(Sorry to the Jared haters out there. You will probably not like this chapter…. But take it or leave it, he is around for a little bit longer, before Chris and Street both realise what their hearts really want and fight for it…..your choice if you continue to read or not.)

To Chris's surprise, nothing bad had come of the day in court. She had to admit the entire day she was nervy though. Every time a door opened or there was a loud bang she would jump. So, by the time the judge finally called an end to the day's proceedings, she rubbed at her face exhausted. Her eyes followed the US Marshall, as she tapped Jared's arm.

"Hey, I might just walk them out to the car."

"Chris," He reached for her arm, and she glanced back, eyeing him with wide eyes, waiting for him to speak. "No, you're right. I'll come too." He said nodding and motioning for her to go ahead.

As Jared chatted to Lilly's mom and Lilly, Chris tried her best to get reassurance from the US Marshall that they had covered every possibility to keep them safe. She was just beginning to get a little argumentative with him, when they stepped out into the courthouse garage, only to be met by Hondo and Deacon. Chris's brain was trying to quickly work out what was happening as Hondo stood up off the charger and walked closer with his hand extended.

"Marshall Reagan, I am Sgt. Harrelson LAPD Metro SWAT."

"Nice to meet you Sergeant." Reagan smiled extending his hand. "I've been expecting you guys, I'm glad we can work together to get the results we want." He smiled at Deacon.

"Well, you've had one of our best watching your back all day." Deacon smiled pointing at Chris.

"And... the added bonus of a very overqualified, LVPD Sgt. By her side," Hondo added smiling and nodding at Jared.

Chris looked pissed off, why hadn't this guy just told her that SWAT already had it under control? That they were escorting them home and helping to keep them safe until this was over. She was still shaking her head slightly when she felt Lilly's hand grab hers.

"Do I get to ride in your police car Chris?" She asked excitedly.

"Um," Chris laughed. "Not mine as such," She bent down to her. "But my friends Hondo and Deac, here are gunna get you and your mum home safe." She explained.

Soon, Lilly, her mum and Marshall Reagan were headed off with Hondo and Deacon. Lilly gave Chris and Jared and excited wave and laughed covering her ears when Hondo gave the sirens a whirl. Chris smiled and waved, she knew they didn't have to do this, but of course they were. 'SWAT treats everyone like family.' Echoed in her ears.

"Feel better now? That they are with people you trust." Jared smirked.

"Yeah, I do, I just..." She turned back looking at him. Her face becoming questioning as she studied his smirk. She stopped speaking and stepped a bit closer with her eyes narrowed.

"Jared Michael's." She whispered getting closer.

"What?" He asked innocently. His dimples twitching.

"Why do I have the feeling you had something to do with that?" She said pointing to where the chargers just disappeared. Jared laughed and held up his hands.

"I refuse to confirm or deny anything." He said adamantly, folding his arms across his chest and poking his nose playfully in the air.

"Oh my god! You so did, you got Hondo and Deac here, didn't you? But…. but… when? How?" She asked standing right in front of him. She looked up at him wearing a quizzical almost sceptical expression, as her finger lightly poked his chest.

"Okay you, relax," he said grabbing her poking finger and moving her hand away. "Yes, I may have made a call of my own earlier today, but it wasn't all me. Your team were already there, they just wanted to help too." Chris smiled up at him. Taking in his features. His dimples, his blue eyes, and the way his lips curled into that smile. She felt herself staring but didn't care. This was the man she was falling in love with. A kind, caring, compassionate man who knew exactly how to make her turn to mush. She looked down and moved in closer to slowly wrap her arms around him, laying her head on his chest.

"Thank you babe, you didn't have to, that was really good of you."

He smiled too looking down at her as she hugged herself against him. "I just hate seeing you worry and work yourself up so much." He said stroking her hair. "Plus, after seeing how scared Lilly's mom was about this whole situation. How could I not try to help?"

Chris just hugged him harder. "You're a good guy."

He laughed. "I try to be." They stood there in each other's arms for a while before he began to let her go and reached for her hand. "Come on," he wrapped her arm around his waist, hugging her against him as he walked.

"I'm just so ..." she began, as her feet almost protested to walking to her truck which was parked nearby.

"Exhausted?" He finished her sentence. "Well, I'm not surprised. Your brain has been on edge all day."

"Yeah, I couldn't help it, I just had a bad feeling that..."

"I know, I know…. But enough worrying for now. Let's get you home, so that you can lay down and relax.

Home? My place? She wondered. Had he decided or assumed she didn't want to spend the night with him again?

"Home?" She asked without looking at him,

He turned his head and studied her frown as she dropped her gaze from him, "Would you rather my hotel?" He asked watching her closely. Chris shrugged. She suddenly felt insecure and vulnerable. Like he wanted to spend the night away from her. "Chris," he stopped walking and spun himself to stand in front of her. He saw how there was a sudden shift in her demeanour. She suddenly was guarded, as if her walls had just gone up. "Hey, Chris, look at me, wait." He said stopping and holding both her shoulders. "I just want you to be comfortable and relax. That's all. I'm not saying we can't hang out or be together. I just thought you'd be more comfortable at home." She nodded, whilst still looking down at her feet. She couldn't shake that insecure feeling. "Hey, tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen." He whispered, moving his hand to her jawline, and running his thumb softly along it as he tried to find her eyes.

"I just need you." She said feeling vulnerable.

"Hey, hey," he hugged her close. "I got you. I'm right here. Not going anywhere."

She smiled and nodded. Leaning off him. "Man, I can't wait for a steaming hot shower and a soft bed." She sighed as they walked the last small distance to her truck.

"Mmmm," he groaned as he stepped her backwards until she was pinned against her truck, he eyed her with a smirk. "I can't wait for a steamy hot shower and soft bed either, as long as you're the steamy in it."

Chris immediately let out a laugh and shoved him, "I said steaming not steamy! You idiot." She thumped him,

"Points for trying?" He laughed with his eyebrows lifted, head tilted and dimples accentuating his smirk.

"Oh god, you are so sleazy, it's almost cute." She added hugging him.

"I'll take that." He laughed as he leaned down and kissed her forehead sweetly. "Don't worry babe, I got you." He whispered. She couldn't help but grab his face and kiss him hard. As he eventually drew back, he smiled as she protested.

"What?" He laughed. She wore a small pout and pulled him down to kiss him again. He wrapped her up in his arms and held her close as his mouth danced with hers.

"That better?" He whispered as their lips finally parted.

"Yeah," She sighed, chewing her lip. "You know I never unpacked that overnight bag?" This time she wore the smirk. He laughed and squeezed her tightly.

"Well, then, I'm sure we can figure this out."

They drove back, through downtown to Jared's hotel. Sitting hand in hand as they navigated the traffic, lost in their own little perfect bubble of just each other. As she stepped inside his hotel room Chris couldn't help but smile widely, as her gaze landed on the bed. Jared had laid out a fluffy robe and slippers for her, and on top of the robe sat a flower and a small card with a heart drawn on it and her name. Chris smiled seeing it, and turned back to him, pointing at the bed.

"What is this?" She asked through a goofy smile.

He smiled back at her. "Well," he began kicking off his shoes, before leaning up off the wall and looking back up to her. As he looked at her, she noticed that he looked a bit flushed, embarrassed maybe. She continued to watch him as he began to step to her. "Honestly, I figured, if you were okay with coming back here tonight, this time, instead of well another night like," he stumbled a little.

"Like last night," she sighed, a hint of sadness in her voice,

"Yeah," he nodded continuing. "I, I just thought that I would make it special, make you see how much I want you here with me." He said wrapping his arms around her from behind as she smiled at the bed. He spun her around and gently kissed her. Her lips pressed on his as her arms held him tightly. She couldn't deny this guy was perfect.

As he stepped back, she turned and leant down to pick up the flower and the card, smiling at him. "This is very sweet Jared." She said watching him.

"Well, I just want you to really understand how much I want this." He explained. "I was so scared yesterday that we had broken this, that…"

"Jared!" She interrupted him, stepping to him, and looking up at him, "Do you really think I don't want this?" She shook her head a little at him to emphasise how silly that idea was.

"No, but, well, I just really hate it when things are…"

"Strained, weird, awkward?" She offered with a grimace.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"It's okay, we got through it, we are okay." She took his hand as suddenly he looked like the insecure one.

Without saying another word, he motioned to the card in her hand. Chris felt her cheeks blush slightly as she unfolded it and read what was inside.

"Christina,

You are the most amazing woman I have EVER met.

I love you. With every part of me.

That feeling only keeps getting stronger every time we are together or talk.

Love Jared xxooxx"

Chris felt her eyes get misty as she bit her bottom lip and spun back around to face him.

"Babe!" She let out slowly, in a whisper, as she extended her arms out for him. He smiled and lifted her up. Wrapping her around him as he moved to lay her down softly on the bed.

He kissed her gently as she did her best not to cry. She caressed his face and kissed him back. He drew away slowly and looked at her. She sniffed in and swiped at her eyes.

"Oh, come on now, what is with you and the crying?" He whispered, tenderly wiping her tears as he kissed her cheek.

"Happy tears." She whispered as she grabbed the side of his face and kissed him. "Happy tears." They remained on the pillowy bed, tangled in each other, lost in their kisses as the evening grew dark.

"Should we eat?" Chris whispered as he kissed her neck, making her giggle. She squeezed their intertwined fingers and lifted his hand to her face.

"Are you hungry?" He asked staring into her eyes.

"A little, but I don't wanna move." She whispered, dancing her eyes with his, as she took in how amazing it felt laying here in his arms, her legs intertwined with his as they made out and caressed each other.

"Let's get room service," He whispered into her ear. "And, well, then we could always take that steamy shower."

Chris let out a laugh and playfully thumped him again. "That is not what I said and …." Before she could continue, he kissed her deeply and then repeated in a low sexy voice.

"Steamy shower?"

Chris could just manage to nod and giggle as he continued to kiss her neck. She did her best to suppress a moan, but her body arching into him gave him all the confirmation he needed that she was enjoying it. The warm jolts were flying through her, and she knew this was the same feeling she had felt the last time they had spent the night together.

She ran her hand through his hair and pulled his face up to look at him.

"Okay." She exhaled almost breathless. As she stared into his desire filled eyes, "but should we order, before." He smirked and moved in, interrupting her thought process by kissing her neck again, more intensely this time…

"Mmmmmm." Chris groaned as her fingers danced through his hair.

"Before...?" He drew back and smirked as she had not finished that sentence. She laughed softly and eyed him.

"Before…." she licked her lip and tried to compose herself. "Before we," he slowly began tracing his fingers up her thigh and Chris again lost her train of thought. Her desire taking over. She leant in and kissed him hard as she rolled her body on top of him. He didn't complain, he pulled her closer to deepen that kiss as their hands wildly explored each other's bodies.

Laying breathless a while later, naked in his arms she felt her belly rumble. Jared chuckled.

"Guess you were hungry." He teased, kissing her forehead lightly. She chuckled and flicked her dark eyes up to him. A smile growing slowly across her face as she looked at him.