Chapter 1:
"Lila, we got to go baby." I whispered to my little girl, in hopes to not let her dad hear us while he slept on the couch. I peered at him to make sure I didn't wake him. Nope, breathing still slow and steady mouth slightly ajar. Empty beer cans sitting on the stand beside him.
I quickly slipped Lilas jacket on her little arms but not without wincing at the tugging motion. Shit... today is not going to be easy. I hope it's a light day for us. Lila and I slipped out the door without Emmett hearing us.
After dropping Lila off at the daycare down the street in I got in my orange Datsun and drove to the precinct. Going in I rushed off past the others bag in tow slipping into one of the stalls to dress in peace so Lopez or Harper didn't see the aftermath of Emmett's drunken nights. He has a stressful job, he's a firefighter and yesterday the lost someone on a call... I know how hard handling on the job deaths can be, I am a cop after all. But, with Lila around I could never imagine fighting back to stop him... I can't let her see me like that.
"Hey mama, how's Lila today?" Lopez asked while we tied hair up in low buns.
"Adorable as alway." I smiled think of my light. My almost 2 year daughter who keeps me going and going strong. "She just had to wear her purple tutu to daycare today with her princess crown." I smiled thinking of her smiling at me as she did a little twirl, making my way to roll call.
Walking in with on a minute to spare she immediately felt the scrutinizing eyes of Tim... judging her for almost being late, almost willing her to do better. Thinking about it she bumped into a chair, inhaling sharply at the moment of pain she felt. Looking to make sure no one noticed quickly she noticed everyone having conversations. That ended abruptly at the sound of the door closing.
"Chen? Are you waiting for permission to sit? Or are you going to stand there like your special?" That earned a few chuckles.
Lucy took a deep breath and said, "sorry sir." Quickly taking a seat as 2 detectives come in the room. We go through roll and then disperse.
Outside of the room I run into Nolan who informs me that Tims wife was shot and left for dead in a dumpster last night AND that his home was broken into by the guy he shots brother.
"They have me on desk duty again til IA straightens this whole mess out." IA is ran by my best friend/fellow Rookies dad Jackson's dad. He's a reasonable man by tomorrow Nolan will be back on the streets.
I saw Tim in the hallway speaking to one of the secrecies on Isables case and go up to him, "Hey, I'm so sorry about Isabel."
"Yeah, thanks. Go kit up our shop, ask Mike for the Bradford special."
I give him my best confused face and ask, "what's that?"
He gives me a short, "you'll see" and stalks of.
After kitting up I start my pre vehicle inspection. Tim walks out and tells me to shut the trunk. I pause momentarily thinking of how to do it without giving myself some added pain due to the strain. I take a deep breath and squint my eyes hoping he's distracted. And grab the trunk slammming it shut. I can feel his eyes browsing into my skull as I fight back the tears.
"What's the matter, boot?" He comes up to me touching my elbow suddenly causing me to flinch.
"Ah, nothing just got a little carried away at the gym sparring." I quickly dismiss it getting in the shop quickly.
Tim quickly drives to the Bronson Estates. Word has it we got a lead the person responsible for leaving Isabel for dead, Vance, is in there.
"Let's gear up! You got your back up piece?" Tim asks. I nod at him curtly as he hands me silver metal piece.
"What's this?" I raise an eyebrow at him.
"Trauma plate for your vest, little extra protection."
I look at him with knowing eyes, "oh Bradford special, you really think we're going to need this?"
He helps me place as he informs that they call it Bronson Estates because a movie called Death Wish started a Charles Branson and that going to calls here used to mean you had a Death Wish...
I gulped and looked at him. I always worried about getting shot on the job leaving Lila, to fend for herself against Emmetts drunken rages... so far he has spared her but without me there, who knows what he would do. LAs finest, my ass... if only the LAFD or LAPD that wasn't me knew, who he really was.
I cleared my head and looked at Tim as WeT approached me telling me how crazy things have been and that he never expected all this Drama between Nolan and Isabel his Rookie year. I went to reply to him but Tim said, "Let's go." He has a rifle but Lopez says something to him that has him put it away and we enter the building.
"Alright Boot, we are going straight to Cesiah's apartment." Cesiah is Vance's girlfriend. "Now she won't answer to a uniform so stay off to the side she can't see you with the peep hole. Let me do the talking. I nodded my head at him.
Once in we were both taken aback to her very large pregnant belly. Tim played on this to get her to call by promising her an out and getting her to lower Vance to her apartment. After a while he showed up but he knew something was up and didn't immediately come in. After some talking and buying time before someone answers.
I hear , "Lucy." Frim Cesiah.
"My water just broke." I remembered when my water broke it was scary. But Emmett was the ever dotting partner holding my hand supporting me . This was before, before his first loss on the job, before he changed.
I snap myself from the thoughts and get Cesiah to lean back. And look to Tim who assured me we would get them first. I talked calmly to Cesiah and waited till it was time, realizing I would deliver her baby and keep them safe, hell or high water. No woman deserves to go through what she is going through.
We don't deserve it.
That's when I heard fire and Tim yells to Vance that he could hurt Cesiah buying us just a little more time.... He wouldn't leave without her , that we knew. If he did it would be because he was in cuffs. I trusted Tim though. Tim would keep us safe... and I would deliver this baby safely... and then keep them safe.
Cesiah was well into labor screaming and breathing heavily.
"Just breath, okay I know it sounds cliche but it will help, I promise." I assured her as I held her hand comforting.
"Have you done this before?" She asked once the contraction was over.
"Yes I have, but I also aced delivering in the academy." Tim looked back at me. I managed to keep my daughter a secret to everyone but Jackson and Lopez... Jackson picked me up from work bumping into Emmett and Lila leaving for daycare. I begged him to stay quite but he let it slip to Lopez but they both have my secret, til now... I let it out . "I promise to protect you and your baby." I looked her deep in her eyes to gain the trust I knew we both needed. "I'll be right back."
I went to get a towel and Tim looked at me, "why didn't you ever say anything?"
"It never came up." He held my arm and looked in my eyes for just a few more seconds . God There really blue... the attraction I felt for this man was nothing I have ever felt for Emmet even when the times were good. But he would kill me and Tim's my TO it can't go past this little school girl crush. To break the awkward moment I asked. "This is another test ain't it?"
"They don't stop just cause we're pinned down, and let's face it you'd think less of me if they did." I smiled at him and went back to Cesiah who looked like she ready to have that baby.
As the light kicked back on Cesiah was doing her final push. I caught the baby cleaned them both up and handed Cesiah her baby wrapped in a towel , "it's a girl."
"Good job, Boot." Tim looked at me with pride and then back to the make shift peep stick. "Somethings not right."
He was cut off by the sound of crashing, "lookout!" Tim exclaims as vances guy, pony, pulls his weapon on me. As I reach for mine it's too late and he gets a shot on me. Knocking me backwards and out.
I awake to hearing disgruntled struggling and pleading. I feel a pain in my chest ... silently thanking Mike for the Bradford special as I take my trauma plate out inspecting the job it did.
Tim looks relieved as he sees me moving , "get him!" He says. Throwing the guy off I knew the gunman behind the knee taking him down. We both take on respective men, and place them under arrest.
After things calm down Tim insists on me being looked at by a EMT ... I hold my breath that means they will want to look at my chest where I probably am sporting a new bruise.
"Boot, you can either go to the rig willingly or as an order."
As he says that Emmett approaches us.
"What's going on Luce, Bradford?" He looks between us.
"Lucy took a bullet to the chest and I want her looked at before she goes back to patrol. Don't need her going down on me because we missed an injury."
"Lucy?" Emmett turns facing me so no one sees his face. He looks pissed. He hates that I run with Tim. He also probably isn't happy I was so wreckless someone could have seen my various healing bruises under my shirt along with my pretty new one from last night.
"I'm fine, Tim."
"She said she's fine, is that going to be a problem Tim?" Emmett narrows his eyes at Tim trying him. I'm inwardly thankful for his intervention because I can't let anyone know. They would see me as weak, and incapable of doing my job.
Or worse they won't believe me and Emmett takes my Lila, my light, from me. After all he's a respected Firefighter with years under his belt, I'm a rookie whose name is not known yet. Who would believe me?
Tim didn't back down. He glared right back at Emmet and I had to hand it to him he was pretty intimidating when he stares. Not scary like Emmett but definitely not a puppy.
"I'll look her over." Emmet gave in leading me to the rig.
"Are you fucking serious Lucy. Are you trying to get me in trouble?" He whispered yelled at me, grabbing me by arm once inside.
"No I turned it down. I would not have gave in... I swear." I stuttered at him....
"If you give me away I swear to god I will end you Lucy Chen and you will never see your daughter again, you hear me?" He pushed me down roughly pulling my shoulder the wrong way as he did it.
He exited went over to Tim said something angrily and stocked off.
"Well he cleared you let's go, Boot.
Tim didn't let it go that I had tried to deny car. He said if I'm so good and didnt need attention I could do push up. My arms, my chest and ribs burning at the pain. Emmett hurting my shoulder made it almost impossible. But the thought of losing my daughter pushed me through.
Truthfully if it was t for the bruises I was hiding I would have taken Tim up on the medical care because getting shot hurts like a bitch. Trauma plate or not.
The rest of my shift went pretty eventful, a few traffic stops. Push ups. Tim death stares with his gorgeous blue eyes.