7- Adam-19

Between Swapped Lines

The shift started like any other, with Nolan and Lucy patrolling the busy streets of L.A. The sun burned on the car hood, and the radio overflowed with routine calls. Lucy kept her usual good mood, but there was something different in her eyes — a restlessness, perhaps.

"You're unusually quiet today," Nolan remarked, glancing at her from the side.

"I'm just... focused," she replied with a tight smile. "I want to do things right now that I'm on my own."

Nolan nodded, respecting the space.

Soon after, an urgent call came in: "Active conflict at a convenience store. Armed suspect and hostages on site." The sirens shattered the silence and adrenaline surged instantly.

Arriving at the scene, Lucy and Nolan quickly divided tasks. Nolan coordinated the civilians outside while Lucy, with her vest tight against her chest and weapon drawn, entered through the side door to try to reach the hostages.

That's when everything went wrong.

The suspect, a disoriented and nervous man, heard footsteps and fired point-blank. Lucy dove behind a display, but a shard of glass tore into her shoulder. The pain was sharp, but she managed to keep her gun steady until the man was finally subdued with backup support.

Outside, Nolan ran to her as soon as he saw her hobbling out of the store, her arm bleeding.

"Lucy!" he shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Are you okay? My God..."

"It's just a cut..." she murmured, trying to smile despite her pale face. "I've had worse in self-defense training."

Nolan put his arm around her back, supporting her to the rear of the patrol car. He offered water, an improvised compress, and soothing words.

"Seriously, I thought I lost you in there. You're amazing, you know that?"

Lucy laughed nervously, her body still processing the shock.

"Thanks, Nolan... really. For everything."

Then Nolan looked into her eyes longer than he should have. The world seemed to slow down around them. The way she thanked him, the closeness, the warmth of the moment... he leaned in.

"Nolan..." Lucy began, feeling the gesture.

But he didn't stop. He moved closer, eyes half-closed, clearly ready to kiss her.

At that exact moment, the sound of hurried footsteps cut through the air.

Tim appeared by the patrol car. He stopped as soon as he saw them. The coldness in his gaze was immediate.

Lucy stepped back the same second, still leaning as if trying to escape what was about to happen.

"Tim!" she called out, but he was already turning away.

Tim said nothing. He just gave a slight, stiff nod and turned his back.

Lucy dropped the compress from her shoulder and followed him.

"Tim, wait. It wasn't..."

But he didn't slow down. He kept walking, weaving through the crowd of officers and paramedics as if nothing had happened.

Nolan stood by the car, his hand still raised as if wanting to grasp a moment slipping away.

Lucy, standing in the middle of the chaos, looked in the direction Tim had disappeared. And, for the first time, she felt an urgency in her chest that wasn't from adrenaline... but from something beginning to hurt much more silently.

Lucy only returned to the car after paramedics treated the cut on her shoulder. Nolan tried to explain, to talk, but she cut him off with a firm wave.

"That shouldn't have happened. It wasn't the time... and it never would be," she said, not looking at him, climbing into the passenger seat.

The ride back to the station was silent. Nolan respected the mood, maybe out of shame, maybe regret. Lucy, however, could hardly stop thinking about Tim's gaze — that moment when he saw them and said nothing, but everything was said.

At the end of the shift, Lucy didn't leave right away. She waited by Tim's patrol car, nervous, hands stuffed in her uniform pockets to hide the trembling.

When he finally appeared, night had fallen.

"Waiting for me?" he asked from a distance, not slowing down.

"I need to talk to you," she said, taking two steps forward.

Tim didn't stop. He passed by her, but Lucy turned and followed him.

"What you saw... nothing happened, Tim."

He stopped beside his car, finally turning to her.

"Nothing happened because you pulled back. I saw. But I saw enough."

Lucy bit her lower lip.

"And you still don't trust me?"

"This isn't about trust," he said, harsher than he meant to sound. "It's about... distractions. Emotions in the middle of the job."

"So now you're just my superior? Nothing more?"

Tim didn't answer immediately. His expression was contained, but his eyes gave everything away.

"From now on... not even that. You're P2 now. I don't have to worry about what you do or who you're with."

Lucy swallowed hard, feeling the blow deeper than she expected.

"Come on. That's not how you feel. I saw your face, Tim. You walked away like you'd taken a punch."

He looked away, fists clenched at his sides.

"Go rest, Chen. You had a rough day."

"You too," she said, in a softer tone, almost a whisper.

He got in the car without another word, started the engine, and drove off.

Lucy stood there, the cut on her shoulder still burning... but it didn't compare to the feeling that something between them had just changed — and that, out of pride or fear, both were pretending it didn't matter.