Yes, I am doing this... another multi-chapter adventure. I started writing this after or around the airing of Under Fire so that is still in this. The Rest? Pure conjecture and therefore AU, and now let's see how everyone is doing...
It's been a couple of years since Chris had been in LA. After TLI and getting the chance to move up the ranks her path had led her to special assignments and away from SWAT. Sometime after that change, she had moved out of town.
She tried to keep in touch, but it had fizzled out, especially after she couldn't make it to Tan's wedding. Chris remembers feeling horrible not being able to see her friends be happy.
A fresh breeze steers her to the next shopping mall to warm up again. She smiles at herself.
She had gotten accustomed to the warmer climate in LA again very quickly.
Chris wanders around aimlessly, glancing at some of the displays and ignoring others completely when her eyes spot a little girl, maybe around 4 years old in tears, alone in the middle of the corridor.
Her training kicks in when no one seems to care about the little one and she walks over. She pulls out her shield, so it is clearly visible, and crouches down in front of her. "Hey, my name is Chris. Can I help you?"
She studies the girl's face, and her eyes seem to really linger on the gold shield. "You are a police officer?" the small voice asks.
Chris nods her head and smiles. "Can you tell me your name so we can find your mommy and daddy?"
"Mia. And I was here with my mommy, but she got a call and I lost her."
Chris was just about to grab Mia's hand when a voice stops her.
"Mia? Oh thank God, you are okay."
Chris turns and looks on as Mia flies into the arms of her mother.
"Mia, what did I tell you about wandering off? I was on the phone with your dad. He is coming now."
Chris is about to walk away, there is no need to say anything anymore. Too much has changed in all of their lives it seems but once again the mother's voice stops her: "Chris? Is that really you?"
"Hi, Kira." Chris smiles, "She is beautiful."
It had been but a chance meeting, but it would stick with Chris for the rest of her week before she finally found the courage to call her old colleagues and friends to try to reconnect.
Calling her old colleagues had been running through her head for a while now and with the email, she got this morning she knew she shouldn't put that off any longer.
Chris had specialized in inter-departmental relations and had excelled at that due to her having been in two highly specialized units before.
Reading the names of the two women she admired and whose careers had fueled hers brought a smile to her face. The only thing getting her nerves up was the building. SWAT HQ.
Chris drives the rental car up to the parking lot and she can see the officer at the gate doing a mental double-take reading her name and checking her off the visitor list. She can see him picking up the phone in her mirror and she knows he is calling inside to announce her presence.
It feels odd to be somewhat of an important person that warrants a call ahead, but it is also gratifying. All her hard work the past couple of years seems to have worked out well.
Getting out of her car she makes sure her suit is sitting correctly and nothing in her appearance is disheveled.
It is weird parking in the visitor section but still back somehow calming her down.
After one more deep breath, she pushes open the doors and walks to the desk. The sergeant looks up at her with a smile of recognition.
While signing in Chris almost nonchalant checks the board to the left and sees the teams on shift and on assignment. It is not for a civilian to decipher but she can see 20 David is out of the building on some call.
The sector number is unfamiliar but a lot can change in 4 years, as evidenced by Kira having a beautiful little girl now.
Chris is happy that Kira seems to be happy with Ty, she is assuming.
"Alonso.", she hears and turns to the voice. "So glad you accepted our invitation." Lynch greets her and gestures between herself and Jessica Cortez.
"It's an honor and pleasure to be back here. But you didn't specify why exactly you needed me here." Chris replies.
The smile on Jessica's face is as welcoming as ever and it feels good to be in the presence of two strong female officers who seem to have the respect of the other officers passing them.
On their way up to the executive offices, Chris can feel a multitude of stares and hears some whispers. Looks like some people still recognize her in this building.
At the door to the office, they are about to enter Chris can read Cortez's name and it feels good to know this building is under female command now.
Chris takes a seat when Jessica motions for all of them to make themselves comfortable.
She lets her eyes wander around and spots the picture of a young boy on the desk as well as gets a glimpse of the simple gold band on the captain's hand. She breaks out in a smile.
"I guess congratulations are in order, three times?" she waves her hand around the office. "Thank you. But I hear we have to congratulate you too."
Jessica's reply confuses Chris. What exactly would she be referring to? She thanks her anyway.
"Thanks, what you, both, have taught me here has helped a great deal in getting where I am today." she can see Lynch and Cortez nodding.
After a short nod between the two Lynch continues. "You are probably wondering why we asked you to meet us here." in the short pause Chris nods her head. "Well, when we heard you applied for the sergeant's exam we knew we wanted to meet with you."
Chris can't help the surprise on her face. She wants to blurt out how, but she settles on. "Okay, I only took it yesterday. The results aren't out yet so I don't understand."
A knowing smile spreads on Jessica's face and Lynch grins too while stating: "Oh, I have my ways to find out what I want to know."
That makes Chris laugh a little until it hits her. These two in front of her know her test results. They could tell her any moment and inform her if her career is in a stalemate or advancing.
She can feel her nerves rising again.
But before anyone can say a word more there is a knock at the door interrupting.
"Enter," Jessica commands with the same ease and grace that Chris so admired about her.
"I am sorry to disturb your meeting but Ms. Hicks is here, again, for the interviews with 50David and they seem to be in the shoot house again." a young officer almost shaking reports.
"Thank you, send her in. We will take care of it." Jessica replies with a smile.
After the door has closed she rolls her eyes at Lynch.
"What's that about?" Chris asks now curious why Rocker and his team are seemingly hiding from Molly.
In response, Jessica rolls her eyes again and frowns.
"I shouldn't do that. I am assuming it is about the hostage disaster. An abuser had barricaded himself with his female victim and two bystanders in an apartment. 50 David handled entry. Everything went to textbook according to all reports, but two weeks ago Molly showed up here the first time. There have been accusations of officer misconduct and aiding in the abuse."
Chris can't help but gasp in shock. "She accused 50 David of involvement?"
She lets her glance wander between Lynch and Cortez but neither says it out loud. "It looks like it." Lynch finally adds quietly.
A sharp knock on the door keeps them from talking more and Chris tries to keep her head from running a hundred miles an hour. That accusation is not to be taken lightly and with Rocker hiding his team away... she shakes her head to get rid of those thoughts.
It makes her sick just thinking one of SWAT would be capable of that.
The clicking of heels on the concrete floor makes her look up.
The woman walking briskly to the desk is surely Molly Hicks but she seems to have gotten rid of her flat shoes and now opts for heels.
Jessica motions for her to also take a seat and that seems to be the first time Molly realizes there are more people in the room. "I didn't know you were in a meeting..." she trails off when her eyes meet Chris's. "This is a surprise."
It is only a statement, but something in her tone makes Chris shrink back a little.
In the background, she can hear Jessica order Luca to stop the exercise and send 50 David to the conference room when Lynch says: "We were about to show Sergeant Alonso the shoot house exercise and try to convince her to come back to swat as second in command of a team. That will have to wait now."
Chris can't keep the surprise from her face and turns disbelieving to a smirking Lynch and a smiling Jessica who nods her head, after Chris stutters out "Are you serious?"
Before Chris can react and let her head and heart catch up Molly interjects, "Congratulations and welcome back I guess."
After that, she turns to Cortez and confirms "You said conference room? I'll go set up."
While Molly grabs her bag again Chris sees the reflection of the small, elegant band on her finger.
"Why are they referring to her as miss then?" Pops into her head but just for a second before it hits her again, she made it to sergeant.
Any interest in me continuing after I finished publishing Back to the Start?