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Sergeant Lucy Chen knows that the midnight shift is going to be brutal on her. Despite the fact that she’s more of a night owl, compared to a morning person, she’s rarely awake past 1 a.m. That is, unless Celina and Rodge are screaming over Hulu’s newest horror movie.
But the midnight shift was the only way she’d be able to take on the new title of Sergeant she worked so hard to obtain. So, if she has to suck up a few months of a backwards schedule, she would. Because she’s Lucy Chen, and Lucy Chen never turns down an opportunity.
All seemed to be going well before her first day of work; she slept during the day, ensuring that she’d be refreshed and alert to lead the night shift officers. She spent hours scouring the internet for the perfect mix of herbal teas to put her right to bed on command. Though, the moment she steps into the LAPD, the light already vanished from the sky, she feels the wave of exhaustion she’d been dreading wash over all of her efforts to stay awake.
“Tired already, Sergeant Chen?” Lieutenant Grey announces from a few paces away, causing Lucy’s heavy eyes to dart up from the ground. She notices the fact that he elongates the word Sergeant in his speech, and she can’t help but crack a humble smile.
“No, sir,” she assures him. “I’m ready to take on the da- night.”
“Good to hear,” he chuckles. “Have a great first shift.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it,” she waves goodbye as he heads out the door. She refrains from feeling jealous as she watches him, and the rest of the station, clock out at a normal time. Alas, she knows what she signed up for. So she slides her feet along the tile floors until she reaches the locker room.
It’s an odd feeling; up until now, her and Celina would usually burst into the locker rooms, full of energy and optimism. Lopez and Harper would tease them and their uncomfortable uniforms. The other officers would always flash confused looks, slightly put off by their joyous personalities so early in the morning.
She leans against the locker, soaking it all in for the first time. From today, she is no longer ‘Officer Lucy Chen.’ She was about to begin a brand new chapter of her career, and it didn’t feel like it. At least until now.
Before she runs the clock dry, she finds her usual locker, and is pleasantly surprised to find that it isn’t taken. With a distracted mind, she begins shoving her belongings inside. It takes a moment for her to realize that her purse doesn’t quite fit as it usually does.
She tries to shove it in farther, but it doesn’t budge. With furrowed brows, she bends down and inspects the locker. She’s surprised to find that there are two tiny objects resting along the back of the locker. She struggles to reach inside and pull them out.
When she finally does, she sees them: two black, tiny boots swinging by their laces in her hands.
“You didn’t think I’d forget, did you?” a voice rings out behind her. One that she recognizes immediately.
“Tim.” She turns around to find Tim Bradford, slouched against a locker in the entryway of the room, a smug grin painted across his face. “What are you doing here?”
“I- uh… I couldn’t let our little tradition go uncelebrated,” he tells her as he peels himself off of the cold metal, taking a couple of steps towards her.
“I can’t believe you remembered.” She takes a closer look at the shoes; they’re almost identical to the one’s she gave him on his first day as a Sergeant. Except, the seams are a little bit more criss-crossed. A small detail anyone else would miss.
“Oh, come on,” he scoffs. “You’re a rookie Sergeant now.”
“Ah,” Lucy rolls her eyes playfully. “You never could let me live out my rookie days, could you?”
“Of course not,” Tim huffs. “What’s the fun in that?”
“Well, I guess I deserve this,” she shakes her head, holding the boots up to her eye level.
“It’s a good luck charm,” he assures his ex-rookie.
“I’m gonna need it,” Lucy sighs.
“You don’t feel ready?” he questions, crossing his arms in front of his leather jacket.
“No, I do,” she corrects him hesitantly. “I just don’t know what to expect, you know?”
“I remember those days,” Tim reminisces. “Luckily, my super-annoying old rookie insisted on riding with me. Made things a little easier, so I wouldn’t shy away from a Sergeant’s aide.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about it,” Lucy agrees. Tim's advice always seemed to calm her down in a way she couldn't explain. “I just don’t know anyone on this shift.”
“So you’ll get to know them,” he reminds her gently.
“I know, I know. It’s just… I’m not a fan of the night shift.”
“As long as you don’t fall asleep in the shop,” Tim begins, biting back laughter.
“Hey!” Lucy exclaims defensively. “It was one time! And the t-shirt was punishment enough, you don’t need to keep bringing it up.”
Tim turns his neck to the side. “I disagree.”
“Okay, smart guy,” the new Sergeant tightens her lips. “You should probably head out, before the rest of the night shift gets here. You are in the girls locker room, anyway.”
“I guess you’re right,” Tim nods, hiding his disappointment. He turns to the door before saying, “have a good shift.”
“Thanks,” Lucy remarks back.
“Oh, and Lucy,” he turns back just as he swings the door open.
“Yeah?” she responds curiously.
“Congratulations. I knew you could do it.”
She leaves him with nothing more than a smile. Because if she were to speak, she’d probably choke on the lump forming in her throat.
“Clocking out?”
Lucy whips her heavy neck around a little too quickly. Though, she relaxes when her eyes land on Tim. Unlike her, he’s in a fresh set of clothes with wide eyes, a sense of buoyancy painted across his face.
“Finally,” she groans, throwing the strap of her duffle bag over her shoulder. “Night shift is not for the weak. Me and my bed are about to have a lovely 8 hour date.”
“Sounds lovely,” he chuckles. Somehow, he sees nothing but the beauty in her, despite the deep eyebags and frizzy hair. He gets the feeling that he’s staring, because Lucy begins to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand, likely waking them up. “Having regrets yet?”
“Not exactly,” she hums. “Can’t wait for a different position to open up, though.”
“Eh, you’ll get used to it, eventually,” he shrugs casually.
“Says you,” she complains. “Living the cushiony life of the daytime Sarge.”
“Seniority rules,” he reminds her proudly.
“Alright, alright,” she takes a deep breath. “Enough of your nonsense for the night.”
“Well, more like day,” he jokes, pointing at the rising sun rays beaming through the LAPD’s glass walls.
Lucy shakes it off with a giggle. “Goodbye, Tim. See you tonight.”
“See you tonight.”
And that’s about the only thing that gets him through his first Lucy-free shift. The first of many, unfortunately. But they’d manage. Because they were Lucy and Tim, after all. Sacrifices didn’t scare them. At least not anymore.