The Waitress sat with her and they'd bought her some fries and a drink and she had just sat and looked at them for the longest time until the urge to eat finally got the better of her. She grabbed one and quickly shoved it in her mouth but she still refused to talk. She would nod her head occasionally but just sat and munched her way through the basket of fries quietly because once she started she couldn't stop.

"Hello."

The little girl finally smiled when she looked up and saw the two Police Officers standing by their table. The Waitress slid out of the booth and let one of the Officers take her place.

"Hi." She muttered, shoving another fry in her mouth. "Did you find my Dad?"

"No, not yet but we will. Did he bring you here?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Daisy Elizabeth Palmer. I'm nearly five." It was a proud fact that Daisy liked to share with anyone who would listen that it was almost her birthday. Well almost according to a four year old but she still had nearly three months to go. Kim had always drummed into both her children, obsessively so that they only talked to Police Officers. Especially with her job you never knew who had been watching you, no matter how careful you had been so making sure they knew who they could trust had been paramount.

"Well hello Daisy, I'm Officer Bell and this is Officer Rodrigues." He pointed to the other Police Officer standing beside he table. "It's nice to meet you."

"Are we going to see my Mom now?" Her bottom lip started to quiver a little.

"Where is Mom?"

Daisy started to cry. "At home with Oliver and Adam. I want my Mom."

"Of course you do sweetie and we will find Mom. Oliver and Adam, are they your brothers?"

Daisy shook her head. "No, Oliver is my brother and Adam is Oliver's Daddy. Not mine though."

"Okay. How about you come with us and we are going to try and find your Mom." Daisy happily slid out of the booth and held Officer Bell's hand. Rodrigues had got some rough details about how long she had been here and whom she was with while his partner had talked to the little girl lost.

"I need to go to the bathroom." She tugged on the Officer Bell's hand just as they were about to leave.

"Okay." He looked a little surprised. "How about Sally here takes you to the bathroom and then we can go find Mom?" He pointed to the Waitress that had been helping them. One thing he wasn't keen on was going into the ladies bathroom with a little girl. He didn't have kids so this was way beyond him.

Daisy tried to hide behind the Officer's leg as Sally nodded and held out her hand for Daisy. "No, My Mommy says that I can't go anywhere with someone I don't know even if they say they know me or that Mommy told them to come. That's how bad people do things. I am only allowed to talk to Police Officers with a badge." She was starting to jiggle around, she was desperate to use the bathroom and didn't want to have an accident because that was what baby's did and she wasn't a baby.

Quickly they managed to take her to the staff bathroom, making it just in time before and Bell was relieved when Daisy told him that she didn't need his help. "I'm nearly five." She reminded him.

"My Mom is Police too." Daisy suddenly declared when they got to the Patrol car. She loved sitting in the Patrol cars whenever she was at the District and Erin would even let her up front sometimes and play with the sirens. They day the Police came to school for a safety talk Daisy was beyond excited and told them everything they needed to know about being a Cop, much the actual Police Officer's amusement.

"Really? What's her name sweetie?"

"Mom."

"What does everyone else call her?"

"Kim."

How many Kim's were there in CPD? That didn't really narrow it done much and no Kim Palmer came up on a search. Bell sat in the back with Daisy and while she was talkative she didn't give them much to go on. She talked about riding in the squad car, going to the District to visit her Mom and that Adam rode a bike. "Mommy won't let Ollie ride on Adam's bike though and that makes him sad." And she also added that Mom doesn't wear a uniform. "Although the other day she did and Adam thought it was cute."

Daisy held onto Officer Bell's hand as they walked up the steps to the 31st and introduced her to the desk sergeant. "Sergeant Howard here is going to help us find your Mom, okay."

"Hope you are not grumpy like Mommy's Sergeant? She's always telling people off, 'specially Adam but not me though."

"Little Daisy here says her Mom is a Police Officer, Kim Palmer. Nothing pops up. Doesn't wear a uniform though, must be plain clothes."

"Well Daisy, hop up here and tell me a bit more about Mom and we'll see if we can call her." Sergeant Howard lifted her up onto the counter. "But first can you tell me your name again."

"Daisy Elizabeth Palmer."

"Okay Daisy Elizabeth Palmer, Is Mommy's name different?" He smiled kindly at the little girl, she was cute and looked clean and tidy and well looked after. Her hair was clean and brushed, tied back into two ponytails that despite looking a little worse for wear looked neat and her clothes were clean and well looked after and her boots fitted and weren't well worn. All in all she looked good. They could generally get a feeling about kids by how they were presented. She didn't look like she had a rough time of it, except for being left alone in a bar in the middle of the day.

"Yes." Daisy piped up, rolling her eyes. "Mom's name is not like mine."

"Do you remember what it is?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oliver likes to be called Ruzek now, that's Adam's name. Daddy doesn't like Adam, but I do. He took me on a date, he's fun and let's me have Ice-cream all the time."

This was going nowhere fast and he had to get her somewhat back on track. "Kim Ruzek? Is that mom's name?" Daisy shook her head. The Sergeant leant on his elbows and continued talking to Daisy; he had to admit she was a cutie. A search of the name Ruzek, in a variety of different spellings bought up nothing. "Does she work with Adam?"

"No. With Kev and Jay and Matty and 'Tonio. Adam used to work there too but not anymore, he went away for a long time. Mommy thought he was dead but he was just hiding, sometimes I see them kissing, but it's a secret. Don't tell Mom." Daisy giggled and covered her mouth with her hands for a minute.

Kids talking about secrets always set his teeth on edge. "I promise I won't tell Mom. Tell me something else though, does Adam make you keep secrets from Mommy?"

"No." She giggled and it sent her off on another tangent. "One day he hid gummy bears in his pocket for Mommy, that was a surprise but I told Mommy. Adam only kisses Mommy."

"Well that sounds like fun. So tell me more about Mommy?" He got the feeling that he need not worry about going further down that path but he did need to get her back on track.

"Mom sometimes has to go to work all night. Uncle Hank used to be there and Uncle Al but they got too old but I still go see Uncle Al. He takes me to the park sometimes." Finally she spat out what they needed. "She's Detective Burgess."

After looking up personnel files and a putting in a quick call to the 21st, where they also sent a photo of Daisy for confirmation they had her mother's number.

"Adam" Kim flew down the back steps, still clutching her phone tightly in her hands. He was listening to music and was being surprisingly domestic by cutting her lawn. It was something he found strangely therapeutic, being domestic. It helped him feel normal. "Adam." She grabbed his arm making him jump. Oliver had gone over to Joey's house for his birthday party and was staying the night, so Kim and Adam were looking forward to a night alone and had planned to go out for dinner.

Slipping his headphones down around his neck he could see the look of pure panic on her face. "What's up?"

"We need to go get Daisy?"

He killed the mower. "Where is she? What's wrong?"

"CPD have her. She'd at the 31st."

"What? Why? Is she okay?" Kim was already running back inside. "Babe." He chased after her and grabbed her arm; she needed to tell him what was going on so he could help her. "Talk to me?"

"Her fucking father left her in a bar." The fear gave way to a flood of tears. "They called CPD and they came and got her. He left her."

"Is she hurt?"

"I don't fucking know." Adam grabbed the keys from her hand and insisted on driving. Kim could barely speak let alone drive. She basically yelled at him the entire trip to hurry up when she wasn't on the phone trying to get through to her ex husband.

Eventually she tried his mother. "Mary, where's Steve?" Her voice was bordering on hysterical.

"Out with Daisy."

"No he's not." Kim screamed. "Daisy is at the 31st District; the Cops picked her up from a bar an hour ago. He left her in a bar." Mary couldn't believe it. He had left early with Daisy telling them that they were going out for breakfast and then to see a movie. She assured Kim that he was sober when they left and she hadn't heard from him.

Adam watched her with one eye while the other was on the road. "Kim, try and breathe Darlin'. You need to calm down a little."

She swatted his arm away as he tried to rub her leg. "Don't tell me to fucking calm down."

"Kim, you need too. Daisy doesn't need to see you like this."

"It's all so fucking easy for you isn't it? Imagine if it was Oliver, you'd be freaking out." He put his hand back on her leg and this time she didn't push him away. Did he need to remind her that he had picked his son up when Steve had left him at home in the dark with no electricity? It was probably not in his best interests to bring that up right now. "She's four years old."

"Hey, I'm on your side Darlin'."

"I know." Kim's chest heaved suddenly. "How could he do this?"

He grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers bringing her hand to his lips to reassure her. Adam tried to appear calm but he was anything but, he was fucking furious and he hoped to god that asshole wasn't anywhere to be seen, he wouldn't be able to hold Kim back and probably wouldn't have even tried. In all honesty he would have pushed Kim out of the way to get at him. "I don't know. Let's just see Daisy, okay?"

Adam barely bought the car to a stop outside the 31st when Kim was unbuckling her seatbelt and leaping out. He watched her bolt up the steps and disappeared inside before moving off to find somewhere to park.

"Mommy." Daisy burst into tears as soon as she saw her mother.

"Detective Burgess I presume." Sergeant Howard lifted Daisy down from the chair that she was on, perched behind the front desk and she bolted into Kim's arms. Daisy had politely informed the newly minted desk Sergeant that Aunt Trudy let her sit up behind her desk and the Sergeant wanted to stay on the right side of Sergeant Platt whose reputation spanned multiple Districts.

"I did what you said. I only talk to the Police."

"Good Girl. Are you okay?" Kim hugged her and smothered her with kisses before checking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. "Are you hurt?"

"I was scared."

She crushed her against her chest again. "I know sweetheart but you stayed and didn't go wandering off and that was a good thing. I'm so proud of you."

Kim looked over her shoulder at the Sergeant for some explanation. "Daisy here was very brave but she wouldn't talk to the bar staff so they called us and then she was very chatty and very helpful." He rubbed her back. "She's such a smart little girl."

Adam jogged up the steps and joined them. He still wasn't comfortable coming back into the Districts. He avoided the 21st as much as possible, that place had far too many bad memories. He put his arms around both of them and could feel Kim's relief and Daisy was happy to see him. "Adam, I went in a Patrol car, but they didn't let me play with the lights."

"Well that's not good, I bet they were nice to you though?" Daisy happily climbed into Adam's arms as he offered to take her for an ice cream and to the park across the road while Kim talked to the Sergeant. His opinion would probably not help matters right now. The Sergeant chuckled a little to himself. After listening to Daisy talk about Adam he was exactly like he imagined he would be, he looked like fun. He waited until they had left, he had swung her up onto his shoulders as they headed outside and Kim was relieved to here her laughing before she turned back to the Sergeant for some answers.

"We got a call about 1400hrs, she had been there a few hours with we assume her Dad?" Kim nodded and let the Sergeant continue. "Apparently he just disappeared. Has this happened before?"

"No."

"The bar staff called us. She wouldn't talk to them. When we got there she said her name was Daisy Elizabeth Palmer and that your name was Kim, she talked about her brother also, Oliver. When they got in the car she told us you were a cop. Is her father Police?" Kim shook her head. "We couldn't find Kim Palmer though."

"No, he's not a cop and Palmer is obviously her father's name."

"Anyway back here she started talking about how you don't wear a uniform, who you work with, Intelligence right?" Kim nodded again. "and your name was Burgess. So we finally tracked you back to the 21st, they confirmed Daisy's identity with a photo and we called you."

"Thank you. I can't thank you enough."

"Can I ask what she was doing in a bar?" They were in the process of getting all Steve's details. Kim dropped them a recent photo, gave car licence details and description.

"That's a question I'd really like answered too. It's her weekend with her father. We are separated and according to his mother, which is where he stays at the moment they went out for breakfast and then a movie. Where is he?"

"We haven't located him yet?" The Sergeant rested his hand on Kim's arm. "We didn't want to get DCFS involved but…"

"Please. Let me handle it. I swear to god nothing like this has happened before and you can rest assured nothing like this will ever happen again. The way I feel at the moment he'd be lucky to be able to even say hello to her again." Kim felt a sense of dread wash over her with the mention of DCFS. They dealt with them constantly and rarely did it end well and the last thing she needed was them poking their nose into her family. Her kids were happy and safe and loved when they were with her and she was never going to forgive Daisy's father for this. "When you find the asshole, throw him in the cells and let him rot. I really don't care anymore."

The Sergeant smiled at her kindly and squeezed her arm. "Why don't you take Daisy home? And tell her she can stop by anytime to help. We loved having her here. Oh, and sometimes she sees you kissing Adam." He added cheekily, winking at Kim who was looking a little embarrassed. "But it's a secret." What the hell had Daisy told them? How did she know, they were careful around the kids, Daisy in particular.

Kim found Daisy and Adam in the park across the road. She scooped Daisy up and carried her back to the car with Adam's arm firmly around her waist. He got the distinct impression that she wasn't about to talk about it just yet and knowing Kim she was getting everything straight in her mind and Daisy didn't need to hear her opinion on her father right now. Later on though he knew she was going to lose her shit and he would just have to wait for that. She sent Mary a message letting her know that Daisy was fine. It was short and to the point and then she put her phone on silent and threw her phone in her bag.

The tapping on the window was getting louder and louder. Steve eventually prised his eyes open to see CPD looking at him and he groaned. He looked at the phone in his hand and couldn't figure out how he'd got here. Suddenly he remembered.

The cop opened the door and pulled him from the car. "Steve Palmer?"

"Yes."

"Great. You need to come with us." He spun him around and made him put his hands on the roof of his car while he patted him down and they searched his car. "How'd you get here?"

"I don't remember."

"What exactly do you remember?"

"Daisy. Where is Daisy?" he looked into he back of the car finally getting his bearings and a feeling of dread rifled through him. "Where is my daughter?"

"She's safe with her mother."

He rolled his eyes and groaned. He was never going to hear the end of it now. He fucked up royally. "How?"

"Well you did leave her alone in a bar."

"No."

"CPD picked her up at about 1400hrs, that's almost four hours ago. So I am guessing you really have no idea." They handcuffed him and dragged him towards their patrol car. "Guess you have a night in the cells to try and remember all the details."

"Call my wife, she's a cop. She can vouch for me."

The Officer put his hand on Steve's head, pushing him into the back seat and leant in a little. "Your ex-wife, Detective Kim Burgess? She's the one who wants you locked up."

Kim took the call that Steve had been arrested. Adam watched her pace around the room until she hung up and disappeared into the kitchen. "What did they say?" He followed her.

"They picked him up passed out in this car about half hour ago. He had no idea where Daisy was. He's in lock up."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing." She reefed open the fridge door. "He can fucking rot for all I care." Adam placed his hand on her back. "Don't." she shrugged away from him. "Don't touch me."

"Kim, Darlin'. Come here."

"No Adam, No. I can't not now. Please just leave me." He did as she asked but he did not stop watching her all night. She put Daisy to bed and an hour later he woke her up and made her leave Daisy's room and as soon as he sat her down on her own bed she lost it. He held her while she sobbed in his arms, like he'd done so many times before. Kissing and cradling her head he whispered that he loved her and that Daisy was safe.

"I can't do this."

"Yes you can."

"Why do I keep giving him a pass? He hurt Oliver, he hit him and I protected him. He left my baby girl in a bar, alone. Anything could have happened to her, he could have been driving and killed her. Someone could have taken her and hurt her; you know what could have happened. It's my fault. I kept insisting that she spend time with him because he was her father and he hurt her. He abandoned her."

"You were trying your best. You always see the best in people, you loved him once and you wanted to believe in the man you married." Adam tightened his hold on her. "You wanted to believe in Daisy's father. That's not bad thing Darlin'. It's one of the many things I love about you; from the moment I met you. I have always loved your ability to see the good in people."

Daisy appeared in the doorway, tears running down her cheeks and Kim held out her arms and helped her climb into bed and enveloped her daughter in a fierce hug. Adam lay behind her and made sure both of them were in his arms.

Adam stayed with them until Kim fell asleep and then slipped down stairs. He hadn't stayed a night with Daisy in the house, apart from that one night after Kim's injury but Kim wasn't here. They had only recently told Oliver about their relationship and he was excited and loved having Adam stay all weekend when Daisy was away.

That had been a fun experience, telling Oliver. Kim just blurted out that Adam was staying the night. They hadn't really talked about it in any great detail and even Adam didn't know that he was staying that night until Kim announced it. "Dad can sleep in my bed." Oliver offered, "I can sleep in Daisy's room." Kim shot Adam a withering look when he started to laugh and when he tried to cover it up with a cough he just about made himself choke.

He was still coughing when he ruffled Oliver's hair. "It's okay Buddy. You can sleep in your own bed."

"But Daisy's bed is tiny."

Adam backed out of the room, holding up his hands as he laughed. "I am leaving that one to you." Kim lobbed a cushion at his rapidly retreating frame.

"It's nice of you to offer Ollie, but Adam can sleep in my bed, with me."

"Okay." He shrugged like he didn't really care either way. His Dad wasn't going home and other than that the details didn't matter.

"You know Dad and I we love you and we love each other. And it's really nice spending time all together with you but I also like spending time alone with just Dad."

"So he's your boyfriend now?" Kim frowned when she heard Adam laugh from the other room.

"Yes."

"That's super cool."

So while Oliver was completely comfortable with it they still decided to hold off a while longer as far as Daisy was concerned. He wasn't leaving tonight though. He wasn't leaving them alone so he was happy to spend another night on the couch.

He didn't hear Kim come downstairs. He was watching some old movie on TV but was paying little attention to it. His mind was elsewhere. Nothing about the last few months had come easily. Being with Kim was better than ever but the constant struggle she had with her ex was getting harder to ignore. He couldn't bite his tongue forever.

"Hey." Kim ran her hand over his arm as it was propped up behind his head.

"I thought you were asleep?"

"I was but I when I woke you were gone. I was worried you'd gone home." Holding out his hand Kim grabbed it and made her way around and crawled up between his legs and lay against his chest. The moment she was settled he started tracing circles on her back.

"Daisy okay?"

Kim tucked her head into his shoulder. "Sound asleep."

"And you?"

"Glad you are here." She slipped her arm around his waist and under his shirt. "Can you stay?"

"I am not leaving."

Kim didn't talk much, a few words here and there but she was comforted being here with Adam. He always had the ability to make her feel safe. When they broke up it hadn't taken her long to realise how protective he was. When she was with Roman it was jarringly obvious the difference in her feelings for them both. She never sought out Roman to make her feel safe, on the job yes she trusted him to have her back but she never felt emotionally safe with him, and he never offered. Steve, he had given her a lot of comfort and she did feel safe, but it had been a long time since she felt that around him or trusted him to look out for her. Adam, she never had to ask he just always knew when she needed him and was there. Like now, he didn't say much but he was here and he held her and she felt safe.

He nudged her after he'd let her sleep for a while. "Go to bed Darlin'."

Kim stretched "I could just stay here."

"Tempting, but while you may be comfortable, I am not." Slowly she prised herself off him. Kissing her softly he reassured her that it was going to be okay.

"You know, Daisy told Sergeant Howard that she'd seen us kissing."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. She never said anything to me. She never asked you?"

"No, never. Huh.." His smile was kinda cute; he just wanted this out in the open so they could get on with living. "Why do I get the feeling Daisy knows just about everything that's going on?" Daisy was a switched on little one that's for sure and because Adam had very little to do with children over the years he was constantly surprised by her and often found himself in long rambling conversations with her that had him rolling with laughter hours later.

"Hopefully not everything." Kim wrinkled her nose and shook her head as she laughed. "Are you coming?" She held out her hand when he made no move to get off the couch.

"I'll sleep here or in Oliver's room."

"No you won't. Come to bed Baby." Kim tugged on his hand. She was done; there was no point pretending or hiding or waiting anymore. Adam was in her life, he was the love of her life and every other goddamn person could just suck it up. She didn't care who knew anymore.

"What about Daisy?"

"Adam, come to bed please."