---
6:15 AM – Tim’s Apartment, Bedroom
Alice Hartwell stirred beneath a tangle of blankets, blinking slowly as soft morning light filtered through half-open blinds. Her hand reached blindly for her phone, only to be met with something warm and heavy draped across her waist.
Tim.
Or rather — Tim's entire upper body.
His arm was slung over her stomach, his face pressed against the back of her neck, and one leg curled over both of hers like a particularly stubborn golden retriever.
She wriggled slightly.
Nothing.
"Tim," she whispered, stifling a laugh. "You're crushing me."
"Good," he murmured sleepily, his voice gravelly from sleep. "Then you won’t get up and leave."
Alice turned her head toward him with a smirk. “You know we both have to be at roll call in 45 minutes, right?”
“I don’t care,” he muttered, holding on tighter. “Just five more minutes. Or ten. Or never.”
She chuckled, lightly running her fingers through his sleep-tousled hair. “Detective Bradford being late to his own briefing? Scandalous.”
He opened one eye, clearly unamused. “I nearly watched you die twice this year. I think I’ve earned a few clingy mornings.”
That made her still.
Then soften.
Alice turned fully into his arms and kissed the bridge of his nose. “You’re allowed to be clingy. But I’m also allowed to brush my teeth.”
Tim groaned in defeat. “Fine. But I’m brushing mine with you. Romantic hygiene.”
“Gross,” she said, laughing as she rolled out of bed — only for him to wrap the comforter around both of them and follow her into the bathroom like a burrito with legs.
---
7:10 AM – LAPD Headquarters, Briefing Room
“Anyone seen Bradford and Hartwell?” Sergeant Grey asked, eyes sweeping the room.
Angela Lopez smirked behind her folder. “Probably stuck in traffic. Or glued together.”
Lucy leaned toward John. “Ten bucks says they walk in exactly when he starts.”
Right on cue, Tim and Alice stepped through the door — composed, sharp in uniform, but with matching faint lipstick smudges and suspiciously identical coffee tumblers.
Grey raised a brow. “Glad you two could join us.”
“Sir,” they said in unison, sliding into their seats.
Aaron leaned back and whispered, “Did they get married and not tell us?”
Nyla muttered, “Worse. They’re happy.”
The laughter was brief, however, because Grey’s next words shifted the tone.
“There was an explosion at a chemical plant near South Central early this morning. Hazmat is on site, but one of our own was already inside when it went up.”
Silence.
Alice straightened. “Who?”
Grey looked grim. “Celina Juarez.”
---
---
8:00 AM – Chemical Plant Perimeter
The smoke still hung thick in the air when Alice arrived, Tim by her side, both masked up and armed with radios and caution.
YOU ARE READING
Rabbit Hearts & Bulletproof Vests || Tim Bradford??
FanfictionAlice Hartwell never wanted to be a hero - just someone who could run toward the chaos and still feel the world's poetry through it. But when she joins the LAPD as a rookie and is paired with the infamously hard-edged Tim Bradford, she finds herself...
