Chapter 20: Never again, Satan

The one where Tim loses another bet.


Lucy should have known that taking Tim up on his offer would be a bad idea. Lucy took out Boxing to release pent out frustration and also to become physically stronger but hand-to-hand combat was not one of her strong suits. When Tim proposed they train together, Lucy didn't think much of it but thought it could be a good way to develop some tactics with someone who knew her. She didn't expect him to let her win, but she did expect him to go easy on her, apparently even that was too much to ask. She felt beat, completely hammered to the floor.

"Come one Boot." Tim laughed offering her his hand to help her get up. "This is really easy; you need to up your game." He teased as he whipped the swear of his forehead with the bottom of his t-shirt and Lucy refrained from liking her lips when Tim's sculptural abdomen made its appearance.

"I would like to see you fight someone twice your size." She huffed, grabbing onto her knees to regain her breathe.

"That sounds like an excuse." Tim teased picking his water bottle and handing her, hers.

"I can always use my secret weapon." She sipped her water and laid the bottle down next to the bench.

"Oh really? And what is it?" He asked intrigued or pretending to be intrigued.

"A kick between the legs, works every time." Lucy smirked. "Would you like to try?"

"Oh Chen…that's the coward way out." Tim teased smiling at her, and she punched him on the stomach in mock anger. "Ok, on last time and I'll use only 50% of my strength. What do you think?"

"I'm pretty tired." Tim laughed and turned her back towards Lucy, who smirked and took the opportunity to get the upper hand. She might not get the upper hand physically, but she knew exactly what his reaction would be, she did have Tim Bradford all figured out…for the most part. She kicked him on the back of the knee making him topple backwards and fall helplessly on the matt. She rested her snicker clad feet on top of his chest and adding pressure to keep him down. Tim puffed and Lucy crossed her arms smugly as she looked down at him.

"Soo easy, you said?" Lucy teased him. "Maybe I was just looking for the right…" Tim pulled Lucy's foot and she gasped as she fell back onto his chest, her head connecting with the top of his torso and she moaned.

"You were expecting what, Boot?"

"Don't call me Boot when I'm mad at you." Lucy said leaning onto her arms to push herself away from him. "I still won, caught you of guard." Tim rolled his eyes and Lucy smacked him.

"Please…you call that winning? I got you in the end." Tim said, laughing.

"Oh, did you?" Lucy asked not backing down, to someone watching from the exterior the two seemed to be flirting but that never crossed the mind of either Tim or Lucy.

"Yes, I did," Tim knocked her arm making her fall back onto his chest, rolling them and pinning her underneath him.

"Apparently not." He teased, lips inches from hers.

"That's not fair, we were done." Lucy pouted and Tim thought how easy it would be to simply lean down and kiss her lips, but he pushed that thought away, as well of every other situation, where he would like to have Lucy underneath him.

"All is fair in war, Boot." Tim warned. His warm, minty breath close to her face, made her hyper aware of his body on top of hers and how good it felt. He's your T.O. Lucy, get your shit together she reminded herself mentally, but she knew perfectly well that she wouldn't be able to put this moment in the box at the back of her head with Tim's name on it.

"Maybe you should fight someone with a little more experience, Bradford."

"Angela." Lucy said excitedly, pushing Tim off her and getting up. Tim huffed as she pushed him hard to the side and rubbed his side, she really had a lot of strength, she just had to use it better. Lucy smiled and ran to hug Angela. "Congratulations, oh my God. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks." Angela answered somewhat shyly, returning Lucy's hug. "I see that the news travelled fast."

"Your Rookie is the biggest blabbermouth in existence." Tim said approaching the two. "Congratulations, anyway." Lucy stepped back and allowed Tim to hug his old friend.

"Thanks. Any advice?" Angela laughed good humorously as she stepped away from Tim.

"You really want advice from me? I'm divorced." Tim stated like it was obvious, and Lucy made a mental note to remind him later that his divorce wasn't his fault.

"Yeah, probably not the best person, now that I think about it." Angela admitted and Tim nodded in confirmation. His best advice was don't do it, but she surely wouldn't like that.

"So, let me see the ring." Lucy asked excitedly and Tim watched as Angela showed her her hand and the two gushed over the engagement ring, the reason for such excitement was lost to him but it was nice to see Lucy laughing so openly. Her encounter with Valeria Castello had put her in a bit of a sour mood all week. "It's very beautiful, Wesley did good."

"I know right. Thankfully he chose something simple." Angela ran her fingers across the delicate diamond and Lucy smiled happily at Tim, it was good to see their friend so content. She deserved it.

"So why are you here on your day off?" Tim asked.

"Forgot to sign a report so I made a little stop before I head home." Angela admitted, scratching her head and Tim smirked slightly. "Don't give me that smirk, it hasn't happened in years." Which resulted in a bigger smirk from Tim.

"Am I missing something?" Lucy asked confused.

"Angela is the most distracted Officer that I have ever met when it comes to reports." Tim explained to Lucy. "As a Rookie, she used to forget her reports everywhere."

"And Bradford snarky-pants never allowed me to forget." Angela rolled her eyes and Lucy laughed, when the two older officers spent more time together, Lucy could see the effects of Tim's training in Angela. "But like I said, you could always fight someone with more experience."

"Because you got engaged Lopez, I'm gonna let this challenge go." Tim offered.

"Did it sound like he was a little scared of me?" Angela asked Lucy but clearly messing with him.

"It does raise some questions." Lucy nodded at Tim and he sighed, great not only did he have to handle Angela's comment, but Lucy was also egging her on.

"Alright but we make it interesting."

"I'm all ears." Angela said, grabbing her year in demonstration.

"I win you owe me a favour; you win I owe you." He proposed, confident in his abilities.

"Deal." Answered Angela removing her jacket and handing it and her purse to Lucy who sat down by the bench. "Let's make it quick cause Wesley is waiting in the car."

Tim made a motion for Angela to attack first and she laughed shacking her head, the two circled each other for a while and Lucy could see Tim starting to lose is patience. There was no denying that Tim was excellent in combat, but the wait was always his ruin, what was strange considering his military background. Tim made the first move, one that Lucy predicted, hitting Lopez on the side of her torso making her bend down and taking that opportunity to spin her and fixate her in his grip. It was a classic Tim move, he had done it to Lucy in all their previous sessions and by Lopez smile, Lucy deduced that he had done that many times in her presence. Maybe his habits would be his downfall. Lopez winked at Lucy and bended down, making Tim balance on his feet and taking the arm around her neck to pull him over her and into the ground. Pinning his wrist beneath her healed boot.

"This was really interesting." Angela said smugly, looking down at Tim who clearly didn't think it funny. "The teacher gets schooled."

"It was luck." Tim said moodily.

"Oh, don't be a sour Loser. "Angela remover her leg from his arm and offered him her hand, that he ignored and got up on his own. "See Lucy, this is how it's done."

"I see, I'm taking notes." Lucy laughed and cupped her mouth, in a vain attempt to hide her smile, when Tim glared at her.

"Don't be like that Bradford." Angela put on her jacket and picked up her purse. "I just want Lucy to know that the sun doesn't set and rise on you. I got tricks of my own."

"I don't think the sun rises and sets on him." Lucy defended, chocked that she had turned on her. That was not fair!

"Yeah right." Angela muttered unconvincingly and Tim chuckled at Lucy's offended look. "I'll let you know when I'm ready to collect, Tim." He gave her a nod and she left, saluting them on the way out.

"So…"

"Don't you say a word!" Tim warned Lucy as he picked up his gym bag and she laughed loudly, what a baby.

Lucy and Tim had just gotten the suspect of an armed invasion into the back of their shop when Angela approached them, Lucy had radioed for backup when it was made clear that the primary suspect was not alone, Lopez and Jackson had been the ones to step up.

"Hey dearest colleagues." Angela said sweetly and both Tim and Lucy exchanged a knowing glance

"What do you want?" Tim cut her short.

"It's that the way to thank the fellow officer that just saved your ass !?" Angela reprimanded teasingly.

"You didn't save our ass…you showed up when we were wrapping it up." Tim defended, he and Lucy had done all the work. Angela had only put the cuffs on…well West did.

"well… can I talk to you?" Angela asked Tim.

"Sure. Collect the victim statement will you Boot?" Tim asked Lucy as he walked further away with Angela.

"Yes, Sir."

"So, what do you want?" He asks again, knowing that nothing good was coming his way.

"I'm here to collect my debt." Angela smiled brightly, almost teasingly.

"Seriously Angela!? Don't fuck with me." He warned her.

"I won fair and square." Tim sighed in defeat and Angela smirked. "I have a friend her name is Ella and she really needs to be cheered up…"

"No." He cut her short, starting to walk away.

"You haven't heard the entire thing." Angela pulled him back, but he simply crossed his arms.

"Still not gonna happen." He assured her, not backing down.

"A bet is a bet Bradford." When Tim didn't give in, Angela crossed her arms over her chest and adopted an offensive strategy. "You don't want me to tell the entire station that Tim Bradford doesn't fallow with what he promises."

"Like I care what everyone thinks."

"You care about what Chen think." Angela smirked when Tim face twitched at the mention of Lucy. "Or maybe you don't want Lucy to think you are interested in someone else."

"Just shut up Lopez." Angela clapped her hands at the silent admission of defeat from Tim. "I'll do it."

"Oh great, she's really nice. I don't want you to like her, just make it enjoyable, try to compliment her." Angela explained. "I just want her to get over her idiot ex."

"I so hope I don't regret it." He muttered in such a low voice that the comment escaped Angela's ears. "Where?"

"Cicada, tonight at 7 p.m." Angela informed, and Tim groaned.

"You don't expect me to pay, do you?"

"Yes, of course. You lose you pay." Angela stated like it was obvious.

"I hate you." Tim muttered but Angela simply laughed.

"No, you don't." Angela spun back and walked away, turning slightly last minute. "Oh, and lose the stubble, doesn't suit you."

Tim sighed crossly and stepped into the shop, where Lucy was typing away in their computer. She looked up at him and smiled, when she felt him sit on the drivers' seat, but she dropped it, immediately, when she saw his grumpy frown.

"What…"

"Just don't." Tim warned and when Lucy gasped, searching for words to say, he warned her again. "Boot, I swear…"

"Okayyyy." Lucy said cautiously and went back to typing on the screen. She really needed to do the "How to understand the 301 mood swings of Tim Bradford" course.

Tim felt like banging his head against the back of his chair but refrained from doing so and satisfied himself by counting how many ways he could kill Angela. Tim had had his fair share of (bad) dates before but never one so terrible as this one. Don't get him wrong, Angela's friend Ellie was gorgeous – Tim would even dare to say she was a classic beauty- but the conversation gave him the urge to get up and run towards the hills.

"So, Tim what do you do exactly?" Ellie asking, offering him a gently smile, voice trembling slightly.

"I'm… a Cop." He answered slowly, as he chewed his Gnocchi, if he worked with Angela what did she think he did: Fix cars!?

"Of course, you are Angela's college." She laughed nervously and Tim offered her an awkward smile. "I'm a little nervous, I haven't been on a date in a little while. My ex…" and here we go again, thought Tim rolling his eyes internally. Since they arrived at the restaurant, 35 minutes ago (yes, he had been counting) she had managed to mention her Ex 10 times. He couldn't help himself and compare Ellie to Lucy, he knew it wasn't fair, but his brain just couldn't avoid it. How Lucy was a ball of energy and irradiated good energies, when the only thing he got from Ellie was how nervous she really was. He had always liked confident woman, first Isabel and now Lucy. How she had persevered and broke down his barriers and how she had found her feet after everything with Caleb. He enjoyed the fact that Lucy was more than capable to protect herself but also how easily she resorted to him for help.

"Tim, Tim…" Ellie called him back into reality.

"Sorry... you were saying." Tim apologized, focusing his attention back on her.

"Oh… I was asking if you had any pets?"

"Yes, I have a dog named Cujo. Just got him a month ago." He smiled, remembering how he had come to own Cujo.

"That's cute. I have 2 cats myself…in fact I'm thinking of getting another…" Tim slapped himself mentally as Ellie pulled out her cell phone and showed him picture after picture of Mr. Cobbles and Loki.

"I'm sorry Ellie but I really need to go to the bathroom. If you excuse me."

"Of course." Ellie smiled.

Tim made his best effort not to sprint to the bathroom, but his legs moved a little too fast. He entered the bathroom and knocked his head against the cubicle door. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and speed dyed Lucy, he waited for her to answer and puffed for every second it took for her to pick up.

"Tim?" Lucy asked in admiration and he could ear her TV on the background.

"Thank god Chen, I need your help." He sighed in relief.

"You need MY help?" Lucy asked surprised, usually she was the one who needed his help.

"Can you just shup up and listen to me!?" He asked harshly and Lucy chuckled from the other side.

"That's not the way to talk to someone you need to come save your ass." She teased him.

"I don't need you to save my ass." He corrected her.

"Okay then byeee…" Lucy laughed, and he could hear her pull the phone away.

"hey, hey, hey ok I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Oh, you are in deep shit." Lucy laughed, if Tim needed to beg was because things were serious.

"I'm having dinner with a woman at Cicada…" He started to explain but Lucy interrupted him again.

"You're on a date?" Lucy questioned, she thought he didn't want to date.

"No Boot. I owed Lopez." He tried to explain, running his hand through his hair furiously.

"Angela set you on a date…" Lucy was completely lost in the conversation.

"Can you simply shut up and listen to me?" Tim asked Lucy, cutting her short. When she didn't answer, he continued. "Angela asked me to come out with a friend of hers and I did, but I need you to get me out of it."

"Out of it? What do you expect me to do?" She questioned, confused.

"I don't know Boot, but you'll think of something." Tim said. "I have full trust on your skills."

"I can't just…" Lucy started to say but Tim cut her short.

"You have 15 minutes and remember your future depends on it." Tim remembered her, hanging up before she could even argue. He joined Ellie at their table again, apologising for the interruption. He made the effort to be as discreet as possible looking at the clock but when the 15 minutes mark passed, he was sure, only a blind person would miss the furtive glances he threw at his watch.

"So, have you been single for long?" Ellie asked, trying to hold a conversation that lasted more than seconds.

"I..." Tim tried to answer but from the corner of his eye, he saw Lucy enter the restaurant, stopping briefly to speak to the Clerk. He contained his laughter as he looked at her, her hair in a messy bun, grey sweatpants and a red flannel …clearly, she had no plans to get out of the house before he called. Whatever she said worked because the man allowed her through and she rushed to them, ignoring the looks from the other clients.

"Tim." She called in her best panicked voice, as she neared them.

"Lucy, what are you doing here?" He asked surprised, pushing his chair slightly back and observing from his peripheral view Ellies reaction.

"It's Cujo, something is wrong." She explained and hadn't he been expecting this, he would believe her. Apparently, she had upped her acting game. "I know I shouldn't bother you because you had your date…"

"What's wrong with him?" He asked in mock concern.

"I don't know he was okay but then he got really slowed down and vomited." Lucy explained. "He's in my car." She turned her terrified gaze towards Ellie and Tim watched her compassion rise for them.

"I'm sorry…" Tim started to say.

"Of course, it sounds serious, you guys should go." Ellie said kindly and Lucy felt kind of bad lying to the woman.

"I'm sorry, he was so excited for the date." Tim heard Lucy tell Ellie before she followed him, and he made his best effort to control his laughter. She caught up to him as he turned the corner of the street where he parked his car and pulled him back. "She sounded nice, what's the problem?"

"Maybe you would like to finish dinner with her." He answers sarcastically.

"Angela is gonna be pissed." Lucy informed him. He could handle Angela but not one more second of that date.

"Screw Angela, I'm giving her a box of roaches as a wedding gift too." Tim explained, smiling at Lucy. "how did you come up with that idea?"

"My career depended on it… besides my Uber driver helped." Lucy admitted, Aazim had definitely been the best driver she ever encountered.

"You ubered here?" Tim asked surprisingly, who ubers when they have a car!?

"Of course, I couldn't drive and think."

"And they say women can multi-task." He teased her.

"This woman just saved your ass." Lucy explained, knocking him softly on the arm.

"Thank you." He admitted honestly and Lucy shrugged. The truth was that it made her happy to know that Tim had no interest in dating. "Buy you a drink?"

"Yes, please." She praised, following him to his car. "Besides I need to tell you how you are going to repay me."

"Repay you, Boot?" Tim asked as he opened the door for her. "Do I need to remind you that this isn't a democracy."

"Well maybe." She answered, laughing as Tim entered the car. "But you also owe me from before."

"From before?" He asked confused as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Are you forgetting the gala? Two weeks ago." She remembered him, like it was possible for him to forget.

"Oh, come on, you wanted to go."

"Still, we had a deal." Lucy pouted.

"How do I continue to get myself in these situations?" He asked rhetorically, knowing deep down he wouldn't be able to say no to her.

"Because you're a guy." Tim looked at Lucy inquiringly and she shook her head like it was obvious. "You don't know a bad situation even when it bites you in the ass."

"Ok…please don't make me regret this, I can still put you in permanent school duty." He threatened but both he and Lucy knew it was an empty threat.

"My parents Easter barbecue next weekend." She explained with a bright smile, as to soften the blow.

"No." He answered curtly, shaking his head vigorously.

"Yes, please. I need the support, or they'll drill me about everything and everyone and they'll make sure to remind me of the shitty year I had."

"UGHH Chen." Tim groaned when he noticed Lucy's puppy eyes. "But I'm not pretending to be your boyfriend."

"Of course not, my parents know who you are." Lucy explained in utter shook, did he expect her to ask him that? Should she be flattered, that that was his first thought? "My parents are kinda intimidated by you, so they are most likely to leave me alone if you're there."

"I intimidate your parents?" Tim asked shocked. More information to process, just what he needed.

"More my dad, isn't that great?" Lucy asked as she switched the radio to the station she liked. Tim rubbed his eyes, perhaps the fact that the parents of the woman he has hidden feelings, find him intimidation doesn't exactly work to his favour.

"I'm gonna kill the two of you." Angela grabbed Lucy and Tim by the back off the uniform and pulled them back, preventing them from entering row call.

"Hey Bridezilla, what's going on?" Tim asked smirking.

"What is going one?" She asked emphasising every word as she started at each of them. "How dare you two do that to poor Ellie?"

"Oh, come one, Angela. Did you really think that was going to work out?" Tim asked in shock, even a blind person could see their personalities didn't match…on normal circumstances. Like, cats really"?

"Her boyfriend of 8 years just broke up with her, could have cut her a break."

"She was really sweet but…" Lucy started to say as to defend Tim.

"Don't you even think Missy." Angela said turning to glare at Lucy. "How dare you condone his behaviour?"

"He was in agony." Lucy tried to defend him, but she was fighting back laughter as well, so it didn't look convincing.

"In agony… you two are really made for each other." She observed and both Tim and Lucy shrugged.

"Don't be bitter." Tim reprimanded Angela and she fought the urge to flick him the middle finger.

"You are going to send me some money and I'm going to buy Ellie some flowers to apologize." Tim nodded but Angela stopped him before he could speak. "And you are going to pick up my night shift from next month."

"Done." Tim agreed and Lucy nodded, if they managed to escape with just that… it was a win.

"Good." Angela said, finally uncrossing her arms. "just so you know, I'm coming for you."

"I'm shaking." Tim mocked her and Lucy laughed.

"You should be Bradford." Angela threatened as she walked away.

"You know she means you too, right Boot?" Tim asked smiling down at Lucy, who was silently laughing.

"Well, I say we are practically a package deal, now." Lucy laughed and smiled at him. They were definitely a get two, get one free.


Hey guys, here it is Chapter 20! Can't believe I have written soo much in under a month. What did you think? I loved writing this one… even though I had a really awful day but that's life, I guess…

Chapter 21: Crowd please will be out on Thursday and I guess it is a continuation of this one…almost. Something in this chapter leads to the next. Can you guess? THANK YOU FOR YOU REVIEWS, they mean the world to me.

Stay safe, XO.

P.S. : The episode was low on Chenford but our boy still came to Lucy's rescue and I loved Nolan and Nyla's story and well lets not mention Wesley and Angela… this is basically an homage to them.

In no way shape or form condemn Tim's actions in this episode… it was just for entertainment purposes.