Work Text:
1.
The first time it happens is when Lucy is his go-fer. She doesn’t even really think about it or what it might imply but she brings him his coffee. He doesn’t ask for it nor does he question it when she hands him it.
“Thank you.” He says. “I needed this.” She nods and goes on about her day. She doesn’t notice the other officers looking at her. She doesn’t notice any of it because to her it’s normal.
She’s close to Tim, she’s closer than either of them would probably admit out loud but still. And her bringing him his coffee isn’t weird.
She does it again a few days later and then the next week as well. Each time, Tim accepts it and each time Lucy just smiles at him and then they go about their day.
But then she brings him a coffee and a donut. And that’s when she hears the whispers, she feels the stares.
“Here,” Lucy says handing them to Tim and as usual he takes them without question. “Why is everyone staring at me?” Tim looks around and Lucy follows his gaze, everyone stops as soon as Tim looks at them.
Of course.
“No idea.” Tim says. “But thank you for this. You know you don’t have to get me coffee everyday.”
“I know.” Lucy says and maybe it’s just habit at this point but I want to.”
“I appreciate it.” Tim says. “Now go set up the shop.” Lucy rolls her eyes but makes her way to get the shop ready.
She feels that the eyes are back on her, and she’s not sure she likes it. She gets the war bags, and then heads out to the shop.
She would figure it out later, and it was probably nothing.
***
Lucy hears the term first and she is glad she does because she knows Tim would go off. She is in the locker room changing out for the day when she hears two officers talking. “She is his work wife.” An officer says. Lucy freezes. “She doesn’t bring coffee to anyone else.”
“Aren’t they dating other people?” The other officer says.
“Yep.”
“I guess that’s why they call it work wife.” The first officer says. “He doesn’t even question it.” Lucy blinks a few times before she’s grabbing her bag and hurrying out of the locker room.
She was Tim’s work wife?
How was the possible?
She almost runs into someone but they manage to get her steady. “Wow what’s the hurry Chen?” It’s Tim.
Of course it’s Tim.
She stares at him for a few seconds before she’s hurrying away and ignoring him calling after her.
She wasn’t Tim’s work wife just because she brought him some coffee.
They were crazy.
Crazy.
She wasn’t Tim’s or any ones work wife for that matter. And that was final.
***
2.
The next time it happens is when they are at a bar together. Both Ashley and Chris had bailed on them, they were busy for some reason so Tim asked Lucy if she wanted to get a drink.
As friends.
And of course she said yes. They were friends, and they were getting closer everyday. She hadn’t thought much about the whole work wife thing nor had she mentioned it to Tim.
They are sitting at a booth when she sees Angela and Wesley walking in. And soon they are sliding into the booth and sitting across from Tim and Lucy.
“What are you doing here?” Tim asks looking between them. “How did you know we would be here?”
“I know you Timothy.” Angela says giving him a week. Tim rolls his eyes. “I know why you and your work wife—Lucy would be.”
“My what wife?” Tim asks looking a little aghast. Lucy feels like sinking down into the cushions.
“Your work wife.” Wesley says. “It’s where you have this connection with a woman at work and it’s like you are married. At work.” Tim blinks at him and Angela does too.
“Do you have a work wife Wesley?” She asks keeping her voice steady.
“You are the only one.” Wesley says. Tim turns to look at Lucy, and she gives him a smile.
“Did you know about this?” He asks. Lucy wants to lie and say no. She wants to play dumb but she can’t and besides Tim would see right through her.
“I heard some officers talking about it because I brought you coffee.” She says. “But it’s not a big deal Tim.”
“Except you are both in relationships with other people.” Angela points out. “And you are here at a bar. Together.”
Tim and Lucy exchange a look. “That’s a long story.” Lucy says (it really wasn’t— Chris and Ashley were just duds). “I’m not Tim’s work wife. I’m with Chris like you said.”
“And I’m with Ashley.” Tim says. “She’s not my work wife.” Lucy nods in agreement but she can’t help but feel a little disappointed.
“Whatever you say.” Angela says and she looks doubtful. Lucy scoots away from Tim, and takes a sip of her drink.
She was not his work wife.
Nope.
Not at all.
***
3.
The next time it happens, it’s because Tim gets hurt on the job and of course Lucy being Lucy rushes to his side. He’s fine but she is still worried and until she lays eyes on him…
“Oh my god,” she says rushing to his side. He’s hooked up to some monitors and he looks like he’s in pain. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He says waving her off. “How did you even know?”
“I’m your work wife.” She says before she can stop herself. The words just fall out of her mouth. She has denied being Tim’s work wife and yet—
“What?” Tim asks raising his eyebrows.
“I heard it on the radio Tim.” Lucy says which is half true and she also heard it from Grey. “Don’t be silly.”
“You are the one who said it.” Tim replies. Lucy swallows and then sits down in the chair next to him.
“What happened?” She asks. Tim shrugs and winces a little.
“Just bad luck.” He says and she can tell he is keeping something from her, she doesn’t push him (not yet anyway) and just sits there. “You know you got here before my actual girlfriend.”
“Yeah?” Lucy says. “Did anyone call her? I can—”
“It’s fine.” Tim says waving her off. “She wouldn’t rush down here not like you would.” Lucy grimaces a little and maybe that’s true but Tim deserves someone who actually cares.
“Well she should be here.” Lucy says. “Not just me.” Tim shrugs and winces again.
“She’s not my work wife is she?” Tim asks. Lucy doesn’t shudder at the term this time and just nods.
“No,” she says. “She’s definitely not.”
***
A voice wakes Lucy up and she opens her eyes to see Ashley standing at Tim’s bedside. Lucy gets up and hurries out of the room. She is surprised that Ashley even bothered to show up.
A few minutes later, Ashley comes storming out of Tim’s room and down the hallway without acknowledging Lucy.
(She’s fine with it. She doesn’t like Ashley that much anyway).
“You can come back in now.” Tim calls and Lucy tiptoes back into the room. “She broke up with me.”
“Why?”
“I guess she didn’t like that you are my work wife and you were here with me.” Tim says. “It’s not like—”
“What?”
“Never mind.” Tim says but he looks more relaxed like a huge weight is off his shoulder. “Sit down.”
Lucy walks over and takes a seat again, and she really is exactly where she is supposed to be to be.
Work wife or not.
***
4.
The next time it happens is when Lucy breaks up with Chris. She is tired of doing the same thing with Chris every single night. They always order takeout, they always watch a cooking show and it’s ironic because Chris doesn’t even cook. And then there’s the fact that he’s pressuring her to buy a house with him.
It’s the fact that Chris has uttered I love you to her several times and she has not once uttered it back.
It’s the fact that Tim has noticed, and has heard a very shallow conversation between her and Chris.
It’s once again about houses. He’s trying to show her a potential house over FaceTime but it’s blurry and his service isn’t good.
“We can talk later!” Chris says. “Love you.” Lucy hangs up and avoids Tim’s eyes.
“What?”
“If you don’t want to move in with him Lucy just tell him.” Tim says. Lucy groans. She hates that he has heard all of this.
“I just—” She says and she takes a deep breath.
“Do you love him?” Tim asks. Lucy turns to look at him.
“I should.” She replies. But she doesn’t, she doesn’t love Chris and she’s not sure she ever would.
“Then what’s the problem?” Tim asks. “If you love him—”
“Maybe it’s because I am your work wife.” She blurts out just like she did in the hospital room. Tim doesn’t look surprised but he does raise his eyebrows.
“What does that have to do with anything?” He asks. “If being my work wife is getting in the way of your real relationship.”
“No it’s not.” Lucy says. “Never mind. He’s just not—” She looks at him.
Chris is not Tim.
And despite denying she’s his work wife (even though it’s less and less now), despite trying to deny her growing feelings for him. Chris is not Tim. She would always go to Tim for help, she would always bring Tim coffee or a donut. She didn’t even want to buy a house with Chris.
“Lucy, if it’s not working out with Chris—” Tim starts.
“I know.” Lucy says and deep down she does know exactly what she has to do.
***
Lucy breaks up with Chris that night. He’s all ready to order takeout and look at houses. He even said they could change the show up to House Hunters.
But Lucy doesn’t want that. She doesn’t want any of it, so she stands in front of him and lets him know the obvious.
“I think we should break up.” She says. Chris frowns at her. “It’s not working out.”
“We were going to buy a house together.” He says. “What do you mean?”
“I never agreed to that.” Lucy says. “I don’t want that.” She keeps her eyes on him as his demeanor changes. He frowns and then he pushes past her.
“Screw you Lucy.” He snarls. Lucy doesn’t say anything as he storms out. She just feels relieved.
Now she could go back to just being Lucy.
(And Tim’s work wife).
***
5.
The next time it happens, they are secretly dating (although she’s not sure how secret it is because they are pretty obvious). They got together after Lucy broke up with Chris, she went to tell Tim she had done it and he asked her on a date. They just sort of fell into it and it has been amazing so far.
Tim was an amazing boyfriend, and he would do little things for her even at work. He would hold the door open, he would help her load the shop without question. He would softly touch her when he would walk away.
It was going great.
And of course, Lucy would still bring him coffee and donuts (on occasion). She would write little notes on the coffee and she would watch his reaction when he read them.
This particular morning though they were both cranky from a long night and Lucy forgets to get his coffee. She is about to do a quick coffee run when she sees a young officer approaching Tim and setting a coffee in front of him.
She freezes in her spot.
“What’s this?” Tim asks. Lucy keeps her eyes on him and tries to smush down the jealously she’s feeling.
“It’s coffee.” The officer says and she leans against the desk Tim is sitting at. “From your work wife.”
No.
No.
This wasn’t happening, she is his work wife. Not some random officer. Tim must be thinking the same thing because he turns away from the officer and looks at Lucy and then turns back to the officer.
“That is inappropriate.” Tim says. “I don’t have a work wife.” That stings a little but Lucy understands where he is coming from.
“Officer Chen was your work wife.” The officer says almost bitterly. “She brought you coffee all the time.”
“That’s different.” Tim says standing up.
“How?” The officer shoots back. Tim eyes go to Lucy again and then back to the officer.
“This is inappropriate Officer Morgan.” He says. “Please go back to your duties.” Officer Morgan gives him a long look before she’s storming away. Lucy finally walks over to him.
“That was weird.” She whispers. They start walking towards the hallway.
“I know.” Tim whispers back.
“I am your work wife and only me.” She says. Tim doesn’t hesitate in his response.
“I know that too.” He says. “My place tonight?”
“Absolutely.” She says and for once it felt pretty damn good to be Tim’s work wife.
***
+1
The next time it happens, Lucy is actually his wife. At work. In public. Everywhere and she is not going to stop saying it. She didn’t hesitate to say yes when he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She didn’t hesitate to say I do (or cry because tears were already flowing that day). And she won’t hesitate to say yes when someone asks if she’s his work wife or he’s her work husband (because he is and he always has been) and now it’s just real.
She buys him coffee and puts in down in front of him. He moved up to watch commander after Grey took a job for the FBI task force.
(Her husband being the watch commander was pretty damn sexy).
“What’s this for?” He asks before she can leave.
“You look tired.” She says but she can’t keep the smile off her face. She might be the reason he’s tired.
(No one could actually prove it).
“Hmm and whose fault is that?” Tim says and he takes a sip of the coffee. Lucy just smiles at him innocently. “Well careful some people might think you are my work wife.”
“I am.” She says. “And your regular wife.”
“Oh?” Tim says raising his eyebrows. “Is that so?”
“I’m pretty sure.” She says. Tim just shakes his head and looks back down at the paper. Lucy smiles to herself and makes her way out the door.
“Sergeant Chen,” Tim’s voice stops her in her tracks. She turns back to look at him. “You are and always have been my work wife.” It’s amazing how far they have come from denying to not even caring if someone said it.
It was just a fact.
They were better together. They were better when they were at each other’s side.
“Yes I know.” She says and she gives him a wink before she’s walking away.
***
Lucy gets hurt, and of course the first person at her bedside is Tim but not before she hears him in the hallway.
“That’s my work wife—my wife.” Tim’s voice is loud, panicked and almost scary. “Where is she?”
If Lucy could—she would get up and meet him halfway but she can’t. Soon Tim is in the room and hurrying to her bedside. He’s in his normal clothes and he has his wedding ring on. He runs his fingers through her hair and then presses a kiss to her forehead.
“You know I’m not just your work wife anymore.” She says.
“Old habits die hard.” He says. “Are you okay?” Lucy nods because she is now. She has Tim by her side and nothing else matters.
“I will be. Just got roughed up. I can handle it.” She says. Tim gives her another kiss.
“I know you can.” He says. She pulls him down and rests his forehead against hers. “I don’t know if I can. I can’t lose you Lucy.”
“I’m not going anywhere babe.” She says. Tim gives her a smile and then she kisses him and it’s like the first time. It just gets better every single time.
“You are my favorite work husband by the way.” She says. Tim frowns a little and pulls back.
“I better be your only work husband.”
“You are.” She reassures him.
“I love you.” He says and she can’t help but kiss him again. She had no idea how two words would turn into this. Falling in love with Tim and not looking back.
“I love you too.”
Work wife and actual wife and everything in between.