Disclaimer : The characters in the S.W.A.T. series do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for this story.
Hey,
I know, it's been a while but... here I am, back with the translation but only the week-end. I work the whole week and privileged the writing during this period.
« Did I dream or did he say you could move in here ? » asked Street.
« No, you didn't. » Chris frowned before looking at him. « We should be discussing it, right ? I mean, it's true that I've been with you all the time for a few weeks, and I'm coming in quietly. I mean, we thought I was coming in quietly. »
« Do you have furniture of yours ? » he asked. She shook her head. « If you up to it, you can bring all your belongings here, and we will find space in my room. I mean, if you want to. I don't force you to anything, even if I like the idea that you invade my room. »
« Can I think about it ? » she asked.
« Obviously ! » he replied. There he got up from the couch, tightening his arms around her and carried her to his room. « We'll talk about it again tomorrow, it's time to go to sleep. »
Chris burst out laughing, because they were going to do everything but sleep. At least, not immediately.
The next morning, Chris was preparing breakfast for three. Showered and dressed in her S.W.A.T. regulatory uniform (trousers, t-shirt and black jacket), she handed Luca a cup of coffee when he left his room, also ready to go to work. He thanked her.
« Street is ready ? » he asked.
« Yes, in a minute. » she said, before asking, « Hey uh, were you serious last night ? When you said I could move here. We may be in a relationship with Street, but it's your space and now that you know I don't want... »
« I'll stop you right away before you say some shit. You are here at home. » Luca put his cup on the table and faced his teammate and friend. « I've known for you and Street for weeks, and if I didn't say anything it's because I understood that you only needed to be both of you, and thanks to you, he didn't let himself be languished by Molly's betrayal. You do him good, Chris. It may have been a hothead when he arrived at the S.W.A.T., but he liked you from the start, and I hope you're serious for your couple, because I don't think he'll recover if it goes wrong between the two of you. You're different from Molly, and that's what will make the difference. »
He ended the discussion by crunching in a slice of grilled bacon. Street joined them at that very moment, and wrapped his arm around Chris.
« Street, shooting range as soon as you arrive at HQ. » says Luca. « A little challenge, you and I. »
« No, no challenge. I'm already at Chris' service for another six days. » Street replied. « We train if you want, but without anything at the end of the day. »
« I could let you drive Black-Betty, if you win, » Luca proposed.
« And setting myself on fire if I ever scrape it by accident ? » said Street.
« Oh come on ! » insisted Luca.
« I'm going to think about it. » Street said.
S.W.A.T.'s Headquarters !
When the team met, Chris announced the challenge between Street and Luca. The six members of the 20-Squad gathered at the shooting range to watch the match.
« Two challenges in two days Street, I'm impressed. » says Hondo.
« It was Luca's idea, this time. » says the young man. « I have no intention of losing, but there is no way I will drive Black-Betty. » He looked at his best friend. « I don't want to hear you grumble for weeks if I ever have the misfortune to damage your darling. »
This quip made the team laugh.
« The loser could do all the chores of the other in the shack. » Chris proposed.
« Which side are you on ? » asked Street.
« Yours. » she replied.
« We add a massage as a bonus. » Luca joked.
« There is no way of me having a massage for you. » replied Street. « Nor that you make me one. Go for the chores of the house. And I warn you, I haven't done laundry for three days. »
« No wonder, you spend your free time kissing Chris on our couch. »
Behind them, it was a concert of ouh and sneers from Tan, Hondo and Deacon. Chris, on the other hand, bit her lip and did her best not to blush. Protective glasses on the nose, noise-cancelling headphones on the ears, and weapon loaded and pointed in front of them, the two friends waited for the top start before ducking their target with fifteen bullets. Hondo passed behind the stand when they rested the weapons, and observed the two targets before turning to the two men, who were waiting for the verdict.
« Wins for Street ! » he declared.
« Yes ! » exulted the person concerned.
« What ? » cried Luca.
« You have a shot that didn't hit the target. » Hondo informed him.
« Impossible ! » decreed Luca.
« Look for yourself. » said Hondo, bringing his target to Luca, and then he put Street's target right next door. « Street put in the mile every time. »
« Get ready to clean up and do my laundry tonight, buddy. » Street said to him, patting his shoulder.
He growled, but abdicated, fair play. They gave way to Tan and Chris, who made no bets, and fortunately for the newlywed, Chris won the round. Then came the turn of Hondo and Deacon, who finished tied.
Even though everything has been quiet lately, they have been training whenever the opportunity presented itself. Chris and Hondo got in the ring, supervised by Luca, while Street was doing some muscle with Deacon and Tan in support. And vice versa. At lunch break, they served themselves at the food truck and Street and Chris isolated themselves in the kitchen. The rest of the team decided to leave them alone and stayed with the other S.W.A.T. officers outside the HQ. Sitting face to face at the metal table, they talked about anything and everything when Erica Rogers, the other woman member of the S.W.A.T and who was part of Rocker's team, entered the kitchen.
« Chris, I was looking for you. » she said to the young woman.
« Hi, what's up ? » asked Chris.
« Wanna go out tonight ? » Erica proposed. « Just the two of us. It's been an eternity since we went for a drink with girls. »
« Oh uh... »
« Go for it ! » said Street, when he saw her hesitate. « I'm going to spend the evening bothering Luca and making sure he does my laundry as agreed. »
« Ok ! » she said before replying to Erica. « We'll leave right from here. »
« Great, but why did you wait for Street's permission ? » asked Erica.
« She wasn't waiting for my permission. » sighed Street.
« Erica, I'm dating Street. » Chris told her.
« Oh, ok I didn't know that. » Erica says. « Uh, if you had plans for tonight... »
« We can very well postpone them. » assured Street, who threw his empty dish in the trash. « Relax ! »
He went around the table, kissed Chris on the cheek and leave the kitchen to let the two friends chat with each other.
« I want to know everything. » Erica insisted, while Chris also threw away her empty dish.
« I would tell you everything tonight over a drink. » she promised.
Erica will make her keep this promise.
On leaving the kitchen, Street had gone to the gun room to keep him busy, but he came across Molly. She was the last person he wanted to see.
« Jim... »
« I don't have the time to talk to you, I have work. » he said as he walked past her without giving her the slightest look.
Not to mention that he had no desire whatsoever, but Molly followed him.
« I left you alone for three months, but I need us to talk. » she said, as they arrived at the gun room. « I called you last night. »
« I know, and I refused your call. » he said before facing her. « I blocked your number, and I should have done it sooner. »
« You still blame me, it's normal, and I can't apologize enough for what I did, but could we talk and start over ? » she asked.
« Do you expect me to give you a second chance after discovering that you were screwing another guy for two months ? » He did his best not to going crazy. « Do you really think I can forget what happened ? You betrayed me, Molly, I can't forgive you, and I don't want to give you another chance. I have turned the page. »
« In three months ? That's impossible ! » she said.
« Yes, it is. » he assured. « And even though I don't have to justify myself, I have a new girlfriend. »
« I... I don't believe you. » Molly said.
Street didn't want to go into explanations at all to try to convince her. All he wanted was for her to give him peace once and for all.
« It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, it's well and truly over. » he says.
« Street ? »
He masked his relief at seeing Chris land, closely followed by Deacon.
« Great, she always arrives at the wrong time that one. » spat Molly, without trying to be discreet.
« Were you looking for me ? » asked Street, ignoring his ex.
« Yes, we have a case. » says Deacon.
Street nodded, swallowed the finally, which burned his lips.
« Jim... » Molly insisted.
« No, Molly. I have work to do, and I'm not interested in your apology even three months later. » Street slammed. « I told you, I moved forward and I have a girlfriend. Forget bout me ! »
He joined Chris, and the couple ran to the rest of the team. Deacon waited before joining them.
« He really turned the page, Molly. » he tells her. « And it shouldn't be up to me to tell you, but you don't give me too much choice. He's with Chris now, and he won't leave her. Even for you. You have to make up your mind. »
He turned his back on her and joined her team. Molly couldn't believe her ears. Jim, with Chris ? She went to her father's office, who was on the phone. It seemed important, but she would not leave this office until she had her answers. She closed the door, and waited only a minute before her father hung up.
« Molly, what can I do for you my dear ? » asked the Commander. « Do it fast, I have work. »
« Did you know that Jim had already replaced me ? And by Chris ? » she wanted to know. « Tell me it's a bad joke and that Deacon was lying. »
The Commander sighed. He had let Street think that he was learning the news for Chris and him only when he entered his office to tell him, but he had had suspicions long before. He had noticed the change in the young man, as well as in Chris, but he hadn't said anything. The job was done. They had remained very professional in recent weeks. Hicks could have resented Street for recovering so quickly from his breakup with Molly, but he hadn't. He did not have the right to do so. His daughter was responsible for the breakup, not Jim.
« Yes, I've known since yesterday. » he replied.
« And don't you mind that he replaced me without any problem ? » asked Molly. « It's only been three months and... »
« And it's not my business at all. » Hicks cut her off, getting up from his chair. « You still lied to him for two months, and you slept with another man all this time. How could I blame him for moving forward in his life ? I am his boss, not his father. »
He went around the office and approached his daughter.
« Now listen to me, you have to give up the idea of getting Street back, because it won't happen. You have to focus on your career, and on your life, hoping that you won't make the same mistakes. » he said.
« But I still love him. » Molly says. « I believed, that by giving him space, and by giving him time, he would eventually forgive me. »
« Molly, you cheated on him because you felt lonely, and because you couldn't bear to see him go to work every time his phone rang. » Hicks gently reminded her. « You may be the daughter of a police officer, but you won't be able to make your life with one of them. What happened with Jim only demonstrates that. Turn the page, Molly. It's better for you. »
He kissed her on the forehead when there was a knock on the door.
« Come in... »
Lieutenant Lynch opened the door...
Street had followed Deacon to Little Tokyo for the purposes of their ongoing investigation.
« I apologize in advance for it, but I told Molly that you were dating Chris. »
Deacon, who was driving an unmarked car, did not leave his eyes from the road.
« I don't blame you. » Street assured him. « On the contrary, it takes a thorn out of my foot. »
He sighed.
« What ? » asked Deacon.
« How could she believe I would forgive her, even three months after breaking up ? » says Street.
« Maybe she thought you loved her enough to want to try again. » says Deacon.
« Even if Chris hadn't kissed me, the night we got together, I wouldn't have gone back with Molly. » says Street. « You know, I only talked to Chris about it, but even before she started cheating on me, it wasn't that much going well with Molly. I could see that my incessant departures in the middle of the night, or from an appointment annoyed her, but she assured me that it was okay. That she understood. There was no reason why a cop's daughter shouldn't understand, you know ? » Deacon nodded. « I don't know, I think part of me knew Molly was seeing someone else. »
« You can't do anything about the choices she made. » Deacon explained. « You don't have to live in the past, Street. »
« I never stopped being in love with Chris, but she had been clear with me from the start. » the young man continued. « Argh, I should stop thinking about it. »
Arriving in Little Tokyo, they asked questions until they had to return to headquarters. During the journey, they spoke to Hondo and the rest of the team on the phone to pass on the information they had gathered.
The investigation ended without breakage for the S.W.A.T., and it was more than eight p.m when they left the HQ. Chris met Erica in a bar and they shared a beer, while evoking the new brilliance in Chris' love life.
« And, is it serious between you ? » asked Erica.
« Yes, it is. » she replied. « We'll see where it takes us, but I've never been so good with someone in a long time. »
« What does Hicks think about it ? » Erica wanted to know. « I mean, Street dated her daughter and... »
« As long as it doesn't affect our work, it's okay. » says Chris. « And he doesn't hold Street responsible for Molly's actions. I can't tell you too much, because there are things he only told me. »
« And I'm not going to ask you for more. » Erica says. « As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you. »
« We're going to find you someone. » Chris reassured her.
« I'm not sure if I'm ready for a serious relationship, but there's a handsome guy who caught my eyes for five minutes. » Erica told him.
Chris turned around, and noticed a handsome young man with matte skin, within thirty-five years old, who was looking in their direction.
« What are you waiting for ? » asked Chris to his friend. « Don't mind me. »
« Are you sure ? » asked Erica.
« Yes. » she assured. « Anyway, I start early tomorrow morning. »
The two friends separated, and as Erica joined the handsome man who kept staring at her, Chris returned to her car. Once in the comfort of her vehicle, she took a bottle of water, of which she always kept a reserve in the back, and swallowed half of it. She had only drunk a beer, she could drive quietly. Instead of going to Street's, she went home to her aunt, just time to gather all her belongings.
« You're leaving ? » his aunt asked her.
« Yes, I'm going to live with Jim. » says Chris, passing her big bag over her shoulder. « That's Luca's idea. Thanks for letting me crash on the couch when I needed it, tia. »
« You're here at home, Christina. » her aunt tells her. « But I'm happy for you. Jim is a handsome young man, and I'm sure he'll make you beautiful kids. »
« Tia ! » Chris exclaimed, with red cheeks. « Stop wanting to get me married so quickly. »
She ignored her aunt's amusement and left after hudding her.
At Street and Luca's !
Street had taken his dirty laundry pan out of the room to put it in front of his roommate.
« And be careful not to mix white and colors. » the young man told him.
« Why did you have to accept Chris' suggestion ? » asked Luca.
« Because she's my girl. » stirred Street. « And because it makes me laugh to know that you're going to take care of my dirty laundry for three days. »
« Why three days ? » asked Luca.
« Would you rather it to be a week ? » replied Street.
« Go for three days. » Luca conceded, when they knocked on the door.
Street went to open. It was Chris, and she had a big black backpack on her shoulder, and another one in her hand. He understood that she accepted Luca's offer to come and settle with them.
« I should have called you before. » she says.
« Don't ! » He took the bag she had in her hand and kissed her before bringing her in. « I'm glad you accepted. »
« Welcome home ! » said Luca. « Now, you'll excuse me, I have a pile of disgusting laundry to wash. I don't thank you for this, Chris. »
He disappeared into the laundry room, leaving the couple alone. Tied his fingers to his girlfriend's, Street took them into the room.
« What made you decide ? » he asked, sitting at the edge of the bed after putting the bags in a corner of the room.
« I haven't really thought about it. » she replied, shrugged. « I just want to be with you. »
He held out his hands, which she took, and he limped her on his lap before wrapting them around her waist.
« I also want to be with you. » he says. « To fall asleep and wake up by your side. I love sleeping with you, Chris, especially when you're wearing my clothes, or nothing at all. »
She punched him slightly on the shoulder.
« Jim, promise me nothing will change. » she asked. « These last two months have been the best of my life, and I don't want anything to change now that everyone knows about us. »
« I don't see any reason for that to change. » he replied. « But I promise you, and you came at the right time when Molly cornered me. She believed that by giving me space we could've start over. »
He rolled his eyes.
« Luckily she didn't try to kiss me. » he says.
« I'm sure I would've punch her for that. » Chris admitted.
« Jealous of my ex, baby ? » he raised, a smile in the corner.
« No, not anymore. » she said, kissing him on the cheek. « She had her chance, and I wouldn't let her make you suffer again, or get you back. She'll have to walk on my dead body. »
« And she will have no chance against you. » He tightened his grip on her hips and lengthened it on the bed. « She would have to be crazy to want to compete against you, even though I would find it really sexy to see you face her in a ring. »
« Can we stop talking about your ex ? » says Chris.
« With pleasure. »
He kissed her, and in the passion of kissing, Chris rolled them to gain the upper hand, but she stopped it and got back on her legs.
« Where are you going ? » he asked, seeing her take her toiletry bag, which had been on top of Jim's dresser for several days.
« Take a little jump in the shower. » she replied, before pricking one of Street's sweatshirts. « Just ten minutes. »
If they had been alone, he would have followed her and they would have taken a long shower together. When Chris returned, he was sitting in bed, in his underpants, and his nose immersed in a detective story. It was a fairly recent flaw, which had made the young woman smile when she had discovered it.
« The bathroom is free. » she said, closing the door behind her.
« I've been there before you arrived. » he replied before diving back into his book. « I finish my chapter and I am all yours. »
Chris slipped under the duvet, approached Street, and huddled up against him. He surrounded her with one arm, and continued to read. He finished his current chapter, put a piece of paper as a bookmark, and closed the book, which he placed on the nightstand before turning off the bedside lamp and lying down properly.
« Did you tell your aunt that you were moving here permanently ? » he asked, in the silence of the room.
« Yes ! » She sighed comfortably when she felt his fingers stroke her hair. « She adores you, you know ? And she told me that you would make me beautiful children. »
He choked before bursting out laughing, followed by Chris.
« I think your aunt is going a little too fast. » he says.
« Yes ! » she sighed.
It didn't take her long before falling asleep, lulled by Street's heartbeat and the caress in her hair. The young man stayed awake a little longer, not being able to help but imagine what his future children might look like, if he were to have them with Chris. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.
Hope you liked that new chapter.
I see you next week-end *-*
