Chapter Text
Jake felt like it happened in slow motion.
It definitely would have been slo-mo if they were on a sitcom like he was always begging for (“We could call it ‘Life in the Nine-Nine!’ he’d pitched to Holt, who had promptly ordered him to leave his office).
The contents of his and Amy’s strawberry Go-go squeezes squirted out of their tubes and flew through the air, hitting the captain squarely in the chest.
Holt let out a sound of absolute surprise before looking up to Jake and Amy, evidently the ones who did it by the fact that they were both suspiciously holding up empty applesauce packets- applesauce of which was currently all over the front Holt’s uniform.
“Peralta. Santiago.” Holt was still staring down in disgust at the applesauce on his chest as Charles rushed over to the kitchen to presumably grab him a napkin.
No one else had moved yet, all standing like deer in headlights at their captain. And Jake and Amy were the deer-iest of all the deers (okay, that wasn’t the best metaphor Jake could have come up with, but he was probably about to get fired, so he decided to let it go).
“What is the meaning of this?”
“O-oh no, Captain, I’m so sorry, it was a joke and we didn’t know you would be back and- and I-” Amy was apologizing at lightning speed and blinking tears away, and even Rosa looked nervous at what Holt’s reaction would be.
Jake needed to fix this, and he needed to fix it fast.
“It’s my fault, captain, not Amy’s,” He said, grinning as he prepared to make a joke in the hopes to ease the Captain's anger at him. “But the applesauce looks good on you…?”
Holt looked around the precinct, his eyes finding the Jimmy Jab elimination board and the images of the detectives on it, immediately picking which ones who were involved in the games before looking back at Jake. “Diaz, Boyle, Hitchcock, Santiago, and Peralta. My office. Five minutes. I need to get changed.”
Holt marched off towards his office, closing the blinds behind him. The precinct was quiet for about a second before all hell broke loose.
“O-ohh, no, I am so screwed,” Amy muttered, head in her hands. “Why did I do this, Jake?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, babe, I’ll take the blame for it so no one gets in trouble! He loves my goofy antics!”
“Yeah, you should take the blame, Peralta,” Rosa muttered.
“Huh? Hey, wait a minute, you all chose to compete. It’s not my fault!”
“It kindaaaa is, Jakey,” Charles said apologetically, shrugging. Jake opened his mouth and put his palms up in question. “Well, you were the one who was supposed to keep track of time to make sure the captain didn’t get back before we had time to clean up!”
“Exactly,” Rosa muttered, turning around in her chair. “Your fault.”
‘Wha- But I-”
“Just own it, Jake,” Gina said, trying to tease, but Jake had known her long enough to know when she was upset.
“My career is ruined,” Amy groaned, face still in her hands.
“No, but I- I checked the time! It was two forty-five, and he wasn’t coming back until three! We had an hour!”
“What?” Oh, now Amy was looking up. Jake recoiled the slightest bit at her tone’s sudden sharpness. “That’s not- what?”
“What did I do?”
“That math is wrong, you idiot,” Rosa grumbled. “And now we’re all gonna get in trouble because of it.”
“No, that’s not- I’m not wrong!”
“Yeah,” Terry said, standing up from his desk and walking over to Jake. “That’s wrong. I’ve seen simpler math problems in Cagney and Lacey’s homework.”
“No- No, Charles, I’m not wrong, right?”
Charles shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, buddy, but yeah, you are. We only had fifteen minutes left at two forty-five, not an hour.”
Jake’s shoulders sagged as he processed the information. So it had been his fault.
“You distracted the precinct and ruined the captain’s day because you couldn’t do a simple math problem, Peralta,” Terry said, jaw clenched in frustration.
(“You’re ruining any chance of a good future for yourself because you can’t solve a simple math problem?” -No, no, this was different, it was, it was it was it was)
“Seriously, man?!” Terry took another step towards Jake as he continued, raising his arms in exasperation-
“Wait, dad-!”
Shit.
He hadn’t meant to, flinch, to yell. He really hadn’t meant to. It wasn’t his fault he saw Terry as a father figure (he had seen most of his male bosses that way throughout his life) and that he had had another experience that was much too similar to this one before.
God, why couldn’t he just be good at math?
“Holy fuck,” Jake heard Rosa whisper in horror.
“...Babe… why-” Amy's eyes widened, the Holt incident forgotten.
“Oh my Mother Dough,” Charles said, napkins in one hand as the other covered his mouth.
“Woah, Jake, I wasn’t gonna… why did you think…” Terry's voice broke as he put two and two together. “Oh. Oh, no.”
Fuck, why were they all such good detectives? Or was Jake that obvious?
“Uh- n-no, it’s not what you think-”
No, no this wasn’t happening here.
Jake hadn’t ever wanted anyone to find out what his dad had done (when he was drunk! It didn’t count, because Roger was drunk, so there was no need for them to do anything!), and he certainly hadn’t wanted it to happen here, in front of everyone, all the uniformed officers, the inmates in the holding cell, the victims- and of course everyone saw him freak out because Holt had just chewed him out a few minutes before.
Luckily, he didn’t think most people were still watching him- but the inner circle was, and that was enough.
“I- he just seemed mad, and-” Jake was quickly cut off by Gina, who had her phone face down on her desk and was looking at Jake with the same horrified expression of the rest of his friends.
“Jake, I’ve seen Ter-Bear get mad at you before and you’ve never flinched.”
“Jake… did someone-”
“No! I- well, it was a long time ago!”
Amy and Terry flinched at his words, and Gina sucked in sharply. Rosa clenched her cup of coffee so hard the lid popped off, and Charles made a pitiful noise that sounded like a whine. Scully gasped dramatically while Hitchcock seemed to be zoning out/asleep/dead.
“Who?” Rosa demanded, all anger from before no longer directed at Jake and seemingly more directed at whoever had dared hurt her friend.
Jake might have found it sweet if he still wasn’t so scared that Terry wasn’t over him being a fucking idiot.
“No one- I- Listen, guys, I’m sorry I’m bad at math, but Terry, please don’t be mad, I-”
“Mad? Man, I’m worried! You just flinched and called me your dad because I raised my arm when you didn’t do a math problem correctly!” If people weren’t looking before, they certainly were now.
“No, listen, it’s not a big deal-”
“I’m sorry. Jacob did what?”
Jake slowly turned around to face the new voice that had just appeared in the bullpen. “Captain Holt! Heyyyyyy…”
“All of you, briefing room, right now,” Holt said, nodding towards the inner circle. Rosa, Amy, Charles, Terry, and Gina nodded back and headed in, Jake lingering until a stern look from Holt and Amy told him he didn't really have a choice in the matter, and he headed into the briefing room with a sigh.
Maybe he could still get out of this?
“You’re not getting out of this, Jakey,” Charles declared as his best friend entered.
“Getting out of what?” Jake laughed awkwardly. “I don’t even know what you guys are-”
“Did Roger ever beat you?” Rosa asked bluntly, making Charles flinch and look at Jake like a kicked puppy.
“Rosa!” Terry and Amy hissed as Gina quietly said, “Damn, okay.”
Holt was standing at the podium, the only clue that he was even slightly phased by the recent events being the way his knuckles were tightly clenched around the sides of the lectern.
”Whaaaat?! C’mon Rosa, not funny!” Jake joked, not sure if it was landing because of the way he was shaking.
Amy looked like she wanted to come forward and give him a hug, but she also knew him well enough that he would quite probably be overwhelmed by that right now.
And it wasn’t like he needed or wanted a hug later, even once he was ready. Nope. Hugs were for women, and children, remember? Wait, no, that wasn't right. Or- was it? Jake shook his head. he didn't have time to think about that right now.
“I don’t believe Rosa was joshing, Jacob,” Holt said.
Jake scoffed a laugh as he tried to come up with a decent response. “Well- it wasn’t- n-no!”
“Then why’d you flinch, man!? And why’d you yell that!?” Terry raised his arms again, something he’d done many times before, and sure, Jake flinched sometimes, but he was always just able to play it off as being skittish (which was fair, Terry could be really scary), but this time… maybe Jake had gone too far.
What if there was no way to convince them this was all just a misunderstanding? No, no, he would get them to understand. He would.
It certainly didn’t help Jake’s case, though, that he flinched again violently when Terry raised his arms.
The briefing room went silent as Jake stared down at the floor and avoided eye contact.
“Jakester, just talk to us,” Gina groaned. “If you spill your tea, I’ll spill mine- here, I’ll go first; I sometimes howl out my apartment window at night even though I know there’s no wolves in Brooklyn. Your turn, bitch.”
Jake huffed out a laugh before sobering up after remembering why he was in the briefing room with the 99 surrounding him.
“I don’t get why it’s such a big deal, you guys,” he finally said. “I mean, who doesn’t flinch when Terry is angry at you and is waving his arms around?”
“It wasn’t just that, though, babe,” Amy reminded him. “You said… something really concerning.”
“Oh, what, because I referenced that my dad hit me? Since when is that a big deal?” Jake joked, grinning and praying his attempt at humour would fool everyone like it usually did.
It did not.
In fact, Jake was pretty sure it did the opposite, seeing how everyone’s expression in the room turned completely horrified- an emotion which varied, depending on the person, yes (there was certainly a unique cast at the 99)- but still, Jake knew all their expressions by heart now, and they seemed quite concerned.
“That-that’s a big deal since… forever, babe… I- shit, how did I not know about this?”
“Damn, Jake…” Gina muttered.
“Jacob, I was aware you did not have the best relationship with your father, but I wasn’t aware it was this horrible. I apologize for not recognizing this sooner,” Holt said.
“I’m gonna kill him,” Rosa declared, Terry nodding along as he clenched his paperwork into a tight ball.
Shit, I gotta fix this, he thought, scrambling to remind himself why his dad wasn’t in the wrong. Oh, right!
“I- it doesn’t count!” Jake exclaimed, hoping this would calm down his currently self-guilting girlfriend and his friends/colleagues. “I never had to go to the hospital, and it only happened when he was super drunk! So, like I said- no biggie.” Jake smirked, knowing he had finally bested them. He dramatically turned towards the door. “Uh- byeee.”
“Don’t you fucking dare leave this room, Jake. What do you mean that ‘doesn’t count’?”
Jake paused at Rosa’s words, turning back to explain himself.
“Well, you see, Rosa,” he started in his smug voice that he usually only used for when he was revealing his genius plan for a Halloween heist. “It’s not my dad’s fault. He was always drunk when he.. y'know! So, I’m sorry for making a scene, I’m sorry for getting applesauce on you, Captain- please don’t fire me- and I’m sorry for being scared of you, Terry. I had an experience with my dad that was a little similar to that once, and it brought back some stuff that I forgot,” -tried to forget- “But I just want you to know that you did nothing wrong and I’ll take whatever punishment you see fit. Just please don’t hurt me right now. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal, and I do not want you going to jail, Ter-bear! Maybe when you’re drunk, amiright? But seriously please don’t hurt me, okay I can see by your facial expressions that this was not the right thing to say- wait why was this not the right thing to say?- nevermind that was also wrong I’m gonna shut up now!”
There was a beat of silence before Gina spoke up. “Wow, girl, that was…”
“Fucked up,” Rosa finished for Gina with her top lip curled up in a snarl. (The two were trying not to appear shaken and failing.) Amy wasn’t even trying, with a heartbroken look on her face and her bottom lip quivering, her nervous knuckle-cracking tying it together. Charles had tears streaming down his face and Terry looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown or cry as well (or both), and Holt was fidgeting- fidgeting!- by tapping his foot rapidly on the ground.
“Jacob…” The captain spoke after a second. “I’m not sure where you learned that information, but it is incorrect.”
“So incorrect!” Amy agreed, her voice somewhere between hysterical and filled with so much hatred Jake was scared. “Being drunk is no excuse for being violent- especially towards your child!”
“Well, it’s not an excuse, but like-!”
“But nothing! Jake, you do know that’s illegal, right?” Everyone in the briefing room turned to look at Jake expectantly after Amy’s question.
“Of course I know it’s illegal! I'm a cop!” Jake replied to his girlfriend. “But you don’t get the context!”
“No context makes that normal,” Rosa hissed.
“No, I wanna hear this,” Terry said. “Jake, explain.”
“I mean, you all obviously know I’m bad at math- sorry again for ruining the games-”
“It’s fine, Jakey. We forgive you!”
“Yeah girl, now get on with it.”
“Okay. Uh, but like, once I failed this math test, and my dad got… mad. Or like, whatever. But it wasn't that bad! I didn’t have to go to the hospital, and my mom didn’t even notice, so it wasn't severe or anything! And, silver lining- I passed my next test! So, like, bottom line, don’t be mad at my dad, he was just trying to help.” Jake grinned up at his work family/real family who were not impressed with his story.
Amy and Charles didn’t seem to be able to contain themselves anymore as they pulled Jake into a tight hug, Terry joining soon after (Jake noticed how he made sure not to squeeze in case he got hurt). Gina rolled her eyes but eventually came to hug her childhood friend as well, and even Rosa marched over and hugged Jake until he could hardly breathe (Holt patted him on the back, which Jake felt like was the equivalent to a Holt Hug).
Jake began to make excuses, not quite sure what to do.
“Oh, guys, no, I’m fine now, it happened a long-”
“You don’t have to, Jake,” Amy whispered.
“You didn’t deserve that,” Gina agreed. “You should have told me, girl! I knew you back then!”
“But the injuries weren’t-”
“I don’t care. You still got hurt, and it still made you feel shitty, right?”
“...Yeah,” Jake reluctantly muttered in response to Gina.
“Thought so. Tell me next time you need help, Jakester.”
“Me too,” Terry said determinedly.
“Oh, tell me too!” Charles exclaimed as Amy nodded, smiling at Jake and said “Tell me too, babe, if you can.”
“Same, man,” Rosa grunted.
“Let me know if you need anything as well, Jacob,” Holt ordered. “What your father did was not alright and was not deserved.”
“O-oh.” Jake let out a watery laugh, trying not to cry in front of everyone. “Thanks.” He was released him from the hug, Charles holding on for a moment longer before stepping back and smiling.
“And- got it,” Rosa said as she let go of Jake, stepping back to hold up his phone.
“Wha- Hey!”
“Call your dad, babe.”
“Right now,” Terry ordered.
“What? Why?”
“We’re police, Jakey, and he did something illegal!” Charles explained.
“Now call him or I’m gonna go arrest him myself, and I will not show mercy.”
“Gina, you’re not even a cop.”
“Details. Now call him!”
“I don’t know if I can! He probably won’t even get in trouble, I mean, it happened a long time ago, and like it said, it wasn’t serious, and I probably deserved it, and it’s kinda my fault for being stupid, and-”
“We’ll find something to get him arrested,” Rosa snapped. “Now shut up about you deserving it, dickhead.”
“He said you were stupid?” Amy exclaimed. “What the fuck?! That’s so not true, babe!”
“Call your father, Peralta. Right now.”
“But I- What do I even say? ‘Hey, I’m suddenly mad at you for some mistakes you made years ago-’”
“Abuse is more than just a mistake,” Terry said. “And even if it was just the alcohol, it’s still wrong.”
Jake’s finger hesitated about his father’s contact. “But he’ll hate me,” he said, his voice breaking.
“So?” Gina smirked. “Who cares what that man-whore thinks of you? You’re better than him, so you automatically win.”
“And if he even dares to try and make you feel bad about finally standing up for yourself, I'll choke him with his own intestines,” Rosa said.
“That’s a fun picture,” Jake replied, pausing again and looking at his family. “Why do you guys… want this so much?”
“Why do we want to get your father arrested?” Holt asked. “Because he hurt you, Jacob.”
“Yeah, he’s not allowed to do that,” Terry agreed.
“Nope, only I am,” Rosa said, punching Jake in the shoulder.
“He had this coming, babe,” Amy said, reaching up to kiss Jake on the lips. “You deserved better. You deserve better.”
“I’m sorry we weren’t there for you back then, Jakey,” Charles comforted. “But we’re here now. He can’t get away with that anymore. And don’t try to say you’re fine now because it happened a long time ago- I think today has proven that you still need time to heal.”
“And that’s okay!” Amy said, grabbing her boyfriend’s hand. “We’re here for you.”
“Cringe!”
“Shut up, Gina.”
“Now call him, get him to come here, arrest him and kick him out of your life forever, and then let’s go to Shaw’s to celebrate,” Rosa said, nodding towards Jake’s phone.
He took a deep breath. He still wasn’t completely convinced that his dad was really… in the wrong, but… maybe he could trust his family on this. His real family.
“Okay. Here goes.” The phone rang three times before his father picked up his son’s call (surprising that he even picked it up at all). Jake put it on speaker.
“What’s up, Jakey?” Charles muttered a bit at the nickname that he usually called Jake coming out of Roger’s mouth but kept quiet.
“Um- D-Dad, can you come to the precinct? We need to- to talk.”
“Sorry, kiddo, I’m pretty busy these days, I dunno if I can make time to visit-”
“He’s not asking, Roger,” Amy said, glaring at Jake’s phone. Rosa and Terry clenched their jaws.
The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds before Roger spoke again. “I can… try to make it in half an hour.” (Oh, so he did have time when it came down to it, Jake thought bitterly.) “Jakey’s what’s going on? Why-”
“See you, dad,” Jake said as he hung up, swallowing nervously, barely having a second to himself before Charles and Amy swept him up into another hug, the two of them telling him how brave he was as he melted into their embrace.
“Everyone give it up for Jakester!” Gina called. “Whoop whoop!”
“Nice work, man,” Rosa commented.
“Yeah, Jake, proud of you,” Terry said.
Holt nodded. “I am also… proud of you, Jacob.”
Jake inhaled, still looking down at his phone where he had just made the most terrifying phone call of his life.
His family was about to arrest his dad because he hadn’t been able to keep his mouth shut any longer.
Although… it did feel nice to have it out in the open, all the hurt and secrets he’d kept.
Maybe his dad wasn’t in the right. Maybe that was okay.
Maybe he could be okay.
“I think… I think I’m proud of me, too.”