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Lucy smiled fondly listening to Grey give his “Any Thing can Happen” speech, the new rookies not talking it seriously, but well, they would learn, hopefully not with zombie causing drugs, but still they’d learn.
She can’t believe it’s been two years since she pulled that radio gag with Tim, how things had changed. This time last year they had been snuggled up at his house, Kojo dressed as a spider, handing out candy to all those who came knocking. And then, well then there were no more snuggles, for a while there was no Kojo even, and there certainly wasn’t any Tim.
That’s not to say they were not working towards that goal again. Tim was making good on his small doses promises. They were communicating openly again, going for hikes with Kojo and even a few therapy sessions together, it was just almost like there was one last hurdle for them to get over, but neither of knew what it was or how to do it, at least not yet.
She was in the breakroom getting her coffee to go – the one thing she refused to make her rookie do, because no one could make it just right, well no one else other than Tim, and speaking of…
“You think I don’t know that you’re behind me.” Lucy says grabbing at his hand that was going for her radio. “I know when you’re in the same building, let alone the same room Bradford.”
“Can’t blame a man for trying.” Tim smiles “And good to know that you have a Tim-dar, you know just in case I ever go missing.”
“Don’t even joke about that!” Lucy grips his hand tightly “Especially today!”
“Sorry, you know I’m not going anywhere, I was just going for some payback is all.” Tim smiles and moves his other hand to unclip her radio “But seems I need to wake up earlier to catch you out.”
“Or maybe try something original?” Lucy smirks at him and was about to ask about his plans for the evening when she spotted her rookie waiting. “Anyway, we gotta go, these poor summer children think that Grey was joking about today.”
“Stay safe out there Luce, please.” Tim squeezes her hand softly and hands her back her radio.
“Yeah, you too.” Lucy smiles “Hear you on the radio.”
“Hear you on the radio.” Tim copies as the two of them head out.
“He wasn’t being serious was he Ma’am?” Spencer asks “Surely today is just going to be harmless fun?”
“Sure…I mean if you consider being attacked by zombies harmless, I think that particular year there was so much blood, we honestly didn’t know who it was coming from at the end of it all.” Lucy says “And that wasn’t even a bad year.”
“Like actual zombies??” He asks horrified
“Well, drugged out enough to act like them yes.” Lucy acquests “So, stay sharp, don’t be trigger happy and be very, very careful.”
“Yes Ma’am” He says quickly “Um, any plans for tonight?”
“Sadly no, I’ll man the fort and hand out candy to those who come knocking, but seeing I’m on the 6th floor and mainly live with singles and the elderly, I doubt I’ll get much.” Lucy sighs softly, remembering last year again, wishing she could be there again. “Anyway, let’s focus on now Boot!”
“Yes Ma’am”
“Please tell me we’re almost done with shift.” An exhausted Spencer begs 7 hours later.
“One more hour boot, maybe longer.” Lucy laughs “There is some candy in the glove compartment if you need a pick me up.”
Spencer quickly opens it and eats a few before offering Lucy who smiles and pops one in her mouth with a sigh.
“Seems like someone in motors is just another one of your admirers.” He smiles, knowing that Lucy didn’t stock up the shop.
Lucy feels her heart flutter at the reminder that Tim would have been the one to make sure her shop always had her favourite candy stocked.
“You be quiet with talk like that Boot!” Lucy growls “People don’t help people because of a stupid crush, we’re family, we do what we can to make sure our family has what we need, always!”
“Yes Ma’am.” Spencer says quickly “I meant no disrespect.”
“Good, now we’ve got a noise complaint to handle.” Lucy says “Let’s go.”
“Is anyone in charge here!?” Lucy calls out at the rowdy party – resisting rolling her eyes at the fact this party must have started at 4pm.
“Oooohhhhh!” A young man approaches her “I’ll be in charge if you want me to be Officer.”
“So this is your party?” Lucy asks looking up at him taking out her note pad.
“It is if you’re my stripper.” The man steps drunkenly forward, Lucy stepping back quickly.
“No Sir, no stripper, but you have received some complaints from your neighbours.” Lucy says firmly. “So we need to tone this down.”
“Well they can come watch then, I’m sure that there would be no complaints after that.” He fumbles and tries to grab her. “No one in their right mind would complain once you took everything off.”
“Listen, if you are the host, I need to ask you to turn the volume down okay.” Lucy says again, and then well, the idiot grabs at her shirt, tearing it, while calling out to his friends that the stripper had arrived.
“And now you are under arrest” Lucy sighs spinning him around and cuffing him “Boot go and see who else was in charge here, if anyone!”
“You breath a word of this to anyone boot and I’ll have you paired with Wriggly for the rest of the year.” Lucy says, not wanting to once again be the reason for the gossip fuelled chain, or another cautionary tale in rollcall.
“Yes Ma’am” Spencer says quickly “Not a word”
“Spencer!!” Tim hears Nolan’s rookie, Jordan, call while they were changing out. “I hear from bookings that Chen was mistaken for a stripper today!?”
“Yeah, I’m not saying anything, and if you value your job, I’d shut up about it.” Spencer replies.
“Or if you value your life” Tim hears his rookie say quickly.
“I mean I don’t blame them, half the time when I see her on shift I can’t wrap my head around how someone as hot as her is a cop.” Jordan continues “And you guys never…you know between calls, I mean we all know that she’s single”
“Seriously dude” Spencer says “You’re being disrespectful, stop.”
“I’m not, I’m actually being complimentary, for an older woman she’s seriously hot.” He pushes further, not seeing the look of fear in the other two eyes “I’d take a run at her, I'd even break my rules of not dating anyone more than two years older than me.”
“Are you fucking kidding me!” Tim steps in furious “Do you have any idea how disgusting you sound right now!”
“Sergeant Bradford!” He looks at him in horror.
“Get changed! Right now, we’re going to Commander Grey.” Tim growls at him and then sees him hesitate “NOW!”
“Yes Sir.” Jordan says and the other two wisely make no comments, it’s not like they thought much of him in the first place. Tim gave them each a slight nod before walking off.
“Heya John.” Lucy comes to him in the parking lot. “I hear Jordan washed out today? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay, the kid was on thin ice anyway, and well when I heard what he had done, I wish I had him washed out sooner to be honest.” John gives her a small smile.
“Shit, what did he do?” Lucy looks slightly shocked, because John always tried to find something nice to say about everyone.
“Ah you didn’t hear then?” He looks away from her.
“Well clearly not if I’m asking you John.” Lucy laughs out “Wait, he didn’t hurt someone did he? He didn’t hurt you?” She grabs at his arms to make sure.
“No, I’m fine, he was just making disparaging remarks about other officers and well, he needed to go.” John says evasively.
“But we’ve all smack talked our TO’s in the past, I recall us coming up with very creative ideas to give ours food poisoning at least twice.” Lucy giggles
“Yeah, this wasn’t that Lu.” John says softly “This was sexist and well, considering who overheard him, he’s lucky he was only washed out, although I would have done the same if I had heard.”
“Oh…” Lucy says sadly “Let me guess, I’m a bad cop because I’m a teeny tiny little girl?”
“Yeah no, more the 'how is she a cop when she’s so hot.'” John shakes his head “Apparently you were mistaken for a stripper at a party today?”
“I’m going to fucking kill Spencer!” Lucy snaps “And here I thought he had promise.”
“He didn’t say anything Lu, from what I understand he defended you before well…” John’s eyes dart to Tim’s truck.
“Tim heard as well?” Lucy asks, but now she knew.
“Ah yes, he did, so really I’m surprised that Jordan made it out with his life and not just losing his job.” John gives a hollow laugh.
“Oh don’t be dramatic.” Lucy says “Tim would never hurt someone because of me.”
“Yeah, you and I both know how untrue that statement is.” John squeezes her hand “Anyway, Bailey is waiting for us to hand out candy, you should come around for dinner again soon.”
“Yeah, I will.” Lucy says, “Send my love.”
“Will do.” John says walking off.
Lucy waited for a while at Tim's truck before realising that he must still be finishing up paperwork or something and headed on home. She sat for a while, staring at the bowl of candy she had, waiting for anyone to come knocking, thinking about the last few months, about this morning when they were essentially holding hands in the breakroom while talking, how she knew what John said was true and well then she made up her mind.
“Luce!” Tim answers the door, with a bowl of candy in his hands, thinking that it was another trick-or-treater “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is perfect.” Lucy says “Well, almost, may I come in?”
“Yeah, of course!” Tim steps aside and Lucy walks past him.
“Leave the bowl on the porch or turn your light off.” Lucy says and Tim quickly complies.
“What’s going on Luce?” Tim asks again “Are you sure you’re okay.”
“So I heard that Jordan washed out today…” Lucy says “And that someone went and bribed IT to delete the camera footage of why my uniform got torn…”
“Oh, well” Tim blushes slightly “I just…you don’t deserve to be spoken about like that, or for that to be one more thing that people focus on rather than, well how brilliant you are.”
Lucy smiles and nods her head in happiness “Um, where's the boy?”
“Gen and the kids took him, apparently he suited their costumes.” Tim says “So... can I get you a drink?”
“Eventually yes.” Lucy says and takes his hand leading him to a chair “Sit down for me yeah?”
“Um okay.” Tim sits down and the gulps when Lucy quickly straddles him “Luce?”
“I love you.” She says softly, wrapping her arms around his neck “and if you want…I’d like it if we could try again, try for us again?”
“Fuck yes!” Tim says making Lucy laugh “Sorry, sorry, yeah Luce, I want that so much, are you sure?”
“Incredibly sure, I promise.” Lucy leans forward and kisses him softly “Now…would you like your own private strip show from Officer Chen?”
“Maybe later.” Tim smiles and leverages himself to stand up with Lucy in his arms, her legs wrapping around him quickly. “I’ve got much more important things to do with you right now.”
“Well I’m all yours Tim.” Lucy kisses him again “However you want to do me.”
“And I’m yours.” Tim smiles walking them to his bedroom “And I love you.”