Falling For Lucy

Epi 10 - Flesh and Blood

I stayed with Isabel through the night in the ICU post-surgery. She slept for the most part but when she was conscious we talked about getting her into rehab and that it was time for a divorce. She cried when she asked me for it, and even though I knew it was the right move for us, it still hurt when she asked. There will always be a part of me that loves Isabel, but I know that she needs to move on with her life. She's been given a second chance and I need to let her go. 

At about 8 AM the next morning, I walked with the nurses when they transferred her into the room she would occupy for the rest of her stay. Once she was settled into the new room I gave her a kiss on her forehead and told her I would come by later.

"Don't, Tim," she said, and I stared blankly at her. 

"What?" I asked. 

"Don't come back. I'll call when I'm ready," she said. 

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be alone." I gaped at her. Didn't she want to stay with her.

"This is something I have to do by myself. You've become a crutch for me, always there trying to save me. I don't want you to come back here. You have a life to live too." She said sternly, and while it wasn't the harshest thing she has ever said to me, it still hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Take care of yourself, Isabel. I'll get the divorce paperwork started."

"Thanks, and you too, Tim." she smiled at me as I left. 

Leaving the hospital, I felt in a daze. The darkness over Isabel had lifted, and our marriage was over. 

I got into my car and headed home and cracked a beer the moment I walked through the door. I sat down on my couch and started drinking in silence. The last couple of days had been rough. The last couple of weeks had been rough. I just wanted to be numb right now.  

___

"Look alive!" Grey announced, going to the podium to start roll call. "Officer Nolan, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," Nolan replied.

"Good, now answer me this. What is your favorite part about the job? And don't say 'to make a difference'." Grey asked. 

"I wasn't going to. But it is." Nolan replied and a couple of people laughed. 

Grey crossed his arms, looking annoyed. 

"What's your least favorite?" Grey asked.

"Oh, that's easy. Paperwork." Agreed.

Captain Anderson entered the room then, dressed in a patrol uniform. "Imagine how I feel," she joked. 

People started murmuring about the Captain. What is she doing?  I shared a look with Talia and Angela. 

"Alright," she settled us, and everyone quieted. "Most of what a captain does is paperwork, cause of that, I feel like I've lost touch with what being a cop is really about, people," she looked at me. "It's not only citizens that we serve and protect. It's every single one of you in this room. So, to remedy that, I've decided Sergeant Grey and I are going to ride patrol today." 

"Together?" I asked.

"No," she answered. "We're each gonna ride with a rookie, and their respective T.O.s will pair up."

"Ma'am, I'd be honored if you'd ride with me." West eagarly chomped at the bit.

Yes, take West and Nolan.

"That is sweet Officer West, but today I will be riding with Officer Chen." Damnit, no way Grey is picking to ride with West when he can torture Nolan.