It was nearing midnight the day before Christmas Eve and Kate was curled up on her sofa in some black yoga pants and an oversized grey sweatshirt with a glass of wine in hand watching 'It's a Wonderful Life' for what felt like the hundredth time. It was a Meadows family tradition that Kate had continued long after she left home.

Some of her fondest childhood memories included being curled up on the sofa with her Dad and her brother, drinking eggnog and sneaking a peak at the presents under the tree when her Mom wasn't looking. When she went to college, the tradition changed somewhat but she could always count on a call from her Dad on Christmas Eve wishing her a Merry Christmas, the underpinning sentiment still very much present. It had been thirteen years since the last Christmas Eve call and every single year it left a dull ache in her chest that never seemed to ease.

She had somehow been roped into going back to New Haven for the holidays, succumbing to her mother's frequent and not-so-gentle persuasion techniques which meant the she was flying home on Christmas Eve to spend a few days with her family. The only silver lining was that she had dragged her brother into the line of fire with her and told him in no uncertain terms that he would also be making the trip home.

She had just finished her last mouthful of rosé when she heard a knock at the door. His knock to be precise. She wasn't expecting him but there was only one person who'd be on her doorstep at this time of night and the thought bought a silly grin to her face. Kate threw her legs off the sofa and got to her feet, her moccasins shuffling across the wood flooring as she padded the short distance from her couch to the front door. Pulling the deadbolt back and cracking the door open, her heart fluttered at the sight of Hank Voight on her doorstep, hands stuffed into his pockets, a dusting of snowflakes in his hair and an almost shy smile on his handsome face.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Kate swung the door open fully and stepped aside to let him in, the brutal Chicago winter already sucking the warmth from her apartment. Once he was inside and Kate had shut the door behind him, he wasted no time in taking her into his arms and leaning down to seal his lips over hers. Sliding her hands up over his arms to wrap around his shoulders, Kate leaned in as close as she could, basking in his scent and the feeling of his hands creeping up under her sweatshirt, cool fingers roaming leisurely over the bare skin of her back.

It had been almost a week since that first night but, due to a flurry of festive homicides, gang hits, overdoses and the like, they had barely found any time to be alone together. The dinner that Hank had promised her turned into him showing up on her doorstep with an apologetic smile and a bag of take-out food. They had both been too exhausted to do anything other than eat and fall asleep curled up together on the couch but the one thing they had discussed and agreed upon between bites of food was that they wanted to continue seeing one another and, for the time being, keep the rest of the unit in the dark about their newfound relationship. With Hank being her direct supervisor, they knew that they would need to file the relevant HR paperwork sooner rather than later but, for right now, they were content to stay in their own bubble.

When he eventually pulled his lips away from hers, he kept both arms wrapped around her waist, fingers interlaced at the bottom of her spine to ensure she stayed pressed against him.

"You know how many times I've wanted to do that this week?" He muttered, his eyes trained on her face as he watched a slow grin slide onto her kiss-swollen lips.

"Hmm, I could probably have a good guess." It was likely to be a similar figure to the number of times that she'd wanted to drag him off into a quiet corner of the precinct and behave inappropriately.

"Can you stay?"

Hank gave a gentle nod, pecking her on the lips one last time before releasing her so that he could shrug out of his coat and hang it on the hook next to hers. Whilst he was ridding himself of his outerwear, Kate moved out into the open plan kitchen-living room and made her way towards the fridge.

"You want something to drink? I've got a bottle of rosé open or there's beer in the fridge." As Kate was pouring herself another glass of wine, she watched as Hank made his way around her apartment, taking off his badge and gun, putting both on the kitchen island as he made his way towards her.

The sight of Hank making himself comfortable in her home made Kate's heart swell in her chest, the feeling both thrilling and terrifying her in equal measure.

There was no denying that she felt something for Hank Voight the second she set eyes on him. The physical attraction was immediate but, as time passed and she got to know him better, it became something more.

She knew he had a reputation. Over the past few months she had heard from a number of sources how cold and ruthless he could be in order to get the job done. Kate had witnessed it herself a few times, how that dangerous energy would ripple around him, how his eyes would darken until you barely differentiate between the iris and the pupil. Kate had been a cop herself for over a decade and she knew just how easy it could be to cross that invisible line that they walked day in, day out.

Yet despite all of the pretty damning things she'd seen and heard about the man in her living room, she had also seen a side to him that was the complete opposite. He was tender, compassionate, honourable. Taking in a fifteen year old girl who was circling the proverbial drain was a prime example of all of those admirable attributes. Kate knew first hand how protective and gentle he could be with those he cared about so, all things considered, her gut told her he was a good man and, until he gave her a reason not to, she was going to trust him.

When Hank was within touching distance, he pressed his lips to her temple and reached past her to open the fridge and pull out a chilled beer, twisting the cap off before taking a few long sips.

"What time are you flying out tomorrow?" He asked, resting his weight on the counter across from her. She let out a deep sigh, visibly deflating at the reminder of her imminent trip home.

"Flight leaves O'Hare at 11 o'clock."

He nodded, watching her for a few seconds before taking her hand and leading her back to the sofa, placing both of their now half-empty glasses on the coffee table before taking a seat, tucking Kate into his side and wrapping her in his arms. She placed her head on his chest, immediately calming at the sound of his heart beating a steady rhythm under her cheek.

"You know I'd rather get shot in the ass than go back to New Haven."

Her words were muffled by his shirt but the vibrating rumble told her that he'd heard. He ran his hand up under the fabric of her sweatshirt, alternating between tracing his fingertips gently over her skin and rubbing soothing circles with his palm.

"I'm not sure Trudy would agree with you on that one."

"Probably not."

Together they watched the last thirty minutes of the movie, the end credits rolling just as Kate plucked the remote from the table and switched the TV off. From the even rise and fall of Hank's chest, Kate could tell that he'd drifted off to sleep. Lifting her head, she took the opportunity to watch him for a few moments, her eyes drinking him in completely uninterrupted. In slumber, he appeared younger than his years, the lines on his face smoothing out in relaxation as surprisingly blonde eyelashes rested softly on his cheeks. As much as she wanted to let him rest, she knew he'd wake up with a crick in his neck if she left him there so she leaned forward and planted a featherlight kiss to his chin, enjoying the way the light stubble felt against her lips.

Her ministrations had the desired effect and his eyes fluttered open, deep brown meeting bright hazel and the lazy smile he gave her made her heart skip in her chest. Pressing her lips to his, she stole one more kiss before getting to her feet, standing in between his parted knees and extending her hands out to him.

"C'mon, bed."

He took her proffered hands and she helped tug him to his feet, his arms immediately encircling her body, forehead dropping to gently rest against hers.

"Yes ma'am."

She was almost certain that he was rarely this agreeable but the hectic week was obviously catching up with him and the exhaustion was making him more amenable than normal. He pressed a slow, languorous kiss to her lips, tongue darting out to taste her as they haphazardly made their way to the bedroom, the hands that were burrowing under layers of clothing stopping reluctantly to flick off the lights and shroud the apartment in darkness.

This time when they made love, it was slow and tender, the two of them savouring each and every sensation. Sweat trickled down Kate's spine as she moved above him, her palms splayed on his damp chest and her head thrown back in ecstasy, muscles quivering as her hips rocked against his, the pressure gradually building between them as they chased euphoria.

His hands squeezed her thighs, guiding her movements as he watched her intently, committing the sight of her undulating above him to memory. Hank shifted himself into a sitting position, burying his face in the valley between her breasts as he locked his arms around her back, the change in angle allowing him to reach a deeper place inside of her and Kate let out a low moan at the delicious stretch.

It only took a few more minutes for Kate's hips to stutter, her fingernails scoring crescent-shaped marks into Hank's shoulders as she reached her peak, head dropping forwards onto his shoulder, his name slipping from her lips like a whispered prayer. He followed suit merely seconds later, erupting inside of her as his lips fastened to her neck, sucking a bruise into her flesh just below her collarbone with a grunt. Hank fell back down onto the pillows, drawing Kate with him as they took a moment to regain their breath, Kate gently running her fingertips through the wiry hair on his chest.

They eventually separated, Hank disappearing off into the bathroom to dispose of the evidence before slipping back under the sheets, pulling Kate into his side comfortably. She was dancing on the edge of consciousness when she heard his rough voice break the silence.

"I'm going to miss you, you know."

His fingers were slowly carding through her hair, tracing a line down to her neck and shoulder before returning and starting the cycle over again. Tucking her head further into the crook of his neck, Kate pressed her lips to his throat before responding.

"No you won't."

A chuckle vibrated in his chest as he placed a light kiss to the top of her head.

"Go to sleep."

"Yes, sir."