Not sure how many there will be, but a random collection of one-shots about Burzek despaerately trying to scracth their itches when life is conspiring against them. I guess we are all feeling a little the same with the strike, desperately hoping they get the deal they deserve soon so we can get back to seeing our cute little family thriving.

"What are you wearing?"

"Huh?" Kim shifted the phone from one shoulder to the other as she did the dishes. "What?"

"What are you wearing?" He growled quietly. "I need to know."

She chuckled. "You struggling?"

Adam looked around his dingy apartment. It was lifeless and soulless but it was finally quiet. Kevin was out, thankfully. The man was a human wind-up toy. He turned every activity into an opportunity to exercise. Cooking dinner, he was squatting, doing push ups against the benches, or shadow boxing. Watching TV was an opportunity to get some crunches in, especially if it was something Adam was enjoying, if it was Kevin's choice the man was a human couch slug. It was annoying.

"I am. I miss you." Adam sighed. "So…."

"Oh you are serious." Kim giggled. "A hoodie, leggings and socks."

"Which hoodie?" He wanted to know details.

"Yours."

"You miss me?"

Kim smiled sadly. "Like oxygen."

It had been two weeks already. And unlike when he was on the Beck case there was no popping home when on a break. He wasn't even in Chicago and what was meant to be a one week operation had stretched into two.

"What's underneath?"

"A tank top."

"No bra?"

"What answer do you want?" Kim flirted with him, it was all they had a moment. "What would make you happy? Yes or no?" And she laughed when he groaned painfully knowing that both answers would elicit a response. If it was a no, then he would be imagining what he was missing out on and if it was a yes then he'd be sad that she was fully dressed.

"Ugghhh." Adam spat out as he heard the heavy footsteps and key in the lock. Everything Kevin did was heavy as he barged through the door. "He's back. Can we continue this later?"

"Sure. Hey, stay safe, don't kill Kevin." Kim watched Mack come to life in the lounge room as her show finished. "Here talk to Mack. Love you long time."

"Love you longer."

Kim handed her phone to their daughter and she skipped back into the lounge room, threw herself on the couch and Kim watched her face light up as she talked to her Dad. It wasn't just Kim that was missing him and he spoke to her at least twice a day.

The house was quiet without him. It felt empty because he loomed so large in their lives. He filled the spaces, physically and emotionally. He was their biggest supporters, their rock, the captain of their ship and made them feel safe. Both of them had suffered unimaginable tragedies and Adam had provided them a place and a space to hide, to thrive and to live again.

And she loved him, having spent so many years in his orbit but hiding from him finally letting him all the way back in had been better than she imagined. Even if it hadn't been smooth. He had been shot and that took a while to recover from and they'd found their newly discovered groove had been put on hold, but they got it back as he healed and now he was away again.

He wanted to continue to conversation later but didn't get the chance. They got a call that their target was on the move and by the time they got back to their apartment it was well after midnight. When he finally woke up in the morning and tried to call Kim she was already on her way to school with Makayla for her morning choir practice. The kid never stopped doing things. It was non-stop and in their efforts to give her all the best memories they said yes to just about everything. This choir thing had to stop though, they'd seen the songs they were singing, they'd heard that it was a three hour show and Adam wanted to pull the pin there and then.

He got to talk to Mack briefly on the drive to school and then quickly to Kim after she'd dropped her off. "Sorry I missed you last night." He complained. "I thought we almost had a thing going there for a minute."

"We didn't have a thing going Adam."

"Yes we did, I would've got you there." Phone sex wasn't satisfying in the least but at the moment it was all they had and Adam was more willing to give it a go than Kim was. "I just want to touch you again."

"The feeling is very mutual."

"Sleep next to you again… naked." He mused wistfully.

"Oh look Platt's here. Gotta go." She signed off quickly and he knew she would be blushing. He needed to go home and not just for the physical connection he craved; just lying in bed next to her calmed his mind. They could just talk and not touch and it filled his cup. The cup was empty at the moment and was in desperate need of a top up.

The choir thing got worse. Adam finally got a few hours off to head back to Chicago and see his family. Kim was due to drop Makayla back at school at 4pm and then the show didn't start until six so he figured they'd have an hour alone and they both had very definite ideas on how to fill that hour.

"Hey Darlin'. You close?" Adam answered her call withing two rings. He'd just got home and was grabbing a quick shower while he waited for Kim to drop off Mack.

"Ummm…."

"No, Kim, No…" he wailed. "Please don't say it." He knew by the tone of her voice she wasn't about to tell him anything good. He literally sat on the bed and pouted. "What is it?"

"A couple of the helpers called out sick so they asked me to help."

"And of course you said yes."

Kim sighed. "Adam, I know but what could I do? Mack was right there pleading with me to stay."

"Fine, it's fine." He was clearly not fine or happy as he stamped his feet a little childishly. "I'll just deal with it myself, alone, again. Do you want to listen?"

"No." Kim tried to placate him. As soon as they asked her to stay she knew he'd be annoyed and truth be told she was a little frustrated as well. They'd been looking forward to this all week as soon as it appeared they could squeeze in a quick visit. "Baby, I was so looking forward to seeing you. I'll see you soon though and maybe after the show?"

"After the show? Are you not sitting with me?" Adam wasn't amused. "It's three friggin' hours. I need to be back by 10pm, Kev is doing it solo for a couple of hours. I told you this."

"I can't, I'm sorry Babe. They've got me helping out on stage. Trudy is coming though, that'll be fun for you."

"Yep. I'll wave at you." He hung up and threw his phone on the bed. Throwing his body backwards he exhaled slowly. This was not the plan. He busted his ass to get time off and convince Kev that he'd be okay for a couple of hours and now he got to spend it listening to 500 screeching schoolkids sing Kumbaya while sitting next to the grumpiest desk sergeant in all of Chicago. He sent Kim a message. "I just really, really miss you. Have fun with our superstar."

He sunk down in his too small seat, hunched his shoulders and flicked through photos on his phone while he waited for the show to start. 'Well, look what the cat dragged in." Trudy took her seat beside him just before the show started. "Quite literally." She eyed his rough beard and longish hair. "Not the date you wanted?"

"Oh I don't know Trudy, you were always my first at the District." He winked.

"You'd still be bent in half if I'd got my hands on you." She laughed and waved her hands towards the stage. "And then we'd be denied the pleasure of whatever this catastrophe is."

"This is a joyous celebration of friendship, community, collaboration and the power of music and song." Adam mocked as they watched streams of children assemble on the stage.

Trudy snorted loudly. "Lucky I love your kid; you not so much."

"I don't believe you."

"Not as much as you love both of them." She nodded towards the stage again. "Huh? Life's funny huh?"

"It certainly is."

Trudy did watch him from the corner of her eye and despite his assertion that this wasn't anything he was interested in he was clearly interested in two people. The one on stage singing her heart out and the one on the sidelines grinning from ear to ear and clapping along.

It didn't solve the overall problem though that he was heading back to work without having scratched their collective itches.

"Dad." He felt her arms around his waist before he saw her and spun around quickly and crouched down for a hug. "You came?"

"Would not miss it. You were amazing. Loved it… loved it…. LOVED IT." The smile that lit up her face said it all. "I've missed you."

"Are you coming home tonight?"

"Not tonight, but soon. I promise."

He did get five minutes to talk to Kim, to touch her, ground himself and top up his cup a little. She hugged him fiercely although the kiss was short. "I'm sorry." She whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry we didn't get to just be us for a minute."

"Me too."

They walked back to the car together and Adam hugged Mack, who cried and then Kim, who also cried. Each and every time was like a red hot poker to his heart. They loved the big round thing that they had created, it wasn't always easy and things wobbled but they stayed the course and everyone was thriving so they knew they'd get through it, it just hurt. "I love you. I'll be home soon. Be ready."

Kim leant on him for a moment and just absorb his essence. "I am so ready."