Even with five kids, Tim and Lucy still managed to coach little league. Theo loved that his parents taught his team. And his siblings loved to help out or just play with the team out of fun.
Lucy just finished prepping the little snacks with Leighton bound to her chest, when Matthew and Finnegan sprinted towards her.
"Mom!" "Mom!" They screamed, terror in their eyes.
"What happened? Are you hurt?" Lucy asked in concern.
Matthew denied it, "Dad and some other Guy are fighting. The man hit dad and dad is about to beat his sorry ass."
"What?!" Lucy placed little Leighton in Finnegans arms. "Do not let her fall."
She immediately followed Matthew towards Tim. And sure thing, there he was throwing a guy on his back before turning him around and holding him in place.
"Tim! What are you doing?" She asked, only briefly glancing around to the other parents.
Tim looked up, a bloody nose and a cut on his forehead, "Do you have some handcuffs?"
"N-No, what happened?" She asked, only than noticing one of Theos friends crying. She looked a bit closer and saw that the kid, as well had a bloody nose and held on to his arm. Theo was by his side, trying to comfort his friend. Only than it occurred to Lucy that this man was Jakes father.
"Here you go daddy." Fei said, running towards him, one of her shoe laces in her hand.
"Thank you little boot, please stay back, I don't want you to get hurt." The guy beneath Tim tried to get free again, screaming and insulting.
Tim wrapped the shoelace around his hands and secured him.
"Luce, we need to go to the hospital. Jake has a broken arm and probably a broken nose."
"On it." She pulled out her phone and called Jakes mom whilst coming in front of the little boy and trying to get him to talk.
"Jake, everything is going to be fine. We're calling your mom and we're taking you to the hospital."
"Yes Jake. I will stay with you, promise." Theo said, placing his arm over his friends back. Jake just nodded, still looking at his father.
She briefly spoke to Jakes mom and told her to meet them at the hospital.
"I'm sorry, But I think we need to end practice sooner than usually. Get home and get some rest, we have a game in two days kiddos." Tim announced holding a bloodied tissue to his nose.
The kids were frightened, that much you could see. Tim nodded to their parents and they all quickly gathered the kids and walked off. Not glancing back to the screaming man on his belly.
"Could you just shut up for a minute!" Tim yelled at him, clearly stressed.
Lucy settled the kids into her car and Tims truck and came back. "Babe, are you good to drive?"
Tim nodded, "Yes. Take Jake to the hospital I'll be right behind you, just waiting for Nolan to come pick this ass up."
Lucy watched him for a second, "Are you good?"
Tim looked at her, sighing, "We talk later, I promise."
"Good. The twins and Fei are with you, I take the other three." She gave him a kiss, tasting his blood. "You need to get checked out as well."
Lucy drove to the hospital, signed Jake in and waited for his mother and Tim. Jakes mother arrived first.
"What happened? Where is Jake?" She asked, red shot eyes.
"He's being treated. Crystal he's not serious injured, don't worry." Lucy placed a hand on the other mothers arm, whilst holding Leighton in her other arm.
"What happened Lucy?" Crystal asked.
"I don't really know. My boys just came running telling me that Tim was about to beat up your husband."
"Why would he do that?!"
"Because Jakes father hit Jake." Theo said, still siting in on of the waiting room chairs. He had been quiet the whole time.
"What did you say?" Crystal asked, walking towards him. Lucy placed herself between them.
"Please keep your distance Crystal."
The woman looked at Lucy, furry in her eyes, but she took a step back. Lucy did one step to the side and asked Theo if he could explain what had happened.
"Jake had a bad day. He couldn't catch a ball. Dad was about to switch him out to give him a break, when Jakes dad just walked into the field. He– he grabbed Jakes arm and dragged him with him. Jake resisted and his father punched him in the face. That's when dad reached them and did his work."
"By what? Beating up my husband?!" Crystal shrieked.
Lucy stared at her in utter disbelief, "That's what you are worried about?"
Crystal rolled her eyes, "Ouh come on Lucy, he was just disciplining the boy. Jake needs it a bit stronger. I'm sure you and Tim don't always just talk things out with your boys."
"Crystal. That's not disciplining, that's assault. And no, we would never raise our hands towards the children."
"Anyway. Where is Jake and my husband?"
"Jake is with the doctors and your husband is on his way to jail."
"What?! Jail?"
"You forget that we're police officers." Lucy looked at her dead serious, "And You're being loaded to a interview at the station. Tomorrow, nine A.M. my office."
"For what?"
"I report you on child abusing. Your husband as well. Your case will be looked over the moment Jake is out of here."
Crystal laughed, "Now come on Lucy. You can't be serious."
"I'm dead serious Crystal. Yo better sit down and wait for news on your son."
Tim choose this moment to show up, the other three kids on his heels.
"You! You arrested my husband!" Crystal yelled, making the next scene.
Tim silently filled out his hospital papers, and motioned the kids to sit down.
Crystal walked up towards him, her hand rising to hit him. Before her hand could reach his cheek, Tim caught it, "You better sit down and be quiet, before I arrest you as well."
"Let go off me."
"If I see one bruise on Jake again, so god help me you and your husband will rot behind bars as long as I live." Tim let go off her hand, "And if he doesn't show up at school or little league, I will have police officers bust down your door."
Crystal huffed and walked off.
Lucy gently placed a hand on his arm, "you did good babe." She silently said, kissing his cheek.
"Sergeant Bradford, will you please come with me." A nurse interrupted them. Tim nodded and kissed Lucys head before following the nurse. Lucy sat down with her kids and made sure they were okay.
"Are you all good?"
The kids nodded, "Does dad have a broken nose?" Fei asked.
"Maybe, I don't know."
"I read that people with broken noses snore a lot." Theo looked up at his mother, "you can always sleep in my bed, if dad waked you with his snoring."
The kids laughed and Lucy just had to laugh with them, "thank you honey."
"What's going to happen to Jake and his parents?" Finnegan asked curios.
"Well, I want to be honest with you. Those cases are hard. Most of the time the charges on the parents get dropped and the child has to live with it. But thanks to Jake, we know him and we will help him. He will never have to live through this again. All though it could take some time to get him out of his home."
"Where will he go?" Theo asked, he didn't wanted to lose his best friend.
"He will live with other family members or get adopted."
"Can we adopt him?" Theo asked.
"Ouh honey, I would love to. But our house is crowded and as involved officers, we can't do that." She said, soothing his back.
Theo sighed, but didn't say another word.
The little family waited for half an hour, before Jake emerged the room.
"Hey" he sniffled, his arm wrapped in a plaster cast.
"Sick! Can I sign?" Finnegan asked, grinning.
Jake actually grinned back and nodded. Theo laughed and grabbed a pencil from the nearest table before they all gathered around Jake to sign his arm. Lucy smiled at them, proud of her kids to lighten up the mood. She gently rocked Leighton to sleep and waited till the kids finished.
"What did the doctors say Jake?"
"I won't be needing surgery and It's going to heal on it's own. But I guess I will miss the game this week."
"No you won't." Tim said, also coming back, with a taped nose and a stitched forehead.
"But I can't play like this coach."
"You won't have to. I need your help coaching." He winked at the boy and reached for the pencil. Jake gave it to him and Tim signed his arm, before ripping up a bit of paper from his hospital papers. He wrote something down and hid it in Jakes plaster cast.
"Listen to me Jake. These are mine and Lucy's numbers. If you need anything, If your dad drinks a bit too much or if your parents are a harsh on you, you call and let us know. Hide the paper, okay?"
Jake nodded hesitantly.
"I won't lie to you. The next few weeks will be stressful, you will have to do a lot with the police and child service and I know it can be scary as hell, so if you want a break you let the workers know. And If you need someone to talk, you can call."
Jake nodded again, before throwing his healthy arm around Tim's neck and whispering a thank you.
"Jake! Come now, I don't have time the whole day." His mother stood in the door, waiting.
Jake parted and said his good bye before following his mother.
The Bradfords drove home theirselves. Every single one tired and ready for movie night and early beds.
Tim closed the front door behind him and followed his family into their living room. He took Leighton from Lucy and settled her against his chest, before sitting down and closing his eyes.
"Daddy?" Theo asked, poking his biceps.
"Huh buddy?"
"Thank you for saving Jake."
Tim opened his eyes and looked at his son. He gently pulled him against him and kissed his crown. "That is nothing you have to thank me for."
"Was your dad like Jakes dad?" Fei asked, playing with her brown curls, "You told us once that he wasn't a nice man."
Tim gulped, he really didn't wanted to discuss his past with his kids.
"Yes. My dad was like Jakes dad." He admitted.
Fei looked like she was ready to commit murder. She definitely had his temper.
"Did someone put him in jail as well?" Finnegan asked, scooting closer and taking one of Leighton little hands.
"No, he got away with it."
Lucy brought in some snacks and drinks and a pain killer for Tim.
"Mom, is your dad as bad as Jakes and Dads?" Matthew asked, grabbing a juice.
Lucy looked at Tim, they shared a silent conversation and decided that it was time to lay their cards down.
"No. He didn't abuse me. My parents, they just don't approve of the way I choose to live." Lucy said, sitting down. Fei placed her head in Lucys lap and started to think again.
"I don't understand it."
"What do you not understand baby?" Lucy asked, massaging her head.
"How parents can not love their kids. I mean you love us. That's not really hard and all cause we're amazing, I know. But never the less."
Lucy and Tim shared a smile, yeah their kids were pretty amazing.
"I pray that you will never have to understand it baby."
"Is this the reason why we don't have grandparent's?" Theo asked.
"Yes buddy. My parents are both dead and your moms... they sadly choose not to have contact with us."
"We got grandpa Wade and grandma Luna." Fei said. Somehow the kids managed it again to cheer up the day.
Once they had settled everyone into bed, Tim and Lucy silently climbed into bed as well. It only took a quick shared glance before both hugged like their life depended on it. Tim lifted her into his lap and held her close.
"This day was complete shit." He muttered into her shoulder.
"Are you still in pain?" Lucy asked, a hand in his hair.
"A bit. That asshole broke my damn nose."
Lucy couldn't hold back a little laugh, "Theo offered me his bed cause he read that people with broken noses snore."
Tim smiled a bit, leaning back against the headrest, still drawing circles on her thighs. "It won't be a problem, you snore way louder than I will."
Lucy laughed and hit his shoulder, "I do not snore."
"You do." He grinned at her, before gently kissing her lips. "I still love you though."
"You better" Lucy muttered against his lips, a small smile on her own.
"I love you so much Tim, I'm proud of you."
"I love you too Luce and thank you. I barely held back. I wanted to kill this guy for hurting his kid."
"I know. But you did your work, he won't hurt him again."
Tim agreed with her and diminished the light before laying down and holding Lucy against his chest, before falling asleep.
