It was 2pm on his first day off. He had slept in that morning, not intentionally but he was so physically and mentally exhausted that he must have needed it, he then helped Luca with some work in the yard and after taking a shower, decided it was time to go see Chris.

"Hey…... need or want anything today? Just finished helping Luca lift the pizza oven in so was going to come by if you wanted some company?" he text her.

He fidgeted and felt butterflies in his stomach while he waited for her response. What if Ty and Kira had gone in to see her not knowing he was off shift today? What if Chris didn't really want to see him? Would she have had time to process their last encounter and listen to the voices in her head that pushed him away last time? Would she be ready to talk to him yet? To open up and be honest? Or was it still too soon?

Chris was taking a walk around the floor of the hospital and visiting some kids in the children's ward when she got his text, reading it made her smile, 'damn…. I want you…' she thought, 'hang on Chris slow down ...you are not ready for any of that yet' she felt butterflies in her stomach…... 'take it slow' her voice in her head shouted, she nodded to herself and smirked,

"Company would be nice. Bring your sweat pants…... you can race me round the track"

'What?' she can't be serious Street thought. Was she doing that well that she would be able to?

"Seriously? You sure your up for it?" he replied a little concerned she was pushing herself too far too fast.

"Hell yeah, bring it batman" she teased, keeping it light and fun, she told herself.

Street grabbed his backpack and told Luca he was off to see Chris and would be back in a few hours. When Street arrived at her door his heart skipped a beat finding her room empty. The bed was neatly made, but she was not there. 'oh no…. where is she?' he frantically looked around, before walking into the room to see if her stuff was there. As he approached the bedside table, he was caught off guard.

"Hey…. Snooping is frowned upon you know!"

Street looked up to she Chris leaning on the door frame grinning at him. He couldn't help but grin back at her.

"Oh god, you scared me…..." Street tried to slow his heartbeat, "Where were you?"

"Taking a walk, is that a crime officer?" she said playfully, maybe flirting a little... "can't sit in here all day…. come on, lace up those shoes and let's go" she said, motioning to the lake out the window.

Street smiled at her, she was obviously having a good day and he loved seeing her happy and a little silly again. They walked out to the path that lead around the hospital and the nearby lake. The circuit was 4 miles and Street worried that was too far for her. Before they set off, he stopped her

"Hey, are you sure you wanna be out here doing this? he asked

Chris noted the concern in his voice,

"Street…. I'm good. I've walked it every day and even started running the last mile, so come on walk with me til then and we will race the last bit." They kept a brisk pace and light hearted banter going, until they reached the 3 mile marker. Street stopped and took a drink from the water fountain. Then it was something she said that made Street think of Kira and Ty. He swallowed hard and paused.

"What….?" she said stopping and looking at him confused. Street licked his lips and hesitated as he glanced out across the lake. He should keep his nose out, but he so desperately needed to know what was happening. He stood for a second looking at her, her eyes danced all over his face, she was trying to read him. With his hands on his hips, breathing deeply he moved towards a nearby bench. "Can we pause a minute?"

"You puffed already?" she teased nudging into him. Street stumbled a little into the water fountain and water squirted all over his face, they both laughed as he stood up and looked at her frowning, Street couldn't help but feel those warm waves of attraction to her while watching that huge infectious smile grow across her face and hearing her beautiful laugh so loud in his ears. She was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. He moved closer to her playfully and put his arms around her trying to drag her back towards the water fountain…. "oh yeah…...think that's funny huh?"

"No…. no… no …... Street …. Don't…." she said still laughing. She put her hands on his arm as they were holding her tightly to his strong body, she could feel his warm breath on her neck and felt a surge of electricity move through her. Street stopped and let her go, still trying to stop himself from laughing. As he stood back upright exhaling a breath…she leant into him until her nose was near his face and said in a low sarcastic tone "you ready? Or are you too scared?" before raising her eyebrows at him and taking off running.

"Hey …. Not fair" he whined, but she was gone. He shook his head and grinned from ear to ear. Moments like that made him happy. Seeing her laugh and have fun was intoxicating to him. He forgot about asking about Ty and Kira and instead took off, running as fast as he could to catch up her, he was impressed at her speed and fitness. 'Wow… she is doing so good!' he thought. They ran side by side most of the way, before really getting serious for the last few hundred yards. Chris stepped over the line with maybe 3 yards to spare but wondered if he had let her win. As the both put their hands on their knees and bent over catching their breaths, she flicked his arm.

"You better had been really trying then! …or …."

"or what?" he teased "you'll never know", she laughed and found it hard to be serious with him today. They walked back playfully teasing each other.

"Hey…... hey…" Street said stopping her before they got back inside… "that was amazing…. You are seriously doing so well. Any news from the doctor on when you can get outta here yet?"

Chris shrugged one shoulder "Dunno… I told the physical therapist that I want her to run the SWAT FPT on me though, I want to know I am strong enough again"

Street scrunched his eyebrows together … "what? Are you serious? That is crazy, you have not long had brain surgery Chris and a serious airway injury that nearly killed you!"

"yeah ...so" Chris said, beginning to feel a little annoyed that he was dissing her plan. Street stood looking at her and flapped his arms in frustration. "Look… even when they let you go home…. That's where you need to be…home…... not straight back to work…. plus…...Hondo and Cortez are not going to let you back too early, especially to field duty…... look what happened with Deac"

"Doesn't mean I can't try" she replied, and Street heard the annoyance in her voice.

"Hey ...I'm not trying to a Debbie downer, I know you kick some serious arse, I just don't want you to push yourself too hard and have another setback" he said with care. She nodded silently and smiled at him. She knew he was right, but she wanted things back to normal ASAP.

The sun was beginning to go down and the air was getting cool. They headed inside and slowly walked up to her room. Chris was pondering if she should mention her chat with Ty and Kira yet? 'He needs to know' she told herself, 'but…... he will want to know if that means I'm 100% ready to give him an answer on the us part and I … I'm not 100% sure I can yet…. I mean I think I'm overthinking… but I'm terrified of the way he makes me feel.' They had only just stepped inside the room when Dr Jamison came by interrupting her thoughts,

"Knock… Knock…...Good afternoon Chris, how are you feeling?"

"Hey Doc" she said spinning around "I'm good…great even" she said smiling at him.

"Can we have a word?" he asked, looking at Chris and then at Street.

"Yeah…. he's ok… Street can stay…. what's up?" Chris asked,

"looks like you've been outside walking again" he said pointing to her active wear whilst he flipped through her chart,

"Yeah…even ran the last 1km again, beating Batman here" she said playfully flicking Streets arm again, Street rolled his eyes at her and grinned a little.

Dr Jamison looked a little surprised, "really? That's great and a little surprising…. How did your last PT session go?"

"It was good, I did better than the last time... full strength back in tests she ran" Chris said proudly,

"Well… I am amazed at the speed of your recovery…... but"

'but?' Street and Chris held their breaths waiting for the Doc to deliver some bad news. Street even stepped to Chris and placed a reassuring hand on her arm.

"…I think with all of this in mind, and the fact that you are an elite SWAT officer and itching to get back to 100% that you can go home in the morning if the PT signs off"

The joy and illation in that room at that moment was heart-warming. Street grabbed her arm and hugged her in before they both hugged the doctor, catching him a little off guard.

"I'll leave you two to it then" he said

"Thanks Doc" Chris said smiling. "This is great" Street said opening his arms out wide at her and smiling as she turned back to face him. She was smiling so big and was so happy that she took it as an invitation to hug him. When she did so without any warning Street was surprised, though he soon wrapped his arms around her in return and held her there. He closed his eyes and took in the scent of her. She began to sway side to side and then jump up and down a little.

"eeee, I'm going home!" she squealed looking up at him "can you believe it, finally!" Street hadn't loosened his arms at all and was still holding her against him. He smiled down at her and so badly wanted to lean down and kiss her. She caught his eyes and smiled up at him. His stare had somehow slowed down her happy jig, she momentarily felt everything slow down around them. She was suddenly aware of his arms holding her, his body pressed against hers and his eyes dancing with her eyes. She bit the inside of her bottom lip as she felt the rush sweep over her. Every inch of her screamed at her to kiss him. Every inch of him was screaming the same thing. She was aware of every breath she took and heartbeat she felt, she could even feel his heart beating fast as he was so close. There was no space at all between them. He looked at her with so much love on his face that she was lost in him. Everything else in the world fell away in that moment. She had no other thoughts but him, and he had no other thoughts than her. Street was battling with the urge to lean down to her, he didn't want to kiss her again though if she wasn't 100% in. He didn't want that to happen and get his hopes up again for her to only turn around push him away. He still found it hard to say no to her, but he summoned all his courage and looking loving at her said,

"Chris, every part of me right now wants to kiss you …. badly" she blinked slowly, still intoxicated by him.

"I …... I can't though, …... not until we have worked this out, I can't feel those amazing things then have you unsure of what you want. We still have stuff to figure out and as …."

Chris slowly dropped her gaze, disappointed and embarrassed, "Hey…...hey… please Chris…." he nudged her chin back up to look at him, "I'm not pushing you away, I'm holding you here…." He squeezed her a little in his arms. "I just want us to know what each other really wants before leaping of the bridge again…... I need to know whether you really want this".

Now he felt awful he had ruined that moment. But he was also a little proud that he held his nerve and tried to get her to face this. It would have been so easy just to kiss her passionately and loose himself in the moment, but then what? She would push him away? Shut him out? Run back to Kira and Ty because it was easier and less complicated?

He couldn't let go of the fear that she would hurt him again. He hadn't seen Ty and Kira around since the day he and Deacon ran in to them, and he wondered if they were still visiting her or even part of her life? 'God, am I just wasting my time?' ran through his head. Chris slowly raised her hands to his biceps, glancing back up at him she sighed

"I….. You're right, I need to sort my shit out and" she gently tugged herself free from is arms and wandered to the window. "I owe you the truth"

Streets heart almost stopped, 'The truth? what did she mean?' She sat on the window ledge and slowly looked back at him, swallowing hard she began,

"I know I've given you mixed messages lately and that's not fair. I guess I have been fighting with myself trying to work out my own head at this point." Street could tell she was trying to be honest and open, but he really wished she would let go of it all and just be honest with him about how she felt.

"Chris, all of the other stuff, the complications and road blocks you see in your head, can you just let that go for now" Street pleaded stepping closer to her. She looked down at the floor as he approached. She didn't want to make a fool of herself again or of him. She was terrified in that moment, and he could see that a mile away. "I know that this frightens you and I know that that is when you shut me out and pull away, but if any of this" he said gesturing from himself to her "any of this between us is ever going to happen I need you talk to me about it. I need you to open your thoughts and just tell me what you want" he paused and slowly sat on the window ledge next to her. "I'm sorry if I hurt you just then saying I wouldn't give into the moment and kiss you, but I can't let myself feel the things that will make me feel and then have you unsure again." He turned his body to face her. She was looking down at the floor.

"I understand the issues, with this, with us maybe becoming a thing. Working together complicates it, Kira and Ty complicates it, you are worried we will be split up at work onto different teams. You are worried what people will think of us and of you. But please" he touched her hand and she slowly blinked and looked at him…... "I have loved that one thing about you since I met you, you are so damn strong willed and confident that you will handle all of that if you just let yourself face it".

She nodded slowly, knowing with every part of her that he was right. She had only started dating Ty and Kira to hide from her feelings for Street. Should she tell him now that she ended it with them? Maybe it was about time she put her big girl pants on and dealt with how she truly felt rather than running from it again. She was scared but knew with Street beginning to hold his ground and fight for their relationship she maybe needed to listen to her heart and stop trying make life easy. She sat there thinking about the moments they had shared together, the way she knew he cared for her, like the moment a few days ago when he was so open and honest and told her that he wanted an us. That he wanted her. Then she felt that flutter of butterflies again, remembering Street carrying that baby into the hospital, the way he cradled her, the way he smiled at her, the way it suited him. That moment made her imagine the two of them together long term, married with their own baby for him to hold. She smiled as the thoughts replayed.

Street saw her smile. He wondered what was going through her head. He held her hand under his and watched her. She needed to give him something, but he didn't want to rush her. "Do you need time and space to think?" Street asked.

She frowned, closing her eyes and breathing deeply glanced across at him. "I'm scared" she lowered her glance away from him. "If… if I stuff this up and …..." he watched her. Seeing her so scared, made him sad. She was usually so fearless, why was being honest with him about how she felt for him so hard? he cautiously put his hand on her knee,

"Hey, I meant what I said the other day…" her eyes again glanced up to him. "I need you…. I can't not have you in my life"

Chris smiled, she knew she needed to give him something. Something honest and real,

She put her hand over his, "I need you in my life too" she replied slowly, "I just don't want to … make a mistake that hurts you…...but…."

Street knew that that was not her saying she wants the relationship he wants with her.

"what's the 'but'?" he replied looking away. He was mentally preparing himself for her to shut the door in his face again.

"Street…... Jim…" she squeezed his hand. "I care about you, you're important to me. I just …... I am such a mess in that part of my life, I want to do the right thing and have that sorted so I don't hurt you again."

Street nodded glancing back her, "Ok, I'm gunna head home then and let you have some time." He started to stand up. Chris didn't let go of his hand. She held it and stood with him. Street glanced at their hands and then at her, she looked at him and Street could sense her fear.

"I'm…. I'm sorry" she said. "I just wish …." She stopped, feeling tears welling. Street looked lovingly at her.

"It's ok Chris" he pulled her in to hug her again. "I'm not going anywhere … you know I want you… I need you and I want this … Take your time and sort out your end and when you're ready to, I will still be here if that's what you want". Then he kissed the top of her head. "Call me"

"Ok…" she nodded. He let her go and walked to the door with her behind him. As he opened the door to leave, she stopped him again. "Street…" he turned to look at her. She reached up to hug him, he hugged her again "thank you…..." She whispered in his ear as she held him tight.

"Thank you for what?" Street whispered back smiling

"for being patient with me" she whispered, as she began to pull back, she gently kissed his cheek. Street smiled goofily at her as she stood back.

"Now go" she said waving at him. "I'll see you in the morning"

"Sweet dreams" he said still grinning ear to ear.