Always You || A Chenford AU

Chapter 1

Lucy's POV:

It's the first day of my new job, finally. After months of training at the police academy, I can finally start in the field. I'm not nervous, not at all. It feels like I was made for this. Jackson and Nolan are at my side. The only thing that could happen is a bad T.O. 

It's been years since high school, years since I last saw out with Genny and Tim. A lot and yet nothing important happened. Got a bachelor and unfinished master in psychology and then decided to become a cop. Some boyfriends here and there but no one important enough to still be around these days. 

Let's say the relationship with my parents didn't have much improvement since then either. In fact it got worse, they don't like the choice to become a cop. But atleast I am happy with my decision.

The briefing room was a big box full of windows, it almost felt like a classroom. Here I am in my blue uniform, very excited for my first day. Jackson and Nolan are sitting next to me, talking to eachother when sergeant Grey walked in.

"All right, all right. Settle down. Settle down. So, okay, we got some new blood this morning. And some pushing the expiration date." Everyone was laughing with Nolan's age, it isn't very common that someone above 40 becomes a police officer. "Get up. After six months together in the Academy, you've earned the right to be here. But you'll have to prove yourself to stay. The way we do things matters. Protocol and tradition are the metal from which every cop in this city is forged. Understand?"

"Yes sir" Jackson, Nolan and I replied at the same time.

"Sit down. It's time to play the Training Officer match game. Our contestants are: Lucy Chen, a hotshot who made her first arrest before clocking in for work." The arrest calmed my nerves a bit, but still made me feel very excited. I'm proud of myself. "Legacy Jackson West, who broke all his dad's records at the Academy. And John Nolan, who was born before disco died.  And the winners are: Officer Bradford, you get our hotshot." Bradford? No, it couldn't be, he was with the army. Or atleast he was, years ago.

I turned around to see who he was talking about, not expecting to see a face I haven't seen in 10 years. He became a cop? What am I going to do? What were even the chances we would end up at the same station both as cops? Tim didn't look too pleased to see me. Did he even remember me? Should I tell Genny I ran into him? That he is my freaking boss?

"Look, boot. I don't care that you were my little sister's bestfriend 10 years ago. I am not your friend here, I am your T.O."

"Yes, sir."

"This is called a shop, you do not call it a police car or a black-and-white, you work in here, understood?"

Tim changed in those 10 years, he became more serious, seemed mad and tired. But he still looked handsome, just like all those years ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim's POV:

What is she doing here? She never mentioned she wanted to become a cop? I've been trying to erase everything from my life that was involved with my family, including Lucy. And now she's here? At my job? As a police officer? Is the world trying to prank me?

Grey was talking and talking, I never really paid attention to tole call if it didn't involve me.
"It's time to play the Training Officer match game. Our contestants are: Lucy Chen, a hotshot who made her first arrest before clocking in for work." She arrested someone this morning? "And the winners are: Officer Bradford, you get our hotshot."

Everything felt like a joke. Guess we're working with Lucy for awhile now.

She hasn't changed much, her smile is still the same. She obviously seems more mature, but it's been 10 years she obviously grew up.

She learned a lot at the academy, but still seems with her head in the clouds thinking everything is right in this world.

"Why aren't you taking notes, Officer Chen? You think I'm impressed because you picked some low-hanging fruit on your way to work?" she still needs to learn a lot...

Why did she become a cop? Was it to spite her parents? It had to be.

"So why do you want to become a cop?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't lie to me.

"Is this a trick question?" she doubted me, as if she didn't know me. Which she doesn't, she knows the 24 years old Bradford.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucy's POV:

So Tim decided to punish me for failing one of his 'Tim-tests'. He couldn't be more serious about this.

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"I'm more of a 'show-you' guy." I knew that, I've known that since the day we met. Yet he still hasn't acknowledged we knew each other before he became my training officer.

The punishment he chose was to search a drug dealer who decided to turn it into a fight.

"You're under arrest. That was my punishment?"

"Yup. Plus I got to see if you could handle yourself, so it's really a two-fer." This man kept surprising me every single time. Don't think I've seen him this somber. Ever. "Hey ghosthead. When you're telling this story in lock up,you might want to leave out the part where you got your ass kicked by a girl." I am proud of myself, for kicking his ass.

Just then a blond woman came out of the store where we arrested Ghostface. And Tim, he seemed to recognise her. As if he was very familiar with her.

"Hey, what- what do you want me to do with this guy?" I asked him, he looked hurt, more than he did before...

He asked me to let Ghostface go. And he wanted to go as fast as possible. He doesn't seem well. I wonder if he's okay.

"What the hell just happened?!"

"That was my wife." HIS WHAT?! He had a wife? And I didn't know? Why would he get married and not let my family, let me know at all? "I haven't seen her in almost a year."

" I won't tell anyone." Not even Genny...

"You're damn right you won't."

Not even a minute later we got called from Bishop to look for a BOLO suspect. It seemed like a normal call first, until shots were fired and Tim got hit. He told me to catch the bad guy and not stay with him. If he weren't my TO, I would've ignored his order. But I could lose my job if I did. So I went after the bad guy and caught him.

Tim pulled through, luckily, the bullet didn't damage any major organs which was good news.

And I sat by his side all night, even if he didn't want me there. I was his friend and co-worker now. He doesn't have a choice where I spent my free time, even if it is with my boss.