Saving Lucy

Sergant Bradford?

Today is the day Tim finds out where he ranks on the sergeants exam.... Lucy is happy for him. Boot not so much. He's the best TO a rookie could ask for, the thought of someone else finishing my training makes me nauseous. I would never tell Tim this.
Today we are also following up on a 3 day old gang invasion case that is about to be out in the back burner. We are looking for leads to be able to continue looking for the answer.
We went and talked to Nevin but he insisted that he didn't need help. So we went about our day told him where to find us if he needed help.
Now we are going back to the station to see if there's any other cases fo follow up on.
I keep dreading the results of the score... I really don't want to be trained by anyone else, I have the best and who knows who I'll get stuck with if he promotes before I'm done training. I shuddered at the thought of Smitty finishing my training, "so how does it work?" I ask Tim.
"The sergeants exam?" He asks.
"Do you get the stripe right away?" With all thats happened the last few months we never really discussed what this would mean... or how it works.
"No. Passing the test is the first step. You only get promoted when a spot opens up. You're at the top of the list, might take a month or two. The lower you are, the longer it's gonna take. And for some, they'll never get a shot. Be taking the test again in two years."
Sergeant Grey came up to us, "your home invasion victim was just assaulted. He's on his way to the ER right now."
"Nevin? We just saw him." I shuddered at the thought of what might have happened. From what I've seen and learned Gangs are not very taken to the thought of people going to the straight and narrow.
We took off to the hospital.
"So, how do you think you did?" I ask getting in the shop.
"I'm not sure. With.. um.. everything I kind of slacked on studying."
"Hey I'm sure you did great. Your the best out there." I smile and we arrive to the hospital.
Nevin was pretty roughed up but not willing to talk. But we got information out of Sasha his girlfriend. The gang wants him to launder money through the bakery and gave him 24 hours to decide.
Tim wanted Sergeant Grey's input on what to do so we headed back to the station and to meet with Grey. After filling him in Grey gave us some advice.
"The smart thing would be to get Nevin to launder the money. Use him as a CI to roll up Marquel and his whole crew."
"Um, Nevin's trying to go straight. We'd be destroying that." I tell them. I don't like this, if he wants to go to the straight and narrow this could destroy that.
"Yes, in order to put some pretty bad people behind bars. Look, it's a tough call, but... you're gonna have to get used to making those as a sergeant."
Tims eyes kind of perked up and he looked at Grey, "the scores are in?"
"The list just arrived. You're number 8 out of 140."
"Yes! I knew it. Congratulations... Sergeant Bradford." I gave him the best Lucy happy I could. But the look on Tim's face meant he didn't fall for the fake enthusiasm. Dammit.
"Not a sergeant yet. At eight on the list, it'll probably take six months or so." He said.
"Actually, there's a position opening in North Hollywood. The captain there owes me a big favor. If you want, I can make it happen. You'd start in two weeks."
I give him a shocked look, "T-Two weeks?" I still have over a quarter of training to go. No no no no, not Schmitty!
"Uh -- Uh, can I think about this overnight? We need to talk about this." He looks at me and I smile because he wants to make sure we talk about it.
"Yeah, of course. But there's no guarantee you'll get a better opportunity, if you pass this up" Grey says looking a little concerned but I ignore it.
Once we get back in the shop Tim looks at me, "we're going to find Marquel, have a little chat."
"Okay, hey look I know you caught that look, let me explain."
"Not right now Boot." He says stern leaving no room for question. If we were Tim and Lucy I would not have stand down but right now I'm Boot he made that very clear.
After we confronted Marques he made it very clear he was not okay with hurting his rep by letting Nevin slide.
"What do we do now?" I ask sliding in my seat in the shop.
"I don't know. We made our play, and we failed." He says looking defeated.
"Wow. I never thought I'd see you give up that easily."
"You got a path to victory, Boot, I'm all ears." He says with a little bit of anger in his voice that I've never heard before with me at least.
"No, I don't, but you're the king of subversive tests and tricks. There's got to be some way to win by coming at this sideways." I tell him.
"I got a plan." Tim says and heads in the direction of the station we get inside to everyone at there desks.
"Listen up everyone!" Tim yells and everyone looks at him.
"Ex-gang member Nevin Cooper who is trying to leave a gang, is being threatened into laundering money through a bakery he works for, Donuts and more. All I need from you guys is to make that place your go to donut shop. The gang would never want to launder money through a place with that much police traffic."
Everyone said some kind of okay sounds good.
"Wow... that was genius Tim." I say.
"Thanks." He walks away from me.

Later that night I lay on the couch with Lila playing with her hair and Tim comes home.
"Hey, brought dinner." He tosses a bag down on the coffee table. "There's a game on I'll be in the basement."
"Tim we need to talk."
"What Lucy."
"I know you saw my look about you getting promoted. Let me atleast explain myself.."
"Lucy is over the moon excited for you." I tell him.
"Well you didn't look it." He snaps back.
"Boot isn't, and not for the reasons you think... I want you to move up and do great things like you did today. But I still have training left to do and you are the best trainer there is. Could you imagine if I got stuck with Smitty for these last few months?" I ask and he laughs a little.
"No I couldn't... that sounds awful."
"I'm sorry I got mad... I've been thinking about it all day anyway... Tim Bradford finishes what he starts and I'm not done training you." He pulls me in for a hug and kisses my forehead.
"Gwoup hug!!" Lila comes in and latches on to our legs.
"Get up here." Tim reaches down and picks Lila up and I wrap my around her as well.
"I love you guys." I say.
3 days later
"Ugh, I am so glad to finally be off." I roll over and face Tim in bed.
"Oh yeah?" He starts to nibble on my jaw and place soft kisses.
"Yeah." I raise my eyebrows at him and lean in to kiss him. The kiss deepens and Tim starts to run his hands up and down my body.
A half hour later
"Now that is a way too start off a day off." I say climbing out of bed.
"Maybe instead of my morning gym work out you can work me out." He winks and we both laugh.
I get in the shower and stare at my ribs. That's it.
"Tim!" I yell. He's in the bathroom in seconds.
"What's wrong?"
"I decided... your right. This tattoo isn't a reminder that I failed. It's a reminder that I survived... it's a start of a new Lucy Chen." I say. "Im going to keep it... for now anyway." I say smiling and nod a little.
"That's good babe. Im glad your seeing it my way." He smiles at me. "Now hurry up we got plans today." He kisses my wet forehead.
A few hours later we are in Tim's truck Lila buckled in the back. "So what's this surprise?" I ask him.
"What's the definition of a surprise?" He asks.
"Stop Tim testing me." I laugh.
We pull up to the Santa Monica pier.
"The pier?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Mommy!! Look cotton candy!" She pulls both our hands and Tim laughs a little.
"1 please." I say and Tim pays the man and he hands it to Lila.
"Mmmmm sooo good." She smiles.
We walk down and play various games on the pier. I beat Tim in basketball shots. He was not very happy about that. Lila and I fed the pigeons on the pier. We ate lunch and listened to the band. We spent our whole day here. It was the best day of my life. Rode the Ferris wheel. Lila hasn't looked so happy in a long time. It felt so good to see the smile on her face. And Tim oh god ... watching him help her squirt a clowns mouth with water was the cutest thing I have ever seen.
At the end of day we walked down to the end of the pier to watch the sunset over the water.
Tim dropped to one knee. Oh my god!
"Lila, sweetie, can I ask you something."
"Mmmm yes." She nods and smiles.
"I love your mommy very much and it would make me very happy if I could marry your mommy. Can I ask her?" He's holding her hands.
"Yes you can." She hugs him with her little arms. God she's growing up too fast.
"Lucy, I went almost 24 hours thinking you were going to be taken from me forever. That day is the day I realized I didn't want to live my without you ever again... our relationship is something special you came in and you softened my rough edges, made me a better man. You and your daughter have relit a spark inside of me I thought was gone forever. And I want to have that for the rest of my life. Lucy Chen will you marry me?" He asks opening a little box .
"Yes! Yes." He takes the ring out and puts it on my finger when he stands back up I fling myself into his arms and hug him like I'll never hug him again. Then I pick Lila up and have her join in on the love.
"I love you guys so much." He says. I giggle and we turn to face out over the ocean and watch the sun set. We stood there wrapped up in each other till there was no sunlight left. Making small talk with Lila, laughing and just enjoying each other.

Okay guys I'm going to be doing some time hopping to get things where I want to be. But there will be some fillers to help me out!! Bare with me. Lots of Tim, Lila and Lucy moments will be happening in them 🎉😍 maybe 2 fillers!!