Clear Blue Sky

by Aurora84

O/C ONLY: Evelyn, a bright young woman with a big heart, leaving behind her family in Tennessee to pursue a career with the LAPD as their tech analyst was scary, but she wanted to do something meaningful with her life. Rocker has been divorced since his wife openly threatened the Capt. but when a little woman from the heart of Dixie comes into his life, he was praying for a match.

2. Chapter 2

Clear Blue Sky Ch. 2

Sitting in the breakroom, Evie watched Hondo make some of his famous gumbo, she enjoyed spending time with him, his natural laid-back attitude, and his love for cooking made him one of her favorite people.

"Smells good," standing up to see if she could get a little peak, "you know, eventually I'm going to get this recipe." She taunted him.

Snorting, "You think so Dixie?" Giving his pot another stir; stepping back he leaned on the stainless steel table across from the stove. Folding his arms across his broad chest.

Evie was leaning against the countertop looking at him, "Yes, cause I think you like me, and I'm ridiculously adorable." Blinking her long lashes at him.

"Alright, Alright. You know that's the truth. Perhaps one day, I may bestow it on you Dixie." Deep down he knew he would, with how his love life was going, he didn't see himself getting married or having any kids. Not that he didn't want to, but he had a lot of baggage.

They continued to talk about food, until Rocker and Deacon walked into the kitchen, "Hey D. Hey Rocker." She said to them.

Walking up to her, Deacon gave her a little hug, "Are you still trying to get his recipe?" he asked her in a teasing tone.

Deacon was amazing, she loved him and Annie to bits, they were the ones that she could speak to about anything, including God. "I'm trying to annoy it out of him." Looking at Rocker she could see that he smiled at her, "But alas, I haven't annoyed him enough. Perhaps I should get Street to give me tips?"

Rocker choked on his water, "Oh, wow, shots fired! Will he ever get off your list?" he asked taking another drink.

Hondo leaned over and let her take a taste, her eyes closed, "Always amazing." Turning her attention to Rocker, "Maybe. I swear he purposely finds ways to hurt the tech." Thinking about him coming in from his most recent mission, handing her a sopping wet tablet.

Hondo laughed, "I'd apologize for him, but you know, it's Street." Grabbing a few bowls, he filled them up and placed them in front of his SWAT family.

Sitting around with them made her really miss her family, but she was grateful that they mostly excepted her, Chris was the only one that kept her at a distance, for which she couldn't figure out, but not everyone was going be your friend. As long as she was professional it wouldn't matter to her.

Standing up, Evie grabbed the dirty bowls and put them in washer, as she dried her hands, she could hear her phone ringing. Pulling it out of her back pocket she could see that her mama was video calling. Which surprised her. Swiping to answer the call, she smiled seeing her mama looking back at her.

"Hey mama."
"OH, my cricket, I figured out Facechat!"
Laughing at her, "I'm so proud of you mama, where's daddy?"
Rolling her eyes, "Please that old goat is out in the barn, Daisy is in labor!"
"Really? That's great!"
"It's her first colt, so you know your daddy." Looking at the stuff behind her daughter, "Where are you at cricket?"
Looking around she could see that the guys were watching her, "I'm in the kitchen at work, wanna meet some of my co-workers, mama?"
"Of course, Cricket, SWAT right suga?"
Nodding, and laughing, "Yes ma'am."

Walking over to Hondo, "Mama, this is Sgt. Daniel Harrelson- who goes by Hondo, Hondo this is my mama Christina Powell."
"Pleasure to meet you ma'am." He said with his award-winning smile.
Christina smiled at him, he was very handsome, "Oh you're adorable, Hondo, like John Wayne?" she asked him.
All he could do is laugh, "Yea, my pops loved him."
"Smart man, pleasure meeting you Hondo."
"You too ma'am."

Leaning over, "Mama, this is Sgt. David Kay, he goes by Deacon, his a devote Catholic mama."
Deacon smiled at her, "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Powell."
"A man of god, now that's good, glad my daughter has someone to keep her on the right track," giving her daughter a look, "you're going to church young lady?"
"Yes mama, I go with Deacon and his family every Sunday."
Smiling, "Thank you so much Deacon for taking her in! She's sent me pictures of your family, they are beautiful!"
"You're most welcome. Thank you!"

Turning towards Rocker, "Mama, this is Sgt. Donovan Rocker, he goes by his last name, Rocker."
Waving at him, "Pleasure to meet you, Rocker."
Smiling back at her, wanting to make a good impression on her mother, "You as well ma'am."
"Oh my, you have the cutest dimples!" she gushed at him.
Smiling a bit bigger, "Thank you ma'am."

Turning it back to her face, "So you met some of the team, how are you doing mama?" she asked.

Forgetting that Facetime was not like a regular phone call, "My lord Cricket, you work with some very handsome men!"

Blushing immediately, "MAMA, you're on speaker! Sheesh," Looking at the guys, knowing that she wasn't wrong, "And yes, yes I do." Smiling at them as she left the kitchen.

The guys shared a look, and couldn't help but laugh, Hondo was the first to talk, "Well we know where she get's her looks from!" Hondo always thought she was very pretty.

Laughing the guys headed back out towards the bullpen, Rocker hoping to catch more of the conversations with her mom. Looking over at them as they made their way past the ring, he could see that she was introducing her mom to Mumford and Luca. He knew that Luca wanted to date her, hell everyone did, well everyone but Evie, she was always so focused at work. Trying not to let the jealousy take over, he headed towards the free weights and workout.

Evie was sitting on the stairs after she introduced her mama to her co-workers and friends, "I miss you mama."
Seeing her daughters face, "I miss you too cricket. But you're doing well, right?"
"Yes mama, I am. I don't regret moving out here, and I have made some good friends, but this is a long year without you and daddy." Realizing she didn't ask about Mandy, "How's Mandy?"
Letting out a sigh, "You know your sister, testing my patience. But she's finally in her 3rd trimester, so we're getting close."
Smiling, "That's good. How's Dan doing with her mood swings?"
"That man has the patience of a saint." Turning her head, she could hear her husband calling her name, "Got to go Cricket, I love you."
"I love you to mama."
Ending the call, she wiped a tear from her face, she loved her family, and missed them dearly, but like she said, she didn't regret coming out here.

Heading towards the bullpen area, she found Rocker doing some pushups, it always impressed her how strong he was. Hell, all of them were strong and in great shape, but something about the way he looked turned her into jelly.

Making her way to Jessica she could see that she had a weird look on her face, "What's up boss?"

"Mumford's team just responded to gang shootout in Burbank," looking around she could see that the rest of the team was standing around, "you are all being pulled off stand-by, his team setup a perimeter, so we need boots on the ground." Turning her attention to Deacon.

"A dead shooter was just ID'd as Montross Mercs, small time meth dealers out in North Hollywood. I have a retired buddy that spend 3 years under with them, Sam Hawkins, he could probably give us some insight." Looking at Hondo.

Nodding, "Street, Tan, you head out towards the perimeter and help Mumford's team bring in the suspects, this is the 3rd Jackal attack in a week, we need to figure out why, Luca, Chris, start pulling everything on Jackals and Mercs you can find." Looking at Deacon, "I'll suit up and go with you," turning to Evie, "Up for a road trip?"

Smiling, "Yes, please." Looking at Jessica, "Is that OK?" hoping that she would let her go, Evelyn loved being able to talk to people about what they knew, plus she wasn't getting shot at, so win.

Cortez smiled, "Yea go ahead, stay safe, and let's bring these guys in and get some answers."

Evie ran straight to the locker room, changing into her gear, not bothering to wear the bullet proof vest, they were just going to talk to a former Sgt. of the LAPD. Double timing it out of the break room, she found Deacon waiting for her and Hondo at the charger.

Giving him a salute, "You're good with this too, right?" More than most, she knew that having Hondo take his place after the Raymond shooting was always a sore spot for him.

"Of course, plus he's up in the mountains, I'm sure you'd love to get out of the city for a bit." Knowing very well that she talked about camping all the time.

"Yes please. Trees, mountains, possibly a deer. These are the kind of missions I could go for." Smiling at him, jumping into the back seat, they headed up the mountain.

After a couple hours of driving, Evie felt more relaxed, she watched as Deacon turned off the main road and headed up a dirt one.

"Man, when Hawkins wants to get away, he does!" Deacon said to them.

Laughing, "You're telling me, that corner store we just passed was advertising half off turkey gizzards!" Hondo responded. Looking behind him, "You're enjoying yourself up here?"

Smiling. "Yes, kind looks like home. Needs more hills though, but not too bad."

Stopping the car in front of an old cabin, Evie grabbed her stuff, with Hondo laughing at her, "What?"

"You know we are just hear to have a conversation, we're not spending time in the woods." Taking a look around they walked up to the door knocking on it.

Shrugging her shoulders at him, "When you're raised in this environment, you bring some things. So, shush." Looking around, Evie felt off, something wasn't right, not really knowing what it was, she stayed behind Hondo, as Deacon opened the door.

"Hawkins, it's Deacon. You in here." Pushing the door open, all three of them filed in, looking around things were off. Turning to his team, "His deer pull is here, but his gun is missing." Pointing to an empty rack.

Hondo looked around, there was chair that was overturned, "If he left, he did it in a hurry."

Nodding, Deacon reached for his phone, "No signal, I'm going to call it in on the radio."

Following him outside, Evie surveyed the surrounding area, she could feel Hondo next to her, as she went to ask him a question, she saw the reflections of several guns, "DEACON DOWN!" pushing Hondo into the cabin. As they hit the floor, she could see that Deacon crawled in next to them shutting the door.

Covering her head, she could see that they were looking were about to start shooting back, "NO! We need to grab stuff and go, you don't have a clear shot, it's a waste." Sitting up, she grabbed the fishing line, and she could see that Deacon grabbed the flare gun, Hondo was busy taking some bullets and shoving them in the fire.

Finding the crawl space, she left followed by Deacon and Hondo, checking her surroundings, she made a dash for the tree line, hearing them behind her, they needed to put some distance between them and the gunmen.

"EVIE, you need to slow down." Hondo yelled.

Turning to him, "No, I don't, we need to put about a good mile between us and them as quickly as we can, and head east, that's where the corner store is."

Deacon agreed, but he wanted to find Hawkins, "We have to find Hawkins, he is out here."

Hondo holding his position behind a tree, "Exactly how are we going to do that."

Evie could see the tension in them was building, this was not going to be easy, looking up to the trees, she could see markings on them, "There," pointing, "We follow those to his hunting blinds, if he's not already dead, that's where he would go, best position for him to defend." Not waiting around, she started the trek through the woods, hearing them behind her, she kept up a brisk pace.

An hour into their hike, she could see the outlines of a blind, stopping, she looked around, seeing if there were any traps, crouching down, she didn't see any movement, pointing to his blind, "It's there, I don't see him or anyone."

Hondo and Deacon shared a look and made their way towards the blind, giving it a once over, Evie stayed in the bush, not wanting to expose herself until she had to.

She watched as a man with a gun came up behind Deacon, but Hondo already had his trained on him, seeing that Deacon hugged him, she came out of her spot and stood next to Hondo.

"What are you doing out here Deacon?" he asked.

"Just came from your cabin, some Mercs shot it up, came looking for you. Hawkins this is Hondo, 20D, and this is Evelyn she our tech analyst."

Evie instantly didn't trust or like him, he seemed way too calm for someone being chased by the Mercs, but perhaps she was letting her own fears creep in. But the way he looked at her, sent shivers down her spine.

"A tech analyst out here? Why?" mostly asking Deacon.

Giving Hondo a look, he chuckled, "I know Dixie. I know."

"So, it's all great that you guys are bonding, but we are out gunned, and we need to move. I would rather not die out here." She said to the group. Looking up to the sky, she needed to find east, well now southeast. That was the quickest way towards town and a radio.

"OK, about 3 miles north is a ranger station, you can use it to call for backup or whatnot." Hawkins said.

Tilting her head, "You want us to go deeper into the woods? That doesn't make any sense." She watched as he gave her the most condescending smile, it took all her control not to slap it off his face.

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll be back on solid ground soon enough." Turning towards Hondo and Deacon, he made his way further into the woods.

Deacon walked directly behind him, Hondo took off too, she could have made it on her own, but she wouldn't leave her team behind. She followed them, watching him from the rear, she didn't trust him.

They were almost another hour in the interior of the forest, and she was walking next to Deacon, listening to them banter and share basic information, but she was constantly keeping her eyes on the woods behind her, waiting to hear men rushing through. But it was what Hawkins said that made her realize that they were being set up.

"Yea, the Mercs were always followers, it doesn't surprise me that they took a swing at the Jackals." He said.

Stopping dead in her tracks, "No one said anything about the Jackals," looking around she could see that Hondo was on the same page, Deacon was taking a second to get there.

Hawkins was pissed, he made a stupid error, realizing that his cover was blown, "NOW!"

Evie didn't hesitate to run, she headed further into the forest, Hondo and Deacon right on her tail, a bullet whizzed by her head, "OMG!" she yelped as she came across a ledge and a bunch of trees. They were trapped.

Hondo looked behind them, "We got to go!" Grabbing her hand, he ran off the ledge, with her screaming at the top of her lungs.

Rolling down the hill hurt like a son of bitch, but Evie kept herself tucked as best she could, all the while Hawkins and his goons shooting at them.

"DEACON, one of my guys saw your car pull up, I wouldn't have given all clear if I knew for a fact it was you. I'm sorry that it had to go down this way." He knew that he wasn't going to get a response, "I'm going to double back to the car and call it safe and all clear, head down there, and I'll meet up with you when I'm done. We don't need SWAT up here." Turning towards his cabin, he was going to radio the codes for David as Code 4.

Deacon growled out, "I can't believe it, I never would have suspected him."

Sitting up, Evie felt her head, it was bleeding, but not to bad, looking over at Hondo, he was cut on his side. Grabbing her bag, she pulled out her needle and thread, "This is going to hurt." Quickly stitching him up, they needed to make a plan.

Hondo could see a ridge, "We need to head that way, when they send the chopper, we need to make it as easy for them to get to us as possible."

Wrapping up his side with an Ace bandage for pressure, she could see that Deacon wasn't feeling it.

As they argued over what was the best plan, she was covering up the surrounding area with dirt, trying to hide Hondo's blood.

Rocker was in HQ, waiting for the next round of orders, they had the two suspects in the box, neither was talking.

Checking in with Luca, "What's next?" he asked as he checked the bullpen for Evelyn. Frowning when he didn't see her.

"Cortez is taking another go at that Merc, she thinks a cop is feeding them the intel."

"Fuck, that sucks, and Hondo, Deacon?"

Laughing, "They trekked up to Sam Hawkins cabin, took Evie with them. They're probably on their way back."

Nodding, "She does like going out in the field when there aren't bullets, she's probably enjoying the woods. Much to Hondo's displeasure." Both men laughed at the thought.

Cortez came running back into the bullpen, "That Merc just gave up Hawkins, we need to get in touch with Hondo and Deacon." Pulling up the last communication from them, she could see that they checked in, "Chris pull up their check in."

Listening intently, "That's not Deacon," Luca said. "Last logged location was at Hawkins cabin, in Angels National Forest."

Street looked at watch, "They've been gone close to 6 hours."

"Get the airships ready, GO!" Cortez commanded.

Rocker suited up and grabbed Mumford and his team.

Another couple hour of them bitching at each other, and she finally snapped. "OK, enough. Hondo, you need to trust your team, he's right about that, if you can't trust your team, why are you still trying to lead it?" Turning to Deacon, "Yes, you have every right to be upset that the promotion was a political hot potato, but you need to find a way to let some of that go, there was no winner that day, both of you got screwed." Hearing the tree branch she setup snap, her eyes turned towards the sounds, "500 yards that way," she said pointing.

Turning their heads, they both held the guns from the Mercs they were able to disarm. They were still at a disadvantage. Shot rang out, and she was hiding behind an out crop. Taking the flare gun from Deacon, giving him and Hondo a look, "Couldn't hurt!" Turning her head as she shot it, she prayed to God that it would bring help.

It took a moment, but she could hear the blades of a chopper getting close, Hondo smiled, "Deacon it's the team."

Thank you lord! She thought, as 20 squad drove them back, she followed Hondo and Deacon, figured she started this with them, she'd end it with them.

Watching Deacon shoot his former mentor was heartbreaking for her, placing her hand on his, "I'm sorry Deacon."

They walked back towards the cabin, Hondo and the rest of the team were headed back from the airship, Evie refused, telling Hondo that she had enough excitement for the day. The smile on her face when she saw Rocker and Mumford by Black Betty probably could have lit up a room.

Rocker ran up to her pulling her into a hug, "Are you OK?" he asked. His eyes not leaving hers.

Letting out a deep sigh, "Yes. I'm fine. Just another day at SWAT." Her body was sore from her tumble down the hill, "OW." Looking behind her she could see Deacon smiling at her, "Every time I go out with you or Hondo, I'm getting shot at. If you don't like me Deac, you could save me some stress and tell me!" Stepping out of Rocker's embrace, she could see that her joke made him frown, "Too soon?" she asked him.

Shaking his head, "Yea. A little bit." Turning towards Deacon, "Glad you are good."

Deacon shook his and Mumford's hands, "Thanks. We should have just listened to you Evie and headed east, I'm sorry for trusting Hawkins." That was something that he was going to feel guilty for a long time for.

Staring at the back of Black Betty, she groaned realizing that she'd have to climb, and given that her ribs were sore, she wasn't looking forward to it. But her hero lifted her up and helped her in. "Thanks." Sitting down, she waited for the rest of the squad to get in, it was surprising that Rocker was sitting next to her, not that she minded at all. Leaning against him as they started the trek down the mountain, "It's not your fault," she yawned, "he was your T/O, and he was familiar with the woods, I get it. But seriously, next time we are in the woods, I'm in charge."

Mumford laughed, "Hondo and Deacon didn't listen too well?" Jack knew she was a country girl through and through, they talked about her home a lot.

Shaking her head, "No, and then forget being shot at, Hondo threw me off a mountain," gripping her side, "consolation was I got to sew him up with no pain meds. Felt fair."

Wrapping his arm around her, he could see that she was tired, "Get some rest, we have a bit of a drive."

Yawning again, she did what he said, smiling a little to herself as she felt him stroke her arm.