The Other Woman - Chenford

Apartment

Ashley was picking out a dress for dinner with Tim when she got a text. She picked up her phone off of the bedside table and rolled her eyes.

Tim: Hey, sorry Ash. I have to go over to Lucy's to discuss an undercover op that's happening early tomorrow morning. I can't make it tonight.

Ashley: Thanks for telling me before I got ready. Tomorrow night work for you? I'm not working.

Tim: It might not, I'll talk to you tomorrow.

She sighed and fell back onto her bed as she stared at the text chain. He's skipping my date to go hang out with Lucy? After the fiasco from a few nights ago, Ashley had forgiven Tim and decided to go out on another date to make up for mother's day. Apparently, his partner had ruined their date successfully, two dates in a row! Ashley didn't have a good reason to hate Lucy but she couldn't help but feel... something negative toward her. Tim wasn't a person that was easy to communicate with, but Lucy had picked up on all of his mannerisms and emotions within her rookie days, and they could talk without a single word escaping their mouths. Ashley always guessed around Tim, she could never understand how he felt. Tim confused her. On top of all of that, Ashley doesn't know anything about his past other than the things she learned from her father and (of course) his aide.

ping

She looked at her phone again, and it was a text from the only problem she had.

Lucy Chen: Hey Tim told me you guys were going on a date, if you want I can convince him to get out of here quickly so you guys can still go!

How... sweet.

Ashley: No it's ok! Tim seemed insistent on staying with you to finish your work. Tell me how it goes tomorrow because I'm sure Tim won't tell me.

That was a lie. A passive, white lie. Tim would tell her all about it, but Lucy didn't have to know Tim talked about her after work. She doesn't need to know he spends their waking moments talking about his aide, and how much she wanted to just get Lucy to leave her boyfriend alone.

Lucy Chen: I am sooooo sorry about this Ashley. I'm gonna have to take you on a girl's night out with Angela after this to make up for it!

Ashley: sounds like a plan! I think that'll be a great time.

Again, another harmless little lie. A night out with Angela sounded wonderful but with Lucy? She might have to think about that. What was Lucy like without Tim next to her? What did she really think about Tim? Those are even more questions I don't wanna know the answer to, she thought.

Lucy Chen: I can text Angela and ask her if Wesley can take care of Baby Jack while we leave our boyfriends at home 😁

Ashley: Sounds perfect.

Lucy stopped responding. I guess that means Tim made it to her apartment just fine, she thought. She sat in bed for what felt like hours as she stared at the ceiling asking all of the same questions she's been asking since that date at Osia. She finally brought her attention to something else as she picked up her phone and sent a text.

Ashley: Hey Tim tell me when you get home! 💕

***

He shut the door to Lucy's apartment and stood as his brain shut down. What in the hell was that? Why did she do that? How... I don't think I'm allowed to feel that- ping.

Ashley: Hey Tim tell me when you get home! 💕

Shit.

***

Ashley walked into the Mid-Wiltshire station and stood in the lobby for a second, staring at the plant Lucy stood next to as she watched Tim propose with a traumatized look on her face. She shook the thoughts out of her head as she walked in, waving to the officers at the front desk, (she believed the young one's name was Thorsen, Tim didn't like to talk about him since he was tried for murder before becoming a cop,) then got to the bullpen. And oh how she wished she didn't see this.

Tim was standing at the podium in the glass room, talking to the officers below, while everyone paid attention to the TV screen projecting some criminal's face. Except for one officer. Lucy stared down at her coffee, cheeks red and breath shallow as Tim spoke. Something was on her mind, and it obviously had to do with Tim, so what in the hell happened at her apartment last night that caused him to leave Ashley on read?

Tim glanced over and saw her, mouth stopping for a minute then he continued on, glancing out at Ashley in the bullpen. Then, she noticed Angela walking over to her quickly.

"Ashley! It's nice to see you, why are you here so early?" Angela smiled as she questioned the girl.

"Oh! Angela, it's nice to see you. I was coming to talk to Tim since he didn't text me last night after he got to Lucy's apartment. I just wanted to make sure he's... okay." She realized how it sounded as she looked at Angela, an embarrassing blush creeping onto her face as Angela just looked at her wide-eyed.

"Oh, Tim's fine. He texted me last night and told me he and Lucy went over some things for their backstory." Angela put her hands in her pockets as she rocked back on her heels.

"Backstory?... wait, can you tell me what this op is about? I promise I won't tell anyone Angela I just, want to know what this is about and why Tim is being weird about it." Angela nodded at the girl's concern and pulled her into an interrogation room.

"Look, this is secret information. This cannot get out to anyone under any circumstances, you got it? I'm telling you because you're Tim's girlfriend and I know how he and Lucy can seem... closer than usual best friends." Angela sat her down in the cold, metal chair as she paced the room, obviously scared to share this information.

"They're going undercover as their doppelgängers. We don't know if it'll end up being long or short but... they're going undercover as a couple. Like, a touchy couple," Angela rubbed her forehead then turned to look at Ashley, "Look I'm being completely honest. They have criminal doppelgängers who're dating."

"It's not surprising seeing as Tim and Lucy are practically married. I know how they are, Angela. I... Do you think Tim loves me?" Ashley got quieter as she asked her question, but Angela seemed more surprised than Tim was when she asked if Lucy was in love with him.

"I don't think I'm qualified to tell you how Tim feels about the women in his life. He's a confusing guy. I don't think you're asking the right person." Angela sighed as she sat down across from her.

"I think you need to go home and think about it, think about them. What does Tim mean to you, Ashley? Because if you want him to be happy, I think you know what needs to be done. Deep down in your heart, you know what Tim really wants. I'm not telling you this because I want you two to break up. After all, frankly, I like you Ashley, but I think you have a lot of things to ask yourself about Tim." Angela gave her a soft look, something twinged with pity, and then patted her forearm.

"Talk to him when he gets home tonight, possibly tomorrow. If this mission takes longer than that I will come and talk to you." Angela got up, opened the door, and motioned for Ashley to leave. And God did she want to. But she needed to see one more person.

"Thank you, for everything." She whispered as she gave Angela a small hug and then walked into the bullpen.