Prompt: We Are Family
Fandom: The Rookie
Pairing: Tim Bradford x OFC
Pacing around the apartment she shared with Tim, Leilani brushed a strand of hair out of her face for what felt like the hundredth time. "I swear to God, if you fall out again, I'm gonna shave you clean!", she thought to herself, irritated at her own hair.
Letting a long sigh out, she sat down on the couch, her leg bouncing up and down as she waited for Tim to get home. He had texted her when he left the precinct and he should be arriving any minute now, making her anxiety skyrocket.
Leilani heard footsteps outside the door, the sound of a key turning the lock and the door open. Taking a deep breath, she tried steadying herself, not wanting Tim to see just how nervous she was. Brushing the same strand of hair away again, she got up to greet him.
As soon as he entered the room, Tim knew something was wrong. Leilani had greeted him, but where there usually was a long kiss, this time it was a quick peck to his lips before she moved to the kitchen while asking him if he wanted to order dinner.
Placing his duffel bag and his jacket on the arm of the couch, he followed her, not sure what was going on. He watched as she made herself busy around the kitchen, not making eye contact with him, trying so hard to avoid him.
Tim thought back on the day, hoping he could find an explanation for her behavior: they had had breakfast together; she kissed him goodbye; they texted each other throughout the morning; they met up for lunch, which she had to leave early for a doctor's appointment; and then nothing until he just gotten home.
Whatever had happened at the doctor's appointment was clearly the reason behind her acting weird. It was the only explanation he could come up with and the only one that made sense. But at the same time, it could be something that happened afterwards.
Tim cleared his throat and asked her if she was okay. A question so simple and yet that made Leilani fall apart in front of him. Rushing to her side, he pulled her close and led her to the couch, reassuring her that everything was okay and that whatever it was that was upsetting her, they would deal with it together.
Once Leilani calmed down, he saw her reaching for a piece of paper on one of the end tables, giving it to him. Tim took it and read it; his eyes widened in surprise at what it was. There in his hand, as clear as day, was a positive blood pregnancy test as well as an ultrasound.
Now he understood why she was a nervous wreck and why she started to cry. They had only been together for six months, and both had agreed that they didn't want kids anytime soon, so finding out she was pregnant had to be a huge shock to her.
He thought back at when it could've happened and the only thing he could come up with was when she had been fighting an infection and was on antibiotics. They had been extra careful, but he remembers one particular night where they just threw caution out the window. And now they were facing the aftermath of that night.
Tim was feeling a mixture of emotions. If on one hand he was afraid of the prospect of becoming a father, due to his own issues with his father, on the other he was ecstatic that he was about to be a dad. He just wasn't sure how to deal with the news.
Looking back to Leilani, he saw the fear in her eyes, and he knew then that it wasn't his decision to make and that whatever she decided, he would abide by it. Kissing the side of her head, he told her he loved her and that whatever her decision was, he was okay with it, but if it helped, no matter what, he would still love her unconditionally.
The truth was that Tim had spent many nights thinking about what it would be like to have a family of his own, and that only intensified when he met Leilani. He wondered if he would be a good dad, but not once did he question if Leilani would be a good mother. He was sure she would if the way she treated the people she loved was any indication.
Leilani's voice brought him back from his thoughts, when he heard her say that she wanted to have a family with him and that she hoped he wanted the same. Tim smiled and kissed her, whispering that he loved her before pulling her close.
The next few hours were spent talking about this new life that was starting and what it meant for their relationship. If there was one thing they both agreed was that, sure this wasn't a perfect situation but, they both wanted to have a family together and that's exactly what they were going to have.