#Chenford fanfic

[makeitastrength]

From the ashes

Chapter 2 sneak peek

Lucy smiles and Tim smiles back, and it’s the most normal things have felt in months. It’s been a long journey, and painfully slow at times, but with every passing day she can see more and more of the pieces of who they were, and she can feel the first few beginning to slot back into place.

“I uh, I have something for you.”

Tim reaches into his backpack and pulls out a small notebook, the cover a soft grey and held closed by an attached elastic strap along one edge. The corners are bent and she can tell from the creases along the spine that it’s been used regularly.

“What’s this?” Lucy takes it from him and flips it open, finds herself staring at her own name in Tim’s familiar handwriting at the top of the page. She leafs ahead to other pages and finds more of the same, her name at the top followed by line after line of his script, and she lifts her eyes back to his in a mixture of shock and confusion. “You wrote me letters?”

He shoulders his pack and shoves his hands into his pockets with a shrug. “My homework for therapy was to write in it once a week. She didn’t tell me what to write, and that first day the only thing I could think of was everything I wanted to say to you. It kind of… spiraled from there.”

“Tim, this is really private,” Lucy says as she closes the journal and hands it back to him. “You don’t have to share this with me.”

“Yeah, I do,” he replies. His hands remain firmly in his pockets, unwilling to take it from her. “You deserve to know everything. If you want to, I mean,” he adds hastily.

“I… okay,” she manages, uncertain what else there is to say. “Umm. Thanks.”

He nods and takes a step back. “Have a good night.”

“Night,” she offers as she watches him walk away, but it takes nearly a minute for her to unstick her feet from the ground and climb into her own car for the drive home.

Back at her apartment, Lucy forces herself to eat a few bites even though her stomach is tied up in knots and then quickly washes up and crawls into bed with Tim’s journal, settling back against the pillows. Though he asked her to read it, it still feels like an invasion of privacy. She has no idea what she’ll find written within these pages, and as she flips open to the first page and begins to read, the overwhelming feeling is one of nervous anticipation.

(Full chapter will be posted tomorrow!)

(Read the first chapter here)

#chenford #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #tim bradford #from the ashes #chapter 2 #sneak peek #post 6x06

[summerongrand]

Coming next month to AO3 ...

Psyched On U

Lucy Chen is a psychology professor with a secret. Tim Bradford is an Army veteran who enrolls in her class under the GI Bill.

Or: Professor Lucy and Student Tim!

#Psyched On U #chenford #the rookie #lucy chen #melissa o'neil #tim bradford #tim and lucy #eric winter #tucy #tim x lucy #chenford fic #chenford edit #lucy x tim #chenford fics #chenford fanfic #chenford fanfiction #sava wu #jake butler #chenford moodboard #chenford fanfic moodboard #fanfic #sneak peek #chenford babies

[annalu86]

My TO

“So what was your training officer like, Officer Chen?”

The reactions of the group around the small table couldn’t have been more different upon hearing this simple question.

John Nolan’s eyes grew wide, he lent forwards slightly in his chair, becoming very interested in his lunch in front of him. His eyes regularly darting to watch the reactions of his friends and colleagues.

Angela Lopez on the other hand lent back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest openly taking in the scene in front of her. Ready.

Lucy Chen let out a slightly nervous cough of surprise as she was mid bite of sandwich, she began chewing frantically so that she could answer the question before someone, mostly likely Angela, could embarrass her.

And lastly Tim Bradford. Who upon Arriving at the table had smiled politely at the new face, who he knew to be Johns new rookie (Nolan had lent across and quietly whispered “Tim Bradford, Metro Liaison sgt” as way of an introduction), and taken his seat next to Lucy. Brushing the quickest kiss against her cheek as he sat, they were both in uniform after all, he hungrily set about demolishing the sandwich Lucy had pushed in front of him. Tim’s demeanour didn’t change upon hearing the question, his eyes didn’t flicker, his focus on the food of in front of him unswerving.

“Please” Lucy said, still swallowing sandwich “it’s lunch time, call me Lucy” she stalled

“Ok, Lucy” Officer Mason smiled “Officer Nolan has been so kind, so helpful! I’ve learnt so much already” she enthuses glancing at John who preens despite the obvious attempt at flattery “and I’ve met Detective Harper, who I know helped train Officer Nolan and Detective Lopez here was also a TO. Everyone seems so different, style wise. So how was your experience?”

“Yeah Lucy, how was your experience?” Angela grins widely, earning the briefest of glares from Lucy

“It was great actually!” Lucy says cheerfully, an involuntary snort of surprise erupts from John, earning him his own glare from Lucy. Tim’s focus remained on his lunch. “He taught me so much and made me the Officer I am today” Officer Mason nodded happily.

“It was all smooth sailing then Officer Chen?” John wasn’t going to let the months hed spent listening to Lucy moan about her nightmare TO slide just because Tim was now her boyfriend!

“Well…” the smile on Lucy’s face dropping for a split second to deliver another well aimed glare at John “if it had all been easy I wouldn’t have learnt as much”

“That’s so true!” Officer Mason enthused “it’s so important to learn from your mistakes” lucy nodded kindly.

“And you always got along?” Angela couldn’t help but take her turn

“No one gets along all the time, spending all that time alone together. There are going to be disagreements, but you work through them as adults, as professionals” Lucy finishes with flourish. She can’t help but notice the slight smile creeping at the corner of Tim’s mouth.

“So it was always very professional?” Angela pressed, before Lucy could wonder what she was getting at Angela continued “he was never unreasonable in his expectations? Didn’t punish you for simple mistakes?”

“Angela” there was a warning note in Lucy’s tone but Angela just grinned. Tim, nearing the end of his meal continued to keep his head down and ignore them all.

“He didn’t ever kick you out the shop and make you walk?”

“Or take your duty belt on a bathroom break” John added helpfully

“ Didn’t get you into a fist fight with a man twice your size”

“Or refuse to let you wear short sleeves in the middle of summer”

“Didn’t” Angela and John were in full swing now “take a picture of you when you fell asleep during a night shift, get it printed on a bunch of shirts and then pass them out around the station!”

“I’d forgotten about that one!” John said with a roaring laugh, turning to an increasingly shocked looking Officer Mason “I wear mine when I garden”

“Didn’t nickname you the goat whisperer, didn’t set a powder bomb off in your face, didn’t”

“Enough” said Lucy quickly eyes flicking between Tim and Officer Mason, trying to judge each persons reaction to the retelling of Rookie Chen’s adventures with her TO. “I think Officer Mason has got the idea” she laughs gently.

Tim, having finished his meal quietly began clearing up his trash.

“I look back on my time as a Rookie with nothing but appreciation and fondness, like I said, it made me the cop I am today. I’m very grateful to my TO for that.

“Wow.” Officer Mason shook her head from side to side “honestly it sounds like a bit of a nightmare! I haven’t heard any of the other rookies mention anything like that, please tell me he’s moved away from being a training officer now”

“Yeah, actually” Lucy says with a grin “I was his last Rookie”

“Except for the one after you that washed out” Angela whispered, as helpful as ever.

“Is he still in the LAPD? What’s he doing now?” Officer Mason gulps, eyes wide.

The sound of chair legs scraping across concrete draws everyone’s attention suddenly as Tim pushes to his feet

“I think he’s the metro liaison sgt now right?” And with that he simply leans down and once again plants a soft kiss on Lucy’s cheek, then silently turns and strides away.

Lucy can't help but chuckle as Officer Mason's already wide eyes bulge and her mouth opens and closes a few times, like a goldfish.

"He really was a great TO, a total pain in the ass, but a great TO" Lucy smiles at the young woman reassuringly.

"And as a boyfriend?" Angela asks, having clearly enjoyed watching it all play out.

"Still great.." Lucy grins wickedly "still a total pain in the ass!"

# Add tags to help people find your posts

#chenford #lucy chen #chenford fanfic #the rookie #tim bradford #getting back into writing #to fanfic or not to fanfic #too old for this…

[chenfordsource]

Thank you all for your participation in Chenford Week 2023! Seeing the turnout this year was genuinely incredible; the love for our favorite ship led to nearly 300 creations, including fanfics, gifsets, edits, and fanvideos and playlists. 

With so many creations, there was no way for everyone to keep up throughout the week, so we put together a master list of all the Chenford Week 2023 content.

The list is organized by day and content type; we hope it helps navigate the amazing content created for the event. If we’re missing your entry or any links don’t work, please let us know. 

Thank you all for your incredible Chenford Week work this year!

Fics:

Day 1 (Inspired by Canon Day)

Ohio Laundry Room by silverskull

What Tim Needs by aleclightwoodgirl

Ghost of You by girlintotv

More than ever by rissachenford

Chenford Cam Watchers by Angel_Butterfly10FrDeGSMTLC

Watching by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

watching my heart (go round and around) by jennahbennah

We could build a house away from here(I just wanna get warm with you) by niamsagram

Unless it is (Lucy's POV) by TheChandom

fight the frost (of the morning blue) by fromiftowhen

Up is down, down is up by ImperiumWife

Never Underestimate a Bradford by gemma_chenfordfan

you know the greatest films of all time were never made by quesera

A Little Mystery to Figure Out by westwingwolf

Always find you by thatfandomwriter

Your string of lights are still bright to me by Lxvechenford

safe in your arms by Ellitheria

Palms by L56895

Daddy Cop - Arrest me but make it sexy by AllMyTomorrows

Daddy Cop by Lucychenford

It's a Daily Struggle by mom2kmt

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 1 by elementsofemily1193

let's build a life by itsgrangerweasley

the best thing that's ever been mine by BimadaBomily

i'll make it through if i stick to you (cover your body in superglue) by lucychens

Event Horizon by TheRogue16

My Favorite Line was "Can I Call You Sometime?" by TheAwkwardAnglophile

We Need To Talk by PBenjamin012215

no safer place than with you by madneyfiles

Forever Looks Like This by ameliagiovanna0

Day 2 (TV Tropes Day)

Glad You Exist by aleclightwoodgirl

Bear it all by myrandomfandomramblings

Not our parents by thatfandomwriter

The Night Before - an Epilogue by mom2kmt

'Til Death Do Us Part by girlintotv

when you're by my side by chenfordspiral

Fluff 'n' Stuff by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

Bedtime Stories by Tiger_Lily24

I Won't Say No by firstdegreefangirl

Evergreen by silverskull

maybe we'll discover (what we should have known all along) by jennahbennah

find the one you can't live without by HeyItsEm

Just when I thought our chance had passed (You go and save the best for last) by niamsagram

i had a feeling so peculiar (this pain wouldn't be for evermore) by quesera

I always look after you by Lxvechenford

Woke up in love by TheChandom

Not Our Bed. It's Mine. by Angel_Butterfly10FrDeGSMTLC

Looks Like She's In Love by westwingwolf

Burning For You by meghansarchive

Breathe Again by RogueTwelve

Haunted by liaromancewriter

and i can't sleep at night (every time i close my eyes, i'm torn between two lives) by BimadaBomily

The Weak Link by Ellitheria

Mid-Wilshire Family Barbecue by AllMyTomorrows

Breaking up was Easy in the 90s (Tim's POV) by WannaBeBold

Here Comes the Sun by achegaby

I'll Take care of you by rissachenford

When I Taste Tequila by ImperiumWife

Surprise! by LondonRih

looking at you (with pride in my eyes) by TheRogue16

I miss you, I'm sorry by Lucychenford

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 2 by elementsofemily1193

i met you on the rooftop, shining with the moonlight by lucychens

My One and Only by PBenjamin012215

This Is It by ameliagiovanna0

A Hell of a View by RogueTwelve

roadtrips & lifetimes by paldogangsaan

Day 3 (Something's Missing Day)

The Babysmitter by westwingwolf

I Think Kojo Had a Nice Day by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

Missing Piece by thatfandomwriter

Lucy's internal monologue during the 5x02 ending by myrandomfandomramblings

man of honor by paldogangsaan

i can go anywhere i want (just not home) by quesera

Angela Lopez, Detective by gemma_chenfordfan

run into the night (like the sun won't ever come up) by chenfordspiral

You Left Them Like That? by Angel_Butterfly10FrDeGSMTLC

One Of These Days by silverskull

Unexpected Turn of Events by aleclightwoodgirl

I Want You to Say (that you want me to stay) by firstdegreefangirl

I only talk to God when I need a favor (But I'll pay for all I've done, just please don't let me lose her) by niamsagram

you OWE me, baby by Ellitheria

You think I'm pretty? by AllMyTomorrows

Drunk in Love by Spindos

Slow Sweet Nothings by BimadaBomily

Silence Runs Deep by MrsHannahLongbottom

True Crime by Lucychenford

The Story Of Us by girlintotv

you're barely waking (and i'm tangled up in you) by jennahbennah

Fly me to the Moon by achegaby

Lost and Found by ImperiumWife

Finally! by PBenjamin012215

Secret Love by WannaBeBold

Anchor by TheRogue16

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 3 by elementsofemily1193

Trapped by liaromancewriter

make it feel like there's nothing left but you and i by lucychens

Channel 9 (Missing Chenford Moments part 2) by TheChandom

When I Taste Tequila by ameliagiovanna0

Day 4 (Happy Hawley-Day)

The Best Bling Store by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

Just some fall things by thatfandomwriter

If We Took A Holiday by westwingwolf

one minute to midnight (let's start the new year right) by BimadaBomily

you keep his shirt (he keeps his word) by chenfordspiral

And, somehow, I know that you and I would've found each other (We would of been Timeless) by niamsagram

Wedding Day Jitters by ImperiumWife

One Last Secret by silverskull

The Cold Really Bothered Tim Anyway by Bluenet13

I Love You, But No. by Angel_Butterfly10FrDeGSMTLC

Our Secretly Perfect Holidays by girlintotv & thatfandomwriter

How did you know? by AllMyTomorrows

Speechless by Lucychenford

Snow on the Beach by myrandomfandomramblings

I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For by achegaby

And It's Like the Fog Has Lifted by TheAwkwardAnglophile

in paper rings, in picture frames, and all my dreams by quesera

Time For Me To Come Home For Christmas. by PBenjamin012215

Unless it is (Tim’s POV) by TheChandom

Underneath the mistletoe by aleclightwoodgirl

what do I do with this (with a love that won't sit still) by TheRogue16

when my heart finds christmas (i hope it finds you too) by jennahbennah

three words that became hard to say (i and love and you) by lucychens

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 4 by elementsofemily1193

I can't lose when I'm with you by Tiger_Lily24

Day 5 (Love Languages Day)

Love Language by thatfandomwriter

i'm just like 'hey, are you okay?' by BimadaBomily

Words of Affirmation by aleclightwoodgirl

I Will Serve. I Will Be of Service. by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

I Swear That I Am Up to No Good by Bluenet13

I'm Glad You're Here by firstdegreefangirl

you know what it was (he is in love) by quesera

We keep this love in a photograph; We made these memories for ourselves by niamsagram

Keeping you Close by Lucychenford

Tomorrow is Another Day by HeyItsEm

Centrifugal Motion by silverskull

i think of you (and it's alright) by jennahbennah

Give Me All Your Love Now by westwingwolf

I love that its not hard ( to be in a place where laughing's easy) by achegaby

i already know that there ain't no stoppin' your plans and those slow hands by lucychens

Hands by AllMyTomorrows

no chance, no way, I won't say (I'm in love) by TheRogue16

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 5 by elementsofemily1193

Just Like Tim by TheChandom

Goodnight by Angel_Butterfly10FrDeGSMTLC

Day 6 (Get Creative Day)

hope that it's hopeless by magnoliamica

Sunshine bar by thatfandomwriter

How To Train Your Dragon by Chry5alis

The Inheritance Clause by Torreshalstead

I Just Want You To Know Who I Am by girlintotv

i will take care of you (the very best that i can) by BimadaBomily

Take Two by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

You Move Me by westwingwolf

Forget and Forgive by silverskull

Call It Magic (When I'm With You) by TheAwkwardAnglophile

all this chemistry has got me falling (i'm definitely high) by chenfordspiral

Lost Love by PBenjamin012215

The Bradfords by Lucychenford

The Letter by firstdegreefangirl

We Got to Quit Meeting Like This by aleclightwoodgirl

you'll find the real thing instead (she'll patch up the tapestry that i shred) by jennahbennah

There you see her Sitting there across the way (You wanna kiss the girl) by niamsagram

I'm hers, she's mine by TheChandom

come, you spirit that tend on mortal thoughts by TheRogue16

Green by liaromancewriter

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 6 by elementsofemily1193

groupchat fights by paldogangsaan

take me out to the ball game by lucychens

Day 7 (Free Day)

Nightmares by thatfandomwriter

Mosaic by fuzzy_wuzzy_wuzza_writer

Something just like this by littlesnafu

Tell the truth (I look better under you) by moonycpd

Can you use these tears? (to put out the fires in my soul) by achegaby

Meeting the Family by Lucychenford

I'll Always Be by silverskull

The Night The Lights Went Out in California by westwingwolf

A Late-Night Party by LondonRih

finish what you started (push until you feel i'm about to break) by BimadaBomily

I will ease your mind by TheChandom

Breaking up was Easy in the 90s (Lucy's POV) by WannaBeBold

baby i would die for you by itsgrangerweasley

Happy Birthday by aleclightwoodgirl

ghosts in the eyes (of all the boys you sent away) by jennahbennah

Time rolls by, the clock don't stop by niamsagram

a post is worth a thousand words; a like is a worth a thousand speeches by TheRogue16

My Hero by navywife97

Seven Days of Storytelling: Day 7 by elementsofemily1193

New Years Day by chens_luv

About Last Night by Solo Ojo Jojo

Gifs & Gifsets:

Day 1 (Inspired by Canon Day)

Favorite s5 moment/Inspired by a season five song by livelovecaliforniadreams

Favorite season 5 moments by lightsparkss

Favorite s5 moments by leavingubehind

S5 moments vs. past seasons by westwingwolf

5x01 inspired gifset by firstdegreefangirl

Favorite s5 moments by chenslucy

Favourite s5 moments as Netflix highlights by timlucys

Day 2 (TV Tropes Day)

Season 5 tropes by leavingubehind

Season 5 tropes (Everyone Knows) by westwingwolf

Favorite Season 5 parallels/callbacks by livelovecaliforniadreams

2x11/5x05 parallel (inspired by sick/injured & hurt/comfort tropes) by chenslucy

Chenford + non-sexual forms of intimacy (dating edition) by timlucys

Day 3 (Something's Missing Day)

Chenford + Tumblr hashtags by leavingubehind

Missing kid AU by westwingwolf

Underrated moment: 5x12 by livelovecaliforniadreams

Underrated moment: 5x17 by chenford-fan

Incorrect dialogue: 5x02 by sgtbradfords

The Vow AU by timlucys

Day 4 (Happy Hawley-Day)

"I Can See You" - Taylor Swift by livelovecaliforniadreams

Relationship milestones/firsts: S5 edition by westwingwolf

"God Gave Me A Girl" - Russell Dickerson by firstdegreefangirl

"Love You a Little Bit" - Tanner Adell by sgtbradfords

"I Can See You" - Taylor Swift by timlucys

Relationship milestones/firsts: 5x16 by chenford-fan

Day 5 (Love Languages Day)

100 ways to say I love you by leavingubehind

The original love languages by livelovecaliforniadreams

Love language: Physical touch by westwingwolf

The original love languages by myrandomfandomramblings

Love language: Acts of service by chenford-fan

It's all about the hands by queseraone

10 untranslatable words that describe love better than you ever thought by timlucys

Day 6 (Get Creative Day)

Chenford + after work hangs by livelovecaliforniadreams

Chenford + Wade Grey by westwingwolf

Chenford + phone calls by myrandomfandomramblings

Chenford + beige/neutral color theme by chenslucy

Bumble dating app AU by chenlucys

Chenford + Lucy's apartment by chenford-fan

V.E. Schwab dedication by sgtbradfords

Chenford + otp prompts by leavingubehind

Chenford + written by Alexi Hawley by timlucys

Day 7 (Free Day)

Chenford Google Search by livelovecaliforniadreams

Chenford + Lucy's apartment by westwingwolf

Get creative - angst edition by onlyhereforangst

Chenford + domestic moments by chenford-fan

"Religiously" - Bailey Zimmerman by firstdegreefangirl

The way he looks at her vs. the way she looks at him by chenslucy

Melissa & Eric appreciation by timlucys

Other:

Day 1 (Inspired by Canon Day)

Fanart - Favorite s5 moment: 5x10 by myrandomfandomramblings

Picspam - Favorite s5 moments by buckleybrvdford

Picspam - Favorite s5 moment: 5x01 by theflyindutchwoman

Picspam - Favorite s5 moment: 5x16 by chenfordspiral

Scrapbook Page - Favorite s5 moment: 5x10 by thesassywitchofthenortheast

Fanvideo - "GOOD" by Erin McCarley by lovelylavenderrose

Day 2 (TV Tropes Day)

Picspam - Trope: Battle Couple (Couples that fight together) by theflyindutchwoman

Picspam - 2x11/5x05 parallel by buckleybrvdford

Fanvideo - "Mr Brightside" (Trope: Jealousy) by lovelylavenderrose

Day 3 (Something's Missing Day)

Graphic - Missing moment: the morning after by theflyindutchwoman

Fanart - Missing moment: 5x18 sushi date by CauseRSisEpic

Graphic - Missing moment: Everyone reacting to Chenford dating by buckleybrvdford

Graphic - "Missing" Kojo Poster by mom2kmt

Day 4 (Happy Hawley-Day)

Graphic - Relationship milestones/firsts: Tim and Lucy's first (and second first) date and their first (real) kiss by theflyindutchwoman

Picspam - Relationship milestones/firsts: First time by buckleybrvdford

Moodboard - Tim and Lucy's wedding day by queseraone

Day 5 (Love Languages Day)

Graphic - Love language: Physical touch by theflyindutchwoman

Picspam - Love language: Giving/receiving gifts in 5x16 by buckleybrvdford

Picspam - Hands, hugs, or kisses (or all three!) by chenfordspiral

Picspam - Love language: Taking pictures and making videos by theflyindutchwoman

Day 6 (Get Creative Day)

Graphic - Chenford + Kojo (a peek at Kojo's Instagram account) social media AU by queseraone

Picspam - Chenford + parking garage/lot by theflyindutchwoman

Picspam - Chenford + undercover by chenfordsbee

Graphic - Chenford + S5 texts by wanna-be-bold

Day 7 (Free Day)

Graphic - Chenford + Meleric appreciation by theflyindutchwoman

Playlist - Out of the Shade: A Chenford Playlist by tinderbox210

Picspam - Relationship milestones/firsts by chenfordspiral

Handlettering - "I can't lose you the way I lost her" by theawkwardanglophile

Graphic - How far Chenford has come in 5 seasons by myrandomfandomramblings​

#chenfordweek23 #the rookie #therookieedit #chenford #chenfordedit #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #tim bradford #admin

[queseraone]

see how fully i’ve been broke (and let me start again)

She tries to shake it off, but when she climbs into her car, she can’t quite bring herself to start the engine. Instead she leans back, her head hitting the headrest as the day’s events run through her mind like some kind of nightmarish highlight reel.

Everything had seemed so simple this morning—how had it all gone spectacularly awry?

(post-6x01)

Read on AO3.

#chenford #chenford fanfic #chenford fanfiction #the rookie #the rookie fanfic #mine #mine: writing #lucy chen #tim bradford #6x01

[centralperkchenford]

Something like Lucy and Tim are called in to the station when they’ve been on a hike and don’t have time to change. Lucy is wearing black leggings and a sports bra and Tim doesn’t want everyone to ogle at her so gets her to put on his plaid shirt that is super oversized on her.

thank you.

I hope you like this! 💗

Something like Lucy and Tim are called in to the station when they’ve been on a hike and don’t have time to change. Lucy is wearing black leggings and a sports bra and Tim doesn’t want everyone to ogle at her so gets her to put on his plaid shirt that is super oversized on her.

All I know is you're sure looking Good in my shirt

“Yes ma’am.” Tim says glancing over at Lucy who is stretching a little, her foot on the bench in front of her. “We will be there as soon as we can.”

He tracks her movements, and watches as she stretches and he memorizes the curves of her body, the way it moves forward. He knows her body like the back of his hand now but he’s always wanting to learn new things about her.

She’s only in a sports bra, she chose to forgo a shirt because it was hot out today and black leggings. But really it didn’t matter what she wore—she always looked good.

He blinks and brings his attention back to the phone call. The one that interrupted his and Lucy’s hike.

“Fifteen minutes.” He tells Pine and then hangs up the phone. Lucy looks over at him and stands up straight.

“Bad news?” She asks her face twisting up in disappointment. Tim knows how she feels because this was their first day off together and he wanted to do something special with just Lucy. She suggested a hike and he was totally game and had been looking forward to it and now…

Tim lets out a sigh and nods, “We have to go into work. Big case. Metro is with patrol today.”

Lucy sighs too and walks over to him wrapping herself around him. “Well I guess we have something to look forward to next time we have a day off together.” She says shrugging her shoulders. He knows she’s disappointed like he is but he knows they will get another chance to do this. Hopefully soon.

They get to the truck just as Tim’s phone rings again. He blows out a breath and looks at Lucy before answering the phone.

“Bradford.” He says. It’s Grey this time and he looks over at Lucy again who has her head against the headrest with her eyes closed.

“Yes sir. We are just heading to the station.” He says. “We should be there soon.”

“No time to change or go to the station. Meet us on the scene. ” Grey says and tells him where they are. Tim winces a little, glancing over at Lucy again. Neither of them are exactly dressed to go to work. He has on shorts and a tshirt but Lucy only has her sports bra and leggings.

And while he doesn’t mind it actually he was looking forward to undressing her slowly when they got home from the hike. He knows others might not feel the same, and they might look. Which he does not want.

“Yes sir. See you soon.” Tim says and hangs up the phone.

“We don’t have time to change.” He says. “We are meeting at the scene.” Lucy glances down and then back at him with raised eyebrows.

“I can’t go to a scene like this.” She says gesturing at herself. Tim sighs and looks in the backseat.

“There might be a shirt you can wear.” He says. She turns to look at him, a smile lighting up her face.

“Your shirt?” She asks and he can’t help but smile a little. She loves to wear his shirts, his sweats anything she can get her hands on she wears.

And he has had a few things missing from his closet in the past few months only for it to turn up in Lucy’s closet.

He’s usually particular about his stuff and who uses it and most of all getting it back.

But with Lucy?

He wants to see her in his clothes as often as he can, they are way too big on her and she usually swims in them but she doesn’t care and he doesn’t mind that she has them on.

She’s beautiful in any light, in any clothes but when she is in his she just has this certain glow to her.

He has told her before that she can wear his clothes as much as she think as long as he gets to take them off.

“Yes. My shirt.” He says smiling at her and reaching over to grab her hand. “You better give it back.”

“No promises.” She says. He rolls his eyes but squeezes her hand once. He loves her and she knows it, she loves him too and sometimes it was a little overwhelming to be loved by such an amazing person.

“You know.” He says as he comes to a stop at a red light. “You could steal my clothes any day of the week if you just moved in with me.”

He turns his eyes back to the road but feels her eyes on him. He finally looks at her as they pull up to the scene. He puts the truck in park but doesn’t move to get out.

“You want me to move in with you?” She asks her voice quiet. He turns to face her knowing they don’t have a lot of time.

“Yes. I want you around all the time. I want to know I will come home to you in my—our bed. I want all your essential oils and candles and plants around my house. I want your stuff taking up room in my closet.”

Lucy blinks back the tears that are forming in her eyes and leans forward to kiss him. He wipes a stray tear that is about to fall and pushes back her hair.

“Okay.” She says. “Yes. I will move in with you Tim.” Tim grins and kisses her again before turning off the truck and opening the door.

“Good. Otherwise I wouldn’t having any clothes left.” He says. She rolls her eyes but gets out too. Tim is already rummaging through the backseat looking for the shirt he knows he has.

He finds it in a duffle bag he has with spare clothes just in case. He tosses a plaid long sleeve shirt to Lucy who immediately puts it on. She is swimming in it as usual but she looks perfect.

He slips on some jeans just so he looks a little more professional. Or as professional as he can after just being pulled from a hike with his girlfriend.

Lucy comes to stand next to him and smiles. “Let’s do this and then we can start the whole moving process.”

He gives her a small kiss on top of her head. “Sounds like a plan Luce.”

And he really can’t wait for the next chapter of their story to begin.

#chenford #the rookie #tim bradford #lucy chen #tim x lucy #chenford fanfic #chenford fic #anon answered #lucy x tim

[westwingwolf]

Chenford Week 2023: Something's Missing Day

Title: The Babysmitter

Rating: General

Characters: Tim Bradford, Lucy Chen, Quigley Smitty, Original Child Character

Summary: Smitty offers to babysit Tim and Lucy's child while they are both working. What could possibly go wrong?

#ChenfordWeek23 #Chenford #ChenfordEdit #TheRookieEdit #Chenford fanfic #the rookie fanfic #Lucy x Tim #Lucy Chen #Tim Bradford #John Nolan #Quigley Smitty #The Rookie #The Rookie gifs #westwingwolf

[mamadoc]

Dear #Chenford/#TheRookie friends,

Thank you to everyone that has read any of my fanfiction stories. I, like many of you, have been very affected by 6x6. I’ve tried to continue writing my Catch of a Lifetime story, but each time I try, I cry. Then I try again and cry.

The chapter I’m trying to write has Tim promising to never leave Lucy and to take care of her. And I just can’t write that right now. It feels too disingenuous. And I can’t handle it emotionally.

So, after taking a few days to process things, I’ve decided to tackle a different story I’ve wanted to write for a while. It’s still a Chenford story, but there’s a lot of heartache up front. That seems to match my emotional state more right now. Perhaps it will match yours, too

I’d love to have you follow me on this journey if you’re in a place where you can still read Chenford (I wasn’t for a few days).

My apologies again that I’m going to have to take a hiatus on Catch.

Hopefully I’ll have it ready to post in the next few days.

Sending hugs to anyone that needs them as we all try to process what was thrown at us.

#chenford #lucy chen #the rookie #fanfic #tim bradford #tim bradford x lucy chen #chenford fanfic #fanfiction

[falcqns]

you'll be alright (no one can hurt you now) chapter one

✰ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Lucy Chen & Tamara Colins, Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, background Tim Bradford x Lucy Chen

✰ 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Lucy finds Tamara, not as a 17 year old, but as a newborn. She immediately takes her in, and vows to give her the childhood and support that she deserves.

✰ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: canon divergence, autistic!Tamara, Tim Bradford would do anything for Lucy Chen, mentions of drug overdose, and drug addiction, death (not a main character though dw), Lucy is a hardcore swiftie, 

don’t forget to read and reblog, and i do not give permission for my works to be posted anywhere other than tumblr. thank you.

Title is from Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift

Lucy stood on the side walk, hands on her duty belt, and eyes on her current training officer, Scott Wrigley as he asked the woman they had just pulled over to see her licence, registration and proof of insurance. The woman willingly, gave him the documents, and Lucy found her attention wandering away from the woman in the car, and surveying the area they were in. 

Lucy, truthfully, was bored. While Tim was hard on her, he was a good, solid cop, that did the job because he wanted to make a difference in the world. Wrigley, while also a good, solid cop, was only there for a pay check. He was there to write tickets for 12 hours a day, get paid, and go home to his children without a scrape on him. And while Lucy respected that, it just wasn’t for her. She wanted to make a difference, and sitting here, taking only the tame calls, was not doing that. She knew she just had to stick it out for a little longer, and Tim would be back, but she was starting to think she was going crazy. 

So crazy that she was now having auditory hallucinations. Auditory hallucinations of a baby crying. 

They were in the middle of nowhere, which was rare in Los Angeles. All that was here was empty, and long abandoned warehouses. There was no reason for a baby’s cry to be heard around here. Lucy shook her head, trying to get the noise to stop, and focus back on her temporary TO. 

“You hear that, Chen?” Wrigley asked, stopping as he was walking back to the car. 

“Hear what, sir?” She responded, expecting him to say something dumb like ‘the silence of a calm day,’ or something like that, just to unintentionally rub it in her face that she was bored out of her fucking mind with him. 

“The baby crying,” he said, and Lucy stopped. He could hear it too? She thought to herself. If he could hear it too, that meant one of two things. 1) they were both going insane, or 2) the baby’s cry that she was hearing was from an actual baby. And she knew which one was more likely than the other. 

“Yes sir, I do.” She said, looking around. “Do you want me to go find where the baby’s cry is coming from?” 

Wrigley furrowed his eyebrows. “Why would we do that?” He questioned. 

“Isn’t…that why you mentioned it?” She asked, thoroughly confused. “Look where we are. All that is here is empty and abandoned warehouses, why would we be hearing a baby cry here? We should be making sure that everything is okay before we leave.” 

Wrigely smirked at her. “Good job, Chen.” He said, and Lucy dug her nails into her palm to stop her from rolling her eyes. He was testing her. “Go check it out while I fill out this paperwork.” She nodded, and headed off in the direction that she heard the cry. 

The cry was growing louder as she turned the corner, ending up in an alleyway between two abandoned warehouses, covered in graffiti. She continued to follow the cry as she approached a dumpster. Her stomach was in knots. Surely if it was a parent and their baby, she would have heard the parents voice, right? Surely no one would have left their defenceless and helpless infant to fend for themselves, right?

Wrong. 

Lucy walked to the other side of the dumpster, and she gasped, her heart pounding. On the ground, beside the dumpster, was a baby, who couldn’t be older than a few hours old, judging by the umbilical cord still attached, and how the baby, who upon closer inspection was a girl, was haphazardly wiped off and placed in a broken wicker basket. 

Next to her, was very obviously her mother. There was a pool of blood covering her upper thighs and the ground underneath her, and used needles spread around the scene, including one still stuck in her upper arm. Lucy grabbed her radio, and pressed down. 

“Control, this is 7-Adam-19 requesting an RA and a supervisor at Cromer Lane, in the first alleyway on the left, I have a 10-50, code 3.” Lucy placed her radio back, and crouched down next to the baby, doing her best to comfort the little girl without picking her up, despite how much Lucy wanted to. 

“It’s okay, sweet girl,” She whispered, reaching into her duty belt for a pair of gloves. She slid them on her hands, and reached over to the baby’s mother in order to try and see if she could feel a pulse. Her heart broke for the sobbing baby girl when she couldn’t feel one. 

She heard sirens in the background, as well as boots hitting the ground, clearly Wrigley running to see what was happening after hearing her call on the radio. 

“Oh my god.” He whispered from behind her. 

“I need something to wrap the baby in,” She said to Wrigley, and he started to retreat, mumbling something about grabbing an emergency blanket from the shop. 

He returned less than a minute later, and Lucy grabbed the package from him, ripping it open. She shook the blanket to get it to unfold, before she wrapped the small infant up, holding her close to her chest, hoping some of her body heat would transfer through the blanket. 

The sirens got closer, and Lucy began to see the flashing lights reflected on the brick wall across from her. Wrigley was talking to her, but she wasn’t hearing or processing anything coming out of his mouth. All that she could focus on was the tiny little baby in her arms, who was calmed down, and was just staring up at her, her small brown eyes looking up into Lucy’s. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” She whispered. “You’re gonna be okay.” She heard the doors of the ambulance open behind her and paramedics rush to her side. A female paramedic crouched down next to her, and began to ask her questions about the baby and her mother. 

“She seems to be okay, physically at least.” Lucy rambled, her eyes not leaving the tiny baby. “She can’t be more than a few hours old.” 

The paramedic nodded. “Judging by the shaking, I’m assuming her mother was using her entire pregnancy.” Lucy nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She watched carefully as the paramedics cut the umbilical cord, and then continued working on trying to resuscitate her mother, with no success. 

They gave her 2 doses of Narcan, did CPR, and tried the AED, but nothing worked. She was gone, and had probably been gone since before Lucy and Wrigley arrived on scene. 

“We have to take her to the hospital,” The paramedic beside Lucy stated, standing up. Lucy did the same, as Grey and Wrigely walked up to her. 

“I’m coming with,” she stated. 

“Boot-“ Wrigley replied, clearly frustrated with how hard headed she was being. 

“I’m going.” She stated, firmer. She then turned to Grey, and looked at him for approval. He nodded at her, a smile on his face. 

“Go with her, Chen.” He said. “Let us know if theres any updates.”

Lucy smiled. “Yes, sir.” She said, before following the paramedic, and climbing in the back of the ambulance. They were pulling away a few moments later, and were headed to St Stephens. 

Lucy was able to stay with the baby until they reached the NICU. She was then told that they needed to do an assessment on the infant, but that someone would come and grab Lucy when she was able to go see her. She sat down in the uncomfortable hospital waiting room chair, and glanced around at the other families in the NICU. She didn’t know any of their stories, but they all had one thing in common; they were here because they wanted their baby to be okay. 

And while that tiny little baby wasn’t Lucy’s, Lucy was the one who found her, who called for help, who held her and comforted her when she needed it the most. She had no one at the moment, so there was nowhere else Lucy would rather be than here, supporting this little girl. 

“Officer Chen?” A voice said to the right of her. She looked up, and stood up when she saw the doctor. 

“Yes?” She said, coming face to face with the nurse in charge of the infant. “Is she going to be okay?” 

The nurse smiled. “She is very lucky, officer.” Lucy let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding at that. “She is very healthy. She does have traces of meth in her blood, but it is a very minuscule amount. It should leave her system within the next 8 to 24 hours.” 

Lucy nodded. “Okay. Thats good. I was thinking the worst.” 

The nurse nodded. “She is a very lucky little girl. I have contacted DCFS, and they are going to send someone as soon as they can, it appears that they are very backed up at the moment. Is there anything you need from me?” 

“Uh,” Lucy stuttered, racking her brain for the protocols to follow in this situation. “No, not right now. I will have to wait for my supervisor or training officer to proceed, but in the meantime, am I able to go sit with her?” 

The nurse nodded, and began to turn. “Of course, follow me and I’ll take you to her.” Lucy began to follow the nurse down the hallway. “Actually,” the nurse said. “Would you be up to kangaroo cuddling with her? Being so young, she definitely hasn’t had skin to skin with anyone, and skin to skin is very beneficial to an infant as young as her.” 

Lucy found herself nodding immediately. “Of course, whatever she needs.” Lucy trailed after the nurse into the dark and quiet NICU room, glancing at the two other bassinets in the room, each with what she presumed to be family around them, either gazing into the bassinet, or holding their baby. Lucy’s eyes met the bassinet holding the baby she had found, and her heart broke seeing the infants tiny body with wires and tubes coming out of her body, even though she had much less equipment than the other two infants in the room. 

“She’s so small,” Lucy whispered, looking into the bassinet.

“She’s actually the biggest baby on the ward at the moment.” The nurse said, pointing to the chair for Lucy to sit in. 

“So she was full term then?” Lucy said as she laid her duty belt on the table next to her, and unbuttoning her uniform shirt. 

The nurse nodded. “Yes, she was. And perfectly healthy, other than the meth in her system, which is surprising. It seems that her mother did try to abstain from drug use while pregnant, but she most likely slipped up towards the end.” 

“Wow.” Lucy said, taking off her white undershirt and laying it on top of her uniform shirt. “That’s not something I see too often.”

“Me either,” The nurse agreed, as she lifted up the infant and tucked her legs up, bringing her over to Lucy. Lucy opened her arms, and let the nurse rest the baby on her chest. Lucy immediately wrapped her arms around the baby, cuddling her as close as she could without hurting her. The nurse then laid a light pink blanket over the two of them with a smile. 

“If you need anything, just press the nurses button, and someone will come and check on you. And I will come and get you as soon as DCFS or your superiors show up.” 

Lucy nodded, her eyes not leaving the baby. “Thank you.” The nurse nodded, and headed out of the room. Lucy slowly began rocking back and forth in the chair, looking intently at the baby, who was wiggling around, head bobbing up and down on Lucy’s chest as she tried to get comfortable. 

Once the baby found a comfortable position, she opened her tiny mouth in a big yawn, and shut her eyes, falling asleep within seconds on Lucy’s warm skin. Lucy chuckled quietly, and began rubbing her hand up and down on her back, letting her get some well deserved sleep. 

After a few minutes of silence, there was a crash in the hallway from a cart crashing into a wall, and the baby jolted awake, before bursting into tears. Lucy immediately sat up, and hushed the baby in her arms. 

“You’re okay, sweet girl,” she whispered. “I know, that was loud, huh?” The baby hiccuped, and her tears slowly began to stop. Her eyes were open, and Lucy smiled. “It’s okay.” She continued speaking to the infant. “You’re safe with me.” She leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

The baby yawned again, and Lucy smiled at her, cupping the back of her head, rubbing her thumb back and forth against her soft skin. 

“I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I’ll never let you go,” Lucy began to sing, her eyes not leaving the baby. “When all those shadows almost killed your light, I remember you said don’t leave me here alone.

“But all that’s dead and gone and passed tonight,” The baby didn’t move, just continued to stare up at Lucy as she sang. “Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You’ll be alright, no one can hurt you now.” 

A lump formed in Lucy’s throat as she gazed down at the infant in her arms. She couldn’t understand how lucky she was that Lucy was near the warehouse when she was. Despite being in Los Angeles, it was still December, and the temperature plummeted at night time, and had she been out there a few more hours, she would have died. 

And now, this tiny, defenceless orphan, who’s life only started today, had no one. Had no mother, more than likely no father, and she was about to go into the foster care system if DCFS couldn’t find a next of kin within a few days. And what made it worse, was how Lucy was already dreading putting her down. She didn’t want to put this baby down. She wanted to keep holding this little girl. She wanted to take her home, love her, protect her, and raise her. 

She took a deep breath as the baby’s eyes fluttered shut, and fell back into a peaceful sleep. She thought about offering to take her in, at least until DCFS found next of kin for her, if they were able to at all. She could, she was an emergency foster parent, and had been since she turned 20. She had an apartment in a safe part of the city, and made more than enough money to support the two of them. 

“You’re gonna be okay,” she said to the baby. “You’re gonna come home with me, and I’m going to keep you safe. I promise.” 

#natashasera #chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #tim bradford x lucy chen #chenford fanfic #the rookie fanfiction #tamara colins fanfiction #melissa oneil #eric winter #dylan conrique

[torreshalstead]

empty chairs

Summary - ‘They aren’t coming,’ she mumbled. Tim’s breath hitched in his throat. He didn’t need any more information to know who Lucy was talking about. Her parents.

‘Add them to the list of people I love who won’t be there,’ she muttered more to herself than to Tim. He tugged her even tighter into his chest at her words. He knew they weren’t just talking about her parents now. She was also getting married without her best friend. Without Jackson.

Notes - it’s been so long since I wrote for Chenford and I missed them so please enjoy ❤️ AO3 Link

She didn’t bound up to him at the door like she usually did, excitement pouring out of her body as she threw her arms around him. She wasn’t in the kitchen putting together ingredients he had never heard of for a dinner that would be a sensation for his taste buds. He couldn’t hear her singing from the shower, her beautiful voice echoing through the apartment. But when Tim closed the door behind him, he heard a small sniff and his fists tightened at his side.

That was the sound of his fiancée crying and once he found out who had made her cry, he would be dealing with them. He wasn’t going to cause them any lasting physical damage, he’d lose his badge for that, but he knew he could put the fear of god in people when he needed to. His large stature and forceful scowl could make even the most seasoned cops shake in their boots. None of them knew he had turned into a giant teddy bear since Lucy Chen had carved her name into his heart.

‘Luce, babe, where are you?’ He said loudly, his eyes roaming over the apartment. He had moved in a couple of months before he had dropped down on one knee and asked her to marry him - it had been an easy decision for him and judging by the speed at which she had said yes, for her as well. They planned on moving to a house once they were married, with enough space for Tamara to still call home when she visited from college.

‘Here,’ she said softly, her voice barely audible and if his ears hadn’t spent the last few years being attuned to her he might have missed it. His eyes finally landed on the couch where he could just see the top of her head poking over. Tim dropped his gun and badge on the kitchen counter, he’d put them in the safe in a moment once he’d made sure Lucy was okay, and crossed over to where she was sitting on the floor in four strides, his long legs making short work of the distance.

‘Hey,’ he said, dropping down on the floor next to her and pulling her up onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, dropped a kiss to her head and breathed her in. He hated seeing her like this. Her eyes were red rimmed, her nails bitten down to the quick and she was still in the pyjamas she had been wearing when he had kissed her goodbye this morning.

This was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. They were getting married on Saturday and Lucy had taken the week off to prepare for the big day. She had been excited about getting everything in order but judging from her current predicament, something had changed all of that.

‘Talk to me Lucy,’ he muttered against her hair. ‘What’s wrong?’

When she stayed quiet, he didn’t push her. She’d open up to him when she was ready. He had learnt that pushing her to talk to him just pushed her further away. She had spent a lot of her life just relying on herself and the adjustment to being able to rely on him had been tough for her. So he stayed on the floor, his arms tight around his crying fiancée, his hand smoothing comfortingly down her back, patiently waiting until she wanted to speak.

‘They aren’t coming,’ she stuttered after a short while. Tim’s breath hitched in his throat. He didn’t need any more information to know who Lucy was talking about.

Her parents.

He had known they weren’t completely onboard with her dating someone who had been her supervisor, had accused her of sleeping her way to the top but Tim thought they had gotten past it. When he had popped the question and Lucy had excitedly called her parents, Tim had thought from the sound of the phone call that they were pleased for her, happy she had someone who loved her and cared for her and was settling down like they had always wanted her to.

That clearly wasn’t the case.

They were the last people to RSVP, the wedding was the day after tomorrow and the numbers had already been confirmed with the venue and the caterers. Both he and Lucy had assumed they had simply forgotten to return the card, because of course they would be there to see their only daughter get married. Lucy had said yesterday she was going to call them today to see if they needed any help with the transport to the wedding but from her reaction, that phone call had not gone as planned.

How could two parents, who claimed to love their daughter as the Chen’s did, not want to be there when she married the man she loved. Was it Tim’s fault? Was he the person causing Lucy this pain? That they couldn’t get over the fact she was marrying someone ten years her senior, previously married and who used to be her direct supervisor at work. He knew how it looked to an outsider, he wasn’t blind to the fact. And it was because of all those reasons it had taken him and Lucy as long as it had to admit their feelings to each other. But this was real. His love for her was the realest thing in his life.

‘I’m sorry Luce,’ he said, not knowing what else to say.

‘Add them to the list of people I love who won’t be there,’ she muttered more to herself than to Tim. He tugged her even tighter into his chest at her words. He knew they weren’t just talking about her parents now. She was also getting married without her best friend. Jackson.

They had decided to leave an empty chair for him in the front row, a mark of respect, a show of love, whatever you want to call it. It was Lucy’s way of having him there even when she couldn’t. But Tim knew if he was still here, Jackson would have fought tooth and nail to be there for her at her wedding. Tim was certain he would have given her plenty of shit for marrying her TO, but he would have been there at her side. His absence was not his choice.

Her parents however. That was their choice. And it was their choice that had hurt his girl.

——————————————————————————

Despite the fact they had removed the signs reserving the seats for mother and father of the bride, the two seats next to Jackson’s remained empty. Glaring vacancies in an otherwise sea of smiling faces.

Tim tugged at his sleeves, fiddling with his cufflinks as he stared at them. He should have tasked Angela with getting someone to sit in them so Lucy’s side of the venue wouldn’t look so empty in the front row. His own contained Genny and his nephews who both looked equal parts excited and bored, weddings weren’t the most interesting places for kids but he knew their mother had promised them presents if they stayed quiet.

Angela stood next to him, dressed in a long black dress that matched his suit, the style of the dress was identical to that of Tamara’s - Lucy’s maid of honour. It was Tamara who would be walking Lucy down the aisle today.

Both Nolan and Grey had offered if she wanted them to but Lucy had made the call that Tamara was her family, and she wanted her to do it. Tim knew it wasn’t conventional, knew others in the crowd from his extended family would probably question him on it later. But Lucy’s eyes had shone when she had made the decision and Tamara had been just as excited, so Tim didn’t care what anyone else thought.

His only priority was Lucy.

‘Calm down,’ Angela whispered into his ear. ‘She won’t stand you up.’ She chuckled and Tim shot her an exasperated look.

He wasn’t worried she was going to stand him up. He knew she loved him, knew what they had was special. But he would be lying if he said he wasn’t worried that the sight of three empty seats at the front would upset her. But as the pianist began to play, not only was it too late to worry, but the sight of Lucy walking towards him pushed the worry to a back corner of his brain, long forgotten about.

She looked like an angel.

She floated down the aisle like she had been made just for him. His own personal vision in white. He was certain he was crying and he was certain he couldn’t care less. This wonderful, beautiful, incredible, smart woman had agreed to be his wife. And in just a few short moments she would be.

Time seemed to stop as she glided towards him, arm in arm with Tamara who looked lovely in her own bottle green dress, but it was on Lucy where Tim’s eyes remained fixed.

How could he be so lucky?

Her white dress clung to her body in all the right places, satin with hints of lace across her shoulders. Her long hair was down but pieces were braided into an intricate crown around her head. She looked ethereal and Tim knew for as long as he lived, he would never forget how she looked in that moment. It would forever be imprinted onto his mind.

The ceremony passed by in a blur, all Tim could focus on was Lucy. He was sure the officiant was saying beautiful words and the crowd would be laughing or crying at the appropriate moment, but his gaze was firmly in front of him, everything else had melted into background static.

After they were pronounced man and wife, he barely waited for the cue to kiss his bride before he pulled Lucy close to him and sealed his lips to hers. He tried to pour every ounce of love he had for her into that kiss. He wasn’t sure he had achieved his goal but as he pulled back and looked down at his wife, he knew he had. She was looking at him like there was no one else in the room, her eyes brimming with tears but her smile wide and bright as sunshine. He kissed her again quickly, needing to taste her lips again before the rest of the evening commenced and they were occupied with celebrations.

They linked hands and turned to walk down the aisle but that was when he felt Lucy stall for just a millisecond. He glanced over and saw where her eyes had settled. The empty chairs in the front row. His heart broke for her.

Even though her parents had said they weren’t coming, that they didn’t approve of their union and hadn’t wanted this for their daughter. Tim had secretly hoped they would come to their senses and realise that not showing up for Lucy today would mean burning their bridges with her forever. And from the tightening of his new wife’s hand in his, she had clearly hoped the same.

Tim squeezed her hand three times, a silent I love you, in an attempt to pull her back into the present and it seemed to work. Her smile which had only faltered briefly was back on her lips and she let him lead her back down the aisle to where they knew Angela had organised a private room for them to get away from the craziness of the wedding if they needed it.

They had planned to use the room for a mid-wedding quickie when they were too desperate to get their hands on each other but still had hosting duties to attend to, but Tim knew Lucy needed some space now so he tugged open the door and led them both inside.

‘I thought they’d show,’ she said, her voice muffled by his shirt where he had crushed her against his chest the second the door was closed. ‘I really thought they would.’

‘I’m sorry Luce,’ Tim said, letting his lips fall against her hair as he held her close.

‘They made their decision,’ she said firmly, pulling herself back slightly so she could look up at him. ‘And I made mine.’

She pushed herself up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Tim felt her hands tighten on his biceps and he let himself get lost in the sensation of her body against his. He managed to keep his hands firmly on her waist, not wanting to risk messing up her pristinely done hair and get crap from Tamara who he knew was behind the work of art. But he did back himself up against the door and bring Lucy with him, allowing it to hold up his weight as he held hers.

Lucy ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth, silently asking for permission which he was more than happy to give. If he could take her mind off of the empty chairs, he’d do whatever she wanted. Even if it meant when they walked into their reception a short while later, his shirt wasn’t buttoned correctly and he hadn’t been able to keep his hands out of her hair so both Tamara and Angela shot them knowing looks across the room.

But Lucy was smiling and she was his wife. And that was the only thing that mattered.

#chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #the rookie #lucy x tim #chenford fic #the rookie fic #chenford fanfiction #the rookie fanfiction #chenford fanfic #the rookie fanfic

[chenfordspiral]

ch. 30 - lucky one

Lucy loves wearing Tim's shirts, a double date, a pep talk, and feeling baby move some more.

October 2026

They opt not to have an actual gender reveal. Sharing the news that they’re having a daughter by just casually throwing it into conversation and then see the wheels turning is as much fun as they imagined it would be, and also comes with all the tears they expected. Well, they did expect tears from Tamara, maybe from Genny and the boys, definitely Angela and maybe Nyla, but they did not expect for Grey to burst into tears because he was so happy that they’d get to live and experience the joys of having a daughter. His reaction all but cemented their decision that he’d be their little one’s honorary grandfather (as if that had ever even been a question before).

And of course, now that they know they’re having a girl, they have no reason to hold back on shopping for baby supplies anymore. They already have a few things but they’d held off on buying anything big until Lucy was further along and they knew the baby’s sex. Which is why Lucy is all snuggled up on the couch after shift with her tablet and scrolling through one of the many websites she found to look for baby clothes.

“Find anything good?” Tim inquires when he comes back to join her, snacks she’d requested ten minutes ago in hand.

“Let’s just say I’m having trouble deciding which things not to get. It’s just all so stinking cute. Thanks,” she replies when he hands her the bowl full of strawberries with peanut butter and maple syrup.

“That sounds about right. Any favorites?” When the only answer he receives is silence, he tries again. “Lucy? Did you hear me?”

“Mh-hm.”

“Why’re you looking at me like that?” he asks curiously when he notices the way she’s staring at him.

“Gimmeyoushir’,” she mumbles around a mouthful of strawberry.

“What?”

She swallows. “Gimme your shirt!”

“I don’t- why?”

“Do I have to have a reason other than wanting it? Gimme your shirt!”

He lets out a sigh because he knows he can’t win. He also doesn’t really want to win because she’s pregnant and he wants her to be comfortable. So here he is, taking off his shirt even though he’s gonna be left naked from the waist up once again. “Here,” he says as he holds it out for her to take and then plops down on the couch next to her.

“Thank you,” she grins and promptly slips his shirt on over her own.

And really, seeing her obviously happy is worth every little thing she asks of him. She’s growing their baby, the least he can do is always make sure she’s okay. He thinks that’s the end of it and she’ll go back to scrolling through the internet, but then she’s suddenly crowding into his space and his arms are full of Lucy before he even understands what’s happening. She’s completely curled into him now, or well, at least as much as her ever-growing baby bump allows it, with her head resting right over his heart, one arm between them and the other curled around his waist.

keep reading on AO3.

#chenford #the rookie #lucy chen #tim bradford #chenford fanfic #the rookie fanfic #little bit of love #mine: writing #mine: multi chapter

[makeitastrength]

From the ashes (chapter 2)

Sixty-five days later

Walking into Mid-Wilshire after two months undercover is a strange experience. Everything feels the same and yet different at the same time. Lucy supposes that makes sense; after all, she’s spent the last two months pretending to be someone she’s not, and now that she’s back she’s finding it difficult to remember how to be herself.

She spots him before he sees her, across the bullpen at a desk with his back to her as he pours over a stack of paperwork. One by one, though, her colleagues become aware of her arrival. An initially scattered applause spreads through the bullpen, and she can see the moment it reaches Tim because he lifts his head and looks around, eyes widening in surprise when they find hers.

The corner of his mouth quirks up slightly and she offers her own small smile of acknowledgment. She’s unsure if it’s because she’s not really herself right now or if it’s just the passage of time, but seeing him doesn’t hurt quite as much.

The debrief takes hours, and it’s not until end of shift that Lucy finally makes her way back into the bullpen. Tim is at his desk once more, eyes fixed on the computer screen this time, but he lifts them to her as she approaches.

“Hey,” she offers tentatively.

“Hey,” he greets, giving her a quick onceover out of habit. “You okay?”

“I think so?” she answers, though it’s more question than answer. Tim tilts his head curiously and she adds, “It’s… weird. Being someone else for that long. I feel like I’m still her.”

He nods in understanding. “Makes sense.”

For a moment neither speaks, but then Tim continues before the awkwardness can creep in. “Heard you took down the entire operation,” he says, and despite the vast chasm of fractured emotion that still lies between them, she can see the pride in his eyes.

“We did,” she replies.

Silence falls again, and Lucy wonders if it will never not be awkward between them.

“You look better,” she offers, an attempt to fill the silence. He’s clean-shaven, eyes clearer and much less haunted than when she left, and as much as she’s missed him, she thinks it may have been for the best that they didn’t have any contact for two months. They both needed to begin to heal, and she doesn’t know how effectively that would’ve happened if they’d had to see each other every day at the station.

“I feel better,” he confirms. “I still have a ways to go, though.”

“You’ll get there.”

“I hope so.”

“Chen.”

Lucy turns at the sound of her name, finds Harper and the lead detective from Narcotics motioning her over. She turns back to Tim. “Sorry, I have to…”

“No, it’s fine,” he assures her quickly. “We can talk another time.”

“Right, okay, yeah,” she stammers, fighting the conflicting desires to maintain a healthy distance between them but also to continue their conversation because it’s been more than two months since she’s seen his face and heard his voice.

“Hey, Lucy?” Tim calls softly as she turns to leave.

“Hmm?” she asks, pausing to toss a glance over her shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

Read the rest on AO3

#chenford #fanfiction #chenford fanfic #tim bradford #lucy chen #the rookie #post 6x06 #angst with a happy ending #i promise

[sisterofficerlucychen]

6x04 Missing Moment: Tim's at the station when news comes through about the officer involved shooting and learns that the officer involved is Lucy READ ON AO3

There’s something wrong though it takes Tim an extra second to capture just how wrong as his thoughts shift from Aaron and ensuring that he’s truly ready to be back on patrol to taking in the scene before them as the two men walk back into the bullpen from booking. There’s a stack of paperwork in his hands that becomes an afterthought as he watches how different bodies buzz around, all with an immediate sense of purpose to some developing situation. The question is at the tip of his tongue, ready to pivot and be of service however he’s needed when nearby voices provide an answer before he gets the chance to ask.

“Foot pursuit for the homicide suspect at Brywood is now an officer involved shooting.”

“One deceased, two en route to St. Stephens.”

“Officer involved headed to St. Stephens.” 

“Critical condition.”

“Officer Chen.”

His blood runs cold at the mention of Lucy’s name, Aaron’s eyes immediately going to him in absolute shock and he doesn’t need to look at the younger officer to know that his expression is now composed of worry and fear, it's exactly what he feels inside. Something he feels he can’t afford to show as he remains completely unfazed at what was just said despite the absolute panic he feels on the inside, his mind spinning as his one and only thought is Lucy’s well being. 

“Was she—is she?” Aaron struggles to ask the question Tim’s desperate to know and as thankful as he wants to be that he’s asking, he’s also annoyed at how he can’t bring himself to finish the question.

“No, she wasn’t hurt.” It’s Jan who answers, standing across a desk next to Smitty as his eyes fall onto Tim despite him not being the one to ask the question. His lips fall into a thin line as more than one pair of eyes focus on him waiting for him to respond. He gives a sigh in relief though he doesn’t say anything, its Aaron who ends up breaking the silence mentioning how much a relief it is to hear.

It does nothing to settle the need to run out of the station to be by her side. Something he knows is currently impossible. There’s protocol to follow, steps that need to be taken that are crucial to ensure proper procedure is executed. He understands how vital this all is, knows what’s at stake, that there’s a reason why it’s there. Tim will argue any day why rules are meant to be followed, he’s the first to make sure that they are without question, but for every rule there’s an exception and Lucy is his. He needs to remain objective, to look at this as if it’s any other officer, except Lucy will never be just that. Most days this isn’t as difficult to do, no longer being under her chain of command makes it significantly easier even when they ride together to remind himself to treat her as such. Though right now it’s perhaps what makes things feel that much more complicated because he’s never been in this situation before. Who he wants to be, who Lucy needs, and who he should be don’t quite align. 

“Bradford!” Grey calls at Tim, sticking his head out of his office just long enough to get his attention as he pulls Tim out of his own thoughts before stepping back inside as the door shuts behind him. Tim walks to find the watch commander in the middle of a call as he steps inside the space, the older man signaling to give him a second. He nods at whatever is being said from the other line, nodding again with a quick “got it” before switching the conversation onto the speaker with the quick press of a button as he places the handset back onto the switch hook. 

The room comes alive with different sounds as he makes out the sirens, chatter of the sea of people that have now been assigned to process the crime scene, and the faint sound of a helicopter whirring awayin the distance. “You’re on speaker now, Lopez.”

“She’s fine,” Angela’s voice comes through from the other end and it settles just a sliver of worry as his eyes stay focused on the console. He knows she means physically, that Lucy’s not lying in the back of an ambulance unconscious and bleeding out as paramedics try to save her life. The rest of it remains unknown, Angela can’t confirm the rest but he knows Lucy, he knows that this will affect her in more ways than he can count.

“Is the person she shot the one who—“ 

Sergeant Grey shakes his head to answer at the same time Angela does. “No,” she cuts him off and he’s thankful he didn’t have to say it, “he’s one of the two injured. He’s the one in critical condition, it was a straight shot to the chest.”

“What? How?” 

“They had just caught Conrad Bataglia, the murder suspect behind Cheryl Budney’s murder. They were prepping him for transport, medics were tending to a wound. Lucy came over the radio saying they were taking fire, when Nyla and I got there Conrad was dead and one of the paramedics was injured.” There’s a pause, a brief hesitation coming from Angela that he doesn’t recognize or like. He sucks in a sharp breath, bracing himself for whatever it is she’s about to say. “He was going to get away, airship was still a few minutes out and we couldn’t let him escape. Lucy insisted she could cut him off if we covered her as she ran down an alleyway in between the houses. She made it but her radio took a bullet, we couldn’t reach her without it giving away her position. I don’t know what happened after, we couldn’t see her but she called code-4 immediately after calling for a medic and saying that he was down.” 

Tim’s throat goes dry, he struggles to find the right words to say or ask. He doesn’t like this, any of it. The thought of her running down an alleyway while being shot at, that by some miracle it was her radio that caught the bullet instead of her drains the color from his face. He feels anger rise inside of him, question why they let her carry out such a risky move, but stops himself knowing that he'll get far less from them the moment he starts to lose his composure. 

“They’re questioning Nyla now. I just finished, it’s why I’m able to talk. Lucy’s on her way to the hospital, she’ll be questioned there.”

“Okay. I’ll head over,” he says, the words leaving his mouth out of instinct rather than logic. 

“No …” Grey warns.

“Tim!” Angela protests.

They talk over one another as they stop him at the same time.

“You can’t head over there right now, son,” he reminds him.

“You won’t be able to see her yet, none of us can. We’re bringing you in as her emergency contact ... her significant other not a cop. There’s nothing you can do for her right now.” 

They’re both right and he hates it, he hates even more how deep the worry over her has seeped into his bones that he struggles to shake it over the need to ensure that she's fine. They can say she’s okay but he won’t actually believe it until he sees it for his own, until he can hold her and feel her against him, hear her breathing and be certain that’s she’s very much alive and okay. 

“I know,” he answers after a second, his jaw hardens as every muscle in his body tenses. He’s trying not to hold it against them, they’re just the messengers after all. He knows they’re doing more than they should, that if he was anyone else they’d keep him in the dark and let her inform him instead of calling him in to let him know what happened as it’s still unfolding. He’s grateful for that, that they care enough about both of them to do this. It does nothing to fill the hole in his heart at the thought of what Lucy’s going through right now.

He knows she’s tough, that she’s brave, she’s one of the strongest cops he’s ever trained and worked with. Her abilities as a cop aren’t ones he questions. He knows that she made the right call, that whatever it was that lead to her shooting the suspect was because she had no choice. She wouldn’t have taken a shot otherwise. It’s Lucy as a person that worries him so greatly that it feels like it might just swallow him whole. She’s good. She’s the kindest, most compassionate person he’s ever met. Her light radiates so far and deep that he wonder sometimes how she’s even real, that she'll never let how scary the world can be ever shake her. Lucy whose empathy extends to even the smallest of creatures, who refuses to kill a bug and instead asks Tim to take it outside now faces the reality of having shot someone, of possibly carrying the weight of taking someone’s life if the man she shot doesn't make it.

Tim knows what its like to be the officer who pulled the trigger, he knows that unfortunately he’s one of many who have been in her shoes before. Except there’s a layer of uncertainty in her situation because there’s more than one outcome, they’re all scrambling to follow protocol and procedure but not knowing whether or not he’s going to pull through puts Lucy in a torturous limbo of not knowing what direction the investigation of the shooting will ultimately take. He’s never been a man of faith but he finds himself ready to pray to any and all that will hear his pleas, that will keep this man alive for Lucy’s sake because she doesn’t deserve to blame herself for doing what any cop in her situation would have done. 

“As soon as we have any update we can actually share, we’ll let you know,” Grey assures him, “I’m headed over now, Wesley’s already on his way. Angela and Nyla will secure the scene and preserve the evidence. You should stay here, work on paperwork, continue to make sure Aaron’s actually ready to be out on patrol again. I’ll give you a call once you’re able to see her.” He hates the suggestion, wants to protest that he’s better off waiting for her in the hospital lobby or anywhere that doesn’t involve a commute to travel to her.

From the look of disapproval by Grey, Tim knows better than to even try. “You need to stay here,” he clarifies though the look he tossed his way was more than sufficient. 

“We got her,” Angela adds softly, a gentle reminder that Lucy has more than one person looking out for her. 

Tim responds with a short nod that he understands. They have her, he doesn’t. They all have a reason to be involved in this investigation, a role to play that allows them to know details that aren’t privy to him yet. He’s no longer within her change of command, he wasn’t on scene with her when it happened, it’s not a situation that requires Metro. He’ll have a purpose later one once she’s been questioned and examined, once she’s ready to be discharged and he can finally be at her side except he knows that Lucy needs him now not later. 

“One more thing,” Angela pauses briefly, “she needs her bag.” 

There’s a bitter taste in his mouth as the meaning behind this hangs in the air. She needs something to wear once she’s discharged because she can’t leave in her uniform. He doesn’t need full details to know that it's becaues her uniform is now evidence of some sort and against his better judgement a quick image flashes in his mind of the thick wool tattered and dirty, covered in blood as he wonders how much of it is hers? 

“I’ll go grab it now,” he answers knowing that he’s not about to waste even a second to moment he's told he can head over to her. He’ll bide his time, run the trace for the murder for hire, do the paperwork for the Stacey Walker case, and finish working with Aaron to make sure without a doubt that the P2 is ready. He knows he has to compartmentalize, to stop himself from drifting into his own thoughts as he wonder what point of the process Lucy is at, to not painfully count down every second until he can be with her. He needs to focus and do his job, knowing he’ll be doing a disservice to everyone especially Lucy by doing anything else. 

“Keep me updated,” he pleads, his voice softer this time. It’s the only moment of vulnerability he’ll allow himself, a fleeting second that reflects how scared and worried he feels as Grey’s staring at him.

“I will,” Angela confirms. 

“She’ll let you know what she can when she can,” Grey adds, no doubt because he knows them both, how he doesn’t have to worry about their ability to follow the rules unless there’s something at stake where his former officers might go rogue, “we both will.” 

“Thank you,” he nods before excusing himself to leave Grey and Angela to talk as he leaves the watch commander’s office and heads toward the locker rooms in search of her go-bag. 

#the rookie #chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #tim x lucy #the rookie fanfic #chenford fanfic #fanfic #the rookie spoilers

[annalu86]

A second go at a first date.

Tim is not against public displays of affection. Within reason.

He actively likes holding hands with women he is in a relationship with.

He’s been known to put his hand on a lower back, or an arm round a shoulder

And maybe even a quick hug.

He likes to think it was because he was a gentleman, he would tell his partners their relationship was no one else’s business but he was beginning to believe that maybe he’d never been in a relationship where he just couldn’t keep his hands off the other person before…

He has the feeling Lucy is really going to answer this question for him.

Of course in this moment he’s not thinking any of this, he’s not thinking at all. Sitting as close to Lucy as possible in these uncomfortable metal chairs, food forgotten in front of them.

One hand on her knee, the other in her hair. The kiss had built and built, the idea that the other food truck patrons or passers by might see them had not crossed his mind.

The minute she had told him, in that fancy restaurant during their disastrous first ‘first date’, that she wanted them to have their first “real” kiss he had thought about how much he wanted to finally be the one to take control.

The first peck, back in her apartment all those months ago, an embarrassment he needed to make up for. Lucy had followed that very first kiss up with 2 of the most heart racing, knee buckling kisses Tim had ever experienced. He had something to prove.

Not that he was competitive or anything but, he had to at least level the playing field.

It was Lucy who pulled back first, out of breath, flushed cheeks and red lips. She placed her hands on his chest as he reflexively leaned forward to chase another kiss.

“Let me breathe” she giggled slightly and he worked to contain the slightly smug grin that threatened to take over his face

“Sure thing” he leaned back in his chair not taking his eyes off her. He picked at his food as she took a deep drink from her can.

For several minutes they both sat in silence, gazes soft, gentle smiles.

Lucy starts to lean forward in her seat and Tim forces himself to remain still, to focus on the way her hair falls forward over her shoulders. How her smile quirks up on one side as she watches his reaction intently. Her hand reaches up and round to the back of his neck and his eyes close, briefly, at the light touch she leaves on his skin.

Goose bumps erupt on his skin as she trails her finger tips down his neck and along his collar bone. She pauses, momentarily.

“Lucy” it comes out as a whisper when her finger tighten around the collar of his shirt and she draws him firmly to her.

Tim is the first to pull away this time, he feels like he’s losing a battle of wills. Against his own hands. Touching Lucy is a heady mixture of electrifying and familiar. New, but also as it had always been. He knows how her soft face will fit in his hand because he knows every inch of her face as well as he knows his own.

But her words ring in his ears. They shouldn’t rush just because they know each other so well.

So with super human strength he sits back and tries to string together a sentence.

“Angela is going to be insufferable” he rolled his eyes but his smile remained.

“You’re going to tell her?” Lucy didn’t sound nervous but he wanted to reassure her that he wasn’t going to be telling anyone until she was ready.

“Honestly I don’t think I’m going to have to. Detective Lopez will work it out in minutes” then in a moment of bravery “she’s been on at me about us” he says gesturing between them “for some time”

Lucy’s mouth hangs open

“Us?” She stutters “for sometime?!” Her mouth opens and closes like a fish and Tim can’t help but grin “Tim!” She swats at his shoulder. “Explain!”

“She may have worked out that I had feelings for you, maybe even before I was sure” Tim could feel the heat in his cheeks and new a blush was creeping over his face. “She asked some questions, made me ask a few more of myself”

“When?” Was all she asked her eyes locked on his.

“After we kissed, the first time in your apartment” Lucy’s eyes shot wide open “I… I was… confused” he stuttered “I wasn’t expecting to feel what I felt. Does that make sense?”

“Absolutely” she nodded “I feel like things had been a little…” she paused “fuzzy? Before. But after?” She swallowed hard “I thought about that kiss more than I probably should have.” Her gaze dropped to her lap “dreamt about it more than I should have”

Tim felt his heart hammer in his chest at her confession. No words formed, he just stared at her as she fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt.

Slowly, he reached his hand out. Sliding his fingers along her jaw until her face was resting in his large hand, he lifted her face towards his and placed a single gentle kiss to her lips. As quick as the first, in her apartment but with all the feelings, all the meaning neither of them had been free to express at the time.

“Ok.” Tim said sitting back again “so how many grandchildren are you thinking exactly”

Lucy’s hearty laugh echoed out into the night “Tim!” He was beginning to think her love language was whacking him on the shoulder

“Well I’m just saying, we might not want to take it too slow or…” and just like that they were back to their gentle teasing.

They finally finished their food and arranged that their next date would see Tim cooking for her at his place and after 3 failed attempts at saying goodnight at their cars, that just saw them out of breath and Lucy with wild hair, Tim was finally in his truck on his way home.

He would see her again in the morning and he new just the thought would send him off to a blissful sleep and just maybe he’d have a few dreams of his own.

#chenford #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #tim bradford #the rookie #a second go at a first date

[sylvies-chen]

sweet nothing sleeping

summary: lucy has never been so happy to have fallen in love as she is when she’s falling asleep

pairing: tim bradford/lucy chen

word count: short??? i wrote this on notes app don’t ask me to count

warnings: none

a/n: this was written at *many* a 2am but it was my coping mechanism for the chenford breakup so there will be nothing but fluff and happiness here!! but also sorry in advance for any typos. written for my @morganupstead who gave me this idea ages ago and I just took forever to write it LOL

••• ••• ••• •••

cause they said the end is coming

everyone’s up to something

I find myself running home to your

sweet nothings

She’s had a long day.

The list of grievances wracked up in a single shift has been nothing short of astounding. For example: a man no less than an hour into her first stretch of patrol who puked on her. A bar fight gone horribly wrong, and he was drunk out of his mind so when she showed up at the tail end of a swift punch to the drunkard’s gut then… well, you can figure out the rest. Then another man threatened to sue her and the entire LAPD Mid Wilshire division because he refused to be told by a woman to stop ejaculating in public. Nothing but insufferable misdemeanours one after the other, without end. The robbery homicide tailing the end of her shift was the worst. Lucy doesn’t know what’s more horrible: how violent the young married couple’s death was, or how her first thought was that she wished she could have been the detective on a flashy case like this. Knowing she was even capable of putting her career before her compassion and duty left her gutted.

It leaves her now with a bitter aftertaste of guilt and shame. That coupled with the exhaustion and ridicule of her other calls makes for a particularly dreadful combination. Normally she can see Tim in passing and vent to him about things, but he’d been stuck in some new Metro training program all day. Updated protocol or tactical practice, or whatever they wanted to call it. Based on the state she sees Tim in at the end of one of those days, she’d call it something more akin to torture. It also means she had no support system throughout the day whatsoever apart from Nolan’s typical words of encouragement, which were swell but never substantive.

Since Tamara’s moved out, things have been lonely too. She misses her old roommate. If nothing else, at the end of the day Lucy still had a young and vulnerable kid she had to feed and house and clothe. Cooking for them always felt like a backup ritual, a healing sort of constancy, and that’s gone too.

So she heads to Tim’s. Her foot feels like lead on the gas, pushing down hard and inching dangerously closer to speeding the closer she gets to his place. It’s like her heart can feel the distance closing and misses him even more, the weight of her bad day crushing her heart and leaving spider fractures. A magnetic pull is always at its strongest the minute before contact, after all.

For the most part, Lucy’s been able to hold it together. She’s kept things professional, never complained, held her head high. And even as she trembles with anticipation as she knocks on the door, there’s a part of her refusing to let go of that facade.

She knocks at the door, but there’s no answer. Three louder knocks after a minute of waiting, and still nothing. Only after a third round of knocking does she think to use the spare key he’d given her last month.

“Hi,” Lucy calls out as she enters his place. No immediate response, but that’s no matter. She puts the keys down in his key bowl and hangs up her jacket.

The sound of nails skidding against the floor alert her only seconds in advance to Kojo’s presence. He runs up to her full speed but comes to a screeching halt when he reaches her. With his tail still waving fervently, he tries to sit down. (Tim’s trained him to understand that petting and general affection from guests is contingent upon his very handsome sitting.)

“Kojo! Hey there buddy,” she greets him with a soft laugh, like an old friend. Lucy knows by now, even having owned him once, to scratch him behind his ears. The gesture earns her a right good lick from chin to cheek on the left side of her face.

“Yeah, you’re a good boy, aren’t you? You’re a good boy,” she tells him as she keeps petting him. “Now where’s our Tim?”

She looks around half expecting Tim to appear in the hallway, but no sign of him is to be seen anywhere, save for the sound of his television from the next room. Football. Figures.

“Alright, Sir Kojo, King of the Canines,” she declares, patting him on the head and gently urging him forward by the collar, “let’s see what your dad’s watching.”

The two of them make their way to the family room to see what he’s up to. For a football game, Lucy’s already surprised that he isn’t shouting at the TV and jumping up and down like he normally does.

When she enters the room though, she doesn’t see him watching sports. Instead, she sees a passed-out Tim on the couch, snoring in his Rams jersey, remote loosely balanced in his hand. She tilts her head, curiously soaking in the scene.

She should have expected this. He’s been working as hard as she has lately. Though she isn’t entirely sure as to why, he’s been taking on extra shifts and doing double overtime these past two weeks. God knows he didn’t have the steam for a full game of football. Tack on her unexpected company, and she’s sure she’ll tire him out even more.

But the look of him. The television emits a soft glow that flashes hues of green and blue across his stubbled cheekbones. His head hangs back completely crooked on the headrest, and with the positioning of his arms, Tim’s posed like a dramatic renaissance painting. She can’t help but let out a soft giggle under her breath, and then silences into the brightest of smiles she can give after a day like hers, because nothing about this is funny anymore.

Even drooling, his mere presence soothes her. Lying there, entirely disarmed and peaceful. The world and all its troubles just melt away, dissolve in her mind until only a faint trace of what remains lingers like dust. It’s a beautiful haze Lucy can get stuck in, just standing there and watching him. The tight corners of his mouth, his eyes shut gently, the curve of his neck, the way his hair’s a little shorter right now.

Oh hell. Who is she to disrupt him anyways.

She tiptoes over to the couch and carefully extracts the remote from his hand. Turning the television off to avoid more light and sound will definitely help him sleep. Whether Tim’s asleep or awake, it doesn’t matter. Lucy always sleeps better when she’s next to him.

What doesn’t help Tim sleep, apparently, is Kojo. Having followed Lucy into the room, though she will defend him ferociously and say his heart is in the right place, Kojo makes a beeline for the couch and starts pulling at Tim’s jeans with his sharp canine teeth.

“No! No, Kojo! Bad Kojo, stay back,” she pleads in a whisper pushed out through gritted teeth.

Kojo seems to only get more excited— a sort of escalation which Lucy saw all too frequently in her calls from today. Tim jolts awake almost immediately.

“What the-“ he sits up and pulls his jeans away from Kojo, but then looks up at Lucy, still hovering over him guilty as ever. “Lucy?”

“Sorry.” She winces, finally shooing Kojo away enough to give them more space. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I was trying to put a blanket over you but Kojo got excited.”

“It’s okay,” he assures her, though he’s still rubbing at his eyes. Lucy’s almost certain he’s still half asleep and hasn’t registered the whole situation before him. “I gave you a key for a reason. What are you doing here?”

“I…” She tries to explain it rationally to him, to go through each bad happening chronologically, to compartmentalize. But then, his voice. His sweet, low, milky, humming voice like the pulse of a heart being soothed into a slower rhythm. It’s so steady, so calm. Something about hearing it unlocks a valve within her. She cracks, as she knew she would when she decided to come, and before she knows it she’s crying.

“Hey, hey,” Tim hushes gently, immediately sitting up. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Oh nothing,” she sobs. “I just had a crappy day. I got puked on and yelled at and all this nonsense which I can normally handle but I don’t even know why I’m… why I’m…”

“Don’t question it too much,” he tells her. “Just let it out.”

“Okay.”

And so she does. For a little bit, she just cries. Surprisingly, it’s not sad. The world isn’t ending, nothing is going to go wrong. There is no other shoe about to drop, no real heartbreak, no evil around. These tears are but a release, and there’s a safety to them.

Once she’s done, she wipes at her tears with her sleeves and sniffles.

“Better?”

“Better,” she says, and can really mean it, genuine smile and all. “Thanks.”

“You never have to thank me.”

She nods, but switches the subject. “You never told me how you’re Metro seminar went today.”

“Eh, it was alright,” he says. “Apart from being exhausted and sore all over, of course. We’ve got some new recruits who are… eager.”

She looks at him with loving suspicion. “You went full Tim 1.0 on them, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” he admits with a big huff of relief. “I ran through the drills and protocol updates 36 times because they couldn’t get it right. I didn’t have the heart to just demote them from my team.”

“Tim Bradford not having the heart for a tough love moment? Who are you?” She teases. “Where was this energy 6 years ago?”

“Waiting for you to come along and change it, I guess,” he sighs wistfully. “Always just waiting for you.”

“You’ve gone soft, Sergeant Bradford.” She shakes her head. “People will talk.”

“Let them.”

He pulls her in for a kiss, and it only deepens for a moment, then plateauing into a pleasant and chaste hum before release. His arms pull her into his side and her head finds that perfect spot on his chest to nestle into.

The sigh she lets out is almost a song. “This feels good, being here with you. Feeling at peace.”

“Just wait for it.”

“Huh?”

Lucy doesn’t know how Tim saw this coming, but before even asking she’s given an answer. Kojo jumps up onto the couch and steps on Lucy’s lap to lick her and Tim all over their tired, sweaty faces.

“Argh! Kojo, off!” She squeals, though not so gravely that she can’t laugh in the process. Eventually, with enough shooing, Kojo calms down. He doesn’t leave the couch, but lies down next to them, choosing to rest his head on her lap and make happy little sighs.

“Told you.”

“How did you know he would do that?”

Tim shrugs. “He’s happier when you’re around. Like me.”

Lucy smiles, even when pushing Kojo off of them. “I love you.”

Tim doesn’t respond. Too much time passes. A beat, and then another. She gets worried.

“Tim?”

“Oh so you weren’t talking to the dog then?”

She giggles and smacks him playfully across the chest with the back of her hand. “No! Well I do love him, but he drools. And you’re—“

“Human?”

“The love of my life.”

She watches the ripple of those words dance across his face. Tim smiles, his cheeks turning all shades of pink and red. Though he doesn’t seem scared off by her comment, the surprise of it still shows in his raised eyebrows and subsequent lines in his forehead. The way his head tilts, like he can’t quite believe it. But, above all else, the love in his eyes. And that way he’s looking at her now… sometimes she thinks that’s what life’s all about.

“I know I don’t have to be yours,” she continues. “You know, having been married before and all, but—“

“Don’t think for a second you aren’t,” he lets out, almost like the words couldn’t contain themselves. “You are.”

“Good.” Her turn now: the ridiculous blushing, the smile, the love in her eyes. So much joy.

So much fatigue too though. Being around him, getting to decompress like this, it’s making her crash fast. She yawns, and Tim yawns in subconscious response, and out of his own fatigue.

“I should get going,” Lucy tells him, though her face is still nestled into his sweater and has no intention of leaving. “I really only came over to feel some comfort and decompress but I didn’t bring a change of clothes or anything.”

“Mmm,” he groans in disapproval of the idea. “Stay for a bit.”

“No. No, I’ve… gotta…” She sucks in a deep breath, Tim’s woody scent catching onto her nose. Her eyes flutter and her muscles start to release their tension as the hand which isn’t sprawled across Tim’s chest starts to massage the spot behind Kojo’s ear.

“Oh, maybe just a few minutes…” she tells him hesitantly. “But keep me talking, I don’t want to fall asleep.”

“Ok. What about the rest of your day? You never finished telling me all the things that had you so upset.”

“Well it started when the air conditioning in the shop nearly exploded on me, and then I immediately took my first call at this dive bar before I could get it fixed. But oh, you won’t believe what this one guy did…”

Lucy goes on and on, her eyes growing heavy and her voice growing layers of drowsy rasp, fighting sleep to tell all her stories of woe. The drunkards, the sexist pigs, the violence. Part of her registers Tim’s lack of response or reaction as she tells her stories. Time passes. She talks, and he listens.

“I think it’s better not to dwell on it though,” she concludes eventually. “I’ve felt all I can feel about it for one day. And anyways I… I can barely remember my own anguish now. It feels so far aw—“

She looks up to see him passed out, his breathing a low rumble that threatens snoring. The soft fur under her other hand feels alarmingly still as well, until she looks to the other side and sees Kojo sleeping on her lap.

So much for leaving. She supposes that’s exactly how she wants things anyway. The heartbeats of these two precious boys at the tips of her fingers, nestled right next to hers. Giving her strength, steadying her scattered mind. Under these dim lights and warm blankets and beloved company, she wouldn’t dare move a muscle.

“Oh hell, who was I kidding,” she whispers to him. “I was always going to end up here anyways. With you.”

She rests her head on his chest once more. The last thing she remembers is the rise and fall of Tim’s chest against her hand and the feel of Kojo’s soft fur against her other.

This isn’t a big moment. No fireworks, no heartfelt confessions, no twirls or kisses in the rain. But even as the day ends and the lights go out, she feels love where it dwells best: in a quiet room. And it remains that Lucy has never been so happy to have fallen in love as she is when she’s falling asleep.

#the rookie #chenford #abby writes #lucy chen #tim bradford #kojo #lucy x tim #tim x lucy #chenford fanfic

[queseraone]

let it all go

His hand finds Lucy’s shoulder and he squeezes it gently. It’s meant to reassure her, but Tim can’t help but feel like he’s reassuring himself too. He can feel the warmth of her skin through the thin material of the hospital gown, can see the way her chest rises and falls as she breathes in and out.

She’s here and she’s okay—at least physically.

(6x04 missing moment/post-ep)

Read on AO3.

#chenford #chenford fanfic #chenford fanfiction #the rookie #the rookie fanfic #6x04 #mine #mine: writing #tim bradford #lucy chen