Work Text:
Lucy finishes getting dressed and heads out of the locker room. Her head has been killing her since this morning and calls were nonstop. She was riding alone today. Tim and Aaron were riding together for the week so she was left on her own. Her entire body was aching, but she was determined to push through it.
Lucy’s stomach lurches and she barely makes it to the bathroom to throw up. She is clammy, her stomach feels queasy, her nose is stuffy, and her head feels like it weighs double her body weight. Lucy thinks she has gotten it out of her system and walks over to the sink. She throws cold water on her face and does the best she can to look normal. Roll call is quick and she heads to grab her war bags. Aaron gives her a weird look, but she heads to her shop and drives off.
Thirty minutes later, Lucy can barely drive. She just manages to pull over before she’s out of the shop and throwing up. She has called in to be put on personal and thought Tim has said something, but it’s foggy. She sits with her back against the shop with her head between her legs.
Everything is spinning and Lucy knows driving wouldn’t be smart. All of a sudden there’s a pair of hands on her shoulders and she tries to fight. Then she realizes she recognizes those hands: it’s Tim.
“Lucy. What the heck happened?” He looks at her concerned.
“Umm I threw up.” She mumbles still keeping her eyes closed from the bright sky.
“Come on Lucy. You’re going home.”
“Mmm Tim ‘m fine.” She tries to say unconvincingly. Tim helps her up. “Lucy your head is burning up. How long have you felt this way?”
Lucy shrugs her shoulders. “Need to work”. She’s half asleep on Tim and he looks at Aaron.
“Drive our shop back to the station. I’ve got Lucy.” Tim drives back to the station as Lucy curls her legs up and holds her stomach. Thankfully she doesn’t throw up on their way back. Grey sees them pull in and his eyes go wide at Lucy’s current state.
“Bradford. What happened?” He is more concerned than anything.
“When she called in personal, I went to check on her. I found her sitting against the shop. She’s pretty sick.”
“Take her home. Both of you change out. Take care of her.” He points at Tim. Tim knows better than to say no and honestly he wants to take care of her.
Angela sees Tim holding Lucy up. “Woah.” Angela says.
“Can you help her change? She’s really sick.” Tim asks nervously. Angela nods. It takes a bit, but Angela leads Lucy out and back to Tim. He picks her up once they’re outside and carries her to his truck. She falls asleep against the window. Tim decides to take her to his house. It’s one floor and it will be easier to get her inside.
Once he’s parked he picks Lucy up and brings her to the couch. She stirs slightly. “Mmm Tim. ‘M gonna be sick.”
Tim runs and grabs a bowl. He manages to get it underneath her mouth just in time. He rubs her back as she lets it out.
Once she’s done he brings her to the bed and sits her down. He grabs water, Tylenol, a cool cloth and some of his clothes for her. Tim grabs a thermometer, checking her temperature first. It reads 102.8. He hates that it’s that high, but he gets her to swallow the medicine without incident and a little bit of water.
“Luce. Can I help you change?”
“Mhm. Thought you seeing me naked would be different than this.” Tim holds back a gasp as he helps her change. He tries to look away but she needs the help. With Lucy settled in bed, he starts running the cloth on her head and neck.
“Thanks Tim. This is nice. You’re handsome and I wish you were mine. I lied on my last day as a rookie Tim. I’ve had feelings for you for a while. Cuddle me please.” She mumbles the last bit as she falls asleep but Tim hears every word. He is sitting there in shock.
Tim goes to get up, but Lucy tightens her grip on him. He manages to climb over Lucy and she curls right into him. Yeah I could get used to this. Did she mean what she said? Will she even remember? He thinks she said it because she’s delirious and not thinking clearly.
They both fall asleep. Tim wakes two hours later with Lucy still curled into him. Her fever shows 101.3. Still high but not as bad. She seems to be going through the worst of it right now. Tim manages to get her to eat a little soup later on when she wakes and rotates Motrin and Tylenol.
“That was good Tim.” She says quietly mainly due to the fact that her head is still pounding. “I feel so gross.” She says as her stomach hurts a little more.
“We can clean you up in a bit. You need to rest Luce.” She mumbles something else and falls back asleep. Twenty four hours later, Lucy is sitting up in Tim’s bed and feeling quite better. She’s not one hundred percent, but better than she was. Her head hurts, but not as bad.
“Hey.” He smiles as she looks at him. “How are you feeling?” He brings her Gatorade and crackers to ease her stomach.
“I feel slightly better. Would I be able to shower?” She asks worriedly. Lucy is freaking out because she’s sick but she remembers what she said yesterday. Tim hasn’t said anything and she’s worried she will lose him.
“Of course. I will put clean clothes for you in the bathroom. Are you sure you’re okay?” He sees her face.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She waves him off. She’s apparently still dizzy because she almost falls as she gets out of bed.
“Woah. Careful. Let’s get you to the bathroom.” Tim tells her. He starts the shower and leaves her to it. He cracks the door and waits. After thirty minutes she comes back out feeling refreshed but not fully herself.
“Your shower is amazing.” She says as she slides back into the bed. Tim chuckles.
“Get some rest.” He tells her.
“Hey Tim.”
“Yeah?” He asks.
Here goes nothing. She thinks. “I wasn’t lying yesterday and it wasn’t because I was sick. I meant every word.”
Tim’s face falters, but then the biggest smile appears. “Yeah?” He asks unsure. She nods. “Good because I have feelings for you.” She chuckles and yawns.
“Hold me?” She asks.
“Always Lucy. Always.”