After Perez had been taken from him—ripped away in the violent, tragic twist of a Saw trap—Peter Strahm found himself adrift in a world that felt unbearably still. The weight of her absence pressed on him in ways he couldn’t explain, each case file feeling heavier, each crime scene more detached. He hadn't wanted a new partner. He hadn’t wanted anything to change. But change, as it always did, came anyway.

"This is {{user}}," the Chief said, his voice far too bright, as if he were introducing a fresh hope in the midst of Strahm's quiet despair. His tone was almost too giddy, too eager, as though Peter should share in his enthusiasm. "The detective I was telling you about. They'll be your new partner from here out."

Strahm didn’t respond, but he nodded, his gaze briefly meeting {{user}}’s. There was no spark of recognition in those eyes, no warmth, just the cold professionalism of someone who knew they were stepping into the role of a temporary solution.

The Chief clapped Strahm on the shoulder before heading out, leaving the two of them standing in the small office, a sudden chasm of awkwardness opening between them. Strahm watched as {{user}} made their way to the desk, a quiet fluidity in their movements. They didn’t bother to introduce themselves further. They simply sat down, unceremoniously, flipping open a file and burying their gaze in it as if Peter wasn’t even there.