A/n "After weeks of building trust things feel strangely normal and the awkwardness between them has diminished - even after them waking up in bed together - but life seems to complicate again when Tim and Lucy are partnered for the day, with a difficult call-out putting them in danger."
I am really enjoying writing this series - can you tell?
The support and comments have been very important to me so thank you. If there's any themes people would like to be explored on this pregnancy arc then please leave a comment!
/
Trust and Danger
The first rays of morning slips through the cracks in the curtains, spilling a golden stripe across the room's cool, wooden floor. Lucy lays tangled in her sheets, her eyes still heavy with the remnants of sleep. The gentle hum of the city seeps in through the walls, a distant reminder of the world beyond her bedroom, where another L.A. morning has begun.
As she stirs, her hand reaches out, blindly searching for the soft, worn edge of her blanket, as if to cling to the last moments of dream-fuelled haze. She smiles, the memories of last night playing on a loop in her heard, when the distant honk of a car horn punctuates the quiet, followed by the chirping of birds perched outside.
Lucy blinks slowly, her lashes fluttering as her eyes adjust to the soft light filling the room. Her mind begins to shake off the fog, aware that soon she will need to join the rhythm of the waking city. But for now, in the stillness of her bedroom, she allows herself to linger, savouring the quiet.
She turns over and is met with the sight of Tim's restful expression as he snoozes the morning away. This should feel wrong, it should feel complicated, but it doesn't. It just feels nice.
When she edged out of the first trimester and into the second, she was straightaway grateful that her morning sickness symptoms had alleviated to practically nothing, but then new pregnancy symptoms appeared, ones that are probably nice to have if there's a partner in your life, but frustrating when you don't.
Lucy has been super horny. She's always had a reasonably high sex drive, her previous partners have had no complaints, but this has been something else. She did download a hook-up app last week but couldn't even bring herself to create a profile, worried about the risks this could bring to her and her unborn child. So she has been trying to just suck it up... until she couldn't anymore.
She admitted to Tim a few nights ago what was going on with pink cheeks and sweat to her brow. He was immediately wide eyed and evidently surprised, but after composing himself offered to be there for her if she needs him to be. Lucy squashed his offer straightaway, telling him it wouldn't be smart, but here they are now, in her bed together.
He made her feel so good last night, of course, putting aside their complicated feelings to bring her as much pleasure as possible. She almost forgave him entirely when his face was between her legs, almost told him that she loved him, but quickly grasped that she was just caught up in the moment.
Lucy is stupid, she knows that now it won't be as easy as just going about their day like nothing happened, but selfishly she's simply relieved that he managed to scratch her itch. Today they will have to be professional and pretend nothing had happened, she muses, as she peers over her shoulder at the digital clock at her bedside – but that's when the panic hits. "Shit, Tim!" She flails a hand out and whacks him lightly on the bicep earning a groan. "We slept in. We got to go."
"Just five more minutes..." He murmurs drowsily.
"Tim we will be late." She warns firmly, now sitting up against the pillows.
"So?"
"Don't you think it'll be suspicious if we are both late?" He cracks open an eye. "I'm sure Angela would have something to say on the matter..."
"Alright, alright. I am getting up."
They take the risk to drive in together, Tim reasoning that it isn't that strange when he's the father of her child, but as soon as they step through the door Aaron makes some witty comment about them being together. He backs off as soon as Tim glowers at him much to her satisfaction.
They are surprised when they're partnered off at roll call. Lucy glances behind her at Tim looking all confused whereas he appears pleased at the prospect. "This should be fun. It's a while since we've rode together." He tells her as they're walking to their shop for the day, him carrying the war bags courteously and her deciding not to question it.
"Apart from last night."
"Good one." He says with a roll of his eyes. "Actually no, that doesn't make sense. There was no riding involved. Just railing."
"Shut up." She utters and soon they're in the shop, driving deeper into the city.
Being able to act like this together again has made Lucy realise how much she was treading water before. Her chest is no longer constantly tight, she's able to smile and she's looking forward to having a baby with this wonderful man. Even if (for now) they can be nothing more than friends.
Lucy sits quietly as they drive through Little Ethiopia, her thoughts drifting away from the city in front of her and toward the complexity of her relationship with Tim. The past few weeks have been a slow but steady journey toward rebuilding something that had once felt irrevocably broken. When Tim ended things, she was left reeling, unsure if they would ever find their way back to each other. But now, as she absentmindedly places a hand on her growing belly, she knows that their connection is far from over. It isn't just about the baby they are bringing into the world – it is about the trust they are cautiously rebuilding, brick by brick.
Tim has been patient, more so than she ever expected. There are moments when she can see the guilt in his eyes, the regret for having hurt her, and yet, he hasn't pushed for her forgiveness. Instead, he shows up in the small ways that matter: bringing her ginger tea at roll call to make her smile, cooking her a meal after a tough day, and most importantly, being present. There was a time when she might have brushed off these gestures, seeing them as too little, too late. But now, she recognises them for what they are – genuine efforts to prove that he is in this for the long haul, that he is trying to be the partner she needs whether that's romantically or just as co-parents.
Trust doesn't come easily though, not after what they've been through. There are still nights when she lays awake, wondering if he would change his mind again, if the fears and doubts that had driven him away before would resurface. But slowly, these fears are being overshadowed by something stronger. Hope.
She can see the change in him, the way he looks at her with a softness that was lost before, the way he speaks about the future with an optimism that was once absent. It is far from perfect, and there are still unspoken wounds between them, but for the first time in a long time, Lucy genuinely feels like they are both willing to put in the work. There will be setbacks, moments of doubt, and possibly even more pain. But for now, she can be content.
Tim's love had never truly wavered, and in that realisation, she is able to find trust in him again, even if it is just one small step at a time. "You know, I thought things would be more awkward today considering." Lucy comments, glancing to her left at him driving them through the city.
"We are both adults and we laid out the ground rules before we engaged in any... R-rated activity." He chooses his words carefully, but this just humours her.
"R-rated activity?" She says with amusement laced in her tone. "I didn't realise I was sleeping with a square."
"Remember, there are cameras in here." He gently reminds but then his lips curl up into a smile. "And 'sleeping with' eh? That sounds positive." Lucy rolls her eyes.
It's not long before their radio is crackling to life though, so the playful moment is lost. "Any units available for a welfare check at 455 Maple Avenue?"
"7-Adam-100, we are not far from there. Show us code 3."
455 Maple Avenue doesn't look like much. It's just a small, simple bungalow in a quaint neighbourhood. There's not a lot of intel on the man who owns the property other than his name, Charles Jacobson, and that he lives alone. "It's probably a fake name." Tim mutters as they approach the house, walking past the overfull mailbox and a folded newspaper on the lawn.
"That doesn't bode well." Lucy remarks and subconsciously goes to rest a hand on her firearm, but then she's shaking her head for being so presumptuous.
They knock on the door and announce their presence with a shout once and then again when Lucy spots a shadow of movement behind the curtains. "There's someone in there." She tells her partner and goes to knock again but Tim catches her wrist.
"Maybe we should call for backup."
"It's just one guy, and he might need our help now." She disagrees and ignores his lack of surety to knock again, this time shouting. "Mr Jacobson, we know you're in there. It's the LAPD, please open up!"
The door does open after they hear the sound of a bolt being slid across and Lucy is smiling because she's been successful, but that's until she spots the sawn-off shotgun pointed at her. "Gun!" She yells out and moves just in time to her left and to the floor, pushing Tim that way too.
There are two shots and then footsteps scurrying back into the house, the door being left ajar. "Lucy!" Tim cries and while clearly panicked grabs at her arms as he searches her body to see if she's been hit.
"I'm fine. Call it in!" She waves away his arms and scrambles to her feet as she removes her firearm from her hip.
Tim does what he's told, adrenaline surging through his body, as he mirrors her actions, unhappy how she just follows the gunman into the house. "7-Adam-100, there are shots fired at our location. Send additional units and RA." He calls in and then storms into the house shortly behind Lucy.
The small house exudes a sense of faded neglect, with heavy curtains drawn tightly across grimy windows, casting the rooms in a perpetual twilight. Dust blankets every surface, turning once-vibrant colours dull and muted. The furniture, worn and sagging, speaks of better days long past, with cushions indented from years of use and wood tarnished by time. Cobwebs cling to the corners, and a musty odour lingers in the air, mingling with the scent of forgotten memories. The atmosphere is thick, almost oppressive, as if the house itself has resigned to decay, waiting quietly to be remembered or reclaimed.
Tim finds Lucy in the kitchen at the back of the house in a stand-off with Jacobson whose weapon is trained on her. "Let me go." The man demands, near the back door to the property.
The man looks scared as he holds his gun in a manner that tells Tim that he's military trained. There's also his stature, the crispness to his ironed shirt and his haircut. He reminds Tim of many that he served with. "Mr Jacobson." He says calmly as he lowers his weapon much to Lucy's confusion. "My name is Sergeant Tim Bradford with the LAPD. I also served as a Marine squad leader in Afghanistan and Iraq. Did you serve?"
"Iraq." Jacobson reveals, blinking a few times as if he's trying to escape some kind of stupor. "Only survivor from my squad."
"I'm sorry." Tim expresses genuinely. "We were called here because your neighbours were concerned that they hadn't seen you in a while."
"I... I struggle to go out sometimes." The man confesses, making it quickly apparent that he could be suffering from PTSD, hence how he reacted to having his door hammered on. "How do I know you're telling the truth? You're probably here to kill me."
"No Sir. Myself and Officer Chen are here because we are concerned about you." Tim explains and then turns to his partner. "Put away your weapon." He whispers to Lucy who hesitates, but after spotting the sincerity to Tim's blue eyes she does follow the instruction. "May I ask Sir, is Charles Jacobson your real name?"
"No."
"Why did you change it?" Lucy queries.
"Trying to get away from the media. I didn't do anything wrong, but they think I did." Tears start to well in his dull eyes and one even manages to escape, before it glides down his cheek. "There were four of us who went on that mission. I was the only one who made it home. As soon as the army got a whiff of potential foul play, they gave me my pink slip." He sounds hurt, and bitter, and confused that things ended up this way. "I didn't do anything wrong."
The man's vulnerable expression shifts into one of alarm when sirens approach the property. There's even a slight click when his finger moves against the trigger of his weapon. "They're with us." Tim clarifies, keeping his tone calm when in reality his heart is threatening to burst through his ribcage because of who the gun is being pointed at.
"Tell them to shut up!" Is shouted at the two officers so he immediately reaches for his radio.
"7-Adam-100, please tell the units and RA outside to turn off their lights and sirens. They're aggravating the owner of the house."
It is about fifteen minutes later that they manage to get the man out of the house. Tim holds him by his arm and guides him towards the RA team, not wanting to cuff him, whilst Lucy walks out with the sawn-off shotgun that she hands to Nolan to deal with as evidence.
Once he's settled in the ambulance, Tim goes off to speak to Sergeant Grey who arrived at the scene after finding out two of his officers were shot at and then in a stand-off situation inside the property. Lucy decides her presence isn't needed and with a burning question on the tip of her tongue she chooses to join "Charles Jacobson" in the back of the ambulance as he makes himself comfortable on the bed. "What's your real name?" She asks him with no hesitation before adding, "My name is Lucy."
"Lucy Chen?" He repeats back at her and she nods sweetly, giving him the courage to be honest with not just her but himself. "Ralf Owens."
"How did you pick the name, Charles Jacobson?"
Owens swallows down nothing before answering, seemingly finding it more difficult to explain this than the reason why he changed his name. "After my three comrades. Rudy Charles, Jacob Jones, and Will Anderson."
"That's a nice way to honour them." She smiles and then watches how he frowns when he spots an unfamiliar face behind her. She peers over her should and quickly understands. "Officer Janssen is going to be escorting you to the hospital to get checked out. They will give you the help you need."
"Thank you Lucy. I am sorry for shooting at you."
"It's okay."
From the edge of the house, Tim and Lucy watch the ambulance's doors get closed before the vehicle is moving in the direction of the hospital. They're both thinking about it from different perspectives, Tim thinking about the people he served with going through similar struggles, and her about how Ralf Owens has been let down by the system. She can't help but consider how life for the man at her side could have been very different, if he was suffering from a similar level of trauma.
As if being able to read each other's thoughts, their gazes meet, both saying a thousand words without having to open their mouths. She watches his jaw tense and untense, knowing this is something he does when he's trying to process something stressful that's just happened, so she produces a small smile, to show him that she understands and that she's here for him.
Tim breathes out and smiles too, but it doesn't last, because when his eyes flick downwards to take her all in, he spots something he hadn't noticed before. "You were shot!" Her raises his voice from shock, attracting the attention of their colleagues.
Lucy looks down too at the tear to her uniform on her right arm where a bullet has evidently grazed the fabric but managed to cause no damage to her skin. "It just caught my uniform. No harm done." She says casually as a way to reassure him, but he doesn't take it that way.
"No harm done?!" He yells out making her shush him quietly yet hurriedly. "Lucy, I said we needed back-up, and you ignored a direct order." He criticises. "It's not just you we've got to keep safe."
It's like her vision become red for a second, not quite believing that this has just come out of his mouth. "Are you saying that I'm putting our baby in danger?!" She questions angrily, steam practically coming out of her ears. "How dare you accuse-"
"Woah, woah, woah." Sergeant Grey interrupts them with a displeased expression and his hands extended in front of his body. "I thought you two would be professional enough to be able to ride together. I'm sorry I was wrong." He's disappointed and justifiably so. Grey turns around and waves over Nolan and Juarez from behind him who are both clearly feeling awkward about what they've just heard, as is anyone else in the vicinity. "Juarez you're riding with Bradford for the rest of the day. Nolan take Chen to St Stephens to get checked."
And just like that the earlier, care-free vibes are forgotten and the trust they've built over recent weeks is beginning to crack.
xxx
Tim didn't see Lucy for the rest of the day. He had to ride out the remaining hours of the shift with Celina as his partner who although didn't make things at all difficult, clearly wanted to express her thoughts on his relationship with Lucy. She is her roommate, so it does make sense, it has meant seeing each other outside of work, but he still isn't particularly comfortable with her. Lucy did send him a message to say that she's fine before she closed the day by being called to a shoplifting call with Nolan.
It's now not long after 8pm and unlike yesterday when at this time he was removing the clothes from Lucy's body in her bedroom, he's alone at his place, wondering if he's screwed everything up for good.
His hands tremble as he twists off the cap from the beer bottle that he has just taken from his fridge, the metal biting into his fingers. The hiss of carbonation escaping is the only sound in the kitchen, but it does nothing to drown out the storm in his mind. Tim takes a long, bitter swig, the cold liquid doing little to ease the fire in his chest. His thoughts spiral, looping back to the events of the day over and over.
His heart pounds as he remembers how it felt to yell out her name, it bruising his throat as it came out. All he can think about is how close it had been – how close he had come to losing her and their unborn child. The thought lodges itself in his mind like a shard of glass, painful and impossible to ignore. What if the bullet had been just a few inches to the left? The question gnaws at him, fuelling the anger simmering beneath his fear.
Tim takes another gulp of beer, trying to drown the memories of the day, but it is impossible to be when she got so angry, so upset with him. Especially after the past few weeks of him trying to rebuild the trust between them. Last night, he was in her bed, he got to hold her in his arms even if it was somewhat platonic, tonight he'll be alone again. He slams the bottle down on the counter, the sound reverberating through the quiet house.
He leans heavily against the countertop, staring blankly at the floor, trying to calm his racing thoughts. But the what ifs continues to hammer at him, relentless and unforgiving. She has always been strong, confident in her work, in their work, but now, all he can see is the danger that lurks in every corner of the job. The idea of something happening to her – something he couldn't prevent, couldn't even prepare for—terrifies him.
As if on cue, the doorbell rings, its sharp tone cutting through the thick silence. Tim's head snaps up, the sound jolting him from his thoughts. He hesitates, gripping the edge of the counter until his knuckles turned white. The sudden interruption feels like a cruel joke, as if the world is mocking his attempts to find some semblance of calm. For a moment, he considers ignoring it, letting whoever it is just walk away… But it could be important.
With a heavy sigh, he pushes away from the counter, the weight of the day's events still pressing down on him. The beer bottle sits half-empty on the countertop, forgotten as he makes his way to the door.
Tim wavers for a split second before gripping the doorhandle, bracing himself for whatever awaited him. When the door swings open, the sight of Lucy standing on the other side nearly knocks the breath out of him. She looks fragile. Her skin is blotchy, the pale glow of the porch light highlighting tear-streaked cheeks and eyes red from crying. She's clearly tried to pull herself together before coming here, but the effort has only added to the rawness of her appearance. "Lucy?"
"I'm sorry." She sniffs and the vaguely tough façade crumbles. He only needs to step forward one pace and she's falling into his arms, collapsing against his chest, her body shaking as the tears she had been trying to hold back break free.
He holds her tightly, one hand cradling the back of her head as if by holding her close enough, he can keep her safe from everything. "Hey, don't cry. It's okay." He whispers, thankful to be able to feel her heartbeat, even if it is fast and erratic against his chest. "Wait, is the baby okay?" He questions, suddenly panicked as he pulls back to read her expression.
"Yes, they're all good." Lucy reassures and Tim's next exhale is one of relief. "I shouldn't have shouted at you, and I shouldn't have disobeyed your order."
"And I shouldn't have insinuated what I did." He adds, trying to show that she isn't the bad guy here. They both made mistakes today. "I also should have been the one to get you checked out. Not Nolan."
"Can we just try to move past this?" Lucy clings to him as though he is the only thing anchoring her to the ground, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline. "It's just… we've been doing so well."
"Of course we can." He assures. "How about you come inside? Otherwise nosy Dot living opposite will get the binoculars out."
Tim gently guides Lucy inside, closing the door behind them with a soft click. The silence in the house feels heavy, broken only by the muffled sound of their footsteps on the hardwood floor as they move into the living room. Tim leads her to the couch, easing her down onto the cushions as if she might break. Lucy sinks into the seat, her hands twisting in her lap, still trying to keep her calm. "I'll get you some water." Tim says softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face without even thinking.
When he returns with the glass of water and his half-drunk beer, it is like Lucy hasn't moved a muscle. Her eyes are distant, staring blankly at the floor, but they flick up to meet his when he sits down beside her. He hands her the glass of water, which she accepts with a small, grateful nod, taking a sip as if it might help to wash away the remnants of the day.
For a few moments, neither of them speak, the silence between them charged with unspoken fears, but it makes Tim realise that he screwed up thinking, even if it was fleetingly, that he was the only one affected by today. He takes a sip of his beer, hoping it might help him find the right words before he's placing it down on the coffee table and reaching for her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. "Lucy…" He begins, his voice gentle but firm. "We can't let what happened today consume us. If we start second-guessing everything, if you start overthinking every call, it'll only make things worse."
Lucy's grip tightens on his hand as she looks at him, her eyes still red and raw. "I know but… but I should have been more careful." Her voice is shaky. "I can't stop thinking about how different it could've been, about you... about the baby..." Her voice breaks, and she quickly wipes at the fresh tears that have spilled over.
Tim pulls her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I know." He says softly, his heart aching at the pain in her voice. "I've been thinking about it too. But that's exactly why we can't let fear control us. If you're distracted out there, if you're hesitating because you're worried about what might happen, it puts you in even more danger. We both know this job is risky, but we've always trusted ourselves to handle it."
Lucy nods, taking a deep breath as she tries to steady herself. "You're right." She murmurs. "I think today just shook me."
"I get it. I was scared too. Hell, I'm still scared," He admits, his voice thick with emotion. "But we've got this. We've always known the risks, and we've always faced them head-on. We can't let today change that. We can't let it change who we are."
Lucy leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know. I just need to sleep it off. I'm glad I came round though."
Tim kisses the top of her head, holding her close. "So am I. We'll get through it though." He promises. "We'll be smart, we'll be careful, but we won't let fear dictate how we do our jobs. We've got too much at stake to let that happen."
Lucy nods again, this time with a little more resolve. The weight of the day's events hasn't disappeared, but in the comfort of each other's presence, it feels easier to face – but perhaps that should make her nervous. "Do you think we should fear how much we've been behaving like a couple, though?" She carefully asks, but he doesn't need to think about his answer long.
"No." She smiles at this.
As they sit in the comforting stillness of his living room, the mood begins to lift. Tim's arm stays wrapped around Lucy, grounding them both. They have faced so much already, and yet here they are, leaning on each other like they are still a couple. For a moment, there is nothing but the sound of their breathing, the quiet hum of the refrigerator in the background in the next room, and the soft ticking of the wall clock.
Then, just as the tension in the room seems to settle, Lucy suddenly gasps, her hand flying to her small belly. Her eyes widen, and for a second, Tim's muscles tense, but then he sees the look on her face, a blend of surprise and wonder, and he knows this isn't anything that should cause him panic. "What is it?" He asks, his voice tinged with alarm but quickly softening as he watches her expression shift.
Lucy's lips part into a smile, tears still glistening in her eyes, but now for an entirely different reason. She grabs his hand, pressing it against the gentle curve of her belly, her voice barely above a whisper. "The baby... Tim, I think… I just felt the baby kick."
Tim stares at her in disbelief, his hand still as he tries to feel what she is feeling. And then, there it is, a tiny flutter, faint but unmistakable, right under his palm. It is as if their child has chosen this exact moment to remind them of the life they are building together, despite everything that has happened between them.
He lets out a breath he hadn't realised he's been holding, his eyes filling with a mix of awe and emotion that he can't even begin to put into words. "I felt it too." He murmurs. "That's... that's our baby."
Lucy nods, her smile widening even as fresh tears slide down her cheeks. Her hand rests on top of his, feeling the tiny movements again, more insistent this time as if their child wants to make sure they knew they were there.
The shift in the room is palpable, the fear and anxiety of just moments ago replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy and connection. Tim's heart swells, a lump forming in his throat as he looks into Lucy's eyes. "I don't want to be missing any of our baby's firsts."
"I know." She acknowledges gently. "And that's something we're working on. Right?"
"Right."
