A/n Hello, I firstly want to say a massive thank you to anyone who has read, left a favourite and/or commented on any chapter in this fic. It's been very enjoyable to write - I hope people have found it as enjoyable to read.
This is the last instalment. I felt that the series has reached a natural conclusion, but looking forward to writing more Chenford/The Rookie in the future.
:)
/
Mia
It didn't take much to bring Tamara here to Lucy and Tim's home. She was at her place studying when she received a message from Lucy that made her brow furrow. The words were jumbled, half-formed, and disjointed, like they were typed in a rush or under distress.
Without wasting a second, Tamara threw on a jacket and grabbed her keys, her mind racing. Now she's fumbling with the spare key – one that Tim had pressed into her hand during the later stages of Lucy's pregnancy, insisting it was "for emergencies only." This certainly feels like one.
She pushes the door open and steps into the familiar warmth of the property. The house is eerily quiet except for the faint sound of footsteps from the living room. "Lucy?" Tamara calls, her voice sounding unsure as she moves farther inside.
Rounding the corner, she sees Lucy pacing the length of the living room, her face tense with discomfort. One hand cradles the underside of her swollen belly, while the other presses into the small of her back as if trying to alleviate some invisible pressure. Her breaths come in controlled, deliberate exhales, though it is clear she is trying hard to stay calm.
Tamara's stomach twists with worry. She rushes forward, her voice tight with concern. "Hey, are you alright? What's wrong?"
Lucy turns towards her, her face flushed but focused. There is a pause, and for a brief moment, time seems to slow as Lucy meets her friend's eyes. Then, she gives a small, tense smile and reveals, "I think it's time."
The younger woman freezes, knowing exactly what Lucy means by this, but still she questions anyway, like an echo. "Time?" It's the baby. She's ready to make an entrance a couple of weeks early. Panic surges through Tamara but she forces herself to remain calm. "Okay." She mutters to herself more than to Lucy. "Do you need to sit down? Is Tim on his way? How far apart are the contractions?"
Lucy shakes her head slightly, wincing as another wave of discomfort washes over her. "Tim was called in. Some gang-related incident that needed all hands-on deck." She explains, remembering how reluctant he was to leave but her telling him that the job needs him more than her. She now doesn't think this. "I called the station and it's so chaotic that no-one could tell me exactly where he is… I-" Her words break off as she inhales sharply. "I didn't think it would happen this fast."
Tamara takes a deep breath, steadying herself. "Alright. We'll figure this out. I'm here, okay? You're not alone." She gently guides Lucy to the couch, glancing at the clock. The baby isn't waiting for Tim.
Lucy sits down, her hands trembling slightly as she grips Tamara's arm for balance. Her breaths come in shaky bursts as she closes her eyes, leaning her head back against the cushions. Her friend kneels in front of her, worry etched deep into her features. "Lucy, we should get to the hospital. You need to be somewhere safe for when the baby comes." Tamara says gently, but Lucy shakes her head, a pained expression flashing across her face.
"I can't... not without Tim," She whispers, her voice breaking. "We planned everything, down to the last detail. We said we'd do this together. He's supposed to be here, Tamara. I'm not... I'm not ready to do this alone."
Tamara's heart aches hearing the fear in Lucy's voice. This woman is one of the strongest and bravest she knows, the things that she has gone through are unthinkable and although it has become obvious in recent months that Lucy has now been depending quite heavily on Tim, it is now that Tamara grasps how much this is the case. It makes sense though when they have spent months preparing for this moment. Everything has been discussed like their birth plan, having a hospital bag packed and ready, the breathing techniques, the labour positions.
In none of these conversations has Tim ever been absent. He is supposed to be here at her side, holding her hand, guiding her through every second of it. "Lucy…" Tamara begins carefully, brushing a stray lock of hair away from Lucy's damp forehead. "I know this isn't what you wanted. I know you planned for Tim to be right here with you, and he will be. He'll meet us at the hospital, I promise. But right now, the most important thing is you and the baby. You need to be somewhere where they can take care of you and... I don't have the expertise to do that."
Lucy blinks back tears, her breaths still coming in slow, laboured exhales. "I'm scared." She admits in a fragile tone.
"I know." Tamara replies gently, her eyes steady on Lucy's. "But you're not alone. I'm right here with you, and I'm not going anywhere. We'll call Tim, and he'll get there as fast as he can. He wouldn't want you to wait for him and risk anything. You're strong, Lucy. You've got this."
Lucy opens her mouth to respond, but before she can say anything, her face twists with a sharp gasp. A warm gush of fluid soaks her leggings and the couch beneath her, her eyes widening as she looks down. Tamara's gaze follows hers, and for a split second, the world seems to freeze. Lucy's water has broken.
The shock in Lucy's expression is replaced by a sudden, stark realisation. Her hands go instinctively to her belly as another contraction ripples through her, this one stronger than the last. Her breath catches and panic flickers in her eyes. "That's it." Tamara decides, her own pulse quickening as she stands up. "No more waiting. We have to go. Now."
Lucy nods, fear and determination battling for control on her face. "Okay." She agrees as a whisper. "Okay."
Tamara gets her phone from her pocket and hastily messages Tim whilst grabbing the hospital bag from the cupboard underneath the stairs. She then helps Lucy up, supporting her as they make their way to the door. "You're going to be okay." She promises as she does.
xxx
The hospital is a blur of lights, noise, and chaos as Tamara practically drags Lucy through the sliding doors, bypassing the crowded waiting room. The sound of ringing phones, distant chatter, and beeping monitors barely registers in Tamara's mind as she approaches the reception desk with urgency. "Excuse me, we need help! My friend is in labour, her water broke." Tamara says, her words tumbling out in a breathless rush. The receptionist looks up, calm and collected, flipping through paperwork as though the urgency hasn't reached her.
Lucy, wincing in pain beside her, grips the edge of the counter for support, sweat glistening on her brow. Each contraction is hitting harder than the last, her breath coming out in laboured, shallow pants. She barely notices what's going on around her with her entire focus shifting inward as the contractions intensified. But then, through the haze of pain, she hears her name being called. "Lucy!"
Her head snaps up, and through the crowd near the elevator, she spots Nolan. His usually spotless uniform is torn at the thigh, and his front is streaked with blood, though it doesn't seem to be his. "Oh my god." He exclaims, hurrying toward them, his voice a mixture of excitement and concern. "Are you having the baby?"
"Yes." Lucy manages, sounding strained as she clutches her belly. "We can't get hold of Tim."
Nolan's expression shifts, something understanding and paternal settling in his gaze. As a father himself, he knows the storm that labour can bring, but also the incomparable reward waiting on the other side. He nods sharply, holding up a hand as he reaches for his radio. "Hang on." He clicks the radio to life. "Control, this is 7-Adam-15. Are we able to track down Sergeant Bradford? His presence is required at St Stephen's to witness the birth of his child."
For a moment, a sliver of calm washes over Lucy. Nolan's presence, his authority, and his confidence makes her feel like maybe, just maybe, everything will fall into place. But the reprieve doesn't last long.
Control's response comes through the radio like a punch to the gut. "7-Adam-15, 7-Adam-100 was involved in a TC while chasing down a suspect. He is on his way to St Stephen's via RA."
The words ring in Lucy's ears. Tim's hurt. "TC? What's a TC?" Tamara questions, sounding as panicked as Lucy feels.
"Traffic collision." She murmurs in reply as her knees weaken. Tim, her boyfriend and the father of her child is hurt. He may be coming here but it isn't for the birth but because he's injured. Is it bad? Her heart hammers painfully in her chest, the joy and fear of labour now mingling with a raw, crushing worry. "Tim..." She whispers, her voice trembling. She blinks back tears, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Is he okay? Is it serious? Is he... She can't even finish the thought.
Nolan's face softens as he hears the response too, though he doesn't let the worry show in his eyes. "He's on his way, Lucy. He's tough, you know him better than anyone. He'll be alright." Lucy swallows hard, nodding but barely believing it. She tries to focus on breathing through another contraction, but the anxiety over Tim gnaws at her, making it nearly impossible to stay calm.
As if one cue, the doors to the ER slide open again, and this time, an ambulance crew rushes in, wheeling in a stretcher. Lucy's breath hitches as she spots him, lying there, conscious but scowling as though the fuss being made over him is more irritating than the pain. There is a weeping cut to his brow and a collar keeps his neck stable, but the sight of him alive, awake, and arguing with the paramedics sends a wave of relief through her.
He is taken into the next room, and almost forgetting that she's in labour, she follows him with Tamara and John not far behind. "Look, I'm fine." Lucy hears Tim say, his exasperation clear as he waves off the medics, trying to sit up. "It's nothing." He's annoyed at himself for getting hurt.
Lucy doesn't know if it is pride that gets in the way in these situations, or if he's just disappointed in himself for being injured. "Tim." She mutters his name from the doorway and somehow through the noise he hears her.
His blue eyes meet her brown ones. "Lucy." But then it hits him why she's here and his jaw becomes slack. "Shit, are you in labour?" She doesn't need to give him confirmation as another contraction hits her hard, answering his question for him. "I need to go." He decides, trying to get up from the bed but two medics keep him down by his shoulders.
"Sir." The doctor states firmly. "We need to check you over. You hit your head and head injuries are no laughing matter." She tells him in no uncertain terms and reluctantly, Tim gives in because he knows she's right. "Nurse Myers, please take Ms…?"
"Chen." Lucy answers, gripping Tamara's hand so tight that it's making her skin white.
"Ms Chen to the maternity ward." The doctor finishes her instruction before saying gently to Lucy, "We just need to run a few tests on Sergeant Bradford here and then we will bring him up to you."
They both become silent but reluctant. She doesn't want to leave him, but she also knows that what her body is going through isn't going to wait for anybody whilst he doesn't want her to through it alone. They understand the risks though and know that Tim needs to be checked over thoroughly. "I will be there. I promise." He tells her and she nods before another contraction has her gripped, and she's being led out of the room by the nurse, Tamara and Nolan.
xxx
Lucy is drenched in sweat, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she shifts restlessly on the hospital bed. Every position the nurses have suggested have done nothing to ease the excruciating pressure and pain. It isn't just the labour; her heart is pounding with worry for Tim. Every contraction brings not only physical agony but the emotional weight of wondering if he is really alright.
Only last night they were in bed, discussing a plan of action as she neared her due date. They talked about her not being alone for long periods of time, having a list of people she could contact for help, and Tim has already arranged with Grey to not be thrown into any complicated ops to not take him away from this moment. None of them were expecting a gang war to break out though on a Sunday in the middle of Mid-Wilshire.
She groans through another wave of pain, her eyes squeezing shut as she tries to focus on anything but the chaos inside her body. Tamara is at her side, rubbing her shoulder and whispering words of comfort, but Lucy can barely hear her through the fog of exhaustion and fear. "I can't... I can't do this." Lucy pants, her hands gripping the bed sheets tightly, her face flushed and twisted with pain.
"You can." She is reassured by her friend. "You're doing amazing, Lucy, and you're almost there."
But Lucy shakes her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Where is he? Where's Tim? I can't do this without Tim."
Just as she asks, the door creaks open with Tim walking in, a little unsteady on his feet but here. He promised he would be here, and he was never going to go back on that.
His brow is patched up with fresh stitches, and his movement is slower than usual, as if he is still fighting through pain of his own. Despite the bruises and the cut across his brow, Lucy can see from the determination in his eyes that he was never going to miss this. "I'm so sorry." He apologises, sounding a little choked up.
But Lucy doesn't need his apologies. Relief floods through her, only to be cut off by the intensity of her next contraction. She wants to tell him that it's fine, but all she can do is let out a guttural scream, leaning forward a little hoping to ease some of the pressure.
Tamara steps back from Lucy as soon as the contraction ceases, deciding to move out of the way so Tim can take her place. He gives her a grateful nod, although his face remains tense with concern as he quickly moves to his partner's side, limping slightly. Tamara takes the moment to slip out, catching Nolan waiting just outside the door. She joins him in the hallway. It is Tim's turn now. She has done all she can.
Back inside the room, a nurse drags Tim over a chair, sensing his unsteadiness. "Here, sit." She instructs, clearly focused, guiding him to sit next to Lucy.
"I'm fine." He claims but he does sit down with a grunt. He then rubs at the back of his neck, confirming that his injuries are more than a minor inconvenience, but he's decided that it is nothing compared to the pain the woman he loves is in. "Just a bit of whiplash. It's nothing." He reaches for Lucy's hand, and the moment his fingers touch hers, she clings to him as if he is her lifeline. "You've got this. Hold onto me as much as you need, I'm right here."
Still in the throes of a contraction, she is unable to respond, but his presence alone makes the pain a little less. She is too deep in labour to speak, her energy focused solely on surviving the waves of agony, but him simply being at her bedside brings her a little peace.
Tim leans closer, pressing her hand between both of his as he keeps whispering affirmations, his voice soft but constant. "I love you, Lucy. You're incredible. Just a little more, and we'll get to meet our daughter."
As another contraction hits, she grips his hand tighter, tears welling in her eyes. She isn't alone anymore; she isn't that terrified figure holding the positive pregnancy test in her hand. Despite everything they've gone through, they are here. Together.
The midwife's voice cuts through the chaos, firm but encouraging. "One more push, Lucy. You're almost there."
With every ounce of strength she has left, Lucy bears down, her breath catching in her throat as she pushes through the pain. Time seems to stretch and blur, and for a second, all she can hear is her own pulse pounding in her ears.
Then, suddenly, the pressure stops like an elastic band snapping, and the room is filled with the sound of a baby's cry.
Lucy gasps, her body relaxing in an instant as relief and disbelief rolls over her. She collapses back against the bed, her chest heaving as tears prickle at her eyes. Tim is wiping her hair back from her face and uttering something, but she can't hear him, all she can think about is how it's finally over. Her baby is here.
After the required checks are carried out, the midwife wraps their tiny, wriggling daughter in a blanket before handing her over to Lucy. "Congratulations." The medic says quietly, smiling as she places the newborn in her mother's arms.
Lucy stares down at the little face peeking out from the blanket, and her breath catches in her throat. The baby's cries quieten, her small body still damp from birth, but to Lucy, she is the most beautiful and precious thing in the world.
Tears stream down Lucy's cheeks as she holds her daughter close, her hands trembling from the emotion. "Mia." She whispers her name. "Our beautiful Mia."
Tim edges closer to his two girls, his hand gently supporting their daughter's tiny head, tears filling his own eyes. He is usually so composed, but in this moment, he is overcome with emotion. He blinks rapidly, trying to conceal this although he doesn't know why, but the tears fall anyway, slipping down his face as he takes in Mia for the first time. "She's perfect."
They both look down at her, crying together, as if they're the only ones in the room. Suddenly the pain, the fear, the anticipation, that have been building for months don't matter. All of it has melted away just by seeing little Mia's face. She is now their everything and more.
Lucy can't stop the tears. She's exhausted and every part of her body aches, but it doesn't seem to matter. "I can't believe she's here."
Tim presses a kiss to Lucy's temple. "You were incredible." He murmurs.
Mia shifts slightly in Lucy's arms, her tiny hands curling into fists as she lets out a soft sigh. Lucy beams through her tears, her heart swelling with a love so deep she can hardly breathe. Tim rests his forehead against hers, their tears mingling as they hold their daughter together, both overcome with the joy and magnitude of the moment. In the small hospital room, with Mia nestled between them, nothing else matters.
They are a family now.
xxx
When Lucy awakes from her nap there is a Tim-sized space in the bed. They definitely did drift off together, or they certainly tried to, endeavouring to make up for the lack of rest the night before. Little Mia has discovered free will and has decided her sleep schedule will not be one that suits her parents.
Tim appears to be taking it all in his stride, whilst she has found the endless crying worrying. Fortunately, he has been there to keep her calm, reminding her that babies do cry and that's completely normal. There's nothing wrong with Mia Tamara Bradford-Chen, she is still perfect, even if her bawling is keeping her parents up at night.
It seemed appropriate to name their daughter after the person who helped Lucy the most in her time of need. Tamara was overjoyed when she found out and incredibly flattered, promising the newborn to always been there and to be fun Aunt Tamara. Lucy has no doubt in her mind that this will be the case.
This afternoon when her and Tim put their child down for her nap, they both jumped at the chance to have one themselves. They snuggled up on the bed and nodded off very quickly. However, a quick glance at her bedside clock reveals to Lucy that it was only an hour ago when they tucked themselves in and Tim is nowhere to be seen so Mia must have risen. She is only two weeks old, and it has been a learning curve, but a wanted one. She is so cute with a dusting of dark hair and big eyes that have the ability to make even the hardest of people warm inside.
Somewhat reluctantly due to her tiredness, the new mother gets out of bed in search for her partner. As she passes the nursery, she does dip her head inside and quickly notices that their daughter is missing from her crib which answers her questions about where Tim must be.
Lucy finds them downstairs in the living room, and the sight makes her bring a hand up to her heart as it aches affectionately. Tim is topless dozing on the couch with a sleeping Mia lying on his chest. She's only in her diaper, with both her onesie and Tim's shirt strewn over the arm of the chair. They learnt on day one that skin-to-skin contact really helps her calm in moments of distress, so Lucy can safely assume that she woke and started wailing loudly. It is incredible that it didn't rise her, but she is pretty drained.
She could watch them for hours, leaning against the door frame just feeling content that they've got to this place, but her body is starting to tell her it's feeding time. She curses under her breath and wipes at the small amount of moisture on her shirt, before she tiptoes over to the pair and carefully picks up the newborn making them both stir.
Tim immediately brings a hand to his chest as he blindly searches for his daughter, panic building internally. "Tim, it's okay. I've got her." Lucy soothes and runs a hand down his arm. He smiles because of the reassurance and the loving contact.
With one eye open, he sits up to give her some room to sit at the other end of the couch where she immediately settles and then pulls her top over her head skilfully with one hand, whilst her other holds Mia supportively. It isn't long before she is feeding, and Lucy settles back against the soft couch cushions.
The first feed in the hospital wasn't this smooth, but it's amazing how quickly someone can get the hang of it. "Did you manage to sleep?" Tim asks, his voice thick with fatigue.
"It was more of a nap than a sleep." She replies with a yawn for good measure.
He gets up off the couch to pull his shirt over his head, unfortunately covering his sculpted torso, before he reaches down to pick up her tee off the floor that he then places beside her. "Do you want something to drink?"
What she wants is a bottle of cold beer, but with her breastfeeding she's decided to still not consume any kind of alcohol (apart from the one glass of champagne when they arrived back from the hospital and was surprised by their friends). "Some water would be good." She reluctantly chooses instead and Tim sends her a knowing smile.
"We do have apple juice if you'd rather."
"Didn't I finish that?"
"I picked up some more yesterday."
She grins at his, "What would I do without you?"
Lucy has no idea when Tim had chance to go to the store yesterday but honestly due to the exhaustion the days are just rolling into one and her memory is a blur. Maybe next time they need to get groceries they can all go, but maybe she's wondering this because it's been some time since she had any fresh air herself. She makes a mental note to sit in the backyard later the next time Mia is sleeping.
When Tim returns he holds out her drink but she tilts her head towards the coffee table, silently signalling that she will drink it when she's done. He slides it onto a coaster – because even when he's tired he's still house proud – before resuming sitting on the couch but this time a little closer to Lucy and the feeding Mia. "When do you think she'll start sleeping through the night?" Lucy asks, but Tim can read from the smirk to her lips that she's being jovial to try and lighten the mood.
"If we want to believe Lopez and Harper then the answer is never."
"Great."
They make idle chitchat whilst Mia consumes one of her many meals of the day. Lucy talks about how her mother appears to finally be coming around about the look of their family, and that she doesn't now mind too much that her daughter isn't married to Tim. That opinion changed the first time Vanessa Chen got to hold little Mia, and she's been visiting every so often for short periods at a time since, usually with gifts. It is a big relief and it's nice for Lucy to know she has a larger support network than she previously thought.
Tim is explaining that his sister does want to meet the newest member of the family soon when Mia starts to splutter, showing she's had enough. "I'll take her." He reaches over and carefully retrieves his daughter from his partner before he begins the winding process that he believes that he's now a pro at. He is so gentle as he pats the infant's back, coaxing any wind out of her. "Come on Mia, burp for daddy." He murmurs making Lucy chuckle while she pulls her t-shirt back over her head.
"She isn't going to do it." Lucy taunts, leaning back, just watching the scene unfold.
"She will." Her hecklings turn into laughs when she spots the unamused expression on Mia's face as her dad continues to pat her back. "If she doesn't then she'll get stomach-ache and that will be the rest of the day gone… please Mia I'm doing this for you."
"And for us."
"And for us." Tim agrees, continuing his mission when Lucy feels the smile drop from her face as a new thought hits.
The past couple have weeks may have been taxing at times, but it's been nice existing as a family. Any hurdles they have faced together and from tomorrow, he will be back at work and the dynamic will change. It isn't that she's not going to cope on her own with Mia, she will just miss it being them three together against the world. "How do you feel about tomorrow? About going back to work." She broaches.
"I feel like I really don't want to." Tim admits, which makes Lucy feel a little better. "I want to be able to be here with you both. To offer support, to not miss anything." He elaborates. "But this is life. I am a cop, you're a cop, and we have to work. I will miss you both loads though."
"I will send you updates throughout the day."
"Damn straight you will. And pictures."
"Lots of pictures." She agrees so he grins, still rubbing at little Mia's back, but he looks less happy on spotting that there's a twinkle of sadness in Lucy's brown eyes.
"How about you? How do you feel about me being back at work?" He asks with his head tilted to one side.
Lucy hesitates, chewing at the inside of her bottom lip. She doesn't want to say anything that will make him feel bad about needing to return to work, but she also knows they have built up this relationship after it came crashing down on a promise of trust and honesty. So she has to be candid. "I feel like I really don't want you to." She mimics his earlier comment, attempting to make it seem light-hearted, but it clearly isn't, so she then turns serious. "I don't know. It's just been nice, hasn't it? I know this is life, we have to earn money to survive, and I love my job, but I will miss our quiet days."
"We will still have quiet days." Tim pledges but when Lucy's eyes glance down her hands that are nervously twitching together, he grasps that he needs to say something more than that, because now he's becoming worried. "Lucy, I need you to promise me that if you ever feel low or lonely or anything like that when I am not here, you give me call."
"Tim…" She groans but he isn't listening to her attempt of stopping this conversational topic.
"I mean it."
"You've just frightened yourself by listening to that audiobook that talked about baby blues." It sounds like an accusation, when really it's adorable that he cares so much about her that he's listening to audiobooks about her health and wellbeing and not just their baby's. "I am not sad. I promise." She tells him in a pleading tone, begging him to believe her. "And I will call if I need you."
"Okay." He murmurs, deciding that this must be the truth considering everything they've been through. They keep their eyes locked for a few seconds until she registers an idea glimmering in his stare. "Hey, maybe we should plan a vacation? A little trip away for the three of us before you return to work."
"I would like that." Lucy agrees with a small smile.
"Somewhere quiet for Mia to make less peaceful with her cries." It's that moment that a small belch sound comes from the newborn, almost as if she's expressing disgust at her father's criticism when in reality the winding has finally worked. "Victory for Tim Bradford!" He whisper-shouts and grins at the infant whilst wiping some spittle from the corner of her mouth with a burp cloth. "Well done Mia for burping for daddy." Lucy giggles that this, her sadness long forgotten because it has been replaced by a stronger emotion – love.
Tim Bradford, a man who terrorised her when he was her TO, is sitting here communicating with a two-week-old baby like she has a fully formed brain. She can hardly believe that they're here, now, like this, and not just because the heartbreak she experienced previously. She can lose that memory now because they get to form new ones, more joyous ones. She loves him, she loves their daughter, and she loves their little family. "What?" Tim questions, confused by her sudden amusement, as he repositions Mia so he can cradle her much more comfortably now that his mission is complete.
"It's nothing. Just thinking about how much I love you." Lucy confesses, her cheeks tinting with a pinkish hue.
"Well that's not nothing." He disagrees with a fond smile. "I love you too."
/
A/n Thank you again for reading and all the support. I am sure I'll be back with a new project soon!
