#the rookie fic

[goaways-stuff]

Sunshine's Baked Goods

Tim Bradford x gn!baker!reader

Summary: Long shifts rarely end in such wonderful things

Rating: PG, but I'm an 18+ page

Warnings: none! fluff. No physical descriptions of reader, just that they like pink.

a/n: requested! To the person who requested, I'm so sorry, tumblr deleted my og post & I lost the request & user. Please comment & I'll tag you!! Briefly looked over, but not Beta'd

It was the morning after a long night shift, and all Tim wanted to do was go home and crash on the closest soft surface, but his stomach was ravenous for a bite to eat first. He tried to ignore it as he packed his stuff to go home, though he knew he would need something. 

It was still pretty early, the sun had barely risen, and not many places were open yet as he drove around, looking for something to eat. His stomach rumbled as he finally saw an open sign lit up. A small bakery right outside of town. His eyes were heavy as he stepped out, his senses overwhelmed with the sweet scent of fresh baked goods and…coffee? Oh, he had hit the jackpot. Definitely not his normal post shift snack choice, with the pink decor looking like a barbie puked on it, but it was open, and it smelled good.

The store was barren as he stepped in, the only sound was the little bell attached to the door, alerting you that a customer had come in. You furrowed your brows and looked up at the clock on the wall. Just past 6 in the morning. Yeah, you were open, but you never got customers this early. You just came in early to get a headstart on baking and decorating cakes. You wiped your hands, though you were sure you still had frosting stains somewhere on your body as you went out to the front with your signature customer service smile. 

“Good morning, what can I-” You were awestruck by the man standing in front of the counter. Tall, muscular, a hunk of a man. “...do for you.” You finished quickly, trying not to ogle. 

Tim looked over the small menu above you, seeing the variety of baked goods available. He looked in the glass, settling on a plain donut and black coffee. As you got a second look at him, you noticed the bags under his eyes and the look of exhaustion on his face and in his body.

“Do you want me to make that an espresso for you?” You asked as you rang him up.

“Not this time, thanks. ‘Bout to head home and crash.” He chuckled, the small smile lighting up the whole room, causing your heart to speed up. 

“Professionalism!” You reminded yourself as you nodded, ringing in the coffee as a water. It was your business, after all. A little discount for a nice customer every once in a while is just good customer service.  

You turned around, pouring a cup of the freshly brewed coffee and making sure to grab the best-looking donut. 

Tim swore to himself he saw you glancing at him. He tried to convince himself that he was just tired, and the attractive person behind the counter was just being polite. He couldn't help but glance back as he watched you make the coffee. And when he finally took the first sip, he swore you had to have put something extra in there. Perfectly brewed, smooth, not too bitter. The donut was soft and melted in his mouth. He thanked you and went on his way, sure that he was just so sleep deprived that he was imagining things. Imagining a connection.

But that didn't stop him from coming back. It became a regular thing after, especially long shifts. You always greeted him with a smile, but he swore again that there was an extra sparkle that wasn't there with other customers. The hot, grumpy man is what he became to you. All your employees made sure to get you when he came around. Though he was never rude, just quiet and to the point. 

You always made sure he had the freshest brew of coffee and the best donut, even if that meant going to the back to the warmer to get one. His order was so simple, yet perfection every single time. 

It was another late night, and you were getting ready to close shop when he came in. You smiled. It was easy to get annoyed when customers came in so close to closing, but you didn't care for him. He looked especially tired, so you brewed him a fresh coffee since you had already discarded the batch that had been sitting for a while. You took care to warm the donut up as something in your body pulled you to take a risk. As he sat down, you wrote your number down on the receipt, at the very bottom. You had to take a chance at some point.

You handed him his food. He always stayed to eat, though it never took him more than ten minutes. You went to the back to finish closing, not wanting to admit to yourself that you were too much of a coward to face him. He left as normal, and you were a little disheartened. Maybe he just didn't see it yet, you told yourself. Or maybe he's taken. Or maybe he just doesn't like you. You tried to calm your spiraling thoughts as you closed, turning off the pink neon open sign. 

You tried not to, but you checked your phone far too often that night, hoping for a text. It wasn't until the next afternoon when you got a text from a new number. You were over the moon, clutching the phone to your chest as your life played out like a movie. The chat ended with a date at a higher end restaurant across town that weekend. It was all you could think about that week. You hummed love songs and made more couple's themed cakes than normal. 

Even at the station, Tim's coworkers noticed his good mood. A little less harsh on all the “Tim Tests,” a little less snappy with his orders. It was the talk between all of his coworkers. 

Date night came, and you scrambled to pit yourself together. Everything about you had to be perfect. Pink accents complimented your outfit. He was even coming to pick you up like a true gentleman, a bouquet of pink roses in hand. So he picked up on that. 

You gracefully took his arm as he led you to his car, his hand right above your knee the whole way. Protective but gentle, not wanting to push any boundaries. He smiled the whole time, more than you had ever seen him before. 

And, of course, the night went great, starting off with the essentials of getting to know each other, but diving a little deeper into what the both of you are looking for in a relationship. He had you giddy the whole night, drowning you in compliments, giving a pink flush to your face. You were no stranger to the flirtations either, compliments flowing about his suit, his freshly cut hair, and how it enhanced his sharp features. 

Your heart fluttered from the butterflies flying in your stomach the whole night, and a longing for more had already set in before the night had ended. He drove you home, walking you to your door step.

“So, next Friday?” He smiled, wanting to hear the reassurance for the next date.

“Yep.” You responded, hearts for eyes. He looked at you, his eyes soft, flashing to your lips, plush and strawberry tinted. It aas a moment of silence, but not the awkward kind. It was filled with tension, begging for one of you to break it. Ultimately, he brought a hand to your face, rough and calloused with a gentle touch, bring you to him as he connected his lips to yours. For such a brooding guy, his lips were soft as ever, lovingly exploring yours. You hands wrapped around his neck as his other hand made it to your waist. It lasted forever but not long enough as you had to pull away for a breath of hair. He followed up with a small peck to the lips and a confident smile. 

“I'll see you then,” He said, though you both knew he'd be coming to the shop before then. 

[juniperskye]

Until I Found You

***Potential spoilers of The Rookie***

Pairing: John Nolan x Fem Reader

Sneak Peek: After his breakup with Bailey, John is convinced he will never fall in love again…that is until he found you. (This is taking place pre TO Nolan) Reader owns a Café (food truck).

Fluff/Angst

Word count: 2851

Warnings: Reader has kind of spooky vibes, no use of y/n, Implied age gap, mention of food and eating (no explicit details), brief mention of crime (no explicit details), mention of past relationships, mention of unhealthy relationships, mention of getting ready for a date (details are feminine leaning – shaving, makeup, nails, hairstyling), developing strong feelings quickly, one teeny tiny kiss.

Not edited - please be kind.

I do not consent to having my work translated or reposted to any other site. That being said I do not own the characters portrayed in this story.

After his breakup with Bailey, John was convinced he wouldn’t find love again. How would it be fair for him to have had love with Sarah, Lucy, Jessica, Grace, Bailey and for him to expect it again. His love with each of those women differed from one another, but they all had played a very important role in his life. For the last few months John had really just been going through the motions; sleep, work, eat, repeat.

Today had been a particularly slow day on the job for John, very unusual for the LAPD. He had been riding alone today which was honestly making the day drag on even more so. He was counting down the minutes until lunch – at least then he would get to socialize with his fellow officers.

Two speeding tickets, one robbery and a stolen car later, it was finally time for lunch. Heading to their usual spot, John notices that there is a new food truck parked, black with orange script on the side spelling out “Hallowed Grounds” alongside little white painted bats. John’s eyes were drawn to this truck not because it is new, or that the line was at least fifteen people long, but because of the beautiful person running the window.

It was Lucy who had ultimately broken John out of the trance he was in.

“Hey, you okay? You were spaced out there for a second.” Lucy questioned.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m okay. What’s with the new truck?” John wanted to see how much Lucy knew without giving away the attraction he was feeling towards this stranger.

“Oh! It is all over social media, Hallowed Grounds, it is mostly coffee, but the pastries are to die for! I mean literally that is their slogan!” Lucy laughed.

“The line is pretty long, so it must be good. Should we check it out?”

“Sounds good to me!”

With that, John and Lucy made their way to the line. Lucy was talking John’s ear off about some new social media drama, but honestly John wasn’t listening, he was far too distracted by your beauty and the honey sweet tone of your voice. You had this way about you that was breathtaking, moving with grace and just so patient and kind to all the patrons who had been waiting in line. They were finally nearing the front of the line, and John had realized he hadn’t even looked at the menu.

“Hi there! What can I get for you?” You smiled at him.

“Hi, can I get a medium caramel latte and a lemon blueberry scone?” Lucy ordered with no hesitation.

“Of course! And for you?” You looked expectantly at John.

“I um, can I just get a black coffee and, no that’s all.” John stuttered.

Lucy looked over at him confused as she paid, and they walked over to stand near the pickup window. John took note of you disappearing from the window and a young man taking your place.

“Okay, I know that we did not just stand in that long line just for you to order a black coffee. What is up with you?” Lucy questioned John. “OH MY GOD! You think she’s cute, don’t you?”

“Okay, hush! I’d rather not scare the girl off before I even get a chance to talk to her.”

“Okay sorry! I’m just happy for you. You’ve been sulking ever since you and Bailey broke things off.”

“I have not been sulking…okay maybe I have. But I really thought she was it for me.”

“John and Lucy?” You called.

They made their way up to the window to pick up their orders.

“Alright Lucy, a caramel latte and a lemon blueberry scone, and for John a black coffee and a chocolate croissant.” I hope you guys have a wonderful day and stay safe!”

“Oh, I didn’t…” John started.

“Thank you so much, you have a wonderful day too!” Lucy cut John off and began to drag him away from the truck.

The two of them went to sit at a table with Tim, Aaron and Nyla for the rest of their lunch. They were all hoping it wouldn’t be cut short by a call coming in.

“Alright Nolan!” Aaron exclaimed as John sat down.

“What? What did I do?”

“The bag. The barista gave you her number!”

John turned the bag around and sure enough your name and phone number had been neatly printed along with a little heart. John looked at Tim, then Nyla and finally to Lucy. He hadn’t been expecting you to give him your number, especially not after he had made a complete fool of himself in front of you just moments before.

Just as Lucy was about to encourage him to text you, a call came ringing in over the radios. Everyone was quick to get up and head to their respective shops. John heard Tim and Lucy radio that they were responding, and that Nyla and Aaron were acting as backup. He figured they had it covered, and he would continue to patrol, but not before adding you into his contacts.

Three days.

It was three days before John had gathered the courage to text you. He hadn’t seen you either, since he’d worked through lunch one of the days, had a pretty big drug bust on the second day, and was assigned to the front desk on the third day. Today though, he had the day off and now was his time to text you and see if you would want to go on a date with him.

John: Hey, this is John. From the other day.

You: Hi! I was beginning to think that maybe I was too forward.

John: Oh, no, not at all! I’m sorry, things have just been really busy with work. I finally have a day off.

You: Okay, good! I’m sorry work has been keeping you busy. Hopefully you’ve been able to stay safe.

John: I have. Nothing too out of the ordinary this week. How have you been?

You: I’ve been good! I have been testing some new recipes and trying to figure out what to swap in for the fall season.

You: Speaking of which…would you like to be a taste tester for me? I could really use a customer’s perspective!

John: I would love to! By the way, that croissant was incredible. I was actually texting you to ask you to dinner.

You: Yeah, dinner and then we can go back to mine to try these desserts?

You: Wow that was also very forward…I’m not usually like this by the way!

John: No worries. I won’t read into it I promise. So tonight, can I pick you up at 7?

You: 7 is perfect, see you then John!

After confirming your plans with John, you kicked it into high gear. It was 10:07 a.m. and you had a lot to do before you’d be ready to go. You really needed to get your nails done, you needed to finish the 6 different pastries you’d been working on, and you’d really need to shower before you could get ready.

After doing some quick math in your head, you figured that you would have just enough time to get everything done provided you shower while some things were baking in the oven. With that, you place the pre-cut cookie dough into the freezer (these would be easy enough to pull out and bake later when you and John go back), you placed the muffins and two different loaves of bread in the oven. That just left the cake that you were actively frosting and the pie that was cooling. Once the cake was thoroughly iced, you threw the dishes in the dishwasher and headed towards the shower, not without checking your timer to make sure you’d have ample time.

You were sure to go through all the steps of what you’d consider a full shower, washing and conditioning your hair, washing your body with your best smelling body wash, and shaving essentially every inch of your body. You weren’t anticipating that anything would happen tonight, but you wanted to be prepared nonetheless and you’d make sure at the very least that you smelled good.

After drying off and throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, you made way for the kitchen just in time to pull out the muffins and the bread. You set them out on the cooling rack, turned the oven off and then you headed to your favorite nail salon. They were able to get you in right away seeing as it was 12:00 p.m. on a Thursday.

Your nail appointment ended at about 1:30 p.m., which gave you enough time to head over and check on your staff and the truck. Upon arrival you noticed there were a few police cruisers parked along the curb. You knew John was off today, but you still found yourself scanning the crowd for him.  

“He’s not here.” Your staff, Ezra, had called over to you.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” You tried to hide your blush, embarrassed about getting caught looking for John. Ezra was the one who had encouraged you to give him your number in the first place, having seen how smitten you were with John when you’d met him the other day. Ezra and you had been friends for years, he could read you better than anyone.

“Mmhmm, sure thing. It was a different group this time around. What are you up to? Aren’t you supposed to be off testing new pastries?” Ezra questioned you.

“I was doing exactly that when John texted me and asked me out! I went and got my nails done and figured I would stop by and see how things were going before I went back home and got ready for my date.”

“OH MY GOD! See I told you that if you gave him your number, he’d ask you out. There were definite vibes the other day, he was so enamored by you that he forgot to look at the menu!” Ezra gushed.

“Okay, fine. You were right. I’m kind of nervous, he’s taking me to dinner, then we’re going back to my place so he can taste the new desserts and give me his opinions on them.”

“Girl, you are going to be fine! He seems nice and you are an amazing person, no reason to be nervous. Plus, what have you got to lose?” Ezra had always been your voice of reason in times of need.

“Okay, yeah. I should probably get going then so I can get ready.”

“Okay babe, have a great night! OH and you should wear the outfit you wore to our opening party, it screams you and its hot!”

“Oh, that was a good outfit, I don’t know where he’s taking me yet, but it should be dressy enough.”

You said your goodbyes to Ezra and made your way back home. It was nearing 3:30 p.m. and you knew you should probably start getting ready. You grabbed a glass of water and then got to styling your hair. You curled your hair and applied some natural looking makeup and went to get dressed. To pair with the faux leather skirt and starry mesh top, you slid on some black tights, comfy socks and your Doc Martens. Looking over at your alarm clock you see 6:45p.m. glowing red and you decide to switch to a smaller purse in the time you have left before your date…your usual everyday tote bag not exactly matching this outfit choice. You’d opted for a small leather handbag, with gold accents, it matched your outfit perfectly and was better suited for the occasion. As soon as you organized everything into the purse a knock sounded at the door. You took a deep breath then walked to answer it.

“Hi!” You greeted John as you opened the door.

“Wow, you look incredible.” John was awestruck, you had such a different style than the women he had previously dated, but he was really loving it. You were so confident in your own skin, and you just had this glow about you.

“Thank you, you look very handsome.”

“Shall we?” John gestured to his truck.

You nodded and the two of you walked around to the passenger side. John opened the door for you then offered his hand to assist you into the truck.

“Such a gentleman.”

John blushed at the compliment, he tried to shake it off as he started the truck and pulled out of your driveway. You made small talk on your way to the restaurant, which ended up being a very nice steakhouse.

John parked and looked over to you, he made note of the way you were inspecting the sign, and immediately panicked.

“I probably should have asked and made sure you weren’t a vegetarian!”

“I’m not! I love a good steak; my dad is a self-proclaimed grill master!” You laughed.

John laughed with you and let out a sigh of relief. He once again opened your door for you and reached to help you out of the truck. He was so different form the men you had dated before, so polite and caring. He listened to what you had to say and even asked you questions to learn more about you. It was so refreshing to be around someone like him. Truth is, you had dated some pretty terrible people in the past and that was the main reason you were single now. You’d decided to take a break from dating and focus on yourself and your career, which is how you’d gotten to the point of owning a very successful food truck. You had explained to John that your end goal is to have a brick-and-mortar location of Hallowed Grounds that was a café/bookstore. You wanted to create a cozy space for people to hangout while they enjoyed good food.

John just sat and smiled, he loved how you lit up when you spoke about it. Seeing you so passionate about something was honestly inspiring. He hadn’t expected the feelings for you to be so immediate, so strong, just crashing to the surface as the night went on. John could feel himself growing concerned about whether or not you were feeling as strongly for him as he was for you. The two of you had just clicked and it was so effortless.

What John didn’t know is you were currently battling the same demons. Was it really possible to be this comfortable with someone after such a short time?

Dinner had passed far too quickly for either of your likings, you were honestly just glad that you had already planned to continue this evening. You weren’t ready to say goodnight to John just yet. As John drove you back to your place, he took a risk by reaching for your hand to hold, you were quick to slide your hand into his and you couldn’t help but blush. John couldn’t believe how soft your hand was and it made him think about how rough his must be from his years as a contractor, he shook the thought away as you gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

You made it back to your place relatively quickly and John once again made sure to assist you on the passenger side, only this time instead of offering you his hand, he was a little bolder. He’d placed his hands on your waist and slowly helped you out of the truck. You stood there, chest to chest, your breath hitching from the proximity. Your gazes danced over one another’s face, shifting from eyes to lips back to eyes, silently asking for permission. When you slightly tilted your head, John understood and reached his right hand up to cup your jaw as he brought you in for a kiss. The kiss lasted for what felt like forever but ended far too soon. You wanted to exist in this moment infinitely.

You and John held hands once again as you staggered to the door. You made quick work of the lock and invited him in, guiding him to the kitchen.

“You ready to try some desserts?” You asked.

“Absolutely!” John replied.

You blushed, realizing the double entendre and moved to get all the desserts plated up. You explained to John that you’d need to throw the cookies in the oven, but they only took about 10 minutes to cook. He nodded and asked if you needed any help with anything, which you declined and encouraged him to relax.

John watched as you worked in the kitchen, this had been your element and it was like a well-choreographed dance, the way you moved. He couldn’t help but smile to himself, picturing the two of you like this, years down the road. He knew that you had only just met, but after tonight he couldn’t deny the connection. He realized he had been wrong when he said he would never fall in love again. That was true, until he met you.

[torreshalstead]

empty chairs

Summary - ‘They aren’t coming,’ she mumbled. Tim’s breath hitched in his throat. He didn’t need any more information to know who Lucy was talking about. Her parents.

‘Add them to the list of people I love who won’t be there,’ she muttered more to herself than to Tim. He tugged her even tighter into his chest at her words. He knew they weren’t just talking about her parents now. She was also getting married without her best friend. Without Jackson.

Notes - it’s been so long since I wrote for Chenford and I missed them so please enjoy ❤️ AO3 Link

She didn’t bound up to him at the door like she usually did, excitement pouring out of her body as she threw her arms around him. She wasn’t in the kitchen putting together ingredients he had never heard of for a dinner that would be a sensation for his taste buds. He couldn’t hear her singing from the shower, her beautiful voice echoing through the apartment. But when Tim closed the door behind him, he heard a small sniff and his fists tightened at his side.

That was the sound of his fiancée crying and once he found out who had made her cry, he would be dealing with them. He wasn’t going to cause them any lasting physical damage, he’d lose his badge for that, but he knew he could put the fear of god in people when he needed to. His large stature and forceful scowl could make even the most seasoned cops shake in their boots. None of them knew he had turned into a giant teddy bear since Lucy Chen had carved her name into his heart.

‘Luce, babe, where are you?’ He said loudly, his eyes roaming over the apartment. He had moved in a couple of months before he had dropped down on one knee and asked her to marry him - it had been an easy decision for him and judging by the speed at which she had said yes, for her as well. They planned on moving to a house once they were married, with enough space for Tamara to still call home when she visited from college.

‘Here,’ she said softly, her voice barely audible and if his ears hadn’t spent the last few years being attuned to her he might have missed it. His eyes finally landed on the couch where he could just see the top of her head poking over. Tim dropped his gun and badge on the kitchen counter, he’d put them in the safe in a moment once he’d made sure Lucy was okay, and crossed over to where she was sitting on the floor in four strides, his long legs making short work of the distance.

‘Hey,’ he said, dropping down on the floor next to her and pulling her up onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, dropped a kiss to her head and breathed her in. He hated seeing her like this. Her eyes were red rimmed, her nails bitten down to the quick and she was still in the pyjamas she had been wearing when he had kissed her goodbye this morning.

This was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. They were getting married on Saturday and Lucy had taken the week off to prepare for the big day. She had been excited about getting everything in order but judging from her current predicament, something had changed all of that.

‘Talk to me Lucy,’ he muttered against her hair. ‘What’s wrong?’

When she stayed quiet, he didn’t push her. She’d open up to him when she was ready. He had learnt that pushing her to talk to him just pushed her further away. She had spent a lot of her life just relying on herself and the adjustment to being able to rely on him had been tough for her. So he stayed on the floor, his arms tight around his crying fiancée, his hand smoothing comfortingly down her back, patiently waiting until she wanted to speak.

‘They aren’t coming,’ she stuttered after a short while. Tim’s breath hitched in his throat. He didn’t need any more information to know who Lucy was talking about.

Her parents.

He had known they weren’t completely onboard with her dating someone who had been her supervisor, had accused her of sleeping her way to the top but Tim thought they had gotten past it. When he had popped the question and Lucy had excitedly called her parents, Tim had thought from the sound of the phone call that they were pleased for her, happy she had someone who loved her and cared for her and was settling down like they had always wanted her to.

That clearly wasn’t the case.

They were the last people to RSVP, the wedding was the day after tomorrow and the numbers had already been confirmed with the venue and the caterers. Both he and Lucy had assumed they had simply forgotten to return the card, because of course they would be there to see their only daughter get married. Lucy had said yesterday she was going to call them today to see if they needed any help with the transport to the wedding but from her reaction, that phone call had not gone as planned.

How could two parents, who claimed to love their daughter as the Chen’s did, not want to be there when she married the man she loved. Was it Tim’s fault? Was he the person causing Lucy this pain? That they couldn’t get over the fact she was marrying someone ten years her senior, previously married and who used to be her direct supervisor at work. He knew how it looked to an outsider, he wasn’t blind to the fact. And it was because of all those reasons it had taken him and Lucy as long as it had to admit their feelings to each other. But this was real. His love for her was the realest thing in his life.

‘I’m sorry Luce,’ he said, not knowing what else to say.

‘Add them to the list of people I love who won’t be there,’ she muttered more to herself than to Tim. He tugged her even tighter into his chest at her words. He knew they weren’t just talking about her parents now. She was also getting married without her best friend. Jackson.

They had decided to leave an empty chair for him in the front row, a mark of respect, a show of love, whatever you want to call it. It was Lucy’s way of having him there even when she couldn’t. But Tim knew if he was still here, Jackson would have fought tooth and nail to be there for her at her wedding. Tim was certain he would have given her plenty of shit for marrying her TO, but he would have been there at her side. His absence was not his choice.

Her parents however. That was their choice. And it was their choice that had hurt his girl.

——————————————————————————

Despite the fact they had removed the signs reserving the seats for mother and father of the bride, the two seats next to Jackson’s remained empty. Glaring vacancies in an otherwise sea of smiling faces.

Tim tugged at his sleeves, fiddling with his cufflinks as he stared at them. He should have tasked Angela with getting someone to sit in them so Lucy’s side of the venue wouldn’t look so empty in the front row. His own contained Genny and his nephews who both looked equal parts excited and bored, weddings weren’t the most interesting places for kids but he knew their mother had promised them presents if they stayed quiet.

Angela stood next to him, dressed in a long black dress that matched his suit, the style of the dress was identical to that of Tamara’s - Lucy’s maid of honour. It was Tamara who would be walking Lucy down the aisle today.

Both Nolan and Grey had offered if she wanted them to but Lucy had made the call that Tamara was her family, and she wanted her to do it. Tim knew it wasn’t conventional, knew others in the crowd from his extended family would probably question him on it later. But Lucy’s eyes had shone when she had made the decision and Tamara had been just as excited, so Tim didn’t care what anyone else thought.

His only priority was Lucy.

‘Calm down,’ Angela whispered into his ear. ‘She won’t stand you up.’ She chuckled and Tim shot her an exasperated look.

He wasn’t worried she was going to stand him up. He knew she loved him, knew what they had was special. But he would be lying if he said he wasn’t worried that the sight of three empty seats at the front would upset her. But as the pianist began to play, not only was it too late to worry, but the sight of Lucy walking towards him pushed the worry to a back corner of his brain, long forgotten about.

She looked like an angel.

She floated down the aisle like she had been made just for him. His own personal vision in white. He was certain he was crying and he was certain he couldn’t care less. This wonderful, beautiful, incredible, smart woman had agreed to be his wife. And in just a few short moments she would be.

Time seemed to stop as she glided towards him, arm in arm with Tamara who looked lovely in her own bottle green dress, but it was on Lucy where Tim’s eyes remained fixed.

How could he be so lucky?

Her white dress clung to her body in all the right places, satin with hints of lace across her shoulders. Her long hair was down but pieces were braided into an intricate crown around her head. She looked ethereal and Tim knew for as long as he lived, he would never forget how she looked in that moment. It would forever be imprinted onto his mind.

The ceremony passed by in a blur, all Tim could focus on was Lucy. He was sure the officiant was saying beautiful words and the crowd would be laughing or crying at the appropriate moment, but his gaze was firmly in front of him, everything else had melted into background static.

After they were pronounced man and wife, he barely waited for the cue to kiss his bride before he pulled Lucy close to him and sealed his lips to hers. He tried to pour every ounce of love he had for her into that kiss. He wasn’t sure he had achieved his goal but as he pulled back and looked down at his wife, he knew he had. She was looking at him like there was no one else in the room, her eyes brimming with tears but her smile wide and bright as sunshine. He kissed her again quickly, needing to taste her lips again before the rest of the evening commenced and they were occupied with celebrations.

They linked hands and turned to walk down the aisle but that was when he felt Lucy stall for just a millisecond. He glanced over and saw where her eyes had settled. The empty chairs in the front row. His heart broke for her.

Even though her parents had said they weren’t coming, that they didn’t approve of their union and hadn’t wanted this for their daughter. Tim had secretly hoped they would come to their senses and realise that not showing up for Lucy today would mean burning their bridges with her forever. And from the tightening of his new wife’s hand in his, she had clearly hoped the same.

Tim squeezed her hand three times, a silent I love you, in an attempt to pull her back into the present and it seemed to work. Her smile which had only faltered briefly was back on her lips and she let him lead her back down the aisle to where they knew Angela had organised a private room for them to get away from the craziness of the wedding if they needed it.

They had planned to use the room for a mid-wedding quickie when they were too desperate to get their hands on each other but still had hosting duties to attend to, but Tim knew Lucy needed some space now so he tugged open the door and led them both inside.

‘I thought they’d show,’ she said, her voice muffled by his shirt where he had crushed her against his chest the second the door was closed. ‘I really thought they would.’

‘I’m sorry Luce,’ Tim said, letting his lips fall against her hair as he held her close.

‘They made their decision,’ she said firmly, pulling herself back slightly so she could look up at him. ‘And I made mine.’

She pushed herself up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Tim felt her hands tighten on his biceps and he let himself get lost in the sensation of her body against his. He managed to keep his hands firmly on her waist, not wanting to risk messing up her pristinely done hair and get crap from Tamara who he knew was behind the work of art. But he did back himself up against the door and bring Lucy with him, allowing it to hold up his weight as he held hers.

Lucy ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth, silently asking for permission which he was more than happy to give. If he could take her mind off of the empty chairs, he’d do whatever she wanted. Even if it meant when they walked into their reception a short while later, his shirt wasn’t buttoned correctly and he hadn’t been able to keep his hands out of her hair so both Tamara and Angela shot them knowing looks across the room.

But Lucy was smiling and she was his wife. And that was the only thing that mattered.

[afictionaladventure16]

Y'all are going to hate me... But if anyone watches the rookie, would you read a Tim Bradford x Teen!Reader fic? Maybe Tim becomes a foster dad to a troubled teen?

[sgtbradfords]

Honey Take My Hand

Just a little drabble I wrote after the finale and finally finished. This is set in between the drive from hospital and them arriving at Lucy's apartment. Enjoy! :)

The streets of Los Angeles were relatively calm for three o'clock in the morning. Intermittently, did the passing of headlights and streetlights illuminated the cab of the truck as they grew near of Lucy's apartment.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Lucy's voice broke through the sound of the truck tires as they rolled across the cooling Los Angeles asphalt.

Her query was soft, hesitant even, as it was spoken into the universe. The thought had been lingering in the back of her mind since the moment they had been awoken hours ago, only now, there were a dozen or so unanswered questions that went along with it.

"Thorsen's tough." Tim's voice was gruff as he checked his mirrors, signaling and merging left.

"That's not what I asked."

The breath he released was deep, the weight on his chest only easing slightly as he glanced towards the passenger seat.

"I don't know."

There was a part of Tim that believed the junior officer would pull through, but life had long since taught him to never be that optimistic. He'd been witness to too many casualties and had pulled both his military and law enforcement Class A's out of the dry cleaning bag one too many times to believe otherwise.

"We don't know anything at this point."

"What if Nolan was right?" The silence following her question was almost deafening. "What if one of us is next?"

"That's not going to happen."

They both knew his statement was a bold-faced lie. It was obvious that Aaron and Celina had been targeted, but they have yet to find any evidence to suggest that one of them could be next on the assailants list. Though that didn't mean that the possibility had vanished, if anything, the likelihood had only heightened.

Reaching across the center console, Tim pulled Lucy's hand away from where it rested in her lap, providing them with the only semblance of comfort he could at the moment. Her palm was warm in his own as he gave the limb a gentle squeeze.

Though they had been given explicit instructions by Sergeant Grey to garner some shut-eye at home, sleep was the last thing on their minds as they held one another close for the rest of the night.

[fordchen]

You deserve someone worth the effort

Prompt: Tim and Ashley broke up after his spinal surgery yet Chris and Lucy are still dating. 5x08 where Chris is looking for houses and Tim decides it’s time to have a conversation with his colleague… Please feel free to leave some feedback! you can also send me ideas :)

—

Today seemed like another day at the station. Tim arrived early as usual and got into his uniform, preparing himself for yet another busy day in Los Angeles. He met with Sergeant Grey for their daily briefing before heading to the roll call room to brief the other patrol officers. Everything is normal until now.

Well… that’s what he thought until he walked to the shop and met a rather distant Lucy. She seemed far away, lost in her thoughts which made him a bit suspicious. It caused him to now overthink too about the reason for Lucy's spiral. He walked closer to her and cleared his throat to signal his presence, seeing her snap out of her thoughts immediately.

“Ready to roll?” He asked after seeing that she had set the shop for them, watching her give him a small nod.

They both got into the car and began their patrol, doing some small talk before Lucy’s phone rang. Chris was FaceTiming her to show her a house for sale. He could not help but feel confusion as he heard the two talk. They both seemed on two very different pages. On one hand, Chris seemed excited about visiting potential houses to buy, and on the other, Lucy seemed much more reserved about the whole thing. Once they hung up, Tim glanced quickly over at Lucy, unable to shake away his confusion. “Are you and Chris moving together?” He asked after a few seconds of silence, feeling his heart tighten in his chest.  

“No, uh… It’s not…” Lucy mumbled, unable to get her words together. “Yet, he seems to think you are.” Tim said, almost cutting her off. He quickly looked over at her again, noticing how tense Lucy looked. That sight caused his heart to break a little. He hated to see Lucy upset. “Yeah, I mean, he kinda sprang it on me this morning…” Lucy added, playing with her fingers as an attempt to control the anxiety she felt in the moment. Tim nodded and after some silence, he let out a sigh. “You two are happy right? Those are the obvious next steps for you.” He asked but before Lucy could answer, they received a call about a few bombs placed around people’s necks and immediately went to deal with the situation. Tim realized they needed to have a conversation about her and Chris’ relationship but knew that now was not the moment. They had to focus on their jobs.

—

They controlled the situation along with other officers and were now headed back to the station. It felt rather tense in the car as they silently sat together in the shop until Lucy’s phone rang again. Chris called to check on Lucy as well as to let her know about a property he had heard off. Sensing Lucy’s discomfort, he intervened in order for her to get off the phone, receiving a kind smile from her as a thank you. “Lucy, look, if you don’t want to move, just tell Chris that.” Tim broke the silence between them, sensing that Lucy needed some help processing everything happening. “That's... The question is, why don't I want to move in? I don't get what the problem is. I mean, Chris is great. We're great together. We never fight.” Lucy said as she looked out the window, trying to clear her mind and put her thoughts all together. Tim found a place to park and stopped the car, looking over at Lucy. She looked surprised at his action but he knew that they both needed that conversation in the moment. 

“Lucy, maybe that’s the problem. But do you guys not fight because you don’t disagree on things or because you don’t think it’s worth the bother?” Tim asked and Lucy felt speechless, unable to answer his question in the moment — something that actually answered it perfectly. “Lucy, you deserve someone that’s worth the effort.” He added, a soft smile forming on his face. He meant every word. Lucy had been through hell and back ever since she became a police officer and he needed her to realize her worth. Lucy nodded at his words but stayed silent, trying to collect herself. But deep down, she knew that she had made her decision. She was scared. Of course she was. A relationship with Tim meant taking a risk that could change her life forever — for better or for worse depending on the outcome. Yet, he was worth the risk.

—

The next morning, Lucy found Tim in the Watch Commander’s office. He was replacing Sergeant Grey who was on vacation in New York with his wife to visit their daughter. She knocked on the door softly before walking in, still wearing her casual clothes as she was early for her shift. “Lucy?” Tim asked as he looked up at her, gesturing at her to close the door behind herself. He stood up and smiled at her, glad that the station was still empty at this hour.

Lucy walked closer to him and took a deep breath. “You were right yesterday about Chris and I. I was too scared to admit that we weren’t working out and felt guilty about what Rosalind did to him.” She began, looking up into Tim’s blue eyes, giving him a soft smile. “I broke up with him last night. You helped me realize that I needed better than Chris, someone who treats me right and makes me feel like the most important person on Earth.” Tim searched Lucy’s face as she spoke, feeling speechless. He could feel tension between the two, like electricity. He wanted to kiss her but knew that it wasn’t the right time. Before Lucy could add anything else, he smiled a bit wider. “Lucy, would you like to go get dinner tonight with me?” He asked.

“Yes, Tim, I do.” Lucy answered and let out a giggle, feeling like a teenager all over again. She glanced out of the office’s windows to make sure no one was watching before she kissed Tim’s cheek. “I guess I’ll see you tonight in the parking lot.” She said before walking out, leaving a blushing Tim behind. —

Years later, at their wedding, she would conclude her vows by saying: “Tim Bradford, you are worth the effort.”

[cfr749]

Beneath Your Beautiful: It's My Birthday!

“You can’t wear that.”

Lucy arches an eyebrow, “Excuse me?!”

“It’s like you’re trying to kill me,” Tim complains, gaze focused on the plunging neckline of the colorful, floral dress she’s chosen as part of her master plan to ruin him.

Lucy snorts, placing two fingers on the bottom of his chin to push his half-gaping mouth closed and tilt his face up.

“My eyes are up here, Tim. And I don’t know what you’re whining about. It’s not like you don’t have an all-access pass.”

His eyes light up at her words, and he wastes no time, pulling her roughly against him, his free hand reaching up to work at the first of several tenuous hooks preventing her breasts from spilling out of the dress

She giggles, swatting his hand and squirming away from him before turning back to face the vanity mirror. “Excuse me — I said all-access, not on demand.” Her eyes darken as she meets his gaze in the mirror, “Later.”

Read Beneath Your Beautiful: It's My Birthday! on AO3 now!

[sisterofficerlucychen]

“You kept it.”

“What?” It takes her a brief second to put two and two together. She’s still a little groggy, having barely gotten any sleep though she has absolutely no complaints. Her brows furrow as she lifts her head from his bare chest to look up at him and the realization hits her the moment their eyes lock.

His thumb brushes against her smooth skin as his hand is sprawled out over her side. He’s been mindlessly tracing around it since Lucy woke up but she hadn’t quite placed where his hand was until he mentioned it. Truthfully, she doesn’t think about it as much anymore. At first, she couldn’t wait to get it removed, counting down the literal seconds until she was able to get the reminder off of her body.

Then, at four weeks, one day, and seven hours, she was given a new perspective on it. Reminded that she wasn’t a victim but rather a survivor; that it wasn’t her day of death but rather the first day of the rest of her life.

Up until this moment, she was unsure of whether he knew or not. She assumed he did since she never mentioned that she got it removed but neither of them ever really brought it up again. Now, she realizes that he may have assumed otherwise and she shifts off of him, pressing her elbow onto the bed to get a better look at him.

“I did,” she answers with a soft smile, “You reminded me that I wasn’t a victim.”

“You weren’t.”

“I know, it was just so hard to get past that. Everyone was treating me like this fragile little thing that was going to shatter. The looks they gave me, some out of pity and others like they’d seen a ghost. I remember walking into the roll call room and everyone clapping and I just—I didn’t want that attention, it was too much. And it was itchy!” she chuckles lightly at this, “Not only did a sadist etch my day of death onto my skin but it was gnawing at me like a reminder and I was literally counting down until the day it’d stop boring into me. But then you came in and gave this speech about how you saw me as a survivor and I don’t know, something clicked? It suddenly didn’t bother me anymore.”

Tim’s eyes never break from her and he stares at her in a way that she’s never been looked at before. His lips are pressed into a fine line but she can see how he’s fighting the curve against the edge of them that threatens to break into a small smile. It sends shivers down her spine, how they’re currently existing in space and time. Her free hand reaches for his, intertwining their fingers together as he gently strokes the side of her thumb.

“You were talking about the scars you have, the ones you could see and the ones you couldn’t. Your dad, Isabel, the job. I mean I didn’t know as much as I do now but I know it was a lot. You told me that you saw it as the first day of the rest of my life and I couldn’t shake that, you were right. Caleb died and I lied. You know? I told him that too. He asked me if I had any last words as he put me in the barrel and I told him that he’d be dead before I was. I knew that you were coming, I knew you’d come and save me. I didn’t know how but I knew.”

There’s a silence that fills the air as she stares at Tim. There’s a shift in his expression, there’s a mix of anger and fear that she can see crackling behind blue eyes, how his jaw has hardened and he’s taking in everything she’s just said.

“You saved yourself,” he finally answers.

“I did,” she smiles softly thinking back to how she’s heard those words before and how much of a reminder it is of her strength, “But you definitely helped. How did you know I’d left the ring?”

It’d been a gamble, there was nothing more that she could do but make the split second decision to leave something behind. It was something she learned at the Academy, one of the many lessons that Lucy hoped she’d never need to use. She hoped and prayed those that were looking for her would spot it but even then, she didn’t know because despite the fact that the ring didn’t belong in the middle of the desert, she also knew that because she wore it only off duty, it wouldn’t be a given that it belonged to her.

Except, he did, and she’d never been able to form the words to ask him about it until now.

“It reflected back, the sun was hitting it at just the perfect angle that it stood out,” he explains.

“Right,” she gives him a small nod, “But that doesn’t explain how you knew the ring was mine.”

Tim’s free hand rises to her head as he runs his fingers through her messy waves in comfort. She’s always known that the entire ordeal was hard for him too. She was his rookie, there was the guilt he felt over her going out with Caleb to begin with, the fact that he’d been the one to pull her out and breath her back to life. She just never realized what the extent of it was. She’s about to apologize and tell him that they can change the subject when he answers.

“I’d see you wearing it out of uniform sometimes.” Lucy’s expression morphs into slight confusion as her brows knit together with a small smirk. “I didn’t think you’d notice.”

“Spacial awareness,” he teases, “I thought that the moonstone was pretty. It’s what caught my eye. Afterward, when I’d see you wear it, I kind of hoped you were wearing it to remind yourself that you were a survivor.”

Her gaze brightens as a smile curves on her lips. “It was. It is.”

It’s funny how a little piece of jewelry could hold so much meaning. Before, it had been a statement piece that she liked to wear, something to jazz up her wardrobe. Afterward, it became a symbol of her resilience and a trinket of safety. She associated it with him the moment he gave it back to her. As if it was a reminder that as long as she had it, he’d be around to help and support her. He denied it once, saying that wasn’t really part of the job description but if there’s anyone Lucy trusts with her life, it’s Tim.

“It did remind me of that but it also reminded me of you.”

“Oh?”

“I was dead, Tim.” She can’t help but notice how he stiffens at this, his hand protectively squeezing hers in reaction to her statement. “I died and you brought me back to life. You helped find me, you pulled me out of the barrel, you held me as I fell apart, and you never left my side. Having you around made me feel so safe and I’ve known since that no matter where I am and no matter what’s going on, as long as you’re nearby, I’ll be okay.”

Just like that, he relaxes and she sees how all the negative emotions that suddenly clouded them by the topic of conservation melt away. His smile reaches his eyes as he gives her a small nod in agreement. “I’m never going anywhere. Promise”

“You better not or I’ll hurt you!” she chuckles.

Tim laughs, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he looks at her with a brow raised, “Oh, yeah?”

“Mhmm,” she nods as she shifts again, this time moving to be on top of him as she straddles him, knees pressed onto the bed as he realizes what she’s up to and catches her by the wrists, flipping her over in a swift move.

“I do love a good challenge.”

They laugh as they start to wrestle each other for a moment before Tim’s lips crash into hers and Lucy completely melts into him. Now that she knows his taste, knows his touch, it’s all she craves. She didn’t realize just how much she wanted needed him until a few hours ago when they discarded their clothes and stumbled onto her bed. A moan leaves her lips as his lips roam down her body, it’s absolute bliss and she’s unsure how she ever went about her life without Tim Bradford in it. 

[kakejiszkas]

keep it on the low (until i know) by sisterofficerchen (kakejiszkas) | chenford | 3.8k

Lucy, ever the millennial, soft launches her boyfriend on Instagram. Her boyfriend’s sister figures it out.

It’s late on a Thursday night, sometime past midnight, when Genny finally falls into bed. She gets comfy under her duvet and burrows further into her pillows, ready to unlock her phone and open Instagram for her nightly ritual of scrolling through her friends’ stories.

The first one is a new story from lifeoflucy, and she taps it to see what Lucy’s up to tonight.

It’s a boomerang, the shot panning from a beer on the bar to Lucy’s leg thrown over someone’s lap. Genny can see what looks like a man’s arm resting atop the bar table, but the shot cuts off before she can make out any details beyond that and the watch he’s wearing on his wrist.

[jackpotgirl]

Just another Tuesday

A Chenford Missing Scene.

We all needed this - what happened between the rooftop and the precinct…

“I outrank you,” he tells Thorsen and tries frantically to push the flashes of Lucy’s face from his mind.

If he thinks about never seeing her again, he’ll panic and if he panics, he’s dead. He barely registers the other man getting out of the car through the rush of blood past his ears, only grasps that the car is creaking, balancing precariously on the edge of the roof.

“What are you doing?” He calls out when the car gets ever shakier and ever creakier.

Thorsen has grabbed the rear, throwing him a lifeline. Every hair on Tim’s body is standing up and he doesn’t think, he just moves. Not a second too late. His feet hit the ground and he can drag Thorsen from the car just in time before it tips over the ledge and hits the ground crashing and burning.

He thanks all the deities that the street below was empty while Thorsen cracks a joke in his own subsiding panic. That’s the kind of humor one will develop on the job - but Tim can’t laugh. He only thinks of her.

When Lucy hears about it later, returning her shop, she’s infinitely glad to not be behind the wheel anymore, she might have crashed her own car had she been driving. She forbids herself to think about it much further though, as she returns her gear, going through the motions. She can’t start imagining how easily the whole thing could have become the tragedy of her life, if she did, she’d scream and never stop. That’s the job, that’s the risk they’re all taking every day. She knows this.

“You alright?” One of the other officers, Annie Gupta, asks her as Lucy pours herself a coffee in the kitchen a couple of minutes later, her hand trembling a little.

“No, yeah, thanks,” Lucy replies mechanically. “Just needed some caffeine.”

“Late shift?” Annie asks casually.

“No, just… you know.” Lucy shrugs, noncommittal, and the other woman leaves it at that.

Usually, Lucy doesn’t make a habit out of drinking coffee this late in the day but she doesn’t expect to sleep tonight, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?

Her phone vibrating in her pocket finally fully takes her out of her head. It’s a text from Tim.

Pulling into the bay, got a sec?

Lucy abandons her coffee on the counter.

She arrives at the garage at the tail end of Tim sending Thorsen off with both their gear bags, saying something along the lines of payback for saving his life. Thorsen counters that he saved Tim’s life just the same but a raised eyebrow from his superior shuts him up.

Thorsen shoulders both bags with a grunt and then nods at Lucy as he passes her by.

“We nearly died today,” he tells her, “you heard?”

“I heard,” Lucy replies with a weak smile. “Good that you didn’t.”

“Just another Tuesday,” Thorsen jokes with a shrug he barely manages under the load as he walks off, though she can tell from the slight tightness in his voice that he’s still shaken up a little too.

Then she’s alone with Tim. And takes only the most cursory backward glance before she flings herself at him and wraps him in tightly in a hug she hopes will say all the desperate things she won’t let herself voice out loud. Because she doesn’t want to cry and because it’s too soon for I love you, never ever leave me ever.

Tim wraps Lucy in his arms the second their bodies connect and pulls her close, holding her for much longer than would be appropriate for just-colleagues — but he doesn’t care. Feeling her body flush and solid against his is everything. It’s what he did not allow himself to be terrified of losing before.

Neither of them says anything, wrapped up in their own little world for the moment. They both know better than to linger on these things, on these near-misses and brushes with death, otherwise they might not return to work at any given day. Instead – once he finally lets her go – he just sighs, smiles, and lets her get back onto her full feet.

“So… pretty uneventful day, huh?” He says and Lucy snorts a laugh that speaks of complete relief.

“Just another Tuesday,” she echoes Thorsen’s earlier comment — and God, he wishes it wasn’t way too soon to tell her that he loves her.

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t die,” she tells him with that cop’s humor that has permeated the whole ordeal as they’re making their way through the precinct to change a minute later. “You owe me a redo on our date.”

“It’s what gave me the will to live,” Tim shoots back evenly, not missing a beat, and he’s infinitely glad that Lucy makes it so easy to be at ease. And that she likes him and his dumb jokes, evidenced by her suppressed little chuckle.

“In my mind, I’m hitting you right now,” she tells him, trying not to laugh.

“Good to know,” he quips and grins.

As soon as they have rounded the corner to the corridor leading to the locker room where it’s a little less crowded, he inclines his head to her to ask under his breath: “Are you free tonight?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She’s beaming.

And when, fifteen minutes later, she sneaks into his truck around the corner from the precinct, she looks radiant like the sun… and holds his hand the entire ride to the park.

[be-my-happy-story]

“When you say…” Nyla leans forward and whispers “late. How late we are talking about?”

“A week.” Lucy says, lifting her eyes. She was contemplating on who she should ask, both Nyla and Angela could help her. But Angela is Tim’s best friend. Not that she would rat her out, Lucy knew that. But somehow Nyla won.

* * * * * *

“Can we focus? Please!” He says and she nods.

“Are you ok with her being pregnant?” She asks, suddenly serious.

Tim simply looks at her.

More on AO3

[singswan-springswan]

Chenford AU where Lucy is Tim's guardian angel

Didn't expect this to turn into a full-blown fic. it was supposed to be an imagine oop. please enjoy I spent too much time on this

words: 5590

rating: teen and up

warnings: bullet-related injuries, allusions to suicide, substance abuse, and abusive parents, also a building blows up

summary: Lucy is assigned to guard Tim. Unlike most mortals, he's aware of her presence, and they become friends as a result. Detailing their relationship through the years

@accidental-spice

~

Lucy is assigned to him the moment his soul blips into existence. She's a veteran guardian at this point, has helped plenty of humans through life from start to finish. The first few fleeting months are simply protecting his mom while she helps him grow, just until he's old enough to breathe on his own. Normally, this stage would be very peaceful and warm, but Tim's mom has a few life troubles of her own to sort through, and Lucy works closely with the woman's guardian to make sure Tim isn't harmed before he's born.

He's a screamer. He's a very serious baby, very judgy, very spirited. Lucy can tell she's in for quite the ride with this one.

It's completely routine at first. Children are a handful, and Tim is by no means an exception. He's not remarkably special, of course. There's tenuous strain in his family, but it's nothing Lucy hasn't seen before, and certainly nothing she can't handle. He gets himself into harmless trouble often. He's bright. He's curious. He's a kid. Lucy dotes on him because his parents don't, and she doesn't care that he won't feel any of it.

But suddenly Tim is special. He's three when it happens. He's inspired to spill some secret, and marches to his mother who's working in the kitchen, proudly announcing that he's got someone for her to meet. Lucy drifts beside him as he says it. She's formless. Invisible. Intangible. Nonetheless, Tim grabs her by the hand and calls her his "friend". It's never happened before. His mother smiles kindly. She looks right through Lucy and says it's a pleasure. Tim beams.

It's not a one-off occurrence. Tim knows she's there. It's a strange thing, and when she asks other guardians, most just grin. They say it will either make her job easier, or difficult ten-fold. (it turns out to be the latter of them, naturally). Tim knows she's there.

He hugs her back when he's scared, even if he can't touch her. She's the one he asks for when he's woken from a nightmare. He can feel her presence. If it didn't make him a reckless little freak, Lucy might almost find it fun.

But it's nothing serious, as far as she can tell, and it doesn't hamper her ability to perform. She stays with her mortal through everything; she's there for all of it. His first screams, his first hours of restless sleep, for every dangerous toy left in the cradle at night, and every wobbly arm that didn't hold his head just right. She was there for his first steps, holding his hands when his mother let go. She was there for his first words, his first laugh, his first meal of solid food. She was there for his first day of school, and his first adorable little crush, and his first letters handwritten with the help of a pencil gripper and the teacher's gentle hand. She was there for every skinned knee, every monkey bar blister, every fight, every trembling lip, every spilt juice box. She was there every time his father came home. She protected Tim through all of it.

She saw him through poor test grades, annoying younger siblings, summertime adventures, and bad family reunions. She saw him through the nightmare of secondary school, along with all its awkwardness and hormonal imbalances and voice cracks and social anxiety. She became his friend. He'd talk to her sometimes, ask for advice, or wonder if she was proud. Lucy couldn't talk back, but she could convey her sentiments, and that was enough for him.

There were plenty of things to protect Tim from. His dad was a big one, but they found out good ways to deal with it. and Lucy was an angel. she could redirect the angry man often enough without breaking a sweat, avoiding confrontation in the first place. Tim was too young to have to face that yet. Then there were cruel friends (and enemies) at school, teachers with an axe to grind and little help to offer. Lucy couldn't read aloud to him, but she found him someone who would, and his grades improved. She was there for the football tryouts of course. Those were a busy few days.

Tim happened to love a sport that got aggressive at his age. There was lots of pushing, and tripping, and a few nasty tail-spin take-downs that kept Lucy on high alert out there. Luckily, he had a good arm. Quarterbacks weren't roughed up too bad all the time. He told her he wanted to be a lineman, and she was grateful to the coach for deciding against it. She laughed at him the night after cuts. He was pouting.

At least he had a good outlet. He was under plenty of stress as a teenager. There were tough classes, and tough parents, and tough choices to make about the future. Lucy guided him as best she could, but he still grew hard a bit on the inside. it came without saying in this broken world, and an abusive father only sped the process along. Tim built up his walls against reality, because he was soft deep down and Lucy couldn't shelter him; that wasn't her job.

He really tested her sometimes. It was his signature thing. the Tim-tests. She found it endearing, mostly, but sometimes he went way overboard and got himself in a mess. Lucy would warn him, or stop him once, but he couldn't rely on her to be his conscious. He had to understand the consequences that came with stupid decisions. There was so much trust for her in him. But eventually he did start being responsible. It didn't take too long.

Until then Lucy stepped into bad situations with increasing exasperation. There was a beach party and a cliff jump just a little too high for human bones on impact. There was a football banquet where he drank and almost drowned in the pool. Then there was Gwen Kelsey and the back of her blue pick-up truck (and the bad news between her legs). If Lucy never had to perform a literal miracle to save Tim from genital warts again, it would be too soon.

To be clear, Lucy would never begrudge Tim's nature to seek danger out, but she could disapprove of his intentions. Intentionally putting himself in risky situations just because he trusted her to save his arse was not appreciated. Joining the military, on the other hand, was acceptable. Lucy didn't like war. The war of man had no glory.

But Tim had few prospects, and he would more easily survive on the front line than staying home. There were simply more bullets to deflect.

His time in the army was a sobering thing. it made him more jaded. Not optimal, but Lucy was an angel, and didn't shy away from human heartache. There were plenty of nightmares. Lucy did her best to soothe them away, along with the guilt and fear that came as a survivor. Tim allowed himself to be vulnerable with her. He didn't cry much anymore, but he let the emotion show when she was there. He asked her how to carry on. Lucy would wrap him in a hug, and he'd relax. He'd be comforted.

The tours came to an end when some manic demon guided a bullet through the minute gap in his body armor. From the angle of the shooter, it should never have landed like that, but it didn't really matter. Tim took the fall. Lucy fought the monster off. She redirected the bullet again, saving his lungs and heart. The doctor told him it was a miracle. He let out a broken laugh.

After military service, Tim needed to keep up the action, and decided to join the police. He took to it swimmingly, passionately, naturally, and it pleased Lucy to see. Tim was a kind man: a real softie, deep down. He wasn't on the force because he was good at barking orders and getting physical; he'd joined because he genuinely cared, and it was only easy because of his skills. For the first time in years, he'd found his place, and he could settle.

He made friends, he worked hard, he was determined to be of service. Isabel was the icing on the cake. They were a total delight to one another, and Lucy was often entertained by their synergy. The two were so alike. They made a good match.

Tim talked about her often when he was alone with Lucy. He wasn't one to gush, but Lucy had known him all his life, and she knew that Isabel was something special to him. Isabel was a bright future. Isabel was family that wouldn't hurt him, for a change. Isabel gave Tim so much hope and vibrance, brought so much light to his life. He wanted it to go on forever, he said. He said he was going to marry her.

And for years after the fact, the happiness lasted. Tim had found a good normal for himself. He and Isabel swore to be lifelong partners before a crowd of people they loved, and the celebration was delightful, excepting the few dark moments where demons plucked at Tom's shirt and he made Isabel cry. Lucy intervened quietly, despite it being outside her job description. Ruined weddings were despicable to her.

Life carried on with honeymoon ease. Tim was still his tough, commanding self, but his heart had a levity that made him glow. There were still tragedies every day on the job, but they weren't personal, and he performed well. He was helping people. He was happy.

But being a guardian couldn't mean basking in the good times. Lucy had to remain vigilant, regardless of how good a place everyone seemed to be in. The fairytale started to crumble after a few years, and Lucy knew right away because she was an angel and could see things that humans couldn't.

Isabel was on an op for weeks. The long stints took their toll on Tim, but he was strong, and he had Lucy to help him through the anxious nights. It was supposed to work out. They were supposed to work it out. But when Isabel finally came home, there were traces of rot in her veins. She needed help. She needed it now.

But Tim had fallen in love with his newfound happily ever after, and any threat to that was too awful to entertain. He ignored the hints Isabel dropped him. He tried to pretend like everything was fine. He even ignored Lucy's warnings, despite her insistence. As a result, Isabel slipped away.

The fallout was messy. It wrecked Tim. He tried too late to salvage the pieces of his ruined wife, after doing wrong by her, covering for her, lying to himself. In the end, most of the happiness he found after coming home from war was smashed to bits, leaving him worse off than ever and half as confident, twice as ruthless, retreating behind stone walls. Lucy did her best to save him from disaster, but she could only provide so much comfort without a physical voice and arms to hold him.

It was worse, having experienced a good life and losing it wholly, than never knowing it at all. When Isabel left, that was the last straw. Tim gave up. He locked his soft, kind heart away behind his many walls and focused on staying alive, going through the motions. Saving face. He pushed his friends away, daring to be vulnerable exclusively with Lucy, but even those vital moments dwindled as his light dimmed.

It was a dire situation, to be honest. A mortal that lost hope was a wretched, dangerous creature, and the longer this went on, the greater the surety stood that Tim would never be himself again. He'd never feel compassion, never be kind. He'd waste himself on sorrow and fear if Lucy didn't do something.

Luckily, he was a training officer.

Lucy devised a plan to show him the seriousness of his status. It was a severe strategy, only used by guardians in times of critical need. Clearly Tim was in need, and Lucy was obligated to help him. So she went to the academy and took on human form. She picked a name that mortals could pronounce. It wasn't her first act walking the earth. it still felt intense. She was accustomed to watching from the sidelines, but she was created with a gift of empathy, and fitting in was no trouble.

Six months and a few divine interventions later, she landed in the front row of the bullpen at mid-wilshire police station. When the Sergeant called Tim's name, he pointed at her.

At first, it was a shock to see him. He'd gotten worse. So much worse. He'd lost weight, lost sleep, lost any lingering trace of light in his eyes. There was a heavy weight in his gaze and the way he moved. One that hadn't been there six months ago. What changed? At the very least, he'd been stable. There'd been no reason for him to slip further down the dark hole Lucy pledged to haul him out of. Now, he was dangerously close to losing himself.

She didn't expect him to recognize her in that state. He didn't.

Any warmth he'd once possessed was frozen over by the time they started their first shift together. It felt wrong, and now that Lucy could feel physical things her stomach was a sinking knot. Tim was unsteady. Tim was not himself, walled off and detached. He cared a lot about people and it was grating at him to be like this, deep down, but Lucy had to work with what he gave her. She wasn’t going to pull any punches.

He was merciless the first few days. Unapologetic, vicious, blunt and rude. He snapped back at everything she said, bossed her around, belittled her. If Lucy really was who she said, she’d probably be hurt and greatly taken aback, but she knew Tim. He was in so much pain, and it was clear to her. The other rookies didn’t seem to think so, and their concern was touching. But Lucy saw the way the other officers looked at her, like she was either a dead woman walking or a poor soul in for the most horrible year of her life. Angela and Talia were so worried. They told her to look out for herself, leaving the “because he won’t” unsaid. Lucy appreciated them. Even if they misplaced the roles.

When Tim got shot, Lucy was not afraid. He’d been through worse, and this time she was there to hold his blood in. Her execution would make him proud if she were any rookie of the past. She directed Lopez to the two downed suspects, whipped her gloves on, and held Tim for the first time. He still tried to give her orders. Something angry and defensive. He looked terrible but he’d be okay. She made sure the bullet missed his important parts. Just like old times. A different doctor said the same thing: it was a miracle. Lucy wasn’t in the room when the news hit, but she could feel Tim crying all the same.

The weeks it took him to heal were precarious. It was dangerous to leave him alone, but part of the gamble to assume human likeness was that she had consistent responsibilities, and they  were distinct from Tim’s life. She still made sure to check on him regularly, and she was there when he was discharged. He despised her by the end of it. He felt patronized, and pitied, despite Lucy’s insistence. Always a stubborn man. Her words meant a lot less in the mouth of a mortal, even if they were clearer now than anything she’d said to him before.

Whatever else came from her efforts before he was cleared, he gained a modicum of respect for her. She could be just as persistent as him if she wanted, and he’d known that seven months ago. They were starting from scratch now. It was going to be rough.

Eventually, the Tim-tests came back. It felt like a breath of fresh air. While Tim was no less cut-throat and no more entertained than before, Lucy counted the violent slamming on brakes and demand for a location as a victory. He was getting a very important part of himself back, clawing, taking it by force. It hurt a lot, but the progress mattered so much. Lucy was happy to play along. Sure, she could read his mind, anticipate the nature of each test and answer him correctly every time, but the man needed to feel himself being productive. Even if that meant ruthlessly pummeling her for the sake of a lesson learned. She could take the heat.

Things after that became less bad, for lack of a better term. Tim leveled out well enough, to the point that Lucy trusted him to be alone with himself. There was little in life for him to enjoy at the moment, but she sensed that he at least found respite in the day spent with her, fighting crime, stopping tragedy, being human. He hated to talk to her, loathed her enjoyment in the act. He wanted to be alone. He closed himself off time and time again, even if a clever enough detective might connect the dots from all the friendly seconds she extorted from him, there was little substance she could glean unless she pushed him hard—which always involved a tough fallout.

There was one bad day she pushed it. The day was still young, and their calls had been mild. Tim hadn’t slept well. He looked like a wreck, even if he didn’t let it affect his performance. Lucy started talking. He liked her voice, she could tell, despite his claims of finding it annoying. She talked about psychology, which he hated, and she pushed him, and he hated that too. She pushed, and she pushed, and she asked him so many questions. Eventually he snapped, tired and defeated and white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, right foot near through the floor of the shop. The vehicle lurched roughly, and Tim worked his jaw. He looked so angry, and so sad, and so tired. His eyes were very tired. “Look,” he forced out around the thickness in his throat. “I just lost someone very close to me. I’m not in the mood to answer prying questions.”

Lucy could have swooped in with even more psychology. She could have cited a hundred various grieving tactics, ranging from self-destructive to completely healing, based both on psychological case studies and personal testament. She might have, under other circumstances. But this was Tim. She knew everything about his life, and taking on human form hadn’t changed that. She knew everyone he cared about, everyone close to him, and no one matched his claim. Isabel had been gone for over a year. His grief for her was nothing fresh. Not like this. And Lucy could tell that he was truthful in his statement because she was an angel and knew her way around his sentiments, his surface level thoughts. This was real, and she couldn’t think of anyone he might love enough to mourn with this much devastation.

After a long, sober moment not knowing what to say, Lucy folded her hands neatly and projected calm into the cabin. It wasn’t the same coming from a human body, but she was still an angel and it worked well enough. Just enough to form a truce with Tim. “What was this person like?”

Tim wrestled with an answer, paging a few harsh comments through consideration before giving up. A muscle in his jaw twitched. “She didn’t talk as much as you.” He said, and his voice was soft when he did.

It took Tim a while to stop resenting her, to stop taking out his frustrations on her. It took him a while, and a few verbal reprimands from his friends at the precinct before his torture of her ended. Apparently he was harsh, but never this harsh with rookies. Even the sergeant asked Lucy if she wanted a new TO. She wouldn’t hear of it. Tim was her charge, and she wanted to help him as long as she could. He was hurting a lot, but he was salvageable. He was still good. Despite the pain he was going through, he chose to not give in at the start of every day, chose to consistently do the right thing, to serve people in need. His execution was flawed but very redeemable. And it was working out slowly but surely.

Tim warmed up to Lucy in his own way. The process was painfully gradual, even for a being who’d lived innumerable years within the constraints of time. Lucy was a creature of patience, but Tim was dragging it out. It took him weeks to stop actively hating her. She bought him hot wings to commemorate the occasion, ditched them on his doorstep the night his team was playing—which he didn’t watch with the same enthusiasm anymore, but still appreciated.

From there, they graduated to relying on one another during calls. Lucy had his respect, she knew, and she’d solidly proven herself a capable officer, but it was different for Tim to trust her with his life. It was nostalgic for both of them, except Tim was being bittersweet about it. 

He started caring again, just a little bit at first, because jumping back in would exhaust him outright. It started with just covering her, making sure she didn’t die. Then he acknowledged her discretion. He listened when she spoke, didn’t just tune her out. He was more resigned than he’d ever been all his life, but he was coming to realize that life continued whether he was there for it or not, and peace was weaseling its way into his mind.

It was months on the job before Lucy saw him smile again. He’d pranked her with a surprise Tim-test, tucked away in a trash can in the middle of a park. The whole situation had thrown her off guard because he’d actually been enjoying himself. Baby powder exploded in her face. Tim was there to enshrine the moment in his memory. Through the blur, he lectured her about bombs and radio waves, and both corners of his mouth were slanted up. He shone softly with satisfaction. Victory.

Their relationship developed slowly but surely. They respected each other, they trusted each other, and they eventually grew to like each other. The haunted looks of the other TOs and all of Tim’s friends turned relieved, grateful. Angela pulled Lucy aside one day and thanked her sincerely. “We were worried about him. He never told us what happened. Look, whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.” Tim never told Lucy either. She was just happy to see him back on his feet. He still carried an enormous grief with him: one he’d likely never shed as long as he lived, but he was so strong. He would be okay.

Lucy was there when Isabel got caught. Isabel had ruined herself, and it ruined Tim too. It hurt a lot to go through again, for both of them. At least Lucy could hold him now, place a steady hand on his shoulder and say a few fortifying words. It helped a lot more this time around. Isabel was caught, deep in trouble, desperate to cut a deal that almost cost what remained of her life. Tim leaned on Lucy then, unknowingly. Isabel went away for her health, divorced Tim and made it final. It was rough. At least it was closure. Tim grieved the loss of his best life as well as he knew how, and it was far from easy for anyone involved. Lucy didn’t shy away. She could hold him now and she did, as far as he’d let her.

They became tentative friends, on Tim’s part, because Lucy wanted to regain what they’d had all his life, and he remained wary—understandably so. He was going through a lot. She knew that. She wasn’t pushing. But now they could share light conversation without any sour emotion to discolor the atmosphere. They could crack jokes, share gifts, perform favors. Tim was fighting through the pain to get himself back. His fire was a thing of beauty. He made Lucy laugh sometimes, and always stopped to stare a little. She caught him once with a sad, longing half smile. “What is it?” She asked, still grinning. He looked away quickly. Swiped at his eyes. “Nothing. You just remind me of someone I knew.”

By the time Caleb came into the picture, they were solid partners, on good terms. They went out with friends, shared trade secrets, and Tim was getting used to being comfortable with her. Being kind to her. Empathetic. Compassionate. Old traits he’d had a long time ago. He apologized for the awful first few months of her training. She just shook her head and grinned. She knew. She told him she knew, she understood, she’d forgiven him completely. Then Rosalind Dyer kicked up a fuss, and Caleb lost luck on a victim, which meant he was desperate. It went outside of Lucy’s job description to use herself like this but she could help lots of people by getting Caleb convicted. Before she called him, invited him out for a fateful few drinks, she pulled Tim aside. He was doing well. She didn’t want this event to throw him through the ringer again.

“I know you have my back.” She told him. “I trust you. Whatever happens with this case will not be your fault.” He’d been confused, and worried to hear that, and he was near hysterical when he pulled her from the barrel with bloody hands, split skin from clawing at the dirt in raw desperation. She was an angel, not a human. Asphyxiation couldn’t hurt her when she didn’t need to breathe. The drugs hadn’t really done a thing in her drinks except make them taste like crap, so she faked the snooze and made Caleb haul her (fake) snoring dead weight from the bar to his car trunk. The whole fiasco would be amusing if Tim hadn’t gone so crazy because of it. He squeezed her with a hug, holding so tight and shaking while Lucy narced on his three broken nails. His laugh was wet and broken. Caleb lived. He stood trial. He was sentenced to die.

Tim and Lucy were so tight after that. Everyone was suspicious of her incredible rebound, but she’d dealt with much worse in past assignments as a guardian—not that she could tell anyone that much. Tim forgot himself in his desire to help her. It was an incredible leap of progress, so close to where he started. He was so kind, and so thoughtful, and he went out of his way to make her smile because he hated that she thought to do it for him first. He didn’t need restitution after she went through what she did. He was selfless. Lucy, in turn, rebuked any of his lingering guilt and shame.

There were times when he forgot the nature of their professional relationship. He treated them like partners, as though they operated on the same level of authority. And even though his nagging and stubbornness and Tim-tests never once saw slack, Lucy was totally pleased to carry on like this. Taking on the world together. Performing miracles. Doing wonders of good. It was a beautiful arrangement that took them past the dynamic between a rookie and her TO. Lucy knew he saw her differently, cared about her differently, worried about her differently. He was protective in a different way, and not because of guilt or shame. Or because he felt responsible for her. She could attest the same things too. Tim had been special since he was three years old. She’d do anything to protect him.

There was one call that tested her mettle. It changed them. The fire started small in the big apartment building. They were the first to respond, and the building was mostly empty in the half minute it took them to arrive. But there were people still inside. And they were charged with running in easily. They herded out the motile ones, carrying those injured by the building giving way. It was the last time they went in that the building sat down, slouching in and trapping them where they were. Just one person left. They were cornered in the hall with the kid tucked in Tim’s arms. There was no way out of the fire. All exits were blocked by rubble and branding hot rebars, and the fire grew still, reaching the gas line now. Tim was afraid of dying. The kid was afraid of dying, in spite of adamant reassurances. Tim crouched in the corner, rocked the crying child and gave Lucy a horrible look. He didn’t think he’d make it out alive, and maybe he wouldn’t. The thought was discouraging. He’d just gotten his crap back together. Lucy knelt beside him, determined, wrapped them both in her wings as the fire swelled. The explosion shook the building’s foundation soundly. They were near the ground, a lower level, so the windows burst out in the deafening roar of flame. It was a death sentence. A barbecue. But Lucy was a guardian, and her mandate was to protect. So she did. She was an angel; manipulating fire was something of second-nature. The heat ran white hot around them but Lucy didn’t see, just squeezed both eyes shut like Tim and pressed her forehead close like Tim. It took a long time for the flames to die down. No one rushed in to save them—which Lucy could understand. They should be dead. Everyone would be assuming them dead by now.

But Tim and the kid were fine, which was nothing short of a miracle. She let them breathe the stale air.

Tim’s confusion left him mute. Though that could have been the shock as well. He stared at her. Hard. Then the kid sat up and blinked at the fire, blinked at the collapsed building around them, blinked at Lucy and said “you’re an angel.” like it was obvious. It probably was.

They emerged from the ruined, blackened skeleton to behold awestruck faces. Superficial burns only. It was a miracle they said, and Tim buckled, and Lucy caught him by the arm while he fainted at those words. They were whisked away by medical responders immediately. So much chaos. There wasn’t time to spare between tests and discharge to see Tim. The next time they saw each other was back on duty, in front of everyone who wanted to see. Tim didn’t seem to care about the audience. He grabbed her hands and his knees gave way again.

“It’s you.” He breathed, strangled and agonized. “All this time, it was you. It’s you.” Lucy hauled him to his feet, told him not to kneel for her, though by now there were undisguised tears dripping steadily from his chin. He was trying to process, trying to find the words. “I wanted to be here.” She said, squeezing his hands. She tugged him down for a hug, finally wrapped her arms around his body in the way she’d needed to for years. “To give you this.” He folded himself into her embrace, trembling violently, squeezing her so hard and so tight she couldn’t inflate her lungs at all, like he was afraid she’d vanish from the physical world at any given moment.

“You left.” He whispered, at a level their onlookers wouldn’t pick up. “Without warning. I lost you.” The accusation was biteless, but it gave Lucy chills anyway. She’d come to Earth without warning, without saying a word to him about her plan. Six months was but a breath for ageless angels, but for Tim who’d never lived a day without feeling her presence, to wake up one day completely alone for the first time ever, it must have been horrifying. Had he felt abandoned? Lost? So soon after Isabel left, how many frightening lonely nights had he spent waiting and waiting for her to reappear? Had he called for her? Had she broken his heart? It was such a fragile thing, and he’d built so many walls to protect it but Lucy had the keys to them all.

“You weren’t there.” He cried. “You weren’t there to fill the gaps or hear me cry or say I’d crossed a line—you were just gone.” His flowing tears turned to broken sobs, right there in the middle of the precinct, but Lucy didn’t care. She just held him and held him and held him back just as tight and maybe shed a few human tears of her own.

“I missed you like I’ve never missed anything.” Tim said.

Lucy tightened her grip. What else was there to do? It was exactly what she’d come to do, and her absence was a thing of the past now. She could explain everything when there was time to speak, with real words, like she’d never spoken to Tim before. Now they were a team. They could fix this heartbreak together. “I’ll never leave you again.”

“Don’t.” His chest was full of rubble. “Please don’t.”

[torreshalstead]

Words like knives

Summary - Strolling through the grocery store on a Saturday with Tim, running into her mother was the last thing she would have expected. And yet there she was.

Notes - Just my little take on Lucy’s moms reaction to finding out about Tim and Lucy. Hope you enjoy! AO3 Link

Lucy couldn’t help the smile tugging on her lips as she strolled through the grocery store arm in arm with Tim. There was something about the mundane domestic tasks that she used to do alone, having a partner to do them with made them so much less mundane and so much more enjoyable. Tim had decided he wanted to cook for them tonight at his place, however as they normally ate at hers, his cupboards were bare meaning that a trip to the store was required. Lucy wasn’t going to complain. Tim was quite a cook so tonight’s meal was sure to be delicious, even if they did have to spend the time getting everything for it.

‘Damn, I forgot… I’ll be right back’, Tim said with a quick peck to her cheek before he headed back down the aisle they had been in previously.

Lucy smiled to herself as she slowly meandered down the current aisle, glancing at the shelves but choosing instead to daydream about the man who was the reason behind her smile.

‘Lucy?’

The recognition of that voice pulled her out of her daydream with a jolt.

‘Mom?’

Her mother was standing in front of her; she was the last person Lucy expected to see today. She hadn’t seen her since she had kicked her out of her apartment when she had become a P2 and had been told her career was worthless. She had spoken to her since then, but could count on one hand how many times that had been, usually just wishing a happy birthday or Mother’s Day via a quick phone call.

‘I didn’t know you shopped here? It’s far from your apartment, unless you’ve moved?’ Vanessa Chen always had a knack for asking the questions that her daughter would have preferred not to answer.

‘Umm, no I haven’t moved. I, umm, just like it here’, Lucy said quickly, hoping her answer would appease her mother and prevent any further questions. However that appeared to be wishful thinking when Vanessa doubled down.

‘But surely the travel costs here mean it’s more expensive to shop here. You must be sensible with your money Lucy. Your chosen career’, her mother had to stop to swallow at this, almost as though she was actively disgusted with her daughter's profession, ‘doesn’t allow much room for promotion or pay rises.’

‘There’s plenty of room for promotion being a police officer’, Lucy said, slightly softer than she normally would when talking to her mother. She was attempting to avoid confrontation and also to end the conversation as quickly as possible before Tim returned.

‘Well if you went back to school, like your father and I suggested, you’d be able to get a much better paying position and be able to move out of that apartment and you could shop here all the time.’ Her mother reached across to smooth out an imaginary crease on Lucy’s jacket and dusted down the sleeve. It was a way her mother continued to assert her power in situations, demonstrating not only her distaste of Lucy’s job but also of her fashion choices and clearly by the tone of the conversation, her living arrangements as well.

‘Mum, we’ve had this conversation before. I am not going back to school’, Lucy huffed whilst her mother brushed off the comment with a wave of her hand.

‘It would be the best thing for you Lucy. Your father and I have always thought so.’

Just as Lucy was in the process of biting her tongue to prevent engaging in a full blown argument in the condiments aisle of the store, the thing she had been dreading happened.

‘Hey babe, I found it.’ Tim had returned from his excursion to source whatever he had forgotten but was glancing at the label when he walked up to Lucy, not noticing who she was talking to until it was too late. ‘Oh, umm, Mrs Chen, lovely to see you’. He said nervously, depositing the items in the basket Lucy was holding and shooting her an apologetic glance. If he hadn't called her babe, they may have been able to brush off the fact that they were shopping together on a Saturday, but unfortunately, that was now impossible.

Vanessa shot a glaring look at Lucy before her gaze returned to Tim, looking him up and down in a disparaging way before her eyes locked firmly on her daughter.

‘So, the way to get promoted in your profession is to sleep with your superiors to get ahead. I thought we taught you better than this Lucy,’ her mother spat at her with disgust. Lucy’s jaw hit the floor. She knew her mother disapproved but never did she think she would accuse Lucy of sleeping her way to the top. She spluttered but was unable to get a word out before Tim stepped in.

‘Apologies ma'am, but I am not Lucy’s superior and I can assure you that any promotion Lucy receives in the future will not be as a result of who she is having a relationship with. Your daughter is an exceptional police officer and deserves every accolade she receives’. Tim said calmly, resting his hand on Lucy’s back in an attempt to calm her and show support.

‘Well you would say that seeing as you’re the one clearly having an affair with her!’ Vanessa said loudly, causing the other occupants of the aisle to look over before quickly making their way to another part of the store.

‘Mom!’ Lucy tried not to stamp her foot like a child but her mother’s reaction was causing her anger to bubble up inside. ‘Tim and I are not having an affair. We are in a loving, committed relationship!’

‘Of course you are’, Vanessa scoffed and turned her attention to Tim now. ‘I always had my suspicions but this just confirms them. You use your position of power to intimidate and coerce young innocent women into thinking they are in love with you. And then you’ll just discard them and move on to the next one!’ Vanessa's voice had returned to a more acceptable level however her tone was laced with venom and anger as she hurled the accusations at Tim. ‘Such a great example of the LAPD you are,’ she let out a harsh laugh as Lucy felt Tim’s palm tighten on her back, ‘taking advantage of those under your command’.

‘Mom, I am not under Tim’s command anymore and he’s not taking advantage of me, nor has he ever taken advantage of anyone. Just because you think all police are evil and corrupt, does not give you the right to talk to my boyfriend or me that way.’ Lucy squared her shoulders and grabbed Tim’s hand off her back, squeezing it tightly. ‘And I have no more to say.’ Tugging Tim behind her, she walked with purpose to the end of the aisle and took a left but before she had a chance to take more than a step or two, Tim had pulled her into a tight hug and she felt herself collapse into him.

‘I’m sorry’, he muttered into her hair. ‘She shouldn’t say things like that to you’.

‘I’m sorry too,’ she said but her words were muffled as she was pressed tightly against his chest. ‘She has no right to speak to you that way’. She pulled back so she could look at him but kept her arms firmly around his back. ‘You know nothing she said about you is true, you’re not taking advantage of me and I know you’d never abuse your position like that’.

Tim nodded, he knew that but he would be lying if he said Vanessa’s words hadn’t touched a nerve. He knew how he felt about Lucy, knew how she felt about him but was aware that to the outside world, if they knew the history, or at least parts of it, it might come across that way. A TO dating his Rookie. But their relationship was nothing like that, and anyone who knew them, knew that. And they were the only people who mattered.

‘I know Luce, I know,’ he said as he bent down to drop a kiss to her forehead, giving her a gentle squeeze before releasing her. ‘I know,’ he repeated, taking her hand in his and continuing onwards to the next aisle, hoping to put what had just occurred in the rear view.

As the pair continued to wander through the store, collecting the various ingredients they would need for that evening’s dinner, the conversation with Lucy’s mom was playing on both of their minds. Neither said anything but continued to maintain contact just a little bit more purposefully than they normally would do in public, nothing that would cause any raised eyebrows but keeping at least one point of connection at any time.

Lucy was reeling. She had become used to her mother’s opinion of her and her profession but had hoped that seeing her daughter in a happy and loving relationship would have brought her mother a sense of joy. But instead, it seemed to make her less approving of Lucy. Her mother had been on at her for years to get a boyfriend and settle down, she had even paid for her to freeze her eggs for god's sake. And here she was happy and with someone she could actually see a future with and her mother had insulted him.

Tim was equally angry but his anger was mixed with sadness. He knew Lucy wanted approval from her mother and that even though she tried to brush off the comments she made, it hurt Lucy when she insulted her career. He was so proud of Lucy and everything she had achieved, he wished her mom could see her for the person and the cop she was, rather than the idealistic version of her daughter that she had created in her brain.

Reaching the check out, Tim spotted Vanessa entering the household cleaning aisle and decided he couldn’t keep it in any longer.

‘I’ll just be a second’, he said as he strolled towards the aisle Vanessa had just walked down, leaving a confused Lucy in his wake.

‘Mrs Chen’, he said loudly as he approached her. Vanessa turned around, disapproval still etched across her face. ‘I don’t need you to like me, or even approve of the relationship I have with your daughter. But I have to tell you that by not accepting Lucy as the person she is now, you’re going to lose any chance of knowing the person she is going to become. She is a great cop, one of the best I’ve ever trained. She’s gone on undercover missions, taken down drug cartels and stopped murderers and has never asked for praise for any of it. She does it because she loves it, helping people, keeping the city safe. It’s who she is. Now I know that being a police officer is not what you had in mind for Lucy, that you want something different for her. And I understand that. Being a cop in LA is not easy, and it’s not always safe. But it’s who she is. And asking her to change, would be asking her to lose a part of herself, and that would crush her.’

‘One day Lucy will become a detective, or a Sergeant, or a Captain, and if you were there to celebrate those achievements with her, it would make them all the more special. But just because you don’t support them, doesn’t mean she is going to achieve them. Some day, I hope, she will become a mother and she will be exceptional at that too. She will want her kids, our kids to get to know their grandparents. But she won’t, if you aren’t proud of the woman that she is. Your words hurt, Mrs Chen. And I have promised to never let anything hurt Lucy, I love her. And that means I can’t let you hurt her either. So please, Mrs Chen. Just think about it.’ Tim didn’t wait for a response before turning on his heel and heading back towards Lucy, leaving a baffled Vanessa standing alone in the middle of the aisle.

He hoped that she had taken his words to heart, he meant every word of them and he didn’t want Lucy to go through anymore pain and upset where her parents were involved.

—————————————————————————

As they unloaded the groceries into the truck, Tim spoke up, ‘I went back to speak to your mom’.

Lucy turned around quickly, ‘you did what? Tim-’

‘I know, but I had to let her know that what she said hurt you and that if she kept it up, she’d lose out on the opportunity to know the incredible woman you are. I’m sorry if I overstepped but I had to’, he looked sincerely at her, trying to gauge her emotions.

‘It’s okay’, she said after a moment, reaching out to hold his hands. ‘I do appreciate you standing up for me’. She smiled.

‘You do?’

Lucy nodded, ‘I can stand up for myself, and I know you know that’, Tim nodded as she smirked. ‘But it can get tiring, so sometimes it’s nice when someone else does for a change.’

‘Well we’re a team, so sometimes we have to share the load’, Tim squeezed her hand as he leaned against the tailgate of his truck, tugging her to stand between his legs.

‘What did you say to her?’ Lucy asked curiously.

‘I told her how incredible you are, and that someday you’ll get a promotion at work and you’d appreciate it if she was there to support you. I said someday you’ll be an amazing mother and would want your kid-’

‘Our kids’, Lucy interrupted him with a smile which Tim returned happily.

‘Our kids, to have a relationship with their grandparents but if she didn’t accept you for who you are then she would miss out on that chance.’ Lucy’s eyes started to glisten with the hint of tears but the smile hadn’t left her face so Tim continued. ‘I told her that I love you and I promised to protect you from anything that hurt you, and if she hurts you that means protecting you from her as well.’

‘Thank you’, Lucy whispered as she pulled herself into his chest and hugged him tightly.

‘I meant every word of it Lucy’, he whispered against her cheek as he pulled her further into his embrace, not caring that they were in the middle of the parking lot, not caring who saw that a tear may have escaped the corner of his eye. Just being present in the moment that the woman he loved was in his arms and he would never have to let her go.

[firstdegreefangirl]

This is Pretty Perfect

“It’s broken.” Grace points out the fracture lines on the X-ray of Lucy’s hand and arm. “A clean break, fortunately, so it’ll just need a cast, and maybe a little bit of PT when it’s healed to help regain full muscle function …”

Lucy doesn’t hear the rest of her explanation. She doesn’t need to listen right now. Her head is pounding, her mouth is too dry, and every time she tries to focus on her injured wrist, it sends sharp stabs of pain up her left arm.

Besides, Tim is there, sitting on a vinyl-covered stool beside the exam table. She trusts him to listen now and fill her in later. He’s already been invaluable today, calling in her officer down while he chased down the suspect she’d followed over a chain-link fence. He’d handed the guy — cuffed and ready for transport — over to another pair of officers and helped Lucy sit up to lean against the fence.

Even though her legs and back were fine, he’d moved her so gently, one limb at a time until he could crouch in front of her and check her awareness.

He’d stayed until she was loaded into the ambulance, promised he’d be right behind her to Mercy, and made it into the waiting room before the paramedics had even unloaded the stretcher.

When Lucy had begged for water, desperately thirsty after the exertion of a foot pursuit, the ER attending had refused, in case she needed surgery.

It had been Tim who intervened, asking for a cup of ice chips and holding it where Lucy could reach every time she wanted to fish a couple out and let them melt on her tongue.

She’ll pay dearly for it later, she’s sure. Probably in weeks of extra paperwork once she’s healed, and a whole new series of Tim Tests she can’t even begin to imagine.

But for now, he can do the listening for her too.

Read the rest on ao3 here!

[sgtbradfords]

Until Now, Until You

The orange glow of a street light passes through the windows of Tim's truck before immersing him into darkness once more. 

The street before him is sparsely busy, allowing him the ability to give a passing glance towards the clock on the dashboard. He glares, sulking as four numbers glow back at him rather mockingly, reminding him that it was already nine minutes after midnight. 

He'd been sitting behind the wheel for close to an hour now - how long did it take for one's ass to meld with the driver's seat again? - making a series of left and right turns with only one true objective in mind.

"You want me to drive?" Lucy asks him quietly over the low hum of the decades old hit that filtered through the speakers and the sound of four rubber tires, rotating against the cooling Los Angeles asphalt. Unsure if he had heard her right, Tim hummed. "Babe, you're tired. Do you want me to drive?"

Tim raises a brow, straightening in his seat. "I'm fine."

Read the rest on AO3!

[fordchen]

My forever bestfriend

I shed a few tears writing this. I hope you like it!

It had been a long day at the Mid-Wilshire police station. Lucy had recently received a Golden Ticket and after a few days, she chose to become a detective in the Juvenile Division after realizing that undercover work wasn’t made for her. Ever since dating Tim, undercover work stopped making sense to her. The Juvenile Division made perfect sense for her because of what some coworkers had deemed her superpower — her empathy.

Yet, it had been a draining day. She faced hard cases after the other and after days of doing overtime, she needed some time alone. She texted Tim to let her know she had to make a stop before coming back home before she headed to the cemetery. She slowly walked through the cemetery until she reached Jackson’s headstone. She smiled weakly as she sat down, tears immediately falling down her face. It had been a long time since her last visit. Work had been so busy that she never found the time to visit her best friend. It had been 5 years since Jackson’s death, yet it still felt like yesterday. She could still hear his voice at times or picture his reactions in certain situations. Saying she misses him would be an understatement. Life was unfair. “Hey Jackson.” Lucy said as she wiped her tears away, staring at his name and the fresh flowers in front of her. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited in a while. Work has been insane. I actually got a golden ticket recently and became a Detective in the Juvenile Division. It’s been a lot but I am very happy. I know I said for the longest time that I wanted to become an undercover cop but it didn’t make sense, Jackson. I can’t do that to Tim, and it’s honestly too dangerous.” She said, letting out a sigh. She swore that she could sense his presence and closed her eyes for a few seconds, embracing the silence. “Speaking of Tim, we got engaged last weekend. I know you weren’t too far, I sensed your presence and made the moment even more special. He is my everything. I know that you would tease me, and you would be absolutely right! Can you remember how much I complained about him during our rookie year? and how he absolutely drove me crazy?” She let out a wet giggle. “He is the love of my life and my biggest supporter. He has grown so much since I have met him and I am sure you would absolutely love him. I… I actually am keeping a little secret and I wanted you to be the first to know.” She said as she placed a hand on her small stomach bump. “I found out I was pregnant today. I had been sick for a few days and didn’t think much of it, yet after talking to Angela, I decided that maybe taking a test would be worth it and it definitely was. I can’t wait to tell Tim. He has been waiting for this moment for so long… Other than that, everyone is doing well. Baby Jackson is turning 5 in a few weeks and I’m in charge of organizing his birthday party. Angela and Wesley have faced some hardships lately, struggling to deal with their jobs and kids but they figured it out. Your parents have been amazing and become my parents in some way… We constantly talk about you, your dad is retiring soon. He realized how precious life is and that he wants to enjoy every second possible. I think I’m going to ask your dad to walk me down the aisle since my parents rejected me.”

It slowly became darker outside as the sun was setting. She felt her phone buzz as Tim texted her to check if she was okay. She knew she had to get going and got up, not really wanting to leave. “I miss you, Jackson. It has been really hard recently… I’m going through every life event we once dreamed about together and it has hit me all at once. You should be here with us, life is unfair. I forget your voice sometimes and have to listen to videos for hours to make sure I won’t forget it again. I love you and I promise I will visit you soon okay?” She put a hand on his headstone and gave it a weak smile before she suddenly felt two arms wrapped around her from behind. She immediately relaxed, knowing it was Tim. Tim placed a kiss on her head as he held her close to him, rocking her gently to soothe her. “Come on baby, let’s get you home. It’s been a long day. See you soon, Jackson.” He whispered before walking with her to his truck.