Chapter 34 : Obsession

She left SWAT HQ, letting go of Jim's hand. She drove home, right to her apartment. She didn't want to talk. She needed silence to process the information and to be sure that if Karlsson came here, he would find her alone. Once was enough. No reason he came after the people she loved when she was the one he was after. She parked the car, ran to her place and locked the door.

She finally let her crack. She was scared, she was frightened. But she refused to let this man win. She will get him down, she will catch him and she will throw him in jail. But though, it was good to cry, to let all this anger and fear out. She took a deep breath before swiping her tears. She was feeling better. She was ready to fight.

She heard the noise of the keys in the lock. Jim passed the head by the small opening of the door. "Hey… Shall I enter?"

She gave him a faint smile. He never gave up on her. "Yes…" She whispered. He smiled back at her and entered the apartment. He walked past her and removed his jacket, before sitting in the sofa. He didn't say a word. He knew she didn't like to talk. But he wanted her to know he was here for her.

She remained in the kitchen, cleaning, tidying. She kept her mind busy. She needed this. She ended after hours. Jim was already sleeping in their bed. She looked at him for a while and grinned. She was lucky to have this man in her life. She cuddled against him and appreciated when he passed his arm around her waist. She grabbed his hand and put it under her face, before falling asleep.

[…]

20-David Squad spent the next days chasing Karlsson through Los Angeles. They did one raid after another. They seized guns, a lot of them. They arrested Karlsson's henchmen. Most of them gave information to negociate a better sentence. They were low-life criminals who didn't give a damn about Karlsson. They were no connection with the man, only money and right now their freedom was worth than the bills Karlsson could give them. The man was using his last resource to remain on the run but the team knew the day of his capture was closer, hours after hours.

"Good job everyone!" Hondo told them tonight before they split and went home. He knew he needed to motivate them. This case was weighing on them for almost a whole year, but no one could break now, not so close from their common goal.

Days like this went one after another, bringing Karlsson closer than ever. Chris went to see Diego in jail for help on a regular basis. The man trusted her. She couldn't say why but he confided easily to her. He told about his hard childhood in Los Angeles badlands. How Karlsson kind of saved his life when he entrusted him and gave him the lead over several traffics in the area. How he quickly developed a taste for being a low life with power, running the district, then the whole county.

Chris could understand him… Even if he remained a monster for some reasons. But if she hadn't had Uncle Sarzo and Auntie Elena after her mother died, she could have turned the wrong way and embraced a low life too. Becoming a criminal. Even more after what happened to her when she was fifteen. But she had a rock for her. And they saved her from becoming crazy, from doing mistakes. They gave her so much and she could never thank them enough for all they gave to her.

She came to SWAT with new information almost every week. Sharing them with Lynch and Hicks. Until they finally located Karlsson. He was hiding in a small house in the middle of the woods for the last three weeks. Didn't plan to move. He couldn't. They discussed for days to know the best tactics, they didn't want to miss him. Not anymore.

As Chris walked back to the locker room, she saw Hondo on the phone in the hall. She waved at him and asked him to join her in the locker room as soon as he ended. He nodded. It was time. No more hiding. She opened the door and found Jim tidying his bag.

"Hey!"

"Hey." She answered shyly.

"Ready to go home?"

She still had troubles to realize she was sharing her apartment with him for almost a month. And as far as they had some arguments about laundry and how to tidy the fridge, things were going pretty great. In fact, she enjoyed spending time with him. Even if it only implied being seated near each other, reading or watching TV.

"I saw Hondo, I told him to come to… You know…"

"I do know. That's good."

"It is…"

"Hey, Chris, you wanted to see me?" Hondo surprised her as he entered the room. She turned to face him quickly.

"Yeah… Boss… In fact…"

"We wanted to see you both." Street irrupted behind Chris. She signed of relief.

"Both of you? Sorry kids, but I'm confused. Why would you like to see me all together? " Hondo looked puzzled. Chris and Street shared a look, then nodded.

"Chris and I are together." It was good, it was said. Loud and clear.

Hondo processed the information. "For how long?"

"Something like 9/10 months…" Chris answered before lowering her head. "We're sorry not to talk to you about it earlier boss. But you know we wanted to be sure before… Before it changes everything, for us, for 20-David Squad… And…"

"I'm happy for you, kids. Always known you shared something special."

This time, it was Chris and Street who looked puzzled. They were waiting for a lecture about how they were about to ruin their careers, how their story was impossible.

"Come on and give me a hug!" Hondo embraced them one after the other, rubbing their backs. "Really happy for you!"

"Thanks." Chris added not knowing what to say.

"Hondo, we want you to know we are ready to accept all the consequences…"

"Street, let me speak to Hicks. Come with me and just let do the talk."

They followed Hondo in silence, realizing what was going on. They wanted to take each other hand but renounced to do it. Maybe too shy, maybe too paralyzed by what Hicks was about to say. They entered the office just after Hondo, staying behind him.

"Commander, may I have a word with you?"

"Yeah of course, what's going on?" He looked at Chris and Street just behind Hondo, heads down. "Any problem on the field?" He told, watching closely to Chris and Street.

"It's alright. Last mission was a success. It's more about personal things."

Chris swallowed hard. There was no turning back. They were about to become official. She looked at Street who seemed very stressed and smiled at him. She was not scared anymore. Of course, she will miss them not working together but being together was so much more. Street looked at her and was surprised to see her smile. He loved when she was smiling and he understood she was not afraid anymore. Neither was he. Even if his career will definitively change in the days to come.

"Commander Hicks, Chris and Street have recently informed me that they were seeing each other in a romantic way. And they wish to make it official."

Hicks processed the information, thinking about what he had just heard. After minutes of silence, he came closer to Chris and Street.

"Since when?"

"About nine, maybe ten months…" Chris answered first. "But before telling everything, we wanted to be sure it was serious… Because you know it's huge, life-changing and…"

"Thanks for your honesty, Chris."

"We talked about it seriously those last few weeks and came to the conclusion that we were more than simple friends…"

Hicks finally gave them a faint smile. "Molly told me one year ago just after your break up she wouldn't be surprised if you two end up together one day… This is mainly for this she broke up with you Street. She saw Chris struggling with her feelings while you were in a coma and she knew. Her doubts were cleared when she saw you watch TV…"

Chris and Street felt embarrassed. Not knowing what to say.

"Commander, I'd like to keep Street and Chris in 20-David squad time we catch Karlsson. They know all about the case. Won't be a good thing to split the team now we're so close to our goal."

"Got it. Agree to this but later we'll talk about what happens to you two later."

"Got it, Commander." Chris and Street told at the same time. Hicks nodded in response.

Hondo, Street and Chris got out of Hicks's office and walked back to the locker room.

"Thanks Hondo… For everything." Chris told her boss as soon as the door closed.

"Really Hondo, it means a lot… For us."

"It's nothing, kids… Does the team know about you?"

Chris and Street lowered their heads.

"You can be honest with me."

"Luca knows for about three months, Tan for two days, and now you…" Street finally admitted.

"Don't be mad at them, they were just… We were not ready to tell the truth… We…"

"Stop justifying, Chris. I guess I've always had doubts about you two. And we'll see what we will do next after Karlsson's arrest. But wait a second. Deac doesn't know about you two?"

"Nope… Not at all." Street said.

"What about a beer at my house tonight?"

"Sounds perfect, thanks Hondo."

"Always Chris. Meet me there in 30 minutes, time I catch Deac."

He left the room.

"Could have been worse!" Street started joking.

"Could have." She said just before dropping a kiss on his lips. "I can now that we are official." She let out a giggle.

He leaned towards her and dropped a kiss on her lips, getting his chance. "Like this feeling."

"Me too."

[…]

They arrived at Hondo's on time, just time for them to stop to buy some beers and pizza on their way. Hondo was already there, Deac too, apparently surprised to be there with only Street, Chris and Hondo.

"Hey! Came here with Hondo, he told me you needed to see me tonight. Is everything alright? Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry, Deac. Just wanted to say you this in person as you're the last one not to know about." Chris started.

"And Hondo offered to come to his house and here we are."

"Don't look at me, Deac. I let the kids tell you what they have to." Hondo ended, smirking.

Deac turned to Street and Chris, puzzled. Not saying a word. But his look was saying enough. Chris and Street shared a look and nodded in agreement.

"Street and I are together." Chris was surprised by her joyful tone.

Deac remained astounded, like stunned for the next seconds.

"Oh but since when?"

"Nine, almost ten months…" Chris answered shyly.

"SWAT official since one hour… And Deac official for one minute." Street added.

Deac looked at them. Both Street and Chris seemed worried, almost stuck to each other. The absence of personal space made him laugh. Now that they told him, it seemed so obvious. Always next to each other, fighting like hell for the other, arguing like no one, sharing those long looks.

"You better treat her with all the respect she deserves, Street or…"

"I know, I know, you'll come after me." Street laughed. "But don't worry, she'll kick my ass before."

"Always in the drama, Long Beach. Really? Am I so awful?"

"Ummmmmmm." Deac and Hondo told at the same time.

"Really, guys?" Chris burst into laughing. Hondo's phone rang. He walked away before taking the call.

"No kidding, kids, I'm happy for you. You seem to be in a really good place right now."

Chris turned her head to look at Street, then grinned. "Yes, we are."

He grinned her back. Like the cat of Cheshire. He was. More than ever. She was like a tornado in his life but truth was, he liked tornados and storms. Without them, his life was very empty. Hondo broke the moment, coming back in a hurry in the living room.

"Copy that. We'll be there in 20 minutes max." Hondo hung up. "Karlsson's location has been found. Time to catch this bastard! Luca and Tan are on their way to HQ."

Deac, Street and Chris let the euphoria go down and focused on the mission. Street grabbed Chris's hand and pressed it. They shared a look and smiled to each other. Karlsson will soon be a bad memory.

"Time to roll!" Hondo yelled before running to his car.