PART ONE
CHAPTER THREE
The Other Side

Not even the joy of seeing the first print of her mock sexy calendar could bring Sophia joy. Placed onto the table in front of her captain with a laugh was not enough to brighten the damp moods of the two firefighters hidden away in the office. Sophia couldn't even laugh at the horrible takes on the poses, the fake moustaches drawn in biro onto plasters, the horrible fake muscle suits. Nothing could bring her out of the dump she was currently in. 

And there was one singular cause for said dump.

Taylor Kelly. 

Sophia hadn't really had an issue with the travel reporter before now. Probably because she never listened to the live travel report. She knew little about the red haired lady up until this moment in time, other than the fact that the 118 had saved her from a helicopter crash a week or so prior. And now now Taylor Kelly was becoming one of the biggest pains in Sophia's backside possibly ever. 

The reporter had taken to following the team around everywhere recording whilst they were at work. She was recording their interactions at the station, on the way to scenes and finally what they were doing whilst responding. She was jeopardising the credibility of their actions and the trust of which their patients and civilians were having. And there was no sign of the red haired woman giving up any time soon. She was clearly biting at the chance to make a bigger more noteworthy story and get away from traffic reporting for good. But Sophia couldn't see how this report the woman was going to do was going to help her, or the fire station. Whatever it was, Sophia was under the belief the reporter and her team had overstayed their welcome and needed to leave. Promptly. 

"Sophia she doesn't like me very much does she?" Talking of the horrible reporter, and Sophia was once again to hear the woman's grating voice only this time it was talking about her. And Sophia stopped in her tracks her path diverted from where she was heading to grab a drink a new mission taking over. 

"Well, not entirely. She just doesn't see the need for the attention, this life is all about helping people not making a show of it. She'll come to be a little less standoff-ish to you eventually." Bucks voice was the next thing Sophia heard and she had to fight off a laugh, the poor boy was trying to make the reporter feel better about the situation. Sophia hung around for a little while after, waiting until she heard the heavy footsteps of Buck walking away from the reporter to make herself known. 

"He's wrong you know." Sophia made her presence known smiling upon seeing the reporter jump at her sudden appearance. 

"You heard all that?"

"Voices travel in places like this, should probably keep that in mind next time." Sophia paused "Honestly just stop trying to get me to be part of this story. I'm happy here in the sidelines, leave me to do my job and I'll leave you to do yours." Sophia did not wait to hear the red-haired woman's response before leaving and heading back towards the kitchen where she had initially been aiming towards, her clanky water bottle making a loud slam as she set it down on the counter. 

 Unaware completely that Taylor Kelly was not going to take her words as final. The reporter would do anything to get the two 'stuck up' members of the squad to open up. And she knew exactly how to do so, she would take the kind nature of the public into her own mission. 

"Soph, get over here there's new goods!" Buck shouted the older woman over just a few days later, holding out the box of brownies towards Sophia. Chocolate was her weakness, and therefore she was quick to pluck one away just like the man before her. 

"Get over here Diaz before you miss out." She called the rookie over watching as he too took one from the box. It took only 15 minutes or so for the team to clear the box out. Knowing that the ones which came in the expensive Tupperware were nearly always the best. 

It wouldn't take long for the familiar sinking feeling to take over Sophia. Actually this feeling slammed into her like a truck. A welcoming hug bringing her home for the first time in years. And as her brain desperately opened itself back up to the sensation it had started to forget there was a tiny voice which began to drag her back to the darkest place. The place she had tried her hardest to leave behind. 

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

The shrill ring of Lucy's personal mobile phone quickly drew the rookie officers attention away from the dash of the shop car. She looked over to her TO with a small face of embarrassment, it was unlike her to leave her phone ringer on. But when she only got a usual look of disappointment she took this as the fact that it was okay for her to answer her mobile phone. Pulling it from her belt, Lucy found her eyebrows scrunching in confusion when an unfamiliar number appeared. Therefore, she watched it ring allowing it to go to her voicemail. Assuming that if it was important that whomever it was on the other side of the phone would either leave a message or call back. Noting that it was most probably a scam caller. Hoping to get some sort of money out of her. 

Yet the same number called her back immediately. And therefore, Lucy deducted that it was an important call. 

"Is this Lucy Chen?" The voice on the other side spoke before Lucy could even properly answer. It was a familiar voice but Lucy could not place it in that moment.

"Yes? Who's calling?"

"It's Athena Grant, you're Soph's Lucy right?" The voice identified themselves and Lucy was quick to place the voice as Sergeant Athena Grant the police officer dating Sophia's captain. 

"Is everything okay?"

"Well..." there was a pause on the other side of the line and Lucy felt her eyes widen, this was not how she was expecting this call to go. She could feel her pulse quicken as her brain went through the possible scenarios her room mate could have put herself in. And she cursed herself for allowing Sophia to put her as her nominated next of kin. Especially considering the stupid things her best friend would do. 

"There's been an incident, someone has doped the 118." At Athena's words Lucy felt her heart drop through her stomach. This was one of the worst case scenarios. It was worse than physical injury.

"Oh no." She placed her hand upon her forehead rubbing gently at her eyebrows, before turning towards her TO.

"We need to pull over." Lucy didn't give any more details in that moment to her TO returning her attention to her phone. "How is she?"

"Not great, I think she's aware of what's going on." Athena's sigh could be heard through the phone and it was clear both women had the same idea. It would have been much better for the firefighter to not be aware of what was going on around her, what was currently happening. 

"Oh god, she's going to be devastated." Lucy agreed with the senior officer on the phone noting the way that her TO had his full attention on her. She turned to look at Tim who only had a raised eyebrow at his rookie. She mouthed to him 'later' her brain trying to work out what she could do in this moment. Only coming up blank. 

"I was hoping you'd know what to do when this happens." Athena spoke gently through the phone as a slight commotion could be heard through the line. 

"No, it's never happened. She's never." Lucy paused not wanting her TO to hear everything, she knew there was some things that Sophia deserved to be able to keep on the down low, she could tell people only when she wanted to. This was not one of those occasions. 

"Okay, give me a second." The line went quiet for a moment as Lucy could hear it being passed over, a muffled 'hey Soph its Lucy on the phone' before she could hear it picking up again.

"Hey babes how you feeling?" Lucy greeted knowing she might not get an answer from the other side of the phone.

"Lucy I've fucked up." Sophia was able to reply and Lucy could feel her emotions getting the better of her as she listened to her best friend's broken tone on the phone.

"Oh no, you've not done anything wrong. This isn't on you."

"6 years."

"6 years, 2 months and 11 days." Lucy confirmed "That hasn't been ruined, where are you Soph? Let me come and find you. We can sort this out." Lucy cared not for whatever was going on in her shift for that moment, feeling the heated glare of her TO she still did not care. If the man could go offline and do whatever he wanted for his wife during their patrol this was fine.

"I don't even know where I am."

"Put me back onto Athena and we'll work it out."

Lucy's phone call finished shortly after Athena had confirmed where the group were currently located. She turned to her TO, taking in his face of confusion, a face she wouldn't mind seeing more if the situation was perhaps different.

"That was Sergeant Athena Grant, she's requested our help." Lucy shrugged knowing her words made it so the senior officer could not deny heading towards the direction of where the 118 were currently at. Even if he was unsure of what was going on, barely able to hear the details of his rookie's phone call.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on boot."

"The 118 have been drugged."

"Of course it's the 118." Tim grumbled before starting the shop back up, his intent to head over town to the beauty pageant the 118 were supposedly on call for. 

Upon entering the building Lucy was able to spot the corner where Athena Grant was currently stood staring down the four drugged firefighters. Her eyes scanned them over, Hen  looked okay if not a little bit loved up and she was spouting out compliments to all surrounding her. Buck didn't seen much different to his usual, or what she knew as his usual. Actually if she knew no better she would supposed the man was high on something most of the time, he just looked a little cuter than normal as he took in the big scary world around them. Her eyes finally drifted to the new recruit, Eddie Diaz for the first time. And what an impression this was going to be, as she took in the vision of the man crying as he sat there cuffed. 

Finally her eyes found her best friend who was sat away from the others. Sophia looked withdrawn from the world around her, she appeared to be the only one not in handcuffs as she looked her arms around her legs curled up as small as possible on the chair she was currently sat on. Lucy turned to her TO, not sure how she was going to deal with this all around him. But in this moment she cared little for her training and a whole bunch more for her sister, in all but blood. 

"Hey Kiddo." Lucy greeted as she crouched in front of her best friend. Sophia looked up at her, and Lucy saw the signs she had once been so used to seeing in her friend but had almost forgotten. The blown pupils the small amount of sweat beading on her forehead. Whatever they had drugged the 118 with, it was in a high dose. 

"Lucy." Sophia paused her hand clutched on something, Lucy caught the circular shape to the object her friend didn't want to let go of and another pain hit her. 

"Wanna come with us, we can get this all squared up."

"Not really." Sophia was honest, even more honest than usual which was a difficult achievement to have made.

"You've not got much of a choice." Lucy shrugged before moving to help Sophia up from the chair she had been sat on. "Come on, we'll take you back to the station, you can sleep this off, make some calls and then we can head home." Lucy brought her arm around Sophia's shoulders as she directed the younger woman away from the rest of her team sending a look over to Athena on her way out. Tim was quick to step in foot with the two women, making eye contact with his rookie. 

"Hello Booth, no welcome for your favourite officer?" He teased hoping that it would deescalate some of the tension which was hanging around the three of them.

"Eat my shorts Bradford." Sophia grumbled flipping up her middle finger to add to the charm. Her best friend laughing in response. 

"You wound me, fire cracker." Tim faked as he unlocked the shop. "You're gonna have to sit in the back." He mused waiting for any kind of response. 

"You're going to be heartbroken, this ain't my first rodeo chief." Sophia became quiet the second she sat down in the backseat. Resting her head on the window as Lucy sat in the passenger seat only able to look back in worry as her best friend continued to spiral. 

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

Once Sophia was sat inside one of the holding cells safely starting to sleep off whatever she had been drugged with, Tim finally turned towards his Rookie. Eagerly awaiting some sort of explanation. Especially considering he was having to tell their Captain just why the pair of them had brought back a high firefighter to supposedly sleep off whatever she had taken. 

"You going to fill me in boot?" He snapped, having had enough of Lucy avoiding his questioning. 

"Look Sir, I respect you as my training officer. But this is not for me to share." Lucy kept her guard up, and it continued to infuriate the senior officer.  He uncrossed his arms and crossed them once more trying to encourage his rookie officer to clue him in just a little.

"You understand that going off our job to do something personal is not a good thing." Tim chided aware of just how hypocritical he was sounding the moment the words he left his mouth.

"Sir, do you really need me to bring up everything we have done for your wife?" Lucy hissed her usually friendly tone completely gone to the point where it made her training officer stop. He had never seen the rookie in this manner, and he was sure if he'd not be the overly strong officer he might have even recoiled physically in response to her actions. It was a very strange occurrence and something he was unsure of why he was even seeing. 

Yet before the pair could even continue the argument, or the one sided argument considering Lucy had no intent on actually telling Tim anything more, they were interrupted. One of the admins in charge of the holding section, one Lucy had yet to learn the name of was quick to approach the pair. 

"Officer Chen, the woman you dropped off in the cell, she's freaking out right now." The woman spoke and Lucy was quick to turn on her heels and head back in the direction she had only just come from. 

Upon approaching she was able to catch sight of Sophia in a way she hadn't seen for many years. The tale tell sign of Sophia coming down from a high was what was greeting the small group of officers as they entered the area. Fidgeting hands, shaking legs and the pure sign of horror at her actions. 

"Hey Soph." Lucy's tone was gentle once again, giving her deja vu as if the pair were still in college. 

"Did I get arrested?" Sophia spoke and Lucy had to realise that the time had been foggy.

"No, you're not in trouble Soph." Lucy remained attempting to be gentle but she could tell that her grumpy TO who had followed her into the cell was done with the entire scene playing out.

"You're here to sober up Booth." Tim grumbled and Lucy watched as her best friend turned her attention over to Tim for a moment before turning to look at Lucy again. Her eyes were wide. 

"You didn't let sexy cop see me high?" Sophia gasped out, Lucy could tell the woman was trying to hide the shame at what had happened with a poor flirty joke. And Lucy had to blink to convince herself that there was a 28 year old Sophia looking at her and not a 21 year old. 

"Sorry babes, you got drugged whilst we were working."

"Well shit." Sophia sighed her shaking hand moving to her face, "Have you got my phone? I need to make a call."

"I've already given Shiela a heads up." Lucy paused unsure what Sophia's reaction was going to be. 

"Is she disappointed in me?"

"Give her a call Soph." Lucy handed the woman her phone and took one look at the uniform she was wearing. "Where's your jacket?"

"High Soph got hot." Sophia mumbled.

"I'll go grab the jacket from my locker you can borrow, you look cold Soph." Lucy turned to leave the room also getting her jacket as an excuse to give her friend some space whilst she made the phone call. However, she watched on as her TO stayed in the room.

"I'll watch over fire junkie here." Tim grumbled again and Lucy could only give him a look of disbelief. Apparently he only held a nice attitude to those who could have been struggling with addiction if it was aimed towards or was about his wife. Very hypocritical.

"Nice try asshole." Sophia spoke from the bench of which she was sat upon. "I haven't been a junkie for years." Tim froze at her words all joking and spite gone from his posture and face. And Lucy had to double check as it looked almost if the older man was suddenly feeling remorse about his words. She checked herself but maybe the grumpy TO did have a heart, when he wasn't trying to give her PTSD from his tests.

"Now please could you leave me to make this call." Sophia requested hoping that she was going to get her wishes. Lucy smiled and left the cell almost immediately. Tim paused, he looked the firefighter over once more taking in her uniform his eyes catching on her name tag. Booth... Bradford. She suited surnames beginning with B. Tim paused, what just went through his head, he needed to clear his head. And soon enough he moved to just outside the cell. 

"Hey Shiela it's Soph." Sophia started the phone call and Tim found himself unable to fully leave the area hovering just outside. He told himself it was because he was keeping an eye on the woman for his rookie officer who had truly disappeared from the area. But he knew it was a lie. He was too curious on what was going on, on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah I know Lucy called you, yeah." Sophia went quiet and Tim watched as she pulled out a small circular item and began spinning it through her fingers. Passing it between each finger with a skill of someone who perhaps had plenty of practice with chips before in her life. 

"Are you sure? I can't see how this doesn't count."

"I mean I guess yeah, I didn't knowingly consume anything."

"Did it make me want to do it again, no. I couldn't stop thinking of his face."

"Yeah I'll come to the meeting tomorrow. I agree I think it'll be good for me." Sophia's phone call was relatively short and Tim watched as she hung up, ran a hand down her face before turning to the corner he thought he had hidden himself well in.

"You can come out Bradford, I know you're back there." Sophia shouted in his direction and Tim found himself almost timidly coming out from where he was hiding. He gave her a sheepish look the closer he approached. 

"You're horrible at eavesdropping. For a police officer I would expect better." Sophia teased, hoping to distract him from the conversation he had overheard. 

"What was the call about?"

"We're not at that level of friendship Bradford. Be nicer to Lucy and then maybe we can reconsider."