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Lucy was halfway through her sandwich when Celina leaned in, mid-story about some ridiculous traffic stop she and Jan had handled, when the front door of the café swung open. The sound of boots on tile and easy laughter followed.
She glanced up just in time to spot a familiar black shirt and broad grin.
“Of course,” she murmured under her breath.
Buck made his way straight over like there weren’t a dozen empty tables between them. Without asking, he slid into the booth beside her, shoulder brushing hers as if he’d been invited.
“Hey, Chen,” he greeted, stealing a fry off her plate before she could even say hello.
Celina raised an eyebrow, grinning. “He’s everywhere. I swear, you two are glued together.”
Buck turned to her with mock offense. “Everywhere? That makes me sound like some weird stalker.”
John snorted into his drink. “If the shoe fits.”
Buck clutched his chest like he’d been wounded. “Wow. Brutal. Here I am, just trying to enjoy a friendly lunch…”
Lucy rolled her eyes, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward. “Mmhmm. A friendly lunch where you eat half my fries.”
“Hey,” Buck said, holding up a fry like it was evidence in court. “One fry. That’s it. I’m a picture of self-control.”
Celina leaned across the table, smirking. “Tell me you didn’t just wander in here because you knew she’d be here.”
Buck grinned, not even bothering to deny it. “Maybe I just have excellent timing.”
Lucy shook her head, but she didn’t push him away. If anything, she moved her plate closer, already resigned to losing more fries.
Buck leaned back in the booth, giving Lucy one of those smug, I-know-something-you-don’t looks.
“So…” he started casually, popping another fry into his mouth, “I heard through the grapevine you went on a date with Tim.”
Lucy froze mid-bite, eyes narrowing. “Excuse me? It wasn’t a date.”
Buck’s grin widened. “Mhm. That’s exactly what people say when it was a date.”
“It wasn’t,” Lucy repeated firmly, setting her sandwich down like she needed both hands to make her point. “I went hiking. I happened to see Tim and Kojo. We happened to keep walking together. That’s it.”
“Right,” Buck drawled, leaning forward now, “and the lunch you had afterward?”
Lucy huffed. “We needed to eat. Hiking takes energy. It was just lunch.”
Buck hummed, unimpressed, his eyes still fixed on her. “Uh-huh.”
Lucy squinted at him. “Okay, how do you even know about this?”
Across the table, Celina suddenly found her coffee cup very interesting.
Lucy’s gaze snapped to her. “Oh no. Don’t you dare look away. How do you know about this?”
Celina hesitated for all of two seconds before blurting, “I saw him dropping you off.”
Lucy blinked. “You saw him dropping me off?”
“Exactly,” Celina cut in, clearly enjoying herself now. “But please remind us, if you started together, why was he dropping you off?”
Lucy opened her mouth… then closed it again. She had no words.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said finally, crossing her arms. “Because it wasn’t a date. It wasn’t. ”
Buck just smirked like she’d confirmed everything he suspected. “Sounds like a date to me.”
Lucy leaned back in her chair, pointing at Buck with her straw. “First of all, we co-parent Kojo.”
Buck snorted so loud that Celina nearly spat out her drink. “Lucy, Kojo is a dog. He doesn’t need to be co-parented.”
“Yes, he does, he needs me! I am his mother.” Lucy shot back, leaning forward. “And what if I need him because my so-called friends spend all their time teasing me instead of supporting me?”
Celina tried to look innocent. It didn’t work.
Lucy jabbed a finger at Buck. “And you’re not one to talk, Mr. ‘Takes Christopher out every other weekend’—”
“That’s different,” Buck cut in, already defensive.
“—for someone you never even dated,” Lucy finished, smirking.
Buck huffed, shaking his head. “It’s more for Christopher now. I love that kid. Eddie’s just… an asshole.”
Lucy’s face softened a little. “Still? Even after your last argument over… whatever stupid thing it was?”
“Yeah.” Buck shrugged like it was no big deal, though his jaw tightened. “He’s got a short temper. But as long as I can see Christopher, it doesn’t matter.”
Lucy let that hang for a beat, watching him.
Then Buck pointed his fry at her. “Hey, no—don’t change the subject. We were talking about your date .”
Lucy groaned, dropping her head back. “It wasn’t a date. Tim and I are… friends.” She hesitated, chewing her lip before continuing. “I don’t know if I could ever trust him with my heart again. But I can trust our friendship.”
Buck leaned back in his chair, giving Lucy a look that was way too knowing for her liking. “I don’t know, Luce… just be careful. It’s a slippery slope.”
Lucy scoffed. “There is no slope. It’s a straight line.”
Celina smirked. “Yeah—a straight line that leads right back to Tim’s house.”
Lucy pointed her straw at her. “No. Absolutely not. I’m focusing on other things right now.”
“Such as…?” Buck asked, clearly unconvinced.
Lucy took a sip of her drink, leaning in a little. “Such as wanting to move forward in my career. And clearly, that’s not gonna be as a detective, so… ideas are welcome.”
Celina grinned. “K9.”
John piped up without missing a beat. “SWAT.”
Buck smirked. “Sergeant. You’re bossy enough already.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “Wow. Thanks for that glowing review.”
The table laughed and the conversation kept flowing, about work, about ridiculous calls they’d had, about who was going to end up dancing at the next station party. But in the back of her mind, Lucy kept circling back to that one word.
Sergeant.
It lingered long after lunch was over.
A couple weeks later, Buck was standing at Lucy’s stove, sleeves rolled up and a wooden spoon in hand, while the smell of garlic and something amazing filled her apartment. Their weekly dinner night had become a ritual where Buck cooked, Lucy talked, and neither of them questioned how it started.
“So I’ve been keeping something from you,” Lucy said from her spot at the counter, chin resting in her hand, “Sergeant Grey gave me a rookie. Seth Ridley. Kid’s… got a lot of work ahead of him.”
Buck glanced over his shoulder. “Wait, you got a rookie? Don’t you have to test or something to be a TO?”
Lucy reached for her water, shaking her head. “Normally, yeah. But Wade, he can do whatever he wants. If he thinks you’re ready, he just… decides you are.”
Buck laughed, turning back to stir the pan. “Sounds like he and Bobby would be best friends. The ‘because I said so’ club.”
Lucy chuckled. “Oh, totally.”
He shot her a sidelong glance. “So… are you ready for this? Rookie riding shotgun every shift, counting on you to make sure they don’t crash and burn?”
Her smile softened, eyes flicking to the bubbling pot. “Honestly? Even after the hoops Wade made me jump through, I’m still a little wary. But—” She let out a breath. “Wade has faith in me. That’s gotta mean something, right?”
Buck didn’t hesitate. “Means everything. And for what it’s worth, I think you’re gonna be a great TO.”
Lucy arched a brow. “Because I’m bossy?”
“Bossy, patient when you wanna be, and you don’t let people off easy.” He grinned. “Perfect combo.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Thanks, I think?”
“Definitely a compliment,” Buck said, tossing something into the pan before looking back at her. “Now pass me that salt—you’re not getting out of helping completely.”
Lucy slid the salt across the counter with a smirk, but deep down, his words stayed with her. Maybe she really could do this.
The front door swung open without so much as a warning knock, and Tamara strolled right in.
Lucy didn’t even look up from her spot at the counter. “Since you don’t live here anymore, you have to knock.”
Tamara huffed, dropping her bag onto the floor. “Yeah, not happening.”
Lucy finally turned, giving her a pointed look. “Tamara. Celina lives here now, which means there has to be a bit of respect for other people’s space.”
Tamara waved a hand dismissively. “Celina’s not even here. Besides, she doesn’t care.”
“Still—” Lucy started, but Tamara cut her off with a grin.
“Anyway, I came to ask Buck a question.” She leaned her elbows on the counter, looking past Lucy to where Buck was at the stove. “I need a few extra babysitting gigs. Think you could pass my number around to people at the station?”
Buck glanced between them before nodding easily. “Yeah, sure. I know a couple folks who are always looking for someone last minute.”
Lucy tilted her head. “Why do you need more money?”
Tamara shrugged, suddenly fascinated with the seam on her sleeve. “Nothing. Just… textbooks and rent. No big deal.”
Lucy studied her for a second, but when Tamara kept her eyes down, she let it go with a small sigh. “Alright. Well, dinner’s almost ready. You staying?”
Tamara smirked. “If Buck’s cooking? Obviously.”
Buck chuckled as Lucy rolled her eyes, moving to grab an extra plate. Whatever Tamara wasn’t saying could wait, at least until after she was fed.
Later that evening, the three of them were sprawled around Lucy’s living room—Buck on the couch, Tamara in the armchair, and Lucy curled up on the floor with a mug of tea—when Lucy finally told them what had happened that afternoon.
“So there we are,” Lucy said, her tone already exasperated. “Middle of the crime scene, everything’s taped off, we’re doing our initial sweep, and suddenly, Seth throws up. On. Everything.”
Buck’s eyes widened. “Like… the entire scene?”
Lucy nodded grimly.
Tamara slapped a hand over her mouth, failing miserably to contain her laughter. “Tim would’ve washed him out on the spot.”
That was all it took, Buck and Tamara both broke into uncontrollable laughter, Buck leaning sideways into the couch cushions while Tamara doubled over in her chair.
When Buck finally caught his breath, he asked, “Okay, but seriously… who has to clean that up?”
Lucy groaned. “The poor medical examiner. Who will be receiving an amazing Christmas gift from me this year, by the way.”
“Sounds fair,” Buck said, still grinning.
Lucy shook her head. “This kid is going to be the death of me.”
Buck smirked. “Careful not to die around him—he might throw up on you.”
Tamara burst out laughing all over again.
“It’s not funny!” Lucy protested, even though she couldn’t hide the corner of her smile. “He has a sad backstory.”
Buck snorted. “So do I, and you don’t see me walking around throwing up everywhere.”
Lucy rolled her eyes, but the fondness in them was clear. “Yeah… Seth Ridley is going to be a lot of work. But I can handle him. I have to.”
Buck leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his expression softening.
“Hey,” he said, cutting through Tamara’s snickering. “You’re gonna be fine, Luce. You’ve handled way worse than one rookie with a weak stomach. This? This is gonna end really well for you.”
Tamara nodded without hesitation. “Yeah. You’re literally the most stubborn person I know. If you decide you’re gonna make him into a good cop, you will. No question.”
Lucy blinked, caught off guard by how quickly the teasing had shifted into genuine support. She glanced between them, Buck’s quiet certainty, Tamara’s unshakable belief, and felt something loosen in her chest.
For a moment, the weight of the day, of Seth’s mistakes, of her own self-doubt… all of it lightened. She could almost picture it, guiding him, seeing him succeed, proving to herself that she really could do this.
Maybe… maybe she did have this.