Chapter Text
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tim scoffs as he watches his beloved Rams lose their third game in a row. But before he could process the devastating loss, he felt his phone ringing on the table.
T: Angela? What’s up?
A: Hey, I don’t want you to worry, but something happened on shift today.
T: Wait, what happened? Are you okay?
A: No, I’m fine. Actually, it’s Lucy. She didn’t want you to freak out so she told me not to call you until we were back at the station but, I think you should come get her. She’s-
Before Angela could even finish, Tim got up and grabbed his keys, slammed the front door, and started his car, turning the key a little too much, igniting a terrifyingly loud noise.
“Shit”
A: Timothy! Are you listening to me?
T: I’m on my way to the station now. Tell Luce I’ll be there in 10.
A: Okay, but I should warn you: she’s really fragile right now. Don’t come in here all worried and stressed, she’ll see right through you and you’ll just make it worse.
How could he not worry? Tim spent the entire 10 minute drive thinking of every possible thing Lucy could have endured on her shift today. He knew she was strong, what Lucy had been through would break any other person. But everyone has a limit.
A dead child? One of her family members? A severe injury?
Tim slammed his hand on the steering wheel, pushing even harder on the accelerator, now going 25 above the speed limit. Why did these things always happen to Lucy, and why was he never there? Sure, he had found her in the barrel in time all those years ago, but it was his fault she was there in the first place. He knew that guilt would never leave him, and he was tired of being her knight in shining armor, he wished she would never need one.
****
Lucy backed into the corner of Tim’s office slowly as she heard the door open, but softened slightly when she realized it was just Tim.
“Hey Lu-”
As if it was programmed into her, Lucy jumped and grabbed onto him before he could even say her name. She clutched onto his shirt, digging her nails into his chest, choking over consistent sobs.
Tim knew that none of the hundreds of thousands of words in the Oxford dictionary would make this situation better, so he just held her. He let her grip his chest so hard, knowing she would leave imprints, possibly even scares. He let her cry into his shirt, even though it was going to end up soaking wet.
He slowly stroked her hair, refraining from the usual “sh, it’s going to be okay,” because he knew it wasn’t. He had only seen her like this 2 or 3 times, and it usually took her days, maybe even weeks, before she would willingly get out of their bed. He felt his eyes burn with tears, thinking about how much she was suffering right now.
He so badly wanted to know what happened, hoping it would give him a path to helping her, but he knew that asking would practically set off a bomb. He decided to wait and talk to Angela later, regretting hanging up with her so quickly.
*******
2 hours later
Now sleeping, Lucy laid balled up in Tim’s cold bed, clutching onto the dark gray blanket covering her shaking body. Tim watched her from the doorway, checking on her periodically in case she needed him. Once he could see that she was still asleep, he picked up his phone and dialed his best friends number
A: Hey, how’s Lucy?
T: Not good. She’s sleeping right now, but she’s shaking.
A: Yeah, just what I’d expect after what she’s been through, poor thing.
Tim hesitated before revealing the purpose of this call. He knew he needed to know, but deep down, he didn’t want to know. He hated seeing Lucy like this, and he knew that whatever happened was beyond brutal.
T: That’s actually why I called you. What the hell happened on shift?
A: Are you standing up?
T: I don’t exactly see how that’s relevant here, but yes I am.
A: You’re gonna wanna sit down for this.