"So, what did you mean?" Nolan asked after Antonov was booked. "When you said 'It's different for some of us'?"
"Oh, that," Tim replied. "Lucy and I are dating. We have been for about six months."
Nolan's response was not what Tim was expecting. "That's amazing! I'm happy for you two! I have to ask you, though, how serious are you?"
"I'm all in."
"You love her?"
Tim nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."
"Then why are you still here? I'll take care of the paperwork. Go see her."
With Nolan taking care of the paperwork, Tim made his way to the hospital to check on Lucy. He had to make a phone call on the way though.
"Come on, pick up," he muttered.
"Hey, Tim," Angela answered the call. "What's up?"
"Good news! We got him! And Lucy's safe!"
"That's great! How is she?"
"Broken arm and a little dehydrated. Otherwise she seemed fine. I'm on my way to see her right now."
"And that's why you called me."
"Yeah. I need some help with something."
"Oh, my God. You're not proposing, are you?"
"Not yet. I'm not good at...feelings. I might need some help telling her how I feel about her."
"How do you feel about her?"
Tim sighed. "I think she's amazing. She's smart, she's beautiful. She's all I can think about."
"Timothy Bradford, what are you trying not to say?"
"I love her."
Angela squealed with excitement. "Tell her everything that you just told me, including that you love her. If I hear that you pussed out, I'll come down to the station and cut your huevos off myself."
Tim laughed in spite of Angela's threat. "Yes, ma'am. I'm pulling into the hospital now. I'll let you know how it goes."
"You'd better."
The call dropped as Tim pulled into the parking garage. He felt nervous, excited, and a bunch of other emotions he hadn't felt in a long time. Stopping only at the gift shop to get some flowers and a card, he was quickly pointed to Lucy's room. She was still unconscious when he got there, so he pulled up a chair and sat. He didn't move much; just sat and watched her sleep. Her wrist started twitching. On instinct, Tim reached out and grabbed it. Lucy stirred and turned to Tim.
"Hey," she said, squeezing Tim's hand.
"Hey to you, too. I, uh, I got you some flowers."
"From the gift shop, right?"
"You got me. Am I gonna have to put a GPS tracker under your skin or something?"
Despite her condition, Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "That might help."
Tim smiled. "Lucy, I have something to tell you."
Lucy arched an eyebrow. "And that would be?"
"I'm not good with this, so bear with me, alright? Lucy, I think you're amazing. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you're all I can think about. These last couple of days have really gotten me thinking about things, about people I don't want to lose."
"Tim? What are you trying to say?"
"I love you, Lucy Chen. More than anyone I've ever met."
"I love you, too, Tim," Lucy replied, her eyes filling up with tears.
Tim smiled, with tears in his own eyes.
"Wait. Are those tears I see on the face of Tim Bradford?"
"Tears of joy this time, Lucy. Tears of joy."
"Wait a second." Lucy propped herself up, grinning. "This time? Does that mean that there were tears of sadness on your face?"
"Yes. Last night, actually."
"Aw, and I missed it?" Lucy pouted, which made Tim laugh.
"Yeah, well..." Tim trailed off, unsure of how to respond. "You know you're adorable when you do that?"
"Don't change the subject." Lucy shifted her weight and kissed Tim. It was a soft, chaste kiss, but it was what they both needed.
A knock at the door dragged them back to reality. Tim reluctantly pulled away from Lucy and turned to the door. It was Nolan's boot, Officer Juarez.
"Celina, hi," Lucy greeted. "How are you?"
"Fine," Celina replied. "The doctors said I'm good to go home whenever."
Tim read the room. Deciding that now was a good time for coffee, he left the room, allowing Lucy and Celina to talk.
Tim was on his third coffee and eyeing a Snickers bar from the vending machine when his phone rang. What did Grey want now?
"Sergeant Bradford."
"Tim, I got some bad news for you."
Tim sighed. "I'm listening."
"Antonov escaped."
"Hold on. Antonov what?!"
"Yeah, I was surprised too."
"How?"
"He started a fight on the transport. Killed two guards too."
"Fuck. I'm guessing it's still all hands on deck?"
"It is, but I'm designating you for a special assignment. Twenty-four hour protection detail for Officer Chen."
"Right." Tim kept a saltier comment to himself. "Thanks for telling me about the escape before I found out on the news."
"No problem. And Tim, be careful. Don't do anything stupid, like hunting him down on your own."
"You know me, Wade."
"That's what I'm afraid of." Grey hung up and Tim dropped his phone back into his pocket. All of a sudden, that Snickers bar didn't look so good.
Lucy and Celina were still talking when Tim got back to the room.
"So, then," Lucy was saying, "Tim looked at me and said-"
"That if you finish that story, he'll make sure you're on desk duty until Judgement Day," Tim playfully threatened from the doorway. "Juarez, give us a minute."
Celina nodded, giving Tim and Lucy the room.
"What's going on, Tim?" Lucy asked.
"Grey just called me. Antonov managed to escape. He started a fight on the transport and killed a couple of guards."
Lucy's face fell. "Oh, God. What's the Department doing?"
"Full mobilization. But Grey pulled me off it."
"Why would he-"
"He made me your protection detail."
"I don't need-"
"He used you to get to me once. Who's to say he won't try it again?" Tim put on his "Sergeant face" and voice before adding, "I'm not letting you out of my sight, Officer Chen."
Lucy shifted on the bed. That face Tim made always got her feeling some kind of way. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I'll protect you at my place. I'm sure Grey is going to have it under a twenty-four hour guard. You catch all that, Juarez?"
Celina emerged from the hallway, looking like she'd just been caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar. "Don't worry," she said. "I didn't hear anything."
Tim arched an eyebrow. "And?"
"And...I'm going to wait outside for my ride."
"Great idea." Tim walked Celina out of the room and closed the door behind her. He turned back around to see Lucy giving him a death glare. "What? Don't look at me like that."
"Was that really necessary?"
"What? I just want to get started on the protection detail."
"Uh-huh."
"And I want to spend time with my super sexy, extremely beautiful girlfriend."
Lucy smiled slightly. "Keep talking."
"The light of my life, who I absolutely love and adore with every fiber of my being."
"That's more like it."
Lucy was released from the hospital the next evening with strict orders to relax. Sure enough, there were two patrol units sitting outside Tim's house when he and Lucy pulled up.
"I told you," Tim muttered. "They've probably already swept the house."
"But you don't trust them, do you?" Lucy asked.
"Not at all."
Tim handed Lucy his backup piece before testing the doorknob.
"They left it unlocked," he said. "Strike one."
They moved through the house, clearing every corner, closet, and crawl space before Tim was satisfied that the house was safe.
"So," Tim said, reaching into his fridge, "You want a beer?"
"No thanks," Lucy answered. "I'm not mixing alcohol and pain pills."
"Suit yourself." Tim popped a bottle for himself and passed Lucy a bottle of some green kale drink. She took a sip and shuddered.
"How long has this been in your fridge?"
"Since the last time you spent the night, I think." Pausing at the look on Lucy's face, he added, "What?"
"That was three weeks ago. This was in there that long?"
"I'm guessing I should have gotten rid of that three weeks ago, then?"
"Yeah, probably. Um, I'm gonna go take a shower." Seeing the look on Tim's face, Lucy added, "Not that kind of shower. We have plenty of time for that."
Tim had changed into a pair of gym shorts and a sleeveless shirt, and was on his couch watching his third episode of Walker, Texas Ranger by the time Lucy came downstairs. And Tim suddenly had trouble keeping his eyes on the TV.
"What?" Lucy asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Not yet," Tim replied playfully. "The night is still young, though."
Lucy couldn't help but laugh a little. "Shut up."
Tim got up from the couch and pulled the blinds before walking over to Lucy, taking in her appearance. "You know, I've never seen this shirt look so good."
I said "Hey hey baby do you wanna come over?"
You say "No way", then you move in closer
Lucy closed the distance between her and Tim and kissed him like her life depended on it. The kiss started slow but quickly turned fast and frantic. Tim broke the kiss, much to Lucy's dismay. He pulled away, but only to put on music. Smiling, he turned back to Lucy and took her hand, dancing around his living room late into the night.
Next thing I know you were in my
T-shirt right there
Your hair messed up like a Guns N' Roses video
Ooh ooh so hot
Still got it up in my head, you were moving around in the TV light
I ain't ever seen anything like, your dress, my floor, the way you wore
My my T-Shirt
Yeah, you look good in my T-shirt girl
Oh yeah
And there's your newest chapter! Reviews are welcome, follows & favorites are appreciated.