Three words - words that might not match but make up a story. So that's the challenge I gave myself. Each story is based on three words and has one thing in common: they are about Hank and Kim. Sometimes it's friendship and sometimes love. Oh, if you have three words you'd like me to use, please let me know.
Three words challenge – Hank and Kim
Words: chaos, locket, explosion
A person who planted bombs all around the city had been holding the city in suspense for over a week. Chaos threatened to take over Chicago. Intelligence and all the other men and women wearing blue were doing everything they could to catch the criminal before the bombs claimed any more victims.
Exhausted, Kim sank down on her desk chair.
"Here," Adam said, handing her a cup of coffee.
"Thanks Adam."
Kim closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated fully on the smell coming from the cup. Hot coffee.
"You look tired," Adam said.
"The case won't let us all sleep," Kim opened her eyes and looked straight at him. She waited for Adam to say something else, but he remained silent. He knew that it wasn't just the case that was keeping Kim awake, but also a certain person. Kim had confided in him a while ago. However, it was only after Adam had told her that he knew her secret. Kim had a crush on her boss. She had feelings for Hank Voight. Only he didn't know about Kim's crush. And she would never tell him. Kim didn't want feelings to change the dynamic in the team.
And as long as Hank knew nothing of the young woman's feelings, she could indulge herself - in the illusion. She could imagine in her mind what it would be like to be with Hank without having to face the truth that he didn't return her feelings. After all, Kim was certain that Hank Voight had no feelings for her. Why should he? She was nothing special. She was nobody. She was just part of his team. And Hank Voight's heart was still attached to his late wife Camille.
Kim shook her head to banish the thoughts that flooded her mind. Now was not the time for such thoughts. Now she had to concentrate on the case. And on finally arresting the person responsible.
"There was a fire, 51 called us in because they think there might be a clue to our guy," Hank said at that moment as he came out of his office.
Adam and Kim looked at each other. They both knew what that meant. Hopefully this would bring them a little closer to solving the case.
Kim got up from her chair and grabbed her jacket. Together with the rest of her team, she drove to the location of the fire, where Chief Boden's team was already waiting for them.
"My men have found something suspicious in the basement," he greeted Hank Voight and his team.
"Something suspicious?"
"When they got the fire under control, they found a box under the stairs and nails," Boden explained.
"Nails?"
"Lots of nails. Together with the contents of the box, that's all you need for a bomb."
Hank nodded. He understood what Boden was trying to tell him. This could be the crucial clue to the bomber. Obviously they had found his hiding place.
"Burgess, let them show it to you," Hank said.
He had no idea what chain of events those words would set off.
Kim nodded before following a young rookie from 51 into the house.
"In the basement," said the fireman and pointed to the stairs leading down.
"Okay," Kim said and went downstairs with the man. You could smell smoke all over the house. The fire had only just been put out, but Kim could still feel the heat left behind by the flames. And still Kim shivered.
"There it is," the rookie's voice drew Kim's attention to the box under the stairs.
And while Kim crouched down to look at the contents, she heard a call come over the radio.
"Chief, we have another box like the one in the basement."
Kim didn't really pay attention to the words. Her attention was focused on the box in front of her. Clearly - these were all the things you needed for a bomb. A huge bomb.
Only now did Kim notice the wire hanging out of the box. And if this box had a wire, if it looked like an almost finished bomb, she didn't want to think that the other box the firefighters had found might already be completed.
And just as she was about to reach for her radio, she heard it. "Come on, everyone out. We've got a bomb here." - But it was too late. Suddenly there was an explosion before she could even react to the words. And then everything around Kim went black.
When Kim opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was rubble. Kim coughed. The dust that had just settled was burning in her lungs. And then she felt the pain. Her leg. Her stomach. Her whole body. Slowly Kim realized where she was. And what had happened. There had been an explosion. And she was buried. Kim lifted her arm and patted along her body. Kim felt something wet under her fingertips. Blood. Still, she couldn't panic now. She had to keep calm. Kim needed to reach her radio and call for help. The team had to know that she was still alive. That she was trapped. Oh God, her team. Kim tried to remember where her team had been before the explosion. And who had been with her. A firefighter. Yet now she was alone. Buried under rubble.
Slowly, she inched her fingers further.
Finally she reached the radio.
"5021 Ed," a cough interrupted Kim's call. The dust made her lungs tickle. It hurt to breathe. "Help, I'm here."
Kim lowered the radio. She felt her strength leaving her. And then, then she heard it. A voice. His voice. Kim was sure it would be the last thing she would ever hear. Everything blurred before her eyes. Small black dots danced in front of her eyes. She found it harder and harder to breathe.
"5021 Eddie please - come on, Burg-, Kim, please," she heard Hank Voight's voice.
"Hank," she whispered his name softly.
And then she surrendered to the darkness that was literally calling her name and closed her eyes. The world around her went black.
When Kim opened her eyes again, the first thing she noticed of her surroundings was the steady beeping of the hospital monitor. She was no longer trapped under the rubble. She was in the ICU, in a hospital. Probably at Chicago Med. And she was hooked up to machines and had an IV stuck in her arm. She was safe.
Turning her head a little to the side, Kim saw Hank Voight. He was sitting on a chair next to her bed, sleeping. He was using his jacket as a blanket. Most likely he had been sitting there for a while. And a slight smile crept onto Kim's lips. He had stayed with her. He hadn't left her alone.
It seemed as if Hank sensed in his sleep that Kim had finally woken up, because a moment later he opened his eyes. Hank looked at her. And a wave of relief flowed through him.
"Hey," Hank said. He was so relieved that Kim was finally awake.
"Hey," Kim replied.
"How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain?" he asked, concerned.
Kim hesitated. Due to the painkillers, she wasn't in pain. Well, not at the moment. But probably when the effect wore off.
"Kim?"
"No pain. I think they gave me the good stuff."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"That's good", Hank nodded. He was glad that Kim wasn't in any pain. And that she was awake. The last few hours, he had been so scared for Kim. And when they had finally freed her from beneath the rubble, Hank had never felt so relieved. A weight had been lifted from his heart. Kim was alive. Then, when they had loaded the stretcher with Kim on it into the ambulance, he had gotten into it with her. In that moment, he hadn't wanted to leave Kim alone. In fact, he had wanted to be with her. Since she had been rescued, he hadn't left her side for a moment.
Hank reached for Kim's hand and squeezed it. He was relieved that Kim was awake. That she wasn't in pain.
"I'm glad to see that you're all right."
"So am I, Sar-. . Hank"
For just a moment, the two of them looked at each other. Neither of them said a word. Still, Kim could see so much in his gaze. The way Hank was looking at her right now was the way the Hank in her dreams had looked at her.
"Ehm, they needed to take these off you," Hank said, reaching into his jeans pocket. Maggie had given him Kim's locket earlier. For safekeeping. He had held the locket tightly in his hand the whole time. Like he wanted to hold on to her. For him, it was like holding Kim's hand when he couldn't.
And now he would give it back to her. Now he would have to let go of Kim, even if he didn't want to. For a while now, he'd had this wish. To be close to Kim. And when he had held her locket, he had felt close to her.
"My locket," a smile crept onto Kim's face. The locket meant a lot to her. It contained a photo of her grandparents, "Would you mind putting it on for me?"
Hank nodded. Kim lifted her head. Hank brushed her hair aside. He stroked her skin as if by chance. Kim felt goose bumps rise where he touched her. And for a moment it seemed to Kim as if he was stroking her skin with his fingertips for longer than necessary, caressing her cheek. As if he wanted to make sure that she was really all right.
Time seemed to stand still in that moment. Hank just looked at Kim. And in that moment he realized again how short and precious life was. How close he had come to losing someone again. And so he mustered up all his courage.
"Kim, if you're out of here, so maybe, I thought that you and I-" he began, but broke off.
Hank suddenly wasn't sure if she wanted to hear those words. Whether she wanted to be asked out on a date by her sergeant. He was old. He was far too old for her. He shouldn't have those feelings. No way.
"I'd like to go out with you," Kim replied, guessing what he was going to ask her. Never would she have believed that he would ask her something like that. All the same, Kim had a date with her sergeant. With the man who made her heart beat faster.
Hank smiled and stroked her cheek again. He hadn't thought that Kim would also want it. Going out with him. On a date. Hank felt a sense of joy. He was looking forward to the date with Kim - and time would tell the rest.