Kim faltered a little when she opened the door. Seeing Adam in a suit made her heart race and it also bought up memories that she wanted to forget. The last time he was in a suit he was supporting her in court on the unlawful killing charge. His hand had been on her arm as they moved through the angry crowd; she'd felt it and felt comforted by it and then she had destroyed him that day.

The fact that he showed up again today to support her for Roman's trial spoke volumes of the man he was. She knew he was struggling, he'd told her as much but he never had any doubt that he would be there. That wasn't an option.

Where they were at the moment was relatively comfortable. Adam had effectively told her that he wasn't interested in being anything but friends at this stage and Kim had accepted that. For the last few weeks they had focussed on that and it was becoming less awkward and she felt they were getting back into their groove.

He had even convinced her to come to Molly's one night for drinks after work. They hadn't arrived together and spent most of the night talking to other people but he kept an eye on her the whole time. She felt uncomfortable at first as people stared at her but Intelligence had rallied around her and shielded her from the worst of it. "Did you have fun?" Adam offered to drive her home.

"It was okay. A bit awkward at first but it was nice to break the ice, so to speak and get back out there. It will get easier right?"

"I am sure it will. And you did well. You looked like you enjoyed yourself."

Now the court case loomed and Kim retreated a little into herself again and Adam pulled back.

The previous night she had told him. "I know I said I wanted you to come but I understand if you changed your mind."

"I promised you I'd be there, as will everyone else. You shouldn't have to go through it alone and no-one is going to let that happen."

"But I can't stop thinking about what I did to you last time."

Adam held up his hand to stop her "I don't want to talk about it." He jumped up from the couch and disappeared into the kitchen, grabbing himself another beer. Kim had started stocking his favourite beer again as he often stopped in on his way home from work if she was off shift.

"Adam. We need to talk about it."

"Why? What's done is done. You were fucking Roman; you didn't owe me anything. We weren't together anymore. It would have been nice to have a head's up, I thought perhaps I deserved that, you know seeing that we were engaged once but I get that you had other more important things on your mind." His tone was short and laced with bitterness. "I was low on your list of your priorities."

It was one step forward and two steps back some days. Kim was used to it. She couldn't fault his support and she couldn't disagree with any of his feelings. He was being honest with her and that's all she could ask for at this stage, even if it hurt when he got angry.

When they pulled up at the courthouse he squeezed her hand before they got out of his truck. "You can do this."

As they milled around and waited he saw Amanda come in. She talked to Kim for a while before making a beeline for him. "Hi Adam." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. They had chatted a couple of times on the phone because at times Amanda worried that Kim wasn't telling her everything. "How's she been?"

"The last couple of days not so good. I think it's just the stress of today."

"And you?"

"Keen to get this over with." The first time they spoke it was a little tense but they had come to the realisation that now they both wanted the same thing, they wanted Kim to move on, whatever it took. Amanda knew that Kim wanted Adam to be part of her life again and right now they were friends and doing okay.

"I am not sure how I am going to stop myself throwing myself over the barrier and wringing his scrawny neck."

"You know I wouldn't stop you." They both laughed. "But I know a few cops and lawyers to help you out if you do."

Amanda hugged him as they were called into the court. "Thank you for looking after my sister. We owe you."

Adam let Erin sit next to her in court with Platt on the other side. He sat behind her between Atwater and Halstead. Kim had a fair idea why. He was still worried that people would think he was making a move on her. Erin held her hand tightly, she wished it was someone else but the support was appreciated anyway.

When she gave her evidence he couldn't look at her, he looked at his hands yet every single word was burned into his soul as she relived every moment with Roman. Not only was it the big things, the hand and the burn it was also the squeezing of her arm leaving her bruised, the bite on her leg and the emotional and verbal abuse. Some of it he knew, some he was learning for the first time. It was like being punched repeatedly.

They didn't have a lot of physical evidence. Obviously there were the x-rays from her hand and the hospital had managed to take a photo of it for their files while she was being x-rayed. The burn was well documented but they only had Will Halstead's word on the finger like bruises on her arm. There were certainly no photos on Kim's phone.

Hearing her voice quiver when she tried to deny that he had forced himself onto her had killed Adam. It had made his blood boil that she was willing to protect him and she attempted to explain what had happened. Her lawyer wasn't as willing to let it go. "Did you ever tell him 'no'?"

"Yes."

"Did he stop?"

Kim took a deep breath, she looked at Adam but he had his head bowed. "Not always." She could hear the crowd gasp and saw Adam's head drop lower and he briefly rested his head in his hands. Atwater rested his hand on his mate's back.

That had been a painful discussion. The day that she finally admitted to Adam that Sean hadn't always stopped when she asked him to. She still insisted that she eventually relented just to get it over and done with.

Adam squeezed his hands tightly together and clamped them between his thighs to stop himself losing it. "I don't understand why you want to protect him."

"I am not protecting him. I am protecting myself."

"How?" He barely got the word out.

"I don't want to remember it, I don't want to talk about it. I want to put it behind me and forget if ever happened."

"It did happen though. He not only physically assaulted you, he was emotionally abusive and now you are telling me that he sexually assaulted you." He exploded out the chair.

"Adam, sit down." Kim tugged on his hand.

"No. No. No." He snatched his hand away. "I can't believe you are doing this. I can't believe you are letting him get away with this."

"Adam. I understand you are angry."

"Angry? Angry doesn't even come close."

Kim had no idea how to get through to him. He wouldn't even sit down to talk to her. She knew that he would be angry and try and talk her out of it. Erin had tried several times to get her to admit it. "Do you hate me for this?"

"Hate you?" He repeated. He wasn't sure he had heard her right. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. That's half my problem."

Kim jumped up and rested a hand on his arm. "Then sit down and talk to me." They did sit down and it took a while but eventually they started talking about it. Kim waited until he broke the silence and in the end he had agreed to support her decision, he didn't like it or agree with it but it was her decision and hers alone. One thing he did agree with was that he wanted to put this all behind them and move on.

"When did you start seeing your ex-fiancé again?" Adam's head snapped up. Atwater looked at his buddy as he felt him stiffen.

"I'm not. He's a friend. That's all. We are not in a relationship." He was surprised it hurt as much as it did to hear her define their relationship like that even though he was the one who was adamant that that was all they had right now.

Throughout it all Roman never took his eyes off her. He stared at her hard, as if he was willing her to back down. They had all seen it before. Intimidation, it was subtle and often effective in these cases. Burgess met his unwavering scrutiny with equal determination. He'd picked the wrong woman. And it cost him his career and a year in prison and a record that could never be expunged.

Adam couldn't stand to be in that building for one more second. As soon as it was over he took off outside and that's where Al found him, taking slow and deliberate steps along the concourse. "You okay Kid?"

He stopped and looked up at Al. "I just couldn't be inside anymore. I needed fresh air."

"You did well in there. That must have been tough."

"I've heard and seen some pretty shit stuff in those court rooms but that was the worst. Even worse than finding out she was sleeping with him. That was brutal."

"What you gonna do?"

"Take her home and make sure she's okay. It wasn't about me."

Al placed one hand on his cheek and patted it lightly. "It involves you too and you did good. She did good. Put it behind you now." He offered quietly. "I'm proud of you."

Kim looked around for Adam as everyone came up to her and hugged her. "Where's is he?" she asked Atwater.

"Getting some fresh air. He's waiting for you outside when you are ready to leave."

She hugged her sister for the longest time and promised her that she was fine and that Adam was taking her home. They had organised to catch up for dinner in a couple of days when Amanda was going to be in the city again.

Adam again rested his hand on her lower back and guided her to his truck. In the court, when the Judge had handed down the verdict he had placed his hand lightly on the back of her neck so that she knew he was there. As they drove home he stole a couple of glances at Kim, she was staring out the window at the passing landscape, building, cars and people all blurring into one. She said nothing.

It wasn't until he had her safely inside her apartment that she fell apart. She'd held it together all day, absolutely determined that he was not going to see her cry. Now, in Adam's arms she cried until there was nothing left. It was ugly and painful and raw.

The day had been no more painful than he thought it would be. In the brief moments Roman had taken his eyes off Kim he levelled them at Adam. He couldn't figure out what he had ever done to him to see such pure hatred in his eyes.

Some of the evidence that came out in court regarding Roman was startling. He had fooled at lot of people. Stories emerged of his violent temper and while no one came forward and admitting to being abused by him they all doubted that Kim was the first. He was proud that she was the one that was strong enough to put an end to it.

Not that it mattered to Kim right now. Every single moment of her relationship with Roman was laid bare in front of a courtroom full of her peers and in front of Adam. Every little moment was breaking his heart yet again. Once again she was responsible for his pain. Yet he was still here, he was still here for her.

"Can I ask you something?" Kim pulled herself up and wiped her tear stained face. "One last favour."

Adam nodded.

"Can you stay here tonight?"

"Why?" He took a step back trying to put some distance between them. Even feeling this close to her right now was too much. He could feel his chest tightening as he tried to catch his breath, the room felt small all of a sudden. "I can't."

"Not like that. Adam I just can't stay here alone right now. I've tried and it's too much. Today was too much."

"Kim. I am not sure how much more I can give you."

"You have given me everything lately. I get up each day because I know I have you in my corner. I know we are friends and that's it." Kim ran her hands over her face. "I just need to feel something more, something different. I need to feel less alone."

"There is no more." It was killing Adam to stay away from her. She was vulnerable but so beautiful at the same time. He loved her. "I know today has been rough and you are emotional and I am scared if I stay here I will never be able to leave."

"Then don't."

"Kim I can't stay here."

"Why not?"

"Because I love you." He surprised himself when the words came out. "I am in love you with, still after everything that's happened. I never stopped, I couldn't stop."

"Adam." She took a step closer and he backed away.

"I'm sorry. I promised myself I wouldn't dump that on you. That's not fair."

"Don't be sorry."

Adam grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair where he had thrown it when they got back to her place. "Kim." She stood in front of him blocking the door and rested her hands lightly on his chest. "Let me go. Please." He begged.

"No." she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. He couldn't help himself and he reached for the back of her neck and pulled her closer and for a precious few moments he lost himself in her kiss. He pulled away first and rested his forehead on hers. "I can't stay." He repeated. "I'm sorry."

"Why not?"

"Because I want it all. I want all of you, I want you so badly it hurts but it's not right."

"It is."

"No it's not. Not tonight, not now." Gently he moved her to the side and left. Kim closed her eyes and rested her fingers lightly on her lips; trying to hold onto him, hold onto that feeling. That spark was still there. She felt it and knew that he did too.

Then she didn't hear from him for the rest of the week. Even at work he kept his distance. Adam actually felt uncomfortable around her and he hated that he had unloaded on her when she was dealing with the fallout from court. It had been a harrowing day for both of them and the last thing she needed was him to tell her that he loved her, that he wanted her and then to just walk away. She had told him that Roman and her had fallen into bed together at the end of an emotional day and he felt that he was just as bad as Roman was for taking advantage of her when all she wanted was for him to be a friend.

She cornered him in the locker room at the end of the week. He was just leaving work while she was coming in. "Hey stranger." Her voice was light as she leant against the end of the row of lockers but inside she was a swirl of emotion.

"Hey Kim."

"Busy week huh?"

"Pretty much. What about you?" He unbuttoned his shirt and grabbed a clean one from his locker.

"Nice to get back to work and put everything behind me." She tried to focus on anything but the fact he was changing right in front of her and how it was making her feel seeing his broad chest and shoulders and his strong arms. How she wanted to reach out and touch his skin, to kiss him again. How the sight of him had always made her catch her breath. "I'm on a nightshift tomorrow night but do you want to grab breakfast or lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure. Lunch okay?" They arranged a time and place to meet and he grabbed his bag and closed his locker door. "Stay safe." He muttered and he squeezed her arm lightly on the way past.