Tim stared at his rookie as she finished up their stack of paperwork. She had a glow that emanated off of her that he couldn't explain. While her accommodations have been in place for a couple weeks she hadn't made any effort to open up to him as of why she needed them. Not that he cared. Personal talk wasn't his thing. He made that clear to her on day 1.
"If you took a picture it would last longer," she muttered. He lowered his eyes into a glare trying not to show his embarrassment for getting caught.
"Just making sure you don't slack off, Boot," he shot back. He could sense the eye roll she was giving him, though her eyes never ventured away from the paper she was filling out. Once she was finished she set her pen down, closed the manila, folder, and tossed it on top of the pile of finished work.
"I'm done," she stated. He watched as she stood up, and then tumbled backwards into her seat. A quick 'woah' escaping her lips. He watched as her usual olive skin turned pale.
"Chen, you alright?" He watched as her eyes fluttered open and closed.
"Yeah, sorry. I must have stood up too fast."
"You haven't really had much to eat today. Maybe you should try to snack on something." He watched as Lucy's nose scrunched up. He was ready to hear her argument as to how that wasn't the case, but then when she opened her mouth she surprised him.
"The more I think of it, you are probably right. It's been a struggle these past few weeks."
"You stay seated. I'll got get you something," he watched as Lucy shook her head.
"No, it's fine. I'm alright. I'm done for the night. I think I can manage until I get home."
"Lucy, you aren't in any condition to drive. What if you pass out behind the wheel. There is a food truck just outside the station. Let me get you something from there." She nodded and didn't dare argue with him. He smiled at himself for the small victory. Though he made sure that smile disappeared as soon as it appeared. He had a reputation to uphold.
Once Tim made it back into the station he found Lucy still seated in the same chair, but her body was hunched over with her head resting on her arms on the desk, her breaths even, and a small breathy snore leaving her opened mouth. He took this opportunity to take her in. She seemed so at peace. It made him wonder when the last time he felt that way. Young, not a care in the world. He set the food on the desk and gently shook her awake.
"Boot, eat up. You can't spend the night here. This isn't a pajama party." Tim divided the food. He handed her a veggie burger and fries, while he ate his regular burger with fries.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Lucy asked. He watched as she took a small bite of a fry. She almost seemed afraid of the food.
"I'm not," he muttered. He watched as she grabbed her burger and took a bite out of it. The moan that escaped her lips feeling familiar to him, though he couldn't place why.
"I think this is the best veggie burger I've ever had."
"Veggie burger? That's a beef burger." He watched as her eyes widened and a look of nausea took over her features. "Lucy, I'm kidding. It's a veggie burger." he watched her body relax.
"Not funny. It's honestly one of the first things I've been able to keep down for a few weeks. If you made me throw it up I might actually hate you."
"As if you don't already," he joked. He let his smile fall when he watched a war start flashing across her features. "Are you ever going to tell me what is going on?" He kicked himself for asking. He never cared about his rookies personal lives before so why did he find himself prying into hers.
"I don't hate you," she whispered. "Eventually, I will have to, but I'm not ready yet." He watched as she started playing wither her food instead of eating it.
"Something wrong with it?" Tim asks.
"Yeah, it needs extra pickles." With that she took a few more bites as he finished off his food. Silence cloaked over them with nothing but unspoken words.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Better. Thank you for the food. Let me know how much I owe you." He shrugged.
"Don't worry about it. Get home and get some sleep, Boot." She nodded and stood up. All Tim could do was watch as she disappeared into the women's locker room.
12 weeks.
Lucy was officially twelve weeks along. Her baby was the size of a lime according to her app. She had an OB appointment that day and according to her doctor everything measured as it should. Lucy didn't realize how much weight she had been carrying up until her doctor gave her some words of encouragement. Her baby was doing good. She was officially at the end of her first trimester. It felt like the pregnancy was flying by.
Her jeans were getting tighter around her mid section, her appetite was returning, and the nausea was slowly getting better. She was scared she wasn't going to be able to hide the pregnancy at work for much longer. The only two people who knew about it were Jackson and Sergeant Grey.
The thought of telling Tim plagued her. When he finds out about the baby inside of her no part of him will know this child is half his. That they created the small fetus together in their inebriated states. She was never one for one night stands but there was something about him and the liquid courage that mixed together perfectly.
That night Lucy went out with her a few of her colleagues. She wanted to say no since she can't drink, but Jackson ever so persistent, talked her into it. Just recently they had moved in together because he wanted to support his friend and neither one of them could afford to live alone on a rookies salary. Lucy especially once her baby was born.
She watched as Jackson, Nolan, and Nick finished the last of the pitcher of beer. After the crew had made fun of her for her dating history Lucy wanted a break from their hassling. She was thankful for Detective Armstrong being there and giving her sound advice between men and boys. Though she was not sure she would need it anytime soon. Dating and pregnancy felt like something she couldn't mix.
"Pace yourself. It's a marathon not a sprint." The man beside her stated. She couldn't like he was kind of cute.
"Have you been waiting here long?" She asked.
"What month is it?" She let out an external groan. There conversation continued and she was surprised by how easy their flow was. She was enjoying herself until she watched as a man began grabbing items that didn't belong to him off of the counter and tables at the bar. Knowing she had a duty to fulfill she left the attractive man at the bar counter and arrested the thief.
"Surprise, I'm a cop." She gave him a small smile before ripping the man she had just cuffed off of the table and reading him his rights.
The next day at work the station was hopping. An actual serial killer was coming. The amount of buzz the visit was creating felt like electric in the air.
"I was in college when they found the first victim. It was all anyone talked about. That and how a woman could be so barbaric," Lucy said as she walked with Tim. They were both assigned to go on the hike and walk with Rosalind as she uncovered yet another victim.
"I worked on of the scenes. Forth victim, Lisa Cruz. Homicide detectives warned me not to look at the body. Should have listened," he said solemnly.
"Lucy," she heard a man exclaim with excitement.
"Uh, hey." She looked at the man with surprise and let the shock roll off of her.
"Caleb from the bar last night," he said with a smile on his face. "I hope this isn't weird, but you left with your perp. I never got your number."
"we don't call them perps." Tim stepped in. He couldn't keep himself from looking between the two.
"Right, sorry." He looked at Lucy, "Anyways this is my info if you ever feel like waiting in vain for a drink. Give me a call." He went to hand Lucy his card, but Tim swiftly and aggressively snatched it before she could accept it.
"You got a last name there, Caleb?"
"Uh, yes sir. Wright, with a W." Lucy felt her cheeks turn red with embarrassment.
"What do you do," he squared Caleb up and down, "If you say screen writer you're going in a cell." Caleb turned his attention back to Lucy.
"I manage a medical supply company, downtown."
"I'm sorry about him," Lucy finally piped in. "Things are a little crazy right now."
"No problem. It was nice meeting you, officer." He said to Tim before leaving. Lucy on the other hand turned her attention to Tim and gave him the most annoyed expression she could possibly give.
"What?" He questioned innocently. She held out her hand and she watched as he reluctantly put Caleb's card into it. She blamed her pregnancy for the fact her heart fluttered a little bit. That maybe this was some sore of jealousy tactic to stop her from going out with someone that wasn't him.
Not wanting him to see the divide in her brain she stomped off away from him.