Chapter Text
Tim doesn’t even realize someone is at his door until there’s a loud knock. He looks up and sees Miles next to a man who is looking at Tim with narrowed eyes.
“Yes Officer Penn?” Tim says. The man hasn’t stopped staring at him, and Tim feels himself sink back a little.
“This is uh—”
“Patrick Chen.” The man says. Tim stands up immediately and almost knocks over the chair. “Why didn’t you call and tell me you were proposing to my daughter?” Tim stares. Miles slowly backs out of the office.
“Sir,” Tim says. “I uh—to be fair. I don’t know you. Lucy—I didn’t know how to contact you without asking her and I didn’t want her to know.”
“And you got her kidnapped?” Patrick asks. Tim winces a little.
“No sir. That was not part of the plan.” He says. “Lucy is actually the one who got us out—”
“Tim—” Tim looks up just as Lucy steps into the office but she freezes when she sees her father. “Dad.”
“Lucy.” Patrick turns to look at her and Tim relaxes a little. “You can’t just drop that you are engaged and got kidnapped and then go radio silent.”
“I don’t go radio silent dad.” Lucy says and she walks past him to stand next to Tim. “I just thought I would let you know.”
“You said yes.” Patrick says. Lucy narrows her eyes and she knows her parents better than he does. Tim has never met them before not because she didn’t want him to but they refused to even get to know Lucy again. They refused to support her. So Lucy decided until they wanted to have a serious conversation she wasn’t going to do anything more. The ball was in their court, of course she couldn’t help but update them. They never responded.
The last time she talked to her parents was after Martin. But he didn’t know how it went because it was in the few weeks before she went back to work. She didn’t talk about it. He didn’t want to push her too much.
He supported her on that and it’s not like he didn’t think of calling up her dad but he was a stranger. He didn’t know Tim and to him, a stranger was marrying his daughter.
Plus he knows Lucy didn’t believe that he would need permission to marry her. It was an outdated concept.
But still—
“I did say yes.” Lucy confirms. “I would have said yes anyway if he had asked you.”
“I don’t approve of this. Your mother and I don’t know him.” Patrick says and he gives Tim another look over.
“Because you refuse to get to know him. I told you about him. I told you I was moving in with my boyfriend.” Lucy says. “You didn’t bother to even respond.”
Patrick stares at her. “Lucy—”
“It doesn’t matter if you approve of him or not.” Lucy says. “I would marry him anyway. And why are you here dad? Did mom send you?”
Patrick looks over at her, and then at Tim his face doesn’t change but he does step back. “She just wants what’s best for you Lucy.” He says.
“Then tell her to come meet Tim and she will see I am happy.” Lucy says. Her dad takes a step towards her. Tim can see she’s tense and wants to reach out for her.
But the tension in the room is about to snap and he didn’t want to make it anymore awkward than it was.
“Dad,” Lucy after a few minutes. “Don’t you want me to be happy? Does it matter I didn’t do what you and mom wanted? I am happy in my career, with my fiancé and that’s all that matters. I’m happy.”
Patrick opens his mouth, looks at Lucy and for a moment Tim thinks his resolve is melting. He’s going to agree with Lucy. But then his shoulders tense up. “Call your mother. She wants to talk to you.” He says and he turns around and leaves the office without another word.
Lucy’s shoulders fall and Tim pulls her into a hug. He doesn’t care if they are in his office or at work.
“You handled that well.” Lucy says looking up at Tim. He smiles at her.
“To be fair, I didn’t have a way of asking him. And if I did how would I know they wouldn’t tell you?” He says.
“I know Tim. But you don’t need my father’s permission to marry me. I would have said yes no matter what. That is so outdated.” She says.
“I agree.” Tim says. “How would he feel if he knew we are already married?”
“Disappointed.” Lucy says. “And for all the wrong reasons.” Tim laughs and holds out his hand. He has his silicone ring on his finger. Lucy has a matching one on hers. She got them so they could wear them at work and then swap them out for their other ones at home and when they went out.
(Tim did get an earful from Angela when she saw the rings but he reassured her they would have a wedding for their family and friends. They just wanted to get a head start.)
“I mean personally, I thought it was very satisfying.” Tim says and Lucy rolls her eyes. “Especially that night.”
“Funny.” Lucy says shoving at his chest. “Don’t ever mention that to my parents.” Tim laughs and shakes his head.
“I won’t.” He promises. “Now are you ready to go home Bradford?” The name rolls off his tongue easily especially now that it’s referring to Lucy. His wife. She kept Chen in her name for work.
But she also added Bradford, something he told she didn’t have to do but she wanted to. He would tease her with Bradford all the time.
It felt good.
“I am.” She says then she grins at him and loops her arm with his. “Bradford.” She pulls him from the office and he follows. They might have some bumps along the way but it didn’t matter.
They were together, they would handle them together.
And that’s all that matters.