Chenford Oneshots

By Your Side

Tim Bradford was being as stubborn as ever, sitting at the kitchen table with a slight scowl on his face and his arms crossed. "I'm fine, Lucy," he insisted for the third time that morning, his voice hoarse. Lucy raised her eyebrows, standing in front of him with a mug of herbal tea and a thermometer in her hand. "You sound like you swallowed sandpaper, Tim. You're not fine." He sighed, but before he could argue further, Lucy placed the mug in front of him and leaned down to press her lips gently to his forehead. "You have a fever. You're staying home today." Tim's defences crumbled under her care, and though he didn't want to admit it, he felt miserable. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes softening as he looked up at her. "You win," he grumbled. Lucy smiled, brushing a hand over his cheek. "Call in sick. I'll make sure you're set up before I leave for work."

Reluctantly, Tim picked up his phone, calling Angela to let her know he wouldn't be coming in. He hated missing work, but Lucy's presence—her way of handling him with just the right combination of sternness and affection—made it a little more bearable.

By the time Lucy left for the precinct, Tim was bundled up on the couch with blankets, a mountain of tissues beside him, and a remote in hand. But as the hours passed, his head ached, and he couldn't help but think about Lucy, wondering how her day was going. He didn't want to bother her, but he missed her.

In the early afternoon, he called Angela, needing someone to talk to. "You're calling me?" Angela teased, her voice light over the phone, looking over across the station to where Lucy was standing. "Not your girlfriend?" 

Tim sighed. "She's busy, Angela. I don't want to make her worry."

Angela chuckled knowingly. "Tim, she's already worrying about you. If you need her, just say it."

"I don't want to make her leave work," Tim muttered, though the truth was, he did want Lucy by his side. More than anything.

Angela smirked on the other end of the line. "mhm."

"Alright. I don't know why I bothered calling you." Tim said with a huff while hanging up the phone.

Getting hung up on, Angela heads over towards where Lucy was, mid-conversation with Sergeant Grey when Angela approached her, an amused expression on her face. "Chen," Angela called, motioning for Lucy to step aside. Lucy raised an eyebrow but excused herself from the conversation with Grey. "What's up?" Angela leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. 

"So, Tim called me. He's trying to act like he's fine, but he's not doing a great job of hiding that he wants you home."

Lucy blinked, her heart immediately softening. "He called you? He didn't say anything when I left this morning." Her voice sad and full of worry.

Angela chuckled. "Well, that's Tim for you. He doesn't want to be a burden, but he's clearly missing you. I think being sick is making him more vulnerable than he's comfortable with."

Lucy sighed, biting her lip. "He hates feeling weak. He's always been so independent, especially when it comes to his own pain."

"Exactly," Angela nodded, her tone becoming more serious. "But here's the thing. He's not calling you because he doesn't want to take you away from work. He told me as much. But you know as well as I do—when Tim's hurting, he needs someone. He just won't ask."

Lucy frowned. "That sounds like him. He thinks he has to be tough all the time."

Angela gave her a knowing look. "And you're the only one who can make him feel like it's okay to need someone. He won't admit it, but he wants you there."

Lucy's expression softened further. "I don't want him to feel like I'm choosing work over him. He always tries to put me first, but..."

Angela smiled. "He needs to know it's okay to lean on you sometimes, that you'll be there. Trust me, he'll feel a lot better if you go to him."

Lucy didn't hesitate and immediately nodded. "You're right. I'll talk to Grey and see if I can get the afternoon off."

Angela gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Good. Go take care of him, Lucy. He'll appreciate it more than you know."

Lucy approached Sergeant Grey, her mind made up. "Sergeant, is there any chance I could take the afternoon off? Tim's pretty sick, and I think he could use some help." Grey raised an eyebrow but could see the determination in her eyes. After a moment, he nodded. "Go. Tell Bradford to rest up, and don't let him use this as an excuse to come back too soon." Lucy grinned, relief washing over her. "Thank you, Sergeant."

When Lucy arrived back at her apartment, the sight of him half-asleep on the couch, curled under a blanket, tugged at her heart. She dropped her bag and keys quietly before walking over to him. Gently, she brushed her fingers through his hair, waking him with a soft touch.

"Lucy?" Tim's voice was groggy, but his face lit up at the sight of her.

"Surprise," she whispered, leaning down to give him a kiss on the forehead. Tim smiled, shifting so she could sit beside him on the couch. "What about work?"

"I got the afternoon off," Lucy said, tucking herself into his side. "Angela told me you were missing me."

Tim groaned, embarrassed. "I wasn't" Lucy met his statement with raised eyebrows and a smirk "—okay, maybe a little."

Lucy laughed, kissing his cheek. "It's okay to need me, Tim. I'm here."

Tim sighed, relaxing against her. "I just didn't want to pull you away from work. You're always running around, handling everything."

"And I can handle taking care of you too," Lucy said softly, brushing a hand over his arm. "You don't always have to be the strong one, you know." Tim glanced at her, his defences lowering as he leaned his head back against her shoulder. "You make it easier." Lucy kissed his forehead again, a warm, reassuring smile spreading across her face. "Good. Now just relax. I'm all yours for the rest of the afternoon." They spent the next few hours curled up on the couch, watching TV and enjoying the simple comfort of being together. For the first time all day, Tim let himself rest, knowing Lucy was there to take care of him.