Kim heard the persistent knocking on her door; it was getting more and more urgent and she was getting more and more annoyed. Fortunately she had just gone to bed so her apartment was dark and quiet. She had already spoken to Adam so she knew it wasn't him and she knew that Roman was around. Adam had told her as much when she talked to him just a little while ago.

"Please tell me you didn't get into a fight?"

"Why?"

"I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Trust me Baby, I'd take him. Remember I've got a shit tonne of anger fuelling me." Adam tried to lighten the mood. He didn't want to get into another conversation about this guy. Kim wasn't keen though to let it slide.

"No doubt, but you've also got broken ribs and cheekbone and barely healed stab wounds."

"Oh, you care." He laughed although nothing about Sean Roman still hanging around was amusing. He was like a dead fish that had been lying in the sun too long; it was starting to get a little on the nose.

"Why yes I do, far too much."

"Good to know." He still hadn't told Kim that he loved her although Kim told him all the time. Adam may not have been ready to admit it but Kim wanted to make sure he was left in no doubt how she felt. "Hey I miss you."

"Ditto."

"It feels strange not being with you." Now that he was home from Molly's he was lonely. Catching up with everyone had been a hoot and he did enjoy listening to their easy banter again. He'd missed this a lot lately; he hadn't been around as much as he should have. Perhaps if he hadn't been such a chicken he could have avoided all this angst.

"Remind me why we are doing this?"

"I seem to recall it was your idea." It had been a tough decision but they had been shut away from the real world for almost three weeks and they just needed some clarity. Was this working because it was all they had? Kim suggested that when they got out that they spent a few days apart just to see how they felt although both of them were more than confident that they wanted and needed to be together.

"So I can change my mind."

"Hmmm." She could tell he was falling asleep and if she couldn't fall asleep next to him this was the next best thing.

Not long after she hung up the knocking started.

Eventually it stopped and she hoped that he had decided that she wasn't home. Not that she was under any illusion that this was over, not by a long shot. He'd hung around for almost two weeks now so they suspected that he wasn't going to go away quietly.

Adam had made his way through the crowd at Molly's towards the Intelligence table at the back on the bar. He had been in at the District being debriefed and promised to stop by for a drink on his way home. His home at the moment was at his mother', just until he had the chance to find a new place. "Where's Burgess?" Lindsay asked.

"I am sure I am the last person she wants to see on her first night home."

"I can't believe you didn't sort your shit out."

"Who says we didn't?" He shrugged and gratefully accepted the beer that appeared. "Just because we decided to let sleeping dogs lie that's not a bad thing. We've moved on. What's done is done."

"Do you honestly believe that?"

"Yes, Erin I do." The fun was certainly wearing off this little game. He missed her already.

"What the fuck do you want?" He growled when Roman approached their table. They had seen him come in, his eyes scanning the crowd looking for Kim no doubt and every one of them hoped that he would do the smart thing and walk away. Roman was never known for doing the smart or the right thing though. As far as he knew he hadn't given up trying to find out what was going on and where Kim was. As he walked up to the table they felt all the joy being sucked out of the night.

"Nice to see you too Ruzek."

"Can we help you?" When he made no attempt to leave Adam glared at him.

He was going to try and be civil, offer to buy a beer and just try and go with the flow but Ruzek made it pretty damn obvious that he wasn't welcome and neither did any one else attempt to change his mind. "You seen Kim?"

"I've been out on leave for more than a month."

"With Burgess?"

"No." He accepted another beer from Atwater. Technically he wasn't lying, Kim wasn't on leave, they had swung it so that she was Ruzek's detail and therefore still on the books. Neither of them was quite sure how Voight and Platt managed to get that past the Commander but that meant that right now he didn't have to lie. Kim had been on assignment away from the District, he didn't need to know that it was looking after him.

Adam shrugged before bending down and peering under the table. "Nope, she's obviously not here. Maybe she's working? Why don't you give her a call?" Now he was baiting him, he knew that he'd been calling her constantly and that Kim wasn't answering.

"You know, you're a dick Ruzek?" he snarled. "It may be news to you but you are not the only person who loved her but you were the one that let her go." While that stung, he didn't need to be reminded how he fucked up especially by the one person who he blamed for the whole shit storm but he swallowed it and it felt like razor blades.

"How is San Diego?" He leant back against the wall like he didn't have a care in the world.

"I wanted her to come." Roman had snapped a long time before Ruzek had. The rest of the table was silent. It was an awkward and uncomfortable exchange but they were ready to step in if need be. One thing Ruzek always did possess was a pretty even temper. When he went off the deep end everyone knew about it but it took him a long time and a lot of needling to get him there. This guy wasn't worth the time or the energy.

"Yet she chose to stay in Chicago and be alone rather than go anywhere with you. Go figure that one out."

"So you do know where she is."

"No." He picked up his beer and took a mouthful and turned to Atwater who was sitting opposite him and asked him about the game on the weekend. He was done talking to this guy and everyone else was done too.

Adam picked up his phone as soon as he woke up and dialled her number; it was back where it belonged, in his speed dial. "Hey, Baby I don't like this. Let's do this."

He hadn't even given her a chance to speak. "Adam?" she had barely opened her eyes.

"I missed you. I don't want to wake up without you."

"I missed you too." Rolling over in bed she snuggled down into the pillows for a few more minutes, talking to him as soon as her eyes were open was the next best thing to having him in her bed. "I think Roman came by last night."

"You think?"

"Well someone was banging on my door at all hours." She knew it wasn't Adam but had some faint hope that it might have been anyone but Roman and that she wouldn't have to deal with him.

"Are you okay? Did he leave?"

"He did, eventually."

"Did you talk to him?"

"No, I told you I don't want to talk to him or see him again. I promised you Adam." They had shared some pretty heated words over that. Adam had insisted that he didn't want her to talk to him and while Kim was more than happy never to see him again his possessive demands got her back up a little bit. But like the flash of a match the argument was over in an instant when he told her honestly how he felt, not just some macho bullshit. As far as Adam was concerned he was to blame for the vast majority of the crap they had just been through and wanted to forget he even existed.

"I know, I know. It's just waking up here, alone I am a little freaked out."

"Don't be."

"Tell me this is going to work."

"Adam, this is going to work, this is good. We are doing okay."

As Kim feared, he didn't go away. He was waiting at the District for her, he had positioned himself so that she couldn't sneak in the back door and avoid him not could she use the front entrance. "I'm late." She tried to step around him but he blocked her path.

"Where have you been?"

"Working." Again she tried to get past. "Do you mind I need to get inside?"

He wasn't in the mood for the brush off and Kim saw that explosive temper that he had flash across his face. If only she'd been smart enough to take that into consideration earlier. "Are you screwing Ruzek again?"

"What do you want Roman?"

"To talk to you."

"About what?"

"Us."

Kim couldn't help herself. She laughed in his face. "There is no us, there never really was and there never should've been. It was a mistake and I have regretted every single minute I spent with you and listening to you. You manipulated me and you ruined my life." She was surprised when he grabbed her arm. "Let me go."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"I think Kim asked you to let her go." Neither of them had seen Al approach from the parking lot. "So, get your hands off her. Now." Roman dropped his hand and Al stood between them. "Perhaps it's best if you left now. She's got nothing to say to you." He ushered Kim around him and into the building.

"You okay?"

"Yes, thanks Al." she rubbed her arm where he had held on a little tightly.

"Did he ever do that to you before?"

"No. He's got a temper though, I know that much."

"Do you feel unsafe?" Al's voice was always calm and a steadying influence. He had a way about him that made you feel safe and that he was in control.

"No. Thanks Al, I'll be fine. Can we keep this between us? Please?"

"You don't want Ruzek to know?" Kim blushed a little and looked at the floor. How much did Al actually know? Were they kidding themselves thinking that this was some big secret?

"I will tell him later. I don't want anyone going off all half-cocked though."

Al squeezed her hand and nodded. It was funny how things had changed. A few weeks ago no one gave her the time of day and now they were all friendly again. If she didn't think that she deserved their treatment she would have lost it at them and told them all to sod off. But she couldn't blame them, she did treat Adam badly and she was glad that he had people looking out for him when she turned her back on him.

He didn't tell Adam but he did tell Atwater that he should make sure Kim made it home okay. "Why?"

"Roman, he bailed her up outside this morning. He was getting a little physical and I don't think he's done. She doesn't want Ruzek to know."

"What's going on with those two?"

"Not my business." Al shrugged. He knew though, it was the way they looked at each other and their body language. All he had to do was sit and watch them for a few minutes and it was obvious. The rest of these idiots were too busy trying to trip them up by asking too many questions instead of just observing them. He shook his head, for cops they could be pretty clueless sometimes. "I do know he wouldn't want Kim to get hurt, and Roman…" he readjusted his hat. "..I don't trust him."

Atwater actually thought he was being cute and sneaky. He had spent far too much time with Lindsay lately and they had been plotting how to get these two together. Now that they were both back in Chicago they needed to step up their game and this was the perfect opportunity.

It was great timing when Al asked him to make sure Kim got home safely. The fact that Roman had manhandled her had pissed Al off but Kim had begged him not to say anything. Al couldn't care less about why she didn't want Adam to know about her run in with Roman outside the District, he just wanted to make sure she was not in any danger. Ruzek had obviously cared about her well being enough to insist that she was placed in protective custody and she had played a huge role in his recovery so he was willing to let sleeping dogs lie. Coupled with the fact that he really didn't care much about Roman at all. He'd carried on like a petulant schoolboy when he first turned up at the 21st and Al's opinion hadn't really changed.

"Kev, I am fine at home."

"No, you are coming over for dinner and staying with me. At least for tonight. What if he comes back?"

"I won't open the door."

"Whatever." Kevin waved his hand. "Hurry up Burgess. I don't have all night." He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot and all Kim could do was shrug her shoulders and pack a bag. While in her bedroom grabbing some clothes she sent a message to Adam. 'Seems like Atwater is taking me hostage tonight and I am having a sleepover.'

'He's cockblocking me' Adam had planned to come over much later when everyone had stopped checking up on him like he was a twelve year old. He missed her and he was desperate to see her again, not having her for so long and now getting her back he didn't want to miss one more moment.

A few seconds later he sent her screen shot of a message he just got from Kevin. 'Beers & pizza. CU at 7. My place.'

"Hey Burgess." Ruzek added casually when he arrived at Kevin's. "I thought you'd be at home enjoying your peace and quiet?"

"So did I." She was wedged into the sofa beside Vanessa. "Kevin, I think he missed me." She added loud enough for Kevin to hear. Not that Kevin disagreed and told them both as much.

Adam spent the next half hour chatting to Kevin while Kim stayed in the lounge with his sister. They were doing their best to avoid each other and Kevin was doing his best to push them together. He was hardly being subtle and it made them all the more determined to play with him.

When he left them at the table together briefly as he went to grab another couple of beers Adam suddenly jumped and made the whole table rattle when Kim shoved her foot into his groin, massaging him with her foot for a few moments. "Fuck." He reached for the beer bottle that he'd knocked over with his sudden movement. In an attempt to cover up the real reason he frantically tried to mop up the mess as Atwater came back and Kim hid her smile behind her beer.

A few minutes later Adam excused himself to use the bathroom and fired off a quick message. 'Ok, you wanna play games? You kicked me in the nuts, now you need to kiss it better.' They had certainly got past any awkwardness they felt and this was somewhere between foreplay and phone sex.

Kim felt her phone buzz in her pocket but wasn't stupid enough to look at it. Kevin was watching them both and they were getting a little carried away. When she did read it, it made her gasp. Adam was back in the room by that stage and managed to keep a straight face. "Good news?" he asked absolutely deadpanned.

"Nicole is freaking out, Zoe's losing the plot and wants to get her tongue pierced." She lied smoothly as she sent back another message. 'Can't wait. Will you repay the favour?'

Although it wasn't quite a lie, Zoe did want to get her tongue pierced but Nicole had freaked out hours ago.

"So.." Kevin dropped down on the sofa beside Kim and threw his feet up on the table. "Tomorrow night, we are hitting up Molly's. You in?"

"I'm not sure Kev, Nicole wants me to come up and stay with her for the weekend. I think she is counting on me to talk Zoe down."

"That's cool. I don't need to worry about protecting you then." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he regretted them but then seeing both of their reactions he decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it. Kim glared at him and Adam's head snapped up from the computer game he was currently playing with Jordan, and losing horribly in the process.

"I don't need protection. Did Al put you up to this?"

"No." He bit his bottom lip nervously. "Well perhaps a little bit."

"Jesus, I told him I was fine."

"But you know Al, he didn't like seeing you being accosted and man handled."

"What?" Although Adam felt like he didn't really need to ask. Fucking Sean Roman.

"Adam, don't worry about it." Kim folded her arms across her chest and looked at Atwater and he actually felt himself shrivel up inside just a little. She may be little but she was fierce. "Roman turned up at the District this morning."

"And?"

"And what?"

Adam pointed at Atwater, who was suddenly wishing he'd kept his mouth shut but then again the way they were reacting proved to him that this was a big deal and for it to be a big deal as far as he was concerned meant that they were a lot closer than they made out. "Accosted and man handled? I am just going to assume that Atwater isn't over reacting or being an hysterical little girl."

"He is being over dramatic. Roman turned up, I told him I don't want to talk to him, he wasn't happy and then Al came by and that was the end of it."

Kevin suddenly felt the need to vacate the room and urged Jordan and Vanessa to come with him and leave these two alone. Once he convinced them to quit whining and disappear Adam sat on the coffee table in front of Kim. He kept his voice low. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry. It was nothing."

"Did he touch you?"

"He grabbed my arm." She admitted. "He said he wanted to talk about us, like him and I and I told him there was no us and that I regretted ever having anything to do with him. He didn't take it well."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, Al came along and that was that. Adam please don't do anything stupid. I don't care about Roman, I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt again by going after him."

"I'm not happy." He rested his hand lightly on her knee; perhaps because he was spinning out a little and he needed to touch her to make it seem real, to make sure she was still here with him. He didn't want to feel like this, jealousy had never been his thing and even that day he tore into them at the District he hated himself for it but then she never even gave him a chance to apologise. He'd driven her into that fuckers arms and it took him a long time to get over it. "I don't want him around you."

Kim leant forward so she could keep her voice low. "Adam, Baby. It's you; it's always been you. It always will be you."

"If he touches you again, I don't care how much it will hurt me, I will fucking deck him."

Kim ran her hand up his thigh; she couldn't stop herself. "You know that is low key getting me all worked up you being all alpha male."

Adam tilted his head back and groaned a little as he stared at the ceiling trying to control himself.

"Pity about Kev and his cock blocking behaviour."

"It's funny I think his idea was to get us together but all he has done is stopped us."

Adam heard Kev coming down the stairs; the guy was like a bull in a china shop. He leant in quickly and whispered in her ear. He then jumped up from the table before Kev could catch them together. Kevin took one look at the expression on Kim's face and was a little confused. Adam had walked out of the room and Kim looked like she'd seen a ghost and then a single tear slid down her cheek.