Maria, this is for you. No clue if you imagined this when you commented on Happier but this happened after I read your review. So thank you for inspiring me.
Jim is still confused about Chris' comments from their previous shift, but she hadn't given him a chance yet to actually corner her and ask about them. And he couldn't very well ask that on shift with the team around. The possible explanation he had come up with put him on edge. His heart was speeding up at the mere thought, but he told himself it was just nervous energy and a figment of his imagination.
Chris is stubborn and she'd never break her self-imposed rules. And he is happy in his relationship.
He looks over to where she is now standing scratching the happy German shepherd who had helped in today's raid and chatting for once with the accompanying handler, officer Winter. The name is probably even more ironic than Street with living in LA and such.
"Ah, she finally is giving him a moment?" Tan steps next to him and nods his head in Chris's direction.
"Looks like." Jim mumbles in reply. It is strange to see Chris talking to the new man. The whole shift, ever since the K9 handler had shown up Chris had avoided being anywhere near him and even now she kept more than the recommended distance between them. Her concentration seemed to be on the dog. He supposed it might be the dog she had fostered a while there when K9 had too many officers sick. Chris had happily lent a hand in her spare time, but it still didn't explain the weird feeling in his gut that something was not right with this picture. Jim just couldn't put his finger on it.
After they have returned to HQ and finished their debrief Jim tries to find a moment alone with her again but Chris walks out with Deac before he has a chance to ask her to talk. So, he slams his locker closed and hurries after them. Outside of the room, he sees Deacon talking to Hicks and concludes he can finally catch her alone.
But he wasn't prepared for what he sees when he walks out on the quad. Even though it takes him a second to realize it is Chris leaning up to kiss a man, his feet grind to a halt and he is frozen into the spot right outside the door.
His stomach drops and the unexpected, sharp pain in his chest gets only deeper when he recognizes the man whose hands encircle Chris' waist as Winter.
He can't say what hurts more. The almost elated explanation he hears from Chris after the new man asks, "Why now?"
She is using his own words telling the other man that he is worth the risk. Or the realization that she didn't ask that question because there was still a spark between them.
Jim is shocked at his own thoughts and knows he shouldn't drive to Molly's place tonight. He should go to Luca's and figure out what this all means.
Is he just hurt because Chris broke her rule for another man or was that actual jealousy? And if it is the latter, what does that mean for his relationship? For their friendship?
He finally manages to put on his helmet and get on his bike.
He drives off hoping no one saw him rooted to the ground and staring.