Chapter 45: Clarification

When he arrived this day at SWAT HQ, Hondo was in a good mood. Last evening with Nichelle was really good. His girlfriend and his mom got on with each other and spent a lot of time together. Charice even volunteered at Nichelle's social center. Yesterday, they talked about a new project and he offered to help too. Darryl offered to help too as he was looking for an internship for college. And then he saw Dana from HR in the far away.

Hicks would have told him to ignore her, to let her deal with her own business but he couldn't do that. It was not in his nature.

"Hey, Dana. What are you doing here? Chasing misbehavior?"

"Oh, Mister Harrelson. Nice to meet you too." She grinned sarcastically at him.

"I can't tell the same unfortunately."

"That's too bad." She kept smiling. One of this smiles which said "go f**k yourself". He hated this woman. She was the caricature of the HR woman. Cold, indifferent and only there to apply the rules in place for more than 60 years.

"Like the fact you didn't let Chris and Street work together in 20-Squad when they did once again yesterday and everything went very well."

The woman looked shaken by Hondo's moves. She was not expecting him to be so sharp. But it made the fight more interesting.

"Rules are rules, Mister Harrelson. And HR is kind enough not to punish them more for breaking them for more than one year. Or maybe more… After all we don't know if they told the truth about the date of their first date."

"And rules are rusted and old. Maybe it's time for a change. You should think about this sometimes. Now if you forgive me, I've got lives to save and protect today."

Hondo let Dana in the middle of the corridor. Alone and with no time to answer to his last sentence. He wouldn't hear one more word from this woman anyway.

[…]

At night, Chris came home. Her shift ended late. As she pushed the door, she saw Jim seated in the sofa. He was reading a magazine.

"Hey."

"Hey, hey, you're home!" He was always so joyful when she came back home. "Made some pasta with vegetables. Save you a portion in the fridge."

She smiled at him, put her backpack on the ground and walked till the bathroom. She took a long shower and got out thirty minutes later, all clean from the head to the toes. She ran to the fridge and grabbed the bowl with the pasta in it. And found a little white package just behind. She took it and turned to Street, still peacefully seated in the coach.

"Thanks… My favorite."

He gave her one of his goofy smiles. Making his dimples even more visible. She liked this view. She put the pasta in the microwave, waited for it to be hot, poured everything in a plate and came to sit next to Jim in the sofa.

"May I?" She asked as she was very close from him.

"My pleasure." He answered with his mischievous voice before moving his leg to give her some place.

"Hurry, I'm hungry." She took her bossy tone, she knew he loved it. He grinned.

"Ok, woman." He replied, giggling and placing him in the corner of the sofa. She laughed at her turn, then sat and started to eat with envy. The pasta and vegetables were delicious. And she was so hungry. She had barely had time to eat something today.

She ended her dinner by eating the piece of chocolate cake Jim had brought from the baker, enjoying every mouthful. It was crazy how she told him just once about this place she went when she was a kid with her mom, when her mom was sober and she bought her this precise chocolate cake. She let out a faint smile, looking at him. He was focused on the movie on TV.

"Hey, Jim… Can I ask you a question?"

He turned his head to face her. "Yes, of course! You want to know who's the killer, right? I can understand, this is a little confusing and you've not seen the beginning so…"

She cut him. As if she needed to say out loud all she had been dwelling in her head for several weeks now.

"What about making a little official ceremony with our friends and family. I know we're already married and it's very awesome. Never thought I'd love married life. But I'd love to share something with our closest ones… Not many people just a few… Just…"

This time, it was Street who cut her. "Yes… Yes… Let's do this." He was surprised by the move, especially coming from her. Chris was more into secrecy and intimacy.

"You seem weird… Maybe you don't want this.. I'll understand…. Seems crazy and …"

Before she could end her sentence, he was sitting astride her and his mouth was hers. "Chris Alonso, I would marry you anywhere, even if it implies to get on a space rocket to go on the moon. Tell me more!"

[…]

They spent the rest of their evenings from the several weeks to talk about the party they wanted to host. Nothing too fancy. Just them, some vows, their friends and family, food and drinks. But most important fun.

"Not negotiable we invite both 20 and 50 Squad. Or Hondo and Rhokker will kill us!" Street started.

"Uncle Sarzo, Auntie Elena, Cousins Thomas, Diego and Enrique. Enrique's wife and two kids. What about your foster brother?"

"Don? No he won't come. He lives in Salt Lake City now. And no way he drives all this road with 6 kids, 2 dogs and a wife." He laughed to his own joke. She kept looking at him, first rolling her eyes, then more serious.

"What? I'm funny. Or trying to be." He stopped laughing when he saw she was so imperturbable.

"What about your mom?" She asked solemnly, fidgeting her fingers to evacuate the stress this woman brought her.

"Oh… Haven't thought of her…" She gave him big eyes.

"I'm serious, Jim. She's your mom, can understand if you want to invite her…"

"No, Chris, I was serious when I said I've forgotten about her! She's not been in my life for a long time now and when she was, she was just messing everything up… Don't want our party to be turned into a fist fight. Don't even know where she is right now."

"You're sure… Because it's your only family and…"

"Stop, Chris. You ARE my only family. You ARE the only family I want."

She gave him a faint smile. She was sad he had such a bad relationship with his mom. And she was flattered hearing she was his family. She let out a sigh and decided to change the topic of the conversation.

"What about Lynch?" She asked in a hurry. "She's been very supportive… And I kind of like her. She's tough but she hides a big heart if you dig well…" She wanted to clear up the awkwardness she had created talking about Karen.

"Oh yeah, of course. She may be harsh, she's also hiding a heart of gold. And she's rooting for us. But never say her I told you about this or she'll kill me!" He snickered.

"She is?" Chris teased him.

"Yes she told me when you were interviewing Karlsson… Ok, you're making fun of me, right now?"

"Maybe a little… Ok yes, I am!" She burst into laughing.

"Not fair, Chris. I really fear Lynch but in a good way but still, I'd love to see her at our party. In fact, I'd like to see her outside of work, like dancing, imagine her dancing on the dancefloor. Oh, oh, oh, imagine her drunk! Must be something." He started to laugh on his own.

"Keep digging, Long Beach." She rolled her eyes. She loved him but sometimes he could be very hard work.

"So you'll keep digging for a long time because I won't laugh to your last joke!" She said in a serious tone. At least trying to remain serious. She didn't want to show him she had found his joke a little funny after all. But right now, she wanted him to be serious. She really cared about this party with their family and friends.

"Ok, ok, my last joke was really bad!"

"Only the last one? I try to be serious and you turn everything into a joke…"

"It's because I'm overexcited to marry you a second time… And to tell the others what we are planning… I mean I never thought I was gonna marry you once… So make it twice, it's surrealistic!"

"You really know how to butter me up, Jim Street…" She was on the verge of breaking and laughing. Then, she stopped all of a sudden. She seemed worried. "What about Hicks?" She asked in a low voice.

"What about Hicks? Of course, he's invited. What do you mean by this?"

She remained quiet for a while, thinking how to tell the things out loud. He could see she was searching for her words. Afraid to say something wrong.

"Come on, Chris. It's me. You can tell me everything? What's wrong with Hicks?"

She looked at him in the eyes. She sighed. "I mean you dated Molly and she dumped you because of me… Seems a little awkward, no?"

"Don't think he cares anymore, Chris. Molly's living the best of her life in San Francisco and she just had a little girl."

She raised her head and looked suspicious. He knew he piqued her curiosity.

"How do you know all this?" Chris asked, with energy and a hint of jealousy in her tone.

"Asked some news to Hicks the other day."

"Ah…"

"And he showed me pics of his granddaughter. She's kind of cute, with her blue eyes and curly hair… Oh my God you're jealous, Chris!"

"No, I ain't!"

"Oh yes you are! Your nose is frowning and your eyes, your eyes, they are so dark when you look at me!"

"No, no, no, not true. My nose and eyes are completely normal. Don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh yes you are. " He kept teasing her. "But you can tell me everything… And by the way, seeing you like this is absolutely too sexy."

"Ah ah" She answered with irony. "In your dreams, Street. I'm never jealous. Not my type."

"Even if I say to you that Molly was so sexy in a pic her dad showed to me with…"

She put her finger on his lips. "Shut up!"

"So you are!"

"No… No, I'm not. Why are you telling you this?"

He kept looking at her, half smiling. He knew she was jealous and it was kind of flattering to be honest. He didn't stop watching her. He knew she will finally break.

"Ok maybe a little." She paused. "Ok I am. I'm jealous. You're happy now?"

He giggled. "Oh yes I am. Mrs. Alonso, jealous of an ex-girlfriend, I'm not even seeing anymore. Someone who dumped me because she saw at what point I was in love with you, idiot."

She blushed at his last line before getting a grip on herself. "Stop making fun of me, not funny at all!"

She seemed a little furious at the moment. At least she tried to seem like this. She didn't want to show Jim she still felt insecure when he came to Molly. Which was stupid, she knew that, but still. The woman looked like a model from magazines, a goddess from some mythologies when she was more like the woman you saw at the bottom of a bottle of milk.

"Chris, I'm just amazed at how you can be jealous of someone I would dump a thousand times just to be with you… And don't say to me, she's gorgeous. Of course, she is but you are beautiful too and more important, you mean so much more to me…"

She lowered her head, as she was ashamed of doubting of his feelings. He came closer to her and sat next to her on the ground.

"Chris Alonso, will you make me the honor to celebrate our marriage once again in front of our friends despite the fact that I make you crazy and that I love doing it?"

She hit him with her fist in the shoulder. "I will, Master of making me crazy." She answered softly.

"Then it's a deal!"

"It is, goofy smile." She added, grinning. Just before nestling her head in her neck. She let out a small sigh as she felt his arm embracing her waist.