A/N: It goes without saying I don't own S.W.A.T. or any of its characters. Content in italics are taken from or paraphrased from episode content.
***Jim's POV - Molly's work***
"Jim, it's been awhile," the receptionist, Anna, at Molly's office greeted me.
"Hey, yeah, work's been busy," I said.
"Molly's got fifteen before her first meeting, go on back," she said.
"Thank you," I told her with a smile. Guess Molly had managed to keep our "falling out" out of the office. I wandered down the hall and stopped a few steps from her open door. I smiled to myself and took a few moments to watch her work, studying that adorable way her eyebrows just slightly scrunched when she was focusing. I finally took the last few steps and crossed the threshold into her office.
"Molly," I said. Her head snapped up at my voice.
"Oh my gosh, Jim!" She said, jumping out of her seat. I shut the door behind me, just in time to catch her in my arms.
"Hey baby," I said, holding her close and rubbing her back. "I missed you."
"I have never been so worried," she said, voice muffled against my neck.
"I know, I know," I said. "It's done now."
"Did you get the guy? Is Nate ok?" she asked, releasing my neck and running her hands down my arms to hold my hands.
"No, but Nate's fine," I said, averting my eyes down.
"I'm sorry," she said, releasing my hands and pulling her necklace out from underneath her shirt.
"We'll get him," I said, eyeing my wedding ring as she slid it off the chain.
Molly nodded, then picked up my left hand. I smiled as she slid my ring back on my finger.
"Hand felt light without it," I said with a smile, kissing her hand.
"Does this mean we can go home?" she asked.
"Not yet," I said. Her face fell.
"It's safer if you stay with your dad," I said. "Just until we catch this guy."
"Where will you stay?" She asked softly.
"With you," I said. "Where else would I be?"
She visibly looked relieved before leaning her head on my shoulder. I tightened my arms around her and snuggled my face into her hair, letting her familiar scent wash over me.
"Hey," I said, after a few moments, moving my hands to rest on her waist. "I gotta go back to work, but I'll see you tonight."
She nodded. "I'm so glad you came by."
I smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said. I leaned down to capture her lips in a long kiss. And I was powerless to resist her when she wrapped her arms around my neck to deepen the kiss. I broke it while there was still (just barely) enough blood in my brain to make good choices.
"Hold that thought until tonight?" I asked, gently brushing her hair out of her face with my right hand before letting it rest on her cheek.
"At my dad's house?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I'll power through," I winked at her. She laughed softly as I kissed her temple.
"Bye," I said.
"Bye," she said, holding on to my hand as long as she could.
I walked out the door feeling a little lighter, and more optimistic about the situation. I was jolted from my thoughts when my phone started buzzing.
"Nate," I answered as I got in the car.
"You never left S.W.A.T. did you," he said. I sighed.
"No, but our bust went bad," I said.
"What are we going to do?" Nate asked.
"You're going to keep a low profile until LAPD and S.W.A.T. sort this out," I said.
"Streeter…"
"Nate, please," I said."You got a friend you can stay with?"
"Yeah," he said.
"Ok, go stay with him. I'll call you when I have something."
"You better," he said.
"I will," I said.
***Later that night - Hicks' Residence***
"Mol, you home?" I called when Hicks and I walked through the door. Molly popped around the corner a few moments later.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi," I said, giving her a lingering kiss.
"Hey, no funny business," Hicks growled.
"I'll be the perfect gentleman," I said.
"I don't promise to be a lady," Molly said, pressing up against me as she giving her father a daring look as she slid her hand down to squeeze my behind. Hicks rolled his eyes as I blushed.
"You're going to be the death of me, woman. You know he carries a gun, right?"
Molly just laughed and released me to turn and follow her father into the kitchen, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards me. I pulled her around the corner and trapped her between the wall and my body.
"So," I said, one hand on her hip, my forearm resting against the wall above her head, my hips pressed firmly against hers and my lips only a few inches from hers. "What are you wearing under that suit?"
"Hmmm...," she mumbled, fiddling with the front of my t-shirt. "I guess you'll have to wait until after dad goes to sleep to find out."
I smiled and leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers. Had it not been the knowledge that my father-in-law was in the next room, I would have taken her right then and there, but I broke the kiss. I smiled down at her before gently caressing her cheek and dropping a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"I love you," I said softly.
"I love you too," she said. I stepped back from her so she was no longer pinned against the wall, and followed her into the kitchen where Hicks resided.
"Dinner's already started," she said, noticing Hicks poking around the kitchen for snacks as she returned to stir whatever was simmering on the stove.
He laughed. "Admittedly, I will miss the cooking."
"You make her cook?" I asked.
"What?" Hicks asked.
"Jim's the cook in our house," Molly said.
"Better not let Luca find out about that Street, he'll have you working shifts on the food truck."
"Don't I know it," I said. Already craving to be close to Molly again, I pressed up behind her and rested my hands on her hips. "Do you need any help?"
"No, I'm ok, honey," she said. "Go sit down, I'm sure you're tired."
I leaned my head down and gently kissed her neck, taking advantage of her hair being up in what she called a "power pony."
"No funny business!" Hicks shouted from the living room. I smiled against her neck and hugged her from behind, kissing her neck one final time before releasing her.
"I'm going to take a shower," I called back, raising my hands in surrender.
"Make it a cold one!" Hicks shouted in reply. Molly could't help but laugh, her smile getting bigger when I caught her eye and gave her a wink before disappearing around the corner.
***Jim's POV - Hicks' Residence***
"Jim."
I jolted awake at the sound of Molly's voice and gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Hey," I said, automatically resting my hand on top of hers.
"Dinner's ready," she said.
"Ok," I said, leaning forward so my elbows rested on my knees, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
"Street," Hicks said, hanging up his phone as he walked into the room.
"Yeah?" I answered as he and I both headed towards the table where Molly was putting dinner on the table.
"That was Hondo and Decaon, they just got back from the warehouse. It looks like the boxes themselves were the drugs."
"What?" I said, equally impressed and confused, as I sat down.
"Yeah. Lab's testing it now, if it comes back positive, we'll get a new warrant," he said. "Nothing to do but wait for night."
I sighed in frustration, but mustered a small smile for Molly when she rubbed my forearm encouragingly.
***Later, Hicks' Residence - Jim's POV***
"Uhhhhhhh," I groaned, plopping stomach down on the bed. "This isn't even my bed and I'm so happy to see it. I could sleep for a month."
Molly laughed and crawled on the bed so she was kneeling next to me.
"Does that mean you're to tired to play with me?" She asked, fingers lightly caressing my back.
"Mmm I'm never to tired for that," I said, rolling on to my back and holding my hands out towards her in invitation. "Come 'mere, babe."
Accepting my invitation, she straddled my hip and let my gentle hand on her cheek guide her lips to mine.
***3:30 a.m., Hicks Residence - Jim's POV***
I woke up to the annoying sound of my phone buzzing. I flopped over on my back before reaching for the offending device. I was suddenly wide awake when I saw Nate's name flashing on the screen.
"Hold on one sec," I answered before hitting mute, then sitting up in bed to slide on a t-shirt and my discarded jeans. Molly's hand on my arm stopped before I could stand.
"Come back to bed," she softly whined.
"I'll be right back, I promise," I said, standing up then leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Go back to sleep."
"What is it, Nate?" I asked once I was in the hallway.
"I have something you can use," I said.
"No, stay put," I said. "S.W.A.T. is close; let us handle this."
"This can't wait, come meet me," he said.
"I'll meet you at our spot," I said.
"Ok, see you soon."
I hung up the phone with a sigh, and sighed again when I realized it wasn't even a.m. I made my way back to the room and proceeded to finish getting dressed while trying not to wake Molly. As soon as I sat down on the bed to put my shoes on, Molly rolled over and rested her hand on my arm.
"What's going on?" She asked, sitting up and curling up around me, chin resting on my shoulder.
"Nate, he has something we can use on Nolan."
"You're going to meet him now?"
"Yeah, before he doesn't something he shouldn't."
"Take dad," she said, rolling out of bed. "I'll go wake him."
"Honey, I'll be fine," I said.
"Humor me," she said, already dressed In her leggings and a shirt that I had no idea when she stole from me.
"Yes, m'am," I said as she walked out the door.
***Minutes later…***
"Both of you, be safe," Molly said before giving me a quick kiss.
"We will honey," Hicks said, accepting Molly's kiss to his cheek.
"Text me," Molly said.
"I always do," I said, squeezing her hand as she walked back to our room ad Hicks and I headed out the door.
"Better keep that jacket on to hide the hickey," Hicks said. I rolled my eyes.
"You know Molly asked me out first and kissed me first."
"My daughter is a go getter," Hicks deadpanned. I laughed softly, silently appreciating his attempt at levity.
***Later… Motel in Long Beach - Street's POV***
I leaned against the wall in the trashed Long Beach hotel room. I had found my worst nightmare in that hotel room in the form of Nate's dead body in the bathtub. The last few hours had been a blur, Hondo coming with the unis to work the scene. Texts from the team with their condolences, texts from Molly worried about me, finding a stack of receipts in Nate's stash spot and wondering what it all meant.
"Street," Hicks said. I looked up as he approached me. "I've sent two unis to pick up Molly, they're going to bring her back to headquarters."
I nodded. Having Hicks with me was probably the only thing that kept me from from going after Nolan right then as soon as I saw Nate's body.
"There's nothing more for us here," Hondo said. "Let's go."
***LAPD S.W.A.T. headquarters - Street's POV***
"I'm sorry about Nate," said Chris, giving me a hug.
"We know how much he meant to you," said Tan.
"If you need anything, we're here for you," said Deacon
"Thanks, guys."
"Jim," my head snapped towards the sound of my sweet wife's voice.
"Molly," I said.
"Go," said Hondo, but I was already walking towards her.
"I'm so sorry about Nate," she said. I didn't answer, just engulfed her in a hug and snuggled my face against her shoulder. She leaned all her weight against me and rubbed comforting circles on my back. After a few moments I pulled back, and grabbed her hand to lead her in to the break room.
"I'm glad you came, Mol," I said, sitting down on one of the stools, gently cradling Molly's hands in my own and pulling her closer so she was standing between my legs.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she said. "What can I do, honey?"
I signed and released her hands and rested my hands on her hips to pull her into an embrace. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on her chest. She rested her chin on my head and just held me, running her fingers comfortingly through my hair, until a knock on the door interrupted us.
"Dad," she said as I released her.
"I need to talk to you kids," he said.
"What is it?" Molly asked.
"She needs an escort to the office and home tonight, until we get these guys."
"I know," I said.
"Wait, what?" Molly said.
"Nolan is going after everyone I love," I said. "You're in danger."
"I'm going to have two plain clothes guys from metro at her office until you go back to pick her up," Hicks said. "You should go check on your house too. Take Luca with you."
"Yep," I said. "Babe, text me if there's anything you want me to grab."
"I'll go with you," she said.
"No, it's too dangerous," I said. "Your dad will take you back to work."
She looked at me, and then at her father before sighing.
"I've been around cops long enough to know not to argue with those faces," she said.
"Hey," I said, standing up off the stood then pulling her into hug. Hicks stepped out of the room to give us a moment. "It's gonna be fine, I promise. Ok?"
"I came here to comfort you," she said softly, clinging to me.
"You know what you can do to comfort me?"
"What?" she asked.
"Listen to the people trying to keep you safe," I said, silently cursing my brother for not doing the same.
"I promise," she said.
I rubbed her back, then broke the embrace.
"I love you," I said, resting my hands on her cheeks and giving her a soft, lingering kiss.
"I love you too," she said.
***Locker Room - Street's POV***
"Yo, Street," I looked up at Hondo's voice. "There's more effective ways to get the knots out of your shoelaces."
I stood up and picked up the boot I had just angrily thrown across the room, taking the opportunity while my back was turned to wipe the stray tears falling from my eyes.
"If he'd just stayed put, he'd still be alive," I said, sitting back down on the bench and working at the knot.
"Hey, don't do that to yourself," said Hondo. "He was trying to help, probably thought he owed you for putting your life and reputation on hold to help him."
"I always owed him," I said.
"Maybe," Hondo said. "But today, be the great cop he saw you as. Deacon and Tan just called. We've got footage of Nolan and his men going into the hotel Nate was staying at. And Chris and the Commander tied tho receipts back to Ludlow. We got Nolan for Nate's murder. And we got Ludlow for the drugs. You did it, Street."
Relief washed over me, and I actually cracked a small smile.
"Tan, Chris and Deacon are going to arrest Ludlow. You and me got Nolan. Ready to roll?"
"You know it," I said.
***Nolan's house - Street's POV***
Predictably, when Hondo pounded on Nolan's door, he ran and tried to escape out the back alley, where I was waiting. I heard his feet hit the ground when he jumped off the balcony, and stepped into his view a few yards away.
"It's over Nolan, drop the bag, hands behind your head," I said.
"I shoulda known you were a rat. How's Nate?"
"On your knees. Hands behind your head," I repeated. Nolan glanced at the gun in his bag about the time Hondo came running behind him.
"As much as I'd like to see you go for that gun Nolan, it's a lot of paperwork," I said.
"But I don't mind paperwork," Hondo said. Nolan sighed and dropped the bag, then dropped to his knees. I holstered my gun an mvmd clicked the cuffs around his wrists.
"Teauge Nolan, you're under arrest for the murder of Nate Warren." I said.
"Well now that you know I keep my promises," Nolan said. "Have you checked on that pretty wife of yours, Street?"
I froze, and locked eyes with Hondo.
"Go, I got this SOB," Hondo said. I nodded and trotted off towards the car. I wasn't ten feet from the car when a text from Hicks turned my blood cold.
"Metro officers with Molly are taking her to LA general. 3 of Nolan's guys went after her."