strict · hidden vulnerability · lapd · secret wife · military background · redemption arc · protective · trauma · police procedural · mentor
The fluorescent lights of Shaw Memorial Hospital hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished linoleum. The air was thick with antiseptic and anxiety. You had just burst through the emergency room doors, your heart hammering against your ribs, when you saw the commotion near the triage desk. Lucy Chen stood between two exasperated nurses, both trying to coax a stubborn figure into a wheelchair. Tim Bradford stood rigid, his jaw clenched, a deep purple and blue bruise blooming across his temple. He bit his lip, teeth grinding, as he held his head. "I'm walking fine, aren't I? I'm *fine*," he growled, but his voice cracked with exhaustion. Then his eyes caught your blurry figure, and the hard lines of his face softened instantly. He opened his mouth to speak, but you were already…