Chris sleeps late into Friday morning, only waking again when someone brings her breakfast, and then going back to sleep until lunch. Street sneaks out long enough to grab his own food and be back before she wakes.
"I get to go home soon." Chris says through sips of tea once she's lucid, unable to keep it in. Street lights up and kisses her, tasting the honey on her lips. His hand rests on her cheek, and he thinks he could stay lost forever in the sparkle of her eyes.
"I'm so happy for you." His eyes soften, and then she can see the gears turning behind them.
"Do you want to stay at the house?" Street's voice is low, and he quiets to give her room to think or move if she needs to. Chris faults, biting her lip, looking anywhere but at him.
"I want to go home." Chris says with a swallow. She's not entirely confident, and her mind is spinning now that she's thinking about it. I have something to prove goes unsaid, but echoes in her mind like a gunshot. Street says okay, the corners of her lips quirking up.
The buzz of his phone makes him drop one of his arms to reach for it. Reading the text, Street smiles to himself, his dimples on display.
"What?"
"Nothing. The team's here is all. We have a little surprise."
Street's answer only serves to confuse Chris more. He kisses her head to placate her and she wrinkles her nose, shoving lightly at his shoulder.
"Patience is a virtue, they'll be here in a second."
As soon as the words are out of his mouth, the door opens and Hondo and Luca step in, followed by Tan, and lastly Deacon, whose arm is around Mama Pina's shoulders. They say hello to Chris, smiles and encouraging comments about her standing floating around, but she's staring at the older woman. Tears come to both of them.
The team looks on as Mama Pina hands her purse to Deacon and steps closer, raising her arms for Chris to step into them. She does, burying her face in Mama Pina's shoulder, water running down her face. Mama Pina shushes her, one hand at the back of her head and the other tracing up and down her back.
Tucking Chris's head under her chin, she kisses her hair and then turns so rest her cheek on her crown. She whispers something in Spanish that only makes Chris cry harder. Despite her love of the team, of Street, there are layers of understanding they could never get. In the back of her mind, she makes a note to call Helena the second she can.
With the help of Street, Chris and Mama Pina sit on the edge of the hospital bed. The relief flooding through her at knowing the girls and the safe house really are safe, from Huevo, from danger, if even temporarily, is too much for her to handle. Tan steps out to get her water and Deacon sets his jacket over her shoulders. Mama Pina smiles up at him gratefully as she continues to comfort Chris.
She's not sure how much time has passed when the tears stop. Chris pulls away enough to sit up, coughing into her elbow as the phlegm clears itself out. A tissue brushing against her hand startles her, but she takes it with a thank you, and then another, exhaling heavily through her mouth until she can breathe through her nose again.
"Give me a minute?" Chris says, clearly only talking to Mama Pina, who nods.
Standing, Chris shakes off the team's arms and makes her way to the bathroom, splashing cool water on her face until she feels better. Her under eyes are puffy, and she prays the doctor doesn't think the headache she's definitely going to have later is from the concussion. Patting her face dry and clearing her throat, Chris opens the bathroom door to find the team looking like they were doing anything but waiting for her.
"You're all terrible actors."
Her voice cracks when she speaks, but it breaks the ice and all of them relax. Mama Pina gets up and lays the blanket over Chris once she's sat back down. Her hands are worn, but they're soft and warm and strong, and Chris takes comfort in them.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Mama Pina says, gesturing at someone to pass her purse. She digs through it for a moment before letting out an "Ah!" and pulling out a small plastic container. Chris stares at it, recognition passing over her face.
"Enyucado? Gracias, oh my God! Where did you even find this? Luca, hand me a fork from behind you."
He chuckles and does, and when she bites the treat, it's like heaven.
"I made it, I've picked up a few things in my years." Mama Pina tells her, squeezing her shoulder, and she hates that she tears up again.
"Thank you, it's delicious." She swats Street away when he leans in.
"I'll make it for you all at our next family cookout, but this is mine."
Laughter fills the room. Looking around at everyone, Chris lives in how safe she feels, holding on and begging it not to pass. Street's eyes catch Chris's, bright even under hospital lighting. His chest swells with pride and affection, and he blinks away before anyone else can notice the blush creeping up his neck.
Mama Pina stays for another hour, only leaving when she gets a text that one of the girls needs something.
"It's nothing serious, just a cold." She reassures Chris, whose anxiety flares up like a firework at the prospect of something being wrong, and promises to let them know later how the girl is doing. Giving them all one last hug, Chris squeezing her tightly, Mama Pina waves off Hondo asking if she wants someone to walk back to her car, and tells them to enjoy the rest of their day.
The moment the door swings closed, more tears are flowing from Chris's eyes. It's only a few, enough to be annoying but not concerning, and she wipes at them roughly before downing a bottle of water to stop them completely. The team sits around her, Hondo standing at the end of her bed.
"Thank you guys." She says softly, taking the hands of Tan and Deacon next to her, and not letting go.
"She's your family, which means she's our family. We're keeping an eye out." Luca says, getting choked up himself and coughing in a vain attempt to cover it up.
"We heard you're getting out of here this weekend?" Hondo asks, smiling brightly at her, bigger when she confirms it.
"That's the plan. Thank you guys for getting my apartment ready."
A small cheer runs through the room, but she can tell Hondo's eyes are on her. Her gaze flicks to him, questioning, and he only gives her a more scrutinizing look. She takes it as a promise to say more when they're not in front of the team.
"Say whatever you need to say." Chris says, when Hondo enters after seeing the rest of the team out. Street is sleeping on the small couch in the corner, and they both double check that he's out before saying anything else.
"You sure you're ready to go back to your apartment?" Hondo keeps his voice even and his body language open, trying to induce a conversation that she won't shut down.
"I'm fine, Hondo."
He exhales and raises his eyebrows.
"I don't doubt that. But it would be wrong of me to not check in. As your friend and team leader, you know as well as I do that once you get out of here, things aren't going to get easier right away."
"I know. I can handle it."
A no on the conversation, then. Redirecting his attention to Street while he sits down, Hondo tries a different tactic.
"Good. What's your plan?"
"Plan for what?"
"Recovery. I know you talked to Hicks about the K9s. Cadets can always use an extra set of eyes on 'em, if you want to work there with Deac when you can."
Talking about the future brings a smile to her face. One that feels genuine, and she holds onto it so she can remember that she still can feel this way. Knowing that Hondo believes she'll get back on her feet, get back to SWAT, means more than she thought at first.
"Physical therapy. That's my plan. Get back to 100%, get cleared, get back to work. I've met with Wendy already a few times, and I will until my psych eval clears."
Hondo nods along with her.
"That sounds like a good plan. And that one?" He asks, jerking his head toward Street. Chris's smile turns into a smirk, and she looks at him with adoration in her eyes.
"Getting Hicks to let us give this thing a try, to make an exception, was amazing. Thank you for backing us up. But he's not giving up his career to take care of me. You need to make sure of that." There's no room for argument in her tone, but Hondo tries anyway.
"He loves you, Chris, even if he hasn't told you yet. He's going to want to be there for your recovery."
"I know he will, and I'm grateful, and he can be. But he can't take time off work. He can't put his life on pause."
"He already has, Chris."
She gives him a questioning look, opening her mouth, only for him to cut her off.
"He's stocked up on vacation and sick days, apparently, and he already told Hicks he's going to take as much of it as he needs until you're back on your feet."
Chris presses her lips into a line and looks up towards the ceiling to keep the tears from falling. Shaking her head, her jaw clenches as she works up what to say. Again, Hondo speaks before she can.
"He was a wreck when you were missing. We all were, really. When we found you… seeing you like that—"
"I know!" Chris says, and then quiets some.
"I know it's bad, Hondo. I lived it. I'm still living it. And I know you all are, too, but I cannot manage that right now. Once I'm out of here, Street needs to be back at work. You need to make that happen because this is the exact kind of thing that Hicks and those rules aim to avoid. I don't care how much vacation time he has saved. I'm done talking about this."
Wincing, she tries to steady her breathing and settle back onto the bed, but a pain pulls at her chest from the exertion.
"Alright," Hondo says, apologetic. "I'm sorry for pushing you. But listen to me when I say this, Chris: there's nothing wrong with leaning on the people who love you."
She nods at him and he reciprocates, squeezing her hand before saying his goodnight and letting the door shut behind him. Chris can see her hands shaking and the nausea building in her stomach. Deacon's words from the night he visited her swim in her head like a haunting song, but she pushes them down.
A murmur and Street shifting makes her look at him. When he catches her eye, he smiles, still groggy from sleep.
"You okay, Babe?" He whispers.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Get some more sleep."
He mumbles a "good," before sleep takes him again. Her eyes don't leave him, glad he's finally able to rest, though it eludes her for the rest of the night.
"Alright, Chris, your labs from this morning are right where they need to be. Let's get you out of here! That said, you need to have someone staying with you for the time being." Dr. Richardson says, opening her chart to a blank page and writing down her vitals. She nods and smiles.
"Officer Street will be staying with me." She says, just as the aforementioned opens the door with a bright smile.
"Ah, hello, Officer Street. Perfect. We'll give you plenty of paperwork that explains all this, but there are a few things you'll need to be able to do to help Chris."
"Just tell me what to do." Street says, perching on the edge of her bed and setting a hand on her leg.
"Bandages are the most important thing. The wounds are healing well and beginning to close, but moving into a less sterile environment can be a concern. It's easier to make sure dressings are on properly with an extra set of hands."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Yes. There's a schedule that needs to be followed with the medications. It's also advised Chris not drive until the entire course is completed. In addition to those, just keeping an eye out for anything that could be indicative of further injury will be a help. Chris, I know you're eager to return to work, but you still need to take it slow."
"Understood." They both say, though Chris's tone is firmer.
I'll go through some questions first, and then we'll do a neurological and physical exam. How's your pain?"
"Good."
"And your head? Any lingering symptoms of the concussion? Sensitivity to light or sound, any nausea?"
"No."
He gives her a tight-lipped smile, continues through his questions and notes her quick answers. Done, he grabs a thin flashlight from his pocket and flicks it on.
"Follow the light… Great."
Shane walks in a minute later, helping Chris stand to walk laps around the floor and stretch and breathe deep. When she sits back down, he tells her she did great, and she lets herself take the compliment. Dr. Richardson scribbles down on a prescription pad and hands them to the nurse.
"Everything looks good. We'll get those filled, do a few hours of observation as we get you unhooked, and then send you on your way."
Chris looks at him intently, chest buzzing with excitement at the thought of going home.
"Got it. Thank you, Dr. Richardson."
He smiles and shakes her hand, paging another set of nurses to come in and start doing her discharge work. Stephanie enters twenty minutes later with prescriptions in hand.
"Congratulations, Chris. The entire nursing staff is wishing you well. You and your team are really wonderful."
"I'm sure you'll see one of us again, and where there's one of us, there's all of us. Thank you, for everything." Stephanie gives her a nod, unhooking another drip.
"I can help you into street clothes if you want? Then you'll be ready to go." If it wouldn't aggravate her ribs, Chris'd be jumping up and down. Pulling her backpack off the neighboring chair, she grabs her leggings and a tee-shirt.
"Please."
"Where's your team today? Officer Street's barely left your side, I'm surprised he isn't here." Stephanie smiles at her knowingly, and Chris tries to push down the blush creeping up her face.
"Street's in the bathroom. The rest are at my apartment. I'm sure they'll all be here soon. They want to thank you, too." Stephanie hands her a hoodie, which Chris only realizes is Street's after she shrugs it on. They both pretend not to notice.
"Looking good." Street comments when he walks in, because of course he does, and she rolls her eyes in response. He laughs and leans down to kiss her, sitting and wrapping his arm around her, which she snuggles into.
"Still feeling okay?" He asks, her hair tickling under his chin when she nods.
"They said the meds would take a while to wear off completely. Upside to being pumped full of them for two weeks, I guess."
He winces at the comment, but just hums and rubs up and down her arm. After a few minutes, she slips into a light sleep with her head resting on his shoulder, and he can't help but smile down at her.
The team lights up when they arrive an hour later to find her and Street sitting on the edge of the bed, the only medical device on her a pulse monitor. Chris hugs them as tightly as she can, says it'll be just a few minutes before she's discharged, blushing and rolling her eyes when they faux applaud.
"Shut up. You guys coming for dinner?" They nod and say of course they are, Luca speaking up after
"You're sure about not staying at the house, Chris?"
Silence falls. Her head swivels to Street, who just manages to stop giving a look to Luca in time to mouth an apology to her. She sighs and shakes her head, trying not to be annoyed when they're just trying to be helpful.
"Is there a reason I shouldn't be in my apartment?" Her eyebrows raise until they shake their heads.
"Then it's fine." She looks at Street again and softens, "You don't mind bunking with me?" He kisses her again and says of course not.
"Bonnie and Annie have you stocked with enough food to feed an army, but they're plenty happy to help with anything else you might need." Tan says, squeezing her shoulder.
"And I distinctly remember having a winning streak against you in Scrabble that I'd like to extend." Luca adds with a laugh, trying to break the rest of the tension. Stephanie enters minutes later with a stack of papers.
"Alright, Chris, I just need some last signatures." A wave of nerves runs through Chris when she takes the pen, but she breathes and initials where she needs to, handing the clipboard back with a smile.
"Congratulations, I hope to not see you again until your follow-up. Let me grab a wheelchair." Stephanie says, shutting off the final machine, and unclipping her finger. The team thanks her and looks around the room a final time, making sure nothing is left behind that shouldn't be. Once she's sat down, Street takes the back of the chair from Stephanie, and, after exchanging quick hugs with the nurse, squeezes Chris's shoulder and leans down to whisper in her ear.
"Let's go home."
hello! thanks for reading!
i honestly love this chapter. very fluffy, including mama pina was super duper fun, and the sweet moments between chris and street as she's being discharged/when they head home. but, fret not, no one is out of the woods yet. in fact, they're kind of still right at the beginning of them.
the next few chapters require some heavy editing, but hopefully i'll have an update for y'all by the end of the month or early november. in the meantime, i've got a few more tumblr prompts coming up, and an update of "if you never bleed" (for 3x21, diablo).
and, Happy S8 Premiere day! Even though the show isn't quite what it used to be for me since Lina/Alex/Kenny have left, i'm still super grateful for what it gave me, and how happy it still makes me to watch.
all my love xo
A