secrets

The Rookie: The Fight (Chapter Five)

Tim's POV

The drive home from the precinct felt longer than usual. Tim gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight as he replayed the day's events in his mind. He was still fuming about the slip-up with Lucy's wedding ring, and the fact that Angela had immediately sniffed it out. The situation felt like it was spiraling out of control, and he couldn't shake the growing frustration that had been simmering beneath the surface for weeks now.

As he pulled into the driveway, he spotted Lucy's car already parked. His gut twisted. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation. They had always been good at keeping their work lives and personal lives separate, but today had been a disaster.

He stepped inside the house, and the familiar warmth of home hit him, along with the distant sound of the kids' laughter coming from the living room. For a brief moment, the tension eased. He could hear Ellie and Jake playing, their innocent chatter a welcome distraction from the chaos at work.

Lucy was in the kitchen, busy putting away dishes, but he could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was just as on edge as he was.

"Tim," she greeted him without turning around, her voice tight.

He nodded, keeping his tone calm but clipped. "We need to talk."

Lucy let out a sigh, shutting the cabinet a little harder than necessary before turning to face him. "I know."

The air between them was thick with tension. They had been here before—moments where work bled into home life, moments where the stress of keeping their secret felt unbearable. But this felt different. This felt like everything was teetering on the edge of collapse.

"You forgot your ring," Tim said, trying to keep the accusation out of his voice but failing.

Lucy's face tightened, her eyes flashing with guilt and frustration. "It was a mistake, Tim. I had a crazy morning with the kids, I wasn't thinking."

"And now Angela knows. Do you understand what that means? She's going to start asking more questions."

Lucy crossed her arms defensively. "I handled it. I told her I'm married, but I didn't say who to. She doesn't know about us."

"Yet," Tim shot back, his voice rising. "You know how Lopez is. She's going to keep digging, and if she finds out, everything we've worked to keep separate will blow up in our faces."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "What was I supposed to do? Lie to her?"

"Yes!" Tim exclaimed, his frustration boiling over. "That's exactly what we've been doing for years. Lying. It's how we've protected our family."

Lucy looked like she'd been slapped. "I'm not perfect, Tim. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

Tim ran a hand through his hair, pacing the length of the kitchen. "We've kept this secret for six years. We've been careful—more careful than this."

Lucy's voice trembled, a mix of anger and hurt. "I've sacrificed just as much as you, Tim. I've kept my life a secret, I've kept our marriage a secret, and it's been just as hard for me as it has for you."

Tim stopped pacing and turned to face her. "You're not the only one who's sacrificed, Lucy. Do you think it's easy for me to pretend we're nothing more than colleagues when every day I want to come home and just be with my family? But we made this choice to protect ourselves."

Lucy's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "And what about us, Tim? What about our family? Is this secret going to tear us apart?"

Tim stared at her, his frustration softening just a bit. He didn't want to fight, but the fear of losing everything they had built was consuming him. He took a deep breath, lowering his voice. "I'm just trying to keep us safe. That's all I've ever wanted."