Chapter Text
April 16th, 8:10am
“Detective Chen?” Lucy looks over to see a sheriff approaching her. He looks over at Angela who gives him a soft nod and then back at Lucy.
“I’m Sheriff Reed. I was the one who first made contact with Mrs. smith in there. The boy is your son?” He asks. Lucy gives him a nod and it takes everything in her to not run inside.
“Yes sir.” Lucy says. “His name is Levi. Is he hurt?” Sheriff Reed shakes his head looking over at Tim.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Reed says his eyes still on Tim. “Mrs. Smith seems to be pacing the cabin a lot. Levi is just in the corner.”
“This is my husband and Levi’s father.” Lucy says. “Sergeant Bradford. I know she asked for me but he—”
“I understand.” Reed says. “You are in a tough position. Let me try to make contact again and then we can send you in.” Lucy nods and watches as Reed picks up his phone, he pulls it away from his ear and Gloria’s voice rings out.
“Is she here?” She asks. Reed looks over at Lucy who steps closer trying to steady her voice.
“I’m here Gloria. Can you send Levi—” Lucy starts but Gloria interrupts her sounding angry.
“No! This is going to be done on my terms. He is my son.” Gloria says her voice hard and cold. Lucy swallows hard and looks over at Tim who looks impassive.
“I just want to talk Gloria.” Lucy says calmly. “Just let me in to talk.” There’s a stretch of silence and then Lucy hears Levi’s voice.
“Mommy?” He says and Lucy can tell he’s stressed. Her sweet baby boy is stressed and scared—
“Hi buddy.” Lucy says softly. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I would never hurt my son!” Gloria snaps. “Now you can come in but no funny business.” Lucy takes a deep breath, and she feels Tim press something into her hands.
It’s her gun.
“Just in case.” He mutters. “Please be careful Luce.” Lucy nods and pockets the gun so it’s not showing and then slowly walks up to the entrance of the cabin. She knocks on the door, and within a few seconds it’s opening and she’s being pulled in. The door slam shuts behind her and she looks around and sees Levi huddled in the corner. He’s in the same clothes he was in yesterday, his hair is messed up and he’s looks terrified. He looks up and jumps up when he’s sees Lucy. But Gloria steps in front of him blocking him from Lucy’s view.
“What do you want Gloria?” Lucy asks as she peers around the woman desperate to get eyes on her son.
“You took my son from me.” Gloria says. “And then you didn’t even take care of him!” Lucy blinks at her a little confused.
“What are you talking about?” Lucy asks. “Levi is my son.”
“His name is Simon.” Gloria snaps. “You have three daughters why do you need a son? This is my son.”
“Mommy.” Levi whimpers. Lucy takes a deep breath, she wants nothing more than to run to Levi and grab him but she has no idea what Gloria plans to do.
“It’s okay buddy.” Lucy says. “Mommy is here. Take deep breaths.”
“You aren’t his mom!” Gloria says angrily. “You lose his stuff, he’s dirty all the time. He always has bruises.”
“He’s seven years old.” Lucy says calmly. “He’s a boy who is a little bit rough at times. Levi is loved and care for okay?”
“No! He’s my son! I will take care of him.” Gloria says. Lucy takes another deep breath, and thinks of Tim outside waiting. She thinks of her daughters back at the station waiting.
“Levi has a twin sister.” Lucy starts. “Her name is June and she is Levi’s best friend. They have never been apart for this long. Gloria, your son died. I am so sorry. I can’t even imagine a loss like that but—”
“It’s not fair!” Gloria says and she takes a step forward moving towards Lucy. “You have kids, you have a loving husband and a job. I lost everything.”
“I’m sorry.” Lucy says again. “It’s not fair. But you can’t take it out on someone else’s son. You can’t just take away my son because you lost yours. Levi has a family and his sisters miss him. His dad misses him. I miss him.”
Gloria doesn’t say anything instead she turns around and grabs Levi and then pulls him against her. “He’s mine. He’s going to fill the missing void in my heart. I’m going to raise him and he’s going to have everything.” She says. “He doesn’t need you or his sisters. He needs me.”
“Mommy. I want my mommy.” Levi says looking directly at Lucy. “You aren’t her.” Lucy’s heart breaks as she watches her son struggle against Gloria’s grip.
“Gloria please.” Lucy says. “Let him go. Okay? He doesn’t deserve this. You say you don’t want to hurt him but you are hurting him. Just let him go. Just deal with me okay?” Gloria looks down at Levi and then back at Lucy. She releases her grip on Levi and he comes running towards Lucy. She catches him easily lifting him up as he wraps himself around her.
“I got you baby.” She mutters. “It’s okay. I got you.” She puts Levi back on the ground and wipes the tears from his face.
“Daddy is outside bud.” She says softly so only he can hear. “Go to daddy. He’s waiting for you.” Levi shakes his head, his blue eyes wide as he looks at Lucy.
“I don’t want to leave you.” He mutters. “I don’t want to leave you.” Lucy presses a kiss on the top of his head. She doesn’t really want to have Levi out of her sight again but—
“I know baby.” She says. “But I will be right out and daddy is waiting for you.” Levi blinks at her and then nods. Lucy turns to Gloria who is watching them with narrowed eyes.
“Levi doesn’t need to be in the crossfire.” She says. “Just let him go to his dad.”
“Fine.” Gloria says. “Fine. This is between you and me.” Lucy nods and then bends down to Levi’s level.
“You are so brave Levi.” She says softly. “I love you so much. And I will come out to you okay?” Levi nods and she nudges him towards the door. He opens it and then steps through it. She hears loud voices and then the door shuts behind him.
“You have everything.” Gloria says. “I have nothing. I just want my son back.”
“Levi isn’t your son Gloria. You can’t replace your son. I am so sorry that you lost him but you can’t tear my family apart because of it.” Lucy says.
“I thought you were my friend.” Gloria says. “You were so nice to me. I thought you would understand.”
Lucy takes a deep breath trying to steady her voice and keep calm. “I wanted to help you Gloria. I really did but you took advantage of that. You inserted yourself into our lives—into my son’s life.” She says. “I can’t even imagine the pain but you need help. You need to talk to someone. You can’t just take over someone’s life.”
“I just miss my boy.” Gloria says. “He was so little. He was only 7 years old and he had such a long life to live.”
“I know Gloria.” Lucy says sympathetically. “I know this is hard and I will do my best to get you the help you need okay?” Gloria just stares at Lucy, and for a few seconds she wonders if Gloria is too far gone.
“I wasn’t trying to replace my son.” Gloria says. “Levi is just so sweet and he looks like my boy. I thought maybe he was—maybe this was all a nightmare. And you took my son. Why would you do that? Why would you take my son?”
“Gloria—”
“You have everything. You have three other kids. You don’t need my son.” Gloria says stepping forward. Lucy watches her carefully, she doesn’t know if she has any weapons on her. And she was losing it fast.
“Levi is my child. My son. I love him just as much as I love my daughters.” Lucy says. “You can’t take this out on me or Levi. What happened to your family is awful but you have to find a way to start to heal.”
“He wasn’t getting the love he deserved.” Gloria argues. “You lost his baseball glove. And then you gave back the one I got him.”
“I didn’t lose it. Levi is seven and he misplaces things. It could have fallen out of his backpack. And we were going to get him a new one okay? You don’t have to take matters into your own hands.”
“Still. You are always focusing on that one girl. And never Levi.” Gloria says. Lucy has to bite her tongue from saying everything she wants to say.
“All my kids have different needs.” Lucy says calmly. “My youngest daughter has social anxiety. And some things are more difficult for her. Levi is a social butterfly like his oldest sister. And he gets plenty of attention from his sisters and his dad. And myself.”
Gloria doesn’t say anything just stares at Lucy with an impassive look on her face. So Lucy continues—she hopes she can get through to Gloria just enough for this whole ordeal to be over.
“Gloria, let’s go outside and end this. I can get you the help that you need okay?” Lucy says. Gloria shakes her head and Lucy sighs in almost defeat.
“No!” She says. “This isn’t fair! This isn’t fair!” She lunges at Lucy a knife appearing in her hand. Lucy pulls out her gun and points it at her.
“Gloria think about this.” Lucy says. “Think hard—you don’t want to do this.” Gloria doesn’t seem to hear because she lunges forward again. Lucy pulls the trigger and her gun goes off. Gloria collapses to the floor and Lucy falls to her knees as everything goes dark.
***
April 16th, 8:45am
Lucy hears the voices and she feels someone pull her up and take away her gun. She hears Tim’s voice begging her to come back to him. She finally opens her eyes and sees Tim, his blue eyes full of worry.
“Lucy.” He says his voice full of relief. “Oh my god.” Lucy looks around and sees the paramedics working on Gloria. And then back at her husband who is still watching her.
“What happened? Where’s Levi?” She asks looking around for her son knowing Tim would never bring him in here again.
“He’s fine. He’s with Angela.” Tim says. “We had no idea what was going on and Levi said you told him to come out. And then we heard the gunshot.”
“She had a knife.” Lucy whispers. “A knife.”
“I know baby.” Tim whispers. “You did what you had to do. It’s over.” Lucy nods and Tim pulls her from the cabin.
Lucy nods her head but she feels numb. “Mommy!” She looks up to see Levi running towards her. She steps off the porch and catches him as he buries his face into her shoulder.
“Hi buddy.” She mutters. She feels Tim wrap his arms around them both and he feels an overwhelming sense of relief that this is—over.
Levi is safe and they could go back to their daughters waiting for them.
Lucy pulls Levi back to study him. He looks tired and a little worried but otherwise fine. “The paramedics checked him out.” Tim says as if he knows what she is thinking. “They said he’s good to go.” Lucy nods and presses a kiss to the top of Levi’s head.
“Are you okay mommy?” Levi asks putting a hand on her cheek. Lucy’s eyes fill with tears as she looks at her son. Her amazing, sweet and innocent boy.
“I’m good baby.” Lucy says softly. She feels Tim’s hand on her back and she can tell he’s relived as she she feels.
“Hey.” Tim mutters. She turns to look at him still holding onto Levi. “It’s over. It’s over Luce.” She nods and leans back into him.
It’s over.
It’s over.
Levi is safe.
***
April 16th, 10:35am
They arrive at the station and Tim leads them back to his office. Lucy watches as Levi pushes open the door and his sisters are immediately on him. June is first and she almost knocks him down.
Lucy and Tim stay back at first watching as all their kids love on Levi. And the Lucy joins them reveling in the fact that this was almost taken away from them.
Twice.
She would never take anything for granted again. She would always be grateful to have her family and friends by her side because you never know what tomorrow could bring.
“I’m sorry to interrupt this.” A voice says and Lucy pulls away from her kids to see Angela smiling at them. “I need to talk to Levi.” Ava nudges Levi forward who looks hesitant to go.
“Don’t worry bud.” Angela says bending down to his level. “Your mom and dad can come with you okay?”
Levi nods and Lucy reaches out for his hand as they follow Angela to an interrogation room. Levi sits down and Lucy sits next to him. Tim stays standing behind Lucy as Angela gets everything into place.
“Levi.” Angela says. “Can you tell me what happened after Gloria grabbed you from the car?” Levi chews on his bottom lip, and then looks at the ground swinging his feet.
“She said my mommy wasn’t my mommy anymore. That she was mommy Gloria and we were starting a new life together.” Levi says. “I didn’t want to.”
“I know buddy.” Angela says looking up at Lucy. “Did she say anything else?”
“She said we had to lay low for awhile.” Levi says. “Until people gave up looking for me.” He sniffs and wipes a tear from his cheek. Lucy rubs his back soothingly.
“We would never stop looking for you bud.” Tim says. Levi turns to look at him, his lips quivering.
“She said you and mom loved my sisters more than me.” Levi says. Lucy’s heart breaks a little as she pulls Levi in close.
“You have no idea how much mommy and daddy love you Levi.” Lucy mutters. “You and your sisters are our entire world.”
“I told her I was your special boy but she didn’t believe me. She said—she said you hurt me.” Levi says. Lucy sighs and pulls her son closer. It’s bad enough Levi was taken from them but to be fed lie after lie.
“You are my special boy buddy.” Lucy whispers. “Always and forever.” Levi nods and his eyes drop down to the table.
“How long were you at the cabin Levi?” Angela asks gently. Levi looks up and swallows hard and then looks back down.
“I-I don’t know. She got me some food and water but I was scared. I wanted my mom.” He says. “It was so cold and she kept pacing around the cabin.”
“Did she say anything?” Angela asks.
“She kept calling me Simon. And that we were going to get out of LA and start over but I just wanted my mom.” Levi says. Lucy rubs his back gently, and he sniffs a little.
“Well you are safe now Levi.” Angela says. “You have your mom, your dad and your sisters. And they will keep you safe okay?”
“I know.” Levi says looking between Tim and Lucy. “They love me.” Lucy smiles at her son and then at Tim.
“Yeah.” Lucy agrees. “Yeah we do love you buddy.” There’s not much more to say—she’s sure there will be plenty of time to talk but for right now they are together.
And that’s all that matters.
***
April 16th, 9:45pm
“We need a bigger bed.” Tim whispers over to Lucy. Lucy turns on her side careful not to move June who is fast asleep next to her. “I’m falling off the edge.”
Lucy rolls her eyes and looks at Ava who is squished into Tim, and then Daisy and Levi who are squished together in the middle.
“It was a lot easier when they were smaller huh?” Lucy says. Tim nods and turns on his side. Ava moves a little but her eyes remain close.
“Yeah.” Tim agrees. “I think I still fell off the bed though.” Lucy laughs and she’s falling off the edge of the bed as well but she doesn’t mind because all four of her kids are in the bed with them.
Ava.
Daisy.
Levi.
June.
All together exactly like they were suppose to be. And after the last few weeks they had just had.
“Hey mom.” Lucy hears Ava say. “Dad.” Lucy looks over at her oldest daughter who has one eye open.
“Yeah Aves?”
“Do you think getting kidnapped could ever be fun?” She asks. Lucy nearly chokes on her tongue.
“What?”
“I mean think about it. Kid-napped. Maybe some people just take a nap.” Ava says shrugging her shoulders. Lucy looks over at Tim who looks both perplexed and terrified.
“Being kidnapped will never be fun.” Lucy says softly and she can’t believe she has been through this twice with two of her kids. “Go to sleep Ava.” Ava mutters something that Lucy can’t understand and then there is silence.
“Hey.” Tim whispers. “I love you.” Lucy looks over at him and smiles because no matter what they had been through. No matter how hard it got—one thing would always remain true.
Their love for each other and their kids.
That would be the one thing that got them through and that’s all that matters.
***
June 2nd, 12:10pm
“Oh come on!” Ava yells. Lucy watches as her daughter stands up on the bleachers and shakes her fist. “That was an out! Not a strike!”
“Ava—” Lucy says. “What—” But her eleven year old is already running down the stairs and onto the field. Ava skids to a stop next to Tim who looks down at her and grins.
Of course.
Like father like daughter.
They were at Levi’s little league game and Tim was one of the coaches. Levi’s team was winning but they had been some bad calls and the umpires seemed to favor the other team.
“I see Tim has a coaching assistant.” Says a voice next to Lucy. She turns to see Angela grinning at her. “I’m sure that’s what Levi needs.”
“He loves it.” Lucy says. She sees her son in the dugout with his friends and he’s laughing at something one of them said. “And he deserves the support.” Angela nods in agreement and sits down next to Lucy.
“How is he doing?” She asks. Lucy blows out a breath and watches as Levi grabs a bat to go up to bat.
It had been almost two months since he was kidnapped and while it had been rough. He had nightmares—and the first few weeks were spent with Levi between them at night. They had gotten him a therapist just like they did for Ava.
And he was recovering, he was healing. They were all healing.
It was a rough road but it was one they did—together.
“He’s doing okay.” Lucy says. “He’s had some rough days but—-he’s resilient.” Angela nods and Lucy turns her attention back to the field. Tim and Ava are in identical positions—bending down with their hands on their knees.
Levi takes his position and Lucy grins as the pitcher throws the ball. Levi waits and then hits the ball.
“Yes!” Ava yells jumping up and down. “Run Levi!” Lucy laughs and watches as her son runs to 1st base and then 2nd.
“He’s a good boy.” Angela comments. “And he’s going to make one hell of a baseball player.”
“He’s the best.” Lucy says. The next hitter hits the ball and Levi runs to third base and then pauses and then run towards home. He skids onto the plate and everyone in the stands cheers. Levi runs over to Tim and Ava and they both hug him.
“You two are doing good with him.” Angela says. “All of them. I know how scary it is to have a part of you in this world and not knowing if they are okay.”
“Thanks.” Lucy says. “We try.” And it’s true even when the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
They try.
They try to be the best parents they can be for their kids.
Because at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
“Mom!” Says an excited voice from the field. She looks down to see Levi at the fence grinning at her. “Did you see my home run?” Lucy waves at him and grins.
“I did buddy! I’m so proud of you!” She calls out. Levi bounces on his feet and then turns back to go to the dugout.
Lucy smiles to herself and maybe it’s not perfect. Maybe there are rough days behind them and ahead of them.
But there’s also the moments where she can say she is truly blessed to have her family. Truly grateful to have everything that she has.
She has Tim who is her support, her love and her partner in crime. He’s everything she needs. She has her kids who she would do anything for and she has the village of people around her.
In between all the good and bad—that’s all that matters.
And she’s so grateful for it.
She knows it can only get better from here. And she can’t wait to see how the rest of her life—her kids life plays out.
Because they were going to do it together.
Fin.