Archive of Our Own ^beta

There’s noise outside the door and a loud bang. Lucy freezes as she turns to look at the door. She glances towards her gun safe where her off duty weapon is. She is just about to unlock the safe when she hears keys jangling outside and the unmistakeable sound of the key in the lock. 

She frowns as she moves towards the door, the only people who had keys to her apartment were Tamara and Tim. 

Tim.

Tim had gone out with Aaron, Nolan, Wesley and James. It was put on by Angela who said their men didn’t spend enough time together. Tim protested and insisted he wanted to stay home with Lucy but Angela had that’s what you do every night Bradford. You need a guy’s night. So Tim had reluctantly out with them. Lucy had watched amused as he left her apartment and he had casted her a longing look. Please help me.  She had kissed him one more time, promising she would be there waiting for him. 

She hurries over and looks out the peephole when she sees her boyfriend staring at the look a frown on his face. She lets out a happy laugh and opens the door. He looks up when it opens up, and gets a goofy grin on his face. 

“Hi.” She says quietly grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. He stumbles in and falls into her. “Are you drunk?” He shrugs his shoulders and then kisses her on the cheek. 

“Maybe.” He says quietly. “Wesley dropped me off. He kicked me out of his car.” 

“Did he?” Lucy asks him making a mental note to talk to Wesley about that. 

“Yea.” Says Tim. And Lucy takes a step back to study him. His hair is all messed up, his eyes are a little redder than normal and he looks like he’s about to topple over. 

“Come on.” Says Lucy pulling on his hand again. “Go get settled and I’ll bring you some water.” Lucy tries to move away but Tim grips her hand almost painfully. 

“No. Stay.” He whispers. She tries not to laugh at his pouty face. She leads him over to the couch and sits him down and smooths back his hair gently. 

“I’ll be right back baby.” She says softly. “I promise.” Tim nods his eyes half lidded. She goes back to the kitchen and gets him a glass of water and some Advil for good measure and then heads back over where he is now laying down, pin straight staring up at the ceiling. She smiles to herself and then gets on her knees so she can talk softly to him.

“So how was guy’s night?” She asks. He turns to look at her, his eyes lighting up as if he hadn’t expected her to be there. 

“It was fine.” He mumbles. “Drank too much I think.” Lucy snorts and kisses him on the forehead. She is definitely going to have a talk with Aaron, Nolan, Wesley and James. At least he came home in one piece. 

“Sit up.” She says and he does albeit a little slowly. She hands him the Advil and water. “Drink babe.” He does as he’s told and swallows the Advil before looking at her again. 

“I love you.” He says and then he falls back on the couch and puts his arm over his eyes. 

Lucy stared at him a little stunned. I love you. They hadn’t said that to each other yet and Lucy did love Tim with all her heart she just wanted to make sure he felt the same way. Which apparently he did. 

“Lucy?” Tim voice startled out of her thoughts and she looks down at her boyfriend, he has his eyes closed and he looks so adorable like this. So vulnerable and soft, it’s a side of tough TO Tim Bradford he doesn’t let anyone see except her. 

“Yeah baby?” She asks a little weakly. I love you still rolling around in her mind. He opens one eye to look at her.

“Can I sleep?” He asks. Lucy chokes out a laugh and kisses his forehead gently and then his nose and finally his lips. He takes like beer and whiskey, it’s perfect. 

“Yes Tim. You can sleep.” She says softly smoothing back his short hair.

I love you 

***

The next morning Lucy wakes up alone in her bed and panics for a minute before remembering Tim fell asleep on the sofa. She throws on one of his shirts and top toes out to the living room, only to find the sofa empty. She panics again before she spots Tim’s shoes lined up against the wall. She tiptoes back to her room, and into the bathroom where she hears the shower running. She grins to herself and opens the curtain, Tim is just finishing as he looks over at her. 

“Good morning.” She says cheerfully. He moans and she whips his shirt off and steps in the shower with him. 

“What happened last night?” He asks as he grabs some more soap for her. She looks up at him and bites her lip. Does he really not remember? 

“You went out with the guys.” She says quietly as he rubs her with soap. “And you came home drunk.” 

Tim makes a face. “But you were like really sweet and soft.” She assures him. He studies her for a minute. 

“I am not soft.” He grumbles. She rolls her eyes at him placing her hands on his chest. 

“Well you are when you are drunk.” She tells him. “And since you can’t remember you can’t argue with me.” 

Tim mumbles under his breath and then continues to rub her with soap. “Then what?” He asks. She bites her lip I love you. 

She knows he was drunk so she’s not sure he actually meant it. He does show her everyday how he feels with the little things. Like right now washing her body in the shower and not expecting anything else in return. Maybe he does love her. 

“Lucy?” He prods. “What else happened?” She looks up at him, this wonderful amazing man even when he was drunk she wouldn’t trade him for the world. She loves him so much that it’s scary. 

“Nothing.” She lies. He frowns a little but like he doesn’t believe her. She smiles up at him and then his hands are right above her ass and he’s lifting her against the shower wall. So this was how the morning was going to go? She didn’t mind that one bit. 

***

Lucy doesn’t like lying to Tim, after their morning sex in the shower she had scurried out avoiding Tim at all costs. And the thing is she isn’t sure why. Maybe it’s because she’s trying to figure out her feelings first.

Tim tries to talk to her throughout the day but she ducks out and she can tell he’s getting frustrated. 

Finally he corners her just outside the locker room with a frustrated look on his face. 

“Lucy what the hell is wrong?” He snaps. She stays frozen to her spot not even flinching at his tone. “We were fine this morning.” And now he sounds resigned. 

“Did something happen last night that you aren’t telling me?” He asks softly. She reaches out and grabs on to his metro shirt hoping he doesn’t pull back and to her relief he doesn’t. 

She takes a deep breath. “You told me you love me.” She says. Tim’s face  changes from frustration to surprise and sadness.

“I said I love you?” He asks quietly. She nods and starts to back away but Tim grabs her hands and holds them.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” He asks his voice shaking. She reels back a little bit. Did he really not love her? 

“I-I didn’t know if you really meant it.” She says quietly not looking at him. “You weren’t— you were drunk I didn’t know if you—”

“If I really love you?” He says looping his hands in hers. “Because god yes. I do love you Lucy. So much it’s scary. I wish I remembered saying it to you but…” He pauses for a brief minute. 

“I love you Lucy. And I hope you never doubt that.” He says. Lucy is full on crying now. 

“I love you too Tim.” She says and Tim’s face breaks out into a big smile. He looks around to make sure no one is coming around the corner and when he’s sure it’s clear he presses a quick kiss to her lips. 

“Let’s go home and I will show you how much I love you.” He says and she gets shivers at his promise. 

Tonight was going to be a great night.