A/N: It goes without saying I don't own S.W.A.T. or any of its characters. Quotes in italics are straight from the episode (or were paraphrased).
***Street's POV - LAPD S.W.A.T Headquarters***
I walked into headquarters, the knot in my stomach only getting bigger as I approached Hicks, Hondo and my team.
"Street, man, it's good to see you," Tan said.
"Where you been?" asked Chris.
"Why don't you, me and Hondo go somewhere private and figure out what the hell's been going on with you," said Hicks.
"I can't really get into it right now," I said, quieter then I should have.
"I'm sorry? You've been MIA for three days. You left your team a man down. That's the best you can do? 'I can't get into it right now?'" Hicks growled. "Son, you better make an attitude adjustment quick."
"Street, what's going on?" Deacon asked.
"I need the next few weeks off," I said. The people around us—including other co-workers and recruits—were starting to stare
"There's a process to requesting time off. You know that. You fill out a request form. But I'm gonna save you the time. Request denied," Hicks said.
"Commander, let's just hear him out," said Hondo.
"No. He's tested my patience long enough. You're not up to active duty, you serve your penance in the armory. One month cage duty. Maybe then I'll think about assigning you active," said Hicks."And maybe you'll get your head on straight about Molly while you're in there."
"Molly? What's going on with Molly?" Tan asked.
"I can't do that," I said, trying my best to ignore the pit in my stomach deepening when Hicks brought up Molly.
"I'm not giving you a choice. Now move your ass," growled Hicks.
"Street, you be smart about this and get moving," said Deacon.
You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. I glanced over at Hondo, his steady gaze conveying his silent support.
"You know what?" I said.
"What?!" snapped Hicks.
"I quit," I said, handing him my badge. I looked back down at my left hand and slid off my wedding ring. "Give this to Molly."
I turned on my heel and walked away; I could hear Chris' footsteps behind me.
"Street, no. What are you doing?" she said.
"Come on, Street. You don't mean this, man," said Hondo.
"Stop! Street, talk to me!" Chris yelled after me.
"Let him go, Chris! That's an order!" yelled Hicks.
"What the hell is going on here?" Chris snapped.
"Couldn't tell you. I just know my daughter showed up at my house three days ago with a suitcase," Hicks said before walking off.
"Let's just focus on the case," Hondo said. "We'll deal with this later."
*** Street's POV - Nate's House ***
I rolled my eyes at Nate's continued protests as I unpacked my suitcase.
"This isn't right man, I can't do this to you, leave you hanging with Nolan," Nate said.
"You didn't do this to me; You were in trouble you came to me for help. The rest is my doing," I said.
Once I brought this to Hicks and Hondo, we'd planned and—flawlessly, if I do say so myself—executed a ruse that brought me into the inner circle by way of me "killing" two armed bar intruders (who in fact were undercover officers) and allowing Nolan's guys to catch me disposing of the "bodies." All unbeknown to Nate (and Nolan's crew), of course.
"Nolan's dangerous, man. I saw him take a baseball mat to a couple drunks in The ally one night out. he beat their heads a pulp. I saw him enjoy it."
"Guess it's a good thing I got you away from him then," I tried to joke.
"Jimmy, I'm serious, I don't want you hanging out with him," Nate said.
"I make a living dealing with guys like this. For the next two weeks this is just another mission for me. That's it. I just need you to stay clear of it. Alright?" At least that was the truth.
"I was the big brother I looked out for you. Remember?"
"I remember, and I am grateful. I would have never made it through the foster system without you. but we are not kids anymore. I made a choice, and I'm going to have to live with it. so you're going to have to live with it too." I said.
"What about Molly?" he asked.
"Leave Molly out of this," I snapped, too quickly. "This has nothing to do with her."
"Jim, if you two are going through something and this is your way of dealing with it—"
"It's not," I said. That's something the old me would do, but not the new me.
"Jim—"
"Nate," I stopped him; No amount of training or undercover prep work could fully suppress my instincts to protect Molly. "Leave her out of this."
Thankfully, the knock at the door ended this train of inquiry.
"Must be the food," I said. But I was more than surprised when Tan and Chris busted through the door.
"Street!" Tan basically shouted
"Woah, what are you guys doing here?!" I said, exasperated.
"Looking for you," Tan said. "Just trying to understand what's going on."
"Is this Nate?" Sneered Chris, staring down Nate. "What have you got him messed up in?"
"Chris, please don't. He's my brother," I said.
"Foster, brother," Chris corrected.
"And that mean's he is family," I said.
"And we're not? You worked so hard to get back on S.W.A.T. why are you throwing it all away again?
"Look, I'm out at S.W.A.T., what's done is done," I said, silently wishing they would leave.
"At least tell us what's going on, what kind of trouble you in?" Tan asked.
"I'm not in any trouble," I said.
Come on, man, we're trying to help," Chris said.
"Why is it so hard to understand!" I snapped. "I don't want your help, ok? All I want is for you guys to go."
"Let's go Chris," Tan said. "Maybe Molly has some answers."
"Hey!" I snapped, stepping in front of Tan, blocking his access to the door. "Stay the hell away from my wife."
"You walked out on her; she's not your wife anymore," said Chris, moving next to Tan so they were both in my face.
"What makes you think I walked out on her?" I snapped. That hit a little too close to home, because to some degree, cutting off contact with her for two weeks (at a minimum) felt like I was abandoning her, even with her blessing.
"Because we know you, Street," Chris said.
"Get the hell out," I said, stepping aside and flinging open the door to one very confused food delivery man.
Tan and Chris walked out with a final glare at me. And I gave the delivery man an extra large tip.
*** Street's POV - Nolan's bar***
Two steps inside the bar, and Nolan's buffoon of a body guard was already in my face.
"First day on the job and you're already late," Barber sneered, clearly not happy to have a cop in the fold. "What kind of first impression is that?"
"Get your breath out of my face," I snapped, moving past him but letting my shoulder smack into his.
"Officer Street," said an overly-cheery Nolan. "Drink? Or are you still technically on duty?"
"I quit my job," I deadpanned.
"So I heard."
I feigned surprise.
"What? Did you think we wouldn't check up on you?" Nolan asked.
"Why don't you tell me what you want from me," I said. I was ready for this assignment to be done and over so I could go home to my wife.
"First, Barber here is going to pat you down for a wire," Nolan said.
I rolled my eyes, but reluctantly let Barber pat me down, at least until he got a little too aggressive with the hands near some of my favorite areas.
"All right, all right," I protested, shaving Barber's hands away. "What do you need?"
"You used to work for LBPD, so you know their patrol patterns, blind spots, vulnerabilities, just like you do for LAPD," Nolan said. "So, when I get a new shipment, you're going to tell me the best routes and times. You're going to tap your sources and find out if there are any raids that would snag any of my dealers
"Is that all," I said more than asked, unable to hide the annoyance in my voice.
"That, and any other damn thing I decide I want from you."
"And that means you have to listen to what I say too, smart ass," Barber sneered, giving my shoulder a sensual, yet domineering rub.
"Ok, keep your hands off me," I snapped, smacking away his hand.
"Hey, maybe not," he said. This time when he tried to rub my shoulder turned and punched him in the gut, putting all the frustration and anger pent up inside me about this mission in the hit.
"Knock it off, that's enough," Nolan said, almost rolling his eyes at us. When Barber pulled a knife out of his pocket, I ended it by breaking his arm.
"What the hell did you do?" Nolan growled when Barber howled in pain.
"Broke my damn arm," said Barber, panting.
"You get to the hospital and get that looked at. And you," Nolan said, turning to me. "Cancel any plans you have because you're working late tonight!"
Later...
"Where are we headed tonight?" I asked, barging into Nolan's office.
"You'll know when we get there," said Nolan, not even bothering to look up. I rolled my eyes and walked back out into the main bar area, shocked when I saw Nate walk in the door.
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I've been thinking, Jim," Nate said. "If you gonna be here, I'm gonna be there with you."
"Are you kidding me?! Get lost!" I said, shoving him towards the door. I was risking everything for him; couldn't he just lay low?
"I'm sorry, but I gotta look out for you too," he said.
"I don't need your sorry and I don't need you looking out for me. Ok? I need you to go!"
It was then that Nolan walked in, a small, satisfied smile on his face.
"I want back in; I want my old job back," Nate said.
"Not happening; Not part of our deal," I said. "Nate is out free and clear."
"You keep talking like you have some kind of leverage here," Nolan said. "Nate, you're back in; Come help me in the office. Street, you behave now or maybe I'll show your former bosses that little video."
I bit my tongue as Nate walked towards Nolan's office, glancing back at me.
"Now, Go start the car," Nolan said.
*** Street's POV - Motel in Long Beach ***
I cut the engine on my bike, giving my surroundings one last look to make sure I wasn't followed, before hopping off the bike and knocking in a rhythmic code on door 112.
"Nolan bought it," I said. "I'm in. All the way.
"Good work, Street," Hondo said.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Play the role," Hicks said. "We'll meet you here nightly for an update. Take a different route. Make sure you aren't followed. You know the drill."
I nodded. "How's Molly?"
"Worried, but she's tough," Hicks said. "Wasn't exactly thrilled when I gave her your ring."
I sighed and looked down.
"It was a good touch," Hicks said. "She's safer this way."
"I know," I said. "Give her a kiss for me. Tell her I love her."
"I will," Hicks said, giving my shoulder a fatherly squeeze.
*** Molly's POV - Hicks Residence ***
I not surprisingly arrived home before my father that evening. I changed out of my work close and started to cook dinner to keep my mind off of Jim. I was just putting dinner on the table when Dad walked through the door.
"Hey honey," he said.
"Hi dad," I said. "Talk to Jim today?"
"Hondo and I met with him," he said, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. "That's from him."
"How's he doing?" I asked.
"He's ok, he's in the fold," he said. We were both silent for a moment.
"Are these guys really dangerous?" I asked softly. He signed.
"Yes, very," he said. "But he's going to be fine. He's great at his job. He's well trained, and he's got a RIPCORD if we need to pull him out."
I sighed, and absent mindedly fiddled with his wedding ring that hung from my necklace chain.
"Make sure that stays out of sight," he said. "Gotta sell this."
"I know," I said. "I miss him."
Dad stood and crossed the short distance between the table and where I stood at the stove and gave me a hug.
"He also told me to tell you he loves you," he said, rubbing my back comfortingly.
"I don't know how mom did it. She was always so strong when you went undercover," I said, stepping away from him to put our dinner on plates.
"That was for you kids," he said. "She was absolutely as worried about me as you are about Street."
"I wish she was here," I said softly. "I'd love her advice right now."
"I know," he said. "Normally I'd suggest reaching out to Annie, but we've got to keep the circle small." Only me, dad, and Hondo knew what Jim was really up to.
"Yeah, I know," I said. "I'll be fine. It's a good opportunity for me to catch up on some work, keep my mind off of it."
"That's a good strategy," he said.
"Also, he's your son-in-law, and he has a first name," I said, trying to make the mood a little more light hearted.
"He calls me commander."
"I tell him the same thing," I said as we sat down at the table to eat.
"Old habits die hard," he said with a laugh.