Important Notes:
Title: A Love Like Ours
Pairings: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen storyline with appearances by the Rookie crew.
Warning: will alert you of any potential triggers at the start of each chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to the show and the fans of The Rookie.
A/N: Appreciate you stopping by to read this story. Feedback and reviews are really important. Whether good or bad, please drop a note. Would love to know your thoughts. Thank you!
Timeline/Important Notes:
- This story will be told in first person/their POV
- I may take some plotlines from the story…but please understand…this will be an entirely different type of version of their romance. So, fair warning in case you see something that doesn't go the same way as the show (i.e., Chen and Nolan did not date and Talia does not exist in this story, etc.)
- Number of Chapters 1/?
Chapter 1: The Rookie
Tim
"Alright quiet down," Grey hollered to the small group of us T.O.'s just outside of the briefing room.
Our group immediately quieted our chatter as we always did when he spoke. Everyone in the room respected the hell out of the Sarge.
"Today is the day you all get paired up with a brand-new graduate. Fresh little birds that have just left the nest. Make me proud. Be your best." Grey looked to each of our faces in the group. "And don't screw up. Let's go meet the newbies," he said.
Angela Lopez, my best friend and sometimes partner, bumped into my shoulder as she looked into the clear glass of the briefing room behind us. "What do you think of the new batch?"
I let out a long exhale as I did a quick glance around the briefing room before we entered. There were ten new graduates that had come from the academy, all of them eager and ready to get out on the streets. They were always like this. Like a baby excited after taking their first steps and automatically thought they mastered walking. Until their first official shift was over and they realized they didn't even know half of what they thought they knew the day they started.
"Does it matter," I replied deadpan. "Let's just hope they have enough brains not to get us killed on the first day."
Lopez laughed. "It still amazes me you signed up to be a T.O. when you seem to dread it so much."
"It was the next logical career choice. And I don't dread it," I argued. "I just haven't found anyone worthy enough to wear the uniform. Honestly, I don't even know how some make it through the academy."
"Makes you wonder if they are lowering standards these days," Nyla Harper, our other T.O. and friend, interjected into the conversation.
Harper, freshly back from an undercover assignment over the last year, was relieved to be back on patrol after her recent stint of undercover work. I had seen how the last job had taken its toll on her, and even though she was excited to be a T.O. again, a part of her also missed the freedom of her undercover work.
"Now, that would make sense," I commented.
Lopez rolled her eyes. "You two are so cynical."
"I prefer to call it level setting expectations," Harper said.
I smiled as I turned back to my best friend, letting her know I was in agreement.
"Mark my words, Tim, one day, you're going to get a recruit that is going to match you in every way, and you won't know what hit you."
I grabbed for the briefing door, letting Lopez and Harper go through first.
"I doubt it. I haven't even found anyone that can pass my Tim tests," I whispered as we stepped into the briefing room.
Lopez rolled her eyes. "God, I forgot all about those tests of yours," she replied sardonically.
Lopez and Harper might give me a lot of slack for my "Tim Tests" but they were critically important to the survival and safety of every officer and those they ride with. I didn't care what anyone thought about my teaching, I was going to make sure that anyone I was responsible for now and later on when they are on their own, were fully prepared for every shift as well as the officers they serve with.
I was aware that I came across like a hard ass. If I didn't get advised that my Boot requested at least once transfer request for a new T.O. throughout our partnership, then I wasn't being hard enough. I wasn't doing these Boots any favors by treating them with kid gloves. These Boots thought the academy prepared them for the real world, but that was far from it. It was my job to make them see that reality.
It didn't matter how many tears or dirty looks I got from my Boot. Everything I did was to better them, and if they couldn't handle it, well, it's like the saying goes, 'If you can't handle the heat, then get out of the kitchen.' I just had to hope this year they gave me someone that had a brain and the ability to do the job.
Harper, Lopez, and me turned towards the side of the briefing room, taking our table towards the back, with our hands clasped in front of our utility belt as we waited for Grey to speak. I tried not to shake my head seeing Smitty—the world's laziest and incompetent cop—also among the group as a T.O. I actually pitied the poor Boot that was going to get him as their T.O.
As I looked away from Grey who was just finishing getting his T.O. assignments in order, I was aware of the newbies casually looking in our direction over their shoulders, sizing us up as if they were ready to wet their pants.
Good. They should be scared.
"I hear this year, we got a recruit who is forty or over," Harper whispered.
Lopez seemed genuinely surprised by the tidbit, but I gave nothing away. Mostly because I read all of the dossiers on each of the graduates and already talked about them with Grey. I wasn't going to get excited about the new Boots on paper, even if it was the most promising bunch I had seen over the last couple of years. Academia was one thing; the streets were a whole other animal.
The new Boot—John Nolan— would have a severe disadvantage, but the reports of his thwarting a bank robbery, meant he had a chance. I would take him. I would even take Jackson West, who I was sure that Grey would give me because of his relationship to Police Commander of Internal Affairs - Percy West.
"Well, maybe Tim should take him. Guarantee he will flake out after a week," Lopez guessed.
I didn't respond to the comment, since I knew it was an attempt for them to raze me and try and throw me off my game. While teaching new Boots was an important job, it also—like anything in cop work—created an opportunity for a competition. One that Lopez and Harper were lagging behind me when it came to success rates.
"I'd take that bet, but then we probably shouldn't bother," Harper snickered. "Tim is smug about his record. Although, if I hadn't gone U.C. for a couple of years this would be a closer race," she added.
I rolled my eyes and glanced in Harper's direction. "Keep telling yourself that."
Grey cleared this throat and spoke, getting everyone's attention. At least the new Boots had enough common sense to sit down and shut up right away. Maybe there is hope for them after all, I thought as I took another glance around the room.
Grey went through his speech which I had heard so many times before I could recite it in my sleep. The only deviation had been the fact that Grey actually called out the older Boot, looking impressed when Nolan didn't take the bait.
There's hope for him, I thought.
Grey wrapped up his speech and got to the matter at hand. Reading each of the Boots name and then their T.O. We would raise our hand so they knew who we were, and once the briefing was over, it would all begin.
"Officer Lucy Chen, you are with Tim Bradford," Grey announced.
I had actually been surprised, looking over at Grey who I could see even from here had a slight quirk to his lips at the choice of my pairing. I groaned internally, knowing the man I respected more than anyone was putting me through another test himself.
It wasn't that I didn't like women cops, hell, Lopez was my best friend and the only person I trusted on my six, but I didn't typically do well when it came to female Boots. Ever since the last one over three years ago, Grey had kept me mostly with male Boots. Not that anything inappropriately happened, just that Grey got sick and tired of hearing them cry and complain that I was being too hard on them and impossible to work with. That my teaching methods were not conducive to a positive working environment.
Want to guess how long she lasted in their department?
Getting over my shock, I scanned the room, raising my hand slowly to signal who I was, when my eyes landed on my Boot. I had to do a quick double take.
Her expression was determined and serious, a quick nod at me as she lowered her hand back to the desk, before she turned her attention back towards Grey. I on the other hand continued to study her.
Her long hair was pulled up tightly in a bun, her hands clasped in front of her as she sat up straighter. Even from her side profile, I could tell she was attractive—which could both be used to her advantage and disadvantage—with brown eyes and a pair of full lips. Unlike most of the female police officers, I noticed she wasn't wearing much makeup, but her tanned skin meant she didn't need too. She was what some called naturally pretty.
"Wow, I for sure thought Grey would give you Nolan," Lopez whispered. "He really wants you to work for it," she snickered.
I removed my eyes from my Boot, my hands easily resting on my gun belt as I turned to my best friend.
"All good things are worth working for," I said.
Harper and Lopez rolled their eyes.
Grey wrapped up his speech and announcements, and like earlier reminded the Boots they represented the very best of the Mid-Wilshire Division and not to dishonor it or disrespect it in any capacity. The Boots were dismissed to find their T.O. and start their day.
Smitty's hand clamped down on my shoulder, causing me to look over at him and then his hand with a look that all but said I wasn't pleased about being touched.
"Here we go again," Smitty commented his words more of a complaint.
I didn't even know why the man bothered to want to teach—other than knowing it came with more money—since he basically just sat in the patrol car and let his Boot do whatever they wanted. Normally, Lopez, Harper and I ended up having to guide the poor Boot in addition to our own.
I shrugged my shoulder, so Smitty's hand fell from mine. "Smitty, do us a favor and actually teach your Boot something this time."
Smitty gave me a patronizing grin. "Sure thing, Bradford," he replied, his thumb and pointer finger making what looked like a gun as he pointed it in my direction before walking off.
"He's not going to teach them anything," said Harper.
"I know," I replied through gritted teeth.
"Incoming," Lopez announced as our Boots eagerly walked in our direction.
On instinct, I raised my arms to cross them over my chest to create some distance. I tried not to scowl as Officer Chen started to approach me with a wide smile. The determined and serious look I saw only moment ago gone now.
Did I have her pegged wrong already?
"Officer Bradford," her warm tone greeted me as she held out her hand in my direction. "I am Officer Lucy Chen. Your new rookie."
I looked down at her extended hand but made no move to shake it. As I looked up, I noticed her brows drawn together at my lack of sharing in her greeting, waiting until she finally got the message and slowly started to lower her hand until it was back at her side.
"Officer?" I questioned scornfully. "Let's get something straight. You may have graduated the academy. You may have been given a piece of paper that says you are a police officer, but you aren't. Not yet. Let's get that out of the way now. You're a rookie. No, a Boot. You don't do so much as walk or speak without my approval. Do I make myself clear?"
I watched Chen take a long, slow, swallow, working its way down her throat. I was also well aware of eight other pair of eyes on me. Harper and her rookie Nolan and Lopez and her rookie West staring at me in shock.
Instead of speaking again, Chen nodded, which I hated too.
"That was a yes or no answer, Boot," I barked.
"Yes," Chen squeaked.
"Let's go," I announced. "We have to stop at the kit room."
I didn't wait around to find out if she was following. If there was even a chance that she would make it through the day, she better learn to follow along and quickly.
We walked in silence as we left the briefing room towards the kit room. I clocked her glance through her peripheral vision every couple of seconds at me. For a second—albeit a brief one—I questioned if I had come down too hard on her in front of the other T.O.s and their rookie's.
I wanted Chen to understand the seriousness of the job we held. This wasn't some nine to five job where we would sit here and do icebreakers on our first day and sing Kumbaya with each other. Our jobs were life and death. She had no idea that amount of stress her success was on me as well as her life.
I grunted at the fact that her bright smile that showed the whiteness of her perfectly straight teeth still stuck in my vision. I could sense that she had the kind of smile that lit up the room, and I suddenly begrudged Grey for assigning Chen to me. Somehow the thought of breaking her spirit bothered me.
"Um, what is the kit room?" Chen asked softly, doing her best to keep up with my long strides.
That was another noticeable difference. I was almost a foot taller than her, which meant she was going to have to put in considerable effort to keep up with me.
"It's where we keep our war bags," I replied as we turned down the hall, making it towards the kit room.
Unlike my other fellow T.O.s, if you didn't get there first, you got the equipment that was almost on its way of being marked out, or you ended up waiting in a line that meant less time on the streets. As we turned the corner, I was pleased we were the first there and ready to go.
"Tim," Jack, the kits long timekeeper greeted as we approached. "I see its new recruit day," he remarked looking over a Chen with a wide smile.
I can see out of the corner of my eye, she didn't smile this time like she had before, and a part of me felt a little remorse.
"That it is," I replied. "This is Lucy Chen. She will be my Boot for the next year," I said.
"Welcome to Mid-Wilshire Division, Officer Chen," Jack said.
"Thank you," Chen replied, her tone professional.
Jack turned back to me. "The usual?"
I grinned. "The usual."
As Jack turned away to grab our gear, I used the moment as a teaching opportunity to my new recruit.
"Listen up, Boot. You are going to be responsible for getting our bags from the kit room for each shift. Let this be the first thing you do. I don't want to be kept waiting," I said.
"Yes, sir," she answered automatically.
I nodded; just as Jack made his way back along with another officer carrying the rest of the equipment to pile it on the counter.
"What is all this?" Chen asked in surprised. Her eyes looked away from the mountain of equipment towards me. "Typical gear is two bags and two riffles. What is all this?"
I didn't let it show, but I was slightly impressed that she knew the expectations of the minimal gear that should be collected at each shift. Each division had their own policies, which meant she took the time to go above what was learned in the academy to review our department's policies.
I crossed my arms over my chest as I turned back to her. "Lesson number one, Boot, prepare for the unexpected."
"What, war?" She shot back sarcastically.
Her teasing smile dropped when she looked up to see my face. She didn't know that I completed two tours of duty in Iraq & Afghanistan, but that yes, I was preparing her for war whether in another country or in the streets we are sworn to protect.
"Sorry, sir," she muttered a moment later.
"You only know what the academy taught you. All of your threats have been in a practice room or a controlled environment. There is nothing controlled out there in the streets," I explained in my voice sounding more authoritative with each word I uttered. "When it comes to our job, seconds make a difference between life and death."
I picked up a helmet that was used when we were dealing with explosives and held it in my hand. Would we likely need this, absolutely not. We would only be called in as a last resort, but that was the lesson Chen needed to learn.
"The question Boot, is do you want to cry about carrying some equipment, or do you want to be prepared?"
My look was challenging her, and as I suspected, her tenacious spirit I clocked early on made her rise to the challenge.
"Yes, sir," she answered.
"Good." I dropped my hands and looked back at the equipment on the counter. "Get this mule packed up quickly."
She looked at me in utter disbelief, my brow raised in a silent challenge, before she schooled her expression, quickly grabbing the two war bags, guns, and two additional vests that she could manage as she shuffled the items in her arms and made her way behind me. Just before she turned the corner, I heard her turn back and tell Jack she would be right back to collect the rest.
I sidestepped with a groan, as Chen almost ran into me when we approached the area where our body cams were stationed. Chen stopped, once again shifting the heavy equipment in her arms as she looked around it to me wondering why we stopped.
"This is where we pick up our body cams for our shift," I explained.
I knew this information could wait until Chen dropped the armful of equipment in our shop and then tell her on the way back, but I was all about tests.
This test surprised me. She was quickly catching on that I didn't do things the normal way. While most Boots would question me on why we were stopping or cry that this information could wait until they relieved the heavy load in their arms, Chen remained silent, refusing to show the discomfort on her face and having to balance the heavy load.
"Make sure you grab one at the start of every shift," I continued, grabbing one from the shelf, taking my time to show her the components before I clicked it into place on the holder on my uniform.
Chen sucked in her bottom lip, shuffling the weight in her arms again. Only when I noticed the slight shake to her arms, did I grab another and toss it on top of her pile.
"Let's go," I announced, as we walked over to our vehicle.
I took pity on her and rewarded her for not complaining while I took my time to explain about our camera's, so I opened the trunk of our shop. I expected Chen to just drop everything right away and relieve the ache in her arms, but she surprised me again as she carefully shifted the weight in her arms and put down each item at a time in an organized fashion. When she was pleased with herself, she turned back to me.
"I'll just get the rest," she proclaimed.
"Make it quick," I replied, coming out more as a snap than I intended.
I didn't want to get my hopes up that my young Boot already impressed me in the few short minutes only to be disappointed later.
A devilish grin crossed my expression as I looked at the shop and then back at the door Chen had disappeared through.
A few seconds later—which was actually quick—Chen hustled back through the door with the remaining equipment held in her arms. I watched as she approached the shop, as I leaned against the back of it, my legs crossed at my ankles and my head in my phone.
Chen grunted when she noticed the back of the shop was empty and then looked back at me. "Where is the equipment?"
I looked up from my phone, uncrossed my legs, and peeked around the end of the shop to see the trunk was in fact empty. I stood straight, my expression turning to one of displeasure.
"Please tell me you are not this incompetent, Boot, that you would lose our equipment on the first day before the first shift even began," I said, my voice raised and harsher than before.
Chen's expression turned to aghast. "What? No. You were here. I left it with you," she argued.
The moment I raised my brow, I could see the realization dawned on her face. "You left it with me?" I asked, my tone incredulous. "I'm sorry, I didn't think my Boots brain was pea-sized enough to believe that my job was to babysit your equipment," I countered.
"No, that's not what—"
"What you should be doing, is stop arguing with me and find our equipment, before I regulate you to the desk for the day," I threatened.
Chen closed her mouth, the noticeable muscle in her jaw clenching before she tore through the room and the other vehicles looking to find our equipment.
I grinned, returning to lean against the vehicle my head back in my phone. After another five minutes, Chen returned defeated looking without our equipment. She closed her eyes, her shoulders sagged and ready for the repercussions that she figured she would get coming back empty handed.
"Sir, I looked everywhere, and I—"
"Did you look everywhere?" I interrupted, raising my head to meet her gaze.
"Yes, I went…" her words trailed off, when she caught the subtle glance of my eyes to the floor beneath our shop.
Chen inhaled a long breath, before falling to her hands and knees to look at the one place she hadn't look before: under the shop. There was the two large gear bags and the riffles. She had to lay flat on her stomach, and scoot underneath completely underneath—which had been why she missed it the first time—to reach for the bags and grab the equipment.
When she had them at her feet, she pushed to her knees and back on her feet, throwing the bags back in the trunk of the shop.
"Lesson number two, Boot. You never, ever leave your equipment unattended or in the watch of someone else. You always secure it, or I promise you, someone else will take it," I explained, thinking of Smitty in that moment.
Chen wiped at her hands and nodded. "Yes, sir."
While I sensed she was more than irritated with me, her acknowledgement of my lesson told me while she may not have liked my method, she appreciated the tough lesson learned.
My eyes trailed from her face down her neck to her uniform, Chen's eyes quickly following suit. Her entire top of her uniform was covered in white and black streaks.
"Clean yourself up, Boot. I can't be associated with a partner looking like that," I said my tone laced with displeasure.
Chen immediately started to swipe at the streaks, but it only did little to mute them.
"Move!" I hollered for good measure.
Chen rushed back inside just as Harper and Nolan came walking out, both moving aside to let Chen pass. Harper shook her head at me.
"Torturing already, I see," she remarked.
I watched Harper's Boot, Nolan, sizing me up as he looked from the area Chen had torn through and back towards me. It wasn't uncommon for bonds to be forged in the academy just as they did on the job, and I recognized the signs of protectiveness in Nolan. He was smart enough for now to keep his mouth shut.
"You worry about your Boot, and I will worry about mine," I said.
I watched as Harper and Nolan left, Chen walking back through the door, wiping the last of the streaks from her uniform with a paper towel.
"About time," I stated once Chen walked back in.
"Sorry," she said quickly, dropping her hand to her side.
I was at least impressed that she had her camera on and ready to go.
I nodded. "In the shop, Boot. I don't want to be the last patrol getting on the road."
She moved towards the driver side.
"What are you doing?" I questioned.
"I thought I would drive," she answered.
I let out a humorless chuckle. "You thought?" Chen's jaw clenched again. "You don't drive until I say you are ready to drive."
"Yes, sir," she said through gritted teeth.
As we hopped in the shop and got on the streets, I was pleased we already worked through a few important lessons that I was sure based on what I witnessed, Chen would not make the mistake again. Promising.
If she hated me now, I could only imagine once I started throwing my tests her way. After the first hour of no action and quietness within the shop, I could sense Chen was itching to want to talk.
"How long have you been on the job?" she asked.
"Enough," I replied.
"Really?" I could hear the annoyance in her voice. "You can't even answer the question outside of one-word answers."
I glanced in her direction. "What makes you think you are owed any answer? What makes you think you have the right to even speak to me?"
She gasped. "Human decency for one," she snapped back her expression agitated.
I snorted. "I am not here to be your friend. We don't talk personal stuff in this shop."
"Clearly," she mumbled.
"What was that?"
Chen's lips snapped shut. "Nothing. Sir," she emphasized the 'sir' a little more forcefully than the last time she had used it.
I turned my head back to the road as the silence continued between us. A few moments later, my hand gripped my chest as I started to make a groaning sound, my face contorted with a grimace.
"What's wrong?" Chen asked immediately, turning towards me, her hand placing a comforting touch on my shoulder.
"My chest," I replied through a wheeze.
"Are you having a heart attack?"
I could hear the note of disbelief in her voice, considering my age and the fact that I was in good shape.
"Call it in," I said through another painful wheeze.
Immediately, Chen picked up the walkie-talkie receiver, ready to press the button to announce the concern, when she hesitated.
"Where are we?" she asked.
I continued to groan making painful noises and slouching in my chair.
"You need to pull over," Chen instructed putting her freehand on the wheel to ensure it remained steady. "We need to find out where we are."
"You don't know where we are?" I asked incredulously.
Chen's head whipped back-and-forth, frantically trying to find a street sign or anything to alert what our location was but was coming up empty.
I slammed on the brakes so suddenly that if it hadn't been for her seatbelt, Chen would have smacked her head onto the dashboard. I was a little impressed she had managed to hold onto the radio in her hand.
Once she got her bearings back, I shot her a disapproving look.
"Get out!" I ordered.
She looked at me with utter disbelief.
"Get out!" I repeated.
"I don't understand…" she remarked the obvious confusion in her expression.
"That's the problem," I replied. "What if I had been shot? What if I was actually having a heart attack?"
I could see the anger simmering beneath the surface. "But you weren't," she pointed out, now that she saw I was perfectly ok.
"That's not the point here."
"I am feeling to see what the exact point is here," she uttered angrily.
"You weren't paying attention," I said. "On the job every minute counts. You sat there for at least a few minutes and still could not come up with where we were to report our location for officer assistance," I explained. "As my partner, you likely could've just gotten me killed."
I watched as my words slowly started to sink into an understanding. There was still a bit of anger, seeming underneath, but now mixed with the fact that she had realized my words were true.
"Get out of my shop. Do not make me ask a third time."
I could see Chen's anger wanted to turn to defiance, but she surprised me when she grabbed hold of the car handle and forced the door open. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she exited the vehicle and slammed the door shut.
"So, you're just gonna leave me here?" she asked bitterly.
"You can get back in the shop when you can tell me exactly where we are," I answered, beginning to drive slowly away from the curb.
I heard Chen's growl as she started to quicken her pace to keep up with the car. I knew I was driving a little faster than I needed to, but I really wanted to hit home this particular test, so it never happened again.
I watched as she rose to the test, keeping up with me, despite her anger. After another two blocks in this manner, I finally heard Chen winded voice call out, "Hampton Blvd."
I pulled the SUV to an immediate halt. Chen stopped running, her hands on both of her thighs as she leaned over, trying to regain her breath.
"Get in!" I demanded.
Chen didn't even hesitate as she pulled open the door to the shop and slid back into the seat, buckling her seatbelt along with it.
I pulled back into the street as we began our patrol, the silence once again between us.
Lucy
I was finally relieved when the first day of my shift was over, and Bradford pulled the shop back into the department. Of course, he made sure to utter the long list of expectations he had for me before my first shift was fully over, including putting back the equipment I got earlier in the day. While I was exhausted and sore, I actually looked forward to lifting the equipment then spending another moment in Bradford's presence.
Just as I grabbed the first load of equipment from the shop, John, Jackson, and Jackson's T.O. Lopez returned into the garage. It was John and Jackson who approached me.
"Geez, what happened to you?" asked Jackson.
Normally a comment like that would instantly have me running to the bathroom to wonder what it was about my appearance, but I was too tired to even care in that moment.
"I have the world's worst T.O.," I managed, grunting as I shifted the war bags in my hands in order to pick up both rifles.
"Here, let me," John offered.
"No, thank you," I said, immediately jumping into take back the gear. "If my T.O. found out anyone helped me, it would mean more punishment for me tomorrow," I answered John's questioning gaze.
"Was he really that bad?" Jackson asked.
"Bad?" I scoffed. "Bad doesn't even begin to describe it. The man's a freaking sadist."
"He can't really be that," John tried to reason.
I turned to him with an evil stare. "Did your T.O. fake a heart attack, and then kick you out of the shop because you didn't know what street you were on?"
John and Jackson looked at me in astonishment before they shook their heads, no as their answer.
"Did your T.O. suggest that you stop for a drink only to set up a fake attack on you to prove a point that you should never have a drink in your shooting hand?" I asked.
"He did that?" John asked in disbelief.
"Oh, he did," I said sardonically with a sneer. "He basically told me to get used to these little tests that he's going to keep throwing my way."
"I mean, I know they seemed pretty extreme, but I just learned something new by you sharing it with us," Jackson commented writing it down in his notepad.
I shot him a glare. "It's not the test, just the way he goes about it. He's the most disagreeable humanbeing I have ever met. If he's not throwing me one of these stupid tests, we sit there in awkward silence with the understanding that no personal conversations are welcome in the shop."
"Wow…" John whistled. "My experience with Harper was not that."
"Mine either. Lopez is actually pretty neat."
I dropped off the first pile of equipment as I started to make my way back to the garage to get the second pile.
"Well, aren't you boys lucky," I said bitterly.
"If you want, I would be happy to put in a request to take him as my T.O." John offered.
I thought about it for only a second before I shook my head. As much as I did not like Bradford, and currently thought about all the different ways I could kill him, I wasn't a quitter.
"No, I got it," I said.
"Well, if you change your mind, let me know," offered John.
"Thanks."
"Everyone still on for drinks later to toast to our first full completed shift?" Jackson asked.
John and I eagerly nodded.
"I have some things to do but go ahead and I will meet you there."
John and Jackson turned to leave. As I walked back to the shop to grab the remaining equipment, I noticed Lopez leaning against the trunk of the car. At least this time I had enough of a sense to close the trunk so there wouldn't be a Bradford's early morning repeat lesson.
"Officer Lopez," I greeted, doing my best to sound cheery and not exhausted.
"Sounds like you had a rough first day," she guessed.
I assumed Lopez must have heard some of my conversation with John and Jackson so there was no sense in denying my comment was true. My aching muscles was another factor. I hadn't hurt this bad since my first couple of days at the academy when I started my rigorous training.
"You could say that," I replied nonchalantly, as I started to organize the remaining bulletproof vests and helmets so I could carry them in one trip.
"Tim…he's not a bad guy," Lopez remarked.
I didn't say anything to the comment in the event this was another test. I had seen how friendly Lopez and Bradford were earlier in the morning before our assignments, and last thing I wanted was my comments getting back to Bradford. I wouldn't put it past him to take out further revenge on me because he had known that it pissed me off.
"Anyway, I know his methods can sometimes seem…" she paused for a moment before she added, "Unconventional, but I assure you that Tim takes the safety and the education of every rookie he trains with the upmost importance."
"Copy," I replied.
Lopez pushed off the shop and started to walk away. I grabbed the last remaining equipment, surprised to see Lopez still standing behind me as I turned back to face her.
Lopez smiled. "I could be way off base here, I mean I hardly know you from the few brief moments from this morning, but something tells me that you are the exact kind of partner that Tim needs."
If the heavy weight hadn't been in my hands with the notion I would have to bend over and pick everything back up, if I dropped it, was the only reason I kept holding it securely.
"Uh…"
"Have a good night, Lucy," Lopez called, turning away from me and walking away.
"Cheers!" John said, as Jackson and I clinked our beer bottles together.
"To a successful first shift," remarked Jackson.
I scoffed, as I brought the bottle of beer to my lips.
"Or to making it out alive," Jackson corrected, raising his bottle before bringing it to his lips.
"Ha-ha," I mocked.
As John and Jackson talked about their shared experiences of the day and the differences between all of the T.O.s my mind wandered towards Lopez's comments from earlier before. I didn't exactly know what she had meant about me being good for Tim Bradford, unless that meant being good at being his punching bag.
As I took another swig, I couldn't help but think that I was more upset because I had actually been excited earlier in the day to work with him and complete my first official shift. I had been looking forward to this day since I had graduated, and being tired, sore, angry, and humiliated and not been what I had expected.
What aggravated me even more, was even though Tim Bradford was a complete jerk, he was still annoyingly attractive. Not like I would ever act or do anything about it. For goodness sake's he was my boss, but now it seemed there was the smallest—no— a slim chance of any sort of civility between us since he wanted nothing to do with me or know about me other then shoving his tests down my throat.
I wasn't ashamed to admit it that after Lopez's comments, while John and Jackson went to shower, change, and start celebrating early, I had seen what research I could find out about my mysterious T.O.
From what I had learned outside of being too obvious, I knew based on my earlier comment in the day coupled with what I found out that Bradford had been in the military before becoming a cop. A respectful career choice in serving his country, which spoke to his character.
That was another thing that was puzzling to me. Bradford was completely aloof and closed off. My psychology classes would tell me that he most likely dealt with trauma—if I had to guess, possibly his tours in the military—which made him this way.
On the other hand, I had seen him smile and laugh with Harper and Lopez earlier in the day. Lopez spoke highly of him, that I could see she meant every word. That ruled out that his behavior today towards me wasn't because I was female. Tim Bradford was a puzzle that for some reason was nagging at me to want to solve.
Even if he was a jerk.
"Lucy?"
I blinked. "Huh? What?"
John looked at me questioningly. "I said, don't look now, but it seems our T.O.s like to decompress at the same bar."
I looked over my shoulder, seeing Harper, Lopez, and Bradford a few tables away at a standing table, laughing and drinking beer together. In that exact moment, Bradford turned his head and made direct eye contact with me. I managed to maintain the look for a few seconds, refusing to let him think I was embarrassed or would cower under his stare before, I turned back to the group.
"Great. Almost eight hours wasn't enough for one day," I muttered.
"Luce, I think…" John started his finger pointing behind me before he brought it to the back of his neck and started rubbing.
"What?" I snapped, letting some of my earlier anger out now that I had a chance to unwind. "The guy can't even bother to carry a simple conversation, and enjoys being a jerk just for the fun of it. You know…"
Jackson cleared his throat loudly, before bringing the bottle to his lips.
"I'm a good cop. I got high marks at the academy. I do what's right. I signed up to help people. Can he say the same."
I looked from John to Jackson whose expressions were white, their eyes growing large as they looked from me to just above my head at something—no someone—standing behind me.
Tim Bradford.
"Yeah, I think now is a good time, Jackson and I go and get us refills," John said, immediately getting up from the table.
No matter how many pleading looks I sent in their direction, they both took off to the bar, leaving me alone with my arch nemesis. Ok, it sounded a little harsh, but he had been unreasonable ninety-nine percent of the day.
"Sir," I greeted.
Bradford looked from me to John's now vacant seat. "May I?" he asked.
I nodded. "Sure."
Bradford took a seat, letting the bottle of beer in his hand rest on the table. The silence between us stretched on for a few moments, before he lifted his gaze to meet mine. He was the one that came over here, he would be the one to start the conversation.
"Listen, I know you think I am a jerk and that perhaps my methods might seem a little over the top, but I do what I do to ensure you are trained right and can not only learn how to protect yourself, but any other officer you work with," he said.
The bottle of beer in my hand stilled at my lips, before I brought it back down to the table.
"Yes, sir," I said automatically. I was too tired to argue.
I was aware he was studying me intently and that I was just going through the motions of the conversation. Whatever worked to get him to stop trying to figure me out.
"Alright," he said, standing from the table and grabbing his beer. He took a step, stopped, and turned to look at me. "You have skills, Lucy. Going easy on you, isn't what you need or will make you better. I do it because I know you are good enough, strong enough to handle it."
I opened my mouth to say something, but he had already started to walk away. I watched him return to his table with Harper and Lopez.
"Ok, Tim Bradford. Game on!"
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. All reviews and thoughts are welcome. Also, don't hesitate to drop a question in your review. If it does not give away the story, happy to answer your question in the comment/reply section.