2 weeks later...
Lucy stirs from her sleep as Kojo bounds up onto the bed, settling next to her. Yawning, she rubs her eyes as she automatically seeks out Tim, and she's rewarded when he walks into the bedroom moments later, sweaty and still breathing heavily from his morning run.
Lucy briefly muses on if it'll ever get old — if the sight of him will ever not leave her feeling like she's literally melting on the inside.
"Mmmmm," she mumbles in appreciation as he peels off his shirt.
He turns to her in surprise, "Look who's awake. What are you doing over there?" He narrows his eyes in mock suspicion.
"Just enjoying the view..."
"Oh yeah? And how is it?" Tim asks, pointedly and unnecessarily flexing as he deposits his shirt in the hamper.
Lucy rolls her eyes and lazily pets Kojo on the head as she yawns once again. "It's alright... not bad. Can't say I haven't seen better, but it's pretty good, I guess."
And then he's diving onto the bed, nuzzling his face into her neck as Kojo grumpily dismounts in response to the uninvited intrusion, and Lucy squeals with laughter and indignation, "Seriously, Tim?! Ugh. You're all sweaty."
He shrugs before kissing her on the cheek and then shaking his head. "Two weeks and it's like the honeymoon phase is already over... Besides, it's laundry day."
"Well, why didn't you just say so? If it's laundry day..." Lucy reaches up to pull him back down to her, and soon the heat radiating off of him from his run translates to an entirely different kind of heat between them as his hand slides up under her T-shirt.
***
Humming as she enters the kitchen, endorphins still supercharged from the morning's activities, Lucy is almost overcome with her feelings for Tim as she watches him assemble their breakfast plates. She slides up behind him, fully appreciating that he hasn't bothered with a shirt post-shower, and presses a kiss against his shoulder blade.
Tim reaches over and pours coffee into the two awaiting mugs — one empty and one almost a quarter full with some sort of sugary almond milk creamer that Lucy loves and has now become a staple in his refrigerator.
He kisses the top of her head as he turns to face her and offers her the mug.
Lucy sighs in contentment and steps back to lean against the island, wrapping her hands around the cup, and reveling in the wave of affection for him that is still washing over her.
"God, I just lo—" Lucy freezes as her brain catches up to the words coming out of her mouth and holy shit she was basically half a syllable away from telling him she loves him, and it's way too soon for that, right? Right?
Tim is watching her carefully, face unreadable. Mortified, Lucy stumbles to correct her misstep, "L-love coffee, so, so much. You know? Isn't it amazing?" Lucy finishes, officially flustered and positive that her cheeks are on fire.
Tim's lips twitch just slightly, the only movement that betrays any kind of reaction from him until he takes a step closer to her, reaching around her to set his cup down on the island before taking hers and doing the same.
Lucy watches, eyes wide, as he turns his full attention to her, hands resting on the countertop on either side of her waist, mere inches between them.
He presses a sweet kiss to the tip of her nose, and his voice is husky, "Yeah," and then another one to her forehead, "I," her cheek, "really," her jawline, "love," her neck, "coffee," the corner of her mouth, "too."
And Lucy can feel her impatience growing as he shifts one hand to brush the skin at her hip just under the hem of her T-shirt and brings the other up to cradle her face, thumb brushing over her bottom lip.
And she almost groans in frustration when he pulls further back from her instead of closing the distance between them, his eyes sparkling and crinkling at the corners as they meet hers, "And I really love you too, Lucy."
And Lucy feels as if she might actually burst with joy when he finally kisses her, at first with such sweet tenderness, and then in a way that indicates their shower may have been premature.
***
It's later that morning when they are again attempting breakfast and to officially get the day started when Tim asks, "What's on the roster for today?"
"Well, I'm going by the hospital and then grabbing a few things before heading back to my place. Tamara's coming home tomorrow, and I just want to make sure everything is ready for her."
"She is really lucky to have you, Lucy."
Lucy smiles, briefly wondering if sweetness from Tim Bradford will ever not make her feel absolutely giddy inside.
"Tell that to Jackson," she laughs. "He's supportive, of course. I just don't think he expected to have a third roommate again so soon, but it's only until she's fully back on her feet, and I'm going to set her up in my room this time. I'll just crash on the couch.
Tim pulls her toward him and nuzzles her temple, "Crash on the couch, huh?"
Lucy pulls back and turns to look up at him innocently, hand coming to a rest on his chest, "Sure. Unless there's someplace else I should be spending my nights...?"
"Hmmm, yeah. I'm sure we could arrange for you to swap to the night shift for a few weeks..."
Lucy laughs, shoving him playfully as he grabs hold of her wrists to ward off her assault and pulls her back into his chest, and Lucy knows that if she's not careful, their morning will get derailed yet again. She presses a kiss to his cheek before taking a step backward from him, "I am not taking a third shower."
There's a glint in his eyes that indicates to Lucy that he's hearing her words as a challenge, so she rushes to add, "And then I'm going to go see my dad and have dinner with my parents. We haven't really talked since..."
Tim's expression becomes immediately more serious, and he nods, "That's great, Lucy. I know it won't be easy, but I'm glad you're confronting this stuff so you can start to put some of it behind you."
Lucy nods warily, as she grabs her purse and phone from the counter. "Yeah, me too... Okay, I'm going to head out. I'll see you tonight?" She launches on her tiptoes for a quick kiss, and then tries out her next words for the first time, "Love you."
And novel as they are, they also feel so completely natural and right that Lucy has to wonder just exactly how long she's truly been in love with Tim Bradford.
***
Lucy is surprised to find Jenna in Tamara's room when she arrives at the hospital. The girls are laughing over something on one of their phones, but Jenna's expression immediately turns serious when Lucy enters the room.
Tamara offers Lucy a warm smile, and Lucy gives her hand a quick squeeze, but she's unsure of what to say to Jenna, and the feeling appears to be mutual.
The troubled teen is the first to break the uncomfortable silence, and for the first time possibly ever, she looks at Lucy with unmistakable vulnerability, 'I — uh, Officer Chen, I'm so sorry."
Lucy smiles gently, "You can call me Lucy."
Jenna nods, "I — um — I know I have a lot to make up for. I should have told you about Jayce, but I just — I don't know; I can't say I didn't think it was a possibility, but I just really hoped it wasn't, you know? And I was scared of getting in trouble..." She turns her attention to Tamara, "I'm so sorry," she says softly.
Tamara nods, and from the looks exchanged, it's clear that she's well on her way to forgiving her friend and, given all that's happened with Marissa, Lucy is inclined to think that it's for the best. Questionable decisions aside, the girls will need each other to cope with the betrayal and the loss of their friendship with Marissa.
Jenna turns back to Lucy, "And I know you have no reason to believe me, but I really didn't know about Marissa, not any of it — what she had planned, what she told Jayce, about you and her brother — I honestly still can't even believe it..." Both girls look deeply saddened as Jenna trails off.
Lucy nods. "I know. I do believe you, and while I wish you would have told me the truth about Beyond Crystals and Jayce, this wasn't your fault, Jenna. How are you doing — really — now that the service is shut down?"
Jenna swallows. "I'm okay. Definitely will need to find another job soon — a legitimate one," she quickly adds. "And I've decided to testify. I feel like it's the least I can do... to make up for..." she looks back toward Tamara.
"That's amazing, Jenna. It really is. And so brave. And if you ever need to talk, or if anyone from the service ever bothers you again, or even if you just need some help finding that legitimate job, let me know, okay?"
Jenna nods, getting to her feet. "Thank you," she says, and Lucy is almost certain that she actually means it. "I'll leave you two to catch up."
Lucy settles into Jenna's chair once she's left and turns her attention to Tamara. "How are you feeling?"
"I am so ready to get out of here!"
Lucy laughs, "One more day... have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"
Tamara sighs and rolls her eyes, laughing, "Only like every day..."
"Good... well, I have something else to tell you."
Tamara's eyes light up, and she leans toward Lucy, "Ooh it's something good, isn't it? It is; I can just tell... what is it?"
Lucy laughs, "How do you do that? Okay yeah — it's pretty good. But before I tell you, you have to promise to keep it to yourself. We're only telling a few of our closest friends right now, and otherwise, we have to keep it on the DL, so..."
Tamara's eyes widen, "We?! Oh my GOD... Did you and Officer Zaddy finally bang? While I was in a coma?!"
"Tamara!" Lucy exclaims in shock, her cheeks flaming.
"You did! Nice!"
"Oh my god," Lucy says, shaking her head. "You are worse than Jackson, you know? But, okay, yes, we are seeing each other. I am not going to dignify that banging question with a response, but I am very happy."
Tamara smiles, a glint of deviousness entering her expression, "I mean —"
"Please don't say anything that will make this any more awkward. I'm begging you..."
"Fine... fine, but I feel like you kind of owe me. If I hadn't gotten shot, who knows how long it would've taken you two idiots to finally figure it out?"