9 weeks later
Lucy entered the station, not so ready for her night shift. It was all known that she still was looking for Sergeant Tim Bradford. Since his disappearance 9 weeks ago the station slowly lost hope to find him alive or find him at all. But not Lucy, she still sat down every day, trying to solve the case. Some days Angela sat by her side, trying to help as much as she could , all though the detective knew that it was a dead end. She just couldn't lose her hope or destroy Lucys.
Tonight was nothing else, Angela sat down beside her and opened up a file. "You should go home Ang, it's late."
"I'm not going anywhere for the next two hours." The detective said, sipping her coffee.
Lucy sat down beside her, opening her own file. She tried to focus on the words but just couldn't comprehend it in her mind. "You know, he would have looked for you just as much." Lucy mentioned, she just had to get it off her mind.
Angela looked up and smiled at her, "he did. For both of us, so we're in this together."
Lucy returned the smile, a little bit of hope wandering through her body. The next hour they focused on other missing cases and witness reports. Before Lucy could call out a break, her radio came to live.
"Calling for backup at the docks. We- we found Bradford."
Lucy looked wide eyed at Angela, the next second both woman jumped up and hurried to the garages.
Angela took over the driving- or more the speeding. Within twenty minutes they were at the docks.
Several police cars were parked, with them Greys personal car and dozens of ambulances.
Lucy and Angela jumped out of the car and walked down towards the group of people. Grey saw them coming and walked towards them.
"Is he alive?" Lucy asked, already having tears in her eyes.
Grey nodded, "He's alive, but hurt and- Lucy he hasn't said a thing. Non of them have."
"What do you mean them?" Angela asked.
"He was found in a shipping container with six other man. They're in bad condition, some dead."
"I need to see him." Lucy demanded.
"I know." Grey lead the way through the police and reporter crowd.
Lucy stopped breathing on the sight in front of her. Three bodys were laid out on the ground, covered with sheets. Two men were already being treated whilst one screamed and had to be held down. She scanned the scene for Tim and finally saw him sat on a stretcher, eyes on the ground. He had a black baseball cap on, a torn black shirt and his black trousers were cut on his left leg, revealing a blood drenched bandage. Bailey stood by his side, trying to talk to him.
Lucy took some steps in their direction, "Tim!"
To Lucys relief he looked up and right at her. Before she knew it she sprinted towards him. Tim was alive, he was okay. The relief that washed over her was freeing like nothing else she ever experienced.
Tim was on his feet before Bailey could stop him, he limped towards her and caught her in his arms the moment she reached him.
Lucy cried into his shoulder, holding on to him and kissing his cheek.
Tim chocked out a sound of relief, his tears taking over.
"You're back." Lucy cried, lifting her head from his shoulder to take his face into her hands. The tears washed down some dirt from his face
"Are you okay?" She asked him, caressing his cheek. Tims lip slightly begun to tremble before he just dropped his forehead against hers.
"I'm so sorry that I didn't come home." He whispered, his voice hoarse.
"You're coming back home now baby, everything else doesn't matter right now." She assured him. "Now let's get you checked out properly and then you might have to give a statement before we can go home."
Tim nodded, "don't stop touching me please..." his pleading sounded so desperate and tired, Lucy had to held back another wave of tears.
"Promise, I'm not letting you go again."
Tim nodded again and looked up, Angela waiting behind Lucy.
"Ang." he smiled a bit.
"You look like shit Timothy." Angela said, sniffling.
Lucy moved out of the way, still holding her hand at his back.
Angela embraced him in a big hug, which Tim returned with as much force as she did. "Don't ever do that again."
Tim just nodded, he was lost of words.
Angela let go first and placed a kiss at his forehead, "you have to explain Jack where you have been, he missed his uncle."
"Will do."
"Son I'm glad that you're back, we will deal with everything else in time just get better okay?"
"No no I need to tell you all now, I need to get it off of my head."
"Damn right you do! Fucking murderer!" One of the men shouted, he moved towards Tim but was held back by officer Jan.
"You all just cuddle up that damn bastard! He killed my friend!"
"That's enough! You can give your statement and we will go on from there, but this screaming ends now!" Grey demanded.
Lucy tried to study Tims facial expressions. But she saw nothing at all, not one emotion.
"He has a slight concussion a bullet wound on his head, right side but it's already healed just a nasty scar. Moving on a sprained hand, knife wound on his chin and another still bleeding knife wound on his leg." Bailey announced to the room. Tim was splayed out, fast asleep, on the hospital bed, Lucy at his side.
"What happened to him?" She asked.
"Only he can tell you that."
"I- I think I know a bit." Angela spoke up, she rubbed her hands together, clearly not comfortable to talk about that topic. "I saw his face it- it was his expression-"
"War." Grey said, "I saw it too. That was the face of a men with CSR, combat stress reaction."
"You want to say that he went to war?" Lucy asked, clutching Tims hand harder.
"It would explain the wounds." Bailey said, "I'll run some tests when he's awake."
"What kind of tests?"
"Mental health tests. All though you might want to take a statement first." She looked at Grey, "If you don't mind I would like to sit in with you to heat everything. Maybe I could tell right than if the experience cost any trauma."
Grey nodded, "yeah sure. But lets let him sleep first."
