----

"It's been a month." Camila groaned as her and Ally drove around the city.

"And? That's kinda how time works." Ally mumbled around a sandwich.

"Nothing has happened. Charlie said they'd run some stings but like I haven't heard anything in a couple weeks." Camila huffed, her hands flexing on the wheel.

"Maybe he's lying low after being busted twice." Ally pointed out. Camila couldn't help but agree that it was a reasonable suggestion.

"Well maybe he needs to get laid and get busted one last time." Camila scowled.

And just like that her phone rang.

"Cabello? It's happening tonight. Final sting op." Charlie's voice crackled through her phone eagerly and Camila fistpumped.

"Awesome. We'll be there." Camila replied with a grin.

"See you then Charlie." Ally said sweetly before hanging up. "Are you magic? 'Cause that was impressive."

"Tonight. It's all gonna kick off tonight." Camila muttered, a renewed glint in her eye.

----

Camila rubbed her hands together as she sat in the back of Charlie's car.

"Can you turn the heating up?"

"Doesn't work." Charlie murmured.

"This car is crap."

"I'm borrowing it from Peralta. It was the shittiest car I could think of for this kind of operation." Charlie snickered and checked in with the rest of the squad.

Mike Jauregui's Bentley pulled up and came to a stop on the corner.

"Wait 'till she gets in the car lads." Charlie said into the radio.

The second the passenger door closed, sirens flicked on and cops came from every angle, pinning the Bentley in.

The three of them leaped out of Peralta's crappy car and straight for the Bentley, Charlie hauled Mike out of the car and patted him down as another officer did the same with the woman.

"We got drugs here Puth."

Charlie patted down his jacket and his eyes widened in surprise as he pulled out his own baggie along with a large caliber pistol.

"So do I." He muttered. "Michael Jauregui you are under arrest for possession, soliciting and having a concealed weapon."

Camila watched as Charlie read Mike his rights and led him to one of the squad cars.

"Can you believe this is actually happening?" Camila muttered to Ally as they watched everything unfold.

"Looks like we might be working for major crimes in the next few weeks." Ally said, fist bumping Camila.

"As long as Vives doesn't get him off."

"I'd like to see her wiggle out of this one." Ally snorted. Camila sighed.

"Until he's paid bail or stuck awaiting trial, I'm not believing shit."

----

Camila was happy to be proven wrong. Lucy Vives really couldn't wiggle out of it. She had a weak line on entrapment but it was quickly dismissed by Charlie who quickly laid out their defense.

Camila watched, her uniform still buttoned up and perfect as Mike Jauregui sat in the holding cell on floor 2. Her and Ally were talking with Santiago when the elevator doors opened and in strolled Lauren.

"Where's my father?" She said, rather calmly, as she saw Sergeant Jeffords desk near the entrance.

"In holding. We need to process him before we can post bail."

"Great. I'll just wait then." Lauren huffed and walked into the break room with a scowl. She glanced at Camila and frowned.

"Don't you dare." Ally muttered when Camila smirked. "You get us sued, you can kiss your career goodbye Mila."

Camila sank down in her chair and pouted at her coffee cup. Santiago rolled her eyes fondly before heading back into the bullpen.

"I can feel your smugness from here Cabello." Lauren drawled after the silence dragged on. She lounged on the sofa, with one arm tucked behind her head.

"Smugness? Nope, not here." Camila responded.

"Mila..." Ally warned.

"Yeah Mila, watch it." Lauren said, moving over to the table and sipping on Camila's coffee.

"That's my coffee." Camila sighed, biting her tongue to say anything vaguely antagonistic.

"And now it's mine. I see you bought that old Firebird." Lauren said carefully, watching Camila closely.

"Well it was just such a good price." Camila replied blankly.

"I just think you liked pressing me up against it." Lauren purred. "And if you hadn't locked up my dad, you might've had a repeat performance one day... just without the handcuffs"

"Charlie. Locked up your dad. Not me." Camila corrected. Lauren hummed and tilted her head.

"No response for anything else I see." Lauren pointed out with a smirk. "You were there. And from what I heard, you busted my dad's little affair."

Camila twitched; they might be a crime family but they were still all family, and being exposed as a cheater is never good on anyone. She was firmly ignoring the way Lauren had ignited a small fire in her chest.

"Who'd you hear that from?"

"I have my sources. Just like I expect you had yours." Lauren replied with an indifferent shrug.

"This was bound to happen eventually." Camila said, folding her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"How so?"

"You can't be lucky forever."

"It's not luck. It's skill; honed over years of practice." Lauren corrected, her eyes narrowing.

"Then he needed more practice."

"Mila." Ally said firmly.

"Come on Ally, we all heard Jauregui Sr. was losing his touch. Why else would he be stepping down?" Camila said with a tight smile.

"I'm going to enjoy paying his bail. Watching your face do that cute thing when you get frustrated. It's going to be glorious." Lauren said, leaning across the table slightly.

"And I am going to enjoy him losing his trial." Camila said with a smirk.

"Fuck. You."

"In your dreams Jauregui."

----

Camila tried not to give her the satisfaction of getting annoyed when Lauren did indeed pay her father's bail.

But the wink shot her way as they left the precinct told her she didn't quite get a handle on her clenched jaw.

"God it's gonna be so good when he goes away." Camila breathed out, stretching her arms above her head.

"Well Santiago gave us the next couple of days off, so let's get some sleep. Relax tomorrow and then go out and get trashed." Ally laughed.

"Sounds perfect." Camila sighed.

----

"God I can't believe this." Lauren mumbled, her head leaning against the window of the SUV. Normani and Dinah had come to pick her and Mike up; Normani was driving them home, Lauren shrunk into the backseat and tried to pretend this was all a nightmare.

"It's gonna be alright mija." Mike said from the front, not turning around to face her. Lauren closed her eyes, letting the cold window sooth her pulsing head.

"Is it bad sir?" Normani whispered.

"Put it this way, Lucy is finally going to earn the money we pay her."

"It can't be that simple. They can't ruin you with- with a- a soliciting charge." Lauren exclaimed, the words burning her throat and tears welling in her eyes.

The tips of Mike's ears turned red and he clenched his jaw.

"There was also a drug charge. One of distributing." Mike said quietly.

"But it's not true. You wouldn't."

"I..." Mike trailed off and Lauren felt her heart crack. She always thought her dad was an open book with her, with his family. She was learning that she didn't know her father as well as she thought she did.

"They won't make anything stick..." Lauren mumbled, trying to reassure herself. When Dinah gently took her hand, she knew it didn't work.

----

Lauren hadn't seen the whole family in one room in years. Not since her father took over from his father.

And yet here they all were, waiting for them in her father's office. Mike moved to his chair and faced his family.

Lauren caught the eye of her mother and saw the simmering anger behind them, the way she clutched Chris' hand tighter and how Taylor refused to look at her father.

"The rumours are true. My arrest... is imminent." The room erupted into murmurs and whispers. "They will most likely be raiding every known hideout we have. To prepare, you must hide everything, they cannot find anything to prosecute the family. The blame must fall to me."

The lieutenants all looked between each other before relaying orders back to their men. Half the room emptied and all that was left was the blood relatives; the Jaureguis.

Lauren felt a shiver go down her spine before she saw Dinah and Normani walking back into the room. They nodded to her and Lauren raised her chin.

"It's time kiddo."

Lauren stepped up to the desk and watched as Mike brought out a necklace from his desk.

"I'm not ready." Lauren whispered.

"Neither was I. But you are prepared. More so than I ever was. You worked the streets much longer than my father permitted me, and you have more than proven that a run in with the coppers doesn't slow you down." Mike reassured her, placing the necklace in her hand.Lauren looked down at it; it was a small silver tablet with a rune in the middle, it looked like chicken foot had stepped on it.

"What is it?"

"It's the ancient rune for bravery. My father gave it to me the day I took over. I felt it was only appropriate for you to have it now." Mike fiddled with the ring on his pinky finger before sliding it off.

It was a silver signet ring, a small J pressed into it.

"This, however, has been in the family far longer." Mike stared at it before sighing. "I had hoped I could give you more guidance before handing it over, but it will have to do like this."

Lauren carefully took the ring and inspected it, feeling it's weight; both metaphorically and physically.

"I'll have to get it resized." Lauren said with a faint smile.

"And don't forget to visit your old man in the lock up." Mike cracked a grin, placing his hand on Lauren's shoulder. "You're gonna do amazing."

"New York won't know what hit it." Lauren agreed quietly, still looking at the ring, the necklace now swinging from her neck.

No sooner had Lauren tucked the ring in her jeans pocket, there was a knock on the office door. It swung open to reveal Detective Puth and a few officers.

"You lot move faster than I remember." Mike sighed. The room was silent as Detective Puth placed the handcuffs on Mike's wrists, read him his rights and led him from the office.

Lauren finally looked to her mum and siblings; they looked as torn as Lauren felt. Dinah and Normani wrapped their arms around Lauren's shoulders and waist.

"You've got this Jauregui." Dinah muttered.

"Here's to hoping Lucy can save him." Chris said lightly. They all nodded.

"In the meantime, you girls should go out." Her mother said with a tight smile, "There won't be much time to party when you're running Brooklyn Laur."

"That... sounds like a plan." Lauren agreed. "Right after I get this ring adjusted."

----

Camila loved to feel the pulse of the bass running through her body. There was nothing better in her opinion. It all just led to dancing and laughing and drinking. The best things in life.

Which was why she was waiting for her drink, watching Ally dance with Hayley and Kehlani. Camila smiled a thank you to the bartender and sipped on her drunk, leaning on the bar with a smile.

"God you look smug."

Camila blinked at the voice in her ear and turned her head over her shoulder. Her eyes widened at the scowl and dark green eyes looking back at her.

"Jauregui?"

"Have I stumbled into a cop night club? 'Cause that would suck." Lauren said as she motioned to the bartender who was quick to put a beer in front of her.

"What do you want Jauregui?" Camila sighed, turning her body around to look at Lauren more clearly.

"Last night of freedom of course." Lauren said, clinking her beer against Camila's glass. Camila frowned and took a sip from her drink as Lauren raised the bottle to her lips. Lauren smirked at the confusion on Camila's face, turning her hand slightly and watching as Camila's eyes grew wide.

"You're-"

"So far above your paygrade, you can't even touch me." Lauren said, leaning in closer to Camila, ignoring the way her skin tingled and sparked. "Best you forget you ever heard the name Jauregui."

"You threatening a cop Jauregui?" Camila said, not backing down and narrowing her eyes. Lauren straightened up and looked down at Camila.

"Just a reminder that I'm out of your league Cabello." Lauren said before she turned on her heel and meandered across the dancefloor. Camila watched with a scowl as Lauren passed her friends and joined her own on the other side of the dancefloor.

Camila found herself downing her drink as her friends quickly made their way to her side.

"Was that-" Ally started, glancing over her shoulder towards Lauren, Dinah and Normani doing shots.

"Yep."

"She say anything?" Hayley asked, tapping her finger against the bartop.Camila hesitated and pushed her glass away from her.

"Nope." She replied. "I'm going to head out, not really in the mood to party now."

Her three friends looked like they wanted to protest but they seemed to understand. Camila fished into her pockets for her car keys and Ally's hand landed over them.

"Mila-"

"Relax. I had one drink." Camila smiled softly. "I'll see you tomorrow for wallowing." Ally nodded, still looking concerned.

----

The bitter winter air was enough to shock the alcohol from Camila's system when she stepped out of the club. She pulled her jacket closer around her and pulled her hood up. She swung her keys around her finger as she walked down the street, the black of her car finally coming into view. She stood at the drivers door and looked at the car; the silver of the phoenix design on the hood glinting under the streetlight.

"You know," Camila spun around at the voice, "it really is quite a nice car."

"And this is bordering on stalking." Camila huffed, folding her arms and glaring at Lauren. She was standing a couple feet away, looking at her car with her hands dug deep into her jean pockets, her shoulders hunching in from the wind.

"I mean, if you hadn't bought it. I probably would've stolen it at some point." Lauren shrugged. Camila leaned against her car, unlocking it quickly before the alarm decided to go off.

"So, you going to steal this from me?"

"And have you catch me? Please, I'm not an idiot." Lauren scoffed. Camila felt her lip twitch and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to catch you soon anyway, so why not speed up the process?"

"Is it impossible for you to have a nice conversation?" Lauren groaned, a frustrated smile crossing her face.

"With you? Yes."

"Why? Because I'm a criminal? That doesn't make me an inherently bad person." Lauren rolled her eyes when Camila looked at her incredulously.

"It literally does."

"I've never hurt anybody." Lauren said indignantly. "Stealing from a few high end jewellers who have everything insured, isn't hurting anybody. I've never shot or stabbed anyone. The most I've done is punched someone to get away."

"Doesn't mean you won't." Camila pointed out. Lauren narrowed her eyes and took a few calculated steps towards Camila. She took a deep breath and refused to look away from Camila's eyes.

Camila felt her keys dig into her hand as Lauren got closer, her fist tightening with every step Lauren took.

"Do I look like a killer to you?" Lauren asked lowly, her hand coming to rest on the top of Camila's car.

"I don't know you Lauren," Camila replied firmly, "I don't know anything about you."

"Oh I think you know more than most." Lauren insisted quietly, her eyes searching for something in Camila's eyes.

"There's nothing stopping you from becoming a killer." Camila's lip trembled the longer Lauren looked at her.

"I swear to you, on my life, I will never, ever, harm another living thing... unless it's a spider." Lauren said, her lips twitching into a smile at the end of her sentence.

And with that Lauren pushed off the car and wandered down the street and ducked back into the club.

Camila didn't breath until she'd seen Lauren's back disappear through the door.

----

When Camila returned to her apartment she looked at the cork board, now empty since her evidence was with Charlie at Major Crimes.

She looked at the thin Lauren Jauregui file on her coffee table, she'd been reluctant to hand that over to Charlie for some reason.

Camila pinned the smug mug shot of Lauren at the top of the cork board. She grabbed a post-it note and scribbled one sentence on it, pinning it just below the picture.

She doesn't like spiders.