The silent but firm vibration of the smartwatch on her wrist, roused Chris from her sleeping bliss. As she shifted to tap the button on her watch Jared stirred.

"Hey you," he grumbled in a low whisper, a sexy sleepy voice.

"Hey," she smiled and whispered back, snuggling over to him, and kissing the end of his nose. He chuckled and peeked his eyes open.

"What time is it?"

"Time to get up." She whispered as she rubbed her face.

"Mmmm, a bit longer," he smiled with his eyes closed tugging her tightly against him. But before too long they were interrupted by Jared's phone. He reached over and grabbed it, sighing as he answered the call. Chris new from the way he rolled over and sat up that he was speaking to someone important. His tone was formal and professional.

Hanging up he held the phone and turned to glance at her over his shoulder.

"I um, I," he fumbled slightly. "That was my boss's boss. I am being called back to Las Vegas today." His voice sounded shocked and sad at the same time.

"Oh, What? Now? Why?" Chris answered sitting up too and crawling to sit with him,

"Yep, apparently my flight is being booked as we speak." He looked sadly at his hands. "A big case I've been leading has had a major development and I'm being ordered back."

"But this case, here, and …" Chris protested glancing out the window towards the courthouse before she looked back at him expectantly.

"Yeah, I know." He nodded. "The commander said I would have to finish the court case via video if I am needed further." Jared's eyes were sad and disappointed.

As Chris sat there reeling that he was leaving in just hours she felt frustration rise inside of her which of course resulted in,

"Can't someone else handle this until you're done here?" A slight hint of anger in her voice.

"Chris, what am I supposed to do? You want me to ignore a direct order from my Commander?" Jared asked standing up and turning to face her. He was feeling like she was blaming him and that was starting to make him upset.

Chris exhaled and thumped the bed. "Sorry, I'm not trying to start a fight, I just don't want you to go and…" She didn't get to finish the sentence because he smiled slightly, stepping to the bed as he grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her hard.

"I don't wanna go either. Remember that. But we both know what our jobs are like." He whispered as he pulled away. To that all Chris could do was nod. She felt bad for her reaction, but it was only because she hated trying to do this when he was hundreds of miles away.

Before long, Chris had said goodbye and he had left for the airport whilst she made her way to court. Sitting there alone that day felt soul crushing. Reality had collided with her daydream. One minute he was right there with her, and they were blissfully happy and then suddenly he was gone, and it was back to this. She hated it.

That afternoon, Chris was surprised when ADA Green told her they would be wrapping up the court hearings that day. It appeared Jared wouldn't have been required again anyway. That made her sad, because deep down inside she had secretly hoped that the case would drag on slightly and he would have to come back. But in reality, she knew that was a ridiculous idea.

As she walked to her truck, she drew out her phone and typed.

"Hey, I hope your case is going well. Miss you. I'm sure ADA Green let you know, but court is over here. I'll be back on shift in the morning."

As the afternoon became the evening, she stood in front of her mirror looking at herself. She decided she didn't want to sit alone waiting for him to call. It had sounded like he would be busy on this case for a while anyway. She changed and went out to a bar wanting the company of strangers, figuring that people watching in some dive bar would keep her occupied. But as she sat in the back, enjoying being alone but surrounded, she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Alonso!" As she glanced up her eyes landed on Buck. Walking towards her with a cold beer in his hand.

"Buck?" She stared at him confused. "I didn't expect to see you here." She stammered shaking her head.

"Ditto, I don't see you guys around too much lately." He offered as he stepped to her table.

"Yeah, sorry, it's just busy." She answered waving her hand dismissively, feeling bad she didn't see him more often.

"Oh, I know, trust me I miss the action sometimes." Chris nodded at him and motioned for him to sit. "I heard you were on some big court case downtown?"

"Oh, you did. From who?" But even as she asked that question, she figured it was Street.

"I um, was talking to Street the other day actually."

"Right, yeah, I was in court, but it's over now. Back at work tomorrow, just didn't want to sit alone at home you know."

"Is everything okay?" Buck sat down opposite her and observed her.

"Yeah," she tried to smile and nod, "I'm good."

"Really? Cause I heard about this new guy in your life and for a girl who they tell me is giddy happy you seem pretty blue."

"Oh my God!" Chris frowned. "What else did he tell you?"

"Hey, the kid is just worried about you." Buck tried to sooth her. Chris shook her head. Inside she was mumbling, 'Why on earth would he be worrying about me... he has his own shit to fix.' She looked down, muttering.

"Well, doesn't matter, I feel like crap because Jared went home." She slowly looked back up and held up her finger, "No, he got ordered home to be precise." Buck nodded, listening as she continued. "So, I'm just here trying not to feel alone." She traced her fingers around the rim of her glass.

"Tell me about him." Buck said. "He better be good enough for you." He joked trying to make her laugh. For a while Chris talked to him about Jared, about the distance about the fact that she was scared to let someone in. Especially another cop. Buck was understanding, and gently prodded her to consider that maybe sometimes the heart chooses, and we don't get a say. As Chris sat contemplating Buck smiled, he was glad they had run into each other tonight. It gave him a chance to ask her about Street and the tension there. Afterall, he was worried about the kid.

After blurting at Buck for maybe 10 minutes, about how she was scared that things with Jared might just get too hard down the track, and that she always feels this way each time he has to return to Las Vegas, she finally paused.

"I'm sorry, you didn't come here to listen to me complain."

"No, Chris, please, unload on me. I know and you know that talking it out helps." He offered kindly.

"Well, it's just that when we are together it always feels so right." She confessed glancing up nervously at Buck.

"Then where do you think this feeling is coming from?" Buck asked intrigued to see what she thought sparked her self-doubt.

"I dunno Buck," She took a sip of her whiskey. "I just am scared I have gotten in over my head. That I broke my rule and let this happen… because I was so scared a few months back that my life was spiralling into a mess. That I, I went and broke my rule. About not dating other cops, and… Was I too quick to…..." Buck finally held up his hand and interrupted her.

"Chris, I've known you for a long, long time, and yes I know about your rule never to date another cop and be that officer, especially after Thompson. But are you just running from this now he is gone because it's easier than fighting for it? Or are you actually doubting what you two have is real enough to make it work?" Chris's eyes went wide as she sat back and scrunched her lips. Bucks question had hit home and really made her stop and think.

"I don't know." She mumbled.

"Why? Why don't you know?" He prompted her gently.

"Well, if this doesn't work with Jared, then I am that cop, that dates other cops. And then I have undone all of my hard work and values for nothing."

"Okay, let me ask this way, do you think Jared is worth it? Enough for you to make sacrifices to make it work. Like a move to Las Vegas down the road or asking him to move for you? Or is this more of a just wait and see, in the moment, short term thing?"

"Buck, I, I don't know." She confessed quietly. Buck smiled, but inside he felt his heart ache for Street. "I mean, I guess, I am just, I am scared that I'm gunna get hurt." She almost whispered. She hated feeling this vulnerable.

"Do you think he loves you?" Buck asked.

"I know he does," she smiled up. "But, come on Buck, sometimes, love is not that simple." Buck couldn't help but laugh at that irony. He wondered if Chris had the slightest clue that Street was completely in love with her and had finally come to that full realisation. He also wondered if she had even realised that she holds some of those feelings in return.

"I know Chris, love is messy and complicated, but" he paused and finished the drink in his glass. "When the right love comes your way, the kind that you can feel in every single part of your body, don't be stupid like me. Hold on to it. Because at the end of the day, having someone who loves you like that… is more important that anything to do with SWAT and an empty home after a long shift."

And with that he had said goodnight and headed out. Chris sat alone for a while thinking about Buck's words. She knew she was just letting her own self-doubt sabotage this thing with Jared. She knew she would have to talk to him about how to keep this going when they are apart. Maybe it was her turn to take time and go see him next. But when? She didn't want to upset Hondo and Hicks by starting to ask for time off all the time.

"Hold on to it, don't be stupid like me..." Bucks words echoed in her head. He was right. If she wanted things to work, she would have to put in the effort.

She lifted her glass and finished her drink, deciding to head home. She was back on deck tomorrow and she needed to be rested. Once back at her apartment laying in her bed, she checked her phone. Still no word from Jared. She knew she should stop sulking. He was just busy. But she was still struggling with this whole distance thing. Then her thoughts turned to Street. Why had he told Buck about Jared and why was he worrying about her? After all, he caused half of the mess that she had just been through. She lay there cursing at him, thinking about the last time she saw him, in Hick's office after Molly had dropped her bombshell,

"Not like he loves…..the way he loves you."

As confused and lost as Molly's words had made her at the time, thinking back to it now, she began to wonder. If what she said wasn't true, why had he looked so upset and insecure. The way he had sounded desperate for her to wait and talk to him. But her stomach began to swirl again wondering what he would have said if she had stopped and let him. Was Molly right? Did he really hold those feelings? Was what she had assumed that night after she came back from Quantico, and he came to see her correct? It was never actually said aloud, but was her assumption, right?

Across town, Street was laying in his bed too. He had tossed and turned the last few nights about his chat with Buck. He wanted to talk to her. Maybe not to confess the magnitude of his feelings but maybe to just start rebuilding things after their last awkward encounter. He had seen on the news that the case was over, and he wondered if Jared was still here for one last night or if she was alone. He didn't have the guts to text her. He knew he needed to wait for the right time, but this was slowly crushing him inside. The thought of her happy with another guy, as amazing as he is, broke him and made him feel lonely and lost.

At HQ over the next few weeks, Chris did her best just to function and survive the shifts, whilst compartmentalizing her dramas with both Jared and Street. Surprisingly, she was doing well avoiding any deeper conversations with him. She had dodged him perfectly most days, so that their only non-case related communications were a "hey," before shift in the locker room and a, "see you tomorrow" after shift. Whilst working cases, she refrained from talking to him about anything unless absolutely necessary, and only if their work depended on it. She had skilfully steered herself to work more with Deacon and Tan, and that was her only saving grace right now.

She knew it was only a short-term measure and the day would come where they had to have that chat, but now… well now was definitely not that time.

Street had read her body language and tone loud and clear, and gotten the message to give her space. He didn't even feel comfortable to text her after hours anymore. So, he spent most nights alone at Luca's working on his bike and trying to stay busy. Back in the old days, he would have just summoned the courage and turned up out of the blue at her place. But right now, he knew that was a dumb idea, especially as he could never be sure if Jared had returned for a visit or not.

In terms of Jared, he and Chris had had a talk and promised to still make the effort to text as much as possible and not just let things slide. They both knew it would be hard, but Chris also had promised him that she would plan a visit to go to him next, and Jared was excited about the idea of having her in Las Vegas and being able to show her his world. They continued to share good morning, and goodnight texts and call each other just to hear the other's voices at every chance. Chris was finally beginning to feel like they were doing okay with making this work.

That same week, Chris had gotten a text from Buck as she arrived home after shift. Stepping inside she opened it. Curious to see what he was reaching out for. It read,

"Hey, how's things going? Are you okay? Did you work things out?"

She had read it a few times wondering if he was asking about Jared or Street or maybe both. Her reply was,

"Maybe, for now. Time will tell." In her head that kind of answered both purposes.

Later that week she had a second unexpected encounter with Buck. They were called to an active shooter at an elementary school. Whilst she stood with Hondo and Hicks at the mobile command trailer, she spotted him trying to get past the uniform officers who were holding the boundary.

"Is that Buck?" She asked tapping Hondo's arm. Both Hicks and Hondo turned to look.

"Yeah," Hondo frowned walking towards him. "Buck?" He called, "It's okay," He motioned to the officer.

"Hey, thanks, I appreciate that, I …"

"Wait." Hondo said holding out his arm and grabbing Bucks gently. "What on Earth are you doing here?" Hondo noted Bucks, dishevelled flustered demeanour.

"Georgia, our, I mean mine and Jenny's goddaughter goes here." He huffed and walked with purpose towards Hicks. "I need to know she is safe and ..."

"Hey slow down…" Hondo added keeping pace.

"Georgia? How old is she? What grade is she?"

Buck stood in front of Hicks and exhaled. "Sir, please, I know I am a civilian, but my god daughter is in there and …"

Hicks held up his hand, "Of course, SWAT is family." He answered.