"Just breathe." Adam reminded Kim as she got out of the car. "You've got this."
She smiled and nodded as she closed the door of the car and waved slightly. It was now or never and she wanted to get this over and done with. Now her decision had been made she determined to close the chapter once and for all. Straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin at little he watched her disappear inside.
One part of him wanted to watch her take back control of her life and the other part knew she had to do this by herself.
Trudy Platt looked up from her paperwork at the front desk. She was focussed on that giving the patrol officers who were arriving for change of shift a few moments of peace before she shattered their somewhat hopeful moods. "Good morning Burgess. Can I help you?"
"Yes, actually you can." Kim looked her straight in the eye. "I need some transfer papers."
"For who?"
"Me." She exhaled and repeated, a little less confidently. "For me."
Trudy lowered her glasses on her nose and peered at the Officer standing before her and the years just melted away. She had a feeling this was coming at some point, she just wasn't expecting it today. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Kim nodded. "So can we get this over and done with."
Trudy beckoned her to follow her across the foyer into the spare office. Closing the door behind her she just watched for the slightest sign of hesitation or regret but there was none. "Why now?"
"It's time and I think you know why?" Kim spoke a little sharply. "Or maybe you don't but I need to do this my way. No fuss, I'm not dragging anyone down, I am just walking away for my own mental health and my own future." Kim softened her tone a little. "I can either forgive or forget, I can't do both and from where I am standing that's not how a team should work."
Trudy couldn't argue with that. "Where do you want to go?"
"I know there is a spot with Missing persons. I've talked to the Sergeant over there and she's happy to have me. I just need a signature."
"I can't sign it, you know this. You need to talk to Voight."
"No I don't. He just needs to sign it. It's better this way." Kim ran her hands up and down her thighs. "Please help me, please."
Trudy just nodded. "I hate that it's come to this." She held out her arms but Kim refused the embrace and Trudy dropped her arms quickly. "I am so proud of you. No matter where you are, I will always be here for you." Nodding tightly Kim stepped around the desk sergeant and quickly left the building. It wasn't only the three upstairs that knew what happened and watched the fallout. However Platt had at least supported her during her desperate struggle to keep her daughter and her emotional recovery but she just wasn't ready to fully let go of the hurt just yet.
What Trudy didn't expect was that Adam Ruzek soon followed behind Kim to request a transfer. "Why are you doing this?" She asked him. "Burgess wouldn't want this. Is this what Kim wants?"
"I've made my own decisions." Adam shook his head. "But yes, if it makes you feel better she tried to talk me out of it but it's my call and Trudy, I've been here since I walked out of the Academy. You know it'll be good for me to try something new. Learn from others, learn a different way." He was determined to keep his powder dry. He'd promised Kim that he wouldn't blow up about the real reason and catalyst behind his decision because they had both agreed, when the dust settled that it would be good for him. "And I am supporting Kim, I have too. It's not even a choice. I have supported her for ten years, I am not walking away from that now."
She was even more shocked when Kevin Atwater appeared at her desk. "Et tu Brute?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Trudy sighed and leant over the desk and waited for Kevin to come closer. She knew that she couldn't ask Kim or Adam about it. "This is about Roy Walton isn't it?"
"I can neither confirm or deny." Kevin smiled a little. "It's hard to get things past you Sergeant, never been able to crack that code."
Trudy grabbed his hand. "I'll tell you what I told them. I am proud of you and you've always got my number and I am sorry it ended this way."
He had been surprised in himself when both Kim and Adam told him that they were leaving Intelligence. That moment he knew that he'd be leaving as well.
"Don't be stupid Kev." Adam side-eyed him from the kitchen where he was making a coffee for them all. "That's not what we want."
Kim agreed quietly. She was still reeling and had thought about hiding in the bedroom until Kevin left but he seemed to be in it for the long haul. He had literally told Adam when he came out that he wasn't leaving until he'd seen her even if he couldn't hug her. Kim still baulked at most physical contact and for Kevin that was a struggle because he was definitely a hugger.
"Yeah, nah. I just can't imagine being up there without you both. I've been attached to you for 10 years, it would be weird. And knowing what I know…." He shrugged. "…. Ya know, things change."
"Just don't make any rash decisions." Kim spoked quietly. She was standing close to Adam, just to be near him and she always put him between her and the door. Which was stupid now knowing what they did. "You are good for Intelligence. You keep them hon…." The rest of the word died on her lips but they got it.
"I got you."
"Please Kevin." Kim pleaded. "I don't need you to do this, not for me. I'm happy with my decision and I appreciate the support but I know I've got it either way. You don't have to leave to prove that to me." She knew who was in her corner and it was the two people standing in her kitchen right now. They'd always been the ones she never had to work hard to prove herself too or doubt their support or motivations.
Kevin agreed to think about for a few days and Kim explained how they were going to handle it. There wasn't going to be a blow up and nobody was getting stabbed in the back or thrown under a bus, no matter how tempting it was. They were just leaving, quietly, no fuss but making it very clear the reasons why. It was in-house and would stay that way. They weren't here for revenge, however hard it was not to charge over that line.
"It's gonna be weird not seeing you every day…" Kevin nodded towards Adam. "..even your ugly face."
Adam grinned wildly. "What? Pretty little me?" He snaked his arm around Kim's waist and pulled her close into his side and was surprised when he felt no resistance from her. "You are just jealous I get to come home to this ray of sunshine and sometimes mad unicorn every day."
Kim snuggled in a little, resting her head on his shoulder briefly. She already felt the weight of her world easing off a little. It was just the start and the road ahead was still long and they didn't have a map but they were in it for the long haul.
A day later Kevin called and invited them both around to his place for dinner. He knew Kim wasn't ready to be out and about just yet. She'd taken another day off work, she just couldn't face them or that place. Adam had gone in, as had Kevin and they kept to themselves and fortunately were out on a case for most of the day.
"How's Kim?"
"Putting one foot after the other. Furiously packing and cleaning. She'd clean me and shove me in a box if I sat still for long enough."
"But she's good?"
"I think knowing and making the decision has been good for her, but she's not talking about it yet. I think she will, but not quite yet."
"And you are good?"
"Yep." Adam nodded. "We are good."
It was over dinner that Kevin announced that he'd agreed to take a position with Juvenile Intervention, working with the kids to keep them away from gangs, recidivism and out of juvie.
"I've kinda had enough of catching them after they've turned bad."
"I think that's the role you were born for." Adam held up his beer in support. He honestly thought Kevin was never quite the right fit for Intelligence. His passion was helping the kids in his neighborhood. He'd thrive in this role. "They are lucky to have you."
Kim couldn't stop the tears. "I can't believe I found you both. This job has ripped my heart out, it's almost bent me in half, it's tested me, taught me and brought me highs and crushing lows. It also bought me you." She nodded at Adam. "The absolute love of my life, my reason for living, my protector, my promoter and my rock." She smiled at his glassy eyes and then turned to Kevin, who wasn't much better. "And you, a brother I never had, a brother I needed, my guide, my believer and just a pure man with a pure heart. This is just our family now. Things may break, we won't break. They can't break us, they tried and they failed."