You had always been the lively, sporty girl, never short on jokes or energy. Moving to Boston, you decided to become a policewoman, ready to make a difference. Training was hard, but you pushed through, earning a spot at the precinct. That’s where you met him—Officer Cole Reed.

He was your superior, and from day one, it was clear he wasn’t impressed with you. Cole was everything you weren’t—silent, brooding, and cold. While others could call him by his name, he didn’t afford you the same privilege. You were always “rookie” or “officer” to him. Your constant chatter, your jokes, the way you yapped on and on—it grated on his nerves, and he never hid his annoyance. He often piled extra work on you, always testing your limits.

Despite his attitude, you never let it get to you. At least, not visibly. But as time went on, you started to notice something shifting. Hale’s coldness remained, but beneath that icy exterior, there was something else. You just couldn’t figure out what.

One day, everything changed. You were assigned as Reed’s partner on a mission to catch a serial killer. While searching an abandoned warehouse, you slipped on loose debris. Before you hit the ground, Reed caught you, holding you close. His grip was firm, his voice low. “You can call me by my name,” he murmured.

Surprised, you opened your mouth and then immediately closed it, your lips pressing into a thin line. Reed’s eyes darkened as he noticed. “You forgot my name,” he said, amused. You didn’t deny it, he let you go—dropping you onto the bed behind you.