Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

March 9th, 2024, was not a good day for Tim Bradford. He was currently sitting in the bar on his sixth glass of whiskey. He was in a bar in West Hollywood, a bar he stumbled upon during his walk. The bartender cut him off. All he wanted was another glass. Who was the bartender to stop him? 

"Hey, man. I feel fine. Just get me another glass." Tim's speech is slurred, and the people around him are spinning. But he feels fine. 

"Nah, dude. Sorry, no can do. I can call you a cab; I have to cut you off." The bartender replies. 

Tim is mad. He just wants another drink. His voice gets louder, "I do not need you to do a damn thing for me. I want another drink!" People are starting to stare now, but Tim doesn't care. He wants his drink. 

Tim's little tantrum doesn't amuse the bartender. He stands his ground and says, "We have the right to cut you off. You've had six. That is enough. We close in 15 minutes anyway. I'm calling you a cab."

That's when Tim loses it. He grabs his glass and throws his drink at the bartender. The bartender glares at Tim and is just about to say something when Tim starts yelling. "I am a fucking paying customer. If I want another drink, I'll get another drink." 

Tim is not sure who he is yelling at. But he keeps going. "You don't know how much I can handle; I am a grown man." 

 A customer sitting on the stool near Tim mumbles something. Tim whips around and starts yelling at the customer, "Do you have something to say, pal?" 

The customer looks Tim up and down, noticing his appearance. He almost doesn't say anything until Tim gets a step closer. "I said you sure aren't acting like a grown man. He cut you off; go home and take the cab." 

The customer returns back to his drink and sees Tim charging towards him. Before he even has a chance to react, Tim throws a punch. The man groans but punches Tim back. They keep going at each other until they hear the bartender yell, "I've called the cops. They'll be here in five minutes. You need to stop." 

Tim pauses, debating whether to throw another punch or not. He feels the blood dripping down his nose, and his eyes start to swell. But the man in front of him doesn't look that much better. Tim smirked, walked away, and said, "He started it." 

Before Tim can return to his seat, he sees the cops approaching. There are two of them. He doesn't give them the time of day. 

The lady cop approaches him and says, "Sir, is there an issue?" 

Tim scoffs, "No issue here, ma'am. You can carry on with your day." 

The lady cop takes a step back; she's taken aback by the strong smell of alcohol on this man's breath. She looks him up and down, also noticing his appearance. 

Tim growls before she gets a word out, "Why does everyone keep looking at me like that?!" 

The lady cop doesn't answer his question; she instead asks him how much he's had to drink. He huffs and insists he's fine.

The lady cop doesn't back down; how dare she? She asks again how much he has had to drink. He doesn't respond; instead, he ignores her and tries to walk away. She steps in front of him, and he notices how short she is. He almost laughs, but scoffs instead. 

"Not enough, but according to the superstar bartender, I have had enough." 

She chuckles and replies, "So, you would punch a guy in the face sober? We came to this bar because you threw a punch and were disturbing the peace." 

Tim is staring down at her, trying to intimidate her, but it doesn't work. He sees her name tag says "Chen" and he notices her stripes as being a Sergeant. Tim thinks she seems young to be a Sergeant. Hell, he just became Sergeant, and is nearing forty. He decides he is going to look her up later on. 

He must have been staring at Chen for too long because she looked annoyed and was waiting for his answer. He knows how these things work; she will not let him drive himself home. So he must either get a cab home or deal with Chen and her partner. He decides he will call a cab and come get his truck tomorrow. It is not like he has any plans anyway.

The other cop comes up to them and says the other customer did not want to press the chargers, and the bartender just wants Tim trespassed. Before anyone can get a word in, Tim dials the number for the cab, pays his tab, and walks out.

 The cops follow him outside, and he wishes they hadn't. He knows they have to see him get in a cab, but still. He punches the wall and shouts out a few choice words. In the corner of his eyes, he sees Chen and her partner exchange glances. He would tell them off, but then the cab pulled up. He glances in their direction, and they both give him a slight nod.

"Where to?" the cab driver asks as soon as Tim enters. 

"A hotel. Any hotel."

12 hours earlier 

Tim was getting married today. He never thought the day would come again, not after Isabel. He had stopped believing in love. It took a long time, but today, he finally got to marry his fiance, Ashley McGrady. They had been together for three years and spent the past year planning the wedding. It was too much for Tim, but Ashley always said, “Happy wife, happy life.” That is all Tim wanted: a happy wife and a happy life. So, he did not mind the compromise of a bigger wedding too much. 

He looked around the room and saw all his friends, some from work and some from his military past. He smiled. He was excited, and he was finally getting everything he had dreamed of. 

He looked at his best man, Nick, and gave him a double thumbs up. Something Tim only did when he was nervous. 

Nick chuckled, “You ready, man? Today is the day!”

“I am ready to get married and start this new chapter. It feels nice, you know?”

Nick nodded his head and walked off.

There was a knock at his door, signaling it was time to get out there.

It was now or never. Tim took a deep breath and made his way down the aisle with all his groomsmen leading the way. 

A few minutes had passed, and Tim was fidgeting with his sleeves. Nick must have noticed because he put his hand on his shoulder and said, ”Just breathe, man. She will be out soon.”

Surely enough, the doors opened, and when he saw Ashley, his heart sank. She wasn’t in a wedding dress; she was in her regular clothes. All the guests started whispering as Ashley made her way down the aisle. As she got closer, Tim could tell she had been crying. 

After what felt like years, she finally made her way up to him.

“Ash, babe, what’s going on? Why aren’t you dressed?” he whispers. His voice was cracking as he spoke.

Ashley stared at him and took a big gulp; she grabbed Tim’s hands and whispered, “I’m pregnant.”

Tim’s stomach went to the floor, and his chest tightened. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

“B-but, how? We haven’t-”

Ashley interrupts him before he gets the chance to finish what he was going to say. “It’s not yours. I’m so sorry, Tim.” 

Ashley drops his hands and practically runs back down the aisle. He looks behind him to see his groomsmen. Had he really just been left at the altar? 

The pain in his chest only got worse as he saw Nick frantically chase after Ashley. Everyone let out a gasp in shock. There was no way, Tim thought. There was no way his best friend would betray him like that. So, Tim quickly followed them out.

 As he was leaving, he heard someone say, “Yeah..so the wedding is off. Um. Sorry about that.”

When Tim stepped outside, he looked around, trying to find Ashley or Nick. He was confused; he needed answers, and he needed them now. His eyes finally land on them, standing beside each other, talking in hushed voices. Tim quickly walks over to them. 

Before he can even get a word in, Ashley looks up at him and says, “I just found out. I am so sorry, Tim.”

Tim doesn’t know what to say. He looks at Nick and says, “Why are you out here?’

There is silence. Too much silence. Nick looks between them before he clears his throat, “I am, um. The baby, it’s uh, it’s mine.”

Tim stares at both of them, trying to process what is being said. He is at a loss for words.

“Man, I am sor-”

“How long?” Tim interrupts. 

“Tim, we-” Ashley tries to chime in.

“How. Long.” Tim asks again.

Silence. 

“How long have you guys been screwing around? Was it a one-time thing? Has it been months? Years?”

Nick and Ashley exchange looks before Nick mumbles, “A year and a half.”

His answer was so quiet that Tim almost couldn’t hear him. He was going to be sick.

Tim wanted to scream; he wanted to punch the living daylights out of Nick, but he didn’t. Instead, he walked away. He was going to some bar and mope for however long he needed to. He was going to drink until he understood why he was never enough.

Chapter Text

Tim woke up in his hotel room. Alone. He laughs; he better get used to being alone. From this day forward, he vows to never date again. If he doesn’t date, he can’t get left again, right? 

Tim is in pain. His head hurts; he can’t tell if it’s from the whiskey or the punches that got thrown his way. Probably the mixture of them both. He needs to get to his truck to get his go bag to change out of his suit. He gets up to see if he looks any better than he feels. He doesn’t. He has a black eye, and there is dried-up blood all around his nose. Usually, he would care about his appearance, but since he is no longer in a relationship, no one would care what he would look like. It seemed like to him no one cared about him. Not his parents. Not Isabel. Not Ashley. Not even his own best friend.

Tim decides to walk to get his truck. He needs the time to figure out what he is going to do with everything. He needs to get Ashley’s stuff out of their house. His house now. When they were dating, they decided she would move in with him instead of living together in Ashley’s apartment. He also needed to cancel the honeymoon. He considered going by himself, but he realized he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the trip when it was supposed to be one he was taking with his wife. The thing Tim was dreading the most, though, was talking to Ashley. He didn’t know what he would say. What do you say to someone who is knocked up by your best friend?

He gets to his truck and heads home; as he pulls into the driveway, he sees Nick and Ashley’s cars are already there. He briefly considers turning around and returning later, but he needs to face them. He sighed and made his way to the door. Once he unlocked it, he saw that Ashley had already started packing her stuff. He stands in the doorway, taking everything in. 

“Oh. Um-hey Tim.” Nick mumbles. 

“Hey? That is all you have to say after you have been sneaking around with MY fiancée for the past year and a half, not only sneaking around but getting her pregnant too. And all you have to say is, hey? What do you expect? Me to pretend it didn’t happen, how the fu-”

“Wait, what happened to your fa-” Nick tries to interrupt, but Tim was just getting started.

“No, Nick. Let me finish. How the fuck could you look me in the eye after the affair started? How could you let me get to the altar? What were you guys going to do? Keep screwing around and hope I never find out? Hell, what did I do to you to deserve that from you? We were best friends, man.”

Nick looks at the floor, not sure what to say. Before Nick can get a word out, Ashley approaches. She starts to fidget with her hands before she speaks up.

“Tim, I-um, I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am truly so sorry. We didn’t want you to find out that way, we-”

“Didn’t want me to find out that way, or didn’t want me to find out at all? I don’t exactly see another time that would have been better to tell me unless you were planning to leave me at the altar before you knew” Tim scoffs.

They both look at the floor, refusing to make eye contact with Tim. 

Tim takes a step back and chuckles. It’s not funny, but he has to find a way to deflect somehow, “Oh my god. You were going to leave me at the altar before you found out, weren’t you? That was your plan all along. Unbelievable. Go to hell, both of you. Ashley, get all your stuff moved out in the next forty-eight hours and never step foot on my property again. I hope you raise that kid better than the way the both of you were raised.”

Tim storms out, and he is even madder than he was before. He slams the door behind him and goes to his truck. He needs to find a way to release all his pent-up anger. He looks at the clock in his truck, and it is only 11 a.m., so he can’t go to the bar and drink all his problems away. Technically, he can’t go to work either. He had the next two weeks off, which was supposed to be for his honeymoon. He is still fuming in the driveway when there is a soft knock at his window. It’s Ashley. She looks scared. Tim almost drives off and leaves her standing there, but against better judgment, he decides to roll his window down. 

“What do you want, Ashley? I have nothing else I want to say, nothing nice, at least.” 

“I understand, I deserve it. I wanted to let you know I left you the money you spent on the venue and everything else. Also, the money that you lost from the honeymoon. I know money won’t heal you, but it is the least we, I mean I, could do. I really am sorry, Tim.”

Tim takes a deep breath and nods his head. He doesn’t trust himself to speak right now.

“Oh, um, also, here is an ice pack for your um face. I am not sure what happened, but it looks like you need it right about now.”

“The only thing I ever needed was you.” with that, Tim backs up and drives away, leaving Ashley standing there with the ice pack in hand, wondering if she had made the biggest mistake of her life. 

Tim starts driving to his sister’s house, he had asked Genny to watch Kojo while he was away. He thinks maybe he can take Kojo for a long hike and forget . He hopes Genny won’t ask him too many questions or treat him like he is fragile. He doesn’t want to talk about it. She was there, after all, so it’s not like she did not know what happened.

As he pulls up to Genny’s house, he weighs his options. He can get a hotel until Ashley is done moving her stuff out, or he can ask Genny to crash on her couch for a few days. He notices he is still in his suit, so he grabs his go bag and quickly changes before heading to Genny’s doorstep. 

As soon as he knocks, a very frantic Genny answers the door.

“Tim! I have been calling you since yesterday. Where have you been? And what the fuck happened to your face?”

“Bar fight.” Tim mumbles and walks right past Genny, looking for Kojo.

“Sure, come right in,” Genny says as she closes the door behind him.

Kojo comes running to Tim, and Tim smiles for the first time all day. At least someone is happy to see him.

“Tim, do you want to talk about it? I feel like getting left at the altar is big.”

“No. It is what it is; she didn’t love me, and that’s that. Um, can I stay here for a day or two? Ashley is moving her stuff out of the house today and tomorrow.”

“Yes, of course. Stay as long as you need. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“I am fine. I am taking Kojo on a hike; I will be back soon.”

“Kojo! Let’s go!” Tim gathers the leash and heads out.

Genny sighs as she watches her brother walk away. She knows how this is going to go; he is going to avoid his feelings and mope. Then he is going to start being an asshole to everyone in sight until he breaks. She just hopes someone is there to catch him.

Chapter Text

Tim was able to return to work early. Lieutenant Pine needed the extra hands on deck as Metro was planning on a big drug bust with one of the most dangerous drug dealers in Los Angeles. Tim was getting dressed in the locker room when the other guys walked in. They all stopped and stared at him like he was a zoo attraction. He could tell they felt bad for him, but no one wanted to say anything.

“If you guys are done staring, get dressed; we have work to do.”

The guys all nodded and scurried off to change.

Tim exited the locker room and was getting ready to head to the briefing room when Lieutenant Pine called his name.

“Bradford. Are you sure you can handle this? I know what happened was hard, and it is okay if-.”

“With all due respect, ma’am, I can handle this. Happy to be back.”

“Happy to have you back; sorry about what happened, by the way.” she gets ready to walk away when she turns back around, “Oh, one more thing. Our K-9 units are all tied up, so Hollywood will meet you at the scene with one of their dogs.”

“Yes, ma’am, thank you.”

The briefing went smoothly, and the plan was set. Metro is going to raid the house, take everyone down inside, and then collect all the drugs inside. The unit from Hollywood will meet them about a quarter of a mile from the house, and they will all get in position. 

“Where is that damn K-9 unit? They should be here by now.” Tim mumbles to himself.

“We are right here, sir. Sorry about that.”

Tim turns his head. He recognizes that voice. He turns to see that lady cop from the bar and her dog. Sergeant Chen, if he remembers correctly. 

Tim sees the exact moment she registers, where she recognizes him. Before she even gets the chance to say anything, he practically growls.

“Not a word, or I will make your life a living hell, you understand?”

“ We are in different divisions, different departments. Don’t try to intimidate me because you don’t want others to know what happened to your face.” Lucy squints to look at his uniform, “Sergeant.”

“Do you even know what you are doing here? If I recall correctly, you and your partner did not follow proper procedure when responding to the bar call. You didn’t even get my side of the story. You assumed I was the first person to throw a punch, and then you let me get in a cab alone. Sounds pretty reckless to me.”

Lucy scoffed as she looked at Tim, “With all due respect, sir. We were informed that you were the one to throw the first punch before we arrived. Officer Thorosen talked to the bartender and the customer and reviewed security footage to confirm that you, in fact, did throw the first punch. As far as why we let you get in the cab alone, you must not have noticed that we were right behind you in our shop to ensure nothing happened. Therefore, if you have any further complaints about how the scene was conducted, you are more than welcome to file an official complaint with the department. Regardless, Atlas and I were called to this raid to help you, so if you are done digging into what I do or do not know, I would like to get started.” 

“Atlas! Steh.” Lucy commanded.

Tim had never been put in his place like that at his own scene before. Any other time, he would feel the need to apologize to the other Sergeant, but it looks like she had thick skin, so it did not matter. 

The raid went smoothly for the most part. The team was able to seize all the drugs in the house, and they were able to capture all the men they were going after. They struggled to get the ring leader to surrender, but to Tim’s surprise, Atlas was able to bite him until Sergeant Chen put him in cuffs. 

Tim goes up to Sergeant Chen to thank her and Atlas for the assist. He was a bit of an asshole earlier, so the least he could do was say thank you. Atlas is currently playing with a tennis ball and looks so happy and carefree. He wishes he could be that happy. 

“Nice work today, you and Atlas.” 

Lucy looks up at him, expecting him to say more, “Uh, thank you.”

“How are you a Sergeant?” Tim has been wondering this since the night at the bar.

Lucy looks up at him, confused, “I’m sorry?”

“You’re young. I am nearing forty, and I am just becoming a Sergeant. So you either got a golden ticket somehow or...never mind, forget I said anything.”

Lucy scoffs, “No. By all means, finish what you were going to say. I would love to hear it.”

Tim doesn’t know why he says what he does; it just comes out, “Or you slept your way through the ranks.”

Lucy stares at him in disbelief, “Are you insinuating I did not become Sergeant on my merit? instead, I just slept around to get the stripes on my uniform?” Atlas must sense the tension because he immediately drops the tennis ball and starts growling, practically lunging at Tim. Lucy is quick to grab the leash, “Atlas. Platz” 

“I think our conversation here is done, Sergeant Bradford.”

  Tim does not respond; he watches the duo walk away. As he is watching them walk away, he notices how perfectly the uniform fits her body. He quickly pushes his thoughts out of his head because he is not going to get involved with anyone else. Ever again. Plus, it is not like he would stand a chance after how he acted today. 

Tim drives to Genny’s house after he gets off. He has one more night there before he can return to his home. He walks in to see Genny cooking.

“Hey, how was your first day back?”

“Fine.” Tim didn’t want to do small talk; all he wanted was to go to bed, wake up, and go to work.

“Mmmkay, well, dinner is almost ready.”

“Not hungry.”

“Tim, you have to eat something.”

“Why do you care all of a sudden?”

“Tim, of course I care; you are my brother.”

“You didn’t seem to care when Dad was beating me.”

Genny is left speechless; this is the second time he has left someone speechless today. “I see you are back to being an asshole.”

“I am not being an asshole! All I am saying is you don’t have to care about me. If you did really care about me, you wouldn’t have asked me to see Dad before he died. You knew how I felt about him, and you still asked. What did you want me to do? Hug him and pretend he was the best father in the world. That’s bullshit, Genny!”

Genny is in tears, “Closure, Tim! I wanted you to have closure. I know there is no undoing what he did to you; I never said there was. But you needed closure; it was never your fault. He wanted to apologize.” 

“Apologize? Genny, do you hear yourself? You never had your head smashed into the wall; you never were beaten so bad you had a concussion. You don’t have the scars from the glass bottles. And Genny, I am glad you don’t, but if you really cared about me, you wouldn’t have asked me to see him. So, please leave me alone.”

“I don’t understand how me telling you that you needed to eat something led us here. But if your goal was to hurt me, you succeeded.” Genny is sobbing now, turns off the stove, and leaves Tim alone in the kitchen. 

Chapter Text

“Chen! I have a question: how would you and Atlas feel about some overtime?” Captain Andersen walks into the room and pats Atlas on the head.

“Anything to tire this boy out. We go home, and he still has energy.” Lucy laughs. Atlas is wagging his tail, excited to be included in the conversation.

“Alrighty, well. The Metro team at Mid-Wilshire needs help again. So, they were wondering if they could borrow one of our K-9 units, and their Sergeant requested that it be you specifically.” 

Lucy was confused. Sergeant Bradford requesting for  her  specifically? The last time they spoke was a few months ago, and it wasn’t a pleasant encounter. “Um..okayyy. Just let me know a time.”

“4 p.m. Sergeant Bradford wants you to attend the briefing. He also wanted me to tell you not to be late.” 

“Of course he did,” Lucy mumbles. “Thank you, Captain!” 

“Bye, Chen! Bye, Atlas!”

*****

Lucy arrives at Mid-Wilshire at 3:45; she decides to go in early so she can stop by and say hi to some of her friends. Atlas starts tugging because he sees no other than Angela Lopez.

“Atlas, fuss. Atlas! Fuss!”

Angela laughs as she sees a very energetic dog charging toward her; she kneels, ready to greet him, “Atlas, buddy, I have missed you. Your mom sucks at bringing you by.”

“Oh, it’s good to see you too, Angela.” Lucy laughs as she watches the pair interact.

Angela stands, leaning in to hug Lucy, “How have you been? How is Sergeant life treating you? People still asking how you made Sergeant?”

“Mhmmm. But it’s good! It keeps me busy, keeps Atlas busy.”

“Ahh, Sergeant Chen, nice of you to join us, and you are on time. Just in case that watch on your wrist doesn’t work, the briefing starts in five minutes in that room over there.” Tim points to the room nearby.

Lucy doesn’t say anything; she gathers Atlas and heads to the room for the briefing, leaving Tim and Angela alone.

“God, Bradford, you are still being an asshole. I love you, but it’s been three months. You need to loosen up. Or, at the very least, be nice to people from different divisions. Not everyone knows what happened. What did Lucy do to you?”

“Lucy? You’re on a first-name basis with her? You know her?” Tim scoffs.

“This may shock you, but you can be nice to other officers from other divisions. But, yes, I know her. She was the one who-.” Angela pauses, hesitant to continue. “Never mind. Not my story to tell. She earned her rank as Sergeant, and I hope you start to treat her with the respect she deserves.”

“Earned her way? More like slept her way to the top.” Tim laughs. Angela  doesn’t.  

“You know what, Tim, fuck you. I am sorry you got hurt; I truly am. But damn, you are making it so hard to be your friend. Until you change your attitude, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to babysit the kids anymore. Oh, and just in case that watch on your wrist doesn’t work,  your  briefing started two minutes ago.” Angela is fuming, it takes everything in her not to beat the crap out of Tim, but she figures she can’t do that in the middle of the police station. 

“Angela, I-” Tim tries to defend himself but is quickly cut off.

“Save it, Tim. I don’t want to hear it. Go to your fucking briefing.”

*****

The briefing didn’t take long. The plan was set. They were going to raid an abandoned warehouse that is now being used for trafficking and drugs. Lucy and Atlas would follow behind Team Bravo and be the last to enter. Team Alpha would take the left side of the warehouse, while Team Bravo would take the right side. Tim had found a blueprint of the warehouse to make sure every square inch got searched, and there were no surprises.

Lucy was getting ready to leave when no other than Sergeant Bradford stepped in front of her. “Excuse me. I need to take Atlas outside. He needs to use the restroom.”

“I um- just wanted to apologize.”

Lucy looks up at him, surprised, “What are you apologizing for?”

“For you know- I’m trying to apologize here. You can either accept it or not.” Tim replies.

Lucy laughs; she should have known he wouldn’t actually apologize. “You know what, Sergeant Bradford, I don’t get what I did to warrant this behavior from you. Last I checked, you were the one who requested  me.  My help, my dog. I politely ask the next time you are down a K-9 unit, you ask for someone else. Also, apology not accepted. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to take Atlas outside. Be back in five minutes.”

*****

Tim doesn’t know why he is still being an asshole. Well, he does, but he hasn’t told anyone what he came home to the other night. He was going to try to talk to Angela about it, but he put his foot in his mouth before he got the chance to confide in her. He hasn’t talked to Genny since the last night he stayed at her house. She has tried to contact him, but he ignores her. And he has pushed everyone else away due to his attitude. So he has no one. He is sitting in the locker room about to get his gear for the raid when he pulls out the letter Ashley had sent him a few days ago. He should burn it, destroy it, but he sits and reads the letter for the hundredth time. 

Tim,

My therapist told me the best way to get closure from leaving you is to write a letter about it. She said I will likely have peace with myself if I am honest. That is all I need right now: peace. For myself, the baby, and Nick.

There were so many times when I was going to break up with you, but then you would surprise me with a nice vacation or a nice gift, and I would have felt bad. You are far too trusting, Tim. I thought it would be harder to sneak around, but you made it so easy. You always believed me when I told you I had lifeguard conventions or I had to work overtime. You hated the beach so much; we knew you would never question it. 

We would all hang out as a group, and you would go into the other room and leave us together; it was so easy to sneak glances and kisses. You never questioned why I always agreed to hang out with Nick. Again, you were far too trusting.

I know you are probably wondering why I cheated and why I left you. I don’t think we were ever a good match. You were more of a piece of arm candy for me and gave me nice gifts. I never loved you for you. Sure, you were a good partner and all, but you have a lot of baggage. Baggage I wasn’t willing to take on. Nick is baggage-free, and that is something I need. 

Lastly, before you hear it through the grapevine at work, Nick and I are getting married after the baby arrives. I won’t be leaving him at the altar either.

I am sorry,

Ashley McGrady

Tim has tears in his eyes as he crumbles up the paper and shoves it back into his locker. He needs to put his head in the game and complete the raid. Then, he can begin his apology tour for all the people he has hurt. 

Chapter Text

The raid was supposed to go smoothly. Both teams were going to enter the warehouse, check for any people, and check for drugs. The plan quickly went to shit when he heard three gunshots, followed by two more. The only other people behind him would have been Sergeant Chen and Atlas. 

“Fuck!” Tim needs to help the team clear the rest of the warehouse, but he also needs to get to Chen and her dog. He follows the sound of Atlas barking and growling. When he walks into the room, his stomach drops.  He  cleared the room himself. There is so much blood, too much blood. It’s everywhere. 

Atlas is growling, and his teeth are digging into this man’s legs, a man who was in the room when he cleared it, a man he  overlooked . That’s when it hit him. He didn’t check behind the door. He can’t think about that for too long because six feet away is where Chen is lying in a pool of blood, unconscious. 

“Chen! Chen!” Tim kneels to the ground to figure out where she had been shot to try and stop the bleeding. His stomach drops even more when he realizes she has been shot in the neck and her leg. Tim radios for backup, “I need an RA at my location immediately; we have an officer down, a   gunshot wound to the neck, and another one to the leg.” Tim pauses; he had heard  three  shots, followed by two more. He scans Lucy’s body again; he doesn’t see any more wounds. He looks over to the man and only sees the two on his chest. 

Oh. Atlas.  Atlas had been shot as well.

At some point, Mad Dog came storming in. He radioed for an additional ambulance for the man Lucy shot. “Sarge, what can I do? The ambulances are on their way. Five minutes out.”

“We don’t have  five  minutes. She’s bleeding out. She can’t die because I f didn’t check behind the fucking door.” At this point, Tim’s hands are covered in blood; he is trying to stop the bleeding in her neck; he is no longer wearing his Metro shirt as it is acting as a tourniquet on her leg. 

Mad Dog quickly steps in and tends to the man lying on the ground. Atlas is  still  biting the man’s leg, and Mad Dog knows he has to be getting tired because Atlas had been shot as well. The man is barely conscious as Mad Dog stands over him, starting to kneel to apply pressure to the wounds. He sees the man reach for the gun, and Mad Dog is left with no other choice than to deliver one fatal shot to the chest. “Atlas, let go. Let’s get you some help, buddy.”

“It’s ‘aus ’  he will only- ”  Lucy somehow has woken up, and her voice is weak, but it’s there. 

Tim looks down at Lucy frantically; her eyes are about to close again, and he has to be careful not to shake her. She has already lost too much blood, “Hey, hey, stay with me, Sarge. You are not dying today. Do not let me off the hook for how I have been treating you. Stay alive so you can yell at me later, okay? ”  

Lucy looks up at him and, for the first time, notices how blue his eyes are. She  smiles.  She wants to keep looking up at them, but her eyes feel too heavy, and they close.

“No, no, no. Come on, stay with me! Where is that damn ambulance? ”  Tim is yelling at this point. He will never forgive himself if she dies.

The paramedics came in, “What do we got?”

Before Tim can speak, Mad Dog says, “One dead. Sergeant Chen is bleeding out. ”  Mad Dog looks at Tim, “Sarge, I am going to rush Atlas to the emergency vet, okay? I think the bullet went all the way through, though, so he should be okay.”

Tim forgot about Atlas; he forgot about the other man. His only focus was on Chen and making sure she didn’t die due to his negligence; he looked down at his hands before he looked back up and said, “Oo-okay, keep me updated.”

Mad Dog scoops Atlas up, and Atlas whimpers. “Sorry, buddy, we’ll get you some help now. You did a good job. ”  Mad Dog takes Chen’s shop and speeds off to the vet.

*****

Tim gets back to the station in a daze. This is his fault—all of it.

“Bradford! Get yourself cleaned up and be in my office. Now! ”  Pine yells across the bullpen the second he walks in. Tim knows he is about to get his ass handed to, he deserves it. 

Tim walks into Lieutenant Pine’s office and closes the door.

“You want to tell me what the hell happened? Why do we have a man dead and the best K-9 unit in LAPD fighting for their lives right now?”

“Ma-am, I am so-”

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it, Bradford. What happened?”

“We had a plan. Team Alpha would go to the left, and Team Bravo would go to the right. The room was  so  small I glanced in there, then moved on. I sent the rest of the team in front of me, and Sergeant Chen and Atlas were right behind me. I told them the room was clear so they could enter and search for the drugs.”

“So, you never fully stepped in the room?”

“That is correct,  ma’am.”

“That’s a rookie move, Bradford! You have been with the LAPD for a long time and didn’t think to step inside the room, let alone check behind the door? What the hell were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t, I just-”

“Save it. IA will be conducting their investigation. Until then, you are suspended until the investigation is complete.”

“Understood, ma’am. ”  Tim nods his head, getting ready to head out.

“Oh, and Bradford, you better hope like hell both of them pull through, or your career is going to be just like theirs. Over.”

*****

Tim doesn’t even get to step out into the bullpen before Angela runs up to him, “What the hell, Bradford? You got Chen and Atlas shot?”

“Angela. Not now, please. I know I fucked up, okay? I fucking know I did.”

Angela doesn’t even get the chance to say anything before Tim storms off. She decides to follow him because she knows he will blame himself and start spiraling. “Tim! Can you slow down? You are walking like a madman; I can’t keep up.”

“Angela, I said not now. Please.”

“Tim, I just wanted to check on you. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say you got them shot; I know you didn’t pull-”

“I did, though. Not pull the trigger. ”  Tim quickly clarified. “I got them shot. I didn’t clear the room correctly. I didn’t check behind the door.”

“We all make mistakes, Tim. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“My mistake could have cost them their lives. All because I was too busy thinking about that damn letter.”

Angela hums, “Atlas is going to be fine. I called the vet, and   they said the bullet went through his back leg, and   he is going to make a full recovery. Atlas is a menace. He wouldn’t let a bullet take him out. They told me the hardest part was putting him down for anesthesia. He kept fighting it. ”  Angela thinks about the last part Tim said, “Wait, what letter?”

“Some letter Ashley wrote me saying I wasn’t worth the effort basically, she never really loved me and was using me. It’s fine. She was just being honest. ”  

“What the fuck, Tim? Ashley better hope I never see her, but we can come back to that. ”  Angela can see the pain and the guilt in Tim’s eyes.

“Lucy will be okay too. They were able to remove the bullets from her neck and leg. It’ll take a while, but she should make a full recovery as well. I can give you her room number if you want.”

“I highly doubt she would want to see me right now. I haven’t been the nicest to her, and she asked never to work with me again . ”

“After she got shot ? ”  Angela questions.

“No, before the raid. She said she didn’t know what she did for me to be so rude to her.”

“Well, why were you so rude to her?”

“I was jealous , ”  Tim mumbles, avoiding eye contact with Angela. 

“Tim Bradford, jealous ? ”  Angela scoffs.

“She has  everything , Ang. She is well-respected, young, and a Sergeant; people love her. Hell, even her dog is happy.”

“Is this about you not being happy or her being a Sergeant ? ”  Angela asks carefully.   “Look, Tim, I know you have had a shitty couple of months, and life hasn’t exactly worked out in your favor . ”

“Gee, thanks for reminding me, Angela , ”  mumbles Tim.

“Let me finish. Lucy had to fight tooth and nail for her happiness and her ranking . ”  Angela pauses. It really isn’t her story to tell, but Tim seems so  broken.  “As a rookie, her TO was Doug Stanton. He didn’t make it easy for her. He did a lot of things that were not ethical for  anyone  to do. She stood up for herself, though; she stood up against him. He tried washing her out, but it didn’t work. Once he was let go, she still had to make a name for herself. Many people thought she was being dramatic or assumed she was retaliating because he rejected her. So, she finished her training under a different TO, and as she was wrapping up, all his former female rookies came forward talking about similar situations. Captain Andersen commended her for her bravery and perseverance. She went to the K-9 unit after her rookie year because she didn’t want to have to work with another person every day. She only became a Sergeant recently . ”

Tim sighed. He felt like an  asshole.  Angela didn’t have to spell it out for him. He knew of Doug Stanton; he knew he was a pig and didn’t treat women with respect. “Angela, I-I accused her of sleeping to the top. There is no way she would want to see me . ”

“I’m not telling you this to make you feel worse, but she has heard it all. I doubt you even got under her skin; I am sure she would hear you out . ”  

“Wait, so how do you know all of this? How do you know her?’

Angela laughs,   “Ahh, Wesley and I would go on double dates with her and Sanford . ”  

“She dated Chris Sanford ? ”

“Mhhmm. Dated. Past tense. She kicked his sorry ass to the curb, though. Which means she is single ! ”

Tim laughs,   “Angela, I am not asking her out.   I’ll be lucky if she even wants to be friends . ”  

“I  didn’t say anything about you asking her out, Timothy. I was simply stating the facts . ”  Angela grins. “I’ll send you her room number; bring her something nice!”

“Thanks, Ang. I am sorry, by the way, for not being the friend you deserve. I want to get better; I  need  to get better. I just don’t know how. I just want to be  loved , Ang.   That’s all . ”  

Angela looks to see the tears in Tim’s eyes and hugs him.   “I know, Tim, you deserve it . ”  Tim melts into the hug, and that is when Angela decides she will make it her mission to find someone to love Tim Bradford like he deserves to be loved. 

Chapter Text

Lucy was in pain. But that was the price she had to pay to be alive. Her neck was covered in bandages while her leg was in a cast, so much for running that half marathon with Atlas in a few weeks.

Angela had blown her phone up with updates on Atlas, and from the pictures, it seemed like Atlas was less than thrilled to be wearing a cast on his leg. Lucy knew Atlas was a very energetic dog; they would go on runs every morning and hikes on their day off. He would get zoomies at the most random times throughout the night, making it impossible for her to sleep through the night, but she loved him. He was the most loyal partner she ever had, and he was her fierce protector. She couldn’t wait to be at home with him, but she knew the recovery ahead of them would be long. Hers being longer.

A sudden knock at the door startles her out of her thoughts. She has had so many visitors: IA, Angela, Captain Anderson, the Lieutenant from Mid-Wilshire. The knock came again, and she was going to get up to answer the door like she was at home, but the sudden jerk shot more pain down her leg. “Come in!”

The last person she expected to walk through that door was Sergeant Bradford.

“Um, hi. I hope it’s okay I dropped by. Angela gave me your room number; I-I brought you these.” He holds up flowers and a bag of her favorite snacks. “I um-asked Angela what your favorite snacks were; I figured it was the least I could do since I am the reason you are here.” Tim refuses to meet her gaze; the silence is unsettling. “I am so sorry. I didn’t even ask if you were up for visitors. I should go.”

Lucy is confused. Did she hit her head, and she doesn’t remember? Is this the same guy who accused her of sleeping to the top? She can tell he is uncomfortable, so she decides to put him out of his misery, “It’s Tim, right?”

Now, Tim is the silent one.

“Unless you want me to call you Sergeant Bradford, in that case-”

“No!” Tim abruptly answers. “No, you don’t have to call me Sergeant Bradford. Yes, you can call me Tim.” Tim does his double thumbs up and quickly shoves his hands into his pockets. He is embarrassing himself.

Lucy tilts her head slightly, offering him a small smile. “So, Tim. What brings you by? Thank you for the flowers and the snacks, by the way. This hospital food is not it.”

“I wanted to apologize. For everything. I-”

“Look, if you’re apologizing because of IA or Lieutenant Pine, you can save it.”

Tim pauses. Was he only apologizing and trying to make amends because he was under investigation? No. He needed to be a better person. ‘No, I mean, at first, yes. That is the only reason I was going to apologize. But Angela told me about what happened and-”

“So you’re only apologizing because what? You feel bad about what happened to me.” Lucy didn’t want another person’s pity. “Look, Tim, you don’t have to. Really. If you want me to say, ‘It’s not your fault,’ it isn’t. So don’t blame yourself. You can go home with a clear conscience now.”

Tim panics, this conversation was not going the way he rehearsed it in his head. “I, um-got left at the altar. Four months ago. It hurt. She was cheating on me for a while. I didn’t notice, obviously. For a cop, I should be embarrassed I wasn’t more aware of what was happening in my home. I am embarrassed. That night you saw me at the bar was when it happened. I felt so broken. I thought I would finally get my happy ending, but then she just left. So, instead of dealing with my emotions properly, I got angry. I became an asshole to anyone and everyone. I was hurting people who didn’t hurt me. The other day, I was too in my head; she sent me a letter to get closure for herself and I was too busy thinking about everything she said. I wasn’t thinking clearly when we were raiding the warehouse, and that is how you got shot. I don’t want pity or the sad looks, but it is my fault. My mistake got you shot, and I will face any consequences tossed my way. I’m sorry for getting you and Atlas hurt. I’m sorry for the accusations I threw at you. You never deserved it; I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. And I will respect your decision to not want to work with me in the future. Take care, Lucy; I really am sorry.” Tim has tears in his eyes but will not let them fall. He nods his head and walks out the door. One apology down, several more to go.

*****
The following person on Tim’s apology tour was Genny. They haven’t spoken since he accused her of not caring. He knows she cares. He just hopes she still cares enough to listen.

Tim knocks on the door, patiently waiting for Genny to answer if she answers. She does answer, but he can’t read her facial expressions.

“Ahh, you are alive, which means you have been getting my texts; you’re just an asshole and don’t reply. Typical Tim Bradford shuts down when things get hard.” Genny is glad he’s alive, but she is pissed it took him this long to come to see her.

Genny’s last comment stung, but he needed to hear it. “Can I come in? I want to talk, if-if you have time.”

Genny steps aside, letting Tim in, “I have to go get the boys from school in an hour, but we can talk.” She leads him to the dining room table, and they sit down. “Soooo, you wanted to talk, let’s talk.”

Tim takes a deep breath before beginning, “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been a good brother or a good uncle recently. I want to get better, Gen; I need to try at least. I don’t even recognize myself anymore. I know you care about me; you showed that by letting me stay with your family when I couldn’t return to my house. You showed that by cleaning all my cuts from all the bottles he threw at me and always giving me ice packs to help with the black eyes.” Tim winces even thinking about the abuse he faced from his father. “I guess I was hurt. I thought Ashley cared about me, I thought Nick cared about me, but they didn’t. It was more people who didn’t care about me and walked out of my life like I meant nothing.” He looks up at Genny, and there are tears in her eyes. “Shit, Genny. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Genny grabs Tim’s hands; he is shaking. “Tim-”

“Wait, I need to finish, or I won’t get through it all. I want to be a better brother and uncle; I promise I will try. I am going to focus on getting better and letting go of the past. I’m done dating.” Tim sighed, he craved being loved badly. But he has convinced himself he is unworthy of it; he is too fucked up for someone to love him for him. “I am so sorry, Gen; I love you; please forgive me.”

Genny’s heart breaks for her brother; he is so worthy of love, and she hates all the people who have made him feel otherwise. “Tim, of course, I forgive you. I could never stay mad at you; you’re my brother. I want to be here for you and help you get better. But, please, don’t deprive yourself of love; you deserve to be loved, Tim. And someone out there will give that to you; don’t give up.”

Tim laughs. “Gen, I don’t exactly have the best track record. My wife left me in the middle of the night, and my fiancée didn’t even make it down the aisle. Clearly, something is wrong with me.”

“Mmm, no. Something is wrong with them. You are one of the most loyal, committed, and fiercely protective people I know. Any woman would be lucky to be loved by you.” Genny stands up to give Tim a hug. “I have to go pick up the boys, but you should come over for dinner this week. They’d love to see you.”

“Yeah, I’d like that. Thank you, Gen. I’ll see you later this week, I promise.”

*****
Tim feels lighter; he has apologized to Lucy and Genny, and Angela is next. He gets ready to text her when he sees she has already texted him several times.

Angela: Lucy wants to see you. You should swing by when you can

Angela: Hello?? I know you aren’t at work (sorry)

Angela: Timothy???

Tim: I was with my sister.

Angela: Okay, so are you on your way to see Lucy now?

Tim: No. I actually wanted to talk to you.

Angela: I am busy, but Lucy isn’t.

Tim: It’s your day off, and Wesley’s mom took the kids.

Angela: Let me know how it goes!

Tim chuckles, he knows if Angela wants something to happen, it will happen. So, he’s off to the hospital to see why Lucy could possibly want to see him.

*****
After Tim left, Lucy was even more confused. She could see the pain and the guilt in his eyes, but before she got the chance to respond to him, he walked out, and it wasn’t like she could exactly chase after him. So, she texted Angela that she wanted to see him. Angela seemed a little too happy when she called her five minutes ago, saying Tim was on the way.

There is a knock at her door; she has a quicker response this time. “Come in!”

As expected, Tim walks through the door. He looks less sad, but he still looks nervous, maybe even scared. He is standing far away from her bed, almost like he is expecting her to throw something at him, and he is going to have to escape quickly.

“You can step further into the room, Tim; I am not going to hurt you. You really think I would call Angela to get you here to throw shit at you?”

Tim takes a few steps closer, “I mean, I don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised. It wouldn’t be the first time someone has thrown stuff at me.” Tim doesn’t know why he says it; it just slips out. Something about talking to her today made him feel safe.

Lucy takes a minute to process what he said, not wanting to push any further; she said what she wanted to say earlier, “I didn’t get a chance to respond to your apology or anything you said.”

“Oh, you-you don’t have to. Or if you want to yell at me, you can too; I deserve it.”

Lucy sees the vulnerable look on Tim’s face, “Tim. I am not going to yell at you. Can you do me a favor, though? Can you step a little closer? I am starting to lose my voice, so you may not be able to hear me from six feet away.”

Tim laughs and steps right in front of Lucy’s bed, “Sorry, I wanted to respect your boundaries; I didn’t want to get too close.”

“I appreciate that and the apology, but it wasn’t necessary. I was just as responsible for clearing that room as you were; as soon as Atlas and I walked in, I should have checked behind the door. You are not the one who got me shot; it could have been anyone. I was lucky to have Atlas start attacking the man, or it could have ended much worse. So, please don’t blame yourself; I don’t blame you.” Lucy pauses, her voice getting raspier, as the pain medication kicks in. “As far as you getting left at the altar, I am sorry that happened. I’m sorry they betrayed you like that. Don’t blame yourself for not noticing, though. It sounds like you didn’t have a reason not to trust either of them; they are the ones who snuck around and betrayed you. I can’t imagine what was said in that letter but know that no one deserves to be cheated on and left like that. You’re a good man, Tim. Sure, you have your outbursts, but you are self-aware. Self-aware enough to come in here and apologize, and you want to change; that is what counts.” By now, Lucy is about two minutes away from falling asleep. She can see Tim’s eyes glistening.

“Th-thank you, Lucy, you don’t know how much that means to me. I am still sorry, though. If there is anything I can do to help you recover, please let me know. Let me write down my number for you.”

Lucy hums in acknowledgment, letting sleep take over her body.

Tim writes down his number with a note that says, “If you need anything at all, please let me know. -Tim”

A few hours he gets a text from a number he assumes is Lucy:

Anything?

Chapter Text

When Tim told Lucy to let him know if she needed anything, he didn’t actually think she would take up on his offer.

Lucy: Anything?

Lucy: It’s Lucy btw :)

Tim: Hey Lucy, it’s Tim.

Lucy: Yeah...I know.

Tim: Right. Sorry. Yes, anything.

Lucy: Can you make my leg magically better???

Tim: That is the one thing I can not do. I’m sorry.

Lucy: You said anything.

Tim: I am a man of many talents, but healing bullet wounds is not one of them.

Lucy: Ugh, okay. Can you take Atlas on runs with you once he is cleared? I won’t be able to for a bit, and he has so much energy. Angela mentioned you go on hikes and runs a lot!!

Tim: Sure, I have a dog myself, so they can be friends😃

Lucy: Thanks, Tim! I will send you more details once it’s time.

Tim: 👍

*****

When Lucy said, “Take Atlas on runs,” he didn’t think she meant a run for three miles without stopping. He was fine, but Kojo  wasn’t.  He learned his lesson after the first time, so he no longer brought Kojo with him. He would take them separately. Today, however, they were going on a trail run, and Tim thought Kojo would have a little more energy. He was wrong.

“Kojo, come on, buddy. You can’t lay down here.” Atlas is pulling on his leash, eager to take off again, and Kojo is lying in the middle of the trail, not making any effort to get up. Tim doesn’t know what to do. So, he calls Lucy, hoping she will have some suggestions. When Lucy doesn’t answer, he realizes she is at physical therapy. They had fallen into a bit of a routine; on his days off, he would get up to go get Atlas and take him out while Lucy went to physical therapy. By the time he was done, Lucy would already be home and he would drop Atlas back off with her.

Lucy may be unable to answer her phone, but he can still text her.

Tim: Your dog is a menace. 

After a few more encouraging words, Kojo  finally  gets up. Tim is able to find a good pace for both dogs, so they are at least jogging. They finally make it to the truck, and the minute Kojo gets into Tim’s truck, he sighs and lays down.  Typical. 

As Tim is driving, he hears his phone buzz, more than likely Lucy replying to his earlier text. When he gets to the light, he grabs his phone.

Lucy: I have been trying to tell you this. I’m sorry, what did he do? Are you okay?

Tim smiled at her level of concern. Something that he has been doing a lot more of lately. He was back at work, his only punishment being attending training sessions on how to clear a room properly. He was able to convince Pine he was in a better headspace and that he did not need to see the department’s psychologist. Plus, he had heard a few things about the psychologist lady and did not want to get involved. He had weekly dinners with his sister and the boys. And Angela had let him see her kids again. He was doing  better.  

Lucy:   The doctors cleared me today, so I can start taking Atlas on his walks again. 

Tim: They are not walks. They are runs.  

Lucy: They will be walks; I have to ‘ease back into it.’

Tim: He walks????

Tim: You’re telling me, after all this time, he knows how to walk.

A honk behind him tells him the light has turned green. He heads off to Lucy’s house to drop Atlas off and continue on with his day. 

When Lucy answers the door, Tim’s brain short circuits. She is wearing dark green leggings and a matching sports bra. The leggings show off her perfect curves; he can’t see her from behind, but maybe if he is lucky, she will turn around before she closes the door. Her sports bra pushes up her breasts perfectly, and he wonders for a brief second what they would feel like in his hands. 

“Tim! Are you okay? I asked why you called Atlas a menace earlier.” 

Fuck. He didn’t mean to stare. “Oh! Sorry! Um-yeah, he just um runs. I-I gotta go. Bye!” Tim scurries off before he embarrasses himself any more than he already has. He didn’t even stick around to see her when she closed the door. 

Tim is still thinking about Lucy after he is home. She was a  vision.  He quickly clears the thoughts out of his head, remembering the vows he took to never date again. Plus, she would never be interested in him. He was too old for her and had too much baggage. She deserves someone closer to her age and who isn’t so broken. 

*****

Lucy is back at work with Atlas. They are on light duty for their first week back. Of course, people are more excited to see her  dog  than her, but she is glad to be back. 

The day is going by  slowly .   There is not too much to do when you are on light duty. So, she invites Tim over for dinner as a thank you for helping with Atlas the last few weeks.

Lucy: Hey! I wanted to invite you over to thank you for helping out with Atlas over the last few weeks! What do you like to eat? You can bring Kojo, of course! 😃

Tim: I appreciate the offer, but we are going to have to pass. I’m glad I could help; take care.

Lucy was confused. Did she do something wrong? Tim didn’t even entertain the idea of letting her cook something for dinner. All she wanted was to say thank you. Maybe if she teased him, he would change his mind. 

Lucy: Come on, I promise I won’t poison you. I make a mean hamburger. 

Tim: No, thank you. 

*****

Tim felt like an asshole all over again. Lucy was trying to do something nice for him as a thank you, and he wouldn’t let her. It’s not that he doesn’t want to see her; he  does . But he was scared. If he went over to her house for dinner, he had a feeling it would mean more to him than to her. It wouldn’t just be a ‘thank you’ dinner. Therefore, he wasn’t going to go. He also knew he would want more if he kept in contact with her, so he cut her off, knowing it would hurt her and she wouldn’t want to reach out to him.

Tim: Since you and Atlas are back at work, I assume you will no longer need my help. If that is the case, please lose my number. Glad you got better. 

He hit send and blocked her number. 

Chapter Text

“Hey, Bradford!”

“What do you want, Angela?”

“Oooooh. Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?”

Tim walks away, not responding to her question. He didn’t get any sleep last night after the text he sent to Lucy. He felt guilty, but there was no unsending the message. He would have to live with his choice.

Somehow, Tim didn’t notice Angela was following him to his office. “This wouldn’t have to do with you telling a certain someone to lose your number, right? Because you are the one who sent that text.”

“She  told  you?”

“If that is the only part that matters to you, then you aren’t the person I thought you were. This is getting exhausting, Tim. You’re a big boy. Use your words.” Angela walks away before she can say anything else. She loved her best friend but did not love how he was treating someone she also cared about and loved.

Tim was stunned. Had he really changed that much that Angela thought so poorly of him? He thought he was doing better. Did Angela not understand that he was still hurting from his breakup? Now, he was getting angry. 

Tim finds Angela and Nyla in the briefing room. They were standing in front of the board, talking about a case. “Nyla, out, I need to talk to Angela.”

Nyla looks at Tim like he has two heads. “Excuse me? We are in the middle of something here. You can’t just kick me out because you want to talk about your feelings.”

“Please.  Five minutes tops.”

“Fine, I am going to get coffee.”

Nyla walks out, leaving Tim and Angela alone.

Angela is the first to break the silence, “Listen, Tim, now is not the time. We are waiting on Se-”

“No. You said you wanted me to use my voice, so I will use it. I have changed as a person, but only because the things I have been through have shaped me into who I am today. As far as why I cut off contact with Lucy, it doesn’t concern you. All I was doing was helping her out; I felt bad about what happened.”

Angela tries to interrupt him, “Tim, we should really-”

“I am almost done. I only helped her to save my ass from getting chewed out by Pine. Pine told me my career would be over if they didn’t make it. So I knew if I offered to help, Lucy wouldn’t say anything bad about me, and Pine would let me off the hook. Sorry, your friend is sensitive and can’t handle getting told no by someone.”

Angela is looking right at him, and he can tell she is fuming. Then he hears the sound of paws trotting along the title. He looks down to see a very eager Atlas waiting to be petted. Before he even gets to lean down to pet him, Atlas is being called away.

“Atlas! Hier.”  Lucy . Her voice isn’t as firm as usual, and he can tell she is hurt. 

The room is silent. Angela decides to break the silence, “Um, Sergeant Chen is helping Nyla and me with the case and recovering a body. We were waiting for her before you came in.”

Tim’s head drops to the ground. Lucy must have walked in shortly after him because Angela tried stopping him. He feels like an  asshole.

“Lucy, I am so sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“Save it. You don’t have to do or say anything else. I am glad I could help you protect your image.” Lucy snaps.

“I’m sorry I-” Tim didn’t mean anything he said. He really didn’t. He was hoping that if he could convince Angela that his words were true, maybe he would believe it himself and stop thinking about her. 

“I don’t want your apology; I for sure as hell don’t want your pity.” Lucy’s voice is tight this time and she is looking right at him.

Tim takes one look at Angela and if looks could kill, he would be dead. She shakes her head at him, and he can see the disappointment in her eyes. 

*****

Lucy is a mix of emotions. She was hurt that Tim would say he was only running with Atlas to protect himself. She was confused about why he was randomly telling Angela this information. She was also angry. Angry about what he said and how it made it seem like the time with Atlas was more of an obligation than a desire to help out. She was more angry at herself, though. Despite him being an asshole, she  still  found him insanely attractive. He was wearing a long-sleeved metro shirt that showed off the muscles in his arms. His cargo pants were a little more fitted than what the officers at her station wore, but damn. The view from behind was  nice . There is a lot she wants to say to him. Confront him, put him in his place, and   yell at him for  still being an asshole. She could say a few not-so-nice things, but she was never that type of person. What she really wants though is to push up against a wall and have her way with him. 

*****

Tim knew he fucked up. Badly. 

After Nyla and Angela got back from the scene, he tried talking to them, but they ignored him. Angela had sent him a string of texts saying how mad she was at him, and she wanted to put a curse on him to knock some sense into him. He needed it. 

He tried talking to Lucy when she walked into the bullpen, but she and Atlas pretended like he was invisible. He even unblocked her number, texted her, and apologized an embarrassing number of times, only to notice his texts were now the ones not going through. 

He wishes more than anything he could undo the last forty-eight hours. He only wanted to cut Lucy off to try and protect himself. He didn’t mean for his actions to hurt her so badly; even Atlas  walked right past him. 

Tim: Food trucks after work?

Angela: I’m busy.

Tim: Please, Ang. I’ll buy. I need help. Please.

Angela: Fine. See you then

They arrive at the food trucks, and Tim honors his word and buys Angela her food. He starts the conversation by saying, “I need to apologize to Lucy.”

Angela hums. “You don’t say? Wonder why.”

“Angela, please, I am being serious. There is no way she is going to want to be in the same room with me, let alone a relationship with me.”

“Wait, what? A relationship with you? Do you have feelings for Lucy?”

“No! ”  Tim shrieks. 

“Tim! You can’t be fucking serious. First off, you are an awful liar. Guess that is why you are in Metro. Anyway. No shit, she wouldn’t want to be in the same room as you. She was standing there the whole time, and you just kept going on and on. May I remind you of what you said? ‘Oh, I was only doing it to save myself. I knew if I offered to help, Lucy wouldn’t turn me in.’ How much more selfish could you possibly be?’’

“ Angela, I-”

“ I think you have done enough talking, and you can listen for once. Lucy does not owe you the time of day. You have treated her like shit from the start, and she somehow managed to forgive you. Then, you help out with Atlas for weeks. She tries to do something nice as a thank you, and you tell her  to basically get lost . Then, this morning, you are moping around the station because of the text  you  sent  her.  You know, when she texted me about what you said, her only question was asking if you were okay.  She didn’t  even ask for an explanation; she said it was out of character for you, and she was worried. Then, you stick your foot in your mouth even more and say the shit you did in the briefing room. Now, all of a sudden, you want to say sorry? You can’t keep hurting her because of  your  trauma. I get you got scared because you started to like her as more than a friend, but she has done nothing wrong. So, until you figure out if you want to apologize to simply be civil at work or you’re apologizing in hopes of making amends and a possible relationship, I will not help you. She deserves better. And remember, not all girls are the same; don’t let your past trauma prevent you from achieving happiness.”

Angela leaves Tim alone to think about what he wants. She just hopes he makes the right decision. 

A few hours later, she gets a few texts from him.

Tim: Do you think she’ll forgive me?? 

Tim: I want to try to make amends with her.

Tim: I need to try to make amends with her. 

Tim: It’s the only way I can get a chance at a relationship with her.

Angela doesn’t reply. She has to come up with a way to convince Lucy to talk to Tim. 

Chapter Text

Lucy and Atlas were walking back into the station when Capitan Andersen stopped them.

“Chen! Someone is waiting for you in your office. I think it’s that Sergeant from Mid-Wilshire. He has been waiting a while, so it must be important.” 

“Are you kidding me?” Lucy mumbles to herself. She would have to talk to someone about letting random people in her office. It had been a week, and she wanted to put the situation in the past. She blocked his number and politely declined any time Angela insisted they meet up. It didn’t take long to figure out Angela was meddling and hoping Lucy would give Tim time to talk. 

“Thanks for the heads up, Captain!” 

Lucy and Atlas walk into her office; sure enough, he is there. 

“Sergeant Bradford, what can I do for you?”

“Lucy, you know you can call me Tim.”

“Do I know that? Last I checked, we weren’t friends; it seems like I am just your little charity case you had to help out.”

“Lucy, I can explain-”

“No need. You have made all your points perfectly clear.”

“If you’d just let me apologize-”

“Apologize? That word means nothing coming from you. You only apologize when you have to. You have always had something to say since the first time we worked together. You tell me I don’t know how to do my job, then ask if I slept my way through the rankings. You try and apologize, but you have nothing to say when I ask what for. Then, I get shot, Atlas gets shot. You come to visit me to apologize for everything; I forgive you, which was a mistake.” Lucy was fuming. 

“Forgiving me was a mistake?” Tim was hurt. 

“Let me finish. You offer me help, and I so mindlessly take you up on that. You come to my house almost daily to run and hike with Atlas, send me pictures, and do the whole nine yards. Only to find out you were doing it for your own good. You know, I never even once considered blaming you for us getting shot. It never even crossed my mind to go to IA and say something. I was more in the mindset that accidents happen; at least we aren’t dead. Hell, I still don’t hold it against you. I even told you that you didn’t have to say anything if you were only in my room to apologize because of IA. I wouldn’t have asked anything from you if I knew the real way you felt. So, no, you can’t apologize. You dug yourself this grave; now lay in it.”

Tim was silent. The speech he had planned was out the window. But he wanted to say something. “Can I say something? You don’t have to respond. You can just listen, and in the end, if you never want to speak to me again, I will respect that.”

Lucy pauses to think about Tim’s request. She knows she shouldn’t give Tim the time of day, but another part wants to hear him out. “Go ahead. Say what you want; that way, you can get a good night’s sleep tonight knowing you protected your precious little image.”

“It was never about protecting my image.” 

Lucy laughs, “Rightttt. Alrighty, bud, time to go!”

“You’re kicking me out already? I wasn’t done.”

“I was talking to Atlas. I thought since you started off your speech with a lie, the rest would be a lie, too. So I’d thought I would save you some time.”

“I’m not lying.” Tim snaps. Lucy glares at him. “Sorry, I’m not lying. I swear. Please hear me out. Please, Lucy. “

Lucy sighs. “Fine, you were saying.”

Tim opens his mouth and quickly shuts it. Suddenly, he is uncomfortable because Atlas looks like he is two seconds away from attacking him. “Um. Why is Atlas looking at me like I am a suspect and he is going to kill me?”

Lucy looks at Atlas and then at Tim. “Oh, he doesn’t like you.”

“What? Why? I haven’t done anything to him!”

“Mmm..you didn’t say hi to him when we walked in, and last week you didn’t pet him. He’s senestive like his mother. Everyone here knows if they say hi to me, they have to say hi to Atlas. He’s strange.”

“Well, can I pet him?”

“If he will go to you, by all means. I won’t stop you this time.”

Tim’s voice changes into a voice he reserves for kids and dogs. “Atlas, come here, buddy! I missed you.”

Sure enough, Atlas happily trots over to Tim and starts wagging his tail as Tim pets him.

Lucy smiles as she watches the interaction. Truthfully, Atlas  loved  Tim. He was always so excited to see Tim at the door and would always look back at Tim as he was leaving. The day where they walked right past him, she had to have such a tight hold on his leash so he wouldn’t go up to Tim.

“As cute as this interaction is, I do have to get going soon, so if you wanted to finish what you wanted to say to me…”

“Right. Sorry.” Atlas is plopped down near his feet with his head resting on his shoes. Tim took a deep breath. He would lay it all out on the line. It was now or never. “After you got shot, I realized how much of an asshole I was. You were laying there and bleeding out, and all I could think about was how if you died, I’d be the reason. Not only because I didn’t check behind the door but also because I went into the raid without my head being on straight. I didn’t even care about the other person who had shot you. All I could think about was you dying and thinking I was some asshole cop who asked for your help, then it gets you killed. I don’t know if you remember, but somehow you woke up at one point. The only thing you were able to get out was telling us how to get Atlas to let go of the guy's leg. Right before you passed back out, you smiled and looked me in the eyes. It was the first time I ever saw you smile, and I decided right then and there that if you lived, I would do anything to make you smile again. I was hesitant at first to see you in the hospital; I didn’t know if you would want to see me. Then, Angela came up to me and gave me an update on the two of you. She said you were going to be fine, and I was relieved. She quickly put me in my place about everything I said to you. When I walked into your room, something shifted. That’s why I was stuttering; I was suddenly nervous. Then you threw me off by asking why I was really apologizing. All of a sudden, I was telling you about my feelings and how I got left at the altar. I brushed Angela and my sister off every time they asked how I felt about it. But with you, I felt safe. I panicked and left before you had the chance to reply. Later on, Angela told me you wanted me to come back. I was nervous and thought you would yell at me, but you didn’t. You showed me compassion. You said you weren’t mad and didn’t blame me. I honestly didn’t even care what IA said at that point. As long as you weren’t mad at me, I would be content.”

Tim looks at Lucy but can’t figure out what she is thinking. She gives him a small smile, which is all he needs to continue. “I wanted to stay and talk to you all day, but you were getting tired. I didn’t want that to be the last I saw of you, though, so I offered my help and just  hoped  you would reach out. You did, and I was so happy. I got to see you almost every day, and I was helping you out. I was a bit disappointed when you told me you were cleared. That last day when you opened the door, you made my brain break.” Tim laughs. “You looked so good in the green outfit; I didn’t know what to say. Then, it also caught up with me that I was feeling something more. I was scared.  I was starting to have feelings for you, and I was scared you would reject me or I would open up my heart again and end up hurt. So, I became an asshole again in hopes you would not want to speak to me. That way, I would stop thinking about you, but it didn’t work. Angela tried asking me about it, and I thought maybe if I had lied to her too, I would have been able to let you go and protect myself. Instead, I was hurting you more and more, the opposite of what I wanted to do. Please believe me when I say this: I am so sorry, Lucy. I was letting my past control me, and I was only thinking about myself. I am sorry. So incredibly sorry.”

Tim looks at Lucy, but he can tell what Lucy is feeling this time. She looks shocked.  “Tim, I-”

A knock at her door interrupts them. It’s a younger gentleman wearing plain clothes. “Sorry to interrupt. Lucy, I just wanted to see if you were ready for dinner. There will be a lot of traffic, so we need to get going.”

Tim’s heart sinks. Oh, she had a date. He should have known better. 

Lucy quickly looked between both guys; she saw the flash of hurt appear on Tim’s face before he did his best to hide his emotions. “Tim, I-”

“You gotta go, I get it. I will head out. Bye, Lucy, I’m sorry again.” Tim looks down at Atlas before standing up, “Bye, buddy!” 

Tim walks out, feeling like he just left a piece of him in her office.

Chapter Text

The man in her office speaks up, “Soooo, who was that? Wait, was that Sergeant Blue Eyes?”

“Mhmmm. He was apologizing for everything. It was…sweet. I think he thinks you are taking me out on a date, though.”

“So, are you going to chase after him? Tell him it’s not a date?”

“Why should I, Jackson? He ran out before I could get another word out.” 

“Wait a minute, was he asking you out? Is that why he looked like someone kicked his puppy when I walked in? You have to go after him.”

“Let’s not forget he has been a massive asshole to me for the last few months.” Lucy protests.

Jackson sighs, “So, you’re just going to pretend you don’t have feelings for him and that he didn’t ask you out? Come on, Lucy!”

“Woah. I never said I had feelings for him. Plus, he never asked me out, so…” Lucy knows Jackson will call her bluff on the first part.

“He didn’t ask you out? So, what was he saying?” 

“Don’t we have a reservation to get to?” Lucy asks, trying to get Jackson to change the topic. 

“We do, but we still have all of dinner to discuss this!” Jackson will make it his mission to get a confession out of her.

*****

Lucy thought Jackson would drop the subject once they got to dinner, but he  didn’t.  Jackson wanted to try a new restaurant in town, but Sterling wasn’t available, so Lucy joined him instead.

“My question earlier still stands: if he wasn’t asking you out, what was he saying?”

“I told you, he was saying sorry. He never asked me out.”

“That doesn’t make sense. He seemed so hurt when I knocked on the door and practically sprinted out of your office.” Jackson knows he is being pushy, but he wants to know they are best friends, after all.

Lucy hesitates before answering, “He, um, he told me he was starting to have feelings for me. But, he never said if that was still the case or if he wanted something from it.”

Jackson hums, taking in what she said, “Well, do you have feelings for him?”

“I don’t know. I know I find him attractive, but I don’t know if I have feelings for him.” She knew she did have feelings for him, but she was scared. 

“Mhmm. Well, do you want my honest opinion?”

Lucy laughs, “ I feel like I am going to get it anyway. So, go ahead.”

“I think you do have feelings for him, or you wouldn’t have kept letting him apologize. You hear him out every time. You blocked his number, yet he shows up to your office, and you let him in.”

“I did not let him in. He was already in my office when I got back.”

“Did you kick him out?” Jackson gives her that look. A look where he knows he has a point.

“No, but-”

“You let him stay. So, there has to be a reason.”

“He wanted to apologize.” Lucy knows her argument is weak.

“Right, and how many times has he apologized to you before?”

“Two and a half but-”

“Two and a half?” Jackson looks at her, confused.

“He tried but didn’t say anything when I asked him what for. So, I told him the apology was not accepted.”

“Yet, you still forgave him. Admit it, Lucy, you have feelings for Sergeant Blue Eyes!”

“I don’t know, Jackson, what if...never mind.”

“Are you scared he will not treat you right in a relationship based on how he has treated you so far?”

Lucy was shocked at how he could always read her mind, “I mean, how can I not be? He hasn’t exactly been the nicest to me.”

Jackson wanted to phrase his next question very carefully, “Um. Are you scared he is going to hit you? If that’s the case, then-”

“What? No, of course not.” Lucy is quick to interrupt. She knew he wouldn’t; she didn’t know too much about his past, but he mentioned something that made her believe he was abused.

“Sounds like the two of you need to talk. He can’t be any worse than any of your other exes. So there’s that!”

“Geez. Thanks, Jackson; I appreciate the support.” 

Jackson winks, “Anytime, but don’t let that man sweat too long. He most definitely thinks I was taking you on a date.”

“Mhmm..jealousy can be hot, though.” Lucy just laughs as she thinks about what she is going to do next. 

*****

Genny could count the number of times she had seen her brother drunk, and it wasn’t that many. Tim had texted her asking if he could come over and talk. She didn’t know what to expect, and he wasn’t the type to talk about his feelings willingly. Yet, here he was, five beers and three shots deep, talking about a woman who didn’t like him back. She had heard the whole story about this mysterious woman. He had confessed his feelings and her date interrupted them and he wasn't taking it well. 

“She doesn’t like meeeeee.” Tim is whining.

Genny sighed, grateful the boys were all out on a camping trip for the weekend. “I understand that Tim. We have been over this twenty times now. You were an asshole, and she doesn’t like you back. I think it’s time we go to bed.” Genny tried reasoning with Tim, but he wasn't listening. 

“Nahhhhhh, I am not tired, dude.” Tim yawns.

“Right, alrighty, let’s get you to bed. You are sleeping here tonight; don’t even try to argue with me.” Genny helps Tim up and leads him to the guest room. She makes sure he gets into bed safely. The second his head hits the pillow, he is asleep. She knows he will have a killer headache in the morning, so she brings in a bottle of water and Advil for when he wakes up and quietly leaves the room.

*****

Lucy wakes up at 3 a.m. to Atlas losing his shit at the front door. He is barking, but not the typical barking he does at a suspect, he is barking the way he barks at her when they are playing or is trying to get her attention. Lucy grabs her gun and heads to the door to see what is happening. She looks through the peephole and sees Tim standing on her porch. She immediately opens the door, concerned. “Tim? What are you doing on my porch at 3 in the morning? Are you okay?” She whispers. She puts her gun in the waistband of her shorts and steps aside to let him in. He doesn’t move an inch. “Um. Are you going to come in? Atlas is very eager to see you.”

Tim steps into her house slowly; he looks around, taking it in. He immediately goes to pet Atlas before he says anything. Lucy starts firing questions at him before he can even get a word out.

“How much have you had to drink tonight? How did you get here? Why are you here?” Lucy could smell the tequila on him, which would explain why he randomly dropped by her house.

“I am not drunk. Well, not as drunk as I was before. I was really drunk earlier. I walked here and am here to ask you a question.” Tim says the last part like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“You walked here? From where? In case you have forgotten, it is 3 in the morning. You should know how unsafe it is to walk drunk anywhere in the middle of the night.” 

“I snuck out of my sister’s house. I knew I couldn’t drive but had to see you, so I decided to walk.”

Lucy sighs and rubs her forehead, “Tim, what? You snuck out of your sister’s house? Why?”

“I just told you I had to see you.”

“At 3 a.m.? There are other times you could have come to see me. Safer times. Later times.” Lucy mumbles the last part.

“Well, you still have my number blocked, so I couldn’t text you to ask, so I had to show up.”

Shit. She had honestly forgotten she had blocked his number. She would make sure to unblock him later. “Well, I’m glad you made it here safely. But let’s get you back to your sister’s house so she doesn’t freak out if she wakes up and you aren’t there. As far as what you wanted to ask me, you can ask me another time, ideally when you are sober.” Lucy grabs her shoes and keys so she can drive Tim to his sister’s house. She would let him stay but doesn’t want his sister to freak out in the morning. Plus, it may save him some embarrassment in the morning. “Come on, let’s go.”

Tim murmurs, “I just wanted to ask why you don’t like me back.”

Out of all the things Tim could ask, Lucy wasn’t expecting that question. She wants to have that conversation with him, but not now, not when he smells like alcohol. “Let’s get you back. We can talk later, I promise.”

The car ride is short, and it turns out his sister only lives a mile away from her. In the short car ride, Tim managed to throw up all over the passenger seat. She wasn’t even mad; her only objective was to make sure he got back safely. Lucy gets back home and cleans up the mess Tim made. She remembers to unblock his number and shoots him a text. 

Lucy: I unblocked your number 😀

Tim doesn't respond until the morning.

Tim: Please let me send you money to get your car cleaned, I am so sorry.

Chapter Text

It had been a few days since Tim showed up at Lucy’s house in the middle of the night, and tonight was the night they would talk about the question he asked. To say he was nervous was an understatement. He had checked his phone repeatedly, making sure she wouldn’t cancel on him, and his heart almost sank when he saw she had texted him.

Lucy: Are we still good for tonight? Atlas is very excited to see you 🐶 😀

They were meeting at a dog park that had food trucks. The weather would be nice since it would be closer to sunset, and both dogs could get their energy out.

Tim didn’t know if he should just answer her question or try flirting with her. He hadn’t dared to ask about her date; he was scared of the answer he might get. For all he knew, she had a boyfriend, and that is what she would tell him tonight.

Tim: Yes! 

Tim decided he didn’t have much to lose, so he sent another text.

Tim: Only Atlas is excited to see me? I’m hurt.

Tim tossed his phone on his desk, not wanting to see her reply. A few minutes pass, and his phone buzzes.

Angela: Why did you toss your phone like it was on fire??

Angela: Omg, are you texting a girl??

Angela: Wait. Please don’t tell me you’re sexting.

Tim groaned. Leave it to Angela to always stick herself in his business. He didn’t want to tell her about his meeting with Lucy tonight because he didn’t want to be embarrassed when Lucy shot him down.

Tim: Mind your business, Ang.

Angela: Oooooo, so yes, it’s a girl. About time.

Tim: How did you even know I tossed my phone??

Angela: Mind your business, Bradford.

Tim chuckled at her, using his own words against him. Right before he set his phone down, it buzzed again.

Lucy: Never said I wasn’t excited 

Tim smiled. He didn’t want to read too much into it, but he had a little more hope than he did a few minutes ago. 

*****

Tim was sitting at the dog park waiting for Lucy. He was early. Forty-five minutes early, but he did not want to risk being late.

Forty-two minutes later, he spots Lucy and Atlas looking around. Her outfit is simple. She is wearing a white crop top with leggings, and her hair is in two braids. He decides he loves her in leggings because they perfectly sculpt her legs. He must have been looking right at her because she waves and starts jogging towards her with Atlas at her side.

“Tim! Hey, how are you? I’d offer you a hug, but we ran here, so I am a little sweaty.” Lucy laughs nervously.

As always, Tim makes it a point to greet Atlas before speaking. “You ran here? You live five miles away.” Tim says, amused. 

“We like running, and it was no issue. Plus, it was a slow day, so he needs to get his energy out somehow.” Lucy starts looking around the park, “Where’s Kojo?”

Tim’s jaw drops. He  forgot  Kojo. He was so eager to be early he forgot his dog. He is embarrassed he is just now realizing it. He was so preoccupied with waiting for Lucy to get here. He had been rehearsing what to say; he didn’t even notice Kojo wasn’t sitting next to him. “Uh, I think I forgot to bring him,” Tim says sheepishly.

“You forgot to bring your dog to the dog park?” Lucy says, amused.

Tim rubs his head behind his neck, “Um. Yes? I-I was nervous, and I forgot to bring him. I got here super early because I didn’t want to be late. When I was sitting here, I was thinking about all the things I wanted to say, so I didn’t even notice. I-I’m sorry, we can do another time since I don’t have a dog. Wait. I do have a dog, he’s just not here because I forgot him-”

“Tim.” Lucy interrupts him to save himself from rambling even more. “I was teasing you. It’s okay. I brought my dog, so it’s not weird.”

“Sor-sorry. I’m nervous.” Tim hopes to get it together; he hasn’t been this nervous in a while.

“Don’t be. Come on, let’s get some food and sit down.”

*****

They decide to get tacos, and as much as Lucy protests, Tim pays for them both. He claimed it was the least he could do. They were sitting at a table across from each other, and Atlas was lying beside Tim’s chair. “I’m surprised he is not begging for food,” Tim says.

“I taught him his manners; he never begs for food unless it’s his own.”

“I’m impressed.”

“You’re telling me Kojo doesn’t have manners?”

I’ve tried! He just doesn’t listen.” Tim grumbles.

“Mhmm. Right, okay. So, are you going to ask me that question again, or are we going to go around in circles to avoid the topic?”

Tim could tell there was no heat to her words, but he didn’t want to ask because he didn’t want her answer. He knew someone like her wouldn’t like him back, let alone love him back, but he still had the tiniest glimmer of hope. Tim nervously laughs, “Yeah, um, I was going to ask why you don’t like me back. But you don’t have to answer that. I haven’t exactly been the nicest to you, and I am sure your boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate another man trying to ask you out. So you don’t have to say anything.”

Lucy tilts her head and smiles, “Who said I didn’t like you back?”

Tim pauses to think about her question; technically, she never said that, but he had confessed his feelings, and she never said anything, “I mean, I told you I liked you, and you didn’t say anything.”

“Tim, are we living in two different dimensions? You told me you started to develop feelings for me, then you ran out of my office before I could reply!” 

“Your date walked in! What was I supposed to do, ask you out in front of the man taking you to dinner?”

“You should have. Jackson would have loved to see that.” Lucy laughs. She could have easily told him Jackson swung the other way, but seeing him this nervous was payback for all the other times he was less than kind to her.

“So, you’re telling me your date, Jackson, would have loved to see me ask you out? I find that hard to believe. Most men don’t like other men hitting on their girl.”

“Mhmm. Who said Jackson was my date?”

“He asked you if you were ready for dinner!” Tim says with a little more force than he intended. “Sorry.”

“Jackson is my friend.”

“So you and Jackson are just friends?”

“Yes, is there an issue with that?”

“No, you’re allowed to have guy friends.”

“Thank you. I   didn’t know I needed permission.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t see how you and a guy could just be friends when you look like that. You’re beautiful, Lucy; there is no way Jackson wouldn’t start to develop feelings for you.”

Lucy blushes, “That’s sweet of you to say thank you. Don’t worry about Jackson, though; he has a boyfriend.”

Tim stares at her dumbly, “Jackson’s  gay ?”

“Mhmmm, he sure is. Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Lucy smirks.

Tim rolled his eyes, “I guess I deserve that. Wait, so do you not think I am attractive? People tell me I am a  very  handsome boy.” Tim suddenly gained more confidence, knowing Jackson was no longer a threat.

“People, huh? Maybe you should ask one of those people out then.”

“Nah, none are as pretty as you. Therefore, my question still stands: why don’t you like me back?”

“The answer is the same as last time. Who said I didn’t like you back?”

“So, can I ask you out?”

“What’s stopping you,” Lucy challenges.

Tim takes a deep breath and fidgets with his hands; he looks down at Atlas, who is fast asleep; he looks back at Lucy and asks, “Lucy, would you like to go on a date with me?”

Lucy smiles. “Yes, Tim. I’d love to go on a date with you.” 

Tim smiles so big you would have thought he won the lottery. To him, though, it felt like he did. Then his smile falls as he hears Lucy’s following words.

“Wait. No. We need to talk first.”

Tim is confused by her sudden change in behavior, “Haven’t we been talking all night?”

Now it’s Lucy’s turn for a speech. “Are you sure you are ready to date again, Tim? You have been through a lot in the last few months. I don’t want to go into this if you aren’t emotionally ready. I don’t know what our future may hold, but we both deserve-”

“Are you saying I have too much baggage? ”  This was Tim’s worst nightmare, Lucy telling him he had too much baggage and she didn’t want to deal with any of it.

“No, of course not. ”  Lucy can tell Tim is close to shutting down, so she has to think about her following words carefully. “I want to go out with you, but I need to know if you will treat me like you have been. Don’t get me wrong, I understand you have been hurting, and I don’t hold anything against you; we’re past that. But I want to make sure you understand I will not tolerate you being an asshole to me every day.”

“I-I can’t promise I won’t be an asshole, I will try not to be. Ever. If I am being one, call me out; don’t let me get away with that. I can promise I want to treat you with respect and maybe even love. I can also promise you I will never intentionally hurt you, physically or emotionally. I have some trust issues, but I’m trying to let those go. I-I just don’t know how.”

Lucy can see the vulnerable look on Tim’s face. He was being honest with her and leaving the decision up to her, “Then, yes, Tim. I would love to go on a date with you.”

Chapter Text

Tonight was the night of Tim and Lucy’s first date. Tim told Lucy he would plan everything; all she had to do was show up. The reservation was for 6:30, and Lucy would need to leave by 6:00 to make it on time. Tim offered to pick her up, but she had training with Atlas that night and needed all the time she could to get ready. 

Lucy was stressing out. It was 5:55, and she had no clue what she would wear. She had already done her makeup and hair; all she needed was an outfit. She has tried on about seven dresses, but none seem right for a first date with Tim Bradford. She decided to FaceTime Jackson in hopes he could help her out with her dilemma. 

Jackson answered on the first ring, “Hey, Luce! What’s up?”

“I need help picking out a dress to wear tonight.” Lucy holds up her options and goes through them one by one.

“I think the green one, plus, it looks easier for him to take off!” Jackson says with a smirk.

“There will be no taking anything off tonight,” Lucy answers quickly.

“Don’t be so against it. That man seems pent-up. I can only imagine-”

“Alrighty! Hanging up on you now, thank you for your help.”

“Just remember, wrap it before you tap it!”

Lucy huffs and hangs up the phone.

She looks in the mirror, says bye to Atlas, and heads out the door.

*****

Tim had the day off and had spent all day planning his date with Lucy. He had frantically called Genny and asked if it was overboard to still give flowers on a date. She quickly reassured him that it wasn’t, and she was happy to hear he was finally going on a date. Tim had spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to find the perfect bouquet. He wanted it to be special. He settled on sunflowers because she reminded him of the sun. He also decided to get a treat for Atlas. He wanted to redeem himself for all the times he wasn’t nice to her. He wanted to prove to her that he wasn’t the person he once was.

Tim also had a dilemma on what to wear. He didn’t want to overdress but wanted to dress to impress. He wanted this to be his last first date, and he could only hope Lucy wanted the same. Anglea had voiced her opinion on what he should wear. She told him a tie was too fancy, but he should wear something that would bring out his eyes. He decided on a light blue dress shirt with navy dress pants. He grabbed the flowers, the treat for Atlas, and headed out the door. As he was driving, he thought about his plan. They were going to have a nice dinner, and if all were going well, he would take her to get ice cream and a walk around the park. At the end of the night, he would walk her to her car and hopefully give her a goodnight kiss.

Tim got to the restaurant thirty minutes early. He wanted to get there before Lucy to meet her at her car door and walk in with her. It was getting close to 6:30, and there was no sign of Lucy. She had texted him that she was on the way when she left, but he hadn’t heard from her since. He didn’t want to seem overbearing, so he went inside and waited for her there.

It was now 6:35, and he still hadn’t heard from Lucy. 

Tim: Hey, Lucy! I just wanted to see how close you were. Should I order you something to drink? Can’t wait to see you 😀

Tim waited ten minutes for Lucy to respond but didn’t get a reply, so he sent her another text.

Tim: Just wanted to check in and see if you were still on the way! 

As time passed, Tim got more and more nervous. The waitress kept looking at him, annoyed because he had yet to order anything.

It was now 7:20, and there was still no sign of Lucy. The waitress approached the table, “Sir, if you aren’t going to order anything, I will have to ask you to leave.”

Tim didn’t want to give up, so he ordered an appetizer. The waitress rolled her eyes and took the order. Maybe Lucy was stuck in awful traffic, and her phone died, so she couldn’t text him. That had to be it.

It was now 8:30, and the waitress had come back to the table, “Sir. I’m sorry. It’s been two hours. I don’t think the person you are waiting on will show up.”

Tim didn’t want to hear it, “No! She is going to. She is on the way. She texted me saying she was on the way.”

“Recently? I don’t think she-”

“Are you kicking me out? All you said was I had to order something, and I did. So, what’s the problem?” Tim was getting more agitated as time went on. He knew the waitress had a point, but he didn’t want to believe Lucy would be the type of person to stand him up.

“I see why she wouldn’t show up.” The waitress mumbles.

That was Tim’s last straw. He stood up and started yelling at the waitress for being disrespectful. He knew he was causing a scene, but he honestly didn’t care. He didn’t get to say much more before he was getting escorted out of the restaurant and asked never to return. He left the restaurant, leaving all his hope and the flowers behind.

*****

Angela and Wesley were getting ready to go to bed when there was a knock at the door.

Wesley looked at Angela, confused, “Are you expecting someone?”

Angela shook her head, “No, but I will give whoever it is a piece of my mind if they wake the kids. We  just  got them to sleep.”

Before Wesley can even stop her, she storms towards the door and swings the door open. “Who the fu-Tim? What are you doing here? Didn’t you have a date with Lucy?”

“She stood me up.”

Wesley comes up behind Angela, “Tim! What are you doing here? Ang said you had a date tonight.”

Before Tim can repeat his earlier statement, Angela motions for Tim to come in. He mumbles a thank you and walks in.

Angela looks at Wesley and signals him to leave so she can talk to Tim alone. Wesley nods his head and wanders off to their bedroom.

“Tim, I highly doubt Lucy would stand you up. She is way too nice for that. I am sure there is something that can explain it.” 

“Well, she did. Maybe this was her whole plan all along; she wanted to get back at me for all the times I was an asshole to her.”

Angela could tell Tim was getting upset, “Tim, maybe something-”

“Like what? It’s not like Isabel, where she can randomly get called to go undercover; it’s not like she was working and there was an emergency. She told me she was on the way, Angela.”

“Tim, anything-”

“No! I should have never fucking listened to you. You have been telling me I need to go on a date for weeks.” Tim is more mad than hurt. He was a fool to believe someone like Lucy would want to go on a date with him. “Did you and Lucy plan this? You just wanted to see me get stood up?”

Angela stares at Tim shocked he could even suggest that. She has known him for a long enough time to know he is talking out of anger and doesn’t mean it, but it still stings. “Tim, you know damn well I would not have had any part in this. How about this? Let’s go to her house and check in; maybe we can get more answers that way.”

“Fine.”

“Alright, I’ll drive. Let’s go.”

The drive to Lucy’s house is silent. Angela keeps looking at Tim; he is just staring out the window, deep in thought. “Tim, I am sure there is a perfect explanation for where she is.”

“It’s fine, Ang. I deserved it. I will stick to my vow and never date again.”

Angela pulls up to Lucy’s house and parks across the street. Tim is about to step out of the car when he sees a man leaving Lucy’s house.  Oh . He buckles his seatbelt, and Angela takes off without saying a word. 

Chapter Text

Tim wanted to forget the night before ever happened. He didn’t get any sleep. He spent the night thinking about how it felt to get stood up. He was mad at himself for thinking she would be any different than any other woman in his life. He was never going to be enough, and it stung. Although he did not want to admit it, he was more hurt than anything. He so desperately wanted things with Lucy to work out; he had hoped things would, but it was clear to him it was just a game to her. Angela tried talking to him about what happened, but he ignored her. He didn’t want to hear how sorry she was or how Lucy would never do something like that because she did. Everyone at the station had already figured out to stay far away from him; he was snapping at people left and right. Suddenly, there was a knock at his door. 

He doesn’t want to deal with anyone, so he mutters, “Go away, I am busy.”

The person on the other side keeps knocking. Did they not hear him? “I said go away; I am busy.”

The person knocks again, and Tim opens the door and yells at whatever idiot won’t go away. His words come out before he processes who is at the door, “I said go away. What the fuck do you not understand about that?”

“You’re Tim, right?”

“I am. And your Lucy’s friend, Jackson, if I remember correctly.”

“Yep, that’s me. I came here to talk to you about Lucy not showing up last night, she-”

“You can save it. I don’t care. All she wanted was to get back at me for revenge. Why did she send you? She thinks she is too good to come here herself?”

Jackson doesn’t know what to say, “No. She was-”

“You know, I will give her credit. She fooled me. She asked me if I was ready for a relationship. It made it seem real. But no-”

Jackson had enough. He was not going to let this man drag his best friend like this. “She was in a car accident. Hit by a drunk driver. Hasn’t been conscious since. Her car flipped four times. I came here to give you an update, but I see where your opinion on her stands. Have a good fucking day.”

Tim feels like his heart stops. He was so adamant he was right he didn’t even entertain the idea that something else could have happened. “Is she-is she going to be okay?”

Jackson laughs, “I believe your words were ‘You can save it. I don’t care.’ so that is exactly what I will be doing.”

Tim sighs, defeated.  Well, fuck. 

*****

Jackson doesn’t know what he will do about Tim’s little outburst. Lucy had told him previously that Tim often spoke before he thought about what he was saying. She never told him any details, but she also mentioned he didn’t know how to properly deal with his emotions because he had difficulty trusting people. It wasn’t an excuse, but it made sense. Jackson didn’t want to hurt Lucy because she was so excited to go on a date with Tim, but at the same time, she deserved to know. For now, he is going to think about it. The doctor said it would be a few days before she woke up anyway. 

Jackson had gotten the call Lucy was getting admitted into the hospital at 6:30 sharp. He was on a date with Sterling, but that quickly came to an end. They spent the first few hours in the waiting room after learning she needed emergency surgery. It was past 9 when Jackson sent Sterling to go to Lucy’s house and check on Atlas. Jackson thought he could ask Tim for help with Atlas, but now, he needed to come up with another plan. He knew the department had resources for situations like these, but he knew Lucy would want Atlas to be with someone he was familiar with. He sighs and walks into Lucy’s room to sit next to her.

Lucy was in rough shape. She had several bandages on her head, she was attached to a machine that was breathing for her, and the rest of her body had cuts and scrapes all throughout. She had broken ribs and a collapsed lung, and the doctors were waiting for her to wake up to determine if she had any permanent brain damage. Jackson just wished she would wake up already.

*****

Tim knew he had messed up. Again. He felt like an asshole about the whole situation. Maybe Lucy was on to something by asking him if he was ready to date again. He had so many trust issues he didn’t realize he was still carrying. He knew Angela was pissed at him, but maybe he could get her to talk.

He looks over at her desk in the bullpen and decides now would be a good time to test his luck. He walks over and knows she can sense he is standing behind her. “Angela, I messed up.”

Angela swivels her chair to face him, “I know.”

“She was in a car accident last night. She wasn’t standing me up.”

“I know.”

“You knew? Why didn’t you tell me?” Tim asks, annoyed.

“We aren’t going to do this, Tim, not again. I tried telling you, but you ignored me and walked away.” Angela pauses. She can see the guilt all over again in his eyes; it’s like deja vu. “Look, Tim, you need to consider whether you’re really ready for a relationship. It’s okay if you’re still hurting. Isabel and Ashley really hurt you. But it’s unfair to Lucy or any girl you may date if you make these assumptions when something doesn’t go as planned.”

Knowing Angela is right, Tim sighs, “I want to be ready, Ang. I want to make it work with her before she finds someone else to sweep her off her feet. I want to be the one to do that, Ang.”

Suddenly, something dawns on Tim. “Wait, how did you know she was in a car accident? The police report wouldn’t be on your desk.”

“Uh, the person who hit her ran from the scene, the police caught them a few hours later. They were three times the legal limit but requested a lawyer anyway.”

“Okay? That still doesn’t make sense how you would know.”

“Wesley talked to the guy this morning. He was telling me about it since Lucy was the one hit. He gave me a list of lawyers Lucy could use when the time comes.”

Angela looked  nervous . “What aren’t you telling me, Ang?”

Angela pauses. She doesn’t want to rile Tim up but knows it is best if the truth comes from her. “The person who hit Lucy, it was uh, it was Nick.” Angela rushes out the next part, “Wesley isn’t representing him, he declined. But Nick is trying to get the charges dropped, which is dumb considering he ran from the scene and the severity of Lucy’s injuries, but-”

“How bad are her injuries?” Tim doesn’t know what to think. He wanted to  strangle  Nick for being so reckless, especially with a baby on the way. He also wanted to scream in his face and figure out why and how he relapsed. Nick developed a drinking problem after they came home from tour together, Tim helped Nick get to rehab and he had been sober ever since. Or so he thought.

“I don’t know. I saw Jackson this morning after he stopped by your office. He seemed like he was in a bad mood; all he said was, ‘Not looking too good.’ I was going to go to the hospital after I was off, plus someone needs to watch Atlas.”

“I can watch him.” 

“Are you sure? We don’t know how long Lucy will be in the hospital. Atlas has a lot of energy. He-”

“Ang, I used to go on runs with Atlas. I know what I am getting myself into. “

“I will let Jackson now. But, Tim, if you are doing this to try to be on her good side or win Jackson’s praise, Don’t do it.”

“I’m not. I want to help out in whatever capacity I can. “

“And  don’t  do anything about Nick,” Angela says sternly. 

Tim hums. “Let me know once you get an update on her, please. And thank you, Angela; I know I am a pain in your ass, but I appreciate you.”

Angela laughs, “I hope I can hand you off to Lucy soon.”

“Me too. Me too.” Tim says, almost quiet enough for Angela not to hear.

Well, maybe Angela could do a little more meddling. 

Chapter Text

Jackson was stressed. It had been five days, and Lucy still wasn’t awake. The doctors assured him it was expected, and her body needed time to heal. He is sitting at a desk when a baritone voice stops him from his spiraling thoughts.

“Hey Jackson, can we talk?”

“It’s Officer West for you.”

“That’s fair. I deserve it. Officer West, can we talk?”

“Look.  Sergeant . I don’t have an update on Lucy. She is still not awake. Why do you even care all of a sudden? Do you feel guilty again? You feel bad that you assumed she stood you up when in reality she got hit by a drunk driver? Let me save you some time; if you are checking in on her out of guilt or to clear your conscience, you should leave.”

Tim sighs. “I feel guilty, yes. I didn’t react the way I should have. But I do care about her—a lot. I promise you I am here because I want to be. I mainly came here to apologize to you. I was out of line. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. You didn’t deserve it.  She  didn’t deserve it. I know my apologies don’t match my actions lately. I keep screwing up. But I am sorry. I know I don’t have the right to ask, but can you please not tell her about what happened-”

“Why? So you can manipulate her and pretend this never happened? Start your relationship on a lie? Like hell.”

Tim’s voice is firm and steady, “No. I want to tell her myself. I want to tell her about my struggles and be honest with her. I want a relationship with her, but I need her to know about my insecurities. If it’s too much, it is what it is, at least I told her. Look, I’m not looking for pity; I want to make this work with her, and in order to do that, I need to be honest.”

Jackson is shocked by how honest and vulnerable Tim is being. “Yeah, I think she would appreciate that. But if you hurt her, I will come after you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less, thank you.” 

“Room 719. Shaw Memorial. I know you have been asking Angela for updates every day. And thank you for taking Atlas. I know he can be a bit much.”

“Thank you, Ja-Officer West, I appreciate it.” Tim smiles and heads back to Mid-Wilshire, feeling a little lighter. Maybe he could make this work after all.

*****

It was now day seven. The doctors had taken Lucy off the ventilator and were hopeful she would wake up in the next forty-eight hours. Tim was sitting by her bedside, telling her all the stories about Atlas and the chaos he created. There is no doubt he is a well-trained dog, but he never realized how much energy he really had. 

Lucy’s eyes start to flutter open; the lights are dimmed, thankfully. She feels the pain radiating throughout her body, her throat feeling dry, and she can only assume it was from the ventilator she must have been put on. She recognizes the voice speaking as Tim. He’s talking about Atlas dragging him through the mud because he saw a squirrel. 

Tim pauses just as he is getting to the part where Tim does a slip and slide through the mud, “You’re awake.”

Lucy wants to respond, so she licks her lips to get ready to open her mouth, but no words come out. Tim must see the slight flash of panic through her eyes.

“Don’t try to talk. You were on a ventilator for a while. I am sure your throat is sore. Let me go tell the nurses you’re awake.” Before getting up, he squeezes her hand and kisses her hand, “I am really glad you’re okay, Luce; I was really worried.”

The nurse comes in and brings her ice chips and water. She helps Lucy sit up, explains the extent of her injuries, and tells her the doctor will be in soon. The nurse leaves, leaving Tim and Lucy alone. Lucy gets ready to speak, but Tim beats her to it.

“You know, if you didn’t want to go on a date with me, you could have just told me. You didn’t have to go and get hit by a drunk driver.” Tim laughs.

Lucy chuckles but quickly winces.  Right. Broken ribs.  “Mmm, had to make it a day we’d remember.” Her voice is weak and scratchy, but it’s there.

Tim didn’t even register her response; he only saw her wince in pain. “Are you in pain? Can I get you anything? Do you need an extra pillow? Or I can go to see if they can give you more morphine.”

“Tim, I’m okay. Just a little banged up right now.” She offers him a smile and he seems to relax.  Barely.

The doctor comes in and explains in detail what happened to her body and what her recovery would look like. She was out for a minimum of six weeks. Her ribs needed time to heal. The doctor asked her the basic screening questions to test her memory, and he tested her motor skills to ensure there was no permanent brain damage. After the assessment, she was told she could go home in three days as long as no further complications occurred. 

As the doctor leaves, Angela storms in. “Lucy! Are you kidding me? I visit you almost every day and talk to you for  hours.  And you don’t wake up, but you wake up the first time Tim visits you! Unbelievable!”

“What can I say? He’s hot; how could I not.” Lucy smirks and looks to see Tim blushing. “In all seriousness, though, thank you for visiting.”

“I’m just glad you are okay. I have so much to tell you.” Angela responds.

*****

Three days later, Lucy is discharged from the hospital. Jackson and Angela were busy, so Tim was going to take her home. For the last three days, he visited her before and after his shift and texted her throughout the day to make sure she was doing okay. Even right before she was discharged, he took notes on everything doctors were saying to help her recover at home. Tim was concerned she would be scared to get in his truck after the accident. So, without saying anything, he took the back roads to avoid traffic. It made the commute longer, but he wanted her to feel safe.

“Do you want to see Atlas? I can take you to my house, or I can pick him up and bring him over. Whatever works best.”

“I want to see him, but he probably would knock me down to the ground, so maybe not yet.”

“I thought you said he is well-trained!”

“Oh, he is. But, he hasn’t heard my commands in a week, let alone seen me.”

“Um. I actually looked up all the phrases you use so he would still hear them. It took a day or two because I was butchering the words, but I think he caught on.”

Lucy’s heart clenches. He was trying so hard to make things easy for her; she didn’t know why, but she figured he would tell her soon enough. “Thank you, Tim, that is really sweet. You have been amazing for the last few days, and   I really appreciate it. I owe you.”

Tim takes his eyes off the road for a second to look at her and wink. “Hmm…the only thing you owe me is that first date.” 

Lucy hums, “Yes, sir. I think I can do that.”

Chapter Text

Lucy has had a lot of visitors since she returned home. People from the station, Jackson, Sterling, Angela, Wesley, and of course Tim. As much as Lucy was ready to have Atlas back, it was not logical. She had practically begged Tim to return Atlas, but he wouldn’t budge. He had taken all the notes of what she couldn’t do, and going on walks was one of them. Therefore, there was no point in bringing Atlas back if she couldn’t walk him herself. She convinced Tim to bring him over so she could at least see him. 

Tim: We are five minutes away!

Lucy: Can’t wait to see my favorite boy, it has been too long!

Tim: You saw me yesterday.

Lucy: I was talking about Atlas…

Tim: Sure you were 😉

When Lucy opened the door, she expected Atlas to barge right in; what she didn’t expect was Atlas to be sitting down with a bag of food in his mouth.

“I was hoping he wouldn’t try to jump on you if I could distract him when you opened the door.” Tim almost looks embarrassed.

Lucy was shocked at how thoughtful Tim was being. She was a little scared of how Atlas would greet her; he had a tendency to jump on her when he hadn’t seen her in a while. Usually, she welcomed it, but she knew an eighty-pound dog jumping on you with broken ribs was not ideal. “Who are you, and what have you done with Tim Bradford?”

Tim hummed and looked down at Atlas, “Atlas, be gentle. Your mom got hurt.” Tim slowly let go of his leash, and Atlas dropped the bag and charged right in, going straight for his box of toys. 

“My own dog missed his toys more than he missed me.” 

“Nah. He missed you. I just told him on the way here he couldn’t hurt you. He must have been listening.”

“Mhmm. Don’t get me wrong, Atlas is smart, but I don’t think he is that smart.”

Tim laughs and picks up the bag of food Atlas dropped. “I brought lunch. I was hoping we could maybe talk.”

“Um, sure? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, at least I hope so. I just have some stuff to say.” 

Lucy gets the plates out and sets them on the highrise countertop. She notices Tim standing to the side, holding the bag so tightly that his knuckles turn white. “Tim, we’ve been over this. Relax.”

“Sor-sorry. I’m just nervous.”

“Why? Think I am going to hate you after what you tell me?” Lucy says jokingly.

“Maybe.” Tim’s heart tightens at the thought of Lucy hating him, but he would deserve it. He only has himself to blame. He sits down and suddenly is no longer hungry. He pushes the plate to the side and turns to face Lucy. “I have a confession.”

Lucy nods her head silently, encouraging him to continue.

“ When you didn’t show up for the date, I, um, I thought you stood me up. I thought you were trying to embarrass me for everything I did. ” Tim can see the flash of hurt in Lucy’s eyes.

Lucy’s voice is quiet, but it’s there. “So you thought that I was trying to get revenge? Did it even cross your mind that something could have happened?”

Tim looks down at the floor, embarrassed. “I, um, no. Well, kinda.  After the restaurant, Angela and I drove by your house to see if you were there. Um, I saw a guy leaving, so I assumed that you were seeing someone, and it was just part of your plan. ”

Lucy sighs, “What have I done to make you think I would do something like this?”

“Nothing! I swear, it’s all me. My past relationships cloud my judgment sometimes, and it-

“We haven’t even been on a date, and you already don’t trust me! ” Lucy says, getting a little frustrated. “Is this why you have been overly nice to me because you felt guilty yet again-”

“No! I am trying to be a better person, a better man. I just keep messing things up. I-I think I am scared to date and put myself out there again.”

“Tim, if you aren’t ready to date again, that’s okay. I understand.”

“No! Lucy, I want to date again. But only you. I may be scared, but I’m willing to try, I’m willing to put my heart on the line, I just-”

“Tim, we can’t go into a relationship if you think I will hurt you right off the bat. It won’t work that way.”

“I want us to work.”

“I know you do. But I don’t think you’re ready to date again. Tim, you literally thought I stood you up for a date when I was in a car accident. Is that how it’s going to be: I don’t respond to a text, and you make up these scenarios in your head? How is that fair? ”  

Tim almost had tears in his eyes; he knew this could be the outcome, but it still stung. His voice was weak, “Lucy, please . I promise I’m trying. Give me the chance to show you. I’m ready. I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but please. Just one chance. Please.” He was practically begging at this point, but he didn’t care. He desperately wanted to show Lucy that he trusted her. 

Lucy sighed, taking a deep breath. She knew Tim had baggage, and she knew a lot of his reactions were based on trauma. She could tell how desperate he was to get her to believe him. She thought about all the things he had done since her accident, all the things a boyfriend may do. He had taken Atlas without any hesitation. He took Atlas on walks daily and sent her selfies. He showed up at the hospital every day after she woke up and took all the notes regarding her recovery. He was right. He was trying. But, if he couldn’t trust her, a relationship would never work.

The silence was becoming too much for Tim, “Um, I can go. I’m sorry, Lucy-”

“I don’t think you’re ready. You’ve been betrayed in the worst ways possible. Those wounds run deep. I’m not mad about anything, but I don’t think now is a good time. Don’t worry about taking care of Atlas anymore. I got it. I appreciate everything, Tim, I really do. Thank you for all your help.”

Tim let her words sink in. He knew this was his own doing. He did this to himself. “Okay. ” His voice is weak, and tears are forming in his eyes. “Is there any chance for us? How can I become a better man for you?”

Lucy’s heart broke as she looked Tim in the eyes. “I can’t answer that. Don’t become a better man for me; do it for you.”

*****

It had been two weeks since Lucy and Tim last spoke. She was feeling better and was starting to move around more. She had to hire someone to take Atlas on his runs since she still couldn’t exercise. She missed talking to Tim but knew she made the right decision. Her phone dings, signaling she has a text. 

Angela: I’m in the area, mind if I stop by?

Lucy knew Angela was lying. Lucy’s house wasn’t in an area Angela would drive by randomly. She had a feeling she knew what or who Angela wanted to talk about. 

Lucy: I don’t want to talk about what happened with Tim. 

Angela: I know, but please just hear me out. Ten minute tops, I promise.

Lucy sighs. She really doesn’t want to talk about Tim, but she also knows Angela won’t give up. 

Lucy: Fine. Ten minutes.

Angela: Great, I’m here!

Of course, she was. She opens the door and finds Angela at her doorstep.

“Hey! Thank you for letting me come over.”

“Not like I had much of a choice,” Lucy grumbles.

“Where’s the boy?”

“On a run with the sitter.”

Angela hums in acknowledgment. She heads over to the couch and waits for Lucy to sit down before she begins speaking. “I think you made the right decision. Rejecting him.”

Lucy is shocked, “You do?”

“Yeah. I think you’re just as scared as he is.”

“What do you mean?”

“He likes you. A lot. He is trying to work through everything. Is that the part that scares you? His trauma? His baggage?”

“No, of course not! I just don’t know if I can trust him..”

“Are you going to give him a chance?” Angela asks abruptly.

“I don’t know; how am I supposed to trust that he is ready?”

“Just like you’re telling him he needs to trust you.” Angela knows she may be a bit pushy, but they deserve happiness. “Look, Lucy, this is his first time living life too. He has these walls up because no one has ever stuck around him long enough to really get to know him. He has never been someone’s top priority. He’s gotten left behind so many times. Of course, he is going to be scared and hesitant.”

“Angela, I know he has been hurt, but it’s not an excuse.”

“Oh, I know. He knows. He knows this is his own doing. All I am saying is you have to trust him too. He’s not always an asshole. He even apologized to Jackson on his own merit.”

“Wait, why did he have to apologize to Jackson? What happened?”

“Jackson went to the station to try and explain why you didn’t show up. Tim kept cutting him off because he was under the impression you stood him up and were seeing someone else. So, he didn’t want to hear what Jackson had to say. At some point, Jackson cut Tim off and told him what happened.”

“See, this is exactly why I-”

“Tim went to the station and apologized to Jackson. On his own free will. He even asked Jackson not to tell you because Tim wanted to do it himself. He took Atlas with no hesitation. He set hourly reminders to check in on you; he is trying Lucy.”

Lucy sighed; she never thought Tim wasn’t trying or didn’t care; she could easily tell he cared. She was scared that the trust issues would be an issue, but Angela was right; she had to put trust in him, too. Angela’s voice startles her out of her thoughts.

“I have to get going, but Tim vowed never to date again after his last relationship. He is finally allowing himself to entertain that idea. He trusts you. You just gotta figure out if you can trust him, too.”

Chapter Text

Lucy: Hey, Tim. Can we talk?

Tim: Right now? I am at work, but I can make time.

Lucy: It’s no rush, whenever you are free. 

Tim: I can come by tonight after I am off. Does 7:30 work?

Lucy: Sounds good.

It’s 7:31 when there is a knock at her door. Atlas immediately goes to the door and starts barking like a madman. “Atlas, hush. It’s just Tim.” Atlas gets even more excited and patiently waits for her to open the door. She grabs his collar to hold him back as she opens the door, but Atlas proves to be stronger and breaks free from her grasp and lunges right at Tim almost making him lose his balance, “I am so sorry! He has so much energy now.”

“Or, he’s just excited to see me.” Tim laughs and grabs Atlas’s collar to guide him back inside the house. “I’m sorry I’m late. There was traffic, and I-”

“Tim. It’s by a minute. It’s okay.”

“So you wanted to talk?”  Tim doesn’t know what Lucy could have to say. 

“Yeah, do you want to sit outside on the patio?”

“Yeah, sure, that works.”

“Do you need anything to drink? Water? Beer?”

“Um, no, I am okay; thanks, though.”

They head outside, and Atlas immediately finds a ball and brings it to Tim so he can play fetch. Tim obliges, throws the ball across the backyard, and sits beside Lucy. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“Yes, to answer your question you asked me a couple of weeks ago.”

Tim knows immediately what question she is referring to. He had replayed the conversation in his head every day, trying to think of ways he could prove to her he was ready. He needed confirmation, though, on what she was saying yes to. “Wh-what question?”

“You asked if there was a chance for us, and the answer is yes. I’m sorry. I was so focused on you being able to trust me I didn’t realize I also needed to trust you. I have to trust that you will know the difference between your other relationships and ours, just like you have to trust me that I’m not going to hurt you intentionally.”

“I-I promise, I know you would never intentionally hurt me. At least I know now. After your accident, Jackson came to the station-”

“I know, Tim, Angela told me.”

“I’m sorry, Lucy; I don’t know why I reacted that way. Then, when I went to your house to check in, I saw someone leaving, and it just hurt. I thought I wasn’t good enough, and it was easier to accept that narrative than anything else.”

“Because you feel as though you never have been good enough in the past?” Lucy asks hesitantly. 

Tim takes a deep breath, “Yeah, I mean, I haven’t. Clearly. No one sticks around. There’s always something or someone better.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t want to dump all of this on you or scare you away before I even get the chance to take you out.”

“So, you rather scare me away after we go on a few dates? I feel like this is the better option. Plus, you won’t scare me away.” Lucy can tell Tim seems conflicted. She doesn’t want to push him to talk. “You don’t have to tell me, but whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”

Tim takes a moment to process what she is saying. She has a point about the timing. He rather tell her now and scare away, then wait to tell her after a few dates. “No, I’ll tell you, I just need a second.” Tim takes a deep breath and starts talking. “My whole life, I was never enough. There was always a better option, something that meant more than me. My Mom, she tried, but my Dad held too much power over her. I took the brunt of the abuse so she and my sister wouldn’t get hurt. She was never able to leave him despite all my injuries. Once I turned eighteen, I left and never really looked back. I felt guilty leaving my Mom there but couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get out.”

“Tim, I’m so sorry. No kid should ever have to go through that. Have you spoken to your parents since?”

“Not really. I know my Mom did end up leaving him, and my Dad is dying. My sister, Genny, is trying to get me to visit him. She said it would help me get ‘closure,’ but he was more of an abuser than a father. He never laid a hand on her. I don’t see how seeing him would help me. What am I supposed to say, ‘Hey Dad, thank you for all the cuts, bruises, and concussions. Wouldn’t be who I am today without you!’ Genny, she doesn’t understand why I don’t want to see him. Maybe it’s selfish, but-

“It’s not selfish, Tim. A father is never supposed to hurt their child. You have every right not to want to see him.” At this point, Lucy moves her chair closer to Tim; Atlas is still running around in the backyard, going back and forth, bringing Tim his ball.

“After I got out of the army, I joined the academy. I met Isabel, we dated, and we got married. She got too involved with UC ops and eventually got addicted to the drugs. She left me in the middle of the night. I, uh, I tried finding her, getting her the help she needed, but it was no use. She only wanted me for the money so she could buy more drugs. Eventually, she did go to rehab, but there was no relationship to save, so we divorced. I later found out she was cheating on me. But, I thought she was the one, you know? We were supposed to be married and have kids by now.”

“Oh, Tim. I am so sorry. I know I keep saying that, but you didn’t deserve that.” Lucy could see the pain in Tim’s eyes. He really had been hurt in the worst ways possible. 

“It’s okay. It is what it is.” Tim looks around, trying to hold back his tears. He wanted to get the rest out before he lost his nerve. “Then, there was Ashley. We met on a call I was responding to; I asked her out, and we dated and got engaged. Then she left me right before we were supposed to get married. Literally. She had been cheating on me for half the time we were together. She told me I was arm candy to her, she never really loved me. Now, she’s pregnant with the guy who was supposed to be my best man and best friend.”

At some point, Lucy had reached out to grab Tim’s hand. He was squeezing it like she was his lifeline. She didn’t have the heart to tell him he was squeezing too hard. “Tim, you didn’t deserve any of this. I am so sorry they cheated on you. It wasn’t your fault. You deserve to be loved for you, not for your money, not because you’re insanely hot, but because you’re you.”

“You think I’m insanely hot?”

Lucy lets go of Tim’s hand and lightly smacks his chest, “Is that the one thing you took from this conversation?”

“I mean, it’s not every day a beautiful woman like you calls me insanely hot, so how can I not hang on to that?” Tim smirks, the tension from his body fading.

“Mhmm, you have a first date to plan, mister. Better get planning.” She gets up from her seat and gives Tim’s hand a final squeeze. She calls for Atlas so she can feed him his dinner, and he beats her to the door in anticipation. 

Tim quickly follows her inside, “So, you’re actually going to let me take you out? I didn’t scare you away?” 

Lucy sets down Atlas’s food and walks over to grab Tim’s hands. “No, you didn’t scare me away, Tim. I would love to go on a date with you.”

Tim hums and his smile is bright. He wants to lean in and kiss her, but he wants to take her out first. “Mmmkay, this time, I am going to pick you up.”

“Hey! It wasn’t my fault someone drank too much and then hit me. I am a safe driver!” 

Tim’s heart sank thinking about the someone who hit her, “ItwasNickheistheonwhwohityou.” Tim spits out quickly. 

“What was that?”

“Nick. He was the one who hit you.”

Lucy pauses. She is trying to place who this Nick guy is. “Nick…”

“My friend. Well, former friend. The one who knocked up Ashley.”

“Oh. Okay. I-I don’t know what to say to that.”

“I’m sorry, Luce, he shouldn’t have been drinking; he had been sober for years. I always helped him if he thought about relapsing, but I never checked in after everything. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” The tears start streaming down his face, and he doesn’t know if he is crying because he feels guilty or everything he has just shared with Lucy. It’s like a dam is released, and he is sobbing. 

Lucy is quick to react. She stands on her tippy toes and cradles his head as he cries into her neck, his arms snaking around her waist. “Hey, it’s not your fault that Nick hit me. It is his responsibility to remain sober, not yours. It’s okay, Tim, I’m okay.” 

He nods his head in acknowledgment, knowing she is right. He tightens the grip he has on her and lets himself feel comforted. For once in his life, he doesn’t feel embarrassed by breaking down, he feels safe in her arms. He doesn’t know how long they stood like that, but he looks over to see Atlas staring at his food. “Lucy?”

“Hmmm.”

“I think you forgot to tell Atlas he could eat.” 

Lucy spins around, careful not to jostle Tim. Sure enough, she forgot to use his release word, and he was sitting in front of his bowl, waiting patiently. “Atlas, free!” Atlas starts to eat right away. 

Lucy and Tim laugh in amusement, he may have a lot of energy, but he was still well-trained.

“I do have a dog to get home to myself, so I have to head out. But, thank you. For everything. For giving me a chance, I will try my hardest not to mess things up.”

“Ahh, look at you, not forgetting about Kojo this time; proud of you!”

Tim rolls his eyes, “I’ll see you tomorrow for our date. Be ready at 7.” 

“How do you know I’m not busy tomorrow?”

“You aren’t. See you tomorrow!” Tim turns around before heading out.

“Yeah, see ya tomorrow, Tim.”

Chapter Text

Tim wanted this redo first date to be perfect. Instead of going to some fancy restaurant, he decided to have a picnic, and they would watch the sunset together. Tim quickly learned Lucy’s favorite foods while recovering from the accident. She fell in love with an Italian restaurant he had found. So, he was going to order takeout from there and then drive them to a secluded spot he used to go to after a hard shift. He had everything he needed. Now, all he needed was to get through the day. Tim smiles. He finally feels like he is on the right path. His smile quickly fades when he hears two voices he’d never thought he would have to hear again. Ashley and Nick. Maybe he can close the door, shut the blinds, and hide until they leave. He gets up, does just that, and decides calling Lucy would be a good distraction. She answers on the second ring.

“Hey, Tim! What’s up?”

Tim is not sure why, but he whispers. “I’m hiding in my office.”

Lucy takes a second to respond, “Oh? Why are you hiding in your office? Is something wrong?”

“Ashley and Nick are here, and I don’t know why. I don’t want to face them.”

“They just showed up at the station? Together?”

“Yeah, I don’t know why they are here. I never planned on seeing them again. I wanted to visit Nick after your accident, but I didn’t want to do something I would regret. As much pain as they caused me, I-” 

“Tim. You don’t have to explain yourself. It’s okay. Let’s talk about something else. Maybe like where you are taking me tonight?”

Tim almost falls for it and tells her, but doesn’t, “Mmm, you almost got me. It’s a surprise.”

Lucy lets out an exaggerated sigh, “You’re no help! Can you at least tell me what I should wear?”

“Clothes, I mean, if you want to wear no clothes, I wouldn’t be opposed-”

“Tim! I am being serious!”

“Wear whatever you want, Luce; you’ll look beautiful in anything.”

“Mmm, okay. How’s Kojo?”

“He’s good, lazy. I wish he liked running like Atlas.”

“Are you trying to become a runner?”

“I can run. I’m a cop.”

“Right, if I recall, you had to call Anglea one time to come pick you guys up because your legs were starting to burn.” 

“She told you about that? I told her not to!”

“It’s okay, Tim, we’re not all runners.”

“Well, maybe, once you are all healed, you can help me become a runner. You owe me, after all.”

Lucy laughs, “And what do I exactly owe you for?”

“For being the best dog-sitter in the world, duh.”

“Mmkay, yeah, I guess I do owe you. You sure you have the stamina to keep up?”

“Oh, I have stamina.”

“I’ll hold you to it then.” 

“I think they’re gone. Should I go check?”

“Unless you want to stay in your office all day.”

“I am getting to talk to you, though.”

“You can talk to me tonight at that place. What’s it called again?”

Tim peeks out through the blinds, and it looks like the coast is clear. “Nice try. I think the coast is clear. I’ll see you tonight.”

“It was worth a shot. See you tonight, Tim, be safe.”

“Always.”

*****

The rest of the day went by smoothly for Tim. No one brought up Ashley and Nick stopping by, and he was grateful. As curious as he was, he did not want to put himself in a bad mood before his date tonight. He told Angela as much, and she told him she would tell him the next day. 

Tim was starting to second guess whether his idea was too simple for a first date with Lucy. He got Angela to drive to the location before and set everything up. But, suddenly, he was questioning whether Lucy would actually enjoy this or if she would rather go to a restaurant. He pulls out his phone, hoping to make a last-minute reservation somewhere as a backup plan. If she really hated his idea, he could hopefully take her to the restaurant and maybe still get lucky enough for a second date. Tim decided he needed to talk to someone to calm his nerves. He couldn’t call Angela because she was busy setting things up for him, and he couldn’t call Lucy because he did not want her to know how nervous he was. Therefore, he decided he would call Genny. He tapped his foot anxiously, waiting for her to pick up the phone. She answered on the fourth ring.

“Tim? What’s wrong? I thought you had your first date tonight with Lucy.”

“I do. I’m nervous, Gen. What if she doesn’t like what I have planned? What if she thinks it’s weird? Or what if she prefers going somewhere more public for our first date because it’s safer that way? I mean, I won’t do anything to her, but she doesn’t know that. For all I know, we get there, and she thinks I am going to kill her or something. Maybe I should call Angela and tell her to clean everything up.”

“Tim!” Genny practically yells through the phone, cutting him off. “Firstly, please don’t ramble like that tonight. You may scare her away. Secondly, from what you told me, Lucy seems to be a sweet person. Plus, she obviously trusts you since she agreed to give you another chance. I’m sure she’ll love it, Tim, it’s very thoughtful of you. I’m impressed.”

“Luckily, she’s already seen me ramble, so hopefully, that doesn’t scare her away. I just get so nervous when I am around her. We met up at a dog park once, and I forgot to bring Kojo. Anytime I see her or even think of her, I get butterflies in my stomach, and my chest tightens, but in a good way. And it’s like I lose all the social skills I have ever learned when we talk.”

Genny could almost cry. She had never heard her brother talk about a girl like this. It sounded like he was falling in love, and she was so happy for him. She did not want to rattle him by telling him he was in love, so she settled with, “Enjoy your date, Tim; I can’t wait to hear all about it at dinner next week.”

“Yeah, thanks, Gen; I love you.”

“I love you too, Tim.”

*****

Angela had sent him a picture of the setup, and he was impressed. He made sure to thank her profusely, and he told her he owed her lunch for a week. Now, he was standing in front of Lucy’s door, waiting for her to answer. She finally answered the door, and Tim felt like the world stopped.  “You look absolutely breathtaking, Lucy.” She was wearing an emerald green skirt and a black blouse, her hair was perfectly curled, and her makeup was flawless.

Lucy blushed at the way Tim was looking at her. It made her stomach swoop. “Are those for me?” pointing to the flowers he held in his hand. He was wearing a light blue long-sleeve top with navy dress pants. The blue brought out his eyes, something Lucy could get lost in forever. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Tim, dare I say insanely hot.”

Tim just smiles, registering her words from earlier, “Yes, these are for you.” He hands her the flowers, and she accepts them. He then pulls a bone from his pocket and hands it to Lucy, “And this is for Atlas. I had to get him something for letting me take his mom out on a date.”

Lucy’s heart swoons even more; not only did he get her flowers, but he also got Atlas something. “Think bribery will work on him?” Lucy says jokingly. “You can give it to him. He already ate dinner.”

Tim gives Atlas the bone and gives him a few scratches. Atlas trots to his bed and guards the bone like someone will steal it from him. “You have a strange dog.”

“You’re just now figuring that out?”

Tim laughs and motions towards the door so they can head out. “Come on, let’s go.” He walks over to the passenger door and opens the door for her before heading to the driver’s seat.

The drive to the secluded spot is filled with talk about their day. Tim having more to say than Lucy. They get to the spot, and Tim’s nerves rush back. He parks his car and goes over to open Lucy’s door. He goes to the back seat and pulls out the food. She hasn’t said anything, making Tim think she hates it. “Um, I can take you somewhere else. Sorry, this was a dumb idea; I should have known better.”

She was taking it all in. A cliff was overlooking the rest of the city, the perfect view for the sunset. There was a table and chairs for them to sit at. The table had a bottle of wine on it, along with the plates and glasses to go with their dinner. There was a small bin, and inside, there were blankets for if they got cold. He really thought of it all. Lucy walks over and grabs Tim’s hands. She is really going to have to work with him on his nervous rambles. “No. I am just amazed. Tim, this is perfect. You did all of this?” 

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“Nooo, I’m impressed.”

Tim hums and pulls out the chair for Lucy to sit in, “Nah, Angela helped me with this part.”

“Well, it’s perfect.” 

Tim smiles, grateful for Angela and Lucy for giving him a chance. He pulls out the pasta and puts it on each of their plates. “I-I hope this is okay; I didn’t know if you still liked this place or not. I guess I could have asked, but that would have given it away, and I wanted it to be a surprise. But, if-”

“Tim. I love it. It’s perfect, no complaints.” She never thought she would see the side of Tim Bradford where he would not stop talking. When they first met, he was short with her and very grumpy. But now, she realizes how much of a softie he really is.

They eat dinner, and the conversation flows smoothly. They talk about anything and everything and get to really know each other. At some point, their chairs had gravitated closer and closer to each other; Tim’s hand was resting on her thigh, and Lucy’s hand was on top of his. They were talking about her returning to work.

“So, do you think you’re ready?”

“I’d go back to work tomorrow if I could. Atlas and I have been going stir-crazy at home.”

“But, are you feeling better?” Tim’s voice is laced with concern. 

“Yes, Tim. I am feeling better.”

There is no response from Tim. He is just looking at her in the eyes. He is absolutely mesmerized by her beauty. He looks at Lucy’s lips and has the sudden urge to kiss her. He lightly grabs her chin with his free hand, leans in, and kisses her. Her lips are soft, and they immediately part, allowing him to slip his tongue inside. He feels her lightly tug at his lip, and suddenly, he is lost. He knew there was no going back after this kiss. The kiss makes him feel lightheaded in the best way possible, and he has to pull away to catch his breath. Tim takes a minute to take in her appearance; her lips are swollen, and her cheeks are flushed, but she is still the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

“Mmmm, if I had known you could kiss like that, I would have forgiven you a lot sooner.” There is no heat behind her words. The kiss had knocked her off her axis, and she craved more. A light breeze comes in, and Lucy shivers. 

“You cold? Let me get you a blanket. We can go sit in the bed of my truck, or I can take you home.”

She doesn’t want the night to end, so she gets up, walks to his truck, and pulls the tailgate down. “Are you coming?”

Tim dumbly nods his head and grabs the blankets. As he is pulling out the blankets that Angela packed, a box of condoms falls out. Tim is mortified; his cheeks immediately turn a crimson red. “I-I promise I did not ask Angela to do that. I don’t know why she would do that; I didn’t even tell her I wanted to have sex with you. I mean, I do want to have sex with you, but whenever you’re ready.” He was about to continue, but Lucy pressed her lips against his to get him to stop talking.

“I really have to teach you not to ramble as much.” Lucy can tell Tim is still stressed. “We won’t need them tonight, but we can always save them for later.” Lucy winks, grabs his hand, and leads him to his truck. 

They lay the blankets down and cuddle up with each other. Tim is lying on his back, and Lucy is tucked into his side, his hand resting on her hip while her hands are on his chest. They start making out, and not much time passes before Lucy is on top of him. Tim’s hands are squeezing her ass, and her hands are lightly stroking his hardening cock. He groans at the feeling, but he has to stop it before they get too carried away. He wanted her badly. But he wanted their first time to be in the comfort of one of their bedrooms and to respect her wishes. “Luce, we should stop.”

Lucy pulls back immediately. She did not mean for their makeout session to get that heated that quickly. “I’m so sorry, Tim; I didn’t mean for it to get that far.”

“No. No. Luce, I enjoyed it. You could feel, I was enjoying it. I want our first time to be somewhere a little more comfortable. Plus, I want to respect your wishes.” 

Lucy is still on top of Tim, and she leans down and gives him one final kiss, “Mmm, what a gentleman.”

Tim laughs and lightly taps her ass before she shifts back to her original spot. They share a few more softer kisses before deciding to head back.

The drive back to Lucy's house is filled with comfortable silence, Lucy occasionally humming along to the songs on the radio. Tim’s hand rests on her thigh and only removes it when it’s time to walk her to the door. He gets out and walks around to open her door for her. He offers her his hand to help her out and doesn’t let go until they reach her door. “I had a really great time tonight, Luce.”

She smiles and wraps her arms around his neck, “Me too, Tim. Thank you for everything. It was the best first date ever.” Lucy didn’t want to scare him away by saying she hoped it was her last date. So, she kissed him good night and headed inside.

Atlas came running to her in excitement; he sat down right in front of her. “I may just have found you a new daddy.” Atlas is oblivious to what she is saying but wags his tail and barks anyway. Maybe he wasn’t so oblivious after all. 

Tim drives home with a smile on his face. He really did have the perfect night. He gets inside his house and sees Kojo fast asleep in his dog bed. Tim whispers Kojo’s name, and Kojo lifts his head, “I think I’m in love.” 

Chapter Text

Tim was still beaming about his date with Lucy. He had the best night of sleep he had in ages. Angela had texted him asking how it went, but he decided he was going to pull her leg a little after her little stunt she pulled. He was lucky Lucy did not freak out about seeing the box of condoms, but he was still embarrassed. 

Angela: So, how did it go last night???

Angela: Hello?? 

Angela: After all I did, the least you could do is reply

Tim: It was going well. Then she saw the condoms and asked me to take her home. I tried explaining it wasn’t me who put them there, but she did not believe me. Thanks for the help.

He sends off the texts and counts to three before Angela calls him. He doesn’t even get to say hello before she yells in his ear.

“Tim! You have to tell her it was me. I will talk to her, okay? I am so sorry. I thought it was funny. I am going to call her right now.”

“I’m just messing with you, Angela. The date was perfect. She is perfect.”

“If you didn’t sound so happy, I’d kill you.”

All Tim can do is laugh as he hangs up the phone and gets ready for work.

*****

Lucy was still on cloud nine from her date with Tim the previous night. Jackson was on the way over so they could get breakfast, and she could debrief him about her date. He pretended he wasn’t interested in her first date with Tim, but he had spammed her phone throughout the night, asking for updates. She didn’t even get the chance to buckle her seatbelt before he started firing questions at her.

“So, how was it? Where did he take you? Was he nice to you, at least? Did he open all your doors? Did you guys kiss? Are you going on a second date? Did he ask you to be his girlfriend?”

“Jesus, Jackson. At least take off before you start a round of twenty questions. You won’t have any questions left when we get to the restaurant.”

“Sorry, sorry. We can wait until we get there.”

After their carpool karaoke session, they arrive at the restaurant. Jackson tells Lucy about work as she is desperate to get back into the swing of things. He tells her about Sterling and how they are considering moving in together. Sterling wants to move into a newer house, but Jackson is on the fence since it would be far from the station. "Anyway, enough about me, tell me about your date with Sergeant Blue Eyes!"

"The nickname has returned, I see." Lucy doesn't even know where to begin about the date last night. "It was absolutely perfect! He is a total sweetheart." Lucy then goes on to tell Jackson mostly everything that happened last night. She decides to leave out the part about their heated make-out session in the back of his truck.

Jackson takes a minute to observe how happy Lucy is. She seems relaxed and carefree. He could even say it sounded like she was in love, but he wanted her to confess that to him before he said anything. "You seem really happy, Luce, I'm glad. You deserve it."

"Thanks, Jackson. I know he wasn't the nicest to you, and you had your reservations, but he really has redeemed himself."

"I will still kill him, though, if he hurts you."

"Oh, I have no doubt." Lucy was grateful to have a friend like Jackson; she knew he would have her back, no matter what.

"So, when's the second date?"

Lucy opened and closed her mouth before answering; she bit her lip, hoping to gain the courage to ask the next part, "Actually, I was hoping you could take me to the station later to meet him for lunch. I would drive myself, but I don't have a car anymore."

Jackson laughs at how nervous she seemed, "Yes, of course! We can just hang out at your place, then head over to the station. Does he know you're coming, or is it a surprise?"

That question seemed to stump Lucy. Should she text him and ask? Or should she surprise him? They weren't even boyfriend and girlfriend yet. She didn't want Tim to think she was clingy and obsessive. Maybe she would just text him, plan something for later, and forget about the station altogether.

"Hello? Earth to Lucy."

At the same time, Jackson tries to regain her attention her phone buzzes several times.

Tim: I am still thinking about last night.

Tim: I can't wait to take you out on a second date.

Tim: When are you free next?

Tim: Wait, I didn't even ask if you wanted to go on a second date.

Tim: Sorry for blowing up your phone!

Lucy reads all the messages and laughs. It looks like she has her answer. "Hmm, I think I am going to surprise him. He talks about this taco place he likes, so I'll grab something from there."

"Was that who was blowing up your phone just now?"

"Mhmmm." Lucy smiles and begins to blush.

She was in deep.

*****

Tim was starting to feel sick. He had texted Lucy earlier in the morning, but she had yet to reply. He was trying to rack his brain of things he could have done wrong. She said she had a good time. She even went as far as saying it was the best first date ever. Maybe he was overanalyzing things; she could be busy. At least, that's what he was going to tell himself. A knock at his door prevents him from thinking about what else her lack of a reply could mean. He gets up and answers the door to his office. The moment he opens the door, all his worries go away. It was Lucy and she was holding a to-go bag from one of his favorite spots. 

"Hi! I hope you haven't had lunch yet; I got us food from that taco place you always talk about."

 "You brought me lunch?" He was just spiraling trying to figure out where he went wrong and now she is standing in front of him with lunch. He was taking in her appearance. Her outfit was simple: a floral crop top and a pair of skinny jeans, and her hair was in two separate braids. She was breathtaking. 

"Technically, I brought us lunch. I even got a cheesecake for us to share if you want."

"Where do you want to eat? We can eat in my office, or we can go outside. I know a spot."

"You and your spots. Sure, let's go outside!"

He walks through the bullpen with Lucy. He knows people are starting to stare, but he doesn't care in the slightest. He wants to grab her hand but doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. They had yet to talk about being exclusive, so he was unsure if he had the right to hold her hand. He wasn't even one for PDA, but she was different. 

Once they got to the spot, Lucy unpacked the bag when Tim suddenly said, "I don't want to share."

Lucy looked at him, confused. "The cheesecake? That's okay. You can have it."

"No, not the cheesecake. You. I don't mean to sound possessive, but I don't want us to date other people. At least, I don't want to date anyone else. I know we only have been on one date, but Lucy, I can't stop thinking about it. The way it made me feel, and you made me feel. I just feel like we could have something great. But, if it's too soon, or you want to date around, that works too. I just won't be dating anyone else. Anyway, sorry. I keep rambling." He really needed to learn when to shut up. He had never been like this before. He was so gone on her. 

"I think the rambling is cute." Lucy laughs. "So, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Um. Yes, I mean, if you want to, that is. "

Lucy looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to ask the question.

He doesn't seem to get the clue, though, "It's okay, if it's too soon. Forget I said any-"

"Tim! You haven't asked me anything!"

Oh. Tim takes Lucy's hands and, looks her in the eye and asks his question, "Lucy, will you be my girlfriend?"

Lucy's heart skips a beat as she looks into the depth of Tim's blue eyes, "Yes, Tim. I'd love to."

The rest of the lunch goes by too quickly for Tim's liking. Before they head back into the station, they shared a kiss. A kiss that was hopefully the start of something beautiful, something that would last forever. 

Chapter Text

Lucy was coming home from her final doctor's appointment when she saw Tim sitting at her doorstep. She knew they had plans later in the day but couldn't think why he would be at her door now.

"Tim? What's wrong?"

"I came to see you. It has been a rough day."

Lucy looks at her watch and frowns, "Babe, it's 10 am."

Tim smiles at the fact she called him babe. He hadn't been called any term of endearment since Isabel. Ashley always called him by his name because she thought pet names were dumb.

"If you're done smiling creepily, you can come inside. I have to walk Atlas." Lucy lightly touches his arm as she walks by.

"Wait, did the doctor clear you? I can walk him if you need to rest."

Lucy rolls her eyes, "Yes, the doctor cleared me. I go back to work tomorrow."

"Well, can I at least join you on the walk? I just want to make sure you are okay. "

"I can walk a dog, Tim." Lucy snaps. She doesn't mean to snap at him; she knows he cares and worries, but she wants things to go back to normal. She immediately regrets her words when she sees the flash of hurt in his eyes. He was having a rough morning, and all he wanted was to see her. "I'm sorry. Yes, you can come on the walk. "

Tim offers her a small smile in return. He didn't mean to hover and annoy her. "It's okay. I can come back later on; I know I dropped by unannounced. Sorry, I should have texted you first-"

Lucy cuts Tim off and kisses him to end his nervous ramble. "As cute as your rambling is, I need you to listen. I am sorry I snapped at you. I have been so bored and felt so useless being at home. I'm just ready to go back to work. And you're more than welcome to drop by unannounced anytime. You don't have to apologize for wanting to see me."

Tim didn't know what to say; he wasn't used to people apologizing or people showing him kindness. He leaned in and kissed her. It's sweet and soft. "Okay, baby. Let's go on a walk."

*****

Lucy and Tim were walking hand in hand, and Atlas was walking ahead of them.

"So, are you going to tell me why you had a rough morning?"

Tim sighs, "I um, uh, Angela finally told me why Ashley and Nick stopped by."

"Oh? Why did they stop by?"

"They were handing out invitations to their wedding and showing people ultrasound pictures. It's a girl." Tim paused. He was over Ashley, he was. But he didn't understand why they had to come to the station. "Also, Nick apparently wants to apply to work for the LAPD."

"He what? Why would he want to do that?"

Tim shrugs, "Money. Or to make my life a living hell, I don't know."

"Well, he is a felon. He did hit me and run from the scene, so..."

"I know, but I don't get why they had to show up. They could have sent the invites in the mail like normal people." Tim grumbles. "Angela said they were looking for me. They wanted my forgiveness or something."

Each time Lucy thought the situation couldn't get any worse, it did. "Babe, you don't have to forgive them for anything. You don't owe them your time."

Tim squeezed Lucy's hand to acknowledge he had heard her. "I just never got closure like they did, and I don't know how."

Lucy hums, "We will figure something out. Together. You will get your closure."

*****

Before Lucy knew it, she was getting ready for her first day back at work. After their walk, she and Tim spent the rest of the day together. They had planned on going car shopping, but she wanted to be fully rested for her first day back.

Tim: Have a good first day back, baby! Let me know when you get to the station 😘

Tim had wanted to take her to the station and drop her off, but Captain Andersen had called her last night asking her to come in early. Luckily, she had her rental car. Last night, she told Tim she was more nervous about the drive to work than her meeting with Captain Andersen. For the most part, her friends and Tim had picked her up. If they weren't free, she would call for an Uber. So, she hadn't driven since the accident.

To ease her nerves, Tim insisted on driving around with her. He acted as a calming presence sitting in the passenger seat. After they drove around together for an hour, she drove around for a bit alone, and it seemed like Tim was more nervous than she was. He was pacing her sidewalk, waiting for her to return. It did seem to help, though, and she wasn't as nervous.

Lucy: Thanks, babe! Be safe today, see you for dinner??

Tim: Always am.

Tim: Yes, where do you want to go??

Lucy: Surprise me😉

Lucy got to the station, and Atlas was about to break her arm by how hard he was pulling. "Atlas, dude. Calm down." He did not listen and continued tugging, forcing her to jog so she would not get dragged through the parking lot by her own dog. As she was making her way to drop Atlas off in her office, they both got all the welcomebacks and handshakes. Atlas got most of the attention, and he could not be happier.

Lucy walked into Captain Andersen's office and closed the door before she sat down.

"Sergeant Chen. Welcome back. You have certainly been missed. Although, I believe Atlas was missed more."

Lucy laughs. "Thank you, ma'am. I'm happy to be back. And, I am not surprised; that is typically how it goes."

"How are you feeling?"

"I am good! Ribs are fully healed."

"That's good news. I wanted to talk to you today about your plans for your future here."

Lucy paused. She had honestly stopped thinking about her future after she made Sergeant and started working with the K-9 unit. She loved what she did, and the only thing she would consider is climbing up the rankings. "Okay." Lucy's response is hesitant. She doesn't see where this conversation could be going.

"Remember, after you were a rookie, you told me you wanted to do something to help girls who were in similar situations. You wanted to stop the men who were harassing women."

Lucy sighs. She does remember saying that, but her therapist suggested to do something else. It may be too much for her, and she may never get the closure she needs. It would be walking backward instead of forward. So, she no longer had an interest in it. "I do remember, but-"

"Before you say no, hear me out."

Lucy nods.

"There is going to be an opening for an undercover spot. You would go to UC school at the end of September and be back before Thanksgiving, take the test in December, and if all goes well, you could be ringing in the New Year as an Undercover Officer. Since you already have the rankings, the pay would be higher. You would be gone from anywhere from six to twenty-four months per op. There is a whole list of places that are believed to be sexually harassing employees. You could help out all the women who were in similar positions as you. I don't want an answer today. Take some time. Think about all the people you could help."

Lucy sighed. Captain Andersen had a way with words. Lucy wanted to help. It was in her job description. People who got sexually harassed had a special place in her heart. She knew once she started, she would not be able to stop. She would want to take down all the people abusing their power and save as many victims as possible. The answer wasn't an immediate no. Maybe she still had an interest after all.

Lucy: I made it to the station. Do you just want to stay in tonight? We need to talk.

Chapter Text

Tim got Lucy’s text and started panicking. It was never good when someone said, “We need to talk.” He desperately tried to rack his brain for reasons she would say that. Nothing came to mind, so the only reason he could think of was that she was breaking up with him. He couldn’t think of a reason she would, though. He doesn’t want to seem desperate, but he needs to know if his whole world is about to come crashing down.  

Tim: Baby?

Tim: Are you breaking up with me?

Tim: I can change, just tell me what I need to work on. Please.

Tim: I will do anything, baby. Just give me one more chance. 

Tim needed to go to roll call, he had hoped Lucy would see his texts and respond right away. Logically, Tim knew she was busy. But the voices inside his head told him she wasn’t replying because she was going to break up with him. 

*****

The day felt like it was going in slow motion. Lucy had never responded to Tim’s texts, and he was quickly becoming a ball of anxiety. He wanted to go to the station during lunch, but Angela talked him out of it. She told him it would be too much if he showed up at the station looking like a lost puppy dog begging to see his girlfriend. Instead of trying to calm him down, all Angela did was brush him off and laugh.

Tim wanted to call Lucy to figure out what the plan for dinner was, but if she was breaking up with him, he did not want to plan anything so he could avoid it altogether. Luckily, or unluckily, Lucy decided to text back at that time.

Lucy: Wanna go to your house? I should be getting off soon.

Tim’s heart sank. There was no babe or baby, just straight to the point. She was definitely breaking up with him. She wanted to meet at his house so she could leave right after she broke up with him. He might as well rip the bandaid off and get the conversation over with.

Tim: Sounds good. I am headed home now. I will get dinner started. Let yourself in. 

Tim drove to his house in complete silence, still unable to think of anything he had done wrong. Maybe she had found someone else, someone younger and with less baggage. It wouldn’t surprise him if that were the case; Lucy was attractive. He considered himself very lucky that she chose him. Before he knew it, Tim was home and getting started on dinner. What does one make when your girlfriend of a few weeks is about to break up with you? He decided on chicken parmesan; it was one of her favorites, and maybe he could offer to cook it every day for her if that meant she stayed with him.

Kojo started barking at the door, signaling Lucy’s arrival. Tim heard Lucy’s soft voice talking to Kojo. It was a voice she rarely used on Atlas, but he heard it every now and then. 

“Hey! It smells really good. What are you cooking?”

Again. No babe or baby. “Um. Chicken parmesan. It should be ready soon.” Tim was tense. He was not ready to get his heart broken, 

Lucy seemed to clock Tim’s tension immediately, “Woah. You seem tense. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

Lucy sighed. “Tim, no. We aren’t going to do this.”

There it was. She was breaking up with him. He knew it was coming but did not expect her to do it so soon. He didn’t even finish cooking. 

“You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong if you don’t want to, but don’t lie. I can tell you aren’t fine.”

Tim let the floodgates of his thoughts go. “Why are you breaking up with me? What did I do? I can change, I promise. I can try harder. Is it because I didn’t get you enough flowers?”

“Tim.”

“Is it because I hover too much? Am I too old? Is it because I mentioned Ashley?”

“Babe.”

“Luce, I swear I don’t miss her. I only brought her up because she made an appearance at the station. Wait, is it because of Nick? Baby, I’m sorry I didn’t check on him after everything. I know I should have.”

“Babe!” Lucy says a little more forcefully to get his attention. “I’m not breaking up with you.”

“Oh. Then why did you say we needed to talk?” Tim is still uneasy.

“Because we do. We can get to that later, though. Why did you think I was breaking up with you?”

“For starters, you never replied to my texts. You never replied when I asked if you were breaking up with me. When I finally got a reply, it was like you avoided the question.”

“What are you talking about? I never got your texts asking if I was going to break up with you.” Lucy pulls out her phone and shows him. She really didn’t have the texts. 

Tim pulls out his phone to show her their thread, but he also doesn’t have the texts. He knows he sent them. “I know I texted you.” Tim goes back out to see all his messages, and that’s when he sees Angela’s name under Lucy’s. Angela had been texting him around the same time Lucy had texted him. Oh.  He clicks on Angela’s name and sees he sent the texts to the wrong person. He spent all day in a frenzy and didn’t even notice that he had texted the wrong person. “Oh, I sent them to Angela.” Tim blushes because of how embarrassed he is. Now, he understands why Angela was laughing at him.

“Have you been like this all day? All because I said we needed to talk?” There was no heat behind her words. She was just curious.

There was more to it, but Tim did not want to seem weak and insecure. “I mean, I thought you were breaking up with me, so yes. I didn’t even notice when you replied that I hadn’t sent those texts to you.”

“Hmm, well, I’m not breaking up with you. I promise.”

“Okay, well, what did you want to talk about?”

Lucy paused. She spent all day thinking about what the right decision would be. “I got offered to go undercover.”

Tim drops the plate he is holding, and it hits the ground and shatters. He was not expecting her to say that. His face goes white like a ghost, and he is frozen in place.

Both dogs came running into the kitchen, looking to see what the commotion was. Lucy was holding both of them back to avoid them stepping on the shattered plate. She was trying to get Tim’s attention, but he was just standing there. It seemed like he was in a trance of some kind. Lucy took both dogs to the backyard so she could clean the mess up. Tim was still standing in the middle of the kitchen with a blank expression on his face. She puts a hand on his shoulder, and he flinches immediately making her pull away. Her voice is soft as she speaks, “Hey, I am going to clean this up, okay?”

Tim hears voices but can’t get himself to snap out of it. All he can think of is the time he broke a plate as a kid and ended up having a black eye and a concussion as punishment. He is unsure how much time passes but feels a soft tug on his hand. He looks down, and the mess is gone, and Lucy has a worried expression on her face. He didn't mean to worry her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“Babe, it’s okay. It was just a plate. I cleaned it up.”

“The dogs?”

“They came to see what happened, but I put them outside.” 

Tim wanted to tell Lucy why he reacted like he did, but there was a more burning topic to discuss. “So. When do you leave?”

Lucy’s heart broke at the vulnerability in Tim’s voice. She could tell he was holding back his emotions. “I don’t. I’m not going.” Tim did not respond or acknowledge what she said. Lucy tilted her head; it was almost like Tim thought she had more to say or there was some catch. “You seem surprised.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why aren’t you going?”

It finally dawned on Lucy. He spiraled all day because he thought she would break up with him. Then, she told him she got offered to go undercover, and he probably thought she would pick that route. She steps closer to him, “Babe, I am not going undercover. I never will. I like where I am now in my career. I am sorry I dropped all of that on you. I didn’t even think-”

Tim closes the space between them and hugs her, cradling her head to his chest. He kisses the top of her head, and they stand there holding each other. The words would come later, but for now, all he wanted was to hold her and never let go. 

Chapter Text

Lucy spent the remainder of the night telling Tim about her former desire to go undercover. She told him about Captain Andersen's offer and how she used the right words to almost persuade her. "It wouldn't have been rewarding. Yes, I would love to help the people going through what I went through, but it would never be over. There would always be more victims. Plus, I didn't want to give up the life I have here." Lucy paused. She couldn't read Tim's expression. He was more stoic than anything. "I wouldn't have made this big of a decision without talking to you first, you know that, right?"

Tim was speechless. Lucy had a way of catching him off guard. "We haven't been dating that long, plus it's your career. I can't stand in the way of that."

Lucy knew Tim wasn't used to people putting him first. "Babe. You aren't standing in the way. I would have had to give away Atlas too." Lucy laughs as she tries to lighten the mood.

Tim smiles at her words, and he sees it's getting late. "Do you have to go home? We don't have to do anything; I just don't want you to go." Tim suddenly felt nervous asking. He didn't want to pressure her into staying, but she brought him so much comfort, and he felt safe around her. It had been an exhausting day, and he could really use the cuddles. "I can give you some clothes and an extra toothbrush. No pressure."

Lucy takes a minute to think about his offer. She should say no. She has an early day tomorrow. But she also knows how hard it was for Tim to show his vulnerable side, and he had done a really good job lately letting her in. "I have an early day tomorrow." She can see how he is about to deflate from what he assumed would be a no. "But, if that doesn't bother you, I'd love to stay."

Tim smiles, "No, it doesn't bother me at all. Let me go get your clothes." For some reason, the thought of Lucy wearing his clothes makes him smile. 

Lucy didn't have the heart to tell him she had her go bag in her car, so she let him get her clothes. She looks around to see where Tim keeps Kojo's food, and she finds he still has some of Atlas's food from when she couldn't take care of him. She lets the dogs in and feeds them. As she was washing the dishes, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and Tim nuzzled his head into the side of her neck. 

"Hi. The clothes are on the bed. They may be a little big." His voice is soft, and he is basking in the comfort of having her in his arms. It was a new feeling; he knew he was head over heels in love with her. But he feared such a confession would send her running. She brought him a level of safety he never felt, and he would fight like hell to keep her around forever. 

"Thank you, baby." Lucy turns around in his arms and wraps her arms around his neck. She leans in to kiss him, which quickly becomes a heated kiss. He lifts her onto the counter, steps between her legs, and they start making out.

Tim suddenly pulls away. He takes a second to compose himself before he speaks. "I have a confession." 

"Hmm."

"Um. Earlier. When I thought you were going to break up with me, I thought that because you had stopped calling me babe." As he says it out loud, it sounds ridiculous, and he would be embarrassed if it wasn't Lucy he was talking to.

Lucy paused. She was going to laugh, but she could tell Tim was being serious. "Oh, Tim. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you nervous. I didn't think you cared."

"I don't. Or at least I didn't think I did. It's always been Tim. That's what everyone calls me. So, I guess when you called me babe, it felt special, you know. It's something only you can call me. I panicked when you didn't, which sounds silly now that I am saying it out loud."

Lucy cradles his face, "Hey. It's not silly. Thank you for telling me." Lucy knows it's a sensitive topic but decides to test the waters anyway. "Do you want to talk about what happened earlier?"

Tim tightened his hold on her. "I um. Flashbacks. I was having flashbacks. When I broke the plate, it reminded me of when I broke a plate when I was younger. My dad gave me a black eye, and I got such a bad concussion I couldn't play in my last football game." 

Lucy's heart broke for younger Tim, "Aw baby, I am so sorry. You didn't deserve any of that." Lucy threads her fingers through his hair, and all the tension he was carrying seems to be released. He is still standing between her legs and holding her tightly; his head is lying on her chest. "Let's go to bed. I fed the dogs, and all your doors are locked."

"Mmkay, let me set the alarm. Go change, and I'll be in there."

Lucy goes into the bathroom and changes her clothes. The sweatpants are big, but she uses drawstrings to make them work. She was checking her phone when Tim walked in.

"You look hot." 

Lucy laughs. "I am wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt."

"But, they're mine. It's hot."

"You're impossible. Do you have a side you sleep on?"

"I normally sleep on the right side since it's closer to the door."

"I'm not surprised." Lucy slides into the left side. She notices Tim just standing there and staring at her. "Are you coming to bed?"

Tim was thinking about how lucky he was. He didn't deserve her, but he would spend every day proving to her how grateful he was. He slides into the bed next to her.

Lucy pulls Tim impossibly closer, his head resting on her chest like earlier, and she starts to run her fingers in his hair. "Thank you for letting me be here for you, Tim. I will always be here for you as long as you allow me to. I promise."

Tim sighs feeling soothed by her actions and words. He is about to lose his battle with sleep when he murmurs, "Good night, baby." Then he falls asleep and has the best night of sleep in years. 

Chapter Text

Lucy never planned on lying to Tim; she felt guilty for doing so, but she wanted to surprise him, and in order to do that, she had to tell a few lies. Tim's birthday was coming up, and she wanted to make it special. Unfortunately, Lucy will be out of town for Tim's birthday due to a mandatory training for K-9 handlers. At least that's what she told Tim. Tim's birthday happened to fall on a Thursday. The same Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams were playing against the New Orleans Saints. Lucy was able to use her connections and score tickets for the middle section and the front row. She wanted to tell Tim right away, but she liked the thought of surprising Tim more. Therefore, she felt a little guilty when she told him she would not be in town for his birthday. He brushed it off, insisted it was no big deal, and almost convinced her it was no big deal.

"Hey, babe. I was thinking."

"Uh oh, should I be scared?" Lucy looks up and sees Tim leaning against the doorframe in her bedroom. 

Tim glared at her and laughed. "No. I was thinking I could book a flight to New York and we could spend my birthday together. I know you have training, but all I want is to wake up next to you and spend time with you." Tim looks at her bashfully. "Before your training got extended, I had asked for my birthday off since you normally have Thursdays off anyway. I just wanted to spend the day with you. But now, I can just fly in Wednesday night, and we can spend the rest of the week together. We can stay longer if you want and explore the city."

Lucy didn't know what to say. She planned to fly back to Los Angeles late Wednesday night, sleep at her house, and then surprise Tim in the morning and do all his favorite things. At lunch, she would tell Tim about the game because she knew Tim would want to be there as soon as the doors opened. She did not anticipate Tim wanting to come see her in New York, and she couldn't think of an excuse to tell him no. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea." Lucy can see the second her words come out of her mouth. Tim deflates, his jaw tightening immediately.

"Oh. Okay. Forget I said anything." Tim wasn't expecting her to say no. She had apologized profusely when she told him her training had been extended and she wouldn't be home in time for his birthday. Therefore, when he was told his time off was approved, he thought he could make them both happy and fly to New York. He did not expect her to say no. This was the first time in their relationship one of them was going away for a trip. He trusted Lucy and knew she wouldn't cheat, but he did not understand why she was so quick to reject his offer. 

"No, babe, I want you there. But Thursday is the longest day. Training starts at 6 am, and we don't finish until 9 pm. I don't want you to spend the whole day bored waiting around for me." Lucy walks over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. He instinctively snakes his arm around her waist. "I promise I will make this up to you. Anything you want to do."

"What if all I want to do is you?" Tim wiggles his eyebrows and smirks.

"You have a one-track mind."

"I mean, can you blame me? You said 'anything you want to do,' and all I want to do is you. I can even pick you up from the airport, and we can get started then. My truck has enough space, and there is a cell phone lot!"

Lucy laughs and hits his chest. "Absolutely not! You have to be patient. We need to at least make it home."

"Well, can I at least do you right now?"

"No! I have to finish packing! My flight leaves at midnight."

"All I am hearing is there is plenty of time."

Lucy leans up and kisses his cheek. "Go walk Atlas or something. I have to pack."

"Do I get a treat if I am a good boy on the walk?"

"You're impossible. I'll tell you what, if I am done packing by the time the two of you get back, you can do me all you want. Now, go! Three miles, babe, three miles! "

Tim practically sprints out the door and grabs Atlas, "Come on, boy, we gotta make this quick!"

Lucy shakes her head and starts to finish packing. She could not wait to surprise Tim.

*****

Lucy had been gone for three days, and Tim missed her a lot. They had been dating for six months, and he couldn't be happier. Of course, they got into arguments, but they always were able to work through it. It wasn't until three months in they finally took the plunge and had sex. Tim apologized profusely when he was the one who finished first. He was always a "nice guys finish last" type of guy. But that night, he felt like he had no control over his body. He did make sure to make it up to her, though. Everything was going great until tonight. 

Tim had been trying to get a hold of Lucy for a few hours, and he wasn't succeeding. Anytime he would call her, it would go straight to voicemail and his texts weren't delivering. Realistically, he knew she was more than likely busy, but something did not feel right, and he needed answers. He knew it was a bit extreme, but he decided to call the hotel she told him she would be staying at.

"Good evening. Thank you for calling the Four Seasons in Downtown New York. This is Preston. How may I assist you tonight?'

"Hi. I have been trying to get a hold of um, my, uh, wife and she is not answering. I was hoping you could transfer me to her room."

"I can check on that for you. What's her name?"

"Lucy Chen." 

"And you are?"

"Tim Bradford. She has been so busy and hasn't had a chance to change her last name yet."  Tim laughs at the last part, hoping he would be convincing enough. 

"Gotcha. Unfortunately, I am not seeing a guest with that name. Is there another name I can look up?"

Tim's heart sank. He was really hoping she was just asleep, and that is why she wasn't responding. But she wasn't even a guest at the hotel. 

Preston was met with silence on the other end. "Sir? Is there another name I can look up?"

Tim's mind was everywhere as he hung up the phone. He didn't want to believe she would lie, but she did. A single tear fell down his cheek when he came to the realization she was just like everyone else. 

*****

Tim was about three drinks in when his phone rang. It was Lucy. A big part of him didn't want to speak to her, but maybe she could offer some explanation on why she wasn't at the hotel. "Hello?"

"Hey, babe. Sorry, I missed your calls. It has been a busy day. Atlas's training ran long today. I miss you!"

"Where are you?"

"Um. At the hotel, why?"

"The same hotel you have been at all week?"

"Yes? Why are you asking me all these questions?" Her tone made it sound like she was confused, but he knew it was just an act.

"No reason. I have to go. Bye." The one chance he gave her to be honest and she had lied. He didn't want to hear what excuses she would make if he confronted her. He would at least wait until she was home. It dawned on him it was Wednesday, a day before his birthday. It all made sense now. This is why she didn't want him to come to New York. He sighed, frustrated with himself for believing she would be any different. Tonight, he would spend the rest of the night sulking, then tomorrow, he would get up and try like hell to forget about her. 

Chapter Text

Lucy was in the Uber on the way to surprise Tim, and she could not be more excited. He seemed a little agitated earlier, but she assumed he was tired from work. Her original plan was to wait until morning to surprise him, but she missed him and was far too excited to wait. She felt terrible that she would be waking him up, but she only hoped it would be worth it.

Lucy walked up to Tim's door and knocked. Atlas was standing beside her, whining because he was tired. The last three days they had been in training for the whole day. After finishing the training today, they went straight to the airport. While at the airport, Atlas alerted at another passenger's bag standing in front of them. He usually only alerts when he is working, but today was different. It ended up being a whole suitcase of drugs, hence why he was so persistent. The officers at the airport were able to arrest the guy, but it caused Lucy and Atlas to sprint to their gate in hopes of making their flight.  

The minute Tim opens the door, she can smell the alcohol and see the red in his eyes. Had his shift been that bad? He also did not look happy to see her. "What are you doing here?" He made no movement to let her in, so she was just standing there with a whiny dog.

Lucy was confused. She was not expecting this reaction out of him. Maybe he just needed some TLC, and he would be okay. "I came to surprise you for your birthday! I have the whole day planned out." Lucy looked at her watch, 12:03. Perfect timing.

"Cut the crap, Lucy."

Lucy could tell he was getting more and more agitated, but she did not understand why. Atlas plopped down next to her feet and let out a sigh. "What are you talking about? Can I come in? Atlas is wiped."

"No. The two of you can stay out there." Tim wanted the conversation to be over as quickly as possible.

Tonight, Tim was full of surprises. She did not expect him not to let them in. "Um. Okay? Are you going to tell me what has gotten you in such a bad mood?"

Tim laughs. "You know, I thought you were going to be different. But you are just like everyone else—a liar. I had been trying to reach you all day, and you weren't replying. I brushed it off as you were busy and more than likely asleep. So, I called the hotel, and what did they tell me? Oh! You weren't a guest there. Then you finally called me back and told me you were at the same hotel I had just called no more than an hour ago."

Lucy didn't know what to say at his accusation. "I can explain, I was-"

"No. I don't need to hear it. What am I doing wrong to keep getting cheated on? Tell me, Lucy." His voice was harsh and stern. It was a voice he used when he was training his rookies.

Lucy took a step back, hurt at what Tim was saying to her. She needed to remain calm because they would be waking up the whole neighborhood if she didn't. "I wasn't cheating. I was at the airport trying to get here to surprise you." 

"Right. More like you knew I was on to you, so you came up with this elaborate lie about how you wanted to surprise me. I had a feeling when you told me not to come out there. I wasn't aware you were fucking someone else."

The hurt Lucy was feeling quickly turned into anger. "I wasn't. If this is all because I didn't reply to a few texts and phone calls, we have some issues. I haven't done anything to make you think I would be cheating on you. " Lucy gritted out. 

"Yeah. Well, neither did Ashley, and look how that turned out." Tim snapped. He knew it was a low blow, but he did not care. 

"I told you not to come to New York because I knew I would be flying back here. What do you want me to do? Show you the itinerary and email from when they booked my flight?"

"Yeah. I do." Tim says like it's the most obvious thing in the world. 

Lucy sighed, pulling out her phone to show him the email. She did not expect her night to go this way. "Here."

Tim snatches the phone out of her hand and analyzes the email. Sure enough, the conference was only three days, and her flight was for when he was trying to get a hold of her. "Oh." Seeing that email immediately sobered him up. 

"Mhmm. Well, I am going back to my place. Glad you could trust me so much. Happy birthday, Tim."

Tim knew he had fucked up. Badly. "Baby, I'm sorry. I just got scared. Please don't go."

Lucy laughed. "Oh, so we are back to 'baby' now? You know, you could have talked to me about it if you were scared. You didn't have to throw all these accusations my way, but you did. We're just going to go home. Atlas is exhausted, and honestly, I am now, too, after all of that."

"Baby, please. At least let me take you home." Tim was pleading with her. He needed to make things right with her.

"I will just call an Uber. Thanks." Lucy looked down to see Atlas was fast asleep. She sighed, feeling bad for having to wake him up. She lightly tugged on his leash to get him to wake up. Atlas opened his eyes and sighed, "I know, buddy, I am sorry. We will be home soon."

Tim tried one final time to get her attention, "Baby. I'm sorry." He couldn't tell if Lucy was ignoring him or just didn't hear him. Either way, she walked away, and it was all because of him.

*****

Lucy practically cried herself to sleep. Unfortunately, when she finally did get to sleep, it was interrupted by someone knocking at her door. She knew that someone was more than likely Tim. A part of her wanted to ignore him and hoped he would go away, but she also knew he was persistent. It was also still his birthday, and she made plans. And despite the hurt and anger she felt, she still wanted him to have a good birthday. 

When she finally decided to answer the door, she was not surprised to see Tim sitting on her porch, looking like a lost puppy. She knew she should be mature and have an adult conversation with him, but part of her wanted him to grovel and sweat a little longer. "What brings you by?"

Tim immediately shot up to his feet and handed her the flowers. "Um. These are for you."

"Are these supposed to magically make things better?" 

Tim deflated. "No, of course not. I know I messed up. I just hope I didn't mess up enough for this to be over. But, if I did, I would understand. I wouldn't want to understand, but I would have to."

"First thing you have said all day that was right."

Tim sighed. He knew Lucy wouldn't magically forgive him, but he hoped she would at least hear him out. He awkwardly shuffled his feet. "Can I come in so we can talk?"

"Nope. I think you are fine out there." Lucy knew she was being petty, but it was the price he had to pay. She knew she would forgive him, but he didn't need to know that right now.

"Lucy, please. This is silly. Can we just talk?"

"And your behavior this morning wasn't 'silly'? May I remind you I asked to come in and I asked to talk? Both of which you said no to."

"I know. I would do anything to take back what I said. I just-I, I don't-I-" Tim lets out a breath he had been holding on to, his words failing him. He takes a deep breath before asking, "Can I at least say what I came here to say? You don't have to say anything afterward if you don't want to."

Lucy nods her head, urging him to continue.

"These last six months have been amazing. You are amazing. I count my lucky stars every day you choose to be with me. When you weren't replying, it didn't even occur to me that you could be trying to surprise me. My birthday has never been special in the past, so it honestly was not even on my radar. I had asked for the day off earlier because I figured you would plan something. You planned a party for your dog, so I could only imagine what you would do for a human. But it was never about whether you planned something or not; I wouldn't have cared. All I wanted was to spend time with you, and for the first time, I was a little excited about my birthday. Then, you told me the conference got extended, and all that excitement left. So, that's when I thought about flying to New York. The rejection came so quick, I wasn't expecting it. I thought you would be all over it, but you weren't. And I guess that stung a little." Tim's voice was starting to crack. He wasn't crying about his birthday. He was crying about the thought of losing Lucy because of his actions.

Lucy felt guilty. Tim looked so defeated standing there. The bouquet of flowers was still in his hand, and his shoulders were slumped. His hair was disheveled because he had run his fingers through it so many times. He looked exhausted, and his eyes were red. She couldn't tell if it was from exhaustion or if he had been crying just as much as she had. He kept shuffling his feet because he had been standing on the porch for so long. She would offer him to come in, but she didn't want to interrupt him.

"When I tried calling you, I was getting more and more nervous when I noticed your phone was off. I told myself you were more than likely busy, and your phone died, but I kept pushing. So, I called the hotel, and they told me you weren't a guest there. That's when I came to the wrong conclusion: there was someone else. I never thought you could be at the airport trying to get to me. I couldn't think of a reason you would be lying to me. Then you showed up at my door, and I was too drunk and too angry to think clearly. I said a lot of stuff I did not mean, and I hurt you by doing that. I never wanted to hurt you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I'm so sorry Luce. I really am."

Lucy sighed all the anger and hurt slowly dissolving. "I know you are, Tim. But it still hurt that you would think I would cheat on you. We have had this happen before. A lack of response does not mean going to the worst case scenario.

"I know. I know you wouldn't cheat either."

Lucy shoots him a glare, indicating she didn't believe him. "I beg to differ."

"I know in my heart that you would never cheat, but all that logic flew out the window when I called the hotel. It just made me feel like I am never enough, and I want. No, I need to be enough for you. Baby, please forgive me. I will work on it, I swear."

Lucy took a minute to respond. "I want to help you, but I also think you should consider a therapist. Our relationship will never work out if you don't trust me."

"I do trust you."

"I think you do to an extent. But, I think you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, or for me to leave you and find someone else."

Tim sighed, knowing she was right. "Will you at least go with me?" His voice was softer and lacked confidence.

"Yes, I will go with you."

"Ok-okay. I think I can do that. As long as you are there with me."

"Tim, I will be there for you. But you have to want to go for yourself. Not just because I think you would benefit from it."

"I want to go to become a better man for you and for myself, too. And I have a lot of stuff I need to work on."

Lucy smiled. She expected more of a fight about therapy, but she was relieved he would at least try. "We still have a lot to talk about, but we can do that tomorrow. I forgive you, even if you are an idiot. I'm sorry too, Tim; I didn't think about how it may look to you."

"It's my fault, Luce. I should be able to handle my girlfriend not texting me back."

Lucy didn't say anything. She stepped closer and offered him a hug. He immediately went to her and melted into her arms.

Tim felt all the tension leave his body. He may not be perfect, but he would do whatever it took to be the man she deserves.

"As much as I would love to stand here all day, we do have a birthday to celebrate."

He pulled away, quickly, almost like he forgot it was his birthday. "Luce, we don't have to do anything. I, I-don't deserve it."

"Nonsense. Unless you are saying you don't want to see my special outfit." Lucy smirked, knowing she had him hooked.

Tim gulped. "Oh. I think it would be rude not to."

Chapter Text

Tim was currently walking on the beach with Kojo. Lucy and Atlas were ahead of him on a run. Kojo was getting better at going on longer walks, but Atlas was getting antsy and needed to run. Tim's birthday had started on the wrong foot. He was thinking about how unfair he had been to Lucy, and it was a miracle she even forgave him. She was better than him because if roles were reversed, he wouldn't have put up with half the things he had put her through. He knew he needed to go to therapy and work through everything.

Initially, Lucy had planned to go to one of their hiking trails. She knew Tim wasn't a fan of the beach, but Tim insisted they go. Lucy loved it, and that's what mattered to him. He was so lost in thought he did not notice Kojo had his eyes on a seagull. Kojo hated birds. Kojo started tugging on his leash, trying to get the bird to fly away, but the bird wasn't moving. It was almost like the bird was terrorizing him. 

"Kojo! Leave the bird alone." Tim yells. 

Kojo doesn't seem to listen; instead, he pulls harder and breaks free from Tim's grasp. Kojo starts to chase the bird around the beach, and Tim does not understand why the bird won't just fly the fuck away. 

"Kojo! No! Come back here." Tim sprints to try to grab Kojo. The bird is definitely terrorizing Kojo now. The bird keeps flying and then landing, and Kojo does not back down. 

Tim feels like he has been running for miles to try to catch up with Kojo. The bird finally lands on a table, and Tim finally catches up with him. Just as he gets ready to grab Kojo, Kojo lunges at the bird on the table, and the table comes crashing down. At that very moment, Tim realizes it wasn't just any table. It was a table for a wedding. The cake is now on the ground, and Kojo is lying beside it with the bird in his mouth.

Tim is mortified by Kojo's behavior; he has never reacted like this before. "Kojo! Bad dog. Drop it!" He goes up to the table to see if the cake is savable. It's not. Tim groans. He is getting ready to go and find the bride and groom when Lucy approaches. 

"Um. What the hell happened here?"

Tim shoots her a glare. "A bird. Kojo. The bird lost."

"I can see that. Maybe you should work on leash control."

"What. The. Fuck." A voice comes from behind Tim, a voice he recognizes. Tim quickly spins around and sees no other than Nick and Ashley standing in front of him. Well, fuck.

Tim is rendered speechless. Not only did his dog crash a wedding. He crashed his ex-best friend and ex-fiancée's wedding. "Nick. Ashley." Tim stares at both of them in shock. Shocked, Kojo did what he did, shocked they actually were getting married.

"Are you going to apologize or just stand there?" Nicks says with a clipped tone.

Tim could apologize. It would be the mature thing to do. But he did not care about them. "Apologize for what?"

"Your dog fucking ruined our wedding! Was this planned?"

"No. He hates birds, saw one, chased it. Couldn't get to him in time." Tim answers matter-of-factly. He looks over at Ashley, "Glad you found your way down the aisle this time. Congrats!"

Nick lunges at Tim to throw a punch, but before Nick gets the chance, Atlas is the one lunging. Atlas starts biting Nick's ankles. Nick starts screaming in pain because Atlas is not letting go. 

Tim tries to step in and grab Atlas but will not let go. "Atlas, buddy. It's okay. You can let go. He's not worth it."

"Atlas! Aus!" As soon as Atlas heard Lucy's command, he let go and trotted back to Lucy like nothing happened. Atlas was a very protective dog; it used to be just for her, but ever since Tim came along, they have had a special bond. Atlas loved Tim. Sometimes Lucy thought Atlas loved him more, but seeing them bond was worth it.

"Tim, we should go." Lucy took in the sight before her; the cake was on the ground. Kojo still had the bird in his mouth. All the guests were still sitting, but everyone was watching the scene unfold.

Just as Tim thought the situation could not get any more chaotic, Ashley shrieked. Kojo dropped the bird on the train of Ashley's dress. Ashley turns and looks at her dress in horror. The bird was still alive, but it was on her dress. Along with Kojo's slobber. "Ugh! I never liked this damn dog!" Kojo must have felt the same way because, at that very second, Kojo lifted his leg and peed.  It was supposed to be the second-best day of her life, the first being the day her daughter was born. But, it all had been ruined by dogs. "Is this what you wanted, Tim? Ruin my wedding because you couldn't get married yourself? You don't deserve to be loved. It's impossible."

"Hey! You are the one who cheated on him. You don't get to talk to him like that. Sorry, not sorry about the dogs. But what comes around goes around." Lucy didn't see what Tim ever saw in her, she seemed like a bitch . "And you have no right to tell Tim what he does and does not deserve. He absolutely deserves to be loved. Just because you couldn't doesn't mean it's impossible. Have the life you deserve."  Lucy takes Tim's hands and walks away. Kojo finally gets up and trots after them.

*****

"So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

Lucy laughs. "Are we just going to skip over the fact your dog crashed your ex's wedding?"

"My dog? Atlas was just as involved! "

"Oh. No. Atlas was just doing his job. I let go of his leash and was able to recall him back. You, on the other hand, let Kojo slip away from you and were running to try and catch him."

"I tried catching him!"

"Mhmmm."

"What does that mean?!"

"You're telling me you randomly insisted on going to the beach. Then, you just so happen to 'accidentally' let go of Kojo's leash. Then, you couldn't catch up to him in time, even though he ran slower than most suspects do. And he just happened to jump on the table of your ex-best friend and ex-fiancée's wedding?"

"You think I planned this?" Tim shrieks.

"I'm just saying." Lucy throws her hands up in the air. "Guess we will never know, will we?" Lucy smirks.

"Wait. Did you plan this? You seem smug."

"Nope, I was just on my run when I heard people talking about a man chasing his dog. Figured it must have been you." Lucy winks and gets her wallet out to pay for their lunch. They went home and showered. Then, they decided to go to one of their favorite restaurants. Lucy was still waiting to tell him about the football game. "I do have a confession to make, though. I know earlier you said your only request was we make it home in time to watch the Rams play. But I already made plans, and I can't change them."

"Babyyy. It's the qualifying game to see if they will make the playoffs." Tim whines.

"I know. But I made these so far in advance. Are you mad?" Lucy pretends to look nervous.

"No, it's okay. I will just record it and watch it when we get home. Thank you for making this day special, baby. I've had fun."

"All we have done is go on a run and eat lunch."

"It's not about what we do. I just wanted to spend time with you."

"We spend time together every day."

"And every day is special because of that."

"You're a smooth talker, Bradford."

"Only for you, baby, only for you." Tim winks. "So, what's the big plan for tonight?"

Lucy pulls out an envelope and slides it over to Tim. She watches as Tim opens it, and his mouth hangs open. She clearly surprised him.

"We're, we're going to the game? Like actually going?"

"Yes, babe. We're actually going."

"But, you hate football."

"I don't hate football. I just get confused easily."

"I'll teach you! Then next year, we can do Fantasy Football!" Tim says excitedly. Tim didn't know if he was overstepping by saying 'next year,' but he saw a future with her. He saw forever with her. "What time is it? We have to get there when they open the doors. We can't be late!"

"Babe, we have assigned seats. We can-"

"You already paid for lunch, right? Good! We have to go start getting ready."

At any other time, Lucy would have told Tim to calm down. But he was so excited. She did not want to burst his bubble.

"Baby! Time!" Tim says impatiently. He knew they had plenty of time, but he wanted to be there as soon as doors opened.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

*****

The Rams won, and Tim looked at Lucy like she hung the moon. She had really planned the perfect day. "Thank you for the perfect day, baby. Best birthday ever." Tim lifts his head to kiss Lucy on her cheek. She is currently snuggled up with him, and his arms are draped around her as they lie in bed.

Lucy hums. "She was wrong, you know? Ashley." She turns around so they are facing each other, with little to no space between them. "You aren't impossible to be loved. I love you, and you deserve to be loved today and every day."

Tim's heart does something funny. A single tear escapes down his face. He can not express how much her words mean to him. She loved him. "I love you too, baby." He kisses her on the lips this time, and it's not like any other kiss they have shared. It is full of love. "I love you so much."