July 18, 2006

Inside an apartment, Derek is playing with his three-year-old daughter. He found her hiding under the bed and pulled her out. He throws her up, catches her, and hugs her. She started to gaggle and kissed her dad on the cheek. "More Papa," she cheers.

Derek smiled, "Ok, let's play some more," he said, and Hazel walked into the room.

"But won't you be late for work," she said, and the two looked at her. "If we are going to buy a house one day, you got to go to work," she said, walking over to them.

"But I want Papa to stay and play," Juliana said.

"I know, sweetie, but he has work today," Hazel said as she took her from Derek. "But I have off today, and I believe you have a playdate today as well."

Derek gives them both a hug and kisses Hazel, and then kisses Juliana on the head. "I promise I'll be home later tonight, ok. Then we will spend the rest of the night together."

Later, at the Los Angeles Police Department, Derek gets into the squad car with his partner, Officer Chester. Soon they take off, heading later. "So, I got a big news partner," said Officer Chester.

"What is it?" Derek asks.

"I am going to be a dad. We just found out last night," he said, smiling.

Derek looks at him and smiles, "Congratulation, buddy; I am sure you'll be a great dad."

"Thanks," Officer Chester said, smiling. "First, I learn I am going to get a promotion to detective in a week, and now I learn I am going to have a child."

Derek smiled, "a great week for you, buddy," he looked out of his side of the window. "Listen," he turns back to his partner. "I am transferring to a new department."

"Where to?" Chester asks.

"Long Beach," Derek answers. "There is a school down there; we want our daughter to attend one day. We want our daughter to go to the best school in the county. Even a preschool as well is the best for her."

"Sound good, and I hope you and Hazel get Juliana into the best schools. Do you guys already have Juliana's future planned out yet?"

Derek smiles as he knows Chester is joking. "We only want our daughter to get the best education."

"Calling all unite. There is a high-speed chase of two suspects in a jewelry store robbery. They are last seen heading onto US-101 North. They are driving a blue 1992 Camaro Z28 with the plate number 365-HDZ."

Derek picks up the radio and tells them they are on their way. Chester turned on the light and the siren and headed for US-101 North. Soon as they got onto the ramp on the Freeway, they saw the Camaro speed by with more squad cars behind it. They pulled into the road and followed the rest of them. "Derek, did they say the license plate number is 365-HDZ?"

"Yea, I believe so. Why?" he asks, looking at his partner.

"That used to be my father's car when he died. My brother got it as his car," he answers. "If I am right, and if it is my brother. He could head home but won't take this road straight to the house. My parents' house; my mother moved out a while ago and let my brother live there. He might try to lose all the cops by getting off the freeway. Not sure when, but we'll have to think ahead. I need to contact central," he grabs the radio. He calls Central and tells them who it might be and where he might head.

After a while, they told him to go ahead and have three squad cars follow him. They got off on White Oak Ave and headed for Oak Park.

Twenty-four minutes later, they arrive, and Chester has them turn off their lights and hide. They waited a while, and then the Camaro went by with the same license plate numbers. Chester followed it and told the others to keep back from it and turn the lights off. Chester was right that the two suspects would lose the rest of the cops.

When the rest of the cops lost the suspects' car, they were told to hold back. Once the Camaro appeared in Oak Park, the rest of the police were told to head for Oak Park.

Soon Chester and Derek arrive down the street of Smoke Tree Ave. They see the Camaro pull into the garage, which is closed. Derek picks up the radio. "This is Officer Fischer, and we got the suspects at the last house of Smoke Tree Ave. It was best to send some officers down Locust Ave to protect the residents of the houses behind the last house on Smoke Tree Ave," Derek said and hung up. He looks at his partner. "Are you ready, Norm?"

"I knew my brother has been getting into trouble, but I have been hoping he would stop. But I guess it might be too late to help him." He turned on the light, and the cars went into action and surrounded the road and house. They parked in front of the house, got out, and hid behind their doors with the gun ready. Chester pulls out a blowhorn. "Come out with your hands up. We know you are there. Come out right now," he calls out.

Nothing happens, and Derek looks at Chester. "They aren't coming out. What should we do?"

Chester looks at his partner. "I am going to go in and take them down."

"I'll cover you," Derek said and grabbed his radio. "This is Officer Fischer," he starts. "Officer Chester and I are going in. We need cover. I want two officers to meet me in the back and two to go with Chester through the front." He finishes over the radio.

They move, and Derek heads for the back. Chester went to the front door, and two officers met up with him. They kicked in the door, and the two officers entered before Chester. As they got in, the shooting started.

With Derek, they got to the back door and heard the shooting. Derek kicks in the door, rushes into the house, and they keep their gun up. Derek gets to the living room, Knox Chester sees Derek, and Derek sees him. Knox shoots at Derek, and Derek fires back. Knox's partner, Cale Overton, appears and shoots Derek in the right forearm, and Derek drops his gun and kneels on the ground. Knox got ready to shoot Derek, and he pulled the trigger. Chester dove before Derek and got shot, and fell to the ground. Knox's eyes widen in horror as he kills his older brother. Derek grabbed his gun and shot Knox in the left knee, and he went down. Then more cops charged in and surrounded the living room, and Knox and Cale put their hands up.

A few minutes later, Derek is getting his arm bandaged up outside. He sees the gurney with Chester's body covered in white cloth. Knox shot got Chester in the heart, killing him. The stretcher passed Knox, and Knox looked at the stretcher, very saddened at his brother's death. After the gurney goes past him, he growls at Derek. "You murdered my brother, you baster," he called out. "I swear, I'll kill you for killing my brother. I'll kill your whole family and everyone you love. You baster." The cops pull him to the squad car. "I swear, when I get out, I'll kill you no matter what. I'll kill your families before you and then kill you." The cops put him into the car and closed the door.

Derek watches the squad car drive Knox away and looks at the coroner getting the gurney into the van. He then looks at his hand; he is holding Chester's badge as he takes it off. "I am sorry, buddy; I should have got the bullets instead of you."

Later he arrives home, and Hazel runs up to him and hugs him tightly. "I just heard. Are you ok?" she asks, noticing the bandage on his forearm.

"I am fine, just only got glaze in the arm, but" Derek stops, and the two go to sit on the couch. "Norm is gone. He is gone." He put his face in his hands.

Hazel put her arms around him and hugged him. "I heard. Does Rose know?"

"Yes, they visited her about half an hour after they took his body to the county morgue."

"Papa!" Juliana calls out as she runs up to him.

Derek picks her up, puts her on his lap, and hugs her. "Hey, baby girl, how was your playdate?"

"It was great. I had fun," she said, smiling and noticing the bandage on her dad's forearm. "Did you get a booboo, papa?" she asks, putting her hands on his bandages.

"A little, but I am ok," he answers, smiling and hugging his daughter. "I am happy to be home with my two most favorite's girls in the entire world."

Hazel smiles and hugs her husband, and the two kiss as Juliana gaggle. The two look at Juliana, smiling, "By the way, I win the deal on the venue in Long Beach. I'll be opening my store once I get it set up."

Derek looks at her and smiles, "That is great. Can I see the place before you build your store?"

"Yes, when we are both off, can we drive down there? Also, it is close to this friendly neighborhood in Long Beach. And there is a police department nearby there as well. And the preschool we want to get Juliana in is also nearby the venue." Derek smiles, and the three cuddle with Juliana between the two.