Jim lay there for hours watching the shadows dance on his ceiling. His thoughts kept dancing between why Molly was clearly upset with him, and to what had happened with Chris when she came to visit.

Nurse Jackie appeared in the doorway. "Trouble sleeping?"

He let out a chuckle and raised his eyebrows with a nod, "Somethin' like that."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Ah, no, I'll be fine, just need to switch off this head you know." He smiled.

She nodded and looked about, "Well, push the button if you need anything." Jim thanked her and rolled over. Eventually his eyes grew heavy and he succumbed to sleep.

Molly had been tossing and turning again too. She replayed that conversation with Chris over and over in her head. Dissecting the finer details of the words she had chosen. Molly was still convinced that Chris had those feelings for Jim. She had not actually denied that once, she had said how important Jim was to her, and that she cared about him. She had skilfully scooted around those words and then left at the first chance she had. Part of Molly again became angry that Chris had not just said, "No, I don't like Jim like that." That is all Molly really had wanted her to say. Instead she chose words like, "I will not interfere in your relationship." Now just further confirming in Molly's mind that she did in fact have feelings for Jim.

Molly had no real idea what to do though. Part of her was telling herself to just let go. To tell Jim this wasn't working. To protect herself and just walk away before she got hurt any more. But, a big part of her wanted to confront him. To ask him if he had feelings for Chris, to make him give her an answer and if need be to yell at him and let out what she was keeping in.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Laying there calming herself down she counted the seconds in and out as her chest rose and fell. Her thoughts skipped to what Jim had told her about. The stuff about he and Chris in the early days. How he had relentlessly hit on her. How she had not just shot him down, but that she had taken the time to show him that she, like many other women out there, deserved respect and had their own values and boundaries. He had explained at length how he and Chris became friends after that. Each other's support person. Each other's sounding boards. How she was always there for him and he her. That was when the reality of the situation finally hit her, heavy like a tonne of bricks or a punch to the chest that steals your breath. This, whatever it was between them, it wasn't a new thing at all. This had been there the entire time and she had just like everyone else around them, missed it. Clearly, they both hadn't acted on those feelings because of their situation, well until that kiss, then, well now, they both obviously still have those feelings deep down. Molly felt like an idiot that she hadn't seen any of this all along. That she had pushed her way into Jim's life. Molly laughed at herself, 'I mean I didn't force him to date me, but it was probably just a welcome distraction from losing Chris like he explained,' she thought. 'And, maybe now, with Chris being single again and him being on a different team, well, maybe I am the one in the way?'

She knew she would need to talk to him, but the idea of it scared her. She didn't want to lose Jim. She was falling for him. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, her tears stained the pillow.

The next day, the doctors had Jim up and about on his feet. He spent the morning beginning to move his shoulder and arm to do gentle exercises with the rehabilitation nurse. He was almost finished when Molly stopped by with lunch. They ate together and sat for a while, making small talk. Jim noticed how Molly was still a little awkward though. He had to try and get her to talk. He grinned to himself that right now, she was a little like he had been before. Closed off and not being open and honest.

"Molly," he began turning to her, "remember in the café that day you told me to be open and honest and tell you things. That you can handle more than I think you can?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, are you honestly okay? I mean, this, I dunno tension I feel?" He looked at her questioningly.

"Yeah," she sighed, and reached over to hold his hand. "I am okay, I just," she shook her head a little as if deciding again not to bring up Chris. "I am just really glad you're up and about."

He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "You know, honestly you seem far from happy right now and I am not an idiot. I sensed the tension between you and Chris yesterday, and I think I need to explain something that has upset you."

Molly looked back at him a bit surprised. "Okay?"

"Chris is listed on my LAPD file as my next of kin because when I joined SWAT and had to update everything, I, I honestly had no one else. She was really my only friend and the only person I could count on. I never listed her there as anything more, or to upset you. If I had thought about that earlier, I would have updated it and listed you, but…"

"Jim," Molly sighed. "I get that. I do. God, you make it sound so petty, but that's not why I was upset by that."

Jim looked back at her puzzled. "Then can you please tell me what upset you?"

"Maybe you should talk to Chris about her visit." Streets eyes went wide, as he scanned her face before she looked away from him.

"Wait, What? Molly?" He waited for her to turn back to him. He gently squeezed her hand. "What do you mean? What happened? You know I don't remember her coming at all. I was still sedated."

"Yeah," Molly nodded, "Well, I was waiting downstairs with Dad, all they had told us was you were in surgery and it was bad." She paused and looked at him. "Do you have any idea how awful that is? To sit in a waiting room, wondering if the person you love is alive or dead."

Jim blinked slowly looking down. He could feel Molly's anger was building a little. He was sad that she felt like this, again he felt like he failed her. Then her words finally sunk in and he smiled slightly. Did she just admit that she loves him? He decided not to spoil her train of thought so gently stroked her hand as she continued.

Molly blinked back a tear and fidgeted. "Eventually, I was allowed to come and see you but when I got to the door, Chris was in here. I might be just over reacting, but I saw her with you and I," she paused.

"You what?" He asked, almost holding his breath.

"I won't lie Jim; I didn't like what I saw and heard. Okay maybe I am just being a jealous crazy girlfriend, but, I," she stood up and turned away. "It felt like," letting go of his hand she stepped towards the window. "Like I am the third wheel here, in the way, standing between you two. And well I am starting to think that I am."

In that split second Streets mind went crazy. What exactly had Molly seen and heard when she came to see him? What did Chris do and say to upset Molly like this? For Molly to be thinking that she was standing between them?

"Molly!" Jim exhaled and climbed off the bed. Stepping to her. "Come here." He reached out to hug her, but she shook him off.

"No, I think I should just go and get home. It's getting late."

"Please," Jim gently caught her fingers in his hand. She looked back up at him.

"I, I'm sorry, I just can't say I like this all right now."

Jim looked down sadly. "Are you telling me it's over?"

"No, no Jim I am not, but I hate feeling like this. I know we need to work it all out and just be honest with each other, but I just, I can't do this right now." He reached out and grabbed her gently, hugging her into him. Molly closed her eyes and dropped her stiffened shoulders, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry Molly." He whispered. "I'm sorry I'm such a shitty boyfriend and a screw up."

"Jim. No, you are a good guy. You just have some things to figure out." She watched his face, as he tried to decipher what she said. "Let's just get some rest and we can talk more tomorrow." Molly forced a smile, briefly looking up at him. Jim leant down and kissed her cheek softly, before she took her things and left. It felt like she was pulling away and it was hurting Street. He was so lost and confused.

Street sat by the window in a daze. His mind was racing with what on Earth Molly was referring to. What could Chris have done and said? He looked at his phone and wondered if he should text her. But honestly, what would he say? How would he ask her? It just didn't feel right.

Nurse Jackie came in and placed his dinner on the table as his phone flashed up with a message from Luca.

'Hey man, can we swing by and see you? Are you still up?'

Hmm, the team coming by, maybe it could give him the chance to talk to Chris. If he could make her stay til they all leave now Molly isn't here. He sat finishing his dinner, as he looked up to see Deacon, Tan and Luca at his door.

"Hey buddy," Luca said with a big smile, walking over and hugging him, with Tan and Deac just behind.

"Hey, so good to see you guys. Thanks for stopping by."

"Anytime man," Tan smiled hugging him.

"Hey where's Hondo and Chris?" He asked casually.

"Oh, Hondo had stuff with Hicks to finish up and Chris left early. But never fear! We are here!" Luca laughed. Street wondered why Chris had left work early and not come to see him with the guys. 'Was she mad at him? Staying away because of Molly? On a date?' He asked himself. The guys all hung out with Street for a while. Telling him about the latest cases and things happening at work.

Soon, they had said their goodbyes, and closed the door. Street sighed and looked at his phone. He really wanted to know why Chris hadn't come by with them. He decided to send her a text.

'Hi, hope I'm not interrupting your night. I was hoping you would stop by soon. I miss you'

Chris was sitting on her lounge, eating takeout when she saw her phone light up. She looked down at the screen on the pillow next to her. Shaking her head at the sight of his name. 'What does he want?' Seeing his words made a piece of her heartbreak and soar at the same time. She looked at it for a while. 'No, I can't reply. I need to give him space,' she mumbled. Ignoring it and heading to bed.

The next day, Deac watched her move about the locker room. He could tell something was up. Chris was not herself. She was really quiet and had been in 2 hours early working out.

"Hey, um, can I stop you for a sec."

"Mmmm, What?"

"Well, that poor defenceless punching bag took quite the beating this morning." He saw her smile a fraction. "What's going on with you Chris? Wanna talk?" Chris shook her head and sat on the bench. Holding her towel and looking at the floor.

"Hey," Deac slid next to her and watched her intently. "Chris, I am worried about you? Is it all the Street stuff? You're worried about him?"

"Kinda, it's um," she chewed her lip. "I had a run in with Molly."

Deac sat back widening his eyes. "A run in? What do you mean?"

"You know how Hondo sent me to the hospital when Street was shot? Well I went in the back entrance and up to the surgical floor. When I told Nurse Jackie who I was and who I was there for, she took me straight to him and I saw him first, before Hicks and Molly."

"Ahhh," Deacon nodded. "So, she is jealous or angry with you huh?"

"Yeah, I guess jealous is the word, I mean, Deac," She turned slightly and looked at Deacon with sadness and hurt on her face. "She thinks I am," she again paused, and looked down frowning.

"What? She thinks you are what?"

"An issue in her relationship." Deacon sighed and looked at her. Chris's head hung low and Deacon could tell this was hurting her. He reached his hand out to her knee.

"You're not gunna like me saying this. But are you?"

"No!" Chris frowned and looked at Deacon shocked. "Street and I aren't involved. We are just friends Deac. And anyway, I would never intentionally interfere in a relationship like that."

"Chris, hold on, no, I am not saying you and Street are cheating or anything, but your friendship is a pretty damn close one and well I am guessing to most women that that would be an issue. I'd also say that is why she feels threatened by you."

Chris nodded. "Yeah, ok, I guess you are right. I do honestly right now, feel like the issue in their relationship, and it's killing me Deac."

Deacon sighed and pursed his lips. "Then you need to talk to her. Talk to him. Talk to them both and work it out. If Street and Molly are gonna stay together then you can't keep going like this. Or you are going to lose your best friend."

"Yeah, thanks Deac." Chris said, smiling sadly at him. Deacon leaned over and hugged her. Maybe that was how it was just meant to be though.

"Hey, Molly is a decent, smart girl Chris. She can handle it, and you can too." Chris just sat nodding as Deac closed his locker and headed out. She knew she needed to deal with this. That continuing to run away from any mention of him or Molly and ignoring him was not really going to help at all. But how could she go about talking to him? For now, she decided to shove it all in a box inside her head and deal with it later. They had just caught a big case and she knew the next few days were going to be full on and demanding.

Wednesday morning quickly became late Sunday Night. Chris had been crazily busy at work and had pushed the Street and Molly drama to the back of her head as best she could. So when he text her to tell her he was being released she had just chosen to ignore it. 'Give them space.' She told herself. She had assumed that Molly would be right there, as she should be.

Wearily, Chris walked out of HQ towards her truck, rubbing at her tired stinging eyes she frowned when his name appeared on her phone. His text read,

'Hi, you got a minute?'

Chris scrunched up her lips looking up at the night-time lights of LA. She knew that she couldn't keep ignoring him. That Deac was right. She needed to talk to him. To try to start to sort this mess out. So, she typed back,

'Yeah, just about to finish my shift. What's up?' The next thing she knew her phone was ringing, his name on the screen. 'Shit,' she muttered, answering it and walking to her truck.

"Hi, how are you?" He asked.

"Tired." Chris answered.

"Big shift?"

"Big Shifts, plural." She sighed, getting in and closing her door.

"Look, I know this might not be a great time. I just, I can't keep sitting here each day in this damn room overthinking shit." There was a pause, but Chris didn't say anything. "Molly um, told me about your chat in the parking lot."

"She did? What did, what did she say?" Chris stuttered.

"That she told you she saw you when you came to visit me. That I should ask you about that visit, because it upset her a bit."

"Oh, right." Chris answered. Her mind racing.

"Chris, tell me what is going on with you please. I know you're not good with words. That talking stuff out isn't really your thing, but I can't exactly be there right now to pry it out of you." Chris smiled. He was right. He often had to push and push to get her to say things she needed to say. "And I know you're avoiding me, so come on, talk to me."

"Street, it's nothing I am just…. busy."

"Bullshit." He whispered, almost playfully. "You are like this when you are either uncomfortable, pissed off at me or upset? Which is it?"

Chris sucked in a long breath, nodded silently and blinked up at the sky.

"Molly and I did have a chat, yes. That's why I've been giving you space." She said slowly.

"Then tell me about it, please Chris." She could hear the fear in his voice. Chris closed her eyes and rested her head on the steering wheel. There was a silence for a while. "Chris?"

"Fine," Chris mumbled into the phone. "Bottom line, she feels like I am a threat to your relationship. And it's kinda just hit me that she is right. I am, and so I am staying away.'

"What do you mean you are?" He asked.

"Molly doesn't want me around you Jim. I know she feels like me being around you is an issue."

She listened to the silence on the other end of the phone. "Jim?"

"Fuck! This is a mess. I have stuffed it all up like usual. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into my shit. I, um…"

"Look, you need to talk to her. Be honest. Tell her everything you feel." Chris said, interrupting him. "I will give you space for a while, not because I don't care Jim. But because you two don't have a fair chance with me being around when she is clearly not comfortable with me being there."

"Chris, come on. You are my best friend and Molly is a smart enough adult to accept that."

"Yeah, but Jim," Chris sat back and rested her head on the headrest, she licked at her lips and hesitated before saying the next part. "If she knew EVERYTHING, which I am gonna guess she doesn't."

"What do you mean by everything?" Street interrupted. "I told her about the fundraiser night and how this all started to be complicated with you. I told her that we worked through it and agreed on living our own lives, but that we are still best friends, important to each other."

"I know, but did you tell her about that other night, at Luca's on the basketball court? What you told me before we went inside?" Again, silence on the end of the phone as she heard him exhale. Chris was holding her breath. "Or, did you not actually mean that?" She asked her voice lower, shaky and unsure.

"Chris," he whispered slowly as he closed his eyes. He felt the ache in his heart. She heard the silence again. This time she wasn't saying anymore. "Of course I meant it." He admitted. She would swear she could hear him start to sob. "You know how I feel. I…. I know that what I said was unfair on both you, and her. I …. I'm sorry."

"Look, you said she makes you happy. So, go talk to her, be honest, and I will give you two space to work it out. But I um, have gotta go."

"Chris. Wait, I am sorry. I…. I never meant to hurt you." There was an unmistakable sadness in his voice.

"Yeah, I know."

"Then, what do I do now?" He asked almost begging her to fix this.

Chris shook her head and looked out her window. "You gotta do whatever it is that you feel is right. I can't answer that for you. I can't be the bad guy all the time either." Chris's own voice started to shake a little too.

"God! Chris, you know that that is not how I think of…"

"I know, but it's kinda how it looks and feels. I am not going to walk around feeling like the other woman in your relationship."

"Chris!" There was a raw pleading in his voice right now. He hated that she felt like this. That she felt like this because of him. That this situation was such a mess.

"You need to talk to her. Work out what you really want."

Suddenly Jim felt the weight of her words. That what Molly must have seen and heard the other night was Chris showing him that she really did care, that almost losing him had pushed her to let some of that out. Even if it was only in a room with him unconscious, when she thought no one else would know. It made him momentarily smile, but at the same also made him feel a little sick inside that Molly must be holding onto a lot more than he realised.

"I, I want…." He paused and closed his eyes. Saying what he was thinking right now would not be fair. "I want to fix this Chris. No, I don't wanna hurt Molly, but I can't lose you either."

"Then I dunno." She paused. "You need to take some time. Talk to her. Make a damn decision. Until then I will stay away. I gotta go. Bye." She hung up.

She sat in her truck watching the other officers arrive for shift. Had she really just kind of given him an ultimatum? Fuck. Her hands were shaking. Her heart was pounding, and she was in a daze.