Stris - SWAT

Part Twenty Four - 'The Brass?"

[A/N: hi everyone, this one's a little shorter than usual but still please enjoy 💜
- Kate x ]
————————————————————————————

(Chris POV)

After asking Tan to keep this new information to himself, promising him we would figure out how to do this right as soon as possible, I hurried out of the diner to make my way to HQ.

Commander Hicks had asked me to meet him in his office before shift started, and I couldn't seem to push away the whole conversation Street and I just had with Tan, long enough to contemplate what he wanted to talk about.

I'm certain I've been following the same protocol at work, I'm never late to shift, I pride myself on being the top of my game. I have to be. It's expected of me.

Hicks couldn't have figured out about Street and I, could he? I mean, Tan only just brought it up to us after some consideration and no one else on 20-Squad had noticed anything.

Why was it whenever you were called into the boss' office, you always just assumed the worst.

I'd parked my Jeep in the motor pool and made haste getting to the locker room and getting changed into my uniform.

Climbing the stairs up to the second level, Hicks' office door came into view.

I heaved a sigh and knocked on the glass window pane of the slightly opened door.

"Come in", Hicks ordered.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and pushed the door, making my way inside.

Hicks lifted his head up from the file he was engrossed in, seated at his desk, "Alonso, good morning, thanks for coming in", he greeted.

"No problem, Commander", I paused behind the chair located in front of his desk.

"Please take a seat, Alonso, this hopefully wont take too long", he stated.

Manoeuvring myself around to the front of the seat, I slowly lower myself, my anxiety running high, I couldn't let my body relax in the slightest.

He clasped his hands together on the desk in front of himself, "You've been a busy officer lately, 20- squad interventions and training, winning and completing T-LI as well as implementing your new tactics into our own training programs...", Hicks began, listing some of the many tasks she'd upheld during the last few months.

"It may sound like a lot, but I can handle it, Commander..", I asserted, worried he might be suggesting that I'm overworking myself and it could affect my performance. It's not the first time someone has had to remind me that I shouldn't bury myself in new tasks to keep myself busy.

But I can't help it. As long as I am able to help others, that's all that matters.

Hicks responded with a nod of his head, "There's no doubt about that, Alonso. It's impressive the responsibilities and initiative you've taken in your role, and improving upon your leadership abilities".

"Thank you, sir", I said, allowing Hicks to continue.

"But, with that being said, the reason I've called you in this morning is due to myself and the Brass processing some changes that are well overdue in being made and it immediately affects the members of 20-Squad", he further stated, and tapped the file in front of him with his palm.

I swallowed again, his words vague enough that I still couldn't comprehend clearly whether the news was going to be good or bad.

My own hands were wrung together in my lap as I processed his words and waited for his next ones.

I could only silently nod in response.

"Now, Alonso, with these changes needing to be implemented as soon as possible, I'm going to run this new information by you and I would like you to provide a completely honest answer?" he questioned.

The Brass? Changes to 20-Squad?

My nerves flew through the roof, and Hicks began his questioning.

...

Street and Tan had finally entered HQ thirty minutes later after leaving the diner, both with a coffee to go and an extra Street had brought for Chris seeing as she had to leave so quickly.

"I still can't believe you figured us out? I mean, we were eventually going to tell you guys but we wanted to find a way that could work for both of us before letting it slip", Street told Tan, as they made their way into the locker room, Tan discarding his empty cup into the trash can at the door.

"Well, really it was Bonnie who pointed it out to me", Tan redirected, "but, if I didn't know you two personally and your dynamic, you guys kind of do seem like a bickering couple half the time so it probably wouldn't take much for an outsider to assume something", he chuckled.

Street laughed too and placed the two coffee cups down onto the bench while he began getting dressed into his uniform.

As they both finished connecting their last buckles and badges, the locker room door swung open, and Chris walked in, her hand part way running through her hair. Her eyes not sure how to hold his gaze. His smile faltered immediately.

She only tended to do that when she wasn't sure how to bring up something that was bothering her.

Maybe Hicks' meeting didn't go so well after all.

———————————————————————————

[Thanks for reading, new chapter soon
Don't forget to vote and comment 🔥
- Kate 💜 ]