Chapter Text
Lucy could honestly say she was unprepared to join Tim in therapy that afternoon. She kept going over everything regarding the times he’d talked about his father with her. There were conversations had in bed after sex, discussing a scar she found. There had also been conversations in years past when riding together. Especially after Genny came back into his life. At the end of the day, Tim really only discussed his father in passing with anyone other than her and Genny. A comment here and there but no real information about the abuse he’d suffered. She was almost a hundred percent sure that he hadn't spoken to Isabel about his father as he had with her.
When they sat down for lunch, letting the rookies talk to each other for that hour, Lucy looked to Tim. “I don’t know what to expect this afternoon. Do you want to prepare me or just leave it until we get there?”
Tim put his fork down, reaching for his water as he considered her question. Once the water was recapped, he looked to her. "I've avoided the discussion about my father for so long that she’s made it clear I need to talk about it before we want to go any further. Even I know she sees that it’s a factor in why I am the way I am. I know I have to but I hate doing so.”
Lucy rubbed his arm, “that’s why I’m there to support you.”
“I don’t deserve you, Luce.” He stated and she could tell he honestly felt that way.
“You may feel that way but you have no right to decide what I deserve.”
Tim sighed and looked at her, “I just mean you’re too kind and compassionate. I don’t deserve that given to me, not after what I did.”
She nodded and reached for her own water. “I don’t have to remind you of what you did because you know what choice you made. You’re not clueless on that fact. What I wish you could see is that you made the choice in a moment of pain and not a thought out process. That means you didn’t want this, just like me.”
“I just wanted to protect you from myself and my self-destruction.”
“And what I wanted was to support you.” Lucy insisted, “that’s what a relationship is. We support one another no matter the situation. I’d have rather been discharged from the LAPD and have to be private security then lose you. You’re my person, Tim Bradford, and you mean so much more than a job.”
Folding his arms against the table, Tim nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m tired of hearing that.” Lucy picked up her fork and just poked the remainder of her salad. “I love you but it’s going to take time before I trust you with my heart again.”
“I know.” His hand came up and pushed a flyaway hair behind her ear. “If nothing else, I know that. I just want you to know something.”
Her attention went to him. “Know what?”
“You’re the love of my life, Lucy Chen, and I’d do anything or go anywhere if it meant you were happy. If you want me here, I’ll be here, but if you want me to leave, I’ll leave. I’d rather be states away and you be happy with someone else, then to hurt you anymore. I love you that much.”
“I won’t let you walk away from me a second time, not without a fight.” Lucy informed him.
There was silence for a few moments before Tim spoke. “Regarding therapy, it’ll be a minute-by-minute thing.”
“I can work with that.”
“I can too, I hope. I doubt I’ll get sleep tonight either way.”
Lucy pushed her salad away and put a hand to her forehead as her phone rang. “My mom is planning this dinner for my dad’s birthday and she keeps calling me with demands I come. My cousin texted me and warned me my mom and aunt are scheming, planning to set me up with a friend’s son. I don’t know how to get it across that I’m not interested in any of it.”
Tim reached over and sent the phone to voicemail, doing so on purpose. “Do you want me to arrest her for harassment?”
“It’s tempting.” Lucy picked up her head, “very tempting. However, that would cause two things to happen. First, my mother would create a scene at my place of work, and second, she’d hate you forever.”
He saw her fists open and close, not able to grasp her sleeves due to the fact she was in uniform. It was September and the California fall temperatures came with a choice of wearing the uniform jacket, the preference left to the officer. “Did you bring your jacket with you or is it in your locker?”
“Locker, it’s not cold enough I need it.”
“You should put it in the shop with your spare uniform. Your arms tell me you’re cold even if you can tolerate the temperatures.”
Lucy looked at her arms to see goosebumps raised on her skin. “I’ll be okay.”
“You’re on tickets today with Ridley, which means you’re mostly in the shop. Will you take mine?”
“That’d cause gossip to run amok at the station.” She insisted, “me walking into the station wearing your jacket.”
Tim shrugged and his facial expression told her that he really didn’t care. “None of their business. Besides, gossip is going to exist in the building and right now we’re not the center of their attention. That’s Whitmore and his scandal.”
That made the younger cop nod. “How did he think he could get away with it?”
“Arrogance. He thought he could keep it from being exposed if he chose to do so with a cop from another division. His wife was going to find out eventually, as one does when she’s a detective. Now he’s in the middle of a divorce and the only one effective professionally is that rookie in West Hollywood. She had her whole career ahead of her and now she’s out of the LAPD.” He sat back and folded his arms, “if it were up to me, I’d have Whitmore suffer and not her.”
Lucy looked at him, “you’ve always been a champion of women’s rights. Most people don’t know that and I wish they did, it’s something about you I love.”
“Well, I’d be giving away trade secrets.” He stood up, “I’m going to get coffee to go, do you want some?”
“Sure, just tell me how much I owe you.”
Tim chuckled, “when I offer and buy, you owe me nothing. Asking me to get you something is another story.”
She smiled, “uh huh, I’ll remember that. Is this your ‘small dose’ plan in action?”
“Maybe.” Tim picked up his trash, “you finished?”
“I can get it.”
Tim grabbed her trash, “I’m already up. You just sit there and relax; you’re due to return to mind-numbing tickets in ten minutes.”
Lucy found herself playing around on her phone when something of weight was put on her shoulders seven minutes later. Looking down, she found Tim’s jacket engulfing her. He placed down two cups of coffee, one saying her name on the top and one saying his. The urge to pull on his uniform jacket won out over the potential gossip to come. Pulling on the jacket that was clearly too large for her petite torso, Lucy was surrounded by the subtle scent that was pure Tim Bradford. It carried a mix of his body wash and cologne that she associated with safety and home.
“They were out of soy creamer so I got almond. I figured that was the only safe option given it was that or creamer with lactose.”
She nodded and reached for the cup. “How many packets of sugar did you put in?”
“Seven, which is too much in my opinion. That said, I’ve gotten your coffee memorized by now.”
“You drink coffee black as motor oil. I’m more concerned about you.”
Tim put a hand on her shoulder, “I have to get Penn back out there. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“I’ll be there and on time.” Her hand came up to her chin, his jacket sleeve grasped by her fingers.
“You’re always on time or before you’re due to be somewhere.” Tim insisted and she smiled at him. “That’s thanks to me training it into you as a rookie.”
Lucy rolled her eyes, “whatever. You’re impossible.” She stood up and pushed in her chair, heading towards the rookie table where their rookies were talking. “Ridley, let’s go.”
“With me now, Boot.” Tim barked and both stood up, quick to follow them.
Sitting on Wilshire in a clear ‘cop trap’ location, Lucy sat quizzing Ridley on various procedures. In the last three hours, they’d only had one speeder. However, it was a rite of passage that rookies endure the mind-numbing task of speed tickets and how to go about them.
“Ma’am?”
She looked over at him, “what is it, Ridley?”
He looked at her, “I think you grabbed the wrong jacket. That’s Sergeant Bradford’s.”
“I’m aware. Mine isn’t wearable at the moment so he offered his spare to me.” She reached for her phone as it rang and purposefully made it go to voicemailr, her mother once again. After doing so, she put it back in the cupholder not in use. “What is the penalty for knowingly engaging a fellow officer in a crime?”
“In what context, ma’am? Legal or LAPD policy?”
Lucy nodded softly, “good, you know there are two different areas which penalty can be applied.”
He pointed out the window, “that red car seems to be barreling towards us.”
She looked where he was and reached to shift the shop into gear, flicking the lights and sirens on. “Hold on.”
Ridley did as instructed and held on as Lucy put the shop into gear, pulling out after the red car in question. It was clear that the lights and sirens were doing their job as the driver noticed, but instead of stopping, he continued to drive. Weaving in and out of traffic, not caring that he was being followed by the police. The driver quickly found a route that would take him to the one-oh-one.
“Is he running?” Ridley asked.
“Unfortunately.” Lucy reached for the radio and spoke into it. “Seven-Adam-Nine to Control.”
Control came back quickly. “Here, how can I help Seven-Adam-Nine?”
“General broadcast, vehicle plate Nine-Adam-Tom-Mary-Six-Six-Four currently attempting to outrun unit. Heading east on Wilshire, heading for one-oh-one entrance. Red Toyota Corolla.”
“Understood, Seven-Adam-Nine. General broadcast regarding red Toyota Corolla, plate Nine-Adam-Tom-Mary-Six-Six-Four. Proceeding to outrun unit.”
Lucy spoke again, “requesting additional units for engagement.”
“Units requested Seven-Adam-Nine. Field Sergeant requesting communication on channel nine.”
“Understood.” Lucy changed the channel and spoke. “This is Seven-Adam-Nine.”
Tim’s voice came over the radio. “Seven-Adam-Nine, outstanding tickets and owner of the vehicle has warrant for arrest. Follow onto one-oh-one, additional units will meet you to assist in capture.”
“Understood, Sergeant. Seven-Adam-Nine currently enroute to follow onto the one-oh-one.” She did follow, getting onto one-oh-one freeway behind the vehicle, seeing it weaving through cars. “Field Sergeant, come in.”
Tim was quickly back on the radio, “go ahead Seven-Adam-Nine.”
“He’s weaving between cars, collision likely the longer it goes on. We’re now going southbound on the one-oh-one.”
It took time but she got a reply, “keep close but don’t weave behind the vehicle. Units currently working to deploy strips and block lanes via shops.”
“Copy. Seven-Adam-Nine understands.” She put the radio down and glanced over at Ridley, “you still with me, Ridley?”
Ridley spoke after a moment, “sorry ma’am, was just saying a few prayers for our safety and those around us. Probably a bad time to ask but are you religious, ma’am?”
“Spiritual but not religious. Probably closest I come regarding religion would be described as Agnostic. My parents grew up Taoist but I wasn’t raised within the religion.”
“Each their own, that’s what I believe.” He paused as they started getting to clear lanes, onramps were probably being blocked and those currently on were likely following the large notice boards that were on every highway and interstate in California.
Lucy watched as the vehicle they were following stopped at least six car-lengths away and then turned around, driving straight towards them. “Shit.” She hit the break before putting the shop into reverse, “count his car lengths as I reverse.”
“Got it.” Ridley switched his gaze between her and the car in front of them. “Four. Three. Ma’am, he’s gunning it.”
“Eyes in the sky.” Lucy stated as the LAPD helicopter flew over them. “I’m about to do something stupid but I have no choice. Construction has us at a barrier and nothing beyond it.”
“Do what ma’am?” Ridley asked, “two, he’s two car-lengths away.”
Lucy turned around and hit her break, shifting gear once again before heading towards the car ahead of them. “Come on, bluff.” She looked at the car that was gunning it, “bluff.”
“I don’t think he’s going to bluff.”
“Fuck.” She jerked the shop to the side and they barely missed the car as it ran past them.
Ridley looked behind them and shook his head, “he’s going to go past that barrier if he doesn’t reverse immediately.”
“I see that.” Lucy turned the shop around sharply, but slow enough that they didn’t roll. She’d learned that lesson on Wilshire in her rookie year. Tim made her practice for weeks afterwards for an hour or two after shift. She’d hated it but it taught her how to prevent from rolling a shop a second time.
The only issue was as she turned the shop, the red Toyota backed up but didn’t care if they hit the shop. At top speed, the Toyota rare into her shop and she felt it as they were T-boned by the rare of the shop. It was her door that got the worst of it but it was clear that the driver was affected as well because the car stopped moving. Lucy found herself coming to and she slowly picked up her head, her nose bloody against the airbag.
“Oh God, that hurts.” Ridley picked up his head and looked over at her to see her pulling her hand away from her bloody noise. “Officer Chen, are you okay?”
She put her head back against the headrest, “no, my leg is jarred. Radio Control and tell them we need an RA and additional units.”
“Okay.” Ridley picked up the radio and spoke into it. “Control, this is Seven-Adam-Nine. Are our eyes in the sky still present?”
It was quick notice that they weren’t on the main channel. “Seven-Adam-Nine, what is your locale?”
“Unknown, sir. Sorry to use the analogy but the Toyota and our shop just engaged like it was Fast and Furious. Officer Chen said her leg is jarred and the Toyota is backed against her door. Driver has yet to leave the vehicle so he’s probably injured.”
After a moment the radio came to life, “we have your locale. Can you leave the vehicle?”
Ridley tried his door, “yes sir.”
“Check on the Toyota’s driver. Is Chen conscious?”
She opened her eyes and looked at him, holding out her hand. Ridley handed it to her, “I’ll go check the driver.”
As Ridley left the vehicle, Lucy spoke into the radio. “Chen here. I’m boxed in, the rare of the vehicle is against my door. My leg is jarred but probably just bruised.”
“Wright, Moran, or Bundy?”
“Wright and Moran.” She answered his question on her pain and injury.
It took a few minutes but Tim came back on the radio. “Eyes in the sky have your locale, RA is ten minutes out. Additional units arriving in two, just hang in there.”
“Is that your official order?” She asked and for once wasn’t being playful.
“Damn straight, Chen, and I know you know how to follow an order.”
Ridley came back to the shop, “he’s unconscious but alive, the driver.” Lucy held out the radio and Ridley took it, speaking into it. “This is Seven-Adam-Nine. Driver of the Toyota is alive but unconscious.”
“Understood. Stay with your training officer, Ridley.”
Ridley spoke into the radio, “yes sir.”
Lucy heard her name in a familiar tone and opened her eyes, finding Ridley moving aside to let Tim slide into the passenger seat. He reached out to brush back the thick lock of hair that came loose from her tight bun. “Hey, I know you prefer action to boring tickets but this a bit much even for you.” Tim pressed his finger lightly against her nose and she turned her head away. “Tender?”
“Yeah.” Lucy looked back at him. “I’ll need to go to the hospital.”
“At least you won’t fight it.” Tim put his fingers to her throat to check her pulse, looking at his watch as he did to allow him to count. “Pulse is a little faster than I’d like. Besides your leg, how do you feel?”
Lucy swallowed, “trapped.”
Nodding, the sergeant moved his body until it was halfway over the middle console, ignoring the computer digging into his side. “I’m about to put half my body where it shouldn’t go.”
“Not like you haven’t been there already.” If it wasn’t as serious as it was, it would definitely be taken as a joke. She knew he was concerned about her.
Tim shook his head a fraction as he gently settled his shoulder against her lap and reached down. “I can’t get farther than your calf, which means you’re boxed in pretty bad.” Lifting himself up, he looked straight at her.
She closed her eyes, “I already said I was.”
“No, keep your eyes open.” Tim told her, “eyes on me, Chen.”
Opening her eyes again, she met his gaze. “How scared were you?”
“Penn shouldn’t have seen what he saw, that’s enough of an answer for you.”
Lucy found herself closing her eyes again, “it’s okay to be weak sometimes.”
“Eyes open.” Tim told her for a second time.
Ridley came back to the shop’s open door. “Do I need to do an assessment on her?”
“What do you need?” Tim asked him, “our first aid kits are pretty meager.”
“RA should be here soon so I can check her over through a verbal assessment.”
Tim got out of the shop, “do it.”
Getting back in the shop, Ridley spoke to Lucy. “Officer Chen, can you tell me where you’re injured?”
“My leg.”
“Right or left?”
Lucy opened her eyes, “left.”
“You’re closing your eyes a lot. Are you tired or does it hurt to keep your eyes open?”
“Tired.” Lucy said honestly.
“I’m going to tell you three things and I want you to remember them. Elephant, store, blue. Alright, can you tell me how we got like this?”
“Following vehicle who has active warrant. Tried to make him bluff and he didn’t. Had to turn around due to the situation and got struck.”
Tim saw her having to blink to stay awake. “Come on Luce, keep those eyes open.”
“Do you know where we are? What interstate or highway?”
“One-oh-one.”
Ridley nodded, “good. What were we doing before the car chase?”
“Speeding tickets.”
“That’s right.” He touched her wrist and glanced at his watch to take her pulse. “Your pulse is a little fast but not that bad given everything. You’re out of uniform, technically. How are you out of uniform?”
She spoke after opening her eyes again, “wearing another officer’s jacket.”
“Whose?”
“Tim’s. He gave it to me because I was cold at lunch.”
Ridley looked at Tim as they heard the sirens of the ambulance and the fire department’s engine. “Okay, good job. Now what were those three things I wanted you to remember?”
“Elephant, store, blue.” Her eyes closed again.
“She’s not suffering mentally to the best of my ability regarding a verbal assessment. RA and hospital will have to do more of a workup.”
Ridley got out of the shop and Tim got back in, taking Lucy’s hand. “They’re almost here, Luce. Keep those beautiful eyes open for me.”
“Tired.”
“I know you are, baby. I need you to keep your eyes open though, at least until you get to the hospital.” Tim reached up to brush the thick tendril of hair behind her ear. “Come on, I want to see those beautiful brown eyes. Open them for me.”
The RA’s siren was loud as it pulled up not far away from them. Tim’s radio was heard, “Seven-Adam-Sixteen, come in.” It was Grey.
Tim grabbed his radio, “field sergeant here, two seconds sir.” He let it go as the paramedics came running over to them. “Luce, baby you need to open your eyes.” She didn’t respond but Tim watched as her head tilted to the side. “Oh God, Lucy come on.”
“Sir?” A paramedic spoke, “I need to get to the officer inside the vehicle.”
Stealing two seconds, he leaned in and kissed her temple. “I’m right here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.” With that he got out of the shop and let the paramedic get in. “She was responsive up until five seconds ago. Her leg is jarred and I tried to stick my hand down but I only got as far as her calf. She’s five-four so I should have been able to reach my arm down to her ankle. Nose is tender and stated she was tired. Officer Ridley has prior LAFD EMT training and did a verbal assessment, which she passed.”
The paramedic examined Lucy and looked to his coworker standing by the open door. “Collar and vitals.”
“Got it.” The man left to get the cervical collar and the paramedic inside the shop worked to keep Lucy’s head stable.
Tim’s radio came to life again, “Seven-Adam-Sixteen, come in.”
“Seven-Adam-Sixteen here.” He kept his eyes on paramedic holding Lucy’s head still. “Sir, you’re going to need to have Wilson respond to the scene. I can’t be the field sergeant in this.”
Grey was heard quickly. “What makes you unable to do your job, Bradford?”
“Conflict of interest. The trapped officer is Chen.” Tim waited knowing that of all situations, Grey wouldn’t, perhaps couldn’t, let him work the scene.
“Understood. Wilson will respond and I’ll be there in five. How badly is she trapped?”
Tim took a step back as the second paramedic came back with the vitals machine and a cervical collar. “She was conscious but is now unconscious. Her height should have allowed me to touch her ankle with my hand but I got as far as her calf before it was too tight. The car they were responding to is backed up against her door, which is slightly caved in. Driver is alive but unconscious.” Looking towards the car, he saw firefighters and paramedics checking on the driver. “He’s being checked over as we speak.”
One of the firefighters came over to them, “once we get him out, we’ll be able to pull the car away from your SUV. At that point we can get the officer out, likely we’ll need to cut the top away to be able to get to her. The door is pretty dented so getting it separated will be a task. We won’t know until the car is pulled away.”
Tim nodded. “You’ll have to explain that to the field sergeant when they get here.”
“Aren’t you the field sergeant?”
“She’s my partner, I can’t be in-charge of this scene.” Tim told him honestly.
“Bradford.” The paramedic in the shop stated, “let the field sergeant know that’s the officer who is trapped.”
Rubbing his hand over his mouth, Tim spoke. “Push back her jacket on the right side.”
He obviously did, “jacket says ‘Bradford’ but name tag says ‘Chen’, so we’ll need clarification.”
“The jacket is mine.” Tim told him, “I’m Bradford. She didn’t have one available so I gave her mine.”
The paramedic looked out at them, “vitals are good given the circumstances.”
The firefighter nodded, “keep her steady, it’s going to be a long day as we work to get her free.”
Tim put his hand on the side of the door, “how long should it take?”
“It takes as long as it takes.” The man told him, “your partner is in good hands. Max is one our best paramedics, been on the job for almost two decades.”
“Don’t take offense to the fact I won’t feel comfortable until she’s at the hospital being checked over by doctors.” He got as close as he could to the paramedic with Lucy. “She’s everything to me so treat her as if she’s priceless.”
Max, the paramedic, nodded. “I understand, I’ve been there watching as someone else is taking care of my loved one. My wife was trapped once and it took everything in me not to rip the paramedic away and do it myself. What’s her name?”
“Lucy.” Tim ran his hand through his hair. “Her name is Lucy.”
“I’ll take care of Lucy, I promise. If you need to stand right here beside me to be assured, then stand there.”
“Thanks.” Tim motioned into the vehicle, “can you hand me her phone.”
The man reached for Lucy’s phone in the cupholder and picked it up, the image of her and Tim showing. “It’s a nice picture.”
Tim accepted the device and looked at the picture of them in happier times. “She has never changed it and I doubt she ever will.” He pocketed the device. “Said it’s the picture that shows everything we feel for each other.”
The call of his name had Tim looking towards the sound. “Bradford.” Tim turned to see Grey making his way over. When the watch commander was standing beside him, he could see the shock on Grey’s face. “Dear God.”
“Now you know why I can’t take control of this scene.” Tim told the man, “all I can do is stand here until she’s removed.”
Grey nodded, “just let the paramedics do their work. I know you want to jump in and protect her, take away her pain, but you have to let them take care of her.” His attention went to Ridley, “what happened?”
“It’s complicated, sir. The shop’s image is going to tell the story because I can try to explain it but it’s not going to make sense. There was just a lot of twists and turns because the car was going forward but then turned and came for us. Officer Chen, she tried to play his bluff but he wasn’t taking it. The construction made us have to take some moves over others. Finally, we turned around and he backed into us as she was turning the shop.”
“Stay with Bradford, your job right now is making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
Ridley nodded, “yes sir.”