Chris text back. "I'm okay. Yeah, cabin fever has hit. I'm going in for desk duty tomoz." After she hit send, she wondered if she should have told him that.
She pushed herself up and decided she needed a shower before Jared rang again. She was just about to turn on the water when she heard her phone. She figured it was likely Street, but she couldn't fight the urge to check.
"Really? I dunno why I am surprised to be honest 😉. I have a CT scan again tomorrow so I will be out for another day. Hope all goes well." He text.
"Hmmmm," she mumbled in her head. He was obviously wanting to talk more, but she knew she wasn't ready to give him anything, any answers yet.
"Thanks, Good luck with your scan." She sent back. Not sure if that was too cold. She stepped in the shower and tried to let the warm water cleanse her thoughts.
Street sat on his bed looking at her message. 'Yep, she doesn't want to talk to me.' He sighed sadly. He figured she was probably calling Jared or something. He hated feeling jealous like this. He hated how this had all gone to shit. He hadn't even had the chance to tell her exactly how he was feeling and the whole story of he and Molly ending it. He figured until she knew that this wouldn't change. That it would stay weird, strained and awkward.
"Thanks. Listen. Can we actually talk at some point Chris? I need you to understand some stuff that might help you put everything in context." He sent. He was fully prepared for her to decline that request though. But he knew until she knew that he broke up with Molly for the right reasons, long before he knew anything about Jared and her, that this wouldn't get any better.
When she stepped onto the bathmat and dried off, she saw his message. She swallowed hard wondering what this talk would entail.
"I'm listening." She sent back.
He exhaled and frowned receiving it. She clearly didn't want to do this in person. So, this was the only option he had other than turning up at her place unannounced again.
"I want to explain a few things. More than I got to say last time. Things that might make you understand all of this better."
She read his words and closed her eyes. What could he possibly say that would help?
"Like what?" She prompted feeling nervous for his reply.
"I broke up with Molly the morning after we had that chat. I was planning on telling you. But with all of that work stuff unfolding I never got the chance. It wasn't what you're thinking either. I didn't do it just because of what you said, hoping you would want an 'us.' I just knew that I was kidding myself. Molly wasn't happy and either was I."
Chris read his text as she stepped out of the bathroom. His words making her come to a stop and stand frozen. She felt numb. Not sure how to feel. Not sure what to write back. Which "Chat" was he referring too? Did he mean the one where she confessed that night to having feelings when they had kissed? Or was it an earlier chat about her finding her happy? She was partly pissed and disappointed in him, but also so confused and trying not to jump to conclusions. She shook her head and walked back to her room, deciding to call Jared, sleep and deal with Street tomorrow.
The next day, Chris was up early and at the doctors first thing to get a light duties clearance form signed. As she climbed back in her truck she smiled at the form and took a big sip of her iced coffee. 'Let's do this!' She grinned to herself as she drove towards HQ. She dropped her bag in her locker and quickly took the form up to Hick's office. Knocking and waiting she heard another voice.
"Just a minute," Hick's called. Chris heard footsteps coming to open the door. Hicks stood there. "Oh Alonso." He said surprised.
"Uh, Sir, just that clearance form," she said holding it up.
"Right, yes. Come in and I'll sign it." As he swung the door back Chris saw Molly standing in front of Hick's desk. She swallowed hard and nodded.
"Yes Sir." As she stepped inside, she saw Molly glance at her and then look away out the window. "Sorry to interrupt, I..."
"It's okay Alonso," Hick's answered. Molly slowly looked back and gave her a polite but sad nod.
"Chris" She forced a smile.
"Molly" Chris answered, returning the awkward nod and as soon as Hicks had signed his name took the form and left with a "Thank you, Sir."
As she closed the door, she inhaled slowly. 'Wow', the last person she had expected to see was Molly. Through all of this she hadn't even thought about what it would feel like to see Molly face to face again. Molly was clearly upset, or angry or something the way she had reacted to seeing Chris. She knew she would have to deal with that and talk to Street about it all later at some point. She couldn't avoid his text or figuring out what the hell he meant forever. Right now though, she needed to report to Hondo and get started on her shift.
Soon after, Chris was reading through some reports on her computer when Lynch sat herself on the edge of the desk.
"Can I have a word?" She asked quietly. Chris looked up surprised.
"Yeah," she nodded standing up. "Here or?"
"Let's um" Lynch looked about the room, slightly motioning to the door. "Let's walk"
As Chris followed her to the hallway, her mind raced. 'What the hell was going on now?' Finding a quiet spot away from stray ears Lynch began.
"Okay, look I am giving you a heads up because I know this might be an issue considering the personal relationships involved. But I just heard that Ms Hicks has been assigned by her law firm to help, Ms Jessica Monti, Lilly's mother in this Market case. She is, at some point during this, going to be reaching out to you and Jared."
"Okay." Chris nodded slowly, trying to follow and process that. She knew Lynch was trying to be helpful, but she wondered just how much Lynch knew about these "Personal relationships". "I appreciate it ma'am, I really do." Chris finished as she inhaled and moved back to her desk.
Staring at the screen in front of her she sat motionless. The idea of Molly having to talk to her and Jared, suddenly hit her. 'Oh Jesus'. She muttered wondering what Molly knew about the whole mess and again that question of why Street had broken up with her. What exactly had he told her during that breakup?
'Maybe I should call Street and ask?' She mumbled not being able to focus. 'And I better warn Jared,' She thought as she pulled out her phone and went to call him. Before hitting the green button, she paused. She wondered if it would be better if she knew all the details first. Jared would have questions and right now Chris had none of those answers. She scrunched her lips and muttered.
"No, leave it. Call him later. Get back to work." As she went to spin around, she was shocked to find Molly standing almost right behind her.
"Calling Jim?" She asked with an almost smug look on her face. "How is he? I heard about his nose."
"I um, no, I, he's okay I think." She fumbled trying to regain her composure.
"I'm just stopping by as a courtesy. I will need to talk to you officially on the record, at some point about my client, Ms Monti, and her daughter Lilly. The little girl."
"From the market siege." Chris finished.
"Yes," Molly nodded, her tone becoming more professional. "I understand you and another key witness were or are in a relationship?" Chris wondered if that question was asked to secretly determine if her and Jim had hooked up or something. She kind of resented the fact she needed to give her an answer.
"Yes, Jared and I are dating." Chris answered as if to shut her probing questions and assumptions down.
"Okay, well, perhaps tomorrow if your still on light duties?"
"Sure, I'll be here." And with that Molly turned. Chris watched her walk away and swallowed hard. She was now a bit pissed off. But she was so scrambled she couldn't determine if she was angry with Molly or Street. Maybe it was both.
She pushed her chair back and stood up. She needed to take a walk and get her head around this. As she strode out to the hallway, she felt an urge to call Street and get some clarification.
"Hey," he answered on the third ring.
"Hi, wow you are bored if you answered that quickly." She added with a smart-ass tone.
"Yeah, tell me about it. How's HQ?"
"I um, that's actually got to do with this all, I um, we need to talk."
"Okay, why does that sound bad?" He asked.
"I just had a, um, unpleasant encounter with an, I'd say angry, Ms Hicks."
"Oh, shit. You okay? What happened? Why was she upset?"
"These are all questions I have for you." Chris told him.
"But why was she talking to you?"
"She is part of this market siege case and now is asking to talk to Jared and I."
"Oh, Chris, I am sorry, I don't..."
"Look, I need the whole picture here before I walk in there and get eaten alive because of whatever or however you two ended things. So, I'm coming by on my way home."