Chapter 42 : Fate
"Hey, Uncle Sarzo! How are you? I bring the beer I talk you about last time!" Street was barely out of the car that he was already talking to her uncle. On his way, he was stopped by Auntie Elena who hugged him. And took some time to palpate his biceps.
"Elena! I don't allow you to!" Street told, deceitfully offended. Which caused Elena to burst into laughing.
"Chrissy, come here!" Sarzo called her, before embracing her.
"Estoy aquí! Menos fuerte." She giggled as her uncle pressed her even more.
"Glad to see you! Any reason to come and see two old people?"
"Que loco! ¿Por qué dudas de que nos encanta pasar tiempo contigo?"
"I second whatever she says! Sorry but my Spanish is a little rusty."
"Jim, you don't speak Spanish at all!" Chris teased him.
"Ah ah ah ah, maybe but I speak some and you don't even know about it."
She rolled her eyes, as only answer to his dubious joke. She looked at Jim walking away with Sarzo, looking at the beer bottles he had brought with him. She saw there making big gestures and laughed. She didn't know what they were saying but it seemed to be funny.
"You look worried, carinã. Is everything ok?"
She turned her head and found Elena, watching at her. "Yes, yes, I'm fine, maybe a little tired but days are tough at work."
Elena didn't answer right away and examined her face, paying attention to every detail. "Don't lie to me, Chrissy. I see the wrinkle in the middle of your fronthead. Your mom got the same. Only when you two are worried, upset. Everything's ok with Jim?"
"Oh yes, yes. Life with Jim is really great. Would have never expected to love married life but he makes things easy, you know…"
She nodded in agreement. "He does. I can tell by the way you look at him."
She blushed, embarrassed by what her aunt just told her. She could still feel the weight of her looks over her. She will never spit her out till she told her the truth. She will not hold her bad temper from anywhere after all. She took a deep breath.
"It's just… We made it official at work, you know the dating, the wedding. We remained in the same team because we were on this big case and now that it's over, the HR are above our backs, asked questions to our Commander, our team leader. Not that these people will tell crap about us, but still they are way too invasive and I'm scared we may not work together anymore… And… And… And…"
She couldn't finish her sentence. Emotion was too high right now. Elena placed her hand over her forearm.
"And you're sad…"
Chris nodded. She was. She loved working with 20-David Squad as it was but she had a feeling everything was about to change. No matter what Jim and she will tell or do.
"Ven conmigo, mi carinã. Diviértete y dite a ti mismo que comienza una nueva vida."
Elena took her in her arms and hugged her as she used to when she sheltered her at 13, just after her mom died in an awful car crash.
"Come on, man! You're kidding!"
They were brought back to reality by Jim speaking loud to Thomas who must have arrived while the two of them were talking. Elena smiled, watching the three men cheered with their bottles of beer in hand.
"What about joining them? I've got some tequila beer in the fridge."
"Sounds like a good idea." She topped some seconds to drop a kiss on her auntie's cheek, before focusing on what was around her.
"Hey Jim, wait for us, don't drink everything!"
[…]
The days off spent fast. Barely time to relax and they were already back to SWAT HQ. They both got that feeling you got when your stomach was going into knots and that little apprehension you always felt when something important was bound to happen. The meeting with the HR was planned for this afternoon but they were already nervous. Before leaving the car, Street took Chris's hand which was still on the gearshift.
"In this together, Chris. No matter what. I know you're sad. I'm too… But I'll switch from team one hundred time if it means I've got to be with you."
He managed to make her smile. "You say this because you want to eat the rest of empenadas from Auntie Elena tonight."
"I may…" She giggled. "Rather see you like this. Chris, I'm not kidding. I love the team, but I love you more. Hope you know this, right?"
She nodded. "I do. Love you too, Long Beach…" She leaned towards him to give him a kiss.
"Hey lovebirds! Time to go to work now!" Tan made them jump in the car.
"Come on, Tan. Let me kiss my wife, you jealous boy!"
"Got what I need at home."
"Nice way to talk about Bonnie." Chris teased him. "Is she ok by the way?"
Tan told them all Bonnie was pregnant some weeks ago. "Yes, she's fine. Just some stomach cramps and headaches. But nothing she can't handle. And we went to choose the kid's bed yesterday. Insane how this tiny thing costs us half of our wages."
He laughed to his own joke. Soon imitating by Street.
"What's so fun here?" Deac asked as he got out of his car.
"Tan discovering a kid costs an arm and leg!" Chris answered quickly.
"Wait to have four of them."
They entered HQ, still talking about their weekend and teasing Tan about the name and sex of his baby. In the locker room, they found Luca who were already changing.
"Hurry, guys. The first we arrive, the most interesting duties we get! Don't want to clean and refill all the bullets anymore. And Rhokker's team is already preparing hard!"
They stopped talking and changed into uniforms. In less than 5 minutes, all 20-David Squad was in the control room, ready to accept their chores. And no Rhooker's team in the area. Luca was already jubilating.
"You know what it means! We get the priority this time!"
"Easy, easy, Luca." Hicks entered the room with a list of things to do. "As you're the first, choose what you want to do."
"I say we take the rifle storage unit, the cleaning of the Black Betties and helicopters. So we let Rhokker and his men counting bullets, cleaning of the sport hall and filing the old cases. What do you think?" Tan proposed.
"Sold" Luca answered, then followed by the whole, even Hondo who had just joined the room.
"We just smoked Rhokker's team ass, boss! We took our revenge from last time!" Luca continued. "Speaking of the devils, goodbye losers!"
"Losers!" Tan, Chris and Street went into further as Rhokker's team entered the control room.
"Hey, Street, Chris, don't forget to go the HR this afternoon." Hicks called them before they walked through the doorstep. They reversed to get closer to their Commander. "Hondo and I will go with you, if you still like."
"Would be great. Thanks, Commander." Jim agreed with a faint smile. He was not so bitter after all because of what happened with Molly.
"Thanks, Commander." Chris agreed to her turn.
"Now, out of my sight!" And Chris and Street joined 20-David Squad for what might be their last mission together.
[…]
Day spent fast when you were busy. Chris, Deac and Tan took care of the rifle stockage unit while Street, Hondo and Luca cleaned the cars and helicopters, making everything in order for the next missions. Today only 60 and 70-David were on the field. Street suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder as he was checking on the rescue kit.
"Time to go, kid." For one moment, he remained astounded. "Your meeting with the HR. Coming with you."
Street agreed with a nod. It was time. Not that he was happy about this but in a way, he will finally know the HR conclusions and they could finally move on with Chris. He walked with Hondo in silence to meet Chris and Hicks waiting in front of the HR door. A woman came out of the room and signaled them they could enter.
"Guess it's show time." Street tried to joke but Chris was too stressed to even give him a faint smile. He quickly brushed her forearm with his left hand and came in the office. The head of the HR was waiting for them.
"Hope we don't disturb. " Hicks started. "Alonso and Street allow us to come with them."
He could see she was not happy by this but she nodded before talking. "No, no, not a problem. You'll just know faster than the others. Thanks for coming Mrs. Alonso and Mr. Street. I'm Dana, the HR head manager. You can sit if you like."
"No, thanks we're better up." Chris answered quickly. She was stressed, she couldn't stay in place.
"Ok so we've been studied your file. A premiere in SWAT story. None of our agents have been romantically involved before, even less married."
"My wife loves making history." Street told proudly. But Dana from the HR was not very receptive.
"So we had to discuss, to define a new policy. You know that in police taskforce, it is barely tolerated. We talked with unions to know what they thought about this. And we all came to the same conclusion…"
She stopped for a moment, as she as enjoying being in power at that precise time. "There's no way to tell it otherwise, we won't tolerate a married couple to be in a same team. So from tomorrow, one of you will be affected to 50-David and Rodriguez will join 20-David. Heard it went well last time."
Street and Chris remained frozen, speechless. Chris knew it was happening, Street still had hope but in the two cases, it hurt to hear it out loud.
"But… They worked together for almost a year while being together, weeks while being married and he didn't bother anyone?!" Hondo eructed.
"What Hondo wants to say it's that Street and Alonso form a very good team, they've been working together for years now and it'll be prejudicial for the team to break this dynamics." Hicks continued, trying to ease Hondo's anger.
"Just applying policy."
"That you've just delivered!" Hondo clashed her.
"If someone has to leave 20-David, it'll be me." Street suddenly announced. "Chris worked too hard to get there and I won't be the one standing in her way."
"Jim, you don't… Why… I mean I can be the one…" Chris was stumbling on her own words.
"I do and I will. Take notes. From my tomorrow shift, I'm not in 20-David Squad anymore. As far as it hurts me, my wife deserves the privilege to stay in this elite team. And I'll cherish for the rest of my career to have shared work time with all those badass people."
"It is noted, Mr. Street."
"So it is how it ends. You just choose to make of us an example to destroy a perfect, healthy, functioning team?! Let me tell that…"
Hicks suddenly cut Hondo. "We're really very disappointed that the HR has not been listening to our speeches and the trust we put in Alonso and Street."
"Yeah, this is it. Very disappointed." Hondo mumbled.
Hondo and Hicks left first. Then followed by Chris and Street who remained a moment alone in the corridor.
"You didn't have to do this, Jim…"
"I did what I had to do. You're born to rise, Chris, when I'm born to follow orders. 20-David Squad is how you'll reach the top. Don't want to be the one who prevents you to be the first woman running SWAT just because I love teasing Tan…"
She bent to him and kissed him. Here in the middle of SWAT HQ. Who cared anyway? Now they were not in the same team anymore because of ignorant bureaucrats who thought brand mark was better than keeping an efficient team together.
"Thanks, Jim. Even if I'll never lead anything, it's good to hear that someone believes in my skills so strongly…"
"Never doubt of you, Chris. One day, you'll run this place. I know it for sure. And I'll be by your side to make things change. To make history as you know to do so well."
She gave him one of her shy smiles. She loved this man far more than words could explain. She took his hand in hers.
"Really? Here at work?" Street asked, stunned.
"We tried to play it honest and nice and we've been punished. Let them tell us something about holding hands now. I'll tell them my way of thinking."
He pressed her hand in his. "I love when you're vindictive."
"That means all the time?"
"Almost."
She giggled. "Glad I'm able to make you laugh in all this mess…"
"You always will, Long Beach."
Now was time to tell their colleagues about the HR's decision. About them never working together again. Him going into Rhokker team... Alicia integrated 20-David Squad at his place. Chris remaining in the team. As the HR requested. Because they couldn't let a married couple work together when they had been doing it for the past year. Sad bureaucracy.