Work Text:
Tim doesn’t even know she’s here. He doesn’t realize it until there’s a knock on the door and he looks up to see Talia Bishop. It’s like seeing a ghost, he drops his pen and stands up.
“Wow Watch Commander,” She says before he can say anything. “That’s a far cry from wanting to stay on patrol.”
“There have been a lot of changes.” He says meeting her gaze. He got along with Talia back in the day, but he never did see eye to eye with her.
Not always anyway.
And she left abruptly and the last thing he heard was she transferred to another station in another city.
“I see that,” Talia says. She steps further into the office and he shifts on his feet a little uncomfortably. He doesn’t know why she’s here, it’s not like they kept in touch.
“Why are you here?” He asks. “I thought you moved out of LA.”
“I did. I’m just visiting.” Talia says. “Thought I would stop by the old stomping grounds.” Tim nods but he has an uneasy feeling.
“Okay.” He says. “Well I—” He stops when he sees Talia staring at his hand. He knows what she’s looking at.
His ring.
On his ring finger.
His wedding ring
It’s new and Lucy has a matching silicone one. He sits back down and gives Talia a look but she clearly doesn’t get the hint.
“You are married.” She says. “Did Isabel—”
“No.” Tim says and he leans back in his chair. “No, I got married to someone else.” The love of his life.
They had only been married 2 months. But it was the best, most amazing two months of his life. He couldn’t think of anything better than marrying Lucy. The love of his life.
“Do I know them?” Talia asks. Tim opens his mouth to reply when someone else knocks on the door. He looks up and sees Lucy, he immediately stands back up and smiles at her.
“Hey—oh Talia.” Lucy says and she smiles at the other woman but it’s right. “What are you doing here?”
“Officer Chen,” Talia says. “It’s nice to see you.”
“It’s actually Sergeant now.” Lucy says and she looks over at Tim who just gives her a small smile.
“Surprising.” Talia says. Lucy frowns and so does Tim. “But I guess it fits. You always wanted to prove yourself.”
“Hey—” Tim starts. But Lucy holds up her hand to stop him. She could handle herself, he knows that and it just makes him love her more.
“Just because it didn’t work out with you here,” Lucy starts. “Doesn’t mean you need to be bitter about everyone else advancing.”
“You have no right—” Talia starts. Lucy ignores her and turns to look at Tim.
“I’m going on patrol.” She says. “I’ll see you later.” Tim nods and watches her leave before he’s turning back to Talia.
“You can go now,” he says and he has no interest in talking to her anymore. Talia opens her mouth to say something but then shuts it and turns around to leave without another word.
***
“I didn’t know Talia was so bitter.” Lucy says to Tim when she steps into his office later that day. Her interaction with the woman bugged her all day.
“She was never sacrificed.” Tim says organizing the papers on his desk. “She always wanted more but never was satisfied with what she got.”
“Hmm.” Lucy says. “Does she know about us?”
“She saw my wedding ring.” Tim says. “But no she doesn’t know.” Lucy hums softly and remembers what she said about dating someone from work. It would blow her mind that she was not only with someone from work but married to him.
Her former TO.
Her best friend.
And it was amazing, absolutely amazing.
“Well I will see you at home,” she says and she turns around not before blowing him a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
***
“Chen!” Lucy stops and turns around to see Talia speed walking towards her. She stops and she doesn’t know if she should stop or just ignore her. She stops just as the other woman gets closer.
“Talia.”
“I saw you with Bradford.” Talia says. There’s a hard look on her face. Lucy crosses her arms across her chest.
“And?”
“I don’t know what you are trying to pull.” Talia says. “But dating someone from work is never a good idea. It always goes south.”
“I’m not trying to pull anything,” Lucy says. She gives Talia a look. “I know what the risk is. Tim and I have been together for awhile. And it’s worth it. He’s worth it.”
“So it is true.” Talia says. Her eyes go to Lucy’s hand and the back to her face. “You are with Tim? You married him.”
“Yes.” Lucy says and she can’t help but smile. And the feeling that rushes over her is one that will never cease to amaze her. She’s married to Tim. He’s her husband. She gets to spend the rest of her life with him.
“You married your former TO?” Talia asks with a sneer on her face. “Is that how you got to be sergeant?”
Lucy frowns even more now. “How dare you!” Lucy says her voice hard. Talia had been gone for years, she never was particularly warm or fuzzy. “Our relationship didn’t start until well after my rookie year. You have no idea what it took to get where we are. You have no idea the work we have both put in to make it work. You don’t know us. At all.”
“Clearly,” Talia says. “I expected better of you.”
“I expected better from someone I looked up to.” Lucy snaps. “I did respect you. You were a good training officer.” Talia looks a little startled that Lucy is complementing her. She opens her mouth to reply but another voice interrupts.
“Everything okay?” Lucy turns to see Tim and she nods. Tim searches her face and then turns to Talia.
“Officer Bishop?” He asks. “Do you need anything else?”
“No,” Talia says. “I found out everything I needed to know. Oh and Bradford?” Tim looks at her, his gaze even.
“You aren’t the only one Chen went after.” She says. Tim frowns and Lucy is frozen as Talia walks away.
Tim turns to Lucy a questioning look in his eyes. “Not here.” She says. She leads him to the old metro office and then turns to face him.
“You have to promise not to freak out,” she says and she really thought this was behind her. Forever.
“What?”
“During my rookie year—” She swallows and she’s surprised Tim doesn’t know this. “Nolan and I dated—sort of. And Talia told me to not date people I work with. She was giving me a hard time.”
Tim gapes at her. “Nolan?” He asks.
“Yes. It was never anything serious.” She says quickly. “We are better off as friends—”
“Nolan?” Tim asks. “Like Nolan as in the one we work with?”
“Yes Tim.” Lucy says giving him a weird look. “The only one we know.”
“The one married to the over achieving not so highly qualified firefighter? Who you think is a badass but you are actually the badass?” Tim asks. Lucy rolls her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why?” Tim asks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know Tim. Why did you not tell me about Isabel? Or when you started dating Ashley?”
“Because that was—” he pauses. “Fair point. But why Nolan?”
“Because it was easy,” Lucy says. “He was my friend and it was easy. We never worked Tim. Not like you and me.”
Tim sighs and steps closer to her. “So Talia giving you a hard time?” He asks and he does look concerned.
“A little,” she admits. “I can handle her. She’s stuck in the past. We are here. We are us.” Tim nods but he still looks troubled.
“What?”
“You went after Nolan?” He asks. Lucy shakes her head and reaches for him, Tim pulls her in.
“No. Like I said we were better as friends. It was never serious. Not like us.” She says. “You are different and I love you.”
“You better. You married me.” Tim says his voice teasing. “I just can’t believe you dated Nolan. How am I suppose to look at him?”
“Don’t give him a hard time Tim.” Lucy warns. “It was so long ago.”
“I won’t.” Tim says but Lucy doesn’t believe him. She slaps his chest. “Fine. But he was with my wife. I can’t really let that go.” He shudders a little.
“Just don’t go at him too hard.” Lucy says and she presses a kiss to the side of his mouth. “And remember who I am going home with tonight.”
“Fine,” he says and he relaxes. “It’s lucky I’m in a somewhat good mood.” Lucy rolls her eyes and gives him another kiss.
Very lucky indeed.
***
“The conversation never came up,” Nolan says looking at Tim and wincing a little at his face. “It was a long time ago.”
“You went out with my wife.” Tim says and shudders at the thought.
“To be fair, she was your rookie back then and not your wife. I didn’t know you would end up with her.”
Tim hates that he’s right but he also hates that he knows this now. “Lucy told me to not give you a hard time.” He says.
“Uh thank you?” Nolan says. “Look Tim, you and Lucy are meant to be okay? You two have been through hell and back.”
Tim lets an incredulous laugh. That was putting it lightly. “I am happy for you two. You deserve all the happiness.” Nolan says. “Lucy and I are better as friends.”
“Okay,” Tim says finally. Nolan gives him one last look before he’s walking away.
“Hey,” another voice says and he turns to see Lucy walking towards him. “You talked to Nolan?”
“He’s alive.” Tim says. “I really didn’t expect two things from our past to get dredged up.”
“Me neither.” Lucy says and she pauses. She grabs his arm and smiles at him. “I love you. You know that right?”
“I do,” Tim says and he’s confident saying it. He knows his and Lucy’s love is forever. No matter who or what tries to get in their way. “I love you too.”