Ch21

Before long both teams had gathered back at the vehicles. Chris had arranged to meet Jared after this team debrief. She still had a few hours before official shift start, and she knew he was heading off today. Two things were filling her mind. Making this debrief as quick as possible so she could go. And getting out of here without Street pulling her aside to ask the 50 questions he must have, after all of that.

She kept her eyes on Hondo and Rocker, though she could feel Street looking at her every now and again. She couldn't return his glance though. She didn't want to see his questioning looks, or open the door for him to ask,

"Hey, you got a minute?" So, she was very thankful when Erika stepped to her side and walked with her back to her truck.

"So, you off to meet Jared now?" She asked with a big smile and excitement. "He is … wow…something." She smirked and laughed.

"Okay Stop!" Chris chuckled holding up her finger. "I just wanna get outta here."

"To run into the arms of your handsome new boyfriend or before Street asks those questions?" Erika said eyeing her.

"I," Chris paused and turned back to face Erika. "I just, I don't even know what it is yet, so stop calling him my boyfriend and I don't wanna try and explain all of this to Street when we are kinda in a weird place…so…..."

"He's your best friend though?" Chris glanced at Erika with a frown.

"Maybe once, but he moved on, he has Molly now." Chris answered not looking at her. Erika's eyes narrowed as she read between those lines.

"Did you ever, or do you have feelings for him?" She whispered stepping closer as Chris pulled her door shut. She tilted her head to the side and frowned.

"Once, but, being on the same team," Chris shook her head… "It was just never gunna happen." She answered as she started the truck. "See you later." Chris said trying not to look at her as she reversed out and drove away. Erika stood there a bit shocked. She knew Chris well enough by now to know that Chris hadn't exactly shut the door on those feelings like she said.

As Chris drove, she replayed Erika's questions, the way Street had looked at her when Jared appeared. She had to admit to herself that she was scared to tell Street about Jared. But then she stopped and asked herself why? Was she worried he would be hurt? Because for that to be the case he would have to still have feelings for her right? And well like she told Erika, he moved on, he has Molly so that's just stupid. Maybe it was just that she felt awkward. After their recent talk, maybe the distance she had tried to put between them was too much to be discussing their relationships and love lives like they used to.

Back downtown, Street had ridden to HQ. He figured he would squeeze in some training before shift now that he was all pumped up. As he warmed up at the boxing bag Erika walked by reading off a clip chart.

"Hey Rogers," he called stopping her.

"Oh hey, couldn't go home? too wound up?" She asked,

"Yeah, something like that." He nodded, nervously adjusting his gloves. "Hey, I, I um, have noticed how you and Chris are kind of close now and I," he paused as if hesitating.

"And you?" Erika prompted eyeing him,

"I, I just wanted to know if she is mad at me?"

Erika smirked, thinking she could have a bit of fun here. "Why? What did you do? Why would she be mad?"

Street dropped his hands to his sides. "We just haven't spoken much, and I get the feeling she is pushing me away, moving on." Erika heard the sadness in his voice. She thought about Chris's words. That there were feeling there once…maybe she should try and help.

"Well have you tried to talk to her?"

"Nope, haven't had a minute since she got back from the training thing last week. Guess she has been too busy with this Jared guy." Erika could hear the sadness in his voice as he mentioned Jared.

"Well," Erika smiled a bit looked at him. "Maybe you should make a plan with her to spend some time, like you used to and talk."

Back downtown, Chris pulled into the parking lot of Jared's hotel. She had agreed to meet him here for lunch before he leaves. As she climbed out of her truck and walked towards the entrance, she felt butterflies. Was she nervous about seeing him again, or nervous about Street? She was having trouble sorting and separating all of her feelings right now.

The hotel restaurant was busy, people coming and going, but no sign of Jared yet. So, she sat at the bar and ordered an iced tea. As she drummed her fingers on the bar her phone dinged with a message. She opened it quickly thinking it might be Jared, but it was Street.

"Hey, are we still able to talk tonight? After shift?"

"Oh shit," she whispered as she remembered promising him, they would talk. She stared at his message for a bit, trying to think of what to respond. Should she still try and talk to him? Would he ask about her and Jared? If he did, what would she say? She still did want to know why he turned up at her place the other day, what had he wanted to talk about so badly? And what had him all messed up?"

"Yeah, we can do that." She typed back, knowing that she couldn't hide from him forever.

"Hey you," his voice sent a shiver up her spine as he whispered quietly in her ear and kissed her neck from behind.

"Hey," she turned smiling and shoving her phone in her bag.

"So," he held out his hand motioning to a table nearby, "Shall we lunch?"

Chris laughed and took his other hand. "Yes, we should." She was desperately trying to squash the nerves that were flying around inside her. She wanted to ask Jared what they were now? She wanted to be able to tell Street the right thing. But was that a weird question to ask? Would she look desperate? As he sat opposite her, she smiled looking back at him. The way he looked at her. It made her feel like the only woman on earth.

"So, you recovered from a rather eventful morning?" She asked.

"Yeah, LA, huh. Can't even go to the markets to pick up a gift for your girl without getting caught in a deadly shooting." He chuckled, clearly making fun of the situation.

Chris laughed too and then licked her lips as she looked down. As Jared stopped chuckling, she looked back up. Her expression a bit more serious as he tilted his head looking at her.

"What? You okay?"

"Your girl, huh?" Chris asked eyeing him.

He paused, surprised by her picking up on that. He reached over the table and tangled his fingers with hers. "Can I say that? Can I say that you are my girl?" He asked. His eyes showing that he meant it.

Chris couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. She chewed her lip and blinked slowly at him. "I um, I think I would like you to say that, if that's what you want us to be?"

"Chris, of course that's what I want. I mean I know that it might seem fast or rushed timing, but this, these few days here with you. I know I want to pursue an 'us'." She felt the butterflies fluttering again, as he pulled her hand closer and kissed it.

Sitting there looking across the table at his hand holding hers, she knew she was so lost in him. It scared her a little. She was worrying about how this would go when he returns to Las Vegas. Would they be able to make it work long distance? Or would it fizzle out? Before she glanced back up, he squeezed her hand.

"Hey, what are you worrying about over there?" He asked with a chuckle.

"I, ah," she shook her head like she was shaking it all away. "Nothing, really, I just ..."

"You're overthinking again huh?" He smiled softly. "About me leaving today?" Chris hated that he could read her so well. She just nodded.

"How will this work Jared? I have never had a long-distance relationship before and I'm terrified. What if it doesn't work?"

"Hey," he moved from his side of the booth to hers and took both of her hands. "I am serious about this, about us, and I will do whatever it takes to make you see that. We will take one day at a time and work it out." He assured her, looking into her eyes.

Chris smiled a small smile and nodded. But Jared could see this was really messing with her. He cleared his throat and sat back a fraction.

"Chris is this more about you having doubts. About us? About whether you really want this?" The sadness and fear in his voice was unmistakeable.

"Jared, I, I just hate the uncertainty of it, the distance, the fact you're not here, it scares the hell out of me, and I guess now that today is here, and we only have limited time together it's hit me."

"I get that, I do. But please don't think I am not serious about finding a way to make this work Chris. I want an us." He assured her again.

"Good." She smiled as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"So, tell me," He began moving back to his seat wanting to change the subject off that heavy stuff and make her smile again. He remembered the way she smiled and beamed as she talked about her work in her presentation in Virginia. So, he decided to ask about this morning and her team and get her mind off it all. "Was this morning's mission pretty standard in terms of what you do daily?" Chris glanced at him and grinned. She knew he was trying to distract her, so she nodded and played along. She didn't want to ruin their lunch being all sad and mopey.

"Uh, sometimes. Some shifts are pretty quiet, and the team stays at HQ all day, training and driving each other insane and other days we are on the go and don't stop. Just depends."

"Yeah, tell me more about this infamous 20 David team? You said back in Virginian that you are all close. Like family. I mean I very briefly met those two today but I wanna know more."

"Oh okay, um," He noted her shift a little uncomfortably in her seat. Chris was dreading trying to explain Street to him. "You met Erika Rogers today. I helped her a bit through the academy when she was trying to get selected for SWAT. She is one bad ass." Chris chuckled.

"Like you," Jared grinned.

"Yeah, maybe," Chris laughed, "but Rogers isn't on 20 David."

"Oh, I thought she..."

"No 50 David another team were there this morning too. She is with them."

"Oh right."

"I was her voice of reason and advice giver when she was trying out, Street did the mentoring physically. But she and I have become good friends."

"And this Street?" He asked as the waiter placed their food down.

'Oh god' she muttered what do I tell him. She was torn whether to be straight up honest or skim over the complicated stuff. She knew hesitating about this would raise a red flag, so she continued.

"Street has been my closest friend in SWAT since he arrived a few years ago. We used to call each other our sounding boards." She smiled a little thinking about it.

"Used to?" He asked questioningly. "You're not close anymore? What happened?"

"Um, well," here was that moment. What should she say? "Time changes people you know, I guess we ended up walking different paths. I mean back then when we were close, I helped him through some things, some real rough patches and got him back on track, but now he has a girlfriend, so…. The boss's daughter actually, and I don't want to step on toes."