SWAT Short Stories

[Stris] Complications (post 4x18)

"The only thing he said before they wheeled him to the OR was that he loved you. He wanted me to make sure you knew that," Hondo whispered to Chris.

"I know," was all Chris could reply as she held her boss tightly and cried again.

Nora and Luca watched the scene that broke their hearts even more. All she could do was hold Luca's hand for dear life as tears rolled down his face.

Chris did her best to compose herself in a more timely manner this time. She wasn't alone anymore.

When Hondo let go of her, she went straight to Luca's side.

"I think you should go see him," Chris started. "He'd want you to. You're his best friend."

"I think you have me beat there," Luca said as he wiped his eyes. "But I'm definitely going in there. He is my best friend."

Luca let go of Nora's hand and stood up. He squeezed Chris' shoulder and walked past her into Street's room.

Chris knew what she needed to do next.

"I'm going to check on Karen," Chris announced once Luca had entered Street's room.

Hondo seemed surprised, and Nora seemed confused.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asked.

Chris shook her head.

"I'm not sure anything's a good idea right now. The woman hates my guts, and the feeling is definitely mutual, but she's Jim's mom. He'd want someone to check up on her."

"I could go," Hondo offered.

"I don't mind either," Nora added.

Chris looked at her chosen family with a small smile.

"Thank you for the offer, but this is something I need to do."

They both nodded in approval.

---

"You come to tell me you were right?" Karen asked after Chris entered with a slight knock.

"No, actually," Chris said as she sat in the chair beside her future mother-in-law. "I came to check on you."

"Hell must have frozen over," Karen quipped and rolled her eyes.

Chris sighed. She knew talking to Karen Street would never be easy.

"We need to get something straight here," she started. "I don't like you, Karen, and I know the feeling is mutual. I think you're a shitty mother who chose drugs over your own child. I think you're manipulative, and that's the only reason you have anything to do with Jim. And I damn well know that you have your opinions about me. But that's exactly what they are, opinions. We have one thing in common, and that's Jim. Whether your love for him is genuine or not, mine is. He risked his life and his career for you, and I just risked mine to fly across the world to be by his side. I'm here, in your room, because that's what he would want. I may not like you for one second, but I love the hell out of your son. I'd do anything for him. So you better get used to me because I'm not going anywhere."

Chris was pacing at this point. Her blood was boiling, and her hands were flying everywhere until she stopped dead in her tracks.

"He gave you the family ring," Karen said in a shocking realization.

Chris didn't know what to say. She and Jim hadn't told anyone before she left for Germany. It was supposed to be months before she returned, and they'd tell everyone, not two days.

Chris said the only thing she knew to in the moment, and that was the truth. 

"Along with a promise of forever."

She sat back down and picked at her nails as Karen took in the moment. They sat in silence.

"You know, I was only half right, Christina," Karen said. "You must really love my son, but my son must really love you too."

Chris didn't say a word.

"I was angry at you because you've been there," Karen started. "You've gotten to be by his side for the past four years when I haven't. You've seen every heartbreak and every triumph. You've seen every minute of everything. I haven't, and I won't be around to see many more moments. You have everything I've ever wanted. You have my son."

That statement boiled Chris' blood and made her feel terrible for Karen at the same time. After that, she knew it was time to leave.

"I meant what I said earlier. I'm not going anywhere, but I'll always be willing to meet in the middle with you for Jim."

---

"That woman infuriates me more than anything," Chris huffed as she sat beside Luca. "I know she's manipulative, and you can't trust a word she says, but damn, is she good at it."

---

It was around midnight when Chris was shaken awake. The others had left hours ago when visiting hours were over, but she had opted to stay as Jim's one overnight guest. His hospital room was stuffy, and his helpless sight made Chris uneasy. She had come outside to the waiting room to catch her breath for a moment, but the quiet and calmness must have lulled her to sleep.

That was until his nightshift nurse shook her awake.

"He's awake and asking for you," was all the woman said before Chris jumped up and ran into his room.

The sight of Jim awake only eased Chris' nerves slightly. He was still tied down to more wires and monitors than she could count, and there was still oxygen helping him breathe. But his eyelids were open, and the sight of her made him smile.

"You look just as beautiful as ever," Jim said as Chris sat next to him and held his hand.

"You've done better," Chris teased.

"You're an ass," he replied. "But I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Chris said back. "I was afraid I was going to miss you forever."

A frown formed on Jim's face as tears began to roll down hers.

"It scared me, too, Chris. All I could think about was how much I would miss if I didn't get back to you. I was so afraid you didn't know how much I love you and-"

"I know," Chris said as she cut him off. "And I love you more than anything, Jim. I want a new life with you as a family. I know we haven't been together that long, and we've only been engaged for like two days, but I'm ready whenever you are both mentally and physically."

"I'll be ready as soon as I get out of this hospital, Chris. My SWAT career is over, and that's sad, but my life with you has just begun, and that's better than anything I could ever dream of."

"The universe finally made it work," Chris said. "Even if it sucks."

"There's nothing more that I want than you, Chris. There may have been complications, but nothing about this sucks. I got more than I ever wanted in you."

[END]

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[written 6.18.2021- edited 3.31.2022]

Oh, look, Sharna knows how to write something that isn't toothrottingly sweet. I have depression episodes, too, y'all. I'm just not usually productive during them. Truthfully, I didn't know how to end this one. This seemed sweet for how depressing this story was. Y'all can take Karen for whatever you please; truthful or just manipulative. It should also be said that this story is entirely separate from my previous post 4x18 story. All of my stories are separate unless I state otherwise, although you can read a lot of them as co-existing. You can choose one of these as canon in my Stris world (I'd probably go with the other one because Street will definitely be back on the SWAT team in future stories). I promise my next story will be less depressing and have a more finite end. Also, this is a requested prompt. Someone asked for how Chris would handle Street being hurt (specifically in a car accident, but that's a little triggering for me considering I have permanent nerve damage in my hand from a car accident less than a year ago), so I went with this. I hope that person enjoyed this. Sorry, it's not precisely what you asked for. Maybe one day when I'm in a better place with my accident. <3 -Sharna