#and then it transferred to chenford

[makeoutstopcrime]

during my 14 mile run this morning I spent a full mile thinking about a chenford forehead kiss

one day my vision will be realized

my agenda will be complete

and then i will talk about it exclusively for the following 6-8 months so you people better run

[dylanconrique]

i know grey assigns new rookie's with their t.o.'s at random, but i can't help but headcanon that tim being the sly devil that he is, knows where grey hides the spare key to his desk drawer, and snuck a peak at all three of their files, nolan, jackson, and lucy, and was like, "oh, i want her".

[burningblake]

ok ok but i literally wrote a fic were lucy didn't want tim to transfer because he'd get demoted lol, apollo's gift etc

[fluentmoviequoter]

Rook Book to Remember Me By

Part 2 of Rook Book

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!Metro!reader

Summary: Tim's delay in transferring to Metro may have cost him everything, and as he and Lucy search Los Angeles for a killer, he only has his memories and a fake rook book to remember you by.

Warnings: ANGST, death, fluff

Word Count: 3.6k+ words

A/N: I know this is a Chenford gif but it fits. :)

Masterlist Directory | Tim Bradford Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List

“What is that?” Lucy asks as she waits beside Tim’s desk. “A bomb?”

“Lower your voice, boot,” Tim snaps. “We don’t need a stampede.”

“Yes, sir. So, what is it?”

“What does it look like? It’s a book.”

“No, it’s a rook book with a bow on it. And I bet I know who it’s from.”

“50 pushups.”

“But-“

“You want double?”

Lucy frowns as she silences, and she watches Tim lift the book. He opens the front cover and shakes his head before dropping it into one of his drawers. Lucy doesn’t move toward the door, and Tim sighs as he leans against his desk.

“What?” he asks.

“Is that just a book? Or a none-rook-book-rook-book? Like the one somebody’s pretty TO used to carry?”

“Pretty TO?” you ask from behind Lucy.

Tim had been too distracted by the book and Lucy’s prying questions to notice you walk in. Dressed in your Metro uniform, you slide your hands into your pockets and smile.

“I’ll assume you’re talking about Tim,” you add.

“Yeah, right,” Lucy snorts.

“100 pushups it is,” Tim announces.

“Tim,” you chide softly. “You can’t blame her for being excited to see this side of you. It took me your entire probationary period to learn you could smile.”

“Chen, give us a minute,” Tim says.

“Do I have to?” she asks quietly.

“Yes,” you and Tim say together. The difference is that you add, “Please.”

You watch Lucy move toward the equipment room before turning to Tim. He furrows his brows and unconsciously blocks the drawer with your gift in it.

“I’m sorry I didn’t answer your call last night,” you begin. “Metro raided a speakeasy, and it went a little haywire.” “Are you okay?” Tim interrupts. “That’s what I was going to ask you. I know you tolerate me, maybe even like me a little, but you don’t call unless you need something.”

“I, uh, just wanted to hear your voice. But I’m fine, I promise.”

You nod and run your tongue over your bottom lip as you think. “Still have nightmares?”

“I’m fine.”

“Look, Lucy is ready to pass that test, but in the end moving to Metro is a big decision. One you can do; I don’t doubt that. Just… don’t stick around because you think you have some debt to pay or something. Your boot is important, but your career is too.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Your Metro Commander yells your name, and you lay a hand on Tim’s shoulder before whispering a farewell. He watches you go and decides that when he calls you tonight, he’ll ask why you chose the book you did. Hopefully, he thinks, it will allow him to admit some things. He needs more than your voice to calm him in the middle of the night these days.

“Can I just say one thing?” Lucy asks from the passenger seat of the shop.

“Will me saying no stop you?” Tim replies.

“I think you’re really cute together. She’s been waiting for you, and I don’t think you should make her wait just because you’re scared.”

“What makes you think I’m scared? You mean well, Chen, but this is none of your concern.”

“Maybe not. But it’s yours, and you know I’m right.”

Tim wants to keep arguing, maybe threaten Lucy with more pushups to make her leave it alone, but the radio cuts him off.

“Attention all units. Officer down at Wilshire Federal Building. Metro requesting backup. Will advise.”

Tim’s world slows as he pulls the shop to a curb. He and Lucy are too far away to provide backup fast enough, but he can’t move until he knows that you’re okay. Lucy watches him as he stares at the radio, but with each second of silence, she gets more concerned for him.

“She’s going to be okay,” Lucy whispers.

Tim shakes his head. He doesn’t want to think about the alternative but believing that you’re okay without knowing is more dangerous than being wrong and hearing another officer’s name over the radio.

“Bradford, Chen, Harper, Nolan,” Wade radios. “Get back to the station and prepare to assist Metro.”

“Uh, you- you drive, Lucy,” Tim says as he unclips his seatbelt.

“Attention all units,” the dispatch officer begins.

She identifies the downed officer, and when your name is said, Tim’s world stops. He waited too long, and now he can never tell you how he feels. He had a crush on you, he wants to say, but it turned into so much more.

“Tim,” Lucy calls as she opens the driver-side door. “C’mon.”

Tim doesn’t feel any shame as he leans on Lucy. She ushers him into the passenger seat before she drives to the station with lights and sirens on. Tim’s silence is terrifying, and although Lucy is also feeling grief and is heartbroken to hear you’re gone, her concern for Tim outweighs her own emotions.

As Tim exits the shop, his devastation suddenly makes room for anger. He doesn’t blame any of your fellow officers, but if he had moved to Metro sooner, he would have been there with you, and maybe he could have changed the outcome. He slams the door and ignores Lucy as he storms into the bullpen.

Lucy and Tim slow as they see several Metro teams gathered together, but it’s obvious that something is wrong, something is missing. There’s a gap where you should be, and even the elite tactical officers seem lost without you.

“What happened?” Tim asks.

“Officer Bradford, we can’t release any information yet,” Wade answers. “Metro’s going to fill you in on what you need to know. They need as many of us as they can get.”

Tim clenches his jaw to stop the remark that he wants to make. The Metro teams are talking quietly, and he gestures for Lucy to step to his other side as he moves closer.

“You saw the shot?” one of them asks.

“Yeah,” someone answers.

“Then where’d they take her?”

At the realization that you’re not only gone, but they don’t even know where your body is, Tim begins looking around. He sees his Sergeant, Captain, and the Metro commanders huddled in a corner and walks directly to them.

“I want a position in the task force. You need more people, and I’m one of the few patrol officers who knows how to complete a manhunt like this,” he demands.

“I understand where you’re coming from Bradford, but you’re too invested in this to go out alone,” Wade replies.

“Then let me go with him,” Lucy interjects. “Tim knows what he’s doing, and we can patrol and engage in the manhunt at the same time, right?”

Wade looks to the Metro sergeant to his left, who shrugs noncommittedly. He sighs before nodding and tells Tim to get back out on the street and wait for the information about the gunman.

“Wait,” Tim tells Lucy as he stops beside his desk.

He pulls the book from the bottom drawer and tucks it under his arm before continuing to the shop. If this is his last drive where you’re involved, he wants you there. Or as close as he can get.

“Dispatch released a picture,” Lucy says before turning the dash computer toward Tim.

He looks at the picture until the light turns green, and then he begins a grid search surrounding the Wilshire Federal Building. If that man is still nearby, and Tim finds him first, prison will be the least of his worries.

“What’s the book?” Lucy inquires.

“It’s her favorite,” Tim answers.

“You know what her favorite book is. That’s really sweet, Tim.”

“She’s been telling me for years to read it and I keep making excuses not to.”

“And now?”

Tim nods, and Lucy knows that he is going to not only read the book but devour it and everything related to it to feel close to you again.

“7-Adam-19, assault in progress inside Shell gas station at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Greenfield Avenue. 9-1-1 caller requested your presence on scene.”

Tim hits the steering wheel before telling Lucy to accept the call. He doesn’t have time to break up a fight in a gas station, not when your killer is on the loose. The gas station is less than five minutes away, but Tim gets grumpier with every minute. As he and Lucy enter the gas station, he’s prepared to jump in the fight just to finish it faster.

“You called the police, what’s the problem?” Tim asks the cashier.

The young girl looks scared; her face is pale, and her hands shake above the cash register.

“This doesn’t look like an assault in progress,” Tim adds with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Lucy steps forward to speak to the girl while Tim looks around. The gas station is empty, but Tim doesn’t make it far before he sees a blood trail on the floor. It rounds the end of the cashier’s counter and disappears under a door. Tim pulls his gun and whispers for Lucy to stay ready as he steps toward the door.

“In there?” Lucy asks.

The woman behind the counter nods, and Lucy gestures for Tim to go ahead. Tim pushes the door open and raises his gun to clear the room while Lucy stays on the other side of the opening. He looks down to follow the blood but freezes when someone speaks.

“Officer Bradford, California Penal Code 217.1 is punishable by what?”

“Chen!” Tim yells as he holsters his gun.

Lucy hits the light switch for the storage closet, and Tim kneels to lift a bloody gun from the floor.

“They said you died,” Tim says as he moves closer to you.

You hear Tim begin asking questions when he enters the gas station and hope that the cashier that you scared by walking in covered in your blood can point him to your hiding spot in the storage closet. Your gun is on the floor beside your feet and your long-sleeve Metro t-shirt is balled against the gunshot wound in your shoulder.

When Tim opens the door, you ask him about a penal code before your head tips forward. Staying conscious while losing blood isn’t as easy as some may think, and you want to make a joke, but Tim jumps to action before you can.

“They said you died,” Tim says quietly.

He lays a hand over your cheek as his other hand applies more pressure to the fabric on your shoulder.

“I think that was the goal,” you mumble.

“Chen, radio for-“

“No!” you interrupt. Your voice raises at the idea of Chen communicating this news over the radio. “The men who we went in there to arrest have radios. They knew we were coming, but if they think I’m dead we can use that.”

“You need help,” Tim argues.

He reaches for his phone, and you lay a bloody hand on his forearm to stop him. You wait for him to look at your face to smile.

“We find another way to get help. But as far as anyone with a police radio knows, I’m still dead.”

“How am I supposed to get you treatment for a GSW without raising any red flags? Any ER nurse will call the police.”

“What about Grace?” Lucy suggests. “Nolan’s friend? If we could talk to her before we take you in, she may be able to keep it quiet.”

“If you think it will work, let’s do it,” you agree.

“No,” Tim interrupts. “We’re not putting your life in the hands of a rookie.”

“Tim, she’s right. This is a good plan and one we need if we want these guys off the street. Please, just trust me and Lucy for a few minutes. You can yell at us and brainstorm new Tim Tests later.”

“Call Grace,” Tim says as he moves his arms around you. “If this starts going wrong, or something happens to you, I will use my radio.”

“Understood.”

You keep your uninjured arm across your chest as Tim lifts you into his arms. Lucy leads the way out and opens the backdoor of the shop before apologizing to the gas station clerk. She leaves her card and scribbles the number of someone who can clean the bloody scene but reminds the girl not to call the police or tell anyone you were here. As Tim drives through traffic and Lucy talks to Grace, you notice a book in the floorboard and chuckle.

“What?” Tim asks quickly.

“You have my rook book.”

“Guess I don’t have to read it now that you’re not dead.”

“If I didn’t know better I would think you’re mad at me, Bradford.” “You know exactly what I’m thinking.”

“Don’t risk your job for revenge, Tim. I know you care about me, and I care about you, too, but this isn’t worth it. We work the case like any other.”

“Easy for you to say,” Tim snaps. “You didn’t think the woman you love was murdered twenty minutes ago.”

Lucy ends the call and looks through the cage at you. It’s not how Tim planned to tell you, but he feels lighter with the admission.

“I’m sorry, Tim,” you whisper.

“Tell me after.”

“I’m not waiting until the end of Lucy’s probation period.”

“Please don’t,” she agrees. “I can only take so much more pining from this one.”

“I don’t pine,” Tim grumbles.

“Yes, you do,” you and Lucy argue together.

“Bradford, status report?” Wade radios.

Tim looks at Lucy, who apologizes quickly for not communicating a code 4.

“Code 4, Grey,” Tim replies. “But don’t ask any questions right now.”

“Okay. As long as you didn’t break any laws, this conversation never happened.”

Tim glances over his shoulder at you, and you state, “I haven’t broken any laws. Have you?”

“Not yet.”

“If there’s blood on this book later, that’s your fault.”

Tim sighs, and it sounds almost like a laugh. You don’t have time to tease him before he pulls into the emergency room drop-off area of Shaw Memorial Hospital. Grace and several nurses run out and wheel you in quickly, promising to help you without asking any questions or reporting anything to the police.

“What now?” Lucy asks as the doors close behind you.

“Now, we find the people who are getting 15 to life for trying to kill an officer for completing her duties,” Tim answers.

“Tim,” Lucy calls.

He stops, and she points to the blood staining his skin. Tim opens the trunk of the shop and retrieves a pack of wipes from one of the war bags. Lucy watches as he harshly scrubs your blood from his skin and gets angrier with every wipe he tosses aside.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” she asks.

“Lucy,” he begins as he slams the trunk closed. “I’m pissed off and I have a feeling in my chest that I’m not used to. But how I feel doesn’t matter. We’re going to get every single one of the people involved in this, and make sure they end up in a hole.”

“By ‘a hole,’ you mean prison, right?” Tim walks around the shop rather than answering, and Lucy rushes to repeat, “You mean prison, right?”

“7-Adam-19, report to Sepulveda and Ohio Avenue.”

“What now?” Tim yells.

He steers the shop into an illegal U-turn and speeds down Sepulveda Boulevard. Lucy gasps as they near the intersection.

“Turn left onto Ohio,” she says.

“Why?”

“Just do it!”

“Second left onto Camden,” she adds after he turns.

Tim slams on the brakes when he sees someone sitting on the curb at the end of Camden Avenue. Lucy exits the shop as soon as it stops and rushes to hug you as you stand.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the hospital?” Tim demands as he joins you.

“Uh, no?” you guess.

“It’s not your fight anymore. You’re dead, remember?”

“Tim-“

“No, you’re going home. You just got out of the hospital.”

“It was just a flesh wound. Lots of blood, a couple of stitches, but no long-term damage. Besides, when’s the last time you got to watch a ghost slap the cuffs on her killer?”

“Look around Tim,” Lucy encourages.

He already know where he is: the sight of his first arrest with you as his TO, it’s a day he’ll never forget. Tim groans before he waves his hand toward the shop. Lucy cheers and offers you her seat. It’s strange being in the passenger seat with Tim again; last time you were here, he was in long sleeves and fresh out of the Army. He was a great rookie, and he’s a great TO, but you want him to be more.

“Tim!” you alert just as Tim slows to a stop.

“I see him,” he agrees.

“Was that too easy?” Lucy asks.

“Well, it’s not over yet,” Tim responds.

“We can do it,” you tell Tim. “You go left, I go right, Lucy splits the middle.”

“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” Lucy whispers from the backseat.

“Alright,” Tim agrees. “Lucy, you do whatever you have to do to get the one in the middle down, okay?”

“3… 2… 1…” you and Tim count down together.

You exit the shop silently and leave the doors open. As Tim goes wide to take down the suspect on the left, you move toward the man who shot you. You, Lucy, and Tim strike at the same time and push the suspects down onto the sidewalk. The man beneath you attempts to elbow you in the face, but you shove his head down against the concrete and warn him against moving.

When you cuff him and pull him up to his knees, the man gets a good luck at your face. His expression changes and he leans away like you’re truly a ghost. He tries to move back, but only tips and rolls into the street.

“Leave him,” Tim says as he reaches for his radio. “Grey, this is Bradford, Chen, and our missing Metro officer. We’ve got good news and three suspects in custody. Send backup to my location.”

“No R/A?” you ask. “Because you seemed really eager to send me back to the hospital earlier.”

“You seem fine,” Tim explains with a shrug.

“Tim,” you call as you exit Wade’s office.

He’s changed into his civvies and is preparing to leave for the night. You can’t let him, though, because there is no more time.

“Can you- do you wanna come over for a bit?” you ask.

The left side of Tim’s lips move up as he nods, and you accept his hand as he leads you to his truck. Tim drives to your home in relative silence, and you use the time to find the right words to say. Once you’re inside, you sit on the couch beside Tim and decide to tell him everything. You’ve let him into your life and your house, now you just have to let him in on how you feel.

“You said you loved me in the shop today,” you say. “But I have been falling for you since the moment you walked into roll call your first day. You’ve always been more than my rookie and I can’t live another day without you in my life, Tim. I want you. Nightmares, embarrassing memories between us, fake rook books, all of it. I need you, Tim.”

Tim leans closer with his arm stretched on the back of the couch behind your shoulders. “This is better than 1001.66,” he murmurs.

“Did you just compare my confession of being in love with you to a penal code about bad checks? Because that is-“

Your words end in a hum as Tim curls his arm around your shoulders and kisses you. He tugs you closer, and you hold his face between your hands as you show him that your words are more than that. Tim has had a crush on you since he started patrolling with you, but now he knows that he loves you and needs you beside him. You push him, and he pushes you, but you do it because you know what you’re capable of.

Tim’s phone rings, but he ignores it as he pulls you closer, so your legs are bracketing his. He leans up to continue kissing you as his phone begins ringing again. You press your hands against his chest and break away to retrieve his phone. He follows your movement and peppers kisses along your jaw, completely uninterested in answering his phone.

You see the name on the caller ID and answer, “Hi, Lucy.”

“Hey!” she replies. “I wanted to ask how you’re doing. And if Tim’s alright after everything that happened.”

“We’re both fine,” you promise breathlessly.

“Wait-“

You assume that Lucy realizes that you answered Tim’s phone, which means you’re still together. She squeals into the phone, and you pull it away from your ear and smile.

“Oh, I have to tell Angela!” she yells.

Tim rolls his eyes and keeps one hand around your waist as he pulls his phone away from you. “Bye,” he says quickly before ending the call.

“Hanging up on your rookie isn’t nice,” you say.

“Like you wouldn’t have hung up on me.”

“You were scared to call because you had a crush on me.”

“Still do.”

“What? Tim-“

Tim cuts you off with another kiss; it’s his answer and a reminder of how he feels. You remember the rook book that was in his truck, but now that you’re a permanent fixture in Tim’s life, you can make sure he reads it.

[chenfordsource]

CHENFORD COUNTDOWN counting the days to season six || day 217 You never would've let me work my magic if I had told you, and then I would have ended up transferring to another station to save you from yourself, and...

[theflyindutchwoman]

No sense in arguing about it. But we're so good at arguing. I know. But I'm hoping that we're good at certain other things, as well. Oh? Want to find out right now? Yeah.

| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 5.12 - Death Notice

Sometimes I wonder whether this scene is real or not… I just love it so much. It's serious, it's tender, it's playful… it's sizzling. It has some of the same intimate vibes as their very first kiss, with all the dim lights and candles everywhere, while still having its own flavor. Its own identity. Like the fact that they're in the kitchen this time, with Lucy preparing dinner for them. And the domestic feels in this… Cooking is one of her love languages, her way of showing how much she cares. There was already a hint of that when she sent food to Tim during his recovery after the events at the quarantine house. And we saw her cooking for Tamara, for Angela… or for her parents to celebrate her graduation (and I'm still salty about that one). This is something that she clearly has in common with Tim, judging by the way he looks so happy while making pancakes for her or how they apparently enjoy watching cooking shows together. It's their thing and it's so nice that they finally have someone with whom they can share this… Someone who can fully appreciate it.

All this romantic ambiance doesn't prevent Lucy from still talking about the job though, and more specifically her hypothetical transfer. She wants to get that out of the way before taking that next step and she's right. She is prodding a bit, asking Tim for his input since he has yet to explicitly endorse her plan. And she has to sense that he has been deflecting a bit, delaying the decision. For good reason, of course. The way he looks so at peace with his choice when he admits that he has already asked for his transfer so she wouldn't have to leave versus how upset and distressed she is by this… The softness in his voice when he says 'that doesn't matter' when she worries about him not liking his new job… There's this thing Eric does with his voice here that is amazing. I don't know if he was sick when they filmed that scene, his voice sounds slightly different somehow, huskier… And it fits the mood so well.

But that aside, it's not like her worries are entirely baseless either. Lucy understands exactly the sacrifice he's making because she knows how much he loves patrol and the action. And this is the kind of decision that could eventually lead to resentment. At the same time, this is Tim : he knows what he is doing. It's not the first time he had to consider doing a similar thing. Only, now, he has found someone who is worth the effort. Who is worth more than his job. So it's a trade off he is willing to make without hesitation. He raises another good point : a transfer for her would most likely mean that she would have to prove herself again. It might not be a demotion per se, but she would have to pay her dues again. Besides, he has to know that this is merely temporary : he just needs to wait for a better position to open up. Whereas changing stations would be a more permanent option and would prevent them from working or spending time together at work. There's such a romantic quality in the fact that he wants to spend as much time as possible with her, even if it's just for a few minutes here and there… Honestly, the way these two always light up when they see the other at the station is so incredibly soft.

'No sense in arguing about it' - 'But we're so good at arguing' This exchange is simply perfect… It's inherently them. What started as real arguments slowly evolved into this form of flirting for them. It lost its edge and blossomed into this playfulness and teasing they have mastered a long time ago… It was their way of showing how much they cared. So it's nice to see them acknowledge it and recognise that they enjoy doing it. Even more so considering how much Lucy used to avoid arguing with Chris, because deep down, it wasn't worth it. This really underlines the difference. And her tone, her smile when she admits enjoying arguing with him… That kiss… Tim standing up… Her hand lingering… And his flirting… He's come so far from 'naked times', he's getting smoother. The little tilt of her head, teasing him… And his grin! With all the laughing lines so visible… Their little swaying… His little 'yeah', barely audible, just for them… Her big smile… How she doesn't waste any more time and takes off his shirt, one with snap buttons because he came prepared… The man understood the assignment! The way she slightly leans away from him so she can check him out (shamelessly) while he's trying to lean forward, not wanting to stop that kiss or to be so far from her… Their forehead touching… The way he gets rid of his shirt… Her freaking smile… Their hands! The way he cradles her head… Her hands roaming all over his body… Her little giggles… His hand behind her head when they hit the wall, to ensure she doesn't hurt herself… The detail of her hair against the closed door… Speaking of. 'I opened the door for you'… The imagery of opened doors since their feelings have been out, has been so strong… Well, this time, Tim gets to close it. It's really just a detail, but so symbolic.

This is the beginning of a new era for them… And what makes me so happy is how Lucy and Tim are staying true to themselves. It's really about adding another element to their relationship, not changing it.

[intelligentfan]

Top 5 chenford moments (pre-relationship)

1) Tim telling Lucy he’s not transferring to North Hollywood because he’s not done training her. This for me was the turning point in their relationship from TO/Boot to becoming friends.

2) Lucy comforting Tim after confronting his dad. This was such a sweet moment and Lucy knew Tim needed a friend and Tim didn’t trust just anyone to go with him.

3) Tim hugging Lucy after finding her in the barrel and the hospital scene after. Tim cared about Lucy more than just as TO and it showed.

4) Tim telling Lucy that she deserves someone who is worth the effort. He had feelings for her and he didn’t know if she felt the same but he still gave her heartfelt advice.

5) Lucy stealing Tim’s money clip and telling him to glove up. This is the moment that Tim knew Lucy wasn’t going to put up with his shit and that they could be friends once her training is done.

[sisterofficerlucychen]

Do you think Tim and Lucy will get back together? If they do do you think it will be another secret dating era? If they get back together and he is still on patrol that would make him her direct supervisor again like he is now, do you think we would have a repeat of 5x12 or would they be able to date without one of them having to transfer? I think this time it should be Lucy changing jobs.

Do you think.Tim is actually going to get the help he needs? If he does do you think part of it is so that he can a better man for Lucy the kind that he thinks she deserves? Do you Lucy will get the help she needs? Sorry so many questions. Do you think the writers will go the route of having them date others before returning to each other or do you think it will be attempt #2 that will stick?

hi ♡ omg no pls bring ‘em all.

Do you think Tim and Lucy will get back together? 

yes, 100%. there’s quite a few reasons why i think they will: 

ngl, my favorite reason i talked about here but essentially the foreshadowing through parallels

aside from that, there’s a $$$ component. a big part of their viewership stems from chenford and they know this, they know what it means lol. to quote abril rodas: “that’s bad business” (to not get them back together) 😂

the tca interview where eric said lucy would “help bring out a lot of the best in tim to help him navigate that” — we haven’t seen this and even if it’s not lucy supporting him through this as a couple, i think it’s a step in the right direction. i think past the pain and shock and awkwardness of it all, lucy will worry and want to help when she sees how bad he's spiraling? that's who she is.

there’s far too many hints from the actors for it to be permanent like they all keep saying to have hope and that the finale will end at least with some resolution.

i am delulu and refuse to believe that five years of a slow burn ends here ✨ (i wanted to quote another character but i can't remember who said it lmao. but insert here that line about it not making a good ending to the story or something like that?)

If they do do you think it will be another secret dating era? 

idk but i want it 👀

here’s the thing, there’s so much we missed in their secret dating era. like i want more of them sneaking around and almost getting caught, trying to play it off but others starting to catch on, the reaction of everyone finding out they’re back together! oh! and an actual betting pool that we see this time????

plus it has the potential to make sense, i think? because it could be that they’re sneaking around because they’re still testing the waters and trying to figure it out again before letting everyone know.

If they get back together and he is still on patrol that would make him her direct supervisor again like he is now, do you think we would have a repeat of 5x12 or would they be able to date without one of them having to transfer? 

hmm, i’m not sure but you bring up an interesting point. i know eric said we wouldn’t see tim in metro uniform for a while and i thought that he was back in metro gear by the finale but he isn’t? which now makes me wonder if he ever will be? i have wonderings about this now lol. but anyway, i could see it going both ways? on one hand, i want to say it’d be a repeat of 5x12 bc its protocol but also, they’ve already been a couple before and worked together so idk what protocol is with that 🤷 

however, looking back at the s6 finale bts — tim’s in patrol uniform and lucy’s not? so there may be a chance that regardless if they’re back together or not, lucy ends up moving out of patrol and does make detective? because it's odd that tim, aaron, and celina are all in uniform while lucy and angela are not? like the only other reason i could think of for lucy not being in uniform but still on patrol is that she was undercover and got made/tagged in somehow to whatever's gonna go down?

Do you think Tim is actually going to get the help he needs?

god, i hope so. this poor man has had so much trauma in one lifetime. he needs to heal, he needs a break. i think it was confirmed in an interview or at least alluded to that he does? aside from what we see in the 6x07 promo with sus therapist hopefully. there’s so much he’s holding onto that i don’t think he’s ever fully processed any of it like the majority of his life has been to be in survival mode? 

 If he does do you think part of it is so that he can a better man for Lucy the kind that he thinks she deserves? 

yes and no. from how he broke up with her, i don’t see him going about getting help and healing for her, i think he’ll do it because he needs to. he needs to do it for himself, to heal from the scars he carries and forgive himself to see that he's worthy of so much. i think that would have been an entirely different conversation if he was gonna get help to be someone who he thinks lucy deserves. but i do believe he’ll become that person again though as a result from it. 

Do you Lucy will get the help she needs?

i also really hope so. lucy bottles things just as much as tim does except she does a much better job at hiding it because she comes off as such an open book that you’d never know. i think the break up will be the tipping point? ngl, i'm struggling a little more to understand her storyline because it doesn't seem as clear. we know it'll be regarding her mental health but i thought it was going to be fully kicked off with the shooting and then it wasn't? so i'm guessing the break up might be the tipping point? because there's so much she also hasn't processed that she really does need to. i also hope she's able to see the support system she actually has because they keep isolating her and she's not alone but she feels alone which is only going to be magnified by tim walking away (and likely? tamara moving out).

Do you think the writers will go the route of having them date others before returning to each other or do you think it will be attempt #2 that will stick?

i don't think so, at least i hope not. i find it really hard to imagine either of them dating someone else because of why they broke up like they didn't stop loving each other: tim walked away because he thought he was doing what was best for her and lucy was literally grasping for him as he kissed her goodbye. the fact that they were joking about grandkids on their second date, nonchalantly discussing their own kids when they lost jordy, they were building a future with each other. how do you move on from that when you found the person you want to spend your life with? i think attempt #2 will be the one that sticks but i don't think it's going to be easy or quick, there's so much pain there and aside from breaking her heart he also broke her trust but because of it i do think they'll come back even stronger.

[centralperkchenford]

Chenford + Lucy is heartbroken over the fake proposal so asks grey for a transfer and Tim finds out

I hope you like this one!

Chenford + Lucy is heartbroken over the fake proposal so asks grey for a transfer and Tim finds out

This love is difficult, but it's real Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess

Lucy stands in front of Grey’s office twisting her hands together, she blinks back the tears and the image of Tim on one knee in front of Ashley proposing. Okay not actually proposing, but still..it was an image that would haunt her for awhile. And whenever she even thought of Tim, her stomach turned over.

The thought of Tim didn’t usually do that to her. Not even when she was a rookie and he was barking orders at her and putting her through Tim tests. The thing is lately, the thought of Tim, the sight of Tim gave her butterflies. He made her smile, he made her roll her eyes in exasperation but she also was just fond of him. Like she wanted to be near him all the time.

He was annoying as hell sometimes and drove her up the wall but he was also one of the most important people in her life. One that she kept close to her, because she never wanted to lose him.

Which is why….

She is doing what she is doing. She can’t lose Tim and she thinks maybe some space from him will do her good, will get her back to herself and then they can resume their friendship even if it kills her.

“Officer Chen.” Grey says motioning her to sit down. She does and she puts one leg over the other and then switches. “What can I do for you?”

Lucy hesitates. Is she actually going to do this? Can she even get the words out?

“I want to transfer to another station.” She says. Grey sits up in his seat and stares at her, his jaw tense. Lucy swallows as the silence engulfs them.

“May I ask why?” Grey asks calmly. Lucy swallows again and she supposes because I’m in love with my former Training Officer is an appropriate answer.

“I need a change.” She says. “I think it will be good for me sir.” There’s a beat of silence and then Grey speaks again.

“Does Tim know?” He asks. Lucy holds Grey’s gaze and shakes her head.

“No sir.” She answers. “He doesn’t and I think it’s for the best.”

Grey frowns at her but then nods. “I think there’s a position open at West Hollywood.” He says. “I will give the Watch Commander there a call.” He says and stares at her some more. “I want you to take a personal day to think this over and get your ducks in a row.” Lucy chews on her lip and she hears what he’s not saying. Talk to Tim.

Lucy nods and stands up. “Yes sir and thank you.” She heads to the door and puts her hand on the handle pausing and then pushing her way out.

This was for the best.

***

Tim yawns as he comes into the station, his eyes focused on finding Lucy. The fake proposal was just a joke. And he thought Lucy would laugh and roll her eyes at him.. except he hadn’t heard from her and true he was with Ashley but that never stopped her from at least answering his text.

And then he has spent all night, mulling over Ashley’s revelation that she didn’t want to get married or have kids. Two things Tim wanted more than anything, and so he had ended it telling her he didn’t want an relationship that wasn’t going to go anywhere.

She had been more than upset, and stormed away before Tim could even apologize. And then he had spent the rest of the obsessively looking at his phone waiting for Lucy to text him back.

But she never did and it was weighing down on Tim, and he felt like he was drowning and couldn’t come up for air.

So maybe his breakup with Ashley was more than just what he told her. Maybe it was because he wanted someone else. Lucy.

His eyes scan the bullpen but he doesn’t see Lucy, and she is usually here. His heart plummets thinking of the last time she didn’t show up for work. He felt like the world was crashing down on him then too.

He swallows takes a deep breath and spots Aaron. He makes his away over to the younger man, but just as he’s approaching him Angela steps in front of him a frown on her face.

“Move Lopez.” He growls. His eyes are still on Aaron as he tries to move around his friend. But she stops him again.

“She took a personal day.” Angela says. Tim blinks at her a few times, letting the the words sink in.

“What?” He asks dumbly.

“Lucy.” Angela says and Tim’s heart sinks. “Lucy took a personal day. Shes transferring stations.”

Tim blinks at her again utterly confused. “What do you mean she’s transferring stations?” He asks. Angela blows out a breath but doesn’t answer. “Why is she transferring stations.”

Angela sighs. “I don’t know why Tim. Grey told me it in passing today. You will have to ask him or better yet Lucy.”

Tim sighs and Angela reaches out to pat his arm. “She was pretty upset last night after you pulled the stunt with the proposal.” Angela says. Tim’s heart sinks even more and he wants to go back and take it all back. He wants to hit himself for even thinking of doing that.

“I-it was a joke.” He says softly. “I didn’t know she was that upset.” Angela searches his face and then hums sympathetically.

“I would ask her about it Tim.” She says. “Maybe you could make it right so she doesn’t feel like she has to leave.”

Tim nods and swallows down everything he wants to say except he doesn’t want to say it to Angela.

He wants to say it to Lucy.

Soon.

He doesn’t leave right away though because he has a job to do. He makes it through his shift, his mind on Lucy the whole time and how stupid he was.

He changes out and rushes to his truck, he calls Lucy but as he expected she doesn’t answer. He presses on the gas, pulling into her apartment parking lot and parking. He taps the console, and then climbs out of his truck. He’s not sure what he’s going to say but he knows he has to say something.

He knocks on her door when he gets there. It’s hesitant but he knows this has to be done. Lucy opens the door after a few minutes and she frowns when she sees him.

“What are you doing here?” She asks her tone cool and stiff. Tim blows out a breath.

“Can we talk?” He asks. Lucy hesitates but steps aside and he walks in. Lucy shuts the door and turns to him. There’s an heavy awkward silence, as they just stand there.

“Uh.” Starts Lucy. “What—”

“Don’t transfer..” He says quickly.

Lucy raises her eyebrows at him. “Tim…”

“I’m sorry I hurt you. It was stupid. I thought it would be funny but I didn’t think you—”

“Tim—”

“I broke up with Ashley. She didn’t want the same things I did and I don’t want to be in a relationship that’s not going to go anywhere.” He says. Lucy’s mouth drops a little bit and then she closes it. “I’m really sorry Lucy. Please don’t transfer because of this.”

“Tim—I.. it’s not just because of that. Lately I have been feeling like I want more with you.” She says. “And you don’t feel the same way. Do you?”

Tim’s heart pounds and then sinks a little because how does she not see how he feels about her? There’s more silence and Tim takes a step closer to her, she doesn’t move but she still looks tense as he comes closer.

“Why didn’t you come talk to me?” He asks her. He’s in reaching distance now, he could reach out to and pull her in. But he’s not going to do that. Yet.

Lucy hesitates before she answers. She bites her lip and then pushes hair behind her ear. “I didn’t think you wanted to talk to me. You drove off with Ashley and I—” She shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m sorry Lucy. It wasn’t my intent to hurt you I just—” He starts and Lucy looks at him, her face relaxing a little.

“I know Tim. I—” She picks at the skin on her fingers. “I thought maybe we needed a little space.”

“Why?”

Lucy licks her lips. “I didn’t want to lose you and you were dating Ashley and I—” She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

“You won’t lose me Lucy.” He says sincerely. “And to answer your earlier question. I do.”

“You do what?”

“Have feelings for you.” He says simply. Lucy’s mouth falls open slightly and then she takes a step forward.

She’s so close now, he can smell her body spray. And he wants more of it, he wants her closer.

“You do?” She asks softly. Tim nods and this time he does reach out and pull her in. She lets him, and she settles her hands on his waist. His hands find her back and he rubs circles on it for a few seconds.

“Do you not want me to transfer because you feel guilty or because of your feelings for me?” She asks. He brushes some hair out of her face.

“I don’t want you to transfer because I would go crazy not seeing you everyday.” He says. She smiles up at him.

“You know if we start… this we will have to—”

“We will figure something out.” He says softly. She nods and then stands on her toes to give him a quick kiss. It’s a little hesitant, like she’s not sure if she should be doing it. She pulls away but he pulls her back in, his lips ghosting hers.

“If you want to transfer, I’m not going to hold you back. But—”

“I don’t want to.” She says quickly and she smiles when he beams back at her.

“Good.” He says.

She stands up again to kiss him and this time it lasts longer and it’s so much sweeter. And he has a feeling every kiss after that will be just that much sweeter. And he can’t wait for all of them.

[gidyolf]

what if the 911 writers are setting it up so that eventually buck will become a licensed helicopter pilot and transfer to a different station in the area to fly emergency helicopters. That way he and Eddie will still be able to date on the show when they eventually get together. So that them being in the same station isn’t a conflict of interest. Think like how the Rookie did that with Chenford.

[detectivechen]

the writers vs. lucy chen

i wasn’t looking for her to get promoted at a random moment in the season, so that’s not the issue. she’ll get promoted eventually. she has to be. otherwise, these writers will never beat the allegations, and tbh, they’re running out of time.

it’s definitely a collective decision, too, bc the writers have changed hands multiple times since that girl, ep 513. not even my fave writer could save the five-player trade storyline from the trenches. such a shame bc this ep was vintage rookie: very cohesive and exciting!

what are these allegations?

it’s 100% misogynistic for them to falsely equate lucy’s influence with manipulation to create obstacles in her life. it was annoying for them to do it personally, but now it’s downright infuriating for them to do it professionally.

because if anyone deserves a stress-free path and a fast-track to a promotion on this show, it’s lucy chen. mid-wilshire’s shooting champ endured traumatic hazing to prove her chops for UC as a rookie. as a newly minted P2, she singlehandedly dismantled two drug cartels on her first deep cover op, after meticulous preparation.

yet, she has none of the commendations that would normally go along with accomplishments of that magnitude. they moved on way too quickly from that to make chenford ride together again and assert nolan’s position as the rookie. so even though lucy has nothing left to prove, she’s been stuck fighting for leadership positions to get more points in favor of a promotion.

why does this matter?

lucy chen is a unicorn. finding a highly capable, girl-next-door asian-american female lead with an equally strong moral compass like her, esp in her field, is very difficult.

it’s painful to watch the writers ruin what they’ve built by making something out of nothing, given the way they’ve upgraded the careers of their two white male officers in the last two seasons without issue. it’s sending the message that women of color really do have to work twice as hard to get the same accolades, even in a fictional world, and not in the social commentary way.

in s4, nolan’s promotion to P2 was so ugly. the team was concerned with finding the killer of lucy’s best friend, a black man, and her situationship’s former TO’s best friend, a latina woman. somehow, though, the white man who undermined the justice system egregiously in the name of self-righteousness got an on-cam pat on the back from his black watch commander for taking his punishment well. the audacity. even tim’s deserved promotion happened off-cam.

in s5, her peer, nolan, leaves her in the dust by getting awarded a golden ticket for being a white savior at the border. detective is seemingly open for him again, even after being told that his self-righteousness cost him that privilege, but he opts for TO. what a slap in the face for lucy, who always navigated policy and procedure well.

make it make sense.

to make matters worse, the writers have now proceeded to willfully interpret her goodwill to help her bf get a more prestigious lateral transfer as malicious to make everyone turn on her.

after everything you have been through, how often you have proven yourself, there is not a cop in here who would not have your back if you asked. –harper in 505

so suddenly, every accomplishment lucy’s ever had is thrown out the window bc she did a lil networking to get her superior sergeants referrals for placements more suited to their current values? this punishment of making her worried about getting her score tanked doesn’t fit the crime of her secret involvement in tim’s career at all.

regardless, she’ll take the detective's exam in two weeks their time (ep 521). let’s see what bs comes up to make the ‘grand plan’ of delaying her promotion for the 100th ep happen (ep 602). 🙃

[escapismqueen]

A call in the night- A Chenford fic

Tim gets a call in the middle of the night from Lucy. What could It possibly be about ? (Probably will have had to watch season 2 to to understand what’s going on.)

TW: talks of trauma and kidnapping. Allusions to a panic attack.

Inc: Angst, hurt/comfort and lots and lots of fluff

Hope you all enjoy this. Think this is the best one I’ve written so far, so let me know what you all think 🥰also, interact if you can, I’d love to know how I’m doing. love to you all xx

Tim groans and rubs the sleep from his eyes, adjusting slowly to the light, the continuous ring of his phone cutting through the silence of the room.

He shuffles in his bed to his side and reaches for his phone to see that Lucy is calling him. Brows furrowed, he wonders if she’s okay. He knows that she was working slightly later tonight, that’s why he was at his place instead of hers.

He remembers well because she told him this morning with an adorable pout on her face, insisting that she ‘wished she could cuddle on the couch with him instead’ and he’s not ashamed to admit to himself that it sent a ripple of warmth through his body. He also remembers because it’s Lucy. And there’s nothing that Lucy says that he will ever forget.

With no more than a blink, Tim grasps for the phone with rapid pace, his hands fumbling in the dark.

“Luce? You okay ?” Silence “Lucy ?” It’s now that Tim starts to hear her stuttered breathing and sniffles through the phone. There’s a pang in his heart that arises and he’s sadly familiar with the cause. Lucy Chen is hurting. He’s felt it twice before, and he’s hated every single time. The first being when he pulled Lucy from the barrel and she sobbed and shook in his arms so much that Tim thought he’d bawl from the sight. The second time was when everyone saw the video of Jackson getting shot. And although it hurt Tim to see it too, there was a feeling he couldn’t quite explain when he saw Lucy’s face. The way she gasped in horror. The way her hands reached for support because her legs were about to buckle from grief. His heart ached; and here it was again.

“Lucy, what’s happened ? Are you okay ?” He can feel his thoughts muddling and his heart running away from him, it’s beating so rapidly.

“I- I”

“Breathe with me Luce, in and out okay” his voice has softened, tone warm and comforting; the way he talks when they have their pillow talk- Lucy always tells him it relaxes her, and he can tell that’s what she needs right now.

Tim hears Lucy slowly exhale and inhale with him, her breathing becoming less stuttered by the minute. “Whenever you’re ready” he’s trying to be calm, to let her come out with it when in her own time, but all he can think about is ‘what if she’s in danger ?’ ‘What if she’s hurt ?’ His head is swimming with nothing but negativity, he can’t bare to hear Lucy cry. All he wants to do is transfer the pain to himself.

With a slightly more continuous breathing pace, still sniffling, lucy manages to speak “I erm- I had a dream; a nightmare” Tim let’s his eyes droop in relief, hand clutching at his chest, as if he had opened himself for pain and now needed to sooth himself slightly. He’s glad she’s not in imminent danger; but it doesn’t mean he’s happy. Thats clear from the way he rushes through his drawers, not even looking at what he’s picking up before he throws it over his slightly, now clammy body.

Tim thinks through what his reply should be, she’s clearly been badly affected by whatever it was, he doesn’t want to make her feel worse by immediately getting her to tell him what it was. The palms of his hands grasp at the ends of his dresser, hoping they’ll somehow offer him some words of advice.

“Okay. Do you want to talk about it sweetheart ?” His heart is clenched tight, no release until he knows that she’s okay again. “I think I need to. I just, I don’t know how to begin. It’s- I” Tim instantly notices that she’s struggling greatly with the topic of the nightmare. “Okay, okay. It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m on my way over, do you want to talk about it then ?” “Yeah, but you don’t need to Tim, it’s 3am ! We can speak about it tomorrow !” Lucy is so flattered and heartened by the way that Tim is so willing to drop everything to be there for her, that she feels herself welling up again.

“Lucy, I’m coming over, no discussion” Lucy can’t help but chuckle slightly, because Tim’s current stubbornness is reminding her of T.O Tim, and it makes her slightly giddy to think of how far they’ve come. “I’ll be there soon, okay ? Do you want me to stay on the phone?” Lucy shakes her head, before registering that Tim can’t see her. “No, I’ll be okay. See you soon” “see you soon sweetheart”

Lucy’s head shoots up, hearing Tim’s key jiggle in the door. She doesn’t have to watch it open to know it’s him. She already feels more at ease than she did before. It has to be him. She’s sure it’s some kind of message from the universe every time he’s in her presence that Tim is her person. Though she’s never needed a message, she’s known for a while; Tim Bradford is the man she’s going to marry.

Tim opens Lucy’s apartment door to find her crunched up on the couch, sleeves of her cardigan falling gracefully over the ends of her fingers. If he didn’t know she was upset, he’d think this scene was incredibly adorable. “Hi” his voice is sweet and smooth, whilst keeping it’s usual depth that Lucy loves so much.

Lucy’s glassy eyes meet his and for a split second, Tim wishes he could no longer see. His beautiful, sunshine like girlfriend, is shaking slightly, apples of her cheeks stained with tears; evidence that she’s been crying. Evidence that Tim needs to move with all speed and kneel in front of her. The inside of his palms lay softly on Lucy’s thighs, careful not to startle her, giving it a few seconds before he holds them with a more secure grip.

Lucy’s gaze flickers to Tim’s with an almost desperate plea. She needs safety and comfort right now, and the relief she feels at Tim’s presence and grip on her thighs, releases the pent up air from her lungs. “Thank you for coming” Tim gives her a smile, reaching to Lucy’s face and gently moving a piece of hair behind her ear. “You have nothing to thank me for. You need help, I’ll be here. You’re sad, I’ll be here. You want someone to tease, I’ll be here” Lucy giggles tenderly, slight crinkles forming at the sides of her eyes; he can always make her smile. She playfully pushes at his side, making him grin to know that he’s cheered her up slightly.

Lucy takes a deep breath and reaches for Tim’s hand on her thigh, rubbing her thumb back and forth gently on it, giving herself some encouragement. “I had a nightmare about Caleb” Tim’s whole body froze, face paling at even the thought. That feeling was back again. This was no standard nightmare, this was a reminder of her trauma. Tim’s expression changes from worried to devastated. He’s pained by the fact that she has to go through this again. His free hand now encompasses over Lucy’s, and he lifts it towards his lips, laying a lingering kiss on the inside of Lucy’s free hand. He feels the warmth of her skin, combined with a slight taste of salt; clearly she’s been wiping her tears a lot. “It’s okay, you’re safe. What happened in the nightmare ?”

Lucy exhales again, eyes focusing in on the reflection of light in her boyfriends eyes. “I was there again. He took me. I- I was. I was back in the barrel” her voice wavers, tears spilling delicately falling to her lips. “I kept hearing the song, over and over again, it just- it kept, it kept going and going. And I just felt this, this overwhelming sense of doom. Like that was gonna be it for me. You couldn’t get to me this time.” A sob racks from Lucy’s chest, her hand clasping tightly at Tim’s.

Tim stands up, and sits himself next to her, pulling her into his side and running his fingers comfortingly through the strands of her silky hair. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry you had to go through that again” they both sit in silence for what feels like an hour, bodies just connected to each other, no single part left on it’s own. Tim’s shirt is now wet with Lucy’s tears, similar to Lucy’s hair now being frizzed and messed slightly from Tim’s touches. Tim cradles Lucy’s head in his large hands, thumbs connecting with her cheeks, wiping the tears. He slowly lifts her head and rests his forehead against hers. “Come with me” he whispers.

Tim attentively holds Lucy’s hand and leads her to her room, suggesting for her to lie down whilst he puts some low lighting on. Lucy sits looking at him adoringly, knowing that Tim Bradford would do anything for her. And that feels so special and overwhelming. Her feelings have been put second her whole life by her parents, but here is her boyfriend; doing everything in his power to acknowledge her feelings and try and lessen the weight of pain that they’re causing her. She’s so sure she’s never felt as safe as this.

Tim lights the last light, and crawls onto the bed, nearing closer up to Lucy’s face, stopping as he gets to the hem of her shirt. He slowly grasps at the ends and looks up to Lucy, eyes awaiting to see if she’s comfortable. She smiles lightly at him, trusting him completely. Tim affectionately peels Lucy’s shirt up to just below her chest; fingers grazing appreciatively along the path of her skin. His fingers inch further up until he sees it. There it is. The tattoo. Tim peers up at Lucy, noticing that she’s not uncomfortable, his green light to keep going. He leans down slowly, lips touching ever so lightly at the letters and numbers etched onto the side of her rib cage. He kisses down softly and moves effortlessly to every single part of the tattoo.

Lucy’s eyes well up, the corners of her mouth upturning slightly at Tim’s actions. He’s doing it again. Showing her that she’s a survivor. She feels his lips trace patterns over the numbers, noticing the gentle but determined nature they hold.

“You’re here” he murmurs, the vibration of his words sending butterflies through Lucy’s stomach. “You’re here and you survived. You’re a survivor Lucy.” Tim lifts his head further up, breath feathering at Lucy’s enamoured complexion. His eyes freeze when they meet hers, focusing completely on her. “He can’t hurt you anymore. And I will make sure, with everything I have in me, that it never ever happens again” Lucy’s smile grows, caressing his face lovingly. Lucy is silent for a while, taking in everything that’s just happened, revelling in the love and care that she’s just been shown. “Thank you” she utters. Placing her pouted, lightly chapped lips upon his, she feels him relax into her touch, this clearly didn’t bother just her.

Their lips dance intoxicatingly for a while, weary to let go and stop the rush of fireworks that are soaring through their veins.

Lips parted, Tim smiles and lays onto the other side of the bed, grasping needily at Lucy’s waist. He pulls her into him and lays a sweet kiss onto the top of her head. Lucy rests her head into the crook of Tim’s neck, peppering him lovingly with little kisses. And that’s where they stay for the rest of the night. Tim whispering loving words into Lucy’s ear, both feeling grateful that she’s safe and that they can have this moment together right now.

[atrashbearthattrashes]

Intimacy Gaps

ok so I know I usually rant about the lack of connective tissue in S5 in bringing chenford together. I recently realized it’s because this season’s leapfrog approach to Chenford deprives us of an emotional intimacy that is the bedrock of a solid otp and the reason I started watching the rookie to begin with.

like — domestic chenford, transferring, talk of babies, ADORBS.

HOWEVER.

Building intimacy in a partnership requires vulnerability. For some reason, the show has chosen to strip out those small moments in favor of hitting the larger relationship beats, which has managed to flatten chenford for me.

For example — take the Isabel arc. We see Tim struggle with the angst of an addicted wife, we see Lucy confront him about it, yell at him about it. We see their mutual concern for one another; see him end things with his wife, partly due to Lucy’s influence. <chef’s kiss> in building emotional depth and angst.

Compare that to the Ashley/Chris storylines. We get a few snarky quips from both Tim and Lucy about dating other people. We never have a confessional scene where Lucy admits her jealousy or hurt. We don’t have Angela ribbing Tim over Chris, especially after that disastrous double date. We don’t have either of them end their relationships because their feelings for each other get the better of them; rather, they continue to be dragged along until outside circumstances force a change. Ashley dumps Tim for some batshit reason the writers pulled out of a hat, robbing him of agency or decision, and then Tim essentially robs Lucy of agency or decision by telling Lucy to break up with Chris. The result is a relationship that’s sort of developed by proxy rather than internal decisions driven by the characters, which is literally How Not to Write Characters 101.

On top of that, we never get insights from other characters the way we used to from Jackson (ie, Angela telling Lucy that Ashley’s a safe choice for example), and because of that, SO MUCH emotional intimacy is left on the table.

I guess my larger point is that we’re going through the motions of establishing an OTP on screen without earning it through the actual moments the show would have once upon a time written, and that just bums me out.

The physical intimacy is great and I’m glad we’re progressing. Just wish it was punctuated by that emotional depth that drew me into the rookie those first few seasons.

[deeg9]

Chenford + fight about their relationship

Hey anon -

Thanks for the request! You probably wanted something canon-adjacent for this but I recently wrote a Chenford fight scene in "Some things are more important" (STAMI) that I'm proud of. If you haven't read STAMI -- All you really need to know going into this scene is that (in the previous chapters) Lucy transferred to Hollywood and attended UC school after Chenford got together. While Lucy was away at school, Tim went undercover to help on an op related to Jake / Sava and got stabbed -- and then he downplayed it A LOT to Lucy. Hope you like it!

Tim rounded the corner to the squad room and found Lucy standing with Grey, her arms crossed across her chest. Despite the tension radiating off her body, he broke out into a smile. He wasn’t expecting her back for another day. 

“What are you doing here?” Tim asked, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She let him, but he felt how tight her jaw was when his lips met her skin. 

“To ask you the same thing,” Lucy said with fire in her eyes. “I just asked Grey if you’re riding a desk and he said no. You are not ready to be back in the field. You need to let that heal.”

She pointed to his stomach. 

This was not how he expected their reunion to go. 

“Are you barking out orders now?” Tim joked lightheartedly. “Last time I checked, I was the sergeant. Not you.” 

Grey let out a low whistle and focused on a spot on the ground. 

Lucy narrowed her gaze. 

“Fine,” Lucy stuck her hands on her hips. “Let’s hit the gym first and you can prove to me you’re fit for duty.”

“You’re going to put me through a workout?” Tim asked, raising his eyebrows. 

“I’m going to spar you,” Lucy told him. 

“I am not sparring you, Lucy,” Tim replied incredulously and crossed his arms. 

“Are you saying you’re not up for the challenge?” Lucy smirked, tilting her head to the side. 

“Of course I am,” Tim rebuffed. “I wouldn’t be back unless I was.”

“Ok. How about we make a deal: if you can take me down without popping a stitch, you can work today,” Lucy shrugged confidently. “If there is even a drop of blood, you go home and continue recovering. And you don’t come back until your stitches are out.”

Tim looked over at Grey who was finally meeting his gaze.

“You know I agree with Chen,” Grey laughed. “I told you as soon as I saw you that you shouldn’t be back yet.” 

“So you called her?” Tim accused.

“I did no such thing,” Grey asserted, his face full of amusement. 

Tamara. Tim rolled his eyes. He should have known after those big sad eyes she’d given him yesterday morning.

“Fine,” Tim conceded with a sigh. “But after roll call.”

“Works for me,” Lucy agreed with a smug grin. 

He was definitely not going down without a fight.

* * *

“I thought you had your last set of classes today.” Tim bent down to tie his laces, doing his best to hide a grimace. This was going to be brutal. 

Lucy had stood at the back of roll call with Angela and Nyla, glaring at him the entire time. Every single person in the room noticed. She hadn’t been to a dayshift roll call at Midwilshire in six months. Between the jabs Smitty was making under his breath and the hardly concealed laughs of Nolan, Webb, and Thorsen, he’d barely made it to the end without blowing a gasket. 

“It was just closing ceremony stuff so I booked an earlier flight to surprise you,” Lucy told him. “Imagine my surprise when I got home and Tamara told me you were going to work today.” 

“Like I told Tamara, I was planning to take it easy,” Tim insisted. “Thorsen was going to do all the heavy lifting.” 

“You know as well as I do that once you’re on the streets, you have no say in how easy the day will be.” Lucy stared him down, not ready to give him an inch. Behind the stubbornness, he could see the concern in her eyes. 

“I’m fine,” Tim assured her. 

“Stop stalling,” Lucy flicked her hand. “Get up.” 

Tim stood and rolled his shoulders out to loosen up. He circled the mat, waiting for Lucy to charge. 

She didn’t. 

“What are you waiting for?” Lucy taunted. The corner of her mouth ticked up. “Take me down, Sarge.” 

Tim went in low and Lucy spun, taking out his legs in one swift motion and ending up behind him. The next thing he knew, he was face down on the mat, and Lucy’s knee was pressed into his back. 

“Too slow,” she said, a smile in her voice. She rose to her feet.

“What was that?” Tim asked, popping back up. Renewed energy surged through his body. 

“What?” Lucy asked innocently. “You thought I spent four weeks at UC school sitting on my hands?”

“You’re teaching me that move,” Tim demanded with a proud grin and circled her again.

“Nah, I can’t give away any trade secrets.” She shot back, staying on the balls of her feet. 

He switched things up and used a combo he hadn’t tried since his days in the military. She wasn’t expecting it and lost her footing. 

This time, he was on top. He propped himself up just enough to avoid squishing her but relished the feeling of her warm body underneath his. Her eyes flickered to his lips and his mouth twitched into a satisfied grin that only grew when Lucy’s fingers edged under his shirt. 

He took in a staggered breath and began to lower his mouth. 

“I win,” Lucy whispered before dumping him off to the side. 

“What?” Tim blinked and looked down at the fresh blood stain on his shirt. He lifted the performance fabric and sure enough, he’d popped a stitch. 

Lucy sprung to her feet and held out a hand to help him up. He shook it off and she rolled her eyes at him. He tried to ignore the tug of another stitch pulling loose as he helped himself to his feet. 

“Go get cleaned up,” she ordered. “We’re going to get your stitches fixed and then I’m taking you home.”

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Lucy.” He shot back, the pain from the oozing wound doing nothing for his temper. 

“Ooookay.” Lucy’s voice was laced with sarcasm. “It’s time to reset some expectations. We need ground rules.”

“For what?” Tim asked.

“For how we do this,” Lucy motioned between her and Tim. “How we do our jobs and still be good partners to one another.”

“Oh, so now I’m not a good partner?” Tim asked with a wince, finally giving in to the stinging pain in his side. 

Lucy grabbed a clean towel and softly dabbed it over the wound, which was now eagerly seeping into his shirt. 

“I never said that,” Lucy tossed back, looking up at him with a sharp gaze as she pressed the towel firmly into his gut. “You know, I felt so guilty for going back under as Sava after I told you I was done with UC. And yet, I had the courtesy to call you beforehand and tell you how to get status reports. ”

“I never asked you to give up undercover work,” Tim reminded her. Irritation poured from his throat before he could stop it. “I told you to go to UC school, didn’t I?” 

“You might have said the words, Tim, but your body language told me you didn’t want me to.” She crossed and uncrossed her arms in frustration when he stepped back so he could pace the length of the mat.

“I can’t win, then, can I?” He countered. “Either I’m supporting you wrong or I’m wrong in not supporting you.” 

“This isn’t about winning anything,” Lucy shouted in frustration. “We already won. We have each other. This is about communication and how we’re going to be doing a whole lot more of it.” 

“We are communicating,” Tim said sarcastically. He motioned between them and Lucy narrowed her eyes, clearly not amused by his joke.

“Okay, then tell me honestly,” Lucy said and swallowed. “Would you have dated me if I hadn’t said I was done with UC work?” 

“Yes,” Tim said without hesitation. “How can you even ask me that?” 

“Because I didn’t know the answer,” Lucy shot back. “Part of me has been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since Jake showed back up in our lives.” 

“What?” Tim shook his head. “I’ve been in love with you for–. Honestly, I don’t know exactly when it turned into love, but it was well before you and I started dating. And once we crossed that line...”

Tim paused, remembering when the switch flipped in his brain and he realized that he could have a future, no, share his future with Lucy. 

When his eyes focused, he saw her watching him closely.

“There was no going back after that. Not for me” he confessed. “I am all in. Tell me you can see that.” 

“I want to believe that,” Lucy pushed. “But you were disappointed–”

“No.” Tim shook his head. “I’m not disappointed in you, Lucy, I’m just terrified of losing you.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Lucy said, her wide eyes pleading with him. 

“We can’t promise each other that,” Tim said. “Our jobs are dangerous, that’s a fact. Things happen outside of our control every single day.”

“True,” Lucy conceded. “But there are still plenty of things within our control. You taught me that.”

He was at a loss for words. 

She had him there. How many times had he told her that when she was a rookie?

“You didn’t tell me you were going undercover,” Lucy said calmly, “and you got hurt and you weren’t honest about how bad it was. Then you went back to work before it healed and if you’d hit those streets today, you would have been putting yourself at unnecessary risk, maybe even Aaron too.” 

He took a deep breath. Fuck. 

He hated to admit how right she was. 

“I love you and I don’t want to lose you,” Lucy said, her voice growing thick. “And your actions worried me sick and made me feel like you don’t trust me to put you first.”

“No, Luce,” Tim shook his head. “I trusted you to do exactly that and I wanted you to finish school. You have so many doors open for you now and that was more important than my third career knife wound. I knew I’d be fine.” 

“Tim, I need you to hear me when I say this.” Lucy walked over and grabbed his hands. “ You are more important.”

Tim was tongue-tied as he stared down at their joined hands before meeting her gaze. The earnesty he found there was almost enough to break him into a million pieces. 

“You’ll always be my first priority,” Lucy rephrased. “I love this job but what we have will always matter more.” 

He’d never been someone’s priority before. Not with his family growing up. Not with Isabel or the women that had come after her. 

He felt the last ounce of fight leave his body.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Tim explained, squeezing her hands gently. “You had enough on your plate.” 

“I understand that but I need to be able to make that decision,” Lucy urged. “You can’t make it for me just like I can’t make it for you.”

He nodded.

“So, rule number one: we don’t lie about injuries.” Lucy dropped his hands so she could use her fingers to count off each rule. 

“Ok,” Tim sighed. 

“Rule number two: we always tell each other before we go undercover.” Lucy looked up at him, waiting for his acknowledgment. 

“Yeah,” Tim agreed. 

“Rule number three: our relationship comes first,” Lucy stated. “Whenever that is in doubt, we discuss it.” 

“Deal,” Tim approved.

Lucy let out a satisfied breath and Tim felt his muscles start to relax one by one. They stared at each other as the seconds ticked by one by one on the old wall clock behind him. 

What now? 

“So… should we shake on it?” Tim asked.

A smile lifted at the edge of Lucy’s lips as he took a step toward her. 

“Or…” His voice dropped and Lucy raised a brow as he skimmed his hand over the side of her hip, rubbing his thumb over the buttery fabric of her leggings. He loved her thighs in leggings.

“Or what?” She asked, sliding her hands up his chest. 

 “I haven’t seen you in weeks,” Tim murmured, swiping a loose strand of hair out of her face, “and I really want to kiss you.”

She waited.

He stared down at her, taking her in. He loved this woman. He loved her strength, her fire, her ability to break his brain with a simple phrase or the touch of her hand. He cupped the back of her head and tilted it back, brushing his thumb over the vein in her neck. 

She rolled her eyes in frustration.

“Oh my god. Kiss me alread–” 

He didn’t let her finish. Instead, he sucked the end of the sentence right out of her mouth along with the breath she’d been about to take. 

She moaned into his kiss and for a second, he forgot he had an open wound. She had the unique ability to take away his pain with the touch of her lips. 

God, he’d missed her. 

He wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her up until he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. Her arms looped around his neck and he felt her fingers grab hold of his hair.

He wanted nothing more than to tear off her clothes and make love to her on the mat, but the flickering light from the camera on the ceiling had Grey’s words ringing in his ear. There is no expectation of privacy in the police station. 

And he liked his job. Right? 

“Let’s go home,” he grumbled against her throat. 

The sound that escaped Lucy seriously made him question whether he needed a job at all. 

She cupped the sides of his face. 

“Shower. Hospital. Home.” She managed to say between staggered breaths. 

He nodded and rested his forehead against hers before lifting back up and kissing her softly. 

“Okay,” he agreed. 

She held out her hand and he laced his fingers through hers, following her out of the gym and toward the locker room.

END

[theflyindutchwoman]

Nice work today. You, too. It's not a bad way to end our partnership -- saving a family. Yeah. Although, we're -- we're still not partners. I mean, on the job anyway. It's gonna be so weird going to a different station, knowing I'm not gonna see you all day. Yeah. And there's no guarantee that our shifts will sync up. I hadn't thought of that. Wait, wait, wait. So by doing the right thing, we're gonna see each other a lot less? Most likely. Yeah. No. I'm gonna put in my transfer request in the morning.

| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 5.12 - Death Notice

This scene felt so much like the end of an era when it aired… There is a sense of finality here that wasn't as present in Amber, when their partnership ended the first time. It feels more bittersweet in some ways… which is actually ironic since this is for a good reason. But that doesn't mean turning this page is easy either. The little callbacks to Amber are the perfect way to come full-circle… Like Tim still refusing to call them partners… Or the fact that they were able to end their working relationship on a happy note again despite the odds, saving a family/baby. Only, now they no longer need to hide in the parking garage… Everything is on the surface. Just like their feelings - that they completely own this time.

As happy as they are to be together, there's this sadness that is so palpable. Working together at the same station has been the cornerstone of their relationship, so it is natural that this is weighing on their mind. There's a bit more gravitas here, knowing that one of them has to leave - or so they thought at the time. How sweet is it that Tim's first words are to compliment Lucy on a job well done… They've come so far since their very first shift. And the look in her eyes, a mix of astonishment, indulgence… and love… The way she picks some lint off his uniform… So intimate. With Tim teasing her that they're still not partners - on the job. That distinction that makes all the difference, the implication that they are partners in life… And his smile when Lucy gently shoves him… So bittersweet and soft.

And I really like that they are both being honest on how they feel : they don't try to hide or pretend that they're not going to miss this part of their relationship. Instead, they actually take the time to acknowledge it. Just like in Amber, at the end of their shift. Tim even finally opens up on what has been on his mind the whole time : how by doing the right thing, they're going to see each other less. How their shifts may not sync up at all, especially at the beginning. Something that Lucy hadn't considered but unlike her, he has some experience in the matter… And it's clear that this revelation is upsetting her while Tim looks pensive in the background. This is really hitting him that this is it. And this is where he makes his final decision even if he doesn't say it out loud. Also, how significant is it that this doesn't deter Lucy. She may not like the idea of not seeing him as much, but that won't stop her from going forward either. Breaking up isn't an option. And that last moment, with Tim taking the war bags from her, is one of the best full circle moment. Their little smile… This is truly the best way to end this part of their partnership...

[coraclavia]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by the inestimable @mylittleredgirl. I could be doing Actual Things, but nah. This.

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 112

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 338,559

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly: Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek Voyager, Stargate SG-1, and recently added X-Files. I have also written a handful of things for The Rookie, I once wrote a gazillion things for Castle and Bones, and I've written for Due South, Cupid, Agent Carter, etc. It's a crazy quilt of "they're pretty; they should kiss."

[I also admit, shamefully, that I wrote 26 fics for Brad/Claire back in the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen days. They were posted under my other pen name, badtemperedchocolate.]

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

dark switch (Stargate SG-1, Sam/Jack; a re-imagining of what might have happened once Jack returned from Edora)

Five Times Sam Gets Married (Stargate SG-1, Sam/Jack; exactly what it says on the tin)

Guest Lecture (Star Trek Voyager, J/C; Kathryn delivers a lecture at Starfleet Academy after their return home)

Acquired Taste (The Rookie, Chenford; 5+1 in the form of a bakery AU)

here's a dumb idea (Stargate SG-1, Sam/Jack; "what if they had to kiss")

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I try to. Sometimes I'm slow, sometimes I miss one, but I try to respond.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmm. I don't do a lot of sad stuff, I guess? I guess I see the end of fall in place as angsty, just because it's in line with the real end of the season (John and Monica are on the run, with everything they had now long gone).

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Uhhhhh. Maybe The Woman in the Snow? "And then I fixed it and they got to be happy, finally, unlike canon. The end."

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. Many moons ago, I got some rude comments on Castle fic, but that was a long time back, and it wasn't bad. So not really.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have, but I rarely do anymore. For me it has to be part of a larger romance; I really can't do pwp. I much prefer a tasteful fade-to-black which means I don't have to keep calculating bare skin and body parts 😂

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Not often, but I did write one: Stolen Sky, a Castle/Firefly crossover. iirc, it was the first, or maybe one of the first, Mal/Kate stories? It did pretty well, and it was funny reading comments that said "I only watched one of these shows, and this fic convinced me to watch the other one, too." It was originally posted on ffnet; I have since transferred it to AO3.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes! Only once that I know of. It was a (not very good) (since deleted) Bones fic that got stolen in its entirety; all the thief did was change character names. I reported it, and it was taken down.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? 

I have! It was very flattering.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! I co-wrote Castle fics with chezchuckles, Cartographicals, sandianecarter, and shimmeryshine back in the day. It was a DELIGHT. I would love to do it again!! (looking at you, @mylittleredgirl 😜)

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I honestly don't know if I could pick just one. John/Elizabeth from Stargate Atlantis, Janeway/Chakotay from Voyager, John/Monica from X-Files, and Castle/Beckett are all up there. It rotates based on what I'm watching at any given time.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have this wonderful giant Voyager "missed connection" fic in my brain, where KJ and Chakotay belatedly realize they met at the Academy and fell a little bit in love in just one silly, lighthearted, adventurous evening of running around San Francisco together. I have a very long, detailed outline for it; we'll see if I ever tackle it for real.

16. What are your writing strengths?

@mylittleredgirl would say fluff, and I don't disagree. I love characters bantering, I love teasing, I love when they're kind and heartfelt to each other. I think I'm good at little moments like that.

UPDATE: LR has reported that my strength is, in fact, "FEELINGS."

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I do not enjoy writing smut; sometimes it's good for the story, but I do not like writing it and I don't think I'm particularly good at it. I have trouble fleshing a thing out from first idea to polished product. Physical accounts of action baffle me sometimes. Also, I often find it hard to come up with convincing conflict. I'm fluffy at heart, I guess.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

It can be effective, I guess? But there's usually a way around it if necessary. I haven't really had to deal with it, so I don't have strong feelings about it.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Oh shit, I think this was Numb3rs. It was a really fun crime show on CBS featuring a mathematician who did Big Complicated Math to help the FBI solve crimes. I wrote a bunch of fics for it, they were all absolutely terrible, and yes, I have long since deleted them.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Letters From War, a Voyager fic where KJ and Chakotay keep in correspondence with each other through the Dominion War. It's the sequel to By Firelight, but took a long, long time to put together, and once a few conversations and ideas clicked into place, it felt like it all came together. I was happy with how it turned out.

--

Thanks for the tag, Little Red! I am tagging @cfr749, @captaincarriekathryncoffee, and @neverenough37 (apologies if y'all have already done this and I missed it).