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“Ridley. Stay behind me.” Lucy tells the rookie. He nods and Lucy starts moving forward quietly so the suspects in the building didn’t hear them. She turns her head slightly to see Ridley creeping along.
Grey had asked her to let Ridley ride with her for a few days. Tim was at a metro training, and Nolan wasn’t available to take him on. Lucy had agreed although she was a little hesitant, from what Tim had told her Ridley was a little off. There was something he couldn’t quite place but he made excuses for every little thing that went wrong.Tim was still trying to figure out how to handle it and figured out what was going on. But Lucy figured a few days with her might do him some good.
“Ma’am.” Seth says from behind her, she turns her head slightly to look at the rookie.
“Yes Ridley?”
“Ma’am it’s been an honor to work with you. I don’t know what Sergeant Bradford told you but—”
“Now is not the time Ridley.” Lucy says turning back around. “We have a job to do.”
“Yes ma’am but whatever Sergeant Bradford told you is—I know you two are married with kids. And you will probably take his side.” Seth continues. Lucy rolls her eyes a little and she really hopes she can go in and grab these guys. She didn’t need Seth’s chatting in her ear.
“He’s my husband.” Lucy says looking back at him. “You need to focus Ridley.” Ridley shuts his mouth, and Lucy moves forward some more.
“We need to get as many of these guys as possible.” Lucy tells Seth keeping her voice low. “Focus. Keep an eye out.” The rookie nods as Lucy steps forward some more, she hears Seth right behind her when there’s a noise inside. Seth jumps forward before Lucy can stop him, and rushes into the building.
“Ridley!” Lucy whispers loudly. “Ridley get back here!” But the rookie doesn’t stop he charges forward at the men at the table.
“LAPD!” Ridley yells. Lucy groans and rushes forward but before she can reach Seth someone grabs her and throws her on the ground. She groans at the impact and looks up to see a man looking down at her. He’s angry, his face is red and his fists are clenched.
“Police?” He seethes. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Lucy opens her mouth to reply but she hears a yell. She looks over to see them dragging Ridley away, Lucy tries to get up but the man kicks her side hard. She groans rolling over a little, the man kicks her again and again. She hears shouts. She hears Ridley calling her name, and some other voices.
And then everything goes black.
***
Tim gets the call as he’s pulling into the station, and his heart nearly stops. He turns around and presses on the gas as he races towards the hospital.
Lucy is hurt.
Broken ribs.
A concussion.
That was all he got from the nurse, but it was all he needed.
Lucy is hurt.
Lucy is hurt and he needs to get to her.
He manages to get to the hospital without crashing and then he’s running inside. The nurse points him to a room and he runs towards it but stops when he sees Ridley outside of the room. He’s bruised up too but he looks fine otherwise.
“Ridley!” Tim snaps. The rookie jumps back when he sees Tim coming a panicked look coming over his face.
“Sir.”
“What the hell happened? You were riding with her?” He asks. He remembers Lucy telling him Grey assigned Seth with her while he was away.
“I’m sorry sir!” Seth says. “I didn’t mean for this to happen but it’s just I had a flashback of being robbed at gunpoint and I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
“My wife got hurt Ridley.” Tim says staring at the rookie. He knows something is off with him. He just can’t pinpoint it quite yet. But his radar is up—even more now.
“I’m sorry.” Ridley says. “Truly sorry and if you—” Tim ignores him, he doesn’t have time to deal with him right now. He goes into the room and closes the door slightly.
“Hey.” Tim looks up and sees Lucy looking at him, she looks a lot more bruised up then Ridley and he’s wondering what the hell happened.
“Hi.” He says making his way over to the bed. He sits down and Lucy reaches for his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Other then getting a beating from pissed off drug dealers. I’m fine.” Lucy says. “A few broken ribs. A minor concussion.”
“Lucy.”
“I promise I’m fine.” Lucy says. She glances towards the door and then back at Tim. “Ridley is out there?”
“Yeah.” Tim says. “What happened?” Lucy sighs softly and closes her eyes for a moment.
“We were going in to arrest these thugs. Drug dealers. Ridley was behind me and there was a noise and he just charged.” Lucy says. “I went in after him but someone grabbed me. And someone grabbed him. It was a mess.”
“He said he was robbed at gunpoint and he panicked.” Tim says. Lucy frowns and shakes her head.
“No.” She says. “It was more like he made a rash decision. He doesn’t think.” She says. “I don’t know it was weird. He said he was robbed at gunpoint?”
“Apparently.” Tim says. “I’m sorry you got hurt.” Lucy gives him a smile and Tim leans in to give him a kiss.
“Do the kids know?” She asks. “You have to go pick—” Tim groans and leans back in the chair.
“Shit!” Tim says. “I didn’t even think—I will call Genny to pick them up.” Lucy nods as Tim pulls his phone out and stands up to go to a corner of the room. He taps his sister’s name and waits for her to answer.
“Hey Tim—”
“Can you pick the kids up and bring them to the hospital? Lucy got hurt and—” Tim says. He rubs at his temple and looks over at Lucy. “Or just keep the twins and bring the girls.”
“Of course.” Genny says. “Is she okay?” Tim closes his eyes, and he wishes nothing more than to switch places with Lucy.
“She will be.” Tim says. “I think she needs to see the kids.”
“Of course.” Genny says. “I will be there in a little bit.” Tim thanks her and hangs up. He turns back to Lucy and smiles at her.
“Are you up for some visitors?” He asks. Lucy smiles at him as he sits down next to her, and reaches for his hand.
“Always.” She says. “I know Ava will be worried.” Tim hums softly, his oldest daughter would be panicking the minute she found out Lucy was hurt.
“Yeah.” He brings her hand up to his mouth and presses a kiss there. “I’m glad you are okay.”
“Me too.” She says. “It could have been a lot worse.” Tim looks at her and then sighs softly.
“He put you in danger.” He says. “He put your life on the line because he wanted to be the hero?”
“I don’t know.” Lucy says shrugging. She winces a little, and Tim frowns.
“Lucy—”
“I’m fine babe.” She says. “A little beat up. I can’t be a jungle gym for awhile.” Tim snorts and smoothes back her hair.
“Are you sure you want the kids here? They might climb all over you.” Tim says and he knows he sounds worried.
“I want to see my babies.” Lucy says softly. “I’m fine Tim. I may have to stay overnight but—” Tim’s phone buzzes and he gets up to answer it. He knows it’s Genny telling him she’s at the hospital.
“Hey.” He says. “I will come out to get them.” He looks over at Lucy who smiles at him and he leaves the room. Seth is still outside looking pale when he sees Tim.
“Sir.”
“I will deal with you later Ridley.” Tim snaps. Tim hurries off and goes to the entrance where he sees Genny with all four kids.
Ava looks like she’s about to burst into tears. Tim makes his way over to her and gives her a hug. “Mom is okay Aves.” He says softly and then he bends down to her eye level. “She just got a little hurt.”
“How?” Ava asks. Tim looks around at Daisy, Levi and June who all look equally worried.
“The rookie she was with made a rash decision.” Tim says. “It was just a mistake—” Ava’s face changes immediately and she storms off into the hospital. Tim looks at his sister and then follows after Ava.
“Aves.” He calls. “Wait—” But it’s too late, Ava has already seen Seth. She marches up to him and gives him a swift kick in the knee.
“What—”
“You hurt my mom!” Ava says angrily. “You are a bad boot!” Ava gives him another kick.
“Ava!” Tim says trying not to smile. “Don’t—” But Seth beats him to punch, and backs away from Ava.
“I made a mistake.” Seth says and Tim watches as he cowers at Ava in front of him. His eight year old daughter was holding her own as she usually did.
“Your mistake got my mom hurt!” Ava says and she pulls her foot back to kick him again. But Tim pulls her away and into the room. Lucy looks up with raised eyebrows as Ava runs over to her.
“Careful Aves!” Tim warns as she jumps on Lucy and buries her face into Lucy’s chest. Lucy rubs Ava’s back and looks up at Tim.
“What was that about?”
“She told Ridley off.” Tim says trying to sound casual and not proud. “Gave him a little kick.”
“Tim!” Lucy says sounding a little amused. “You don’t stop her?”
“I pulled her away before she could kick him again.” He protests. “And it’s not like he didn’t deserve it. I would have done a lot worse.”
Lucy rolls her eyes as Ava looks up at her, and then buries her face back in her chest. Tim opens his mouth to speak but then there’s noise in the hallway.
“Ow! Hey!” He hears Seth yelp. “Why do you keep kicking me?” Tim turns around and sees Genny and the other three coming into the room.
“Why were they kicking the man child?” Genny asks Tim. He rolls his eyes and ushers his kids in the room. They run over to Lucy, and he can see she’s smiling as they climb on the bed.
“It’s a long story.” Tim says. “But he deserves it. Let’s just say that.” Genny laughs a little and goes over to Lucy’s side and gives her a hug.
Tim watches them for a minute before he’s stepping out of the room. Ridley backs up immediately looking scared.
“Your kids are aggressive.” He says. “Especially the oldest.”
“Ava.” Tim says. “They aren’t aggressive. They are protective of their mom.”
“Right.” Seth mutters. “Look—”
“I’m not happy about what happened.” Tim says. “You would be washed out if it was up to me. And I have some pull so I could make that suggestion.”
“Okay—”
“You didn’t have detective Chen’s back. You were her partner Ridley. You were suppose to back her up.” Tim says. “You failed to do so.”
“I’m sorry.” Seth says his voice faltering. “I will do better.”
“Stop apologizing.” Tim snaps. “I don’t think this is the right line of work for you Ridley. You have so many excuses when you mess up. You need to learn to do your damn job.”
“Yes sir.”
“I will be talking to Grey.” Tim says. “This is the end of the line for you.”
“Yes sir.” Seth mumbles looking at the floor. Tim turns around to go inside and then turns to look at him again.
“I would get out of here Ridley. My kids have to leave at some point and I think they have a few more kicks in them.” He says. Ridley nods and hurries off down the hallway. Tim watches him go and then turns back to go inside the room.
He watches his kids as they gather around Lucy, he smiles as he catches her eye. He wishes Lucy wasn’t lying in a hospital bed. He wishes the rookie’s mistake wasn’t so messy. And he had to talk to Grey but—
He walks over to them and sits down pulling June on his lap, right now she was alive and their kids were okay.
And that’s all that matters. Bad rookie and all. It was going to be okay.