LITTLE STREET

four

"Hey kiddo," Street greets the teen, throwing his bag down by the couch before collapsing onto it. He leans back against the armrest and throws his legs up onto his daughter's lap.

"Hey dad," she replies, looking up from whatever she's scribbling away in her sketchbook. She shuts it and tosses it onto the coffee table. "How was work?"

"Eh the usual, but let's not talk about work. I feel like I haven't seen you all week."

"That's because I have like a million assignments and tests." She says with a groan. "It's not as bad as the academy for sure, but it's still school."

"I do not miss that." He throws his head back with a laugh, and the girl swats his foot in retaliation.

"Laugh all you want, dad, but you're the one who's going to have to deal with my complaining."

"That's okay, as long as I get to spend more time with you," Athena gives him a sad smile. Between her schooling and his job, the father-daughter duo doesn't get to spend much time together.

"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?" He asks, already getting up knowing what her answer's going to be.

"Only if we can go to the diner,"

"Where else would we go?"

The two Streets make their way out of their home, laughing and chatting all the way to the diner.

~~~

Nichelles laugh rings through the almost empty street, echoed by Annies. Their spouses red-faced, embarrassed, but amused nonetheless.

"They really did that?" Nichelle asks, still giggling.

"Oh yeah, in the middle of the party too," Annie replies.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up you two," Hondo says, sending the two women into another fit of giggles.

"We should really do this again," comes from Deacon when the laughter dies out. Nichelle and Annie had begun discussing what to do on their next double date when Hondo stopped walking.

"What's up, babe?" His girlfriend asks, noticing the look on his face. "Is that Street?" he says after a second.

The other three turn to peer through the glass of the diner across the street. True to Hondo's words, they see Street sitting in a booth across from a blonde woman.

"Who's he with?" Deacon asks. "I can't see anything but the back of her head."

"Maybe a date?"

"Don't you think she looks a bit young?"

"I don't know, I can't see her face."

"You should ask him about it tomorrow," Annie hums out. Hondo nods, already trying to figure out how to bring it up.

~~~

"They did what? In the middle of the party?"

"Yeah, oh my god, it was hilarious." The teen's laugh echoes through the nearly empty diner.

Athena launches into a story about school when Street glances past her out the window.

"You good, dad?" She asks, noticing the strange look on her father's face.

"Yeah, I just thought I saw someone I knew." She hums. "Anyways, tell me more. Did that kid really think starting a fire in the lab was a good way to miss a test?" Athena laughs at the astounded tone.

~~~

Strolling out of the SWAT HQ locker room, Street turns his head down to check his phone when he hears the telltale ding.

*1 Attachment*

He clicks open the picture to see his daughter posing in a room full of instruments. Band class. She's wearing a hot pink feather boa, a purple sparkly fedora, and sunglasses far too big for her face.

He lets out a laugh, happy that his daughter's having fun. He was apprehensive about her going to a new school. After spending a year away at the Phillips Exeter Academy on scholarship, he wasn't sure how she'd adjust to public high school. It seems so far that the young girl is doing just fine.

Street lets out another laugh when a video of her chugging a soda can while being cheered on by a few friends comes through.

"What's got you so giggly?" An annoyingly energetic voice comes from behind him.

"How are you always so happy in the morning, Hondo?" Said man just waves him off but gives Deacon a look.

The older man continues, "Does this have anything to do with the girl you were with last night?"

Street freezes. "What did you just say?"

"We saw you at some diner last night with a girl."

Alarm bubbles in his chest. The teasing lilt in his team leader's voice shows that he most likely suspects a girlfriend or something like that, definitely not a daughter.

"I guess you could say that," he teases, playing along.

"Sooo," Hondo starts up again. "Who was she?"

"None of your business," he says before walking off. Hondo furrows his brows, confused.

What would make the youngest member of his team get so defensive like that? The last time Street was acting like this was when he got into it with his mom. He's got to talk to the rest of the team about this.

~~~

"Chris!"

The woman whips her head back to see Hondo jogging up to her.

"Hey Hondo, what's up?"

"Do you know what's going on with Street?" She inhales slowly before launching into an explanation. Chris tells him about her talk with Luca and Tan and their plan to talk to the younger man if they think he's getting into trouble again.

In turn, Hondo tells her about his confrontation with Street earlier in the day. He tells her about the girl and Street's secretive behaviour.

Chris lets out a confused hum, making a mental note to talk about this development with the others.

After Hondo walks away, Chris continues towards the car pack, the conversation still on her mind.

What has Street gotten himself into this time? 

a/n - Hey guys! sorry for the wait with this update, school and family have kept me BUSY. As always, thanks for reading and feedback is welcome!