34. Old and New

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Chris stood in the kitchen and saw the chaos surrounding her. Bella was trying to feed Liam who kept crying, Street was holding Erika in one hand and try to pour food for Champ with the other, and Champ was licking Bella's ankle. Her heart was full.

Chris checked her watch and realized she had to go.

"Okay, I gotta go," Chris announced and walked over to her family. She quickly kissed Street, but he reached to bring her face back to him, and he kissed her again for a moment. It made Chris chuckle against his lips. Then, she planted small kisses on Liam's and Erika's heads, and finally she kissed Bella on the cheek.

"Bye, mommy," Bella said.

Mommy. It was the first time Bella had called her that. They had been fostering Bella and working on adopting her, so they told Bella she could call them whatever made her feel comfortable, and it seems Bella was finally ready to call her mommy. Chris' heartwarming thoughts were interrupted when she heard Liam say "Mama".

Chris turned to her little boy and held his little hand and took Bella's hand in her other hand and said, "Yes, I'm your mama." Then, she kissed Liam's hand and kissed Bella's hand before walking towards the door.

"Okay, Erika, say 'dada'. Come on I need to be someone's favorite!" Street coaxed.

"Mama" Erika replied.

"Seriously? 3 kids and not one of them likes me more?" Street joked.

"I do love you, daddy, but you don't braid my hair like mommy does," Bella explained plainly. Chris chuckled.

Street swooned. Bella had never said Daddy either. He had already decided he was going to celebrate by getting her some ice cream later, and it might help him become her favorite parent.

"Bella, be good for your daddy. Abuela isn't coming until lunch time, okay?" Chris asked.

"Okay! Bye!" Bella waved.

Chris took one last look at her family and left the house.

—————-

Chris, Luca, and Rocker were standing in the boxing ring watching the new SWAT recruits run drills. Chris played with the "S" pendant around her neck. It was a wedding present from Street, and she hadn't taken it off since. Whenever she missed her family a little, she touched the pendant.

Luca blew a whistle and called, "Time! 5 minute water break."

The recruits immediately darted for their water bottles.

"Mommy!" Bella called. Chris heard her daughter's voice and looked to see Bella and Street hand in hand walking towards her. Chris stepped out of the boxing ring and Luca followed closely behind.

"What are you guys doing here?" Chris asked Bella and Street.

"I was trying to gain some dad points, so I told Bella we could have some daddy daughter time and do whatever she wanted, and she said she wanted to see her mommy and her uncles," Street explained.

Chris smiled and picked her daughter up saying, "That is so sweet of you, cariña."

"Hey, munchkin," Luca greeted Bella.

"Hi, Uncle Luca," Bella replied.

"I heard she's legendary, but she's just a soccer mom," one of the recruits joked as he watched Chris. A few recruits next to him laughed.

Street took a step forward as his facial expression changed to a steely glare. Chris put a hand out to stop him. Then, she handed Bella to Luca and said, "Uncle Luca, why don't you take Bella to get some juice."

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