As the month of November drew to a close, December bought blankets of white snow that reminded Kate of a Christmas card or one of those cute snow globes you picked up at a festive market stall. Pulling her maroon beanie down over her ears, she wedged her gloved hands into her coat pockets and trudged up the street where her unit were waiting near a burned out car. Lifting the red crime scene tape above her head, she jogged the last few feet and came to a stop at Kevin's elbow, patting him on the arm in greeting.

The team huddled close in a small circle, heads bowed together as they discussed everything they knew about the new case. Kate had situated herself between Kevin and Adam, elbows knocking together as they all bounced from foot to foot in an attempt to keep warm. Whilst the team were focused on Antonio who was briefing them with information that the fire department had given him, Kate chanced a look towards Hank who was stood opposite her, adopting a similar stance with his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his jeans.

As though feeling her gaze on him, his eyes drifted from Antonio to lock with her own and the two of them shared an almost imperceptible smile. Just over a week had passed since Thanksgiving and, in that time, the two of them had barely said two words to each other outside of the usual workplace dialogue. She wasn't sure if it was a conscious effort or just bad timing but, in that time, Kate had spent many hours lost in thought, mulling over the new information Erin had given her about Hank's past. Despite knowing better than to even entertain the idea of getting involved with someone carrying that kind of emotional trauma, Kate still found herself wanting to get close to him.

'Only you could fall for someone more damaged than yourself Katherine.'

She almost laughed out loud at the thought. Despite her every effort to keep a professional distance, there was no doubt in her mind that she already had some pretty strong feelings for Hank Voight. Having said that, she'd rather have her fingernails removed with a pair of rusty pliers than admit it out loud.

Realising she was still staring at him, she dropped her gaze to the floor and refocused on Antonio. From what Kate could tell it was a case for Homicide rather than Intelligence but, given that it had been called in by Burgess and Roman, it was currently sitting in their in-tray.

"Antonio, you run point on this one with Olinsky and Ruzek. Use Burgess and Roman if you need to, I'll clear it with Platt. Rest of you, get back to the district and start on the backlog of paperwork. No free passes on the CPD Christmas Gala tonight." Hank gave Erin and Jay a pointed look who had been very vocal over the past week that they'd rather take some patrol OT than attend the gala. Kate couldn't really blame them. She didn't relish the thought of spending one of her rare, free evenings schmoozing with top brass, politicians and potential benefactors but apparently she didn't have much of a choice. The only silver lining was the free bar so at least she could be miserable and tipsy.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully for Kate and, between her and Kevin, they managed to clear nearly all of their outstanding paperwork. When five o'clock rolled around, Kate leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms up over her head in an effort to release the tense muscles in her back and neck.

"Alright, everyone out. See you in a few hours."

Hank had stepped out of the kitchen and in the bullpen, mug of coffee in hand as he dismissed the team with a wave of his hand before heading into his office.

"Jay? Erin?"

The two detectives in question looked up at the sound of their name, watching as Hank hovered in the doorway.

"Don't be late."

Kate snorted in amusement, watching Erin smirk and roll her eyes while a cute blush spread across Jay's face and neck at the parting comment from their Sergeant. Getting to her feet, Kate bid the team a goodbye and headed back to her apartment to get ready. After a long, hot shower, Kate wrapped herself in a large, fluffy towel and padded out into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine before making a start on her hair and make-up. She blowdried and styled her hair into loose beach waves, keeping her make-up light, opting for a neutral eyeshadow and a nude lipstick.

With that done, she wandered over to her closet and opened the doors with a sigh. Given that it was a Christmas Gala, attendees were expected to wear 'formal attire' rather than the standard full dress uniform usually required at public events. Her eyes passed almost longingly over her blue shirt and formal jacket before she began rifling through the floor length gowns at the other end of the railing. The first time Kate had worn a dress since she'd been shot was the navy number for the undercover assignment. It wasn't that she was bothered about the scars - she'd lost count of the number of permanent reminders she had because of her chosen career path; she had made peace with the fact that she was likely to get hurt on the job a long time ago. But this particular scar was the result of a poor life choice on her part and just looking at it took her right back to that moment.

Kate could hear him calling her name as she turned and left the room, jogging down the stairs and into the kitchen, her mind reeling. Everything had changed. Kate didn't even bother picking up her keys as she passed through the kitchen, swinging the door open and moving out into the warm early summer breeze.

The next thing Kate felt was a bullet zipping past her head, followed immediately by the echoing bang of gunfire. Whipping her gun from her holster, Kate's head spun in the direction of the sound but, before she could get a shot off, three more shots were fired in quick succession from the rear window of a black SUV the final one striking her in the chest. She lie still on the floor, a burning pain radiating across her upper body and the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth, gurgling on the sticky liquid as she tried to call for help, cursing herself for being distracted. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was the Jake's horrified face swimming into focus as he knelt down beside her, hands putting pressure on her chest as he shouted to a passerby to call 911.

Dragging herself back to the present, she eventually settled on a dark red, floor-length gown paired with some simple black court shoes. The dress had no back and a sweetheart neckline but, instead of revealing bare skin, her chest, back and arms were covered in a sultry lace.

Downing the rest of her wine, she packed a small black clutch bag and pulled on a calf-length black pea coat, tying the sash around her waist just as the taxi pulled up outside. When she arrived, the gala was already in full swing, people milling around in their finery with flutes of champagne in hand. Her eyes immediately sought out Kevin when she stepped into the ballroom and it took her less than five seconds to locate her partner who was stood near the bar with the rest of the Intelligence Team, alongside Platt, Roman and Burgess. As she sidled up to him, she plucked the glass of champagne from his hands and drained it in three long gulps.

"Hey, here she is!" He wrapped his large arm around her, stooping to give her a peck on the cheek before returning her to arms length. "Lookin' fine girl."

"That she does." Adam agreed, waggling his eyebrows in typical Adam fashion until Erin jabbed him in the ribs with a pointed elbow, drawing a laugh from Antonio and an exaggerated eye roll from Trudy who looked like she wanted to smack him upside the head.

Once the group resumed their conversation, she chanced a glance at Hank who was stood off to one side with Alvin, both of them deep in conversation with two men Kate hadn't seen before, nursing what appeared to be some high quality scotch. He was dressed in a well-tailored classic black suit, pairing the two-piece with a crisp white shirt and a patterned light blue tie. It was the first time Kate had seen him in a tie and the veryvivid thought of wrapping said tie in her fist as she tugged him down for a kiss sent a bolt of desire straight to her core.

'No, no, no…please not right now.'

"Earth to Kate."

Turning at the sound of her name, she smiled at Antonio who was attempting to engage her in conversation but she didn't miss the knowing smirk on Erin's face who had noticed her eyeing their Sergeant.

The two men in question eventually meandered over to join the group before they took their seats for dinner. Kate breathed a sigh of relief when she found her name card in between Alvin and Erin, thankful but also oddly disappointed that she wouldn't be seated next to Hank. The team spent the next few hours eating, drinking and enjoying each others' company in a more relaxed environment. Before long, soft music had begun to fill the large ballroom and slowly couples began to make their way on to the polished dance floor. Kate was interrupted from her conversation with Erin by a tap on her shoulder and, when she turned around, she found Alvin stood before her with his hand extended and an adorable half-smile on his face.

The rest of the unit watched with interest as Kate slipped her hand into Alvin's with a big grin and followed him towards the dance floor. Kate placed her free hand on Al's shoulder as he took her in his arms, the two of them falling into step almost immediately.

"You look great tonight kid."

Kate smiled as he expertly twirled them around on the floor.

"Thanks Al, so do you."

They danced in silence for a few more seconds until he spoke again.

"You know, the last time I danced like this was with Lexi." He let the comment hang in the air and Kate couldn't help but hold him a little tighter, his pain palpable at the thought of his daughter. She knew Lexi had been murdered in a fire a few years' previously and her heart ached for him.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you went through…what you're still going though." She pulled back slightly to look him in the eye. "But I'm grateful that you're here Al."

Before he could respond, they were interrupted by a tap on Alvin's shoulder.

"Mind if I cut in?"

Alvin's eyes darted between the two, a knowing look on his face as he bowed out gracefully, stepping out of Kate's arms and allowing Hank to step in. He took her left hand in his right and circled her waist with his free arm, placing his palm low on her spine as he pulled her in close to his body. He could just about feel the soft skin of her back under his fingertips, the lace doing enough to prevent him from touching her as he'd like to. The two danced in comfortable silence for a few moments, enjoying the feel of being close to one another but ever-conscious that they were under the watchful eye of their colleagues.

Hank's mind began to wander to the woman in his arms. It had been a long time since he had cared enough to want to get to know somebody in this way. When Camille had become sick and they had been told that her cancer was terminal, she had begged and pleaded with him to move on and find someone else after she was gone. For months on end, he'd shake his head and tell her that there would never be anyone else for him; that she was the love of his life. And then that day came. As he held her in his arms, tears falling freely down his face, she asked him once again to promise her that he wouldn't be lonely and that he'd find somebody to love, who would love him in return. For their entire married life, he'd never been able to deny her anything and he wasn't going to start now. As soon as he gave her his word, swearing her that he would try and do ask she asked, Camille took her last, shuddering breath and became still in his arms.

That was a decade ago. He'd been with a lot of women in ten years because, after all, he was a man with needs and desires just like any other. But it never felt the same. The first time he took a woman to bed after Camille, he had left her tangled in the sheets, sweaty and breathless as he staggered from the bed, bile rising in his throat as a wave of guilt washed over him. He recalled her concerned eyes and tender words, calling out to him as he struggled to pull his t-shirt down over his sticky skin but, with a mumbled apology, he had thrown the rest of his clothes on and left without another word. As time marched on, the guilt became anger, a fiery rage that drove him to seek a different kind of company. He didn't want tender words or gentle touches, he need to feel. To hurt. Quick, dirty flings outside of dingy bars in Cicero seemed to serve that purpose for a while. He'd take their hips in a punishing grip, using his body weight to keep them pressed flush to the jagged stone as he tore the foil packet with his teeth, unbuttoning his jeans just enough to draw himself free before dragging their underwear to one side and taking them from behind almost violently. More rough than he had any right to. In his mind, he was just living up to the reputation and behaving as everyone expected him to. Cold. Callous. But it made him feel empty. And, in the end, empty felt worse than guilty. Eventually it got easier and the deep, gaping wound in his chest got a little shallower but he could never bring himself to make a commitment to anything more than one night. And then Kate Meadows walked into the 21st District and turned his world on its axis.

Hank still wasn't sure what it was about her that stopped him in his tracks. Admittedly, she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Whilst Camille had been willowy, with soulful dark eyes and porcelain skin, Kate was the opposite in almost every way. Her body was built for the job, all strong limbs and sinewy muscle but with smooth curves that would drive even the most strong-willed man to his knees. Her skin seemed permanently kissed by the sun, cute little freckles adorning the skin of her arms, neck and across the bridge of her nose. Her hair fell in waves to just below her shoulder blades, the root darker as the strands blended down into a warm blonde that was the perfect complement to her intelligent hazel eyes, the flecks of green and gold bursting out around the iris.

But with all of her psychical allure that had initially drawn him in, it was everything else about her that made him want to stick around. He wanted to know her. In every way possible.

Finally, he leaned in close and spoke quietly in Kate's ear, his breath ghosting over her skin.

"You look exquisite tonight."

Her eyes drifted closed, taking a second to enjoy the way his lips brushed gently against her flesh, sending the most delicious shiver down her spine. Time seemed to slow down as he held her in his arms, ensuring there was no space between their bodies as they moved around the floor. Kate would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed when the song ended and he took a slow, reluctant step back from her, giving her a small smile before handing her off to Kevin who had been patiently waiting for his turn. Over the course of the next thirty minutes, Kate was twirled around the dance floor by her team-mates, eventually pleading with Antonio to let her get a drink and rest her aching feet.

Noticing that Erin was at the table alone, Kate ordered two glasses of scotch and dropped down into the seat beside her, placing one glass in front of her with a smile.

"Hey, no Jay?"

Kate's eyes scanned the room for Erin's partner and coming up empty. The latter hiked her shoulders with a sigh, downing the amber liquid in a few large gulps and returning the empty back to the table with a thud.

"Like that, huh?"

In a show of solidarity, Kate raised her glass in a silent toast to Erin before knocking the scotch back with a slight grimace.

"This is definitely not the stuff they served Voight and Olinsky. How'd they get hold of the good stuff?"

She gestured to the young waiter to bring them another round and he reappeared a few minutes later with two more glasses.

"Tenure I'm guessing. That or one of them has screwed the barmaid." Erin's dry response made Kate chuckle until the thought of Hank naked with the blonde behind the bar dampened her good humour.

"Here's to hoping it's Al." Kate muttered just loud enough for Erin to hear as she took a sip from the fresh beverage. "So, what's going on?"

Erin turned the glass between her hands, watching as the fiery liquid sloshed around with her movements.

"We got into a fight. He wants to tell Hank about us. I don't think it's any of Hank's business."

Kate turned sideways in her chair and crossed one leg over the other, the split in her dress exposing her well-toned thigh to anyone who happened to look but she was too tipsy to care.

"Erin, you know that he already knows, right?"

Erin's eyes darted to Kate's face and, from the expression, Kate surmised that Erin wasn't aware that her father figure knew she was sleeping with her partner and she couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter.

"Oh, come on! How can you spot me undressing him with my eyes from a hundred yards away and yet be so completely oblivious to looks he gives the two of you!? You know as well as I do that he's like a damn sniffer dog when it comes to this kind of stuff. Combine that with the fact that he's basically your dad…he's probably got this weird spidey-sense that tingles when you and Jay get down and dirty."

Erin snorted, a smile appearing on her face as she reached over and grabbed Kate's hand.

"Thanks for having my back, Kate."

"Always."

With that, Erin downed the rest of her drink and got to her feet, no doubt going to track down her boyfriend and engage in some make up debauchery. But before she left, she placed her palm on Kate's shoulder to get her attention.

"You know, he hasn't been able to take his eyes off you all evening."

Kate didn't need to ask who she was referring to as she looked past Erin's frame to lock eyes with Hank who, whilst engaged in conversation with some Sergeant from another district, was watching her intently across the room with his eyes focused on the tanned flesh of her legs.

She wanted to go and talk to him, to spill all of her darkest secrets but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He was her boss and, if things went badly, she knew she wouldn't be able to stay in the unit. And she loved working in Intelligence and she loved her team. It was too big a risk for her to take…regardless of how much she wanted him.

Downing the last drops of her drink, she too got to her feet and bid Erin goodnight before making her way to the cloakroom to get her things. Between the two of them, they'd polished off the best part of three bottles of wine before starting on the scotch so she knew she was well on her way to having a killer hangover in the morning. Thanking the attendant who returned her coat, she pulled the fabric around her and made her way out of the venue, gingerly taking the icy steps down towards the sidewalk to hail a cab. The air was so cold it felt like her skin was burning as she buried her hands into her coat pockets in an effort to preserve some heat.

She had barely made it to the valet when she heard her name called from behind her. Turning around, she saw Hank trotting down the steps, shrugging into his own coat before coming to a stop in front of her.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?"

He inched towards her, invading her space for the second time that evening and Kate could feel the air crackling around them with tension. Sober-Kate would later put the blame solely at Drunk-Kate's feet for what happened next but, before she knew what was happening, she had pitched herself forwards, placed both hands on his chest and sealed her lips over his in a searing kiss.

'Abort, Kate. ABORT!'

The voice in the back of her mind was silenced when he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, silently begging for entry into the warm cavern of her mouth. Although it was barely midnight, Kate was thankful that the streets were almost empty, the harsh weather driving people inside. She traced one hand up over his chest, fingers coming to rest on his neck and she could feel the rapid fluttering of his pulse under her thumb as it rested in the hollow of his throat. Continuing her path upwards, she carded her fingers through his short hair, raking her fingernails across the back of his head, eliciting a deep moan that vibrated across his entire upper body. Meanwhile, his hands had burrowed under her heavy coat and were tracing nonsensical shapes and patterns over her back.

Their tongues engaged in a dance as old as time, mimicking the movements of a horizontal desire as they traced the unique ridges and textures of the other's mouth, revelling in the noises it generated until eventually the need for air became pressing and they broke apart. The wind chilled Kate's damp lips as she ran her tongue over the now swollen flesh, eyes lidded as she relished the taste of him.

"You do that again and I can't promise I'll behave myself." A rush of heat blazed down Hank's spine and settled firmly in his groin at the sight of her, flushed and kiss-mussed. His voice was gruff with lust, pupils blown wide with arousal and Kate did exactly what she told herself she wouldn't do.

Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with him and took the plunge.

"Who says I want you to behave?"