Chenford Oneshots

You're Worth it. Every Night. Every Time

Lucy felt like she was walking through quicksand. She'd thought she'd buried her trauma—the barrel, the tattoo, the sound of her own voice singing—but lately, it had clawed its way back into her mind. Every shadow seemed longer, every shift felt heavier, and her heart would race at unexpected times, her mind flooded with memories she desperately wanted to keep locked away. But she couldn't let anyone see it. Not her colleagues, and especially not Tim. He had his own pressures and walls, his own demons. And after all she'd fought to prove—that she was capable, strong, unbreakable—she didn't want him to see her like this. Weak.

Tim and Lucy arrived at the station together that morning, both splitting up to go their ways for the day. However, Tim was headed straight to Grey's office. Last night had been a restless night for Lucy and Tim had noticed. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that she wasn't telling him. Finding Sergeant Grey at his desk, Tim knocked lightly on the doorframe. Grey looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Bradford. What's going on?"

Tim stepped in, his usual no-nonsense expression firmly in place. "I wanted to ask if I could be reassigned to patrol with Lucy for a bit." 

Grey leaned back, watching him carefully. "And why's that?"

Tim paused, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to reveal too much; he respected Lucy's privacy, but he also knew Grey needed to understand his reasons. "I've noticed some... signs that she might be struggling with something. She's not herself lately, and I don't want to ignore it." Grey narrowed his eyes, his usual perceptiveness cutting through Tim's words. "Are we talking personal concerns, or do you think this could impact her job performance?"

"Honestly, sir, I think it could be both." Tim kept his tone steady. "She's as capable as ever, but I can tell something's weighing on her. I just... want to make sure she's alright." Grey studied him for a moment, and Tim held his gaze, hoping his sincerity would be enough. Finally, Grey nodded. "I'll approve it," Grey said, his voice firm. "But, Bradford, if you're right about this, make sure she knows she can ask for help. Sometimes it's easier to catch someone when they're not expecting it." Tim nodded, a flicker of gratitude crossing his face. "Thank you, sir. I'll do my best." Grey's gaze softened slightly as he added, "She's lucky to have someone looking out for her. Just... tread carefully. Lucy's strong, but sometimes it's the strongest people who find it hardest to lean on others."

Tim acknowledged the advice with a nod. "Understood."

"Tim..." Grey said as Tim began to walk away. "Make sure she's ok, and keep me in the loop" Tim met his gaze and nodded.

After briefing:

As they patrolled together that day, Tim's steady presence beside her was both comforting and terrifying. He noticed everything, and she knew it wouldn't be long before he'd start asking questions. She couldn't let herself lean on him. She'd handled her trauma before on her own, and she could do it again. She had to.

"Hey, Lucy," Tim's voice broke her spiral of thoughts. She realised she was staring blankly at the dashboard, her fingers white-knuckling the steering wheel. "You good?" Forcing herself to relax, she nodded with a too-bright smile. "Yeah. Just... zoned out." He watched her carefully, his eyes narrowing. She could feel the weight of his gaze, searching, assessing. "Alright," he said, a note of skepticism in his voice. He knew her too well to buy her act, but he let it slide. For now.

The day dragged on, and Tim continued to watch her, silent but observant. She tried to keep it together, but as their shift ended and they drove home, she could feel her carefully built walls crumbling. Her hands trembled slightly as she fumbled for her keys, and she turned away from him as they walked inside. But Tim wasn't going to let her disappear into her own silence. Not tonight. "Lucy," he said softly, shutting the door and stepping into her space. "Talk to me." She swallowed, a bitter taste rising in her throat. "It's nothing, Tim. I'm fine." Her voice sounded hollow, even to her own ears. "Lucy." His voice was gentle, but firm. He wasn't going to let her hide. Not from him. Her resolve cracked, but she tried to cover it with a strained laugh. "Tim, I... don't want to do this right now, okay?" She took a step back, hugging her arms tightly around herself, hoping he'd give her the space she was so desperate to cling to. But he took a step forward, closing the distance. "No, Lucy, it's not okay. I know you think you need to handle everything by yourself, but you don't. Not with me." His voice softened. "Let me help." The dam broke. She blinked back tears, her breath hitching. "I don't want to be... a burden," she whispered. "I don't want you to see me like this." Tim's eyes softened, and he reached out, taking her hand. "You think I'm going to think any less of you because you're dealing with something this big? Lucy, it makes you even stronger in my eyes." He squeezed her hand, grounding her. "You don't have to pretend with me."

She wanted to believe him. But as her gaze fell to the floor, her mind pulled her back to the memories—the basement, the terror, the helplessness. "It's... it's just these flashbacks," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sometimes they're so real, and I... I can't breathe, Tim. I feel like I'm back there, all over again." He took a steadying breath, watching her carefully. "Lucy, you're one of the strongest people I know, but no one's strong all the time. You don't have to go through this on your own—I'm here." He pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her as her walls finally gave way. She buried her face in his chest, letting herself feel the weight of everything she'd been holding in.

They stayed like that for a long time, his steady presence anchoring her as her storm raged. When her breathing evened out, he led her gently to the couch, guiding her down beside him, keeping her close. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," he said quietly, his hands tracing soothing circles on her back. "But I'm here, okay? And I'm not going anywhere." She leaned into his hold, resting her head against his chest. They stayed quiet, his hand warm against her back, reminding her she wasn't alone. After a few moments, Lucy spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't... I don't want you to think I'm weak, Tim. Or that I can't handle my job." Tim took a deep breath, his arms tightening around her. "I could never think you're weak. You don't have to worry about that, ever. Remember how I pushed you away? I didn't want you to see my past, my scars—because I thought that made me weak. I didn't want you to know how badly I'd been hurt. And I couldn't drag you down with me on my sinking ship"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with understanding. It was a conversation they had discussed many times, and yet, it still lingered between them. Tim continued, his voice steady. "And you still tried. Even after I pushed you away. I couldn't see then what I see now—that you were strong enough to be there for me, even when I didn't want it. I hurt you by keeping you out, Lucy. I lost you." Her gaze softened, a mixture of sadness and empathy. "We found our way back to each other," she whispered, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. He nodded, his hand still soothing against her back. "Yeah. But it took me way too long to learn that I don't have to be invincible. And neither do you. Being with you, I realised I didn't have to carry everything alone. And neither do you. Not with me. We're in this together." She exhaled, a wave of relief washing over her as his words sank in. Tim wasn't here to judge her or to fix her; he was here to stand beside her, to carry whatever she couldn't.

As the days passed, Tim continued to keep an eye on her, never pushing but always there. At work, he'd reach over and touch her shoulder when she seemed tense, a gentle reminder that he was by her side. At home, he'd make sure she was eating, resting, taking care of herself. He stayed up with her on the nights she woke from nightmares, whispering reassurances, reminding her she was safe.

One night, after a particularly bad dream, she sat up, breathless and covered in sweat. She hadn't made a sound, but Tim was already awake, sitting beside her. "You're safe, Lucy," he murmured, his hand slipping into hers. "I'm right here." Tears filled her eyes as she met his steady gaze, and in that moment, she let herself truly believe it. She didn't have to do this alone. Not anymore. "You don't... have to do this every night," she said, guilt creeping into her voice. "You deserve to rest too." He brushed a strand of hair from her face, his thumb grazing her cheek. "Lucy, you're worth it. Every night. Every time." He paused, his voice soft but unyielding. "You were there for me when I didn't think I deserved it. Now, it's my turn." She leaned into him, her forehead resting against his as she closed her eyes. He was her anchor, her reminder that strength didn't mean carrying everything alone.

Their journey wasn't over, and she knew there would still be rough days. But as long as they had each other, she knew they'd make it through. She could heal, piece by piece, because for the first time, she was letting herself be loved through the struggle.

Tim pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We're in this together," he whispered, and she nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her that chased away the darkness. 

And for Lucy, that was everything.

A/n: This idea was really important for me to write about. I think in the show they had maybe 2-4 episodes about Lucy's kidnapping and like maybe a few hints at later episodes (don't quote me on that). But I don't think that the trauma and the impact on her life was really shown in a lot of depth so I felt like writing about it. I have no idea what it is like to experience anything remotely similar to that but I tried my best, and I'm truly sorry if this isn't realistic or telling the story well enough. Hope you liked it