Under Pressure

Chapter 2

Chris POV

After the debriefing, Melissa stomps out of the room before I can stop her. I look at Director Johnson in shock of her behavior before I go running after her. 

If she was going to be my partner, so I figured I should start making sure she's okay sooner rather than later. 

She was already down the short stairs when I exited the director's office. She seemed to be heading out of the building, and I felt like I was never going to catch up to her.

"Melissa!" I yell to her before the doors slam a little ahead of me. I finally open the doors and I'm only a few feet away. 

She turned slightly and I could see the disappointment in her eyes. I couldn't help but think of how attractive she looked even though she was being a pain in my ass. I had known her a whole of 5 minutes and I knew she'd be trouble. 

"Melissa, please wait." I pleaded as I ran up to her, only being a few inches behind her. She finally stops and turns to face me. Suddenly there was no one around us. All the officers must have cleared because I saw no one in sight.

"What?" She said her voice trying to stay attentive and respectful. I could tell her mind was in the clouds and that she wasn't fully here, but she stared back at me, waiting for my words.

"You know, I'm not happy about this either." I say being my selfish self, knowing the minute I said those words, it was wrong. I had thought that'd be a good way to begin but it just sounded like I was being an ass. I go to correct myself, but she scuffed and started to respond.

"This case isn't about me." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Someone is depending on me." I started to feel bad for her, "I have responsibilities," She shook her head, she was obviously very upset with this assignment and I sympathized for her.

"I'm not someone like you." Those words rubbed me the wrong way, and I immediately wanted to interrupt her, "I can't just take any case and go wherever I want all the time. I can't just be gone for 2 months like you can-"

"Like I can?!" I was angry now. I was here trying to help her, and she had the nerve to insult me? "You have no idea who I am! Or the hell I have to deal with." I felt frustrated and anger radiated through my body towards her.

"Okay tell me about yourself?" She demanded in the same tone.

"Well..." I start unsure what to say. I was hesitant, had she heard all the rumors that had circulated about me?

"Are you that party cop whose parents run district 29 and the only reason you get in on cases is for publicity for your parents?" Her raging words enraged me more, "You're the guy who's known to have a new girlfriend every day? How focuses more on anything but work?" She says with so much sass that I feel a laugh escape.

"That's what you think you know about me!" I laughed mockingly. I kept laughing, I wasn't sure why. I was angry but all this was false, well most of it.

"You as my partner will get me killed!" She yells walking away. This hit me hard. Yet, to ease my own tension I made a joke.

"I'm actually your husband!" I yell back playful but also feeling stupid as everyone stares at me. Her frustration made me feel different, I go running after to her once more as she heads back into the building.

MEL POV

"I'm actually your husband!" He yells. I feel my heart pound deep in my chest as I open the women's bathroom door and slide into a stall. 

My body slides against the wall and I find myself crumple into a ball. Husband? If only I had handled the situation better, just maybe I'd have a husband to watch Adam and take care of him while I was gone. But that wasn't a option now.

I sit there thinking about how I could possibly leave my son for 2 months with barely any contact, if any. How could I do that to him?

I hear someone enter the bathroom and I rise to my feet and I'm begin to back away from the door, so this person won't see me hiding in the stall.

"Melissa?" I recognized the voice.

"What the hell?" I knew the voice belonged to the one and only, Chris. "This is the women's bathroom!" I say opening the stall door, and stepping out of the stall to face him.

"I know." His showed his cocky smile, "That's why I made sure no one else would come in."

"What do you want, Chris?" I say feeling something in my stomach that was unsettling.

"You were right." He sighed and looking at me calmly and respectfully, "I am a spoiled rich kid, but I'm not here because of that. There's more to me than all those lies."

"Lies?" I ask raising my eyebrow in suspicion.

"Alright, some are true, but the only way you'll find out is if we start over." He smiled waiting for my response. I nodded slightly at his good gesture, and with that he extended his hand. "Hi. My name is Chris Wood." His smile and his kindness makes me relax and calm down.

"Melissa." I smile at him and softly let out a chuckle. I shake his hand, slightly. "You can call me Mel."

"I will be your partner for the next few weeks." He smiles slightly, but it begins to fade. His tone turns serious and his grip grows firm. "This case isn't some joke to me. Believe it or not it is more personal to me than anyone can understand." He sighed and looked down quickly. There was something more to him, I see it. His hand released mine and I felt a bit foolish as my cheeks blushed.

"And they choose you because you are the best undercover agent that has ever worked here." He looks at me with his kind smile and my image of his immaturity fades. "So wifey, meet you tonight?" He laughs shifting in his steps as he makes him way to the door of the bathroom.  He stands there opening the door of the bathroom for me to exit.

"Just when I thought that you were more than a child." I say unable to hold in my laughter and shake my head with fake disappointment.

"I have my moments." He says simply, watching me watch out of the bathroom. I continued to walk out of the station. " See you tonight!" He yells to me, but I didn't turn back to see him, instead I feel my cheeks heat up and a smile form on my face.

I kept shaking my head but I knew this was going to be something.