Into the Fray we go...this has been an interesting process. I never expected to write a follow up to Shackled and Drawn, I felt that was a natural conclusion and I do like to leave things a little ambiguous so that your own imagination can think of what's next. Anyway a few people asked me what happened next...so this is my version.

Also it came together pretty quickly and by the time I got to writing chapter 9 I realised that when I re-read chapter 1 & 2 the story had morphed into something totally different so I had to re-write the early chapters. I hope it's as interesting for you as it was for me. I also enjoyed getting back to writing a case related story which is totally different from my last story.

I like the challenge so thanks to those reviewers who inspired me to write what happens when Kim goes back into the fray...

"Feel strange to be back?" Hetty Greenway turned the engine off after pulling into a parking space. She didn't come down this side of town often. It was a good thirty minute car trip on a good day and today hadn't been a good day and 45 minutes later they were finally at their destination. It was like the whole of Chicago chose today to take a drive. The first sunny day in weeks had people out in droves.

"Yeah, a little."

"I've heard about this place, not the place as such, but the people who inhabit it." They exited the car and waited until the road was clear before heading across. "Not for the faint hearted."

It felt familiar, it was a well-worn path, one she had taken more times that she could count but it felt like a lifetime since she'd even laid eyes on this place let alone set foot in it. "Everyone has heard about this place. It's reputation isn't exaggerated."

"Well, this will pretty up the place." The gravelly voice behind them made her jump.

"Boss…" she stuttered. "Sorry Sarge, Sergeant." She corrected herself.

Voight pulled her in for a quick hug which not only shocked Kim but also her companion. "It's good to see you. It's been too long."

"I know." Kim looked a little flushed. "I just…couldn't, you know." She clutched her satchel tightly. "This is Sergeant Hetty Greenway." She introduced her new Boss nervously. "Detective Greenway, Sergeant Hank Voight."

Hetty thrust out her hand, keenly aware of Kim's sudden unease. "Nice to meet you Sergeant Voight. Kim has told me a lot about you. I look forward to working with you." Hetty lied smoothly, Kim had barely mentioned Voight beyond admitting that he was her Boss and he bought her up to Intelligence and was happy to give her a recommendation. Everything else she avoided. Kim had an air of mystery about her and a steely determination to succeed.

Hank gave them both a rare smile. "We are glad to help. Come on in."

Kim wasn't quite sure how she felt about this. When her Boss had told her they'd working alongside Intelligence on this case she had baulked a little. It had been a tough decision to cut all ties with the 21st when she decided to leave. Initially she planned to quit the force but was persuaded to take some time off and re-evaluate her decision. In the end she moved to the Special Investigations Unit and was enjoying it. It felt like a natural fit after what she'd been through.

Now Kim was studying forensic psychology and it had given her a new perspective and renewed her love for policing. While the work could be distressing and emotionally intense being able to help build cases, provide key insights into patterns of criminal behaviour and give closure to victims when they saw their hard work pay off and convictions were handed down was rewarding. Supporting and encouraging victims, whether they be women, men, girls or boys to tell their story was empowering.

Getting to work closely with victims also had its rewards along with its challenges and although it was not a direction she'd thought her career would go she was glad it had.

The work environment was also polar opposite to what she was used to and it took a while to re-program herself and find her feet.

Voight walked in with them. "I keep hearing good things about the work you are doing." He added, opening the gate. He liked to quietly keep an eye on her, see what she was up too and perhaps a part of him hoped that one day she'd find her way back to Intelligence. His Unit was a better team with someone like Kim in it, she'd proved to be irreplaceable.

"It's different that's for sure and sometimes I do miss the going dark late night raids, not the bruises though nor…." Kim felt her chest tighten a little and let the last of her sentence die on her tongue. The memories came flooding back, particularly of her last moments up here. They weren't pleasant memories and it had taken her a while to put them in her past. That's what this place was, her past.

It was almost a relief to see the new colour on the walls and the desks all in different places. It made it feel different and that had a weird effect on her.

Atwater was the only one in the Bullpen and he couldn't help himself, he was up out of his chair and pulling Kim in for a hug before she could speak. "You are a sight for sore eyes."

"Hey Kev." Kim stepped back, she'd been hugged twice in a very short space of time and that didn't sit well with her. Also Hetty noticed it and this was certainly not the Kim she knew, she was completely professional. "Don't let us interrupt you."

"You could never be an interruption." He leant over and introduced himself to Kim's partner. "Don't listen to her when she tells you anything at all about me."

"Oh, not even the good things?" Hetty chuckled. She was way too old to even pretend to be interested and her husband would certainly laugh at her apparent blushing but Atwater had that effect on people.

"Well…" he winked at Kim. "…I like her Burgess and this place isn't nearly as fun without you."

Atwater perched on the edge of his desk. "If I'd known I would've bought flowers, hung streamers, sent out party invitations. To what do we owe this pleasure."

"The missing girls case. We've been called in because we think they might be linked to something we've got going on." Kim informed him, giving him as little information as possible. "So it's a collaboration if you will."

"That'd be good. The trail has gone cold."

"So we heard." Getting back onto work was a far more comfortable conversation. "We think we can help."

Kevin offered to get them a coffee while they waited for the rest of the team to arrive and both Kim and Hetty followed him into the break room. He filled them in on what they had so far, which wasn't much but a few things stood out. It was always a bit of a gamble bringing in other agencies, they really didn't play well with others but perhaps this time it might run a littler smoother.

Kim took the chance to slip out while Kevin was charming the pants off her boss.

She knocked on the doorframe of Voight's office like she'd done hundreds of times before. "Hey Sarge. Can I come in?"

Voight indicated that she should take a seat, closing the door behind her. While the bullpen was empty now it was likely to fill up quickly. "How are you?"

"I'm good Sarge, really good. This is a good fit for me."

"So I can see, you look really good Kim. We miss you though."

Cocking her head to the side Kim looked a little unsure. "I don't, no offensive. I mean I miss some things, I just wanna say…" she paused, clasping her hands together tightly. "…I really appreciate everything you did for me. Bringing me up here, having faith in me and I'm sorry I let you down."

"Kim." Voight stood up and came and sat next to her and reached for her hands. "You didn't let me down. You did what was right for you and that's all that matters. Not everyone is cut out for this job in this Unit, it would've killed you."

"It almost did."

"I'd rather you alive and dropping in to see me from time to time to the alternative of burying you or watching it crush your heart." He hugged her quickly and kissed her temple. Rarely did Voight get this close to those who worked with him but Kim was special, she'd always hold a special place in his heart. "I'm proud of you, and whenever you need someone to talk you up, you give me a call."

Kim nodded and stood up. They both noticed the increased noise from the bullpen as the rest of the team straggled in. "Thanks Sarge."

"And don't leave it so long next time okay?"

"Okay."

It had been almost a year since she'd set foot in this place and it wasn't a lie, she didn't miss it. It was like High School, when you were there it was the only thing that mattered and you couldn't imagine not being here every day but once those days were over and you walked out of those doors for the last time you never looked back. That's what this place felt like, she lived and breathed this place for six years but once it was over, it was over.

Kim followed Voight out of his office. "Okay, this is Sergeant Greenway from the SIU and of course we all know Burgess. They are here to hopefully shed some light on this case and explain the next steps."

They'd been working on this case for a few weeks now. Two young women had been abducted in similar circumstances from outside a well-known and busy nightclub district and they had very real fears for both the girls. Neither had been found, they had vanished without a trace.

SIU had a serial rapist case they were knee deep in and the DNA recovered from all three girls all matched and unknown male. A State wide and National DNA database search hadn't come up with a match.

Some of the details of the three rapes, which they hadn't released many details yet to maintain the integrity of the investigation and what they knew about the abductions seemed connected and it was decided by people well above their pay grade that Intelligence and SIU should put their heads together and hopefully crack this case before anyone else went missing or was attacked.

It had thrown Kim back into Intelligence's orbit and she was preparing for a rough ride.

Her time here hadn't ended well and bridges were burnt that could never be rebuilt.