#gwendolyn&sierra:02

[gwendolynwcde]

❛ ☾ ◟━ LOCATION: a midtown bar from this thread

❛ ☾ ◟━ TIME: evening

❛ ☾ ◟━ STATUS: closed for @capthayes

A loud sigh escaped Gwendolyn's lips as she read Sierra's text. So much for reading through paperwork, but it was not like she was enjoying it anyways...So perhaps, this was a blessing in disguise. At this rate, she knew she needed to get to the captain right away before any more drunken acts were to follow. Therefore, she grabbed her car keys and then drove to the bar Sierra was at.

Once she was there, dark hues scanned the area and Gwen immediately caught sight of the blonde as she walked in her direction. "Captain Hayes." greeted the brunette with an unamused tone. "Get up. Let's go." With arms crossed, she took a step back as if she was ordering a child to follow orders. "You are something else. While I understand that this week is filled with festivities, talking about your hook-up and your ex in the same series of text messages is a peculiar way of spending the night."

[gwendolynwcde]

Gwendolyn chuckled in response as she shook her head in disbelief, “I’m quite the picky eater, so I would say you get brownie points for having good taste.” Once they came to a compromise, the Chief of Police appreciated the suggestions as it gave her line of sight of what’s to come. "Getting in touch with nature sounds like a good idea. I feel like I've been staring at screens whenever I do reports, so a beach or hike or even both would do. What do you think?"

Sierra grinned, feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over her at Gwen's agreement. "I knew I'd win you over eventually," she teased, her tone light but affectionate. She popped another fry into her mouth, savoring the taste and the moment.

"Alright, no craziness, I promise," Sierra agreed, raising her hands in a playful gesture of surrender. "We’ll keep it chill—maybe something like a hike or a day at the beach? Or even just a movie marathon with a ridiculous amount of snacks." She chuckled, the idea of spending relaxed, quality time with Gwen bringing a genuine warmth to her heart.

[gwendolynwcde]

“I'd rather get arrested than pour out anything.” deadpanned the Chief of Police with a knowing look. It wasn’t anything on Sierra or anyone close to her for that matter, but she was naturally someone who kept to herself. Gesturing a hand at the fries and the blonde she then said, “Well this is fun. Good fries and good company.” She honestly appreciated the Fire Captain for not only putting up with her, but providing support throughout her time here as they both understood what it’s like to be in a leadership position. 

At Sierra’s suggestion, Gwen tilted her head out of curiosity as she took another bite of her fries and sip of her drink. “Fine." If there's one thing she learned about her friend was that it was difficult to say no, especially when she was able to pivot into a compromise for herself. "So as long as it's not crazy, I won't be opposed to it. I feel like we already deal with a lot of the craziness on the daily."

Sierra laughed, a genuine sound that felt good after the evening's turmoil. "Hey, I'll take that as a win," she said, pleased that Gwen enjoyed the fries. She leaned back, nibbling on a fry and feeling more relaxed. When Gwen teased her about blackmailing her, Sierra shook her head, a playful smirk on her lips. "No blackmail, I promise. Just poured my heart over drinks, now your turn over fries," she replied.

She took another bite of her cheeseburger, thinking about Gwen's response. "I get that. Work can take over everything if we let it. But you deserve some fun too, Gwen. Even if it's just something small."

Sierra's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Okay, let's make a deal. Next time we're both off duty, we do something fun together. It doesn't have to be crazy, but something that lets us blow off steam. What do you say?" Her tone was light, but there was a genuine desire to help her friend find some balance.

[gwendolynwcde]

Appreciating Sierra’s words of encouragement, Gwendolyn smiled back and nodded in silence before taking a sip of her diet coke and a bite of her fries. “Alright, I’ll give the point to you. It’s not too bad for a hole in a wall shop.”

Meeting the blonde’s gaze, she tilted her head slightly and narrowed her gaze as she wondered where she was going with the conversation. “Okay…” The Chief of Police then raised a brow and asked, “Are you trying to blackmail me so that we’re even?” Clearly her tone was a teasing one as she broke out into a smile and shrugged, “Fun and crazy aren't really in my vocabulary Hayes. I feel like I've outgrown that and I'm all work and no play. Besides, what's fun and crazy is probably me getting a full 8 hours of sleep."

Sierra nodded, her smile genuine. "Yeah, I get that. We're just human, after all, or some crap like that" she said, her voice soft but firm. "And hey, if anyone can handle it, it's you."

As the food arrived, she took a bite of her cheeseburger, savoring the comforting taste. It seemed food was always ten times better when one was drunk. "These fries are gonna blow your mind," she teased between bites, eyes twinkling with a playful challenge. She felt more relaxed now, grateful for Gwen's steady presence.

"So," Sierra said, wiping her hands on a napkin. "Let's not talk about work for a bit. Tell me something fun or crazy you've done lately. Anything to take our minds off the chaos." She leaned back, her body language open, ready to listen and enjoy the moment with her friend now that she was coming down from the drunkness hype.

[gwendolynwcde]

Gwen actually laughed as she reached for her glass of ice water and took a sip from the straw, “It comes with the job Sierra, you know the last thing I want from you is to garner sympathy.” Shrugging, she then met the blonde’s gaze and gave her a reassuring smile, “I appreciate that you do understand. Sometimes others just assume I’d have the answer or resolution to anything, but don’t realize that I’m just one person.”

Thanking the server, she then slid her diet coke and fries towards her as she began to snack and drink throughout their conversation. “We do. We wouldn’t be in these leadership roles if we couldn’t handle it right?"

Sierra chuckled, appreciating Gwen's lightheartedness. "Alright, alright, I'll take the blame if the fries disappoint," she said with a grin. As Gwen spoke about her work, Sierra felt a pang of guilt for unloading her problems on her friend, but Gwen's words were comforting. "Sounds like you've been dealing with a lot. The missing person’s case must be tough. And the Springtide Bash... yeah, that was a mess." Sierra remembered the chaos with the incident, and she couldn't imagine the stress Gwen was under.

When the server arrived, Sierra ordered a cheeseburger with all the fixings and a regular soda. "I guess we both have our fair share of chaos," she said, her tone a bit more serious. "But I'm glad I can be a distraction to you with my drama." She gave Gwen a warm smile, genuinely grateful for her friend's support.

[gwendolynwcde]

On the bright side, Gwendolyn was glad to see Sierra recover from her impulsive texting and drunken actions. This was progress and she was willing to support where needed. Entering the burger joint, she took a seat and grabbed one of the menus to look through. “They better. If it’s shit, I’m choosing the next joint and not trusting your tastebuds again.” When the Fire Captain checked in on her, she rolled her eyes and joked, “Oh so now you wanna listen?” Shaking her head, she gestured a nonchalant wave and responded with, “Work is work, shit never stops. With the missing person’s case and the Springtide Bash incident, it’s been nonstop ever since. Who knows what might happen next…” Her voice trailed off as she looked up at their server and ordered the fries and a diet coke. "I don't mind your drama, it actually helps get my mind off of things. Surprisingly enough it's a positive distraction."

Sierra laughed, a genuine sound that felt good after the evening's turmoil. "Yeah, you're right. HR would have a field day," she replied, shaking her head. "Thank god for friends like you." They walked together through the cool night, the fresh air helping to clear Sierra's head even more. She felt a sense of relief, happy that the sad thoughts weren't lingering anymore.

As they approached the burger joint, Sierra pushed open the door to the warm, inviting smell of grilled burgers and fries. She turned to Gwen with a smile. "Trust me, these fries will change your life." She found them a table and sat down, glancing at Gwen. "So, what about you? Any wild stories or crazy work stuff happening lately?" she asked, curious. "I feel like I'm always the one unloading my drama on you."

[gwendolynwcde]

Nodding, she then backed away and observed Sierra as she got up from her stool. It looked a little shaky, but it was promising a few seconds later once she had her footing. It was a good call that she had hydrated her with water. "Pretty much." replied Gwendolyn as if she was used to it. Her tone may seem light, but it was heavy with meaning as there was a lot of history there. However, she decided not to press any further as her family was a whole other topic in itself.

Following the Fire Captain out, Gwendolyn nodded once more as she was up for the greasy food option. "Good thing you mentioned fries because that's what I was most likely going to order." The gratitude that Sierra exhibited had her rolling her eyes, but not out of annoyance, as it was just a natural instinct when it came to these kind of moments. "Who else was going to do it?" she countered. "You don't have to tell me twice Hayes." Technically she had the upper hand here, but she wasn't going to give that away just yet as she would rather keep that for their next meeting. "If anything, it's a blessing that it was me as the last thing we'd want to see is for you to catch a case with HR."

Sierra laughed softly, the sound genuine this time. "I think I can manage to walk, but I'll let you know if I need a hand," she replied, her tone teasing but appreciative of Gwen's support. She pushed herself up from the stool, a little unsteady at first, but the water had definitely helped.

"Being one of the oldest in a big family must've been... a lot," Sierra said as they made their way toward the door. "I can't even imagine. I've been from around town since birth but founding family? Sounds too intense." She could see the weight of responsibility in Gwen's eyes, and she admired her even more for it. For a moment she thought of her own family and all the issues they had. Her dad being accused in the murder all those years ago, and that alone had been a huge weight. She figured life wasn't any less easy on Gwen.

As they stepped out into the night, Sierra took a deep breath of the cool air, feeling a bit more clear-headed. "Alright, let's find some greasy food," she said, a smile playing on her lips. "There's a great burger joint a few blocks down. Best fries in town. What do you say?" She looked at Gwen, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

She was grateful for this moment, for Gwen's presence and understanding. The night had taken an unexpected turn, but maybe it was exactly what she needed. "Thanks for coming to get me, Gwen," she added softly, her sincerity evident. "Don't let it get over your head though, that I said I think you're suuuuper pretty—yeah I remember all—or the important parts." She so did not recall it all.

[gwendolynwcde]

Gwendolyn took it as a good sign that the water was kicking in for Sierra, especially after she commented on the number of family members she had. "Mhm, you try being one of the oldest of that." she muttered with a sigh. "It's a blessing and a curse, especially when you derive from a founding family." It was a whole other ballpark being raised by the Wades and if you were of their status and knew how they operated, then there's no way you would understand it if you were from the outside looking in.

"Mhm, you got this. There's no rush and just know that small progress is still considered progress." encouraged the Chief of Police with a nod. At least a lesson was learned in this chaotic meeting. "We'll see about that." Gwen was unconvinced as she was more of a see it to believe kind of gal. "I haven't eaten yet, so sure. You can decide. Can you get up or do I have to drag your ass out of here?"

Sierra blinked, absorbing Gwen's words. "Eight? Wow, that's a big family," she said, her tone a mix of surprise and admiration—solely for Gwen's mother who had to care for all of them. "Must've been interesting growing up with so many siblings." She couldn't help but wonder what that was like, having a big family, with all its chaos. Her family of four had always been overwhelming enough.

She took another sip of her water, feeling a bit more grounded. "I guess you're right," she admitted. "I need to stop assuming the worst and just... take things as they come." The thought of Harry setting a boundary made her chest tighten, but she knew she had to be prepared for that possibility.

She chuckled softly, the sound more genuine than before. "Maybe next time we meet, I'll be less chaotic." She sighed and looked at her friend. "I'm starved, would you come with me grab a burger or a hotdog or something real fatty?" It wasn't like Sierra had those often anyway, she was great about eating well. She figured the junk food would help with the hungover though.

[gwendolynwcde]

Shaking her head, Gwendolyn disagreed on the idea of an easy fix as that was not the reality of it. "You do realize that life isn't entirely fair." As much as human beings overall try to make it out to be, there's always a price or some sort of leverage that gets hanged above their heads. "With that being said, we all wished that with whatever situation we're going through. However, it's not and so, you've got to pivot and move with the motions and difficulties of it."

Taking a sip of her own glass of water, Gwendolyn leaned against the bar and continued listening attentively to Sierra's hopes. "You're assuming." she pointed out at first. "You don't know that until he sets that boundary with you." When they met each other's gaze, Gwen had deadpanned look as she shook her head, "You're welcome...And sure...." It was here where she planned on telling her that she's not off the hook and that she'll probably hear from her in the next first responder's meeting, but Gwendolyn immediately refrained and bit her tongue on that matter. The Fire Captain already had gone through a lot, so might as well prolong it on another day.

"Exactly, you have plenty of time...So make it count." On the topic of her siblings, Gwen nodded and confirmed by saying, "I do. We're eight in total, including myself. Adopted under the Wade Family."

Sierra nodded slowly, absorbing Gwen's words. The water was a welcome relief, though she wouldn't admit to it, but she sipped on the glass, feeling a bit more grounded. "You're right," she said softly, her voice a tad steadier. "I guess I was hoping for some kind of instant fix," she sighed. "I wish it could just be easy you know?"

She took a deep breath, trying to let go of the tightness in her chest. "I just... I want to rebuild that connection. I miss having him in my life. And I know it won't be easy, but I wanna keep trying. Except, what if he doesn't you know?" She knew she was ranting, but Gwen had unlocked the thoughts flow in her brain.

Sierra looked at Gwen, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you for being here, Gwen. It helps. More than you know." She managed a small, sincere smile before clearing her throat. She was drunk, not soft. "Anyway."

She took another sip of water, feeling a bit more composed. "I'll make it work. One step at a time." Sierra looked over at Gwen again. "You never told me if you got siblings or not," she realized aloud, eyebrow raised.

[gwendolynwcde]

Taking her vodka shot, Gwendolyn watched as Sierra downed the glass of water in one go without complaints. Seeing her wince meant that she assumed it was alcohol and that was more than enough for the Chief of Police to keep the act going. Turning to the bartender, she then requested two glasses of ice water so that she could add some hydration into the Fire Captain's body and help sober up.

"I see." Now it was all making sense. It was a lot for one to deal with that she felt the need to excuse Sierra's behaviour. However, Gwen found this method a bit destructive, if not messy. "Think of it this way, it's been that long...So of course the first encounter or reunion wouldn't be perfect, but at least you got...proof of life..." Maybe it wasn't the best choice of comforting words, but the way Gwen saw it, they hadn't lost each other completely, let alone physically.

Learning more about how she handled the situation and the aftermath after, Gwen encouraged the Fire Captain to drink more water as she nodded to let her know that she's listening attentively. "And I'm proud of you for taking time to yourself. There's nothing wrong with that. Look, there's that 'better late than never' saying. Both your circumstances require time and effort to mend, it cant be handed to you overnight and I know it's easier said than done. However, the fact that you're putting in the work now and the two of you are even communicating means that there's progress. "

Seeing Sierra on the verge of tears caused Gwendolyn to cringe a little as she couldn't afford to have the Fire Captain have a breakdown in public. Slowly reaching for her back, she gently rubbed it to console her and sighed as she decided to double down and genuinely offer some words of encouragement. "For starters, drinking isn't the answer to your problems. Second, there's only so much you can do especially when you've been working on yourself too. You can't bullshit your way through this and so I would suggest you take your time with it. Third, set boundaries and realistic expectations. It's a two way street and so either of you can't flake out or give too much to just receive too little. Overall, work towards gaining each other's trust and get to know each other completely. You're both grown, so of course things wouldn't be the same as before."

Sierra watched as Gwen flagged down the bartender, her mind slowly catching up to the fact that her friend had actually decided to sit down and join her. She felt a pang of guilt for dragging Gwen out, but the alcohol in her system dulled it enough to push it aside and she grinned with excitement.

"You're a good friend, Gwen," she muttered, taking the shot that was placed in front of her and wincing as she downed the liquid, her mind too fuzzy already to even taste it. She placed the glass back on the bar and stared at it for a moment, her earlier exuberance fading into something quieter, more somber.

When Gwen asked about the real reason she was drinking so heavily, Sierra felt a lump form in her throat. She fiddled with the shot glass, her fingers tracing its rim as she tried to gather her thoughts. The bar's noise seemed to fade into the background, leaving her alone with the weight of her emotions.

"I met with my brother," she said finally, her voice soft and strained. "It's been... over a decade. It was so awkward, Gwen. So... heartbreaking." She took a deep breath, her eyes unfocused as she continued. "That's why I took those two weeks off work last month. I needed time to process it all, to figure out what to do."

She glanced at Gwen, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "I made up that his shop needed a fire inspection just so I had an excuse to go talk to him again," she scoffed. "I wasn't brave enough to do on my own." Sierra had always been brave so this whole new scene didn't suit her at all. "Turns out, he really did need it, so I guess that's a win." Sierra sighed, her shoulders slumping. "But it's been so hard seeing him and realizing we're not the same people we used to be. I couldn't even tell him that I missed him. Every time I tried, the words just got stuck."

Sierra's eyes welled up with unshed tears and as drunk as she was, she had to look away. Sierra Hayes did not cry at bars in front of people. The vulnerability in her gaze stark and raw, but she swolled down the tears. "I don't know how to fix it, Gwen. I don't know how to make things right."

[gwendolynwcde]

Gwendolyn looked around as she took in her surroundings. She was not only being mindful of the public, but as well as the establishment given the state of her colleague's drunken demeanour. "I'm still determining if the feeling is mutual." After all, her friend did drag her out here, so was she personally glad? So far, she was leaning towards the latter of it not being a pleasant encounter as it meant she'd be responsible for her care. To think she'd be on babysitting duty today.

"It's like I'm dealing with teenage girls..." she muttered to herself while she shook her head in disappointment. "You do realize that the both of you work in the same field, in the same city, hence it's inevitable for you to avoid each other." Sure, they were in different positions, but that didn't mean they would never see each other at some point in their career. "Nope...Not here...You can take your complaints about my officers through the proper chain of command Hayes. Besides, whatever Aryn did was probably not a big deal as you make it out to be...Or at least I hope. Either way, get your ass over here and let's go!"

Except Sierra did the opposite of what she was told and went on to the topic of her hookup. At that point, Gwen was massaging her temples and going through breath work as she was trying to avoid causing a scene. They were both in prominent positions and the last thing she wanted was for rumours to spread that they were disturbing the peace. Tuning out the details, Gwen waited for her to finish and then said, "Her friend did the right thing." Consider the Chief of Police the worst wingwoman at this very moment, but her patience was running thin. "How are you responsible when you...Nevermind. Don't even start...Sierra!"

At that point, Gwendolyn hissed out her response to the blonde before catching her while she stumbled forward. She knew that this was not the usual behaviour that the Fire Captain displayed on a daily basis and on top of that, it was understandable that her friend was simply having fun. However, her timing was impeccable that she didn't even want to entertain it. Yet seeing the look on Sierra's face did make Gwen cave a little. "You. Fucking. Owe. Me." she deadpanned before helping her back into her seat and taking the one next to her. Flagging the bartender, she then leaned in so that Sierra couldn't hear and requested a shot glass with water and the other vodka. It was evident who was going to get which drink. "Aside from the obvious festivities, is there a reason why you're getting shit faced tonight...?" There had to be another reason, especially since she pulled those puppy dog eyes on her.

Sierra blinked as she saw Gwendolyn, her brain slow to register the sight. "Gwen? Wha... what are you doing here?" she slurred, her surprise evident. Then, the fog in her mind cleared just enough for her to remember the texts she'd sent. "Oh, right. I texted you." She laughed, a little too loud, her words tumbling out in a drunken ramble.

"I'm so glad you're here," she continued, reaching out to grip Gwen's arm for balance. "You know, I saw Aryn earlier today. Just ran into her, totally random. Can you believe that? After all this time?" Sierra's voice was animated, her emotions spilling over as she talked. "She came up to the station booth though, so maybe not so random?" Sierra said as if thinking to herself, her brain processing all at a fast speed but all so blurred by the alcohol. "Can you believe the nerve of that woman?!" She sounded suddenly mad, huffing a bit.

"And that hook-up," she went on, not noticing Gwen's crossed arms and serious expression. "She was just some random chick I met at the parade. She gave me her number, and I called her after my shift. Figured, why not, right?" Sierra laughed again, though it was tinged with a bit of sadness now. "So I came and I drank a bit—or maybe a lot? I kissed her in the bathroom, she was really hot. I would have taken her home but her friends wanted to leave. I wasn't gonna leave, I'm having fun and you are here! But it's not like I'm working tomorrow. I'm a conscious and responsible captain, you know."

She looked at Gwen, her eyes wide and pleading. "Come on, Gwen, join me for a drink. I promise, it'll be fun. We can talk about anything. Work, life, love—anything!" Sierra stumbled slightly, leaning heavily on Gwen for support. She had always been a chatty drunk, the excited type too. "You're my friend, and I really need a friend right now," she pouted, big blue eyes staring at Gwen. The sincerity in her voice was palpable, despite the slurred words and alcohol-fueled rambling. Sierra's vulnerability was on full display, and she clung to the hope that Gwen would understand and maybe even join her for a bit.