2020-05-03 - Shit Pep Talk

Perhaps it was agreed upon for the two to meet at the gun range, but Dani parks the patrol car outside in the lot before heading inside with her service revolver. Hers was a Sig P226. Currently it's at her side in a quick-release holster. Also, she's in uniform identifying her as a patrol officer even though she's been with the department for more than a decade. After checking in, she goes to her favorite stall and waits there, watching any others shooting. Watching the targets anyway, maybe ribbing one of the others lightly.

It takes a little while longer before Rick appears, stepping inside with his own service weapon. He looks around briefly before he notices Dani and heads over in her direction, glancing around at the other people shooting from time to time. "Hey," he offers, as he gets there.

Dani has a friendly enough look for him when he gets there, "Rick," she greets him with a nod. Unholstering her weapon, she changes out the mag and looks down at the target. "Should we make a bet today?" Head inclining towards the target.

Rick raises an eyebrow as he hears that, glancing over towards the target. "A bet? What kind of a bet do you have in mind?" He sounds slightly curious as he offers a grin. "Tell me more..."

"Three targets, best of three. Um. Loser has to buy breakfast at the Waffle Shoppe after an all-nighter on duty either at the jail or running patrol." There, Dani comes up with the terms, her terms for him to change or agree on. "Deal?"

Rick grins, "Bring it on," he offers, rather lightly as he looks to the targets once more. "Already loooking forward to that breakfast," he adds, a bit lightly.

"It's on like.." Dani smirks. "Something that's on." Nothing coming to her immediately. "Me too, but I wasn't aware how eager you'd be to buy me breakfast. All you had to do was ask," she counters. "Do it up, youth before beauty or something."

"Keep talking..." Rick replies, as he readies his weapon, making sure it is all ready. "Hey, I thought you said it was the loser that would be buying..." he remarks in return.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Put your money where your mouth is, kid," Dani tells him with a grin, her own weapon in hand and ready for the challenge. "Show me what you got."

Rick nods as he hears that, getting into position to fire off the shots.

Dani stands back to let him do his shooting, not really watching him, but keeping an eye on the target instead.

After having fired off his shots, Rick steps back, nodding a bit as he looks to Dani. "Your turn now," he offers, rather lightly.

Dani takes her three shots and hits pretty spot on, on all three of them. Once she finishes, she takes a step back. "I like waffles. Pecan waffles. Bacon and sausage, orange juice and hash browns." A grin at that. "Shoot a few more, get some practice in. Just be comfortable with your weapon." Advice, unwarranted.

Rick headshakes. "What did you do to..." he begins, trailing off again, before he chuckles. "Nice shooting there," he offers. "You've deserved that meal now." He headshakes at the advice, unable to hold back a grin. "With the right end of the weapon poining the way I want to shoot, right?"

Dani snickers and nudges him with her shoulder. "You betcha. Aim it right for the center, see what you can do to hit it spot on." This time there's more amusement in her voice, just ribbing him a little now.

"Why do I have the feeling you will remind me of this for a long, long time...?" Rick begins, before he shrugs. "Good to know you can handle the weapon, though. I mean, people working with me tends to need to be able to..." That last part said with a bit of a sigh, expression distant.

Shit! Things went south quick. "I won't remind you of it if you don't want me to. Not if it puts that look on your face." Dani watches him before holstering her weapon. Both blonde brows lift as she regards him. "Look, I'm sorry about your last partner. The whole department is." As far as she knows. Maybe!

Rick shrugs a little. "It's okay... I mean, it was both the last one here and the one before, back in NYC. Lately I've been worried if I was cursed or something." It's said a bit quietly as he puts away his own weapon.

"No, you're not cursed, Carlson. The world is. This town is. It's not you, seriously. A, uh.. series of unfortunate events, to quote the book title." Dani does watch him with concern before stepping back up to her mark and unholstering again. "I'm going to shoot a few more."

"Yeah," Rick replies, with a bit of a shrug. "Sometimes it just kind of feels that way, though." He turns to get into position to fire off some shots as well, expression a bit thoughtful.

"Oh of course, I'm not trying to get you to change the way you feel, but just try not to blame yourself alright? Shit happens. Everyone dies eventually." Dani's not great at pep talks.

"Everyone does, that's true," Rick replies, offering her a bit of a smile. "You might need to work a bit on the pep talks, though." It's offered with a light grin, as he shakes his head a little.

"Maybe I should talk to the chaplain or something." Dani looks at him a moment then adds almost in an offhand manner, "Or maybe you should. Maybe that'd help you some, to speak with a professional." She shoots her rounds then steps back for his go at it, pleased with her own groupings.

Rick shakes his head a little bit. "Just thinking that at some point, those pep talks might be needed to get some people to safety or something," he offers, with a brief shrug. Stepping up to fire again, he frowns a little at where the shots went. "A bit rusty, I think..."

"Ok, let me try this again. I mean, really try." Dani watches him shooting then leans a hip against the divider. "I know you're hurting. I know you blame yourself. I'm pretty sure you do anyway. I also know equally I can't talk you out of it. One day you'll realize you're not responsible for the actions of the bad guys, or your partners. Only yourself. When that day comes, you may even be able to forgive yourself."

Rick frowns as he hears that. "Thanks..." he replies, shaking his head a bit again.

Straightening, Dani nods, "Anytime. Let's get out of here, go babysit the roads a little while. C'mon." Taking lead, escorting him out to the patrol car, adopting any change of conversation she can find.