As Chris helped him unpacked the surveillance gear from the van, she couldn't help feeling sick inside, usually she would be enjoying their light banter. Right now, though, she would swear she was jealous. Jealous of Molly, of what they had, and upset that maybe she had lost her chance for real this time.
She reached into the van and dragged two heavy boxes forwards, picking them up as she heard him,
"Oh, I'll get one," he called jogging the few paces back to the van to help her.
Chris grinned a bit and leaned her head around the boxes to look at him with a serious annoyed stare.
"Seriously?"
Street laughed a bit at her annoyance and glare and stepped back raising his hands in surrender.
"Okay okay, I guess you got it."
As she turned and placed them down she shot him a stare, but as he stood there smirking at her with his playful dimple filled smile she chuckled a bit and so did he, shaking his head as they continued to unpack the gear without a word.

She watched him for a bit out of the corner of her eye and chewed at the inside of her lip. He seemed happy, he seemed content. Huh, there was a word that she had thrown at him in the midst of their mess together.
But deep inside her chest it hurt, to think that he was those things with Molly. They hadn't really spoken about Molly lately, and after their brief chat at the scene today, and his comments about her "being worth the risk," she had to admit it had been really hard seeing him happy, seeing him smile when he spoke about her. That smile of his... was breaking her heart.

As Chris closed her locker and walked to the sink, she scrunched her face a bit seeing her reflection. She was sure the way she felt inside was beginning to show on the outside. She cupped the water and splashed her face, glancing up again and staring at herself in the mirror. As she tried to work out what she should say to him the next time she saw him, or if she should even speak to him again anytime soon the door banged open and he came in laughing with Tan. She ignored them initially and continued freshening up.

As Tan took his things and headed into the showers, Street glanced back at her at the sinks. She was smoothing her hair into a ponytail and closing her toiletries bag.
"You okay?" He asked. She briefly closed her eyes cursing that he spoke to her.
"Uh huh," She answered without looking at him. Though she could feel his gaze on her.
She turned and stepped back to the lockers, glad that as she opened hers, it made a physical barrier to him.
"You sure? Because you seem, I dunno upset. Did I say something before that maybe pissed you off a bit or?"
"No," She answered maybe a little too quickly, interrupting him, "No I'm just, tired." She kept her head in her locker hoping he would read the signal to just leave her alone. He sighed and closed his locker sitting back on the bench as he zipped his bag.
"Chris?" He asked quietly. She swallowed hard and blew out a slow low breath.
"Mmmm?" She answered. Closing her locker and stepping away as if she were leaving.
"Can I ask you a question this time?" Her eyes closed as he spoke, and her heart began to pound in her chest.
"I guess." She almost whispered without looking at him.
"Does me being with Molly upset you?"
Chris swung around and almost glared at him. 'How dare he ask that!' She thought. He had to know it did. What did he hope to gain by asking that?
She stood frozen for a second, not sure how to answer him. The fact that he dared to even ask her that made her blood boil a bit.
"It's not my business." She answered turning around and tugging her backpack tighter on her shoulder.
"Ok, but, I mean since you asked that stuff before I, guess I was wondering and you know I never want to hurt 'us', your my best friend and if you don't like Molly and that's why you don't want to come over and hang out, I am sure Molly wouldn't mind me hanging out at your place occasionally to catch up."
Chris rolled her eyes and shook her head a little. 'Seriously?' She muttered. She was really annoyed with him right now.
"It's fine. I'm busy is all." She said with a curt tone as she took a few more steps to the door. "Say hi to Molly for me, see you tomorrow," and with that she opened the door and almost ran out.
Street had gone to speak and call her back, but she was gone and the door banging heavily behind her almost felt like a slap to the face. He was just trying to mend fences; he was a little confused by her right now.
As Chris climbed into her truck and threw her things in the centre console her phone lit up with a message from him. Seeing his name on the screen Chris felt tears in her eyes. She hated that he was doing this to her, making her feel like this. She hated that she was crying over him, jealous and hurt. Her tears fell like rain drops on her pants before she swiped them away and started the engine.

As she navigated her way home, she felt as if she was in a daze. Turning the corner into her street she realised she didn't even remember driving the last few miles. That worried her a fraction. She knew she was not in a great headspace right now. She was still staying with her uncle after the thrupple break up and even though they were family, and she would ordinarily consider this her home, she just didn't feel like she was doing too well at all. Her life outside of work kind of sucked. She felt sad that this mess she was in was really all her fault.

As she climbed out of her truck, she paused briefly reaching to grab her phone from the centre console. Closing her eyes and inhaling hard she wondered what Street had texted her. Was he still probing her after that weird exchange in the locker room? Was he still wondering if she hated Molly? What on earth did he want?
She walked down the driveway to the granny flat out the back that she called home and slid the door open stepping inside. Once it was closed behind her she opened her phone and tapped on is message.
Street: Hey, I'm sorry if I upset you Chris. You are important to me and I'm just worried about you and really trying to fix our friendship.

As she read it, she realised just how badly she had made a mess of things. She knew he felt the awkwardness today after her questions on the mission and then her practically running out of the locker room on him.
'Should I answer him? Say what? I'm fine? or just leave it?' She pondered tapping the phone on her leg.
She wondered if he had seen through her questions, short responses and quick exit. Had he picked up the real reasons she was asking those things? Had he noticed she really did hold feelings for him?
She hated herself now for the way that after their kiss she had practically pushed him to Molly. Thinking it would help her get over him. When in actual fact, now, all it had done was make her heart break. She was jealous. She realised now that her actions on several things with him were nothing more than a huge mistake. Running away, after that kiss, encouraging Molly and telling him, "Where just teammates Street, nothing more."
It was in fact all nothing more than a huge huge mistake.
But was it too late now? Too late to fix it.

Chris tossed her phone onto the sofa as she shook her head and kicked off her shoes. 'Just leave it.' She muttered. No good could come from answering him, and how was she supposed to answer him without lying. She busied herself with unpacking her backpack and getting it ready for next shift. But as she folded her spare clothes in the bottom and sat it back by the door the thought of tomorrow and that next shift sent a shiver up her spine. She was dreading seeing him. Him asking more questions. That facade of hers was cracking and she knew it.
She pursed her lips into a frown and sighed as she flicked on the TV and took a cold beer from the fridge. She stared blankly at the screen, sipping her beer, and letting her mind wander. She wasn't aware of the time as she sat lost inside her own mind. Trying to plan a way to deal with all of this, to come out the other side okay, but suddenly she noticed that she was now sitting in the dark. The sun had set, her beer was empty, and she hadn't once moved. She scoffed at herself as she closed her eyes, 'God Chris, stop being so pathetic!' She was angry with herself for acting like this. Slowly she stood up and moved about closing the blinds. 'You were the one who did all of this and ended up here. Time to own it and move on.'
She took her tights, runners and earbuds from the draws beside the bed and decided that going for a run would help her feel better and clear her mind. As she sat doing up the laces on the edge of the bed, her phone flashed beside her. Street's name on the screen. Her eyes closed as she saw it. 'Jim please, please just leave it alone and give me space,' she whispered as she felt a tear in her eye.