Thanks, Nanard for telling me how confusing it was... I hope this is clearer.
A couple of days later Chris gets a surprising phone call at work. A patrol unit calls her to inform her that her friend has been in a car accident. When they tell her Molly's name Chris had crumbled to the floor and she had dreaded informing Hicks. She knew he had his granddaughter for the day and that had her breathing easier but still, she had hurried to the hospital as quickly as she could. Hicks had been as distraught as she was and he had passed on the letter she is currently reading. A sealed envelope with simply her name on it.
Chris,
when you read this something horrible must've happened and I never got a chance to be brave.
I need you to understand I never meant to keep you in the dark, but I couldn't tell you about Jim. It wouldn't have been fair. You were rebuilding your friendship, heading for a relationship and I just didn't want to be the reason that didn't work out.
I know if you read this, I didn't find a moment, to be honest with him and really introduce his daughter to him.
I need you to help him understand that. I'll include the birth certificate in this envelope, and I hope you won't think too bad of me.
Chris, you are an amazing friend, and ever since you moved in you have bonded so much with Josie, I just know you will be the best person to support Jim through this process.
I can imagine you have a million questions right now, and I wish I could've answered them all for you: Just now one thing: He isn't at fault. I could've called him any time. I am sure he would've been at my side in an instant without any thought to his career. I just couldn't do that to him.
I hope you can understand.
Thank you for everything you did for me and will do in the future for my daughter and her father.
Chris slowly lets the papers in her hands sink after glancing at the included birth certificate and studies her unconscious friend's face. Did she just read that right? Her gaze drifts around the room trying to understand the implications. A lot makes sense now. The way Molly had always been defending the father and even the teasing way Tan had started to comment on Street, this time around, not hitting on her. Technically he never had. At least not while being SWAT.
Why wouldn't Molly tell her about him though? And how was she supposed to do what was asked of her?
"You are going to wake up and damn well tell him yourself!" she whispers to her friend and gently squeezes one of her cold hands.
A knock on the glass startles Chris out of the carousel of thoughts and memories. When she spots the commander, she quickly tries to put the letter, envelope, and birth certificate away, but he stops her. "So, she told you." he nods to the papers and Chris can't hide her surprise. "You knew?"
"Not per se but I had my suspicions. It is not important. But if you don't want him to find out from you, you should put those away. Your team is waiting down the hall."
Chris slowly gets up and leaves the commander a few moments alone with his daughter.
"God, please let her wake up soon."
Two days of waiting and hoping and no end in sight. The injuries after the accident were so severe the doctors had put her into a coma to help with recovery.
When she arrives in the waiting room, she can see everyone is already in gear. She must've lost track of time. "Sorry, Hondo. I..." but before she can finish that sentence she is engulfed by Luca. They know her so well.
Chris lets her eyes wander around the room before she confirms her gear is downstairs and heads to change.
Street looked concerned, almost distraught, and seeing him there on his own, Chris makes a vow to herself to get him to visit and maybe even open up about this mess. She shakes her head a little thinking about the massive news she has for him. And she didn't even know they were that close once. Was that just a one-night stand? It made no sense with everything else Molly had said. They were together once, and she had no idea.
Over the next week, Chris tries to find a subtle way to get Street to talk but doesn't really know how without giving away Molly's secret. That is until she decides to drop by the hospital before the shift and finds the chair at Molly's bed already occupied by the man in question.
After that, and a small ankle injury on a call she appoints him her personal chauffeur and makes him come with her to the hospital. She makes it a point to give him a little alone time with her every time and this is how it happens that he is alone in the room when Molly does finally wake up.
It takes Molly a couple of seconds to get her eyes open. She feels a hand squeezing hers and a familiar voice asks if she can hear. Her throat is dry, but she manages a yes, and stares into the relieved face of Jim Street.
"Here, drink something." his voice is soft and caring and he slowly lifts a cup to her lips. Molly can't deny she is confused as to why he is here, but it is comforting to have his hand supporting her. From the other end of the room, probably the door she can hear a surprised gasp, and Chris's voice calling for a doctor.
Jim almost immediately steps back and makes room for Chris who sends Jim out for coffee.
The doctors check everything almost excruciatingly slow, and Molly can see Chris is annoyed by that. When they are alone again, she dares to ask. "Why is he here with you?" she had wanted to add a second part to that question, but Chris' raised eyebrow stops her.
"Let's stop pretending you don't know his name." her friend tells her and looks her straight in the eyes. "I read your letter. And if I were here alone, I had a million questions."
"You didn't tell him yet?" Molly's voice is small and almost breaks. "Do you really think, I could've gotten him out of this room again? Molly, why didn't you say something? I would've..."
It takes some effort, but Molly manages to put her hand on top of Chris's. "Don't. I couldn't say anything. It wouldn't have been fair to you. To him. I just..." "You have to be honest, as quickly as you can."
Over the next few days, Molly slowly recovers from her accident and Jim makes it a point to at least try to visit her almost every day. And he notices that besides Chris and some friends from work no one really comes by.
His mind is back to wondering about everything, but he doesn't dare to ask. He is afraid of the answer and of hurting Molly. So, he pushes his thoughts aside. Until Molly is fully healed.
Another few weeks later, after a fairly hectic shift Street looked around and saw all of his teammates were still busy with their tasks. How had it happened that he got the least amount of work? Looking over to the armory he saw Chris still working on her rifle and a couple of spare mags lying around. He taps on the cage and wants to offer his help and talk. He is incredibly nervous about this evening. Especially after what had happened in the last couple of weeks.
"Hey," Chris says when she spots him but continues her work on the rifle. "What's up?" he hears after a short silence.
"Chris, can I ask you something?" he asks quietly and in an instant, her hands stop moving and she looks him in the eyes.
"What's going on? Something wrong?" she sounds alarmed.
"I don't know. I, … Chris you know those jokes Tan and Luca have been making ever since we met Josie? Is there any truth to it?" now that it is out, he isn't too sure he really wants to know. But at the same time, he needs to know. Chris hangs her head, and he can't see her eyes.
"Do you really think I am the right person to ask that question?" she replies with a sigh. He can see her glance at her watch. "Shoot." She looks up at him again. "I was supposed to leave 5 minutes ago and go pick up Molly at physical therapy, but I am nowhere near ready. Can you…?"
Jim hesitates. He wants to say no. Have more time to sort his thoughts, but Chris has already dug out her car keys and thrown them over. "Here. I'll text you the address and I'll see you later, okay?"
When he stands frozen for a moment longer Chris touches his arm and says, "You've got nothing to be afraid of."
As if on autopilot he walks to the car and drives through town trying to make any sense out of that conversation. Small moments from the last couple of weeks flood his brain.
He recalls Chris asking if he is still refraining from using any of those apps. The way she had studied his face after that waiting for his confirmation. He had deleted them shortly after Molly had moved back to LA. It had felt weird, having her this close and those apps on his phone. He smiles to himself at the memory of Luca telling the team he had deleted the apps. They had been shocked and Tan's comment about no more broken hearts in LA. It had been pure irony because his had been broken at the time.
Jim forces himself to think about the lighter moments. The way he would swear Molly's eyes had lit up when he had shown up at the karaoke bar for her birthday.
He is parked outside the therapist's office for a couple of minutes when the doors open, and Molly comes out. It is the first time he sees her walk on those stupid crutches and he rushes to her side to help her to the car.
When they pull off the curve, he asks, "Where to?" and she simply replies "Home." Jim shoots her a confused look. "Josie is there with the sitter." She supplies and he breathes easy.
"Chris was busy." He tries to explain his presence and gets an eye roll in the mirror in reply. "I know. She probably texted me the second after she made you come and get me." Molly explains laughing softly.
The rest of the drive they spend in silence. And he almost breathes a sigh of relief when they reach the apartment building. There had been a tension building in the car, and he had been rather uncomfortable.
Jim wanted to excuse himself. Go home, and just not stay for dinner but Molly insisted they keep their plans. She argued it wouldn't make sense for him to drive home and back again.
After the sitter is relieved and Molly goes to change out of the workout clothes Jim picks up Josie and pulls silly faces to entertain the little girl. His mind almost instantly looks for all the similarities his colleagues and friends have been mentioning for a while now. Could it really be true?
While he waits the nervous energy inside is building up again and Jim feels his palms starting to sweat. He is scared of what will happen when he gets the chance to ask about Josie. He is deep in thought and barely registers Molly coming back.
The sound of a photo being taken makes him look up and into the awkward smile of Molly. "Sorry, you two were just so cute."
She takes a seat on the other sofa. His mind supplies, as far away as possible. And immediately he can see she is as nervous as him.
"I..." she starts and stops to swallow deep. He wants to get up and just support Molly but at the same time, he is frozen into his place. Jim keeps quiet and just looks in her direction.
"I am sorry for what comes out of my mouth next, and I need you to know this is not how I wanted to do this. Never."
Jim nods his head, and his lips form a "yes" even without sound.
"Jim, Josie is your daughter," Molly whispers with her head down.