Chapter 21 – Crying On A Suitcase

Balancing a pizza box in one hand, Ruzek reached into his pocket with the other hand and grabbed his keys. He quickly located the key to Burgess' apartment, inserted it in the lock, and turned the knob.

"Hey," he called out as he walked in.

"Yes," he heard her say from the living room. "Thank you very much." He could tell he wasn't talking to him. He placed the pizza box on the kitchen counter and walked into the living room. Burgess was sitting on the couch, her laptop on a folding tray in front of her. She was looking right at the screen, smiling and nodding. He guessed she was on a video call with someone. He could hear a male voice speaking to her through the computer, but he couldn't quite hear what was being said.

Ruzek hung back, not wanting to disturb whatever it was that Burgess was doing. He did however smile when he saw what she was wearing. From the waist up, she looked very professional. She had on a bright blue blouse with a black blazer over it. Even her hair was out of its usual ponytail and he could see a hint of makeup on her face. It was what she was wearing on her bottom half that made him chuckle to himself. She was wearing a pair of pink pajama pants and had fuzzy slippers on her feet. He was glad that she was dressed at all. For two weeks she had barely gotten out of her pajamas.

Two weeks before, Burgess had been given a layoff notice. Over fifty cops throughout the city had been given one. It was part of the new mayor's budget plan. To cut spending, they had to cut jobs. Unfortunately, Burgess was caught in the crossfire. She had taken the news hard. She hated being stuck at home with nothing to do. Being a police officer was in her blood and not being able to do it made her depressed. Ruzek did what he could to support her. He tried to keep her upbeat and happy, but it was difficult. He knew if he had lost his job, he would feel the same way.

"Of course. I look forward to meeting you. Thank you again," Burgess said with a large smile. She closed the laptop and jumped off the couch.

"Good news?" Ruzek asked as she practically pranced over to him, clapping her hands excitedly. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Yes!"

She kissed him hard and fast. He looped his arms around her waist, pulling her in towards him. He kissed her back with as much ferocity as she was giving him.

"Did you get your job back?" He asked after a several seconds of breathless, frantic kissing.

"No, but I did just get an offer for a new job!"

"That's great, babe!" He said, squeezing her tightly. He felt relieved that she would finally be able to do what she loved again.

"They were very impressed with my application and Platt's recommendation."
"I knew Platt always had a soft spot for you. So, where's the job?"

"Boston," she answered.

"Boston? As in Massachusetts?"

"That's the only Boston I know of."

"As in one thousand miles away?" He asked, his relief suddenly turning to panic. He had never considered that Burgess would be looking for a job outside of Chicago. He knew she had spent most of her two weeks off applying for jobs all over the place. He just never thought she would consider it.

"I've never really looked at how far away it is on a map, but that sounds about right."
Ruzek dropped his arms and took a step away from her. He walked out of the room and into the kitchen. He immediately grabbed a beer from the refrigerator.

"That's pretty far," he remarked. She followed him into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

"I guess, but this is Boston, Adam. You know I don't want to police a tiny town."

"I know, but there are other big cities, Kim. Big cities that are closer to Chicago."

"Not big cities like Boston. Besides, I have family in New England. And a buddy I went to the academy with works out there and he put in a good word for me and…and it's all just falling into place for me. I thought you'd be happy."

"I'm happy that you're excited, but I'm not happy for what this would mean for us."

"What do you mean?" She asked, not sure what he was getting at.

"We'd be one thousand miles away from each other."

"Ok, so we'll do long distance."

He scoffed. "Have you ever done a long distance relationship, Kim?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Neither have I," he interrupted. :And the reason I've never done one is because they don't work."

"You don't know that."
"I know that I hate that I barely see you as it is with us working for the same precinct. I know that you know that we don't work a regular nine to five, Monday through Friday. It's not like we'd be able to hop on a plane every weekend."

"I'm not expecting that," she replied.

"Then how do you expect us to make this work?"

"I guess I hadn't thought that far ahead. But this is a good opportunity, Adam. I can't just sit here without a job."

"There will be other jobs," he tried to tell her. "Jobs that will be closer to home. I mean, have you even talked to your FOP rep about the layoffs?"

"Of course I've talked to my FOP rep! They don't see any foreseeable end to the layoffs. There just isn't enough money in the city, Adam. I have to be realistic."

"So…that's it, then? You just decided to take a job in Boston without talking to me?"

"We're talking about it now."

"Yeah, after the fact."

She put her hand on his arm. "Don't be angry."

"How can I not be angry? Did you even think about us?"

"Of course I thought about us, but I also have to think about me. I'm a cop, Adam. I need to be somewhere where I can be a cop."

"Let me talk to Voight. I'm sure he can…"

"No," she stated, cutting him off.

"Why not?"

"There are dozens of good cops who got laid off. The city just doesn't have the money. I'm not going to ask you to pull strings with Voight."

"He knows you're an excellent cop."

"That's not the point, Adam. I'm not going to ask my secret boyfriend to ask his boss to help me out."

"You're being unreasonable."

"I'm being unreasonable?" This time it was Kim who scoffed. "You're the one who won't even give a long distance relationship a chance."

"Because long distance relationships don't work!"

"You don't know that!"

"We've been going out for what? Three months now? This is still…new, Kim. What do you think will happen when we're a thousand miles apart? We'll end up resenting each other, that's what."

"Try seeing this from my perspective, Adam. What if the roles were reversed? What if you were the one who got laid off? How far would you go to do the job you love?"

"I sure as hell wouldn't make a decision without talking to you first," he exclaimed.

"Fine! Maybe I should have talked to you first, but I didn't think I had to!"

"Why not?"

"Because we're barely a couple, Adam!" She yelled. "Sure, we hang out every once in a while and have sex, but that's not a relationship! Nobody even knows about us. Not our coworkers, not our friends, not even our families. We're each other's dirty little secret!"

"Is that what you think?"

"It's the truth and you know it! I don't have a reason to stay!" The words escaped her mouth before she had a chance to think about them. Once she said them, though, she didn't feel like she could take them back.

"Fine," he said quietly. He felt defeated. He felt like someone had just torn his world apart. "Have a nice life in Boston."
Ruzek stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Three days later, Burgess found herself sitting alone at the airport. She couldn't get the fight with Ruzek out of her head. It was the last time they had spoken. Although she had picked up the phone a dozen times to call him, she never pressed 'send.' She was too afraid he would say they were better off apart. Just thinking about him brought a tear to her eye. She hadn't wanted it to end like that. She hadn't wanted it to end at all. She knew that taking the job in Boston was going to be difficult for them. Despite what he thought, she had thought about what moving would do to their relationship before she had accepted the job. She had thought about what it would be like to have a long-distance relationship, but she was sure she and Ruzek could make it work. Even though they hadn't been together for very long, she felt a connection with him that she had never felt with anyone else before. She thought he felt the same way. She thought they would both fight to make it work. Clearly, she had been wrong.

Burgess wiped away a tear that had fallen down her cheek. She did not want to cry. She had spent enough time crying over him. She knew she was doing the right thing for herself. She couldn't let her relationship hold her back. She never wanted to be that kind of girl. But sitting in the airport alone, clutching her suitcase with tears streaming down her cheeks, she was beginning to think she had made a very big mistake.

As Ruzek walked through the doors of the police department, he felt the same dread he had been feeling for three days. He knew he wouldn't be seeing Burgess at work. Even though his relationship with Burgess had been a secret from everyone in the police department, they somehow always found time to at least say hello to each other throughout the day. The bottom line was he missed her. He missed her at work, he missed her at home, and he especially missed her at night. He hadn't spoken to her since their argument and it was killing him.

"What are you doing here on a Sunday?" Platt asked as Ruzek walked by her desk.

"I've got some paperwork to finish up," Ruzek mumbled. The truth was he just didn't want to be alone at home.

"Don't you think you should be at the airport?" Platt suggested.

Ruzek stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Platt.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Officer Burgess is flying out to Boston today, isn't she?"

"I wouldn't know," he lied. He knew exactly when her flight was. It was taking off in thirty-four minutes.

"I'm only going to say this once, Ruzek, so you better listen up. You're an idiot."

"Thanks, Sarg."

"You're letting a girl like that get away?"

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," Ruzek insisted.

Platt scoffed. "I have eyes, Ruzek. You two thought you were so careful, but I know what I saw. Whispering to each other in the corner. Sneaking off to the break room together. You two were something and I can't believe you're going to let that all go because she's moving to another city."

Ruzek thought about denying everything Platt was saying, but he just didn't have it in him anymore. Besides, with Burgess gone, it wasn't like there was a reason to keep their relationship a secret anymore.

"She took the job without telling me."

"So?"

"So she made a life change that affected both of us."

"Let me repeat myself. So?"

"She's the one leaving," Ruzek continued.

"Did you fight for her to stay?"

"Well, we got into a disagreement and…"

"I didn't say fight with her. I said did you fight for her. Did you tell her you wanted her to stay?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what the hell are you doing still standing here?"

Ruzek sighed. "It's over, Sarg. We…"

"Over my ass. You two belong together. Don't ever tell her I said this, but Burgess is good. She's a good cop. She's a good person. And you two are good together. So, let me finish off by saying what I said to you in the beginning. You're an idiot."

Ruzek knew she was right. He was being an idiot. He didn't want to let Burgess go. He glanced at the clock on the wall. If he left the precinct and there was no traffic, he might just make it to the airport on time. He turned to leave.

"Ruzek?" Platt said. He turned around again. She was holding out a set of keys. Ruzek grabbed them. "Don't damage my squad car."

"Yes, Sarg. Thanks, Sarg."

"Just go."

Ruzek raced out the door and to the back lot. He found the squad car that corresponded to the keys Platt gave him. He immediately got in and turned on the siren. He was not about to lose her.

Speeding through the city, Ruzek kept glancing at the clock. Time was ticking away. He hoped Kim's flight was delayed. He tried calling her cell phone several times, but it went straight to voicemail. He silently prayed that he would get to her on time.

In the airport, Burgess's seat number was called to board. She wiped her tears away and stood up with her suitcase. She walked to the gate, handed the gate attendant her boarding pass, and walked silently onto the airplane. She couldn't help but notice the happy couple in front of her. They were an elderly couple holding hands. Burgess sniffled. When she located her seat, she stored her suitcase in the overhead bin and then sat down. She immediately pulled out her phone and set it to airplane mode. She couldn't help put tap on her 'photos' app. Immediately, dozens of pictures of her and Ruzek showed up. She began to flip through them, each one bringing more tears. As the rest of the passengers boarded, she concentrated only on her phone. She stopped when she came to an older picture of her and Ruzek in their police uniforms. They had taken it on the day they had been paired up together. It was taken before they got together as a couple. Ruzek was even still with Wendy at the time, but it was one of Burgess' favorite pictures. It reminded her of the good times they had together.

"Excuse me," someone said from the front of the plane. "Can I just get by, please? Sorry, but I need to…"

Burgess looked up, recognizing the voice. She spotted Ruzek in the middle aisle a few rows ahead of her. He was battling other passengers to get to her. Her eyes grew wide. She stood up and locked eyes with him.

"Hey," he said as he finally got closer to her.

"Adam, what are you doing here? How did you…"

"I bought a ticket."

"You bought a ticket for the flight. Why?"

"Because it was the only way I could tell you that I don't want this to end. You said you didn't have a reason to stay, but I have a reason. Me. Be with me, Kim."

"Adam…"

"I love you," he interrupted. "I have loved you from the very beginning and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that sooner. I should have told you that night. I should have shouted it from the rooftops. I don't want you to go…"

"I can't be in Chicago without a job."

"You didn't let me finish," he said. "I don't want you to go without me."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm coming to Boston with you."

"What?" She asked, shocked. "What about Intelligence?"

"I'm sure there are Intelligence units in Boston. And even if I can't get a job with the police, I'll stock shelves at a grocery store or flip burgers or…or whatever. I don't care what I do as long as I'm with you."

"Adam…"

"Just tell me we're not over. Tell me that we have something worth fighting for. We can figure out the details later."

"We do. We do have something worth fighting for. I love you, too."

He looped his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, crashing his lips to hers. Forgetting they were in a crowded airplane, they were surprised when the passengers around them burst into applause.

"What now?" Burgess whispered.

"I bought a ticket so I guess we're going to Boston together."

She shook her head. Finally, everything became clear to her and she knew what she had to do.

"No, we're not."

"What do you mean?"

"Our home is here, Adam. I know Intelligence isn't just a job. You and Olisnky and Halstead and Lindsey and everyone…you're all a family. We're all a family. I don't want you to lose that. I don't want to lose that."

"So…"

"So I'm going to call the Boston police department and tell them that I am declining their job offer."

"What about you?"

She shrugged. " I guess we'll just have to see what happens."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Positive."

"I love you," he repeated.

"I love you, too."

As Ruzek leaned in to kiss her again, a flight attendant tapped Ruzek on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but we do need to finish boarding the plane."

"Right, sorry."

Ruzek retrieved Burgess' suitcase down from the overhead bin and then took her hand. Together, they walked off the airplane, smiling.

"I'm sorry," Burgess apologized as they made their way back into the airport terminal. "I should never have left you. I should never have taken the job without talking to you first and I should never have…"

Ruzek silenced her with a kiss.

"It's ok," he said when they broke apart. "All that matters is that we're together." She nodded and they began walking hand in hand. "Oh, and there's one more thing."

"What's that?"

"Platt knows about us."

Burgess stopped. "What? You told Platt?"

"No. She sort of already knew."

"How?"

"Because she's Platt and she knows everything," Ruzek answered.

"Great, now I'll never get into Intelligence."

"I don't know about that. She was pretty happy about us being together."

"Wait, Platt is happy that we're a couple?"
"I think she's truly a romantic at heart. But don't tell her I said that."
Burgess laughed. "I'll take that secret to my grave." They continued walking. "At least one good thing came out of all of this."

"Oh? What's that?"

"You told me you loved me."

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess I did. And you told me you loved me, too."

"Yeah, I guess I did," she mimicked.

"Then I guess we can officially say we're in love."

"I guess we can." She paused. "Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you say it again?"

He stopped and looked into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Author's Note: In case anyone was wondering, the idea for this story came from the song Crying On A Suitcase by Casey James. This is the last chapter (unless some other great idea happens to pop into my head). I really feel like this story has run its course and I'm ready to move on to something else. Thank you to everyone who has read this story and especially to everyone who took the time to comment!

With that being said, I would like to announce that I have been working on another Burzek story. This will be a series of one-shots that includes some missing moments that I would have liked to have seen on the show. Please be on the look-out for that story coming soon!