After a few more days, things were slowly feeling normal again. Chris still hadn't really talked with Street about the relationship stuff, but they were at least friendly again.

As the final shift start approached for the week, Deacon walked with purpose to the screens in the corridor near the gym. He checked that the times on his sheet matched those on the board and then turned to a waiting Tan, Street, Chris and Stevens.

"Last run today. 0.025 seconds separate Chris and Stevens." He stated nodding his head to the leader board. "Bring your A game. See you at 2pm at the shoot house." And with a raise of his eyebrows, he turned and walked with Luca to get the final competition for Master Gunner setup.

Chris breathed in and out slowly and looked up to Stevens with a mischievous grin,

"You don't scare me." He said with slitted eyes in a low playful whisper, making Chris chuckle as he did too.

"See you there." She laughed as she turned to Street and Tan. "I think he is scared..." She teased. Stevens held up 4 of his fingers without turning around,

"4-year reigning champ remember! About to make it 5." He said striding away confidently.

"You really think we can take him?" Tan asked looking from Stevens to Street and Chris.

"Why the hell not?" Chris said nodding to the board. "All of us are in reach if we have a good enough run."

Later that afternoon, they all had their turn at the shoot house that Luca and Deacon had designed. As they each completed their run the others waited outside, giving each other words of encouragement and a bit of well-placed teasing to spur each other on.

"Okay, okay!" Deacon and Luca banged out the door after the final contestant had been through. "We will add up all of your points and times and have a final leader board up by the end of shift."

"Oh come on Deac," Street interrupted. "Can't you at least tell us top two"?

Deac glanced sideways with a frown to Luca. Luca smirked and took the clip board.

"Let's just say," He began slowly glancing at all of them one at a time to build the anticipation. "It looks like, to determine a winner, it is gunna come down to a very close battle. Just hundredths of second, and a few points. Now go, go on," He nodded his head towards the main building of HQ. "There is work to be done inside."

They were all on edge and nervous for the last few hours of shift, but thankfully Hondo kept them busy with tasks in the armoury, the garage, and the tech lab. So, end of shift rolled around quickly, and soon officers were gathering in the gym, with Luca and Deacon for the announcement.

"This year was incredible." Luca began. "We had four front runners with scores so close that the lead was ever changing."

"However," Deac began stepping forward. "There can be only one winner. After all points and time were tallied the two officers with the highest scores were….. Alonso and Stevens," The crowd cheered and clapped as they stepped up into the ring. Chris swallowed and glanced about nervously. Tan gave her double thumbs up and Street gave her a smile and a nod that she knew meant he was proud of her. She chewed at her lip though thinking. There was no way she had beaten Stevens, he was amazing. She looked across to him and he winked at her.

"And the winner, of this year's LAPD SWAT Master Gunner is …..' Luca paused for effect. Chris smiled back at Stevens and shook her head with an eye roll. Almost ready to congratulate him on his win. "Christina Alonso."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head wondering if she heard that correctly or was dreaming in her head. But as both Luca and Deac took a hand of hers each and raised it up to celebrate her win, a smile spread across her face, and she instantly realised it was her. She had won.

Chris spent the next few minutes hugging and thanking the crowd of other officers for their support. She smiled at Tan and told him to tell Luca she was in for the drinks he was planning tonight. As Tan moved away and the gym grew quiet, that was when she saw him, Street. He was leaning on a pillar just smiling at her. His eyes met hers and she couldn't help but smile back.

She bent down and gathered her things as she climbed out of the ring and stepped towards him. She gave him a grimace. She felt bad for being so happy when she knew he wanted to win this too.

"I'm sorry, I know you wanted…." She began watching him. But he smiled and shook his head, holding up his finger and interrupting her.

"Stop that!" He said firmly with a smile, "and just come here." He came closer and opened his arms to offer her a hug. She momentarily felt herself hesitate. She wasn't sure being physically close to him right now was a great idea. Especially after all the things that her night at Erika's had bought to the surface for her to face and deal with. She blinked a bit as he stepped closer, his arms outstretched, but she couldn't help it when his arms encircled her, she raised her arms and hugged him back.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered into her hair as her head rested on his shoulder. It made her smile and tighten her arms briefly. He rested the weight of his cheek on her head and added "I really am." In a whisper, making her pull back a bit to look up at him.

"Thanks," she said softly glancing up.

The sparkle in his soft brown eyes as he smiled at her had her lost. He seemed to smile a little wider, as he lent in closer and whispered in her ear,

"You really are amazing you know." The flurry of tingles that took off in her stomach as his warm breath washed over the side of her face and down her neck, made her close her eyes and savour that moment. She knew she couldn't stop these things, these feelings he was making her feel. But she knew deep down she should, she couldn't let them cross that line again, but man standing here, with just inches between them she wanted to.

"Come on, we better go pack up and get you, 'The champion!'" He said with a grin and dramatic voice, stepping back from her, "to that party."

Chris laughed a little at his theatrics and nodded, turning to move with him.