Deep down in the back of his head, a small voice still tells Tan that this might have been just a little bit too quick, but he pushes that aside and decides to ignore it.
Just until the moment, Luca inevitably is looking for a new place to stay. During his time as a part of 20David, he had taken in his teammate more than once, but he couldn't do that to Bonnie. That was out of the question.
Seeing Street and the other's shocked faces scares Tan a little bit and make him question his decision to have Bonnie move in for a fraction of a second. He was a little embarrassed even to tell his friends, but all that changed the second he arrived home. The moment the almost dissipated smell of her perfume hits his nostrils. This is home, and it is perfect the way it is.
Victor starts cooking dinner and has almost finished setting the table when Bonnie walks in. "What did you do wrong?" she questions him with a pointed look at the table, but he can hear the laughter in her voice still.
"Nothing bad, I promise. But I had to tell the others we live together. And we found Luca an apartment of his own" he can't help the insecure feeling right now, and he studies Bonnies features for some sort of hint.
"That means I finally get to meet all of them?" she beams at him and flings herself into Victor's arms.
"Sure, and to quote Street: It doesn't matter if you move or someone moves into your place. It is an automatic housewarming." Victor smiles and shakes his head at the memory.
"But don't you worry. The party won't be here. Luca's new place as a rooftop terrace." he adds when he sees Bonnie's eyes wander around the place, probably already making plans.
Bonnie seems to stop and think for a moment, and then she beams again. "Great, then I get to decorate and set up, right? Can you give me Luca's number so we can get to planning right away?" Tan feels a little bit like a freight train just hit him, but he holds out his phone non the less, and just minutes later, it sounds like his girlfriend is in a deep discussion about drink and food options with Luca.
Thank God the food he prepared can be eaten cold or reheated later. But he still feels compelled to make Bonnie a small plate right now, and he fills a glass of wine. Both of those he places at her side in the living room. Bonnie just smiles gratefully and continues her conversation with Luca.
Tan can't help but smile too. Bonnie really seems to be getting along well with his SWAT family.
After a little more than an hour, Bonnie finally hangs up and smiles coly while sneaking an arm around his neck. "I am sorry, but we were in a flow, and with you guys being off next weekend, it is the perfect time for the party. We can do something midday or afternoon so the kids can come." the kids' part comes out a little confused, but Victor just smiles.
"Do you remember what I told you about my teammates?" Victor starts his explanation with a question. "Deacon is married with three small children, and they love their uncle Luca," the memory of Deac's defeated complaining about Luca's last stay with them makes him chuckle slightly. "Oh, and before I forget, but I am assuming Deac and Annie will now extend the invite personally too, but they'd love it if you'd accompany me to their vow renewal." Without hesitation, Bonnie launches herself at him and laughs, "Of course I'll come with you. Thank you for inviting me."
After a flurry of planning and work, Victor finds himself standing on Luca's rooftop and takes a sip of his beer, taking in the sight. Bonnie and Luca had gotten along exceptionally well from the start and had pulled off a fantastic party. They are again talking animatedly, and Bonnie is petting Duke intermittently. HE rolls his eyes, remembering the struggle to get Luca to accept any of the apartments before they had realized that he needed a roommate and the golden lab had been a godsend. That was one surprise they really managed to get for him.
He hears the door opening, and Victor gets greeted by Chris and Street stepping outside. The latter immediately quips, "So where did you leave your illusive girlfriend?" and gets rewarded by a slap to the head by Chris. Chris just quickly hugs Tan demonstrably and says "Hello,"
Streets eyes are trained onto the grill, and he moves over there. Tan observes the scene, and Chris whispers into his ear. "She looks fantastic," She seems to have put two and two together and continues her sentences with "Wanna go over and listen in?" and a grin. Tan can't help but grin too and nods his head.
Bonnie has noticed Victor walking over and beams in his direction when she hears a new voice from her side "A drink for the lady?".
Inward she rolls her eyes and turns with a grin and a grip on her bottle of beer. "Thanks, I am good."
She takes a sip before skipping over to Victor without a second thought to the guy. "And now you've met Street" Tan laughs and presses a small kiss to her temple.
"He's lucky he looks good..." Bonnie starts and giggles when she notices Victor's shocked expression. "Not as good as you, obviously."
Chris just observes the scene shaking of laughter, and when Bonnie walks back to Luca and her beer, she tells her friend. "I like her. Behave yourself."
The party is a nice way for Bonnie to meet the people her boyfriend spends almost every day with, and she is delighted to get to know them. The bond in the team is evident, and she can see all of them teasing each other and making jokes. Throughout the evening, though, she also takes the chance to talk with Annie. She admires the family life Annie and Deacon have built for themselves, in spite of the dangerous job.
And even if it is way too early to think about that, seeing them making it work, hearing the stories gives Bonnie hope that her relationship can work long term. Maybe forever.
She laughs at the stories Chris tells her about Victor's start at SWAT and the explanation for his nickname Hollywood. He apparently had been working out of that division before making the switch to SWAT. Something she hadn't known before.
Bonnie becomes a part of the group very quickly, and she is really excited and honored to be attending the vow renewal later this year.
Even Street manages to change her first impression of him. Somewhere behind the charming smile is a man with an outstanding character and a good friend.
Bonnie also admires Chris. She can't imagine what it must be like to be the sole female on a SWAT team, from what she hears, the only active officer right now. It's impressive to her, and she can see that all the guys respect Chris and treat her as an equal.
There is slight confusion after Hondo announces that Bonnie is now an honorary member of the family, and Bonnie searches for Victor's face.
Victor looks down at his feet guiltily.
"Don't tell me you never told her about SWAT being family," Street laughs and slaps his friend on the shoulder.
Without thinking, Victor retorts, "I wrote her a letter. Did you manage that by now?"
Bonnie is frozen into her spot and feels like her thoughts are running a thousand miles an hour. What letter?
She is a little out of it and doesn't even register Street's reply. But he must've said something because the group reacts with a collective surprised murmur.
Again her eyes search for her boyfriend, who immediately realizes they should probably have a quiet moment and talk.
"Can you guys give us a minute?" he tells the group and then carefully leads Bonnie over to two deck chairs. For a moment, he tries to decide where to sit. Next to her, opposite? Behind her?
The only thing he wants to do right now is hugging Bonnie and stop whichever runaway train her thoughts are on right now.
He takes a deep breath.
Maybe face to face is the best way to have this conversation. This was definitely not how he pictured telling her about the locker room letters.
Bonnies worried voice interrupts his train of thought.
"Victor? Did something happen? Is it bad?"
She can't help but be worried. What did he mean by he wrote her a letter? What was that mystery letter about? Why would he write it? Was he sick?
She feels Victor reaching for her hand and intertwining their fingers almost hesitantly. Victor is shivering. "Bonnie, I..." he starts but has to stop again, gulping down the lump that has been forming just imagining. "You are the most important person in my life, and every one of us in the team, or to be honest, every officer at SWAT has written one or more letters to loved ones. To the most important people in their lives. Just in case..." he searches for her eyes. Victor can'T bring himself to say the words. He really doesn't want to imagine not coming home to Bonnie. Not now, not ever. It had been hard enough to pour his soul into that letter. The one waiting in his locker at the station. The one he hopes Bonnie will never have to read.
Bonnie's eyes shimmer wet. "I understand, " she whispers with a raspy voice. And at that moment, Victor switches places and sits down behind Bonnie to be able to wrap her up in his arms.
They remain wrapped up in each other for quite some time. Just feeling the other, but then Bonnie softly smiles and gets up. She reaches for Victor's hand, and together they join the group again.
The rest of their evening is again spent with laughs and endless conversations. Bonnie gets along great with Annie, and Victor observes the two women talking animatedly for a long time up until Annie leaves with the kids.
He is thrilled that Bonnie has integrated this well into their little group.
His family.