Second Best: A Chenford Story

Part 4 - Aftermath

Lucy began to drive back to the station, hands shaking while gripping the steering wheel. She reflected on her outburst towards Isobel and Tim; it was definitely partly warranted, Isobel really did screw her over inside that motel, but she certainly could've handled it with a little more grace than that. She just hated that it felt like those two against her, now. She knew that Tim cared about her, but maybe that wasn't enough. Unless something changed, she was permanently going to feel secondary to Isobel; even if she went away again, it was just a matter of time before she popped up again for an old case or whatever, and Lucy would get tossed aside like she had in this instance. She let out a small groan and adjusted her position in the seat, as discomfort spread through her body. The adrenaline was beginning to wear off, and the physical effects of jumping off a 15 foot high balcony were kicking in. Just then, she received a call from Sergeant Grey. "Sir?"

"Officer Chen, if you are driving back to the station, you can turn your car right around. You are going to the hospital, and then you are taking the rest of the day off. And that's final. I'll also be swinging by the hospital, so if you're not there, I'll know." Lucy tried to protest.

"But Sir, I-"

"But nothing, Chen. Bradford told me what you did, and while I understand it was necessary, you're not just gonna go back to work after jumping from 15 feet up, you know better than that."

"Okay, fine, I'll go to the hospital, and then home."

"Good." Grey replied, then hung up the phone. Lucy let out a small sigh of frustration, checked her mirrors, then swung the steering wheel to her right to make a U turn and headed towards St Stephen hospital instead of Mid Wilshire.

~

Meanwhile, Tim sat in his truck, staring into space, dumbfounded. Why did Lucy call Isobel his wife? She knew they had been officially divorced for some time now. Why did she scream at them like that and take off? He knew Isobel was 100% in the wrong here, but Lucy was always so calm and collected, never allowing herself to blow up like that unless it was something big. He wanted to go straight to the hospital and see Lucy, but he was the lead on this op, and had to take care of all the paperwork, since Isobel wasn't officially allowed to do it and Lucy was, well, in the hospital. There were so many different dynamics at play, the paperwork would easily take all afternoon, so he waited until Isobel was in the truck and then drove straight back to the station, in silence, furious with her.

"Tim, come on, she's gonna be fine, she got in her car and drove, so she can't have broken anything."

"She wouldn't be hurt at all if you hadn't abandoned her." Tim snapped back at her, eyes still focused on the road.

"Look, I'm sorry and I do feel bad about that, but my self-preservation instincts just kicked in, and the next thing I knew I was getting the hell out of there. It's been a while since I've been shot at, you know?"

"You were the one who told me you were ready for this mission, but clearly you weren't. And that could've gotten Lucy killed."

"But, it didn't, she's fine Tim. And, we got Dara back safe, so I'd say it was worth it, wouldn't you?"

Tim just stared at her in disbelief. "Actually no, Lucy got Dara back safe, and nothing is worth putting Lucy's life in jeopardy. You know, you got over the drug addiction, which is great and I am really proud of you, but the selfishness you developed clearly stuck." Tim spat, venom in his words.

"Ouch." Isobel retorted. They rode back to the station in silence, where they walked into Grey's office as he had sent Tim a text asking them to see him once they got back.

"Sir, you wanted to see us?"

"Yes, Ed Teska was just murdered. One of you is gonna have to tell her." He gestured to Dara's small, frightened frame sitting alone in the roll call room, hunched over the desk.