Starting Over

Chapter 8

Deanna raced down the steps meeting Kim before she was even out of the car, "Where's Maddie? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Her words falling all over each other, she was almost out of breath. It was clear to Kim, that she was in fact genuinely worried about her, but she didn't care.

She was pissed.

"Maddie is with Adam" Kim replied, she could see the disgust in her sister's eyes, "Don't you even try to bad mouth him, not after what you did to him and more importantly what you did to my daughter, the niece you claim to love" she promised herself she would stay calm, that was now a broken promise.

"What?" Deanna feigned ignorance, but it didn't last long, she knew the jig was up. Kim knew what she had done, "I'm sorry Kim, but I couldn't stand by and watch that bastard break your heart all over again, and worse than that I couldn't let him break Madison's!" She yelled her hands trembling.

Kim laughed angrily, "No..you did that all on your own! You broke Madison's heart, she lost her father and you took Adam from her, he's the closet thing she has to a father and he loves her Deanna, he loves her so much. You hurt her more than Adam ever could...more than he ever would"

"Kim...I saw what he did to you, I wiped away your tears!" She cried out, "I couldn't watch him do it again...I won't apologize for trying to protect you...and Madison!"

"Except you're the one she needed protecting from....and you'll never know how much that hurts me" Kim brushed past her and went inside, she made her way to the nursery and quickly filled a bag for Madison before going and packing one for herself.

She could hear Deanna's footsteps coming down the hallway, "Kim..what're you doing?" She watched her pack the bag, tossing enough clothes for a few nights in the black bag.

"I'm staying with Adam for a few days" she hoped he wouldn't mind, she hadn't planned on it, but she felt it was what she needed to do, "and you need to be gone when I get back, I'll never forgive you!" She swiped away the tears that had escaped her eyes, she had tried to keep them at bay but it was impossible.

She'd been hurt by her big sister, the one who swore to always protect her.

"Kim..!" Deanna chased after her, "Please!"

"I mean it..I want you out!" Kim climbed in the car and slammed the door, she backed out of the driveway and sped off, never looking back.

"Now, Mads. It's time you learn, fireman they're all flash but no substance, now police officers? They're the real deal" Madison just smiled at Adam as he spoke, "No, I get it..they've got the cool truck and all the cool tools but, that's it they're just muscle...cops we've got the muscle and the brains" he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

Kim had been gone for awhile now, and he was growing concerned. He knew how much she loved Deanna and he knew this was tearing her apart, he wished she'd let him go with her but he understood why she needed to do it alone.

The door opened and he heard Kevin call out, "Ruzek?"

Adam grabbed Maddie and went to meet Kevin in the living room, "Look whose home Mads" he smiled.

"Hey!" Kevin grinned obviously pleased to see the little girl, "what's she doing here? Not that I'm complaining I'm happy to see her just surprised that's all" Kevin held her hand, "damn girl you've grown"

Adam smiled as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, trying to hide from Kevin, "She spent the night...in your room, Kim stayed too." He paused, "in my room" he was beaming.

"Yea?"

"Yea..we're going to take it slow..really slow, but we're starting over. Kevin, I'm fucking stoked..it's great"