Thank you for the reviews. Hope you're ready for some Street and Chris moments. Forgot to say it's set around the beginning of season three, sometime after episode two. Street's helped Molly - but they aren't dating, Luca's all about the food truck idea, Lynch has been introduced, and Hondo has just started living with Darryl and his father. Hope you enjoy.
Street was surprised to say the least when Chris's arms slipped around his waist. He went from laughing one second into stunned silence. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the contact; because it was all he ever wanted (to be able to stand arm in arm with her in public, or anywhere at all) but it was just so out of the blue. Her fingers fumbled around his waist band as the door behind them swung open, crashing with the wall behind it. The noise caught his attention more than what her fingers were doing and he turned to see what had happened. His arms went straight around her. Something deep inside of him just did it automatically, keeping himself between her and the six armed men storming into the bank.
It was only when she realised her hold on him and snuggled into him, folding her arms between their bodies, that he realise they were in trouble. She had seen them coming. She had been facing the door and used the two spare seconds she had to lift his gun from the back of his jeans. At least he knew why she was suddenly so handies. He felt her unclip his badge from the front of his belt. He had no idea what she was planning on doing with these items, but she seemed to have a plan. Using his arms to shield her activity as much as possible he shifted them keeping himself in the middle as the men progressed further into the bank.
He could feel her arms pressing against his body under her baggy white hoodie. Then it clicked, she was tucking his gun and their badges into her bra. Street, although he wouldn't openly admit it, knew exactly what body type Chris had, and seriously doubted her petite frame would be able to conceal those items. It was however the best they had, and they would have to make do.
He would practically have to glue her front to him to get away with that one; but then again that was fine by him. They were in a terrible situation and Street had to kick himself for enjoying being so close to her.
'Arms up.' His heart sunk as they weren't immediately shouted at to get down on the ground. Instead one of the six armed men started frisking everyone confiscating phones, lighters and whatever else he wanted. Shit, he thought to himself. He couldn't let them near Chris. He released her from his arms and swiftly tucked her behind him. He was surprised when her hands went automatically to his hips and she took hold of them like a boat to an anchor.
Was she actually hiding behind him? He didn't have time to think anymore because he was advanced on. As soon as the man got within two paces of Street Chris's hands slipped from his waist and he felt her body heat move away from his back. He missed her terribly in that second, but held his arms out and let the guy pat him down. He removed Street's phone and wallet from his pocket slinging them both into a bag lying open on the floor in one throw.
He quickly realised Chris was next. He turned around to see her holding her phone out, the look of fear in her eyes didn't feel right. Was there something more than just being scared of what they would find on her? The man grabbed the phone from her throwing it into the bag on top of Street's. For a second Street thought it was over, that they had gotten away with it. Then the man advanced on her.
'She gave you her phone,' he yelled at the guy desperately moving to step between them. He went down hard; he had to. Their cover came first. 'Don't,' he started but quickly stopped as he felt the cold metal of a gun press against the back of his neck. He could see everything that happened. The out right terror on her face as he put his hand all over her nearly killed him. He forgot to breath as he realised this wasn't the first time she had experienced this kind of assault, it was written all over her face. And he was just sorry he knew her well enough to read it, she would hate that. He didn't have a moment to be relieved that he had focused his search on the lower half of her body and had missed everything she was concealing.
'That wasn't that hard now was it,' he spoke suggestively to her under his breath, but Street caught every word. All Street knew was that he wanted to kill this guy. He could see her shaking. He had totally rattled her. The moment the gun was released from the back of his neck he dashed towards her. She stood motionless eyes blankly staring ahead. He took her in his arms, wanting nothing more in the world than to protect her. He felt the gun and badges press up against him along with her quivering body. This was not the Chris he knew.
'It's ok. I've got you,' Chris's arms stayed by her side as if she was frozen in place. 'It's me. I've got you,' he whispered in her ear, his cheek brushing against hers. She didn't move her arms around him.
'Back against the wall,' one of the gunmen directed them along with his gun. Street led Chris, her legs didn't seem to be capable of walking by themselves. Something had caused her to freeze up, but she had never shared that memory with him so he didn't know what to think. He settled them on the floor between the other people in the bank. He exchanged a grim look with a guy in a high vis vest who seemed to be worrying about Chris. Hell he was worrying about Chris.
Part of him had nearly pulled her down onto his lap, and if they had been the only people in the room he wouldn't have hesitated. Instead he placed her at his side. Instinctively her knees curled up to her chest and his arm went around her shoulders. They were most definitely keeping up the pretence of being a couple which allowed him, and her, the comfort of each others arms.
He pulled her in closer and she rested her head upon his shoulder. He couldn't help inhaling the scent from the top of her head. It made him feel more in control of their situation to have her at his side. Her knees relaxed a little and he felt the weight of them lean on the top of his legs. Her hands fell to his hip, the one that she was leaning against. Her whole body had stopped shaking but her hands were still going strong. Subconsciously he started stroking her arm, his finger grazing up and down against the soft fabric of her hoodie.
'Chris,' he whispered into her hairline. She heard him but didn't answer. 'Are you ok?' still no answer. He took both of her hands in his free hand, keeping the other around her shoulder, holding her close. He wanted them to stop shaking. He needed her to talk to him. He straighten out her fingers using his hand, before moving across to do the same with her other hand. Her breathing changed slightly and he took it as an opportunity to get a response out of her. 'Chris.' He prayed she would answer.
'They always take a hostage,' her first words to him, and it was not what he expected. She had shifted her head slightly to be able to talk to him more easily, without being over heard. Her lips and breath danced lightly against his neck. He was quiet for a moment, barely able to keep his feelings in check. Her lips were so close to his neck that he couldn't focus on what she had just said. No matter what situation they were in right now she was killing him. He heard her make the lightest sigh and his heart fluttered. Was she enjoying this too?
Eventually her words registered with him, but he was unsure of how to respond. It was typical Chris, push your feelings down and change the subject. But actually this was a very relevant subject. He watched as the men started smashing the cameras off the walls and ceiling.
'You think it's the same crew?' he asked willing to play along for now. They had been chasing their tails all month looking for these men and now here they were face to face, and he couldn't believe their bad luck.
'It's them,' he didn't need to ask again she was certain, he could hear it in her voice. They were brutal, and she was right; they always left with a hostage; a young female hostage. He went stiff. He couldn't help it. He took a look at the other hostages around them. There was twelve of them, he had counted moments into the robbery. Plenty of people to choose from.
The bank manager and one of the cashiers were both male, that left two female cashiers, neither you could describe as young. He would have placed them both around forty. In his process of elimination they were all out of the picking. Then there were eight of them left.
Beside them sat the older guy in his high vis, it wasn't going to be him. On the other side were two young ladies. But Street knew neither of them would make the cut, they were both larger, and these guys would hand pick the smallest most easily managed young woman going. He had judged them for it weeks ago.
He watched a teen adjusting his glasses awkwardly, and moved on down the line. There sat beside him was a girl. She was young, in active wear, and although she was slim, she was also muscular and by no means looked like a push over; maybe, part of him hoped. She would actually be more of a push over than Chris, it just didn't look like it at this moment.
His eyes flicked to the last person in the row. A guy in a suit. His eyes fell to Chris as he looked down over her face. Her eye lashes fluttered. From his angle he wasn't able to look her in the eye. His gut twisted. They were going to take her; and she had worked it out. Probably in the first seconds after they walked through the door. Is this what her reaction had been about?
'I won't let them,' he spoke. His lips didn't leave her forehead.
