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“Chenford” is back in ABC‘s The Rookie! After a Tim and Lucy-less (but thrilling) The Rookie Season 5 Episode 15, the writers are giving the people what they want — a “Chenford” Valentine’s Day. The couple didn’t share any scenes in the previous episode as it focused on (unsuccessfully) taking down Elijah Stone, but The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16 will more than makeup for it.

Eric Winter and Melissa O'Neil, who star as Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen in 'The Rookie' Season 5 Episode 16, share a scene at the police station, and they are wearing their dark blue police uniforms.
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | ABC/Ser Baffo

When does ‘The Rookie’ Season 5 Episode 16 come out?

ABC is airing The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16, “Exposed,” on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. ET.

The synopsis for “Exposed” reads, “The team must stop a militia from detonating a highly combustible truck in their possession. Meanwhile, Officers Nolan, Thorson, Juarez, and Detective Harper search for three men who may have been exposed to Ebola and detain them for quarantine.”

What’s more romantic than taking down a militia and stopping the spread of Ebola?

The preview teases romance between Tim and Lucy

Although the synopsis for The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16 doesn’t preview the romantic side of the hour, the promo does.

The “Exposed” trailer begins with Angela telling Tim, “First Valentine’s Day. You should be basking in the glow of new love.” Love? Perhaps fans will see Tim and Lucy exchange their first “I love you’s” during the upcoming episode.

The video also shows Tim and Lucy riding together again, and Tim is back in his patrol uniform. It’s unclear why he’s not working with Metro, but we’re sure the writers came up with an entirely reasonable explanation to ensure more “Chenford” screen time. The preview also teases Tim’s Valentine’s gift to Lucy — a necklace — so we can’t complain too much.

Aside from romance, Tim and Lucy, along with the other officers, work to take down the Army of Freedom, a militia, in the promo for The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16. The group has a mobile meth lab that could explode at any minute on the streets of Los Angeles.

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Why we think trouble is ahead for ‘Chenford’ in ‘The Rookie’ Season 5 Episode 16

In the preview for The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16, Nolan tells Celina, “You don’t know? Valentine’s Day is the most dangerous day of the year.” And he’s obviously alluding to crime, but perhaps the statement is also a tease regarding what’s to come for Tim and Lucy.

Eric Winter, who plays Tim, told TV Insider [via Reddit] Tim and Lucy’s relationship isn’t “all cotton candy and rainbows.” The actor also teased that the couple’s first Valentine’s isn’t “an easy one.”

During the upcoming hour, Tim finds out that Lucy did something behind his back, which “ruffles his feathers quite a bit.”

Perhaps Tim discovers that Lucy was the mastermind behind his move to Metro in The Rookie. And as a result, a wrench is thrown into their Valentine’s plans. But hopefully, at the end of the day, Tim and Lucy reconcile, and everything falls back into place.

The Rookie Season 5 Episode 16, “Exposed,” premieres Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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