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The morning after their reunion, Tim and Lucy are late to work.
Turns out, when you haven’t slept by your significant other’s side in months, you tend to oversleep. Perhaps it’s from staying up so late reuniting, but all in all - they’re late.
“This is not my fault!” Lucy laughs. She’s applying her mascara using the mirror in Tim’s truck, and every few seconds he scoffs and grumbles about how late they are.
Tim glares over at his girlfriend, “You’re the one who climbed into the shower with me,” he points out.
Lucy finishes applying her mascara then turns to look at him in shock. “I was keeping my hands to myself!”
Tim grumbles again as he parks the truck and climbs out, rushing to Lucy’s door to open it for her and grab her bag. It’s been so long since they arrived to work together, and that thought brings a smile to his face. The last few months has been a long road, and at times, it seemed like there was no light at the end.
The light at the end wasn’t just getting Lucy back. It’s just her. She’s the light of his life, and he’ll be damned if he ever loses her again.
Which is why his anxiety about being late to work is worse than usual, because today, they need to talk to Grey. Logically, he knows that they aren’t breaking any rules with their relationship at this time, but considering how pissed Grey was after their not-so-fake April Fools prank, Tim may be a tad bit worried.
Lucy must notice that Tim is starting to spiral, because she reaches out and stops him in his steps and turns him towards her. “It’s going to be okay. We’re both Sergeants now, and because of that, we’ll rarely work together.”
“You’re right. Thanks baby,” he whispers, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Once they get inside the station, they each go their separate ways to change into uniform. It doesn’t take Tim as long as it takes Lucy, so he walks into the roll call room only seconds after roll call starts.
Grey pauses from his spot at the podium and smiles mischievously at Tim. “You’ve been under my command for 8 years Bradford. I never thought I’d see the day you were late, and I’ll be honest, it isn’t as amusing as I thought it would be.”
Tim lowers his head as he makes his way to stand next to Grey, “Sorry sir. Won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t. Now,” he bellows for everyone’s attention, eager to restart his debrief. “Yesterday may have been one of the smoothest-”
A door slamming open cuts him off. Heads turn towards the door to see Lucy with wide eyes and embarrassment washing over her face. She apologizes quietly, and makes her way to her seat quickly.
“You too Chen? Interesting how punctuality seems to decline in pairs.” Grey deadpans with a hint of humor.
The rest of the room snickers quietly, and as always, it’s left up to Angela to break the tension.
“You know what I didn’t realize?” She whisper-shouts to Nyla. “That lateness could be sexually transmitted.”
Tim and Lucy simultaneously glare at Angela, while everyone else tries to cover their laughter with coughs.
“What?” Angela shrugs innocently. “If you didn’t want my commentary, you shouldn’t have provoked it.”
Grey pinches the bridge of his nose like he was trying to manually reboot his soul and sighs deeply. “I need to retire.”
Once everyone finally settles, Grey finishes up the briefing and dismisses everyone. He makes his way to his office, knowing without even needing to say anything, that Tim and Lucy are following behind him.
As he sits behind his desk, he pulls open a drawer and pulls out he files he’s had hidden away for too long, resting them on his lap.
Tim and Lucy make their way into his office, shutting the door behind them, then stand nervously in front of Grey’s desk.
Grey looks at them, then looks at the limited space between them, to where their hands are briefly touching. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, “You’re standing too close.”
Lucy immediately takes half a step away, Tim following her instinctively.
Grey stares at them. “Bradford,” he threatens.
“Yes sir?”
“You don’t need to mirror her movements. You’re not a flock of birds.”
Grey couldn’t decide if he was miserable in this moment, or if he was enjoying teasing the hell out of his Sergeants.
He has always been someone who prepared for the worst case scenarios, and in this instance, he doesn’t miss a beat with these two. Because historically, they are one of those worst case scenarios.
Although he can’t deny it. They are solid cops, trustworthy people, and family. Annoying, too, but still damn good humans.
“Sir, we wanted to inform you-” Tim starts.
Grey holds up his hand, “If this is about your relationship, stop talking.”
Lucy stutters, “We didn’t say anything yet.”
“Your faces did. And the fact that you were both late this morning,” Grey explains.
The three of them have a slight stare off, Lucy and Tim wanting to hide under a rock, while Grey does his best to keep his face straight and not burst out in laughter at their terrible song and dance revolving their relationship.
They have never been subtle about their feelings for each other, even before they were together, and long after they broke up. Somehow, his job wasn’t just a professional environment. It was a sitcom, with a side of drama and ridiculousness. And without a doubt, these two were always at the center.
With his thoughts surrounding a professional environment, he decides to be a little brave and broach the topic with the two lovebirds in front of him. “I won’t hesitate to write either of you up for lewd behavior. Got it?”
“That is if you catch us doing it,” Tim smirks cockily.
Lucy whips her head towards him and slaps his arm.
Grey releases a long sigh, throwing his head back and grumbling at the ceiling. “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear that, for the sake of my sanity.”
Lucy and Tim laugh under their breath before apologizing.
“You know,” Grey says slowly, “before you two got together the first time, you were both model officers.”
Tim winces.
Lucy opens her mouth to retort, then thinks better of it and snaps her jaw shut.
Grey continues, “Chen, you were on top of every little thing. Hell, you arrested someone before you even put the uniform on. And Bradford,” Grey adds, turning his attention fully to Tim, “You ran this station like it was boot camp. Rigid. Precise. Slightly terrifying.”
Tim nods once, not sure if it’s a compliment or insult. “Yes, sir.”
Grey gestures vaguely between them. “Then you started dating and suddenly I’m managing a precinct full of heart eyes and shared coffee cups,” he grimaces sarcastically. “And now, you show up late.”
“That won’t happen again,” Tim says, exhaling through his nose.
Grey hums. “That’s what you said the last time you were late.”
Lucy and Tim look at each other in confusion before Tim turns back to Grey with a frown. “I’ve never been late before today.”
A loud chuckle erupts from Grey. “Exactly. That’s how memorable this was.”
Standing up from his desk, Grey walks over to them and hands Lucy the file he was holding. “Declaration of relationship papers, and a change of address form.” Lucy raises her eyebrows at him, nodding slowly as she takes the papers from his outstretched hand. Grey clears his throat, then adds, “There are also marriage and name change forms in that stack,” he says with a chuckle.
“That is a long way off, but thank you,” Lucy says.
Just as Tim and Lucy turn to leave the office, Grey speaks up again.
“If this ends in more heartbreak, drama, or god forbid, paperwork-”
“It won’t.” Tim promises, looking over at Lucy to smile sweetly at her.
“We’re very emotionally mature.” Lucy adds on confidently.
Grey laughs. Once. Without humor. “Get out of my office.”
Once they walk out and shut the door behind them, Tim and Lucy release a long awaited breath. “That was just the beginning of the teasing and commentary, wasn’t it?” Lucy asks in slight fear.
“Totally. We should get out on the streets before Angela sees us, might get a few peaceful hours that way.”
Lucy giggles and turns her body to his, looking up at him with love and affection. And without thinking, Tim leans down and presses his lips to hers.
A loud banging pulls them apart, and they turn to see Grey glaring at them from behind the glass walls of his office. The older man scoffs and shakes his head before continuing on with his work.
He knew they wouldn’t last long keeping their space. Not after how many months they were apart. He’d give them a hall pass this one time. Next time though? They might not be so lucky.