Mhh, almost a year to get a second chapter ready... sorry. And I really can't promise quick updates for this as I just write this in between other projects. It is still dear to my heart, so I hope you enjoy.
The next morning Jim is still stunned by Molly's grace. He feels she is still wary about his connection with Chris. That was to be expected and he isn't too sure how he can fix that. He just hopes he can. The other thing that hasn't left his mind, especially since he dropped Molly of at her apartment is the fact that Chris basically set him up with Molly. Two moments have been flashing in his mind ever since. When Chris had, out of the blue asked about his usage of dating apps, or the lack thereof, and when she took over his inventory duty so he could actually make that first date. They had been barely speaking at the time; nothing private. Thinking back, he remembers his surprise, he'd thought of that as a sign she was ready to think of them as real friends again.
In the locker room getting ready they are all trading jabs, but Chris seems quieter than normal. Had he missed that the past couple of days? Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her turn her phone over to ignore calls multiple times already when Luca starts teasing her about telemarketers. He hangs back while the rest of the team leaves. When they are alone, he finally dares to ask, "Are you okay?"
Jim can see Chris freeze for a second, but she recovers quickly with a shrug.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? These telemarketers are just annoying!"
She even gestures to her phone when it goes off again. But this time he is all but certain he read Kira's name on the screen. Before he can press her again, Tan comes back to hurry them. Hondo wants to run drills today. Chris pushes past Tan who raises his brows at him the confused "What's going on?" is visible on his face but not spoken.
"Let's move before Hondo decides he wants to fire one of us." Tan finally quips and motions for them to follow Chris out the door. Jim hates that joke but it still comes up from time to time. So, he shakes his head and follows his teammates out the door.
He relatively quickly figures out Hondo keeps a running list of all their screw-ups, even the minor ones, in his head. Something he apparently picked up from Buck, and it annoys the hell out of them. He can see Chris check and silence her phone periodically over the course of their day. And he wonders how he never noticed before today. Had she not gotten all these calls? Or had he been too wrapped up in his own happiness?
Over the course of the day, Hondo and the others catch him distracted twice before he can pull himself together. Still, he can't help but be worried.
When the shift is over Jim tries his luck one more time and hangs around in the locker room a little longer than usual to get Chris to talk.
Chris seems surprised to have him still in the room and ignores his presence actively.
"When did we start… When did you stop trusting me?" he finally asks.
"I don't know what you mean," is her comeback accompanied by a shrug and a glare.
„Chris, I… I know you don't like to open up and talking about this here is probably not smart either, but I worry about you."
He takes a breath and studies her face. Trying to convey he knows and just get her to talk to him, but she simply stays silent.
"What do you want to talk about?" Chris finally asks quietly, almost dejected, and motions for him to walk out with her.
Outside in the parking lot Street asks the one question that has been on his mind ever since that gallery: "Where are you staying these days?"
Chris's hands freeze on her door, and she whirls around, just staring at him.
"How?" is the only word that leaves her mouth before her phone starts going off once again.
"You might want to talk to Kira about that." He motions for her phone and indicates she should text him when and where they can talk.
On his way home he hopes that it was a good idea for Chris to talk it out with Kira. From what he saw at the gallery the other woman had taken it hard. And as much as he still didn't understand the relationship the three of them had had, he knew for a fact that Chris had stayed for Kira.
Chris sunk down on her seat and tried to work out what just had happened.
How did he know? What did he know? Why should she talk this out with Kira? There was nothing left to be said. They would get married, and she was not a part of that marriage. And she wouldn't sneak time with Kira, that just felt like cheating no matter how they had tried to frame it.
Resigning herself to the fact that she would have to answer one of Kira's calls to make this constant ringing stop Chris turns the key in the ignition and drives home.
Or at least her temporary home. She has every intention of finding a permanent place again and soon.
When Chris arrives at her friend's house, she takes a seat on the front steps and finally returns one of Kira's calls. She doesn't bother checking her voicemail first. She'll delete the messages later.
She listens to everything Kira has to say and when she hears about the way Street found out her stomach turns a little. Still, her decision to end the relationship with the two remains as steadfast as Kira is on marrying Ty.
"That's just not working for me. I am sorry," are her final words before hanging up and blocking Kira's number.
With Deacon and Street knowing her relationship ended Chris figures it is time to fill the rest of the team in and even if it hurts seeing all of their pitiful looks, she can also see they are all going to be there for her.
There is only one group of people she can't bring herself to face right now.
Her family. The people who have struggled the most to accept her for the way she is and still support her through everything. She is scared to admit to them she was naïve and got hurt.
The next time Chris runs into Molly at HQ they exchange a small almost awkward "Hello" and a smile. Nothing more. It feels strange knowing the lawyer is friends with Ty and Kira and she never knew that before it all ended.
As for Molly and Street, their relationship faltered a little bit after the revelation, but Molly tried to stay true to her word and not judge the man at her side for his past. Even if the timeline of events struck her a little odd, she remained hopeful they would work it out and come out of the end of this stronger.
But when he stopped returning her calls or texts a few weeks later she was almost ready to give up.