Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who's been giving the first 4 chapters of this story so much love, it means a lot to me. Here's Trudy being Trudy.

"What the hell Sarge?" He took a bigger step back to avoid her poking.

"Answer the damn question Ruzek. What the hell did you do?" Her tone was accusatory and filled with venom.

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

"Don't play smart ass with me Detective." She growled. "Kim Burgess. She told me you asked about her ex. WHAT. THE. HELL. DID. ?" He walked backwards in front of her physical assault. He was now fully awake.

"I just asked her if he was still around." He lied easily.

"That's bullshit. Truth, NOW." He banged the back of his knees against the kitchen table.

"I asked Atwater to do a background check on him, off the books." He admitted.

"Damn it Ruzek, why?"

"Things Michael told me, Sammy slipping up."

"Go put some pants on, we need to talk." Adam ran a hand on the back of his head and slid out from the tight spot he was in and retreated to his room to put some clothes on. He was in trouble and he knew it. Adam returned to find Platt sitting at his kitchen table.

"Coffee Sarge?" He offered as he decided to start himself some.

"Never thought you had some bedside manners Ruzek."

"Mom and dad raised me right." He let the machine do its thing while he pulled two cups out of the cupboard. He asked her what she wanted in hers and handed her a cup when it was ready, taking the seat opposite her at the table.

"So, what do you know?" Platt wanted to test the waters first.

"Ex is a complete dick with a drug problem and thinks he's a man by beating women up." He held onto his cup tighter, Trudy not missing his now white knuckles. "She has a restraining order against his ass."

"What do you know about the battery charges?" It was obvious to her that he knew that much.

"I just know that she called it and he got arrested. The story that they fed to Michael was that it happened on the job."

"And Kim would like to keep it that way."

"Well it's too late for that."

"Ruzek!" She growled.

"I sure as hell didn't tell him." He said defensively. "Sammy says that he heard you and Kim talk about it."

"Damn him. That kid's got stealth on him, he'd be a great cop." She mused.

"Kid's got game." Adam shrugged.

"And I thought you hated kids." She countered.

"I don't hate all of them." He countered.

"Hhmmm." She grinned. "But why now?"

"I don't know, Michael's special."

"So is his mom."

"Your point?"

"My point is that you better think long and hard before you get involved. Kim is a strong woman and she's the best mom I've known in a long ass while but she needs someone that is willing to be all in. She needs a partner, not someone who will tell her what to do."

"Well I'm pretty sure that Kim Burgess wants nothing to do with me, friend or otherwise, not after tonight anyways."

"She's guarded Adam. Michael is the most important thing she has in her life and she hasn't let anyone in much because she doesn't want him to be hurt by another man in her life."

"That's good." Anger coiled in his chest at the thought of someone putting their hands on her or Michael.

"So is that gut feeling your having."

"What are you talking about Sarge?"

"The anger, the protectiveness."

"Just the way I'm wired Sarge." He insisted but she could see right through him. "I don't do domestic violence."

"Keep that in your gut." She stood. "Just think about what I said."

"Yeah, yeah." He finished the rest of his coffee. "We good Sarge?" He was really hoping to go back to bed. Intelligence cases were hell these days and he needed all the rest he could get.

"We're good, for now." He walked her to the door. "Night Sarge."

"Get some rest." He acknowledged it with a nod and he closed the door behind her. She had given him some things to think about and he wouldn't make another move until it was the right one. He dragged himself back to bed and found a few more hours of fitful sleep before heading back to the district. He got up and did his routine with thoughts swirling through his mind. Images of Kim cursing in the kitchen as she tried to make some food in the skillet, Michael coming through the kitchen asking if he was there just by the sound of his voice.

"Damn her." He grumbled as he clipped his gun and star to his left hip. Trudy Platt had a way of pushing people in a particular direction and she had roped him in good. He drove to the district trying to figure out how he could keep an eye on both Michael and Kim while she recovered and still he had gotten nowhere by the time he showed up at the top of the stairs to the district.

"Wonder Boy." Platt called him to her.

"Morning Sarge. Anything I can do for you?"

"As a matter of fact, you can. Someone needs a ride from school later."

"Come on Sarge, no." Voight would undoubtedly have his head if he was MIA again.

"Ruzek." She warned. She was never one to take a no for an answer and she wasn't about to. "It's just a small errand."

"Intelligence has been swamped and I got some paperwork to finish." He argued, some would say louder than he should be.

"Well it's a direct order then." She deadpanned.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do." He sighed as he walked up the stairs to the palm scanner.

"Do more than see Detective." She yelled at him. Adam sighed and went up to work, try to get his mind off of the whole thing.

"Hey Ruz, my man." Kevin greeted him with their handshake.

"You got a minutes Kev?" Kevin looked at him with concern, but Adam motioned for him to follow him in the locker room. He really needed his input into all of that.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Kevin watched as Adam looked to see if anyone was with them.

"Need some advice."

"Hit me."

"You know that cop I've been helping out with her kid?"

"Oh yeah, the one that'll fill my pockets." He chuckled.

"I'm being serious here Kev."

"Sorry." He could see the worry on his friend's face.

"Platt came over last night."

"Damn, what you do?" Platt didn't make house calls unless you screwed up big time.

"I stopped by her place last night, wanted to see how she was doing you know?"

"Okay we'll get to that after but what does Platt got to do with any of it?"

"She and Kim are close, kind of like an aunt to Michael and she came to my place last night, guns blazing."

"What the hell for?"

"Wanted to know what I had done."

"She's gotta be more specific."

"I tried playing stupid but she already knew it deep down, so I had to cop up to it."

"So, what's the bad thing you did?"

"Ask Kim about her ex." He ran a hand against his neck. "That wasn't the right question to ask."

"Clearly not. How pissed at you was she?"

"Pissed enough to give me the talk."

"What talk?"

"The think long and hard before you get involved talk."

"You thinking of getting involved?"

"No, I'm not. Not in that sense anyways." He didn't have time for a relationship, any kind of romantic relationship right now but seeing as Sammy and Michael were close friends, Adam wanted to know Kim in a friend capacity if she let him.

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"Platt wants me to bring him home from school."

"Be careful brother, Platt'll play head games with you."

"That's what worried me the most." Adam chuckled. He knew how the desk Sargent was when she had an idea in her head.

"You going to do it?"

"What other choice do I have?"

"Man, you in trouble."

"Don't I know it." They were interrupted by Halstead poking his head in.

"We've got a case." He tapped the door frame and the two friends went back to get that case over with. Adam threw himself into it, so his mind didn't drift to either Kim or Michael but when time turned to three thirty, they were all sitting at their desk and Adam saw Platt walk up the stairs towards them.

"Shit." Kevin looked behind him and back to Adam, mouthing the word damn to him."

"Ruzek, you about done?"

"Not yet, got some paperwork to finish. Voight wants it on his desk yesterday." It was partly true.

"Do it later, you'll be late."

"Come on Sarge. I value this god damn desk."

"Well right now you better value your god damn legs more. Get your ass out of the chair and to that school." She left him to it, clearly not up for some more debate.

"Ain't easy being Platt's bitch." Kevin chuckled, the rest of unit laughing off at Adam's expense.

"I'll remember who's side you were on next time any of you get jammed up by Platt." He grabbed his jacket and headed out by the roll up. He threw his tings in the back of his truck and headed towards the school. He wasn't sure what Platt was up to by sending him to pick Michael up, but it was bound to backfire against him. He parked in his usual spot and headed to the principal's office. The young secretary greeted him again and called for Michael in home room, Platt probably having called ahead.

"Adam." Michael ran towards him and wrapped his arms around his waist, throwing Adam a bit off balance. "How come you're picking me up?

"Not sure bud but I have orders to bring you back home."

"Cool, I just have to grab my baseball bag."

"I'll wait for you here." He motioned for him to hand over his school bag.

"He seems to be taken with you."

"I don't even know why that is." Adam admitted.

"He hasn't had a father figure in his life, you must have made an impression on him."

"I'm ready." Michael came back, sports bag slung against his shoulder.

"Perfect, let's go." Michael followed Adam's longer strides and he threw his things on the back seat as soon as they made it to Adam's truck. "How's school doing?"

"It sucks." He sighed with an eye roll.

"Language kid. Your mom hates it when you swear." Adam reminded him as he huffed.

"I know but I'm bored with what we're learning."

"So, you're smart, that's good."

"Aunt Trudy says I have mom's brains."

"That's good, your mom is pretty awesome."

"You think so?" He asked with excitement.

"Well she raised you right didn't she? I think that's pretty awesome." He eyed Michael briefly as he drove.

"What happened last night?"

"Nothing happened last night why?"

"Well I walked in on the two of you acting weird yesterday and mom was crabby this morning."

"It's nothing for you to worry about." Adam really didn't want to bring Michael into it when Adam wasn't sure what was going on.

"Is it about my dad?" Adam's head whipped around quickly and he frowned at the expression on Michael's face.

"Why do you say that?"

"Mom usually gets all defensive when someone brings dad up and that's how she was acting this morning."

"You want the truth?" He turned to face Michael as he killed the engine in front of Kim's apartment complex

"That'd be nice." He could already see where that snark came from and it made him smile.

"I did ask her about your dad, asked if he was still around."

"You already knew the answer to that, I told you in the hospital."

"I know but your mom was asking me questions too and I just asked, and she wasn't happy about that. It's the reason why I left yesterday so fast yesterday."

"Ok. Are you going up with me now?"

"I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Please?"

"Alright kid." He didn't know what Kim's reaction to him being there would be. He didn't even know if Platt had informed her he was the one bringing her son back home. They climbed up the stairs and Michael slipped his key in the door and pushed it open.

"Mom, I'm home." She answered him from the kitchen. "Come on." Adam followed Michael to the kitchen.

"Thanks for bringing him back Trudy." She raised her eyes from what she was doing to find Adam standing next to her son. "What are you doing here?"

"Platt asked me to pick Michael up and bring him home. I didn't mean to make it uncomfortable for you." He was about to leave when she stopped him.

"No, it's okay." She smiled at Michael. "Go start your homework bud, I'll be right there." Michael looked at Adam before taking the bag Adam was handing him.

"Thanks for bringing me home Adam."

"No problem Mike, glad I was able to." He smiled back at the kid and ruffled his hair as he passed him.

"Thank you for bringing Michael home." Kim said when they were alone.

"It's not a problem." He assured her.

"I know you keep saying that, but I do appreciate it, especially now." She raised her healing arm slightly.

"Anytime. And listen, I want to apologize again for stepping out of bound last night. It wasn't my place to ask about your life."

"I'm the one who should be sorry." She leaned against her counter. "I asked you some personal questions and you simply asked back. I'm hoping that we can be friends, considering we might cross paths at Michael and Sammy's games."

"I'd like that." He smiled at her. "Anything you need help with before I go?" He offered.

"I can ask Michael it's fine."

"Kim." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fine, I'd really need help getting a serving dish down." She opened the door and pointed to the top shelf.

"I can see how that could be a problem." He smirked, reaching easily towards the top and bringing it to the counter.

"Thanks again."

"No problem." He smiled back at her, noticing her smile for the first time it seemed. "I'll see you around Kim Burgess.

"See you around Detective." He nodded and took his leave, needing to return to the district to finish the paperwork he had left behind.

A/N: So Michael realizes more things than either Adam and Kim care to admit and with Kim accepting Adam's apology, how will their relationship shift after all of this? I hope you guys liked it and please take a second to review before you go, your thoughts always mean the world to me. - Sarra