Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.
A/N: Another day another new story. This one is all my daughter's fault but I hope you guys like it.
Adam had gone to bed later than he intended but the bouncing on his stomach is what woke him up.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy. Wake up you lazy slug." Six year old Mackenzie Joy shook her dad.
"I'm up, I'm up." He ran his hands against his face. "What time is it anyways?"
"Five." She said smugly.
"Come on Kenzie, that's too early." He groaned.
"It's your first day back daddy." She shook him again. "The early bird catches the worm." She sing songed.
"I caught the worm alright." He flipped her on her back and started tickling her sides. "And she's being all wormy."
"Daddy STOOOPPPPPP!" Adam thought his eardrums would burst by from the sheer sound of her scream so he let her go.
"Go get dressed, I'll be right there to make your lunch." He fell back against his bed. He ran his left hand over his torso and touched the large, vertical scar that ran from his pecs to the top of his abs, dead center in his chest. It was a constant reminder of what he had come so close to losing but after months of both physical and mental therapy, he was going back to his old life. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and slipped a pair of sweats and t-shirt before heading to the kitchen where he found Mackenzie with a bowl of cereal in front of her and the cartoons on.
"I made you coffee and breakfast daddy." She announced without looking at him.
"Thanks baby." He hated that she had to grow up so quickly but he was the sole bearer of that consequence. "What are you watching?" He sat on the stool next to her and took a sip of his coffee.
"Bugs Bunny." She shrugged.
"Ready for school?" He started eating the toast she had made for him.
"My bag is packed but you need to sign a bunch of things." Clearly her attention was on the cartoons and she wasn't interested in looking at her dad.
"There going to be something in there that I'm not going to like?" He pulled the binder closer to him and started to skim through the pages. He took her stuffing of a spoon full of cereal as his answer. The English assignments were all good but when he fell on her math pages, it wasn't as stellar.
"What happened there Kenzie?" His tone was soft but she still wouldn't look at him. "Mackenzie Joy Ruzek, look at me." She looked at him with watery eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey, I'm not mad but you're usually good with these things." Although she was only in first grade, she was already so much better at school than he was.
"Miss Taylor said that I'd get better."
"We'll get there, I promise." He plucked her from her stool and made her straddle his lap, wrapping her protectively in his arms. He hated to see her distressed like that but he made a promise to himself months ago that he would never let her feel like that again. "I've got you baby girl." He rubbed circles on her back.
"Promise?"
"Promise." He gave her a lopsided grin and wiped the tears around her eyes but his heart broke every time he saw her sad. "Plus, you have mommy's brains so you'll be the very best."
"Okay." She smiled back at him. "I hate it when you're sad daddy."
"I'm okay." He waved her off. "Come on. Finish up while I go in the shower and after that it's lunch and teeth.
"Okay." She climbed off of Adam's lap and scampered for some more cereal. He finished the last of his toast and coffee and headed for a shower. Adam pulled his shirt over his head and looked at his reflection for the first time in days. He knew his beard needed a trim and his hair a cut but he had concentrated on getting better and taking care of Mackenzie to even bother in the past few months. He knew he'd at least need to take care of the beard or Platt would have his ass so he cleaned it up and went under a really hot mist. He closed his eyes and his senses were invaded by the last memory of her. Her long blonde hair marred with blood and her vacant expression as they pulled her out of the flaming car. Her death had been on the spot but Adam was so distraught that the screams of his then five year-old had done nothing to pull him from her. It had taken both Lieutenants from House 51 to pull him away and make him concentrate on his daughter. He opened his eyes again to the white tiles of his shower and chills ran down his body but he shook them off for the sake of his daughter. He quickly washed and got dressed. He found Mackenzie in the kitchen, standing on her stepping stool with food around her.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Our lunch daddy, don't be silly." She looked at him with a smile. "Make me a ponytail please." Adam eyed the brush and the scrunchie lying on the counter and started brushing her hair.
"You have to stop doing this Mackenzie."
"Doing what daddy?"
"Fixing us lunch and doing everything you do in here. I'm supposed to take care of you."
"I know daddy but I want to help. We make a great team, even Uncle Kevin says so."
"Well Uncle Kevin will say anything to keep his Kenzie Joy happy." He chuckled. Kevin was the one constant since his wife Rebecca's death and he was ever so thankful for his best friend.
"Do you think mommy misses us?" She questioned innocently but Adam's heart clenched, his own pain hitting him down to his soul.
"I know she does baby girl. She misses us just as much as we miss her." The wedding band he still sported was a testament to how much he didn't want to forget her, and he knew it wasn't all that healthy, but he definitely was not there yet and he didn't know when he would be.
"Just wanted to make sure." She said as Adam finished fixing her ponytail. "Your lunch is done daddy."
"Thank you, baby. Come on, go brush your teeth and we'll get going." She bounced off of her stool and went to the bathroom while Adam finished packing the sandwiches she had done.
"I'm ready." She came back five minutes later.
"Come on, let's go." She grabbed her backpack and lunch box and they were out the door. Adam dropped her off at school after getting a hug and Mackenzie wishing him a good first day, he was off towards the district. He slung his duffle over his shoulder and climbed the stairs two at a time. Platt was at her post and he decided to just go for it. "Morning Sarge."
"Ruzek." She offered him a rare smile. "Glad to see you back on your feet."
"It's good to be back actually." He knew it would give his mind a chance to get back on track.
"Good. Go change out, I'm still waiting for your partner." He nodded and looked up at the door that led to the bullpen before heading to the back where the locker rooms are. He found his new locker and set his things inside before changing out. The only way he would wear his blues while in Intelligence was formal function or funerals, but he wore with the same attention as he usually did. He had always been careful because the way he acted reflected on the department and that was important to him. When he returned to the front desk, Platt was talking to someone he faintly recognised from when he was at the academy.
"I'm ready Sarge." Adam pulled on the vest and took a deep breath.
"Good. Ruzek, you will be riding with Jim Barnes. I believe the two of you met at the academy."
"I remember." Barnes extended his hand for Adam to shake. "Sargent Platt says you're back on duty today."
"That's it, first day back." He gave him a forced smile. He was really hoping he wouldn't have to spill his guts to this guy. Sure, he recognised him and all but all he wanted was a great partner like Kevin, but that bar was already high.
"Alright." Platt pulled keys to a cruiser and handed them to Adam, knowing he'd be thankful for the distraction.
"Thanks, Sarge." He offered her a genuine smile and took the keys from her before he and Barnes made it to the back lot to grab the car and head out. Adam steered the cruiser into ongoing traffic, and he headed towards their assigned area.
"So, who was your last partner?" Barnes questioned Adam.
"Kevin Atwater." He really didn't want to play twenty questions so he hoped that quick, simple answers would get him off his back.
"Isn't he in Intelligence?"
"Yeah." He sighed. He knew he'd have to stop his questioning himself because it didn't look like he was going to get the hint. He parked the car and turned to face Barnes. "You look like a good cop Jim and I want us to form a good team, but I just want to get through my first day without getting the third degree about the choices I made."
"Okay, sorry. I'll keep my nose in my business but for the record, I think we'll make a good team, just got to get our footing."
"Good, we're in agreement then." He sat back properly behind the wheel and drove back into traffic. Their day was mostly quiet but ended on a high note when they chased down a robbery in a corner store. Adam was clearly a little bit rusty, but they had caught him and returned to the 21st for booking.
"I'll see you in the morning Ruzek." Barnes closed his locker door and tapped the end of the row.
"Yeah, see you in the morning." Adam nodded with a smile and let him go. He was straddling the bench and absentmindedly played with his wedding ring.
"Hey, how was your first day?" Adam looked up to find Atwater leaning against the doorframe.
"A bit rusty but good."
"And your new partner? He as good as me?" Kevin chuckled.
"He's not bad actually but he'll never come close to you Kev."
"Good to know." Adam smiled at him. "You ready to get out of here? I have a date with miss Kenzie Joy."
"Yeah ready. She'll be happy to have uncle Kev over." He clapped him on the chest and the two went to their respective cars and met up at his place. He had a small house in Buffalo Grove, Rebecca having insisted on them finding a nice, family-oriented neighbourhood to raise their daughter. He drove through the familiar streets and everything reminded him of her. He knew that it would take time for that pain he felt in his heart to dull but he was trying really hard to get there. When he parked his truck in the driveway, his mother-in-law was there, and Kevin arrived shortly after.
"Where's my favourite girl?" Kevin yelled through the house. He looked at Adam as Mackenzie came running loudly and jumping into his arms.
"UNCLE KEVINNN." She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Did you catch any bad guys today?"
"Absolutely."
"How did daddy do on his first day?" She questioned her uncle.
"How about we let daddy get home and shower and he can tell us all about his first day." Rebecca's mother Annie was watching her after school every other week, his parents picking the slack for the rest.
"Okay, daddy stinks anyways." She squirmed out of Kevin's arms and ran back to the kitchen.
"I resent that." He yelled after her before making his way upstairs for a quick shower. He joined them back in the kitchen and they enjoyed a nice meal and some conversation before Annie left them for the night, Kevin heading out after having tucked Mackenzie in.
"We miss you upstairs brother." Kevin dipped his hands deep in his pockets while the two talked by the front door.
"I miss it too Kev, but I took the best decision for Mackenzie and I."
"I know and we've got your back no matter what."
"Thanks, that means a lot to us."
"Night."
"Night." Adam was pulled in a hug by Kevin and he left him to a quiet house once again. Adam made sure to lock all the doors before calling it a night. He stripped to his boxers and slipped under the covers on her side of the bed. It was the end of the first day of their new normal and although he knew it would bring its own set of challenged, he knew they'd get through it together, as a family.
A/N: I know it's a little bit of a mystery still about Adam's past life but more will come in the following chapters. I hope you guys liked this first chapter and please take a few seconds to review before you go, I always love to hear your thoughts. - Sarra