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Chapter Text

The morning sky was unusually cloudy for an August day in LA, but even that couldn't dampen Tim Bradford's spirits today. It was the first day for the new rookies, the highlight of his year. Looking away from the window, he was just about to raise his coffee cup to his mouth when a wet nose nudged his belly. Tim's gaze softened at the sight of his companion, and he placed his large hand on the wolf's head, stroking its coarse fur.
"Good morning, Nox," he whispered. In the safety of his home, he occasionally spoke to the majestic creature, though he would never admit it to others. Nox stretched sleepily, closing her eyes with pleasure. Her left eye was a deep blue, the same color as Tim's, but her right eye was milky and blind.
With a final gentle caress, Tim left her in the kitchen and got ready for the day.

The station buzzed with energy as Tim pushed open the glass door. A few people were standing at the front desk, waiting to be interviewed. A black cat scampered excitedly between his legs while its human, gesticulating wildly, described its boarding. Nox trotted behind him, unfazed, occasionally raising her head to glare disapprovingly at the other animals or rolling her eyes.

On his way to his seat in the roll call, he had to step over a lioness lying across the aisle, licking her paws.

"Lopez, your cat is in the way," he said as he sat down on the empty chair next to his colleague. Nox gently nudged the lioness with her head, who gave her a sideways glance but made no move to leave her spot on the floor. Rolling her eyes, the wolf climbed over her, while the lioness waited for the perfect moment, quickly rolled onto her back, stretched her legs, and with her large paws, plucked Nox off her feet. The stunned wolf quickly stood up and grumbled, but the lioness was already cleaning her paws again.
"Angela!" Tim scolded.
"Don't call her cat, she hates that," Angela replied. Tim crossed his arms and put on a grim expression. Just as he was about to reply, Grey entered the room and took his usual dominant position on the podium. His eagle flew to a perch a few feet from the blackboard and puffed out his chest as he looked over his subordinates.
"Today is a very special day. Fresh blood for us." Grey pointed to the three rookies at the front table. Only then did Tim notice them.
"Jackson West," Grey announced. A young guy stood up, bolt upright like a textbook, and introduced himself. Next to his perfectly ironed trouser leg stood a penguin, equally upright and with perfect plumage, adoring the sergeant on the podium with shining eyes.
"John Nolan." This guy was older, significantly older, and somehow he seemed out of place. Just like the golden retriever, who tilted his head questioningly from left to right when suddenly many pairs of eyes were directed at the two of them.
"And Lucy Chen." With that, a young woman stood up and looked around, masking her nervousness with feigned calm. On her arm sat a red panda, staring straight into Tim's face with amber eyes. Its fur shone even in the bright neon light of the room, and it wrapped its brown-striped tail around its human's neck. The tip of its tail landed on a tattoo on the side of her neck and stroked it gently.
"Shut your mouth, Bradford," Angela whispered, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Ow!" he groaned more loudly. "I've never seen a fox like this."
"That's because it isn't one," said Nyla, who was sitting next to Angela at the table and gently stroking the head of her chameleon, which was perched on the tabletop in front of her. "It's a red panda. Broaden your horizons, Bradford." The officer rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the front, but he could barely tear his gaze away from the creature that was now perched on the shoulder of the only female rookie.
Again, the animal found him with its gaze, and Tim couldn't look away. The next moment, Nox, who had been lying under the table, stretched, stood up, and poked her head into the aisle between the tables. The panda's intense gaze instantly settled on her, and the wolf froze.
"Nolan with Harper, Chen with Bradford, and West with Lopez," Grey announced. Tim's heart skipped a beat. Nox took a big step into the aisle, but her back paw caught on the table leg and she fell to the floor with a loud crash. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to the wolf, who quickly got up and disappeared back under the table.
"Something wrong, Bradford?" Grey asked.
"I have absolutely no idea what's wrong with her today, sir," Tim replied dutifully, some of the other officers laughing behind their hands. The rookies also turned around, and Tim stared into his rookie's eyes, which shone even brighter than her panda's.
Shit. These were going to be the longest months of his life.

"Boot!" Tim shouted as the room slowly emptied. Lucy immediately appeared at his side, still holding the panda tightly in her arms.
"Yes, sir?"
"I'll show you exactly how to prepare the shop once. Starting tomorrow, you'll do it yourself. For every mistake, you'll do push-ups. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." He walked quickly toward the garage.
"Can this thing walk?" he asked when she caught up to him, still clutching the panda.
"His name is Quilin, and yes, he can walk." With that, she gently set the animal down on the ground. Nox, who had walked around the car, immediately appeared next to the hood. She hurried toward the group, but missed the open passenger door and slammed headfirst into it. The sound echoed throughout the room.
"What about yours, sir?" Lucy asked, laughing, and immediately fell silent when she saw his look.
"Push-ups. 25. Go!" was all he replied, and she knew better than to argue. Even as she lay down on the dirty garage floor, Quilin approached the wolf with gentle steps, who was still lying stunned on the ground next to the car.
Carefully, she extended her front paw and placed it on the wolf's large head. At first, Nox closed her eyes in delight, then she recovered, shook off the paw, and bared her teeth. The panda backed away in alarm, its eyes wide open.

Chapter Text

"The most important rule in my shop: No personal conversations. No questions about my favorite color, my family, or my life. And especially no questions about Nox. You will not speak to her, look at her for too long, or interact with her in any other way. Was that clear?" The TO's harsh voice echoed loudly through the interior of the car. Lucy tried not to let her uncertainty show. All in all, she had known that this training wouldn't be easy, but that she would be stumped by the epitome of a drill sergeant was just bad luck. Quilin was curled up on her lap, his head hidden between his front paws as if that could soften the harsh words of the man to her left.
"Yes, sir," she replied instead, discreetly pressing her panda a little closer to her body.
Nox sat in the back seat, looking out the window with the same tense expression as Tim.
The next moment, a voice came on the radio, and they were dispatched to an abandoned building to clear out peddlers. Arriving at the address, the door was wide open, and they entered slowly with their weapons drawn. It was dead silent in the large house as they moved slowly from room to room, their only communication being hand signals and glances. Nox crept a few steps behind the two humans, crouching low, and Quilin followed him, mimicking her position.

Tim entered a large room first, which must have once been a home theater, and immediately saw the slumped body sitting on one of the sofas. He pointed Lucy in that direction, and she nodded.

"LAPD, please show us your hands," she called, but the man didn't move. They continued cautiously toward him. Lucy's heart was pounding; all the training at the academy hadn't prepared her for what real life could offer, and she gripped the handle of her weapon a little tighter. After what felt like an eternity, they circled the couch, and a horrific sight met their eyes. The man, no older than twenty-five, had glassy eyes. His mouth was open, and his head was jutting back, his Adam's apple bobbing with each shallow breath.
"Sir, do you need help?" Lucy asked, but the man didn't respond. A small badger lay curled up at his feet, also unmoving. As Tim pulled gloves from his pocket to search the man for weapons, Nox and Quilin also stepped around the couch. While the wolf sat down and took in the scene from a distance, Quilin walked straight toward the badger and was about to nudge him with his nose when Tim's loud voice echoed through the room.
"Stop," he yelled in the direction of the panda, and both he and Lucy flinched loudly and froze.
"Take him away from there, immediately!" the older officer ordered, and Lucy leaped forward and scooped the panda into her arms.
The next second, the man on the couch made a strangled noise and opened his eyes wide. His badger leaped to its feet, screamed horribly, and crumbled to dust.
Lucy's breath caught and she jumped forward to look for the man, but Tim reached out and held her back.
"It's too late," he said dryly. Freeing himself from the grip, Quilin jumped to the ground and cautiously padded toward the small pile of ash that had formed on the floor. He sniffed at it with a questioning expression.
"I'm guessing overdose," Tim said, pointing to a small table next to the sofa, on which lay empty pill packs and several bottles of liquor. But Lucy couldn't take her eyes off the man; the life had drained from them. A shiver ran down her spine.
"Boot? Fresh air?" Tim asked, much more gently, placing his hand on her shoulder. She managed a small nod before letting him pull her out of the house. Outside, he pushed her onto a low wall. His large hand found her shoulder again.
"Was that the first time you've seen a dead body?" he asked.
"No," she answered dryly.
"The first time you've seen someone die?" This time she nodded weakly.
"I know this sounds heartless, but we have a job to do here. We have to inform our colleagues and prepare everything. Once that's done, we'll take some time, sit down, and talk about it, okay?" he asked in an unusually gentle voice. Lucy looked up, took a deep breath, and nodded.
Some time later, they were sitting in their shop, and Tim drove them to the edge of a park.
"Early lunch break," he announced, gesturing for her to sit down as he ran toward one of the food trucks. Lucy wanted to shout to him that she wasn't hungry at all, but he was already out of earshot. To her surprise, he returned with only two bottles of water and two bags of potato chips. Without a word, he sat down next to her and handed her her portion.
"Do I look so terrible that you're buying me food?" Lucy asked, putting on a fake smile. The older officer rolled his eyes and was about to take the water bottle away from her when she raised her hand apologetically.
"It's fine. Thank you for that." They sat next to each other in silence for a few moments, staring straight ahead as the trees around them rustled gently in the wind.
"Do they always turn to ash?" Lucy asked quietly.
"Yes. When a person dies, the animal goes with them. Very rarely, the animal dies before the person. Believe me, you don't want to experience that." Nox suddenly raised his head at these words and shook himself vigorously, as if shaking off an unpleasant memory.
"Did you experience it?" Lucy continued. Clutching her water bottle tightly, she forgot Tim's golden rules about private conversations for a moment.
"Once. Iraq. One of the villagers was working in his field when he stepped on an IED. The doctors were able to revive him, but his sheep had already turned to dust. He died a short time later." The words hung heavy between them both.
Nox had laid down right next to Tim's leg, her rough fur brushing against the officer's trouser leg, and she laid her head on her front paws with a sad expression.
Under the table, unnoticed by Tim and Lucy, Quilin crept up to the wolf and lay down on the floor right next to her. Their bodies were separated by only a few millimeters. With a surprised expression, Nox raised her head and was about to bare her teeth again when the panda quickly licked the wolf's paw and then curled up. The wolf stared at the panda, then at her paw, and back at the panda, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened.
"How many times have you been to Iraq?" Lucy asked, the forgotten bag unopened in her hand.
"Three times." His expression turned dark. Throwing all principles aside, Lucy reached out and placed her hand on her TO's forearm, whereupon he flinched, pulled his arm away from her, and jumped up. Under the table, Nox did exactly the same, jumping away from Quilin, who just looked at her questioningly.
"No personal conversations," Tim grumbled and stomped back to the shop.

That evening, Lucy and Jackson sat in their small apartment and talked about their first day, while Jackson's penguin, Flippy, and Lucy's panda, Quilin, playfully chased each other around the living room.
As expected, Jackson exceeded all expectations and was already able to impress his TO.
"Lopez is great, and Vida is a real diva. I love it," he proclaimed loudly.
"Vida?"
"Her lioness. She's strong, fast, and knows exactly what she wants." Even though Lucy wasn't sure if Jackson was referring to Lopez or her lioness, she knew these traits applied to both.
"I can't figure out Bradford. I think his layers have layers."
"I'd be very interested to know why his wolf has one blind eye."
"He told me this morning that personal questions are taboo. Especially about Nox."
"Maybe Lopez will spill the beans on what happened. They're best friends," Jackson said, taking a sip of wine.
"Those two? They're so completely different."
"She said they knew each other from the academy and have been best friends ever since."

The next day began like the last. Roll call and then onto the streets of LA. The weather was beautiful, the sun wasn't too hot, and a light breeze blew through the city.
Until the moment Tim was shot.

Chapter Text

It took a split second for Lucy to realize that Tim had been hit by one of the shots and had collapsed with a strangled sound. Without thinking, she ran toward him, crouching down beside him, praying he was still breathing. From the corner of her eye, she saw Nox collapse next to the shop and lie lifeless.
"Can you hear me, Bradford?" she shouted a little too loudly into his ear. He nodded, his eyes half-closed. Blood pooled beneath him, forming a small puddle. Applying as much pressure as her body could, Lucy leaned onto the bleeding wound. He groaned in pain but tried to speak again.
"Gloves, Boot."
"You're an idiot... sir," she said, but he had already fainted.
A few steps away from them, Quilin had stood next to Nox, who was also unconscious, and was desperately licking her fur. When that didn't wake the wolf, the panda laid his slender body on top of hers and hissed at anyone who came near.
A few horrific minutes later, an ambulance arrived, and Tim was lifted onto a stretcher and pushed into the car. One of the firefighters carefully lifted Nox onto the stretcher as well, so that she was lying on her human's legs. Meanwhile, Quilin hissed like the devil, making his displeasure more than clear.
"Are you coming with us, Officer?" one of the men simply asked. Lucy nodded silently and got into the car, where her panda gratefully jumped onto Tim's legs and curled up next to Nox again. The desire to take Tim's hand was hard to suppress for Lucy, but she tried to remain professional; he would certainly expect that of her.
Once they arrived at the hospital, the injured man was immediately taken away, while Lucy and her excited panda remained in the waiting area.
"Boot?" an excited voice called from the door a few minutes later. Lucy spotted Angela rushing through the glass door with Jackson in tow.
"What happened?" the Latina asked nervously.
"We got caught in a gunfight, and one of the bullets landed next to the vest."
"That idiot. He really lets himself get shot. Again," Angela announced loudly.
"Again?" Jackson asked, placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder and feeling her tremble.
"Bradford is a chaos magnet. And I say that as someone who likes chaos. But he's the first one to run into firefights, jump off things, throw himself in front of cars, and so on. I swear, he's aged me at least ten years." While the three officers sat down in the waiting area, Vida sniffed Lucy's panda for the first time. The two had seen each other from a distance, but had never had the chance to get to know each other. Even though the impressive lioness towered over the panda by several heads, she lowered her head with friendly eyes and nudged the stranger with her nose. Flippy also placed his wing on Quilin's back reassuringly.
"He told me about his deployments in Iraq," Lucy continued.
"Really? Normally, he never talks about personal things with his rookies until they're P2," Angela replied, surprised.
"The subject came up." With a raised eyebrow, Angela stared at her counterpart for a moment, but decided not to respond.
The next moment, a doctor approached the group and announced that the wounded man would soon be well again. Everyone breathed an audible sigh of relief, and the rookies said goodbye to Angela, who wanted to sit with her colleague for a while.
But when Lucy finished her shift and got into her car, she just couldn't stand it any longer, so she drove to the hospital to make sure her TO was okay.
"Hey, Chen," Tim greeted her dryly from his bed. Nox was still lying on his legs, his head stretched out on his front paws, eyeing the new arrivals with a sideways glance.
Angela and Vida stood at the other end of the room and greeted Lucy and Quilin with a nod. Ignoring the people around him, Quilin jumped onto Tim's bed and curled up next to Nox as if he'd done it hundreds of times before.
"What?" Tim asked, surprised.
"He's been growling at all the firefighters who've come near Nox. He probably just wants to see if she's okay. Is he too heavy? Then I'll take him down?" But Tim stared at the image in front of him for a moment longer. His big wolf, majestic as always, if a little scruffy from the exertion, allowing the little red panda to cuddle up to him as if his life depended on it. Maybe it was the medication or the blood loss, but a warm feeling ran through him for a moment.
"No, it's okay if it makes him feel better," he stammered. Lucy considered replying for a moment that it might be good for Nox too, but she bit back the comment. Angela, on the other hand, carefully observed what was happening in front of her and made a firm resolution to discuss it with Tim as soon as his rookie left.
Lucy didn't stay long; after about an hour, she lifted the ranting panda off the bed and left the hospital room.
"Do you want to tell me something?" Angela asked, sitting down on a chair next to Tim's bed.
"What do you mean?"
"Quilin and Nox?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Don't kid me, Bradford. The panda just walked in, jumped onto your bed, and cuddled with Nox. CUDDLED. Even with Vida, she doesn't allow that, and they've known each other for years. What's going on?" Absentmindedly, Tim placed his hand on his wolf's head and began stroking the straw-like fur.
"Nothing's going on. She's my rookie. Quilin is just overly friendly, and Nox is probably still a bit tired from the surgery, which is why she didn't resist." As if she had something to prove, Vida placed her large lion's head on the mattress next to Nox, and the wolf immediately flinched, as if the lioness had given her an electric shock.
"You're kidding yourself, Timothy."

The next day, Lucy was called into Grey's office, where the stern-faced sergeant and his eagle were already waiting for her.
"Good morning, Officer Chen. I just spoke with Bradford, and he's being discharged today, but it will still take some time before he's fit for duty. I don't have another available TO here at the moment, so you'll be rotating between officers. It's not ideal, but knowing Bradford, he'll be back sooner than any of us would like." Grey rose from his chair, while Quilin curiously walked toward the large eagle's perch and stood on his hind legs to get a better look. The majestic bird looked down at him, somewhat incredulous.
"For the next three days, you'll be shadowing Smitty, and let me tell you one thing: he was definitely not my first choice. Please don't take everything he says seriously. At best, don't take anything he says seriously at all and make it through the shifts without causing too much damage. And I don't mean that against you in any way."
Lucy thought about his words for a long time until she saw the officer walking toward her after Roll Call. A few meters behind him waddled a strange animal. She'd never seen anything like it before.
"Officer Chen, nice to meet you. Call me Smitty, everyone does around here. This is Nobility, my platypus, but I just call her Nobi." Lucy smiled fakely and tried to process the information. What on earth was a platypus?

Chapter Text

Lucy actually made it through the first two shifts with Smitty and his more than strange companion, but on the third day, the older officer surprised her with a daring driving maneuver that ended in a fire hydrant. She jumped out of the car and away from the fountain, which shot several meters into the air. Smitty just grumbled casually and spoke into his radio while his platypus happily rolled around in the puddles.
Shaking her head, Lucy radioed the fire department and had just placed traffic cones around the accident scene when her phone rang. Her TO's name appeared on the screen.
"Bradford?" she asked, surprised.
"I heard about the accident over the radio. Is everything okay?"
"Yes, we're fine. Smitty underestimated the curve a bit while we were following a suspicious vehicle. Unfortunately, the shop hit a fire hydrant, and we're currently marveling at a considerable fountain." Tim laughed quietly in the background.
"Are you listening to the police radio while you recover from your gunshot wound?" Lucy asked, leaning against a wall; there was nothing she could do but wait for the fire department anyway.
"Any good cop does that, Chen." Next to Lucy, Quilin was chasing his own shadow, hopping happily from one foot to the other. She smiled, and realized she'd missed Tim's voice. Even though he put on a tough cop act, she couldn't shake the feeling there was more to him.
Growing up in a family of therapists, she'd often spent time at her parents' office after school, observing all sorts of people. There was nothing bad about either Tim or Nox; she could just tell.
"Remind me I won't let you drive when I get back on duty," Tim was saying, pulling her out of her daydream.
"Hey, I wasn't even driving when the accident happened."
"But you let Smitty drive. That shows absolutely poor judgment." This time it was Lucy who laughed.
"I admit, I don't understand him. And his platypus even less."
"That thing has been giving me nightmares ever since I first saw him. No living creature should look like that," Tim confirmed with an audible smile. Sirens could be heard in the distance.
"Ah, the fire department is coming. I have to hang up. When will you be back?" Lucy asked hopefully. She didn't know how many more shifts with Smitty she could manage.
"Next week, I think. Try not to unlearn too much by then, or you'll be doing a lot of push-ups."
"I'm looking forward to it, sir," Lucy said, and hung up. With a small smile on her lips, she walked toward the firefighters.

Tim paced back and forth in his house. He hated doing nothing, and recovering from a minor gunshot wound was definitely doing nothing. Nox lay on the ground by the back door, staring out into the sun-drenched garden as if searching for something. Before Tim could form another thought, there was a knock at his front door, and Nox jumped to her feet as if struck by lightning. With a few leaps, she was at the door and waited impatiently for Tim to open it.
The large heads of Vida and Angela appeared, holding a bag. Visibly disappointed, the wolf took a step back and padded back into the living room.
"Control your joy at seeing me," Angela said, pushing Tim aside to enter the house.
"I don't know what's wrong with her either." Tim closed the door and turned to follow Angela. Too late, he realized she had stopped just behind him, and he ran into her.
"Honestly? You don't know what's wrong with her?" the Latina asked. He rubbed his nose, a little scrunched up, and shook his head.
"She misses him."
"Who?" Angela rolled her eyes.
"Quilin, Lucy's panda."
"Why would she miss my boot's panda?" Angela rolled her eyes again and slumped onto the couch, but didn't pursue the subject any further. Let the idiot figure it out himself.
"I'm bringing gossip. Are you ready?" she asked instead, handing him the bag full of takeout. Bag in hand, he went into the kitchen and returned with two full plates.
"Not really."
"I don't care, I'll tell you anyway. Harper's boot, that Nolan, ripped his pants today trying to climb over a fence. Completely. And Harper keeps a tally of how many times his golden retriever runs into a wall per shift. Today at lunch, it was six."
"I'm really not sure how he got through the academy," Tim remarked, taking a delicious bite of his food. Vida had joined Nox and sat beside her, both of them staring toward the horizon. As always, the lioness moved slowly around Nox, barely touching her. But they both clearly enjoyed sitting next to each other, looking out the window together and hearing each other breathe.
"And he's already stepped on Mutatio twice," Angela continued.
"Nolan stepped on Harper's chameleon?" Tim's expression showed horror. Not only was it illegal to touch other people's companions, but it was also extremely painful.
"God no. Vincent stepped on Mutatio."
"Who's Vincent?" Angela rolled her eyes again.
"Nolan's golden retriever. Are you even listening to me?"
"My brain shuts down by the fourth sentence." Angela punched him in the upper arm, making him grimace.
They finished eating, and Angela grabbed the remote and scanned the channels.
"And how's Chen doing?" Tim asked as casually as possible.
"She's been out with Officer Miller for the past few days. Just a slight step up from Smitty." Tim's mind immediately pictured the officer whose favorite job was writing tickets, whenever he ever left his shop. He and his sloth, who always slept in a small cloth bag, weren't really a sensible choice for HIS rookie's training.
"I'll be able to start all over again with her soon."
"She'll be fine." Tim lowered his gaze, and at the same time, Nox exhaled loudly.

Tim lasted exactly four more days at home before heading out to visit Lucy during her lunch break. Very discreetly, of course. Officer Miller liked to drop the rookies off at a diner, which is where he found them.
She was sitting on a bench next to the diner in the sun, staring straight ahead, lost in thought.
"So, how's your day?" Tim asked casually, sitting down next to her. When she looked up and saw him, her face lit up for a split second. At the same moment, Quilin spotted Nox and raced toward her, romping around her legs and making a squeaking noise. The wolf looked disapproving, but had a warm expression in his eyes and sat down a short time later to press his nose against the little panda's shoulder in greeting.
Lucy groaned. "It's terrible. Officer Miller is..." She didn't finish the sentence.
"Yes, I know. But people like that belong to the LAPD too. Our job is to make a difference. Away from the established ways."
"Very poetic." Tim rolled his eyes, but had the hint of a smile on his lips.
"Look at it this way: The more different officers you get to know, the more you'll appreciate me," he said with a mischievous grin on his face.
Before Lucy could respond, Tim's face turned pale and he stared at something in front of them that she hadn't noticed. Nox also stood bolt upright, her hair standing on end, and grumbled quietly. Lucy, startled, followed her TO's gaze and saw a gaunt blonde woman rummaging through a trash can.
"Isabell?" Tim asked, his voice shaky, a tremor running through his entire body.

Chapter Text

The woman, whose snow-white cockatoo had landed on her shoulder, shook her head in alarm. Tim walked slowly toward her as if afraid of frightening her, while Nox pressed against his leg, visibly uneasy.
"Tim?" the woman managed.
"Yes, it's me. I've been looking for you for so long." The woman shook her head, eyes wide open.
"You shouldn't wait for me, I'm not coming back, Tim," she said in a trembling voice. Even though the officer's expression didn't change, the shock in Nox was clearly visible. She rolled her hind foot and had difficulty getting back up.
"Nox looks... older," the woman remarked, approaching the wolf in two long strides. Tim's eyes widened and she reached out, but this time Lucy was faster.
"Ma'am, please do not touch the animal without consent!" she said in a harsh voice. She was in uniform, and that was her job: protecting people. People and their animals.
"It's okay, sweetheart, Nox knows me and she's used to my touch." With that, she placed her hand on the shoulder of the limping wolf, who immediately flinched and cried out. Next to him, Tim tensed, visibly in pain, and squeezed his eyes shut.
"I'm warning you one last time, Ma'am. Take your hand away or I'll arrest you," Lucy's strong voice pierced the air. Startled, Isabell took her hand away and took a step back. Lucy stepped toward her, deliberately placing herself between her and Tim and pushing her back further.
"I need your personal information, Ma'am." With that, she pulled a notebook from her bag.
"Isabell... Isabell Bradford." That made Lucy look up, startled.
"Bradford as in?"
"His wife," Isabell replied, pointing at Tim. Lucy swallowed dryly and tried to concentrate on the blonde woman's voice in front of her, over the rushing of her own blood. Had she really just threatened her TO's wife with arrest? That could only mean bad things for her.
"Um, okay. I still need your current home address, just in case Officer Bradford, uh, wants to file a complaint." Yup, she'd definitely be directing traffic for the rest of her life.
Once she'd written down the address and Isabell had left, Lucy turned back to Tim, her face bright red. Tim was standing there with his arms crossed as if nothing had happened.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I didn't know," Lucy stammered. But he just breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on the bench.
"It's okay. Isabell isn't really my wife anymore. She left me about a year ago. Or rather, she took off overnight and I haven't seen her since." With that, he lowered his gaze to his hands. Nox approached them, still limping slightly, and sat down in front of Tim, who lovingly stroked his head. Quilin joined him and rubbed his head against the wolf's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" With that, Lucy placed her hand on his forearm, while in front of them the panda began licking Nox's injured leg. The large creature closed its eyes in enjoyment and let him do his thing.
"I will be," Tim said cryptically, letting the warmth radiating from her hand on his bare skin warm his body for a moment.

A few hours later, Lucy entered the locker room where Angela and Nyla were having a lively conversation. Next to them, Mutatio the Chameleon was sitting on Vida's back, repeatedly pinching the skin between her shoulder blades with his pointed toes. The lioness wriggled back and forth, trying to shake the small animal off, making playful noises.
"Hey, Boot. How was your day?" Angela asked.
"I was thinking about whether it's possible to die of boredom, but then I met Isabell during lunch." Both Angela and Nyla froze.
"Isabell?" Nyla asked cautiously.
"Tim's wife, ex-wife, as he puts it."
"He talked to you about Isabell?" This time it was Angela who asked incredulously. Even Vida and Mutatio had stopped their game and were staring at the young officer.
"A little. We were having lunch when she showed up." While Lucy changed, Nyla and Angela stared at each other, open-mouthed.

It took exactly 45 minutes before there was a knock on Tim's front door. Not a normal knock, but a genuine threat.
"Bradford, open the door immediately!" came Angela's harsh voice from outside. He opened it, and both she and Nyla pushed him aside.
"What's the fire?" he asked, surprised.
"Are you serious? Your wife suddenly shows up and you don't even think to call me?" Angela asked.
"How?"
"Lucy told us, and don't distract me. I've listened to your suffering for months, made sure you eat and sleep and don't drown in your sorrow. And now you don't even call me?" With that, Angela pushed him aside, went into his kitchen, and got a beer from his fridge. Tim stared after her, wide-eyed, until his gaze fell on Nyla.
"I didn't do any of that," she said simply, following Angela into the kitchen. More than confused, Tim closed the door.
"She left you in the middle of the night, with a huge pile of debt and not even a note," Angela raged as she handed Nyla a beer.
"That bitch should have been arrested right away."
"Lucy was close," Tim said quickly.
"What?" Angela asked, flopping down on the couch. Nox was lying on a chair by the window under a wool blanket, only her head sticking out.
"She grabbed Nox," Tim explained quietly. This made the Latina's face turn bright red, and she jumped up from the couch and ran across the room.
"You can't be serious. This..." A few swear words followed in Spanish, which Tim only partially understood.
"And why are you here?" Tim asked Nyla, who was sitting on the couch stroking her chameleon.
"I like beer and drama," she said dryly, taking a sip of her drink. Tim rolled his eyes. If only he had stayed in bed today.

Chapter Text

Lucy found herself humming out of the locker room. Tim was finally back on duty, and she could barely contain her joy. Of course, she knew that this would make her training a lot harder, but that's why she was here. And she had a feeling Tim was exactly the person who would turn her into the cop she wanted to be. Perhaps she hadn't just missed her TO, but also a little bit of the Tim he'd shown her for a moment before he'd put his guard up again.
Quilin jumped up and down happily beside her as she sat down in her usual spot in the front row, scanning the room as inconspicuously as possible. The TO bench was still completely empty.
"Something's going on today," Jackson said hastily as he sat down next to her. Even Flippy looked unsettled.
"Why do you think that?" Lucy asked.
"My ear itches!" he answered, as if it were obvious. Lucy chuckled; she was used to her friend's quirks, and somehow it was sweet.
"I say he's crazy," Nolan remarked as he sat down last at the rookie table. But before either of the other two could respond, Grey entered the room with a smile on his face, which definitely didn't bode well.
"Today we're going to be a little adventurous," he began, standing up on the podium.
"Our rookies are swapping their TOs today." Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Officer Chen, I know you've been trying out some of our best people over the past few days..." Quiet laughter filled the room. "...but you'll have to go another day without Bradford. Chen to Harper, Nolan to Lopez, and West to Bradford. Get to know each other, build a connection, and learn something from each other. And to make things even more exciting, I'll give you a task. Tomorrow, you'll show me something you can't do today." All three rookies opened their eyes at the same time.

Harper was completely different from Bradford, that much was clear to Lucy after the first fifteen minutes. She seemed more relaxed, didn't have Tim's overly correct stiffness, and she rarely raised her voice. However, she had perfected the malicious stare.
"I'm not Bradford, I don't do silly tests and I couldn't care less whether the ventilation is running or not. But if I don't get the basics right, I'll be very uncomfortable, understand?" she asked in a hard voice.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Very good." Harper gestured for her to get behind the wheel, something Tim never allowed her to do. They drove through their assigned zone, carefully observing their surroundings when Harper next spoke.
"It's not easy being a woman in the police force. It's a male-dominated field, and they make you feel it every day. If you don't want to go under, it's advisable to find your specialty."
"What's your specialty, Ma'am?"
"I was undercover for many years. Had a few identities, a few big arrests. That was my thing." Mutatio crawled out of her jacket pocket, and she stroked his scaly head. Lucy bit back the question of why Harper had given up.
"I'd actually be interested in going undercover too. I think I'm pretty good at pretending, but he..." she pointed to the back seat, where Quilin was sleeping soundly, "can't do it." Harper looked over her shoulder at the little panda.
"That's not a bad thing in the normal world; you're just an open-hearted person. But in our world, that's dangerous. I can show you a few tricks to rein him in, but I don't know if that'll be enough to completely cool down this figment of good humor." Lucy smiled and nodded eagerly.
The next morning, after the roll call, the rookies and their TOs remained in the room, and Grey pointed expectantly at Jackson, who was demonstrating a technique for wrestling much stronger attackers to the ground.
"Oh, and one more thing," Jackson said quickly as he straightened up. He pointed to his penguin, who was rolling his eyes impressively. The room burst into laughter as Nox and Tim made the exact same gesture.
"Nolan, I hope Lopez taught you more than eye-rolling," Grey said, still laughing. Angela gestured for the others present to step back a bit and moved a few chairs. Nolan, with his dog Vincent at his side, stepped to the front of the group, closed his eyes for a moment, exhaled audibly, and opened them again. Then, lightning-quickly, he pulled out his radio, pretended to press the talk button, and spoke a few key phrases quickly but clearly, while Vincent, as if struck by lightning, slalomed through the chair legs. To everyone's surprise, he didn't touch a single thing and seconds later, he sat down next to Nolan's leg again.
"Wow," Harper remarked quietly.
"Focus and concentration," Angela declared, clearly proud of herself. Grey nodded in agreement and pointed to Lucy.
She stepped in front of the group, burst into hearty laughter out of nowhere, and burst into tears just a second later. Quilin mirrored her mood swings perfectly, shifting from happy to sad in a split second.
"You taught her how to act?" Tim asked Nyla.
"No, she already knew that. I taught her how to use her emotions so Quilin could sell it, too. If she ever ends up in the UC, it will open many doors for her."
"Remarkable, of all of you. As a reward, everyone gets to go on patrol with their own TO again today. See you at the end of your shift," Grey added, leaving the room.

The familiar silence in the shop with Tim had something calming about it. But as Tim drove, he gripped the steering wheel tighter than usual, and Nox was fidgeting in the back seat.
"Pain?" Lucy asked cautiously. One of his typical evil looks hit her.
"No personal conversations in my shop," he said caustically.
"Wow. I thought we'd gotten over that when I saved your life," Lucy replied dryly. By now, his knuckles were white from his grip on the steering wheel.
"And I should know if pain is distracting you." Tim slammed on the brakes with such force that everyone in the car was thrown forward. Behind them, several cars honked.
"I've been off duty for a few days, but that doesn't mean you can forget all your principles. I'm your superior, and I'll definitely take note if you accuse me of being distracted on duty." His voice was hard and ragged. Lucy flinched almost imperceptibly.
"I'm sorry, sir. I would never suggest something like that. It won't happen again," she stammered. He quickly weaved back into the slow-moving traffic.
"I thought so." That was the last thing the two spoke to each other for the next few hours.
Lucy wondered where the relaxed man she had met a few days ago had gone, and she almost regretted wishing Tim back as her TO. But after she had fetched them both coffee, he finally spoke again.
"Is UC really something you're interested in?" Lucy stared at him, wondering if this was another Tim test and if she shouldn't have any personal conversations, but then decided to answer.
"I don't know yet. I've taken some psychology courses and learned a lot from my parents that might be useful to me, but it's a big step. I don't have to decide yet. Why?" She wasn't going to get an answer to that question, because Tim was already back at work, fully focused.

It wasn't until she was on her way to the locker room at the end of her shift that Lucy took another deep breath. The tense atmosphere between her and Tim had been almost unbearable over the past few hours. Before she could enter the room, however, she heard something fall and someone curse. Helpful as she was, she followed the noise to an empty office and entered. She froze at what she saw. Tim was standing shirtless in the middle of the room, trying to bandage his gunshot wound.
"What are you doing here?" he snarled at her, but she didn't react. Instead, she stepped forward and took the bandage from his hand.
"I'll help." She made a circular motion with her index finger to tell him to turn around, and to her surprise, he did. Not without rolling his eyes, of course. The wound was bleeding slightly, and one of the stitches had come loose.
"I think one of the stitches came undone. It's still holding, but you should have it checked in case another one comes loose," she said, but only received a grumble in response. With nimble fingers, she tended the wound.
"Isabell was UC," Tim whispered barely audibly. Next to him, Nox began frantically licking his forefoot. Lucy paused her work for a moment, absorbed what had been said, and then continued. That at least explained his bad mood today, she thought.
"I'm sorry if I reopened old wounds with my answer," she said simply. Quilin sat down next to Nox, watched her for a moment, and then placed his paw on hers to interrupt her licking.
"I didn't think it would affect me this much, but the whole thing with Isabell..." He didn't finish the sentence.
Lucy's expression softened as she wondered how much baggage the man in front of her must be carrying. He seemed so broken in the few moments when he let her peek behind his wall.
"It would be strange if you felt nothing. Betrayal is a horrible thing, and it leaves scars." With that, Quilin buried his nose in the spot on Nox's fur where she had previously licked, exposing the scar that stood blood-red on the wolf's foreleg. His large brown eyes looked up into Nox's blue ones as if asking for her permission. Her hard expression softened, too, and she visibly relaxed as the little panda licked the large scar with careful movements.
"I don't even know exactly what I feel," Tim continued.
"That's okay too. Sometimes it takes time," Lucy replied, taking her hands off Tim's upper body when she was satisfied with the dressing. He quickly turned back to her, the familiarity of a few seconds ago forgotten. Nox, too, pushed Quilin aside with his head and stood up.
"I'll expect you on time for roll call tomorrow," Tim said.
"I'll be there, sir."

Chapter Text

The next few weeks were quieter, and Lucy enjoyed more Tim tests than anyone else should. But she learned a lot from him, even if she regretted that he was completely withdrawing from her again. But that was just his way, she thought.
Once the first four months of her rookie period were over, the initial nervousness slowly gave way to routine, and Tim even let her drive the shop. Once.
It was one of the wildest days of the year: Valentine's Day. While Grey prepared his officers, the rookies had completely different worries.
"I don't have a date again," complained Jackson.
"It's just one day. Nothing special," replied Nolan.
"You're a real straight man. It's Valentine's Day, and anyone who doesn't have a date today is out of control."
"Okay, wow. Even I think that's a bit harsh, Jackson. I don't have a date today either, and I don't want one," Lucy interjected.
"What are you going to do? Your panda only has eyes for your TO's wolf."
"Jackson! That's not true at all."
"It's true," Nolan interjected.
"I was defending you a minute ago, and now you're stabbing me in the back, honestly?" She glared at her colleague, who shrugged apologetically and turned away.
"Officer Bradford and I have a purely professional relationship. Besides, he's married."
"Explain that to Quilin," Jackson said, nodding toward the small panda curled up under the table, staring intently at Nox, who was sitting on the floor next to Tim. Lucy rolled her eyes and vowed she'd prove it to Jackson.
Two hours later, during which they'd mostly dealt with rioters and marital disputes, Lucy turned to Tim.
"I need a date for tonight," she said quickly. Tim froze beside her.
"And you're telling me that because?"
"I thought you could borrow one of your friends, just for tonight." That made his surprise even greater.
"You want me to set you up a date?" His surprised expression settled on her as they waited at a red light.
"No... maybe. Don't you have a nice friend who's single and has nothing planned tonight? Just to prove a point to Jackson."
"You want a blind date to prove a point to Jackson. Do you have a bet going or something?" Lucy blushed. "Something like that. So are you helping me or not?"
"What's in it for me?" That made Lucy laugh.
"Besides one of your friends being eternally grateful for letting him go out with me?"
"Confidence is apparently not an issue for you."
"How about I set you up a date too?" That made him look over at her again.
"You want to set me up?"
"Just a Valentine's Day date. I bet you don't have any plans today." He muttered something quietly to himself.
"How about you bring me a guy and I'll bring you a nice woman?"
"Like a double date?"
"Oh yeah, that's a great idea." Lucy beamed from ear to ear, while Quilin and Nox just exchanged questioning glances in the backseat. Tim smiled at his colleague's joy.
"Okay, I'm in. But if she's terrible, you do twenty sit-ups per call for the rest of the week." Again, she rolled her eyes.
Lucy knew exactly which of her friends she could ask. They'd all be clamoring to go out with Tim, but she had someone in mind. After a quick phone call, everything was settled, and Tim also seemed to have found someone willing to go out with Lucy. Even after repeated inquiries, Tim didn't want to tell her what he and his friend had planned for their date, and by the time their last call of the day came in, it was almost forgotten.
They quickly reached the house where the fights had been reported. There were no people or lights visible through the windows, and for a moment they wondered if they were in the wrong place when a loud scream rang through the air. They quickly jumped out of the car and ran toward the entrance, guns in hand.
"Police, open the door!" Tim shouted, but nothing happened. A moment later, they heard the scream again, which sounded like a desperate woman, and Tim made short work of it, kicking the door in. Inside, it was dark, and a thick layer of dust lay on the furniture. Every surface was littered with bottles, trash, and clothes.
"Police, identify yourself," Tim shouted again. This time they heard heavy footsteps upstairs. Upstairs looked no better than downstairs, and Lucy pushed open a door. Behind it was a bedroom. In front of the dirty bed on the floor, a woman was wrestling with a man who was half on top of her. He pushed her to the ground with all his weight, smiling as he did so. Tim was quick and pushed him off the woman, while Lucy rushed to her aid. While he handcuffed the man, Lucy looked into the blonde woman's swollen face.
"Isabell?" she asked, surprised, which made Tim pause.
Isabelle nodded and let Lucy pull her into a hug.
"Everything will be fine," whispered the young officer, looking at Tim, whose expression had changed from surprise to helplessness.
After the attacker was safely inside the shop, Lucy took Isabell outside to the waiting ambulance and helped her onto the stretcher.
"Can you…" Isabell began. "I don't want him to see me like this. Can you tell him not to come to the hospital?" Lucy took her trembling hand in hers.
"I can try, but he usually doesn't listen to me." This made the injured woman smile weakly. The ambulance pulled away before Tim even reached it.
"I'll follow her," he announced.
"She asked me to keep you away from the hospital. She doesn't want you to see her like this."
"She's my wife, Chen!" he snarled. Nox stretched out behind him, her eyes narrowed. Lucy exhaled slowly and gently placed her hand on Tim's arm.
"I know, but she has the right to say she doesn't want you there. You know that." He rubbed his face with his hand and seemed to think for a moment, but then slumped his shoulders and nodded silently.`
"Our shift is almost over. How about we take our friend here to the station and then go to the hospital and sit in the waiting room? Maybe she'll change her mind if I talk to her again," Lucy suggested. Tim's eyes met hers, and she saw so much more in them than usual: relief, gratitude, and a tiny bit of hope.
"You don't have to do this," he said, barely audibly.
"I know." With that, she dropped her hand from his arm and whistled for both Quilin and Nox to jump into the shop. They both came willingly, and while Nox curled up in the footwell of the passenger seat, Quilin jumped onto Lucy's lap. Only when she looked down at Nox did Lucy notice she was considerably smaller than usual. Hardly anything remained of the large, majestic animal; in fact, she was barely taller than Quilin. Isabell could really put pressure on the wolf.
After they finished their shift, both officers quickly changed and met in the parking lot. Without a word, Tim opened his truck door, let Nox and Quilin jump into the back seat first, and then opened the passenger door for Lucy. She smiled shyly as she had to stretch to climb into the high vehicle. Neither of them spoke a word on the drive to the hospital either; the tension was palpable in the car.

A little later, Lucy approached Tim with two coffee cups. He had taken a seat in the waiting area, staring anxiously into space.
"I met one of the paramedics who transported Isabell. It looks like a concussion, but otherwise she seems to be doing well," she said, handing him the cup. He gave a barely perceptible nod but didn't speak. Nox lay between his legs, her head stretched out on her paws. After another minute had passed without Tim moving, Lucy sat down on the chair next to him and gestured for her panda to jump back into her lap.
"I want to show you something," Lucy said to her colleague, burying her hand in Quilin's fur near his right shoulder. The panda lay on his left side and let her do it. After she pushed aside a bit of fur, a thick scar was revealed. It lay shimmering whitish beneath the red fur. Lucy gently stroked it, and the panda whimpered softly.
"It's from my ex-boyfriend. We dated for two years in college until one day I caught him in bed with my best friend. In our bed." Tim looked over at her, his gaze fixed on the scar adorning the small animal.
"Back then, I thought I knew what my future held, but this completely ripped the rug from under me. Betrayal hurts, but I don't want to imagine how you feel about Isabell." With that, she stroked Quilin's fur back over the scar.
"There's no shame in bearing scars. Our experiences make us who we are," she continued. Tim's gaze lowered to the floor in front of him, and his eyes watered. Of course, he wouldn't cry in front of her, they both knew that, but it meant a lot to her that he was showing his feelings at least a little. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Tim straightened up and patted his leg. Nox raised his head in surprise, stood up, and sat down on the chair on Tim's other side, resting his head on his lap. He gently stroked her head before pushing her fur aside, revealing a large scar running from her leg over her shoulder to her back, tinged with deep red. Nox squeezed his eyes shut in stress.
"It's been getting bigger for years," Tim whispered. Lucy was amazed and placed her hand on his forearm again.
"Thanks for showing me."
As their eyes met, Quilin slid toward Nox and rested her head on the wolf's foreleg, so their heads were right next to each other. For a moment, the hustle and bustle of the hospital blurred around them, then Tim suddenly stretched.
"Oh shit, the date." Lucy smiled.
"I've already taken care of it. Rachel went alone, and she just texted me that she and your friend get along really well." Tim's face also broke into a smile.
"Emmet's okay, but he's a firefighter."
"You wanted to set me up with a firefighter?" she asked, laughing.
"I didn't have much choice. It was very last minute." Her broad smile was contagious.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Tim."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Lucy."

Chapter Text

Before Lucy had a chance to speak to Isabell, she had already discharged herself from the hospital and disappeared. Tim simply stared straight ahead when he received the message, and Nox hid even further under his chair.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said simply as they left the hospital. Nodding silently, he continued walking and, with visibly shaking hands, took his key from his pocket.

"Should I drive?" Lucy asked, placing her hand over his, which was gripping the key with excessive force. He stared first at his car, then at the key, and then at Lucy, his thoughts visibly racing in his head.
"I won't tell anyone that you let me drive your car," she assured him with a grin. Rolling his eyes, he released his grip, and she took the key.
They spent the drive to his house in silence; anything she could have said seemed wrong to her. When they arrived, they got out, and only then did Lucy realize her car was still parked in front of the station.

"Um, I'll call an Uber." Tim also seemed to realize only now that she didn't have a car. Again, he seemed to be weighing the options.
"You can do this, or you can take my truck, or you can stay here," he said, barely audibly. She froze. Had he really just suggested that? Nox raised her head in Tim's direction, unable to believe what had just happened, either, while Quilin danced around her.

"Um," she stammered.
"That came out wrong, didn't it? Sorry, I'm a little confused."
"No, it's very kind of you, I'm just trying to figure out which answer is the right one."
"This isn't a Tim test," he said dryly, but with a small smile on his face. Lucy stared at him for a moment, trying to read his stony face.

"Are you sure you'd lend me your truck?"
"Well, maybe that's just tiredness, but yes. But you won't be eating in it, you won't be messing around with my radio, and if you break it, you'll be working with Smitty for the rest of your life." Lucy laughed.
"Deal. Then I'll pick you up again tomorrow morning. Don't be late, Bradford." Another smile back on his face.
"I've never been late, and I'm certainly not going to start because of you, Chen." With that, he handed her the keys and watched as she climbed back into the car and drove off.

They made it to the station the next day without any of her colleagues noticing they'd arrived together. As always, Tim acted differently when he was in uniform, and that suited Lucy fine; she didn't want to be accused of treating her differently because they'd gotten along well privately.

"Rachel called me this morning. She was thrilled with Emmet and it sounded like she just got home this morning," she told Tim a little later in the shop.
"Well, it was a great Valentine's Day for both of them."
"I'm sorry you didn't make it to your date."
"I'm not" he said tersely. Before either of them could elaborate, another call came over the radio.

A missing child. Lucy felt a chill run down her spine, and Quilin shuddered in the back seat.
"Children touch you in a completely different way," Tim said, and even Nox grimaced a little.
"We have to find the little one, he's only five."
"We'll do our best." With that, they sped off with their blue lights flashing. While detectives were busy, little Noah's parents and babysitter went around the neighborhood.

"Most children are kidnapped by someone known to the family, sometimes even related," Angela was explaining to Jackson when Tim and Lucy joined them.
"Why do people do things like that?" Jackson asked, and Flippy drooped his wings.
"Because there are far too many bad people out there," Tim interjected, folding his arms in front of him.
"And here comes Mr. Optimism," Angela remarked with a roll of her eyes.

"The neighbors all say the same thing. Lots of arguing and yelling, the kid often plays alone in the yard," Nyla announced as she joined the group.
"Poor boy," Lucy said, noticing Nox flinch out of the corner of her eye.
"Any relatives?" Tim asked.
"A grandmother," Jackson said.
"Chen and I will take care of that." With that, they jumped back into their shop and were on their way.

"What are the chances this will turn out well?" Lucy asked quietly. Tim's gaze was fixed on the road as he gripped the steering wheel as if it might otherwise slip out of his hands.
"The statistics are pretty good, but from experience, I'd say 50/50. Especially when it comes to neglect, it's hard to say."
"How could anyone do that to their child?" Tim remained silent in response to the question, but the expression on his face wasn't lost on Lucy. As Nox whimpered softly, they reached the house of the missing child's grandmother.

Tim banged on the door with his usual clarity, and it wasn't long before an elderly woman stepped out.
"Police, we're looking for your grandson. Have you seen him?" he asked. The woman's eyes shifted from Tim to Lucy and lingered there.
"Ma'am, his parents are very worried about the boy," she tried.

"Oh, are they?"
"Of course. He's their son." The woman made a dismissive gesture and gestured for the two officers to come in. In the middle of the living room, a little boy sat on the floor, drawing.
"Ma'am, you have to explain this to us," Tim said, only to be ignored again.

"How long have you had him?" Lucy asked instead, stepping between the child and his grandmother.
"My daughter brought him here about a week ago. She was drunk, like most days. I guess she forgot he was here." Lucy's gaze fell on her TO, and he gestured for her to continue.

"Does this happen often?"
"I've taken the boy in with me ever since he was born, whenever things got too bad with his parents. They argue a lot, both drink, sometimes on drugs. I make sure he has clothes and eats regularly. He's safe here." Another quick glance at Tim, who nodded. With that, Lucy knelt down next to the boy and spoke quietly to him.
As the boy repeatedly lowered his head in fear, a shy lizard peeked out of his jacket pocket, trembling all over.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but since his parents have been reported missing, you'll have to come with us."
"And Noah?"
"We'll take him too; the authorities will probably want to take a look into his case." The woman hung her head.

At lunch, Lucy sat in front of her plate, unable to eat anything.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Jackson asked when he sat down next to her.
"I don't feel like eating." He stared at her for a moment, but refrained from commenting.

A few tables away, Tim and Angela were deep in conversation when Tim's gaze fell on Lucy, who looked as if she was about to burst into tears.
"That's the fourth time you've stared at her, Tim," Angela remarked.
"I don't stare."
"Oh yes, you do. What's wrong?"
"The missing child this morning is very close to her."
"Children are close to all of us, that's human."
"I know." With that, he lowered his gaze again.

"There's something else," she persisted, actually expecting him not to answer at all, but then he exhaled deeply and looked at the Latina.
"We sat in the hospital for a long time yesterday, waiting for information about Isabell, and she said something to me."
"What?" Angela asked, visibly suppressing any other questions that were bothering her.

"She said bearing scars doesn't make us weak, it makes us human."
"That's poetic. Wait, you were talking about Nox's scars?" Tim nodded, her eyes widening.
"I showed her Isabell's."

That made Angela open her eyes and cry out. All eyes suddenly turned to the two of them, and Tim tried to get Angela to be quieter with a gesture.
"This is huge, Tim. Especially for you. It took years for you to trust Nyla or me like this."
"Don't get jealous, Lopez," he tried to lighten the mood. But instead of responding, she placed her hand on his forearm.
"I'm happy for you, Tim. It's not often we meet someone we can trust like this. Even if she's your rookie."

"That's going to be a problem, isn't it?" he asked cautiously. But Angela smiled and pointed to Nox, who had moved away from the two of them and was now sitting next to Lucy's panda, rubbing her head against his shoulder for comfort.
"Everyone can see that you're close. Nox isn't as familiar with anyone else as she is with Quilin. As long as it doesn't become more than a professional relationship—as long as she's your rookie—everything's fine."
"She's just my rookie, Angela. I'm way too old for her." This time she rolled her eyes.
"Keep telling yourself that. I'm telling you, Nox has known for a long time what you're trying to suppress."

Back in the shop, Lucy's mood hadn't improved.
"The little one doesn't deserve this," she remarked quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"Parents who prioritize their consumption. A grandmother who might face punishment. Everyone deserves to be loved."
"Not everyone is that lucky."

With that, she looked out the window.
"My parents were never around when I was a child either. And when they were, they made impossible demands on me and always told me how disappointed they were in me. I would have done anything for a loving hug," she said weakly. Quilin whined in the back seat.
"I wasn't very lucky with my father either," was all Tim said in response. As they drove on in silence, Quilin snuggled up to Nox in the back seat, laid his head under hers, and closed his eyes.

Chapter Text

It was one of the last days of midsummer when all hell broke loose. The CDC was searching for a pathogen packaged in test tubes. And the LAPD was also searching. Lucy prayed to heaven that everything would turn out well, but of course, as it must, Tim locked the door behind him and the infected man before anyone had a chance to stop him.

"Officer Bradford. Tim!" she screamed against the heavy wood of the door, but he stood his ground. No matter how good his arguments were, she could hardly bear not being with him, standing by his side.

Only when her initial despair had slowly subsided did she notice that Nox wasn't in the room either, but was cowering frightened in a corner of the room, Quilin at her side.

"Tim. Nox is here," she called through the door.
The stubborn officer actually responded, and Lucy could hear his breath catch. He was caught between reason and panic, she could sense it even through the door. The realistic part of his brain would prevail, as it always did, but he would have to fight hard for it.

"We can do this, okay? You keep everything quiet in there, and I'll take care of Nox."
She could hear him sliding down the door and sitting heavily on the floor. The back of his head hit the wood with a thud.
"Talk to me, Tim," she begged him, suppressing her own panic. But he didn't speak.

"I'm scared shitless," Lucy admitted, sitting down against the door as well, so they were back to back, separated only by the wood.
"Me too," he whispered, just loud enough for only her to hear. Lucy's gaze fell on Nox, who was trembling in the corner, her eyes wide open.

At a low whistle from Lucy, both Quilin and the wolf raised their heads. The two slowly approached the young officer, and Quilin lay down on her crossed legs, her gaze directed invitingly at Nox. The wolf hesitated for a long time, rocking her head back and forth, closing and opening her eyes a few times, until a shudder ran through her, causing her to move and curl up in front of the panda. Quilin's head landed on her shoulder, one front paw over her back, encircling her as tightly as his considerably smaller body allowed. Lucy gently stroked her panda's fur, trying to give him as much strength as possible so he could be there for his friend.

"I know it's a strange feeling to be separated from her, but Quilin is taking good care of her, and I'll make sure no one gets too close to her, I promise you," Lucy continued, and even through the door she heard her TO breathe a sigh of relief.

"How's it going in there?" she asked a few silent minutes later.
"His nose is bleeding quite badly, but he doesn't seem to be in much pain."
"And how are you?"
"I'm fine, I'm sweating profusely, but that's probably from the stress."
"Good." Silence fell again, and it burned in both of their ears.

"Lucy?" The choice of first name surprised and worried them in equal measure.
"Yes?"
"Would you keep talking? The silence isn't good." Lucy almost smiled.

"Do you want to hear an embarrassing story?"
"I don't think I'm in the mood for that right now."
"Okay, but that's a missed opportunity. I don't know if I'll offer that again. Then something else. Tell me what happened to Nox's eye."

There was another moment of silence, and Lucy sensed he was struggling with himself.
"My childhood wasn't the easiest. Genny, my sister, and I were wild children, and my father could get... fired up very quickly." He trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper. A shiver ran through Nox.

"You don't have to tell me," Lucy said.
"I'll tell you, but maybe not now. Is that okay?" She smiled weakly.
"Of course."

"Does the offer about the embarrassing story still stand?" Tim asked, and Lucy actually laughed. Immediately, it seemed wrong to her, but a small laugh from the other side of the door told her it was the right reaction.

"Hmm, I think that was a one-time offer, but I have a lot of embarrassing stories." With that, she began, quietly enough that the milling CDC employees couldn't hear her, but loud enough to distract Tim from his possible fate. Nox breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes for a moment, wrapped in Quilin's arms and surrounded by Lucy's scent.

It took about an hour and a half before screams echoed through the door. The infected was fighting for his life and losing, while Tim did everything he could to avoid him. Suddenly, it was quiet.
"Tim? Tim! Please say something," Lucy begged.

"He... he's dead."
"Are you hurt?" For several seconds, which felt like hours, there was silence. Nox raised her head and whimpered.
"No, but... God, that was horrible."
"Everything will be okay, Tim. Don't give up."

"I don't want to die like this. If... if it comes to that, I don't want to die like this," he whispered, his voice ragged. Panic rose in Lucy as thoughts flashed through her mind. She couldn't allow this; she didn't want to go on without him. Protocols for situations like this came to mind, how she should try to talk him out of it, but deep down, she understood. No one deserved to die like this.
"Okay. But as long as you don't have any symptoms, you'll keep fighting, promise me!"
"I promise."
The words hung between the two for a long time, only masked by a thick blanket of silence. With trembling fingers, Lucy continued to stroke Quilin's fur, sliding her hand further and further down, until suddenly...

"Lucy?" She froze at the sound of his changed voice from inside the room.
"What's wrong?" she asked frantically.
"What about Nox?" he asked back, his voice changed. Lucy's gaze fell on the wolf, still half-bent under Quilin, and she saw her hand on her fur.
Startled, she pulled her hand away.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry. I touched her. I thought it was Quilin." Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew that touching another spirit animal could cause intense pain. A small tear crept down her cheek.
"It wasn't painful. I can't even describe it. Could... would you do it again?" he asked quietly from the other side of the door.

"I've never intentionally touched another animal before. Are you sure?" she asked, surprised.
"Please. But be careful." She raised her hand, hovering over Nox for a moment, unable to bring herself to do it.

"Where should I touch her?"
"Try between her shoulder blades, she loves that." Trembling, Lucy's fingers sank into the straw-like fur of the wolf, who watched her closely out of the corner of her eye. Lucy's breath caught, expecting Tim to yelp or make some other noise on the other side of the door, but nothing happened. So she gently stroked the fur smooth. Her small fingers glided gently over the strands, feeling every bump, every little knot, and every dent.

"Is everything okay, Tim?" she asked softly. The only thing that could be heard through the door was the officer's calm breathing.
"This is incredible," he simply replied.

"You let me know immediately if it gets too much for you, okay?"
Before Tim could answer, a CDC employee approached Lucy, causing her to quickly pull her hand away from Nox.

"Ma'am, the vaccine has arrived. We're taking you outside now so we can see your colleague." Lucy dutifully stood up, her gaze landing on Nox.
"Um, Tim, what should we do with Nox?"
"Take her outside, she'll be safe with you."

The wolf walked out of the house with Quilin and Lucy without any problems and behind a barrier, where Angela and Nyla were already waiting for them with Jackson and Nolan.

"How is he?" Angela asked immediately.
"Good considering the circumstances."

Vida stepped out from behind Angela and approached Nox. The wolf flinched violently when the lioness's nose touched her shoulder, prompting Quilin to snarl and shield Vida from Nox.

Startled, the lioness stepped back. Her eyes wide open, fixed on the people and animals around her, Nox pressed against Lucy's leg. Reflexively, Lucy placed her hand on the wolf's head, which immediately calmed her.

Angela and Jackson's eyes widened in alarm and were about to speak when Tim was taken out of the house.
Their words fell silent as Tim collapsed.

Chapter Text

Lucy was the first to reach him, and before the CDC staff had a chance to stop, she knelt down next to Tim and gently shook his shoulders.

"Miss, he's under quarantine," one of the hooded men reminded her. But at that moment, she didn't care. Even if she contracted a potentially deadly virus, she wouldn't simply abandon her partner. He would do the same for her, she was certain of it.

With all her might, Lucy fought against the hands trying to pull her away and skillfully ignored the voices barking down at her.
"Do what you have to do, but I'm not leaving," she hissed loudly enough that everyone around her paused for a moment.
The voices became a murmur, and the hands disappeared.

Tim was loaded into the ambulance, and without thinking, Lucy lifted Nox and then Quilin inside before following them. This time, the CDC staff didn't even try to stop them.
Left behind were Angela and Nyla, who looked at each other as if they'd witnessed a miracle, and Nolan, who had no idea what had just happened.

The car rocked violently as it wound through the heavy traffic, but Lucy held Tim's hand tightly in hers, her other hand resting on Quilin and Nox, who were entwined on the stretcher at Tim's legs.
Before they even reached the clinic, he stirred and suddenly opened his eyes.

"Lucy?" was the first thing he managed to say.
"Hey, glad you're back."
"What happened?"
"The CDC is suspecting a reaction to the vaccine. It'll be okay."
"And they let you ride along?"

"We had no choice," answered a man wrapped in protective clothing on his other side.
"Your girlfriend was very vehement." That made both Tim and Lucy gasp in shock.
"I'm not his girlfriend, I'm his rookie," she was the first to recover. Tim nodded weakly.

The man raised an eyebrow, but thought better of it and didn't reply.
Tim's gaze fell on the ball of fur on his legs.
"They're cute, aren't they?" Lucy asked when she saw his look. He nodded again silently, unable to find words for what he felt.

He had never seen Nox like this before; she was always reserved in the presence of others and shied away from any contact. But with Quilin, she acted as if they had known each other forever. It was incomprehensible to him why they were so close.

When they arrived at the hospital, they took Tim to a room. He protested loudly when they told him he would have to stay in quarantine for four days. Lucy tried to calm him down, but was shocked when they told her she too was quarantined after what she had done.

"Normally, we would suggest you quarantine at home, but since this virus is so dangerous, the CDC has decided to keep you both here. You'll have a bed right next to him, and we'll put a partition between you for some privacy," the staff member explained. The two officers stared at each other, unable to think clearly. Meanwhile, Quilin and Nox seemed happy with the arrangement, playfully chasing each other around the room.

"I really don't know what's wrong with her," Tim said a little later, when they were alone again. The partition between them acted like a protective shield, allowing him to hear her but not see her.
"It's been a wild day for all of us," Lucy replied, but deep inside her, another thought was forming. Something she tried to keep buried by all means.

The approaching night plunged the room into darkness, and Lucy's eyes grew heavier with every breath. Tim seemed to have fallen asleep a while ago, but something still kept her awake.

Thoughts raced through her head, scenarios of how this day could have turned out. Everything that could have gone wrong.

A tear trickled down her cheek almost unnoticed as Quilin, resting in her arms, began to whimper. A rustling sound ran through the room, and suddenly Nox appeared in front of her bed, placed her front paws on the mattress, and nuzzled her head against Lucy's cheek. The tear disappeared into her thick fur.

"You don't have to worry about me, Nox, I'm fine. It's just been a hell of a day." With that, she gently stroked the wolf's large head, which closed its eyes in pleasure. Tim made a strangled sound on the other side of the wall.

Immediately, Lucy jumped out of bed and ran to his, where he was tossing and turning wildly.
"Hey, Tim," she said loudly, placing her hand on his shoulder. Another muffled sound later, his eyes widened.
"Is everything okay?" Lucy asked, sitting down on a chair next to his bed. Somewhat confused, he looked around the room until he seemed to remember where he was.
"Yes. A dream."
"Understandable after a day like this." Tim nodded silently. Lucy tried to get up from her chair, but Nox laid her head on the officer's lap.

"She really likes you," Tim remarked with a faint smile on his lips. Lucy smiled too, and she placed her hand on the wolf's head again, stroking it tenderly.
"Under the tough exterior, she's a lapdog."
Tim laughed briefly, but then closed his eyes in enjoyment, and for the first time, Lucy saw an expression of calm and relaxation on his face.

"How does that feel?" she asked cautiously. Without opening his eyes, he searched for words but couldn't find the right ones.
"It's warm and... I can't describe it."
"Must be a nice feeling," Lucy said meekly.

"Would you like me to try it with Quilin, too?" Tim asked, opening his eyes again. That stopped her in her tracks. No one else had ever touched Quilin before; not even her parents had, and she'd always blocked it out with her partners.
But she was curious about the feeling she'd heard so much about, and which even her hardened TO could enjoy.

"You're allowed to say no, Lucy, I understand. This is a big step," he backpedaled.
"Is it crazy that I'm considering it when we're just colleagues?" Her look betrayed insecurity and shame, something Tim had never seen in her before.

"After everything that happened today, I think we're more than colleagues. Maybe friends."
"I never thought I'd hear that from Tim Bradford, the inventor of the Tim Tests." He laughed at her reply.
"I'll deny ever having said that."
"Of course you will." Lucy smiled warmly, too.

With a nod, she signaled to Quilin, who jumped onto Tim's bed without hesitation.
"Scratch him under the chin," Lucy instructed. Tim fixed his gaze on her and lingered for a moment.
"Are you sure?"
"I trust you, and so does he."

Feeling proud, Tim reached out and gently placed his hand on the panda's chest, who studied him with warm eyes. His fur was incomparably soft and glossy.
The second Tim's hand landed on Quilin, a warm feeling ran through Lucy. But it was much more than that. Calm, confidence, inner peace with such intensity that tears almost welled up in her eyes. All her worries faded, and her body felt lighter. Everything around her seemed more inviting, as if the world had only just taken on color in that moment. The feeling was so overwhelming that she closed her eyes.

With every movement Tim made through the soft fur, her world became more alive, and at the same time, she was enveloped in peace.

She had never experienced anything like this before, but she was certain of one thing: she was very grateful to have been able to experience it with Tim.

Chapter Text

On the last day of their quarantine, Angela and Jackson were ready to pick them up.
While Jackson took Lucy's hand, pulled her along, and told her the latest news from the station, Angela held Tim back.

"I've been waiting for answers for four days, and now you're going to give them to me," she said.
"Good to see you, too, Angela. Yeah, I'm glad I didn't die of a deadly virus."

Rolling her eyes, she led him to her car and pushed him inside.
"What's going on with Lucy? And don't give me nothing."
"We're colleagues, I'm her TO. What do you want to hear?"
"The truth, Tim. She touched Nox. Nox. TOUCHED. And you didn't immediately kick her off the program or threaten to kill her."

With a groan, Tim laid his forehead against the cold glass of the car window.
"I've never threatened to kill anyone."
"Well, I would if someone just touched Vida."

A long pause fell inside the car.
"Have you ever trusted someone enough to let them touch Vida?" Tim suddenly asked quietly.
"My mother and my brothers."

"Never a suitor?"
"Never. Maybe I'll find the right one someday. You?"
"Genny. My mum did it a few times when I was a kid, but not since."
"And Isabell?"
"A few times, yes, but it felt different."
"Different from what?" Angela fixed her gaze on Tim as they waited at an intersection.

"Different from Lucy," he whispered barely audibly.
"Shit, Tim."
"I know"

Meanwhile, Lucy snuggled under her blanket on the couch while Jackson and Flippy jumped around her.
"Tell me everything," Jackson asked excitedly.
"Tim was stuck in that room and..."
"Not that. I already know all that. But Lopez says you touched Nox. Really?" Lucy blushed at the memory.
"It was an accident, at least at first."

"And then?" Embarrassed, she put her hands over her face to hide her blush.
"Then Tim asked me to do it again. It seemed to calm him down, and I kept going."

"That's crazy, I hope you know that."
"I know he's my TO and you're not allowed to touch someone else's spirit animal."

"That's not what I mean. But it's rare for two people whose spirit animals allow themselves to be touched to find each other. The chances of finding your soul mate are so slim." His eyes shone.
"It's not like that, Jackson. We're colleagues. Friends at best. The adrenaline must have made Nox act like that," she tried to explain.
"That's nonsense and you know it." There was a charged pause.

"Did Tim... you know?" Jackson asked cautiously. Lucy blushed deeply again.
"The first night in the hospital. He asked me if he should try touching Quilin. I thought it was worth a try." Jackson's eyes widened.
"And how was it?" he asked, visibly excited.

"Unbelievable. Like the world suddenly became more alive and everything inside me calmed down. I've never felt anything better."
"Wow," was all Jackson could manage.
"I'm screwed, aren't I?" she asked cautiously. He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes.
"Absolutely."

The next day, it was as if nothing had ever happened, and Lucy was secretly glad about it. She wouldn't have been able to handle it if he had behaved differently towards her. All in all, he was supposed to make her a good cop.

They soon had their first year of rookie training behind them, and their security was growing. But so were the tasks Tim, Angela, and Nyla set for their rookies. While Jackson was the exemplary student, Nolan had a much harder time keeping up with his much younger colleagues, but he too was making great progress, to everyone's surprise.

Lucy had internalized the theoretical knowledge required for the job, and thanks to Tim and his stupid tests, she quickly improved in the practical aspects as well. Even if she wouldn't admit it to him.

He taught her how to read a room, assess people, and have a solution ready for any kind of scenario that might unfold in front of her.

That's why she felt safe one evening as she settled a small argument at a bar while waiting for drinks for her, Jackson, and Nolan. After everyone had calmed down, a man joined her. He was handsome, but he had a certain charisma that Lucy couldn't quite interpret.

"That was impressive," he said, extending his hand.
"I'm Caleb." Lucy smiled at him kindly and only then noticed the goose that stepped out from between his legs and eyed Quilin with interest. The panda raised its back hair and hissed when the bird came too close.
"Oh, sorry, he's usually friendlier," Lucy apologized, scooping the squirming panda into her arms. With a stressed expression, he snuggled up close to her body, but never took his eyes off the goose.
"Okay, first impressions can be deceiving. May I buy you a drink?" the man asked with a broad smile that made the hairs on Lucy's neck stand on end. Quilin trembled in her arms.

"Uh, no. Thank you, but I'm here with my friends." She gestured in the vague direction of Jackson and Nolan, put the panda back on the floor to take the drinks from the bartender, and made her way back through the crowded room to their table.

"That took a while," Jackson remarked.
"There was an argument at the bar, and then there was this guy."

"Oh, a guy. Tell me more." Jackson rested his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands.
"Nothing. He was friendly, but there was something strange about him. And Quilin didn't like his goose at all."
"Well, it wasn't Nox."
"Shut up, Jackson," Lucy shouted, throwing a napkin in his face. He raised his hands apologetically.

The way to the cap felt longer than it looked. That might have been due to the few shots of tequila Jackson had persuaded her to drink. Lucy carefully placed one foot in front of the other to keep her balance.

But before she had a chance to reach the parked vehicle, she was yanked backward and two strong hands clamped around her throat.

"So we'll see each other again," a voice said behind her, and then everything went black.

Chapter Text

The next time Lucy opened her eyes, she was sitting in an armchair, bound hand and foot, and blindfolded. The air was stuffy and smelled of sand and dust.
A feeling of emptiness spread through her, something she hadn't experienced before. It grew more intense by the minute, and soon hot tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Ah, you've woken up," came the voice from across the room, and she could hear his footsteps.
"Where am I?"
"Long story."
"What have you done to me?" she asked in a throaty voice. She could hear him pull up a chair and sit down.
"There are many theories about what happens when you take away a person's spirit animal. There have even been some experiments, but that was a long time ago. So I thought I'd repeat it."
She swallowed dryly as the burning inside her grew worse.
"Where is Quilin?"
"In a cage. It was a real challenge getting the beast in there; he's stronger than he looks."
"You can't do that," she tried, but he just laughed dryly.
"Oh, I can do so much, you'd be surprised. So back to the theory. The tests back then showed that most people die slowly and painfully after three days without their spirit animal. I tattooed your date of death into your skin so it won't be forgotten."

At that moment, Lucy felt the pain in her side.

"Something's wrong with Lucy," Jackson shouted across the station as he ran toward Tim and Angela. Tim immediately stretched, and Nox let out a strangled sound.
"What's wrong, Boot?" Angela asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"She didn't come home last night. And she would never go home from a bar with some guy, that's not who she is. Especially since she..." Jackson trailed off as he remembered who was standing in front of him.
"She what?" Tim asked harshly.
"Nothing, sir. She's not responding to texts or calls. Her phone seems to be turned off." This alarmed Tim even more.
"Her phone is never turned off," he said quietly.
"Exactly. Something's wrong."
"Okay, did something happen at the bar?" Angela asked.
"There was this guy. He apparently approached her at the bar, and she said he was acting strange. Nothing else was out of the ordinary."
"I bet there are security cameras in the bar," Angela said, already picking up her phone, while Tim grabbed Jackson by the sleeve and dragged him toward Grey's office.
"We're both going to interview people," he said quickly.

Lucy had lost track of time, falling into short sleeps every now and then. Her body was noticeably losing strength, and the pain coming from within her was getting worse by the hour. Nausea was hitting her in waves, so much so that she'd vomited in front of her shoes several times.

The next time she opened her eyes, she felt as if all the strength had been sucked from her body. Her heart pounded heavily and her ears buzzed. Her arms and legs were numb, and the pain made her whimper.
A door slid open and footsteps could be heard.
"Today is your lucky day, we're going on a trip," Caleb said, lifting her easily from the chair. She fought with all her remaining strength, but it was easy for him to keep her at bay.
"You're holding up really well; most of the subjects were already in a coma by this point," he said, dragging her out of the cabin. The ground beneath her feet changed, but her mind was so foggy that she couldn't think clearly.

"Police, stop!" several voices shouted. They hit Lucy's ear as if through cotton wool, but she thought she recognized Tim's voice. She wanted to call him, but all that came out was a stifled whimper.

The next moment, she felt a cold gun barrel against her temple and closed her eyes beneath the blindfold.

The shot echoed loudly across the plain, and to her surprise, Caleb's grip on her body weakened. She heard him slump to the ground as her legs gave way.

But she didn't hit the sandy ground, for two arms embraced her and pulled her toward him. Lucy immediately recognized Tim; his scent enveloped her like a warm blanket.

"I got you," he whispered into her hair, holding her tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she began to cry violently. He simply held her tight, rocking her slowly back and forth, kissing her hair gently again and again.

Only after she had calmed down a little did he slowly raise a trembling hand and pull the cloth away from her eyes. She was immediately overstimulated by the bright light and began to gag.
"Everything will be fine," he whispered, gently rubbing her back.

"Quilin," she managed to utter hoarsely.
"Angela will find him," Tim promised, and she believed it. The next moment, she felt fur on her legs and lowered her gaze to Nox, who had slumped over her knees. With trembling fingers, Lucy grasped her fur and held on tight, as if Nox, too, were about to disappear at any moment.

"Tim, we've got him," Angela screamed. The officer raised his head.
"Quilin is in a cage in a shed behind the house. We can't lure him out; you're the only one who can touch him." Tim's gaze fell on the weak figure in his arms. There was no way he was going to leave Lucy here, not even if one of his colleagues stayed with her.

There was only one option. She protested loudly when he stood up, but fell silent when he lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing.

When he arrived at the shed, he had to swallow. The panda lay stretched out in a cage that was far too small, its eyes closed and its breathing shallow. Its fur was partially torn, and blood spattered both the animal and the cage.

Tim carefully set Lucy down on the ground, walked over to the cage, and lifted Quilin out. The panda showed no reaction, even when he placed him in Lucy's lap. She immediately wrapped her arms around Quilin and pressed him as tightly to her body as she could. Tim sat back down behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. Nox joined them, lying half on Lucy, half on Quilin, looking up at Tim with sad eyes.

"I need the room!" Tim announced in a harsh voice, and the other officers immediately understood and left. When only the four remained, Tim exhaled for the first time. While Lucy continued to whimper in his arms, he tried to give her as much strength as possible.

"The ambulance will be here soon. Everything will be fine," he whispered to her.
"Don't leave me alone," she begged, barely audibly.
"Not for a second."

And he kept his word. The paramedics quickly gave up trying to put the officer in his place and let him put Lucy in the ambulance and drive her to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, Lucy was taken to a room and a nurse joined them.
"I need to examine you now, please leave the room, sir."
"What do you want, Lucy?" he asked her.
"Please stay. Can you... can you take Quilin?" He nodded silently and reached out to the panda, whom Lucy hadn't let go of since that moment in the hut. He carefully took it from her arms and instead pressed it against his body. Nox wanted to follow him, but Tim nodded at Lucy, and the wolf sat down next to her bed and laid its head on the mattress next to Lucy's hand.
Every time the nurse moved too quickly, Lucy flinched and Nox bared her teeth.
When the nurse touched Lucy's side, the young officer screamed and Nox jumped forward.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked, immediately standing next to Lucy's bed again, where he'd moved a few steps away when the nurse started helping Lucy undress.

"He tattooed me. My day of death."
"Sick bastard," Tim cursed, looking at the numbers on her skin.
"I'll clean it up and cover it. Caution holders will give you antibiotics so it doesn't get infected."
"Can he go back on her arm?" Tim asked, nodding toward Quilin, who had hidden his head in his armpit. The nurse nodded, and the panda landed on Lucy again.

Half an hour later, Lucy was wrapped in scrubs and lying exhausted under two blankets, shivering nonetheless.

"Would you like another blanket?" Tim asked, looking down at her nervously.
"I don't think it will make any difference," she replied, shivering. He thought for a moment, then quickly took off his shoes and jacket and crawled into bed next to her.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked, surprised, but made room for him.

"How's it looking?" He lay on his side and opened his arms. Lucy snuggled against his chest as if she'd done it hundreds of times before. While he held her tightly, he kissed her hair.

Quilin lay between their legs, and Nox somehow squeezed in as well. A calm fell over the room, and for the first time in days, all four of them were able to breathe deeply.

Chapter Text

Three days later, Jackson stood broad-shouldered in the middle of Lucy's hospital room, waiting to bring her friend home. On the one hand, she was looking forward to her apartment and her own bed, but she was still nervous. Everything felt different.

The car ride was quiet, and the apartment felt empty when she walked through the door. Although the familiar chaos and bright colors greeted her, it didn't feel like home.

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked worriedly.

"I don't know. I feel kind of unwell."

"I'll make you your favorite tea, I'm sure it will help." Then he disappeared into the kitchen. She plopped down on the couch and stared for a moment at the switched-off television in front of her when her phone signaled an incoming call.

"Tim?" Lucy asked, surprised.

"Hey, I was wondering if you got home safely," his voice came over the line, strong as ever. She smiled and imagined him leaning against the front of the shop in his uniform, his gaze wandering over his surroundings.
"Yes, we just arrived."
"And how does it feel?" The question surprised Lucy. How could he know what was going through her mind?

"Strange. Different somehow, but I don't know how."
"Like your time has stood still, but everything around you has changed?" he asked dryly.
"How...?"
"It was the same for me when I came back from Iraq. It takes a little time for things to feel normal again." That made her swallow hard.

"You're comparing what happened to me with your tours in Iraq?"
"Trauma doesn't matter how long you were gone, Lucy." That brought tears to her eyes. Trauma.

Of course he was right. But the word alone made her blood run cold.
"Will it get better?" she asked meekly. A deep exhalation sounded on the other end of the line.
"Yes, but it takes time and good support. And you have that, Lucy. We're all here for you, no matter what you need." Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, and Quilin closed his eyes in pleasure.

"Thanks," she managed.
"Not for that. I'll call again after my shift is over." Without waiting for a reply, he hung up.

That wasn't meant to be, because as Tim pulled his truck into his driveway, he saw Lucy sitting in front of his door.

"Lucy? Are you okay?" he asked, striding toward her. Her eyes were watery and her cheeks flushed. She had definitely been crying.

"I... I couldn't stand it at home. Jackson went grocery shopping, and it was so quiet in the apartment." With that, she began to tremble.
Still standing outside his front door, Tim wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight. Nox also approached the panda and wrapped her much larger body around the shivering animal.

Inside, Tim sat her on the couch and threw a blanket over her.
"Does Jackson know you're here?" he simply asked. Lucy shook her head.
"Then send him a message. If you leave again without a message, he'll definitely have a heart attack." Lucy managed a small smile and sent Jackson a quick message to let him know she was safe.

"Very good, next the basics. Have you eaten anything?" She shook her head. She hadn't even thought about food.

Dutifully, he got up, grabbed his phone, and opened a delivery app. Wordlessly, he let her choose something and ordered something for himself.

Silence fell over them both, and Lucy tried to fight back the tears.

"All too much?" he asked gently.
"Yes, I feel like just thinking about having to eat is overwhelming me." He put his arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. It felt like they'd done this hundreds of times before.

"That's normal, Lucy. You're allowed to feel terrible and overwhelmed. You're allowed to cry, scream, or laugh, or all of the above. Your body is still in survival mode, and eating and sleeping aren't that important. For today, let me remember those things, and tomorrow we can make a daily schedule. That helped me a lot back then."

"That sounds good, thanks."
Later, their food arrived and they sat next to each other on the couch, even though Lucy highly doubted Tim would let anyone eat on his couch under normal circumstances, and a show about renovations was on TV.

"Who shot?" Lucy asked after her plate was empty.
"What?"
"Who shot Caleb?" There was a pause.
"I did," he replied, which triggered another long pause.
"Do you regret it?"
"It's hard to take a life, and it should be. But with Caleb…" he didn't finish.
"If it hadn't been for me…" Lucy began, tears streaming down her cheeks again.

With a whistle, Tim called Nox over, who jumped onto the couch and lay across both of their legs, belly up. Tim carefully brushed her fur aside, revealing small, circular scars. Some no bigger than a pinhead, others significantly larger.

"Every person whose death I'm responsible for," Tim explained, swallowing dryly.

Lucy gently placed her hand on the scars and felt each one stand out against her skin.
"Why are some larger than others?"
"Sometimes in war, you have to follow orders that go against your own morals. And sometimes people lose their lives because of our actions who don't deserve it. Even as a police officer, you sometimes make the wrong decisions. Fathers, women, children..."
"And they leave scars," Lucy finished for him, to which he nodded weakly.

Only now did Lucy notice that all of these scars were already old and faded.
"And Caleb?"
"I don't regret it, not for a second," Tim whispered, a hint of guilt in his voice.
"That doesn't make you a bad person," she assured him, seeing his eyes grow moister.

An hour later, Lucy was asleep, leaning against his shoulder, and he turned off the television and carefully lifted her into his arms. Nox gently nibbled Quilin's ear to wake him, and together they went into Tim's bedroom. Tim carefully laid his colleague on the bed and then bent down to pick Quilin up and lay him next to her. The panda curled up against her stomach and closed his eyes again.

Already on his way out of the room, Tim noticed that Nox wasn't by his side. He turned around and saw the wolf standing next to the bed, staring at Tim with an expressive gaze.

"We can't stay here," Tim whispered to his wolf, but she just shook her head.

"Nox!" Again, the wolf shook her head and sat down demonstratively.
"You stubborn animal," Tim cursed. A soft laugh came from the bed. Lucy had opened one eye and was smiling as she watched the spectacle.

"I wonder who she got that from?" With that, she reached out and stroked the strong-willed wolf's head.
"Stay, Tim. Quilin, Nox, and I sleep better when we're all together."

Mumbling something that sounded like, "As if I had any other choice," Tim circled the bed and lay down on the other side. Visibly proud of having won this battle, Nox jumped onto the bed and squeezed himself between Tim and Lucy.

"You're not supposed to be on the bed," Tim reminded her. Only then did Lucy realize this was the first time she'd heard Tim speak to Nox.

"Honestly? She's not allowed to sleep on the bed? There's no better feeling than falling asleep cuddled up with your spirit animal," Lucy remarked.
"No, I never did." Shaking her head, Lucy turns onto her side toward Tim and opens her arm.

"Let me show you." Nox reacted immediately, sliding her large body as close to Lucy as she could. She lay there with her head against Lucy's heart. When the officer put his arm around the wolf and pressed her tightly against his body, Tim gasped in shock.

The feeling that swept over him like a gust of wind was something he had never experienced in his almost 40 years. A combination of safety, calm, and warmth he'd never experienced before. For a moment, everything around him seemed to become unimportant, and he felt as if a light was shining from within him that could illuminate the entire room.

"Wow," he said.
"I thought so. Sleep well, Tim." With that, she pulled the wolf a little closer to her and closed her eyes.

Tim lost himself a little more in the pleasant feeling that overcame him when he felt movement on his legs. Shortly afterward, Quilin made his way under his blanket and up to Tim's chest, where he looked at him expectantly.

"Do you feel neglected?" Tim asked, smiling, and hugged the panda as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Entwined together, the four fell asleep peacefully.

Chapter Text

The next morning came faster and more mercilessly than expected, and Tim blinked against the sunlight filtering through the curtain. Lucy was still sleeping peacefully beside him, as was Quilin. Only Nox's sleepy gaze rested on him, as if asking if the older officer was really serious.

Rolling his eyes, Tim swung himself out of bed, and the wolf followed. He just managed to start the coffee machine when the front door burst open. Startled, he turned and saw Angela rushing into the room.

"We need to talk!" she announced, breathless.
"Good morning, Angela. What brings me an early visit?"
"No time for jokes, Bradford." Instantly, his expression changed from annoyed to concerned.
"What happened?"
"Jackson called me, Lucy didn't come home last night." Tim breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay," he simply said, taking a cup from the cupboard and waving it questioningly in Angela's direction.
"How can you stay so calm?" she asked, her eyes wide open.
"Because I know where Lucy is. She's fine." That silenced the Latina.
"You know where she is?" she asked incredulously. He just nodded in response.

The next moment, Lucy appeared in the room, her hair a mess and her eyes not yet fully open.
"Are you okay? I heard voices," she said sleepily. Angela's gaze shifted several times and finally settled on Tim, furious.

"Nothing's wrong, Ang," he tried to save himself, but it was too late.
"Nothing's wrong. NOTHING'S HAPPENING! Tim, give me one reasonable reason why your rookie is sleeping in your bed. One that even the supervisor will understand."

He took a breath, tried to explain what was going on between them, but couldn't, and remained silent.
"It's really not what it seems, Officer Lopez. I came here last night because I was scared, and I feel safe with Tim." Tim's gaze landed on her and softened. Nox also grinned at the words.

"That's noble, but that still won't work. She's your subordinate, Tim, and that can't happen, no matter what happened."
"I know, Angela," he said simply, lowering his gaze.
Lucy paused, overcome by fear that he would push her away, and Quilin began to whimper.

"But I don't apologize for being there for her when she needs me. It may not be in the rookie handbook, but that's also the job of a good TO," he continued, stepping next to Lucy and placing his hand on her shoulder. Quilin rubbed himself against his trouser leg with relief.
Angela watched the scene for a few long minutes before exhaling in annoyance and rolling her eyes.

"Okay, then let's find a solution together."
"A solution?" Lucy asked.
"Yes. You get dressed now and we'll all go to Grey's together. Whatever this is between you, I don't want it to get in the way of Lucy's career and either of you regret it later. You'll do this right, do you understand?" They both nodded submissively, and Angela smiled.

As agreed, an hour later, they were all standing in Grey's office. Luna, his wife, was also in the room next to the sergeant. Luna's hen, Ivy, scurried among everyone, visibly pleased by the early visit.

"What brings me the honor?" Grey asked, leaning against his desk with his arms folded across his chest. His eagle sat proudly on his shoulder.
"There's a situation," Tim began, but wasn't quite sure how to continue.
"Bradford has to hand over Chen as his rookie," Angela interjected. Grey's gaze remained unchanged, while Luna just looked back and forth in surprise.
"I understand. Before I get into that, I'd like to ask: How far did the situation go? Did it get physical?" the sergeant asked, pushing himself off the desk.

"No, sir," Tim's voice was clear.
"Good, I can work with that."
"Sir?" Tim asked, but Grey waved his hand dismissively and walked around his desk.
"The department has strict guidelines for almost everything, you know that. When two spirit animals choose each other, the chief supports the two officers working together. The expanded communication options and protective instincts towards each other have great advantages on the street. However, that only applies once Chen is P2."

He stretched, opened a drawer, and took out a stack of papers.
"I prepared these the day Bradford was stuck in this house and Nolan told me that Chen was taking care of Nox like she was her own."
"Nolan, that idiot," Angela hissed through gritted teeth. Grey pretended not to hear and handed Lucy and Tim a stack of papers each.

"From here, you have two options. Either Bradford remains Chen's TO and you assure me it won't get physical, but you'll both be under close observation for the rest of your rookie period. Or I'll swap TOs and you can continue whatever you're doing. Within the guidelines of the supervisor, of course. Whatever you choose, you have to be aware that cops talk. So it won't be easy."

Tim and Lucy stared at each other, communicating with their eyes, while Nox and Quillin cuddled gently on the ground.

"I'll finish what I started," Tim said dryly, and Lucy smiled.
"If that's your decision, that's fine with me. The forms will be completed and on my desk tonight."

"Yes, sir," came from both of them. Just as they turned to leave, Luna spoke.

"Aside from all the bureaucratic madness, we're so happy that you two have found each other. It's so rare to find someone you can open your soul to. And Nox looks so much better." Her eyes shone as she spoke.
Lucy looked in surprise at Nox, who was sitting at her feet, and then she realized what Luna had meant.
The wolf's fur had become brighter, and the slight limp she often displayed had disappeared. The large scar above her eye still testified to a hard life, but she no longer seemed as broken as she had when Lucy had first met her.
Tim blushed slightly and quietly thanked the older woman.

Lucy spent the rest of the week at her therapist's or elsewhere, lost in her own thoughts. She wondered how the other officers would react if they found out what was going on between her and Tim.

But what was going on, anyway? They were just friends whose spirit animals had chosen each other. Okay, that sounded ridiculous even to her.

Meanwhile, Tim worked his shift alone, secretly missing Lucy's voice in the shop and hoping more than once that he'd think of an excuse to call her.

He met up with Angela and Nyla at the food trucks for lunch.

"Okay, Bradford, spill," said Angela.

"You'll have to be a little more specific," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"We're extremely interested in what's going on between you two," Angela replied.
"Well, I don't really care," Nyla interrupted, her eyes fixed on her food. The other two ignored her comment.

"There's nothing going on, how many times do I have to say that?"
"Until you say it so convincingly that I start believing you," the Latina said, which made Tim roll his eyes again. He refrained from further comment and concentrated on chewing.

"Since you're so interested in my life, Tim, I'll tell you," Angela began as if he'd actually asked.
"I met this guy. Wesley Evers. He's a lawyer..." She didn't get any further.
"A lawyer? Don't tell me you're fraternizing with the enemy?" Tim blurted out.
"I thought the enemy was the fire department."
"Lawyers are just as bad. What were you thinking?" Tim stared at her as if she'd grown a second head in the last thirty seconds.
"Calm down. At least I'm not cuddling my rookie's spirit animal."
"I'm not cuddling..." Tim stopped himself, realizing that's exactly what he'd done.
"I thought so, so don't judge me," Angela said with a knowing grin on her face.

"Wesley is nice, and I think we could really get along." This hung between them for a moment.
"The lawyer probably has something boring. A pigeon? A ferret? A cockroach?" Tim asked.
"Conan, a hippo." Tim's eyes widened; even Nyla showed some emotion.
"Okay, I wouldn't have thought of that. It suits you," Tim admitted quietly, and Angela nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

"A hippo?" Lucy asked in surprise, tucking her legs under her and sinking even deeper into the thick cushions of Tim's couch.

"Yeah, Lopez mentioned it several times when we were on patrol today."

"Wow. Do you know how rare the large spirit animals are?" she asked. Her gaze wandered around the room. Everything was neat and clean, with hardly any indication that anyone actually lived here.

"Yeah, I know. I once had a teacher with a brown bear, and that animal was also gigantic. But I haven't seen any other ones. Have you?"
"My parents once had a patient with a gorilla. The next biggest is Vida, who's also really huge." Jackson grumbled in agreement on the other end.

"And it's really okay if you stay with Bradford? I can still cancel all of this," he began.
"We've already talked about this. The trip with your parents has been planned for months, and just because I still can't be alone overnight doesn't mean you have to change everything. I'll be fine, and Tim's couch is really comfortable."

"If you say so. At some point, you'll have to tell me how you got him to agree to it."
"I just asked politely."
"And probably looked at him with those wide, loving eyes."
"Jackson. I don't look lovey-dovey!" she shouted a little too loudly. Her friend laughed.
"Anyway. If you want to talk, call me, day or night. I'm here for you, Lucy."
"I know, thank you. Now go, or you'll be late."

Just as she put the phone down, she heard footsteps in the hallway, and Tim entered the room. Freshly showered and with damp hair, he trudged into the kitchen wearing only sweatpants and a loose T-shirt. Lucy had to restrain herself from drooling at the sight. Her TO was undoubtedly sexy; it was long too late to deny it. So soon after his workout, his arm muscles flexed beneath his shirt. Swallowing dryly, she got up from the couch and joined him in the kitchen.

"Do you need help?" His gaze landed on her, and if he saw her flushed face, he didn't react.
"Sure, why not." With that, he gestured toward a cutting board and the ingredients for a salad and immersed himself again in his chores at the stove. Happy to have something to do, Lucy began cutting, and for a moment, it seemed as if it had always been this way. The domesticity of the situation made them both feel warm, even though they both tried to hide it.

"Jackson told me about Angela's new beau," Lucy began.
"He's a lawyer," Tim spat, as if it were a bad word.
"She said he was nice."
"It's like dating a firefighter. There are some people you just don't want to be around," he said. Lucy turned to him in surprise.
"You were the one who tried to set me up with a firefighter on Valentine's Day."
Tim rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"I had a few hours to convince one of my friends to go out with you."
"Convince? You act like I'm chopped liver." Her shock was softened by a broad smile.
"Spin it however you want." With that, there was silence for a moment, only the rhythmic chopping of knives could be heard.

"They moved in together a few months ago," Lucy said suddenly.
"Who?"
"Emmet and Rachel."
"Really? I thought it was just a Valentine's Day adventure."
"I guess not for them. I'm happy for them. Everyone deserves some happiness," Lucy said, gazing dreamily out the window. Tim's gaze landed on her.
"Yes, that's probably true," he whispered.

After dinner, they sat together on the couch, a cooking show on TV, while Lucy's eyes grew increasingly heavy. Quilin and Nox lay between her and Tim, entwined and both half asleep. Seeing the state of all three, Tim turned off the TV and nudged Nox, causing her to jump off the couch. The wolf whined softly as she had to break away from Quilin.

"Can you two manage to sleep in separate rooms this time?" he asked Nox, who immediately opened her eyes in shock. Quilin quickly raised his head and made a hissing noise.

"I'm sure that means no," Lucy said, laughing, while Tim just rolled his eyes.
"I was afraid of that. Do you want to sleep in my room with them?"
"And you'll sleep alone on the couch? Out of the question. If the two of them can't stand it without each other, then we'll share," she said dryly, standing up. Wolf and Panda followed her, while Tim stayed behind, shaking his head.

Some time later, all four of them were lying in Tim's bed, which made it seem very small, and the two animals were still trying to find the perfect position, while the two humans tried not to make the situation any more awkward than it already was.

Ultimately, Quilin decided to lie on the outside next to Tim and Nox on the outside next to Lucy, which forced the two officers to slide much closer together.

"So you suddenly don't want to cuddle anymore?" Tim asked. Lucy just smiled and blushed when she realized she was only a hand's breadth away from Tim.
"They'll probably change their minds in a minute," she said simply, closing her eyes.

When Tim opened his eyes the next morning, two things immediately struck him. First, that Quilin and Nox hadn't changed their minds, and that Lucy's head was resting under his chin, with her nose on his chest. His large arm wrapped around her as if he had to protect her from the dark world outside. The fruity scent of her shampoo filled his nose, and he inhaled a little more deeply.

It was perfect, this woman in his arms, her panda at his back, his wolf happy beside her.
Even though he still didn't know what it was that connected them, and the department was careful to ensure nothing happened until she reached P2, he enjoyed every opportunity he was given to be close to her. Her presence calmed him in a way no one else could.

Before he could form another thought, his cell phone rang on the nightstand, and he jumped. Grumbling, Lucy rolled over onto her back.
At the name that appeared on the screen, Tim's expression darkened, and he declined the call before it rang again. He would deal with that later.

The rest of the morning was quiet, and they were just about to set off for a hike when there was a knock on Tim's door.

"Open the door, Tim. You can ignore my calls all you want, but you won't leave me standing here!" echoed through the door. Tim froze, staring wide-eyed at the door.

There was another loud knock, waking him again, and he opened the door.

A tall woman with medium-length brown hair and a turtle in her arms entered. Her gaze was annoyed and fixed on Tim.

"Will you please explain to me why you haven't answered your phone when I call for weeks?" she asked.

"You know why," he managed. Nox hid behind Lucy's legs, who placed a reassuring hand on the wolf's head.

"We need to talk about this, Tim. It's no use avoiding me." With that, she stepped into the house without being asked and stopped in mid-stride when she saw Lucy with her hand on Nox's head. The stranger's eyes doubled in size, as if she'd seen a ghost, and she turned to Tim in a flash.
"This is Lucy. Lucy, this is Genny," he simply said.

Chapter Text

"Uh, hello," Lucy stammered, quickly removing her hand from the wolf's head, but it was too late; the strange woman's face was already showing shock.

Genny quickly turned back to Tim.
"She's touching Nox," she said, shocked. Tim rubbed the back of his neck.
"That's okay, Nox likes Lucy." That made her turn back.
"Nox likes her? Did I get into a car accident on the way here and now I'm living in a parallel world? Nox found someone who's allowed to touch him, and you don't even think about calling me? Your own sister!" Lucy let out the breath she'd been holding in relief.
The thought of the fiery stranger being a suitor stung more than she liked.

"Calm down, Genny, you sound like Lopez," Tim tried to reassure her, stepping next to her. But he achieved the opposite, because her eyes widened again and she reached out to punch him in the upper arm.

"You didn't tell Angela about this either? Oh man, I bet she's pissed off." Even as Tim rubbed his arm and Genny glared at him, Lucy began to laugh loudly.

"What?" Tim asked. She tried to speak, but couldn't get anything out between her laughs. Only when tears welled up in her eyes did she slowly recover.

"Oh my God, I couldn't believe you were siblings at first. But that look, it's exactly the same. The rookies call it the Bradford glare. Wow." Genny and Tim looked at each other, and Genny also began to laugh loudly.
That broke the ice, and the older woman walked over to Lucy and put her arm around her.
"I want to know everything about you. Tim doesn't tell me anything anyway." With that, the two women went into the living room, leaving a confused Tim and a somewhat intimidated Nox staring at each other as if everyone around them had gone crazy.

While Lucy and Genny, much to Tim's chagrin, were getting to know each other better, Quilin and Forcas, Genny's tortoise, played on the carpet in front of them while Nox watched. Quilin repeatedly scurried around Nox to encourage her, but the wolf stayed seated and watched the spectacle from the outside.

"He didn't," Lucy laughed out loud.
"Oh yes, and when he heard our mother come into the room, he quickly stuffed the chocolate cream into his pocket. It melted, of course, and he looked like he'd wet his pants," Genny laughed along. Lucy spat the water she'd just drunk across the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Okay, enough with the embarrassing stories," Tim tried to salvage his dignity.
"I bet you were a troublemaker as a kid," Lucy said with a wide grin on her face.
"You have no idea. That time Mum caught him…"
"GENNY!" Tim called across the room, and to his relief, she actually stopped.

"Should we talk about why I'm here?" she asked instead. Tim immediately paled and gritted his teeth. Nox's hair stood on end.
"Tim, we have to make a decision. The house has been empty for a few months now."
"And you want to do the old man another favor and fix it up?" he spat at her.
"The profits will benefit us. The hospice is expensive." Tim jumped to his feet.
"If you or he even think I'm paying a cent for him, you're wrong." With that, he and Nox stormed out of the room.
Lucy's worried gaze followed him and then settled on Genny, who had picked up her turtle from the floor and held it tightly to her chest.
"Is it okay if I check on him for a moment?" Lucy asked cautiously.
"Sure," Genny replied, a small tear creeping down her cheek.

Tim sat on the floor in front of his bed, Nox in his arms and his head resting on her back. The wolf seemed restless and kept turning her head toward the door. A soft knock made Tim's head jerk up.
"I don't want to talk," he snarled, burying his face in his wolf's fur. When he felt Nox relax, he knew it was Lucy who had walked through the door.
"You don't have to talk to me," she said as she sat down next to him and placed a hand on Nox's head. She gently stroked the wolf, who closed her eyes in pleasure.
Quilin sat in front of Nox and licked her face tenderly.
After a while, Tim relaxed and leaned back against the bed frame. Lucy continued stroking his wolf, trying to radiate as much calm as possible.
It took a few more minutes for the storm raging within Tim to dissipate and for him to visibly calm down. Only then did Lucy place her hand on his.

"Remember when I was sitting behind the locked door, thinking I was going to start bleeding from every orifice at any moment, and you asked about Nox's eye?" he began.
"Of course." As if she could forget.
"My father was a heavy drinker, and when he drank, he became unpredictable. Sometimes it was little things. No food, sleeping on the floor, or outside. But sometimes it was worse. Hits, kicks. A few times with belts, wooden poles, or anything that was nearby. The smallest things would upset him. I couldn't really do anything right." His eyes watered, and he lowered his gaze to his hands.

Lucy blinked back the tears, too, took his hand in hers, and gently pulled him toward her. His head landed on her shoulder, and she heard Tim take a deep breath.

"The thing with the eye happened one day when he slammed my head against the kitchen island a few times for breaking a glass. I don't remember the next three days; the next thing I know, Nox's eye was blind."
"Trauma we experience as children leaves more severe scars. And you two have been carrying that with you ever since?" she asked cautiously, pulling him further until his head was resting on her lap. She gently stroked his hair. Now Nox snuggled up to Tim again and placed her head under his chin, while Quilin pressed himself so close he was almost lying on top of her.

The affection surrounding him flooded Tim, making him tremble briefly. Lucy looked around, searching for something to throw over him, but the room, like the rest of the house, was too tidy.

"Would you like me to send Genny away?" she asked instead.
"No, that's not fair to her. I always tried to protect her, and she never realized how bad things could get with our father. She shouldn't be carrying all this alone."
"You're a good brother, Tim. But you don't have to carry the whole burden alone either. You're allowed to say no and stay out of it."
"I don't think I can." With that, he looked up at Lucy, who was smiling gently.
"Okay, then we'll find a way." It didn't go unnoticed by him that she had said "we," and he tried not to let on how good those words made him feel.

For a moment, they sat entwined on the floor until Tim slowly sat up, emerging from the cocoon of warmth and affection.
"I shouldn't keep Genny waiting any longer." Lucy just smiled weakly and followed him.

As they reached the living room, they just caught a glimpse of Genny putting on her jacket.
"You don't have to go," Tim said.
"It's okay, I didn't mean to upset you like that." To everyone's surprise, Tim approached his sister and pulled her into a hug. Genny squealed in surprise.
"I'm helping you with the house, but I don't know…" he began, but stopped.
"You do what you can, and if it gets too much, it's okay to stop," she whispered in his ear.

Lucy had sat down on the couch to give them some space and petted Quilin before deciding to search the fridge for something she could cook to treat Tim. Quilin trotted after her but stayed seated in front of the kitchen island. Spirit animals weren't allowed in the kitchen, one of Tim's rules, of course, but Lucy made sure her panda followed suit.

She heard voices from the door for a moment, then it went quiet, and then she heard footsteps behind her.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Lasagna. I thought you deserved some comfort food. But it'll take longer, so sit on the couch and relax." Normally, he'd protest, offer to help her several times, and feel guilty if she was working while he sat around, but today he was just glad he could rest.
With a football game on TV and Quilin and Nox on the couch next to him, he actually relaxed.

The dinner plates were on the coffee table, and Lucy was just getting up to clear them away when Tim stopped her.
"You cooked, at least let me do the dishes." So she nodded, and he went into the kitchen.
"I was actually planning on going back to my apartment today. Jackson is back," Lucy began, sitting down on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island.
"I hear a but," Tim replied.
"But I think it would be good for Nox after today if Quilin stayed the night." That made Tim grin.
"Would that be good for Nox?" he asked, smiling.
"Yes, and I'm sure it would be good for you too. Or would you like me to go home? All you have to do is say so, and I'll be gone," she said quickly.
"Hey, no. I didn't mean it like that. You can stay as long as you want, and yes, you're right. Nox and I would definitely benefit from not being alone tonight. Nox has nightmares, you know?"
"Just Nox?" she asked, also smiling. Tim rolled his eyes and went back to washing the dishes.

After spending the night cuddling again, Lucy was the first to wake up in the morning and get up to go to the bathroom. When she came back out, Nox was standing in the middle of the bedroom, looking at her with a watchful eye.
Lucy's eyes grew wide and she let out a shrill scream. Tim was instantly awake, jumping out of bed in alarm and clenching his fists to ward off an attacker.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Look at Nox," Lucy said from behind the hand she was covering her mouth in shock. Tim did as she said and looked into Nox's face. Two perfectly healthy eyes beamed back at him.

Chapter Text

Tim was a little nervous as he sat down in his usual spot for the roll call that day. His faint hope that no one would notice the change vanished the moment Angela walked into the room and her gaze widened.

"How?" she asked, surprised, gesturing with her outstretched hand toward Nox, who was lying under the table.
"Good morning, Angela," Tim tried to distract her, but she just rolled her eyes.
"Save the crap, Bradford. What happened?"

"Lucy says she heard about this when she was a psychology student. Sometimes scars fade or even heal on spirit animals."
"Lucy says so, huh?" the Latina gave him a meaningful look and plopped down in the chair next to him.

"She saw Nox this morning."
"Is she still sleeping at your place? I thought Jackson came back yesterday." Tim shrugged and was saved by another of her comments as Grey entered the room and all eyes turned forward.

At lunch, he met up with Angela and Nyla again, who were waiting for their order at their usual food truck.
"So, how's it going to be driving alone again?" Angela asked.
"The peace and quiet in the shop is heavenly," he said.
"Don't kid us, we know how much you miss her." He didn't respond, but rolled his eyes again.

"Sit with us, lone wolf, I have a question for you," Angela continued, gesturing to an empty table at the side.
"Do I have to answer it?"
"Of course you do."

Once they were seated, Angela sighed and suddenly looked uncertain, something Tim hadn't thought she was capable of.
"Out with it, Lopez."
"Okay, how does it feel when Lucy touches Nox?" Tim stopped short, fork in front of his mouth, and cleared his throat.

"That's a very personal question, even by your standards."
"It's like this, Wesley and I had sex last night..." she began.

"No details, please," Tim interrupted, pushing his food away and making a face of disgust.
"You're an idiot. What I was saying was: the sex was really good, but when he got out of bed afterward, he tripped over Vida and caught himself with his hand on her back. And there was nothing."
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing, not even pain, just nothing. Does that mean he's not the right one for me?"

Tim pushed his plate back in front of him.
"Maybe it takes more than an accidental touch."
"But didn't you say the first time Lucy touched Nox, it was unintentional?"
“That’s true, but it was an emotionally charged situation. We both thought I was going to die.”
The words hung in the air for a moment.

“Maybe he’s right. Why don’t you try again calmly and with some discussion?” Nyla chimed in, and four pairs of confused eyes landed on her.
“What? I’ve decided to get more involved with your problems.”
“You’re right, I will. Because the sex was really…” Angela began again.
Tim grimaced and pushed his food away again, and Nyla made a dismissive gesture.
“Okay, back to disinterest,” she said quickly and stood up.

“I’m going out tonight,” Lucy said over the phone the next day. As had been the case most days, Tim had called her on the hands-free system in his car on his way to his shift. At her words, he flinched so violently that he almost steered the car into the guardrail.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? So soon after what happened with Caleb."
"I don't want him dictating my life."
"That shows a lot of strength, but there's no need to rush into anything. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, Lucy, not even to yourself."

There was a moment of silence.
"I know. My therapist also thinks it's a bad idea, but I want to show myself that I don't have to be afraid. There aren't only bad people out there."
"But enough."
"You're not making this any easier."
"That wasn't my intention."

Another sigh from Lucy.
"Jackson won't leave my side all evening. It'll be fine."

Tim's gaze drifted out of his car window into the sunset. He hated night shifts.

Lucy followed Jackson into the bar. It was a Thursday night, and yet it was packed. Humans and spirit animals gathered at the bar, on the dance floor, and in the aisles. It was nearly impossible to take a few steps without bumping into someone.

Lucy immediately felt uncomfortable; the sensation of all eyes being on her made her heart race. There were too many people, too much noise, and she felt as if people's stares were piercing her skin.
But she took a deep breath and followed Jackson, her panda clutched tightly to her chest. Quilin whimpered softly and buried his face in Lucy's blouse.

"What would you like to drink?" Jackson asked loudly to be heard over the voices around them.
"Just water, please." As Jackson turned to the bartender, a man stood next to Lucy and smiled kindly at her.

"Hey, do you come here often?" he asked. She smiled weakly.
"Thanks, but I'm not interested. I'm here with my boyfriend." With a trembling hand, she pointed at Jackson, who surely wouldn't mind being her alibi boyfriend.

But the man wasn't deterred; he just smiled.
"I think I can offer you more than that guy." With that, he placed his hand on Lucy's shoulder, and something inside her snapped. She jumped up from her chair, let out a guttural scream, kicked him in the shin, and tried to push her way out through the crowd. But her panic clouded her judgment, and she couldn't find her way out, collapsing into a wall.

Jackson was immediately at her side, trying to calm her down, but the panic had so clouded her vision that she barely registered him.
"Should I call Tim?" he finally asked after talking to her for several minutes.
"He's on the night shift," Lucy managed to say. But Jackson had already pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed.

"Bradford"
"Sir, Lucy, she's having a panic attack and I can't get through to her," Jackson stammered into the phone.
"I'll be right there. Where are you?"

It was only a few minutes before the sirens of Tim's shop could be heard and he rushed into the bar in full uniform. As always, he found Lucy immediately. She was slumped against a wall in a dark corner of the bar, and Jackson was standing beside her. With a few long strides and an authority that made the people around him step aside, he was at her side.

Quilin saw him first, made a choked sound, and jumped into Tim's arms. The officer easily found him and pulled him to his chest.
"Everything will be alright," he whispered into the panda's fur, then slowly lowered himself to his knees beside Lucy without putting the animal down.

"Hey, Lucy."
"Tim?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes, I'm here." With that, she flew towards him and sank into his outstretched arms. Holding Lucy in one arm and Quilin in the other, he sat on the ground for a moment, closed his eyes, and offered them both peace and security until he began to speak again.

"Let me take you out of here. Nox is waiting for you in the car." Lucy's eyes met his, and she was still nervous, but he saw that she was processing his words and then nodded. Together they stood up, and he led her outside into the cold night air.
She immediately inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

"You were right," she said simply, letting her forehead fall onto his chest.
"I'm always right, Boot." That made her smile.
"Come on, I'll drive you home." He led them to the shop, and a little later, he turned onto a dark street. Only then did Lucy realize that they weren't on the way to her apartment.

"This isn't my home," she said.
“I didn’t say I was taking you to YOUR home,” he replied, pulling the car into his driveway.
“I feel more at ease knowing where you are tonight,” he confessed, his eyes softening.
“Okay.” With that, she got out of the car.

“My shift is almost over, make yourself comfortable.” She nodded, and he drove off.

The empty house welcomed her with peace and comfort. At first, she worried that being alone would overwhelm her, but this place had become her safe space. Everything smelled of Tim, and that comforted her more than she wanted to admit to herself.

She treated herself to a long, hot shower, put on one of Tim's T-shirts, and lay down in his bed. His scent immediately enveloped her, and she sank deeper into the pillow and closed her eyes.

When she next opened her eyes, she felt the bed beside her move, and she lifted her head to see Tim climbing in.

"Are you okay?" she asked sleepily.

"Shouldn't I be asking you?" With that, he lay down against her back and placed his hand on her side. Nox positioned herself between them, as she always did, and Quilin also found his place next to Tim. Rolling his eyes, he lifted his hand from Lucy's side and stroked the panda's head.

"I miss the days when animals weren't allowed in bed," he said softly.

"You don't," Lucy replied in a husky voice. And he had to admit she was right. He really wasn't.

Chapter Text

Even though the California sun didn't suggest it, Christmas was only a few weeks away, and Tim hated everything about it. The decorations, the people milling about looking for last-minute gifts, and the general madness that came with the time of year. That was certainly one of the reasons for his decidedly bad mood that morning when he walked into the station.
His mood didn't improve when Angela intercepted him before he even reached the locker room.

"We need to talk," she announced, while he rolled his eyes.
"What is it this time? If it's about your love life with that lawyer again, I really don't want to hear about it. Even if it hasn't scared you off the last hundred times," he grumbled to himself.
"I'm certainly not apologizing for asking my best friend for advice. Not my problem if you can't handle it." Another eye roll.

"But that's not what this is about. It's about you and Lucy."
"We're just friends," he said quickly. An automatic response, one he'd had to give far too often in recent months.
"I know that. But the rumors are getting louder. Many colleagues are convinced something's going on, and there's a lot of talk going on."

"How do they come to that conclusion?"

Angela stood in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, crossed her arms, and tilted her head slightly.
"Are you serious? Lucy practically lives with you, you talk on the phone every day even though you usually see each other for 12 hours a day, you finish each other's sentences, and you're constantly doing such nice things for each other that it's giving Harper an ulcer." Tim gritted his teeth.

"I don't care what people say."
"I know, but you can't be indifferent. It's not about your career, it's about hers. As a woman, she already has fewer opportunities, and this whole situation means that no cop in all of LA will take her seriously." Tim closed his eyes and shook his head.

"That's the last thing I want, Angela."

She placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I know, that's why we need to find a solution."
"And knowing you, you probably already have a suggestion." Suddenly, she smiled mischievously.
"Of course I do. Wesley has this colleague. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, but reliable."

"You want to set Lucy up?" Tim asked incredulously, and at the same moment, Nox grumbled deeply.
"Jealousy doesn't suit you at all, Bradford," Angela said.
"I'm not jealous. Especially not of a lawyer."

"If you say so. By the way, I have someone for you too. Her name is Ashley, and she's a knockout."
"I'm not interested."
"You don't even know her. Let me at least show you a picture." Angela rummaged in her bag for her phone, but Tim stopped her with his outstretched hand.
“Seriously, Angela. Thank you for worrying about me and Lucy, but I’m not going on a date with a complete stranger just so people will talk less. That’s not fair to Ashley either.”

“You’re too much of a gentleman for this world,” Angela replied, waving her hand dismissively.

In the shop, Tim was even quieter than usual, and Lucy was expecting a Tim test any minute, but it never came.

"You seem distracted today. Is everything alright?" she asked from the passenger seat. Tim glanced at his partner for a moment, then back at the road, and steered the car into a quiet side street where he gestured for her to get out. Without a word, he switched off his bodycam, and she did the same.

"Angela intercepted me this morning and told me that the rumor mill is churning about us."
"We knew this would happen," she said calmly, taking a step toward him.
"I was hoping it wouldn't be this bad, since we're just friends. But I guess I was wrong." He slowly took a step back to create some space between them.

"And the rumors bother you?"
"Not at all, but they're bad for you. Angela says you already have it hard as a woman, and thanks to the rumors, it's only going to get harder." Lucy lowered her gaze to her shoes and looked down deeply before seeking his eyes again.
"I don't care what anyone else says. The people I care about know how things really are. And if I'm P2 and nobody wants to work with me because they all think I only passed the training because I slept with you, then I'll transfer somewhere else. And then I'll prove what you taught me." He smiled at her as he said this.

"Angela also made a suggestion," he continued.
"Why does that sound like a threat?"
"She's got a guy for you. A lawyer, a colleague of Wesley's, and she thinks if you meet up with him, the rumors will stop." Her shocked expression hit him hard.

"And you think that's a good idea?" she asked hoarsely. Quilin sat down between the two of them and gave Tim a deadly look, while Nox hid behind his legs and whimpered.
“I hate everything about this plan, but I’m not important. It’s your career, your life, and your decision.” Quilin went through a series of emotions in a few moments, finally settling on a soft expression.

"Thank you for bringing up that option, but I won't do it. Our two spirit animals didn't choose each other for no reason, and I'm not going to risk that just because of a few rumors." With that, she stepped closer to him again, and this time he didn’t back away.
“No matter what it is, what’s between us, or what could become of us, I’m not going to jeopardize that. You’re too important to me.”

Tim placed his hand on her cheek and gently stroked her soft skin with his rough fingertips.
“This is the most important relationship I’ve ever had,” he whispered.

“For me too,” she replied. It would be easy to lean forward and kiss him now. Finally give in to the urge that had been tormenting her for months. But it was wrong; they only had a few more weeks to hold out.

His blue eyes shone with an intensity that almost made her dizzy, and she longed to be lost in them more than anything. But they were on duty. Tim seemed to remember this too, because he cleared his throat, created some space between them, and switched his body camera back on.

Exactly two weeks later, the moment had finally arrived. All three rookies had successfully completed their training and stood together in front of the station that evening, congratulating each other. Vincent, Flippy, and Quilin danced across the parking lot, jumping for joy.

"What are you guys doing to celebrate?" Nolan asked.
"My parents are taking me out to dinner. A fancy restaurant, lots to drink, and good food," Jackson gushed.
"My son is coming to visit, and we're going out for drinks," Nolan explained.
"I'm cooking for my parents. I hope they're finally happy for me, since they kept saying I wouldn't make it." Jackson and Nolan cast a pitying glance at Lucy.

"It'll be alright, guys."
"Okay. If you need someone to talk to, just give us a call," Nolan offered.

"Sure, man, as if we'd be her first choice if she needed a shoulder to cry on," Jackson chimed in, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

Preparations for dinner with her parents went well. Lucy was in a great mood, music was playing loudly in the background, and Quilin was yelping happily along. When the appointed time arrived, Lucy wondered where her parents were but chalked it up to traffic.

An hour later, however, she couldn't stand it any longer and called her mother, but the call was rejected. A few seconds later, a message arrived from her mother saying they had gone to a spa for the weekend to relax after such a wild year.

Lucy swallowed hard, tears welled up in her eyes, and Quilin whimpered softly at her feet. She had never felt so worthless, and as the hot tears streamed down her cheeks, she grabbed a pillow and threw it against the wall.

After quickly texting Jackson, offering him the meal she had cooked, she took a shower, trying to wash away the feeling of emptiness, but she couldn't, and then collapsed into bed.

She jumped when there was a knock at the door. For a moment, she considered not opening it at all, but at the third knock, she grumbled and got out of bed.
Tim and Genny stood in front of the door, looking sad.

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked, surprised and a little embarrassed because she was only wearing panties and a top.
"You're opening the door dressed like that? Didn't I teach you anything about security?" Tim asked, pushing her aside.
"I wasn't expecting any guests."
"All the more reason to look through the peephole first," he added.
Nox immediately ran to Quilin and greeted him happily.

"Anyway. What are you doing here?" Lucy asked.
"Jackson called and said something about an emergency. I think he was a little drunk," Tim explained, looking around as if he were searching for a burglar.
“No emergency. My parents just thought it was more important to go to a spa to relax than to celebrate my success with me.”

“That’s awful, Lucy,” Genny said, quickly wrapping her arms around the younger woman. Her tortoise, Forcas, nudged Quilin with its head.
“I’m used to it; they were never too happy about my decision to become a cop.”
When Genny finally pulled away, both of them had tears in their eyes.

“Okay, we’re going out to celebrate before everyone gets too emotional. Get ready, Lucy. We’re leaving in ten minutes. I’ll pack everyone into the car,” Tim announced, already heading out the door without waiting for a reply. Genny giggled while Lucy just rolled her eyes.

He drove them to a small pub a few streets away. It wasn’t very busy; many of the tables were empty, with only a few people gathered at the bar. He ushered the two women to a table in the corner and made sure Lucy was seated so she had a good view of the room.

“I’ll go get us something to drink. Is it okay if Genny stays with you?” he asked.
“Sure. Thanks.” With that, he turned and headed for the bar. Genny watched them both with interest. She had, of course, noticed that he hadn’t even asked what Lucy wanted to drink. She didn't really understand their relationship, because they both insisted they were just friends, even though it was obvious to anyone that there was chemistry between them.

"And you happened to be nearby when Tim got the call?" Lucy asked, pulling Genny out of her thoughts.
"Uh, no. I was at Tim's; we were going to talk about the renovations to our parents' house."
"I'm sorry to interrupt. I know how important this is to you."

"It's okay. I think Tim was very grateful that there was a reason to postpone the conversation," Genny replied.
"He's not doing this to make things harder for you." Genny's expression softened.
"I know. He had to go through a lot as a child." Before she could continue, Tim stepped back to the table, balancing three glasses in front of him.

Lucy reached out, but even that wasn't enough to reach her glass.
“Tim!” she chided him, and he smiled sheepishly, leaning forward slightly. Back in his seat, he took his beer in both hands.

“Sometimes I forget how short you are,” he said quickly, taking a sip.
“It’s not the size that matters, it’s how you use it,” Lucy replied with a wink, and his brain momentarily shut down, causing him to choke. While he struggled to catch his breath, Genny laughed so loudly that several others turned to look.

“I love that woman. If you don’t get her soon, bro, I’m going to take her,” she said between laughs. Tim turned bright red.
“You’re married with two kids, Gen.”
“So? Does that make me a bad catch?” Lucy joined in the laughter, while Tim wished he could disappear into the floor.

“Going for drinks with you two was a bad idea.”
“Too late,” Lucy said, raising her glass to Genny.

A few hours later, Lucy had not only forgotten the humiliation at her parents’ hands, but she was certain the evening couldn’t have gone better. She left the pub with Tim and Genny, and on the way back to his car, Tim placed his hand on her lower back. The warmth radiating from his hand spread through her entire body.

“Lucy, I…” he began, but was interrupted when Genny let out a piercing scream. He immediately turned and saw his sister staring at her phone as if it were on fire.
“What’s wrong?” he asked anxiously.

“A message… from the hospice. Dad’s… dead.”

Chapter Text

Within the next second, everything happened at once. Genny burst into tears, while Forcas slumped to the ground. Tim's expression froze completely, but Nox audibly breathed a sigh of relief and, all in all, looked very relieved. Lucy reacted instinctively and stepped between the siblings to avoid the tension that their differing reactions would surely cause.

"I'm so sorry, Genny," she said simply, and took the grieving girl in her arms. Her gaze, however, landed on Tim, who silently thanked her for giving him time to process his emotions.

Once the two women had separated, Tim approached his sister and put his strong arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Gen. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't pretend to feel something that isn't there."
"It's okay. You don't have to grieve for him. I don't even know about many of the things he did to you." She pulled away from him.

"I wanted to protect you."
"And you did that very well, Tim. I have so many wonderful memories of our childhood, and I owe that to you." With that, she leaned forward and gently kissed his cheek.

"I'll call you again in a few days about the house. And if you decide to be part of Dad's funeral, let me know." With that, Genny waved to Lucy again, picked up her tortoise from the floor, and slowly walked toward a taxi.

When Lucy stood beside Tim again, she saw tears in the corners of his eyes, and she placed her hand on his forearm, which made him flinch.
"There's a lot to process. Come on, I'll take you home, and then we'll see." Without arguing, he got into the passenger seat of his truck and let her drive.

Later, he lay in his bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to ignore the voices in his head, but it was hopeless. Only when the bedroom door slowly opened and Lucy entered the room with a steaming cup of tea did he calm down. It always amazed him how much power she had over him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Fine," he replied simply. But Nox, lying next to him on the bed, whimpered and rubbed her head against Lucy's arm.
"Do you want to try again?" she asked, beginning to gently stroke the wolf.

"I don't know what I feel. It's kind of everything and nothing at all."
"Okay. Let's try to sort this out. What do you think you should be feeling?" she asked, sitting back against the headboard. Immediately, Nox snuggled into her lap.
"Shouldn't I be grieving? He was my father, even if he was an asshole. But I'm not sad that he's dead."
“No one can tell you how you should feel. That man hurt you, physically and emotionally, and you lost trust in him as a child. It’s perfectly okay if you don’t grieve for him.” The words hung between them for a moment like a heavy cloud.

“It doesn’t make you a bad person, Tim,” she guessed his thoughts.
“Not even if I’m relieved he’s gone?” he asked meekly. He hated himself for how broken his voice sounded, but he felt safe with Lucy.

"Not even then. You're a good person, you do so much good every day, you help people. You have many friends who love you just the way you are and who are always there for you." One of Lucy's hands rested on Nox, the other she placed on Tim's arm, and the touch made him collapse.

Hot tears streamed down his face and he began to sob loudly. Without a word, Lucy slid down, lay on her back, and pulled Tim's head onto her chest. She gently stroked his hair, her other hand still holding Nox close to her. Her eyes searched for Quilin, who was sitting at the foot of the bed, watching the scene with a soft gaze. He understood what she meant and lay down against Tim's back. With rhythmic movements, he licked Tim's back soothingly.

"Everything will be alright," she whispered as she kissed him on the forehead.
No matter what boundaries they had set for their relationship in recent months, that night they were allowed to blur.

Tim took the next two days off, and Lucy went on patrol with Jackson, enjoying her newfound freedom. And yet, her thoughts kept returning to Tim.

"What's wrong, Lucy? I can see you're worried," Jackson remarked during the lunch break.
"I don't feel right leaving him alone while he's grieving."
"You're talking about Tim Bradford. That man can settle arguments with just a look. I think he's fine on his own." Lucy realized she was the only one he showed his vulnerable side to. No one else knew about his demons and his gentle side.

So she smiled and replied, "You're right." But her worries didn't lessen.

When she unlocked the door to Tim's house after her shift, it was dark and quiet inside. For a moment, she feared he'd gone out, but then she heard the sound of claws on the wooden floor, and she knew that if Nox was there, Tim couldn't be far away.
The wolf approached her and greeted her with his wet nose against her hand.

"Hello, my sweetie. How are you? Did you have a nice day?" As always, the wolf was clearly delighted to be spoken to, and she danced happily around Lucy's legs until she spotted Quilin and greeted him with a headbutt.

The next moment, Tim entered the living room, dressed in low-slung sweatpants and an old T-shirt. In his hand, he held a small leather-bound book.
"Hey," he said softly, approaching Lucy. For a moment, it seemed as if he were about to bend down and kiss her, but he stopped himself at the last second.

"Hey. What's this?" Lucy asked, pointing to the book in his hand.
"Journal. I had my first appointment with my therapist today, and she gave it to me." Shocked, Lucy looked up.
"What?" she asked, breathless.
"Journal. It's like a diary for grown-ups. With problems, apparently."
“I know what a journal is. But you’re seeing a therapist?”

“Yes, after everything that’s happened, I realized I can’t expect you to constantly listen to my problems.” With that, he slumped onto the couch. She sat down next to him and placed her hand on his leg.
“I’m happy to listen to your problems, but going to therapy is a good idea. I’m proud of you.” With that, she gave his leg a gentle squeeze.
“That sounds like I’m a child.”

“It takes a lot of courage to realize you need help and strength to ask for it,” she said simply, leaning to the side and kissing him on the cheek.
“I don’t want to be broken anymore,” he whispered. Her face was suddenly so close that he could see the full spectrum of colors in her eyes.

“You’re not broken, Tim.” He threw his upper body back and placed his hand on his face.
“Look at Nox. She has more scars than healthy skin,” he said. Lucy called Nox with a whistle, and the wolf happily jumped into her lap.

“You two have been through a lot; that leaves scars.” With that, she traced the scar from Isabelle, which stretched broadly and thickly down the wolf’s side, then the small, dot-like scars on her belly from the people whose lives Tim had taken. Finally, she traced the scars from his father on Nox’s face, back, and hind legs. She caressed them all with her soft fingertips and finally bent down to kiss the spot above Nox's eye, which had recently been blind. Tim hummed with pleasure.

"All of this doesn't break you, it makes you a survivor."
"I told you that when Quilin got Caleb's scar." Lucy's hand immediately found the tattoo on her side; her panda bore the scar from the terrible event in the same spot.

"And it applies to both of us. What we experience shapes us into the people we are."
“I’m not sure if I like who I’ve become,” he whispered.

“Then I like you for both of us,” she replied, reaching for his hand to lift it from his face.
“You are worthy of being loved, Tim.” This brought tears to his eyes, and Lucy wept with him. His gaze fixed on hers, he leaned forward slowly, placed his hand on her cheek, and gently pulled her closer.

They both closed their eyes at the same moment, and their lips met.

Everything around them blurred; no sound penetrated their hearing. It was as if a soft blanket had settled over them, completely shutting out the outside world.
Nox jumped off Lucy’s lap and snuggled up next to Quilin as close as she could. They both exhaled audibly, as if they had been holding their breath for months.

Emotions surged through Lucy, every synapse seemed to be firing, heat gathered in her stomach, and her heart leaped with joy. As her racing thoughts subsided, her body seemed to shed the tension of the past years. It seemed as if her body had been waiting for this moment.

As Tim and Lucy slowly separated, they smiled at each other, their cheeks flushed.
"Thank you," he said simply, resting his forehead against hers, savoring the rush of emotions for another moment.

Chapter Text

That night, they lay entwined in Tim's bed, his warmth enveloping Lucy like gentle waves, and she wished the moment could last forever. Without discussing it, they had agreed to take things slowly, and so they were both fully clothed beneath the thin sheets.

When Tim opened his eyes the next morning, the sun was just rising behind the heavy curtains. The first rays of the morning sun illuminated Lucy's face, making her hair glow on the pillow. He gently raised his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, waking her up.
"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered, bringing a smile to her lips. Soft lips pressed a kiss to her hair, and it was as if the world had melted into that space.

Lucy barely made it to the roll call that day, after finding it nearly impossible to get out of bed and Tim's arms that morning.
"Wow, what happened?" Jackson asked as he sat down next to her.
"What do you mean?"
"Lucy, you're glowing, it's obvious. And Quilin's dancing around the room like he's had way too much coffee. So what happened?" The ensuing pause stretched into several moments as Lucy tried to work out what to say.

"I..." she began, but trailed off.
"It has something to do with Officer Grumpy, right?" Jackson asked, leaning back in his chair. Lucy blushed.
"I thought so," he continued, placing his hand on his colleague's shoulder.
"I'm happy for you both. Whatever he did, it seems to be doing you good." That made Lucy smile and nod slightly.

When Grey announced a little later that she was going with Lopez, she rolled her eyes inwardly. The last person she needed today. She could never hide her feelings from her.
"What did he do?" was the first thing Angela said to Lucy as they sat together in her shop.
"What? Who? What?" Lucy countered. A very serious and rather intimidating look from the Latina met hers, and she swallowed hard.
"He... he kissed me last night."

"Finally. It took longer than I thought," Angela said dryly, picking up her phone and quickly typing something. Within the next ten minutes, one message after another flooded in, and finally, she cursed in Spanish.
"What's wrong?" Lucy asked.
"Nyla won. Two days... couldn't the idiot have done it two days earlier?" Lucy slammed on the brakes, causing the Latina to drop her phone. Another car honked behind them.

"You bet on when we'd kiss?" she asked, her voice sharp enough to make even Angela flinch.
“We bet on when you two would finally realize you belonged together.”
“How?” Lucy asked again, pulling the car into a parking lot.

“Please. Nox and Quilin are constantly inseparable; they’re so in love it hurts to watch. Everyone knows how rare it is for spirit animals to meet their mates, and you two have ignored that for MONTHS, acting like it’s perfectly normal.”
“The regulations, we had to act this way.” Angela rolled her eyes at Lucy’s words.
“There were so many other options. A different TO, a different station, and so on. You’re both so afraid that you’re denying yourselves something that’s denied to so many others out there.”

Lucy paused, trying to breathe calmly, but failed. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her clothes suddenly felt tighter. Quilin was making whimpering noises in the back seat. Angela noticed the change in her and placed a comforting hand on her arm.
“I’m so glad you two had the courage to take this step. It takes guts. Tim is like another brother to me, one I never wanted, and I love him. Just don’t tell him that. He’s got a tough exterior, but inside he’s a vulnerable guy who’s been through way too much. Don’t hurt him.” Lucy smiled, her eyes welling up with tears.

“I never expected to get the best friend speech from you,” she said with a laugh.
“I’m always full of surprises. Now, back on the road; we have a city to make safer.”

As they were driving to their lunch break that afternoon, Angela suddenly blurted out another piece of news.
“Wesley proposed to me.” This time, Lucy barely managed to stop herself from slamming on the brakes, but her head turned in surprise to look at her passenger.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Wow. Congratulations. When?”
"Last night. A lovely candlelit dinner, chic outfits, a sea view. It was perfect."

"Have you told Tim yet?" Lucy continued.
"No, haven't had a chance."
Before Angela could stop her, Lucy dialed Tim's number on her cell phone using speakerphone.

"Hey babe. Is everything okay?" he asked almost immediately. Angela made a mock gagging noise.
"There's news. Apparently, half the station has a bet going on when we'll get together, and Nyla won. Smitty's platypus caused a traffic jam, and Angela is engaged," Lucy summarized her morning. Tim audibly inhaled on the other end.

It took him a moment to reply, a broad smile audible in his voice.
"How on earth did Smitty's platypus cause a traffic jam?" Lucy began to smile broadly too; she knew exactly what he was doing.
“Smitty was conducting routine checks, and Nobility must have gotten bored, so it decided to take a nap. Right in the middle of the street. By the time Smitty noticed, the traffic had backed up for several blocks.”

“You’re both idiots,” Angela chimed in, crossing her arms. Tim’s laughter could be heard through the phone.
“You deserved so much more if you bet on us.”
“I would have if I’d won, Bradford. And you know, for the stunt, you’ll be my best man and help with the planning.” He grumbled, which made Lucy smile.

When she unlocked the door to his house that evening, it was dark. Inside, there was absolute silence, only long shadows falling behind the furniture. Lucy walked through the house and finally found him on the terrace, a cup in his hand, his gaze fixed on the sky.

“Hey,” she greeted him, putting her arms around him from behind.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” he said quietly and seriously. She froze. Could it really be over before it had even properly begun?
“I’m afraid I need some more context,” she said, her voice trembling, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind. But Tim didn’t react; instead, he wriggled out of her arms, went inside, and sat down on the couch. Her limbs stiffened as she sank down beside him.

"I know what we're doing is risky, but you mean so much to me, Tim, and I'll change stations if that makes you feel better." He looked at her, surprised.
"Oh God, Lucy. No, I didn't mean us. I'm sorry." With that, he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently as Lucy released the breath she'd been holding in shock.
"Then what is it?" she asked more calmly. Tim took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. A few messages from Genny were visible. She asked about the house again.

"I don't know if I can go back into that house. So much happened there," he said quietly. Nox sat down in front of him, her eyes wide and watery, and rested her head on his knees.
"You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. If the house brings back too many bad memories, then Genny should sell it. She can manage on her own."
“It feels wrong to leave her to do all the work alone.”
“And what if I take it on?” Lucy asked, gently stroking his back.

“What?”
“I’ll help her with the house, with the funeral. Whatever help she needs. You get in if you can, and I’ll take care of the rest.” His gaze fell on her, vulnerable yet so full of love.
“You would do that for me?”
“Of course I would. Tim, I…” she trailed off before she could say anything, which was probably far too soon. But he understood, leaned to one side, and kissed her tenderly.

The following weekend, they sat in Tim’s truck in front of his childhood home.

“You can wait here in the truck if you want,” Lucy offered for the third time since they had parked, but he shook his head.
“I’m not leaving you two to do this alone, and it’s ridiculous. It’s just a building.”
"It's not ridiculous. It's understandable that you feel this way, and there's nothing wrong with it." Looking at Nox's trembling figure in the back seat, Lucy realized just how bad Tim really felt.
"You don't have to be strong to prove anything to me," she assured him.
"I think I want to prove something to myself instead." That made sense to her.

“Okay,” she said simply, opening the car door.

The house was neglected, and it was clear that it had been uninhabited for several months. But at least no squatters or vandals had yet gotten their hands on it.
Tim stepped inside, his knees trembling, the smell of dust immediately enveloping him. Silently, he entered the living room and let his gaze wander around the room until it settled on the fireplace. Nox whimpered loudly, and Lucy knelt beside her to take her in her arms.

“Everything is alright, no one can hurt you,” she whispered into the wolf's fur. The warmth and affection Lucy gave Nox hit Tim like a punch to the gut, and he closed his eyes for a moment to savor the feeling. It gave him the strength to continue.
Reaching the kitchen, his gaze landed on the kitchen island, where he ran his fingertips along the edge of the countertop. Lucy entered the room behind him, carrying the visibly shrunken Nox in both arms.

"My father banged my head against this because I dropped a glass. The worst concussion of my youth. I could only see blurry images for a whole week." Nox whimpered again and buried her head under Lucy's chin, who whispered softly to her and kissed her head.
"He'll never do it again. No one will ever do something like that to you again. I won't allow it," she said, a little louder so Tim could hear.
"I know," he said quietly, and it was the truth; he felt it. She held his soul in her hands, literally, and she would protect them both with everything she had. He didn't doubt it for a moment.

When his gaze fell on the stairs leading upstairs, he stopped, and a cold shiver ran down his spine.
“What’s up there?” Lucy asked, sensing the change in him.
“My childhood bedroom. Hundreds of times I hid under the bed to escape his beatings, but he always found me.” He began to tremble, and when his legs buckled, Lucy was at his side, and they sat down on one of the lower steps. Quickly, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed his head to her chest.

“Breathe, Tim. I’m here.” He tried to focus on her heartbeat and managed to synchronize his breathing with hers. Lucy’s chin rested on his head, and she looked around the room. Quilin had wrapped himself around the trembling figure of Nox, who was just about as tall as him.

“We don’t have to go up there today,” she whispered, pulling Tim even closer as if she could force the terrible memories out of him.
“I just want to get this over with,” he replied.
"Okay, take as much time as you need," she said simply, and he knew she would be by his side, no matter how long it took.

Chapter Text

Before Tim had a chance to take another deep breath, the door opened and Genny walked in. Her tortoise rested in her arms, a sad look in his eyes. When she saw Tim slumped on the steps and Lucy crouching in front of him, she stopped short.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." After a quick glance between Lucy and Tim, the young officer turned to her.
"Give us a few minutes, Genny? We'll be right there," Lucy said in a strong voice. A look of gratitude came over Tim's face, and his sister smiled gently. She had never seen Tim like this before, and all she wanted was for Lucy to stay by his side, no matter what an idiot he might be.

With a nod, Genny went into the kitchen and started rummaging loudly in the cupboards.
“Do you want to go home?” Lucy asked gently. Tim’s eyes met hers. Trust, security, and something that looked suspiciously like love. He stood up, blinked a few times, and took her hand. Then, without a word, he led her up the stairs.

“Are you sure, Tim?” Lucy asked softly.
“If I don’t do it now, I might never do it, and with you by my side, I can do it,” he confessed. Quilin and Nox also climbed the stairs, the wolf hesitating, glancing repeatedly at the panda to make sure he was still there.

At the top, a hallway opened up with several doors on either side.
“That was Genny’s room,” he indicated the door to his right.
“This is a bathroom, and beyond it is a study.” Then, his fingers trembling, he pointed to the door to his left.

“That was my room.” His voice was shaky, and Nox whimpered softly. Lucy stroked his fingers and looked at him.
Tim took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened the door.
Beyond it was an empty room with light gray carpeting, crisscrossed with indentations where furniture had once stood. Another door led into a built-in closet, the door old and scratched. Tim stared at it as if it led to another world.

Before Lucy could say anything, Tim strode toward it, opened it with stiff fingers, and froze completely.
When she stepped beside him, she saw it. An old mattress, covered in stains, stood upright, leaning against the side of the closet. Most of the stains looked like old blood: splashes, smeared patches, and drops. Interspersed were lighter stains, perhaps urine or vomit.

Tim staggered and barely managed to grab hold of the doorframe.
"Hey, breathe," Lucy said quickly, wrapping her arms around him and helping him to the floor. Leaning against the wall, she pulled Tim into her arms.

His first sobs were quiet, but then it all came pouring out. The pain of his lost childhood gushed forth as if it would never end. Tears mingled with phlegm and saliva, and it all landed on Lucy's shirt. But she didn't mind. She stroked him gently, tried to comfort him, and whispered words of encouragement again and again.

It took a long time for him to slowly calm down. But he didn't sit up; instead, he turned his head slightly so that his ear was directly over her heart and simply listened. The sound grounded him.
Nox lay down on the floor next to Lucy and pressed her body against the young woman's.

"It's over, Tim. It's all up from here," she whispered.
"It doesn't feel like it," he admitted in a nasal voice.
"I know, but it's the truth. I promise you." He didn't reply, but buried his face in her shirt again.

After another pause, during which they both simply breathed and felt, he began to speak again.
"I wasn't allowed to make the bed dirty, so when my father was finished with me, I lay on the old mattress. It didn't matter if it was covered in blood or if I vomited because the concussions were so severe that I couldn't get up when I felt sick."

Lucy's heart ached. No child in this world should have to go through something like that, and certainly not Tim.
"If I could, I would kill your father myself," she confessed, which made him smile weakly.
“He wouldn’t be worth it.” Another moment of silence followed until Lucy suddenly stretched.

“I have an idea. You trust me, right?” she asked. He raised an eyebrow, as if to ask if she was serious.
“Right, stupid question. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” With that, she jumped to her feet, and Tim immediately felt the emptiness she left behind. Before he could protest, however, she had rushed out of the room and run downstairs.

He was left behind with Nox and Quilin, who both looked at him questioningly.
“I have no idea what she’s planning,” he told them, startled. This was the first time he had ever spoken to his spirit animal outside of his home.
But there was no one here to judge him for it. Only Lucy, and she wouldn't see it as a weakness if he interacted with Nox.

A little later, she returned, one hand tightly closed around something Tim couldn't quite see, and she smiled broadly as she slumped down beside him again. When she opened her hand, a large knife was revealed. Somewhat bewildered, he looked at her.

"For the mattress. I want you to cut it up. Destroy it and with it, the bad memories."
"I don't think that'll work," he admitted.
"Then cut it up, because it'll fit better in the container that way. Do it, Tim." She stood up, took a few steps back, and he gripped the tool with stiff fingers.

The first cut was tentative, but with each subsequent cut, he already felt how good it felt and how he was growing stronger. His pain gave way to a feeling of power. He couldn't change his past, but here and now, he could send the memories of it packing. And he kept cutting, shredding the thing into hundreds of tiny pieces.

Beside him sat Nox, her eyes glued to the knife. At first, the change in her was barely noticeable, but then it began to grow. Soon she was back to her usual size. Her ears flapping, she jumped to her feet, took a few big leaps in the empty space, and squealed. Her long fur swung with the movement, as did her tail.

Quilin leaped into Lucy's arms, and they both watched intently, delighted by the changes in their partners, simply letting them do their thing.

A few moments later, Tim dropped the knife, sweat trickled down his forehead, mingling with tears on his cheeks. His breath came in gasps as his muscles burned. Bracing himself against the wall with one hand, he took a few deep breaths. Then Lucy flew into his arms.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. He said nothing in response, but smiled weakly.
She wiped the tears from his face with her thumbs before pulling him down to her and pressing her forehead against his.

"I'm so proud of you," she repeated softly, tears now welling in her own eyes.
They stared into each other's eyes, their worlds collapsing into that space.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he whispered back, leaning down a little further and kissing her gently.
When they broke apart, their gaze fell upon Nox and Quilin, who were sitting on the floor, noses pressed together, gently licking each other's faces.

"What are those two doing?" Tim asked. He'd never seen a spirit animal do anything like that before.
"I think they're showing us what we've been desperately trying to suppress."
"And what is that?" he asked.

"Love, Tim."