At first the drive back to Malibu was quiet. Kojo had settled into the backseat and was asleep in just a few minutes. His light snores made Lucy smile. Radio turned off, there was just the sound of the wiper blades wiping rain away every few seconds.
Lucy looked over at Tim, concentrating on the road, his expression was impossible to read. The glow of the cars instruments illuminated his face enough, she just couldn't decide if he was mad at her for saying she wanted to continue working this case, or he was just lost in thought.
Unable to take the silence anymore, Lucy broke it.
"Are you mad at me"? She asked. Why not come right out and ask what she wants to know.
Tim let out a sigh. "I have no right to be, and you did exactly what I knew you would". He paused "I mean, I trained you". He looked over, and Lucy felt a sense of relief when she saw the Tim Bradford smirk she'd seen a few times when he'd brag about her to the other TOs when he thought she was out of earshot.
She relaxed back into her seat, and watched out the window. Too cloudy for a sunset, the light just got dimmer and dimmer as they drove. Tim still using as many back streets as he could, watching his mirrors for signs of someone tailing them. It was just too hard to tell in the rain. Soon, the rhythmic sound of the wiper blades, and the rain hitting the sides and roof of the car lulled Lucy into a light sleep. Just as she was drifting off, she imagined they were just a normal couple maybe going on vacation with their dog, a happy fantasy she hoped might someday be a reality.
Tim pulled the Range Rover into the garage, and as he put it in park Kojo stood up and yawned, but Lucy's eyes were still closed. He closed the garage door behind them after letting Kojo out for a minute. Then let him into the house to explore. Tim opened Lucy's door, but her eyes were still closed, and arms relaxed at her sides. He took the opportunity to brush one of those loose waves behind her ear, they were trying to keep it professional, especially now with new revelations about their assignment. He just couldn't help himself, plus she was asleep.
Feeling the way he did now, he didn't know how he'd been able to suppress it over the past few months. Once he knew what it felt like to hold her, kiss her, it was as if a dam containing all those feelings in had begun to break down. Plug up one leak and another one started, he just couldn't seem to go back to the way he was with her before. If they managed to survive this in one piece, he thought everyone would be able to see it, so he'd have to step down as her TO, they'd just gotten too close, even if they didn't let it go so far as to sleep together. Immediately his heart began to beat faster, and he tried to squash the images that thought projected in his brain.
Tim spoke Lucy's name, soft enough so he wouldn't startle her.
Lucy slowly opened her eyes, smiling up at him. "Wow, I was out" she said, stretching in the seat, and he saw her face go from sleepy happiness to recalling the last nights events, and realizing she was back at the house. Her face fell a bit and Tim felt himself getting angry at the fact that anything would dim the sparkle in her eyes. He held his hand out, knowing she was perfectly capable of getting out of the car on her own. She still took it, stepping down next to him, not letting go of it as he closed the car door and led her into the house, holding on to her hand through the doorway and all the way to the living room sofa, where they sat down, close, but not touching each other, to watch Kojo sniff his way around the whole house.
Lucy let out a big sigh as she curled her legs up under her on the sofa trying not to get any closer to Tim. She wanted nothing more than to snuggle up in the crook of his arm, and feel safe again, but she hesitated to let them get that close, knowing they had this new unspoken decision to wait until after this case. They needed full focus here, more than ever, but even setting aside from the way her body reacted to him, practically bursting into flames almost anytime he touched her, she was not sure how or if she could give up the warm, safe way he'd made her feel these last few days too. She could sleep the whole night through as long as Tim were sleeping next to her. She hated admitting that, because she was a strong independent woman, but sometimes it was just nice to lean on someone else that you trusted to watch your back.
As if reading her mind, Tim leaned back and moved his arm to the back of the sofa, and Lucy, sitting as close as she was, sort of just fell back against him, just in the place she wanted to be. She didn't have the energy to lean back away from him. They both stilled just a moment, suppressing any urge to let that warmth turn into heat and get lost in each other again.
Lucy set a mental image in her mind. A goal, once all this was over, she'd graduated from her probationary year, and she and Tim could be open about a real relationship. She tried not to dwell too much on how amazing that would be, nothing to stop them, she could kiss him whenever she wanted, knowing they could keep going without lines or barriers.
Fear of this predator should keep her libido in line, but it was so hard to control herself with Tim. She was grateful Tim would probably ask Sgt. Grey to reassign her, because seeing him back in uniform now, she'd have a hard time not jumping him in the shop.
"What's so funny" Tim asked her. She hadn't realized the thought made her chuckle out loud.
"Nothing". Lucy smiled, her cheeks flushing a bit. The house had a bluetooth speaker system they'd discovered. Lucy pulled her phone out and put one of the albums she knew both of them could agree 100 percent on. Tim nodded his approval as the the harmonizing sounds of Fleetwood Mac's Rumors played. Kojo's happy bobbing around the room seemed to keep pace perfectly with 'Second Hand News'.
They sat there, comfortably close, just watching Kojo wander around for a while. Lucy could feel Tim's breathing slow once 'Dreams' started playing. He was dozing off before the song was over. They'd had a long 24 hours. She still wasn't entirely convinced they were safe in the house, so she forced herself to keep awake. It was no easy task. Stevie Nicks voice threatened to lull her into a nap singing about thunder and rain. They'd left the lights on in the house after last night, but she could still see the lightning reflecting on the walls each time it struck out over the water, and the rumbling thunder still there, in the distance. Tim's arm that had been draped behind her on the back of the sofa fell across her shoulders. On reflex, or maybe because, in his light state of sleep, his inhibitions were lowered, he curled it around her, securing her at his side. Having his arm around her like this made her feel warm and safe.
Tears sprang to Lucy's eyes and she snuggled deeper into Tim. She didn't realize how much she was missing this kind of intimacy in her life until Tim. She'd never been serious about anyone until Nolan, and that didn't last very long. It had taught her how different it was having a boyfriend and having a partner. Someone who wasn't just there for sex and going out to dinner. That's kind of how all her relationships were before that.
Music always spoken to Lucy in a way that brought out her feelings and tonight was no different. She loved this album, and just sitting here, curled up against Tim as 'Songbird' played, her heart just felt full. Even with everything going on around them, she just knew this felt right. She was scared that they were putting themselves in danger here, even if she'd never admit that out loud. Despite it all, being with Tim, that feeling of happiness overshadowed everything else. Later they'd get up, and make something for dinner and it would feel domestic and normal, and maybe boring to anyone else, but it felt perfect to her.
She'd managed to keep herself awake through the whole album. Kojo had come back down and was curled up on the sofa next to her, and she could hear both Kojo and Tim very lightly snoring. They were perfect for each other she thought. Her stomach growled and she realized they hadn't eaten anything since this morning. As she started to get off the sofa Tim stirred. She quietly told him she was going to see about dinner. Tim nodded, stretching as he woke and Kojo followed her into the kitchen.
They did receive a call from Mike and took it out on the back deck, in case there was a way they'd be heard. The rain and ocean made it hard for even them to hear. He was sending 2 detectives to the house as soon as possible but would likely be in a couple hours after they'd been briefed. They were going to take 12 hour shifts then be relieved by 2 others so they'd never be without backup. Tim thought he saw relief washing over Lucy's face as she listened to the plan. When they were finished and about to go back inside, he took her arm to stop her from opening the door.
"You know I'd never let anything happen to you, right"? He earnestly asked her. He thought she might not feel safe enough with just him around. Lucy looked back to him, and said, with all seriousness "Yea, I do. Why do you think I'm so grateful we have backup? I'm hoping they wouldn't be as quick to throw themselves in front of a bullet". She patted his hand, opened the door and walked inside to finish dinner.
He was taken aback, she was relieved for him, not herself. It took a moment before he followed her inside, shaking his head but smiling. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, the lights at Mrs. Hilbert's home shining onto the beach. He supposed they should let her know they were okay, he knew she'd seen the cop cars last night at the house and it was probably killing her not to run over here and talk to them. Now, all they really had to do was wait, and see if they were right and if this guy would try to make a move.
The next morning, the sky began to change, black to light blue at dawn. All the clouds and rain were gone. Lucy and Tim had decided it didn't make sense for them to stay downstairs now that they had backup in the house. They also realized it was easier to keep from getting wrapped up in each other knowing there were 2 strangers downstairs. Last night Greg Martins and Bill Van Allen showed up about 10 P.M. They were very serious about their job and preferred not to interact much with Lucy and Tim. One of them was nearly always walking the perimeter of the house, the other taking turns watching out of different windows. Lucy supposed this was how a private security firm would handle this type of job and they just wanted it to be believable.
Tim woke first, noting Kojo had made himself at home on the end of the bed, curled up asleep, his head lying on Lucy's feet. At Tim's he tried not to let Kojo on furniture, that lasted a week and he gave in. Now he seemed to make himself at home on anyone's furniture. When they'd gone to bed last night Kojo just seemed to instinctively gravitate towards Lucy and would definitely have been an alarm if anyone had gotten close to her.
'Good boy'. Tim thought, and looked down to Lucy, who was still asleep in the crook of his arm, her dark curls covering part of her face, which was lying on his chest. Her arms curled up to her, she was still breathing deep, completely asleep. 'No nightmares' he thought, remembering this was how they'd fallen asleep last night and she never really moved all night. He reached over to his phone on the nightstand to see what time it was. He could tell it was still early, the sun was just coming through the windows. The room was filling with the orange glow of the sunrise. It would be perfect, if only they weren't trying to catch a killer he thought. Not wanting to disturb Lucy's sleep he didn't get up right away. She murmured in her sleep sometimes, almost sounding like she was maybe singing in a dream. Tim gently moved the hair from her face, curling it around her ear. He wanted to remember everything about these moments, in case somehow this would be all they'd have. He memorized the way the first rays of sun hit the sheets wrapped around her, then her hair, the backlighting making it appear a little auburn. He could hear the waves, and even with the door closed it smelled of beach, and rain, and fresh morning. Those smells would remind him of this place the rest of his life, just like certain smells brought up childhood memories.
Finally Lucy began to stir as well. Not quite awake, she moved one leg, draping it over his, stretching just a little. He had to force himself to ignore thoughts that sprang up so quickly. If this were just a year from now, and in his own bed, he'd let his hands wander down to pull her over and on top of him, pushing her hair away from her face and kiss her deeply, but this was not now. Instead he let her wake on her own, and she pulled away quickly realizing the position she'd put them in. "Good morning" she said mid-yawn.
Kojo woke as well, stretching but staying on the bed.
They stayed in bed a few minutes. Both enjoying it and , of course, neither admitting it. Tim told her he thought they needed to go next door to talk to Mrs. Hilbert before going on a run. Yesterday as they'd brainstormed Lopez commented that this guy was a tech stalker, the way he'd been able to gain access to people's online lives in order to get close and then strike. The Tech Stalker moniker was now being used by everyone involved in the case, though somehow no one outside this group had linked any of these crimes together yet. Hopefully they'd have him before some crime reporter got hold of the info. Police departments notoriously had leaks. The press paid well for information, and they all knew it was now just a matter of time before it would end up on the news now that they had a task force, and FBI involvement. Somewhere in the department Tim was sure there was someone planning the press conference once the news did get out.
Tim and Lucy lay in bed, and talked about plans for the day and the week. They'd all decided yesterday that a planned routine makes the best target. They'd plan the routine to make the weakest points actually their strongest. What would appear as a good place and time to strike is right when they'd be ready for this Tech Stalker. Lucy had lunch with Siobhan planned, and would try to make that something they did a couple times a week as Tim would do for golf with Patrick. As they talked, Lucy had turned to lie on her stomach, chin resting on his chest. His hand rested on the small of her back, at times, when he was more animated, his hand would wrap around the sheets a bit, as he moved it, sometimes touching bare skin as her shirt would ride up a bit. They both ignored it, but the fact he didn't stop said a lot.
There was nothing Lucy wanted more than for him to push the sheet completely off her, and just place his hand under her shirt on her back. He'd never do it. Not now. She was keeping it together, she just wanted that intimate contact of his skin on hers. His hand on the small of her back was a comfort she could really use right now. Just before they were going to get up, he went to move his hand off her. Lucy reached behind her, and took his hand, stopping him. She raised up on her elbow, letting the sheet fall back a bit, and did push his hand up enough so his entire hand was splayed across her bare back. She pulled her shirt over it, holding it for a second before she brought her hand around so she was leaning on both her elbows.
"Just for a minute". She pleaded with him. Tim looked at her questioningly for a second, then realized, in that moment, it was more about comfort than it was about sex.
Knowing this, gave Tim a moment of confidence. As he slowly moved his hand from the small of her back up to her neck and back again, Lucy lay her forehead against his chest taking a deep breath. That song 'Dreams' began to play in her head as she just enjoyed how close they were in that moment. It would have only taken a slight movement from either one of them to turn this passionate, but again, they both read the situation the same and did not let it go further. They stayed that way a few more moments, Tim decided Lucy would be the one to let him know when to stop. He thought to himself he'd never had this sort of intimacy with someone he hadn't slept with. He found himself hoping for the future as he hadn't done for a long time, that is, until he met Lucy.
