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It continued, them finding excuses to fall into bed together, but they didn’t care. Or they cared and were avoiding the inevitable discussion that would have to be examined. Talking in the shop had been the entry way into discussing the breakup, but it was not a complete discussion. So, Lucy found ways to seduce him and Tim could honestly say he was too weak to deny her. He loved her and wanted her, even if all he got was a friends-with-benefits package at that point in time. He’d take what she gave him and absorb every moment into his memories, burn them into the fabric of his being.
It was fine, they were fine…
Until they weren’t.
Reality came crashing down around them when they least expected it.
Lucy was on edge; Tim could see that clear as day as they sat at roll call. She did look a little pale to him but not enough to raise concerns. He’d seen her eat a muffin in the break room, Officer O’Callaghan’s wife had made enough for everyone in the station, with some coffee. It was probably exhaustion, weeks of studying for the sergeant exam and the scores were due back that day. She was practically vibrating in her chair and it took him pressing his arm into her own to have her settle. He said nothing and neither looked at the other, but he knew his touch grounded her.
After a few minutes, Tim spoke to her. “Your score will be high enough to slide into Wilmer’s position.” The sergeant had retired the month before. “Grey won’t chance losing you.”
Her eyes moved to land on him, “you don’t know that for sure. You haven’t seen the scores.”
“You’re right, I haven’t. However, you’ve studied the material, been an aide to a sergeant, and you’re a natural born test taker.” He didn’t smile, but there was a hint of one around his mouth. “Plus, I believe in you.”
Grey walked into the room and everyone settled down, the talking about summer break ending as he stood at the lectern. “It’s going to be a busy day. Woods, Petersen, and Taylor will be assisting Detective Caradine with a surveillance op. See him after roll call.”
“Yes sir.” All three replied.
“Loan outs are zero, so all of you focus on patrolling the streets. Remember that summer comes with kids playing on streets and parks, muzzle control is necessary. Also, educate if people call in kids doing appropriate kid things.” He nodded, “alright, let’s move onto the last piece of business. Sergeant exam scores are in for those that took it; Officers Chen, Zane, and Oakland were our exam takers.”
“What were the scores?” Zane asked the man.
Grey turned the board and picked up a piece of chalk, writing three numbers on the board. Everyone could see the scores were eighty-four, ninety, and a hundred. He turned to look at everyone and pointed to the eighty-four. “This number is passing but it’s not an appropriate score to get slotted. Which means, Officer Oakland, you will have to wait for a spot to open or a sergeant retires.”
“Yes sir.” The man said and the disappointment on his face was evident.
He looked at those present in the room. “Officer Zane, you are our ninety. That leaves Officer Chen with our perfect score, who will be taking Sergeant Wilmer’s position due to his retirement. Sergeant Chen, congratulations on receiving a perfect score and obtaining the open position.”
“Thank you, sir. I won’t let you or Mid-Wilshire down.” It was said with sincerity.
“I know you won’t.” Grey continued, dismissing everyone. “Alright, let’s stay safe out there.”
The room started to breakup and Tim smiled at Lucy, “see, nothing to worry about.”
“I just can’t believe I got a perfect score.” She said standing up.
“I had no doubt which number was yours when it written on the board.” Tim smiled, “congrats, Sergeant Chen.”
As she stood up from the chair, pushing it in, Lucy felt light-headed. Her legs and arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each. She could only say one thing and it got his attention. “I don’t feel right.”
Tim turned to her as she said she didn’t feel right and seconds after she said that she passed out. He caught her before she could hit the floor, going down slowly as he held her. Nolan and Celina saw it happen and hurried over; Grey also made his way over.
“Back up.” Grey insisted and moved past the multitude of cops that were surrounding the two. “What happened?”
“She said she didn’t feel right and seconds later passed out.” Tim informed him as he adjusted his hold on Lucy.
Nolan spoke, “I called for an RA.”
“Good.” Grey looked up and saw the cops surrounding them. “All of you get to work.” When they didn’t move, he was firmer. “Now!” Cops started departing from the area until it was just Tim holding Lucy, Grey himself, and Nolan and Celina. Grey looked at the two officer standing beside him. “You two go ahead and get out there, I’m sure Bradford will update you.”
“Let us know.” Nolan said before leaving, Celina behind him.
Tim looked away from Lucy, “I’m not…” He was cut off by Grey’s response.
“I know. I’m not suggesting you leave; I know it’d take all of the LAPD to make that happen.”
His hand held Lucy’s arm, his thumb rubbing back and forth across soft skin. “Damn straight.”
The RA arrived and the paramedics made a beeline for them, the two men making room for the female paramedics. One knelt down and looked straight at Tim. “Tell me what happened?”
“She said she didn’t feel right and then went down.” Tim was honest, “she seemed a little pale, but I didn’t think it was serious. She ate earlier in the morning so I doubt it’s hypoglycemia.”
“Alright, we’re going to assess her and take her to St. Stephen. Can you tell me her name and date of birth, if you don’t know that’s fine.” The woman started working on her field tablet.
“Lucy Mai Chen, her birthday is the twenty-fifth of September, ninety.”
“How do you spell the second name?”
Tim realized he’d given her Lucy’s middle name, “M-A-I, pronounced like the month.”
After a dozen more questions, they got Lucy onto the gurney and Tim looked at Grey. The man nodded, assuring Tim he was alright with him going with Lucy. After handing off her utility belt to Grey, Tim followed the paramedics and Lucy. “I’ll meet you there.”
At the hospital, they got her started on fluids and running tests. Tim sat by her bed and just watched over her. He reached out for her hand and held it, worry etched on his face permanently until she woke. Grey found the room about an hour after they’d left the station. He walked over to Tim and put a hand on his shoulder.
“How is she doing?”
“Waiting for her to wake up.” Tim stated, “fluids, blood panel, imaging. The doctor hasn’t come in yet.”
Grey nodded, “why don’t you get some coffee and I’ll keep watch.”
The young sergeant shook his head, “not until she wakes up.”
Grabbing the second chair that was against the wall, Grey moved it over. “I know on April Fools I dressed you down, thinking your prank was real. Personally, off the record, I don’t care. That said, the station is under the microscope so I have to follow every regulation and bylaw to the letter.” He watched Tim focus on the woman in the bed. “I also know that despite everything that happened, you still love her.”
“I always will. There won’t be a day I don’t love her, even if one day she loves someone else.” Tim looked at the man beside him, “all I want is her happiness.”
“Love and pain are forever entwined.” Grey supplied, “that’s what my grandmother said.”
Tim felt the squeeze on his hand and his attention immediately focused on Lucy. He stood up and watched as she slowly opened her eyes. “Lucy, hey.”
Her eyes seemed to go everywhere before landing on Tim. “Where am I?”
“St. Stephen, you passed out at the station after roll call. Do you remember that?”
Her mind seemed to catch up after a moment, “felt weird.”
Grey stood up also, “you gave us quite a scare.”
“Sorry.” She said groggily. “Not what you want from a new sergeant on their first day.”
“I doubt this was done on purpose.” He squeezed her ankle.
“No sir.”
He nodded towards Tim, “had this one worried.”
A knock on the door made them all look over to see a woman in a white coat walk over. She had a tablet under her arm as she rubbed hand sanitizer across her hands. “I see we’re finally awake. I’m Dr. Houser, how are you feeling Ms. Chen?”
“Tired, weak.”
“That’s to be expected.” The doctor looked towards Tim and Grey, “are we okay to talk with these gentlemen present? If you’d prefer going over your results in private, we can do that.”
Grey squeezed her ankle, “I’ll wait in the hall, give you some privacy.”
“Okay.” The lieutenant left, closing the door behind him.
Tim looked down at Lucy, “do you want me to leave?”
A shake of her head was given and she squeezed his hand. “No, stay.”
Tim sat down in the chair, “I’m right here.” She squeezed her hand in response.
The doctor sat on a nearby rolling stool, “your labels look good, no abnormal levels beyond your hCG levels resting at two-hundred thousand.”
“What does that mean?” Tim asked, knowing Lucy was probably trying to process things as she woke up. Sleep fog was a thing, one he knew well from trips to the hospital.
“Lucy is pregnant, about ten weeks.” Her eyes went back to Lucy, “you were dizzy, it’s a common pregnancy symptom. As is dehydration since you need to drink about twice as much as you normally do.”
Lucy put her hand on her forehead. “How?” She asked, “I’m on birth control.”
“I saw that in your file. Do you take it as proscribed?”
“Religiously.” She shrugged, “every day, at the same time every day, no skipping.”
She nodded, “were you sick around two months ago? Antibiotics can interact with the one you’re currently on.”
Tim squeezed her hand, “you got that cut on your hand while searching that drug lounge. Urgent care gave you antibiotics to prevent infection.”
“I guess so.”
“We’ll give you another round of fluids and then send you home.” The doctor stood, “we’ll give you a list of OBs along with your discharge paperwork.
Once she was gone, Lucy looked up at Tim. “How are you not freaking out?”
“I will once you’re resting at the apartment.” He sat down again and squeezed her hand. “What’s going through your mind?”
“Trying to wrap my mind around being pregnant.” Lucy turned to lay facing him on the bed. “All the excuses I’ve had to have sex with you, it finally counts.”
Tim ran his thumb against her knuckles. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.”
“I’m a sergeant, out of your chain of command.” Lucy supplied. “I was planning on asking you out after shift.”
Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of it. “You are. I would have said ‘yes’ to your question.”
“Things are convoluted.” Was stated around a grin, “dating, breaking up, sex, baby, final first date.”
Tim shrugged, “could care less. What matters is that we’re a team again, we manage things together.”
“Grey is going to be so angry. The math is off, can’t claim in ten weeks that we got together tonight.”
“He could care less, it’s the bureaucracy that is bearing down on him that made him dress us down on April Fool’s Day.” Tim let his lips rest against her knuckles. “So what’s the plan?”
Lucy sighed and he knew it was exasperation. “Are you available for the next eighteen years?”
“I’m available for the rest of our lives.” Honesty was the best policy, “so I guess we’re having a baby.”
“I guess so.”
FIVE YEARS LATER
The sound of officers milling around and talking was a common sound to Lucy. She sat at one of the desks filling out her paperwork for the day. Her rookie had ended up pulling a Ridley and vomiting on the crime scene. She’d found herself pinching her nose and telling her what she’d done wrong. Then she made the girl explain to the detectives why the crime scene was contaminated. Contamination required a lot of paperwork, more than she liked.
“Mama!”
The small voice made her smile as she looked up from the computer she was using to write the report. She found a small brunette in pigtails, a ballet leotard and wrap on her body with soft, pink ballet shoes on her feet. The girl made a beeline for her and so Lucy picked her up, pulling her into her lap. “How’s my favorite girl?”
“Good.”
“How was school?” She held onto small hands with her own.
A head leaned back to look at her, blue eyes so focused on her. “I was line leader today.”
“That’s an important role, I’m sure you did really good.” Kissing a small forehead, Lucy grinned. “How was ballet?”
“Okay. Balancing is hard.”
“I’m sure it is.” Lucy looked up to find Tim walking over with a small backpack in hand. “Did you tell Daddy about your day?” She got a hard nod.
Tim smiled, “she told me everything.” He put the small bag on the desk. “How much longer do you have?”
“Williams contaminated the crime scene today.” She put her daughter on her feet. “So a lot more than normal. Probably about twenty minutes.”
He nodded, “we’ll go around and say ‘hello’ to everyone. Come on Princess, let’s go say ‘hello’ to everyone. I think there are a few people that would like a hug. Let your mother finish her paperwork.”
“Okay.” She took his hand. “Daddy, can we see Uncle Wade and Aunt Angela?”
“I think they’re on the list of people to greet.”
It actually took thirty minutes and then another ten to change out. After changing out, she found Tim and their daughter speaking to Grey. The girl was clearly the one talking, Grey’s head nodding in all the right places. Approaching the office, she saw Tim turn to her. “Finished?”
“I am.”
Grey noticed and paused the girl’s speech. “Looks like your mom is ready.”
She hugged him, “missed you Uncle Wade.”
“I missed you also, Chloe.”
Chloe ran to her mother, taking her hand. “Mama, when is my brother coming?”
“In about six months, around Christmas.”
“I don’t have to share my birthday, do I?”
Tim chuckled, “we don’t know. We’ll know more the closer it gets to him coming.” He saw exhaustion in Lucy’s face. “You okay, baby?”
Lucy nodded, “just a long day. Rookies are so green the first month.”
“I’m vastly aware.”
“If I didn’t say it this morning, happy anniversary.”
A smile crossed his face, “happy anniversary, Luce. Five years down, another forty to go.”