Happy Sunday everyone!

Here's a little update for you. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks again for taking the time to read and review! Can't wait to see your thoughts on this one.

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

"Good morning." I said softly as my fingers ran up and down his spine. He was facing down, still sleeping and I only woke him because it was time to give him his medicine. He slowly began to move under my touch, opening his eyes trying to find where my voice was coming from and when he found it, a sweet smile appeared on his lip.

"Good morning indeed." He turned over and winced a little from the pain his shoulder wound was causing him.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm perfectly fine now that I have you here with me."

"Stop hitting on me." I whined with a red blush on my cheeks.

"Can't help it darlin,." He flashed a lopsided grin that made me all gooey inside.

"Stop it." I giggled and continued to speak. "And get ready because I brought you something to eat so don't take your antibiotics on an empty stomach."

It was only then when Adam realized all the food around him. There were waffles, which I knew he loved, some fresh fruit, orange juice, some bacon and freshly brewed coffee, plain and dark just the way he liked it."

"Wow. You know, being shot definitely has its upsides. I can definitely get used to this." He joked and shifted in bed to sit up, before quickly leaving to use the bathroom and join me in his bed. "I'm so hungry I'm ready to devour this breakfast." Adam said as he hopped back in bed right next to me.

"More like brunch."

"What time is it anyway?"

"It's around ten in the morning." Adam looked surprised, he didn't usually sleep that much, but I guess yesterday's workout and his painkillers had something to do with it. "You were sleeping like a baby and I didn't want to wake you. I only did it now because it was time for your medicine."

"Thank you, but I would have enjoyed getting a few more hours with you. When do you have to leave for work?"

"Well, as per the email I got from the Ivory Tower at six in the morning, it's safe to say that I have been officially suspended by my boss. So, I guess I won't be going to work today or the next few days."

"What for?"

"Um, for refusing to get down from your ambulance."

"Are you fucking serious right now?"

"I am. I thought Kev had mentioned something to you."

"He did, but he said you held up your own against Willis and that everyone was talking about it. I didn't know you were in the ambo with me."

"I was and I stayed with you the whole way to med."

"Why didn't you come to see me?"

"I was afraid maybe you didn't want me there. Our last conversation kind of sucked and part of the reason you are in this situation kind of is me. If it weren't for me Willis wouldn't have been all over your case to begin with."

"Kim, I earned myself that spot when I decided to punch him in the face. If anything I'm the one who should be ashamed. I'm the reason you're suspended."

"Well, I sort of dared him to do that, so I guess I had it coming." I shrugged and offered him a forkful of fruit so he would start eating, which he took without any complaints. "And to be honest, I'm glad he did. I don't want to work there anymore. I don't want him to have any control over me. I'm done. So if he ends up having his way and firing me, it'll be ok. You will just have to deal with an unemployed gir…"

I stopped before finishing that sentence. Even though we had an amazing night, we hadn't talked about us yet or where we were standing now and I didn't want to assume anything.

"You can finish that." He added with a mischievous grin. "You can say you're my girlfriend." He took a sip of his coffee, deciding to leave the juice for last. "I know our last conversations sucked. I also know that maybe the way I acted wasn't what you needed. But you need to know I was only thinking about you and protecting you, not my ego." He put his mug down and reached for my hands, taking them between his. "Kim, I really do love you and the thought of you suffering kills me. I only want the best for you. You deserved to be loved and taken care of and I want to do all of that."

His words were bringing tears to my eyes, which only proved that I was an emotional wreck. "I know you have my best interest and I'm so sorry I was such a bitch. You were right Adam, all the time. Everything you said, every time you pushed me to do something, to stop this bastard, you were right all the time and I knew it. I was frozen and lost and I didn't know what to do. I didn't want things to get any worse than how they were and I definitely didn't want to pull in that shithole because I know how horrible it is to be there and you don't deserve that; and just like you, I was trying to protect you from Matt and his twisted games."

"You don't deserve that either, Kim."

"Well, but it was my burden to bear and now it's you who's been shot."

"I knew exactly what I was walking into."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did. Babe, there's something you don't know."

"What?"

"The night before the op Voight came here to talk to me." I sat comfortably and took my own mug between my hands. Whatever was about to come out of his mouth was going to be important. "He had looked up Willis beforehand because after our fight he asked for my badge and Voight was quick to act on that, covering my ass like he always does with all of us." I just nodded as he kept talking. "He knew about you, I mean us, and he looked that up too. When he showed up here he told me he had a plan and that I was going to be the bait. We went over some details of the op and that's it, he didn't say anything else. So I don't know what the exact plan is, what I do know is that I trust him to have both our backs."

I didn't know what to say. They really were one hell of a family and the fact that they were considering me too was a lot to take. "So, you went in there willingly, knowing that it was likely you'd get hurt to help me?"

"Well, I didn't know I was gonna get shot." He laughed. "But I'd do it again without thinking about it." I moved closer to him and pressed my lips to his.

"Although I don't agree with what you did, I still want to thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I hate you got hurt though and I don't want you to put your life at risk to protect me ever again. Gosh Adam, you could have gotten yourself killed."

"Well, you put your whole future at risk to stay with me."

"It's not the same. You can have an unemployed girlfriend but I can't have an inexistent boyfriend." We both chuckled at that.

"I think I proved it to you last night that you have a very alive boyfriend."

"Oh that you did." I entwined my fingers with his and started to move our hands from side to side swiftly. "So, we're ok?"

"We're more than ok." He kept taking bites of his food. "And we're starting fresh. How does that sound?"

"It sounds amazing." I looked at him more in love than ever and went on to finish our breakfast.

We stayed like that for a while, eating, talking, exchanging a few kisses and just chilling in general. Apparently Adam was good to go to work in a couple of days with prior doctor approval and I was just waiting to see what life had in store for me, so I was just making simple controllable plans, such as where I was going to spend the night.

I wanted to stay with Adam, but I didn't want to leave Ditta for another night and it felt weird inviting Adam over when he was still not fully recovered. Therefore he suggested taking Ditta over since he wanted to see her too. That was going to be a reunion interesting to see.

The morning was uneventful, which we both were thankful for until my phone started buzzing.

"Is everything ok?" Adam asked me when he noticed my surprised face while I stared at the small screen.

"Um yeah. I thought this was going to be the Ivory Tower." I explained as I turned my phone to face him.

"Is it Willis?"

"No. It's your sergeant."

"Voight? Do you think he's contacting you to pull you into intelligence."

"I wish I was that lucky. But I do think Hailey has been talking to him about it, so that's cool. Anyway, it's Platt the one contacting me."

"Oh. Really?" Now he was as surprised as me. "What did she say?"

"Nothing much. She just said she'd like to talk to me and asked me if I was able to grab lunch with her. Weird."

"Weird indeed. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I mean I want to know why she's contacting me, but I don't want ot leave you alone."

"Look, knowing Platt the way I know her, if she is reaching out there's a very good reason for it. She's one of a kind so I'm sure it's a conversation worth having. And as for me, I'm totally fine, you can go."

"Yeah?"

"Of course. I will probably fall asleep after lunch anyway." I chuckled at his comment. "Go talk to Platt."

"Ok. I'm gonna text her back." He looked at me with kind eyes and leant forward to softly kiss my lips.

I got to the diner she suggested, which was only a few blocks away from the 21st district. I was early, but I was fully aware of that when I left Adam's place. I didn't want to leave Trudy Platt waiting, she was a busy woman and the fact that she had reached out for me meant that she had something important to tell me. Or at least that's what Was running through my mind.

"Burgess, sorry I'm late." Her voice interrupted my thoughts, as I was sitting down and looking out the window.

"Oh, you're not late. I came a few minutes earlier."

"That's one of the best qualities a human being could have." The sergeant said smiling and took a seat across from me, raising her hand and calling the waitress's attention. "How's everything?"

"Good. Adam is feeling better." I answered shyly as my fingers figured with the napkin that was placed on the table.

"Oh, of course boy wonder was going to be ok. I was more interested in knowing about how you were doing. I heard your suspension came through. How are you taking that?"

I sighed and my answer was paused by the waitress who came to take our orders. "To be honest, I'm relieved. Don't get me wrong, I love doing my job and it would absolutely suck if this suspension gets worse than what it already is, but now that I don't have to go to the district and face Willis is a breath of fresh air. It's so peaceful." Platt just looked attentive and nodded at my words every now and then, letting me know she was all ears. "It has made me realize that in the worst case scenario, if I'm forced to quit being a cop, I think it would be worth it."

"Hopefully we won't need to get there." She took a sip from her drink and waited a few seconds to share what she was meaning to tell me. "We're opening a case against Matthew Willis."

I was so shocked to hear that, I didn't even know what to answer.

"After yesterday's op, we have more than enough proof to show his misconduct and how he put lives in risk including two of his own team."

"He'll get away with it. He's fucking Matthew Willis."

"Yeah, but this time he's facing Hank fucking Voight." She said imitating me, showing excitement and hope in her expression, which totally made me smile. "We have everything. Voice recordings of his orders, visuals of the area not being secure to breach. This won't be easy for him."

"I'm glad." I truly was glad this was finally happening and now what Adam had told me earlier was making total sense. The only question left was, why did Platt call me? "What can I do? Do you guys need me to testify?"

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that."

"What is it?"

"Kim, I know what you had to go through with Willis and Inthibk now it's the perfect opportunity to report to him. Let's kick him while he's down. We can do this."

"Sergeant Platt, Inteally appreciate this, I truly do but I can't do this on my own. It'll be his word against mine and we know how that's gonna end."

"You won't be alone Kim." She placed some folders on top of the table. "All these women have gone through the same. All terrified to speak up, but they are willing to raise their voices to take him down once and for all."

I took the folders in my hands and started to go through them. There were at least seven other women who had been harassed by Willis, but it was only when I opened the last one that I was truly surprised. I looked at its contents, read the description and then moved my eyes back to Platt.

"Yeah. I also went through that." She finally confessed. "Back in the day being a woman cop wasn't like it is now. I'm not saying that it's easy now, but when I came out of the academy most guys thought that we weren't capable of doing anything. Except for Matthew Willis.

He had my back, he supported me and I felt safe around him. He was one class above mine, we were both kids and I really believed every word that came out of his mouth. I never saw that he was using and manipulating me until it was too late. He harassed me, he had full control over me and even sabotaged me to have sex with him after I had decided to stop whatever it was we had going on.

I was so scared, Kim. I knew no one was going to believe me, but the truth is that he convinced me of that. I never said a word. I just blamed myself for being that stupid and tried my best to ignore the situation. And I did, but guess what. It never went away and now we have the chance to do that."

"Oh Gosh, Trudy I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, because a part of me thinks that maybe I had spoken up, some of you" She pol Ted at the folders. "Wouldn't have gone through the same thing I did. But then I also realize that in a way, living this made me the strong woman I like to think I am today." She took my hand between hers. "Kim, we can stand up to him. We can all be strong together.

I know how hard this is, I understand you, I know what you are feeling, but I can't help thinking that this is the time for us."

"We have no evidence, nothing."

"We have a few things. Kim I ran this through with FOP reps, with attorneys and they all agree that we have a strong case. This can be the end, I don't know if it'll be the end of him, but with this we'll have more than enough to pull you out of his chain of command."

I nodded. Maybe she was right. Maybe this was the opportunity I had been waiting for and all of us had been waiting for as well.

"Those things you have, does Adam have to do with any of it?"

"Yes. And before you get mad at him, I need you to know that I have never seen the kid like this. He truly cares about you and even though he's moody and hot tempered and really gets on everyone's nerves, he has your best interest and he only wants to take care of you."

"I know. I was too hard on him with what I said."

"You said what you felt and could say at the moment. Don't beat yourself up."

I looked down trying to get my thoughts straight, but everything that had just happened had been too much in such a little time. "If we decide to do this, when would it be?"

"Ideally soon. But I don't want you to feel rushed. Go home, think it over and call me when you're ready to give me an answer. Whatever you decide will be fine. Ok?"

"Yeah. Trudy, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"If anything I need to thank you. Hearing your story, meeting you and seeing what you did yesterday in that ambo, that was the push I needed to take this step and I really hope you can take it with me."