Work Text:
Officer Ridley is about to walk into the station for his shift when something, or rather someone catches his attention. He sees Sergeant Tim Bradford with a woman who isn’t his wife. There is a baby in his arms who isn’t quite a year old. He can’t see the baby’s face, but he sees some lighter hair and a pink outfit on.
Ridley’s face scrunches as he sees Tim hug this woman close and kisses her cheek. It seems to take him a bit to say goodbye to the baby and hand her off. They seem way too close and Ridley can’t believe that he would do this to Lucy. He heads inside and into the locker room. He can’t seem to focus wondering how he’s going to tell his Sergeant that he saw her husband with another woman and a baby. “What the hell has gotten into you?” Penn pulls him out of his thoughts.
“Nothing.” Ridley slams his locker shut. Lucy may not be his TO, but she is his boss and she has always been kind to him. He can’t tell Miles because he will somehow use this to his advantage. The two Bradford’s never flaunt their relationship, but he has seen how in love they are. It’s not hard to miss.
“You are really not good at schooling your expressions.” Penn crosses his arms and glares at his friend
“Fine.” Ridley relents. “I saw the other Bradford outside with another woman and a baby. He hugged her and kissed her goodbye.”
Penn looks at him curiously. “And what? You think he’s cheating?”
“What else could it possibly be?”
Penn really doesn’t know why he would think this especially because from what he’s seen he knows that Tim would not cheat on Lucy. “I don’t know. Maybe he was being nice and watching someone’s baby. Why don’t you just ask them or leave it alone?”
They both have to get to roll call so they leave the conversation alone for now. Ridley catches Tim and Lucy having a quiet conversation in a quiet corner. He moves his fingers to gently graze her own and he sees the smiles on their faces. He goes to sit down, thankful that Penn rides with Lucy and he doesn’t.
Grey is at the front smiling. “Today is going to be a good one.” He rubs his hands together. “We are swapping rookies for the day.” Ridley feels his face go white and he suddenly feels nervous. “This will be a good experience for you both. Ridley, are you going to throw up? Does Sergeant Bradford get a free day to herself?”
“N…no sir. I’m good.” He raises his eyebrows and then goes back to going over everything from the prior night. Penn slaps his chest and he realizes that Grey has dismissed them. He scrambles to move and get the war bags.
“You need to pull yourself together Seth or you’re going to do something stupid today. Don’t make assumptions and don’t blurt anything out.” Penn hisses
“I know that Miles, but how can I ride with her all day and not tell her what I saw?”
“Are you two done gossiping like teenagers or can we get out there?” Lucy is standing there with her arms crossed and Nolan is eyeing them both.
“You’re both acting weird and were doing the same in the locker room. If your head isn’t in it, then get your shit together or leave.” Nolan is not in the mood either for these two.
“We’re ready to go sir.” Penn interjects. Nolan and him go to their shop while Seth grabs the bags for him and Lucy.
He doesn’t say anything as they head to the shop. Lucy drives but she can feel Ridley staring at her every chance that he gets. Thankfully, he is fine on every call, but she’s had enough of the weird looks.
“Do you have something that you’d like to say to me? Your staring is freaking me out.” Lucy finally says. Ridley’s eyes go wide realizing that he’s been caught.
“Oh, uh, nothing. I’m glad I can learn from you.” Ridley finally stutters out.
Lucy slams on the brakes and pulls to the side. “Get whatever you need to say off your mind. You are distracted and I really don’t need something to happen to me because of you.”
Ridley wipes at his brow. “Oh, well, I’m just concerned for you.”
“You’re concerned for me?” Lucy’s eyebrows raise wondering what he means by that.
“Yes. I saw the other Sergeant Bradford this morning before I came into work. He, uh, well he had a baby in his arms and I saw him hug another woman.”
Ridley doesn’t want to meet his TO’s eye but he finally does. He swears he sees a glimpse of amusement flash across her face.
“Hmm, you did, did you? That’s why you’ve been acting so strangely?”
“Yes ma’am. You’re so kind and deserve respect especially from your husband.” Seth is almost proud of himself but he’s also nervous as hell.
“I appreciate the concern Ridley. I will talk to my husband. Now can you get your head into the game?”
He agrees absentmindedly. It’s all quiet until lunchtime. Lucy leaves Seth outside and walks to find Tim. He’s in his office doing paperwork and she can see the stress lines on his face. She shuts the door and he smiles at her. “Hey, it’s lunchtime?”
“Yes babe, it is.” Lucy walks around and starts massaging his shoulders. “Why are you so tense?”
“This last case where things went wrong. There is so much paperwork to get through.” He yawns.
“Well I need you to eat something.” She kisses the top of his head. Tim turns and pulls Lucy into his lap.
“I’ve missed you. You had such an early morning.” He mumbles into her neck.
“I really hate coming in without you.” Lucy cups his cheek. “My rookie is concerned about us.”
Tim raises his eyebrows. “Why?”
“Because you were with an adorable baby and beautiful woman this morning.” Tim’s eyes go wide and he bursts into laughter.
“Wait, does he think that I’m cheating on you?” Tim is amused and also annoyed.
Lucy shrugs and kisses him. “I don’t know but it took everything in me not to laugh.”
“Wait, I thought that Penn knew already.”
“Grey traded rookies for the day. I have Ridley. Maybe I’ll play into it for the day.” Lucy lays her head on Tim’s shoulder. “How was our girl this morning?”
“Lana missed her mama and so did I.” Lucy hates when she can’t see her baby girl before work. She is eight months old and she is growing way too fast.
“I missed you both too. I just want to go home and cuddle our girl. I’m tired and it’s been non stop all day.”
“I know Luce. We will have a bubble bath tonight.” Tim kisses the side of her head.
“I need to go before Ridley comes looking for me.” Her lips linger on Tim’s for as long as they possibly can.
“Luce, be safe and please don’t mess with him too much.”
Lucy grins and saunters away. She’s such a menace and he loves it. She runs into Penn who is smirking. “I take it Ridley talked to you.”
“He said something to you?” Lucy shouldn’t be surprised.
“Yep and I told him to leave it alone. Don’t go too hard on him but don’t take it easy.” He heads back out and Lucy can’t help but laugh. Lucy waits to say anything more to Ridley but she can feel how uncomfortable he is the rest of the shift.
The day is finally over and both of them sit down to start their paperwork. Ridley comes to drop it off. “Officer Ridley.”
“Yes ma’am?”
“What did this woman look like that you saw this morning?” Lucy sits back in her chair and crosses her arms. “I’m wondering who’s been able to capture my husband's attention.
“Uh, she was tall and had red hair. Tim hugged her and kissed her cheek. They seemed quite friendly with each other.”
“Hmmm, interesting. Well let’s go ask Tim about it.”
“Oh no ma’am, I don’t need to go do that with you. I could be wrong.” She shakes her head at him.
Lucy stands and looks at Ridley. “Well you brought it up so it’s obviously a concern. Let’s go, now boot.”
Ridley follows and it just so happens that Tim’s standing there with their daughter and his sister. “Oh hey.” Tim smiles.
“Was this her?” Lucy looks at Ridley who looks like he may throw up.
“Uh, yes.” He is nervous and people are trying not to laugh.
Genny’s eyebrows raise wondering what is happening. “Ridley, do you usually make assumptions about people’s lives?”
“Ummm, sometimes.” He stutters. Lucy happily takes Lana.
“So you know that when two people get married they decide they sometimes want kids right? So when two people so choose, they have sex and like magic, a baby is created.” Seth’s face drops in horror and everyone else laughs. “Do you want me to talk about my sex life or explain in more detail how babies are made?”
“Oh please no ma’am. I don’t need an anatomy lesson.”
Genny, Tim, Nolan, and Penn are all bent over in fits of laughter. “Hmm, are you sure? Because I feel like you might.”
“I promise I am good.” Thankfully, Lana looks at Tim and screeches. She sidelines the awkward conversation.
“Dada.”
“Yes baby that’s dada.” She giggles. “Also, this is Genny. Genny Bradford. She’s my sister in law.”
Ridley wants to crawl into a hole. “Apparently we are now having an affair.” Tim scowls out but he is having trouble keeping a straight face.
Ridley sees Penn laughing. “Wait, you knew?”
“It’s kind of hard not to when my TO is Lucy.” Penn shrugs. “I told you to leave it alone.”
“Officer Ridley, I do appreciate the concern, but I would never cheat on Lucy. I love her more than anything. She is everything to me.” Tim looks at his wife. “She can also hide a body so I wouldn’t be here if that was the case.” Lucy goes to Tim’s side who takes Lana.
“I’m sorry.” Ridley stutters.
“I know that you’re looking out, but just ask next time.” Lucy looks at him.
“Yes ma’am.” He scurries to leave the room and change out.
“Thank you for watching Lana today, Genny.” Lucy hugs her.
“I adore my niece. I’m so glad I’m here to watch her grow up.” Lucy feels emotional as usual. Genny whispers the next part. “And my newest niece or nephew.”
Lucy hasn’t told anyone but Tim so she’s a bit surprised. “I guess I suck at hiding. Thanks Genny.” She leaves and Tim looks at Lucy.
“Why don’t you go change out? I’ll take Lana with me. We will get dinner and you can go home and put your feet up.”
“I can take her with me while you grab dinner.” Tim glares at her. “Okay, fine, I will go change and then head home. I just missed her today. I love you both.”
“We love you too.”
Ridley ran out of there pretty fast that night. Just two months later, he wanted to crawl into a hole when he realized that Lucy was pregnant again.