Hey guys, happy Wednesday!

I couldn't be happier with all your comments, likes and follows. It means the world, because I wasn't totally sure about this story. I'm super motivated now to keep writing.

Thank you so much for taking you time to leave a review and to read it. This is probably the last update of this year, but I will be posting as soon as possible.

Enjoy and happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

Happy New Year to all of you, hope 2022 brings you peace and happiness.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

The next few days were pretty quiet for both of them. Adam was constantly looking at his phone to see if magically a text from Kim would pop up on his sceen, but no matter how hard he wished for it, it just wasn't happening.

Kevin was having way too much fun watching his friend behave like a teenager, but he was having mixed feelings about it. On one hand he enjoyed seeing Adam in a good mood and he knew how badly he needed a distraction. On the other hand, he was worried that his friend would be pulled into more trouble. Adam already had enough on his plate and more dramma was the least he needed.

Sylvie was just as worried about Kim. For the past weeks she had been trying to get Kim to go out, to climb out of the whole she was in. Is not that she was judging her friend, that was not it at all. Kim had been through a lot and the only thing Sylvie wanted was to stop her pain. Even though Kim wouldn't admit it, ever since meeting Adam in school, she was different, as if she was looking forward to something. Everytime Sylve asked, Kim denied it, but the blonde noticed it. Her eyes were beginning to glimmer again, and that was the best that Sylvie could hope for. That was exactly why she didn't let it go, that was why she pushed fate a little bit.

"Please tell me you don't have plans tonight." Sylvie asked enthusiastically as they were both watching their kids enjoying their recess in the playground.

"I was planning on having some take out and watching a movie." Sylvie rolled her eyes.

"I mean real plans, Kim."

"Hey! That is a real plan." She chuckled at her friend's response. "Why do you ask, anyway?"

"Some of Matt's friends have a bar. I think it's called Molly's or something like that. The thing is, they're having an event tonight and I really don't want to go alone." Now it was Kim the one rolling her eyes. "Please." The blonde begged.

"You're not going to be alone. Matt is going to be there."

"He will, but so will the whole fire house, besides I really want my best friend with me." What Sylvie failed to share with her friend is that the invitation had also been extended to the CPD.

"Fine, I'll go." She agreed in complete defeat.

"I promise we'll have fun."

Kim and Sylvie agreed to get together at Kim's to get ready and leave for Molly's. Lucky for Kim, the place didn't really require going over the top with the dress code, so both teachers kept it cool. They did put some emphasis on their makeup, outlining their eyes and going hard on mascara.

The bar was packed, almost everyone who was invited was there. Sylvie was full on smiling, hoping that her plan would work.

When Matt Casey saw his girlfriend he immediately went to her, greeting both girls. He took them where all his friends were, introducing Sylvie to the ones she hadn't met yet. Kim could see the sense of family among all of them, it was so nice to watch. They immediately included them and asked a million questions to get to know them better. In a matter of seconds both Kim and Sylvie felt like they were part of the squad. Everyone in firehouse 51 knew that if Matt Casey was taking a girl to them it was because he had serious intentions of keeping her around, and that meant she was family too.

Kim loved to see Sylvie so happy, they always celebrated each other's success and this time was no different, although she felt a hint of melancholy invading her chest. Her mind took her back in time and just before hitting rock bottom she stepped away from the group of firefighters. The last thing she wanted was to make a scene in front of them and steal Sylvie's thunder.

She excused herself and went over to the bar to get a beer, although maybe she needed something stronger than that. Her mind was everywhere, jumping from the past to the present, she was trying her best to push all those thoughts aside. She tried so hard she barely noticed the person talking next to her.

"You know Kimberly? I might have been drunk that night, but there are two things I'm sure I remember well."

She turned to see where the voice was coming from, and wasn't a bit surprised to find out who it was. She never admitted it to anyone, probably not even to herself, but since that day at school, she was secretly hoping to run into him one more time.

Her lips curled up into a smile and her eyes began to glow.

"And what things are those? You can call me Kim by the way."

"Ok Kim," he started with a bright smile on his face. "for starters your drink." He shifted his gaze away from her to call Hermann's attention. "Can I get a gin tonic, with cucumber and a slice of lime, and the regular for me. Thanks Hermann." The man behind the bar nodded.

"Impressive." Kim's smile was bigger than before.

"I pay attention to detail."

"I can see that. And what was that other thing you remember?"

"Oh, that's easy. The other thing I remember is that beautiful smile of yours." He said with a lopsided smirk as he leant against the bar and Kim just laughed.

"Please tell me that line hasn't worked in the past, because if it did it would really have me questioning the mental sanity of my fellow women."

"I wouldn't know. To be honest this is the first time I've used it. I truly have never seen a smile shining so bright." The way he said it just confirmed how confident he was, and even though he was completely honest with her right now, there was no doubt at all that he knew his way around the ladies. Kim knew he was shamelessly flirting with her, but she liked it. She liked having him around and she liked how special she was beginning to feel, even if it was just shallow babbling from his end. That's how she saw it anyway.

"Can I ask what brings you here tonight?" He asked as he picked up the glass of scotch Herrmann just left in front of him.

"Thanks." She said lifting up her own glass of gin tonic towards him before replying to his question. "My friend Sylvie" she paused and pointed where the blonde was standing. "is dating someone from firehouse 51, she was invited here and asked me to tag along."

"Oh, Casey's girlfriend?"

"Yeah. You know him?"

"I do. Great guy."

"Well, Sylvie is a great girl, so I can see that working out." She smiled and took another sip from her glass. "How about you?"

"We come to Molly's a lot. It's like our place." Kim now understood why her friend was so eager to have her go there. "We usually come here after cases, or when we need to unwind. I used to come here a lot, now with Gracie in the picture I jump at every opportunity I get to come here, or just go out." After hearing what he said he immediately regretted it. "Don't get me wrong, I love that girl so much and I'm so happy to be doing this for my brother. But…"

"But your life completely changed."

"Yeah. That." He nodded and took another pull of his drink.

"Where is she now anyway?"

"With my dad. He wants to be there for her too, although his schedule is even more complicated than mine."

"What does he do?"

"He's a cop too. He works the beat though, sometimes it can get pretty crazy. We're trying to make it work, you know?"

The more she heard him go on about the current situation, the more she felt that this was a bit more complicated than just a business trip. There was something about his eyes and the tone of his voice that was beginning to sell him out.

"Seems to be working out from where I see it."

"Yeah, well… It's a bit more complicated than that." For the first time since he approached her, he looked away and his eyes roamed all around the room, when he saw what he was searching for he smiled. "There's an empty booth over there." He softly signaled the way with his head. "Wanna join me?" Kim was dying to say yes, but she still hesitated a bit.

"Hold up." He looked at her attentively waiting for her to continue. "If I go, you need to know that things will not end like they ended the other night." Adam laughed. "What?"

"It's funny that you're saying that. Is it a reminder for me or for you?" Kim rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." There was a faint smile on her face.

"Listen, as sad as it makes me and as much as I want to kiss you again, I understand that things are a little different now. So you can relax, I truly want to get to know you. Plus, I'm well aware of where we are standing." He really was, but that didn't mean that he was just going to give up.

Kim took her glass and stood straight. "Let's go then." He smiled and let her walk in front of him placing his hand on the small of her back. When she didn't make him move his hand, he felt as if he had just won the jackpot.