Chapter Text
Carla and Michelle had known each for a very long time, but ever since Carla together with Lisa she was feeling like she was losing the love of her life and she didn't know what do about it.
Carla told Michelle that Becky was back in the picture, she decided to take things into her own hands, she was currently sitting on her sofa when there was a knock on her door, she got up and went to answer it, when she opened the door she was suprised to see Carla standing with a bag with her,
The two worlds collided on a humid Friday night in Los Angeles, the kind where the city lights blurred into a hazy glow and everything felt like it could tip sideways if you breathed too hard.
Angela Lopez pulled her jacket tighter as she and Nyla Harper stepped out of the Mid-Wilshire station, both still wired from a long shift chasing leads on a string of high-end carjackings. Angela had been quieter than usual all day—distracted, checking her phone more than she normally would. Nyla noticed, of course. She always noticed.
“You sure you’re good to drive?” Nyla asked, bumping Angela’s shoulder lightly as they headed toward the parking lot. “I can take us to your place if you want.”
Angela gave her a half-smile, the one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine. Just… need to decompress. Come over anyway? I’ve got that tequila you like.”
Nyla’s stomach did a small flip. She’d been waiting for this—for weeks, maybe months. The unspoken thing between them had been simmering since that late-night stakeout when Angela had leaned her head on Nyla’s shoulder and neither of them moved for an hour. Tonight felt different. Dangerous in the best way.
“Yeah,” Nyla said softly. “I’d like that.”
Meanwhile, across town in a quiet Echo Park bungalow, Carla sat frozen on her couch, staring at the front door like it might bite her. The knock had startled her out of a spiral of worst-case scenarios. When she opened it to find Michelle standing there with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder and a determined set to her jaw, Carla’s throat closed up.
“Michelle… what are you—”
“I’m done waiting for you to figure it out,” Michelle said, voice steady but eyes glassy. She stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, dropping the bag by the door. “Becky’s back. You told me last week she was crashing at Lisa’s again, high as a kite, mouthing off about how she’s ‘taking what’s hers.’ And you’re just… sitting here. Letting Lisa drag you down with her.”
Carla rubbed her temples. “It’s not that simple. Lisa’s her mom. I can’t just—”
“You can,” Michelle cut in. “You have to. Because if you don’t, Becky’s going to pull her back into that mess—again—and you’re going to lose everything you’ve built. Including us.”
The words hung heavy. Carla looked at Michelle—really looked—and saw the hurt she’d been trying to ignore for months. The way Michelle’s hands trembled just a little. The way she’d shown up anyway.
“I don’t want to lose you,” Carla whispered.
“Then don’t,” Michelle said. She reached out, fingers brushing Carla’s wrist. “Come with me tonight. We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow. But you’re not staying in this house waiting for the next disaster.”
Carla hesitated only a second longer before nodding. She grabbed her keys.
The real chaos started at a crowded rooftop bar in Downtown LA—neutral ground, supposedly. Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen had been dragged there by a mutual friend’s birthday thing, but they’d ended up at the railing overlooking the city, shoulders almost touching, talking in that quiet, intense way they sometimes did when no one else was listening.
Tim was mid-sentence—something about a case—when he spotted Angela and Nyla walking in together, heads close, laughing at something private. His brow furrowed.
Lucy followed his gaze. “They look… happy.”
“Yeah,” Tim muttered. “They do.”
Across the rooftop, Angela caught sight of them first. Her smile faltered for half a second. Nyla noticed immediately.
“You okay?” Nyla murmured.
Angela exhaled. “Just didn’t expect the whole division to show up tonight.”
But it wasn’t just them. A few minutes later, Carla and Michelle arrived—hand in hand, looking like they’d just survived a storm. Carla’s eyes scanned the crowd nervously until they landed on Lisa at the far end of the bar, Becky swaying next to her, already too far gone, laughing too loud at nothing.
Carla stiffened. Michelle squeezed her hand. “We don’t have to talk to them. We can leave.”
“No,” Carla said quietly. “I need to end this.”
She started walking. Michelle stayed right beside her.
Angela and Nyla looked up and they immediately knew something was going to go down and not in the good way.
Carla took Michelle hand and walked together to where Becky, Betsy and Lisa were standing, Becky had her arm firmly around Lisa waist and it made Carla went to end things even more.
A little while Carla had said her peace to Lisa, Becky and Betsy, she felt amazing for it and now she could look towards to the future with Michelle by her side, the couple were sat at a table when Angela and Nyla walked over to them, they quickly introduced themselves and Michelle invited them to join them, and Nyla and Angela were more then happy to join the couple.
Carla felt at ease with Nyla and Angela and with Michelle there, everything was perfect and she was well rid of Lisa for good.
Nyla and Angela were definitely enjoying Michelle and Carla company and they asked them if they wanted to come back to their place, Carla immediately said yes, and the four of them lefted, already excited to see where the night would take them.
TBC.......