Chris was feeling overwhelmed again by the memories of Erika and her death. The difficult situation with Street didn't help either and so she was on her way to a bar, to find the only cure she knew right now: Alcohol.

Once there, she went straight to the counter and ordered a double vodka. After a few hours she was still sitting there, lost in thought. Somehow the alcohol did not help today as usual. She was about to pay and leave when a guy sat down next to her. "Hey doll, here alone?" Chris looked to her side and rolled her eyes, but so the guy couldn't see it. "Yeah and I'm fine with it." came coolly from her. "A pretty woman like you shouldn't spend the evening alone though. I'm Chuck and you are?" he looked at her questioningly. "Are you here for small talk or a drink?" she said challenging him. He looked a bit puzzled but didn't let her tell him twice and ordered another round of vodka for both of them. Chris was pretty drunk and could hardly sit upright on the bar stool. The guy took advantage of this mercilessly and mixed her knockout drops into her glass. Chris didn't notice and continued to drink blithely. "Are you up for sex?" he asked her directly. Chris didn't know exactly what to answer anymore, she was so woozy. "Yeah, why not." she got out. She gave him her car keys and he helped her into the car. He drove to some seedy motel and left Chris in the car to get a room. She sat in her seat and took her cell phone out of her pocket. As if by magic, she went to Street in contacts. She considered calling him and asking him to pick her up, but it was the middle of the night and she decided against bothering him after all. Chuck was back at the car and helped Chris out. He immediately put his hand around her waist possessively and led her towards the room. Chris let it happen, she had already lost the strength and will to push his hand away.

Inside the room Chuck immediately started attacking Chris. He kissed her aggressively and took off her shirt and bra. Chris didn't stay still either and did the same to him. The kisses and touches became more and more intense and finally the two ended up in bed. Chris didn't care about anything, she didn't feel anything anymore and her thoughts were turned off thanks to the alcohol and the drops...

In the morning Chris eyes flickered and she tried to get her bearings. "Oh god my head." she grumbled. She straightened up in bed saw that she was naked. Startled, she also looked under the covers. "Oh great... Oh my head, shit." She tried frantically to remember last night but nothing. "Why can't I remember anything?" She slowly got up and put on her pants and top. She looked around the room, hoping to remember any details. On the nightstand, a note caught her attention.

Thanks for the insane night nameless hot lady. Chuck

Chris' eyes widened. "Damn." she looked out the window and there was no sign of her car. The guy, Chuck, had stolen from her and she was stupid enough to let him do it to her. She was desperate, she didn't know where she was or how to get back home. She walked up and down the room a few times, thinking. Only one thought came to her: Street! But could she call him? After all that had happened between them in the last few weeks, no months. Would he even answer if he saw it was her? God how pathetic she must seem. But she had no other choice, she had to try, even if it took all of her will power.

Street was just putting on his shoes. He was sitting on the sofa. Luca was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. His cell phone rang and he saw Chris' name on the display. It was just before 6 am and he suspected something was wrong. He picked up immediately.

"Street? Hey, um, this is really embarrassing now... "she said, scratching the back of her head. "What happened?" Street got nervous. "Please don't judge me right now, ok? "Chris asked him. "I may mock, but I would never judge you, promise." "I'm in a motel in Hollywood. I don't know how I got here or where my car is." she felt so helpless. He was silent on the other end of the line, except for a blender, nothing could be heard. "Are you still there?" Chris was unsure. " On my way." came from Street. Chris could still hear Luca calling something and Street answered him. "Chris can you tell me the name of the motel?" she heard he was already in the car driving. "Ehm wait I'll quickly go outside the door and look." Chris ran outside and actually saw a sign. "Sea Rock Inn." "Got it Chris. I'll be there in half an hour. I'll hurry." he looked uneasy. "Everything is ok Street, drive carefully." Chris tried to reassure him.

Arriving at the motel, he got out and immediately looked for her. She stood at the door and waved at him. He walked quickly to her. "Hey, are you okay?" he couldn't help himself and took her in his arms for a moment. Chris had to smile slightly. "I'm ok I would say. My head is buzzing and I just can't remember anything." she had let the note from Chuck disappear in her pocket, Street didn't need to see it. Street went into the room and looked around. "You were out tonight, weren't you?" he looked at her seriously. Chris looked at him a little guilty and nodded. Street had to swallow before he asked the next question. "You were here with a guy, right? Did he maybe put something in your glass?" these words he pressed out more than he could say them normally. Chris took a deep breath. "Yes, I was and I don't know. Since I have a total blackout everything is possible." Street's jaw tightened and his nostrils flared. "Street I'm fine. Nothing happened that I didn't want to. I think." she spoke softly, embarrassed. "Ok good." he was a little reassured, but he couldn't stop picturing what must have happened here last night. "We'll take care of your car later. Right now I'm going to drive you home. Do you have everything?" he looked around the room again as well as Chris. She ran after him like a little child so uncomfortable was she about all this. Chris sighed. "Thanks for coming Street." she looked at him. "Not for that, I could tell right away by your voice and the time that something was wrong. You know, I always got your back." he looked briefly at her and smiled.

When they reached Chris apartment, they both got out of the car. "Can you please tell Hondo that I'm sick? I don't think I can go to work today." "Yes I will. You just come back to your senses and get some rest, ok?" he said caringly. "I will and really, thanks again." she looked at him gratefully. He just nodded at her and got back into the car. He watched her until he was sure she had arrived inside.

On the way to the HQ, he pondered and replayed the past hours in his mind. Why was Chris out alone and not with friends? Does one go out for a drink alone? And why did she just leave with a complete stranger and have sex with him, too? This thought hurt him especially. One thing was clear to him: Something was wrong with her and he would go to her again after the shift. After all, she owed him some answers after this morning...

The team was working on a case. Street was on his way to Luca, who was at the PC, to help him find the suspects. "Hey, Deac said you could use some help. Here I am." Street walked over to the PC across from Luca.

"Ehm you left pretty early this morning, is everything okay?" Luca had noticed that Street was in a hurry. "Yeah, yeah everything's fine and I even made it to work on time." Street looked up from the screen and grinned briefly at Luca, but he continued to look at him seriously.

"Look, I don't really want to get into your business , but was that Chris on the phone this morning?" Street didn't look at Luca. "Yeah, she wasn't feeling great." Luca didn't let up. "And to tell you that she needed you in person?" "Come on Luca, save your interrogation techniques for the suspects, ok?" Street said that again with a slight grin. "I'm just saying... In Berlin I had some phone calls with Chris and she was really upset about Erika's death. She was so down, sometimes I thought she was going to break." now Street looked into Luca's eyes and saw the concern in them. He had no idea the two had had so much contact, Chris had shut him out after his confession. Luca said another sentence that made Street think a lot. "Grief makes for bad decisions. I ask you only one thing Street. Be there for her, don't take advantage of her situation and above all, don't say anything rash to her. I think every wrong word could just drive her further into despair." "What do you want me to take advantage of Luca? What do you think of me? Chris and I are friends." Street was slightly outraged by this statement from Luca and yet he knew how right he was after all. "Street I'm not stupid. Don't you think I wondered why she always called me instead of you? It's because you're supposed to be her friend. Something must have happened between you and her, it's okay if you don't want to talk to me about it, but please, just watch out for her." Luca's words went deep into Street's core. "I would never do anything to hurt her, honestly." Luca and he looked at each other and nodded. Now they turned their attention back to their case.

The shift was over and Street did what he had been planning to do all day: he drove to Chris. A thousand questions ran through his head, and on top of that Luca's words, grief makes for bad decisions. How could he possibly start the conversation? With his luck, Chris would throw him right back out, she had practice at that. Street felt she owed him answers though. After all, he'd gotten her out of there this morning and he'd noticed how embarrassed she'd been. She couldn't just get rid off him with half - truths now.

Chris had just made sandwiches and sat down on her sofa. She was feeling better, at least physically. Psychologically was a different story. Why did she have to have a drink with this guy? Why hadn't she taken better care of her glass? Street's look when he saw her at the motel, he was so worried. It was just insanely embarrassing and actually she didn't want to call Street, but her fingers dialed his number by themselves.

Street had arrived at her apartment and was standing outside her door. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and knocked.

Chris stood up, walked to the door and looked through the peephole. "Hey Street." she greeted him, inviting him in. "Hi, how are you?" Street stood in the living room and looked at her. "Um, better." she said truthfully. "Do you want a sandwich too?" she wanted to lighten the situation a bit. He just nodded and they walked together to the sofa. She handed him a plate. "Thanks." he smiled slightly. There was an oppressive silence. They both looked at their plates and ate, neither saying a word until Chris broke the silence. "You certainly didn't come here to sit and eat. You have questions, right?" Chris dared to look up and noticed Street looking at her too. "Yeah you're right, my head is in a bit of a mess." he paused. "When you called this morning and I heard you were okay, God I was so relieved. Why were you out on your own Chris? You've never done anything like that in a work week." he said, slightly confused. Chris took a deep breath. "That's not exactly true." she said quietly. Street frowned and narrowed his eyes. Chris continued. "After Erika died, I was devastated. The memories, that guilt, the empty apartment, I miss her so much." she had to suppress her tears. "I called Luca a lot because, because I didn't want to burden you with it. I saw that it was also very close to you and I didn't want to burden you with my grief too. But at some point I couldn't talk to Luca anymore, I didn't want to burden him either. I felt so alone. The sessions with Dr. Wendy were good, but they didn't help me at night when I lay awake in bed either." she had to swallow again, but she couldn't stop a tear, it ran down her cheek. Street just listened to her, not wanting to interrupt, but with his looks he let her know he was there and would catch her if she needed it.

"The day Erika died, we were going to have the housewarming. I had a lot of alcohol in the freezer and well, it helped me sleep more and more often at night." it was so uncomfortable for her to tell Street everything, but she felt that he deserved that. "When you showed up at my door that night and told me your feelings, puh, Street it was just all too much at that moment. I had no idea how to deal with it. I couldn't even handle myself. I'm sorry I threw you out, but at that moment I didn't see any other option." now she couldn't hold back the tears. "One night I went to a bar to have a drink. There was this guy, he grabbed me and I fought back. Out of it a small fight arose and - " now Street interrupted her. "Your black eye. That's where that came from?" he was visibly shocked. She nodded. "The owner of the bar didn't want to give me my keys anymore so I had called Tan and asked him if he could come get me. At my apartment he went to get me some ice and well, that's when he saw all the alcohol. I made him promise not to tell anyone. Don't be mad at him, okay?" "Chris I had no idea. "I'm - I'm so incredibly sorry for what you've been through these past few weeks. And I, I wasn't there for you. I didn't even realize anything was wrong." Street's words came from him guiltily.

"Please don't blame yourself Street. You couldn't have known how I was doing, I wasn't talking to you." "I should have realized it as your friend Chris, damn it. I was so busy with myself, with my feelings for you, that I completely forgot about you as a person." he ran his hands over his face. "Hey." Chris took his hands in hers. "It's okay. I'm glad you know now. I'm not myself anymore Street. I don't recognize myself. I got into bed with strange guys just to feel something, to get confirmation that I'm still worth something." she looked down at their intertwined fingers and swallowed. "God, something much worse could have happened. Don't ever do that again please ok?" Street looked at her helplessly. Chris nodded. "I can't do this by myself. I'm in this vicious cycle and I can't get out of it. I'm desperate Street." "Hey, I'm here, okay. I'm here for you now and I'm not leaving you alone ok. We'll get through this together and I'll be there for you like a best friend needs to be there for his best friend." he looked on with such love, determination and caring.

Chris held her hands in front of her face and cried. Street took her in his arms and stroked her back soothingly. She pulled back a little and looked at him. "Thank you. I'm glad I have you." Street looked at her, gave her a kiss on the forehead and hugged her tightly again.