The next day at the station, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. The tension between her and Tim, always present but carefully controlled, felt more palpable now. The unfinished conversation lingered in her mind, making every glance and word between them feel heavier than usual.
She tried to focus on her tasks, but every time Tim walked by or their eyes met, her heart would skip a beat. It was as if the air itself had changed, thickened with everything left unsaid the day before.
It wasn't long before Tim approached her again. His expression was serious, but there was something different in his eyes—something softer, less guarded.
"Chen, we need to talk," he said quietly, standing just close enough for her to sense the intensity of his presence.
Lucy's pulse quickened. She knew this conversation was coming, but now that it was here, she wasn't sure she was ready for it.
"Okay," she said, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside her.
Tim gestured toward a quieter corner of the station, away from prying eyes. They walked in silence, the unspoken words between them hanging in the air like a fragile thread.
Once they were alone, Tim finally spoke. His voice was low, almost hesitant—something Lucy wasn't used to hearing from him.
"Look, Lucy, I've been thinking about yesterday. About... everything, really."
Lucy stayed quiet, giving him space to find his words. She could see the internal struggle written on his face—Tim wasn't a man who let his emotions show easily. But this was different. This was important.
"I've been trying to keep things professional between us," Tim continued, his gaze steady but filled with something deeper. "But it's getting harder. You and me... I can't just pretend there's nothing there anymore."
Lucy's breath caught in her throat. She had imagined this moment so many times, but hearing him say it out loud felt surreal.
"I know it's complicated," Tim added, his voice growing softer. "I'm your superior. I'm supposed to set boundaries, keep things clear. But somewhere along the way, I crossed a line, and now... I don't know how to go back."
Lucy looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. This was it—the moment where they either acknowledged what was happening between them or continued pretending it didn't exist.
"You didn't cross that line alone, Tim," Lucy said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I feel it too. I've been trying to ignore it, but I can't anymore."
Tim's expression softened, and for the first time, Lucy saw the full weight of what he had been carrying. The walls he had built around himself, the ones she had spent so long chipping away at, finally came down.
"But what do we do about it?" she asked, the question hanging in the air between them. "I don't want to make things harder for you, for us... for our careers."
Tim ran a hand through his hair, clearly wrestling with the same thoughts. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I do know one thing: I care about you, Lucy. More than I should. And I'm tired of pretending that I don't."
Lucy's heart swelled at his words, but the reality of their situation still loomed over them. They were cops. Partners. Bound by rules and regulations that didn't leave much room for emotions like these.
"But what if this ruins everything?" she asked, her voice laced with both fear and hope.
Tim stepped closer, his presence grounding her as always. "We take it one step at a time. We don't rush into anything, but we also don't keep lying to ourselves. We owe each other that much."
Lucy felt the tension in her chest release, like a weight she hadn't even realized she was carrying. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was honest. And after all the secrets, all the unspoken words, honesty felt like a lifeline.
Tim reached out, his hand gently brushing hers. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Enough to say that they were in this together, no matter what came next.
Lucy looked up at him, her heart steady now, knowing that whatever happened, they would face it side by side.
"Okay," she whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips. "One step at a time."
Tim nodded, his own smile soft and rare. "One step at a time."
