A few days later, the precinct had settled into its usual rhythm.
Inside Holt's office, Terry stood across from the desk, shoulders squared but tension visible in the way his hands rested at his sides. Captain Holt remained seated, posture perfectly upright, eyes fixed on Terry.
"What's this I hear about you being on administrative leave?" Holt asked, his tone calm but carrying that sharp edge that meant he already knew more than he was saying.
Terry exhaled slowly, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He flipped it open and held it forward, turning it so Holt could see. Inside were two small photos, slightly worn at the edges from being handled often. "Two years ago, my wife and I had twin baby girls," he said, his voice softer now, almost proud despite the weight behind it. He tapped the pictures lightly. "Cagney and Lacey."
Holt didn't even lean forward. His expression didn't change, though there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "We had this exact conversation last year."
Terry nodded once, closing the wallet but not putting it away yet. "Yeah, we did. Terry remembers." He rubbed the back of his neck, pacing once before stopping again in front of the desk. "Back then, I got scared. The idea of not coming home one day, of leaving Sharon alone with the girls, it got into my head. I couldn't shake it. That's why I stayed behind a desk. Then everyone helped me get back out in the field."
Holt folded his hands neatly on the surface of his desk. "And what changed?"
Terry hesitated for a second, then looked up, meeting Holt's gaze directly. "Sharon is pregnant again."
For the first time, Holt's expression shifted, just slightly. "Congratulations, Sergeant Jeffords. That is wonderful news."
Terry smiled, but it didn't fully reach his eyes. "Thank you, Captain."
Holt studied him for a moment longer, then continued, voice steady. "So your fear has returned, I assume."
Terry let out a quiet breath, nodding again. "Yeah. It has." He finally slipped the wallet back into his pocket and rested his hands on his hips. "After what happened at Wuntch's place… that explosion… seeing Ray, Amy, and Boyle walk into something like that without even knowing… it got me thinking again."
He paused, jaw tightening slightly as the memory replayed. "That could've been it for them. Just like that. No warning, no goodbye, nothing. One second they're doing their job, next second…" He shook his head, unable to finish the thought.
Holt remained still, giving him the space to speak.
Terry continued. "I started thinking about my girls, especially Sharon and the new baby on the way. I kept seeing it in my head, Captain. What if I don't make it back? They would grow up without me. Sharon would have to explain why their dad isn't there anymore. And there was this incident yesterday..."
..
[Flashback]
The fluorescent lights overhead in the store buzzed faintly, casting everything in a pale, washed-out glow. Terry stood in front of the refrigerated section, scanning rows of yogurt cups with the kind of focus he usually reserved for suspects.
"Strawberry banana… no. Too much sugar. Greek vanilla… maybe. Where do they keep the full-fat ones? Ohh, a limited edition mango."
The bell above the door jingled.
At first, Terry didn't turn. He assumed it was just another customer. The hum of the refrigerator, the quiet shuffle of footsteps, everything felt like part of the normal rhythm of a harmless night.
Then a voice cut through the air.
"Everybody stay where you are. Nobody moves."
It was sharp, tense, and unmistakably wrong.
Terry turned.
A man stood near the counter with his arm extended, a gun shaking slightly in his grip as he pointed it at the cashier. The cashier froze, his hands halfway raised, his eyes wide with fear.
"Open the register. Now."
Terry's heartbeat grew louder in his ears.
He knew this situation. He had trained for this.
He quickly assessed the distance, the angle, and the timing. The man's stance was unstable, his grip incorrect, and his attention divided between the cashier and the rest of the store.
Terry knew he could take him. A simple dash to close the distance, disarm, and restrain. It would be over in seconds.
But his body did not move.
The command echoed in his mind, urging him to act.
He remained still.
His thoughts shifted without warning. The store and the gun faded behind something else. Sharon, Cagney, Lacey, and a third child he had not even met yet... that's all he could think of at that moment. Even though he knew that he could take him down, there was that small chance that the robber might shoot him in panic and he could die in the blink of an eye.
The man's voice snapped again, louder this time. "I said open it!"
The cashier fumbled with the register, his hands shaking so badly that he nearly dropped the drawer.
Terry's fists clenched.
He told himself to move, but his legs felt heavy and unresponsive.
Then someone else stepped in.
From the side aisle, a man approached with a calmness that felt out of place in the situation. He wore a simple jacket, a hat... nothing remarkable about him except the way he carried himself, as if none of this concerned him.
A silver skull ring caught the light as he moved.
Before Terry could fully process what was happening, the man closed the distance in two quick steps.
The gun shifted toward him.
It was not fast enough.
The man struck the attacker's wrist with precise force. The gun flew from his grip and skidded across the tile floor.
A single, controlled punch followed.
The attacker collapsed instantly.
Silence filled the store.
The cashier stared in shock. Terry did the same.
The man with the skull ring said nothing. He looked once around the store, his expression unreadable, then he took a pack of beer, paid, turned, and walked out.
The bell above the door jingled again as he left.
Terry remained exactly where he was, still frozen in place.
..
[Present]
Terry exhaled slowly, the memory leaving him but not really going anywhere.
"I stood there the whole time, Captain. I knew exactly what to do, and I didn't do it. Some random guy walked in and handled it in seconds like it was nothing. Meanwhile, I just froze."
He looked down at his hands for a moment, flexing them like he didn't quite trust them anymore.
"If that had gone bad, if that guy pulled the trigger, I would've been standing there while someone got hurt. Or worse. That's not who I'm supposed to be."
Holt remained silent, his gaze steady and focused entirely on Terry.
Terry shook his head once, frustration creeping into his voice. "Out there in the field, hesitation gets people killed. I can't afford that." He straightened slightly, but the weight didn't leave his posture. He met Holt's eyes again, firm now despite everything.
"I don't think I'm fit to be out there anymore."
He let out a breath, "Now Terry needs to call his family. Anything can happen at any moment..." He took out his phone and walked out of the office.
...
[2 Days Later]
Two days later, the squad gathered on the precinct roof.
Jack leaned against the low brick ledge with his arms crossed while Amy paced a tight circle nearby, her notebook already open in her hand even though no one had asked her to take notes. Charles stood close to Rosa, who perched on an overturned crate like she owned the whole damn building, and Ray stood leaning on the wall.
Jack broke the silence first as he shifted his weight and glanced around at the others. "Alright, we all saw what happened with Terry in the CCTV footage. The man froze in a damn convenience store like he was watching paint dry instead of doing his job. We cannot let our boy stay stuck in that scared dad mode forever."
Amy stopped pacing and tapped her pen against the notebook before she looked up with that familiar determined glint in her eyes. "I ran the numbers on this kind of hesitation. It is not just about one incident. Studies show that once an officer starts second guessing in the field, the risk to the entire team goes up by at least forty percent. We have to pull him back to his old self before it spreads."
Charles nodded quickly as he stepped closer to the center of the group. "Terry used to be a beast out there, all muscles and yogurt fueled confidence. Now he is acting like every call might turn into a family tragedy, which I can't blame him. But it can't go on forever. We need a plan that reminds him why he became a cop in the first place, something that reignites that fire without making Sharon worry even more."
Rosa cracked her knuckles slowly and let a small smirk pull at the corner of her mouth while she watched the others. "Talking about it is cute, but we all know words will not fix this. We need to push him hard enough that the old Terry wakes up and kicks the scared version right in the teeth. I am thinking something physical, maybe a controlled scenario where he has no choice but to step up."
Ray adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat as he moved into the small circle they had formed. "I agree with Rosa on the need for action, but we must be precise. If we stage something too obvious, Terry will see right through it and retreat further into his shell. It has to feel real enough to trigger his instincts without crossing into actual danger."
Jake pointed at Ray, "I know that look. Tell me you got a plan."
Ray nodded. "Oh, yeah. I got a plan."
---
AN: My plan was to add the Expendables plot next. But that's not gonna happen now.