Thank you to Lalez for your inspiration, assistance and motivation with this chapter, I hope you like it.
~ Chapter also completed with assistance from Chris C ~
As Molly walked down the halls of HQ with Mark at her side, he continued to answer her question about how things are going back in Pittsburg.
"There have been a few changes at the office lately actually." Suddenly a lightbulb went off in his head. His eyes grew wide and he smiled. "Hey, you know what?"
"What?" She chuckled nervously looking at him.
"There is an executive level position opening up in a week or so and, well," he paused and tapped her arm for her to stop. "You should apply for it! Come back to Pittsburg." He said. "I mean I know you said you are kind of getting used to it here but come on. We all know how much you love Pittsburg."
Molly shook her head, instantly dismissing the idea. "No, no, I can't, I mean, I've only just moved back here and I am neck deep in cases and work and….."
"And what?"
"And," she smiled, "I wouldn't even get a look in to a position like that,"
"Yes, you would!" Mark interrupted. "Trust me the higher ups noticed you and your loss was felt. On top of that you are doing such amazing work here that this would be a fantastic promotion for you. A step up the chain. You should consider applying. You've worked hard and been through enough. You deserve it!"
'Been through enough... hell yes I have,' she muttered in her own head glancing away out the window.
"I'll think about it." She offered trying to get him to stop.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Street had just entered Hicks office and was nervously waiting for the Commander to finish his phone call as he sat in the chair.
"Ok, I will let you know as soon as I have that data. Thank you." His tone was a little annoyed as he placed the phone back down heavily and sighed.
"Been a day huh?" Street offered trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah," Hicks answered. "Damn paper pushers in their offices have no idea how we operate." He shook his head a little and sighed.
"Anyway, sorry, back to you. You have all the clearances I assume?"
"Yes, Sir." Street held them out to Hicks. "Just need your sign off and I am good to go."
Hicks nodded reading over the paperwork as Street nervously tried not to fidget. His heart was racing, and he kept wondering if the Commander would ask about Molly. Which again made his pulse rise.
"Ok, all looks good. Are you feeling up to being back on full duty?" Hicks asked looking up at him.
"Yes, I am, definitely." He answered with a nod.
"Ok, well, I am sure the guys will be glad to have you back. But listen Street, before I sign these, I need you to think about something." He briefly paused and Street felt his heart race a million miles an hour. "With these new policy revisions that are coming in, HR want me to have 50 David and 20 David Teams settled to permanent positions. That's gunna mean that I need you to decide which team you would like to stay on permanently."
"Oh." Street paused and he thought his heart had stopped beating. "Okay." He answered a bit shocked.
"I'll try to give you leeway of a few shifts to discuss with Rocker and Hondo if you need to."
"Yeah that would be great." Street answered a bit flustered.
As he closed the door and leant on the wall outside Hick's office, he rested his head back, closing his eyes and whispered to himself, 'Shit!'
Coming into get those papers signed, the worst thoughts he had were around the Commander mentioning Molly, which thankfully he didn't. But holy hell this was a curve ball he hadn't seen coming. He certainly never expected this. As he stood up and began walking down the corridor his mind was a mess. He had no idea what to do or say and just couldn't get his thoughts straight.
20 David had returned to HQ, after being stood down on the way to the scene of the call out. LAPD uniforms had managed to deal with the situation. Chris had a few errands to run so she had headed upstairs to grab the things she needed from the tech guys. She was on her way to grab the keys to the charger looking down at the iPad when footsteps made her look up.
'Should I find Chris and try asking her for her advice?' Street was thinking as he turned to head down the stairs looking at his feet.
"Hi."
Her voice almost made him lose his balance. She was beside him walking down with the tablet in her hand.
"Oh hey, I was just thinking about coming to find you."
"Oh yeah? Why's that?" She asked.
"Well, we need to talk Chris, it's, ah, important." He said as he almost walked straight into a neatly dressed man in a business suit at the bottom of the stairs.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was not paying..." his words trailed off as he looked up and saw Molly standing in front of him with Mark. "Molly," he almost whispered a bit surprised.
"Jim," she smiled before looking at Chris. "Hi."
"Hey," Chris answered not sure where to put her eyes.
"Oh, you all know each other?" Mark asked looking between Molly, Chris and Street.
"Yeah," Molly answered, 'You could say that,' she whispered in her head, noting Chris's awkwardness.
"Yeah, I um, I," Street babbled.
Molly chuckled a bit at his shock. "Mark, this is Jim Street, and this is Christina Alonso." She said lifting her hand to motion between them, "This is an old colleague of mine, Mark."
"Oh, hi, um, sorry about that." Street said extending his hand.
"Nice to meet you," Chris said politely, shaking his hand.
"No worries, and likewise." Mark answered shaking Streets hand and smiling at Chris. Street was wondering why this guy was here and how to explain knowing Molly and reacting like he did when Molly spoke again.
"Jim and Chris, are both SWAT officers here with my dad." She continued.
"Oh right, you must know most of the officers here." He said smiling a little at Molly like he wanted more clarification on how well she knew Jim Street.
"Yeah, SWAT is like a family." She answered looking back at Chris and Street who couldn't look more uncomfortable if they tried.
"Yeah," Street nodded trying to get his brain and mouth to work.
"Well, we better get those files and get going, I'm due back at the office in an hour." Molly said turning back to Mark.
"Yeah, and that coffee date." Mark spoke up reminding her.
Jim's eyes widened a fraction and he looked at Molly surprised. Molly blushed a little knowing how this looked. Chris was so uncomfortable she didn't know where to look or what to say.
"Yeah, let's go." She said shooing Mark. "Nice to see you both." She added over her shoulder as she walked away. But on the inside Molly was wondering what Street and Chris were so deep in conversation about, and part of her felt shitty that Chris obviously was punishing herself about all of this.
"Yeah, you too." Chris and Street both answered in a weird unison as they widened their eyes and smirked a little at each other.
Street stood for a second, trying to process all of that. Chris licked her top lip and gripped the iPad hard.
"Okay, well, that wasn't at all weird." She frowned sarcastically.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, that was probably my fault," he started.
"No, it's just what it is." Chris said watching them walk into the elevator.
"Hey, can we meet up later? I need to talk to you again."
"Um, yeah, I guess, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, but we need to talk about something."
Chris swallowed hard. It sounded like it was bad news. 'Maybe something had happened with Hick's?' She wondered.
"Okay well I will text you when I finish shift," Chris added as she gestured to the motor pool. "I've got errands to run for Hondo."
"Yeah, sure. No worries." He answered.
Later that day as the normal shift end time approached, she knew she would be running a bit late as the case they were working was taking a bit to wrap up. So, she text him.
"Hi, shift is running later than expected. I will let you know when we wrap it up."
"Okay. Stay Safe." He text back.
A few hours later as it approached midnight, she text him apologising.
"Sorry, we only just got back to HQ."
"Overtime huh? 😊 Don't worry. We can talk tomorrow. Go rest."
Chris drove home and laid in her bed wondering what the hell he wanted to talk about today. Then her thoughts flashed to Molly and that guy at HQ this morning. Her brain was so tired, and she couldn't think straight. As soon as she let her eyes close, she was sound asleep.
As Molly sat at her desk the next day, she looked at the file her mouse was hovering over. It was her CV. She swirled her index finger around the button beneath it, as she wondered if she should do what Mark had suggested and apply for the position just to see what happens. After tossing the idea around her head a bit she told herself that at least writing the application would be great practice for her CV, but she honestly did not for a second think she would stand a chance. She double clicked the file open and began typing her thoughts down. She had to admit it felt good actually listing out her accomplishments.
As Chris arrived for shift, pulling her truck into the garage at HQ, she saw Streets bike. Shutting off her engine she looked at it and sat thinking for a second. She felt bad for not going to see him last night and wondered if he would try to talk to her today, here.
As she made her way in, she was met by Luca and Tan walking towards the locker room.
"Morning," she nodded as they all fell in sync with each other.
"Hey, we are gunna road test some new recipes this afternoon with the food truck. You have to hang about after shift. Come on!" Luca smiled at her with is best puppy dog eyes. Chris raised her eyebrows and laughed as they stepped inside the locker room, she was wondering if Street would want to meet up though, when she looked up and saw him. His eyes fell on her too as she approached him and opened her locker.
"Hey," he said quietly as she placed her bag down.
"Hey," she answered back, quickly giving him a glance.
The others continued to move about exchanging banter as she unpacked and grabbed her clothes to go change. Before she turned to move away, she again looked at him. He looked back at her and desperately wanted to ask her to meet him again. But in here with all the ears around he just nodded and smiled.
"Hey, yo Street, you are gunna hang about for the food truck thing, right?" Luca called.
Street couldn't help but smile seeing Luca so excited. "Yeah, um sure," he smiled glancing back at Chris. "Count me in."
As Luca clapped, "Yeah… see, we will all be there." Street widened his eyes and shrugged at Chris who smirked. As she squeezed passed him, she whispered,
"See you there then," with a smile.
Chris's shift that day was fairly plain. She was tinkering in the armoury when 20 David got a call. Hondo assigned her and Tan to canvas the neighbourhood and Chris tried her best not to roll her eyes. She knew that he would keep bugging her about Molly yesterday and what was going on. It was maybe 4 houses later as they walked past and empty lot that Tan spoke up,
"Hey, ah, is everything okay with you?" He asked. She sighed and looked back at him. "Yeah, things are just a bit weird with everything right now."
"Meaning?"
Chris stopped walking and looked away down the road. "Street and Molly broke up." She looked back at Tan. He nodded and tilted his head.
"I kinda figured from what Luca said."
"Yeah and, well, after my visit to the hospital, when he was hurt and ..."
"And what? What does that have to do with anything? Do you blame yourself or something?"
"No," she said a little too quickly, immediately regretting blurting that out. Tan picked up on those defensive tones in her voice. She went to keep walking. "It's nothing."
"Chris, hang on." Tan said putting his hand on her forearm. "Talk to me, I know there was. Or, is, shit between you and him. He changed teams so you could sort it out, right? And it seemed like you were, but now, today, well I can see that there still is something going on and it's got you all wound up. I am worried about you."
Chris turned and glared at him. "If you don't wanna be out here with me just say it." She began walking again.
"No, no Chris." He reached out and stopped her again. She stood arms folded, looking down. "That's not what I meant at all. I am trying to help here."
Chris shook her head and slowly unfolded her arms.
"Ok, so, why is you visiting him at the hospital and them breaking up an issue, I mean I'm not follo…. Oh wait! Are you saying?"
"I don't know okay, I don't wanna talk about it anymore."
"Hey, you are his best friend, I am sure Molly knows, or knew that, and that had nothing to do with Street screwing it up."
"Yeah, well," Chris huffed and turned away. "Molly thought there was more to it obviously. She all but accused me of that outside the hospital. Do you have any idea how that feels?"
Tan dropped his shoulders and hugged her. He had noted tears welling in her eyes and felt her shudder a bit. He felt Deja vu hit him. Holding her crying over Street again.
"Please don't hurt me for saying this," Tan said as Chris began to pull back from his hug, "but this isn't the first time you are this closed off because of him. At the picnic you were, well I'd say jealous, because he moved on and now, you're what? Angry that Molly figured out that there may be, is, something more going on, maybe for both of you?"
Chris moved her head up sharply to look at him. Her eyes wide and her breath caught in her throat. Her brain was frozen. "No." Was all she managed to get out. Tan sighed and watched her.
"Chris," he began slowly as he leant back on the fence and patted a spot next to him for her to sit. "You and Street have this thing that we all see. Yes, you are best friends and all that, but I mean it wouldn't be a crime if that amazing friendship turned into more, would it?"
Chris stood looking at him, she closed her eyes and looked away. Tan seeing her like this almost confirmed in his head that she felt more. Chris didn't want to sit and talk about this right now, she was chewing her lip and hating that all of this was spilling out. That her teammates were noticing. That her heart aching for him was affecting her job.
"Look, I will let it go, if," he held up his finger and stood up. "If, you agree to talk to him and find peace with it all. Whatever that looks like."
Again, she looked at him and all she could do was nod.
"Okay let's go, before Hondo starts wondering where we are."
Soon, they had finished up and headed back to HQ. Chris was thankful Tan was in the front of Black Betty and could not throw her anymore pity filled looks. She knew deep down that he meant well and was worried for her, but she felt ashamed and guilty after saying all of that out loud.
As they piled out of Black betty in the quad at HQ, the divine smells of Samira's cooking filled their nostrils.
"Yeah, come on guys! Let's get this party started." Luca called as he walked over to check out what was happening.
After changing and giving herself a pep talk to just enjoy this for Luca's sake, she wandered out and sat on the table as Rocker handed her a plate.
"God this all smells amazing."
"Yeah, well that's Samira for you." Chris smiled giving Samira a wave.
The rest of 20 David and 50 David soon joined them, and Chris realised this was actually really nice. Just hanging out and laughing. No weirdness or pressure. Sharing a few laughs again with them all just like it should be. Even seeing Street, wasn't so bad. She was able to share a few laughs with him in the food truck as Samira attempted to teach him how to roll the pastry on one of her dishes. Chris had laughed so hard at his finish product that tears welled in her eyes.
Later climbing into bed, she couldn't help but smile. Having everyone back, and the family feeling again was perfect. She also smiled and bit her lip thinking about having Street back. They were taking baby steps yes, but each day things began to feel less weird and awkward and she knew they were on the road to recovery.
Commander Hicks was walking with purpose through HQ the next morning. He was on his way to meet with the mayor and negotiate some policy revisions.
"Dad," Molly's voice brought him to a sudden stop as he turned. She was running a little to catch him. "Good, I am glad I caught you." She huffed a little straightening her clothes as she reached him.
"Molly? What on earth? Is something wrong?"
"No, no," she waved her hand dismissively. "I just want to ask you for your help on something."
"Ok? Like what?" He said motioning for her to walk with him.
"Well, you might not like this, but I am writing a job application and I want your advice on it."
"A job application? For where? What job?"
"Well, now Dad," Molly said holding his arm. "I'm pretty sure I won't get it. It's an executive level position that is opening up at my old firm in Pittsburg,"
Hicks shook his head and sighed. "You're not moving back there, are you?"
"No, hold on, I just think it would be good practice." Hicks eyed her suspiciously.
"Okay," he nodded. Molly smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek whilst handing him a folder containing her CV and the application.
"Thanks Dad, you're the best!" She smiled as he nodded and walked away.
As Molly turned, fastening the clip on her bag and beginning to head out she saw Chris across the gym. Their incidental meeting yesterday had left Molly feeling a bit shitty about it all. Molly didn't like that Chris was weird around her now and that she now assumed she thought the worst of her.
Watching Chris hop off the bike and head towards the locker room Molly decided to take a chance and try to fix it. She quickened her pace to catch up to her.
"Chris." She called as she approached the doors. Chris frowned a little as she turned. Recognising the voice, she had not expected to see Molly again so soon or for her to speak to her, considering. Molly approached and fidgeted a little with her fingers as she formed her words.
"Can I, ah, take a minute of your time, I mean can we talk. I, I feel like I need to say a few things and well you know, girl to girl stuff." Chris had never really been a girly girl at all. She twitched her eyebrows a little not sure what to expect.
"I, ah, I guess so." Chris answered hesitantly, as she motioned towards the kitchen. It was more private in there.
Molly walked silently as her head raced with what to say. Chris pushed open the door and made sure they were alone before closing the door again. She walked to the bench and put her bag up, turning back to look at Chris.
"So, um, how is Jim?"
Chris let out a little huff through her nose. "He is okay, I guess. I, well we haven't exactly been hanging out much or talking really." She answered watching Molly trying to determine her motives for this chat. "Why do you ask?" Chris winced a little noting to herself that sounded like a harsh "Why do you care?"
Molly nodded and squeezed her hands to steady herself. "Look, I, I want to apologise to you Chris."
Chris's brows furrowed and she tilted her head slightly. "What? Why?" Came out of her mouth before she could stop it.
Molly motioned for Chris to sit on the stool opposite. "Well, I guess, I, I had my blinders on in the beginning. When I came here and met Jim, I saw him as a ridiculously handsome, totally amazing guy who I thought was perfect. I really let myself get carried away picturing myself with him, and I guess, if I am being honest, I am used to getting what I want."
Chris was listening, watching her and yet so completely baffled. Molly saw the confusion on Chris's face and stepped closer. "Look what I am trying to say is, I didn't see what you and he have. I just saw what I wanted. But now, with hindsight, well I see the special connection you two have. The friendship, the care, the need for each other."
Chris's eyes danced all over Molly. She was a little thrown by this. Especially as she had assumed Molly hated her guts for ruining her relationship. As Chris stood silent, still clearly trying to fathom what was going on Molly continued,
"I need you to know Chris, that I do not hold any ill feelings towards you. What happened with Jim and I, it wasn't your fault. I realise now that Jim and I are not meant to be, as they say."
Chris remembered Streets words about Molly taking it all better than he expected. 'Hmmm,' she thought to herself. 'Maybe he was right.'
"Molly, I still feel like I should maybe apologise to you though. I have, I am," Chris closed her eyes and seemed to grimace. Molly could see how hard this was for her to say. "I have tried so many times to keep him on the right track. To make sure he is doing okay, but I guess when it came to you two, I, I just got in the way."
"No, stop." Molly interrupted. "Yes, I was jealous of you. The time he wanted to spend with you and all of that, but now. Now I realise that I was supposed to show him, and maybe you," she said pointing at Chris. "Who IS actually right for him."
Chris scrunched her face a little as Molly spoke again.
"I will let you get back to work, but Chris please know this. Jim needs you."
"I know that, and I will always be his friend," Chris interrupted with a nod. "But Molly he wanted to make a relationship work with you. To have someone to love, to not be a failure."
Molly smiled, "Yeah, and that someone is not me. I don't have his heart. You do. He told me that Chris. He said he loves you. Jim wants you in his life, not me."
Chris's eyes went wide, and she froze again as Molly stood up to leave,
"I'm sorry I didn't see that before. But I want you to know that I never meant to get in the way of what you guys were working out. He loves you Chris, with all his heart."
Chris was shellshocked. She couldn't manage to get her words out. Molly opened the door to leave. "Trust me Chris, you need to talk to him, be there for him, because that amazing man loves you."
As the door swung shut Chris looked down at the floor. Her hands were shaking a little. 'He told Molly he loves me?' She whispered confused. She was suddenly snapped out of her daze when the opposite door clunked open and Deacon came in.
"Hey,"
"Hey." She answered turning away to the fridge.
"You okay?"
"Uh huh, just went too hard on the bike," she puffed as she walked away out the door. The last thing she wanted right then was an interrogation from one of the team. She made her way to the showers and stood with her forehead on the wall as the water ran down her body.
"What the hell was that?" She whispered trying her best to process what had just happened. Part of her was in shock, a part of her felt angry, another part just confused.
'Why would he tell Molly he loves me? Why wouldn't he tell me that?' but she answered both of her questions before she finished thinking them, 'Cause I keep shutting him down and pushing him away. I all but told him that day in the charger that he wasn't good enough for me and that my career was more important.' She broke down crying. 'God, I hope he doesn't really believe all of that. I hope he sees I was just scared and throwing up walls.'
As she stood under the water, paralysed and numb, for what felt like forever, she began to go through a whole gamut of emotions. From a crying mess one minute, to smiling and happy because he had verbalised his feelings for her to someone else, to an angry worked up state the next, because she hated herself for how this had all played out.
Pulling on her uniform, she wondered how she would face him. A tiny bit of her was angry with him for telling Molly that. Part of her again felt guilty because that was undoubtedly the reason that Molly walked away from him. She knew he still wanted to chat about whatever happened yesterday, and now she wanted to know what the hell he was thinking saying that to Molly. But would she have the guts to ask him face to face.
She had just zipped up her shower bag and run the comb through her wet hair when her phone buzzed. They had a case. She grabbed up her stuff and hurried to the locker room. She was pulling her vest over her head when Stevens and Street came in closely followed by Rocker.
"We are joining you." Rocker said nodding at Hondo.
"Ok let's roll." Hondo answered clipping up his last buckle as he headed for the door.
Chris grabbed her things and closed her locker. She could feel Streets eyes on her. She told herself not to look at him as she fastened her vest and grabbed her helmet.
"Hey,"
His voice made her momentarily close her eyes. She looked sideways at him without a word. He kinda noticed her on edge, harsh demeanour.
"I'll just text you." He said quietly, and she turned tapping Luca on the back.
"Come on, or Tan is gunna steal your ride." She teased,
"Oh, hell no!" Luca laughed standing up and following her.
Street frowned a little, wondering what was up with her. She seemed off, and hostile almost. But he had little time to stand dwelling on it. Rocker had rounded them all up and soon they were following 20 David to an active shooter call.
Sitting in the back of the Gurkha, he couldn't deny he loved being back, but his head was all over the place with this decision. Seeing both teams again, he just couldn't decide. Having 20 David back, in a way would be amazing, yes, but the trade-off, that nothing would ever happen with he and Chris was a big price to pay. Part of him knew that if he jumped and decided without telling her first, that they would be back to square one, like when he moved teams to begin with. But bringing this up with her now? He wasn't sure it was exactly the right time. He knew though that even just staying 50 David didn't guarantee that it would happen either, he sighed. 'It is my only shot though, and plus, these guys are becoming my family too.'
"Rolling up in 10," Stevens called and snapped Street out of it. As they approached the location, they could hear gunshots ringing out. Their radios buzzed with chatter from the local units on scene. The doors opened and they piled out. Both teams taking cover as Hondo and Rocker retrieved details from the local units.
Soon they all had their assignments and Chris followed Tan up to the building on one side of the perimeter, whilst Street followed Stevens up the other. They crouched at the doors on opposite sides of the building waiting for the call to breach.
As they entered the ground floor, Chris focused and kept her mission in the front of her mind. Secure the ground floor and rescue the pinned uniformed officers. She followed Tan down the corridor. Keeping her head on a swivel, checking for suspects or danger behind them, as they swept through the rooms. They approached the end of the corridor and the opening to the lobby stood in front of them. Hondo was in their ears,
"20 David to all D teams. Two suspects on the catwalk above. Hold your positions. 50 David and I approaching above."
They crouched behind the corner as Tan signalled to Chris that he had eyes on Hondo above them. Chris could see Street and Stevens across the lobby. On Hondo's count they engaged the two suspects on the catwalk and Hondo and Rocker took them out. Stevens and Street took the chance to rescue the two uniformed officers who were pinned in the lobby.
As the operation wound up and Chris made her way out, Street saw her across the path. He jogged to catch up to her and walked back towards the Gurkhas next to her.
"Can you meet me at that bar near the beach later?"
Chris looked at him for a second. She was torn in two. Part of her wanted to say no and keep their relationship strictly professional. But she had been there before and knew how that went. Part of her desperately wanted to just ask him if what Molly said was true.
"Thought you were gunna text me?" She mumbled.
"I uh, well no, we were kinda busy." He laughed gesturing to the building.
"Yeah, okay." She nodded as she started to climb up the steps of Black betty. "After shift."
"Thanks," he mouthed at her as he headed back to the other Gurkha.