A/n I've just finished S6 and my Chenford heart is broken so here is an unplanned pregnancy fic. I can be a bit of a sucker for a pregnancy fic - hopefully some other shippers in this fandom are too!

I believe there could be scope for this to become a multi-chapter kind of thing…

/

Fragile Ties

Lucy sits on the edge of her bathtub, her heart pounding in her chest as she stares at the small plastic stick in her trembling hands. The dim light from the bathroom's single bulb casts long shadows on the walls, making the room feel even smaller and more suffocating. The word that changes everything glows faintly in the gloom: Pregnant.

Her breath catches in her throat, and she feels the world shift beneath her feet. She only thought she had a sickness virus, but the symptoms wouldn't stop, and then she was watching TV and there was an advert for tampons, and it hit her that it's been a while since she's bought some. Then something else hit her that made her feel nauseous once more.

This isn't how she had imagined it would be. Her childhood and upbringing may have not been normal, but she did enjoy playing with her dolls. She had one babydoll that she was bought for her third birthday, who she named Angelina, that she believes her parents still have in their attic because it meant so much to her. She was the girl at school who was ambitious about what she would do next whilst secretly picking out her baby names after overhearing a conversation between some other students in her history class. Mia for a girl and Alexander for a boy.

She thought finding out something as monumental as this would be joyous and involve embracing with the man she loves. Instead, she is alone in her bathroom, grappling with the reality that she is going to have a baby. A baby. Her mind races as she tries to piece together what this meant for her future, for their future.

Tim. His name echoes in her mind like a ghost from a life she thought she had left behind, even though they see each other still basically every day. They have been separated for around a month now, their once strong relationship crumbling under the weight of trust issues and unspoken grievances. Lucy squeezes her eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of the conversation that led to their separation, the words that had driven them apart. She wonders how he would react to the news. Will he be angry? Hurt? She has no doubt that he will want to be involved but still the negative voice at the bag of her mind asks – Would he want to be involved at all?

The quiet of the night is oppressive, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the refrigerator in the next room. Lucy finds herself longing for a sign, a clue about what to do next. She looks down at the test again, its stark message unwavering. Tears well up in her eyes, blurring her vision. This is real. This is happening. And she has no idea how she is going to face it.

xxx

Lucy didn't sleep a wink. She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, with thoughts crashing over her in relentless waves. The tiny digital clock on her nightstand blinked from one minute to the next, marking the slow passage of a night that seemed to stretch on forever. She felt trapped, paralyzed by the weight of the decision she had to make and the uncertain future that is ahead.

Now she is wandering around the police station like a lost soul, but really, she is searching for the one person who she knows she needs to talk to, even though it is going to be the most difficult conversation she has ever had – but he doesn't appear to be anywhere.

Lucy's heart beats faster the more she looks for him and eventually she finds herself in Sergeant Grey's office, her face pale and palms clammy. "Officer Chen, are you alright? You still feeling under the weather?"

She had to take a sick day last week because she couldn't keep anything down and now, she knows the reason. "I'm fine. Is Sergeant Bradford here?"

"No, he had a late one last night. Don't think he was back here until four o'clock this morning so he's at home." Grey explains and Lucy feels her heart sink in her chest. Even though she is terrified about telling him, she was still ready to after psyching herself up just enough to get through it. Now, she's going to have to push through a twelve-hour shift with all this anxious energy. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"No, Sir."

"Alright then. You're riding with Nolan today." He decides making Lucy's brown eyes go wide from alarm.

"Sir?"

"You've done a lot of single crew work recently so figured you would want to switch it up." And once Sergeant Grey makes his mind up about something, that is that. She should be glad that she's riding with Nolan because she's definitely not with it enough to drive, but she remains suspicious that somehow their commander has worked it all out, but he can't have… right?

By the time she makes it to the shop, Nolan has their war bags and greets her with a cheery smile, one that she tries to return but doesn't give it a great attempt. All she has to do is come across as normal, at least until she has managed to talk to Tim which she continues to dread. Things have been so weird between them since their separation, initially because of hurt from her part and shame from his but now it's just awkward. The thought of having this conversation makes her nauseous – or maybe that's the morning sickness.

Some of that sickness finally subsides by around 11am. The streets buzz with the usual chaos that Los Angeles bring with palm trees lining the sidewalks, swaying gently in the breeze. It is comfortingly familiar, and something Lucy definitely needed today. Some kind of normality.

Inside their shop, Chen and Nolan navigate the busy streets with practiced ease. The car's radio crackles intermittently with updates from dispatch, breaking the steady hum of the engine. Lucy, in the passenger seat, scans the surroundings with a vigilant eye, but today her mind is elsewhere, consumed by the gravity of the news she had yet to share. John, behind the wheel, maintains a steady grip, his expression focused but relaxed, oblivious to the storm brewing inside his partner.

The day has been relatively uneventful so far, a series of minor infractions and routine checks that kept them moving but didn't demand too much exertion. Starting with a call about a parked car blocking a fire hydrant, then a noise complaint because of someone playing their hip hop too loud, and then a minor fender bender. Everyone in the wrong was written up, but they've not had to take anyone back to Mid-Wilshire's station.

As they continue their patrol, the neighbourhood shifts from the glossy facades of high-end boutiques to the more gritty and lived-in areas of the city. They pass murals of vibrant colours that tell stories of the community, from its rich cultural heritage to the struggles and triumphs of its residents.

Lucy stares out the window, her thoughts miles away. The news of her pregnancy weighs heavily on her, and she is gagged by the enormity of it all. It is now that Nolan glances over, finally noticing her unusual quietness. "You okay, Lucy?" She hums in response. "You've been quiet today." He says, his tone gentle but curious.

Lucy forces a smile. "Yeah, I've just got a lot on my mind."

John nods, accepting her answer for now but underneath it all is secretly worried about his friend. "Alright. If you need to talk though, you know where I am." He offers with his attention being turned back on the road ahead.

Lucy appreciates his concern, but she can't bring herself to speak. The city unfolds before them, a vast, unpredictable landscape where anything can happen. She knows she has to face her reality soon, but for now, she focuses on the task at hand, hoping the routine of their patrol would help her find the strength to confront her unexpected news. "All units, 7-Adam-18 requires additional assistance at a suspected 4-5-9 at 109 North Sycamore Avenue." Control requests and Lucy immediately looks to Nolan with a nod to her head.

"7-Adam-15, show us code 3 for that call." He responds and straightaway the sirens are activated as they storm to the scene.

California Penal Code 459 means burglary, and if they need additional units then it must be bad. When they get to a street adjacent to the condo, they see what they assume to be the suspect, running in a mask and hoodie with a duffel bag over one shoulder being pursued by other officers. Lucy's shoulders slump, she is in no mood to run after a suspect, but quickly the shop is coming to a halt and both her and John are darting after the man whose legs are already beginning to tire.

She somehow manages to catch up with him first and goes to grab at the strap of his bag hoping to pull him to a stop, but he catches her by surprise and suddenly slows before pushing her forcibly to the ground with a firm hand to her ribs. It isn't difficult to knock her off balance when she's mid-stride, so before she has time to think she's feeling the harsh thud of the pavement against her body. It knocks the wind from her and briefly she's quite dizzy, only just being able to make out the sight of the initial pursuing officers tackling the guy to the ground.

The other unit deals with the suspect, everyone breathless from the chase, but Lucy doesn't attempt to get up, not straightaway. Her expression is screwed up and the flat of her forearm pressed against her stomach as she groans. "Lucy!" Nolan panics and crouches down to her so he can rest a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? Did he stab you?"

"No but…" She winces and then gasps with tears prickling at her eyes. "Nolan, I'm… I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" He repeats back at her with shock etched into his features before he stands to action. "Okay." The shock is taken over by calm as he manages to compose himself, being the rock that his friend needs in this situation. "Control, 7-Adam-15, requesting Code 7. Officer Chen was knocked over in the pursuit and needs to get checked out at St. Stephen's."

"Copy that 7-Adam-15. I will alert the Watch Commander."

xxx

Police officers definitely spend too much time at the hospital, so much so that Nolan is now used to the disgusting cafeteria coffee and the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room and on the ward. Lucy is a ball of nerves now for a completely different reason to last night and this morning. She can't help but think how irresponsible it was of her to go out on patrol without telling anyone that she's pregnant. What if she was knocked unconscious? Or was shot and passed out? She wouldn't have been able to let anyone know about her current condition.

The preliminary checks have been conducted and bloods taken, but now all Lucy can do is wait in bed, out of her uniform and instead in a hospital gown for ease of the medics who have been working on her. "You should get back out there." She utters to John who is sitting in a chair at her bedside. "They probably need you."

"No, we don't leave our partners." He states in no uncertain terms before his tone softens, "How long have you known?"

"Found out last night."

"Does Tim know?" Lucy shakes her head but is then gripping the edge of the blanket as a wave of nausea floods her. "Are you feeling sick?"

"Yeah, feels like always at the moment."

"My ex-wife thought ginger was the miracle cure of morning sickness when she was pregnant with Henry. I bet they are selling gingerbread in the coffee shop downstairs." He muses and then asks, "Will you be alright if I go and see for you?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. I won't be long." But still time drags.

Even though she had told Nolan only a few minutes ago that he should get back out on patrol, now that she's alone whilst he pops to the hospital store, she realises that being on her own right now is the worst thing for her. Her heart thuds in her chest as she stares up at the sterile white ceiling. The faint hum of machinery and the distant murmurs of hospital staff only heighten her anxiety, making the minutes feel like hours. She absently rubs her hands over the thin blanket draped across her lap, trying to steady her breathing, but the anticipation gnaws at her. "Are you alright?" And his voice was the last voice she was expecting to hear.

For a second, Lucy thinks her ears are tricking her, not helped by the whooshing sound that's passing through them. She lifts her head to see Tim appearing panicked in the doorway, his face grey and demeanour tense, and it is like all this transfers to her. She's lost the ability to think or form coherent sentences, even with him walking towards her. "How are you here…? Did Nolan-"

"Ah are you the baby daddy?" A nurse asks cheerfully as she enters the room just behind Tim with a fresh jug of water to put at Lucy's bedside, but how she dips her head nervously and how his jaw becomes slack making his mouth wide has the nurse quickly detecting that she may have put her foot in it.

"Wait what?" Tim questions, becoming breathless. "Lucy, what's going on?"

"Um…"

"Sorry honey." The nurse grimaces. "The doctor will be here shortly."

When they're alone again, there are a few beats of silence that pass whilst they both think. Well, silence is non-existence in a hospital but with them being the only people in the room it's like they're in their own bubble. She feels lightheaded as she tries to work out how she's going be open and honest about this, but she doesn't have long to mull because he's asking, "Are you pregnant?"

"Yeah." She mumbles barely above a whisper and has to witness how he blinks, clearly panicked, while looking heavenwards. "I found out last night. Tried to find you when I got in today, but you weren't there."

"You should have called. Straightaway." It's like he's talking to her as her TO and not her ex-boyfriend, the father of her child. When Lucy looks down at her hands ringing together, he catches himself though and after a deep breath, takes another step closer to her bedside. "I would have been there."

"You were on a job." She tries to say this monotonously, tries to stop emotion getting the better of her, but she can't help it. Tears sting her eyes and her throat constricts. Last night when she was thinking of all the ways she could tell him, all her possible next moves, none of them involved him finding out like this. It all feels too much out of her control.

"Screw that. This is obviously more important."

Lucy's eyes glance at Tim's hand that has subconsciously gone to rest on her forearm. He follows her line of sight and immediately lets go, acting like her skin has burnt his palm, making both of their hearts ache. "How did you know I was here? Did Nolan call you?"

"No. Does he know?" How she looks away nervously answers his question. "I was at the station with Grey debriefing about last night and heard Nolan's message on the radio." And the fact he came immediately to her suddenly makes it impossible to hold everything back anymore. She feels her cheeks become wet as she starts to cry. "I know we aren't together anymore, but I was worried and turns out I had good reason to be."

"Tim what if something is wrong? I fell pretty hard." She sniffs and he can't hide the hurt from his features when she asks this.

"Shh, it's okay." He attempts to reassure and does go to embrace her on the bed. "It's okay." Tim places a hand behind her head, just beneath her bun, and protectively presses her face into his chest. She bawls, her tears making his uniform wet, as her hands needily claw at the fabric on his back.

Lucy has needed to hold him, cry in his arms, ever since he broke her heart outside the station. That was before this unexpected news. It's all so scary though, not knowing what the future holds for them, now more than ever. Is their baby okay? Will they be able to co-parent? Or will they get back together? Her head hurts, her heart hurts, everything seems too painful right now to make any rational decisions.

They sink into each other's hold, both gradually calming but with an underlying buzz of anxious energy that's unlikely to completely relinquish anytime soon. "Oh I..." They only part thanks to Nolan's interruption. "Sorry for interrupting." He apologises with an awkward scratch to the back of his head before he's holding out a small packet of gingerbread with his other hand. "Got this for you." She reaches out to take it with the most appreciative smile she can muster in this moment of stress. "I know I said we don't leave our partners, but I have feeling if I stay then I am going to be a bit of spare part..."

"It's okay, John. I will be alright." She tells him.

"Okay err, good." He utters in reply, but he doesn't sound so sure. "Please let me know that you're all fine."

"We will." Tim interjects sincerely which does make John nod his head, before getting back out on patrol.

There's a lot of sitting together in uncomfortable silence whilst they wait for the doctor to appear. When she does, she is apologetic about taking so long but Tim and Lucy know the score, they do spend a lot of time here. "Your tests came back normal. We will just do an ultrasound scan." Dr Lambert announces while dragging in the relevant equipment.

Lucy lays back, her heart racing as the medic prepares the machine. The cool gel on her abdomen makes her shiver, though it is more from nerves than the temperature. Beside her, Tim sits in a small chair, his posture stiff but attentive, his eyes fixed on the monitor. Despite the tension between them over the past month, he has not only shown up but is still here. He leans in closer, his focus narrowing to the screen as if searching for something to hold onto in this sea of uncertainty.

The wand is moved across Lucy's belly, and the room fills with the soft whoosh of the machine. She holds her breath, her eyes darting between the screen and Tim's face. For a moment, the black and white image on the monitor is a blur of shifting shapes, until finally, there it is – a tiny flicker of movement, a small, distinct form nestled within. The doctor points out the heartbeat, steady and strong, filling the room with its rhythmic pulse.

Lucy's breath catches in her throat, a wave of emotion crashing over her as she really grasps that this is real, that she is carrying a life inside her. She looks at Tim, who is leaning forward, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and disbelief. For a moment, all the bitterness and confusion between them fades.

xxx

It's the middle of the afternoon when Lucy is being led into her apartment by Tim who has his hand hovering against the small of her back. His sweatpants and hoodie from his gym bag in his car that she is wearing are baggy on her form but comforting. She knows she should really tell him to stop but she can't bring herself to. She likes being doted on by him – even if it could cause her pain later.

It has felt oddly normal though, being with him like this. The car journey over here they talked about pointless little things as if nothing bad ever happened between them. "I was thinking, we should ask Lopez and Harper who they recommend as an OB." Tim comments as he closes the door. "They have both had two kids so they should be able to help."

"Yeah, sure." Lucy mutters non-committedly because her thoughts are just too loud.

"We are lucky to be surrounded by parents, so we are certainly not short of people we can ask for help from." He continues to ramble. "We should also look at more baby-friendly places to live. My place only has the one bedroom, and we need a nursery, and I am not sure if this apartment building is the best place for a newborn to live. There's so much noise."

"Tim, I'm going to stop you there. You're acting like this fixes everything." Lucy says with her exasperation evident while signalling vaguely to where their baby is growing inside her. "I don't want you to be with me just because I am pregnant." She states harshly and watches how his jaw tenses, but it's annoyance at himself. How could he even think that they could suddenly go back to how things were before he broke things off? Is he really that dense? "And if there's more to it than that, I can't just be with you again or trust you like that. It's going to take time."

"I understand." He says in a low tone as if trying to keep his cool, but then the sensitive, honest side of him comes out and he gazes into her brown eyes with so much adoration in his that she becomes woozy. "Lucy, I never stopped loving you. I need you to believe that."

She nods and takes a deep breath, willing to keep her emotions at bay. "Maybe one day I will."

"Okay." He seems to accept this, but it is impossible to read from the single word whether he's accepted this in a positive or negative way. Lucy also cannot ask, it's like she's physically unable to, especially with him already retreating to the front door. "I-I will go then and leave you to it… Please call me if you need anything."

"Wait." She stops him firmly making his brow shoot upwards, before she requests with an obvious vulnerability, "I wouldn't mind a hug before you went."

Tim smiles, his relief clear, and straightaway he's encasing her with his strong arms, pulling her close to him. The risky move is how he presses a kiss to the top of her head, but when she relaxes against him on her next exhale, he grasps that it is a risk that has paid off.

The future looks blurry right now, but they both have faith, in this moment, that they can get through it together.