The Apology in the Cheeseburger

In the weeks he was attending the precinct, he took pride in the knowledge that he was never actually late (first day notwithstanding). However, now that he was more than 2 hours late, he idly wondered if it was pointless to even show up at all. Walking the few blocks from the coffee shop to the precinct (he thought he could bribe the detective with coffee), he marveled at the fact that he could actually go a precinct. Regardless of the reasons that brought him there, he liked it, and he really wanted more than the weeks he had to serve doing paperwork (however, if he could do it sans the paperwork, that would be even better).

Feeling like a million dollars when Mike didn't ask him to grab a 'visitor' credential, just a barely there nod in recognition of the author's presence, Rick walked to the elevator. After it arriving at 'his' floor, he walked to Beckett's desk and deposited the to-go cup of coffee on the desk. He waited for a minute until de detective noticed him.

"You're late" She stated not bothering to look up from the papers she was filling. He didn't say anything, just sat in his chair and pushed the coffee towards her like a peace offering.She finally looked up at him when he didn't uttered a word (which was terribly unusual of him). She noticed the cup and then the apologetic smile on his face. She looked at the cup of coffee dubiously. Acknowledging said cup as a bribe, she took her own cup that was on the other side of the desk and took a sip. Albeit it was cold and tasted funny, she wasn't going to accept a cheap bribe. Especially from the author.

"Sorry. Is there something I could do to help?" He said, seeing how she was rapidly filling more papers in front of her. She stopped her work only to look incre...

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...with the reporter not long after. Ryan and Esposito noted the whispered argument and the consequent departure of the author and reporter, but with just a glance at Beckett, they were smart enough not to say a word.

After he left the precinct and told the reporter he wasn't going to answer more questions, Rick decided to walk back home. Though he knew it was too far, the excercise allowed him to blow off some steam. At first he was mad, not really understanding why the detective snapped at him like that and practically threw him away from the precinct. But as he walked the streets of New York, he realised he had crossed the line. When he offered to conduct the interview in the break room, he didn't thought much to it. But now that he had some time to think, he knew that he was the one who was wrong. The detective was in every right to be mad at him.

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