The Story Of Us

10. Because You Love Him

It had been a tough two months for Lucy since remembering what happened in the barrel- the memory was mixed with how Tim had comforted her, which she appreciated, but it was still traumatizing. He was there for her everyday to check in with her, drive her to her therapy appointments, crawl into bed with her to soothe her nightmares, and just hold her when she needed it.

Aside from supporting Lucy, Tim kept watching her face in anticipation, hoping she would recall another memory or remember even another day, but she hadn't. He tried to keep his disappointment inside to focus on Lucy's needs.

He walked into the station to book a suspect and passed by the front desk to see her. Lucy put her arms out with a pout on her lips, and he knew. Though a little heartbreaking, he was still happy to know she wanted him to help her through such a difficult time. "Did something happen, baby?" He asked into her hair and completely ignored the sideways glances from the civilians and Officer Jan.

"Just needed you," she whispered.

Officer Jan flashed Tim a concerned look, so Tim nodded that everything was okay.

"Let's go to my office," he suggested.

"Can we actually get some fresh air?" She asked, finally realizing that she had been digging her fingers into his back and lessened the pressure.

"I know just the spot," Tim smiled and kept his hand snugly around her waist as he walked her outside of the station. They sat on the cool edge of stony raised flower beds near the entrance.

She immediately arranged herself to press her side along his and hung her head on his shoulder. The cool breeze picked up the scent of the flowers planted around them, and it wafted into her nose to ground her a bit more.

"You're alive. You're okay," he whispered.

Lucy kissed the spot on his neck closest to her and then finally felt her heart rate return to normal. "Thanks for coming."

"You don't have to thank me. That's what I'm here for."

She pecked his cheek and finally smiled. "Thanks anyways, Tim. I should head back inside."

He kept his hold on her and responded, "Take another minute to breathe."

Her eyes wandered, and she took in a lungful of the floral scented air. "I do like this spot."

"You should. It's where I asked you out the first time."

"The first time? So, I said no and there was a SECOND time?"

"Well, for a split second."

Lucy's eyebrows shot up in shock.

He intertwined their fingers and focused on how well they fit together as he shared the memory. "You were technically in a relationship with this other guy, and I called you out that you were scared of your feelings for me, and that's why you were still with him. So, I asked you to get dinner with me. You said 'yes', and then you said 'no' when you remembered you had that boyfriend, but the second you broke up with him, you came right over to me so that I could ask you out again."

She searched the space again now knowing the value of it, and she grinned. "I looked at our story book on my lunch break. I showed it to Angela, and she told me that we were best friends for a really long time. I didn't know what happened to make us cross that line, but it sounds to me like you were getting a little jealous."

"I wasn't JEALOUS," he tried to say as convincingly as possible, though he didn't know who he was trying persuade- Lucy or himself. In truth, he had watched her leave the station with Chris and thought bitterly about how he wished to be the one to leave work with her. Tim had watched Chris kiss her, and the sight made his stomach lurch, because HE wanted to be the one to put his lips on hers. Yeah, he had been jealous.