[Morning]
Rosa sat in the chair at Ray's side, arms crossed, her eyes half-closed. She looked like she was on guard duty rather than keeping her boyfriend company. Everyone else knew the truth: she hated bed rest and was using Ray as her excuse to avoid being stuck at home.
The door opened and in came Terry, Amy, Boyle, Gina, and Captain Holt. The room suddenly felt smaller with all of them squeezed in.
"Raymond," Holt began, his tone as dry as ever. "How are you feeling?"
Ray gave a tired smile. "Like I got shot three times and lived. Not great, but not terrible."
Gina plopped herself onto the couch in the corner, already scrolling through her phone. "You look fine. I've seen worse on my mom after Zumba class."
Amy shot Gina a sharp look, then turned back to Ray. "The doctors said your vitals are good. You're recovering better than expected."
Boyle nodded eagerly. "Yeah, buddy, you're basically the Terminator. Strong, silent, probably filled with hidden weapons."
"Charles," Rosa said flatly. "Stop being weird."
Boyle looked wounded. "That wasn't weird. That was admiration."
Terry stepped up beside the bed, his massive frame making the hospital chair creak as he sat. "Ray, you've got the whole squad worried. We're glad you pulled through."
Ray gave him a small nod, then his eyes swept the group. His brow furrowed. "Where's Jake?"
The question made the room go quiet for a beat. Amy and Boyle exchanged a look.
Ray's eyes narrowed. "What happened?"
Boyle shifted uncomfortably before blurting, "Okay, so after you got shot, Amy and I went after the SUV and the biker. Big chase, lots of bullets, very cinematic. Then we got into a firefight at a junkyard."
Amy took over, her voice steady but her cheeks pink. "Jake insisted on being the distraction so Boyle and I could flank the shooters."
Ray raised a brow. "That sounds like something he'd do."
Boyle nodded rapidly. "Yeah, except he actually pulled it off. Like, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it worked. The shooters were so focused on him we managed to take down nine guys with automatic rifles."
Rosa's jaw tightened. "And Jake?"
Amy winced. "He got hit."
Ray sat up a little, tension in his shoulders. "Where?"
Amy hesitated, then muttered, "His right arm and… his left butt cheek."
Ray blinked. "His butt?"
Boyle nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Right in the cheek. It's bad. He kept yelling about donut pillows and how his sitting career is over."
Rosa sighed. "Of course he did."
Terry let out a heavy sigh. "Jake's in recovery now. The doctors say he'll be fine, but… let's just say the precinct is never going to let him live this one down."
Gina finally looked up from her phone, grinning like a shark. "Already made a meme. Caption says, 'Detective Jake Peralta: kicking butt while getting shot in his.'"
Amy groaned. "Gina."
"What? It's art," Gina said innocently, showing the screen. "Also, it's already viral in our precinct group chat."
Ray pressed his hand against his forehead, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. I get shot three times and nearly run over by an SUV, and the guy who takes one in the ass gets the glory."
Rosa leaned back in her chair, smirking faintly. "Welcome to the Nine-Nine."
...
[Noon]
Rosa was lying carefully beside Ray on the too-small hospital bed, her arm draped over his chest. Their lips met in slow, unhurried kisses, the kind of stolen moments neither of them would admit they craved but both refused to let go of.
Ray brushed a strand of hair off her face. "You're supposed to be recovering too, you know."
Rosa smirked against his mouth. "Shut up." Then she kissed him again, a little deeper this time.
The door creaked open, and Gina walked in like she owned the place. She stopped dead in the doorway, gasped theatrically, and fanned herself. "Wow. Okay. First of all, ew. Second of all, good for you, Diaz. Didn't think you had it in you to do hospital makeouts."
Rosa groaned and sat up slightly but didn't move away from Ray. "What do you want, Gina?"
Gina strutted in like she owned the place, phone already in her hand. "I came to save you from yourself. Rosa, you need a shower, food, and maybe clothes that don't smell like antiseptic. Come back to your apartment, regroup, then you can come play Florence Nightingale again."
"I'm not going anywhere," Rosa said firmly. "I've got a whole bottle of painkillers, and I'm not leaving him alone."
Gina raised a brow. "Because you're a doting girlfriend now? How cute."
Rosa's lips curled into a smirk. "There are too many sexy nurses here. Every time one walks in, they look at him like he's dessert. I leave, one of them's gonna climb into his bed." She narrowed her gaze at Ray. "And I remember you saying you'd love to see me in one of those uniforms and that you'd… ravish me."
Ray, caught in the line of fire, raised his hands in mock defense. "Okay, in my defense, you'd look amazing as a nurse."
Gina gasped in mock offense. "Wow. Rosa Diaz, protector of chastity, guarding her man from thirsty medical professionals. This is character development I never saw coming."
Rosa rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Gina."
Gina tapped her chin theatrically. "Or, hear me out, don't shut up. Let's think bigger. Threesome. Or foursome. You, Ray, a couple of nurses. And, fine, I'll volunteer as tribute if you insist. Just imagine the symmetry. Very European."
Rosa groaned. "No one's imagining that."
Ray chuckled. "I'm kind of imagining it."
Rosa smacked his chest, careful of the bandages. "You shut up too."
The door opened again. This time it wasn't a detective or a nurse. It was Janice.
"Mom," Ray said.
"Raymond," Janice replied smoothly, sweeping her eyes over the room. "I came to check on you."
Her gaze slid from Ray to Rosa, still lying half across him. Rosa, usually unshakable, sat up straight like she'd been caught sneaking out of school.
Janice's lips curved faintly. "You look… comfortable."
Rosa cleared her throat. "I'm staying here. To watch him."
Janice nodded as if considering a chess move. "Admirable. But dear, you've been glued to this room since yesterday. If you intend to spend another night here, you need a shower, a meal, a clean set of clothes, and a moment to yourself. Gina will take you. Won't you, dear?"
Gina didn't miss a beat. "Already packed an Uber. And a playlist of sad power ballads."
Rosa opened her mouth to argue, then caught Janice's gaze. The older woman wasn't asking. She was politely commanding. And Rosa, who had faced down mobsters and murderers without blinking, found herself nodding. For some reason, she couldn't say no and felt a weird chill down her spine.
"Fine," She muttered. She shot Ray a look that promised she'd be back before anyone could blink. "Don't even think about it."
Ray gave her his best innocent look. "I'll be good."
Gina smirked. "No promises from me though." She looped her arm through Rosa's. "Come on, Florence. Let's get you some real pants."
Rosa groaned as she was dragged out, muttering under her breath about how she'd rather be stabbed than chaperoned.
The door clicked shut. Silence lingered for a moment. Then Ray swung his legs off the bed, stood up, and stretched with a low groan. His joints cracked audibly.
"Oh thank God," he muttered. "I was starting to feel like a rotisserie chicken just lying there." He bent, touched his toes, then winced. "Yeah. That still sucks."
Janice arched an eyebrow. "You could have fooled Rosa with a little longer performance."
"Please," Ray said, rolling his shoulders. "She was about five minutes away from hog-tying me to the bed. I had to move before I lost circulation. And I told her."
"You told her?" She raised an eyebrow.
"She was crying, and I couldn't hold myself back. No worries, I trust her," He rubbed the back of his neck, then asked. "So. Emma's case. Where do we stand?"
Janice smoothed her skirt as if she had been waiting for the question. "Handled. The President wanted it buried quickly. Elections are too close to risk a scandal. A few officials have been… relocated."
Ray snorted. "Relocated. That's one way to say it."
"A piece of cake," Janice said, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. "You shoot men with rifles. I replace them with less ambitious idiots. Same family business, different tools."
Ray smirked faintly. "Good to know corruption is hereditary."
Janice ignored the jab with the grace of a seasoned professional. Her tone softened slightly. "Emma's shaken, but she's strong. She'll recover. She does want to see you though. Apparently, watching you get shot three times and nearly getting run over... Well, it's not something she can easily forget."
Ray sighed, rubbing his side. "Great. First I traumatize Emma, then I turn Rosa into a paranoid watchdog. Next thing you know, Gina will try to seduce me now that she knows my little weakness. Or, spread it out everywhere." He looked at his mom. "Okay. Forget the Gina part."
Janice smiled. She was kinda glad that her son was enjoying life and slowly opening up, showing his emotions rather than bottling them up.
"By the way, can you bring something nice to eat, mom? I've had enough tasteless food in the army, and I don't want to eat the same thing here. Maybe a big turkey sandwich?" He asked as he sat on the bed.
"Alright, but, Ray. You gotta be careful to whom you share your secret," She said with a stern look.
"Yeah, I know. I'll be careful," He nodded.
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