Chenford Oneshots

We're Even Now

The last thing Tim expected was to find himself back in the middle of another takedown, especially after Lucy had just saved his life days a couple of weeks before. The bruises on his ribs were still aching with every breath, as a reminder of how she had risked everything to get him out of a tight spot. His scars on his face were starting to heal, over but it was still evidently hurting him as he winces every time he talks. But tonight, as his heart pounded and his mind raced, he knew he'd trade every bruise if it meant keeping her safe in return.

Lucy had gone undercover, roping herself into an operation where their unit aimed to bring down a gang suspected of smuggling and trafficking. It was supposed to be a controlled operation, carefully planned, with backup from every direction. But plans had a way of falling apart, and before anyone knew it, Lucy was cut off, backup was delayed, and radio silence engulfed the airwaves.

The intel that trickled in from a supervisor in the case who owed Bradford, hinted that the gang was using an old warehouse near the dockyard as their headquarters, hidden among shipping containers and forgotten machinery. The area had minimal surveillance coverage—a perfect blind spot. Unfortunately, the officers involved to try to find Lucy are all scoping out other places in the area along with the warehouse. Tim's instinct kicked in, and he found himself speeding toward the docks, white-knuckled, pushing through the pain in his ribs, driven by an overwhelming need to be there. The idea of Lucy facing this alone was a gut-wrenching feeling he couldn't shake.

The dockyard was eerily silent when he arrived, the cold air stinging as he slipped through the rows of towering, rusty containers. His eyes scanned every shadow, every corner, his footsteps soundless as he advanced deeper into the steel maze.

And then he heard it—the faintest murmur of voices. Ducking low, he peered around the corner of a container. In the dim light, he caught a glimpse of Lucy. She was handcuffed to a steel pole, her lip split, a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, but her posture was as defiant as ever. Standing over her was a towering man with a knife in hand, taunting her, while another gang member watched with a twisted smile. The sight turned Tim's stomach, his hand instinctively tightening around his weapon.

He knew he couldn't take them head-on. Moving silently, he crept around to gain a better vantage point, waiting for the perfect moment. He steadied his breathing, forcing himself to think clearly despite the urge to rush in. Timing was everything here—one wrong move, and Lucy's life would be at risk.

Lucy's eyes flickered as she spotted him in her periphery. She gave no indication, her gaze returning to the gang member, but Tim knew she'd seen him. It was all the cue he needed.

With silent precision, he aimed, firing a shot that took out the man holding the knife. The second man's reaction was a split-second too late as Tim lunged at him, disarming him with a calculated strike. The scuffle was brief but brutal, Tim's movements fuelled by a fierce determination he hadn't felt in months. When the man finally slumped to the ground, Tim breathed out, adrenaline still thrumming through him.

Moving quickly, he freed Lucy, her wrists bruised from the tight handcuffs. As the metal fell away, she slumped slightly, the exhaustion clear in her eyes, but she managed a half-smile. "Took you long enough."

"Didn't want to make it too easy," he muttered, masking his relief with his usual gruffness. But the look in his eyes betrayed him—she could see the worry, the fear he'd been holding back. They moved quickly, slipping out of the warehouse and into the night. The drive back was quiet, tension humming between them, neither sure what to say. They'd been through so much, and now, after everything, they sat together in silence, each lost in thought, replaying the events that had unfolded.When they finally reached the station, Tim parked, cutting the engine but not making any move to get out. Lucy stayed put, staring at the dashboard, her breathing still a bit uneven. The silence stretched, the reality of what had just happened sinking in.

"Thank you," she said softly, finally turning to face him. "I... I didn't know if anyone was coming. For a second, I thought—" She broke off, struggling with the words, a vulnerability in her gaze that she rarely showed. Tim looked at her, his usual stoic expression softened by an emotion he could barely keep in check. "I kind of owed you," he said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Lucy's eyes sparkled, her lips curving into a small, grateful smile. "I didn't exactly save you for payback, you know."

"Yeah, well, same" he shrugged, looking away, but his gaze quickly returned to her, steady, unwavering. "Guess we're even now." She gave a soft laugh, but there was a weight to it, the kind of laugh that held unspoken words and hidden emotions. They both knew that "even" was just something they said; the truth was that no tally, no count could capture what they meant to each other, even now. "You're okay?" he asked, his voice quieter, the question carrying a depth he usually kept locked away. "Yeah," she nodded, her hand resting on the side of her neck, brushing away a bit of dried blood. "I am now."

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of the past few days hanging between them. They'd broken up, they'd told themselves they were moving on, and yet here they were, unable to let go, risking everything for each other without a second thought. "You don't have to do this, you know," she murmured, meeting his gaze. "I know we—" 

"I don't want to lose you," he interrupted, the raw honesty in his voice catching her off guard. "Doesn't matter what we are, or what we say we are. That doesn't change. I'm sorry I hurt you, I really screwed up."

She looked at him, her heart racing, the words settling in. She didn't respond, but her hand reached out, hesitantly, resting over his. He didn't pull away. They sat there, hands entwined, holding onto something fragile yet unbreakable. "Thank you," she said again, her voice barely a whisper. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, his reply equally soft. "Anytime, Chen." In that shared silence, they found an understanding that no words could fully capture. Whatever their relationship was now, they both knew they'd be there for each other, always, owing each other a debt that could never be repaid.

A/n: I thought this would be kind of cute, with some parallels lol. Hope you enjoyed