"so why are we doing this again?" Tim groans as Lucy measures his middle finger.

"Ana's birthday is next week" Lucy replies.

"no shit, Sherlock, but why are you dragging me to a ring store?" Tim asks.

"we're getting friendship rings" Lucy answers.

"why?" Tim questions.

"because, Ana has never really had friends before, I mean, her entire backstory is just... sad. And you remember when she was talking down that girl who wanted to ruin her exes embryo tubes? She talked about how her best friend in college slept with her boyfriend. She obviously doesn't have good luck with friendships, so we're getting her friendship rings so that she knows we're her friends" Lucy explains.

Tim is silent, not having anything to say in response to that.

"fine, fine" Tim goes along with it.

They spend the rest of their day off trying to find the perfect trio of friendship rings.

[Timeskip]

'I have to help him, though, right? That's karma 101 - help the dying guy." Nolan is talking to Ana as they grab gear for their respective TO's.

"I mean, it sounds like the right thing to do... but it also seems rather hard, so if you get any leads, let me know, I'll come help" Ana replies, softly.

"thank you" Nolan sighs. "you're really good at calming me down.

"it's because I have anxiety too, I just say whatever I'd want to hear in the situation" Ana responds, softly.

"that makes sense." Nolan nods.

"What makes sense?" Harper asks, walking down to meet up with them.

"Oh, nothing, is everything okay? you were a little spacey during roll call" Ana asks, softly.

"Nothing. Judge granted me an overnight visit with Lila, tomorrow night." Harper replies.

"Oh, that's amazing! are you excited?" Ana asks, softly.

"If you equate debilitating anxiety with happiness, then, sure. It's been six months since I spent more than a couple hours a week with her. It's just, she's changed so much." Harper sighs.

"well you'll do great" Ana says, softly, waving goodbye to Nolan who goes off to meet up with Lucy and Tim. "are you worried that you've forgotten to be a good mom?"

They walk into the garage and Ana starts loading up the shop.

"No." Harper answers, bluntly.

"Well you have nothing to worry about, I'm sure she's just happy to spend time with you. Have you finished setting up her room?" Ana asks, softly.

"Yeah, I'm doing that tonight. I have a stack of Swedish furniture to assemble." Harper responds.

"I can help if you want" Ana offers, softly.

"Hell no, runt" Harper answers.

"Harper, just got a call from a crime scene. Some woman was assaulted in her apartment. They took her to the hospital." Grey says, entering the garage and talking to the two.

"Okay." Harper shrugs.

"Responding officer noticed a framed photo on the victim's bookshelf, thought I should see it." Grey explains, further.

"That's you, right?" Grey asks, showing both of them a picture of Harper and another girl.

"Yeah. In an undercover life." Harper sighs.

"Crystal?" Ana guesses, softly.

"Yeah." Harper replies.

"and who's the other girl?" Ana asks, softly.

"It's Eva Ruiz. We were tight for a while. I used her to get close to some bad people. Haven't seen her in years." Harper answers.

"do you know who hurt her?" Ana questions, softly.

"No. And she's not talking. Is there any reason detectives should proceed carefully with their investigation?" Grey asks Harper.

"No, sir. Eva is squarely in my rearview." Harper says.

"Okay." Grey nods before leaving.

"Um... we could stop by during lunch at the hospital, just check in on her" Ana offers, softly.

"She's not my friend. She was a means to an end." Harper shuts down.

"okay..." Ana trails off, softly, knowing that Harper is upset but also knowing not to push.

[Timeskip]

Thankfully, Ana is a stubborn little thing and she got Harper to stop by the hospital to check on Eva.

"Eva was beaten pretty savagely. They broke her arm and four ribs, ruptured an eardrum. Luckily, there were no internal injuries." Sawyer says, briefing them on Eva's condition.

"Uh, she told detectives she didn't remember the beating. Is that possible?" Harper questions.

"Sure. Although, medically speaking, I don't think there was enough head trauma to explain that." Sawyer replies.

"so, she may be lying, or maybe blocking out the trauma mentally" Ana muses, softly.

"That's more your department. You can go in and talk to her, if you want." Sawyer offers.

"No, I can't blow my cover. If my real identity got out, it would put her in jeopardy." Harper shakes her head.

"How so?" Sawyer questions.

"She introduced me to a lot of bad people. They would think she was a snitch, and they would kill her." Harper explains.

"we can't just walk away, though" Ana protests, softly.

"There is one person she might talk to." Harper says, mainly to herself.

"Does this place have a lost and found?" Harper asks, turning to Grace.

[Timeskip]

"Let's go. I got a name." Harper says, walking over to Ana who is buying a coffee for Harper.

"And I've got coffee" Ana smiles, softly, handing Harper the coffee before following her out to the shop.

[Timeskip]

"This is a bad idea." Ana says, softly, after listening to Harper's plan.

"It's the only way Ripper ends up in bracelets." Harper replies.

"I just-... you're risking a lot for someone you knew undercover.

"Says the girl trying to locate the family of a rando who showed up at Nolan's front door with a sob story." Harper bites back.

"well... okay, I just, I'm not judging you for helping out Eva, it's admirable" Ana rambles out, softly.

"What are you judging me for?" Harper asks.

"I just-... you gave up undercover work but you still seem to do it a lot" Ana explains, softly.

"When the situation requires it." Harper responds.

"The situation, or you?" Ana questions, softly.

"What, you think I'm looking for an excuse to go back undercover?" Harper asks.

"maybe you're nervous about your first night with Lila" Ana offers, softly.

"Oh, and this is self-sabotage?" Harper raises an eyebrow.

"well I just-... yeah, it is a little... when I was at the Academy, I was too nervous to interact and socialize with other people, so I buried myself in my work and taking care of my grandparents. I always had an excuse for why I couldn't do this or that because I was nervous I wouldn't fit in. It was okay in some ways, but it was avoiding the problem. And if you keep avoiding Lila, you won't get another chance with her" Ana explains, softly.

[Timeskip]

"I think maybe it worked, I don't know, I hope it worked" Ana says, softly, talking with Lucy.

"Oh. Really? Then why is she in the roll call room dressed as Crystal, preparing an op?" Lucy asks.

Ana slips into the briefing room and slides into the seat next to Harper.

"And our CI will let us know when the target's inbound. Once he lands, our UC will go in, and attempt to get him talking. And we're not traveling anywhere with this guy. Are we clear? Surveillance van will be set up across the street here -" Detective Rita Calderon is saying.

"Don't say a word." Harper hisses.

"yes, ma'am" Ana murmurs, softly.

"- here and here. And, Officer Cabrera, as our uniformed presence, we need you invisible until we don't. So, hang with us until we call in for rescue. Copy?" Calderon finishes.

"um... ma'am, I'd like to stay by my TO until it's time, just to get more experience" Ana says, softly.

"Fine. You'll go plainclothes. But you don't make a move without an order." Calderon orders.

"Yes, ma'am." Ana replies, softly.

"Can I have our UC come to the front, so everyone can see what she's wearing? Get a good look, people. If it goes sideways, do not shoot this person. Her trouble signs will be hands up, gun out, or running away. If you see her doing any of these, the op is down, and we send in rescue. Rescue response time is 30 seconds, so for that long, you're on your own. Okay. Unless any of you have any questions, let's head out." Calderon says, dismissing them.

"Hey, listen, if you want to stay behind, just say the word." Harper says to Ana.

"No, ma'am. You're my TO. I'm always here for you" Ana shakes her head.

"You know, it'd be a lot easier to hate you if you weren't so damn honorable." Harper says.

Ana just gives her a sheepish smile in return.

[Timeskip]

"Is there a new ETA on Ripper from the CI?" Harper asks, sitting in the van with Calderon and Ana.

"Not since the last time you asked, five minutes ago." Calderon responds.

"This is so weird." Ana sighs, softly, reading a file.

"What?" Harper asks.

"Nolan sent me some files to look through about Howard's wife and it's like she just disappeared a few years ago" Ana explains, softly.

"Okay. What could that mean?" Harper quizzes.

"Maybe she got remarried, changed her name legally." Ana offers, softly.

"The government doesn't track names. They track Social Security numbers." Harper argues.

"Maybe she stopped working? Or maybe there's more to the story than Howard's letting on." Ana frowns, softly.

"I'd go with that. Why are you even helping Nolan with this?" Harper asks.

"I like to help people" Ana shrugs, softly.

"I've noticed, but why do you like helping people?" Harper questions.

"I-I don't know-..." Ana replies, softly, frowning.

Harper raises an eyebrow. "there are two types of people who go through unimaginable trauma. One wants vengeance on the world, they become cold and mean, they become criminals, that's the mass majority of people but the other type? The other type are people who can't imagine what they went through and are determined to make sure that everyone else in their life is happy, even if they aren't. It's self destructive" Harper analyzes.

"maybe I just like to help people" Ana says, softly, looking back down at the file, though there is a frown on her face as she considers Harper's words.

"whatever you have to say to yourself to sleep at night" Harper shrugs.

[Timeskip]

"Word is, Ripper's not coming tonight." Calderon announces.

"Word could be wrong. We should sit tight." Harper insists.

"Detective. Shift's over." Calderon orders.

"All right. Let's call it. But we are back here first thing." Harper insists.

[Timeskip]

"Runt, I swear to god" Harper curses.

Ana and Harper are sitting on the floor, trying to install the furniture for Lila's room.

"what?" Ana asks, softly, looking up innocently.

"stop being so damn..." Harper trails off.

"so what?" Ana questions, softly, confused.

"how are you not frustrated?" Harper asks, having been frustrated for the past hour while Ana has been her optimistic self and gone along with all of the problems like they're nothing.

"because I know we'll figure it out eventually" Ana replies, softly.

"I hate you" Harper says, though Ana knows she doesn't mean it.

Ana smiles and goes back to trying to read the IKEA instructions.

[Timeskip]

"Look alive. Ripper's here." Calderon announces the next morning.

"Test, test, 1, 2." Harper says into the mic.

"Good to go." Calderon says.

"Ma'am, if you don't want to do this, that's okay" Ana says, softly.

"Relax, runt. This is what I do." Harper replies.

Ana watches and hears as Harper knocks on Ripper's door.

"What do you want?" Ripper asks.

"Ripper. You know me." Harper says, playing as Crystal.

"she's really good at this" Ana whispers, mostly to herself.

"she is" Calderon agrees.

"No, I don't. Get lost, junkie." Ripper says.

"Dude, hey! We used to hang out at the stash house on Montgomery back in the day. Dude. Crystal." Harper insists.

"Long time." Ripper says after a long pause.

"Too true." Harper agrees.

"So, what do you want?" Ripper asks.

"I hear you're the man now. Now, look, I-I'm down for anything." Harper says.

"Anything, huh?" Ripper asks.

"Mm-hmm." Harper fawns.

"All right. Come on." Ripper says.

Once Harper and Ripper enter Ripper's house, they can no longer see Harper and it makes Ana anxious.

"Who are your friends?" Ana hears Harper asks.

"Trust me, you don't want to know these guys. Hey, you used to hang with Eva, right?" Ana hears Ripper say.

"Yeah, for a minute." Harper shrugs.

"Hmm. Because she stole from me, you know. You here to steal from me, too?" Ripper asks.

"Look, I told you, I haven't seen Eva in years. We ended ugly." Harper says.

"we gotta to get there" Ana insists, softly, becoming more nervous.

"We won't get there in time. She's got to get herself out of this." Calderon replies.

"You say she stole from you." Harper says.

"Rescue detail, stand by." Calderon says over the radio.

"I will make her pay. I'll cut her face off with a razor. You say the word." Harper promises.

"You always were hard-core. Anyway, Eva already caught her beating. But since you're feeling so generous, I do have a job you could help with." Ripper smirks.

"Sure, sure. Anything." Harper agrees.

"Cool. Let's take a ride." Ripper says.

"she can't travel" Ana protests, softly.

"He's not giving her a choice. But her survival odds go way down inside a car. We roll in strong, they'll just kill her." Calderon responds, while Ripper and his men walk over to an SUV and gesture for Harper to get in, but she hesitates.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to come?" Ripper asks.

"Nah, nah. I'm cool." Harper replies.

"Sarge, what do you want us to do, here? Sarge." Calderon asks over the radio.

"Did Harper demonstrate any of the trouble signs?" Sergeant Grey asks.

"Negative, but she was given orders not to travel with the subject." Calderon says over the radio.

"Can you engage without further jeopardizing her safety?" Grey asks.

Ana makes a decision, putting on a hat and tucking her gun into her waistband before tying a jacket around her waist to hide it.

"Negative. Do I engage rescue?" Calderon asks while Ana gets her hands dirty on the floor of the van and puts a little bit on her face and arms.

"Not yet. But put a follow car on them, and stay alert." Grey says.

"Hey - What are you doing?!" Calderon asks but Ana is already getting out of the car.

She runs over to the SUV and gets in front of it, so the SUV has to stop.

"Hey! Where you goin?" Ana asks, as loud as she can muster.

"Yo! Don't touch the ride!" Ripper says.

"Crystal, you told me to wait for you, where are you goin'?" Ana calls to Harper.

"Yo, you know this fool?" Ripper asks, turning to Harper.

"Uh, that's my step sis" Harper answers.

"Yo, walk away." Ripper says, pointing her gun at Ana.

"Yo, make me. Crystal, let's go." Ana replies, mocking him and pulling out her own gun and pointing it at Ripper.

"Let her out." Ripper orders.

Harper gets out and walks over to Ana.

"See you around." Ripper nods to Harper.

"You, too." Ripper says, glaring at Ana before the SUV drives off.

"You got a death wish, runt?" Harper asks, turning to Ana, angry.

"maybe I'm a little self destructive" Ana giggles, sheepishly.

[Timeskip]

Five days later, Ana is trying to cook breakfast again... and failing epicly.

Carmen is allowing it because it's Ana's birthday and as long as Ana doesn't burn the apartment down, Carmen is content watching her struggle.

Ana looks up when there's a knock on the door and goes over to answer it.

"hi" Ana says, softly, smiling when she sees Lucy and Tim at the door.

"Happy birthday!" Lucy exclaims. Tim says it too but much less enthusiastically.

"thank you" Ana giggles.

"here" Lucy says, handing her a ring box.

"you didn't have to get me anything" Ana says, she hasn't received a present for her birthday in years.

"just open it" Lucy squeals.

Ana obeys, opening it to see three rings. One has a sun on it. One has a moon on it. One has a star on it.

"they're friendship rings" Lucy explains.

"oh" Ana whispers, biting her lip and trying not to cry. "thank you."

"here" Lucy says, slipping the sun ring on Ana's finger.

Tim puts on the moon ring and Lucy puts on the star ring.

"thank you both so much" Ana says, hugging both of them.

Tim relaxes a little, smiling when he realizes how much Ana really needed the gift and it makes it better for him.

"¡Tim! ¡Lucy! ¡Por favor entra! En un rato tendré listo el desayuno." Carmen says, ushering them inside. (Tim! Lucy! Please come in! I'll have breakfast ready in just a little bit.)

"Ya hice el desayuno." Ana frowns. (I already made breakfast)

"Cariño, eso no es desayuno. Es una forma de sufrir una intoxicación alimentaria." Carmen teases Ana. (Baby, that is not breakfast. It's a way to get food poisoning.)

Ana grumbles but when Lucy and Tim laugh, she can't hide her smile.

"gracias, abuela" Ana giggles. (thank you, grandma)

Ana looks down at the sun ring.

She has friends.