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Tim hears the phone buzzing but he thinks it’s in his dreams. He thinks maybe if he ignores it. Maybe if he pretends it’s not ringing it will stop. But it keeps going, and buzzing. Like a bee in his ear.
He groans and reaches over to grab it, he doesn’t bother opening his eyes and answers with a gruff
“Hello?” He mutters. There’s some rustling over the line.
“Officer Chen?” A familiar but irritating voice says. Tim freezes his hands instantly going to Lucy who is curled into his side. He heard Ridley was back, he heard that he stopped by the apartment to talk to Miles but—
“It’s Sergeant Chen.” He snaps. “What the hell do you want Ridley?” There’s a long pause over the line.
“Sergeant Bradford.” Seth’s voice is now flat and calm. Almost like he’s bored. “Why do you have Officer Chen’s phone.”
“It’s Sergeant Chen.” He says matching Seth’s tone. “Show some damn respect. And I could ask you the same. Why you are calling her at 6am.”
Lucy stirs next to him, and he feels her hand wrap around his bicep. He really doesn’t want her to know Seth is calling her. She felt guilty enough and thought she had failed him even if it was his own damn fault.
He lied.
He brought this on himself.
“I wanted to talk to her. I want to tell her I’m sorry.” Seth says. Tim stiffens up, Seth had so many chances to apologize. He had so many chances to come clean and not lie.
And yet—
“It’s a little late for that.” Tim says drily. “You messed it up for yourself.”
“Shouldn’t that be for her to decide?” Seth asks. “Not her lap dog—”
Tim sits up straight and looks over at Lucy who is watching him with sleepy eyes. She has a worried expression on her face and he knows that it’s for him.
Tim rolls out of bed and runs his fingers through his hair, he starts pacing the room and thanks the lord that they finished unpacking. “You need to show some respect.” Tim says. “You can’t just expect everyone to be okay with you. You can’t just expect everyone to talk to you because you are seeking forgiveness.”
“I don’t know what else to say.” Seth says. “Officer Chen gave up on—” Tim clears his throat and he digs his nails into the palms of his hands.
“No.” Tim says. “Sergeant Chen gave you every chance imaginable. She didn’t give up on you Ridley. You gave up on yourself. You lied. You wanted empathy and you wanted attention but that’s not how this works.”
He glances over at Lucy who is staring at him. He swallows hard, he’s not just seeing her. He’s seeing her when they were in the fire under the blanket, and then in the hospital trying to catch their breath.
It never sat right with him that they were able to go on that road. And then Seth was at the hospital claiming he didn’t get word it needed to be closed but—
“Sergeant Bradford—”
“Did you know that road was suppose to be closed and didn’t tell us?” He asks. He goes back over to the bed and Lucy gives him a look. He slides back in and pulls the phone away. He puts it on speakerphone and they wait.
“No.” Seth says but Tim can tell he’s lying. “No. Of course I didn’t know. I would never put you in danger like that.”
Tim glances at Lucy and she shakes her head. She doesn’t believe him either. “I respect Sergeant Chen too much.” Seth says. “Which is why I am asking for forgiveness.”
“Then for once in your life.” Lucy says. “Tell the damn truth Ridley. You are acting like this is all water under the bridge. But we—we almost died.”
“Officer—Sergeant Chen?” Seth says his voice a little less calm. “I didn’t know you—”
“I know Miles is helping you.” Lucy says. “I know he’s a good guy and he believes in you. And that’s great for you. But I don’t. I trusted you with my life. And you failed. You lied. You made up a story for sympathy.”
“Ma’am.” Seth says. Lucy winces a little and Tim reaches for her had. “I’m—”
“What happened to you was awful.” Lucy says. “But you made our lives hell. You are manipulative and—”
“Don’t bother calling us again.” Tim says. “You do your apology tour but leave us out of it. Unless you want to start telling the truth.” He presses the end button before Seth can say anything else.
“Well that was unexpected.” Lucy says and she reaches over to rub his hand up and down his arm. “I thought he would avoid us.”
“He should have.” Tim mutters and he leans in to give her a kiss. He’s grateful that she’s here so he can do that. “I’m sorry that woke you up.” Lucy shrugs her shoulders and rolls over to hover over him.
“We might as well make the best of it.” She says and she bends down to kiss him. Tim grabs her hips and pulls her closer.
They might as well make the best of it.
***
“Sergeant Bradford.” Tim looks up to see Seth Ridley standing in the doorway. Tim grips his pen, and then slams it down on the desk.
“Ridley.” He says. “What are you doing here?”
“Where’s Grey?” Seth asks. “I—”
“He switched jobs.” Tim replies. “I am watch commander now. Why are you here Ridley? I thought I made it pretty clear on the phone.”
“I just wanted to do this face to face. I did it with Miles and it worked.” Seth says. Tim rolls his eyes.
He’s going to be talking to Nolan about Miles. Make him give him a few pushups. Or something that will make him realize no matter how he tries Seth was going to go back to his old ways.
Always.
“Go ahead.” Tim says. “It’s not going to do anything.”
“What is your problem?” Seth snaps. “You didn’t like me from the beginning.”
“You put your training officer in danger.” Tim says standing up and pushing the chair back. “And you didn’t care. You just kept lying to save face.”
“If this is about the fire—”
“You knew about the road being closed.” Tim says and he steps out from behind his desk. “You knew and yet you didn’t say a word. Sergeant Chen trusted you. She put her life—”
“Tim?” Another voice says in the doorway. Tim tears his eyes away from Seth to see Lucy. She’s looking at Seth with an unreadable expression. “Do you need any help?”
“No.” Tim says and he straightens up. He looks at Seth, and his gaze doesn’t waver. “You can leave now Ridley. Don’t come back and if you do—you will be escorted out of the station. You are no longer welcomed here.”
Seth stares at him and looks between them both before turning around and leaving the office. Lucy moves aside as he leaves and then she turns back to Tim.
“You okay?” She asks. Tim nods and steps closer to her. He’s well aware of the big glass windows. “Do you really think he knew about the road?”
“I can’t prove it.” Tim says. “But I do. He knew and he’s a liar.”
“I agree.” Lucy says. “Are you sure you okay?” Tim nods and gives her a smile. He’s not sure if Seth will leave them alone. He’s not sure if he’s going to have to step up and do something to block him.
Hopefully he got the message, hopefully he realizes that his apology act wasn’t going to work on them.
“I’m good Sergeant Chen.” Tim says. “I’m just finishing up here and I’ll see you at home.”
“I’ll see you at home Sergeant Bradford.”
***
Tim wraps himself around Lucy and buries his nose into her neck. He closes his eyes and he’s taken back to the fire. One of the scariest moments of his life. But Lucy was his priority and she always would be.
Lucy reaches back to run her fingers through his hair and then trails her hand down his face. “I love you Tim.” She says her voice soft. He can’t see her but he feels her and she’s here. The words sound like music to his ears.
So much has changed and so much has stayed the same. But he knows one thing for sure, he loves Lucy and he isn’t going anywhere and neither is she.
Hell or high water or Seth Ridley.
They got this.
“I love you too.”