Chapter Text
Tim and Lucy had been dating for two years and had been living together for almost a year. Their relationship had started in a way neither of them could have predicted, with two people who had been complete strangers slowly becoming familiar faces on their morning runs through the park.
They had first noticed each other because they seemed to run at almost the same time every morning. Every other day, they would pass each other going in opposite directions, usually without saying anything. At first, it was simply a brief glance as they went by, followed by each of them continuing on with their run. After seeing the same person often enough, though, it became difficult not to notice them.
One morning, as they passed each other, Tim finally called out, “Hello.”
Lucy looked over, surprised for a second before smiling. “Hi.”
That was all it was at first, but from then on, their simple greetings became part of their routine. Every time they passed each other, one of them would say hello or ask how the other was doing. Sometimes it was nothing more than a smile and a quick greeting before they continued running, but neither of them seemed to mind.
Eventually, those brief exchanges became something they both looked forward to.
Then one morning, instead of continuing past her, Tim slowed down and stopped. Lucy stopped a few steps ahead of him and turned around, looking at him with an amused expression.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Tim said, catching his breath. “I was wondering if you’d sit with me for a few minutes.”
Lucy glanced toward the bench nearby before looking back at him. “Sure.”
They walked over and sat down together, expecting to talk for a few minutes before getting back to their runs. Instead, those few minutes turned into two hours.
They talked about everything and nothing, moving easily from one subject to another as they got to know each other properly for the first time. Tim learned that Lucy was a chef at a restaurant only a few blocks away from the park. When she told him the name of the restaurant, he gave a small chuckle.
“I’ve been there a few times,” he admitted. “The food is excellent.”
Lucy smiled, surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah. And now I know why.”
A blush spread across Lucy’s cheeks, and she looked down for a moment before looking back at him. “Thank you.”
Tim smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
Lucy was just as interested in learning about him. She found out that Tim was a sergeant with the police department and had recently been promoted to watch commander. She looked at him differently after hearing that, not because his job suddenly made him more interesting, but because she understood what kind of responsibility came with it.
She reached over and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she smiled at him. “Thank you for keeping our streets safe.”
Tim looked down at their joined hands before looking back at her. “It’s my job.”
“I know,” Lucy said. “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth thanking you for.”
Something about the way she said it stayed with him.
That morning at the park was supposed to be nothing more than another run, another passing hello between two people who had slowly become familiar to one another. Instead, it became the beginning of something neither of them had expected.
Over the next couple of months, they continued getting to know each other. Their conversations at the park became longer, and eventually they started finding reasons to see each other outside of their morning runs. They learned each other’s routines, discovered the things that made the other laugh, and slowly became comfortable enough that being together stopped feeling like something new.
Two months after that first real conversation, they finally started dating.
Two years later, they were still together, and Lucy had been living with Tim for almost a year.
Their relationship had settled into something warm and familiar. They knew each other’s schedules, knew when the other needed space after a difficult day, and knew the small things that could make an ordinary evening better. They had built a home together without either of them realizing exactly when it had happened.
During those two years, there had been plenty of conversations about their future, and one subject seemed to come up every so often.
Getting a dog.
It was never a definite plan. Sometimes one of them would see a dog while they were out and mention how cute it was. Other times, they would pass an adoption event or see something online and end up talking about what it would be like to have one of their own.
When Lucy moved in almost a year ago, the conversation became more serious.
They had the space for a dog, and they both loved the idea of having one around the house. They could picture coming home to a happy dog waiting for them, taking it for walks together, and having another little part of their life to share.
But they also knew loving a dog was only one part of the decision.
A dog needed attention, exercise, training, food, regular veterinary care, and someone who could be there for them. Both of their jobs could come with long hours, and there would be days when their schedules didn’t line up. They didn’t want to bring a dog home simply because they wanted one and then realize afterward that they hadn’t thought through everything that came with caring for it.
So they remained on the fence.
Every time the subject came up, they would talk about it, consider the practical side, and eventually decide they needed to look into it more before making such a big decision.
Neither of them wanted to rush.
They wanted to be certain that if they brought a dog into their home, they would be able to give it the time, attention, and love it deserved.
For now, the idea remained just that.
An idea they kept coming back to, even if neither of them was quite ready to turn it into a reality.
Until one evening when Lucy came home from work with an excitement Tim could hear before he even saw her. The front door opened, and a second later her voice carried through the house.
“Baby, I have an idea!”
Tim looked up from where he was in the living room and smiled. He had barely gotten to his feet before Lucy came toward him, still wearing her work clothes and looking far too pleased with herself.
He walked straight up to her, slipped his arms around her, and pulled her in for a kiss. Lucy smiled against his lips, and when they finally pulled apart, Tim kept his arms around her waist.
“Hello to you too, beautiful.”
Lucy giggled as she looked up at him. “Hi, handsome.”
“Now,” Tim said, giving her a curious smile, “tell me what idea has you this excited.”
Lucy took his hand and started leading him toward the couch. “Sit with me, love, and I’ll tell you.”
Tim chuckled as he followed her. “Okay.”
They settled onto the couch together, and Tim immediately took Lucy’s hand, threading his fingers through hers as he turned toward her. He could already tell she had been thinking about this for a while, and seeing how excited she was made him smile.
“Okay,” Lucy said, shifting slightly so she could face him. “I was telling a coworker about how we’ve talked about getting a dog, and she suggested we do what she did.”
Tim’s smile grew as he watched her. He loved seeing Lucy this excited about something, especially when she was practically glowing as she tried to explain it to him.
“Okay, love,” he said with a small chuckle. “Tell me.”
“She said we should go to a shelter and spend some time with a dog. We could take one out for the day, spend some time with it, and see how we connect. Then, if it feels right and we think the dog is a good fit for us, maybe we could take it home.”
Tim listened carefully, considering the idea. It was different from simply walking into a shelter and choosing a dog based on a few minutes of interaction, and he could understand why Lucy liked it.
“That’s actually a pretty sweet idea,” he said. “I’ve never heard of doing it that way, but it sounds like it could be fun.”
Lucy’s face brightened even more.
“Okay,” Tim continued, smiling at her. “Let’s do that.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Lucy looked so happy that Tim couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“But, babe,” he added, his tone becoming a little more serious, “I know you’re excited, but you’ve got to remember that these dogs have been in shelters for multiple reasons. Some of them have had really difficult lives, and some might not be ready to trust people right away. I don’t want you getting your hopes up and then getting hurt if we don’t find the right dog on the first try.”
Lucy listened, her expression softening as she nodded.
“I know, love.”
She leaned toward him and gave him a soft kiss before settling back beside him.
“But maybe there is a dog out there for us,” she said. “Maybe it’s a dog that has had a sad past, and we can make their life better. We could give them a home where they know they’re loved.”
Tim looked at her for a moment, touched by the way her mind worked. Lucy always seemed to find the good in situations, even when there was plenty of sadness surrounding them.
She cuddled closer against his side, and Tim wrapped his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek lightly against her hair.
“I love you so much,” he said softly. “You always find the good in certain situations.”
Lucy smiled as she wrapped both arms around him. “Thank you.”
Tim gave her another squeeze before looking down at her. “Come here, love.”
Lucy smiled and shifted across the couch until she was sitting in his lap. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another hug, settling comfortably against him.
Tim wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close as he continued talking.
“Ask your coworker what shelter she went to. I can have someone at the station look into it, and if it seems like the right place, we can go there. Or we can look into a different shelter and see what they have.”
Lucy pulled back enough to look at him. “Oh, I never thought to ask you to do that.”
Tim raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Because I was too busy being excited about my brilliant idea.”
He laughed. “That’s okay. I can work with brilliant ideas.”
Lucy laughed with him, shaking her head. “That’s smart.”
Tim gave her a playful wink. “That’s why you’re with me. For my smarts.”
Lucy giggled and shook her head. “You’re such a dork.”
“Yeah,” Tim said, pulling her back against him. “But I’m your dork.”
Lucy smiled as she hugged him tighter. “Unfortunately for me.”
“Unfortunately?”
She laughed. “Okay, maybe not unfortunately.”
Tim smiled and kissed her cheek before settling back against the couch with her in his arms. For the first time, the idea of getting a dog felt less like something they kept talking about and more like something that might actually happen.
Neither of them knew yet who they would meet or whether the first shelter they visited would lead them to the dog they were looking for.
But now they were going to find out.
The next day, Tim came home from work with his backpack slung over one shoulder. As soon as he stepped through the front door, he called out, “Baby, you home?”
“I’m in here!” Lucy called back from the kitchen.
Tim had barely made it into the hallway when Lucy appeared, and the smile on her face told him she had been waiting for him to get home. He dropped his keys onto the nearby table and opened his arms, and Lucy walked straight into them.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close before giving her a kiss. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi, handsome,” Lucy said, smiling up at him.
Tim kept his arms around her as he said, “So, I had one of my coworkers look into the shelter for us.”
Lucy immediately looked interested. “You did?”
“Yeah. I had him check the place out, and I also had him do a background check on the shelter itself and the people running it.” He smiled when he saw the amused expression forming on her face. “Turns out it’s one of the best-kept shelters around. The staff are all record-free, they’re well respected, and everything checked out.”
Lucy giggled and shook her head. “I can’t believe you had the staff checked out as well.”
Tim chuckled. “Of course I did, love.”
“I shouldn’t be surprised by that.”
“Nope.”
Lucy smiled as she wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, love.”
Tim gave her another kiss before finally letting her go. He took his backpack off his shoulder and placed it on the table, then reached inside.
“I also called the shelter,” he said.
Lucy looked at him expectantly. “You did what?”
“I called and checked out the requirements for taking a dog out for the day.”
Her eyes widened. “You already called them?”
“Yeah.”
Lucy laughed, clearly amazed at how much he had managed to accomplish while she had been at work. “Okay, tell me everything.”
Tim pulled out a few sheets of paper from his backpack and held them up. “The person I spoke to said we just need to fill out these papers and fax them back. Once they get them, they’ll contact us with a date when we can come to the shelter.”
Lucy took the papers from him and looked them over. “Okay.”
“She also said they don’t always allow people to just walk in and take a dog out for the day. They like to have everything arranged ahead of time, so we have to wait until they approve the application and give us a date.”
Lucy looked at him, her smile growing wider with every word.
“Oh my goodness, babe. I’m so happy to hear that.”
Tim smiled at her reaction.
Lucy stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. “And you are the cutest calling and asking about all the requirements. I love you more than you can ever understand.”
Tim leaned down and kissed her, holding her close as she smiled against his lips. When they pulled apart, Lucy kept her arms around his neck.
“Thank you for doing that, handsome.”
Tim smiled. “You’re welcome. I love you too, baby. I just want this process to go smoothly. I didn’t want us to show up there without knowing what we were supposed to do and get turned away.”
Lucy nodded. “That makes sense.”
“So,” Tim said, holding up the papers again, “let’s fill these out.”
Lucy smiled immediately. “Okay.”
They moved over to the table, and Lucy pulled out a chair beside him. Tim sat down and handed her one of the applications while keeping the other for himself.
They started working through the forms together, taking their time to make sure they answered everything correctly. There were questions about their home, their schedules, their experience with animals, and what kind of care they would be able to provide. Every now and then, Lucy would glance over at Tim’s form to see what he had written, and Tim would do the same with hers.
“This is starting to feel real,” Lucy said as she filled in another section.
Tim looked over at her. “It is.”
She smiled before returning her attention to the application.
They continued filling everything out until both forms were complete. Lucy read through hers one more time, then looked at Tim.
“Done.”
Tim looked over his own application and nodded. “Okay. I’ll go fax these to the shelter, and we should hear from them in a few days.”
Lucy smiled. “Okay.”
Tim gathered both applications and stood from the table. He gave Lucy a quick kiss before heading toward his home office.
“I’ll be right back.”
Lucy watched him disappear down the hallway before getting up and following him. She stopped in the doorway of the office, leaning against the frame as Tim sat down at his desk and started preparing the papers to fax.
She smiled to herself.
“Even the waiting is kind of exciting.”
Tim looked over his shoulder at her and immediately started laughing.
Lucy gave him an innocent look. “What?”
“You’re just adorable.”
She smiled wider.
Tim finished setting up the fax and shook his head as he looked at her. “Let’s just hope they get back to us soon before you burst from excitement.”
Lucy giggled. “I am excited.”
“I can tell.”
Tim stood and walked toward the doorway, still laughing. As he passed her, Lucy gently shoved his arm.
“Quiet, you dork.”
Tim laughed as he continued down the hallway. “Love you too.”
Lucy watched him go, smiling to herself before following him back toward the kitchen. The waiting had officially begun, and somehow, even knowing they had a few days ahead of them made the whole thing feel exciting.
Thursday afternoon, Tim was sitting in his office at the station, finishing up some paperwork when an email notification appeared on his computer screen. He glanced at it without much thought, expecting it to be another routine message from work, but then he noticed the subject line.
It was from the shelter.
Tim immediately opened it.
As he read through the message, a smile spread across his face. Their application had been approved, and the shelter had an opening available for them on Saturday morning. The email explained that they would have a brief conversation with one of the shelter employees when they arrived, and once that was completed, they would be able to meet the dogs and spend some time finding the one that might be the right fit for them.
Tim read the email again, making sure he hadn’t missed anything.
Saturday.
They were actually going to the shelter.
He picked up his phone and opened his messages. He knew Lucy would be heading to work soon, so he wanted her to see the news as soon as she could.
He typed out a message and smiled as he read it before sending.
Tim: Hi baby, hope your day is good. Got an email back. They have an opening for early Saturday. Let me know if that works for you. I love you.
Tim sent the message and glanced at the time. He knew Lucy would be getting to the restaurant around now, which meant she would probably see his message shortly.
He leaned back in his chair, still smiling as he thought about Saturday. They had talked about getting a dog for so long, and now they were finally going to have the chance to meet some of the dogs who needed a home.
A few minutes later, Lucy was pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant where she worked when her phone beeped from inside her purse. She parked the car, turned it off, and reached into her purse to see who had messaged her.
When she saw Tim’s name on the screen, she immediately smiled.
She opened the message and read it.
Then she read it again.
Her excitement grew with every word, and by the time she reached the end, she was practically beaming.
Saturday.
They were going to the shelter.
Lucy quickly typed her reply.
Lucy: Hi love, yes Saturday works. This is so exciting. I love you too.
She sent the message and slipped her phone back into her purse, still smiling as she got out of the car. She headed inside the restaurant with a little more energy in her step, already thinking about what Saturday might bring.
The rest of the day passed slowly for her.
Every time she thought about it, she found herself smiling.
By the time she and Tim were both home that evening, Lucy was still excited about the news. She had barely finished getting settled when Tim walked over to her with his phone in his hand.
“I want to show you something.”
Lucy looked at him curiously. “The email?”
“Yep.”
He handed her his phone, and Lucy read through the message herself. Her smile grew as she reached the part explaining what would happen when they arrived.
“So we have to have a quick conversation with one of the employees first?” she asked.
Tim nodded. “Yeah. Just a conversation before we’re allowed to go back and meet the dogs. They want to make sure we’re prepared and that we understand what we’re getting into.”
Lucy handed his phone back to him, her excitement obvious.
“Oh, Tim, this is so exciting.”
Tim chuckled and leaned down, giving her a soft kiss on the nose.
“I know, love,” he said, smiling at her. “And I’m happy we’re doing this together.”
Lucy wrapped her arms around him and rested against his chest.
“Me too.”
Tim held her close, already looking forward to Saturday. They still had no idea which dog they would meet, or whether they would walk out of the shelter with one, but for the first time, the possibility felt real.
Saturday was coming, and soon they would finally get to see if the dog they had been talking about for so long was waiting for them somewhere inside that shelter.