Hey everyone!

We're two weeks away from the new season and here we have a new chapter of this story.

Hope you like it!!

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

The couch felt extremely comfortable, but she wasn't sure if it really was the couch or the fact that Adam's arms were wrapping her body and pulling her to his chest.

God, how she had missed that. How had they both missed being this close to each other, so at home.

They were making the most of this moment, every caress, every peck on the lips, every heartbeat of his drumming on her cheek felt like a treasure to them and they wanted to treat it as such.

Maybe that's why they weren't talking about anything crucial. Maybe a part of them knew that once they started digging into the real and raw aspects of this whole situation, then everything would go to shit and they didn't want that. They wanted this oasis to last a bit longer and they were going to hold on to it for as long as they could. Even if it was just five more minutes.

"I'm sorry." His words were soft and honest and his body didn't shift. He stayed still while his hand gently went up and down Kim's back and her index finger traced circles on his pec, just how they used to do after they made love to each other even if they hadn't done anything remotely close to that now. "I'm sorry for not being the man you deserved back then. For not being able to see what you truly needed. There's not a day that I don't regret that."

"We both made mistakes Adam. I also have a bunch of regrets and I am sorry too. Sorry for not being strong enough to stick around and try to make things right, and sorry for ruining another relationship for you."

"Kim, you never ruined anything. The responsibility is on me for making wrong decisions." He felt she was about to say something but was quick to get ahead of her. "Now, before you say anything I don't mean kissing you, those are not the decisions I'm talking about. I mean I'm not exactly proud of it, because I never meant to hurt Tori, but I don't think us kissing was ever a mistake and in a way, not doing it was hurting me." He took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that I should have never let those relationships get that far. What I had with Wendy was a dead end and the only reason I started something with Tori was to try to get over you. She was nice, we had fun and I just couldn't move on from you. I thought that it was because I never gave myself a real chance, so I did and it didn't work.

I still thought about you all the time, I dreamed of you and then you showed up here."

"Dreams, huh? What kinds of dreams are you talking about?" She said trying to decompress the atmosphere and being well aware that the answer could potentially burn her.

Adam laughed and shifted his body enough to be able to hold her face in his hands and kiss her hard, which she responded to immediately. "Not the kind of dreams you're thinking about." He said, still chuckling, once they had to break apart for air. "Regardless of what the dream was, you were there. I seriously was about to go to the shrink or something." Now it was Kim's turn to laugh. "I know it sounds funny, but it wasn't."

"I'm really sorry this was such a mess for everyone."

"Yeah, I am too. But we're here now. This case brought you back and, Kim, when I saw you I really felt it as a sign."

"A sign? You're that person now?" She teased.

"Excuse me for believing." He joked. "In all seriousness yes, a sign. The one time I actually try to accept that being together was not gonna happen again, you show up in the bullpen, if that's not a sign then what is?"

"Ok, you might have a point there. But a sign for what exactly?" He looked at her implying that the answer to her question was obvious. "Adam, what do you think will happen next? The case will be over, I'll get flown back to DC, and we'll continue with our lives. It's not that simple."

"I'm sure we can figure something out."

"What? Long distance? How long is that going to last until our hearts get broken again?" She sighed. " It's like we're stuck in this loop, where the same things happen over and over again. That's why I think you made a mistake by breaking up with Victoria. I don't want you to suffer, I don't want you to put your life on hold anymore."

"What exactly are you saying, Kim?"

"I agree with you. This needed to happen, we needed to find each other again." She said with deep honesty. "But what if it's just to get closure?"

"Is that what you want?"

"I'm just saying that maybe that's what we're supposed to do."

"You're not answering my question."

"I am trying to do what I think is right."

"That's not the same as what you want. What do you want? Here?" He lightly pressed his hand on her heart.

"Adam, please." Her voice was soft and shattered.

"Let me tell you what I feel. Kim, I understand everything you're saying and I don't want either of us to get hurt any more, but darlin' I still lo…"

"Don't finish that. Please don't." She stopped him while a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

"Why not? I'm tired of bottling up my feelings and pretending everything is fine when it's not. I still love you, Kim. Like the first day and I honestly don't think that will ever go away but I respect the fact that you don't feel the same way and don't want the same things that I do. So if this is just closure for you, fine."

He got up from the couch to get another beer but never came back to her. He found another place to sit and wait until the following morning for Kev to unlock that stupid door.

They stayed there in complete silence. Kim was making her best effort to hide her tears and Adam was trying hard not to look at her, he knew what it would do to him if he did and as much as he loved her, she had made herself clear.

The hours went by and the situation between them didn't change, the only difference was the darkness invading the room indicating that it was getting late.

Kim was timidly keeping an eye on him, having him close but yet so distant was killing her and the worst part is that once again she had a lot to do with that. Why couldn't she be brave for once, own her feelings, and stand up to her fears to try to be happy even if it was only for an instant?

She saw him scrunch up his jacket to use it like a pillow and lie on the floor.

Using the cuff of her sweatshirt to wipe her face and try to straighten up her hair a bit, she stood up and got closer to him.

His eyes were closed, but the steps getting closer to him made him look in her direction and find her standing up next to him with her hand extended out for him to take.

"The couch is big enough for the both of us."

He said nothing to her. His only response was closing his eyes again and that was when he felt her sit next to him. "I know. I'm not making any sense. I'm sorry."

"Let's just stop apologizing. I guess we're both doing the best we can."

"I really am trying to do what's best."

"I know."

"I don't want you to sleep on the floor, it's cold."

"I'm fine."

"Adam." She was about to break down and cry and he couldn't stand her voice cracking.

"What?"

She took a deep breath. "You understand that the reason why I see this as closure is to protect our hearts, right?"

"Mm hmm."

"But it doesn't mean that I want us to stop talking or not to make the best of the time we do have together." She ran her hands through her face in complete frustration. "Maybe you think I'm not making any sense again but I don't want to give this moment up. Just, just come back to the couch with me. Let's have this moment just the two of us. What do you say?"

He opened his eyes to look at her. "Just this last time." She let out softly.

He sat up next to her "See? That's the problem. I don't want it to be the last time. I refuse to think like that."

Kim knew she was going to come across as crazy and bipolar, but a magnetic force was pulling her into him and it only took a few seconds for her lips to capture his mouth.

"Truce?" She whispered as her forehead was leaning on his and he only nodded. "Come with me?" She stood up taking his hand and finally walked together over to the couch.

Kevin and Jay had obviously planned everything very carefully, because there was even a blanket over by the sofa. Adam grabbed it and pulled it over themselves once Kim was comfortably curled up next to him, lost in their embrace as like they both knew they were meant to be, right then and always.

Different from what had been happening, this time sleep arrived quickly, they felt so relaxed and safe it was easy for them to give in to the comfort of finally being together and just rest.

The rays of sun creeping in through the small window was snaking Kim in the face, forcing her to wake up from the state of frenzy she was in.

Their legs were tangled, her face on his chest, his hand placed on her bum and her on his abs, under his shirt. Apparently she had no problems reaching for his skin awake or asleep.

She was so comfortable, she didn't want to move, not even an inch. She cursed herself for trying to be responsible and preventing any more pain, because right now she wanted to screw the whole truce thing. She wanted to keep this moment forever in her mind and soul.

"Good morning." His voice was full of sleep and his soft yawn made her smile.

"Good morning to you. How did you sleep? Any dreams?"

"Amazing. Hmm, I'd rather keep my dream to myself, who knows? Maybe they'll come true. How about you? Did you get a good rest?"

"The best." She held onto him a bit tighter. "So, you're not gonna tell me about your dream?"

"Nope."

"Fine." She said dryly, pretending to be offended.

"Hey, I'm not the one who came up with that closure bullshit.

"Low blow, Ruzek."

"Well darlin', I didn't make up the rules." He found her face to seal their lips in a kiss.

"But at least the truce was a good idea."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Come on, admit it. I did one good thing."

"You do many good things, Kim. That's probably why I love you, and no, I'm not gonna stop saying it. I don't have any problem revealing my emotions."

"I don't either." She shot back.

"Oh, really?" He started laughing.

"Ok, maybe I struggle a little bit. But just a little." She moved enough to straddle him and place her hands on his shoulders, giving her the stability she needed to dive down and reach his lips. "I guess words are not the only way to reveal emotions, officer." She unhooked her leg off him and began to stand up, but his strong hands grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him.

"Oh no, you're not doing that." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her softly and tenderly, brushing his lips against hers and making goosebumps cover their bodies.

"See? You enjoy my way of nonverbal communication."

"I do, very much." He absentmindedly licked his lips before speaking again. "And would you mind helping me decode that message?"

"I think you're smart enough to do that yourself."

"Well yeah, but I might enjoy hearing it as well."

Just when she opened her mouth to speak, his phone started buzzing. He looked at the screen and rolled his eyes. "It's Kev."

"Don't answer." She said without thinking.

"Why?"

"Because, I don't think I want that door to be unlocked just yet."

He looked at the screen and instantly declined the call.

"You know what? I don't want that either. Come here."

Kim didn't even wait for him to lean forward, she hugged him by the neck and lost herself in the most magnificent kiss, one that she was surely never going to forget.