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Family dinners are important in the West household. They’re a time for connection. They’re particularly important to Percy since his job as detective has him keeping long hours. Weekly family dinners, with all of them around the table, help him feel he’s being present for his sons.
He wishes he could spend more time with Jackson. The boy is bright and full of energy. He asks Percy a million questions about his job and has wanted to become a police officer since he was in single digits. It’s not a surprise given that both his uncles and an aunt are police officers, and he has cousins eager to earn their badges.
Percy listens as Jackson talks about his school day. Later, before he retires to his home office to work for a few more hours, Percy goes by Jackson’s room to say goodnight.
“I love you, son,” he says, as he does each night.
“I love you, too, Daddy.”
Percy goes downstairs to get back to work on this case that’s got him and his partner stumped.
~~~
As Jackson gets older, he starts to call Percy “Dad” instead of “Daddy.” It’s the natural order of things, but Percy mourns a little bit.
The years fly by. Jackson takes up football. He attends UCLA. He brings friends home occasionally, to family dinner. Percy can tell Jackson’s selective about who he invites. They’re always respectful, worth having at the table for the evening. Percy enjoys their brief company but they never make a return appearance.
One night, Jackson brings Lucy Chen to dinner. They’re at the police academy together.
Percy can tell immediately that Lucy is different. She loves his son. Not in a way that will get her heart broken, because Jackson has always known who he is. She loves him like a sibling. She’s smart as a whip, full of positive energy, empathetic and kind.
Percy muses that her TO is going to need to teach her some balance, but he thinks she’ll make a good officer.
Months later, Percy learns that, despite his specific request, Wade Grey didn’t assign Jackson to Tim Bradford as his TO. Percy grumbles, but later, as he’s settling his mind for the evening, he thinks about who Grey did assign to Bradford.
He chuckles to himself. Bradford had better have a good drinking buddy because Lucy Chen is going to be a handful.
~~~
Jackson brings Lucy to dinner after she survives the serial killer.
“She just wants to feel normal, Dad,” Jackson says.
They stick to their usual dinner chatter. Lucy is quieter than usual, but she participates.
Percy was a detective for a long time and his whole job in IA is to get to the truth in part by reading people. Lucy’s masking well but she’s struggling. She’s having to read and respond to a lot of people, and she’s clearly maxing out. Percy’s not surprised when she vanishes.
Jackson starts to look around anxiously.
“She went to the washroom,” says Percy. “She’ll be fine. You stay with Grandma. I’ll get dessert ready.”
Percy quietly goes in search of Lucy and finds her hyperventilating in the laundry room. She doesn’t see him through the crack in the door. He stays still so he can assess the situation.
He can see in the moonlight streaming through the window that her hands are shaking as she calls up a number on her phone.
“No,” she says shakily in response to whoever greets her. “I’m … I’m hiding in the laundry room.”
She tries to laugh but it turns into a sob. The person she’s called says something. She’s nodding and puts her phone down, putting the call on speaker.
“OK,” says Lucy, wrapping her arms around herself tightly and squeezing her eyes closed.
“What are five things you can smell? ” asks Bradford, his voice calm.
Lucy names five things she smells. Then five things she hears, then - once Bradford asks her to open her eyes- five things she sees.
Percy can tell this isn’t the first time they’ve done this. He stays back and stays quiet.
“Better? ” rumbles Bradford.
“Yeah, thanks,” says Lucy, managing to find a tissue in her pocket and blowing her nose. “I’m sorry to bother you.”
“It’s not a bother, Lucy,” Bradford responds. “You know it’s not.”
Percy wonders if Bradford’s ever been on a first name basis with a rookie before. Under the circumstances, it’s understandable.
“I want this to stop happening,” says Lucy and Percy hears the frustration in her voice.
“It’ll get better,” Bradford assures her. “You’re not freezing up on duty and this hasn’t happened in a while. It feels shitty and I can hear how pissed off you are, Lucy. You sound like me.”
The comment startles a laugh out of Lucy and makes Percy smile.
“Do you need me to come and get you? ” asks Bradford.
“You’re just gonna roll up on the head of internal affairs and bust me out?” asks Lucy wryly.
Percy hears her voice is more steady, even though it still sounds nasal. She’s standing with her shoulders pulled back now, rather than hunched forward.
“You’re in the laundry room,” Bradford observes. “I’m thinking there’s a back door you can sneak out.”
“You want me to sneak out so you don’t risk your job?”
“I need to keep my job so I can afford to feed your devil dog. He likes steak even more than I do.”
Lucy giggles through her sniffles.
Percy realizes Bradford must have taken in the dog Lucy got in a misguided attempt to soothe herself. Jackson’s still put out over his letterman’s jacket.
“Seriously, I can come pick you up if you need me to.”
Something in Bradford’s tone almost puts Percy on alert. Almost.
“I’m OK now,” says Lucy with a sigh.
She takes the phone off speaker and brings it back up to her ear. Percy backs away from the door and busies himself in the kitchen.
When Lucy emerges, he doesn’t comment, he just gives her a gentle smile. He notices her eyes are still shining.
“Can you help me with this tea, please?” Percy asks. “Ever since you made it for Grandma, everything I do seems to be a failure.”
Lucy smiles and shows him how she makes the tea. It gives her the time and distraction she needs to calm herself.
Once they have tea, coffee and dessert set up on the trays, Percy covers one of her hands with his and presses it gently. Lucy goes still for a moment before she turns her hand over and clasps his.
“I know you have people to talk to,” says Percy. “I’m happy to sit and be quiet with you if that’s ever what you need.”
“Thank you,” says Lucy.
They serve cake and drinks. As Percy pours Grandma’s tea, he watches as Jackson puts his arm around Lucy and pulls her in for a kiss on the cheek.
“When is Jackson going to meet a nice boy like Lucy?” Grandma grouses quietly.
“All in good time, Mama,” Percy replies.
~~~
Jackson is complaining to his mother about how Lucy’s parents treated her when she made P2. Or rather, how they didn’t treat her. There was no celebration, just Lucy crying by herself in their kitchen.
“I took her out for sushi,” says Jackson. “And I gave her her own St. Michael medallion. She deserves better than that.”
Percy sighs to himself as Jackson continues to vent. His son is on a tear and there’ll be no getting a word in edgewise for a bit.
It’s hard being a cop. It’s hard being told you have to choose, whether it’s between Black and Blue or doing the job that’s your passion and an important personal relationship.
He’s not going to join in on badmouthing Lucy’s parents (not out loud, anyway), but he feels for the young woman. She’ll face obstacles just being who she is. Having to do that while feeling no one has your back is unfathomable to him.
He’s proud of his son for doing what he can to fill the void.
“Can Lucy come to family dinner next week?” asks Jackson.
“Of course she can come to dinner,” says Percy. “She’s got a standing invitation as far as I’m concerned. Make sure she knows that.”
~~~
Lucy doesn’t make it to family dinner every time but she comes often enough, and she’s a welcome presence. She’s sweet and thoughtful. She can hold her own at a table teaming with cops. Grandma adores her.
One night, she sasses Percy in front of everyone. It’s like the brush of a feather but it’s sass.
Percy thinks Jackson’s eyes are going to pop out of his head, especially when Percy just chuckles in response.
He knows Lucy’s been practicing sass on Bradford. Wade has given him a steady stream of her antics for a while now.
Back when she was a rookie, Lucy stole Bradford’s money clip. After plain clothes day, she gave him an “evaluation” that consisted of the rookies’ bar tab. There are countless small comments Wade’s overheard that result in Bradford sputtering or making faces, all of which have Wade and Percy howling when they talk about them afterwards.
(Even bosses need to blow off steam.)
Percy makes a mental note to tell Wade about this evening. He’s comfortable enough to poke fun at himself with a friend.
~~~
The worst happens. Jackson is dead.
They have a reception in the church hall after the funeral, then a second one at the house that’s intended for family, blood and chosen.
Lopez is at the funeral and the reception at the church. She still looks roughed up from the kidnapping and rescue. She looks haunted.
She tells Percy she’s having a boy and that they’d like to name him Jackson. Percy hugs and thanks her. She mentions coming to the house, but he can see she’s exhausted. He gently shakes his head no and insists she see to herself and his son’s namesake. Her fiancé takes her home.
Wade and Luna come to the West house. Wade puts his arms around Percy and claps his back almost too hard, as if he can knock the pain they’re feeling out of their bodies.
Luna gives him a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek. She splits her time between Wade and Jackson’s mother, soothing with quiet words and soft touch.
Lucy comes, too, her light dimmed. She seems fragile in a way Percy’s never seen, not even after what she went through with Wright. She’s lost her brother just as Percy’s lost his son.
Shadowing her is Bradford. The man steps gingerly, aware he’s an interloper on the West family’s private grief, but his concern is clearly for Lucy. Percy suspects at this moment, Bradford might be the only reason that Lucy’s functioning.
Percy watches through the numbing haze that surrounds him as Bradford supports Lucy. Bringing her a glass of water. Pressing a small plate of food on her. Making sure she eats it.
Bradford sits next to Lucy on the sofa, a solid presence as she sits with Grandma and half laughs half cries over photo albums. Lucy touches Bradford like she’s grounding herself. Small, brief contacts on his arm, his hand.
Lucy offers to get Grandma some tea. Bradford is off like a shot and back twice as fast with two cups and saucers, and a small plate of cookies to boot.
Grandma pulls him down to sit next to her so she's now bracketed by Lucy and Bradford.
Percy hears quiet yes, ma’ams and other affirmations as Grandma asks Bradford if her Jackson was a good man, a good officer, a good friend.
When Lucy gets ready to leave, she gives Percy a fierce hug and a promise to see him at the next family dinner. Percy shakes Bradford’s hand firmly, and is sincere when he thanks the younger man for coming. He watches as Bradford squires Lucy to a truck and hands her up into the cab.
“I like that young man for Lucy,” Grandma says later as she sits with Percy on the porch, avoiding the deafening silence of the house.
Percy makes a point of hearing her comment with a son’s ears rather than a commander’s.
“Everyone deserves a good friend,” he replies.
Grandma hums like she knows better than he does, but she doesn’t correct him.
~~~
Wade and Percy continue to get together, but not as often. It’s no one’s fault but they remind each other of what they’ve lost when they talk about Mid-Wilshire.
Lucy comes to dinner often enough that Percy also hears first hand about the things Wade tells him. Like the baby booties in Bradford’s locker to celebrate his ascension to sergeant, a personal favorite of Percy’s.
She’s Bradford’s aide now that he’s a patrol sergeant. Percy gets her versions of the prank war stories that Wade relates. Percy gathers that she’s moved on to a new level of sassing Bradford.
Lucy and Bradford seem to have a steady friendship and she generally seems happy. Still, Percy gets a feeling about them - a sense that they’re pulling each other’s pigtails. He keeps his thoughts to himself and trusts that Wade will keep an eye on things.
Over the next few months, Lucy gets busy and can’t make dinner as often. Percy wants to fuss at her the way he used to fuss at Jackson, and help her understand why making time for family dinner is so important.
She’s dating some ADA Wade doesn’t think a whole lot of. She acknowledges to Percy that it’s happening but doesn’t seem very excited about the relationship. Percy hopes that it will run its course and that she’ll come around more.
One day, everything changes.
Wade and Percy catch up over a coffee. The watch commander is clearly bursting with news.
“Bradford took a desk job,” he says.
“Why?” asks Percy. “Did he piss you off?”
“He asked for the change,” says Wade.
“I thought the surgery went well and he was OK for patrol,” says Percy, trying to make sense of it.
“He wanted to get out of Chen’s chain of command,” says Grey, grinning like the cat who got not only the cream but the whole cow.
It takes Percy less than a second to understand why.
“Did he now?” chuckles Percy. “And I guess you’re so pleased because you might win the betting pool?”
“A betting pool would be inappropriate,” says Wade smugly.
“That’s not a ‘no’,” says Percy, allowing himself a small smirk.
~~~
Percy is less amused when the spurned ADA, Chris Sanford, starts making accusations about Bradford and inappropriate conduct.
Percy shuts that down hard and fast.
Although Bradford asks him not to, Percy has a chat with Del Monte. He sends an unofficial message that Sanford needs to watch his ass. After that, Sanford finds his recent promotion keeps him well away from cases generated out of Mid-Wilshire.
~~~
Lucy comes to the next family dinner with Bradford in tow.
Bradford’s in a jacket and Grandma’s over the moon at seeing him again. She fusses over the two butterfly bandages closing a cut on one side of his forehead.
When Lauren Fujii retired from Percy’s team, it set things in motion. Sergeants moved around and Bradford landed in Metro. He’s going to get a bit more banged up now he’s not stuck behind a desk.
“Leave him be, Mama,” says Percy. “He’s a grown man.”
“That face is too handsome to be cut up like that,” Grandma tuts. “I know Lucy’s going to take good care of her young man.”
“We take good care of each other, Grandma,” says Lucy, grinning at Bradford.
Bradford takes Lucy’s hand and kisses the back of it. He continues to hold her hand while he strikes up a discussion with Percy’s sister who’s a lieutenant in North Hollywood.
Percy tucks into his meal and smiles.
~~~
Lucy doesn’t make dinner again for four months, but when she does, Percy clocks immediately that something’s different.
“Where’s Bradford?” asks Percy after kissing her cheek and taking her jacket.
“He’s on the way,” says Lucy. “Metro. And I wanted to talk with you about something before he got here.”
She shows Percy her left hand. On her ring finger is a rose gold band sporting a small diamond in between a pair of emeralds.
“He didn’t ask my permission,” says Percy disapprovingly.
He knows Lucy can see the laughter in his eyes. She swats his arm.
“Do not be mean to him,” she orders as Percy pulls her into a hug.
“You just let me have my fun,” Percy rumbles.
He has quite a bit of fun. He levels looks at Bradford during dinner. The younger man takes it in stride.
After dinner, Percy pointedly invites Bradford to join him in his office. When Lucy tries to tag along, Percy tells her Grandma needs her.
Bradford kisses the top of Lucy’s hair and tilts his head toward the sitting room.
“I’ll see you in a bit, baby,” he says.
Lucy heads off with one last warning look at Percy, who manages - just - to contain his smile.
Once they’re alone in his office, Percy opens a cabinet and produces a very expensive scotch. He pours one for Bradford and another for himself. They sit down, touch glasses and sip.
“How long do you think we need to stay in here to get her so worried, she finds an excuse to rescue you?” asks Percy.
Bradford chuckles.
“Fifteen minutes, max,” he says.
They sit in silence, enjoying their drinks. Ten minutes later, Lucy’s knocking at the door asking if they want cake.
“Ten minutes,” says Percy. “That woman loves you.”
“And I love her,” says Bradford before raising his voice. “We’ll be right there, babe.”
“Congratulations,” says Percy.
“Thank you, sir,” says Bradford.
They touch glasses again. When they open the door, neither of them is surprised to find Lucy hovering in the hallway. Percy rolls his eyes.
“He’s in one piece, Lucy,” he admonishes. “I even gave him the good scotch.”
“He deserves the good scotch,” she says.
“Good thing one of you does,” says Percy. “You’re a tequila girl as I recall. You two have a date set?”
“Yes,” says Lucy. “And I have a favor to ask.”
~~~
It’s a small wedding. Smallish. Metro swells the numbers and is clearly looking forward to the reception.
Lucy’s parents don’t attend. She seems reconciled to the fact they’ve opted out of her life. Bradford is furious with them, but only lets Percy and Angela see it so he doesn’t upset Lucy.
Angela calms Bradford down and fusses over his boutonnière while Percy slips away to find Lucy. She asked him to walk her down the aisle. They both wish it was Jackson there in his place but they smile at each other and focus on the joy of the day.
“You look beautiful,” murmurs Percy as they get ready to turn the corner. “Tim is a very lucky man.”
“Oh now he’s Tim?” Lucy giggles. “Not ‘Bradford’?”
“I have to call him ‘Tim’ because if I yell ‘Bradford’ you’ll both come running after today.”
“Please,” Lucy snorts. “We’re a package deal.”
Percy laughs and when they start down the aisle he has a huge smile on his face, matching Lucy’s.
They face front and Percy sees Wade, ready to officiate. He sees Angela’s son Jackson holding a pillow with the rings. He sees Bradford - Tim - looking gobsmacked as he watches Lucy make her way toward him.
Percy kisses Lucy’s cheek before he hands her up onto the raised stage. He steps back and goes to sit in the front row with his wife. They watch as Lucy and Tim make their vows, and as Wade rolls his eyes when Tim surges forward before Wade’s finished saying it’s time to kiss the bride.
The reception makes Percy equal parts happy and melancholy. He misses Jackson more keenly at celebrations. He enjoys dancing with Lucy, as well as his own wife and with Luna. Tim dances with Grandma and the old woman glows as he returns her to her seat, only for her to be scooped back up by Wade.
As Percy shares a final dance with his wife, he looks at Lucy and Tim. They’re not so much dancing as swaying together as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Tim seems slightly dazed, like he’s just realized he’s gotten everything he ever wanted. When he furtively strokes Lucy’s belly, Percy realizes he hasn’t seen Lucy drink a drop of alcohol tonight.
~~~
Sure enough, at the next family dinner a few months later, Lucy sports a bump. Tim receives handshakes and shoulder thumps from Percy, as well as both of Percy’s brothers and his brother in law, and Lucy squawks in protest.
“Excuse me, I’m the one who’s carrying his enormous baby,” she huffs. “Where are my high fives?”
When the Bradfords leave, Percy gives them the box of Jackson’s baby clothes and a baby police uniform.
“I’ve never held to colors having genders,” says Percy. “Hopefully these will work.”
Tim murmurs his thanks. Lucy tears up and can’t speak at first, so she simply throws her arms around Percy.
“Thank you,” she chokes out. “I love them.”
“He’d have been so happy for you, Lucy,” says Percy, giving her a gentle squeeze. “See you for dinner again soon.”
~~~
Percy stands in front of another grave a few months later. Grandma West passed in her sleep, two days after a family dinner where the entire West clan attended. She felt happy and loved.
Percy hopes he’s so lucky when his time comes.
“Hey,” says Lucy quietly, joining him as he stands in front of the marker.
It reads, Maeve Dolores West. Beloved Mother, Treasured Friend.
Lucy slips her hand into Percy’s and gives it a gentle squeeze.
They stand together in silence for a while. Lucy rests her hand on her now much more prominent bump and her thumb rubs circles. Percy knows that Tim is somewhere nearby, prepared to be of service to his wife the moment she needs him.
“We’re having a girl,” says Lucy.
“How does Tim feel about that?” asked Percy.
“He was so happy he cried,” said Lucy. “You will not tell him I told you that. He made me teach him how to braid hair.”
“He’s a lucky man,” said Percy. “She’ll be here soon. You have a name picked out?”
“Yeah,” said Lucy, smiling wide. “We do.”