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“Let me help you.” Lucy says to Tim. She pauses at the doorway and then walks into the bathroom. She hops up on the counter and takes the razor from him.
“You want to help me shave?” He asks raising his eyebrows but he’s not protesting so she takes that as a good sign.
“Yes,” Lucy says and she runs her fingers over his stubble. 4 weeks worth of scruff. He hadn’t even shaved while she was gone. “I want to help you shave.”
“Go for it.” Tim says. Lucy smiles and reaches for the shaving cream. She puts it on his face and then takes the razor and drags it through the shaving cream. She had done this a few times before. She just found it intimate, and soft. She found it soothing.
“Why do you want to shave me?” Tim asks. Lucy clicks her tongue as she concentrates.
“Because I missed you and you clearly didn’t even try to shave while I was gone.” She says. She turns the faucet on and cleans off the razor before she starts on the other side of his face.
“I didn’t do much while you were gone.” Tim mutters. “I went to work.”
“Did you sleep?” She asks and she has a feeling she already knows the answer. And she doesn’t like it one bit.
“A little.”
“Tim.”
“It’s hard to sleep without you next to me especially since I just got used to it again.” Tim says. “I kind of like you.”
“Really?” Lucy asks raising her eyebrows. “I had no idea.” She pulls Tim closer with her legs and he balances himself by placing his hands on the counter and leaning down.
“I do.” He says. “A lot.” Lucy hums softly and finishes her work on his face.
“There you go.” He says. “Nice and fresh.” Tim looks in the mirror and runs his hands down his face.
“You did a good job. Maybe I should let you shave me all the time.” He says. Lucy hops off the counter and stands in front of him. Tim backs her against the counter, like he knows what her next move is going to be.
“It’s going to cost you next time.” She says grinning at him. “You know—”
“So I owe you now?” Tim asks. “I think I can live with that.” Lucy nods and pulls him down for a kiss.
“Love you.”
“I love you too.”
***
“Here.” Lucy says holding a ice pack for Tim. He takes it and holds it to his face. “I’m sorry I can’t do more.”
“There’s not much you can do Luce.” Tim says his voice reassuring. “I’ll be okay.” Lucy bites her lip a little.
“Okay but after it heals a little will you let me do a facial?” She asks. Tim’s eyes widen a little. She’s afraid he’s going to say no and not listen to her but—
“Sure.” Tim says. “I do owe you one.” Lucy’s face lights up in a smile and she leans in to kiss him.
“That’s right.” She says and she gently grabs his face. “You do owe me.”
***
Lucy does Tim’s facial a week later. His face is mostly healed and she’s eager to do it. He’s probably disappointed that she remembered.
“Okay this is face lotion.” She says putting it on his face. Tim hums softly, as she gently moves around his face. “And this is toner.” She holds up the next bottle.
“It tones my face?” Tim asks tilting his head at her. Lucy laughs and he really is a man.
“It helps with the oiliness.” Lucy says softly. “You have a very pretty face though. Oil or not.” Tim rolls his eyes.
“You love me. You are suppose to say that.” Tim says.
“Maybe.” She says. “But I really do think you will feel better after this.” Tim nods and she continues to spread the toner.
“Eye cream.” She says holding up the small bottle. Tim opens his mouth to say something but Lucy beats him to it. “It doesn’t make you old Tim. It will make you feel younger.”
“If you say so,” Tim says. “But—”
Lucy just puts the eye cream on. She is careful and rubs it under his eyes. She pulls back and he blinks at her. “You are loving this.”
“It’s okay.”
“Don’t lie.” She says. “I know this feels good after everything your face has been through.”
“Weird way of putting it but okay.” Tim says. Lucy grins at him and picks up another bottle.
“This is face night cream. I will put it on you tonight.” She says.
“What’s the difference?” Tim asks taking the night cream from her. Lucy shrugs and Tim leans in a little. “Thank you for this.”
“Of course.” Lucy says and she’s happy to do anything for Tim that would make him relax or feel good. She leans in and presses a kiss to his cheek. “This one is for free. No payment necessary.”
She walks off before he can say a word.
***
Lucy sets up a sleeping schedule for Tim. The brass has been calling him non stop, and she swears he hasn’t laid down for more than five minutes before his phone is ringing again.
“Where’s my phone?” Tim asks coming into the room. He’s shirtless and only in his basketball shorts.
“I put it away.” Lucy says and the truth is, it’s just on her side of the bed. On do not disturb.
“What? Why? Lucy I need—”
“You need sleep.” She says cutting him off and giving him a look. “You need to be able to let go of everything and leave work at work.”
“Okay but—”
“No buts Tim.” Lucy says. She’s tired of seeing how exhausted and frustrated he looks. She tired of waking up and her boyfriend not being there next to her. “This is for your own good.”
Tim sighs but nods and climbs into bed. He’s shirtless curls up next to her, and pulls her in close. “You love me huh?” He asks with a grin on his face.
“I want you to get more than 4 hours of sleep.” She argues. “But yes I love you.” Tim hums softly and presses a kiss to her shoulder.
“I appreciate you looking out for me.” Tim says. Lucy shrugs and really it’s no big deal, she would do anything for Tim.
And she really wants him to get some sleep.
“If work needs you then they can just wait.” Lucy says. Tim nods and falls back onto his pillow.
“Thank you.” He says again and she watches as his eyes close. “Goodnight Luce.”
“Goodnight Tim.”
***
“Do you want to meditate?” Lucy asks Tim. Tim freezes and looks over at her like a deer caught in the headlights.
“What?”
“Do you want to meditate before work?” She asks again patiently. “It will help you focus today.”
“Really?”
“It helps me.” She says and pats the spot next to her. “Come on.” Tim narrows his eyes at her but finally comes over and sits down.
“Now what—”
“Shhh.” Lucy says. “Free your mind of everything and just relax.”
“That’s not—”
“Tim.”
He goes silent and Lucy makes a noise of satisfaction before she’s focusing. She hasn’t done this in a long time and after everything they have gone through. She tried it after Martin but her mind was so clouded she didn’t think it would work.
And now with Glasser out of jail, the prison transport for Everett coming up. Lucy figured Tim needed to clear his mind.
She looks over at him, and for a man who scoffed at this—he looks pretty relaxed. He looks like he’s clearing his mind.
(Thank god. She worries about him when he has too much on his mind and he could possibly get hurt.)
She needs to focus and she closes her eyes and lets every thought leave her mind. But she opens her eyes again and finds Tim staring at her.
“What?”
“It’s nothing.” He says. “I just appreciate you trying to help me out and take care of myself.”
“Of course.” She says. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.” Tim smiles at her and leans over to kiss her.
“Oops is that not part of mediation?” He asks with a smirk on his face. Lucy shakes her head but she’s smiling too.
This man.
“No but it can be.” She says and she kisses him this time and it’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.
***
“Lay down.” Lucy demands. Her fiancé looks at her but doesn’t move from where he’s standing. “Tim lay down.”
“You just were tortured by psychopaths and you can barely walk.” Tim protests. “I—”
“You were just kidnapped and held at gunpoint and had to choose between my life and yours.” Lucy shoots back. “Lay down on your stomach.” She’s not really sure why they are even comparing their experiences. They both went through equally traumatic things. And the fact they now share trauma.
“You know I would choose you.” Tim says but this time he does lay down on his stomach. Lucy moves so she’s on top of him and starts massaging him.
“That’s not really the point here.” Lucy says. She saw the footage of them holding a gun to Tim’s head.
It’s either her or you Bradford.
His answer was quick, just like hers when he asked her to marry him. And if she wasn’t being tied down herself she would have broken free.
They didn’t shoot him, it was an empty threat and it was a signal to keep hurting her. She’s really not sure how they survived but they did.
And now they were back home, and she was massaging him to get him to relax a little. He was so tightly wound and nothing she said was helping.
“I would always choose you—oh god.” He moans as she hits a knot on his shoulder. “How are you so good at this?”
“I just am.” She says and she continues to massage him. She can feel him loosening up a little. “You are welcome.” She presses a kiss to his shoulder. Tim blows out a breath.
“Thank you.”
“Of course.” Lucy says. She would do anything for Tim and that included putting him before her as well. It’s what you do for someone you love. “You deserve to relax babe. And you deserve to rest a little. And I want to give that to you.” She rolls off of him and he rolls over too. He props himself up on his elbow.
“Thank you for taking care of me.” He says.
“Thank you for letting me.” Lucy says because she knows how hard it is for Tim to put his guard down. But he did with her, and he let her take of him. She knows he would do the same thing for her.
“Always.” He says. “Hey, I love you.” Lucy smiles and puts her hand on his chest. She feels his heart beating beneath it.
“I love you too.”
***
Tim looks over at Lucy who is moving her neck like it hurts. She had been doing it for the last 10 minutes.
“Hey,” he says and she looks over at him. “You good?” Lucy nodded and meets him halfway.
“Yeah. I think I slept the wrong way and—”
“It has nothing to do with you getting hurt at work today?” Tim asks raising his eyebrows. He might be at the stations of the time and today might have been his day off. But he has people who would call him anyway, especially when it came to Lucy. He also knows his fiancée tried to hide that she got whiplash from a minor accident.
“No! That was nothing!” Lucy says. “How—”
“I know things. And there are people who know I would find out anyway.” Tim says.
“Damnit Nolan.” Lucy mutters. “Look, I wasn’t trying to keep it from you—” Tim gives her a look.
“Lucy-”
“I didn’t want you to worry too much especially since you were at home and I was there.” She says.
“Sit,” he says. He points at the couch and she sits. He goes around and then starts massaging her shoulders eliciting a groan from Lucy.
“What are you doing?” She asks. Tim continues to massage her neck and shoulders.
“Taking care of you.”
“Tim—”
“You are in pain and I don’t like when you are in pain.” He says. Lucy lets out a sigh. He continues without saying anything more. She had done this for him and so much more just to make sure he was okay. He was going to do the same for her.
“Thank you.” She says and he watches as her shoulders fall a little and she starts to relax. He bends down to press a kiss to her neck.
“Of course.” He says softly. “Anytime. I love you.” It takes a few minutes for her to reply, maybe because he is still massaging.
“I love you too.” She says and really that’s all he needs.