Hey guys, happy Saturday!

Hope you're all doing great.

Sorry for the delay, I've been working on another one of my stories and couldn't update before.

Thanks for reading and for reviewing! I love reading what you have to say.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Happy reading,

Xoxo,

Nina

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

Adam laughed to himself as Gracie walked around the apartment half asleep. He hated to wake her up this early, but it was the only option. Having her sleeping over Kim's house was too much to ask, he would love to have Kim sleep over his house but that had trouble written all over it and they weren't there either. That was some utopical idea that lived somewhere inside his head. He actually was surprised to find his mind going so far ahead, to be including Kim in so many of his future plans. It was totally new for him, a bit scary, but he liked it.

"Watch out kiddo, you're gonna bump your head against the stool." Grace was rubbing her eyes with her fists trying to stay awake. "Come on, hop on and eat your cereal."

"And what do you have for breakfast?"

"I have some coffee here and uncle Kev is taking me some food to the district."

"Why can't I have breakfast with everyone in the district?" She asked as she was trying to hide a massive yawn.

"Because Ms. B is picking you up, remember?"

"Then we should all have breakfast together."

"Well, maybe we can invite her some day."

"Ok." The little girl shrugged as she kept on eating. It was too early to keep complaining.

"How good do my pig tails look today?" Gracie smiled and giggled as she shook her head from side to side. Adam had done them extra high this time, just like she wanted them. She loved to move her head around and watch her hair bounce everywhere. "I'm improving, huh?"

"Yes! They look great."

"Glad you like them. Now finish up so we can get going."

The drive to the district was quiet, mostly because Grace was still trying to wake up. That all changed when he called Kim to let him know the details for the morning; she was on speaker phone so the little girl also got to share some words with her teacher.

"Uncle Adam?" She asked once the call ended. Grace was six, but she wasn't blind. It was clear to anyone the improvement in Adam's mood whenever Kim was around and Gracie was not the exception.

"Yes?"

"Do you like Ms. B?" Adam chuckled and turned briefly to look at his niece and then back to the road ahead.

"Do I like Ms. B?" He was trying to figure out where that question was coming from. "Why? You don't like hanging out with her outside of school?"

"No, I love to play with her. She's fun and she takes care of me."

"Ok, that's good. That's exactly why she's helping us. She's very nice and I trust her and I know you love her."

"I do." She smiled. "So do you like her?"

"Well of course I do." Gracie smiled and clapped as she heard that. "How can I not like someone who is so important to you?"

"Not like that, silly." She said looking at him and Adam was beginning to understand where she wanted to get to.

"Like what then?"

"Do you think she's pretty?" Her big sparkly eyes and the huge grin on her face, made Adam want to smile as well.

"I think she is very pretty. What do you think?"

"I think she looks like princess Belle."

"She kind of does."

"Mmm hmmm" Her head nodded and she kept on talking. "You have to tell her to be your girlfriend."

"I can't tell just someone to be my girlfriend, Gracie. Besides, I can't have a girlfriend now, because I'm already spending all my time with the most amazing and beautiful little girl of all." Grace rolled her eyes in the most hilarious way a six year old girl could.

"You can have a girlfriend uncle Adam, and Ms B is perfecto because she will share you with me." He chuckled.

"You think I need a girlfriend?" He was having way too much fun with this conversation and couldn't wait to share it with someone.

"Mm hmm." She answered again. "Mommy and daddy think that too."

"Oh, wow."

"Ms. B is perfect, uncle Adam. Look, you're funny, she's funny, you love me and she loves me, you think she's pretty, she thinks you're good looking." She made the whole list as she counted with her little fingers.

Adam's eyes were fixed on the reload but he couldn't help but laugh at that last comment, his niece was something else.

"Where do you get these crazy ideas from?"

Gracie just shrugged. "Disney." She answered naturally, making Adam laugh even more.

"We're gonna have to cut back on that." He commented as he parked his truck behind the district. "Let's get everything and go say hello upstairs and then we can wait for Kim to come."

Adam helped her out and they walked into the district. It was pretty quiet due to it being earlier than usual. Trudy was happy to see Grace. Everyone loved it when she was there because she would always lighten up the atmosphere, and that was always needed on the 21st.

The team was ready, everyone in their black gear, just waiting for some last minute details and for the right time while Grace was being spoiled by Voight.

"Good morning, Sergeant Platt?" Trudy looked up from the form she was completing, paying attention to the voice calling her name. "I'm Kim Burgess, we've met before. I'm here to pick up Grace Ruzek."

"Oh, yes. The teacher, of course." Trudy extended her hand to properly greet the brunette. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Burgess." She said as they shook hands. "Give me a minute, I'll call boy wonder and tell him you're here."

"Thanks." She smiled kindly to Trudy, but was laughing to her insides thinking about the nickname the desk sergeant had given Adam.

A few moments after Trudy put the phone down, Kim heard footsteps coming down the stairs and a cute giggle along with the voice she was aching to hear. When he was close enough for her to see him, she was no longer laughing inside. There was a turmoil of feelings inside her, but laughter wasn't one of them.

This was not good. Sure she had been instantly attracted to someone before, sure she had had some pretty hot thoughts running through her mind when she saw the occasional boyfriend, but nothing like this. Not this extreme desire of wrapping her arms around him and sinking her lips against his, not this idea of wanting to jump into his arms and just let things play out no matter where it led them. Kim was thankful they were in public because she wasn't sure if she would be able to contain herself had they been alone.

It was something about him being in his full black gear being all tough, looking like a bearded version of G.I. Joe while holding his niece's hand and talking so sweetly to her that was doing all kinds of damage to Kim's insides. She literally felt her whole body tingle without his touch on her.

What the fuck? How was he able to do that?

"Hey." His voice echoed through her thoughts. She realized that she might look like an idiot since she's obviously staring at him, hadn't yet acknowledged Grace being there and spent way too much time in silence.

"H… hi." If she wanted to play it cool, this was definitely not the way to go.

"Are you ok?" He asked, looking concerned. She was fine, just wonderstruck by what her eyes were seeing.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just not a morning person." She laughed nervously, trying to hide her thoughts. Kim didn't completely lie, she wasn't a morning person at all, but right now that had nothing to do with her lack of focus and Platt picked it up instantly when she laughed right after Kim finished. "Good morning sunshine." She finally greeted Grace and tried to avoid making eye contact with Trudy. The little girl didn't think twice before hugging her teacher and saying good morning with a bright smile on her face

"Her lunchbox is in her backpack, it was pretty empty today." Adam said as he barely lifted up the butterfly backpack with big and sparkly clear plastic wings.

"Great." She answered and took the bag from his hand, hooking one strap over her right shoulder.

"This should be quick, I should be there to pick her up this afternoon. If I can't then I'll try to get pops to get her so you don't have to worry about that."

"Adam, I've got it. Let me know and if you can't make it I'll take Grace, after all we have a little project to start, don't we?" She asked the last part while looking at her student.

"Yes! I'd really love to do that." Grace was already holding Kim's hand and ready to go to school.

"See? Nothing to worry about. And you sweet pea, are you ready to go to school?" Gracie nodded triumphantly. "Did you say goodbye to your aunt and uncles upstairs?"

"Yes! I gave them a hug too."

"That's great! I bet that's just what they need to get all the bad guys today." Grace giggled. "Now a big hug to uncle Adam and another to Sergeant Platt and we're off."

Adam picked her up and sat her on Trudy's desk to give the lady a proper and well deserved hug and once they were done his arms wrapped his niece.

"Love you kiddo, have fun and be good in school, ok?" She nodded and he kissed the top of her head.

"Go save the world uncle Adam! See you later."

"See you later, muffin."

Grace was on the floor again and her little hand was clasped around Kim's, and Kim didn't know what to do. So she did what she thought would be the safest move, placed her free arm on his shoulder and squeezed it a little. "Be safe, ok?" The words were soft and they came out almost in a whisper. Adam could see it now, he knew what it meant for her every time he was in some type of dangerous situation. He perfectly understood just how much emotion was in those two words. Be safe.

"Of course." It wasn't the right time to give her a cocky answer. "I'll text you. Have a great day ladies."

"Thanks, you too. Goodbye sergeant." Both girls turned around and started saying something about Grace feeding Bugs as soon as they got in the class. Adam wasn't really paying attention to the conversation, he just saw Kim with the butterfly backpack on one shoulder walking away and holding Gracie's hand. It was perfect. She was perfect, and he was doomed.

"Need a napkin over there?" Trudy's words made him snap out of it.

"What for?"

"To wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth." She joked. "I like her. It's about time you had an actual girlfriend."

"What's up with everyone wanting me to have a girlfriend? And it's not like that, anyway."

"Huh, tell both of your faces that." Adam faced Trudy and looked at her with squinting eyes.

"Do you think it could work?"

"You know the answer to that, Ruzek. Now go upstairs with your team, your love life is starting to bore me." He rolled his eyes and shook his head with a small smile on his face

"Sure sarge." Those were his last words before heading back to the bullpen.

The day went well for everyone. Adam was able to contact Kim to let her know that he was ok to pick up Grace, but she asked to take her. Gracie hadn't stopped talking about the scrapbook for her parents, so Kim thought it would be nice for both of them to work on that, at least for a little while and then she could drop her off at Adam's.

He was quick to agree to that plan; he could use those extra hours to get ahead of his paperwork, and having Kim drop his niece off was a great opportunity for them to see each other, at least just for a little while.

Kim was super responsible and organized, that meant that she was standing in front of his door at the exact time they had agreed on.

As soon as he opened the door, Gracie ran to his open arms and started rambling about everything that she'd done and the cool art supplies Kim had at her place.

"I really want to see that book now." He answered to his niece's enthusiasm.

"No peeping Uncle Adam. You're gonna have to wait."

"Maybe we can show him one page. What do you think?" Kim asked as all three of them walked into the apartment.

"Hmmm." She placed her little index finger over her lip. "Ok, but I choose the page."

"I can work with that. And now I need you to go take a shower so we can have dinner. I left the bathroom ready for you." The little girl nodded and ran to her room. She was really good, always doing what she was supposed to without arguing. "Thank you, looks like she had a great time." His attention was now focused on Kim.

"I think she did." He turned to make sure they were in fact alone and stepped close enough to kiss her. He smiled with his lips still pressed up to hers when he felt her arms envelope his waist.

"I really missed this this morning." He stepped away after stealing one more peck. He didn't want Grace to come running from the bathroom and find her uncle and her teacher making out in the kitchen.

"Well, it was a challenge to stay away from you to be honest." Kim said without really thinking about her words and he raised one eyebrow to that confession.

"Please elaborate."

"That gear you were wearing? That's pretty hot." She finally admitted and the color of her cheeks was totally giving her away. Adam just chuckled.

"I will keep this information in mind." He said and smiled seductively. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"No, I can't. I kind of have plans." It made her a little happy to see the look of disappointment on his face. "But before I leave, I want to give you something. Promise this stays between the both of us?" She asked as she extended her pinky finger towards him. Adam wrapped his pinky, which was almost twice as big as Kim's, around hers.

"Promise."

"Ok." Kim started to look through her bag until she found the folded piece of paper she was looking for. "So, we were talking about superheros today. I think you'll enjoy this." She explained as she handed the paper to him. As he unfolded it, Kim could see his eyes water up. The title of the paper read 'My superhero is' and Gracie completed the statement with 'Uncle Adam'. Under the text was the most adorable version of Super Adam made by Grace.

"I can't believe this. I really have no words." He wasn't lying, he was completely speechless and wasn't sure if he could feel any more love for his little niece.

"I wasn't sure if I should give it to you or not. But then I thought how much this can help all those times that you feel like you're not doing enough. You are doing so much, Adam. You're her hero right now."

"Thank you so much for sharing this with me." He looked at the drawing once more and then back to Kim. "Wow. I know I've told you this before. This situation is really hard for me on so many levels, but this…" He raised the hand holding the drawing. "...this makes it all worth it."

"I've said this before too, but she's amazing Adam. And you are doing an amazing job. Your brother is going to be so proud of you when he comes back and Grace fills him in on all the cool stuff you've been doing with her." He smiled and looked for a drawer to put the paper away to make sure Grace wouldn't find it.

"You made my day with this."

"I didn't do anything, it was all Gracie."

"You do a lot, every single day." Adam took both her hands in his while he spoke. "Speaking of which, I need to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Next Saturday there is this charity gala thing, and we are all expected to attend, Voight was very specific about that."

"Ok, no problem. I'll stay with Grace." She said calmly. Kim was already thinking about fun things to do with her and Adam chuckled nervously.

"Actually Gracie is staying with my pops. He has that weekend off and told me he wanted to spend it with her." He looked to his feet and for a second and back to Kim's eyes, his hands never unclasped hers. "I wanted to ask you if you would like to come to the gala with me. As my…" His words trailed off for a bit, he wasn't sure how to complete that statement. Different words crossed his mind. He thought about saying girlfriend but they were nowhere near that and it would be awkward to just spit that out of the blue. There was also the word date, but something about it didn't quite fully convince him. This was not like him, second guessing his decisiones like this is something that he never did before. The truth was that he was nervous and he didn't want to mess this up, so he just played safe. "... plus one." Well if his goal was to avoid awkwardness, then maybe this wasn't the best way to go.

Kim blushed and nervously chuckled.

"Um.." That was the only sound that came out of her mouth.

"You don't have to say anything right away."

She shook her head and spoke again. "No, um… Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"Ok. Good, great." For some reason they were both nervous. They knew they liked each other, there was definitely a strong attraction between them, but they were also beginning to understand that this was beyond physical and they really needed to figure that out.