Chapter Text
Going into an officer involved shooting was never easy but it was different when the officer was the one being shot instead of being the shooter. Angela Lopez arrived on scene and instead of seeing an RA having departed or pulling away, she saw the ambulance still parked behind a shop. She was stopped by Grey before she could go further and that had her concerned. He shook his head, a sign the officer didn’t make it, dead before the RA had arrived.
“Who is it?”
Grey swallowed before looking up to meet her eyes. “I need you to be prepared for the fall out that is going to happen within the next hours and the next few days. It may end with us losing two officers instead of one.”
Angela asked harder. “Who is it?”
“Chen.”
“No, no it can’t be.” She saw Grey’s face and pulled away to duck under the tape. The sight of Celina Juarez sitting beside Lucy Chen’s body, tears on her face and rocking back and forth, it was unreal. She looked back as Grey approached. “Does he know?”
“He does. He’s at the station, Thorsen took him there after he received a call. She had Juarez call as she bled out. It was all of a minute long, but we both know it was enough.”
They watched as the scene was processed and Lucy’s body was taken away. Angela saw the officers form a line and show respect, she herself did also. Celina was a mess, she had to be taken from the scene by Grey himself. Angela reached down for Lucy’s personal phone, it wasn’t evidence or at least wouldn’t become evidence. The screen lit up to show a picture of Tim and Lucy, from a time when they’d been happy and in love. She knew they had a third first date planned for that Friday, a date that wouldn’t happen. No dates would happen ever again and she knew Tim would live with regret, for as long as he did. She knew Grey’s concern, that Tim would follow Lucy into death.
Getting to the station, she looked and eventually found Aaron and Tim in an interrogation room. The table was pushed against the wall and Tim sat on the floor clearly distraught and Aaron sat with him. She walked in and shut the door, making her way over to her best friend. He didn’t look at her or move or talk. She did what she could and pulled Lucy’s phone from her jacket pocket. “Here, I grabbed it before the techs could.” Taking his hand, she pressed the phone into it.
He looked at the phone and seemed to grip it hard, almost not wanting to let it go. “Is she really gone?” He looked at Angela, his expression almost begging her to say it was a mistake. That Lucy was at the hospital. That it was all a nightmare that he could wake up from.
She hugged him tight. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He broke, sobs coming as he grasped the back of her jacket.
The hours seemed to go slow and fast at the same time. Tim was a wreck and everyone else was grieving in their own way. As the moon rose in the sky, Tim seemed to go quiet and eventually he spoke. He’d been unable to speak since Angela told him Lucy had really died, that she wasn’t in his life anymore. In any of their lives anymore.
“I have to tell Tamara.”
Angela looked up at him. “Grey can tell her.”
“No, she needs to hear it from me.” Tim informed his friend. “Same with her parents.” He seemed to think before he spoke again. “Wesley has all her legal paperwork, somewhere in there designates someone to handle all the decisions to be made with her death. I believe it’s her parents but I could be wrong, they weren’t on the best terms.” Looking at Lucy’s phone, he rubbed a thumb across the screen. “I should give them her phone.”
“No.” Angela moved the few feet that was between them and sat beside him. “No, I’ll swear on the fucking Bible until the end of time that I never found it at the scene. That I have no idea where her phone is.” She put a hand on his. “It’s never going to be the same. It couldn’t be without her here. That said, in this device are all your texts and conversations, pictures since her days as your rookie. This phone is yours Tim, it belongs to you. I wish she was here with you instead, but if this all you have left, don’t give it away.”
“I don’t know what to do without her.” Tim whispered, “I don’t know how to exist in a world without her.”
“No one does. Lucy was as large as the sun and without that sunshine, we’re all a little lost.”
She drove him over to Tamara’s and walked him to the front door of the house. They run the doorbell and a college boy, there was no other apt description that that, answered the door. He looked at them both before looking back in the house.
“Which of you have parents that look like they could murder with one stare?”
They heard Tamara. “Not my parents but they’re mine.” She came to the door and smiled, it faltered when she saw Tim and Angela, no Lucy. “Hey, is everything alright?”
Tim motioned into the house, “let’s talk inside.”
“Okay, just know you’re not my favorite person right now.” She let him in and lead him into a side room, it had a couple computers and a table. A board on the wall had some math equation, clearly it was a study room. “What’s up? Is Lucy okay? I mean, she’s not with you so, is she in the hospital?”
He took a moment before he spoke. “Lucy was killed earlier today.”
“No.” Tamara shook her head, “no, you’re lying.”
Angela stepped in. “Tamara, do you think Tim would be here telling you this as a joke?”
“No.” The twenty year old started crying and Tim pulled her into a hug, holding her as much as she was holding him.
“I’m sorry.” He kissed the girl’s head as he held her. “I’m sorry.”
Tamara held onto Tim, “why Lucy?”
“I don’t know.” He told her, “I don’t know. It’s not fair, I’d do anything to have her standing here hugging you instead.”
Angela saw the three kids Tamara shared a house with standing in the doorway. “Go away, now.” They disappeared within seconds.
When Tamara pulled back, she wiped her eyes and looked at Tim. “Do her parents know?”
“No, we’re going there next. I insisted I be the one to tell you.” Tim informed her, “you deserved to hear it from me and not another officer.
“Can I go with you?”
Tim put a hand on her arm. “It’s not a good idea. You know how her parents are and this just proves the point they were pounding into her every second they talked. It’s not going to be a nice conversation.”
“I want to be with cops right now.” Tamara stated, “family.”
“My place is on the way to Lucy’s parents’ home. Why don’t we drop you off?” Angela suggested, “you can stay with Wesley and Bailey, they’re there right now.”
Tamara nodded. “Let me get my bag.”
Knocking on Vanessa and Patrick Chen’s front door at near midnight wasn’t how Tim ever wanted to meet her parents. He wanted it to be over dinner, the ring he had in his gun safe on her finger, and them happy. The reality was that he’d never put that ring on Lucy’s finger and he was meeting her parents to confirm their worst fears having come true. The door opened after a few moments and they saw her mother standing in the doorway.
“Can I help you?”
“Ma’am, I’m Detective Angela Lopez and this Sergeant Tim Bradford. We’re with the LAPD.”
The woman nodded. “It’s close to midnight, did something happen in the neighborhood?”
Tim looked down then up at the woman who gave birth to the great person who ever existed in his life. “Can we come in?”
“Not until I get some information. I know my rights.”
“I’m Lucy’s boyfriend.” He told her, “I was. She was killed in the line of duty earlier today.”
The woman nodded. “So she finally got herself killed? I was waiting for this to happen.”
“Ma’am.” Angela said and pulled Tim back, knowing he was standing there out of duty and love for Lucy. He was doing the hard tasks, informing her family of her death and putting together plans for what the next steps were to honor her life. “I understanding hearing of her death is hard but we’re grieving also. The man beside me trained, rode with, and was the other half of your daughter. Throwing death up in your anger isn’t fair to him or yourselves.”
They got nowhere with her parents and so they left, but Tim asked if they could stop at the medical examiner’s office. It was twenty-four seven, as it needed to be in a place like Los Angeles. He insisted he needed to say goodbye in person, before they cut her open and her body was sent to a funeral home. He needed to hold her hand and kiss her forehead and then he’d leave.
It wasn’t hard to persuade the night staff to let them have a few moments. The room was cold when they walked in and Tim knew it was symbolic of a world without Lucy. She hadn’t been moved from her body bag, her case not up for examination yet, so when the technician pulled the zipper down, they found her still in her uniform. He seemed to understand the heaviness of the situation and left them in the cooler alone.
Tim ran the back of his finger down her cheek, the warmth gone. Reaching for her hand, he held it and ran his thumb over her knuckles, memorizing the feel of thumb over every ridge. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, knowing he was crying. “I love you, baby. Forever.” When Tim pulled away, he looked at Angela. “Can you help me take her hair out of her bun? She always preferred it down.”
“Yeah.” Angela worked to help him pull Lucy’s hair free and she had to admit it made her look more like Lucy. “That’s better, looks more like her.”
He nodded and then shook his head. “I have to leave or I won’t.”
“I have her and I’ll put the fear of God in that technician, make it known that they treat her as if she was royalty.” Angela watched Tim leave the cooler, pausing to look back once before leaving the barrier. She glanced at Lucy, “I’ll take care of him. I promise.”
The technician came into the cooler, probably thinking they were both gone since Tim was the more imposing figure. “Oh, I can leave again.”
“No, we’re finished. Just make sure that whoever does Officer Chen’s examination, treats her like she’s priceless. She was to that man that was just in here and he just lost his world when she died.”
The man nodded. “I’ll tell the coroner who examines her.”
Angela found Tim outside by her car, on the ground with tears streaming down her face. She sat down and pulled him into her arms, allowing him to cry. “Why her? Why Lucy?”
“I don’t know. I wish I knew Tim.” She told him.
It took a while, probably an hour, but soon they were both in the vehicle. She had plans to drop him off at his sister’s house. He shouldn’t be alone and his sister was probably the only one who could reach him if he wanted to do something stupid. Tim seemed to go on autopilot but he got out when Angela told him to and she pulled his go-bag from her back seat, having grabbed it front his truck before leaving the station.
Knocking on the door, this time they were received more warmly. Genny urged them inside and took one look at Tim to know something was wrong. “What happened?”
“Lucy died.” Angela told her, “killed in the line of duty today. They shared a one minute phone call, probably just an exchange of ‘I love you’ before she passed. We just came from the morgue and I don’t have to tell you how bad this is.”
Genny nodded. “I’ll watch him.” She looked at her brother, “Tim, I’m sorry. I know how much you loved her.”
“Love.” He stated in the first words since the medical examiner’s parking lot. “I’ll never not love her.”
It was two days before Tim found himself in Wesley’s office, mainly because the man was having to deal with Lucy’s parents. Grey had gotten Angela to find him, mostly because he hadn’t been at his sister’s place. He’d gone home to take care of Kojo, their dog being one of the only pieces he had left of Lucy. He and Angela showed up to find Vanessa and Patrick Chen arguing with Wesley.
“Thank God you’re here.” The man stated firmly as they walked in the door.
“What’s going on?” Angela was the one to ask, Tim tended to be quiet as he was grieving and didn’t want to deal with anyone.
Wesley motioned to Lucy’s parents. “I was explaining to the Chens that they aren’t in charge regarding Lucy’s funeral arrangements, life insurance payout, or anything else. She signed that over to Tim shortly after the whole situation with Caleb happened. He’s to make any and all legal decisions regarding her life or death.” The attorney looked at her parents, “it’s just not getting through.”
“We’re her parents.” Patrick stated, “we make the decisions.”
“You never cared until after she was dead.” Tim spoke and it surprised both Wesley and Angela. “You never called her to ask about her day. You never called to see how she was doing. You didn’t know her life, the people in it, or how much of an impact she had in the people of this city. Suddenly, after she’s no longer living you want to care. It’s a little late.” He nailed them with a look Angela had only seen twice in the time she’d known him. “You’ll be allowed at the funeral but only because it would look bad if her parents aren’t present. The insurance payout, when it comes, will go to a former homeless teen, who Lucy clothed, fed, and housed like she was her own child. That girl will have the entirety of it, what isn’t covering funeral arrangements.”
Vanessa looked at him, “and you knew her better? You trained her for a year. What do you know about my daughter?”
“She was my world!” He nearly screamed, “she was my world and she’s gone. I’ll never hear her voice again. I’ll never hold her again. I’ll never have a future with her. Our plans are gone, they died with her. So don’t ask what I know about your daughter because I know everything you didn’t care to know. Lucy is gone and instead of planning for a funeral, I’m standing here dealing with you. You got twenty-eight years while I got ten months. Count yourselves lucky because you got more time with Lucy than I ever did. I’d trade it all just to have a single minute with her.” He shook his head and left the room.
Tim honestly didn’t know how he woke up and stood standing every single day. The call that morning from the funeral home made him drive to Lucy’s apartment. He had to pick out what she was going to wear because while she’d have full honors, he didn’t want her to wear her uniform. He’d asked Angela if it was selfish but she reminded him that he knew Lucy best and he did know she loved being a cop but the uniform sometimes annoyed her.
Celina let him in and he hugged her, which he knew she needed. She was out of work due to being the one on scene when Lucy passed. She had to clear psych and it would be days or weeks before that happened. “Thanks.”
“I need to pick out something for Lucy to wear.”
“I’m sure you know where everything is.” She looked at him, “how are you holding up?”
Tim shrugged. “I’m trying to take it day by day. I still expect a text or call but I know it won’t happen.”
“Tamara came by yesterday. She wanted to know if she could move back in, us share the apartment instead of it going to someone who won’t appreciate it. Would you mind?”
“I think Lucy would be happy to know you two are under the same room, her roof.”
She left him to look in Lucy’s room and he paused at the doorway. It seemed so unchanged as if she was due back at any moment. Yet he knew he’d have to help Tamara and Celina box it up. Lucy would go from existing in the world to being memories and that was a hard thought to process. Walking to the closet, he opened it and immediately found himself surrounded by her clothes and the smell that was her perfume. It was subtle and he knew it would fade but he cataloged it, saved it in his mind to recall one day when it wouldn’t destroy him.
It took a while but he found himself going back to one specific dress. Pulling the green dress from the rack, he let his hand feel the satin and chiffon. It was Lucy, it was what he thought when he first saw her in the dress. Going through the list the funeral home had given him, he came last to Lucy’s jewelry and paused at opening the jewelry box on her dresser. He immediately grabbed for the necklace he gave her, she wore it almost every day since that day until night in the parking lot. She once told him she loved it because he chose it for her, the person who had trouble giving gifts chose something for her. Her St. Michael’s metal was inside and he grabbed for that also. Tim would have it rechained and wear it around his neck going forward. A piece of her next to his heart. Her moonstone ring was in her locker at work and he’d asked Angela to grab it. He knew her mother had given her that for her sixteenth birthday so he’d give that to her parents after the funeral.
The day of the funeral, he refused to look at her in the casket until Angela dragged him into another room to talk to him. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t see her in that wooden box bound to be shut away forever. No warmth from the world she thrived in and the sun she herself seemed to be made of. It was the hard love that Angela put into him to make him see reason.
“I can’t do it.”
“Tim, you have to.” Angela grabbed his hand and sat beside him. “You’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t. You think you won’t but you will. You’ll regret not seeing her one last time.”
He looked at the floor. “I’d be saying goodbye.”
“No you won’t.” She told him, “because you will see her in the cops that come into the station as rookies and go on to do good things. You’ll feel her in the city and the sun. You’ll have photos and videos and memories to look back at. Lucy doesn’t disappear just because she is no longer physically here. You’ll want these last moments later on down the line and they’ll not exist. You need to go out there and look at her, if only once.”
Tim looked up at her. “They’re treating me like a mourning spouse.”
“In the eyes of Mid-Wilshire, you are.” She shrugged, “everyone knew when you broke up that you’d get back together. You two together made all the sense in the world.”
“I destroyed us.”
The cop smiled at him, “you damaged your relationship, but you didn’t destroy it. You two were talking again, joking again, all but dating again. You had a date planned. A lot of couples don’t come back from what you guys went through, but you were making strides towards the future. Yes you would have had more time but I know deep down you wouldn’t trade every second you’ve ever spent in her company.”
“I would, if it meant she was alive.”
“Austin Rip will pay for murdering Lucy. The whole of LAPD will come down on him for her death and I know if Grey has his way, he’ll give you ten minutes with him in unrecorded room.”
“I won’t touch him.” Tim said honestly. “He’s a cop killer and hurting him doesn’t help our case. Lucy believed in the legal system and so he’s going to undergo the fullness of that legal system.”
Angela stood up, “if you need someone to lean on, I know Tamara is struggling. Nolan’s already talked to her once. You guys could lean on each other.”
They rejoined the gathering of people and Tim immediately headed for Tamara, who was sitting in the small funeral hall in a seat silently. He sat beside her and she looked up, “I remember when my parents died, I didn’t even get to go to their funeral.”
“I’m always going to be here if you need me.” Tim told her, “you’re family.”
She nodded and sighed, “thanks for letting me move in with Celina.”
“Lucy would have wanted it that way.” Tim took her hand and held it. “I’ve yet to go see her.”
“Me too.” The girl’s voice was small. “It’s like saying goodbye, making it final.”
Tim took a moment. “Why don’t we go together.”
“Yeah.”
They both left the hall and made their way to the viewing room, the casket not moved to the hall yet. Tim wanted to bolt but Tamara’s hand was so tight on his he wouldn’t have been able to. Seeing Lucy in the casket made it real and once again he was struck with how beautiful she was. She looked perfect and he was glance of his choice to dress her in the green dress instead of her uniform. It allowed everyone to see Lucy and not Officer Chen, even if her picture that sat in the funeral hall where everyone would be was of her in uniform.
“Seems like she’s sleeping.” Tamara told him, “even if I know it’s not the case.” She wiped tears from her eyes before speaking again. “A kid at one of the homes I was in for a while, she didn’t understand death so the foster mom said that when people die, they sleep forever. Seems almost better to say it that way.”
Tim reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It was a letter to Lucy, something he’d spent all night writing. Trying to find the words he wanted to say to her one last time. There were so many but none so meaningful as the ones on the page. He gently put it inside the casket, by her hip out of sight. The words were for her and only her. He reached up again and removed a small item from his pocket.
“Is that the ring you bought for her?” Tamara asked, knowing he’d once asked for her opinion.
“Yeah.” He held it out and Tamara took it, looking at the diamond ring.
Tamara smiled at him weakly. “It’s perfect. She would have loved it.” She gently tucked it under the tie of Lucy’s dress, out of sight. “She would have said ‘yes’ without reservation.”
He nodded. “I know.”
Tamara looked at Tim and knew they had to walk away or they wouldn’t do so. “We should go find the group.”
The funeral got underway and Tim, knowing he wouldn’t make it through if he had to give a speech, let Grey do the honors. Lucy was spiritual but not religious, so some poems were read and some music played but they had no words. As Grey took to the lectern, he looked down at his paper and then up again at the crowd.
“Please forgive me if I start crying.” He took a breath. “I met Lucy Chen the day she became an officer, out of the academy and ready to take on the world. Take on the world she did. There are others that knew her better and as I look at her family, both families, I don’t have to wonder what she’d become. She lived each day determined to change the world and her ability to find positivity even in the darkest moments, it’s inspiring.” He looked down again, “she’s done what most little girls dream of. She found a career she loved. A family she loved. A partner she loved. I’d say she was lucky but we’re the lucky ones. We got to experience that positivity. We got to experience her love and care. It doesn’t matter if you knew her decades or minutes, you took away something from that interaction.” He smiled, “I know I have. I know her partner has. I know her family has. I know Los Angeles and California has. As we say goodbye to Lucy, I want you to think of those moments with her and what she did for you in what little time she had on this earth. Take that positivity and pay it forward, that’s how you honor her.” He looked to where the casket was. “Rest well Officer Lucy Chen, this is your end of watch.”
Tamara felt Tim’s hand squeeze hers and she looked at him. “It’s going to be okay. Just squeeze my hand.” She told him because she felt like what was about to happen would be painful for him.
The sound of a tone was heard. “Seven-Adam-Zero?”
Captain Rodriguez at the station was next. “Seven-Adam-Zero to Seven-Adam-Nineteen, Officer Lucy Chen come in.” There was three tones that followed.
“Control clear the air, stand by for priority traffic.” After a moment someone came back on the air. “Seven-Adam-Nineteen?” Silence came over the radio. “Control to Seven-Adam Nineteen, respond.” Silence came again, “this is the final call for Seven-Adam-Nineteen Officer Lucy Chen. Badge number two-eight-five-three-seven. End of Watch. May eleventh, twenty twenty-three. Thank you for your service Officer Chen. You can rest in peace; we have the watch from here. Control clear.”
Mid-Wilshire officers approached after the funeral was finished and took the casket from where it rested. Tim was joined by Grey, Nolan, Aaron, Angela, and Celina. The six who carried her out where the six closest to her. Tamara followed behind Lucy’s parents, Bailey was there as Nolan’s wife instead of a first responder, and she had a hand on Tamara’s back. Wesley, Harper, and James were there also.
The drive to graveyard wasn’t far but two bridges held fire trucks who had flags draped from the ladders. Officers who didn’t attend the funeral due to some reason to another stood on the side of the roads or streets in uniform, their police escort was three shops in front and three shops in of the hearse and three main cars. It was if the entire LAPD was out to honor one officer and in some ways that was true. So many officers were waiting at the graveyard, lining the drive ways with their shops and themselves, K9s stood waiting and Tim even swore he saw Evelyn Pine and her Metro unit close by the site of Lucy’s grave.
The full honors were given and Tim held Tamara’s hand, it was all he could do because everything hurt so much. The last time he’d been in a Class A uniform had been the day in Lucy’s rookie year that he’d received a plaque. She’d helped him with the car crash and instead of it being their wedding where he’d wear the Class A uniform again, it was her funeral. He looked down when the flag was folded because he knew where it was going. He also knew her parents wouldn’t understand the significance. His eyes looked back up as it was folded completely and prayed to any god that would listen that they wouldn’t donate it or throw it away. Their small police family sat between him and her parents because he wanted nothing to do with them. He’d hand over Lucy’s moonstone ring at a later date, not at her funeral. It surprised him when the officer folding the flag, someone he didn’t know, made his way over to him instead of her parents.
“The LAPD grieves with you at the loss of Officer Chen.” The officer told him as he held out the flag and Tim took it from him just to not deal with stares or questions. “May you find some peace in the days ahead, sir.”
“Thank you.”
Tim Bradford never really found the peace he had when Lucy was a part of his life. He transitioned over to the Academy instead of staying in patrol, the call of the district ID he once shared with Lucy too painful a memory. Instead he trained recruits, taught them with his usual brand of hardness but he also gave encouraging words. He told them what they did wrong but also what they did right. There were some days he struggled but he had family to keep him going.
“So remember that every action you take has consequences.” He pointed to the board, “location, situation, and information are all part of a response.” A glance at the clock over the door let him know that it was time for dismissing the recruits. “Alright, that’s enough for today. I want you prepared for the exam on Wednesday so study.”
The recruits all gathered their stuff and headed out the door. A familiar face made her way in as they filed out. “Lucy would go crazy knowing you weren’t being a hardass.”
“They’re not on the street yet.” Tim told Tamara as he picked up his bag, “they don’t need to be scared before that day. What are you doing here?”
She shrugged. “Devon asked me to marry him. Since Angela said you were the best wedding planner, I was kind of hoping you’d help.”
“I meant how did you get on campus?”
“Please, as long as you look the part and act the part, you can get in anywhere.” She saw his expression, “okay fine, Celina’s little cousin is in the academy and I asked if I could tag along since she was picking him up. In uniform. In her shop. Happy?”
Tim chuckled. “Ecstatic. Now, about this engagement. You’ve known this boy how long?”
“First, not a boy. Second, three years. Third, he’s a cop. He’s more scared of you than anyone else and I know he asked for your permission like you’re my dad.” She rolled her eyes, “I’m an independent woman who doesn’t need anyone’s permission to marry.”
“You don’t, but he doesn’t know that.”
“Please he knows that, he’s just scared of you.” She sobered, “figured you’d like some company today.”
He nodded. “Yeah, that’s be great.”
“You want me to drive you to the graveyard?” Tamara asked, “or do you want to go by yourself?”
Tim spoke after a moment. “I went this morning. She liked the sunrises so I feel like it’s the ideal time to talk to her on what would have been our anniversary.”
“I say we go out, have a beer, and exchange some stories. There has got to be some we haven’t shared.”
“Devon coming?”
Tamara grinned. “He can. He kind of backs off today. And December ninth. And May eleventh. He knows what hard days those are.”
“If he’s going to be family, he’ll have to join in at some point.”
“Oh my God, did you just invite someone into the family?” Tamara grinned, “who are you?”
He shook his head, “shut up.”
The sound of giggles and soft feet running through the house made Tim turn from the stove to see blue eyes and dark curls on a cherub of a four year old. He heard Tamara remarking to her husband of six years that he needed to make sure not to let the youngest grab the dog toy like he had the time before.
“Papa!” The four year old ran to him and he instantly picked her up, ignoring the pain in his back that came from having spinal surgery a decade before.
“How’s my princess?” He kissed her cheek and she hugged him.
“I swear she’s been excited since we left Santa Monica.” Tamara came into the kitchen with her youngest in hand. “Did you tell him what we got last week, Lucy Loo?”
“Puppy!” She all but squealed.
Tim chuckled. “A puppy? Is it a small puppy or a big puppy?”
“Huge, this big!” She put out her little arms as far as she could.
“Black lab, probably part great-dane because my wonderful husband didn’t care to look at the information brief from the pound.” Tamara rolled her eyes, “for a cop, he’s an idiot.”
Tim reached out to take the youngest’s hand, it seemed Nathan was tuckered out and fast asleep. “Speaking of, where is he?”
“On the phone in the backyard. Some situation or another. Might be a short visit or he goes to help Metro.” She put a hand on his arm, “thanks for smoothing it along. I know Metro has always been a bit of a sore spot for you.”
Leaving his cleaning behind, he ushered them into the living room. “It’s okay. It’s not as sore as it once was.”
“Are you going to be okay this November?” She asked him, it would be ten years to the day he asked Lucy out in Grey’s office. “I’m more than okay with coming over with the kids.”
“I’ll be okay but I’d love if you’d come anyways.”
Little Lucy tried to get his attention. “Papa, did you hear me?”
“I didn’t. Tell me what you were saying.” He sat down on the couch and she sat in his lap.
“I’m going to school this year.”
Tim chuckled. “You do go to school this year. Are you going to have fun?”
“Are you going to be my teacher?”
He brushed back her curls, “no, I teach big people while you’re a small person.”
“I have something for you.” Tamara came back with something from her bag. “Lucy’s mom died last month. Her father dropped that off at Mid-Wilshire and Aaron recognized it so he called me.” She held out Lucy’s moonstone ring.
Tim took it gently and was surprised when the little girl in her arms took it from him. “Pretty.”
“It’s Aunt Lucy’s ring.” Tamara told her.
“One day when you’re bigger, you’ll get to keep it.” Tim told her, “for now I’m going to keep it safe.”
The girl had been raised on stories of her aunt, the one whose name she had but had never met. “I love Aunt Lucy.”
“She’d love you.” Tim told her and it was the truth.
The days without Lucy were hard but Tim continued to live and enjoy life, if nothing else he lived for her. He had dinner with his friends and his family, enjoyed his nieces and nephews and his surrogate grandchildren. The days Little Lucy and Nathan were laid in his arms, he’d gone straight to the graveyard to tell Lucy about them. He told them stories of her and one day he’d tell the story of his first date with Lucy, the one that she swore would make a better story for the grandkids. He loved her and he always would and one day when the universe thought right, he’d join her in death. Until that time he had memories and video and pictures and Angela was right. Lucy never left him; she was with him every moment of the day and she always would be.