Chapter 24: Surprise me!

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Chapter dedicated to Courtney233969
Thanks for this idea. I'm welcome to requests!!

"Hush now, Mei," Lucy crooned at the wriggling bundle in her arms. It was past midnight, Lucy hadn't slept in days, and she was so tired. Falling asleep on her feet, was the best way to put it.

"Wade!" She called upstairs, "Can you get me a bottle for Amelia?"

There was a grunt upstairs, and then the rumble of the kettle boiling began to fill the house. Moment later, heavy footsteps descended the stairs, and Wade Grey pulled into view, the picture of happiness in his old age. Retirement had done him well: although he had gained a few pounds, his eyes were bright, and the smile lines and crows feet around his eyes told a story of a life well lived.

"Here you go," he offered, and frowned at the baby. "She's still not sleeping well?" Lucy shook her head, exasperated.

"I don't know what's wrong; I've been to the hospital,and there's nothing wrong, she's just restless all the time." Lucy sighed, exhausted.

Grey hummed, understanding, as if he were a cup filled with untapped and infinite knowledge.

"Your file said you were the same, you know. Before Luna and I adopted you," he pointed out. "Maybe it's just genetic." His offer was helpful, but he knew it wasn't what she needed in that moment.

After a moment of deliberation, he offered to rock Mei to sleep, so Lucy could rest. "I've not been over in a few days, you need the rest, since Tim isn't back yet."

"I miss him," replied Lucy, nodding wistfully.

Grey patted Lucy on the shoulder, and taking Mei, began to bounce around, humming a low song.

-

Hours later, in the early hours of the morning, after Mei had dozed off, and Lucy had dropped into fitful sleep (he could hear the tossing and turning upstairs), Grey called the  Bolivian Commanding Officer, Khandra.

"Morning, Ibrahim, what have you been up to? How the wife?"

Grey and Ibrahim Khandra had come up together in the force, but Khandra had gone off to head an overseas special ops unit. They kept in touch, and it was by no coincidence that Tim had ended up with Khandra's highly esteemed team.

"That's great. I have a request. You know you owe me for what happened in Budapest, remember?" Grey chuckled warmly. "Right, well. Timothy Bradford is due to return in a month. Is there any way you could get that date pushed forward? His wife, who, mind you, is my daughter, is struggling, and she needs—"

Grey paused, as Khandra spoke.

"If you're sure? I mean, I know you have important things to do..." Grey trailed off as Khandra continued. "Thanks Ibrahim, you're a saint. Tell your wife I said hello. Thanks again." Grey out the phone down, and grinned to himself. It had been a while since his prime 'scheming days'. He'd missed them - it felt good to be back in action.

-

"You know, you and Tim's four year anniversary is tomorrow," said Angela to Lucy, as she cruised through a back street in the shop.

"I know, and I'm so mad that he won't be here to celebrate.."

Angela 'tsked', and muttered her sympathies, before turning her attention back to the road.

-

A knock at the door sounded. Lucy had gotten home from her shift not two hours ago, and she was cozy in pyjamas with Mei, lounging on the couch. Wade looked up and he grinned a grin, damn near wide as the Cheshire cat.

"What are you smiling at?" She questioned him as she rose, passing him the baby.

"Nothing!" He replied coyly, though his tone was overly put-upon, and undoubtedly facetious.

Lucy, bogged down by cumbersome fluffy socks, shuffled to the door. This time, the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming!" She called, a little irritably: how dare someone interrupt her calm evening with her dad and baby?

She swung open the door (admittedly a little abruptly) and opened her mouth, ready to berate her uninvited guest about 'patience' and 'the art of waiting'.
The words died in her throat.

Because there, stood in all his glory, with sunkissed cheekbones and cuts and grazes littering his jaw and chin, and a shaved head, and a huge camo rucksack, and perfect twinkling blue eyes, and the brightest smile in the world, complete with a split lip, was Tim Bradford. The (her) one and only.

Lucy's mouth dropped open.

"What the—"

At that exact moment, Tim stepped into the house and swept Lucy off of her feet, bending her deep into a kiss as he wound his (very muscled) arms around her waist. He pulled back, and enveloped into a hug.

"Hey, Luce" he whispered into her hair, breathing deeply. Lucy pulled back, still in shock, the tips of her fingers reaching up to dart over his little cuts, assessing damage.

"How are you back? You're not due back for a month?" The reality of the moment began to hit Lucy, and a smile began working it's way across her face.

To Tim, it was like seeing the sun again. No amount of hard Bolivian sunshine could ever compare to Lucy's grin.

"Wade got me out for the whole month, he knows the CO there," Tim murmured, utterly bewitched by Lucy's smile.

All of a sudden a rush of adrenaline hit Lucy, and she squeaked, and began to laugh. "Oh my gosh!"  And she threw her arms over his shoulders, and Tim dropped his bags at the door. He picked her up, bridal style (eliciting yet another squeak from Lucy), and carried her into the living room.

"Now where's my daughter?" He boomed, and Grey clapped him on the back.

"Welcome home, Bradford, you've been missed."

Mei dozed off quickly, calmed by the laughter that rang through the house   that night.

FIN

Hiya Luvs! I hope everyone, including Courtney, enjoyed this chapter. I'm not going to lie, I'm not feeling  very motivated atm, and I've got a BANGING headache, but it's okay, we move. I hope you enjoy a little AU army!Tim and Chenford baby.
On other notes, there will be another Soulmates chapter in the coming days (or hours, depending if I've got motivation)

Again, thanks for reading, keep voting and sharing people, this book is massive in the Chenford tags?? (Since when??)
That's all for now, au revoir ❤️

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