Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who left a review on the last few chapters, it's always appreciated. I also want to thank everyone for their patience with my lag in posting. COVID keeps screwing up my work schedule making it hard to update regularly.

As Adam had predicted, the day off Voight handed them on a silver platter was the last one he would get in the next couple of weeks. Cases jumped almost daily and forced them into work too early and let them sleep entirely too little. He had gotten a few texts from Kim asking if he was willing to swing by for dinner with them, but his answer was always the same and he hated having to disappoint the both of them time and time again.

"Everything okay?" Atwater questioned him when they left for a lead.

"I'm good." He said absentmindedly as he shoved his phone in his pocket.

"Says the man walking around the 21st like someone kicked his dog."

"I'm just tired, long weeks."

"You want to try that one more time?" Ruzek couldn't hide much from his partner on any given day and apparently even less now.

"So what? You can make fun of me some more about owing you some damn money?" He was in no mood for some ribbing from Kevin.

"Thinking about Burgess? Something wrong?"

"Nah." He sighed. "She's been texting, asking me to come around for some dinner and we've been totally swamped, and I keep having to tell her no."

"She's a cop, she knows how it goes."

"Yeah but Michael isn't and I'm not exactly being true to my word." If there was one thing Adam believed along with loyalty was that his word was the best of himself he could give but going against his word was even worse for him.

"Kid knows you're busy, give yourself a chance."

"Yeah." He looked out the window, hoping that today would be the last in the streak of long days and shorter nights. They returned from their lead with nothing to show and after sitting at his desk for ten minutes, Adam was starting to be hungry. "Hey Atwater, let's go for a ride." Voight nodded his approval, knowing they'd be reachable through their two way.

"Where we going?"

"Food run."

"Best idea you had all day." He clapped his shoulder and followed him down the stairs.

When his eyes landed on her, he couldn't stop the smile on his lips. "Hey, you're back." It was the first time he saw her in her uniform.

"Just this morning and Platt's got me on crossing guard duty."

"Damn."

"That sounds like capital punishment." Kevin agreed.

"Kevin Atwater, I'd like you to meet Kim Burgess." Adam introduced them properly, realizing they hadn't met since he walked into her life.

"It's a pleasure to finally put a face to the name." Kevin smiled at her.

"Likewise." She smiled back.

"Hey listen, I'm sorry about these past few weeks." Kevin decided to give them some space.

"I'll be in the car Ruz."

"Be right there."

"Hey, don't sweat it, I get it. It's been that crazy?"

"Let's just say that next day off I get, I'm sleeping it."

"Damn."

"Listen. Can you tell Michael that I'm not trying to avoid him but as soon as I can, I'll swing by one of his games?"

"Don't worry, I explained it to him." She smiled at him.

"I just don't want him to think that I'm not good on my word to hang out."

"You're a good man Adam, he knows that you won't let him down."

"I just, I'm not used to be in this kind of situation, and I don't want to let him down."

"Just give me a call later tonight if it's not too crazy and you can talk to him."

"I'd really like that. Thanks Kim." He placed a hand on her shoulder before shifting on his feet. "I've got to go but have a good day back."

"Thanks." They smiled at each other before Adam left, Kevin waiting for him in his car.

"You've totally got it bad for her." Atwater mentioned as Adam turned the engine on.

"Not this morning Kev." He really wasn't in the mood for that.

"Look Ruz, I'll tell it to you real. You love this girl and you're too damn stubborn to admit it."

"I can't Kev." Kevin might be telling the truth, but he just couldn't go there with them, for their sake.

"What's holding you back?"

"Michael, her." He sighed. "That ass Baker did a real number on them and I can't be the guy that lets them down, I can't."

"I'm gonna play devil's advocate here. But do you think that maybe Platt chose you that morning because you're the guy that's gonna change all of that for them?"

"Platt's just being Platt Kev, no need to psycho analyse what she does." Adam argued.

"Keep your head buried in the sand dog." Kevin had no idea how to make his best friend understand what this relationship was already doing to him without talking about what it was possibly doing to Burgess and her kid.

"I can't be selfish with them." He concluded with finality

"Uh huh." Kevin knew not to push the issue, so he drove to the deli a few blocks out and the two grabbed some subs to go and they ate quietly in the car until their radio came to life, calling them to the scene of a shooting. They spent the rest of the day on the case, Adam missing end of patrol's shift, hoping to bump into Kim again but he was keeping his fingers crossed that it would quiet down enough that he'd be able to talk to Michael later tonight. The bullpen was buzzing with activity but Adam was starting to get a head ache from the lack of sleep he was finally feeling. He went to get himself a fresh cup of coffee while the rest of the team ran their leads and when they finally nailed the lead they were waiting for, it was pitch black outside.

"You heading to Molly's? Kevin questioned him from his side of the locker row.

"I'm wiped Kev, I'm just gonna go crash at home." He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and saw two missed calls from Kim, spaced together by an hour and suddenly he was pissed against himself. "Fuck." He didn't try to hide his outburst. He has promised to call and he hadn't.

"What's going on?"

"I have a text and missed Kim's call, TWICE." He growled,

"Try calling her back." He offered.

"It's too late to call there." He saw the time on his phone and it was already 11. "I'll see you in the morning Kev." He dumped his phone in the bottom of his bag and headed straight for home. When he stripped down for bed, he had an idea and it made him smile before he fell asleep.

Kim closed her locker with a bang. She was glad to be back but she was exhausted. She looked at the time and it kicked her into gear. She had to go pick Michael up to try to give him his old routine again.

"You going to be late?" Taye asked next to her.

"I have a few minutes to spare actually. You want to come over for dinner tonight?"

"I wish I could, promised my brother I'd swing by see him and the kids."

"Alright." She smiled at her and zipped her duffle back up.

"Speaking of kids, how's it going between Ruzek and Michael?" Kim had dished about the status of her relationship with Adam to Julie and was happy that a guy had shown him real interest in her son.

"It's really good but Adam's been swamped with Intelligence and hasn't been coming around all that much lately."

"How's Michael taking it?"

"He's bummed out but I explained to him that it's not that Adam doesn't want to hang out but he just can't right now."

"How's that going?" Julie winced.

"Some days it's okay and some it's harder for him."

"I'm sure something will clear up soon."

"Yeah, hope so."

"Kimberly Burgess." Taye finally came to a realization.

"What?" She rolled her eyes at the mention of her full name.

"Am I sensing some deception coming from you too?"

"I wouldn't call it deception but he's been the first person with who I've been able to let my guard down and I kind of like that there's not really any secrets between us."

"So you told him the whole story of what happened between you and Matt?"

"He knows the most important."

"And what would you say if he asked the whole story?"

"I'm not quite there yet but he hasn't pushed so it's good."

"You're allowed to be happy Kim, don't ever lose sight of that."

"Thanks Taye." They hugged and Kim left to get Michael at school. The ride was mostly quiet from school to home and Kim didn't really push for more and they settled in a routine where Michael settled himself at the table with some homework while Kim made dinner. "How was school?"

"School was good."

"Just good?" She was trying to get him to talk to her about how he felt about Adam not being there and he was usually more vocal about school so she knew it was weighing on him.

"Yep." He didn't look up from what he was doing.

"I bumped into Adam today." She tried another tactic.

"Did he ask about me?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah and he told me to tell you that he hasn't been avoiding you but he also said that Intelligence is keeping him busy but he'll make it to a game as soon as he can."

"Sweet."

"Oh and he said he's going to call later to talk to you."

"Yes, okay." He put is head back down in his books to try to finish him homework quickly. Kim smiled at him, glad that he was suddenly giddy about something again and they ate together and Kim listened to him as he talked about what he would say to Adam when he would call later.

"Alright, shower and pj's before Adam calls." She didn't know what time he was looking to do that so she sent him a text to tell him they were ready. Michael returned about fifteen minutes and couldn't sit still.

"Did he call mom?"

"Not yet bud." They were watching TV together.

"Can we try calling him?"

"Sure but I don't want you to get your hopes up, he was working a big case when I saw him."

"Okay." Kim dialed him on speaker phone and they waited but Adam didn't answer and Kim didn't want to press him so she didn't leave a message.

"Maybe we can try him again before you go to bed."

"Sure." He snuggled back into Kim and they watched the movie for another hour before she sent him to bed.

"Let's try him one last time okay?" Kim sat on the side of his bed after having tucked him in. It rang until it went to voicemail again. "I'm really sorry bud but I promise he's be sad he missed you."

"Good night mom." He turned on his side and she kissed his temple.

"Night baby." She whispered as she left the room, leaving the door open a crack. She decided to turn in too but she sent a quick text to Adam before slipping into her covers. Michael was disappointed that he couldn't talk to you but I hope your case went well. Please be careful.

Adam woke up to his blaring alarm clock but he was up as soon as he slammed it off and he headed for the shower. He was going to grab some breakfast and surprise Kim and Michael with it before he'd take him to school if it was okay with Kim. He stopped at the bakery a few blocks away from his place and headed her way. He leaned against the door frame, knocked three times and waited. The door opened to a sleepy Michael, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hey bud."

"Adam." His sleepy state forgotten, he plowed ahead and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Sorry I missed your calls last night." He smiled at Kim over Michael and winked.

"It's okay." He grinned back at him before letting him in. "This makes up for it."

"I'll get some coffee going." She smile back at him as he and Michael settled themselves at the table to eat. They had breakfast with Michael talking his ear off about what he had been up to the last couple of weeks before he got dressed and Adam offered to bring him to school, of which he excitedly say yes without Kim being able to put in a word edgewise.

"Go wait by the truck, I'll be right there." Adam called over his shoulder.

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

"It's the least I could do for being a ghost these past weeks." He assured her.

"I could never repay you for being so good to him, to us." She leaned on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Adam was stunned and it was over almost as quickly but it left them staring in each other's eyes for a few seconds.

"You'll never have to." He promised in a whisper. "Have a good day."

"You too, and be careful." She leaned against her open door frame.

"Right back at you." He let her enjoy getting ready in peace and he dropped Michael off on his way in, the shit eating grin never leaving his lips.

A/N: SO Kevin tells Adam the way he sees what's happening and Kim finally let's her guard down furthar by kissing Adam. Is this too good to be true or will they be able to enjoy a new dynamic together? Please take a few seconds to review before you go, I love reading your thoughts - Sarra