This takes place a few days after the events of the season finale.

Disclaimer - ABC own them. No profit is being made.

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Scene 1

(The 15th precinct detective squad room. Diane enters Lt. Fancy's office)

Diane: You wanted to see me, boss?

Fancy: Come in and close the door, Diane. (waits while Diane closes the door and turns back to him) It's about that Harry Denby.

Diane: The task force asshole we nailed?

Fancy: Right. I've got some information about him. Turns out - this thing with Jill's ex - Denby was on the job the whole time.

Diane: On the job? I don't believe it.

Fancy: That's what they're telling me, Diane. On the job, under deep cover.

Diane: The whole time? Undercover?

Fancy: The whole time. And now, for the last couple of days, they've had him in the de-tox ward over at Bellevue.

Diane: So, what, am I supposed to take him flowers and a get-well card?

Fancy: He tried to kill himself yesterday, Diane. (pauses) I'm not going to tell you what to do. But you've been undercover yourself. Maybe you've been as low as he has, maybe you haven't. But you might want to think about reaching out to him, help pull him back up.

Diane: Yeah.

(Diane opens the door and leaves Fancy's office.)

Scene 2

(Diane enters a hospital room. There is a single bed, and someone is in it, moving restlessly. As the camera pans in, we see it is Harry Denby, looking gaunt and pale. He is under restraints. Throughout the scene, Denby keeps fidgeting, and he will not look Diane in the eye. His mood changes frequently, sometimes bitter and sarcastic, sometimes earnest and apologetic.)

Diane: Hey, Denby.

Denby: Oh, great. (Struggles against the restraints.) You come for the show, Diane? The narc coming down from his high, it's great entertainment. You come to gloat, Diane?

(Diane pulls up a chair and sits next to the bed.)

Diane: I came because I heard you tried to off yourself yesterday.

Denby: Only because you wouldn't do it when I gave you the chance. You know, I'm really not up for a visitor right now. (Tries to focus his thoughts.) My conversational skills are not at their optimum. I'm feeling...a little distracted.

Diane: Listen, Denby, I've been to your little corner of hell. I'm real familiar with it. But a couple of people helped me get out of there. And if you want it, I'll help you.

(Denby says nothing, but stops fidgeting for a moment.)

Diane: So, you were straight the whole time?

Denby: Not exactly straight. (laughs) They're not going to give me a merit badge for what I did, Diane. I was already on the booze when I got the assignment. That's why I got the assignment, I could be a real convincing drunk. I 'fooled' you. Letting that asshole get me hooked on coke, well, that was just a side benefit…..adds to the verisimilitude, you know. (pauses) Diane, I wanted you to know….what I did….I had to follow the case wherever it led. Don's ex is on the job, that makes things complicated. All of a sudden, I've got Internal Affairs looking over my shoulder, wanting in.

Diane: I know.

Denby: And then, you come into the picture, and I don't know where you fit. You're the ex's partner...if she's involved, are you? I couldn't trust you. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I couldn't blow my cover.

Diane: Yeah.

Denby: I would never have let anything happen to the little boy. Where we sent him, upstate, Don didn't know, but that was to another undercover cop.

Diane: So Jill's son was always safe.

Denby: Yeah, he was safe. Diane, (pauses) I am so sorry that I used you. With your husband's ring, with what I did in the bar...the things I did...why I did them is no excuse for what I did.

Diane: You were on a case, Denby. Undercover. That wasn't the real you.

Denby: It doesn't matter. It wasn't that far off, Diane. In the bar. Not far off at all. I'm just a drunk looking for someone to drink with him.

Diane: That's just...Denby, you were undercover. You're just coming up for air now.

Denby: I'm not going to make it all the way up, Diane. I get out of here, assuming the job keeps me out of prison, I'm going to crawl right back into a bottle where I belong. See if I can drink myself to death.

(Diane rises, grabs Denby's head with both her hands and forces him to look at her.)

Diane: Denby, I'm saying I want to help you.

Denby: You want to help me Diane? You really want to help? Then do what I've been asking you to do. Take out your gun, and put a bullet in my brain. I'd consider it a professional courtesy and a great personal favor. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, free one of mine, give me your piece and I'll do it myself.

(Diane pushes the chair back against the wall, returns to the side of the bed.)

Diane: Let's take it one day at a time, shall we? I'll come and see you again tomorrow, Denby.

(Diane leaves the room as Denby watches.)

THE END