Never let go CHENFORD FF English version

Chapter 5 calm center

The next day, Lucy's wounds were examined again, but everything seemed fine, so she was allowed to leave the hospital. Tim had stayed by her side the entire time, barely letting her out of his sight. At every knock on the door, his hand was already on his weapon, ready in case the wrong person came through.

"Okay, I have your stuff, you're not carrying anything," Tim said, shouldering Lucy's bag.

"I could at least carry a jacket, otherwise you'll look like a pack mule next to me," she tried to joke, masking her lingering fear.

"No, I'm the pack mule if you want to put it that way. Just focus on putting one foot in front of the other," Tim smiled gently.

The way to Tim's house was uneventful. Once they arrived, he checked all the rooms, locked the door, and ensured everything was secure. No one should know she was there, but one could never be too careful.

Lucy carefully sat on the couch to avoid pain and looked around the room. Tim had a really nice house, something she hadn't imagined despite all the time they had spent together on patrol.

"Okay, everything is secure, Lucy. Feel at home; you won't be leaving the house for a while, it's too dangerous," Tim said seriously.

"I'll try," she replied softly, looking thoughtful.

Tim sat next to her and looked at her with concern.

"Do you want to talk? Is there anything I can do to help?" he offered.

"You know," she began, "I thought I was ready, but things didn't go as planned. Everything spiraled out of control. Even before they brought me to the motel, they tortured me," she explained, looking over at Tim. "They threw me off a yacht into the sea... with weights on my feet... I thought that was it. I was going to die... I was so scared, Tim," she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Lucy, I can't undo what happened... I wish I could. But I can be here for you. Give you a sense of safety, I hope. And help catch those bastards who did this to you," he responded.

"When I close my eyes, all I see is darkness and that vile man from the motel. He... he didn't get that far. But he wanted to..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Even though she trusted Tim, she felt so empty. Saying it out loud would make it real.

"Take it easy, Lucy. He didn't because you stopped him. Because you're the strongest woman I've ever met. A fighter. A woman who never gives up, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. Lucy, you made it because you're you. I've never had a rookie handle a situation like you. Half would never have even gotten involved in the operation, and the rest would have come home after a week with cold feet. But you believe in yourself and trust your strength, and that's what sets you apart, Lucy," he said, looking directly at her.

She nodded silently, pondering his words. They sat in silence for a while on the couch.

In the evening, Tim cooked something, and even though Lucy didn't want to eat, he persuaded her to have at least a small plate. It tasted surprisingly good. Apparently, there was still much to learn about Tim as a person, things he hid as an officer.

"Okay, Lucy, you should rest and sleep; your body needs it," Tim said after dinner. "And you're sleeping in the bed; I've prepared it for you."

"No, please, I'll stay on the couch. If I'm already a burden, I won't take your bed too. The couch is too small for you. I'm not arguing about this," she replied firmly.

He nodded with a slight shrug. "But if it gets too uncomfortable, we'll switch. I want the best for your recovery," he said seriously before heading to the bedroom. "Good night, Lucy, and I mean it, if you need anything, call me immediately."

"I will, good night, Tim, and... thank you for everything."

In the middle of the night, Tim was startled awake by a piercing scream from the adjacent living room. In a second, he was on his feet, weapon in hand, and burst through the door.

In front of him, Lucy sat on the couch, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Tim sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry, Tim, you don't need your weapon. I... I just had a nightmare. I'm so sorry I woke you and scared you," she sobbed.

He lowered the gun, set it aside, and sat next to her, gently putting an arm around her shoulder.

"You don't need to apologize. I said I'd watch over you. No matter what, I'll try to protect you. What can I do to make you feel safer?" he asked.

"Nothing... I don't know," she whispered, though she knew what would help, even if it embarrassed her. "Well... never mind."

"Nothing is never mind, Lucy. What do you think will help you? What's on your mind?" he pressed.

"I just don't want to be alone, in the dark. I'm afraid of waking up somewhere else, not knowing where I am or how I got there. So, you can say no, but I... can you just sleep next to me?" she asked cautiously and uncertainly.

For a moment, he was perplexed and didn't know how to react. "Um... yeah... of course. Then come to bed, otherwise, we'll both fall off the couch," he replied, gathering the pillows and blankets from the couch and taking them to the bedroom. Lucy followed him, looked around briefly, and then sat on the empty side of the bed.

"Is this really okay with you?" she asked again, looking at him cautiously.

"Yes, it is. I promised to watch over you," he reassured her.

Lucy slowly lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes briefly before looking at him again. Why did she suddenly notice how good he looked? The stern features and yet, when he smiled, that gentleness. How he protected her, did everything for her right now, she had never experienced this before. What was going on inside her? He had been her trainer and had harassed her. But now... he lay next to her, looking at her with those gentle and yet worried eyes in which she could lose herself. She never wanted to be away from him again, wanted to hold on to this feeling of safety he gave her at this moment. No matter who was out there still hunting her, one thing was certain: Tim would go to the ends of the earth to protect her from these dangers. This was more than just a relationship between trainer and rookie. Tim was more to her, and she realized that with absolute clarity in that moment.

"Is everything okay, Lucy?" Tim asked cautiously. She had been staring at him so intently that he feared she was in some sort of trance.

She blinked briefly and then looked at him, "Yes, everything is fine. I just realized something with absolute clarity," she replied quietly.

I hope you liked this part as well. What do you think, will Lucy tell Tim what she fells? :)