Chapter 56: Aloud
When he woke up, Jim couldn't believe what had happened to him last night. He was gonna be a dad. It was so insane, so unlikely. And yet, he will be soon. Matter of months. He was excited and scared. How to raise a child when his family had only been chaos and destruction. He turned to look at Chris who was still sleeping. A leg above the blanket, the other under. As if she had fought all night. Her flat belly hiding their biggest creation.
He got up to prepare breakfast. Their shift started in three hours. He was just up super early. Probably the adrenaline from last night. For a second, he began to panic, thinking about Chris on the field with their baby in her belly. And then he remembered he will have to take on himself because Chris would be crazy as ever if she ever discovered he was already freaking out when their baby was the size of a little bean.
"Hey!" Chris emerged from the bedroom, wearing his old Long Beach PD shirt. Completely disheveled. "Already up?"
"Hey! Yes for more than one hour. I was … You know…"
"Still in shock?" She started giggling.
"More like panicked and in awe to be honest." He smirked.
"So we're both… I was thinking about calling the doctor… To check, you know, if everything is alright… And then we'll see what to do with work…"
"Sounds like a good idea…"
"Maybe you could come with me?" She smiled softly at him.
"I'll be my pleasure!" He answered so quickly, she giggled more.
"I'll call today. Telling it's urgent. Hope she can receive us in the evening…"
They got prepared and went to work. They agreed to say nothing about what happened last night, about this big change in their life. Chris could see Jim was more attentive to her gestures. She couldn't blame him, she tried to be more careful too, knowing she was not alone anymore but hard to do when you were on a mission, trying to hide your condition.
At the end of the day, she came to see Jim in the locker room to tell him the doc will receive them after shift. He nodded, remaining silent. She vanished in the corridor when she heard someone walking in.
"Hey, Boss! On my way to give Hicks the last updates before leaving."
"Good, Chris. He's in his office."
She hurried to do her last assignment and joined Jim in the yard. He was waiting for her next to the car. "Ready?"
"Nope. But guess it's better to know, right?"
He knew she was looking for comfort right now. "I guess… And maybe we could see his or her face?"
She let out a little laugh. "You know that right now, he or she is as big as a rice bean? Lucky if we see something on the screen."
She drove till her doctor office and parked the car. They arrived early and waited for her in the waiting room. But whatever, she was already nice enough to see her so quickly.
"Mrs. Alonso?"
Chris and Street were surprised she came to call them so early.
"Or I may come later?" She let out a little laugh.
"No, no, it's ok." They came in the office and sat in front of the doctor.
"What brings you here, Mrs. Alonso? Not your type to come to the doctor and even more with your…"
"Husband, Dr. Jane. Jim is my husband." The doctor nodded. "Dr., we came here today because I think I'm pregnant… Like 3-month pregnant according to the test I did a couple of days ago…"
"How that, you think?"
"I mean I did a test and it was positive…" Dr. Jane mumbled at Chris's words.
"And you want this baby?" Dr. Jane was direct. Chris nodded. "Come with me."
Chris followed her in another room, letting Jim alone. Dr. Jane explained to her the whole process. She made some exams, took some blood, checked other things. They didn't talk much. Either of them was the silent type. They came back to the office half an hour later. Street was pale.
"Everything's ok?" He asked when they sat again.
"I can confirm you that you're pregnant, Chris." Chris nodded, Street held his breath. "4-month pregnant, closer to 5 than 4 to be more precise."
"What?" Chris and Street were stunned.
"But my belly is so flat and I got my period last months and…" Chris was astounded.
"Sometimes the body keeps working because the mind is not ready…"
"Seems like little bean will come faster than expected…" Chris smiled at Jim's remark.
"In fact, you should better say little beanS." Dr. Jane insisted on the "S" heavily.
"WHAT?" Chris and Jim shouted at the same time.
Dr. Jane handed them a picture from the echography and showed them two little beans on it. "Congratulations, you're expecting twins."
[…]
"So we agree, we tell Hicks first then we announce the news to 20-Squad." Chris repeated one last time before getting out of the car in SWAT yard.
Street nodded in agreement. "As we decided yesterday night. At least, you've changed your mind… I follow you. Whatever you decide."
Street was too kind with her, maybe too much. "You know that you can tell your opinion too. We're a team, Jim."
"Told you yesterday. You're giving me the best gift I could hope for. Something I thought I would never get. And yet, you're surprising me, giving me 2 gifts instead of one… Chris, whatever you decide I'm with you. Hicks or 20 Squad first, it's our choice. In both cases, I'll be behind you."
She smiled at him. Even herself couldn't believe what she was about to do. Having a kid had never been one of her dreams or of her deepest will. And she was happy to do it. And stressed. But still completely in agreement with herself.
"So Hicks, then 20 Squad! Let's go!"
She got off of the car in a hurry, letting Street surprised by the rapidity of her move. He got off of the car and ran after her. She was already in the building, walking towards Hicks's office. Before she was at the door, he was next to her. She knocked.
"Enter."
She took a deep breath, looking at Jim who did the same before closing the door.
"Hey Alonso, Street, what are you doing here? Everything is alright?" Hicks asked them as soon as they came in.
"In fact, we wanted to talk to you. It'll be quick. I promise." Chris answered immediately.
"Ok, I've got a meeting with the DA in ten minutes, I listen."
Street saw Chris fidgeting with her fingers, as she always did when she was stressed. He looked at her, knowing if she wanted him to tell the truth but she nodded no with her head. It was up to her to tell everything to Hicks.
"I wanted to tell you that from today, I'm withdrawing from 20 Squad because… Because I'm pregnant." It was told. She did it. She told it out loud. She was pregnant. Hicks looked puzzled, slowly processing what she had told him. Finally he smiled at them.
"I guess the bad guy behind is the one to blame." He joked.
"Seems so, guilty as charged!" Street admitted proudly.
"And when the baby is planned for?"
"In 5 months max… And in fact it's not the baby but the babies… We're expecting twins actually…" Chris confessed shyly.
"Wow!" Hicks was so surprised, he couldn't say more.
"Yes, it surprised us a lot too." Street started to joke on his own.
"This is why I can't continue with 20 Squad at the moment but as soon as I'll give birth, I'll come 100%, I swear I'll be back in full form and entirely focused and…"
"Easy, easy Alonso. First you focus on having these babies. You'll work with me from the control room from today and get back to 20 Squad after the babies are here and you're at the top. Then, do you know about the babies' sex?"
Chris was relieved all of a sudden. "Not yet, in a few weeks. But honestly we don't really care as soon as they're healthy."
"And kicking ass like their parents." Street added with a funny tone.
"Glad for you, kids! Really deserve it. Even if I know it's gonna be hard for Chris to be out of field for 7 or 8 months. But you'll see, it'll go quick. By the way, any idea to replace you while you're away?"
"Actually I was thinking of Jim… He knows the team, they get along with each other. And maybe Nora, who's just become SWAT material, could join 50 Squad to replace Street?"
"Your wife is two steps ahead from us, Street."
"Why do you think I married her?"
"Safe choice, Alonso by the way. Talking about the squads, not the husband of course." He winked at Street. "Have you told the good news to 20 Squad or?"
"In fact, we told you before…"
"We're gonna tell then now." Street ended Chris's sentence.
"So get out of my sight! And tell them about the switch in the teams. I take care of this with Rhokker!"
Street and Chris got out of Hicks's office, all smiley. It was done and it was pretty good actually. Of course, Chris won't be able to go on field for the next 7 or 8 months but she did know Hicks will keep her spot, which was quite reassuring.
"Went well… Better than I've ever expected." Street started.
"It did." Chris put her hand on her belly, which seemed to have doubled in two days. Probably the fact that she admitted she was pregnant, allowing her body to change. "Time to tell the team." She announced with a large grin on her face.
They walked till the locker room where 20-Squad was preparing for the day. "Hey guys!"
"Hey Chris, Hey Street. What are you doing here, bro? Your shift starts at noon, right? You're missing us?" Tan immediately teased him.
"Ah ah ah, kind of this and a little of others." Jim answered right away. He winked at Chris.
"Chris, you're not in tactical gear? Hurry we're leaving in 30 minutes! Car thieves to catch on Broadway Avenue!" Luca hurried her favorite colleague.
"In fact, guys, I think this time you're gonna do this without me…"
They all turned to her, puzzled. Since when Chris Alonso refused to go on a mission to kick some criminal ass? She laughed seeing their astounded faces.
"Everything's alright? " Deac worried almost right away.
"Yes, yes, don't worry. Anyone shouldn't worry. It's just I won't be available for the next 7 months actually…"
"Oh my God, Chris…"
"Yes, Deac I'm pregnant. As surprisingly as it can seem, I'm…"
"Congratulations are in orders then!" Hondo hugged her.
"Well done, guys!" Luca yelled, overjoyed. He hugged both of them at the same time.
Tan, Deac and Rodriguez did the same one after the others.
"Not too stressed, Street?"
"I'm fine thanks. What about Joyce? Is she sleeping at night?"
"Almost! She slept for 6 hours straight last night." Tan announced as the proud daddy he was.
"It's a beginning. Don't do the second one too fast. " Deac joked.
"And we may not have told you everything…" Street interrupted everyone, overexcited. "Chris, I let you the honor…"
"In fact... We're expecting twins…"
"Bro, you mark your mark!" Tan exulted first.
"Wow, huge! Not too stressed, now?" Hondo got Tan's previous joke back.
"Not really expected all of this to be honest but life is full of surprises!" Street answered, with a large grin on his face.
"And you Chris, you're alright? Feeling good?" Luca worried all of a sudden.
"Feeling fat! No I'm kidding. Very sad not to go on field with all of you, guys. But also excited to write this new, totally unexpected chapter of my life. And don't forget me too fast, I'll be back in 7 months max. Twins will be here in 5 months max. Let me rest and take all my strength back for 2 months and I'll be right back!"
"Look at this force of nature! But wait, who's replacing you for the next 7 months?!" Hondo asked anxiously.
"Guess it's me." Street raised his hand.
"Wow, really?" Luca let out his joy.
"Yeah, we talked to Hicks before and we proposed him this solution, time I'm back on track. And he agreed. Nora will replace Street in 50-Squad as she's SWAT now. And I'll be working with Hicks from the control room."
"You thought about everything!" Hondo concluded, very impressed.
"In fact, Chris did. I just nodded in agreement." Street confessed, proudly.
"Chris, the head of this couple. And also the legs. Indeed, what are you in this, Street?" Hondo made fun of him.
"The cooker!" Jim announced with a large smile. "She wouldn't eat correctly if I were not here."
"He's got a point here. I suck at cooking." Chris admitted, making a face.
"You're not the only one, my boyfriend does all the cooking too." Rodriguez finally entered the conversation.
"You see, I'm not the only one, thanks Alicia!"
"Sorry to stop the celebrations but I guess we have to go soon, Street, hurry to dress up!" Hondo eventually told. "But we can continue this conversation after shift. Beer and fruit juice at my house?"
A general "yeah" came from the room. "Guess it's a yes, then. Let me ask my mom to prepare same things! Meet all of you in the yard in 5 minutes." He got out of the room, his phone in hand, already in touch with Charice.
Street changed quickly, the others waited for him to join Hondo in the yard.
"See you later then! Kind of weird not to roll with all of you! But please kick their asses for me!"
"You're more than welcome, C." Street told his wife. "See you in a few hours, you three!" He dropped a kiss quickly on her cheek, making her blush. She came to her mind fast when Luca and Tan came too close to her.
"If ever one of you dare to touch my belly, I swear I kill him!"
The two men burst into laughing before leaving the place, followed by Deac and Rodriguez who snickered on their own.