her desk drawer, and checked to make sure there were bullets in it. Then he offered it to her, with one eyebrow raised, silently daring her. "I couldnt." "Sure you could." This continued for a couple of minutes until Judy finally took the proffered gun and pulled the trigger. The head shattered into a million pieces, and she and Doug stared at each other, then began laughing. When they had calmed down, Judy stood and looked warily at the mess. "Wed better clean up." She pulled a feather duster from her other desk drawer and started over. "Get the sweeping brush from over there." Doug complied, and in a matter of minutes they had the whole mess cleaned up. "Feel better?" he asked, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Much. That was fun." Judy reciprocated the gesture by putting both arms around his waist. They just stood like that for a while, lost in their own memories, enjoying the comfort. It was Doug who spoke first. "Well thats it. Were the only original ones left now." That would have made Judy cry a couple of hours ago, now it only raised a bittersweet smile. "Whoda thunk? Last one left, turn out the lights." "Cmon, lets get out of here." Doug helped her with her jacket and kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the chapel. "Doug?" "Yeah?" "Thank you." Doug stopped and hugged her again. "Anytime Jude. Anytime." Judy seemed reluctant to move, and as he looked down at her, he noticed her eyes roaming over the chapel. "Cmon Jude. Itll still be here tomorrow." Judy finally shook the last of her melancholy as they left the chapel arm in arm. Her hand hovered over the light switch for a second. Then she smiled and let her arm drop. Doug noticed the movement and grinned. "Yeah " she murmured. "Tomorrow ."
The End |