#dad!tim bradford

[afictionaladventure16]

A Little Unsteady (Tim Bradford x Teen!Fem!Reader)

The Rookie Masterlist

Summary: Y/N finds herself back at square one and desperate for a break. Tim has always felt like something was missing in his life and when Y/N stumbles into the police station looking for his girlfriend, he feels drawn to her, like he was called to help her.

Warnings: Mentions of abuse and death

Word Count: 3,138

Authors note: Let me know what y'all think of this, might make it into an angsty series! Send in the requests!

Shit. 

“Fuck,” you whispered to yourself, your mind racing to a million thoughts. The sound of a million voices rang through your ears as you entered the building, but that was all an exaggeration, it was only a room with maybe a good thirty people. 

Spending your lunch period at the police station was the last thing you wanted to do, but you were desperate and eager to find that familiar face. You knew Rachel hung around the police station when she wasn’t in her office, whether it was for work or personal, this had to be the place she was gonna be at. 

Walking up to the front desk, anxiously tapping your fingers on the counter catching the lady behind the counter's attention. The lady’s eyes landed on your fingers, “Can I help you, hon?” 

you clenched your fingers to your palm, “Sorry,” you gave her an apologetic smile. 

She smiled, “I get it, police stations give lots of people anxiety. What can I help you with today?” 

You were quick to notice police officers standing near the counter looking through files and some sitting down and typing away on a computer. “I- Um, I’m looking for Rachel Hall. She’s a social worker and sometimes she’s here.” 

“Rachel Hall,” the receptionist repeated as she looked through the log-in log. 

One of the officers quickly turned his head, “You’re looking for Rachel?” He asked. 

You looked over at him, giving him a nod. “You know her, Officer Bradford?” 

“Yeah, she’s… a friend. She’s actually here doing some paperwork.” He walked over to where you stood, “I can show you where she is.” 

You gave him a hesitant nod, and he gave you a reassuring smile in return before thanking the receptionist and walking out of the room. You followed his lead, he turned to look over at you before asking, “So, how do you know Rachel?” 

“She used to be my social worker before…” you trailed off, clearing your throat. “Doesn’t matter.” 

Tim decided not to press on any further as he led you to a meeting room where a lot of social workers come to do wellness checks and supervised visitations, among many other things. He knew Rachel had been at the station for a supervised visitation, one that unfortunately had to be conducted within the police station for safety reasons. Thankfully, she was done with her visitation and was just finishing up on her paperwork before heading back to her office. Tim liked to believe she stayed longer just so she could see him or even catch a glimpse before she headed back out. 

“Rachel!” You exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief as Rachel quickly turned her head, surprised to see who had called her name. 

“Y/N?” She got up from her seat, “What are you doing here?” 

You walked over to Rachel, “I needed to see you, you’re the only one who would believe me.” 

Rachel glanced at Tim who just gave her a shrug, “What’s going on?” 

“I can’t stay at that house anymore, there has to be something you can do.” 

Rachel sighed, “Y/N, I’m not your case worker anymore. Anything I do would get me in trouble.” As much as she wanted to do something, it would be putting her job on the line and it meant she wouldn’t be able to help other kids as well. She was already at risk for making a huge mistake on a case a couple weeks back. 

Tears began to well up in your eyes, “I can’t stay there.” 

“Y/N, why can’t you stay there?” Tim asked.

You glanced over at Tim, remaining silent. “Y/N, what did they do to you?” You didn’t respond, you had come here for help but the words had escaped you. You didn’t know how to tell the one person who helped you escape a hellish home a few months back, a home that almost cost her, her job; that the home she thought would be safe is far from it. “Did they hurt you?” Looking back at Rachel, you gave her a nod. 

Rachel let out a shaky sigh, there were times when she lost hope for the system. This was one of those times. She looked over at Tim before looking over at you, “You have to tell Sasha, Y/N.” 

“I did tell her!” You said in frustration, “But she hasn’t done anything! It’s like she doesn’t even care.” Rachel didn’t want to defend her friend's behavior, but this didn’t sound like her. At least not from how she knew her. 

“I-I,” she sighed, “I can’t do anything Y/N.” 

With pleading eyes, you gave her an understanding nod, “I just don’t want to go back there.” 

Tim hated seeing this part of the job. Seeing how the system worked and how it meant that kids within the system went to homes that didn’t even care about their existence. “What if I did a wellness check?” Tim asked, “That way, I can come in and check on you, and then your foster parents will know that someone knows about the situation?” 

“Like a scaring tactic,” Rachel added. 

“Exactly, It’s not the best but it could help,” Tim tried his best to be hopeful. 

It wasn’t what you wanted. It was far from it, actually, but beggars can’t be choosers. “Alright.” 

Tim offered you a ride back to school and you accepted. The whole car ride back, you felt defeated, given that all you had received was damage control. Nothing could be done about your situation, not yet at least. 

“So, what grade are you in?” Tim asked, trying his best to distract you from your thoughts. 

“I’m a freshman.” 

He nodded, “any thought about college yet?” 

You shook your head, “even if I did, I doubt I would even be able to go.” 

“There’s always scholarships,” he said with a hopeful tone. 

“Did you go to college?” You asked. 

“No, actually. I went into the military then I became a cop, obviously.” You nodded, “That could also be an option too.” You didn’t say anything in response, you drew attention back to the houses you passed by on the car ride. Tim cleared his throat, he knew what it was like to be in your shoes. Wishing for someone to help you from the people that were supposed to protect you. “So, what’s your story?” 

“What’s yours?” you retorted. 

Tim rolled his eyes, usually, he wouldn't have played this game. But something within him felt like you needed to hear his story, maybe it would you realize that everything could turn out okay, even if everything at the moment felt a little unsteady. 

“I grew up with an abusive father, I spent most of my life fighting to survive.” He gave you a quick glance before focusing back on the road, “So I know what’s it like, to wish someone would just help, for someone to just take you away from the one place you’re supposed to feel safe in.” 

You remained silent for the next few minutes, Tim groaned at the sigh of the traffic ahead of him. “We’re going to be here a while,” he commented. 

You sighed, “my dad died in front of me,” you spoke up. 

Tim glanced over at you, “my parents were high school sweethearts apparently and when my dad passed away, my mom couldn’t handle it. I’m sure if you went down skid row, you’d find her lying on the ground somewhere with a needle stuck in her arm. I’ve been in and out of foster homes since I was eight. My mom's been in and out of rehab since then.” 

“That’s not easy,” Tim commented. He had a lot of things to say about how your mother handled things but to each their own. His heart ached at the thought that you didn’t have a good structure in your life. 

“Nope,” you responded. “Rachel was the only one that ever did something to take me out of my previous foster home, even if it almost cost her job.” 

“And now you feel like you’ve wasted all your resources.” 

“Yeah,” you said softly. “Just five more years and I’ll be out of the system's hands.” 

The traffic began to move again. Minutes later, Tim pulled into the school parking lot. “Before you go,” he began as he reached into his shirt pocket, took out a card, and handed it to you. “If you ever need anything and I mean anything, you give me a call.” 

You took the card, giving him a small smile, “Thank you, Officer Bradford.” you got out of the shop, closing the door behind you. Giving Tim a small wave goodbye before you snuck back into campus. 

Tim made it his personal assignment to check up on you from there on out, to make sure you were all right, not just for you but for Rachel too. It was the least he could do, even though everything within him wanted to do more. He wanted to save you from your personal hell, but it was impossible for him at the moment. 

When he made it back to the station, Rachel was there waiting for him, “How’d it go?” 

“I gave her my card, and told her she could call me if there’s anything she needed. I’ll do a wellness check before the end of my shift,” he stated. 

“Thank you.” Rachel sighed, “She was one of my first cases, so she means a lot to me.” The two of them remained quiet for a moment, the situation between the two of them has been different since Rachel got a job in New York. “Promise me something?” 

Tim looked up at her, “Anything.” 

“Look after her for me? While I’m gone. She could use a guardian angel.” 

Tim smiled, “Of course.” Tim couldn’t help but feel a dreading sensation within him, he hated that he couldn’t do more. 

The weeks to come were difficult for Tim, with Rachel leaving and all the shit that went down within the station. He felt drained but didn’t show it. Tim needed a change within his life, something to make him work harder within his life. He had his dog and he was happy with his dog, but he still felt like he was missing something. 

There were times when he couldn’t help but wonder if everything hadn’t happened with Isobel if they would have had children by now. What their life would have been like. That’s all he could think about, the what-ifs. 

“Look, everyone has their first puppy, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Tim commented. Lucy, his boot, had been dealing with her first puppy as a rookie. He couldn’t help but tease her about it. 

“Whatever,” Lucy brushed off. 

Tim chuckled as he kept his focus on the street ahead of him. They were heading back to the station to end their shift. Tim was ready to go home and watch the game, to just relax for the next couple of days. 

“Any plans for tonight?” Lucy asked. 

“There’s a game on tonight.” 

“Of course,” she rolled her eyes. 

Once they arrived to the station, Tim was quick to do all his end-of-shift duties before clocking out. He groaned to himself as he stepped outside to be met with darkness. He hated how quick it was to get dark in the winter. 

He got into his car and began his journey back home, listening to music on the way. He came to a slow stop as the light turned red, he glanced towards the sidewalk. It took him a second to process what he saw, he quickly took another look, “What the,” he muttered to himself. The light had turned green and the car behind him honked. Tim groaned and turned his signal light on before pulling off to the side. 

Quickly getting out of the car, he tried his best to catch up to the person he had just seen, “Y/N!?” He asked. 

You quickly turned around, “Shit,” you muttered under your breath. 

“What are you doing out here?” 

You held the strap to your duffle bag tighter, “Um, I-I I’m” Tim waited for you to come up with a good excuse, “I’m on my way home,” you smiled. 

“Really?” You nodded, “then you wouldn’t mind if I gave you a ride?” 

“Well-” 

“Y/N,” he said sternly. 

“Fine.” 

Tim smiled, “let’s go.” 

You followed Tim to his car, getting into the passenger seat as he waited until you had your seatbelt on before driving off. “How you’ve been?” He asked as he began driving in the direction he had just come from. 

You sighed, “Fine.” 

Tim sighed, “I know it’s been two weeks since I’ve done a wellness check.” 

“I didn’t say anything about that.” 

“I know, I just felt the need to apologize,” He reassured. “Have they-” 

“If you’re gonna ask if they’ve hurt me, no. Not since you’ve seen me.” 

“Good,” he responded. 

“You can drop me off at the corner,” You commented. 

“No, I’m going to drop you off in front of your house,” Tim stated. He knew what you were doing, you weren’t fooling him. You were walking the direction away from your home and you had a duffle bag. It was obvious. 

He stopped in front of the house, “here you go,” he said with a smile. 

You clenched your jaw, you hadn’t stepped foot in that house within a week. Going in now would be a death trap. You couldn’t do it, you couldn’t open the car door and get out of that house. Knowing that Tim would wait in his car until he saw you walk inside that house. 

“Well?” 

You sighed, feeling defeated. “Stop acting like you don’t know.” 

“Where have you been staying?” You shrugged, “Y/N,” he said sternly. 

“Under some bridge near Skid Row.” 

“Near skid row!? Y/N!” He exclaimed, “do you have any idea how stupid that is?” 

“I was desperate to get out!” 

“This is the second house we’ve gotten you since I’ve met you, you know what Sasha said! It’s either this or the shelter.” 

“And I chose neither!” 

Tim pinched the bridge of his nose, “how long?” 

“A week.” 

Tim looked at her with wide eyes, “It rained for three days straight this past week!” He sighed, “I gave you my number so you could call me if you needed something and this is what you do.” 

“I wasn’t gonna call you, so you could just have Sasha send me to another home that’ll treat me the same way.” 

“What’s wrong with this one?” He asked as he sat back in his seat. 

“Well, when you say it that way-” 

He sighed, “I’m asking because I need to know.” 

You rolled your eyes, “I caught him watching me…” you looked down at your hands.

“Watching you?” 

“He watched me shower,” You hated how it made you feel, how you just felt exposed every time he would look at you, even if you had clothes on. Tim undid his seatbelt, “Please, don’t go in there.” 

Tim wanted to disregard your request, but he knew the last thing you needed right now was for him to make things worse. It was an issue that would be dealt with tomorrow, for now, he needed to find you a place to stay. “You have a place to stay tonight?” You shook your head, “You do now,” he commented. 

You gave him a confused look, “I have a guest bedroom, you can stay there tonight.” 

“You don’t have to”

“I’m not letting you stay under some bridge near Skid Row nor am I letting you stay in that home. I’ll call Sasha in the morning, for now, you can have my guest room.” 

You wanted to argue with him about how you could defend yourself, but who were you kidding. You’re only fourteen and let’s face the facts. You wanted to sleep in a warm bed. 

The ride back to Tim’s place was quiet and usually, you hated it. The quiet meant you had time to be left alone with your thoughts, but for the first time in a while, your mind was at ease. The drive wasn’t long, Tim helped you carry your duffle inside his house. You heard the tapping of nails hitting the floor, and you were quickly greeted with paws on your chest and a tongue slobbering all over your cheek. 

“Kojo, down!” Tim exclaimed and the dog quickly got down. “Sorry about Kojo.” 

You couldn’t help but smile as you kneeled down next to the dog to give him some love, “you should’ve said you had a dog, I would’ve said yes a long time ago.” 

Tim couldn’t help but smile as you giggled at Kojo’s antics, “Come on, let me show you where you’ll stay tonight.” He gestured for you to follow him. 

You got up from your position next to Kojo and followed Tim down a short hallway, “Alright, the bathroom is the door at the end of the hallway, help yourself to whatever is in the fridge except for my beer. That is off limits, even if you were of age.” He placed your duffle on an ottoman that was placed at the end of the bed, “Do you need any essentials? Toothbrush, toothpas-” 

“I have everything, thanks.” You took in the sight of the bedroom, out of all the rooms you had lived in, many in which you had to share with others, none compared to this one. This one felt inviting. It felt warm. 

It felt different. 

“Everything okay?” Tim asked. 

You gave him a nod, “Yeah, perfect!” 

“Alright, I’ll be in the living room watching a game that started an hour ago, if you need me. You hungry?” 

“Nah, I’m good,” as if on cue, your stomach made a loud noise. 

“it says otherwise,” Tim smirked, “I’ll order some pizza. I’ll let you get settled in, feel free to make yourself at home alright?” 

You gave him a nod, watching as he walked out of the room. You weren’t sure what to do first, to unpack your things or take a shower. Should you unpack your things, if you were going to be sent somewhere else tomorrow? You let out a sigh, laying on the bed, you couldn’t help but wonder, What if you just stayed here instead? 

No, you didn’t want to be more of burden to Tim than you already were. He had done enough for you and was already extending his kindness by letting you stay the night. No need to extend it any further. For now, you were going to allow yourself to enjoy this comfort. To enjoy the warmth of the invitation. 

Taglist: @daffodil0darling

#The rookie #tim bradford x teen!reader #tim breadford x reader #tim bradford x y/n #tim bradford x teen!Foster!reader #tim bradford x Foster!teen!reader #dad!tim bradford #tim bradford rookie #tim bradford fic #lucy chen #the rookie fanfic #tim bradford x daughter!reader #tim bradford x you

[katsu28]

my whole take on girl dad!tim…

obviously, he would have a soft spot for his wife!….so then add a daughter, or daughters into the mix. and there you have it…tim just being a HUGE softie for his wife and his daughter(s)

also idk what came over me last night, but i was watching edits of tim on tik tok. and i thought to myself, “hmm i could totally imagine him being a girl dad🤨🤭”

he does he doessss!!! little baby girl bradford has got tim "quit is a four letter word, boot 😤" bradford wrapped around her little baby finger from day one of her arrival and everyone knows it (she takes after her mother after all). he has the willpower to withstand pretty much anything except her. baby girl wants doesn't want her dad to leave for work? he'll gladly do desk duty and paperwork for the day with her strapped to his chest in a baby carrier, he doesn't care who walks by and sees him pacing around his office bouncing a baby.

#answered! #sweet rachel <3 #tim bradford #dad!tim bradford

[tim-lucy]

Tamara went from feeling out of place with Tim there to feeling so comfortable that she literally pulled them apart while they were kissing and came out so Tim would make her pancakes 🥺 

#the rookie #tamara colins #tamaracolinsedit #tim bradford #lucy chen #lucy x tamara x tim #tamara x tim #therookieedit #lucy x tim #chenford #chenfordedit #tucy #* #mine: gif #mine: the rookie #the rookie spoilers #IM SUCH A MESS OVER THEIR LIL FAM #tamara and aaron are their kids #i know that doesnt make sense at all but its a vibe thing not an age thing LMAO #like when my bestie and her fiance would take me places and they were always mom and dad YA KNOW #hehehe anyway i love them all

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Chenford Crumbs Per Episode:  Episode 6x5 The Vow

#chenford crumbs #some good food #tim x lucy #tim bradford #lucy chen #melissa o'neil #eric winter #love #6x5 #the vow #mom and dad are fighting #now kiss and make up #the rookie

[rookieoneil]

Tamara: if I paid anyone $20 will you take my finals for me?

Tim: your literally bribing city officials

Angela: $30 and you have yourself a deal

#the rookie #lucy chen #tim bradford #chenford #eric winter #melissa oneil #incorrect the rookie qoutes #tim x lucy #angela lopez #nyla harper #tamara collins #dylan conrique #tim is a dad

[backonmybullship]

"Tim goes it alone when someone from his past returns – leaving Lucy looking for answers… and him."

-The Rookie 6x05

#chenford #WHAT #That's kind of unlike him who would make him do that #do we know that his mom's dead? #Wait we don't even know that his dad is dead yet #And it can't be Isabel because he doesn't hide his dad or Isabel from Lucy #who the fuck is it #the rookie #tim bradford #lucy chen

[karihighman]

TWO DEFINITE PARALLELS + one almost 🥲💕 [first parallel originally from here — it just made me recognize these two others so yeah]

#the rookie #dad wesley #baby jack #baby girl parents #wesley evers #nyla harper #tim bradford #angela lopez #wopez #in the scene vs. behind the scenes #parallels are paralleling #the rookie season 6 #the rookie season 4 #the rookie 6x01 #the rookie 4x01 #the rookie 4x02 #lots of laughs #best cast #shawn ashmore #eric winter #mekia cox #alyssa diaz #twitter saw it first

[my-shields-are-down]

Bottle

REMINDER: I asked for one word prompts to trigger a fan fiction one shot. This one triggered a doozy.

==============

Seventeen year old Kai Bradford walks up to the podium and takes the microphone from his Aunt Angela and breathes deeply to calm himself. He is really nervous talking in front of all these people. But he knew this was excellent practice for his valedictorian speech in a few weeks.

He found and made eye-contact with his mom, who nodded, smiled and gave him two thumbs up and whispered - “you’ve got this.”

Tim turned to Lucy and asked, “Did you know about this? About what he’s going to say?”

Tim and Kai have not been on the best of terms lately. They seem to be having the same fight over and over about Kai’s future, his girlfriend, his clothes, the weather, you name it, they argue about it. So the fact his eldest son is now standing in front of his peers to speak is quite a bit unnerving and overwhelming for Tim.. Tim has no idea what his son will say. Lucy looks back at him and smiles. “I knew he wanted to speak - but no, honey, I don’t know what he’s going to say.” She leans into Tim and kisses him.

Tim grabs her hand and watches their son take a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Their first born - the boy who almost died when Lucy was shot.

Who spent hours on Tim’s bare chest as his lungs and heart grew strong; who listened to Tim talk about his mom and how much he loved her and needed both of them to live; Who said “dada” and walked way ahead of schedule; the kid who followed Tim everywhere and asked him a gazillion questions; the one who used to look at him with awe and wonder; the natural athlete who swims, and surfs, and catches anything thrown in his general direction, who brings his mom flowers just because they remind him of her; the one whose love of the ocean forced Tim to get over his aversion to it; the one who brought home creatures and plopped them on the dining room table with cheers of victory and squeals of “science!”; the one who is just like his mom, full of kindness, brilliance, humor and sunshine; who stands up for the little guy and treats everyone the same; the one who will wave and say hi to his mom on national tv when he catches the winning touchdown during a future bowl game despite the thousands of hours of drills run with his dad. The human he loves almost as much as Lucy. Tim loves this boy-almost-man more than life itself.

Kai turns to the audience and nods when he says, “Hi everyone. I’m Kai. Thank you for coming tonight to my parents’ 20th Anniversary Party. I’m here to speak for the kids - me, Diana and TJ. Besides being the oldest and most eloquent, everyone knows I’m the favorite - mom’s little sunshine miracle boy.”

He blushes and rolls his eyes - as the audience laughs and nods in agreement.

Because Kai was the first born, they had all seen videos and pictures and heard stories of everything he has ever done. The soccer games, the school plays, the boys playing in the dirt, the backyard camping adventures, the wonder and annoyance at his little siblings, the failed clarinet career, the gifted athlete, the wickedly smart and clever kid, etc.

Lucy has a large orange and green fire breathing dragon on her office wall - drawn by Kai in 7th grade art class. Tim had it framed for her office shortly thereafter.

Everyone at the party has watched him grow up and turn into the charming, smart and handsome young man before them.

At 17, he now is just an inch shorter than his dad, strong, athletic, with dark wavy hair, a golden honey complexion and stormy blue-gray eyes.

But there was a time when he lived in a NICU incubator for several months, weighing under 5 pounds, while his mom recovered from two bullet wounds and his dad tried not to sink into a pit of despair.

“I love my mom so much - she’s my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, my closest confidant, my favorite person.” Kai waves at Lucy who smiles and waves back.

“But my dad? My dad is my hero.”

And just like that - all noise in the ballroom stopped - you could hear a pin drop. Tim’s breath catches in his throat and a single tear falls down his face. Lucy smiles at Kai and squeezes Tim’s hand.

“What do I mean by that? Good question. Wikipedia defines a hero as a person who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength.”

That’s my dad. I know him as my stay-at-home protector, but I’ve heard stories from all of you, all of my life about the danger he faced day after day as a cop; how he came up with creative solutions to immediate problems - like the drilling of a hole in a car floorboard to spray pepper spray into a car to stop a carjacking or making a donut place the main lunch stop for cops so the gangs avoid it or digging through the dirt with his bare hands to dig up the barrel holding my mom as she died waiting for someone to find her.

None of my siblings or I would even be here, if my dad had given up on finding her. Well that and you know, them admitting they were crazy about each other and all the sex - no no no - Aunt Angela, I cannot say that - gross”… the audience including his parents start laughing loudly.

“Where was I? Oh right… My parents could not be more different - she’s sunshine and he’s grumpy. We kids know how to be exemplary humans because they showed us how.

My dad as a man is who I hope to be when I grow up. I measure myself against who he is in the world. He’s not perfect - just ask my mom about his “sock problem” - but he is my role model for how to treat people and how to exist in the world.

When I was 6 years old and getting ready for my first day of school, he sat me down on the bench by the door and tied my shoes and said the same thing to me he says every year - his yearly “Tim Talk” as mom calls it:

“You look your classmates in the eye, Kai. You speak to them with respect and honesty and kindness. I don’t care if they did you wrong, or if you are having a bad day. You always treat everyone you come in contact with as if they are special to you, as if it’s the best part of your day. You smile at your teachers, your classmates, the janitor. You laugh at bad jokes. You congratulate people on their accomplishments. You become friends with everyone and learn about them. What makes them excited and scared? What are their favorite things? Who are their favorite people? You be the one everyone smiles about when they remember. okay?”

All three of us live and die by this advice every day. We are all well liked by our classmates, teachers, coaches, parents neighbors and friends. Our parents - mom by telling and dad by showing - gave us the foundation upon which we stand and live.

My mom taught us how to love big, my dad taught us to love small.

My mom taught us to hold tight, my dad taught us to leave space.

My mom taught us to be confident, my dad taught us to be humble.

My mom taught us to grateful, my dad taught us to be of service.

My mom taught us to be loud, my dad taught us the value of silence

My mom gave us a love of nature, my dad gave us a love of sports.

My mom believes in second chances, my dad prefers to measure twice and cut once.

My mom taught us about forgiveness, my dad taught us about loyalty.

My mom taught us to be strong, my dad showed us how to be vulnerable.

Dad sends flowers to his ex-wife on her birthday every year. He loved her a long time before mom came along and while it wasn’t always pretty, he thanks her for loving him and letting him go.

He and Kojo and then later Jack and Diane (Di’s chinchillas) never missed a tea party with Diana and her real or imaginary friends.

Dad dances with mom in the kitchen when her favorite song comes on the radio.

He came to every recital and game, chaperoned every field trip and dance.

He knows all of our secrets and gives the very best advice. We don’t always follow it, mind you, but he gives it freely whenever we ask.

Most importantly, he showed us that he loves our mom. They’ve given us three kids infinite lessons on how to love and be in a loving relationship. We are so lucky and blessed to have these amazing creatures as our parents.

So everyone, please raise your glasses, bottles, and cans and let’s celebrate our parents - Lucy & Tim Bradford.

Thank you.

While everyone is cheering and clapping, Tim stands up and walks over to his son and grabs him in a big hug and and just holds onto him tightly while smiling the biggest smile and with tears streaming down his face. “I love you too Kai, I love you too.”

——— end ———

#chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #the rookie #tim x lucy #i love them #askandrea #andrea writes #my emotions have been all over the place #one word prompts #bottle #I can see this life they live so clearly #miss you dad #chenford fanfic

[candice127]

I’m still stuck on Lucy’s “Can I watch?”

The tone of her voice

We all would love to watch your boyfriend coach baseball too Lucy

#all of the baseball scenes were so cute #Tim and Lucy giving mom and dad #they will make great parents #chenford #tim x lucy #the rookie abc #tim bradford #lucy chen

[afictionaladventure16]

A Little Unsteady (Tim Bradford x Foster!Teen!Reader)

Pt. 2

The Rookie Masterlist

Word Count: 4,162

Warnings: Mentions Sexual assault and abuse.

Authors Note: Requests for this fic and The rookie are open!

You woke up to the sound of birds chirping, and your heart leaped into your throat. 

“Oh no,” you jolted out of bed and quickly got dressed. “Fuuuck!” you muttered as you rushed to put your shoes on. Somehow the bed was too comfortable and you slept through both alarms, meaning you now only had five minutes to get to school. Five minutes to do your twenty-minute walk, which is now probably longer since you are further away. 

You ran out of the room and ran into the living room, “Whoa! Good morning to you too! Where are you going in such a rush?” Tim asked as he placed his coffee mug on the kitchen counter before walking over to you. Kojo quickly got up from his spot on his bed and began following you. 

“I’m going to be late for school!” You exclaimed. 

“Y/N” 

“Officer Bradford, I don’t have time for this, I gotta find my backpack and go to school. I have midterms com-” 

“Y/N, just hold on a minute.” Tim followed you as you walked back over to your room, Kojo trailing behind you, you looked around for your backpack. 

“I don’t have a minute,” you groaned in annoyance, “did I leave a backpack in your car?” 

Tim sighed, “Y/N, your backpack is in the car, I’m driving you to school and breakfast is ready. Now, go brush your hair and put on shoes that match and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” 

“I-I can walk.” 

“I’m not letting you walk to school, especially when it’s ten miles away. You’re going to have a proper breakfast and I’ll drive you to school afterward.” Tim began leading you to the bathroom, where you could properly get ready for the day. “But don’t take too long because classes start within an hour.” 

You rolled your eyes, “I don’t take long.” 

Tim chuckled and walked back to the kitchen. He couldn’t help but laugh at the scene you had just caused, the way Kojo followed you around like a lost puppy. He was loving it, loving the noise inside his home and the way things lit up. There was life and somehow he found himself being okay with this being a norm. 

Tim didn’t sleep much the night prior, he spent most of his time tossing and turning, weighing out his options. There was one in particular that was heavy on his mind, one that he felt like it was the best for not just you, but him as well. He wasn’t even sure where to start, but he knew that when he spoke to Sasha today he would find out more. 

His mind wondered if it could be possible to make you stay at his place for a little longer, Maybe something long-term, something safer and reliable until you went to college. 

He wasn’t sure how you would feel about the idea, but he knew he did not want to bring it up until he had spoken to Sasha. Once he was sure it would be possible then he would bring up the idea to you. For now, he had to remain quiet. 

Five minutes later you came back out to the kitchen, your hair a little more tame and your shoes now matched. “Toast?” Tim asked as he placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of you. 

“Please,” you said as you began to eat the food in front of you. 

Tim placed a piece of toast on your plate. He leaned against the counter as he drank his coffee. 

“Thanks for letting me stay the night,” you commented. 

“I’m gonna be picking you up after school, you can leave your things here while you’re at school.” You gave him a nod, “I’ll give Sasha a call and see what we can do for you, alright?” 

“Sounds like a plan,” you sighed. “She’ll just be sending me to another home and we’ll be doing the same thing over and over again.” You began, pushing around the food on your plate with your fork. 

“Who knows, maybe this time it’ll be different.” 

“Didn’t take you as an optimist,” you retorted. 

Tim rolled his eyes, “we should get going if you don’t want to be late.” 

“You’re right,” you got up from your spot and followed Tim out to the car. 

Throughout the drive to school, you rummaged through your backpack, panic was beginning to settle in when you couldn’t see the essay you had worked on the day before within your folder. “Fuck,” you whispered to yourself. 

“What’s wrong?” Tim asked. 

“I Uh-” You sighed in defeat, as you zipped your backpack up, “I lost my paper that I’m supposed to turn in today during fourth period.” 

“Where’d you last see it?” 

You remained silent, trying your best to think back on when you last saw it. You remembered placing it in your duffel before moving spots, you had been working on it when you decided on moving spots. That was when Tim saw you. “Fuck,” you groaned, “it’s back inside my duffel.” 

“Wanna go back and grab it?” Tim offered. 

“No, I can’t be late to my first period, we have a test and if I’m even late by a second I get docked by five points.” 

“It’s just five points,” Tim commented. 

“And if I miss a question it’s another five points, I can’t take those chances.” 

Tim couldn’t help but notice how you were being so hard on yourself, especially when it came to your schoolwork. On one hand, he was impressed with how serious you were on your school work given what you were going through, but on the other, it felt like you were being too hard on yourself. 

“It’s fine, I’ll have to take the L.” 

“Take the L?” 

“Take the loss?” you looked at him in disbelief, “You’ve never heard of that term?” 

“I don’t know if it’s obvious but I don’t spend my time learning all the new terms you kids make up almost every single day.” 

“The grey hairs make it a little bit obvious,” you muttered to yourself. 

“I do not have grey hairs!” Tim glanced at himself in the rearview mirror. 

You smirked, “Made you look.” 

Tim rolled his eyes, and he pulled into the school drop-off lot, “Alright, I’ll be here at three to pick you up.” 

“You know you don’t have to,” you said as you got out of the car. 

“And I said I would make sure to keep you safe. So, meet me here at three, alright?” 

You gave him a nod before closing the car door and making your way inside. Tim made sure you made it inside, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust you, it was more so that it was a habit of his. To wait until the person that he dropped off got safe inside. 

Once Tim made it home, he got ready for his daily run with Kojo. It was like clockwork, but this time he started it late since he had to drop you off. He wasn’t complaining, it was just something he had to adjust to. Today he decided to walk back home instead, but when they were almost home, Kojo decided he had enough. 

“Get up, Boot! “Quit” is a four-letter word. Do you hear me? Failure is not an option,” Tim yelled at Kojo, but the dog just stared at him. Part of Tim missed having Lucy as a boot, but he’d deny it if someone asked. Tim sighed, “Oh, come on, man. We’re almost home.” Tim felt his phone buzz, and he quickly took it out to find a message from Angela. He smirked to himself, she was just the person he was about to call. 

“Let’s go,” Kojo was quick to get up. 

Back at the house, Tim walked into the spare bedroom. “It feels wrong doing this,” he whispered to himself as he looked around. He didn’t have to look for long because the papers you had been looking for were on top of your duffle bag. He grabbed the papers and made his way out of the house. He texted Angela that he was on his way, but had to make a quick pit stop. 

He was thankful that the school was on the way to where Angela was, He walked into the front office of the school. 

“Hello, can I help you with something?” An older lady behind the counter said with a wide smile. 

“Yes, I am here to drop off something for Y/N L/N.” 

“Sure, let me just see what class she is in, right now. Give me one second, hon.” 

Tim waited as the receptionist searched through her computer. “Looks like she’s in biology right now, I’ll just call the classroom and have Mr. Gomez send her up.” 

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Tim walks over to sit down on one of the chairs nearby. He waited for a while until he heard footsteps nearing. 

“Morning, Ms. June,” He heard your voice. “I was told to come see you?” 

“Good morning, Darling. Yes, there is a handsome gentleman here to see you.” She gestured to the direction in which Tim was sitting. 

You quickly turned to the direction she had gestured at, confused to see Tim sitting there. Your heart began to race, and your mind started jumping to conclusions. Was this it? Was this the moment that someone told you that your mom was dead? “What happened?” you asked. 

“Nothing happened, I only came back here to give you this,” he handed you a few pieces of paper. 

You couldn’t help but smile, “my paper!” you exclaimed. “T-Thank you!” You looked at him in disbelief, “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” 

` “Just promise me this paper is at least B-worthy.” 

“Given that I spent 10 hours over the weekend just editing it, I’m hoping it is A worthy.” 

“10 Hours?” you shrugged, “Alright, well, get back to class, would hate to have you miss anything important, Nerd.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Thanks, Officer Bradford.” 

Tim sighed, “How many times do I have to tell you, you can call me Tim?” You rolled your eyes and walked back to class. You could recall the first time Tim had asked you to stop calling you Officer Bradford, it was one of the first times he had done a wellness check shortly after Rachel had left. If you were honest, you thought once Rachel left that he would have forgotten about you. So, you were surprised to see him at the door that evening. 

– Then –

It had been a week since Rachel left, and her goodbye was bittersweet. Part of you wanted to beg her to stay or to even take you with her, but you withheld your tongue. Thankful for all the things she had done for you and hopeful that she could do the same for other kids in New York. 

Now as you sat on the bed in your bedroom, which was also a laundry room, you began to wonder if anyone would ever care for you the way Rachel did. 

You could hear muffled voices coming from outside, you walked over to the window to get a glance outside. You could see a cop car parked on the side of the street, something within you knew that you had to go see who was outside. 

Tim walked up the steps, although his heart was still aching about Rachel leaving, he couldn’t get rid of this feeling that he needed a check-up on Y/N. He had been informed that she had been taken to a new foster home only a week ago and he hoped this home was better than the last. 

He knocked on the door only to be greeted seconds later by an older-looking man with a beer in his hand. “Can I help you?” 

“Good afternoon, I’m just doing a welfare check on Y/N.” 

“Well, She’s fine, thanks for checking,” the man began to close the door. 

“I’m sorry, sir, but I’m gonna have to hear it from her that’s fine,” Tim insisted as he placed his foot in between the door to stop it from closing. 

The man rolled his eyes, letting out a deep sigh, “She’s not home,” he shrugged.

Tim smirked as he spotted Y/N peaking around the corner from behind the man, “Hey, Y/N, it’s me, Officer Bradford!” The man quickly turned around, glaring at the young girl behind her. Tim was quick to see the fear appear in her eyes, he knew right then and there that he had to get her out of this house. “Mind if we talk for a bit outside?” 

The man stepped aside giving Y/N the space she needed to walk outside. The door was quickly closed behind her, “How are you?” 

“Peachy,” you stated as you sat down on the steps. Tim followed your lead but decided standing would be best. 

He scanned your body, noticing newly formed bruises on your neck and arms. He knew the ones of your arms were from defending yourself. He clenched his jaw in anger, letting out a deep sigh, “How long have they been hurting you?” 

You crossed your arms, trying to hide the bruises. “At this point, I think I deserve it. Sometimes I just don’t know when to shut up.” 

“No one deserves it, especially a kid.” 

“It started yesterday,” you began, “It was just once, otherwise they’ve been really ki-” 

“Don’t defend them, especially when the man himself didn’t even want to call you to the door for a welfare check. I’m getting you out of here,” Tim stated. 

“To go where? Another home with the same result?” You shook your head, “I’m better off here.” 

“I know you don’t want to hear it, but one night in the shelter won’t be too bad.”

You scoffed, “Then I’ll have all my things taken from me.”

“If that’s what you are worried about then you can leave your things with me and take what is essential,” Tim offered. He hated that this was his only option for you, but it was better than staying another night in this home. He wanted to prevent something from happening to you again. 

You let out a defeated sigh, “you’d do that?” 

“I’ll even pick you up from the shelter in the morning and take you to school,” Tim could see that you were thinking it over. He stood there hoping that you would take the offer. 

“Fine.” Tim gave you a soft smile before ordering you to go get your things. He had called in his findings and asked for a backup. Nolan had arrived minutes later, arresting your foster dad for child abuse.

You watched as Nolan put your foster dad in the back of the shop, “is that everything?” Tim asked. 

You had felt like you were forgetting something, “Um,” you began as you quickly rummaged through your duffel. “Fuck!” you dropped the duffel and ran back inside the home. You ran inside the room you had been staying in, quickly spotting the tan-colored leg, of a stuffed animal, under the bed. You grabbed it and ran back outside, earning a raised eyebrow from Tim, “I need you to keep him safe,” you stated as you handed him to Tim. 

“A stuffed Bunny?” Tim questioned as he took the bunny from you. You gave him a pleading look and Tim quickly understood, “I’ll keep him safe.” Tim gestured for you to follow him to his truck, Tim had contacted your caseworker, while you were packing, who, in turn, asked Tim to take you to the shelter. In other circumstances, Tim would have probably said no, that he had other things to do but that wasn’t the case this time. Tim wanted to take you to the shelter. He needed to make sure you were safe and from there on, he did. 

– Now – 

“This is the kid you’ve been checking up the past couple of months, right?” Angela asked as she looked at herself in the mirror. Tim had come over to the bridal shop to help Angela pick a dress and frankly, he needed advice right now. 

“Yeah, and I’m waiting on a call from her caseworker and… I think I want to foster her. Like, is it crazy to want to foster her?” 

Angela shrugged, “Maybe, but maybe it’s because you think you should’ve had a kid by now so you’re in this mindset of wanting to be some type of father figure to something.” Tim looked at Angela dumbfounded, “or maybe it’s just crazy,” she added with a smile.

“So, should I do it?” Tim asked. 

Angela sat down beside Tim, “You want my honest opinion?” he nodded, “I think you should. I feel like this will be good for you and who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.” 

Tim smiled, “Thanks, Angela.” 

Angela smiled, “Now be honest, you sure this dress doesn’t make my belly look big?” Tim rolled his eyes and laughed. 

It didn’t take long after for Angela to find a dress she liked and once she did they were out of there. She insisted on bringing over cake samples later for him to help her decide, part of Tim thinks she used it as an excuse to just meet you and get to know you a little better. Yet, Tim didn’t say no, because the other part of him wouldn’t turn down cake if it was offered. 

Once Tim had left the Bridal shop, he decided to give your caseworker a call, tired of waiting on her. 

The phone rang a few times before she picked up, “Hello?” 

“Hey, Sasha, it’s Tim!” 

“Oh, Tim! Hey! I am so sorry, I meant to call you back right away I just got caught up on some stuff” 

“It’s alright, don’t have to explain. I understand how hectic it can be.” 

Sasha smiled through the phone, “What can I help you with?” 

“Well, like I said in the message, I found Y/N last night and she’d been living under a bridge the past week. So, I took her in for the night and now I’m wondering if I can foster her. I know there's probably a lot of paperwork that needs to be done an-” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Sasha interrupted, “I think it’s best if she stays with you, I’ll talk to a judge and see if we can get you emergency custody until I can get started on the paperwork. At this point, I have no other place for her to go.” 

Tim let out a relieved sigh, there was hope, “Anyway I can get the rest of her stuff from her previous foster parents? I know she carries around this stuffed bunny and… well it’s probably not important.” 

Sasha had never noticed the bunny, but then, she never thought to notice. “Y-yeah, I can send you the address and notify them that you’ll be there soon to pick up her things.” 

“Another thing, Um- Y/N mentioned that her foster father he um- he watched her shower a few times.” 

Sasha took in a deep breath, “that’s heavy.” 

“Yeah, look, if it were up to me this man would be behind bars.” 

“I’ll call it in, get him off the foster list, and see if we can get him convicted.” 

Tim sighed, “Alright,” if it were up to him, the man would be six feet underground by now. But it wasn’t up to him. 

“I’ll text you the address right now, and maybe it’s best if you have someone else with you when you go.” 

Tim chuckled, “Don’t worry, I’m angry but not stupid, Sasha.”  Sasha said her goodbyes. It was only a minute after when Tim got an address sent to his phone. 

It didn’t take Tim long to get to your foster parent’s home. Once he had gotten out of his truck a man waited on the porch for him, “Hey,” Tim said coldly. 

“I assume you’re Tim,” the man said in a rough voice, Tim gave him a nod. “All her shit is in this bag,” the man said as he gestured to the garbage bag that was leaning against the wall of the house. 

Tim walked over to the bag and began rummaging through it, “um, there’s this stuffed bunny-” 

“I threw it out, she’s too old to be holding on to shit like that,” he scoffed. 

Tim rolled his eyes, “Come on, man. It’s more than that to her.” 

“Well, if you’re gonna be such a bitch about it, it’s in the trash up front.” The man gestured to the pile of trash that was waiting to be picked up. Tim felt his blood boil, but he had to control his anger. The last thing he needed was to lose his cool, not only would he potentially lose his job, but he could lose the opportunity to give you a safe home. 

Tim gave the man a nod, “Thanks,” he picked up the bag, he then walked over to his truck, and placed the bag in the backseat before walking over to the trash to search for the bunny. 

“Alright, Mr. Hops,” he muttered to himself, “if you could hop on out that would save me a whole lot of time.” After pushing aside a bag or two, he spotted Mr. Hops with ease. “Ah-ha!” Tim smiled to himself as he grabbed the bunny and walked over to his truck. 

Tim drove back home to put your things in your room. Well, the guest room, which is now your room. Tim couldn’t believe it when he thought, that his guest room was no longer a guest room, but your room. Tim found himself excited for what was to come, hopeful that you would be excited too. Yet, he had this fear within him that you wouldn’t be excited.

He glanced at his watch, “fuck!” he muttered as he realized the time. Running out of the house and to his truck, he was going to be late to pick you up and he didn’t want to risk you leaving, thinking that he would never show. Tim parked in the pick-up area at the high school, watching as kids walked out of the gates. He spotted you quickly, smiling as you were already making your way to the truck. 

“Hey!” Tim exclaimed as you hopped into the truck, quickly putting on your seatbelt. “How was school?” 

You shrugged, “‘s alright, I guess.” you sighed, “Any luck with Sasha?” You had been anxious about it all day, just wanting to get it over with, were you going to spend the night at the shelter or another shitty foster home? 

Tim nodded as he drove away from the school, “I did actually. We uh- found you a foster home and they’re really excited to take you in.” 

“Same old story,” you rolled your eyes. 

“They actually requested for me to take your things straight over so you could go straight to their house right after school,” Tim stated, he couldn’t hide the smirk on his face. 

“Jesus, they sound… controlling.” 

Tim shrugged, “who knows, maybe they won’t be that bad.” 

“What about my things from my other fos-” 

“I already picked up your things from there,” Tim interrupted. 

“Oh,” you whispered. You didn’t know why you felt sad that Tim was so quick with his responses, so quick to find you a new foster home. Part of you liked staying with Tim, even if it had been one night, it had been the safest you felt in months, maybe even years. 

“Here we go,” Tim stated, you felt the truck go up a driveway, and you looked out to see where he had taken you. You quickly looked over at Tim with a confused expression. 

“W-wait, I’m confused, I thought you said you were taking me to-” 

“I did,” Tim interrupted. 

“But this is your house,” you stated. 

Tim nodded, “I spoke to Sasha and I told her that I think it’s best if you stayed with me for the time being and she agreed.” Tim couldn’t help but smile as your face lit up. 

“You’re going to foster me?” 

“Yes, if that’s okay with you, of course, if not I can call-” 

“No! I mean, yes! This is perfectly fine with me!” You smiled from ear to ear, “thank you, Tim.” 

Tim smiled, “Of course,” he cleared his throat, ”Now how about we get inside so you can unpack and I’m thinking pizza tonight?” You weren’t going to argue with his ideas, you followed him inside and went straight to your room. Staying with Tim was probably the last thing you thought would happen, but you were happy that you were, but somehow you felt like this was only the beginning of something. 

Taglist: @reignsboy19 @halsteadstyles @daffodil0darling

#the rookie #the rookie x reader #tim bradford x reader #tim bradford x y/n #tim bradford x yn #tim bradford x you #tim bradford x teen!reader #tim bradford x foster!teen #tim bradford x foster!teen!reader #dad!tim bradford #tim bradford teen!reader #tim bradford fanfic #tim bradford fic #tim bradford angst #tim bradford x teen!reader angst

[katsu28]

tim definitely has a framed picture of his baby girl on his desk at work

also, should we come up with a name for his baby girl??

he absolutely does! and when he's knee deep in paperwork and wondering why the hell he wanted the sergeant's position in the first place he looks at it and takes a deep breath bc her smile calms him

we should! i feel like it's gotta be something traditional ish but also cute...maybe like eleanor? could call her ellie or ella as a nickname? what do u think <3

#answered! #sweet rachel <3 #dad!tim bradford

[halsteadsass]

tamara calling tim on her own to ask him for car help and tim fully accepting his role as dad is everything to me. I’ve been waiting for the day that we would finally see tim and tamara build a bond outside of lucy and this is it. it doesn’t hurt that we also got the most “married with a teenage daughter” conversation out of tim and lucy because of it either. everything is continuing to fall into place.

#DAD!TIM HAS FINALLY ARRIVED #‘it was purely self interest’ yeah making sure your wife wasn’t worried and your daughter was safe #the rookie #tim bradford #tamara collins #lucy chen #chenford #the rookie spoilers #nikki talks

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

#Married With A Teenager Daughter Vibes

#love this for them #married #the teenage daughter they deserve #my heart #one big happy family #mom and dad #parents #the rookie #therookieedit #chenford #chenfordedit #tim x lucy #tim bradford #lucy chen #melissa o’neil #eric winter #love #4x11 #4x22 #5x12 #5x14 #gif #gifs #gifset #tamara collins #dylan conrique

[rookieoneil]

Lucy: happy birthday, loving you is a piece of cake *hands her a peice of cake*

Tamara:

Lucy:

Tamara: that pun single handily restored my love for birthdays

#it’s my birthday #the rookie #lucy chen #tamara collins #puns #dad jokes #Lucy x Tamara #tim bradford #melissa oneil #chenford #eric winter #tim x lucy #angela lopez #nyla harper #incorrect the rookie quotes #incorrect quotes

[firstdegreefangirl]

It Only Takes a Taste (when it's something special)

Theme: Day Seven - Gingerbread/Cookies/Sweets @12daysofchristmas

Fandom/Character(s): Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen (The Rookie)

Word Count: 944

Ao3 link here!

Lucy pushes open the front door of Tim’s house – not quite their house, not yet, but it’s feeling more and more like it every day – and drops her work bag down carefully before she crouches to untie her shoes.

She doesn’t say anything, but she usually doesn’t have to. Most afternoons, Kojo meets her at the door, with Tim not far behind. His truck is in the driveway, and the leash is on the hook, so they’re not at the park, or out for a walk.

“Kojo?” She calls out, standing back up. “Tim?”

“In here!” She relaxes at the sound of his voice, calm and steady and unpanicked. Not that there seems to be a reason to panic, but in the few seconds that she’d been here, her mind had started to race.

She takes a deep breath, to calm down a little further, on her way to the kitchen.

A wave of fantastic aroma washes over her. There’s something in the air, warmer and sharper than any candle has ever been. It’s a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet. There’s definitely cinnamon, but she doesn’t think that’s all. She can’t pin down the rest from a single whiff, but there’s something else there too.

She makes it into the kitchen just in time to see Tim pulling a baking sheet out of the oven.

“Hey.” He looks up when she walks in, sliding the pan onto the countertop as his face breaks into a wide, easy grin. Kojo doesn’t move his gaze from the counter, but his rump wiggles back and forth, so Lucy is sure he knows she’s there.

“Hey.” She comes around the island to wrap her arms around Tim’s middle. One of his drapes across her shoulder, a chunky oven mitt still covering his hand. “What’s all this?”

“Cookies. Gingerbread men. Or, well, they were going to be men, but I couldn’t find the cutter. So … gingerbread squares. It’s in the attic, probably, in one of the boxes. But the dough was ready, and my assistant wasn’t so patient.” Lucy feels him lean back to look at the dog. “Were you, buddy?”

“I didn’t know you bake.” There’s no judgment in her voice. Truly, she’s impressed. Just … surprised. Since they’ve been dating, Tim has cooked dinner for her on many occasions (and non-occasions too, just because he wants to take care of her). But until today, she’s never seen him bake anything that wasn’t a cut of meat or a roasted vegetable.

“I don’t,” he says, stepping away from her so he can pick up a small spatula. He slides it underneath the cookies, one by one, setting them onto a waiting tea towel. Lucy watches quietly, like she’d risk everything by interrupting his careful work.

She doesn’t say anything until he turns back to the island and starts pressing down on a ball of dark brown dough she’s only just noticing. He picks up a rolling pin and works in smooth, even strokes to turn the dough into a thin slab.

“Oh, OK,” Lucy doesn’t try to hide her amusement. “What’s all this, then?”

Tim trades the rolling pin for a paring knife. “I’m making gingerbread.”

He cuts the dough into long rows, then slices it into neat little tiles.

“And that’s not baking?”

“Hush, I’m trying to focus.” It’s not an order, though. Lucy steps closer and watches him reach for a bowl.

“What’s that?”

“Sugar. Turbinado, actually. It’s less refined, and the crystals are bigger. A little sweetness to offset the ginger, and the bigger pieces give it a little crunch.”

“He says he doesn’t bake,” Lucy looks at Kojo, who’s still watching Tim’s every move. “But the man knows different types of sugar.”

“I don’t bake,” Tim repeats.

“Says the man putting cookies on a tray.”

“Fine. I bake one thing. Once a year. That hardly qualifies it as a hobby. Wait your turn,” he addresses this part to Kojo, who’s just started whining next to him. “You can’t have these, there’s nutmeg. Your special dough is still in the fridge.

“Don’t get defensive. It looks like you’re doing great. Smells like it, too.” Lucy takes another deep breath; the smell is stronger here than in the foyer, and she loves the way it bites at the inside of her nose. “Can I try one?”

“They should be just about cool enough.” Tim uses the backs of two fingers to test one of the freshly-baked cookies, then picks it up and breaks it in half. He holds one side of it out to Lucy. Instead of taking it from him, she leans forward and bites the exposed end away from his fingers.

It’s perfect.

The edges are crisp, but the middle section is soft and just a little chewy. There’s a sharp flavor, cinnamon and nutmeg and ginger, she knows now.

And yes, there’s a tiny, sweet crunch from the sugar crystals on top.

Lucy can’t help the relaxed, happy noise she makes while she chews.

“Good?” Tim asks, eyebrows raised like he doesn’t already know the answer, as he eats his own half of the cookie.

“Good,” Lucy sighs, letting him drop the other piece into her mouth.

She tries to reach for another cookie, but Tim catches her hand and uses it to pull her into his chest.

“Later. I’m making dinner tonight too.”

He dips his head down to kiss her, and once again, her senses are flooded with the warmth and scent and taste of dessert.

This time, though, there’s something more to it, again.

It’s the only thing she can imagine tasting better than fresh-baked gingerbread:

Gingerbread and Tim.

#katie writes #kw22 #chenford #lucy chen #tim bradford #kojo the dog #kojo bradford chen #Tim is the softest dog dad #12daysofchristmas2022 #12daysofchristmas #day seven: cookies/gingerbread/sweets

[dylanconrique]

.... suddenly a kidnapped chenford child fic is forming.

#*and this is icarly! #*my wips #the rookie #tim bradford #lucy chen #chenford #otp: you know me so well #OH THE ANGST OH!!!!! #i couldn't help but think back to when tim told lucy how much worse it is when you cover a case where a child dies during tonight's ep #and thus the wheels started rapidly turning!!! #NOT THAT I WOULD EVER KILL OFF ONE OF CHENFORD'S BABIES #i just wanna put mom and dad in a panic for a little bit #it also gives me a great reason to write lucy going off the handle at someone #the way she flew off the handle @ tim when he tore her apart for not reporting what he said about taking his own life back in the s1 finale #like someone tells her to calm down and she's like #'DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN MY BABY IS MISSING' #oh the wip! it's forming!!