2x17 "Say Her Real Name" -It took almost two years, but Adam Ruzek finally crossed the line.

Smack.

"Say her real name."

Smack.

"Say it."

Sergeant Hank Voight stood in the observation room, hands in his pockets as the Intelligence Unit's rookie took charge of the interrogation. As Ruzek smacked the Pope again, hard enough to send the his head back into the wall, Antonio threw Voight a look through the false mirror. The Latino detective was clearly unnerved by this shift in Ruzek and Voight himself had to admit that this was completely unexpected. Sure, Hank and Olinsky would've done probably worse than smack the guy around a little, but they were old school. Both Lindsay and Antonio had resorted to force on a few occasions, but Adam Ruzek?

Ruzek was the kid pulled straight out of the academy who happened to be incredibly good at his job without being able to explain just what he was doing right. He was mouthy and a bit of an adrenaline junkie, always the guy in the front of the formation. The complete opposite of his old man.

Disco Bob. Voight shook his head slightly, thinking back to his last conversation with the older Ruzek. "You send him down a bad road, and I'm gonna meet you behind district and break your jaw."

Voight snorted at the thought. He'd like to see Bob try. Besides, at least Adam was venting the anger here, in the box, and not at home. Not like some people.

"Say Felicia. Try it," Adam said, getting right in the Pope's face and raising his voice ever so slightly in an exaggerated fashion. Voight watched as one of the officer's hands found a painful hold on the base of the perp's neck, a move the Sergeant himself would likely have used. "Fe-li-cia! Fe-li-cia!"

The Pope gave a rough whimper of pain. "Fine. Felicia. But I didn't do anything."

Wrong answer. No sooner had Voight had the thought before Adam punched the wall with a sound of frustration and grabbed the Pope's face, forcing his head up just enough to make the bearded man squirm and grunt in discomfort. Ruzek didn't relent, getting right back up in his face and keeping his voice low yet threatening.

"You're gonna tell me what you did to that girl, you're gonna tell me. Understand? Or I swear to god I'm gonna take you for a drive, and I'm the only one comin' back."

The was one tense moment, the only sound the Pope's frantic breathing, before he broke. "She did it for the cause."

Ruzek flung the Pope's head away in disgust, finally stepping back. Antonio took the opportunity to step in between the two, hands raised. His lips finally loosened, the Pope gave it all up, his voice shaky and his eyes constantly darting towards Ruzek, who sat heavily at his side. With a sigh of satisfaction, Voight glanced at the figure behind him.

"Well, that was interesting."

"Yeah." Olinsky responded, his own voice characteristically low. The detective frowned, one hand coming up to rub at his scruff contemplatively.

"If I didn't know any better," Voight continued, "I would'a sworn that was a younger version of you in there."

Alvin didn't have any response to that, instead pushing off the back wall and exiting the room.

"Adam!"

Opening the driver's side door, Adam turned around to see his older partner walking towards him, hands crammed deep in his pockets against the chilled air. "Al. What's up?"

Once he reached Adam's car Olinksy didn't say anything, instead looking the younger man up at down. Ruzek shifted from foot to foot, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. "What?"

"That, uh," Alvin paused, struggling to figure out exactly what he was trying to say. "That was an interesting interrogation."

"Oh." Ruzek ducked his head down, a light blush coloring his cheeks. He seemed suddenly very interested in the toes of his boots. "Yeah, I, uh, I just wanted the truth."

Olinksy nodded understanding, still trying to figure out how to convey his muddled thoughts. Watching Adam from behind the mirror the older detective had felt a weird mixture of pride and absolute horror. Voight was right; everything Ruzek had done in that interrogation room, from getting in the perp's face, maintaining physical contact and that low, menacing voice, all of that had been textbook Olinksy. And Ruzek hadn't been simply doing a cheap imitation, because it worked. The Pope had cracked and spilled everything.

But was that the kind of cop he wanted Adam to be? While force and intimidation were effective, Alvin was all too aware of how much his tactics had cost him over the years. Realizing what needed to be said, Olinksy sighed. "You crossed a line, kid."

Several different emotions flickered across Ruzek's face before he settled on angry confusion. "Wait, I crossed a line? Are kiddin'- I did exactly what you would've done!"

"Yeah, well, we both know how well my life's turned out."

"Wow." Ruzek let out a rush of breath, stepping away briefly and rubbing at the stubble on his chin. "So that's how it is, huh? You and Voight get to do whatever the hell you want and I gotta play the freakin' choir boy?"

Olinksy clenched his jaw in frustration. Figures the kid would take this way out of proportion. "Yeah, that's right, sucks for you."

"That's not-" Adam cut himself off with a frustrated growl. Slamming his car door shut and locking it, he started to walk away. "You know what, forget it. I'll see you tomorrow, Al."

"You forgetting your car, kid?" Olinsky called after his retreating back. "Hey!"

"I'm walking!"

"Mmf. Burgess."

Olinksy could picture Kim's face, scrunched up as she groped for the light in her pitch dark bedroom. "Burgess, sorry to wake you. It's Olinksy."

"Al?" Kim cursed softly. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." Al said, glancing at his watch. 2 am. "Hey, is Ruzek with you?"

There was a brief pause. "A-Adam? No, I-"

"I'm not stupid, Burgess." Olinksy said, pulling his beanie down lower over his ears. "The numbskull decided to walk from the district. I've been sitting on his place and he still hasn't gotten back."

That seemed to get the patrol woman's attention. "No, no, he's not here. Is everything okay? Do you need me to-"

"No, I'm sure he's fine." Olinksy replied, cutting her off again. "Never mind I called. Night."

Before Burgess could get another word in, Olinsky ended the call, shifting uncomfortably in the driver's seat of his car. Cracking his neck, Olinsky peered into his rearview mirror.

Speak of the devil.

Adam Ruzek was strolling up the street, brown furrowed and feet dragging. Watching the younger officer start to stagger up the stairs to his building, Olinsky got out of his car and joked easily across the street. "Ruzek."

Ruzek jerked around, only to groan when he saw who it was. "You stalkin' me, Al?"

"You been drinking?" Adam didn't answer. "Let's go inside, huh?"

Ruzek snorted, but he turned back around and fished his key out of his pants pocket. "Oh yeah, sure, let's go inside."

Ruzek hit the lights once both men were inside before kicking off his boots and removing his jacket. He didn't say anything to Olinsky, who peered curiously around the apartment. He knew Ruzek had downgraded after breaking things off with Wendy, but even compared to Halstead's place the apartment was sparse. He had a comfortable looking couch, a worn coffee table, and a single bookshelf of well-read paperbacks. No kitchen table, but there were bar stools shoved up under the kitchen counter. The only new appliance in sight was the TV. Olinksy had expected as much from the cop son of a cop. If there was one thing you didn't make on the job, it was lots of money.

"Hey, you want anything? Coffee?" Ruzek called from the kitchen, keeping his back to his older partner. "I mean, since I doubt you'll be leaving anytime soon."

"Coffee'd be nice." Olinsky replied, taking a seat on the couch and listening to the sounds of Ruzek banging around in the kitchen.

The younger man appeared a few minutes later and set a steaming mug down on the table in front of Al. "Thanks."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Olinsky sipping at the warm drink and Ruzek staring unfocused across the room. When Ruzek showed no intention of saying anything, Olinsky sighed. "Adam, look, about before-"

"No, I get it, you were right." Ruzek shook his head tiredly. "I crossed a line. I get it."

"Do you now?" Olinksy eyed the younger man, his tone slightly disbelieving.

Ruzek glanced at his mentor before shrugging. "Yeah, I think so. It's just, I'm tired of people underestimating me."

Now it was Olinksy's turn to look confused. "Underestimating you? What's that mean?"

"I mean, I get it, I don't have the a bunch of years on the job, I never even technically graduated from the academy. I was a construction worker who wanted to be a cop like his dad." Now Ruzek seemed to grow uncomfortable with sharing so much, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know I've still got a lot to learn, but I think I know the difference between right and wrong."

Olinsky looked at Ruzek searchingly. He'd never seen this insecurity before. Ruzek always seemed cocky, diving into everything head first and with every ounce of energy he had. It had never occurred to him that maybe Ruzek had to do everything that way because he was still learning as he went.

"Yeah, kid, I know you do."

"Yeah?" Adam finally turned to look Al in the face, his eyes searching. "Then why can't you trust that I know how far I'm willing to go?"