Come on, Kimberly. Kim tells herself, her inner voice taking on a firm, no nonsense tone that reminds her strongly of Platt's. You've faced down guns, you can do this.

Her mind rebels against that sentiment, and she wonders if she was actually given the choice—to do this, or to face down yet another gun—if she'd choose the gun, depending how much she's bricking it right now.

It's just Voight, she thinks, taking a few more deep breaths. Of course, it's not just Voight. Physically, yes, it's just the Sargent. But it's not just Voight, it's her boss, it's the man who holds everyone to such high professional standards, it's Voight after hours, it's an unscheduled meeting.

And, the thing that's playing on her mind so much, the thing that has made her keep hesitating, it's the man who looked over her for Intelligence because of his perceived understanding of Adam and her.

There's a lot of reasons that makes Kim justified about trying to go up to Voight's office and instead having false starts, turning back around to flee to the locker room before he could see her. Even if she's fearless in the face of danger, she still has every right to be unsure about this.

After all, he is her boss. And he might care about those he's in charge of, especially his unit and Kim likes to think it's also to those close to them. Definitely Platt, but also herself and Roman. But he dictates when things are personal, and that's so far and few between. He's a man who plays everything close to the chest and there's so many reasons that tells Kim that this isn't something she should consider, that he's probably just going to give her a look and dismiss her.

And Kim definitely will be risking whatever chance she has left of ever being offered a spot in intelligence.

All this is valid, and if anyone else knew of her plans, they'd agree that she'd be justified to just scrap this whole idea. But every day of this job is a lesson, and Kim has learnt a lot since starting. And she's learnt a lot since Voight came in as their new Sargent—especially when Adam was hired.

Kim was passed over because Voight thought she was sleeping with Adam. And that hurt, hurt more than Kim thinks she'd ever be able to express in words.

But through that, Kim learnt things about herself. That she's determined, and this is her dream, and that she can still succeed and achieve even when she's passed over. And that she should just stick to what she's doing, to prove herself, to show that everything she does, especially in her personal life, doesn't affect what kind of cop she is.

A lesson that came in handy when she was shot, and he actually offered her the spot. That she knew she wanted to earn it in a different way, not just because she was shot.

Kim also learned something else. That this job may her everything, and that intelligence may be her dream, but there are some things that's worth being flexible over.

That Adam is worth being flexible for.

The day they got together, Kim had already been passed over. And by dating Adam, she was risking it happening again, but she had learnt that she just needs to keep what she's doing, showing she can be an uncompromised cop, even while dating in house. And that Adam, she wanted Adam so much that she wasn't going to deprive herself of something that could be so good just for an opportunity she may never get.

And then she proved herself, even when dating Adam, and Kim knows her choice was right, even if she turned the promotion down.

And it was after then, even though she knows just how much intelligence is her dream, that she knew that Adam—being with him—is her dream, too. And Kim has no control, not really, over her intelligence dream. All she can do is keep being a good cop, and hoping that it pays off. But she has control over her and Adam, about the dream she has for them, of making sure the ring on her finger actually means something.

That lesson, perhaps, was the most important one for her to learn. Jobs come and go, even something as amazing as intelligence. Kim wants to one day be something higher than a detective, so she may have to leave intelligence anyway, and there's more units and good positions in the cpd to be in, even if intelligence is her dream.

But soulmates? That person who just gets you, that person you love with your whole heart? That's one in a lifetime, and that's who Adam is. Adam is her love and who knows what her future, job wise, holds, but Kim knows that Adam is her future.

Knows that she wants Adam to be her future, wants the life they are trying so hard to get, even if things are tough right now.

Kim can feel that future slip away. She can feel it in any slightly edged remark they exchange, can feel it in how they keep pushing off the wedding planning, can feel it in how sometimes she's so reluctant to go home.

And she doesn't want it to slip away. She wants Adam. She wants him to be hers for the rest of her life, for them to grow old together. She wants to be his bride, his wife, the mother of his kids. She wants all this, but she's been feeling like she's scrabbling against a flat wall, unable to climb over. Like she knows what's on the other side, a happy life, but she doesn't know how to get there.

And Kim wants to know. And Voight— Voight is the answer to that.

If you had told when she first met Hank Voight that one day she'd be going to him for relationship advice, Kim would've strongly recommended you get your head checked out. Her Sargent is a tough man, who so very rarely shows his softer side.

Kim might even doubt he has one, if it wasn't for those two times in the hospital, when Zoey was critical and when she was shot.

But things are spiralling, spiralling in a way she does not want them to spiral, in her and Adam's relationship and she doesn't know how to stop it. Kim doesn't think they need relationship counselling—they're not that messy, not to her—but she needs advice.

It was a realisation that came to her one late night. Adam's arm was wrapped around her waist, him snoring softly next to her and if she closed her eyes, she could almost forget the epic fight they had not five minutes before bed.

Although, Kim wonders, can it even be a fight, not to mention able to be described as epic, if it was done in hushed whispers? Olinsky and his daughter were in their living room, so they used muted tones, but the words were biting, almost more than any of their other fights ever were.

It was in this realisation that Kim also realised that she doesn't exactly know anyone with a thriving and successful marriage. Anyone she went to school with who is married doesn't have the same relationship and life dynamics as she does, and Kim's socialisation tends to just be limited to those she works with or the other first responders.

And first responders have such tough jobs, and such because of the nature of it, relationships aren't exactly the most successful thing about their lives.

The only person her age who Kim could think of who had a successful marriage is Natalie, but she's just met the doctor and asking a grieving widow—no matter how long you've known them—the secrets to a successful marriage is just cruel.

Olinsky has been married a long time, even despite everything, him and Meredith are only separated. But the very act of them being separated perhaps disqualifies him from being someone to seek marriage advice from. Especially as, from what Kim has gathered, they seemed to have a flawed relationship anyway, despite being in love.

There's always Herrmann, of course. But while Kim gets along with the man, the thought of asking him this felt too personal. And she wasn't sure if he'd be much help. He has a very successful marriage, and his job is tough like hers, but the dynamics just didn't feel right for who she wants advice from. Adam and her, they're stubborn and closed off and they need a guide like that.

Platt has a successful relationship, but she's already someone Kim goes to. A great help, even if Kim ends up getting more information than she wishes for, but she needs a second pair of eyes and a fresh perspective.

And finally, Antonio. Antonio has been a great help to her when it comes to the job, but he's divorced and Kim's not sure if he'd be the best person to go to.

Which just leaves Voight. And as far as Kim knows, Voight's the only one in their circle who's had a successful marriage.

Of course, Voight doesn't like personal talk. And Kim rather gets the impression that only a small handful of people gets to see Voight talking about his wife, especially as he's a widow. But she has to try.

Taking a deep breath, Kim heads out the locker room and towards the bullpen—towards Voight's office. It's after hours and everyone is home or on a stakeout, and Voight's doing paperwork. Kim had texted Adam saying she'll be late home, not telling him it's because she's going to his boss for relationship advice.

Kim hesitates before she knocks on his office door, and she nearly runs away- again—but then Voight looks up at that moment, their eyes locking.

Well, she thinks, here goes nothing.

Kim raps lightly on the door, Voight still watching her, curiously, as she does so. He waves her in before she even finished her tap and she opens the door cautiously, offering him a half smile.

"Burgess." He gives her a nod. "Shouldn't you be home by now?"

"Yeah. I just—I wanted to ask you something, if that's alright? If you're busy I can go—" Kim tells him. There's half a second pause, but then Voight's waving at the seat in front of his desk, telling her to sit down. She does.

"If it's about intelligence, I don't have room." Voight says before she can start and Kim's certain that she turns red, cringing at the thought that he might think of her that desperate.

"No, it's nothing about that. It's well, uh," She really didn't think this through, and she wishes she thought more about how to ask him. Voight just raises his eyebrows, leaning back slightly, waiting for her to finish.

"Well, you were married, right? And you know that Adam and I...well you know. And I just want to know—well, how? How did you do it? We see so much and we all have our own issues on top of that and I just. I don't know how to make a marriage work." Saying the words out loud makes it hit Kim, makes the reality so much more real, and her heart twists. Twists that she can't believe in them, that she needs help to do something she should already know how to do. Twists at how much just admitting this has lifted a weight of her shoulders, showing just how bad she is at this.

Surprise is written all over Voight's face; he had clearly not expected this to be what she was going to say. It feels like eternity, Voight just looking at her, before he speaks.

"Camille—my wife—is to thank for that." He begins, leaning forward, looking serious but with a softness to his expression. "She was... An angel. Patient but firm, and she didn't take any shit and no work excuses."

There's another pause, and Kim waits patiently, just glad that he didn't just dismiss her, or tell her that she had no business even asking.

"I was wrong, to judge you and Ruzek. You're both professionals and I can see you're well suited to each other. My Camille was a romantic, and I think she would've been quite taken with the pair of you—and please, take that as a compliment. I don't think she would've liked Erin with Halstead. Me, I'm not so much of one, just do your work and I'm good. So I won't be much help," Kim gets it, understands, but she can't help but feel deflated at that.

"But," Voight continues before she can stand up to go. "You're good police, Burgess. Both you and Ruzek are. I'll tell you some things my Camille taught me, and I hope that it helps."

It doesn't take long for Voight to say all he had to say, him saying everything very manner of fact in that way of his, but Kim appreciates the gesture for what it is. That this is Voight showing his belief in her—in Adam, too—and that means just as much as Voight sharing this with her.

Kim thinks that Camille must've been a wonderful woman, thinking about how Voight's lips turned up slightly, his eyes lighting up that little bit more, as he repeated what his wife had taught him to her. And a wise woman, she thinks, as his words replays in her mind as she heads home, feeling more certain and confident in her relationship, in the future of her relationship, than she ever has been.

"Hey," Kim immediately greets Adam with warmth in her voice when she gets home, wrapping her arms around him, cuddling into his body. She doesn't miss the lookout surprise on his face, however, or how it quickly fades, him wrapping his arms around her tight and sighing contently.

"Hey, darlin'. Where have you been?" He asks, kissing the top of her head.

"Just had to finish some stuff up at work." Kim answers, talking into him as she still cuddles to him.

"Hm? Anything important?"

"Nothing that's more important than being with you," Kim answers truthfully, Voight's words ringing around her head. She then tilts her head up, still in his arms, so she could look at him. "I was thinking. About us getting our own place? Since we can't decide right now, I'm just going to move in with you. Living together is more important to me then where we're living."

"Darlin' no, I want to give you what you want. We'll find a place," Adam shakes his head and Kim steals a quick kiss before continuing.

"I know we will. I'm not saying to stop looking, just. I want to actually live in one place, so until we do, I'm ending my lease and moving in here, properly." Kim explains.

"Well, I have no complaints about that," Adam grins, kissing her. "What made you decide this?"

"Just got reminded about what's really important. And that's us. Not where we live, or when we get married or anything. Just me and you and our love." Kim answers, smiling up at him, her smile only grinning as she sees the affect her words have on him.

"I love you, darlin',"

"I love you, too. Now, to what's actually important right now—you, lifting me up and taking me to bed, right this second. I need you to fuck me, future husband." Kim says, watching as Adam's eyes darken, him gripping her tighter.

"Your wish is my command, future Mrs Ruzek,"