Hey guys! Hope you're all doing fine!

I really want to thank you for the lovely comments you've left here and in my other stories too. You have no idea how much that motivates me to keep writing. In fact, I've been doing that a lot lately.

This chapter is big, a lot happens here.

Kim and Adam are pushed into a big decision too fast, but maybe this will bring them closer... who knows?

Hope you enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think!

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

Disclaimer I own nothing except my imagination.

Kim didn't understand what exactly was going on, but she sat down and nervously began to play with her glass of wine. Adam was clearly thinking about the best way to put everything out there, because he was taking too long to talk.

"What is it?" She finally got the guts to ask and he just sighed in response.

"What do you know about Gracie's parents?"

"Not much. I met them in the parent-teacher conference and then what you have told me and what Gracie says. Why?"

"The school hasn't said anything about them not being around?"

"Business trip. But since we're at it, it sounds kind of strange to me."

Adam sighed again. "That's because they're not really on a business trip." He looked at her and found her eyes fixed on him waiting to continue. "We were working this really difficult case, it was almost impossible to solve until we found a link between the suspect and my brother's law firm. They had built a case against him a while ago and basically Kit was the only thing we could use. It took a lot of insisting for him to agree to help us, Anne helped me convince him. She was determined to lock this son of a bitch up. They guy was so twisted, child trafficking, abuse, you name it, he did it."

"She wanted to make it safer for Grace." Adam smiled.

"That was exactly her point and that's what got her and Kit to help us."

"And what happened?"

"Everything went downhill. The suspect escaped after Kit and Anne had already testified. They started to get threats at the law firm, never at their house or our family, that's why we think they have no idea about Grace. The thing is that after the last threat we needed to do something to protect them." He stopped to take a sip of his wine. "Their business trip is actually witness protection, and they need to stay like that until we manage to lock that guy up." The knot on his throat was making it difficult for him to keep talking and Kim picked up on that instantly, making her reach for his hand over the table and squeezing it lightly. "It's my fault Gracie can't see her parents, she doesn't even know the truth."

"It's not. They made a choice, Adam. They chose to help."

"Well, but it was my idea and it was completely useless."

"You didn't know what was going to happen." Her thumb was rubbing his knuckles in an attempt to relax him.

"Kit made me promise that I would take care of Grace."

"And you're doing a great job." He chuckled ironically.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Stop. I promise you are."

"My lawyer contacted me yesterday." Kim sat up straight again paying attention to him, she now knew that was deeper than what she had thought. "Apparently now DCFS is having a problem with me and my dad being in charge of Gracie's well being."

"What do you mean?"

"Something about both of us being cops and our schedules not working out and a whole bunch of other crap I didn't even understand."

"So what's the plan now?" Kim was worried, even though she didn't know much about police world and laws, she did know about DCFS it wasn't hard to figure out that this was a time bomb and that it could blow up in Adam's face any minute.

"I need to find someone to take my dad's place. Anne's family doesn't live here, my mom is not on the map." He stopped because he was totally frustrated. "I need someone who she trusts and I'm not sending her away with Anne's family. I'm just not giving up on her." Kim looked down and then looked at him over her eyes with a shy smile on her face. He was the sweetest guy ever. "I know this is a lot to ask, and I wouldn't be doing it if I wasn't desperate. We talked with Anne and Kit yesterday and we think that you are the one person we could trust with this. You were Anne's and my first option." He was scared when she saw the shock on her face. "I mean, please don't feel forced to do anything. I know this is all too much and that it could completely freeze what's going on between us. But Grace is my priority and I can't…" He was going to continue talking but she interrupted him.

"Hey, hold on. I understand one hundred percent, you don't have to explain anything." She was fiddling with his fingers, for some reason she couldn't or wanted to let go. "What would I have to do? How would that work out with school?" She was confused, she wanted to help but was also scared.

"Ludwin, our lawyer, looked into that and it had been done before, so it shouldn't be an issue with the school. But seriously, we get the enormity of all of this and just by having you as her teacher Gracie will be fine and is already so much for us." He looked at her with the most sincere eyes.

"What happens if I say no?"

"I'm not gonna answer that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to condition you. I won't manipulate you like that. Not now, not ever." The silence between them was evidence that both their brains were working like crazy. "You don't need to say anything now, if you want you can even call Ludwin and he'll give you a much better picture of this." Her nervously ran his fingers through his hair. "Kim, I don't know what to do."

"I know. I just… I don't know if I can…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Yes, you should have. You did the right thing and you will figure it out. We will figure it out." He smiled, but only to hide his fear and sadness behind it.

"Thank you."

Kim stood up and he imitated her, not sure what she was going to do or say next. "I think I'll get going. It's a bit late and I have to be up early tomorrow."

"Yes. Sure. I'd love to drive you, but I can't leave the little munchkin unattended."

"Don't worry, I'm with my car, so…"

"Let me know when you get home."

"Mm hmm." She put the glass back on the table and looked at him. "I genuinely appreciate you telling me everything." Her hand found his cheek and her thumb began to move up and down softly. It was almost imperceptible, but she could have sworn that he leaned into her hand trying to find some comfort.

She didn't want to pretend any more, she just couldn't go on as if nothing was going on inside of her. She had to take control of her life, she had to break free from her past and her pain. So she just did it.

Kim slowly leaned closer to him and softly pressed her lips to his. Adam took one step closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, just as she was beginning to rest hers around his neck. The tender peck became a soft and sweet kiss, where their lips and tongues returned to each other and it felt amazing. She slowly pulled away leaving her forehead touching his. "Everything will be fine."

Now it was his thumb rubbing her cheek.

"I really hope so." He said before kissing her lips one more time. As he slowly moved away he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you don't want another glass of wine?" She smiled and shook her head.

"I am not, actually. But I really need to go. I have a couple of things I'd like to think about."

"Please, don't stress about that."

"I'm not stressing, but I need to figure this out." She rubbed his arm. "Is that ok?"

"It's more than ok. Everything you do for Grace is already more than ok, she's really lucky to have you."

"Believe me, I'm the one who's lucky." Once more she was lost in his eyes. "I should leave right now." The comment made him laugh.

"Sure. I'll walk you out."

She grabbed all her things and just as he promised he walked her to the door and took the opportunity to kiss her again. "Gosh. I can't stop kissing you now."

She giggled before speaking. "That's exactly why I need to leave."

"Because you don't want me to kiss you?"

"Because I don't want you to stop kissing me either." She hugged his waist and lightly pressed her lips on his, delicately biting on his lower lip just before she pulled away. "Good night."

"Nite. Call me."

"I will."

On the way to her apartment she couldn't hide the smile or the blushing on her face, it was a good thing no one was looking at her. She was daydreaming in her car, until the weight of the situation with Gracie's parents fell on her again. In her heart she totally wanted to help, but she really needed to be sure she could be all in. This wasn't a shallow situation, this was taking care and being responsible for a little girl outside of the classroom.

As she entered her place and left her things where they belonged, she tried to stop thinking about everything that happened that night, not because she wanted to forget it, that was not it at all. She felt she needed to disconnect for a while so that she could rest and have a better and more clear perspective and make the right choice. The buzzing of her phone made that grin appear again.

Thanks for coming tonight. It was the highlight of my week, although the situation was not ideal.

I had a really good time.

And hey, the week's not over yet ;)

Good night, Ms. B

Good night, detective.