Chenford Oneshots

We Can Fix This

It had been years since Rachel left Los Angeles, and in that time, Lucy had grown—both personally and in her relationship with Tim. Their friendship had bloomed since she had left, and it had turned into a romantic relationship. She wasn't the same person she used to be, the one who once confided in Rachel about everything. Yet, when the text came through, it stirred something in Lucy that she hadn't expected. "Hey Luce! It's Rachel. I'm back in LA for a bit. Would love to catch up with you and Tim sometime. Been too long, right?"

Lucy stared at her phone, heart racing for a different reason than she was used to. She hadn't seen Rachel in years—not since their friendship had fractured due to Rachel's unexpected exit from their lives. And now, out of nowhere, she was back. Lucy glanced at Tim, who was excitedly reading a message of his own. "It's Rachel," he said, grinning. "I haven't talked to her in forever. She wants to get together while she's here. How about it?" Lucy forced a smile. "Yeah... sure. I guess it would be nice to catch up." But inside, she was already bracing for the discomfort. The last thing Lucy needed was Rachel sliding back into their lives like nothing had changed. Her relationship with Tim was in a good place, and she didn't want anyone threatening that.

The day Rachel showed up unannounced at Tim and Lucy's apartment, everything felt out of place. Lucy opened the door to Rachel's smiling face, the same face that used to light up with laughter when they were inseparable. The years had changed them both in subtle ways, but for a moment, it was as if time had reversed. "Luce! Look at you! You look amazing," Rachel said, enveloping Lucy in a hug, just like old times. Lucy couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. "Thanks, Rachel. It's... good to see you." Rachel pulled back, her eyes flicking past Lucy, settling on Tim, who was standing in the kitchen with his usual easygoing grin. "Well, well, well. Tim Bradford. Look at you, all grown up," Rachel teased, walking over to him. She leaned in to give him a quick hug, and Lucy watched, her stomach twisting. Tim, oblivious to the weight of the situation, laughed. "Can't believe you're back, Rachel. We've got to catch up." Lucy could see the way Rachel looked at Tim. It was subtle — but it had a familiarity that Lucy wasn't ready to watch again. Rachel had been a part of Tim's past, and although Lucy trusted Tim, there was a part of her that couldn't shake the feeling of being second place.

Tim and Rachel continued to chat easily as if nothing had changed. Lucy excused herself for a moment to collect her thoughts, walking into the kitchen where she tried to steady her breath. "Is this what I'm really feeling?" Lucy thought, frowning at her reflection in the window. She had to admit, it was uncomfortable seeing Tim so at ease with Rachel. Sure, they were just friends, but there was something about Rachel's presence that brought up too many old feelings—ones that Lucy wasn't sure she was ready to confront.

It didn't take long for Rachel to start pushing the boundaries of friendship. A few days later, after an exhausting shift, Tim's phone buzzed as they walked out of the precinct together. "It's Rachel," Tim said, his voice light. "She wants to get dinner. Just the three of us. I think it's a good idea, don't you?"

Lucy paused. "You think it's a good idea?"

Tim turned to her, brows furrowed. "What's wrong? It's just dinner, Luce."

Lucy took a deep breath. "It's not just dinner, Tim. It's Rachel coming back, acting like nothing's changed, like you two didn't have a past. It's uncomfortable for me." Tim's eyes softened, but his tone was defensive. "She's my friend, Lucy. You know that. She's just trying to reconnect."

"But she's not just your friend, Tim," Lucy said, her voice shaking with frustration. "She was your everything once. And now she just waltzes back into our lives like it's no big deal?" Tim stepped closer to her, his expression serious. "Look, I'm with you, okay? Rachel doesn't mean anything to me like that anymore. I'm with you now. And I love you. None of this changes anything. Not Rachel. Not a harmless dinner. I need you to believe that." Lucy nodded, but the weight in her chest didn't go away. She didn't know what was gnawing at her, but something about this felt like a betrayal—small and subtle, but there all the same.