Author's note: I'm probably in the minority but I think there's more chemistry between Chen and Bradford than Chen and Nolan.
Title: Temporary insanity
author: Cindy Ryan
spoilers:1x14
Officer Lucy Chen should be exhausted.
Should be asleep; dead to the world after the day she'd had. However, after tossing and turning for three hours Lucy finally gave up and got out of bed. She was far too wired to rest. Nearly getting fired would do that. Add to that the fact she couldn't get the murder victim's face out of her head.
So now at two thirty am Lucy was driving on one of LA's may freeways. Next to her in the passenger seat was a bag of bakery goods. Even a month ago Lucy would've been headed to her fellow rookie John Nolan's place. Tonight however Lucy was looking for a different perspective; another ear to bend. A person that may not take too kindly to being woken at such an early hour. Lucy sighed as she took her exit; she'd take that chance.
Tim Bradford groaned as knocking pulled him from a deep sleep. He cracked an eye open and looked at the clock on the nightstand; two forty one. The building better be on fire Tim thought bitterly as he dragged himself out of bed and padded barefoot to the door. Just as he was about to yank the door open common sense kicked in and he looked through the peep hole and did a double take. Lucy? Concern flickered before Tim shoved it aside. He was her T.O; that was it. Friendship would compromise both of their careers.
"Chen, do you have any idea what time it is?"Tim demanded sharply as he opened the door. "If not I can tell you it's way too damn ear..."
The words died as Tim took a good look at his rookie. Lucy's face was pale and she was clutching a small brown paper bag with a bakery logo on the side like it was a lifeline. Her brown eyes were troubled and a few hairs were starting to come free from her ponytail.
"What's wrong?"Tim asked softening his voice.
Lucy held up the bakery bag with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"I thought I owed you breakfast after leaving you our tab."Lucy explained.
"Two am breakfast?"Tim scoffed then sighed. "Might as well come in."
Lucy stepped inside and Tim couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't at West or Nolan's.
Lucy knew she should turn around and head back home. She was out of sorts and Tim Bradford's apartment was the last place she should be. Especially after the punch of sexual awareness she'd gotten when he'd opened the door wearing only gray shorts. Still her feet betrayed her and took her the rest of the way into the living room. Lucy sank down onto the sofa placing the bag of assorted pastries on the coffee table.
"I think we're going to need coffee."Tim stated as he went to the small kitchen.
Lucy watched as he took two small pods of coffee out of a box from the cupboard. He took two blue mugs from the next cabinet. A few minutes later the Keurig machine finished and Tim brought the coffee to the living room handing Lucy one of the mugs.
"I'm out of milk."Tim stated as he sat on the section of sofa to the left of Lucy.
"This is fine; thanks."Lucy replied quietly.
Coffee wasn't what she needed. She'd never be able to sleep if she drank it. Still there was something comforting about coffee and a friend so Lucy drank. Again the strangeness of their relationship struck her. Was Tim a friend? Lucy sighed and reached for the bag taking out a glazed doughnut.
When Lucy finally met Tim's gaze she found empathy. Not anger, not annoyance. Maybe this hadn't been a crazy idea after all.
"What's wrong?"Tim prompted once more.
"I keep seeing that garage."Lucy responded quietly placing the coffee mug and half eaten doughnut on the table. "Every time I tried to sleep tonight I kept seeing her face."
"I'd like to tell you that you get used to it."Tim commented with a shake of his head. "But you don't. You acclimate, but you never really adjust to seeing what horrible ways people kill."
"How do you handle it?"Lucy asked reaching once more for the coffee mug.
"By knowing that we're bringing justice to the victim. That we'll do everything we can for that family so they can have closure."Tim replied. "You'll find your own way."
"I hope so."Lucy said staring down at the coffee.
"You need to give yourself some credit, Chen."Tim commented. "You turned today into a win."
"Still feels like I got run over by a truck."Lucy replied with a shake of her head.
"That's the adrenaline wearing off."Tim explained. "Sometimes that's the worst part of an intense day."
"Thank you."Lucy said a few minutes later.
Tim blinked and looked at his rookie in surprise.
"For what?"Tim asked as he reached for the bakery bag. "What's in here, anyway? Anything blueberry?"
"For being there when I needed it and letting me find my own way today even with how infuriating it was at times."Lucy replied quietly.
"What T.O's are for."Tim said as he pulled a danish out of the bag. "You going to finish that?"
A genuine smile crossed Lucy's face as she reached for her half eaten doughnut and nodded. Tim didn't want to acknowledge how glad he was to see that smile. To see some of the sadness and worry vanish from her brown eyes. In some deep buried part of his heart it made Tim feel good that she'd come to him.
Lucy brushed her hands on a napkin that had been in the bakery bag. The sugar hadn't done her exhaustion any good but it had helped her mood.
"Sugar and caffeine always a remedy for a tough day."Lucy commented breaking the companionable silence.
"Truer words were never spoken."Tim quipped as he set his coffee mug down.
Lucy glanced at her T.O and hid a smile. This was probably the most relaxed she'd seen him when it was just the two of them. If Tim wasn't careful she might think he was human after all.
"Hey."Tim called.
"What?"Lucy asked as she sat up.
"You've got something."Tim said motioning to the right corner of his mouth.
Lucy picked up the napkin and wiped her mouth.
"Thanks."Lucy acknowledged.
"Didn't quite get it."Tim responded as he reached for the napkin.
"Always have to criticize."Lucy commented as she rolled her eyes.
"Be still for a second."Tim ordered.
Lucy obeyed meeting Tim's gaze as he gently wiped the crumbs from her face. The wave of sexual awareness returned and Lucy nearly blushed. She really was out of sorts. Even though he was a very attractive man Tim couldn't be that to Lucy now. This line of thinking was way too dangerous. She needed to go home. It'd been a hell of a long day combined with all kinds of weirdness not including how Tim was looking at her right now. Or the fact that the napkin had somehow disappeared and his left hand was now caressing Lucy's right cheek. Lucy couldn't look away; as crazy as it was some part of her didn't want to break the moment.
"You're good now."Tim stated after clearing his throat.
"Okay."Lucy said softly.
Tim didn't know why the hell he didn't move. Yes he felt the sudden sexual tension that was between them. That'd been there since she knocked on his door. He couldn't act on it. It'd be unprofessional to say the least; awkward at most if she wasn't feeling the same. It'd been a long day for both of them. Feelings and emotions heightened and all that psycho speak.
"I should go."Lucy commented.
"Stay."Tim replied. "It's too late for you to be driving back."
"That won't look very good if someone sees me coming out of my T.O's apartment at an early hour."Lucy pointed out.
Tim dropped his hand finally breaking contact. She was right. Still the atmosphere of the night spoke of 'caution be damned'. Tim couldn't even believe he was thinking this. After all the heartache he'd been through with Isabel. There were options if he gave in. If it was mutual. He could step away as her T.O...Hell, with it...
"What if I wasn't your T.O any longer?"Tim asked softly."I know I've been an S.O.B to you but that was to get you to preform at your best. To get in your head; so to speak."
Lucy didn't know what was happening. Not her T.O? Had she disappointed him that badly today?
"Tim, I thought you said I handled it well today."Lucy protested. "If you don't want to train me..."
"That's not it."Tim sighed running a hand through his dark hair. "I was proud of you today; really. But I think things are getting a bit complicated here...if I step away we could pursue that..."
Lucy did blush. The crazy day had just taken a 180. She thought of John and all the reasons she'd given him for ending their relationship. If she got involved with Tim it'd look even worse if things came out which they inevitably would. After how hard she'd fought for her career today did she really want to risk it? To risk it on something as fragile as happiness? God help her, she did. She'd been quiet a beat too long. Tim started to stand.
"You know what? Let's just forget tonight happened and we'll go back to normal tomorrow."Tim suggested.
Lucy grabbed Tim's right hand halting him. She smiled and tugged him back down to the sofa.
"Normal's overrated."Lucy commented as she scooted forward.
"Must be because we're both crazy."Tim said with a sigh.
Tim pushed Lucy back against the arm of the sofa and captured her lips with his.
end