Chapter 9 – Stuck

Kim drummed her fingernails on the front desk. Platt was turned around, typing something into a computer. Kim was losing patience. She had been waiting for her assignment for over ten minutes. When Platt asked her if she wanted to work an extra shift, Kim jumped at the chance. She would do anything to get her mind off her breakup with Adam. Even though they had been broken up for almost three weeks, it still felt like a fresh wound.

"Those fingernails of yours aren't going to make this computer go any faster," Platt told her, not even looking at Kim.

"Sorry." Kim paused for about a second. "Can't you just give me a car and put me on patrol?"

"Don't have a partner for you. Sorry."
"Then what am I doing here?" Kim asked. The question came out harsher and more sarcastic than she meant it to. Platt finally looked away from the computer and gave her a look. Kim knew she had overstepped her bounds.

"You're going down to the evidence locker," Platt said.

"Do you need me to get some piece of evidence for you?"

"Nope. I need you to run it today."
"What?" Kim exclaimed, wishing she hadn't agreed to come in on her day off. Nobody ever went to the evidence locker on a Saturday, which meant that Kim would be spending her entire time alone, thinking about Adam.

"Downstairs," Platt commanded. She gave Kim a set of keys. "Now."
"Look, Sarg…" Kim began.

"Now," Platt reiterated.

Kim sighed. There was no use arguing with Platt. Kim slowly made her way down the stairs to the basement of the building where all evidence was kept for ninety days before being shipped to a more permanent location. Kim put the key in the lock and opened the door. The room was musty and smelled like something had died in it. Kim tried to breathe through her mouth. She sat down at a small desk that had a telephone and a computer that looked older than Kim herself on it. She knew that working evidence meant she was supposed to log whoever came to pick up evidence and the tag number for what they took. She was starting to take bets with herself that she would make it to lunch without seeing another living soul.

Sighing again, Kim grabbed a newspaper from the top of the desk. It was from three days earlier, but it at least gave her something to do. Sitting back in the chair, she opened the paper and began to read about foreign affairs.

Hours later, Kim had finished reading the newspaper from cover to cover. She knew all about the latest war on terrorism, she learned about a new cancer drug that looked promising, and she even read every last obituary. Looking around, Kim decided that she couldn't sit still a minute longer. Any time she stopped doing something, Adam crept into her mind.

Kim stood up and began walking through the evidence locker. It wasn't a huge room, but there were interesting things to look at. It was amazing what kinds of things got logged in as evidence. Although the smell got worse as she got further into the room, Kim looked from side to side to see what she could see. Along with the many guns that were confiscated fairly regularly, there were also plenty of personal effects like jewelry, clothing, and even a prosthetic arm. As Kim rounded the corner to look at the evidence that would soon be packed up and shipped out, she heard someone come into the room. She began to make her way back to the entrance. It would be nice to talk to another living being.

"Hello!" The male voice rang out. Kim stopped dead in her tracks. She would recognize that voice anywhere. It was Adam. She immediately wondered what her hair and makeup looked like, but then realized that that was stupid. They had broken up. She didn't need to impress him. He called out again.

Kim took a deep breath. She had to be professional. After all, she had made the decision to stay at district 21 despite their breakup. She wasn't going to let her failed relationship with Adam stop her from doing her job. Just as she rounded the corner, she felt his solid body against hers. They ran into each other.

"Woah," Adam said, gripping her arm so she wouldn't lose her balance. "Kim?"
He let her go and Kim took a step back. She could smell his cologne almost as if it were taunting her. She loved that smell.

"What do you need?"
"What are you doing down here in evidence? On a Saturday?" Adam wondered.

"I picked up a shift. What do you need?"
Kim finally met his eyes. She could tell he was trying to figure out what to do or say next.

"Ah…cell phone that was taken off a drug dealer last week. We think he might be connected to a case we're working on."
"Do you have the tag number?"
"I have the guy's last name."

"And you didn't think to look up the number in the computer to make my life a little easier?" She asked, slightly annoyed. It was easier to be annoyed with him than to think about how much she missed him.
"I didn't know it was going to be you down here," he replied. "Besides, you can do the same search."

"And you thought your time was more precious than whatever poor officer got stuck down here, huh?"
Kim didn't know why she was being difficult. She had gone to the evidence locker at least a dozen times in the past without looking up the tag number.

"I don't want to argue," Adam said.

Kim averted her eyes away from him. She stepped past him and towards the computer.

"What's the name?"
"Travis. Eric Travis."
Kim typed the name into the computer. She found the entry for the cell phone Adam was referring to and jotted down the tag number on a small scrap piece of paper. She walked off in search of the phone without a word. Adam followed her. They had to walk pretty far in to get to where they needed to be. Kim noticed that Adam was keeping his distance. She wasn't sure if she was happy or sad about that. Kim finally stopped in front of one of the shelves.

"It's on the top," she said. She reached up for a bin, but wasn't tall enough. She looked around for a step stool or ladder of some kind.

"Here, I got it," Adam said. He took a step towards her. Never taking his eyes off of hers, he reached up and grabbed the bin. He brought it down slowly, staring deeply into his eyes. Kim had missed the way he looked at her. She always felt like he could see straight to her soul with one look. She was about to open her mouth to say something when they both heard a bang.

"What was that?" Kim asked.

"I have no idea."

"It sounded like…the door."
They both headed for the door. It was shut. Kim reached for the handle. She turned it, but nothing happened.

"What's going on?" Adam questioned. He put the bin with the cell phone in it on the desk.

"It's locked," Kim told him.

Adam tried the handle himself. He couldn't get it to budge. Kim grabbed the set of keys Platt had given her. She tried each one, but none fit in the key hole.

"You don't have a key?" Adam wondered.

"I didn't know it was a different key on the inside."

"Well there's got to be one here somewhere."

Adam and Kim began scouring the desk, opening every drawer and checking in every nook and cranny. Aside from some old food wrappers and regular office supplies, they found no key.

"Did you do this?" Kim asked.

"What?"
"Did you lock us in here so that we can talk or whatever?"
"No!" Adam exclaimed.

"Adam, I swear, if you…"

"I didn't set this up!" He explained.

Kim grabbed the phone from the desk. She dialed the number to reach Platt. It only rang once.

"Sergeant Platt," Platt answered.

"Yeah, Sarg, it's Burgess. I don't know what happened, but we are locked in the evidence locker."
"We?"
"Yeah, me and…" Kim paused, hearing Platt snicker. "Ruzek."

"Might take me a while to get someone down there, Burgess. We're spread pretty thin."

"Just send someone down with the key. It'll take thirty seconds."
"We don't have a spare," Platt stated.

"What? How do we not have a spare? Sarg…"

"Looks like I'll have to call a locksmith. This will give you and boy wonder the chance to talk. Maybe smooth things over."
"Sarg…" Kim began.

The line went dead. Kim slammed the phone down.

"What did she say?" Adam asked.

"She did this."
"What?"
"Platt locked us in here."
"Did she say that?"
"No," Kim answered. "But I could tell by the sound of her voice. She wants us to talk."

"Any plan on how to get us out of here?"

"I'm sure she'll get us out when she's good and ready."
"Ok…so…"

"So…" Kim trailed off.

"Let's talk."

"I told you I don't want to talk."

"It's been almost three weeks and we've barely said two words to each other."

"It's easier that way."

"Kim…" Adam prompted.

"Fine, you want to talk. Let's talk. Why did you propose to me?" Kim asked, nearly shouting.

"What?"

"Why did you ask me to marry you? If it's not what you wanted, why did you ask me?"

"Because I thought it was what I wanted!" He exclaimed.

"But you don't want it anymore," Kim said, feeling defeated.

"That's not what I meant. I want to marry you, Kim. I do."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"I'm just not...ready."

"Then we're back to the same question. Why did you ask me?"

"I thought I was ready." He paused. "I told you, I thought it's what you wanted."

"What I wanted? I do want to marry you, Adam, but don't put this on me. I never once told you I was waiting for a proposal. We never even talked about it!"

"Then why did you say yes?" He asked.

"Because I was sure. I was sure I wanted to marry you. I wanted to start a life with you. I wanted to spend my life with you. I was sure!"
"But you're not anymore?"

"After everything we've been through? No. How can I want to spend my life with someone who doesn't want to spend their life with me?"

"That's not fair," he replied. "I never said I didn't want to spend my life with you."

"No. You just refused to talk about anything that had to do with the wedding. You didn't want to meet my mother. You agreed to push the wedding back a year."

"I only agreed to push it back because you suggested it."

"I may have suggested it, but it took you all of two seconds to agree."

"Maybe if I knew I was taking a test…"

"That's the point! You should have passed the test, Adam. Sean said…"

"Roman?" Adam scoffed. "Roman's the one who suggested you ask me to push the wedding?"

"He merely pointed out that I should gauge your reaction."

"I'm sure that's all he did."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Roman's had a thing for you since the beginning. He's been sabotaging this relationship since the beginning," Adam stated.

"That's not fair."
"You don't notice the way he looks at you."

"We're partners," she claimed.

"Is that all?"

She threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

"I never cheated on you with Roman!" Kim exclaimed. "I never cheated on you with anyone!"
"I never said you did. But that guy who is supposed to be your friend has been putting thoughts in your head and…"

"This is not about Roman! This is about you not wanting to really be married, Adam! It's like you like the idea of a wedding. You like the excitement of the proposal and parties, but it's the marriage that you're not ready for."

"Fine. You're right. I'm not ready. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be with you. That doesn't mean I don't love you."

Kim felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I can't wait for you," she said quietly. "I can't wait for you to be ready. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too."

"Look, I don't want to do this every time we find ourselves together. I don't want to keep hashing out the same things. We tried. It didn't work. But we have to be able to work together. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but…"

"But we have to try."

"We have to try," she mimicked.

"Ok."
"Ok."

"I want you to be happy," Adam said.

"I want the same for you."
"At least we can agree on that."

"Yeah," she agreed.

A thick silence filled the air.

"Think Platt will agree to let us out of here?"
Just as Kim was about to respond, the door opened. Voight and Platt stood on the other side.

"Ruzek," Voight said. "Did you get the phone?"

"Yes, sir," Adam replied, picking up the bin from where he had left it on the desk.

"We need it upstairs. ASAP."

"Yes sir."

With the cell phone in hand, Adam bolted out of the room.

"I'm sorry, sir. The door was locked and…" Kim began to tell him.

"You don't have to explain." Voight locked eyes with Platt.

"I was just trying to help," Platt said.

"I'm sure you were, Trudy. But next time, don't do it while one of my guys is on the clock."

Voight walked away.

"So…how did it go?" Platt asked once she and Kim were alone.

"I know you're trying to help, Sarg, but it's over. It's hard enough seeing him here every day without being locked in a room with him. I decided to stay. Please don't make me regret that decision."
Kim took a seat at the desk. She picked up the newspaper she had already read and opened. Platt took the hint and left. It wasn't until she was alone did Kim let a tear roll down her cheek.

Author's Note: I really liked this chapter. Maybe because it's the kind of conversation I really would have liked to have seen on the show. I know some of you are looking for "Adam's feelings" on the whole break-up. I promise – the next chapter will be a little more Adam-centric. Thanks for reading and for sticking with me!