Feelings Don't Just Fade - a Chenford Fanfic

4: All I Want

"Yeah, that sounds good. Should I bring takeout?" He was trying to play as nice as he could. He still raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sure, you remember what Tamara and I like and from where." And with that, she left him standing there with Val. This was just not what she needed. Once in her car, the Mom-mobile as Tamara called it, she just wanted to scream. She called Tamara instead.

"Hey I'm heading home."

"Uh, cool. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Yeahhhhhh I'm good..."

"Angela and Nyla called me earlier so they could see Jaclyn on FaceTime. They told me."

"Okay cool. So you know I'm a mess. And oh yeah, Tim is coming over tonight..."

"Oh shit. Do I need to take Jaclyn to Angela's tonight?" Lucy was so thankful for her adopted teen daughter.

"No. It's been long enough. He's got a daughter who's almost a year old and he deserves to know her. I'll be home in ten or so."

They said their goodbyes before hanging up. And that's when Lucy broke down, she cried the whole way home. She was so afraid that Tim would try to take her or that he would just be so angry at her. It had been so long since they last worked together, how were they supposed to play a couple again? Grey mentioned that he wanted the connection they'd had the first time, but it was different then. Lucy had still been getting over her pregnancy hormones which had stirred up more feelings for Tim.

She arrived at the new place and parked in her assigned spot next to Tamara's car. Before going in she sent her new address to Tim.

BRADFORD: thanks.

She rolled her eyes at his short response. This is going to be so fun. At the very moment she opened the door she heard something small fall to the floor. "Everyone good?" She called out.

"All good! Our little mover and grover was on it again."

Lucy picked her daughter up, tickling her tummy causing the child to giggle. "Was your big sister walking with you again? Were you being clumsy like your mama?" Jaclyn simply laughed even more. "Umm, I'm going to give her a bath and change her, then I'll shower myself..." Lucy seemed so out of it.

Tamara took the child out of her arms. "How about I take care of my little sister and clean up out here. You go take a few hours for you, and prepare for this night." Lucy nodded and offered her adopted daughter a smile of thanks.

In her bedroom behind a closed door, she pulled out her phone and sat on her bed. This time she called Angela, hoping she was with Nyla.

"Help." Was all Lucy could get out when they answered.

"Yeah, babe. We heard. Tim called Angela like two minutes ago." Nyla sounded so sympathetic and Lucy knew she meant it.

"What if he tries to take her from me?" Lucy voiced her concerns.

"You know that's not something he would ever do. Lucy, you know him, that's not Tim. Sure, he will get angry, because let's face it, it's Tim. But, he will understand. Or at least he will try. Really he's just going to be happy to know her." Leave it to Angela to calm her, Nyla was good too, but Angela knew Tim.

"Thanks ladies. I gotta go get ready."  They wished for luck and asked for details after. Lucy put her phone on the charger. It was 2:25 pm, and they had never set a time. But, he couldn't get in the building without her. Still, Lucy wanted to be ready and to keep Tim in the best mood possible. She decided a shower was the best place to start.

When 5:00 rolled around, Lucy was dressed, now in comfortable mom jeans, a light material burgundy sweater, and slippers. She was sitting in the living room with Jaclyn, trying to walk with her little girl when she heard her phone go off. It was Tim, he was here.

"Hey baby girl." She walked into Tamara's room, still talking to her baby. "Mommy has a friend coming over, so you're going to hang out with you big sister." Lucy looked up at Tamara, handing her daughter over. "I have already closed her bedroom door and cleaned up all the toys. Please, turn on your tv, do whatever you must to keep her kinda quiet. At least for 5-10 minutes." And then there was a knock on her door.

Running to open it, she looked back to see that Tamara had closed her door. She opened the front door to see Tim there with a six pack of her favorite beer and bags of takeout. "How'd you get in the building?" She questioned him, opening the door so he could enter. "Your doorman is old and thought I was a delivery guy..." she couldn't help but laugh so loud and hard at the thought of that.

She took in his appearance. Not much had changed. He still dressed exactly like he had before. It made her happy to know he was still mostly the Tim she remembered. "Should we get started?" She asked him, trying to speed things along. He was already unpacking food and cracking two beers open. He stopped and looked up to her.

"Or we could eat first? Is Tamara joining us? Nice new place, much bigger than the old..." He looked around for the young adult.

"Umm, yeah she will be joining us. But, Tim, I really need you to put the beer down, sit down, and remain calm." She took his beer from him and walked him over to the couch. He sat on the outstretched part of the L shaped couch.

"Lucy, what's going on? I don't like this..." his voice was filled with genuine concern. Her eyes threatened to let tears escape. And then they did. "Luce. What the hell is going on? What's wrong?" He took both of her hands in his, he was gentle with her.

"Umm this is going to be very hard to say and hear. Angela and Nyla told me I should've told you earlier, do not blame them, especially Lopez, for any of this. I beg of you. I know they were right. I wasn't sure what to do... I hope that after this, you are still willing to speak with me, let alone work this case with me."  His eyes were wide, he motioned for Lucy to continue talking. And so she did... "Tim, there's someone I want you, no, someone I need you to meet. I'll be right back." She left him sitting there alone in the living room as she disappeared into one of the closed door rooms.