#arthur tragg

Perry:

He’s quiet when Hamilton tells him, but the district attorney doesn’t hold it against him. Tragg has been around ever since Perry first set foot in his office, so for him to one day not be there…

He knew it was going to happen at some point. In fact, when Perry first met the lieutenant, he was surprised he wasn’t retired already. The man responded by saying he’d continue to do his job until he dropped. Well here they are.

The lawyer’s largely emotionless when he goes to see Tragg, but Tragg sees right through him.

Perry cries. He shamelessly, unabashedly, cries. Tragg even holds him as he does, and Perry doesn’t stop until his nose stings and his head throbs and his mouth is painfully dry.

He just about loses it when Tragg hands him his badge, telling him he can keep it.

Perry keeps it framed in his home and he doesn’t leave the hospital.

Della:

She’s at the hospital as soon as she can make it.

It was like being punched in the stomach, seeing him in that hospital bed. It felt so wrong to her. That wasn’t the man she knew.

Tragg, she discovers, doesn’t have any family left. Before it can make her feel any worse, he quickly amends his statement, saying he does still have an older brother who lives a couple states away. Though he’s too weak himself to come see him, he did send a few letters.

Della's heart warms at reading the exchanges between the two siblings.

“You really love each other, huh?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Tragg laughed, “saw him once not long before I tumbled. Wish I could’ve seen him more often, but I couldn’t get away from work easily. I’m thankful he understood.”

“Paul, Perry, and I can go see him after…” she trailed off at the implication. Her chest burned and the back of her throat felt heavy.

Tragg tells her he appreciates it, and he’s sure his brother will, too.

She can only nod, the pain in her stomach doubling, before she’s up and hugging him, trying not to get his shoulder wet (and failing).

It only worsens as Tragg’s arms tighten around her.

Paul:

What he would’t give to shoot rubber bands with Tragg in his office again. Under less tense circumstances anyway.

So that’s what Paul does. He brings a box of rubber bands to Tragg's hospital room, and they quietly shoot them across the room. Despite what would inevitably happen, it was less tense. Peaceful, even.

Tragg still has incredible aim and range despite his condition.

Paul feels heavy and hollow. He’s known Tragg for a long time, and he’s terrified of what will happen when he’s no longer there.

He trusts Andy, and has no doubt he’ll be a wonderful step-in for the old lieutenant, but still…

“I really don’t want you to go, Tragg…” He forces out, looking at the ground dejectedly. It feels so airy and weak when it leaves his lips, he isn’t sure if he was heard.