A Zoo of a Romance

Prologue Part I

"Agent Goldstein." Director Picquery slammed down her hand on her desk. Even though she was sitting, Tina observed that Director Picquery was still just as formidable – if not more in this situation – as she was standing.

Tina looked up in shock. "Director-"

"Agent Goldstein, this is final."

"Director Picquery, please reconsider-"

"Goldstein, you are fired. There is nothing you can do or say to fix this. One or even two times was okay; three and four were stretching it – and we made this perfectly clear to you, by the way – but five is ridiculous."

"Director-" Tina was on the verge of tears at this point. She was still fixated on the place Director Picquery's hand had just been (on the mahogany desk she had hoped to inherit when Picquery retired – until now). Grudgingly, she looked up.

"It is completely unacceptable for you to answer a call when you were off duty and we already had other agents on the job! Goldstein, this would have been fine on a county level. But this is federal level we're talking about! If we had wanted you there, we would have called, but we didn't; therefore, you were not wanted."

Tina wiped at her tears angrily with her sleeve.

"Those children were helpless, Director!"

"They were not helpless, Goldstein. We had five officers on call, and at this point, you're just a liability to our program."

Tina blanched. Liability, unwanted, annoying, liability-

Running trembling hands through her hair, she pleaded, "Director, is there really nothing I can do to get this job back?"

"There is not."

Tina slowly stood up from the desk. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and nodded grudgingly.

"Good day, Miss Goldstein."

Tina would not give her ex-co-workers any of the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Scrapping up any shred of dignity she had left, she exited the building with her head high and her shoulders back, not giving any indication of the turmoil inside her head.

By the time she got to her blue Toyota Camry, she was racking with sobs.

She pulled out her phone and dialed her sister's number.

"Queenie?" It was embarrassing how shaky her voice was.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Can you come pick me up?" There was a slight pause.

"Of course, Teen. I'll be right there. Love you."

Tina pulled the phone away from her ear. She sank to the ground, tears spilling out of her eyes and down her cheeks, hands in her hair. The only thought left in her head was the certainty that she would prove Picquery wrong.

Tina Goldstein was better than a liability.

A/N: votes and comments are always appreciated!!

also, if you happen to love music as much as i do, i created a spotify playlist for this fic based on what i was listening to while writing it. if you want to listen to it, copy and paste this link: https://open.spotify.com/user/49he40djbkm48vfuxwdjared4/playlist/75zN3AWHa25oyqhVqZJtIJ?si=O6oRDigyTgCqzoY5L42RxQ

tysm for reading!!