Work Text:
After delaying the inevitable for long enough, Tim Bradford finished packing his desk at the station. It was a strange feeling to say goodbye to the place that had become his home away from home and a desk that he had been sitting at for over a decade.
Slowly but surely, he started placing items into a cardboard box- a softball from when his daughter’s team won the league championship, a glass award for service, and a “world’s best dad” mug. When everything else had been removed, all that remained was a picture frame. A picture frame he was not ready to take off of the desk.
When Tim first started working at Mid-Wilshire, he did not have a single personal item to put in his locker where others had wedding rings to store, hand drawn art from their kids, and pictures of their family. After he got engaged to Isabel, he was happy to have a photo of them in his locker. He finally had something personal of his own at the station.
The day he took down the photo after divorcing Isabel, Tim swore to himself that he would not clutter his locker or any work area with anything personal. It would be easier that way.
Except, Lucy Chen disagreed.
He remembered that discussion like it was yesterday.
Tim received a promotion to Metro Liaison Sergeant, which earned him an entire office. Not just a desk like his short-lived Court Liaison Sergeant role. His humble cardboard box was filled with manuals, a mug, and some pens mostly, so unpacking and settling into his office was quite easy. After shift, Lucy walked in with a soft smile and her arms open wide for a hug that Tim happily gave her.
“Bad shift?” He asked.
“No, just missed you,” she replied into his shoulder.
He planted a kiss on the top of her head and looked down to see she had changed back into her civilian clothes.
“So, you’ve got a whole office now,” Lucy commented, clearly impressed.
Tim nodded and watched her sit on the edge of the desk.
“Does that door lock, by any chance?” She asked.
“Yeah…why?”
Lucy loosely entangled her fingers with his before saying, “Just wondering in case I can’t wait to take you home.”
“Oh, really?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
Lucy nodded and leaned in to kiss him nice and slow; she had no intention of starting anything tonight, but when his hands dug into her hips, well, she was willing to be convinced. Only meant to be a second away from his lips, she looked at what else was on the desk to ensure they did not damage anything should they start to get carried away.
But, the sight of his desk gave her pause.
Tim felt her body go rigid and asked, “What is it, baby?”
“You texted and said you were all moved into your office, but you don’t have anything on your desk.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No pictures, or mugs, or…”
“I don’t like the clutter,” he shrugged.
“Not even a picture of Kojo? That’s not clutter that’s just something to make you happy in the middle of your workday.”
“I can just find you,” Tim smiled.
As sweet as his statement was, Lucy replied, “Grey knows, and you have a new job you love now, so we can tell everyone about us, and you can put a picture of us on your desk…only if you want to.”
Despite the fact he had sworn he would never put up a personal picture at work again, Tim was now tempted to have a photo of Lucy on his desk so that anyone who came into his office would know that he belongs to the most beautiful girl. It was tempting. “I don’t know, Luce. It’s not that I don’t love the idea of seeing your smiling face on my desk everyday, but…” He cleared his throat and chose to be honest, “If something happened, then I would have to take it down.”
“Take it down? No, babe, I’ll just get you a new picture of us to replace the old one or maybe a whole new frame.”
He bit his lip. “I don’t mean like if we got married or something…I mean…if we break up.”
“Oh,” Lucy shrugged. “We don’t have to worry about that. If that’s the only thing that’s holding you back…”
His voice was low and filled with doubt, “Lucy, what if…”
She cupped his face. “I don’t want anyone else. I’m happy with you, and if I make you happy, too, then…”
“You do,” he was quick to assure her.
“Then, you can have a picture of me on your desk, because I’m not going anywhere.” When he opened his mouth to speak and surely object, Lucy shook her head. “I’m not. You’re it for me, Tim.”
He was taken aback by the weight of her words; even if they spoke about grandkids before, this somehow felt more serious. As if she was more seriously committing herself to him. Overcome, he pressed his lips to her forehead and murmured, “You’re it for me, too.”
Lucy’s pulse quickened, and for a moment, she was grateful for his bare desk to have less items to push away before getting situated and hauling him to her, but her planning was interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Just a minute,” Tim called to the person outside of his office. He spoke quietly to his girlfriend, “I’ve gotta go get drinks with the team as a sort of introduction to everyone. Sorry, I won’t get to hang out with you tonight.”
Only slightly disappointed, she responded, “That’s okay. Have fun, and try not to miss me too much.”
He rolled his eyes and pecked her lips before she left.
The next day, Lucy entered his office at the beginning of shift with a sheepish smile on her face and a bag behind her back. “I have a little something for you,” she said shyly.
Tim stood from his desk to greet his girlfriend properly with a hug. “You don’t have to get me anything,” he replied while holding her tight.
“I know, but…” she worried at her lip then sighed. “It’s really small. After our conversation last night, I thought…just open it.” Lucy presented the bag to him.
He peeled away tissue paper that had been wrapped around 2 frames: one with Kojo and the other with him and Lucy smiling in a selfie captured at a lookout point during a hike they took the precious weekend.
“They’re for your desk. I never want you to take one of them down.”
“I do love Kojo.”
She tilted her head and flashed him her best “really” expression.
Tim snorted nervously and replied, “I know what you meant.” It was an incredibly thoughtful but also momentous gesture.
Lucy covered his hands where they were holding onto the new frames. “Someday, we’ll change the picture of us, but I’ll always have a permanent spot on your desk and in your heart. Okay?”
He nodded seriously and set the frames down on his workstation. She leaned over and rearranged them to ensure the frames were in more suitable positions, making him chuckle. “Thanks, baby. I…I love it.”
“You’re welcome,” she grinned and kissed his cheek.
“Does this mean I should put a picture of us in my locker?”
“That’s not necessary. I don’t want you taking your shirt off in front of a photo of me. You better be taking your shirt off in front me. Like actually me.”
He chuckled and looped his arms around her waist. “Deal.” Tim buried his head in her hair and held Lucy close for a minute. “I’ll never take it off my desk. I promise.”
And, Tim kept his promise.
As the years passed, Lucy replaced their picture with different moments captured.
Tim, Lucy, and Kojo at the park.
Tim and Lucy with her hand showing off her new engagement ring.
Tim and Lucy candidly laughing on their wedding day.
A very exhausted Lucy, an awestruck Tim, and an impossibly tiny human cradled in their arms.
Big, frosting covered smiles on their daughter, Daphne’s, first birthday with the little girl sitting between her parents.
Lucy holding Daphne and Tim holding the newest little Bradford, Jill.
All four Bradfords on a family trip to Disneyland.
When Tim was promoted to Watch Commander and had to move into the large glass office on the main floor, the first thing he set onto his new desk was his frame from Lucy. She moved it yo a better spot on the desk when she thought he was not looking, but Tim noticed. He just held his tongue.
As time continued to fly, his wife continued to switch the photo in the simple frame to update it with newer memories.
Lucy dressed as Black Widow. Tim dressed as Captain America, Daphne dressed as Captain Marvel, and Jill dressed as Spider Girl on Halloween.
Tim’s three favorite girls in matching Christmas pajamas sitting together under the tree and in the corner sat their new puppy with a mouthful of wrapping paper in his mouth.
Daphne’s first day of high school, a smiling Jill, and an emotional Lucy.
Jill in costume after her school play with her proud family surrounding her.
Sweaty Tim, crying Lucy, proud Jill, and beaming Daphne after moving into her freshman dorm room.
The entire Mid Wilshire family together celebrating Tim and Lucy’s 20th wedding anniversary with a surprise dinner.
The tear-stained face of Lucy clinging to Jill when she was dropped off for her first year of college with Tim looking over at his wife in disbelief and Daphne laughing at her parents.
And then, someone else was added to the family picture when Tim, Lucy, Jill, Daphne, and Daphne’s new fiancée posed together for a photo.
Far too soon for Tim’s liking, the picture in the frame on his desk was switched to a photo of his eldest daughter in a snowy white gown holding onto her new husband, a misty-eyed Lucy, a grinning Jill, and a somewhat happy Tim.
A pregnant Daphne at her baby shower with her parents, her husband, and Jill beaming and happy in coordinating blue outfits.
Tim holding his first grandchild, Tim Bradford II, a tired Daphne, her half-asleep husband, the new happy Aunt Jill, and a crying Grandma Lucy.
So now, as he stared at the frame that had held on to so many memories he has treasured, a frame he never thought he would ever put on a desk at work much less one that was updated with so many beautiful moments and a beautiful family, Tim paused.
He was not ready to remove it from his desk. He looked forward to the times when Lucy would sashay into his office with a big smile on her face as she waved the new picture that would replace the old one in the frame. Surely, Tim would still hold onto the memories and had other copies of those photos of his family along with countless more, but he found himself getting sentimental. No, Tim would never admit that feeling aloud after living part of his life clutter-free and adamant that he would never have personal effects on his desk.
Maybe it was because of Lucy who kept everything.
Maybe it was due to his beautiful daughters who he wanted to treasure every second with.
Maybe it was the wonderful miracle of the existence of his grandson that Grandpa Tim could NOT get to enough time with.
But, Tim Bradford had become a sentimental man too hesitant to remove a silly simple black frame from an otherwise empty desk.
He heard a knock at his office door and set eyes on Lucy. Even with the silver streaks in her hair and the mark of how much time had passed clear based on the lines on her face, she still looked just as beautiful as the day they met.
“Babe, we should go,” she said.
“Yeah, I…” Tim’s eyes dropped to the frame.
Because of the uncanny way she understands him, Lucy knew he was having a hard time letting go of the frame. Not the job. He had a new position as a grandfather he was looking forward to filling full-time. Not the station. Everyone at the station had become such a close-knit family that they did not need to see each other every day to stay in touch. Simply put, Tim liked having a picture frame capturing the people he loves on his desk. Even after all this time, he would still catch a glimpse of whatever photo was encased and stop for a moment to be grateful for his life that sometimes felt too good to be true. Tim never could have imagined his life to turn out how it had, and those moments of that precious, chaotic, unexpected, and wonderful life had been displayed in the frame on his desk.
Lucy picked up the frame and hugged it to her chest. “We can put it in the house.”
“Where? You’ve got every surface covered in frames already,” he smiled.
“I promise I’ll find a place for it. I’ll even hang it up if I have to.”
“Don’t you dare try to hang it up by yourself. Nolan almost had to replace an entire wall after the last time.”
“Now that you’re retiring, you can find the time to hang it up.”
“Deal,” Tim smiled.
She grinned up at him and outstretched her hand for him to take. “Are you ready?”
“More than I ever thought I’d be,” he admitted and interlaced their fingers before kissing the back of her hand.
“Together.”
“Together.”
They walked out of Tim’s old office hand in hand and climbed the stairwell until they reached the landing that looked over the bullpen. Lucy subtly nodded at Celina who whistled to quiet everyone.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Lucy asked.
“Yes, Captain,” Tim smiled down at his wife.
She liked her title and only rubbed in the fact that she outranked Tim all the time, but he was too proud of her to be annoyed. He liked being married to the boss.
“Everyone, please turn your radios to the district channel,” Lucy commanded her officers. She handed the frame in her hand to Tim so that she could reach for her radio while still keeping her fingers entwined with her husband’s. After turning on her radio, she pressed the call button and announced, “Control 7-Adam-200. I am privileged to announce the retirement of Sergeant Tim Bradford, badge number 3483. After 40 years and 2 months of service, this concludes his final shift. Sergeant Bradford, you, sir, are End of Watch.” Lucy beamed and turned off her radio. She rose up high on her top toes to give him a kiss. “Congratulations, sir,” she murmured.
Tim squeezed his wife’s hand and looked out at everyone applauding and cheering for him, and then he caught sight of his daughters and his grandson among the crowd yelling and hollering the loudest. He was so close to getting emotional. Close, but he had a reputation to protect. So, Tim cleared his throat and spoke out to everyone, “I’m not much for speeches, but I just wanna say that I owe this job my life. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I weren’t a cop. Not just because I wouldn’t have met my wife and created the my beautiful family, but because I wouldn’t have grown the way I have if I didn’t have both the good and bad experiences I’ve lived through as a person who wears this badge. I’ve been humbled and learned a lot on these streets, and I want each and every one of you to continue to strive to be better like you’ve been trained to do. If you do good work and help the people of this city the right way, you’ll become a better person, too. So, I urge you all to listen to your Captain,” he flicked his eyes over to Lucy then back at his fellow officers and continued, “and make the tough but fair calls that a good cop should make. Everyday. No matter how hard it is.” He swallowed and nodded, to signal the end of his speech, which earned him another round of applause.
“That was great,” Lucy complimented him happily.
“Thanks,” Tim responded.
“Ready to go back to the house and celebrate?”
“Yeah, but first, I wanna take a picture with our girls.”
“Of course,” she agreed and walked down the stairs with her husband to find their daughters.
Tim asked a young rookie to take a photo with his happy family. He looked at the picture on his phone to ensure everyone was smiling and looking at the camera (including his grandson), and when he confirmed that it looked perfect he said, “This should go in the frame next.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Lucy agreed.
The frame found a new home on a wall of his home, and it remained frozen in time memorializing his retirement surrounded by his family. Tim preferred it, though, since his wife was far too happy to add more and more photos on their walls as time continued to provide them with more and more priceless memories they captured and wanted to revisit every chance they could. Though no photo existed to mark the transition, Tim knew that he had changed; transitioning from a lonely minimalist man to a sentimental, happy husband, father, and grandfather that held on tightly to the beautiful moments of his life. That small, simple black frame was the only remnant of the old version of him that remained, and so it belonged in his home as a part of his history just as much as the growing collection of pictures with his growing number of grandkids.
Don’t worry, even without a picture of it, Lucy and Tim were still able to tell each and every one of them about how grandma and grandpa met and their disastrous first date.