The last few days have been rough... getting Lila used to her new schedule, new daycare and babysitter was not easy. West introduced me to an older lady who watches her while I work at night. Emmett gets out of jail in 2 days. His time got extended due to getting in a fight with another inmate. So his short stay extended a little bit. Which made me sigh in relief. I have since applied for full custody or Lila by use of the PFA and proving that I was the one responsible for most of her car. I have acquired letters of character references from multiple officers, her former daycare, and even Emmetts mom wrote something saying she is better with me.
Today is reversal day. Where cops pose a criminals to rat out dirty cops. This has Tim in a sour mood. As well as the thought of Emmett getting out. Tim does not do well with domestic violence, even on calls.
"I'm just saying, cops don't have the best reputation right now. And if these tests help the public trust us, isn't it worth it?" I argued with him to get him to see the benefits.
"And how are we supposed to trust each other if our fellow officers are trying to trick us into screwing up?" He bit back. And man that sounded a lot like what he tried with me and even still does occasionally.
"I ask myself that everyday." I bit back.
"How's living with West? Little Boot doing okay?"
"As best as she can. She excited we got her room set up. I'm getting nervous for him getting out."
"Well he can't visit you or come near you. And you live with a cop . You are a cop he would be a fool." Tim told me.
"I know it's just he's..." a car horn stops me mid sentence. We see a corvette swerve to pass a car and we turn out lights on to pull the corvette over...
I exit the vehicle approach the car as the driver rolls the window down it appears to be Mario Lopez ...
I get dazzled by the fact that he's famous but Tim just goes on with job.
"License and registration."
Mario Lopez tries bribing him with tickets and compliments to me.
Mid way through he spots someone across the street and they exchange words about how this was a role reversal and some very not funny joke about Isabel. I felt bad for Tim. His ex wife put him through hell with a drug addiction... I helped him through it just like he's helping me.
He then has me write Mario up for everything he can think of.
We then return to our shop.
"Doesn't all those tickets make you feel better?"
"No, I won't be in a better mood til this days over."
"How about if you turn the grumpy off I'll treat you and Lila to pizza and a movie." I bribe.
"Don't bring Little Boot into this."
Next thing I know we are dispatched to a 459 at 117 Ayers. Tim turns lights and sirens on and hauls ass to the scene while I confirm the call.
When we arrive we see Shrooms and a man on the floor with a bear trap on his leg. Tim swears it's another role reversals when he offers us half the drugs in the house.
The leg bleeds profusely proving it is a real injury so I call it in to the paramedics.
"Tim you need to treat all these calls real. I'm serious now... he could bleed to death!"
"WHAT!"
"Oh shush you'll be fine I'm making a point."
"Tim pizza, beer and a movie with Lila if you take this day serious from now on." I apply regular belt above the mans wound to stop the bleeding.
"Fine your right!" Tim snaps and walks away.
After the paramedics come and call us idiots for removing the trap they said his leg would be okay. We loaded into the shops and headed back to the station.
"You're lucky his leg's gonna be okay." I gave him a pointed look.
"If Murphy hadn't gotten in my head, that never would've happened. Blame the reversals, not me."
"What happened between you two? Did she investigate you or something?" I asked because it's not like Tim to get this cranky over something so stupid.
"Indirectly." He nodded at me
"Is it Isabel?" I asked putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, Murphy was her investigating officer." He looked me in the eyes and I saw so many emotions flood through his blue eyes
"Okay, but you're not Isabel, so what's her beef with you?"
"Not your concern. Start the paperwork." Talk about a smack in the face... his eye softened in remorse. But...
He walked away...
I ran into Anderson and we had a conversation about the role reversals and I was on my way back out to the streets where Tim barely said 3 words to me unless it was about work.
After shift I stop and got dinner at the food truck with the other rookies, I also got Lila a take out box to take back to her with me and West. I walked Nolan to his truck and as he got in his truck I hear an automatic gunfire. I swing up his door open and got behind it.
As soon as the shooting stopped I ran in the direction it took off.
Going back to Nolan I told him there no was no sign of the shooter.
"Yeah, patrol found the car he escaped in. It was reported stolen this afternoon. SID is all over it."
Bradford comes running up, "Lucy are you okay?" He holds me out at arms length and his eyes get big.
"You were grazed, boot." He looks at my arm closer.
"I'm fine. I didn't even realize it til now. I promise."
"Who'd you piss off?" Bishop asks Nolan.
"Clearly someone with access to heavy weaponry." Tim says looking at my arm again.
"EMT now , or no work in the morning. Can't work with a hurt boot."
"I didn't recognize him." Nolan said.
"Bring a jump bag over here and look at her will you?" Tim says to an EMT.
"According to intelligence, you've been greenlit by Southern Front."
"How's a rookie get greenlit before me? I gotta step up my game." Tim said and I smacked him lightly.
"It's not a badge of honor." Bishop snapped at Tim.
"Violent white supremacist gang wants you dead, you're doing something right." Lopez quipped.
"I gotta call the neighbor to get Lila. Be right back. Anyone want chicken and fries?"
Tim snatched the bag. "Thank you."
"That arm?"
"Stitches should be needed but she needs to keep it clean and change dressings, and use this to keep it from getting infected." She tossed a tube at Tim.
I called the sitter and she was more than happy to spend some time with Lila.
Nolan and Anderson soon left after declaring keeping Nolan safe from this green light is top priority.
"Jackson, let's go help guard Nolan tonight. Lilas safe. I don't feel right going home since I was seen with Nolan. You never know."
"Like hell, you and Lila can stay in the guest room tonight . Your not going anywhere near Nolan's with him being green lit."
"Not your concern." I grabbed Jackson's arm and walked away.
Once at Nolan's I leave Anderson leaving and we tell her our plan and she leaves after telling me to call her directly if needed.
"West and Chen reporting for duty."
"Guys this is sweet but honestly it's unnecessary."
"You'd do the same for us". I told him.
"So, how do you want to do this? Personally, I'd go with alternating two-hour shifts with a static position plus a rover. Oh, and I have earpieces and walkies, just so we can keep in constant contact." Come on West!!!
"You got anything sweet?" Mmmm I could go for cookies, or cake ... hmmm maybe ice cream. Man I miss Lila ...
The next morning I look outside and see a certain someone's car out there... I grab the coffee pot and pour some into a To-Go cup and go outside.
I knock on the window Tim looks up from his phone.
"I think you might need some of this..."
"Did you sleep?"
"No less than 20 minutes no more than 40 you know my rule."
"Drink this. I'll see you in a hour."
"You take this." He handed me a baggie with a tube of cream and some bandaging material. I rolled my eyes at him and headed in Nolan's.
I walked and West said , "You know, the whole point of guard duty is that we take turns being up so everyone gets some sleep."
"You could have left at anytime." Nolan told him. "Yep. No one would have given you grief."
"Ohh we got to get to the station. But I gotta call the sitter and tell Lila good morning."
I FaceTime her sitter. "Morning Lila! Mommy misses you."
"I miss you too mommy."
"We're you a good girl last night?"
"Yes I went to bed , i brushed my teeth and said my prayers."
"That's good baby. I should see you tonight." I told her and blew a kiss.
"I love you to the moon and back baby."
"I wuv you moon and back mommy."
Later that day in the bullpen.
After seizing the property of a massage parlor ran by the gang that has greenlit Nolan I see Bradford and no other than Detective Murphy having a heated discussion. So I decided to go over and defuse the situation.
"Uh, hey, I need you to come check something for me. I want to make sure I'm doing it by the book. Okay? So, come on." I said Tim.
"Hey you know what? If I were you I would ask for another TO." Murphy told me .
"Yeah well your not me ma'am."
In the shop.
"Tim will you please talk to me." I said.
"No there's nothing to talk about . Quit trying to psychoanalyze a situation that doesn't exist."
"Tim it does exist , you wouldn't get all hard Tim around Murphy for no reason."
"Fine you know what! She's right. I did know about Isabels addiction and I still let her work! I didn't turn her in! And you know what Lucy, I could have let her get killed. Or another officer. I knew she had gone too deep undercover. But I kept quite. And that is just as bad as doing. You happy now?" He snapped at me.
"Yes, thank you, for helping me understand. But Tim, you loved her. I believe you were blinded by your love and that you decided not to acknowledge her actions. Trust me I know what it's like..."
Later that night I was laying in bed and my phone rang. Tim...
"Nolan and Anderson were held captive. They tortured Nolan by hurting Anderson... they eventually shot and killed her."
"And Nolan?" I feared for the worst.
"He's okay..."
"Tim?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you for calling me."
"Goodnight boot." And the call ended.
The next morning we covered out badges with a black bad.
My hands were shaking and I wasn't having luck. Nolan grabs it and puts it on with ease.
"Thanks." I felt eyes shooting daggers at the interaction. It was Tim.
"There'll be time for grief later. We have a job to finish. Midas gave up his son. We know where he's headed. Look, I know what's in your hearts. What you want to do more than anything. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it, too. Word is you kill a cop, you never see the inside of a cell. But that's that's not what Captain Andersen would want. Killing this loser won't honor her memory. Doing our jobs will. And we owe it to her to do it the right way. Agreed? All right, let's go."
We set up a road block to catch Cole.
"Look, you need to know that no matter what happens next, whether we arrest this guy or we kill him, it won't make things better." Tim told me.
"I know that." I told him.z
"No. You only think you do." He put his hand on my shoulder.
"Please don't tell me to "use it" - the grief or the anger - to make myself a better cop. I can't handle that right now. Everything with Emmett, Lila, you, now Anderson. It's just too much."
"I wasn't going to. Okay? Grief is grief. It's It's a hole that can't be filled, but over time, it'll shrink enough so that you won't fall in every time you take a step. But trust me, if there's one thing you can use to make yourself a better cop, it'll be her life, not her death." He told me when Grey announced that they were 1 minute out.
He stopped. Lopez announced she had a clear shot . But Cole surrendered with his hands and Grey let Nolan do the honors of arresting him.
Back at the apartment I pulled Lila into a hug and just held her and cried. When there was a knock on my door.
I opened it, "Boot, little Boot. Brought juice boxes and beer. Pizzas on the way." It was Tim.
Longer chapter! But I wanted to end it with Greenlight being over. Got some nice Cheford moments. Even some Lila. I promise Emmett isn't gone forever! Just giving Chen some happy time without Emmett upsetting her 😃