Archive of Our Own ^beta

Tim had just gotten back to the station with Miles after arresting a suspect for disorderly conduct. Lucy was finally back on days and was riding solo today. She didn’t always, usually had Celina with her, but the younger officer was off.

He had sent Miles away to do the paperwork after the suspect was booked. Needing some mid-day caffeine, he made his way to the break room to grab some coffee.

Being a new Sergeant wasn’t easy. Of course, Lucy was amazing at what she does, but he couldn’t help but notice she was a little more on edge lately. At first, he thought it was due to working nights, but after about a week, nothing really changed. In fact, it almost got worse.

Stepping out of the break room, he saw her walking back in with a suspect in tow. He couldn’t tell if she was exhausted, hurt, overwhelmed or all of the above. But he knew he needed to go check on her.

After her suspect was out of her hands, he caught up to her, grabbing her arm, forcing her to turn to face him. “You okay, Luce?” His voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine,” she snaps before pulling away from him and walking off.

“What was that about?” Nyla saunters over to him, hearing the whole interaction from her desk.

“I have no idea,” he huffs out a breath before walking away himself. He finds Miles across the bullpen and yells to him, “let’s go boot!” The rookie scrambles trying to catch up to him.

…

Hours later, they were still on patrol. Miles could tell Tim was agitated, more than his usual self but knew better than to push it.

He was looking out the passenger window while Tim drove when the call came through. Lucy’s voice rang through the shop.

“This is 7-Adam-300 I’m requesting backup at my location, I’m being ambushed.” Her voice was shaky. She was trying to hold it together but he knew she was panicking. And he was too.

Without a word, Tim sped off while Miles flipped on the lights and sirens, voicing into the radio they were on their way.

About five minutes out, there was chatter on the radio but he hadn’t heard Lucy’s voice in a while. Picking it up, he spoke into the device.

“Chen, you copy?”

…Silence. 

His heart feels like it’s going to race out of his chest, just wanting to get there faster and see for his own eyes that she’s okay.

“I’m sure she’s alright, sir. Sergeant Chen is a beast and if anyone can take a bunch of people down, it’s her.” Miles tries to reassure. While he appreciates the effort of the young rookie, he won’t believe it until he sees for himself.

They had just arrived on scene, the street filled with many shops and ambulances. Officers standing around waiting for further instructions, paramedics on standby. Miles hopped out first and Tim was about to open his door when the radio came to life again.

“…Requesting 7-Adam-100.” The voice was quiet, too quiet. It takes him a second to realize the voice is Lucy’s.

He stumbles over his words but knows he needs to say something. “Go for 7-Adam-100.”

“Tim? I’m trapped right now in some sort of closet or something. I barricaded myself in here but they’re trying to get the door open,” he hears her sniffle and it breaks his heart. He has to keep himself from getting emotional, too.

“We’re coming for you, Luce, okay? Don’t give up, you’ll be okay.” By now, he’s outside of the shop and Grey is walking towards him, hearing the conversation between the two.

“Incase you don’t get to me in time, I need you to know something,” her voice cracks as he feels a tear running down his cheek.

“Lucy, don’t. Don’t go there.” He tries to say but she cuts him off.

“I need you to know… I need you to know that I love you.” Now he’s not even trying to hide the fact that he has tears streaming down his face. Tough guy persona be damned, he was worried about his girl.

“I love you too, Luce.” He takes a shaky deep breath knowing he’s going to have to let her go so he can go into the building and go and find her. “We’re coming for you now baby. I have to let you go but I can’t wait until I can hold you in my arms and tell you over and over again how much I love you.”

“Come fast.” Her voice sounds so small and it breaks his heart.

“Bradford, everyone, let’s move.” The lieutenant’s voice is heard throughout. “Five suspects inside. We believe Officer Chen fought them off to her best ability before finding herself a safe location.”

She was responding to a noise complaint in an abandoned warehouse. Turns out, it was a trap and their goal was to hurt or kill members of the LAPD.

…

It took a while and a few injured officers in the process, but they took down all five men. They were able to locate where Lucy was pretty easily and once she was out, she fell into Tim’s arms. PDA was typically a no-no for them, but neither cared. And clearly Grey didn’t either, when he shooed everyone else away, letting them have a moment together.

After much convincing, mostly from Tim, Lucy agreed to get checked out at the hospital. Besides the already forming bruises and view visible cuts, she got hit in the stomach pretty hard and was complaining of pain, so better safe than sorry.

“I’m going to drop the shop and Penn off at the station and I’ll meet you at the hospital.” His hand is holding hers as she’s getting loaded by Bailey and another paramedic into the ambulance.

“Bradford,” Grey walks up to them, “Go with her. I’ll deal with your shop and Penn.” That’s all the permission he needs, giving the man a silent ‘thanks’ before hopping in the back and sitting down next to her.

…

After she got the cut on her arm and the cut on her forehead stitched up, they were just waiting for her x-ray results and then she’d be released.

They were both finally coming down from the adrenaline, her more-so than him obviously. Lying in the small hospital bed together with her head on his chest, she peers her head up to look at him.

“Hey,” her voice quiet but it gets his attention as he lowers his gaze to meet hers. “I meant what I said.”

Seeing that he was confused, she continues. “When I said I love you, I meant it. I know it’s not the first time we’ve told each other that or anything but I just wanted to make sure you knew.”

His arms that were already snaked around her, tighten as he presses a kiss onto the top of her head. “I know, baby. I’ve never questioned it.”

“Even when I was short with you today at the station?” She’s chewing down on her bottle lip, telling him she’s anxious.

“Luce, listen to me.” He carefully adjusts them both so he can really look into her eyes. “Being a new Sergeant is a lot. Plus, you’re just coming back from nights so it’s even more of an adjustment. Sure, I might’ve been a little taken back earlier,

but never, ever have I questioned your love for me. You can yell and scream at me and even that wouldn’t make me doubt it. Same goes for you, I hope you know how much I love you and that it’ll never change.”

Nodding, she places a soft kiss on his chin and lays her head back down on top of him. “I was so scared,” she admits quietly.

“I know, I was scared too. But you’re strong and I knew you could hold your own. I thought I was going to have a heart attack until I heard your voice on the radio.”

“I just had to tell you. If those were going to be my last words, I wanted them to be telling you I love you.”

They fall into a silence, not one that’s uncomfortable but just there in the moment together, holding each other.

A few minutes later, a doctor comes in and gives her the all clear. A few bruised ribs that only rest will heal. Tim has that taken care of, of course.

He’s helping her get changed into her street clothes that Celina had dropped off when she places her hand on his chest, stopping him. At first he panics that he hurt her but he’s quickly reassured.

“I love you. I know I’ve said it so many times already, but I just really need to make sure you know.”

His expression softens, taking his hand in his own, “I love you too. I’ll never get tired of saying it, either.”