Okay, here we go again. Updates will be spaced out over quite some time due to RL commitments. I still hope you enjoy it.
Her day started almost like any other day in the past two weeks. Even if Molly tried to tell herself to forget about Jim Street, somehow, her first thought was of him. What was he up to? Why wouldn't he just text her back? This ghosting was not what she had come to expect of him. Her thoughts remind her that not even Chris had any clues where he was staying these days, and somehow that just made it worse.
She is studying herself in the mirror. The makeup was sitting perfectly, and when she forced a smile, maybe no one would notice the inner turmoil.
Before heading to her car, Molly glances at her schedule, and with a startle, she realizes her first stop this morning has to be no other place than SWAT HQ. She had avoided going there the last week, but she needed the files, and if she didn't go today… she shook her head and grabbed her keys a little more forcefully.
You'll survive.
When she arrives at HQ, the desk sergeant informs her, she'll have to wait outside, and she can't go up to see her father personally. The whole building is bustling, and it really looks like they are preparing for a big operation. Multiple teams are moving in and out of the rotunda and loading up vehicles. Something big is up, and therefore Molly understands that she has to stay out of the way.
After she has the necessary files, she drives to her office and mentally goes through her plans for the day. The stack on her passenger seat will keep her busy for the better part of the day.
After lunch, Molly finally gets around to opening her mail, and when she opens a large manila envelope, a whole bunch of photos spill out onto her desk and threaten to bring chaos to her neatly stacked files, so she hurries to get them back onto one stack.
While she is picking up the photos, she notices something.
Is that… Molly doesn't even dare to finish that thought, but she grabs the rest of the pictures, and it gets confirmed. It is Jim.
Why would someone send those to her? And where even is he? What is going on?
That's when she notices the woman in the pictures. It looks very much like someone printed out frames of a recording. The woman walks closer to Jim, and somehow Molly's eyes are trained on her boyfriend's face. He is not my boyfriend. Not anymore.
She shakes her head and shoves all the pictures back into the envelope, finally realizing there is nothing on it but her name. No stamp, no currier notes, nothing.
That is odd, and Molly slowly walks over to the front desk.
"Marie, do you remember who dropped this off?" she asks the assistant there, and the woman quickly checks her list. "I don't know who, but I can tell you when. Is something wrong? Should I call security?"
Molly shakes her head. "I am not sure yet, but can you send someone from security to my office with the tapes? Thank you."
For now, she decides to try to figure out what's going on, on her own. But when she returns to her desk, she finds a stray picture on the floor and sees the name of the place La Perla, and she knows she'll have to make a call.
Her father doesn't pick up the phone; he probably is observing the operation firsthand, so she simply leaves him a message to call her back when he has the time and snaps a photo of that final picture, and sends him a secure message.
Afterward, her work has her occupied until security comes into her office, but not as expected to review the tapes with her but to get her out of the building and apparently directly to her father's office.
She hates being handled this way, but Molly also learned not to argue with her father when he makes decisions concerning her security. When she is being led into the office, Hondo and Lynch are also there, and they are reviewing what looks like the firm's security footage.
"The broken arm is a dead giveaway," Hondo mumbles before all three of them turn to face her.
Lynch and Hondo excuse themselves pretty quickly, citing the need to update them and leave Molly alone with her father.
Meanwhile, Chris is soaking in the tub in the undercover apartment she is living in with Rodriguez for the time being. Last night had been awkward and, on top, really hard on her feet. The heels had been just a tad too high, and she really needed this time to soak up some time to herself.
She knew they had a debrief with Hondo soon, which would also mean she'd have to face Street again. They really needed to talk about yesterday. She knew it had been unfair not to warn him, but how. Stop it! This is not helping to relax!
Just as Chris chastises herself, there is a knock at the door. "We got to get a move on. Hondo has changed the time. They have some news," Rodriguez informs her, and Chris climbs out of the tub.
On the drive over to the parc, where Hondo had chosen a very much secluded picnic area for their meet-up Chris and Raul talk about their side of the case. It looks like they can grab up everyone at once, if Street and SWAT can get the drug business under control too.
"Maybe they have a solution for that, and we can move in tonight," Raul offers, and Chris sighs. "That would be fantastic. I am not a fan of Lola's."
Her partner chuckles and pulls into a parking spot. Chris recognizes Street's bike immediately and pulls the hem of the shirt a little lower.
"Everything okay?" Raul asks and puts his arm around her. It is a necessary thing, and it somehow gives Chris some security.
"Facing Street…" she offers, and Raul nods. "Yes, I see. It is awkward to do that without preparation. You were pretty convincing, though. You sure you two never…."
"God, no. He has a girlfriend. Hicks's daughter, so don't even insinuate." Chris interrupts him gruffly, and Raul just nods in understanding.
When they round the last bend of the path, they already see Hondo and Street. Chris can see immediately that Street is upset and agitated. It probably has to do with the papers strewn across the table behind them.
The gravel under her shoes gives them away, and Hondo turns with a serious look on his face. His eyes are trained on Rodriguez. "Did you know about this?" he asks, and Chris can hear the anger in his voice. She follows closely, and when she recognizes herself in the pictures, her breath stops for a moment.
"I had an inkling they wanted the recordings for something. Where did you get these?" Raul asks. "They set up new cameras extra for this?" Street interjects. "I don't know why they thought they needed more. I mean, they have you on camera disposing of two bodies…."
Chris still stares at the pictures. It really looks bad if you don't know what really was going on.
"Where did you get these?" she now asks too and fixes her eyes on Street, who is practically seething by now. The balled fists down bode well for his temper, and she takes a step over and places a hand on his shoulder as Hondo finally answers, "They got sent to Molly's office. Our working theory is they wanted to test if they are still in contact. Molly called Hicks after she recognized the bar."
"Oh God," Chris lets out and then sinks onto the bench. "Did Hicks fill her in? Is she…" are her following questions, but Hondo just nods. "She is safe and sound at HQ. And I don't think Hicks told her more about the pictures. And we need to focus on the operation tonight." He pulls their focus back to the mission.
"Street managed to get himself appointed driver for tonight, and he has gotten the shipping info for the drugs coming in. Can you close your side of the case tonight too, so we can get the uncut stuff from the ship and the bar and prove it's all connected?" Rodriguez nods, and after that, it's settled.
Chris shares a look with Rodriguez, who hangs back to talk with Hondo some more while Chris walks with Street in the direction of the parking lot.
"Listen, about last night," she starts, and Street turns and fully faces her for the first time. "It was a job, Chris, nothing more."
"Yeah, but the pictures make it even more awkward. I am sorry. I can talk to…."
"No. Thanks, but I think I should do that myself. If she can forgive me for ignoring her, I think I have to explain myself, and I'll leave you out of it. Hondo said not even Hicks recognized you. It was Lynch who asked if it were you. First thing Hondo asked me when he arrived, actually."
They both stand there quiet for a few moments until Street asks, "So are we okay, Chris?"
"Yes, we are. Be careful tonight. Don't do anything stupid." she admonishes him, and then they part ways. Street heads to his bike to get ready for his shift and work tonight, and Chris turns back to the picnic area to meet up with Rodriguez again.