Tw: mention of self harm and eating disorder.

3rd person's POV:

Lucy stepped through the door of her apartment, feeling the weight of the day lift off her shoulders. She let out a sigh, her thoughts still tangled with the events at the station. Before she could close the door, a shadow loomed in her doorway.

Caleb stood there with a menacing grin. Her heart skipped a beat, fear gripping her chest. She hadn't seen him since the night he kidnapped her and tried to kill her, and now he was standing at her doorstep, a fugitive on the run.

"Well, well, well," Caleb said, his eyes scanning her body. "Looks like you've put on some weight since the last time I saw you. Guess you've been living it up, huh?"

Lucy tried to close the door, but he pushed it open with force, stepping inside. Her mind raced, but she felt paralyzed, unable to react fast enough.

"Caleb, you need to leave. Now.", she managed to say, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound firm.

He laughed, a cruel sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Oh, I don't think so. Not until we have a little chat."

Before she could respond, he grabbed her arm and yanked her inside, slamming the door behind him. Panic surged through her, but she tried to stay calm, looking for a way to escape.

"You thought you could get rid of me that easily?" Caleb hissed, his grip tightening painfully. "I'm not done with you yet."

He shoved her against the wall, his hand wrapping around her throat. She gasped for air, struggling to break free, but he was too strong. The room started to blur, darkness creeping into her vision.

"You think you can just move on, gain a few pounds, and forget about me?" He spat, his face inches from hers. "I'll remind you who's in control."

He punched her in the stomach, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of her. She crumpled to the floor, pain radiating through her body. Caleb loomed over her, his eyes cold and full of anger.

"This isn't over, Lucy. I'll be back." He said, his voice low and threatening. "And next time, it won't be just a visit."

With that, he kicked her one last time before turning and walking out, leaving her lying on the floor, gasping for breath. Tears streaming down her face as she clutched her aching body, the terror of his words echoing in her mind. She knew she had to do something, but right now, all she could do was lie there, trying to process the horror of what had just happened.

She lay on the floor, her body trembling and wracked with pain. Caleb's cruel words and violent actions replayed in her mind like a nightmare she couldn't escape. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she slowly pushed herself up, her limbs weak and unsteady.

She stumbled to the bathroom, her reflection in the mirror a haunting reminder of her vulnerability. The bruises were already forming, darkening her pale skin. Her eyes, red and swollen from crying, stared back at her, filled with a mixture of fear, shame and despair.

The weight of Caleb's words pressed down on her, suffocating her. "You've put on some weight since the last time I saw you." His voice echoed in her mind. Desperate to find some release from the torment, she reached into the drawer and took out a razor blade.

Her hands shook as she held it, the cold metal glinting under the harsh bathroom light. She pressed it against her skin, a cut forming on her thighs. The pain was sharp, momentarily distracting her from the emotional agony. But it wasn't enough. It never was.

She dropped the blade, frustration boiling over. Her eyes landed on a glass on the counter, and without thinking, she grabbed it and threw it against the wall. It shattered into jagged pieces, littering the floor and the kitchen counter. She picked up one of the larger shards and pressed it against her skin, dragging it across with more force than before.

The blood flowed freely, a dark crimson against her pale skin. The physical pain was intense, but it was still not enough to drown out Caleb's voice in her head. She cried out, her sobs echoing in the small bathroom, feeling helpless.

In a desperate attempt to regain control, she crawled to the kitchen and found the bottle of weight loss pills hidden in the back of a drawer. She had really tried to start eating more but she just wanted her mind to be empty.

She poured a handful of the pills into her palm and swallowed them dry, her throat burning as they went down. She knew she should eat something, to at least absorb the medication, but the thought of food made her sick. Instead, she curled up on the kitchen floor, her body and mind exhausted.

The pills made her feel lightheaded and nauseous, but she welcomed the discomfort. It was a distraction, a way to punish herself for not being strong enough, for letting Caleb get to her again. Her vision blurred as the tears continued to fall, and she whispered to herself, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

As the night wore on, Lucy's thoughts grew darker. She felt trapped in a cycle of self-hatred and despair, unable to see a way out. The room spun around her, and she hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth.

Eventually, exhaustion overcame her and she fell asleep on the cold kitchen floor. The weight of the day's events pressing down on her even in her dreams.

Lucy awoke with her head pounding and her body aching. The morning light filtered through the blinds, just enough so she could see the mess she had made. She glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that she was almost late for work. Panic surged through her, but the pain in her limbs and the heaviness in her chest made it difficult to move.

Forcing herself to sit up, she looked around at the chaos. The shattered glass on the floor and the weight loss pills on the counter were stark reminders of the previous night's breakdown. She took a deep breath breath, trying to steady herself, and reached for her phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed the station's number.

"Hello, it's Lucy Chen," she said, her voice trembling a little. "I need to take a personal day today, I'm not feeling well.

The receptionist expressed concern but assured her that it was fine to take the day off. Hanging up, Lucy leaned back against the cabinets, closing her eyes for a moment. She knew she couldn't stay like this, but the thought of facing the day felt overwhelming.

She went to her bedroom to put on a sweatshirt, but before she knew it she fell asleep on her bed.

A sudden knock on the door made her jump. Her heart raced as she got up and peeked through the peephole. It was Tim. Worry creased his brow, and he looked around nervously before knocking again.

"Lucy, it's Tim. Are you okay?" He called out.

Lucy hesitated but then unlocked the door and let him in. Tim's eyes widened as he took in the scene: the broken glass, the bloodstains, the pills on the counter. His concern deepened.

"Lucy, what happened? There is blood all over the floor, are you hurt?" He asked gently, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

Lucy forced a smile, trying to hide her distress. "I'm fine, Tim. Just had a rough night. I tripped and knocked over a glass. It's not a big deal."

Tim didn't seem convinced but nodded. "Let's clean this up, then. We can talk while we do."

They worked together in silence, carefully picking up the shards of glass and disposing of them. Lucy avoided Tim's eyes, focusing on the task at hand. Her mind raced, trying to come up with a believable excuse for her state.

"I haven't been sleeping well", she finally said, her voice shaky. "And with everything going on at work, it's just... overwhelming."

Tim looked at her, his eyes filled with empathy. "I get it, Lucy. Work can be tough, and it's okay to take a break when you need to. But if there's more going on, you know you can talk to me, right?"

Lucy nodded, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth about Caleb. The fear and shame were too much to bear. "I know, Tim. Thank you. I just need some time to rest and get my head straight."

They finished cleaning up the glass, while Tim got a closer look at the pills on the counter. He lingered for a moment, clearly still worried.

"Alright. Do you need anything else? I can stay for a while if you want?" He offered

Lucy shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I just need to sleep, but thank you."

He gave her a long look, then nodded. "Call me if you need anything else."

"I will." Lucy said softly.

Tim left reluctantly, glancing back one last time before heading out the door. Lucy closed it behind him and leaned against it, exhaustion washing over her. She knew she couldn't keep this up forever, but for now, she just needed to survive the day.

She made her way to the bedroom, curling up under her covers. The events of the precious night replayed in her mind, but she pushed them away, focusing on the kindness Tim had shown her. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give her a glimmer of hope that she wasn't alone.

Tim's POV:

As I walked away from Lucy's apartment, my mind raced with concern. The moment I stepped out into the morning light, I couldn't shake the image of the shattered glass and the bloodstains on the floor. Something was seriously wrong, and Lucy's explanation hadn't convinced me.

I replayed our conversation in my mind. Lucy had always been strong, resilient and composed, but today she had seemed so fragile. I couldn't help but feel that she was hiding something, and that she was going through it alone.

"Tripped and knocked over a glass?" I muttered to myself as I walked to my car. "There's more to it than that, I'm sure of it."

My thoughts drifted to the pills I had seen on the counter. Weight loss pills? I had never known Lucy to care about her weight in that way. I frowned, why would she be taking those?

I unlocked my car but didn't get in immediately. Instead, I leaned against the door, staring at the apartment building. The thought of leaving her alone made me uneasy, but I also didn't want to push her too hard.

I sighed and finally got into my car. As I drove away, my mind continued to fill with questions. I could go to Grey or Angela, but that might feel like betraying Lucy's trust. Still, doing nothing wasn't an option.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel. I have seen too many people fall apart under the weight of their problems, and I am not about to let that happen to Lucy.

As i pulled into the station's parking lot, I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the day ahead. But the worry for Lucy lingered at the back of my mind.