I don't talk to my family anymore. Don't get me wrong, they're perfectly fine people. Or at least, my mom is. My dad, on the other hand… You know what? Let me start from the beginning.
My dad has been a lawyer for a while, well before the Breach. High power firm, prestigious court cases, enormous salary, the works. He loves what he does more than life itself. So it only makes sense that he'd expect his first born son to follow in his footsteps. Sorry, Dad. Henry doesn't truck with that bullshit.
From a young age, I wanted to make the world right, more than I wanted to make money. Which didn't sit well with my dad, as you might imagine. The last word I heard from him was after I accepted a job on the force, and it was something along the lines of "Get the hell out of my house". Fine by me. He's already got my younger brother Price in his firm, the perfect little brown-noser. And Keri's a sorority girl in college, just like every other preppy girl.
My mom would surprise you though. Outwardly, she's your typical LA trophy wife. Fake boobs, fake nose, and a fake smile for the homeowner's association. I never really knew her that well. She never connected much with us kids. I got the impression my dad was the one who wanted kids. But when my dad cut me off, I started finding letters from her in the mail with a couple hundred dollars every few months. I think it's whatever she could scrape together and send my way, since I don't think my dad ever let her handle much of the money himself. I really oughta send her a Mother's Day card this year.
However, once I got away from home, things seemed to go smoother for me. The guys on the force were pretty gruff with me at first. Tougher, not from the same background as me. Pretty hardcore, or so I thought. The hazing was pretty rough at first, but I seem to have earned a few friends.
In the meantime, I keep myself entertained. I've got a weak spot for hockey (GO DUCKS!), and I like to spend my weekend with my metal detector on the beach. I've found some pretty crazy stuff there… And I've got a few guilty pleasures, as well. Who doesn't? Let's just say I have a mean falsetto, but only in the shower.
Actually, one of those hobbies is what lead me to meeting Linda. It was a weekend afternoon on the beach, and I heard someone walk up beside me and say something to me that I couldn't hear over my headphones. So I looked at them and… looked directly into the most gorgeous green eyes I've ever seen, and the sunniest smile. She could have melted the bones right out of me, then. I'm still convinced that she only stuck around with me because I found a diamond ring in the sand that afternoon, and gave it to her. She keeps telling me it was for my "honesty" and "sweetness", or whatever, but I know better. Heh.
Within a few months, we were married. I'd never been much for leaping into romance, but with Linda… it felt right. I felt like I was whole, as cliche as that sounds. Like a part of me that had been missing was found. This lasted for about three years, before she was killed.
Just… I'm sorry, give me a second… *deep breath* It was a vampire. I used to say "a motherfucking, soulless leech", but my therapist has gotten me away from that. No, I don't know who did it. I just know I came home, and there she was on the floor. Laying facefirst in her own blood. I couldn't see her face… her hair was around her head like a halo, but I could see those bitemarks, clear as day. And… *deep breath* …
Whoever it was who did it got away. Never figured out any kind of motive. There wasn't any signs of struggle. But if I find that cockbiting sonnuva bitch…
Sorry, that's it. I'm done. Interview over.
Henry is his father's son, and trying desperately not to be. After growing up with a man whose temper ruled his home life and caused so much grief in the rest of the household, Henry has seen the same temper in himself and has tried very, very hard to suppress it. He's scared and ashamed of this part of himself. As such, he's trained himself to be as patient and cool as he can manage, often willing to back down rather than get in a fight. But he still has his buttons, and they can make him snap and possibly even turn violent, even against those he cares about.
Since joining the force, Henry's stoic and serious demeanor has been cracked somewhat by his partner, Jason. He's trying out being silly and impulsive, though it still doesn't quite fit him, like an oversized coat. He feels uncomfortable in his skin these days, and can be provoked to pull back into his shell.
The way Henry's wife died has left him with a sour taste for vampires and newvies. Being a night cop, this can be problematic, and he tries to do what he can to stay fair and reasonable with them. But there's always that mixture of fear/anger stewing in his mind, and it may not take much more before it bubbles over.