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Tim doesn’t know what makes him do it but he pulls up the body cams from the day they rescued Samantha. They didn’t really talk about it at home, Tim could see the weight that Lucy was holding not just from the case but from all the boxes. It was the weight of moving in, the weight of having an emotionally vulnerable girl.
It’s not like they wouldn’t talk but Tim didn’t want to put any pressure on her. It had been a long day, and she was tired.
But now—
He watches the body cam footage, and turns on the volume. He watches as Lucy sits down next to Samantha.
He watches her body language, hears her telling the girl about her own experience. Tim has to pause it after a few minutes feeling his chest tighten at the reminder.
Tim takes a deep breath, and presses play again. “I survived, you survived.”
Oh.
He takes a deep breath and plays the rest of the video, trying not to think how he almost lost Lucy that day. How if she hadn’t dropped her ring—if he hadn’t found her. He wouldn’t be looking at this footage right now.
She was the strongest person he knows. She fought, and she did survive. And he was so grateful to be able to come home to her every night. He never thought back then that would be possible but—
He pauses the video and the shuts the laptop. He knows Lucy has been checking up on Samantha just like she said she would. The girl was healing from her trauma but he knows it wouldn’t fully go away.
Not really.
There’s a knock on his door and he looks up to see Lucy standing in the doorway. She’s already changed out and ready to go home. “Hey.” She says. “What’s going on?” She walks over to the desk, and stands up.
He opens the laptop again and turns it face her. “You did a good job talking to her.” He says. Lucy’s face softens a little. “I know that couldn’t have been easy.”
“It wasn’t.” She says. She still has her eyes on the screen. “But she needed to hear it. Just like I did.” Tim hums softly and shuts the laptop. He grabs his bag and gives her a smile.
“Are you ready to go?” He asks. She nods and turns around to leave the office.
“Yes.” She says. “Let’s go home.”
***
“Do you ever think about it?” Tim asks later as they are curled up on the couch. It seems like this is a regular occurrence and he’s not complaining. If this was his new normal, he would take it over and over again. “You know.” Lucy looks up at him, and her hand goes to her side where he knows her tattoo is. He saw her do it in the video too, it’s like instinct and she’s remembering how it felt.
“I try not to.” Lucy says. “But cases like this trigger something in me and I can’t help but think if I just not gone—” She shrugs her shoulders and Tim’s eyes go to her side again.
“It’s not your fault Lucy.” He says. He thinks about how Lucy blamed herself a little. He think about the guilt he felt after. She told him it wasn’t his fault but he couldn’t help but feel some responsibility. He told her to go get a drink, he basically sent her off to the bar.
“It wasn’t your fault either.” Lucy says looking up at him.
“He was right there in front of me.” Tim says looking away from her. “I should have known.”
“He was in front of us both.” Lucy says. “He seemed normal. Cute. And he liked dogs. He seemed like the right guy for me.” Tim sighs softly, so much was different back then. He wasn’t even thinking of Lucy in that way. He would never have thought a few years later she would be curled up on the couch with him.
In their house.
“I shouldn’t have been so possessive.” He says. He puts his hand on her lap and she laces her fingers with hers. “You could make those decisions on your own.”
“I could. I still can.” She says and he nods in agreement. “But I’m glad you are here with me. I’m glad you were back then. I don’t know where I would be without you.”
“You would be fine.” Tim says and he leans down to kiss her. “But I’m glad I’m here too. With you.”
There’s a brief silence and then she looks up at him. “Do you ever think about it?” She asks. “You know.”
“Yes.” He says. His eyes go to her side again and he swallows before moving his hand to put it there. He knows exactly where it is, he sees it every night. He hasn’t touched it in awhile though. It seems sacred now.
Lucy puts her hand over his, and gives him a smile. “It wasn’t my day of death.” She says. Tim hums softly and Lucy squeezes his hand. “It was the first day of the rest of my life. And when we saved Samantha that was her day of survival.”
“I agree.” He mutters. “She’s going to be okay.” Lucy nods and rests her head on his chest. Tim sighs softly, and so much has changed.
But he knows one thing, he will always be by her side. Through the thick and thin. Even when he gets frustrated.
He would always be there for her. Just like her was back then and things were a little different between them.
“I know.” Lucy says. “She’s stronger than she knows.” Tim hums in agreement, Lucy is a strong too.
He moves his hand down to her tattoo again. “If you ever need to talk about it—” He whispers. “You—I’m always here to listen.”
Lucy is silent and she puts her hand on his again. “Thank you.” Lucy says. “I love you.” Tim’s heart thuds in his chest. These are such simple but true words but they meant everything to him.
She loves him.
He loves her.
“I love you too.”