Title: Something Worthwhile
author: Cindy Ryan
notes and summary: See part one

"Alright,"Grey instructed once he sat behind his desk."Let's have it."

Tim stood at attention. Rim rod straight hands clasped behind his back.

"Yes,Sir."Tim replied."Officer Johnson insulted Officer Chen. I asked him to apologize and he refused."

"So you broke his nose."Grey surmised as he took a bottle of aspirin out of a desk drawer.

"You don't treat a rookie like that."Tim stated angrily.

"Or your girlfriend."Grey said with a sigh "How did Chen get hurt?"

"Several officers were trying to break up the fight."Tim explained grimly."Chen was one. I'm not sure exactly what happened."

"Has Chen mentioned any previous problems with her T.O?"Grey asked as he swallowed the aspirin dry.

Tim hesitated not sure how much to tell his C.O. Then again Lucy hadn't really told him much. He saw that Grey noticed his hesitation. Grey leaned forward folding his arms in front of him on the desk.

"Tim?"Grey prompted with concern.

"Not really."Tim replied finally with a sigh and a shake of his head. "I thought something was wrong but Lucy said Johnson was just old school never adjusting to women on the force."

Grey rubbed a hand over his face.

"I never would've put them together if I had any idea there was an issue."Grey said quietly. "His marks as a trainer have been good but then his last two rookies were male."

"He disrespected her not caring who heard, Sir."Tim reported each word clipped.

"Understood."Grey acknowledged quietly. "I'm going to interview more witnesses and Johnson. You're on leave until I sort through this mess."

"Sir."Tim protested knowing he was pressing his luck.

"Dismissed Officer Bradford."Grey responded. "Go check on Chen and get your own injuries tended to."

It was only then that the pain in his hands started to register. The adrenaline finally wearing off. Tim looked down and saw that most of his knuckles were scraped and had dried blood. His left hand was starting to bruise.

"Yes, Sir."Tim said stiffly as he left.

Tim knew Lucy wanted to handle Johnson herself. This had come to a point that it was out of her hands. Lucy might be angry at him, but that Tim could handle if the outcome was her being away from Johnson.

Lucy stared at her cell phone willing it to ring. It'd been in her pocket when she'd gotten out of the shop earlier. By some miracle hadn't been damaged during the fight. She'd tried Tim half a dozen times with only voicemail responding. Lucy had called John and Jackson both had told her Grey had taken Tim to be questioned. A half hour had passed since then with no word from anyone.

Lucy was currently sitting in the ER on an exam bed. The doctors had run a CAT scan and cleared her but still wanted to keep her overnight for observation. They were waiting for a room to open. With a muttered curse Lucy stood and placed the phone in her right pants's pocket. The room spun for a moment but then stabilized. She looked around for one of the nurses who'd attended to her but saw no one familiar. Everyone was busy. Deciding to go to the nurses's station and check herself out Lucy turned in that direction. She'd made it a few steps from the bed when a wave of nausea hit her followed by dizziness. The dizziness was so sharp Lucy didn't know which way was up for a second.

"Where are you going?"A familiar voice demanded.

Lucy blinked but found she couldn't focus. Her knees buckled and she reached for a handhold but found only air. Footsteps scurried towards her and strong hands gripped her shoulders.

"Babe?"Tim asked worriedly. "Hey, easy, stay with me."

Lucy started to tell Tim she was alright; that the dizziness would pass. It didn't; only made her head hurt worse than it had earlier. Lucy felt herself slump in Tim's arms.

"Lucy?"Tim called anxiously then there was a pause. "Hey, need some help over here!"

Next thing Lucy knew she was being lifted and carried. Then she felt the exam bed beneath her once more. The nausea finally passed and she didn't feel as clammy.

"Officer Chen?"A young male voice asked. "How bad is the pain? Are you dizzy?"

Lucy swallowed and was relieved when her vision finally focused. She saw a red haired man in his late twenties in a white lab coat flanked by Tim and a blonde nurse in her thirties. Tim had several cuts and bruises on his face and his brown eyes were full of worry.

"It's getting better; not as bad."Lucy responded quietly. "No longer dizzy."

"Good."The doctor replied with a smile. "Still we're going to have you as our guest tonight. No more unescorted walks for awhile, okay?"

"Okay."Lucy agreed.

"We'll move you in a few minutes."The doctor promised as he and the nurse left.

"Where were you going, Lucy?"Tim asked. "You were pale as a ghost when I got to you."

"Was worried about you. I called half a dozen times. John and Jackson said you were in Grey's office."Lucy explained as she reached for one of Tim's hands. "What happened?"

"Sorry."Tim said sheepishly. "I didn't charge my phone last night. Battery was dead by the time I got out of Grey's office. Grey put me on leave."

Lucy winced.

"For how long?"Lucy asked quietly.

"In his words until he sorts out the mess."Tim explained.

"Mess is an accurate description."Lucy commented miserably.

"I know you're mad at me."Tim began softly. "But I couldn't let him..."

Lucy squeezed Tim's hand.

"I'm not."Lucy interrupted "I just wish things weren't such a mess. Johnson was the only training officer available...now..."

"Grey will sort things out."Tim promised as he brushed a stray hair away from Lucy's face. "Get some rest, babe."

"I love you."Lucy replied as she felt her eyelids droop.

"Love you too."Tim said.

Just as she drifted off to sleep Lucy felt Tim's lips brush her forehead. Her last thoughts were to wonder how she'd detangle this and straighten her life out and get things back to normal.