NEEDING A DRINK
AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER
Takes place directly after "Now Is Always Temporary" and is a follow up to "Asking A Favor". Chicago P.D. belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC, and whoever else is affiliated with the show.
Kim Burgess walked into the bar known as "Cal's" and went directly to a stool.
"Beer," she ordered, sitting down.
"Rough day, Kiddo?" the bartender, Ryan Callaghan, questioned as he pulled out a Miller's and handed it to her.
"I screwed up today. As per usual," she said, opening the can and then taking a drink.
"Hey, you know that kind of talk's not allowed in here," the man chided her and she gave a shrug. Then, she turned slightly in her seat as they heard the door open and another man walked in, sitting down next to her so that she was in between them.
"What's up, Kimmie?" the newcomer, Michael Callaghan, questioned as Ryan immediately poured his brother a Gin and Tonic.
"I screwed up," she answered and the two men turned to her.
"Talk to us. What happened?" Michael asked, taking his drink.
"My partner and I were called to a residence for hoarding and I was blowing it off when I discovered that there was a child there," Kim replied.
"Oh that case. I heard about that," Ryan said, his demeanor changing.
"I was just like those cops that didn't even care. That couldn't even take the time to-" Kim began to say.
"Now hold it right there, Kimmie," Michael interrupted. "You're not them," he assured her. "Yeah, you were pissed because it seemed like you weren't being taken seriously as a cop. I would've been too, but-"
"But when you realized that there was a child involved, you buckled down and got help for the kid," Ryan added. Kim just blew out a breath.
"I don't know. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this," she said. "Maybe I am just fooling myself."
"Don't let that thinking in, Kimmie. You can be a good cop. You're worth something. Don't ever think you're not. I don't care what they tell you," Ryan said. The girl just nodded shakily and slapped the counter lightly.
"Hit me again." Ryan nodded and did as the woman requested. Yeah, he and his brother hated the way Kimmie was constantly down on herself, but they also knew that the kind of talk they had just heard had been drilled into her since she was little and it had been backed up with other types of abuse as well. But they were going to make sure she never thought that way again, no matter how many times they keep correcting her. Kim just took the drink that was offered to her and tossed it back. It was nights like these that she was grateful to the Callaghans. Because without them, she didn't know where she'd be…